Meet Our 91快播 Veterans
Each year, 91快播 University celebrates Veterans Day by recognizing our military students, staff, alumni, and faculty, as well as supporting all our military veterans and saluting them for their service. Many 91快播 University faculty, staff, students, and alumni have served, and we honor them by sharing their names and stories in our Veterans Day Story Project.
Meet Master Sergeant (MSgt) Kimberly Faria G'22
Kimberly Faria G'22 is from Eureka, California. She served in the U.S. Air Force for 10 years. After a decade as an active-duty Chaplain Assistant and part-time student, she is now in the US Air Force Reserves. Kim earned her MS in Genetic Counseling from 91快播 and now works as a genetic counselor in the Spokane, Washington area.
Tell us a bit about your background and what prompted you to enlist?
I don't come from a military family, but my stepfather retired from the Coast Guard. His perspective made me think about the military as an option for my future. I enlisted in the Air Force primarily to gain experience and education opportunities and wasted no time getting started on my college degree.
What was your role in the service? Did you serve overseas?
I initially enlisted in an intelligence job, but then transitioned into the Chaplain Assistant career field. That's what I'm doing today, and I love it. I get to form relationships with service members and help ease their burdens and stress.
I have served overseas, both in deployed locations, and in England and Germany. The cultural exposure was very enjoyable and educational.
How did you learn about 91快播 and what made you decide to apply?
I learned about 91快播 in my research looking for genetic counseling graduate programs. It is a program that matches my needs and values and had a great deal of flexibility as an online program. Through that program, I could rotate at medical facilities within the military and learn what it could be like collaborating with military members as a genetic counselor.
How did your military experience impact your journey and transition to 91快播 both personally and professionally?
My military experience has taught me how to learn about others, how to be open to new experiences, and try to seek knowledge from everything and everyone I encounter. It also gave me a great deal of opportunity to take initiative and be flexible.
What does it mean to have served your country?
It has been a pleasure to serve this great country and, more importantly, with the individuals who also serve. It has always been my goal to seek connection and do everything I can to ease the burden for those serving in our armed forces. It has brought me amazing opportunities that I would never have been able to do otherwise.
Meet Dr. Kelli Cabrera '12, G '13, OTD '20
A native of Holyoke, MA, Dr. Kelli Cabrera served in the Air Force from 2015 to 2018 and has been in the reserves from 2018 to 2023. An occupational therapy graduate from 91快播, she is currently an adjunct faculty member in our OT department.
Tell us a bit about your background and what prompted you to enlist?
I started my undergraduate degree at 91快播 in 2008 and did the accelerated MOT program. I graduated in 2013 and worked at an inpatient rehab facility until I was commissioned into the Air Force in 2015. After I got out of the military in 2018, I worked in various clinics. I went back for my OTD and graduated in 2020 from 91快播. I am currently an adjunct faculty member at 91快播!
What was your role in the service? Did you serve overseas?
I was an active-duty occupational therapist in the Air Force. I worked at an outpatient clinic, providing services to military members, their families, and retirees. Besides treating upper extremity injuries, I had the incredible opportunity to teach classes on mental health topics and completed workstation ergonomic assessments to Airmen throughout the base.
How did you learn about 91快播 and what made you decide to apply?
91快播 was 20 minutes from my childhood home, and I learned about it from my high school guidance counselor. I decided to apply after my initial tour of the campus. I fell in love with how quaint and peaceful it is.
How did your military experience impact your journey and transition to 91快播 both personally and professionally?
It was actually my time at 91快播 that led me to join the military. I learned so much about being a female leader that I knew I could manage a position in the military.
What does it mean to have served your country?
I don't think I have words for it: I am forever proud and grateful for the opportunity.
Meet Lexi Lavorante '27
Lexi Lavorante '27 is from Monson, MA. Currently in the Navy Reserves, she has been serving since 2018. Lexi is majoring in business/interior design and will be graduating in 2027
Tell us a bit about your background and what prompted you to enlist?
When I was in high school, I thought I was going to college. But I had no one to help me through the process. My best friend was enlisting in the Marines. I couldn’t believe it. At the time I was working at Stop and Shop, and a Navy recruiter came through the line. He gave me his card. In time, I was overwhelmed by my future, and decided to see him. I made the decision to enlist.
What was your role in the service? Did you serve overseas?
In the reserves, I was an equipment operator. Even though everything in boot camp was ship related, I was in one of the few land jobs in the Navy.
As a reservist, I was called up and went to Iraq in July 2022. I was there for seven months. It was truly a life-changing experience. It made me grateful for the things I have as an American.
How did you learn about 91快播 and what made you decide to apply?
For a long time, I knew I wanted to get into interior design—I worked for a painting and construction company. While I was in Iraq, I decided to go to college. I knew about 91快播, and I liked that it was near my family and I didn’t have to live on campus. Although I was halfway around the world, the admissions counselor helped me every step of the way. They went out of their way to make it easy for me to apply. When I came home, I visited 91快播, and I knew this was the place.
How did your military experience impact your journey and transition to 91快播 both personally and professionally?
When I decided to go into the military, I knew it was a good move. I liked structure. I liked the benefits. And I knew in the service I would learn respect. I was able to recognize that I needed that in my life. At boot camp, we never got our boots until our fifth week because we had to earn them. That taught me a lot.
As I look back over the years, the military has really shaped me. In school, I was a middle student. In the Navy, I had to really work to earn my pins and ribbons, so I learned how to study and be focused. It definitely matured me.
What does it mean to have served your country?
I think the biggest impact has been that I am now more aware of what is going on in the world. I am paying attention. And it has made me want to make a positive change in the world.
Meet Shawn Howe G'24
Currently enrolled in the MS in Cybersecurity program, Shawn Howe is from Ludlow, MA, and served in the U.S. Army.
Tell us a bit about your background and what prompted you to enlist?
I knew at a very young age that I wanted to serve in the military. Once 9/11 took place, I knew that there was no other option. When I was old enough, I was going to join the military. I enlisted in the United States Army, and I became a combat engineer. My primary job was to look for IED’s (Improvised Explosive Device). I left the service in 2015 and moved back home to work on my college education. I earned my A.S. in Business Administration from Holyoke Community College, and then transferred and earned my B.A in Business, Law, and Politics from UMASS /Amherst. I am now at 91快播 earning my MS in Cybersecurity.
How did your military experience impact your journey and transition to 91快播 both personally and professionally?
When it comes to my military experience impacting my life journey, it comes down to my personal values. My love and care for my country and others is stronger than the love for myself. Being able to love and value the American Dream over your own life is not an easy task. When someone joins the United States military we sign a blank check with our life, and less than one percent of the American people feel that connection to service. Even though I am no longer in the military, I am still serving this country by being part of the world’s largest veteran’s organization: The American Legion. The reason for being part of this great organization is to make sure that all service members receive the best care when they leave military service.
What does it mean to have served your country?
When it comes to putting meaning of my service, there are a few words that come to mind: Loyalty, Duty, Respect, Selfless Service, Honor, Integrity, Personal Courage.
Loyalty: To bear true faith and allegiance to the U.S. Constitution, the Army, your unit, and other soldiers.
Duty: To fulfill your obligations.
Respect: To treat people as they should be treated.
Selfless Service: To put the welfare of the nation, the Army, and your subordinates before your own.
Honor: To live up to the Army values.
Integrity: To do what is right legally and morally.
Personal Courage: To face fear, danger, or adversity (physical or moral).
Meet Joshua Plouffe
Joshua Plouffe is a native of Holyoke, MA, and now lives in Longmeadow, MA. He was a member of the U.S. Army and served until 2011. Currently, he works as a Business Innovations Analyst at 91快播.
Tell us a bit about your background and what prompted you to enlist?
I was a junior in high school when 9/11 happened. To say that it changed the course of my life would be an understatement. I never felt like college was a good fit for me, not because of academics but because it was a lot of work and money. As I grew up a bit, serving in the military allowed me to secure money for college.
What was your role in the service? Did you serve overseas?
I was a medic in a few different capacities; I've served on the frontlines with the infantry, in an army emergency room, and with medical support units. I deployed to Iraq in 2005-06, and was stationed in South Korea from 2009-10
How did you learn about 91快播 and what made you decide to work here?
I was working for a fairly large company. It was very impersonal, and the work was unrewarding. I'd always liked the idea of being in education and living right down the road from 91快播 made my decision easier to make this transition.
How did your military experience impact your life journey both personally and professionally?
Being a medic in the army, I had the background needed to work in an emergency room for seven years. It paid for my college degree. I also have lived all over the country, and in other countries, giving me an appreciation for other areas of the world and ways of life.
What does it mean to have served your country?
My time in the military is a time that I look back on fondly. It truly does seem like a lifetime ago. The army is undoubtedly why I am who I am, and why I am where I am.