Major Jennifer Coleman ’08 had no idea, when she first began to study Psychology at Bryant, that it would one day lead her to East Africa serving alongside Navy Seals and Marine Corps Raiders.
In less than two decades, Coleman, who went on to earn a Ph.D. after Bryant, has forged a path of scholarly and professional adventure. Here, she shares her journey from undergraduate to an active-duty military psychologist who, today, is completing a fellowship in investigative and operational psychology to support the Office of Special Investigation, the Air Force’s federal law enforcement and counterintelligence agency.
What led you to study psychology at Bryant?
Jennifer Coleman, Ph.D.: “I knew I wanted to major in psychology from very early in life. The person who really convinced me that Bryant was the place for me was Professor of Psychology Ron Deluga, who is just an amazing human being; his passion for teaching and intensity was a really good match for me.”
What steps did you take post-Commencement?
Coleman: “After graduation, I worked as a research assistant at Butler Hospital for four years, and during that time, I completed my master’s degree in mental health counseling at Boston College. Following that, I went to Kent State University in August 2011 and completed my clinical psychology Ph.D. in 2016.”
What led you to the Air Force?
Coleman: “While at Kent, a colleague of mine had joined, and I’ve always felt passionate about serving our veterans. This was a great opportunity for me to have a direct path to working with military personnel by serving alongside them as a psychologist. I pursued that process and ended up commissioning in 2013 through the Air Force’s Health Professions Scholarship Program. I entered active duty in 2015 and completed my residency and related military training.”
What has been your most rewarding tour to date?
Coleman: “During my assignment at Little Rock Air Force Base in 2022, I was deployed to East Africa for almost seven months to provide support to Special Operations Task Force East Africa and the Navy Seals and Marine Corps Raiders. I was part of a team that worked with component inter agency and partner nations to protect the interests of the United States and our allies in East Africa. We helped combat violent extremism and supported partner nations in the region.
“I operated in what they call the ‘human performance team,’ composed of a physical therapist, chaplain, and psychologist. We were entrusted to provide support, increase resiliency, and assure continued effectiveness for our Navy Seals and Marine Corps Raiders who were in that area.”
You were also a flight commander; can you tell us about that role?
Coleman: “First, it’s important to know that this role had nothing to do with flying. As a flight commander in a mental health unit, you’re responsible for managing that unit and its components, which include specialty clinics focusing on topics like substance abuse, family advocacy, and traditional mental health and well-being.
“I would say that while my time deployed to East Africa is certainly the most unique and was a challenging and wonderful assignment, it has also been an absolute honor to serve as a flight commander three times; people entrusted me to take care of them, and I took that role to heart.”
