Three Chaminade students and an adjunct professor reflect on their transitions from military service to college and new careers.
By Justin Siliva
For military veterans, leaving the service can mean adjusting to a different routine, returning to school, or preparing for a new career.
At Chaminade University of Honolulu, four veterans have taken different paths after serving in the U.S. Army and Air Force. With Veterans Day approaching on Nov. 11, they share how their experiences have shaped their Chaminade education, leadership, and career goals.
Victoria Francois: Bringing Army Lessons to Chaminade
Victoria Francois, 40, grew up in Fayetteville, North Carolina, where she enlisted in the Army at 18 in April 2004. She served nearly 19 years before leaving in February 2023, reaching the rank of sergeant first class (E-7). Francois spent about 17 years of her military career as a surgical technician, assisting with operating room procedures.
The Army brought Francois to Hawaiʻi in 2017, where she was assigned to Tripler Army Medical Center. She later became the perioperative noncommissioned officer in charge, overseeing four departments: same-day surgery, the operating room, post-anesthesia care, and sterile processing.
While she was still serving, Francois enrolled at Chaminade in 2019 and attended evening classes at Tripler. She began taking classes on campus in 2023.
Initially concerned about returning to college as an adult learner, Francois has found opportunities to get involved. She served as a senior senator in the Chaminade Student Government Association (CSGA) and participated in the university’s Sustained Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) program.
Through the program, Francois met Dr. Abby Halston, who became her mentor. Halston later nominated Francois for the 2024 Sue Wesselkamper Award, which she won.
Francois earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Chaminade in May 2024 and is now pursuing a master’s degree in counseling psychology. She also serves as president of Chaminade’s Psi Chi chapter, a psychology honor society, where she applies her military leadership experience to working with other student officers.
“I may know how to get things done and execute, because that’s just what the military has taught me over and over,” Francois said. “But collaboration is everything, right?”
Francois expects to finish her master’s program in May 2027. Then, she plans to pursue a doctorate in educational psychology while continuing to work as a behavioral health specialist with the Hawaiʻi Department of Education.
Jonah Martell: Finding His Way Back to School
Jonah Martell, 22, of Las Vegas, Nevada, joined the Army in 2023 and served as a cavalry scout at Schofield Barracks on Oʻahu. He reached the rank of specialist (E-4) before an injury led to his medical discharge in 2025, ending his military career after about two years.
As a cavalry scout, Martell conducted reconnaissance, monitored potential threats, and provided security for infantry units. His training also included clearing buildings and operating as a gunner on a Humvee.
One of his most memorable experiences came during a five-day training exercise in Georgia. Martell spent four days in heavy rain, responding to simulated nighttime attacks with little to no sleep. The exercise ended with a 12-mile overnight march carrying a roughly 30-pound rucksack.
After leaving the Army, Martell decided to stay in Hawaiʻi and attend Chaminade because it offered a Sports and Event Management program; that option wasn’t available at other universities he considered.
Now a freshman, he hopes to work in the front office of a professional sports team or become a college athletic director. He also plans to add criminal justice as a second major, giving him another career option in law enforcement.
Before joining the Army, Martell hadn’t seriously considered attending college. He said his military experience changed how he approached school, leaving him more focused on preparing for a career.
“So, ever since I joined, now I’m more focused and, like, okay, I need to get this done, to start my career, and help myself,” Martell said. “So I think the military really changed my mindset.”
Adam Haley: Discovering a Passion for Psychology
Adam Haley, 28, grew up in Madison, Alabama, and attended the University of Alabama from fall 2017 to spring 2018, studying management information systems. He left college to join the Army to gain job skills, travel, and avoid student loan debt.
Haley spent six and a half years in the Army working in communications and information technology. He achieved the rank of sergeant (E-5), then worked supervising junior soldiers and maintaining communication networks used during military operations. The Army brought him to Hawai‘i for his first duty station.
After leaving the military, he became a network engineer, putting the technical skills he learned in the Army to use.
But he soon realized the work wasn’t as fulfilling as he’d expected.
While serving in the Army, Haley often found himself listening to fellow soldiers who came to him for advice or needed someone to talk to. As a noncommissioned officer (NCO), he held monthly counseling sessions but preferred talking to people over formal paperwork. He enjoyed those conversations and began to recognize his interest in understanding and helping people.
That interest eventually brought him to Chaminade, where he is now a junior majoring in psychology.
Haley chose the university for its smaller classes, psychology program, and opportunities to interact with professors. He hopes to become a psychologist and pursue a doctoral degree in clinical psychology.
Compared with his previous experience at a larger university, Haley said he now enjoys being back in college and studying something he cares about.
“I never thought I’d be the type to say I love coming to school, love school, or anything like that, but I genuinely look forward to coming to Chaminade,” Haley said. “I really look forward to all my psychology classes.”
Michael Rose: From the Air Force to the Classroom
Originally from Buffalo, New York, Michael Rose joined the U.S. Air Force in 2001 following the Sept. 11 attacks. He served for 20 years before retiring in 2021 as a senior master sergeant (E-8).
During his military career, Rose worked in special operations and completed several deployments. His service took him to 58 countries, where some of his most meaningful experiences involved providing humanitarian assistance to women and children in war-torn areas.
Rose said his time in the Air Force helped him develop leadership skills and changed how he viewed his responsibilities to others. After retiring, he initially pictured himself using those skills in the business world, possibly as an executive or someone managing a company division.
With family connections to Hawai‘i, Rose eventually made Oʻahu his home and enrolled at Chaminade to further his education in business and leadership.
During his graduate studies, Rose worked closely with Dr. Eduard “Eddie” Merc, an assistant professor of business analytics and supply chain management and director of Chaminade’s MBA program. Merc’s dedication to teaching and research encouraged Rose to explore opportunities in higher education.
Rose earned his Executive Master of Business Administration degree from Chaminade in 2023. From 2023 to 2025, he worked as a researcher at the university’s School of Business and Communication, studying technology, leadership, and business operations.
Although Rose initially planned to pursue a career in business leadership, he eventually found himself on the other side of the classroom.
He now serves as an adjunct professor at Chaminade, teaching EC 201, Principles of Macroeconomics, through the university’s Early College program at Sacred Hearts Academy.
Not too long ago, Rose was the one sitting in class, listening to lectures and preparing for exams. Now that he’s the one leading the lessons, Rose said the experience has shown him how much preparation goes into teaching, especially when students have questions he needs to answer.
As Veterans Day approaches, Rose hopes people remember the sacrifices military members make throughout their service.
“I think it’s just to not take it for granted,” Rose said. “And to really think about the sacrifice that military members make on a daily basis.”