Supporting military
Tar Heels

These veterans served their country and earned degrees at UNC-Chapel Hill.

Through the Army’s Green to Gold program at Carolina, LeBon Hobayan can earn a graduate degree and become a commissioned officer.

Ashley Perry earned her MBA at UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School as an active-duty Army officer and a single mother of two.

Her experience playing on a championship team taught Kristin Acquavella how to work hard, push herself and trust others.

The U.S. Marine Corps pilot is earning a Master of Public Administration through a new program designed for military-related students.

After 22 years, James Jacks embraces using his organizational and communication skills in a new way.

Now she uses her UNC School of Law degree as a senior staff attorney for the U.S. Coast Guard.

Emma Farson’s EMT certification in high school helped the Vetter Military Family Scholar prepare for her studies at Carolina.

Jack Austin earned an MBA from UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School and now works for JPMorgan Chase.

At the dental school’s craniofacial clinic, Jessica Hill creates a special place for patients, families and staff.

After improving operations for the U.S. Air Force, Emily Arnsberg returns to Carolina for a second degree.

Under his leadership, UNC Kenan-Flagler offers more executive development programs designed for government and military personnel.

A professor of anthropology, Chua explores the complex relationships between war, medicine, and the U.S. military by examining the U.S. military's increased reliance on psychiatric medications. Her research explores how medications commonly used in American life become tools within global counterinsurgency efforts and examines the impact on soldiers’ lives and experiences as they use these drugs in combat settings.

Jensen was a faculty member at the UNC School of Social Work before joining the School of Education in 2024. His research is centered on child and human development. He is a faculty fellow at the Carolina Population Center, Fellow of the Society for Social Work and Research, and deputy editor of the Journal of Family Theory & Review, and an active member of the National Council on Family Relations. He is happy to highlight the work he and his colleagues have done in the areas of family maltreatment prevention and well-being promotion among military-connected families (particularly the Air Force).

Gougler-Reeves was part of the team that brought a Women, Infant and Children (WIC) office to Fort Bragg. She can discuss food insecurity among military families, redemption of public service benefits and food access solutions.

Kane is a medical doctor with clinical interests in veterans’ health and primary care of patients with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). He’s also the chief medical officer of the Transforming Health and Resilience in Veterans (THRIVE) program, which aims to treat traumatic brain injuries and related health conditions as well as promote overall wellness for veterans and first responders.

An associate professor and former Army Nurse, Kitzmiller coordinates the military initiative. She can discuss the UNC School of Nursing’s Military Pathway, which supports Armed Forces Veterans and Active Duty service members in obtaining an accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing.

McCulloch has spent years developing specialized concussion testing protocols for service members, who face unique physical and cognitive demands, unlike civilians. Traditional concussion tests didn't capture the complexity of military tasks, so McCulloch's team created more dynamic testing scenarios. She can discuss this new approach and the best ways to prevent concussions among military members.

Upshaw is the principal investigator of the Building Veteran Healthy Communities Project. She can discuss veteran well-being and suicide prevention, including protective and risk factors at the individual, interpersonal, community and societal levels.