Nov. 6, 2015
BLOOMINGTON, Ill.— In the bad dreams, Megan Schumacher ’18 is back at Camp Leatherneck in southern Afghanistan. In the good dreams, she’s a registered nurse caring for her patients.
Right now, Schumacher stands between both those worlds – a U.S. Navy veteran who served five years of active duty, including a tour of Afghanistan. She’s also a second-year student in Illinois Wesleyan University’s School of Nursing (SON).
Veterans who have served full-time on active duty are rare at Illinois Wesleyan. Schumacher and Tim Leiser ’16, a U.S. Army veteran, are thought to be the only two active duty veterans currently enrolled at IWU. Both Schumacher and Leiser said the personal attention they received from faculty and staff waived any reservations that might have about attending a university with no formal veteran’s affairs services.
Both have adjusted to civilian life after their military service. Their reasons for joining the military have been heard before, yet their stories are very personal. Read those personal stories below: