“They fought for us. We should be fighting for them.”
East Tennessee State University graduate student and United States Army veteran Francis Murillo has always had her sights set on helping others. While she is currently working on her master’s degree in clinical mental health, the story of her passion traces its beginning to nearly a decade ago. After receiving her bachelor’s degree in psychology with a minor in social work from the College of Arts and Sciences, Murillo felt called to join the Army.
“I didn’t know I wanted my master’s until I deployed,” recalled Murillo. “But when I realized that I did, I immediately knew what I wanted to do.”
Murillo deployed to Afghanistan with the 304th Military Police Company unit that was stationed in Bluefield, West Virginia, and along the way, she met many new people who quickly became family. It was through both her experiences in Afghanistan and the process of returning home that she truly became motivated to pursuing a career in veterans’ mental health.
“When we got back, we went through training to reintegrate into society, but it wasn’t very useful,” admits Murillo. “You’re active duty for a long time and then, suddenly, you’re not. After everything, you’re just supposed to come back and live this normal life.”
Murillo says not everyone is able to make the adjustment. The sudden lack of support and structure from the military as one
transitions into civilian society is difficult to acclimate to. In addition, personal relationship dynamics with family and loved ones may have changed. Seeing her military family struggle with these issues was a defining moment in her decision to pursue a master’s degree in Clemmer College’s Counseling Program.
“So many people can’t get the support they need,” said Murillo. “There is an enormous demand for mental health support in the military community.”
The James H. Quillen Veterans Affairs Medical Center at Mountain Home is a specialized care facility that Murillo has had her eyes set on for a while. During her time as a graduate student, she hopes to be able to serve there as an intern in the future.
“It’s an incredible hospital, but military personnel don’t always know how to navigate the system,” said Murillo. “Because they sometimes struggle to get the services they need, I want to be an advocate for them – I want to fight for them.”
Murillo says Clemmer College and the faculty that give it life empower her to be that person – the one those that struggle most can turn to. In the Clinical Health program, she has discovered ways that she can assist U.S. veterans with the traumas they faced in the military and compensate for the gaps in resources they are reaching out for.
“Within the Clinical Health program, there are a lot of classes I’ve taken that center on the issue of trauma,” said Murillo. “A lot of the members of our military go through extremely traumatic experiences. These courses are giving me invaluable skills that I can bring to the community to enable them to develop healthy, functioning relationships with themselves, their families and their communities.”
The humanity of the program continues to be one of Murillo’s favorite aspects of her journey through higher education, and the empathy and understanding of the faculty never cease to “wow” her.
“I’ve been learning more about myself and those around me. I’ve learned more about being human and sharing empathy. The faculty here are helping me hone the skills I need to help others, and that’s what we’re here to do. We’re here to help others.”