
Ready for the Next Race
January 30, 2019
It’s always key to remember that the finish line never moves. And after you’ve crossed it, well, that is just the beginning of a whole new race.
Kean Ocean Alumna, Air Force veteran and now Graduate student Jennifer Kerr has seen many finish lines throughout her life, but no race has been more rewarding than her journey through Kean Ocean.
Originally enrolled at Rutgers University, Jennifer placed her education on hold to join the Air National Guard. A veteran of Enduring Iraqi Freedom with the Air Force, Jennifer later married and welcomed two beautiful boys into her life. As a stay-at-home mom and health coach, Jennifer still had a strong desire to finish what she started, so she enrolled at Ocean County College and soon graduated with her Associate’s degree.
Her journey didn’t stop there. The next month, Jennifer began taking classes at Kean Ocean due to its “ideal location, LPC program, affordability, and flexible class schedules.” During her undergrad, Jennifer became a member of the SALUTE National Honor Society as well as the National Honor Society. A recipient of the Kean University Veteran’s Association Scholarship, Jennifer received her B.A. in Psychology the following winter with a strong 4.0 GPA; completing her degree quicker than she had ever imagined.
Accepted into graduate school, Jennifer is pursuing her master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at her now, alma mater. She also continues to work at the Kean Ocean Office of Veteran Student Services, assisting veterans with a seamless transition into the student population. “My greatest accomplishment would be having my boys, now 4 and 6 years old, see my journey through higher education. Kean allowed me to be a mom, wife, [student], and work at the same time.”
In three years, Jennifer aims to graduate with her LAC to set her on track to pursue her LPC licensure. She is looking forward to the day where she can open her own practice and continue paying it forward. “I hope to work with adolescents for the prevention of teen suicide, but I also want to give back to the veteran community and teach my peers as an adjunct professor; hopefully back at Kean Ocean.”