Air Force Reserve | Doctoral Student, Clinical Psychology | Pacific University

#WomenWhoServeAndSupport | #StudentsWhoServeAndSupport

Makaya Truman’s path into military service is closely connected to her professional mission to support the mental health and resilience of those who serve. As a doctoral student in Clinical Psychology at Pacific University, Makaya made the decision to pursue military service through the Air Force Health Professions Scholarship Program, with the goal of becoming a military psychologist.

Her commitment to this work has shaped the experiences she seeks throughout her training. Makaya has intentionally pursued continuing education opportunities focused on military populations, including training such as Military First Aid for Active Duty Service Members, Veterans, and Their Families. She has also directed much of her outreach and service work toward supporting military-connected individuals in her community.

Through her role with Military & Veteran Services Outreach at Pacific University, Makaya has had the opportunity to help connect service members, veterans, and their families with mental health resources and support. These experiences have reinforced her belief that service is rarely done alone—it is built through collaboration, shared values, and communities committed to supporting one another.

One particularly impactful experience occurred when Makaya had the opportunity to shadow a former military psychologist in Las Vegas who conducted disability evaluations for veterans. Observing these evaluations gave her a deeper understanding of the psychological challenges many service members face after their time in the military. Hearing veterans share their experiences and witnessing how these evaluations helped them access care and support revealed how critical compassionate and knowledgeable mental health providers are for this population.

That experience solidified Makaya’s desire to pursue military psychology and ultimately contributed to her decision to apply for the Air Force Health Professions Scholarship Program.

For Makaya, service means using one’s training and abilities to support others during moments when they need it most. In psychology, this often means showing up for people during their most vulnerable experiences and helping them find resilience, healing, and connection. More broadly, service is about responsibility—to a community, to a mission larger than oneself, and to the people who rely on that mission.

Throughout this journey, Makaya has found support through mentors, educators, and service members who share a commitment to military populations. Faculty mentors, colleagues, and professionals within military systems have helped guide her training and encouraged her to pursue experiences that align with her mission.

She also credits her experience working with Military & Veteran Services Outreach as a meaningful part of her development, noting that being surrounded by individuals dedicated to supporting service members reinforces that this work is done together.

Makaya encourages others who feel drawn to service to trust the process of learning, connecting, and pursuing opportunities that align with their values.

Service, she believes, does not always begin with a uniform. It often begins with small decisions to show up for a community and dedicate one’s work to something larger than oneself.

QUOTE

“Service means using my training as a psychologist to support the mental health and resilience of those who serve our country.”