Point Park University Veterans Share How Military Service Shaped Their Lives Monday, November 10, 2025
Photo by Chloe Humway '28.
As a part of an annual tradition to honor members of our campus community, Point Park University hosts a special celebration on Veterans Day to show gratitude for those who have served in the military. Following a ceremony in Lawrence Hall at noon on Nov. 11, lunch will be provided for any veteran or student who is a veteran's dependent.
"Veterans are a valued part of our student community here at Point Park, and we are committed to supporting their academic and personal success," said Desmond McCoy, director of student services, who oversees veteran student relations.
As a participant in the Yellow Ribbon Program, Point Park has partnered with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to offer additional financial aid that closes the gap between what the GI Bill covers and the university's tuition. That makes Point Park an affordable and attractive option for veterans.
As part of this year's Veterans Day celebration, we are sharing the stories of four veterans from the Point Park community to hear how their military service has shaped their lives.
Donald Marinelli, director of the Center for Experiential Narrative Technology
Donald Marinelli, Ph.D., was not the most likely candidate for military service. A thespian, he'd already completed the coursework for a doctorate in theatre history, literature and criticism before he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force National Guard.
However, it was his family's commitment to service — his father was in World War II, his brother was in the Navy and his girlfriend, who later became his wife, was in the U.S. Army Reserve — and a desire to connect with them over the shared experience, that drew him to enlist.
In his day-to-day life, Marinelli was a professor of theatre at Carnegie Mellon University. His reserve duty, aptly, was as an education specialist. "Even in the Air Force, they called me 'Professor,'" he said.
He traveled periodically to Maxwell Air Force base in Alabama to be updated on his primary role as registrar for the Community College of the Air Force, helping airmen get their associate in applied science degree. He also served as a checker for cargo designated for the C-130 cargo planes, based at the Pittsburgh International Airport.
Marnielli was 27 when he enlisted and particularly enjoyed the opportunity he had to mentor the young people he was registering for classes. He even got his associate degree in administration and methodology, though he already held his Ph.D.
Basic training was difficult, Marinelli admits. Still, he would recommend the service to anyone who is interested.
"I made lifelong friendships and it brought me closer to my family and closer to my fiance, who has now been my wife of 43 years," he said.
Despite the positive outcomes and experiences, at the end of his six-year commitment, Marinelli did not re-up. "I wanted my hair back," he said.
Officer Steven Wellington, university police officer
Officer Steven Wellington comes from a long line of military personnel — a very long line. He's had a family member in every American war since the Revolutionary War. So, when he was a young man, it was a natural fit for him to follow in his brother's footsteps and join the Pennsylvania National Guard.
"I was 22 years old and it was the height of the Iraq war," he said. "My brother was deployed overseas at the time. I didn't have a sense of direction for where I wanted to go, so he convinced me to enlist. I wanted the college benefits but also wanted to enlist for the pride of serving, since we were at the height of the war."
Eighteen years later, Wellington still has the pride of serving his country.
Today, he serves as an operations sergeant, using his nearly two decades of experience to make strategic decisions. When he first enlisted, he was a vehicle commander during a deployment in 2008-9 in Iraq. During reconnaissance missions, his job was to transport troops and make sure the vehicle met operational standards, as well as act as the vehicle's gunner.
Wellington entered the military for a sense of direction, and he got it: because many of their responsibilities were training the Iraqi army and police as the U.S. transitioned responsibilities to them, Wellington began to consider a career in law enforcement.
"My brother was law enforcement, so it was in the back of my mind, but it got solidified working with all those law enforcement personnel and learning how the law enforcement world was," he said.
Wellington worked as a police officer for several municipalities, UPMC and Carlow University before joining the Point Park University Police about three years ago. "This is by far the best command staff I've ever been under," he said. "The chief, lieutenant and sergeant are not only people who can lead well but also teach."
Wellington sees Point Park as a welcoming place for veterans looking to get their degree, especially with the Yellow Ribbon Program. He believes the Intelligence and National Security degree would be especially appealing to those looking to utilize their veteran experience in another sector.
"The program has a good reputation," he said. "I knew it before I even came to work here. The faculty's experience and connections to agencies can help get graduates set up."
Monae Findley, student
Monae Findley, a two-time Point Park graduate working on her third degree — the Ph.D. in Community Engagement — has been in the U.S. Army National Guard for eight years. She is a field artillery staff sergeant, overseeing ammunition supply.
She'll finish her service in another four years, satisfied that her experience in the military has provided her with everything she hoped for and more.
"I accomplished everything I wanted to do in the military, and this is my last chapter," Findley said. "For me, it was more of a personal experience; it built me up, that’s the main life goal it accomplished for me."
Of her decision to first enlist at age 20, after she'd already started her college career, Findley said, "I was looking for purpose and discipline. Once I realized I could both serve and go to school, I called the recruiter and said, 'I'm good to go.'"
Two weeks later, Findley was at basic training, which challenged her. "It made me realize that if I can do that, I can do anything. I have applied that to my entire life since."
For the past eight years, Findley has balanced her military and college career simultaneously. "Point Park has been really supportive. When I had a state deployment, they were flexible with my assignments. They always worked with me. All in all, serving while going to school was good. It was fun. It was a break away from academics."
Not only did Findley accomplish her bachelor's in Broadcasting and her MBA, but she is also the founder and CEO of Plants for Skin, a cosmetics store in Lawrenceville. Findley has a lot to be proud of, and some of that, undoubtedly, is due to her military experience.
"Serving helped shape me as a leader and helped me learn to think quickly," she said. "It provided another layer to me and my life."
Heather Prince, student
Heather Prince, a sophomore PR, Advertising and Social Media major, also had a life-changing experience in the U.S. Army National Guard. However, things did not go the way she had envisioned.
While in boot camp, Prince sustained muscular injuries in her left shoulder, upper back and neck and was unable to complete her enlistment term. The effects of that injury have continued for 22 years, resulting in diagnoses of fibromyalgia, pain attacks and chronic headaches and migraines.
For many years, Prince endured the pain quietly, unaware she might qualify for veterans' benefits, until a friend encouraged her to apply for support through the VA. After a long process, she was awarded disability compensation, which has opened the door for her to return to college full-time, tuition-free.
Point Park appealed to Prince for multiple reasons, including the Downtown Pittsburgh location — she commutes from Beaver — and the mental health support offered.
"This is the school that spoke to me," she said. "I feel like this is where I needed to be."
When she arrived at Point Park, Prince stopped in at the veterans' lounge and met McCoy, who looks for opportunities to interact with veterans on campus. McCoy gave Prince a personalized tour of campus, helping to ease the anxiety of starting somewhere new.
"Point Park has been very welcoming," Prince said. "The faculty have been incredibly understanding, and the accommodations I've received have made it possible to succeed."
Despite the significant difficulties stemming from the injuries she sustained, Prince believes her service had a positive impact on her character. "I signed up for the military to make a change," she said. "If I hadn't gone, I would have continued down a path I didn't want to go in."
Before her time in the military, Prince admits life looked much different. Growing up in foster care and helping care for a disabled brother, she faced challenges that shaped her outlook early on. As a young adult, she struggled with heavy drinking and described herself as being stuck in a “victim mentality."
“I may have only served a short time, but it changed me,” she said. “I learned strength doesn’t mean never falling — it means finding the courage to stand back up.”
Now, at 40 years old, as a wife and mother of three, after earning her associate degree in psychology and nearly completing her associate degree in paralegal studies, Prince is back in school full-time and thriving. "I call it my 'Legally Blonde Moment,'" she said with a smile.
Prince hopes to use her education in public relations and social media to advocate for others — especially veterans navigating similar challenges with disability or mental health. Her story, she said, is proof that healing and purpose can coexist.