Wake Forest SPS Student and U.S. Army Veteran Shares Her Experience as a Soldier, Mother, and Student

After 14 years of active duty in the United States Army, Shantisha Lewis embraces any opportunity to challenge herself and work hard to achieve her goals.

Currently, Shantisha is pursuing her Master of Health Informatics degree to move forward professionally and personally. She shares her experience of balancing active duty with motherhood and how her military experience intersects with her graduate work and her hopes for the future. 

Wake Forest University School of Professional Studies (SPS): Can you share with us about your background in the military and what led you to join at a young age? 

Shantisha Lewis (SL): I enlisted at 18, right out of high school. I was raised by a single mother and didn’t want to put any financial burden on her to pay for school or take out massive loans, so I thought “hey, I’ll join the military.” After doing my basic training, I went to school at Fort Lee in Virginal to be trained as a 92 Alpha, which is considered an automated logistical specialist. My first duty station was with Fort Stewart in Georgia from 2004 to 2008. I deployed to Iraq twice during that time and had my first two children during that time. 

From there, I transferred to Fort Gordon and was there from 2008 to 2011. I was supposed to deploy while there but was pregnant with my third child. Then, I ended my military career stationed at Fort Bragg. I deployed to Abu Dhabi during that time and did a hardship tour in Korea before medically retiring in 2018

SPS: What did you do after retiring from the military ?

SL: I ended up going to school full time and went to Fayetteville State University where I got my bachelor’s in healthcare administration. I also had my fourth child in 2019 

SPS: Why did you choose that degree?

SL: I had always wanted to be a nurse. Even at 18, I originally thought about going to school for nursing before joining the military instead. But now I was at a point where I had already worked tough hours and had to be away from kids for extended periods of time that I didn’t want to do that again with nursing. I knew I still wanted to do something in the medical field so that’s how I landed on healthcare administration. 

SPS: You spent nearly 15 years in the military and went overseas four times. What were some of the most impactful moments during this time?

SL: Meeting so many different people has been one of the best experiences from my time in the military. I had co-workers that are now considered family. The people I went on deployments with are like family to me. I can always call them. Even though we all have our lives today, if you put us in a room together, we would be able to talk as if no time had passed. Those are extremely special relationships to me.

SPS: On the flip side, what were some of the challenging moments during your time in the military?

SL: I’m from the South so that hardship tour in Korea was challenging because of the cold. I was there for a year and was more than ready to leave by the end after seeing my first real snow!

But in all seriousness, the biggest downside of things was always leaving my kids. I deployed three times through my children’s lives, and it never got easier. I always tried to explain to them that I was going to work. After coming back from deployment, they always associated me going to work with me going away for a while. So I’ve had to learn to say, “I’m going to work, but I’m coming back after you get home from school.”  

SPS: What does life look like for you today, personally and professionally? 

SL: Today, I get to be a wife, a stay-at-home mom, and a full-time student pursuing my Master of Health Informatics degree through Wake Forest’s School of Professional Studies. Because of this, I have the opportunity to help care for my father-in-law, who is also a veteran. 

SPS: How have you been able to apply your skills/knowledge from the military to your studies at Wake Forest?

SL: There are topics we cover that I can definitely relate to from my experience as a logistics specialist. I’m also able to take my leadership skills from the military and apply that not only to my classes but also in my future career. 

SPS: What does the future look like for you after you finish the program?

SL: I’m not sure yet. Something in Health Informatics where I’m able to take all that I’m learning and apply it. I’m still young, so I want to be able to work but I’m not in a rush necessarily. I’m also enjoying my time with my family.

To learn more about SPS programming and to connect with a staff member about options for members of the military or veterans, please contact us.