Rebecca Morillon, a Marine Corps veteran and mother, has earned her public health degree from Georgia Gwinnett College (GGC). Morillon, who grew up in upstate New York as the youngest of eight children, described her early struggles with self-confidence. “I never unlocked my full potential in high school,” she said. After graduating high school and feeling uncertain about her future, she made the decision to enlist in the U.S. Marine Corps.
“I stopped myself from doing a lot of things in fear that I wouldn’t achieve them. I felt lost after graduation – all of my friends were off to college, but I never thought I would attend college because I feared I wouldn’t make it and would drop out. I had no idea what my next steps should be,” Morillon explained.
She served as a Marine from 2014 to 2018 and achieved the rank of sergeant. During her deployment in Okinawa, Japan, she met her husband, Bryant. After leaving military service, Morillon continued to serve the community by becoming a certified peace officer with the Georgia State Patrol and later working with the Georgia Department of Veterans Service.
Her career path shifted again when she became pregnant with her son Brock. “Becoming a parent gives you a different mindset, a more determined one,” she said. While on maternity leave, Morillon decided to pursue higher education and enrolled at Georgia Gwinnett College.
“I chose GGC because from the moment I stepped on campus, I felt seen. I felt like students enrolled in this college weren’t viewed as just a number,” said Morillon. She noted that GGC accepted many of her military credits and that faculty and staff provided significant support during her studies.
Morillon recounted how supportive professors helped her manage parenting responsibilities while studying. She shared an experience with Dr. Rebecca Kalman: “I still remember being told we are not allowed to have our phones on us and that our phones needed to be shut off. I was so worried that if something happened to my son, no one would be able to contact me,” Morillon recalled. “So, I pulled Dr. Kalman aside and addressed my concerns. She told me she would not shut my phone off, and that she would keep it right next to her and let me know if anyone called or texted. Never in a million years would I think a professor in a college would be so attentive, and I doubt she even realizes the impact it made on me. That was just one example of how great my professors were. I have dozens more.”
Now expecting her second child, Morillon plans to spend time with family after graduation before pursuing further education through a master’s degree.
