As we celebrate Veterans Day in the United States, meet some of the Lehigh alumni who have gone on after graduation to careers in the military. They serve in — or have retired from — the Army, National Guard, Navy, Air Force, and Marines.
Lehigh military alumni, we salute you!
Lindsay Jenschke Collins ’06
B.A. Economics, International Relations
Former JAG Attorney, Judge Advocate General’s Corps, and Associate Regional Counsel, U.S. General Services Administration
U.S. Air Force
The Air Force is great because of the mission and its people, as well as its focus on your development as a person. I was able to live in and travel to many different places, including a deployment to Afghanistan. I developed leadership skills even as a junior attorney and practiced and advised on a wide variety of legal issues and gained great criminal trial and federal employment litigation experience.
The Air Force was very exciting and provided me with great job satisfaction. I was able to serve as a trial counsel (prosecutor), draft a will, and advise on various military justice and administrative law matters all in one day without having to log billable hours like my civilian counterparts. Because most of the military people in my office were transplants to the base where we were stationed, there was a sense of camaraderie.
I am currently a stay-at-home mom to four children.
Paul Gillespie ’02G
Ph.D. History of Technology
Program Manager, 309th Software Engineering Group
U.S. Air Force
The Air Force sponsored my graduate studies at Lehigh University, allowing me to earn a Ph.D. in history. My Lehigh education served me well during subsequent assignments on the Air Force Academy faculty; at the NATO Air Command headquarters in Ramstein, Germany; and on the International Security Assistance Force staff in Kabul, Afghanistan.
After 33 years, I retired from active duty in 2022 as a colonel, but I’m still employed by the Air Force as a civilian, drawing on my operational experience as a cyber operations officer.
I love the Air Force because we have some of the most amazing technology in the history of the world, but we have even more amazing people. I grew up in an Air Force family, and moving around, you’re always looking for the adventure of the next place. It makes families become more tight-knit because no matter the friends you make, it’s your siblings who will be going with you to your next assignment. It also fosters a great camaraderie with the people you work with.
It has been an honor to serve the nation. I especially loved educating the next generation of Air Force officers at the Air Force Academy.
Becky Lapidow ’03
B.A. Earth and Environmental Sciences
Lieutenant Colonel, Office of the Staff Judge Advocate
New Jersey Army National Guard
I graduated from Lehigh ROTC as a 2nd Lieutenant where I served on active duty for four years with an airborne combat engineer unit out of Fort Bragg. I learned invaluable leadership lessons through Lehigh ROTC that have continued throughout my career. While with the engineering unit on active duty I was a paratrooper and also deployed to Afghanistan.
In my current role, I supervise other judge advocate general (JAG) officers and paralegals and provide legal advice and briefings to soldiers. I also serve as legal advisor for administrative separation boards and legal counsel to brigade commanders.
The National Guard is great because it allows me to pursue both civilian and military careers simultaneously. I’ve had many opportunities to travel and train, which has made me a better lawyer all around. While the time commitment sometimes seems overwhelming, it is still worth pursuing because of the opportunities afforded to me. I was able to attend Rutgers Law School on a tuition waiver as a member of the New Jersey National Guard, which allowed me to graduate relatively debt free.
I’ve had two deployments with the National Guard: to Puerto Rico to support Hurricane Maria efforts, and to Kosovo for the NATO KFOR mission.
Jacob Matus ’20
B.S. Mechanical Engineering
First Lieutenant, Heavy Lift Company (CH-47) Platoon Leader
Pennsylvania Army National Guard
As a platoon leader, my main responsibility is to lead and manage a platoon of warrant officer pilots and enlisted crew chiefs to accomplish our mission of providing heavy-lift rotary wing support. Our missions range from transport of soldiers and equipment from place to place to sling loads and paradrop operations for various units across the Northeast.
The best part about the National Guard is the opportunity it provides to simultaneously pursue a civilian career and life while being able to serve in an aviation unit and fly as regularly as many of my active-duty counterparts.
The greatest opportunity the Guard has given me is the ability to attend U.S. Army Flight School where I spent 15 months learning how to fly various helicopters. The skills and experience I’ve gained through the Guard have opened many doors for me in my civilian career as a project/flight test engineer for an experimental aircraft company, mostly focused on Department of Defense programs.
What I love most about the Guard has to be the people. Everyone comes from such diverse backgrounds, and I have really enjoyed meeting and working with so many people with a passion for Army aviation. A close second is having the opportunity to fly some pretty incredible aircraft on a regular basis.
Michael Sullivan ’19
B.S. Electrical Engineering
First Lieutenant, Electronic Warfare Officer
U.S. Marines
I manage the operations for a company of around 200 Marines and sailors, organizing training and providing status reports to higher leadership about the combat readiness of the troops. I’m also responsible for accounting for the gear in my company and maintaining our budget.
The Marine Corps has really allowed me to test the limits of my physical and mental endurance and has increased my confidence in my own capabilities. It’s provided me with exceptional leadership and management training. I don’t think I could’ve gotten better leadership training anywhere else.
The Marines have given me the opportunity to see the world from a different view. Being a part of something with international impact and seeing the effects of your actions puts things into perspective and allows you to focus on what you find important in life.
What I love most about the Marines is the people. Being exposed to people of so many different cultures and backgrounds from all over the world has allowed me to experience things I would never have experienced if I hadn’t joined the military. Hearing the stories of the Marines I’ve gotten to work with is inspiring and has pushed me to excel in all areas of my life.
Melanie Ting ’17
B.A. Behavioral Neuroscience
Human Resources Officer, Lieutenant O-3
U.S. Navy
My current role in human resources involves traveling to different Navy shore commands around the world and assisting them with their manpower and personnel. As no two shore commands are alike, I work across all areas of the Navy from aviation maintenance to training schoolhouses to torpedo facilities.
Before I transferred into HR, I spent the first five and a half years of my naval career as an aviator. Being trusted to fly around the world and land on ships throughout my early twenties is something I will remember fondly from my time in the service.
The opportunities and growth that the Navy provides are the best part about it. Moving and changing jobs every few years forces you out of your comfort zone and ensures you never have time to be complacent with where or who you are in life. I am always striving to meet new goals and being challenged by my peers to grow so I can be a better sailor, mentor, and friend.
It may sound cliché, but the people truly are what makes the Navy great. I am blessed to have made the greatest friends as well as incredible mentors thus far in my career, and I am constantly in awe of what I see people accomplish and achieve.