World Campus student pursues psychology degree to help others

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — They say healing isn’t linear — but what if it’s circular? What if we spend our lives returning to the places that once broke us, only this time, armed with wisdom and love? For Jessie Wolfen, who is earning her bachelor of science degree in psychology at Penn State World Campus, healing didn’t just shape her journey — it became her mission.

At 30, Wolfen is many things. A veteran. A student. A mentor. A mental health advocate. A helper. And a woman who has built her purpose out of pain and turned her education into a lifeline — not just for herself, but for others.

Originally from Dallas, Georgia, Wolfen now lives outside of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, where she balances her final semester with volunteer work, student mentorship and daily companionship from her dog, Maddie.

“Seeing how I attend school virtually, this allows me to be home with my sweet pup,” said Wolfen, who will graduate in August.

In the ordinary details of her life — her desk, her Zoom calls, the long afternoons of studying — Wolfen is building a quietly impactful life.

Wolfen’s journey to Penn State began not in a classroom, but in a counselor’s office near the end of her six-year service in the U.S. Coast Guard.

“I had some of my own struggles with mental health, so I began seeing a counselor,” she said. “She opened my eyes and mind to the idea and reality that I could feel better and take back control over my mind and life.”

After leaving the Coast Guard, she found a new therapist in Pennsylvania who, as she put it, “continued to provide me with invaluable and constructive tools, guidance and support that has made me a much stronger and capable human being.”

Though her military experience was painful, it sparked a new purpose to help others in the same way she had been helped.

“I’ve been adamant about taking negative experiences in life and turning them into positive ones,” she said.

For Wolfen, that meant studying psychology at Penn State, volunteering with the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) and pursuing a future career in mental health advocacy.

Her time as a helpline specialist with NAMI was short — just two months — but powerful.

“Being able to assist those with questions about mental health, provide them with resources and supply them with a compassionate understanding was a blessing,” she said. “Every one of us has something we are dealing with, so always lead with compassion, empathy and a big, open heart.”

That ethos runs through everything Wolfen does, from mentoring other students to managing the challenges of online learning. As a fully remote student, she found the lack of face-to-face interaction difficult.

“I love being around people, so that has been challenging,” she said.

But instead of retreating, she built bridges, creating group chats for each of her classes in order to engage more with her peers. It was her way of finding connection in a digital world — proof that community can exist anywhere, if someone is willing to create it.

Wolfen also participates in World Campus’ Smart Track Initiative peer mentor program and has served as a mentor every semester since her first year.

“I had a wonderful experience with my own mentor as a freshman, so I was excited to help others in the same ways I had been guided and advised,” she said.

She makes a point to reach out to new students, especially those who are veterans or active-duty military, because she knows just how intimidating starting college later in life can be.

“I started my Penn State journey at 28, so a good 10 years after I graduated from high school,” she said. “Going back to school was exciting, but also very challenging — especially with subjects like math where practice is key, and I had been out of practice for 10 years.”

What fascinates Wolfen most about psychology is the subtle, often-overlooked ways our earliest experiences shape our adult lives.

“Even the smallest of occurrences that took place while we were in the womb and just little babies can set us up for how we navigate our worlds as adults,” she said.

She’s especially curious about fear response and panic, both scientifically speaking and from lived experience.

“I’ve had my fair share of panic attacks, so understanding how the fear response works, where it comes from, and how it is activated has benefited my own healing,” she said.

When asked about her future, Wolfen isn’t afraid to say she’s still figuring it out. But one thing is certain — she wants to help.

“I’ve been really intrigued by advocacy,” she said. “I would love to be a part of a mental health organization where I could create, implement and organize resources, ideas, tools and events that bring awareness and allow people to feel seen, heard and helped.”

She hopes to make her mark not with fanfare, but with intention, be it sharing stories, creating safe spaces or reminding others of their worth.

“I want to spread awareness, hope, bravery and strength,” she said.

And when it comes to her advice for other World Campus students — especially veterans —Wolfen doesn’t mince words.

“Be open to challenges, be mindful of your own mental health, and move forward with a willingness to make mistakes, learn how to correct them and use your experiences to support others in their progress,” she said. “We are all here to support one another, so reach out and never stop learning.”