One of our research assistants, Courtney Elmore, was highlighted as a Student Veteran at PSU by WTAJ!

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (WTAJ) — One Penn State student is turning tragedies into triumphs while attempting to become a doctor of Anthropology.

This journey happened after a traumatic series of events in Courtney Elmore’s life during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I had a small business that went under during COVID, and it was devastating, to say the least, that so many people were affected during that time, that it was just kind of you moved on,” Elmore said. “Then in the winter of 2020, my sister was diagnosed with a disease called Ankylosing Spondylitis, and she succumbed to her battle with mental illness shortly thereafter. Then in the spring of 2021, I myself was diagnosed with Ankylosing spondylitis, and I spent the next two years trying to find a regimen that worked.”

Ankylosing spondylitis is a chronic type of arthritis that causes inflammation in the spine and can affect other joints. Elmore says that a lot of the side effects of the drugs and medicines were pretty detrimental. She lost some ability, and was using a walker at one point, which was devastating to her independence, but finally found something that worked.

“Some of the medicinal regimens for ankylosing spondylitis are a biologic which tends to put those who take those things at an immunocompromised state. So I became very isolated from the community, I was very sickly. I even spent a week-long stint at Mount Nittany on an intense antibiotic treatment for an illness, it was just it was devastating. I had a lot of issues walking, I couldn’t even go up and down my stairs anymore. I went from being able to run and play with my kids to nothing,” Elmore said.

In 2023, Elmore took a leap of faith and decided to apply to Penn State. The news of acceptance was a shock but a monumental step in the right direction for her and her family.

“It was it was truly a dream come true. This was something that I’ve always wanted to do,”Elmore said. “I have a fantastic time in class. I work hard and I’m not going to lie about that. I love that academic validation, those A’s that come in. It’s just been an amazing experience.”

Elmore was also selected out of 24 military-affiliated students who split a $30,000 grant given to the Penn State Military Student Fund ($15,000 from Walmart and $15,000 from Sam’s Club). The Penn State Military Student Fund is an annually funded award established to support military students and their spouses across the University.

“This couldn’t have come at a better time. My benefits were running out,” Elmore said.

Now with a scholarship, Elmore was given a new opportunity this semester.

“I was selected by the National Veterans Leadership Foundation to be a military community advocate here at PSU and kind of been tasked to start up a program that will help other student veterans to achieve some dreams that they might have and maybe proceed to pursue a post-grad or a doctoral program,” Elmore said.

2024 marks the 12th year of Walmart and Sam’s Club support of the Military Appreciation Game and tailgate. Throughout the year, Penn State football ticketholders can donate their tickets to ‘Seats for Servicemembers,’ the public can buy tickets for servicemembers and their families. For those who already have tickets to the game, proof of military service will be needed for free admission. In 2023, Penn State made more than 7,500 tickets available to military members for the game against Indiana.

On Saturday, Sept. 21, from 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., Penn State, Walmart, and Sam’s Club associates will host a free tailgate featuring food, a resource fair, and entertainment for any active-duty, Guard, and Reserve military member, veteran, and their family members, including Gold Star families. This Walmart, Sam’s Club, and Penn State volunteer-led tailgate will precede the 2024 annual Penn State Military Appreciation Football Game when the Nittany Lions take on Kent State at Beaver Stadium.

“People who know a veteran, reach out to us, we’re going to lie and we’re going to tell you we’re okay. But the thought that you care means so much more. And sometimes in those dark moments, we’ll remember that and will think somebody does care someone reached out and we’ll do the rest of the reaching back and trying to reach out to you as well,” Elmore said.