Jodi Jarrett

Marine Corps

University of North Texas

Doctoral of Counseling

“To anyone who believes they haven’t accomplished anything yet, I say ‘you’re here!’ Every person for whom ‘here’ did not previously exist, your presence just created a new possibility.”

Like many, Jodi Jarrett vividly remembers the tragic events of September 11, 2001. In the years following the attack, Jodi began to regard the Marine Corps as an elite and important force that she wanted to become a part of. This led her to a life of service that extends far beyond her original terms of enlistment. After serving four years on active duty, the losses she experienced due to military-related trauma and suicide were nothing short of devastating.

The impact of one loss, in particular, forever changed the trajectory of her life. Once preparing to take the L-SAT and apply for law school, Jodi decided enough was enough and that she needed the tools to fight the thing that kept taking her friends away. Jodi chose to dedicate her life to a new kind of service and launched a mission to support positive mental health outcomes for service members and their families. She is also a prominent voice in advocacy for the concerns of BIPOC and marginalized communities.

Jodi chose to study at the University of North Texas because it has the top-ranking graduate counseling program in Texas . As a current Ph.D. student, Jodi is already combating the stronghold of trauma in underserved communities. While preparing for her future, she is at hard work decolonizing and destigmatizing mental health to equip community members with relevant tools for success. Jodi recognizes the transformative power of community support and looks forward to more opportunities to multiply her impact and empower others.