When Chris Macklin was 21 years old, he dropped out of a local university and joined the military. Eight years later, he was discharged due to an injury, and his life turned upside down.
Previously, Macklin worked as a mechanic, but his injury eventually led to eight different ankle surgeries that left him unable to do the work he knew.
Without the ability to work, he felt lost.
“I began to self-medicate out of depression and wanted to numb the emotional stress of my future. With no formal education or certifications, I had no clue or direction of where to go or who to see.”
Not having a degree, he also went through a period of time where he was working as a security job that paid less than $10 an hour.
“I was losing money. You can’t support a family on that,” he said. “I no longer had pride, self- esteem, or confidence in my abilities to provide and support my family. I felt like a failure that had let my family down.”
At the age of 46, Macklin was forced to forge a new path. His sister was working on her education at IWU online and pushed him to consider starting education again. At her persistent encouragement, he finally started a program in addictions counseling.
“Looking back on what I went through when I was struggling with addiction, I thought, ‘If people with my type of support system are struggling, how many more are out there struggling to adjust?’ I want to give back and help these veterans.”
While at IWU, Macklin felt supported and encouraged by his fellow students and professors. Now, as a graduate, Macklin is pursuing his master’s in social work.
“The support never stopped, even after I was done being an IWU student. For me, it was the support that got me to where I am today. It was someone giving me that ray of hope that allowed me to bloom and flourish.”
Right now, Macklin is working with the United Way of Cincinnati on creating a job development program for veterans. He was chosen out of 75 candidates to be a part of the African-American-led 15-member cabinet.
His goal is to become an advocate for veterans and to make changes in their life that sets them up for success. Now, with a degree, he feels prepared to make that dream his reality.
“The way that IWU sets up their online program, it really prepares you for what you’re going to deal with in the community. I feel like I didn’t miss a beat by being an online student.”
Beyond just veterans, Macklin has expanded his life’s vision to also work with the families of struggling veterans.
“My family suffered just like I suffered – my mission is to empower everyone who has a disability whether it’s physical or not,” he said. “IWU has taught me to be that beacon of hope. My life’s goal is to shine brighter.”