DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — For Veteran’s Month, Spectrum News is speaking with women veterans who are working to achieve equality.

What You Need To Know

  • Noemy Lopez is an Army veteran and current student at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach
  • The university has more than 160 female military-affiliated students, and around 50 are female veterans
  • Leaders say career paths at the university have historically been male dominated, but officials have seen the number of female veteran students increase in the last several years

Veteran Noemy Lopez — who is currently a student at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach — said she’s working to improve her future after leaving the Army.

After serving several years in the military, she said she needed a degree to move up as a civilian.

She left her family on the West Coast and moved across the country to work toward that goal.

“There’s always something new, especially in the aerospace field,” said Lopez.

Lopez said that after she left the Army, she worked as an aircraft technician for two years.

“In order to move on, like in any other job, a degree definitely helps," she said. "So I decided to quit, and since I found my passion in the aerospace field, I decided to apply to Embry-Riddle and pursue my degree here and hopefully go back in on these aerospace companies and pursue this passion I have."

After class, she works at the university’s student Veteran Services Office, where she helps fellow veterans get information they need to pursue a degree. She also updates information about future students who served in the military.

“It just makes me realize that I wasn’t the only one that decided to go back to school after getting out of service,” said Lopez.

The university has more than 160 female military-affiliated students, and around 50 are female veterans.

“Being a female, just finding someone to really talk to and connect to is hard, cause not a lot of people relate to the experience that I have," Lopez said. "So I kind of have to figure my way around."

School leaders say career paths at the university have historically been male dominated, but they have seen the number of female veteran students increase in the last several years.

“They’re not afraid to ask questions and they’re not afraid to do what they have to do to make it through,” said Lisa Rodriguez, veterans’ program administrator at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

Reflecting on her time in the Army, Lopez said physical training has always been one of her priorities.

“School can be stressful," she said. "I’m not a traditional student, so I have more responsibilities."

She said exercise helps her relieve stress, and along with staying in shape, she encouraged other female veterans to pursue their dreams.

“Keep pushing," Lopez said. "Don’t quit. Push yourself out there definitely. Opportunities and help is out there, but you have to go out and look for it."

Lopez is pursuing a degree in human factors, a field of study that works to bridge the gap between people and technology. She just completed a “chair study” that looked at how to make chairs more comfortable for pilots so that they can work comfortably, effectively and longer.