M.S.P.P Student

“Aligned Stars”

Ellerie Rollins grew up accustomed to being on the move, attending about 10 different schools by the time she graduated high school. Her dad worked as a corrections officer for the State of New York for 25 years, while her mom worked as a nurse and later became a nurse practitioner. While Rollins was an only child, her family was sprawling as her parents came from big families with lots of siblings, so the Rollins trio moved around various parts of upstate New York to keep close with the extended family and support as needed.

Perhaps motivated by a sense of duty and a desire for adventure, Rollins enlisted in the U.S, Air Force Reserves, serving for 21 years. She performed as an aircraft mechanic for 17 years and worked on C5 Galaxies, the largest cargo plane in the military. Quality assurance for the Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA) was one important role she held for a long time. Eventually she progressed in rank to the point that she led her own shop and served as First Sergeant, then became a temporary flight chief. She ended her military career with the DCMA as “an augmentee with the Army overseeing the manufacturing of one of the unmanned aircraft programs.” Rollins just recently retired on February 1, 2024, from the Air Force Reserves, so she had to have a big moment where she just said, ‘Well, what’s next?’

Her finely tuned leadership skills and keen ability to motivate others needed to be funneled into something positive, culminating in two life-changing opportunities. The first involved starting an exciting new business venture with friends called Single Seed Stays, a short-term vacation rental and hospitality company offering comfortable, unforgettable accommodations in popular destinations across the Southeast. That venture has been going well and suits Rollins’ love of travel.

But for her career’s second act, Rollins searched for something targeted to propel her into the next phase. Life University’s Master in Positive Psychology (M.S.P.P.) seemed to fall right in line with what she was looking for.

“One of the things that I realized in the military is that I loved the people side. I loved mentoring; I loved coaching. And when I found the program at Life U, all the stars aligned. It had both the psychology piece, the coaching piece, it had the pathway to credentialing and it was online.”

The online piece was especially important to Rollins given her desire to travel. Positive psychology has been helpful for her in the hospitality business, learning how to improve the guest experience. Rollins is in quarter two of the M.S.P.P. program, but she already has plans to form an independent coaching business as she becomes more proficient in the skills taught in the program.

“‘I’m really attached to the mindset and empowerment pathway, helping people realize their potential and kind of shifting toward that positive psychology piece that is being taught here. And then I also recognize that there’s a big gap in working with friends that are in transition either into a leadership role or transitioning out of the military,” Rollins said.

Rollins is excited to see how she can take what she is learning and help empower veterans and new leaders toward success. Wellness and breath work are two aspects she hopes to intentionally incorporate in her sessions. She has enjoyed getting to practice her burgeoning craft, engaging in buddy coaching for her classes and interacting with people from many different walks of life. Rollins is excited to have a brand new way to encourage those around her, building up people instead of machinery.

 

This article was originally published in Your Extraordinary Life (YEL), Life University‘s Alumni and Friends Magazine, 2024- Volume 17. YEL started in 2009 as a twice-per-year publication before moving to three issues per year from 2010-2017. In 2018, University leadership made the decision to publish a larger, more elegant version of the magazine just once per year that our alumni and friends could be proud of. YEL features an in-depth look at all things Life University, from alumni and student human interest stories to recaps and previews of the University’s biggest events. If you are a proud Life University alumni, friend or supporter, this publication is one you can’t miss!

Read the latest issue and past issues at this link or pick up a print copy on campus.