More Than a Spouse: Pivots, Purpose, and the Heart Behind the Work
Military life often requires spouses to pause their own plans, pack up everything, and start over at a moment’s notice. Careers paused, passions put on hold, and dreams reshaped by orders and PCS moves. Yet for some, these kinds of disruptions can forge a new kind of strength. Laurissa Armstead’s journey shows how resilience and adaptability can turn unexpected detours into meaningful milestones. Her story is a powerful reminder that success for military spouses is rarely linear.
Becoming a Military Spouse
Laurissa was attending the University of Alaska Anchorage when she met her husband who, at the time, was a crew chief in the U.S. Air Force. Their shared love of aviation connected them instantly, and soon they were married.
“At first, I wasn’t really immersed in military culture,” she explains. “But after that first move, it all hit me. The challenges became real.”
That first PCS move marked the beginning of a cycle familiar to many military spouses: uprooting careers, leaving behind communities, and learning how to start again.
Uncovering Her “Why”
Before moving from Alaska, Laurissa worked for a mechanical engineering firm. When her family relocated to Florida, the reality of childcare costs left her with an impossible decision.
“I realized I’d actually be paying to go to work once I covered daycare,” she says.
Determined to find a portable path, she enrolled in cosmetology school. “My husband would come home from work, and I’d head to school. Friends helped with babysitting when he was deployed. I finished [school] and built a great clientele at the salon on base. It felt like the right fit.”
For a while, it was the right fit. But another PCS move disrupted her momentum. Upon arriving in California, Laurissa encountered strict licensing requirements and was forced to rebuild her business from the ground up.
“You’re really starting from the bottom all over again,” she recalls. “It was tough.”
Through volunteering, she uncovered a deeper truth about herself. “I realized what I really loved wasn’t cutting hair. It was talking to people, listening to their stories, and helping them. That’s when I knew I needed to go back to school for psychology.”
Finding Purpose in Higher Education
Laurissa enrolled at the University of Arizona Global Campus to complete her psychology degree. Soon after, she was invited to mentor fellow students. What began as volunteering quickly became a turning point.
“Within six months, they hired me part-time,” she recalls. “I loved it. This was exactly what I wanted. Lifting people up, encouraging them, helping them grow.”
Flexibility made her new role as a part-time Student Success Program Coordinator sustainable. “It was life-changing,” she says. “Instead of strict hours, I could make my own schedule and give my best energy where it mattered most.”
Due to the great work she was doing on a part-time basis, her leadership advocated for her role to become full-time for the school. Along the way, she earned a master’s degree in instructional design and technology and co-founded the Military Spouse Support and Leadership Club. Initially designed for spouses, the club soon expanded to include all military-connected students.
“We made it more inclusive, and it just grew,” she explains. “Meeting consistently, sharing resources, and building connections made all the difference.”
That same spirit of connection is at the heart of Laurissa’s work today as a Student Success Program Coordinator at the University of Arizona Global Campus, a school with one of the largest military and veteran student populations in the country. She takes pride in helping military-connected students feel seen, supported, and part of something bigger, no matter where they are logging in from. A calling shaped by her own student experience, Laurissa looks for thoughtful ways to build community for the students that she supports.
Redefining Success
“Sometimes it’s just about being open to opportunities as they come your way,” she says. “There will be challenges, but you never know where they might lead you.”
Her journey has shaped her into a leader who understands what it means to adapt, to start over, and to build something meaningful from the unexpected.
“My career did a complete 180 at one point,” she says. “But I couldn’t be happier with where it’s going.”
A Message for Military Spouses
Laurissa’s story is more than personal. It reflects the experience of countless military spouses who wonder if they will ever find their own path. Her resilience and openness to change offer a powerful reminder that fulfillment does not always come in a straight line.
For any spouse questioning whether they will ever find their way, Laurissa offers living proof. Your journey may bend, pause, or restart, but it can still take you exactly where you are meant to be.
Are you ready to inspire other military spouses? Submit your More Than A Spouse story for a chance to be featured and help other military spouses find encouragement and strength in your journey!
By: Olivia Brinsfield, Content Manager
