Full Sail Stories

As the Manager of the Department of Military Services at UNF, Maethel Cooper oversees administrative operations for roughly 75 cadets in the university’s ROTC program. Her role blends event planning, marketing, compliance, and student support – a combination that feels designed for her background.

“My job is basically anything that’s needed,” she says with a laugh. “I do the planning for the events, arrange materials, catering, and send out flyers and announcements. It’s a pretty big job. It is cool because it’s circling back to my history with the military as well as my love of media.”

Before stepping into higher education, Maethel spent nearly a decade in the Air Force, working her way up to the rank of Staff Sergeant. While serving as a multimedia manager for the Air Force Sergeants Association, she discovered an unexpected passion for media.

“I kept hearing, ‘Oh, you’re actually pretty decent at this. You’re really good at this,’” she recalls. “That kind of drove my interest in Media Communications.”

While stationed overseas in Japan during the height of COVID, Maethel watched a coworker complete assignments for Full Sail University’s online Graphic Design program. “I was just sitting there and watching her homework assignments,” she says. “I was like, ‘Man, that actually looks fun.’”

With the support of her GI Bill benefits, she enrolled in Full Sail’s Media Communications program.

“What I found in this career field, especially having that degree, is I can kind of jump from one job to another job,” Maethel explains. “It’s huge. It opens up your options.”

She credits Full Sail’s hands-on and creativity-focused curriculum with helping her develop both technical skills and confidence. “One of the things that did prepare me was having all of the Adobe Creative Cloud training,” she says. “You’d be surprised how many people ask, ‘Do you have any design training?’ It was good to have that background.”

Beyond software proficiency, she appreciated the creative freedom. “In the military, it’s very standardized protocols,” she says. “But when you’re in the marketing field, you have to think on your feet. Sometimes something comes up last minute, and you have to pivot. I feel like Full Sail really prepared me for that.”

After graduation, Maethel gained experience in nonprofit marketing at Pine Castle, a Florida-based organization whose mission is "empowering adults with intellectual and developmental differences through opportunities to learn, work, and connect.” At Pine Castle, she helped support a 70th anniversary campaign that raised approximately $1.2 million. She later joined a marketing team at a public library, specializing in social media and collaboration.

Still, returning to the military-connected space felt natural. “It’s good to work here, but it’s also good to actually have the experience,” she says. “You can give advice to future cadets or students who may need a little help or extra motivation. It’s really come full circle.”

Now just months into her role at UNF, Maethel says she’s exactly where she’s meant to be. “I had no idea I would end up doing this,” she admits. “I just thought it was a bonus that it was military as well. I’m forever happy about this position.”

Her advice to students and fellow service members considering a similar path?

“Take every opportunity that comes your way because you never know where it’s going to take you,” she says. “Sometimes big changes come from small steps.”