Ph.D. Graduate Combines Love of Learning, Military in Prestigious Journal Publication

Two passions have always resonated deeply for California native Lauren Archer: serving her country and pursuing education. These paths have intertwined throughout her professional and educational journey, recently culminating in the publication of her Ph.D. thesis research in the Journal of Behavioral and Applied Management (JBAM).

Archer co-authored and published an article about military burnout with her Bellevue University Ph.D. in Human Capital Management professor and mentor, Dr. Stephen Linenberger.

Navigating Life’s Obstacles

Archer planned on serving as a military officer after earning her four-year degree. “I’d always wanted to serve in the military and I wanted to go in as an officer,” she said.

However, when changing student loan restrictions halted her undergraduate studies after three years, she entered the United States Air Force as an enlisted member.

This change did not deter her forward progress. After serving for four years as a load planner on the flight line, she transitioned to a legal role where she learned about personnel issues across Air Force occupations. “I saw common factors across jobs,” she said.

These experiences shaped her next educational goal: to earn a master’s degree in human resources and organization development after completing her bachelor’s degree in business management.

Serving as a Civilian

Archer stepped down from the military after nine years due to medical reasons, but the experience and knowledge she walked away with proved invaluable. “It gave me a foot in the door to work for the federal government,” she said.

She moved into human resources information systems, then staffing and recruiting. In her most recent role, she assists service members across the West Coast as a reasonable accommodation specialist for the Veterans Healthcare Administration.

Next Level Education

Having found much success, Archer still felt called by her love of learning. “I’m such an avid learner,” she said. “It’s humbling. The more I learn, the more I find out I don’t know.”

Archer said positive word of mouth brought her to Bellevue University to pursue her Ph.D. “Bellevue University stood out to me because it is so closely connected to the military,” she said.

Credibility was also a deciding factor. “I wanted to make sure I was attending a school that had the highest standards,” she said. “I flew in for orientation and I was so confident that it was the place for me.”

Archer said the program allowed her to focus her learning on her passions.

“I was able to bring my experience to light, knowing that we need more research on what service linemen go through,” she said. “I had the background and culture knowledge needed for literature and research, as well the experience in information systems that taught me a data-driven approach.”

She said the accelerated format also fit her needs. “Timing-wise it was perfect for me,” Archer said. “I was pregnant and motivated to wrap it up before my daughter arrived. I was able to finish in three years instead of five. ”

Lasting Relationships Through Education

Archer completed her Ph.D. in 2023 but still felt she could make an impact by gaining broader exposure for her research.

“We want to take good care of our military; they do so much and it’s the least we can do,” she said. “The need for awareness has a deep meaning for me as prior military. Burnout can affect everything.”

She reached out to Dr. Linenberger, who suggested the submission to JBAM. Together, they achieved publication of “Burnout and Decision-Making in U.S. Air Force Maintainers: A Phenomenological Study.”

“He is an excellent, supportive mentor,” Archer said. “He has a great eye for expanding on topics or questions I wouldn’t have thought of and he’s continued to provide mentorship even after my program.”

Archer said her experiences with both her professors and peers were impressive. “I’m still in touch with two of my fellow students. You build really good relationships and I didn’t expect that,” she said.

Continued Commitment to Learning

Archer lives in Maryland with her daughter and husband. She is the board secretary for a nonprofit and contributes as an editorial team reviewer for human resources and organizational behavior publications. Ultimately, she said her dream is to work in education one day as an adjunct or full-time professor.

In the meantime, she spreads the word about Bellevue University to aspiring learners as others did for her. “Bellevue University is so different and unique,” Archer said.