Where Care and Career Intersect: Sara Luna’s Journey at Empire State University

(SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY — May 15, 2025) After years of military service, Sara Margaret Elizabeth Luna decided she would work towards her bachelor’s degree to better serve her office and open the door to new possibilities. Born in Marathon, New York, she is graduating with a bachelor’s degree in government contracting and communications and will be walking in the Manhattan commencement ceremony on May 21.

Luna enlisted in the military in 2003, halfway through her senior year of high school. “I graduated high school on a Sunday in June, and then, the next day I was at MEPS processing—and the next day … I was on my very first airplane ride to BMT [basic military training] for the Air Force over in Texas,” she comments. Since, her assignments have taken her from Oklahoma to California and beyond. Currently, Luna is serving as the contracting superintendent at the New York Air National Guard.

What prompted Luna to initially join Empire State University was the goal of seeking out a higher warrant for signing contracts, something that comes with more advanced academic credentials. After a series of attempts to enroll at other institutions that didn’t feel “military-friendly,” she decided to switch her approach. “Come October 2023, I was like, you know what? I’m going to give Empire State University a try and just see what they do. Within 24 hours they had me enrolled,” she says.

Prior learning assessment (PLA)—another trait of the university’s that appealed to Luna upon enrollment—aims to recognize knowledge and skills that students may have gained outside of traditional classroom settings. Luna was one of many students who applied to obtain college credit befitting her career experience, which allowed her to focus on credits dedicated to new knowledge and skills.

Her father’s sudden passing is a significant challenge that Luna faced during her time at Empire State University. Yet, amid trying to earn her BA, while balancing school, work, and other responsibilities, there was, unexpectedly, also space for her grief: “This is the only college that had somebody texting me saying, ‘Hey, how’s it going? We’re here for you. Whatever you need,’” she notes about the university’s student support figures.

As her academic journey comes to a close, Luna feels pride in having fulfilled the requirements for her program of study and earned her bachelor’s degree. This comes with the achievement of obtaining a higher warrant for signing contracts, which boosts her career opportunities moving forward. “My goal was the degree. It was huge for me to achieve this based on talking with my current leadership and them saying, ‘We need you to get a higher warrant, which means you need a degree,’” she explains.

Luna’s experience at Empire State University has been underscored by the all-embracing support of faculty and staff members, for which she lightheartedly says, “The advice I have for prospective students is that they should enroll at Empire State University.” Then, thoughtfully, she adds, “Give yourself grace, and make sure that your time management skills are on par.”

Looking ahead, Luna aims to pursue a master’s degree at Empire State University— “I enjoy taking care of people, so [my advisor] gave me three different options, and they’re in the nonprofit realm of degrees,” she says.