An 'inspirational' journey for CSUB veteran

Jeff Luff perseveres through personal tragedies to reach success at university

By California State University, Bakersfield

November 13^th, 2023

Jeff Luff had just started his higher education journey at Bakersfield College in August 2001 when the trajectory of his life changed forever.

Luff was rattled by the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in New York City and decided to put his education on hold to join the U.S. military and serve his country.

“I felt so overwhelmed that I stopped going to school. I only did one semester,” he said. “That was my calling back then, to join the Air Force.”

Over two decades later, Luff has earned his bachelor’s degree in psychology from California State University, Bakersfield and is now halfway through completing the Master’s in Social Work program.

“Getting my bachelor’s in 2021 was a huge moment. It meant a lot to me,” he said. “I had given up on school altogether and thought I was too old to ever go back.”

Luff served four years in the Air Force as an air transportation specialist, mostly in England. This was a challenging experience for him, as it was the first time he had to live away from home, but Luff believes it was worth it for several reasons.

“I’m proud to have served at a time when we were needed,” he said. “I’m also grateful for the benefits. They covered the cost of my entire bachelor’s degree. What I gave to the Air Force has definitely been given back to me.”

Luff didn’t immediately resume his education after completing his service. He first had to grapple with another life-altering event after his older brother James, who had been suffering from depression, died by suicide in 2006 at the age of 24.

“We were very close, so it was really painful,” he said.

That feeling was compounded by the fact that Luff had also previously lost his mother to suicide in 1986. He was only 4 years old at the time.

“It was a strange, confusing time. One day she just wasn’t there anymore,” he said. “It wasn’t until I was a little older that I started understanding what happened.”

Luff didn’t return to Bakersfield College until 2019, after he realized that he wanted to get into a career where he could help people who are struggling with their mental health.

“I just felt like this is what I needed to do,” he said. “I was reflecting on the things that have happened in my life, what I could do to make a difference. I realized that to help people in the best way possible, I would need to become educated to gain the knowledge and skills to truly make a difference and to help others. If I could prevent just one son from leaving his parents, or one mother from leaving her children, this educational journey I am on will absolutely be worth it.”

Luff, who wants to become a licensed therapist, said it was strange being surrounded by much younger students when he resumed his education.

“The weirdest thing coming back was seeing students who were born at the time I graduated high school. I met one student who was born in 2001,” he said. “Once I overcame that, I was able to enjoy it. I was able to be a leader to some of the younger students who don’t have as much life experience.”

Jeff and James Luff with their mother. Jeff lost both his brother and his mother to suicide.

Jeff Luff with his brother James. — Jeff Luff, left, with his brother James. James died from suicide in 2006 at the age of 24.

A guiding hand

Luff transferred to CSUB in 2020 after earning his associate degree from BC. He was concerned at the time about taking the next step in his education, but he had some help and encouragement from the university’s Veterans Success Center.

“I wasn’t sure where to go, what to do next, and the veterans office really helped guide me,” he said. “They helped me with getting enrolled at CSUB and applying for my benefits. They made the process really smooth. I could always turn to them to point me in the right direction.”

It also helped that he already knew one of the members of the center — coordinator Jamie Pacheco, who he had classes with at Highland High School. While they had lost touch with each other after high school, they reconnected when they ran into each other at an event at Bakersfield College.

After learning that he was considering transferring to CSUB, she encouraged him to reach out to her so that she could help him with the transition.

“He’s one of the nicest guys, even in high school. Whenever I needed help with anything, he was always there,” Pacheco said. “Now we’re in different roles, so it’s been a pleasure to help him with coming into CSUB. It’s a big change, especially for someone in his situation.”

Luff knew he wanted to continue with graduate school after earning his bachelor’s. However, the husband and father of four was concerned about being able to afford it. Luckily, he was able to qualify for several scholarships that have largely paid for the program.

The most significant of these is the Help a Hero scholarship sponsored by the Veteran of Foreign Wars (VFW) and Sport Clips. The funding comes from donations that Sport Clips stores collect starting in October and ending on Veterans Day.

Luff has earned the scholarship every semester since he started the MSW program in fall 2022 for a total of $20,000.

“I feel honored. It’s been extremely helpful,” he said. “It allows me to stay on track and to pursue my goals.”

Pacheco was excited to learn that Luff has been receiving the scholarship and to see how successful he has been at CSUB.

“I’m not surprised he got the scholarship and I’m not surprised about how successful he has been with his time here,” she said. “Those are the highlights of my job, seeing the students be successful. It’s not easy. There’s always challenges. For Jeff to go through all that he’s been through and to see him be so successful is so inspirational. I can use him as a success story for others who are just starting out.”