APSU alumna pursues Navy career on board the Carl Vinson
For Larissa Dougherty, a career in the military seemed inevitable. Her father served in the Navy and her brother joined the U.S. Army. When she graduated from Austin Peay State University with a Master of Arts in Military History, enlisting seemed like the logical next step.
鈥淚 just couldn鈥檛 get it [serving in the military] out of my head,鈥 she said.
Today, the APSU alumna now calls the Carl Vinson aircraft carrier home, and she spends her days documenting its travels and missions, first as a Mass Communication Specialist Seaman and now as a Petty Officer 3rd Class. Her job allows her to explore different interests while at sea, including graphic design, video production, photography and writing.
鈥淧hotography is what I enjoy the most,鈥 Dougherty said. 鈥淚 get to see some of the coolest things on a daily basis that a fraction of people have ever seen.鈥
And the former Gov credits her alma mater for her recent accomplishments.
鈥淭he quality of education I received at Austin Peay is better than anything I could have gotten somewhere else,鈥 Dougherty said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 the combined knowledge of teachers, the small classes and relationships with professors that helps you want to do better.鈥
One important relationship Dougherty forged while at Austin Peay was with Dr. Minoa Uffelman, APSU professor of history.
鈥淚 was in Phi Alpha Theta (a history honor society), but I never took any of her courses and yet she is still supporting me and showing pride in what I鈥檝e done,鈥 Dougherty said. 鈥淚 have been very proud to say that I have gone to Austin Peay.鈥
Information on APSU鈥檚 Department of History and Philosophy is available at /history-and-philosophy/.
News Feed
View All News
Austin Peay State University creative writing students recently traveled to Chicago for an immersive literary experience with Pulitzer Prize finalist Rebecca Makkai, the 2025-2026 Roy Acuff Chair of Excellence, visiting the American Writers Museum, Chicago's Literary Hall of Fame, and the historic Fine Arts Building.
Read More
Hosted by the Full Spectrum Learning (FSL) program in partnership with the Career Success Center (CSC) and the Disability Student Success Center (DSSC), the event changes the traditional career fair model by letting students host tables for employers.
Read More
Austin Peay State University is inviting high school students to explore healthcare careers this summer through three hands-on programs, including a free residential Healthcare Explorers Camp, the Future Nurse Summer Academy, and Nursing Specialty Intensive Days focused on areas such as maternal care, pediatrics, and critical care.
Read More