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As a member of the Army's 82nd Airborne Division, Mia Sgambellone jumped out of planes. Today, the ambitious 26-year-old is taking a different leap in pursuing an artistic career she never expected.
"I enlisted in the Army out of high school," explained Sgambellone. "As a paralegal, I worked with the Uniformed Code of Military Justice, which is military federal law.
"I was also part of the 82nd Airborne Division. I was required to maintain jump status and jump at least once a month," she went on to say. "Unfortunately, I was injured during a jump and was medically retired due to those injuries. Until then, I was planning to have a long career with the military."
Sgambellone lived in Fayetteville, North Carolina, after her discharge. She attended Methodist University, where she earned her undergraduate degree with majors in criminal justice and forensics. While there, she was extremely involved in the theater program — landing a lead role in "The Fantasticks."
After graduating in three years, she then earned a master's degree in forensic science. Her career plans of pursuing investigative work were stalled due to limited job opportunities. It was then she reached back to her love of the arts.
"When I was 24, I was hired by a friend to write a musical for him. I had never done it before. Although I grew up playing, loving and experiencing music, I had shied away from the possibility of pursuing composition as a viable career. It wasn't until this opportunity and the ongoing support of my friends in North Carolina who pushed me to new heights in my artistic career that I saw its potential as a full-time career."
She auditioned at BW as a 25-year-old seeking a major in music composition and a secondary interdisciplinary major in the areas of creative writing, music industry, some music theatre and acting techniques.
"While everyone would love to be a Broadway singer or multimillionaire composer, my goal after graduation is to simply be at peace in doing what I love while paying my bills and having a fulfilling life," she said with heartfelt candor.
"After graduation, I plan to move to New York City and start working from the bottom until I am found by someone who understands my artistic lens and is willing to push me forward," noted the Lexington, Ohio, native.
"The decision to go back to school was so unexpected for my family and me. I was honored to be selected for the BW program, but I was still trying to figure things out. I waited to accept my admission offer until the last minute, and I finally just decided that it was something I was going to do regardless of what people thought about my age, my tattoos or other life experiences," stated Sgambellone.
"BW has been so supportive of me being a veteran and coming to college. My peers are supportive, my teachers are understanding of my limitations, and I am continuously lifted up by the people around me and commended for my service," she went on to say.
"Being a veteran is extremely difficult. There are a lot of barriers that can range from the physical to the mental that civilians cannot understand. The lifestyle of the military is difficult, and adjusting to the civilian sector is even more difficult after being trained to act in a certain way," she admitted.
Sgambellone went on to say she had to work extremely hard to overcome these challenges. "I had to change my mentality, my lifestyle, my personality, and I had to learn humility and find passion when I couldn't feel it. I had to make a lot of changes. The people closest to me will attest to the fact that if I did not make those changes, I would not be able to attend BW.
"I am already meeting lots of people who have similar goals as me or who simply want to be a part of my projects. It not only provides me with ample connections, but it also gives me hope that I have the potential to 'make it' in a music career," she said with resolution.
BW has earned accolades from prestigious organizations and a meritorious connection to Major League Baseball through its All-Star Veterans Center.
In September, BW received second-place recognition from U.S. News and World Report as a 2025 Midwest Regional "Best Colleges for Veterans" university. In addition, Baldwin Wallace was among the first colleges in Ohio to earn the state's Collegiate Purple Star award and is a regular recipient of GI Jobs Magazine's Gold Military Friendly recognition.
BW also participates in the Yellow Ribbon Program — offering eligible military veterans an opportunity to attend the university on a near-tuition-free basis.
As a chapter member of Student Veterans of America, BW sponsors a student veterans organization that promotes camaraderie and social interaction. BW's faculty and staff with military backgrounds often serve as mentors.
