If there’s one thing Monica Jensen can do, it’s talk to people.
Monica experiences a diverse livelihood of many moves and jobs, which allowed her to develop the skills necessary to work with people across many different capacities. Even through struggles with addiction and the presence of adversity, she continues to optimize her people skills. By consistently connecting with people, she found a passion in psychology and is laying the foundation for her dream job.
Today, to make that dream a reality, Monica is pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology* at the University of Arizona Global Campus (UAGC). She hopes to discover a career path that will allow her to work with those struggling with addiction, following in the footsteps of those who helped her on her own path to sobriety.
“I've learned to find things in common with other people, and you'd be surprised how many people have things in common with everyone else,” Monica says.
Perhaps more telling, however, is that Monica’s destiny of working with people is literally in her name.
“The Latin definition of the name Monica is ‘advisor,’” she says. “My whole life, I've always been the one to give people advice, and the one that people come to talk about their problems.”
Finding a Flow
Much of Monica’s childhood was spent on the move. Her father worked in the restaurant industry tending to openings and business rescues, and she remembers moving around just about every nine months. The moves total close to 50, with Livermore Falls, Maine, as the latest one, and where she currently resides.
Those frequent relocations throughout her childhood helped Monica develop a knack for talking to people, a skill she carried over into other activities: She was part of a hot air balloon chase crew in middle school; she skied down the Grand Tetons in Wyoming; and she even worked as a clown with one of her mother’s friends in high school, to name but a few of those unique experiences.
However, she also never stayed in one place for enough time to make, and subsequently, keep long-term friendships. While she only remains in contact with a few select friends, she notes her upbringing still had many benefits.
“I'm very comfortable talking to anyone about anything,” she says. “I've learned to really interact with people with very little motivation. There might be negatives to the crazy childhood I had, but the positives are I've had experiences so many people didn't.”
This variety of experiences and job roles followed Monica into adulthood. She previously worked as a night auditor for various hotels where she worked overnight shifts, where she performed self-guided tasks ranging from check-in duties to running reports and even managerial roles.
“You have to be able to make decisions like management would, because there's no one else there to make those decisions,” she explains.
Monica attributes this not only to effective communication but to having critical listening skills. The connectivity of her experiences to her career aspirations now comes down to hearing concerns and acting accordingly.
“To get the best response from people, you need to listen to people 90% of the time,” she advises.
A Journey to Sobriety
Monica’s path to pursuing her education resumed after significant time spent in the workforce. However, she also pushed through a roadblock that inspired her ideal career.
In March 2026, Monica will celebrate four years of sobriety, a reality she fiercely protects. As a noted “one-and-done” with her rehab stay, she remains successful in not falling victim to a grim statistic: an estimated 90% of users experience a relapse, which could be fatal.
“My addiction was heroin and fentanyl, and it has gotten so strong and dangerous now that even just one relapse could be the end,” she explains.
Her passions also shine through her sobriety. Monica practices amateur tattoo art, along with other artistic hobbies that engage her when she isn’t studying.
The Psychology Behind UAGC
Beyond her fortuitous name, Monica attributes part of her motivation to obtain a degree to her time spent in rehab. After being told she would do well working with recovering addicts, she started looking at programs that would provide some of the education needed to support her in this role.
Monica found UAGC in an online search, and thanks to the ability to transfer some of her previous college credits, she is expected to graduate in March 2026.
“I love the short, intense bursts of the classes,” Monica says of the program’s flexible structure.
While she continues to focus on her education, Monica also remains highly involved with UAGC through extracurricular activities. She sits as president of the Psychology Club, and her favorite aspect is the internal book club, where members read books and dissect the psychological elements of the characters and stories. Monica also serves as a liaison for the UAGC Student Government Association, where she moderates several groups.
“I also enjoy the engagement with classmates,” she notes. “I think it's part of what kept me motivated and continuing to go to school, because I've developed friendships and I look forward to things outside of class, too.”
Eventually, Monica plans to pursue a master’s degree after she completes her undergraduate degree. Her ventures give her pride, something she passes on to her family, particularly her children, and colleagues alike.
“It’s almost overwhelming,” she admits. “I also am showing my boys that even if you stumble in life, you can pick yourself up and still achieve something great.”
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*The Bachelor of Arts in Psychology is not designed to meet the state educational requirements for a specific professional license or certification in any state. Students seeking licensure or certification in a particular profession shall carefully research the requirements prior to enrollment and regularly review the requirements as they are subject to change. Requirements vary by state. The University of Arizona Global Campus does not guarantee that any professional organization will accept a graduate’s application to sit for any exam for the purpose of professional certification. Further, a criminal record may prevent an applicant from obtaining licensure, certification, or employment in their field of study.
This program is not a licensure program and does not prepare an individual to become a licensed psychology professional. There is no practicum or internship associated with this degree.