Success is Always an Option
Jack McLauchlan
Patrol Sergeant, City of Ephrata Police Department
February 2026
Story by Brenna Ciummo, UW Continuum College
Jack McLauchlan has lived a life defined by service — from navigating war zones as a U.S. Marine to walking a beat as a police sergeant. Along the way, he’s raised two children as a single father and faced challenges that would test anyone’s resolve.
Interrupted by deployments, personal loss and the relentless demands of an 18-year law enforcement career, Jack’s academic journey seemed perpetually on hold. Until he discovered a degree program that didn’t just fit his life, it transformed it.
“I feel genuinely blessed to have been part of the UW Online Bachelor of Arts in Integrated Social Sciences (ISS) program,” Jack shared. “I hope when people hear about my experience, they realize barriers are temporary and success is always an option.”
Jack earned his UW bachelor's degree in 2025. We talked with him about how the ISS degree program gave him the intellectual tools to understand the communities he serves, the confidence to lead with empathy and the foundation to build a future beyond the badge.
Why was the UW Online Bachelor of Arts in Integrated Social Sciences degree program the right fit for your learning goals?
Jack began college in 2003 at Eastern Washington University, but when the call to serve came, he answered. Jack spent eight years in the U.S. Marine Corps, and when he returned home, he had an infant daughter to care for; school had to wait.
Over the next decade, Jack earned two associate degrees and rose through the ranks of the Ephrata Police Department, eventually becoming a patrol sergeant. Yet something was missing. Motivated to continue with a bachelor’s degree, he began searching for a program and found that the ISS program at the University of Washington aligned with his values and ambitions.
“My goal was to get my bachelor’s degree in social sciences,” Jack says. “As a police officer, the better you are at communicating and expressing yourself, the more likely you are to have better outcomes with less resistance.”
How did the ISS program fit your life as a working adult student?
Jack says he appreciated that the ISS program offers breadth and flexibility for working adults. His work schedule is grueling: 12-hour shifts that flip between days and nights, leaving little room for traditional classes. The ISS program’s asynchronous format made his education possible.
“Being able to get a University of Washington-level education online meant the world to me,” he says. “I could work on assignments during my days off or squeeze in an hour here and there.”
How did the ISS program’s faculty and staff support you along your learning journey?
A few quarters into his studies, Jack faced unimaginable challenges: personal loss, a divorce, and the responsibility of raising two young children alone while working full-time. Reluctantly, he pressed pause on his education once again. But when the time was right in 2024, Jack re-enrolled in the ISS program — and found the support he needed to succeed.
“I worried that I wouldn’t be welcome back after I took such a long break, but I have got nothing but support,” he says. “The fact that my adviser, Mel Wensel, remembered me after all those years and worked hard to get me back into the program was incredible.”
Jack was also inspired by the ISS faculty — he says they demonstrated their expertise as true subject-matter experts and were available to help or encourage students.
How did the ISS degree prepare you to advance your career?
Jack says he appreciated the broad, integrative approach of the ISS program. With courses spanning philosophy, psychology, sociology, anthropology and communications, he had the flexibility to explore multiple career paths and the confidence to choose the one that felt right.
“Having knowledge in all these areas helps me understand people and societies better,” Jack says. “It allows me to be a better police officer and a better steward of my community.”
The ISS program also helped Jack build a professional portfolio he could use to highlight his research and interests as he planned a transition into his next chapter.
“I’d never done anything like that before,” he says. “I plan to use my portfolio to showcase that I’m more multifaceted than a simple police officer.”
Now that you’ve successfully earned your bachelor’s degree, what’s next?
Jack went on to continue his studies at the University of Washington’s Evans School of Public Policy and Governance, seeking an Executive Master of Public Administration.
His mission? To step into a leadership role in government or the nonprofit sector, extending his lifelong dedication to service and support for veterans.
“I’m excited, humbled and extremely grateful to be given the opportunity to continue my studies at the University of Washington,” Jack says. “I get to keep learning from brilliant minds and passionate classmates while working toward making a real difference in our communities.”
— Thanks to Jack for sharing his experiences in the ISS program! His story has been edited and condensed for clarity. To read even more about his learning journey, check out the full story, “Driven to Serve, Determined to Learn.”