Derrick Loughlin, President of Student Veterans of America, is just one example of how dedicated veterans can be. He sacrificed five years of his life to the Marine Corps as a radio technician and then dedicated himself to Southern New Hampshire University to become a state police officer. Loughlin is an excellent personification of selfless service.
When Loughlin was in high school, a lot of outside forces lead him to join the Marines straight after graduation. His family has a long line of military involvement, and he wanted to continue that pattern. He was also doing karate during that time and his sensei was a former Marine. Although his sensei did not want him to join, Loughlin felt inspired by him and decided to join the Marines.
After his five years of selfless service, Loughlin came home and set his mind on becoming a police officer. He originally planned on going straight to the police academy before realizing it is harder to get hired than he thought. To gain the competitive edge, Loughlin decided to enroll in college. At first he was enrolled online, but he quickly realized that he wanted to get a taste of campus life and be more involved.
Not only is Loughlin the President of Student Veterans of America, but he is also involved in much more on campus. He is currently a Peer Advising Leader (PAL) and a tutor, and he used to be a senator for the Student Government Association. Although he is no longer in the Marines, it is clear to see that he still lives by their values of courage, honor and commitment. It’s safe to say that his sense of brotherhood lives on throughout the entire SNHU veteran community. “It’s a different bond than any other student.”
