A Marine Vet’s Dedication to Campus and Country

There’s a good chance you may spot Julio Dagand with a reporter’s notebook or a camera in hand. The English and communication major covers news and events for Rutgers University­–Camden's student-run campus newspaper, The Gleaner. He also philosophizes with the Deep Thinkers Club and is part of HombRes, an empowerment group for Latino men. The United States Marine Corps veteran said he wants to immerse himself as much as possible in the student experience.  

“I’m not going to just shuttle to and from class and keep my head down,” the Burlington County resident said. “Education is such a gift. I need to use it the best I can, or I’m wasting it. And that's the last thing I want to do.”

When Dagand takes stock of the military experience that preceded his academic journey at Rutgers–Camden, he counts himself fortunate, expressing gratitude for the benefits he’s received since serving his country in the U.S. Marine Corps for five years. 

“Not every veteran is able to see a doctor regularly or even get housed,” Dagand said. “I'm extremely lucky to have been able to serve and to have come out the other side of my service safe, happy, healthy, and able to be active on this beautiful campus.”

Dagand enlisted directly out of high school. Stationed with the 8th Communication Battalion at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina, he served on a ground communication crew, performing maintenance on radios used in military operations. After one year of Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) training, Dagand could troubleshoot, repair, test, and install field-communication devices. 

After Dagand returned to civilian life, he placed Rutgers–Camden among a short list of state schools to choose from in starting his collegiate journey. “I visited the campus, and it had everything I wanted,” he said. “I knew this was right where I would be.” 

Within a few months of enrolling, Dagand joined The Gleaner. Both of his parents were journalists in their native Colombia, so he felt confident cultivating his own beat covering the Office of Military and Veterans Affairs. “They're a group that could legitimately use the attention,” he said. “They’ve put together wonderful events on campus. I'm happy to help them get eyes on their achievements, and I'm happy to help The Gleaner, which hadn’t actively featured the Office of Military and Veterans Affairs previously. It's a win-win.”

Dagand’s love of learning has inspired him to pursue a career in education. His dream job is to become an English teacher, where he hopes to be a role model for young Latino men. He also considers his future profession as an extension of serving his country. “I don’t know what the fates may hold, but I would like to teach for at least five years, to match the five years I served in the military,” he said.