Edward Somuk is a rising sophomore at Harvard concentrating in History. For 26 years, Edward was an infantry marine, retiring as a master sergeant in 2021 after serving in all four marine divisions and all three Marine Expeditionary Forces—East Coast, West Coast, and Okinawa. Edward serves as the director of administration at the Harvard Undergraduate Veterans Organization.
00:00 Introduction to the Harvard Salient Podcast with Ed Somuk
00:09 Ed's Unique Journey: From Marine to Harvard Freshman
01:39 The Early Call to Serve: Ed's Path to Becoming a Marine
05:57 Military Life and Leadership Lessons
17:23 Transitioning from Active Duty to Stay-at-Home Dad
33:34 The Harvard Experience: From Application to Acceptance
39:21 An Unexpected Arrival: Navigating College Life as an Older Student
40:18 Midnight Musings: Offering Wisdom to Younger Peers
40:55 The Power of Perspective: Life Lessons from a Veteran
42:22 Challenging the Status Quo: A Veteran's Take on Education and Opportunity
44:36 Building Community: The Importance of Small Gestures
47:49 From Military to Academia: The Transition Challenges
01:06:25 The TF System: A Veteran's Critique and Suggestions
01:15:51 Concluding Thoughts: Making the Most of the College Experience
#7 - Edward Somuk: Director of Administration Harvard Undergraduate Veterans Organization