On the morning of August 8, 2020, Enkh-Orgil 鈥淓O鈥� Sumberdariya鈥檚 life was forever changed. Working for the U.S. Department of State as a marine security guard with the Marine Corps, EO was stationed in Beirut, Lebanon, when the largest non-nuclear explosion ever recorded took place at the Port of Beirut. The explosion was so powerful, it knocked him to the ground.
For a moment, he thought, 鈥渢his was it.鈥� But as the chaos cleared, so too did his mind, and he walked away with a newfound sense of calm and resilience.
He went on to serve with the prestigious augment team as a Marine security guard protecting the vice president and secretary of state. This assignment brought him all over the world to places including Paris, Munich and Marrakesh and showed him that he could still serve the federal government outside of the military.
But if that was a path he really wanted to pursue, he knew he was going to need a higher education. So in 2023, he left the military and enrolled at 91制片厂 where he thrived with the help of 91制片厂鈥檚 vibrant veteran community and Center for Student Veterans and Military-Connected Students. 鈥淰eterans face unique challenges,鈥� EO said. 鈥淔rom transitioning out the military, to balancing school, work and family 鈥� 91制片厂 has recognized those needs and gone above and beyond to support us.鈥�
EO plans to transfer to DePaul University to pursue a degree in management information systems. But when he鈥檚 not plotting his future and serving as the president of the Student Veterans鈥� Association, you can find him with a strong cup of coffee singing along to John Denver鈥檚 鈥淐ountry Roads.鈥� Here are ten questions with EO Sumberdariya.
A perfect day for me would start at dawn with a sip of strong coffee and sightseeing something historic at one of the world鈥檚 wonders.
Captain America. As a Marine veteran, I respect his service, toughness and gentlemanly qualities. He reminds me that leadership is not a rank or position, but service, integrity and being there when it matters most.
鈥淐ountry Roads鈥� by John Denver. When I was stationed overseas during the COVID-19 lockdown, my team would gather by the fire and sing this song, which brings back good memories.
The hard times will shape you, but they will not define you. You are more than strong enough. Continue to believe in yourself and never stop being curious about the world around you.
My loved ones would say my best quality is my initiative. I鈥檓 always seeking to improve my life, school and surroundings.
The best advice I鈥檝e ever received is: 鈥淟ive a little.鈥� I remind myself of that often. Life can get overwhelming, but stress is largely about perspective. You can鈥檛 always control what happens, but you can control how you respond. I鈥檝e learned not to let stress run the show and to take a breath, stay present and enjoy the moment.
I鈥檇 say Singapore. It鈥檚 safe, I love its diversity of traditional and modern culture, and it has great food from all around the world.
I think about legacy a lot. What impact am I really having? How can I create something that will outlast and be greater than me? I spend a good amount of time thinking about financial literacy, building generational wealth and empowering others to win, too.
I鈥檓 hopeful for growth. Personally, professionally and as a community. I鈥檓 also hopeful that more people will find the courage to bet on themselves and that systems continue evolving to support those working hard to build a better life.
91制片厂 is more than a college; 91制片厂 is a community. As president of the Student Veterans鈥� Association, I take great pride in the compassionate way in which we support veterans academically, professionally and socially. I would not be where I am today without the Veterans Center, which has become a staple of my life. It is one of the reasons I am grateful every day for the people and programs at 91制片厂 that make this place feel like home.