Student Spotlight: Matt Dowling, USMC
Tell us a little about yourself.
My name is Matt Dowling, and I am from Oceanside, CA. I am an active-duty Marine who works as a combat marksmanship trainer. I decided to join the military because, after the death of my father, a Marine himself, it presented an option that did two things: One, allow me to forge a new path, and leave some of the trauma and difficulties of my childhood behind. Two, do something that was challenging, both physically and mentally, in order to prove to myself that I was capable of what life had instructed me to believe was impossible. Outside of the Marine Corps, I keep snakes, and I have a unique (or weird lol) admiration for reptiles at large. I just find them to be very cool and interesting creatures.
Did you have any college experience before attending your Warrior-Scholar Project boot camp? Why did you decide to apply?
Before attending Warrior-Scholar Project’s humanities boot camp at Williams College, I had attended three semesters of community college while on active duty. I decided to apply to WSP for similar reasons to why I joined the Marines—it presented itself as a challenge that would make me better.
What were you feeling going into the first day of your boot camp? Did you experience a shift in your confidence as the week progressed?
I was pretty anxious, to be honest. Especially in terms of what the other participants would be like. I absolutely had a shift in confidence, and my boot camp experience was totally transformative. Due to the excellent camaraderie with the other participants, supportive fellows, engaging lectures, and especially the deep analytical conversations with the student tutors at Williams, I felt totally invigorated. Even though I didn’t sleep much while there, I felt energized in a way that I haven’t in many, many years.
What are some of the key takeaways from your boot camp experience? Is there one thing that stood out to you?
There are likely too many to list. One is to keep an open mind. This setting, at a college like Williams, was entirely foreign to me. I came in with preconceived notions about our government due to years of institutionalization. As a result, my views were challenged. I was challenged by the readings, professors, and other participants. Instead of choosing to shut all of this new information out, I tried to adopt the principle of adapting and overcoming. This culminated with my views evolving and making me feel like a more informed participant in our democracy.
Talk! Contribute! Whether in lectures, writing, or eating, asking questions and voicing my own perspective helped me figure out what I actually believed. A critical look at one’s own views, and those of others, to me, is the entire point. The science behind this makes total sense because I left this experience feeling like a better person overall.
How would you describe your overall experience?
It was absolutely incredible. I could not be more grateful that I took the chance to come here. I wouldn’t trade my experiences here at WSP for the world.
Do you have any parting words?
You can do it! I started my educational journey two years ago at community college. Due to my GED from high school, that first step was scary. I recounted those experiences through tears in one of our breakout groups. Yes, the groups can elicit such a sense of acceptance that a grown man and Marine will feel comfortable admitting he publicly cried. Even after three semesters of exceptional performance at community college, I simply did not gain the same level of preparedness that WSP gave to me. Whether you are just starting your educational journey or well along the way, there is something to get out of this experience for everyone.