University of Denver Spring 2026

On a New Mission After serving around the world as a Marine, Sam Hickey (BA ’20, MS ’21) is building connection and community for veterans at DU and beyond.

By Joy Hamilton

When Sam Hickey walked into his first class at DU, he beelined to the back row. At 26, he was older than most of his classmates, a fact one fellow student made bluntly clear during introductions, saying, “You look old as hell.” Age aside, the real difference was experience, and Hickey had plenty. Attending DU on the GI Bill, Hickey brought more with him to college than a high school diploma: 13 weeks of grueling Marine Corps basic training in San Diego; specialized vehicle training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri; and a 2011 deployment to Afghanistan, followed by assignments in Italy, Africa, and Norway with the 2nd Battalion, 8th Marines. Despite his impressive military resume, Hickey struggled to find his footing as a civilian, a challenge many returning service members share. “Nobody trains you to integrate back into real life, and that leaves room for veterans to feel lost,” says Hickey, who suddenly found himself alone. “It’s like losing a family when you exit the military. Those are your brothers and sisters.”

After moving to Denver post-deployment in 2017 “on a whim and a prayer,” Hickey knew he wanted to be a student, but his first experiences at other colleges left him unimpressed. That changed when he walked into DU’s Office of Veterans and Military Resources and met director Damon Vine, who immediately asked a slew of questions and guided him through his benefits and opportunities. Vine also offered Hickey a work-study position, giving him room to take an active role in strengthening the student veteran community. Hickey then joined the Student Veterans Association and quickly found ways to bring fellow veterans together. “There was such an opportunity for me to roll up my sleeves, start making new friends, and hopefully impact other veterans’ lives,” says Hickey. The first initiative he led was organizing The Murph Challenge on DU’s campus, a demanding workout on Memorial Day honoring Lt. Michael Murphy, a Navy SEAL killed in 2005 during Operation Red Wings in Afghanistan. “[The Murph] is a chance for everyone to come together and honor the fallen,” says Hickey. “I would

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UNIVERSITY OF DENVER MAGAZINE | SPRING 2026