Hi, my name is Tommy Seneker. I am an economics student in the Class of 2027. Prior to coming to Harvard, I was a Marine Infantryman for about 6 and a half years. I was medically retired in 2023 as a Staff Sergeant.
Prior to moving to Cambridge, my service took me to the beautiful 29 Palms, California and a deployment to Iraq, serving with 2/7 Gunfighters and Scout Snipers. After that I worked in operations in Korea, planning bilateral exercises between the US Marine Corps and ROK Marine Corps. Finally, I finished my medical proceedings in North Carolina and began preparing for school. For anyone familiar with Marine Corps bases, I will always stand by 29 Palms being number one.
I grew up in Joliet, Illinois and joined the Marine Corps after graduating from Joliet Catholic Academy. While on active duty, I met my amazing wife, Shay. As a bonus, I also became a dog-dad to our black lab, Atlas. Shay has stuck by me through the most chaotic changes in my life, especially the transition out of the military and to Harvard. She is truly my rock, and I am forever grateful for the blessing she has been in my life.
I came to Harvard for probably the same reason everybody does: it’s Harvard. I have been fortunate enough during my career to be surrounded with exceptional people and that is what I desired most when leaving the Marine Corps. Every day that I am here, I realize how lucky I am to interact with the students and professors, all of whom represent the best American education has to offer. The magnitude of the opportunity I have received by going to Harvard is not lost on me, and I will never be able to express enough gratitude to everyone who has had a part in my journey.
My goals after Harvard are to gain experience in the world of business, and eventually pursue entrepreneurship in the security consulting sector. After these pursuits, I hope to be able to retire early and teach business or economics courses at a community college. I realize that educational opportunities are not the same for everyone, but I hope that my education and experiences can contribute to a good, affordable education for others.
