Student Profile, Greg Sanchez, EMP Class of 2024

Hailing from a working-class background in Southern California, Sanchez said his dad, an immigrant from Mexico, and his mother, born and raised in CA, strove to provide a better life for their family.

Sanchez enrolled in community college after high school, but “it didn’t stick. And then 9/11 happened.” He enlisted in the Navy in an engineering role, working in the boiler rooms. “It was 120° Fahrenheit, 60% humidity, and extremely high noise levels.” When it came time to weigh re-enlisting, Sanchez put his resume out into the civilian world and received immediate callbacks from power plants. “The salaries were four times that of the military,  and as a 24-year-old, it seemed the perfect opportunity.”

Unfortunately, this was 2008.

“The Great Recession occurred, so I was the last one hired, and first one fired.” Sanchez went on unemployment, and subsequently, his dad did too. “Eventually our unemployment ran out, and our family became unhoused. I spent about a year living in and out of people's garages and couch surfing—and my parents were doing the same. We had to split up to survive.”

Sanchez eventually found another job, but his mental and physical health were declining. “I never addressed holdover issues from my military service. And while I knew almost nothing about veterans’ benefits, I also didn't believe I was worthy of them. I thought, I have my arms. I have my legs. My sisters and brothers who saw combat are more deserving of this stuff than I am.”

Sanchez’s decline was compounded by feelings of isolation. “Without military comrades in the civilian world, thoughts like, ‘Nobody understands me. Nobody went through what I went through’ started creeping in. I was isolated and drinking by myself—never a great thing—and that was further exacerbated by work frustrations.”

2018, he said, was his wake-up call. “I spiraled until eventually I was arrested, charged, and convicted of three felonies and placed in the Veteran’s Treatment Court—a specialized county court built on policies designed to help veterans who have been arrested. If you complete the program successfully, your convictions are dismissed, and your record sealed. I'd never have to check the job application box, ‘Have you ever been convicted of a felony?’ I had been handed a crucial second chance.”

After completing the program, Sanchez used the GI Bill to reconnect with his passion for history. “I’ve always been interested in history. I was the kid who would stop and read every plaque in museums and on historical markers around town.” He enrolled in community college and eventually transferred to the University of California Riverside [UCR], studying social history. “People usually learn about presidents, generals, and celebrity-esque leaders, but I wanted to learn about everyday people—people like my parents—and their lived experiences.”

While an undergraduate, Sanchez served as president of the Underground Scholars Initiative [USI], which advocates for justice-impacted education, and participated in the Warrior Scholar Project [WSP], a nonprofit for enlisted active-duty servicepeople and veterans considering returning to college.

“In 2022 I was invited to WSP’s ten-year inaugural alumni conference at UChicago, but travel costs were prohibitive. WSP’s CEO, Ryan Pavel, reached out and said, ‘Greg, we can fund your trip. You need to be at this conference.’” It was there that Sanchez met Dr. Terrell Odom and learned about the Veterans Restorative Justice Project [VRJP]. “When I heard about VRJP, I knew I had to be part of this institution.”

Then, while speaking with staff at Harris, Sanchez said, “As a veteran who fell through the cracks but received a fresh start because of good policy, a policy degree seemed a logical step.”

Now serving as the VJRP liaison, Sanchez found the Evening Master’s Program best suited to his schedule. “The quantitative skills I’m gaining applied immediately to my work with VRJP. The ability to pull and incorporate data into a narrative is critical in policy making.”

Sanchez also appreciates the academic support.  “It’s been phenomenal. The professors and TAs are always willing to schedule a meeting and help wherever you may be struggling.’”

Moving forward, Sanchez seeks to apply his EMP skills to position veterans as a model to curtail recidivism and promote restorative justice work. “Veterans have already demonstrated that they can help inform restorative justice in the civilian world—and that is where I want to make an impact.”