A Journey of Determination and Service: SBS Student Success Award Winner Richard Bandin, ‘24

Richard Bandin, who is graduating with a major in Geography (emphasis in Water, Environment, and Society) and a minor in Military Science and Leadership, is the recipient of the SBS Student Success Award for winter 2024. The award is given to a graduating senior who is a first-generation college student.

“Richard’s academic successes in the face of significant life challenges underscore his maturity, worldview, resilience, and unwavering commitment to higher education,” said Jason Jurjevich, assistant professor in the School of Geography, Development & Environment. “He couples exceptional resolve with outstanding academic achievement.”

Richard’s determination to succeed is strong. In addition to maintaining a 4.0 GPA and working at the local REI Co-op, he is a service member in the Arizona Army National Guard. Soon, he will be commissioned as a Medical Services Officer with Distinguished Military Graduate honors from the University of Arizona Reserve Officer Training Corps, or ROTC.

He is deeply grateful for the opportunity to serve.

“I owe the privilege of higher education to my choice to serve our country. Initially, I joined the Army as an Infantryman out of necessity, driven by limited options and the need to secure a stable future,” said Richard. “Over time, what started as a pragmatic decision evolved into something far greater. I stayed because of the profound sense of connection I found within the military community and the pride that came with serving my country. The opportunity to contribute meaningfully to both my nation and the communities I was a part of gave my service purpose beyond my initial expectations."

Jurjevich describes Richard as “emotionally mature, a great listener, incredibly empathetic,” adding that he fosters meaningful connections across diverse perspectives.

In one class, Richard worked alongside a student veteran and an art student who had never met someone from the military. After a thoughtful conversation where Richard explained his reasons for serving, the student began to engage more deeply. By the end of the semester, she changed the focus of her senior project to elevate veteran voices through art, inspired by her discussions with Richard and the student veteran.

Richard will take his ability to connect authentically and serve with excellence into the next chapter: graduate school. He was accepted into the MAS in Geographic Information Systems program at Arizona State University, where, as a commissioned officer, he will study GIS modeling, spatial statistics, and geospatial programming.

“The future isn’t built in giant leaps but in the small, deliberate choices we make daily,” said Richard. “Focus on what you can do now because today’s actions lay the foundation for everything that is to come.”

“It means something to be a Wildcat”  — Lieutenant Colonel Richard Ingleby, Wildcat Battalion

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