By the time he got to Cornell, Nathan Eapen had already faced challenges most people never encounter. After enlisting in the Army right out of high school, he trained as an infantryman, deployed to Europe on NATO missions, and faced a career-ending injury that forced him to rethink his future. That path ultimately led him to Cornell, where sprint football gave him a new team and Cornell Human Ecology gave him a new mission. Michelle first met Nathan while onboarding him for the Human Ecology Alumni Association — and knew instantly that his story had to be shared.

In this inspiring conversation, Nathan opens up about life in uniform, the challenges of starting over, and the mindset that carried him from combat boots to the classroom. His story is proof that grit, belief, and community can transform even the hardest setbacks into strength.

We loved every minute with him and you will too!

Not sponsored by or affiliated with Cornell University