Nicholas Ige

Staff Sergeant, U.S. Army, 75th Ranger Regiment
Bachelor of Science Neuroscience, Harvard University

With a desire to pursue adventure and serve his country, Nicholas enlisted in the U.S. Army and served with the 75^th Ranger Regiment for 10 years. Throughout that time, he completed 6 deployments to Afghanistan, served as a Technical Surveillance Operator, founded the Unmanned Systems section for his battalion and worked closely with federal partners on high-stakes missions. In October 2017, Nicholas was injured by a frag grenade, causing shrapnel injuries to his right wrist, elbow, ribs, and left hand; receiving a Purple Heart and Bronze Star for his actions. After leaving the service he faced mental, financial and emotional hardships. Navigating life after service and discovering a new purpose for living brought about struggles with depression, feelings of being lost, and confusion. Emotionally, it was challenging to connect with people outside of the military, and no longer having the close friends made in the military nearby.

In 2021, Nicholas was accepted to Sentinels of Freedom and moved across the country from Washington state to Massachusetts to attend Harvard University. Stepping on to campus, he felt more like a visitor than a peer, but Nicholas immersed himself in campus life, connecting with the rugby team and then finding Veterans Adventure Group where he began a new mission to summit all 7 of the tallest mountains in the world, while bringing awareness to mental health and encouraging adventure and friendship before graduation. Though he did not summit all 7, he did summit Mt. Kilimanjaro & Mt. Kosciuszko in 2022, Mt. Hood and Mt. Denali in 2023, and Mt. Blanc in 2024. While training for these climbs, he also excelled in his studies, earning a 3.0 GPA and exploring entrepreneurial opportunities. Through SOF, Nicholas received financial support which was vital in allowing him to thrive in an elite academic space. He shared, “SOF gave me permission to invest in myself, to slow down, to learn, and to imagine new ways to serve.” He also participated in the SOF career coaching program receiving guidance on his future path.

Now that he has graduated, Nicholas has accepted a position in the defense technology sector and will be applying his military experience to unmanned systems development. Long-term, he plans to found a company that provides holistic, integrated care for trauma survivors – blending neuroscience, physical rehabilitation, emotional healing, and emerging therapies. 

Quote: “As I look back on my journey from battlefield to the classroom, I’m deeply grateful for the role that the Sentinels of Freedom program played in helping me make that transition with purpose and integrity….What I’ve learned through SOF is that the transition is not about leaving something behind – it’s about carrying forward with new intention. I’ve come to see my military service not as a chapter closed, but as a foundation for the impact I hope to make going forward.”