Veteran Posse Scholar Taylor Mauney is a student at Dartmouth College.
Veteran Posse Scholar Taylor Mauney is a student at Dartmouth College.

Dartmouth Vet Scholar Aims to Lead in College Access

Winter 2018 | Veterans

Taylor Mauney is setting his sights on a career in public service and engagement.

A Marine combat veteran, Taylor came to Dartmouth College in 2016 as a Scholar in the Posse Veterans Program. He is now a sophomore on campus, and has already declared a major in government.

Taylor spent last summer as an intern in the office of the attorney general of Washington, D.C. He gained practical experience in federal service and the legal field, a hands-on complement to his classroom studies.

On campus, Taylor has begun a new project, broadcasting his unique perspective in a self-produced podcast, The Green Side.

In one of the first memorable episodes, Taylor interviewed Dartmouth President Emeritus Jim Wright—a former enlisted Marine, himself—on the legacy of the Vietnam War.

Taylor has also discussed LGBTQ rights with Eric Fanning, the former secretary of the Army, who at the time of his appointment was the highest-ranking openly gay official ever at the Pentagon. Their conversation expanded into issues veterans face as they transition out of service.

Rebecca Biron, dean of the college and Posse’s campus liaison, has been a guest on The Green Side, too, talking with Taylor about veterans’ roles in higher education. It is a topic close to their shared experience with the Veterans Program and has been a motivating force for Taylor.

He currently spends time volunteering for Service to School, a program that helps veterans apply to top colleges and universities.

After graduating from Dartmouth, Taylor plans to study law and channel his acquired skills into public service. He aims to use his own story to embolden his military peers to excel in higher education and beyond.

“It’s important to let veterans know, and to hammer it home, that they can do well at rigorous colleges if they have the desire,” Taylor says. “And these great colleges really want veterans.”