Duane Horne, a Bronze Star Marine Corps veteran, is eager to help others by shaping and influencing health care policy.
Duane Horne CCAS’26 has a deep and compelling drive to serve those facing difficult challenges in life, partially because he has overcome so many challenges himself.
"No one can tell me I don't understand or haven't been there," said Horne. "You're a veteran struggling with PTSD? I understand because I have, too. Are you starting a new career or life for yourself? Me too."
Horne, a Marine Corps combat veteran, Bronze Star recipient, and proud father of three, was recently named a 2025 Truman Scholar finalist for his interest in and commitment to a career in public service. He is pursuing a bachelor's degree in health sciences at Rutgers University–Camden, primarily focusing on public policy and health. He is also a member of the Mountainview community, a program that supports individuals seeking to change their lives through higher education.
Horne's road to Rutgers–Camden was nontraditional. A Philadelphia native, he never felt challenged by school, choosing instead to enlist in the Marines after graduating from high school. He trained at Camps Pendelton and Lejeune, eventually deploying overseas to Afghanistan and Iraq.
It was during his time in Iraq when he was deployed as part of a Quick Reaction Force unit, that he earned a Bronze Star. While guarding an entry point to a controlled area, Horne and his unit came under attack. Despite a fierce battle, the team successfully defended the entry point without any injuries or loss of life.
Unfortunately, Horne’s heroic sacrifice for his country on the battlefield was not without consequence. Upon returning home, Horne struggled to adjust to non-combat conditions. With help from his family, Horne was transferred to the custody of a state medical program for veterans, where he was diagnosed with and received treatment for PTSD and a traumatic brain injury.
Horne received an honorable discharge from the Marines but continued to struggle with his mental health and adjusting to civilian life. It was during that period, however, that Horne experienced a change in perspective that would change his life.
Since that time, education has become his priority. After earning an associate degree from Camden County Community College, Horne enrolled in Rutgers–Camden to pursue a bachelor’s degree in health sciences with an emphasis on public policy. He is especially interested in the intersection between theory and practice and the insight that can be gained from leveraging research to understand human behavior.
"I've learned to consider not just what people do but why they do it,” said Horne. “It has helped me to think more critically about the world, and I appreciate the power of research and science to find ways to reach people who may be suffering or need help.”
Horne spent the summer of 2024 interning with the Eviction Lab at Princeton University, where he assisted in research and data collection focused on better understanding homelessness and poverty in America as a means for meaningful policy changes at every level. He plans to earn a Ph.D. in public health policy, though his plans beyond that are less specific.
"Whatever doors open for me are the ones that I'll step through," said Horne. "I want to be in public service and policymaking. As long as I get to help others, it doesn't matter where I end up.”
