Marine Corps Cpl. Zach Bautista has a gift for graphics and a calling to serve others.
Before stepping back into civilian life, United States Marine Corps Corporal Zach Bautista called Rutgers with a host of questions concerning his military benefits. Now, students find Bautista on the other end of the line. The veteran and Rutgers–Camden senior works for the Office of Military and Veterans Affairs while completing the BFA program in graphic design within the Department of Visual, Media, and Performing Arts.
Bautista’s interest in graphic design grew from channeling a love of doodling and creating into a potential career path. He credits Allan Espiritu, professor of art, with furthering that passion. “His typography class helped a lot,” Bautista said. “He really taught us how words and letters are supposed to be arranged: what looks nice, what doesn't, and the reasoning behind it.” Espiritu is also advising the senior on his studio courses as he moves toward a May 2025 graduation.
Bautista served for four years in the U.S. Marine Corps; his travels with the Marines took him across the United States and abroad. Enlisting in 2017, he was assigned the duty of transmissions systems operator, working with specialized radio equipment used for the military’s on-the-ground communication network. He received training for his military occupational specialty (MOS) at the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center in California, neighbor to the Joshua Tree National Park.
It was a lot of technical training: numbers, radio frequencies, antennas, and how to set everything up.
Zach Bautista
For two years, Bautista was stationed in Okinawa, Japan. He later crisscrossed the United States, serving in California, Arizona, and North Carolina.
After some time, Bautista knew he was ready for civilian life. “My family members were getting older,” he said. “Every time I saw them, they looked different, and that was tough.”
While stationed in North Carolina, Bautista contacted Rutgers to inquire about his higher education benefits. “I figured I might get lazy if I waited,” he said. “I wanted to get everything set up and keep the momentum going.”
Bautista has worked with the Office of Military and Veterans Affairs since Oct. 2023, helping fellow student veterans navigate the programs, services, and benefits available to them on campus. “I show them how their benefits work, guiding them through the processes of getting the benefits and troubleshooting if something goes wrong. There are a lot of steps, and students do get confused,” he said.
Bautista added that the Office of Military and Veterans Affairs can connect students with a Veteran Service Officer (VSO), who can offer additional support. “They help vets apply for disability and find housing or employment,” he said. “We work with two VSOs from Camden County and one from Burlington County.”
Since enrolling, Bautista has regularly placed on the Dean’s List for his academic achievement. Last month, he was awarded a Camden County Military Service Medal by the Camden County Board of Commissioners, in partnership with Rutgers–Camden. The honor cited students, faculty, and staff who are Camden County residents and served in the U.S. armed forces or as first responders.
Reflecting on his military experience, Bautista said the friendships were his favorite part of his time in the Marines. He has built a network of lifelong friends, both civilians and service members, scattered from California to Missouri. “Whenever we start talking again, it's just like we spoke yesterday,” he said.
With a smile, he added, “Our uniform is the coolest of all the branches, too.”
