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Cayuga Community College student Lloyd F. Rathbun III dedicated himself to service in the military, and now, 21 years after he was wounded and 16 years after he retired, he’s using the skills he developed at Cayuga to give back.

The Marine Corps veteran has found a welcoming environment at Cayuga, where he majors in Studio Art and Design and supports his fellow students in a handful of organizations.

“With the college’s veterans services, the veterans lounge and all the clubs, I feel supported on-campus. There are a lot of adult learners like me, but I see myself as a fellow student rather than a veteran because of how welcoming the atmosphere is,” he said.

Rathbun III enlisted in the Marine Corps in 2001 and served as an infantry platoon leader before being wounded by artillery fire in November of 2004. After being airlifted to a field hospital in Baghdad, he was transported to Germany then flown to the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, where he recuperated for three months. He was awarded the Purple Heart for his service and served four more years before retiring in 2009.

“It gave me a new perspective of the entire world, and how we interact individually with everybody around the world, not just at home,” Rathbun III said of his service.

He joined the workforce after returning to New York, then decided to pursue his artistic passions in Cayuga’s Studio Art and Design program. He’s devoted time to enhancing his drawing and painting skills, often finding inspiration from diverse sources.

“Lloyd has great line quality and boldness in his drawings and paintings. He brings his love of music into his artwork, which you can see in rhythmic marks throughout each painting. Lloyd uses distinctive and textured marks as he builds and develops each image, resulting in dynamic, energetic works of art,” said Professor Melissa Johnson, the director for the Studio Art and Design program.

Even as he’s focused on developing his artistic talents, Rathbun III is also dedicated to giving back on- and off-campus. On-campus, he’s active with the Veterans Club, is President of the Art Club, and is the Vice President of the emerging NAMI On-Campus chapter, which is dedicated to supporting mental health and wellness.

He’s also committed to giving back to the Wounded Warrior Project, a leading service organization that supports wounded veterans, service members and their families. Wounded Warrior Project helped Rathbun III when he was wounded in 2004, something he kept in mind in the years since.

Now, he’s auctioning off two paintings, with the proceeds going to Wounded Warrior Project as a gesture of appreciation. The paintings are called “Pond,” inspired by the pond on Cayuga’s Auburn Campus, and “N, N, N, N,” which stands for “no matter the struggle, no matter the challenge, never give up, never surrender.” To view the art and for more information, visit this link.

“This makes me feel better because I’m giving to an organization who helped me. They put all their effort into helping those wounded service members who can’t help themselves. I’ve had this idea for a while, and just wanted to do it to say thank you for what they did for me and others,” he said.