A Different Kind of Senior: Colin Creighton Brings a Life of Service to St. John’s

“I’m probably about as far from the typical undergrad as you can get.” 

That’s how homeland security major Colin Creighton, 31, a United States Navy veteran, recently described himself. Born in Newport, RI, and raised in Iowa, Colin arrived at St. John’s after serving aboard a Navy destroyer, working in cryptologic intelligence, living and serving in Spain and Virginia, and getting married. 

Long before he enrolled at St. John’s, Colin envisioned a career that amounted to more than simply earning a living. He wanted to be useful. At St. John’s, he found a university whose Vincentian emphasis on service reflected values he had been carrying with him for years. 

Catholic school-educated from kindergarten through high school, Colin’s family is steeped in their faith, and it remains a guiding light for him. He also worked in a Catholic youth camp throughout high school and several years thereafter, which only deepened that commitment. 

Colin’s father, also a US Navy veteran, is a doctor, and his mother is a lawyer. He stressed that his was a house where respectful and thoughtful disagreement was not only allowed, but encouraged.

Colin earned his associate’s degree from Des Moines Area Community College and began his career at an insurance agency, but soon realized his heart was not in it. “I couldn’t make myself care about it,” he recalled. “My passions were more globally minded.” 

Through his own independent study, he became deeply concerned about the scourge of human trafficking, which pushed him toward intelligence work. Colin stressed he wants to make a difference at whatever level he finds himself. 

“I want to put a stop to the biggest evils of the world however I can,” he said. “If I can be a cog in the wheel that helps, I would be glad to.”

He added, “The intelligence community is the best avenue for me to enter the fight against human trafficking. They conduct operations, and work with foreign governments on crackdowns. I did not have a way to enter the intelligence community, but through the military,” he noted.

After boot camp, he was assigned to the Information Warfare Training Command Corry Station in Pensacola, FL. There, he was trained as a cryptologic technician/collections specialist. 

“They taught me the basics of dealing with classified information and signals intelligence, which is what my expertise was in the military,” he explained. 

Colin described signals intelligence as intercepting and analyzing electronic signals for clues about an adversary’s activities. He likened the basic principle to World War II codebreaking: although the technology has become vastly more sophisticated, intelligence specialists still collect signals and interpret what they may reveal.

Eventually, he was assigned to the USS Ross, an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer initially based in Rota, Spain. He spent nearly two years on the ship and operated in European waters during the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine War. 

“The ship was mainly there as a reminder that America is still present,” he commented.

Colin has fond memories of his time on the USS Ross and remains friends with many with whom he served. “It’s funny because living conditions on the ship aren’t always viewed as ideal, but people often will miss the camaraderie,” he said. Colin maintained his faith in the Navy, and organized Sunday readings with other Catholics aboard ship when Mass wasn’t available.

Encountering people with sharply different beliefs forced him to educate himself, rather than retreat. “It’s not about being right,” he shared. “I pursue the truth wherever I can.” 

He added, “I believe in an objective truth. I believe in a natural order, a natural law of the world. It’s more about educating myself so that I can better argue my own side.”

After suffering a back injury, Colin was reassigned to a command known as US Fleet Forces in Virginia where he was able to continue serving. 

Colin met his future wife a month before joining the Navy and they maintained a long-distance relationship throughout his service. He proposed during his final year, and they were married less than a month after he separated from active duty. She received a job offer in New York City and after settling there, Colin began looking for a place to finish his bachelor’s degree.

The Catholic identity of St. John’s appealed to Colin, as did its emphasis on careers in the intelligence field, which he wants to pursue upon graduation in May. The homeland security major was a perfect fit for his future goals. 

“I’ve always been more service-minded toward anyone that needs it. I think it’s an objective good. I love the Vincentian mission,” he observed, “and I love service.”

His route to St. John’s was hardly conventional, but Colin sees a common thread running through his journey, notably a desire to put his abilities to the service of something larger than himself. This semester, he plans to apply to graduate school and is considering careers in government and the private sector. 

Colin lives a life rooted in gratitude. “I’m thankful to St. John’s for accepting me so I could study homeland security, which will allow me to continue my career in intelligence. It’s a step on the journey. I’m thankful for all I have and for the life I’ve been given. I’m thankful for the struggles that I’ve overcome, and thankful for my faith. I try to live a life where my faith drives me to do what is right.”