Syracuse University’s SVO is Named Chapter of the Month for September by Student Veterans of America
Syracuse University’s Student Veterans Organization (SVO) has earned the distinction of being named Student Veterans of America’s national chapter of the month for September 2015. View announcement on the Student Veterans of America (SVA) website.
One of the main pillars of Student Veterans of America (SVA) is the peer-to-peer support model. The idea is that veterans should benefit from the advancements by those who share similar experiences. According to the SVA, the Syracuse University Student Veterans Organization embodies that culture by bringing chapters together for programs and efforts that benefit not only veterans attending Syracuse but also veterans who are associated with other organizations and institutions.
“We are incredibly humbled and proud to be nominated for the SVA Chapter of the Month for September,” said Jordan Robinson, President of Syracuse University’s Student Veterans Organization; Public Diplomacy Graduate Student, S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications. “Through hard work and dedication, our team and its leaders have proven that we are deserving of this recognition for not only giving a voice to veterans issues, but for also helping to enrich the lives and futures of veterans in our communities through networking, outreach, and events. It is truly a joy to see the impact we have made in the past few months and we can only hope to be a model for other Student Veterans Organizations to follow.”
In the spring of 2015 alone, the Syracuse University SVO held their 2015 Student Veterans Ball and an inaugural student veteran networking event. The guest list for these two events featured student veterans from all surrounding colleges in the Central New York area. Attendees also included representatives from Ernst & Young, GE, Macy’s, IBM and various Central New York Veteran Support Organizations to name a few. Syracuse made a commendable effort to support the community and SVA stands for such efforts. The Syracuse University SVO was able to raise money for sponsorships and partially allocated that to offer scholarships for students.
The Syracuse University SVO looks to continue their outstanding work in the upcoming school year, in support of Chancellor Kent Syverud’s commitment to making Syracuse University the nation’s “best” institution for military-connected students. Their immediate plans, focused on providing resources, support and advocacy, include holding an orientation for new students and a meet and greet BBQ, and contributing to the efforts of Move Along – an organization focused on the mission of enhancing the abilities of individuals who have medically diagnosed limitations.
According to Vice Chancellor for Veteran and Military Affairs Mike Haynie, “Our Student Veterans Organization is well-deserving of this recognition. The SVO and its members are highly visible on campus and have been instrumental in integrating veterans into the Syracuse University community, which pays dividends for all our students.”
About the Syracuse University Student Veterans Organization (SVO):
The mission of the Syracuse University Student Veterans Organization (SVO) is to provide information resources and advocacy in support of all Syracuse University student veterans and to assist them toward graduation. The organization aims to increase awareness of and solutions to student veterans’ educational matters. Organizational members also actively participate on campus as well as within the Syracuse community. Syracuse University students, faculty members, and alumni with veteran status are always welcome.
About Student Veterans of America (SVA):
Today’s veterans face numerous obstacles in their path of attaining a college degree. These challenges range from a missing sense of camaraderie to feeling like an outsider amongst 18 year old traditional students to a lack of understanding by university faculty. When coupled with the visible and invisible wounds of war, a college degree can be an elusive goal for men and women returning from military service. Student Veterans of America (SVA) makes that goal a reality.
SVA is a 501(c) (3) coalition of student veterans groups on college campuses across the globe. These member chapters are the “boots on the ground” that help veterans reintegrate into campus life and succeed academically. Each chapter must be an officially recognized student group by their university or college and provide a peer-to-peer network for veterans who are attending the school. Additionally, chapters often coordinate campus activities, provide pre-professional networking, and generally provide a touchstone for student veterans in higher education.
About The Office of Veteran and Military Affairs (OVMA) at Syracuse University:
The Office of Veteran and Military Affairs (OVMA) serves as Syracuse University’s single point of entry for all veteran and military related programs and initiatives. It collaborates and coordinates with all stakeholders to best serve veterans, military connected students, and military family members who are students or employees at Syracuse University. For more information about the Office of Veteran and Military Affairs, visit https://veterans.syracuse.edu.