Throughout his career, Lieutenant Colonel Travis Sheets has had a passion for teaching and mentoring. Now, as the new Commander of Air Force ROTC Detachment 535 at Syracuse, he’s bringing that same passion to his role and helping to develop the leaders of tomorrow’s Air Force.
OVMA
Students and Staff Volunteer in Biannual Veterans Affinity Group Cemetery Cleanup
The veteran section of Oakwood Cemetery was cleared of overgrown grass and debris on Oct. 3 by Syracuse University’s Veterans Affinity Group. The 19 socially distanced volunteers cleared the section’s 70 grave markers.
ROTC Alumnus, Daniel Egert, Will Join the U.S. Space Force in September
After commissioning into the U.S. Air Force through Syracuse University’s Reserve Officer Training Program, 2nd Lt. Daniel Egert is putting satellites and people into orbit.
Continue ReadingUniversity Honors Cadets as They Make the Commitment to Serve
Twenty-three U.S. Army and six U.S. Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) cadets were recognized virtually this week as they became the next generation of military leaders.
Continue ReadingFormer ROTC Cadet Savanna Clendining Pursues her Master’s Degree by Applying Practical Skills Learned at Syracuse
For two years, 1st Lt. Savanna Clendining G’22 has risen early in the morning to attend her online classes for the Newhouse School of Public Communication’s master’s program while stationed in Vincenza, Italy, serving the 173rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Airborne). She has attended class on a mountainside in Slovenia and from a cliff in the Dolomite Mountains in northern Italy. Doing coursework by flashlight inside of a darkened tent hasn’t stopped Clendining from working toward her graduate degree, and neither has the coronavirus.
In 2013, Clendining enrolled at Le Moyne College and majored in communications. In her sophomore year, she participated in Le Moyne College’s partnership with Syracuse University and became an Army Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) cadet. “Based on my experience, I think Syracuse University has one of the best ROTC programs in the country,” Clendining says. “The skills that I learned in the Stalwart Battalion at Syracuse University set me up for success.”
She now serves as a medical operations officer in Italy, and her experience in the medical field has mostly been learned on the job. So far, no one in the 173rd has tested positive for COVID-19. “We’ve tested over 50 people and all of those tests have come back negative, which is incredible because we’re in the middle of where the infection rate is pretty bad,” Clendining says.
OVMA and SVO Announce Yearly Awards Celebrating Student Veterans’ Achievements
Syracuse University’s Student Veterans Organization (SVO) and the Office of Veteran and Military Affairs (OVMA) are presenting five awards to student veterans in honor of their significant and notable achievements. The awards are normally announced at SVO’s Annual Ball and Awards Banquet, but the 2020 event was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the winners were instead announced in a Zoom “virtual lunch.”
Military-Connected Student of the Month: Oliver Posewitz ’20
Every student at Syracuse University has their own unique story, whether they enroll straight out of high school or as a non-traditional student returning to begin a second career. Some students overcome serious challenges; some attend as part of a Syracuse family legacy. For Oliver Posewitz ’20, a senior in the School of Information Studies, it was a bit of both.
Tillman Scholar Katie Piston: How to Change Your Fate
In her Make Your Mark Talk, Tillman Scholar Katie Piston discusses her work on epigenetics, the study of the biological mechanisms that govern gene expression, and the way this field is changing our understanding of the nature vs. nurture debate.
Syracuse Student Veterans Kick Off Spring Semester at National Conference and Career Immersion Trip
“SVA’s National Conference is a powerful and informative convening for our students, both in attendance and back home on campus,” says Novack. “The conference also offers an opportunity for our University leaders to share proprietary research and strategies that seek to improve the student veteran experience in higher education across the country.”
Faigle Family Donation Establishes Scholarship Fund for Student Veterans
Syracuse University is proud to announce The Gerald B. ’58, ‘59 and Roberta M. Faigle ‘60 Scholarship for graduate student veterans. The gift will empower military veterans as the next generation of public and private sector leaders committed to service beyond self.