Student Veterans of America (SVA) is a coalition of student veteran’s organizations on college campuses across the United States, and is one of the most rapidly growing grassroots veteran’s organizations in the United States today.  Since founding in January of 2008, SVA has grown to over 120 chapters in 36 states and the District of Columbia, reflecting the widespread desire among student veterans for cohesive, national representation.

 

Their mission:

 

·       To develop student veteran groups on college and university campuses and coordinate by region between existing groups.

·       Connect student groups with resources.

·       Advocate on behalf of student veterans at the state and national level.

 

Thousands of veterans exit military service every month only to find an overwhelming combination of emotional, financial, and cultural obstacles standing between them and a college education. SVA is dedicated to ensuring these veterans do not slip through the cracks on their journey through higher education toward a better quality of life.

 

How it began:

 

M Ann Arbor student Derek Blumke founded the organization in January 2008. Over the last year, Blumke has been lobbying Congress to improve the current GI Bill to increase the amount of aid that student veterans receive.

 

What are Student Veterans Groups?

 

Student veterans groups are student groups that have formed on college and university campuses to provide peer-to-peer networks for veterans who are attending those schools. These groups coordinate campus activities, provide pre-professional networking, and generally provide a touchstone for student veterans in higher education. These local groups are an important part of ensuring that every veteran is successful after their service.

 

Other services they provide are:

 

·       Informal social meetings that serve as peer support groups

·       Benefits seminars and counseling in conjunction with other organizations

·       Publication of newsletters and brochures

·       Local service projects and volunteer work

·       Pre-professional networking

·       To coordinate campus activities

·       Provide a professional networking

·       Continue advancement of veterans

·       Provide open communication.

 

Did you know that Over 520,000 veterans are currently using their education benefits? These local peer support groups are an important part of ensuring that every veteran is ultimately successful in higher education.  They are advocates on behalf of the student veterans at the local, state, and national levels. 

 

Who is the executive staff?

 

The executive staff creates various types of communication between groups, connecting these groups with resources from outside their campuses, and organizes these groups to advocate at the state and national level for the common needs of student veterans.

 

However, that is not all the Student Veterans of America are trying to accomplish. The SVA chapter in Michigan will soon be lobbying the state Senate to recognize all student veterans as in-state students and remove out-of-state tuition rates for student veterans at public universities.

 

 

Through paid staff and dedicated volunteers at military hospitals, the Severely Injured program provides support and educational guidance to disabled veterans and their families.  Student Veterans of America is helping the Severely Injured program by providing student veteran advocates on campuses and a volunteer staff at military hospitals nationwide. SVA strongly believes that all student veterans, including the severely injured, can learn lessons from each other’s experiences and struggles during their transition into higher education.

 

How can you get involved…?

 

Student Veterans of America is comprised of member groups. In order to become a member of SVA, you must be a registered student organization at your college or university.  To become a member is providing SVA with your primary points of contact, an academic advisor, and your group’s constitution.

 

How you can start your own veteran’s organization…

 

If you are, an individual interested in starting a student veterans organization, contact SVA office and they will put you in contact with your Regional Director. This individual can help you get started on how to start a chapter of SVA on your campus—including sample constitutions and other informative resources.

 

Contact Information

 

For more information on how you can be apart of this great organization contact John Powers, Executive Director, at  202-470-6100 or email John Powers at john.powers @ studentveterans.org

 

Online go to http://www.studentveterans.org

 

Other helpful links on their web site:

 

·       If your student veterans organization would like to become a member of SVA, go to http://www.studentveterans.org/chapterinfo/member_signup.php

·       If you would like to find a student veterans organization at a campus near you, go to http://www.studentveterans.org/chapterinfo/chapterlocator.php