Student Veterans of America Staff Seize the Summer

While many student veterans were on summer break, working jobs, internships, or simply traveling and gaining new experiences, the Student Veterans of America (SVA) staff were hard at work on their behalf. From our National President & CEO to our newest Program Coordinators, we remained focused on improving and maintaining veteran benefits for our community.

Jared Lyon, SVA's National President & CEO, attended and presented remarks at several conferences across the country, such as the National Association of State Workforce Agencies (NASWA) 2024 Veterans Conference, the National Association of State Directors of Veterans Affairs (NASDVA) Annual Training Conference, The American Legion National Convention, Florida Association of Veterans Education Specialists (FAVES), and the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) National Convention.

At the VFW National Convention, Lyon elaborated on the impact of the collaboration between SVA and the VFW, which began with the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill, enabling veterans to pursue higher education. During his session at NASWA, "Bridging the Gap: Empowering Student Veterans for Success in Higher Education and Employment," Lyon spoke about the unique challenges student veterans face, from financial hurdles and employment during school to childcare needs, academic integration, mental health, and mentorship.

Tammy Barlet, SVA's Vice President of Government Affairs, also had a busy summer, attending and presenting at conferences and summits such as the Association on Veterans Education Certifying Officials (AVECO) Conference, Service for America Summit, and FAVES. These gatherings provided a platform to advocate for veterans' rights and share SVA's ongoing efforts in shaping policy and supporting student veterans. At the AVECO Conference, Barlet presented her session, "Student Veterans of America: Legislative and Policy Update." Her session highlighted recent developments and legislative actions affecting student veterans across the country.

At the NASWA conference, Awlida Carozza, Employer Relations Specialist, and Success Coach Chad McFarlane facilitated their presentation, "Empowering Veteran Transition: Unveiling the SVA Career Center." They emphasized the critical role the new SVA Career Center plays in enhancing the career trajectories of student veterans. Offering veteran-tailored career development resources and dedicated support, the Career Center aims to bridge the gap between education and employment for veterans transitioning from academic life to the workforce. Carozza and McFarlane highlighted how these tools are designed to empower veterans and help them build the connections needed to thrive in a competitive job market.

In addition to benefiting student veterans, Carozza and McFarlane discussed how the SVA Career Center offers advantages to employers. The platform enables employers to connect with a highly skilled and talented pool of student veterans who bring unique perspectives and experiences to the workforce. Furthermore, they spoke about how employers can leverage the SVA Career Center to streamline recruitment, identify candidates with leadership qualities, and foster long-term professional relationships with veterans.

Throughout the summer, our Programs and Chapter Services Team was hard at work, hosting six Regional Summits in Dallas, Texas; Denver, Colorado; Atlanta, Georgia; St. Louis, Missouri; Boston, Massachusetts; and Southern California. These summits focused on providing student veterans and SVA chapter advisors with the tools and resources necessary to build successful SVA chapters at their respective colleges and universities. The summits also provided opportunities for student veterans and chapter advisors to share experiences, discuss challenges, and collaborate on solutions affecting veterans in higher education.

Not only did our Programs and Chapter Services team meet student veterans in person during our Regional Summits, but they also hosted webinars for student veterans. These webinars, which were part of our "How-To" series, focused on SVA's newer resources such as the Advising Center and SVA Career Center.

The commitment to supporting student veterans goes beyond just a few meetings or initiatives. Over the summer, the SVA team worked tirelessly, collaborating with policymakers, educational institutions, and partner organizations to safeguard the resources that make a difference in veterans' educational and career pursuits. Our mission is clear: to empower student veterans as they transition from service to civilian life, and we know that every effort counts. Whether a student veteran was spending their summer gaining new skills or simply enjoying a well-deserved break, they can trust that SVA has their back, advocating for their future success every step of the way.