Student Veterans of LSU was named the Student Veterans of America’s Chapter of the Year on Jan. 5.
Student Veterans of America is a nonprofit organization that supports military veterans as they pursue higher education and employment opportunities.
Student Veterans of LSU, or SVLSU, received the award during the Student Veterans of America’s annual national conference, held Jan. 3-5 in Orlando, Florida. The conference is the largest gathering of student veterans in the country.
Twelve members of SVLSU attended the conference and participated in break-out sessions, covering a wide variety of topics pertinent to student veterans, including chapter management, career readiness and educational success.
SVLSU was chosen out of over 1,500 chapters around the country for the Chapter of the Year award. To receive the award, a chapter first has to be nominated as an exceptional chapter. Then, Student Veterans Affairs selects the top five chapters based on their philanthropy and service to student veterans.
Computer Engineering senior and SVLSU Vice President Tyler Kruse described the experience of winning Chapter of the Year as overwhelming.
SVLSU members agreed the award was especially meaningful for members who have contributed to the organization for several years.
“The three previous administrations have been working extremely hard to get to this point,” said kinesiology senior and SVLSU President Charles Hunter. “I think this means a lot to the members that have been here and have seen this chapter grow. To experience this before we graduate is just amazing.”
Student Veterans of LSU, established in 2011, is a student organization dedicated to supporting student veterans during their transition from active duty to higher education.
The organization sponsors various events throughout the year intended to aid student veterans in their academic, personal and professional development. SVLSU hosted several luncheons last semester and invited guest speakers to present on topics like resume building and mental health. SVLSU also started Operation Textbook, a free textbook exchange for student veterans three years ago.
Petroleum Engineering senior Mark Frank said SVLSU is an invaluable resource for student veterans, especially those who are new to campus.
“A lot of veterans come to campus and they feel displaced because they’re older and come from a service where you’re in a unit and you see those same guys every day,” Frank said. “SVLSU is the second step in their journey. We’re that stepping stone to creating a successful transition into the educational environment.”
SVLSU members agreed that the organization has helped them feel connected to the University.
“SVLSU got my campus involvement through the roof,” Kruse said. “I have a lot more school pride because of it. I never would have gotten involved if I hadn’t found SVLSU.”
