The CSU chapter of the Student Veterans of America is gaining members and currently has about 400 members, according to advisor Karen Pritchett.
She founded the CSUSVA “to provide centralized easy-to-use services that address the full range of needs: financial aid, VA benefits, academic support, disability services, employment assistance, social networking and references to Veteran Service Organizations.”
CSU students and alumni who have used or are using TA, VA and MyCAA, which is the Military Career Advancement Account program for spouses of active-duty military personnel, are eligible for membership with the CSUSVA.
The national SVA will conduct the fourth annual National Conference on Dec. 8-10 at the Rio Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. The Keynote Speaker will once again be Eric Shinseki, secretary of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Networking opportunities, a career fair, various veteran panel discussions, awards, food and fellowship are just some of the exciting events at the national conference.
In other news, SVA has a partnership with the American Corporate Partners which offers mentorships to veterans, and because of this partnership, SVA members are given preference in the application process. American Corporate Partners is a nationwide mentoring program that matches employees from some of the nation’s largest corporations and universities with OIF/OEF veterans for the purpose of mentoring, networking and career counseling.
If you would like more information, please email Karen Pritchett at Karen.Pritchett@columbiasouthern.edu or visit the SVA website for more information.
As a reminder, some benefits for CSUSVA members include:
- Employment assistance via SVA employment initiative
- SVA scholarships awarded every fall
- Assistance with questions regarding GI Bill entitlements
- Connecting with fellow veterans via Facebook, Twitter and the SVA chapter search
