Benetta Dousuah (left), Jude Akpunku (center) and Zahra Johnson were named 2024 Tillman Scholars as the next generation of public and private sector leaders committed to service beyond self.

Three talented and passionate ���ϲ����� student veterans—Benetta Dousuah G’25, second-year law student Jude Akpunku and Zahra Johnson G’25—were recognized as 2024 Tillman Scholars by the .

The award unites and empowers remarkable military service members, veterans and spouses as the next generation of public and private sector leaders committed to service beyond self. Dousuah, Akpunku and Johnson were selected out of nearly 1,600 applicants.

are provided academic scholarships, leadership development opportunities and access to a supportive national network as they embark on career journeys in the fields of health care, public service, business, STEM, law, the humanities and education.

The fellowship program honors Pat Tillman, a starting safety for the National Football League’s Arizona Cardinals, who in 2002 put his football career on hold to serve his country with the U.S. Army’s 75th Ranger Regiment in Afghanistan. Tillman’s family and friends established the Pat Tillman Foundation following Tillman’s death in April 2004.

���ϲ����� was invited to become a Pat Tillman Foundation University Partner in 2017. To date, the University has seen .

Dousuah, Akpunko and Johnson sat down with SU News to discuss why they wanted to become Tillman Scholars, reflect on the prestigious honor and share how they will use the scholarship to make a difference in their communities.

Benetta Dousuah G’25, U.S. Army

Academic major: Social work ()

Benetta Dousuah

What drew you to study at ���ϲ�����? “I chose ���ϲ����� because it’s known for being a veteran-friendly school. While transitioning out of the military, I visited and was impressed by how much they support student veterans. The National Veterans Resource Center at the Daniel and Gayle D’Aniello Building showed me how much the school cares about their veteran community.”

Where did your interest and passion for your field of study come from? “My aim is to challenge and transform the existing stigma surrounding mental health and well-being in the military. My goal is to become a social worker and serve as Sexual Harassment/Assault Response and Prevention (SHARP) representative at a behavioral health clinic on a military installation, particularly regarding sexual assault and harassment. This position will allow me to address significant issues related to mental health and advocate for policy changes within the SHARP program.”

How does it feel to be recognized as a Tillman Scholar? “It’s an honor to be surrounded by people dedicated to making a difference in our military. My passion is to change how investigations are done in the SHARP program. I am excited to bring this idea to other scholars and see what the future holds.”

What motivated you to apply to be a Tillman Scholar, and why do you think you were selected? “Pat’s story is incredible. It demonstrates selfless service and leadership, two of the Army’s core values. As a Tillman Scholar, I am honored to carry on Pat Tillman’s legacy. I’m inspired by these exceptional individuals who are making a difference. I was chosen as a Tillman Scholar because of my dedication to making a positive impact. Despite facing a traumatic experience, my goal is to reform the system that failed me, ensuring a safer military for future generations.”

How do you plan to use this scholarship and this experience to make an impact in your community? “I aim to use the education and experiences from ���ϲ����� and the Tillman Scholar program to advocate for significant policy changes, specifically to reform the investigative process within the SHARP program.”

Jude Akpunku, U.S. Naval Academy

Academic major: Online J.D. program, JDinteractive ()

Jude Akpunku

What drew you to study at ���ϲ�����? “The University’s strong commitment to veterans and its renowned law program attracted me, aligning perfectly with my aspirations in law and public service.”

Where did your interest and passion for your field of study come from? “My interest in law developed from my experiences in the military and as a Defense Legislative Fellow [with U.S. Rep. Marc Veasey], where I saw firsthand the impact of policy and law on service members’ lives and national security.”

How does it feel to be recognized as a Tillman Scholar? “It is a profound honor. It validates my commitment to service and leadership and inspires me to continue advocating for justice and equity.”

What motivated you to apply to be a Tillman Scholar, and why do you think you were selected? “I was motivated by the program’s focus on leadership and service, which resonate deeply with my personal values and experiences. I believe I was selected due to my demonstrated commitment to these principles through my military and legislative roles.”

How do you plan to use this scholarship and this experience to make an impact in your community? “I will advance my legal education, focusing on public policy issues that affect veterans and underrepresented communities. I aim to leverage this opportunity to advocate for policies that provide greater support and resources to these groups.”

Zahra Johnson G’25, U.S. Army

Academic major: Biomedical forensic science ()

Zahra Johnson

What drew you to study at ���ϲ�����? “While stationed at Fort Drum, New York, I applied to an Army program called Green to Gold Active Duty, which allows active-duty soldiers to continue their education. I was looking for a school that offered graduate degrees in forensic science, and since ���ϲ����� offered an M.S in different aspects of forensic science, such as medicolegal death investigation and biomedical forensic science, that was my top pick!”

Where did your interest and passion for your field of study come from? “In the wake of a tragedy in my family [the death of my uncle], I was prompted to study forensic science and specifically focus on death investigation. My mother never felt the closure she needed. I hope to help families find some closure by providing them as much knowledge and information as possible through scientific methods and proper and timely investigations.”

How does it feel to be recognized as a Tillman Scholar? “Pat Tillman was one-of-a-kind, someone who believed in impacting the world in a positive way. As a girl growing up in Afghanistan, I would have had little to no opportunities to seek education and follow my dreams and ambitions. The sacrifice of heroes such as Pat allowed me to go to high school, and to have freedom and opportunities that led me to where I am today. The honor is beyond words; I’m extremely proud.”

What motivated you to apply to be a Tillman Scholar, and why do you think you were selected? “The Tillman community shares the same values I believe in my core and was a great opportunity to become part of a community that will help me in my journey to become a better leader.”

How do you plan to use this scholarship and this experience to make an impact in your community? “This scholarship is not only going to help me grow intellectually but will also connect me to a supportive community that can help me improve my service. My goal is also to advocate for soldiers to pursue an education while serving, since education holds the key to a successful and healthy nation.”

In the video, ���ϲ����� Vice Chancellor , who is also the executive director and founder of the D’Aniello Institute for Veterans and Military Families, speaks about the GI Bill’s origins and the University’s role in its inception. He also discusses the importance of other universities welcoming veterans, highlighting the positive impact they have on campuses.

If you’d like to schedule an interview with him, please reach out to Vanessa Marquette, media relations specialist, at .

Attendees at a press conference learned about a new initiative from Google that would provide funding for free access to specific Google coursework. The D’Aniello Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF) will receive $3.5 million. J. Michael Haynie, third from right, vice chancellor for strategic initiatives and innovation and the executive director of the IVMF, spoke at the press conference in Washington, D.C.

���ϲ�����’s (IVMF) received a $3.5 million grant from Google to help train our nation’s transitioning service members, veterans and military-connected spouses on cybersecurity and artificial intelligence topics.

The funding, part of Google’s $75 million AI Opportunity Fund, will provide free access to Google’s AI Essentials Course and the Google cybersecurity certificate to ) participants. The IVMF is one of the fund’s first recipients.

“We’re excited to partner with Google on this new initiative, which will help make AI training universally accessible throughout the country. With this new Google AI Essentials Course, we are confident that we can arm veterans and military spouses with the training and skills necessary to begin to leverage the technology and put it to use in their career,” said , vice chancellor for strategic initiatives and innovation and the executive director of the IVMF, at a press conference today in Washington, D.C.

Over the next three years, the goal is to train transitioning service members, veterans and military-connected spouses on how to best leverage and incorporate AI into their daily lives.

“AI offers significant opportunities to accelerate economic growth, particularly if people have access to the right resources and training,” said James Manyika, senior vice president for research, technology and society at Google. “Google.org’s new AI Opportunity Fund and Google’s AI Essentials Course are important next steps in our commitment to ensure everyone, everywhere can access AI training. No single employer or policymaker will be able to modernize workforce programs on their own—we are committed to collaborating across industry, civil society and government to ensure the opportunities created by new technologies are available to everyone.”

Haynie said the IVMF team provides training, education and technical assistance to more than 20,000 service members, veterans and military-connected family members annually. Recently, Haynie said one of the most asked about questions from the veteran community involved ways to learn more about AI and its everyday uses.

This grant from Google addresses both a specific need for veterans and a specific gap in training nationwide, as only half of workers have access to sufficient AI training opportunities, according to the .

J. Michael Haynie

“We’ve found that military veterans are eager to embrace the technology in their professional life to increase productivity, whether while running their own small business or working for one of America’s employers. We were working to find the right answer for them, but with an increasingly crowded marketplace of resources and training it was difficult to identify the right opportunity…enter our friends at Google. This training will have a lasting impact on veterans and military spouses,” Haynie said of , which has supported IVMF with its efforts of preparing transitioning service members, veterans and military spouses to bring their skills to civilian careers since 2013.

According to Google, its online AI Essentials course, taught by the tech giant’s industry experts, will train people to use generative AI effectively in their day-to-day work. Participants will receive practical, hands-on experience with AI—including best practices and how to responsibly use AI—and those who complete the course will earn a certificate from Google to share with their network and with potential employers. The course normally costs $49 per person, but thanks to this grant, IVMF participants can learn these skills at no cost.

The awards are funded by a 2022 grant that supports research and community programming over three years to examine the racial wealth gap’s root causes and ideas that may resolve its economic and social inequalities, says , Lender Center interim director. The awards are part of the Lender Center for Social Justice initiative led by the

The racial wealth gap is an ongoing issue that undermines potential economic and social progress and opportunities for members of underserved and underrepresented communities, according to , Lender Center senior research associate and associate professor in the Whitman School of Management.

“These research projects are noteworthy because of their unique courses of inquiry, their highly inter-disciplinary and inter-institutional nature and their close engagements with ���ϲ����� community members and organizations,” says Phillips.

Projects receiving the one-year grants and involved faculty are:

“Addressing the Racial Wealth Gap Through Increasing Decennial Census Self-Response Rates in Marginalized Communities”

Leonard Lopoo

This project will test mechanisms to try to increase self-response rates for the 2030 federal census in undercounted communities in New York State. Successful efforts could offset census undercounts that might otherwise reduce federal funding for education, health care, housing, infrastructure and other vital services.

• , , principal investigator
• ,

Brice Nordquist

“���ϲ����� Futures”

This study looks at ���ϲ�����’s arts and humanities infrastructure and how universities and community organizations can partner in offering arts and humanities programming and college and career support to historically marginalized communities.�� Led by the ’ , the effort involves multiple South Side organizations.

• , College of Arts and Sciences, principal investigator.
• ,
• ,

“Does Military Service Mitigate the U.S. Racial Wealth Gap? Overlooked Pathways for��Underrepresented Minorities in Public Service”

Arielle Newman

Corri Zoli

This project explores how military service intersects with racial wealth disparities. Researchers will look at military service as a means of economic advancement and a way to overcome social barriers that may hinder underrepresented minorities who are pursuing post-service career advancement and entrepreneurship.

• , , and , Whitman School, principal investigators
• , (IVMF)
• ,
• , Maxwell School
• , IVMF
• , Lender Center for Social Justice
• , University of Pittsburgh

“From Highways to High-Speed Internet: Leveraging Equitable Infrastructure for the Data Economy”��

LaVerne Gray

Researchers are determining whether access to first-class digital information, services, assets and increased technology training can reduce the racial wealth gap by lessening barriers to digital networks, critical information and data literacy skills. Skills-training workshops are planned with community members.����

• and , (iSchool), principal investigators
• , iSchool
• , iSchool
  

  Beth Patin

• iSchool
• , College of Arts and Sciences/
• , , Whitman School

“Opportunity Design: Engaging Public Health in Low-Income Communities”

Hannibal Newsom

This study leverages interest in ongoing energy retrofit work at 418 Fabius Street in the James Geddes Housing development in ���ϲ����� to generate a more comprehensive examination of social determinants of health through the process of opportunity mapping.

• , , principal investigator
• , College of Visual and Performing Arts, co-principal investigator
• , School of Architecture, co-investigator

“Nourishing Families: Parents as Partners in the Alignment of a Mindful Eating Intervention to Meet the Needs of Low-Income and Marginalized Families With Young Children”

Lynn Brann

Parent and teacher workshops that include mindful yoga and mindful eating lessons for children are planned to address the nutrition needs of low-income, underrepresented families in ���ϲ�����. Research will explore if better nutrition for vulnerable populations can mean better health for families and more opportunities for their gainful employment, lessening the racial wealth gap.

• , , principal investigator
• , Falk College
• , Falk College

“Addressing Obesity and Hypertension in Refugees through Culturally Relevant Meal Interventions”��

Miriam Mutambudzi

This project looks at obesity and hypertension in diaspora populations and works with African immigrants on post-immigration diets to introduce healthy adaptations while preserving culinary heritage. The goal is to assess whether healthier eating can reduce health issues and boost labor force participation, generating improved socioeconomic status.

• , Falk College, principal investigator
• , Falk College

“Disability as a Critical Element in Exploring the Racial Wealth Gap”

Nannette Goodman

Researchers will identify challenges faced by Black, Indigenous and People of Color individuals with��disabilities and will examine the role of disability in the racial wealth gap. They plan to develop recommendations regarding policies and practices that limit economic inclusion and trap people with disabilities into poverty.

• , College of Law, principal investigator
• , College of Law

“Optimizing Corporate Supplier Diversity Programs and Corporate-Facing Regulations for Addressing the Racial Wealth Gap”��

Karca Aral

This initiative examines diversity interactions and legislative interventions in business-to-business aspects of wealth distribution and corporate supplier diversity programs. Researchers will develop guidance on diversity programs and diversity initiatives while enhancing those programs’ potential to level the racial wealth gap.

• , Whitman School, faculty lead
• , Whitman School
• ., Whitman School

Now two years later, Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs professors Tetiana Hranchak and Robert Murrett, along with IVMF staff member Linh Nguyen G’21, offer their reflections on the lessons learned and the road ahead. Access their videos below.

Tetiana Hranchak is a visiting assistant teaching professor, supported by ���ϲ�����’s participation in the Scholars at Risk Network. She shares her thoughts on the two-year anniversary of the war in her homeland. Having fled her country when the invasion commenced, she offers a unique perspective on the ongoing conflict. Learn more about her.

Retired U.S. Navy Vice Admiral Robert Murrett discusses how the military and defensive landscape of both Russia and Ukraine has developed over these last two years, along with what it’ll take for this war to come to an end. Murrett is a professor of practice and serves as the deputy director of ���ϲ�����’s Institute for Security Policy and Law. .

If you are with the media and would like to schedule an interview with either of these faculty/staff members, please reach out to Vanessa Marquette, media relations specialist, at vrmarque@syr.edu.

More than one in seven veterans discharged between 2002 and 2013 received a less than “Honorable” discharge, according to new research out of ���ϲ�����. The “” research brief describes how service members with behavioral or mental health challenges, ethnoracial minorities, members of the LGBTQ community, and women are at the greatest risk for receiving a less than “Honorable” discharge—which, in turn, has veterans experiencing lifelong negative consequences associated with their discharge status

Mariah Brennan and Emily Graham, the authors of this brief, said, “It is critical that we raise awareness surrounding the challenges that veterans face when they leave military service with a discharge that is less than ‘Honorable’. Transitioning from service can be challenging enough, but the added consequences associated with less than ‘Honorable’ discharges are severe, lifelong, and put this group of veterans at greater risk for poor health outcomes and homelessness. It’s important that resources and support upon separation are available to those in greatest need.”

If you’d like to learn more about this research and/or schedule an interview with the authors, please reach out to Vanessa Marquette, media relations specialist, at vrmarque@syr.edu.

, of Enterprise, Mississippi, celebrates the grand opening of her business, L’Academie de Cuisine, in Gaithersburg, Maryland. Roth, a U.S. Army veteran, found support in her entrepreneurial journey through the U.S. Small Business Administration and entrepreneurial training services offered by the D’Aniello Institute for Veterans and Military Families.

In a recent announcement at the White House, Vice President Kamala Harris celebrated the University’s as one of 43 grantees of the MBDA Capital Readiness Program (CRP). This groundbreaking initiative, backed by a $3-million grant, aims to provide invaluable support to veteran-owned businesses across the United States.

“The IVMF has been educating, connecting and supporting veteran and military-affiliated entrepreneurs for more than a decade. This new award will enhance pathways to capital for veteran entrepreneurs, support the development of curriculum to educate future business owners about capital access, and facilitate research and analysis that will inform policymakers and practitioners as to the opportunities and challenges associated with military-connected business ownership in the U.S,” says J. Michael Haynie, vice chancellor of strategic initiatives and innovation and the executive director of the IVMF.

A significant aspect of the program is its commitment to building pathways to success for minority and underrepresented veteran-owned small businesses. The services offered will combine both virtual and in-person opportunities to reach a broad and diverse audience. To extend their reach to businesses located in rural communities, the IVMF has formed a strategic partnership with the . NACCE is renowned as the nation’s leading advocate for transforming underserved communities through community college engagement.

Rebecca Corbin, president and CEO of NACCE, expressed enthusiasm in looking ahead at the opportunities this grant will provide. “NACCE is delighted to partner with ���ϲ�����’s D’Aniello Institute for Veterans and Military Affairs to execute the MBDA Capital Readiness Program. This transformative initiative will reach thousands of underserved and would-be entrepreneurs and advance NACCE’s vision to create equity and prosperity for all, through our network of over 360 community colleges, universities, and HBCUs.”

Launching and expanding a business can be a daunting challenge for anyone, but for veteran-owned businesses, unique obstacles often stand in the way. This program will focus on veteran-owned businesses in their first ten years of operation and with revenue under $10 million. According to , these young and new ventures are most impacted by the barriers associated with accessing the capital required to launch and grow a business.

Over the next four years, the CRP is expected to provide support to more than 2,500 eligible business owners. This extensive program will include up to six networking events annually, with the goal of generating over $8.5 million in raised capital for socially and economically disadvantaged individuals.

The IVMF’s innovative approach is designed to address the challenges faced by veteran entrepreneurs comprehensively. Their program will offer education, technical assistance, access to capital and vital networking opportunities. These elements are crucial for veteran-owned businesses to harness corporate and federal contracts, which can significantly boost their growth and success.

For more information on how the IVMF supports veteran and military-affiliated entrepreneurs, please visit the .

• , director of the Goldring Arts Journalism and Communications program at Newhouse, was quoted in the Associated Press story “.”
• , associate professor of law, was interviewed for The New York Times story ““
• , a professor in the history department at Maxwell, was featured in the Al Jazeera article “‘.”
• , chief operating officer at the D’Aniello Institute for Veterans and Military Families, was for the 22nd anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.
• , professor of environmental systems in the College of Engineering, spoke with Salon for the story ““
• , an assistant professor of biology in the College of Arts and Sciences, was in the EcoWatch article “.”
• , professor at the College of Law and director of the ���ϲ����� Intellectual Property Law Institute, was interviewed for the Bloomberg Law story “.”
• , professor of practice & chair, music industry & technologies at the Setnor School of Music, was quoted in the Lifewire story “.”
• , vice president of community engagement and government relations, was on discussing ���ϲ�����’s partnership with the Salvation Army.
• , teaching professor at the College of Law, was in the Fortune story “”
  
• , Esther M. Larsen faculty fellow in the humanities and assistant professor, was quoted in and
• , head of digital stewardship and the digital library program at the Libraries, was featured in Yahoo Finance’s story “.”
• , associate teaching professor in Falk College, was quoted in the Better Homes and Gardens story “”
• Carrie Mae Weems, ���ϲ����� artist in residence, was featured in the New York Times for the article “.”
• , professor of political science in the Maxwell School was interviewed by Inside Higher Ed for the article
• , Vice President for Diversity and Inclusion, was quoted in the in Senior Executive story “ ”
• , associate professor in the iSchool, was interviewed by Agence France-Presse for the story “.”
• , founding director of the Bleier Center for Television and Popular Culture and a Trustee Professor of Television and Popular Culture at Newhouse, was quoted in , , , , , , (Dallas), and (Los Angeles).

To get in touch and learn more about ���ϲ����� faculty members available for interviews, please contact��media@syr.edu.

Bernard Rostker G’66, G’70 (right) speaks in the K.G. Tan Auditorium during “The All Volunteer Force at 50: Higher Education and America’s Volunteer Military” summit at the National Veterans Resource Center.

Applications for the 2023 Bernard D. and Louis C. Rostker IVMF Dissertation Research Fund are open through May 26. Doctoral candidates at ���ϲ����� who are doing dissertation research pertaining to veterans, or military family-related topics, are encouraged to apply. The fund is open to Ph.D. candidates from all schools and colleges and can be used for travel expenses, software, equipment and conferences, as well as fieldwork and data gathering.

Last year, five students received a total of $50,000 in funding through the Rostker Fund. Their doctoral research ranged in topic from women veteran’s health and employment to understanding how prior military experience impacts law enforcement officers who are veterans.

One of the 2022 Rostker Scholars, Mariah Brennan, works at the D’Aniello Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF) in the research and evaluation division. Her research contributed to the most recent Military Families Lifetime Survey (MFLS), a bi-annual research publication that focuses on the current hardships and situations military families face.

Brennan

“As a student, I have received incredible support from the IVMF including mentorship, valuable research experience and generous funding from the Rostker Dissertation Fellowship. Working with colleagues on the annual MFLS has been such a positive experience, and I am grateful for the opportunity to hone my research skills by working on impactful military and veteran research,” says Brennan, who worked extensively with Blue Star Families, one of the IVMF’s partners in delivering insightful research and data analysis on topics pertaining to veterans and their families.

“Each year is different, keeping things fresh and exciting. The MFLS is an opportunity to inform policy and practice, and I am thrilled to be a part of it. I look forward to continuing my worked with the IVMF and making progress on my dissertation,” she says.

The funding for the program is provided entirely through the generosity of Bernard Rostker G’66, G’70 and his wife, Louise Rostker G’68, both of whom pursued their advanced degrees at ���ϲ����� amidst myriad setbacks as military-connected students. Bernard earned a master’s degree and a doctoral degree in economics, while Louise earned a master’s degree in social work.

Bernard, a U.S. Army Veteran, was recently honored by the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at the second annual Maxwell Awards of Excellence in Washington, D.C., where he was presented the Spirit of Public Service Award. Earlier in the month, he was a guest speaker during “The All-Volunteer Force at 50: Higher Education and America’s Volunteer Military” summit.

Linsner

During the summit, the 2022 Rostker Scholars had the opportunity to present their work to the Rostkers and show the impact of their research so far. Rachel Linsner, a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Human Development and Family Science in the Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics, spoke about her dissertation examining the relationships between military spouse employment status, attitudes toward the military, individual well-being and family functioning.

“I am very grateful to the Rostkers and I am making progress on my dissertation because of their generosity and this program,” says Linsner. “The scholars had the opportunity to meet with the Rostkers and present our work to them. It was a delight to hear their feedback and learn from their expertise.”

���ϲ����� Ph.D. candidates interested in applying must , including one reference letter, by midnight (EST) on May 26, 2023. Applicants can anticipate receiving notification later in the year at the end of August. Potential applicants who have questions may contact ivmresearch@syr.edu.

Staff from the D’Aniello Institute for Veterans and Military Families show off in Orange on National Orange Day at the start of Veteran EDGE 2023. Photo by Michael Parks of Daystar Photography.

During 2022, ���ϲ�����’s delivered 161 entrepreneurship training programs across the nation to more than 3,000 military-connected participants. One of those events, the annual Veteran EDGE conference, is among the largest convenings of established veteran and military spouse business owners in the United States.

Panelists during a moderated discussion titled “Doing Business With Big Business,” during Veteran EDGE 2023. Photo by Michael Parks of Daystar Photography.

Veteran EDGE (Engage, Develop, Grow, Elevate) convened in Dallas, Texas last month. Part of what makes the IVMF’s entrepreneurship events successful is leveraging University professors in the field of small business and entrepreneurship from the Whitman School of Management, along with many other professionals from around the country, to conduct the intensive training modules.

“Part of the reason why I get excited when IVMF asks me to teach their veteran populations is I get to show appreciation to the people who have sacrificed for the place I call home and help them become entrepreneurs in a way that translates their service into the greater good of their community,” says Elizabeth Wimer G’06, assistant teaching professor of entrepreneurship at Whitman, and the granddaughter of a World War II veteran who attended ���ϲ����� on the G.I. Bill.

Nearly 200 military-affiliated business owners attended the training event which featured keynote speakers, breakout sessions, discussion panels and fireside chats. The 2023 Inc. Magazine’s Vet100 list highlighting the fastest growing veteran-owned businesses was also announced during the event. In addition, at EDGE, ten companies were selected to receive $10,000 in capital thanks to the D’Aniello Family Foundation Acceleration Business Challenge created by Daniel D’Aniello ’68, U.S. Navy veteran, University Life Trustee and IVMF Advisory Board Co-Chair.

“Entrepreneurs are best positioned to drive change, bring innovation and new ideas to some of the most pressing challenges that we, as a country, face today. I’ve been privileged and honored to have the opportunity to watch entrepreneurship change the lives of students, families, and communities—and that’s what keeps me going,” says J. Michael Haynie, vice chancellor for Strategic initiatives and innovation, IVMF’s founder and executive director and Barnes professor of entrepreneurship,

J. Michael Haynie, ���ϲ����� Vice Chancellor for Strategic Initiatives and Innovation, and IVMF Founder and Executive Director, speaks at the opening of Veteran EDGE 2023. Photo by Michael Parks of Daystar Photography.

Each day, participants learned from some of the leading voices in today’s conversations around veteran small business ownership. One of those voices is retired U.S. Air Force Colonel Barbara Carson, IVMF’s managing director of programs and services, who spoke to the audience about why the conference is so relevant to today’s veteran entrepreneur community.

“We have seen joint ventures, contracts and new businesses come out of the magic that is Veteran EDGE. Perhaps more importantly, these relationships help us navigate the ups and downs of entrepreneurship,” says Carson, who is located in ���ϲ�����’s Washington D.C. office. “Growing and scaling a business is challenging, but having a network of battle buddies in business who understand some of the unique obstacles that veterans and military-connected entrepreneurs face can make all the difference.”

With more than 8,000 graduates from the IVMF’s entrepreneurship programs, several are among the top performers in their industries at a national level. Sponsored by one of the IVMF’s strategic partners, Fiserv, the Inc. Vet100 Awards Dinner celebrates those businesses which have excelled in growth over the last year.

The 2023 Vet100 list included twenty-four awardees who graduated from one of the IVMF’s programs, the largest number of IVMF alumni to appear on the annual list to date. The 2023 list also featured 10 women entrepreneurs, six of whom are IVMF program graduates, such as Venus Quates.

Quates, a U.S. Air Force veteran, graduated from the IVMF’s Veteran Women Igniting the Spirt of Entrepreneurship (V-WISE) program and is in third place on this year’s Vet 100. Her company, LaunchTech, LLC, provides expert support in navigating critical infrastructure from the cradle to the grave, focusing on innovation and modernization, information security and assurance, and systems engineering for enterprise customers in both public and private sectors.

Assistant Teaching Professor Elizabeth Wimer (left), from the Whitman School of Management, with Nneka Bell, a U.S. Navy Veteran and participant at Veteran EDGE 2023. Photo by Michael Parks of Daystar Photography.

“For LaunchTech to be recognized for the second year in a row amongst my fellow veterans was both humbling and rewarding,” says Quates, who said her inspiration for launching her small business was the desire to create a game-changer that infused innovation, excellence and flavor as well as a distinct and inclusive culture.

The success of Veteran EDGE each year, and the success of the IVMF, would not be possible without the support of sponsors committed to enhancing the post-service lives of our veterans, transitioning service members and their families. For 2023, the conference was sponsored by:

• Fiserv
• JPMorgan Chase & Co.
• Cushman & Wakefield
• The D’Aniello Family Foundation
• Walmart
• Johnson & Johnson
• Amazon
• Neighborly

For more information on the programs and services provided to the nation’s military-connected community, or to find out more about the D’Aniello Institute for Veterans and Military Families, please visit .

U.S. Army Col. Kecia Troy G’12 poses for her official portrait in the Army portrait studio at the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia. (Photo courtesy of Leonard Fitzgerald)

A key component of the U.S. military’s success is the vast equipment procurement and logistics system operating behind the scenes supporting the Department of Defense’s (DOD) global operations. U.S. Army Col. Kecia Troy G’12, with 25 years of service, knows just how difficult it is to maintain that support successfully.

Outfitting a modern military with state-of-the-art equipment requires experienced individuals like Troy, who manages the complex process of developing, procuring, and distributing critical capabilities and systems. Troy, who serves as a defense acquisition program manager, says one of the reasons the Army can meet the challenges of delivering these vital capabilities is through its solid partnership with the defense industrial base.

“The systems acquisition community works closely with the defense industry, ensuring they understand our emerging mission requirements and the capabilities that we will need to maintain the technological edge over our peer and near-peer adversaries,” says Troy, who earned a master’s degree in from the . “This partnership lets us leverage businesses who foster innovative ideas and develop cutting-edge technological solutions.”

Kecia Troy G’12 with her husband, Milton

While Troy has managed a variety of military system programs, including tactical radio equipment and armored vehicle components, her primary focus has been supporting the needs of the intelligence community. During the early days of her career, she served as an intelligence officer, a position she says introduced her to the realities of military service.

“I was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Army at 22 years old. At that time, I didn’t truly appreciate or understand the commitment I had made to selfless service or to this nation,” Troy says. “After my initial officer training, I was stationed in Hawaii and thought it would be ‘life on the beach.’ However, the Army and world events had a different plan.”

In 1999, less than six months after arriving in Hawaii, Troy deployed to the Balkans amidst one of the most complex periods of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s (NATO) peacekeeping operations in modern history. Although the four-year Bosnian War had already ended, U.S. forces were supporting NATO’s mission to enforce the war’s peace treaty and establish stability in the former Yugoslav region.

“This was the first time I had been face-to-face with the aftermath of war. Our team would sometimes visit orphanages or refugee resettlement camps, it was heartbreaking to see how much they all had lost,” recalls Troy. “We visited the site of the Srebrenica massacre and saw the building’s walls covered with bullet holes from when Bosnian Serbs murdered thousands of the town’s Muslim men and boys as a part of their ethnic cleansing efforts. Again—I experienced all of this before 9/11, so this deployment really opened my eyes to the realities of war and my service to this nation.”

Throughout her career, Troy shifted her specialty from the intelligence community to managing system acquisition programs. That shift ultimately led her to ���ϲ�����’s campus for the DOD’s logistics and technology master of science degree program.

U.S. Army Col. Kecia Troy G’12 (third from the left), who has 25 years of military service, earned a master’s degree in supply chain management from the Whitman School of Management.

“I enjoyed the program and definitely got a lot out of it. The program was primarily virtual and offered me the opportunity to earn a master’s degree from ���ϲ�����, while I remained at work full-time in Washington, DC. Back then, not many top-tier schools had this type of fully-funded program available to service members. The ���ϲ����� professors and staff were top-notch and were always accessible to our cohort. We did have some in-person instruction, and I really liked the times we were on campus and at the Whitman School. The campus and the facilities were beautiful. My favorite part of campus would have to be the Ernie Davis statue, near Hendricks Chapel. It’s great to see the university honor him and his legacy in such a way. His life had such an impact, not only on college and professional sports but race relations and integration within our nation,” Troy says.

After completing her master’s degree, Troy’s military career advanced well beyond her initial plan to serve only four years. Her career assignments included tours in the Republic of Korea, Arizona, Alabama and in the National Capital Region, where she worked at the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) and served two tours in the Pentagon on the Department of the Army staff.

Kecia Troy G’12 with her son, Micah

More than two decades later, as Troy reflects on her commitment to service, she can see success across the force in the opportunities that are now afforded to women. Many of these opportunities were not available when Troy was first commissioned.

“We are seeing female soldiers excel in combat-specific military occupations and successfully leading units that were once off-limits to them. As of a year ago, 100 women had graduated from Ranger School.�� That’s remarkable progress,” Troy says. ��“I think there has been more awareness of the unique issues that women face, that parents face, and that minority groups in the military face. These issues differ from what many senior leaders deal with or even realize exist.”

Troy says one of her biggest concerns today is that women in the military must get a fair opportunity to excel, regardless of the specialty they choose, as well as when or if they decide to have a family.

According to the 2021 Demographics Profile of the Military Community, approximately 5,000 women serve in the U.S. Army as field grade officers on active duty. That is roughly 17.3 percent of all majors, lieutenant colonels and colonels serving full-time in the nation’s largest military branch.

Each year, more women join the military compared to when Troy first earned her commission in the late 1990’s. Despite their increasing percentage of the military population, however, women in the service today are 28 percent more likely than men to leave the military early. According to a Government Accountability Office study, women left the military primarily for family-related and cultural issues.

Kecia Troy G’12 (far left) poses with her son, Micah, and husband, Milton.

“Balancing a career in the military with motherhood is extremely tough, much tougher than even I had given it credit for,” says Troy, who with her husband, Milton, a U.S. Navy captain, are raising a son, Micah. “The Department of Defense is moving in the right direction with the recent policies. It will take a commitment by leaders at all levels to ensure those policies are properly implemented and effective in easing some of the stress for these Soldiers and their families.”

Troy will retire from the U.S. Army later this year, and she’s currently working through the transition process, weighing the different opportunities she has available. For now, she’s looking forward to spending some time with her family.

“The key component of my military career has been the undeniable support system I have had from my family, extended family, and a slew of lifelong friends. They’ve sacrificed and served, as well, to ensure that I was able to focus and complete the Army’s mission,” Troy says. “My success is grounded in my strong foundation from my parents and the support network of relatives and friends. As a community, they have all been my rocks, my cheering squad, and sometimes, my much-needed critics, no matter the situation.�� Too often, family members do not get acknowledged or recognized, but I know that had it not been for their support, I would not be here today.”

Quite the opposite. Pollard prefers an evening relaxing on the couch with his wife, Enesa, to a night on the town.

But when U.S. Sen. Charles E. Schumer’s office invited Pollard to be an honored guest during the annual State of the Union inside the U.S. Capitol, Pollard, an admitted introvert, knew the opportunity to tell his story was too good to pass up.

Pollard is a U.S. Navy veteran who is currently majoring in electrical engineering in the�� . He is also the first person hired by the semiconductor manufacturer Micron Technology for the company’s��proposed $100 billion campus��in the town of Clay, New York.

And while the attention that came from being in attendance for the State of the Union made Pollard a little uncomfortable, it was also a chance to inspire current and future military-connected students to step out of their comfort zones and learn to ask for help if they need it.

Savion Pollard ’25, the first person hired by the semiconductor manufacturer Micron Technology for the company’s proposed $100 billion campus in the town of Clay, New York, was an honored guest during last week’s State of the Union.

Pollard, who previously worked as a nuclear engineering electronics technician on a Navy submarine, struggled in his transition from active duty to civilian life. He wasn’t sure how he would acclimate to life as a full-time student, especially at ���ϲ�����, which had denied his original application back in 2010.

Pollard knows he’s not alone when it comes to these issues.

“It’s important for other veterans to see that success can be found in higher education, and if not higher education, in different industries. I’ve worked really hard to be in the position that I’m in, and I want to inspire people, to show how far hard work can get you. I wanted people to see my light shine and I’m glad I get to be an inspiration for them and allow them to see what’s possible if we just work hard,” Pollard said after his trip to Washington.

A Whirlwind 36 Hours

This trip to the nation’s capital was certainly more memorable than the only other time Pollard visited Washington, when he watched the New York Mets take on the Washington Nationals a few years back. Unlike that visit, this time, Savion and Enesa made sure to do some sightseeing.

Savion Pollard ’25

After arriving Tuesday morning, the two went to the Washington Monument, the White House, and the Capitol building, soaking in the sights before an action-packed afternoon of meetings.

Pollard first met with Rep. Brandon Williams, a congressman representing New York’s 22nd district, which includes Central New York (CNY). Like Pollard, Williams is a submarine veteran, which made this the day’s most impactful meeting.

“Just the connection we had was immediate and special. We went to the same training schools. He knew all about my background. It was like we were part of this brotherhood without ever having met each other,” Pollard says. “I almost cried in his office, it was pretty crazy. I was ecstatic about meeting him and I’m going to cherish that interaction forever.”

Following was a meeting with U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand’s assistant, in which Pollard expressed his gratitude for the senator’s support of the CHIPS and Science Act, a bill aimed at increasing semiconductor manufacturing in the country. Thanks to the bill’s passage, Pollard landed this life-changing internship with Micron, which hopes to bring 9,000 high-paying jobs to the area over the next 20 years.

Pollard (fifth from right) stands alongside some of the other honored State of the Union guests inside the office of Sen. Schumer.

Then it was time for Pollard to sit down with Sen. Schumer, who invited Pollard as his honored guest because he represents Micron’s commitment to transform the CNY community into the nation’s leading producer of these high-tech memory chips.

Back in October, Pollard met President Joseph R. Biden L’68��during the president’s visit to Onondaga Community College to promote Micron’s investment in the community and celebrate the passage of the CHIPS and Science Act.

During that meeting, Sen. Schumer proudly wore a pair of orange socks as a nod to ���ϲ�����, which will play a key role in building and training the workforce of the future��that will power Micron’s leading-edge memory megafab. Pollard will , maintaining and troubleshooting any problems that arise with Micron’s equipment used to produce these semiconductors.

This time, in Schumer’s office, Pollard upped his fashion game, wearing orange ���ϲ����� socks, an orange and blue tie, and a pin with both the American flag and the Block S flag on his suit coat. Pollard says it was important for his school spirit to be on display for his visit to the Capitol.

“���ϲ����� has been huge for me over the last year since I started here. The eight years I served in the Navy did a lot for me in terms of my character and my discipline. I’m grateful to be able to translate all those skills back to school. Being at ���ϲ�����, where we’re so supported, the resources are so robust and everyone wants us to succeed is really amazing,” Pollard says.

A Full-Circle Moment

Following some group photos with Schumer and other honored guests, the Pollards headed to the gallery and took their seats for the State of the Union, President Biden’s 90-minute address to a joint session of Congress and the American people.

Then, just like that, the speech ended, and Wednesday morning, Pollard flew back to ���ϲ�����. Only as he was relaxing at home on his couch, reflecting on the tremendous honor he had enjoyed, did the magnitude of the moment sink in for Pollard.

“I just took it all in. I had been nervous about this experience, but afterward, I finally had a moment to just be amazed and understand everything I did over the past couple of hours. It was a cool moment to represent ���ϲ����� and the Navy at the State of the Union. It’s still so crazy that this happened to me. It was such an honor to be there,” Pollard says.

Savion Pollard ’25, the first person hired by the semiconductor manufacturer Micron Technology for the company’s proposed $100 billion campus in the town of Clay, New York, will attend the State of the Union inside the U.S. Capitol as an honored guest of U.S. Sen. Charles E. Schumer.

Savion Pollard ’25, the first person hired by the semiconductor manufacturer Micron Technology for the company’s proposed $100 billion campus in the town of Clay, New York, will attend the State of the Union inside the U.S. Capitol as an honored guest of U.S. Sen. Charles E. Schumer. The primetime address begins at 9 p.m. ET.

Schumer invited Pollard, a student in the and a U.S. Navy veteran, because he represents the commitment Micron has made to transform the Central New York community into the nation’s leading producer of these high-tech memory chips. Micron hopes to bring 9,000 high-paying jobs to the area over the next 20 years.

“I am hopeful for the future of Micron and the Central New York region. The historic investment will bring about a lot of opportunity in the area. I feel blessed that my military and engineering backgrounds have led me to be able to take advantage of this opportunity,” Savion Pollard said in a statement.

���ϲ����� will play a key role in building and training the workforce of the future that will power Micron’s leading-edge memory megafab in Clay, the largest facility of its kind in the United States.

“The future will be made in ���ϲ�����, in Upstate New York, and I am proud to have Savion as my guest as one of the first people who will be helping lay the foundation to have the future be built here in America,” Schumer said in a statement.

President Biden speaks at a podium at Onondaga Community College on Oct. 27, with Gov. Kathy Hochul ’80 and Micron CEO Sanjay Mehrotra seated over his left shoulder

Pollard met President Biden on Oct. 27 during the president’s visit to Onondaga Community College to promote Micron’s investment in the community and celebrate the passage of the CHIPS and Science Act, a bill aimed at increasing semiconductor manufacturing in the country.

Pollard, who previously worked as a nuclear engineering electronics technician on a Navy submarine, is majoring in electrical engineering. He will , maintaining and troubleshooting through any problems that arise with Micron’s equipment used to produce these semiconductors.

The president and the first lady typically invite around two dozen guests to attend each State of the Union address, watching the events from the House gallery. Additionally, elected leaders like Sen. Schumer were encouraged to invite their own guests this year.

Check back later for a follow-up story recapping Pollard’s experience as an honored State of the Union guest.

Key takeaways:

• There are over 350,000 Black and African American active duty and select reserve members
• Over 2.4 million Black and African American veterans in the U.S
  • Of all Post-9/11 veterans, 17% are Black and African American (this is higher compared to the 13% of the nonveteran counterparts)
• 89% of respondents said joining the military was a good decision; however:
  • 56% had considered “racial/ethnic discrimination” in their decision-making process, and 53% had “concerns about safety regarding base/ installation preferences due to my (or my family member’s) racial/ethnic identity
• 93% of respondents felt pride in their accomplishments during service; however:
  • 45% believe their racial/ethnic identity hurt their ability to get ahead at work
• 59% of Black and African American veteran respondents characterized their employment transition as difficult or very difficult
• For more data on the above and numbers regarding employment, entrepreneurship, and education, please

, IVMF’s Director of Applied Research and Analytics, is the author of this data brief and is available for interviews upon request. She has been featured on , , , , and more. Please reach out to Vanessa Marquette, Media Relations Specialist, at if you’d like to schedule a time to speak with her.

As an R1 research institute, it should come as no surprise that ���ϲ����� is a source for groundbreaking research across the vast array of disciplines available throughout its 13 schools and colleges. To conduct quality research, it can be a challenge to obtain the required funding. Surveys, focus groups, experiments, interviews and even observations require expenses, and that is before there is an attempt to publish the research and present it at conferences.

“The field of veterans studies crosses many disciplines and modes of inquiry, and this is certainly reflected in our five inaugural recipients,” says Nick Armstrong G’08, G’14, IVMF managing director for research and data. “The generous support provided by the Rostkers exemplifies what makes ���ϲ����� best-in-class and best for veterans—it provides rising scholars the resources and flexibility to pursue distinctive excellence, while at the same time addressing some of the leading challenges facing the veteran community.”

The funding, provided by Bernard G’66, G’70 and Louise Rostker G’68 through the , did not come with the typical restrictions due in part because of the personal experiences the couple went through in pursuing their own advanced degrees. The Rostkers have spent years dedicating time in support of military families. Bernard is a veteran of the U.S. Army and later served as a senior executive in the Department of Defense and Louise devoted herself to her lifetime career in social work, having a history of supporting education for military children and expanding employment opportunities for military spouses.

The combined total of $50,000 in funding will be dispersed between five recipients this year, each of whom have a research topic focused on the military-connected community. The five recipients for the 2022 fellowship are:

Mariah Brennen
Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs

Brennan’s research interests include population health disparities and veterans’ health. She joined the D’Aniello Institute as a doctoral student researcher in 2019 and works in the research and evaluation division. The objective of her dissertation, titled “Post-9/11 Female Veterans: Health and Employment During Reintegration,” aims to describe gender differences in veteran health care and employment needs during the reintegration process. It will examine health and employment outcomes, reintegration stressors and social supports among veterans who recently separated from the military.

Adam Cucchiara
Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs

Cucchiara’s research interests are in the fields of veterans’ affairs, law enforcement and policing and national security. He is a U.S. Army Veteran whose dissertation, “Essays on Military Veterans in Law Enforcement,” examines the influence of military veterans on law enforcement, specifically regarding use of force.

Cucchiara seeks to address the knowledge gap surrounding veteran performance by examining the influence of military service on individual police officers’ propensity to use lethal and non-lethal force. Cucchiara will join the Department of Social Sciences at the United States Military Academy at West Point upon completion of his studies at ���ϲ�����.

Jacob DeBlois
Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics

DeBlois’ research interests focus on the contribution of occupational stressors to the risk of cardiovascular disease. The topic first caught his attention during his undergraduate studies after working on projects funded by the Department of Homeland Security investigating firefighting tactics and the impact of those tactics on physiological outcomes.

His dissertation, “The Occupational, Psychosocial, Biobehavioral and Physiological Determinants of Hypertension Risk Among Military Service Members,” seeks to explore the impact of occupational stressors on hypertension risk among a nationally representative sample of service members to determine if those with military combat exposure, injury or trauma and prolonged overseas deployments have higher blood pressure or physician diagnosed hypertension that hose without similar experiences.

Kyle Leister
Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics

Leister’s research interests are focused on improving quality of care for amputees. Leister is a certified orthotist/prosthetist and has over seven years of practice and continues to treat patients in the clinical setting on a part-time basis. His dissertation, “Development and Cross Validation of a Prediction Equation for Estimating Step Count in Individuals With Transtibial Amputation,” seeks to develop and cross validate two equations to estimate daily step count based on two common clinical-based functional outcome measures and one patient-reported outcome measure.

Rachel Linsner
Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics

Linsner’s research interests focus on military families, specifically within child and family policies. She first started with the D’Aniello Institute in 2015 as a student researcher and is now a full-time research associate working in the research and evaluation division. Her dissertation, “Military Spouse Employment Status: Implications for Attitudes Toward the Military, Individual, Well-Being and Family Functioning,” will examine the relationships between military spouse employment status, attitudes towards the military, individual well-being and family functioning.

About ���ϲ�����

���ϲ����� is a private research university that advances knowledge across disciplines to drive breakthrough discoveries and breakout leadership. Our collection of 13 schools and colleges with over 200 customizable majors closes the gap between education and action, so students can take on the world. In and beyond the classroom, we connect people, perspectives and practices to solve interconnected challenges with interdisciplinary approaches. Together, we’re a powerful community that moves ideas, individuals and impact beyond what’s possible.

About Forever Orange: The Campaign for ���ϲ�����

Orange isn’t just our color. It’s our promise to leave the world better than we found it. Forever Orange: The Campaign for ���ϲ����� is poised to do just that. Fueled by more than 150 years of fearless firsts, together we can enhance academic excellence, transform the student experience and expand unique opportunities for learning and growth. Forever Orange endeavors to raise $1.5 billion in philanthropic support, inspire 125,000 individual donors to participate in the campaign, and actively engage one in five alumni in the life of the University. Now is the time to show the world what Orange can do. Visit to learn more.

Stephen Snelson

Stephen Snelson ’97 loved to play with Matchbox cars when he was a child. But unlike his friends, Snelson’s cars had a magical ability to fly, a simple yet imaginative gesture that would one day foreshadow the decorated career Snelson would enjoy in the Air Force.

It’s a lifelong profession that has seen him fly missions all over the world, from Afghanistan to Iraq, and it’s also one that brought him face-to-face with two presidents of the United States and their first ladies.

As the commander of the 89th Airlift Wing at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, Snelson was responsible for oversight of Air Force One and its fleet of executive aircraft that carry out special global air missions that transport the president, vice president, cabinet members, combatant commanders and other senior military and elected leaders to destinations around the world.

Escorting the president to and from Air Force One before and after every flight, Snelson got to know President Donald J. Trump and his vice president, Mike Pence, quite well, along with current President and fellow ���ϲ����� alumnus Joseph R. Biden Jr. L’68 and his vice president, Kamala Harris.

Snelson has also flown operational missions worldwide, including combat missions in support of operations Allied Force (in the former country known as Yugoslavia), Southern Watch (southern Iraq), Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan), Iraqi Freedom and New Dawn (Iraq).

Today, Brig. Gen. Snelson oversees the U.S. military operations in the Middle East, Central and South Asia, and the surrounding strategic waterways as deputy director of operations, U.S. Central Command at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Florida.

Throughout it all, Snelson, a 26-year veteran of the Air Force, maintains the same steadfast commitment to serving his country that he first learned as a member of the Air Force Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) at ���ϲ�����.

“I just knew when I was a little kid that I wanted to fly airplanes. It was a calling from an early age,” says Snelson, who earned a bachelor’s degree in from the .

“If you had told Cadet Snelson in 1993 or 1994 that I’d be 26 years into a career in the Air Force as a two-time wing commander and one-star general, I never would have thought that was in the realm of possibilities,” Snelson says. “But it also speaks to the lessons learned and my approach to life, and it’s amazing how those lessons carry you through life. I learned those lessons and built the foundation of leadership at ���ϲ�����.”

Humble Beginnings to Distinguished Military Career

While he initially entertained dreams of replicating the daredevil fighter pilot maneuvers made famous by Tom Cruise’s character Maverick in the iconic film “Top Gun,” Snelson quickly realized those gravity-defying moves didn’t sit well with him. Literally.

“My first flight I got airsick, the first of many flights where I got sick up in the air. I came within one flight of washing out of pilot training, but somehow, I made it and I quickly realized being a fighter pilot wasn’t in the cards for me. So I gladly became a cargo pilot, and I loved the teamwork it required and the lifestyle it offered,” Snelson says.

Brig. Gen. Stephen Snelson ’97, left, with President Joseph R. Biden Jr. L’68, first lady Jill Biden and Snelson’s wife, Catherine

A relatively new pilot when the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks killed 2,996 people, Snelson flew the first of his nearly 100 combat missions in Afghanistan in the weeks after the attacks. On one of the first nights of Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan, Snelson served as a C-17 cargo pilot, air-dropping packets of food to the civilian victims of the war.

Over the next 20 years, Snelson would fly into and out of Afghanistan on an assortment of missions, including leading air drops on select targets across the country. He was deployed to Kuwait during the fast-paced and frenetic final days of the United States’ involvement in Afghanistan, overseeing the day-to-day logistics that led to the successful evacuation of 124,000 Afghan civilians.

The Kabul airport became overrun with people looking for a way out of the country, which was facing an uncertain future with the Taliban assuming control of the war-torn nation. The images of families desperate for a way out left an indelible impression on Snelson, who led efforts to provide those people with food, water and shelter as they gathered at the airport.

“It was a daunting task. Right before we left for good, there was an ISIS suicide bomber that killed 13 service members. Part of my job was working the logistics to get the injured soldiers out of there while saving as many lives as we could. I was proud of what we were able to do in two and a half weeks. We saved the lives of 124,000 people. There’s no other nation in the world that could have or would have done that,” Snelson says.

Two Orange Alumni Walk Onto Air Force One…

Back in the Spring 2021 semester, as Hall of Fame men’s basketball coach Jim Boeheim ’66, G’73 was guiding the Orange into the Sweet 16 of March Madness, Snelson, like many Orange fans, was experiencing serious palpitations.

A huge fan of ���ϲ����� athletics—some of his favorite memories of his time on campus were cheering on the football and basketball teams in the Dome—Snelson’s increased heart rate had nothing to do with the on-court happenings of the men’s basketball team, and everything to do with a short walk on the tarmac at Andrews Air Force Base in the Washington, D.C., suburb of Morningside, Maryland.

Leading up to ���ϲ�����’s NCAA tournament game against Duke, Snelson was escorting President Biden to his latest flight, and the two started reminiscing about their time on campus. While Snelson keeps the exact contents of their conversation confidential, he proudly shared how the leader of the free world bonded with him about their love of ���ϲ�����, their passion for the men’s basketball team and how their time on campus set the foundation for their successful careers.

Oh, and of course they shared horror stories of those cold, snowy Central New York winters.

“It’s pretty amazing and pretty humbling to be able to form a bond with the president, especially knowing he went to ���ϲ�����. I was very nervous. I have one of those watches that tracks your heart rate, and when I looked at the data at the end of the day, during my interaction with the President, my heart rate looked like I was having a massive coronary episode I was so nervous. But it was special to me. Here we were, two proud ���ϲ����� alumni sharing a moment reminiscing about our alma mater,” Snelson says.

Brig. Gen. Stephen Snelson’s ’97, right, with President Donald J. Trump

During these contentious political times, Snelson says he gained a newfound respect for the position of president. As he was escorting President Trump and President Biden to and from Air Force One, they would often ask Snelson how his wife and two daughters were doing, providing a human element to the most powerful position in this country.

“No matter how you try to rationalize or prepare yourself for an interaction with the president or our country’s other leaders, it was always surreal, but also inspiring. When you have conversations with these leaders, you realize they are people with families, just like me. Those experiences were special. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and I treasured every day,” Snelson says.

An Unimaginable Career

Regardless of the position he held, Snelson approached every job with the same voracious work ethic he learned from both his parents and from his time on campus: no one was going to outwork or out-hustle Snelson.

That mentality served him well during a decorated military career that began as second lieutenant in 1997 and saw Snelson ascend to first lieutenant, captain, major, lieutenant colonel, colonel and, finally, brigadier general.

“It’s unimaginable,” Snelson says when asked to reflect on his career path. “It’s an incredible honor to be the very first Air Force mobility pilot to have this job at Central Command. The job typically goes to an Army Special Forces soldier. It’s an incredible honor and I try to earn that honor every single day.”

This November, as our country celebrates Veterans Day, Snelson is celebrating ���ϲ�����’s commitment to our nation’s veterans, through the , the , and the other ways the University fulfills its promise to provide veterans with an affordable path to academic success.

“It just makes me so proud, knowing what my alma mater does to set our veterans up for success. It matters. Veterans develop a skill set and background that make them extremely valuable, and ���ϲ����� is able to train and set our veterans up for success as the leaders of tomorrow,” Snelson says.

J. Michael Haynie

“The Veterans Advisory Committee on Education is a significant cornerstone in ensuring that the lives of our veterans and military families have access to meaningful and affordable post-service educational opportunities,” Haynie said. “I am truly grateful and humbled by this appointment to this exceptional committee.”

Haynie founded the D’Aniello Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF) in 2011, creating the nation’s first interdisciplinary institute created to inform and advance the policy, economic, and wellness concerns of America’s veterans and military-connected families. Today, the institute is widely recognized as the nation’s leading academic voice related to issues impacting veterans and military-connected families.

As a member of the committee, Haynie will collaborate with committee members to provide advice to the Secretary on training and education programs for all current and former members of the United States Military. Haynie will be attending his first public meeting with the committee on May 24-26, 2022.

More information on the committee and details on the public meeting can be found .

Ruscitto received the Undergraduate Student Employee of the Year Award for his work with the D’Aniello Institute for Veterans and Military Families.

Q: How was your experience getting to ���ϲ�����?

A: I’m a ���ϲ����� native, and enlisted in the Marine Corps in 2013, out of high school. After five years of military service, I saw a crossroads. At 23 I realized if I don’t pursue this opportunity to go to college here now, then I’m going to miss it.

As a kid, I never would have considered coming to ���ϲ�����. When I got out of the Marine Corps, I thought it was too big. I thought I wasn’t smart enough or capable enough. Fortunately, I had people who were encouraging, and helped me see coming here as a different kind of challenge. In a year, these people have convinced me that yes, I can. They’re making me believe I can do this. I can be part of this team.

Q: What made you want to join the Marine Corps?

A: My uncle retired from the Marine Corps, and he’s always been my hero. Also, I know it sounds like a cliché, but I wanted to do something for the greater good. I believe the only good reason to join the Marine Corps is the privilege of calling yourself a United States Marine. It doesn’t need to make itself more desirable.

Q: What was your military experience like?

A: It’s not fun, and it’s not super easy, but I got to do and see a lot. In just over five years, I went to more than 10 countries. I did humanitarian relief, deployed twice in the South Pacific, and worked as a helicopter crew chief, flight instructor, tactics instructor and lead flight instructor. Everything I got to do after earning the title Marine was a bonus.

Q: How was it transitioning from the military to student life here?

A: It was scary, and a bit of an identity crisis at first. You go from being a very important part of a machine where you have a specific role to something very different. People don’t always have the best experience when they leave the military. ���ϲ����� doesn’t force you to carry that with you. From the moment you step on campus, they’re trying to help you figure out how to leave the uniform behind and get in front of your next mission. As much as they respect what veterans have done, I also appreciate they don’t expect us to put on some kind of show. It’s helped me figure out who Sgt. Ruscitto is and who Anthony Ruscitto is going to be.

A common theme I see among those who struggle with this transition is not getting invested in campus. At first, I lived 30 minutes away. I barely had time to meet friends and missed that sense of community that’s so important for veterans. Every single time Dr. Haynie speaks at our new veteran orientation, his challenge is: Be a college student. It’s a really good point, and when I first heard him, I don’t think I understood it yet. I tried as much as I could. He poses that challenge to each of us, and that advice encouraged me to get out there and be as active as I can. ���ϲ����� offers so many things that allow veterans to still make a difference and be a part of something.

Q: What are some ways you stay engaged here?

A: I’m the vice president of the student veteran organization on campus. As an advocacy group, we’re always trying to look for opportunities to get a veteran out into the world besides getting up, going to school and going home. We host socials and engage speakers who deal with something veterans-related, and there are so many here. For example, we brought in a Veterans Affairs rep to talk about vocational rehab and G.I. Bill benefits. We had somebody from the law clinic talk about the rights of veterans specifically with the law, and a speaker from the health clinic talk about resources unique to the veteran experience here.

I’m also really involved in ���ϲ����� Ambulance (SUA), an all-student organization. I never had medical experience in the Marine Corps, but this was the perfect opportunity for me get back into uniform. It’s a little stressful, and it’s great to give people a little peace and comfort on what’s most likely the worst day of their life.

Another thing I really enjoy is being a student worker at the D’Aniello Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF). As an intern, I support entrepreneurship programs including Boots to Business, Veteran EDGE and V-WISE. It’s given me insight into some of the challenges that most veterans face. You can see that people who work at IVMF understand the primary mission of “what we can do for veterans?” Everything is about, “How would this be good for veterans and their families?”

Q: What other resources have you found here for military-connected students?

A: Since I’ve been in ���ϲ�����, the resources that are available to us as student veterans, as far as I can tell, are unique compared to my peers. Other campuses have maybe an office for veterans. We have networking opportunities, service opportunities, career counseling, mental health support and more. I’m fortunate I’ve done ery well in my studies here, but there were resources in place that helped me get there, like the Office of Veteran Success. This is the place to start new.

Q: What do you want other students to know?

A: I would challenge all veterans and non-veterans to make one connection with somebody who has nothing to do with you. Student veterans don’t have to feel like those old people with tattoos and beards in the back of the classroom. Non-veteran students want to learn more about veterans and our experiences.

Also, I really want to encourage other student vets to find out what your next mission is. That’s one of the scariest things about the transition. It’s not that no one cares. It’s that there’s nothing big on the horizon unless you put it out there. It can be small things at first, then it can be bigger things. ���ϲ����� is a place where you can do all of that.

Anthony Cosby

Anthony Cosby often starts his days at 4:30 a.m. with a three-mile walk—not to beat the San Antonio heat or enjoy the quiet pre-dawn hour, but because it’s the only time left in his day to squeeze in fitness.

As an entrepreneur, dad to an aspiring tennis star and full-time employee of the Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF) at ���ϲ�����, Cosby’s days manage to be filled to the brim with hustle and bustle—which is exactly how he likes it.

From his home office in Texas, Cosby is currently director for employer outreach and co-director of the , one of the eleven national training programs conducted by IVMF. He works with employers across the country to help them secure military talent, including veterans, transitioning service members and military spouses, and partners with public, private and nonprofit organizations to help veterans and their families access a variety of services that can help them achieve their goals.

Motivated to Give Back and Serve Others

After retiring from a 21-year career in the U.S. Navy in 2012, Cosby struggled with his transition back to civilian life. This experience inspired him toward a career path helping other veterans and military-connected folks transition smoothly and seamlessly into the workforce post-service.

“I was in talent acquisition toward the end of my military career, so I wanted to see if I could transfer those skills to the private sector,” he says. “I got my career coaching certification and landed a job at the University of Texas (UT) at San Antonio as an alumni career coach and from there it was game on … I was able to assist folks and that’s when I saw my true calling to help people.”

Cosby worked for UT San Antonio and then Webster University, but he’d seen a “60 Minutes” interview in 2012 that had planted a seed in his mind. The segment featured IVMF Founder and Executive Director J. Michael Haynie speaking about the Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans, which not only put ���ϲ����� on his radar, but also sparked Cosby’s interest in becoming an entrepreneur.

Four years later, in 2016, he would join the IVMF team as the program manager for (O2O) at Joint Base San Antonio. O2O helps prepare service member and military spouses with industry-recognized certifications and skills training across high-demand sectors and occupations, like cybersecurity, project management and human resources.

“We started out with 32 people participating and now, fast-forward five years, and we’ve been able to help over 50,000 folks and change so many lives,” Cosby says.

Anthony and his family demonstrate their Orange spirit. Pictured left to right: Nina Pruneda-Cosby, Maria Mae Pruneda-Cosby, Anthony Cosby

As co-director of AmericaServes, which works to coordinate support for military families in communities all over the U.S., Cosby shared an anecdote about an elderly couple—a retired veteran and his wife—in their 70s in San Antonio. The couple was skeptical of organizations that claimed to help vets because they had been told “no” one too many times. Once they got on the phone with an AmericaServes intake specialist, they were asked a question they weren’t used to hearing: “How can we help you?”

“From this one access point, we were able to help them secure a free medical bed for the husband, who had had an amputation,” Cosby says. “Then we found out the wife was taking her husband to dialysis in a heavy, cumbersome wheelchair, so we were able to work with our local connections to get them a lighter wheelchair that was more easily accessible. We helped secure rides to and from dialysis so his wife no longer had to wait in the car for hours at a time. We even found out they were close to losing the home they rented because the building had been sold, and were able to help them secure six months of free rent in an apartment building that they loved.”

For Cosby, being able to help people in such profound and impactful ways on behalf of ���ϲ����� keeps his early mornings and long days in perspective.

A Burgeoning Entrepreneur

With that “60 Minutes” segment still in his mind, Cosby jumped at the opportunity to attend IVMF’s Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans (EBV) in 2019 at Texas A&M University. The program ignited his career as an entrepreneur and in 2021, after eight months of ideation, he launched , a brand of athletic/performance-based socks.

Importantly, Cosby says, STZY is not only a sock brand but a Certified Pending B-Corporation grounded in the mission of positively impacting the lives of student-athletes in need all over the world to keep them pushing toward their goals and aspirations, within and outside of the athletic realm.

“People are drawn to the socks because we’ve worked hard to make them the most comfortable sock known to man, but I think people are also drawn to the intentionality and the themes of empowerment that are present in our brand and our marketing,” he says.

Anthony and Maria show some STZY pride.

STZY is growing rapidly—the socks sold out within 40 days of the brand’s initial launch and have attracted attention from the likes of NFL and WNBA players interested in collaborating with the brand.

The company is preparing to launch their “V2” socks this month with a women’s line, and Cosby hopes it won’t be long before you see STZY socks at national retailers like Target, Foot Locker or Dick’s Sporting Goods.

The skills he learned during EBV have been instrumental to his success.

“The program taught me that I had to get laser-focused and to learn and understand the art of pivoting,” he says. “2020 and 2021 have been no joke in terms of getting a business off the ground, but my ability to focus and adapt has served me well.”

One of STZY’s early adopters and student-athlete ambassadors is Cosby’s 9-year-old daughter, Maria, who first picked up a tennis racket at age 3 and has since trained to become an elite tennis player. This summer, she played with 14- to 18-year-olds and her goal is to play in the U.S. Open by age 16.

Cosby says the spare time he finds between his work at IVMF and building and growing STZY is usually spent on the court, picking up balls while his daughter practices. He feels blessed to be able to spend time watching her talent unfold—and as a business owner, draws inspiration from her dedication to her craft.

“One thing I’ve learned from watching my daughter is—she can see her whole future, but she also knows that nothing good happens overnight,” Cosby says. “Great things take time to evolve. Even though I want STZY to shoot to the moon, I know that it’s going to take a bit of time. But I truly believe that if you put the work in and you’re a good person, big things are going to happen.”

By that philosophy, you can count on STZY going into the stratosphere—and Maria landing her spot in the U.S. Open.

Haynie discusses the mental health implications of war on veterans saying, “It’s true that the complexity and scale of the mental health challenges to be addressed in this community is daunting. However, our collective objective is simple and clear. As one expert described to me, we need innovations and policy that empowers veterans challenged by PTSD to both survive and thrive.”

The announcement comes during what is traditionally marked as National Small Business Month, highlighting the shared commitment of JPMorgan Chase and IVMF to empower all transitioning service members, veterans and military spouses, including those who aspire to found and grow their own businesses.

“The values that veterans bring to the table—character, leadership, teamwork, fortitude—align exactly with the principles needed for success in business, and our partnership with ���ϲ�����’s IVMF provides tools and resources that veterans need to live up to this potential and drive innovation across industries,” says Mark Elliott, global head of military and veterans affairs at JPMorgan Chase and co-chair of the IVMF Advisory Board. “IVMF’s mission to improve the lives of veterans and their families aligns perfectly with our own.”

The timing of the renewal comes as both the IVMF and the JPMorgan Chase Office of Military and Veteran Affairs mark 10 years of empowering the post-service lives of military families. Since 2011, over 150,000 transitioning service members, veterans and military families have been directly impacted by IVMF training and programs. This includes 70,000-plus alone who have benefited from entrepreneurship training.

“JPMorgan Chase understood immediately the IVMF was positioned to meet the unique challenges facing veterans and their families,” says J. Michael Haynie, vice chancellor of strategic initiatives and innovation and executive director of IVMF. “Over the past decade they have contributed $34 million to IVMF programs and research that have empowered, advocated for, and improved the quality of life for hundreds of thousands of veterans and their families nationwide.”

This latest grant will enable the IVMF to continue delivering national programs to transitioning service members, veterans and military spouses who may be facing disproportional impacts related to the pandemic. Nearly a third (31%) of veteran spouses responding to 2020 IVMF survey () reported experiencing long-term unemployment, which was three times higher than the civilian long-term unemployment rate. Research conducted in collaboration with IVMF () has shown meaningful employment can ease the transition, ultimately helping mitigate negative outcomes for veterans and their families.

IVMF programming is tailored to address the unique needs of the military community, offering no-cost career and entrepreneurship training, working with communities and non-profits to enhance service delivery to veterans and their families through collaboration and technology, and conducting actionable, applied research to deliver insights and shape national policy discussions. This has improved and expanded opportunities for more inclusive workplaces and networking for underrepresented communities of people of color and women.

During National Small Business Month, JPMorgan Chase and IVMF are highlighting successful stories in including those recently named to Inc.’s iconic Inc 5000 list in the category.

Maureen Casey

���ϲ�����’s Women in Leadership Initiative (WiL) is offering a virtual fireside chat, “Lessons In Leadership–Insights from a Collective,” on March 23 from 4 to 5 p.m. ET. The discussion will be hosted by Maureen Casey, chief operating officer for the Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF). The panel will feature women with more than 90 years combined military experience.

Interested members of the ���ϲ����� and SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry campus communities can . There is no charge to attend.

Offering insights into management strategies that can be applied in any professional setting, this hourlong discussion will feature professor of military science and department chair U.S Army Lt. Col. Jennifer Gotie, retired U.S. Army Col. Lynda M. Granfield and retired U.S. Army Command Sgt. Maj. Cynthia Pritchett. ��Each of these women worked in diverse settings domestically and abroad. They will share powerful stories about adapting their respective styles to respond effectively in diverse and dynamic environments.

This is the final INSPIRE event in the WiL spring 2021 program. The WiL Initiative seeks to build strong leaders that can adapt rapidly to change and adopt new skills to keep teams and organizations moving forward. Following participation in this event, individuals will be asked to contribute their thoughts, interests and goals to help guide the development of future programming.

For any questions, or if you require any accommodations to fully participate in this program, please contact Kim O’Brien at womeninleadership@syr.edu.

Monsignor Gregory Mustaciuolo, chief executive officer of the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation, says one of their key objectives in 2021 is to address the healthcare disparities related to race and income that have only been heightened since the onset of the pandemic. “These grants demonstrate our continued commitment to support a wide range of organizations improving the health and well-being of New York’s veteran and military family community,” says Mustaciuolo.

National Veterans Resource Center

Launching this summer, ���ϲ�����Serves will be headquartered in the Daniel and Gayle D’Aniello Building at the NVRC. The ���ϲ����� collaborative will use lessons learned from AmericaServes’ 17 other communities, including Rochester, NY, Dallas, Seattle, Raleigh, Pittsburgh, and New York City. Working collaboratively with the City of ���ϲ����� and its community partners, this program will look to enhance existing services, connecting veterans with vocational and social services to assist clients with VA benefits, transition assistance programs, education, employment and mental health needs. With a “no-wrong door” approach, the IVMF’s community-based initiatives empower local communities to ensure military-connected clients receive efficient and timely support, as well as access to a wide range of resources they need.

“Today, the IVMF’s AmericaServes program is widely acknowledged as the gold-standard for how public, private, and non-profit organizations work together to serve veterans, service members, and their families,” says ���ϲ����� Mayor Ben Walsh. “We’re very excited about this new partnership, and the potential of this innovative community-based collaboration to ensure that the City of ���ϲ����� is among ‘the best places’ for our veterans to live, work, and raise their families.”

Vice Chancellor of Strategic Initiatives and Innovation and Founder of the IVMF, Mike Haynie, says he is proud one of the first new programs launched at the NVRC will serve local ���ϲ����� veterans and their families, including the many who study and work on the campus. “This grant is one example of how we’re bringing the vision of the NVRC to life in a practical way, leveraging the facility and the IVMF’s expertise to serve the social and wellness needs of veterans and families right here in Central NY,” Haynie says. “We look forward to positioning the NVRC as a community resource and working alongside other community partners in an effort to ensure that those veterans seeking services and care in our community, are able to navigate to the resources they need quickly. Through the IVMF’s AmericaServes program we’ve been doing this work in communities across the U.S. for many years, and I’m thrilled that we now able to bring that experience to bear toward serving veterans and their families right here in ���ϲ�����,” he says.

The need for coordinated care in communities was identified in IVMF research which indicates relocating back into a community, finding employment and adjustments to a life outside of the military leave families scrambling to find support from the patchwork of community organizations that support them. In addition, post 9/11 veterans are more likely than previous generations to be persons of color and to have disabilities resulting from their military service. Often, disparate organizations must work together in a community to support veteran families, but they are usually unable to collaborate and share information efficiently. This leads to a confounding process that does not meet a family’s needs.

The Mother Cabrini Health Foundation is a private, nonprofit organization that aims to bolster the health outcomes of targeted communities like veterans and their families by eliminating barriers to care and bridging gaps in health services. Named in memory of Mother Cabrini, a tireless advocate for immigrants, children, and the poor, the foundation provides flexible support for new and innovative approaches that enhance health and wellness across New York State.

STRIVE leverages networks and education resources in local communities to support and advance veteran-owned businesses. The three-phase program for veterans with a budding business helps to identify, overcome and mitigate challenges for the new venture to pave the way for success. STRIVE seeks to empower veterans, military members and their families to live the American dream by opening the door to economic opportunity for veterans, Guard members and reservists by developing their competencies in creating and sustaining an entrepreneurial venture. Other community colleges across the country will offer future cohorts.

“Veterans demonstrate so many of the qualities of successful entrepreneurs—ambition, dedication, innovation and team-first perspective,” says , director of ARSENAL, IVMF’s entrepreneurship and small business portfolio. “STRIVE is a great first step for veterans as they prepare to live the American dream they fought to protect,” says Stutsman. “We are honored to partner with HCC in launching this important program.”

The STRIVE program was created using the framework of IVMF’s flagship Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans (EBV) program. While EBV is designed as a concentrated MBA-style entrepreneurship training program with online and intensive in-residence phases at one of its nine consortium schools, STRIVE offers veterans-focused business training close to home with the flexibility to manage their existing lives and businesses in their local community. The program tests business viability through an eight-week residency that includes online instruction and once-a-week in-person meetings. Following the eight-week curriculum, participants have access to phase two support and mentoring, co-working space at HCC and ongoing workshops. The final phase includes resources for participants as their businesses grow.

“Hillsborough Community College has more than 3,000 veterans currently enrolled,” says Andy Gold, Ph.D., assistant professor of entrepreneurship and management at Hillsborough Community College. “We are excited and proud to offer this program and encourage our current student veterans as well as other local veterans to follow their dreams of business ownership.”

“HCC has a long history of serving our community and its veterans,” says HCC President Ken Atwater, Ph.D. “We are delighted to be the first community college partner of IVMF and for the opportunity to further enhance our programming for this important student population.”

IVMF’s ARSENAL entrepreneurship programs leverage the skills, resources and infrastructure of higher education to offer cutting-edge, experiential training in entrepreneurship and small business management for veterans and transitioning service members. To date, IVMF has trained over 70,000 entrepreneurs.

SoldierStrong donated its StrongMind virtual reality system to ���ϲ����� Veterans Affairs Medical Center.

A unique partnership involving ���ϲ�����, the ���ϲ����� Veterans Affairs Medical Center and two national nonprofits—Operation Hat Trick, which generates awareness and support for the recovery of wounded service members and veterans through branded merchandise sales, and SoldierStrong—has resulted in the donation of a groundbreaking virtual reality system to treat veterans experiencing post-traumatic stress. The ���ϲ����� donation is the first of its kind in the country.

SoldierStrong, a national nonprofit founded by ���ϲ����� alumnus and Maxwell School board member , provided the virtual reality tool. Dedicated to providing advanced medical technologies to help injured veterans lead full lives, SoldierStrong gave the virtual reality system to the ���ϲ����� Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center’s Behavioral Health Outpatient Clinic as part of its StrongMind initiative. StrongMind will bring virtual reality hardware and software to 10 VA medical centers across the country as part of its focus on reducing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), often considered one of the leading causes of veteran suicides.

Operation Hat Trick, an organization with which ���ϲ����� has worked since 2013, funded the donation to the ���ϲ����� VA. Co-branded Operation Hat Trick and ���ϲ����� clothing and gear is available at the University bookstore and online.

“The VA always strives to incorporate technology in meaningful ways that improve patient care and help to reduce symptoms of PTSD,” says Lauren Love, ���ϲ����� VA Medical Center Behavioral Health Careline Manager. “This equipment presents an exciting opportunity to engage veterans with PTSD who may prefer to incorporate more technology into their treatment which will complement the offering of evidence-based treatments currently offered in the PTSD clinic.

“September is Suicide Prevention Month and this venture also provides a timely opportunity to incorporate creative new treatments aimed at reducing veteran suicide,” continues Love. “We are grateful for the opportunity to partner with SoldierStrong and thank ���ϲ����� and Operation Hat Trick for their extraordinary generosity.”

“We’ve been honored to help Operation Hat Trick serve so many veterans through our co-branding agreement, but it’s an exceptional thing to see it result in a donation to the local ���ϲ����� community,” says Rachel Duffy, ���ϲ�����’s director of trademark licensing. “It’s a moment that should make the University’s many supporters proud.”

J. Michael Haynie, vice chancellor for strategic initiatives and innovation and Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF) founder and executive director, notes the University’s involvement reflects its long-standing support for the nation’s military veterans.

“���ϲ����� works closely with the ���ϲ����� VA and many other veteran-serving organizations to ensure that our veterans get the assistance they need and the care they deserve,” says Haynie. “This donation is another prime example of the power of partnership and connection among all veteran service organizations to achieve a greater good. For that reason, we are proud to support SoldierStrong and Operation Hat Trick’s efforts to make this creative technology an integral part in the treatment and recovery of veterans here in Central New York, and across the country.”

“One of Operation Hat Trick’s goals is to work with organizations that creatively work toward solving the issue of veteran suicides. SoldierStrong/StrongMind is one of those organizations and we are proud to be involved,” says Operation Hat Trick founder and president Dot Sheehan. “We are especially excited to be associated with the ���ϲ����� VA and ���ϲ����� where their commitment to Operation Hat Trick merchandise and product helps a purchase with a purpose become reality.”

Since SoldierStrong’s inception following the tragic events of 9/11, the Stamford, Conn.-based group has donated more than $3 million of medical devices to help injured veterans, including 22 state-of-the-art exoskeleton that aid in the rehabilitation of spinal injuries.

“Virtual reality treatment shows promise in two key areas,” says SoldierStrong co-founder Chris Meek. “It is both clinically effective and it reduces the stigma that many service members feel about seeking treatment for their post-traumatic stress. With the rise in popularity of virtual reality in non-medical settings, such as video games, entertainment and even the workplace, there’s convincing evidence that younger veterans will be more inclined to seek treatment using virtual reality techniques than other methods.”

The inaugural class of the Stand-To Veteran Leadership Initiative of the George W. Bush Institute. Amy Taft, curriculum and learning manager at the Institute for Veterans and Military Families at ���ϲ�����, is in the first row, fifth from the right.

The George W. Bush Institute has announced the first class selected to participate in the Stand-To Veteran Leadership Initiative, a first-of-its-kind program aimed at individuals serving our nation’s veterans who are motivated to broaden their skillsets, knowledge and influence across the country. Amy Taft, curriculum and learning manager at the Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF) at ���ϲ�����, is among the 33 selected in the inaugural class.

Throughout the six-month program, participants will hear from a variety of nationally known and distinguished professionals, educators and experts in post-9/11 veteran transition issues and leadership development. Among them will be Mike Haynie, ���ϲ����� vice chancellor and IVMF executive director and founder; Maureen Casey, IVMF chief operating officer; Nick Armstrong, IVMF senior director of research and evaluation; Rosalinda Maury, IVMF director of applied research and analytics; Robert McDonald, 8^th secretary of Veteran Affairs and IVMF board member; and Sean O’Keefe G’78, Maxwell School professor and IVMF board member.

The inaugural class recently gathered for an opening session in Dallas and in the following months will attend four weekend sessions in Dallas, Washington, D.C., and Seattle. The program will conclude with a final session and closing ceremony at the George W. Bush Presidential Center in November 2018.

Selected participants are rising leaders—both veterans and non-veterans—from a wide range of sectors who are working to improve post-9/11 veteran outcomes. They hold a variety of roles, including business and community leaders; members of veteran-serving nonprofits; leaders in government and academia; and active military service members.

“I am honored to be part of the momentous group of individuals dedicated to making an impact for those who serve our country,” says Taft. “The caliber of the program and the expertise of those leading the sessions is both exciting and humbling. I am eager to participate in the program and use what I learn to continue the great work we do at the IVMF to serve veterans and their family members.”

The Stand-To Veteran Leadership Initiative is part of the Bush Institute’s commitment to developing and supporting effective leaders. This program builds on the Bush Institute’s extensive body of work on veteran transition issues, and each participant joins the program with a personal leadership project, which allows them to implement what they learn in service of improving veteran outcomes across the United States. The Bush Center gratefully acknowledges the support of The Boeing Company as the Founding Program underwriter.

“Being in the military is very much a family affair,” she said. “Both of my parents are retired Air Force veterans. They were away more often than being home. In a sense that prepared me for the life of a military spouse. I was used to learning new things and becoming independent at an early age. What it didn’t prepare more for, though, was the struggle to come after college.” For the full article, follow the link here:

Leah Lazarz

Lazarz will work to promote visibility and advancement of military-connected students and veterans both at ���ϲ����� and at a national level. On a day-to-day basis, Lazarz will create and disseminate content across multiple platforms to build awareness, engagement and support for the IVMF’s and OVMA’s various programs.

Lazarz comes to the IVMF and OVMA from the University’s central marketing and communications team, where she served as the digital and social media manager for Enrollment Management, a post she assumed in July 2015. In this position Lazarz played a critical role in developing and implementing social and digital media strategies at both the undergraduate and graduate levels to support and advance recruitment, yield, retention and financial aid goals.

“I am excited to continue working within the ���ϲ����� community and focus my efforts on how we can best serve those who have bravely served our country,” says Lazarz. “I am inspired and motivated by IMVF’s and OVMA’s dedication to advance the lives of the nation’s active duty military, veterans and their families and look forward to building support around the various programs and initiatives.”

Lazarz holds a bachelor of arts degree in communications from Le Moyne College, where she was also a member of the women’s lacrosse team. She is a member of the steering committee for the Central New York chapter of 100 Women Who Care, a collective of 100+ CNY women committed to local causes and service.

She will report to Stephanie Salanger, director of communications.

“I am thrilled to welcome Leah to our team. Her experience as a PR professional positions her well to make an immediate impact,” says Salanger. “I am confident Leah will add depth to our team and contribute a new perspective as we drive support for the IVMF’s programs while also continuing to make ���ϲ����� the ‘best place for veterans.’”

About ���ϲ�����

���ϲ����� is a private, international research university with distinctive academics, diversely unique offerings and an��undeniable spirit. Located in the geographic , with a global footprint, and��, ���ϲ����� offers a quintessential college experience. The scope of ���ϲ����� is a testament to its strengths: a pioneering history dating back to 1870; a choice of more than 200 majors and 100 minors offered through 13 schools and colleges; nearly 15,000 undergraduates and 5,000 graduate students; more than a quarter of a million alumni in 160 countries; and a student population from all 50 U.S. states and 123 countries. For more information, please visit .

The IVMF’s program was created in 2016 to provide military spouses with an introduction to the basic skills required to support successfully launching, owning and operating a small business. In El Paso. More than 100 military spouses registered to participate in the daylong workshop, provided to them by the IVMF at no cost.

“In many ways, the nation’s military families are in crisis,” says J. Michael Haynie, vice chancellor for strategic initiatives and innovation and executive director of the IVMF. “The exceedingly high rates of unemployment experienced by military spouses—due to factors such as frequent relocations, inadequate childcare and limited access to educational opportunities—serves to destabilize military-connected families. Through our IGNITE program, we’re hoping to ignite the entrepreneurial nature that, in many ways, already exists within these families.”

Haynie cites research conducted last year by the IVMF and its partners that identifed a strong correlation between a family’s financial distress during its time in military service and homelessness after leaving the military. Last month, Haynie before the Senate Armed Services Committee on this issue and the myriad of other economic and wellness challenges facing military-connected spouses and children.

In El Paso, the IGNITE program brought together business ownership experts from ���ϲ����� and elsewhere to address topics that included access to capital, business concept development, market research and work-life balance.

Diane Pinckney, one of last week’s participants, says she encourages everyone leaving the military to attend the conference, saying it’s a great place to start if they are considering starting a business.

“���ϲ����� IVMF personnel at the El Paso event: left to right, Deanna Parker, program manager at the IVMF, Maureen Casey, COO, Misty Stutsman, director of IVMF entrepreneurship, and Tina Kapral, IVMF development director.

“IGNITE set a great tone for what to expect if I really want to start my own business. I learned about how to know the El Paso market and beyond, as well as the importance of networking with others,” says Pinckney. “I related to the speakers who are veterans, and their practical advice resonated more with me as a female veteran.”

Another program participant, Jennifer Swee, says “IGNITE provided a superior experience to hear from others who had already forged their own path, as well as a chance to network with those who were new to entrepreneurship, just like me. It was a great experience!”

Naomi Conner, whose family was stationed overseas for the past four years, says she was unable to do anything “professional” during that time. She added that the IGNITE program helped to light her back up, so to speak.

“The main advice I received during the event was you have to put the work in,” says Conner. “Most people go into business without realizing the work it takes to make it successful. I had an idea of the work, but hearing the panelists speak, it settled in. Now I know it’s time to do the work needed to launch. The event was absolutely great and I came home fired up!”

On Thursday, the El Paso community honored the IVMF and the University at the El Paso Chihuahuas (the San Diego Padres AAA affiliate) baseball game. A representative from the IVMF was invited on the field for the game’s first pitch, while the public address announcer described to the crowd the work and mission of the institute and how the IVMF is supporting the El Paso community.

About ���ϲ�����

���ϲ����� is a private, international research university with distinctive academics, diversely unique offerings and an��undeniable spirit. Located in the geographic , with a global footprint, and��, ���ϲ����� offers a quintessential college experience. The scope of ���ϲ����� is a testament to its strengths: a pioneering history dating back to 1870; a choice of more than 200 majors and 100 minors offered through 13 schools and colleges; nearly 15,000 undergraduates and 5,000 graduate students; more than a quarter of a million alumni in 160 countries; and a student population from all 50 U.S. states and 123 countries. For more information, please visit .

Vice Chancellor Mike Haynie testifies before the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee.

Haynie’s expert testimony focused on the issues and challenges facing military families as they transition back into civilian life. Among the subjects Haynie addressed were the exceedingly high rate of unemployment experienced by military spouses, the financial readiness of military families and the adequacy of consumer protections for services members and their families, along with the well-being of children who have grown up in military families throughout the post-9/11 period.

In his prepared testimony, Haynie said providing support to “service members, veterans and families who have shouldered the burden of our past and current wars is not about patriotism or politics.” Rather, he said, this emphasis “acknowledges the greatest fear of the architects of the post-Vietnam all-volunteer force; that is, a circumstance where the Department of Defense is unable to recruit and retain citizen volunteers. In this regard, at no time in the history of the all-volunteer force have the costs and consequence of inaction [related to supporting military families] been more profound.”

Haynie cited recent data showing that since the advent of the all-volunteer force, the pool of Americans who meet the minimum standards to volunteer has consistently declined. Today, he said, “it is estimated nearly three out of every four of the roughly 34 million 17- to 24-year-olds in the U.S. are ineligible to serve. Thus, while our nation’s defense rests on the assumption of a broad and deep pool of eligible volunteers, the reality is that this assumption has never been more tenuous.”

Haynie spoke of the work ���ϲ�����’s IVMF has done during the past five years to inform and act on opportunities to advance in-service and post-service opportunities for service members, veterans and military families. Over that period, Haynie said, more than 90,000 have benefited from educational, vocational and business ownership programs offered by the IVMF and its partners.

“Importantly, the large scale and scope of the IVMF’s programs has set the conditions for extensive study of the in-service and transition-connected challenges facing our service members and their families,” he said. “I look forward to sharing some of what we have learned regarding the topics the Committee identified as the focus of this hearing during our discussion.

Concluding his testimony, Haynie said, “it is clear to me that investments positioned to care for and support our military families, to include a robust infrastructure supporting the transition of military families to civilian life, represents an investment in the nation’s future defense. Further, such investments are also morally and ethically right. These are complex issues, but exceedingly important.”

Video of the committee hearing can be accessed .

About ���ϲ�����

Founded��in 1870, ���ϲ����� is a private international research university��dedicated to advancing knowledge and fostering student success through teaching��excellence,��rigorous scholarship and interdisciplinary research. Comprising 11��academic schools and colleges, the University has a long legacy of excellence��in the liberal arts, sciences and��professional disciplines that prepares��students for the complex challenges and emerging opportunities of a rapidly��changing world. Students enjoy the resources of a 270-acre main��campus and��extended campus venues in major national metropolitan hubs and across three��continents. ���ϲ�����’s student body is among the most diverse for an��institution of its��kind across multiple dimensions, and students typically represent��all 50 states and more than 100 countries. ���ϲ����� also has a long legacy of��supporting veterans and is home to��the nationally recognized Institute for��Veterans and Military Families, the first university-based institute in the��U.S. focused on addressing the unique needs of veterans and their��families.

“The hearing was on the state of military families,” Haynie said. “The Senate was interested in learning a little bit about the work we do at the Institute here at ���ϲ����� and talking about how our nation supports the families behind our service members.”

“Children growing up in those families are growing up with a mother or father that is deployed overseas where there is ongoing conflict and combat,” he said. “I don’t think we’ve really come to understand the impact that growing up in a military family will have on these children.”

“I think it speaks to the power of what we’re trying to do here at ���ϲ����� related to serving not just veterans and families here in Central New York but all across the nation,” he said. “I’ve been able to see in the time I’ve been here how the opportunity for a ���ϲ����� education can change the trajectory of someone’s life.”

For the second year in a row, ���ϲ����� tops the list of best cybersecurity programs for veterans and military-connected students.

��are based on academic rigor and efforts to recruit and support veterans at colleges and universities.

The��University’s cybersecurity programs challenge students to develop solutions for today’s issues and future threats. They address an acute need in the military, government and industry sectors for specialists in cybersecurity. In a��, the Center for Cyber Safety and Education revealed that the world is “on pace to reach a cybersecurity workforce gap of 1.8 million by 2022.”

“There are few disciplines as relevant as cybersecurity is today,” says Teresa Abi-Nader Dahlberg, dean of the . “And yet, we see a significant shortfall in the number of skilled cybersecurity professionals. Those that pursue cybersecurity can capitalize on an abundance of career opportunities while serving a crucial role in 21^st��century society. Veterans and others familiar with the rigor of the military are uniquely qualified to do so.”

���ϲ����� is routinely recognized for its work to welcome veterans to its campus and programs. Currently, the����ranks ���ϲ����� as the No. 2 private school in the country for service members, military veterans and their families. In 2016,��the College of Engineering and Computer Science earned the����from the American Society of Engineering Education.

“���ϲ����� has a 100-year history of service to our nation’s veterans,” says Mike Haynie, vice chancellor of strategic initiatives and innovation and executive director of the��. “The cybersecurity program within our College of Engineering and Computer Science is exceptional, and based on a hands-on, experiential model well-suited to learning styles of those who have served in the military. For many reasons, veterans are positioned for a career in cybersecurity, and it’s exciting to see how our student-veterans are leveraging their educational experiences at ���ϲ����� and the College of Engineering and Computer Science to realize their career goals and aspirations.”

���ϲ�����’s cybersecurity programs include an����and an����in cybersecurity, a����and a����that immerses undergraduate students in cybersecurity training.

A collaboration between the College of Engineering and Computer Science and the Office of Veteran and Military Affairs, the����is an 18-credit semester open to qualified juniors and seniors from any college or university. This year, SU is offering the Cybersecurity Semester on a cost-neutral basis for up to 10 ROTC candidates from academic institutions outside of ���ϲ�����. Applications are currently being accepted. Complete information is available��.

In creating their list of top programs, Military Times used academic performance as one of the top factors. The remaining factors included the number of the Computing Accreditation Commission of ABET-accredited computer science programs, the number of Centers of Academic Excellence designations and the proportion of degrees awarded at a school that fall under computer science and computer security, respectively.

Data was provided by schools in the survey, as well as federal data and public information specific to computer science and cybersecurity. Federal data came from the U.S. Departments of Defense, Education and Veterans Affairs.

See the full .

About ���ϲ�����

Founded��in 1870, ���ϲ����� is a private international research university��dedicated to advancing knowledge and fostering student success through teaching��excellence,��rigorous scholarship and interdisciplinary research. Comprising 11��academic schools and colleges, the University has a long legacy of excellence��in the liberal arts, sciences and��professional disciplines that prepares��students for the complex challenges and emerging opportunities of a rapidly��changing world. Students enjoy the resources of a 270-acre main��campus and��extended campus venues in major national metropolitan hubs and across three��continents. ���ϲ�����’s student body is among the most diverse for an��institution of its��kind across multiple dimensions, and students typically represent��all 50 states and more than 100 countries. ���ϲ����� also has a long legacy of��supporting veterans and is home to��the nationally recognized Institute for��Veterans and Military Families, the first university-based institute in the��U.S. focused on addressing the unique needs of veterans and their��families.

Veteran EDGE is the first-of-its-kind three-day conference dedicated solely to veteran and military spouse business owners and the ecosystem that supports them. Stakeholders, IVMF program graduates, and veteran and military spouse-owned businesses from around the country gather to network and learn about the latest opportunities, best practices and resources available to their growing companies.

V-WISE is a women-focused training program in entrepreneurship and small business management that provides tools, ongoing support and business mentorship to veterans, active-duty service members and military spouses aspiring to become successful entrepreneurs. This year, the IVMF will be hosting its 20^th��V-WISE conference in San Diego. Over 2,667 women have graduated from this program since its inception, with 65��percent starting their own business, 92��percent of whom are still in business today.

In addition to supporting the conferences, the grant from Travelers will cover a V-WISE training program. Travelers will also offer a business continuity workshop geared toward veteran-owned businesses at each conference. The grant is a direct investment in our nation’s veterans, service members and their family members.

“The team is very thankful for the generous support that Travelers has given to multiple programs in 2018,” says Deanna Parker, EBV & V-WISE program manager at the IVMF. “It is very important to us to work with likeminded partners who are just as passionate about supporting those who have served and their families. We are excited to include Travelers in the Veteran EDGE and V-WISE conferences this year!”

Travelers is ensuring opportunity by contributing to efforts that create strong, vibrant communities and offer pathways to success. Through corporate funding and the Travelers Foundation, Travelers targets its giving to three key outcomes:��,����and��. With the primary focus of educating underrepresented students to lead tomorrow’s workforce, Travelers also contributes to organizations that aid in developing communities through small business support and neighborhood revitalization, and enriching lives and learning through arts & culture.

About ���ϲ�����

Founded��in 1870, ���ϲ����� is a private international research university��dedicated to advancing knowledge and fostering student success through teaching��excellence,��rigorous scholarship and interdisciplinary research. Comprising 11��academic schools and colleges, the University has a long legacy of excellence��in the liberal arts, sciences and��professional disciplines that prepares��students for the complex challenges and emerging opportunities of a rapidly��changing world. Students enjoy the resources of a 270-acre main��campus and��extended campus venues in major national metropolitan hubs and across three��continents. ���ϲ�����’s student body is among the most diverse for an��institution of its��kind across multiple dimensions, and students typically represent��all 50 states and more than 100 countries. ���ϲ����� also has a long legacy of��supporting veterans and is home to��the nationally recognized Institute for��Veterans and Military Families, the first university-based institute in the��U.S. focused on addressing the unique needs of veterans and their��families.

JPMorgan Chase Vice Chairman John Donnelly has accepted a seat on the IVMF Board. David Owen, the global chief administrative officer at JPMorgan Chase & Co. will also join the IVMF Advisory Board as its co-chairman, assuming co-leadership of the board with Daniel A. D’Aniello (’68), cofounder and chairman of the Carlyle Group.

“We are proud and humbled that David and John have agreed to join the IVMF Advisory Board,” says Vice Chancellor Mike Haynie, the IVMF’s executive director and founder. “Both David and John have been longtime advocates for the nation’s veterans and military-connected families, and we’re excited that these world-class leaders will join the IVMF mission.”

The IVMF will leverage Owen’s years of expertise in global business development, marketing and integration as it continues to grow and support military veterans and their families.

With his background in human resources and leadership training, Donnelly will lend his extensive experience with global financial institutions to assist the IVMF with its national program expansion and sustainability efforts.

Owen and Donnelly have been instrumental in driving JPMorgan Chase’s commitment to positioning service members, veterans and their families for long-term post-service success through its many programs, including its signature facilitation of the Veterans Job Mission, a coalition of 240 large companies committed to hiring one million veterans. Owen and Donnelly will now bring that same passion and advocacy to the IVMF.

“Having worked at JPMorgan Chase prior to joining the IVMF, I saw first hand the firm’s impressive commitment to helping veterans succeed once they transition from military service—whether through careers in the private sector or small business ownership. Such commitment from a company does not happen without strong and dedicated leadership from the top of the organization,” says Maureen Casey, COO at the IVMF and former managing director of JPMC’s Office of Military and Veterans Affairs. “David and John joined JPMC’s chairman and CEO, Jamie Dimon, and others in leveraging the bank’s expertise and resources to serve those who have given so much for our country. Both David and John bring a wealth of knowledge and expertise to our team, and we very much look forward to working with them.”

Members of the IVMF Advisory Board come from industry, higher education and the veteran and military community. They provide advice and counsel to institute leadership, and confer insight and input focused on the institute’s strategic objectives and planning process. The board also helps to assess the impact of IVMF programs, and makes recommendations related to future programming and areas of strategic focus. A complete list of IVMF board members can be found .

John Donnelly

John Donnelly

Donnelly is a��vice chairman at JPMorgan Chase and advisor to the chairman��and CEO and the firm’s operating committee on senior talent and other workforce matters. From 2009-18, Donnelly was executive vice president, head of human resources, for JPMorgan Chase and a member of the company’s operating committee.

Prior to joining JPMorgan Chase in January 2009, Donnelly was head of human resources for Citigroup. He was a member of Citi’s senior leadership group from 2000-09.

From 1997–2000, he was head of human resources for Salomon Smith Barney and a member of the operating committee. Donnelly joined Smith Barney in 1978 and became head of human resources��for the firm in 1994.

Donnelly is a graduate of Cornell University’s School of Industrial and Labor Relations and currently on the Dean’s Advisory Council. He is the executive sponsor of JPMorgan Chase’s Veteran Business Resource Group and is on the company’s external Military & Veterans advisory council. Donnelly also serves on the boards of two not-for-profit groups: the Health Transformation Alliance, an organization��that brings together over 50 of the largest U.S. employers dedicated to making improving in the cost and quality of healthcare; and Guiding Eyes for the Blind, a charitable organization that provides trained guide dogs for visually impaired individuals.

He lives in Rye, New York, with his wife, Nancy.

David Owen

David Owen

Owen is the chief administrative officer of JPMorgan Chase. The chief administrative office is comprised of multiple global functions that support JPMorgan Chase’s businesses in 60 countries, including operations, real estate, security and investigations and the Global Service Centers in India and the Philippines.

Most recently,��Owen was chief financial officer of consumer��and��community banking, which encompasses all of Chase’s consumer businesses, including consumer banking, mortgage banking, card services, auto finance, business banking and Chase Wealth Management.

Before joining JPMorgan Chase,��Owen worked at Bank of America for eight years. During his time there, he had a variety of line and staff roles, including running Bank of America’s online and mobile channels, managing fraud and claims operations and running the Retail Payments P&L. He was also responsible for consumer bank marketing and ran the LaSalle Bank transition.

Previously,��Owen was a principal in Booz Allen Hamilton’s financial services practice in New York. During his seven years at Booz Allen, he worked on a range of strategy, marketing and cost re-engineering projects in the United States, Europe, Australia and Asia.

Owen��serves on the board of directors for the United Way of New York City and for the American Red Cross of Greater New York. He received a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Michigan and a master of��business administration from George Mason University. He is also a graduate of the U.S. Army Airborne School, and served in the U.S. Army Reserve.

About ���ϲ�����

Founded��in 1870, ���ϲ����� is a private international research university��dedicated to advancing knowledge and fostering student success through teaching��excellence,��rigorous scholarship and interdisciplinary research. Comprising 11��academic schools and colleges, the University has a long legacy of excellence��in the liberal arts, sciences and��professional disciplines that prepares��students for the complex challenges and emerging opportunities of a rapidly��changing world. Students enjoy the resources of a 270-acre main��campus and��extended campus venues in major national metropolitan hubs and across three��continents. ���ϲ�����’s student body is among the most diverse for an��institution of its��kind across multiple dimensions, and students typically represent��all 50 states and more than 100 countries. ���ϲ����� also has a long legacy of��supporting veterans and is home to��the nationally recognized Institute for��Veterans and Military Families, the first university-based institute in the��U.S. focused on addressing the unique needs of veterans and their��families.

“According to the survey, a third of families spent 25 percent of the last 16 years apart from the service member, while 40 percent of the respondents said that in the last 18 months, they had experienced more than six months apart,” the study shows.

Debra Polishook, Accenture Group Chief Executive, left, congratulates Maureen Casey on her award.

“The C200 Foundation is proud to honor these impressive leaders for their successes,” says Pamela Craig, Chair of the C200 Foundation and former CFO of Accenture. “Each woman is changing the face of business for the better through entrepreneurship, corporate innovation, education and skills training and the promotion of women’s achievement in STEM fields.”

“Maureen’s career as a public servant has been remarkable and distinguished. She has one of those life stories that is, at the same time, both humbling and inspirational,” says Mike Haynie, vice chancellor of ���ϲ����� and executive director of the IVMF. “Maureen is a dynamic leader and a transformational thinker, and her contribution to all the IVMF has accomplished on behalf of the nation’s veterans, our military families and ���ϲ����� can’t be overstated.”

As a sponsor of the Committee of 200’s Skills to Succeed Champion Luminary Award, Accenture commented that Casey’s work on behalf of the IVMF perfectly reflects the Skills to Succeed initiative in that it advances employment and entrepreneurship opportunities for individuals around the globe.

“If you look at someone who’s very used to a structured system and you give them a venture like a franchise, they succeed,” she said. “They stick to the plan, and they understand why there’s not always a need to go changing things just to change things. That’s why a lot of veterans identify with the franchise idea: Someone’s already proven that this works.”

“The Department of Defense believes that more than one million veterans will transition to civilian life over the next five years. As I learned firsthand, the transition can be difficult—half of veterans will leave their first civilian job within a year, and three-quarters depart within the first 18 months, according to a ���ϲ����� study. The reasons for individuals’ decisions are innumerable, but with approximately 93 percent of the U.S. population never having served a day in the military, there are communication and cultural differences between veterans and non-veterans that we must account for, solve and translate into successes for our employees, our companies, and ultimately, our country.”

The IVMF’s Gilly Cantor, left, Heidi Cramm of CIMVHR and Nick Armstrong of the IVMF

AmericaServes is a unique innovation that aims to improve veteran well-being through improved access and navigation to services in communities. ��Armstrong and Cantor also participated in a select working group to propose new evidence-based research topics on military-to-civilian transition.

The CIMVHR 2017 Forum is the first collaborative event for the IVMF and the CIMVHR team, but not the only international institute joining forces with the IVMF. The institute recently signed a partnership agreement with the ��in the United Kingdom. Both partnerships, says Armstrong, are part of the IVMF’s growing initiative to expand its international reach to exchange ideas, share insights, learn and collaborate.

“Our nations’ veterans and military families have a shared experience both in service and in transition to civilian life,” says Armstrong. “We’re thrilled about the potential for these new research collaborations and potential they hold to draw new insights and learning in the collective support of those who serve our respective nations.”

Armstrong will also join an expert advisory group on a U.K. Ministry of Defense’s sponsored effort focused on developing, evaluating and tracking veteran well-being.

The annual CIMVHR 2017 Forum gathers thought leaders from around the globe to present new research, exchange ideas, share insight, learn and collaborate. This year’s conference was held Sept. 25-27 in Toronto. The announcement of the collaboration was made at the CIMVHR’s eighth annual conference being held in partnership with the , an international Paralympic-style multi-sport event, in which wounded or sick armed services personnel and veterans take part in sports including wheelchair basketball, sitting volleyball and indoor rowing.

With four award categories, including Employment, Achievement, Sustainability, and Humanitarianism, the MISSION:ABLE awards celebrate those who have demonstrated extraordinary leadership and fought for expanded rights for the 22 million veterans, 56.7 million people with disabilities and 800,000 Americans living with spinal cord injury or disease. The IVMF was awarded the ABLE award for Employment for outstanding efforts to train and employ veterans as they transition out of military life and for its groundbreaking programs focused on small business and entrepreneurship.

This national award is given annually to champions dedicated to creating an America where the��nation’s disabled heroes are able to fully live the lives they deserve and access what they need most: health care, benefits and jobs. Past honorees include Microsoft, GE, Deloitte, Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe and the Commonwealth of Virginia, and Penske Corp.

Accepting the award for the IVMF was Dan D’Aniello, a ���ϲ����� alumnus, life Trustee, and co-chairman of the IVMF Advisory Board. D’Aniello is chairman and co-founder of the Carlyle Group.

Also attending was Mike Haynie, ���ϲ����� Vice Chancellor and IVMF executive director, who commented, “The IVMF is proud to accept this distinguished award on behalf of the over 73,000 veterans and family members we have served through our training and programming. I cannot underscore enough the value and impact veterans and military-connected families bring to our American employment landscape. We all benefit when veterans are trained, mentored and provided opportunities to approach their next mission into civilian life creating meaningful employment for themselves and their families.”

Pictured left to right are��Dan D’Aniello, ‘68 , ���ϲ����� Life Trustee and co-chairman of the IVMF Advisory Board;��Paralyzed Veterans of America’s President David Zurfluh; Frank Stanley, manager, Veteran Recruiting Programs at Cushman & Wakefield Inc.; and John Birch, executive vice president of World Wide FIMS Services.

For nearly a decade, ���ϲ����� has provided no-cost training in career preparation, entrepreneurship and industry certification with a direct connection to over 450 national veteran-friendly employers. Impacting over 73,000 veterans and military families to date, the IVMF’s end-to-end suite of programs empowers those who have worn the uniform to embark on a new journey as they transition from military to civilian life.

Lee Moreland, a U.S. Army veteran, is a successful graduate of one of those signature programs, Onward to Opportunity-Veterans Career Transition Program (O2O-VCTP).�� As he began looking toward his next mission after serving, Moreland began training in O2O-VCTP’s IT track, earning a Cisco certification, taking advantage of the skills he’d mastered while serving. “Before I even left the service, Onward to Opportunity provided me the employment training to obtain a certificate quicker than the college admittance process with an immediate improvement to my resume, and then direct connections to employers who were hiring. And in the IT world, where you must have expertise in specific domains, those technical certifications matter.” Moreland is now managing the Starbucks technology program in China.

Call Hendricks Chapel at 315. 443.2901 for more information.

Additionally, First Data is honoring those who’ve served with a pizza dinner Monday evening. First Data is a supporter of the�� at the Institute for Veterans and Military Affairs. The dinner is open to student and employee veterans. It takes place from 5-7 p.m. in room 310 at University College.

Chancellor Kent Syverud and J. Michael Haynie, vice chancellor for strategic initiatives and innovation and IVMF executive director, will be among some of the nation’s foremost experts participating in the summit.

On Friday, Chancellor Syverud will appear on a panel consisting of high-profile leaders in higher education, including Margaret Spellings, former Secretary of Education and president of the University of North Carolina system, and Admiral (ret) William McRaven, Chancellor of the University of Texas System. The panelists will discuss some of the most pressing issues facing veterans and their families as identified by a working group led by Vice Chancellor Haynie. The topics, all of which focus on veteran transition, include health and well-being; education; and employment

Former President George W. Bush and First Lady Laura Bush are scheduled to deliver remarks, and U.S. Secretary of Veteran Affairs David Shulkin will participate in a conversation moderated by POLITICO. The event will also feature a congressional panel on issues faced by transitioning veterans.

Stand-To will be broadcast via livestream at����on June 23.

SU News will provide full coverage of the event next week on news.syr.edu.

The cooperative agreement funding opportunity, offered by SBA’s Office of Veterans Business Development (OVBD), is awarded based on an initial 12-month project period plus four option years, subject to the availability of funds. Each awardee displays a proven commitment and existing ability to deliver entrepreneurial training to transitioning service members and their spouses. The two awardees are:

IVMF will provide Boots to Business instruction to service members and military spouses stationed overseas at 34 military installations in nine countries. Additionally, IVMF has partnered with Cornell University, to provide Boots to Business follow-on instruction, which will include orientation to entrepreneurship/ideation, market research and business fundamentals delivered globally via Cornell University’s eCornell platform. IVMF and Cornell University will also work with SBA to develop follow-on training specialty tracks such as franchising or agribusiness, based on participant demand and market opportunity.

“We are thrilled to continue our partnership with the SBA and honored to serve our nation’s service member veterans and families through the Boots to Business program,” says ���ϲ����� Vice Chancellor and IVMF Executive Director Mike Haynie. “The inclusion of the Cornell University SC Johnson College of Business into the partnership provides additional expertise and critical resources necessary to keep the focus on entrepreneurship as well as education, and is vital to ensuring the success of our service members around the world as they prepare to embark on their entrepreneurial journeys.”

Mississippi State University (MSU)��will receive $824,100. It will��partner with OVBD to deliver Boots to Business instruction through a new follow-on online training course, “B2B Revenue Readiness (RR).” Based on curriculum that MSU developed as part of its��2016 SBA award in the “Lean for Main Street” challenge, participants completing this program will exit with a firm vision of their individual business model, and ideally, a business plan with multiple iterations. This output will give RR participants a strong advantage when they transition to working with SBA Resource Partners to solidify and execute their business plans.

“Our training program is an accelerated platform designed to help entrepreneurial-minded veterans take their ideas from a concept to full operation in a relatively short timeframe, pushing them to create real, tangible results, as well as instilling in them a sense of self-motivated urgency,” says Mississippi State University College of Business Dean Sharon Oswald. “Our ultimate goal is job creation and capital improvement. Small businesses are the cornerstone of the U.S. economy and our experienced team is anxious to work with our military heroes.”

“Boots to Business is vital in connecting entrepreneurs with the vast ecosystem of SBA resources,” says SBA Associate Administrator of Veterans Business Development Barb Carson. “SBA is proud to administer this critical foundation for sustaining veteran entrepreneurship as a pillar of America’s small business economy.”

SBA’s Boots to Business program has served over 60,000 transitioning service members, veterans, and military spouses since its launch on Jan. 1, 2013. The program is administered as a collaborative effort between SBA district offices, all SBA resource partners (Veterans Business Outreach Centers, Association of Women’s Business Centers, SCORE, America’s Small Business Development Centers), OVBD, and grant (cooperative agreement) partners.

Thomas Meyer, author and director of veterans services at Philanthropy Roundtable, encapsulates the stories of well-known donors in the United States—a mix of corporate benefactors and charitable institutes. Chapter two, “Brewing Up Jobs: Starbucks’s Howard Schultz helps veterans and employers sit down together,” and chapter six, “Assets Not Victims: The Heinz Foundation sees vets as a competitive advantage,” give information as to why the top philanthropic donors are choosing the IVMF as the best place to give back to the military community.

In 2012, The Philanthropy Roundtable established a dedicated program in the area of veteran philanthropy to assist donors eager to offer charitable assistance to the men and women who served the country. The product of this roundtable is the first published guidebook, which profiled organizations and donors who were making strides in this field. This guidebook captures the outcomes of service members transitioning from military careers to civilian ones.

For a free copy of “Uniform Champions,” click .