The Executive Board for ���ϲ�����’s Student Veterans of America are all military veterans, and they’re all full-time students at the University. In addition to their academic responsibilities, many also hold jobs, have families and take on additional responsibilities on and off campus. It is because of their desire to be of service to something bigger than themselves that fuels the time and effort they give back to the campus community.

Get to know these impactful student veterans.

Leonel “Leo” Aviles ’26 – U.S. Marine Corps Veteran
School of Information Studies

Leonel “Leo” Aviles

Leo, as he is affectionately known among friends and the military-connected community, is president of the Student Veterans Organization (SVO) at ���ϲ�����. Originally from Florida, Aviles found ���ϲ����� through the Warrior-Scholar Project and credits the University’s admissions staff, along with OVMA’s staff with why he ultimately decided to enroll at ���ϲ�����.

“The staff at this university has open arms for veterans out there wanting to pursue higher education. The amount of people wanting to help veterans with school is incredible,” says Aviles. “I would highly encourage any military-connected student to reach out to the SVO to find out more about what opportunities are available on and off campus.”

Derick Ramos G’26 – U.S. Marine Corps Veteran
College of Arts and Sciences

Derick Ramos

Ramos served as a tank crewman in the Marines for four years and is currently the SVO’s vice president. A graduate student, Ramos is pursuing a Ph.D. in physics. One of the biggest reasons why Ramos chose ���ϲ����� was because of the competitive academic programs available, particularly for doctoral studies.

“When transitioning from the service we may believe that we are behind in some instances compared to other students attending college after high school,” says Ramos, “Keep your head down and work hard, your dreams and goals will come true. Always remember the words of Winnie the Pooh, ‘You’re braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.’”

Jurgen Baeza ’26 – U.S. Navy Veteran
College of Engineering and Computer Science

Jurgen Baeza

Baeza discovered ���ϲ����� while still in high school in San Diego, California. His journey to Central New York required a brief stint in the U.S. Navy, serving as an aviation structural mechanic specializing in the F/A-18 Super Hornet’s safety equipment.

With an interest in computers starting at an early age, Baeza began teaching himself to code and is pursuing that interest as a computer science major. While trying to adapt to life as a non-traditional college student, Baeza came in contact with other student veterans on campus and quickly got involved with the SVO.

“As I started going to more events and talking to more of the student veterans, I would talk to them about our similar life experiences and I was able to relate to them a lot easier than those students who are a lot younger than me,” Baeza says.

Savion Pollard ’26 – U.S. Navy Veteran
College of Engineering and Computer Science

Savion Pollard

Pollard served in the Navy for eight years working on board nuclear submarines as a nuclear electronics technician. His time at ���ϲ����� has been marked by significant accomplishments, including being the first local hire for Micron and being an honored guest of U.S. Sen. Charles E. Schumer during the 2023 State of the Union Address from President Joseph R. Biden L’68.

“I chose to come to ���ϲ����� because it brought me closer to family, and because of its proclamation as the ‘Best Place for Vets,’” says Pollard, who is currently studying electrical engineering with a minor in computer science. “I’ve grown to love the campus community, the ���ϲ����� city community and the deep connection between the two.”

Pollard has been a member of the SVO’s executive board for a few years and says his biggest advice for new military-connected students is to “buy into the campus culture and to try new things along the way. All of my greatest achievements as a student have been due to being involved and making myself uncomfortable,” Pollard says.

Tojyea “TJ” Matally ’27 – U.S. Marine Corps Veteran
College of Visual and Performing Arts

Tojyea “TJ” Matally

Matally is a sophomore pursuing a degree in communications design, and he served as a combat photographer in the Marine Corps until 2023, when he opted to pursue higher education and found ���ϲ����� because of its reputation for providing educational opportunities for veterans and military families.

“I chose to attend ���ϲ����� because I had heard it was an ideal place for veterans to assimilate into higher education; plus, I wanted to remain in the New York area after being stationed on Long Island for five years,” Matally says.

His advice to other student veterans is to “be honest with your limitations and strengths, and enjoy your new transition. It’s a privilege to pause and invest in yourself for four or more years. Be grateful and lean on your community to support you throughout the journey,” Matally says.

To learn more about the military-connected students at ���ϲ����� and the programs and services available for student veterans, please visit the .

“I joined in 2017, right after high school. Two weeks after I graduated, I headed to boot camp,” says Aviles, an undergraduate student studying at .

Aviles served as a warehouse specialist in the Marines, spending his first two years of service at the Marine Corps Air and Ground Training Center in 29 Palms, California, one of the Marine Corps’ most remote bases in the continental United States. There, he supported the Marine Corps Communication-Electronics School, which trains Marines in various ground electronic maintenance roles, tactical communications and anti-air warfare operations.

For the second half of his career, Aviles supported a tank battalion, providing all the supply needs for the unit and its personnel, handing out everything from goggles, gloves, and replacement parts of vehicles and equipment.

When it came time to transition out of the military, Aviles sought out opportunities for higher education through the Warrior Scholar Project (WSP). The WSP program prepares transitioning service members to pursue their academic goals after service. While participating with the organization, Aviles says he learned about ���ϲ����� and its initiatives to support veterans and military-connected students.

Aviles during his time serving in the U.S. Marine Corps.

“I was originally planning to go back to my home state of Florida and do community college when I got out, but during my time with WSP, I learned about ���ϲ�����. I had not been to New York before then, and it seemed like a great opportunity,” Aviles says.

When he first arrived on campus, Aviles says he felt he struggled to fit in as a non-traditional student. It’s a common experience shared by many student veterans, particularly first-generation college students. For Aviles, one thing that helped was finding the military-connected community on campus and meeting people who had similar experiences and understood where he was coming from.

“For me, it was a struggle because you’re older and you don’t really fit in. After a while, everyone’s kind of pushing you and telling you it’s okay. But I’ve opened many doors for myself and had some great opportunities,” says Aviles.

One of those opportunities came through the  (SVO), ���ϲ�����’s local chapter of the National Student Veterans of America. Through the SVO, military-connected students can find an easier transition to academic life and connect with other students who have experienced the rigors of higher education, as well as providing a community for camaraderie and support.

“I feel like it’s a great organization due to the fact that, coming in as a first-year student, I was very closed-minded and just stuck to myself. The SVO actually opened me up to be more open-minded and feel more comfortable. I met great buddies who served in different branches, so I got a bunch of different learning perspectives from different people,” Aviles says.

According to Aviles, that support has been a significant source of his success while pursuing an information management technology degree from the School, learning about various topics from cybersecurity to data analytics. For Aviles, he sees a future in cyber security, hopefully contracting with the U.S. government or working with military-affiliated companies like Booz Allen.

Now, as a junior, Aviles has stepped forward to help welcome other student veterans to campus. Earlier this semester, Aviles was elected as the President of the SVO, a position that he feels passionate about succeeding in.

“It’s a great opportunity for other veterans or even military-affiliated students. They can come in, partake in some of our events, and get together with other like-minded students. It’s just a great organization for us to get together and get more comfortable on campus,” Aviles says.

For those interested in learning more about the SVO or other programs available to military-connected students, please visit the . The SVO holds meetings at least one Friday a month in the student veteran lounge at the National Veterans Resource Center, and those students interested in learning more about military service or supporting veterans on campus are welcome to attend.

Aviles (second from right), along with other members of the Student Veterans Organization, at the annual Stars and Stripes Tailgate before the military appreciation football game. (Photo by Charlie Poag)

Jurgen Baeza ’26 at The Atlanta White House during an OVMA Career Immersion trip to Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo courtesy of Jurgen Baeza)

“I didn’t really know what I wanted to major in, so I was balancing out different majors. By the end, I was just running out of funds, and I needed to get my life together. One thing that really intrigued me was how the military would pay for college, which was my main objective because I didn’t want to put my family in debt to pay for me going to school–especially having two younger brothers and how they needed to go to school too,” says Baeza, who wound up enlisting in the U.S Navy.

Baeza is currently enrolled at the College of Engineering and Computer Science, where he majors in computer science, following a passion that began back in high school when he, as he recalls, began dabbling a little bit in coding.

Baeza served as an aviation structural mechanic specializing in the F/A-18 Super Hornet’s safety equipment, but in his off time, he pursued those interests with computers and started taking online courses in other coding languages like Java and Python.

“To me, I thought it was like a puzzle to try and solve. You just piece pieces together and make sure that the code runs smoothly. It’s been really fun and also challenging, but it’s very rewarding when you see your code running and there’s no more bugs or anything,” Baeza says.

From Ejection Seats to Classroom Desks

U.S. Navy portrait of Jurgen Baeza ’26 (Photo courtesy of Jurgen Baeza)

When F/A-18 pilots find themselves in trouble while soaring through the skies at more than 1,300 miles per hour, one of their last options is to eject from the aircraft. Baeza was primarily responsible for ensuring the aircraft’s ejection seat would work when all else failed on the jet aircraft. Using small rockets, the ejection seat separates a pilot from a failing aircraft at speeds up to 52 feet per second. Once the pilot has effectively cleared the aircraft, the ejection seat automatically falls away, leaving the pilot to fall back to Earth under the canopy of a fully deployed parachute.

After serving six years and ten months in the U.S. Navy, Baeza got out in 2022 and soon found himself landing on campus at ���ϲ�����. Much like pilots orienting themselves with their surroundings after safely ejecting, Baeza had to figure out his own surroundings now that he was once again a full-time college student.

“I made the mistake of thinking that ���ϲ����� was going to be like New York City, and when I got here, it was definitely not. I don’t mind it though, it’s nice, I love it so far,” says Baeza, who also states that he had some problems associating at times with traditional students due to the age difference. While trying to find a community to connect with, he stumbled upon a fellow student veteran who helped connect Baeza with other student veterans on campus.

“The Student Veterans Organization was very welcoming, and I have to give a shout out to Savion Pollard, he was my mentor my first semester here. He kept pushing me to go to events with the SVO,” Baeza recalls. He says he was a little “stand-offish” at first, like many veterans he wasn’t looking to participate with the military culture, he was seeking a new path forward. With Pollard’s encouragement, Baeza began going to some of the SVO’s meetings, where he found most of the student veterans shared similar experiences and, like him, weren’t looking to revive their days in the military but instead help each other in the pursuit of their academic goals.

“It’s nice when you don’t want to go to the library, and you just want to go somewhere to decompress and relax. Everyone in the student veteran lounge is the same way, we’re not looking to talk about the military, or school, but we talk about life and different stuff going on outside of class,” Baeza says.

The student veteran lounge and the student veteran quiet study space are both amenities provided exclusively to military-connected students inside the National Veterans Resource Center at ���ϲ�����. Serving as locations where military-connected students can unwind, relax or get ready for their next class, the spaces are crucial when other quiet areas are tied up by traditional students on campus, particularly around mid-term and final exams.

New Heights Ahead

With graduation looming on his horizon, Baeza says he’d like to stay in New York to work in software engineering, but going back to the West Coast isn’t off the table either. Additionally, Baeza says he’s interested in several master’s programs that are available through the College of Engineering and Computer Science. While figuring out what the future holds for him, he’s started giving back to the military-connected community on campus.

With a few semesters under his belt, Baeza ran for and was elected to the SVO’s Executive Board, serving as the organization’s secretary. Like many student veterans before him, he not only understands the value of the SVO’s community but also advocates for other military-connected students on campus to check the group out.

“The more students we have involved in our events, the more support we get from the University in terms of funding and opportunities. So, it’s always great to see student veterans coming out to support their community on campus, and I would highly recommend anyone who is interested in supporting veterans to check us out,” says Baeza.

Those interested in learning more about the Student Veterans Organization can check out the SVO’s Website hosted by the Office of Veteran and Military Affairs.

Jurgen Baeza ’26 (fourth from left) with other members of ���ϲ�����’s Student Veterans Organization, including mentor Savion Pollard ’25 (third from left).

The OVMA created this award to remove barriers that often prevent student veterans from accessing internships, one of the most effective pathways to post-graduation employment. The award, which is needs-based, covers the cost of one internship credit hour, travel and living expenses, or both, with a maximum award of $5,000 per student. It’s part of the ongoing efforts by ���ϲ����� to support student veterans and ensure their success in the job market.

“Student veterans often face the difficult choice between pursuing full-time summer studies or finding seasonal work to meet their financial needs,” says Jennifer Pluta, director of Veterans Career Services with the OVMA. “It’s challenging to focus on securing internships when financial concerns are pressing. Since its launch, the Internship Award has successfully helped 24 of our student veterans gain valuable job experience, giving them a significant advantage in the job market.”

According to the University’s , more than 650,000 veterans nationwide are currently pursuing higher education, often with one primary goal in mind: finding employment afterward. While veterans highlight finding employment after their military transition as a top priority, connecting with employers can sometimes be challenging. Initiatives like the OVMA’s Internship Award are crucial in bridging this gap, providing student veterans with opportunities to gain practical experience and build networks that will support their career goals.

At ���ϲ�����, students across all schools, colleges and degree levels have access to resources that help them find and secure internships in their chosen fields. However, student veterans, who often juggle complex schedules, family commitments and financial responsibilities, can find it particularly challenging to participate in internships. The OVMA’s Internship Award helps alleviate these challenges by providing financial support, enabling student veterans to focus on gaining valuable professional experience without the added burden of financial strain.

“Since its start, the internship award program has grown tremendously, providing invaluable opportunities for our student veterans to gain real-world experience and advance their careers,” says Ron Novack, OVMA’s executive director. “We are committed to expanding this program even further, reaching more student veterans and building strong partnerships with organizations that recognize and value the exceptional skills and dedication that veterans bring to the workforce.”

This year, military-connected students secured internships across a diverse range of industries, with many gaining experience in government agencies and tech companies. From working on policy initiatives and supporting service members through government roles to contributing to innovative projects in the tech sector, these students gained invaluable experience that will serve them well in their future careers.

Read more about three of the recipients and their unique experiences below.

Laurie N. Coffey G’25, U.S. Navy Veteran

Laurie Coffey

Laurie N. Coffey, a U.S. Navy veteran with over 20 years of service, is now a second-year law student in the . This summer, she interned with the Onondaga County District Attorney’s Office, where she gained valuable experience in public service law. Unlike the previous summer, when financial demands led her to take a highly paid corporate internship, this year was different.

“Receiving the scholarship allowed me to take a position that was unpaid and in public service,” Coffey says. “Having a family, mortgage, and going to school has financial demands that pushed me into a highly paid corporate internship last summer. The scholarship allowed me to pursue something more aligned with my passions and hopes to work in the advocacy arena.”

Curtis Cline ’25, U.S. Army Veteran

Curtis Cline

Curtis Cline, a senior majoring in aerospace engineering at the , is a U.S. Army veteran who completed three combat tours. During his service, he held such roles as crew chief, overhaul maintenance technician and downed aircraft recovery program manager. This summer, he interned at the Griffiss Institute, where he immersed himself in collaborative aerospace research.

“A lesson I gained during my internship is the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration. Working alongside experts in various fields, I learned how to effectively communicate complex ideas, integrate diverse perspectives and contribute to a collaborative research environment,” Cline says. “This experience has equipped me with enhanced problem-solving skills and a deeper understanding of how different disciplines converge in aerospace research.”

Marriler Wilson G’25, U.S. Air Force Veteran

Marriler Wilson

Marriler Wilson is a graduate student in the , pursuing a master’s in public administration and international relations.  Willson served in the Air Force National Guard, focusing on security forces and base defense, while also serving as a traffic enforcer with the New York Police Department. This summer, Wilson interned at the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) in the Office of Congressional Public Affairs.

“One particularly memorable experience occurred on the second day of my internship when I had the unique opportunity to visit Capitol Hill. I observed a general counsel from my congressional and public affairs unit articulate the significance of MCC’s work,” says Wilson. “The counsel eloquently explained how MCC’s mission aligns with the interests of both political parties and how the corporation’s initiatives serve as a vital conduit for international cooperation and development.”

The OVMA Internship Award application period is open from September to May 31. For more details and to apply, visit . For more details about the award, reach out to Jennifer Pluta at jrpluta@syr.edu.

Story by Lissette Caceres

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 .

According to a earlier this year, almost 70% of student veterans who are patients in Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) hospitals received services for mental health care, compared to just 40% of all other veterans who received mental health care from the VA. Aside from seeking services to address concerns regarding post-traumatic stress disorder, the report shows a rising trend over a six-year period of student veterans seeking out care for depression and anxiety-related disorders more than their non-student veteran peers.

“Aside from being non-traditional students, which brings additional stresses to their academic studies, student-veterans also have unique needs that most colleges and universities are not prepared to handle. There’s a clear need to provide military-connected students with assistance beyond just information on where they may find resources,” says Ken Marfilius ’11, assistant dean of online and distance education and associate teaching professor of social work in the Falk College. “This program will help assist student veterans in not only knowing what resources are available, but also how to navigate the process to receive those services and, sometimes, providing further support to ensure they get the care they need.”

Ken Marfilius

Marfilius, a U.S. Air Force veteran, will become the associate director for the ORP where he will lead two Falk College graduate student interns, Brenic Nam G’25 and Natalie Hawes G’25, as well as leverage his extensive experience in providing mental health care services to the military-connected community to ensure the program’s effectiveness.

Both interns are military-connected students at ���ϲ����� who are pursuing master’s degrees in social work. Hawes is a veteran spouse as well as the granddaughter of two World War II veterans, and has more than five years of experience in supporting the military-connected community. For Nam, currently a sergeant in the U.S. Army Reserve after spending time on active duty, it’s an opportunity to build upon lessons learned while working at Clear Path for Veterans, a nonprofit veteran’s service organization located in Central New York.

Brenic Nam G’25

“Veterans and military-connected students undergo significant transitions as they shift from military to civilian life. Through this phase of acculturation, they endure unique challenges that often result in immense stress. A dedicated program like ORP will provide imperative support, empowering these veterans and (military-connected) students to confidently navigate these challenges while pursuing their personal ambitions and reaching their fullest potential,” Nam says.

Hendricks Chapel, alongside the OVMA, will provide a stipend for both interns and support engagement with local community programs and services that are available in the area. The program will also seek to leverage support from the ���ϲ����� VA Medical Center, which already provides medical services for many of ���ϲ�����’s student veterans.

“This initiative is a clear reflection of ���ϲ�����’s strategic vision to be recognized as the premier institution for veteran and military-connected students,” says U.S. Army Col. (Retired) Ron Novack, executive director of the OVMA. “By harnessing the strengths of its community and resources, the University is poised to not only meet but exceed the needs of this distinct student population. The ORP embodies the University’s commitment to fostering an environment of excellence and support for veterans and their families, further establishing ���ϲ����� as the best place for veterans.”

The program will officially launch on Aug. 26, the first day of classes for the fall 2024 semester, with more details to come later this summer on how to access the program. Aside from standing as a beacon for the University’s resolve to create an inclusive and supportive environment for student veterans, the ORP will support military-connected students with concierge-style support to help them thrive academically during their transition to post-service life.

For more information on the programs and services available to veterans and military-connected students at ���ϲ�����, please visit the .

First-generation college students Melanie Salas (left), Jean Castilla (center) and Brianna Gillfillian discuss the challenges they faced, the lessons they learned and their plans for after graduation.

A trio of first-generation college students have demonstrated hard work and resiliency and shown how they ultimately set themselves on the path that will culminate Sunday morning inside the JMA Wireless Dome when they become the first members of their families to earn college degrees during ���ϲ�����’s .

• Melanie Salas ’24 was inspired by a high school coach to challenge herself to realize that she could do anything she set her mind to.
• Jean Castilla ’24 worked hard to strengthen his knowledge base and earn admission into a prestigious New York City high school that would prepare him for the rigors of college.
• Brianna Gillfillian ’24 pushed the limits of her comfort zone to leave her home country of Jamaica to earn a college degree and rely on the kindness of strangers to pay her way to ���ϲ����� through a GoFundMe account.

Surrounded by the nearly 6,700 fellow degree recipients, and in front of their families and friends, Salas, Castilla and Gillfillian will join the ranks of the more than 250,000 proud Orange alumni around the world, knowing that, hopefully, their stories will inspire other would-be college students to overcome their fears and blaze their own paths.

Leading up to convocation, these talented first-generation students sat down with SU News to discuss the challenges they faced, the lessons they learned and their plans for after graduation.

Melanie Salas ’24

Melanie Salas

Path to ���ϲ�����: “When I was in elementary school, people always told me I wouldn’t be anything in life. It motivated me and forced me to grow into the person I am today. When I was in high school, my softball coach helped me discover that I could do anything in this world, and that really inspired me to go out and learn as much as I can. My parents [Juan Salas and Lorena Granados] did everything for me to get to ���ϲ����� and now I am set to graduate early, and I’m just so thankful for the mentors on campus who helped me overcome the struggles I faced.”

Academic major: Biology ()

Involvement on campus: Our Time Has Come Scholar, Ronald E. McNair Scholar, Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation, orientation leader, Research Experience for Undergraduates, research assistant with SUNY Upstate Medical University, Food Recovery Network (part of the Catholic Center)

Best piece of advice: “Always put your foot in every single door, because you never know when the opportunity will come along that could change your life. Whenever I could, I represented myself, stood up and spoke out and from those moments, I grew into the person I wanted to be, who helped make change on campus. All those people who told me I would never be anything inspired me to bring about change to my community. You truly start on the path toward your dreams once you come to campus.”

Plans after graduation: Will be enrolling in Baylor University’s cell, molecular, health and disease biology graduate program, with the goal of earning a Ph.D. and one day opening her own research lab focused on studying ways to improve the overall health and well-being of society. “I want to help those who don’t have access to opportunities I’ve had. I want to give back to those less fortunate and help make a difference in our community.”

Jean Castilla ’24

Jean Castilla

Path to ���ϲ�����: “It’s been a mission of mine to attend college since I was in middle school. When I was in the eighth grade, instead of playing with my friends or playing video games, I was studying for the Specialized High Schools Admissions Test, which is used to determine who gets into one of the top eight specialized high schools in New York City. I was admitted into the High School for Math, Science and Engineering at City College, and was on a path to college from there. The decision to focus on my studies changed the trajectory of my life and my family’s life. My mom, Rosa, made a lot of sacrifices so I could pursue an education, and knowing what she sacrificed drove me and inspired me.”

Academic major: Entrepreneurship and emerging enterprises ()

Involvement on campus: Our Time Has Come Scholar, Hendricks Chapel Scholarship, Whitman Internship Scholarship, Veteran Legacy Fund Scholarship, Lois and Martin J. Whitman Scholarship, Office of Veterans and Military Affairs Scholarship, Daniel and Gayle D’Aniello Florence Scholarship, student liaison in the Office of Veteran and Military Affairs

Best piece of advice: “Especially for my fellow first-generation students, a big thing is to have faith that everything will work out. Having faith in yourself and believing in your abilities is something we all need to practice. If you can’t believe in yourself, it won’t happen. I know I’ve gone through a lot of obstacles and adversity in my life, but every time I remind myself that I’m just being tested to see if I’m ready to move on to the next chapter in my life.”

Plans after graduation: Castilla currently serves as a crew chief in the Air National Guard’s 174th Attack Wing and has a job lined up in the military once he graduates. He’s also planning on continuing his career as an entrepreneur, “creating an established business where I’m the CEO and I can help other people in my community. That’s my ideal situation. I want to be able to give back because I’ve been helped tremendously on my journey.”

Brianna Gillfillian ’24

Brianna Gillfillian

Path to ���ϲ�����: “My high school curriculum in Jamaica emphasized math, English and information technology, so I had a lot of experience in those fields and it was something I was genuinely good at and enjoyed. My parents didn’t graduate from high school, so after I graduated, people asked me ‘why don’t you stay in Jamaica for college?’ I knew I had to come to America, but I didn’t have the money to pay for a flight to ���ϲ�����, so I personally launched a GoFundMe to get me to ���ϲ�����. Because nobody in my family went to college, I relied on my high school guidance counselors for advice, and in terms of my finances, I had to do everything on my own. I learned that I am resilient from this process. It would have been easy to just stay in Jamaica, get a scholarship and get my degree but I knew if I didn’t go away to college I would regret it. I had a vision for myself and would stop at nothing to make it happen.”

Academic major: Computer science ()

Involvement on campus: Our Time Has Come Scholar, National Society of Black Engineers, Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation, Collegiate Science and Technology Entry Program, Alpha Kappa Psi (business fraternity), Delta Sigma Theta (sorority), Kalabash Dance Troupe, Scholars on a Mission, Save our Child’s Heart Foundation

Best piece of advice: “I feel being as outgoing as possible helped me connect with the University and discover my community. I love being involved in organizations, and I feel that through my involvement I was able to put myself out there and become the person and the leader I wanted to be.”

Plans after graduation: Will be enrolling in ���ϲ�����’s engineering management program in the College of Engineering and Computer Science, with the goal of one day working in product management or project management within the field of technology or engineering. “I’m a very creative person, and I’m always thinking in terms of the user experience and design when it comes to the different apps. I want to make sure that whatever product I’m helping to develop is suitable and maximizes the user experience.”

Members of ���ϲ�����’s military-connected community pose for a group photo with Otto before the 2024 SVO Ball & Awards Banquet.

���ϲ�����’s military-connected community came together for an evening of celebration during the annual Ball & Awards Banquet. The formal event, held each year during the Spring semester, acknowledges the accomplishments within the veteran community at ���ϲ����� and serves as an evening of camaraderie before the academic calendar is overtaken by final exams.

SVO President John Nipper ’23, G’24, speaking to guests at the 2024 SVO Ball & Awards Banquet.

SVO President and U.S. Navy Veteran John Nipper ’23, a graduate student in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, opened the formal portion of the evening by acknowledging those military-connected students who will graduate this year, even if they were unable to attend the festivities. “Congratulations on all your successes here at ���ϲ�����, you should be proud of all your accomplishments and to now be recognized as an alumni of these hallowed halls. We know that you will do great things in your future endeavors,” Nipper said.

This year’s event featured a Gatsby-themed evening that welcomed the largest crowd in attendance since the SVO Ball first found a home at the National Veterans Resource Center since its opening. The evening features a formal dinner, guest speaker, awards presentation, announcement of the next year’s SVO executive board, music and dancing, as well as a raffle drawing to help raise money for next year’s SVO functions.

Theodore “Ted” Walker

Theodore “Ted” Walker, a U.S. Army veteran and guest speaker of this year’s event, is an assistant professor with the Department of Biomedical and Chemical Engineering in the College of Engineering and Computer Science. Walker shared some of his own experience in the military as a U.S. Army ranger with multiple deployments in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. Walker also spoke about the importance of having an engaged community for veterans, highlighting the unique camaraderie that exists among those who have served and the underlying purpose of the SVO’s existence.

Each year, both the SVO and Office of Veteran and Military Affairs (OVMA) use the event to present their annual awards of recognition. Both organizations present awards to acknowledge the contributions and impact of key individuals, some more light-hearted than others. Among the more impactful awards presented, the following members of the University’s military-connected community were acknowledged:

The SVO Community Service Award is presented to an SVO member who goes beyond expectations in supporting not just our veteran community but extends their generosity and kindness to all those in need around them. This year, the award was presented to Jose A. Baeza-Ruiz ’25, a business analytics student in the Whitman School of Management.

The SVO Best for Vets award is presented to the student veteran who has done the most to help student veterans succeed both on and off campus. This year, the Best for Vets award was presented to SVO Secretary Raul “Rudy” Rosique ’23.

The SVO acknowledged OVMA Executive Director Ron Novack, a retired U.S. Army Colonel, with the SVO’s Staff Appreciation Award, and the SVO Faculty Appreciation Award was presented to retired Army Lieutenant Colonel Elizabeth Kubala, executive director of the Betty and Michael D. Wohl Veterans Legal Clinic and a teaching professor at ���ϲ�����’s College of Law.

Retired U.S. Army Lt. Col. Elizabeth Kubala (left), executive director of the Betty and Michael D. Wohl Veterans Legal Clinic and a teaching professor at ���ϲ�����’s College of Law, receives the SVO Faculty Appreciation Award from SVO President John Nipper.

“I’m truly humbled and honored to be recognized by the SVO for this award. Here at ���ϲ�����, we pride ourselves on cultivating a strong sense of community on campus and in the classroom for our veteran and military-connected students, and I’m really proud to be part of that collective effort,” said Kubala. “I’ve seen first-hand how our programs, like the Betty and Michael D. Wohl Veterans Legal Clinic, make a tremendous impact by exposing our campus community to veterans, showing others what it means to serve, and fostering a more supportive and welcoming environment for veterans here at ���ϲ�����.”

The OVMA also presents awards at the event each year to several military-connected students who have gone above and beyond in their dedication to supporting the University’s military initiatives.

The Danny Facto Student Veteran Work Study Award, presented by the Office of Veteran Success (OVS), is presented in the name of Danny Facto, a decorated U.S. Army combat veteran and Purple Heart recipient. Facto attended the David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics with the goal of obtaining a bachelor’s degree in Social Work and was the first VA work-study student at ���ϲ�����. Facto died tragically in a motorcycle accident in 2009, his death was felt throughout the military-connected community at the University and each year the OVS presents an award in his name to a current VA work-study student they feel is deserving of the recognition.

Retired U.S. Army Colonel Ron Novack (left), executive director of the Office of Veteran and Military Affairs (left), presents the OVMA Student Veteran of the Year Award to Raul “Rudy” Rosique.

This year, the Danny Facto Student Veteran Work Study Award was presented to Andrew Patterson, a 3L law student in the College of Law.

The OVMA Student Veteran of the Year Award was also presented at the banquet, awarded to a student veteran who makes the most standout commitment to the military-connected community at ���ϲ�����. This year, the award was presented to Raul Rosique ’24.

To close out the event each year, the SVO announces the results of the SVO’s Executive Board election. Those elected will go on to serve in the next academic year to help support veteran and military-connected students as well as welcome all students who wish to learn more about service members, veterans and the military community at large.

SVO Executive Board Results:

President: Raphael Grollmus, a graduate student in the College of Arts and Sciences

Vice President: Marriler Wilson, a graduate student in the Maxwell School of Public Affairs and Citizenship

Secretary: Jurgen Baeza ’26, a computer science major in the College of Engineering and Computer Science

Treasurer: Savion Pollard ’25, an electrical engineering major in the College of Engineering and Computer Science

Public Affairs Officer: Tojyea “TJ” Matally ’27, a communications design major in the College of Visual and Performing Arts

Community Outreach Officer: Leonel Aviles ’26, an information management and technology major in the School of Information Studies

“I first started attending in the Fall of 2021 and have seen a night and day difference within the SVO. The lounge seemed more like a doctor’s office than a place to eat and gather, and socials were nonexistent due to COVID. Every year since there have been new faces, a significant increase in events and overall, it’s been more welcoming. It’s like seeing something being built from the ground up,” said Grollmus, who served for nine years in the U.S. Marine Corps prior to enrolling at the University. “If there is something the veteran community as a whole could benefit from or an event that would be excited to do, let us know so we can put it into action.”

The SVO Executive Board for the 2024-25 Academic Year (from left to right):
Public Affairs Officer, Toyyea “TJ” Matally; Secretary, Jurgen Baeza; Vice President Marriler Wilson; President Raphael Grollmus; Treasurer, Savion Pollard; and Community Outreach Officer, Leonel Aviles.

Photos by Sophia Simmons, student in the Advanced Military Visual Journalism

U.S. Army veteran Benetta Dousuah G’25 (center) poses with two of her fellow service members.

In reflecting on her resettlement experience, Dousuah expresses deep gratitude for the social workers who played a pivotal role in providing stability for her family, especially considering Liberia’s dire circumstances during the 2014 West Africa Ebola Virus outbreak, the worst in recorded history. In the remote villages scattered throughout West Africa, young women are often an indicator of viral outbreaks since they often serve as caretakers in their rural communities.

The enduring memories of U.S. Army soldiers providing humanitarian aid in her homeland influenced Dousuah’s decision to enlist in the military. While she was initially drawn by the educational benefits like the post-9/11 GI Bill, her desire to give back and assist those in need also significantly influenced her choice.

“After we came here from Liberia, I remember seeing soldiers helping out on the news. At the time it spoke to me, and I wanted to reciprocate that same energy, so I chose to enlist in the Army,” says Dousuah.

Dousuah served as a unit supply specialist, a crucial role in the logistical backbone supporting the U.S. military’s global presence. The military’s logistical units often play a vital role in humanitarian operations, particularly in remote areas with limited infrastructure.

Benetta Dousuah and her daughter pose with a dolphin.

In 2014, the U.S. Army responded to the Ebola outbreak in Liberia by constructing specialty field hospitals and providing essential medical services throughout the region. By 2021, Dousuah, now a Sergeant in the U.S. Army and a mother to a young daughter, found herself offering the same kind of assistance to refugees that her family was shown when they fled Liberia

“We were deployed to Indiana to help with the Afghan refugee resettlement process,” says Dousuah, who identified parallels between her experiences coming to the U.S. and the Afghan families she assisted. In addition to her regular duties, she contributed to developing classes for children and volunteered as a teacher. This direct involvement inspired a long-term goal of establishing a school in Liberia.

“I plan on going back to Liberia after graduate school just to get the idea of what I need to do first, but ultimately I want to get the foundation going to try and build, and then open, a school there,” says Dousuah.

As an Army veteran, Dousuah is committed to supporting service members and veterans dealing with mental health challenges. Her motivation stems from personal experiences working with soldiers struggling to access adequate behavioral health services and recognizing the insufficient support for Black women in particular.

Benetta Dousuah G’25 (lower right) with other student veterans during a student veteran career emersion trip to Washington, D.C.

“Our mental health is not taken as seriously as it should be. If I’m experiencing social anxiety I may not be comfortable in the situation, but that’s not how people see it,” says Dousuah. “They just label us as angry, and it puts a lot of pressure on us when it comes to our mental health.”

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, women veterans aged 26 or older are among the most vulnerable members of the veteran population when it comes to suffering major depressive episodes. Dousuah sees her studies as a way to integrate both goals.

“While my concentration is on the clinical side of social work, I’ve also been able to take AIP (Advanced Integrated Practice) classes, which are more policy-related in a way,” says Dousuah. “My classes are helping me implement what I’m learning into the idea of building the school.”

Dousuah also seized an opportunity to assist her fellow veterans by interning with the .

“The work that I do in my internship is compelling because I get to help other veterans, particularly veterans like me or going through things I’ve been through. It’s helped me understand the whole holistic aspect of connecting veterans to resources, some of which I knew nothing about before,” says Dousuah.

To learn more about military-connected students at ���ϲ�����, or the programs and services available to them, please visit the website.

The daylong event was organized and guided by the Veteran Career Services staff and included an evening interactive learning opportunity about dinner etiquette for meals during a professional setting.

While military service is often seen as an advantage in the hiring process, hiring managers may struggle to fully comprehend the valuable experience that veteran applicants bring to the table. Similarly, veterans may be uncertain about leveraging their military experience as a bargaining chip during compensation negotiations.

Participants mingle at the inaugural Veteran Career-Ready Bootcamp.

Michelle Johnson, a retired U.S. Army sergeant major and current doctoral candidate in the , emphasizes the challenge for corporate hiring managers and recruiters.

“It is sometimes difficult for them to fathom the scale and scope of the responsibilities placed in the hands of service members because that paradigm doesn’t work in the corporate world, where experience and leadership come with time,” Johnson says. “In the military, experience comes swiftly, and leadership starts on day one. It’s not unusual for a 19-year-old to lead a nine-person team in a foreign nation, or for a 22-year-old recent college graduate to help a war-torn community build a local government from the ground up.”

This marked the first time such a daylong event was held for military-connected students at ���ϲ�����. Although the OVMA provides various programs and services to better prepare student veterans for the job market, scheduling a full day of programming during the academic year poses challenges. The success of the event was partially attributed to the support of OVMA’s recent corporate sponsor, Visions Federal Credit Union.

“Visions was thrilled to support the Veteran Career-Ready Bootcamp. Programs like this are exactly why we saw a partnership with the OVMA as a perfect fit,” says Timothy Strong, director of branding and public relations for Visions Federal Credit Union. “The continued emphasis on providing the military-connected community with skills to benefit them in and out of the classroom fits perfectly with our mission.”

A presenter from Visions Federal Credit Union shares expertise with participants.

Participants began the day gaining valuable insights from veteran alumni who recently graduated. The panel shared their experiences in leveraging resources and strategies to secure jobs after graduation, along with insights into new changes in the labor market.

Afterward, Lauren Meyer, an administrative specialist with the , led the participants through the exercise to personalize the day’s lessons. Throughout the day, participants received instruction on resume writing, optimizing LinkedIn profiles, building a personal brand and even obtained free professional headshots.

“I particularly enjoyed the LinkedIn session because I learned about keywords to use, how to make my profile more engaging for employers, and how to use the built-in artificial intelligence features to my advantage,” says Priscilla Cruz ’24, a senior in the enrolled through the U.S. Army’s Early Commissioning Program. “During the lecture, I updated my experience section based on the advice I was given and added media to showcase my work.”

In the evening, participants were treated to a formal dinner in the Bisignano Grand Hall. However, instead of celebrating, the participants focused on learning the intricacies and history of formal dinner etiquette, taught by Robert Shutt, a professional etiquette educator and author. The students discovered that many present-day rules of dinner etiquette have origins in military customs and courtesies. Afterward, members of the military-connected community on campus joined the participants for an evening of networking and camaraderie.

Robert Shutt, professional etiquette educator and author, (standing) instructs participants at a formal dinner.

The seminar occurred just days before the OVMA hosted a career networking reception for military-connected students at the University. This biannual event attracts hiring managers and employers from various industries seeking to hire veterans and military family members, providing student veterans valuable one-on-one time to showcase their talents and inquire about potential job placements after graduation.

“We realize that most of our military-connected students are pursuing higher education for a specific career choice in their post-service lives,” says retired U.S. Army colonel Ron Novack, executive director of the OVMA. “We are always searching for new and engaging ways to support our military-connected students, including developing innovative programing like this and offering services aimed at helping them take advantage of any opportunity to better prepare themselves for the next chapter in their lives.”

Veteran Career Services plans to host the career boot camp every other year, ensuring undergraduate student veterans have ample opportunities to participate. Those interested in the programs and services offered to military-connected students are encouraged to .

Military-Connected Students

Marine Corps Sergeant Levi “L.J.” Guerra ’27 and student-veteran Danny “Rem” Bellitt ’27 first met while stationed in Japan. Guerra is currently a student in the military visual journalism program in the  and Bellitt is a U.S. Air Force veteran enrolled in the as an undergraduate student.

“Being in different branches that have no business working together definitely had its challenges,” says Bellitt, who served as a crew chief on C-17s and C-5s. “Being an aircraft maintainer meant working twelve-plus-hour shifts at night, and L.J. being a Communications Strategy and Operations (COMMSTRAT) Marine meant she would go on exercises for months at a time.”

The pair were married in March of last year, and two days later Guerra was in the Philippines. They say that during the first six months of marriage they only spent a total of 45 days together due to back-to-back exercises.

“���ϲ����� has been amazing because it has given us both a chance to not only be together everyday, but also go to school together as students,” says Guerra, who was named a in September of last year.

“Coming to ���ϲ����� has been a blessing. We have been able to make up for lost time, and we can actually go out and enjoy each other’s company. Not only is it a nice break from the high op tempo that you experience in the military, it has just been nice to see each other and share a cup of coffee every morning,” says Bellitt.

L.J. Guerra (left) and Danny Bellitt

Marine Veterans Turned University Staff

While Marine veterans Michael and Colleen Drum didn’t meet in the military, their shared experience of being Marines meant they had a lot in common already when they met while working for the (IVMF).

Colleen works as the Onward to Opportunity installation manager for Fort Drum in upstate New York. Michael is currently the national program coordinator for the Onward to Opportunity program but will soon take on a new position as the operations officer for the (OVMA).

“We met in person for the first time at the IVMF all hands meeting in 2019, we had first met on a virtual meeting before since I was remote at the time,” says Colleen, who previously worked for the IVMF in southern California prior to relocating to Central New York. “We were both veterans and we had a lot in common so it helped, especially as a female veteran it can be tough to date men who haven’t been through those same experiences, and some find the role reversal challenging.”

“As veterans we were both pretty used to tough scenarios and I think that made it a lot easier for us both to move in together finally,” says Michael.

The pair also expressed their appreciation for the IVMF’s leadership–particularly Maureen Casey, IVMF chief operating officer–for supporting their relationship. They married in Skaneateles, New York, in fall 2022 and are now expecting their first child later this year.

Colleen (left) and Michael Drum

Veteran Alumni Who Bleed Orange

One look at retired U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonels Dwayne ’97 and Allison Murray ’01 and it’s obvious the married couple exudes school spirit. Dwayne graduated from ���ϲ����� with undergraduate degrees in sociology and information studies, Allison graduated from the University’s School of Nursing. The Murrays were married in 2009 and continued to serve on active duty in the Army together, with careers spanning more than 20 years each.

They were both student athletes while earning their undergraduate degrees at ���ϲ�����. Dwayne was a member of the track and field team while Allison was a member of the cheerleading squad. Amazingly, however, they didn’t connect while on campus.

“We met while we were both in South Korea,” says Dwayne, deputy director of the OVMA. “She told me she went to a school in upstate New York, and I was like, ‘Really? Which one?’ and then she told me she went to ���ϲ�����.”

Allison, who currently serves as assistant dean for student assistance at , was a little skeptical at first when Dwayne told her he had also graduated from her alma mater. Upon producing his student ID card as proof, the two realized just how much they had in common.

Their time together in the military was no easy feat, however. They have had to overcome deployments, being stationed apart from one another for years at a time, and dealing with the military’s archaic record-keeping systems that aren’t exactly accommodating for dual-military couples.

“There are certain systems and processes that aren’t necessarily set up for dual-military couples,” says Allison, who was a cadet with the U.S. Army ROTC detachment at ���ϲ����� while she was a student. “There were so many times that someone would say, ‘Oh you’re Mrs. Murray!’ and I would have to say, “No, I’m Major Murray, or Lieutenant Colonel Murray, I’m in the service too!’ It wasn’t just the person who couldn’t grasp the concept, sometimes it was the data-entry system for things like keeping track of our children in the system and making sure they were under both of our names.”

The pair said they deliberately made the decision to not be geographically separated if at all possible, that means sacrificing potential assignments that could be better for their career progression. For two highly-ambitious people determined for success, that was a challenge in of itself.

“Thankfully we both had great mentors, people who were rock stars in the military and who were highly supportive of us,” Allison says.

“At the end of the day our goal was less about our own individual ambition, and more about the goal of keeping the family together,” says Dwayne.

The couple now have three children together: Dwayne, who is a junior in the , as well as Caleb and Malachi.

Allison (left) and Dwayne Murray

Read more love stories from students, staff and alumni by checking out the 2024 #OrangeLove photo gallery!

More than 20 people from the University’s military-connected community attended the 16th Annual SVA NATCON this year.

This year, the Office of Veteran and Military Affairs sponsored 13 student veterans to attend NATCON in Nasveville to include conference admission, lodging, and travel, a gesture made possible by the generosity of Veteran Legacy Fund donors.

According to U.S. Navy veteran John Nipper ’22, G’23, who serves as the president of the Student Veterans Organization, the event proved to be an outstanding success.

“The conference provided a plethora of sensational job opportunities and unparalleled networking experiences with industry giants such as EY, Boeing, Northrop Grumman, and more,” says Nipper, a graduate student in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs.

As a chapter of the SVA, the Student Veterans Organization plays a crucial role in keeping its members informed about G.I. Bill benefits and the latest educational opportunities available to veterans nationwide.

In addition to the student veterans, ���ϲ����� is well-represented by faculty and staff at NATCON each year. The D’Aniello Institute for Veterans and Military Families consistently sends staff to NATCON, contributing valuable research briefs on current issues impacting student veterans, military families and service members today.

Rosalinda Maury, the director of applied research at the IVMF, expressed the significance of presenting at the SVA National Conference. “It was a profound opportunity to highlight the critical research conducted here at ���ϲ�����. It’s a testament to our commitment to enhancing the lives of veterans through education and entrepreneurship,” Maury says.

Maury, alongside other research staff from the IVMF, engaged in several presentations in Nashville, covering topics from the basics of entrepreneurship for veterans to veteran employment trends. In some instances, they were joined by veterans from the Office of Veteran and Military Affairs.

“Representing ���ϲ����� at the national conference each year is truly a rewarding experience. This university is well known for its historic commitment to veterans, and that shows in our presence at NATCON each year,” says Dwayne Murray, the OVMA’s deputy director and a retired U.S. Army lieutenant colonel.

Murray also participated in presentations with the IVMF’s Linda Euto and Corrinne Zoli. The three spoke about navigating student veteran experiences in higher education and how to foster a community of belonging for military-connected students.

Moreover, attendees had the privilege of hearing from the conference’s keynote speaker, Merryl Tengesdal, a retired U.S. Air Force colonel who holds the distinction of being the first black woman to break the sound barrier in the SR-71 Blackbird. Tengesdal, who also spoke at the IVMF’s Veteran Women Igniting the Spirit of Entrepreneurship conference in Jacksonville, Florida, last year, often shares her experiences of overcoming diversity as a black woman in the Air Force prior to the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001.

Student veterans attending the 16th Annual SVA NATCON were able to enjoy an evening at the historic Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tennessee

NATCON not only offers valuable professional insights but also serves as an opportunity to explore a new parts of the country. Participants from ���ϲ����� enjoyed an evening at the Grand Ole Opry house, where they were treated to performances by various musicians, including ���ϲ����� native Tony Trischka, a banjo player who began his music career in the early 60s and has since become an influential figure in the Bluegrass music scene.

Overall, the three-day 16th Annual SVA National Conference in Nashville was an enriching experience for ���ϲ�����’s military-connected community, providing a platform for professional growth, meaningful connections and a celebration of the spirit of entrepreneurship and resilience among our nation’s veterans.

As participants return to classes, the echoes of inspiration and camaraderie will undoubtedly resonate, fostering a supportive community of success at ���ϲ����� that will continue to make it “the best place for veterans.”

This year’s celebrations commenced with the release of the Military Times Best for Vets College rankings on Nov. 6, where ���ϲ����� once again secured a spot in the top 10% of colleges and universities. Such an achievement is only possible due to the unwavering dedication of the University’s faculty and staff, along with a supportive campus community.

From left to right, student veterans Jack Pullano ’24, Benetta Dousuah G’25 and Raphael Grollmus ’24.

Throughout the week, three student veterans and one veteran alumni member of the OVMA advisory board shared their stories with the campus community. Benetta Dousuah G’25, Raphael Grollmus ’24 and Jack Pullano ’24 shared their reflections on their service and how ���ϲ����� is impacting their post-service lives.

Retired U.S. Army Command Sgt. Maj. Gary Ginsburg ’72, a member of the OVMA advisory board and a graduate of the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, spoke about a lifetime of service to those who have served and his selection for a leadership position within a national veterans’ service organization.

The Libraries’ Special Collections Research Center, in collaboration with the Department of Digital Stewardship, launched the digital exhibition, “.” Additionally, library staff created a table display to showcase the work of several student veterans and veteran alumni. A central focus of the display was a recently published book about , a U.S. Army Air Corps pilot during World War II who was a member of the historic Tuskegee Airmen.

On Nov. 10, things kicked off early as more than 230 registered participants arrived on campus in the chilly morning hours for the annual Veterans Day 5K Walk and Run, hosted by the OVMA. The event welcomed participants from the Central New York region onto campus for a run with military-connected students, faculty and staff to build camaraderie and esprit de corps.

The ���ϲ����� Veterans Day Ceremony official party. From left to right, Sheneé Bletson; John Nipper ’23, G’24; Hendricks Chapel Dean Brian Konkol; Chancellor Kent Syverud; and Retired Lt. Cmdr. Laurie Coffey L’25. (Photo by Charlie Poag)

After the run, the doors opened at the D’Aniello National Veterans Resource Center to welcome guests for the University’s annual Veterans Day Ceremony. The ceremony featured Sheneé Bletson, a U.S. Air Force veteran who works in the Office of Inclusive Excellence as an office coordinator; U.S. Navy Veteran John Nipper ’23, G’24, president of the University’s Student Veteran Organization; and , a student in the College of Law who served as the keynote speaker.

“It is crucial that young people of diverse backgrounds and circumstances are exposed to the inspiration and confidence that come from having someone believe in them. ���ϲ�����’s position of educating leaders is a conduit to a better future,” said Coffey, who served for more than 20 years as a combat aviator in the U.S. Navy. “It is through community that we may come together and empower young people to achieve and gain self confidence.”

U.S. Air Force Lt. Cmdr. Sean Stumpf ’07 in the pilot’s seat of a C-130. (Photo courtesy of Sean Stumpf)

On Nov. 11, the Orange men’s football team faced the Pittsburgh Panthers at Yankee Stadium in New York City, marking 100 years since the two teams came together in 1923 to establish the collegiate football tradition at the historic baseball field. Taking place on Veterans Day this year, the game featured members from the University’s ROTC Color Guard presenting the national colors and a flyover by Lt. Col. Sean Stumpf ’07, a C-130 pilot in the U.S. Air Force.

In a poignant moment during the game, twin brothers and U.S. Army veterans were proudly featured as the game’s Hometown Heroes. The Watts twins both competed on the University’s track and field team in the early 1990s before serving in the U.S. Army. William stood in for both of the brothers on Saturday, as Clarence passed away due to complications from cancer in 2015.

���ϲ�����’s Hometown Hero presentation to William Watts ’94. (Photo by Dwayne Murray)

Michael Greifenstein, ’27, a military-connected student and broadcast and digital journalism major in the Newhouse School, was among a handful of winners from the OVMA’s Orange in the City competition, which paid for transportation to and from the game, accommodations in the city, tickets to the game and other ���ϲ�����-related festivities over the weekend.

“Getting to experience the 100th anniversary game, especially from the venue my girlfriend and I were in, was an unforgettable experience,” says Greifenstein. “Growing up as a Yankee fan and studying now as a ���ϲ����� student, this a time I won’t soon forget.”

From ���ϲ����� to New York City, OVMA Deputy Director Dwayne Murray ’91 played a crucial role behind the scenes to ensure a smooth celebration of Veterans Day at ���ϲ�����. Murray, who grew up in the Bronx and also competed on the University’s track and field team with the Watts Twins, shared his reflections on the weekend’s events.

“Spending time in Bronx while representing ���ϲ����� and the Office of Veteran and Military Affairs on Veterans Day was an enchanting experience,” says Murray, who grew up close enough to Yankee Stadium to hear the cheers after a home run. “From the color guard and the flyover by one of our very own alums to the hometown hero presentation, Veterans Day just meant a little bit more this year.”

For more information about OVMA, or how you can support the University’s goal of being the “Best Place for Veterans,” visit the OVMA website at veterans.syr.edu.

Leading up to Veterans Day, three current student veterans who are active leaders on campus—Jack Pullano ’24, Benetta Dousuah G’25 and Raphael Grollmus ’24—reflect on their military careers, discuss the valuable lessons they learned through enlisting and share how the University is helping them achieve their academic goals and providing a blueprint for giving back to their communities.

Student veterans (from left to right): Jack Pullano, Benetta Dousuah and Raphael Grollmus

Jack Pullano ’24

Jack Pullano (Photo by Marilyn Hesler)

After earning his high school degree from Parishville-Hopkinton High School in Parishville, New York, Pullano couldn’t wait to enlist in the U.S. Air Force. He was so eager to serve his country that he took the first assignment he could: as a refueling journeyman for planes and helicopters.

“My dad told me I should wait it out and not do this contract because he didn’t think I would like the work, but I was a young, stubborn 18-year-old who didn’t want to listen to him,” says Pullano, a health and exercise science major in the who is involved in the ���ϲ����� Student Veteran Organization. “Things played out in my favor. I didn’t enjoy refueling, but I was lucky to be on an Air Force Special Operations Command Base where there was a special fuel duty called the Special Operations Forward Area Refueling Point Team [FARP] that supports special operations command in combat locations. The tryout I had to go through for FARP was intense, and that experience started me down the path that led to ���ϲ�����,”

Branch of the military: U.S. Air Force, serving on the Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, Japan, helping fuel different kinds of aircraft. In his third year, Pullano was deployed to Afghanistan as part of a three-man FARP team. He served four years in the Air Force.

Pullano served four years in the U.S. Air Force, helping fuel different kinds of aircraft.

Why serve? “Because of my parents, Jim and Kelly. My dad joined the Air Force when he was young like me, doing one enlistment and then pursuing his education. My parents were always involved in my community growing up, especially with the sports I played. Seeing that community involvement probably instilled in me the service aspect that drives me today.”
Why ���ϲ�����? “It was my personal interest in the human body from the intense physical tryout to get on the FARP team. I became interested not only in working out, but in what was causing changes to my body. I was learning about the human body by watching YouTube videos on how different muscles work. When I was looking at colleges, I wanted to pursue something I was interested in, and exercise science stood out to me. ���ϲ����� has a strong program.”
How do you want to make a difference when you graduate? “Part of why I joined the military was the service aspect. Service was a goal of mine since I was young. When I got out of the Air Force, I wanted to continue to serve in ways that could be impactful to the community. Physical therapy drew my attention because of my past experiences and my drive to work one-on-one with patients trying to overcome an obstacle in their life. I’m currently interning at the VA [Veterans Affairs] Medical Center and that really opened my mind that I could not only continue with service that impacts people, but I could do it in the VA system, helping veterans with physical therapy.”

Benetta Dousuah G’25

Benetta Dousuah

When Dousuah was in the U.S. Army, she says soldiers dealing with mental health issues didn’t discuss their struggles openly, instead choosing to bottle up their emotions and their issues. Seeing the stigmas associated with mental health inspired Dousuah to pursue a master of social work degree from the Falk College.

“I want to be that person who lets you know that it’s okay to seek help if you’re struggling. I want to be that voice that says there shouldn’t be a stigma among military members who want to seek behavioral health and mental health help,” Dousuah says. “While I was in the service, a lot of people told me they were scared to seek help because they wouldn’t be promoted or they would be judged. I started going to behavioral health to let the soldiers know that it’s okay to admit you need help while bringing awareness to mental health,”

Branch of the military: Served as a sergeant in the U.S. Army. Stationed at both Fort Hood (now Fort Cavazos in Texas) and Fort Drum (Watertown, New York), Dousuah was involved in supply logistics, ensuring her company had everything they needed, from arranging broken equipment repairs to ordering supplies.

Dousuah was a sergeant in the U.S. Army involved in supply logistics.

Why serve? “When I was younger, my mother used to remind me that I wanted to be a police officer. I don’t know why; all I know is from an early age I wanted to serve. The military allows you to go to college for free after your service is over, and that really appealed to me. I’ve always known I wanted to earn a college degree and be part of something bigger than myself.”
Why ���ϲ�����? “I wanted to be somewhere where I could not only feel at home, but still feel like I’m connected to the military family. I chose ���ϲ����� because of its reputation as a military-friendly school, but also because of the pride people take in going to ���ϲ�����. It’s like being in the Army. When you meet someone who was in the Army, we’re proud of our service and will usually say, ‘Go Army.’ The same is true for someone who attended ���ϲ�����. They always say, ‘Go Orange,’ and I’m blessed to be part of that community. I’ve been introduced to so many resources available to veterans.”
How do you want to make a difference when you graduate? “Right now, I’m the first Wendy Goidel Scholar, and through my work at the , I connect our veterans to the available resources within the community. I have a passion for working with veterans, and this scholarship has been a great fit. When I graduate, I want to work at the VA Medical Center here in ���ϲ�����, but I also want to work with at-risk African American youths. I feel like my story could be every young Black girl’s dream—coming from nothing, serving my country in the military and then earning a master’s degree. I could be an inspiration to others who want to follow my path.”

Raphael Grollmus ’24

Raphael Grollmus (Photo by Marilyn Hesler)

Grollmus didn’t need to look far in his family tree to understand why military service was important. Grollmus became the sixth member of his family to enroll when he joined the U.S. Marine Corps in 2012. While he enjoyed his time, Grollmus always knew he wanted to utilize the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill to earn a college degree. Today, Grollmus is working toward a bachelor’s degree with a double major in forensic science and psychology in the .

“The time I served better prepared me for not only going to ���ϲ�����, but life in general. I learned to think critically and to assess a situation before reacting,” Grollmus says. “For the student veterans at ���ϲ�����, there are so many tools and resources available to us. Many veterans I talk with didn’t know all of the resources they had when they went back to school, but that’s where ���ϲ����� has excelled. They take care of their veterans.”

Branch of the military: Served in the U.S. Marine Corps for nine years as a military policeman at the Marine Corps Air Station at Iwakuni, Japan, and at Camp Pendleton (Oceanside, California). Later, Grollmus assisted in combat operations as a forensic analyst stationed in the Middle East in Kuwait, Jordan, Bahrain and Iraq. After reenlisting, Grollmus finished his Marine security guard training and was stationed at the U.S. Embassy in Bamako, Mali, and the U.S. Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

Grollmus served in the U.S. Marine Corps for nine years.

Why serve? “My mother, brother and sister were all in the Army. My grandfather on my mom’s side, Hank, fought in World War II, while my grandfather on my dad’s side, Paul, fought in the Korean War, so I grew up knowing the importance of service. After I graduated from high school, I enlisted in the Marines’ delayed entry program and ended up serving nine years. It goes back to my time as a military policeman. I want to protect people from the bad things that could happen to them. I also want to give back to people who have been wronged or been taken advantage of. I can’t go back in time and right the wrongs, but moving forward I can help give back to them.”
Why ���ϲ�����? “When we were in the Middle East, we did forensics work and I was lucky enough to go to a monthlong forensic bootcamp. When transitioning out of the Marines, I wanted to study something I actually enjoyed. What we did in the Middle East was probably the most influential work from my military career and I was proud of what I was able to contribute. I wanted to keep doing forensic science and ���ϲ����� has a great forensic science program. All the classes I’ve taken have been fantastic.”
How do you want to make a difference when you graduate? “My dream job would be working for one of those three-letter agencies [i.e., the Federal Bureau of Investigation]. That’s shooting for the stars, but I’d love to enter government service. But right now I’m taking a forensic pathology course that is fascinating and I genuinely love it. Crime scene investigation is a really interesting career path to consider.”

In the 2023 Military Times Best for Vets rankings, ���ϲ����� once again secured a position in the top 10% of private nonprofit colleges and universities, emphasizing its dedication to providing exceptional educational opportunities for those who have served. Additionally, ���ϲ����� clinched second place among colleges and universities in the Northeast.

���ϲ����� has once again received national recognition from The Military Times for how the University supports veterans and military families.

rankings, an editorially independent news project, meticulously evaluates various factors contributing to the post-service lives of service members, veterans and their families. Following extensive surveys of over 325 colleges and universities across the nation, the results were unveiled by the Military Times on Monday.

“���ϲ�����’s place in the 2023 Best for Vets results from the dedication of our faculty, staff, students and alumni to the success of our nation’s veterans,” says , vice chancellor for strategic initiatives and innovation. “Veteran and military-connected initiatives across the university have helped grow and enrich our community through multi-disciplinary research, more diverse classrooms, and national convenings to explore the future of our commitment to serving those who have served. Making ���ϲ����� the nation’s ‘best place’ for military-connected students, veterans and their families stems from our unique and historic connection to that community and remains a top priority going forward.”

���ϲ����� claimed the twenty-third position overall in the Military Times rankings, which used a comprehensive list of categories to formulate their analysis, most of which ���ϲ����� excels in, including:

• career support;
• VA work-study availability;
• Yellow Ribbon program;
• admissions preference;
• academic support for military-connected students;
• priority registration;
• financial assistance;
• veteran’s services;
• mental health services; and
• accreditations

���ϲ����� ranks among the top 10% of colleges and universities across the country for veterans.

A driving force behind ���ϲ�����’s success is the , a one-stop shop for all things military and veteran-related on campus. The OVMA provides military-connected students with a wide array of essential programs and services, whether they are learning remotely or in person.

“This ranking is an important benchmark for us as it’s a primary source of information for the approximately 200,000 service members who leave military service each year. ���ϲ����� may be known as the ‘Best Place for Veterans,’ but for those who are less familiar with us, this list may be their first introduction to what opportunities we provide,” says , OVMA’s executive director and a retired U.S. Army Colonel. “Our growing team of dedicated staff, many of them veterans themselves, can look proudly on these results and know they have made a difference in the lives of our veteran alumni.”

The University has yet again placed support for veterans and military-connected students among its top priorities within the new . In previous years, the University has overhauled admissions processes, registration procedures, credit transfer policies, new student orientation and housing policies to align with the unique needs of potential military-connected students.

���ϲ����� is already moving forward to secure better placement on the list in the coming years. Through the growth of its programs and services—including those offered through the —the University continues to be an innovative and supportive home for those who have served our country.

For more information on ���ϲ�����’s innovative measures to be the Best Place for Veterans, please visit the .

On Friday, Nov. 10, the campus community is invited to the National Veterans Resource Center at the Daniel and Gayle D’Aniello Building for the observance of the ���ϲ����� Veterans Day ceremony 2023.

The ceremony will begin at 11 a.m. on Friday, November 10, and last for approximately one hour. The ceremony will be held in the K.G. Tan Auditorium, followed by a reception in the Bisignano Grand Hall inside the NVRC.

U.S. Marine Corps veteran Kari Mickinkle ’11, G’22 will open the ceremony and serve as the emcee. Mickinkle is a school-certifying official with the Office of Veteran Success.

Student-veteran John Nipper ’23, G’24, a U.S. Navy veteran and the president of ���ϲ�����’s Student Veterans Organization, will speak about his personal experience as a military-connected student on campus as well as the history of ���ϲ�����’s commitment to veterans and military-connected students. Nipper is currently a graduate student in the pursuing a master’s degree in public administration.

Sheneé Bletson, who served in the U.S. Air Force, currently works as the office coordinator in the Office of Inclusive Excellence. Bletson will speak about the history of Veterans Day and the national importance of honoring those who have served in defense of the nation.

���ϲ�����  will deliver remarks as well as introduce the keynote speaker for the ceremony. Retired U.S. Navy Lieutenant Commander Laurie Coffey, L’24 will serve as the guest speaker.

Coffey, a Corning, New York native, served as a fighter pilot in the U.S. Navy after graduating from the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis. Coffey accrued over 25 combat missions, 100 combat hours, 2,400 flight hours and 300 carrier landings, part of which was featured on a PBS 10-part Emmy-award-winning documentary, “Carrier.”

“When I started to look to law schools, ���ϲ����� stood out for its recognition and acknowledgment of the contributions of Veterans,” says Coffey, who was celebrated as ���ϲ�����’s Hometown Hero during a recent football game. “This has been my first foray into a ‘civilian’ university, and  I wasn’t sure what to expect but I immediately found the environment welcoming. Having the connection with other Veterans on campus is really important to me, the camaraderie of a common experience and background is vital to the transition out of service.”

Those wishing to attend are asked to RSVP through the university’s . The NVRC has limited accessible parking spaces available for those who require parking accommodations; those who plan on attending are asked to email kslantry@syr.edu if they require access to one of the available parking spaces. All others are requested to find parking available around campus.

Timothy Strong speaking about Visions Federal Credit Union’s program to support military-connected students. (Photos by Charlie Poag)

Military-connected students arriving for their first semester at ���ϲ����� typically have a myriad of needs and challenges that are vastly different from the traditional students they attend classes with. Understanding these unique issues, the hosts a new student orientation and resource exclusively for military-connected students each semester.

The orientation event this year was held inside the . The OVMA expanded the audience for the orientation beyond the growing population of student veterans to include those currently serving service members and their family members. “This semester we are welcoming 22 new residential undergraduate student veterans to campus, adding to the total of 478 veterans we currently have enrolled at ���ϲ�����. Additionally, we have more than 1,200 military-connected students, almost six percent of the enrolled student population, attending either full-time, part-time, in person, or online,” said Ron Novack, executive director of the OVMA and a retired U.S. Army colonel. “These students are joining a growing network of military-connected alumni at a university that has set a standard in higher education on providing opportunities for veterans and service members in their post-service lives.”

OVMA Executive Director, Ron Novack, welcomes the newest military-connected students to campus during the Military-Connected Student Orientation and Resource Fair.

In addition to the expanded audience, this year the OVMA welcomed representatives from to the orientation and resource fair. During the orientation, Visions Federal Credit Union’s Director of Branding and Public Relations, Timothy Strong, announced a new partnership with the OVMA to deliver more robust programs and services for military-connected students at ���ϲ�����. “We are proud to partner with ���ϲ�����’s Office of Veteran and Military Affairs to support student veterans,” said Strong. “This impactful program is a natural fit for our mission of helping people achieve their financial goals. We appreciate the commitment and sacrifice of our veteran and military-connected communities and are committed to providing both with the resources they need to succeed.”

The program, funded by Visions Credit Union, will help support access to tutoring, upskilling and financial readiness resources in addition to enhancing existing career services and other programs offered by the OVMA. “We are very excited to have Visions Federal Credit Union as a corporate partner for the OVMA. This program will provide new academic programmatic support and services to the options offered to our student veterans and military-connected students,” said Novack. “I am looking forward to the impact this program will have for our military-connected students, as well as having Visions Federal Credit Union as a partner to support our students through their transition out of the military as well as their pursuit of academic and professional goals.”

Beth Kubala, executive director of the Betty and Michael D. Wohl Veterans Legal Clinic, and professor at the College of Law, speaks with a military-connected student during Military-Connected Student Orientation and Resource Fair.

After the orientation presentations on available programs and services, the incoming students and family members were able to attend a resource fair held in the Bisignano Grand Hall. More than 25 organizations from on and off campus attended the resource fair, most representing private or non-profit organizations focused specifically on veterans and military families.

Those military-connected students who missed the orientation and resource fair are highly encouraged to visit the Office of Veteran and Military Affairs to learn about exclusive services, programs and support for military-connected students at ���ϲ�����.

Military-connected students pose for a group photo at the end of the 2023 Student Veteran Commencement ceremony. (Photo by Jeremy Brinn)

The  welcomed the campus community to the on May 12, for a day of celebrating the academic achievements of graduating military-connected students.

The day started with an early morning at the Student Veterans Commencement Ceremony. Approximately 216 military-connected students graduated from their academic programs in 2023, or will graduate over the coming summer months, earning undergraduate, graduate, law and doctoral degrees, as well as completing advanced certification programs from the University’s thirteen schools and colleges.

Military-connected students include those who are physically here on campus and those taking classes virtually from the comfort of home or forward-deployed positions throughout the world. Many are also members of the Student Veterans Organization at ���ϲ�����, the official student organization registered with Student Activities on campus, and the University’s official chapter of the Student Veterans of America.

John Nipper ’23, President of the ���ϲ����� Student Veterans Organization.

Graduating senior John Nipper, a U.S. Navy veteran who was recently elected as President of the SVO, spoke during the ceremony about the unique experiences student veterans face in pursuing academic goals through higher education and how the college experience differs for military-connected students. “Our time at ���ϲ����� has not only provided us with the knowledge and skills to excel in our chosen fields, but it has also offered us the opportunity to forge lifelong friendships, engage in thought-provoking discourse, and broaden our horizons,” says Nipper, who will return to campus next semester to pursue a master’s degree in public administration from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs. “We are not merely University graduates but ambassadors for the power of education and its transformative impact on our lives. Let us use our newfound knowledge to advocate for change, inspire future generations, and build bridges of understanding and compassion,” Nipper says.

Dr. Kwuan Paruchabutr ‘01

The keynote speaker for the ceremony was Dr. Kwuan Paruchabutr ’01, a U.S. Army veteran and an assistant professor at the Uniformed Services University. Dr. Paruchabutr is also the president-elect for the National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Health. “Life is about constant reinvention. I have had to continuously learn, unlearn and re-learn. It’s about the journey, not the destination,” says Paruchabutr, who graduated from ���ϲ�����’s School of Nursing in 2001 with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. “You have all overcome challenges and shown incredible dedication, for that you should be proud. As you move forward in your careers and lives, remember the lessons you have learned and never forget the impact you can have on the world.”

During the ceremony, student veterans were awarded the red, white and blue honor cords to wear with their graduation regalia at the University’s Commencement Ceremony, or their individual school or college’s convocation celebrations. The cord is given in honor of their military service and acknowledgment of their academic achievement. Additionally, student veterans have the option to wear a stole which distinctly identifies those graduating students who have served in the military.

Phil Benedict G’23

Among the student veterans graduating this year, Phil Benedict, who served in both the U.S. Air Force and the U.S. Navy Reserve, earned a master’s degree in teaching and curriculum from the School of Education. Benedict works for ���ϲ����� Facilities Services as a building supervisor, and also teaches a women’s self-defense class and is the head coach for the ���ϲ����� boxing team.

After a brief reception following the ceremony, the K.G. Tan Auditorium doors opened back up to welcome guests to the Army and Air Force Commissioning Celebration. The University’s U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force ROTC detachments held individual commissioning ceremonies later in the day, where cadets took the Oath of Office and were pinned as Second Lieutenants in their respective branches.

J. Michael Haynie, ���ϲ����� Vice Chancellor for Strategic Initiatives and Innovation

���ϲ�����’s Vice Chancellor for Strategic Initiatives and Innovation, J. Michael Haynie, served as a part of the official party for the ceremony and during his opening remarks addressed the growing military-civilian divide that exists within the United States. “Each of you being commissioned today will join the profession of arms at a time in history when the majority of American citizens do not know you, do not understand the full weight of the burden that you will carry, or truly comprehend the price that some of you may be asked to pay,” says Haynie. “Those people who do not know you, those people who do not understand the price of service, are not in this room. They certainly are not among the leadership of this University.”

Later in the day the U.S. Army ROTC, the Stalwart Battalion, and the U.S. Air Force ROTC, Detachment 353, held separate ceremonies to formally commission the new Lieutenants. The graduating cadets took the Oath of Office and were pinned with their new rank as Second Lieutenants with family and friends on hand. Many of the new Lieutenants received their first salute during the ceremony, rendered by friends and family who either had served or currently are serving. The Stalwart Battalion commissioned twenty-three new officers for the U.S. Army, and Detachment 353 commissioned nine new officers for the U.S. Air Force.

The Office of Veteran and Military Affairs proudly celebrates the accomplishments of these graduating military-connected students and invites the campus community to and celebrations from throughout the day. Additionally, those interested in learning more about ���ϲ�����’s commitment to being the “Best Place for Veterans” are encouraged to visit ���ϲ�����’s .

With both sectors preparing for significant recruitment and enrollment challenges, ���ϲ����� and the University of Tennessee co-hosted a first-of-its-kind, two-day summit to explore how higher education and the federal government could partner up to better support our nation’s service members.

Chancellor Kent Syverud

Held during the 50th anniversary of the end of the military draft and the birth of America’s all-volunteer force, “The All-Volunteer Force at 50: Higher Education and America’s Volunteer Military” summit saw more than two dozen university chancellors and presidents from across the country meet with senior government officials in the Department of Defense (DoD) and Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to address some of the most pressing challenges facing veterans and the long-term sustainability of an all-volunteer armed services.

“We can work together for the common good, and that’s special. We need to create clear pathways to opportunities for enlisted persons, and we need to tell their stories if we expect our enlisted service system to continue working. The pathways need to include much less siloed cooperation, moving back and forth between jobs, academia and the military to create those pathways,” told the summit attendees during his closing remarks.

More than two dozen university chancellors and presidents from across the country met with senior government officials in the Department of Defense and Department of Veterans Affairs to address some of the most pressing challenges facing veterans and the long-term sustainability of an all-volunteer armed services.

Seven Key Takeaways

Kori Schake, senior fellow and director of foreign and defense policy with the American Enterprise Institute, moderated the panel discussion “Where Do We Go From Here?” and summarized the key takeaways as the following:

• Understanding the difference between being veteran friendly (think social media posts touting the benefits of attending a university) and veteran ready (providing the resources, support and access to education that sets members of the military-connected community up for success).
• Improving higher education’s access to the DoD, including nearby military bases.
• Understanding how to navigate DoD bureaucracy, including communicating with military-connected individuals to ensure they understand the process and costs of earning a degree.
• Establishing VA pilot programs to see what’s working for veterans, and what support they need to succeed.
• Creating community for all veterans on campus.
• Reimagining education, military service and work as an ecosystem of exchange, including what the lifecycle in that ecosystem looks like for service members.
• Conveying student veteran best practices to the DoD and VA.

J. Michael Haynie

“How can we think differently about our relationship, and maybe explore opportunities to collaborate and partner moving forward? One of the drivers of volunteerism for military service today is service as a pathway to education. How can we make access to higher education easier, more accessible, more affordable, and by doing so, create more of a push to national service?” said , founder and executive director of the (IVMF).

An Obligation to Make Sure Veterans Reach Their Full Potential

Summit participants agreed that changes need to come, and soon, including altering the narrative around veterans who serve. Matt Amidon, senior advisor with the George W. Bush Institute, said young people view veterans as either heroes who deserve to be lauded or victims to feel sorry for, thanks to their depiction in films and television shows, instead of valued community members who just want to focus on their goals as civilians once they transition out of active duty.

Also, instead of viewing veterans as outsiders in society, University of Montana President Seth Bodnar, a U.S. Army veteran, pointed to the use of compelling storytelling to help spotlight how military-connected students can enhance a college campus.

“Let’s not ‘otherize’ our veterans by acting like they’re not part of our society. I get that military service is so concentrated, but our veterans are not a separate part of our society; they are an integral part, and we have an obligation to make sure every member of our veteran community can reach their unique, full potential,” Bodnar said during the panel, “Competition vs. Collaboration: Common Challenges Make Us Better Together.”

A different mentality is needed too, when it comes to recruiting the next class of veterans to higher education.

“Instead of competing, maybe we can think about innovative ways to collaborate and to partner to the betterment of both institutions,” said Haynie.

Eliminating Barriers to Higher Education

Each year, more than 200,000 military members make the transition from active duty to civilian life, with 74% of that population pursuing a higher education degree once their service has ended.

But only 60% of veterans take advantage of their post-9/11 GI Bill benefits, while 19% of veterans won’t use their benefits because they think it’s too difficult to navigate through higher education or they don’t have enough knowledge about their benefits.

“How can everyone who has served and earned that right, which they’re entitled to, take advantage of their benefits? This is part of paying and rewarding those who made the sacrifice with their hard-earned benefits,” said Joseph Garcia, executive director of education service in the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Ashish S. Vazirani, the Department of Defense’s deputy undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness, delivered the keynote address at the summit.

There are currently 2.3 million active and reserve service members in the U.S., and 75% of enlistees come from military legacy families, meaning their decision to serve was inspired by someone they know who had a history of service, said Ashish S. Vazirani, the DoD’s deputy undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness who delivered the keynote address.

“Younger Americans are not exposed to the unique and compelling stories of service and the pathways to education offered by service. The military embraces most of the values these young people seek in life and in a career,” Vazirani said.

“We’re Going to Work Forward, Together”

As the summit drew to a close, there was a sense of optimism that the core principles addressed during the two-day gathering would lead to momentum and sustained change moving forward.

“I’ve been to ���ϲ����� three times before [to discuss this topic] and up until this visit, the conversation was always linear and one-way,” said Brent Orrell, senior fellow with the American Enterprise Institute. “But today we had productive conversations that were not linear but an ecosphere of exchanges between the institutions. Each of these institutions are working to progress toward the same ends of creating a stronger America.”

“This summit was never intended to be a one and done. It was intended to be a call to action on a critical problem facing our military and our country. We’re going to work forward, together,” added Chancellor Syverud.

Marquez, director of the National Security Division for The American Legion and an Iraq War veteran, gave remarks at the U.S. Capitol on March 16, along with its hosts, senators Tim Kaine (D-Va.) and Todd Young (R-Ind.). Marquez is pursuing an , offered by the in partnership with the

Maxwell graduate student Mario A. Marquez, director of the National Security Division for The American Legion, spoke at a press conference earlier this month urging lawmakers to repeal the legislation that authorized military force in the decades-old war in Iraq.

“This year marks the 20th anniversary of the beginning of combat operations in Iraq and the overthrow of Saddam Hussein,” Marquez told the crowd and cameras before a backdrop of the Capitol building. “The conflict was declared over in 2011, but the law that authorized it is still on the books today.”

If signed into law, a bill supported by Kaine and Young would repeal the 1991 Gulf War authorization and the 2002 Iraq War authorization. The senators are part of a bipartisan group of lawmakers who argue that the repeal is needed to prevent abuse by presidential administrations that could use the old authorizations to launch unrelated combat operations without approval from Congress.

On Wednesday, March 29, the Senate voted 66-30 to repeal the authorizations. The legislation now goes to the U.S. House of Representatives for a vote. Speaker Kevin McCarthy has conveyed support for it.  The White House has also expressed support, issuing a statement endorsing the repeal and noting that it would not affect the 2,500 U.S. troops now stationed in Iraq.

Marquez, who retired from the U.S. Marine Corps as a sergeant major with more than 31 years of service, talked at the press conference about his four combat tours in Iraq. He said he has “vivid memories” of “intense fighting and unimaginable heroism.” During his second and third tours, he said he was subjected to “intense heavy fire, improvised explosive devices and frequent attacks.” During his fourth tour, he said he saw “a major reduction in combat operations” and signs of progress.

“The American Legion is an organization composed of members who have fought in this nation’s wars,” Marquez said at the press conference. “We applaud the effort and note that it affirms what we’ve known for years: There is a strong bipartisan consensus that it is long past time to repeal these two authorizations.”

As director of The American Legion’s National Security Division, Marquez is responsible for support and analysis of defense and foreign policy issues. Previously, he served as director of the organization’s Veterans Affairs and Rehabilitation Division. He spent 20 years of his military service deployed or stationed overseas.

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.

The Student Veterans of America 15th Annual National Conference serves as an opportunity to celebrate the accomplishments of student veterans and their advocates in higher education and afford opportunities to speak with veteran-inclusive companies and advocacy organizations.

A group of 14 military-connected students were in Florida earlier this month at the Walt Disney World Resort to attend the Student Veterans of America 15th Annual National Conference (NATCON). Additionally, eight staff members from the Office of Veteran and Military Affairs and the D’Aniello Institute for Veterans and Military Families attended the conference, which boasts the largest gathering for the military-connected community within higher education.

The students were mostly from the Student Veterans Organization, the University’s official student association focused on support, advocacy and camaraderie for the campus military-connected community.

The conference serves as an opportunity to celebrate the accomplishments of student veterans and their advocates in higher education, but the schedule-packed days also afford opportunities to speak with veteran-inclusive companies and advocacy organizations, and even express their support or concern for future legislation impacting the military community.

Cadets from the University’s two Reserve Officer Training Corps detachments were also given the opportunity to take part in the unique student experience. As future military officers, they received exposure to the broad range of programs and services that will be available to them and their future subordinates upon separation from the military.

“Student Veterans of America’s National Conference kicks off a new year for student veterans, military-connected students, survivors and those who support them, and provides a unique opportunity for employers looking to empower this incredibly talented population,” says Student Veterans of America National President and CEO Jared Lyon. “This year’s 15th Annual celebration marks a legacy of leadership, opportunity and service that will reverberate for years to come.”

To attend NATCON, the students applied for one of the conference tickets the OVMA provides each year. Thanks to donations to the Veterans Legacy Fund, the OVMA covers the cost of conference registration, airfare and lodging for a certain number of ���ϲ����� students each year.

Many military-connected students attend NATCON to speak to a banquet hall full of companies looking to hire veterans, veteran services organizations educating about their services and advocacy groups seeking input on current legislation for policies impacting veterans. For those students who are members of the SVO’s executive board, going to NATCON also includes an opportunity to gain valuable lessons on running a students veteran organization on campus.

“A big moment for me was during one of the breakout sessions. I realized before looking onward to after graduating from Maxwell and Whitman next year that there are several ways in which I can serve my community right here in ���ϲ�����, beyond the SVO or being an EMT,” says Anthony Ruscitto G’22, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and the president of ���ϲ�����’s SVO.

“The best aspect of the conference this year was the student veterans and staff we took though. Each of us are different in ways beyond just our service branch. We all had different career goals and background but definitely grew a lot closer and learned more about each other over the week. I’d recommend every SU student veteran apply to go every year, if possible,” Ruscitto says.

In addition to being the SVO’s president, Ruscitto, a graduate student with the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, was among the eight finalists in the running for Student Veteran of the Year this year. While a student from Loyola University walked away with the top honors this year, Ruscitto did have a unique opportunity that most college students would never experience.

Anthony Ruscitto

“The most significant and certainly most exciting moment was being able to address the entire conference and formally introduce Denis McDonough, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs,” says Ruscitto. “It was a humbling and very rewarding experience to be recognized, I can’t believe where I am today after looking back at the last four years.”

Ruscitto and other student veterans also sat down with the U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona to discuss the challenges facing veterans in higher education. Student veterans at ���ϲ����� enjoy a high level of support, due largely to Chancellor Kent Syverud declaring that supporting veterans would be a University initiative during his inaugural address. The University is often used as an example on best practices for educating veterans.

“Speaking as a second-year Ph.D. student at Maxwell, I can confirm that ���ϲ����� is a truly remarkable place for veterans,” said Lyon, who in addition to being the SVA’s president is also pursuing a doctoral degree in social science with the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs. “So, it was no surprise that one of ���ϲ�����’s very own, Anthony Ruscitto, was honored as a Student Veteran of the Year finalist at the SVA Honors Luncheon, amongst so many exceptional student veterans present.”

One of the reasons NATCON draws such a large attendance each year is the opportunity to learn about the latest programs and resources available for student veterans and the military-community.

Members from the D’Aniello Institute’s Research and Data Analytics team presented their latest findings and publications directly to the audience their research impacts the most, while representatives from the OVMA shared their knowledge and experience with other chapters through presentations and guided discussions.

���ϲ����� staff members who participated in the conference were Melissa Bird, IVMF, project manager, entrepreneurship; Linda Rougeau Euto, IVMF, associate director, research and evaluation; Misty Fox, IVMF, director of entrepreneurship and small business; Rosalinda Vasquez-Maury, IVMF, director of applied research and analytics; Ron Novack (retired U.S. Army colonel), Office of Veteran and Military Affairs, executive director; Jennifer Pluta, Office of Veteran and Military Affairs, director of Veteran Career Services; Grace Swinnerton, IVMF, visiting librarian; and Mirza Tihic, Martin J. Whitman School of Management, adjunct professor of entrepreneurship

Novack is no stranger to NATCON, and over the years he has contributed his extensive knowledge on how SVA chapters can make their fundraising efforts more effective. He’s not only seen firsthand how much the event has grown in size over the years, but he’s also been a part of making ���ϲ�����’s presence at NATCON so impactful.

“���ϲ����� has historically enjoyed a large presence at NATCON every year because we have been in the veterans education space for decades,” says Novack.  “Schools that are just getting started with their student veterans initiatives look to us and seek out our knowledge, and our experience. We stand out because our university stands behind us, and that’s what makes ���ϲ����� the Best place for Veterans.”

The 16th Annual NATCON is scheduled to take place in Nashville, Tennessee, from Jan. 4-6, 2024. Military-connected students interested in attending NATCON should sign up for OVMA’s newsletter to stay informed on application deadlines and information sessions. Those interested in supporting student veterans at ���ϲ����� should visit the Veteran Legacy Fund, and help continue ���ϲ�����’s tradition of service to veterans and military students.

Amid the final weeks of the semester, through the hectic schedule of the holidays and final exams, the military-connected students collected donations to help individuals in need and ventured out into the first snowstorm of the season to honor the memory of Central New York veterans who came before them.

The students first came together to support the . By leveraging their cross-campus network, they were able to collect a sizable donation for the pantry, which also provides resources to help individuals overcome financial hardships and establish personally sustainable financial solutions.

“Hendricks Chapel is such a great centerpiece for the student experience here, and this year we really wanted to find a way to collaborate with other organizations,” says Anthony Ruscitto ’22, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and president of the SVO. “Most people who have spent time at ���ϲ����� know that Hendricks Chapel is a place where if you donate to that center, you can be confident that it’s going to benefit people in this community.”

The SVO collected more than 200 pounds of food comprising more than 400 different items during the drive this year. The SVO’s executive board relied on a time-honored military tactic that has proven successful throughout centuries of military history—they called for support.

Professor Jonathan French, who teaches chemistry in the College of Arts and Sciences, was approached by Jack Pullano, a student veteran and the public affairs coordinator for the SVO. Originally, Pullano asked to place a collection bin in the chemistry department, but due to the department’s small size the professor wondered how effective it would be. French offered to put a challenge out to his classes for donations, offering bonus points on an upcoming exam as an incentive to donate.

On Saturday, Dec. 17, members of the SVO took part in National Wreaths Across America Day, a day of recognition for those who served and are no longer with us.

“I have never done anything like this, and I didn’t know if the challenge was wildly high or low, but I was willing to find out. I set the item total for the class and not per person so that if someone was unable to donate, they were still able to receive the bonus points,” says French. “We had one student bring in 62 one-pound boxes of pasta! When I went with Jack to drop off the donations from the second day, I was surprised to see that a good portion of the donations from the previous day was already gone.”

For veterans, there are also those moments to give back by paying respect to those who served before them. On Saturday, Dec. 17, members of the SVO took part in National Wreaths Across America Day, a day of recognition for those who served and are no longer with us.

National Wreaths Across America Day takes place every year on a Saturday in December. The event started as a small, private tribute to fallen servicemembers and slowly grew over the years to a national effort of recognition. More than 3,400 cemeteries joined Arlington National Cemetery to commemorate the annual event, including nearby Oakwood Cemetery located just south of main campus.

The SVO was on hand to help pay respects to the more than 840 military veterans buried at Oakwood Cemetery, including Major General Henry A. Barnum (1833-1892), who fought for the Union Army during the Civil War and was awarded the Medal of Honor for actions prior to the Battle of Chattanooga in November of 1863, and former U.S. Representative Amos P. Granger (1789-1866), who also served a captain in the War of 1812 and as the president for the nearby town of Manlius. The veterans placed donated wreaths on every headstone or grave marker belonging to a veteran, most of which are in the cemetery’s Civil War section.

“It was a very somber moment, to be honest. When we first saw the number of wreaths to be placed on veteran grave sites…I had no idea there were so many veterans buried there,” says Ruscitto. “We were there to honor them with reenactors dressed in historically accurate Union Army uniforms, and high school students completing community service projects. When we get out in the community in this capacity we’re forced to remember this isn’t just to support our community, it’s to honor what others have done before us and to keep that spirit of selflessness alive.”

Those interested in supporting veterans at ���ϲ�����, or wanting to get involved with volunteer opportunities to help veterans in the local area, are encouraged to consider joining the . The group is open to all members of the campus community with military service experience or a passion for supporting those who have served.

“Student veterans often face unique financial circumstances while enrolled in college, especially those who are in demanding academic programs that do not allow enough time for a part-time job, or for those who are going home to a spouse and possibly children,” says Dwayne Murray ’97, a retired U.S. Army lieutenant colonel and deputy director of the OVMA. “We’re grateful for the generosity of the donors who make these scholarships possible, and appreciate the support it allows us to give our military-connected students on their journey to joining our Orange Alumni family.”

The scholarships and their recipients for the Fall 2022 academic year are:

OVMA Undergraduate Scholarship

Jack Pullano

U.S. Air Force Veteran
Sophomore, Health and Exercise Science, Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamic

• Pullano serves as the public affairs coordinator for the Student Veterans Organization and is a member of the Orange Barbell Club.
• Originally from Hopkinton, New York, he aims to stay in Central New York after graduation on his path to becoming a physical therapist.

“My goal after ���ϲ����� is to attend SUNY Upstate as a member of its Doctor of Physical Therapy Program. I hope to one day work for the Veterans Affairs Hospital as a physical therapist so I can continue to give back to the veteran community,” says Pullano.

OVMA Family Member Scholarship

Andrew Holland

Military-Connected Student (Dual-Military Dependent)
Graduate Student, Museum Studies, College of Visual and Performing Arts

• Both of his parents served in the military: his mother retired as a colonel in the U.S. Army in 2014, and
  his father retired from the U.S. Air Force as a major in 1995.

“After ���ϲ�����, my goal is to work at a museum like the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C., or the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio,” says Holland. “This scholarship will help me cover the cost of my university health care plan, and it will cover the cost of rent for a few months.”

Mautino Family Scholarship

Savion Pollard

U.S. Navy Veteran
Sophomore, Electrical Engineering, College of Engineering and Computer Science

• Pollard volunteers his time extensively outside of the classroom as the treasurer of the Student Veterans Organization and as a youth mentor with Big Brothers Big Sisters of America.
• During U.S. President Joe Biden’s visit to ���ϲ����� for the Micron announcement, it was also announced that Pollard would be the very first local hire for Micron.

“Long term, I wish to work as a math tutor for underrepresented communities. Being a black male in STEM, I have the desire to stress the importance of math and science to little kids from communities like the one I came from,” says Pollard. “This scholarship will help lighten a financial burden, which will allow me to be more engaged in school and be a more successful student.”

Flanik Family Scholarship for Student Veterans

Curtis Cline

U.S. Army Veteran
Sophomore, Aerospace Engineering, College of Engineering and Computer Science

• Cline served more than a decade in the U.S. Army working with Apache helicopters, including three combat tours.
• He envisions a future career in aeronautics with a focus on engineering and development.

While on active duty and assigned to nearby Fort Drum, Cline was introduced to ���ϲ����� while one of his children had an appointment at nearby Golisano Children’s Hospital. “When I went exploring for food I discovered the campus and I immediately decided that was where I wanted to attend,” says Cline. “The area, the people, the architecture and school pride won me over immediately. This scholarship will alleviate the stress and financial burdens placed upon my family while I am a full-time student.”

Richardson Family Scholarship for Military Family Members and Dependents

Morgan Ellis

Military-Connected Student (Military Dependent)
Senior, Health and Exercise Science (major), Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics

• Ellis grew up in nearby Seneca Falls, New York. Her father is still serving in the U.S. Army after more than 28 years and is currently deployed overseas.
• Ellis was introduced to ���ϲ����� as a child and it has been her dream school ever since.
• Her future academic goals include medical school and eventually work for the Veterans Affairs hospital as a doctor.

“I currently work as a nursing assistant on a medical surgery unit at a local hospital and I absolutely love it,” says Ellis. “I have about 10 to 12 years of school ahead of me and medical school comes with a hefty price tag. Receiving this scholarship now will put me in a better situation financially going forward and will have a continuous positive impact for me, which I am truly grateful.”

Wilder J. Leavitt and Mary P. Morningstar Scholarship for Military-Connected Students

Kamileh Rivera

Military-Connected Student (Military Dependent)
Senior, Neuroscience and Biology, College of Arts and Sciences

• Rivera’s father served in the U.S. Army for more than 30 years. After growing up in Puerto Rico, ���ϲ����� was something entirely different from Rivera’s childhood and she wanted something different and unique.
• Rivera volunteers her time and is involved with campus organizations like the ���ϲ����� Coalition Against Sexual Assault and Upskill Education.

“���ϲ����� has allowed me to pursue my dream degrees and find new passions I didn’t know I had. I plan on getting a master’s in public health and, later on, attend medical school to become a doctor,” says Rivera. “Back home in Puerto Rico, we have a great deficit in medical professionals, my goal is to go home and give back to the community that saw me grow up. This donor-funded scholarship will relieve financial hardships on my family and I, and it’s rewarding to know someone believes in my education.”

Mason Weber

U.S. Navy Veteran
Junior, Aerospace Engineering, College of Engineering and Computer Science

• Originally from Kingsburg, California, Weber served for six years as a hospital corpsman.
• Weber hopes to graduate from ���ϲ�����, gain a career with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and one day work on the development of a lunar base for NASA.
• Weber is involved in several engineering and aerospace honor societies, including serving as the vice president of Sigma Gamma Tau.

“The scholarship will allow me to be able to spend less time working and more time focusing on my studies, as well as with my daughter and fiancé. I appreciate the support of ���ϲ����� veterans and the help alleviating some of the stresses that come along with being a full-time student,” says Weber.

 Kenneth J. Marfilius, DSW, LCSW

Kenneth J. Marfilius, DSW, LCSW, assistant dean of online and distance education and associate teaching professor of social work at Falk College, spoke to why ���ϲ����� is ranked so high on the list. “Here at ���ϲ�����, we are committed to distinguishing ���ϲ����� as the premier university for veterans, military-connected students, and families. We have a National Veterans Resource Center that cultivates and leads innovative academic, government, and community collaborations. This serves as the center of Veteran life on the campus of ���ϲ�����, the local community, and across the Central New York region.”

The Hall of Languages illuminated with green light in observance of Veterans Day

Coyne addresses participants of the 2022 Veterans Day 5K Walk/Run at the starting line.

The official observance of Veterans Day for the University community started early in the morning, long before sunrise, with the 2022 Veterans Day 5K Walk/Run coordinated by the Army Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC). Prior to the start of the run, U.S. Army Lt. Col. Matthew Coyne, professor of military science and the detachment commander for the University’s Army ROTC program, welcomed participants and gave a brief speech to remind those in attendance what the day was about.

“We’re here to honor our veterans and their families that have made the extreme sacrifices day in and day out to protect the freedoms we enjoy here in America, and protect the American way of life,” Coyne said. “It’s only fitting we are doing so at a place that has an extremely storied history of supporting our military and our veterans.”

The course began on the Einhorn Family Walk in front of Schine Student Center and ended at Hendricks Chapel after looping around the North Campus. Participants came from the University’s Army and Air Force ROTC detachments, members of its Veterans Affinity Group and supporters from the local community. Chancellor Syverud also ran with students and guests and has noted this is one of his favorite annual traditions on campus.

Veterans Day Ceremony at the National Veterans Resource Center at the Daniel and Gayle D’Aniello Building (NVRC) 

The community gathered later for the official Veterans Day Ceremony held in the NVRC’s K.G. Tan Auditorium. The ceremony opened with Kari MicKinkle ’11, G’20, a Marine Corps veteran who works in the Office of Veterans Success as a school certifying official, who served as the emcee for the ceremony which featured multiple guest speakers. The Rev. Brian Konkol, dean of Hendricks Chapel, gave the invocation and benediction. Musical performances were also featured by the University Singers and the 198th Army Band from Fort Drum in nearby Watertown, New York.

The arrival of the official party for the 2022 Veterans Day Ceremony. From left: Lt. Col. Dwayne Murray (U.S. Army, retired), deputy director of the OVMA; Anthony Ruscitto ’22, president of the Student Veterans Organization; the Rev. Brian Konkol, dean of Hendricks Chapel; J. Michael Haynie, vice chancellor for strategic initiatives and innovation; Chancellor Kent Syverud; Rear Adm. Danelle Barrett (U.S. Navy, retired); and Kari MicKinkle ’11, G’20.

Retired U.S. Army Lt. Col. Dwayne Murray ’97, OVMA deputy director and president of the University’s Veterans Affinity Group, gave an overview of the history of Veterans Day. “���ϲ����� has over 250 veteran and military-connected employees. Within this group are faculty and staff who have served in every conflict since the Korean War, as well as families of service members who are currently deployed,” said Murray. “As we celebrate Veterans Day, let us come together as a community to support and celebrate ���ϲ�����’s veterans and military-connected employees.”

Tony Ruscitto, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and graduate student enrolled in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, spoke about the University’s history with the military and his own experiences on campus since the University made the commitment to become the “Best Place for Veterans.”

“In the spring of 2019, after meeting with Dr. [Michael] Haynie, the OVMA and others, it became apparent that college after the Marines was within my grasp through the support and encouragement that was available for veterans at ���ϲ�����,” said Ruscitto, who also serves as president of the Student Veterans Organization. “While I can’t speak about other colleges or universities, what I can say is here you are presented with the tools, resources and the often necessary ‘push’ to make that transition happen and ensure it sticks.”

Chancellor Kent Syverud was also on hand to speak about the University’s continued commitment to the military community and introduced the keynote speaker, retired U.S. Navy Rear Admiral Danelle Barrett G’04.

Rear Admiral Danelle Barrett (U.S. Navy, retired) speaks about delivering the oath of office during her speech at the 2022 Veterans Day Ceremony.

Barrett spoke in detail about veterans being the silent partners alongside the military within today’s military-civilian divide, addressing the impact they often have in their local communities after they leave military service.

“They’re leaders, and they continue to have a spirit of volunteerism—serving something greater than themselves in whatever they do because of that,” Barrett said. “Many apply the skills and experience they developed in the military to a life of service here at home. They take on roles in their communities as doctors and police officers, engineers, entrepreneurs, mothers, fathers. As a grateful nation, it’s our task to make that transition possible, to ensure that our transitioning veterans and those who have long since transitioned can share the opportunities that they have given so much to defend.”

A reception followed the ceremony in the NVRC’s Bisignano Grand Hall, offering the chance for veterans of all eras, military family members, and service members who are currently in the military to come together and share their experiences with one another. The idea of past generations of service members handing down their knowledge and experiences is a hallmark of today’s military community, and one of the reasons why the NVRC was built to serve as a front door for all things military-related on campus.

Stars and Stripes Tailgate and Military Appreciation Game

The following day featured the Military Appreciation Game as the men’s football team took on Florida State in the JMA Wireless Dome. While the game ended in a disappointing loss for ���ϲ�����, it did feature special recognition for the military-connected community with military-themed uniforms and special in-game recognitions, like a for U.S. Navy Rear Admiral John Okon, who grew up in nearby Camillus and fondly remembers working for ���ϲ����� parking cars.

Rear Admiral John Okon (U.S. Navy) (third from right) accepts a game football as the Hometown Hero at the Nov. 12 football game vs. Florida State.

Prior to the game, the OVMA hosted its 8th annual Stars and Stripes Tailgate event, a free, invite-only pre-game party for service members, veterans and their families from the region. More than 450 people signed up for the celebration, which was hosted at the John A. Lally Athletics Complex and featured raffle prizes, an appearance from Otto and free tickets to the game along with provided transportation to and from the JMA Dome.

Junior Military College Visit

Throughout the festivities, the University hosted a contingent of future military leaders, some of whom may attend ���ϲ����� to finish their education after their time at one of four military junior colleges across the country. The cadets toured campus and attended information sessions at several of the University’s schools and colleges, giving them a brief glimpse of life in ���ϲ����� with a visit off campus to see the local community.

Allison Short, a sophomore at Valley Forge Military College, spoke highly about the access she and the other cadets were given while visiting the campus over the weekend. “I really enjoyed going to the major schools like Falk and Newhouse, we got an overview of their biggest programs,” said Short. “I also really liked having a lot of the lieutenants who had already commissioned and been through the military colleges, like we have, and being able to sit down and talk to them to get an honest opinion about their experiences.”

Members of the Student Veterans Organization executive board pose for a photo with Otto during the Stars and Stripes Tailgate.

Student veterans visited LinkedIn’s office during a career immersion trip to New York City.

The career immersion trip aims to offer this opportunity to military-connected students at least once a semester, except for during the pandemic. Transportation and lodging are provided at no cost to the students, including airfare for those who are taking classes remotely with the College of Professional Studies online programs.

“The goal of the trip is to expose student veterans to the geographic area, make valuable connections with industry leaders and learn about available internship or job opportunities,” says Jennifer Pluta, director of Veteran Career Services for the OVMA. “The students gain insight into how their majors and interests connect to different fields and industries, and for some, it’s their first time visiting the city.”

Fiserv, Bloomberg and LinkedIn were among the corporations that hosted the students this semester, inviting them in for panel discussions, tours and showcasing their veteran hiring initiatives. The student veterans receive a behind-the-scenes view of the inner workings and career pathways within the organizations during the visit, and in some cases treated to panel discussions with current employees at the company who are veterans themselves.

Pluta, who aside from her position at the University, is also a master sergeant in the U.S. Army Reserve and serves as a senior command career counselor, leverages the vast University alumni network to secure lucrative opportunities for the University’s student veterans. In return, those corporations are gaining access to a talented pool of veterans who are bringing invaluable experience to the workplace after departing campus with their degrees in hand.

“I’ve been hoping to land a career in NYC since I started school here in 2019,” says Ryan Yon ’23, who is studying data analytics and policy studies in the School of Information Studies and Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs. “It was nice being able to see the city for the first time with other student veterans. I got to make some real connections with employers and alumni. I also landed some interviews with the companies I was most interested in.”

Student veterans attending a post traditional student alumni event at the Lubin House in New York City.

Yon, a U.S. Army veteran, was also able to visit the University’s Joseph I. Lubin House for the Post-Traditional Alumni and Student Reception. He and the other student veterans were able to meet members of the city’s Orange alumni network. As part of the reception, Yon and his fellow student veterans heard from John Wallace ’96 of the New York Knicks as he discussed his journey from ���ϲ����� to pro basketball and the influence of the Orange network had on his career success.

Another student veteran on the trip, Jennifer Aquino ’23, had originally gone so she could speak to other student veterans about the opportunities they have available to them at the University. As a senior studying linguistics in the College of Arts and Sciences,, she didn’t initially think there would be a lot of opportunities for her at the companies they were visiting.

“I was amazed, I thought these companies would be more for the students with other majors, not mine,” says Aquino, who also served as a linguist in the U.S. Navy for 14 years. “They made me feel welcome, they showed that there were positions for someone like me at their company.”

The OVMA is able to sponsor the career immersion trips thanks to the generosity of donors to the Veteran Legacy Fund, allowing them to provide the opportunities like this at no-cost for student veterans. New York City isn’t the only location the students are exposed to on these trips, the OVMA has provided similar opportunities in Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles, California. Next semester, in the spring of 2023, the OVMA will take student veterans to Atlanta, Georgia, home to such companies as The Home Depot, UPS and The Coca-Cola Company, among many others.

Student veterans who are interested in taking advantage of the career immersion trip to Atlanta are encouraged to apply early, as the trips are typically reserved for a selected number of students. Announcements about the application period and requirements will go out through e-mail, social media and the OVMA’s website.

The ���ϲ����� invites the campus community to the at the Daniel and Gayle D’Aniello Building for the observance of the ���ϲ����� Veterans Day ceremony 2022.

The ceremony will begin at 11 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 11, and last for approximately one hour. The ceremony will be held in the K.G. Tan Auditorium, followed by a reception in the Bisignano Grand Hall inside the NVRC.

U.S. Marine Corps veteran Kari Mickinkle ’11, G’22 will open the ceremony and serve as the emcee. Mickinkle is a school-certifying official with the Office of Veteran Success.

Student-veteran Anthony Ruscitto ’22, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and the president of ���ϲ����� Student Veterans Organization, will speak about his personal experience as a military-connected student on campus as well as the history of ���ϲ�����’s commitment to veterans and military-connected students. Ruscitto is currently a graduate student at the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs pursuing a master’s degree in public administration.

Dwayne Murray ’97, who retired from the U.S. Army as a lieutenant colonel, serves as the deputy director of OVMA. As an alumnus, he has seen the dramatic transformation on campus from the University’s initiative to be the “Best Place for Veterans.” Murray will speak about the history of Veterans Day and the national importance of honoring those who have served in defense of the nation.

Chancellor Kent Syverud will deliver remarks as well as introduce the keynote speaker for the ceremony. This year, U.S. Navy retired Rear Adm. Danelle Barret G’04 will be the guest speaker.

Barrett’s military career spanned more than 30 years and included numerous leadership and command positions, as well as operational assignments throughout the world. Originally from Buffalo, New York, she now handles a portfolio of activities for consulting, public speaking and writing, as well as serving on several corporate boards. Her book, “Rock the Boat: Embrace Change, Encourage Innovation and Be a Successful Leader” was featured as an Amazon Best Seller in business leadership training, business mentoring and coaching, and management skills.

As an admiral in the Navy, Barrett served as director of current operations at U.S. Cyber Command, and as the Navy Cyber Security Division director and deputy chief information officer on the chief of Naval Operations staff. In her last position in the U.S. Navy, she led the Navy’s strategic development and execution of digital and cyber security efforts, enterprise information technology improvements, and cloud policy and governance for 700,000 personnel across a global network.

An innovator, she implemented visionary digital transformation to modernize with unprecedented speed, significantly improving Navy information warfare capabilities. Her numerous operational assignments included deployments to Iraq, on an aircraft carrier supporting operations in Afghanistan, and to Haiti providing humanitarian assistance and disaster relief after the 2010 earthquake.

Those wishing to attend are asked to .  The NVRC has limited accessible parking spaces available for those who require parking accommodations; those who plan on attending are asked to email kslantry@syr.edu if they require access to one of the available parking spaces. All others are requested to find parking available around campus .

Now, Pollard is once again taking on a role to inspire—with a company that is making a big impact in Central New York and beyond.

Savion Pollard ’25 and his wife, Enesa, along with Pollard’s little brother, Kenorie, bottom left, through Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, and the youngster’s twin brother, Kenare (Photos provided by Savion Pollard)

Pollard, a student in the College of Engineering and Computer Science, has been selected by Micron Technology, which plans to build a $100 billion semiconductor fabrication facility in the Town of Clay, New York, as the company’s first intern hire from the ���ϲ����� veteran community.

“Being selected for this new role means progress. I joined the U.S. Navy as a 21-year-old from New York City that just wanted to get out of the city and be somebody. I wanted to inspire people and be admired but I did not know how. The military was that how for me,” says Pollard, who is pursuing a degree in electrical engineering. “Upon my separation in 2021, I still felt compelled to give back and inspire. I think being selected as the first hire of Micron in Central New York is extremely inspiring.”

The announcement about Pollard was made as part of an event last week in ���ϲ����� to mark a $500 million investment in education, community assets and organizations by Micron, New York State and other local, state and national partners to ensure that the Central New York workforce has the advanced skills needed to sustain leading-edge semiconductor manufacturing.

���ϲ����� was noted as preparing to play a key role to build and train 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. Chancellor and President Kent Syverud was among the Central New York leaders who welcomed President Joseph R. Biden Jr. L’68; federal, state and local officials; and Micron leadership at the community event at Onondaga Community College.

As part of Micron’s plans that were announced, the Micron internship program is designed to prepare students for full-time positions as engineers, scientists and other critical roles in the semiconductor industry. Recruitment will focus heavily on veterans and students from traditionally underrepresented communities.

“Getting selected for this position gives hope to little boys and girls who look like me. It gives hope to veterans, it shows that success in higher education for a non-traditional student is possible,” Pollard says. “I am honored to have been selected for this position and hope I can use this opportunity to uplift my campus community as well as the ���ϲ����� and Onondaga County community.”

During last week’s event, April Arnzen, Micron’s chief people officer, introduced the plans for the internship program and Pollard as its first recruit, noting Pollard’s eight years of experience in electronic systems maintenance and nuclear power, including nuclear subs.

“He’s a proven leader—treasurer of the Student Veterans Organization. He also volunteered as a youth mentor with Big Brothers Big Sisters of America,” Arnzen said. “To him, I say, ‘thank you for your service and welcome to Micron.’”

Pollard, who was hired as an equipment engineer intern, will work with the team in Manassas, Virginia, during the summer of 2023. He will maintain the state-of-the-art fabrication equipment and troubleshoot issues and correct deficiencies to improve production and quality, Pollard says.

Pollard’s little brother Kenorie (back), with Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, and his twin Kenare (forefront) met President Joe Biden at the Micron event.

“I am mostly looking forward to being a sponge and soaking up all the knowledge that I can, to bring back home to CNY to make the fab up here as successful as I can,” Pollard says.

Pollard’s wife, Enesa who is originally from Watertown, New York, and is an associate banker at Chase Bank, attended the event, along with Pollard’s mentee, Kenorie, through Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, and the youngster’s twin brother, Kenare.

“It was truly a blessing to have them there, where they got to interact with the president. I think it is extremely important for them to see what can be done when you put your mind to it,” Pollard says.

In October, ���ϲ����� was the site of the historic announcement by Micron Technology to build a leading-edge memory fab in Central New York—the largest investment and facility of its kind in the United States.

Micron Technology Inc. is one of the world’s largest semiconductor companies and the only U.S.-based manufacturer of memory. The new megafab will increase domestic supply of leading-edge memory and create tens of thousands of new jobs. It is the largest private investment in New York state history.

Micron is looking to tap Central New York’s significant military population, a highly skilled and talented pool of labor critical to scale U.S. high-tech manufacturing. In coordination and partnership with Micron, the University’s D’Aniello Institute of Veteran and Military Families (IVMF) will support veteran skill development for advanced manufacturing jobs and transitions into Micron and other industry roles.

Micron plans to hire more than 1,500 veterans in the region over two decades in Central New York, aligned with Micron’s goals for veteran hiring.

The internship award is given on a needs-based determination and is intended to cover the cost of one internship credit hour, or cover the cost of travel and living expenses, or both, with an award cap of $5,000 per student. It is yet another initiative in the ongoing efforts to support student veterans at ���ϲ����� and successfully land them in the job market after graduation. The award is funded through the generosity of donors who have previously donated to the University’s .

“Student veterans have historically had to choose between enrolling full time over the summer or scramble to find a seasonal job that will cover their financial needs during the summer months,” says Jennifer Pluta, director of Veterans Career Services with the OVMA. “It’s hard to think about an internship if you’re worried about making ends meet. We knew we had to do something to give our student veterans a leg up in the job market so they could get their foot in the door. That’s why the OVMA launched the Undergraduate Internship Award in 2020.”

According to the (NACE), the focus on hiring interns in the 2022-23 academic year will increase by 22.6%, meaning companies are reaching out to their current and former interns to fill the open positions within their organization. NACE’s 2022 Internship & Co-Op Survey Report also shows that 51% of students who participate in an internship will receive a job offer from the company they intern with, making it one of the most lucrative opportunities for a student to minimize the time between graduation and a job offer.

All students at ���ϲ����� can receive help to find and apply for internships in their chosen industry. Some of the schools make internships optional but offer course credit for completed internships. Other schools, like the Martin J. Whitman School of Management, require all undergraduate students to complete an internship. When schools make internships a degree requirement, it can be difficult for student veterans to fit the added responsibility into their schedule. Making matters worse, if the internship is one of the 40% of internships across the nation that are unpaid, the student veteran will pay out of pocket for all their expenses.

“The internship award program started in the midst of the COIVD-19 pandemic, so it sputtered the first year and took off in year two,” says Ron Novack, executive director of the OVMA. “We’re hoping this program grows and we can provide this opportunity to more of our student veterans, as well as continue to build partnerships with those companies that realize the incredible impact veterans bring to the workforce after their service to our country.”

This year, ���ϲ�����’s military-connected students accepted internships in a wide variety of industries and represent student veterans across the University’s colleges and schools. They assisted servicemembers and veterans aspiring to earn a degree through higher education, worked for government agencies supporting policy and legislative initiatives, and interned with an entertainment company broadcasting children’s programming. They also represent the largest cohort of student veterans to take advantage of the program since its inception.

Read more about each of the recipients below.

Janina Rios, Army National Guard Veteran

Janina Rios

Rios, a senior at the College of Visual and Performing Arts, spent the summer on an internship with Nick Jr., a children’s entertainment channel, as part of Paramount’s ongoing initiative to recruit and hire veterans into their workforce, the Paramount Veterans Network. Rios previously served for seven years as a signal support systems specialist in the National Guard. She hopes to earn a degree in film and later start a film clinic for trauma victims, focusing on using art and film to help those victims on their road to healing.

“I am forever grateful to have received the internship award. The income allowed me to travel with peace of mind to Nick Jr.’s office in New York City for a hands-on experience,” says Rios. “The Nick Jr. team embraced me with open arms, toward the end of my internship I was able to secure a contract with Nick Jr. and the Paramount Veterans Network.”

Jose Baeza-Ruiz

Jose Baeza-Ruiz, U.S. Marine Corps Veteran

Jose Baeza-Ruiz is a junior in the Whitman School earning a B.S. in business analytics. Over the summer he interned with Starcom Worldwide in New York City where he had the opportunity to experience different facets of working for a client-facing team. At the end of his internship with Starcom, Baez-Ruiz was able to make a presentation to the team he worked with, recommending investment strategies for metaverse real estate opportunities for future projects.

“My time at Starcom re-energized me. The impact it had on my career goals heightened the enthusiasm I have to find a workplace where I am fulfilled personally and professionally,” says Baez-Ruiz.

Hakim Morris, U.S. Army Veteran

Hakim Morris

Morris, a sophomore studying international relations in the College of Arts and Sciences and the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, served in the U.S. Army as a patriot launching station enhanced operator/maintainer for three years prior to enrolling at ���ϲ�����. This summer he interned with the OVMA and credited a lot of his success to his military background and the Undergraduate Internship Award.

“My internship allowed me to broaden my horizons and be able to experience working in a professional setting,” says Morris. “The internship award allowed me to have ease from the financial hardship, I was able to completely focus on my professional requirements.”

Wyatt Bush

Wyatt Bush, U.S. Air Force Veteran

Wyatt Bush is a junior in the College of Engineering and Computer Science. He is currently pursuing a degree in electrical engineering. As a recipient of the Undergraduate Internship Award, he spent his summer interning with National Grid in their transmission planning department.

“I had a great time interning with National Grid,” says Bush. “I learned a lot of valuable information about the power utility industry and the work that goes into supplying power across New York state. The internship award allowed me to make the commute daily to complete this internship, covering the extra expenses like fuel and food.”

Ryan Yon, U.S. Army Veteran

Ryan Yon

Ryan Yon is a senior dual-majoring in data analytics and policy studies in the iSchool and the Maxwell School. He served in the U.S. Army as a light-wheeled vehicle mechanic. He received the Undergraduate Internship Award and spent the summer interning with Deloitte, where he worked in government and public services on risk and financial advisory. He was able to spend four days at Deloitte University in West Lake, Texas, attending leadership workshops and bonding with other interns.

“Being a non-traditional student, I came here to get my degree. This award allowed me to assist with rent, food and other bills so that I could take the internship,” says Yon. “The internship gave me perspective into what it is like to work for a firm of [Deloitte’s] size. It also helped me reshape my plan to land a role that suits me and my skillsets.”

John Nipper, U.S. Navy Veteran

John Nipper

John Nipper is a graduate student in the Maxwell School enrolled in the dual-track program to earn a master’s degree in international relations and public administration. He was able to intern at the Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration with the U.S. Department of State. He assisted the bureau by working with multilateral organizations building global partnerships and promoting best practices in humanitarian response.

“Through participation in the State Department’s Internship Pathways program, and with the help of the OVMA’s internship award, I was able to enhance my ability to scale impact through leadership and relationship-building,” says Nipper. “I am extremely grateful for the continued support the OVMA has shown, they really are the best place for veterans.”

Fred Wilkes III, U.S. Army Veteran

Fred Wilkes III

Fred Wilkes served as an explosive ordnance disposal technician in the U.S. Army for five years, now he’s a senior in the Newhouse School of Public Communications studying broadcast and digital journalism. He’s also minoring in sports management and over the summer interned for the New York State Golf Association as a communications intern.

“I wrote tournament recaps and press releases and conducted interviews of players. I also recorded and edited video,” Wilkes says, reflecting on the valuable hands-on experience he received over the summer. With the association located in Jamesville, New York, Wilkes primarily used the award to cover the financial gap between the academic school years.

Jennifer Aquino, U.S. Navy Veteran

Jennifer Aquino

Aquino, a senior studying linguistics in the College of Arts and Sciences, served for 14 years as a cryptology technician interpreter. Over the summer, she interned with the , a program that prepares veterans who choose to pursue higher education after their military service.

Aquino not only has to handle the courseload for her degree, but she’s also a mother of a small child which typically makes an internship all but impossible for most non-traditional students. “I was able to support my family during the internship, something that would have been extremely hard without it,” says Aquino.

For more information about the award, email Jennifer Pluta at jrpluta@syr.edu. For those interested in learning more about how to make an impact on the life of a student veteran by providing the financial means for an internship, visit the .

OVMA Connect through the PeopleGrove platform offers a new way to match students and alumni with mentors based on their interests, career objectives and career exploration. OVMA believes that the best college experience is more than just getting a degree. Students and alumni alike should look beyond the classroom for areas of personal and professional development. OVMA Connect empowers student veterans to unlock social capital and learn from others who have been in their shoes through mentorship connections.

No matter the phase of their career, a mentoring program will help both students and alumni get through it. Users can get exposure to different industries and jobs, resume advice and hone their interview skills. Employers are looking for specific skills and experience on OVMA Connect that may open doors for students. There are also highly qualified alumni to provide informational interviews, job shadows, mock interviews, resume reviews and more to support users.

OVMA Connect’s unique access provided to alumni differentiates the platform. Whether a user is a recent graduate or lifetime member, the ability to connect and receive help is the same. The service will connect mentors and their mentees in an organized and managed way, allowing a virtual space for relationships to live and grow. Landing jobs can be hard, but a strong mentoring relationship on OVMA Connect can help.

During the onboarding or signup on OVMA Connect, the platform’s artificial intelligence suggests matches between students, alumni and mentors. This process allows students and alumni to highlight their interests and areas of strength. Through the platform, users can schedule mock interviews, network, have their resumes reviewed or they can find internships and full-time jobs. As users interact, they can receive and provide feedback. For example, on a post-mentoring engagement, one student stated, “[My mentor] posted excellent questions and listened politely to my responses. I would be happy to work with him in the future.” Mentees can also send emails directly to mentors requesting connections. The mentor of interest could be someone who shared similar educational experiences, holds a position of interest to the student or simply be someone who is kind enough to talk with you. In addition, the platform can be used as a great tool to track career trajectories as students, alumni and mentors engage with one another to create meaningful and impactful connections.

OVMA Connect continues to grow every week. It gives students access to opportunities and people that help them discover the right career and provides alumni with a chance to share advice and discover budding students. Membership is free for life and takes just two minutes by registering on the .

“I would recommend ���ϲ����� to any veteran,” says Nuber, who earned a bachelor’s degree in international relations from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs.

Nuber’s Orange journey starts back in Sylvan Beach, New York, when he had the realization that he wanted to pursue a different career path than his peers.

Inspired by his time in the U.S. Marines, Jordan Nuber ’19 earned a bachelor’s degree in international relations from the Maxwell School.

“I enlisted in the Marine Corps when I was 18. So right out of high school, I did four years enlisted active duty as a data systems administrator,” Nuber says.

His time as a Marine gave Nuber an appreciation for communications on a global scale, so once he was done with active duty, Nuber decided to enhance his understanding of global communications issues. Maxwell was the perfect choice, as it was both close to Nuber’s home and offered a chance to build upon the lessons learned in the Marines.

“It helped me put into context what the military was doing as a whole and kind of gain some worldly perspectives, which contextualized a lot of my service,” Nuber says.

Going back to school certainly came with its challenges, but four years of military service helped with the adjustment.

“It helped me take things as seriously as possible and really dive into all the opportunities that were available,” says Nuber.

Two Maxwell classes in particular had a profound impact on Nuber: Globalization in the Information Age, which served as a compliment to the work he had done with the Marines; and Russian History, which covered World War I to the Cold War.

“At the time it was just so interesting to learn about how their society had developed, and now today with what is happening in Ukraine, I understand a lot of that context on a deeper level,” Nuber says.

Many of Nuber’s friends on campus were fellow veterans, which “was easy to make friends (on campus) because the veteran community here is so robust,” says Nuber.

Among the highlights from his days on the Hill: networking with professionals in the international affairs profession, going on career-focused trips and spending time with others in the military, especially through programs and events in the National Veterans Resource Center at the Daniel and Gayle D’Aniello Building.

“The resources available to military-connected students, and all students, really set ���ϲ����� apart. They make the world your oyster,” says Nuber, who still bleeds Orange.

Thanks in part to his time at ���ϲ�����, Nuber is both excited to stay connected to his alma mater, and to hopefully introduce other military-connected individuals to the University. Nuber believes the streamlined services offered through the Office of Veteran and Military Affairs make for one of the smoothest experiences a veteran or service member could experience when going back to pursue a degree.

Nuber’s time in Okinawa is just beginning. He hopes to develop into the best platoon commander possible over the next three years, and is looking forward to continuing to learn from the other Marines around him. When his time in Okinawa is finished, Nuber, who will have one year left on his post-9/11 GI Bill, is considering returning to ���ϲ����� to earn a master’s degree in information systems through the School of Information Studies.

“It is an amazing opportunity I have from the GI Bill, and ���ϲ����� is the place I want to take advantage of that opportunity,” Nuber says.

The newly named class of 60 U.S. service members, veterans and military spouses across the nation will receive more than funding for scholarships from the foundation to pursue higher education degrees.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Anthony, Natasha, Amanda and William as four of the 60 veterans and military spouses as part of our global Tillman Scholar community,” says Dan Futrell, the foundation’s CEO and 2011 Tillman Scholar. “We believe that veterans and military spouses are uniquely positioned to fill the leadership gap that our society faces. It’s our honor to support these students making an impact at ���ϲ����� as they grow as leaders and enter their next chapter.”

“Each year, it’s so exciting to get to know a new class of Tillman Scholars and help them realize their potential for service and impact,” says Marie Tillman, board chair and co-founder of PTF. “It means so much to see them continue to carry Pat’s legacy and values forward, in fields as diverse as medicine, music, architecture and geoscience. Anthony, Natasha, Amanda and William exemplify the values and leadership that Pat lived by, and we can’t wait to see what they do at ���ϲ�����.”

Natasha DeLeon, USMC Veteran

Natasha DeLeon

DeLeon joined the U.S. Marine Corps to pursue her goal of serving others on a grand scale. As a Marine, DeLeon worked to deploy service members to combat locations in support of various operations. In 2014, she deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, where she aided in the return of over 120,000 service members to their families back home.

While serving in the Marine Corps, DeLeon began volunteering in San Diego’s foster care system as a court-appointed special advocate. This led her to pursue a bachelor of arts in psychology and work part-time at a group home for teen foster boys. Upon completion of her service, her passion for social work grew.  DeLeon earned a master of social work in 2019, while she also interned as a therapist. During this time, DeLeon lived in Togo while supporting her husband during his active-duty Marine Corps career. While in West Africa, DeLeon led physical self-defense courses for women in vulnerable positions and volunteered with nonprofit organizations centered around eliminating gender-based violence.

Following their tour in Togo, DeLeon and her family moved to Colombia where she began working remotely as a paralegal for a private law firm. This is where she began to connect the injustices in the legal and social work systems. From here, DeLeon developed a passion for criminal defense and family law. She is pursuing a juris doctor degree so she can provide legal assistance and advocacy as an attorney.

Amanda Higginson, Navy Veteran

Amanda Higginson

Higginson’s upbringing in South Florida was anything but typical. She was adopted as an infant, and her father, who was shot and paralyzed in the Vietnam War, taught her about extreme resilience and persistence in the face of adversity. Wanting to give back to military medicine, Higginson received a Navy Health Professions Scholarship and earned a medical degree at the Alpert Medical School at Brown University. She completed her residency in pediatrics at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center Bethesda and served on active duty for seven years alongside her husband, deploying twice.

Currently the interim associate dean for student affairs at the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University, Higginson supports students on their journey to achieve their personal, academic, and career goals. She continues to practice general outpatient pediatric medicine, caring for children in a largely rural, underserved area. Choosing to enter law school as a mid-career physician, Higginson saw law school as an opportunity to enhance her advocacy for children particularly related to social determinants of health, as well as expand her knowledge of issues that impact the daily functioning of an academic medical center to more effectively advocate for her students. At the intersection of law and medicine, Higginson hopes to create structural change both at work and in her community to empower others to live, work, and achieve their goals at their full potential.

William Rielly, Army Veteran

William Rielly

Rielly is an Army veteran and West Point graduate. His career has ranged from leading artillery units in Germany to executive roles at Microsoft and Apple. While working at Apple, Rielly started volunteering in California state prisons and found the incarcerated men he worked with wanted to be accountable for their actions and create a positive future. He discovered immense untapped potential among the incarcerated men and was inspired to leave his job at Apple and focus full-time on reform efforts in the criminal legal and parole system.

Rielly is enrolled in the College of Law (J.D. candidate, Class of 2024) and intends to change the parole and probation laws across the country to create pathways of redemption for incarcerated and formerly incarcerated people so they can leverage their talents, achieve their full potential and positively impact their communities.

He intends to lead this innovation and create a better system through legal advocacy, changing the public’s perception of the issues, and enlisting advocates inside and outside the current system. The outcomes Rielly foresees are better, safer communities; more highly qualified employees; and a criminal legal system of accountability and redemption.

Anthony Ornelaz, Air Force Veteran

Anthony Ornelaz

Ornelaz was from a small agricultural town in Southern California named Wasco. He always dreamed of joining the military and following the examples set by his grandfather and father and enlisted in the U.S. Air Force as a security forces member in 2006. His service gave him the opportunity to live and work in Turkey, Italy, Kuwait and Germany, where he immersed himself in those respective cultures. His eight years of service saw him hold such positions as nuclear security controller, installation patrolman and physical security manager. Ornelaz’ military service would eventually push him toward academia upon his discharge.

He would attend Sierra College and earn three associate degrees in history, social and behavioral sciences, and LGBT studies. From there, Ornelaz would transfer to Amherst College, where he earned a bachelor’s in history and sexuality, women and gender studies. Currently, he is completing a master of fine arts in creative writing in the College of Arts and Sciences. His work—a collection of poetry—centers on military service, America’s nuclear apparatus, and his involvement in and proximity to both. Ornelaz is pursuing this endeavor in the hopes of reflecting and inspiring those who do not normally occupy artistic spaces. He is also striving to carve out new spaces in the field of poetry that allows new perspectives and experiences to exist and flourish.

“Today is a historic day for ���ϲ����� with the announcement of four Tillman Scholars,” says retired Col. Ron Novack, executive director of the Office of Veteran and Military Affairs. “Being the Best Place for Veterans is embodied by these individuals whose strength, spirit, academic distinction and tremendous potential are pillars for what Tillman scholars are known. We applaud them as they receive this prestigious honor.”

Michael Haynie, vice chancellor for strategic initiatives and innovation and executive director of the D’Aniello Institute for Veterans and Military Families, says, “The Tillman Foundation’s mission is very much aligned with ���ϲ�����’s longstanding commitment to making a world-class educational experience accessible to those who have served and their families. Since the University became a Tillman partner in 2017, the foundation has supported five remarkable scholars at ���ϲ�����. The addition of four Tillman scholars in this year’s class, is affirming of our work and steadfast commitment to advancing educational opportunity for the nation’s veterans and their families.”

“Tillman Scholarships are extremely competitive and are only awarded to those who have made an impact through their service. I am both pleased and grateful that not one, but three College of Law students have been awarded Tillman scholarships for this year. Natasha, Amanda and William are living extraordinary lives through their military commitments and now they are on the path to becoming extraordinary Orange lawyers,” says College of Law Dean Craig Boise.

“I congratulate Anthony on being named a Tillman Scholar,” says Lois Agnew, interim dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. “By examining his military experiences through the lens of poetry, he is rendering an incredible service to others around the globe who may be seeking hope and healing through the written word. Poetry, and all the humanities, is instrumental in helping us think about the past, present and future.”

In 2002, Pat Tillman was a starting safety for the National Football League’s Arizona Cardinals. He put his football career on hold to serve his country and died in April 2004 while serving with the U.S. Army’s 75th Ranger Regiment in Afghanistan. Following his death, family and friends established the Pat Tillman Foundation, which invests in military veterans and their spouses through scholarship and programmatic support and is dedicated to building a diverse community of leaders committed to service to others.

Founded in 2008, the program supports active-duty service members, veterans and their spouses with academic scholarships, a national network and professional development opportunities, so they are empowered to make an impact at home and around the world. The scholarship program covers direct study-related expenses, including tuition and fees, books, and living expenses, for scholars who are pursuing undergraduate, graduate, or post-graduate degrees as a full-time student at a public or private, U.S.-based accredited institution. The selection process for the Tillman Scholars program is highly competitive.

Each year, the foundation collaborates with 16 University Partners to identify and select qualified applicants on their campuses for the Tillman Scholar screening process. Now in its fifth year as a university partner, ���ϲ����� was selected for its innovative veteran services, a strong culture of support for military veterans and spouses and its rigorous academic programs.

To date, the foundation has invested more than $24 million in scholar support and named more than 800 Tillman Scholars at nearly 150 academic institutions nationwide.

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.

Student Veteran of the Year

Ryan Marquette L’22 (left) and OVMA Executive Director Col. (Ret.) Ron Novack.

OVMA takes pride in student-veteran involvement on campus, in the community, and at various events on and off campus. Each year, OVMA Student Veteran of the Year is presented to a student who has gone above and beyond, with contributions on and off campus, to make ���ϲ����� “the best place for veterans.” This year’s recipient, Ryan Marquette L’22, a U.S. Army veteran and active member of the Army National Guard, set a new precedent of success for a student veteran.

Marquette was a student veteran in the College of Law while simultaneously pursuing a master of public administration in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs. While both those efforts were time-consuming, Marquette took time to encourage each of his fellow veteran classmates to involve themselves with veteran functions on campus and in the community. Through those efforts, Marquette volunteered for the D’Aniello Institute for Veterans and Military Families, which incorporated him as a guest speaker at a Fort Drum Onward the Opportunity graduation.

During the height of COVID-19 in 2020, Marquette had to juggle school and his active role as a member of the National Guard as he responded to the pandemic in New York State. His efforts led to the distribution of 147,809 COVID tests, 36,661 meals, and 507 medical supply deliveries across the state. Off campus, he leads the Leader-Scholar Scholarship in Rome, New York, where one student is awarded a scholarship for their leadership efforts throughout their high school career and volunteer work in their community. The scholarship was named after Marquette’s friend, Capt. John Levulis, who lost his life in a military training accident.

Marquette served as the president of the Operation Veteran Advocacy group at the College of Law, and was an executive board member of the ���ϲ����� Law Review. His list of accomplishments while at the University includes receiving the 2021 Student Veterans Organization’s Best for Vets award and was the first-ever law school appointee of the 2021-22 ���ϲ����� Board of Trustees, amongst other contributions to the community. OVMA congratulates Ryan on adding one more accomplishment to his extensive list as this year’s Student Veteran of the Year.

Danny Facto Student Veteran Work-Study Award

David Ladd ’23 (left) and Assistant Director for Office of Veteran Success Keith Doss.

The Danny Facto Student Veteran Work-Study Award, named after Danny Facto, the University’s first Veterans Affairs (VA) work-study participant, recognizes a student veteran VA work-study who reflects the values that Danny did during his time on the hill. Danny was an excellent ambassador of his fellow student veterans and through an unwavering commitment made tremendous impacts on those who surrounded him during his life. This year’s recipient, David Ladd ‘23, exemplifies the values set forth by Danny. As described by his nominator, David has the passion, commitment and ability to get things done. Those qualities are the very same used to describe Danny.

During his work-study with Veteran Career Services (VCS), Ladd has made a noticeable contribution to OVMA Connect, a mentoring application connecting student veterans with student veterans, alumni, faculty and staff, and partners of ���ϲ�����. His efforts have increased engagement on the platform and increased the number of users by nearly 250%. Ladd has also made remarkable contributions to VMock, a resume evaluation platform recently launched at the University for student veterans. As the VCS VA Work-Study, Ladd’s contributions paved a way towards improving experiences for student veterans and military-connected students at the University. In addition to Ladd’s efforts to improve technologies for student veterans seeking career services, he has also provided OVMA leadership with reports that help measure the impact of VCS’s efforts. David has fully embodied this award and, through carving his path, has made an everlasting impact.

“We recognize these students, and the entire student veteran body at ���ϲ�����, with great pride and admiration,” says OVMA Executive Director Col. (Ret.) Ron Novack. “These awards prove just how much strength, leadership, honor and character student veterans bring to our university community.

Emily Graham ’22

A chance meeting on the other side of the world in Bali, Indonesia, proved to be a pivotal step in the journey Emily Graham ’22 took to ���ϲ�����. It prompted her to see what the University offers for veterans, and she would not be disappointed.

As a Navy Corpsman, Emily trained in San Antonio, Texas, before assignments at Walter Reed in Bethesda, Maryland, and the Naval Medical Center in San Diego, California, during her six-year Navy career. Her husband Nicholas came with her to every post and completed his undergraduate education fully online. When he was admitted to ���ϲ����� Law School, Emily had one year left in her military commitment. Nicholas deferred entry for a year while Emily finished her service and considered options in higher education. She had started her nursing degree and was planning to become a public health nurse but didn’t have a great passion for the nursing part so much as the public health part. That’s when she and Nicholas went on their trip to Bali.

“We saw a man with a ���ϲ����� shirt on, which is unusual to see in that part of the world,” she says. “When we talked to him, it turns out he was on the board of directors for the IVMF [D’Aniello Institute for Veterans and Military Families]. He said I have to check out ���ϲ�����. I was pretty dead-set on going to nursing school to become a public health nurse, but I looked into ���ϲ�����’s public health program because of him. I’m glad I made the decision to switch.”

Emily and Nicholas are both natives of Watertown, New York, and Emily says she never really considered attending ���ϲ����� as an option. Emily’s older sister is a nurse who also started her career as a Navy corpsman. Emily became interested in joining the Navy at a young age after attending her sister’s boot camp graduation.

“I was so inspired. That was all I wanted to do,” she says. “I never even considered college. I thought I would be a Navy corpsman and become a nurse, but it’s been nice to do my own thing.”

Emily got the Navy corpsman part done, heading out for boot camp only 10 days after high school graduation. Her job was to support nurses and strongly aligned with health education. She realized public health was a better fit for her and took the opportunity to reconsider her path when she discovered new options at ���ϲ�����.

“My advisor Maureen Thompson is incredible. She’s always been really communicative and such a great contact,” Emily says. “She sat down with me and found how I could utilize credits from my military experience, and we created a whole schedule from when I started through graduation.”

Emily graduates this May from the Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics with a degree in public health with a concentration in health education. She has one year left in her 4+1 program and plans to finish her master’s degree next year. She and Nicholas have embraced life on campus as military-connected students. One interesting aspect of their post-service lives is they have taken up beekeeping. Emily says she appreciates how inclusive ���ϲ����� has been for military spouses like Nicholas, as well as for older, non-traditional students, because she realizes spouses give up a lot to follow their service members. Importantly, Emily also has found meaningful connections through the veteran and public health communities on campus.

“I’m all about community, which is interesting to see, because when I got out of the military, I really felt like the transition is harder than people let you know,” she says. “After six years, every day you’re surrounded by people who completely understand this niche aspect of the world. You get out, and it no longer becomes your whole identity. It becomes a piece of you, and you have to figure out the other part. I really miss that connection, so public health has given me the opportunity to create community. I feel like I’ve found my place again after being a little disheveled after leaving the military.”

Emily works as a Barnes Center at The Arch peer educator on campus and tries to keep the veteran community engaged and involved with as many resources as she can. For example, she helps to educate her peers on college-specific behaviors, nutrition, healthy relationships, sexual health, mental health and harm reduction strategies for substance use. She chaired the Take Back The Night planning committee, which empowers survivors to stand up against sexual relationship violence. She also runs the Orange Recovery program, for students in recovery from substance use disorder.

“I love outreach and creating a community on campus, whether it’s for recovery or sexual/relationship violence survivors. I know the veteran community is at higher risk for these issues, which is why I try to always send the resources over to the veteran’s community,” she says. “It’s really incredible to see how I’ve fallen into public health. I’ve always felt like I’m making an impact. It’s giving people tools and resources to use when they need it most, and I hope to keep making a difference.”

The 5K, organized by cadets Madeline R. Messare ’22 and Lillian McGowen ’23, is open to all students, faculty and staff and is intended to educate and spread awareness about sexual harassment and sexual assault. Participants can .

Free T-shirts will be available to the first 50 people who arrive outside the Shine Student Center at 6:30 a.m.

Along with the Army ROTC’s Stalwart Battalion, the run/walk/roll is being held in collaboration with the University’s Office of Veteran and Military Affairs, Student Veterans Organization, Air Force ROTC and Office of Equal Opportunity, Inclusion and Resolution Services.

SHARP stands for the U.S. Army’s Sexual Harassment/Assault Response and Prevention program, the Army’s integrated, proactive effort to end sexual harassment and sexual assault within its ranks, through education, resources and training.

For University information about support services, reporting options, educational opportunities and policies, visit the University’s .

Jennifer Pluta

Jennifer Pluta G’15 has exactly the right mix of experience for her work at as the director of Veteran Career Services. A native of the Binghamton, New York area, Pluta has served in the Army Reserve for 23 years, where she’s a career counselor, a master sergeant, and recently selected for promotion to sergeant major. As career counselor, she leads a team to help fellow soldiers progress in their military careers. It’s like her role at ���ϲ�����, where for nearly 17 years, she’s helped student veterans learn more about, pursue and seize employment opportunities they may have never thought to consider. She also leads the University’s Veterans Affinity Group for faculty and staff. And, with an impressive 100% placement rate connecting student veterans to new careers, Pluta has plenty of insights on the magic behind helping service members and student veterans thrive, and shares these in the Q&A below.

The 2020 Fort Bliss master’s degree in instructional design, development and evaluation cohort. SGM Craig Collins G’20, G’22 is standing second from left, at back.

After 28 years of decorated military service—including cavalry and artillery assignments in Germany, Bosnia and Iraq—Sergeant Major Craig Collins G’20, G’22 has begun to mull his next career move. In his own words, his master’s degree in instructional design, development and evaluation (IDDE) and certificate of advanced study in designing digital instruction from ���ϲ�����’s School of Education give him “unlimited options.”

Whether Collins will continue as an instructor at the U.S. Army Sergeants Major (SGM) Academy, become a leadership development consultant or even an individual leadership coach, Collins praises the “flexibility” of the IDDE program: “I feel confident that with my ���ϲ����� degree I could go to any company with a leadership program and make positive contributions almost immediately. The sky really is the limit.”

The SGM Academy is part of the (NCOLCOE), located at Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas. The academy’s fruitful relationship with the IDDE program began in 2019 when its sergeants major were offered the opportunity to complete an instructional design master’s degree fully online. ���ϲ����� was for this Fellowship Program because of the high quality of the IDDE master’s program and because of support from the University’s , the and the in the College of Professional Studies.

Collins was among the first cohort of fellows, graduating in 2020. He is now a credentialed member of the NCOCOE .

“I assist in the design, development and analysis of curriculum for our Noncommissioned Officer Professional Military Education (NCOPME) courses, which are used by all three Army components—active duty, reserve and National Guard,” Collins says. “Our mission ensures that every soldier receives common core competencies, which are derived through the analysis process and then approved by the NCOLCOE Commandant.”

Fascinating Assignment

To Collins, teaching servicemembers leadership skills is a “fascinating assignment.” Among the NCOPME courses he helps oversee are the Basic Leader Course, which prepares specialists and corporals for the duties and responsibilities of a sergeant; the Master Leader Course, helping sergeants first class become master sergeants; and the Battle Staff Course, which educates staff through master sergeants to serve on battalion and higher-level staff positions.

Collins says the mission the Army expects of his directorate and the skills the 30-credit IDDE master’s program fosters are much the same: to design, create, implement and evaluate instructional solutions for a variety of educational and professional settings. “What IDDE does and what the Army does are very complimentary.”

The adaptability of this skill set is one of the IDDE program’s key strengths, says Collins, especially useful when applied to the SGM Academy and its varied courses. “IDDE taught me flexibility and a flexible attitude. The principles I learned can easily be adapted to the current environment.” In fact, he adds, “The IDDE program could be adapted to almost any field.”

Another of the IDDE program’s strengths is the analytical approach it teaches its students, also an advantage when it comes to educating service members. “IDDE has helped me to analyze the concepts and required results of a project and then develop courses to achieve that outcome,” Collins says. “If you don’t understand what the problem is, you won’t be able to provide a solution.”

In particular, when developing or reviewing a course, Collins says he must first analyze, “What soldiers need to know, what they are able to do and how they feel about that knowledge. This aligns with knowledge, skills and attitudes which are the bedrock concepts common to all instructional design.”

Lifelong Learner

Craig Collins G’20, G’22

That last point—that Collins takes into account a soldier’s attitude about what he or she must know—might seem out of place in a learning and work environment where orders are the norm. On the contrary, says Collins, in the Army just as everywhere else understanding your student is at the heart of teaching.

“Someone might not say out loud that they don’t like something, but they might act in a way that is inconsistent with a mission’s accomplishment,” Collins says. “You have to observe learners. Learning is all about a measurable change in behavior.” In the military, he certainly can give information—and as an experienced soldier, he is used to giving and following orders—”but really to get someone to do what I want, I have to influence them.”

Ultimately, Collins says that’s what instructional design is all about: “sharing information toward creating knowledge.”

And Collins practices what he preaches. One of his tasks as an IDDE student was to create an online blog. It’s something he continues to this day because Collins is a decorated soldier, expert teacher and a lifelong learner.

His blog is what he has discovered about his many passions: Cheap Trick (“The most underrated band ever!”); baseball; Star Trek (“Let me address a current internet ‘hot’ topic, the Quentin Tarantino remake rumor”); the Old West; and some of his favorite places in Europe: Prague, Venice and Bavaria.

Learn more about School of Education and , including instructional design programs.

Janice Poe

“I thought: Are you crazy? Are you really going to leave because you don’t want to make that commitment?” she says. “Now I realize it was the best decision I made in my life.”

Just 10 days after leaving West Point, Poe enlisted in the Army National Guard. It came with greater flexibility, and combined with a Minuteman scholarship, she’d have her college fees covered. Her plan was to get back to school, and she didn’t expect to get called for duty right away. That’s when COVID hit, and Poe found herself with a unit in rural Georgia on the front lines of pandemic relief.

First, she staffed a warehouse with consolidated medical supplies, helping to manage distributions of face masks, hand sanitizer and other protective equipment. After only three months, she earned a leadership position. She started running a project to get food to children who were learning from home while schools went to remote learning. Poe’s team helped to prepare and count meals, package onto buses and distribute them in areas of need.

“We had the same families who came every day, and I realized that school was the only time these children could get a meal,” Poe says. “It was really humbling to do something like that.”

When she wrapped that assignment, she was excited to be heading to ���ϲ�����. She found the liaison and process very helpful, especially since her circumstances were complicated.

“I genuinely felt they wanted what’s best for me,” she says. “They were just so helpful and inviting, I never felt like I didn’t belong here.”

She took an interstate transfer from Georgia, where she served in the 221 Expeditionary Military Intelligence Battalion, to New York to join the 27th Infantry Brigade Combat Team headquarters. She picked the unit closest to ���ϲ�����, which happens to be an infantry unit, and very different from what she did in Georgia.

Even after her successful time at West Point, she had reservations about making a switch to an infantry unit. She had nothing to worry about. Poe did such a great job during a two-week simulated warfighting exercise that her unit surprised her with her first Army Achievement Medal. She surprised them, too, as they had no idea about her prior experience as a cadet.

Janice Poe

“I was so nervous to come to this unit, and they made me so much better,” she says. “They’ve been the most amazing unit. I love them so much.”

As a Simultaneous Membership Program cadet, Poe gets to experience student life with the ���ϲ����� ROTC battalion and continue service in the guard. She’s a chemistry major and plans to attend physician assistant school after graduating in December. Her volunteer work at the COVID testing center at ���ϲ����� ties well with her pandemic experience from Georgia and helps with the clinical hours she needs.

Through her studies at ���ϲ�����, Poe also started contributing to research on health care in marginalized communities, which helped lead her to work with Joseph Chaiken, professor of chemistry. They’re testing a device that can be placed over a person’s finger and test blood without using needles. She’s helping to focus some research on differences in skin tone and pigments. Her capstone study is to test the device among many people to see whether it needs to account for different skin tones.

“The moment he started talking about it, I thought it’s so cool, and there’s something I could do with it to make a difference,” she says.

Poe is grateful she made that seemingly crazy decision about leaving West Point when she did.

“Could I do it? Absolutely, without a doubt. Would I have been happy? Absolutely not. I would have stayed, but it wouldn’t have made me as happy as I am now. I’m able to learn as a soldier and grow as a leader while I can pursue my interests,” Poe says. “The ultimate goal for me is to have a balance between time in service and devoting my time in research and my career.”

Amanda LaLonde ’23 with her husband Jon

LaLonde powered through different schools and degree programs, into military service in the Navy and Navy Reserve and on to full-time family duty, before coming back home to Central New York where it has all clicked for her at ���ϲ�����. Here, she’s embracing her best college experience as an Honors student and recipient of the Louis A. and Patricia H. Mautino Veteran Endowed Scholarship.

A New York native, LaLonde had to move with her family to Tampa, Florida, before her senior year of high school. She struggled to make friends that year before graduation. She applied to one school, and while commuting there and back, couldn’t connect with her fellow students. It wasn’t long before she started slacking off. By the end of her first year, she dropped out.

LaLonde considered joining the Army like her younger brother recently had, thinking it might give her a much-needed push to do something more productive. Though she wasn’t in shape enough to meet the Army’s requirement, a Navy recruiter called to check her interest. They offered to work with her to help get her in shape, and LaLonde welcomed the motivation and support. Even now, 17 years later, she still keeps in touch with that Navy recruiter.

LaLonde in 2005 during her Navy career

LaLonde joined the Navy in 2005, and after basic training, started technical training to specialize in nuclear engineering. It was not a good fit for her at all.

“I purposely failed out of that,” she says. “It was very demanding, lots of physics and math, and I’m not the best at either of those things. I wanted to be in the military, not sitting in a classroom.”

She was stationed at the USS Bataan in Norfolk, Virginia, where she met her future husband Jon. Soon after they welcomed their first son Tyler, Jon deployed to Iraq. Geographically single parenting a newborn while working full-time on active duty was extremely demanding. Despite all the challenges, LaLonde managed to complete her associate degree in marine engineering.

“I’m super proud of that degree. I will forever be proud of it,” she says. “It was not easy, but I got it done.”

When Jon returned from Iraq, LaLonde saw the opportunity to return to school for her bachelor’s degree.

“I thought I wanted to do computer engineering, which would be a financially stable career move, but I was barking up the wrong tree,” she says. “It was a constant struggle.”

Around that time, LaLonde learned she was pregnant with twins Jack and Noah. She had medical appointments to keep and too many competing priorities to manage at home to make her continuing education possible. She transitioned to the Navy Reserve, and again withdrew from school before gaining a foothold.

Meanwhile, Jon was involuntarily separated from the Navy, and they briefly moved to Florida to be closer to family before moving home to Central New York in 2012. LaLonde managed with three small children while Jon’s job gave him only a month at home between three-month stints in Afghanistan. She stayed in the Navy Reserve until 2014, when she was dismissed for not meeting the height and weight requirement. The experience left her, “a little salty,” but didn’t take the wind completely out of her sails.

“The kids were so young, and they needed so much attention, so I wore the super mom hat for a while,” she says. “We did that for eight years, and the whole experience was exhausting.”

LaLonde says the pandemic prompted her latest return to school. Jon was able to stay home, and with more support, she again took a chance to go back to finish her undergraduate studies, this time at ���ϲ�����. She’s studying psychology with an integrated learning major in forensic science, which keeps her engaged.

LaLonde served as an orientation leader during ���ϲ����� Welcome in fall 2021.

She also jumped into campus life. She’s been an orientation leader and helped to welcome new freshmen to campus, which she says felt like the college experience she never had. She even tried out to be Otto the Orange. “How many people get to say they tried out to be a mascot?” She’s also part of the Renée Crown University Honors Program, which surprised her because she’d always struggled with academics. It turns out, LaLonde just needed to find a course of study she was passionate about in a community where she’s fully supported.

“I’m so into school, and so motivated by how well I’ve been able to do, I’ll throw my hat in to do all these things,” she says. “I’ve managed to do more than I thought I was going to be able to do.”

LaLonde also felt motivated at ���ϲ����� to get over whatever lingering “saltiness” she had about having to leave the Navy Reserve. She joined the Peer Advisors for Veterans Education and stepped into a leadership role to help direct other military-connected students to resources they may need. She also joined the Student Veterans of America chapter and attended the national conference with other military-connected students from universities across the country.

“Initially I wanted to study psychology to better understand my children and help other families, but I may be shifting my focus to do something that will help other student veterans like me find their way,” she says. “A lot of places, they talk the talk, but they don’t walk the walk. ���ϲ����� has proven they’re actually, legitimately there for military-connected students.”

Sharon Otasowie

Now stationed at Cannon Air Force Base in New Mexico, Otasowie was born in Nigeria and raised in southern California. She appreciates how the College of Law was people-oriented and didn’t foster an overcompetitive culture.

“At ���ϲ�����, everybody wanted to be there to help you,” she says. “Professors were so approachable and helpful, and I was getting the best I could to succeed.”

Otasowie was already heading for the College of Law before applying to the JAG program. As part of the application process, Otasowie was asked why she was sure she wanted to join the military. Even though she had family members in the Army and Navy, she only considered the Air Force and was drawn to all of it.

“When I looked into it, I could see the Air Force have a high standard for themselves,” she says. “It’s about our mission and making sure that our people are good. I really love helping people.”

Otasowie had a positive military-connected student experience at the College of Law, rooted in the spirit of community and collaboration. She’s grateful she had the opportunity to participate in ROTC, because rather than getting a full immersion, Otosowie could do a little bit at a time. She didn’t have the pressure to have to get it all right at once.

“It was a lot like drinking water from a fire hose, but only for a few hours each week, and I always felt supported,” she says.

She credits an incredibly encouraging team with helping her learn how to do the military part of her job. Otasowie had to learn in two years what most cadets cover in four. Major David Stebbins, operations flight commander and recruiting flight commander, Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (AFROTC), Tami Johnson, Ph.D., assistant professor, and Lt. Col. Tim Kimbrough, former head of the Air Force ROTC at ���ϲ�����, all helped her get acclimated and caught up. They covered everything from how to salute and wear a uniform to knowing all the movements.

“I feel like I did not know a thing about the military. I couldn’t salute. I didn’t even know what the rank system was,” she says. “They were all there to help me figure out how to be an officer and they all wanted me to succeed.”

Now that she’s had some time to put her academic and military lessons to use outside the classroom, Otasowie continues to experience support, collaboration and kindness as a first lieutenant at Cannon Air Force Base. She feels like she’s part of a familial community where people really do care and want her to do well. She’s still learning in an environment where people see each other as colleagues instead of competition, and nobody is trying to tear anybody down.

“Everyone I’ve met in the Air Force is genuinely kind. They’re all normal people, it’s not all, ‘yes sir, no sir.’ Instead, it’s, ‘what do you think,’ and ‘how can we help you?’” she says. “I love it every single day. I’m genuinely excited every day because there’s always something different and the work matters.”

For example, she recently asked a colonel if she had a few minutes for some questions, and ended up talking with her for a few hours. What’s more, she connected her to other information and resources that would continue to be helpful. She emailed a base in Japan to ask about a document they created and, instead of giving her extra hurdles to clear, they took the time to help her track it down.

Otasowie continues to pay that collegial spirit back to the College of Law and her AFROTC classmates. She keeps in touch to offer encouragement, as she knows that they’re learning about upcoming assignments soon, which can be stressful. She’s also glad to share some assurance and perspective she gained since graduation: “Everybody says it’s what you make of it, and it’s so true.”

Bounome Chanphouang ’23
Office of Veteran and Military Affairs Undergraduate Student Veteran Scholarship

Bounome Chanphouang

While he was on active duty, Chanphouang participated in the military visual journalism program in the Newhouse School. “It was my snippet of college, and I loved it,” he says. “The Newhouse School’s television, radio and film program truly helped me grow as a videographer and a storyteller.”

He applied his skills at American Forces Network (AFN) in Naples, Italy, and finished his active service at AFN Souda Bay in 2020. He returned to ���ϲ����� after an honorable discharge to pursue his degree and continues to serve in the Navy reserve. He appreciates the University’s many opportunities for veterans and how his overall experience has been safe and inclusive as well.

“I’m glad I came back to complete my studies as a more well-rounded adult,” he says. He believes the Navy instilled his strong leadership skills and gave him opportunities to continue his success at ���ϲ�����.

The OVMA Undergraduate Student Veteran Scholarship will help give him peace of mind and assist with financial commitments. After he graduates, Chanphouang plans to use his advanced videography and content creation skills to travel the world in search of interesting people with stories to tell.

Kamileh Rivera ’23
Office of Veteran and Military Affairs Military Family Member Scholarship

Kamileh Rivera

Coming to ���ϲ����� from Puerto Rico was a big mental and physical transition for Rivera. The daughter of a veteran, Rivera came alone to a new environment, which she says was scary enough, not to mention learning the ins and outs of college life.

“It was definitely a big moment for me, yet I knew ���ϲ����� had this amazing support system that I could lean on at any time,” she says.

The donor-funded scholarship will help to relieve financial hardships for her and her family. Also, “it’s rewarding to know that someone believes in my education,” she says. “I feel honored to be chosen and will not take this opportunity for granted.”

Rivera plans to continue her education and pursue a master’s degree in public health and attend medical school to become a doctor. “Back home in Puerto Rico, we have a great medical professional deficit, and my goal after graduating from medical school is to go home and give back to the community that saw me grow up and develop into the woman I am today.”

Megan Neuman L’23
Gerald B. Faigle Jr. and Roberta M. Faigle Student Veteran Endowed Scholarship

Megan Neuman

As a military spouse, Neuman understands how military service comes with unique sacrifices. Her husband is a structural engineer, serves in the New York National Guard and recently deployed for months in support of COVID relief. She takes military-connected challenges in stride and focuses even more on her demanding coursework.

“Making the Dean’s List the first semester of the first year in law school was a major accomplishment for me,” she says. “That, coupled with receiving the top grade in a required first-year course, solidified all the hard work that semester…we made the best of it.”

Neuman describes the financial stress this award helps to alleviate as unquantifiable.

“This scholarship helps ease the burden of my husband’s irregular schedule, and he can go on orders knowing our financial situation at home is more secure,” she says. Neuman is looking forward to working with her father, who also graduated from the ���ϲ����� College of Law, to continue the family business.

Gracie Guilette ’24
Richardson Family Scholarship for Military Family Members and Dependents

Gracie Guilette

Attending ���ϲ����� first as a remote student while weathering the pandemic and working a part-time job in her native Wisconsin was challenging for Guilette. She finished high school with a year of college credits, which enabled her to take a gap semester to work as a long-term preschool substitute teacher. She knows that her experience tested her drive, grit and academic strength, and it also made her a better student.

“Now that I am finally on campus as a sophomore, I am incredibly grateful to have been given the chance to come and study in such an amazing atmosphere,” she says. “I learn new things every day, challenge myself to work harder and am truly becoming the person I was born to be.”

Guilette is a dependent of an Army National Guard veteran. With a dual major in applied data analytics and finance, Guilette envisions a career in financial technology where she can give back to the communities that raised her and uplift those with less experience.

“This scholarship will drastically impact the course of my studying,” she says. “It will allow me to continue to pursue my education, take the financial hardships and pressure off, fully focus on my studies and truly embrace my role as a student at the university.”

Hakim Morris ’24
Lois A. and Patricia H. Mautino Veteran Endowed Scholarship

Hakim Morris

Morris served in the Army for just under four years before coming to ���ϲ����� as a full-time student. He is proud to have successfully balanced his online college classes with an extremely demanding work environment while deployed overseas.

Transitioning to college life on campus has been a challenge, and support from the Student Veterans Organization and other resources have made ���ϲ����� a great fit for him.

Morris is interested in policy studies and hopes to continue his education in law school and practice corporate law. So far, he’s had a chance to explore his interests in media and writing through Citrus TV and Renegade Magazine. He works several jobs as well, and he sees this scholarship as an opportunity to further his education while having more time to study and pursue his academic goals.

With this award, “I am one step closer to achieving my ultimate goal of helping others and making an impact,” he says.

Jesus Adkins ’23
Flanik Family Scholarship for Student Veterans

Jesus Adkins

Adkins credits his ���ϲ����� education with putting a world perspective on what he does in the military. Adkins served in the Navy on board the USS Tennessee as a machinist mate and serves on active duty as the quality assurance inspector for Trident Refit Facility Kings Bay in Georgia.

After he finishes his undergraduate studies, Adkins plans to apply to Officer Candidate School and continue his Navy service. “I feel that I’ve had so much help in my life, and now I want to give back to the absolute best of my ability,” he says.

This scholarship has eased the financial burden of higher education and bolstered Adkins’ confidence as a student. Along the way, Adkins’ proudest accomplishment has been his family. “Focusing on what matters most is the best anyone can ever hope to do,” he says. “For me, that focus is my family.”

Curtis Cline ’25
Wilder J. Leavitt and Mary P. Morningstar Scholarship for Military-Connected Students

Curtis Cline

While he was stationed at Fort Drum, New York, Cline experienced ���ϲ����� when his daughter came to Upstate University Golisano Children’s Hospital for a minor procedure, and he ventured onto campus. “The area, people, architecture and school pride won me over immediately,” he says. “At that moment I knew I would be a student here someday.”

With 11 years of active-duty Army experience as an Apache helicopter maintainer and three combat tours, Cline is drawn to staying within the rotary aircraft and defense contracting industry.

He’s also compelled to work in space exploration as part of an innovative team. Either way, he knows his major in aerospace engineering will enable him to pursue advanced degrees and prepare him for numerous exciting paths.

“Everyone I’ve encountered is motivated and gives their all,” he says. “In this short time, I have grown great respect for the university.”

“I took a leap of faith when I decided to become a full-time student,” he says. He credits the Wilder J. Leavitt and Mary P. Morningstar Scholarship for Military-Connected Students with helping him focus on his education, alleviate financial risk and stay on his path to success. “I can ensure I made the right decision,” he says.

Cayden Lombard ’24
Wilder J. Leavitt and Mary P. Morningstar Scholarship for Military-Connected Students

Cayden Lombard

Lombard is a decorated second-year scholar, earning distinctions for academic achievement, fitness and spirit. As a member of Air Force ROTC, he plans to commission as an officer upon graduation, working in Air Force cybersecurity. He credits his military experience with helping him recognize that today’s sacrifices help him to prepare a better future.

“My time here has shaped me to believe that I am capable of doing incredible things if I put time and effort into them,” he says. “I have had an overall positive experience because of the friendships I’ve made and mentors I’ve med throughout both Army and Air Force ROTC.

Lombard appreciates the Wilder J. Leavitt and Mary P. Morningstar Scholarship for Military-Connected Students as an opportunity to lower his post-graduation debt and put him on path to one day give back to the community that supported him.

“It shows support for the military as a whole and encourages those who serve to never stop moving forward,” he says.

Joining the students were ���ϲ����� conference presenters Ron Novack G’20, executive director of the (OVMA); Jennifer Pluta G’15, assistant director of veteran career services for OVMA; Rosalinda Maury, director of applied research; Misty Stutsman Fox, director of the entrepreneurship and small business portfolio at the IVMF; Mirza Tihic, postdoctoral researcher with the Department of Entrepreneurship and Emerging Enterprises in the Whitman School of Management and the IVMF; and Linda Euto ’86, G’91, G’02, associate director for research and evaluation at the IVMF.

Every year, SVA’s national conference brings more than 2,000 student veterans, advocates, thought-leaders, stakeholders and supporters in higher education together for the field’s largest convening. The three-day conference consisted of breakout sessions geared toward student veteran success and post-graduation opportunities. One of those advocates was former Navy SEAL Remi Adeleke who has been a longtime supporter of the IVMF.

University leaders conducted several sessions at the conference. Novack, Pluta and Janina Rios ’24, president of ���ϲ�����’s Student Veteran Organization, presented on “Fundraising in Higher Education for Student Veterans,” speaking on best practices, tools and strategies related to fundraising for veteran and military-connected student programs, initiatives and financial support funds.

Pluta also joined Maury on an important discussion on navigating the current employment situation in a post COVID-19 climate. Maury and Tihic presented on “The State of Veteran Entrepreneurship,” sharing results from the 2020 and 2021 National Survey of Military-Affiliated Entrepreneurs in an effort to understand the resources, tools and programs needed to help military-connected entrepreneurs be successful.

Ron Novack G’20, executive director of the Office of Veteran and Military Affairs, presents at the Student Veterans of America (SVA) National Conference.

Stutsman-Fox was on the panel “Exploring the Entrepreneurship Journey” with Stan Kurtz from the U.S. Small Business Administration and IVMF graduate Chris Rawlings, founder and chief energy officer of Bowerbird Energy. Lastly, Euto presented on debunking common myths about veterans and the challenges they face, and she moderated a panel on “Improving the Pipeline Between Higher Education and Employers” based on a in partnership with Prudential where Pluta was a panelist.

Each year, the SVA announces the finalists for the Chapter Advisor of the Year, Chapter of the Year and Student Veteran of the Year. OVMA’s Ron Novack was honored as a finalist in the Chapter Advisor of the Year category for his hard work and dedication on behalf of student veterans and military-connected students at ���ϲ�����.

“It’s an honor to be recognized as one of the finalists in this category,” Novack says. “I’m extremely proud of the work our OVMA team has done to continue ���ϲ�����’s historic legacy to make the University the Best Place for Veterans.”

Student veterans shared how this experience was helpful for their future careers. “I met several companies I’m seriously considering for the future that I never would have known how to approach without this,” says Keri-Anne Miclon G’23, a master’s student in library science in the School of Information Studies and a Navy veteran. “Hoping to have the chance to go again next year!”

Marjorie David G’22, who earned an MBA and is an Army veteran, says she was grateful for the OVMA team to attend. “It was an amazing trip full of networking and new friends. Grateful for the opportunity!”

���ϲ����� students attended the conference at no cost to them thanks to support from donors to the  (VLF). The fund offers scholarships and special event programming to enhance the student experience, a key strategic University imperative.

The event will begin at 11 a.m. with a welcome and introduction by Charlie Poag, a senior in the Newhouse School and a U.S. Marine Corps veteran.

Christine Brophy, a research analyst in the University’s Office of Institutional Research and a U.S. Army veteran, will share the history of Veterans Day. Harris Krahn, a sophomore in the Maxwell School and College of Arts and Sciences, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and secretary of the , will speak on the University’s history of serving veterans and reflect on his own experiences on campus.

The ceremony will include remarks from Chancellor Kent Syverud and Hendricks Chapel Dean Brian Konkol. Chancellor Syverud will introduce the event’s keynote speaker, retired Lt. Col. Victor Holman ’82.

Holman began his decorated career when he was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Reserve Officers Training Corps at ���ϲ�����. He is currently the secretary of the general staff for the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC), a unique four-star general command. TRADOC has an $8 billion annual budget, trains more than 500,000 military and civilians and directs a workforce of 45,000 personnel worldwide. Holman leads four high-performing teams that manage executive communications, information technology and key administrative support for the commanding general.

The event will also feature performances from the ���ϲ����� Singers and the 198th Army Band.

Earlier that morning, the annual Veterans Day Fun Run, Walk and Stroll will begin at 6:30 a.m. on the Einhorn Family Walk in front of the Schine Student Center. .

The ceremony honors and celebrates those who uphold and defend the Constitution, including those who have served in the military and those who serve today. The ceremony will also be held virtually and is free for the campus community and alumni. Event details and the Zoom link can be found on .

, president of the student organization Operation Veteran Advocacy, will host the event, with remarks by College of Law Dean and Institute for Security Policy and Law Director . The guest speaker will be the 45th Judge Advocate General of the U.S. Navy Vice Admiral Darse E. “Del” Crandall. Crandall will share his perspectives on the origin of Veterans Day and why our nation celebrates veterans and their service.

Crandall is the principal military legal counsel to the secretary of the Navy and chief of naval operations. He also leads the 2,300 attorneys, enlisted legalmen and civilian employees of the worldwide Navy JAG Corps community. He was commissioned in 1984 through the Naval Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) program at Northwestern University, where he received a bachelor of arts in economics. In 1992, he graduated from Georgetown University Law Center, cum laude. In 1999, he received a master of law degree in international law from The George Washington University, with highest honors.

Crandall has completed several assignments within Naval Legal Service Command (NLSC) and the Office of the Judge Advocate General (OJAG). NLSC assignments include defense counsel, prosecutor and civil law department head at Naval Legal Service Office (NLSO) Northwest Pacific and commanding officer of NLSO Central, Pensacola, Florida. OJAG assignments include administrative law attorney and deputy executive assistant to the Judge Advocate General. He also served one year in the dual role of Assistant Judge Advocate General (operations and management)/chief of staff, Region Legal Service Offices.

The fourth annual Veterans Day Celebration is presented by the Institute for Security Policy and Law, the Betty and Michael D. Wohl Veterans Legal Clinic and two College of Law student organizations, the National Security Student Association and Operation Veteran Advocacy. The ���ϲ����� ROTC Joint Color Guard will present the colors and the Weedsport High School chorus will sing the national anthem. Students, local attorneys, veterans, and members of the 10th Mountain Division Office of the Staff Judge Advocate will attend the ceremony.

The event at the K.G. Tan Auditorium at the NVRC recognized the 10-year anniversary of the , which has served more than 160,000 veterans and their families and is now located in the NVRC.

After a delay of more than a year due to the pandemic, the dedication also marked the official grand opening of a spectacular building that serves as a center of research, innovation and programming in support of our nation’s veterans; acts as a community hub for student veterans and the entire campus; and advances the economic and wellness concerns of the nations’ veterans and their families.

And perhaps most importantly, the event reconfirmed Chancellor Kent Syverud’s commitment that ���ϲ����� will be the best university in the country for veterans and their families.

“So, what is next?” Chancellor Syverud asked. “What is our vision for the next 10 years, for IVMF, for OVMA (Office of Veteran and Military Affairs), and for ���ϲ�����?

Chancellor Kent Syverud

“In 2031, let’s not be the best private university for veterans and military-connected service members and their families, let’s be simply the best university of any kind for those who are serving or have served,” Chancellor Syverud said. “Let’s be the best university for vets, period. I think we can do this. If you doubt this, look around. Look what you have already achieved.”

In addition to Chancellor Syverud, other guest speakers included J. Michael Haynie, vice chancellor for strategic initiatives and innovation and IVMF’s founder and executive director; Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman; and Mark Elliott, managing director and global head of military and veterans affairs for JPMorgan Chase & Co., a foundational sponsor for IVMF when it was founded in 2011.

The event featured a captivating fireside chat with Mike Hayes, chief digital transformation officer at VMware and retired U.S. Navy SEAL commander and author, and Britt Slabinski, Medal of Honor recipient and retired U.S. Navy SEAL master chief special warfare operator. Adding to the pomp and circumstance, former President George W. Bush provided a video message.

“The NVRC represents a continuation of a long-standing commitment from ���ϲ����� to those who have worn our nation’s uniform and their families,” Bush said. “I thank my friends Dan and Gayle D’Aniello for their transformative gift that made this facility a reality, and for their continued support of our veterans.”

Vice Chancellor for Strategic Initiatives and Innovation and IVMF Founder and Executive Director J. Michael Haynie

Haynie, whose vision for IVMF started with scribbles on a napkin at a meeting with potential funders, said the NVRC “represents ���ϲ�����’s commitment to paying on the moral accountability in a model of national defense where the many benefit from the sacrifice and service of the few.” Since the draft was eliminated in 1973, Haynie said, less than 1% of the population serves in the military at any time.

Haynie told a story from several years ago, when he was on a plane ride with a Marine Corps veteran named Tim who had served five years, including three in the Middle East. Tim said he had been out of service for six months, couldn’t find a job and was on his way to a VA hospital because the ringing in his ears was preventing him from getting more than two hours of sleep at night.

“He looked at me and said, eyes welling up with tears, worse than all of that, he feels anonymous,” Haynie said.

“The NVRC represents, both in a symbolic and practical way, ���ϲ�����’s commitment to Tim to telling his story and creating the intellectual and social conditions between those who have served and those who have not to facilitate knowing and inclusion and understanding and empathy,” Haynie said. “Thank you, on behalf of Tim and the many like him in this very room, who because of all those who made this remarkable space and place possible, they will no longer be anonymous while among us.”

Army ROTC student Isabella Lee ’22

Isabella Lee ’22, an Army ROTC student, provided a reflection and emphasized that the NVRC gives veteran students, ROTC students and veterans and their families a welcoming place where their voices–unlike Tim’s–are being heard.

“My family has served for generations and we’ve seen what freedom costs because soldiers just do not pay with their lives, they pay in their children’s soccer games and school plays, they pay with their peace of mind and sleepless nights that are caused by PTSD, and they pay with every service-related injury and every moment spent away from their loved ones fighting for the freedom of our nation,” Lee said. “I’m so proud to stand here today as a student of an institution that’s ready to pay it forward.”

The IVMF’s ability to pay it forward is the result of a vast network of partners and sponsors who have provided financial support. On Oct. 28, the Small Business Administration announced that the IVMF was awarded a $5 million grant to participate in the new Community Navigator Pilot Program to help the economic recovery efforts of specific communities, including veterans, women and socially and economically disadvantaged individuals.

The building is named in honor of U.S. Navy veteran and Life Trustee Daniel D’Aniello ’68 and his wife, Gayle, who provided a $20 million gift in support of the construction of the facility. While on campus for the dedication, Daniel and Gayle announced a $30 million gift to support the creation of an endowment to provide annual operational support for the IVMF, ensuring it remains the nation’s leading academic institute focused on the concerns of America’s more than 20 million veterans and their families.

Fireside chat between Mike Hayes, chief digital transformation officer at VMware and retired U.S. Navy SEAL commander and author, and Britt Slabinski, Medal of Honor recipient and retired U.S. Navy SEAL master chief special warfare operator

Miguel Pica, a student veteran who will graduate in December and is the ���ϲ����� PAVE (Peer Advisors for Veteran Education) team leader, said to him, the Daniel and Gayle D’Aniello Building represents the University’s commitment to veterans and how that commitment will only get stronger.

“We’re not just saying we’re going to help you or assist you with your transition, or give you the tools to succeed in academia, but beyond that it’s an actual statement,” Pica said. “We’re not just saying it, but actually dedicating an incredible space for veterans and their families.”

Distinguished Military Graduates and Recondo Badge Earned

Army cadets attended advanced training camp over the summer, and eight were selected as distinguished military graduates, meaning they were assessed in the top 15% of all cadets nationwide, including active duty, national guard and reserves. They are Madeleine Gordon, Brian Bauer, Isabella Lee, Patrick Little, Jeffrey Estes, John Northrop, Lucas Marchi and Stanley Smudin.

Additionally, Gordon and Bauer were ranked in the top 10% of all active-duty cadets. “I think this speaks volumes to how well our program has prepared us to not only perform at camp and receive these evaluations, but further to have the ability to broaden and grow ourselves professionally in ROTC,” says Gordon. She says ROTC has given her room for academic and personal growth while providing opportunities and passionate involvement outside in the community.

Gordon says her experience with different languages and cultures as a double major in modern foreign languages (Arabic and Chinese) in the College of Arts and Sciences, with minors in linguistics and Middle Eastern studies, is a factor in her success. “Cultural understanding and competencies are aspects of leadership I feel don’t immediately come to mind, but are absolutely critical in your ability to support not only your soldiers, but also the mission set as we continue to engage in a diverse theater of operations.”

The success of the Army ROTC program is a testament to the examples of leadership they see in the instructors, known as cadre, in the program. Gordon says rather than simply memorizing doctrine, the program encourages cadets to learn how to think critically and take personal approaches to leadership. “We performed well because we all had adequate training and a good understanding of the material,” she says. “But further, we are enabled to have creative intuitions and take appropriate risk to challenge ourselves and grow as decisive leaders.”

The following cadets additionally earned the Reconnaissance Commando (Recondo) badge: Charles Ball, Michael Griffin, Patrick Little, Michael Lunny, Lucas Marchi, Alexander Morales, John Northrop, Hayden Smith (SUNY Oswego) and Ryan Snyder.

Cadets earning the Recondo badge met specific physical, intellectual and performance criteria, such as completing a six-mile march with a 35-pound rucksack in under 90 minutes; earning a first-time GO (pass) in all tested events and competencies, qualifying Sharpshooter or higher on the M4 range; and successfully finding 5/6 points of a day/night land navigation course.

For Gordon and the accomplished ROTC MSIV cohort, the accolades and badges aren’t as valuable as the perspective they are able to bring back to the battalion. While the COVID pandemic canceled advance camps for last year’s senior class, Gordon says her cohort’s participation can better help the next class prepare. “Our focus now is enabling our junior cadets to achieve and surpass us. How many more distinguished military graduates and Recondo badges can we get next year, and the one following?”

Air Force Cadets Placed in Selective Fields

For Air Force cadets, the assessment process begins their first year in the program and continues through their senior year, appearing in front of their leadership boards. Cadets are evaluated based on their grades, military bearing and technical expertise and are compared to cadets nationwide. During their junior year, cadets submit their preferences for competitive rated career fields, like pilots. Based on these assessments and submitted preferences, the Air Force assigns the cadets their military specialty.

Every Air Force cadet that applied was selected for rated positions within the USAF: Mackenzie Jorgensen, Si Yun (Sara) Lim, Alyssa Rote, Erin Beaudoin, Gerrit Vanvranken, Scott Potter, Jarod Okamura and Paul Dicorso.

“I didn’t know if I was going to get it or not. I was told the boards this year were very competitive, so I was very happy,” says Jorgensen, an international relations major in the Maxwell School and the College of Arts and Sciences. “I was very excited and relieved to know what I’m going to be doing.”

For air battle managers Jorgensen and Lim, their position is much like an offensive coordinator on a football team, helping oversee a combat situation and funneling resources where they are needed by observing radar or other intelligence.

“Initially there were eight of us put up on the boards, five of us got it originally,” says Jorgensen. A supplemental board allowed cadets to work on some aspect of their profile to increase their chances for selection, such as taking summer courses or technical training. “When we found out all three of them got it on the second boards, it was really exciting, and I think it’s a testament to how hard we work as a class and compete nationwide against other cadets in Air Force ROTC.”

Lim, a double major in international relations and political science in the Maxwell School and College of Arts and Sciences, was one of the cadets who earned her spot in the supplemental board. She says serving in the military is the culmination of a lifelong dream and building on the legacy of service her father began as an ROTC cadet in the South Korean military. “I got naturalized for citizenship in 2018. It was my first year of college. And that was probably the proudest moment of my life so far,” says Lim. “And one of the reasons I think I chose to go the military abroad is because I want to give back to the country that I call home.”

Mechanical engineering major Erin Beaudoin, aerospace engineering major Alyssa Rote and political science major Gerrit Vanvranken were selected for combat systems officer. This position is often sitting behind a pilot in a fighter jet. They will each attend advanced training in Florida for about a year, learning the technical application of their job as well as survival, evasion, resistance and escape training. All three are excited to continue training together.

Scott Potter, who was selected as a pilot, said flying is his dream. “I’ve wanted to be a pilot for almost as long as I can remember,” he said. He found out his selection during a meeting with his captain. “He sat me down and he said, ‘Well, sometimes you shoot for the stars and you come up short,’ and I put my head down and he said, ‘you got a pilot slot.’ And I jumped up out of my seat and put my hands up in the air.” Potter says everyone being selected for a rated position is a reflection of the ROTC program as a whole. “This was one of the most competitive boards in a long time,” he says. “So that’s the quality of cadet that we have at this detachment. Being around each other, we all make each other better just because everyone is such a high speed, high caliber person.”

Remotely Piloted Aircraft selections Jarod Okamura and Paul Dicorso will fly drones. “It’s cliché, but everyone has a different background and so we have a good diversity of thought in the detachment,” says Okamura. “And although we are technically competing against each other for a commission allocation or career selection, everyone pushes each other to succeed.”

The University’s National Veterans Resource Center at the Daniel and Gayle D’Aniello Building will be officially dedicated on Wednesday, Nov. 3.

While a grand opening celebration in April 2020 was sidelined due to the pandemic, the University’s National Veterans Resource Center (NVRC) at the Daniel and Gayle D’Aniello Building will be officially dedicated on Wednesday, Nov. 3. The campus community is invited to attend the event, which will take place from 3 to 4:30 p.m. in the K.G. Tan Auditorium at the NVRC.

A center of research, innovation and programming in support of our nation’s veterans; a community hub for student veterans and the entire campus; and a beacon to all who have served this country, the NVRC is a first-of-its-kind facility that advances the economic and wellness concerns of the nations’ veterans and their families.

The dedication of the NVRC, which builds on ���ϲ�����’s long-standing commitment to the veteran and military-connected community, celebrates another important milestone in the University’s history in connection with our country’s service members.

Along with guest speakers, the event will feature a fireside chat with Mike Hayes, chief digital transformation officer at VMware, retired U.S. Navy SEAL commander and author, and Britt Slabinski, Medal of Honor recipient and retired U.S. Navy SEAL master chief special warfare operator.

Those interested in attending are asked to .

Several years in the making, the D’Aniello Building began to fill with staff and opened to the campus community in early February 2020, but the pandemic and public health guidelines necessitated a postponement of a planned dedication.

The National Veterans Resource Center at the Daniel and Gayle D’Aniello Building brings together the University’s veteran and military-related programs.

Bringing together the University’s veteran and military-related programs, the facility houses the University’s (IVMF) that conducts national training around the country, the that is the front door for any student veteran or military-connected member need on campus, both Army and Air Force Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC), the ,” , and office space for local, county and state government veteran representatives and community-based veterans organizations.

Officials expect tens of thousands of veterans per year will receive training and support through programs at the new facility, either in person or online.

“This new building is the result of the hard work and effort of many people, and builds on the University’s storied history of support to our nation’s veterans and their families. It has been wonderful to witness staff and faculty, ROTC students, student-veterans and researchers make their new home here,” says J. Michael Haynie, vice chancellor for strategic initiatives and innovation and IVMF founder. “We’re excited to welcome all members of the campus and local community—as well partners from around the nation—to this first-of-its-kind center, created specifically to elevate research, educational programs, and community collaborations that advance opportunity for our nation’s veterans and military-connected families.”

Along with classrooms and offices, the 115,000 square-foot center also features a 750-seat auditorium, the K.G. Tan Auditorium.

The building is named in honor of U.S. Navy veteran and Life Trustee Daniel D’Aniello ’68 and his wife, Gayle, who provided a $20 million gift in support of the construction of the facility. D’Aniello, co-founder and chair emeritus of The Carlyle Group, earned a bachelor’s degree from what is now the Martin J. Whitman School of Management.

Funding was also provided through the Central New York Regional Economic Development Council’s winning proposal, as part of New York State’s Upstate Revitalization Initiative.

The NVRC represents one of the six themes of the University’s Academic Strategic Plan and a key strategic priority of Chancellor Kent Syverud’s—to distinguish ���ϲ����� as the premier university for veterans, military-connected students and families, with enhanced and expanded programs to help them achieve their academic goals.

In addition, the LEED-certified facility was the first new building constructed as part of the University’s Campus Framework, which works with the Academic Strategic Plan to guide the future of the campus environment and enhance the student experience, integrate accessibility and improve academic and research spaces.

Construction of the building, which was designed by the New York City firm SHoP Architects, began in 2018 and incorporates universal design standards, with ADA compliance, to ensure a welcoming, inclusive space for all veterans and visitors.

Along with classrooms and offices, the 115,000 square-foot center also features a 750-seat auditorium, available as a resource to the entire campus; a rooftop parade field for drill and ceremony training for ROTC cadets; a large event space and a gallery exhibition space.

A flag raising ceremony was held in August 2020 at the National Veterans Resource Center.

Living Library is an annual event encouraging people from different backgrounds to talk with and learn from each other in a safe and supportive environment.

“���ϲ�����’s classrooms and campuses benefit enormously from the inclusion of military-connected students, faculty and staff,” says Office of Veteran Affairs Executive Director Ron Novack. “This year’s military-themed living library event is an opportunity to bring together our entire campus community to hear firsthand the experiences, backgrounds and personal stories of our veterans and military-connected students faculty and staff.”

Living books will share their experience on a variety of topics, including military service, transition from the military, managing a family while serving, disability, feelings of alienation and the end of the war in Afghanistan.

The Living Library is open to the campus community. Participants can reserve living books in advance for a specific time by completing the by Nov. 10. If you have difficulties using this form or wish to sign up as a living book, visit the . To request accommodations, please reach out by Nov. 10.

Richard M. (Rich) Jones

The incoming chair of the Office of Veteran and Military Affairs (OVMA) , Richard M. (Rich) Jones ’92, G’95, L’95, believes that President Abraham Lincoln’s second inaugural address provides us with a call to action. He says that the most important obligation as a nation and as a university community is to “[T]o care for those who have borne the battle.” Jones says it is this very commitment that has guided the leaders of ���ϲ����� for many decades and will shape the future for generations to come. “The idea of how to best support our veterans and military families is continuously evolving,” Jones says. “Our nation spends billions of dollars each year recruiting and then training our young men and women in uniform. We need to be as equally purposeful as they transition out of uniform and into the civilian workforce.”

Jones, who is the executive vice president, general tax counsel and chief veteran officer at ViacomCBS, believes the OVMA is well-positioned to build a broader, innovative network of support for veterans and their families—one that leverages the resources of the University as well as those of the public and private sector.

“In my estimation, in order for the OVMA to be as impactful as it can, we must, to use a military term, be hyper aware of ‘the conditions on the ground’ because conditions affecting this generation of transitioning veterans are changing in ways that we can’t even imagine and they will need our best thinking and support,” he says.

Jones describes himself as just a hard-working soldier who has never forgotten where he came from. He was a non-commissioned officer in the U.S. Army, where he served honorably as a member of the 75th Ranger Regiment and 10th Mountain Division. “I still operate like the staff sergeant that I was: head on a swivel, always looking out 1,000 meters,” Jones says. “Our mission at ���ϲ����� is to provide a world-class education. What should distinguish our approach to serving student veterans? What ���ϲ����� does, which is so unique, is to supplement the classroom instruction with community, support, mentoring and life-coaching and always providing the practical survival skills necessary to be successful in the civilian workplace and beyond.”

Guidance and support

Richard M. (Rich) Jones, front, founded the ViacomCBS Veterans Network 13 years ago to provide mentoring, education, internships and economic empowerment to veterans.

Jones credits ���ϲ����� for changing his life and providing the guidance, support and education that he needed to successfully take on the challenges of life after the military. After six years of service, he was medically retired from the Army after being critically injured when his parachute malfunctioned during a training exercise. Jones was being treated at the ���ϲ����� VA Medical Center when he made the decision to hobble across Irving Street on crutches to campus and found his way to the office of Horace Landry, professor emeritus of accounting in the Whitman School of Management and a WWII Navy veteran. Jones says that Landry’s genuine concern exemplifies the old saying that “everyone needs someone in their life to give them the courage to be what they are meant to be.”

Jones went on to earn a bachelor of science degree (summa cum laude) as well as law and business degrees (with honors) from ���ϲ�����. He credits that chance meeting for setting in motion the events that led to where he is today. “At a critical point in my life, ���ϲ����� literally helped me get back on my feet,” says Jones. “It gave me the gift of an outstanding education, allowed me to have a great career and, most importantly, the ability to make a difference in the lives of others.”

Despite any success, he has never forgotten how gut-wrenching it was to have his military career end and how difficult it was to overcome the pain, physical limitations and trauma. It drives him to help others, just like Professor Landry and the ���ϲ����� community helped him, to get to the other side stronger and empowered.

Jones, who was awarded the University’s highest alumni honor, an Arents Award, in 2014, works closely with many of the nation’s most impactful veteran service organizations to ensure that we honor the sacrifice of this generation of veterans and their families. He founded the 13 years ago to provide mentoring, education, internships and economic empowerment to veterans. He considers it a great honor to serve as the chief veteran officer at ViacomCBS where nearly 1,000 veterans are currently employed, bringing with them skills essential to both military and corporate success, like leadership, problem solving, teamwork and attention to detail.

Thiéyacine Fall

“For us, it’s all about selfless service and quiet, impactful action,” says Jones. He cites the as an example of how companies can help student veterans with hands-on experience, career-building workshops, professional development courses and networking opportunities.

Thiéyacine Fall G’22, who is pursuing an MBA at the Whitman School, is one of the program interns, working in the Global Sourcing Department. Fall was an active-duty U.S. Army soldier in the infantry, assigned to the 10th Mountain Division and deployed to Afghanistan in 2010. When he left the service, he got an undergraduate degree at Fordham University. “When I got out of the service, I saw all these promotional promises: ‘Hire vets! Hire heroes!’ I figured if I got a degree, the doors would be open, and the bounty would be plentiful,” Fall says. “But the reality was—there were no doors.”

Fall discovered the painful truth suffered by many veterans. Companies didn’t seem to value the skills they had developed on the battlefield.

Translating military skills

Janina Rios, another ViacomCBS intern and ���ϲ����� undergraduate, was similarly discouraged. The army veteran had gone directly from high school into basic training, serving in the National Guard before suffering an injury that forced her into medical retirement. “Everybody kept saying it’s going to be easy, you served in the military,” Rios says. “But every time I applied for a job, I was told I didn’t meet the qualifications.”

Janina Rios

Looking back, Rios wishes someone had helped her translate her military skills into civilian language to improve her resume and her interviewing skills. That’s exactly what the programs at ���ϲ�����, OVMA and the ViacomCBS Veterans Network can help with. Rios, now majoring in film studies in the College of Visual and Performing Arts, is editing content to create engaging videos. “The fact that I was selected for the internship in my freshman year and am able to connect with people who are extremely passionate about veterans…it’s genuine love and care that you’re experiencing, along with mentorship and understanding,” Rios says.

Both Fall and Rios say that the greatest challenge for veterans transitioning to civilian life is the lack of structure. The internship program provides opportunities that are well-defined and a clearer pathway to career success. “Rich Jones is making the roadmap easier for me,” says Fall. “And I’d like to make that roadmap easier for other veterans.”

“We have to make sure that we provide our student veterans with the mindset and the tools to navigate their transition,” says Jones. “That sums up the mission of the OVMA, its board and this wonderful ���ϲ����� community. We have the great privilege to continue this work, to honor a promise that was made decades ago and the unique opportunity to make a huge difference in the lives of transitioning veterans and their families for generations to come.”

2014 Arents Award, Excellence in Finance and Veterans Affairs

Though student veteran liaisons do not replace a student veteran’s academic advisor, they can help supplement the support and connections student veterans build on campus. “An Orange Door opens up pathways to inclusivity and understanding essential to the values of ���ϲ�����,” says Ron Novack, executive director of the Office of Veteran and Military Affairs (OVMA). “These door hangers can help be a catalyst for dialogue and make our student veteran population feel welcome,” says Novack.

For faculty and staff interested in becoming a student veteran liaison, request an orange door tag by emailing vma@syr.edu. The door hangers are provided by the OVMA. Participants are asked to hang the door tags in their offices, departments and buildings as visual signs to student veterans that they are welcome to come in and talk. In addition, student veteran liaisons will be provided military cultural training and a user guide [PDF] to help better understand their role in a veteran’s campus experience.

“This program gives veterans a visual cue that they have found a door that is open to them to discuss their needs,” says Novack. “This campus community makes ���ϲ����� a better place for student veterans one orange door at a time.”

For more information, visit .

One service, first offered to only student veterans but now available to all ���ϲ����� students, is . Purepost is a software platform that helps veterans communicate the value of their service and translate military work experience into terms that are easily understood by civilian employers. More importantly, it automatically details the management skills used in the military and explains how they apply to a civilian job.

Purepost was started in 2017 by Army veteran Anthony Garcia. Garcia noticed the difficulties of transitioning to the professional world.

“He saw through his own personal experience that there was a need for taking down the barrier between the military skills that a veteran receives during their time of service and when they enter the civilian sector,” says Jennifer Pluta, assistant director of in the Office of Veteran and Military Affairs (OVMA).

Pluta says that a lot of the jobs in the military are very similar to the civilian jobs. For example, you could be a physician’s assistant, an engineer or pretty much anything that exists in the real world, just in a military setting. “What Purepost did is they went through every military job occupation for every rank for every branch and pulled out all of its competencies, and that’s really amazing,” Pluta says.

Students visit Paramount Pictures as part of the Los Angeles Career Immersion Trip in January 2020.

In addition to the jobs already in the software, an expert panel of veterans does the translating and accepts more entries. If a student is looking for something that’s not on the platform, they can send them that information and they’ll add it into their database so it will be available to other veterans.

The service has been extremely helpful to ���ϲ����� students in finding employment after graduation.

Peggy Trujillo G’20 found Purepost and Veteran Career Services extremely helpful after she discovered it while earning a master’s degree in communications online at the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications. “It’s normal even for young veterans to be leaders. However, they don’t think of themselves as having high-level management experience while trying to pursue civilian jobs,” Trujillo says. Trujillo used Purepost to translate her 20 years of experience in the U.S. Navy into a resume that details all the skills she learned.

“I would recommend Purepost to student veterans simply because it helps them fully understand who they are and how to apply for jobs. It gives them confidence and if they start this resume when they’re a student, it also might show them what they’re missing and what they need to focus on in school,” she says.

Purepost is now open to all SU students, not just student veterans, after the University recognized the value of a tool to enhance the student experience.

“Purepost helps eliminate barriers. Sometimes students don’t realize the skills they possess, maybe even from a summer job they had at 16. They may not realize the breadth and depth of skills that they utilized in that position. Because that awareness may not be present, that’s a barrier,” Pluta says. “When students understand their competencies and their skills, it shows up on their resume but also shows up in their interview, and they’re going to be able to talk about it.”

In addition to Purepost, Pluta and her colleagues at OVMA provide many other valuable resources to student veterans to ensure their success in securing employment after graduation. offers virtual services through its website, Handshake and resume tools like Purepost and Vmock as well as a library of tutorial videos featuring career-related content. The team also provides career immersion trips, national conference options, interview practices, mentorship meetings where experts meet with and advise students and career fairs.

Ryan Marquette, Laura Buys and Dan Rubio

SVO’s Best for Vets Award was given to Ryan Marquette. Marquette is currently pursuing a J.D. from the College of Law and a master’s of public administration from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs. Marquette serves in such leadership positions as the president of Veterans’ Issues, Support Initiative, and Outreach Network and president of the National Security Student Association. Best for Vets Award is presented to the student veteran who has done the most to help student veterans succeed both on and off campus and has gone far above and beyond for his fellow students.

SVO’s Community Support Award went to Daniel Rubio. Rubio has supported new student veterans, as the Team Leader for the Peer Advisors for Veteran Education (PAVE) chapter at ���ϲ�����. Rubio works on campus with student services in the Schine Student center assisting students, faculty and visitors through all the services available in the newly renovated center. He also serves as the public affairs officer for the SVO.

The Danny Facto Student Veteran Work-Study Award was given to Miguel Pica. Pica has worked with the ���ϲ����� admissions team over the last year. Pica is pursuing a bachelor of science in biology in the College of Arts and Sciences, a bachelor of arts in history in the College of Arts and Sciences and the Maxwell School, and a minor in public health in the Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics. He also serves as a PAVE Advisor to assist incoming student veterans and serves as a student senator on the University Senate. The award is named in honor of the late Danny Facto, a decorated U.S. Army combat veteran, Purple Heart recipient and a great representative of both the armed forces and ���ϲ�����. The award recognizes a student veteran VA work-study who reflects the value and character Facto epitomized.

Laura Buys was named Student Veteran of the Year. Buys is a disability services liaison (DSL) and has helped student veterans with academic support and tutoring, alternative formats for courses, adaptive technology, classroom adjustments such as interpretive services or assisted listening devices, mobility accommodations, and service animal requests.

She also connects students to local off-campus resources such as the ���ϲ����� VA Medical Center, the Vet Center, Behavioral Health Outpatient Clinic and the Veterans Legal Clinic. Buys was selected as the University’s 2020 Tillman Scholar and is currently pursuing a master of social work degree in the Falk College, maintaining a 3.95 GPA. The OVMA recognizes a single student veteran for this award each year for their significant contributions to the veteran community both on and off campus.

In addition, to these awards, the SVO announced new executive leaders for the 2021-2022 academic year:

• Secretary: Harris Krahn
• Public Affairs Officer: Daniel Szarek
• Treasurer: Sam Tanner
• Vice President: Anthony Ruscitto
• President: Janina Rios

As one of the more than 1,500 national on-campus chapters, the role of the SVO is to elevate the academic, professional and personal development of veterans to make the campus experience an exceptional one. Through networking, training, programming and community participation, the SVO raises the visibility of student veterans on campus while creating a sense of campus community among those who have served.

Ron Novack, executive director of the Office of Veteran and Military Affairs, says the sashes are a recognition of the service, leadership and global perspective veterans bring to campus and classrooms. “���ϲ����� is the best place for veterans in part because we celebrate and value veterans who have successfully transitioned from the military service to higher education,” says Novack. “This sash design helps student veterans be visible during commencement and recognized for their selfless service to our nation and academic accomplishment.”

Applications for each scholarship are open March 11-18. Scholarship recipients will be announced in April.

• $5,000 awarded to two eligible applicants
• Must be a currently enrolled undergraduate student veteran

• $5,000 awarded to two eligible applicants
• Must be a currently enrolled student who identifies as a military family member and/or dependent

• $2,500 for one eligible applicant
• Must be a currently enrolled undergraduate student veteran

• $3,500 awarded to two eligible applicants
• Must be a currently enrolled undergraduate student veteran

• $2,500 awarded to two eligible applicants
• Must be a currently enrolled undergraduate veteran and/or military-connected student

• $4,000 awarded to two eligible applicants
• Must be a currently enrolled undergraduate student veteran

For more information and application instructions, visit .

NATCON illuminated important challenges to a successful transition from military service. Day one covered steps in finding the right position and translating military occupations into marketable skills. Day two was dedicated to addressing issues related to inclusion and the importance of allyship. The SVA’s conference overarching theme, “Leaning Forward Together,” implored student veterans to continue serving in their new roles in their communities and workplaces.

First lady Jill Biden delivers the virtual keynote speech.

Biden talked about her experience as a military family, and how her father’s service in World War II changed the course of her life. “He, and the men he fought beside, made our world a safer and more just place,” said Biden. “As a teacher myself, I have taught many veterans transitioning from military service, worried they would not adjust to civilian life…I’ve seen them not only adjust but thrive and become leaders in their communities.”

���ϲ�����’s Student Veterans Organization (SVO) was selected as one of the four SVA Chapter of the Year finalists. Though many of the SVO’s usual activities were suspended due to COVID-19, the chapter was selected based on several accomplishments, like working in research labs conducting COVID testing and organizing awareness campaigns for veterans suicide in the local community.

SVO President Charlie Poag says he is proud that members received this recognition. “The ���ϲ����� SVO is successful because we have an overwhelmingly supportive campus environment and surrounding community,” says Poag. All students are welcome to join if they wish to be involved with supporting veterans. “For our military-connected population, the SVO can provide camaraderie and ease the transition into the academic environment after military service. For all other students, the SVO provides an opportunity to not only support our veteran population in Central New York but also get hands-on experience engaging with different organizations and building strong networks with dedicated people.”

University leaders conducted three sessions at the conference. Rosalinda Maury, IVMF’s director of applied research and analytics, and Jennifer Pluta, OVMA’s assistant director of veteran career services, presented how the COVID-19 pandemic has changed the employment landscape for veterans. Maury also hosted a breakout session with Mirza Tihic, a member of the IVMF research and analytics team, as well as a postdoctoral researcher in the Whitman School of Management. Maury and Tihic discussed resources, tools and programs needed to support and enhance veteran entrepreneurs. IVMF Director of the Entrepreneurship and Small Business Portfolio Misty Fox participated in a panel discussion on entrepreneurship and how veterans can access information, resources and capital through the public, non-profit and private sectors.

The virtual lobby of NATCON 2021.

“The opportunities for meaningful networking that the annual SVA NATCON brings to our student veterans are exceptionally informative and impactful. This national gathering is something our SVO members look forward to every year. It is a chance for our student veterans to connect with other SVA chapters from all over the country and learn best practices from them as well as network with employers for job and internship opportunities,” says OVMA Executive Director Ron Novack. “This annual conference is also an opportunity for ���ϲ����� as an R1 research institution to present its research results to help assist the work of other attending universities who are also committed to supporting veterans and their families post-service.”

SVA’s National Conference annually attracts 2,000 student veterans, advocates, thought leaders, stakeholders and supporters in higher education. “The President and I have always believed that our nation has a sacred obligation to equip our troops when we send them into harm’s way, and to care for them and their families both while they serve and when they come home,” said Biden during her keynote address. “And we know when you have the chance to succeed, you lift up those around you as well, whether that’s your fellow student veterans, your families or your communities.”

John Gibson

As a Marine combat engineer with the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit, John Gibson’s job was to identify improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and mines, place and clear obstacles, lay out concertina wire and build bunkers. This essential, physical and tactile combat zone work not only requires close attention to detail but also an understanding of how the lives of fellow servicemembers rely on your skill. The sights, sounds and intense memories of combat left a deep impression on Gibson ’20, one that he invites others to experience through his immersive art exhibition, “A Sapper’s Abyss.”

Gibson’s exhibition—an installation, kinetic sculpture and performance piece in one, titled after the traditional name for a combat engineer— in the of Wordgathering: A Journal of Disability Poetry and Literature, a digital quarterly journal edited by Diane Wiener, Burton Blatt Institute research professor and associate director of interdisciplinary programs and outreach. The issue also features .

Originally installed at the ”Warrior Brain + Artist Mind” gallery exhibition hosted by CreatiVets and the School of the Art Institute of Chicago—and now stored at the National Veterans Art Museum—Wordgathering the “abyss” virtually, hyperlinking a “walk-through” of the sculpture, the photos and sound files that make up the piece.

These facets are featured in distinct sections, with accompanying image descriptions of the visual content. Several photographs and image descriptions of the “abyss” in its original exhibition context are also included.

Warrior Brain + Artist Mind Exhibition (CreatiVets, June 2018), showing various artists’ work in the gallery, including John T. Gibson’s “The Sapper’s Abyss”

“The whole piece is 4 feet wide by 7 feet long and 8 feet tall,” describes Gibson. “When you first come up to the exhibition, you see wooden frames surrounded by a skirt of black burlap with an entrance on one side and an exit on the other.”

At the entrance, continues Gibson, broken and twisted chains hold open the doors. “The entrance is about 5 feet tall, so you have to kind of duck to get in. Once you’re in, you see dirt, sandbags and combat trash, such as discarded Meals Ready to Eat and little pieces of rubber.”

Bringing this claustrophobic space vividly to life, Gibson has hung a web of fishing line to which are attached 57 photos. “The photos are double-sided, and they are almost spinning, kind of like a mobile,” he continues. “If you touch one, they all move. It gives a kind of ‘Twilight Zone’ feel.” Above the viewer, a spotlight adds to the stark, oppressive atmosphere.

The photos illustrate life for a sapper in an intense combat zone. Some of them are extremely graphic, Gibson notes, showing the havoc IEDs wreak on a body. Their placement and constant motion remind the viewer that veterans must live with these images long after their service has ended. “The photos were donated by Dr. Jon Bowersox, a friend who was a medical officer. He took them and obtained them through a Freedom of Information Act request,” says Gibson.

To these battlefield sights, Gibson has added equally shocking sounds. A pressure plate—not unlike those that set off enemy IEDs—lies hidden in the dirt. If an unsuspecting visitor steps on the plate, one of three bomb blast sounds are triggered along with a flash of a flood light from above. Gibson manufactured the sounds himself, by recording a ball bearing hitting a metal sheet in an empty hallway. “I put different pieces of fabric up and then just let the ball bearings go with elastic, then I manipulated the recordings to make them sound like a rural explosion or urban explosion with up-close reverberation.”

The effect of this sound, vision and tactility is an overwhelmingly sensory experience. It encourages the viewer to walk in Gibson’s scuffed and dusty combat boots into that part of his mind where combat memories have been compartmentalized.

“‘A Sapper’s Abyss’ stands for what happens to old trauma,” observes Gibson. “But I’m also trying to express how this form of compartmentalization is not unique to veterans.” Many people who experience trauma, he observes, have a place in their mind where difficult memories are stored. Of course, trauma survivors can find venturing into such a memory room uncomfortable, and Gibson admits that he has combat veteran friends who “love the project but say ‘I’m not going near it.'”

“While I was putting it together, it was tough,” Gibson adds. “There were a couple of sleepless nights as I put myself back into that space so I could unpack it and translate it in order for another person to experience it. It was a very introspective experience.”

A disability advocate who believes strongly in the healing power of self-expression, since leaving the Marines, Gibson has fostered his artistic talent, his skills as a counselor and future therapist, and his advocacy on behalf of veterans.

When asked why he decided to move from his native California to pursue a bachelor’s degree in social work at ���ϲ�����, Gibson is to-the-point: “���ϲ����� is the number one private school for veterans, hands down. I really saw that firsthand through the implementation of the DSL program.”

Gibson is referring to the University’s Office of Veteran and Military Affairs Disability Services Liaison program, his “pet project” that allowed him to fully display his passion for helping and supporting veterans. The program ensures veteran students are connected to University and other external resources enabling the student veteran success on campus. As an undergraduate, Gibson also served on the Disability External Review Committee, charged by University Chancellor Kent Syverud to provide policy advice regarding disability culture on campus.

After completing a master’s degree, Gibson says he hopes to divide his time between clinical social work and working for a nonprofit. With military experience in Marine expeditionary units in 13 countries—and visits to seven more—Gibson says where he practices in the future is not as important as the mission.

“Because of this perspective, I have come to understand that team and purpose supersede geography. I mean, I’d love to be somewhere a little bit warmer, but really it’s about the mission and the team,” Gibson says. “If I can have a good mission that I’m passionate about and have a team that’s supportive, I can make a nest anywhere on earth.”