Hall's Heroes: SVO Brings National Advocacy to Seton Hall

This past March, students and faculty advisors from Seton Hall’s Student Veterans Organization (SVO) chapter traveled to Washington D.C. to take part in the Student Veterans of America (SVA) annual Washington Week conference. Over the course of 3 days, participants met with their peers, attended congressional hearings and received briefings from White House staff regarding veteran’s affairs and issues. This trip was a significant milestone for the SVO, as it was their first time attending the national event. Remarkably, the group achieved this level of engagement during only its second semester as a formally recognized organization on campus.

Marine Corps veteran and sophomore, Alejandro Carrada Osorio, who serves as the Seton Hall SVA chapter president said,

Washington Week and the SVA National Conference reminded me that the mission of service does not end when we take off the uniform. Across the country, student veterans continue to serve and lead in our communities, on our campus and our government. It was an honor to try and bring some ideas and connections to Seton Hall University that will strengthen our Student Veteran Organization and support those who have served our nation.

Military veterans represent a distinct and growing population on American university campuses. According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, more than 750,000 veterans use GI Bill education benefits or similar programs each academic year. Unlike traditional students, veterans transition from a highly structured institutional setting into college campus life; meaning they face a unique set of challenges sometimes underserved by university resources. The Seton Hall chapter of the SVO seeks to fill that gap and provide advocacy for the veteran community on campus through engagement, mentorship and connection to national level events such as Washington Week.

Seton Hall SVA Chapter Advisor and Director of the Serviam Institute, Professor Brendan Balestrieri, said,

Providing students with opportunities to get out of the classroom and experience leadership in action is what the Serviam Institute is all about and partnering with Seton Hall’s chapter of Student Veterans of America is one way we can expand those opportunities.

The SVO at Seton Hall will be hosting an upcoming interest event on April 23 to introduce students to the mission of the organization and the opportunities available to veterans, military-connected students and allies. The event will focus on building community, supporting the transition from military service to academic life and connecting students with leadership opportunities, scholarships, networking events and national programs through Student Veterans of America. The organization also emphasizes that it is not only for veterans, but also welcomes family members of service members, military-connected students and anyone who supports the veteran community. The goal is to create a space where veterans and supporters alike can come together to continue serving their communities while pursuing their education.

The SVO has also recently conducted the first ever needs survey of the student veteran population on Seton Hall’s campus. The group plans to use the data to advocate for veteran's needs across campus and has successfully engaged with various levels of university administration to achieve these goals. The SVO is leveraging the success of these engagements to improve benefits processing, mental health support and to foster an inclusive campus environment for all military connected students.

The successful participation in Washington Week and the completion of the first ever needs survey represent big wins for the SVO, signaling the arrival of a proactive and consistent voice at Seton Hall. Despite their short time on campus, these achievements are a testament to the group’s commitment to the needs of the student veteran community. As they complete just their second full semester on campus, the SVO has made it clear that they are not just another club on campus, but an organization with national ties that is dedicated to ensuring veteran success across all aspects of university life.

Categories: Nation and World