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The Daily OrangeStudent Veterans Club offers peer networking, support
By Kimberley Banjoko
Posted: 11/4/09, 3:57 AM EST Section: News
A new student group that works to provide returning soldiers with resources and moral support when making the transition from the battlefield to the classroom was officially recognized last week at Syracuse University. The new club is the first veterans club to be established on campus.
The Student Veterans Club, recognized by the Office of Student Life, offers peer-to-peer networking for any student veteran or soldier, said Michael Rivezzo, the public relations officer for the club.
"We don't mind taking the time to help anyone," he said.
Rivezzo became involved with the club because he was deployed to Afghanistan when he was a junior in the Martin J. Whitman School of Management.
"When I returned, I wanted to help start a club for people that understood where I just came from and have been in my experience," he said.
In addition, a new Veterans Resource Center and Lounge will be located at University College. Rivezzo said the club's next goal is to prepare the veterans lounge for the center's open house on Veterans Day. The grand opening celebration will be Nov. 11, from 4 to 6 p.m.
"We are currently decorating the room with items we bought overseas when we were deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan," he said.
The group, which consists of veterans from the Vietnam, Afghanistan, Iraq and Gulf Wars, also works to make information and news available that would benefit any military personnel at SU, like updates on the post-9/11 GI Bill.
"Membership is open to all veterans, dependents and supporters of the United States Armed forces of past and future," Rivezzo said. "We welcome anyone to join and hope everyone can spread the word about us, especially to the people that need to hear about us."
SU participates in the post-9/11 GI Bill's Yellow Ribbon Program. The bill pays a portion of veterans' college tuition, up to three years of the cost of the highest public college tuition. The Yellow Ribbon Program is a provision that allows veterans to get the cost of private colleges fully covered.
The Student Veterans Club is the latest service geared to help veterans adjust to campus life. Now that it has been recognized at SU, the club is looking for national support.
"Our two biggest obstacles were getting recognized as a club by SU, which happened smoothly," Rivezzo said. "Next was to become affiliated with a larger veterans organization like Student Veterans of America, that we share resources from and also advocate on our behalf."
The club meets every Wednesday at 8 p.m. in room 307 in University College.
kebanjok@syr.edu
The Student Veterans Club, recognized by the Office of Student Life, offers peer-to-peer networking for any student veteran or soldier, said Michael Rivezzo, the public relations officer for the club.
"We don't mind taking the time to help anyone," he said.
Rivezzo became involved with the club because he was deployed to Afghanistan when he was a junior in the Martin J. Whitman School of Management.
"When I returned, I wanted to help start a club for people that understood where I just came from and have been in my experience," he said.
In addition, a new Veterans Resource Center and Lounge will be located at University College. Rivezzo said the club's next goal is to prepare the veterans lounge for the center's open house on Veterans Day. The grand opening celebration will be Nov. 11, from 4 to 6 p.m.
"We are currently decorating the room with items we bought overseas when we were deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan," he said.
The group, which consists of veterans from the Vietnam, Afghanistan, Iraq and Gulf Wars, also works to make information and news available that would benefit any military personnel at SU, like updates on the post-9/11 GI Bill.
"Membership is open to all veterans, dependents and supporters of the United States Armed forces of past and future," Rivezzo said. "We welcome anyone to join and hope everyone can spread the word about us, especially to the people that need to hear about us."
SU participates in the post-9/11 GI Bill's Yellow Ribbon Program. The bill pays a portion of veterans' college tuition, up to three years of the cost of the highest public college tuition. The Yellow Ribbon Program is a provision that allows veterans to get the cost of private colleges fully covered.
The Student Veterans Club is the latest service geared to help veterans adjust to campus life. Now that it has been recognized at SU, the club is looking for national support.
"Our two biggest obstacles were getting recognized as a club by SU, which happened smoothly," Rivezzo said. "Next was to become affiliated with a larger veterans organization like Student Veterans of America, that we share resources from and also advocate on our behalf."
The club meets every Wednesday at 8 p.m. in room 307 in University College.
kebanjok@syr.edu
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