Program areas at SVA
Sva national conference (natcon) - natcon is the largest annual convening of Student Veterans in the country, bringing together sva's chapter leaders, stakeholders, advocates, and supporters who work on behalf of Veterans and military-connected students in higher education. The purpose is to convene Student Veterans with those best equipped to support and empower them, train them on chapter management and salient topics pertinent to success in higher education and beyond, and reframe the possible for these diverse students. Student Veterans attend natcon to learn how to manage some of the most successful Student organizations in the country, and to network with their peers as tomorrow's leaders. Notable speakers in 2022 included secretary of Veterans affairs, denis mcdonough ,and past speakers include president george w. bush, first lady dr. jill biden, (then) vice president joe biden, va secretary bob mcdonald, and many others. Each natcon features groundbreaking keynotes and breakout session s in all areas of academic and professional development, including the latest research findings on Student veteran success and advocacy strategies. Thousands of attendees and more than 100 exhibitors and sponsors attend natcon every year.
Strategic programmatic support - as champions of data-driven decision making, strategic support represents a key pillar of sva's work. Sva conducts leading independent research on topics affecting the veteran community to provide insight to not only our internal programs and services, but also policy makers, stakeholders, and thought leaders. Sva research expands our understanding of the barriers to a successful transition Veterans face when going to college. These findings assist in updating sva programming, training chapter leaders, and building stronger Student veteran support communities on college campuses. Furthermore, the research is shared with policy makers and stakeholders from the local to the federal level enabling proactive policy and administrative changes that benefit Student Veterans and the overall veteran community.
Programs and chapter services - a dedicated network of chapters and chapter leaders are central to sva's mission. Every day these passionate leaders work to provide the necessary resources, network support, and advocacy to ensure Student Veterans can effectively connect, expand their skills, and ultimately achieve their greatest potential, with the understanding that peer-to-peer support facilitates post-secondary success. These chapters are built upon the grassroots efforts of individual Student Veterans who recognize the need for a community of support on their campus. Chapter services and programs from the national headquarters support the creation, sustainment, and growth of chapters. We advise on the creation and implementation of a strategic plan to help chapters focus their efforts and establish clear priorities with a focus on understanding their unique campus community. We share leading practices and facilitate mentorship via our chapter consultation sessions. We also offer online training for career development opportunities in webinar-based sessions. We connect our chapters with each other to plan regional events and engage with Student Veterans on advocacy and policy changes at the campus, state, and national levels. Finally, we work directly with chapters to help members build meaningful relationships with community, business, and industry leaders.
Programmatic communications and marketing