SVA_Logo
Student Veterans of America®  |  News
SVA_Logo
About Us
Mission & Vision
History
Our Team
Work For SVA
Partners & Supporters
News
Financials
Contact Us
Chapters
Find A Chapter
Establish A Chapter
Chapter Guide
Introduction
Chapter Onboarding
Chapter Officers
Chapter Operations
Chapter Relationships
Chapter Programming
Chapter Communications
Chapter Marketing & Branding
Chapter Development
Chapter Resources
Update Chapter Contact Info
Alumni
Programs & Events
National Conference
Washington Week
Regional Summits
Visibility Exchange
The Leadership Institute
Scholarships
SVA Liaisons
Career Services Liaisons
Disability Services Liaisons
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Liaisons
Policy Liaisons
Honors Awards
Volunteer Service
VFW-SVA Legislative Fellowship
Research
Featured Projects & Publications
Life Cycle Atlas
Veteran Opinion Survey
Financial Health Survey
Basic Needs Survey
SVA Census
NVEST
Million Records Project
Government Affairs
Campus Advocacy
Policy Suggestion Portal
Natural Disaster Map
In-State Tuition Map
Resident Tuition Overview
Success Hub
Advising Center
Career Center
Partner Directory
Resource Center
Student Resources
Give
Donate
SVA Store
Partner with SVA
SVA Ambassadors
Combined Federal Campaign (CFC)
Participate in Research
MySVA Login
← Return to News

Watch the 2021 State of SVA

Events
02/22/2021

 

FULL TEXT:

Hi, I’m Jared Lyon. It is my honor to officially welcome you to your annual National Conference. We have many incredible experiences for you to partake in over the coming days, and though it might look a little different than in the past, we are excited for you to participate. Let’s talk about what SVA accomplished during this challenging year, and where SVA is heading in 2021. Today I appear before you humbly, as your National President and CEO. I’ve been very privileged to see where SVA started, and more importantly, I’m eager to tell you where we’re going.

There are four key opportunities that SVA provides and is always improving. I want to highlight these throughout this presentation, and explain how your National Headquarters team is working to grow these core activities. You’re about to experience the first of these opportunities and kick off this year the right way by attending our 13th annual NatCon. Whether you’re brand new to SVA or are a seasoned NatCon veteran, you’re about to once again find out how much everybody has to gain from this experience.

But NatCon is just the beginning. Throughout the year, we invite you to participate in advocacy, chapter training, and personal leadership development. Before I go any further, there are multiple things going on in the world that we should take a moment to acknowledge and understand. This past year was a hard one—maybe one of the hardest many of us will ever know. And while we’re all doing what we can to cope with the pandemic as best as possible, there’s no denying how challenging it makes each day. For those of you who have lost loved ones, my heart truly breaks. Sometimes all we can do is be there for each other.

Up and down the West Coast, fires destroyed homes, lives, and communities. This summer, millions of people protested in the streets, calling for racial justice in response to systemic racism in this country, and sparked by the tragic murder of George Floyd and so many others. SVA seeks to be one of the most diverse and inclusive organizations in America, and I know every one of us has the ability to bring about the change this nation so desperately needs. Later this year, we will announce the formal launch of the SVA Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Council, and a Racial Justice Task Force, to positively impact every activity that we do.

And as if 2020 wasn’t hard enough, 2021 began with acts of domestic terrorism, as seditionists sought to carry out an insurrection on January 6th against the duly elected Biden-Harris administration. There is no place in a free society for those who wish to employ violence to crush the will of the people, and attempt to alter the outcome of fair and free elections. As we have with every administration before this one, we will continue to work closely with members of all political parties.

 

NatCon

Through all of those national challenges, 2020 was the most successful year in SVA history, and it is about to be eclipsed by 2021. You are a part of something very special—a national network of more than 1,500 chapters that impact the lives of millions of veterans.

All of that starts here and now, at your 13th annual SVA National Conference, or as we affectionately call it, NatCon. As the largest national gathering of student veterans in the country, NatCon is the premier annual event for those seeking to connect with student veterans, advocates, thought leaders, and stakeholders, and supporters in higher education.

At NatCon you have the opportunity to learn about topics such as campus engagement and chapter management. You’ll get a chance to connect with your peers, and maybe even land an internship or a job for after graduation through our network of partners. But most important of all, you will decide together with your peers what “Leading Forward Together” truly means.

Let’s all take a virtual look around at everybody—this is the most diverse audience of attendees ever, and that’s no surprise since it’s reflective of who SVA is across the country. Compared to all students in higher education, student veterans tend to be older than traditional students; we are more likely to be to be parents, black or Hispanic, have a disability, and just about any other measure of diversity that you can think of. We’re extremely proud to announce that currently, more than half of our Chapter Leaders are women.

With so many different backgrounds, experiences, and ways of thinking, it’s no wonder that student veterans vastly outperform their peers in just about any area of society.

Your participation in NatCon is the first step, as those of you who have been involved with SVA before are already aware. Different from previous years, we’ve made this NatCon even more accessible, so as many student veterans as possible can participate. Try your best to be a part of as much of the experience as you can because the whole conference is built around delivering you the maximum potential to grow, if you’re willing to engage fully.

For those of you who are at NatCon for the first time, I welcome you especially. You are the up-and-coming leaders of your chapter, and this country.

 

Washington Week

When you’re ready to take your leadership to our nation’s lawmakers, we’ll be right there with you during Washington Week. Each March, the SVA policy and advocacy priorities are formally published through a series of events around Capitol Hill.

In 2020, I delivered a comprehensive testimony built upon the ideas and issues student veterans shared with us throughout the year. Members from the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate Committees on Veterans Affairs listened and engaged with us about these topics. Student veterans from all across the country advocated for their ideas, such as Fatima Jaghoori from Kansas State University who met with Senate Veteran Affairs Committee Ranking Member, Senator Moran to talk about issues impacting her Chapter. You may not know it, but you have a dedicated team of government affairs professionals who work on your behalf, and they are some of the best in the country at what they do.

Soon after that testimony last spring, the world was turned upside down. When the pandemic hit, many of you wondered what would happen to your GI Bill benefits. Within hours, your Government Affairs team worked with congressional committees and a large coalition of veteran organizations to propose a bill ensuring a switch to virtual learning would not disrupt your benefits.

In 2021, we are focusing on the GI Bill as the ‘front door’ to the VA. Typically, using the GI Bill is one of the first interactions a newly transitioned veteran will have with VA in the universe of post-service benefits and programs. This means a seamless GI Bill process is key to establishing trust and confidence with every veteran they serve. We want to make that first interaction an exceptional one.

We rely on your input to make change a reality; this year, we will introduce a policy submission portal, giving you access to a user-friendly option for sending your federal policy ideas to the National Headquarters to be considered for our annual policy priorities presented to congress.

 

Regional Summits

Most important of all, though, is for you to have all the tools and resources you need to run a successful and sustainable chapter. For more than a decade we have been collecting and refining tactics to provide you with the collective knowledge of all the student veterans who came before you. This culminated on what we call the “Chapter Guide,” a comprehensive manual that distills the many insights we’ve gained over time. This tome of magic is fully available at studentveterans.org, and can be viewed section-by-section on the site. It is also available for download in its entirety as a PDF.

The Chapter Guide is your textbook for the SVA chapter training, which we refer to as Regional Summits. These take place live in different cities every summer, and can also be done online at your own pace at any time of the year. Our goal for all 1,500+ chapters is that each one is known as one of the top student organizations on campus. To achieve this requires serious dedication, and a plan to ensure continuity between each e-board, but the knowledge is there for you if you’re willing to take it.

This past year our Regional Summits were taught virtually, so they were accessible to all current and upcoming chapter leaders. Looking ahead, our goal is to have 100% of all chapter leaders participate in this training. It is not enough for just the President of each chapter to attend—I strongly encourage all officers or executive board members to participate at a minimum, as well as up and coming potential leaders. To be successful in this each year requires every one of you to make a plan to take advantage of this training.

As you and others attend Regional Summits, you will gain skills and knowledge, which will benefit you for years to come. You also have the chance to network with student veterans just like you at nearby colleges and universities, and so much more.

 

Leadership Institute

For those of you looking to take your personal leadership skills to the next level, I encourage you to apply to the Leadership Institute, an immersive program that prepares you to affect change stretching beyond your chapter and campus. SVA Alumni Mentors facilitate participants through a foundational leadership experience focused on identifying your core values while honing individual leadership skills. Selected through a competitive application process, those who attend this incredible experience get a chance to build a deep understanding of how to be an effective leader, while also developing close personal connections with your peers.

This year, we are set to expand the number of participants, while also increasing the number of mentors to ensure our fellows receive the best possible coaching. The application will continue to be equally competitive, but with greater participation from student veterans nationwide.

I would like to take a moment to acknowledge the incredible organizations who help us to make everything we do as part of SVA possible. We are so grateful to all of our partners who support our work. I want to especially thank Raytheon Technologies for being the presenting sponsor of this event, and for all of the incredible partners who covered the cost of all of our student registrations for NatCon this year.

Imagine the four opportunities I talked about as buckets. We have built them, but it’s up to you to fill them. SVA exists for you, and it is not meant to be a spectator sport. Immerse yourself in this experience and all that SVA has to offer. “Leading Forward Together” starts with you. Keep us updated on how you’re doing, and your successes. We are genuinely your biggest fans.

It is always my distinct honor to connect with you and your SVA chapter. You’re always welcome to reach out to our team or me personally if we can ever serve you better. Enjoy your upcoming break-out session and the rest of NatCon. I’m excited for us to lead forward together.

Honoring the Service of Student Veterans During Veterans Month

Student Veteran Robert Pryor’s Journey as a Dominion Energy Intern

Student Veterans of America's 2024 Leadership Institute

Student Veterans of America Receives Greater Texas Foundation Grant

Student Veterans of America Staff Seize the Summer

Student Veterans of America and RTX Announce 2024 RTX Patriot Scholarship Recipients

Student Veterans of America and RTX Announce 2024 RTX SPY-6 Scholarship Recipients

Partners, Press

Student Veterans of America and Google Announce 2024 Scholarship Recipients

Newsletter

Student Veterans of America Summer 2024 Newsletter

Veteran and Military Family Groups Condemn Political Violence in Joint Statement

Student Veterans of America Launches Advising Center

Student Veterans of America's Memorial Day Acts of Service

Student Veterans of America and John Edelman Announce 2024 Scholarship Recipients

Student Veterans Win Big Across University Campuses

Jared Lyon Named to the George W. Bush Institute Advisory Council

FourBlock Veteran Career Readiness Program

Newsletter

Student Veterans of America Spring 2024 Newsletter

Supreme Court ruling in Rudisill v. McDonough

Library of Congress Hosts a Vets Town Hall

Oregon Tech Visits Washington, D.C.

Chapman University visits Washington, D.C.

Newsletter

Student Veterans of America Witner 2024 Newsletter

SVA Presents the Sonny Montgomery Student Veteran Champion and the Dwight D. Eisenhower Distinguished Public Service Awards

Washington Week 2024

Rep. Levin, Ranking Member Takano Introduce Bipartisan Guard and Reserve GI Bill Parity Act

U.S Department of Veterans Affairs is Transitioning to Single Payment Bank Accounts

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Hosts Special Screening of Masters of the Air

SVA and WWP Living Works START course

SVA Announces New Outreach Coordinators

GWVets Visit the Department of State

How does a Government Shutdown Impact VA Education Benefits?

Introducing Student Veterans of America’s National Academic Advising Center

Student Veterans of America Announces 2023 Honors Awards Recipients

MLK Day of Service 2024

Events

Watch the 2024 State of Student Veterans of America

SVA Announces 2023 Honors Awards Finalists

Navigating Veterans Benefits: Your Guide to the Veterans Claims Clinic at NatCon 2024

NatCon 2024: Service Project, safeTalk Training, Morning Workouts, & more!

Newsletter

Student Veterans of America Fall 2023 Newsletter

Join the Mission: Empower Student Veterans on GivingTuesday

Student Veterans of America Celebrates Veterans Month

SVA Chapter Activities During Veterans Month

Student Veterans of America is Recipient of $1 million Donation from The Walt Disney Company

Student Veterans of America 2023 Leadership Institute Professional Development Event

Student Veterans of America Annual Census Survey 2023

What does a Government Shutdown Mean for VA Education Benefits?

What to Know as Federal Student Loan Repayments Resume this Fall

Student Veterans of America and Boeing Host 2023 Regional Summit Conference

Blog

Want to Use VA Education Benefits Overseas? Plan First. Then Enroll.

Newsletter

Student Veterans of America Summer 2023 Newsletter

Partners, Press

Student Veterans of America and Comcast NBCUniversal Announce 2023 Scholarship Recipients

Partners, Press

Student Veterans of America and John Edelman Announce 2023 Scholarship Recipients

Partners, Press

Student Veterans of America and Raytheon Technologies Announce 2023 Scholarship Recipients

Partners, Press

Student Veterans of America and Google Announce 2023 Scholarship Recipients

Advocacy

SVA Applauds Introduction of Legislation to Expand Readmission Protections for students in the National Guard and Reserve

Events

Student Veterans of America Commemorates Memorial Day with Acts of Service

Advocacy

Student Veterans of America Celebrates Introduction of VA Work-Study Legislation

Press

Student Veterans of America Update on Post 9/11 GI Bill MHA Delayed Payment for March 2023

Advocacy

Student Veterans of America testifies before the U.S. Senate Committee on Veterans'

Partners

Student Veterans of America Provides FourBlock Veteran Career Readiness Program Marketing Toolkit

Newsletter

Student Veterans of America Spring 2023 Newsletter

Advocacy

Student Veterans of America Testifies Before the House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity

Advocacy

Tester, Boozman Bipartisan Bill Requires VA to Take a More Comprehensive Look at Veteran Suicide

Partners

Student Veterans of America Announces Formal Partnership with FourBlock 

Advocacy

Student Veterans of America Celebrates Major End-of-Year Policy Victories

Partners

Student Veterans of America 2023 NatCon Sponsor and Partner Recognition

Watch the 2023 State of Student Veterans of America

Newsletter

Student Veterans of America Winter 2022 Newsletter

Advocacy

VA Delays New Enrollment Manager System to Reduce Impact on Student Veterans

Newsletter

Student Veterans of America Fall 2022 Newsletter

Advocacy

Federal Government Announces New Actions on Student Loan Debt

Advocacy

Student Veterans of America PACT Act Status Update

Advocacy

Student Veterans of America Presents Testimony on Pending Legislation Before the HVAC EO

Press

Raytheon Missiles & Defense and Student Veterans of America Announce 2022 Patriot Scholarship Recipients

Advocacy

ED to Accept DD-214s in Certifying Military Service for Public Student Loan Forgiveness

Press

Student Veterans of America Receives $8 Million Grant from MacKenzie Scott

Press

Student Veterans of America Names Three Board Members, Including Current Student and Recent Graduate

Events

Watch the 2022 State of Student Veterans of America

Events

Student Veterans of America 2022 NatCon Honors Award Recipients

Events

Student Veterans of America Awards Inaugural Senator Bob Dole Continued Service Award to Global War on Terrorism Memorial Foundation

Events

Media Advisory: Student Veterans of America (SVA) 2022 National Conference

Advocacy

COVID-19 Protections Extended and Rounding Out Restored

Events

Student Veterans of America Honors: Meet our Finalists

Advocacy

COVID-19 Benefit Protections and Rounding Out: Updates for Student Veterans

Press

Student Veterans of America NatCon 2022: Registration is Open!

Advocacy

What the New PSLF Changes Mean for Service Members and Veterans 

Press

Student Veterans of America Joins MTV Entertainment’s Mental Health Youth Action Forum

Press

Rutgers CMSI and Student Veterans of America Partner to Support Student Veterans at MSIs

Partners

Student Veterans of America Alumni Participates in Foreign Affairs Information Technology (FAIT) Fellowship

Press

Student Veterans of America Joins Welcome.US

Partners

Comcast NBCUniversal and Student Veterans of America Announce 2021 Scholarship Recipients

Press

Student Veterans of America Applications Open for 2022 VFW, SVA Legislative Fellowship

Blog

Current Events in Afghanistan: What can Chapter Leaders do to Help?  

Blog

Student Veterans of America Message to Our Community in Response to Current Events in Afghanistan

Advocacy

VHA Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DE&I) Listening Sessions for Veterans

Advocacy

Appropriations Brief: Department of Veterans Affairs and Department of Education  

Advocacy

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act

Press

Student Veterans of America Announces 2021 Google Scholarship Recipients

Blog

Meet the Student Veterans of America Programs & Services Team

Advocacy

Court: Veterans with Multiple Periods of Service Entitled to Additional GI Bill Benefits

Events

Stay Engaged this Summer with Student Veterans of America Chapter Events

Advocacy

Refresh of Higher Education Regulations Announced

Press

Student Veterans of America Names Two New Board Members

Advocacy

What Revitalizing America’s Infrastructure Could Mean for Student Veterans 

Press

Raytheon Missiles & Defense and Student Veterans of America Announce 2021 SPY-6 Scholarship Recipients

Advocacy

House Approves Several Student Veterans of America Policy Priorities

Partners

Veteran Wellness Alliance Offers Trusted Care Through Check-In

Press

Student Veterans of America Joins First National Mental Health Action Day

Events

Student Veterans of America Joins Vietnam War Commemorative Partners

Advocacy

Top Ten Takeaways: The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021

Events

Watch the 2021 State of Student Veterans of America

Events

2021 Student Veterans of America Honors Award Recipients

Events

The 2021 Student Veterans of America Honors Gala: Meet our Finalists

Blog, COVID-19

COVID-19 FAQs

Advocacy

What the CARES Act Means for Student Veterans, Service Members, and their Families

Events

Join Student Veterans of America for the National Day of Service

Advocacy, COVID-19

Final Bills of the 116th Congress

Advocacy, COVID-19

Major Veteran Legislation Clears Congress

Press

Student Veterans of America Statement on VA Office of Inspector General Report

Events

Student Veterans of America NatCon Returns: February 19-20

Events

GVSU Announces Veteran Promise

Events

Student Veterans of America Debuts Public Service Announcement

Events

SVA President Jared Lyon Delivers Veterans Day Remarks

Events

How to Stream Veterans Day Events

Advocacy

#VOTE Like a Veteran

Events

Raytheon Missiles & Defense and Student Veterans of America Announce 2020 Patriot Scholarship Recipients

Events

Jared Lyon Named 2020 NYC Veterans Day Grand Marshal

Advocacy

Volunteer to Power The Polls

Advocacy, COVID-19

Pandemic Assistance for Student Veterans Act Introduced

Events

Veterans Day on Your Campus: Virtual Event Ideas

Events

Student Veterans of America Leadership Institute Applications Open

Advocacy

Moving Beyond Patchwork Systems: The Future of Education Services IT

Events

Student Veterans of America Regional Summit Starts on September 26th

Advocacy

Legislative Updates: Fall 2020

Research

Survey Finds 96% of Student Veterans Will Vote

Partners

Apply for the Raytheon Patriot Scholarship

Partners

Resources for Student Veterans During COVID-19

Events

Watch Home with the Brave: A Graduation Salute

SVA

655 15th Street NW, Suite 320
Washington, D.C. 20005
Telephone: (202) 223-4710

About Us Contact Donate
Programs & Events Research Government Affairs
Chapters Success Hub News
Financials Privacy Policy Terms of Use
© 2024 Student Veterans of America® is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

Publicity Statement: SVA hosts and attends many events and gatherings throughout the year. As part of SVA’s ongoing communication about these activities, photos and/or videos from those events may be posted on SVA’s website and/or social media pages. It is possible that an individual may appear in these photos and/or videos. Please contact SVA if you would like to have your picture or video removed. Upon receipt of this notification, SVA will remove the image as soon as viable.