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Campus Review
November 13, 2013
Student Veterans Association and Veterans
Resource Center Provide a Haven for Student Veterans
by Amanda Parham
Student Veterans Association
Receives Military Branch Flags
In preparation for Veterans’ Day, the
Clayton State University Student Veterans
Association (SVA) met in Veterans
Resource Center to allow student veterans
the chance to meet fellow military/veteran
students and to help plan upcoming
events.
In support of SVA’s efforts, Commander
John E. Bogardus, Jr., VFW Post 5080,
today presented the group with all five of
the military branch flags and a POW/MIA
flag to display during the ceremony.
“VFW Post 5080 provides tremendous
support for Clayton State’s Veterans
Resource Center and SVA,” says Veterans
Resource Center Coordinator Tina Lake.
“We are grateful for the donation of the
flags; they will be a great addition to our
ceremonies and it will be nice to have
them on display in the Veterans Resource
Center,” adds SVA President Kevin
Nguyen.
(Top) SVA members show their colors. (Above) Commander John Bogardus makes flag presentation
to Kevin Nguyen. (Erin Fender photo)
The Clayton State University Student
Veterans Association (SVA), along with
the Clayton State Veterans Resource
Center (VRC), have been gathering short
biographies and photographs submitted
by students, faculty, and staff of Clayton
State that are currently serving or have
served in the Armed Forces in preparation
for Veterans Day on Nov. 11. These biog-
raphies and photographs were displayed
on Main Street in the James M. Baker
University Center on their “Wall of
Recognition.” This display will highlight
these outstanding individuals so that oth-
ers can acknowledge and appreciate all
that they have done serving our country.
Clayton State is a very diverse college
campus. There are many students on cam-
pus that cannot be defined as “traditional”
students, but as returning students seeking
to continue their education. One student
organization that tries to capture the atten-
tion of and support some of these “nontra-
ditional” students is the Student Veterans
Association. This student organization
was established in 2008, and was initially
set up as a series of coffee socials for vet-
erans who were attending Clayton State
and were starting or continuing their col-
lege education.
The SVA’s goal is to raise a sense of com-
munity among student veterans and pro-
vide them with an opportunity to meet
other veterans on campus. The organiza-
tion gives student veterans a chance to
meet and share the challenges of pursuing
a higher education in a supportive envi-
ronment. Within this organization student
veterans can network with others by form-
ing study groups and exchange informa-
tion with one another pertaining to veter-
ans’ needs.
Dennis Brown, who served in the army
for 24 years, is the vice president and
founder of the Student Veterans
Association. In addition to preparing for
the “Wall of Recognition” and other
Veterans Day ceremonies, the SVA holds
several fundraisers during each semester.
One of their fundraisers is the selling of
flags and ribbon.
“Currently, we have sold flags and ribbon
for the fallen soldiers or for people who
may have veterans who serve or have
served,” he says. “The flags and ribbon
sold, and that will be sold on Veterans
Day, will be displayed outside the Lawson
outdoor amphitheater on Veterans Day in
recognition of fallen soldiers or those who
serve or have served on this day of
remembrance.”
Veteran Haven, cont’d., p. 13