SVA Announces 2024 Honors Awards Finalists
WASHINGTON, D.C. (December 12, 2024) – Student Veterans of America (SVA) is excited to announce the selected SVA Honors finalists at the 17th Annual NatCon! These remarkable individuals and chapters have demonstrated excellence in leadership, community impact, and advocacy for student veterans. Please join us in celebrating the finalists for the following categories: Student Veteran of the Year, SVA Chapter of the Year, and Chapter Advisor of the Year. Their dedication serves as a beacon of inspiration, showcasing the incredible work happening across our community.
The Student Veteran of the Year Award is designed to celebrate exceptional leadership demonstrated by a student veteran over the past year. Listed below are our ten student veteran finalists who have dedicated themselves to the veteran community over the past year:
- Annsleigh Anderson, Chapter President, SVA at UCLA, University of California, Los Angeles
- Amanda Khoury, Chapter Vice President, SVA at FIU, Florida International University
- Dani Bermudez, Policy Liaison & Advocacy Office, Student Veteran Association at Arizona State University, Arizona State University
- Desaree Edwards, Chapter President, Wesleyan Student Veterans’ Organization, Wesleyan University
- Eric M. Sowers, Founding President, Student Veterans Association at OSU, The Ohio State University
- Jake Slocum, Chapter President, SVA at Chapman University, Chapman University
- Kaily White, Chapter President, Student Veteran Organization at UW Tacoma, University of Washington Tacoma
- Michael James Richardson, Chapter President, SVA UCF Chapter, University of Central Florida
- Paola S. Rodriguez -Valiente, Chapter Secretary, SVA at UKY Chapter, University of Kentucky
- Ralph Figueroa, Chapter President, CSUSB Student Veterans Organization, California State University, San Bernardino
The Chapter of the Year Award aims to recognize an SVA chapter that has made remarkable contributions to enhancing their campus community. Below you will find the five SVA chapter finalists who have shown exemplary service, both on- and off-campus:
- Veterans of Baylor, Baylor University
- Student Veterans of America at Bristol Community College, Bristol Community College
- Veterans Association at Cornell University (CUVA), Cornell University
- Saddleback Veterans Club (SVC), Saddleback College
- Student Veterans Organization at UW Tacoma, University of Washington Tacoma
The Chapter Advisor of the Year Award acknowledges the exceptional mentorship, service, and advocacy provided by a campus staff or faculty member to an SVA chapter as an advisor. Here are the five chapter advisor finalists who have dedicated themselves to the student veterans on their campuses:
- Agatha Funes, COVA-CUNY Office of Veterans Affairs, The City University of New York System
- John Pratt, Wolf Pack Vets, University of Nevada, Reno
- Jon Segars, Student Veterans Association at UGA, University of Georgia
- Mary M. Fisk, Veterans Association at Cornell University (CUVA), Cornell University
- Tami Thacker, Student Veteran Organization, University of California, Riverside
SVA is proud to recognize the finalists for their exceptional achievements, reflecting their dedication to supporting and empowering the student veteran community. Honors Award winners will be officially announced at the 17th Annual NatCon in Colorado Springs, CO, during the Honors Luncheon on Friday, January 3, 2025.
About Student Veterans of America
With a focused mission on empowering student veterans, Student Veterans of America® (SVA) is committed to providing an educational experience that goes beyond the classroom. Through a dedicated network of nearly 1,600 on-campus chapters in all 50 states and 4 countries representing more than 750,000 student veterans, SVA aims to inspire yesterday’s warriors by connecting student veterans with a community of like-minded chapter leaders. 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. For more information, visit us at www.studentveterans.org.