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

Washington, D.C., September 27, 2021 — The Rutgers Center for Minority Serving Institutions (CMSI) has partnered with Student Veterans of America (SVA) to foster meaningful relationships and aid student veterans and military-connected family members attending Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) with tools to navigate higher education.

SVA’s research has helped to spearhead public policy changes that affect all veterans in higher education, including those that have been historically excluded. Through reaching those veterans and their families attending MSIs, SVA and CMSI will provide better support and advocacy for minority veterans.

SVA has longstanding relationships with higher education institutions both national and international. With this partnership, SVA and CMSI will conduct targeted outreach and gather more data on the diversity of military families and their needs. This data will play a key role in advocacy efforts, implementing change in veteran legislation, professional development, campus veteran culture, and aiding those in transition from the military to the civilian workforce.

The partnership also intends to raise awareness of the diversity of Minority Serving Institutions and the intersectionality of student veterans and military-connected students. CMSI and SVA will share relevant content for student veterans and affiliates on social media, through email outreach, and on regularly scheduled podcasts. Student veterans, their families, SVA Chapters, allies and supporters, and supporting organizations will be highlighted in the coming months.

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About the Rutgers Center for Minority Serving Institutions 
The Rutgers Center for Minority Serving Institutions (CMSI) brings together researchers and practitioners from Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Tribal Colleges and Universities, Hispanic Serving Institutions, and Asian American, Native American, and Pacific Islander Serving Institutions. CMSI’s goals include: elevating the educational contributions of MSIs; ensuring that they are a part of national conversations; bringing awareness to the vital role MSIs play in the nation’s economic development; increasing the rigorous scholarship of MSIs; connecting MSIs’ academic and administrative leadership to promote reform initiatives; and strengthening efforts to close educational achievement gaps among disadvantaged communities. The Rutgers Center for Minority Serving Institutions is part of the Samuel DeWitt Proctor Institute for Leadership, Equity and Justice (Proctor Institute) at the Graduate School of Education at Rutgers University, New Brunswick. For more information about CMSI, please visit http://cmsi.gse.rutgers.edu/.

About Student Veterans of America 

With a mission focused on empowering student veterans, SVA is committed to providing an educational experience that goes beyond the classroom. Through a dedicated network of more than 1,500 on-campus chapters in all 50 states and three countries overseas representing more than 750,000 student veterans, SVA inspires yesterday’s warriors by connecting student veterans with a community of dedicated 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.