Student Veterans of America and Veterans of Foreign Wars Announce 2023–2024 Legislative Fellows
WASHINGTON, D.C. (November 7, 2023) — Now in its tenth year, the VFW-SVA Legislative Fellowship continues to empower emerging veteran leaders to advocate for policy solutions that impact their peers. Student Veterans of America (SVA) and the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) are proud to announce the eight student veterans selected for the 2023–2024 VFW-SVA Legislative Fellowship class.
This semester-long academic experience equips fellows with the tools and experience to research, develop, and advocate for a veteran-centered policy proposal. Fellows will present their policy ideas during the VFW’s annual Legislative Conference and participate in meetings with their congressional representatives on Capitol Hill.
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The fellowship begins in January at SVA’s 2024 National Conference (NatCon), where fellows will join thousands of student veterans and higher education leaders. The program culminates at the VFW Legislative Conference in Washington, D.C., where fellows join their VFW Department delegations to advocate on the issues that matter most to the veteran community.
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Meet the 2023–2024 VFW-SVA Legislative Fellows
- Alex Ortiz, U.S. Army veteran – Inter American University of Puerto Rico, School of Law
- Alexander Thymmons, U.S. Army veteran – University of Hawaii at Manoa
- Bryce Kyle, U.S. Army veteran – University of Texas at San Antonio
- Jamie Springston, U.S. Navy veteran – Marshall University
- Jason Do, U.S. Air Force veteran – Samuel Merritt University
- Lyssa Losa, U.S. Army veteran – Texas A&M University, College Station
- Terren Wise, U.S. Navy veteran – Brown University
- Jennifer Ray, U.S. Air Force veteran – Southwestern College
Since launching in 2014, the VFW-SVA Legislative Fellowship has helped student veterans hone their leadership and policy skills. Alumni of the program have gone on to serve as public officials, veteran service officers, and national leaders—including Tammy Barlet, SVA Vice President of Government Affairs.
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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 over 1,600 on-campus chapters in all 50 states and 4 countries representing nearly 600,000 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.
About the VFW
The Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S. is the nation’s largest and oldest major war veterans organization. Founded in 1899, the congressionally chartered VFW is comprised entirely of eligible veterans and military service members from the active, Guard and Reserve forces. With more than 1.5 million VFW and Auxiliary members located in over 6,000 Posts worldwide, the nonprofit veterans service organization is proud to proclaim “NO ONE DOES MORE FOR VETERANS” than the VFW, which is dedicated to veterans’ service, legislative advocacy, and military and community service programs. For more information, or to join, visit our website at vfw.org.