Help us improve the Post 9/11 GI Bill!
As summer is winding down, and student veterans around the country are heading back to school, do you know what Congress is doing? They are at home, relaxing in your cities and towns and giving not much thought to how well your hard earned GI Bill benefits are working for you. This is the perfect opportunity to remind these Congressmen that our work on the Post 9/11 GI Bill is not done and we need their help to pass New GI Bill 2.0 in September. We have joined with many other Veterans Organizations, including the VFW, American Legion, DAV, IAVA, MOAA, AMVETS and the American Council on Education to form a solid coalition across generations of veterans to take this message to Congress, and we hope you will join us too. We are going from office to office here in DC to tell their staffs that their bosses need to be talking to you while Congress is on recess. We hope you will take advantage of this opportunity and go talk to them where you live, or call their local offices and make sure they hear loud and clear: Sign on to Senate Bill 3447 or House Bill 5933! These bipartisan pieces of legislation will expand GI Bill benefits to more veterans around the country who were left out of the first version of the new GI Bill. It will also simplify the benefit and establish a national tuition baseline for the yellow ribbon program payment, instead of the confusing and unwieldy state by state rate. Housing allowances will finally be available to the tens of thousands distance education learners, and valuable vocational training will finally be eligible for coverage. Not to mention over 30,000 full-time National Guardsmen will get GI Bill credit just like their Reservist counterparts. As we head into the fall, more than 330,000 student veterans around the country are going to use the Post 9/11 GI Bill, but thousands more are being left behind. It's up to you to take this message to your representative: On the battlefield we don't leave anyone behind, and we refuse to see our fellow student veterans get left behind under the new GI Bill. There are hundreds of thousands of us, and only 538 of them. There are thousands more running for office, and all of them are wondering what you think about these issues. Make sure you take a moment to tell them that the education of our nation's heroes is not only our solemn responsibility, but also fantastic investment inour economy. Take just two minutes to make a phone call about these bills, or schedule a meeting with your representative. Better yet, bring them to your campus and show them why you are the worth their time, and ask them if they will earn your vote when they come back in September by signing on to S 3447 or HR 5933. Go here to contact your House Member or here to find your Senator or write to gibill@studentveterans.org with questions or to get involved! By Brian Hawthorne
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Grants for 9/11 Service Projects
9/11 Volunteer Service Program SVA has partnered with The Mission Continues to offer chapter grants exclusively to SVA chapters putting together a service project on September 11, 2010 There is still time to apply for the 9/11 Service Projects by sending your chapter name, proposed service project and estimated costs to grants@studentveterans.org. Check out the newsletter here.
Combined Federal Campaign
The Combined Federal Campaign is the only authorized solicitation of government employees for donations. We need your help in promoting employees to make donations to SVA using CFC #66793. These donations will go to providing chapter grants and other programs for SVA.
American Legion - SVA Education Symposium
The American Legion and Student Veterans of America are hosting a two day Education Symposium at the end of this month (Aug 26 & 27, 2010) in Milwaukee at the Hilton Milwaukee Civic Center. The symposium brings together many issues that veterans on college and university campuses face and the various resources available to help these service men and women succeed. For additional information or to register for this conference, please visit here.
Now Open: 2010 Chapter Grant Applications
SVA Chapter Grant applications for 2010 are now open, click here to apply. Before applying, visit the Resource Library on this website and click SVA - 2010 Chapter Grant Program for minimum requirements.
SVA Newsletter: Chapter Grants and Scholarship Winners
SVA has been active this summer working for you! In the current newsletter, you will find information on SVA Chapter Grants, 2010 SVA Scholarship winners, the South Central Regional Conference, registration announcement for the National Conference in Washington, DC and the American Legion-SVA Education Symposium, plus much more. Check it out here.
2010 SVA National Conference Registration NOW LIVE
It is our pleasure to announce the 2010 SVA National Conference sponsored by the Bob Woodruff Foundation will take place on the historic campus of Georgetown University at the Georgetown University Hotel and Conference Center in our nation's capital, Washington D.C. from October 1 through October 4, 2010. This year's national conference will proudly be hosted by SVA's member chapter at Georgetown University. This year's national conference will be a great opportunity for you and your chapter to learn how you can improve your SVA member chapter through the various workshops we will host. Additionally, you can meet fellow student veteran campus leaders from across the nation and see what is working at their schools and share what works on yours. Finally, we will also address some of the annual organizational tasks associated with SVA such as national elections for the 2010-2011 school year.
Register today by clicking here or going to www.svanational2010.eventbrite.com
Register for accommodations at Georgetown University Hotel and Conference Center (GUHCC) by calling (202) 687-3200 and asking for SVA's discounted rate of $109/night (a $90 discount for our members and attendees!)
SVA will offer a complimentary hotel room [base rate and tax for both nights] to the first 10 SVA chapters registering at least 2 people and which are located further than 100 miles from DC. To be eligible, a chapter representative must have registered on the official conference webpage and book a room at the hotel. Once SVA has confirmed both the registration and hotel reservation for the first 10 chapters, an SVA representative will send an official offer for a complimentary room during the national conference. SVA will only cover the room's base rate plus tax for the nights indicated upon the member's checkout. The member will be responsible for the room and they will be charged for any incidentals in connection with their stay during the conference (i.e. room service or damage) or if the chapter fails to send 2 representatives to the national conference. The complimentary rooms will be awarded on a first come, first served basis. Please email national.conference@studentveterans.org with a subject heading of "Free Room Offer" if you have any questions.
Additional information such as speakers, sessions and registration will follow in the coming weeks. We are still in the midst of planning and coordinating this conference, so if you have any ideas of programs you would like to see or host, would like to assist with the planning, or have any questions or concerns please contact us at national.conference@studentveterans.org. Otherwise, we will keep in touch and we hope to see you all this October.
Still have questions? Contact us @
national.conference@studentveterans.org
SVA Leaders Meet with Secretary Shinseki
SVA leaders met with Secretary Eric Shinseki of the Department of Veterans Affairs on Friday June 11. Student Veterans of America discussed their latest successes with the Secretary and highlighted their current programs. The Secretary was excited and pleased to see the great leadership potential that swells the ranks of SVA.
From the chapters to the Board, Secretary Shinseki noted that Student Veterans of America is helping to create the future leaders of America.
SVA and the Department of Veterans Affairs are collaborating to develop a strategic partnership aimed at turning yesterday's warrior into today's scholar. Thank you Secretary Shinseki for your support and dedication to SVA's mission.
SVA Scholarship Program Announced
Purpose: To provide Student Veterans of America (SVA) members the opportunity to apply for a competitive scholarship that will assist them in completing their studies while helping to accomplish their chapter's mission at the local level. Description: While many members of SVA are recipients of the New GI Bill at their respective institutions, many of these students lack adequate funds to pay for school. Groups with access to the VA educational funds often find that the financial burden limits the scope and purpose of their SVA activities. In order to facilitate the activities of individual members on chapter activities, SVA will provide access to scholarships to facilitate SVA chapter activities on and off-campus. These funds will be managed by SVA and distributed to students on school year basis. SVA will use standard application, standard guidelines and existing system of communication to streamline the request process and ensure mass communications. Questions may be directed to scholarships@studentveterans.org SCHOLARSHIP INFORMATION AND APPLICATION