Veterans Resource and Opportunity Center (VROC) Program Services Coordinator Luis Padilla and co-advisor Daniel Rhyne with CSM student veterans at The Student Veterans of America (SVA) Regional Summit in Nashville, Tennessee, August 2023.
Juan Flores-Velazquez, CSM student and Veterans’ Student Club Treasurer, participated in a community service event at Antioch Middle School in Nashville, Tennessee.
The Student Veterans of America (SVA) Regional Summit in Nashville, Tennessee, emerged as a transformative event, uniting dedicated individuals to learn, connect, and reshape their student organization while leaving an enduring mark on the local community.
College of San Mateo-Student Veterans of America Chapter embraced the chance to join the SVA Regional Summit, uniting kindred chapters from universities and colleges nationwide. This gathering fostered camaraderie, shared goals, and personal growth centered around supporting student veterans’ educational pursuits and leadership development.
Commencing with a heartwarming community service effort, student veterans collaborated to enhance a local middle school’s environment. They transformed the surroundings into a vibrant space by building tables and planter boxes. This selfless act resonated with the College of San Mateo-Student Veterans of America Chapter’s core values.
Guided by CSM Club Advisor and Veterans Resource and Opportunity Center (VROC) Program Services Coordinator Luis Padilla, student veterans seized the summit’s educational potential. Padilla stated, “Attending with our returning student leaders was an invaluable opportunity.” The summit empowered these leaders to elevate their campus impact through workshops, discussions, and training, honing leadership, prioritization, and community connection skills.
Juan Flores-Velazquez, CSM’s Student Club Leader and Treasurer, attested to the summit’s transformative impact: “I expanded my understanding of being a student veteran leader and gained insights from peers across the nation.” These exchanges broadened perspectives, showcasing the potential of a united student-veteran community.
With renewed connections, insights, and goals, the College of San Mateo-Student Veterans of America Chapter emerged from the summit invigorated. Their participation fortified unity and equipped them for tangible local and national change.
Guided by Luis Padilla and supported by the Veterans Resource and Opportunity Center (VROC), these student veterans are poised to propel their chapter. “This experience will elevate us on campus,” acknowledged Padilla. Their journey’s nascent phase promises impactful contributions in the years ahead.
Ultimately, the SVA Regional Summit was more than a conference—it empowered student veterans to embrace leadership, community, and transformation. The College of San Mateo-Student Veterans of America Chapter, emboldened by lessons learned and connections forged, stands as a beacon toward a brighter future for veterans and military-connected individuals.
