By The Keystone Newspaper Organization revamps itself to become a chapter of Student Veterans of America
By Maria Pushart
In April 2024, the KU Military Club was renamed the Student Veterans Association (SVA), and became a chapter of the national organization known as Student Veterans of America.
KU has a diverse population, part of it including military affiliated students. This includes students who are actively serving, have served, or are dependents. The military club was an extracurricular for those military affiliated students or those interested in the military community. Yet that word was found to deter people from participating and volunteering for the military community.
SVA now seeks to involve students of military affiliation and non-military affiliated students who aren’t serving in the military, with a chance to volunteer and support their community of veterans and the families of veterans.
“I am excited to be able to provide not only military related students with volunteer and bonding opportunities but to every student as well. I feel like the military club’s name excluded the rest of the students at Kutztown University from helping us achieve our goals,” said Nick Mkryan, president of SVA, who is also currently serving in the Army National Guard.
SVA members so far have assisted with the 9/11 memorial on campus and in the future plan on assisting with Veterans Awareness Week. They also plan to show community support for the local veterans in Kutztown and the surrounding areas.
“Being in the SVA means I get to help not only the Kutztown community but the military and veterans in the community as well. I look forward to expanding our presence and creating new volunteer opportunities for everyone who is interested in helping us,” Mkryan said.
Angie Hernandez, a senior serving in the U.S. Air National Guard, also shared her excitement at the revampment of the military club. She hopes the club serves as a support system for those military affiliated students as well as be a way for those students not serving to learn about and support the veteran community.
“SVA is a community of people who support and love the military community. Sometimes it’s hard for others to understand our roles and responsibilities in serving in the armed forces and having active advocates like SVA members can help spread awareness for us,” Hernandez said.
SVA for the Fall 2024 semester meets every third Thursday in MSU 116 from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. Questions can be sent to military@kutztown.edu.