Student Veteran Organizations: Fostering Community on Campus
A comprehensive guide for VASCOs supporting student veteran organizations, from initial establishment through sustainable growth, including programming strategies and community-building best practices.
Student Veteran Organizations (SVOs) serve as vital bridges between military and academic cultures, providing community, peer support, advocacy, and professional development for veterans navigating higher education. Research consistently shows that veterans actively involved in SVOs have higher persistence rates, stronger sense of belonging, better academic performance, and smoother transitions from military to civilian life.
The Impact of Student Veteran Organizations
- Veterans involved in SVOs have 23% higher graduation rates than non-involved veteran peers
- 89% of SVO members report feeling "a strong sense of belonging" at their institution (vs. 52% of non-members)
- SVOs reduce veteran isolation and provide peer-to-peer support that professional staff cannot replicate
- Active SVOs serve as force multipliers for VASCO offices by distributing information and providing peer assistance
- Employers increasingly value SVO leadership experience during veteran hiring processes
Yet establishing and sustaining a thriving SVO requires intentional support, strategic planning, and ongoing guidance. This guide provides VASCOs with a comprehensive framework for launching new SVOs or revitalizing existing organizations to better serve student veterans.
Why Student Veteran Organizations Matter
For Individual Veterans
- Peer community: Connection with others who understand military culture and shared experiences
- Transition support: Practical advice from peers who've successfully navigated similar challenges
- Sense of purpose: Opportunity to serve the veteran community and mission-focused activity
- Leadership development: Continuation of leadership skills in civilian context
- Professional networking: Connections that extend beyond graduation
- Advocacy voice: Collective platform to address veteran-specific campus concerns
For Institutions
- Improved retention: Higher veteran persistence and graduation rates
- Enhanced reputation: Demonstration of commitment to veteran students
- Peer support infrastructure: Scalable support system that complements professional staff
- Feedback mechanism: Direct insight into veteran student needs and concerns
- Community bridge: Connection between campus and local veteran community
- Recruitment tool: Prospective student attraction through visible veteran presence
Establishing a New Student Veteran Organization
Launching a successful SVO requires careful planning and institutional support. Follow this step-by-step guide:
Step 1: Assess Interest and Identify Leaders (Month 1)
Survey the veteran student population:
- Gauge interest in forming an SVO
- Identify preferred activities and programs
- Discover potential founding leaders
- Understand barriers to participation
Recruit founding leadership team:
- Look for veterans with previous military leadership experience
- Seek diverse representation (different service branches, deployment experiences, degree programs)
- Identify at least 3-5 committed founding members
- Consider both traditional and non-traditional students
Step 2: Navigate Institutional Recognition (Months 1-2)
Meet with Student Affairs/Student Life:
- Understand your institution's student organization registration process
- Complete required paperwork (constitution, bylaws, membership requirements)
- Identify faculty/staff advisor requirements
- Learn about funding opportunities and budget processes
Draft organizational documents:
- Mission statement aligned with institutional values
- Membership criteria (inclusive approach recommended)
- Officer structure and roles
- Meeting requirements and decision-making processes
Step 3: Build Infrastructure and Establish Presence (Months 2-3)
Create communication channels:
- Email distribution list
- Social media presence (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn)
- Group messaging platform (GroupMe, Slack, Discord)
- Website or page on institutional site
Establish regular meeting schedule:
- Consistent day/time/location for general meetings (monthly recommended)
- Leadership team meetings (bi-weekly or monthly)
- Accommodate varied student schedules (evening meetings often work best)
Launch visibility campaign:
- Tabling at student involvement fairs
- Presentations in veteran-heavy courses
- Outreach to new veteran students during orientation
- Posters in strategic campus locations
Step 4: Plan and Execute Inaugural Programming (Months 3-4)
Host kickoff event:
- Informal social gathering (cookout, pizza night, coffee hour)
- Introduction to founding leadership and organizational mission
- Opportunity for veterans to connect and share experiences
- Sign-up sheet for mailing list and future involvement
Establish programming calendar:
- Mix of social, service, professional development, and advocacy activities
- At least one event per month in first year
- Collaborate with other student organizations and campus departments
Effective SVO Programming Ideas
A well-rounded SVO offers diverse programming that addresses the multiple dimensions of veteran student success:
Social/Community Building
- • Monthly coffee hours or lunch gatherings
- • Game nights (board games, video games)
- • Outdoor recreation (hiking, camping, sporting events)
- • Holiday celebrations and cookouts
- • Family-friendly events
- • Study sessions and exam prep groups
- • Watch parties for military-related events
Service/Community Engagement
- • Veterans Day and Memorial Day ceremonies
- • Food/clothing drives for local veteran organizations
- • Habitat for Humanity builds
- • VA hospital volunteer activities
- • Campus clean-up days
- • Wreaths Across America participation
- • Tutoring for military dependents
Professional Development
- • Resume writing and LinkedIn workshops
- • Networking events with veteran-friendly employers
- • Alumni panel discussions
- • Interview preparation sessions
- • Professional conference attendance
- • Entrepreneurship speaker series
- • Industry site visits and company tours
Advocacy/Support
- • Peer mentorship programs (upperclassmen → new students)
- • Legislative advocacy and awareness campaigns
- • Mental health awareness events
- • Transition workshops for incoming veterans
- • VA benefits information sessions
- • Campus policy feedback and recommendations
- • Suicide prevention training and awareness
Programming Principle: The 50/30/20 Rule
Balance your annual programming calendar:
- 50% Social/Community: Low-pressure events that build relationships and belonging
- 30% Professional Development: Career-focused programming that adds resume value
- 20% Service/Advocacy: Mission-driven activities that connect to military service values
The VASCO's Role in Supporting SVOs
While SVOs should be student-led, VASCO support is essential for sustainability and effectiveness:
Advisory Support (Not Control)
✓ Do This:
- Serve as organizational advisor or help identify appropriate advisor
- Provide guidance on institutional processes and policies
- Connect student leaders to campus resources and funding
- Offer suggestions when asked, but let students make final decisions
- Share best practices from other institutions
- Attend events when appropriate, but let students lead
✗ Avoid This:
- Making decisions for the organization
- Controlling the programming calendar
- Requiring approval for all activities
- Dominating meetings or events
- Taking over when things get challenging
- Using the SVO as extension of your office
Infrastructure and Resource Support
- Meeting space: Secure regular, accessible meeting location (veteran lounge, conference room)
- Communication tools: Email accounts, social media page support, communication platforms
- Financial guidance: Help navigate budget requests, fundraising, expense reimbursement
- Leadership development: Training for officers on organizational management, event planning, conflict resolution
- Continuity planning: Systems for transitioning leadership as students graduate
- Network connections: Introductions to community veteran organizations, employers, campus partners
Leadership Pipeline Development
Sustainability requires intentional leadership succession planning:
- Encourage multi-year leadership structures (underclass students in assistant roles)
- Create mentorship between outgoing and incoming officers
- Document processes, contacts, and best practices in organizational playbook
- Host annual leadership transition workshops
- Recognize and celebrate graduating leaders publicly
- Maintain alumni network of former SVO leaders
Overcoming Common Sustainability Challenges
Challenge: Low Participation/Engagement
Symptoms: Declining meeting attendance, few volunteers for events, same 3-5 people doing everything
Solutions:
- Survey members about barriers to participation (timing, location, programming preferences)
- Diversify event types and times to accommodate varied schedules
- Create low-commitment entry points (social events before asking for volunteer help)
- Partner with other organizations to expand reach and share workload
- Leverage online/hybrid formats for greater accessibility
Challenge: Leadership Burnout
Symptoms: Officers overwhelmed, quality declining, leaders stepping down mid-term
Solutions:
- Distribute responsibilities across more people (committees vs. individual officers)
- Set realistic programming expectations (monthly events vs. weekly)
- Create position descriptions with defined scope to prevent mission creep
- Provide leadership training and ongoing mentorship
- Celebrate small wins and acknowledge effort publicly
Challenge: Graduation Gaps
Symptoms: All leaders graduating same semester, no one trained to take over, organizational dormancy
Solutions:
- Require staggered officer terms (some officers elected in fall, others in spring)
- Create assistant/co-positions that provide leadership training
- Mandate transition meetings between outgoing and incoming officers
- Maintain detailed organizational documentation and calendar
- VASCO intervention: Actively recruit new leadership if gap emerges
Challenge: Funding Limitations
Symptoms: Unable to host desired events, declining participation due to cost barriers
Solutions:
- Apply for institutional student organization funding
- Pursue external grants (Student Veterans of America, local veteran organizations)
- Develop corporate sponsorships (veteran-friendly employers)
- Host fundraising events that also build community
- Partner with campus departments that have programming budgets
- Focus on low-cost, high-impact programming (potlucks, outdoor activities, volunteering)
Measuring SVO Success
Track these metrics to assess organizational health and impact:
Participation Metrics
- • Total membership (email list size)
- • Active membership (attended ≥2 events per semester)
- • Average event attendance
- • Percentage of veteran student body engaged
- • Leadership position applications received
- • Social media engagement rates
Impact Metrics
- • Member retention rates (semester-to-semester)
- • Academic performance (GPA) of active members vs. non-members
- • Graduation rates of engaged members
- • Member satisfaction survey results
- • Campus partnership development
- • Service hours contributed to community
Key Takeaways
- ✓SVOs improve outcomes: Veterans involved in organizations have higher persistence, stronger belonging, and better transitions
- ✓Student-led, staff-supported: VASCOs provide infrastructure and guidance, but veterans must lead the organization
- ✓Balanced programming: Mix social, professional, and service activities using the 50/30/20 framework
- ✓Sustainability requires planning: Leadership pipelines and succession planning prevent graduation gaps
- ✓Start small and grow: Begin with simple monthly gatherings before expanding to complex programming
- ✓Community is the foundation: Before advocacy or professional development, build genuine peer connections
Student Veteran Organizations represent one of the most powerful tools available for supporting veteran student success. While professional staff provide essential services, the peer support, shared understanding, and community that SVOs offer cannot be replicated through administrative structures alone. Veterans helping veterans creates a force multiplier effect that enhances every aspect of the student experience.
As a VASCO, your role in establishing and sustaining a thriving SVO may be one of your most impactful contributions to veteran student success. Whether you're launching a new organization or revitalizing an existing one, remember that your goal is to create the conditions for student leadership to flourish—not to control or direct the organization yourself. Provide the infrastructure, guidance, and support, then step back and watch student veterans build something powerful together.