Wichita State is home to many student organizations, each with its own goal. Some form communities for like-minded people, and others focus on service projects and giving back. The Student Veterans Organization’s goal is to do that, and much more.
Just in the past year, the SVO has had a 64 percent increase in members, and Sarah Sell, director of Veteran Student Services, hopes its growth will continue into the 2017-2018 school year.
“The SVO began in 2012 with only five members. It’s grown to 170 since then,” says Sell. “That’s a great thing.”
The SVO allows military students the chance to be part of a community. It creates an environment where every student involved can be comfortable and is open to anyone who wants to be involved.
“We have active duty, vets, military family who want to be involved and some who are allies who just want to show support,” says Sell. “We welcome anyone who wants to join.”
Jared Smith, a returning senior majoring in chemistry and current SVO president, says the people involved in the organization are the best part of joining.
“Spending time with others who served is like spending time with extended family,” says Smith. “We’re there for each other.”
In addition to friendly surroundings, the SVO offers personal interaction with other veterans and military allies, subject-specific tutoring by vets for vets, and volunteer projects that help build involvement and community.
In the past month since school started, the SVO has been busy with volunteer projects and fundraisers to help with hurricane relief.
In August, the organization held a donation drive for Hurricane Harvey relief where they collected water, non-perishables, toiletries, blankets and pet supplies. A month later, they partnered with Phi Alpha Honor Society to raise money for “Undies for Everyone,” a non-profit that supplies undergarments to hurricane victims.
“We share the burden together,” says Smith. “Whether it be helping a friend with babysitting or working together in situations like this.”
Smith and the rest of the SVO are planning their own fundraiser on Nov. 4 called Shocker Ruck.
Shocker Ruck will be a 1.25 mile walk / run around WSU’s Perimeter Road. Each participant will bring a backpack or, in military terms, a rucksack that they will carry throughout the event. Participants will fill their rucksack with objects to create weight to simulate a common training method used in the military.
“We’ll use this event to demonstrate how to share the burden. This is supposed to be an event where we tell the students, veterans and community that we’re here to share the burden,” says Smith.
Funds raised from Shocker Ruck will go toward building a veterans memorial on campus, making WSU even more welcoming for military Shockers. To sign up for this event, go to http://bit.ly/ShockerRuck.
Go to http://bit.ly/StudentVeteransOrg to learn more about the SVO and how to join. For more information, contact Jared Smith, SVO president, at jpsmith1@shockers.wichita.edu or Sarah Sell, director of Veteran Student Services, at 316-978-3207 or sarah.sell@wichita.edu.