Our Crowdfunding Groups
Mission of SVA
The Student Veterans of America acts as a catalyst for student veteran success by providing resources, network support, and advocacy to, through, and beyond higher education. Student Veterans of America elevates the academic, professional, and personal development of veterans in higher education through chapter programs and services, outcomes and impacts research, and advocacy at every level. With a mission focused on empowering student veterans, SVA is committed to providing an educational experience that goes beyond the classroom.
The University of Mississippi Student Veterans Association is a non-profit that works to solve the complex issues surrounding veterans in higher education. The mission of the SVA is to provide military veterans with the resources, support, and advocacy needed to succeed in higher education, as well as develop a sense of camaraderie within the student veteran community on campus.
The SVA uses their funds to help stock the new Grove Grocery Kitchen, which is a food pantry for all students (undergrad/grad/international/military-connected). They purchase food items for students (including student veterans) to have access to throughout the day in partnership with both Grove Grocery and Veteran & Military Services.
They purchase school items for student veterans such as blue books, pens/pencils, paper, and printer paper for the free printing they get in the Veterans Resource Center. They are also purchasing things to help turn their new space into a more home-like atmosphere. The students have helped to decorate their space and used funds to make it feel more inviting and comfortable.
Case for Support
The University of Mississippi is one of America’s Top Military-Friendly Universities, is the number one school in Mississippi for veterans, is an Unlimited/Unlimited Yellow Ribbon School, and is a Purple Heart Campus. Through donations and donors, VMS works to provide comprehensive resources to veterans, military, and dependents to aid in their overall success as Ole Miss students. As part of the Center for Student Success and First Year Experience, VMS assists students with certification requirements to receive VA Education Entitlements with the GI Bill. Further, VMS provides advice, guidance, advocacy, and outreach services for our military-connected student population. Veteran & Military Services works hard to take care of all members of this unique student population, and welcome them to the Ole Miss Family.
Impact
The SVA strives to impact the lives of all those who served in our armed forces. Our goal is to reach these brave men and women and assist them in achieving their goals of higher education. There have been thousands of people assisted through the SVA.
SVA member Angela Roberts shared, “When you leave the military, you don’t always know how to start the process. You’re trying to integrate into society, trying to be a civilian, and have to shift your mindset. Having these services helped me find some normalcy and feel like it’s not over just because I left the military. This is a new chapter and I have to make it work, but having these resources helps. I don’t know where I would be right now without them.”
This is the ultimate goal of the organization and why we are thrilled to be working with the SVA. To allow people the opportunity to give back to those who sacrificed so much for us is the ultimate reward. We want every veteran involved to have the experience Angela had.
The Student Veterans Association also goes beyond the classroom and campus. Our students were given the chance to go to Washington, D.C., and advocate for veterans all around the country in front of the Senate’s Veteran Affairs Committee. Andrew Newby, the UM Assistant Director of Veteran and Military Affairs, said, “The students got to interact with lawmakers and tell them why Ole Miss is succeeding, why they’re making impacts on campus and what they want to see for student veterans in the future.”
To us, it is important for the Student Veterans Association at Ole Miss to be able to connect with outside organizations that allow them to extend their cause and create more benefits for veterans within the community.
Thank You!
We cannot thank you all enough for taking the opportunity to give back to a group of individuals that have done so much for us. With your help, we will be able to make a true impact and go beyond our goals we have set for ourselves. Help us to help the people we owe our freedom to.
Your gift of $5 will buy the SVA coffee for a day at the George House. By giving at this coffee level, student veterans will now be able to rely on the George House to provide them with a much needed cup of coffee.
Your gift of $10 will buy scantrons, blue books, and other basic school supplies for our student Veterans. These supplies are used very frequently at the University of Mississippi for tests and other projects. With your help, Veterans will no longer be forced to purchase these items every time they need one.
Your gift of $15 will help buy our veterans some amenities for leisure activities. Whether it is something as simple as a ping pong paddle or pool stick, these amenities will allow our veterans to feel relaxed during their time at the University.
Your gift of $20 will support the food pantry in the Veterans Resource Center. By giving this amount, our student veterans will not have to worry about where their next meal will come from. This donation will allow our veterans to have a reliable source of food during their time on campus.
Your gift of $100 would cover the average cost of a text book for a student veteran. As we all know, text books are very expensive, and this donation will help make sure all of our student veterans have the books that they need.
Your gift of $220 will purchase a new chair to outfit the new Veterans Resource Center. This new furniture will give our veterans a comfortable place to hang out while they are on campus. Taking a break during a busy day is important, and this donation will go a long way toward helping these veterans have a comfortable spot to relax.
Your gift of $400 would cover the average cost of books for a semester for one student veteran. By giving this amount, a student veteran will no longer have to worry about where to buy text books for a semester.
Your gift of $1,200 would cover the average cost of supplies for one student for a full year of courses. These expenses will include things like books, pencils, notebooks, and calculators. This donation will allow our veterans to have whatever school supplies they need to be successful during their time at the University.