The Military Family Research Institute at Purdue University issued awards to three Indiana student veterans’ organizations (SVOs), including one which proposes to engage, educate and serve student service members and veterans, campus stakeholders and community partners.
The grants ranged from $600 to $2,000 and were awarded on April 14 through Operation Diploma, an initiative launched by MFRI to support and strengthen Indiana’s post-graduate education institutions and SVOs. SVOs are student organizations that offer social support to student service members and veterans while encouraging their involvement in campus and community initiatives, collaborations and service projects.
Since September 2009, Operation Diploma has sponsored competitions each semester to help SVO members to hone entrepreneurial skills and fund local initiatives. The panel of judges that evaluated proposals on April 14 did so according to criteria that included quality of mission, clarity of initiatives and a renewed sustainability. Judges were: Martina Sternberg, assistant director of MFRI; John Klinge, head coach of women’s swimming and diving at Purdue University; Denise Buhrmester, director of communication for Purdue’s College of Health and Human Sciences; and Matt Vincent, an SVO member and past president of the Collegiate Veterans Association.
University of Evansville’s student veterans’ organization, which is called UE VETS, garnered top honors and an award of $2,000 to support the 52 military-affiliated students on its campus. While 22 are members of UE VETS, the organization aims to:
- increase membership;
- provide sensitivity training for UE faculty, administration and staff;
- raise campus awareness through Veterans Day service, a veterans fair and movie discussions; and
- collaborate with and educate area employers.
Grants also went to second-place honoree, Ivy Tech Community College – Sellersburg ($2,000) as well as third-place honoree, Grace College and Theological Seminary ($600).
Sternberg helped in Operation Diploma’s creation, and judging gave her an opportunity to be involved from the initiative’s genesis to its implementation.
“This is like coming full circle,” she said. “Before Operation Diploma, fewer than five Indiana campuses had an SVO. Today there are more than 30 SVOs around the state. I am amazed at the students’ passion, motivation and innovation. They are working hard to assist veterans and families while at the same time building relationships and educating the community about veterans and their families.”
Operation Diploma engages and educates post-graduate education stakeholders about issues surrounding student service members and veterans. It is also working in collaboration with the American Council on Education and the Indiana Commission for Higher Education to improve the accuracy and efficiency of military credit transfer evaluations through the state’s Core Transfer Library. Operation Diploma also seeks to positively impact job-seeking student service member and veterans with work on employment-related initiatives.
Through Operation Diploma, MFRI has awarded more than $2.4 million to higher education institutions and SVOs. Nearly $50,000 has been granted to SVOs.