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WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Four Indiana Student Veterans’ Organizations (SVOs) pitched their best ideas for supporting student service members and veterans during the Fall 2013 SVO Business Plan Competition held Saturday (Nov. 16).
The following SVOs participated in the Fall 2013 SVO Business Plan Competition,
videos of presentations are available below:
- Valparaiso Law School Interview
- Ball State University
- Indiana University Southeast
- Purdue University
Participating SVOs presented their business plan proposals to a panel of expert judges and competed for up to $2,000 in grants each to fund military and veteran-focused programming initiatives on their campuses. Created by the Military Family Research Institute at Purdue University, the competition aims to help SVOs improve strategic operations, increase programming, and generate awareness for student service members and veterans on campuses across Indiana. Eligible SVOs earn grants through the business plan competition by demonstrating effective plans that encourage campus and community engagement.
"Business plans are critical for successful SVOs; they help student veteran leaders support sustainability, mission and structure,” said competition judge, Angela Xhakolli, the director of operations for Student Veterans of America (SVA), a national organization that advocates for student service members and veterans. “By creating business plans, leaders are setting strategic objectives and clear goals for the organizations.”
Valparaiso took first place in the competition, with its presentation that focused on delivering value to student veterans enrolled in the university’s law school. In addition to wwweloping a repository of textbooks and study guides to help defray the high costs associated with purchasing these materials, the Valparaiso Law School Military and Veterans Law Association (MVLA) also proposed funding tutors for student veterans, focusing specifically on first year law courses. MVLA’s final objective focused on better marketing and advertising for their annual 5K race, which helps raise funds for their chosen charity, Help a Vet Get a Pet.
In addition to Xhakolli, this year’s competition judges also included Jane Girard, manager of change and communications at Kraft Foods, and Steve Gonzalez, assistant director for veterans employment and education for the American Legion.
“The SVO Business Competition has encouraged student veteran leaders to think strategically about how their organizations operate. It has also opened new opportunities for networking and sharing information, not only between our SVOs, but also with our corporate and non-profit judges who provide a tremendous amount of thoughtful feedback,” said Jamie Simek, MFRI’s SVO coordinator.
A total of $6,800 was awarded at the competition.
MFRI’s business plan competition has become a model for Student Veterans of America (SVA), a national organization that advocates for student service members and veterans.
“SVA believes so much in the mission of this MFRI initiative that it has become the cornerstone of our organization’s leading programs, including the Chapter Grant Program, the Leadership Institute, Leadership Summits, and SVA’s own Business Plan Competition,” said Xhakolli. “Using the MFRI SVO Business Plan Competition as a model and foundation, these programs offer student veterans invaluable tools, resources, and training that supports their goals of making an impact on-campus and equips them for future success.”