Bringing Vets Together

by Rachel Voorhees

According to Student Veterans of America (SVA), relating to civilians is a major challenge for veterans returning from service. For those who attend college after coming home, this can be especially difficult, as they are surrounded by students who’ve come straight from high school.

In support of veteran students, Adelphi’s University College offers a variety of services and events to help veterans feel comfortable on campus and establish meaningful relationships with other students.

One such event was the first annual Veteran’s Reception, hosted by the Adelphi SVA chapter and sponsored by University College, held on Veterans Day in the Black Box Theatre. The event served to celebrate current veteran students and connect them with one another and with alumni veterans.

“I want veterans to meet each other, network and enjoy each other’s company,” said Kathleen Rickard ’14, Army Reserve veteran and current president of Adelphi’s SVA.

Among the keynote speakers at the event were Gene Razetti ’65, Navy veteran and independent management consultant, and Gregory Clarke ’13, Army veteran and budget analyst for the North Shore-LIJ Health System. They both discussed the importance of utilizing the resources for veterans at Adelphi and bringing the skills learned in the military, such as information technology and finance, to future careers.

“Veterans need to realize how valuable their time in the service is to their education,” Mr. Razetti said.

Adelphi recognizes this, as a Yellow Ribbon school that offers veterans academic credit for life experience, career fairs with potential employers and the Veteran Resource Center in the Hagedorn Hall of Enterprise.

“On a college campus, there are so many resources that go untapped by veterans,” said Mr. Clarke, who was offered his current job after attending a career fair for veterans at Adelphi.

University President Robert A. Scott, a Navy veteran and Post-9/11 G.I. Bill advocate, also made an appearance at the event to talk about his experiences and about other veteran alumni who are doing great work in their fields today.

“Network, because the degrees of separation are not that great,” Dr. Scott said, citing the six degrees of separation theory.

After the keynote speakers, veterans were able to socialize with one another in a relaxed environment for the rest of the evening. Whether it was sharing stories of their time in the service or talking about their careers, the veterans in attendance all had an instant connection that will surely help them in the years to come.