On January 4th, Student Veterans of America’s 6th Annual National Conference concluded by recognizing the inspirational work of a few exemplary student veterans from across the nation. Kiersten Downs, an Air Force veteran and graduate student at the University of South Florida, received the 2013 Student Veteran of the Year award and the SVA chapter at the University of Colorado-Denver won the Second Annual Business Plan Competition.
“These awardees epitomize the characteristics of student veterans,” said SVA’s Chief Executive Officer D. Wayne Robinson. “They’ve devoted themselves to academic success and work tirelessly to ensure that their fellow vets join them on stage at commencement. Not only are they going to graduate, but each has galvanized their school to become more supportive of that vision.”
In June 2012, Downs left San Francisco, California on her bicycle and began a cross country journey to raise awareness of SVA’s mission, the student veteran experience, and funds to support her peers across the nation. With this campaign, known as Bike America, she raised over $50,000, journeyed through ten states, and biked 3,800 miles in two months. Downs received the 2013 Student Veteran of the Year awarded in honor of her outstanding leadership and dedication to fellow veterans.
Student veterans Amber Longoria and Michael Stack from the University of Colorado-Denver led their chapter to victory in the 2nd Annual Business Plan Competition. Longoria and Stack joined five other premier chapters at the conference to compete in a preliminary, closed door business plan competition. They won their initial round and went on to represent CU-Denver in the final competition against Florida State University.
The competition consisted of a ten minute presentation, a ten minute question and answer session with expert judges, and a ten minute question and answer session with the student veteran audience. The plans were then evaluated on innovation, sustainability, and delivery. Based on the final vote, CU-Denver was awarded the first place prize and an additional $1,000 chapter grant from SVA to support their on-campus work.
“The accomplishments of the chapters that participated in this year’s Business Plan Competition did not go unnoticed. They are working to make the transition from soldier to student easier for themselves, their peers, and the thousands that will come after them. Each chapter illustrates the impact a few people can make on lives of many,” D. Wayne Robinson concluded.
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