Student veterans elect new leaders, find new home

A new cabinet and a new center location are in the works for the student veterans of Washington State University.

The ASWSU Student Veterans Committee elected new officers Jan. 16. Their year-long term won’t begin until April 30, but the incoming leaders are busy establishing their goals and responsibilities.

A main priority for the coming year is to spread awareness of the committee’s existence and encourage student veterans to join.

“We want all veterans to know that we are here for them, not only for support and information for resources, but also as friends,” Vice President-elect James Savino said. “I would also like to see the Student Veterans Committee get more involved with the community – not only the student community, but with the Pullman and Moscow communities as well.”

The committee will find a home in the Student Veterans Center, which will be located in room 120B of the Holland Library. The center was previously located in the bottom floor of the CUB.

Treasurer-elect Eddie Traverso said the new, more visible location will boost involvement in the committee.

“We were in the bottom of the CUB, and nobody knew,” Traverso said. “Now we are in a place that is actually sizable, so people can come by. It’ll be a great benefit.”

The center will serve as a place where veterans can connect with one another, relax between or after classes, hold study sessions and find opportunities for career development.

“I am looking forward to veteran students having much greater access to information that is relevant to them,” Veterans Coordinator Blaine Golden said.

Golden said the Office of Veterans Affairs, which is also being relocated to the Veterans Center, will work to bring in guest speakers from various organizations in the community.

“If given the right tools, the university experience can be one of the most memorable and rewarding in one’s life, and I hope that the Veterans Center becomes an avenue to utilizing those tools effectively,” Golden said.

President-elect Jermiha White said stakes are high in keeping the committee active and relevant. Without an active committee, student veterans may lose their space.

“We want to get veterans active because in two years our temporary home in the library is supposed to be gone and we are supposed to get an actual building,” White said. “But if we don’t show need we’re not going to have it, so our major goal over the next two years is to continue to show need.”

The Student Veterans Committee invites all interested students, especially student veterans, to attend the ribbon cutting ceremony 11 a.m. Thursday in room 120B of Holland Library.