Yesterday’s Warriors           Today’s Scholars        Tomorrow’s Leaders

 Student Veterans of America

Presents

“SUCCESS AFTER SERVICE”

The 3^rd Annual

National Conference & Exhibition

October 1-4, 2010

Georgetown University

Washington, D.C.

Presented By

 Friday, Oct 1, 2010: Day 1

 (Dress Code: Casual)

7:00 – 10:30pm           SVA SERVES: A Community Service Initiative & Networking Reception

                                       Introductory Remarks: Michael Dakduk and Erik Brine, SVA VP & GUSVA President

                                       Welcoming Remarks: Dr. John DeGioia, Georgetown University President

                                       Guest Speaker: Chris Martinez, The Mission Continues

 Saturday, Oct 2, 2010: Day 2

(Exhibit Booths Open 7:30 am – 5:30 pm)

(Dress Code: Business Casual during day and Business Formal for Awards Dinner)

7:00-8:00am               Breakfast and Registration

                                      West Lobby

8:00-8:30am                Introductory Remarks  

                                       Presented by: Derek Blumke, SVA President

8:30-12:00pm              Breakout Sessions

                                       Session #1: We are SVA

                                       Presented by: Gerald Kapinos, Student Veterans of America

Session #2: Preparing for a Rewarding Career

Presented by:Lisa Rosser, The Value of A Veteran

Session #3: Fundraising and Media Relations

                                        Presented by: Matthew Feger, Director of Development, Student Veterans of America

                                        Session #4: Exhibition & Career Expo

 12:00-1:00pm             Lunch

1:00-1:30pm                Guest Speaker: Assistant Secretary Ray Jefferson -- Department of Labor Veterans' 

                                       Employment and Training Service 
 

1:30-2:30pm                GI Bill and Educational Benefits Presentation         

                                       Ruth Fanning, VA VR&E Keith Wilson, VA Education Service

2:30-5:00pm                Breakout Sessions

Session #1: SVA Listening Session

Presented by: Michael Dakduk and Matt Randle, Student Veterans of America

                                        Session #2: Mental Health /Transitioning Wounded Veterans

                                        Presented by: U of Michigan Depression Center and Tyler Tuggle, SVA VET Program

Session #3: Exhibition & Career Expo

 6:00-10:00pm             3^rd Annual Student Veterans of America Awards Dinner

                                       Introductory Remarks: Rodrigo Garcia, SVA Chairman of the Board

                                       Master of Ceremonies: Valerie Brown, SVA SouthCentral Regional Director

                                       Keynote Speaker: Secretary Eric K. Shinseki, Department of Veterans' Affairs

                                       Guest Speaker: Robert Spanogle, National Adjutant, The American Legion

Sunday, Oct 3, 2010: Day 3

(Exhibit Booths Open 8:00 am – 3:30 pm) 

(Dress Code: Business Casual)

8:00-9:00am               Breakfast

9:00-9:30am              Military Transitions, A Student Veteran Presentation

                                     Presented By: David Curry, SVA California State Director

9:30-10:30am            SVA State Best Practices

                            State Best Practices By: Colin Cooper, SVA California Legislative Director

10:30-11:00am           Guest Speaker: Dr. Steven Knapp, President, The George Washington University

11:00-12:00pm          SVA National Elections Announcements (MEMBERS ONLY)

                                       Presented By: SVA Election Commission

12:00-12:30pm          Closing Remarks

                                       Presented by: Derek Blumke, Michael Dakduk, Marello Harris; Outgoing SVA

                                       President, Vice-President and Secretary

1:00-3:30pm               Transportation to Hotels and to Airport

Monday, Oct 4, 2010: Day 4

 (Dress Code: Business Formal)

8:30-9:00am               Breakfast

                                      Sponsored by Georgetown University's The School of Continuing Studies

9:00-12:00pm            "School the Hill" Leadership Training

                                     Presented by SVA Board Member and former Legislative Director Brian Hawthorne

12:00-1:00pm             Lunch

1:00-3:00pm               "School the Hill"

3:00-5:30pm               Transportation to Hotels and to Airport

CONCLUSION OF CONFERENCE

Exhibitors:

         American Legion               Department of Veterans Affairs            DeVry University

   United States Postal Service        The Mission Continues                 Department of Justice 

      American Red Cross                  Department of State                      Pratt & Whitney

                Meijer                               Give An Hour                               Active Minds

                                                   AND MANY MORE!!!      

Session Descriptors

SVA SERVES: Student veterans, faculty members and volunteers will serve together under SVA's Community Service Initiative and with funding from The Mission Continues.  Attendees will prepare care packages for a local organization in need.  Afterwards, attendees will have the opportunity to network and meet fellow SVA members.  Hors d'oeuvres and beverages will be provided. 

We are SVA: Student Veterans of America is a young, vibrant and  diverse organization. The SVA leadership will discuss who SVA is, what SVA does, our successes, our current programs and services, and a bird’s eye snapshot of your organization.

Preparing for a Rewarding Career: Preparing for a rewarding career starts with translating your military skills into a language that fits the needs of a civilian employer. Lisa Rosser will discuss how to do it and cover a broad range of topics including, resume writing, finding veteran-friendly employers, and how to succeed in an interview.               

Fundraising and Media Relations: This session will cover the best practices a SVA chapter member can pursue to succeed at the local level. This requires finding fundraising opportunities and speaking with the media. We will discuss finding fundraising opportunities, writing grants, hosting evens on campus, and conducting a successful public relations campaign.  

GI Bill and Educational Benefits Presentation:  Ruth Fanning, Director of the Department of Veterans Affairs Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Service, and Keith Wilson, Director of the VA Education Service, will present their programs and host a short question and answer session.

SVA Listening Session: Would you like to provide your input into our slate of priorities for the upcoming school year?  Have suggestions on how to improve your organization over the upcoming school year?  This is our members’ opportunity to interact in a two-way dialogue with SVA leadership to help our organization move forward and develop policies to further the educational experience of our members across the country.

Mental Health /Transitioning Wounded Veterans: The University of Michigan Depression Center is the foremost expert on peer-to-peer mentor programs that help veterans deal with mental health issues. Members will be directed to mental health resources and learn how to relieve the stressors that can contribute to depression, anxiety, and suicide. Tyler Tuggle will explain how your chapter can help wounded, injured, and ill veterans transition to campus through the SVA VET Program.

Military Transitions, A Student Veteran Presentation: The session allows one of our distinguished fellow SVA members to present on a topic relevant to their schoolwork and experiences.  This year, a presentation by David Curry on the military transition process.  He will present a dialogue centered via a genuine combination of research and personal experience.

SVA State Best Practices:  A state best practices presentation will allow fellow leadership to demonstrate best practices to maximize communications between members and their representatives. The presentation will showcase how to provide maximum coverage with minimal resources. 

SVA National Elections: SVA chapter presidents will have the opportunity to cast their votes for the next year of SVA leaders. We will elect a President, Vice President, and Secretary to represent you for the 2010-2011 school years.

3^rd Annual Student Veterans of America Awards Dinner: The hard work you put into making Student Veterans of America a local, regional and national success do not go unnoticed. Join us as we celebrate the accolades and achievements of our organization and our fellow members/chapters at SVA’s Annual Awards Dinner.

Exhibition & Career Expo: As part of SVA’s pledge to give our members extensive networking and career opportunities, the exhibit fair will feature employers, educators, and service organizations that are actively looking to engage with student veterans. SVA members will have the chance to practice some of the techniques discussed in the previous workshops and engage.  Resume review and mock interview workshops will also be conducted.