Shenandoah University will host a Veterans Community Engagement Forum on Thursday, June 2 at 1 p.m. at Halpin-Harrison Hall.
The event will bring together veterans and the private, public, and non-governmental organizations that support them at the local, state, and national levels to discuss and foster a better understanding of the issues affecting veterans and their families.
The forum aims to re-engage veterans and regional Veterans Community Engagement Committees (CVEBs) that focus on strategic actions that optimize support, care and services for veterans. Additionally, the forum will highlight the many services available to veterans and provide an opportunity to address some of the issues plaguing the veteran community.
“It is exciting to once again partner with CVEB of the North Shenandoah Valley and host of community partners in our region to identify and support the needs of veterans, their families, caregivers and survivors,” said League Provost Cameron McCoy, Ph.D. “Shenandoah University is committed to being the school of choice for veterans and the leader in promoting and providing an education, of world-class service and support to military-affiliated learners in our region.”
An Army-affiliated panel, consisting of an active duty member, a veteran, a veteran’s spouse, and a Shenandoah student who is the child of a veteran, will identify the needs of veterans and will focus on understanding some of the current issues. challenges faced by members of the military community across the region.
Michael Diaz, chair of the Northern Shenandoah Valley Community Veterans Engagement Board, will share information on what has been done to meet the needs of veterans. CVEBwhich report to the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, strive to create collaborative networks at the local level and use community resources to solve problems identified by the local community.
The forum will also include a presentation on Bunker Labs, which helps veterans and military spouses start and grow successful businesses, and a panel discussion among veteran support organizations that will provide an opportunity to learn about current services available in the region and to promote partnership and collaboration between organizations.
Dr. McCoy, a military veteran, will share information about the Veteran, Military, and Family Center (VMFC) and the planned Hub for Innovators, Veterans, and Entrepreneurs (HIVE) during the forum. Participants will have the opportunity to review the progress of HIVE after the event.
In creating the Hive, Shenandoah identified an opportunity to further support the community by restoring the former National Guard Armory located on campus, and the initiative is designed to support economic growth and development in the community and the region, while providing an anchor point for veteran care, services and resources.
A luncheon and vendor fair will precede the Veterans Community Engagement Forum beginning at noon on Thursday, June 2 at Halpin-Harrison Hall.
For more information about the Shenandoah University Veterans Community Engagement Forum, or to confirm your attendance at the event, visit su.edu/vets.
Comments are closed.