Veterans of the U.S. military are a growing presence at Saint Francis and this growth has led to the creation of a new campus organization.

There are currently 47 SFU students utilizing some form of Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) education benefits according to Laura Papcunik, Associate Director of Financial Aid and VA Certifying Official.

“Veteran enrollment has drastically increased over the past five years,” Papcunik said. “Veterans seek us out – especially if they live locally where they can commute.”

This increase in veteran enrollment has led to the creation of the Student Veterans Organization (SVO), an advocacy and support group formed by Papcunik and Renee Bernard, Director of the Center for Academic Success and First-Year Experience.

Bernard’s brother influenced her as he was transitioning from the military to SFU in 2004.

“It was at that time that I realized there were very little resources for veterans at the University – veterans like him who were transitioning back to civilian life after fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan post-9/11,” Bernard said.

Papcunik and Bernard learned of the Student Veterans of America, a national organization of which the Saint Francis SVO is a chapter.

It was recommended to them that a student veteran help get a chapter off the ground.

Enter Adam Bolton, an eight-year veteran of the U.S. Army and a graduate assistant to Bernard.

Bolton assists incoming veterans by working with Bernard and Papcunik to “smooth out” the enrollment and financial aid processes.

“There’s no ‘typical’ veteran,” Bolton said. “Everybody’s experience is different – our diversity makes us stronger.”

SVO’s membership includes veterans of multiple branches of the military with a variety of service experience.

“We’d like to create a military community (at SFU),” Bolton said.

The organization meets weekly, giving vets an opportunity to discuss college life and foster a sense of fellowship.

SVO Vice President Hannah Cole, a senior computer science major and National Guard soldier and Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) cadet, believes these meetings are important.

“I really like the camaraderie that we have. I love getting together with military people,” Cole said. “We get all the different branches together but we still understand each other.

It’s so cool.”