2023 Service to School VetLink Summit Recap
We held our first annual Service to School VetLink Summit at the University of Chicago from June 22-24, 2023.
We kicked off the event with a program evaluation overview by Alec Emmert, Service to School CEO. The independent analysis conducted by Dr. Jeni Hunniecutt of VetRec showed the extent the VetLink program has grown in its first 5 years, emphasizing the impacts on admissions rates for veterans vs traditional students at partner institutions. The evaluation was accompanied by a video featuring personal impacts from six student veterans who used the VetLink program for their admissions, three partner institution admissions officers who highlighted the qualities they look for in students and how VetLink helps veterans showcase themselves in their applications, and finally a recap of the history and future of VetLink from Service to School’s Chief Operations Officer Jim Selbe.
Day 1 of the Summit featured stories from student veterans on the impact points that have shaped their journeys from the military to higher education including:
Continuing to Serve panel featuring Ricky Holder (US Navy Veteran, Undergraduate of the University of Chicago, and Marshall Scholar) and moderator Dan Futrell (CEO, Tillman Foundation)
Women Veterans panel featuring Hillary Browning (Navy Veteran, Yale Law School), Ayleen Villareal (Air Force Veteran, Harvard College), Tina Wong (Army Veteran, Stanford University), and moderator Patricia Wei (Director of Admissions, Yale University)
Finding Your Passion panel featuring Shaun Cason (USMC Veteran, Princeton University, Sachs Scholar) and moderator Alec Emmert (CEO, Service to School)
Leadership panel featuring Beau Butts (Executive Director - Veterans Initiatives, Program & Services, University of Chicago), Amin Gonzalez (Vice President & Dean of Admission & Financial Aid, Wesleyan University), Gary Ross (Vice President for Admission & Financial Aid, Colgate College), Adam Sapp (Assistant Vice President & Director of Admissions, Pomona College), and moderator Stacey Kotsell (CEO, Coalition for College)
S2S Ambassador Program panel featuring three S2S applicant + Ambassador pairings - Noah Courtney & Denver Barrows, Nicholas Filca & Steve Berlin, and Felicia Campanale & Gus Barndollar with moderator Alex Nieves (Director of Operations, Service to School)
The Student Veteran Experience panel featuring Joseph Grillo, Brandon Lau, Alexander Bilochenko, and moderator Colleen Grace
Supporting Spouses on Campus panel featuring Whitney Cason (Military spouse, Wharton School, Service to School) and Ben Gould (Director, Blue Star Families)
From Boots to Campus to Careers panel featuring Duvan Aaron Lopez, Colin Augustson, Sean Wade, and moderator Alec Emmert
Organization presentations by Stacey Kotsell (CEO, Coalition for College) and Colleen Grace (President, Ivy League Veterans Council)
Attendees of the 2023 Service to School VetLink Summit gather for a group photo on the stairs of Ida Noyes Hall at the University of Chicago
On Day 2, we shifted focus on what the future holds for veterans pursuing higher education
Our higher education partners and colleagues took deep dives into issues facing veteran admissions on their campus and made plans to collaboratively support expanding VetLink’s reach to more veterans in the coming years.
An inspiring Keynote Speech was delivered by Adrian Perkins (2023 Pritzker Fellow at the University of Chicago Institute of Politics, former Mayor of Shreveport, LA, Service to School board member). Mr. Perkins shared about taking transitions head-on, appreciating the journey & not just the destination while challenging yourself along the way. Adrian also highlighted the impacts of deep and meaningful network connections when transitioning into new spaces & places.
The event concluded with closing remarks from Jimmy Hatch (SEAL Team 6 Operator, Author, Non-Profit Founder, Yale University senior) who provided a riveting speech where he discussed his personal journey and value of both higher education and mental health for veterans.
On Day 2, we also heard from -
Transitioning 101 featuring Brendan Aronson (CEO & Co-Founder of The Military Veteran, USMC Veteran, Wharton MBA Grad)
Veterans Careers panel featuring Arthur Colby (Davita), Drew Thomas (banking), Roxie Tucker (McKinsey), Alex Clark (Haynes & Boone), Alex Dorko (Google), Kevin Cajas (Healthonomic), JD Modrak (real estate), and moderator Brendan Aronson
Hiring Our Heroes featuring Adam Rocke (Senior Director, External Engagements, Hiring Our Heroes U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation)
Business School panel featuring Austin Cox (student, Wharton School), Devan Trammel (student, Stanford GSB), JD Due (William & Mary), Joel Eaton (University of Minnesota Carlson), Matthew McCormick (University of Rochester Simon), Allan Eberhart (Georgetown University MSF), and moderator Kyle Eberly (CMU Tepper)
Law School panel featuring Lucas Harty (Harvard Law School), Elizabeth Kearney (University of Chicago Law), Issa DiScuiollo (William & Mary School of Law), Ryan Pavel (Warrior-Scholar Project, UVA Law), Hillary Browning (student, Yale Law), and moderator Alex Clark (Associate, Haynes Boone)
Public Policy & International Relations panel featuring Rosemary Hilliard ( Harvard Kennedy School), Lynda Jones (Georgetown University), Hillary Werner (University of Chicago), Jared Lyon (Student Veterans of America) and moderator Jennifer Steinhauer (Washington Correspondent, The New York Times)
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