Spartans and friends from around the world came together to celebrate Veterans Day by supporting programs serving veterans and military-connected students at MSU. Thanks to the generosity of the MSU community, the third annual “Support Spartan Veterans” campaign was a tremendous success, raising over $40,000 for featured student veteran support projects.
Since 2020, collectively the MSU Veterans Day campaign has raised almost $100,000 for programs, resources and scholarships supporting veterans and military-connected students at Michigan State.
Patrick Forystek, the director of the MSU Student Veterans Resource Center (SVRC), said he is extremely grateful for the support from donors during the Veterans Day campaign.“So much of what we do to serve our military and student veteran community would not be possible without donor support,” said Forystek.
According to Forystek, student veterans often differ from the general MSU student population. Almost half are first-generation college students, compared to 25% of other MSU students, and most have been away from school for four or more years prior to coming to MSU. For these reasons and others, transitioning to college life can be a major challenge, which is why he said having resources to support these students is so critical.
“Our mission at the SVRC is to create a welcoming environment where all our students can grow and succeed. Events like the Veterans Day campaign give us the tools we need to accomplish this mission every day,” said Forystek.
For Ashley Van Camp (Social Work, ‘24), the SVRC played a pivotal role in helping her adjust to college life after serving seven years in the U.S. Navy.
“Not only did the SVRC provide a place for me to study, relax and converse with students of similar backgrounds, but those working there also informed me of multiple resources I could be using as I continue my educational journey. I feel better prepared as a student and as a veteran trying to learn how to navigate civilian life because of SVRC.”
