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Fall 2011/Winter 2012

Veterans KC The Veterans Knowledge Community will advance Veterans Best Practices through the education and

activation of its members

NASPA

Inside this issue:

Farewell from Our Co-Chairs, Michelle &

Katrina

Farewell from Our Co-Chairs

……………… 1-2

Meet Our New Co-Chairs….….. 2

Get Connected…………… ……… 3

NASPA Annual Conference ……..3

Mark Your Calendars …...……4

Check this Out …………………...4

Call for Articles..……………….. 4

Dear VKC,

Since proposing the formation of the NASPA Veterans

Knowledge Community (VKC), my experience and work with VKC has

been challenging, rewarding, informative and exciting. I have learned so

much during this journey and have established many invaluable personal,

as well as professional, relationships. Since the inception of the VKC two

years ago, I feel that we have played a vital role in bringing student vet-

erans issues to the forefront of the academic landscape.

As I prepare to leave my current position as the VKC Co-Chair, I

look forward to the knowledge, research and best practices that will un-

doubtedly continue to set a precedence in academia. As a veteran, the

spouse of a retired veteran and the mother of a future veteran, it has been

an honor and a privilege working with so many caring, gifted and knowl-

edgeable individuals to further the cause for student veterans. I foresee

the VKC continuing to be a dynamic and powerful seat of advocacy for

the dissemination of important information and resources in higher edu-

cation.

Michelle Cyrus

NASPA Veterans KC Co-Chair, 2010-2012

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NASPA VETERANS KC FALL 2011/WINTER 2012

Welcome to Our New Co-Chairs

Farewell from Michelle & Katrina, continued from page 1

Dear VKC,

With both excitement for the future and appreciation for my experience, I say see you later but not good-bye to

a wonderful Knowledge Community. It was an honor to work with Michelle these last two years; she is a dynamic,

passionate and wonderful colleague. Michelle invited me two years ago to join her quest in establishing the Veterans

Knowledge Community. Of course I accepted since I’m from a military family, I have a commitment to individuals

who have served our country with honor and dignity.

As a military child, I appreciated the camaraderie in military culture that was provided to my family. The cama-

raderie was evident with each move our family made to a different base, to every gathering full of laughter, and the

times my mom would support another wife while her partner was out to sea. Because of my upbringing, I could not

pass up the opportunity to work with professionals who serve a community that had such a profound impact on my life.

This position has been a tremendous learning experience for me; from understanding how Knowledge Commu-

nities work, to the educational interactions with folks committed to student veterans. I want to thank all of those who

served on leadership teams, both nationally and regionally. Their insights, passion and commitment to making a differ-

ence in the lives of men and women who have served our country will unquestionably make a difference.

Katrina Whitney

NASPA Veterans KC Co-Chair, 2010-2012

I’m very pleased to be working with the Veterans

Knowledge Community. Over the last three years, I

have directed the Disabled Veterans Reintegration

Project at the University of Arizona. This project has

been integral in creating the UA’s Veterans Education

and Transition Services. What I have valued most over

the last few years is networking with colleagues from

around the nation as we all reexamine our

understanding of student vets and develop new campus-

based programs and services. I believe that the VKC

fills a great need in our profession. I look forward to

working with John to continue Michelle and Katrina’s

good work.

Amanda Kraus

I’m very excited to be working with the Veterans

Knowledge Community. Since retiring from the Army in

2004 and returning to school, first as a student and now

part of the staff, I have been working on fostering better

communications between different campus factions for

the advancement of Student Veteran issues. As we move

forward into 2012 I look to the VKC leadership (Past,

Present & Future) to be the voice of best practices and

innovation. See you all this spring in Phoenix

John Mikelson

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Get Connected Join the Knowledge

Community by clicking

"membership" from the

NASPA homepage, then

select "Update Member-

ship Profile & Preferences"

and scroll to "Knowledge

Community Preferences."

Contact your Regional

KC Chair to discuss how

you might be helpful in

your geographic region.

Everyone interested in

providing updates, infor-

mation, and other im-

portant information relat-

ed to Veterans are wel-

come to join our listserv.

You do not have to be a

member of this Knowledge

Community or a member

of NASPA; we welcome

everyone with an interest

in these issues.

Interested in joining

our listserv? Please email

Joseph DeSanto in the

NASPA office at jdesan-

to@naspa.org and specify

the name of the listserv.

NASPA will add you within

a few business days.

NASPA VETERANS KC FALL 2011/WINTER 2012

For more information, visit www.naspa.org/conf

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CALL FOR ARTICLES

If you are interested in sharing:

Your original work;

Suggestions for articles from outside sources that

you feel would be especially useful to readers

(please include citation);

Pictures;

Book reviews; or

Events taking place (please include title, descrip-

tion of event, date and time, and location)

Please contact Megan Ziegler, Veterans KC Newslet-ter Editor at ziegler.80@buckeyemail.osu.edu

Mark Your Calendars

NASPA VETERANS KC FALL 2011/WINTER 2012

Veteran Symposium for Higher Education

February 21-22, 2012 Louisville, KY

Information: http://stuaff.org/veterans/

The Department of Defense Worldwide

Education Symposium 2012

July 23-27, 2012 Las Vegas, NV

MGM Grand Hotel,

Information: www.ww2012.com

NASPA’s Veterans Knowledge Com-munity has added a NEWS section

to our website:

http://naspa.org/kc/veterans/news.cfm

There is interesting information to

be found on the new website, “Toolkit for Veteran Friendly Insti-

tutions:”

www.vetfriendlytoolkit.org

Check This Out

Military Experience and the Arts Symposium

July 5—7, 2012 Eastern Kentucky University

Information:

www.militaryexperience.org/symposium

Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges

Workshops

February 13, 2012 Orlando, FL

February 23, 2012 Cincinnati, OH

March 15, 2012 Atlanta, GA

Information: http://www.soc.aascu.org/

socgen/Workshops.html