CUNY SPS Observes Veterans Day 2023 With Expanded Programming and Support for Student Veterans

Second, the Student Veteran Organization (SVO), in partnership with the Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC) Veterans Resource Center, will host a Thanksgiving dinner and fundraiser on Friday November 17 on the BMCC campus. All veteran students and alumni are welcome. This dinner will also be a fundraiser for the SVO’s Holiday Care Package Drive for deployed troops. The SVO is seeking donations online through Operation Gratitude, an organization that delivers care packages to uplift the spirits of those serving our nation. RSVP for the dinner here. To learn more about the holiday care drive and to donate, visit Operation Gratitude’s website or email veterans@sps.cuny.edu.

These events are the first to be offered under SVO’s new leadership for the 2023-2024 academic year, which include Tony Vu, President (BS in Business); Keila Ottero, Secretary (MA in Disability Studies); and Richard Cornier, Treasurer (BS in Information Science). Please visit the SVO page  for more information and to get involved.

Additionally, in a proud showing for CUNY SPS, several students who serve as veteran peer mentors were honored during a student awards luncheon and creative arts and job fair hosted by the CUNY Central Office of Veteran Affairs on Friday, November 3. During the event, two-time alum De Quency Bowen (BA in Communication and Media; MS in Business Management and Leadership) and current student Keila Ottero (MA in Disability Studies) (pictured right to left) were presented with a "More Than Conquerors, We Are Champions" award to thank them for being dedicated mentors, tutors, and the overall voice of the University’s veteran student community.

Student Veteran Initiatives

Following the School’s longstanding and publicly recognized efforts to provide specialized resources and assistance to our military and veteran students, CUNY SPS is also proud to announce two new initiatives that will further support this community.

Beginning this November, CUNY SPS has launched a new U.S Military Scholarship for all veteran and active military students attending or enrolled in an undergraduate degree program. The award amount is up to $55 per credit and student fees to help cover any tuition gap from military education benefits. All active-duty military, guard, reservists, or veterans with a GPA of 2.0 or higher are eligible to apply. For more information and to apply, contact the CUNY SPS Office of Scholarships at scholarships@sps.cuny.edu.

Finally, the CUNY SPS Office of Military & Veteran Student Services (OMVSS) has expanded its participation in PROVE (Project for Return & Opportunity in Veterans Education), an innovative CUNY program that offers campus support teams to help connect new and current student veterans to the resources they need as they transition from military to college life.

Under this collaboration, the OMVSS is proud to introduce its first-ever social work intern Daniel Beaver-Seitz, (pictured left) who will be working to support veterans and other military-connected CUNY SPS students for the academic year. Through this program, Beaver-Seitz will assist with navigating benefits and supporting the mental health of student veterans.

“We are excited to finally bring PROVE to the School, as this resource complements and augments our existing team capacity to support student veterans,” said Christopher Leydon, associate director of student services, who oversees the OMVSS. “We also hope to offer some military cultural competence training for members of the CUNY SPS community. Dan is going to bring a lot to our students, and I can’t wait to see what other resources he’ll implement this year!”

Beaver-Seitz, who is currently a Master of Social Work student at Hunter College's Silberman School of Social Work, brings a wide range of experience to his role at CUNY SPS. He previously worked for Cardozo School of Law in Alumni Affairs and Institutional Advancement for six years. Prior to his time there, Beaver-Seitz received an MS in Information Science from the University of North Carolina, worked on the management and marketing of live theater from off-off-Broadway to Broadway, and served with the Peace Corps in Nicaragua. His interests include writing fiction, cooking and baking, Prospect Park, and queer New York City history.

For Beaver-Seitz, the social work internship presents a great opportunity to connect with different communities, in keeping with his larger career goal. “My plan is to work as a therapist, supporting people as they build a life they choose,” he explained. “My internship at SPS has already been a great exercise in learning how to make those initial connections with people, figuring out what they would like to change in their lives and strategies for those changes.”

As he begins his new role, Beaver-Seitz is eager to develop some new programs for the School’s student veterans. “I have begun calling all student veterans at SPS to hear more about what they need, but I also have some exciting things planned for the next few months,” he noted. “One project I am particularly excited about implementing is a writing group. I am an experienced writer and am very excited to provide a venue for more people to explore how writing can help them better understand their lives.”

Even as he makes plans for his year at CUNY SPS, Beaver-Seitz already has one event scheduled as part of his own personal salute to veterans—both here at CUNY SPS and beyond. On Saturday November 11, he’ll be one of many New Yorkers attending an annual Veterans Day ceremony at the Intrepid Museum.

About the CUNY School of Professional Studies

As New York's leading online school since 2006, the CUNY School of Professional Studies (CUNY SPS) offers the most online bachelor's and master's degree options at the City University of New York, and serves as the University's first undergraduate all-transfer college. With 26 degrees and numerous other non-degree and grant-funded workplace learning programs, CUNY SPS meets the needs of adults who wish to finish a bachelor's degree, progress from an associate's degree, earn a master's degree or certificate in a specialized field, and advance in the workplace or change careers. Consistently ranked highly by U.S. News & World Report for its online offerings, CUNY SPS has emerged as a nationwide leader in online education. The School's renowned and affordable online programs ensure that busy working adults may fulfill their educational goals on their own time and schedule.

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