Veterans of Baylor Honored as Student Veterans of America Chapter of the Year

Contact: Lori Fogleman, 254-709-5959
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Veterans of Baylor (VoB), a Baylor University student organization that supports student veterans on campus and in their community, has been honored among the 1,600 Student Veterans of America (SVA) chapters as the 2024 SVA Chapter of the Year for its “remarkable contributions in enhancing their campus community.” VoB was one of six finalists for the award presented to VoB president Caroline Burten, a senior health science studies major and U.S. Marine Corps veteran from Wylie, Texas, during the SVA National Conference Jan. 2-4 in Colorado Springs.

“I am both shocked and honored that we received this award. I know we have worked hard as a team this year to provide every support possible to our Baylor veterans but to be named the BEST out of over 1,600 chapters is really so humbling,” Burten said. “I hope this award helps to bring awareness to the veteran population on campus at Baylor, but also on campuses across the country.”

“This is an incredible honor and a true testament to our student veteran leaders and their unwavering dedication to their peers and the Baylor community as a whole,” said VoB advisor and Marine Corps veteran Kevin Davis, B.A. ’12, program manager of Veteran Educational and Transition Services (VETS) in the Center for Academic Support and Engagement at Baylor.

Advancing the mission

Veterans of Baylor is a student organization led by and comprised of more than 360 Baylor students who have previously served in the U.S. military. Each year, members of this student veteran community volunteer to lead the chapter, taking the torch from past leaders and advancing the mission of “service, leadership and community.” As VoB president, Burten had the opportunity to speak onstage at the conference about VoB and its efforts to support Baylor student veterans.

“As I said when we received the award, chapters tend to focus so heavily on numbers and participation, but if we treat every new veteran with love, provide support and ensure that they never feel as lost and confused as those who came before them, the numbers will take care of themselves,” Burten said. “Every veteran on campus at Baylor has contributed to this award. Our organization would not be what it is without the participation of individual students."

First chartered in 2011 under the leadership of Baylor professor and VETS founder Janet Bagby, Veterans of Baylor has continued to grow and make a profound impact. This year's VoB officers have contributed significantly to the veteran, Baylor and Waco communities through efforts that include:

• Offering peer mentorship to incoming student veterans;
• Providing hundreds of textbooks at no cost to military-connected students through their textbook lending library program;
• Speaking at elementary schools;
• Mentoring ROTC cadets;
• Serving breakfasts at the local Veterans One Stop; and
• Helping new veterans move in and much more.

In addition, VoB organized the fourth annual Battle of the Branches Flag Football Tournament, which brought together about 400 local veterans and their families as a celebration of Veterans Day.

“These student leaders are a powerful testament to Baylor’s mission of ‘worldwide leadership and service’ – before, during and after their time at Baylor,” Davis said.

Storied military history

Baylor University has a storied history of honoring the men and women who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces, from the Ring of Honor in front of Pat Neff Hall that honors Baylor’s two Medal of Honor recipients Jack Lummus and John Kane to Baylor’s memorial lampposts inscribed with the names of Baylor alumni who paid the ultimate sacrifice in service to the country. Today, Baylor students are involved in Air Force and Space Force ROTC, a detachment established at Baylor in July 1948, only 10 months after the creation of the Air Force as a separate military unit, and Army ROTC, which was established in 2008 and produces lieutenants for the active Army, the National Guard and the U.S. Army Reserves.

In addition, Baylor is ranked No. 57 in the U.S. News Best Colleges for Veterans rankings for participation in federal initiatives helping veterans and active-duty service members access an affordable college education. 

For more information, visit the Veterans of Baylor website or follow VoB on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.

ABOUT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY

Baylor University is a private Christian University and a nationally ranked Research 1 institution. The University provides a vibrant campus community for more than 20,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating University in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 100 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 12 nationally recognized academic divisions. Learn more about Baylor University at www.baylor.edu.