New Organization for Student Veterans Created
Campus Recognizes Veterans With Ceremony and Reception

Christine Clark | February 11, 2008

UCSD has created a Student Veteran Organization for the campus’ 240 students who have served in the military, students announced Friday during an appreciation reception for veterans on campus. The university already has a veteran organization for staff members, but the new student-run group aims to engage the student veteran community at UCSD.

Erik Matson, Matthew Williams and Kenyon Ralph help found the first-ever Student Veteran Organization at UCSD.

“We wanted to help unify the veteran community at UCSD and give them a voice on campus” said Timothy Borch, who heads the campus’ Transfer Student Services unit.

Many veterans are transfer students and it is essential that they receive the support they need, Borch said. He helped organize the reception to honor veterans held Friday at the Student Services Center.

 “One of my mottos is ‘that every student needs a niche,’ ” Vice Chancellor Penny Rue said during Friday’s event, which was sponsored by Transfer Student Services and Students Affairs. “They need a place where they can find a sense of belonging.”

UCSD doesn’t have a lot of non-traditional students, Rue said, so it’s important that the university does its best to help these students. Rue, whose father was a veteran of WWII, thanked veteran students for their service and for choosing UCSD. She also spoke about the difficulties veterans might encounter on campus. “Many of your classmates might be right out of high school and have not seen as much life as you have,” she said. “And that is why events like this one are so important.” 

UCSD students Erik Matson and Kenyon Ralph are two of the co-founders of the Student Veteran Organization. The group is designed to bring together student veterans who already are on campus and help new students find their niche at UCSD, they said. Although the group is in its infancy, the two also said they were thrilled it was initiated. “We hope this becomes a networking opportunity for veterans,” Matson said. “We want this to be a social group and we want to help each other out because we all have stories to share.”

Karen Roberts Gardner, John Sexton, Chris Halter and Mark Elder pose before the opening ceremony.

Chris Halter, the 2007 UCSD Veteran of the Year, served as a keynote speaker at Friday’s event. He is a veteran of the first Gulf War and encouraged student veterans to live in the moment and enjoy being students. But he also recommended that they don’t forget about their time in the service. “People in the military are natural leaders,” Halter said. “What veterans have to offer to this campus is important and you should make your voice heard.”

John Sexton from UCSD’s Psychological and Counseling Services also gave veteran students advice at the event. He encouraged them to take advantage of a Veterans Support Group and other services. “We want to help vets and give them a place at UCSD where they feel they can be heard,” he said.

Several veteran students said they were excited to be invited to the ceremony because it gave them the opportunity to meet and socialize with fellow veteran students. Ben Hunter is an undergraduate student and former marine, “I was happy to hear about this event,” Hunter said. “I came from a community college in Twenty-nine Palms where there was a lot of military, but there are not a whole lot here. I think this is good opportunity to meet other vets and other students who you have something in common with.”