This week I was given the incredible opportunity to attend the Student Veterans of America National Conference in Orlando, Florida. This conference included universities from all over the United States, bringing students from different backgrounds together for one common reason — their ties to service. Student veterans are always labeled as "nontraditional" but realistically, they are like any other student on campus in their pursuit of an education. This populous brings more to the table that deserves to be recognized. As a dependent, I was nervous to approach the Student Veteran Association but I was welcomed with open arms and the greatest camaraderie between other members.

During the conference, I attended sessions that involved student government and policy. I was most interested in these topics because of my major but I was excited to learn about what I could implement on my own campus. I learned about how big of an impact student government has on-campus organizations and how I can utilize them for our own group. I was told stories of successful Student Veteran Associations and how they got there by utilizing this resource. I was also pleased to learn that Courtney (also a member of BGSU's SVA) and I are not the only dependents trying to advocate for their SVA, which makes us feel like we are doing good work.

Student veterans may not always be in the spotlight, but they are a valuable resource. Not only do they serve the veteran population, but they also help students receiving The Department of Veteran's Affairs benefits, students thinking about joining the military and dependents of military members. Student veterans offer an important viewpoint on campus and their voices should be heard loud and clear.