Empowering Student Veterans Through 2025 Regional Leadership Summits

Empowering Student Veterans Through 2025 Regional Leadership Summits

Overview
Student Veterans of America (SVA) is the premier nonprofit organization supporting the academic, professional, and personal success of student veterans across the nation. With a network of over 1,600 campus chapters representing nearly 600,000 veterans, we empower military-connected students to thrive through higher education and become the next generation of leaders in our communities and workforce.

Your support through Benevity can directly impact one of SVA’s most transformative programs: Regional Summits.

What Are SVA Regional Summits?

SVA’s Regional Summits are three-day, high-impact leadership development events held in key regions across the country. These summits gather student veterans from colleges and universities in a shared geographic area for an immersive day of training, mentorship, networking, and empowerment.

Each summit delivers targeted workshops and experiences built around four critical leadership competencies:

Mission and Vision Building: Crafting personal and chapter goals that align with purpose-driven action.

Collaboration & Communication: Learning to work across differences and strengthen teamwork.

Storytelling for Advocacy: Helping student veterans share their stories to drive change in policy and community.

Professional Development: Preparing for post-graduation success in civilian careers.

The summits are facilitated by SVA’s national training team, often with support from peer mentors, university leaders, and corporate partners. They offer a vital opportunity for veterans to build confidence, foster inclusion, and expand their leadership potential—both on campus and beyond.

2025 Regional Summit Schedule

Pittsburgh, PA – July 17–19 @ The Renaissance Pittsburgh

Kansas City, MO – July 24–26 @ KC Marriott Downtown

Atlanta, GA – July 31–August 2 @ Atlanta Marriott Marquis

Southern California (Fullerton, CA) – August 14–16 @ Fullerton Marriott

Indianapolis, IN – August 21–23 @ The Westin Indianapolis

Civic Leadership Through Service Projects

A hallmark of each Regional Summit is a community-based service project—an opportunity for student veterans to demonstrate their enduring commitment to service, not just in uniform, but as engaged civilian leaders.

Whether it’s preparing care packages for local shelters, helping clean public parks, assembling hygiene kits for unhoused veterans, or supporting food distribution events, these projects allow participants to:

Connect with the local community

Apply their leadership in real time

Collaborate with fellow summit attendees

Reinforce the importance of service beyond the military

These service activities are intentionally woven into each summit to reflect the values of civic engagement, empathy, and impact. It’s one more way SVA helps student veterans lead with purpose and give back.

Why It Matters

For many veterans, the transition from military service to civilian life is challenging. While the GI Bill provides access to education, veterans often face obstacles such as social isolation, mental health stressors, and a lack of belonging on campus. SVA’s Regional Summits address these challenges head-on by creating inclusive, supportive environments where veterans:

Connect with a community of peers who understand their experiences

Build leadership and advocacy skills to impact their campuses and communities

Strengthen their personal identity as student veterans and civic leaders

Prepare for meaningful careers and lives of purpose

Veterans who attend a Regional Summit report increased confidence, greater involvement in their campus chapters, and stronger feelings of community and purpose.

Impact by the Numbers (2023)

9 Regional Summits Held Nationwide

1,100+ Student Veterans Trained

80% of Attendees Report Increased Confidence in Leadership

70% of Attendees Represent First-Generation College Students

100% of Attendees Indicate Greater Connection to the Veteran Community

The Role of Private Support

Corporate partners and individual donors play a critical role in expanding access to these transformative summits. Your support helps us:

Offer Free Registration & Meals to ensure equity in participation

Print Workbooks & Supplies that enhance the learning experience

Recruit and Train Peer Mentors who reflect today’s student veterans

Coordinate Local Service Projects that deepen impact and foster civic engagement

Collect Data & Evaluate Impact to continuously improve the program

Each Regional Summit costs approximately $50,000 to deliver. With your help, we can increase the number of summits and ensure no veteran is turned away due to financial limitations.

Why Support Student Veterans?

Veterans bring a unique set of skills, perspectives, and values to college campuses and communities—resilience, discipline, a strong work ethic, and an unwavering commitment to service. Yet, they remain an underrepresented group in leadership roles across sectors.

SVA is building a pipeline of veteran leaders ready to contribute to business, government, nonprofits, and civic life. By investing in their development through programs like the Regional Summits, you are not just helping individual students—you are investing in stronger, more inclusive communities.

Call to Action

When you donate through Benevity, you’re helping student veterans:

Grow as leaders

Advocate for their peers

Bridge the gap between military and civilian life

Strengthen democracy through dialogue and civic engagement

Give back through service to others

Find success in school, work, and community

Join us in building the future of leadership—one student veteran at a time.

Support Student Veterans of America Regional Summits today.