In a recent awards ceremony at the National Veterans Resource Center, the Student Veterans Organization (SVO) and the Office of Veteran and Military Affairs awarded several annual recognitions, including the Best for Vets Award, the Community Support Award, the Danny Facto Student Veteran Work-Study Award and the Student Veteran of the Year. The SVO also introduced its new slate of officers to lead the Syracuse University chapter beginning this month.
Ryan Marquette, Laura Buys and Dan Rubio
SVO’s Best for Vets Award was given to Ryan Marquette. Marquette is currently pursuing a J.D. from the College of Law and a master’s of public administration from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs. Marquette serves in such leadership positions as the president of Veterans’ Issues, Support Initiative, and Outreach Network and president of the National Security Student Association. Best for Vets Award is presented to the student veteran who has done the most to help student veterans succeed both on and off campus and has gone far above and beyond for his fellow students.
SVO’s Community Support Award went to Daniel Rubio. Rubio has supported new student veterans, as the Team Leader for the Peer Advisors for Veteran Education (PAVE) chapter at Syracuse University. Rubio works on campus with student services in the Schine Student center assisting students, faculty and visitors through all the services available in the newly renovated center. He also serves as the public affairs officer for the SVO.
The Danny Facto Student Veteran Work-Study Award was given to Miguel Pica. Pica has worked with the Syracuse University admissions team over the last year. Pica is pursuing a bachelor of science in biology in the College of Arts and Sciences, a bachelor of arts in history in the College of Arts and Sciences and the Maxwell School, and a minor in public health in the Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics. He also serves as a PAVE Advisor to assist incoming student veterans and serves as a student senator on the University Senate. The award is named in honor of the late Danny Facto, a decorated U.S. Army combat veteran, Purple Heart recipient and a great representative of both the armed forces and Syracuse University. The award recognizes a student veteran VA work-study who reflects the value and character Facto epitomized.
Laura Buys was named Student Veteran of the Year. Buys is a disability services liaison (DSL) and has helped student veterans with academic support and tutoring, alternative formats for courses, adaptive technology, classroom adjustments such as interpretive services or assisted listening devices, mobility accommodations, and service animal requests.
She also connects students to local off-campus resources such as the Syracuse VA Medical Center, the Vet Center, Behavioral Health Outpatient Clinic and the Veterans Legal Clinic. Buys was selected as the University’s 2020 Tillman Scholar and is currently pursuing a master of social work degree in the Falk College, maintaining a 3.95 GPA. The OVMA recognizes a single student veteran for this award each year for their significant contributions to the veteran community both on and off campus.
In addition, to these awards, the SVO announced new executive leaders for the 2021-2022 academic year:
As one of the more than 1,500 national on-campus chapters, the role of the SVO is to elevate the academic, professional and personal development of veterans to make the campus experience an exceptional one. Through networking, training, programming and community participation, the SVO raises the visibility of student veterans on campus while creating a sense of campus community among those who have served.
