Skip to main content
  • Home
  • About
  • Faculty Experts
  • For The Media
  • ’Cuse Conversations Podcast
  • Topics
    • Alumni
    • Events
    • Faculty
    • Students
    • All Topics
  • Contact
  • Submit
Veterans
  • All News
  • Arts & Culture
  • Business & Economy
  • Campus & Community
  • Health & Society
  • Media, Law & Policy
  • STEM
  • Veterans
  • University Statements
  • Syracuse University Impact
  • |
  • The Peel
  • Athletics
Sections
  • All News
  • Arts & Culture
  • Business & Economy
  • Campus & Community
  • Health & Society
  • Media, Law & Policy
  • STEM
  • Veterans
  • University Statements
  • Syracuse University Impact
  • |
  • The Peel
  • Athletics
  • Home
  • About
  • Faculty Experts
  • For The Media
  • ’Cuse Conversations Podcast
  • Topics
    • Alumni
    • Events
    • Faculty
    • Students
    • All Topics
  • Contact
  • Submit
Veterans

OVMA Announces 2022 Awards Celebrating Student Veterans’ Achievements

Monday, May 9, 2022, By Austin Philleo
Share
Office of Veteran and Military AffairsStudent veterans

The Student Veterans Organization (SVO) and the Office of Veteran and Military Affairs (OVMA) have presented two awards to student veterans in honor of their significant and notable achievements. The awards were distributed at SVO’s social held at the Inn Complete on South Campus on May 6.

Student Veteran of the Year

Ryan Marquette (left) and OVMA Executive Director COL (Ret.) Ron Novack

Ryan Marquette L’22 (left) and OVMA Executive Director Col. (Ret.) Ron Novack.

OVMA takes pride in student-veteran involvement on campus, in the community, and at various events on and off campus. Each year, OVMA Student Veteran of the Year is presented to a student who has gone above and beyond, with contributions on and off campus, to make Syracuse University “the best place for veterans.” This year’s recipient, Ryan Marquette L’22, a U.S. Army veteran and active member of the Army National Guard, set a new precedent of success for a student veteran.

Marquette was a student veteran in the College of Law while simultaneously pursuing a master of public administration in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs. While both those efforts were time-consuming, Marquette took time to encourage each of his fellow veteran classmates to involve themselves with veteran functions on campus and in the community. Through those efforts, Marquette volunteered for the D’Aniello Institute for Veterans and Military Families, which incorporated him as a guest speaker at a Fort Drum Onward the Opportunity graduation.

During the height of COVID-19 in 2020, Marquette had to juggle school and his active role as a member of the National Guard as he responded to the pandemic in New York State. His efforts led to the distribution of 147,809 COVID tests, 36,661 meals, and 507 medical supply deliveries across the state. Off campus, he leads the Leader-Scholar Scholarship in Rome, New York, where one student is awarded a scholarship for their leadership efforts throughout their high school career and volunteer work in their community. The scholarship was named after Marquette’s friend, Capt. John Levulis, who lost his life in a military training accident.

Marquette served as the president of the Operation Veteran Advocacy group at the College of Law, and was an executive board member of the Syracuse Law Review. His list of accomplishments while at the University includes receiving the 2021 Student Veterans Organization’s Best for Vets award and was the first-ever law school appointee of the 2021-22 Syracuse University Board of Trustees, amongst other contributions to the community. OVMA congratulates Ryan on adding one more accomplishment to his extensive list as this year’s Student Veteran of the Year.

Danny Facto Student Veteran Work-Study Award

David Ladd (left) and Assistant Director for Office of Veteran Success Keith Doss.

David Ladd ’23 (left) and Assistant Director for Office of Veteran Success Keith Doss.

The Danny Facto Student Veteran Work-Study Award, named after Danny Facto, the University’s first Veterans Affairs (VA) work-study participant, recognizes a student veteran VA work-study who reflects the values that Danny did during his time on the hill. Danny was an excellent ambassador of his fellow student veterans and through an unwavering commitment made tremendous impacts on those who surrounded him during his life. This year’s recipient, David Ladd ‘23, exemplifies the values set forth by Danny. As described by his nominator, David has the passion, commitment and ability to get things done. Those qualities are the very same used to describe Danny.

During his work-study with Veteran Career Services (VCS), Ladd has made a noticeable contribution to OVMA Connect, a mentoring application connecting student veterans with student veterans, alumni, faculty and staff, and partners of Syracuse University. His efforts have increased engagement on the platform and increased the number of users by nearly 250%. Ladd has also made remarkable contributions to VMock, a resume evaluation platform recently launched at the University for student veterans. As the VCS VA Work-Study, Ladd’s contributions paved a way towards improving experiences for student veterans and military-connected students at the University. In addition to Ladd’s efforts to improve technologies for student veterans seeking career services, he has also provided OVMA leadership with reports that help measure the impact of VCS’s efforts. David has fully embodied this award and, through carving his path, has made an everlasting impact.

“We recognize these students, and the entire student veteran body at Syracuse University, with great pride and admiration,” says OVMA Executive Director Col. (Ret.) Ron Novack. “These awards prove just how much strength, leadership, honor and character student veterans bring to our university community.

  • Author

Austin Philleo

  • Recent
  • Syracuse Stage Hosts Inaugural Julie Lutz New Play Festival
    Wednesday, May 28, 2025, By News Staff
  • Timur Hammond’s ‘Placing Islam’ Receives Journal’s Honorable Mention
    Tuesday, May 27, 2025, By News Staff
  • Expert Available to Discuss DOD Acceptance of Qatari Jet
    Thursday, May 22, 2025, By Vanessa Marquette
  • Syracuse University 2025-26 Budget to Include Significant Expansion of Student Financial Aid
    Wednesday, May 21, 2025, By News Staff
  • Light Work Opens New Exhibitions
    Wednesday, May 21, 2025, By News Staff

More In Veterans

Tradition and Triumph: University Honors ROTC Excellence at 108th Chancellor’s Review and Awards Ceremony

A time-honored celebration of academic achievement, leadership and military history was on full display at the JMA Wireless Dome during the 108th Chancellor’s Review and Awards Ceremony on March 28. The annual tradition brought together students, faculty, staff, alumni and…

Rooted in Service: From Army Lawyer to Student Advocate

After years of legal service in the U.S. Army, Jaime Jacobson G’25 is continuing her commitment to public service through academia. Jacobson is currently a pursuing a master’s degree in higher education in the School of Education and draws a…

The Courage to Serve, the Power to Change: a Day of Impact at the NVRC

Syracuse University’s commitment to veterans and military-connected communities will take center stage on Wednesday, April 10, during a pair of events hosted at the National Veterans Resource Center (NVRC). The campus community is invited to attend both gatherings, which highlight…

Campus Community Invited to 108th Chancellor’s Review and Awards Ceremony

Syracuse University cordially invites the campus community to the 108th Chancellor’s Review and Awards Ceremony, a distinguished event honoring our Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) cadets, on Friday, March 28, 2025, at 9 a.m. in the JMA Wireless Dome, followed…

‘Lasting Impact’: Sergeants Major on Giving Back Through Instructional Design

In January 2025, instructional design, development and evaluation (IDDE) professors Moon-Heum Cho and Rob Pusch visited the latest cohort of students in the IDDE Fellowship Program. The program is offered by the School of Education through the Sergeant Majors Academy…

Subscribe to SU Today

If you need help with your subscription, contact sunews@syr.edu.

Connect With Us

  • X
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Youtube
  • LinkedIn
Social Media Directory

For the Media

Find an Expert Follow @SyracuseUNews
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Youtube
  • LinkedIn
  • @SyracuseU
  • @SyracuseUNews
  • Social Media Directory
  • Accessibility
  • Privacy
  • Campus Status
  • Syracuse.edu
© 2025 Syracuse University News. All Rights Reserved.