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Syeisha Byrd, Amanda Rylee and Katherine Quartaro

���ϲ�����’s Peer Advisors for Veteran Education (PAVE) program recently brought student veterans, PAVE advisors, family members and campus staff together to support and celebrate first-year student veterans and the start of their ���ϲ����� career.

The “Celebration of First-Year Success,” sponsored by Hendricks Chapel, was held at the Nancy Cantor Warehouse. The evening’s program included welcoming remarks by PAVE president and student veteran , dinner, awards and speeches from first-year student veterans as well as veteran-dedicated ���ϲ����� staff.

“The event really recognizes the community of support at ���ϲ�����,” says Quartaro. “Transitioning to higher education after a military career is no easy feat. Our first-year students triumphed, and that is something to celebrate.”

During the event, PAVE advisors were honored for their efforts with the award for “superior engagement and participation as a peer advisor” being presented to Amanda Rylee ’19. Rylee, a senior entrepreneurship and emerging enterprises major in the Whitman School, completed the most interactions and outreach logs with first-year students during the past academic year of any PAVE advisor. In addition to her studies and participation in PAVE, Rylee is active in the National Guard, serving with the 2-108th infantry battalion out of Utica, New York.

PAVE is a national peer support program that connects incoming student veterans on college campuses with seasoned student veterans who can help them navigate college life, address challenges, refer appropriate resources on and off campus, and provide ongoing support. ���ϲ�����’s PAVE program has seen more than 200 student veterans through their first year on campus since its inception.

“The PAVE program continues to be a valuable resource to our growing student veteran community,” says Ron Novack, executive director of the . “We are proud of the great work these students are doing and thank them for their dedication to creating a supportive first-year experience for new students following their transition from military service.”

A resource provided by the OVMA, the ���ϲ����� chapter of PAVE aligns with the University’s commitment to be “the best place for veterans.”