When Executive Director of Military Education Bill Brown asked Virginia Beach Student Veterans of America (SVA) Club President Maddie Coppick if she’d like to be one of a select group of students to represent ECPI University at NatCon this year, there was no way she was saying no.
The SVA National Conference, known as NatCon, is the biggest event for student veterans globally. It brings together student veterans, military-connected students, families, supporters, and partners from various sectors to share ideas, best practices and network. With SVA chapters at almost 1,600 campuses nationwide and internationally, NatCon is a vital annual gathering for the military community.
Maddie, a NAVY veteran who recently earned her bachelor’s degree in cybersecurity, is a student worker in the Military and Veteran Center, a frequent stop for student veterans at the Virginia Beach campus. She's currently working on her master's degree at ECPI.
Bill and Maddie sat down to discuss their biggest takeaways from this year’s conference and how it can benefit military-affiliated students across the university system.
Where was NatCon this year?
Maddie Coppick (MC): “NatCon was held in Nashville Tennessee from January 4-7, 2024 at the Gaylord Opryland Resort.”
Why attend the conference each year?
Bill Brown (BB): “Attending the four-day SVA National Conference is like getting the chance to go to the Super Bowl of all student veteran events! The SVA has grown into a very large and well-connected organization that can attract leaders from across the United States to include the Secretary of the VA and other national level people involved in supporting veterans. They are all willing to attend and talk with the student veterans to hear their concerns and share information that can help on the campuses.”
What did you find the most useful at NatCon?
MC: “One of the major benefits of going was networking and attending the breakout sessions for specific topics we're interested in. I got to meet so many other student veterans!”
What kind of networking opportunities are available to students at NatCon?
BB: “Our students are also getting an opportunity to connect with other student veterans from across the United States and to learn what they are doing on their campuses and find new things we can do too. It is so rewarding to be surrounded by so many people who want to help, who are doing so much in the Veteran community and to learn ways you may not have thought about that can benefit the other student veterans on our Campus. “
What's something that stood out to you at NatCon?
MC: “In talking with other student veterans, I got to share how our experience is just so different here at ECPI. They couldn’t believe the fact that you can maximize your education benefits to work on more than just a bachelor’s degree because we’re not a traditional four-year school. Many of the other schools have their veteran centers across campus or are hard to find. I told them at my campus, we’re on the first floor right across from the elevator. We’re the first people visitors see!”
Which topics did you find helpful to bring back to ECPI students?
MC: “They had breakout sessions going on with all different types of topics like entrepreneurship which was led by a former Green Beret and a session focusing on mental health and suicide prevention with a script on how to talk to people that was put on by Wounded Warriors. There were lots of resources for me to bring back and share with students including a huge Career Fair where I got to get the cards from national employers readily looking to hire vets.”
Anything new planned for 2024 now that you're back?
MC: "At NatCon they had a Remembrance Run/Walk that we'd like to create back here at home as a way to honor and remember those that died in the line of duty. I'm going to try to do a project like this here in May or around Memorial Day. Other schools are doing a lot of community outreach and I'd like to do that here, too."