By Wyatt Crosher, Assistant Director of Communications for Student Affairs
On Jan. 13, students came to the Popp Martin Student Union for Military & Veteran Services’ (MVS) Welcome Back Dinner, a twice-a-year event that takes place at the start of the fall and spring semesters to welcome new students and their families to campus and help them plug into the community of military-affiliated students.
This has been a staple event for MVS for years, but it has continued to grow in size. In 2018, the department hosted about 40 attendees in the Cone University Center. Now, the dinners have grown to consistently reach over 100 students, with more than 115 attending this spring’s event and more anticipated for the fall.
Chris Brasel, MVS director, said the event is important for military-affiliated students as a way to both meet other students and hear about resources and organizations that could match their interests.
“Our semesterly welcome dinners are more than just a meal, it's an opportunity for students and their families to put faces to our campus and community partners,” Brasel said. “This connection is a crucial component of successful student outcomes for our military-affiliated population.”
Attendees were joined at the dinner by MVS staff, campus partners and local veteran service organizations. There were also guest speakers who spoke on a variety of notable topics for MVS students and their families.
The speakers at this semester’s dinner were:
- Dr. Joseph Mulla '22, USMC veteran and Senior Vice President at Truist
- Stephen Moore, current student and commander of American Legion Post 51 in Concord, N.C.
- Gabriel Sarmiento, treasurer for the 49ers chapter of Student Veterans of America
- Kat Morris, president of Military Women's Alliance
- Dr. Elizabeth Malone, psychologist for the Christine F. Price Center for Counseling and Psychological Services
The event also had giveaways, which included MVS sweatshirts and swag bags with MVS-branded items.
“We highly encourage students to continue to attend these events, even if it's not their first semester,” Brasel said. “Building connections and networking are important for that next step after graduation. Jobs don't usually fall from trees, so building a solid professional network is crucial for setting the stage for a successful transition to the workforce.
More information about military-affiliated resources, both on campus and in the Charlotte community, can be found on the MVS website.