2025 NASPA Symposium on Military-Connected Students
In-Person Conferences Student Success Veterans Mid-Level Senior Level
The 2025 NASPA Symposium on Military-Connected Students is the association’s premiere event designed for student affairs practitioners supporting military-connected students. The symposium is your exclusive opportunity to share evidence-based practices from your campus or organization. Learn from leading researchers in the field and engage with other professionals committed to supporting military-connected students.
This three-day symposium features keynote sessions; research, policy, and best practices presentations; and workshop-style sessions to help campus professionals develop or enhance their programming and services for military-connected students. We invite you to connect with colleagues, participate in engaging sessions, and learn from dynamic plenary sessions.
Presented By
About
Military-connected students comprise a growing population in higher education and are those who enroll in postsecondary education with current or prior service with the military and their dependents. These students are also diverse in terms of demographic characteristics and service backgrounds, placing an important role on student affairs professionals and leaders to develop comprehensive, targeted, and meaningful support services to encompass the needs of these unique students. The Symposium provides professionals and other stakeholders opportunities to share and learn ways to effectively support military-connected students.
2025 SMCS Planning Committee
NASPA and the NASPA Veterans Knowledge Community seek creative-thinking individuals to join the 2025 NASPA Symposium on Military-Connected Students Planning Committee as we develop a high-quality professional development experience for those supporting student veterans and other military-connected students on campus.
Planning Team members will be responsible for the development of the symposium by identifying high-impact, innovative, evidence-based practices, reviewing program proposals being submitted, and determining individuals in our profession who can serve as content experts in these areas and will engage attendees in meaningful discussions with their colleagues.The 2025 NASPA Symposium on Military-Connected Students Planning Committee Application is open now. If you are interested in joining the committee, please complete the short application by May 31, 2024.
We hope to have the first committee meeting in early June. Please let me know if you have any questions, and we look forward to planning the 2025 NASPA Symposium on Military-Connected Students with you!
Venue
More Information Coming Soon!
Schedule
Below is the 2024 SMCS Schedule for Reference!
Monday, January 29, 2024
- 12:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Registration Check-in Open
- 2:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Pre-conference Workshop 1
Tuesday, January 30, 2024
- 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Registration Check-in Open
- 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Sponsor and Exhibitor Tables Open
- 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Pre-conference Workshop 2
- 1:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Symposium Kick-off and Opening Keynote Plenary
- 3:15 p.m. – 4:15 p.m. Breakout Sessions I
- 4:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. Breakout Sessions 2
- 5:45 p.m. – 6:45 p.m. Opening Reception & Poster Sessions
Wednesday, January 31, 2024
- 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Registration Check-in Open
- 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Sponsor and Exhibitor Tables Open
- 8:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. Breakfast and VKC Awards Ceremony
- 9:45 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. Day 2 Keynote Plenary: Scott Brees
- 11:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. Breakout Sessions 3
- 12:15p.m. – 1:30 p.m. Symposium Break (Lunch on Your Own)
- 1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. Breakout Sessions 4
- 2:45 p.m. – 3:45 p.m. Breakout Sessions 5
- 3:45 p.m. – 4:45 p.m. VKC Knowledge Community Military-connected Town Hall
Thursday, February 1, 2024
- 8:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. Registration Check-in Open
- 8:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. Sponsor and Exhibitor Tables Open
- 7:30 a.m. – 8:30 a.m. Breakfast Buffet
- 8:30 a.m. – 9:45 a.m. Closing Plenary
- 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. Breakout Sessions 6
- 11:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. Breakout Sessions 7
History
The NASPA Symposium on Military-Connected Students started as the Veterans Symposium for Higher Education in 2009 as a one-day program with five presentations and fifty participants. The symposium has grown to a two and half day program with multiple programs and individuals from all around the country.
The symposium was envisioned by Tom Jackson, the vice president for student affairs at the University of Louisville and a military veteran of the USCGR, ARNG, TXSG, and IGR and Frank Mianzo, chief of staff for the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs at the University of Louisville. It was their desire to host an annual program that focused on issues related to student veterans while bringing together colleagues committee to serving student veterans. With generous assistance of Kathy Snead from the Servicemember Opportunity Colleges and Shirley Hardy, Laura Mercer, and Glenn Gittings from the University of Louisville, the symposium flourished.
Tom Jackson and Frank Mianzo worked with NASPA to ensure the symposium would continue. The Veterans Symposium, now the NASPA Symposium for Military-Connected Students, continues to provide an opportunity who serve military-connected students to come together and talk about program ideas, trends, and current research. NASPA is pleased to continue the rich history started at the University of Louisville.