Featured Post from Georgia Southern University

Georgia Southern University named a finalist for Student Veterans of America ‘Chapter of the Year’ Award

Jan 14, 2022

2 min

Georgia Southern University was selected as a finalist for the Chapter of the Year awarded by Student Veterans of America (SVA), an organization focused on advocating for and advancing resources for veterans in higher education.


The University has SVA chapters on the Statesboro Campus and Armstrong Campus in Savannah, both of which were recognized with the award.



“I am so proud of both of our SVA Chapters,” said Col. George Fredrick, Ed.D., director of Military and Veteran Services. “They offer truly outstanding support to our military-connected student population at Eagle Nation.”


While this is the first time Georgia Southern has been a contender for this acknowledgement, the University has a tradition of being recognized for its investment in the military community.


The Army ROTC program was established in 1980, and has won the MacArthur Award four times since 2009 for being one of the nation’s top ROTC programs. The Military Times publication named Georgia Southern as a Top 15 Best for Vets 4-year school for five consecutive years, including in 2019 when the University was ranked No. 1.


Because the University operates near Hunter Army Airfield in Savannah and Fort Stewart in Hinesville, a number of students, faculty and staff are enlisted, retired or spouses of military members.



Richelle Keilholz, Ed.D., is the staff advisor for SVA-Armstrong, and she believes this makes the campus community and military community deeply intertwined.


“They become part of the campus culture, and I think that’s where you start to see that excellence comes when you have that kind of devotion,” said Keilholz. “You want to see our military service members, our family members and our spouses succeed in the military community and in higher education.”


Georgia Southern’s relationship with veterans isn’t common among other universities, said military veteran project coordinator Rudy Duero. Many veterans feel overlooked and are an “untapped resource,” but not at Georgia Southern.


“It’s awesome to have a group of individuals at the executive level who care and respect the opinions of the veteran students,” Duero said. “Veterans are being heard and they know that they’re being heard when they have good leadership representing them. The communication is always open.”


Georgia Southern is one of five schools to be named a finalist for the award. The University sent a delegation to Orlando to attend the awards ceremony on Jan. 7.

Academic and financial resources for veterans looking to pursue a degree can be found here.



And if you’re a journalist looking to cover how Georgia Southern is working to support our veterans and the university’s military veteran project – then let us help.


Rudy Duero is available to answer your questions - simply reach out to Georgia Southern Director of Communications Jennifer Wise at jwise@georgiasouthern.edu to arrange an interview today.


You might also like...

Check out some other posts from Georgia Southern University

2 min

The race for the White House is on - and Georgia Southern experts are here to help

The upcoming election has been dominating headlines for months.  With the recent change at the top of the Democratic ticket from Joe Biden to Kamala Harris has reenergized the campaign and put several states like Georgia and North Carolina back 'in-play' for the Democrats. Georgia has been identified as a key battle ground state for any candidate looking to win in November and it's why both Democrats and Republicans are frequent fliers to the Peach State with rallies and visits already. Those visits are also getting a lot of media attention and Georgia Southern University's experts are front and center assisting with the coverage. Joshua Kennedy, Ph.D. Associate Professor Department of Political Science and International Studies Areas of Expertise :  Political Institutions, Congress, Presidential Power, Federal Bureaucracy, American Politics, American Presidency, Inter-Branch Relations, State Politics. The principal area of study and teaching for Joshua Kennedy, Ph.D., is in American politics, with a more particular focus on the presidency and the federal bureaucracy. Kennedy has presented his work at numerous conferences, including the Annual Meeting of the American Political Science Association and the Annual Meeting of the Midwest Political Science Association. His research has appeared in such outlets as American Politics Research, Research and Politics and Presidential Studies Quarterly. View profile and connect here Recent media: Joshua Kennedy has recently been interviewed by media such as WTOC 11, ABC News and Fox 28 in Savannah, Georgia, as well as various other local and regional media outlets when covering politics in Georgia. *** Kimberly Martin Tecklenberg, Ph.D.  Assistant Professor Department of Political Science and International Studies Areas of Expertise: American Politics, Research Methods, Leadership, Public Policy, Education Policy, State Politics, LGBTQ+ Policy. Kimberly Martin Tecklenberg, Ph.D., teaches courses in American politics, research methods, leadership and public policy. Before pursuing her graduate degree, she worked as the Special Assistant for Secretary of Education Belle Wheelan and former Gov. Mark Warner of Virginia. While at the University of Florida, she worked with former Senator and Gov. Bob Graham to establish the Bob Graham Center for Public Service. After graduation, she moved to Tennessee where she served as Assistant Director of Research at the Tennessee Higher Education Commission. Her past experiences have influenced her current research interests, which focus on education policy, political leadership, state politics and LGBTQ+ policy. View profile and connect here Recent media: Kimberly Martin Tecklenberg has recently been interviewed by media such as NBC, FOX, Al- Jazeera and Courthouse News Service, in addition to various other local, regional and national outlets when covering politics in Georgia. If you're covering the election - our experts are here to help all the way to Nov. 5 and beyond. Visit our Expert Center for a full directory of Georgia Southern experts. Simply click on any expert's icon now to arrange an interview today.

1 min

Covering the race for the White House? Georgia Southern's presidency expert can help

It has been far from a quiet summer on the American political scene. Each day seems to bring a different twist of turn for both parties seeking to claim power in the upcoming November elections. And if you're covering - Georgia Southern University political science professor Joshua Kennedy, Ph.D., is here to help with any question you may have, angle you're looking to explore or simply be a reliable, informed and objective source for your stories. Kennedy's principal area of study and teaching is in American politics, with a more particular focus on the presidency and the federal bureaucracy. His research has appeared in such outlets as American Politics Research, Research and Politics and Presidential Studies Quarterly, and he is a renowned expert for local, regional and national media when it comes to the American presidency. So if you have a story to file between now and November 05 - simply click on Joshua Kennedy's icon now to arrange an interview today.

2 min

Naronda Wright elected President of NAGAP, the Association for Graduate Enrollment Management

Naronda Wright, Ed.D., associate dean of Graduate Student Services in Georgia Southern University’s Jack N. Averitt College of Graduate Studies, was recently elected president of NAGAP, the Association for Graduate Enrollment Management. She is the first African American to hold the role of president in the association. Wright, a seasoned professional in the field of graduate enrollment management, brings more than 15 years of experience to her new role. In her position at Georgia Southern, Wright has been instrumental in implementing innovative recruitment strategies and enhancing student services, contributing significantly to the growth and diversity of the graduate programs. Under her leadership for NAGAP, Wright plans to focus on expanding the association’s reach, enhancing member engagement and advancing the association’s strategic initiatives aimed at supporting its members’ professional development. “I am deeply honored to serve as the president of NAGAP and look forward to working closely with our members across the globe to foster an environment of knowledge sharing and professional growth,” said Wright. Wright’s election comes at a pivotal time as the association seeks to navigate the challenges of the ever-evolving educational landscape and harness opportunities to drive positive change in graduate enrollment practices worldwide. “We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Wright as the new president of NAGAP,” said Haley Brust, executive director of NAGAP. “Her extensive experience and dedicated leadership are vital as we continue to support our members and advocate for the importance of graduate enrollment management.” Wright holds a Doctor of Education in Higher Education Leadership from Clark Atlanta University and a Master of Education in Higher Education Administration from Georgia Southern. She has previously served NAGAP as vice president, secretary and conference committee chair. NAGAP is dedicated to the professional advancement and support of individuals in graduate enrollment management. NAGAP offers its members professional development opportunities, cutting-edge research and a community network to foster best practices in graduate education. For additional information about NAGAP and its services, please visit www.nagap.org. If you're interested in learning more or a reporter looking to speak with Naronda Wright - simply Contact Georgia Southern's Director of Communications Jennifer Wise at jwise@georgiasouthern.edu to arrange an interview today.

View all posts
Powered by