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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.


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3 min

Georgia Southern professor receives national faculty mentor award

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2 min

Georgia Southern researchers survey flood-stricken area of Bangladesh

Cox’s Bazar is a bustling tourist destination located on the southeastern coast of Bangladesh. It’s home to more than 3 million people living along the longest naturally occurring sea beach in the world, extending into the Bay of Bengal. But during the monsoon season, the area is prone to flooding and frequent landslides due to its geographical location and low altitude. More than 7,000 people living in the region were displaced in 2024 after a particularly severe season that destroyed thousands of shelters, leaving three dead. Georgia Southern University Assistant Professor Munshi Rahman, Ph.D., knows the dangers and devastation monsoon season can bring to this area. As a native of Bangladesh, he has witnessed firsthand how environmental changes, urbanization and deforestation contribute to the devastation. This is why he is actively working to help his home country identify the most disaster-prone areas through the use of geographic information systems and surveys. In January, Rahman and junior geoscience major Emma Robinson traveled to Cox’s Bazar to survey and identify the areas most prone to landslides and flooding with a goal of providing data to local government and nongovernmental organizations that could help address disaster risks. Robinson says she was thrilled to gain experience in field research and engage in work she’s passionate about. “Dr. Rahman’s project really inspired me because I’ve always had a drive to help the environment,” she said. “I thought this would be a great first step into research, especially since geology and geography are so closely related.” The two used geographic information systems, GPS and community input to pinpoint vulnerable spots near residential areas and population centers. Specifically, they found that many homes and refugee camps were built on slopes. Aside from being geographically vulnerable, they observed that many of these dwellings, built from bamboo poles, tarps, and corrugated metal, lacked the infrastructure to withstand flooding. “The key findings reveal a serious environmental degradation on local landscapes exacerbating the frequency and severity of landslides and flooding events in the region,” Rahman said. He added that these insights highlight the urgency for sustainable ecosystem management and the adoption of inclusive disaster management to reduce social and environmental vulnerabilities Rahman and Robinson suggest that their findings, combined with additional socioeconomic research, could provide a more comprehensive understanding of the situation on the ground. This would enhance disaster preparedness while promoting sustainable land use. “Not too many undergrads have opportunities like this,” she said. “I know this will help me get a jump-start on my senior thesis and give me a whole new perspective for future research projects. It’s made me more confident overall as a student and researcher.” Rahman is similarly grateful for the opportunity to give his students experience in the field. “As a professor, I’ve always wanted to give my students as much real-world experience as possible,” he said. “I also give Emma full credit. Prior to this trip, she had never traveled outside the U.S. She showed incredible courage and a real talent for research.”

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