By Josh Siatkowski | Staff Writer
Even after being named one of the six chapters of the year among the 1,600 total Student Veterans of America organizations, Veterans of Baylor still has work to do.
Wylie senior Caroline Burten, 31, has been VoB’s president for the past two years and received the award on behalf of VoB at the Student Veterans of America National Conference in Colorado Springs, Colo., in January.
Burten said VoB was presented the award for the community and support it provides for Baylor’s roughly 200 undergraduate student veterans and over 1,000 military-affiliated students.
“One of the hardest things about getting out of the military is that you’re almost kind of giving up your identity … so we have to reestablish a sense of identity,” Burten said. “It’s really easy to feel like you don’t fit when everyone around you is 18 to 25, and you’re 30 to 40 with a family. I think on that side, we’ve created a lot of stability and consistency for veterans.”
VoB has done a lot, Burten said, from “Warrior Wednesdays,” which provide veterans with free pizza and guest speakers in the Sid Richardson basement, to a personal email to every student veteran on campus, regardless of VoB participation. It’s easy to see why VoB was recognized for the community it fosters, she said.
However, Burten said in the future, she wants to see VoB continue its efforts to connect with other organizations and spread awareness.
“What we’re really trying to push toward is a more aware student population,” Burten said. “If we keep our vets in a little bubble, then nobody else can benefit from their experiences, which kind of defeats the purpose.”
Burten, a veteran of Afghanistan who served as a linguist, has begun to put this goal into action. Recently, she and the rest of VoB participated in Zeta Tau Alpha’s March 27 Pie-a-Prez event. But these efforts will have to continue beyond Burten’s time as a student.
As a senior health science studies major, Burten will attend Boston University next year to pursue a master’s in medical science. Following Burten’s departure, Midland senior Cinthia Diaz will take over as president, and she hopes to continue the efforts to integrate VoB with the rest of the Baylor community.
“We’re eager to collaborate more with other student organizations by joining their events and welcoming them to ours,” Diaz said.
Diaz, also a veteran of Afghanistan, will assume her role as president of VoB on May 1. Alongside increasing engagement with other Baylor students, Diaz hopes to put “a greater focus on engaging the Waco community and encouraging more veterans to pursue higher education.”
VoB aims to support veterans as well as guide them on their transitions into new stages of life, which is why the focus on outside engagement is so critical. And while a chapter of the year award is a great start, it’s only the beginning in the eyes of Burten and Diaz.
“I think reestablishing our identity as whatever we’re going to become, but who has experiences as a veteran, is important,” Burten said.
Veteran and non-veteran students with questions about VoB or other veteran programs on campus can reach out to Caroline Burten at Caroline_Burten1@baylor.edu. Students are also welcome to visit the basement of Sid Richardson.
