Collage of photos of various PAVE teams.

October 2026 Newsletter

Greetings,

As we approach Veterans Day, folks across our campuses and communities are paying special attention to the experiences of veterans and military-affiliated students. This offers a timely opportunity not only to recognize their service, but also to raise awareness of the support available through PAVE and your broader veteran and military services programming.

Consider reaching out to your campus newspaper, communications office, or local media with a clear story idea and a few helpful details. Identify staff members, campus leaders, Peer Advisors, or students who can speak about the program’s impact. Even a simple PAVE logo on a shirt, banner, or tablecloth can spark a conversation and help students recognize where they can find support.

Many PAVE campuses are also preparing special Veterans Day activities, from ceremonies and guest speakers to parades, performances, community partnerships, and weeklong programs. Whatever your campus has planned, please take photos and share your stories with us. By making this work more visible, we can strengthen awareness, connection, and access to support for military-affiliated students not only around Veterans Day, but year-round.

Warmly,

The PAVE National Team

pave.info@umich.edu

From the Field: Highlights from recent Biweekly Reports

Students at CSUF playing video games in their Veterans Center.

"Game & Unwind was a social event designed to give student veterans an opportunity to take a break from classes, relax, and connect with one another in a casual environment. Students participated in Mario Kart, board games, and card games while socializing with fellow students and PAVE team members. The event focused on creating a welcoming space where students could de-stress, have fun, and strengthen connections within the veteran community." – Stephanie Ramos, Team Leader at California State University, Fullerton

A Chemeketa Community College Peer Advisor at a table during the Student Resource Fair.

"The Student Resource Fair was a great chance to interact with the overall student body, hand out little flags, and generally raise awareness of the veteran population on campus. There were a handful of students who are now getting connected with resources that they didn't even know were available to them.” – Robert Graham Preston, Team Leader at Chemeketa Community College

The CSUF PAVE Team at their Park Day event.

"Park Day was a collaborative event between PAVE and Student Veterans of America designed to bring student veterans together outside of the campus environment. Students were encouraged to bring family, friends, and pets and participate in a potluck-style gathering." – Stephanie Ramos, Team Leader at California State University, Fullerton

"A shout out to one of our newest Peer Advisors, Taylor Johnson, who has been high speed, completing his PAVE training on his first day on the job, quick to learn about resources, and passionate about serving his fellow veterans. It's been great having him as part of the team!" – Robert Graham Preston, Team Leader at Chemeketa Community College

"Kayla Powers was the "Interactor of the Month," and Ron Metz was the "Peer Advisor of the Month." Kayla started off the semester with excellent initial outreach to her assigned students that resulted in an abundance of responses and in-person interactions. Ron encompasses all the traits of a great Peer Advisor. He consistently conducts good outreach and consistently interacts with a core group of students. He is a great team member and a great resource provider. He is a great role model and Peer Advisor." – Dwayne Gordon, Veteran Services Coordinator at the University of Nevada – Las Vegas

The CSUF PAVE Team at a team outing

Featured Best Practice: Outreach and engagement through service and volunteer events

It's common to hear that one of the things veterans struggle with after leaving the service is losing their sense of purpose and still wanting to give back. Consider holding more volunteering or service-oriented events with your PAVE team as a way to fill this gap while also making connections with your broader community.

For example, the California State University, Fullerton PAVE team has held multiple successful beach clean-up events in partnership with local organizations. These events are family-friendly, strengthen community ties, and provide a sense of accomplishment and giving back. This can be a great way to get military-affiliated students more involved on campus and in their communities.

FAQ: Can we also support dependents?

Something that has come up a lot in recent months is serving dependents in addition to student veterans and service members. As many campuses see an increasing number of dependents using Chapter 33 benefits to attend school, you and your PAVE team might be wondering whether and how to incorporate dependents into your PAVE program.

Many of our partner campuses have expanded their PAVE program to include all military-affiliated students, including dependents. If you are considering doing the same, here are some things to consider: Some PAVE partner campuses that serve dependents have brought dependents onto their teams as Peer Advisors and match those advisors with dependent students, maintaining a true peer-to-peer relationship. Additionally, including dependents can greatly expand PAVE's scope and positive impact on your campus by building stronger community and inclusivity.

All-Network Calls

October All-Network Call: Our topic was Getting the Word Out About PAVE: PR Tips. Here is a link to the recording and presentation slides:

Call recording (You may need to be logged into a Zoom account to view.)
Slide deck

Please reach out to us at pave.info@umich.edu with any questions you have about public relations and branding.

November All-Network Call: We'll send information and the registration link a couple of weeks prior.

Partner Directory

This Partner Directory spreadsheet contains contact information for Team Leaders, Veteran Services Coordinators, and Campus Champions from schools in the PAVE Network. We encourage you to use it to find contact information for your counterparts at other Partner Campuses whenever you'd like to connect with them directly. View the Partner Directory.

PAVE is part of the Eisenberg Family Depression Center

at the University of Michigan.

pave.info@umich.edu | paveoncampus.org