Name: Erica Menendez
Undergraduate Major: Psychology Major, History Minor from FSU
Graduate School Studies: MBA Student
Her Campus (HC): Why did you stay at FSU for your MBA?
Erica Menendez (EM): I stayed for all the opportunities. I decided to apply when I was at an event where I talked with graduate students. FSU was the only school I wanted to apply to.
HC: How did you get involved with Veterans Student Union (VSU)?
EM: My sorority was paired with Delt and the Collegiate Veteran’s Association (CVA) for homecoming and my homecoming partner was a veteran. I just became really good friends with them because they are such a great, close-knit family. When I came back to grad school, that was my new family. I took a position in VSU because I knew it was open, and from there, I got promoted to director.
HC: What is your role with VSU?
EM: VSU works as a comprehensive unit to bring together organizations that are military and veteran related. I work to keep relations with Senate and all the other executive branch agencies. I bring together all of our Registered Student Organizations (RSO) and make sure we work as one big community.
HC: What should readers know about VSU?
EM: I would say we are the most veteran-empowering campus. When we go to conferences and talk to other schools, they ask us how we do so much for our student veterans. We like to integrate rather than segregate. We want them to be a part of the campus community and have events that both veterans and non-veterans are welcome to. Also, we encourage them to find their niche, whether it’s VSU, Greek life, or any other organization on campus. We are such a veteran-empowering campus, there’s a lot going on campus that people don’t realize.
HC: What advice would you have for veterans looking to attend FSU (or other universities)?
EM: I would tell them to go to FSU! I’ve heard a lot of veterans from other campuses say that they wished they knew what Florida State was like. We offer so much for veterans in general and help them through things. We have a liaison in every single department so that they have someone they can always call that specifically help veterans. I want veterans to know how much FSU offers them and how much we love veterans.
HC: What does VSU offer veterans?
EM: The biggest thing we offer veterans is that we work with Office Governmental Affairs (OGA) to lobby at the capital for veterans-centric issues, so we get Graduate Assistance Program (GAP) funding. It gets them funding over winter break when their GI bill has a gap. This helps them support their children, pay for housing and living expenses.
HC: What events are coming up for VSU?
EM: The biggest event VSU hosts is the Veteran’s Film Festival every fall around Veteran’s Day, in partnership with Panhellenic and Inter Fraternal Council (IFC). A veteran-centric event coming up is the Military Ball (Feb 18), which happens every spring for the veterans and the deans, with Thrasher as a Keynote speaker, to bring everyone together to celebrate veterans. We also have events every first Friday.
HC: How can readers get involved with Student Government Association (SGA) and VSU?
EM: SGA seems intimidating, but I wish I knew about these opportunities as an undergrad. Go on the SGA website and see what is open, and contact us. Everyone I know there would love to hear from students who want to get involved. The best way to get involved with VSU is to join one of our student organizations. If you’re a veteran, look into the Collegiate Veterans Association. If you’re not a veteran, look into Students for America’s Military and Reaching All Wounded Warriors. You can volunteer at the VA hospital, do care packages, or be involved in one of our STEM organizations or women’s organizations.
HC: Anything else you want our readers to know?
EM: Veterans are non-traditional students, but they are also in your classes. People don’t realize that the person next to them could be a veteran. Student veterans really just want to feel like every other student here. It’s a great opportunity to talk to someone who has had a way different experience and has a story, compared to how a lot of us come here right out of high school. Talk with them and let them guide the story.