scc veterans club business plan

Spokane Community College

Veterans Club

2014 - 2015

Business Plan

Prepared by:

Michelle Gormley

S C C V e t e r a n s C l u b 1 8 1 0 N . G r e e n e S t . S p o k a n e , W A 9 9 2 1 7 S c c v e t s c l u b . w i x . c o m / h o m e s c c v e t s c l u b @ g m a i l . c o m

2 Spokane Community College Veterans Club

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Table of Contents:

Mission Statement…………………………………………………………….………….…Page 4

SCC Veterans Club Background…………………………………………………………Page 4

At A Glance……………………………………………………………………………………….Page 5

Community Partners…………………………………………………………………………Page 5

Goals, Objectives, and Strategies………………………………………………………Pages 6-9

Notes…………………………………………………………………………………………………Page 10

2013-2014 Veterans Club Officers and College President



Our Mission:

Embody the core principles of education, service and

camaraderie by building a professional network to

support and empower our veteran students, family

members, allies and interested students.

Our Background:

The Spokane Community College (SCC) Veterans Club is a self-sufficient, professional

student veteran organization that represents the over 785 self-identified student

veterans along with military family members using benefits, allies, and interested

students in Spokane, Washington. Our organization is the face and voice of our veterans,

active military members, family and allies of the military on campus. We do this by

actively participating on campus, doing community outreach, and promoting education

through service. We are building our core values towards a future for our organization that has a strong

presence on campus, valuable education pieces, volunteering and outreach within our community, all

while keeping our history and tradition.

The SCC Veterans Club was formed in 2010 with 15 members. As of today we have forty active members

with over 400 associates and alumni on our mailing list and a leadership team dedicated to the

continuation of service.

Our organization is made up of an advisor and five student officers: President, Vice President, Secretary,

Treasurer, and Social Chair. At the end of each year, our organization holds elections and officers are

voted for online so that all members are able to read about each candidate and vote. The 2014-2015

officers are: President Anthony Matthews, a Natural Resources Major; Vice President Michelle Gormley,

a Hotel and Restaurant Management Major with a minor in Commercial Baking; Secretary Christine

McGuire, a Nursing Major; Joshua Williams, a Natural Resources

Major; and Social Chair Brandon McGowan, an Emergency Medicine

Technician Major. Our organization, for the last couple of years, has

been under the guidance of our faculty advisor Paul Tikker, a Health

Science Instructor.

The SCC Veterans Club works in conjunction with the Veteran

Affairs Certifying Official and alongside the Washington Department

of Veterans Affairs (WDVA) Vet Corps Resource Navigator. Vet Corps

assists military veterans in every aspect of their transition from

military to civilian life. They do this through peer to peer social

support and mentorship on and off campus. The SCC Vet Corps

Resource Navigator can be found in the Veterans One-Stop located

SCC Campus: Lair Student Center



in the Student Success and Career Services Office in the Lair Student Center. This collaboration between

our organization, the VA Certifying Official, and the Vet Corps Resource Navigator ensures that all

resources and information are readily available and dispersed via our partnerships on campus and

throughout our community.

Spokane Community College at a glance:

Our Community Partners:

Our community partners include the following veteran and military resources and

organizations in Eastern Washington and Northern Idaho: the Mann-Grandstaff Veteran

Affairs Medical Center, Healthcare for Homeless Veterans, the Spokane Veterans Outreach

Center, Burning Boots Trail Club, March for the Fallen, Operation Dog Tags, Newby-Ginnings,

Healing Waters, Free Rein, American Legion, Disabled American Veterans Service Officers,

Shepherds for Lost Sheep, as well as local veteran owned supportive businesses.

Our Goals, Objectives

and Strategies:

Two Year Community College

438 Self-Identified

Veterans

SCC Veterans in the Lineman Program with Avista Power

Healthcare for Homeless Vets at our 2014 D-Day Educational Challenge Event.



Goal 1: Build an education support network

Objective 1: Collaborate with department deans, tutoring centers, counselors and disability support

services to promote all resources available.

Strategy A: (Start January 10th 2015, implement by September 5th, 2015)

Compile a tutoring resource database imputing tutoring center locations, business hours, and a

list of tutors available for one-on-one sessions. This database will be available through social

media resources and through the Veterans Resource Board located in the Lair Student Center

outside of the Veterans One Stop.

Strategy B: (Start June 1st, 2015)

Meet with department deans in the Lair Student Center at the beginning of each quarter,

starting with Summer Quarter 2015, to promote veteran cultural awareness throughout the

departments. These meetings will go over the latest student veteran developments on and off

campus, and create educational development programs for faculty, administration and staff of

student veteran issues.

Strategy C: Collaborate with Disability Support Services (DSS) to remove the stigma of asking for

accommodations and implementing those accommodations as seamlessly as possible. Invite DSS

to present at Veterans Club meetings at least twice a quarter to discuss provided services and

have question and answer sessions.

Strategy D: Assist counselors in promoting resources to veterans and students using military

benefits. Work alongside the VA Certifying official to create easy access to current paperwork so

that all counselors know where to find those files and have access to them. During each break

between quarters, host a meet and greet with the VA Certifying Official and counselors to go

over current information and answer any questions.

Goal 2: Build Sustainability

Guidelines and Officer

Training Program

Facebook banner designed for Veterans Club in 2011



Objective 2-1: Strengthen the Veterans Club active members by 15 by the beginning of Fall Quarter.

(September 2015)

Strategy A: Host table events during peak times between classes in the Lair Student Center with

an email sign-up sheet available.

Strategy B: Work with the VA Certifying official to send emails announcing Veterans club

meetings, attaching agenda and flyers for up-coming events to veterans using benefits and

military family members on campus.

Strategy C: Have current officers at school open houses and incoming freshmen processing days

to meet and assist new incoming veterans, military families, allies, and interested students.

Strategy D: Update Veterans Club website and social media pages with current agendas, club

events, and veteran’s resources.

Objective 2-2: Create a officers transition plan

Strategy A: Review and update the Veterans Club Constitution annually with up to date officer

positions and responsibilities.

Strategy B: Update and review all files on Veterans Club thumb drive to ensure all documents

are up to date and in one known central location.

Strategy C: Have an end of year meeting with current advisor/ out-going advisor with the

current and future officers to go over position expectations, the constitution, exchange officer

records, and discuss the future of the club.

Goal 3: Strengthen our culture of involvement and outreach

Objective 3-1: Strengthen the Veterans Club’s involvement and outreach between our members and

campus community.

Strategy i: Throughout the year invite new community resources to present at

scheduled club meetings and across all Veteran Club media resources and

promote their organizations on campus.

Strategy ii: Invite guest speakers from local and national organizations, as well

as veteran friendly businesses to present at a designated club meeting. (The

second meeting of the month)

Strategy iii: Form an official partnership with the National Multiple Sclerosis

Society Greater Northwest Chapter, cultivate the relationship with the

Spokane Conservation District, and continue to raise funds for the Veterans of

Foreign Wars Buddy Poppy Program.



Objective 3-2: Provide members with healthy and constructive outlets while continuing to educate and

support the veteran community.

Strategy A: Provide members with both an online and printed calendar of community and

campus events and important VA education benefit deadlines. These flyers are located in the

Veteran One Stop, on the Veteran Resources board, and at any certified veteran friendly contact

on campus.

Strategy B: Require club members to attend one on and off campus event to maintain active

member status. Attendance is recorded and tracked on the clubs active membership

spreadsheet that is reviewed every quarter.

Strategy C: Organize volunteers (minimum of 15) and raise awareness for the National MS

Society’s yearly OctoBREWfest, an off campus event held at the Spokane Fair and Expo Center

that is a live and silent auction and microbrew tasting event that raises funds for programs and

research for the Greater Northwest Chapter, on or before October 18th, 2014. This event is the

Veterans Club’s main philanthropic event for Fall Quarter.

Goal 4: Create a network between current student Veterans and Alumni

Objective 4-1: Create a Veterans Advisory Board to provide advocacy, awareness, and mentorship for

the veteran community on campus.

Strategy A: Compile a list of 10 potential members to sit on board by November 1st, 2015.

Strategy B: Interview and vote on five members by December 15th, 2015.

Strategy C: Collaborate with members of board and the Veterans Club to produce an outline of

standards of operations (SOP) working document by March 1st, 2016.

Strategy D: Final draft of SOP for Veterans Advisory Board and implementation of an advisory

board by May 1st, 2016.

Strategy E: Host events with Alumni and Veterans Club to stay connected with our past, current,

and future members.

Objective 4b: Strengthen our tradition of camaraderie.

Strategy i: Host monthly veteran supportive and educational events, at least one per month,

throughout the year.

Strategy ii: Join forces with other SCC student organizations, such as the Associated Student

Government, Global Club, and the Black Student Union, to create diverse and strong

partnerships in order to host and create an array of events for the SCC community every

quarter.



Strategy iii: Attend associated student government (ASG) meetings to gather information about

campus and community events that will in turn be dispersed to club members during meetings

and through social media.

Notes:

Club Fundraising Bracelets

scc veterans club business plan

Documents