December 22, 2021
Student Jeffery Slack serves as the vice president of the Shawnee State University Student Veterans of America (SVA) organization. SSU’s SVA is a group of military active duty, veterans, and veterans’ dependents.
The group works allows military-connected students to interact with others with similar and shared experiences. Members can receive help with understanding and procuring military benefits, such as those in the G.I. Bill. Club members also have the opportunity to participate in military-related events as representatives of SSU. In his role, Slack works closely with the SSU Office of Military & Veteran Services coordinator and assists as needed with other students. He says he has benefited from working with the office and the club.
“Before the military, I didn’t know if I wanted to go into the service or not,” Slack said, who interest in the military came from his grandfather who was a retired vet. “I didn’t know if I wanted to go to college or not, either, so I felt the military was right for me.”
Slack joined the U.S. Army at age 17 and completed one tour in Afghanistan in 2011-2012.
“Everything was different,” he said about returning. He filed for a temporary separation from the Army to go into the Air Force to pursue a role in Pararescue, but a back issue from training voided his separation and Slack continued to serve with the Army until he received an honorable discharge. Slack is pursuing a career in information technology. He currently works as a Senior Data Analyst for a company called SCSC and will graduate with his bachelor’s degree in Computer Engineering Technology from SSU in 2023.
For more information about the Student Veterans of America organization at Shawnee State University, contact Jeffery Slack by emailing slackj5@mymail.shawnee.edu.