Colorado State University Veterans Symposium focused on path from education to career

Colorado State University’s second Veterans Symposium seeks to help veterans and employers connect and successfully bridge the gap between service and employment.

The two-day symposium, set for Oct. 24-25 at the Lory Student Center, is open to veterans, employers, CSU and community members, and educators. Themed “Transitioning from Higher Education to Career,” the symposium features keynote speakers, breakout sessions and opportunities for veterans to network with potential employers.

“The higher education community has done a great job attracting and educating student-veterans, and this symposium gives CSU and other institutions the opportunity to share with business and industry what we’ve learned,” said Marc Barker, director of Adult Learner and Veterans Services at CSU. “Simply recruiting and hiring veterans isn’t enough. We want to share with employers how to hire and retain veterans in the workplace, and introduce student-veterans to career opportunities.”

Among the special features at the event will be live radio broadcast from 5 a.m. to 9 a.m. Oct. 25 by KOA host Steffan Tubbs, a passionate supporter of veterans’ issues. Tubbs will talk about his new 75-minute documentary “Acronym,” which focuses on the impact of PTSD on veterans.

Also featured will be a keynote address by Teresa W. Gerton, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Veterans’ Employment, U.S. Department of Labor. Gerton, a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy, has spent the past 28 years serving both as an active duty Army officer and as an advocate for veterans and civilian and military Department of Defense employees. Her keynote is set for 12:45 p.m. Oct. 24.

A second keynote will be presented at 9 a.m. Oct. 25 by Jared Lyon, president of Student Veterans of America. Lyon is a U.S. Navy veteran who earned a degree from Florida State following multiple deployments around the world.

The symposium will close Oct. 25 with a presentation of “Student Voices” featuring student-veterans from CSU and other area universities.
Breakout sessions include information about negotiating a salary, applying skills learned in the military on the job and social media best practices. Employer sessions include information about how to retain veteran employees, best practices for service animals in the workplace and other pertinent topics.

Registration for the Veterans Symposium is open (http://veteransresources.colostate.edu/veterans-symposium/) and strongly encouraged. Tickets are $10 for all students and CSU faculty and staff, and $50 for the general public. Meals are included.

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