History
Temple University was founded in 1884 by Dr. Russell Conwell. He was a veteran of the American Civil War and served as a Captain in the 46th Massachusetts Volunteer Militia. When the guns silenced and the unified nation healed, the veterans of the recent war shaped America into what we know it as today.
In the spirit of Conwell's example, veterans still walk the campus of Temple University and continue to improve their education and the betterment of their peers. Yet with almost a dozen wars and military actions that have surfaced since the postbellum years, no campus recognized organization of veterans has ever surfaced – until 2010.
During the Fall Semester of 2010, Fox business student and veteran Hyman Lee, incorporating the help of a handful of appreciative and dedicated Temple faculty members, Debbie Campbell, Bill Parshall, and Laura Reddick, put out a call to rally interested veterans on campus in forming an organization. By Veteran's Day Observance, other student veterans gathered and agreed to form what would become Temple's first military veteran organization. Temple Student Veterans Matt Neri, Matthew Parker, and Ryan A. Conklin helped grease the wheels in the shaping of Temple Veterans Association, determined to help non-traditional student-veterans make a smooth transition from flak-jacket to back-pack.
Outside of their individual studies, Lee, Neri, Parker, and Conklin attended several meetings with Temple's Veteran Task Force, who provided unwavering support and guidance in TVA's birth. In early February 2011, Parker and Conklin drafted TVA's Constitution, which was approved and signed by the four founders on February 18, 2011.
A few weeks later, TVA became an official chapter of the Student Veterans of America organization.
Today, TVA continues to grow and become ambassadors for the success of student veterans.