From Shane Scherer, Veteran Services Coordinator, Grand Valley State University: “In Fall 2024, GVSU’s Veterans Resource Center (VRC) underwent two significant changes. We transitioned from a one-person office to a team consisting of a Director and a Graduate Assistant, and we also reinstated the PAVE program. Since everyone previously involved with PAVE had either graduated or moved on from the university, Caitlin and I faced the dual challenge of learning how to work effectively as a team while also reintroducing PAVE to support first-year military-connected students.

Caitlin has truly taken ownership of this opportunity, bringing creativity to the program, engaging mentors effectively, and striking the right balance in communication, providing them with just enough information to be effective without overwhelming them. From my director’s perspective, PAVE has been a force multiplier in our small office. Caitlin and her team have become the first line of support, helping to triage situations that arise for military-connected students. This allows me to focus on the broader direction of our office while stepping in only when necessary. I deeply appreciate Caitlin’s hard work, dedication, and unwavering commitment to high standards. She refuses to compromise on quality for the sake of convenience, and her efforts have been instrumental in making our program a success.”

From Caitlin David: “I love when our team can connect with an incoming student. We have had many new students come into our lounge spaces and connect with other student veterans—this is because our Peer Advisors do a great job of sharing resources on campus! I am proud that our team was able to re-launch PAVE at our campus! It has been incredible to see this program make an impact. We have a great group of Peer Advisors, and it has been a pleasure getting to be a part of this team.”