Creating opportunities and camaraderie among USD veterans

In the Military and Veterans Center at the University of San Diego (USD), Jazmine Blanchard moves with purpose. The mechanical engineering student weaves between study groups, stopping occasionally to check in with fellow veterans, share scholarship opportunities, or relay information about upcoming events. As president of the Student Veterans Organization (SVO), she's made it her mission to ensure no veteran feels alone on campus. Blanchard is motivated by her own first days on campus, when the weight of imposter syndrome made her question if pursuing higher education was the right move. "I felt like I wasn't smart enough," Blanchard recalls. “I felt too old for this. It was really overwhelming."