University of Kansas Announces Recipients of Military-Affiliated Fellowship Sponsored by Corvias Foundation

Fellows represent inaugural class of Military-Affiliated Student Leadership Program

LAWRENCE, Kan.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Corvias Foundation, a private charity founded by John Picerne to support educational opportunities for military families, today announced the names of the fellows who will participate in the inaugural Military-Affiliated Student Leadership Fellowship at the University of Kansas (KU). Corvias Foundation is providing the $25,000 fund that will support this innovative program that gives military-affiliated University of Kansas students the opportunity to gain leadership experience while serving their campus community. Kendall Exferd, Preston Haney, Hannah Sevart and Michelle Brady, each of whom is a military-affiliated student at KU, have been selected as the 2020-2021 fellows.

“The military-connected face unique obstacles, including frequent moves, deployments and hectic schedules, that often result in scholars who show immense resilience and leadership qualities,” said Maria Montalvo, Corvias Foundation executive director. “This fellowship will cultivate and harness these attributes to assist the greater military-affiliated community of students at KU.”

The fellowships will be administered in partnership with the KU Lt. Gen. William K. Jones Military-Affiliated Student Center (MASC) and will be awarded to no more than ten students each year. Fellows will receive a one-to-two-year scholarship in addition to a stipend for a signature leadership experience. They will also, as a cohort and individually, receive continued mentoring to further develop and enhance their leadership knowledge and skills.

The selected fellows will additionally work with MASC staff to develop leadership plans that support the military-affiliated community, complete a minimum of 100 hours of leadership service and training, and assume a leadership role in a KU organization. At the end of the fellowship, participants will provide a reflection that details their work and the positive outcomes it produced.

2020 Fellows:

Kendall Exferd is a military dependent who is the new vice president of media and communications for the KU Student Veterans of America.

Preston Haney is a military dependent and the new co-team leader of the Military-Affiliated Peer Support program. He is excited and passionate about serving his peers.

Hannah Sevart is a veteran, reservist and former military spouse. She is the other co-team leader of the Military-Affiliated Peer Support program.

Michelle Brady is a veteran and spouse to an active-duty service member. She is the incoming president of the KU Military Law Society.

About Corvias Foundation
Corvias Foundation is committed to inspiring students, college and university campuses, and military families to reach higher. Founded in 2006 as “Our Family for Families First Foundation,” our work increases access to educational, internship, mentoring, and volunteer opportunities so that those we touch are empowered to pursue their dreams and to make a greater impact in service to their communities and their nation. We strive to create ever-increasing opportunities by providing the resources and networks needed to help our scholars and partners surpass their goals. We achieve this through a commitment to education, community engagement and high-impact charitable giving. To learn more, please visit: corviasfoundation.org.