SVA @ MTSU Officers

Chapter Officers

Chapter Vice President/ SVA Policy Liaison – Michael Taylor

I am your Chapter Vice President and SVA Policy Liasion.I am a 2023 SVA Leadership Fellow as well. As the Vice President, I am determined to increase participation in SVA-B.R.A.V.O and continue to work on providing all members opportunities to network for their future, as well as enjoy spending time with others from our tight knit military connected community! As your Policy Liaison, I am the one tasked with staying up to date on the things that SVA HQ is working on in regards to legislation for student veterans. If you have questions or concerns related to current or pending legislation, please reach out to me at mbt4k@mtmail.mtsu.edu and I will assist to the best of my ability. There are always a number of bills/topics being discussed, so if I do not know the answer, I will find out ASAP. I served in the TN Army National Guard with the 269^th Military Police Co. from 2015-2022 as an MP. In 2020, during the height of the pandemic, I deployed with the 252^nd Military Police Co. to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba in continuing support of Operation Enduring Freedom. During that time, outside of my regular duties, I earned my Associate’s Degree in Criminal Justice from Purdue. Upon my return in 2021, I enrolled in MTSU as a Political Science major with a concentration in Pre-Law, as well as a minor in Criminal Justice. I have personally benefitted from relationships that I have established through our chapter, and have been in situations where had I not had SVA B.R.A.V.O and its resources, I would have had no idea how to handle things. I urge all student veterans to join SVA/B.R.A.V.O and enjoy many different opportunities that come with this community.

Secretary – Jennifer Hyde

Treasurer – Michael Jensen

Disability Liaison- OPEN

Career Services Liaison- OPEN

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Liaison- OPEN

Faculty

Dr. Stephen E. Severn

A native of Baltimore, Maryland, Doctor Steve Severn served as a commissioned officer in the United States Navy from 1991 to 1996. He holds a Ph.D. and a Master of Arts in English Language and Literature from the University of Maryland, College Park and a Bachelor’s of Science and Engineering (cum laude) in Systems Science and Engineering from the University of Pennsylvania.

Doctor Severn has been at MTSU since the Fall of 2018, when he was appointed as the Chair of the English Department. In this role, he oversees the operation of the largest academic department on campus and teaches courses that range from Freshman Writing classes up through Graduate-level seminars.

Prior to his arrival at MTSU, Doctor Severn taught English for thirteen years at West Texas A&M University in Canyon, TX. During his tenure there, he served for five years as the Department Head of English, Philosophy and Modern Languages and prior to that assignment, he served as the Director of the Office of Writing Programs for six years.

Doctor Severn earned his commission through the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps program at the University of Pennsylvania. His first active-duty assignment was the Pentagon, where he worked for the Surface Warfare Branch of the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations.  Then, after successful completion of Naval Nuclear Power School, Prototype Reactor Training and Surface Warfare Office School, he served for three years as the Damage Control Assistant on the nuclear-powered cruiser USS ARKANSAS. During his time aboard ship, he completed a six-month deployment to the Persian Gulf and a nine-month dry-docking overhaul in Puget Sound Naval Shipyards.  In recognition of his efforts in training the ARKANSAS’ crew in fire-fighting and flooding control, he was awarded a Navy Achievement Medal.

On the home front, Dr. Severn has been very happily married to Susan Severn since 2003. They have a son, William.