TAMUSA chapter of Student Veterans of America to host Friendsgiving event

November 13, 2025
16
912
Campus

Nicky Benz-Bushling joins Lakeshore Middle School students as they pack Thanksgiving boxes, and organize holiday meals for those in need at Caring Cupboard located at Woodland Shores Baptist Church in Bridgman, Mich., Thursday, Nov. 6, 2025. (Don Campbell/The Herald-Palladium via AP)

Student Veterans of America will host its first Friendsgiving Potluck from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Nov. 18 in the Ceremony Room of Patriots’ Casa.

The event is open to all students on campus. To join, RSVP on JagSync and include the number of guests.

Students can bring their favorite homemade or store-bought dish to the potluck. Attendees can find the sign-up sheet on JagSync. So far, the list already includes some Thanksgiving staples: turkey, ham, mashed potatoes, stuffing, and deviled eggs.

Guests should expect to enjoy a Thanksgiving-inspired lunch and a trivia game during the event.

The organization strives to create a welcoming atmosphere for people who can’t or don’t go home for the holidays, said Elyssa Quesada, the SVA’s director of marketing and communications.

Quesada said the event will be successful whether it’s a large or small group.

“It’s not about the turnout. It’s about the feeling of being together,” Quesada said in a Zoom interview Nov. 5.

Quesada has been a part of the organization since Jan 2024, and said the SVA wants to be more involved with the community and student body. By hosting this event, they are bringing together community members and students for a time of fun.

The idea of the event is to create “a family feeling,” Quesada said.

The SVA plans to continue the Friendsgiving event every year.

For more information, contact SVA President Ramon Medina at rmedi029@jaguar.tamu.edu, visit https://jagsync.tamusa.edu/event/11751774 or send a direct message on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sva.tamusa/?hl=en.

Can’t make the SVA’s Friendsgiving event? Here are a few others listed on JagSync:

JagsTEACH Friendsgiving: 5:30-7 p.m. Nov. 13 in Room 145 of the Science and Technology Building.
Friendsgiving 2025: 6-7 p.m. Nov. 19 in Room 102 of Classroom Hall, hosted by the Asian Student Association, Pre-Dental Society, Association for Computing Machinery, Black Student Union and Mexican American Student Association.
A Pawsitive Friendsgiving with the Pre-Veterinary Society: 2-3 p.m. Nov. 20 in Room 366 of Business Library Hall.

About the Authors

Makayla Breiten

Makayla Breiten is a communications major with a marketing minor at Texas A&M University-San Antonio. Aside from being a full-time student, she also works at the Writing, Language, and Digital Composing Center on campus. In her free time, she enjoys reading books, learning how to cook, watching movies and spending time with friends and family. After graduating, she plans on working in social media to pursue a career in media marketing.

Articles Posted: 2

Julia Montemayor

Julia Montemayor is a communications junior with a marketing minor at Texas A&M University-San Antonio. She also has an associate degree as A Deaf Support Specialist from San Antonio College. Outside the classroom she works part time at a restaurant, enjoys playing video games, spending time with her dog, reading books and going to concerts. After graduation she wants to work at a local news station and combine both of her degrees to make a difference in the Deaf Community.