Syracuse University expands veteran entrepreneurship training to Diablo Valley College

Diablo Valley College in Pleasant Hill, California, will host STRIVE, a free entrepreneurship program from Syracuse University’s D’Aniello Institute for Veterans and Military Families. The partnership is designed to help veterans, service members and military families across the Bay Area build businesses and access capital-readiness support.

Why it matters: - The partnership brings startup training closer to military-connected entrepreneurs in the San Francisco Bay Area. - STRIVE is designed to help veterans and military families turn early business ideas into viable ventures. - The program also connects participants to capital-readiness resources, addressing one of the biggest barriers veteran entrepreneurs face.

What happened: - Diablo Valley College in Pleasant Hill, California, became a host school for STRIVE, a free entrepreneurship program created by Syracuse University’s D’Aniello Institute for Veterans and Military Families. - The program is delivered with the National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship. - The initiative is open to veterans, active-duty service members, National Guard and Reserve members, and military spouses. - Monica Chahal, president of Diablo Valley College, said the partnership will help student veterans, military-connected students and their families build entrepreneurial skills, connections and confidence.

The details: - STRIVE focuses on core business fundamentals for military-connected entrepreneurs with a business idea or early-stage venture. - The curriculum helps participants test assumptions, identify risks and build a practical growth plan. - Diablo Valley College joins a national network of STRIVE host colleges built through IVMF’s partnership with NACCE. - NACCE has worked with IVMF since 2021 to bring the program to community colleges. - Community colleges are positioned to reach military-connected entrepreneurs because they are embedded in local economies and already serve many student veterans. - STRIVE participants also gain access to the Veteran Capital Readiness Initiative, or V-CAP. - V-CAP is administered by IVMF with NACCE and funded by the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Minority Business Development Agency through its Capital Readiness Program. - V-CAP provides free technical assistance, capital-access and financial-readiness training, mentorship and networking. - V-CAP places particular emphasis on veteran entrepreneurs in rural and underserved communities. - STRIVE is free for accepted participants. - Applicants must submit an online application, a short personal statement, a résumé, a letter of recommendation and verification of military affiliation such as a DD-214, LES or dependent documentation. - More information is available at the STRIVE program website.

Between the lines: - The move extends Syracuse University’s veteran entrepreneurship footprint through community colleges, which can offer local access and lower barriers to participation. - The added capital-readiness layer signals that the program is not just about business education, but about helping participants move toward funding and launch. - The focus on rural and underserved communities suggests a broader effort to reach veteran founders who may be missed by traditional startup support networks.

What's next: - Accepted participants can begin the free STRIVE program through Diablo Valley College. - IVMF and NACCE are expected to keep expanding the host-college network for military-connected entrepreneurs. - Veterans, service members and military spouses interested in the program can apply online through Syracuse University’s IVMF site.

The bottom line: - Syracuse University is using a community-college partnership to make veteran entrepreneurship training more local, more accessible and more connected to capital.