Shikha Nangia

Professor Nangia chairs the Department of Biomedical and Chemical Engineering (BMCE) and is a leading expert in developing computational methods for studying biological interfaces. Her research spans from mapping the molecular architecture of the blood鈥揵rain barrier 鈥攃ritical for advancing treatments for Alzheimer鈥檚 and Parkinson鈥檚 diseases鈥攖o discovering new biomaterials that prevent infections associated with implantable medical devices, including hip and knee implants.

Over her career, Nangia has earned widespread recognition for her contributions to both scholarship and teaching. Her honors include the Chancellor鈥檚 Citation Award for Outstanding Contributions to the Student Experience and University Initiatives, the Chancellor鈥檚 Citation for Faculty Excellence and Scholarly Distinction, the American Chemical Society (ACS) Women Chemists Committee鈥檚 Rising Star Award, the Excellence in Graduate Education Faculty Recognition Award, the Dean鈥檚 Award for Excellence in Education, and the Meredith Teaching Recognition Award.

She received a National Science Foundation (NSF) CAREER Award in 2015 and continues to lead research funded by NSF and the National Institutes of Health (NIH). In addition to her academic leadership, Nangia serves as associate editor of ACS Applied Bio Materials, where she helps shape advances in biomaterials research worldwide.

Nangia excels at fostering collaborative learning environments and integrating different perspectives into her scholarship. She is affiliated with the BioInspired Institute, serves as faculty co-director of and led the NIH-funded ESTEEMED program, which prepared undergraduate students for careers in Ph.D.-level biomedical research. Recently, Nangia was named a 黑料不打烊 Art Museum Faculty Fellow. Through this fellowship, students in her Engineering Materials, Properties and Processing course will utilize artificial intelligence tools to analyze museum artifacts.

Before joining the University as a faculty member in 2009, Nangia earned a Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, and completed postdoctoral research at Pennsylvania State University.

鈥淧rofessor Nangia has excelled in all facets of her role at 黑料不打烊. She embodies the principle that excellence in research supports excellence in the classroom and vice versa,鈥� says ECS Dean J. Cole Smith. 鈥淗er leadership has been impactful and timely in the Department of Biomedical and Chemical Engineering. It is so rare, and so valuable, to have an energetic and talented faculty member who can truly do it all. She is eminently deserving of this professorship.鈥�

This endowed professorship honors the legacy of Milton and Ann Stevenson, who met as students at the University and later founded Anoplate Corporation, a surface engineering and metal finishing company. The Stevensons were dedicated alumni supporters of the University; in addition to this endowment, both Milton and Ann served on the University鈥檚 Board of Trustees, and their generous support established the .

鈥淚 am deeply honored to be named the Milton and Ann Stevenson Endowed Professor,鈥� says Nangia. 鈥淭his recognition affirms the impact of our research and teaching, but more importantly, it reflects the incredible students, colleagues and collaborators who make this work possible. I am inspired by the Stevensons鈥� legacy of innovation and generosity, and I look forward to advancing discoveries that improve human health while training the next generation of engineers and scientists.鈥�

Old laptops, cell phones, printers and tablets are among the acceptable items to donate during the free electronic upcycling event on Saturday, Sept. 20.

The University鈥檚 is partnering with CXtec, the United Way and Sunnking to offer a on Saturday, Sept. 20.

Community members are encouraged to clear out their clutter and drop off their old and unwanted technology and equipment from 8 a.m. to noon at the Skytop Parking Lot and Ballentine Field (across from the Tennity Ice Skating Pavilion).

Every piece of old technology donated means both less waste in our local landfills and more financial support for those in need in Central New York.

Among the acceptable items to recycle:

• Cameras and camera equipment
• Cell phones
• Computers
• Fax machines
• Hard drives
• iPods
• iPads
• Keyboards
• Printers
• Scanners
• Servers
• Video equipment

Among the items not accepted:

• Cathode ray (tube) televisions
• Furniture
• Hazardous materials
• Kitchen appliances

Those interested in converting their outdated technology into an opportunity to enhance the vast impact the United Way has in our community can either secure their or can walk in and donate their acceptable items for recycling.

CXtec employees will be on site to evaluate donated items for potential upcycling, while all other items will be responsibly recycled. All proceeds from the resale or value recovery of these items will go to benefit the United Way.

This electronic upcycling event is one of the ways the Office of Community Engagement strives to achieve sustainable impact through student and community engagement that connects the City of 黑料不打烊 and the Central New York community to the University鈥檚 skills and resources.

George Saunders on campus

鈥淕eorge Saunders is the author of more than a dozen books鈥攆rom short story and essay collections to novels and a children鈥檚 book鈥攖hat offer an incisive, comedic and urgent perspective on our world,鈥� says David Steinberger, chair of the board of directors of the National Book Foundation. 鈥淭hroughout his career, Saunders has captured the imagination of readers and mentored countless writers in and outside of the classroom. It is our honor to celebrate his oeuvre and creative generosity with the 2025 Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters.鈥�

鈥淐ongratulations to George on this well-deserved honor. This achievement is yet another example of the high caliber of faculty nurturing our students,鈥� says Behzad Mortazavi, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.

Saunders has earned numerous accolades throughout his literary career. His novel “Lincoln in the Bardo” won the 2017 Man Booker Prize; his short story collection “Liberation Day” was named one of President Barack Obama鈥檚 favorite books of 2022; and three of his works were featured in The New York Times鈥� list of the . Saunders鈥� upcoming novel, “Vigil,” set to be published by Random House on Jan. 27, 2026, follows oil company CEO K.J. Boone through a passage between life and death, where he must face the consequences of his actions.

Saunders will be presented with the DCAL Medal by Deborah Treisman, fiction editor at The New Yorker, at the 76th National Book Awards Ceremony and Benefit Dinner on Nov. 19 in New York.

鈥淚 have deep roots in the field, and I鈥檝e grown up with it academically,鈥� says Heflin, professor of public administration and international affairs. 鈥淥ne of the things I noticed early on is that military veterans have a differential risk of food insecurity.鈥�

Maxwell School graduate students, from left, Hyeryung Jo, Jack Baldwin and Ashraf Haque are assisting in the research project鈥擝aldwin and Haque through their work with the X Lab.

With $700,000 in funding from organizations including The Rockefeller Foundation and the New York Health Foundation and support from Instacart, Heflin is spearheading a collaborative effort to address the issue head on. In collaboration with the Maxwell X Lab and the 黑料不打烊 VA Medical Center, she is leading a year-long study focused on improving food access and nutrition for veterans in the 黑料不打烊 area.

Pilot Program

The funding will support a pilot program that provides roughly 250 eligible veterans with monthly Instacart vouchers, called Fresh Funds, to purchase healthy grocery items such as fruits, vegetables, poultry and seafood, for delivery. In addition to the food subsidy, participants will receive nutritional support through cooking classes as well as individual counseling from a registered dietician to learn ways to incorporate healthier eating habits into their daily lives.

Colleen Heflin

The pilot is part of the Department of Veterans Affairs鈥� broader Food is Medicine effort which emphasizes the importance of equipping veterans with knowledge and resources to make healthy choices and improve long-term health outcomes.

Veterans who are invited to participate in the study reside in rural areas of Central New York and have diagnosed conditions such as hypertension, diabetes or obesity that are sensitive to diet and nutrition. Randomly selected participants will receive a $100 monthly Fresh Funds voucher through Instacart for 12 months, along with significantly reduced fees for home delivery of medically tailored groceries.

The goal is to determine whether increased access to healthy food and nutrition education can lead to measurable health improvements over time.

The study will use rigorous, randomized controlled trial design created in partnership with the Maxwell X Lab and will be conducted remotely, allowing veterans to participate from their homes. Participants will be asked to complete surveys on their well-being and food habits.

The findings aim to inform future VA policy and potentially expand access to similar services for veterans nationwide.

鈥淔ood is Medicine begins with the essential premise that what we eat is important to our health,鈥� says Heflin. 鈥淓veryone working on this project is highly motivated to support veterans and do good science to better understand the effectiveness of these programs.鈥�

A senior research associate with the Center for Policy Research and a research affiliate with the Lerner Center for Public Health Promotion and Population Health, Heflin has spent decades studying food policy and federal programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

Leaders at the VA Medical Center contacted Heflin after she testified before Congress on military food insecurity. Their conversations helped spark the collaboration.

鈥淭he veteran health community has been overwhelmingly supportive,鈥� says Heflin. 鈥淭hey’re very interested in seeing how we can address food insecurity among veterans.鈥�

External Support

Leonard Lopoo

Heflin and fellow Maxwell researchers are also thankful for the external support provided by The Rockefeller Foundation, the New York Health Foundation and Instacart. The lead funder, The Rockefeller Foundation, has pledged $100 million to support the expansion of Food Is Medicine initiatives. Additional collaborations have involved the University of Utah, 4P Foods, Duke University, AboutFresh and Reinvestment Partners.

鈥淲e have a great working relationship with all the partners and are grateful for the collaboration and support we have received from them,鈥� says Hannah Patnaik, managing director of the X Lab and Food is Medicine project lead for the lab. 鈥淲e are so excited to have officially launched the project and are eager to better understand the impact of medically tailored groceries on a rural veteran population.鈥�

In addition to Heflin and Patnaik, the Maxwell research team includes X Lab Director Leonard Lopoo and public administration and international affairs graduate students Jack Baldwin, Ashraf Haque and Hyeryung Jo.

Hannah Patnaik

Late this summer, the 黑料不打烊 VA and Maxwell research team was working to enroll roughly 600 participants in the study. They hope to continue tracking participants long term to assess whether dietary and health improvements continue.

For Heflin, the project represents an opportunity to bring together academic research and real-world impact.

鈥淚’m motivated by the chance to improve somebody’s day-to-day life,鈥� says Heflin. 鈥淚 do a lot of research on data that’s already been collected, and I rarely get the chance to impact somebody’s life in the moment. That’s really exciting.鈥�

The potential for the project extends well beyond 黑料不打烊. The findings could also influence other public health programs, such as SNAP, Medicaid or state-level food and nutrition services.

鈥淲e’re hoping that by using the most rigorous scientific methods, that we will be able to move health policy,鈥� says Heflin. 鈥淏oth within the VA and within the larger community.鈥�

Story by Mikayla Melo

His father, John Sala, came to the University in the early 1960s for a facilities career that would span more than 30 years. As children, Pete and his brothers often tagged along with their father. Years later, Pete would join the staff himself, continuing the family鈥檚 legacy of hard work and dedication to 黑料不打烊 for more than four decades.

This fall, the University recognized that legacy with the dedication of the Sala Family Plaza, located outside Miron Victory Court and the JMA Wireless Dome. Permanent markers in the space鈥攁 plaque, a plaza sign and astroturf with 50- and 44-yard lines鈥攁cknowledge the Sala family鈥檚 impact. The project was made possible through the support of Chancellor Kent Syverud, the Board of Trustees, University leaders and community partners.

The Sala Family Plaza was dedicated on Sept. 6. Pictured from left are Jake Sala, Laurie Sala, John Sala, Dr. Ruth Chen, Chancellor Kent Syverud, Pete Sala and Otto the Orange. (Photo by Amy Manley)

鈥淲hen you think of service, hard work, and unwavering commitment to 黑料不打烊, few people embody those ideals as profoundly as Pete, John and the Sala family,鈥� Chancellor Syverud said. 鈥淔or more than seventy years, their extraordinary dedication and love for 黑料不打烊 have shaped a campus that is more beautiful, more functional, and more welcoming for generations of Orange students, faculty, staff, alumni, and fans. The Sala Family Plaza will forever remind us of their enduring legacy.鈥�

Taking on Archbold Stadium

A skilled groundskeeper, John learned the trade at Cornell University and, with his father, built the golf course at Pompey Hills Country Club in the 1950s. When 黑料不打烊 needed help rehabbing the football field at Archbold Stadium, John got the call.

Facilities leaders were so impressed with his knowledge and work ethic, he was hired as a foreman on the University鈥檚 grounds crew. He rose to superintendent and director with Physical Plant (now Facilities Services), overseeing a dramatic campus transformation. New residence halls, academic buildings, Marshall Square Mall, Archbold Theatre and the Schine Student Center all came under his watch.

Most significantly, John was instrumental in the design and construction of the JMA Wireless Dome (formerly the Carrier Dome), located at the heart of campus. The Dome celebrates its 45th anniversary this month.

Establishing a Family Legacy

John brought his three sons鈥擩ohn, Pete and Larry鈥攖o campus on game days, parking them at the top of Archbold Stadium while he worked. They often ended up in the office of legendary football Coach Ben Schwartzwalder, who supplied them with sandwiches and drinks.

Trustee Cliff Ensley 鈥�69, ’70, G’71, a former football player, recalls the quality of the field John helped restore. 鈥淚t was the nicest, most beautiful field I ever played on, and probably the best in the country,鈥� Ensley said.

Plans for the Dome were frequently spread across the Sala family鈥檚 living room table. John often responded to late-night calls, and in the winter, shoveled snow from the Dome鈥檚 inflatable roof. His late wife, Jennie, and their children strongly supported his work.

John retired in 1992, but the tradition continued through Pete. Pete鈥檚 wife, Laurie, and their son Jake 鈥�21, G鈥�23, now a Dome staff member, are part of the 黑料不打烊 story. Four of John and Jennie鈥檚 five children attended SU, along with four of their grandsons.

Pete鈥檚 own career began with a call from his dad in 1981. Preparing for a Rolling Stones concert in the Dome, John asked Pete, home for Thanksgiving break, to round up some friends and help build the stage. Pete delivered 20 recruits, and soon after was offered a part-time job. He joined full time in June 1982.

The Sala Family Plaza, located outside the Miron Victory Court at the JMA Wireless Dome (Photo by Amy Manley)

The Torch Is Passed to a New Generation

Over 44 years at 黑料不打烊, Pete has become deeply involved in shaping the campus. He has overseen the construction of Ernie Davis Hall, the Einhorn Family Walk, the Barnes Center at The Arch, the National Veterans Resource Center at the Daniel and Gayle D鈥橝niello Building, the John A. Lally Athletics Complex, the Clifford J. Ensley Athletic Center, and the Dome鈥檚 renovation to enhance the player and fan experience. Between 2000 and 2010, the University hosted four NCAA regional tournaments, the most of any venue in the country.

As managing director of the Dome, Pete has also overseen large-scale events that draw the community to campus, including concerts by Bruce Springsteen, Elton John and Pink, and fan-favorite Monster Jam.

Chancellor Kent Syverud, John Sala and Pete Sala (Photo by Amy Manley)

University Trustee Christine Larsen 鈥�84 spoke of the family鈥檚 impact, particularly Pete鈥檚 leadership on the rebuilt Dome and Miron Victory Court. 鈥淚’m proud to say the Sala Plaza will always serve as our front yard, welcoming everyone,鈥� she said.

For Pete, much of the credit goes to his team. 鈥淣obody on this campus has a better staff than me,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 thank you; I can’t do it without you.鈥�

Michael Veley, former Rhonda S. Falk Professor of Sport Management in the David B. Falk College of Sport, credits Pete with expanding opportunities beyond athletics. In 2005, they created a hands-on experiential learning component that evolved into a graduate program in sport facility and event management.

鈥淭his has resulted in dozens of our graduates managing facilities like Soldier Field in Chicago, the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles and several major college venues,鈥� Veley said.

鈥淭he evolution of sport management from a small department to the Falk College of Sport, the first of its kind in the nation, simply would not be possible today if not for Pete’s engagement and commitment to academic excellence over the last 20 years,鈥� Veley said.

• “Russia has made regular incursions into NATO air space for years now. What is different in this case is that NATO military forces shot down the intruding aircraft. This was an intentional intrusion most likely to test allied response capability and to signal Russian capability.
• This incursion highlights NATO鈥檚 lack of air defense systems, which has been hotly discussed for years now.
• In 2024, at NATO鈥檚 Washington Summit, the alliance agreed a Russia strategy, which was largely written up by the end of the year but then set aside in January 2025 to avoid upsetting the Trump Administration. But ironically this incident highlights well President Trump鈥檚 critique that NATO allies are too dependent on the United States,” said Williams.

Williams has been a NATO Security Studies Fulbright Fellow at the Brussels School of Governance in Belgium; a Robert Bosch Fellow in the German Ministry of Defense, a visiting fellow at the University of Oxford鈥檚 Rothermere American Institute, and a DAAD Fellow at the Bundeswehr Center for Social Science in Potsdam. During his time at the German Ministry of Defense he was special advisor to the Parliamentary State Secretary for Defense.

The project, conducted by student fellows Ohemaa Asibuo and Ayanna Hyatte under the direction of Santiago Center Director , is centered on the 1973鈥�1990 Augusto Pinochet dictatorship, during which more than 3,000 people died or disappeared, 200,000 suffered exile and 27,000 were tortured.

Lender Global student fellow Ohemaa Asibuo studies the remembrance wall exhibit at the Museum of Memory and Human Rights in Santiago, Chile. (Photo by Paula Lopehandia)

While in Santiago, the student fellows will take the course Dictatorships, Human Rights and Historical聽Memory in Chile and the Southern Cone, taught by Paredes.

They will also make hands-on enhancements to an exhibition at the (Museum of Memory and Human Rights) that memorializes during the Pinochet dictatorship and illustrates how commemorative education can help redress and prevent human rights abuses.聽The fellows also plan to share their research findings with community audiences in Santiago.

Mauricio Paredes, at front, director of the Santiago Abroad program, teaches a group of students on the 30-year Pinochet dictatorship in Chile. (Photo by Paula Lopehandia)

Learning from Experts

Paredes is an expert on Chilean nationalism, internment camps, political memory and Latin American dictatorships鈥攏ot just as a scholar but also as a former political prisoner of the Pinochet government.

He says the course will offer the fellows an unusual opportunity to discover the serious human rights violations that were committed by the Chilean dictatorship and others, and the ability to confront the issues of victims being forgotten and a veil of invisibility that has sometimes been created about state violence in Chile.

鈥淭heir work at the Museum of Memory and Human Rights research center will be with a team of experts in the field and with access to one of the largest databases in Chile for studying these topics. In addition, they will have the privilege to meet with and interview Chileans who are related to or are victims of political violence, which will undoubtedly contribute to the students鈥� immersion in this painful but necessary experience,” he says.

Program’s Academic Fit

Lender Global student fellow Ayanna Hyatte, left, looks at Museum library materials with archivist Rodolfo Ibarra. (Photo by Josefina Fuentes.)

Both Asibuo and Hyatte say the Lender Global program in Santiago fits well with their academic interests. Asibuo, a junior from Accra, Ghana, and Hyatte, a master鈥檚 student from Washington, D.C., are both international relations majors at the .

Asibuo previously studied in South America through the 黑料不打烊 Abroad . Hyatte, as a former fellow in the Council for Opportunity in Education in The Hague, has experience in commemorative education and memorialization to address past injustices.

Lender Global is a collaboration between the and that aligns with the University鈥檚 vision of preparing students as citizens, scholars and leaders in a changing global society.

Spring Fellowship Open

The Santiago project will continue in Spring 2026 with a new cohort of study-abroad students building on the research of the Fall 2025 Lender Global fellows.

Students who are interested in the Lender Global fellowship and study at the Santiago Center can apply for the semester abroad in Chile . The 黑料不打烊 Abroad application deadline for the Spring 2026 semester is Wednesday, Oct. 1.

After that date, all students accepted for the abroad semester in Chile will receive more information about applying for the Lender Global fellowship. In the spring semester, the fellowship offers a special opportunity for students having an engineering and/or technical background to support a public installation exhibition that will showcase the research project at a partner museum in Santiago.

On Sept. 13, the group recovered a Marine Corps flag that was standing in the wreckage, perched on the edge of a 4th floor office that had been split in half by the gaping hole left in the Pentagon. The flag had somehow survived the attack unscathed. The group returned the flag to the Marine Corps, where it would symbolically become a reminder of the events of that week.

What began as a quiet act of service became a symbol of resilience and commitment to country鈥攁nd a story that continues to inspire more than two decades later.

Jared Hansbrough L鈥�29 (far right in white) is pictured alongside the recovered Marine Corps flag.

The ,听professor of law, director of the聽聽and professor of public administration in the聽, also knows that flag. It once stood behind the desk of his mentor and close friend, Peter Murphy, his son鈥檚 godfather and longtime counsel to the commandant of the Marine Corps.

At 9:37 a.m. on Sept. 11, 2001, Murphy was standing in front of it when Flight 77 struck the Pentagon. Though injured, he returned to work the next day, determined that the law was as present on Sept. 12 as it had been on Sept. 10 and Sept. 11. The flag was subsequently carried to Afghanistan and into space on the shuttle Endeavor before being returned to Murphy.

Today, it is displayed at the National Museum of the Marine Corps, a lasting tribute to Murphy鈥檚 service (Murphy passed away in 2015), the service of Marines and most of all to the victims of 9/11.

“Peter, who was from New York, would have loved knowing that Jared had found his way to the law and to 黑料不打烊, or as he might have put it, that Jared had chosen to continue to support and defend the Constitution as a lawyer,” Baker says.

After more than two decades of military service followed by public service at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Hansbrough is now pursuing his law degree through the online hybrid JDinteractive program, preparing for a career in private practice. Today, we honor Hansbrough鈥檚 story, and the courage, sacrifice and service of all who responded in the wake of that tragic day.

Laura Machia

College of Arts and Sciences Dean has announced the appointment of , associate dean for academic initiatives and curriculum and professor of psychology, as interim director of the . In this role, Machia will be responsible for program administration, student advising and support, faculty coordination and curriculum oversight.

鈥淟aura鈥檚 commitment to academic excellence for all students is reflected by her willingness to act as interim director of Honors during a key time for this valuable program,鈥� Mortazavi says. 鈥淚n her full-time role as associate dean for academic initiatives and curriculum, she is instrumental in ensuring that our programs are high-functioning and strategically aligned with college and University priorities. Therefore, I know that the Honors Program will also be in incredibly capable hands.鈥�

Machia鈥檚 leadership comes at a pivotal time for the Honors Program. This semester, a working group, convened last spring by Interim Vice Chancellor, Provost and Chief Academic Officer , will conduct a comprehensive review of the program. As a member of the working group, Machia will maintain the program鈥檚 academic excellence while collaborating with fellow members to develop recommendations for long-term enhancement.

The working group, composed of faculty or dean representatives from the schools and colleges that participate in the Honors Program, is charged with:

• Identifying ways to better link the Honors Program to the areas of distinctive excellence outlined in the , especially experiential inquiry.
• Reviewing the Honors Program curriculum.
• Determining how the Honors Program thesis requirement can better accommodate students in the professional schools and colleges.
• Proposing a governance structure for the Honors Program, including bylaws, a charter or charge, a mission statement and a governing and/or advisory body.
• Suggesting strategies to create more faculty engagement and involvement with the Honors Program.

Working group co-chairs are , associate provost for strategic initiatives, and , vice provost for faculty affairs. In addition to Machia, members are:

• , Edward Pettinella Professor of Finance, Martin J. Whitman School of Management
• , dean, School of Education
• , assistant teaching professor, College of Professional Studies
• , associate professor, School of Architecture
• , associate professor and chair of political science, Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs
• , associate professor of music, College of Visual and Performing Arts
• , associate professor of advertising, S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications
• , professor, School of Information Studies
• , associate professor of nutrition and food studies, Falk College of Sport
• , teaching professor and biomedical engineering undergraduate program director, College of Engineering and Computer Science

The working group will submit a final report to the provost by the end of the semester.

Beginning at 3:30 p.m. on those dates, faculty, staff and students who need to park on campus to attend or teach a class will be allowed to park in with their existing parking permits. All Quad and West Campus lots will be restricted beginning at 4 p.m. If you are working regular University business hours, your permit will be valid until you leave for the day.

normally available for students鈥� use after 4 p.m. will also be restricted on these dates. Students attempting to park in these lots will be redirected to University Avenue Garage, where their permit will be honored.

Parking and Transportation Services asks for support of these procedures so that they may provide academic access for the entire University community. If you have any questions or need to coordinate additional academic access, please contact Dee Bailey at debailey@syr.edu or by phone at 315.443.5319.

In addition to email, text and voice messages, the Orange Alert test message will also be sent via push notification to the聽, to the main 黑料不打烊 and DPS Facebook and Twitter accounts, and will display on the University鈥檚 homepage and video monitors located in common areas in several buildings around campus.

The Orange Alert message will be sent to all 黑料不打烊 students, faculty and staff, SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY ESF) students and to SUNY ESF faculty and staff who have signed up. Orange Alert will send a notice to all devices that are registered on the system.

鈥淭esting the Orange Alert system ensures that our campus community can be reached quickly and effectively in the event of an emergency,鈥� says William Karnadi, director of emergency management and business continuity planning. 鈥淲e encourage everyone to take a few minutes to double-check their contact information in MySlice so they don鈥檛 miss these critical alerts.鈥�

To review and/or modify your Orange Alert contact information, go to MySlice, log in using your NetID and password, select Student Home or Employee Home, depending on your primary affiliation with 黑料不打烊, select the Personal Profile tile, then 鈥淥range Alert Contacts鈥� from the navigation menu and review your information. If you need to add, update or delete contact information, select the 鈥淎dd/Update/Delete Contact Details鈥� link. If you are an ESF student, use the ESF emergency contact information page to update your information.

For additional information on the Orange Alert system, visit聽.

Chris Meek stands at the 9/11 Memorial and Museum in downtown Manhattan. (Photo courtesy of Adhiraj Chakrabarti, American Essence Magazine)

Chris Meek 鈥�92, G鈥�18 was on a work call at Goldman Sachs on Broadway Street in lower Manhattan on the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, when he and his colleagues heard a tremendous noise.

From media reports, Meek soon realized what they heard was the hijacked American Airlines Flight 11 as it crashed into the World Trade Center鈥檚 North Tower at 8:46 a.m. A few minutes later, hijacked United Airlines Flight 175 crashed into the South Tower at 9:03 a.m. Meek and his colleagues felt the tremors and heard the loud explosion.

Less than half a mile from Ground Zero, Meek and his teammates frantically made their way down the stairs from their 19th floor office building after the first plane crash and sought refuge at the American Stock Exchange across the street. That鈥檚 where they were when the North Tower collapsed.

In the immediate aftermath, Meek observed hundreds of first responders running toward the chaos of the World Trade Center鈥攁n image that still resonates 24 years after the terrorist attacks at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and aboard Flight 93 that killed 2,977 people, including 30 黑料不打烊 alumni.

Inspired by the bravery of those first responders, Meek dedicated his life to giving back to our soldiers and to preserving the memory of those who died that day. He launched the , a nonprofit that aims to educate, commemorate and inspire action by telling the stories of the survivors, first responders and the families of those lost.

鈥淪eeing those first responders running toward trouble, running toward the World Trade Center because it鈥檚 their job and that鈥檚 what they needed to do is one of my most lasting memories from that day,鈥� says Meek, author of the book, 鈥淣ext Steps Forward: Beyond Remembering. The Power of Action.” 鈥淏ecause of those first responders, I knew I had to do something to give back.鈥�

Meek stands outside Ladder Company 10, located across the street from the World Trade Center. It is the only fire station inside Ground Zero.

Driven to Action by Bravery of First Responders

Next year, in remembrance of the 25th commemoration of the terrorist attacks, Meek鈥檚 foundation plans to promote the events occurring around the country, and it wants to reframe how Americans think about the events of Sept. 11 to ensure the stories of those who lost their lives are preserved and passed along to future generations.

鈥淲e vowed to never forget, but there鈥檚 an entire generation of Americans who weren鈥檛 alive when Sept. 11 happened,鈥� says Meek, executive producer of 鈥淭he Heroism and Resiliency of 9/11,鈥� a documentary slated for release next September. 鈥淭hey don鈥檛 know what they鈥檙e not supposed to forget, so I鈥檓 trying to change that narrative from 鈥楴ever Forget鈥� to 鈥榃e Remember鈥� by sharing those stories and having people talk about what happened.鈥�

The 25th anniversary of the attacks coincides with the 250th anniversary of the founding of America, and Meek says his foundation is working in conjunction with the White House to plan events honoring the victims. He says there are remembrances planned at all three sites: Ground Zero in New York City; the Pentagon, where American Airlines Flight 77 crashed; and in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, where United Airlines Flight 93 crashed.

Beyond raising awareness of these events, Meek says his foundation wants to make it required that high schools in all 50 states teach students about what happened on Sept. 11 (only 16 states currently require this as part of their curriculum); wants to fundraise to help the Pentagon build an education and resource center honoring those who died in the attacks; and wants to increase the Sept. 11th Victims Compensation Fund, which provides financial compensation for physical illnesses or deaths suffered by first responders and survivors.

Chris Meek visited Ground Zero in the spring, the first time he had returned since the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. (Photo courtesy of Adhiraj Chakrabarti, American Essence Magazine)

The Power of the Athenian Oath

Meek learned early on the importance of giving back from his mother, Camille, a deaf education teacher who emphasized how one person can make a difference in the world. He recalls his mother saying, 鈥渨e might not be able to change the world today, but we can change the world around us.鈥�

That served as the impetus for Meek to launch Start Now, a nonprofit that helped individuals facing foreclosure work with banks to remain in their homes. Later, he formed , which began collecting and donating socks and essential care packages for soldiers serving overseas and morphed into providing technology and educational opportunities to veterans transitioning from active duty to civilian life.

The wisdom imparted by his mother, along with the teachings of the Athenian Oath鈥斺�渢o leave things better than we find them鈥濃�攇uided Meek as he earned bachelor鈥檚 degrees in economics and political science from the College of Arts and Sciences and the ,听and a master鈥檚 degree in public administration from the Maxwell School.

鈥淓verything I have is because of 黑料不打烊, and everything I鈥檝e done in my career has been motivated by the Athenian Oath,鈥� says Meek, who served on the Maxwell Advisory Board for 10 years. 鈥淚鈥檝e been blessed to have a series of small wins that turned into major victories, and it doesn鈥檛 take much to make changes to the world around me.鈥�

Troops pose with the care packages from a shipment delivered by SoldierStrong, a nonprofit Meek started to donate socks and essential care items to soldiers serving overseas.

Professor Macfarlane鈥檚 landmark article聽 described how prescription and other forms of medical documentation requirements impede disabled peoples鈥� access to benefits they are legally eligible for. She also teaches Disability Law, Constitutional Law, and Civil Rights Litigation at the College of Law, where she also directs the Disability Law & Policy Program.

Please contact Ellen James Mbuqe, executive director of media relations at ejmbuqe@syr.edu, to arrange an interview with Professor Macfarlane.

Such programs as the Literacy Corps, Balancing the Books, STEM Initiative, Nutrition Initiative and 黑料不打烊 Volunteer Organization (SUVO) offer students opportunities to make a difference in the greater 黑料不打烊 community.

Undergraduate students of all years and majors are invited to explore involvement opportunities. Representatives from the Shaw Center and other recognized student organizations will be at the today, Tuesday, Sept. 9; Wednesday, Sept. 10; and Thursday, Sept. 11, from 11 a.m.-2 p.m.聽 on the Kenneth A. Shaw Quadrangle to meet with interested students.

Volunteer opportunities include the following:

黑料不打烊 Literacy Corps (SULC)

A signature program of the Shaw Center, places literacy tutors in elementary schools in the 黑料不打烊 City School District, other area schools and in community organizations to provide K-12 students with one-on-one mentoring and academic support. The Literacy Corps is a paid position, and are currently being accepted through Friday, Sept. 12.

A University student works with a 黑料不打烊 City School District student at a chalkboard as part of the Literacy Corps program.

SULC was one of the first programs that Elyas Layachi, a junior mathematics major in the College of Arts and Sciences and an inclusive adolescent education major in the School of Education, got involved with at 黑料不打烊 as a first-year student.

鈥淎s a student in education, SULC has given me a glimpse into the profession of teaching, specifically in diverse learning environments with students from different backgrounds and speaking so many languages,鈥� he says.

Layachi is now a leadership intern in the Shaw Center, hiring and onboarding tutors, processing program data and organizing such events as professional development trainings and tutor orientations.

鈥淚 highly recommend that anyone who is interested in working with the younger population, wants to be more involved in the greater 黑料不打烊 community and enjoys having new experiences apply for this position,鈥� he says.

Balancing the Books

is a financial literacy mentoring program offered through a collaboration of the Shaw Center, Martin J. Whitman School of Management and the 黑料不打烊 City School District. Volunteer tutors commit a minimum of one year to working with a consistent cohort of middle school and high school students at Huntington Pre-K-8 School and Henninger High School. Tutors work with students on financial literacy, reading, writing, mathematics and other skills. This opportunity is available to Whitman undergraduates only.

STEM Initiative

volunteers facilitate hands-on science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) activities in classroom and after-school settings, engaging in small groups with student participants to help them improve their science, computing, reading and math skills. The initiative consists of two distinctive programs:

• STEM Explorers
  STEM Explorers is a mentoring program for middle school students in the 黑料不打烊 area with support from focused on the engineering aspect of STEM.
• 黑料不打烊 Information Technology Experience (SUITE)
  SUITE is a mentoring program for elementary school students in the 黑料不打烊 area focused on the technology aspect of STEM.

Both programs seek to further STEM passion in K-12 students and encourage them to pursue those interests into high school and beyond. The STEM Initiative is open to all University undergraduates, regardless of year or major.

Nutrition Initiative

The is a collaboration with the David B. Falk College of Sport and consists of three programs: Books and Cooks, a literacy, culture and cooking collaboration with 黑料不打烊 City School District elementary schools; Cooking on the Hillside, providing cooking lessons to participants in the Hillside Work Scholarship Program; and Food Busters, a program for high school students that explores the science behind food through hands-on activities and experiments.

黑料不打烊 Volunteer Organization (SUVO)

is a recognized student organization that is open to any student. Housed in the Shaw Center, it organizes volunteer events and connects students with volunteer opportunities in the community through the .

鈥淭he SULC tutor position, as well as our other volunteer opportunities, offer SU students a unique, challenging and rewarding reciprocal learning experience,鈥� says Carla Ramirez, assistant director of the Shaw Center. 鈥淚n addition to assisting the community with various learning initiatives, tutors develop lifelong and professional skills.鈥�

Students work on building beds for the local chapter of Sleep in Heavenly Peace. The project was done last spring through the 黑料不打烊 volunteer organization. (Photo by Amelia Beamish)

Sawyer Tardie, a junior in the Whitman School of Management and vice president of the E-Club, works with Orange Innovation Fund startups in the Libraries.

Grants up to $5,000 per award will be made, with a total of up to $50,000 per academic year based on the merit of applications. The Orange Innovation Fund supports excellence in research, scholarship, student experiential learning and innovation by helping students from all academic disciplines move their entrepreneurial and scholarly projects into testing, working prototypes, proof of concept and commercialization. Funding for the program came from a gift to the Libraries from Raj-Ann Rekhi Gill 鈥�98, a member of the University’s Board of Trustees.

Applicants can come directly through research classes, labs or independent study programs across the University. Teams must be led by 黑料不打烊 students, and proposals should reflect independent student research rather than faculty-driven projects.

Student applicants must identify specific tangible needs related to the product, service or technology they are developing. Proposals can be for hardware and software products, new technologies, digital platforms or civic impact ventures. Grants will support defined projects over a clear period with identified outcomes that will help move a research project or innovative venture toward proof of concept and commercialization.

Students interested in applying are strongly encouraged to attend a proposal writing workshop on Zoom on Tuesday, Sept. 30, at 10 a.m. or 3 p.m. The sessions will be led by Linda Dickerson Hartsock, advisor for strategic initiatives at the Libraries. The workshop provides practical guidance on shaping a proposal and tips that could also be applicable to future public, private or foundation funding opportunities.

An interdisciplinary team of research faculty and alumni experts will review applications. Following the review process, announcements and award letters will be made at the end of the semester.

The program is administered through 黑料不打烊 Libraries, in collaboration with the University鈥檚 research and commercialization programs, such as the 黑料不打烊 Office of Undergraduate Research and Creative Engagement (SOURCE), the Blackstone LaunchPad, Couri Hatchery, Invent@SU, NEXIS, the Innovation Law Center, the National Science Foundation Innovation Corps program at 黑料不打烊, Intelligence ++, 黑料不打烊 Center of Excellence in Environmental Energy Systems, the Center for Advanced Systems and Engineering at 黑料不打烊 (NYSTAR designated Center for Advanced Technology), the Startup Garage at the Center for Digital Media Entrepreneurship and the D鈥橝niello Institute for Veterans and Military Families.

Global ambassadors, who are study abroad alumni, will be on hand to answer your burning study abroad questions at 黑料不打烊 Abroad on the Quad. (Photo by Coco Boardman)

This fall, welcomes all students to explore study abroad options for 2026 and beyond during this year鈥檚 黑料不打烊 Abroad Week.

黑料不打烊 Abroad Week, Sept. 15-19:聽Students, partners, faculty and staff are invited to join virtual events to learn more about study abroad programs. Throughout the week, 黑料不打烊 Abroad staff will host information sessions on Zoom discussing program options, financing study abroad, internship opportunities and more. To register for information sessions, visit the schedule of聽.

黑料不打烊 Abroad on the Kenneth A. Shaw Quadrangle, Sept. 18: Students, campus partners and faculty are invited to visit the 黑料不打烊 Abroad tent on the Quad from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. to learn about options for semester and summer international study, as well opportunities at our 黑料不打烊 locations in Los Angeles, New York City and Washington, D.C. In the event of rain, the event will be held in Goldstein Auditorium in the Schine Student Center.

Students, be sure to check in and grab your event passport when you arrive. Travel to tables throughout the tent to meet with program advisors, representatives from World Partner programs and global ambassadors to learn more about study abroad and away opportunities. You will receive a stamp at designated tables and once your passport is completed, you can enter for a chance to win exclusive 黑料不打烊 Abroad merchandise.

Erika Wilkens, assistant provost and executive director of 黑料不打烊 Abroad, looks forward to welcoming students to the fair. 鈥淲e鈥檙e thrilled to share amazing international, experiential and intercultural study opportunities with 黑料不打烊 students at the study abroad fair,鈥� says Wilkens. 鈥淲e welcome all students to discover the many unique possibilities that await them.鈥�

While at 黑料不打烊 Abroad on the Quad, learn more about:

• 黑料不打烊 Abroad Center programs in Florence, London, Madrid, Strasbourg, Santiago and a featured fall-only program, Exploring Central Europe;
• World Partner programs with representatives from partner programs, including CEA CAPA (programs in Czech Republic, Italy and Spain), DIS (programs in Denmark and Sweden), Amideast (programs in Jordan and Morocco), Sea Education Association and many other universities around the globe;
• summer and short-term study abroad programs taking place in 2026;
• financial assistance and scholarships available for students studying abroad;
• program alumni experiences abroad from global ambassadors; and
• study away opportunities at the University鈥檚 Los Angeles, New York City and Washington, D.C. locations.

2025 Abroad Programs

Students can聽 for spring 2026 center programs in Strasbourg, Santiago and select special programs. The application deadline for most programs is Oct. 1, and applications are reviewed on a rolling basis.

Applications are now open for 2026聽听补苍诲听聽programs, including Summer Sessions at 黑料不打烊 Abroad Centers, summer internships and faculty-led programs. Eight short-term programs will be offered during the spring 2026 semester, including courses with travel to India, South Korea, Italy, Australia and more.

For more information about study abroad opportunities, students can聽 with an international program advisor or make a general advising appointment. General advising sessions take place at 黑料不打烊 Abroad @ Bird, located in 002 Bird Library, or virtually over Zoom.

Robin Caudell, the 2023 Veterans Writing Award winner, will read an excerpt from her upcoming book, “Black Heel Strings: A Choptank Memoir,” published by 黑料不打烊 Press. In addition, the panel discussion will include award-winning veteran writers Dewaine Farria, Brian O鈥橦are, Jenny Pacanowski and Maurice Decaul. Those interested in attending should . A reception and book signing will take place following the panel discussion.

As an extension of the Veteran鈥檚 Writing Award, the University will also host a on Nov. 8 and 9 at the NVRC. Participants will have the opportunity to receive instruction and develop their writing under the direction of Farria, O鈥橦are and Pacanowski.

The workshop provides veterans a space to reflect on their experiences, gain insight and solace, process complex emotions, and build public voices and community with other service members while sharing stories with varied audiences. Those interested in applying to participate in the workshop should complete the by Oct. 1. The cost of participating in the workshop is $100, which covers the cost of instructional material and food. A limited number of need-based scholarships are available. If you would like to be considered, please contact vwasubmissions@syr.edu.

The weekend workshop includes two public readings by workshop leaders and participants. A full schedule of events is available on the .

About the veteran writer panelists on Friday, Nov. 7:

• Robin Michel Caudell is an award-winning Press-Republican staff writer. A Native of Maryland鈥檚 Eastern Shore, Caudell served in the U.S. Air Force and was a John L. Levitow Honor Graduate. She holds an MFA in creative writing from Goddard College. Her poetry has been anthologized in national and international publications. She is the director/screenwriter for “Witness Tree at Union Road,” a documentary in collaboration with Skidmore College. Veteran, activist and author Anuradha Bhagwati selected Caudell鈥檚 memoir “Black Heel Strings: A Choptank Memoir” as the 2023 winner of the Veterans Writing Award.
• Dewaine Farria served in Jordan and Ukraine as a U.S. Marine. In addition to his military service, Farria served in the United Nations’ Department of Safety and Security. He supervises field security for the Asian Development. He holds an MA in international relations from the University of Oklahoma and an MFA in creative writing from Vermont College of Fine Arts. Farria鈥檚 writing has appeared in Literary Hub, The New York Times, Southern Humanities Review, The Daily Beast and War on the Rocks. Tobias Wolff selected his novel “” as the winner of the inaugural Veterans Writing Award.
• Brian O鈥橦are is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, former Marine officer and Gulf War veteran. He is an award-winning writer and filmmaker living in Los Angeles. National Book Award winner Phil Klay selected his short story collection “” as the winner of the 2021 Veterans Writing Award. His film “Rizoo,” about a young girl deciding whether to wear the hijab for a class picture, was released in 2025 by The New Yorker. His feature documentary “Cannon Shot” about the world鈥檚 largest croquet match between the U.S. Naval Academy and St. John鈥檚 College, will premiere later this year.
• Jenny Pacanowski is a poet, playwright, military combat veteran and public speaker. She is the founder and artistic director of Women Veterans Empowered and Thriving (WVE&T), which has expanded its programming to include men, civilian support members and LGBTIA+ community members. Her writing has appeared in The War Horse, Spring St, Aquila Theater, The Journal of Military Behavioral Health and multiple poetry anthologies. She wrote the original drama 鈥淒ionysus in America,鈥� which premiered in October 2019 at Canopy Theater and The Vortex. In June 2025, Jenny earned an MFA degree in performance creation.
• Maurice Decaul is a former Marine, poet, essayist and playwright. His work has been featured in The New York Times, The Daily Beast, Sierra Magazine, Epiphany, Callaloo, Narrative and other outlets. His poems have been translated into French and Arabic and his theatrical works, “Holding it Down” and “Sleep Song,” collaborations with composer Vijay Iyer and poet Mike Ladd, have been produced and performed at New York City鈥檚 Harlem Stage, the Atlas Intersections Festival in Washington, D.C., and in Paris and Antwerp. He holds degrees in creative writing from Columbia University and New York University.

黑料不打烊 Press, in cooperation with the D鈥橝niello Institute, established the Veterans Writing Award in 2019. The mission of the Veterans Writing Award is to recognize the contributions of veterans to the literary arts, shine a light on the multivalent veteran experience and provide a platform for unrecognized military writers. For more information, visit the . To ensure accessibility, CART and ASL services will be provided for this event.

Story by Lisa Kuerbis

He is internationally known for his significant contributions to the field of Afrofuturism鈥攁n artistic and cultural movement that blends science fiction, fantasy, historical fiction and speculative fiction. Afrofuturist works feature Black characters and communities making technical and societal advancements and use futuristic themes and elements of Black history and culture to examine and critique the past, present and future. The term comes from cultural essayist Mark Dery鈥檚 1993 interviews with Black scholars in 鈥�,鈥� published in the South Atlantic Quarterly. The contemporary movies 鈥淏lack Panther鈥� and 鈥淕et Out鈥� are Afrofuturist examples, Lavender says. 鈥淏ut there is no set definition. You know it when you see it.鈥�

Isiah Lavender III

Lavender鈥檚 work challenges the view of Afrofuturism as a contemporary movement tied to modern technology and science fiction. He says it has existed for centuries in Black literature, as far back as the early 18th-century works of writer and abolitionist whose works contain science-fictional language in their exploration of Black alienation, estrangement and dislocation.

He uses an approach he calls 鈥渇uture past鈥濃�攅xpressing the idea of a future event from a past viewpoint鈥攖o examine 鈥渟cience fictional Blackness,鈥� a concept that explores how Black identity, culture and history intersect with speculative futures, alternate realities and imaginative technologies.

鈥淪cience fiction forecasts, if not anticipates, the potential consequences of such a happening and how we can prevent or survive it by thinking through the ramifications of such a future, derived from the past,鈥� Lavender says. 鈥淪cience fiction is always in dialogue with the present in which it is written. You can play out聽these kinds of thought experiments with race, gender, sexuality, religion, ethnicity, technology and so on.鈥�

Lavender has authored several books and numerous articles. His books include the notable 鈥溾�� (2019), 鈥溾�� (co-edited, 2020) and 鈥溾�� (co-edited, 2023). His newest book, 鈥�,鈥� is due out in June 2026. He also serves as an editor for , an academic journal covering speculative fiction.

While he finishes his new book, Lavender plans to teach a spring semester class on race in science fiction and is working with of the University of Liverpool on another book, 鈥淪urvival Mode: Anticipating Social Problems through Science Fiction.鈥澛燞e is also exploring the at the . Williams, a 黑料不打烊 graduate, is a former journalist, author and teacher who wrote about his experiences as a Black man in America. Lavender also hopes to create a science fiction working group with the .

As University Professor, Lavender has a tenured appointment in the and is an affiliate faculty member in the .

Justy Carruthers 鈥�25 was so impressed with the sport management program in the that she moved across the country from San Diego to enroll here.

But after just one day in her first sport management class, she was ready to fly back to the West Coast.

Carruthers met with her instructor, Associate Professor , following the class and told her, 鈥淚 don鈥檛 think this is meant for me.鈥� When Pauline asked why, Carruthers said, 鈥淏ecause all of the boys in the class are spitting out facts left and right and I have no idea what they鈥檙e talking about.鈥�

But Pauline, who worked in collegiate athletics before joining 黑料不打烊, saw the same potential in Carruthers that 黑料不打烊 football coach would see two years later. Pauline encouraged Carruthers to keep an open mind and understand that she didn鈥檛 need to know stats, she needed to display 鈥済rit and hustle.鈥�

Hired at the start of her senior year in fall 2024, Justy Carruthers became the youngest director of on-campus recruiting at a school from one of college football鈥檚 four power conferences.

鈥淪he came up to me after every single class and really made her presence known and to work in football, you have to have that presence, right?鈥� Pauline says. 鈥淵ou have to be passionate and motivated and not afraid to speak up. That鈥檚 what has set her apart all along.鈥�

With the help of Pauline鈥檚 professional network, Carruthers spent two years as an intern with the American Hockey League鈥檚 黑料不打烊 Crunch, and the Crunch helped her land a summer internship with the AHL鈥檚 San Diego Gulls. She was working as an intern for the 黑料不打烊 football team when Brown was hired in November 2023, and 10 months later, Brown appointed Carruthers as the youngest director of on-campus recruiting at a Power 4 school鈥揳nd she was just starting her senior year.

Thanks to a whirlwind recruiting class that Brown assembled and Carruthers helped procure, the 2024 Orange enjoyed one of the greatest seasons in program history with a 10-3 record and three wins over top-25 teams.

鈥淪he’s a major part of our program, and the success we had our first year, we wouldn’t have had it without her,鈥� Brown says. 鈥淲e wouldn’t be where we are in the recruiting rankings without Justy.鈥�

鈥楩rom 0 to 100鈥�

So, how did Carruthers get from being a student intern to this integral role? , who supervises Carruthers as 黑料不打烊鈥檚 senior athletic director for football operations, says Carruthers personifies Brown鈥檚 culture of D.A.R.T.: She is Detailed, Accountable, Relentless and Tough.

鈥淚t鈥檚 not the easiest world to work in, college athletics, and especially Power 4 football (made up of the most influential conferences),鈥� says Kelly, who joined Brown鈥檚 staff in March 2024. 鈥淏ut she’s got a confidence about her that really stuck out to me. And she’s been an asset to us ever since I’ve been here.鈥�

When Brown was hired, recruiting 鈥渨ent from 0 to 100,鈥� Carruthers says, and she and another Falk College intern, Cami Pasqualoni 鈥�24, put their recruiting ideas in a binder for Brown to consider and eventually implement.

鈥淚t was nuts,鈥� Carruthers says, 鈥渂ut it taught me so much about myself because our coaches would call me at 1 or 2 in the morning and say, 鈥業 need a kid here by 8 a.m.,鈥� and I鈥檇 have to figure that one out.鈥�

One of those recruits was quarterback Kyle McCord, who was transferring from Ohio State. Carruthers received a call from the player personnel department at around 2:30 a.m. saying that Kyle McCord鈥檚 father was on the phone and they needed to get McCord here as soon as possible.

During a practice in the John A. Lally Athletics Complex, Carruthers (left) confers with Scouting Assistant Alex Kelly (center) and Director of Scouting Aaron Mannici.

Carruthers made all the arrangements for his visit, including a last-minute change after his initial flight was grounded. McCord eventually chose 黑料不打烊, and he set a 黑料不打烊 record and led the NCAA with 4,779 passing yards.

鈥榃orks Itself Out鈥�

Following 黑料不打烊鈥檚 win over Georgia Tech last September, Brown offered Carruthers the full-time job as director of on-campus recruiting and then called her parents to make sure they were comfortable with their daughter working full-time while completing her degree. Carruthers didn鈥檛 accept the job at first because she was concerned about juggling work and academics, but in the end she decided鈥攎uch like she did after her first class as a first-year student鈥攖o embrace the challenge.

鈥淚 flooded my schedule in my freshman and sophomore years and I鈥檓 so happy I did because my junior and senior years were a little bit lighter,鈥� Carruthers says. 鈥淎nd with the teachers I had like (Associate Teaching Professor) , they gave me so much support and grace in the classroom.鈥�

Carruthers鈥� day-to-day duties depend on the time of year as the on-campus recruiting calendar varies throughout the year. But recruits can attend games at any time, and Carruthers plans all aspects of their visits, from flights to rental cars to hotels and even monitoring traffic patterns to ensure they arrive to campus on time. Brown says Carruthers is the most organized person he knows, and he says a recruit鈥檚 visit 鈥渏ust always works itself out the right way.鈥�

It’s remarkable to think that Carruthers, who as a first-year student wasn鈥檛 sure if she could cut it at 黑料不打烊, is now an integral part of what college football experts call one of the most efficient recruiting machines in the country. Football is a results-oriented business, and Brown clearly favors Carruthers鈥� results over her age.

鈥淚 think this has been something that鈥檚 not only shaped me but also shaped the program,鈥� Carruthers says. 鈥淎 lot of our coaches say they learn something new from me every day. They always say, 鈥業 want my daughter to be like you when she鈥檚 older because they joke that I don鈥檛 put up with anything.鈥欌��

I am writing to update you on the search process for 黑料不打烊鈥檚 next chancellor.

I am pleased to announce that trustees Shelly Fisher 鈥�80 and Lisa Fontenelli 鈥�86 will co-chair the search committee. Both currently serve on the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees. Trustee Fisher recently served as chair of the Student Experience Committee and Trustee Fontenelli previously served as chair of the Finance Committee. I am deeply grateful to them for taking on this important responsibility.

We are currently working through the shared governance structures to determine the full makeup of the search committee. We expect to name the committee鈥檚 membership by Sept. 19; shortly thereafter the search will begin.

As Chancellor Kent Syverud shared in his , community input is essential to this process. We will host a series of engagement sessions鈥攂oth in person and virtually鈥攖o gather your suggestions, perspectives and guidance. We are finalizing the schedule and will share more information about these sessions next week.

Additionally, we are in the process of building the Chancellor Search website, which we expect to be live on Sept. 19. There, we will provide updates on all search-related matters, including:

• Biographical information about search committee members
• Details about upcoming engagement sessions
• A survey to share your views with us
• Guidance on contacting our search consultants, Spencer Stuart, with feedback, questions and nominations
• The position profile, which the committee will aim to complete in October after soliciting input from members of the community

Selecting our next chancellor is a critical and exciting moment for 黑料不打烊. Thank you in advance for your engagement and support throughout this process. If you have questions or concerns, please reach out to University Secretary Mary Opperman at opperman@syr.edu.

Sincerely,

Jeff Scruggs
Chairman, Board of Trustees

The Campus Store, located in the Schine Student Center, will open when activities begin on the Kenneth A. Shaw Quadrangle and close shortly after kickoff on game days. The store offers two floors of merchandise, with items available in men, women, youth and unisex categories for fans of all ages.

Campus Store trailers will be available at multiple campus locations. The Quad trailer will offer game day items like foam fingers, beads, temporary tattoos and pom-poms, along with limited apparel options. The Steele Hall trailer will feature apparel and a selection of game day merchandise.

Inside the JMA Wireless Dome, the Orange Shop will be available from gate opening until 15 minutes after the game ends, offering 黑料不打烊 merchandise for all age groups.

The Miron Victory Court, located on the second-level concourse, stocks merchandise before and during the game. Concourse kiosks, located in sections 113, 128, 304, 321 and 334 inside the JMA Dome, also offer last-minute shopping options.

NSF also recognized four faculty members with prestigious.

Duncan Brown, vice president for research, says expanded NSF funding and the selection of four faculty for CAREER recognition is a testament to the strength, quality and innovativeness of research taking place across campus. 鈥淪uch positive outcomes show how important it is that our researchers continue to apply for federal grants. Doing so helps assure that continuing projects can maintain their momentum without interruption and that new research ideas have the support they need to realize societal impact,” says Brown.

CAREER Awards

CAREER Awards are NSF鈥檚 highest recognition for early-career academic professionals. The awards are designed to help recipients build the foundation for a lifetime of leadership and integration of education and research. Receiving the awards this year are:

• , assistant professor of chemistry in the
• , assistant professor of electrical engineering in the
• , assistant professor of physics in the
• , Maxwell Dean Associate Professor of the Politics of AI聽in the

Xiaoran Hu

Hu works on that are super sensitive to mechanical forces and that can show visible signs, like changing color, when they are deformed or damaged. This helps materials report damage on their own and makes it possible to study how subtle force moves through complex systems, such as synthetic plastics and biological materials. He also designs smart materials that adapt their behavior or properties in response to other triggers, such as ultrasound, light or chemicals.

Bryan Kim

Kim aims to bridge the information gap between software systems and hardware devices by embedding implicit hints between systems and devices. The research helps聽improve data storage performance and data retrieval reliability while maintaining compatibility. It supports complex, large-scale computing needs of modern businesses and technologies such as artificial intelligence and big-data analytics.

Mansell builds and fine tunes , the tools that detect the tiny ripples in space caused by cosmic events such as black hole mergers. She also works with a special kind of light called 鈥渟queezed light鈥� that helps make the detectors more precise.

Zhang uses quantitative methods to study how the interests of citizens and technical experts could shape the. She explores the politics of digital technologies regarding AI governance; the international political economy in the age of advanced automation and quantitative social science methods.

Georgia Mansell

Record Year for NSF Funding

The $19.7 million in awards is the highest amount since 2022, according to Chetna Chianese, senior director in the (ORD). She says the success highlights the faculty鈥檚 continued striving for research success regardless of a shifting federal funding landscape.

The NSF funding supports dozens of projects across five schools and colleges in multiple research areas, including:

• An for doctoral students in emergent intelligence biological and bio-inspired systems for the
• A cluster of three projects to support the Center for Gravitational Wave Astronomy and Astrophysics
• One new and two renewed Research Experiences for Undergraduates projects
• A project to further explore new physics at the LHCb experiment at , the European center for nuclear research
• A training program for upskilling photonics technicians in advanced optics and quantum research-enabled technologies
• A project to explore the science of social-psychological processes and AI companionship

Baobao Zhang

Support for Proposals

The Office of Research offers broad support for faculty pursuing sponsored funding, including through , departmental research administrators and ORD. Faculty beginning to pursue external funding and resources to support their research and creative activities can start by working with , who bring deep knowledge of external funders and stakeholders to provide strategic consultations.聽The Office of Research additionally supports faculty through the , which helps them plan, draft and complete their proposals. That program will resume in the spring semester ahead of the summer 2026 deadline.

ORD also provides guidance regarding the ongoing changes to federal funding, the changing federal funding landscape, updates on new executive orders and adjusted administrative policies and regulatory requirements. 鈥淲e are keeping faculty updated via email and an internal SharePoint, but our team can also provide project-specific guidance to principal investigators who reach out to us,鈥� Chianese says.

Faculty聽interested in applying for NSF and other grants can contact the ORD staff at resdev@syr.edu.

Students Nadin Prabhu (left), Gustavo Madero (center) and Nola Roberts participated in meaningful summer internships that taught them valuable lessons and left them energized to pursue their professional goals.

Networking. Building skills. Analyzing data. Solving problems.

Competitive summer internships can help students fine-tune their interests and discover their career ambitions in ways that complement their classroom learning.

Three current students鈥擭adin Prabhu ’27, Gustavo Madero 鈥�26 and Nola Roberts ’27鈥攄iscuss the valuable lessons they learned on the job and how they feel energized to pursue their professional goals.

Nadin Prabhu ’27

Nadin Prabhu

Prabhu is a junior majoring in information management and technology in the and finance in the .

Prabhu is passionate about the financial services industry. After graduating, he wants to build a career that allows him to 鈥渨ork at the intersection of finance, strategy and technology, eventually taking on roles that involve solving complex business problems, advising clients and driving impactful results in the financial space.鈥�

Company: IMA Financial Group, a company that specializes in insurance brokerage and private wealth management. Prabhu worked in the Boston, Massachusetts-based office, focusing primarily on employee benefits.

Responsibilities: As a generalist intern, Prabhu rotated across different divisions, tracking financial revenue, collaborating with the sales and communications teams and working alongside benefits analysts. 鈥淚 gained a comprehensive view of how different teams work together to deliver client value.鈥�

Most important lessons learned: 鈥淭he importance of genuinely connecting with people. When you鈥檙e truly interested in others and bring authenticity to your interactions, it goes a long way in building trust and fostering collaboration. Who you are as a person matters just as much as the technical skills you bring to the table.鈥�

Most valuable piece of advice: 鈥淎lways bring your best because client relationships need to be earned and maintained. Early in your career, be the first one to make coffee and the last one to leave the office. That鈥檚 about showing initiative, humility and a strong work ethic. Every professional experience can equip you with skills and insights that make you better prepared for the future.鈥�

Gustavo A. Madero 鈥�26

Gustavo Madero

Madero is a senior majoring in public relations in the and political science in the .

Once Madero graduates, he plans to enroll in law school, with a goal of becoming an attorney who potentially focuses on immigration law, 鈥渨here I can use both my profession and my skills to assist my community and help families solve their issues.鈥�

Company: Just Legal, a Tokyo-based legal recruitment and search firm that connects legal professionals with opportunities in various environments.

Responsibilities: Helped with administrative tasks like cleaning and sorting their database and writing blog posts for the website. Madero also accompanied his boss to meetings with law firms and met with potential job candidates. 鈥淚 learned firsthand what life was like as an attorney in Tokyo and how the Tokyo job market worked.鈥�

Most important lessons learned: 鈥淗eadhunters know exactly what law firms are looking for in candidates and they help candidates get ready for their interviews. Now, when it is my turn to interview, I understand what sets people apart and what skills I should start developing. I also learned more about the day-to-day life of an attorney. This experience was an eye-opening and valuable learning experience that only solidified my career decision.鈥�

Most valuable piece of advice: 鈥淵our reputation is everything. Whatever you do in life, always carry yourself with professionalism and respect. Never burn a bridge, since you never know what direction life might take you.鈥�

Nola Roberts ’27

Nola Roberts

Roberts is a junior studying public relations in the Newhouse School and political science in the Maxwell School.

After graduating, Roberts plans to work at a public relations agency that represents law firms, attorneys and/or health care agencies. Once she earns a law degree, Roberts wants to pursue a career in either intellectual property or entertainment law. She says her summer internship 鈥渉elped me build the fundamental public relations skills that will be needed in future roles.鈥�

Company: Rosen Group PR is a public relations and communications agency based in New York City that provides counsel and campaigns for media relations, thought leadership, special events, social media, strategic consulting and policy advocacy.

Responsibilities: Roberts worked on three main accounts鈥擣irst National Bank of Omaha, Bethel Woods Center for the Arts and Shanken Communications鈥攚hile contributing to other client projects, including work for individual authors, nonprofits and creative agencies. Roberts participated in client meetings, wrote and tracked coverage reports, drafted media pitches, contacted journalists, built targeted media lists, prepared award submissions and researched business and media trends.

Most important lessons learned: 鈥�I learned how to work in a fast-paced public relations environment and had the opportunity to fully immerse myself in the media world. I gained incredible hands-on experience in the field and fundamental skills I鈥檒l carry with me into future roles. I also learned the importance of building trusted client relationships and collaborative relationships with my team members.鈥�

Most valuable piece of advice: 鈥淭he importance of communication. Teams simply cannot function efficiently without proper communication on projects to meet deadlines. Maintaining strong, open communication with clients is crucial, as their needs are the top priority.鈥�

The faculty members are:

• , William L. Safire Professor of Modern Letters in the
• , vice chancellor for strategic initiatives and innovation, executive dean of the and Barnes Professor of Entrepreneurship
• , Gerald B. Cramer Faculty Scholar in Aging Studies and director of the聽 in the

Dympna Callaghan

Callaghan has published widely on the playwrights and poets of the English Renaissance. She has held distinguished fellowships on three continents, including the Folger, Huntington and Newberry Libraries, the Getty Research Centre and the Bogliasco Center for Arts and Humanities. She is a life member of Clare Hall, Cambridge University, a core editorial team member of A/S/I/A (Asian Shakespeare Intercultural Archive), lead editor of the A/S/I/A gender collection and co-editor of the聽Palgrave Shakespeare聽book series. In 2012-13, she served as president of the Shakespeare Association of America. Currently, she is writing about the relationship between poetic fluency and freedom of speech and Shakespeare in the American Civil War.

J. Michael Haynie

Haynie, a senior member of the University鈥檚 leadership team for more than a decade, is a leading scholar of innovation, entrepreneurial decision-making and business strategy, and is responsible for a diverse portfolio of academic programs, innovation initiatives and administrative functions. In 2011, he founded the as the nation鈥檚 first interdisciplinary academic institute created to advance the policy, economic and wellness concerns of veterans and their families. Today, the institute鈥檚 national training programs serve 25,000 transitioning service members, veterans and military spouses annually. In 2021, he was awarded the Chancellor鈥檚 Medal for his leadership of the University鈥檚 response to the COVID-19 pandemic. He was also part of the statewide team that brought Micron Technology鈥檚 new, $100 billion production facility to 黑料不打烊.

Jennifer Karas Montez

Montez has extensive expertise in demography, political economy, population health and life course and aging topics. Her research examines the large and growing inequalities in adult mortality across education levels and geographic areas within the United States, including why those trends are particularly worrisome for women, for people without a college degree and for those living in states in the South and Midwest. She also studies whether and why experiences in childhood, such as poverty and abuse, have enduring consequences for health during later life.

She is co-director of the Policy, Place, and Population Health Lab in the Maxwell School, and is a faculty associate of the and a research affiliate at the and the .

Fewer than 20 individuals have been recognized as University Professors. Appointments are made by the Chancellor and the Board of Trustees.

Former men’s basketball standout Carmelo Anthony (center) delivers remarks during his induction Saturday night into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts. (Photo courtesy of )

We want to know how you experience 黑料不打烊. Take a photo and share it with us. We select photos from a variety of sources. Submit photos of your University experience by sending them directly to 黑料不打烊 at newsphoto@syr.edu. You might see it featured here.

Staff members gather to pass out giveaways at Faculty and Staff Appreciation Day, celebrated at the Sept. 6 football game. (Photo by Amy Manley)

NASA Astronaut Col. Eileen Collins, U.S. Air Force, Retired, 鈥�78, H鈥�01 (front row in a purple jacket), discussed her career, what goes into commanding a space shuttle and the possibilities for the future of space travel during a recent talk with current Engineering and Computer Science students. (Photo courtesy of the )

The Office of Veteran and Military Affairs hosted the 11th annual Stars and Stripes Tailgate before the football team defeated Connecticut in its home opener. The event brings together military-connected community members from across the region in celebration of school spirit and camaraderie. (Photo courtesy of the )

Students participating in the Daniel and Gayle D’Aniello 黑料不打烊 Program in Florence get to know each other on arrival day. (Photo by Sasha Perugini)

A staff member from the Special Collections Research Center engages with an attendee at the Libraries’ Welcome Fest. (Photo by Amy Manley)

Staff members at the Daniel and Gayle D’Aniello 黑料不打烊 Program in Florence were eager to greet the newest 黑料不打烊 Abroad program participants on arrival day. (Photo by Sasha Perugini)

Members of the 黑料不打烊 Posse Miami 12 cohort pose for a celebratory group photo during the Moving Up Ceremony. (Photo by Kal Srinivas)

Fans of 黑料不打烊’s football team came together to cheer on the Orange before the team’s season-opener against Tennessee in the Aflac Kickoff Game in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo courtesy of the )

What a gorgeous view of the Quad on a late summer day! (Photo by Mona Eikel-Pohen)

Professor Carlota Toledo (right) was finally able to meet Otto during the College of Law’s New Student Orientation in August. (Photo submitted by Carlota Toledo)

Ooh those Sweet Maia apples look delicious and ready to be picked from Owens Orchards in Weedsport. (Photo by Keith Kobland)

Chief Spencer Ohsgo帽:da鈥� Lyons of the Onondaga Hawk clan was the featured speaker at this year’s Haudenosaunee Welcome Gathering, honoring the Six Nations whose ancestral lands 黑料不打烊 stands on. (Photo by Amy Manley)

Haudenosaunee Welcome Gathering on the Quad (Photo by Amy Manley)

Community members joined together at the Haudenosaunee Welcome Gathering on the first day of classes. (Photo by Amy Manley)

The classic “first-day-of-school” photo opportunity, but make it the college version. (Photo by Amy Manley)

Celebrating the first day of 13th grade at the Day One Celebration (Photo by Amy Manley)

Members of the women’s volleyball team hit the books on the first day of classes. (Photo courtesy of the )

First Day of School photo opportunity, but make it the college version. (Photo by Amy Manley)

One of our favorite traditions on campus is when the members of the incoming class spell out a giant block 鈥淪鈥� during the Dome Sweet Dome event! Welcome to the Orange聽family, Class of 2029! (Photo courtesy of )

Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences chair Gregory Hoke (center) and Professor Linda Ivany (right) greet a new College of Arts and Sciences (A&S) student during the Experience A&S | Maxwell Welcome Week event on the Quad. (Photo courtesy of the )

Head men’s basketball coach Adrian Autry ’95 delivers a passionate speech to fire up the Class of 2029 during the Dome Sweet Dome event. (Photo by Amy Manley)

Students in the 黑料不打烊 Bands perform during the annual Citrus in the City event in downtown 黑料不打烊. (Photo courtesy of the )

Otto poses with incoming students who are part of an Orange legacy family during the annual Orange Alumni Family Reception. (Photo courtesy of the )

We love seeing a room full of Orange legacy families! (Photo courtesy of the )

New and returning student veterans and military-connected students got together during the Office of Veteran and Military Affairs’ Military-Connected Student Orientation and Resource Fair. (Photo courtesy of the )

More than 550 student-athletes and their coaches pose for a department photo before the start of the academic year. (Photo courtesy of )

New students met with representatives from over 50 student organizations during the Orange Blast Involvement Fair on the Quad. (Photo by Amy Manley)

Students and family members mingle during the David B. Falk College of Sport open house. (Photo courtesy of the )

New students get to know each other on the Quad during the annual New Student Ice Cream Social. (Photo courtesy of the )

Enjoying a moment of quiet solitude before the hustle and bustle of the fall semester begins. (Photo by Amy Manley)

Students in the hybrid art therapy M.S. program created body maps, using a visual representation of the body to express personal experiences, during a recent on-campus residency. (Photo courtesy of the )

At the heart of The 黑料不打烊 Promise is a transformative matching program that empowers donors to enhance their impact and deepen their commitment to student success. Fueled by two generous unrestricted estate gifts, the University is offering a 1:2 match for contributions supporting scholarship endowments, in particular. Eligible gifts include contributions of $100,000 or more that establish new endowed scholarships, and $50,000 or more to enhance and sustain existing ones.

Meeting the Need

Today, 78% of 黑料不打烊 students receive some form of financial aid, and in recent years, the University has reduced the average student debt burden by more than 10%. The University also takes pride in meeting the demonstrated financial need of every incoming student, but the type of aid provided鈥攕cholarships and grants compared to loans鈥攊s a major factor in its ability to attract the best students. This underscores the importance of growing and sustaining permanent funding sources in perpetuity.

鈥淓ndowed gifts provide 鈥榝orever funding鈥� that grows over time and insulates both students and the University from external factors like world events and economic uncertainty,鈥� says Tracy Barlok, senior vice president and chief advancement officer. 鈥淚nstitutions with more endowment funding per student are positioned for greater success and long-term security, and The 黑料不打烊 Promise gives our donors an excellent opportunity to partner with us in building lasting support for future generations of students.鈥�

Donors Embrace The 黑料不打烊 Promise

The simplicity of the match program boosts its appeal. Donors can establish new endowed funds or strengthen existing ones.

Pictured with their family, 黑料不打烊 Trustee Jeannine Lostritto 鈥�90 and her husband, Glenn, were the first donors to The 黑料不打烊 Promise initiative.

From the moment they learned of The 黑料不打烊 Promise initiative, University Trustee Jeannine Lostritto 鈥�90 and her husband, Glenn, wanted to lead by example. The first donors to support The 黑料不打烊 Promise, they made an additional gift to their Lostritto Family Endowed Scholarship, which supports undergraduate students in the School of Architecture and was established a few years ago.

The Lostrittos, who also established a current-use fund that supports architecture students studying abroad, were particularly drawn to The 黑料不打烊 Promise initiative for its ability to grow their endowed fund and provide a greater, lasting level of financial support to students.

鈥淲e started this scholarship because we believe in the power of education to change lives,鈥� says Jeannine Lostritto. 鈥淭he School of Architecture is so important to us because students arrive with a clear purpose, and over the course of the challenging five-year program, they grow not only as professionals but as a close community that feels more like family.鈥�

Lostritto isn鈥檛 alone in recognizing the familial nature of the architecture community and how it motivates others. Bernard Armstrong III 鈥�85 was a peer advisor to Christopher Baylow 鈥�88, P鈥�24 during their student years, and helped him through a challenging time. When Armstrong made a 黑料不打烊 Promise gift expanding the School of Architecture 150 Global Study Endowed Scholarship, which he established a few years ago in honor of the school鈥檚 150th anniversary, Baylow felt inspired to make his own gift in appreciation for their lasting friendship. Their combined gifts, with the match contribution, will provide $225,000 in additional funding for the already-endowed scholarship, which supports undergraduate students with preference to those studying abroad in Florence, Italy.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a critical skill for aspiring architects to understand the influence of purposeful design across various communities, cultures and historical periods. I鈥檝e been fortunate to live in and travel to many parts of the world, and I鈥檓 thrilled to give 黑料不打烊 students the opportunity to develop these global perspectives,鈥� Armstrong says. 鈥淚鈥檓 also deeply grateful to my friend, Chris, for his support and shared belief in helping this next generation of talented architects.鈥�

The 黑料不打烊 Promise initiative is especially powerful for those who wish to make an enduring endowment-level gift but who might not have previously thought it possible. 聽For Joe 鈥�84 and Linda Bockskopf, The 黑料不打烊 Promise match put their desire to create an endowed scholarship in reach, and they鈥檙e delighted to provide enduring support for SU students.

The daughter of Italian immigrants, whose own college experience was made possible by a full scholarship, Linda knows the life-changing impact of scholarship support. The Joseph T. Bockskopf 鈥�84 and Linda D. Bockskopf Endowed Scholarship supports SUSTAIN Scholars in the College of Arts and Sciences. The SUSTAIN program enhances undergraduate STEM student learning, academic performance, retention to graduation, and STEM career or higher education placement.

鈥淟inda and I wanted to give back and help SUSTAIN Scholars who might not have the financial resources to attend SU,鈥� says Joe Bockskopf. 鈥淲e wanted to endow a scholarship, but we were unsure about the timing of when to begin. We preferred to do something during our lifetime so we could see the benefit the scholarship would have for students. The 黑料不打烊 Promise initiative presented an opportunity that was too good to let pass, and the matching funds will enhance what we鈥檝e donated to provide even greater support.鈥�

Like the Bockskopfs, Robert 鈥�85 and Teresa Heitsenrether recognize the power of education and the need to create opportunity for bright students regardless of their financial circumstances. They established the Robert and Teresa Heitsenrether Endowed Scholarship Fund to support first-generation college students pursuing undergraduate degrees at any of 黑料不打烊鈥檚 schools and colleges.

鈥淎s a first-generation college student myself, I understand the transformative power of a 黑料不打烊 education. While I have been making annual gifts to existing SU scholarship funds, I wanted to make a greater impact and help make an SU education more affordable for first-generation students,鈥� says Robert Heitsenrether. 鈥淢y wife and I were considering funding a scholarship over time, but when we became aware of The 黑料不打烊 Promise initiative we decided to fully fund a scholarship up front to take advantage of the matching funds. We hope to continue growing the impact of our scholarship over time with additional contributions to the scholarship.鈥�

Scholarships can support students pursuing advanced degrees too. Stephanie D. Jones L鈥�03 established the Spirit of Sankofa – Stephanie D. Jones L鈥�03 Endowed Law Scholarship for students in the College of Law, with preference for residential students who are in leadership positions of student associations in which she participated. Wanting to make an impact as soon as possible, Jones has fully funded the scholarship, and the College of Law expects to begin awarding the scholarship to a student in Spring 2026.

鈥淏eing in student leadership at the College of Law was an invaluable kickstart to my legal career and professional development,鈥� Jones says. 鈥淲hile 鈥榮ankofa鈥� has several meanings, to me it means moving forward while never forgetting the learnings of the past. It is my honor, knowing how much student leadership did for me, to support generations of SU law students in their leadership journeys through the Spirit of Sankofa scholarship.鈥�

Reflecting on the outpouring of generosity from donors since the launch of the initiative, Barlok says it demonstrates the true connection of the Orange community. 鈥淢any of our donors were once students who received scholarship support themselves, or family members of SU students, and their own 黑料不打烊 experiences inspired them to carry the tradition of giving forward. This is the exact kind of engagement and support that The 黑料不打烊 Promise symbolizes, and we hope it compels others to join in this partnership.鈥�

To learn more about The 黑料不打烊 Promise scholarship fundraising initiative, contact Lynn Vanderhoek at 315.443.9236 or Lavander@syr.edu.

Otto poses with an incoming student who is part of an Orange legacy family during the annual Orange Alumni Family Reception. (Photo courtesy of the 黑料不打烊 Alumni Association鈥檚 Facebook page)

How does it feel to follow in your older sibling’s footsteps at the same university? SU News wanted to know so we asked five pairs of siblings鈥攅ach including one who already graduated and one who is just starting their Orange journey鈥攖o reflect on their Welcome Week experiences and share how they will be forever connected by 黑料不打烊.

Gabe 鈥�29 and Shalom Acheampong 鈥�25

Shalom Acheampong

When siblings Shalom ’25 and Gabe ’29 Acheampong both chose civil engineering in the as their field of study and Shaw Hall as their home, they started to create a powerful Orange legacy.

From their hometown of Manchester, Connecticut, both found their paths converging at 黑料不打烊 in ways that would transform not just their academic futures, but their family bond.

For Shalom, she remembers her journey began with Welcome Week connections to upperclassmen who shared invaluable advice and resources, giving her the confidence to navigate college life.

Gabe Acheampong

She shared her own advice to her brother: 鈥淵our path is your own. Don鈥檛 compare yourself to others. Everyone is figuring things out in their own way. Don鈥檛 be afraid to reach out for support or share your experiences.鈥�

Her transformation from an introverted first-year student to a confident 黑料不打烊 student didn’t go unnoticed back home. “Seeing how she came back with a different demeanor and more confidence showed me how impactful being part of the 黑料不打烊 community can be,” Gabe says.

For Gabe, carrying on this Orange legacy represents profound honor and pride. “It means the world to me,” he says. “I’m very proud of what my sister did here. She laid out what I need to do to be a successful student.”

Elena 鈥�23 and Peter Biglan 鈥�29

Peter Biglan

From helping with move-in during Welcome Week and catching up over Family Weekend to celebrating at Commencement, Peter Biglan 鈥�29 enjoyed making the trip from Zionsville, Indiana, to visit his sister, Elena 鈥�23, at 黑料不打烊. As Peter contemplated what he wanted from his college experience, he quickly realized his search started and ended with 黑料不打烊.

鈥淲atching my sister鈥檚 experience showed me how strong the academic and career support is, and that 黑料不打烊 can help me reach my goals,鈥� says Peter, a supply chain management major in the and Flint Hall resident.

Elena Biglan

Forming a strong bond with her Sadler Hall roommate provided Elena with a companion to explore campus and a lifelong friend. It also facilitated a smooth transition to college. That鈥檚 part of her advice to her brother as he begins his Orange journey.

鈥淎djusting can take some time as you navigate new academic and social landscapes. However, give it a few months, and you’ll find yourself feeling right at home,鈥� says Elena, who earned a policy studies and citizenship and civic engagement degree from the .

Peter admits it鈥檚 special knowing he is continuing the Orange tradition his sister started. 鈥満诹喜淮蜢� is more than just a university; it鈥檚 a community and a legacy that connects us both,鈥� he says.

Miren 鈥�20 and Rem Chenevert 鈥�29

Rem Chenevert

The age gap between Miren 鈥�20 and Rem Chenevert 鈥�29 is 10 years. While the two were close growing up in San Antonio, Texas, Rem felt like their hobbies and experiences rarely overlapped.

Not anymore. With Rem pursuing a public relations degree in the , now 鈥渨e have something we both can relate to. We share 黑料不打烊. Even though our experiences will be different, I鈥檓 happy to have her as another 黑料不打烊 mentor,鈥� says Rem, a Sadler Hall resident.

The camaraderie found in her Living Learning Community in Lawrinson Hall helped open doors and made Miren feel welcomed from the minute she stepped onto her floor.

Miren Chenevert

鈥淓veryone had their doors propped open, going from room to room to meet each other and see if anyone needed help getting set up. I am still close friends with a few of my floormates,鈥� Miren says.

When it comes to her own advice to her brother, it鈥檚 important to 鈥渆njoy and cherish every moment shared with friends in the dining hall, every Juice Jam, every freezing walk and every football and basketball game,鈥� says Miren, who graduated with a psychology and forensic science degrees from the .

Ashley 鈥�25 and Chloe Kim 鈥�29

Chloe Kim

Chloe Kim 鈥�29 always looked up to her older sister, Ashley 鈥�25, as they were growing up in Cresskill, New Jersey. After watching her sister grow as a student and a leader through hands-on learning opportunities, including a valuable immersion trip to Los Angeles, Chloe followed in Ashley鈥檚 footsteps to 黑料不打烊.

鈥満诹喜淮蜢� supports its students and pushes them to achieve their academic and personal goals, and I wanted to be part of a community where I can challenge myself, make meaningful connections and flourish,鈥� says Chloe, a resident of Lawrinson Hall.

Those meaningful connections began for Ashley when she attended Citrus in the City as part of Welcome Week with fellow first-year students living in DellPlain Hall.

Ashley Kim

鈥淲elcome Week created the foundation of friendships and connections that shaped my entire 黑料不打烊 experience,鈥� says Ashley, who graduated with a nutrition degree from the Falk College.

Ashley鈥檚 advice to Chloe is to 鈥済et involved as much as you can, as early as you can,鈥� she says. 鈥淭here are so many clubs, organizations and opportunities to help you find your community.鈥�

鈥淚 feel honored and excited to not only continue but also share this Orange legacy,鈥� Chloe says. 鈥淚 can鈥檛 wait to create my own experiences while following in her footsteps.鈥�

Luke 鈥�25 and Sophia Lybarger 鈥�29

Luke Lybarger

After moving into his room in Flint Hall, Luke Lybarger 鈥�25 embraced the chance to make new friends and enjoyed connecting with people from diverse backgrounds.

It was one of the many perks of Welcome Week, where 鈥渞esidence life felt like a melting pot I had never experienced before, giving me plenty of opportunities to start building friendships right away,鈥� says Luke, who earned an information management and technology degree from the .

Those friendships and lifelong connections were evident to Sophia Lybarger 鈥�29 whenever she traveled to 黑料不打烊 from their hometown of Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania.

Sophia Lybarger

鈥淓very time I visited, I fell even more in love with the University鈥檚 beauty and its lively, welcoming atmosphere. Luke played a large role in my decision to attend 黑料不打烊, and I am extremely grateful for his advice and support,鈥� says Sophia, who is enrolled in the Whitman School.

Like her brother, Sophia will reside in Flint Hall during her first year. Sharing the 黑料不打烊 experience makes Sophia feel 鈥渆ven more connected to my brother and excited to follow in his footsteps,鈥� and makes Luke proud that his sister 鈥渃hose the perfect place to grow and call home. 黑料不打烊 shaped me into who I am today, so it means a lot to know she鈥檚 part of that same community,鈥� he says.

Dhuha Thabet, an SCSD Say Yes to Education student, interned with the Whitman School of Management’s Couri Hatchery Student Business Incubator. (Photo courtesy of Indaria Jones)

This summer, a group of high school students from the 黑料不打烊 City School District (SCSD) had the opportunity to get a head start on their futures with a paid internship at 黑料不打烊, where they gained hands-on experience in various fields by working across campus as part of the summer internship program.

Summer interns are selected from a pool of candidates and placed in campus positions aligned with their desired career pathway. Each of the five SCSD high schools鈥擭ottingham, Henninger, Corcoran, ITC and PSLA鈥攚ere involved this year, with representation from the district鈥檚 Career and Technical Education (CTE) program, as well as students eligible for the Say Yes to Education scholarship program.

Interns spent their summer working closely with professionals at the University and learned more about the careers they hope to pursue. Aside from experiential learning, they also had the opportunity to start building their professional networks and connecting with the campus community.

Quindell Williams, workforce development coach in the SCSD鈥檚 CTE program, praised the summer internship program, saying, 鈥淭he partnership between SCSD Career and Technical Education and 黑料不打烊 is one that not only makes perfect sense, but one that we hope to continue to nurture as our CTE programs grow and expand. The program allows our students to engage with professionals, gain hands-on work experience and earn money in the process. Opportunities like this are what CTE is all about鈥攑reparing our students for success in the workforce!鈥�

Ryan Sojewicz, a media communications CTE student from ITC High School (third from left), poses with staff from WAER-FM. (Photo courtesy of Holliday Moore)

Now in its fifth year, the summer internship program has led to successful outcomes for participants. Students who participated in the program have a near-100% graduation rate. Many of these students graduated with their high school diploma and successfully transitioned into their career field well-equipped with skills and experience from the summer program.

Others developed the desire to attend 黑料不打烊 after graduation and have accomplished that goal. There are currently summer internship program alumni studying in the , , and , with even more interns who completed the program in 2025 and are excited to return to campus as students鈥攁ll starting with their summer internship opportunity.

The program鈥檚 positive impact is not limited only to the young people who participate. Hosting departments across campus are happy to get to share their experience and expertise with passionate students who are eager to learn.

Holliday Moore, news and public affairs director at , says, 鈥淥ver the years in the news profession, academic and coaching arenas, I鈥檝e noticed that many high schoolers begin developing their dreams and ambitions well before they enter high school, and some don鈥檛. I strongly believe that it鈥檚 important we show them the opportunities and choices ahead of them before they enter college. Ryan [Sojewicz, a media communications CTE student from ITC High School] is one of those developing students whose curiosity is ignited. We enjoyed having him on staff and showing him how the news industry at an NPR affiliate gets it done. I am looking forward to him hitting the ground running wherever his ambition takes him. We hope it鈥檚 here at WAER!鈥�

SCSD Say Yes to Education student Mia Leo (center in back row) poses with the School of Education Office of Academic and Student Services team. (Photo courtesy of Shannon Botsford)

Troy Provost, a business technology CTE student from Nottingham High School (third from left), poses with staff from the Office of Human Resources. (Photo courtesy of Kajsa Parker Kenney)

Story by Paige Altman

Students with Otto’s Army cheer on the 黑料不打烊 football team in the JMA Wireless Dome.

Whenever a 黑料不打烊 team plays inside the JMA Wireless Dome, they feed off the energy provided by Otto鈥檚 Army, the passionate group of students who transform the JMA Dome into the Loud House.

Otto鈥檚 Army is one of the nearly 310 (RSOs) and on campus. For students looking to get involved, whatever hobbies or extracurricular pursuits pique your curiosity, chances are good there鈥檚 a student organization that aligns with your interests.

One of the best resources for students looking to connect with recognized student organizations is the upcoming , held Sept. 9-11 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the Kenneth A. Shaw Quadrangle. Meet with club leaders to learn more about each organization and explore campus resources.

Student representatives from University Union showcase their organization during the Fall Involvement Fair on the Quad. (Photo by Jeremy Brinn)

Take a Spin. Combat Hunger. Spread Kindness Through Letter Writing.

• Do you have the need for speed? Members of spend their days designing, building and testing off-road vehicles in a competition against students from other universities around the world.
• Interested in doing your part to combat hunger in 黑料不打烊? The at the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry and 黑料不打烊 is always searching for students to collect unserved dining hall food and deliver it to people in need.
• Feeling stressed by the start of the academic year? Students with spread love and kindness by distributing bundles of supportive handwritten letters during select times each semester, including finals.

惭辞谤别鈥�

Or check out these organizations: There鈥檚 a club for students interested in learning more about beekeeping (the ), perfumes and colognes (the ), remote controlled cars, drones and planes (the ), training and raising service dogs () and even a club dedicated to the hit CBS reality show, 鈥淪urvivor鈥� ().

If Greek life is for you, the University is also home to more than 60 fraternities and sororities that offer members community, scholarship, leadership and service.

Can鈥檛 find an organization that suits your interests? It鈥檚 easy to . Look for like-minded people around campus and form a new way for students to get involved.

Students gather information about the different clubs and organizations on campus, like OrangeSeeds, during the Fall Involvement Fair on the Quad. (Photo by Angela Ryan)

IconicCloud wins $10,000 at 2024 ‘Cuse Tank competition.

To participate in any of the LaunchPad competitions, the first step is to 鈥樷�� by signing up to receive our emails about upcoming opportunities. Joining the LaunchPad is free, easy and open to all members of the University community.

Below is more information about the scheduled competitions during the Fall 2025 Semester (all competitions held in Bird Library, unless otherwise noted):

• Ideas Fest on Friday, Sept. 12, 12:30-3:30 p.m.: Pitch your idea in 90 seconds for a chance to win $500! Ideas Fest is your chance to pitch your business, project or idea in just 90 seconds. No executive summary or pitch deck is required鈥攋ust bring your idea and your passion. .
• 鈥機use Tank on Friday, Sept. 26, 2-5 p.m.: This Shark-Tank style business pitch is open to all student entrepreneurial teams, with judges comprised of University members and LaunchPad affiliates. Teams deliver a four-minute pitch idea for a chance to win more than $10,000 in prizes.
• Orange Central Student Startup Showcase on Friday, Oct. 17, 11 a.m.-2 p.m.: Students are invited to showcase their ventures and products with our 黑料不打烊 alumni. Alumni are given fake 鈥楥use Cash to “invest” in student start-ups. The top three student entrepreneurs receiving the most 鈥楥use Cash investments will receive cash prizes.
• Halloween Freelance Small Business Competition on Friday, Oct. 31, noon-3 p.m.:聽Student entrepreneurs building a creative career, side hustle, providing consulting services or creating a product or service are invited to compete in the Halloween Freelance Small Business competition. Open to all undergraduate and graduate students, participants present their business, previous work and the unique value they bring to their product or service market for a chance to win cash and non-cash prizes.聽
• Impact Prize on Wednesday, Nov. 19, noon-3 p.m.:聽Open to 黑料不打烊 and SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry undergraduate and graduate students who are taking entrepreneurship courses at 黑料不打烊 working on ventures with a social impact (such as energy, environment, employment, education and training, health and mental health, community and social networks, social inclusion, poverty and literacy, youth empowerment, food, sustainability, access, etc.) and ventures that support important public policy goals. Competitors will present a brief (four to five minutes) presentation followed by a Q&A from judges for a chance to win up to $15,000 in prizes.

LaunchPad staff and mentors are available to support student entrepreneurs, founders, innovators and creatives interested in participating in LaunchPad competitions. There are a number of scheduled workshops available in the LaunchPad around presentation skills, pitch preparation, business development ideas and other skill-building opportunities. For more information on competitions or how you can get involved with the LaunchPad, contact launchpad@syr.edu.

Sarah McCoubrey

The exhibition features a survey of McCoubrey’s exploration of a variety of media and output, including themes of ecology, technology, landscape and humanity. This retrospective exhibition examines McCoubrey’s career, showcasing her well-known landscape paintings alongside recent and never-before-seen paintings and drawings.

“Sarah has made a lasting impact not only on the landscape art genre but also on the lives and careers of countless students and members of the 黑料不打烊 community,” says Emily Dittman, director of the 黑料不打烊 Art Museum, reflecting on McCoubrey’s impact on the University’s campus. “We are proud to showcase the breadth of her creative achievements and the profound influence she continues to have as both an artist and educator.”

The exhibition is timely for McCoubrey, who recently attained professor emeritus status after 34 years as a professor of painting in the College of Visual and Performing Arts. Over the course of her career, she has been represented by the Locks Gallery in Philadelphia and has held significant solo exhibitions at institutions including the Everson Museum of Art, the Clifford Gallery at Colgate College, The Bannister Gallery at Rhode Island College, the Luther Brady Gallery at George Washington University, and the Morris Gallery at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. McCoubrey has also been the recipient of prestigious awards and fellowships including both a 2010 and 2004 New York Foundation for the Arts Fellowship in Painting and a 2006 New York State Council for the Arts Fellowship.

Fellow 黑料不打烊 professor 补苍诲听Currents聽curator Andrew Saluti notes that McCoubrey’s work explores diverse themes and media with unexpected range. Saluti continues, “[McCoubrey] nimbly exposes the seriousness of man-made environmental disaster alongside the playfulness of a flying potato escaping that same terrible terrain, inviting us into a world that is both beautiful and disturbing, amusing and sober. As an educator, she has inspired generations of emerging artists in the College of Visual and Performing Arts at 黑料不打烊 to think beyond traditional approaches and to be fearless in that process.”

“Currents: Sarah McCoubrey” will be on display until Sept. 18.

As a new academic year begins, I鈥檝e been thinking a lot about what lies ahead鈥攏ot just for our University, but for me personally and professionally. After much reflection, I鈥檝e decided that I will step down as chancellor and president of 黑料不打烊 in June 2026.

Serving this University has been the greatest privilege of my career. For a native New Yorker who grew up just west of here in Irondequoit, the opportunity to lead 黑料不打烊 has been both humbling and profoundly meaningful, and in many ways like coming home.

For more than 12 years I have witnessed the people who make up this great university perform miracles every day. You have launched innovative academic programs, hired hundreds of new faculty, and advanced research addressing the world鈥檚 biggest challenges. 黑料不打烊 is now known as a national leader in supporting veterans and military-connected families. From the National Veterans Resource Center and the Barnes Center at The Arch, to the reimagined JMA Wireless Dome and a revitalized Schine Student Center, you have transformed our campus into a more dynamic and vibrant living and learning environment. Applications and enrollment have reached record levels. And together, we have confronted one of the most disruptive decades in the history of higher education, including navigating a once-in-a-century global pandemic that required more of our people than ever before. I marvel at the extraordinary talent of our Orange community. And you鈥檝e done all this while putting the University in strong financial shape, with truly balanced budgets and record fundraising.

These accomplishments belong to all of us. I am especially grateful to my leadership team, our faculty and staff, our students, and our deeply committed alumni. Your passion and dedication power 黑料不打烊 every day. I also want to express my heartfelt thanks to the Board of Trustees for the faith they placed in me back in 2013 and for their trust and partnership over the years. And to my wife, Dr. Ruth Chen, thank you for your steadfast commitment to this community, and for your many contributions鈥攏ot only as my partner, but as a teacher, mentor, and advocate.

As we look to the future, I have one important request. Over the next year, the Board of Trustees will be selecting my successor. I encourage each of you to engage fully and thoughtfully with the Board of Trustees as they lead this important search. Your voices, perspectives, and aspirations for the future are vital to selecting a leader who will build upon our shared accomplishments and guide 黑料不打烊 forward.

There is still more to do, and I鈥檓 energized for this final year. We will continue advancing, building, and achieving, together as One University. Although our time in leadership will end next June, Ruth and I will always be part of this extraordinary Orange community. We will remain Forever Orange.

With gratitude,

Chancellor Kent Syverud

A fan watches a 黑料不打烊 vs. Notre Dame football game in the JMA Wireless Dome. (Photo by Marilyn Hesler)

An innovative initiative focusing on the power of sport fandom for character development has been awarded more than $800,000 in funding through a 2025 from the Educating Character Initiative, part of Wake Forest University鈥檚 Program for Leadership and Character, which is supported by Lilly Endowment Inc. The grant will fund Character Development through Sport Fan Engagement, a project developed by , professor and dean of the , and the , vice president and dean of , who are co-principal investigators.

Interim Vice Chancellor, Provost and Chief Academic Officer Lois Agnew says the project leverages the University鈥檚 existing strengths in sport-related academic research and teaching while drawing on themes outlined in the academic strategic plan, particularly human thriving. 鈥淭his project has the potential to engage individuals across our campus community鈥攕tudents, faculty and staff鈥攁nd promote the respectful exchange of ideas around the concepts of fandom and character development,鈥� she says.

This significant award recognizes 黑料不打烊鈥檚 commitment to fostering holistic student development and leveraging the unique environment of collegiate sport fandom for character education. The project aims to cultivate ethical reasoning, teamwork, empathy and a stronger sense of community among undergraduate students by engaging them in the social, emotional and cultural dimensions of sport fandom. Ultimately, the project has the potential to not only transform fandom at 黑料不打烊, but also to become a national model for ethical and inclusive fan engagement throughout sport.

鈥淭his project represents a truly collaborative effort across 黑料不打烊 to push past the boundaries of knowledge by uniting spiritual inquiry and sport scholarship to explore how the passion of sport fandom can be a powerful catalyst for human flourishing,鈥� Konkol says. 鈥淲e believe that by focusing on the virtue of teamwork, we can help our students not only understand鈥攂ut also actively practice鈥攖he values that build stronger communities.鈥�

黑料不打烊, with its dynamic athletics program, is uniquely positioned to host this initiative. 鈥淪port fandom, particularly in the vibrant atmosphere of NCAA Division I athletics, offers an unparalleled real-time context for character education,鈥� Jordan says. 鈥淭his grant allows us to harness that energy to teach fairness, loyalty, leadership, humility and sportsmanship in ways that deeply resonate with our students鈥� lived experiences. We are excited to contribute to a national conversation about the role of sport in character formation.鈥�

The project will include a series of structured educational and experiential components, co-designed with student leaders, including peer-led workshops, team-based challenges, game-day campaigns and reflective discussions, all centered on the character virtue of teamwork. Its structure emphasizes inclusive participation across diverse student populations and encourages cross-campus collaboration among students, faculty and athletics staff.

鈥淐ultivating individuals of character who embody teamwork benefits our university and our students but also strengthens our athletics program,鈥� says John Wildhack, 黑料不打烊 director of athletics. 鈥淭his initiative will help us learn more about fan behavior and encourage students to develop lifelong connections to the traditions and teams that define the Orange Nation. Passionate and dedicated fans are essential for our teams to compete at the highest levels.鈥�

The program will also include a multi-year research study, The Impact of Sport Fandom on Character Development Among College Students: A Multi-dimensional Analysis Using the Psychological Continuum Model, which is intended to address a critical gap in existing literature.

Beyond its well-recognized athletics program, 黑料不打烊 has evolved its sport-focused educational offerings and is redefining the future of sport research, education and innovation. In July, the Falk College became the nation鈥檚 first standalone college of sport on a Research 1 campus. Singular in focus, global in reach and designed for the future, the Falk College aims to be the top academic and research institution in sport.

Hendricks Chapel, known as the spiritual heart of 黑料不打烊, serves as a global home for religious, spiritual, moral and ethical life. Established in 1930 as a home for all faiths and place for all people, the chapel sponsors over 2,000 programs for more than a million annual attendees to help prepare engaged citizens, scholars and leaders for participation in a changing global society.

Other participating units include the , the School of Education鈥檚 , the , and .

Zest, A Protein-Forward Dining Station, Debuts at Ernie Davis Dining Center

With a menu developed by corporate executive chef Rick Leonardo and assistant director of nutrition management Ashley Leone, Zest will offer meals rich in high-quality proteins, wholesome grains and fresh vegetables, carefully curated to provide sustained energy throughout the day. The station was rolled out on Aug. 25 and will expand throughout the semester to offer a broader range of options.

Leone is quick to emphasize that while animal proteins will be available at station, Zest is really about plant-forward proteins.

Guided by the philosophy “Fuel Well, Feel Well,” Zest will offer a rotating menu of healthy, flavorful dishes designed to nourish students in both body and mind. Every dish is made without gluten-containing ingredients. All gluten-free food is prepared using dedicated equipment and utensils, and the potential for cross-contact is minimized as much as possible.

鈥淚 hear from students all the time鈥攖hey鈥檙e looking for fresh, healthy ingredients, and they are increasingly paying attention to the amount of protein in their food,鈥� says Leone. 鈥淶est is our response to changing food trends and student feedback, and we hope students enjoy the new recipes available at the station.鈥�

Upgrades and Changes at Campus Cafes and Goldstein Food Hall

Several campus cafes have significantly upgraded their menu offerings. Slocum Caf茅, located on the ground floor of Slocum Hall, now offers a full line of Boar鈥檚 Head products, including sandwiches, flatbreads and breakfast options. Otto鈥檚 Juice Box鈥攚ith locations at Goldstein Food Hall, the Life Sciences Caf茅 and at the Barnes Center at The Arch鈥攈as introduced three new smoothies, again focused on offering fresh, healthy ingredients for students looking to refuel quickly between classes.

Neporent Caf茅 in Dineen Hall is now offering a full We Proudly Serve Starbucks menu, joining The Canteen in the National Veterans Resource Center at the Daniel and Gayle D鈥橝niello Building and the Goldstein Caf茅 and Bakery in the Goldstein Food Hall on South Campus. In addition to everyday favorites, the caf茅 will now offer a full line of seasonal beverages, Starbucks Refreshers, Frappuccinos and Nitro Cold Brew.

Visitors to Goldstein Food Hall will notice a change to their dinner options. The space where the old Tomato Wheel was located has become the campus鈥檚 second Tavola 44 location, following the successful launch of the concept in the Schine Student Center last fall. The hand-crafted pizzas are all 9.5-inch personal pies, which can be loaded with toppings of your choice.

Brooklyn Pickle on the Run has opened on Marshall Street.

鈥機USE Cash Expands to Brooklyn Pickle on the Run

The to accept 鈥機USE Cash is the much-beloved local sandwich shop, Brooklyn Pickle on the Run, which opened on Marshall Street in late August. It鈥檚 the restaurant鈥檚 fourth location in the 黑料不打烊 area.

Students, faculty and staff are encouraged to stop in, use their 鈥機USE Cash, and enjoy the shop鈥檚 legendary overstuffed sandwiches, soups, salads and鈥攐f course鈥攖heir pickles.

Establishing a 鈥機USE Cash account is an easy and convenient way to pay at almost every point of sale on campus (and some off-campus locations). A 鈥機USE Cash account can be established by any member of the University community, including faculty and staff. The funds are loaded via the or and are used via the 黑料不打烊 I.D. card.

Visit the page on the Housing, Meal Plan and I.D. Card Services website for the most up-to-date list of locations that accept 鈥機USE Cash.

Coca-Cola Products Now Available Across Campus

The biggest, boldest change on campus this summer? Probably the bright red trucks delivering Coca-Cola to every dining facility. As the University announced earlier this month, The Coca-Cola Company is now the official non-alcoholic beverage partner of the University and 黑料不打烊 Athletics.

Coca-Cola products are now available at every Campus Dining location, including dining centers, retail cafes, convenience stores, Bistro 1926 at Drumlins Country Club and concessions stands at the JMA Wireless Dome. Members of the campus community should keep their eyes out for tastings, sales and giveaways sponsored by Coke throughout the year, as the partnership takes root across campus.

Unlike surveillance systems that track individuals鈥� movements, LPRs scan license plates and cross-reference them with law enforcement databases containing information about stolen vehicles and those tied to ongoing investigations.

鈥淟icense plate reader technology gives our team another valuable tool to respond quickly and effectively when crimes occur,鈥� says Michael Bunker, associate vice president and DPS chief. 鈥淚t allows us the ability to identify threats in real time and share that information with our local law enforcement partners. This collaboration strengthens our ability to keep the campus community safe.鈥�

The pilot program is the latest in a series of safety initiatives at the University. Current measures include campus patrols, an extensive network of security cameras, safety apps for students and employees and close partnerships with local police and emergency agencies.

Bunker adds, 鈥淭he combination of these tools underscores our ongoing commitment to maintaining a secure and respectful campus environment where all community members can feel safe, supported and respected.鈥�

• Sept. 10, 5:30-7 p.m., 114 Bird Library: Getting Started with Research. Dinner funded by the Graduate School. .
• Sept. 11, 5-6:30 p.m., 114 Bird Library and Online: Saving, Organizing and Citing Your Sources and Collaborating with Zotero. Dinner funded by the Graduate School. .
• Sept. 23, 2-3 p.m., Online: Using the Libraries as an Online or Distance Student. .
• Sept. 25, 5:30-7 p.m., Online: Getting Started with Research. .
• Sept. 26, 1-2 p.m., Online: A Student鈥檚 Guide to Using Microsoft Copilot for Coursework and Research. .
• Oct. 8, 5-7 p.m., 004 Bird Library: Behind the Scenes: How Wikipedia Works and How You Can Make it Better. Dinner funded by the Graduate School. .
• Oct. 15, 5:30-7 p.m., 004 Bird Library: Citation Workshop: Not Just Citing Articles and Books. Dinner funded by the Graduate School. .
• Oct. 20, 5-6:30 p.m., 114 Bird Library: Maximizing Your Research Impact. Refreshments funded by the Graduate School. Registration TBD.
• Oct. 21, 4-5:30 p.m., Online: Tertiary Tide: Dive into Specialized Reference Sources at an R1 Research Institution. .
• Oct. 22, 11 a.m.-noon, 046 Bird Library: Tertiary Tide: Dive into Specialized Reference Sources at an R1 Research Institution. .
• Oct. 28, 5-7 p.m., 004 Bird Library: Dissertation and Thesis Writing. Refreshments funded by the Graduate School. Registration TBD.
• Wed. Oct. 29, 4-5 p.m., Online: Trending Topics in Evidence Synthesis Research. Registration TBD.
• Mon. Nov. 3, 5-6 p.m., Online: Demystifying AI: What鈥檚 Really Inside the Black Box? .
• Nov. 12, 5:30-7 p.m., 004 Bird Library: U.S. Code of Regulations (CFR) Made Simple: A Practical Guide for Any Major. Dinner funded by the Graduate School. .
• Nov. 13, 2:30-4 p.m., 046 Bird Library: Introduction to ProQuest Text and Data Mining Studio Visualization Dashboard. .

鈥淪everal of these workshops are especially relevant for new graduate students, providing practical skills, research strategies and exposure to SU Libraries vast collection of titles, resources and tools,鈥� says Giovanna Colosi, librarian for the School of Education and subject instruction lead. 鈥淓ach workshop highlights a different topic and provides actionable tips you can immediately apply to your studies. Whether you attend one or all, you鈥檒l walk away with strategies to make your academic journey more effective and manageable.鈥�

Baobao Zhang

The NSF CAREER Award is one of the most prestigious early鈥慶areer recognitions from the foundation, supporting faculty who integrate outstanding research and education. Zhang鈥檚 study will explore how generative AI is transforming American workplaces鈥攅xamining its effects on worker productivity, job satisfaction and skill development.

Zhang joined the faculty in 2021. She serves as a senior research associate with the and the Campbell Public Affairs Institute. Her research focuses on trust in digital technology and the governance of AI, studying public and elite opinions toward AI, and how institutions adapt to technological change.

She received earlier recognition for her contributions to AI governance, including the Public Voices Fellowship on Technology in the Public Interest (2023-24) and the Schmidt Futures AI2050 Early Career Fellowship (2022). Her work has been published in journals such as Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences and Nature Human Behavior, and she co鈥慹dited the volume, The Oxford Handbook of AI Governance.

鈥淧rofessor Zhang鈥檚 work on the governance of artificial intelligence exemplifies the Maxwell School鈥檚 strength in addressing timely, real鈥憌orld issues,鈥� says Dean David M. Van Slyke. 鈥淭his NSF CAREER Award not only acknowledges her exceptional early鈥慶areer scholarship but also furthers our mission to equip future policymakers with tools to navigate an economy that is increasingly shaped by AI.鈥�

Jani Onninen

, a professor in the聽, is drawing on two fields of mathematics鈥攇eometric function theory and non-linear elasticity鈥攖o understand how and why materials fail under certain conditions.

鈥淚magine a blacksmith shaping hot metal,鈥� Onninen says. 鈥淓ach hammer strike creates a small deformation. Early on, each deformation is reversible. You can undo it and return to the original shape. But as the blacksmith continues hammering, the sequence of deformations approaches a limit where this reversibility breaks down. This signal tells us something critical. The blacksmith should stop鈥攂efore the material reaches conditions conducive to forming a crack.鈥�

Materials in the Real World

Traditional mathematical models use 鈥淪obolev homeomorphisms鈥� to describe a material when it deforms and collapses. These models assume two things. One, the material can return to its original shape (it鈥檚 鈥渋nvertible鈥�). Two, the deformation follows the path that uses the least energy. When these models show that a deformation can鈥檛 do these two things, it鈥檚 a warning signal that the material could fail.

In real life, however, materials don鈥檛 always behave according to these ideal mathematical models.

Materials tend to use the least amount of energy possible when they change shape. But sometimes the most efficient or 鈥渆nergy-saving鈥� ways a material might deform don鈥檛 fit current math equations. So, researchers are trying to learn the most energy-efficient ways for a material to go from one shape to another.

Warning Signs Before Failure

At the heart of this research is the challenge of understanding and modeling more complex elastic deformations, as well as identifying warning signals in mathematics before materials reach their breaking point.

Onninen, in collaboration with former University postdoctoral researcher Ilmari Kangasniemi, has developed a new framework鈥攖he theory of quasiregular values鈥攁nd achieved breakthroughs, including solving the Astala鈥揑waniec鈥揗artin uniqueness problem and providing fresh insights into Picard鈥檚 theorem, a foundational result in mathematics from the 1870s.

Onninen鈥檚 work is theoretical, studying what happens beyond the boundaries of current mathematical models. But basic research can lead to practical advances years or decades later. Eventually it could have applications in engineering, manufacturing and other fields to learn how much stress a material can handle. This could have implications for understanding wear and tear in infrastructure, like roads and bridges, clothing materials, such as cloth and plastics, and vehicle materials, like metals and plastics.

Building the Next Generation

The NSF grant will also support the training and mentorship of graduate students and early-career researchers, ensuring the continuation of this cutting-edge research.

鈥淪ome of the most exciting progress I鈥檝e made has come from working closely with colleagues鈥攕haring ideas, challenging each other and building something new together,鈥� Onninen says, emphasizing the collaborative nature of mathematical discovery.

This latest grant marks Onninen’s seventh standard NSF award since joining the University.

鈥淭he mathematics department is thrilled that Professor Jani Onninen has received this prestigious NSF award, recognizing his groundbreaking work,鈥� says聽, professor and department chair. 鈥淗is research continues to elevate the department鈥檚 profile and provides outstanding opportunities for our graduate students to participate in cutting-edge research, fostering their development as the next generation of scholars.鈥�

Story by John H. Tibbetts

The three-day institute offered information, resources and methods faculty can use to analyze course content and make revisions to keep pace with changing times, says , CTLE director and professor in the .

Participants learned key elements of assessing and redesigning their courses to maximize effective outcomes and student engagement. (Photo by Martin Walls)

Attendees explored pedagogies and research-based strategies that foster student engagement, including course design and teaching approaches that support student-centered, inclusive classrooms, build community and promote psychological safety.

They examined ways to better align assignments with learning goals and increase student accountability. Discussions emphasized that improvements to student learning and well-being should also benefit faculty teaching and wellness.

The Office of Academic Affairs co-sponsors CRI, and participants who successfully complete the 2025 institute will receive a $1,500 honorarium. Interest in CRI was high, with nearly three times more faculty applicants than available slots, Neuhaus says.

Jessamyn Neuhaus

Small Changes, Big Difference

鈥淭he attendees recognized that the key to effective teaching is always being able to keep learning about how to help students learn more effectively. Students change, we change, the world changes,鈥� Neuhaus says. 鈥淭hese faculty are seeing how to apply some tweaks, add a little language here, some structure there. It鈥檚 not a radical shift or something totally new. Small changes can make a really big difference, especially when the focus is student engagement.鈥�

Time for exchanging information and sharing experiences was built into CRI, a factor Neuhaus believes is critical since 鈥渙ften, the most important pedagogical learning may happen not just through formal content delivery but also from conversations with other people about teaching.鈥�

Program days included time for discussion among participants, considered an essential element in the process of course assessment, reflection and redesign. (Photo by Martin Walls)

Student Feedback a Wake-Up Call

Jean-Daniel Medjo

CRI participant , assistant teaching professor in the College of Engineering and Computer Science, attended to change his teaching methods for the course Electrical Engineering Fundamentals.

The first time he taught the course, 鈥渋t didn鈥檛 go very well,” he says. “Student feedback was a wake-up call for me. They complained the course was exam heavy. In hindsight, basing 96% of the grade on high-stakes exams wasn鈥檛 necessarily as fair as I thought it to be. I wanted to see how I could better assess students during the semester so they could earn a portion of the final grade throughout the term in a lower-stakes structure. I now also want to have a more learner-centered and learning-outcomes driven course.鈥�

Janine Nieroda

, associate teaching professor of literacy education in the School of Education, found the CRI experience refreshing.

鈥淚 want to stay current and innovate with our students, so I am constantly seeking to diversify my skill set and challenge what I know, what I think I know and the ways I do it. The institute was amazing; there was such positive impact from experiencing Jessamyn鈥檚 expertise and working collaboratively with associates I don鈥檛 normally see or interact with.鈥�

Welcoming, Accessible

, associate professor of human development and family science in the College of Arts and Sciences, wanted to assure that her course is fully welcoming and accessible to students from varied geographical and learning backgrounds.

Kamala Ramadoss

鈥淚 came from a very traditional teaching experience,鈥� Ramadoss says. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 want students fearing me or the learning process and I want us all to enjoy it.鈥� She says CRI helped her discover new techniques that she is excited to try, 鈥渟uch as providing handouts or case studies and small-group topic chats, rather than giving a lecture.鈥�

CRI will be held annually in May. Information is , including details about , and components. Applications for the May 2026 CRI will be available online beginning on March 1, 2026.

are available for guidance year-round and offer a range of services and teaching support. In addition to offering events, learning communities, reading groups and workshops, staff meet one-on-one with small groups and departments and programs for customized . Instructors, faculty, staff and students may also to receive the CTLE email newsletter.

Retired Vice Admiral , professor of practice at 黑料不打烊鈥檚 Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs and deputy director of the Institute for Security Policy and Law, is available to provide context on how the war鈥檚 legacy connects directly to today鈥檚 U.S. alliances and responsibilities in East Asia.

Robert Murrett

He shared the following comment: 鈥淭he 80th anniversary of VJ Day reminds us of the progress that we have made in the Pacific, and at the same time the continued responsibility that we have to engage in East Asia. 聽The sacrifices that so many of our countrymen made between 1941 and 1945 – including close family members of many of us – provided the basis for the thriving, prosperous region that we witness today. 聽Moreover, our treaty obligations and long list of allied nations that we have in the region are a direct result of effective presence and diplomacy over the ensuing decades – and we should never take our stalwart allies in the Pacific for granted. 聽We have an obligation to continue what has been for the most part a well thought out, strategic approach in Asia for the sake of future generations – home and away.鈥�

If you’d like to schedule an interview with Professor Murrett, please reach out to Vanessa Marquette, media relations specialist, at vrmarque@syr.edu.

The collection includes typefounders鈥� and printers鈥� specimen books, some of which date back to the 18th century. In addition to being informative and educational, many items include beautiful examples of letterpress printing with lithographs, woodcuts and other forms of illustration. The collection complements and enhances SCRC鈥檚 existing collection strengths in 补苍诲听.

鈥淲e are grateful to George W. Hamilton for his generous gift,鈥� says Nicolette A. Dobrowolski, Director of the SCRC. 鈥淭his collection, assembled over many years, reflects George鈥檚 deep passion for the history of printing and typography. We appreciate his decision to entrust this remarkable resource to his alma mater, recognizing the vital role that SCRC collections play both on our campus and in the broader research community.鈥�

Hamilton, who resides in Austria, Vienna, has been a long-time supporter of the Libraries. He was an early funder of聽, the 90-second radio show highlighting audio collections within SCRC, including the . He also provided early sponsorship to support publication of the New York state series by the 黑料不打烊 Press.

The acquisition of the George W. Hamilton Book Collection was made possible by the efforts of Dean David Seaman, Assistant Dean for Advancement Ron Thiele, SCRC Director Nicolette A. Dobrowolski, Assistant Director Lindy Smith, Curator of Early to pre-20th Century Irina Savinetskaya, Lead Curator and Curator of Plastics and Historical Artifacts Courtney Hicks, and graduate students Iman Jamison, Philomena Kern and Mary Visco.

It is my pleasure to welcome you to campus for the 2025-26 academic year. I enjoyed meeting many of you and your families during our Welcome Week activities. As dean of students, I want you to know we are here to support you in achieving your goals and celebrating your successes. My colleagues in Student Experience and I all have different specialties and areas of expertise, but we all share one common goal鈥攖o provide support to you as you move through your time at 黑料不打烊. We help you understand expectations, provide guidance and support when there is a concern, and empower you to develop critical life skills, like independence, accountability, self-advocacy and resiliency.

I want to share with you an overview of resources, services and support available to you. They are designed to promote a respectful, safe, supportive and welcoming environment for all.

Barnes Center at The Arch

Did you know well-being is one of the strongest predictors of academic success? That鈥檚 why it鈥檚 so important to familiarize yourself with the . As the hub for student wellness, the Barnes Center features programs, services and offerings that promote holistic health and well-being in one accessible, centralized space on campus. The health and wellness team is committed to providing high-quality, student-centered care. This holistic wellness approach encompasses mind, body, spirit and community and includes things such as physical and mental health care, recreation and fitness, pet therapy, mindfulness offerings, crisis response and so much more. Please visit the to explore the full slate of activities, resources and services. The Barnes Center at The Arch is located at 150 Sims Drive, between the JMA Wireless Dome and Carnegie Library. Contact the health and wellness team by calling 315.443.8000 or emailing BarnesCenter@syr.edu.

Student Conduct Code

The outlines the standards we expect all students to uphold. Please familiarize yourself with the code. Details outlining the investigation, formal conduct, resolution by agreement, and appeal processes and sanctions may be found in the . If you have a concern about an alleged violation of the code, you can reach at 315.443.3728, via email at studentconduct@syr.edu or using the . Their team is located at 804 University Ave., Suite 106.

Student Title IX Case Management

Students who have experienced or witnessed sexual harassment, sexual assault or intimate partner violence have . One of the options includes the team, which supports students through the reporting and investigation process when the alleged perpetrator of misconduct is a student. Students can reach Student Title IX Case Management at titleix@syr.edu or 315.443.0211. Their team is located at 242 Marley Education Building. If you believe a staff or faculty member has violated the University鈥檚 policy on sexual harassment, sexual assault or intimate partner violence, you may contact at equalopp@syr.edu or 315.443.4018.

Student Outreach and Support

Case managers in are available to assist students involved in University processes, including the conduct process and Title IX process, by providing supportive measures, explanations and follow-up services. They also support students navigating a personal difficulty or challenge through a variety of interventions, referrals and advocacy. Students can reach Student Outreach and Support at 315.443.4357 (HELP) or studentsupport@syr.edu. Their team is located at 111 Waverly Ave., Suite 220.

STOP Bias Initiative

The University has a robust reporting system designed to empower individuals to alert appropriate officials to incidents that may be motivated by bias. The outlines resources to report and receive support for such incidents. Review the webpage for the definition of bias, reporting processes, how the University responds to reports, aggregate data by semester, educational opportunities and support resources. You may also elect to report a bias-motivated incident directly to the Department of Public Safety (DPS) via the options on the .

Department of Public Safety

In addition to the resources outlined above, we also encourage you to review the message from Chief Michael Bunker outlining important safety and reporting resources offered through DPS. DPS team members are focused on maintaining a safe and secure place to live, learn and work. Visit to learn more.

At 黑料不打烊, the safety and well-being of our campus community is paramount. Recent events, including swatting calls within universities, have grown, underscoring the urgent need for vigilance and clear communication around public safety protocols.

Swatting deliberately false reports of emergencies intended to provoke a heavy law enforcement response is not only disruptive, but dangerous. These hoaxes can cause panic, divert critical resources, and traumatize students, faculty and staff. Thankfully, these recent threats were quickly identified as a hoax, and no one was harmed.

We urge all members of the 黑料不打烊 community to:

• Stay alert and subscribe to campus safety notifications, such as .
• Understand emergency procedures, including lockdown and evacuation protocols.
• Report any suspicious behavior to the Department of Public Safety immediately.

Crosswalks

We kindly remind everyone to exercise caution and attentiveness when using crosswalks on and around campus.

Please observe the following guidelines:

• Adhere to pedestrian signals: Only cross when the walk signal is clearly displayed.
• Remain alert: Always look both ways and be aware of your surroundings before stepping into the crosswalk.
• Avoid distractions: Refrain from using mobile phones, headphones or other electronic devices while crossing the street.

Crosswalks are designated for your protection, but they require your active participation to ensure safety. By staying focused and following these simple practices, you help create a safer environment for yourself and others.

Stay Connected Digitally

There is a wealth of online resources that can help you make the most of your time at 黑料不打烊. Download the for convenient access to campus systems and information, frequently visit SU News to stay up-to-date on what’s happening across the University and on your favorite social media platforms.

The first weeks of a new academic year can be challenging. Please know that your fellow students, our staff and our faculty want you to be successful and are available to provide any assistance you may need. If you have any questions, concerns or need support, please do not hesitate to reach out to any of the resources listed above. If you鈥檙e unsure where to start with a question or concern, you are always encouraged to connect with me by visiting the , calling 315.443.3514 or emailing dos@syr.edu.

Wishing you a great semester,

Dean Dixon

Now 黑料不打烊 scientists are diving deep to understand how these tiny, temporary droplets鈥攌nown as condensates鈥攚ork, which could lead to new ways of treating or preventing several brain disorders.

Carlos Casta帽eda

Aging is tough on protein management in our cells. 鈥淭he mechanisms that we call protein quality control do not work as well anymore,鈥� says , associate professor of biology and chemistry in the College of Arts and Sciences (A&S). Casta帽eda has been awarded a five-year, $2 million National Institutes of Health R35 MIRA award to study the link between protein quality control and 鈥渂iomolecular condensates.鈥�

鈥淟osing protein quality control is related to some neurodegenerative disorders,鈥� says Casta帽eda. 鈥淲e are trying to understand those mechanisms so we can see why cells are not able to take care of proteins as they did earlier in life.鈥�

Storage Closets and Trash Dumps

Scientists are discovering that cells contain tiny droplets that function like liquid storage closets, gathering, fixing, recycling or removing dysfunctional proteins. But as we age or respond to stress, our cells can lose effectiveness in cleaning up and managing these proteins.

When repair and recycling systems are lacking, damaged proteins can accumulate, forming clumps that may contribute to neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer鈥檚 disease and ALS. The droplets themselves can harden into sticky protein clumps, leaving long-term trash dumps in the brain.

In recent years, scientists have learned that droplet compartments are not rigid, permanent parts of the cell. Instead, they are membrane-less gatherings of specialized proteins that cluster together under certain conditions. These droplets appear and disappear when needed, helping cells adapt. Droplets gather and disperse based on stress, temperature and cellular signals.

Image depicting how cells form temporary condensates under stress conditions. In magenta is a target protein of interest, UBQLN2, and in green is a stress granule (condensate) marker. The bottom row is a merge containing blue for the nucleus. (Photo courtesy of Anitha Rajendran)

The Casta帽eda team aims to learn more about what causes droplets to form, what droplets are made of and how droplets decide which proteins are problematic and need fixing, recycling or removing.

Forces at Work

The research team will use a dual approach. They will perform molecular experiments to learn about changes to protein structure and dynamics, and cell biology-based approaches to observe living processes.

In molecular work, they will construct artificial droplets outside of cells to watch how changes in protein combinations or stress signals change their behavior, such as their ability to recruit different proteins or mediate different downstream outcomes (protein degradation or not).

The team will also perform studies of living cells. The researchers want to know more about how droplets manage damaged proteins when cells are stressed. They will study cellular signals that form these droplets and how different protein combinations can affect droplet behavior.

鈥淲e make a droplet in a test tube to see how the organization of these components change with different conditions and take components apart so we can understand how they come together,鈥� says Casta帽eda. 鈥淭hink of it as understanding a car engine by both building and dismantling it.鈥�

These basic scientific investigations could have transformative long-term impacts, such as identifying critical points where intervention might prevent or treat protein clumps. It could potentially illuminate similar mechanisms across different neurodegenerative disorders and other diseases such as cancer.

The University’s collaborative and supportive research ecosystem (e.g., the BioInspired Institute, the Bioimaging Center, high-field NMR at SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry) has been crucial to the development of this study, allowing scientists in different fields to share techniques and insights, access specialized equipment and develop more comprehensive research strategies, Casta帽eda notes.

鈥淭his field requires scientists from multiple fields鈥攂iology, chemistry, physics and engineering鈥攚orking together,鈥� says Casta帽eda. 鈥淭his work would not have been possible without the many talented postdocs, graduate students, undergraduates and high school students that have gone through our lab. A special thanks to our lab manager and senior scientist Dr. Thuy Dao. I am deeply appreciative of our key collaborators at SU (e.g., Heidi Hehnly, Shahar Sukenik, Heather Meyer, Li-En Jao) and beyond (Dan Kraut at Villanova, Jeroen Roelofs at KUMC). Finally, I am very grateful to A&S and the VPR office for their support over the years.鈥�

Story by John Tibbetts

Interfaith America, which was founded as Interfaith Youth Core (IFYC) in 2002, is based on the idea that “religious difference should serve as a bridge of cooperation rather than a barrier of division.鈥� Through a research-backed approach, Interfaith America works on college campuses, in the corporate field and across civic spaces. The founder and president of Interfaith America, Eboo Patel, visited 黑料不打烊 in February, where he met with campus leaders and participated in a public conversation in Hendricks Chapel with Vice President and Dean Brian Konkol.

Interfaith Leadership Summit Hendricks Chapel participants, back row left to right, Ronit Hizgiaev 鈥�28, Omar Mohammed 鈥�27, Imam Amir Duri膰, Rabbi Natan Levy, and Aubrie Methven 鈥�26. Front row, left to right, Dara Harper and Kaleya Scott. Sofiya Ivanova 鈥�27 is not pictured.

Building on two decades of experience as a partner to universities, the Interfaith America Leadership Summit has grown into the largest gathering of students and educators with a commitment to American religious pluralism. Through the support of generous donors, Hendricks Chapel sent eight representatives to the 2025 summit: Imam Amir Duri膰, assistant dean for religious and spiritual life; Rabbi Natan Levy, campus rabbi at 黑料不打烊 Hillel and Jewish chaplain; Dara Harper, communications manager;聽 Kaleya Scott, engagement coordinator; and students Omar Mohammed ’27, Ronit Hizgiaev ’28, Aubrie Methven ’26 and Sofiya Ivanova ’27.

For Duri膰, who is currently one of Interfaith America鈥檚 Interfaith Innovation Fellows, one of the most valuable aspects of the summit was the opportunity to gather with student leaders and professionals of diverse backgrounds who share a deep commitment to building bridges in our pluralistic society. 鈥淏eing in a space where every person鈥檚 story was honored reminded me of the Qur鈥檃nic call to come to ‘know one another鈥� (Qur鈥檃n, 49:13),鈥� says Duri膰. 鈥淭he summit was not just about exchanging ideas, but about forming genuine connections that inspire us to work together for the common good.鈥�

The summit was filled with opportunities for a variety of people to connect, discuss and ponder important questions. Panels and plenaries provided overarching concepts, while training 鈥渢racks鈥� provided participants with opportunities to delve deeper into specific ideas. With over 700 attendees, the training tracks proved to be useful opportunities to engage through smaller groups and discuss challenging topics. Among the summit tracks included 鈥淧ractical Tools for Addressing Tension and Repairing Divides,鈥� 鈥淏uilding Pluralism Through Student Interfaith Leadership,鈥� 鈥淏ridging the Gap鈥� and more.

Imam Amir Duri膰 and Rabbi Natan Levy

Levy, who recently joined the 黑料不打烊 campus community, attended a track on addressing tensions and repairing divides. 鈥淚n our track, we learned a beautiful technique on how to inquire about another person鈥檚 data input; the key experiences and information that they were using to interpret their point of view,鈥� says Levy. 鈥淭his method offered a new perspective on why others were coming up with conclusions so different than my own; they were simply beginning with a different starting point, with different input.鈥�

In addition to the formal portions of the summit, the team from Hendricks Chapel also shared time together in more informal settings, which provided opportunities for relationship building, idea sharing and program planning. When some enjoyed dinner together at a local restaurant, Mohammed, of the Muslim Student Association, and Hizgiaev, of 黑料不打烊 Hillel, embraced the opportunity to discuss what ideas and initiatives they would like to promote for the coming academic year.

鈥淚 truly enjoyed seeing our Jewish and Muslim 黑料不打烊 students absorbed in conversation and sharing interfaith project ideas for the year ahead. These seemingly small dialogue moments give me a great sense of hope, because they come from the students themselves, and therefore signify a future of bridge-building,鈥� says Levy.

Hizgiaev, an international relations major in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs and College of Arts and Sciences, attended the student interfaith leadership track and thoroughly enjoyed the panels and plenary sessions. 鈥淢y experience throughout the summit was one to remember. From interfaith event simulations to networking galore, there was never a moment when I wasn鈥檛 immersed in the teachings this experience had to offer. I left the summit feeling this strong sense of urgency about what we were learning during sessions鈥攕tories of polarization, collaboration and resilience,” she says.

She was especially moved by a comment from one of the panelists: 鈥淔aith can provide something deeper than politics.鈥� She says she wishes that these words could be played on a loudspeaker for all the world to hear. 鈥淥ur society has become sundered to the point of not seeing humans for who we are, for the qualities we possess, for the beauty in our religious practices,鈥� reflects Hizgiaev.

After days of discussions and community-building, the Interfaith America Summit concluded, and the movement of building bridges and friendships continues at 黑料不打烊. 鈥淢y prayer is that we carry the spirit of this gathering into our campuses, communities, and the wider world,鈥� says Duri膰.

The program, , supports 黑料不打烊 youth as they develop research projects, build math and data literacy skills and investigate issues they care about in their neighborhoods. Data Warriors is an example of the positive impact of University-community partnerships as University faculty and students collaborate with (SCSD) math teachers and high school students to investigate, inform and inspire action on local social issues through math and mapping.

Members of the Applications of Statistics Class saw the variety of resources available in the Map Room of Bird Library. Their field trip there was part of their Data Warriors study. (Photo by Martin Walls)

As part of the project, students have had the opportunity to visit campus and community mapping and learning facilities, hear from guest speakers and public officials, participate in data day activities and lead a community 鈥淭ry-Math鈥漚lon, a school event where Data Warriors faculty and students led elementary- and middle-school students in hands-on and physically-oriented activities and friendly competitions.

The students also held poster presentations on their work, including data analyses showing areas where lead poisoning is prevalent; current immigration policies and their historic parallels; and charts depicting code violations, unfit housing, car thefts, income disparities and minority populations in 黑料不打烊 City Schools.

Nicole Fonger

Fonger collaboratively leads the program with SCSD math teacher Ken Keech. University graduate and undergraduate students across disciplines lead lessons and provide mentoring for high school youth as they investigate local social issues through maps, math and community action undertakings.

The program began in 2022 with one group at Nottingham High School that now includes 21 data warrior youth researchers. A second group of eight students began at Henninger High School this year. Participating teachers from Nottingham in addition to Keech are Destiny Pearson and Saul Kleinberg, and at Henninger, Xavier Trapps coordinates.

Student Fellow Info, Application

Undergraduate and graduate student are now being recruited to work with Fonger for the next two years of the project. An information session for students interested in applying for the fellowship will be held Friday, Sept. 26 at 1:00 p.m. in 207 Bowne Hall.

can be completed online; the deadline is Friday, Oct. 3, at 5 p.m. More details about the Data Warriors program and its 2024-25 annual report are available .

We spoke with Fonger about the roots of the program and what the group is achieving together.

What has prompted your undertaking of community-engaged scholarship?

I鈥檝e really been influenced at 黑料不打烊 by the and the effort to bring together folks who are making a difference in local communities. Living in 黑料不打烊, working in 黑料不打烊, partnering with teachers in 黑料不打烊 and forming that community connection is really important to me. It鈥檚 important to contribute to 黑料不打烊 being a thriving place for everyone.

How did your work in mathematics education take a turn toward social justice issues?

My focus on social justice mathematics came about after partnering with Ken Keech at Nottingham High School. His lessons incorporated subject matter pertinent to students, [like] the history of I-81 and how historic redlining shapes 黑料不打烊鈥檚 population. I started to see how math could be applied to examining local issues. I wanted to see how my work as a math educator could bring about more meaning and create more partnerships with forward-thinking, innovative teachers.

It鈥檚 really important to center mathematics and data literacy when we鈥檙e talking about social justice in action. Sometimes the discipline of mathematics can be excluded from conversations about justice, but I think it should be centered.

Students from the Applications of Statistics project worked on posters to submit to the American Statistical Association Poster Contest. They were hosted by Jonnell Robinson, associate professor of geography and the environment, in the Community Geography lab facilities in Lyman Hall. (Photo by Lauren Ashby)

What are your plans for this project?

The group will focus on three things: 1) training for researchers to learn to be community-engaged scholars and acknowledging the importance of place-based connections, including framing 黑料不打烊 as a rich asset; 2) creating curricular supports for community-engaged math education research and programming, which will provide more support to teachers, mentors and researchers, ultimately impacting rich educational experiences for young people; and 3) community-engaged action in working to connect with and inform local leaders and government officials about our public-facing work and findings.

What do you mean when you say math learning should be meaningful?

It鈥檚 integrating data into math teaching and adding the ability to use data and math to address community concerns and issues closely connected to the people, places and issues that matter to them. That community-focused, community-engaged approach lets us look for opportunities that are going to support students, meet them where they are and help them grow into the people they will become.

My sense is this generation of students are very much critically aware, not just from their聽own experiences in their neighborhoods. I think they can see connections to social聽justice perhaps more than older generations. And I think it鈥檚 important that systemic聽injustices are connected to the tapestry of the community.

What do you want people to know about today鈥檚 youth?

I want them to know about the richness of the potential of young people to be cultivated as critical, thoughtful, literate, bright leaders of our community.聽And that data literacy is just not going away. It is so hugely important.

鈥淭he Architect,” by Puerto Rican artist Arnaldo Roche and also from Point of Contact鈥檚 collection, is one of the works聽featured in the exhibition.

To commemorate its 50th anniversary . (POC) is presenting 鈥�50 Sin Cuenta,鈥� a landmark exhibition of contemporary Latin American art drawn from its own permanent collection.

An opening event will be held Friday, Sept. 19, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the newly renovated at the Nancy Cantor Warehouse, 350 W. Fayette St., Suite 005, in downtown 黑料不打烊. It is free and open to the public.

, executive director of the Office of Cultural Engagement for the Hispanic Community, says the exhibition continues POC鈥檚 mission of providing a forum for people from diverse backgrounds to engage in open dialogue across intellectual, social and geographic boundaries. It highlights the breadth and depth of POC鈥檚 collection and features over 100 works by acclaimed artists. They include Luis Felipe No茅, Liliana Porter, Ana Tiscornia, Joseph Kugielsky, Maritza Bautista, Pedro Roth, Arnaldo Roche, V铆ctor V谩zquez and Nayda Collazo Llor茅ns, among others

鈥�50 Sin Cuenta鈥� is a Spanish play on words suggesting both a milestone event and a refusal to be limited by time constructs

POC, which was founded in 1975 by late professor , began as a literary project and journal featuring essays about literature, politics and science, with a strong focus on Latin American culture, Paniagua says. It added a visual arts and exhibitions program in 2005.

鈥淧unto de Contacto has cultivated important collaborations locally, nationally and internationally and has provided rich connecting points with 黑料不打烊 faculty and students from several departments over the years, including those in Latino-Latin American studies, creative writing, museum studies and the arts,鈥� Paniagua says.

Part of Point of Contact’s collection, and also in the exhibition, is this diptych by Puerto Rican artist Victor Vazquez from his Body to Body Series.

鈥淚t has provided a continuing platform for artists, writers and thinkers to engage across disciplines and borders ever since its beginning. This exhibition honors the visionary spirit of our founder and invites us to imagine ongoing cross-cultural dialogue, artistic innovation and creative possibility.鈥�

Samantha Hefti, a graduate of the museum studies program, helped coordinate the selection of works from the University鈥檚 Special Collections Research Center.

鈥淧oint of Contact鈥檚 legacy is rooted in experimentation, dialogue and discovery,鈥� says Emily Dittman, newly appointed president of the Board of Directors and director of 黑料不打烊 Art Museum.

鈥淭his anniversary is a moment to reaffirm our commitment to the artists and communities that shape our mission. We鈥檙e excited to share this milestone with the public and open our doors to new collaborations,鈥� she says.

The exhibition will be on view through Friday, Oct. 24. It is sponsored by the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA) with support from the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature, the 黑料不打烊 Humanities Center, Centro de Estudios Hisp谩nicos and the Latino-Latin American studies program, and produced in collaboration with the College of Visual and Performing Arts鈥� Warehouse Gallery and museum studies program.

鈥淭he Center for Student Excellence entails a transformative approach that brings these vital support programs together under one unified structure to create something more powerful than the sum of its parts,鈥� says Julie Hasenwinkel, associate provost for academic programs. 鈥淭he center’s three-pillar approach recognizes that true student success requires academic excellence, personal growth and meaningful real-world engagement. We鈥檙e not just reorganizing existing resources鈥攚e鈥檙e amplifying their impact and creating new pathways for students to thrive, persist and graduate with the skills and experiences they need to be leaders and engaged citizens.鈥�

Tommy Powell, assistant provost for academic programs, will oversee the center, which is administered by the Office of Academic Affairs. Powell, who previously served as assistant provost for student-athlete academic development, now reports to Hasenwinkel.

The center offers a network of resources that guide students from their first semester through graduation and beyond, according to Powell. It鈥檚 built on three pillars: Academic Success; Student Development; and Experiential Learning and Community Engagement.

鈥淭his structure reflects the idea that student success is multidimensional. It brings clarity to our purpose, facilitates collaboration and ensures each program contributes intentionally to academic excellence, personal development and meaningful engagement both inside and outside the classroom,鈥� Powell says.

Academic Success

The programs that make up the Academic Success pillar enable students to persist and perform at the highest level. 鈥淪tudents arrive at 黑料不打烊 ready to learn,鈥� Powell says. 鈥淭hese programs open doors to opportunity and ensure our students have the tools, support and guidance needed to excel.鈥�

This pillar includes:

• (Shannon Hitchcock Schantz, director)
• (George Athanas, associate director)
• (Kal Srinivas, director)
• Student-Athlete Success and Engagement (Katie Scanlon, director)

Student Development

The Student Development pillar focuses on programs that support personal growth, self-reflection and building a sense of identity. 鈥淭hese programs encourage students to take risks, explore ideas and shape a vision for their future,鈥� Powell says.

This pillar includes:

• (Dan Cutler, director)
• Higher Education Opportunity Program (HEOP) and Student Support Services (Craig Tucker, director)
• Science and Technology Entry Program (STEP) and Collegiate Science and Technology Entry Program (CSTEP) (Leonese Nelson, director)
• McNair Scholars Program (Christabel Sheldon, director)

Experiential Learning and Community Engagement

Under the direction of Jolynn Parker, the newly appointed director of experiential learning and engagement, the Experiential Learning and Community Engagement pillar comprises initiatives and programs that support immersive learning opportunities for students, giving them direct experience with communities, research and service.

鈥淪tudents will have even greater opportunities to apply what they learn in real-world settings, and these experiences will prepare them to make an impact and see the value of contributing to the public good,鈥� Powell says.

This pillar includes:

• (Jolynn Parker, director)
• (Jolynn Parker, director)
• (Kate Hanson, director)
• Program Initiatives (Tamara Hamilton, director)
• (Maria Lopez, assistant director of scholarship programs)

Program staff will remain in their current offices until a permanent location for the center has been determined.

Played every two years, the features 24 of the best players from Europe and the United States in match play competition. The Ryder Cup will be played this year from Sept. 26-28 at Bethpage Black in Farmingdale, N.Y.

Team USA holds a 27-15 lead in the tournament鈥檚 history, but Team Europe has won 10 of the last 14 matches.

Justin Ehrlich

To assess each team鈥檚 ability, the Falk College research team developed the 鈥渨orld golf ability鈥� metric derived from the (OWGR) to reflect that the Ryder Cup is primarily a team event where players at the extremes of the rankings have a limited impact on overall performance. Using this approach, the researchers determined that鈥攁ll else being equal鈥� Europe has about a three-point advantage overall, and home-course advantage is worth about two points. So, Europe still holds an edge, even at Bethpage Black.

The research was presented in June at the 11^th International Conference on Mathematics in Sport in Luxembourg and more information can be found in the .

鈥淭hese results highlight the importance of team cohesion, preparation, and strategy鈥攆actors that appear to give Europe a sustained edge even after accounting for player ability and location,鈥� says Sport Analytics Associate Professor , who led the research team. 鈥淣o consistent pattern of individual over or underperformance relative to OWGR rankings was found, reinforcing that outcomes are shaped more by collective factors than by isolated player differences.鈥�

Both Team Europe and Team USA have six automatic qualifiers based on the and six captain鈥檚 picks. Europe鈥檚 regular season ended with the British Masters and captain Luke Donald will make his selections around Sept. 1. Team Europe will be headlined by world No. 2 Rory McIlroy, who completed his career grand slam by winning the Masters in April.

Led by world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, the American qualifiers were locked in Aug. 17 following the BMW Championship, and captain Keegan Bradley is expected to make his captain鈥檚 picks at the conclusion of the PGA Tour playoffs. Bradley is currently ranked 11^th in the Ryder Cup Points rankings, meaning he could select himself for the team and become the first playing captain since Arnold Palmer in 1963.

In addition to Ehrlich, the research team included three students: Hunter Geise, Collin Kneiss and Charlotte Howland. The team set out to address three questions about the Ryder Cup: (1) whether teams exhibit a fixed-effect advantage where the whole outperforms the sum of individual parts; (2) whether players consistently over or underperform relative to OWGR rankings; and (3) whether home-field advantage plays a significant role.

Ehrlich says future research could explore the mechanisms behind Europe鈥檚 team-level advantage and further examine the sources of home-field benefit in international golf competition.

鈥淭eam Europe figured out how to create cohesive team dynamics starting with Tony Jacklin in 1983, and ever since Team USA has been searching for the right formula to reclaim their former glory,鈥� Ehrlich says. 鈥淭here鈥檚 a lot of hope that Keegan Bradley can turn things around, as instead of being a great player from a previous generation like many other past captains, he is one of the top current players on the PGA Tour. This year鈥檚 Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black should be a close match, with great players and strong leadership on both teams.鈥�

Acrylic on canvas by Durkia Estrada

A opens 鈥淐orp贸rea,鈥� which translates to 鈥渙f the body,鈥� on Friday, Sept. 12, from 6 to 8 p.m. with music, traditional Spanish-Caribbean cuisine and a presentation of participating artists. The exhibition runs through the 2025-26 academic year.

Bennie Guzman G’25

Featuring large-scale collective works and individual pieces created by members of 黑料不打烊鈥檚 Latino community, the exhibition recognizes the body as a site of memory, resilience and transformation, says organizer Bennie Guzm谩n G鈥�25, a 黑料不打烊-based artist and graduate of the master鈥檚 program in in the . Body maps and mixed media, collected over six weeks of art therapy workshops held this summer, reflect the artists鈥� personal journeys.

鈥溾�楥orp贸rea鈥� is about what we carry, how we heal and how we thrive,鈥� Guzm谩n says. 鈥淎rt becomes a way to regulate, reflect and reconnect. It鈥檚 not about being perfect; it鈥檚 about being present.鈥�

Emily Nolan, professor of practice in creative arts therapy and a licensed art therapist, was an advisor on the project. M. Emma Ticio Quesada, professor of Spanish and linguistics in the , was also involved. Also assisting were Brenda Teruya, a doctoral candidate in the economics program in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, and Paola M茅ndez G鈥�25, a graduate of the master鈥檚 program in museum studies and curator of the exhibit.

Body map detail from a piece by Suanny N煤帽ez

The project is part of the 2025鈥�26 , 聽presented by the . It is also聽supported by the and the University鈥檚 .

Brenda Teruya, a doctoral student in economics in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, collected data as a project to help inform the 鈥淐orp贸rea鈥� exhibition

, executive director of the Office of Cultural Engagement for the Hispanic Community, says the program was 鈥渁n opportunity [for participants] to share their stories and experience a sense of wellness through creative expression, even as they navigated linguistic and cultural barriers. The project affirms the importance of visibility, empathy and mutual support and is a powerful model of connection and belonging.鈥�

A series of community dialogues on the outcomes of the program is also planned.

From launching a clothing line for neurodivergent individuals to creating artificial intelligence (AI)-powered tools for industries as diverse as health care, computing and drone operation, Orange Innovation Fund grants are fueling a diverse set of entrepreneurial ventures led by University innovators. The competitive micro-grant program, coordinated through the University Libraries, supports student businesses to develop and test prototypes of products, services and technologies they are seeking to bring to the market.

Each of the 2025 award winners have legally incorporated as business entities and are actively working with the University innovation ecosystem, including Libraries and the Blackstone LaunchPad, Couri Hatchery at the Martin J. Whitman School of Management, Invent@SU at the College of Engineering and Computer Science and the Innovation Law Center at the College of Law.

Spring 2025 Awards

• Aidan Turner 鈥�25 (School of Architecture) and Carolyn Fernandes 鈥�25 (College of Visual and Performing Arts) 鈥� SOLACE Collective: First-run production of a high-quality garment line designed for neurodivergent individuals. Funding completes garment and technical construction, the development of an e-commerce storefront and a direct-to-consumer launch in summer 2025.
• Angelo Niforatos G鈥�25 (Martin J. Whitman School of Management) 鈥� Niffy Drones: Development of a minimally viable product for Titan Ops, an AI-powered analysis product for unmanned aerial systems. The software will ingest uncrewed system user manuals offline, enabling operators to access FAA Part 107 resources and conduct prototype testing with users. Niforatos also recently completed the NSF I-Corps program offered by 黑料不打烊.
• Emeka Ossai G鈥�25 (Martin J. Whitman School of Management) 鈥� CampusLabs Nigeria: Establishment of a permanent co-working space at the University of Ibadan, Nigeria鈥檚 leading university. The entrepreneurship hub will serve graduates of the CampusLabs accelerator, a program developed with support from 黑料不打烊.
• Tony Goncalves 鈥�27 (College of Engineering and Computer Science) 鈥� Gymin: Production of final prototypes based on initial testing and conducting a beta project at the Barnes Center for an integrated hardware and software system that delivers real-time analytics to fitness equipment users. User feedback will inform the product development that will soon be ready for commercial deployment. Goncalves also recently completed the NSF I-Corps program offered by 黑料不打烊.

Summer 2025 Awards

• Ava Lubkemann鈥�27 (College of Engineering and Computer Science) 鈥� Revamped:
  

  Ava Lubkemann, SU Libraries’ Orange Innovation Scholar, poses next to Revamped bus

  Retrofit work on a bus that will become a mobile thrift store and donation hub to intercept and upcycle clothing and redistribute it directly into communities. Revamp鈥檚 scale-up plan is to bring these mobile stores to college campuses to help reduce waste, reimagine reuse and revamp systems to make sustainability even easier. The full commercial launch is planned this fall in 黑料不打烊.

• Nathan Brekke 鈥�26 (College of Engineering and Computer Science), G鈥�27 (Martin J. Whitman School of Management) and Joshua Varkey 鈥�26 (College of Engineering and Computer Science) 鈥� Phloat: Professional refinement of an inflatable smartphone attachment that keeps devices afloat if dropped in water. The initial idea originated at Invent@SU the summer of 2024. The company is now working with industrial designers and fabricators to create an advanced commercial-grade prototype for manufacturing, component sourcing, professional fabrication, assembly, functional and compliance testing.

Fall 2025 Awards

• Nicolas Courbage 鈥�26 (Martin J. Whitman School of Management) 鈥� PapeX: Completion of final commercial-ready prototype development for a platform that eliminates paper receipts and streamlines checkout. Funding supports back-end development, acquisition of near-field communication hardware to simulate point of sale terminals and software licensing. Initial testing occurred in the spring 2025 with full deployment and a major roll-out planned for this fall.

Since its inception, the Orange Innovation Fund has helped many 黑料不打烊 entrepreneurs bring ideas to life across industries, geographies and stages of venture development. The most recent projects demonstrate how Orange innovation extends well beyond campus, creating social, cultural and economic impact from 黑料不打烊 to communities around the globe.

The Orange Innovation Fund supports student research initiatives emerging from campus innovation programs. It helps move graduate and undergraduate student research or scholarly projects from ideation to proof of concept and commercialization, supporting the University鈥檚 goals of excellence in research, scholarship, student experiential learning and innovation.

Funding for the Orange Innovation program comes from a gift from Raj-Ann Rekhi Gill 鈥�98, a member of the 黑料不打烊 Board of Trustees who is an operating partner of Silicon Valley Quad, an angel investing syndicate.

鈥淭he Orange Innovation Fund showcases the remarkable creativity and determination of 黑料不打烊 students, and the tangible impact their ideas can have in the world,鈥� says David Seaman, dean of Libraries and University librarian. 鈥淭hrough this program, and in collaboration with partners across campus, we help student entrepreneurs take bold concepts from idea or lab bench to the marketplace, strengthening both their ventures and the University鈥檚 culture of innovation.鈥�

This article was written by Linda聽Dickerson Hartsock, strategic initiatives advisor, 黑料不打烊 Libraries.

Elizabeth (Liz) DuRoss Liddy

Liddy G鈥�77, G鈥�88 was a native of Utica, New York. The starting point of her career can be traced to 1975, she told the iSchool鈥檚 Connections Magazine in 2015. When her oldest child started kindergarten, she volunteered to sort books in his school library. Realizing how much she thrived in that environment, she enrolled in 黑料不打烊鈥檚 master鈥檚 degree program in library science the next day.

She earned a master鈥檚 degree and became the faculty librarian at Onondaga Community College, but her educational journey was not yet complete. In 1982, she was accepted as the iSchool鈥檚 first part-time Ph.D. student. When approaching each challenge, from the master鈥檚 program to University leadership, her mantra was always 鈥渨hy not鈥� instead of 鈥淚 can鈥檛.鈥�

Liddy earned a Ph.D. from the iSchool in 1988 and was teaching and working on a National Science Foundation grant even before completing her dissertation. Her research in natural language processing generated a vast amount of scholarship in information extraction search, data mining, question-answering and cross-language retrieval and summarization.

She established a startup company, TextWise, and then went on to found the Center for Natural Language Processing. Liddy authored more than 110 research articles and led over 70 research projects. Her eight technology patents have been applied to a wide range of sectors throughout society, including security, crisis management, business, travel, health care and public utilities.

Liddy was appointed dean of the iSchool in 2008. During her tenure, undergraduate enrollment grew by 71%, graduate enrollment rose by 66% and she raised over $26 million in research funding. She established New York鈥檚 first graduate certificate in data science and introduced a data analytics minor. She led initiatives that provided unique entrepreneurial experiences for students and bolstered the school鈥檚 national profile and international reach.

From 2012 to 2014, she chaired the iSchools Organization, a consortium with three initial member information schools, including 黑料不打烊.聽The organization now includes nearly 100 information schools around the world. Liddy was a strong proponent of increasing female student engagement in IT.

In 2015, Chancellor Kent Syverud appointed Liddy as interim vice chancellor and provost. In that role, she led the development of the University鈥檚 first Academic Strategic Plan, a pivotal framework charting the University鈥檚 future course.

鈥淟iz Liddy was a remarkable leader whose influence touched many parts of the University,鈥� says Chancellor Syverud. 鈥淚 will always remember her cheerful outlook, her entrepreneurial spirit, her openness to new ideas and her unwavering faith in people.鈥�

Liddy returned to the iSchool deanship in 2016.

鈥淟iz meant a lot to me personally. When I was finishing my Ph.D., she encouraged me to apply for a faculty role here, and she always made time when I had questions or ideas. She pushed me to try things like the iSchool poster day, which is still part of who we are,鈥� says iSchool Interim Dean Jeff Hemsley. 鈥淭he way she supported students and colleagues has become a model for me, and I think of her often in my own role now. I鈥檒l miss her warmth and spirit.鈥�

Barbara Kwasnik, professor emerita and a friend and colleague of Liddy鈥檚, says that Liddy was a natural educator. 鈥淲hile it鈥檚 true she served in many leadership roles, my deepest appreciation was for her skills as an educator. Her classes were challenging, but almost always ranked the highest in student evaluations,鈥� she says. 鈥淗er Ph.D. advisees form an honor roll of national awards, professional success and impactful contributions. She herself won ‘the trifecta’ of awards for her proposal and dissertation, so she knew what it took to pay attention to all the details that make for the highest quality work. I know it was not just a random thing because I observed the levels of preparation she put into every presentation, making it seem easy.鈥�

Liddy was a mentor, dean and friend to Jeff Rubin, the University鈥檚 senior vice president for digital transformation and chief digital officer and a longtime iSchool faculty member. 鈥淪he inspired generations of students and educators around the globe. She was a true pioneer in natural language processing and an extraordinary advocate for our library science program,鈥� he says. 鈥淪he leaves behind a remarkable legacy.鈥�

Liddy is survived by her children, John (Jen) Liddy, Suzanne (Mike) Terry and Jennifer Liddy (Tony Sereno); four grandsons, Cormac Terry, Nolan Terry, Owen Gette and Jack Liddy; and three brothers, Jim (Cynthia) DuRoss, Gil DuRoss (Maria Sabatini) and Frank (Liz) DuRoss. She was preceded in death by her parents, James and Margaret DuRoss, and her sister, Margaret (Peggy) Ashton.

A visitation will be held at 10 a.m. followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 30, at St. Ann Catholic Church, 3535 Park Road, Charlotte, North Carolina, 28209. Burial will follow at Forest Lawn East Cemetery, Matthews, North Carolina.

Memorial donations may be made to the in the iSchool.

A will be held in Hendricks Chapel on Monday, Sept. 29, at 4 p.m. To share remembrances of Liddy, visit the .

Mobile Apps

• 聽is the official 黑料不打烊 daily companion app. Whether you鈥檙e navigating your class schedule, catching up on campus news, finding dining options or checking real-time bus arrivals, OrangeNow has you covered.
• , from the Department of Public Safety (DPS), allows users to stay connected and receive important campus notifications, communicate with campus safety and gain access to tools that can help keep you safe on campus.
• 罢丑别听 is your digital 黑料不打烊 I.D. card! Use it to update your I.D. card photo, add 鈥機USE Cash and pay at Campus Dining locations.
• The facilitates connection between students and recognized student organizations.

Social Media

Campus News, Events and Fun

黑料不打烊

黑料不打烊 Official

Student Experience

黑料不打烊 Athletics

Otto the Orange

黑料不打烊 Alumni

University Leadership

Universitywide Information and Services

Campus Dining

DPS

Hendricks Chapel

Information Technology Services (ITS)

Military-Connected and Veteran Services

Parking and Transportation Services

黑料不打烊 Abroad

黑料不打烊 Libraries

Websites

• 聽(Student Employment)
• (activities, events, Greek Life)
• 黑料不打烊

There are many additional social media accounts you can connect with, including ones for every school/college and many of our academic programs and initiatives across campus. Visit the University鈥檚聽聽for a comprehensive list.

Their commitment reflects a shared belief that first impressions matter and 黑料不打烊 makes a stunning one.

Dean David M. Van Slyke says the office and new programming aligns with the school鈥檚 academic strategic plan by providing access to the unique CCE courses and community engagement opportunities to a wider pool of students.

鈥淭his office will help us achieve our goal to increase applied learning and impact,鈥� Van Slyke says. 鈥淚t will also address the increased desire of students from across Maxwell for more civic and community-based opportunities. Most importantly, it will embody the Athenian Oath that is core to Maxwell鈥檚 ethos: to ever strive to leave our community 鈥榞reater, better and more beautiful than it was transmitted to us.鈥欌��

To make the new office with expanded access possible, the current Citizenship and Civic Engagement undergraduate major will be retired over time. Students who are already enrolled in the major as part of their dual degree will receive full support in completing the program. Students on track to graduate in 2027 and 2028 who鈥檝e not yet declared CCE as a major will also still have an opportunity to do so. However, students starting at the University in the fall of 2025 and thereafter will no longer be able to declare a CCE major. Instead, they will be able to engage with the CCE office and declare a minor.

Amy Schmidt G’14 will lead the new CCE office

鈥淢oving forward, all interested students will be able to pursue a CCE minor,鈥� says Amy Schmidt G鈥�14 (M.P.A.), who will lead the new CCE office. 鈥淎s a major, CCE had been limited to 30 students per cohort year. Creating a minor and the office will open up our unique offerings to a much larger pool of students across the University.鈥�

Located in Eggers Hall, the CCE office will provide increased visibility for engagement opportunities, events, scholarships and fellowships for students interested in civic engagement, as well as provide a home base for the Maxwell Living Learning Community. As director, Schmidt will strive to maintain and foster partnerships across Central New York.

鈥淚t鈥檚 vital that our students have opportunities to experience hands-on learning while also doing things that help the community,鈥� says Schmidt, who also previously served as the assistant director and program coordinator of the CCE degree program. Originally from 黑料不打烊, she spent several years in the region鈥檚 nonprofit sector, both professionally and as a volunteer.

鈥淲ith this office, we will be able to build on our community relationships and create even more engagement opportunities,鈥� she adds. 鈥淭he new structure will take all the benefits of community engagement education and open it up to the entire school. We are very excited for what this will mean for our students, our partners and our community.鈥�

Michael M. 鈥淢ike鈥� Bill

The student-athletes who pass through the entry of the football locker room in the John A. Lally Athletics Complex will be carrying on the legacy of one of 黑料不打烊鈥檚 most ardent supporters: Michael M. 鈥淢ike鈥� Bill 鈥�58. As they come to know the story of the man after whom the locker room was named, they will appreciate how hard work and dedication to excellence on and off the field can lay the foundation for a lifetime of success.

Bill, who passed away on Aug. 11, 2025, at the age of 89, always credited the University for shaping his life鈥檚 achievements and positioning him to be able to give back to the alma mater he adored. 鈥満诹喜淮蜢� really took care of me,鈥� Bill said in a 2022 interview explaining the reasoning behind a $2 million dollar gift that he and his wife, Sharon, pledged to the Lally complex. 鈥淭hey gave me a scholarship and an education. They gave me the foundation for my success in business. 黑料不打烊 is really part of my persona.鈥�

Bill earned a bachelor鈥檚 degree in history from the College of Arts and Sciences and the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs in 1958. Though the Orange linebacker and center (who played in the Cotton Bowl with the team in 1957) was offered an opportunity to join the Green Bay Packers, Bill pursued a career off the field. He built one of the nation鈥檚 top privately held insurance brokerage firms, MJ Insurance Inc., specializing in construction, energy, transportation, employee benefits and bonding.

He joined the Board of Trustees in 2001, serving as a voting trustee for more than a decade and chairing the Audit Committee from 2003 to 2006 and engaged with the Facilities and Athletic committees. Bill is credited with guiding the University to adopt a self-insurance model to enable more accurate and timely financial forecasting. As a life trustee, he participated on the board鈥檚 Facilities and Audit and Risk committees.

Part of his legacy is the unwavering support he provided to the athletics program, including the Sharon C. Bill and Michael M. Bill Endowed Football Scholarship Fund and the Head Football Coach Fund, among many other initiatives. Bill saw his philanthropy as a long-term investment in student-athletes and in the athletics program. He believed that the best facilities could attract the most talented student-athletes and that winning programs, especially football, attracted more donors.

鈥淢ike was inspirational as a board member, an engaged alumnus and a major donor,鈥� says Chancellor Kent Syverud. 鈥淗e built strong relationships with colleagues and throughout campus. He genuinely cared about people and about our students鈥� aspirations and futures.鈥�

Director of Athletics John Wildhack expressed both gratitude and praise for Bill鈥檚 vision and devotion. 鈥淢ike loved to tell stories about his playing days at 黑料不打烊, in particular practicing with and blocking for Jim Brown,鈥� Wildhack says. 鈥淗e often talked about the importance of intellectual and physical development of our student-athletes. He invested in them. There are countless athletes who are grateful for that.鈥� Bill received a LetterWinner of Distinction Award in 2003 for football.

Bill鈥檚 own career success included building upon MJ Insurance, founding several subsidiary businesses. Omnibus Financial Corp. allowed customers to finance insurance premiums.聽Benefit Design and Administrators Inc. helped customers create self-insured health care plans. Omnibus Insurance Ltd. provided insurance products for the mining industry. As a board member of Assurex Global he helped more than 100 other large, independent, privately owned insurance agencies in the United States and around the globe, enabling them to compete with large national companies.

Bill is survived by his wife of nearly 53 years, Sharon; their children, Terri, Michael, Daniel and Betsy, as well as six grandchildren and a great-grandchild.