George Saunders on campus

“George Saunders is the author of more than a dozen books—from short story and essay collections to novels and a children’s book—that offer an incisive, comedic and urgent perspective on our world,” says David Steinberger, chair of the board of directors of the National Book Foundation. “Throughout 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.”

“Congratulations to George on this well-deserved honor. This achievement is yet another example of the high caliber of faculty nurturing our students,” 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’s favorite books of 2022; and three of his works were featured in The New York Times’ list of the . Saunders’ 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.

Global ambassadors, who are study abroad alumni, will be on hand to answer your burning study abroad questions at ���ϲ����� 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’s ���ϲ����� Abroad Week.

���ϲ����� Abroad Week, Sept. 15-19:��Students, partners, faculty and staff are invited to join virtual events to learn more about study abroad programs. Throughout the week, ���ϲ����� 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��.

���ϲ����� Abroad on the Kenneth A. Shaw Quadrangle, Sept. 18: Students, campus partners and faculty are invited to visit the ���ϲ����� 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 ���ϲ����� 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 ���ϲ����� Abroad merchandise.

Erika Wilkens, assistant provost and executive director of ���ϲ����� Abroad, looks forward to welcoming students to the fair. “We’re thrilled to share amazing international, experiential and intercultural study opportunities with ���ϲ����� students at the study abroad fair,” says Wilkens. “We welcome all students to discover the many unique possibilities that await them.”

While at ���ϲ����� Abroad on the Quad, learn more about:

• ���ϲ����� 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’s Los Angeles, New York City and Washington, D.C. locations.

2025 Abroad Programs

Students can�� 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�������Ի�����programs, including Summer Sessions at ���ϲ����� 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�� with an international program advisor or make a general advising appointment. General advising sessions take place at ���ϲ����� Abroad @ Bird, located in 002 Bird Library, or virtually over Zoom.

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 ���ϲ����� community,” says Emily Dittman, director of the ���ϲ����� 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 ���ϲ����� professor and��Currents��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 ���ϲ����� to think beyond traditional approaches and to be fearless in that process.”

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

“The Architect,” by Puerto Rican artist Arnaldo Roche and also from Point of Contact’s collection, is one of the works��featured in the exhibition.

To commemorate its 50th anniversary . (POC) is presenting “50 Sin Cuenta,” 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 ���ϲ�����. 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’s 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’s collection and features over 100 works by acclaimed artists. They include Luis Felipe Noé, Liliana Porter, Ana Tiscornia, Joseph Kugielsky, Maritza Bautista, Pedro Roth, Arnaldo Roche, Víctor Vázquez and Nayda Collazo Lloréns, among others

“50 Sin Cuenta” 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.

“Punto de Contacto has cultivated important collaborations locally, nationally and internationally and has provided rich connecting points with ���ϲ����� faculty and students from several departments over the years, including those in Latino-Latin American studies, creative writing, museum studies and the arts,” 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.

“It 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.”

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

“Point of Contact’s legacy is rooted in experimentation, dialogue and discovery,” says Emily Dittman, newly appointed president of the Board of Directors and director of ���ϲ����� Art Museum.

“This anniversary is a moment to reaffirm our commitment to the artists and communities that shape our mission. We’re excited to share this milestone with the public and open our doors to new collaborations,” 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 ���ϲ����� Humanities Center, Centro de Estudios Hispánicos and the Latino-Latin American studies program, and produced in collaboration with the College of Visual and Performing Arts’ Warehouse Gallery and museum studies program.

Acrylic on canvas by Durkia Estrada

A opens “Corpórea,” which translates to “of the body,” 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 ���ϲ�����’s Latino community, the exhibition recognizes the body as a site of memory, resilience and transformation, says organizer Bennie Guzmán G’25, a ���ϲ�����-based artist and graduate of the master’s program in in the . Body maps and mixed media, collected over six weeks of art therapy workshops held this summer, reflect the artists’ personal journeys.

“‘Corpórea’ is about what we carry, how we heal and how we thrive,” Guzmán says. “Art becomes a way to regulate, reflect and reconnect. It’s not about being perfect; it’s about being present.”

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 Méndez G’25, a graduate of the master’s program in museum studies and curator of the exhibit.

Body map detail from a piece by Suanny Núñez

The project is part of the 2025–26 , ��presented by the . It is also��supported by the and the University’s .

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 “Corpórea” exhibition

, executive director of the Office of Cultural Engagement for the Hispanic Community, says the program was “an 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.”

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

“Tiny Martians, Big Emotions,” conceived and directed by Kate Laissle, will rehearse from Jan. 5-18, 2026, and tour from January through June 2026

This touring production features flexible, on demand performances; actors will be assigned dates based on their availability and will be paid per performance.��

Audition to be a Martian

Martians can be any age, race or gender. They are inquisitive, clownlike and lacking any words but great at getting their point across with sounds, body language and gibberish. The Martians love working together with audience members to figure out why colors are causing them to feel things. A little unsure of what to do but they know that their audience friends have the answers, whatever the response. It’s the definition of “yes, and …”

Those interested in auditioning should submit a headshot and resume, their location (city/state) and a 60-second video telling a short story of discovery involving no language but sounds and movement encouraged.��Please visit the for video submission instructions.

About the Show

“Tiny Martians, Big Emotions” features a dynamic Martian duo experiencing emotions for the first time. Guided through interaction with the youngest audience members, Martians experience the highs and lows of feelings and the brilliance of how colors and textures affect mood. Through their journey, the Martians learn how even though we all experience feelings differently and react in unique ways to experiences, we’re all stronger together by sharing and expressing our emotions.

A Theatre for the Very Young local touring production, “Tiny Martians, Big Emotions” is specifically created for audiences ages 18 months to 5 years.

‘What If I Try This?’: Helen Frankenthaler in the 20th-Century Print Ecosystem

In the Joe and Emily Lowe Galleries, “What If I Try This?” examines the printmaking career of celebrated abstract artist Helen Frankenthaler H’85 (1928-2011). Curated by Melissa Yuen, the exhibition grew from a 2023 gift of 11 prints and one set of process proofs from the Helen Frankenthaler Foundation as part of the Frankenthaler Prints Initiative and explores how Frankenthaler, in collaboration with seven print studios, pushed the boundaries of printmaking.

Featuring loans from the Helen Frankenthaler Foundation (New York), the Collections of Jordan D. Schnitzer and the Jordan Schnitzer Family Foundation (Portland, Oregon), the Memorial Art Gallery of the University of Rochester (Rochester, New York), Zimmerli Art Museum at Rutgers University (New Brunswick, New Jersey) and Munson Museum of Art (Utica, N.Y.), the show considers the collaborative and technical nature of printmaking and emphasizes that prints are not simply ink on paper, but the outcome of experimentation and technological innovation.

“I am delighted to celebrate and share the Frankenthaler Foundation’s generous gift to ���ϲ����� with our audiences,” says curator Melissa Yuen. “At the same time, through the different partnerships the artist sustained throughout her five-decade-long printmaking career we are able to explore the vibrant printmaking ecosystem that continues to flourish today. The daring experiments Frankenthaler and her collaborators realized remind us that invention requires risk, and that the creative process is rarely linear.”

An opening reception on Thursday, Sept. 11, will feature a keynote talk by Alexander Nemerov, the Carl and Marilynn Thomas Provostial Professor in the Arts and Humanities at Stanford University. A part of yearlong series focusing on the theme of “Creativity,” presented by the , Nemerov’s talk will explore Frankenthaler’s ���ϲ����� connection by way of ���ϲ����� alum and famed 20th-century art critic Clement Greenberg ’30. The talk begins at 4:30 p.m. at 500 Hall of Languages with a reception to follow at the Art Museum in the Shaffer Art Building.

Helen Frankenthaler, the celebrated 20th-century abstract artist, pushed the boundaries of printmaking in collaboration with print workshops around the world, including Crown Point Press in San Francisco where she collaborated with Kathan Brown on this work, “Nepenthe. “

‘A Sense of Arrival’

“A Sense of Arrival” brings together scholarship and artistic practice in a multimedia installation by , professor of rhetoric and writing in the Department of Writing Studies in the . Browne’s exhibition combines photographs, sculpture and new writings that reflect a decades-long meditation on Caribbean blackness, being and rhetorical expression.

A public reading and conversation with Browne will be held later in the fall, offering a unique opportunity to engage with the artist-scholar’s evolving work.

This self-portrait of Kevin Adonis Browne, professor of rhetoric and writing in the College of Arts and Sciences, is one of a series on view this fall as part of a series taken in 2020.

‘Human/Environment: 4,000 Years of Art’

A new permanent collection exhibition in the Morton and Luise Kaish Gallery and Collection Galleries, “Human/Environment: 4,000 Years of Art” examines the relationship between people and their environments across time and space. The exhibition draws from the museum’s collection of nearly 45,000 works and includes works ranging from ancient to contemporary.

Organized around themes such as landscape, the home, places of gathering and the human figure, “Human/Environment” asks viewers to consider how physical, cultural and material environments shape artistic expression—and vice versa.

This exhibition will be on view for the next four academic years, and the museum hopes it will serve as an anchor for broader conversations about humanity and our place in the world.

On display as part of “Human/Environment: 4,000 Years of Art,” [Ishtar] is one of the oldest items in the Art Museum’s collection.

The Art Wall Project: ‘Why Does My Adobo Taste Different?’

2025-26 Art Wall artist Bhen Alan has constructed a monumental handwoven banig (like the one pictured here) from plant fibers, strips of plastic and deconstructed paintings he previously made of his family members.

Artist, dancer and educator Bhen Alan brings his lived experience as a Filipino immigrant in Canada and the United States to a large-scale, site-specific installation in the museum’s Art Wall Project. Alan has constructed a monumental banig, a traditional Filipino handwoven textile created from plant fibers, strips of plastic and paintings he previously made of his family members.

“I want [museum visitors] to understand the experience of immigrant people … especially with everything that is happening right now in this political climate,” artist Bhen Alan says. “This work really is a labor of love, and I hope that whoever spends time with the work or whoever sees the work, even in a brief moment, I hope they find love and care for one another and for themselves.”

Now in its fifth iteration, the Art Wall Project spotlights contemporary artists whose work inspires interdisciplinary conversations within the campus community. The project is generously supported by the Wege Foundation.

The ���ϲ����� Art Museum’s fall season presents a range of exhibitions grounded in its diverse collection that explores art and ecology, personal family narratives and pioneering printmaking. Together, they demonstrate art’s ability to spark conversation, bring together disciplines and help us better understand our world and each other.

Watch a Time-Lapse Installation of ‘Why Does My Adobo Taste Different?’

Video filmed, edited and produced by Amy Manley, senior multimedia producer

For more information on exhibitions, events and museum hours, visit .

During Rebecca Xu’s AI in Creative Practice course, students combine hands-on experiences with AI tools, thinking critically about the creative and ethical implications of using AI. This work was produced by student Adam Hazem.

Artists have always embraced new technologies to push the boundaries of their creations—balancing imagination and authenticity with innovation.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is no different, says , professor of computer art and animation in the Department of Film and Media Arts in the .

Rebecca Xu

Xu’s research explores how emerging technologies, particularly AI, can enhance the creative process for such art forms as artistic data visualization, visual music, digital performance and interactive installations.

Over the years, Xu has conducted experiments with generative programming and AI, and her animated work “Péripéties: Fragile Sovereignties”��has been featured in national and international exhibitions, including the upcoming .

While some in the creative fields are reluctant to embrace AI, Xu says the sooner artists learn to work with and adapt to AI, the sooner they will benefit.

“It’s another tool we can use with our creative practices. I’m exploring ways to integrate it into my own,” says Xu, who has taught undergraduate and graduate-level classes on using AI in the creative process.

“A lot of students fear AI, but I want to teach my students how to use AI to their advantage.”

Xu sat down with SU News to reflect on AI’s influence on the arts and share her advice for how students should incorporate AI into their artworks.

AI Is Having a Positive Impact

“Some people see AI replacing human creativity. Other people see AI enhancing creativity. I’m on the side that AI is having a positive impact.

“Being in the field of digital art, I’m always dealing with the impact of new technology. AI is not that different from other technological enhancements. Through innovation, AI can enhance human creativity. But it does raise questions about what constitutes human versus machine creativity, whether machines can have true creativity, and how we define creativity itself.”

An example of how Professor Rebecca Xu incorporates AI tools into creating art

Take the Camera, for Example

“When the camera first came along, it shook up the art world the same way AI is shaking up creativity right now. Before the camera, painting was the primary visual art form to capture reality. The camera changed everything. Many traditional painters, particularly those who focused on realistic paintings, thought cameras were taking over and meant their work had no meaning. But that wasn’t true.

“The invention of the camera helped artists create new ways to express themselves. When new technology or techniques come along, that’s when you start to see new art forms; that’s how we progress and move forward in the art world.

“Art is always about self-expression. Whether you use a camera, a paint brush, clay or computer software and AI, those are the media and different means for creating art. The content and how you communicate through your art is the most important thing.”

Generating Ideas and Inspiration Through AI

“Start in the preproduction phase to utilize the advantages of AI. With my animation classes, I have students develop a concept, a story, concept art and character designs, areas where AI can really help by offering inspiration and possible directions to explore. They can try out different visual styles and designs to see which ones best fit their idea.

“AI is also a very good training tool for the technical skills they need for the production phase. What is the difference between a long, medium and close-up shot? How do you put those elements together? AI offers useful tools, but you still need to produce your own original work instead of using something generated by AI.

“I would encourage people, particularly in the creative fields, to embrace AI as a collaboration tool. But not everybody needs to use AI. There’s a misconception that if you don’t use AI, you are outdated or less of an artist. That’s not true. Traditional art forms—paintings, ceramics and sculptures—retain their own values, and I think the current integration of AI makes us value traditional artwork even more because of the human touches and the lived human experiences that shaped the art form are irreplaceable. But AI can open up new ways to create, teach and experience art.”

Artwork created by Mohamed Keita, a student in Rebecca Xu’s AI in Creative Practice course

This year’s Museum Faculty Fellows are:

• , professor of practice in human development and family science, College of Arts and Sciences
• , visiting teaching professor, College of Law
• , associate professor of film and media arts, College of Visual and Performing Arts
• , professor of biomedical and chemical engineering, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Colleen Cameron

“This cohort is especially robust, with representation from schools and colleges that have not participated in the fellowship before,” says Miranda Traudt, assistant provost for strategic initiatives and director of the arts. “These faculty members bring an interesting approach to using the art collection to enhance coursework, and demonstrate how the arts contribute to experiential learning opportunities for faculty and students.”

Colleen Cameron: Healthcare Communication

Cameron plans to integrate museum materials into the course HFS 400 Healthcare Communication: Research, Theory and Practice this fall. Her aim is to “create a course where students can view healthcare communication though a lens influenced by humanities and social science frameworks.” As part of the course, students will select an object that connects to death notification, and will present it at a session held at the museum at the end of the semester. They will also engage in two object-based art experiences followed by reflective essays.

Maria Cudowska

Maria Cudowska: Cultural Protection

Cudowska will use museum objects in the fall course LAW 882 National Security Research Center/Counterterrorism Center and/or the spring course LAW 897-M601 National Security Negotiations. “Object-based assignments and a visit to the museum’s collections [will] immerse students in the legal, policy and cultural dimensions of protecting art and heritage in conflict zones,” Cudowska says. “By treating cultural property as both a legal subject and a vessel of identity and diplomacy, students will develop the tools to evaluate and advocate for cultural protections within national security frameworks.”

Kelly Gallagher

Kelly Gallagher: Community Connections

Gallagher will use museum materials in the spring course FIL 500 Cameraless Filmmaking + Recycled Images. Students will learn numerous cameraless filmmaking techniques through hands-on teaching and practice. Following a visit to the museum, where staff will present 10 or more objects from the collection, students will choose a piece of art to serve as the inspiration for a short cameraless film. “My experience as a Faculty Fellow will enhance my teaching by encouraging me to return to a pillar of my pedagogy: connecting my students with our larger ���ϲ����� community,” Gallagher says.

Shikha Nangia: From Artifacts to Materials Design With AI

Shikha Nangia

This fall, Nangia will integrate museum artifacts into ECS 326 Engineering Materials, Properties and Processing to create an interdisciplinary learning experience. Students will study objects made of metals, ceramics, textiles and wood—linking core engineering principles to historical, cultural and artistic contexts. “By examining these materials, students gain hands-on insight into how properties influence design and function across time,” Nangia says. The course will also introduce AI tools to analyze artifacts and assist in designing a new material inspired by historical examples—bridging engineering, history and technology. “It’s a powerful opportunity to enrich learning by connecting course concepts to real-world materials and uncovering patterns through AI,” Nangia says.

Varied Perspectives

Kate Holohan, the museum’s curator of education and academic outreach, says, “Each fellow brings their own disciplinary perspectives to objects that the museum often presents in an art historical context. We’re excited to support innovative, interdisciplinary and experiential teaching and learning at the museum, and to see how the fellows’ engagement with art historical and museum-thinking bring new teaching frameworks to healthcare communication, national security law, filmmaking and engineering.”

The Faculty Fellows program is hosted by the museum with support from the Office of Strategic Initiatives and the Office of Research in Academic Affairs.

“The Hello Girls” tells the inspiring true story of the first women soldiers to join the U.S. Army, serving as bilingual telephone operators in France during WWI. Originally commissioned by Prospect Musicals in New York City, “The Hello Girls” premiered off-Broadway in 2018 to coincide with the centennial anniversary of the groundbreaking journey taken by the real-life women, from the frontlines to their decades-long fight to be recognized as veterans back home.

Since then, writers Mills and Reichel have continued the play’s development through workshops and a concert version of the show at the Kennedy Center in 2024. ���ϲ����� Stage’s upcoming presentation represents the most ambitious version yet, with new musical and visual storytelling designed to bring deeper resonance to today’s audiences.

“We are honored to have this opportunity to revisit the show and rediscover the urgency of the Hello Girls’ voices through a new production,” says Reichel. “Their fight for equality and recognition feels more resonant than ever, and we’re excited to bring a bold, contemporary lens to their remarkable journey.”

With an incredible jazz and ragtime flavored score, ���ϲ����� Stage’s new production of “The Hello Girls” is co-produced with Michael Cassel Group, Broadway & Beyond Theatricals and Chief Operator LLC.

The cast includes Chessa Metz* (Broadway: “Suffs”), Storm Lever* (Broadway: “Six”), Alex Humphreys* (Broadway: “Dear Evan Hansen”), Jamila Sabares-Klemm* (Broadway: “Merrily We Roll Along”), Sophia Anna O’Brien, Sam Simahk* (Broadway: “Into the Woods”), Christopher Carl* (Broadway: “Mamma Mia!”), Aidan Cole*, Andrew Mayer* (Broadway: “Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812”), Emily Mesa, Nadia Stiell, Dan Teixeira*, Teddy Trice* (Broadway: “The Book of Mormon”) and Kat Wolf*.

The production team includes Milagros Ponce de León (scenic designer), Jen Caprio (costume designer), Dawn Chiang (lighting designer), Jessica Paz (sound designer), Caite Hevner (projection designer), Becky Fleming* (production stage manager) and Kyra Button* (stage manager).

Tickets for “The Hello Girls” are on sale now. All evening performances begin at 7:30 p.m. while all matinee performances begin at 2 p.m. A special performance of “The Hello Girls” for veterans, active military members and their families will be held on Tuesday, Sept. 9, immediately following a reception to honor their incredible sacrifice in the line of duty. Tickets for this preview performance are free of charge, but must be reserved in advance by calling 315-443-3275.

Tickets start at $30 with discounts available for students and groups. Tickets may be purchased online at ���ϲ�����Stage.org, by phone at 315.443.3275 or in person at the ���ϲ����� Stage Box Office.

*Member of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.

From “yeet” to “social distancing,” new words and phrases constantly emerge and evolve in American English. But how do these neologisms—newly coined terms—gain acceptance and become part of mainstream dialect?

We interviewed , associate professor of linguistics in the , to better understand the fascinating process behind language evolution.

The Birth of New Words

Christopher Green

Most neologisms aren’t totally new creations, according to Green. “It is fairly rare for entirely new terms to emerge,” he says. Instead, most new words contain repurposed pieces of existing terms or represent nuanced changes where existing meanings expand or contract.

However, completely new terms do occasionally surface. Take “yeet,” most commonly meaning to throw something away. This recent addition to American slang emerged among younger social media users and spread rapidly through digital platforms, illustrating how modern technology accelerates language evolution.

“A term must have a community of use whereby some string of sounds and an associated meaning come to be accepted and used by that community and eventually more broadly,” Green says. “Social media and global news cycles now help spread new terms far more quickly than in times past.”

The Question of ‘Official’ Recognition

When does a word “officially” become part of the language? Green suggests this concept is more fluid than many realize. While some track when dictionaries add new words to their collections, and the American Dialect Society holds yearly meetings where linguists vote on a “word (or phrase) of the year,” these represent informal recognition rather than official status.

Patterns of Acceptance and Rejection

Many neologisms follow cyclical patterns, appearing, disappearing and sometimes reemerging based on changing circumstances. “Who knew what ‘social distancing’ was before 2020?” Green asks. The term rapidly gained widespread use during the pandemic, then largely fell out of everyday conversation—though it remains in our collective memory, ready to resurface if needed.

Generational language patterns also repeat over time. “Every generation has its term to express their liking of something,” Green says, citing examples like “rad, cool, fly, hip, neato, fire, lit and savage.” These terms often function as markers of in-group versus out-group identity, with people borrowing language from specific communities to signal desired membership.

Cultural Drivers of Language Change

Cultural shifts significantly influence neologism creation, though Green emphasizes that the process depends heavily on community adoption. He points to terms popularized in LGBTQ ballroom culture during the 1980s that have survived and expanded in use, often without users realizing their origins. Terms like “work,” “yes queen,” “serve” and “slay” exemplify how marginalized communities often drive mainstream language innovation.

Green says it can be humorous to observe contemporary reactions to Gen Alpha terminology. Adults sometimes express bewilderment at terms like “cap, sus, rizz, bet, ate, cheugy and low-key,” often forgetting their own generational slang. “Some adults of my generation and above act like we didn’t have our own terms that our parents and grandparents didn’t understand,” he says, recalling 1990s expressions like “booyah, jiggy and as if!”

The key difference today is the speed and scale of dissemination. While past generations relied on music and television to spread new language, social media now enables instant global communication, dramatically accelerating how neologisms travel through speech communities.

The Future of Language Evolution

As American English continues to evolve, understanding neologism patterns helps us appreciate language as a living, breathing entity shaped by community use, cultural identity and technological advancement. Whether a new word survives depends ultimately on whether communities find it useful enough to adopt and maintain over time—a process as unpredictable as human creativity itself.

Green is available for media interviews on this topic. Reporters may contact Keith Kobland, associate director of media relations, at kkobland@syr.edu��to request an interview or further information.

The scrolls were donated by Geraldine Forbes, Distinguished Teaching Professor Emerita at the State University of New York at Oswego, whose career as a historian of India and teaching professor has shaped generations of scholarship on gender, visual culture and oral traditions in South Asia.

A single panel from Satya Narayan Pir, Jharna Chitrakar, circa 2004. It is one of the more than 80 works gifted to the ���ϲ����� Art Museum by Geraldine Forbes.

Patachitra, meaning “cloth picture” in Sanskrit, are hand-painted scrolls crafted by patuas (“scroll painters”) in the West Bengal region of eastern India. These vibrant scrolls are historically performed alongside narrative song which transforms them into a unique experience that straddles the line between visual art, oral history and performance.

Forbes began purchasing these scrolls because of her love for folk art and slowly amassed her collection over many trips to Calcutta. Now, she is concerned that such a dynamic art form is at risk of disappearing. As patuas have adapted to the rapidly changing media landscape of India, those performances are becoming less common. Many patuas have even eschewed traditional scroll painting in favor of selling painted souvenirs such as kettles, spoons and umbrellas at local flea markets

Geraldine Forbes, center, with Hazra and Madhu Chitrakar in India (Photo courtesy of Geraldine Forbes)

“Although India has a thriving art market, this folk art has not ‘caught’ on with galleries and buyers,” Forbes notes. “Unless things change, it is doubtful that [patachitra scrolls] will be continued to be painted.”

The scrolls in Forbes’ gift were created during the 1960s to the present day. Traditionally, patachitra scrolls depict mythological or folkloric scenes, while many in this collection address contemporary issues such as climate change, plastic pollution, the HIV/AIDS epidemic and even global political events like the 9/11 attacks. Their themes demonstrate the versatility and relevance of patachitra as an art form to capture both enduring myths and the challenges of our modern world.

Forbes feels that her collection of scrolls will endure the test of time and fit in with the museum’s already impressive collection of South Asian art and material culture, including Mithila paintings previously donated to the Museum by Susan Wadley, professor emerita in the anthropology department and Ford-Maxwell Professor of South Asian Studies.

“The fact that [the SU Art Museum] has the Ruth Reeves collection of folk art objects, as well as [Professor Emerita] Susan Wadley’s collection, [Associate Professor of Art History] Romita Ray’s interest and Melissa Yuen’s role at [the museum] made it an ideal location for my collection of Bengali scrolls,” Forbes says.

“We are honored to receive this gift from Geraldine,” says Emily Dittman, director of the ���ϲ����� Art Museum. “These hand painted, intricate scrolls represent a centuries-old storytelling tradition that is now at risk of disappearing. By preserving them, we not only safeguard a vital art form but also create meaningful opportunities for cross-cultural learning, research and engagement across campus and beyond”

With this generous gift, the ���ϲ����� Art Museum deepens its commitment to preserving and showcasing global visual cultures. Currently, the scrolls are being processed and catalogued by museum staff to be made available for scholars at a future date. The patachitra scrolls will support not only exhibitions, but also interdisciplinary research and curricular collaborations, offering students, faculty and the public access to a unique storytelling tradition.

The work, titled “Evolving an Urban Ecology,” was created by students Gabriele Eggerling ’26 (B.Arch), Dhruv Jadhav ’26 (B.Arch) and Hannah Puerta-Carlson ’26 (B.Arch), under the instruction of Associate Professor Amber Bartosh, director of the London Architecture Program, and Instructor Vanessa Lastrucci.

“Evolving an Urban Ecology” model

Now in its 257th year, the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition is the world’s longest-running open-submission exhibition, bringing together a diverse array of contemporary works, including painting, sculpture, photography, printmaking, architecture and film from leading and emerging voices. For the 2025 show, fewer than 1,000 works were chosen from over 32,000 global submissions.

Curated by internationally renowned architect and Royal Academician Farshid Moussavi, this year’s overarching theme, “Dialogues,” explores how visual culture can foster conversation across disciplines, geographies and ideologies.

“The Royal Academy Summer Exhibition 2025 will be dedicated to art’s capacity to forge dialogues and to afford us sensitivity towards societal concerns, such as ecology, survival and living together,” says Moussavi.

“Evolving an Urban Ecology” experiential collage

And for the first time in its history, the Royal Academy has fully integrated architecture with all other media, creating conversations with art and underscoring its role as an essential part of the cultural landscape.

“Evolving an Urban Ecology” explores how forgotten urban spaces can be reimagined through ecological care and slow, adaptive design. Focusing on the disused Highgate train station site in North London—once part of a major green corridor—the project highlights the ecological value of its largely unrecognized urban soil and the barriers preventing both human and nonhuman movement across it.

In response, the proposal outlines a long-term strategy centered on three interventions: reusing existing concrete to establish a permanent hub for soil research and education; introducing scaffolding-based structures for temporary access and community gardening; and adapting agricultural technologies for soil and water management in an urban context.

Designed as a speculative “how-to” guide, the project envisions an evolving landscape that prioritizes ecological restoration, access and coexistence over time.

“We’re incredibly honored to be part of this longstanding tradition of showcasing architects and artists from around the world,” the students say in a joint statement. “We’re grateful to coordinator Farshid Moussavi and our room curators, Stephanie Macdonald and Tom Emerson, for including us in this year’s show. Attending the opening ceremonies in June was a truly memorable experience, and we’re excited to carry everything we’ve learned forward into our future work.”

“Evolving an Urban Ecology” long section

“Evolving an Urban Ecology” joins notable works by household names and emerging talent—among them Alice Channer, Ryan Gander, Tracey Emin, Antonio Tarsis and Tamara Kostianovsky—underscoring a remarkable moment for architecture within the broader art discourse.

“Seeing Gabe, Dhruv and Hannah’s project included in the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition is a tremendous honor. Their work embodies the kind of forward-thinking resilience we emphasize in the SU London program,” says Bartosh. “Combining deep research, design autonomy and technical skill, the model is more than just a beautiful artifact—it’s a testament to the students’ commitment and the value of architecture as an agent of ecological and social insight.”

The exhibition is on view at Burlington House in London through Aug. 17. All of the works in the Summer Exhibition have been available to browse online through the , with many of the pieces available to purchase.

For his yearlong thesis project, Dan Cohen ’25 turned to two of his passions—music and fashion—to devise a stylish, portable and wearable CD player, coined the Voyager CD Bag.

Bucking the trend of streaming music platforms and contrary to what one might expect of a member of his generation, musician Dan Cohen ’25 prefers listening to his favorite artists on compact disc (CD) and record players.

His research and experiences convinced Cohen he wasn’t alone among his peers, and for his yearlong thesis project, Cohen turned to two of his passions—music and fashion—to devise a stylish, portable and wearable CD player, coined the Voyager CD Bag.

Dan Cohen

“This is a response to Gen Z’s growing fascination with tangible, nostalgic technology,” says Cohen, an major in the .

“The world we live in is so screen-saturated and these new products can make you feel like you’re mindlessly using them. A lot of my peers are overwhelmed by this impersonal experience of digital screens. We want to sit down and have a more authentic experience while enjoying a sense of ownership, connection and intentionality.”

Since arriving on campus, Cohen noticed many of his peers skipped Spotify and Apple Music for the comforts and enhanced auditory experience associated with playing vinyl records and CDs.

Cohen says there’s something personal about interacting with your music instead of mindlessly going from one digital track to the next. And in a day and age of device overload, using a CD player provides an authentic, tangible listening experience.

Cohen’s crossbody CD bag fuses retro technology and modern style, allowing the user to step back in time and enjoy their favorite music thanks to a fully functional CD player that is skip-proof and water-proof. Down the road, Cohen would love to market and manufacture the Voyager CD bag, hoping to tap into a large audience that also enjoys vintage music technology that is both portable and convenient.

Embracing Market Research to Understand the Audience

Before Cohen’s vision became a reality, he studied the wants and needs of his intended audience to better understand the potential interest in his CD bag. He relied on a key lesson taught in his industrial and interactive design classes.

“Industrial design is about much more than just making the perfect product sketch. We’re taught to love the research aspect, to learn more about who you’re designing for and their experiences as a user. To truly know the people you’re designing this product for, you need to ask the right questions,” Cohen says.

Conducting market research to gauge the interest in his wearable retro technology, Cohen first interviewed industry professionals like Adam Carr ’02, director of industrial design at Bose Corporation, and Sean Christy, an industrial designer at McIntosh Laboratory Inc., a company that crafts high-end home audio sound systems.

Then, Cohen sent out customized surveys to two different groups of participants: those between the ages of 18 and 29, and those age 30 and older. He learned that while a majority of respondents enjoyed listening to CDs, they didn’t like the inconvenience associated with traditional CD players, and they craved a product that was both portable and looked trendy.

Convinced that his thesis was viable and would meet a need, Cohen set about designing his prototype.

A Passion Project Realized

Inspired by the Walkman and the Discman, Cohen wanted to create a prototype of a musical and stylish accessory that a user would want to bring with them everywhere they went.

When it came to the aesthetic component, he roamed the buildings and spaces on campus, observing trends to figure out which items his fellow students viewed as must-haves whenever they left their residence hall rooms and apartments.

“Bags are the big fashion craze. Everybody carried a bag with them everywhere they went, and I realized the best way to go was to insert or mount a CD player on the bag,” Cohen says.

The finished product? A fashionable grey bag with a zipper running across the top for the main storage section and an adjustable black strap. Mounted to one side is a sleek black CD player with a headphone jack and a zipper storage pouch for holding multiple CDs.

“People I shared the bag with were so excited at the prospect of a portable CD player bag,” Cohen says. “I had this vision of what I wanted it to look like, and I was very fortunate to create something that matched my vision.”

He says the biggest lesson he learned from the project was to trust himself. “While there were definitely some ups and downs along the way, this was my passion project and I’m proud of how everything turned out.”

Eleanor Holdridge

The (VPA) has appointed Eleanor Holdridge as the new chair of the effective July 1.

Holdridge comes to ���ϲ����� from the Catholic University of America, where she served as professor and chair of the Department of Drama at the Rome School of Music, Drama and Art. She succeeds Ralph Zito, who served as drama department chair for the past 15 years and will return to the faculty part-time.

“I am absolutely thrilled to be joining the drama department at ���ϲ�����,” says Holdridge. “The excitement and energy of the students, the rigor and collegiality of the faculty and the opportunities for collaboration among all of the College of Visual and Performing Arts and the community as a whole seem to be what America needs right now: a chance to nurture the burgeoning artists of tomorrow and to change the world.”

“I’m delighted to welcome Professor Holdridge to the college,” says Michael S. Tick, dean of VPA. “The Department of Drama has a distinguished tradition of preparing students for successful careers in theater, film and television. Professor Holdridge’s leadership will not only enhance that legacy but also deepen our dynamic and enduring partnership with . I look forward to working with her on the college’s leadership team.”

In addition to her work as an educator and administrator, Holdridge has directed plays for over 30 years. Off-Broadway productions include world premieres of��“Selma ’65”��(LaMaMa),��“Steve & Idi”��(Rattlestick Playwrights Theatre) and��“Cycling Past the Matterhorn”��(Clurman Theatre). Regional world premieres include Ken Ludwig’s “Lend Me A Soprano,” David Grimm’s adaptation of��“Cyrano de Bergerac” and Lauren Gunderson’s��“The Revolutionists”��(Cincinnati Playhouse). She has directed 24 of Shakespeare’s plays, some of them multiple times.

Recently Holdridge directed Ken Ludwig’s��“Baskerville” at the Alley Theatre in Houston. Her upcoming directing projects include a workshop of Ludwig’s “Napoleon at Pemberly” at the Alley Theatre and “The Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder” at the Olney Theatre in summer 2026. She holds an M.F.A. from Yale School of Drama.

“I look forward to shaping the curricula to meet the strategic plan of the college, to investigate and forge an exciting new chapter in the Tepper Semester and all of the away and abroad programs, and to help the department gain even more national significance than it currently enjoys,” says Holdridge. “But really, most of all, I look forward to collaborating with the incredible ���ϲ����� students and faculty and seeing what brave new future they will bring about.”

The University’s own student jazz ensemble, Orange Juice, will be performing Friday at the ���ϲ����� International Jazz Fest.

Get ready for the sweet summer sounds of jazz in the city and on campus. The University is again a sponsor of the , a five-day celebration of world-class jazz music and community spirit, taking place June 25-29 at venues across the city, including a special final event at .

The 2025 ���ϲ����� International Jazz Fest continues its tradition of bringing legendary performers and rising stars to Central New York. This year’s lineup includes such internationally acclaimed artists as Trombone Shorty, The Spinners, Gunhild Carling and Todd Rundgren, along with the University’s own student jazz ensemble, Orange Juice.

The grand finale of the ���ϲ����� International Jazz Fest, “Return to Community: A Sunday Gospel Jazz Service,” will be held on Sunday, June 29, at Hendricks Chapel. The Spelman College Glee Club will perform, along with the University’s , the alumni group of the Black Celestial Choral Ensemble and a community choir composed of ���ϲ�����-area residents.

Orange Juice Jazz Combo

Among the festival’s featured performers is the jazz combo, a standout student ensemble of instrumental and vocal performers from the Setnor School of Music. They will perform at 4 p.m. Friday, June 27, on the Jazz Fest Main Stage, Clinton Square.

The ensemble performs regularly in concerts on campus and at community events throughout the year. This will be the ensemble’s third appearance at the ���ϲ����� Jazz Fest under the musical direction of John Coggiola, director of jazz and commercial music in the .

Group members are the following:

• Luke Brady, bass;
• Catherine Cosenza, vocalist;
• Giulianna Iapalucci, drums;
• Ania Kapllani, vocalist;
• Sawyer Kidd-Myers, saxophone;
• Xaden Nishimitsu, trumpet;
• Owen Wernow, guitar; and
• Kai Wong, keyboard.

The ensemble will perform music from legendary artists Wayne Shorter, Thelonius Monk, Michel Legrande, Nate Smith, Vincent Youmans, Victor Schertzinger and Gene DePaul.

Fusing Gospel and Jazz

Members of the Spelman College Glee Club will perform at Hendricks Chapel June 29, the finale of the ���ϲ����� International Jazz Fest.

Wrapping up the festival, Hendricks Chapel’s “ program will offer a unique blend of spiritual inspiration and musical artistry. The event will begin at 3 p.m., with a pre-event outdoor community luncheon on the Quad from 12:30-2:30 p.m. Both events are free to attend.

Reverend Brian Konkol, vice president and dean of Hendricks Chapel, invites the community to this uplifting inclusive experience that fuses and celebrates gospel and jazz music, highlighted by special guests, , now in its 100th year.

“To host the Sunday Gospel Jazz Service on the campus of ���ϲ����� is a joy and honor, as the ���ϲ����� International Jazz Fest is widely known and respected, and we at Hendricks Chapel hope to contribute in ways that are memorable and meaningful,” Konkol says. “The Spelman College Glee Club, students and alumni of the Black Celestial Choral Ensemble, and ���ϲ�����-area Community Choir will unite to provide a wonderful experience that acclaims the splendor of gospel and jazz music, sparks spiritual renewal and blesses our beloved community.”

All ���ϲ����� International Jazz Fest events are free and open to the public.

For the full schedule and artist lineup, visit .

The Boghosian Fellowship at the School of Architecture—established in early 2015 in memory of Harry der Boghosian ’54 by his sister Paula der Boghosian ’64—is a one-of-a-kind program designed to give emerging independent creatives the opportunity to spend a year developing a body of design research based on an area of interest while teaching at the School of Architecture.

Fellows play a significant role at the school by enhancing student instruction and faculty discourse while supporting both research and the development of research-related curriculum valuable to architectural education and the discipline.

Tiffany Xu

During the 2025-26 school year, Xu will teach an architecture studio and two professional electives focused on researching North American contemporary construction culture—emphasizing architecture as a layered system consisting of a skeletal frame and built-up finishes, materials based on standardized dimensions and a product-like treatment of components. Students will explore conventional framing as an area of opportunity for codification and experimentation and study how medium specific tendencies and internal conflicts might yield new approaches to design.

“The composite character of today’s construction departs from traditional architecture’s valorization of permanence and mass, and the modernists’ penchant for transparency and truth,” says Xu. “Instead, this system finds its integrity in fulfilling a localized set of objectives and rules, anchored by pragmatism, vernacular references and supply chain constraints.”

Xu’s year-long investigation will foreground material and tectonic expression, with particular attention to patterns and transitions, positioning contemporary architecture as a new medium with a flexible set of values and objectives grounded in everyday practices.

Like the nine previous Boghosian Fellows, Xu will work closely not only with faculty and students at the School of Architecture but will also explore interdisciplinary collaborations within the University and its various centers and colleges, while also continuing her research into Central New York’s relationships with modernity and material.

Prior to joining ���ϲ����� Architecture, Xu was the 2024-25 Peter Reyner Banham Fellow at the University of New York at Buffalo, where her work explored conventions of light timber framing, culminating in the spring installation, “.” Xu has taught architectural representation at Northeastern University and was a practicing architect at the offices of Spiegel Aihara Workshop, David Jaehning Architect, and Jim Jennings Architecture. Her designs and writing have been published in , San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, CITE Journal and Architectural Record. She has held editorial positions at the and .

Xu received a Master of Architecture from Rice University where she was the recipient of the William D. Darden Thesis award, and a Bachelor of Science from University of California, Berkeley. She is a registered architect in the state of California.

“From this fellowship I hope to further develop my skills in pedagogy, whether at the fundamental and core curriculum level or a more experimental seminar setting, while maintaining a close relationship to building,” says Xu. “My intent is to contribute to a current discourse that strives to merge the gap between design thinking and construction and questions the polarity between everyday pragmatism and abstract study.”

The Boghosian Fellowship has helped the School of Architecture attract the best and the brightest emerging professors. Previous fellows include Maya Alam (2016-17), Linda Zhang (2017-18), James Leng (2018-19), Benjamin Vanmuysen (2019-20), Liang Wang (2020-21), Leen Katrib (2021-22), Lily Chishan Wong (2022-23), Christina Chi Zhang (2023-24) and Erin Cuevas (2024–25).

To learn more about the Harry der Boghosian Fellowship, visit the .

concludes its 2024-25 season with the world premiere production of “The National Pastime,” a provocative psychological thriller about state secrets, sonic weaponry, stolen baseball signs and the father and son relationship in the middle of it all.

Written by acclaimed playwright and University alumnus Rogelio Martinez ’93, “The National Pastime” is directed by Johanna McKeon and will run June 11-29 in the Archbold Theatre at ���ϲ����� Stage, located at 820 E. Genesee St. in ���ϲ�����.

“Creating new work is both a vital and essential aspect of our mission,” says Artistic Director Robert Hupp. “We’re delighted that Central New York audiences will be the first to experience Rogelio Martinez’ thrilling new drama. We commissioned ‘The National Pastime’ in 2021; it is as timely and engaging as any work we’ve done this season. If you’re a fan of spy thrillers or insider baseball or a great evening of theatre, then this production is for you.”

In New York, Josemaria is questioned by the CIA as he travels from Cuba to see his son, Yuri, who defected to play Major League Baseball. In Havana, American “cultural liaison” Val is experiencing debilitating symptoms that develop after mysterious sounds bombard the embassy halls. And in Houston, the Astros are developing a code that will ultimately help their batters clinch a World Series win. These intertwining stories play out in the lingering shadow of the Cold War as the two nations continue their dangerous, decades-long dance, begging the question: When the national pastime is corrupt, what comes next?

“The National Pastime” was commissioned by ���ϲ����� Stage and first premiered as a reading in the 2022 Cold Read Festival of New Plays. This year, Cold Read becomes the Julie Lutz New Play Festival, with events surrounding the world premiere production of “The National Pastime.” Festival curator and ���ϲ����� Stage Associate Artistic Director Melissa Crespo and Resident Playwright Kyle Bass will join “The National Pastime” playwright Rogelio Martinez for a talkback, discussing the play’s journey from conception to fully staged world premiere, immediately following the 7:30 p.m. performance on Thursday, June 12.

The cast for “The National Pastime” includes Erick González (“Native Gardens”) and Joe Cassidy, John J Concado, Cherrye J. Davis, Jorge Sánchez Díaz, Alejandro Hernandez and Frank Rodríguez, all making their ���ϲ����� Stage debuts.

The design team includes sets by Andromache Chalfant, costumes by Andrea Lauer, lighting by Christopher Brown, sound design by Tony Award-winner Cody Spencer (Broadway “The Outsiders”) and video design by Stephen Stivo Arnoczy.

All evening performances begin at 7:30 p.m. while all matinee performances begin at 2 p.m. Tickets start at $30 with discounts available for students and groups. Tickets may be purchased online at , by phone at 315.443.3275 or in person at the ���ϲ����� Stage Box Office. Pay-What-You-Will performances for “The National Pastime” are June 11-15 inclusive; prologue conversations, three pre-show discussions that take place one-hour before curtain, are on June 15, 21 and 26; the Post-Show Talkback will take place on Sunday, June 22, after the 7:30 performance. ���ϲ����� Stage has its open-captioned performances scheduled for June 18 and 29 at 2 p.m. and June 24 and 28 at 7:30 p.m., as well as an audio-described performance on Sunday, June 28, at 2 p.m. and an ASL interpreted performance on June 21 at 2 p.m. The Sensory Friendly/Relaxed performance of “The National Pastime” is scheduled for Tuesday, June 24, at 7:30 p.m.

Trivia Night for “The National Pastime,” hosted by “Jeopardy!” champion Dillon Hupp, will be held on Thursday, June 12, at 6 p.m. Tickets for the 7:30 p.m. performance are required to participate. Pre-registration at is recommended.

Support for the 2024-25 season includes season sponsors the Slutzker Family Foundation, the Dorothy and Marshall M. Reisman Foundation and Advance Media New York. Special thanks go to presenting sponsor George S. Bain and show sponsors NBT Bank and the ���ϲ����� Mets. The community partner for “The National Pastime” is La Casita.

Curated by Associate Artistic Director Melissa Crespo, the festival features Playwright-in-Residence Esperanza Rosales Balcárcel and Central New York’s own Zizi Majid. Due to scheduling changes, Rosales Balcárcel replaces previously announced Playwright-in-Residence Christine Quintana.

“Ever since Kyle Bass founded the Cold Read Festival, ���ϲ����� Stage has proudly upheld our commitment to the development of new work,” says Crespo. “It’s an honor to continue that legacy with the Julie Lutz New Play Festival and provide an essential pipeline for play development.”

Majid, community engagement and education coordinator at ���ϲ����� Stage and instructor with the ���ϲ����� Department of Drama, will present a reading of her play “Milk” on Saturday, June 14, at 5:30 p.m., with a talkback immediately following. Directed by Crespo, the reading will feature Awni Abai-Bahri, Hend Ayoub, Salma Mahmoud and Neagheen Homaifar. Tickets for the reading of “Milk” are free of charge but must be reserved in advance at or by calling the Box Office at 315.443.3275.

Rosales Balcárcel will begin writing a brand-new piece during her residency at the theatre, with support from ���ϲ����� Stage artistic staff. The cast includes Armando Gutierrez, Karis Wiggins and Samora La Perdida. Because the play will be in such early stages of development, there will be no public presentation during the festival.

The Julie Lutz New Play Festival surrounds a fully staged world premiere production, Rogelio Martinez’s “The National Pastime” (June 11-29), which was commissioned and incubated as part of the Cold Read Festival in 2022. Martinez will be joined by Crespo and ���ϲ����� Stage Resident Playwright Kyle Bass for a talkback immediately following the 7:30 p.m. performance of “The National Pastime” on Thursday, June 12. The talkback is included in the purchase of a ticket to the June 12 performance of “The National Pastime.”

The Julie Lutz New Play Festival continues Cold Read’s commitment to supporting and developing new work at ���ϲ����� Stage, including six recent world premieres: Bass’ “Possessing Harriet,” “Salt City Blues” and “Tender Rain,” and the world premiere productions of “Thoughts of a Colored Man,” “Somewhere Over the Border” and “How to Dance in Ohio.” Next season, ���ϲ����� Stage will produce the world premiere of Rae Binstock’s boxing drama “Relentless.”

“In this time of aggressive cuts to longstanding government funding for the arts, audience support of new work for the theatre is more vital than ever,” says Bass.

The festival’s new name is in honor of Julie Lutz, a ground-breaking astronomer and professor who also loved traveling, the outdoors, music, food and theatre. She was a champion of the arts and deeply committed to issues around diversity and inclusion. In 2023, The Julie Lutz New Play Development Fund was established with a $1 million gift from the estate of Lutz’s husband George Wallerstein to specifically support new play activity, developing and producing exciting new work for the theatre.

Audiences are invited to spend the day enjoying new work at ���ϲ����� Stage by pairing the reading of “Milk” on June 14 with tickets to “The National Pastime” at 2 p.m. Boxed lunches may be purchased in advance and will be available immediately following “The National Pastime” performance. Tickets for “The National Pastime” and boxed lunch add-on are available at . (Must be reserved by June 3.)

FESTIVAL EVENTS SCHEDULE

“The National Pastime” Talkback
Thursday, June 12, immediately following the 7:30 p.m. performance
Presented in the Archbold Theatre

Playwright Rogelio Martinez will be joined by Associate Artistic Director Melissa Crespo and Resident Playwright Kyle Bass to discuss the play’s journey from the 2022 Cold Read Festival to this fully realized production.

“Milk”
By Zizi Majid
Directed by Melissa Crespo

Dramaturgy by Kristin Leahy
Saturday, June 14, 5:30 p.m., with a talkback immediately following
Presented in the Storch Theatre

Sofia, a Syrian woman who whilst on a makeshift iron vessel on the Mediterranean Sea, meets Sarah, a woman from South Sudan who’s similarly seeking a better life. Sofia confides her deepest wishes as she considers returning to her home in Syria and a future life with a partner of her own choosing. “Milk” is a play written as an empathetic response to the global migration crisis.

��

]]> /blog/2025/05/21/light-work-opens-new-exhibitions/ Wed, 21 May 2025 15:05:58 +0000 /?p=210123 Light Work has two new exhibitions, “The Archive as Liberation” and “2025 Light Work Grants in Photography, that will run through Aug. 29.

“The Archive as Liberation”

The exhibition is on display in the Kathleen O. Ellis Gallery at Light Work, 316 Waverly Ave. in ���ϲ�����. An opening reception will take place at Light Work on July 25 from 5-7 p.m.

The exhibition is organized by Aaron Turner (Light Work artist-in-residence, 2018, and
Light Work exhibiting artist, 2021). Turner has gathered a unique group of artists and writers to engage in dialogue around archival photographic methods. The exhibition includes work by Andre Bradley, Chisato Hughes, Alec Kaus, calista lyon, Raymond Thompson Jr., Harrison D. Walker, Wendel A. White and Savannah Wood.

“The artists included in this publication and exhibition are engaged in resilience, ancestral
understanding, counter-memory, translation, activism, tension, narrative and critique. Through
their artistic gestures, they illustrate freedom in the Archive,” says Turner.

2025 Light Work Grants in Photography

The 2025 recipients are Sarah Knobel (St. Lawrence County), Joe Librandi-Cowan (Onondaga County),
and Lida Suchy (Onondaga County). The runners-up are Marna Bell (Onondaga County)
and Adrian Francis (Onondaga County).

This year’s judge was Marina Chao (a curator at CPW in Kingston, NY), who writes: “From an
unexpected approach to plastic waste to portraits of Ukrainian civic leaders to an exploration of
home, family and memory, this year’s grantees address subjects that are intimate and personal,
urgent and political, in innovative, collaborative and deeply felt ways.”

The Light Work Grants are part of our ongoing effort to support and encourage Central New
York artists working in photography and related mediums within a 50-mile radius of ���ϲ�����.
Established in 1975, the Light Work Grants are among the oldest photography fellowships in the
country. An opening reception will be held in the Jeffrey J. Hoone Gallery at Light Work on July 25
from 5-7 p.m.

Summer gallery hours are: Monday-Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. For general information, please
visit www.lightwork.org or call (315) 443-1300.

Members of the Spelman College Glee Club will perform at Hendricks Chapel June 29.

As the grand finale of the 2025 ���ϲ����� International Jazz Fest, the Spelman College Glee Club of Atlanta will perform at on Sunday, June 29.

The Spelman College Glee Club, now in its historic 100th year, is the oldest collegiate choir of African American women in the United States. Directed by Kevin P. Johnson, D.M.A., since 1999, the Glee Club has achieved national and international acclaim, performing at the White House, Carnegie Hall, the Vatican and across Europe. With the motto “to amaze and inspire,” the Spelman College Glee Club uplifts audiences with artistry rooted in tradition and shaped by innovation.

will feature performances by The Spelman College Glee Club, of ���ϲ����� and a community choir composed of ���ϲ�����-area residents.

Following highly successful events in 2023 and 2024, the 2025 ���ϲ����� International Jazz Fest finale at Hendricks Chapel will once again offer a dynamic and inclusive spiritual experience that fuses and celebrates gospel and jazz, includes a pre-event welcome luncheon, and seeks to spark and sustain renewal in our local community and beyond. The program and luncheon are both free of charge and open to the first 1,000 attendees.

Return to Community: A Sunday Gospel Jazz Service Details

• Date: Sunday, June 29, 2025
• Program: 3 p.m.
• Pre-Event Luncheon: 12:30-2:30 p.m.
• Location: Hendricks Chapel
• There is no fee to attend the program or lunch. All are welcome.
• Attendance Capacity: 1,000 with overflow seating available outdoors

About Spelman College Glee Club

Since 1924 the Spelman College Glee Club has served as Spelman College’s premier performance organization, representing the college with excellence through a wide-ranging repertoire of classical masterworks, Negro spirituals, world folk music and commissioned works by African American composers. Led by Johnson since 1999, the Glee Club has achieved national and international acclaim. Johnson is a composer, conductor and educator whose work lies at the vibrant intersection of music, culture and spirituality. He is associate professor of music at Spelman College and leads the Glee Club into a new century of musical excellence and innovation. Having earned a doctorate in musical arts, Johnson’s compositions—including seven complete mass settings and over 300 psalm arrangements—are sung across the United States, especially in Black Catholic communities. His recent works include Hip-Hop Mass, commissioned by the Sargent Shriver Peace Institute, and Music Everywhere Chorus America. Johnson is also director of music at the Lyke House Catholic Center and founder of Lion and Lamb Publishing.

About The Black Celestial Choral Ensemble (BCCE) of ���ϲ�����

Founded in 1977 by Rev. Seretta C. McKnight ’80 to provide a spiritual home for Black students at ���ϲ�����, the BCCE ministers through gospel music that fosters and supports academic excellence at a university welcoming to all. Led by student director Joshua Garvin ’25 and supported through The Alumni Group of the BCEE (TAG-BCCE), the choir has performed at numerous venues throughout the United States, including the Historic Ebenezer Baptist Church (Atlanta), the spiritual home of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and currently led by Rev. Raphael Warnock, a United States Senator.

About Gospel Jazz Community Choir

To honor the Sunday gospel jazz service theme of “Return to Community,” a diverse community choir composed of ���ϲ����� residents will once again be led by Cora Thomas, known locally as “���ϲ�����’s First Lady of Gospel Music.” Born and raised in ���ϲ�����, Thomas serves numerous community organizations and hosts “Sunday Morning Gospel” on of the Newhouse School of Public Communications. All interested in participating in the community choir may contact Cora Thomas at cathomas@syr.edu or Hendricks Chapel at chapel@syr.edu or 315.443.2901.

Pre-Event Outdoor Welcome Luncheon

To celebrate the “Return to Community” theme, a pre-event outdoor welcome luncheon, featuring free food and refreshments, will take place on the Kenneth A. Shaw Quadrangle from 12:30-2:30 p.m. At 2:30 p.m, the first 1,000 guests will be ushered into Hendricks Chapel for the 3 p.m. service.

About ���ϲ����� International Jazz Fest

For additional information on the 2025 ���ϲ����� International Jazz Fest, please visit .

Mosab Abu Toha (Photo credit: Mohamed Mahdy)

Mosab Abu Toha G’23, a graduate of the M.F.A. program in creative writing in the College of Arts and Sciences and a current visiting scholar at ���ϲ�����, has been awarded the 2025 Pulitzer Prize for a series of essays in The New Yorker chronicling life in Gaza.

“It hurts to win a big prize while the suffering which I wrote about in the winning work continues,” says Abu Toha. “It is my biggest hope that this achievement and recognition will be a step toward greater understanding of the decades-long plight of the Palestinian people and that it will inspire people, especially those in power, to act and put an end to this tragedy.”

A Palestinian poet, essayist and fiction writer, Abu Toha returned to ���ϲ����� last year through the University’s participation in the international Scholars at Risk program. The Pulitzer Prize Committee awarded Abu Toha for his “essays on the physical and emotional carnage in Gaza that combine deep reporting with the intimacy of memoir to convey the Palestinian experience of more than a year and a half of war with Israel.”

“Mosab’s writing tells the important and often untold stories that deserve to be shared and amplified,” says Lois Agnew, interim vice chancellor, provost and chief academic officer. “This Pulitzer Prize honors not just his talent, but his courage and dedication to sharing his lived experience.”

“Mosab takes great pride and responsibility in his role as a writer and storyteller,” says Behzad Mortazavi, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. “Having our M.F.A. program graduates recognized at the Pulitzer Prize level confirms the University’s status as among the very best places for exceptionally gifted writers.”

Abu Toha also expressed gratitude to the University: “I would like to thank ���ϲ�����’s administration, the Chancellor, the provost, the dean of arts and sciences and the creative writing program’s director, faculty and staff for their support.”

The New Yorker series also received an Overseas Press Club Award. Among Abu Toha’s other literary achievements are his latest poetry collection, “Forest of Noise” (Knopf, 2024), which was named a New York Times Notable Book, and his acclaimed debut collection, “Things You May Find Hidden in My Ear” (City Lights, 2022). The latter was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award and won the 2022 Palestine Book Award in the Creative Writing category. He is also the recipient of the 2023 Derek Walcott Prize for Poetry and the 2022 American Book Award. His work has appeared in Poetry, The Nation, Arrowsmith and other leading literary publications.

Before returning to ���ϲ����� in 2024, Abu Toha was a visiting poet and scholar at Harvard University and served as librarian-in-residence at Harvard’s Houghton Library. He is the founder of the Edward Said Library in Gaza and previously taught English to middle school students through the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East.

From left: Juan Medina, Laura Salazar and Pablo Sequero of salazarsequeromedina

School of Architecture faculty member ’s firm, , has been named to the newest cohort of winners in the biennial , one of North America’s most prestigious awards for young practitioners.

“An open call for designers with a story to tell,” the 2025 competition asked entrants to interrogate “Plot,” this year’s theme, by mapping out the throughlines that shape their work and examining how architecture engages with plot, whether as “land, drawing or scheme.”

Like , this year’s theme was developed by the Young Architects + Designers Committee, a rotating group comprising previous winners. For the latest cycle, the committee included Rayshad Dorsey, Liz Gálvez and Miles Gertler. Joining them on the competition jury were Behnaz Assadi, Mario Gooden, Jia Yi Gu and William O’Brien Jr.

In its prompt, the committee asked designers to plot it all out: “Every building has its lore, and plots are known to thicken. Which dramas are shaping architecture’s arc today? The truth may be stranger than fiction. Despite the best-laid plans, design so often deals in circumstance. That is, while architects may endeavor to write their own stories, projects always present twists. … We invite young designers to chronicle that which bookends their practices and to demonstrate plot’s persistent role as main character.”

The Outdoor Room, Pavilion at the Seoul Biennale of Architecture and Urbanism (2023), Seoul, South Korea (with Frank Barkow)

This year’s League Prize theme programming will be explored through a hybrid onsite and online model. A three-part online lecture series will be held at midday on Wednesdays, starting in June. Each lecture will feature presentations from two of the winners followed by a moderated discussion and Q&A session. Salazar, Sequero and Medina will present on June 11 at 12:30 p.m. ET; is required. Winners will also create installations of their work either onsite in their respective locations or in entirely digital formats, all of which will be presented in an online exhibition on .

“Congratulations to Pablo and his firm on this remarkable accomplishment,” says Michael Speaks, dean of the School of Architecture. “The exceptionally talented designers and educators at salazarsequeromedina are at the forefront of contemporary architecture. Their innovative approach blends civic engagement, sustainability and repurposed materials to create projects that bridge cultural, environmental and social contexts.”

Now in its 44th edition, the portfolio-based competition is open to architects and designers less than 10 years out of a bachelor’s or master’s degree program and has represented an important career milestone for several generations of designers. The program exemplifies the League’s longstanding commitment to identifying and nurturing the development of talented young architects and designers. To learn more about past winners, visit archleague.org/leagueprize.

Greenhouse for plants and humans (2023), El Carmen, Peru

About salazarsequeromedina

is a collaborative architecture practice founded in 2020 and led by Laura Salazar, Pablo Sequero and Juan Medina. Their projects in Peru, Spain, South Korea and the U.S. focus on civic works engaging diverse communities and geographical contexts. The practice addresses the environmental impact of building and aims to establish a sensitive dialogue with what is found. Their work considers the transmutability of building function and the role of open-ended structures as two vectors capable of reconciling building practice with the challenges of our time.

In 2024, the practice was shortlisted for the Mies Crown Hall Americas Prize (U.S.), as well as named finalists at the XIII Ibero-American Biennial of Architecture and Urbanism (Peru), ARQUIA/Próxima Festival for Emerging Practices (Spain) and the COAM Awards (Madrid). The work of salazarsequeromedina has been exhibited at the 4th Seoul Biennale of Architecture and Urbanism (2023) and the Oslo Triennale (2022), and has been published in The Architectural Review, Arquitectura Viva, Revista PLOT, Revista Casas and Space Magazine, among others.

Laura Salazar holds a master of architecture degree from Princeton University’s School of Architecture. She is an assistant professor of architecture at Pratt Institute and has previously taught at ���ϲ�����’s School of Architecture and Montana State University.

Pablo Sequero holds a master of architecture degree from the Technical University of Madrid (ETSAM) and is a licensed architect in Spain. He is currently a at ���ϲ�����’s School of Architecture and a visiting professor at PUCP Pontificia Universidad Católica de Lima, in Peru. Sequero has previously taught at Cornell AAP and Montana State University.

Juan Medina is a Ph.D. candidate at the Technical University of Madrid (ETSAM). He is currently a professor of practice at Tulane University and has taught previously at the ETSAM.

Students have myriad opportunities to study the history of Chinese art in the course History of Art 300: Modern and Contemporary Chinese Art��taught by , a postdoctoral researcher in the��.

Yifan Li (standing), a postdoctoral researcher of art and music histories, speaks with students in his class, Modern and Contemporary Chinese Art. The group visited the ���ϲ����� Art Museum to view a selection of China-related artworks.

Li’s courses on Chinese art and visual culture emphasize the artworks’ distinctive and intricate nature, influenced by exchanges, relationships and activities across national borders, as well as the innovative use of new image-making technologies.

A popular aspect of the class is the hands-on learning opportunities that allow students to examine objects from the��’s collections. During a visit in the spring semester, the class viewed a selection of woodcuts by the Chinese American artist Seong Moy (1921–2013). Woodcut is a printmaking technique where an image is carved into a block of wood, and the raised areas are inked and pressed onto paper to create a print.

One of the works examined by students was “Love on the Yangtse” (1951), a woodcut print by artist Seong Moy.

continues its 2024/25 season with celebrated actor and playwright Kate Hamill’s whirlwind adaptation of Jane Austen’s “Sense and Sensibility.” Directed by Jason O’Connell, “Sense and Sensibility” will run April 23-May 11 in the Archbold Theatre at ���ϲ����� Stage, located at 820 E. Genesee St. in ���ϲ�����.

“Kate Hamill’s first play, her adaptation of Jane Austin’s ‘Sense and Sensibility,’ has been at the top of our season lists ever since we produced her version of ‘Pride and Prejudice’ a few years ago,” says Artistic Director Robert Hupp. “’Pride and Prejudice’ was a ���ϲ����� Stage fan favorite and now, with Jason O’Connell returning to direct ‘Sense and Sensibility,’ I know audiences are in for a special treat. I’ve loved this adaptation of ‘Sense and Sensibility’ ever since I saw it in New York City over ten years ago. Its over-the-top theatricality and humor, combined with its honest and heartfelt compassion and warmth, make it just the kind of theatrical experience we all need right now.”

“Sense and Sensibility” follows the Dashwood sisters—the pragmatic and practical Elinor, and the younger, romantically-minded Marianne—as they search for stability after the death of their father leaves them financially and socially unmoored in 18th-century England. While navigating the strict and strident niceties of their upper-class circles, the Dashwoods endure heartbreak, experience windfalls of love and fortune and dodge the never-ending gossip of the age.

Hamill, whose zippy adaptation of “Pride and Prejudice” played to rave reviews at ���ϲ����� Stage in 2019, transforms “Sense and Sensibility” into an irreverent romp, giving Austen a playful update while preserving the wit and charm that has made the original such a beloved tale for more than 200 years.

“’Sense and Sensibility’ was my first play—written in 2013—and while it’s rare for me to go back to an older play, I simply could not resist joining this re-imagination for ���ϲ����� Stage, one of my favorite places to work, directed by my husband,” says Hamill. “This is an especially important play for me; not only is it an essential part of the beginning of my playwriting career, but Jason and I also fell in love while I was writing and developing this play, and it’s such a treat to bring his version to these audiences.”

O’Connell returns to direct after leading the ���ϲ����� Stage production of Hamill’s “Pride and Prejudice” and performing in last season’s “Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express.” He was also seen, with Hamill, in “Talley’s Folly” and “The Play that Goes Wrong,” and as Salieri in “Amadeus,” directed by Robert Hupp. He originated the roles of Edward and Robert Ferrars in the off-Broadway run of “Sense and Sensibility,” alongside Hamill as Marianne.

“I am always thrilled to return to ���ϲ����� Stage, an artistic home away from home if ever I’ve known one,” says O’Connell. “And I’m especially excited to revisit this first play of Kate’s and to show audiences all the things that I felt about her and her work, back when I was first caught up in the whirlwind of her particular brilliance. This production is something of a love letter to the beginnings of our journey together, full of love and laughter—and a touch of madness!”

Hamill, who earned the top spot on American Theatre Magazine’s list of Most-Produced Playwrights of the 2024-25 Season, returns to the Archbold Theatre in the cast of “Sense and Sensibility,” and is joined by Jamie Ann Romero as Elinor and Olivia AbiAssi as Marianne, with Gina Daniels (“Noises Off”), Jeff Gonzalez (“Pride and Prejudice,” “Amadeus”), Angie Janas (“Pride and Prejudice,” “The Play That Goes Wrong”), James Ragen (“A Christmas Carol”) and Blake Segal (“Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella,” “Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express”) in a variety of roles. Rounding out the ensemble and making their ���ϲ����� Stage debuts are Amelia Gallagher, Salma Mahmoud, Keshav Moodliar, Chris Thorn and Maggie Weller.

The design team for “Sense and Sensibility” includes choreography by Steph Paul, sets by Brittany Vasta (“Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill”), costumes by Raven Ong, lighting by Dawn Chiang (“King James,” “Dial M for Murder”) and sound by ���ϲ����� Stage resident sound designer Jacqueline R. Herter, with dialect coaching by Holly Thuma (“The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time,” “Once”) and intimacy coordination by Yvonne Perry (“Dial M for Murder”).

All evening performances begin at 7:30 p.m. while all matinee performances begin at 2 p.m. Tickets start at $30 with discounts available for students and groups. Tickets may be purchased online at , by phone at 315.443.3275 or in person at the ���ϲ����� Stage Box Office. Pay-What-You-Will performances for “Sense and Sensibility” are April 23-27 inclusive; prologue conversations, three pre-show discussions that take place one hour before curtain, are on April 27, May 3 and 8; the Post-show Talkback will take place on Sunday, April 27, after the 7:30 p.m. performance.

���ϲ����� Stage has its open-captioned performances scheduled for April 30 and May 11 at 2 p.m. and May 6 and 10 at 7:30 p.m., as well as an audio-described performance on Saturday, May 10, at 2 p.m. and an ASL interpreted performance on May 3 at 2 p.m. The Sensory Friendly/Relaxed performance of “Sense and Sensibility” is scheduled for Tuesday, May 6, at 7:30 p.m.

���ϲ����� Stage Trivia Night, a friendly competition hosted by “Jeopardy!” champion Dillon Hupp, will be held on Thursday, April 24, at 6 p.m. Tickets for the 7:30 p.m. performance are required to participate. Pre-registration at ���ϲ�����stage.org is recommended.

Support for the 24/25 season includes season sponsors the Slutzker Family Foundation, the Dorothy and Marshall M. Reisman Foundation and Advance Media New York. The community partner for “Sense and Sensibility” is Friends of the Central Library (FOCL).

A master’s student in in the , he was the 2024 honorable mention for SNM’s Brian Israel/Sam Pellman Award.

Rolando Gomez

Gómez’s woodwind quintet, , will share the program with two string quartets: Orientalism, by Sami Seif, the 2024 winner of the Israel/Pellman Award, and Bodensee, by Maxim Dybal-Denysenko, the 2024 recipient of SNM’s New York State Federation of Music Clubs/Brian Israel Prize. All three composers will be on hand to introduce their pieces.

Both SNM awards recognize promising New York state composers studying for or embarking on professional music careers.

Tickets are $20 (general admission) and $15 (students and seniors). Students who are 18 years old and younger are free with valid college ID. For tickets and more information, visit SNM’s .

SNM Managing Director Carole Brzozowski ’81 says the concert has grown into a local springtime tradition. “It’s a celebration of emerging talent,” continues the former dean of the (VPA), in which the Setnor School is housed. “The Society for New Music is proud to take a leadership role in identifying and nurturing young, innovative composers.”

Capturing the Spirit��

The Juicy Kandy quintet premiered Sit and Play at the 2023 Imani Winds Chamber Music Festival at The Juilliard School. The performance marked Gómez’s New York City compositional debut.

Collaborating with world-class musicians exposed the Miami, Florida, native to innovative writing techniques. It also inspired him to capture the performers’ personalities in his music.

“Sit and Play is a virtuosic work that reflects my love for jazz, especially bebop,” says Gómez, who graduated from Oberlin Conservatory weeks before the premiere.

Conceived as a theme and variations, Sit and Play evolved into a suite of four contrasting character pieces. The music abounds in shared motives, syncopated grooves and polyphonic textures.

Gómez says the name of the piece is “playful and self-referential,” a nod to the way that jazz and Latine composers use titles to acknowledge the act of music making. “Sit and Play reflects the spirit of the music … and invites musicians to engage with the piece in a direct, intuitive way.”

The 10-minute work has four distinct movements: Jab and Stab, a syncopated exchange between oboe and the rest of the ensemble; Breathe and Sing, a melancholic bassoon solo dedicated to Gómez’s first music teacher—his father; Cut and Paste, a technical tour de force for French horn; and Riff and Run, a vibrant scherzo for flute recalling some of the piece’s earlier themes.

“Working with the Society for New Music is incredibly meaningful,” says Gómez, who recently presented the suite on his master’s recital. “SNM strengthens connections between the University and the professional word, allowing students like me to engage with performers and other composers at the highest level.”

Sit and Play is performed by Kate O’ Leary ’26, flute; Sydney Kincaid ’27, oboe; John Giordano ’26, clarinet; Lily Carpinone ’26, bassoon; and Ryan Hill ’27, French horn.

Expanding His Vocabulary

Gómez was in high school when he began scoring music for video games. A self-taught composer, he enrolled at Oberlin, majoring in composition and minoring in technology in music and related arts.

Working at ���ϲ����� with Natalie Draper—another SNM favorite who is an assistant professor of theory and composition in the Setnor School—has enabled Gómez to expand his musical vocabulary.

“It’s a fusion of traditional and modern styles,” says Brzozowski, noting Gómez’s modernist approach to American and Cuban forms.

Genre-blending is apparent in the program’s other works. Seif’s Orientalism is a meditation on identity and the passage of time, inspired by Edward Said’s landmark book. In turn, Dybal-Denysenko’s Bodensee is named for the lake near his family home in Austria—the same body of water that inspired composer Robert Schumann some 170 years earlier.

Seif is a doctoral fellow at the CUNY Graduate Center; Dybal-Denysenko, a 2024 graduate of New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts.

Juilliard student Yuxuan Lin also is a 2024 Israel/Pellman honorable mention. Her entry—Can’t let it go, when it returns for solo cello—is slated for a future SNM program.

Brian Israel taught in the Setnor School from 1975 until his death in 1986. He was a prolific composer, conductor and pianist who befriended SNM co-founder Neva Pilgrim.

Sam Pellman was a Hamilton College music professor who served on the SNM board and chaired SNM’s Israel prize competition until his death in 2017.

Pilgrim was a one-time VPA professor and longtime community partner who died last year. In 1971, she helped found SNM, which has performed and commissioned a formidable body of work by up-and-coming composers. It is the only year-round new music organization in the region and is the oldest nonprofit of its kind in the state, outside of New York City.

This year is the 52nd anniversary of this program, organized by CNY Arts, and faculty and staff are invited to showcase their talents along with other employers and businesses in the region.

All eligible artwork submitted will be displayed on campus at Bird Library in a special exhibition titled “On My Own Time–Celebrating the Artistic Talents of ���ϲ����� Faculty and Staff.” The exhibition will run from May 30-June 12 during library hours.

Faculty and staff are encouraged to support their colleagues by visiting the exhibition and casting a ballot for their favorite piece to win the People’s Choice Award. Also, during the on-campus exhibition, a selection panel of adjudicators—including a CNY Arts representative—will select pieces for an “On My Own Time Grand Finale” exhibition. The finale is a five-week exhibition at the Everson Museum of Art from Oct. 4-Nov. 9 and will include a reception for artists, University colleagues, family and friends on Oct. 9. Tickets to the finale are available starting in September at .

Eligibility for Participation

All active full-time and part-time faculty and staff are eligible to submit artwork for adjudication. Fine arts faculty and professional artists are eligible to submit works outside of their discipline.

Criteria for Submission of Artists’ Work

• All artwork submitted must be��original creations. Copies of published work or craft kits will not be accepted.
• All artwork must have been��completed within three years of entry.
• Artwork must be��finished and display-ready, to include mounting hardware (if applicable). Please submit display instructions or materials as necessary.
• Each faculty or staff member may��submit up to three pieces for the exhibition.

Submission categories include:

• Painting (oil, acrylic, watercolor)
• Metalwork
• Drawing (pen, pencil, ink, charcoal)
• Jewelry
• Collage/assemblage
• Printmaking
• Computer art
• Photography (color or black-and-white)
• Woodwork
• Glasswork
• Sculpture
• Mixed media
• Ceramics
• Fiber art

Registration and Submission Instructions

All artists must register with their intent to participate by��May 9��by completing a��. Artwork submissions must be delivered to Human Resources by May 28 or directly to Bird Library on May 29. Additional details will be shared upon registration. Artists are responsible for delivering and collecting artwork on schedule.

If you have questions or would like to volunteer to assist with the exhibit at Bird Library, email��OMOT@syr.edu.

Ralf Schneider, associate professor of industrial and interaction design, works with a student in virtual reality as part of his Designing In Virtual Reality class.

On the fourth floor of Bird Library sits what Associate Professor of Industrial and Interaction Design hopes will be the interactive classroom of the future.

Walking by the , located in Room 458, this particular classroom has a rather unassuming look, with its mix of chairs, tables and white boards.

But what makes Schneider’s Designing In Virtual Reality class in the truly unique is how it blends technology with innovation and collaboration to create an interdisciplinary learning environment.

Utilizing Meta Quest 3 virtual reality (VR) headsets with Gravity Sketch, a software program that allows users to sketch and draw in virtual reality, students from the fashion, interior design, industrial design and interaction design fields come together to create three-dimensional (3D) models, helping designers and artists express and fine-tune their ideas in a virtual space while encouraging real-time collaboration.

Ralf Schneider

“This class connects the two-dimensional world with the three-dimensional world, allowing students to be creative in an immersive, collaborative, three-dimensional space. It’s an exciting way for students to learn and work with each other,” Schneider says.

By incorporating VR sketching into the design process, Schneider says his students learn to revolutionize the way they conceptualize, iterate, collaborate on and communicate their projects and ideas, streamlining the design process while producing a more immersive and engaging experience for both the designers and their clients.

“This is definitely the classroom of the future. It’s a game-changer to be able to design and work collaboratively in design fields in the same virtual space without needing to physically be in the same location,” says Sofia Hom ’27, an industrial and interaction design major in the School of Design in the College of Visual and Performing Arts.

Students wear their untethered VR headsets while engaging with Gravity Sketch, connecting and transforming their workflow from two dimensions into three dimensions while also streamlining and improving on past design processes.

Sofia Hom

Previously, designers would sketch their ideas in side views, top views, front views, orthographic projections—a way of representing a 3D object using multiple 2D views—and perspective views—creating a realistic representation of a 3D scene on a 2D surface—and, ultimately, translating those projects into a 3D model before bringing their object to life.

But unlike in the physical design space, Gravity Sketch enables students to easily make mistakes, learn from those missteps and then go back, deconstruct their project and fix it thanks to the lessons learned along the way.

Along the way, Schneider says his students learn about spatial visualization, the ability to mentally manipulate and understand the spatial relationships between objects and spaces when looking at a 2D figure and imagining what it would look like in 3D.

This semester, Hom and her classmates familiarized themselves with the possibilities of the software by creating a VR rendition of their cellphone home screens. They then designed an everyday object like a toothbrush or a tea kettle, collaborated with their peers on developing an immersive public space like a carnival, and took an existing portfolio project and used Gravity Sketch to transform it into the VR landscape.

As part of the class, design students collaborated with their peers on developing an immersive public space like a carnival.

“There’s a lot of freedom we’re given to explore and experiment with our designs. You’re able to not just draw something in a flat plane, but you can draw in three dimensions, and then you can hand over your drawing to someone else in the VR space,” Hom says. “This process allows everyone involved to look at the project and make real-time changes.”

This is the first time Schneider’s class has been taught on campus. Schneider credits School of Design Director Emily Stokes-Rees, the DSS and the University’s Information Technology Services—which provides the 22 VR headsets and ensures they are fully charged before class and cleans and charges them up afterwards—for making his class possible. He says the yearly elective will be taught again in the fall and encourages all interested students to enroll.

“This class is a predictor of what students will encounter once they graduate,” Schneider says. “It’s a very powerful skillset for students to present in their portfolio as a designer because it shows you’re curious about future technologies and the modern ways of collaborating creatively.”

Learning didn’t stop during spring break for dozens of Falk College students who took part in immersive travel opportunities. The college offers a wide array of travel programs for students, with and being pillars of the experience.

Three immersion travel programs this spring provided Falk students with unique opportunities for hands-on learning from leading industry professionals, while also discovering and embracing different cultures.

Ireland

Students enrolled in the Sport Culture in Ireland class spent nine days in Ireland over spring break. The group of 13 students, comprised of and majors, traveled to iconic Irish spots such as the Cliffs of Moher, Temple Bar and Kilmainham Gaol to experience the culture of Ireland.

The students visited the Na Fienna Gaelic Athletic Association club, where they participated in Gaelic football, hurling and handball games with classmates while learning about the sports’ history and impact in Ireland. At University College Dublin’s Institute for Sport and Health, experts in the fields of sports medicine and exercise science gave insightful presentations about injury and rehabilitation research. At a visit to the Leinster Rugby Club, students learned from team officials about the role of technology in athlete development and what it takes to manage a winning sport organization.

Visit the to learn more about the students’ experiences in Ireland.

Italy

Falk College students enjoy a cooking lesson in Italy.

In each of the last two springs, students in the Italian Football: Impact and Outcomes class have visited Italy to meet with representatives from Serie A soccer clubs and learn about Italian culture surrounding soccer, or calcio.

The students on this year’s trip met with representatives from Soccerment, an Italy-based artificial intelligence platform seeking to accelerate the adoption of data analytics into soccer; networked with front office officials from Bologna FC; and toured Viola Park, home of ACF Fiorentina. Students experienced exciting Serie A matchups at Stadio G. Sinigaglia, home of the Como 1907 football club, and Giuseppe Meazza Stadium, home of Inter Milan. Aside from soccer, students toured historic locations such as the Colosseum, Roman Forum and Milan Cathedral. On the final day of the trip, students learned how to make authentic Italian pasta from scratch.

Los Angeles

Falk College students visit SoFi Stadium, home of the Los Angeles Chargers.

Students have enjoyed the Falk in Los Angeles Career Exploration trip for more than a decade. Open to all Falk students, the trip offers students the opportunity to connect with industry professionals, explore career paths and visit leading organizations in one of the country’s largest sport markets.

This year’s trip included stops at the NFL Network, FOX Sports, Los Angeles Chargers, Los Angeles Rams, Los Angeles Kings, Los Angeles Clippers, the Rose Bowl and more. Students met and networked with Falk’s extensive based in southern California to set themselves up for successful careers in the industry.

is part of the 2025-26 cohort of cultural organizations being considered for accreditation by the (AAM).

The highest national recognition afforded to museums in the U.S., accreditation signifies excellence to the museum community, governments, funders, outside agencies and the museum-going public. Just over 1,000 of an estimated 33,000 museums in the U.S. are accredited; of those, only 16% are university museums.

To prepare for the accreditation process, museum staff members, with support from University partners and advisory board members, have spent the last five years closely examining museum operations, activities and policies and creating five “core documents” required for accreditation. This has resulted in strengthened operations, adherence to best practices and strategic future-planning.

Museum staff also completed two Museum Assessment Programs (MAP): one in Collections Stewardship (2021) and the other in Community and Audience Engagement (2024). Offered through a cooperative agreement between AAM and the Institute of Museum and Library Services, MAP is widely considered the first step toward becoming a fully accredited cultural institution.

“Over the past five years, our team has been diligent in our path towards accreditation and already witnessed that this process is both vigorous and complex, yet highly rewarding,” museum director Emily Dittman says. “We could not have arrived at the final step in that process without the hard work of everyone on our talented team, and we are looking forward to the next year as we work towards securing AAM accreditation for the very first time.”

The accreditation process begins immediately with six-to-eight months of self-study, followed by a site visit by a team of peer reviewers in Spring 2026.

Ryan Mitchell, from the series “Thank You, For Your Service?”

Part one of the exhibition runs March 22-28, with an opening reception on Friday, March 21, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. The gallery is located in the Nancy Cantor Warehouse, 350 W. Fayette St., ���ϲ�����.

Over the course of these three exhibitions an unfolding of experiences, investigations and unforeseen connections will arise. As the French composer Pierre Boulez said, “Creation exists only in the unforeseen made necessary.” The exhibition schedule and artists are as follows:

Unforeseen Part I
March 22-28
Opening reception, Friday, March 21, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Exhibiting artists:��,��,��,��,��,��,��,��, Lely Soy,��,��,��.

Unforeseen Part II
April 5-11
Opening reception, Friday, April 4, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Exhibiting artists:��,��,��,��,��,��Olivia Qi, Grace Schamowski,��,��,��.

Unforeseen Part III
April 19-25
Opening reception, Friday, April 18, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Exhibiting artists:��,��,��, Hanyu Shi,��,��,��,��,��,��.

The Warehouse Gallery is the premier exhibition space for VPA students, faculty, alumni and staff. Gallery hours are Tuesdays and Wednesdays, noon to 6 p.m.; Thursdays, noon to 8 p.m.; Fridays and Saturdays, noon to 4 p.m.; and by appointment. Email warehousegallery@syr.edu��for more information.

Punto de Contacto/Point of Contact is located in the Nancy Cantor Warehouse in downtown ���ϲ�����.

For half a century, (POC) has served the University and local communities as a hub for artistic and literary exploration. Two special programs will be held this year in celebration of the organization’s 50th anniversary.

Poet Diana Marie Delgado will read from her work April 2 as a guest of POC’s Cruel April poetry series.

On Thursday, April 2, a reading by acclaimed Mexican American poet will kick off POC’s Cruel April poetry series, which is held annually in observance of National Poetry Month. The reading will take place from 5 to 7 p.m. at the , located in Shaffer Art Building on campus.

The event will also feature a pop-up show of five artist books commissioned in honor of POC’s 50th anniversary. The exclusive works—created by POC advisory board members (board president and associate professor of studio arts in the College of Visual and Performing Arts), Pedro Roth, Matías Roth, Joseph Kugielsky and Maritza Bautista—are inspired by Delgado’s poems and by poetry selections from POC’s early literary publications, including Argentine author Julio Cortázar’s “Five Erotic Sonnets.”

The 2025 Cruel April series is dedicated to the memory of poet , associate professor emeritus of English in the College of Arts and Sciences, who died in December. Burkard was a longtime partner of and contributor to POC, and his poetry was published in the POC poetry collection “Corresponding Voices, Vol. 4.”

Guests at the Delgado reading will also be able to view the exhibit “,” curated by , assistant professor of Latinx literature and culture, who will also speak at the event.

POC’s second 50th anniversary event will be a major exhibition of Latin American art from the permanent collection. “50 Sin Cuenta” will open Friday, Sept. 19, at the College of Visual and Performing Arts’ Warehouse Gallery in the Nancy Cantor Warehouse, 350 West Fayette Street, ���ϲ�����.

Artistic Evolution

Punto de Contacto/Point of Contact was founded by late scholar Pedro Cuperman. It began in 1975 as an independent editorial project at New York University, where Cuperman first taught when he migrated from Argentina in the late 1960s. He brought POC to ���ϲ����� in 1976, and it evolved to include the “Corresponding Voices” book series, poetry editions and, in 2005, an art gallery. Cuperman, who died in 2016, taught Latin American literature and semiotics in the Arts and Sciences’ Department of Languages, Literatures and Linguistics for more than 40 years.

“I’ve always felt that Point of Contact is sort of a rare, hidden gem—a fiercely creative space where voices correspond across borders, disciplines and cultures,” says ’82, executive director of the Office of Cultural Engagement for the Hispanic Community. “I am incredibly fortunate to have spent 22 of those 50 years working closely with Pedro Cuperman and with so many amazing colleagues, artists, poets and scholars. Point of Contact has also served as a training ground for students, many who now hold top positions as arts administrators, curators and museum professionals across the country, extending the impact of our mission far beyond ���ϲ�����.”

For more information about POC and scheduled events, visit .

“Monumental Concerns 2”—a continuation of the first “Monumental Concerns” symposium held on campus in fall 2023—is scheduled for Friday, March 21, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. at The Museum of Modern Art’s Titus 1 Theatre, 111 West 53 Street, New York City. The event is free and open to the public. .

“As artists we are all profoundly engaged in our mutual practices, yet the water gathers us into a single pool,” Weems says. “I invite you to stand on the bridge as we consider contested sites of memory and monuments.”

The symposium seeks to evoke an examination of the politics of disagreement in order to collectively create a framework for moving towards a sense of belonging for all. Questions to be addressed include: How might we understand the stakes of the dialogue and debate around monuments and the sites they commemorate? How do we negotiate among multiple—and often conflicting—narratives and the way they show up in public space? Is disagreement crucial to transformation?

In addition to Weems, event participants include:

• , art historian and director of research programs, The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)
• , curator and director, Monument Lab
• , director of transformative art and monuments, City of Boston
• , civil rights lawyer and founder, 14th Amendment Center for Law and Democracy, Howard University
• , composer and pianist
• , assistant professor of English, College of Arts and Sciences, ���ϲ�����
• , founder and principal strategist, Equity Empowerment Consulting
• , artist and associate professor of art, Brooklyn College, City University of New York
• , professor of communication and rhetorical Studies, College of Visual and Performing Arts, and director, Lender Center for Social Justice, ���ϲ�����
• , founder and CEO, Beyond Conflict
• , composer and 2025 Adobe Creative Resident, MoMA
• , poet and playwright
• , historian and director, Institute for Historical Justice and Reconciliation
• , composer and trumpeter
• , lawyer and founder, Equal Justice Initiative
• , architect and Nancy and George Rupp Professor of Architecture Planning and Preservation, Columbia University
• , assistant professor of art, architecture and design, Lehigh University

The event will conclude with “Defiant Life,” a musical performance by Iyer and Smith, from 6 to 7 p.m.

“Monumental Concerns 2” is co-organized by ���ϲ����� and The Museum of Modern Art, and supported in part by the Mellon Foundation. For more information, contact Kate Schwartz at 315.443.8017 or kschwa03@syr.edu.

Installation view of “Joiri Minaya: Unseeing the Tropics at the Museum”

“We are thrilled to host Joiri Minaya’s work at the museum in conversation with the permanent collection,” says museum Director Emily Dittman. “Her work invites visitors to examine their notions of the ‘tropics’ as well as expand that to thinking more broadly. We hope that this critical examination will provide a platform for conversations at the museum as well as in the community.”

When thinking of the “tropics,” the Caribbeans islands often come to mind. Palm-fringed horizons, sweeping ocean views and pristine beaches have become a visual shorthand for “tropicality” and suggest landscapes that are idyllic, untouched paradises.

The idea of the “tropics” dates to the 15th century, when Spanish and Anglo-European explorers and writers, and later, in the 19th century, photographers represented these regions as virgin paradises or dangerous territories, inhabited by peoples perceived as “primitive.” This framework has reduced the “tropics” to a narrow set of images that have shaped colonial legacies and commercial interests. “Joiri Minaya: Unseeing the Tropics at the Museum” challenges this idea. It encourages reconsideration of the historical and contemporary misrepresentations that shape our perceptions of tropical regions. By juxtaposing Minaya’s work, including video, installation, and photography, with 20th-century artworks from the museum’s collection, the exhibition invites an “unseeing” of the tropics.

The interpretive text in the exhibition is bilingual, providing both English and Spanish text for visitors. Support for this exhibition is provided by Centro de Estudio Hispánicos; Latino-Latin American Studies; and the Department of Languages, Literatures and Linguistics in the College of Arts and Sciences; and the Program on Latin America and The Caribbean (PLACA) in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs.

About the Artist

Joiri Minaya (born 1990) is a Dominican-United Statesian multidisciplinary artist whose recent works focus on destabilizing historic and contemporary representations of an imagined tropical identity. Minaya attended the Escuela Nacional de Artes Visuales in Santo Domingo (2009), Altos de Chavón School of Design (2011) and Parsons the New School for Design (2013). She has participated in residencies at Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture, Guttenberg Arts, Smack Mellon, the Bronx Museum’s AIM Program and the NYFA Mentoring Program for Immigrant Artists, Red Bull House of Art, the Lower East Side Printshop, ISCP, Art Omi, Vermont Studio Center, New Wave, Silver Art Projects and Fountainhead.

She has received awards, fellowships and grants from New York State Council on the Arts/New York Foundation for the Arts, Jerome Hill, Artadia, the BRIC’s Colene Brown Art Prize, Socrates Sculpture Park, the Joan Mitchell Foundation, the Rema Hort Mann Foundation and the Nancy Graves Foundation, among other organizations. Minaya’s work is in the collections of the Santo Domingo Museo de Arte Moderno, the Centro León Jiménes, the Kemper Museum, El Museo del Barrio and several private collections.

Featured Events

On Opacity: Gallery Talk with Artist Joiri Minaya

March 18, 4:30 p.m., reception to follow

���ϲ����� Art Museum

Lines of Flight: Screening + Q&A with Miryam Charles and Joiri Minaya

March 20, 6:30 p.m.

Presented by Light Work

Watson Theater, 316 Waverly Ave.

Community Day

March 29, noon-4 p.m.

���ϲ����� Art Museum

Visit the museum’s website for more public programs surrounding the exhibition.

Light Work’s Urban Video Project will present the exhibition “Lines of Flight” featuring short films by multimedia artist Joiri Minaya and filmmaker Miryam Charles.

Light Work’s Urban Video Project will present the exhibition “Lines of Flight” featuring short films by multimedia artist Joiri Minaya and filmmaker Miryam Charles. The exhibition explores the tangled trajectories of displacement, immigration, invasion, exploration and escape.

The exhibition will run from Feb. 27-May 24, 2025, as an architectural projection venue on the Everson Museum facade.

Additional work by Joiri Minaya will be on view at the ���ϲ����� Museum in the show “” through May 10, 2025.

In conjunction with the exhibition, Minaya and Charles will be present for a screening and Q&A on��Thursday, March 20, at 6:30 p.m. in Watson Theater across from Light Work’s�� galleries.

“Labadee”
Joiri Minaya

“Labadee” is a short video documenting parts of a Royal Caribbean cruise trip in Labadee, Haiti, and the dynamics that unfold in this privately managed space, which is fenced off and leased to Royal Caribbean cruises until 2050. The subtitles in the video begin with text from the diary of Christopher Columbus when they first saw land, moving into a contemporary recount of the trip we’re seeing.

It meditates on the exploitation, self-exploitation, performance and access control created by the system of tourism in the Caribbean, and, in linking it to Columbus’ Invasion through the first sentences in the subtitles, it traces the lineage of these contemporary spaces to colonization.

“Fly, Fly Sadness”
Miryam Charles��

In this film, a nuclear explosion mysteriously transforms the voices of all the inhabitants of an island. A�� journalist travels to the island to learn more and finds herself transformed.

About the Artists

is a Dominican-U.S. multidisciplinary artist whose recent works focus on destabilizing historic and contemporary representations of an imagined tropical identity. Minaya attended the Escuela Nacional de Artes Visuales in Santo Domingo (2009), Altos de Chavón School of Design (2011) and Parsons the New School for Design (2013). She has participated in esteemed residency programs such as Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture, Smack Mellon, NYFA Mentoring Program for Immigrant Artists, Vermont Studio Center, and Fountainhead. She has received numerous awards, fellowships and grants, including NYSCA/NYFA, Jerome Hill, Socrates Sculpture Park, the Joan Mitchell Foundation, amongst other organizations.

is a Haitian-Canadian director, producer and cinematographer living in Montreal. She has produced several short and feature films. Her films have been presented in various festivals internationally. Her first feature film, “Cette Maison” (This House), was presented at the Berlinale, the AFI film festival and was included in the TIFF Top 10 of the year. Several of her short films and her feature are available to stream on the Criterion Channel. Her work explores themes related to exile and the legacies of colonization.

Coral Silver

Silver is a second-year graduate student pursuing a master’s degree in art history and works as a graduate student associate in the Special Collections Research Center with ���ϲ����� Libraries. Their research often revolves around sculpture across several periods and locations, including the Ancient Mediterranean, the European Middle Ages and the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries in Europe and the United States. In addition, they are interested in the relationship between archaeology and art history, an interest which resulted from their summer spent in southern Turkey at the Antiochia ad Cragum Archaeological Research Project.

As the Palitz Art Scholar, Silver will study two works by Italian artist Ferdinando Vichi in the ���ϲ����� Art Museum collection. They will mainly concentrate their research on Vichi’s “Bust of Venus” to investigate the reason for its titling and the point during Vichi’s career when the sculpture was created to situate it within his oeuvre (body of work). This research will be included in their larger capstone research project, advised by Art History Associate Professor Romita Ray, investigating Antonio Canova’s “Funerary Monument to Maria Christina of Austria” from 1805.

Michel incorporates biotechnology into his work to design sustainable, innovative products. By employing natural processes, he is able to exceed the limitations set by artificial technology.

Yves Michel

“Nature is 3.8 billion years of free research and development,” Michel says. “We look at our iPhones, and we think it’s the end all be all. The reality is that when you compare our technology to the ‘technology of biology,’ we have a ways to go.”

In the fall, Michel traveled to Barcelona, Spain, to present his paper, “: Creating A Design Process To Grow Products,” at .��The Symbiosis Project, the research lab branch of Michel’s design practice, Studio Yami Creative, explores potential methods to create products through speculative design as a research method.

Speculative design allows a designer to work outside the bounds of what is currently possible. Speculative designs, for example, may incorporate materials that don’t exist today but could potentially be produced.

Inspired by a conversation about freediving, Michel is currently working on PULMO, a concept mask. Conceived as an extension of the human body, the mask would cycle air from the diver’s initial surface breath, allowing for an extended dive.

The Symbiosis Project breaks down the design process into five phases. PULMO is in the first phase, where Michel creates a concept aimed at solving a problem. At the end of phase one, PULMO would be theoretically feasible.

The next phase explores the steps needed to make PULMO a reality. Collaborating with experts in fields like biology, chemistry and computer science, the lab would work on creating a concept and various models, which it could then show to potential collaborators and investors.

A speculative design can also be presented to the public in an effort to spark conversation and give designers a glimpse into public perceptions.

Michel has been introducing students to the limitless possibilities of speculative creation in Biodesign Workshop. The class brings together students majoring in design and architecture, among others. It offers students from the life sciences an opportunity to engage in biodesign research. Students in this class work in teams to design a product. They have the opportunity to represent the University in the in New York City.

In addition to teaching Biodesign Workshop this semester, Michel hopes to get PULMO to the next phase. In the world of speculative design, each step is a victory.

“The goal here is to explore the potential of biodesign to create new ways of making sustainably, from biomaterials to novel product concepts, and create a symbiosis between the built environment and the natural environment,” Michel says. “As designers, our strength is being creative and pushing the limits. Collaborating and accessing the knowledge of life science and computer science experts, especially in the age of AI, opens up new possibilities to solve salient design problems.”

A&S Professor Cristina Pardo Porto curated the art exhibition titled��Joiri Minaya: Unseeing the Tropics at the Museum, on display at the SU Art Museum through May 10.

Pardo Porto explains that the history of exploitation dates to the 15th and 16th centuries when Europeans began to colonize the Americas. Settlers illustrated the Caribbean as an exotic and fertile land ripe for extraction, reinforcing ideas of ownership and domination.

“These narratives justified the exploitation of the land and its people, laying the groundwork for the contemporary tourism industry,” says Pardo Porto. “Tourism, in turn, relies on similar fantasies, using idyllic images of beaches, palm trees and smiling locals to market the region as an escape for wealthy foreigners. These visual constructs mask the inequalities and labor exploitation that sustain the industry.”

According to Pardo Porto, the growth and expansion of large hotels and resorts has led to environmental degradation and the displacement of local communities who are forced to relocate within their own country.

“Natural resources are privatized for resorts, and local workers are often paid low wages while a privileged group of tourists reaps the benefits,” she says.

During the spring semester, Pardo Porto is presenting an art exhibition in collaboration with the����which invites visitors to critically examine historical and contemporary images of tropical regions. Its aim is to help viewers recognize how these representations impact the lives of those living within these communities.

The exhibition, titled��“”��is on view in the SU Art Museum’s Joe and Emily Lowe Galleries through May 10. The gallery features works by Minaya, a Dominican American artist whose works critique how stereotypical representations, rooted in colonial histories, continue to misrepresent her community and identity. Minaya’s works are exhibited alongside historical photographs and artwork from the SU Art Museum’s collections, reflecting on the impact of colonization, tourism and commercialization on the Caribbean. Each artwork features a wall text, available in both English and Spanish, authored by Pardo Porto, which explains the significance of each work.

Upon entering the gallery, visitors are invited to take a postcard created by Minaya. These postcards, like the one Pardo Porto is holding above, blend images from actual tourism promotions with layers of stereotypical tropical imagery superimposed on women’s bodies. This artistic approach encourages visitors to confront and challenge the tropes of tropicality that reduce women to mere objects of exotic fascination.

Illuminating Visual Culture of the Caribbean

The idea to bring Minaya’s award-winning work to campus stems from Pardo Porto’s longstanding interest in the history of Latin American photography and visual culture. She notes that visual culture encompasses all the images that surround us and shape our daily lives, from archival images, fine art and product advertisements to photos taken with phone cameras and beyond.

While conducting research for her dissertation on artistic photography in and of the Caribbean and Central American regions, she recognized an underrepresentation in the history of photography in Latin America. Since then, much of her scholarship has focused on bringing awareness to this topic.

Pardo Porto is now writing a book manuscript titled “Latent Photographies: A Diasporic Reframing of the History of Photography,” which will present a decolonial history of Latin American photography. She received a ���ϲ����� ��during the Spring 2024 semester to focus on writing her book and other related projects, including the exhibition of Minaya’s works.

What You Will See

Two works on display at the exhibition are from Minaya’s��Containers��(2020) series, where she uses her own body wrapped in fabric with tropical patterns, in stereotypical and unnatural poses. Pardo Porto notes that this embodies the imagery imposed on both women (the pose) and landscape (tropical print, flowers, etc.).

Container #3��(left) and��Container #7��(right) by Joiri Minaya; Pigment print; Courtesy of the artist and Praise Shadows Gallery.

“She draws attention to how tropicality is commercialized and consumed, inviting viewers to reflect on their complicity in perpetuating harmful representations,” says Pardo Porto. “Minaya not only highlights the absurdity of tropical imagery but also prompts viewers to confront and rethink the ingrained stereotypes they might unconsciously accept and reproduce.”

For the installation titled��#dominicanwomengooglesearch (2016),��Minaya conducted a Google Image search for the term “Dominican women.” Based on the results of that search, she digitally isolated individual body parts, enlarged and printed them on Sintra board, and then hand-cut them after covering the backs with tropical-patterned fabrics. This installation invites viewers to reflect on and challenge the recurring, sexualized poses associated with tropicalized identities.

Student Engagement

Students in Pardo Porto’s “Contemporary Latinx Art��(undergraduate) and��Theorizing Central American and Caribbean Diasporas Through Art”��(graduate) classes will take part in assignments tied to the exhibition. Students will write about Joiri Minaya’s work and engage with archival and collection materials from the University’s Art Museum and Special Collections Resource Center. She says this approach will help them explore the historical dialogue between past and present images.

“Many of our students aren’t aware of the resources available in our collections and on campus, and this exhibition offers a unique opportunity to learn directly from an artist whose work is on campus,” she says. “I always include these types of cross-campus collaborations, such as with the Special Collections Research Center.”

Pardo Porto hopes that visitors to the exhibition will develop a deeper understanding of how stereotypical images are created and embedded in visual culture. “My hope is that students, faculty, staff and the local community will gain the tools to see and acknowledge the pervasive tropes of tropicality and then actively ‘unsee’ them—dismantling these limiting frameworks and fostering new ways of seeing.”

Pictured from left to right: JaSheika James, Stacy Ike, JaNeika James and Ta’Rhonda Jones on the set of “Empire.”

JaNeika James G’05 and her twin sister, JaSheika, grew up watching television and “fell in love with TV” and the possibilities it could mean for them.

JaNeika James

Today, the two are accomplished TV writers and producers of several shows, including JaNeika’s role as supervising producer on FOX’s groundbreaking hit show, “Empire,” among others.

“Our story is an example of how dreams can be manifested. A lot of people think that you have to know every single step to get to where you want to be,” JaNeika says. “The truth is, if you’re clear and have a vision for what it is that you want to do with your life, all you have to do is declare it.”

On Feb. 7, JaNeika will bring her message to young scholars as the keynote speaker at the . The ceremony, which is open to the entire University community, honors from the previous year who have successfully transitioned to their second year on campus. Those who would like to attend are encouraged to .

“Allowed Us to Dream”

As youngsters, the James twins lived on an Air Force base in Wiesbaden, Germany, where their mother was stationed. Access to television was limited, and the offerings available were predominantly in German.

Thankfully for the sisters, their grandparents in the U.S. mailed them VHS tapes of popular U.S. TV shows like “A Different World,” “The Cosby Show,” “Cheers,” “The Golden Girls” and “Empty Nest.”

Watching television became “a source of comfort” for the sisters, and JaNeika says it provided hours of entertainment and it “allowed us to dream of what was possible for ourselves,” says JaNeika, who earned a master’s degree in television, radio and film from the .

It was an unlikely way to start their lifelong love affair with television, but today, JaNeika and JaSheika are accomplished TV writers. JaNeika was supervising producer on FOX’s groundbreaking hit show, “Empire,” co-executive producer on Netflix’s limited series, “True Story” and HBO Max’s reboot of “Gossip Girl,” and an executive producer on Peacock’s hit show, “Bel-Air.”

JaNeika and JaSheika co-authored a book, “Living Double,” describing their experiences working in the ultra-competitive TV industry in Hollywood. It outlines how, no matter the obstacles, the sisters were determined to turn their dreams into reality.

Pictured on the set of “Bel-Air” are (from left to right): JaNeika James (writer and executive producer), Jabari Banks (who plays Will Smith) and JaSheika James (writer and executive producer).

James sat down with SU News to discuss ���ϲ�����’s impact on her life, her successful career, the importance of giving back to current students and her message for the WellsLink students during their Transitions Ceremony.

What impact has ���ϲ����� has had on your life and your career?

The Newhouse School instills in those who decide to work in media an understanding of the importance of the media and how it shapes our world and culture. Knowing the responsibility we hold—not just as storytellers in Hollywood, but also those who deliver information through journalistic integrity.

There is a huge responsibility that comes with putting content out into the world for all to see and hear. That responsibility was embedded in me at ���ϲ�����. It’s had an incredible impact on my career.

What show had the greatest influence on you?��

“Living Single.” The stars were Queen Latifah, Erika Alexander, Kim Fields and Kim Coles. When that show first aired, it was the first time I saw a show with Black women of all different shapes and sizes, who were best friends living their best lives as single, independent women. “Living Single” allowed me and my twin sister to see a future version of ourselves, and what was possible for our careers.

When did you realize you had made it as a producer?

That first time I was on set for “Empire.” I was flown out to Chicago to produce my first episode of television. I had been a fan of the show since season one and became a writer during season two. To go from being a fan of the show to walking into the studios and seeing where all the scenes were filmed was pretty incredible for me as a huge television fan.

One of the best feelings I’ve had as a writer is seeing actors I know and love—from Terrence Howard and Taraji P. Henson to Demi Moore, Forrest Whitaker and Alfre Woodard, among others— say words that literally came from my head. To witness them bring my words to life is when it started to settle in that I was actually living my dream.

JaNeika James poses with the cast of “Bel-Air.”

How can your success inspire future generations?

Representation is extremely important. If it wasn’t for representation, I personally would not be in this business. I was truly inspired by “Living Single,” but what really stood out was when I read an article about Yvette Lee Bowser being the first African American woman to create and run her own TV show. That planted this idea in my head that I could one day be an African American woman who created and ran her own TV show.�� It’s been a goal of mine and my sister’s to be a source of inspiration and an example that anything is possible when you put your mind to it.

Why is it important to give back to our students through the Our Time Has Come Scholarship Program?

I hope I’ve had an impact in helping students who didn’t think going to school was a possibility for them. I know what it’s like to want to go to college but not know if it’s something you can afford. I know what it feels like to have financial burdens when you’re deeply in pursuit of a dream. By supporting , I hope to help students feel free to pursue their dreams without being distracted by financial responsibilities.

What’s your message for WellsLink students during their transitions ceremony?

A lot of people have been disillusioned into thinking we are powerless through our circumstances. What I learned as an artist, writer, producer and African American woman is that there is a lot of power that we hold within that we, unfortunately, have been made to believe is not there. I really want to encourage and remind them of the power they hold to essentially move mountains—in their own lives and in the lives of everyone they encounter.

WellsLink Leadership Program Class of 2027

This year’s ceremony will honor the following students:

• Kaitlyn Arzu (S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications)
• Mouctar Barry (Martin J. Whitman School of Management)
• Angelie Serrano Báez (College of Arts and Sciences)
• Umar Bilgrammi (Arts and Sciences)
• Nashaly Bonilla (School of Architecture)
• Sydney Brockington (Arts and Sciences)
• Frances Brown (Whitman School)
• Samantha Chavez (Newhouse School)
• Karrington Clay (Arts and Sciences)
• Eliora Enriquez (College of Visual and Performing Arts)
• Matthew Esquivel (College of Engineering and Computer Science)
• Kiara Reyes Estevez (Whitman School)
• Khalil Foreman (Whitman School)
• Edward Garcia (School of Information Studies)
• Ryann Gholston (Information Studies)
• Samayee Gupte (Arts and Sciences)
• Lindsay Hiraoka (Engineering and Computer Science)
• Monica-Lillie Jacobs (Information Studies)
• AJ (Angie) Jaramillo (Visual and Performing Arts)
• Hayden Jones (Arts and Sciences)
• Amy Kim (Information Studies)
• John Lasso (Whitman School)
• Bryant Lin (Engineering and Computer Science)
• Valarie Lin (Arts and Sciences)
• Kelly Lopez (School of Architecture)
• Nehru Madan (Newhouse School)
• Emely Marte (Visual and Performing Arts)
• Rosmery Martinez (Whitman School)
• Ariana Mithu (Visual and Performing Arts)
• Sophie Navarrete (David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics)
• Dylan Okamoto (Whitman School)
• Kaylin Pagan (Arts and Sciences)
• Jiya Patel (Whitman School)
• Nayeli Perez (Information Studies)
• Simeon Sheldon (Falk College)
• Paris Smith (Arts and Sciences)
• Aramata Trawalley (Engineering and Computer Science)
• Jasmine Trenchfield (Newhouse School)
• Orezimena Ubogu (Arts and Sciences)
• Alexandra Vassel (Visual and Performing Arts)
• Aaron Wang (Whitman School)
• Yuki Zhang (Whitman School)

Opening Friday, Feb. 7, and on view through Monday, March 3, “Overture: 2025 Faculty Survey” features 26 faculty artists and designers who have received both national and international recognition for their thought-provoking work.��An opening reception will be held on Friday, Feb. 7, from 5:30-7:30 p.m. The Warehouse Gallery is located on the ground floor of the Nancy Cantor Warehouse, 350 W. Fayette St., ���ϲ�����. The exhibition and reception are free and open to the public.

The collection of works in “2025 Faculty Survey” highlight the VPA faculty’s creative achievements while emphasizing that their scholarship and pedagogy is grounded in an art-making practice. On view is a range of media and practices that resonate with contemporary inquiries and ruminations, including ceramics, digital, drawing, illustration, installation, jewelry, mixed media, painting, performance, photography, printmaking, sculpture, set design, textiles and video.

The exhibiting faculty are , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , and .

Jaleel Campbell’s digital illustration, “Like it Never Happened,” is part of the College of Visual and Performing Arts’ new Warehouse Gallery exhibition celebrating the work of ���ϲ����� faculty.

Recently constructed and featuring four exhibition spaces, the Warehouse Gallery is the realization of one of the goals of VPA’s academic strategic plan: to offer a professional college art gallery where faculty and student work is exhibited year-round. Upcoming exhibitions include work by VPA master of fine arts and bachelor of fine arts degree candidates.

The gallery is managed by Lauren Ashley S. Baker, VPA art exhibition operations coordinator, with consultation by a steering committee of VPA faculty. In addition to employing students as attendants and assistants, the gallery will work closely with the graduate program in museum studies, housed at the Nancy Cantor Warehouse and part of VPA’s School of Design.

“This gallery is a permanent place for VPA’s students and faculty to display their work in a professional and public-facing manner,” says Baker. “This space offers opportunities for experiential learning through exhibition planning, production and participation. Meaningful conversations will happen through this platform, enriching our community.”

Gallery hours are Tuesdays and Wednesdays from noon-6 p.m.; Thursdays from noon-8 p.m.; and Fridays and Saturdays from noon-4 p.m. To contact the gallery, email warehousegallery@syr.edu.

The award includes a $1,000 cash prize and a publication contract with ���ϲ����� Uni­versity Press. Manuscripts of high merit not selected for the final award may receive honorable mention.

The Veterans Writing Award was established in 2019 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.

Unpublished, full-length manuscripts are accepted for consideration. This biennial contest alternates between fiction and nonfiction each award cycle, with the 2025 award open to novels and short story collections.

The award is open to U.S. veter­ans and active-duty personnel in any branch of the U.S. military and their immediate fam­ily members. This includes spouses, domestic partners, siblings, parents and children. Women veteran writers, veterans of color, Native American veterans, LGBTQ veterans and those who identify as having a disability are encouraged to submit.

Although work submitted for the contest need not be about direct military experience, original voices and fresh perspectives are sought that will expand and challenge readers’ understanding of the lives of veterans and their families. Posthumous submissions are eligible.

Finalists will be read by writer and veteran of the United States Marine Corps Maurice Decaul, and the winning entry will be announced in November of 2025.

Complete rules and submission guidelines can be found on the .

Jana Rosinski, SCRC instruction and education librarian, is looking forward to having the fellows bring attention to areas of unique strength in the SCRC collections as follows:

• Brahmbhatt will rework his course The Art of Devotion in South Asia (REL 300), rooted in the . Smith was the first to hold a position in Hindu studies in the religion
  

  Arun Brahmbhatt

  department at ���ϲ�����, a position Brahmbhatt now holds. The poster archive, comprising over 3,500 specimens of visual and print material Smith collected on his many trips to India, serves as a unique lens into South Asian visual culture from the 1950s through the 1980s, offering snapshots of how devotional iconography functioned within the spaces and activities of daily life. With his students, Brahmbhatt will deeply examine the commonalities in these visuals that transcend the boundaries of genre, religious tradition, time and space, while remaining sensitive to the specificities of historical circumstance, to explore how the language of devotional love is used to both uphold and challenge social norms and communal identity. On the significance of the collection to the focus of the course, Brahmbhatt explains, “When we think about religious images, we often focus on works of ‘high art.’ On the contrary, by exploring the Smith archive, students will train their eyes on images that may seem unremarkable from an artistic perspective, but that nonetheless play an outsize role in Hindu devotional lives.”

• Zeke Leonard is re-envisioning his long-standing course Sustainable Furniture and Lighting (DES
  

  Zeke Leonard

  561), a design and build studio in which students create both a lighting and seating object. By making use of hand diagrammatic drawings from draftspersons, along with original captures of the design process in conceptual sketches and material research of designers, Leonard’s students will fully engage with the process of design as functional art and craft. Making use of the papers of iconic mid-20th century industrial designers such as , and , Leonard and his students will explore function and form critically, contextualizing design in response to aesthetic style, cultural movements or moments historically, and the needs of bodies and spaces. Leonard states, “As a design/build class, this class has always been a making class.  However, at its core it is a design class. By accessing process documents from historic standouts in the field, the students will be contemplating and learning from another type of making, that of making ideation drawings, sketches and technical drawings for production.”

���ϲ����� Libraries’ aims to support innovative curriculum development and foster new ideas about how to transform the role of special collections in University instruction. Each fellow receives a $5,000 payment along with guidance on how to provide students with a unique opportunity to research, analyze and interpret SCRC’s primary source materials in their class, and ongoing course support.

George Bain G’06, a member of the Library Associates, and William F. Gaske ’72, a member of the Libraries Advisory Board, provided generous gift funding towards the SCRC Faculty Fellows Program. Original funding for the program was made possible through the Gladys Krieble Delmas Foundation, which promotes the advancement and perpetuation of humanistic inquiry and artistic creativity by encouraging excellence in scholarship and in the performing arts, and by supporting research libraries and other institutions that transmit our cultural heritage.

To learn more about the Faculty Fellows Program or teaching with SCRC, contact Jana Rosinski, SCRC’s Instruction and Education Librarian at jrosinsk@syr.edu. For more information about how to financially support a Faculty Fellow for the 2026-27 academic year and beyond, contact Ron Thiele at rlthiele@syr.edu or 315.560.9419.

will hold a reading of Mary Chase’s classic comedy “Harvey,” directed by associate artistic director Melissa Crespo and featuring a cast comprised entirely of local actors, including ���ϲ����� Department of Drama faculty members and ���ϲ����� Stage artistic director Robert Hupp.

“Harvey” will be presented in the Archbold Theatre at ���ϲ����� Stage, 820 E. Genesee St., ���ϲ�����, New York, on Sunday, Jan. 26 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are free of charge and must be reserved in advance at .

The Pulitzer Prize-winning play, which tells the story of a good-natured man whose best friend is an invisible six-foot-tall rabbit, served a major inspiration for playwright Eboni Booth’s “Primary Trust,” which will Jan. 22 through Feb. 9 in the Archbold Theatre.

“It’s wild how similar and uniquely different Harvey and Primary Trust are from one another,” Crespo says. “The first won the Pulitzer Prize in 1945, while the second won in 2024. Both plays deal with kindness and the importance of community care. I hope theaters around the country are encouraged to produce both plays in conversation with one another. It’s especially exciting to have a cast of local actors perform in ‘Harvey’ on top of the ‘Primary Trust’ set, which happens to be set in Central New York.”

“Harvey” premiered on Broadway in 1944 and was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for drama in 1945. The playwright adapted her own script into an Oscar-winning film in 1950, starring Jimmy Stewart as Elwood P. Dowd. “Harvey” was last seen on Broadway in 2012, starring Jim Parsons, for which he received a Tony nomination.

About Harvey

Elwood P. Dowd insists on including his friend Harvey in all of his sister Veta’s social gatherings. Trouble is, Harvey is an imaginary six-and-a-half foot-tall rabbit. To avoid future embarrassment for her family—and especially for her daughter, Myrtle Mae—Veta decides to have Elwood committed to a sanitarium. At the sanitarium, a frantic Veta explains to the staff that her years of living with Elwood’s hallucination have caused her to see Harvey also, and so the doctors mistakenly commit her instead of her mild-mannered brother. The truth comes out, however; Veta is freed, and the search is on for Elwood, who eventually arrives at the sanitarium of his own volition, looking for Harvey. But it seems that Elwood and his invisible companion have had a strange influence on more than one of the doctors. Only at the end does Veta realize that maybe Harvey isn’t so bad after all.

Harvey

• By Mary Chase
• Directed by Melissa Crespo
• Stage managed by Rachel Mondschein

Cast (in alphabetical order)

• Tanner Effinger (Elwood P. Dowd)
• Robert Hupp (Judge Gaffney)
• Lilli Komureck (Veta Simmons, Betty Chumley)
• Alexis Martin (Myrtle Simmons)
• Krystal Osborne (Miss Johnson, Nurse Ruth Kelly)
• Derek Emerson Powell (Dr. Lyman Sanderson)
• Blake Segal (Duane Wilson, E.J. Lofgren)
• Holly Thuma (Mrs. Ethel Chauvenet)
• Karis Wiggins (Dr. William R. Chumley)

Lori Brown

Distinguished Professor Lori Brown and her collaborators, Trish Cafferky and Dr. Yashica Robinson, are included in this year’s Design Triennial with their installation “.

The work is one of 25 site-specific, newly commissioned installations at Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, home to the exhibition “.” The exhibition explores design’s role in shaping the physical and emotional realities of home across the U.S., U.S. territories and tribal nations.

The installation, featuring Brown’s work, centers on the efforts of obstetrician-gynecologist Dr. Robinson to create a new and expanded network of home health care services and alternatives to hospital births. This work reveals ongoing inequities in the state—resulting from economics, racial injustice, public policy and distance from health care facilities.

“Birthing in Alabama: Design of Reproduction” extends two decades of research, advocacy and activism focusing on reproductive health care by Brown. The installation provides a platform to question where and how architecture contributes to a wide and diverse public and to examine questions of how law and policy shape spaces of birthing access across geographic boundaries and spatial conditions.

For “Birthing in Alabama,” Brown and a team of architectural researchers mapped the legacy of laws and building and zoning codes to contextualize these challenges and present designed alternatives to alleviate their impact.

Lori A. Brown, Trish Cafferky, and Dr. Yashica Robinson’s “Birthing in Alabama: Designing Spaces for Reproduction” exhibition, which delves into a history of birth in Alabama to better understand the various systems that affected the ability of caregivers to provide access to safe and affordable reproductive healthcare. (Photo courtesy of Elliot Goldstein with the Smithsonian Institution)

The installation shows the complicated history of maternity care and access from 1865-2024 and the high rates of maternal mortality for pregnant Black women during this time period. It includes excerpts from Brown’s interviews, bringing the voices of those on the frontline working to expand birthing access across Alabama into the gallery experience.

Brown is an internationally recognized scholar and educator whose research focuses on the relationships between architecture, social justice and gender. She is the co-founder of, a nonprofit dedicated to gender equity in architecture.

Brown’s research has focused on the physical structures of abortion clinics and how the debate has shaped access to reproductive health care. She is the author of “,” and many articles including “” that discusses the call for design ideas for what was the sole remaining abortion clinic in Mississippi.

The exhibition is on view now until the summer of 2025 and is installed throughout the Andrew and Louise Carnegie Museum. Each floor is organized on themes of home: “Going Home,” “Seeking Home” and “Building Home.”

“Going Home” examines how people shape and are shaped by domestic spaces; “Seeking Home” addresses a range of institutional, experimental and utopian contexts that challenge conventional definitions of home; and “Building Home” presents alternatives to the single-family concept of home.

Brown and her co-collaborators are featured in the “Seeking Home” section. Installation of the exhibition was supported by the New York Council on the Arts and additional support from the ���ϲ����� Office of Academic Affairs; Office of Undergraduate Research and Creative Engagement and the School of Architecture.

welcomes the new year with playwright Eboni Booth’s “Primary Trust,” the Pulitzer Prize-winning drama about best friends, new beginnings and the undeniable power of everyday kindness. Directed by ���ϲ����� Stage Associate Artistic Director Melissa Crespo (“Once,” “What the Constitution Means to Me,” “Native Gardens”), “Primary Trust” will run Wednesday, Jan. 22, to Sunday, Feb. 9, in the Archbold Theatre at ���ϲ����� Stage, 820 E. Genesee St., ���ϲ�����, New York.

“Stage’s production of ‘Primary Trust’ is brought to life by a superb cast and creative team,” says Artistic Director Robert Hupp. “We’re eager to share this timely play so beautifully directed by our associate artistic director, Melissa Crespo. It’s just the right story at just the right time.”

In Cranberry, New York, a small town just east of Rochester, 38-year-old Kenneth has a good job, a great boss and Bert, the best friend a guy could ask for. But his boss is moving to Florida, the bookstore he works at is closing and Bert? Well, he’s imaginary. As he confronts the traumas that led to his isolated existence, Kenneth must tend to old wounds, forge new friendships and let go of the things he no longer needs.

“Eboni Booth’s beautiful play ‘Primary Trust’ about friendship and the smallest of chances is exactly what we need in our sometimes-lonely world,” says Crespo. “I hope Central New York audiences will particularly appreciate a story that’s set in their backyard.”

Garrett Turner (Kenneth) returns to ���ϲ����� Stage after playing Anger in the world premiere of “Thoughts of Colored Man,” and he is joined by Bjorn DuPaty, making his ���ϲ����� Stage debut as Bert. The actors reunite after sharing a dressing room as understudies for the Broadway production of “Thoughts of Colored Man” in 2022.

Rounding out the cast of “Primary Trust” are Eunice Woods as Corinna, Wally’s Waiters and Bank Customers; Paul DeBoy (“Native Gardens,” “The Christians”) as Clay, Sam and Le Pousselet Bartender; and Armando Gutierrez (“Once”) as musician.

Bringing the fictional Central New York town of Cranberry to life is a design team that includes sets by Ann Beyersdorfer (“What the Constitution Means to Me,” “Yoga Play”), costumes by Carmen Martinez (“Once,” “What the Constitution Means to Me”), lighting by Alejandro Fajardo (who worked with Crespo’s “El Otro Oz,” a NYTimes Critics Pick), sound by ���ϲ����� Stage resident sound designer Jacqueline R Herter (“Once,” “What the Constitution Means to Me,” “Annapurna”) and original music by cast member Armando Gutierrez.

All evening performances begin at 7:30 p.m., while all matinee performances begin at 2 p.m. Tickets start at $30, with discounts available for students and groups. Tickets may be purchased online at , by phone at 315.443.3275 or in person at the ���ϲ����� Stage Box Office. Pay-what-you-will performances for “Primary Trust” are Jan. 22–26 inclusive; Prologue conversations, three pre-show discussions that take place one-hour before curtain on Jan. 26, Feb. 1 and Feb. 6; the Wednesday at 1 lecture will take place on Jan. 29 before the 2 p.m. matinee; the post-show talkback will take place on Sunday, Feb. 2, after the 7:30 p.m. performance. ���ϲ����� Stage has its open-captioned performances scheduled for Jan. 29 and Feb. 9, at 2 p.m. and Feb. 8 at 7:30 p.m., as well as an audio-described performance on Sunday, Feb. 8 at 2 p.m. The sensory friendly/relaxed performance of “Primary Trust” is scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 4 at 7:30 p.m.

���ϲ����� Stage is pleased to announce the addition of trivia night, a new event for the 24/25 season. Free for ticket holders, trivia night invites audiences to go head-to-head for a chance to win exciting ���ϲ����� Stage prizes, in a friendly competition hosted by “Jeopardy!” champion Dillon Hupp with free pizza. Trivia night for “Primary Trust” will be held on Thursday, Jan. 23 at 6 p.m. Tickets for the 7:30 p.m. performance are required to participate. Pre-registration at is recommended.

In conjunction with “Primary Trust,” ���ϲ����� Stage will present a free reading of “Harvey” by Mary Chase. The play, about a man whose best friend is an invisible 6-foot-tall rabbit, won the Pulitzer Prize in 1945, was made into an Oscar-winning film starring Jimmy Stewart and was a major inspiration for Booth’s “Primary Trust.” The reading will take place in the Archbold Theatre on Sunday, Jan. 26 at 7:30 p.m., with free tickets available at ���ϲ�����Stage.org.

Support for the 24/25 season includes season sponsors the Slutzker Family Foundation, the Dorothy and Marshall M. Reisman Foundation and Advance Media New York. The community partner for “Primary Trust” is ACR Health.

Primary Trust

• By Eboni Booth
• Directed by Melissa Crespo
• Scenic design by Ann Beyersdorfer
• Costume design by Carmen Martinez
• Lighting design by Alejandro Fajardo
• Sound design by Jacquline R Hertetr
• Original music by Armando Guttierez
• Stage management by Kristine Schlachter*
• Casting by Bass/Valle Casting

CAST (in alphabetical order)

• Paul DeBoy* (Clay, Sam, Le Pousselet Bartender)
• Bjorn DuPaty* (Bert)
• Armando Gutierrez* (Musician)
• Garrett Turner* (Kenneth)
• Eunice Woods* (Corinna, Wally’s Waiter, Bank Customer)

*Member of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.

Lake Hancock, Nabil Harb, 2024

“Mater si, magistra no,” (a macaronic phrase that translates as “Mother yes, teacher no”) presents a series of black-and-white photographs that describe and depict moments and scenes within Harb’s hometown of Lakeland in Polk County, Florida. This Central Florida location is both the backdrop and main character of Harb’s visual narrative: a story that emits surreal qualities which twist ideas of the region through photography’s formal language into a conceptual idea—an idea of how to describe the atmosphere of a place without words.

“The landscape is the perfect reflection of our society, our ultimate index—it holds our histories, our secrets, our failures and our hopes for the future,” Harb says.

Harb uses his camera to look rather than gaze at wily scenes and moving bodies; his images disturb the before and after of a photograph by showing a moment extended or an instant flashed with a strobe. The narratives in this work are conflicting and intermingle with one another. The overriding story is one of man versus nature, of beauty and destruction coexisting in an atmosphere that is surreal, seductive and breathtaking. Where the conflicting notions of destruction and rebirth intersect is also the point at which Harb’s formalism and conceptual photographic practice meet, showing us the potential for beauty in destruction and foreboding rebirth.

Harb is a Palestinian American photographer born and raised in Polk County, Florida, where he still lives. Harb received his in�� bachelor’s degree in anthropology from the University of South Florida and his master of fine arts degree in photography from Yale University. His work has been featured in Aperture, The Atlantic, ArtReview, The Guardian and A24.

2025 B.F.A. Art Photography Annual

Light Work is also presenting the 2025 B.F.A. Art Photography Annual. This exhibition features work
by seniors from the Art Photography program in the Film and Media Arts Department at the
College of Visual and Performing Arts at ���ϲ�����. The exhibiting artists are Maxine
Brackbill, Charles Lavion, Kelsey Quinn Leary, Lili Moreno Martel, Shawn McCauley and Hazel
Wagner.

Each spring, seniors in the art photography program have the opportunity to exhibit a selection
of images from their senior thesis projects at Light Work. The senior thesis is a yearlong,
in-depth photographic exploration of a subject chosen by each student. The subjects of these
projects are wide-ranging, from very personal explorations of family and selfhood to sharp and
humorous experiments playing with the boundaries of fashion and studio photography. Students
choose, edit and print the images in collaboration and with the assistance of Light Work’s
curatorial staff and master printers.

“The B.F.A. Art Photography Annual is not only the first exhibition for many of the students in the Art Photography program, but also an important learning opportunity for them,” says Laura Heyman, associate professor of art photography. “In addition to giving students the space to imagine how the
images they create might exist beyond the walls of the university, the Art Photography Annual
introduces their work to their peers, the local community, and the renowned curators and critics.”
who jury the exhibition.”

Bruno Ceschel, founder of Self Publish Be Happy,�� served as juror and selected Brackbill’s images for Best in Show.

“Maxine Brackbill’s photographs address identity through lenses of gender, race and familial contexts, presenting biographies that are deeply personal yet universally relevant. These narratives emerge at a time when there is a growing visibility for diverse perspectives, but also an environment that feels increasingly hostile,” says Ceschel. “One particularly striking image of Maxine standing in water, confronting the viewer with a gaze that asserts her new body and new life, feels both vulnerable and defiant.”

An opening reception will take place in the Jeffrey J. Hoone Gallery at Light Work on Jan. 23 from 5 to 7 p.m.

“” features the work of 2024-25 ���ϲ����� Art Museum Faculty Fellows , associate professor of communication and rhetorical studies in the , and , assistant teaching professor of management in the Martin J. . Another exhibit, “,” is curated by , assistant professor of Latinx literatures and cultures in the .

The works will be on display in the Joe and Emily Lowe Galleries at the Art Museum from Tuesday, Jan. 21, through Saturday, May 10.

The ���ϲ����� Art Museum Faculty Fellows program supports innovative curriculum development and experiential learning and aims to more fully integrate the museum’s collection into the University’s academic life, says , museum director.

Gestures Study

Gratch’s exhibition, “Performance, Gesture and Reflection,” mirrors her performance studies course CRS 314, which explores the social, cultural and political dimensions of performance in various forms, including theater, dance, rituals, everyday life and media. The display features 23 objects that examine the social, cultural and political dimensions of performance, including how human gestures shape identity, power, memory and social relations.

This screen print by Robert Rauschenberg is one of the central pieces in Lyndsay Gratch’s exhibition, “Performance, Gesture and Reflection.”

Gratch says the portrayals “show gestures as more than isolated movements in a single time and place. Gestures are dynamic, culturally loaded and ever-changing symbols which have a wide range of social, political and historical meanings based on when, where, how, by whom and why a gesture is made and also interpreted.”��Gratch says the course and the exhibition illustrate how performance “is not necessarily something that’s theatrical or fake or put on, but actions we do as part of everyday life.”

Culture as Economy

Wimer’s exhibition consists of a dozen different artistic works that express key ideas regarding the global economy from an African perspective. These include viewing culture as an economic component; how culture is represented by proverbs and sayings passed from generation to generation; and how climate change and health care infrastructure affect people very differently depending on whether they live in the global south versus the global north.

The exhibition was created to complement Whitman’s required core class for all sophomores, Managing in a Global Setting, to bring a different perspective on key course concepts such as infrastructure, human capital and globalization.

A custom pet portrait by a Kenyan artist involved in Elizabeth Wimer’s immersion course is an example of using artwork to create an economic revenue stream.

As an extension of that course, Wimer and students who have applied for and been accepted to Whitman’s Kenya Immersion Experience undertake a 10-day business immersion trip to Kenya. There, they can see firsthand how creative and artistic works provide paths to financial opportunity for people who live in limited economic situations, while also sometimes meeting the Kenyan artists.

“[They see that] artist creations are not solely artistic expression as a work of art but as works that help them sustain a living. Both have beauty, but the inspiration behind the beauty is very different,” she says.

Tropical Images

Pardo Porto’s exhibition is a collection of work by acclaimed New York City-based Dominican artist in conversation with selected works from the ���ϲ����� Art Museum collection. It examines the visual culture of tropicality through stereotypical depictions of landscapes like pristine beaches and sunny skies, as well as racist portrayals of women as exoticized figures, Pardo Porto says.

A work by Joiri Minaya represents the visual culture of tropicality through combined stereotypes of an exoticized woman who is wearing tropical-themed swimwear.

The exhibition consists of objects including postcards, tourist brochure images, fabric from Hawaiian shirts, posters and photographs, and video and sound performances ranging from the late 19^th century to the present. “This emphasizes part of my research into how the images surrounding us shape our perception, our thinking and our feelings about places like the Caribbean and how we relate to images in our daily lives,” Pardo Porto says.

The exhibit is being incorporated into two of Pardo Porto’s courses. An undergraduate course on contemporary Latinx art, conducted entirely in Spanish, uses the Spanish-language artwork labels and tags in the exhibit as part of class lessons. A graduate seminar focuses on theorizing race and diaspora and how an artist like Minaya, who was born in New York City but has Dominican heritage, examines how diasporic identities are constructed and how being separated from community can complicate identity. Pardo Porto says Minaya will visit campus to give a talk, work with students and share interpretations of her art with the community.

This year, out of 14 student winners nationwide, four are advertising majors. And two of them are from the .

Tori Aragi ’24 and Jordan Leveille ’24, art directors in the Newhouse creative advertising program, won for five advertising campaigns they created in Portfolio 1, the first course for at Newhouse. One campaign by Aragi came from Portfolio III, the final course in the creative advertising track. Aragi and Leveille’s first-ever advertising campaigns were shown in the March/April 2024 print edition of Communication Arts.

“The fun of Portfolio I is that many students come in with no experience,” says , a professor of practice and Aragi and Leveille’s instructor in Portfolio I. “They tell me they’ve never created an advertising campaign before, and I tell them, ‘The work created in this course often goes on to win creative advertising student awards.’ Time and time again, this proves to be true. In my Portfolio I course, I don’t just teach students how to create ad campaigns; I teach them how to create compelling campaigns that are memorable.”

The Award-Winning Campaigns

“Too Tired to Function” for Raycon Wireless Earbuds

Tori Aragi’s campaign with a print ad for Raycon Wireless Earbuds.

Aragi’s “Too Tired to Function” campaign for Raycon Wireless Earbuds includes three print ads and was developed in her Portfolio I course. It is one of her three campaigns featured in this year’s print edition of Communication Arts. This campaign highlights Raycon’s superior battery life by showing Apple AirPods “falling asleep” during inconvenient travel times and uses visual solution advertising to tell this story, altering visuals to communicate the concept of the ad campaign.

“This was my first-ever advertising campaign,” Aragi says. “Professor White taught me how to blend visuals and copy to create this compelling story.”

“Hydroscape” for Hydro Flask

Jordan Leveille’s campaign featured print ads for Hydro Flask.

Leveille’s “Hydroscape” campaign for Hydro Flask, created in Portfolio I, similarly uses a visual solution approach, transforming Hydro Flask bottles into frigid, icy landscapes to represent how well the product keeps liquids cold. This concept visually links Hydro Flasks to glaciers, a recognizable symbol of cold water.

“This is a clever way of visually showing how the water bottle keeps water cold for a very long time,” White says. “Jordan is strikingly adept at using visual solution advertising.”

“Bad Hair Day” for Aveeno

Jordan Leveille’s campaign featured print ads for Aveeno.

Leveille’s “Bad Hair Day” campaign for Aveeno, created in Portfolio I, takes a playful approach with its visual solution. It depicts the torment of dealing with untreated, damaged hair by transforming the hair into a monstrosity. This campaign shows how Aveeno’s Oat Milk Hair Treatment can “tame” unruly hair, thus positioning the product as the solution to achieving hydrated, healthy locks.

“Fries Over Friends” for McDonald’s

Tori Aragi’s campaign featured print ads for McDonald’s.

Aragi’s second featured campaign, “Fries Over Feelings,” created in Portfolio I, captures the universal sting of someone swiping your McDonald’s fries. Aragi turned this everyday betrayal into a memorable ad series, blending serious undertones with exaggerated humor. Her long-form ads amplify the drama of the stolen fries by incorporating clever comedic twists.

“Professor White’s guidance on copy-based advertising was crucial in developing this idea and its comedic touch,” says Aragi.

“I’m Thirsty” for charity: water

For charity: water, a nonprofit dedicated to providing clean drinking water where many do not have access to it, Leveille came up with the idea in Portfolio I to create drinking water cans with no tab on them, making the water inside completely inaccessible. These cans would be placed in vending machines that appear to dispense free cans of water.

The can’s design is meant to give consumers a glimpse of what it’s like for people who lack access to clean drinking water, aiming to generate empathy for the 370 million individuals facing this challenge daily.��The cans lack tabs, so people cannot access the water. This design gives consumers a glimpse into experiencing first-hand, even if it’s just for a few seconds, what it’s like to have no access to clean drinking water.

Each can reads, “By making this can of water impossible to open, we have restricted your access to clean drinking water. Now you can relate to the 10% of our population who lack access to clean water daily. It shouldn’t be this difficult for anyone to quench their thirst.”

Jordan Leveille’s experiential idea for charity: water brings awareness to the fact that one in 10 people globally do not have access to clean water.

This campaign is notable for its innovative use of experiential advertising, creating a powerful and original experience for the consumer.

“The charity: water campaign tangibly recreates water inaccessibility through a completely sealed and visually identifiable can, allowing consumers to experience an issue that many typically don’t in their daily lives,” White says.

“Just Let It Go” for eBay

Aragi’s third campaign, “Just Let It Go” for eBay, was created in Portfolio III. Collaborating with copywriter Kayla Beck ’24, Aragi targeted Generation Z in the United Kingdom with this cheeky campaign.

Tori Aragi’s campaign featuring outdoor posters for eBay.

Through their research, Aragi and Beck said they found that Gen Z struggles to let go of preloved items, even when they have outgrown them. From there, the creative advertising students created a campaign that gives people the snarky shove they need to realize it is finally time to let go.

“Professor White always stressed the importance of simple ideas and cohesive campaigns, which helped me to create this project,” Aragi says.

2024 marks the sixth consecutive year Newhouse creative advertising students have won Communication Arts Students Showcase Awards.

Dana Spiotta

The December Vogue is a special issue guest-edited by fashion icon Marc Jacobs. is a long profile of Kaia Gerber, who in addition to being a well-known model and up-and-coming actress, now has a large following for her online book club, . Spiotta’s article explores Gerber’s experience growing up in the fashion world and the challenges of how the world perceives her vs. how she perceives herself.

Along with penning the Vogue cover story, Spiotta’s book “” is the inspiration for an alternative opera, which will take to the stage Jan. 9-17 as part of the in New York. The prestigious festival is a co-production of , “two trailblazers in the creation and presentation of contemporary, multi-disciplinary opera-theatre and music-theatre works.”

“Eat the Document” follows the intertwined lives of two anti-war activists who come together during the Vietnam era. After a protest they orchestrate goes tragically wrong, they are forced into hiding, adopting new identities to escape their past. The story alternates between the 1970s and the 1990s, delving into themes of identity, memory and the impact of political activism. Spiotta’s “Eat the Document” was a finalist for the National Book Award and the winner of the American Academy’s Rosenthal Foundation Award in 2007.

The new opera has been in development since 2020 by John Glover (composer), Kelley Rourke (librettist), Kristin Marting (director) and Mila Henry (music director).��.”

A faculty member in the since 2009, Spiotta is one of the University’s leading fiction writers. She is the author of five novels. Alongside “Eat the Document,” she has written “Wayward,” which was named a best book of 2021 by Vogue and The New York Times, “Innocents and Others,” winner of the St. Francis College Literary Prize and a finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize, “Stone Arabia,” a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award and “Lightning Field,” which was a New York Times Notable Book. Spiotta is currently teaching workshop classes in the undergraduate and graduate Creative Writing Program.

The Whitman School’s “Discover Florence: A Gastronomic and Cultural Odyssey,” runs June 26 to July 4, 2025.

The will host an , “Discover Florence: A Gastronomic and Cultural Odyssey,” during the summer of 2025.��The edu-tourism experience will run from June 26 to July 4, 2025, and is open to interested University students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends of ���ϲ�����.

“The Whitman School has long valued the importance of experiential learning outside the classroom for students, and now we are excited to venture into the area of edu-tourism for faculty, alumni and others in our Orange family, too,” says trip leader ,��Whitman’s professor of supply chain practice and director of executive education.

“Not only will participants learn firsthand about food, wine, art and culture, but they’ll also see some of the business concepts behind them as they meet award-winning chefs and restaurateurs, vineyard owners, government officials and alumni in related fields,” Penfield says. “To round out the trip, travelers will get a firsthand look at the historical significance of one of the world’s most iconic cities.”

This nine-day trip kicks off with a welcome reception that includes insights from faculty based at the , as well as a unique opportunity to hear from , the European Union Parliament minister of food and agriculture and former mayor of Florence who delivered the 2024 Commencement address at ���ϲ�����’s graduation ceremonies.

This event will allow travelers to network and get to know one another, as they prepare for a slate of activities* that includes:

• visits to and vineyards;
• culinary adventures through a hands-on Florentine cooking class;
• Stops at iconic landmarks like the Duomo and the Uffizi Gallery;
• first-hand looks at the work of Renaissance masters like Michelangelo and Ghirlandaio;
• premier dining at two Michelin-star restaurants, and ;
• escapes to ancient olive groves, charming local markets, quaint cafés and more; and
• free time to explore, shop, relax and take in the beauty of Florence.

The cost of the trip includes the above adventures and lodging at the four-star in the heart of Florence. Based on the maximum enrollment of 20 people, the cost is $9,600 for single occupancy and $12,600 for double occupancy. Transportation to and from Florence is not included in the price, allowing travelers to make their own plans from anywhere in the world.

The registration deadline is March 20, 2025, and space is limited so to experience Florence with the Whitman School.

*Itinerary subject to change

Madison Manning (Cinderella), right, and Trisha Jeffrey (Fairy Godmother) in “Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella” (Photos by Michael Davis)

Manning plays Cinderella in the production that runs through Jan. 5 in the Archbold Theatre at ���ϲ����� Stage. All evening performances begin at 7:30 p.m. while all matinee performances begin at 2 p.m. Tickets may be , by phone at 315.443.3275 or in person at the ���ϲ����� Stage Box Office.

Manning shares insights into the production and her role.

What can audience members expect from this production?

They can expect a modern twist to it, especially because this is “Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella.” It’s not something that’s very complex in language, and it’s more contemporary in its scene work, general dialogue, blocking techniques and the demeanor to which we perform the show.

Besides expecting a contemporary aspect, they can expect a lot of beauty in the staging, projections, lighting and costuming. Regardless of if they’re following the story or listening to the singing, people will come in and enjoy getting to see such beauty and attention to detail in the visual aspect of it. They can expect to see a heartwarming story that visually, emotionally and mindfully has a lot of love, care and warmth put into it.

Where do you draw inspiration from for your performance?

I’m big on finding inspiration in multiple mediums of art. Most of it comes from other theater, a lot of film and TV, and a few years ago I got into reading a lot of young adult fantasy novels. Even though those stories can be different from the ones told in theater, just tapping into different mediums of storytelling has been a big inspiration for how to tell a story to specific audiences with specific material or storylines.

If it had to be a person, I draw a lot of inspiration from Patina Miller and Cynthia Erivo—Black, female artists that are not only talented but driven and know how to collaborate with other artists. I also draw a lot of inspiration from the faculty at ���ϲ����� and my peers. When you’re in class, watching other people perform, whether there’s solo performances, duets and trios, or scene work, you learn from your peers because you’re constantly watching them grow.

What do you want to convey in the character?

Cinderella speaks with animals.

In the original Disney movie, it literally says that Cinderella was abused, humiliated and forced to be a servant in her own home. Despite all of that, she woke up every single day with hope and optimism. She still showed the stepfamily gentleness and reverence in the face of their hatred and unjustified anger.

The biggest thing I want to convey about the character is that she’s not a damsel in distress and that her strength comes from her ability to choose kindness in the face of adversity. It’s much easier to be mean right back to somebody that’s being mean to you. It’s even harder to show them kindness, continuously show them love and make them a part of your life despite what they’ve done.

What’s the best part about becoming this classic character, Cinderella?

“Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella,” co-produced by ���ϲ����� Stage and the Department of Drama in the College of Visual and Performing Arts, runs through Jan. 5.

The best part, besides wearing beautiful costumes and telling such a fun story, is getting to inspire little boys and girls throughout the ���ϲ����� area. When I was a phantom in “A Christmas Carol” [the ���ϲ����� Stage/Department of Drama co-production] last year, I got to crawl up and down the aisles and look into the faces of people. For children’s matinees, there were a lot of Black and brown children in the audience. The first thing I thought when I got cast was, “How great is it going to be for those boys and girls to see themselves represented on stage, not just as a side character or someone in the ensemble but someone who’s playing the main lead.”

Adeera Harris ’25, my cast member who plays Grace, also pointed out that it’s such a blessing to not see the pigeonholed stereotype of the Black girls, the sassy sidekick or the mean girls; rather, you get to see People of Color in our cast play the prince, the princess, one of the step-sisters, ensemble members and the fairy godmother. You get to see so much diversity that I think will impact a lot of children. My hope is that they take away that things are still possible, and it’s possible for them to be a source of inspiration and encouragement for others.

What’s the most challenging part of this role?

The most challenging part is definitely the singing. After doing three previews, I’m still nervous about getting through all 50-plus shows with this score. It’s a very demanding role vocally in a way that I’m not used to. I would consider myself a belter, but this role requires me to use my reinforced mix, which I’m just now developing as an artist.

I didn’t come into college with vocal training. I did choir in high school but never one-on-one training for my vocal instrument, so I always felt a little late to the game in terms of singing. I knew going into this I would need to really prepare and know these songs like the back of my hand, so that even if I was sick or lost my voice and got it back two minutes before curtain, I’d be able to do the show.

To read the full story, visit the .

The ���ϲ����� Art Museum will host a day of free programming on Nov. 9 celebrating prominent photographer, composer, author, poet and film director Gordon Parks.

The community is invited to spend the day learning about Gordon Parks through both the exhibition and the accompanying family guide. Additionally, among the featured programs is an artist talk with contemporary photographer Jarod Lew at 1 p.m., and a screening of the 2021 documentary, “A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks,” at 2:30 p.m.

Throughout the day, the museum will also host a Community Arts Fair featuring local artists, community organizations and vendors in the galleria just outside the museum entrance. Local vendor Black Citizens Brigade will be hosting a pop-up store featuring a selection of books, magazines and records highlighting the work of Gordon Parks and his contemporaries.

Additionally, artist and educator Evan Starling-Davis will host a zine-making workshop where visitors can create their own eight-page zine (or booklet) based on personal photographs and archival and found images and text. Registration is required for the workshop. Interested participants can expect to spend at least 90 minutes creating their zine. .

Jess Myers

As the flagship program of , Exhibit Columbus is an exploration of community, architecture, art and design that activates the modern legacy of Columbus, Indiana. Through a two-year cycle of events, conversations are convened around innovative ideas, and then site-responsive installations are commissioned to create a free, public exhibition.

Now in its fifth cycle, this year’s theme, “,” invites contributors to explore the legacy of Columbus by adding to the multiple and overlapping lives of buildings and spaces. Originating in improv theater, “Yes And” is a technique for affirming and building upon an idea to create a shared narrative.

This year, University Design Research Fellowships were awarded through a national, open-call competition for full-time university and college professors whose work explores community-based urban design and the challenges facing activating historic downtowns. Applicants were asked to respond to the “Yes And” theme and work from existing material to shape positive change. UDR Fellows were then shortlisted and selected, from nearly 50 submissions, by the 2024-25 based on the Request for Qualifications process.

“The high level of research represented by these six University Design Research Fellows is inspiring and we are honored to showcase their work in this cycle of Exhibit Columbus. Together, these professors place emphasis on the curatorial theme, ‘Yes And,’ in their own way, and collectively allow us to build an exhibition that has curatorial depth across the country,” the five curatorial partners said in a joint statement.

Through a cycle of events, the fellows—along with four —will work with community members in Columbus to create installations at various locales, encouraging the public to collaborate in the creation of the ongoing performance of the city. Whether it’s recovering architectural remnants, reflecting on cultural legacy, staging a dramatic spectacle, or reimagining public play, “Yes And” invites everybody to the public spaces of Columbus to expand what forms of togetherness and collaboration are possible. Winning fellows can request a budget of up to $15,000 to support the realization of an installation during the three-month exhibition in downtown Columbus.

The of Myers, César A. Lopez (University of Virginia), Amelyn Ng (Columbia University), and Germán Pallares-Avitia (Rhode Island School of Design) bring a strong interdisciplinary track record in public installation and exhibition, material experimentation, and historical architectural research to the UDR Fellowship and the legacy of Exhibit Columbus.

Jess Myers (second from the left) is one of four faculty members to be named Exhibit Columbus University Design Research Fellows for 2024-25.

“What unites [us] is a commitment to leveraging our unique experiences and expertise to create impactful public installations that resonate with the community,” says the team. “As former architecture students turned educators, we are dedicated to learning about and shaping the built environment while inspiring future architects.”

Building upon Columbus’s exemplary modern architecture in conversation with its community, the team’s proposed project, “Public School Grounds,” aims to extend their admiration for modern architecture to children and the larger Columbus community by fostering an environment that encourages hands-on learning, imaginative exploration, and meaningful interactions for individuals of all ages.

The project installation will draw inspiration from the dynamic rooflines and material patterns found in mid-century modern-designed schools in Columbus. Throughout the fellowship, the team will work with the students, educators, and staff at these schools to scale down and collage these rooflines to create an engaging sensorial platform for children.

“Public School Grounds” will become a tactile experience, potentially constructed from reclaimed local brick or colorful recycled foam, drawing from the vast range of brickwork and bond patterns found across Columbus’ modern architectural landscape. By creating an interesting and interactive space at ground level, the new public space will showcase the influence of educational architecture on the city, highlight the significance of children in the community and prioritizing hands-on play as a learning tool.

Designing and planning for a longer life cycle for the project and its materials is a critical objective of the installation. By finding a reuse after the Exhibit Columbus programming concludes, the mission of exposing a broader community to the wonder and beauty of the built environment will have a longer legacy. Recognizing that not all schools have equal resources, the team aims to design their project in pieces or sections so that it can easily be assembled, disassembled, transported, and distributed to schools needing recreational equipment and/or to communities as public furniture. Alternatively, if the project is donated to a single school or after-care organization, the team hopes its design can be “re-collaged” in various configurations, rather than remaining in its original consolidated form, allowing the project to evolve according to the new client’s needs and contexts.

The built installation will be accompanied by a series of workshops and programs facilitated by the “Public School Grounds” team who will work directly with students, educators, and staff at select local schools through key partnerships with two related organizations—the Bartholomew Consolidated School Corporation (BCSC), ��which oversees the public schools in Columbus, and the Bartholomew Consolidated School Foundation (BCSF), which supports the learning experience of Columbus youth.

Myers, an urbanist whose practice includes work as an editor, writer, podcaster and curator, will bring her expertise in sound to the project and explore the sonic breaks and flows of a young student’s day.

“There is an auditory schedule that schoolchildren keep that vanished from the public soundscape during the COVID-19 lockdowns,” says Myers. “I will be researching the bells that organize quiet and frenzy, the many languages that Columbus students use and the organized bustle of drop-offs and pick-ups to develop a light, soothing soundscape that activates the physical playscape.”

Throughout these events and the Exhibit Columbus programming, the team will observe and document how children and community members engage with their project, with a goal of creating a series of diagrams that can inspire future educational spaces.

By using a collaborative and community-engaged approach, “Public School Grounds” seeks to bring the tactile and sensory elements that have enriched educational environments within schools to the broader public and inspire inquisitive play within the city of Columbus.

As University Design Research Fellows, Myers and her team recently attended the two-day where they were paired with BCSC’s and . Working at these unique sites, they will create an installation that will become a focal point during the 2025 Exhibit Columbus event in August 2025.

Aaron Sorkin

Sorkin, a graduate of the Department of Drama, was among 19 recipients that comprised the 2022 and 2023 cohorts of the National Humanities Medal, which honors an individual or organization whose work has deepened the nation’s understanding of the human experience, broadened citizens’ engagement with history or literature or helped preserve and expand Americans’ access to cultural resources. The manages the nominations process for the medal on behalf of the White House.

“The National Humanities Medal recipients have enriched our world through writing that moves and inspires us; scholarship that enlarges our understanding of the past; and through their dedication to educating, informing and giving voice to communities and histories often overlooked,” says NEH Chair Shelly C. Lowe (Navajo).

Sorkin’s early career began as a playwright. His stage play, “A Few Good Men,” caught the attention of a Hollywood producer, who bought the film rights before the play even premiered. Castle Rock Entertainment then hired Sorkin to adapt to film “A Few Good Men,” which went on to become a box office and critical success in 1992.

Sorkin’s 2010 feature film screenplay, “The Social Network,” earned him an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay, and the film also garnered two additional Oscars and four Golden Globe Awards, including best picture and best screenplay. His other films include “Molly’s Game” (directorial debut), “The Trial of the Chicago 7” (Golden Globe Award), “Moneyball,” “Steve Jobs” (Golden Globe Award), “The American President” and “Malice.”

In 1998, Sorkin’s television career began when he created the comedy series “Sports Night” for the ABC network. His next TV series, the political drama “The West Wing,” debuted on the NBC network and would go on to win more than 20 Emmys, a Golden Globe for Best Television Drama Series, two consecutive Peabody Awards for Broadcast and Cable Excellence, and two Humanitas Prizes and Television Critics Awards. His other television series include “Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip” (NBC) and “The Newsroom” (HBO).

Aaron Sorkin (back row, third from left), Drama Department Chair Ralph Zito (back row, fourth from left) and 2024 Sorkin Week students

After more than a decade away from the theater, Sorkin returned to adapt for the stage his screenplay “The Farnsworth Invention” (2007). His stage adaptation of Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird” debuted on Broadway in 2018 and received nine Tony Award nominations, winning one. He adapted the classic musical “Camelot” in 2023; the Broadway production received five Tony nominations, including Best Revival of a Musical.

In March 2006 Sorkin funded and launched the Sorkin in LA Learning Practicum—also known as “Sorkin Week”—which is a weeklong immersion experience for VPA drama students to meet with professionals working in all facets of the entertainment industry, including actors, writers, talent agents, directors and producers.

Sorkin is a member of the VPA Council and has received the University’s George Arents Pioneer Medal, the highest alumni honor awarded by the University. He delivered the University’s Commencement address in 2012 and received an honorary degree.

More than 60 pieces from the institutional collection are featured in the show, housed at the of the University’s Nancy Cantor Warehouse Building at 350 W. Fayette St. The show runs through Friday, Nov. 22. Admission is free and open to the public.

The exhibition, “Libro de Artista,” features more than 60 artists books from the collection at the Argentine National Museum. (Photo by Matias Roth)

The exhibition is a production of the University’s POC) gallery in partnership with the (MNBA) and the University’s in the .

Sergio Moscona’s “Personajes Diarios,” in ink, acrylic and collage, depicting the intervention of facsimile 1956 edition of “La Prensa,” a daily newspaper that was censored in 1951. (Photo by Matias Roth)

Latin American creators represented in the exhibition include artist books by Diana Dowek, Luis Felipe Noé, Lucrecia Orloff, Jacques Bedel, Daniel García, Miguel Harte, Carolina Antoniadis, Marcos López and Marcia Schvartz. The exhibition also includes the Agentinian museum’s latest accession to the collection, a piece co-authored by Argentine artists Pedro Roth and the late ���ϲ����� professor and POC founder Pedro Cuperman.

Juan Astica’s acrylic-on-paper piece, “Diversos Conjuros,” consists of 64 paintings. (Photo by Matias Roth)

“It is an honor to partner with MNBA in its first showing of the ‘Libro de Artista’ collection in the United States,” said , executive director of the Office of Cultural Engagement for the Hispanic Community at ���ϲ�����.

“Point of Contact worked in close collaboration with the Roth family of creators and with the National Ministry of Culture of Argentina in exhibitions at the New York Art Book Fair held at MoMA PS1 from 2012 to 2018. ‘Libro de Artista’ culminates such a project with this timely exhibit as we commemorate National Hispanic Heritage Month 2024,”she says.

Andrés Duprat, MNBA director, explains the art form. He says, “The artist book or Libro de Artista is generally not considered a work of art in itself, but for us, it holds great interest because it is in artist books where explorations, intentions, sketches, and even doubts and regrets or new searches are revealed.”

This foldable book in ink on paper, and bound in leather, is by artist Leonel Luna. It’s called “Genealogías del Arte Argentino.” (Photo by Matias Roth)

In terms of artist techniques, formats and materials, artist books take many forms on paper, cardboard, celluloid, acrylic, metal and other materials, transforming into boxes, intervened prints, collages and pop-up books.

One of the pieces in the show, “La Dama del Río,” is a collaborative work with original texts by Pedro Cuperman and illustrations by Pedro Roth. Pedro Roth is a recipient of the 2023 National Award for Artistic Trajectory, an honor bestowed by the National Ministry of Culture recognizing the exceptional path and contributions of living Argentine creators inducted to the National Gallery of Visual Arts.

Juan Pablo Ferlat’s digital print is titled “Golem.” (Photo by Matias Roth)

“Point of Contact, soon to commemorate its 50th anniversary, has much to celebrate with the accession of this piece to the MNBA’s permanent collection,” says Matias Roth, curator of the “Libro de Artista” Buenos Aires exhibition and an exhibiting artist in the show. “As a member of the Point of Contact board of directors and longtime collaborator of both POC and the National Museum, I greatly appreciate that this work will be preserved in Argentina’s National Art Collection.”

At Point of Contact’s exhibition opening are, from left, Tere Paniagua, gallery director; Matias Roth, Point of Contact board member and show curator; Museum Studies Professor Andrew Saluti and museum studies graduate students Paola Manzano and Molly Dano.

Carrie Mae Weems H’17 (Photo by Jerry Klineberg)

“Carrie Mae Weems’ commitment to telling the American story has secured her place among the greatest artists of our time,” says Chancellor Kent Syverud. “This extraordinary honor is a testament to her prolific and powerful work that has profoundly impacted the artistic community, contributed to cultural awareness and inspired change. ���ϲ����� is fortunate and proud to have such an accomplished artist as part of our community.”

The National Medal of Arts��is the highest award given to artists and arts patrons by the United States government. The medal is awarded by the president of the United States to individuals or groups who “are deserving of special recognition by reason of their outstanding contributions to the excellence, growth, support and availability of the arts in the United States.”

“As the first African American female visual artist to receive the National Medal of Arts in recognition for my contributions is profoundly humbling and a great honor,” says Weems.��“I��thank my colleagues, along with the many other great women artists of color who came before me, widened the path and took the heat, but unfortunately were not recognized for their tremendous achievements.”

Weems’ four decades of work, including groundbreaking and distinctive compositions of photography, text, audio, installation, video and performance art, depicts topics of race, gender, social injustice and economic inequity throughout American history to the present day.

She is the first African American woman to have a retrospective at the Guggenheim Museum, and she is represented in public and private collections around the world, including the Brooklyn Museum; Metropolitan Museum of Art; Museum of Fine Arts, Houston; Museum of Modern Art; Tate Modern; Whitney Museum of American Art; National Gallery of Canada; and Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles.

In April, Weems reviewed the work of College of Visual and Performing Arts students in the studio arts program at the University’s Daniel and Gayle D’Aniello ���ϲ����� Program in Florence (Photo by Francesco Guazzelli)

Weems is a 2023��Hasselblad Award��laureate and has received numerous awards, grants and fellowships, including the��, the U.S. Department of State’s Medal of Arts, the Joseph H. Hazen Rome Prize Fellowship, the National Endowment of the Arts fellowship and the Louis Comfort Tiffany Award.

In April, Weems participated in the conference, organized in concert with the , and reviewed the work of College of Visual and Performing Arts students in the studio arts program at the University’s Daniel and Gayle D’Aniello ���ϲ����� Program in Florence.

Her solo exhibition, “The Shape of Things,” is currently running at the in New York City through Nov. 9.

As the University’s artist in residence, Weems engages with ���ϲ����� faculty and students in a number of ways, including working with students in the design, planning and preparation of exhibitions.

Candace Campbell Jackson, senior vice president and chief of staff, who co-created the Artist in Residence program with Academic Affairs leadership, says, “This well-deserved honor recognizes Carrie Mae Weems’ incredible cultural contributions as a groundbreaking and visionary artist. It also reminds us once again how proud we are to call her our artist in residence. Carrie’s longstanding connection with the University has been a source of inspiration to the arts on campus here and abroad and resulted in numerous one-of-a-kind opportunities for our students.”

Weems first came to ���ϲ����� in 1988 to participate in Light Work’s artist-in-residence program. Over the years, she has participated in several programs at Light Work and has a long history of engaging with students and the University community.

Weems taught at ���ϲ����� previously, and out of her two courses Art in Civic Engagement and Art and Social Dialogue came the innovative and popular . She previously was artist-in-residence in the College of Visual and Performing Arts (2005-06) and she was a distinguished guest of the University Lectures in 2014.

Weems also was bestowed an honorary doctorate by the University in 2017 (along with honorary degrees from Bowdoin College, the California College of Art, Colgate University, the New York School of Visual Arts, Maryland Institute College of Art and Smith College).

Emily Dittman

Following 17 years of service to the , Emily Dittman has been named director, effective Oct. 16. The announcement was made today by Associate Provost for Strategic Initiatives Elisa Dekaney.

“Emily’s steady, visionary leadership has already guided the ���ϲ����� Art Museum along a successful path and secured its place at the center of campus life,” Dekaney says. “I am excited to continue working with her to further expand and strengthen the museum as a resource for students, faculty, staff and the local community.”

Dittman has served as the museum’s interim director for two years, leading operations, financial and strategic planning, alumni relations, fundraising and communications and marketing, and managing a staff of six full-time and 14 part-time employees. Additionally, she directs the collections care team, overseeing cataloguing, storage, environmentals and the design and function of the collection database.

“I am thrilled to embark on the next chapter of my leadership journey with the arts at ���ϲ�����,” Dittman says. “The museum’s prestigious permanent collection, engaging exhibitions and dynamic programs inspire me daily with their potential to serve as transformative experiences for our community. I am excited for the opportunity to collaborate more closely with our students, faculty, artists and community members during this exciting period of growth for the museum as an arts destination that is welcoming and open to all.”

Dittman joined the Art Museum in 2007 as a collection and exhibition manager, a role she held for 11 years. In that capacity, she had oversight of the SUArt Traveling Exhibition program, the Campus Loan program, special exhibitions and photography exhibitions at ���ϲ����� Art Galleries. She also handled communications tasks, including gallery publications and media relations. She later served as associate director for four years.

Dittman has curated a number of exhibitions, including “Impact!: The Photo League and its Legacy,” “Wanderlust: Travel Photography,” “Everyday Art: Street Photography in the ���ϲ����� Art Collection” and “Pure Photography: Pictorial and Modern Photographs.” She serves on the board of and teaches museum studies courses in the .

Dittman earned an M.A. in museum studies and an M.S. in library and information science from ���ϲ����� and a B.A. in history from Allegheny College.

A former faculty member who is regarded as one of the world’s leading experts on the science of human happiness will return to ���ϲ����� later this month to outline a pathway by which individuals, communities and the governance of our nation can improve by learning how to live happier lives and committing to the greater well-being of others.

Arthur C. Brooks, a Harvard University professor and co-author of the New York Times bestseller ‘Build the Life You Want’ with Oprah Winfrey, will deliver remarks during an on-campus event on Oct. 30.

Arthur C. Brooks, a professor at Harvard University and best-selling author, will present “How to Get Happier in an Unhappy World” on Wednesday, Oct. 30 from 5 to 6:30 p.m. in the K.G. Tan Auditorium in the National Veterans Resource Center at The Daniel and Gayle D’Aniello Building.��The event is free and open to the University community and the general public. Advanced .

Brooks is the Parker Gilbert Montgomery Professor of the Practice of Public Leadership at Harvard Kennedy School and professor of management practice at Harvard Business School, where he teaches courses on leadership and happiness. He writes the popular weekly “How to Build a Life” column for The Atlantic, and he is the No. 1 New York Times bestselling author of 13 books, including “Build the Life You Want: The Art and Science of Getting Happier,” co-authored with Oprah Winfrey.

No stranger to ���ϲ�����, Brooks taught courses at Maxwell in policy analysis, microeconomics, public and nonprofit management and social entrepreneurship from 2001 to 2009, and he was the Louis A. Bantle Professor of Business and Government Policy starting in 2007. His work in the classroom earned him the school’s Daniel Patrick Moynihan Award for outstanding teaching, research, and service and the Birkhead-Burkhead Teaching Excellence Award.

“We are delighted to host our friend and former colleague Arthur Brooks for what is sure to be an insightful talk about an important subject for each of us,” says Maxwell Dean David M. Van Slyke. “There are so many ways that we measure success in our society, yet one of the most elusive and hardest to obtain is this notion of happiness. I look forward to hearing Arthur’s thoughts on this, and how to strengthen our lives and the resilience and opportunities of our communities. The effectiveness of our democracy depends on healthy and happy individuals that can work together for the common good. I encourage everyone who can to attend.”

Brooks left Maxwell in 2009 to become the eleventh president of the American Enterprise Institute, a private, nonpartisan, nonprofit think tank in Washington, D.C. He joined the faculty of Harvard in July of 2019.

Prior to joining academia, Brooks spent 12 years as a professional musician, holding positions with the Barcelona Symphony and other ensembles. He earned a master of arts degree in economics from Florida Atlantic University in 1994 and a Ph.D. and M.Phil. in public policy analysis from the RAND Graduate School of Policy Studies in 1998.

Brooks’ talk is sponsored by the D’Aniello Family Foundation, the Louis A. Bantle Chair in Business-Government Policy and the Howard G. and S. Louise Phanstiel Chair in Leadership.

Susannah Sayler

The $8,000 unrestricted cash grant, administered by the , is open to New York State photography artists living and working anywhere in the following regions of New York State: Western New York, Finger Lakes, Southern Tier, Central New York, North Country, Mohawk Valley, Capital District, Hudson Valley and Long Island. The support for this funding is provided by����(JGS), a not-for-profit organization dedicated to the photographic arts.

“Edifice II” by Susannah Sayler, 2023. This work is drawn from a series of photographic collages that consider how to represent the Amazonian rainforest. It is part of a larger body of work titled “The Crystal Forest” (2019-2024), that also includes a video essay.

Sayler works with a variety of media including photography, video, writing and installation—often in collaboration with others, to deepen our understanding of ecology and the poetics of relation. Her work has been exhibited in diverse venues from art museums to public spaces and interdisciplinary institutions such as science museums, history museums and anthropology museums, including MASS MoCA, North Adams, Massachusetts; The Momentary @ Crystal Bridges, Bentonville, Arkansas; Kunsthal Rotterdam, the Netherlands; North Carolina Museum of Art, Raleigh, North Carolina; and The American Writers Museum and Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago. She has been awarded the Guggenheim Fellowship (2023), New York Artist Fellowship (2016), the Smithsonian Artist Research Fellowship (2014), the Center for Art and Environment Research Fellowship (2013) and the Loeb Fellowship at Harvard Graduate School of Design (2008).

In 2006, with her longtime collaborator, Edward Morris, Sayler co-founded The Canary Project, a collective project to produce art and media that cultivate emotional understanding of the climate crisis. In 2020, she co-founded a new long-term project in Hudson, New York, called Toolshed, which gathers and shares tools that empower individuals and communities to live ecologically. ’ archives are collected by The Center for Art and Environment at the Nevada Museum of Art, Reno, Nevada.