“I’m excited to spend some of my last moments on campus celebrating with the people who have made my college experience so special,” says Chloe Langerman ’25. “It’s going to be bittersweet, but I can’t wait to move forward as an Orange.”

Senior Sendoff Checklist

1. : Celebrate the incredible achievements of the ���ϲ����� Class of 2025 on Thursday, May 8, from 1-4 p.m. on the Quad. Spend the afternoon making lasting memories before you head into your next chapter. Enjoy lawn games, a DJ and giveaways for all graduating students!
2. : Leave your legacy and support the future of ���ϲ����� students. When combined with gifts from your classmates, your class gift of $25 or more makes a real difference.
3. : Celebrate your next adventure and complete the First Destination Survey as soon as possible. Students can find their First Destination Survey by logging into and visiting their Career Center page.
4. : A memento for graduating seniors, the yearbook is filled with senior portraits, academics, sports and much more. Visit the to purchase your 2025 yearbook from Jostens. Orders are due Friday, May 9.
5. : From preparation, a complete schedule of events, accessibility information and more, this is your one-stop for all your Commencement Weekend information needs.
6. : Graduation marks the start of the alumni experience! Be sure to stay in touch through the Alumni Association’s expansive events, services, clubs and more!

“I’m looking forward to attending the Senior Celebration alongside my best friends and soaking up every last minute we have on campus and taking them down in some lawn games,” says Maggie Anderson, ’25. “Cheers to the Class of 2025 and all of the incredible opportunities awaiting us in the future!”

Resources for Families and Supporters of Seniors
The Orange families and supporters of seniors have played an important role in the successes of the Class of 2025! Explore the helpful resources highlighted below.

• : Visit and learn more about Commencement Weekend, find campus maps, hotel and restaurant information.
• : From , , receiving communications with the , to learning what items are permitted or not to bring and the University’s Clear Bag Policy, the is available to answer .
• : Family and friends are welcomed to make a gift, share a congratulatory message and photo of their student to further celebrate the amazing accomplishment of graduation.

In honor of this special day, SU News shares a few adoption stories from the University community:

Christina M. Papaleo, Learning and Development Specialist, Office of Diversity and Inclusion

Aslan

During the 2020 lockdown, Papaleo was newly employed at the University and isolated away from family and friends, so she decided she needed a companion. Although she considered herself more of a dog person, encouragement from colleagues led her to adopt a cat.

When she met Aslan (formerly “Hobo”), he immediately climbed into her lap, and she knew he was meant to be hers. Named after the noble lion from “The Chronicles of Narnia,” Aslan has been Papaleo’s steady source of love and support ever since.

Elisabeth Dwyer�� ’06

Elisabeth Dwyer and her dog Zoey inside the JMA Wireless Dome

Dwyer and her husband Benjamin Taylor adopted Zoey, a 7-year-old lab mix, from Helping Hounds in 2018. Despite her age and anxiety, Zoey quickly became a beloved part of their family. One of their favorite memories was taking her to ���ϲ����� Women’s Basketball’s Dog Day, where she proudly wore her Orange gear among fellow fans. Now 14, Zoey continues to bring joy to their home, traveling with them to Long Island, the Adirondacks and beyond.

“Adopting gives animals a second chance at the life they deserve. When you adopt, you’re not only changing their life, but they often end up changing yours too,” Dwyer says. “We decided to adopt an older dog as they are not always a first choice for families and wanted to help a dog that was still looking for a home.”

Jessica Youngman, Content Manager, Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs

Ruby

Youngman’s family welcomed Buddy, a rescue pup from Cypress Lucky Mutt Rescue in Texas, in August 2023. After the heartbreaking loss of their elderly dog, Youngman secretly arranged Buddy’s adoption as a surprise for her son Max, just before he left for his freshman year at ���ϲ�����. Meeting Buddy—handed straight out of the transport van—was an unforgettable moment filled with happy tears.

Buddy has since grown into a giant but remains Max’s loyal companion whenever he returns home.

Youngman also shared the story of Ruby, their 12-year-old coonhound adopted in 2016 after surviving a cruelty investigation. Ruby’s story of resilience is a reminder us how powerful second chances can be.

Buddy making the transport up from Texas with Cypress Lucky Mutt Rescue

Adoption Transforms Lives

Then 13-year-old Eli enjoying the sun. Rescue life is good!

Coming from a family of lifelong rescue pet owners and owning three rescue dogs now, I’ve seen firsthand how adoption transforms lives (these are just some of the stories):

• Toby, once terrified after abuse at a kill shelter, learned to trust again—especially with help from our next rescue, Scrappy, a pit bull mix.
• Eli, a senior dog with just four teeth, brought us three and a half wonderful years of love and reminded us that older pets have so much life to give.
• Magic, a black cat from an overcrowded shelter, was a beloved pet, shattering myths about black cats being “unlucky.”
• In 2009, my sister rescued Bob, a dachshund left untreated after being hit by a car. After surgery, he lived a legendary life with my brother—traveling cross-country and inspiring everyone he met until nearly 20 years old.
• Today, my rescue dog Nola—blind in one eye—has become a, proving that rescue pets have an unmatched zest for life.
  

  Nothing could hold Bob back—not even a disability—from experiencing the magic of the Grand Canyon.

Finding a Second Chance Pet

Rescue pets may come from tough beginnings, but with a second chance, they often become the most loyal companions. It’s also important to remember that shelters and rescues often have purebred pets, puppies and kittens. So, if you’re looking for a specific breed, check local adoption services—you might find exactly what you’re hoping for.

Rescues play a vital role, often pulling animals from shelters just before their time runs out. According to Animal Shelters Count, over 5.7 million dogs and cats entered shelters and rescues nationwide, with 748,000 of those having non-live outcomes (euthanasia or died in care).

, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to ending the killing of dogs and cats in America’s shelters, says if just 6% more people chose adoption over buying their pets, we could end the euthanasia of dogs and cats in shelters across the country.

There is a misconception that “kill shelters” should not be supported, but these open-admission shelters need help the most. They often take in every animal regardless of space, funding or resources, making adoptions essential. Certain groups—like seniors, black cats and dogs, bully breeds, animals with special needs or illnesses, and scared and abused pets—face even steeper odds of adoption, making it even more challenging to find them homes.

Vanessa Marquette G’19, media relations specialist with University Communications, is a volunteer with the Best Friends Animal Society and advocates for rescue animals through digital platforms highlighting her rescue dog Nola.

Santiago spring 2025 cohort in Patagonia

Beginning May 15, students can apply for spring 2026 study abroad programs through . From bustling cities to small towns across the globe, the University opens the door to over 60 study abroad destinations—ensuring every student can experience their ideal semester abroad.

For the second year in a row, ���ϲ����� Abroad was ranked No. 8 in Study Abroad by U.S. News & World Report. Students attending programs at centers in Florence, Italy; London, England; Madrid, Spain; Santiago, Chile; and Strasbourg, France, will be immersed in environments designed to foster global engagement, immersive learning and new perspectives.

Spring 2026 Program Highlights

• Engineering program in London, England:
  New in spring 2026! The spring-only program is the gateway into the U.K.’s vital and diverse economic atmosphere. Second-year students in aerospace, biomedical, chemical, civil, computer, electrical, environmental and mechanical engineering programs are invited to join this program as it covers a variety of engineering and math requirements for second-semester, second-year students in these majors.
• English immersion program in Santiago, Chile:
  The is a fun take on a classic program that allows students to experience the rich culture of Santiago while taking a range of courses in the social sciences and humanities in English. Coursework, internships and other experiential programming occur both in and out of the classroom and include travel and fieldwork opportunities. Through an established partnership of over 15 years, courses are offered at U. Catolica, a top-ranked university in Latin America offering a wide variety of study and engagement opportunities for students. Unlike traditional study options in Latin America, this program is unique because it aligns closely with a traditional U.S. semester, taking place from January to May. Visits to Buenos Aires, Argentina and Chile’s Patagonia region and Valparaiso are incorporated into the semester’s immersive travel experiences.
• Whitman Core program in London, England:
  The spring-only program offers second-year students in the the opportunity to complete nine credits of required core courses and two electives while immersed in London’s exciting business environment. Restrictions apply, see the program page for details and academic requirements.
• French language studies in Strasbourg, France:
  Students can explore French language and culture studies in Strasbourg, with the option to enroll in one of three partner universities within close proximity to the ���ϲ����� center. In addition to taking all courses in English at the center, students can enroll in courses at Science-Po Strasbourg, the University of Strasbourg or the French Language Institute (Institut International d’Etudes Françaises). Enrollment at partner universities is designed for students with intermediate and advanced French language skills. Learn more about .

.

���ϲ����� London seminar Green Britain

World Partner Programs

allow students to choose from over 50 programs through our partner institutions in cities across the globe. Students can choose from a variety of programs in locations including Australia and New Zealand, Asia, Africa, Europe, the Middle East and Latin America.

World Partner students are often independent and curious, and usually looking for a unique abroad experience—examining public health in India, studying Arabic in Morocco or exploring the global ocean on a sailing vessel. Each partner program is designed to complement and enhance the ���ϲ����� global experience.

.

Preparing to Study Abroad

The spring 2026 application cycle is open from May 15-Oct. 1 for most programs, and applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, with the exception of special programs. All students are encouraged to apply as soon as possible, as some programs have limited capacity. For specific deadlines, students should refer to each program’s individual application page. New for spring 2026, within the application, students will be asked to submit a second, third and fourth choice program should their first choice program reach capacity.

For more information, students can with an international program advisor or make a general advising appointment to explore their options. ���ϲ����� Abroad will continue to offer virtual advising appointments throughout the summer on a limited basis.

���ϲ����� Madrid Center day trips to cities in Spain

The number of school districts considering banning cell phones during the school day is on the rise nationwide.

At least eight states have banned smartphones in public school classrooms, while in New York, a proposed “bell-to-bell” is going to the State Legislature for a full vote. Additionally, 27 other states have proposed a ban on student smartphone usage, while other states are exploring a variety of ways to limit cell phone usage.

Proponents argue that students need to have their undivided attention focused on classroom lessons; parents feel strongly about being able to contact their child in an emergency.

Matthew Mulvaney

, associate professor and department chair of human development and family science in the , looks at the impact of cell phone use on children as a researcher and also has firsthand knowledge as the parent of a 14-year-old.

“I’ve always been interested in this field and this research of looking at mobile technology and how it might impact kids, especially now with my daughter being immersed in the world of cell phones and social media,” says Mulvaney, a parenting researcher whose focus is on how parents and families support optimal child development.

Sabrina Butler

, an assistant teaching professor in the counseling and human services department in the and a licensed mental health counselor, looks at process addictions (including cell phone usage) in children and adolescents and recognizing when behaviors become problematic.

Butler sees both sides of the debate and suggests ways to find the balance.

“Parents have a legitimate concern about the safety of their child, and it would be difficult to enforce no cell phones in schools,” says Butler, whose research focuses primarily on process addictions in children and adolescents. “Plus, a lot of kids use tablets or Chromebooks in the classroom. We can’t just take technology completely out of the classroom. How do we ensure they’re not distracted by social media or games while they’re supposed to be learning?”

Mulvaney and Butler sat down with SU News to discuss cell phone bans and limits in schools and what steps can be taken to help children liberate themselves from their phones.

What are your thoughts on limiting the use of cell phones in school and the impact of cell phone use on adolescent development?

Sabrina Butler: Coming from a harm reduction lens, we want to put limits and boundaries on cell phone usage. And while there isn’t research that necessarily supports that cell phone usage is causing depression and anxiety, what we do know is that our cell phones are like other addictions out there. If you have individuals that are already experiencing anxiety, depression or self-esteem issues, being on your phone and on social media is going to exacerbate that.

Matthew Mulvaney: Kids functioned for a very long time in schools without cell phones. More people are starting to be concerned about cell phone use. Parents see the changes their kids are going through and they want them to not be so tied up with their phones.

There’s a psychologist, Jean Twenge, who published a book in 2017 that showed the impact of cell phone usage and social media on this generation. Around the age of 11, 12 or 13, children, particularly girls, experience this mental health cliff where their well-being drops off suddenly, and how much time they spend on their phones and on social media is closely correlated and negatively associated with their mental health.

How is being on your cell phone a process addiction?

Butler: Process addictions hack and utilize the same brain mechanisms as other addictions, like nicotine. With cell phones and social media, we’re pairing these positive emotions with external stimuli, which is the behavior. That’s where it can become problematic, wiring those two things [phones and social media] together that make me feel good or less stressed. It’s that feeling that we’re getting addicted to and we’re associating with that behavior.

How young is too young for a child to get a cell phone? To be active on social media?

Mulvaney: The later you can wait, the better. Kids will say not having one cuts them off from their social networks and that all their friends have phones, but there are few developmental benefits to having one early on. As for social media, researcher Jonathan Haidt studies the impact of social media on adolescent mental health, and he suggests 16 for starting off on social media.

What can we do to help alleviate the addictive impact of cell phones?

Mulvaney: I see a lot of parallels with cigarette smoking. Smoking was commonplace when I was growing up, but smoking cigarettes has basically gone away from the adolescent experience because of how bad it was for our kids. It took a collective understanding, a collective will to say, “we’re not going to have spaces for kids to smoke.”

I think schools will adopt a phone-free policy from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and that will have a significant impact on changing the expectations of being on your phone all the time. If we come to this shared understanding that being on your phone all the time is really bad, we can make changes in the same way we did with smoking.

Butler: It goes back to limits and an age barrier. Some parents take away phones at night because they don’t want their child up all night on their phone. Others turn off the Wi-Fi after a certain point. Those parental control measures are really helpful because they lead into how we monitor usage among children.

We need to get back to engaging with each other, having family dinner without looking at our phones. Getting children active through activities and sports are great because they get kids out playing, interacting and connecting with their peers.

To request interviews, contact:

Chris Munoz
Media Relations Specialist
cjmunoz@syr.edu

Stephanie Waterman

The first Onondagan student to earn a Ph.D. in Education at ���ϲ����� and co-creator of the , teaches courses in the OISE’s higher education program and coordinates the student development/student services program stream.

Supported by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, Waterman’s research addresses Indigenous college student experiences, as well as university supports for all college students, Indigenous methodologies and geographies and critical theories. Her current research asks how do First Nations/Native American student affairs units work and how do they intersect with non-Indigenous units on campuses?

With her colleagues Heather J. Shotton, Natalie R. Youngbull, and Shelly C. Lowe, Waterman is co-editor most recently of “Developments Beyond the Asterisk: New Scholarship and Frameworks for Understanding Native Students in Higher Education.”

In a 2019 interview for “,” Waterman notes that personal experiences and research frame her work: “We all learn in our own way and bring our own ‘story’ or ‘history’ to the institution.” Indigenous and other marginalized people who have been wronged bring various aspects of those histories with them, Waterman says, but settlers also share that history and bring their history with them: “I open every class with a discussion of assumptions and perspectives because we are often not aware of our biases and assumptions that impact our practice and learning.”

Waterman is the recipient of the Mike Charleston Award for Distinguished Contributions to Research in Indigenous Education (AERA Indigenous Peoples of the Americas); the Robert H. Shaffer Award for Outstanding Contribution to Higher Education (NASPA Student Affairs Professionals in Higher Education); and the Council for Ethnic Participation Mildred García Award for Exemplary Scholarship: Senior Scholar Award (Association for the Study of Higher Education).

In addition to her Ph.D. from the School of Education, Waterman holds a master of arts degree in liberal studies from SUNY Empire State College (2002) and a bachelor of arts degree in psychology from ���ϲ�����’s College of Arts and Sciences (1983).

The University’s top teaching assistants were recognized by the Graduate School with the Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award.

The important work and contributions of teaching assistants were recognized yesterday at a ceremony hosted by the .

The Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award is given to teaching assistants who have demonstrated excellence in the role through activities such as classroom teaching, laboratory or studio instruction, leading recitation or discussion sections or assisting senior faculty members with high-enrollment courses.

“Teaching assistants are vital to the undergraduate experience,” says Graduate School Dean Peter Vanable. “They bring energy and important insights to their academic disciplines and are dedicated to the students with whom they work. I thank this year’s award winners for their contributions to the University’s academic mission.”

The 2025 Outstanding Teaching Assistant Awardees, representing the top 3.5% of the TA workforce, are:

• Agathe Baggieri, languages, literatures and linguistics, College of Arts and Sciences
• Karisa Bridgelal, writing studies, rhetoric and composition, College of Arts and Sciences
• Caroline Capuano, physics, College of Arts and Sciences
• Yu-Wei Chang, psychology, College of Arts and Sciences
• Jing Cheng, mechanical and aerospace engineering, College of Engineering and Computer Science
• Gargi De, civil and environmental engineering, College of Engineering and Computer Science
• Ayşenur Değer, political science, Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs
• Julie Harnett, teaching and curriculum, School of Education
• Tori-Ann Haywood, sociology, Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs
• Elise Hegarty, languages, literatures and linguistics, College of Arts and Sciences
• Elana Israel, mathematics, College of Arts and Sciences
• Benjamin Kaufman, mathematics, College of Arts and Sciences
• Harneet Kaur, social science, College of Arts and Sciences
• Pyeonghwa Kim, information science and technology, School of Information Studies
• Hannah Kimbrell, mathematics, College of Arts and Sciences
• Amanda Kingston, cultural foundations of education, School of Information Studies
• Connor Knowlan, communication and rhetorical studies, College of Visual and Performing Arts
• Megan Koch, earth and environmental sciences, College of Arts and Sciences
• Elise Krespan, biology, College of Arts and Sciences
• Gabriella Larson, psychology, College of Arts and Sciences
• Adarsh Raghuram, geography and the environment, Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs
• Abhishek Samlodia, physics, College of Arts and Sciences
• Hector I. Sanchez, history, Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs
• Victor Sholl, philosophy, College of Arts and Sciences
• Nathalie Uwamahoro, electrical engineering and computer science, College of Engineering and Computer Science
• Josiah van Egdom, political science, Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs
• Ying Xu, human development and family science, David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics

Awardees are nominated by their departments and must present a teaching portfolio as part of the review process.

Recipients of the 2025 Excellence in Graduate Education Faculty Recognition Award were honored by the Graduate School at a campus ceremony April 24.

Ten ���ϲ����� faculty members were honored with the Excellence in Graduate Education Faculty Recognition Award at a campus ceremony April 24. The award, given annually by the , honors professors who have had a significant impact on graduate education through teaching, service and research or creative activities.

This year’s awardees, chosen by an interdisciplinary committee of graduate students, are the following:

• , associate professor of communications, S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications
• , assistant professor of human development and family science, David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics
• , assistant professor of exercise science, Falk College
• , associate professor of sociology, Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs
• , professor of mathematics, College of Arts and Sciences
• , assistant professor of biology, College of Arts and Sciences
• , associate professor and associate chair of psychology, College of Arts and Sciences
• , mechanical and aerospace engineering, College of Engineering and Computer Science
• , assistant professor of marriage and family therapy, Falk College
• , professor of higher education, School of Education

“We know that talented faculty members are the cornerstone of a quality graduate education,” says Peter Vanable, dean of the Graduate School. “This awards program gives us an opportunity to hear directly from our students, as well as from faculty, staff and alumni, about which professors have had a significant positive influence on their studies. We are delighted to recognize these ten individuals for their dedication and contributions to the University.”

• Bird Library
  • Monday, April 28-Thursday, May 8:��Bird Library will be open 24 hours a day

The Libraries is also offering the following at Bird Library during finals:

• Monday, April 28: Donuts with the Dean on the first floor from 4 to 5 p.m.
• Monday, April 28-Tuesday, May 6: Positivity station on the first floor where students can pick up study goody bags containing notes of encouragement, candy, coloring pages and snacks.
• Tuesday, April 29: Reading Day in the Libraries Wellness Room (Room 114) from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Students can participate in coloring, Zen boards, guided meditation, chair massage pillows and board games.
• As a reminder, the Libraries’ also have two MindSpa available for reservations, in addition to various .

This year’s recipients are:

• Jeffrey Adams, English,
• Akshay, computer and information science and engineering,
• Erika Arias, political science,
• Seok Wun (Shiila) Au Yong, cultural foundations of education,
• Bruce Baigrie, geography, Maxwell School
• Erin Bisesti, sociology, Maxwell School
• Eric Cochran, mathematics, Arts and Sciences
• Xiaoyu Fu, human development and family science,
• Jessica Fundalinski, teaching and curriculum, School of Education
• Michael Kelly, geography, Maxwell School
• Shanel Khaliq, sociology, Maxwell School
• Hyojeong Kim, public administration, Maxwell School
• Minseok Kim, philosophy, Arts and Sciences
• Amanda Kingston, cultural foundations of education, School of Education
• Elise Krespan, biology, Arts and Sciences
• Akit Kumar, information science and technology,
• Sanggu Lee, philosophy, Arts and Sciences
• Jinfen Li, information science and technology, Information Studies
• Tyler Logie, earth and environmental sciences, Arts and Sciences
• Abigail Long, composition and cultural rhetoric, Arts and Sciences
• Desiree Martin, mathematics, Arts and Sciences
• Fasika Melese, instructional design, development and evaluation, School of Education
• Arda Ozyenginer, English, Arts and Sciences
• Henry Potts-Rubin, mathematics, Arts and Sciences
• Samuel Santiago, English, Arts and Sciences
• Dustin Satterfield, sociology, Maxwell School
• Mahder Serekberhan, political science, Maxwell School
• Paige Spencer, religion, Arts and Sciences
• Elina (Ruiqi) Sun, social psychology, Arts and Sciences
• Benjamin Valen, social psychology, Arts and Sciences
• Jenna Walmer, social psychology, Arts and Sciences

The Student Library Advisory Board is an opportunity for students to share their ideas, needs and feedback to improve the Libraries’ services, resources, spaces and programming. Members will participate in user experience activities during once-a-month Friday meetings and will serve as ambassadors for the Libraries among their peers.

Members will also gain leadership and skill-building experience, including in areas of information literacy, communication, civic responsibility, research and creative thinking, while helping to improve the Libraries through fun and interactive engagement. Applicants can anticipate a commitment of approximately 3 hours per month. Current library student employees are ineligible to participate.

The Student Library Advisory Board is supported, in part, through a collaboration with . Those with questions can contact sscott17@syr.edu.

Members of the campus community should be advised that temporary road closures will take place between 9 a.m. and noon on the day of the race. Centro shuttles and ���ϲ����� trolleys will also be delayed during that time, affecting travel to and from South Campus, and also to and from the Nancy Cantor Warehouse.

Runners will enter the University area from East Colvin Street by the John A. Lally Athletics Complex, necessitating road closures along Comstock Avenue. They will turn right on University Place through Thornden Park, exiting the park down Madison Street, and then turning right on South Crouse Avenue and left onto East Genesee Street.

Race organizers ask neighbors to proceed with caution and allow for additional travel time to your destination if they are traveling near the routes. Organizers also encourage community members to cheer on the race participants and join in the fun at the finish line in Clinton Square.

Visit for details and full maps of the course.

The 2025 Winston Fisher cohort at AlphaSights, an information services company, in midtown Manhattan.

With so many career possibilities open to them, how can students explore which fits their interests? The ��offers a variety of programming to facilitate career exploration and readiness, such as��.

Over spring break, a group of 17 A&S | Maxwell undergraduates had the chance to experience one of those immersion trips: the annual Winston Fisher Seminar in New York City, which allows undergraduate students from all majors across the and the to explore how their liberal arts education can be leveraged into a wide variety of careers in the business world.

Founded in 2006 by Fisher Brothers partner, AREA15 CEO, Dean’s Advisory Board member and Trustee Winston Fisher ’96, the weeklong Winston Fisher Seminar allows��students to spend time developing and presenting business plans, touring different employers and gaining critical networking experience with recruiters and alumni.

During this year’s immersion, participants visited several high-profile organizations, including Penguin Random House, Major League Baseball, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Morgan Stanley, iHeartMedia and more.

“Connecting with the students throughout the week, hearing their business plans and learning about their aspirations is truly one of the highlights of my year,” Fisher says. “As a firm believer in the power of a liberal arts education, I’m excited to see where their journeys take them and the impact they’ll have on the world.”

“There’s no substitute for the first-hand knowledge and experience Winston’s seminar provides. In addition to gaining insight into the professional world and entrepreneurship, students build lasting relationships with peers and accomplished members of our alumni community,” says , director of employer and alumni engagement.

Check out these other photos from the 2025 Winston Fisher Seminar:

Students kick off the 2025 Winston Fisher Seminar with benefactor Winston Fisher ’96 at Fisher Brothers.

Students hear from an alumni panel led by policy studies alumna Kate Abogado ’20 at Deloitte.

Psychology and forensic science major Seth Cohen ’25 speaks with Charlamagne tha God on the set of The Breakfast Club.

In response, the University’s Center for International Services is actively supporting the affected students. The center is coordinating closely with the Office of Academic Affairs and the students’ academic programs to ensure continuity in their education. Two of the three students remain on track to graduate as scheduled, and efforts are ongoing to assist the third student in maintaining their academic progress.

The University understands this news may be concerning for international members of our community and has been in direct communication with international students as well as international faculty and staff. As the situation continues to evolve, the University will provide updates as appropriate and urges anyone with questions or concerns to reach out to Juan Tavares, director of the Center for International Services, at jtavares@syr.edu or 315.443.5833.������ ����

Maloney joined ���ϲ����� in 2024. His research focuses on the connections between quantum information theory, field theory, statistical mechanics and quantum gravity.

Chancellor Kent Syverud, Dr. Ruth Chen, Alexander Maloney, Interim Vice Chancellor and Provost Lois Agnew and A&S Dean Behzad Mortazavi pose for a group photo following Maloney’s installation as Kathy and Stan Walters Endowed Professor of Quantum Science.

The Walters Endowed Professorship was established through a $2.5 million gift from ���ϲ����� Board of Trustees Chair Emeritus and her husband, Stan ’72, as part of the Faculty Excellence Program supporting the recruitment and retention of high-caliber faculty.

Speakers at the installation ceremony included Interim Vice Chancellor, Provost and Chief Academic Officer , A&S Dean and Chancellor . Maloney also spoke after receiving his medallion.

“This endowed professorship represents a bold investment in the future of discovery, and the College of Arts and Sciences is proud to be home to both this research and Professor Maloney,” Mortazavi said. “Through his groundbreaking work, he is helping to unlock some of the most profound mysteries of nature—work that not only deepens our understanding of the cosmos but also holds transformative potential for fields as diverse as computing, cryptography and medicine.”

Maloney’s distinguished career includes serving as James McGill Professor of Physics and Sir William Macdonald Chair in Physics at McGill University, where he received the John David Jackson Award for teaching excellence. His previous positions include membership at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton and research associate at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center. A 2013 Simons Fellow in Theoretical Physics, Maloney earned his Ph.D. from Harvard University and both his M.S. in mathematics and B.S. in physics from Stanford University.

At ���ϲ�����, Maloney will grow teaching and research in quantum science while providing students with opportunities to advance understanding of nature and design next-generation quantum technologies.

“This initiative ensures that a ���ϲ����� education remains within reach for every talented and driven student—regardless of financial circumstances,” says Chancellor Kent Syverud. “���ϲ����� has a long history of being a university welcoming to all. The ���ϲ����� Promise will continue this legacy for the next generation of students so the best and brightest students can choose to be Orange and thrive here.”

How the ���ϲ����� Promise Match Works

At the heart of The ���ϲ����� Promise is a transformative $10 million matching initiative that empowers donors to enhance their impact and deepen their commitment to student success. Fueled by two generous unrestricted estate gifts, ���ϲ����� will offer a 1:2 match for contributions supporting scholarship endowments. Eligible gifts include contributions of $100,000 or more that establish new endowed scholarships, and $50,000 or more to enhance and sustain existing ones. This forward-thinking program not only reinforces the University’s long-term dedication to access and affordability but also positions ���ϲ����� as a national leader in expanding student opportunity.

Meeting the Moment—and the Need

Today, 78% of ���ϲ����� students receive some form of financial aid. In recent years, the University has reduced the average student debt burden by more than 10%. To build on this progress and meet the financial and academic needs of today’s students, ���ϲ����� is increasing its commitment to growing and sustaining permanent funding sources in perpetuity. Tracy Barlok, senior vice president and chief advancement officer, says scholarships offer just that—lasting support that grows over time through investment and continued giving.

“This initiative is critically important because it allows us to attract and retain students who strengthen our academic excellence and elevate our entire community,” says Barlok. “We’re inviting our alumni and donors to be part of something transformational—to pay it forward to help future generations of students pursue a ���ϲ����� education and thrive—both as students and as future Orange alumni.”

About ���ϲ�����

���ϲ����� is a private research university that advances knowledge across disciplines to drive breakthrough discoveries and breakout leadership. Our collection of 13 schools and colleges with over 200 customizable majors closes the gap between education and action, so students can take on the world. In and beyond the classroom, we connect people, perspectives and practices to solve interconnected challenges with interdisciplinary approaches. Together, we’re a powerful community that moves ideas, individuals and impact beyond what’s possible.

Corri Zoli

“Corri is an amazing thinker and has a great strategic mind. She has the ability to integrate various perspectives into a coherent agenda for the future. The Lender Center is fortunate to have her joining our team,” says center director .

Zoli joins , associate professor of management in the , who was named Lender Center senior research associate in Fall 2022. They will work together with Phillips to bring existing research to culmination, maximize impact and find new research opportunities focused on social justice.

Zoli is also an affiliated faculty member with��the . Her research and teaching focus on U.S. military veterans and national and international security, with an emphasis on law and policy challenges, problems of new technologies in warfare and the role of cross-cultural dynamics in conflicts and humanitarian efforts.

“I’m thrilled to be appointed as a research associate at the Lender Center and to be working with Kendall, Kira and our many dedicated colleagues who have made the Lender Center’s mission of interdisciplinary, community-engaged research a priority,” Zoli says.

Glenn Wright congratulates Three Minute Thesis competition winner Jayda Felder.

, a doctoral student in social psychology at the ,��won the competition with her presentation, “.” She received 16-inch MacBook Pro M4 and a one-year membership in the , the professional organization of her choice.

“The cliché is that academic research is both impenetrable and pointless,” says Glenn Wright, executive director of professional and career development at the Graduate School. “The 3MT really challenges graduate students to tackle that perception head-on, explaining quickly and clearly what their research is and why it makes a difference. That’s a great skill when engaging the public, and highly useful in academia, too.”

The other 3MT contestants were:

• Nimisha Krishnan (Ph.D., physics, ): “How Cells Move Cargo: Learning from Nature’s Tiny Transport System”
• Bramsh Khan (Ph.D., social science, Maxwell School): “Politics of Gendered Infrastructure Violence in Balochistan, Pakistan”
• Mary Theresa Pagan (Ph.D., sociology, Maxwell School): “Older Recent Widows and Physical Activity: A Qualitative Investigation of the Roles of Care Work and Social Support”
• Sarah Nahar (Ph.D., religion, Arts and Sciences): “Closing the Poop Loop: An Everyday Way to Heal the Planet”
• Ratnakshi Mandal (Ph.D., chemical engineering, ): “Decoding Alzheimer’s: Putting Together the Puzzle of Memory Loss”
• Abigail Helen Long (Ph.D., composition and cultural rhetoric, Arts and Sciences) “‘Stuck’ Together: Identifying Writing Teachers’ Access Needs”
• Nghia Le Ba Thai (Ph.D., bioengineering, Engineering and Computer Science): “PorousX: A Novel Artificial Matrix for Treating Chronic Wounds”
• Paul Sagoe (Ph.D., biomedical engineering, Engineering and Computer Science): “Small but Mighty: Therapeutic Nanoparticles, the Tiny Heroes Fighting Arthritis”
• Qingyang Liu (Ph.D., human development and family science, ): “When and Where to Invest: Early Material Hardship and Children’s Self-Regulation.”

Three-Minute Thesis participants share details about their research and creative work in a compelling way—within a three-minute time limit.

Wright moderated the event. Judges were Matthew Carr, chief financial officer at Manlius Pebble Hill School; Davoud Mozhdehi, associate professor of chemistry at the College of Arts and Sciences; and Sylvia Sierra, associate professor of communication and rhetorical studies in the .

was first developed at the University of Queensland in Australia and is now held at colleges and universities around the world.

As a recognized student organization (RSO), University Union (UU) is the official programming board of ���ϲ����� university. Entirely student run, the RSO works to source and host campus entertainment, including Block Darty and Block Party.

“Serving as president this year has been one of the most rewarding experiences,” says Naimah Rahman ’25, University Union president. “The whole year leads up to Block Party and Block Darty, which feels like our Super Bowl. To be a part of a ���ϲ����� tradition that students look forward to every year is an immense honor. Our team works tirelessly all year to make sure we put on an event that the student body will resonate with. I am honored to lead an incredible team of people that make this happen!”

Block Darty

Activities on the Quad from 1-5 p.m. are free for ���ϲ����� and SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF) students. There will be food trucks, inflatables, activities and more.

“Our events are tailored for the students that come to them, so every activation, brand and activity has been thought out,” says Rhylee Hudson ’27, collaborations director of University Union. “Organizing Block Darty has been something amazing. I’ve never dreamed that I could’ve loved planning events this much. It is so rewarding to see people interested in our event and that makes the planning all worth it.”

Block Darty will also feature an outdoor concert with live music from artists Sun Room, Alex Vaughn and Padma.

“There aren’t many opportunities for college creatives to showcase their work on large scales,” says Emma Barbosa ’25, design director for Block Party and Block Darty. “Through these events, I’ve gotten the chance to see my work displayed throughout campus and it’s a gratifying feeling seeing the campus community interact with it.”

Block Party

The Block Party Concert lineup will be headlined by two-time Grammy nominated rapper Latto with support from Role Model.

Breakout Queen of Da Souf rapper Latto has been making a name for herself since she was 8 and hasn’t stopped since. In the past three years, the 24-year-old released her project Queen of Da Souf, her album 777 and loose singles while continuing to elevate and garner accolade after accolade. Big Latto’s ‘got that real big energy’ and shows no signs of stopping.

Role Model’s been in love. He was so in love he wrote his entire debut album, Rx, about it. But not all romances last forever, and the 27-year-old’s grieving of that same relationship is at the center of his sophomore album, Kansas Anymore. As rough as it was to ride that roller coaster of heartbreak and homesickness, Role Model feels these are the greatest songs he’s made yet.

Tickets are required and the JMA Wireless Dome opens at 7 p.m.

• ���ϲ����� and SUNY ESF: Tickets are $20 for students, faculty and staff with valid University I.D. and email address. Students can purchase a maximum of two tickets and at time of purchase they will be loaded on to their account.
• General Public: Tickets for the general public are on sale via . Tickets will start in the 200-level reserved area and continue to the 300-level if needed.

Tickets will also be available for purchase in the Box Office throughout the duration of the event on Friday, April 25, 2025.

For questions, or to request accommodations, contact University Union vice president, Enoca Shin ’25, at uuvicepresident@gmail.com by 5 p.m., on Wednesday, April 23, for Block Party and Thursday, April 24, for Block Darty.

The University has an abundance of disciplines that can relate to a career and technical education (CTE) pathway and provide a meaningful experience for an intern. If you think your team is a good fit for a summer intern, please reach out to Jake Losowski, the University’s associate director of community engagement, at jjlosow@syr.edu. The deadline to apply is May 1.

Intern Moo Loe Htoo worked at the SENSES Project last summer, where students can learn about music production, podcasting and more.

Now in its fifth year, the SU Summer Internship Program offers the opportunity for rising high school seniors from the SCSD’s CTE program or Say Yes scholarship programs to engage in a six-week work opportunity on campus to gain valuable hands-on experience working closely with University employees in their chosen field. The goal of the program is to give local students real-world job experience before their high school graduation. Summer internship experiences have led students to both higher education and the workplace, and interns have completed the program with a better understanding of what their future career might look like.

Having an SCSD summer intern working with you can also be rewarding for your team. “Although it’s important to expose young people to the opportunities that exist in our organization, it is equally important and fulfilling to provide our staff with the chance to feel valued and energized by impacting young people in a positive way,” says Mike Hartnett, patrol commander in the Department of Public Safety.

The University’s Office of Community Engagement works with the school district to align the experience with the students’ goals and interests. Summer interns come to campus well-equipped with knowledge and skills from the classroom as well as hands-on learning opportunities and are eager to learn from qualified professionals.

The CTE program works to empower all students to build technical, academic and professional leadership skills for college and career success. Students take courses in a specific CTE pathway that allows them to obtain work-based learning experiences and master skills that prepare them for employment or secondary education after finishing school. Some CTE programs that could align with opportunities on campus include:

The Summer Internship Program has had many successful internship placements throughout the course of the program, including the Barnes Center at the Arch (Health Professions learning pathway) the Department of Public Safety (Law Enforcement learning pathway) and Facilities Services (Construction Technology, Electrical Trades, Manufacturing and Welding learning pathways). These placement sites have been successful thanks to the employees working with the interns who have acted as career coaches, engaging with the students, guiding them through the experience and teaching them the skills of the job.

Summer interns from the Say Yes scholarship program have also had positive work experiences on campus; their positions are more general and range from administrative support to summer youth program counselors.

Thirty-five students have been chosen as the 2025-26 ���ϲ����� Remembrance Scholars.

The scholarships, now in their 36th year, were founded as a tribute to—and means of remembering—the students studying in London and Florence through ���ϲ����� who were killed in the Dec. 21, 1988, bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland. Those students were among the 270 people who perished in the bombing. The scholarships are funded through an endowment supported by gifts from alumni, friends, parents and corporations.

Significant support for the Remembrance Scholarships has been provided by Jean Thompson ’66 and ���ϲ����� Life Trustee Richard L. Thompson G’67 in memory of Jean Taylor Phelan Terry ’43 and John F. Phelan, Jean Thompson’s parents; by Board of Trustees Chairman Emeritus Steven Barnes ’82 and Deborah Barnes; by The ���ϲ����� Association of Zeta Psi in memory of Alexander Lowenstein; and by the Fred L. Emerson Foundation.

Selection Process

Remembrance Scholars are chosen in their junior year through a competitive selection process. Applicants submitted an essay and a reflective response in multimedia, artistic, musical or written format as part of a comprehensive application. The application evaluation committee is composed of University faculty and staff and current Remembrance Scholars. The $5,000 scholarships are awarded on the basis of community impact, leadership, creativity and thoughtful academic inquiry.

“Remembrance Scholars, through their academic achievements, leadership and contributions to the campus and local communities, exemplify what a ���ϲ����� education has to offer and represent the promise of the students for whom these scholarships are named,” says Lois Agnew, vice chancellor, provost and chief academic officer. “We are proud to recognize their accomplishments.”

The Remembrance Scholars plan the Remembrance activities held at the University each year, and the cohort will be recognized during a convocation in the fall.

The 2025-26 Remembrance Scholars, their hometowns, majors and schools and colleges are the following:

• Ellie Allen of Newton, Massachusetts, a citizenship and civic engagement major in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, a policy studies major in the Maxwell School and College of Arts and Sciences (A&S), and a member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program;
• Jacqueline Arbogast of Warwick, New York, a television, radio and film major in the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications;
• Rohan Bangalore of Sterling, Virginia, a policy studies major in the Maxwell School and A&S and a law, society and policy major in the Maxwell School;
• Caiyan Bass of Aurora, Colorado, a communication sciences and disorders major in A&S;
• Michael Capous of Wantagh, New York, a nutrition science major (pre-med track) in the David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics;
• Belinda Chan of Brooklyn, New York, a social work major in the Falk College;
• Tommy DaSilva of Newark, Delaware, a public health major in the Falk College; a policy studies major in the Maxwell School and A&S, and a citizenship and civic engagement major in the Maxwell School;
• Nick Dekaney of ���ϲ�����, New York, a broadcast and digital journalism major in the Newhouse School;
• Ava Downey of Newport Beach, California, a linguistics major in A&S, an international relations major in the Maxwell School and A&S, and a member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program;
• Leah Farrell of New Milford, Connecticut, a citizenship and civic engagement major in the Maxwell School and policy studies major in the Maxwell School and A&S and a member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program;
• Abbey Fitzpatrick of Pacific Grove, California, a history and political science major in the Maxwell School and A&S;
• Olivia Fried of Clinton Corners, New York, an international relations major in the Maxwell School and A&S and magazine, news and digital journalism major in the Newhouse School;
• Tanishka Gajula of Chicago, Illinois, a biology major (pre-med track) in A&S;
• Olutoyin Green, of Long Island, New York, a health humanities and political philosophy major in A&S, a law, society and policy major in the Maxwell School, and a member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program;
• Alani Henderson of ���ϲ�����, New York, a political science major in the Maxwell School and A&S and a law, society and policy major the Maxwell School;
• Nico Horning of El Dorado Hills, California, a broadcast and digital journalism major in the Newhouse School;
• Wafiq Khondkar of New Hyde Park, New York, a biotechnology and philosophy major in A&S and member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program;
• Edward Lu of Robbinsville, New Jersey, a music composition major in the College of Visual and Performing Arts (VPA);
• Joy Mao, of Cary, North Carolina, a policy studies major in the Maxwell School and A&S, a television, radio and film major in the Newhouse School, and a member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program;
• Valeria Martinez-Gutierrez of Laredo, Texas, a geography and sociology major in the Maxwell School and A&S; an environment, sustainability and policy major in the Maxwell School, and a member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program;
• German Nolivos of Miami, Florida, a political science major in the Maxwell School and A&S and a public relations major in the Newhouse School;
• Luiza Owour of Kisumu, Kenya, a biomedical engineering major in the College of Engineering and Computer Science (ECS);
• Marc Pantano of Newington, Connecticut, a marketing and supply chain management major in the Martin J. Whitman School of Management;
• Annaliese Pillitteri of Babylon, New York, a film major in VPA;
• Savion Pollard of Queens, New York, an electrical engineering major in ECS and a U.S. Navy veteran;
• Zachary Setzkorn of Overland Park, Kansas, a geography and history major in the Maxwell School and A&S, a social studies education major in the Maxwell School and School of Education, and member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program;
• Ethan Shavelson of Parkland, Florida, an acting major in VPA;
• Taylor Stubitsch of Arlington Heights, Illinois, a biochemistry and forensic science major in A&S and member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program;
• Candace Tabb of Rocky Hill, Connecticut, a civil engineering major in ECS;
• Nathan Torabi, of Visalia, California, a political science major in the Maxwell School and A&S; a citizenship and civic engagement and law, society and policy major in the Maxwell School, and a member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program;
• Jacquelyn Trotman of Edison, New Jersey, a retail management major in the Whitman School, an advertising major (creative track) in the Newhouse School, and a member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program;
• Anya Von Wolff of San Francisco, California, a fashion design major in VPA;
• Logan Wagner of Great Falls, Virginia, a political science major in the Maxwell School and A&S, an environmental sustainability and policy major in the Maxwell School and a history of music and cultures major in A&S;
• Gillian Weltman of Rochester, New York, a communications sciences and disorders and neuroscience major in A&S; and
• Ethan Yankey of Roseau, Dominica, a design studies major in VPA.

Oren and Ruth nest in the southern archway on the east side of Lyman Hall. (Photos courtesy of Anne Marie Higgins ’76, G’90)

���ϲ����� is the proud home to multiple generations of red-tailed hawks who continue a remarkable lineage of these majestic birds on campus.

Three hawk families—all descendants of the original mated pair SU-Sue and Otto—have established separate but adjacent territories around the ���ϲ����� campus. Together, the families continue the legacy of their predecessors, who raised 28 chicks from 2012 through 2022. As the raptors have garnered a devoted following in the local community and beyond, with bird enthusiasts, students, faculty and alumni eagerly tracking their nesting activities and and social media updates, their resilience offers the ���ϲ����� campus a powerful demonstration of nature’s adaptation in an urban environment.

Following the tragic loss of the beloved pair SU-Sue and Otto to avian influenza in January 2023, their descendants have returned to carry on their family lines. This year, curious viewers may observe two of the three couples through newly installed cameras. Since 2017, several SU hawk nest cameras have been ’76, G’90 in loving memory of her husband, the Honorable Thomas W. Higgins Jr. The couple were passionate bird watchers who particularly admired red-tailed hawks.

Oren, a 2020 offspring of SU-Sue and Otto, returned to campus in March 2023 with his mate Ruth. The pair initially built a nest in a ginkgo tree and successfully raised two chicks in 2024 after the third chick died in the nest of an unknown cause. The pair relocated this year to one of SU-Sue and Otto’s former nesting sites on the southern archway on the east side of Lyman Hall.

Oren is named in honor of Oren Lyons, an All-American lacrosse player and one of the first Native Americans to attend ���ϲ�����. Ruth is named after ���ϲ����� alumna Ruth Johnson Colvin, founder of Literacy Volunteers of America and a Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient.

.

Another pair, Cliff and Ensley, have established themselves on campus light towers. Ensley, a 2016 progeny of SU-Sue and Otto, has been with Cliff since 2021 after losing her first mate. The couple initially nested in a tree near campus, raising two chicks in 2022 and three in 2023. After their nest fell when a branch broke, they relocated to a light tower on campus in 2024 where they successfully raised three more chicks.

This year, the mates have built a new nest on a different light tower. Ensley completed her clutch for the season with eggs laid on March 30 and April 2.

.

Sarah and Jesse

Sarah, who hatched in 2020 and is Oren’s sibling, was spotted at her parents’ favorite perches shortly after their passing in January 2023. By February, she had attracted a mate named Jesse. Though they built a nest in a tree on the east side of campus that year, they did not produce any chicks. In 2024, the hawks moved to a tree off-campus and raised two chicks. They returned to the same nest this year and both are incubating. Time will tell how many chicks they’ll have in 2025.

Sarah is named in honor of Dr. Sarah Loguen, the first African American physician to graduate from the University’s College of Medicine in 1876. Jesse’s name honors Dr. Jesse Truesdell Peck, a ���ϲ����� founder in 1870 and the first chair of the Board of Trustees.

• North Campus
  • DellPlain Hall loading dock
  • Sadler Hall parking lot (next to dumpsters)
• South Campus
  • Carriage House: 161 Farm Acre Road

Accepted items include:

• Small kitchen items and appliances (microwaves, toasters, blenders, TVs, lamps, silverware, pots and pans, and vacuums)
• Gently used/new clothing
• Gently used/new shoes
• Non-perishable food items only on South Campus. If you have unopened refrigerated items you would like to donate, please bring them to 161 Farm Acre Road during regular business hours (Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m.).

Items NOT accepted include:

• Bedding (This includes pillows, mattress toppers, comforters, and sheets.)
• Visibly distressed or damaged clothing
• Broken items or appliances
• Books and school supplies
• Opened food

All items will benefit local organizations and nonprofits, including the Boys & Girls Club, YWCA, Rescue Mission, Catholic Charities, Dunbar Center and others.

Sustainability Management is in need of volunteers to oversee the storage locations while donations are being accepted. Shifts are in two-hour increments and students can receive credit for service-learning or community engagement hours. Volunteers are asked to . If you have any questions, please email sustain@syr.edu.

Connor McNeil, left, holds the U.S. flag with a fellow solider just after conducting a mission in which they fended off a mock attack on snowmobiles and skis.

A student in the master of arts in international relations program in the recently returned from a unique training exercise that brought together U.S. and Canadian troops in the Arctic.

Connor McNeil participated in Guerrier Nordique (Nordic Warrior) 25 as a member of the Vermont Army National Guard. He joined troops from the Virginia National Guard, 75th Ranger Regiment, Marine Mountain Warfare Training Center and 10th Mountain Division while partnering with the Canadian Arctic Response Company Group, which hosts and organizes the event.

Over the course of three weeks in March, participants skied more than 20 miles across the frozen Lake Saint-Jean, hauling gear on pulk sleds, and ran recon missions, mock platoon attacks and other tactical operations—all while facing blowing snow and temperatures as low as -25°F.

“Despite the conditions, the training was amazing. We were able to interact with our Canadian counterparts who were delighted to teach us the institutional knowledge they had gained from decades of training in these harsh environments,” says McNeil. “From snowmobiling and skiing to setting up Arctic tents and fixing stoves, we learned exactly what it would take to sustain ourselves in the field. Conversely, we were able to share with them our tactics and operating procedures.”

McNeil says the experience was a good complement to his studies, which he began in August 2024. He said climate change and economic interests will continue to drive human activities in the Arctic, threatening Indigenous communities, wildlife and diplomatic stability.

“As a byproduct of these changes, the demand for highly capable response groups from Arctic stakeholder nations will also increase,” McNeil says. “Multinational military training exercises in the Arctic are amazing opportunities to collaborate with partner nations who are concerned about the preservation and security of the region. This common ground created a two-way exchange for every soldier to teach, learn and share what they have learned and hope to learn about the Arctic. This is the gold standard of developing collaboration between nations.”

McNeil is especially interested in the Asia-Pacific region and a career in international trade and finance. “I hope to also leverage my military connections and develop international military partnerships between the U.S. and foreign nations,” McNeil says. “I know Maxwell is the launching platform for these aspirations and I know I made the right choice by coming to ���ϲ�����. We have world-class practitioners and subject matter experts in the Maxwell School that have truly challenged my abilities.”

The annual 5K event features a and is a great opportunity to bond with your coworkers, enjoy some friendly competition and promote wellness among faculty and staff.

“In 2022 and 2023, ���ϲ����� earned the distinction of having the largest team at the event among the dozens of local companies that participate,” says Molly Morgan, associate director, of health and wellness for faculty and staff. “This year, we are looking to regain that title with an incredible showing of our faculty and staff. We encourage employees of all abilities and fitness levels to come out for an evening of fun, movement, socializing and meeting new people from across the University!”

Participants gather for a group photo at the 2024 ���ϲ����� WorkForce Run.

Registration Details

• Fee: $21.50 (the University subsidizes the remaining fee)
• Deadline to join the team: Tuesday, May 6
• Includes: Unisex performance-blend ���ϲ����� team T-shirt, official race T-shirt and a complimentary Mediterranean buffet
• Link:

T-shirt/Bib Pick-Up

• Monday, June 9, from 2 to 5 p.m., 621 Skytop Road, Suite 1112
• Tuesday, June 10, from 9 a.m. to noon, 228 Schine Student Center

Help Spread the Word!

To help recruit additional colleagues from your office or department, download and print this year’s WorkForce Run flyer [PDF] and hang it around your workspace.

The ���ϲ����� WorkForce Run is for of the University; however friends and family are welcome to join by registering as an individual participant, paying the full race fee of $55 and picking up their own race packet.

Parking is available at NBT Bank Stadium and shuttle bus service is provided. The has detailed parking information and answers to frequently asked questions.

The event is also a fundraiser, with this year’s event benefiting , a nonprofit that provides a temporary home for families with seriously ill children who travel to the region for medical care.

To learn more, visit the or email wellness@syr.edu with any questions.

Lois Agnew, vice chancellor, provost and chief academic officer, was the emcee for the afternoon.

The One University Awards, an annual event to honor members of the ���ϲ����� community who are making a difference through academics, scholarship, creative work and dedicated service, was held April 11 in Hendricks Chapel.

Some scenes from the event:

The Hendricks Chapel Choir performed “I Was Glad” under the direction of graduate student conductor Ben O’Connell. (Photos by Amy Manley)

Mace Bearer Bea González prepares to pass the charter mace to incoming Mace Bearer Samuel Clemence, professor emeritus in the College of Engineering and Computer Science.

Chancellor Kent Syverud offered opening remarks.

Incoming Mace Bearer Samuel Clemence is pictured during the ceremony.

Emma Klein, a member of the women’s soccer team, was one of three honored with the Student-Athlete Award.

James “Jimmy” Taylor Jr., a staff member in Facilities Services, was honored for 50 years of service.

Bill Coplin, Laura J. and L. Douglas Meredith Professor for Teaching Excellence and professor of policy studies in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, acknowledges congratulations from the audience upon the announcement of his 55 years of service to the University.

Craig Tucker, director of Higher Education Opportunity Program and Trio Student Support Services programs, receives the Enduring Values Award.

Howard G. Adams G’79 (center), founder and president of H.G. Adams & Associates Inc., and an alumnus of the School of Education, received the Tolley Medal from Chancellor Syverud (left) and Kelly Chandler-Olcott, dean of the School of Education.

Qingyang Liu, a doctoral candidate in the Department of Human Development and Family Science in the Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics, received the Chancellor’s Citation for Excellence in Student Research (graduate).

Emma Karp, operations assistant in Campus Dining and Catering, received the Chancellor’s Citation for Outstanding Contributions to the Student Experience and University Initiatives (support staff).

James Clark, professor and program coordinator for theater management in the College of Visual and Performing Arts, received the Chancellor’s Citation Lifetime Achievement Award.

Cydney Johnson, deputy county executive for physical services for Onondaga County and the University’s former vice president for community engagement and government relations, received the Chancellor’s Medal from Chancellor Syverud.

Bill Coplin, Laura J. and L. Douglas Meredith Professor for Teaching Excellence and professor of policy studies in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, received the Chancellor’s Medal from Chancellor Syverud.

Students (from left) Yifan “Ivan” Shen, Mason Romero, Joshua Garvin, Jennifer LaMonica and Ryan Myers led the alma mater to conclude the program.

Ryan Monarch

The Moynihan Award is given annually in recognition of an outstanding record of teaching, research and service. It was established eponymously in 1985 by then-U.S. Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan, who was also a former member of Maxwell’s junior faculty from 1959 to 1961.

Monarch joined Maxwell in August 2021 after serving as principal economist for the international finance division of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve from 2014 to 2021. He received a Ph.D. in economics from the University of Michigan in 2014.

Monarch studies U.S.-China trade, buyer-supplier relationships in international trade and how the recent tariff war affects U.S. exports and supply chains. His research has been published in the Journal of International Economics–the top journal in international economics–and multiple other top-tier economics journals, such as the Review of Economics and Statistics, the Journal of the European Economic Association and American Economics Journal: Applied Economics. He has also written numerous policy reports. His work has been sponsored by the National Bureau of Economic Research and has been cited by The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Bloomberg, The Economist and Reuters.

In recent months, Monarch has been interviewed by The Wall Street Journal, Newsweek, the South China Morning Post, the New York Post, Spectrum TV, National Public Radio, The Motley Fool and other outlets for his expertise on ongoing events in international trade policy, and he served as a panelist for the Maxwell School event “Trump’s Tariffs: Issues and Implications” held on April 9.

The Moynihan Award recipient was chosen by a committee of faculty comprised of Leonard Lopoo, Andrew Cohen and Emily Thorson. In a nomination letter submitted by Lopoo, they noted that Monarch is “an expert in international trade” who has “made important contributions to the ‘buyer-supplier matching’ topic.”

“His course evaluations are outstanding,” wrote Lopoo, associate dean, chair and professor of public administration and international affairs. “Students frequently commented on how Professor Monarch makes complicated topics easy to understand” and enjoyable to learn.”

Lopoo also noted Monarch’s “important service to the Maxwell School,” serving on the international trade search committee and serving as director of the Trade, Development and Political Economy Workshop.

This story was written by Michael Kelly

In ���ϲ����� for a radio event, baseball legend Darryl Strawberry visited Falk College to meet with students before returning to New York City.

As a teenager growing up in South Central Los Angeles, Darryl Strawberry taped a sign on his bedroom door saying that he was going to be a Major League Baseball player one day.

At first, he didn’t really believe it. But as he told a group of Falk College students in late March, he looked at that piece of paper every day and started to believe.

“You have to build yourself up and say that is me; that’s how you push through those fears and anxiety,” Strawberry said. “Every time I walked in or out of that room and looked at that door, I said, “That’s going to me. I’m going to make it.’’’

Indeed, Strawberry did become a major league star and won the World Series with the New York Mets in 1986 and three times with the New York Yankees (1996, 1998-99). But Strawberry’s message to the students wasn’t just about overcoming obstacles to get where you want to go, it was about how to avoid pitfalls so you can stay there.

“Believe me, part of the journey on the road to where we want to go isn’t always a smooth road,” Strawberry said. “That’s why you have to remember who you are, and the ones that win in this business (the sport industry) are the ones who have real character.”

Strawberry was in ���ϲ����� to attend an ESPN Radio event with Brandon Steiner, the chair of Falk College’s . Before hopping on a plane back to New York City, Steiner and Strawberry visited Falk College to meet with students and answer their questions for about an hour.

Brandon Steiner (left), chair of Falk College’s Sport Management Advisory Council, has known Darryl Strawberry for more than 40 years and brought Strawberry to Falk College.

Steiner, who graduated from ���ϲ����� in 1981 and served as founder and chairman of Steiner Sports Marketing and Memorabilia for more than 30 years, is now running ��and�� and has worked with Strawberry in various roles since the mid-1980s, when Strawberry was one of baseball’s brightest young stars with the Mets.

“I’ve known this guy for 40 years and he was one of the most talented ballplayers I’ve ever seen,” Steiner told the students. “But I’ll tell you, he’s a better person than a ballplayer, and it’s good for you to hear from him and understand that life’s going to present a bunch of ups and downs.”

The Mets made Strawberry the No. 1 pick in the June 1980 amateur draft, and Strawberry turned down a scholarship offer from Oklahoma State University to sign with the Mets for what was then a record $200,000 bonus. He was assigned to the lowest level of the minor leagues in Kingsport, Tennessee–about as far away from South Central LA as you’re going to get.

“I didn’t like it there, and I kept telling my mom, ‘I don’t think this is for me,’’’ said Strawberry, who was 18 at the time. “But I learned from my mom what I told my kids when they played sports in college: Quitting is not an option. If you push through the adversity you’re going through, you’ll get to the other side.”

Strawberry reached the other side, and for several years it was glorious as he won the National League’s Rookie of the Year Award in 1983, led the Mets to the 1986 World Series title, and appeared in eight consecutive All-Star Games. Following the 1990 season, Strawberry became a free agent and returned home when he signed a five-year, $22.25 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

But the personal problems that plagued Strawberry in New York followed him to Los Angeles. He was bothered by injuries, his performance declined and the Dodgers released him in May 1994 after he failed to show up for a game. He signed with the San Francisco Giants, but at the start of the 1995 season he was suspended after testing positive for cocaine.

“You can be talented, but you can also be stupid,” Strawberry said. “I was a real fool, and I had a bunch of fools following me. Guess where I’m going? Nowhere.”

Strawberry’s rollercoaster career continued with the Yankees as he showed flashes of his former brilliance and was a key member of the 1998 championship team with 24 home runs in 101 games. But during the playoffs that year, Strawberry disclosed that he was diagnosed with colon cancer, and after receiving treatment he was suspended for drug use again in 1999 and 2000, effectively ending his career.

Following baseball, Strawberry became an ordained minister who founded with his wife, Tracy. He now travels the country spreading the messages that he shared with Falk College students.

“I wanted to stop by and encourage you guys because I want you to win this thing called life,” Strawberry said. “You’re smart, you’re bright, your IQs are off the chart; use what you have been given and be great at who you are.”

Falk College students often have the opportunity to engage with all-star guests like Strawberry, , running legend , Falk College benefactor , the first female NBA-certified player agent. Visit the Falk College��website to learn more about academic programs, career opportunities, and experiential learning in Falk’s .

Tyler Gentry ’25 (right), who received funds from the Internship Funding Award, and a coworker in the Vevo office space in Los Angeles

Annually, offers the Internship Funding Award, which provides financial assistance to ���ϲ����� sophomores and juniors throughout summer internship experiences. The award covers the cost of credit or travel and living expenses. Internships can be either paid or unpaid for students to be eligible to receive the award. Other eligibility requirements include the following.

• The applicant has not previously received the Internship Funding Award.
• The internship is an external summer position.
• The internship is supervised by a professional who can help the student explore opportunities that link theory with practice in the field of the student’s interest.
• The applicant’s profile is updated and complete.

Applications for the Internship Funding Award are due June 10, 2025. The following highlighted students received the Internship Funding Award in 2024.

Making Global Connections

Gabrielle Harrison ’25 spent her summer as a consumer public relations intern at FINN Partners in London, England. In this position, Harrison was immersed in the PR world and worked on projects for clients around the world. “I had the chance to contribute to meaningful campaigns, from media relations to event planning, and learned a great deal about the industry from my incredibly talented colleagues on the consumer team,” says Harrison.

The FINN Partners office in London (Photo by Gabrielle Harrison ’25)

Harrison says that future applicants should be thorough and specific about how they would benefit from the award. “Preparation is essential, so take time to craft a compelling narrative that showcases your passion and how this experience will benefit both you and your community.”

Contributing to the Entertainment Industry

Tyler Gentry ’25 spent his summer in Los Angeles, California, as a music and talent intern at Vevo. The Internship Funding Award allowed him to experience the city and work with leading artists in the music industry. “My internship gave me the opportunity to create studio performance videos for artists such as Dasha, The Warning, Wolftyla, Chanel Tres and many more!”

Gentry says that it was a difficult process to figure out the financial logistics of his internship, but he says it’s important for students to stay determined. “Be passionate about what you want and how you will obtain it. My passion and determination helped me stay focused on creating a realistic plan for me to make the internship happen,” says Gentry.

Securing Jobs Post-Graduation

Through the support of the Internship Funding Award, Madison Deak ’25 interned last summer at Goldman Sachs Ayco in Cohoes, New York. Her experience included networking opportunities with financial professionals and immersion in the world of wealth management. “After an amazing summer I’m excited to be returning full-time to Goldmans Family Office post-grad,” says Deak.

Deak says an essential part of finding an internship is to stay open-minded; it took her over a year after she started applying to land an offer. “As long as you’re doing the right things: applying, interviewing and continuing to be involved in your academics, you will find something. It may just take time. You will end up where you’re meant to be.”

For complete information and application details, visit the on the Career Services website. Contact Erin Smith at ejsmit06@syr.edu with any questions.

Story by Student Experience communications intern Chloe Langerman ’25, S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications

Graduate by Hilton is a lifestyle brand made up of 35 hand-crafted hotels that reside in dynamic, university-anchored towns across the U.S. and U.K. Each hotel is created with a focus on local history and nostalgia—from the design touchpoints to the culinary experiences—capturing the unique spirit of each university and reflecting the cultures and traditions of the communities they are located within.

“Graduate is an ideal partner in helping us bring to life a distinctive and dynamic space that authentically represents the ���ϲ����� experience,” says Brett Padgett, senior vice president and chief financial officer. “This collaboration will create a vibrant hub for both our campus and the broader ���ϲ����� community, offering a welcoming destination during key moments like Orange game days, reunions, graduations, campus visits and beyond. We’re thrilled to work together to build a space that reflects the unique spirit and character of ���ϲ�����.”

“���ϲ����� is the perfect partner as we continue the Graduate tradition of delivering collegiate-inspired hospitality to vibrant academic communities,” says Kevin Osterhaus, president, global lifestyle brands, Hilton. “Like the University, Graduate values lifelong learning and connection, and we are confident this hotel will become a beloved destination for visitors, locals and fans alike.”

The planned hotel will feature approximately 200 rooms, on-site parking, a full-service, three-meal restaurant and event space. A rooftop bar and lounge will offer stunning views of campus, creating a space for both hotel guests and members of the Central New York community to gather. The new hotel will be situated across from the University Avenue Garage, at the corner of University Avenue and Harrison Street.

“We are excited about the potential of this new hotel to enhance the overall experience for our campus community while providing a much-needed venue for visitors and events in the area,” says John Papazoglou, senior vice president and chief operations officer. “This development highlights how ���ϲ����� is advancing its strategic goals while contributing to the vibrancy of the City of ���ϲ����� and Onondaga County.”

The University has engaged The Hardy Group to serve as project manager, with DLR Group selected as designer and LeChase serving as construction manager. The University is in the process of selecting a third-party operator for the hotel.

About ���ϲ�����

���ϲ����� is a private research university that advances knowledge across disciplines to drive breakthrough discoveries and breakout leadership. Our collection of 13 schools and colleges with over 200 customizable majors closes the gap between education and action, so students can take on the world. In and beyond the classroom, we connect people, perspectives and practices to solve interconnected challenges with interdisciplinary approaches. Together, we’re a powerful community that moves ideas, individuals and impact beyond what’s possible.

About Graduate by Hilton

is a lifestyle brand of hand-crafted hotels that reside in dynamic university-anchored towns in the United States and United Kingdom. Each hotel brings stories and traditions to life through one-of-a-kind experiences, which authentically reflect the unique spirit of each community they are located within. Founded in 2014 by Adventurous Journeys (“AJ”) Capital Partners and acquired by Hilton in 2024, Graduate’s portfolio consists of 35 open hotels across the US and UK. Learn more about Graduate by Hilton at and follow the brand on .

The women’s club hockey team celebrates its first Amateur Athletic Union national championship in Jacksonville, Florida.

Jordan Boron ’25 loved to play ice hockey, but she came to ���ϲ����� in 2022 because its in the Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics is widely considered one of the best sport management programs in the country.

����������ܲ���’s team? Not so much.

But in Boron’s three winters on campus, the club team went from having only six players in the season before Boron arrived to going undefeated (20-0) and winning the in early March, with Boron as one of the team’s leading defensemen.

Turned out, Boron really could have it all at ���ϲ�����.

“I am honored to be a part of this team and to be a part of how far it has come,” she says. “The team’s leadership has done incredible things to build out this program and our coaches, Christina Beam and Marty Sicilia, have been a huge part of that. This team is a group of deeply dedicated players that worked so hard to win that national title.

“That is what made this win so much better, the hard work that we all put into this team,” Boron says.

Jordan Boron (left) and Bryana Treon show off their national championship hats.

Boron is one of five Falk College students who played on ����������ܲ���’s first women’s club hockey national championship team. The others are Sarah Anderson ’28 (health and exercise science and premed), Sophie Lauzon ’26 (public health), Neve Padulo ’28 (exercise science) and Bryana Treon ’27 (social work).

Boron was on the ice when the buzzer sounded to end ����������ܲ���’s 4-2 win over the University of Tampa in the AAU Women’s National Championship game in Jacksonville, Florida. It was a moment she’ll never forget.

“During the last few minutes of the championship game our bench was going wild because the inevitable win was in sight,” she says. “All I was thinking was ‘I need to go hug Emma (goaltender Emmalyn Lacz) because she played so incredibly.’ The next thing I know, the whole team is on the ice, gloves and sticks thrown about and we are all screaming at the top of our lungs. We are national champions!”

‘We Had A Real Chance’

Growing up in Mount Airy, Maryland, Boron started playing hockey when she was 10. She played in youth leagues and in her senior year of high school was talented enough to play for the Tier 1 Washington Pride. In youth hockey in the United States, Tier 1 represents the highest level of competition and requires significant time and travel commitments.

Boron could have certainly tried to play hockey in college, but she focused her choice on academics and once she learned about the sport management program at ���ϲ�����, she “knew this was where I wanted to go.” While touring campus and visiting the on South Campus, she met one of her future hockey teammates, Amanda Wheeler, who was working at the pro shop. They started talking about hockey, and Wheeler encouraged Boron to try out for the team if she came to ���ϲ�����.

was founded in 2022 as a way to give club teams more structure and competitive opportunities. The league is comprised of three men’s divisions and one women’s division, and the divisions are split into regional conferences. For the women, the division includes 18 teams divided into College Hockey North and College Hockey South divisions.

The time commitment is significant—three practices a week and home and away games each weekend with the away games often involving hours of travel and some overnight stays. Guided by coaches Beam and Sicilia, the team steadily improved over the years and this past season went 14-0 before defeating Springfield and Paul Smith to win the College Hockey North.

Jordan Boron

In the national tournament in Jacksonville, ���ϲ����� defeated Springfield again before facing the Alabama Frozen Tide—the first team ���ϲ����� played from the College Hockey South.

“The 10-2 win against Alabama was the moment for our team that made us feel like we had a real chance to win a national championship,” Boron says. “Seeing that we could win against a team that had previously beat Tampa, our next opponent, gave us the confidence boost we needed.”

‘The Moment Did Not Feel Real’

With a pool-play format, ���ϲ����� qualified for the national championship after defeating Alabama but still had to play Tampa, which had also won its first two games to qualify for the final. But while ����������ܲ���’s pool-play game against Tampa didn’t decide the national title, it did set the tone for the championship game that followed the next day.

“I would argue that this was one of the most important games of the tournament,” Boron says. “We needed to play that game just like we would the next day to win the title.

“After our 3-2 win in our first game against Tampa, our excitement continued to build, and everyone was locked in and set on winning the next day,” Boron adds. “We went on to win the championship game 4-2, playing and fighting even harder than the game prior.”

For Boron, who will be graduating early in December after completing her Capstone internship this fall, the championship put an exclamation point on her stellar athletic and academic experience at ���ϲ�����. This season, she worked as a community relations intern for the ���ϲ����� Crunch American Hockey League team, assisting with community-related projects such as honoring military members and auctioning autographed game-used memorabilia for fans during games. Previously, she had internships with the ���ϲ����� Athletics communications team, the NHL’s Washington Capitals and the Premier Lacrosse League at the Championship Series in February.

Boron is a member of (WISE) in the Falk College, and for the past two years she was co-chair of the Donations Committee for the Sport Management Club’s Sports Charity Auction. The 20th annual auction in December raised $59,500 for the Rescue Mission of ���ϲ�����, and the club has now raised more than $760,000 for local charities since 2005.

As she prepares to start her professional career, Boron says she would like to work in youth hockey development to make the sport she loves “more accessible to all.” Her hope for young players is that they all have an opportunity to experience what she felt on the ice in Jacksonville, where all the hard work and sacrifice paid off in a historic championship for ���ϲ����� club hockey.

“It was incredible to share this moment with my teammates,” she says. “After the huddle dispersed, I found some of my closest friends on the team hugged them because the moment did not feel real. There is no one I would rather be on that ice with.”

To learn more about the women’s ice hockey club, follow the team on . If you’d like more information about the team or to try out, email suwomenshockey@gmail.com.

The Student Experience division is honored to announce the selection of Chidera Olalere ’26 and Silke Pion ’26 as the Class of 2026 Senior Class Marshals. As the all-University representatives for their class, in this role they will help to recommend the Commencement speaker, offer insights and suggestions to the student experience, participate in campus events and conclude their service by leading the student procession during the 2026 Commencement ceremony.

“Leading with heart, purpose and unmistakable Orange pride, Chidera and Silke have made a lasting impact on our ���ϲ����� community through their dedication to campus involvement, community service and academic excellence,” says Sheriah N. Dixon, associate vice president for the��, dean of students and chair of the selection committee. “As the Class of 2026 Senior Class Marshals, they embody the true spirit of ���ϲ�����—guiding us with vision, unity and distinction as we step boldly into the future.”

Chidera Olalere

Home is where you find community and belonging and for rising senior Chidera Olalere, her homes include Nigeria, North Yorkshire, England, and ���ϲ�����. Driven to immerse herself in learning experiences in and beyond the classroom, Olalere joined the Orange community as an international student and soon after, quickly began building a student experience unique to her passions, goals and academic pursuits.

“I have been introduced to opportunities that I would not have known existed otherwise and I have been given mentors in more spaces and fields than I could have imagined. The people at this University invest in you and as I have been thinking intently about how I want to close out my time at ���ϲ�����, I knew I wanted to pay all this forward,” says Olalere in reflection of what motivated her to apply for Senior Class Marshal. “I am also excited to represent all my different experiences at the University, my background and hopefully show other students the value of being open to the opportunities around them and pursuing the things they are passionate about.”

Within the Olalere is pursuing dual majors in biochemistry and forensic science, with a minor in economics. Highlighted scholarly accomplishments include being a member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program and a recipient of the Invest in Success and 1870 scholarships. Bridging what is learned in the classroom to future professional endeavors, Olalere has entered her second year as an undergraduate research intern within the Upstate Medical University Bourboulia Lab, working to identify potential new therapeutic agents for cancer therapy.

Driven by a passion for making a meaningful impact, Olalere is deeply involved in the campus community. She supports student success as a Stevenson Education Center tutor and cultivates community connections as a residence assistant. As a student leader she has consistently sought opportunities to support her peers. Additional highlights include serving as an Office of Academic Integrity student hearing panelist, a first-responder EMT on the ���ϲ����� Ambulance team, as a college ministry worship leader and a student ambassador for the College of Arts and Sciences.

“To me, being Orange has looked like inviting people into your life and loving them well. Whether the interaction is one minute or semester long, being Orange is being enthusiastic and supportive, and using what you have learned to help those coming up after you,” says Olalere. “The legacy I have found at ���ϲ����� is one of joyful service and community and that is the same legacy I hope to leave behind.”

Silke Pion

As a California resident, contemplating leaving the West Coast for ���ϲ����� was at first a daunting decision for Pion, a junior in the and pursuing bachelor’s degrees in political science, finance and business analytics. Soon after starting her first semester, it became clear that not only did she make the right choice by pursuing ���ϲ����� but the opportunities for student success were limitless.

“I want my legacy to remain here at ���ϲ����� and remind students who may second guess themselves that they are worthy of every opportunity in front of them. Before ���ϲ�����, I would have never applied for opportunities such as being a Senior Class Marshal—out of pure fear of rejection,” says Pion. “My time here has demonstrated that rejection is not the end of the world and often leads to some other unexpected surprises.”

As a recipient of the Chancellor’s and Invest in Success scholarships, in addition to being a member of the dean’s list, Renée Crown University Honors Program and the International Business Honor Society Beta Gamma Sigma, Pion quickly dove into the student experience, facing uncertainty head-on and working to earn success both inside and outside of the classroom.

Throughout her undergraduate career, Pion has immersed herself into a variety of student experiences focusing on professional development, leadership and community service. Within the campus community she has led Alpha Gamma Delta as the director of finance, served as a Martin J. Whitman School of Management Marshall House teaching assistant and Harrison House leader, as president and service chair for Challah for Hunger: A Project of MAZON, community service chair under ���ϲ����� Hillel and as a member of Beta Alpha Psi: Finance and Accounting Professional Fraternity.

When working to build a strong launchpad for the future, Pion prioritized finding personal success just as much as finding success for others within the communities she supports. Immersing herself in professional development within the greater global community, her experience includes being a junior analyst for The Orange Value Fund, LLC, policy analyst intern within the New York State Assembly Member Pamela Hunter’s district office, communications and community coordinator for the Kenya Immersion Experience and an active member of the Goodman IMPRESS Program and volunteer in the ���ϲ����� community.

“No opportunity or experience stands alone, instead, it’s the result of the hard work and commitment of others who came before. I want to continue the tradition of paying it forward and spread the message across campus.” Pion shares as she eagerly prepares for her final chapter as an undergraduate student and looks to how she can support future generations of students. “Although my time at ���ϲ����� is quickly coming to an end, a piece of my heart will always be here. I want my legacy to remain here at ���ϲ����� and remind the students who may second guess themselves that they are worthy of every opportunity in front of them.”

Patrick Ahearn (Photo by Randi Baird Photography)

Ahearn serves on the School of Architecture Advisory Board, is a ���ϲ����� trustee and is a member of the ���ϲ����� Boston Regional Council.

Ahearn is founding principal of , an award-winning Boston-based architecture firm specializing in classic American architecture for contemporary living. For over 50 years, he has designed historically motivated private residences, which have advanced the art of place-making in some of America’s most desirable and storied destinations.

From an early age, Ahearn knew he wanted to be a designer, but his first passion wasn’t architecture—it was cars. Through his fascination with automobiles, Ahearn’s initial appreciation for the power of good design and the importance of scale, proportion and light was born. And while this interest in car design sparked Ahearn’s earliest aesthetic awareness, growing up in Levittown, New York—the nation’s first planned suburb—helped him understand how good architecture and urban design could improve people’s lives and foster a true sense of community.

After earning a bachelor’s degree in architecture and a master’s degree in urban design from ���ϲ�����, Ahearn began his career in Boston, teaching at Boston Architectural College and designing for the Architects Collaborative and Benjamin Thompson & Associates. He worked on waterfront revival projects in Miami and Baltimore and new-build, mixed-use hotels and urban design initiatives in Cairo and Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, along with renowned adaptive reuse projects including Boston’s Faneuil Hall Marketplace.

In 1978, Ahearn founded Patrick Ahearn Architect. Over the next 20 years, he revived hundreds of historic townhouses in the then-struggling Back Bay neighborhood of Boston and reinvigorated the commercial corridor of Newbury Street. Ever mindful of scale, proportion and context, Ahearn worked carefully within zoning, conservation and community regulations to balance preservation concerns with the need to design structures that felt timeless—an enduring signature of his work today.

In the early 1990s, Ahearn expanded his practice to the community of Edgartown Village on the island of Martha’s Vineyard, where much of his professional and personal energies were devoted for the better part of the three decades that followed. He has lent his expertise to more than 350 buildings—225 of them in the historic district alone—reimagining and redesigning many of Edgartown’s most notable private residences and public buildings. In the process transforming them into places and spaces for contemporary living, he has deftly blended them into the historic coastal landscape.

In the past 10 years, Ahearn’s commissions have taken him to locations farther afield, including California, Wisconsin, Ohio, Illinois, Maine, New Hampshire, Delaware, New York, New Jersey and Florida. Internationally he has designed residences on Vancouver Island and in both Australia and Scotland.

No matter the location, whether reviving centuries-old, landmarked structures along the coastlines or creating new homes that reimagine the local vernacular, Ahearn demonstrates an unparalleled ability to combine the romance of traditional architecture with the ideals of modernism. Through the practice of what he calls “narrative-driven architecture,” Ahearn creates a storyline for every home he restores, renovates or builds from the ground up.

Sensitive to the original spirit of every property and its surrounding neighborhood, Ahearn’s work ranges across a broad spectrum of project types, including master planning, new construction, historic renovation and restoration. His use of rich materials, artisanal craftsmanship and period details creates buildings that are so well suited to their context that they seem to have been built in the distant past.

Perhaps most importantly, Ahearn and his firm apply the “greater good theory”—a belief that architecture has the power to improve lives, increase happiness and encourage friendly and familiar interactions—to their work. This approach allows them to create what he calls “non-ego-driven architecture,” where the success of the project is judged on its capacity to enhance the public realm rather than on the architect’s singular design intentions.

Renowned for his skill and expertise, Ahearn has received many awards, including election to the American Institute of Architects (AIA) College of Fellows. His work has been featured in numerous publications and broadcast outlets, including Architectural Digest, The Wall Street Journal, House Beautiful, HGTV and many others.

Ahearn is a registered architect in 19 states, the District of Columbia, and British Columbia, Canada, and has earned the NCARB Certificate. He is also professionally associated with the Boston Society of Architects, the Boston Architectural Center, the Boston Preservation Alliance, the National Trust for Historical Preservation, the Back Bay Neighborhood Association, the Back Bay Architectural Commission, the Town of Wellesley Planning Board, the Town of Wellesley Design Review Board and is a former Chairman of the Board of the Martha’s Vineyard Preservation Trust.

He has taught at the Boston Architectural College, the Harvard University Graduate School of Design, the Rhode Island School of Design, and ���ϲ�����’s own School of Architecture.

Patrick Ahearn’s acclaimed monograph, “,” was published in 2018 and is in its seventh printing. His second published book, “,” was published in 2023 and details the architectural process that transformed an historic seaside hotel into a gracious bayfront estate.

All Libraries’ patrons with overdue circulation fines can reduce their fines by donating healthy, nonperishable food and hygiene items. Donations will be accepted at the circulation desks of Bird, Carnegie, Law, Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial, and King + King Architecture Libraries. All collected items will be donated to the . Fine reductions exclude interlibrary loan and lost book fees. Contributions from people without current fines will also be accepted.

Fines will be reduced by 50 cents for single serve items, and $1 per item for toilet paper, rice, pasta, canned vegetables and beans and single serving oatmeal. Fines will be reduced by $2 per item for liquid soap,�� toothbrushes, canned fruit, canned meats/fish, canned soup, cereal, lip balm and pasta sauce. Fines will be reduced by $3 per item for baked beans, multi-packs of hot chocolate, multi-packs of oatmeal, peanut butter, ramen noodles, shampoo/conditioner, tea and toothpaste. Fines will be reduced by $4 for granola, jelly and lotion. And fines will be reduced by $5 for coffee and deodorant. Contributions should not be open or expired.

For more information about “Food for Fines,” contact Nick Olivieri at naolivie@syr.edu.

Doctoral candidates received a certificate of recognition at the event March 28 at the National Veterans Resource Center (Photo by Chuck Wainwight)

“This is a major milestone on the path to a Ph.D.,” says Peter Vanable, dean of the Graduate School. “As these students now turn their attention fully to their dissertations, we wanted to take a moment to honor them for the many hours of hard work they have already invested in their doctoral education, and to cheer them on towards timely completion of their degree.”

The half-day event brought together doctoral candidates, advisors and academic leaders from across campus. Vanable offered opening remarks, after which certificates of recognition were presented to the candidates in attendance.

The event also included a series of breakout sessions on topics relevant to doctoral candidates.

Graduate School Dean Peter Vanable greeted guests ahead of the ceremony (Photo by Chuck Wainwright)

Glenn Wright, executive director of professional and career development in the Graduate School, moderated a panel discussion on “Planning and Writing Your Dissertation.” Panelists were Heidi Hehnly, associate professor of biology in the College of Arts and Sciences (A&S); Yiling Lan, doctoral candidate in biology in A&S; Mary Beth Monroe, associate professor of biomedical and chemical engineering in the College of Engineering and Computer Science (ECS); and Nghia Le Ba Thai, doctoral candidate in biomedical and chemical engineering in ECS.

A panel discussion on “Humanities, Social Sciences and Other Fields” was moderated by Qingyang Liu, a graduate assistant in the Graduate School. Panelists were Jin Lei, associate dean for academic affairs and a professor in the School of Education; Fasika Melese, doctoral candidate in instructional design, development and evaluation in the School of Education; Patrick Berry, associate professor of writing studies, rhetoric and composition in A&S; and Zakery Munoz, doctoral candidate in composition and cultural rhetoric in A&S.

The Graduate School plans to hold the doctoral candidate recognition event annually.

Join Academic Affairs and Institutional Effectiveness at the 6th annual on Friday, April 25, at 2 p.m. in the School of Education Commons in Huntington Hall. The celebration is open to the public.

The event will recognize and celebrate faculty and staff for their efforts to examine and enhance student learning and operational success. Awards will be given in five categories:

• Assessment Champion, recognizing campus community members who advocate for meaningful assessment to enrich the student learning experience and operational effectiveness.
• Outstanding Assessment, recognizing a distinguished academic program, co-curricular program/unit and functional unit for a robust assessment and action planning to support decision-making.
• Best Engagement Strategies, recognizing programs/units for engaging faculty, staff and students in the assessment process.
• Best Use of Results, recognizing an academic program, co-curricular program/unit and functional unit for using assessment results to inform decision-making.
• Collaborative Inquiry and Action, recognizing a program/unit that collaborates with others outside of their primary school/college/division to use the assessment process to enhance student learning and campus operations.

Posters highlighting the work of 2024 Assessment Leadership Institute participants and 2024-25 recipients of the Student Engagement in Assessment grant will also be showcased.

Light refreshments will be served. today!

The Hall of Languages lit up in teal for Sexual Assault Awareness Month.

“Commemorating Sexual Assault Awareness Month on college campuses is essential to raising awareness, supporting survivors and fostering a culture of prevention,” says Leslie Skeffington, Barnes Center at The Arch assistant director for sexual and relationship violence prevention. “Our events are designed to build community among survivors and allies, offering spaces for connection, healing and solidarity as students navigate the final stretch of the semester.”

Sexual Assault Awareness Month 2025

Those seeking to show solidarity and support, alongside survivors, at any stage of their healing journey are invited to participate in Sexual Assault Awareness Month events. Visit the ��for a complete list of events and details.

Take Back The Night 2025

Each year, the University recognizes and participates in Take Back The Night, a global event that brings community members together to speak out about sexual violence, relationship violence and other forms of interpersonal violence. This year’s event will take place on Thursday, April 10, from 6:30-9:30 p.m. in the Panasci Lounge at the Schine Student Center.

“This year’s Take Back The Night continues the work of reimagining and recentering students in this long-standing annual event. We have a great group of students planning the event and have received strong support from the Student Association, fraternity and sorority organizations and registered student organizations on campus,” says Virginia Evans, Barnes Center at The Arch staff therapist and sexual and relationship violence coordinator.

“Highlights of this year’s event include student performances, a fashion show, community art projects and a Survivor Speak Out. We will close the evening with a collective healing activity. We look forward to honoring survivorship with our entire campus community on April 10, during Take Back The Night!” Evans says.

For more information or to request accommodations, please call the Barnes Center at The Arch at 315.443.8000 or email��BarnesCenter@syr.edu.

Lindy Truitt and Anjaneya Padwal, founders of SipSafe+, at the Hult Prize National Qualifier in Boston, Massachusetts.

Lindy Truitt ’25 (College of Visual and Performing Arts) and Anjaneya Padwal G’25 (School of Information Studies), founders of SipSafe+, won the campus qualifier and moved on to compete at the nationals in Boston. Although they did not move on to the final round, they received rave reviews from the judges for both their idea and pitch.

Besides Truitt and Padwal, the following students competed in the campus qualifier:

• Alie Savane ’25 (College of Arts and Sciences), founder of Beta Kola;
• Carolina Aguayo Plá ’28 (School of Information Studies and Martin J. Whitman School of Management), founder of Frutecho;
• Anthony H. Smith Jr. G’25 (S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications), Bryson Carter G’25 (Newhouse School), Asha Breedlove G’25 (Newhouse School) and Stacey Collier G’25 (Newhouse School), founders of HBeatzCU;
• Aidan Turner ’25 (School of Architecture), Lucas d’Oelsnitz ’26 (Martin J. Whitman School of Management), Carolyn Fernandes ’25 (College of Visual and Performing Arts) and Aphrodite Gioulekas ’25 (Visual and Performing Arts), founders of Solace.

��is a prestigious global business competition started by a partnership between the����and the��. The competition inspires student entrepreneurs to solve the world’s biggest challenges through innovative social enterprises with positive global impact.��Since its inception, over one million students from more than 120 countries have participated in their programs, working to create high-impact startups that address the annual challenge in alignment with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. Finalists pitch their businesses to a panel of expert judges, and the winning team receives $1 million in funding to make their idea a reality.

This year’s Hult Prize Competition qualifier was (College of Engineering and Computer Science).

The six show subscription season, including a full schedule of educational, family and community related programming will run Sept. 10, 2025, to June 21, 2026. Subscription packages are on sale now at www.syracusestage.org or at the Box Office, 315.443.3275.

“We’re thrilled to announce an ambitious and exciting season of powerful theatrical stories for Central New York,” says artistic director Robert Hupp. “We’ve spent the past year exploring dynamic narratives, assembling creative teams and building partnerships that ensure our ability to create entertaining, one-of-a-kind theatrical experiences that you can’t get anywhere else. Our work is created specifically for the wonderful people of Central New York, and we can’t wait to share with everyone these bold, fun, vibrant plays and musicals in the year ahead.”

Subscription season at a glance:

“The Hello Girls” (Sept. 10 to 28, 2025), “The 39 Steps” (Oct. 22 to Nov. 9, 2025), “A Christmas Story” (Nov. 25 to Dec. 28, 2025), the world premiere of�� “Relentless” (Feb. 4 to 22, 2026), “Joe Turner’s Come and Gone” (March 11 to 29, 2026) and “Disney’s Frozen The Broadway Musical” (May 13 to June 21, 2026).

Opening the season is “The Hello Girls,” a new American musical inspired by the incredible true story of the first women to join the U.S. Army as bilingual telephone operators during WWI.

Originally commissioned by Prospect Musicals in New York City, “The Hello Girls” opened off-Broadway in 2018 to coincide with the centennial anniversary of the groundbreaking journey taken by the real-life Hello Girls, from the frontlines in France to their decades-long fight to be recognized back home. Writing for The New York Times, critic Laura Collins-Hughes called the production “a rather thrilling thing—smart, human and sardonically feminist.”

With a rich jazz and ragtime flavored score from Peter Mills, ���ϲ����� Stage’s new production of “The Hello Girls” is directed by co-writer Cara Reichel and is a co-production with Michael Cassel Group (Broadway: “The Picture of Dorian Gray,” “Pretty Woman The Musical,” “The Cher Show”) and runs Sept. 10 to 28, 2025.

In October, ���ϲ����� Stage celebrates the return of a raucous comedy/mystery: The two-time Tony Award-winning “The 39 Steps,” playwright Patrick Barlow’s rollicking sendup of Hitchcock’s 1935 spy-thriller. Last seen at Stage in 2010, “The 39 Steps” runs Oct. 22 to Nov. 9, 2025.

For the annual holiday show, audiences are invited to relive one memorable December with the Parker family and “A Christmas Story,” the charmingly nostalgic play based on the 1983 film and humorist Jean Shepherd’s childhood reveries. Marking the first time Hupp directs a show in the festive winter slot, “A Christmas Story” runs Nov. 25 to Dec. 28, 2025.

In the new year ���ϲ����� Stage will present “Relentless” by Rae Binstock, a world premiere drama about legacy and loyalty set in the world of professional boxing. Directed by associate artistic director Melissa Crespo (“Primary Trust,” “Once,” “What the Constitution Means to Me”), “Relentless” depicts the intimate bout between a former contender and her old coach over whether to sell their iconic gym in a gentrifying Brooklyn. Building on ���ϲ����� Stage’s commitment to produce new work, this world premiere is co-produced by Sing Out, Louise! Productions (Broadway: “The Notebook,” “& Juliet,” “Hadestown”) and runs Feb. 4 to 22, 2026.

“It’s always thrilling to direct a new play for the first time, and Rae Binstock’s ‘Relentless’ is sure to be a crowd pleaser,” says Crespo. “With the International Boxing Hall of Fame located just 20 minutes east of ���ϲ�����, ‘Relentless’ is an electrifying glimpse into the world of boxing.”

“Joe Turner’s Come and Gone,” the powerful and poetic Tony-Award winning entry in Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright August Wilson’s historic “Century Cycle,” comes to ���ϲ����� Stage in the spring. The show is the seventh title in the 10-play cycle to be produced at Stage, and the first Wilson play presented at the theatre since 2014’s “The Piano Lesson.” Directed by Timothy Douglas, who led the ���ϲ����� Stage productions of Wilson’s “Jitney” (2002) and “Gem of the Ocean” (2007), “Joe Turner’s Come and Gone” runs May 13 to June 21, 2026.

And as the summer approaches, ���ϲ����� Stage offers families a thrilling and entertaining way to cool off with “Disney’s Frozen The Broadway Musical,” a spectacular musical based on the hit animated film. Featuring Anna, Elsa, Kristoff, Sven and Olaf the lovable snowman, “Disney’s Frozen The Broadway Musical” is a co-production with the ���ϲ����� Department of Drama and the first professional production of the musical in Central New York. Directed by Amy Anders Corcoran, with music direction by Brian Cimmet and choreography by Marjorie Failoni, the show will close out the subscription season and runs May 13 to June 21, 2026.

“We are so excited for families to experience ‘Disney’s Frozen The Broadway Musical’ live on stage for the first time in Central New York,” says managing director Carly DiFulvio Allen. “With the songs and characters you know and love, this joyful production showcases the power of sisterhood and asks us to consider how far we would go for true love. With no seat further than 50 feet from the stage, you’re never far away from the magic, music and spectacle of this beautiful show. I can’t wait for audiences to experience it this spring”

Supporting each production is a strong line-up of supplementary special event programming, including Prologue, a series of insightful pre-show conversations, talkbacks with cast and creative teams, community nights with show-specific activities and the return of Tuesday evening performances featuring a complimentary “Tacos and Trivia” event hosted by “Jeopardy!” Champion Dillon Hupp.

In addition, ���ϲ����� Stage will offer a host of educational and community outreach programs, the return of Sensory Friendly/Relaxed performances for select shows and an array of accessibility offerings throughout the season including audio description, open captioning, ASL interpretation and the M&T Bank Pay-What-You-Will program.

In the fall the Children’s Tour resumes performances live in elementary schools with “My Robot” by Finegan Kruckemeyer. Directed by Katherine McGerr, this delightful story explores the relationship between a young girl and her mechanical friend, and supports socio-emotional learning, understanding poetic language, creative thinking and STEM based problem solving.

]]> /blog/2025/04/07/lender-center-hosts-community-based-organizations-for-networking-partnership-building/ Mon, 07 Apr 2025 15:16:00 +0000 /?p=208976

Kendall Phillips, director of the Lender Center, welcomes the audience to the 2025 Lender Symposium.

Representatives from some 80 regional community-based organizations gathered at the Marriott ���ϲ����� Downtown March 27 for an expo event hosted by ���ϲ�����’s . About 300 people attended.

The event was designed to facilitate dialogue and strengthen collaboration between individuals and organizations that serve Central New York, according to Lender Center Director Kendall Phillips. “The Lender Center is focused on increasing economic inclusion for all people and allowing them to create intergenerational wealth and stability. These organizations are on the front lines of providing support, resources and opportunities for all the communities in our region,” Phillips says.

Participants included organizations like Peace Inc., ���ϲ����� Housing Authority, Vera House, Alzheimer’s Association of Central New York, Helio Health and InterFaith Works. Roundtable discussions, open forums and breakout sessions focused on the unique opportunities and challenges facing community-based organizations, including funding, burnout and effective advocacy. The event also featured tabling and networking opportunities.

The event was part of the Lender Center’s ongoing focus on the racial wealth gap, funded by a three-year, $2.7 million grant from MetLife Foundation.

Kira Reed (far right), senior research associate at the Lender Center, introduces the participants in the Funders Roundtable (from left to right): Jonathan Snow, president of the John Ben Snow Foundation; Melanie Littlejohn, president and CEO of the CNY Community Foundation; Meg O’Connell, executive director of the Allyn Family Foundation; and moderator Lyndsey Hodkinson, director of foundation relations.

Lender Center postdoctoral fellows brought their expertise to the Lender Symposium. Pictured are (from left to right) Yolanda Christophe, Mauricio Mercado and J Coley.

Community members and nonprofit leaders engaged in priority setting exercises organized by the Program for the Advancement of Research on Conflict and Collaboration.

Local nonprofit organizations shared information and created connections during the Lender Symposium.

Susan Albring and Willie Reddic from the Whitman School of Management join in the community discussion about priorities and strategies for the future.

In business, Daniel A. D’Aniello ’68, H’20, can only be considered an icon, and much of his success is rooted in his respect for the U.S. military and his education at ���ϲ�����. The is proud to announce��that this devoted alumnus, ���ϲ����� life trustee and generous supporter will address the Whitman Class of 2025 at this year’s Convocation.

D’Aniello is co-founder and chair emeritus of the private equity firm, The Carlyle Group, established in 1987. Prior to that, his career included positions as vice president for finance and development at Marriott Corporation and financial officer at both PepsiCo, Inc., and Transworld Airlines (TWA).

A member of Beta Gamma Sigma, ����������ܲ���’s business fraternity, D’Aniello graduated magna cum laude from ���ϲ�����. He was drafted into the U.S. Navy, where he was a distinguished naval graduate of the Officer Candidate School, as well as a supply officer aboard the U.S.S. Wasp (CVS 18). After serving his country, D’Aniello earned an MBA from Harvard Business School in 1974.

“We could not be more excited to have Dan D’Aniello speak to our graduates this year,” says Whitman Interim Dean Alex McKelvie. “His global business acumen is unparalleled, and I am certain his words of advice, based on his own success, leadership and generous spirit, are sure to resonate with our outstanding 2025 Whitman School graduates who are eager to soak up his wisdom as they embark on the next steps in their business careers.”

In appreciation of the strong foundations he received at ���ϲ����� and his commitment to the U.S military, D’Aniello has been a highly valued partner to the leadership of the Whitman School of Management, serving on the Whitman Advisory Council (WAC) and also establishing the D’Aniello Entrepreneurship Internship Program to support business development and expand students’ experiential learning opportunities. His other commitments include chairman of the Chancellor’s Council and co-chairman of the (IVMF) Advisory Board.

Long-time supporters of ���ϲ�����, Dan and his wife Gayle gave the naming gift to the Daniel and Gayle D’Aniello Building, home to the National Veterans Resource Center in 2018. At the opening of the building, Dan announced an additional transformative endowment and naming gift for the D’Aniello Institute for Veterans and Military Families, ensuring its work will continue well into the future.

The D’Aniellos’ unwavering support for ���ϲ����� continued in 2022 when they committed a gift to support and expand the Daniel and Gayle D’Aniello ���ϲ����� Program in Florence, part of the ���ϲ����� Abroad program in Florence, Italy. The program has been able to grow student opportunities, provide more faculty support, upgrade facilities, further develop the curriculum and provide scholarship support to students to attend the study abroad experience, specifically veteran and military-connected students. Most recently, D’Aniello and his wife made a transformative gift to expand ���ϲ�����’s Catholic Center.

The Whitman School of Management’s 2025 Convocation will be held on Saturday, May 10, at 4 p.m. in the JMA Wireless Dome.

Adoptable cat at Best Friends Animal Society in Kanab, Utah (Photo by Vanessa Marquette)

In celebration of National Adopt a Shelter Pet Day, observed annually on April 30, we are gathering stories of your beloved pets who were rescued and have found their forever home.

National Adopt a Shelter Pet Day serves as an important reminder of the need for pet adoption—particularly from overcrowded shelters, where animals face the highest risk of euthanasia. Choosing to adopt from these shelters not only provides a pet with a second chance but also frees up space for other animals in need.

Adopting a pet from any type of shelter isn’t just an act of kindness—it’s a direct way to save lives and support the open-admission shelters that need it the most.

To highlight the incredible impact of adoption, we’d love to feature rescue pet stories from our students, faculty, staff and alumni. If you have a photo and story to share, please submit it to Vanessa Marquette at vrmarque@syr.edu for a chance to be featured! Deadline for submissions is Wednesday, April 23.

Charles W. Beach

Shortly after graduating with a bachelor’s degree in English from the College of Arts and Sciences, Charles W. Beach launched a firm representing manufacturers and helped a start-up company become a world class leader in opto-electronic components. Eventually, grew into a leader among manufacturers’ representatives, offering high technology component solutions and quality service throughout the Northeast. Long after Beach himself retired, the company remains family-owned and operated, in Jamesville, New York, with his son David at the helm.

Beach, who died on Feb. 22, 2025, at the age of 88, served his alma mater on the Board of Trustees as a voting trustee from 1991 to 2007 and remained active as a life trustee on the board’s Academic Affairs Committee. He also supported the University and its students philanthropically, including initiatives in the athletics department, and an endowed scholarship in the name of his parents, Arthur and Norma, both of whom were ���ϲ����� graduates. Like their son, Arthur Beach 1917 and Norma Vergason Beach 1925 earned degrees from the College of Arts and Sciences.

While building his business in the 1960s, Beach returned to ���ϲ����� to pursue a master’s degree in education in the School of Education. He continued to live in ���ϲ����� and commute to Rochester to support Kodak and Xerox with various electronic components.

“Through his service and philanthropy, Charlie demonstrated his enduring support of higher education and ���ϲ�����,” says Chancellor Kent Syverud. “He built a company grounded in innovation and service, demonstrating the value of relationships, integrity, and ingenuity.”

Beach remained devoted to the greater ���ϲ����� region in his civic work and volunteerism. He was a founding member of InterFaith Works of ���ϲ�����, where he served as board president, and was also past president of the United Methodist Foundation Inc. and the Vera House Foundation, and past president of the boards of Elmcrest Children’s Center and ���ϲ����� Rotary.

The city he loved honored him in return. The Post-Standard honored him with a Person of Achievement award in 2003 for his “volunteer leadership and monetary contributions to a long list of Central New York’s social service, educational and cultural institutions over the decades.” Temple Adath Yeshurun honored Beach with a Citizen of the Year award in 2010. In 1991, he was named philanthropist of the year by the Central New York chapter of the National Society of Fund-Raising Executives.

Beach’s commitment to service and inclination toward leadership began early in life. He was elected class president at Nottingham High School after serving in that position at his elementary school, the Charles Andrews School. He pursued his passion for baseball in high school but, according to his family, his dream of playing professionally was dashed when he contracted polio in his pitching arm and shoulder.

Beach is survived by three children, Karen, Marilyn and David, along with seven grandchildren and a great-grandchild.

Jim Weiss ’87 (Photo provided by Real Chemistry)

The celebration of the Class of 2025 will take place Saturday, May 10, 2025, at 12:30 p.m. in the JMA Wireless Dome.

Weiss is chairman and founder of��, a global health innovation company. A member of the��, Weiss is an ardent supporter of initiatives that expand learning opportunities at his alma mater. He earned a bachelor’s degree in communications from the Newhouse School.

Weiss and his wife,��, founded the����at Newhouse to develop programming on communications, influencer marketing, artificial intelligence and analytics, and their influence on society and the future of business.

The center aims to ensure students are immersed and educated in the digital world and help them seamlessly transition after graduation into careers in the fast-moving field of strategic marketing and communications.

Real Chemistry also provided the founding gift that established the��. The space is a state-of-the-art social media command center that serves as a central hub for the interfacing of digital media monitored and researched by students and faculty at the Newhouse School.

“Possessing an entrepreneurial spirit and forward-looking mindset, Jim Weiss serves as a role model for students as they begin to forge their own paths in technology-driven industries,” Newhouse Dean�� says. “He offers a distinct perspective as a Newhouse graduate, longtime champion of the school and leader in strategic marketing and communications.”

Under Weiss’ leadership,����has evolved over the past two decades from a one-person consultancy to a team of more than 2,200 employees who partner with clients at the highest levels of organizational decision-making. A pioneer in the application of analytics, data and precision targeting to the biopharmaceutical and health care business, Weiss has said he learned early in his career to follow the data to get to the right outcome.

Today, Real Chemistry uses real-world data, proprietary technologies and analytical insights to solve the health care industry’s most significant challenges. Weiss prides himself as an action-oriented driver to make the world a healthier place for all.

The Class of 2025 takes the crown for most donors and the Class of 1968 had the most funds raised.

In the Schine Student Center, 38 student groups tabled throughout the day and inspired a 294% increase in donor participation for the student organization challenge, raising dollars for their specific projects. Schine also hosted tabletop games, giveaways and free food. If you didn’t catch the 15 live shows broadcast throughout the day, featuring 10 student co-hosts and 17 guests, you can find them next week on the .

���ϲ����� Giving Day wouldn’t have been possible without the power of Orange:

• Personal link sharing resulted in 996 donors and more than $75,000 dollars
• 185 people made their first-ever gift to ���ϲ�����
• All 13 schools and colleges hosted events or tabled throughout the day
• 38 challenges and matches inspired others to give back
• Three teams of Spirit Squad members in golf carts handed out swag, stamp cards and candy​
• Four alumni clubs in New York City, Atlanta, Tampa Bay, and South Florida hosted Giving Day events.

Thank you for making ���ϲ����� Giving Day a day to remember! It wouldn’t be One Day for Orange without YOU!

The annual Maxwell Awards of Excellence celebrated five exceptional alumni who embody the school’s commitment to engaged citizenship. Pictured are (from left to right) Maxwell Dean David M. Van Slyke with honorees Sahil Jain ’13, Margaret Abraham ’89 Ph.D., Ana Maria Menezes ’06 and Tom Bozzuto ’71. Tiesha Peal ’99 was unable to attend.

Standing on stage before an audience of community members, Sahil Jain ’13 B.A. (IR) reflected on the “incredible people, valuable lessons and pivotal experiences” leading to his receipt of the school’s Compass Award for exceptional accomplishments as an early-career alumnus.

“Growing up, I witnessed firsthand the resilience of my parents,” Jain said at the Awards of Excellence celebration in Washington, D.C., on March 27. “They fled turmoil and worked tirelessly to build a future for our family. Their unwavering determination taught me that true leadership is not solely about personal achievements but about the impact we have on those around us—uplifting others, empowering them and creating opportunities where few exist.”

Jain, who was one of five alumni honored at the event, shared how he completed his ���ϲ����� application at his family’s liquor store in Sacramento, California, and, upon receiving his acceptance months later, was so overwhelmed with excitement that he nearly hugged a customer.

“That moment marked the beginning of a transformative journey,” Jain said.

A foreign service officer with the U.S. Department of State, Jain has held roles across the U.S. government helping to advance peace and security around the world. From 2024-25, he was special assistant to the deputy secretary of state, focused on U.S. policy related to South and Central Asia. He served in the White House as a senior advisor at the National Security Council and as policy advisor in the Vice President’s Office of National Security Affairs. He was a political officer at U.S. Embassies in China from 2021-23 and India from 2018-20.

“Over the years, I’ve had the incredible opportunity to serve in the halls of the State Department, our embassies overseas and at the White House,” Jain said. “Walking through these corridors of power, I often reflect on the journey from the liquor store in Sacramento to where I stand today. I arrived at Maxwell filled with uncertainty and hope; I departed empowered and prepared to contribute.”

Established in 2022, the Awards of Excellence program celebrates the contributions of the school’s alumni and friends to their fields, communities and society through work that reflects the Maxwell School mission and values. In addition to the Compass Award, recognition categories include the 1924 Award, Bridge Award, Charles V. Willie Advocate Award and Spirit of Public Service Award. In the spring of 2024 the event was expanded to celebrate Maxwell’s centennial year.

This year’s event was held at the University’s new home in Dupont Circle. In addition to Jain, honorees included Margaret Abraham ’89 Ph.D. (Soc); Tom Bozzuto ’71 M.P.A.; Ana Maria Menezes ’06 M.A. (PA); and Tiesha Peal ’99 B.A. (PSc).

Abraham received the 1924 Award, honoring graduates for their distinguished and sustained professional or civic leadership and achievement in the spirit of the school’s mission. She is a professor of sociology and the Harry H. Wachtel Distinguished Teaching Professor for the Study of Nonviolent Social Change at Hofstra University. Her leadership roles include serving as past president of the International Sociological Association and, at Hofstra, as senior vice provost for academic affairs, special advisor to the provost for diversity initiatives and director of the Women’s Studies Program.

An author, lecturer and advisor, Abraham bridges scholarship and social justice advocacy in the areas of ethnicity, gender, migration and domestic violence. She has published four books and two special volumes, including “Speaking the Unspeakable: Marital Violence Among South Asian Immigrants in the United States.”

Abraham thanked her supporters and reflected on recent transitions in the federal government. “We are at the crossroads, where we are witnessing multiple cascading effects of policies and laws on political, social and economic institutions that impact everyday lives, especially on the marginalized,” she said. “In these times our activism, engagement and pursuit of justice becomes even more vital. As social scientists, we must share our learning and knowledge with the broader societies of which we are a part. We need to use data and analytical tools, critique, counter misinformation, inform publics and collectively address issues we face. We have the responsibility to engage in building a better world.”

Bozzuto, chairman and co-founder of The Bozzuto Group, received the Bridge Award, which honors exemplary leadership across sectors. Throughout his career in real estate development and management, he has created more than 62,000 homes and apartments, nurturing vibrant multifamily communities. A Vietnam veteran, he worked for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and spent 13 years as mid-Atlantic regional partner at Oxford Development Corp. His leadership roles have included serving as board chair of the Baltimore Community Foundation, the National Multifamily Housing Council, the Maryland Science Center and Hobart and William Smith Colleges, where he received undergraduate and honorary degrees.

He thanked Dean David M. Van Slyke for encouraging his re-engagement with the Maxwell School in recent years, and then, shared what has been his family’s guiding compass.

“My wife and I, and our children believe that as citizens, we have a responsibility to our community that goes beyond just paying taxes and obeying the law. As citizens, our duty does not stop at the doorway to our homes. As citizens, regardless of where we work, each of us in some way should try to make our world a better place in which to live,” Bozzuto said. “Our family has been blessed with the resources to allow us to be very active in our city and our state and even a bit in our nation. However, I also know that one of my greatest blessings was a terrific education, the capstone of which was the year I spent at Maxwell.”

Menezes received the Spirit of Public Service Award which recognizes contributions that have had a widespread global impact. For more than 35 years she has applied her knowledge in aquaculture and natural resource management to help eradicate food insecurity, improve nutrition and reduce poverty in some of the poorest regions of the world.

As senior fisheries officer with the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization, Menezes works with member nations to increase aquaculture production. Previously, she was national officer for the UN Environment Programme and she served as national director of planning and research for the Ministry of Environmental Affairs and aquaculture researcher at the Instituto Nacional de Investigação Pesqueira in her native country of Mozambique.

“I’ve witnessed from within the rise from Zero to the Blue Economy, the Blue Foods and the Blue Transformation movement, harvesting from the ocean, rivers and lakes, from man-made ponds to feed billions of people around the planet. It’s my great fortune to have been part of this,” she said, later adding, “What I really want to make clear is that what I learned at the Maxwell School in the public administration master’s degree program set me up for a fulfilling journey, a greater purpose and you in this room share in this honor.”

Peal, an attorney with 20 years of experience helping to ensure equal treatment for all under the law, received the Charles V. Willie Advocate Award. She was unable to attend the event to accept the award in person.

Peal previously worked as the assistant district attorney in the Bronx County District Attorney Office, handling litigation and conducting investigations into criminal activity ranging from contraband to gang assaults. She also represented New York City employees in housing court as an attorney for District Council 37 Union and was a staff attorney with Essex-Newark Legal Services, which provides free legal assistance to very low-income residents. She is a founding member of the Maxwell School’s Alumni Affinity Group and a frequent mentor to current students and alumni.

Campus departments are reminded to register their programs involving minors with the Office of Institutional Risk Management.

The University continues to strengthen its commitment to the safety of minors (children under the age of 18 who are not matriculated University students) who are invited to campus or participating in programs operated, controlled or sponsored by the University.

The Office of Institutional Risk Management is issuing a reminder to all campus departments regarding the University’s official . As the summer months tend to be filled with youth programming on campus, this is a key time for departments to ensure they are adhering to the policy’s registration and reporting requirements.

The policy, which was implemented by the University’s Board of Trustees in May 2019, requires all programs and events that serve minors under the age of 18 (who are not matriculated University students) to for approval.

The policy applies to any in-person, virtual or hybrid programming. The programs must be registered with the Office of Institutional Risk Management at least 30 days in advance of their start dates.

Anyone with questions should contact Sarah Cappella, youth programs compliance coordinator, at cappella@syr.edu or visit the of the Risk Management website for more information.

The One University Awards Ceremony, an annual event to honor members of the ���ϲ����� community who are making a difference through academics, scholarship, creative work and dedicated service, will be held Friday, April 11, from 1 to 2:30 p.m. in Hendricks Chapel.

“The One University Awards are one of the great traditions at ���ϲ�����,” says Chancellor Kent Syverud. “This ceremony highlights the incredible accomplishments, scholarship, and innovation of our students, faculty, staff, and community. Every year I look forward to celebrating the talented and dedicated people who come together to make this a great university.”

Two major awards—the Chancellor’s Medal and the Chancellor’s Citation for Excellence—will be bestowed. The ceremony will also include the presentation of the Student-Athlete Award, Judith Seinfeld Scholarship, Meredith Professorship for Teaching Excellence, Teaching Recognition Award, Enduring Values Award, William Pearson Tolley Medal for Distinguished Leadership in Lifelong Learning and Chancellor’s Forever Orange Award.

and ��will also be recognized. This year’s��University Scholars,��, and��Remembrance and Lockerbie Scholars��will also be honored.

All members of the University community are invited and encouraged to attend. A reception will follow in the lobby of the Heroy Geology Laboratory building.

American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation and Communication Access Realtime Translation (CART) will be provided at the ceremony. For questions about accessibility or to request accommodations, contact Major Events at��majorevents@syr.edu.

Award Recipients��

The��Chancellor’s Medal��is the University’s highest honor and is awarded to individuals in honor of their trailblazing and extraordinary contributions to the University, to an academic body of knowledge or to society.

This year’s recipients are Cydney Johnson, deputy county executive for physical services for Onondaga County and ���ϲ�����’s former vice president for community engagement and government relations, and , Laura J. and L. Douglas Meredith Professor for Teaching Excellence and professor of policy studies in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs.

The��Chancellor’s Citation for Excellence��recognizes individuals who have made outstanding contributions in four overarching categories:

• The award for��Excellence in Student Research��recognizes students who have engaged in collaborative research that has the potential to make a deep and lasting impact on greater society. This year’s recipients are Qingyang Liu, a doctoral candidate in the Department of Human Development and Family Science in the Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics (graduate), and Abigail Greenfield, a history major in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, a political philosophy major in the College of Arts and Sciences, and member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program (undergraduate).
• The award for��Outstanding Contributions to the Student Experience and University Initiatives��acknowledges faculty and staff who, through their work, enhance the undergraduate experience for students or make invaluable contributions to supporting and advancing the University’s mission and goals. The recipients are��, associate teaching professor in the College of Engineering and Computer Science (faculty);��, assistant dean for undergraduate programs in the Whitman School of Management (professional staff); , director of international student success in the College of Arts and Sciences (professional staff) and��Emma Karp, operations assistant in Campus Dining and Catering (support staff).
• The��Faculty Excellence and Scholarly Distinction��award is intended for faculty members who are collaborators in work of intellectual richness that has the potential for future impact. The work of these nominees offers possibilities for collaboration within the University and outside in partnership with others. This year’s honorees are��, professor of teaching and leadership and director of the Center for Experiential Pedagogy and Practice in the School of Education, and��, professor and chair of biomedical and chemical engineering in the College of Engineering and Computer Science.
• Chancellor’s Citation for Excellence, Lifetime Achievement Award. This award honors those who have made extraordinary contributions toward advancing all four pillars of excellence over the arc of their careers while at ���ϲ����� and beyond. This year’s recipient is��, professor and program coordinator for theater management in the College of Visual and Performing Arts.

The other awards to be presented are:

The��Student-Athlete Award��recognizes the top female and top male student athletes and are presented to the senior student-athletes with the highest cumulative grade point average over the course of their academic and athletic careers. This year’s recipients are Jordan Beck, a finance major in the Whitman School of Management and a member of the men’s lacrosse team, Charlotte Ebel, majoring in public relations in the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and German language, literature and culture and women’s and gender studies in the College of Arts and Sciences and a member of the women’s rowing team, and Emma Klein, a chemical engineering major in the College of Engineering and Computer Science and a member of the women’s soccer team.

Seinfeld Scholarship: Each year ���ϲ����� honors the talents of outstanding faculty or students through an��, a distinguished alumna and member of the University Board of Trustees. Awards are made to those who have been determined by their peers to have made outstanding contributions to the beauty of the world, to have added to human values and to ending human abuse anywhere in the world, and to have demonstrated passion for excellence, creativity and originality in academic or artistic fields. This year, the designation is bestowed upon Claire Ceccoli, a senior public relations major in the Newhouse School, and Elizabeth Paulin, a senior sociology major in the Maxwell School and College of Arts and Sciences.

The��Laura J. and L. Douglas Meredith Professorships for Teaching Excellence��were created in 1995 to recognize and reward outstanding teaching among faculty. The 2025-28 Meredith Professors are , associate professor in the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, and��, professor and associate dean of human dynamics in the Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics. The 2022-2025 Meredith Professors, Julie Hasenwinkel and Lauryn Gouldin, will also be recognized. In 2001, the Meredith Professorship Program was expanded to recognize teaching excellence by non-tenured faculty and adjunct and part-time instructors. Awards are given in two categories:��Early Performance��and��Continuing Excellence. This year’s honorees in the Early Performance category are��, associate teaching professor of biochemistry and director of undergraduate program in the College of Arts and Sciences;��, assistant teaching professor of political science in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs;��, Kenneth and Mary Ann Shaw Professor of Practice in Entrepreneurial Leadership in the College of Engineering and Computer Science;��, assistant professor of public relations in the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications; , assistant professor in the School of Information Studies; and��, associate professor of law in the College of Law. The two honorees in the Continuing Excellence category are��, teaching professor and associate dean of students in the College of Law, and��, associate teaching professor of writing studies, rhetoric, and composition in the College of Arts and Sciences.

The��Enduring Values Award recognizes an individual who is integral in helping us achieve academic excellence at a university that is welcoming to all. This year’s recipient is Craig Tucker, director of Higher Education Opportunity Program and Trio Student Support Services programs.

The��William Pearson Tolley Medal for Distinguished Leadership in Lifelong Learning��is based in the School of Education and honors national or international leadership in support of lifelong learning. This year’s recipient is , founder and president of H.G. Adams & Associates Inc., and an alumnus of the School of Education.

The��Chancellor’s Forever Orange Award��recognizes individual students, faculty or staff who—by virtue of extraordinary hard work, good values and commitment to excellence—have come to embody the best of ���ϲ�����. This year’s recipient is��, founding director of the Shaw Center for Public and Community Service.

Roger Durling

Roger Durling ’86, executive director of the (SBIFF) in Santa Barbara, California, will deliver the 2025 convocation address to bachelor’s and master’s degree candidates of the College of Visual and Performing Arts (VPA) during the college’s convocation ceremony on Saturday, May 10, at 7:30 p.m. in the JMA Wireless Dome.

Born and raised in Panama, Durling is a graduate of VPA’s Department of Drama and also holds an M.F.A. degree from Columbia University. He has served as executive director of SBIFF for the past 23 years and teaches film studies at Santa Barbara City College.

Durling is the author of “Cinema in Flux: A Year of Connecting Through Film,” a compilation of film essays he wrote during the COVID-19 pandemic, and his essay on Julian Schnabel’s “Basquiat” is included in the recent Criterion Collection Blu-Ray release of the film. He assisted with editing the Assouline coffee table book “Roma” by Alfonso Cuarón.

Durling is vice chair of the board of trustees of The Peddie School in Hightstown, New Jersey. He was named Citizen of the Year in 2004 by the city of Santa Barbara and a Local Hero in 2023.

The CRB, which consists of 11 individuals in various roles across campus, reviews appeals of civilian complaints regarding Department of Public Safety (DPS) officer conduct, current and prospective DPS policies, procedures and trainings and key community-facing functions of DPS. The CRB is also responsible for issuing an of findings and recommendations.

Join the CRB

CRB members serve on a rotating schedule. Currently, there are seven open seats for two undergraduate students, one graduate student, one staff member, two faculty members and one administrator.

To be considered for a seat on the CRB, by Monday, April 15, and submit as follows:

• Undergraduate Students: Two undergraduate students will be selected by the Student Association (SA); applications should be submitted to SA President German Novilas at studentassociation@syr.edu.
• Graduate Students: One graduate student will be selected by the Graduate Student Organization (GSO); applications should be submitted to GSO President Daniel J. Kimmel at gsointernalvp@syr.edu.
• Staff: One staff member will be selected by the Office of Human Resources; applications should be submitted to Andrew Gordon, senior vice president and chief human resources officer, at SVPCHRO@syr.edu.
• Faculty: Two faculty members will be selected by the University Senate; applications should be submitted to Doug Yung, chair of the Employee Services, Fiscal Affairs and Operations committee, at ptyung@syr.edu.
• Administrators: One administrator will be selected by Chancellor Kent Syverud; applications should be submitted to Souher Cosselman, director for strategic initiatives in the Office of the Chancellor, at sscossel@syr.edu.

New members will be notified by Monday, April 29.

Spring Open Forum

The CRB’s annual spring open forum, where members share information about their work, will be held Friday, April 18, from 3 to 4:30 p.m. in 411 MacNaughton Hall (Falk College Complex). Attendees will have the opportunity to share their experiences or ask thoughtful questions related to DPS and policing on campus. The event will also be .

American Sign Language (ASL) and Communication Access Realtime Translation (CART) will be available. To request additional accommodations, email��crb@syr.edu.

Tyna Meeks-Siptrott poses with a note for her students while teaching virtually.

Tyna Meeks-Siptrott, Ph.D., has dedicated 28 years to teaching, leaving an indelible mark on her students and colleagues at Indian River High School in Upstate New York. Her relationship with the University began with ���ϲ����� Project Advance (SUPA) and continued as an alumna through her ongoing involvement with the program. Throughout her career, Meeks-Siptrott has exemplified a profound commitment to education, innovation and student engagement.

Collaboration with SUPA

Meeks-Siptrott’s involvement with SUPA began early in her teaching career. “I remember my very first year as a newly hired teacher at Indian River and a little postcard was in my mailbox that said, ‘Have you considered teaching college courses?'” she says. She immediately contacted SUPA and trained to teach SU chemistry that summer. “I have been teaching SU chemistry for 27 years,” she says.

A few years later, Professor Jim Spencer, the faculty liaison for SU chemistry, asked if she would be interested in being a part of the pilot program for Forensic Science. Meeks-Siptrott eagerly took on her second SU chemistry course.

Early Research and Shift to Science Education

Meeks-Siptrott began her research journey with summer programs at SU, working on projects such as creating a coating to prevent rust on Humvees and designing a thin film to detect antibiotics in milk. Reflecting on her early experiences, she says, “There was always this piece of me that liked to play and liked to answer questions.”

Driven by her passion for chemistry, and with support from Spencer, Meeks-Siptrott decided to pursue a Ph.D. Initially focusing on chemistry, Meeks-Siptrott had a defining moment that changed her path. Spencer asked her to step in and deliver a lecture to his campus class.�� A student approached Meeks-Siptrott afterward saying she got so much out of the class that she wanted to take any class Meeks-Siptrott taught. At this point, Meeks-Siptrott realized her true calling was science education.�� With Spencer’s support, a unique approach merging education and scientific inquiry was approved and Meeks-Siptrott transitioned to a Ph.D. in science education, conducting innovative research directly in a science classroom.

“Tyna has a unique gift to quickly make a deep connection with her students,” Spencer says. “I believe this arises from her own lifelong pursuit of learning and understanding of science. She is a truly outstanding and dedicated researcher, inspirational teacher, thoughtful colleague and true friend.”

Innovative Approaches in Forensic Science Education

Meeks-Siptrott and Spencer developed active learning lessons (ALS) to engage students in large lecture halls, a novel approach for forensic science education. These lessons aimed to better engage students and improve their learning outcomes. “Together Jim and I wrote 15 of these active learning lessons that we hoped would better engage the students in a large lecture hall,” Meeks-Siptrott says.

The research found that active learning had varied impacts based on gender and ethnicity. “Asian males actually did worse in an active learning environment, and based on what we could glean from some of the additional research that I had done, it’s because they don’t trust anybody but the actual professor,” she says. In contrast, “An African American female was not only like more likely to get eight to nine points higher on every exam but would almost pull an alpha roll and would end up not just guiding her own learning but guiding everybody else’s learning that worked with her.”

Inventive Teaching and Impact on Students

Meeks-Siptrott’ teaching approach is characterized by creativity and a willingness to experiment. One of her more memorable initiatives included a forensic science project that provided students with a hands-on, interactive experience in collecting evidence. This approach not only engaged students but also fostered a deeper understanding of forensic science.

Her influence extends beyond the classroom, affecting the academic and career paths of many students. “Several students have gone into neuroscience, pre-med, and other scientific fields,” she says. A former student, Deanna Chavez, who is now working in media, contacted Meeks-Siptrott many years after graduating. She tells Meeks-Siptrott, “I remember my forensics class I took with you, and we need somebody who’s willing to talk about their perception of police and investigations and evidence.”

Meeks-Siptrott’ teaching philosophy centers on fostering a love for learning and creating a supportive, engaging environment for her students. She believes in being adaptable, open to new ideas, and the value of learning alongside her students. “If that means that you’re learning together, that’s okay because they love to see you in that scenario where you say, ‘Look, we’re going to do this together and it might not work out the first time, but that’s okay because we’re going to learn this together.'”

Advice for Future Educators

For those considering a career in teaching, Meeks-Siptrott offers sage advice: “No fear. You’re doing this because you love the students, and you want to bring them something new. So, no fear. It’s new. It’s going to be new to you, but it’s new to them too.” Her encouragement to embrace challenges and think creatively has undoubtedly shaped the careers of many educators.

A Joyful Farewell

As Meeks-Siptrott prepares for retirement, she looks back on her decades-long career with joy and a sense of accomplishment. “I always said that I would know when I was ready to leave. I want to depart with the same joy with which I began,” she says. Her tenure at Indian River High School and SUPA is distinguished by her passion, innovation, and steadfast dedication to her students. Her alumna connection to ���ϲ�����, of course, will continue forever.

 
The 2025 ���ϲ����� Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) Summit was the first of its kind, but not the last.

The inaugural NIL Summit, which was first NIL event organized by students for student-athletes at ���ϲ�����, was hosted March 28 by the in partnership with the student-run ���ϲ����� Sport Group and . The event brought ���ϲ����� student-athletes together with corporate brands for networking, education, and NIL development.

The NCAA’s rules on NIL changed in 2021, allowing student-athletes to monetize their fame and popularity through endorsements, sponsorships, and other commercial activities. Since then, athletes who combine strong social media presence, business savvy, and prowess on the field have found partnerships with businesses from mom-and-pop stores to international brands.

“In this environment of collegiate sports, it’s critical that we provide student-athletes with as many meaningful NIL opportunities as possible,” ���ϲ����� Director of Athletics John Wildhack told the student-athletes and others gathered in Falk College’s Grant Auditorium for the NIL Summit. “Building the relationship between Falk College and athletics is one of the ways that’s going to benefit our student-athletes.”

GEN Agency and GEN NIL founder and CEO Rachel Maeng Brown presents to student-athletes at the 2025 ���ϲ����� NIL Summit.

Starting July 1, Falk College will become the Falk College of Sport, the first college on a high-research activity (R1) campus dedicated exclusively to sport-related disciplines. Named after visionary benefactor and legendary sports agent David B. Falk, the new college will unite Falk’s distinguished programs in sport management, sport analytics, exercise science, nutrition, and esports (offered jointly with the Newhouse School of Public Communications) under one dynamic academic umbrella.

Led by students in Falk’s , the NIL Summit featured GEN Agency and GEN NIL founder and CEO , the 2024 CEO of the Year in Influencer Management and NIL Education who ��presented brand deal case studies and led a content creation workshop with products from . Brown returned home to Central New York for the Summit as she is a 2014 graduate of C.W. Baker High School in Baldwinsville.

In addition to Brown’s content creation workshop, representatives from the sector of Morgan Stanley hosted a session to educate student-athletes about financial literacy.

As a result of the workshops and networking with corporate representatives, student-athletes gained valuable insight into NIL deal structures, financial literacy, personal branding strategies, and partnership opportunities. For example, every student-athlete who visited the content creation station left the event having activated a unique NIL deal with W by Jake Paul.

“The ���ϲ����� NIL Summit demonstrated the impact and innovation of Falk College and its students,” says Falk College Dean . “This event was another example of the collaboration we have with ���ϲ����� Athletics to provide Falk students with learning experiences beyond the classroom, and it connected ���ϲ����� student-athletes with NIL industry leaders at a time when NIL is redefining collegiate sports.”

Carmelo Anthony (Photo by N. Scott Trimble)

Carmelo Anthony, one of ���ϲ�����’s most prolific former student-athletes, will deliver the address on Sunday, May 11, at 9:30 a.m. at the JMA Wireless Dome. Anthony’s return to campus is especially profound as his son, Kiyan Anthony, will soon wear the Orange jersey, following in his father’s footsteps as a member of the Orange men’s basketball program.

The basketball legend and Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2025 finalist played one season for the Orange men’s basketball program helping to lead the team to its first NCAA Championship in a thrilling victory over the Kansas Jayhawks. For his stunning performance, he was named the NCAA Tournament’s Final Four Most Outstanding Player. After ���ϲ�����, he went on to play 19 seasons in the National Basketball Association, earning accolades such as 10-time NBA All-Star and six-time All-NBA Team member. The four-time Olympian for U.S. basketball won three Olympic gold medals and a bronze medal. Beyond his time on the court, Anthony is an entrepreneur, philanthropist and media personality with his podcast “7PM in Brooklyn.”

“Carmelo Anthony played a pivotal role in one of the most storied moments in ���ϲ����� history,” says Chancellor Kent Syverud. “His exceptional talent, relentless work ethic and athletic excellence are matched by his unwavering commitment to giving back, especially in creating opportunities for young people and aspiring student-athletes. We are honored to welcome Carmelo back to campus to inspire and share his journey with our graduates, their families and the entire University community at this year’s Commencement ceremony.”

“I’m excited to be returning to the Dome to celebrate the amazing achievements of these graduates,” says Carmelo Anthony. “This is a full-circle moment, and serves as a powerful reminder of how education, resilience and a supportive community can empower you to achieve your dreams. Go Orange!”

A top high school recruit with an already impressive talent, he quickly became a standout player at ���ϲ�����. Anthony was a consensus All-American, averaging 22.2 points and 10 rebounds per game, helping lead ���ϲ����� to a 30-5 overall record. He was honored as National Freshman of the Year by the United States Basketball Writers Association, Basketball Times, Sporting News and ESPN.com. He was a unanimous selection for Big East Conference Freshman of the Year and was Big East Conference Rookie of the Week a record 10 times, among other accolades.

With his history-making year at ���ϲ�����, it did not take long for NBA teams to recognize his immense potential. He declared for the 2003 NBA Draft and was selected as the third overall pick by the Denver Nuggets. His prowess and talent set him up as one of the league’s premier scorers. During his time with the Nuggets (2003–2011), he consistently led the team to the playoffs and achieved numerous accolades. In 2011, he was traded to the New York Knicks, where his abilities continued to raise the bar, scoring a career-high 62 points in a single game, a record for both the Knicks and Madison Square Garden.

His career continued with playing for the Oklahoma City Thunder, Houston Rockets, Portland Trail Blazers and Los Angeles Lakers. Over 19 seasons in the NBA, he earned 10 All-Star selections, a scoring title in 2013 and a place on the NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team. His NBA legacy has been solidified as a fan favorite and with his scoring abilities—ranking among the top 10 all-time leading scorers in the NBA.

On the international stage, Anthony’s popularity went global as a four-time Olympian. Anthony joined United States basketball, winning three Olympic gold medals (2008, 2012, 2016) and one bronze (2004).

Off the court, Anthony has continuously given back to provide opportunities for the next generation. Along with his support of youth and family programs and community initiatives, Anthony made a lead gift that kick-started the construction of the Carmelo K. Anthony Basketball Center, which was completed in time for the 2009-10 NCAA season. The 54,000-square foot state-of-the-art facility features two full-practice courts, a strength and conditioning room, state-of-the art athletic training suite, offices for both coaching staffs, and complete locker room facilities.

In 2017, Anthony received the Chancellor’s Medal for Philanthropy, which is awarded to individuals in honor of their extraordinary contributions to the University, to their areas of expertise and/or to the community.

Anthony, who retired from the NBA in 2023, has ventured into several entrepreneurial projects. These include the launch of his global estate brand, VII(N) The Seventh Estate; his lifestyle brand STAYME7O, which celebrates his well-known mantra and mindset; and his global, multi-platform content company Creative 7. In his latest project with Creative 7, he executive produces and co-hosts “7pm in Brooklyn,” a top-charting digital series surrounding all things hoops and culture.

Students will be invited to provide feedback on any dining facilities they visit, to weigh in on the quality and availability of food, the types of food available in campus dining facilities, and what food options they would like to see on campus in the future.

The goal of this year’s survey will be to benchmark against ����������ܲ���’s regional and ACC peers, with future surveys providing opportunities to measure growth or indicate areas to improve. Food is an essential part of the campus experience, and Campus Dining is committed to offering students fresh, nutritious options throughout their time at ���ϲ�����.

Students are asked to keep an eye on their inboxes and take time to include their feedback so the University can continue to improve and enhance its culinary program. . When prompted to enter a code, students should enter “SU” followed by their nine-digit SUID number.

If you have any questions about the survey or Campus Dining in general, email mealtalk@syr.edu. To stay up to date with Campus Dining pop-ups, updates, and events, follow the department on Instagram @sucampusdining or TikTok @���ϲ�����UDining.

The Department of Public Safety’s 2025 campus peace officer recruits. (Front row, left to right: Jesus Gorra, Misty Stephens, Mariyah Byrd and Megan Healey; back row, left to right: Brennan Kreis, Jonathan Pizarro and Matthew Calley)

Seven new recruits were sworn into the ���ϲ����� Department of Public Safety (DPS) Campus Peace Officer Academy on March 20 by ���ϲ����� Police Department Chief Joseph L. Cecile. Collaborating with the ���ϲ����� Police Department on the swearing-in ceremony serves as an official welcome and endorsement of the joint law enforcement efforts in the University area, and to provide these campus peace officers with the authority to enforce New York State law and local ordinances upon completion of the academy.

The recruits sworn into this academy class are:

• Mariyah Byrd
• Matthew Calley
• Jesus Gorra
• Brennan Kreis
• Jonathan Pizarro
• Misty Stephens

The individuals listed above are training to become ���ϲ����� campus peace officers. One additional recruit, Megan Healey is joining this peace officer academy and will be heading to Onondaga Community College upon completion.

“Starting at the academy is where the foundation of a great officer is built. It’s not just about learning the law—it’s about discipline, integrity and commitment to serving the community. Every recruit who walks through these doors has the potential to make a real difference. We are excited for them to start this journey, “said Sgt. Adam Wheeler, academy director.

This is now the ninth time that the Department of Public Safety has held its own peace officer academy.

During the academy, these recruits will be subject to technical, physical, classroom and field-based tests. Upon successful completion of the academy, graduates progress to field training with their respective field training officers for an additional 12 to 14 weeks.

Craig Stone, associate vice president and chief of the Department of Public Safety, addressed the friends and families of the recruits. “We are excited to welcome new members to our team who will assist us in keeping the campus community safe. We expect these new recruits to become leaders in the university community and strive to become great listeners, communicators and collaborative problem-solvers.”

The University’s Department of Public Safety provides around-the-clock protection to the ���ϲ����� campus. Through various patrol and crime prevention efforts, DPS partners with students, faculty and staff to identify, recognize and eliminate crime hazards and risks within the campus community.

On Tuesday, April 8, MSCHE’s vice president for institutional field relations, , will hold an open forum to provide information and answer questions about the reaccreditation process. All students, faculty and staff are invited and encouraged to attend. The event will be held from 11:15 a.m. to noon in the Joyce Hergenhan Auditorium, Newhouse 3. A virtual option will also be available; .

For more information about MSCHE accreditation, visit��.

Dan and Mary Lou Rubenstein Social Justice Award honoree Jessica Perusse (center, with plaque) with graduate students and faculty from the School of Social Work. In the front row, from left, Taylor Koennecke, Chair and Professor Carrie Smith, Perusse and Madeline Heintz. In the back row, from left, Undergraduate Director and Assistant Teaching Professor Nadaya Brantley, Allan Zheng, Mary Claytor, Carina St. Andrews, Benetta Dousuah, Gideon Casper, Muhammed Cisse, and Graduate Director and Associate Teaching Professor Jennifer Genovese.

As director of The Camden Life Center in Camden, New York, , LCSW-R, CSSW, has several ties to the students and faculty in the in the Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics.

That connection grew even stronger on March 27, when Perusse received the School of Social Work’s prestigious Social Justice Award. Perusse also served as the keynote speaker of the annual Dan and Mary Lou Rubenstein Social Justice Award program that was held before a standing-room-only audience in Room 200 White Hall in Falk College.

Presented for more than 30 years during in March, the Rubenstein Social Justice Award is given in honor of the late professor Dan Rubenstein, a former faculty member in the School of Social Work, and his late wife, Mary Lou, a former school social worker. Recipients of this award are role models whose courage and strength inspire others to stand up—and step up—to advocate and be a voice in their local community. The values of social justice are integral to honorees’ daily lives, and their work represents the true spirit of the Rubenstein Social Justice Award.

The theme of this year’s program was “United for Change: Honoring Collective Impact and Collaboration in Rural Communities,” and Perusse’s impact in Camden and collaboration with ���ϲ����� is second-to-none in Central New York.

“This year’s theme invites us to think deeply about what it means to stand together in solidarity, especially with communities that have too often been overlooked or underserved,” said School of Social Work Chair and Professor .

“Jessica reminds us that collective impact begins with one person saying, ‘Yes, this matters.’ With one person having the courage to care,” Smith added. “She reminds us that justice is not a destination, it is a daily practice.”

, a partnership between the and (CFLR), is a center for multiple agencies to come together and act in their areas of strength for the maximum impact and overall benefit of their community. The primary goal is to inspire hope, provide help, promote wellness, and transform lives with a focus of being “in Camden, of Camden, for Camden.” Camden is located less than an hour’s drive northeast of ���ϲ�����.

During her keynote address, Perusse described the evolution of The Camden Life Center and how she wanted to tailor its services to the needs of the rural community.

“We don’t need mega, multiple agencies providing tons of services,” Perusse said. “We need partnerships with agencies that are willing to understand our rural culture without changing our values and beliefs.

“It wasn’t easy; we had to earn the trust of our residents,” she continued. “It took time, consistency and showing up time and time again to show that I’m not just a provider, I’m your neighbor.”

Matthew Rubenstein (left) and Ali Gilsdorf (right), the son and granddaughter of Dan and Mary Lou Rubenstein, with School of Social Work Chair and Professor Carrie Smith (second from left) and 2025 Dan and Mary Lou Rubenstein Social Justice Award honoree Jessica Perusse.

Perusse noted that the national shortage of mental health providers is even worse in rural communities, where “the work can be very lonely.” She said the challenges in Camden were intensified this winter, when 30 feet of snow fell in the area and caused the collapse of several homes and businesses.

“I was struck by the magnitude of destruction in our community, and it hurts my social worker heart to think how we’re going to recover from this,” Perusse said.

Perusse regularly supervises (M.S.W.) students as interns at The Camden Life Center and plays an integral role in connecting students to research and practice. Perusse and , assistant dean of online education in Falk College and associate teaching professor of social work, were colleagues on the Healthcare for Homeless Veterans team in the ���ϲ����� VA Medical Center and that work helped inform ongoing collaborations between Perusse and ���ϲ�����.

Marfilius, who introduced Perusse at the Social Justice Award event, and Assistant Professor of Social Work , worked on one grant project with The Camden Life Center and recently started a second one. The first project in 2023-24 involved a $350,000 grant from the CFLR/Community Foundation of Herkimer and Oneida Counties. That project utilized the lens of social determinants of health and trauma-informed behavioral health approaches to identify and address the unmet service needs of rural residents in Camden, aiming to enhance the quality of care provided by The Camden Life Center.

For the current project, which received an $839,000 grant from the , Marfilius and Wang are serving as the research team for the Camden Life Center’s launch of the . This partnership between CFLR and The Camden Life Center is designed to foster connection, resilience and well-being for families and individuals in Camden and its surrounding communities.

Perusse said for this latest initiative to be successful, she and her team will need continued support so they can support those in need in Camden.

The School of Social Work was founded in 1955 and opened in 1956 after ���ϲ����� received a major grant from the Rosamond Gifford Charitable Corporation. In 2024, the School of Social Work was ranked by U.S. News and World Report as among the “” ��in the country, and its national profile will continue to rise with the start of the prestigious��that was created recently through a $300,000 gift to the school.

The School of Social Work is known for its long history of community impact and outreach, including��organized by Social Workers United. On July 1, the School of Social Work will move to ���ϲ�����’s to enhance the academic and community impact of the program, grow enrollment, drive research excellence, and strengthen the University’s long-standing commitment to preparing professionals to thrive in human, health and social services.

The and the program at ���ϲ����� have entered an agreement that will allow ���ϲ����� sport analytics students to complete statistical analysis and provide insights and visualizations to the UFL. The agreement marks the first time an American college or university has worked with the spring football league.

As part of the agreement, the UFL will provide ���ϲ����� students with experience in professional football and access to its employees, while ���ϲ����� will provide the data analysis skills of students from the leading sport analytics program in the country.

“The United Football League is proud to team up with the two-time national champion Sport Analytics program at ���ϲ�����,” said UFL President and CEO Russ Brandon, a member of ���ϲ�����’s Department of Sport Management . “Innovation is at the heart of the UFL, so it is only fitting that we seek out the creativity and the expertise of these students as we look toward a new approach to sports analytics.”

The UFL is the premier spring football league formed from the merger of the XFL and USFL in 2024. Under the combined ownership of RedBird Capital Partners, FOX, Dany Garcia, and Dwayne Johnson, the UFL features eight teams in key markets: Arlington, Texas; Birmingham, Ala.; Detroit, Mich.; Houston, Texas; Memphis, Tenn.; San Antonio, Texas; St. Louis, Mo., and Washington, D.C.

The 2025 UFL season will kick off at 8 p.m. ET Friday, when FOX Sports debuts “FOX UFL Friday”—a new night dedicated to UFL action taking place each Friday during the 10-week regular season—with a matchup featuring the St. Louis Battlehawks against the Houston Renegades. The league’s second season will conclude on Saturday, June 14, when ABC presents the 2025 UFL Championship Game.

“The UFL envisions itself as a gathering place for innovative thinkers,” said UFL Vice President of Football Technology Brad Campbell. “Thanks to the contributions of the sport analytics team at ���ϲ����� we will be able to raise this vision to a whole new level.”

Under the leadership of Sport Analytics Undergraduate Director and Professor , ����������ܲ���’s sport analytics students captured back-to-back National Sport Analytics Championships in 2023-24, and they have won numerous player and team analytics competitions in football, basketball, and baseball. About 70 students are providing data collection and analysis for 13 of ���ϲ�����’s athletic teams, and the program’s other professional partners include the Kumamoto Volters’ men’s basketball team in Japan, the Farjestad BK women’s hockey team in Sweden, the NHL’s Columbus Blue Jackets, Major League Soccer’s CF Montreal, and others.

Under the agreement with the UFL, the Sport Analytics program is coordinating student participation, and seven students have joined the first phase, with more to be added later. The UFL is assigning projects related to league operations and initiatives, and the parties are holding regular meetings to discuss projects, share findings through visualizations (charts, graphs, dashboards), and strategize on next steps.

“We are honored to partner with the UFL and look forward to providing insights and actionable items for the teams and league,” Paul said. “The experience and feedback our students will gain from this partnership is something that’s impossible to replicate in the classroom.��Opportunities like this have been our dream since the start of the program, and we are so appreciative of all the wonderful people in the UFL and how their experience and expertise will benefit our students in so many ways.”

Bob Mankoff

Bob Mankoff ’66, who melded academic interests in psychology and philosophy with comedy and satire to become one of the nation’s most influential cartoonists as cartoon editor of The New Yorker for 20 years, will deliver the alumni keynote address at the on Saturday, May 10, at 8:30 a.m.

His journey from a psychology student at ���ϲ����� to a prominent figure in American humor illustrates his lifelong dedication to exploring what makes people laugh and his remarkable ability to translate that understanding into a successful career spanning cartoons, editing, writing and education. The Queens native has remained committed to understanding and teaching the psychology of humor, leading workshops at institutions like Swarthmore College and Fordham University. More recently, his popular TED Talks have explored whether comedy is a distinctly human trait or if artificial intelligence might master the art of comedy—“”

Mankoff exemplifies how the breadth and depth of a liberal arts education helps students develop the professional flexibility that serves A&S | Maxwell School graduates throughout their lives. “I think it is hubristic to only focus on one area of study and not engage with all this past knowledge that humanity has acquired,” he said in 2024. “A liberal arts education illustrates the idea that now is as it was and as it will be.”

“We are honored to welcome Bob Mankoff ’66, who perfectly embodies A&S’ mission of creating agents of change,” says A&S Dean Behzad Mortazavi. “His use of humor as a means of cultural commentary reflects the critical thinking, creativity and social awareness all students cultivate here. His work not only entertains but also challenges us to see the world from new perspectives—and maybe even change it for the better.”

About Mankoff

Born and raised in Queens, New York, Mankoff attended the prestigious Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music and Art before choosing ���ϲ�����. After graduating with a psychology degree in 1966, he briefly pursued doctoral studies before focusing on cartooning.

Success required persistence—Mankoff submitted approximately 2,000 cartoons to��The New Yorker��before his first publication. He eventually contributed nearly 1,000 cartoons to the magazine, including his famous “How About Never—Is Never Good For You?”

In 1997, he became��The New Yorker’s��cartoon editor, a position he held for 20 years, where he reviewed thousands of submissions weekly and mentored cartoonists. In 2005, he launched the “New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest,” later partnering with Microsoft and Google DeepMind to develop selection algorithms.

Mankoff’s entrepreneurial spirit led him to found the Cartoon Bank in 1992, which evolved into CartoonStock.com in 2018. This platform houses over 500,000 cartoons from an array of notable publications, supporting cartoonists while preserving the art form.

After��The New Yorker, Mankoff served as cartoon editor at��Esquire��and currently holds the same position at��Air Mail. He co-runs Botnik Studios, using big data analytics to enhance creative processes, and has authored several books, including his��New York Times��bestselling memoir “How About Never—Is Never Good For You?: My Life In Cartoons.”

Convocation will be held in the JMA Wireless Dome with a reception to follow in the Quad at 10:30 a.m.

Read a��.

The theme of this year’s TEDx ���ϲ����� event invites both speakers and attendees to challenge conventional stories and reshape the way we think about the world. In a time where narratives—whether personal, cultural, or global—often influence perceptions and drive actions, the power to change the narrative holds the potential to unlock transformative change. At its core, changing the narrative is about creating spaces for voices to be heard and sharing stories that shape our lives, our communities and our futures. Five featured speakers will delve into their personal journeys and inspire attendees to take ownership of their own stories as they think critically about how they, too, can be part of changing the narrative in meaningful and positive ways. Attendees can also network, share ideas and engage with ���ϲ�����’s TEDx community.

Ryan Nkongnyu

Co-sponsored by ���ϲ����� Libraries and the Office of Strategic Initiatives and Innovation, the event is being coordinated by (College of Visual and Performing Arts), who is majoring in Communications and Rhetorical Studies. Nkongnyu is an Our Time Has Come Scholar, as well as finance board member of the ���ϲ����� Student Association, vice president of the Black Student Union, Mentor for JUMP Nation, and event coordinator for the Black Honors Society. He is also a writer for the Daily Orange and reporter for Citrus TV.

“In today’s world, our media and the messages we share have established narratives that affect the lens through which we all see our society,” notes Nkongnyu. “Changing the Narrative is meant to emphasize the role we all have as catalysts for positive change. Using our voices and platforms to positively influence, we can educate, empower and inspire others with our research, innovation and activism messages.”

Featured speakers and talk titles include:

• ’24, G’25: “Breaking Cycles, Not Ourselves””
• ’25: “Redefine Your Life”
• faculty, S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications: “Be A Creator”
• ’24: “The Danger of A Single Narrative Story”
• ’10: “How Teaching Kids Emotional Intelligence Can Change the World”

“SU Libraries is pleased to sponsor TEDx at ���ϲ�����, and we hope it will spark thoughtful conversations and connections that will continue long after the event ends,” says David Seaman, dean of ���ϲ����� Libraries and University Librarian.

For more information about the event, or if special accommodations are needed, please contact Ryan Nkongnyu, rnkongny@syr.edu