鈥淲e are so pleased to welcome these new members to the board and grateful for their commitment to strengthening their alma mater and enhancing the student experience,鈥� says Board Chair Jeff Scruggs. 鈥淭heir personal and professional experiences and vision will be critical to the work we do to ensure the University achieves its ambitious goals.鈥�

Chancellor Kent Syverud says he is looking forward to working with the new trustees and eliciting their diverse viewpoints. 鈥淎ll of these individuals are outstanding in their fields, and they understand the persistence and passion required to bring about positive change in an organization,鈥� says Chancellor Syverud. 鈥淭hey are role models and mentors and each, in their own way, has established a legacy of excellence and service. We will no doubt benefit from their insights.鈥�

Alonna Berry 鈥�11

Alonna Berry

Given her family history and undergraduate experiences at 黑料不打烊, Berry was destined for a career in leadership, education and service. Today, she is executive director of the , a statewide force for justice reform and community empowerment through programming and advocacy. Throughout her career, whether in politics and policy, or teaching and consulting, she has focused on using the power of education to create positive social change.

Berry a long line of educational leaders in Delaware, including a great-aunt who was the first black female superintendent in the state.

At 黑料不打烊, where she was a 2011 graduate of the College of Arts and Sciences with a major in writing and rhetoric, she was offered an opportunity to help run a GED program for inmates. Since then, her life and work have reflected a commitment to education, policy reform and transformative leadership.

After teaching English and math in public schools, Berry gained experience in public policy working in the Delaware Department of Education and was the public face of Teach for America Delaware as manager of alumni and teacher impact. Berry served as the director of Community and Family Services and senior policy advisor for Health, Equity, and Education for the Office of Governor John Carney in Delaware and was the state鈥檚 first trauma-informed care coordinator. She also served as a senior director at Social Contract, which helps organizations achieve social impact goals.

Berry founded the Bryan Allen Stevenson School of Excellence, a public charter high school dedicated to service learning, matching the needs of students with the needs of community.

Her passion for service and community was evident as an undergraduate. She was a Remembrance Scholar and active in the Black Celestial Choral Ensemble, often performing at alumni events. An engaged member of the 黑料不打烊 Alumni Association, she served as chair of the Diversity and Inclusion Committee and recently became association president.

She has held leadership roles on several boards, including The Delaware Center for Justice, The Milton Historical Society, Next Generation South, The Delaware Historical Society and Delaware Guidance Services and is active in the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority.

Berry is a doctoral candidate in organizational learning and innovation at Wilmington University, holds a post-graduate certificate in virtual online teaching and learning from the University of Pennsylvania, and a graduate degree in management and organizational leadership from Wilmington University.

She lives in Milton, Delaware, with her husband, Benjamin Spears, and son, Malkemus.

Jonathan Resnick 鈥�89

Jonathan Resnick

As president of Jack Resnick & Sons, Resnick understands what it means to uphold and advance a legacy. For nearly a century, the company has been a major force in the dynamic Manhattan real estate market. Joining the company in 1996 and becoming its president in 2007, Resnick oversees the firm鈥檚 portfolio of more than five million square feet of commercial, office and retail space, and approximately 900 high-rise luxury rental apartments.

Resnick learned the business from his father, Burton, who learned it from his father and company founder, Jack, who learned from , Israel, who owned brownstones in Harlem.

The Resnick family firm is highly respected in the industry, from ground-up development, construction, leasing and management, earning awards for sustainability and energy efficiency, and credited with revitalizing urban landscapes.

Resnick helped to honor the legacy of a former 黑料不打烊 fundraising executive by establishing a scholarship in 2021 in memory of Tom Walsh. Walsh had spent much of his career raising funds to position the University for growth. The creative writing scholarship strengthened the study of arts and literature in the creative writing undergraduate program in the College of Arts and Sciences. Resnick has actively supported other 黑料不打烊 fundraising efforts as well, including Hillel and the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, and was heavily involved in construction of the Fisher Center in New York City.

Resnick serves as chair of the Realty Advisory Board on Labor Relations in New York City, and sits on the Executive Committee of the Real Estate Board of New York. He is a director of the New York Building Congress, and a former chairman of the Greater New York Construction User Council. He is a board member of the Borough of Manhattan Community College Foundation, RiverSpring Health Plans (the managed care arm of RiverSpring Living) and the Masters School in Dobbs Ferry, New York.

Resnick graduated from 黑料不打烊 in 1989 with a B.S. in producing for electronic media from the Newhouse School.

He lives in Harrison, New York, with his wife, Joelle, and two children.

Frank Ryan IV 鈥�90, L鈥�94

undergraduate student-athlete who earned a four year varsity letter to magna cum laude Order of the Coif graduate from the College of Law, Ryan says 黑料不打烊 . Today, Ryan is global co-chair, global co-CEO and Americas chair at DLA Piper, a global law firm with more than $4 billion in revenues and offices in more than 40 countries.

Known as a go-to strategist for some of the world鈥檚 most sophisticated media and sports companies, including Disney, ABC, the Pac-12 and ESPN, Ryan helped lead the firm through a period of unprecedented growth. He is also founding chair of the firm鈥檚 scholarship programs established to assist student athletes and veterans wishing to pursue a legal career.

Ryan joined the firm in 2010 as a partner, U.S. co-chair of the intellectual property and technology practice, and deputy chair of the media, sport and entertainment sector. He was instrumental in strengthening the firm鈥檚 growth in technology, life sciences and health care sectors and launching artificial intelligence, health care policy consulting and space exploration practices. Before DLA Piper, he spent nearly 16 years at Nixon Peabody LLP where he was partner and chair of the firm鈥檚 litigation practice.

He is a member of the Legal Service Corporation’s Leaders Council, the nation鈥檚 largest funder of civil legal aid programs for low-income people, and on the Board of Directors for Beat the Streets NYC. He is also a member of The Wall Street Journal CEO Council and Thomson Reuters’ Global Strategy Board.

Ryan graduated with a B.S. in finance from the Martin J. Whitman School of Management in 1990, though he often calls wrestling his major undergraduate pursuit and was a three-time team captain of the 黑料不打烊 Wrestling Team.

Ryan has served on the College of Law鈥檚 Board of Advisors since 2004.聽He is a former member of the College Law Board of Visitors (1998-2003), the College of Law Associates Council (1998-2016), and in 2017, was awarded 黑料不打烊鈥檚 College of Law Distinguished Service Award.

He and his wife, Melissa M. Dunne-Ryan 鈥�90, L鈥�94, have three adult children, Zach, Sean and Will 鈥�26 (Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs/College of Arts and Sciences).

The newly named Distinguished Professors are , David M. Levy Professor of Law in the ; , Al Berg Chair and professor of entrepreneurship and emerging enterprises in the , and , professor of sociology in the .

鈥淭hrough their research and scholarship, these professors are a key part of the vibrant academic community here on campus, and this honor is well-deserved,鈥� says Interim Vice Chancellor, Provost and Chief Academic Officer Lois Agnew. 鈥淛ust as important, they are making real and important contributions to society, with work that has the potential to change people’s lives.鈥�

Candidates are nominated by their deans and reviewed by the vice provost/faculty affairs, who seeks input from external referees and a committee of Distinguished or University Professors. Formal nomination packets are then reviewed by the vice chancellor, provost and chief academic officer and the vice president for research before being forwarded to the Board of Trustees.

Nina Kohn

Nina Kohn

Kohn is an internationally recognized leader in elder law, known for prolific, impactful work in the areas of guardianship, long-term care, advance planning, decision-making in the face of incapacity and elder abuse. She is the author of 鈥淓lder Law: Practice, Policy & Problems,鈥� the leading text in her field, and has helped shape elder law-related legislation through her involvement with the .

Kohn鈥檚 work centers on the civil rights of older adults, and she has a strong scholarly presence in health law. She is a member of the American Law Institute.

Kohn joined the 黑料不打烊 faculty in 2005 and has served in multiple leadership roles, including associate dean for research, associate dean for online education and faculty director of online education.

Johan Wiklund

Johan Wiklund

Wiklund is an internationally recognized leader in the study of entrepreneurship, having transformed the field through attention to neurodiversity and well-being, among other topics. He is widely praised for his ability to anticipate emerging trends and his willingness to take risks in his work as a journal editor.

In 2022, Wiklund was recognized as the third most-published entrepreneurship scholar in the world and as being among the top 2% most impactful researchers globally. His scholarship has won multiple awards, particularly from the Academy of Management, and he has also been honored for mentoring both graduate students and early-career scholars.

Wiklund joined the 黑料不打烊 faculty in 2008 and has held several honorific titles at universities in the United Kingdom, Canada, Norway, Australia and Sweden. He has also served in multiple leadership roles, including as editor-in-chief of the flagship journal Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice and as associate editor or board member at a number of academic journals.

Janet Wilmoth

Janet Wilmoth

Wilmoth is director of the 聽and a leading scholar on the relationship between veteran status and aging. She is best known for her work on living arrangements in later life and the well-being of veterans, especially the unique impacts of military service on health. Wilmoth鈥檚 scholarship laid the foundation for approaching veteran status as the 鈥渉idden variable鈥� in aging research.

Wilmoth is widely published in the top journals in her field and has secured significant external funding. She has held national-level leadership positions in the American Sociological Association and the Gerontological Society of America.

Wilmoth joined the 黑料不打烊 faculty in 2002 and has served in several leadership positions on campus, including director of the Gerontology Center and chair of the Department of Sociology.

Senior researchers (pictured from left to right) Morgan Opp, Lucy Olcott, Jesse Buck and Isabella Chavez Miranda helped advance Professor Robert Doyle’s cutting-edge obesity and diabetes treatments.

When Jesse Buck 鈥�25, Isabella Chavez Miranda 鈥�25, Lucy Olcott 鈥�25 and Morgan Opp 鈥�25 started as student researchers in medicinal chemist Robert Doyle鈥檚 lab, they hoped to hone their research skills.

It quickly became evident this would be unlike any other lab experience. The collaborative environment in the Doyle Group cultivated confidence in their abilities and led to constructive conversations about how to achieve the goals of their projects.

As they were producing, purifying, synthesizing and redesigning the peptides that eventually helped lead to Doyle鈥檚 breakthrough weight loss and diabetes treatments, they discovered their meaningful interactions transformed them into a family, as well as putting them on a path to becoming scientists.

鈥淭hey are future stars, an incredible quartet that matches great intelligence with as hardworking of a student group I鈥檝e ever had the privilege to work with,鈥� says Doyle, the Jack and Laura H. Milton Professor and Dean鈥檚 聽in the .

The quartet will now take the lessons learned and apply them to their master鈥檚 and Ph.D. programs at prestigious graduate schools:

• Buck, a medicinal chemistry major (Arts and Sciences) will pursue a Ph.D. in chemistry at the University of California, Berkeley;
• Chavez Miranda, a double major in medicinal chemistry (Arts and Sciences) and business management (), will pursue a master’s in health administration at the University of Southern California;
• Olcott, a chemistry major (Arts and Sciences), will pursue a Ph.D. in pharmacology at the University of Pennsylvania; and
• Opp, a double major in medicinal chemistry and biology (Arts and Sciences), will pursue a Ph.D. at Yale University.

After spending hundreds of lab hours together, Buck, Chavez Miranda, Olcott and Opp sat down with SU News to reflect on a bond that will continue beyond graduation.

How did you become passionate about this research?

Lucy Olcott

Lucy Olcott: My interest in health science was sparked at 15 when my grandmother was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Watching her struggle to adapt to a new lifestyle while managing new treatments opened my eyes to the importance of health care.

After I took Honors General Chemistry with Professor Robert Doyle, the path became clear. The Doyle lab has given me the opportunity to explore translational medicinal chemistry focused on unmet clinical needs of various metabolic diseases.

Morgan 翱辫辫:听I’ve always had a passion for research that’s translatable, where I can directly see the work I’m doing on a day-to-day basis and how that work has the potential for real-world impact on people who need it. I was in Dr. Doyle’s class freshman year. I knew I liked metabolism and technology, and he took a chance on me and allowed me to begin my research.

Isabella Chavez Miranda:聽I’ve always had a deep love and passion for chemistry. Both my parents are chemical engineers. Since I was young, I’ve watched them do research. It was a no-brainer that I wanted to be involved when I came to 黑料不打烊.

I was lucky to be in Dr. Doyle鈥檚 class my freshman year. He saw the potential in me and allowed me to grow in his lab for the past four years.

Jesse Buck

Jesse 叠耻肠办:听I came in as a chemistry major but transitioned to medicinal chemistry and joined this lab as a junior. Dr. Doyle took a chance on me, and I appreciate that because I learned so much about what it means to be in a lab. I love doing chemistry research with implications in biology that you can use to make an impact and create something helpful for patients.

What is your proudest moment/biggest lesson learned from the lab?

叠耻肠办:听Being accepted into our respective graduate programs. That is concrete evidence that our hard work has paid off. We have an opportunity to grow and become impactful scientists.

翱辫辫:听Going to the Mid-Atlantic Pharmacology Society meeting [in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania] with Isa鈥攊t鈥檚 a big deal for undergraduates to present their research at a national conference like this.

翱濒肠辞迟迟:听Patience in research. It鈥檚 easy to get frustrated when experiments don鈥檛 go as planned. Being able to identify where things might have gone wrong and go back to the drawing board is just as important as producing and collecting novel data.

Isabella Chavez Miranda

Chavez Miranda:聽The first time I was able to synthesize a peptide that had the exact correct mass and was usable was an amazing feeling. That showed that I鈥檓 learning and growing as a scientist.

How will your graduate work advance your career ambitions?

Chavez Miranda:聽I鈥檝e loved making these potential drugs that could have a big impact on patients but if the people who need the drugs the most can鈥檛 get them, what real value do they bring? I want to bridge that gap between the patients and the drugs they need.

Morgan Opp

翱濒肠辞迟迟:听I鈥檓 interested in pursuing research in drug discovery and development for centrally mediated diseased states and hope to pursue a career in academia as a principal investigator, conducting high-impact research while mentoring the next generation of scientists.

叠耻肠办:听This is the perfect opportunity to discover what niche I want to work in. I鈥檓 hoping to find the perfect lab to mesh my love of chemistry and biology.

翱辫辫:听To continue exploring my passion for endocrinology and metabolism. I’m looking at labs that bridge both analytical chemistry, cell biology and medicinal chemistry. I’m leaning toward a future in biotechnology and want to remain on the cutting edge of research.

In case you missed it: Check out episode #175 of the 鈥溾€機use Conversations鈥� podcast, 鈥淪triving to Improve the Efficacy of Obesity, Diabetes Treatments.鈥� In the , medicinal chemist Robert Doyle discusses his breakthrough weight loss research, the important role students play in advancing his research, and how, through philanthropy, his work has come to life.

STARS consists of four categories: academics, engagement, operations, and planning and administration. Each section within these four categories has a set number of points and the final rating (bronze, silver, gold or platinum) is determined based on total overall score. The University earned a silver rating based on an overall score of 64.57, an improvement compared to a score of 61.55 given in 2022. The minimum overall score to reach gold is 65.

黑料不打烊 earned points due to an increase in sustainability-related academic courses and expanded sustainability research efforts across departments. Additional points came from conducting a 2023 sustainability culture and literacy survey for students, faculty, and staff, which helped establish a knowledge baseline and inform future initiatives. A new peer-to-peer student education program was launched to raise awareness, and the University participated in a peer review exchange of STARS reports with Florida State University. These initiatives helped increase the overall score.

Carbon Neutrality

Sustainability Management continues to work towards the University鈥檚 goal of carbon neutrality by 2032. New exterior LED lighting fixtures have been installed outside Graham Dining Hall, Flint Hall and Day Hall. New LED lighting fixtures will be installed on the first floor of Bird Library in the coming months, cutting the energy use from lighting in half.

Phase I of an energy recovery project is in its final stages at the Life Sciences Complex. The project will recover energy from exhaust air and use it to heat the incoming air. This will reduce the building鈥檚 need for steam in the heating months. Phase I will impact heating for the research wing of the building, parallel to Comstock Avenue, while the second phase will impact the teaching wing. Phase II is expected to be complete in the fall.

Plastic Reduction

The University is also in the process of drastically reducing its use of single-use plastics by the 2027-28 academic year. Food Services has done a great job swapping out plastics for alternative reusable items such as bulk condiment and coffee creamer dispensers in dining areas across campus. You can visit to view progress on the plastic reduction dashboard

In the Schine Student Center, Halal Shack, Panda Express and CoreLife Eatery have also converted to compostable cutlery and containers. Sustainability Management worked with Slice Consulting to design effective composting signage and potential solutions to the waste receptacle issues in Schine. The goal is to review these recommendations and implement updates this summer or fall.

Food Waste Audits

Sustainability Management interns conduct a food waste audit in the Sadler Dining hall.

Sustainability Management interns hosted numerous food waste audits throughout Sadler, Ernie and Graham Dining Halls this semester. As students brought their plates up at the end of each meal, interns would ask students to separate the remaining waste into three separate bins. One was for untouched food (a full slice of pizza), one for non-edible scraps (banana peels, apple cores) and one for food scraps (half-eaten bowl of rice). Surveys were also issued to students to gain a better understanding as to why they may have had leftover food on their plate.

Sustainability Management intern Diana (Jiarong) Zou compiled the survey data and found two main reasons why students had leftover food. Food scraps accounted for the highest amount of waste, followed by non-edible scraps and untouched food. The food waste audits helped bring awareness to food waste and encouraged people to be more thoughtful when making their food selections.

Earth Month

Several events were hosted throughout the month of April for Earth Month and Earth Day. Sustainability Management partnered with the WhitmanSchool of Management for an undergraduate mixer held in the Grand Hall. Students learned about the Sustainability Management department and were given seeds to take home. On Earth Day, student interns hosted a plant propagation event on the Einhorn Family Walk. Students learned about the benefits of compost and were able to take home their own propagated plant. On Friday, April 25, a Sustainability Walking Tour was held. Attendees learned about past, future and currently underway projects to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Check out the in the fall for the next round of events. If you happen to be around this summer, volunteer hours for Pete鈥檚 Giving Garden will also be posted on the Community Calendar.

Students explain their board game 鈥淢ayhem Matchup鈥� during the 2025 Intelligence++ Inclusive Design Spring Showcase.

The cross-campus 聽 initiative held its inclusive design showcase on April 29 in Bird Library.聽A collaboration between , the College of Visual and Performing Arts鈥� (VPA) , and the , Intelligence++ is an interdisciplinary initiative focused on inclusive entrepreneurship, design and community.

The initiative is open to both undergraduate and graduate students across the University, including students with intellectual disability from ,聽an initiative from the聽.

Hosted by Brittany Berry, instructor in the School of Design, the showcase was joined remotely by Gianfranco Zaccai 鈥�70, H鈥�09, co-founder and chief designer of Continuum Innovation, who founded Intelligence++ through his .

The following projects were showcased:

TextPal
Carter Rice ’25 (VPA) and Julia Weinreich ’26 (VPA)
-A peer mentorship app connecting high school students with college students who share similar disability experiences to provide academic, social, and emotional guidance; build community and reduce isolation; and foster long-term support networks and mentorship.

Mayhem MatchUp
Matthew Pass ’26 (College of Arts and Sciences), Dan Zarro ’28 (InclusiveU) and Pinyi Wang ’26 (VPA)
-An inclusive, intuitive board game aimed at developmentally disabled players that has potential both as entertainment and as a tool for recreational therapists.

Sensory ToolKits
Isaac Munce ’28 (VPA) and Andrew Baum ’28 (InclusiveU)
-Build-your-own sensory calming kits that help build “calm, confidence and community for a world that too often forgets sensory needs.”

Solace
Aidan Turner ’25 (School of Architecture), Lucas d鈥橭elsnitz ’25 (Martin J. Whitman School of Management), Carolyn Fernandes ’25 (VPA) and Aphrodite Gioulekas ’25 (VPA)
-A design company addressing physical discomfort, sensory overload, cognitive disruption and social confidence for neurodivergent individuals through inclusive clothing options. Prototype clothing includes concealed and participatory fidgeting features, clasping cuffs and light and airy (not scratchy) fabrics.

Students wearing garments from SOLACE Collective’s new line of clothing for neurodivergent individuals.

Carolyn Fernandes 鈥�25 remembers walking out of an interview for a design internship that she ended up not getting. She wondered if fidgeting with her nails鈥攁 common, repetitive expression of her nervous energy every day鈥攚as misconstrued as a sign of not paying attention and a reason for her not getting the position.

Carolyn Fernandes

Fernandes is part of the 20% of people worldwide who are neurodivergent and live with neurological differences like autism, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), dyslexia, bipolar disorder and social anxiety.

Stories like the one above motivated Fernandes and fellow students Lucas d鈥橭elsnitz 鈥�25, Aphrodite Gioulekas 鈥�25 and Aidan Turner 鈥�25 to create , which aims to provide everyone, especially neurodivergent individuals, with comfortable garments that alleviate anxiety, increase confidence and reduce distractions by providing opportunities for fidgeting discreetly or openly.

鈥淧eople like me need to fidget to cope and feel comfortable, so I started researching ways clothing could be made to help neurodiverse people like myself feel more comfortable,鈥� Fernandes says.

After an inspiring conversation with Linda Dickerson Hartsock鈥攖he retired founder and executive director of 鈥攁nd after taking an class focused on inclusive product design, Turner came up with the idea for SOLACE 鈥渢o meet the needs of a huge portion of the population that is currently underserved,鈥� says Turner.

Going All-In to Solve an Important Social Issue

Aidan Turner

In October, Turner set about assembling what he proudly refers to as his team of Avengers to turn concept into reality. As part of the group, Turner, a fifth-year architecture student in the , recruited Fernandes, who is studying industrial design in the (VPA) and Spanish and environmental geoscience in the ; d鈥橭elsnitz, who is studying finance and entrepreneurship in the ; Gioulekas, a fashion design major in VPA; Maria-Camila Molina 鈥�25, a fashion design major in VPA; Christine Ianniello 鈥�25, a biology major in Arts and Sciences; Bobby Anzaldua 鈥�25, an economics major in the ; Bella Tabak 鈥�25, a magazine, news and digital journalism in the ; and Francine聽Tongol 鈥�24, a communications design major in VPA.

Lucas d鈥橭elsnitz

After sharing their personal experiences with uncomfortable clothing with each other, Turner pitched creating the neurodivergent clothing line. The project鈥檚 potential impact immediately resonated with d鈥橭elsnitz. At Whitman, d鈥橭elsnitz does a lot of idea pitching but always struggles to control his fidgeting. After one of his first pitches before his peers, d鈥橭elsnitz nearly passed out because, unable to rely on his usual coping mechanisms like playing with his rings, he felt anxious and light-headed.

鈥淩ealizing this is something I would wear motivated me to go all-in on this project because this is not just a clothing brand; it鈥檚 solving an important social issue,鈥� says d’Oelsnitz, who has ADHD and bouts of anxiety.

Meeting the Unique Needs of Neurodiverse Individuals

The team set out to collect data on how SOLACE could better meet the needs of neurodiverse individuals, beginning with a wardrobe analysis and personal interviews to determine what types of clothing neurodivergent people liked or didn鈥檛 like鈥攊ncluding textures and how a garment feels.

Lucas d鈥橭elsnitz (right) discusses SOLACE Collective’s line of clothing with a student during one of 10 on-campus events where students could try on the clothes and provide feedback.

For the next step, Fernandes conducted a survey of 430 people ages 5 to 91 and discovered that 95% of respondents, including 97% of neurodiverse people, experienced discomfort from their clothing.

Incorporating the feedback and relying on sketches, Turner created a visual design brief that served as the blueprint for the first line of clothing, and Fernandes and others on the team used sewing machines to create prototypes from fabric samples collected from their closets and local thrift shops.

Currently there are four prototypes consisting of a matching sweatshirt or hoodie and sweatpants of assorted colors, fabrics and designs:

• Concealed fidgeting: A sweatsuit featuring textured cargo pockets with hidden interior fabrics for discreet sensory engagement
• Participatory fidgeting: A distressed, double-layered top and bottom set with tactile cutouts for visible fidgeting鈥攖urning a need into a confident form of self-expression
• Airy and light: A minimal-stitched, ultra-breathable sweat set built for those sensitive to seams and pressure, offering a loose and calming fit
• Clasp cuffs: A crewneck set with subtly exposed, adjustable elastic cuffs that let wearers control tightness for customized comfort

The clothes are tagless (product details and cleaning instructions are screen-printed on the outside), with many of the items providing its wearer a sense of grounded-ness thanks to the use of heavy fabric, while others rely on light and airy fabrics.

鈥淥ur product line serves to confirm to a lot of neurodivergent people that what they鈥檙e doing is okay and that they can be normal,鈥� says Fernandes, who serves as SOLACE鈥檚 industrial designer. 鈥淎nd it鈥檚 not just neurodivergent people that want this clothing. If everyone is wearing it, then no one is going to feel like they鈥檙e sticking out like a sore thumb while they fidget.鈥�

Aidan Turner (far right) talks with students during one of SOLACE Collective’s on-campus feedback events.

Transforming Vision into Reality

鈥淲e try to achieve a grounded feeling while providing warmth and the reassurance that you鈥檙e safe. We鈥檙e trying to find a sustainable way to produce items of clothing for everyone, no matter how your neurodiversity presents,鈥� says d’Oelsnitz, SOLACE鈥檚 project coordinator.

The group has received more than $32,000 in startup investment money through entrepreneurial competitions held on campus and through grants, including the聽2025 School of Information Studies鈥� Raymond von Dran Fund for Student Entrepreneurship iPrize competition. Earlier this semester, they held 10 events on campus for students to try on the clothes and provide feedback.

After running a marketing campaign, including the launch of a website and social media channels, they hope to start accepting pre-orders in late June, with items being distributed to customers by the end of the summer. Knowing how well-received their casual prototypes have been, Turner, Fernandes and d鈥橭elsnitz next want to expand into business casual clothing.

鈥淚 have a passion for designing fashion, for retail and for entrepreneurship, and I was introduced to the lack of solutions that exist for neurodivergent individuals,鈥� says Turner, SOLACE鈥檚 team coordinator. 鈥淭here are a lot of opportunities for us to give this overlooked community reassurance and warmth through our clothing, and I鈥檓 proud of what this wonderful team has accomplished so far.鈥�

Members of the campus community learn about the SOLACE Collective’s line of clothing for neurodivergent individuals.

Gisela von Dran, widow of Raymond von Dran, served as a judge and handed out RvD iPrize awards.

Winners of the 2025 School of Information Studies鈥� (iSchool) Raymond von Dran (RvD) Fund for Student Entrepreneurship iPrize competition and the Hunter Brooks Watson (HBW) Spirit of Entrepreneurship Award were announced on April 10 at the Blackstone LaunchPad in Bird Library. The award competition highlights the University鈥檚 entrepreneurial focus. Each team received a $2,000 award.

Raymond von Dran, who served as dean of the School of Information Studies from 1995 until his passing in 2007, was a longtime academic, entrepreneur and staunch supporter of student innovation.

The 2025 RvD iPrize winners are the following:

• SipSafe, founded by Lindy Elizabeth Truitt 鈥�25 (College of Visual and Performing Arts) and Anjaneya Sanjay Padwal G鈥�25 (School of Information Studies)
• Diabetech, founded by Tosin Alabi G鈥�25 (Martin J. Whitman School of Management)
• InstaHelp, founded by Mirco Sascha Kunz G鈥�26 (Whitman School)
• Game, founded by Carena Gianna Colo G鈥�25 (Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs)
• SOLACE, founded by Carolyn Fernandes G鈥�25 (College of Visual and Performing Arts)
• Pari Beauty, founded by Aarna Taparia 鈥�27 (School of Architecture)
• WW Productions, founded by James Oliver Welch G鈥�28 (College of Visual and Performing Arts) and Reid Willar G鈥�27 (College of Visual and Performing Arts)
• Palmarati, founded by Tommy Brown G鈥�28 (S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and School of Information Studies) and Oscar Rune Goranson G鈥�28 (Whitman School)
• RYZYN, founded by Celes Buffard 鈥�27 (School of Information Studies)
• BetaKola, founded by Alie Savane 鈥�25 (College of Arts and Sciences)

The Hunter Brooks Watson Spirit of Entrepreneurship Award began in 2018 through the Hunter Brooks Watson Memorial Fund and is awarded to students who best exemplify 鈥淭he Spirit of Entrepreneurship.鈥� Prizes honor the memory of Hunter Brooks Watson, a 黑料不打烊 student who died tragically in a distracted driving accident. The 2025 HBW Spirit of Entrepreneurship Award Winners are the following:

• Carolina Aguayo-Pla 鈥�27 (Whitman School and School of Information Studies)
• Waqar Hussain 鈥�25 (Whitman School)
• Isabella Carter G鈥�26 (Newhouse School) and Ava Lubkemann G鈥�26 (College of Engineering and Computer Science)
• Ziekariba Nonr Diallo G鈥�28 (School of Information Studies)
• Jase M Malloy 鈥�25 (School of Information Studies)

The Whitman Entrepreneurship MBA was also ranked No. 29. These specialty rankings are based solely on ratings by business school deans and directors of Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) accredited MBA programs from the list of schools surveyed. They were asked to nominate up to 15 programs for excellence in each area listed.

Whitman鈥檚 MBA program is currently ranked closely with the University of Miami, University of Maryland, Tulane University, Fordham聽University聽and others.

Half of the ranking formula evaluated institutions on the successful job attainment and earnings outcomes of the graduating students. The other half is a combination of academic achievement metrics of entering students and overall program quality assessments of other business school leadership and corporate recruiters. The rankings assess academic quality and graduate success鈥攆actors that are universally important to prospective students, according to Robert Morse, chief data strategist at U.S. News & World Report.

Data was collected in fall 2024 and early 2025. U.S. News surveyed 508 institutions with master鈥檚 level business programs in the U.S. accredited by AACSB International. Eligible schools reported on their full-time in-person programs鈥攁s defined by Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) guidelines. A total of 337 business schools responded and U.S. News ranked the top 133 business schools with eligible programs. 聽This year for the first time, U.S. News used collected data on both the old GMAT test and the new GMAT test that was introduced in fall 2023.

鈥淲hitman is once again proving that we are a school on the rise. This latest achievement for our MBA program showing our highest ranking in over 25 years acts as another proof point that the work we are doing is making a difference. Our investments into our programming and emphasizing student placement success鈥攕omething that is central to our students鈥� decisions to pursue an MBA鈥攁re paying off. This is a strong testament on the accomplishments of our team and the trajectory of our MBA program,鈥� says Interim Dean Alex McKelvie.

鈥淚t鈥檚 incredibly exciting to see Whitman rise to No. 54 in the U.S. News & World Report rankings for our residential MBA program鈥攐ur highest in decades. Rankings aren鈥檛 everything, but they do matter to prospective students making one of the biggest decisions of their lives. This recognition reinforces what we already know: a Whitman MBA offers strong career outcomes, meaningful connections and long-term value. It鈥檚 a great time to be part of this community,鈥� says Mary Collier, executive director of graduate admissions and student recruitment.

See full list of U.S. News graduate business school rankings:

For more information on the methodology:

Thirty-five students have been chosen as the 2025-26 黑料不打烊 Remembrance Scholars.

The scholarships, now in their 36th year, were founded as a tribute to鈥攁nd means of remembering鈥攖he students studying in London and Florence through 黑料不打烊 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 鈥�66 and 黑料不打烊 Life Trustee Richard L. Thompson G鈥�67 in memory of Jean Taylor Phelan Terry 鈥�43 and John F. Phelan, Jean Thompson鈥檚 parents; by Board of Trustees Chairman Emeritus Steven Barnes 鈥�82 and Deborah Barnes; by The 黑料不打烊 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.

鈥淩emembrance Scholars, through their academic achievements, leadership and contributions to the campus and local communities, exemplify what a 黑料不打烊 education has to offer and represent the promise of the students for whom these scholarships are named,鈥� says Lois Agnew, vice chancellor, provost and chief academic officer. 鈥淲e are proud to recognize their accomplishments.鈥�

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 Ren茅e 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 黑料不打烊, 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 Ren茅e 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 Ren茅e 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 Ren茅e Crown University Honors Program;
• Alani Henderson of 黑料不打烊, 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 Ren茅e 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 Ren茅e 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 Ren茅e 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 Ren茅e 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 Ren茅e 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 Ren茅e 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 Ren茅e 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.

The Student Experience division is honored to announce the selection of Chidera Olalere 鈥�26 and Silke Pion 鈥�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.

鈥淟eading with heart, purpose and unmistakable Orange pride, Chidera and Silke have made a lasting impact on our 黑料不打烊 community through their dedication to campus involvement, community service and academic excellence,鈥� says Sheriah N. Dixon, associate vice president for the聽, dean of students and chair of the selection committee. 鈥淎s the Class of 2026 Senior Class Marshals, they embody the true spirit of 黑料不打烊鈥攇uiding us with vision, unity and distinction as we step boldly into the future.鈥�

Chidera Olalere

Home is where you find community and belonging and for rising senior Chidera Olalere, her homes include Nigeria, North Yorkshire, England, and 黑料不打烊. 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.

鈥淚 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 黑料不打烊, I knew I wanted to pay all this forward,鈥� says Olalere in reflection of what motivated her to apply for Senior Class Marshal. 鈥淚 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.鈥�

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 Ren茅e 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 黑料不打烊 Ambulance team, as a college ministry worship leader and a student ambassador for the College of Arts and Sciences.

鈥淭o 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,鈥� says Olalere. 鈥淭he legacy I have found at 黑料不打烊 is one of joyful service and community and that is the same legacy I hope to leave behind.鈥�

Silke Pion

As a California resident, contemplating leaving the West Coast for 黑料不打烊 was at first a daunting decision for Pion, a junior in the and pursuing bachelor鈥檚 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 黑料不打烊 but the opportunities for student success were limitless.

鈥淚 want my legacy to remain here at 黑料不打烊 and remind students who may second guess themselves that they are worthy of every opportunity in front of them. Before 黑料不打烊, I would have never applied for opportunities such as being a Senior Class Marshal鈥攐ut of pure fear of rejection,鈥� says Pion. 鈥淢y time here has demonstrated that rejection is not the end of the world and often leads to some other unexpected surprises.鈥�

As a recipient of the Chancellor鈥檚 and Invest in Success scholarships, in addition to being a member of the dean鈥檚 list, Ren茅e 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 黑料不打烊 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鈥檚 district office, communications and community coordinator for the Kenya Immersion Experience and an active member of the Goodman IMPRESS Program and volunteer in the 黑料不打烊 community.

鈥淣o opportunity or experience stands alone, instead, it鈥檚 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.鈥� 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. 鈥淎lthough my time at 黑料不打烊 is quickly coming to an end, a piece of my heart will always be here. I want my legacy to remain here at 黑料不打烊 and remind the students who may second guess themselves that they are worthy of every opportunity in front of them.鈥�

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

聽is a prestigious global business competition started by a partnership between the聽聽and the聽. The competition inspires student entrepreneurs to solve the world鈥檚 biggest challenges through innovative social enterprises with positive global impact.聽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鈥檚 Hult Prize Competition qualifier was (College of Engineering and Computer Science).

In business, Daniel A. D鈥橝niello 鈥�68, H鈥�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 黑料不打烊. The is proud to announce聽that this devoted alumnus, 黑料不打烊 life trustee and generous supporter will address the Whitman Class of 2025 at this year鈥檚 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, 黑料不打烊鈥檚 business fraternity, D鈥橝niello graduated magna cum laude from 黑料不打烊. 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鈥橝niello earned an MBA from Harvard Business School in 1974.

鈥淲e could not be more excited to have Dan D鈥橝niello speak to our graduates this year,鈥� says Whitman Interim Dean Alex McKelvie. 鈥淗is 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.鈥�

In appreciation of the strong foundations he received at 黑料不打烊 and his commitment to the U.S military, D鈥橝niello 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鈥橝niello Entrepreneurship Internship Program to support business development and expand students鈥� experiential learning opportunities. His other commitments include chairman of the Chancellor鈥檚 Council and co-chairman of the (IVMF) Advisory Board.

Long-time supporters of 黑料不打烊, Dan and his wife Gayle gave the naming gift to the Daniel and Gayle D鈥橝niello 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鈥橝niello Institute for Veterans and Military Families, ensuring its work will continue well into the future.

The D鈥橝niellos鈥� unwavering support for 黑料不打烊 continued in 2022 when they committed a gift to support and expand the Daniel and Gayle D鈥橝niello 黑料不打烊 Program in Florence, part of the 黑料不打烊 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鈥橝niello and his wife made a transformative gift to expand 黑料不打烊鈥檚 Catholic Center.

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

Evan Kalish (left) and Talia St. Angelo were recognized by Poets&Quants for Undergrads on its annual Best & Brightest Undergraduate Business Majors list. (Photo by Amelia Beamish)

罢飞辞听 seniors鈥擡van Kalish (finance and business analytics) and Talia St. Angelo (finance and marketing)鈥攚ere selected by 聽to be highlighted聽in its annual Best & Brightest Undergraduate Business Majors feature. This is the tenth annual list, which honors 100 of the most accomplished seniors at top business schools across the country.

鈥淲hat makes a Best & Brightest student? The Best & Brightest were the catalysts who made things happen. Filled with faith and optimism, these business majors elevated their classmates to be their best selves. In the process, they became as urgent as they were unforgettable. Over time, that spirit will enable each of them to do something special, in one form or another鈥� Think passion and purpose鈥攁 commitment to a particular industry or outcome鈥攖hat pushes to always be questioning listening, learning, and growing,鈥� says Jeff Schmitt, a senior writer with Poets&Quants who launched the series in 2016.

When asked to describe how his business school has integrated artificial intelligence (AI) into programming, Kalish said: 鈥淎ll Whitman seniors are required to take a capstone entrepreneurship class as a graduation requirement. In this class, students are tasked with creating a novel business idea and ultimately crafting a business plan to pitch to a panel of judges in a business case competition format. During this time, my professor encouraged our class to use AI for ideation, specifically in identifying current market trends and finding potential business opportunities. This integration of AI has proven to be incredibly helpful, as idea generation is a difficult part of the course.鈥�

St. Angelo says students hoping to study business should 鈥渟tep out of your comfort zone and embrace new opportunities. You never know what you鈥檙e capable of until you try. Business is a dynamic field that requires adaptability, curiosity and a willingness to take risks. Getting involved in different organizations, exploring various disciplines and networking with professionals can open doors you never expected. Don鈥檛 limit yourself; rather, challenge assumptions, seek diverse experiences and remain open to growth.鈥�

Twelve seniors have been named as the 2025 黑料不打烊 Scholars, the highest undergraduate honor the University bestows.

The 黑料不打烊 Scholars Selection Committee, a Universitywide faculty committee, selected the scholars using criteria that included coursework and academic achievement, independent research and creative work, evidence of intellectual growth or innovation in their disciplinary field, a personal statement and faculty letters of recommendation.

“We are proud to recognize our University Scholars for their many accomplishments. Not only have they achieved academic success, they have also embraced opportunities鈥攍ike research and community service鈥攖o enhance and expand their undergraduate experience and make the most of their time here. As they prepare to graduate, we are looking forward to celebrating their future accomplishments and success,” says Interim Vice Chancellor, Provost and Chief Academic Officer Lois Agnew.

The 2025 黑料不打烊 Scholars are:

• Jonathan Collard de Beaufort, a biochemistry major in the College of Arts and Sciences and member of the Ren茅e Crown University Honors Program;
• Charlotte Ebel, a public relations major in the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, a women and gender studies and German language, literature and culture major in the College of Arts and Sciences, and member of the Ren茅e Crown University Honors Program;
• 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 Ren茅e Crown University Honors Program;
• Yuming Jiang, a mathematics and physics major in the College of Arts and Sciences and member of the Ren茅e Crown University Honors Program;
• Sierra Kaplan, a political science major in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, a health humanities major in the College of Arts and Sciences, and a member of the Ren茅e Crown University Honors Program;
• Emmy Njue, a finance and business analytics majors in the Whitman School of Management;
• Kerrin O鈥橤rady, a biomedical engineering major in the College of Engineering and Computer Science and a neuroscience major in the College of Arts and Sciences;
• Morgan Opp, a chemistry and biology major in the College of Arts and Sciences;
• Timothy Paek, a computer science major in the College of Engineering and Computer Science and member of the Ren茅e Crown University Honors Program;
• Skyla Ross-Graham a psychology major in the College of Arts and Sciences;
• Yifan Shen, an architecture major in the School of Architecture, a music history and cultures major in the College of Arts and Sciences, and member of the Ren茅e Crown University Honors Program; and
• Sophia Znamierowski, a biology and neuroscience major in the College of Arts and Sciences, and member of the Ren茅e Crown University Honors Program.

Bruce Mosler

The breakfast and Whitman Day event with Mosler will be held on Thursday, April 24, from 9 to 10:30 a.m. in the Whitman School鈥檚 Flaum Grand Hall. Moderating the event will be Whitman alumnus Harold A. Fetner 鈥�83, president and CEO of Fetner Properties Inc., which provides luxury high-rise apartment living in New York City.

Fetner will discuss with Mosler how Cushman & Wakefield, with revenues of $9.5 billion in 2023, 400 offices in 60 countries and approximately 52,000 employees and 5,100 million square feet of commercial space, strategically selected its building locations. They will explore the types of housing Cushman & Wakefield provides, and how technology plays a vital role in the current real estate market.

Mosler will also offer advice to current Whitman students eager to learn from his success and discuss the steps necessary to further enhance innovation both in his field and in the overall business arena.

Hal Fetner

鈥淚鈥檓 always excited to be on campus, so I鈥檓 delighted to be at the school celebrating Whitman Day with my friend, Bruce Mosler. We鈥檒l be moderating a conversation about my two favorite topics鈥敽诹喜淮蜢� and real estate. What could be better?鈥� says Fetner.

Whitman Day is an annual event to celebrate鈥攂oth in-person and virtually鈥攈ow the Whitman School has positively impacted students, faculty, alumni and supporters while encouraging all to continue helping the school prepare future leaders in an ever-changing business environment.

In-person regional celebrations will also be held in Washington, D.C, Los Angeles, Boston, New York City and San Francisco. . For more information, visit the .

From left are Rina Corigliano-Hart, director of client engagement and outreach, OneGroup; Lindsay Weichert, regional president, Central New York, Community Bank; Meghan Florkowski, director, WISE Women鈥檚 Business Center; and Alex McKelvie, dean, Martin J. Whitman School of Management.

In honor of International Women鈥檚 Day, has donated $10,000 to at the Martin J. Whitman School of Management. WISE is a Women鈥檚 Business Center dedicated to empowering Central New York鈥檚 entrepreneurs in all stages of business through comprehensive training programs, counseling and connections.

The donation will directly support WISE鈥檚 Accelerate Financial Management Program, a hands-on initiative that equips entrepreneurs with essential financial skills to build and sustain successful businesses. Covering key topics like budgeting, cash flow, financial statements and profitability strategies, the program ensures participants gain practical financial management skills tailored to their needs.

鈥淎s we celebrate International Women鈥檚 Day, we recognize the importance of empowering women through financial literacy and economic opportunity,鈥� Community Financial System Inc. Director of Community and Corporate Relations Pam Brunet says. 鈥淲omen make up a significant percentage of our workforce, and we are deeply committed to investing in initiatives that create meaningful opportunities for women in our communities.鈥�

Women are a driving force within Community Financial System Inc., playing a vital role across its companies:

• , overall 鈥� 71% women
• , corporate 鈥� 51% women
• 鈥� 79% women
• 鈥� 46% women
• (BPAS) 鈥� 59% women
• 鈥� 72% women

鈥淎t WISE, we believe in the economic power of women entrepreneurs. This generous donation from Community Bank will directly support our local business owners, providing the essential financial tools and resources they need to succeed,” says Meghan Florkowski, director, WISE WBC. “By working together, we are empowering women to strengthen their financial management skills and build more sustainable businesses, ultimately contributing to the growth and vitality of our community.鈥�

Community Bank donated $10,000 to the Women Igniting the Spirit of Entrepreneurship (WISE) Women鈥檚 Business Center at the Martin J. Whitman School of Management. Those pictured include WISE staff and board members, as well as Community Bank and OneGroup staff.

鈥淭oday is more than just the event. It’s about building a future, a future where innovation thrives, where opportunities abound and where our community prospers,鈥� said Jeff Rubin, senior vice president for digital transformation and chief digital officer, during his welcoming remarks. 鈥淎nd at the heart of the future is the powerful synergy between 黑料不打烊 and Micron.鈥�

A Micron Day participant tries on a virtual reality headset. (Photo by ana gil studios)

As part of Micron鈥檚 $100 billion plan to transform the Central New York聽(CNY) community into the nation鈥檚 leading producer of semiconductor fabrications, the University is a key collaborator in building and training the workforce for Micron鈥檚 leading-edge memory megafab in Clay, New York.

Micron Day brought together hundreds of University faculty, staff and students; community members; local high school students and Micron employees to explore the collaboration between the University and Micron Technology and learn about the opportunities Micron is bringing to Central New York.

The day included a number of panel presentations and exhibitions featuring University programs and degrees and community organizations. One of the day鈥檚 highlights was the announcement by Micron and the University鈥檚 D鈥橝niello Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF) that 90 transitioning servicemembers, veterans and military spouses have achieved a certificate of completion in semiconductors through IVMF鈥檚 Onward to Opportunity program.

Alumni Contribute to Micron鈥檚 Mission

An alumni panel, moderated by Sarah Newton-Klitz, Micron鈥檚 director of strategic workforce programs, was composed of three University alumni: Kim Burnett 鈥�91 (Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics), Micron鈥檚 lead for K-12 STEM education outreach; Joe Nehme 鈥�11 (Whitman School of Management), senior manager of external affairs; and Savion Pollard 鈥�25 (College of Engineering and Computer Science), equipment engineer. Pollard, a U.S. Navy veteran, was Micron鈥檚 first Central New York hire.

Micron Day alumni panelists Kim Burnett ’91, Savion Pollard ’25 and Joe Nehme ’11

Burnett鈥檚 education includes child development, industrial and labor relations, business and science education, including a long career as a teacher. Nehme works with stakeholders to advocate for the company as federal, state and local governments begin to take a more active role in reshoring semiconductor manufacturing. Pollard is a current senior in ECS, majoring in electrical engineering with a minor in computer science. That, combined with his experience in the U.S. Navy, has helped him build skills that prepared him well for the semiconductor industry.

鈥淵ou can see here that this is just a sampling of the different job opportunities that Micron has available,鈥� said Newton-Klitz. 鈥淎nd when I think about even the experience at Micron, it really is a little city that has a variety of jobs that we need.鈥�

Burnett has experienced the power of a good job has on the experience of a family. 鈥淚 want to be sure that folks, particularly children, have an opportunity for a good paying job,鈥� she says.

Nehme is an Upstate New York native and has seen the manufacturing that has been lost in the region over the years. 鈥淭o work for a company that is committed to reshoring semiconductor manufacturing back to the United States, in my hometown, I saw no better opportunity,鈥� he said.

All of the panelists said their time at 黑料不打烊 prepared them well for their roles at Micron. 鈥淪o much of my time in Whitman was built around working in teams, collaborating with others; to troubleshoot and solve problems,鈥� Nehme said. 鈥淎nd those are all things that I deal with and that we look at every day in my role here at Micron.鈥�

Their advice for students? Focus on your passion and the things that you like out of the activities that you do. Continue to invest in yourself, be open, curious and coachable.

Fireside Chat on What鈥檚 Ahead

J. Michael Haynie (center), the University鈥檚 vice chancellor for strategic initiatives and innovation and executive dean of the Whitman School of Management, moderated a discussion with Scott Gatzemeier, Micron鈥檚 corporate vice president for front-end U.S. expansion, and April Arnzen, Micron鈥檚 executive vice president and chief people officer and president of the Micron Foundation. (Photo by ana gil studios)

To close out the day, J. Michael Haynie, the University鈥檚 vice chancellor for strategic initiatives and innovation and executive dean of the Whitman School of Management, moderated a discussion with April Arnzen, Micron鈥檚 executive vice president and chief people officer and president of the Micron Foundation, and Scott Gatzemeier, Micron鈥檚 corporate vice president for front-end U.S. expansion, to talk about what鈥檚 ahead.

The future for the semiconductor industry, Gatzemeier said, is in artificial intelligence. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 what’s driving huge amounts of demand for our product and also customization and collaboration with a number of partners in our space that we’re very, very excited about watching this growth continue,鈥� he said.

That growth requires a workforce of epic proportions throughout the industry. 鈥淲e started partnering early,鈥� said Arnzen. 鈥淲e know it is going to be a challenge, and so scaling up existing pathways鈥攅ngineering, science and math programs鈥攊s going to be very important. Creating new pathways and opportunities for people to access these careers is part of our strategy as well.鈥�

The University is one of four nationwide university networks that Micron works with to modernize the curriculum and create hands-on learning opportunities to build a talent pipeline.

Arnzen said one of the differentiating factors for Central New York region and the University was the commitment to veterans and those transitioning from military service. 鈥淲e knew that this ecosystem existed and the know-how existed as well,鈥� she said.

Haynie talked about the role of community, alluding to a previous reference as the Micron project as Central New York鈥檚 鈥淓rie Canal moment.鈥�

鈥淲e know that a healthy and thriving community is important for a healthy and thriving business,鈥� Arnzen said. 鈥淭his is definitely an Erie Canal moment, both for this community and frankly, for Micron too. We have the opportunity to do this well, to do it right and make sure that this lasts for decades to come.鈥�

Jack Wren (center) is pursuing a dual degree in finance and business analytics from the Martin J. Whitman School of Management. He’s also a member of the University鈥檚 club men鈥檚 ice hockey team and an entrepreneur who launched his own hat company, Happy Duck Co. (Photo by Maria Kaffes ’26)

The entrepreneurial seeds that Jack Wren 鈥�26 planted as a 5-year-old would eventually grow into a full-fledged career running his own small business producing hats.

Even at that young age, Wren possessed a savvy business acumen. He would purchase seed packets for growing assorted plants and flowers in bulk for 10 cents apiece and would sell them to his green thumb-inclined neighbors for $2 a pack.

It would come as no surprise to anyone who knew Wren growing up in Saratoga, New York, that, as he pursues a dual degree in finance and business analytics from the , he鈥檚 successfully launched his own hat company,

鈥淚鈥檝e always had entrepreneurial endeavors and aspirations. This summer, after two good externships with BNY Mellon and Fenimore Asset Management, I realized I wanted to launch a company based on something I鈥檓 passionate about,鈥� Wren says. 鈥淎nd I鈥檓 definitely passionate about athletics and hats, so out of those passions I started Happy Duck, which is marketed as a brand for athletes.鈥�

The idea for the brand: 鈥淲hen I was little, I was rambunctious, and my mom used to tell me that I would quack a lot and she would call me a happy duck,鈥� Wren says. 鈥淚鈥檓 very close with my parents and I thought that would be a great name for the brand.鈥�

Jack Wren with his mom, Karin, who bestowed the happy duck nickname on Jack as a child

Wren, a lifelong hockey player and member of the , has built the company from the ground up, including setting up as a limited liability company (LLC), designing his website, creating a comprehensive social media strategy, hiring employees and taking out a personal loan to cover the startup costs.

The business venture has all been worth it for Wren, who is currently working with Rachel Duffy, director of the Office of Trademark Licensing, on an official licensing agreement between Happy Duck and the University.

Jack Wren (Photo by Maria Kaffes ’26)

鈥淚鈥檓 focusing on being an athletic brand and I鈥檝e brought on former 黑料不打烊 student-athletes to help run social media, set up photoshoots with our product models and streamline the process with the athletes we鈥檙e targeting,鈥� Wren says. 鈥淥ur goal is to get people to see themselves wearing our brand and our hats while they workout.鈥�

Wren sat down with SU News to reflect on his journey to 黑料不打烊, reminisce about his Orange hockey career and discuss his career ambitions once he graduates.

Involvement on campus: Member of the club , the and , an international business fraternity.

What made 黑料不打烊 the right school for you?

I knew the Whitman School was ranked as one of the best business schools in the country, and I knew I wanted to study business and finance. After I got in, I met the guys on the hockey team, came for my accepted students鈥� day tour and got to hang out with and skate with the team and meet the coach. They offered me a position, and after seeing everything in person and getting a feel for the campus, the academics and the club hockey team, I knew that 黑料不打烊 was home for me. I鈥檝e been eternally grateful to be here.

What has that experience been like, playing for the club hockey team?

People often hear club sports, and they have this misconception that a club sport isn鈥檛 that serious of an activity. But club hockey is intense.

We start skating in late August, begin practicing in September and have our first games in the middle of September, and if we qualify for nationals, we鈥檙e playing into the middle of March. It鈥檚 a grueling schedule. We have games every weekend. The competition level is extremely high.

But if I had everything to do all over again, coming off of playing junior hockey and transitioning to college life, I would 100% go this route and be a student-athlete at 黑料不打烊.

Favorite memory from the hockey team?

I’ve had a lot of great memories on and off the ice. My favorite memory would probably be when we went to go play Liberty University down in Lynchburg, Virginia [Jan. 19-20, 2024]. We played in front of a sold-out crowd of 6,000-plus people and our games were televised nationally on ESPN+. It was a really cool experience that I鈥檒l never forget.

What are your career ambitions?

One of my friends told me that the journey is the destination, and I’ve really embraced that mentality. A lot of people get concerned with where they鈥檙e going or where they need to be, but you need to have that ability to pivot and change course.

My whole reason for starting Happy Duck was to understand how to start and grow a company. My goal is to be a stock trader once I graduate, and I would like to eventually run my own finance company. But as of right now, my goal is to take this company as far as I can. We鈥檙e trying to make a name for ourselves in a niche market and then expand from there. But having that ability and vision to be able to pivot and change on a dime for whatever may come my way is important. I鈥檝e learned to embrace the unexpected.

Responsive to the MLBPA鈥檚 desire to expand opportunities for career growth to its thousands of players, the new cross-campus collaboration taps into the expertise of several of the University鈥檚 schools and colleges, including the new , the , the and the .

鈥淢y fellow deans and I are excited to partner with the Major League Baseball Players Association to provide the 黑料不打烊 experience to those interested in pursuing our vast academic offerings,鈥� says Falk College Dean Jeremy Jordan, whose initial discussions with the MLBPA inspired the creation of this new initiative. 鈥淭his partnership reflects our collectively held value that higher education should be achievable for everyone, regardless of the demands of their profession or personal circumstances. For athletes and professionals with unpredictable schedules, our online programs offer the perfect balance of flexibility, robust academic support and real-world applicability鈥攁ll without compromising their careers.鈥�

“The Major League Baseball Players Association is thrilled to partner with 黑料不打烊 to provide our members with exceptional educational opportunities,鈥� says Chris Singleton, MLBPA special assistant for player resource programs and a former major league outfielder. 鈥淭his collaboration underscores our commitment to supporting players both on and off the field, ensuring they have access to world-class academic resources that empower their personal and professional growth.鈥�

The MLBPA represents the 1,200 players on major league 40-man rosters, as well as approximately 5,500 minor league players. This new partnership creates opportunities for these players to pursue several noteworthy objectives, including the following:

• Skill Development and Post-Career Readiness: The partnership will align market-relevant curricula and programming with players鈥� post-career aspirations and needs, ensuring they acquire meaningful skills and knowledge.
• Research and Innovation: The MLBPA and 黑料不打烊 will collaborate on research projects that inform progressive and advanced programming for professional athletes. These efforts may lead to the development of new technologies, products or processes, benefiting the MLBPA and other professional athletic organizations.
• Practical Experience: The partnership will provide 黑料不打烊 students with opportunities for internships, co-op programs and hands-on projects with the MLBPA. This practical experience will enhance learning, make students more competitive and serve as a potential pipeline for talent to the MLBPA and other professional athlete associations.
• Networking Opportunities: Players will gain access to professional mentors associated with 黑料不打烊 in sports, broadcasting and business, to aid them in post-playing career development and job opportunities.

Dedicated admission specialists and academic advisors will tailor academic pathways in support of the unique needs of each participant. These educational opportunities will be accessible through a number of formats, including online, on campus and at 黑料不打烊鈥檚 sites in New York City, Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles. The University will also offer an online academic English program to prepare non-native English speakers for success in their non-credit programs, courses and workshops.

Visit the 黑料不打烊 website to learn more about this innovative partnership.

The Summer Business Academy is designed for non-business majors interested in gaining a foundational understanding of various business principles. Taught by experienced Whitman instructors, courses will cover accounting, finance, marketing, human resources and business law. Students who participate in all five courses will receive a grant decreasing the total tuition cost to $15,000鈥攁 savings of over 50%.

鈥淲e are excited to announce the Whitman School鈥檚 inaugural Summer Business Academy, which will provide 黑料不打烊 non-business majors with a unique opportunity to explore topics that complement their current academic track,鈥� says Alex McKelvie, interim dean of the Whitman School. 鈥淭his program will also connect them with like-minded peers, allow them to build professional networks with Whitman faculty, alumni and supporters, and enhance their resum茅s with a business background that is sure to give them a real advantage in a competitive job market.鈥�

A hybrid model, the Summer Business Academy will kick-off with an in-person Maymester session (May 12 to 23) with MGT 355: Strategic Human Resource Management. It will continue with synchronous online courses during Summer Session 1 (May 27 to June 27), ACC 201: Essentials of Accounting and LPP 255: Introduction to the Legal System; and Summer Session 2 (June 30 to Aug. 8) FIN 301: Essentials of Finance and MAR301: Essential of Marketing, totaling 15 credits. The final three-credit requirement for the minor, EEE 370: Intro to Entrepreneurship and Emerging Enterprises, can be completed at the Whitman School at any time during the regular academic year鈥攁nd even through some locations.

According to Lindsay Quilty, assistant dean for undergraduate programs at the Whitman School, 鈥淥ver the years, we have had many students who request to take more classes at Whitman as they pursue their studies in other colleges across the University and realize how important business is in every field and industry. Because of this demand, Whitman has created the perfect opportunity to learn these essentials through the Summer Business Academy, a lower cost, intensive business minor.鈥�

The application deadline for the 2025 Summer Business Academy is Tuesday, April 15. Students must be able to participate in the in-person Maymester session, and the tuition grant is available only to students taking the full 15 credits. All applicants must be in good academic standing at their home school or college and are advised to speak to their academic advisor to understand how this program鈥檚 credits will count towards degree completion.

For more information, contact Quilty at lquilty@syr.edu or visit .

This group of graduates was also stepping into the record books, as these 497 students recently reported the highest percentage of job placements and starting salaries for the Whitman School. A 180-day post-graduation survey of the Class of 2024, facilitated by the Whitman Career Center, reported that 98.7% of students actively pursuing full-time employment had secured a job, with an average starting salary of $72,156鈥攆ar exceeding similar data collected over the past five years that averaged a 93.4% job placement rate and a $66,220 average starting salary.

The , overseen by Director Kara Primrose, played a pivotal role in these outstanding results. By providing transformative opportunities that connect academic knowledge to real-world applications, the Career Center team equips students with the life skills and meaningful experiences needed to succeed in a dynamic global economy.

鈥淭he Whitman Career Center team feels incredibly fortunate to support our students on their career journeys and see hard work lead to meaningful success,鈥� says Primrose. 鈥淭he dedication of our career advisors and the Whitman community, along with the hard work and determination of our students, collectively play a vital role in these outcomes. It is inspiring to see students gain clarity and confidence over their time at Whitman, developing the skills and passion needed to make a real impact in their fields. Their achievements are a testament to not only their efforts but also the strong academic and professional foundation of the Whitman School.鈥�

The Whitman Career Center provides transformative opportunities that connect academic knowledge to real-world applications for students, enabling them to succeed in a dynamic global economy.

According to Primrose, Whitman students are highly sought after by top employers worldwide. The Class of 2024 secured positions at prestigious firms such as Bank of America, Deloitte, Ernst & Young, Fidelity Investments, Goldman Sachs, GroupM, JPMorgan Chase & Co., KPMG, Morgan Stanley, PepsiCo, PwC, Ross Stores, Tapestry, the Walt Disney Company, TJX Companies and Wells Fargo.

鈥淲e are tremendously excited to see the outstanding job placement and salary results from the Class of 2024. We know how talented our Whitman students are and are proud that our industry partners see this in the same way. We congratulate our successful students and our outstanding Career Center team who help support and prepare them to launch their careers,鈥� says Interim Dean Alex McKelvie. 鈥淭hese most recent placement numbers are a testament to the current impact and potential for the future of our Career Center and the Whitman School鈥檚 goal of becoming a Top 25 business school鈥攁nd, it鈥檚 increasingly clear that we are on the right track.鈥�

Among the winning team awards:

• $1,500 to Olutosin Alabi G鈥�25 (Martin J. Whitman School of Management), founder of Diabetech;
• $1,500 to Anthony H. Smith Jr. G鈥�25 (S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications), Bryson Carter G鈥�25 (Newhouse School), Asha Breedlove G鈥�25 (Newhouse School) and Stacey Collier G鈥�25 (Newhouse School), founders of HBeatzCU;
• $1,000 to Sydney Moore G鈥�25 (Whitman School), founder of Thrive Insights;
• $1,000 to Lindy Truitt 鈥�25 (College of Visual and Performing Arts) and Anjaneya Padwal G鈥�25 (School of Information Studies), founders of Safe Sip;
• $500 to Tony Goncalves 鈥�27 (College of Engineering and Computer Science) and Armani Isonguyo 鈥�24 (Engineering and Computer Science), founders of GymIn;
• $500 to Jasmine Mayers 鈥�26 (Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs), founder of Pressed;
• $500 to Elizabeth Paulin 鈥�24 (College of Arts and Sciences), founder of Paulin Capital;
• $500 to Swathi Jacob G鈥�25 (Whitman School); and
• $250 to Maven Kavan 鈥�28 (Visual and Performing Arts).

A group photo of the 2025 Afropreneurship Celebration and Business Competition award winners

is an adjunct professor at 黑料不打烊鈥檚 Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs. She has conducted research on myriad topics and issues related to the criminal legal system. As the founder of the Center for Community Alternatives, she led efforts to develop alternative-to-incarceration programs and conducted influential research on the impact of criminal history screening in college admissions. She writes:

鈥淭he wildcat strike by prison guards spread quickly across the system, leaving incarcerated people without food, medicine and access to their families and loved ones.聽 Governor Hochul was forced to call in the national guard to take care of the basic necessities. Incarcerated persons have in fact welcomed the guard, finding them to be respectful and polite, with one person calling them ‘sweethearts.’

While working conditions inside prisons need to be improved, they are the pretextual for the walkout.聽 The strike began on February 17, a mere three days after the guards involved in the beating of Robert Brooks were indicted on murder. Moreover, second only to amnesty, the key demand made by the guards鈥� union is the suspension of the Halt Solitary Confinement law, action which can only be taken by the state legislature as part of their lawmaking function.鈥�

Lynne Vincent

is an assistant professor of management in 黑料不打烊鈥檚 Whitman School of Management with an expertise in labor and industrial relations. She wrote the following:

“This situation is really interesting as the Taylor Law restricts the ability of employees in critical positions such as prison guards to go on strike. The Taylor Law allows public employees to organize the join unions, and it requires public employers to negotiate with unions. It also established procedures for resolving contract disputes. However, the restriction of strikes has been seen as controversial. The penalties for going on strike are steep.聽

The prison guards wouldn’t be the first public employee group to go on strike. In 1968, the United Federation of Teachers went on strike as did the Buffalo Teachers Federation in 2000. New York City Transit Authority went on strike in 1980 and 2005. While this is rare, it is not unheard of.”

is a military spouse and research associate at 黑料不打烊’s D’Aniello Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF). She can speak to the impacts on service members and families of the National Guard when instances like this happen. Specifically, she can go into detail about IVMF’s latest research report with Blue Star Families which states approximately 50% of surveyors said the amount of time away from family as a result of military service is a top concern for them, with military pay and impacts of deployment on family being the next top issues ().

In further preparation of building the educational infrastructure and advancing innovation to support Micron鈥檚 transformational presence in Central New York, 黑料不打烊 will hold its first on Tuesday, Feb. 25, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Schine Student Center鈥檚 Panasci Lounge and Room 304A, B and C. The University is playing a key role in building and training the workforce of the future鈥攖hrough investments in a state-of-the-art teaching and research facility, attracting top semiconductor manufacturing researchers and faculty, and developing experiential student opportunities鈥攖o help power Micron鈥檚 leading-edge $100 billion memory megafab in Clay, New York.

The event, open to all University community members and the Central New York community, will focus on how the collaboration between Micron and the University is driving innovation in the semiconductor industry and creating exciting career pathways for students and community members. Attendees will get insights into the future of the semiconductor industry, information on educational and training pathways, and networking opportunities with industry leaders and educators. Those planning to attend are asked to or contact sumicron@syr.edu.

鈥淚 encourage any student, faculty or staff member鈥攁nd members of our greater community鈥攊nterested in learning more about how the University is engaging with Micron and community partners to come to Micron Day. There will be dynamic speakers, panels and exhibitions that should be both informative and entertaining, as well as networking,鈥� says J. Michael Haynie, vice chancellor for strategic initiatives and innovation. 鈥淚 hope that all participants walk away from Micron Day with a better understanding of the opportunities headed for our university and entire community鈥攁s well as a sense of how they can personally be a part of it.鈥�

Highlights of the Day

• Alumni Perspectives: Valuable insights will be shared through a panel discussion featuring successful Micron employees who are 黑料不打烊 alumni (9:10 to 9:40 a.m.).
• Industry Insights: Micron leaders will speak on supply chain innovations (10:05 to 10:40 a.m.), the transformative role of artificial intelligence in gaming (11:05 to 11:40 a.m.) and career opportunities at Micron (12:05 to 12:40 p.m.).
• Career Pathways: Exhibitors from University schools and colleges, workforce development partners, and community institutions will engage with attendees and inform them about local programs and training opportunities that align with Micron’s workforce needs (all day).
• Fireside Chat: Haynie will engage in a candid conversation with April Arnzen, Micron’s chief people officer, and Scott Gatzemeier, Micron鈥檚 corporate vice president of front-end U.S. expansion, on the company’s commitment to employee growth and development as well as Micron鈥檚 investments in the Central New York community to help prepare for the addition of the nearly 50,000 jobs forecasted once their plant is fully constructed (1:05 to 1:40 p.m.).

The event is part of the continuing collaboration between Micron and regional partners, including the University, and will highlight the work being done in advance of the establishment of the company鈥檚 state-of-the-art facility. Below, Haynie discusses the work underway and opportunities that will be realized for Central New York.

What does Micron mean for Central New York and 黑料不打烊?

One of our elected officials described it as 鈥渢his generation鈥檚 Erie Canal moment,鈥� and I think that is spot on. Micron coming to the region, along with the many supply chain companies that will follow, are an absolute game changer for everyone in Central New York.

This is an $100 billion investment and the impact on our economy will be tremendous鈥攁long the lines of 50,000 new jobs. It will lead to growth in population, new business creation and more. This growth will also pose challenges with respect to workforce, housing, child care and other issues, but 黑料不打烊 stands ready to be part of the solution to make our Erie Canal moment a success for everyone involved.

Describe the collaboration taking place between Micron and 黑料不打烊.

黑料不打烊 has committed to work as a partner with Micron in support of its New York expansion. The University鈥檚 collaboration with Micron is broad and deep, and is supported by many schools, colleges and units. For example, the College of Engineering and Computer Science is expanding aggressively and bringing on more faculty and staff to support more students studying fields that will prepare them for careers in the semiconductor industry.

The Martin J. Whitman School of Management has brought in Micron鈥檚 chief people officer to discuss career options for students with a business education background. The D鈥橝niello Institute for Veterans and Military Families is operating semiconductor industry career preparation pipeline programs for veterans and transitioning service members. And the Future Ready Workforce Innovation Consortium is a whole-of-the-university ecosystem of academic, skills training and partnership programs supporting a multi-faceted approach to investing in and providing talent and workforce development in New York state. There are many more examples I could cite, and that goes to highlight we are so fortunate to have great partners in Micron, Onondaga County and several other community organizations.

黑料不打烊 ranks No. 3 in Best for Veterans for Online Bachelor鈥檚 Programs of private universities for three consecutive years, according to U.S. News and World Report鈥檚 2025 Best Online Programs rankings.

黑料不打烊 additionally ranked No. 7 for Best Online Bachelor鈥檚 Programs of private universities, and the AACSB-accredited , a partnership between the College of Professional Studies and the Whitman School of Management, ranked No. 1 in Best Online Bachelor鈥檚 in Business Programs of private universities.

鈥淭he rankings are a testament to the excellence of the College of Professional Studies staff and faculty鈥攐f consistently and without fail delivering online programs of exceedingly high quality with a differentiated level of student support,鈥� says Michael Frasciello, dean of the College of Professional Studies. 鈥淥ur third consecutive year ranked No. 3 for Best Online Bachelor鈥檚 Programs for Veterans of private universities similarly demonstrates our unwavering commitment to establishing 黑料不打烊 as an unrivaled 鈥榖est place’ for veterans and military-connected students.鈥�

These rankings are attributed to the University鈥檚 innovative degree and certificate programs developed for online learning by best-in-class faculty and instructional design and course development teams.

The College of Professional Studies is raising the bar for what it means to be an online learner by prioritizing student success through high-touch admissions, advising and financial aid counseling. Students gain the prestige and rigor of earning a degree from a top-tier R1 research institution with flexible, part-time online programs taught by University faculty.

To learn more about continuing online education, visit .

Kevin Adonis Browne

The program is designed to facilitate cross-institutional networking and collaboration among academic leaders while building leadership capacity at participating ACC institutions.

黑料不打烊 members included in the 2025 cohort are:

• , associate professor of writing studies, rhetoric and composition and chair of the Humanities Council,

  Brad Horn

• , professor of practice in public relations and associate dean for strategic initiatives,
• , teaching professor, executive director of clinical education and executive director of the Betty and Michael D. Wohl Veterans Legal Clinic,

  Elizabeth Kubala

• , assistant dean for undergraduate programs,
• , assistant provost for arts and community programming, Office of Strategic Initiatives,

  Lindsay Quilty

Miranda Staats Traudt

The program will kick off with a virtual event on Feb. 7, followed by three on-site sessions at Wake Forest University (March 26-28), the University of Miami (June 23-25) and Georgia Institute of Technology (Oct. 20-22).

The sessions will focus on leadership topics and trends in higher education while promoting leadership growth, awareness and effectiveness.

Participating faculty members from all member institutions have received foundational leadership training and served at least one year in a relevant leadership role.

黑料不打烊 will honor eight distinguished members of the Orange community during the , which is being held on Friday, April 4, in the National Veterans Resource Center at the Daniel and Gayle D’Aniello Building (NVRC). All members of the community are invited to attend this complimentary program. Registration will open in February.

This annual event recognizes and celebrates the exceptional accomplishments of alumni and students who exemplify what it means to be Forever Orange.聽The honorees were selected by the awards committee of the Board of Directors.聽The committee will soon announce the 2025 Outstanding Future Alumni Award, which goes to a most deserving student.

The George Arents Award is 黑料不打烊鈥檚 highest alumni honor and recognizes individuals who have excelled in their fields.聽This year鈥檚 honorees are Paul Greenberg 鈥�65, P鈥�03; Melanie Littlejohn G鈥�97; and Judith 鈥淛udy鈥� C. Mower 鈥�66, G鈥�73, G鈥�80, Ph.D.鈥�84.

Chelsea Ransom-Cooper 鈥�15 will receive the Generation Orange Award, which recognizes graduates from the past decade for career success, community engagement and overall commitment to 黑料不打烊.

Jack Kreischer 鈥�65 will receive the Melvin A. Eggers Senior Alumni Award for his loyalty and service to 黑料不打烊 over the past 50 years.

Jamieson R. Ritter 鈥�19 will posthumously receive the Military/Veteran Alumni Award. Ritter passed away in the line of duty while serving as a police officer in Cleveland, Ohio. This award highlights his bravery and dedication to our country and community.

Kimberly Wolf Price L鈥�03 will be awarded the Volunteer of the Year Award for her commitment to 黑料不打烊 as a volunteer.

The Outstanding Future Alumni Award honoree will be announced in February.

and plan to join us in April for the celebration.

Kenny will meet with students participating in the and the聽 for an informal chat about how neurodiversity is a creative superpower. He will also speak to the broader campus community about his experience growing up in 黑料不打烊, connecting with like-minded creatives and his career trajectory.

Kenny, an award-winning voice actor, has also appeared on HBO’s “Mr. Show with Bob and David,” and has voiced characters on animated shows like “Rocko鈥檚 Modern Life,” “The Powerpuff Girls” and “CatDog.” He will share his experience on the skills needed to embark on an entrepreneurial journey and how to find your own creative voice, inspiring a new generation to learn more about content creation, storytelling and audience engagement.

The schedule for the day is as follows:

• 9:30-10:45 a.m.: Visit with Intelligence ++ Class and InclusiveU students. Location: Peter Graham Scholarly Commons, Bird Library. Media may listen to class discussion (please contact media@syr.edu to schedule).
• 11 a.m.-12:15 p.m.: Informal discussion and Q&A (open to the campus community and the media) on 鈥淐reative Entrepreneurial Journey,” featuring Tom Kenny and moderated by Oscar Arce (founder of Los Angeles-based Master Talent Agency) and Paul Kozlowski (writer, actor, artist, comedian and founder of the FAKE Gallery in Hollywood and the AKE Gallery in Cortland, New York). Location: Martin J. Whitman School of Management Grand Flaum Hall.

Kenny鈥檚 visit is being sponsored by , the Intelligence++ Program, the Taishoff Center for Inclusive Higher Education (InclusiveU), the College of Visual and Performing Arts and the Martin J. Whitman School of Management.

Merit scholarships that retain top first-year students. Fellowships that allow faculty to pursue their interests and bring emerging knowledge back into the classroom. Physical improvements to the , including Flaum Grand Hall, a centralized gathering place welcoming students and the entire Whitman community.

These are some examples of the impact made by the newly launched Whitman Leadership Circle (WLC), a philanthropic giving society created to transform the educational experience by harnessing the power and support of the Whitman School community.

The WLC was created as an opportunity for alumni, parents and friends to directly support Whitman through multi-year leadership commitments. In return, WLC members receive a personalized stewardship experience that includes special recognition, exclusive communication from the dean, invitations to speak at events and attend receptions, seminars and virtual meetings, unique gifts and apparel and opportunities to interact with students and faculty that not only thank them for their generosity but continue to enhance their commitment to the Whitman School鈥檚 mission and vision.

Alex McKelvie

鈥淭he launch of the Whitman Leadership Circle coincides with an exciting transformational time in our history,鈥� says Alex McKelvie, interim dean of the Whitman School. 鈥淭he energy around the Whitman School is palpable, as we have seen our rankings reach the highest level in over 15 years, and, more importantly, have witnessed our students and faculty continue to succeed in the classroom, in their careers and in their communities.鈥�

The official rollout of the WLC comes one year after the Whitman School restructured its advancement and external engagement team, including hiring Assistant Dean of Advancement and External Engagement Michael Paulus. The team鈥檚 goal over the past year? To recharge alumni, parents and others to raise the level of support for the Whitman School through new strategies and initiatives. The WLC is one example of how these new initiatives are coming to life, as it targets three essential pillars at the Whitman School: enhancing the student experience, providing faculty support and improving the learning environment and facilities.

Commitments to the WLC begin at $25,000 or more ($5,000 per year over five years) and can be designated to any restricted or unrestricted fund, ensuring a genuine connection to the area of education each chooses to support. The program encompasses six levels of commitment and extends up to $1 million or more.

鈥淎s I have had the opportunity to meet with more alumni, parents and other supporters from across the country, I am struck by the important role the Whitman School has played in their lives and how much they value Whitman as such a special place,鈥� says Paulus. 鈥淭he goal of the WLC is to harness that value into providing outstanding programs, as well as initiatives that make Whitman stand out and ensure that our students continue to get the best possible educational experience both in and outside of the classroom.鈥�

To date, 70 donors have been recognized in the WLC cohort, including 32 who have pledged their support in the last six months during the silent phase of the WLC鈥檚 launch. Together during this time, these donors have generated over $4.7 million in new support for Whitman.

鈥淥ur goal for the future is to build a storied legacy and create an environment that is as vibrant as the students who enroll at Whitman and the faculty who teach here,鈥� says , vice chancellor for strategic initiatives and innovation and executive dean of the Whitman School. 鈥淥ur objective is bold, but our plan of action is specific, measurable and achievable. To ascend to excellence in business education will take a united Whitman community ready to commit to our shared vision鈥� and the Whitman Leadership Circle is a vital component to that success.鈥�

Visit the website to learn more about opportunities to make an impact, or complete the to learn how to become an essential part of the legacy of the Whitman School.

Serving as Universitywide faculty representatives, committee members advise the Vice Chancellor, Provost and Chief Academic Officer and work to ensure consistent promotion and tenure processes and promote high academic standards. Members, who must be tenured full professors, serve two-year, staggered terms and are not eligible to serve consecutive terms.

Newly elected committee members are:

• , William Safire Professor of Modern Letters and University Professor, College of Arts and Sciences
• , director, electrical engineering and computer science graduate program, College of Engineering and Computer Science
• , Marjorie Cantor Professor of Aging Studies, Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics
• , associate dean for academic affairs, S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications
• , Albert & Betty Hill Endowed Professor, Martin J. Whitman School of Management
• , Iris Magidson Endowed Professor of Design Leadership and director, School of Design, College of Visual and Performing Arts

Promotion and tenure cases that meet the criteria for review鈥攆or example, those that have substantial disagreement between layers of recommendation or a strong probability of a negative determination鈥攁re taken up by committee members. They offer an advisory vote to the provost but do not issue a formal report or consider appeals.

The committee is convened by Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs Jamie Winders. Provost Lois Agnew is chair of the committee, and Vice President for Research Duncan Brown serves in an ex-officio capacity.

Tarky J. Lombardi Jr.

Longtime Board of Trustees member and dedicated University supporter Tarky J. Lombardi Jr. 鈥�51, L鈥�54, H鈥�87 passed away peacefully on Nov. 24, 2024. Referred to simply as 鈥淭arky鈥� by all those who knew him in the Orange community and around Central New York, Lombardi was 95 years old.

Lombardi earned a bachelor鈥檚 degree from the Martin J. Whitman School of Management in 1951 and a J.D. from the College of Law in 1954.聽He was awarded an honorary doctorate of laws from 黑料不打烊 in 1987.

Appointed to the Board of Trustees in 1976, Lombardi served as a voting trustee for nearly three decades. He also served on the College of Law Board of Advisors, Falk College Board of Visitors and the National Alumni Association Board.聽He was also co-chair of the Schine Student Center National Campaign and honorary chair of the College of Law Annual Fund. In addition, he supported various initiatives in the College of Arts and Sciences, College of Law and 黑料不打烊 Athletics. He was recognized in 1983 with the University鈥檚 highest alumni honor, the George Arents Award.

鈥淭arky was an incredibly dedicated public servant, a giant in Central New York politics,鈥� says Chancellor Kent Syverud. 鈥淵et, no matter how busy he was legislating, lobbying and leading, Tarky could often be found in his Dome suite, cheering on his alma mater. The Dome is not only a place he helped get built, it is home to the spirit that drove his loyalty and passion for service to the Orange community.鈥�

Lombardi was an avid 黑料不打烊 Athletics supporter and longtime season ticket holder. His support started with the Orange Pack, the athletics fundraising arm founded in 1974, which became the Orange Club in 2006, and is now known as the 鈥機use Athletics Fund. He helped secure $15 million in state grants for the Dome鈥檚 construction.

Lombardi began his public service in 1959 when the Onondaga County Republican Party selected him to run for a seat on the 黑料不打烊 Common Council. It was the first of what would mark many campaign victories. He served the Common Council for six years, including time as its majority leader. He eventually ran for statewide election and, in 1965, was elected New York State Senate representative for the 49th district. His district covered a large swath of Central New York situated almost entirely in Onondaga and Cortland counties.

He championed legislative efforts to contain health care and medical malpractice costs through medical malpractice reform and the creation of physician assistants and nurse practitioners. His signature piece of legislation was the Nursing Homes without Walls program鈥攁 pilot program that served as a model for other states and earned him recognition as Legislator of the Year from the National Association for Home Care. He chaired the Senate Health Committee from 1971 until 1989 and the Senate Finance Committee from 1989 until 1992.

Lombardi was similarly committed to supporting arts and culture initiatives, believing they were fundamental to a well-rounded education. He was chairman of the Senate Special Committee on the Arts and helped re-codify the state鈥檚 art law. He became quite popular among members of the New York entertainment community and worked closely with celebrities like Kitty Carlisle Hart and Tony Randall on multiple legislative projects.聽In 1986, he was named National Republican Legislator of the Year. In 1992, Lombardi retired from the Senate.

As special counsel to the law firm of Barclay Damon LLP in 黑料不打烊, Lombardi worked with clients in the energy, health care, insurance, telecommunications and transportation industries. His civic commitments included service on the boards of the New York Historical Society, 黑料不打烊 Symphony Orchestra, 黑料不打烊 Opera Company, St. Joseph’s Hospital Health Center Advisory Board, WCNY Public Broadcasting, Loretto, Onondaga Community College Foundation, Landmark Theater Foundation, New York Historical Society in New York City and the New York State Council for Humanities.

Lombardi is survived by his wife, Marianne, and their children Tarky III; Jennine Lombardi Yonta G鈥�92 (Whitman School); Marianne Lombardi Fogelson 鈥�89 (College of Arts and Sciences), L鈥�92; Michael 鈥�91 (College of Arts and Sciences); and Rosemary; and eight grandchildren.

Carrying on his legacy, Lombardi鈥檚 family encourages memorial contributions to the 黑料不打烊 Athletics Opportunity Fund in recognition of his commitment and passion for 黑料不打烊 Athletics and his enduring love for supporting student-athletes, coaches and his alma mater.

Sydney Moore

The Blackstone LaunchPad at 黑料不打烊 Libraries has awarded one $2,500 Student Start-Up Fund grant, formerly the Innovation Fund, for the Spring 2025 semester. Grants are awarded on a rolling basis to undergraduate and graduate students who need help moving an idea from concept to commercialization.

Sydney Moore G鈥�25 (Martin J. Whitman School of Management), founder of Thrive Insights, received the grant. Thrive Insights hosts that informs and supports student-athletes with honest and engaging conversations about student-athlete issues. Sydney Moore, a Division 1 volleyball player, is the host. The podcast launched on all platforms on Dec. 9, 2024. The grant was used to help Moore incorporate the business.

Fund applicants define their need with identified outcomes within a set time. Initial money in the fund was provided by Jeffrey Rich L鈥�67, a partner at Rich Michaelson Magaliff LLP, and a member of the 黑料不打烊 Libraries Advisory Board. Rich provided a multi-year pledge of $25,000 per year for five years from 2020 to 2025.

鈥淚 wanted to contribute in a way that directly supports student new ventures and removes any obstacles to startup development,鈥� says Jeffrey Rich.

In 2018, he was hired as editor in chief of ETP with the mission of preserving its legacy while positioning it as the leading entrepreneurship journal among entrepreneurship and management scholars. His work has paid off, as ETP recently obtained a 4* rating鈥攖he highest given鈥攐n the 2024 Association of Business School鈥檚 (ABS) list, published by the Chartered Association of Business Schools. This means that ETP is recognized internationally as the top journal within its field and publishes research of exceptional quality having significant impact on the development of theory, practice and policy.

鈥淚鈥檝e always known that ETP was an important vehicle for changing and improving the field of entrepreneurship, but I also felt that it needed some improvement in both the submission process and rigor of content. I鈥檓 very proud of what we have accomplished over the past eight years,鈥� Wiklund says.

Leader in entrepreneurship education

A member of the Whitman faculty since 2008, Wiklund鈥檚 research interests focus on entrepreneurship, neurodiversity and mental well-being. He is considered a leading authority in his field with over 100 articles published in leading journals and more than 55,000 citations to his research, as well as numerous international awards and honors. In addition, he is a dedicated advisor to the Ph.D. students at Whitman.

鈥淭he Whitman School and the entrepreneurship department are proud of the work Johan has done to bring the ETP to a 4* ranking,鈥� says Michel Benaroch, Whitman associate dean for research and Ph.D. programs. 鈥淭o have a Whitman entrepreneurship faculty member lead a journal to this level is remarkable and certainly impacts the research reputation and rankings of the school.鈥�

Improving the review process

One of Wiklund鈥檚 main goals for ETP has been establishing a smoother review process. That starts with the over 1,000 submissions that land on Wiklund鈥檚 desk annually, where he scans each鈥攗sually within a week鈥攇iving desk rejects to almost half and passing the remainder to one of his 30 action editors. They then ask three reviewers to provide comments on the manuscripts.

Professor Johan Wiklund talks with a student

鈥淲e have developed a faster process than other journals at ETP with fewer rounds of revisions before accepting papers. This means less pain for authors, reviewers and editors alike. It also retains the author鈥檚 voice,鈥� Wiklund explains, noting that only about 5% of submissions are ultimately published. 鈥淎 lot of journals say they strive for fewer review rounds, but not many implement this. ETP does, and our 49-day average to final decision is evidence of our progress.鈥�

The quick turnaround and the heightened expectations for quality research are drawing attention. Academic journals are constantly ranked and evaluated against each other. Apart from being upgraded to ABS 4* rating, ETP ranks among the top business publications and the No. 1 in entrepreneurship according to most rankings and evaluations.

Looking to the future

While Wiklund is certainly pleased with the progress and results, he has no shortage of other goals for improving ETP, including working with the Center for Open Science to increase transparency in publication; reaching better global representation of research; and enhancing the relevance of entrepreneurship research.

Artificial intelligence (AI) poses challenges for the publication industry. Wiklund embraces its use as it allows academics around the world to improve their English language writing skills and helps them better present their research.

鈥淪ome journals are overly cautious about how researchers are allowed to use AI in their research. I believe it can be a great equalizer, leveling the playing field between native and non-native English speakers and overall improving the quality of research. ETP is all for it, within reason of course,鈥� he says.

Wiklund plans to continue ETP鈥檚 upward trajectory. 鈥淲e鈥檙e in the middle of some massive changes, and I want to see them through,鈥� he says. 鈥淟ooking at my career, I hope my main legacy in this field will be the people I have impacted as a mentor and the work I鈥檝e accomplished to make ETP a more highly regarded source of research in the field of entrepreneurship.鈥�

鈥溾€� features the work of 2024-25 黑料不打烊 Art Museum Faculty Fellows , associate professor of communication and rhetorical studies in the , and , assistant teaching professor of management in the Martin J. . Another exhibit, 鈥�,鈥� is curated by , assistant professor of Latinx literatures and cultures in the .

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

The 黑料不打烊 Art Museum Faculty Fellows program supports innovative curriculum development and experiential learning and aims to more fully integrate the museum鈥檚 collection into the University鈥檚 academic life, says , museum director.

Gestures Study

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

This screen print by Robert Rauschenberg is one of the central pieces in Lyndsay Gratch鈥檚 exhibition, 鈥淧erformance, Gesture and Reflection.鈥�

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

Culture as Economy

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

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

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

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

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

Tropical Images

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

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

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

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

Audra Weiss

When Weiss was diagnosed with cancer two years ago, she became a passionate advocate for early cancer detection and diagnosis, and holistic care. Weiss died Dec. 31, 2024, at the age of 57. Her husband Jim Weiss 鈥�87 and their two children, Ethan and Emily, were at her side. 鈥淎udra was a quiet yet powerful force who walked through life exuding grace, strength and class,鈥� .

Audra Weiss graduated from the , while her husband graduated with a bachelor鈥檚 degree in public relations from the . Jim Weiss founded Real Chemistry in 2001.

In 2012, a gift from Audra and Jim Weiss established the at the Newhouse School. The Weiss Center鈥檚 goal is to ensure students are immersed and educated in the digital world as they prepare for careers across the communications industries.

Nine years later, the Weisses for the ribbon-cutting ceremony of a new, state-of-the-art classroom established by a gift from Real Chemistry. The Emerging Insights Lab is a social media command center that serves as a central hub for the interfacing of digital media monitored and studied by students and faculty.

鈥淎udra Weiss鈥� support meant so much to 黑料不打烊. She will always be remembered at Newhouse for her dedication to helping our students succeed, collaborating with Jim on mentorships, career advice, classroom visits or the many other ways they gave back big and small,鈥� said Newhouse Dean Mark Lodato. 鈥淲e mourn her passing and extend our deepest condolences to Jim, Ethan, Emily and the rest of the Weiss family.”

Born and raised on Long Island in Coram, New York, Audra Weiss worked in healthcare communications after graduating from Whitman. She connected with Jim through a mutual friend鈥攖hey worked in the same field and shared a love for 黑料不打烊, though they never met while at school. They were married for nearly 25 years.

鈥淪he knew from the get-go that she鈥檇 happily trade in her stellar professional career for a lifelong role of motherhood.鈥� She welcomed Ethan and Emily into the world and devoted herself to her calling,鈥� her family said.

鈥淎udra鈥檚 intellect and brilliance shined in the backdrop of Jim鈥檚 entrepreneurial quest to build a leading global communications firm,鈥� the family said.鈥� 鈥淎s an advisor and confidant, Audra made her mark on the business that would become Real Chemistry.鈥疶o her, success was a vehicle to do good鈥攇iving back through the 鈥榃eiss Family Office.鈥欌€�

After being diagnosed with cancer, Weiss became a staunch advocate for the care of those living with cancer. She shared her wisdom about her cancer journey and connected with the Dempsey Center, joining the board of the organization founded by actor Patrick Dempsey. The Dempsey Center provides personalized and comprehensive cancer care at no cost.

The Weiss family said it would continue to advocate for early cancer detection and diagnosis, as well as advocating for treating cancer 鈥渉olistically, not just with pharmaceuticals but with wraparound care that makes the journey a much better experience for patients and their families.鈥�

Services will be held Jan. 8 in San Francisco, California. The family said donations in Weiss鈥� memory can be made to the , , and the . Read Audra Weiss鈥� .

Peter Koveos

Koveos was born in Athens, Greece. At the age of 17, he moved to the United States to attend American International College in Springfield, Massachusetts. This is where he met his wife, Jean. He was drafted into the U.S. Army while still in college. Koveos continued his education in economics at Pennsylvania State University where he achieved both a master鈥檚 degree and Ph.D. He went on to teach at Penn State and the University of Rhode Island before joining the faculty at 黑料不打烊 in 1982.

Koveos was a dedicated professor and scholar who taught at the Whitman School for 42 years. During that time, he served as a professor of finance and chair of the finance department on multiple occasions. He was the Kiebach Chair in International Business Studies and director of the Kiebach Center for International Business. He previously served as interim dean, associate dean for master鈥檚 programs and senior director for international programs, among other service roles to the Whitman School and 黑料不打烊.

Koveos led many of the early internationalization efforts of Whitman, including expanding Whitman鈥檚 work in Russia and China in the 1990s. Among the many accolades he received throughout his career was the White Yulan Prize from the City of Shanghai, similar to receiving the keys to the city and the highest award given to foreign experts by the municipality. He also received an honorary doctorate from American International College. Koveos was the editor of the Journal of Developmental Entrepreneurship and associate editor of Finance Review.

Koveos had a strong work ethic and was a proud mentor to the thousands of students who joined his classroom. He thought very highly of his colleagues and strongly believed that it took a village to be successful.聽Koveos taught a range of courses in finance, international business and global entrepreneurship. He was interested in exploring international financial market behavior, especially as it pertains to economic systems in transition. His most recent work was on the theory and practice of financial system reform. Much of his research was focused on Asia in general, with a particular emphasis on China. His research has been published in the聽Journal of Monetary Economics, Journal of International Business Studies聽and other scholarly journals.

Koveos also worked closely with small businesses conducting business internationally and served on the board of the Central New York International Business Alliance and the Africa Business and Entrepreneurship Research Society. In addition to his academic activities, he was the co-founder of ExportNY and served as executive director of the program since 1998. In the 20-plus years of the ExportNY Program, over 100 Central New York businesses have developed international business plans and initiated or expanded their global footprint.

According to the Koveos family, 鈥淗e was a humble man, who was full of kindness and integrity. Peter was always there with his love, knowledge and thoughtful advice. His wonderful sense of humor always brought smiles and laughter to everyone. Peter adored spending quality time with his family. He was a devoted husband, father and grampy, a.k.a. 鈥榞eeky.鈥� He was a proud fan of the Penn State Nittany Lions and the Boston Red Sox and enjoyed spending summers with his wife back home in Greece.鈥�

His family finds comfort in knowing that Koveos鈥� legacy 鈥渓ives on through the lessons he taught us, the scholars he mentored, the love he shared, the happiness he encouraged and the memories we will cherish forever.鈥�

Koveos鈥� more than 40 years of service at 黑料不打烊 will be fondly remembered by his colleagues and friends.

鈥淧eter was in the office a week ago finishing his school duties. His sense of duty to students and colleagues kept him going all the way to the end. What a big loss to Whitman and the world,” says Associate Dean for Research and Ph.D. Programs Michel Benaroch. “I can鈥檛 recall him ever saying anything negative even is the midst of confronting rather controversial matters. He always saw the positive in people鈥攁 trait for all of us to emulate. Lastly, Peter鈥檚 long personal struggle with health issues is just inspirational. He never complained or let it slow him down.鈥�

鈥淚 first met Peter 16 years ago: he came in to interview me for a junior faculty position shortly after his bone marrow transplant. Such was his dedication to Whitman,” says David Weinbaum, chair of the finance department. “He served as finance department chair for so many years we all lost count, and although he stepped down from that role long ago, he very much remained our leader, and I regularly turned to him for advice. He was a calming and thoughtful voice in all matters. I will miss his kindness and sense of humor.鈥�

鈥淲hile there are many ways we could highlight Peter鈥檚 contributions, it is safe to say that he has had a profound impact on the Whitman School and our students鈥� success,” Interim Dean Alex McKelvie says. “Peter鈥檚 positive spirit, supportive approach and willingness to help out had a personal impact on many at Whitman. Simply, he was one of the good ones who truly cared. He will be deeply missed.鈥�

Koveos is survived by his wife of 55 years, Jean Koveos (Broadbent); daughter Kristina (Michael) Jordan; sons Eugene Koveos (Sera Brown) and Alexander (Lindsey) Koveos; and grandsons Nicholas “Cole” and Christian Jordan, as well as many extended family members, friends and colleagues who will miss him dearly.

The Whitman School will honor Professor Koveos and his legacy across decades in the near future.

Whitman MBA Online recent grad students from left, Bryan Perry, Diego Caro Ramirez and Melissa Clisson

The Poets&Quants鈥� rankings methodology relies on three categories equally relating to admissions standards, employment outcomes at graduation and academic experience, the latter two of which are based on a survey of recent alumni. In each of these alumni-based categories, Whitman was rated higher than in the last three years and ranked No. 14 overall on academic experience. Of particular note was alumni satisfaction with live synchronous classes (ranked No. 12 nationally), professor quality (ranked No. 4 nationally), responsiveness (ranked No. 12 nationally) and the amount and quality of teamwork (ranked No. 15 nationally). Whitman was again ranked No. 23 overall for career impact, with satisfaction in the ability to immediately apply what you learned in the program to your job was high (ranked No. 15 nationally).

鈥淲e are pleased to once again be among the best online MBA programs. The feedback from our students and alumni shows that the Whitman School places a tremendous emphasis on high-quality teaching, dynamic and interactive classes and overall student experience. Seeing this play out in the rankings validates our efforts and investments in these areas,鈥� says聽聽鈥淥ur recent alumni also show significant career benefits as a result of our MBA program. Career advancement鈥攕uch as promotions and salary increases鈥攁re important factors for prospective MBA students, so we鈥檙e happy that our program scored so well nationally in this regard. It鈥檚 clear that we are a student-first program that makes a positive difference in students鈥� lives.鈥�

Whitman alumni commented that they recommend the school’s online MBA program without hesitation, quoting flexibility, faculty and diversity as important to them. Alumni quotes included, 鈥淚t is a great program with wonderful instructors.鈥疶he flexible, online format with evening classes fits into most schedules seamlessly,鈥� and 鈥淲hitman’s online MBA is top-notch and engaging to boot.鈥疘 made extensive networking connections while furthering my own education of professional environments, and they are extremely flexible when it comes to class selection and scheduling, which is perfect for a working professional.鈥� Another alum said “While challenging, the professors and staff of Whitman truly showed their interest in my success. The programs were interesting, engaging, and I was able to apply what I learned to my current occupation. The professors were able to apply their professional experiences to help enrich the curriculum. The one-credit residencies were fascinating and fun, in terms of the topics covered and where the residencies were held.鈥�

, assistant dean for master鈥檚 programs adds: 鈥淢any of our courses have experiential learning opportunities and our residencies also allow students to spend a weekend diving into a specific topic in-person. Together these opportunities provide the knowledge and skills that can be immediately applied and create lasting connections. Alumni gave us high marks for the ability to create connections with fellow students (ranked No. 11) and faculty (ranked No. 6).鈥�

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

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

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

鈥淣ot only will participants learn firsthand about food, wine, art and culture, but they鈥檒l also see some of the business concepts behind them as they meet award-winning chefs and restaurateurs, vineyard owners, government officials and alumni in related fields,” Penfield says. “To round out the trip, travelers will get a firsthand look at the historical significance of one of the world鈥檚 most iconic cities.鈥�

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

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

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

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

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

*Itinerary subject to change

Eunkyu Lee

Eunkyu Lee, associate dean for global initiatives and professor of marketing in the Martin J. Whitman School of Management, has been selected as one of the Top 50 Best Undergraduate Business Professors of 2024 by .

Lee was nominated by S.P. Raj, chair of marketing in the Whitman School, says, 鈥淚 am thrilled to nominate Professor Lee for the Best Undergraduate B-School Professor of 2024, as his teaching career exemplifies unwavering dedication and exceptional talent. Known for his enthusiastic and personable approach, he captivates students with his animated communication style, fostering a classroom environment that encourages critical thinking and active participation.

鈥淗e is a strong advocate for experiential learning, exemplified by his acclaimed Brand Management course, where students manage multi-million dollar brands in a simulated environment. Over 30 years of his excellent career in education is evidenced by multiple accolades, outstanding teaching evaluations and words of appreciation by his former and current students. Professor Lee truly deserves this recognition for his extraordinary impact on undergraduate education,鈥� Raj says.

Lee is a leading scholar on marketing channel management and brand strategy. His research has appeared in such top academic journals as Marketing Science, Journal of Marketing Research, Management Science and Journal of Retailing. He also regularly contributes his vast knowledge on current marketing and business issues to various media outlets.

In addition, his teaching talents are well-known throughout the Whitman School, having received the Graduate Faculty of the Year Award, as well as the Dean鈥檚 Recognition of Teaching Excellence, multiple times. Lee has also been nominated for the University鈥檚 Meredith Teaching Recognition Award and received acknowledgement for his outstanding research by receiving a Martin J. Whitman Research Fellowship and the Whitman Dean鈥檚 Research Fellowship.

Poets&Quants聽received approximately 1,000 nominations for 160 professors from students, alumni, colleagues and deans at more than 60 of the best undergraduate business programs worldwide. Every nomination is individually evaluated, assigning all professors a 1-to-10 score based on research (weighted 30%) determined by volume of Google Scholar citations, media attention, research and writing awards and industry impact; and teaching accolades (weighted 70%), including nominations, awards and impact on their departments and schools. The average of both factors makes up the final score to determine the Top 50.

鈥淚t is truly an honor to be chosen for such a prestigious award, and I appreciate those who have nominated me and supported my work at the Whitman School. To me, marketing is a field that is fascinating and dynamic, and there is nothing I like to do more than transfer my own enthusiasm to my students by explaining concepts and principles of marketing through real-world examples that resonate in ways they can easily understand,鈥� says Lee, who joined the Whitman School in 2000.

鈥淓qually important to me is continuing to build on my research and share it with others鈥攕tudents, colleagues, media鈥攁s I examine some of the emerging topics in marketing,” Lee says. “Currently, some of my research projects are looking closely at the impact of artificial intelligence on customer shopping assistance and advertising, as well as the importance of disclosing use of AI to consumers in order to enhance the trustworthiness of a brand. AI is just one more element that continues to make the marketing field fascinating and fast paced.鈥�

This is Poets&Quant鈥檚 seventh edition of the 50 Best Professors in Undergraduate Business Education. For more information on Lee, see his on Poets&Quants where he elaborates more about his career as a business school professor in the Whitman School.

The winner of the 黑料不打烊 competition will receive an expense paid trip to compete in the ACC InVenture Prize finals at the end of March at the University of Notre Dame. The televised finals feature one team from each ACC college/university who compete for 聽$30,000 in prizes. Teams with generated revenue or venture capital funding of more than $100,000 are ineligible (including funding from both institutional and non-institutional sources such as contests, grants, friends and family, bank loans, etc.).

Katy Arons 鈥�24 (School of Information Studies), founder of Continual Consent LLC, holds an oversize boarding pass for last year’s flight to the ACC InVenture competition in Florida

黑料不打烊 student startup teams or researchers are invited to submit聽 of a venture idea to participate in the 黑料不打烊 campus qualifier along with a five-minute pitch video.聽 All campus qualifier finalists will also be invited to apply for LaunchPad Innovation Fund grants as well as , both available through gifts to 黑料不打烊 Libraries. Competitive applications typically include technology or research that is being commercialized in areas such as agriculture, biology, life sciences, medical, climate, consumer electronics, education, finance, sports, hardware, software, artificial intelligence, augmented or virtual reality, 聽big data, autonomous devices, robotics, advanced materials, Internet of Things, 5G and more. Digital platforms or services should have an underlying novel technology and ideally should be past the idea stage with some customer discovery and design drawings.

The 黑料不打烊 ACC InVenture Prize is supported by the Provost鈥檚 Office and is hosted by 黑料不打烊 Libraries and the .

Aakanksha Maheshwari 鈥�25 MSBA, Vaijayanthi Kadhiravan 鈥�26 MBA/M.A. (international relations, Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs) and Trang Nguyen 鈥�25 MBA didn鈥檛 even know each other before they joined together to compete in the competition sponsored by the James E. Rogers Energy Access Project at the Fuqua School of Business at Duke. Thanks to introductions from mutual friends and the Whitman Women in Business Club, the three came together due to their diversity of talents to enter the competition along with 71 teams from 35 schools in 10 countries. Maheshwari reached out to Erin Draper, director of experiential learning, who helped the group secure funding to travel to the competition in North Carolina and offered the team assistance in preparing for the event.

鈥淓ach of us brought our strengths to the competition,鈥� says Maheshwari. 鈥淚 am good at research and market analysis. Trang is good at financial modeling, and Vaijayanthi has expertise in geographical research and a background in geopolitics. One thing we all have in common, though, is that we are all so organized and structured. We decided to go for this and test our research competition skills. And, we are grateful that the Whitman School is so supportive of experiential learning opportunities like this and provided us with the financial support we needed to get to the finals.鈥�

The case competition was based around Zembo, an emobility pioneer based in Uganda that is striving to build the country鈥檚 largest battery-swapping network for e-motorcycles. The two-wheelers provide affordable transportation while reducing carbon emissions.

In Uganda alone, there are more than 600,000 self-employed motorcycle taxi drivers (known as boda boda drivers) providing transportation to approximately 60% of the population. The competing teams worked on a case study that looked at whether Zembo should supply a hybrid model or use internal investments to expand, particularly because the e-motorcycles require recharging by swapping out the entire battery again and again.

鈥淥ur teamwork was excellent. Each of us took ownership of various tasks, which gave us time to think of ideas, and no one was cross-checking or micromanaging,鈥� says Nguyen, of the team鈥檚 preparation for the competition.

鈥淭eam OG,鈥� as the three Whitman students called themselves, made it through Stage 1 with a summary document of a proposed solution and Stage 2 with a PowerPoint presentation explaining their solution to Zembo senior managers. Then, they were invited to Duke University to compete in the finals, giving a 20-minute in-person presentation in front of a panel of judges.

The Whitman team proposed a hybrid solution that utilized a franchisee and internal investment model with multiple charging outlets established at malls, gas stations and commercial and residential buildings. Their idea proposed that Zembo could share the cost of building an entire infrastructure, while also outlining the financials of what the project might look like in seven years.

Presenting last in the competition, the team鈥檚 creative approach in the final round ensured they had the judges鈥� full attention by intermingling their slides with short videos and a role playing scenario between a fictitious investor and CEO to more clearly explain their proposal.

In the end, the Whitman team took first place and a $10,000 cash prize. All three are not only enjoying the prize money but, more importantly, valuing what they learned by competing together in this competition.

鈥淎s the only first-year graduate student on my team, I had the opportunity to learn so many things from my teammates,鈥� says Kadhiravan. 鈥淪tudents at Whitman are busy as bees. Had it not been for the competition, I don鈥檛 think there would have been as many chances for me to interact so deeply with those who knew more than me.鈥�

鈥淚 have been skeptical about what field I want to pursue. But, during this case study competition I really liked the research and think I will continue exploring this further, particularly in the field of AI,” Maheshwari says. “It was a great experience in getting to know myself, and I think we have all become more confident from this competition. We are proud to have brought first place home for 黑料不打烊 and the Whitman School.”

Elizabeth Paulin

Student teams pitched their respective social impact ventures for a chance to win a total of $15,000 in prizes, supported by generous donations from Libraries鈥� donors. This year鈥檚 winners are:

• 1^st Place: $6,000 awarded to Elizabeth Paulin 鈥�24 () of Paulin Capital.
• 2^nd place: $4,500 awarded to Jordan Pierre 鈥�23, G’24 (), founder of Voice.
• 3^rd place: $3,000 awarded to Olutosin Alabi G鈥�25 (), founder of Diabetech.
• Runner-Ups: $500 each awarded to Ava Lubkemann 鈥�27 (), founder of ReVamped; Alie Savane 鈥�25 (Arts and Sciences), founder of Beta Kola; and Dylan Bardsley ’26 (Whitman School) and Mark Leaf 鈥�27 (Engineering and Computer Science), founders of Clarity.

These seniors have been involved as students taking the course in their first year of college, then as peer leaders for (FYS) for three subsequent years. The one-credit, 15-week required course engages students in聽conversations, activities and assignments about making the transition to life on campus. It not only serves as an introductory course to 黑料不打烊, but also actively builds community, connects students to faculty/staff and each other, and encourages a positive transition to a new environment. Within that setting, students explore the topics of belonging, interdependence, wellness, development of identity, socialization, discrimination, bias and stereotypes.

First Year Seminar students Amya Jenkins, left, and Luis Gomez at an information table representing the program at Bird Library’s Welcome Fest. (Photo by Jimmy Luckman)

Since the program began in 2021, more than 500 faculty, staff and students have participated in FYS in various roles. They鈥檝e served as聽聽(faculty, staff and graduate students) or聽as 聽(undergraduate students). Lead instructors partner with peer leaders to guide seminar discussions for class sections. With some 4,000-plus new students in first-year classes, and with sections capped at 19 students to create an intimate, seminar atmosphere, 225 students were needed to fill the peer leader role in 2024.

Peer leaders are the embodiment of FYS and they are the connectors that are integral to the program, say , FYS director, and Jimmy Luckman, associate director. Peer leaders work in conjunction with lead instructors to guide discussions that are anchored around increasing students鈥� sense of belonging on campus.

鈥淭he program isn鈥檛 advanced only by faculty and staff; peer leaders are a big part of the FYS experience. They are connectors for FYS participants and they鈥檙e conduits who facilitate discussions on many issues while sharing the kinds of University resources that are available. They connect students where students want to be connected. Through discussions, they can transform the classroom experience, providing a space for sometimes difficult conversations, and that鈥檚 been a very strong thing,鈥� Luckman says.

The past four years have been a time of growth for the program, as the previous FYS leaders, Schantz and her team have built 鈥渁 great foundation,鈥� she says. 鈥淣ow, we are looking ahead and seeing how to enrich the peer leader experience.鈥�

In addition to monthly leadership development meetings for peer leaders, Luckman says the team is considering creating a peer leader development model and potentially expanding leadership opportunities for the students. 聽They are also conducting focus groups to obtain feedback on the peer leader role and may form a peer leader alumni group. They also hired a coordinator to supervise peer leaders and manage the myriad details of hiring and tracking a 200-plus student workforce.

In addition to working with First Year Seminar classes, peer leaders commit time to community service projects, such as a “Blessings in a Backpack” food initiative to help local school children.

While hundreds of peer leaders are needed each year, Luckman says it has not been difficult to recruit for those roles because students love working with fellow students and they understand the value community-building work adds to their background and experience. Many also recognize the role as a chance to develop leadership skills and want to take advantage of that, Luckman says.

The team asked for peer leader feedback to continue to enhance the position and the co-facilitation model the course follows. Schantz says the responses showed the importance of the lead instructor and peer leader in creating a positive atmosphere in the course. Another factor that influenced peer leaders returning to their roles in subsequent years is the respectful environment that peer leaders form with their students.

Four students who took FYS their first year on campus and then stayed on as peer leaders for the next three years are set to graduate this spring. They shared with SU News their reasons for deciding to remain in those roles and what the program has meant to them since their earliest days at the University.

Mariana Godinez-Andraca

Mariana Godinez-Andraca, a dual public relations/psychology major in the and the , is an international student from Mexico City. She likes that FYS embraces 鈥渦ncomfortable鈥� conversations, such as discussions about cultural awareness, microaggressions and learning to have empathy for others, she says.

鈥淲hat I value most is that FYS embraces these conversations wholeheartedly, creating a space where students can open up, challenge their beliefs and grow into more empathetic individuals.鈥� She says she has appreciated 鈥渟haring my experiences and cultural background鈥n a space where we actively listen to each other and where everyone鈥檚 stories and perspectives enrich our understanding, broadening my own cultural awareness while giving me a meaningful platform to share my journey. I hope I leave an impression that encourages others to embrace diversity and engage more thoughtfully with the world around them.鈥�

Aaron Hong

Aaron Hong, a finance and accounting major in the , credits FYS for helping him overcome difficulty returning to in-person classes after almost two years of virtual learning during COVID. Coming from a mostly white community in Charlotte, North Carolina, Hong says he appreciated the focus on diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility. 鈥淎s a person of Asian heritage, those conversations are very important to me. This experience gave me a different lens on diversity. Having the opportunity to have those conversations and to share those experiences is pretty important.鈥�

Adira Ramirez

Adira Ramirez, a library studies and information management and technology student in the , says participating in FYS for four years has helped her become skilled in how to talk to people in different ways, confidently address a public audience and 鈥渂etter understand people and explain to them who I am in a more cohesive way.鈥�

She says learning about the concept of intersectionality鈥攚here everyone has multiple layers of identity that comprise who they are鈥�”has taken me by storm. It鈥檚 our lens. It teaches who your audience is, how we learn things, how we view the world and how the world views us.鈥�

N鈥媏hilah Grand-Pierre, a broadcast and digital journalism major in the Newhouse School, finds the give-and-take between FYS participants and peer leaders invigorating and gratifying.

Nehilah Grand-Pierre

When FYS participants were offered the opportunity to ask peer leaders any question about any topic, she says one participant asked how to discover one鈥檚 self-worth while in college. 鈥淚 said the best way is to not define your self-worth through other people. I told how studying abroad in London forced me to stop defining myself by the activities and relationships I had on main campus, and instead define myself by my reactions to all the new things I was experiencing. I said what happens to you doesn鈥檛 define you, but how you react to those situations does. I recognized that as a senior, I had so much experience to pull from, and I saw how real experiences helped drive discussions.鈥�

Applications for peer leader positions are now being accepted for the 2025 sessions, says Luckman. Interested students who want to become a peer leader can apply by early December through the Handshake website. More information is available by emailing聽 firstyear@syr.edu聽or contacting the program office at 315.443.9035.

In this new role, Toenniessen, who is currently the vice president for strategic initiatives and innovation, will assume operational responsibility for the IVMF, which serves more than 22,000 servicemembers, veterans and families each year.

Ray Toenniessen

鈥淩ay has been with the IVMF since its inception. For more than a decade, he鈥檚 played a central role in almost every facet of the IVMF鈥檚 strategy, programming and growth,鈥� Haynie says. 鈥淭here is no one more committed to our mission or more qualified to drive future growth and innovation than Ray Toenniessen.鈥�

As Deputy Executive Director, Toenniessen will lead the efforts of the IVMF’s more than 100 employees, both on campus and within military communities across the U.S.

鈥淚 am honored to assume this new responsibility, and greatly appreciate the trust Vice Chancellor Haynie has in me to lead the IVMF into the future,鈥� Toenniessen says. 鈥淎s a team we have accomplished a great deal over the last thirteen years, working to enhance the lives of veterans and their families. That said, there is much more to do. I look forward to the work ahead, leveraging our best-in-class programs, services, research, and evaluation initiatives to create positive change for the military-connected community.鈥�

Vice Chancellor Haynie will continue to serve as the IVMF鈥檚 Executive Director and Toenniessen will collaborate closely with Maureen Casey, the IVMF鈥檚 chief operating officer, and Barb Carson, managing director of programs and services.

Toenniessen graduated from 黑料不打烊 in 2006 with an international relations degree from the and was commissioned from its ROTC program as a second lieutenant. He served four years on active duty, including a combat deployment to Iraq in 2008 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Upon his transition from active duty in 2010, Toenniessen returned to the University as the first National Program Manager of the Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans, expanding the program across the country thanks to a partnership with ten world-class business schools while launching additional small business programs for veterans and their families out of the .

In 2011, Toenniessen assisted Vice Chancellor Haynie in launching the D鈥橝niello Institute, initially serving as director of programs and operations. As Vice President of Strategic Initiatives, Toenniessen has been responsible for launching numerous innovative programs over the last ten years, including the IVMF鈥檚 partnerships with private sector firms, foundations and donors to the IVMF鈥檚 programs that have impacted the lives of more than 210,000 service members, veterans and military family members since 2011.

The Fall 2024 Orange Innovation Fund award winners are (from left to right): Brianna Gillfillian, Waqar Hussain, Emeka Ossai, Ava Lubkemann, and Tosin Alabi.

黑料不打烊 Libraries announced the seven award recipients for the Fall 2024 grant. Each of the following will receive a $5,000 grant to pursue research initiatives emerging from campus innovation programs. Recipients are:

• Angelo Niforatos G鈥�25 (), founded Niffy Drone Solutions LLC, a drone operation and data analysis solution to improve decision-making, for its stage two prototype. 鈥淚 finally pursued what I鈥檇 been discussing for five years thanks to 黑料不打烊,” says Niforatos. “I had no idea 黑料不打烊 offered so many opportunities like the Innovation Grant to help me gain enough confidence to take that leap and chase my dream.”
• Ava Lubkemann 鈥�27 (), founded Revamped, an eco-conscious initiative reimagining thrift shopping and waste reduction through a mobile model using an upcycled school bus pop-up and donation platform. 鈥淭his funding gives me the ability to create a venture that addresses the problem of textile waste, particularly on college campuses,鈥� says Lubkemann. 鈥淚 am excited to build my proof of concept this spring and become part of the projected $82 billion secondhand retail market,聽 meeting the demand for sustainable and affordable fashion.鈥�
• Brianna Gillfillian 鈥�24, G鈥�25 (Engineering and Computer Science), founded STEAMfluence, a Science Technology Engineering Art Math (STEAM) pilot summer program for students of color and students in underserved communities. 鈥淲ith the help of Orange Innovation Fund, I will be able to turn dreams into reality and take steps to make the change I aspire to see in the world,鈥� says Gillfillian. 鈥淪TEAMfluence is not just a venture, it is a pillar of hope for many young people who think they could not advance in a career in STEAM.鈥�
• Emeka Christopher Ossai G鈥�25 (Whitman), founded CampusLabs, which equips university students in developing economies with critical skills needed for entrepreneurship and work. After successfully piloting CampusLabs Nigeria incubator, Ossai is now focusing on creating a hybrid program to expand participation. 鈥淭his Orange Innovation Fund allows me to bring to life a startup accelerator that’s the first of its kind for university students in Nigeria, combining virtual learning with a direct residency鈥� now we can finally reach talented university founders who would not have had access before because of where they live,” Ossai says. “It鈥檚 a real opportunity to see how this model can work across different regions and make entrepreneurship support more accessible.”
• Tony Goncalves 鈥�27 (Engineering and Computer Science), founded GymIn, a comprehensive hardware and digital platform solution to track the use of gym equipment in real-time, optimizing usage and user experience. Goncalves is collaborating with the Barnes Center on a pilot. 鈥淕ymIn is revolutionizing the fitness industry by providing a comprehensive hardware and digital platform solution for gym owners and users,鈥� says Goncalves. 鈥淭his award will help us create our minimally viable product to test with gyms to optimize operations, reduce costs, and enhance the gym experience for members through data-driven insights.鈥�
• Tosin Alabi G鈥�25 (Whitman), founded Diabetech, a smart bandage solution for diabetes wound care. Alabi is working on a prototype that integrates an electronic sensor with mobile application and artificial intelligence analytics to detect diabetic ulcers. Alabi, who lost her father to diabetes at a young age, recently completed the NSF I-Corps program offered by 黑料不打烊 and received EB-1 visa status based on her work on Diabetech. The EB-1 visa was issued by the U.S. government to Albert Einstein to extend protections of official residence. Now referred to as the 鈥淓instein Visa,鈥� it recognizes very select researchers with extraordinary talents for their potential to contribute to the American scientific community. “When we prevent a diabetic amputation, we’re not just saving a limb, we’re keeping families walking together longer,鈥� Alabi says.
• Waqar Hussain G鈥�25 (Whitman), founded Iconnic.cloud, an artificial intelligence-driven compute pricing arbitrage platform. 鈥淎s a dedicated participant in the university鈥檚 entrepreneurial ecosystem, I am grateful for this award to help us build spot compute pricing arbitrage powered by AI,” says Hussain, a Fulbright Scholar.聽We are confident that with the support of the Orange Innovation Fund we can revolutionize cloud management services for small and medium-sized businesses.鈥�

The Orange Innovation Fund, a “concept to commercialization” grant fund, is intended to help move graduate and undergraduate student research or scholarly projects from ideation to proof of concept and commercialization. Initial funding came from a gift to 黑料不打烊 Libraries from Raj-Ann Rekhi Gill ’98, a member of the 黑料不打烊 Board of Trustees. The program is administered through 黑料不打烊 Libraries, in collaboration with the University鈥檚 research and commercialization programs.

Student awardees submitted comprehensive grant proposals that outlined specific, tangible needs related to prototype development while assessing the product, service or technology they are developing. A multi-disciplinary team of University faculty and alumni founders who helped develop the concept for the fund made the award selections. Awards are tied to milestones associated with defined projects over a clear time with identified outcomes.

The spring 2025 funding round will open in winter 2025, with proposals due by March 28, 2025. For more information, email OrangeInnovation@syr.edu.

• First place ($1,500) was awarded to Celes Buffard 鈥�27 (School of Information Studies), founder of Return 2 Reality, an entertainment company focusing on a podcast for entrepreneurs around navigating and getting past the hurdles and challenges throughout the entrepreneurial journey.
• Second place ($1,000) was awarded to Olutosin (Tosin) Alabi G鈥�25 (Whitman School of Management), founder of Diabetech, a med-tech venture for a diabetic foot ulcer wearable.
• Two third-place prizes ($500 each) were awarded to Alie Savane 鈥�25 (College of Arts and Sciences), founder of Bete Kola, a health and wellness venture focusing on kola nut food and beverage products; and Mian Hamid 鈥�26 (School of Information Studies), founder of Chai YEAH, a beverage venture offering authentic Indian chai tea to the U.S. market.

鈥淭his rise in the rankings is proof positive of the Whitman School鈥檚 continuing commitment to providing innovative programs in entrepreneurship at both the graduate and undergraduate levels. Our success has been supported by the entrepreneurial spirit that runs throughout the entire university,” says Maria Minniti, Bantle Chair of Entrepreneurship and Public Policy and chair of the Department of Entrepreneurship and Emerging Enterprises (EEE). “This upward movement in the rankings is the result of the hard work and commitment of the Whitman School鈥檚 leadership, faculty and students, and we are proud to be acknowledged for this level of success.鈥�

The graduate programs were also ranked at No. 24 this year. 鈥淭hese rankings are a quantifiable reflection of the quality of our program and our commitment to giving our students experiences that continue to spark their entrepreneurial spirit,鈥� says John Torrens, deputy department chair and professor of entrepreneurial practice. 鈥淥ur faculty are truly committed to helping our students bring their ideas to life through mentoring, coaching and sharing their own professional experiences in this space. In addition, students have many opportunities to obtain funding through our various competitions, like the Orange Tank business pitch competition and our Panasci Business Plan Competition, many of which are supported by generous alumni who appreciate the work we do at the Whitman School.鈥�

The rankings are based on data collection that takes into account 40 points about schools鈥� entrepreneurship programs, faculties, students and alumni. The Princeton Review conducted the data collection in summer 2024 with administrators at nearly 300 schools.

“Since we debuted these rankings nearly two decades ago, the number of colleges and universities offering entrepreneurship courses has grown tremendously,” says , The Princeton Review’s editor-in-chief. 鈥淲e highly recommend the schools that made our lists for 2025. Their faculties are outstanding. Their programs have robust experiential components. Their students have access to extraordinary mentors as well as networking contacts that will serve them well into their careers.鈥�

For more information on Whitman鈥檚 undergraduate entrepreneurship major visit: or for the graduate program visit:

Douglas Present

The Whitman School of Management is pleased to announce a significant seed gift from Douglas 鈥�86 and Susan Present to the school鈥檚 Opportunity Fund. The donation will serve to create a pilot project to allow students with great academic potential, but limited financial resources, to take advantage of the unique opportunities at Whitman by helping to cover certain expenses not traditionally covered by scholarships or financial aid.聽 Specifically, the Opportunity Fund will assist students to cover the costs of student activities, unanticipated events leading to financial hardships and stipends to cover expenses related to increasingly important summer internships.

The Presents鈥� generosity has been primarily anonymous in the past, but they hope that by making the gift public, they can help to raise additional funds and inspire other Whitman alumni to contribute to the Opportunity Fund, as well as encourage University leadership to create a similar fund for all 黑料不打烊 students across all schools.

A University Trustee, Doug Present is a member of the Board鈥檚 executive committee and chair of its finance committee, and has been a longstanding member of the Whitman Advisory Council (WAC). He graduated from the Whitman School and found success in the healthcare industry, having worked at Deloitte & Touche, Medsite, Inc. and Managed Health Care Associates, Inc., before starting his own investment firm, Douglas Present Associates, LLC.

鈥淪usan and I want every student to have a complete and full 黑料不打烊 Orange experience,鈥� Present says. 鈥淐osts not covered by financial aid can inhibit opportunities for students with high financial need. All students should have the opportunity to participate in non-academic activities and have the ability to accept a summer internship opportunity in a high-cost city. Lastly, no student should have their academic ambitions thrown off track by unexpected events that lead to expenses not covered by financial aid. Our philanthropy has always been focused on creating opportunities for high-achieving students with limited financial means to have the same opportunities as students who come from higher income families. I am pleased that Whitman is taking the lead on this initiative, and I hope to encourage the implementation of a similar program across the entire University.鈥�

Requests for grants from the Whitman Opportunity Fund will be facilitated on a rolling, case-by-case basis while funding remains available.

鈥淲e are extremely grateful for the thoughtful generosity of Douglas and Susan Present, who are strongly committed to relieving the less visible financial burdens that some of our students quietly face,鈥� says Whitman School Interim Dean Alex McKelvie. 鈥淲e hope this gift will jump start a renewed awareness within our alumni supporters that this kind of need truly does exist and encourage others to help make a difference in Whitman students鈥� long-term success.鈥�

For more information on the Whitman School of Management Opportunity Fund, go to .

Debbie and Ajay Nagpal

Ajay and Debbie Nagpal recently pledged a major donation to create the Nagpal Family Faculty Fellowship, which will support a faculty fellow in the Martin J. Whitman School of Management.

The Nagpals鈥� gift is part of the . The program was launched in 2022 to accelerate the creation of endowments for professorships, chairs and faculty support funds. It is part of the $1.5 billion .

鈥満诹喜淮蜢� is dedicated to excellence in the classroom that translates to the real world,鈥� says Alex McKelvie, interim dean of the Whitman School and professor of entrepreneurship. 鈥淲e are grateful to Debbie and Ajay Nagpal for this gift to support the research and scholarship for which the University is known.鈥�

鈥淭hroughout our family鈥檚 experience with 黑料不打烊 and the Whitman School of Business, we have been incredibly impressed with the faculty members that we have been fortunate to meet and engage with on campus,” Debbie and Ajay Nagpal say. “It is a privilege to support their work and we are excited to see the continued impact of the Forever Orange Faculty Excellence Program.鈥�

are the parents of Alec Nagpal, a senior and a major in the finance program in the Whitman School. They have been active members of the 黑料不打烊 Parents Council, which Ajay calls a 鈥渂ridge鈥� to connect parents to the University. The parents of four say 黑料不打烊 was the right fit for their son, with the ability to specialize across the 13 schools and colleges and all-around spirit of the University. According to Debbie, her son was sold 鈥渇rom the minute he saw the school.鈥�

Ajay Nagpal is president and chief operating officer of Millennium Management, a global investment firm. Debbie Nagpal also has a background in the financial industry, including a decade with Goldman Sachs.

鈥淎t Whitman, when you go to the classes and you listen to the professors, there鈥檚 such a wealth of resources, both from the academic and the practitioner鈥檚 perspective,鈥� says Ajay, noting that beyond the academic side of business, the school teaches students how to conduct themselves in the workplace.

鈥淗ighly engaged families like the Nagpals are crucial to the 黑料不打烊 community and mission,鈥� said Whitman School Dean for Advancement and External Engagement Michael Paulus. 鈥淲e cannot thank them enough not only for their support for the Forever Orange Faculty Excellence Program but also for their enthusiastic involvement in the intellectual, social and philanthropic life of the university and the Whitman School.鈥�

The Nagpals have supported other University initiatives, including the Annual Fund, Student Experience Fund, Whitman School of Management Dean鈥檚 Fund and Hendricks Chapel Dean鈥檚 Discretionary Fund. They are active in philanthropy at a number of other universities and institutions and emphasize the importance of aligning their giving with their values. 鈥淲e have to believe in the mission, we have to believe in the institution, we have to feel aligned with what they’re trying to accomplish,鈥� Ajay says.

Throughout their son鈥檚 time at 黑料不打烊, Ajay and Debbie have been a regular presence at parents鈥� programs and other learning experiences like faculty lectures. Debbie notes that she has appreciated not only the communication between the Whitman School and parents about the student experience, but also the ability for parents to learn.

鈥淲e are both attracted to academic environments, the resources and interacting with faculty. That engagement is something that fuels both of us,鈥� says Ajay.

It is fitting, then, that their gift will bolster the recruitment and retention of world-class faculty scholars.

About 黑料不打烊

黑料不打烊 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鈥檙e a powerful community that moves ideas, individuals and impact beyond what鈥檚 possible.

About Forever Orange: The Campaign for 黑料不打烊

Orange isn鈥檛 just our color. It鈥檚 our promise to leave the world better than we found it. Forever Orange: The Campaign for 黑料不打烊 is poised to do just that. Fueled by more than 150 years of fearless firsts, together we can enhance academic excellence, transform the student experience and expand unique opportunities for learning and growth. Forever Orange endeavors to raise $1.5 billion in philanthropic support, inspire 125,000 individual donors to participate in the campaign, and actively engage one in five alumni in the life of the University. Now is the time to show the world what Orange can do. Visit聽聽to learn more.

Story by Suzi Morales

Dwayne Murray, deputy director of the Office of Veteran and Military Affairs (OVMA), discusses its impact on campus and around the world, explores what sets 黑料不打烊 apart as a best place for veterans and shares his love for working with veterans and military-connected students.

黑料不打烊 has a long, proud history of serving our veterans and military-connected students that dates back to World War I and the post-World War II era when thousands of veterans embarked on their journey to a college degree through the G.I. Bill.

One of the central organizations on campus that helps the University accomplish this mission is the (OVMA), which, for the last 10 years has played a critical role in helping veterans, military-connected students and their family members pursue their higher education dreams.

Dwayne Murray 鈥�97 is living out his dream job as the OVMA鈥檚 deputy director, and he鈥檚 proud of the work the organization does through its programs and initiatives while serving as the University鈥檚 central hub for veteran and military-connected students.

Dwayne Murray

鈥淭he OVMA sets our veteran and military-connected students with an opportunity to go through the entire life cycle of being connected to 黑料不打烊, from being recruited to when they graduate with their degrees,鈥� Murray says. 鈥淲e provide student success opportunities, immersion trips, job readiness activities and an outstanding 100% job placement rate thanks to our career services office.鈥�

Murray was a track and field student-athlete on campus and earned degrees in sociology ( and ) and information management and technology () before enlisting in the U.S. Army immediately after graduating.

Following a decorated 25-year active-duty career in the Army, both as an enlisted soldier and an officer, Murray returned to his alma mater in June 2022 to take on this latest career challenge, which blends his passion for his country with his drive to help veteran and military-connected students achieve their goals.

鈥淭o be at the intersection of where I’ve had some of the most formidable experiences of my life as a student, and then to combine that with the purpose, direction and motivation that comes from being in the Army, I had to take advantage of this opportunity,鈥� Murray says. 鈥淚t’s the only calling for me that was bigger than continuing to serve in the military because I could pay back my institution, I could pay back the students that walk these halls and I could share those lessons I鈥檝e learned and experiences I鈥檝e had with our campus community.鈥�

On this 鈥溾€機use Conversation,鈥� Murray discusses the impact the OVMA has had on campus and around the world, explores what sets 黑料不打烊 apart as a best place for veterans and shares his love for working with veterans and military-connected students.

Check out . A transcript [PDF] is also available.

Global Impact as a Best Place for Veterans

Murray says the commitment to our veterans and military-connected students is 鈥渂aked into our DNA as a University,鈥� including the advent of the Student Army Training Corps, which was the forerunner to the Army ROTC. 黑料不打烊 was also home to one of the first Air Force ROTC programs on a college campus in the nation.

Dwayne Murray (second from left) poses with attendees at the OVMA’s Stars & Stripes tailgate.

Among the many ways the OVMA and the University help facilitate the transition from active duty to student, Murray points to:

• a simplified, streamlined admissions process, including waiving application fees, which has led to a 300% increase in enrollment over the last 10 years;
• customized support services;
• innovative and creative programming under the leadership of Director of Veteran Career Services Jennifer Pluta G鈥�15 that has yielded a 100% job placement rate for student veterans;
• a welcoming and inclusive environment, featuring various affinity groups;
• strong cross-campus relationships that lead to expanded opportunities for students; and
• significant scholarship opportunities that eliminate financial barriers to a degree.

Dwayne Murray enjoyed a decorated 25-year active-duty career in the U.S. Army, both as an enlisted soldier and an officer, before returning to 黑料不打烊 in June 2022.

Add it all up and Murray says it鈥檚 easy to see why Military Times consistently ranks 黑料不打烊 among the 鈥渂est place for veterans鈥� among private universities.

鈥淲e are fully committed to enhancing the opportunities for our students, and these efforts have led to a global impact,鈥� Murray says. 鈥淲e have close to 60 veterans enrolled in the fully interactive hybrid online juris doctorate program [known as JDinteractive], which gives our veterans and military-connected students the opportunity to earn their law degree completely online. We have students in the Defense Comptrollership program, that earn an MBA from the and a master鈥檚 degree in public administration through the Maxwell School. They go on to serve as leaders in their civilian agencies or their military branch of service.鈥�

National Veterans and Military Families Month

While Murray has always seen 黑料不打烊 as part of his identity鈥攚hen he was 7 years old, his grandmother bought him a 黑料不打烊 sweatshirt from the Salvation Army that became a cherished possession鈥攖he University is also ingrained in his family.

Dwayne鈥檚 wife, Alison Murray 鈥�01, currently serves as the assistant dean for student assistance with Hendricks Chapel, where she is responsible for religious and spiritual outreach programs and services that assist students seeking holistic support. Alison, who earned a nursing degree on campus, served in the Army for more than 20 years.

With November being National Veterans and Military Families Month, the Murrays are an outstanding example of service to country and passion for giving back to students.

鈥淎lison is a nurse by trade, and Hendricks Chapel is like a hospital in that she can diagnose folks and provide them with the type of support and assistance they need to grow, thrive and be successful,鈥� Dwayne says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 an amazing feeling knowing we share this strong connection with our alma mater.鈥�

Alison and Dwayne Murray.

The Salzberg Program is made possible by the support of the Whitman School鈥檚 H.H. Franklin Center for Supply Chain Management, co-directed by Assistant Professor of Supply Chain Practice Gary La Point and Associate Professor of Supply Chain Management Julie Niederhoff.

鈥淲e are honored to have some of the best industry leaders join us for the Salzberg Memorial Lecture Program to speak to our students and faculty about topics that are a timely intersection of supply chain management, continuous improvement, globalization, sustainability and well-being,鈥� says Whitman School Interim Dean Alex McKelvie. 鈥淚n addition, we are privileged to present the Salzberg Medallion, which has come to be one of the most esteemed awards in the field of supply chain management since 1949. It is with great pride that the Whitman School, which has the oldest supply chain program in the country, dating back to 1919, showcases some of our top industry leaders, innovative scholars and talented students, who will surely help to inspire the next generation of supply chain leaders鈥攎any of whom I鈥檓 certain will be products of our own Whitman program.鈥�

Award Recipients

This year鈥檚 recipients of the Salzberg Industry Medallion was Toyota Motor Corporation. From left are Whitman School Interim Dean Alex McKelvie; Steve Brown, vice president of parts and logistics and operations at Toyota Motor North America; and J. Michael Haynie, vice chancellor for strategic initiatives and innovation and executive dean of the Whitman School.

This year鈥檚 recipients of the Salzberg Industry Medallion was Toyota Motor Corporation, which has built a reputation as a global pioneer for the Toyota Production System (TPS), its manufacturing practices that set the standard for optimizing processes, reducing waste and creating a culture of continuous improvement that has essentially redefined manufacturing standards globally across multiple industries. Steve Brown, vice president of parts and logistics and operations at Toyota Motor North America, accepted the award on behalf of the company.

The Salzberg Academic Medallion was presented to Charles Corbett, Ph.D. Corbett is the IBM Chair in Management and professor of operation and management and sustainability at UCLA. He also holds a joint appointment at the UCLA Institute of Environment and Sustainability. His current research focuses on sustainable operations, time management and well-being, and his work has been featured in the media and through keynote lectures around the world.

The Salzberg Medallion award winners were selected from nominations received from past recipients and other highly regarded practitioners in the transportation and supply chain fields.

Five awards were also given to Whitman undergraduate students. Those students pursuing a supply chain management major were given the opportunity to submit a paper and video about their ideas for consideration by the members of the H.H. Franklin Supply Chain Advisory Board. This year鈥檚 recipients were the following:

• Taylor Nicole Feiden 鈥�25, marketing management, real estate and supply chain management, who received the $10,000 Brethen Scholarship.
• Gabrielle Goldman 鈥�25 (Whitman/School of Information Studies) 鈥�25, supply chain management and information management and technology, who received the $10,000 Brethen Scholarship.
• Amelia K. Thorn 鈥�25 (Whitman/Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs), finance and supply chain management, who received the $1,000 Zinsmeister Award.
• Connor McHugh 鈥�25, business analytics and supply chain management, who received a $5,000 Recognition Award.
• Odette A. Sherk 鈥�26 (Whitman/Maxwell School), supply chain management, marketing and environmental and sustainability policy, who received the Empowering Women in Supply Chain Award, presented on behalf of the Didier Family, who received a $1,000 award.

Industry Presentations

A number of speakers rounded out the event, sharing their perspectives on topics relevant to supply chain management.

Toyota鈥檚 Brown and Jeff Cawyer, group manager, Toyota Motor North America, outlined the history and methods of TPS, which has become the standard for the auto manufacturing industry through an organizational culture of highly engaged people solving problems or innovating to merge with the latest technology. TPS is focused on the idea that the customer comes first and that people are the company鈥檚 most important resource. The company follows the Japanese philosophy of Kaizen, where problems are solved by going right to the shop floor or at the individual dealerships, and the role of managers is to motivate and develop people by building a greater organizational culture where employees feel empowered, supported and recognized.

Toyota is also strongly committed to one of today鈥檚 top supply chain challenges: carbon neutrality, which the company is aggressively targeting to reach by 2050. Cawyer also explained how his division handles planning and parts logistics with the Just in Time mindset of 鈥渂uilding what people need right now only in the right quantity,鈥� while also making sure that estimated delivery times are met at the dealership level.

The Salzberg Academic Medallion was presented to Charles Corbett, Ph.D. Corbett is the IBM Chair in Management and professor of operation and management and sustainability at UCLA. From left are Whitman School Interim Dean Alex McKelvie; Mike Haynie, vice chancellor for strategic initiatives and innovation and executive dean of the Whitman School; Corbett; and Julie Neiderhoff, associate professor of supply chain management.

Corbett presented 鈥淭he Operations of Well-Being,鈥� which outlined his research on how processes interact with happiness, equity and sustainability. He talked about 鈥渟timulating the best effort of all鈥� and 鈥渉elping individuals make the most of themselves,鈥� while also addressing how individuals can waste valuable time or make 鈥渓azy decisions鈥� that can impact safety and operations, as well as seemingly trivial decisions that can collectively impact whether a person is happy or unhappy.

Corbett emphasized that those who truly use lean manufacturing practices well and give their employees the tools they need to thrive, while those who don鈥檛 implement lean well often wind up in chaos. Corbett also addressed the impact of the 鈥渘ew鈥� supply chain created by gig work, as well as the growing impact of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) on operations.

Adam B. Cunha, head of global key client sales-North America, for A.P. Moller-Maersk, addressed global logistic challenges due to political conflicts and environmental activities surrounding key shipping areas, such as safety concerns in the Suez Canal due to tensions in the Red Sea, fluctuating water levels in the Panama Canal, recent hurricanes in the southeastern U.S. and accidents like the bridge collapse blocking much of the Port of Baltimore. Not only limited to shipping, the company moves almost 20% of the world鈥檚 food, materials and goods every day to reach people across the globe. Today, it is creating 鈥渢he network of the future鈥� to find alternate ways to overcome delays and work around unexpected obstacles. He expressed his hope that Whitman students will remember Maersk not only for shipping 鈥渂ut as a company that is connecting and simplifying global supply chains.鈥�

Sarah Day Kalloch, co-founder and executive director for the Good Jobs Institute, presented 鈥淗elp Companies Thrive by Creating Good Jobs鈥� based on 20 years of research from 鈥淭he Good Job Strategy.鈥澛� One topic she spoke about was how critical pay is for low-income, frontline workers鈥攍ike those working in call centers, warehouses, retail or service.

The Good Jobs Institute has worked successfully with companies, like Costco and Trader Joe鈥檚, to invest in their workers by offering wages greater than their competitors and creating great teams with stable schedules, pay that can support a family, benefits, clear career paths, security and safety. This, in turn, has minimized stress on employees and typically results in much lower turnover, which in itself is a huge cost saver. In addition to improving employee turnover, these employees offer better customer service, better store experiences, and overall higher performance with sales and other metrics, therefore giving a strong return on the investment.

The six recipients are the following:

• Dominique Camp 鈥�24 (David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics), founder of clothing brand Camp Collective, will use the funds for the organization鈥檚 first collection inventory, photo shoot and mockup designs.
  

  Dominique Camp

• Olutosin (Tosin) Alabi G鈥�25 (Martin J. Whitman School of Management), founder of Diabetech, will use the grant to develop a proof-of-concept prototype for the smart sensor/bandage for diabetic foot ulcer monitoring.
• Aidan Turner 鈥�25 (School of Architecture), founder of clothing brand Grater Things, will use the grant for legal services, including project and membership agreements and privacy policy, as well as website development and product research expenses.
• Antonio (Tony) Goncalves 鈥�27 (College of Engineering and Computer Science), founder of fitness app GymIn, will be using the grant to incorporate and other legal business processes.
• Lars Jendruschewitz 鈥�27 (Whitman School and S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications), founder of Photos by Lars, will use the funds for equipment.
• Ania Kapllani 鈥�25 (College of Visual and Performing Arts), founder of Sunset Music, will use the grant to register as an LLC and to create a logo and website.

Applications must specifically define the need with identified outcomes to be achieved within a set time. Initial money in the fund was provided by Jeffrey Rich L鈥�67, partner at Rich Michaelson Magaliff LLP, and a member of the 黑料不打烊 Libraries Advisory Board. Rich provided a multi-year pledge of $25,000 per year for five years from 2020 to 2025. 鈥淚 wanted to contribute in a way that directly supports student new ventures and removes any obstacles to startup development,鈥� Rich says.

Gartner sent out individualized request for information links to supply chain program contacts at universities in the U.S. and Canada. The ranking of university programs in Gartner鈥檚 relative comparison is based on a composite score of three categories: program scope, industry value and program size.

The report is intended to support chief supply chain officers, heads of supply chain strategy and supply chain HR partners to identify the programs best equipped to support their growing talent needs.

鈥淲e are proud of the educational excellence in our program, which offers plenty of experiential learning opportunities. Students engage with companies through internships, corporate partnerships, seminars and networking events,鈥� says聽, Steven R. Becker Professor of Supply Chain Management and Laura J. and L. Douglas Meredith Professor of Teaching Excellence at the Whitman School. 鈥淥ur program is known to be a leading institution in supply chain risk management, a skill set that became influential during disruptions that are caused by global health issues and during economic downturns. We are also the first program to institute supply chain finance as a required course and is one of the leading programs when it comes to the integration of financial and operational planning. Our students are trained rigorously in their analytical capabilities, which helps place our students.鈥�

The Whitman School of Management is home to the nation鈥檚 first SCM program. A specialization in traffic and transportation was first offered in 1919 when the School of Management was founded. Currently, the SCM program offers rigorous degrees, as well as executive education. Whitman鈥檚 award-winning SCM faculty is renowned for teaching, research and outreach partnerships.

Whitman鈥檚 SCM program hosts two outstanding centers:聽听补苍诲听迟丑别. The聽 accomplished executives and scholars to campus in order to share their insights and expertise.

鈥淢ajor corporations, such as Amazon,聽BAE,聽BASF, IBM聽and聽Pratt & Whitney,聽look to Whitman for their companies鈥� future supply chain leaders,鈥� says Kazaz, who is also director of the Robert H. Brethen Operations Management Institute.

, assistant professor at 黑料不打烊’s Falk College, has studied the intake of added sugar and sugar-sweetened beverage in rural adults and adolescents in southwest Virginia. You can read more about her work by . In regards to the Halloween candy this year, Yuhas writes: “ soaring cocoa prices, which could mean smaller chocolate bars and pricier candy this Halloween. As parents opt for fewer chocolates and more non-chocolate sweets, the risk of high consumption of added sugars remains. To keep things balanced this Halloween, parents can set limits on candy, encourage moderation, and fuel up with a healthy meal before trick-or-treating. For a fun twist, try the “Switch Witch” trick: let kids keep a few favorites, then leave the rest outside their door overnight. In exchange, the witch delivers a small toy or prize. For older kids, you can also try the 鈥淐andy Buyback鈥� method. Offer your child the opportunity to “sell” their candy back to you. Set a rate like 10 pieces of candy in exchange for a small toy, book, or special outing. You might also opt to hand out glow sticks or other small, fun trinkets to replace candy when trick-or-treaters come to your door. This not only cuts down on sugar but adds an extra level of fun and safety to Halloween night. These are a few sweet ways to promote healthy habits this Halloween!”聽

, professor of supply chain practice at 黑料不打烊, can speak to the supply chain issues and prices of Halloween candy. Recently, he did interviews with , , , and many other outlets about recent supply chain matters. .

The WAC was established in 1974 to serve as a group of accomplished alumni and other valued partners as instrumental resources for the Whitman School. Members are appointed by Whitman leadership to help provide expertise and support to Whitman鈥檚 strategic direction, priorities and objectives and act as ambassadors and advocates for the school and its students. Members provide mentoring and knowledge, serving on committees that address experiential learning, membership, careers and internships, stewardship and/or strategic initiatives, as well as provide philanthropy. Their collective expertise ensures that the next generation of Whitman graduates have the necessary skills and talents to excel in a competitive business arena, while also helping to raise the profile of the Whitman School.

鈥淲e are thrilled to welcome Dan, Sean and Laurie to the Whitman Advisory Council,鈥� says WAC Chair Tracy Barash ’89. 鈥淭heir collective experience adds valuable perspective to our Council in supporting Whitman鈥檚 efforts to prepare its students for an ever-evolving business environment.鈥�

鈥淭hese new members to Whitman鈥檚 Advisory Council offer unique new insights and industry connections that help us move towards achieving our goals. I look forward to working with and learning from them. We are appreciative of their ongoing commitment to Whitman and its students,鈥� says Alex McKelvie, Interim Dean of the Whitman School.

Daniel Arty 鈥�81

Daniel Arty

Graduating with a bachelor鈥檚 degree in accounting, Arty has long maintained a connection with both 黑料不打烊 and the Whitman School. He is currently managing partner at Arty Cohn Feuer LLC, an accounting firm in Miami. Arty is known for sharing his love of the Orange by encouraging prospective college students in South Florida to consider the Whitman School. He has been key in organizing alumni events taking place near Miami and occasionally travels back to campus to speak to students about his accounting career. He also encourages students to become socially conscious. Arty is a firm believer in giving back, and aside from sharing his time and knowledge, he has generously supported the Accounting Excellence Fund, which assists underserved students interested in sitting for the CPA exam. However, much of his support has been done anonymously. Arty has been a member of the Whitman Accounting Advisory Board since 2002. He and his wife, Pascale, have four daughters, including Katherine Arty 鈥�06 and Olivia Arty 鈥�16. In addition to his commitments to the Whitman School, Arty has been a member of the executive board of the Parkinson鈥檚 Foundation for over 25 years, serving in a number of executive positions.

Sean Carey 鈥�89

Sean Carey

After graduating from the University with a dual bachelor鈥檚 degree in telecommunications management and finance from the Whitman School and the , Carey built a 30-year career as a media and entertainment executive with experience in corporate development, strategic planning, film finance, digital entertainment and content acquisition. Currently based in Los Angeles, Carey serves on advisory boards to companies in the media and entertainment space including Roundtable Entertainment, an independent television and film production company; and Auddy Limited, a firm that publishes and markets podcasts, which he also co-founded. Throughout his career, Carey has worked as a chief content officer and advisor at Iflix Group; served as vice president of global television for Netflix; and was a senior vice president for strategic content initiatives at Sony Corporation of America. Prior to that, he spent 16 years as an executive at Sony Pictures Entertainment, where he led a $5 billion acquisition of MGM and the $2 billion sale of Spanish language network Telemundo to NBC, among other highly successful deals. Throughout his career, Carey has been a generous supporter of the Whitman School, both financially and by sharing his extensive business experience. Carey has a daughter, Josephine Carey 鈥�22.

Laurie Lovett (Weissberger) 鈥�89

Laurie Lovett

Lovett graduated from Whitman with a bachelor鈥檚 degree in business administration and management and also earned a master鈥檚 degree in organizational development from Stevens Institute of Technology. With more than 25 years of professional experience, Lovett brings vast knowledge to the WAC through leadership roles worldwide, particularly in the human capital space. She is known for developing talent strategies to build 鈥渆mployer of choice programs,鈥� while also advocating for diversity, equity and inclusion. Lovett is recognized for leading game-changing cultural transformations and building, engaging and retaining best-in-class teams. Most recently, she served as Nielsen’s Global Chief People Officer. Before Nielsen, she was the Global CHRO at Verisk Analytics and spent 20 years with Accenture in roles with increasing responsibility. Laurie’s board experience includes being an independent director of West Monroe/MSD and BDT (chair of the compensation and talent committee), executive director for governance at the Nielsen Foundation and board director at Girl Stats, Verisk’s foundation. She serves as an international advisory council member to Ankh Impact Ventures. Lovett is also a member and mentor at highly selective professional organizations: Chief, 50/50 Women on Boards and Extraordinary Women on Boards. She has an enduring connection to 黑料不打烊, as her mother, the late Barbara Kling (Weissberger) 鈥�66 also attended the University.

The honorees make up an impressive group of the 鈥攆rom baby monitors and kitchen scrubbers to weekend getaways and candle companies, and everything in between.

On Thursday, Nov. 14, the will recognize the 2024 honorees, culminating with a live reveal of the top 10 fastest-growing Orange businesses.

鈥淲e are excited to be hosting this event again this year to welcome our distinguished alumni back to campus to honor their remarkable accomplishments,鈥� says Tracy Barlok, senior vice president and chief advancement officer. 鈥淥ur graduates possess a strong entrepreneurial spirit, and it鈥檚 essential to recognize the significant impact they are making globally through their businesses.鈥�

The evening鈥檚 festivities will also include a conversation with , celebrity chef and baker from A&E鈥檚 hit shows 鈥淐ake Dynasty鈥� and 鈥淟egends of the Fork.鈥� Valastro will participate in a fireside chat during the awards ceremony, sharing the personal ingredients behind his entrepreneurial success.

for the event.

Winners of the 2023 鈥機USE50 Alumni Entrepreneur Award (Photo by Chuck Wainwright)

鈥機USE50 Entrepreneurship Summit

Honorees of the 鈥機USE50 Alumni Entrepreneur Awards will headline the 鈥機USE50 Summit the following day on Friday, Nov. 15, at the . The summit is open to student innovators, entrepreneurs and creatives across campus, as well as anyone who wants to develop an entrepreneurial mindset for personal and professional success.

Students will meet and network with alumni at the 鈥機USE50 Summit. (Photo by Jeremy Brinn)

This event promises to be the biggest innovation and entrepreneurship summit of the year and is a chance to meet and network with top thinkers on engaging, practical and forward-thinking opportunities that will inspire creative thinking and provide real-world takeaways.

Topics will include building a startup from scratch, bootstrapping and developing a growth mindset, building a personal brand, team building, leadership, resilience and well-being, the creator economy, innovation in the digital age, and embracing change to drive personal growth and success. Last year, hundreds of students attended and came away with ideas and connections, as well as mentors and investors.

for the event, which will run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., starting in the Flaum Grand Hall and then moving to Whitman classrooms for 10 panel discussions with 鈥機USE50 honorees. Conversations will be moderated by student innovators who will serve as 鈥渇irestarters鈥� for discussions with ample opportunity for audience participation.

鈥淭hese events offer a distinctive learning experience for our students,鈥� says Mike Haynie, vice chancellor for strategic initiatives and innovation and executive dean of the Whitman School. 鈥淭he 鈥機USE50 Awards ceremony and Summit allow students a unique opportunity to engage with alumni who began their entrepreneurial journey at 黑料不打烊, bridging the gap between our graduates and the entrepreneurial dreams of our current students.鈥�

The summit will also include lunch in Flaum Grand Hall, followed by a spirited 鈥淔ive for Five鈥� student pitch competition in Lender Auditorium, where the top five campus innovation teams will participate in a spirited 鈥淪hark Tank鈥�-style format for a 鈥渨inner take all鈥� $5,000 grand prize selected by鈥機USE50 honorees.

For more information about the event, visit the .

Alumni panel discussions at the 鈥機USE50 Summit (Photo by Jeremy Brinn)

The new station, 鈥�,鈥� is 鈥渁 thrilling and significant breakthrough鈥� for the growing Spanish-speaking community in the area, says , executive director of cultural engagement for the Hispanic community and director of the University鈥檚 . 鈥淭he station is poised to become a vital resource, reflecting the vibrant mix of Hispanic and Latino cultures and effectively engaging these populations like no other local or regional medium does.鈥�

Paniagua and many others at the University were integral to the development of the station. She first got involved in the summer of 2023 when WCNY CEO and President approached her wondering if a Spanish-language radio station was available in the area. When he discovered there wasn鈥檛 one, Gelman asked Paniagua to help him assess the community鈥檚 interest in filling that void.

Gelman formed a community task force, which he co-chaired with Paniagua and WCNY-FM Station Manager . Over many months, more than two dozen task force members planned the station鈥檚 structure, helped developed funding, sought collaborators and generated programming ideas.

Teresita Paniagua, left, the University’s executive director of cultural engagement for the Hispanic community, speaks to students at an event celebrating Hispanic culture. Paniagua was instrumental in spurring community interest in and involvement to help bring about WCNY’s Spanish-language radio station.

Several University faculty members and instructors from the College of Arts and Sciences, including , associate teaching professor of Spanish and Portuguese and Spanish language coordinator, and , Spanish instructor, participated in the task force efforts.

Also involved in other ways were , Spanish department professor and chair; , Spanish professor; , assistant teaching professor of film in the College of Visual and Performing Arts; , development director for 黑料不打烊 Stage; , professor of Spanish at Onondaga Community College; Josefa 脕lvarez Valad茅s, 聽Spanish professor at LeMoyne College; and , a Newhouse School of Public Communications alumnus and former radio/TV producer who is an associate professor of communications at SUNY Oswego.

As part of the task force鈥檚 fact-finding, Paniagua enlisted Whitman School of Management students Nicolas Cela Marxuach 鈥�25, Zachary Levine 鈥�25 and Jonah Griffin 鈥�24 to develop and distribute a community interest survey, which the students circulated to several hundred local residents at community events. She says 98% of respondents supported the idea. The survey also provided insights into audience demographics and programming ideas鈥攊ncluding sports, community news, talk shows, music and faith-based content.

There are upwards of 1,000 Spanish-speaking radio stations in the U.S. but Pulso Central is the first of its kind in Central New York. The region is home to some 18,000 Spanish-speaking households, with Spanish-speaking people making up about 10.5% of the area鈥檚 population and comprising a segment of the community that has grown 30% over the past decade, according to research done by WCNY.

A Learning Resource

Pulso Central also provides a unique learning opportunity and 鈥渁n extraordinary new pedagogical tool for experiential education鈥� for the University’s students, says Ticio Quesada.

M. Emma Ticio Quesada, center, a professor in 黑料不打烊’s Spanish department, uses WCNY’s radio station studio as an experiential learning space and resource for her courses.

Five students from her immersive course, Community Outreach: Language in Action, are interning at the station. The students, Lailah Ali-Valentine, Adam Baltaxe, Kimberlyn Lopez Herrera, Nicolas Bernardino Greiner-Guzman and Jade Aulestia recently created their first podcast.

Ticio Quesada says she also expects students in SPA 300: Our Community Voices, an course, to benefit from the same kind of internship opportunity. The course connects native and non-native Spanish speakers, inspires them to contribute to the local community, and promotes inclusion and social justice.

Partnering Results

Miranda Traudt, the University鈥檚 assistant provost for arts and community programming, says the task force is a good example of the positive outcomes that can result when members of the University and local communities work together to achieve specific goals. 鈥淭his project continues La Casita鈥檚 meaningful engagement with Hispanic communities in Central New York and helps fulfill its mission through work in the arts, media, cultural heritage preservation and research adding to the high quality of life,鈥� she says.

Several dozen community members helped WCNY form and air the area’s first Spanish-language radio station. They included, from left, Mitch Gelman, WCNY president and CEO; M. Emma Ticio Quesada, 黑料不打烊 professor of Spanish; Stephanie Gonzalez Rawlings, content producer; and DJ Lorenz (Renzo Quesada), music host. (Photo by Eric Hayden, WCNY)

Game Changer

Paniagua believes the station 鈥渃an be a game changer,鈥� not only in providing news and information about and for the Latina/Hispanic community but also by 鈥渉elping to change long-established stereotypes and present a whole new world of possibilities for the people of this community,鈥� she says. 鈥淭here are many wonderful stories about people who have established their lives in this community and I hope Pulso Central can be a showcase for those stories.鈥�

Launch Event Oct. 24

An official launch event, 鈥�,鈥� will be held Thursday, Oct. 24, at WCNY studios and La Casita.

鈥淲CNY is thrilled to help launch Pulso Central,鈥� Gelman says. 鈥淥ur goal is to provide a platform that will come alive with music and talk that engages listeners and fosters community connection.鈥�

The station reaches listeners in 19 counties. Pulso Central airs on WCNY 91.3 HD-2 in 黑料不打烊, WUNY 89.5 HD-2 in Utica and WJNY 90.9 HD-2 in Watertown. It is accessible online at and streaming on the Pulso Central app.

Elizabeth Carter

, assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering at 黑料不打烊’s College of Engineering and Computer Science, and her research team have received a water resource grant from the U.S. Geological Survey to develop a sensor network that measures flooding. This sensor network will help predict different types of flooding caused by natural disasters, particularly flooding in areas where people live, which is referred to as urban flooding. This project is known as the Urban Flood Observing Network, and you can learn more about it here.

Related to Hurricane Milton specifically, she writes: “We design flood control infrastructure, like storm sewers, reservoirs, floodwalls, and levees, to handle a storm that we think has a 1% chance of happening every year. The primary physical driver of these 1% flood events in the eastern and central United States are tropical cyclones (tropical depressions, storms, and hurricanes). More hurricanes directly translates to more frequent infrastructure failure. More intense hurricanes means more catastrophic infrastructure failure. In 1970, the most intense storm we’d see in an average year was a category 3. In 2010, it was a category 4. If these trends continue into 2050, we could expect at least one category 5 storm annually. We are not prepared.聽Flood control infrastructure upgrades in the eastern United States are urgently required, and a critical public health and equity issue.”

Sarah Pralle

, associate professor of political science at the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at 黑料不打烊, specializes in environmental politics and policy, climate change and energy, flood mapping, flood insurance, and more. Pralle also serves as a senior research associate for the Campbell Public Affairs Institute. She was recently quoted in The Atlantic story ““:

“Many people assume that they face little risk if they aren鈥檛 living in an area included in high-risk zones on FEMA鈥檚 flood maps, Sarah Pralle, a political-science professor at the Maxwell School at 黑料不打烊, told me. But FEMA鈥檚 maps don鈥檛 capture the full picture of flood risk. They are drawn ‘based on the assumption that the past will help us predict the future. In a rapidly changing climate, that鈥檚 not the case.’ The maps can quickly become outdated as climate risks evolve, she noted, and don鈥檛 take into account pluvial flooding, or flooding from heavy-rain events, which is what North Carolina saw last week. Even people who have personally experienced flooding sometimes drop their policies, Pralle said, adding that ‘if people have lived in a place where it hasn鈥檛 flooded in decades, they lose that memory of what can happen and what kind of losses they might suffer. Those who do buy flood insurance usually live in areas prone to flooding. The result is a system in which the risk is not evenly spread out, making flood-insurance premiums hugely pricey鈥擯ralle likened it to a health-insurance system in which only the sick buy coverage.'”

And then: “So much of the response following disasters can feel piecemeal and reactive, Pralle said. Insurance is important鈥攂ut not the full story. ‘Every dollar we put into prevention is going to be a lot more efficiently spent,’ she explained. In a world reshaped by climate change, ‘this idea that there鈥檚 safe places you can go hide is unrealistic.’鈥�

Robert Wilson

, associate professor at 黑料不打烊’s Maxwell School, studies animals and society, climate change, geography, and more. He can speak to human-pet relationships and the need to prepare for your pets ahead of natural disasters.

Wilson writes: “As Hurricane Milton barrels ashore in Florida, we鈥檙e reminded of how owning pets can complicate evacuations during natural disasters. When asked, most pet owners say they consider their cats and dogs to be like family. This affection for pets can complicate evacuation decisions during emergencies.

Pet owners often face a difficult choice. They can evacuate to a hotel or shelter that doesn’t accept pets, potentially leaving their animals behind. Or they can remain in place, facing the worst of a hurricane to stay with their pets. This dilemma underscores the need for emergency planning that considers the needs of pets as well as people.

In areas prone to hurricanes, wildfires, or other natural disasters, pet owners should develop evacuation plans that include their animals. This could involve plans that identify hotels and shelters that accept pets, preparing an emergency kit with supplies for people and animals, and making sure pets have proper identification. Being prepared can help save the lives of people and the pets they love.”

Patrick Penfield

, professor of supply chain practice at 黑料不打烊 Univeristy’s Whitman School of Management, can speak to supply chain issues related to Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton.

Penfield writes: “Hurricane Helene and Milton will adversely impact US supply chains. Unfortunately, we have a high concentration of critical manufacturing facilities in the South such as IV plants (North Carolina and Florida) and quartz factories (used in the electronics industry) which could be shut down for several months because of the hurricanes. In addition to southern manufacturing plant and distribution centers being closed, we will see a significant loss of vegetable and fruits which will impact availability and drive-up prices. Penfield further stated that significant infrastructure will need to also be rebuilt such as roads, bridges and ports which could further impact the ability of other companies in the South to function.”

Derek Seward

is an associate professor at 黑料不打烊’s School of Education. Dr. Seward鈥檚 scholarly interests focus primarily on the multicultural and social justice development of mental health professionals, with a particular interest in professionals of color.

Seward writes: “Repeated exposure to hurricane disasters can be devasting as the opportunity for hurricane survivors to have sustained psychological recovery time is disrupted. Hurricane survivors can experience a range of short-term psychological struggles including immense anxiety as their lives are threatened, intense feelings of helplessness as they deal with uncertainty regarding potential loss of life (i.e., family, friends, pets) and belongings, and increased stress from physical displacement. The impact on families can be particularly profound as children may lack psychological preparedness and resilience to handle acute unexpected adversities. Physical clinginess, refusal to be separated from parents or guardians, and nightmares or other sleep disruptions are behavioral responses children may display. During disasters, children struggle with experiencing that their world is not stable, secure, and safe. To protect their children, parents may withhold expressing their fears and anxieties which can be problematic as they are not attending to their own mental health needs. Parents and guardians should reassure their children they are being protected. Limiting children鈥檚 exposure to media coverage of hurricanes can help to avoid elevating their anxiety. Parents should consider seeking mental health support to deal with any symptoms of stress and anxiety they experience. Longer-term psychological struggles for hurricane survivors include increased substance use and post-traumatic stress symptoms such as having intrusive and distressing thoughts that interfere with concentration mood, irritability, avoidant behavior, and depression.”

Jennifer Genovese

is an assistant teaching professor in the School of Social Work at 黑料不打烊’s Falk College. She can speak to mental health and trauma related to natural disasters; and, specifically in this case, back-to-back hurricanes. She was recently interviewed for the ABC News story “

Phloat co-founders Nathan Thor Brekke 鈥�26 (left) and Malak Aljerari 鈥�27 (right) with LaunchPad program manager J Wess (middle)

黑料不打烊 Libraries鈥� Blackstone LaunchPad (LaunchPad) hosted its annual 鈥機use Tank entrepreneurial competition on Friday, Sept. 27, during Family Weekend in Bird Library. More than 35 student entrepreneur teams from various schools and colleges across campus participated in a 鈥淪hark-Tank鈥� style business pitch to win $20,000 in cash prizes. The panel of judges consisted of University parents and affiliated family members. The judges selected two first-place teams, which each won $10,000 and two honorable mention runners-up:

• Iconnic.Cloud, founded by Waqar Hussain, G鈥�25 (Martin J. Whitman School of Management), won first place for the second year in a row. Iconnic.Cloud is a fully managed cloud hosting platform, engineered with proprietary software, that crafts tailored hosting solutions.
  

  Iconnic.Cloud founder by Waqar Hussain G鈥�25 (left) with LaunchPad program manager J Wess

• Phloat, founded by College of Engineering and Computer Science (ECS) students who participated in the 2024 Invent@SU program, Elijah Alexander 鈥�27, Joshua John Varkey 鈥�26, Malak Aljerari 鈥�27 and Nathan Thor Brekke 鈥�26, also tied for first place. Phloat is a phone case that has a super compact, deployable flotation feature that triggers in the event of a phone falling and sinking into deep water.
• Gym-In, another startup from Invent@SU and founded by ECS students Alexander Hamza 鈥�26, Antonio Goncalves 鈥�27, Jack Friedman 鈥�27 and Armani Isonguyo 鈥�25 tied for runner-up. Their invention provides gym users with an app to determine how full a gym is and what machines are being used in live time.
• Papa Box, co-founded by Aleks Djordjevic G鈥�25 (Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs) and Amos Kiplimo Bungei G鈥�25 (College of Engineering and Computer Science) was also tied for runner-up. The company aims to provide and scale a battery-charging infrastructure through its interoperable PAPA Boxes swapping stations in transportation hot zones in Kenya.

This year鈥檚 group of “family” judges included:

• Todd Arky, executive vice president, Sharebite and co-founder/CEO of TipOff Sports
• Anthony Campagiorni 鈥�91, vice president, Central Hudson Gas & Electric Company
• Melinda Dermody, associate dean of academic success, 黑料不打烊 Libraries
• Melissa Gwilt 鈥�15, G鈥�22, director of budget and administration, 黑料不打烊 Libraries
• Corey Lieblein 鈥�93 , CEO of CP8 Capital
• Ajay Nagpal, president and COO Millenium
• Alice Villafana, retired
• Tonya Villafana, global franchise head, research and development, for Astra-Zeneca
• Mark Wassersug, former COO Intercontinental Exchange

Edward C. Magee Sr.

鈥淢y dad was serious about work, community, country and 黑料不打烊 athletics,鈥� says Magee. The senior Magee died in 1989 at the age of 78. In recognition of his son鈥檚 gift to the John A. Lally Athletics Complex and the Athletics Opportunity Fund, the dining hall will be commonly referred to as Magee One Team Dining.

鈥淢y father was a low-key guy, but I know he would have wanted to help student-athletes and the athletics program in meaningful ways,鈥� says Magee. Both father and son shared an appreciation for the power of sports to enhance the visibility and reputation of the entire University. 鈥淗e turned me into an avid 黑料不打烊 sports fan at a young age,鈥� says Magee. 鈥淲e had football season tickets forever!鈥�

When his father became too ill with congestive heart failure to attend games, he would watch from his recliner chair at home. 鈥淭his was before the internet, and he would create his own score sheets,鈥� says Magee. On the day he died, Magee Sr. was watching the 黑料不打烊 basketball team play Missouri. 鈥淔ive to ten minutes into the game, he took his last breath. My brother Tom, who graduated from 黑料不打烊 College of Law in 1973, still has that score sheet.鈥� Now, Magee Sr.鈥檚 dedication to the Orange is memorialized in a place that honors the dedication of more than 600 student-athletes across 20 sports.

鈥淪ince we launched a dedicated campaign in 2021 to raise $150 million to enhance the student-athlete experience, we鈥檝e been amazed and gratified by the support of donors like Ed,鈥� says John Wildhack, director of athletics. 鈥淭hey truly appreciate the value of student-athlete focused facilities and services in attracting the most talented student-athletes and staff and ensuring competitive excellence in the athletics program.鈥�

Edward 鈥淓d鈥� C. Magee

The athletics fundraising goal is part of the $1.5 billion for 黑料不打烊. 鈥淧hilanthropy has always been critical to creating an environment where all our students can thrive, in the classroom and beyond, and in their chosen careers,鈥� says Chancellor Kent Syverud. 鈥淚 am grateful to Ed for recognizing that his gift can elevate the entire student experience, along with the reputation of the entire University.鈥�

Magee graduated from the in 1970 with a bachelor of science in aerospace engineering, and earned an MBA in management data systems from the in 1972. He says he wasn鈥檛 a great athlete or an outstanding student, but he learned from his father and mother, a teacher, the value of hard work and dedication to family, community and country. He signed up for Air Force ROTC while in college, earning a scholarship that 鈥渨ould help out my parents.鈥�

His father, Magee Sr., graduated from the in 1933 and completed a law degree in 1936. He joined the U.S. Army, served with the 84th Infantry Division in the South Pacific and Asiatic theaters, and trained soldiers for combat. He was a reservist for 20 years and retired as a major. He was equally devoted in his professional life, spending 40 years at the Utica Mutual Insurance Company.

Similarly, his son Ed was loyal in service to both country and a corporation that gave him the means to build wealth that could be used in service of others. Magee served four years at Eglin Air Force Base as an officer in the Air Defense Command and, as an air force captain, he designed real-time software to drive the world鈥檚 first phased-array Space Track Radar. Following the Air Force, he devoted himself to PepsiCo, first developing information systems and ultimately rising to the level of Pepsi-Cola International chief information officer. He retired at the young age of 48 and has spent his time since consulting and investing in promising ventures, giving back to community through various charities, and supporting his beloved alma mater.

Rendering of dining hall at the One Team Olympic Sports Center

In 2018, Magee established the Edward C. Magee Endowed Scholarship to provide financial assistance to undergraduate students in the and 鈥渉elp students who need a helping hand.鈥� Believing students and student-athletes across all disciplines and sports can contribute to a thriving university and a culture of competitive excellence, Magee targeted his latest gift for the benefit of student athletes who will 鈥渇uel their bodies鈥� at Magee One Team Dining.

About 黑料不打烊

黑料不打烊 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鈥檙e a powerful community that moves ideas, individuals and impact beyond what鈥檚 possible.

About Forever Orange: The Campaign for 黑料不打烊

Orange isn鈥檛 just our color. It鈥檚 our promise to leave the world better than we found it. Forever Orange: The Campaign for 黑料不打烊 is poised to do just that. Fueled by more than 150 years of fearless firsts, together we can enhance academic excellence, transform the student experience and expand unique opportunities for learning and growth. Forever Orange endeavors to raise $1.5 billion in philanthropic support, inspire 125,000 individual donors to participate in the campaign, and actively engage one in five alumni in the life of the University. Now is the time to show the world what Orange can do. Visit聽聽to learn more.