The ceremony honors and celebrates those who uphold and defend the Constitution, including those who have served in the military and those who serve today. The ceremony will also be held virtually and is free for the campus community and alumni. Event details and the Zoom link can be found on .

, president of the student organization Operation Veteran Advocacy, will host the event, with remarks by College of Law Dean and Institute for Security Policy and Law Director . The guest speaker will be the 45th Judge Advocate General of the U.S. Navy Vice Admiral Darse E. “Del” Crandall. Crandall will share his perspectives on the origin of Veterans Day and why our nation celebrates veterans and their service.

Crandall is the principal military legal counsel to the secretary of the Navy and chief of naval operations. He also leads the 2,300 attorneys, enlisted legalmen and civilian employees of the worldwide Navy JAG Corps community. He was commissioned in 1984 through the Naval Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) program at Northwestern University, where he received a bachelor of arts in economics. In 1992, he graduated from Georgetown University Law Center, cum laude. In 1999, he received a master of law degree in international law from The George Washington University, with highest honors.

Crandall has completed several assignments within Naval Legal Service Command (NLSC) and the Office of the Judge Advocate General (OJAG). NLSC assignments include defense counsel, prosecutor and civil law department head at Naval Legal Service Office (NLSO) Northwest Pacific and commanding officer of NLSO Central, Pensacola, Florida. OJAG assignments include administrative law attorney and deputy executive assistant to the Judge Advocate General. He also served one year in the dual role of Assistant Judge Advocate General (operations and management)/chief of staff, Region Legal Service Offices.

The fourth annual Veterans Day Celebration is presented by the Institute for Security Policy and Law, the Betty and Michael D. Wohl Veterans Legal Clinic and two College of Law student organizations, the National Security Student Association and Operation Veteran Advocacy. The Syracuse University ROTC Joint Color Guard will present the colors and the Weedsport High School chorus will sing the national anthem. Students, local attorneys, veterans, and members of the 10th Mountain Division Office of the Staff Judge Advocate will attend the ceremony.

Distinguished Military Graduates and Recondo Badge Earned

Army cadets attended advanced training camp over the summer, and eight were selected as distinguished military graduates, meaning they were assessed in the top 15% of all cadets nationwide, including active duty, national guard and reserves. They are Madeleine Gordon, Brian Bauer, Isabella Lee, Patrick Little, Jeffrey Estes, John Northrop, Lucas Marchi and Stanley Smudin.

Additionally, Gordon and Bauer were ranked in the top 10% of all active-duty cadets. “I think this speaks volumes to how well our program has prepared us to not only perform at camp and receive these evaluations, but further to have the ability to broaden and grow ourselves professionally in ROTC,” says Gordon. She says ROTC has given her room for academic and personal growth while providing opportunities and passionate involvement outside in the community.

Gordon says her experience with different languages and cultures as a double major in modern foreign languages (Arabic and Chinese) in the College of Arts and Sciences, with minors in linguistics and Middle Eastern studies, is a factor in her success. “Cultural understanding and competencies are aspects of leadership I feel don’t immediately come to mind, but are absolutely critical in your ability to support not only your soldiers, but also the mission set as we continue to engage in a diverse theater of operations.”

The success of the Army ROTC program is a testament to the examples of leadership they see in the instructors, known as cadre, in the program. Gordon says rather than simply memorizing doctrine, the program encourages cadets to learn how to think critically and take personal approaches to leadership. “We performed well because we all had adequate training and a good understanding of the material,” she says. “But further, we are enabled to have creative intuitions and take appropriate risk to challenge ourselves and grow as decisive leaders.”

The following cadets additionally earned the Reconnaissance Commando (Recondo) badge: Charles Ball, Michael Griffin, Patrick Little, Michael Lunny, Lucas Marchi, Alexander Morales, John Northrop, Hayden Smith (SUNY Oswego) and Ryan Snyder.

Cadets earning the Recondo badge met specific physical, intellectual and performance criteria, such as completing a six-mile march with a 35-pound rucksack in under 90 minutes; earning a first-time GO (pass) in all tested events and competencies, qualifying Sharpshooter or higher on the M4 range; and successfully finding 5/6 points of a day/night land navigation course.

For Gordon and the accomplished ROTC MSIV cohort, the accolades and badges aren’t as valuable as the perspective they are able to bring back to the battalion. While the COVID pandemic canceled advance camps for last year’s senior class, Gordon says her cohort’s participation can better help the next class prepare. “Our focus now is enabling our junior cadets to achieve and surpass us. How many more distinguished military graduates and Recondo badges can we get next year, and the one following?”

Air Force Cadets Placed in Selective Fields

For Air Force cadets, the assessment process begins their first year in the program and continues through their senior year, appearing in front of their leadership boards. Cadets are evaluated based on their grades, military bearing and technical expertise and are compared to cadets nationwide. During their junior year, cadets submit their preferences for competitive rated career fields, like pilots. Based on these assessments and submitted preferences, the Air Force assigns the cadets their military specialty.

Every Air Force cadet that applied was selected for rated positions within the USAF: Mackenzie Jorgensen, Si Yun (Sara) Lim, Alyssa Rote, Erin Beaudoin, Gerrit Vanvranken, Scott Potter, Jarod Okamura and Paul Dicorso.

“I didn’t know if I was going to get it or not. I was told the boards this year were very competitive, so I was very happy,” says Jorgensen, an international relations major in the Maxwell School and the College of Arts and Sciences. “I was very excited and relieved to know what I’m going to be doing.”

For air battle managers Jorgensen and Lim, their position is much like an offensive coordinator on a football team, helping oversee a combat situation and funneling resources where they are needed by observing radar or other intelligence.

“Initially there were eight of us put up on the boards, five of us got it originally,” says Jorgensen. A supplemental board allowed cadets to work on some aspect of their profile to increase their chances for selection, such as taking summer courses or technical training. “When we found out all three of them got it on the second boards, it was really exciting, and I think it’s a testament to how hard we work as a class and compete nationwide against other cadets in Air Force ROTC.”

Lim, a double major in international relations and political science in the Maxwell School and College of Arts and Sciences, was one of the cadets who earned her spot in the supplemental board. She says serving in the military is the culmination of a lifelong dream and building on the legacy of service her father began as an ROTC cadet in the South Korean military. “I got naturalized for citizenship in 2018. It was my first year of college. And that was probably the proudest moment of my life so far,” says Lim. “And one of the reasons I think I chose to go the military abroad is because I want to give back to the country that I call home.”

Mechanical engineering major Erin Beaudoin, aerospace engineering major Alyssa Rote and political science major Gerrit Vanvranken were selected for combat systems officer. This position is often sitting behind a pilot in a fighter jet. They will each attend advanced training in Florida for about a year, learning the technical application of their job as well as survival, evasion, resistance and escape training. All three are excited to continue training together.

Scott Potter, who was selected as a pilot, said flying is his dream. “I’ve wanted to be a pilot for almost as long as I can remember,” he said. He found out his selection during a meeting with his captain. “He sat me down and he said, ‘Well, sometimes you shoot for the stars and you come up short,’ and I put my head down and he said, ‘you got a pilot slot.’ And I jumped up out of my seat and put my hands up in the air.” Potter says everyone being selected for a rated position is a reflection of the ROTC program as a whole. “This was one of the most competitive boards in a long time,” he says. “So that’s the quality of cadet that we have at this detachment. Being around each other, we all make each other better just because everyone is such a high speed, high caliber person.”

Remotely Piloted Aircraft selections Jarod Okamura and Paul Dicorso will fly drones. “It’s cliché, but everyone has a different background and so we have a good diversity of thought in the detachment,” says Okamura. “And although we are technically competing against each other for a commission allocation or career selection, everyone pushes each other to succeed.”

Lyons, a biochemistry major and active participant in the Syracuse University Ambulance Corps and Army Reserve Officer Training Corps, is remembered for going above and beyond to serve others.

Bob Lyons unveils the tribute to his son, James, inducted into the University’s National Veterans Resource Center’s Hall of Honor on Oct. 15.

Bob Lyons, James’ father, says he’s honored his son is being inducted into the Hall of Honor. “I was really blown away when I heard the news,” says Bob Lyons, who attended the event with his wife, Marcia. “When I’m gone, he’ll still be honored there. And I think that’s just wonderful. I don’t know how to say how much it means to me.”

“We miss him every day, especially as we get older since he was our only child,” says Bob Lyons, who has been a volunteer firefighter at the Brighton (New York) Volunteer Fire Department for “most of his life.” James Lyons, who grew up following his dad to many fire calls, loved the outdoors and was a Boy Scout.

James Lyons was well liked by his classmates, his father recalls. In school, he stood up to bullies and was elected king at his junior prom. “He had girls bugging him since the sixth grade,” says Bob Lyons.

Bob Lyons says his son was a talented athlete that gravitated toward defense. He played middle linebacker in varsity football and was a lacrosse defenseman at Brighton High School near Rochester. James Lyons finished high school at Vermont Academy as an All-New England lacrosse player in 1998. “He went to Syracuse University because he was going to play lacrosse, and then got hurt and never played,” Bob Lyons says.

James Lyons was inspired to pursue service when he attended a pair of immersion trips. The first was before graduating high school, when he visited Houston and was introduced to the medical profession. Later at Syracuse University, he decided he was going to take an EMT class offered in his biochemistry degree program. He loved the work and became an active member of the Ambulance Corps, helping people the way his father did as a volunteer firefighter.

The second trip was to Washington, D.C., during his sophomore year at the University. James Lyons was active in ROTC and attended a “staff ride.” “He got to sit in a tank and just loved it,” says his father.

After the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, James Lyons felt like it was his calling to pursue the military as a career.

The day after he graduated in 2003, James Lyons went to the Military Entrance Processing Station and, after completing a summer course, shipped out to Fort Sill in Oklahoma for basic combat training. He would go on to commission as a tank platoon leader.

As a tank commander, James Lyons led a crew from a small, cramped space inside a tank. The unfriendly confines weren’t enough to dissuade people from wanting to work with him. “He said ‘Dad, what should I do? Everybody wants to be in my platoon,’” says Bob Lyons.

James Lyons was a successful leader because he put people first. While serving in Iraq, he was tasked with going door to door and confiscating weapons. One blunderbuss, that wasn’t a viable weapon, was also a family heirloom. The Iraqi family was upset, so he got permission to return it. “That shows the caring that James had for people,” says Bob Lyons.

During his final rotation in September 2006, James Lyons was on a quick reaction force that responded to a group of insurgents gathered at a farmhouse. He led the attack from his tank and was shot and killed by a sniper. He was 28 years old. He was highly decorated at the time of his death, having earned the Bronze Star, Purple Heart and Meritorious Service Medal, among other honors.

Bob Lyons accepts an award on behalf of his son, James, recognized as the “Hometown Hero” during halftime at the Syracuse football game against Clemson University on Oct. 15.

Honoring his Memory

The communities that knew James Lyons created several scholarships and awards that continue his legacy of service to others.

One of the Lyons’s neighbors gave a large donation to the Brighton Fire Department in James’ memory. It inspired others to also donate and the fire department set up a scholarship dedicated in his memory. Annually, applicants that are going back to school and exemplify the values James Lyons lived by are awarded $1,000 scholarships.

Every year since 2015, the Syracuse University Ambulance Corps gives the James Lyons Citizenship Award to a graduating member who demonstrates exceptional service to others and is dedicated to the betterment of people in their daily lives. His uniform patches are still on display at the Syracuse Ambulance headquarters to this day.

On campus, his legacy is carried on through the James Lyons ’03 Sons and Daughters Memorial Scholarship Endowment. The scholarship helps support military children, with preference given to first-year students and is renewed through senior year.

Adia Gist ’21 was awarded the scholarship in 2020. Her father served in the U.S. Army for the past 29 years. The scholarship, combined with her father’s Post-9/11 GI Bill, financed her degree. “Honestly if it wasn’t for my scholarship, I would not have been able to go to a school like Syracuse University,” she says. “I’m very blessed that I’ve been able to do that.”

With the help of the scholarship, Gist was an active member of the campus community. She was involved in the WellsLink Leadership Program, which allowed her to work with a mentor. She danced for three years on campus with Creations Dance Company. She completed two internships, including one her senior year at Hearst Magazines. Gist also volunteered her time with the engineering ambassadors program visiting middle schools to introduce students to beginner engineering projects.

Gist has graduated and currently works for Hearst magazines. “And so, it is full circle for me to still be at Hearst in the magazine section. And I feel like I’m one step closer to being in the entertainment and media field,” says Gist. “It wouldn’t have been possible without having the scholarship.”

Living Library is an annual event encouraging people from different backgrounds to talk with and learn from each other in a safe and supportive environment.

“Syracuse University’s classrooms and campuses benefit enormously from the inclusion of military-connected students, faculty and staff,” says Office of Veteran Affairs Executive Director Ron Novack. “This year’s military-themed living library event is an opportunity to bring together our entire campus community to hear firsthand the experiences, backgrounds and personal stories of our veterans and military-connected students faculty and staff.”

Living books will share their experience on a variety of topics, including military service, transition from the military, managing a family while serving, disability, feelings of alienation and the end of the war in Afghanistan.

The Living Library is open to the campus community. Participants can reserve living books in advance for a specific time by completing the by Nov. 10. If you have difficulties using this form or wish to sign up as a living book, visit the . To request accommodations, please reach out by Nov. 10.

This is a need-based award. Applications will be evaluated on how the funds requested will impact a student veteran’s ability to participate in the internship. The award can help offset the cost of travel, living expenses or tuition.

The first-ever awardee, Dustin Hall, says the Student Veteran Undergraduate Internship Award enabled him to participate in an internship last summer with OneGroup, an industry-leading risk management, insurance brokerage and employee benefits firm.

“As a student veteran, we’re not the typical college-aged students,” says Hall. “When I was looking at internships, I found a lot of great opportunities. However, I have bills and it was actually a challenge to find an internship where I could get by over the summer.”

Dustin Hall received the first Student Veteran Undergraduate Internship Award from the Office of Veteran and Military Affairs.

Hall says the award was “a game-changer.”

“Not only was I getting college credit, but I was also getting funds that could sustain me through the 2 1/2 months of the internship,” says Hall.

The award removed the complexity of holding down a second job to supplement his income.

“I was able to not be so stressed about the money and just focus on the experience of the internship and making connections,” Hall says.

He says OneGroup recognized what he could contribute with his military experience, especially with his strict attention to detail learned in the Navy. Hall was an Aviation Boatswain’s Mate Handler on the USS Theodore Roosevelt and later the USS George Washington.

“I would call it a mid-career internship,” he says. “You’re not getting stuck with doing basic intern stuff. They’re actually giving you real problems the company is facing.”

OVMA established the Internship Award in 2020 to eliminate the financial barriers that impede student veterans from participating in internships.  Jennifer Pluta, the assistant director of Veteran Career Services, first looked at the University’s student veterans and found that only 6 to 8 percent of the undergraduate population was participating in summer internships. This was a concern since OVMA’s charge is to help student veterans find the right jobs following graduation and internships are a crucial component of their job search.

As a result of these findings, the OVMA Student Veteran Undergraduate Internship Award was created and opened to all full- and part-time undergraduate student veterans. The annual award provides financial assistance to undergraduate student veterans during the summer semester, when internships are most prevalent.

Dustin Hall (far right) at the OneGroup golf outing this past summer.

“Most traditional students can go back home over the summer,” Pluta says. “But for many student veterans, there is no back home. They may already have a family and need to pay for rent, utilities and food, and since non-paid internships are common you can see why a veteran is less likely to do an internship.”

Pluta says the top reason that student veterans go to college, as opposed to going directly into the workforce, is to obtain a degree to get a new career.

“By providing financial assistance for internships, we are supporting student veterans’ career pathways to employment,” Pluta says.

The OVMA Student Veteran Undergraduate Internship Award was only the first step for Hall. OneGroup invited him to continue working through the semester.

“OneGroup instantly embraced me and invited me to charity events. Not only did I get to see it from a OneGroup standpoint in terms of interacting with our clients and the community, but I got to meet a ton of connections,” says Hall. “Now graduating this coming fall, I have people reaching out to saying they’ve heard I’m in the market for a job. Asking me to send my application. It is the coolest feeling.”

For more information about the award, email Pluta at jrpluta@syr.edu. For those interested in learning more about how to make an impact on the life of a student veteran by providing the financial means for an internship, visit the .

The College of Law held its Alumni Weekend event titled “Serving Veterans at the College of Law and in the Community” on Sept. 25, at the Grand Hall, National Veterans Resource Center. The oldest living College of Law alumnus and veteran, Robert Gang, was recognized with a certificate by Elizabeth G. Kubala, executive director of the Betty and Michael D. Wohl Veterans Legal Clinic, in front of current faculty, alumni, students and honored guests. (Photo by Mike Roy)

Gang grew up in the Syracuse area and attended Christian Brothers Academy for high school. His father gave Gang limited choices for his next steps after high school, “My father gave me an option. It was Syracuse University or no college,” says Gang.

Ultimately his goal was to attend law school, so he majored in political science. When Gang entered college in 1935, he said he needed to fulfill a requirement for a gym course. He was rejected from the athletic department, so he chose Army ROTC as a gym class alternative. He ended up joining the program as a cadet. Gang was a member of the Syracuse University Pershing rifle team. Gang made use of a rifle range in the basement of what was then Archbold Gymnasium, and practiced on targets 50 meters away.

Syracuse University was a smaller regional campus when Gang attended in the 1930s, and Gang did not live on campus as an undergraduate student. Instead, he lived at home with his parents and two siblings, walking 3 1/2 miles to campus for class, including during the harsh Syracuse winter weather. Gang would graduate in 1939, and immediately enrolled in the College of Law.

Before finishing his law degree in 1942, Gang took an Army physical in December. He was told he needed to report to the 630th Tank Destroyer battalion at Fort Jackson in South Carolina the following month. He was five credit hours from a degree in law. He would complete his degree by passing his finals while on duty, and passed the New York State Bar exam on May 22, 1946.

He went on to serve from 1942 to 1951 as a US Army infantry officer. Gang’s legal training was a huge resource to those he served with, especially when he represented soldiers charged with misconduct. In the military, Gang encountered many situations where he was given a task he had never done before. He would often do as much research as possible, employing the study habits he learned as a law student.

Bob Gang served from 1942 to 1951 as a U.S. Army infantry officer.

When he was assigned to Camp Bowie in Texas, Gang worked with an inspector general who was very behind in his work despite working over 100 hours a week. After working with him for only month, the inspector general was discharged from the Army. “I reported back to the general and he said to me, ‘Until I find another job for you, go back to the inspector general’s office and do what you can.’” Gang picked up the general’s work and a month later had caught up the backlog. He would later serve as an inspector general at Fort Hood in Texas.

After serving his country, Gang came back to Syracuse and started a very successful career in private practice, working in the firm Smith, Dolan, Gieselman and Gang. He specialized in Real Property law and served as the assistant city corporate counsel during his career. Gang practiced law for 50 years, doing pro bono work into his 80s.

Today, Gang lives with his second wife, Holly. He has eight children and 15 grandchildren. Gang’s family continues his legacy. His son-in-law, Ed Moses L’68, and grandson Matt Moses L’97 both attended Syracuse University for their law degrees. Gang’s advice to people, especially law students, after a century plus of experience is, “Do your own homework.”

Though student veteran liaisons do not replace a student veteran’s academic advisor, they can help supplement the support and connections student veterans build on campus. “An Orange Door opens up pathways to inclusivity and understanding essential to the values of Syracuse University,” says Ron Novack, executive director of the Office of Veteran and Military Affairs (OVMA). “These door hangers can help be a catalyst for dialogue and make our student veteran population feel welcome,” says Novack.

For faculty and staff interested in becoming a student veteran liaison, request an orange door tag by emailing vma@syr.edu. The door hangers are provided by the OVMA. Participants are asked to hang the door tags in their offices, departments and buildings as visual signs to student veterans that they are welcome to come in and talk. In addition, student veteran liaisons will be provided military cultural training and a user guide [PDF] to help better understand their role in a veteran’s campus experience.

“This program gives veterans a visual cue that they have found a door that is open to them to discuss their needs,” says Novack. “This campus community makes Syracuse University a better place for student veterans one orange door at a time.”

For more information, visit .

Veterans could connect with representatives from the Office of Veterans and Military Affairs (OVMA), “The Veteran and Military-Connected Student Orientation and Resource Fair was a great opportunity for us to introduce ourselves to this new class,” says Ron Novack, executive director of the OVMA. OVMA is the front door to all military-connected students on campus. “It was also a chance for military-connected students to get an appreciation for the entire campus community that embraces them. Syracuse University is the best place for veterans because not only are there dedicated support structures, but there are tremendous organizations that every student on campus can benefit from. Many were represented and welcome military-connected students to participate, ” says Novack.

The Veteran and Military-Connected Student Orientation and Resource Fair.

The OVMA’s Office of Veteran Success (OVS), which helps veterans apply for and receive their federal education benefits, was represented. The OVS team provided welcome baskets filled with supplies to each of the new student veterans residing in campus housing as part of Operation Welcome. The Veterans Legal Clinic, which can help veterans deal with a variety of military legal issues with the aid of a student attorney, also took part in the fair.

Other examples of programs and communities represented were the Center for Fellowship and Scholarship, which helps all University undergraduates, graduate students and alumni apply for national scholarships and fellowships. Military-connected students have applied for and won several nationally competitive scholarships in recent years. Students could also learn about  participating in Syracuse Abroad, which has over 100 programs in 60 countries.

The Campus Store, Food Services, Library and Hendricks Chapel were also in attendance to make new and returning military-connected students aware of their offerings and support.

The Veteran and Military-Connected Student Orientation and Resource Fair attracted more than 30 students representing all the branches of service. “Our student veteran population has grown exponentially in the last few years. We’re proud to welcome this class to campus and we hope they use the information provided to become fully immersed in the Syracuse University student experience,” says Novack.

Paul Dottle

One of the people behind this annual scholarship is Paul Dottle. Dottle says his involvement with Syracuse University first began in 2010 when his son Griffin became an Air Force ROTC cadet.

“My son was just getting started and I was just clicking around on the Syracuse University website when I found the Institute for Veteran and Military Families (IVMF). I reached out to them and set up a meeting,” says Dottle. He met with Vice Chancellor and Executive Director of the IVMF Mike Haynie and Assistant Vice President for Veterans Development for IVMF Raymond Toenniessen. “I was just really blown away by their energy, passion and commitment to military-connected families. I decided right then that this was an effort I could really get behind”

Dottle said his goal was to ensure that students who aren’t on full ROTC scholarships had the financial support to finish their degrees. He also wanted to ensure student veterans had comprehensive support through graduation. “I think we have to be creative to meet student veterans where they are in their journey. If that’s on campus, then Syracuse University can provide a full suite of support. Student veterans tend to be older, and because of that independence, they may have limited support options. We also need to help them with internships and job placement opportunities that meet their unique needs,” says Dottle.

In September 2013, Kent Syverud was appointed Chancellor and President by the University’s Board of Trustees. “What I learned early on was that the support of the Chancellor is critical to making all this happen,” says Dottle. Syverud made making Syracuse University the best place for veterans a strategic imperative. “In my experience in the corporate world, if the top person is committed to an action and consistently backs it up with not just words but actions, you can get a tremendous amount done. The Chancellor’s commitment is unwavering,” says Dottle. Syverud assumed the leadership post in January 2014 and the Office of Veteran and Military Affairs (OVMA) was established in 2015. OVMA serves as the front door to student veterans beginning their journey in higher education and supporting them beyond graduation.

Dottle’s passion for supporting student veterans grows from his personal experience with the U.S. military. As the child of a U.S. Army officer himself, Dottle says he’s practically been immersed in the military his entire life. As a child he was moving around the world in support of his father. Both of his brothers have served, one as a U.S. Army NCO and another as a civilian employee for the Department of the Army. Dottle himself served in the U.S. Army Reserves. Dottle felt like the timing was right for him to get involved from both a professional and personal interest.

In 2018, Dottle became chair of the OVMA board of advisors. This group was built to provide advice and counsel to University leadership related to programs, initiatives and opportunities positioned to advance the educational goals of the University’s veteran and military-connected students. Dottle helped lead this diverse group made up of individuals with deep levels of experience from the military, government, business, higher education and public service sectors.

Dottle feels his involvement with an organization like OVMA allows his support to have an exponential impact on a community that means so much to him personally. After his son, Griffin, commissioned after graduating in 2014, Dottle’s daughter Madelyn also attended Syracuse University and graduated in 2018.

This past May, Dottle stepped down as chair of the OVMA board of advisors. Dottle thinks the OVMA is in great hands. He says OVMA’s Executive Director Ron Novack and his team are dedicated and “relentless” in their support of student veterans. “The OVMA would not be successful without Ron’s unyielding and undying dedication to the mission. He makes the job of the board and the board chairman so much easier because of the way he shows up each and every day,” says Dottle. “He’s a difference maker.”

His vision for the OVMA going forward is to continue to be forward-thinking about the needs of student veterans and think about supporting them not only next semester, but also addressing their challenges three to five years ahead. “How do we use the network of all of our board members to really find and drive the opportunities that are going to continue making Syracuse University the best place for veterans?” says Dottle. He has total confidence in the incoming chair of the OVMA board of advisors, Rich Jones. “Rich is a great leader and has a tremendous network,” says Dottle.

Lt. Col. Ryan Lippert

Syracuse University’s Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (AFROTC) welcomes its new commander, Lt. Col. Ryan Lippert, to Central New York this semester. Born in Illinois, Lippert grew up in Colorado and has adopted Mandeville, Louisiana, as his unofficial hometown. Lippert is an identical twin. His brother is also a lieutenant colonel in the Air Force. Joining him in Syracuse is his wife, a prior service pilot, and their three children, two boys and a girl, 10, eight, and six.

Lippert was previously stationed at Royal Air Force (RAF) Lakenheath, an air base near the village of Lakenheath in Suffolk, England. In addition to flying the F-15E Strike Eagle, he served in numerous positions with the most recent being the 48th Operations Support Squadron commander. In that role, he was responsible for over 230 airmen, civilians and contractors that kept the airfield open and supported members of the three fighter squadrons.

For Lippert, flying the F-15E Strike Eagle was fulfilling a dream he has had since the seventh grade. After graduating high school Lippert attended the US Air Force Academy and was lucky enough to be selected for pilot training. He learned to fly at Columbus Air Force base in Mississippi. And after a year of training, he was selected to remain as an instructor pilot. Over the course of his career, he has taught hundreds of airmen how to fly.

Lippert says the best pilots embrace the role of a lifelong learner. “As we get into education, we start finding that we never stop learning,” says Lippert. “I think successful Air Force officers and enlisted leaders are lifelong learners because they realize that they don’t have all the answers.”

The same mentality of a lifelong learner lends itself well to leadership, says Lippert. “Each person’s a little bit different. We don’t have a cookie cutter approach because they’re all different and we need to be able to adapt our leadership style to them.”

Lt. Col. Lippert with his wife, Shannon.

Now in his role as AFROTC commander, he hopes to instill the values that make effective airmen, such as integrity, loyalty and trustworthiness. Lippert says a willingness to accept constructive feedback is also important. “The best pilot is not always the one who is the smartest.” says Lippert. “I think that not only applies to flying, but I think it applies in the classroom as well. Recognizing when you’re struggling and the willingness to be humble enough to ask for assistance will go a long way.”

Lippert’s vision for Syracuse University’s AFROTC is to continue inspiring, empowering and developing joint-minded leaders and aggressive learners who are ready to lead. “They may not have all the answers, but they need to work really hard to find those answers. And that means asking questions. That means doing a little bit of research, and that goes back to that life-long learning.”

Undergraduate students interested in a career in the aerospace industry could potentially find AFROTC a great first step. Ultimately, Lippert’s goal for the AFROTC cadets he will command is to be the best versions of themselves.

Tiffany Love

She was planning to attend law school in person in 2019 after her family returned from being stationed in Japan. While preparing for the Law School Admission Test, her husband’s military career forced her to change her plans. Instead of being sent back to the United States, her husband was ordered to serve in Germany for the next several years.

Love says the JDi program is flexible enough that she can complete the coursework from anywhere. Each class has a live and recorded component, and the program includes six in-person residencies. Students also participate in externships to earn academic credit while gaining real-world legal experience.

Love has recommended the program to people that have “noticed the Syracuse law memorabilia on her desk.” Several service members she has worked with have always wanted to attend or are considering law school, she says. “In my experience as a military spouse, living overseas in two different locations during this program, I would absolutely recommend and have recommended it to several soldiers that have come across my desk,” Love says. “The staff has always been so welcoming, with open arms.” ().

One faculty member in particular has made a positive impression upon Love. She first met Beth Kubala, teaching professor and executive director of the Betty and Michael D. Wohl Veterans Legal Clinic in the College of Law, in January 2020, when she attended an in-person residency. Kubala was also stationed in Germany over the course of her military career, and Love says their social circles overlapped. “That’s where we connected and I’ve reached out at various times since then, as she has as well,” says Love. “It is two-fold, it makes me feel good about the university itself and its far-reaching benefits. It also makes me feel good about where I am with the people whom I work with. I’m still with a great group of people whose reputations continue to precede them. That’s been really neat.”

Love was looking into volunteering at the Betty and Michael D. Wohl Veterans Legal Clinic one semester, and Kubala made it a point to make sure they could connect. “We met over Zoom, and she was willing to be flexible with me,” says Love.

JDi has enabled Love to overcome the physical distance and work on her law degree. “I met with our constitutional law professor last summer. It was after work for me and it was morning for him, but they’ve been very flexible. Help, chat or support, they’re there and willing to find the time. The program is so portable that it doesn’t matter where I am and what time zone I’m in,” she says.

This type of training has certainly paid off for students like Love. She says her class experience has not been hampered by living thousands of miles from her classmates and professors. “In class we still get the same experience. We still get cold-called. We still get drilled for details about cases,” she says.

Community is a hallmark of the JDi program. “My study partner is in Philadelphia, and we try to meet once a week on Zoom and just connect and review if we need to,” says Love. “I still feel extremely connected to my classmates even though we’re very distant.”

A prior cohort during the Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans.

During the last week in July, a time when most college campuses are largely empty in between semesters, Syracuse University’s National Veterans Resource Center will be bustling with activity. Two programs that align with Syracuse University’s historical commitment to military-connected students, Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans (EBV) and the seventh annual Warrior Scholar Project (WSP), will begin on July 24 and run through July 31.

Open to post-9/11 veterans with an honorable discharge, EBV is a nine-day residency that delivers world-class entrepreneurship training with fellow veterans. Sessions include introducing elements of a business plan, developing pitches for venture capitalists or other funders, and legal considerations for small business owners. In addition, EBV alumni participate in panel discussions to offer their unique perspectives. The entire EBV experience, including travel and lodging, is offered without any cost to participating veterans. At the conclusion of the program, graduates will be supported by the Institute for Veterans and Military Families’ (IVMF) Post-Program Support team over the next 12 months with ongoing support focused on small business creation and growth.

“EBV’s cutting-edge training in entrepreneurship and small business management for veterans is the flagship program of the Institute for Veteran and Military Families. It predates the IVMF itself,” says Vice Chancellor and IVMF Executive Director J. Michael Haynie. “Nearly 80% of EBV alumni have started or grown their business after attending this boot camp and over 90% are still in business today.”

J. Michael Haynie leads a kick-off session during a previous year’s Warrior Scholar Project.

The WSP provides a way forward academically for military veterans following their transition out of service. WSP is a series of intensive, weeklong college preparatory academic boot camps. In addition to training military personnel in the skills required for college, they are taught that they can be a valuable addition to the classroom. Writing tutors, sessions on analytical reading and an opportunity to work with other student-veterans prepare them to be successful within a campus environment.

“Service members don’t follow a semester schedule, so neither do we,” says Ron Novack, executive director of the Office of Veteran and Military Affairs. “The seventh annual Warrior Scholar Project program is held over the summer so we can set student veterans up for success before they arrive in a classroom for the first time.”

The EBV was founded at Syracuse University’s Whitman School of Management in 2007. Since then, it has grown and is offered by a national consortium of world-class schools like Anderson School of Management at the University of California, Los Angeles; Mays Business School at Texas A&M University; School of Business at the University of Connecticut; Haub School of Business at Saint Joseph’s University; and the University of Missouri.

WSP is also a national program, with 2021 in-person boot camps offered by the University of Michigan, University of Arizona and Notre Dame. Virtual programs will be offered over the remainder of the summer by universities including Harvard, Chicago and Cornell.

The Daniel and Gayle D’Aniello Building, home of the National Veterans Resource Center

On Wednesday June 23, AmericaServes, a national initiative of Syracuse University’s Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF), will launch in Syracuse. Working collaboratively with the City of Syracuse, the network will connect veterans and their families to local community providers to ensure care, resources and services are easily and successfully navigable. The overall goal is to maximize collaboration and enhance efficiency for the regional network of providers. The Coordination Center will be headquartered in the Daniel and Gayle D’Aniello Building at the National Veterans Resource Center.

The Syracuse network will use lessons from AmericaServes’ 17 other communities, including Rochester, New York; Dallas; Seattle; Charlotte, North Carolina; Pittsburgh; New York City; and Washington, D.C. Some services include help with VA benefits, employment assistance, education, transportation, mental/behavioral health resources and housing.

The IVMF, is the first interdisciplinary academic institute in higher education dedicated to advocacy, research, support for military veterans and their families, identified the need for coordinated care for military families. IVMF’s research indicates that navigating services is the biggest challenge in transition—rating higher than finding employment, adjusting to civilian culture and overcoming financial challenges.

In addition, military families grapple with systemic challenges of equity and accessibility, as post 9/11 veterans are more likely than previous generations to be persons of color and to have disabilities resulting from their military service. Often, disparate organizations must work together in a community to support veteran families, which leads to challenges collaborating and sharing information efficiently. This creates a confounding process that does not meet a family’s needs.

Supported by a $500,000 grant from the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation, SyracuseServes will support the city’s veterans and military-connected population first through a coordinated application to final service delivery.  Military families will receive efficient and timely support, as well as access to a wide range of needed resources.

J. Michael Haynie, vice chancellor of strategic initiatives and innovation and founder of the IVMF, says he is proud to launch a program that will serve local Syracuse veterans and their families, including the many who study and work on the campus.

“This grant is one example of how we’re bringing the vision of the NVRC to life in a practical way, leveraging the facility and the IVMF’s expertise to serve the social and wellness needs of veterans and families right here in Central New York,” Haynie says.

U.S. Army Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) cadets officially became the next generation of military leaders at the University’s annual commissioning ceremony in May.

Cadets from Syracuse University, Le Moyne College, Utica College, Hamilton College, State University of New York (SUNY) at Oswego, SUNY Polytechnic Institute and the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry commissioned as second lieutenants in their respective service branches.

“This year’s commissioning cadets thrived in unprecedented circumstances and were instrumental in Syracuse University’s COVID response,” says retired Col. Ron Novack, executive director of the Office of Veteran and Military Affairs at Syracuse University. “Our ROTC programs are always an important component of the University’s effort to be the best place for veterans and military-connected students. But this year’s class gave back and helped ensure not only their successful completion, but that the entire campus could remain open during the health crisis. We are proud of these newly commissioned second lieutenants and are confident they will represent both Syracuse University and our country well in their military careers.”

U.S. Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) cadets were commissioned at the University’s annual ceremony in May.

Brigadier General Steve Marks, the deputy commanding general of United States Army Special Operations Command, delivered a keynote address to Army cadets and welcomed them to the officer corps. Marks is an ROTC graduate, earning his commission from the University of Missouri ROTC program in 1992.

The commissioning ceremony is the beginning of the graduating seniors’ military career as second lieutenants in either the U.S. Army or U.S. Air Force. Each cadet was given their first salute by a mentor, family member or friend who serves or has previously served in the military. Following the salute, each new officer presented his or her mentor with a silver dollar as a token of gratitude and respect.

Syracuse University boasts one of the longest continuously running ROTC programs in the country, as well as a storied relationship with the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, with the current cadre of Syracuse ROTC cadets, including multiple students whose parents attended West Point.

Vincent Miczek

Vincent Miczek ’21 recently earned a bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering from the College of Engineering and Computer Science (ECS) and is commissioning into the United States Air Force and will be headed to Vance Air Force Base, Oklahoma. At the end of 2021, he’ll start pilot training.

“There is a strong correlation between aerospace engineering and becoming a pilot for such complex systems,” says Miczek, who is a member of the University’s Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (AFROTC).  “With a strong background in the field and applying my studies every single time I enter one of their aircraft, I have a better understanding about these systems, not to mention the aerodynamics associated with how aircraft fly.” Miczek says his degree will be applied almost immediately as he learns the intricates of his assigned aircraft. “I can’t wait to start this next chapter in my life,” he says.

�����鶹��Ʒ recently sat down with Miczek to discuss his experience as a cadet and military-connected student at Syracuse University.

Joshua Reid

For Joshua Reid, an active duty soldier now stationed in Japan, his training gave him the tools he needed to “continue the climb” while finishing his degree through University College at Syracuse University. “As a 10th Mountain Division soldier, the climb to glory for me is being a role model for my nieces and nephews, and also to my friends and in my community,” he says. Reid says that the time management and discipline he’s learned serving in the military helped him accomplish his goal. “I accept my duties as a soldier and a scholar with a deep reverence.”

SU News talked to Reid about his experience as a student and soldier, and how his Syracuse University degree will help him take the next steps in his career.

What was your favorite course through University College, and what did you learn?

My favorite course was Business Negotiations taught by Professor Katherine Sosa. This course really opened my mind to the concept that everything is negotiable. We engaged in contemporary contract agreements built on real life scenarios, and we learned about positioning and game theory. Ultimately, my key take away was to be cognizant of the negotiation style you need to use to achieve your desired results, whether it is chess or poker.

How will this degree help you reach your goals?

My bachelor’s degree in cybersecurity administration will help me reach my goal of building my intellectual property negotiation firm. I see it as an amalgamation of my skills as a professional paralegal and cybersecurity researcher.

What skills have you learned in the Army that helped you be a successful college student?

The number one skill I’ve learned in the Army that has directly correlated to my success as a college student is discipline. I begin my final projects week one, I communicate with my professors on a weekly basis, I am present and engaged in every class, I complete all assignments. Seldom am I the smartest student in my class, but I use discipline to set myself up for success.

How did Syracuse University’s commitment to being the best place for veterans impact you personally?

Syracuse University’s commitment to being a real haven for veterans has given me a level of self-respect and a support system of like-minded individuals that push me to be the best version of myself. Our Office of Diversity and Inclusion, led by Dr. Keith Alford, allowed me to be a voice of reason and guidance to my peers. I am still amazed at how much professional and emotional support Syracuse University provides not just for veterans, but for the entire student body.

“The Heinz Endowment has enhanced our ability to advocate for military families through a combination of strategic communications, research and outreach to policymakers as well as the veteran community,” says Mike Haynie, vice chancellor and executive director of IVMF. “To make a difference in the lives of veterans of this generation and future generations, IVMF needs to work with government leaders and provide research that will set military families up for success. This grant will be instrumental in our ability to do so.”

The grant will help build on the momentum of successful government advocacy the past year. IVMF’s full support of the recently passed Senate Bill 785 (Commander Scott Hannon Mental Health Improvement Act of 2019) addressed veteran suicide, one of the most pressing needs in the veteran community. On May 12, Haynie appeared before a subcommittee on economic opportunity of the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

“Our work to support veterans and military families in making successful, fulfilling transitions to civilian life is only possible with accurate, well-informed data,” said Megan Andros, senior program officer for veterans at The Heinz Endowments. ”IVMF’s research shines a light on the unique challenges veterans and their families face, and we are confident that their policy agenda will better help inform policymakers so they can successfully advocate for them. We are grateful for the trusted partnership we have with Syracuse University and IVMF, and we look forward to continuing to work together in bringing awareness and positive change to the lives of veterans and their families.”

“IVMF’s research and analytics, supported by a preeminent R1 research institution like Syracuse University, can help governments make strategic investments and legislation.” says Haynie.  “I want to thank the Heinz Endowment for empowering IVMF to bring awareness of issues facing military families to the highest level of government leadership.”

Vice Chancellor J. Michael Haynie

Haynie said the central theme of his testimony was the best use of resources designated to support the post-services lives of our nation’s veterans to ensure a successful transition from military to civilian life. “This is because separating from military service represents an event that goes well beyond a vocational transition, but instead extends to a transition of identity, relationships and community-connectedness,” he said. Based on a decade of IVMF research with military families and directly working with over 150,000 veterans in the past 10 years, Haynie said the service member transition to civilian life has a wide-ranging impact on success socially, economically and overall wellness.

“We do this because we know, as research-informed fact, that a successful transition sets up the veteran and their family for long-term economic prosperity, enhanced wellness and connectedness to the communities where they live and work,” said Haynie. “Conversely, the effects of a sub-optimal transition experience can compound for decades, contributing in many cases to devastating post-service outcomes such as homelessness, financial instability and suicidal ideation.”

The stress of a military transition was only compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic, said Haynie. “Findings from the IVMF-Military Times Poll indicate that 59% of respondents cited inadequate community support, 41% reported persistent needed financial assistance and 30% needed food assistance,” said Haynie. He also cited data based on IVMF’s AmericaServes, a national coordinated system of public, private and nonprofit organizations working together to serve veterans. “Data from the IVMF’s AmericaServes program confirms this trend. During April and May of last year, food assistance was the most requested service nationally.”

To drive home the impact of the testimony, Haynie proposed four calls to action for the committee to consider. These proposals will enhance the support available to transitioning veterans and families during the time of COVID. And Haynie reiterated that “if we do not act swiftly and with intention, veterans and their families will shoulder the burden of inaction in the near-term, and for decades to come.:

A recording of the hearing can be viewed .

Messare

The Dottle Family ROTC Cadet Scholarship recipients were chosen through a competitive process that assessed the applicant’s academics, citizenship, physical aptitude and potential to serve successfully in the U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force. This scholarship allows the ROTC programs to recognize deserving cadets and ensure that the University’s ROTC programs continue to train the best military leaders in the country. This scholarship was part of a larger leadership gift from the Dottle family, which provided support and funding to the Office of Veteran and Military Affairs, as well as further operational support to both the Air Force and Army ROTC programs.

Fraser

Madeline Messare is a junior studying forensic science and psychology with a minor in Chinese language. She is a member of the Syracuse Women’s Rugby team and a resident advisor in the Psychology Living and Learning Community on campus. Her post-graduation goal is to attend law school to focus on criminal and military law. Her dream is to join the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General Corps to help protect people who are affected by the shortcomings of military and federal law. Messare says, “I will use this honor to drive me to make a positive difference within the ROTC community and any future communities I will join as a soldier.”

McDonough

Robert Fraser is a first-year student from Denver, Colorado, majoring in political science in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs. He is honored to be selected as a Dottle Scholar. “Being awarded this scholarship will continue to push me in Army ROTC and to be an outstanding citizen in our community,” Fraser says.

Yu

Michael McDonough is a first-year civil engineering major. Originally from Springfield, New Jersey, he is a member of Syracuse University Ambulance and the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers. This past fall, he helped raise over $3,500 for the Wounded Warrior Project Carry Forward 5k. In the past he has also worked with patients at Children’s Specialized Hospital of Mountainside, New Jersey, pairing them with volunteer police officers to help them shop for their family for the holidays.

VanVranken

Jason Yu is a first-year student from New York City. He graduated from Phillips Exeter Academy where he served as head editor of the school newspaper’s humor section. At Syracuse University, Jasper plans to major in international relations and minor in Arabic and finance. He is also active in the John Quincy Adams Society foreign policy club and Greek life on campus. After graduation, Jason plans to pursue a role as a military intelligence officer, and study law.

Song

Gerrit VanVranken is a 2018 graduate of Jamesville Dewitt High School in Jamesville, New York. In the past, he has participated in Civil Air Patrol NY Wing’s Flight Academy and accumulated 10 solo hours of flight time. VanVranken chose to pursue a commission in the U.S. Air Force because he wants to be a pilot. “I’m always striving to fly again and can’t wait for the next opportunity to learn more about it,” he says. VanVranken currently works in his spare time as a desk attendant in Syracuse University’s Esports Room.

Pelichoff

Mingeun Song is from Bayside, New York, and studies general biology. Song chose to pursue a commission in the U.S. Air Force to learn and strengthen leadership skills, grow as a person, and give back to the nation that provided the opportunities and support that helped him become who he is today. He aspires to serve the Air Force as a dentist to provide care for the people who protect our nation. “My dad has been in the dentistry field for over 20 years, and I was inspired to follow in his footsteps. I wish to challenge myself to eventually become an oral surgeon,” Song says.

Sarisky

Quinn Pelichoff is currently a junior in the School of Architecture. Originally from Burlingame, California, Pelichoff has always been interested in building. He hopes to use those skills in the Air Force by constructing barracks, roads, runways and hangers as an architect or civil engineer. Pelichoff comes from a family legacy of service, including both of his grandfathers who served in the U.S. Air Force. He has made the dean’s list in the School of Architecture from Fall 2018 through the Fall 2020 semester.

Nikolaus Sarisky is a junior majoring in biology. His hometown is Suwanee, Georgia, and his goal is to work in special operations for the Air Force. Sarisky is an active member of the Arnold Air Society and helps design physical training plans for cadets in Air Force ROTC as the training operations support element commander.

Ryan Marquette, Laura Buys and Dan Rubio

SVO’s Best for Vets Award was given to Ryan Marquette. Marquette is currently pursuing a J.D. from the College of Law and a master’s of public administration from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs. Marquette serves in such leadership positions as the president of Veterans’ Issues, Support Initiative, and Outreach Network and president of the National Security Student Association. Best for Vets Award is presented to the student veteran who has done the most to help student veterans succeed both on and off campus and has gone far above and beyond for his fellow students.

SVO’s Community Support Award went to Daniel Rubio. Rubio has supported new student veterans, as the Team Leader for the Peer Advisors for Veteran Education (PAVE) chapter at Syracuse University. Rubio works on campus with student services in the Schine Student center assisting students, faculty and visitors through all the services available in the newly renovated center. He also serves as the public affairs officer for the SVO.

The Danny Facto Student Veteran Work-Study Award was given to Miguel Pica. Pica has worked with the Syracuse University admissions team over the last year. Pica is pursuing a bachelor of science in biology in the College of Arts and Sciences, a bachelor of arts in history in the College of Arts and Sciences and the Maxwell School, and a minor in public health in the Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics. He also serves as a PAVE Advisor to assist incoming student veterans and serves as a student senator on the University Senate. The award is named in honor of the late Danny Facto, a decorated U.S. Army combat veteran, Purple Heart recipient and a great representative of both the armed forces and Syracuse University. The award recognizes a student veteran VA work-study who reflects the value and character Facto epitomized.

Laura Buys was named Student Veteran of the Year. Buys is a disability services liaison (DSL) and has helped student veterans with academic support and tutoring, alternative formats for courses, adaptive technology, classroom adjustments such as interpretive services or assisted listening devices, mobility accommodations, and service animal requests.

She also connects students to local off-campus resources such as the Syracuse VA Medical Center, the Vet Center, Behavioral Health Outpatient Clinic and the Veterans Legal Clinic. Buys was selected as the University’s 2020 Tillman Scholar and is currently pursuing a master of social work degree in the Falk College, maintaining a 3.95 GPA. The OVMA recognizes a single student veteran for this award each year for their significant contributions to the veteran community both on and off campus.

In addition, to these awards, the SVO announced new executive leaders for the 2021-2022 academic year:

• Secretary: Harris Krahn
• Public Affairs Officer: Daniel Szarek
• Treasurer: Sam Tanner
• Vice President: Anthony Ruscitto
• President: Janina Rios

As one of the more than 1,500 national on-campus chapters, the role of the SVO is to elevate the academic, professional and personal development of veterans to make the campus experience an exceptional one. Through networking, training, programming and community participation, the SVO raises the visibility of student veterans on campus while creating a sense of campus community among those who have served.

The announcement comes during what is traditionally marked as National Small Business Month, highlighting the shared commitment of JPMorgan Chase and IVMF to empower all transitioning service members, veterans and military spouses, including those who aspire to found and grow their own businesses.

“The values that veterans bring to the table—character, leadership, teamwork, fortitude—align exactly with the principles needed for success in business, and our partnership with Syracuse University’s IVMF provides tools and resources that veterans need to live up to this potential and drive innovation across industries,” says Mark Elliott, global head of military and veterans affairs at JPMorgan Chase and co-chair of the IVMF Advisory Board. “IVMF’s mission to improve the lives of veterans and their families aligns perfectly with our own.”

The timing of the renewal comes as both the IVMF and the JPMorgan Chase Office of Military and Veteran Affairs mark 10 years of empowering the post-service lives of military families. Since 2011, over 150,000 transitioning service members, veterans and military families have been directly impacted by IVMF training and programs. This includes 70,000-plus alone who have benefited from entrepreneurship training.

“JPMorgan Chase understood immediately the IVMF was positioned to meet the unique challenges facing veterans and their families,” says J. Michael Haynie, vice chancellor of strategic initiatives and innovation and executive director of IVMF. “Over the past decade they have contributed $34 million to IVMF programs and research that have empowered, advocated for, and improved the quality of life for hundreds of thousands of veterans and their families nationwide.”

This latest grant will enable the IVMF to continue delivering national programs to transitioning service members, veterans and military spouses who may be facing disproportional impacts related to the pandemic. Nearly a third (31%) of veteran spouses responding to 2020 IVMF survey () reported experiencing long-term unemployment, which was three times higher than the civilian long-term unemployment rate. Research conducted in collaboration with IVMF () has shown meaningful employment can ease the transition, ultimately helping mitigate negative outcomes for veterans and their families.

IVMF programming is tailored to address the unique needs of the military community, offering no-cost career and entrepreneurship training, working with communities and non-profits to enhance service delivery to veterans and their families through collaboration and technology, and conducting actionable, applied research to deliver insights and shape national policy discussions. This has improved and expanded opportunities for more inclusive workplaces and networking for underrepresented communities of people of color and women.

During National Small Business Month, JPMorgan Chase and IVMF are highlighting successful stories in including those recently named to Inc.’s iconic Inc 5000 list in the category.

Ron Novack, executive director of the Office of Veteran and Military Affairs, says the sashes are a recognition of the service, leadership and global perspective veterans bring to campus and classrooms. “Syracuse University is the best place for veterans in part because we celebrate and value veterans who have successfully transitioned from the military service to higher education,” says Novack. “This sash design helps student veterans be visible during commencement and recognized for their selfless service to our nation and academic accomplishment.”

The 104th Chancellor’s Review Award Ceremony at 2:30 p.m. April 23. The review is an annual tradition that showcases Army and Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) cadets from Syracuse University and its partner schools conducting drill and ceremony exercises and receiving academic and leadership awards and honors.

The Chancellor’s Review Award Ceremony is one of the longest consecutive running programs of its kind in the country.

Over the past year ROTC cadets have volunteered their time assisting in Syracuse’s COVID testing efforts, became the first to attend a civil affairs selection course and continued working toward commissioning as second lieutenants in the Army and Air Force throughout the pandemic.

Syracuse University’s ROTC is one of the longest consecutive running programs of its kind in the country. Past distinguished Syracuse University ROTC graduates include Air Force Colonel (retired) Eileen Collins, who was the first woman to pilot and command a Space Shuttle mission, and Major General (retired) Peggy Combs, who became the highest-ranking female military officer to graduate from Syracuse University.  Collins graduated from Syracuse in 1978 with a bachelor of arts in mathematics and economics, and Combs was commissioned in May 1985 as a distinguished military graduate. Combs is currently a board member of the Office of Veteran and Military Affairs.

Cadets will commission as second lieutenants upon completion of their degrees in May.

Office of Veteran and Military Affairs Undergraduate Student Veteran Scholarship

John Nipper ’23

John Nipper is from Fort Myers, Florida and is majoring in comparative religion. Nipper transferred to Syracuse University from Florida Southwestern State College and says his first semester was overwhelmingly positive. While a member of the U.S. Navy from 2011 to 2015, Nipper worked as a cryptologic technician. Nipper says his ultimate goal is to make a lasting difference. “That is more important to me than anything else. I want to be a positive force for change in our lifetime,” he says.

Charlie Poag ’22

Charlie Poag is majoring in public relations at the Newhouse School and is considering graduate school. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps for more than 15 years. While serving on active duty, he attended the Military Visual Journalism program at Newhouse from 2008 to 2009. “Prior to attending the program, I held a belief that higher education wasn’t for me,” says Poag. “I had struggled through high school and held onto the idea that I wasn’t cut out for education. Going through those two semesters proved to me how wrong I was and just how much I value this opportunity to learn at an incredible institution.”

Office of Veteran and Military Affairs Military Family Member Scholarship

Sarah Hoag L ’23

Sarah Hoag is a first year law student and is also pursuing a master’s degree in public administration at the Maxwell School. Originally from Phoenix. New York, Hoag’s goal after graduation is to serve as an active-duty judge advocate general for the U.S. Army. As a student, she’s participated in the University’s Syrian Accountability Project. “It has taught me that I can make a difference right where I am. I don’t need to wait until I have my law degree to get involved,” she says. Hoag’s father served in the Navy.

Britney Kokesh ��’22

As an integrated learning major in neuroscience with an integration in psychology, Britney Kokesh is a member of the Renée Crown Honors Program. After completing her degree, she would like to pursue graduate school and study clinical psychology. Kokesh says with benefits from her father’s GI Bill aid ending soon, this scholarship will help her cover expenses and may help offset any funding needed for her Honors thesis. In the past, Kokesh has tutored English language learners and refugee students as part of the University’s Literacy Corps.

Lucy and Joseph Napoli Veterans Scholarship

Michael Griffin ’21

A first- generation college student, Michael Griffin is majoring in public health with a concentration in healthcare management. Griffin is a cadet in the University’s Army ROTC and is planning to commission into the New York National Guard. This summer, he plans to pursue an internship with a prominent trauma physician’s assistant and eventually earn a master’s degree in physician’s assistant science. “It is my personal opinion there is no better university than Syracuse in terms of veteran success,” he says.

Dania Tompkins ’24

As an electrician’s mate first class in the U.S. Navy Nuclear Program, Dania Tompkins served on board the USS Ronald Reagan in the reactor department and was the first and only female division leading petty officer when she ended her assignment. She says working with the young and passionate students in her classes has challenged her perceptions and broadened her understanding. After earning a bachelor’ degree in liberal arts, Tompkins intends to pursue a master’s degree and bring more green energy solutions to New York in her current position as project manager at National Grid.

Wilder J. Leavitt and Mary P. Morningstar Scholarship for Military-Connected Students

Jarod Okamura ��’22

An aerospace, aeronautical and astronautical engineering major in the College of Engineering and Computer Science, Jarod Okamura is from Honolulu, Hawaii. He is an Air Force ROTC cadet and is interested in sculpting, photography and music production. “My experience at SU has been really great,” says Okamura. “Because of my involvement in several different organizations, I interact with a truly diverse group of people  who have different outlooks on life than I do. I have made some friends for life.”

Hanna McNabb ’21

A political science major at the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, Hanna McNabb is commissioning as a medical services officer in the U.S. Army this spring. McNabb visited the University because it is located relatively close to where her active-duty husband is stationed and fell in love with the beauty of the campus. She says since enrolling, her experience has been incredible. “The community at this university is incredibly supportive and caring. The faculty and teaching staff care a lot for the students and their academic success,” she says.

 Louis A. and Patricia H. Mautino Veteran Endowed Scholarship

Michael Hahn-Rauch ’22

A biology major in the College of Arts and Sciences, Michael Hahn-Rauch served on active duty in the U.S. Navy for more than five years. He was a childhood fan of Syracuse sports while growing up in Red Hook, New York, and would eventually like to pursue a nursing degree. Hahn-Rauch’s proudest accomplishment is saving a woman from drowning while deployed. “Coming from a military family myself, I truly appreciate the support and dedication SU shows to our veterans returning home,” says Hahn-Rauch. He says the University has created an environment where veterans are able to make connections with peers who share similar experiences.

Amanda Lalonde ’23

Amanda Lalonde is a psychology major and U.S. Navy veteran. She recently accepted a position with the orientation leader team to welcome future new students to campus this fall. “I was stepping out of my comfort zone in looking to join an organization where I knew I’d likely be one of the older students taking part,” she says. However, she adds that worry was unfounded. “I initially didn’t feel like I would fit in, but I could not have been more wrong!” Off campus, Lalonde volunteers with the CNY RockaBetties, an organization of women who dress up in retro pinup style fashion and volunteer their time with local veterans’ organizations for fundraisers, events, Honor Flight welcome home celebrations and visiting hospitalized veterans

Flanik Family Scholarship for Student Veterans

Brian Keith Mixon ’23

A Marine Corps and Army veteran, Brian Keith Mixon is majoring in cybersecurity administration. He is pursuing a degree part-time while working full time in federal cybersecurity. Mixon appreciates how much his family has enabled him to serve his country. “In my mind though, when I hear ‘thank you for your service,’ I consider ‘you’ to include my family,” he says. “They have also sacrificed quite a bit over the years in support of our great nation. My job was always to grab my pack and go, while they each had to make huge adjustments to their lives.”

Maureen Casey

Syracuse University’s Women in Leadership Initiative (WiL) is offering a virtual fireside chat, “Lessons In Leadership–Insights from a Collective,” on March 23 from 4 to 5 p.m. ET. The discussion will be hosted by Maureen Casey, chief operating officer for the Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF). The panel will feature women with more than 90 years combined military experience.

Interested members of the Syracuse University and SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry campus communities can . There is no charge to attend.

Offering insights into management strategies that can be applied in any professional setting, this hourlong discussion will feature professor of military science and department chair U.S Army Lt. Col. Jennifer Gotie, retired U.S. Army Col. Lynda M. Granfield and retired U.S. Army Command Sgt. Maj. Cynthia Pritchett.  Each of these women worked in diverse settings domestically and abroad. They will share powerful stories about adapting their respective styles to respond effectively in diverse and dynamic environments.

This is the final INSPIRE event in the WiL spring 2021 program. The WiL Initiative seeks to build strong leaders that can adapt rapidly to change and adopt new skills to keep teams and organizations moving forward. Following participation in this event, individuals will be asked to contribute their thoughts, interests and goals to help guide the development of future programming.

For any questions, or if you require any accommodations to fully participate in this program, please contact Kim O’Brien at womeninleadership@syr.edu.

Applications for each scholarship are open March 11-18. Scholarship recipients will be announced in April.

• $5,000 awarded to two eligible applicants
• Must be a currently enrolled undergraduate student veteran

• $5,000 awarded to two eligible applicants
• Must be a currently enrolled student who identifies as a military family member and/or dependent

• $2,500 for one eligible applicant
• Must be a currently enrolled undergraduate student veteran

• $3,500 awarded to two eligible applicants
• Must be a currently enrolled undergraduate student veteran

• $2,500 awarded to two eligible applicants
• Must be a currently enrolled undergraduate veteran and/or military-connected student

• $4,000 awarded to two eligible applicants
• Must be a currently enrolled undergraduate student veteran

For more information and application instructions, visit .

Nel Gaudé

After Gaudé was displaced from their job due to COVID, the late food studies Professor Evan Weissman connected Gaudé with the facilitator for the Syracuse-Onondaga Food Systems Alliance (SOFSA). Weissman was an associate professor in food studies and nutrition at the Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics for eight years before passing away unexpectedly while at home with his family on April 9. His research examined grassroots efforts to address food disparities in urban America.

“Evan had a very genuine and honest and humble way of looking at the world and doing it with such compassion. A lot of people that are involved with SOFSA knew Evan very well. I think we all are trying to do what he would have done in the way he would have done it and try to remember how he thought about things and how he approached them,” Gaudé says.

SOFSA is a new food policy council that sprang into action in response to COVID. “They saw the need to help organize and try to connect people with emergency food,” says Gaudé, who is working with SOFSA to establish an organizational structure while fulfilling the spiraling demand for emergency food. They have been researching other food policy councils, designating leaders and working on the bylaws. Gaudé says they are trying to make sure that social justice and racial justice is embedded within the organization itself. “We can’t achieve any kind of food justice without facing those things,” they says.

SU News sat down with Gaudé to discuss their role with SOFSA and the challenges the Syracuse community faces in mitigating food shortages due to the pandemic.

Q: What are you researching while working with SOFSA?

A: Most of the food policy councils that exist have more of a traditional leadership, like president, secretary, treasurer, co-chair, that sort of thing. Right now, we’re trying to do some research on non-hierarchical leadership or horizontal leadership, just to see if that improves the equity of the operations of the organization. I’m still doing research on that to see if that’s even a thing that people have tried, and if it works the way they think and want it to. We’re still looking and evaluating.

Q: How has the pandemic created more food scarcity?

A: The pandemic has really emphasized and exaggerated the inequities that already existed. We’ve seen all of these standard and popular supply chains really falter. Other avenues like shorter, value or regional supply chains have been able to rethink and redesign how they connect people with food. I think it’s really exciting work to be doing right now, because we have this impetus and this momentum to truly assess the current food system, make changes and start doing things in a more efficient and equitable way.

We’ve also been very cognizant and explicit about the things that we want to include and embed within the core mission of the organization, like systemic racism and the toll it has had in marginalized communities and the food system. You can’t separate the two.

Q: What are some initial challenges?

A: One of the things that we’re struggling with right now is reaching stakeholders with the lived experiences of the situations that we’re trying to address. That’s absolutely essential to have, to have the residents represent themselves. Without their input and voices telling us what they need, then we become just a group of mostly white people trying to do a good thing.

We’ve also been working democratically amongst all of the members and inviting anyone who expresses interest to be a part of it. We are trying to get out as far as we can into the community without physically going out into the community, due to COVID. Inviting people to come to the meetings, to come to the advisory board meetings and help us, critique us, tell us where we could be doing better.

It is a difficult time to be a young organization, because all of the traditional avenues to gain traction, visibility and new membership are not available to us right now. We’ve been getting a lot of input and feedback on our development thus far and trying to find like models that exist just to identify best practices. We’ve been connecting with other established organizations like Syracuse Hope, and with Peter Ricardo at the CNY Food Bank.

Q: What have you learned in this process?

A: I think one thing that I didn’t understand was the importance of food knowledge. It is one thing to pass a bill that says that corner stores need to have a percentage of fresh food, but if the members of the community that shop there don’t necessarily know what to do with it, they’re not going to eat it. For instance I think I’m biased because I cook everything, and if I don’t know, then I’ll look it up. But I’m also not a single parent of four kids with two jobs that doesn’t have time to educate myself on how to cook a rhubarb. It is a privileged thing to be able to afford to destroy a dish to a point where it is inedible. If you’re unable to afford more food, what are you going to feed your family if that happens?

We have been partnering with other organizations, like Jessi Lyons at Brady Farms to brainstorm different events that we could have given the limitations with COVID. I think letting people see the farm, how a carrot really looks out of the ground, and then also pair that with a cooking demo. It shows that cooking is not scary. It is scary until you know how to do it. Once you get past that fear, then it is a lot of fun.

The program is available for students who graduate in or after spring 2021 and complete an initial term of service on active duty, in the reserves or the National Guard. Students need to graduate high school with at least a cumulative unweighted high school GPA of 3.0 to be eligible. This program does not guarantee admission to any specific major, school or college. The admissions team will work one-on-one with Operation Veteran Promise participants to find a degree program that fits their experience and interests. For more information visit the .

“Research shows veterans are often high-performing students with better grades and completion rates than comparable groups,” says Dean of Admissions Maurice Harris. “Military service often helps people develop the character, attention to detail and work ethic needed to be a successful student.”

“Since World War I student veterans have brought specialized training, a global perspective and the adaptability that comes with serving in the United States armed forces into Syracuse University classrooms,” says Vice Chancellor for Strategic Initiatives and Innovation and Executive Director of the Institute for Veterans and Military Families J. Michael Haynie. “After Syracuse University welcomed veterans at the conclusion of World War II, Chancellor William Tolley helped author the GI Bill and helped millions of veterans access higher education nationwide. Now with Operation Veteran Promise under Chancellor Kent Syverud’s leadership and vision, Syracuse University is again committing to student veterans because our campus knows firsthand the values service members bring to our campus community and beyond,” says Haynie.

Students do not need to declare a major upon enlisting, says Jessica Calhoun, the assistant director of veteran and military admissions. “Exploring degree options will take place as service members are getting close to their separation date. Before their transition, they will work with the Office of Transfer and Veteran Admissions to determine where they see themselves and what career field they want to pursue,” says Calhoun.

The admissions counseling is part of the ongoing support veterans will receive, says Ron Novack, executive director of the Office of Veteran and Military Affairs (OVMA). The University’s OVMA has dedicated staff and resources for veterans and military-connected students that help them transition from the military to higher education.

With more than a 1,000 military-connected students on campus already, participants in Operation Veteran Promise will find a community that understands their unique challenges and life experiences. “Syracuse University is the best place for veterans because we know leaving the military is not just changing scenery, it is transforming your life,” says Novack.

Participants in Operation Veteran Promise will be encouraged to take courses during their enlistment. This will provide the student with a framework in selecting majors and career outcomes. The program is open to students in Onondaga, Oswego, Oneida, Jefferson, Lewis, Wayne, Cayuga, Tompkins, Cortland and Madison counties,

All active-duty service members are eligible to take distance learning courses at University College part-time at the Department of Defense Tuition Assistance rates with no additional out of pocket costs. Operation Veteran Promise will not impact a service member’s educational benefit eligibility.

Operation Veteran Promise is only available for service members enrolling after completion of their first term of enlistment in the military. Any student that voluntarily re-enlists or extends their contract will lose eligibility for Operation Veteran Promise. However, this does not restrict them from applying for admission to Syracuse University anytime in the future using the traditional application process. Any service members whose enlistments are involuntarily extended will retain their eligibility for guaranteed admission.

“We understand the stress and uncertainty that many veterans face after separating from the military,” says Calhoun. “We want these service members to know that their military service is highly valued here on our campus, and we are excited to welcome them to our Orange family.”

NATCON illuminated important challenges to a successful transition from military service. Day one covered steps in finding the right position and translating military occupations into marketable skills. Day two was dedicated to addressing issues related to inclusion and the importance of allyship. The SVA’s conference overarching theme, “Leaning Forward Together,” implored student veterans to continue serving in their new roles in their communities and workplaces.

First lady Jill Biden delivers the virtual keynote speech.

Biden talked about her experience as a military family, and how her father’s service in World War II changed the course of her life. “He, and the men he fought beside, made our world a safer and more just place,” said Biden. “As a teacher myself, I have taught many veterans transitioning from military service, worried they would not adjust to civilian life…I’ve seen them not only adjust but thrive and become leaders in their communities.”

Syracuse’s Student Veterans Organization (SVO) was selected as one of the four SVA Chapter of the Year finalists. Though many of the SVO’s usual activities were suspended due to COVID-19, the chapter was selected based on several accomplishments, like working in research labs conducting COVID testing and organizing awareness campaigns for veterans suicide in the local community.

SVO President Charlie Poag says he is proud that members received this recognition. “The Syracuse University SVO is successful because we have an overwhelmingly supportive campus environment and surrounding community,” says Poag. All students are welcome to join if they wish to be involved with supporting veterans. “For our military-connected population, the SVO can provide camaraderie and ease the transition into the academic environment after military service. For all other students, the SVO provides an opportunity to not only support our veteran population in Central New York but also get hands-on experience engaging with different organizations and building strong networks with dedicated people.”

University leaders conducted three sessions at the conference. Rosalinda Maury, IVMF’s director of applied research and analytics, and Jennifer Pluta, OVMA’s assistant director of veteran career services, presented how the COVID-19 pandemic has changed the employment landscape for veterans. Maury also hosted a breakout session with Mirza Tihic, a member of the IVMF research and analytics team, as well as a postdoctoral researcher in the Whitman School of Management. Maury and Tihic discussed resources, tools and programs needed to support and enhance veteran entrepreneurs. IVMF Director of the Entrepreneurship and Small Business Portfolio Misty Fox participated in a panel discussion on entrepreneurship and how veterans can access information, resources and capital through the public, non-profit and private sectors.

The virtual lobby of NATCON 2021.

“The opportunities for meaningful networking that the annual SVA NATCON brings to our student veterans are exceptionally informative and impactful. This national gathering is something our SVO members look forward to every year. It is a chance for our student veterans to connect with other SVA chapters from all over the country and learn best practices from them as well as network with employers for job and internship opportunities,” says OVMA Executive Director Ron Novack. “This annual conference is also an opportunity for Syracuse University as an R1 research institution to present its research results to help assist the work of other attending universities who are also committed to supporting veterans and their families post-service.”

SVA’s National Conference annually attracts 2,000 student veterans, advocates, thought leaders, stakeholders and supporters in higher education. “The President and I have always believed that our nation has a sacred obligation to equip our troops when we send them into harm’s way, and to care for them and their families both while they serve and when they come home,” said Biden during her keynote address. “And we know when you have the chance to succeed, you lift up those around you as well, whether that’s your fellow student veterans, your families or your communities.”

Missy Mathis-Hanlon

Missy Mathis-Hanlon’s first day in what was previously called the Parents Office was on Sept. 11, 2001. Social media sites like Facebook did not exist yet, and news about the attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon was not delivered instantly like it is today.

“I first was hearing about it from my own family members who were outside of New York City or working in the city. We were watching it or listening to it on TVs or radios,” says Mathis-Hanlon. Her priority then was to be an empathetic and creative problem solver.

While Mathis-Hanlon could see the news on the internet, mothers trying to communicate with students in 2001 could not simply send a text message. Many parents reached out to Mathis-Hanlon that day because they did not have a way to reach their children.

“The calls were different than you would expect. They weren’t necessarily calling from New York City,” Mathis-Hanlon says. Many parents who were evacuating high-rise buildings all over the country were calling, and just wanted to let their student know they were OK.

Two decades later, the methods Mathis-Hanlon uses to communicate with parents and students have changed, but the empathetic listening and creative problem solving in her position is the same. “Just being willing to listen to families, understanding a problem they’re trying to solve or a concern that their student has is a huge part of what we do,” says Mathis-Hanlon, now director of Parent and Family Services.

Marianne Thomson, associate vice president and dean of students, says Mathis-Hanlon treats every issue a family presents with reverence. “She’s so genuinely kind, and whatever is important to the family is important to her,” Thomson says.

Thomson says Mathis-Hanlon is a valuable contributor to the Dean of Students leadership team and helps shape the ways Syracuse University tries to feel like home to every student. “She’s very serious about that work,” says Thomson.

In 2020, Mathis-Hanlon was named Outstanding Senior-Level Professional by the Association of Higher Education Parent and Family Programming Professionals (AHEPPP): Family Engagement in Higher Education. She was recognized as a professional in the field who exemplifies service to the parent and family programming profession and demonstrates commitment to the field through innovation, involvement and leadership.

One example came from a parent at their wit’s end with their student.

“They had a really poor academic semester and were placed on academic probation,” says Mathis-Hanlon. In response, Mathis-Hanlon asked to be put in touch directly with the student. She spoke to this student on a regular basis and connected them with appropriate resources at their school/college and a case manager. She helped this student meet other students that shared the same interests. The student’s GPA increased dramatically.

Mathis-Hanlon says she felt rewarded seeing a struggling student succeed. “If they take the time, we talk about time management. We talk about all kinds of things that might be useful to them,” she says. “One of the most important things we do is resource referral,” says Mathis-Hanlon.

Parent and Family Services can connect families with the right person on campus to ensure their student is supported and feels safe. Mathis-Hanlon says Parent and Family Services gives people a personalized channel of communication. “It’s really just having a caring voice on the other end of the phone or email or whatever it might be these days,” she says.

Along with professional accolades, the work Mathis-Hanlon does is evident in the social media posts, emails, phone calls and face-to-face interactions she has with parents and families. She is praised directly for making a large school feel like a small community. The relationships she has built with students and their families will often last long after the student graduates.

“I’m the kind of person who observes and listens a lot more than I talk. I think that is probably helpful to them because I do not have to have the first words or the last word. I can just take note of what they are saying and try to put pieces of puzzles together,” she says. “It can really be anything and everything, but if you have concerns, if your student is not sure how to navigate a particular situation, you can call us, and we’ll try to give you good information and try to connect you with people that can help.”

Monsignor Gregory Mustaciuolo, chief executive officer of the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation, says one of their key objectives in 2021 is to address the healthcare disparities related to race and income that have only been heightened since the onset of the pandemic. “These grants demonstrate our continued commitment to support a wide range of organizations improving the health and well-being of New York’s veteran and military family community,” says Mustaciuolo.

National Veterans Resource Center

Launching this summer, SyracuseServes will be headquartered in the Daniel and Gayle D’Aniello Building at the NVRC. The Syracuse collaborative will use lessons learned from AmericaServes’ 17 other communities, including Rochester, NY, Dallas, Seattle, Raleigh, Pittsburgh, and New York City. Working collaboratively with the City of Syracuse and its community partners, this program will look to enhance existing services, connecting veterans with vocational and social services to assist clients with VA benefits, transition assistance programs, education, employment and mental health needs. With a “no-wrong door” approach, the IVMF’s community-based initiatives empower local communities to ensure military-connected clients receive efficient and timely support, as well as access to a wide range of resources they need.

“Today, the IVMF’s AmericaServes program is widely acknowledged as the gold-standard for how public, private, and non-profit organizations work together to serve veterans, service members, and their families,” says Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh. “We’re very excited about this new partnership, and the potential of this innovative community-based collaboration to ensure that the City of Syracuse is among ‘the best places’ for our veterans to live, work, and raise their families.”

Vice Chancellor of Strategic Initiatives and Innovation and Founder of the IVMF, Mike Haynie, says he is proud one of the first new programs launched at the NVRC will serve local Syracuse veterans and their families, including the many who study and work on the campus. “This grant is one example of how we’re bringing the vision of the NVRC to life in a practical way, leveraging the facility and the IVMF’s expertise to serve the social and wellness needs of veterans and families right here in Central NY,” Haynie says. “We look forward to positioning the NVRC as a community resource and working alongside other community partners in an effort to ensure that those veterans seeking services and care in our community, are able to navigate to the resources they need quickly. Through the IVMF’s AmericaServes program we’ve been doing this work in communities across the U.S. for many years, and I’m thrilled that we now able to bring that experience to bear toward serving veterans and their families right here in Syracuse,” he says.

The need for coordinated care in communities was identified in IVMF research which indicates relocating back into a community, finding employment and adjustments to a life outside of the military leave families scrambling to find support from the patchwork of community organizations that support them. In addition, post 9/11 veterans are more likely than previous generations to be persons of color and to have disabilities resulting from their military service. Often, disparate organizations must work together in a community to support veteran families, but they are usually unable to collaborate and share information efficiently. This leads to a confounding process that does not meet a family’s needs.

The Mother Cabrini Health Foundation is a private, nonprofit organization that aims to bolster the health outcomes of targeted communities like veterans and their families by eliminating barriers to care and bridging gaps in health services. Named in memory of Mother Cabrini, a tireless advocate for immigrants, children, and the poor, the foundation provides flexible support for new and innovative approaches that enhance health and wellness across New York State.

The video series, features employers, alumni and special guests discussing topics such as networking, self-branding, interviewing and more. These videos are available on .

Syracuse University’s Veteran Career Services has also partnered with Purepost, that analyzes military experience and converts it to civilian skills. With free registration, the “Purepost Sherpa” will make a student-veteran’s military resume easily comprehendible to civilian employers. Students first create a personalized profile that will optimize their job search. Military occupations entered will generate “achievement statements” that can be used on a resume. These statements have been developed to help describe the many duties, leadership capabilities and technical skills embedded in a military job title.

Purepost is also connected to Syracuse University Career Services. Student veterans will get personalized recommendations from Career Services advisors on volunteer opportunities or other college activities that would be a good fit. The Purepost profile also matches a student veteran’s competencies to jobs and internships that companies are currently seeking. Interested student veterans can for a free webinar on Friday, Feb. 26, that will cover how to get started.

Jennifer Pluta, assistant director of Veteran Career Services in the OVMA,  says the videos and the website will help military-connected students highlight their experience in a way that civilian recruiters, hiring managers and professionals will understand. “Military-connected students face multiple hiring disadvantages,” she says. “Service members are also often trained to perform within a team and need training and guidance in the art of self-promotion. ‘Gathering Your Tools’ and Purepost are resources that will help them bridge the gap and support their career pathways.”

Madeleine Gordon

Syracuse University Army Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) Cadets Madeleine Gordon and Patrick Little became the first cadets from any ROTC college program to attend the U.S. Army Special Operations Civil Affairs Assessment and Selection Course (CAAS) in December 2020. Working alongside active duty officers and enlisted soldiers, Gordon and Little applied lessons learned inside and outside of the classroom and were selected as future special operations civil affairs leaders.

Their success has helped pave the way for other cadets to attend the course in the future. Based on their first-ever attendance and selection, the U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School will now expand the opportunity to all ROTC programs starting in the summer.

Gordon and Little’s selection to attend CAAS will allow them to become active duty civil affairs officers after completing an assignment in their first Army branch. Once they are eligible for promotion as first lieutenants, they will enter a role the Army describes as the “Special Operations community’s warrior-diplomats.”  Using foreign language training, cultural expertise and skilled negotiation, civil affairs soldiers build formal and informal relationships to accomplish objectives in diplomatically or politically sensitive areas.

Gordon and Little’s attendance and subsequent selection at CAAS gives them the opportunity to join the Civil Affairs Regiment as part of U.S. Army Special Operations. They will train in some of the most challenging scenarios and work abroad with a highly specialized team on missions that will influence global operations.

“The potential these young leaders have demonstrated absolutely astonishes me and I could not be prouder of their accomplishment,” says Lieutenant Colonel Jennifer Gotie, Syracuse University’s Army ROTC professor of military science. “They are the future of the special operations community and the important work being done.”

Civil affairs was first mentioned as a possible career path for Gordon when she met Gotie, who is also a civil affairs officer. “I met with her during my sophomore year to introduce myself and discuss my goals and aspirations. As a civil affairs officer she offered insight about her career and experiences, and I was intrigued,” Gordon says. “I had never heard of the Civil Affairs branch before, but it felt perfectly aligned with what I wanted to experience and accomplish in my military career, specifically with language and culture.”

Gordon is a double major in Chinese and Arabic. “I’ve had the opportunity in ROTC to be in leadership positions as a platoon leader last semester, and company commander this upcoming semester,” Gordon says. “This has allowed me to learn and develop my leadership style, attitude and capabilities. I think that is an important understanding going into a course like this, because in Civil Affairs you operate on small teams where everyone is a leader.”

Patrick Little (at left)

Little had a similar experience. “I knew that there’s Special Forces and these other kinds of branches in the special operations community, but I wasn’t aware of Civil Affairs,” he says.

As a history and philosophy double major, his interests also meshed well with elements of the Civil Affairs mission. An ability to understand the context of global politics while being empathetic to different perspectives helped him in assessments taken during selection.

Little’s experience as a member of Syracuse University’s student ambulance organization was also helpful. Taking emergency calls as an ambulance driver allowed him to be “comfortable being uncomfortable” at selection. “Just having that kind of a balance of knowing that you’re never going to go into a situation knowing everything, really helped me out because I was able to go through these unpredictable circumstances and still come out on top,” Little says.

Captain Gene Goins, a Civil Affairs future readiness officer, says having cadets like Gordon and Little attend the course in the future will help identify top tier talent and ideally produce a more highly qualified and experienced officer.

“These cadets will enter the Civil Affairs training pathway at the earliest possible date and upon completion will have the opportunity for more key developmental time as a Civil Affairs team commander,” Goins says.

Goins says he hopes Gordon and Little took away a valuable set of insights on their strengths and weaknesses—both  physical and mental. Along with the practical application of their individual skills in a small team, the course exposed them to a wide breadth of leadership styles, an extremely diverse collection of soldiers, and challenges that are not entirely unique to the Civil Affairs Regiment, says Goins.

Gordon says they would not have had this opportunity without the advocacy of Gotie. “She came into our program and right off the bat was trying to make opportunities happen for cadets that we didn’t even know were possible,” says Gordon. “She saw us and felt that we embodied some of the right characteristics to be successful in this career, so she fought for this possibility and we are both extremely grateful for it,” Gordon says.

Little agrees and is happy Syracuse University Army ROTC allows him to strike the balance between college life and his future in the U.S. Army. “This selection course is not something that cadets ever went to, but because of Lieutenant Colonel Gotie’s background, she knew some people and she got some sponsors to get us to go. We were lucky to attend.”

Members of the Student Representative Council, formed by the Syracuse in Shanghai program

The travel restrictions put in place due to COVID have kept many newly enrolled international students home as they were about to begin their coursework at Syracuse University. The majority of these students live in China, so the University partnered with the Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE) and East China Normal University to establish the Syracuse in Shanghai program.

Within China, the first lockdowns due to the worldwide pandemic had been lifted by the start of the school year for international students in Shanghai. While the public health situation in China enabled a return to some in-person activities, many of these newly enrolled Syracuse undergraduate students were acclimating to the demands of the American education system. This was combined with the challenges faced by most first-year students entering college, like making friends and feeling at home in a new community.

To help give the students a sense of campus community, the Syracuse in Shanghai program formed the Student Representative Council (SRC) to help organize events where students could safely connect for professional development and to socialize.

Ziyu (Connor) Huang, a junior majoring in accounting and supply chain management at the Whitman School of Management, volunteers his time as the program coordinator for the program in China.

Huang is also a member of the Chinese Students and Scholars Association, where he serves as the minister of student activities. Huang says he was motivated to volunteer because he knows what it felt like to arrive in Syracuse and to adapt to living and studying in a new environment. “I’m fresh out of high school when I first get to Syracuse, it made me think of my questions like where to play and where to hang out with my friends, those kinds of questions,” he says.

The Student Representative Council helps organize events where students can safely connect for professional development and to socialize.

Helping international students adapt to a new classroom setting is also what motivated biology major Xiaoyang (Gary) Wang. Wang is originally from China, but spent the last four years attending school in Australia before enrolling in the College of Arts and Sciences. He says he is happy to help the students in Shanghai bridge the cultural differences they will inevitably face while going to school in the United States.

“I think in China, we have a more conservative education. There are places where high school students are under strict supervision from teachers and their parents,” says Wang. “Going to a university in America, I think is quite challenging for them. They must control themselves more and they have to organize their lives by themselves. I think that’s the biggest transition for them.”

In addition to social events like a Halloween party, the SRC also helped organize writing workshops and resume building workshops for students.

Members of the SRC say volunteering has also been a positive experience for them. Yixiu (Angelo) Wei, a member of the student council majoring in international relations, says getting involved helped him meet new people and expand his social circle ahead of coming to campus. “I work with the SRC because I want to get to know more people, and I want to know more things about Syracuse,” he says.

Angelo has personal experience in the United States education system that can help international students navigate the new setting. He attended school in California, starting in the eighth grade. “I think setting up a student council truly boosted new students’ confidence in their future at Syracuse University,” he says. Angelo says the fact that Syracuse University wanted to ensure the international students in Shanghai could still have a college experience despite COVID restrictions made them feel like valued members of the Orange community.

For first-year student Jiaxin (Jesse) Ma, her time on the SRC spent organizing events has her considering a major in management. “My major is still undecided, but I found what I might like to do in the future by doing all the activities and student council,” she says.

“I think at first it’s very uncomfortable, it’s very unfamiliar how the classes work. After I joined student council, I learned more about every detail during our semester and classes,” Ma says. “Now I can also pass this information to our friends or other students. I think it’s a process which really makes me feel like I have a better understanding and I can really help guide others and answer all their questions.”

Huang says he empathizes with the first-year students because they will have less time on campus due to the travel restrictions. “At the same time, they have to adapt to the education system in United States,” he says.

Huang sees the SRC as a way to welcome these students to the Syracuse community, even if that means not technically in Central New York. “This lets them know that Syracuse University wants to help them join the community,” Huang says. “We organize a lot of activities to enrich the student’s campus life, even though we are in a different country.”

Darrelle Tyrone Butler Jr. is the first GEM Fellow at the School of Architecture and the first architecture student nationally to be a GEM Fellow. Butler learned about GEM in 2017 while attending Tennessee State University. He was a part of the National Society of Black Engineers and GEM gave a presentation to minority students interested in pursuing master’s and doctoral degrees in STEM fields at the national conference. Unfortunately, at the time, architecture was not a discipline included in the GEM Fellowship.

Then in 2018, Syracuse University became one of the 13 schools nationally to designate the architecture program as a STEM discipline. Butler enrolled in the fall. “My experience in architecture programs at Syracuse has been great. I’ve learned a lot in the classroom, the studio, and the informal learning opportunities that the school provides.”

“I am thankful that there is an entity like GEM that finances the cost for young, aspiring people in higher education like myself to go forward. And in going forward, I am now on track towards my entrepreneurial goals as an architect and real estate developer” says Butler. “I recognize GEM as a social avenue for underrepresented communities to more easily reach the highway of success. For me, the National Society of Black Engineers was what helped me onto the GEM path, I hope the National Organization of Minority Architecture Students at Syracuse will direct students onto the GEM path as well.”

Courtney Ogando, a GEM Fellow in the College of Engineering and Computer Science, is earning her master’s in bioengineering. “I can truly say that if it wasn’t for the GEM program and Syracuse University, I would not be in graduate school right now,” Ogando says. As a first-generation student from a low-income area in Brooklyn, New York, Ogando said there was no practical way she could finance her degree without support from a fellowship. She applied to several graduate programs and was not offered any financial aid. “Then I was contacted by Dr. James Henderson, the director of the bioengineering graduate program at Syracuse University at the time,” says Ogando. “I was told that their graduate committee was very impressed with my GEM fellowship application and although Syracuse University was not one of the schools to which I initially applied, they offered me admissions to the Masters in Bioengineering program with full tuition support.” Ogando says she visited and had confidence Syracuse was a great fit. “Aside from the great support from the GEM family at Syracuse University, the national GEM program provides meetings to keep all GEM students across the country connected as well as workshops to help us grow professionally,” she says.

The fellowship has also helped eliminate the financial barriers for Russell Fearon. “My professional aspiration is to have freedom. That’s freedom with time and with money,” says Fearon, who is pursuing master’s degree in bioengineering. As a first-year student, Fearon wasn’t interested in attending graduate school. “That wasn’t part of my plan, even sophomore year. I was a mechanical engineer and I wanted to go to school, get out as quickly possible and get a job. Now I realize I need to attend graduate school to become self-sufficient doing something that I love. Making a paycheck is great, but I want to own it,” he says. Fearon is interested in using his graduate research to develop solutions for people with diabetes. His participation in GEM will also support his business, SugEx, short for the Sugar Experience. Fearon’s SugEx glucose monitoring device has won several business competitions and is a national finalist for the , garnering interest from several pharmaceutical and venture capital firms. The 2021 ACC InVenture Prize Competition will be broadcast on PBS in April.

GEM Fellow Vito Iaia first entered the program as an undergraduate student in California, which allowed him to complete his master’s degree at UCLA. The GEM fellowship also enabled him to complete three internships at MIT Lincoln labs. “That just basically accelerated my professional experience in a field that I was really interested in but not sure if knew I wanted to commit to, which was quantum computing,” says Iaia. He applied to several Ph.D. programs and his involvement with GEM financed his first year at Syracuse University. “It has definitely given me the opportunity to get professional industry experience and make connections,” says Iaia. He cited his experiences when applying for his current fellowship and will be looking to capitalize on his involvement with GEM after completing his degree. “I’m going to apply to a lot of industry and government jobs. MIT Lincoln labs will be on the top of my list,” he says.

Negussey says the GEM program is an important step in increasing the representation of African American, Native American and Hispanic students in STEM fields. “In terms of employment opportunities, raising the standard of living and improving the overall economy of the United States, we need to have people in STEM,” says Negussey. “This program helps bring us closer to what we would like to be as a university and what we need in order for our community and society to achieve great things.” GEM Fellows are often recruited by corporations like Intel, Adobe and IBM. Ursula Burns, former CEO of Xerox, is a GEM alumna and the first Black woman to head a Fortune 500 company. In higher education, GEM alumnus Darryll Pines currently serves as the president of the University of Maryland. The dean of engineering at the University of Michigan, Alec Gallimore, is also a GEM alumnus. They are among many others in high level leadership positions in academia, industry and government.

Peter Vanable, dean of Syracuse University’s Graduate School, is excited to see the GEM program continue to grow. “I credit our schools and colleges for being fully invested in growing this program,” says Vanable. For example, the College of Engineering and Computer Science upgraded the GEM program support to mitigate the challenges presented by COVID.

GEM fellows are also encouraged to participate in events called “Getting Ready for Advanced Degree Laboratory” (GRAD Labs) to encourage other underrepresented students to consider applying for the fellowship and attending graduate school in STEM fields. GRAD Labs are career planning events that provide information about attending graduate school. Syracuse University hosted GRAD labs in 2015 and 2018 and partners in co-hosting with other universities every fall. This year it will once again join with other GEM member universities in the Central New York area to offer a GRAD lab in the fall either in virtual or in person, as the public health situation permits.

Iaia has presented at GRAD labs and provided an overview of fellowships. He says the GRAD labs are a good way to make professional contacts and meet people in professorships or industry positions. He says the GEM fellowship has changed his life. “It is definitely a great experience, and you meet so many people when you go through this program. I emphasize a lot on the professional contacts, but the other grad students that you meet, you really get this widespread understanding of who these people are. Very motivated, very go-getter, they’re definitely going to be the future of whatever field they go into,” he says. “It’s just one of those things where it makes the world after your academic life a little bit smaller.”

Jessica Montgomery

After two years away from school, she remained active in the Tallahassee Community Choir. During that time, she realized how much she missed performing. “I missed taking weekly lessons, and I had the desire to take performance more seriously,” she says. “I missed singing. And I just missed that feeling.”

With a renewed sense of purpose, Montgomery focused on voice lessons, auditioned and was accepted into the Setnor School of Music. “I came to Syracuse University because I wanted a change of pace and feel,” she says. “It was a great challenge to accept and the Setnor School of Music Program has definitely shaped me. I accept challenges that are in front of me and I now feel ready to present myself in the best light.”

In addition to being a full time graduate student, Montgomery serves as the external vice president and voice department senator representative for the Graduate Student Organization, and serves as Sigma Alpha Iota International Music Fraternity province officer for the chapters at Hartwick College, Mansfield University, SUNY Potsdam and Syracuse University. Montgomery is preparing her lecture graduate recital. SU News sat down with Montgomery to discuss her experience at VPA and her upcoming performance highlighting the work of black female composers.

What did you learn about yourself in the two years after completing your undergraduate degree?

I was just missing something. I was missing that rooted confidence that all musicians are expected to have. Not having the confidence played a huge role as to how I thought of myself as a musician, how I critiqued myself as a musician. It also geared me in directions where I was in a place of standstill, filled with indecision and unsure of my next steps. I wasn’t sure if this was a career that I wanted to go in because of my insecurities. I learned so much from Florida State University, but I realized if you don’t have that strong confidence in yourself, it can hinder the decisions you make.

How has your experience in Syracuse bolstered your confidence?

I love working with all of my teachers. I like to think of them as my team because they really have played a role in shaping me on who I am today. My voice teacher, Janet Brown, is just phenomenal. She makes you feel like you can do anything, while also preparing you for challenges. I absolutely love it. It also works in the other direction. When I do bring her a work that’s challenging, she expects me to take on discipline and accountability to do my part, but she’s always there to guide me.

How does that confidence translate to your work in pedagogy?

Pedagogy is a challenging subject. There are so many studies that are rapidly developing and it can be difficult to keep up. Taking on the challenge, learning the subject and gaining the experience is definitely a confidence booster. My advisor, Dr. Kathleen Roland-Silverstein, is putting me out there to gain experience in the field. This semester, I will be teaching a beginning voice class for non-majors. Prior to being assigned to the course, I battled with the thoughts to make sure I have everything right, making sure everything is “perfect” and that I don’t mess up. Preparing for this course has already made me realize that teaching does not mean to be perfect. What it means to me is to be vulnerable in taking risk, trusting what you know and to be open and willing to learn along the way. Learning is a part of teaching.

What inspired you to dedicate your graduate lecture recital to black female composers?

I realized there is so much beautiful music written by African American women composers that I was not aware of. Sure, I know the standards of Maragret Bonds or Florence Price and Betty Jackson King, but I discovered a composer named of Brittany Boykin, who has written a masterpiece to the poetry of Maya Angelou, and I just instantly thought I just must perform this work. I am excited for what’s to come.

What have you learned about yourself in preparing this recital?

I learned that I am more confident than ever and I can take on any challenge. Preparing for this recital is exciting. This will be my first time dedicating to both a recital and to research about the African American experience. I’m excited to sing about music that represents my culture, myself as an African American woman, and that represents and tells the story of my ancestors. It’s a beautiful feeling.

The two-hour workshops help faculty navigate moments that can potentially undermine learning. By using tangible examples that may arise in a college/school/department context, the workshops help empower faculty to be leaders in the classroom, giving them the tools to transform “hot moments” into opportunities for profound learning.

“Hot moments are when someone says or does or something that creates inequity or communicates less than full inclusion of all students in the learning space,” says Jeffrey Mangram, Provost’s Faculty Fellow and associate professor of teaching and leadership in the School of Education. “This workshop can help a faculty member respond to these moments so they can right the ship and help students learn.”

The workshop’s three sessions will help faculty recognize when these hot moments arise and frame the intimate conversations that happen in classrooms when discussing race, ethnicity and identity. “We want people to continually engage in these learning opportunities around diversity and inclusion,” says Marie Garland, assistant provost for faculty affairs. “In this workshop, faculty can practice interactions and responding to interactions that decrease equity and inclusion in a learning environment.”

The second session of this workshop will be held and the third on . Registration is required.

The workshops are inter-related, but not sequential. They are designed so faculty can attend starting with any of the three sessions and proceed with the remaining workshops.

Another session of “Transforming Hot Moments 1” will be held .

Future sessions of “Transforming Hot Moments 2” will be held and .

Sessions of “Transforming Hot Moments 3” will be held and

For more information or questions about scheduling, email Jeff Mangram or Melissa Luke.

“These are students new to our Syracuse family who, like all of our first-year students, don’t know exactly what it means to be a university student before attending college,” says Erika Wilkens, assistant provost and executive director of Syracuse Abroad. “While the University has made every effort to virtually welcome and support students unable to join us on campus in the fall, we also wanted to find a way to offer a supported residential experience to as many as possible.”

To address this dilemma for incoming students from China, Syracuse University partnered with the Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE) and East China Normal University to establish a program for international students in Shanghai, China where they could bond with others in their cohort, despite COVID-19 related travel restrictions. The program gave 253 students an opportunity to connect with other Orange undergraduates and familiarize themselves with the routines of first-year students at a U.S. university.

The fall program allowed international students in Shanghai to combine in-person classes with Syracuse University courses on-line, spend time with their peers and become more familiar with the American-style teaching. Students participated in excursions to learn more about Shanghai and had professional development opportunities, such as visiting companies and non-governmental organizations (NGOs).

Students in the program also had opportunities to engage with the main campus through a series of virtual forums and workshops designed to set them up for success, with sessions on learning how to navigate online University systems and how to communicate effectively with professors and advisors.

The Orange family in China—alumni and current students—also reached out to the new students. Nearly 30 alums in Shanghai (representing all major SU schools and colleges) held a special welcome session at the orientation to share their experiences at SU and introduce the “Orange spirit.” Members of the Chinese students’ association organized a mid-autumn celebration show and performance, as well as a Halloween Party.

An international partnership program like this typically takes up to 18 months to two years to become fully operational. However, with the onset of the global pandemic in March, Syracuse Abroad and its campus partners needed to work much faster. The Syracuse in Shanghai program was created in just a few months. Syracuse Abroad closely worked with schools and colleges, in particular the College of Arts and Sciences and the Maxwell School, the academic home of most of the Shanghai-bound students.

Chancellor Kent Syverud addresses students via video in Shanghai, China

“I think for the University, this has been a really important learning experience in terms of a major cross-division collaborative effort around shared goals. People were just amazing,” said Wilkens.

“In addition to our colleagues at the schools and colleges, we worked closely with Admissions, the Center for International Services, the Office of Budget and Planning, the Bursar’s Office and the Registrar’s Office. The University has never done anything like this before.” The process was complicated and challenging, with issues like academic programming, student services, health and safety being top priorities.

Wilkens says the Syracuse in Shanghai program is a real testament to the importance of and commitment to broader internationalization at Syracuse University. “I think it’s really brought to the forefront how many international students we have and the unique challenges they face,” she said. It also served as an example of the complexities involved supporting international students with staff working remotely amidst a global health crisis. “There is no way we could have done it without pulling together as one University. People went above and beyond.”

Learning from their experience in the fall, Syracuse Abroad will be offering a second program in the city of Chongqing at Southwest University in China for Spring 2021. Wilkens says she is happy that when these international students eventually arrive in Central New York, they will be coming with an Orange cohort and have an identity as part of Syracuse University. “We want them to feel recognized and cared for. That is our goal.”

Neal Powless

Neal Powless was appointed University ombuds in January 2019, succeeding Professor Emeritus Samuel Clemence, who led the office in an interim capacity. Powless says he hopes this report can help people feel less alone if they have experienced conflict with someone on campus. He hopes this report will help more people understand how to use the office as a resource and bring awareness to common themes of conflict.

“The report is a reflection of the trends that I’ve heard people say that are shared by others, and those are things that we, as a community, can look at and consider how we could act better as a community; how we could be more open to each other,” says Powless.“The primary concerns for people are employment, workplace and evaluative relationships, like peer-to-peer or peer-to-colleague relationships.”

The common theme that Powless has observed is breakdowns in communication. Often in the rush to achieve goals, people do not communicate efficiently to each other. That issue can lead to an uneven power dynamic between supervisors and supervisees. Communication issues can also contribute to an unhealthy work environment.

Powless says anyone using the ombud’s office does not have to fear retaliation for discussing issues they encounter on campus. By being a confidential and neutral resource, the ombud’s office created a space where individuals are empowered to find solutions that maybe they never would have considered before or to consider solutions that maybe they were not aware of, says Powless. In his first year, Powless worked on 255 cases.

The trust Powless has built with individuals he has worked with has been especially rewarding for him. He says the office offers people an opportunity to be honest about conflict in their workplace or classroom and about what they really want to achieve as a resolution. “We’re all here at Syracuse University together and so, how do we all get along? And that is what I do, that’s my goal.”

Powless has been a member of the Syracuse University campus community since 2004, first as a graduate and then as a PhD student. He went on to work as a staff member in student affairs and academic affairs. Powless is trained as a certified counselor/therapist and he has taught in three of the 13 schools and colleges.

“If you read the report and you feel an emotional response, think about your intentions. Is it bringing up, ‘Oh my gosh, I’m going through this?’ Think about how you’re going to solve it and use this office as a space for yourself,” says Powless. “Conflict is not a sign of failure. Conflict is an opportunity to learn more about ourselves and the people that we work with.”

Jin Zhao is a fourth year Ph.D. student working toward his career goal of becoming a practicing psychologist. His qualifying exam project is researching Asian college students and how their experiences of microaggression are related to their attitudes about going to see a professional mental health service provider. Asian mental health is a subject that Zhao has always been interested in researching. Before coming to Syracuse, Zhao worked as a case manager at the only Asian language community clinic for substance use on the East Coast.

“I always wanted to serve my community and better understand it because there are not a lot of psychologists who can speak an Asian language and understand Asian populations,” Zhao says. While barriers exist in the United States for every group to address mental health and receive therapy, these challenges are especially prevalent for Asian communities because there is such a stigma around mental health, says Zhao. “It’s a taboo subject for a lot of the more conservative Asian communities,” Zhao said. Aside from the rarity of finding a therapist that speaks an Asian language, it is difficult to find therapists who are sensitive to the challenges that are found in different Asian cultures.

To help address the lack of culturally informed therapists for Asians and Asian Americans, Zhao first got involved with a Facebook group called “Subtle Asian Mental Health.” That has since been rolled into the “Asian Mental Health Collective.” Zhao volunteers his time and leads the Listeners Program. This program is a community-based peer mental health support team that provides free sessions of supportive listening for anyone interested in a session. The group currently has 52,700 users and people from every continent. SU News spoke to Zhao about his work with the Asian Mental Health Collective.

What is your contribution to the Asian Mental Health Collective?

I lead the Listeners Program and it has grown quite a lot since I inherited it. A lot of work went into front-loading efforts to design and create a community mental health service program from scratch. Now people can sign up for a session, and then we will assign them to a listener. I recruited listeners who either have training in therapy, are clinicians or grad students who work in human services. A few of them are Ph.D. students from Syracuse.

What is your role in the Listeners Program?

Leading the program involves coordinating personnel and coming up with novel ways to reach more users and support our volunteers. A lot of the work goes into training Listeners to use counseling skills to help people talk about difficult subjects. Trauma history can be especially prevalent, but for many people, getting help can be difficult. For example, women with sexual trauma and physical abuse reported difficulties in talking about their experience. This may be because it is a taboo subject in their culture, or no one believed them. Since beginning the program, we have held almost 400 sessions. There is a high need for it.

How many Listeners are volunteering their time?

Right now, we have eight to 10 listeners. We are lucky to have licensed therapists who volunteer their time to supervise the listeners. We also have a team of people who are constantly tracking data, writing training manuals and policies, and taking care of our logistics. In total, it is a team of 20 volunteers. But the amazing thing is that we all do it for free. We are constantly working, and it is amazing to see how committed people are to making this service run smoothly.

What is a typical experience for Asian Americans in therapy and how are you providing more culturally sensitive resources?

The history of therapy and therapy training originally was geared towards white middle-class people. How those theories conceptualize problems implicitly fits within the mold of white American culture. But, when therapists try to apply these theories to other cultures and different socioeconomic classes without adaptation, it is often inappropriate. I think one very blatant difference is conflict resolution. Many Asian cultures approach conflict by first considering how other people might react. Whenever we talk about interpersonal problems, we do not outright prioritize our emotional reactions, but rather we comment on the other person’s possible struggles and misunderstandings. Like the concept of “face” for maintaining our relationships. Face is an aspect of one’s reputation. For example, if I angrily confront someone and make a scene, then I lose my reputation. It is like a collective reputation for your groups or reputation for yourself. In this instance, if I do something outwardly where people can see my behavior, it looks bad despite any justification. It will look bad on me and my groups. For therapists who do not fully understand the nuances in our cultural differences, they may see this as submissiveness and ignoring personal feelings because Western cultures value individualism and assertiveness more.

Why are Asian Americans one of the critically under-served groups in mental health?

For many Asians who have had therapists from a different cultural background, they did not feel heard and did not go back to therapy. Or that maybe in their locations, they do not have access to therapists at all. Many folks in this group come from parts of the world where mental health is very much treated like a medical problem; the cost for therapy can be prohibitive, or that there are not mental health services in their healthcare infrastructure to help them. Government funding is also lacking, clinics can really use more money to do outreach in Asian communities. Education about mental health is integral to spreading awareness and help normalize seeking help. Fundamentally, there are not enough therapist trainees who are racial or ethnic minorities and training programs that address cultural differences. There is also a pervasive “model minority” myth that suggests Asians do not have problems both health-wise and socioeconomically, which is why there is such a lack of concern and attention on our communities.

Subtle Asian Mental Health started out by addressing access to care. As it grew bigger, the administrators of the group decided to expand it to work with different Asian mental health professionals and connect with them. They wanted different platforms to advocate for Asian mental health, to destigmatize the concept of mental health, and encourage people to feel less shame about going to therapy. We have a database that records as much information as possible about Asian therapists from around the country and register them on this database. We send out monthly newsletters about current Asian mental health projects and tools that are very digestible for folks that deal with anxiety or depression. We have weekly discussion groups, roundtables and support groups. There are so many of these projects that I cannot track them all, I am just one small part of it. Subtle Asian Mental Health joined together with other related projects and we now call it the Asian Mental Health Collective. It is a large grassroots network made up of advocates who are passionate about mental health and folks wanting to find out more about how to help themselves.

Kelly Campbell

Kelly Campbell has been appointed University Registrar effective January 19, 2021. Currently director of operations in advising at Syracuse University’s College of Arts and Sciences and Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, Campbell has over a decade of experience in higher education with past roles at St. John Fisher College, Bryant & Stratton College and the University at Buffalo.

Chris Johnson, associate provost for academic affairs, says Campbell’s appointment is crucial to the university’s efforts to promote student success. The office has made great strides implementing technology and upgrading the University’s systems over the past few years and Campbell is a great choice to continue improving the student experience.

“In her previous role as associate registrar for systems and technology, Kelly helped lead the implementation of new systems that have improved advising and registration. Since then, she has worked to improve advising and student success in our largest school,” says Johnson. “It is rare for a registrar to have this dual perspective, and Kelly will be a campus leader in advancing our work in student success and retention.”

Campbell is excited for the opportunity to work with registrar’s staff again. “I loved being able to work with this team. They are a collaborative and  hardworking group of people who have had great success in moving the office forward and I look forward to working with them again to continue that work.”In her new role, Campbell will manage the operations of the Office of the Registrar, supervising academic records and regulations, grading, degree and enrollment verification, transcripts, diplomas, class and classroom scheduling and course catalogs.

A key leader in the University’s strategy to provide best and most accessible technologies to students, Campbell will collaborate with the University’s 11 academic schools and colleges, Information Technology Services, the Office of Institutional Research, the Office of Institutional Effectiveness and Assessment, Enrollment Management, the Office of Retention, the Bursar’s Office and the University Senate.

“There’s very little that the registrar’s office does that doesn’t directly impact our students,” says Campbell. “By working closely with this team and the Syracuse University community, we will ensure we are offering the best and most accessible technologies to our students while constantly evaluating opportunities for improvement.”

In the past, Campbell oversaw the installation, implementation and ongoing maintenance of Degree Works, the degree audit system, which is used in all Syracuse University undergraduate, graduate and law programs. More recently, as director of operations in advising for Arts and Sciences and the Maxwell School, Campbell has supervised the implementation of Signal Vine, a two-way text messaging system used to communicate with students and transitioned the office to be completely paperless.

Originally from Geneseo, NY, Campbell holds a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a Master’s in Human Resource Development from St. John Fisher College.

Romita Ray

Associate professor of art history Romita Ray specializes in the art and architecture of the British Empire in India. With assistance from the University’s Proposal Support Services and internal grant funding, Ray is doing research she feels an intimate personal connection with, which she says sets her up for an intellectual adventure. “I’ve always felt when you’re most honest with yourself and your thoughts, which is actually a deeply personal engagement, I think that’s when your writing is the sharpest and your research is the most incisive.”

Originally from Kolkata, India, Ray’s latest interdisciplinary research has centered on a botanical novelty and a prized beverage that intersects with her personal family history: tea. While the British introduced the China variety of tea to India, they soon found out about an indigenous species of tea growing in northeast India. Realizing the commercial potential of growing tea in India, they industrialized the plant, and their colonial influence is evident in the industry even today.

Ray is taking a highly interdisciplinary approach to a historical study of tea. She sees tea as an intersection between plants, science, animals, and art and architecture. Several generations of Ray’s family were tea planters, and her great-grandfather was the founder chairman of the Indian Tea Planters Association at a time when tea was an irrefutably British imperial industry.

“So it’s very interesting to return to that history as more of a departure point, because it gives me a level of comfort. I’m intimately familiar with tea-growing landscapes,” she explains.

Even with her familiarity with how tea is grown, processed, exported and used, as a whole, India operates with a different set of parameters and organizational structures.

“You learn a lot of patience in the process. It’s a slow but sustained project,” says Ray. India operates on networks of trust and these relationships need time to develop, she says.

In 2016, Ray won a National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) fellowship, that enabled her to travel to India, the United Kingdom and Sri Lanka. “I was very fortunate to receive one of these nationally competitive fellowships, which really helped push the research forward,” she says. The yearlong grant enabled Ray to gain valuable insight into the industry and its networks by developing relationships over time.

For Ray, the history of Indian tea is essentially about taming the tea plant. “I can’t imagine writing a book about tea without understanding the plant itself,” she says.

Her research has taken her down surprising avenues and unexpected turns, everywhere from forest divisions to natural history collections. She has consulted with plant scientists, tea planters, a tiger preservationist and botanical artists. She has gathered material from the descendants of colonial planters and learned to pluck tea.

Her goal is to present these connected histories of art, science and living histories to shape the most interesting story she can tell. “It has taken me through many different journeys I would say,” says Ray. “The best part about this project is that I’m having fun, and I never get bored with it.”

Her international research brought Ray to archives, herbaria, libraries, private collections, museums, research institutes and tea plantations. “But that was only the beginning,” she says. “I just saw this entire world open up before me.”

Ray’s research brought her into contact with botanists, tea industry stalwarts, historians of science, and tea pluckers who harvest the leaves.

“My circle of life and thinking widened, and that’s what makes this project so fulfilling,” she says. “Turning to tea experts who are not necessarily academic has enriched my work far more than I had envisioned.”

One outside expert connection was a School of Architecture alumnus Todd Rubin. Rubin owns the Republic of Tea company. “There’s a lot of tea talk that happens between us,” says Ray. “Syracuse University has given me a much larger network who are connected to the American tea scene.”

On Jan. 21, 2021, Ray and Rubin will join College of Arts and Sciences’ alumnus Tim Takacs, co-owner of Marulin, a London-based tea company, for a virtual tea program for the SU Alumni Association. And in June 2021, Rubin will be co-sponsoring a tea conference that Ray is co-organizing with Richard Coulton (Queen Mary University of London) and Jordan Goodman (University College London), at the Linnean Society, the world’s oldest active biological society in London.

Since returning to the United States, Ray was awarded a 2020 Collaboration for Unprecedented Success and Excellence (CUSE) Grant and has begun working on her book tentatively titled, “Leafy Wonders: Art, Aesthetics, and the Science of Tea in Colonial and Modern India.”

Currently on research sabbatical, Ray is approaching the subject through the lens of an art historian.

“How to tell a multi-faceted story about a plant and the people, landscapes and wild animals associated with it, is bound to be challenging. So I’m relishing every minute of it right now,” says Ray.

While on leave, Ray is practicing botanical illustration. “It makes me understand what I am writing about through practice,” says Ray. “I’m grateful to Syracuse University for giving me the year to think and write.”

This year, both NSF MRI acquisition grants submitted by Syracuse University faculty members from the College of Engineering and Computer Science and the College of Arts and Sciences were funded.  In Engineering and Computer Sciences,  faculty members Teng Zeng, Jianshun Zhang and Charles Driscoll contributed to the successful grant.  In Arts and Sciences, faculty members Davoud Mozhdehi, Rachel Steinhardt, Tripti Bhattacharya and Christopher Junium were awarded funding. These grants will enable the University to purchase two new chromatography-mass spectrometers on campus. The equipment will allow researchers to analyze and study the composition of a larger compound by separating out its parts. This technology will contribute to a wide range of interdisciplinary study, ranging from global climate change to human tissue engineering.

If recent history is any indication, these instruments will have a tremendously positive impact for faculty and students in the years to come. Past NSF equipment grants have promoted research, student training and collaboration at Syracuse University and neighboring institutions.

Professors Dacheng Ren in the College of Engineering and Computer Science (ECS) and Duncan Brown in the College of Arts and Science (CAS) are two of previous PIs wining MRI in 2013 and 2010, respectively. In the decade since these awards, these advanced facilities improved the student experience and expanded the research capacity across the University, contributing to the innovation in bioscience and biomaterials, and discovery of pentaquarks and gravitational waves.

Dacheng Ren

Today, Ren helps other faculty submit their own grant proposals for new equipment. He says keys for successful proposals are making a case new equipment will meet an unmet need in research, enable more collaboration, and improve student training. “It is a great funding mechanism if you can demonstrate a good plan.”

Ren, a Stevenson Endowed Professor in the Department of Biomedical and Chemical engineering is the Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Programs at ECS.  He primarily focuses on biomedical research investigating antifouling materials, medical device-associated infections, and novel biofilm inhibitors.

Ren’s grant financed a fluorescence-activated cell sorter. “Whenever you go to a hospital to do your annual physical blood work, they do the cell count and they come back with numbers of blood cells,” explains Ren. “It is actually the same concept, although the machine is not as sophisticated as ours.” Ren says work with cells, like biological experiments or engineering designs, researchers can draw insights by separating cells in a rather complicated mixed population. The cell sorter enables researchers to not only count cells, but also separate, collect, and study individual populations specifically. “There’s a lot of need for that,” says Ren. When Ren first arrived on campus 15 years ago, Syracuse University did not have such equipment. “It is necessary to have a cell sorter on campus to enable related research.” Ren was convinced to apply for funding that would not only make research on campus more readily reachable but also enhance student training. Ren received the grant from NSF in 2013 with his co-PIs, some are still at Syracuse including Pranav Soman (ECS) and Katharine Lewis (CAS). Users’ research ranges from biochemical and physical processes and controlling cell functions to the development of new technologies for biomedical applications. Now this cell sorter is a core facility benefiting researchers from Syracuse University and the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry and Upstate Medical University. “I think it’s a kind of enabling resource that can serve a broader community,” says Ren.

Besides research, the sorter has been shown to numerous visitors and used to promote student learning. For example, Ren has used the cell sorter to teach sophomores and juniors in his engineering classes. “We’re not unique, but it’s not very common to have such resource available for classes.” Ren says most cohorts benefit from using this rather expensive equipment. “It certainly helps a student to broaden their horizons to see the power of advanced technologies and career opportunities.”

Duncan Brown

Similarly, the grant that Duncan Brown, Charles Brightman Endowed Professor of Physics, received helped fill a gap in the research infrastructure on campus. In 2010, Syracuse University did not have a significant amount of large-scale campus computing and Brown’s field, gravitational wave astronomy, requires it. He initially built and operated a computer cluster of 300 cores and used the preliminary results to demonstrate to the NSF that researchers on campus could successfully operate a cluster. The proposal for the NSF grant was joined by the high-energy physics group, another big user of research computing on campus.

The NSF Grant supported the design, construction, and commissioning of a high-throughput computing cluster in the Syracuse University Green Data Center. PhD candidates, graduate and undergraduate students in the Syracuse gravitational-wave and high-energy physics groups over the years have been involved in the instrument development and the research that this award enabled. They gained valuable training in cutting-edge computational skills. In 2016, Samantha Usman ’16 wrote her thesis on the analysis pipeline the LIGO Scientific Collaboration used to detect the first gravitational-wave signal The High-Energy physics group used the cluster to contribute discovery of the pentaquark in 2019.

While the original equipment purchased by the NSF grant have been since decommissioned, their impact is still felt. “That cluster really let us step up our game and be a big player in computing. And not only led to Syracuse University being a major player in a lot of the gravitational wave discoveries, but also really establishing the research computing effort that Syracuse University’s Information Technology Services is now leading,” says Brown. Both faculty and student users from all over campus have benefited from the increased computing capacity. “Having our own cluster allows us to have an undergrad just throw that code at the cluster and see what happens,” says Brown. Undergraduates can experiment. Rather than spending weeks optimizing an algorithm, students are encouraged to get results through trial and error, says Brown. He has also used the computer clusters in his computational physics class, and nine undergraduate students have written theses or published papers. “It has been a real boon for both the undergraduate and graduate students having this type of local resource.”

Syracuse University’s growing success with NSF equipment grants is a demonstration of University’s commitment to research excellence and student success. Over the past decade, SU has been awarded $4.4 M MRI funds from NSF and provided $1.9M cost share. “We’re all in one institution, and the equipment grants act as catalysts for discovery,” says Ren. “They bring many positive impacts on research and teaching; some are far beyond what can be measured by dollars.”

Charles Driscoll

Entering its final year of National Science Foundation funding, the EMPOWER (Education Model Program on Water-Energy Research) program at Syracuse University has delivered powerful lessons on interdisciplinary approaches to graduate education.

Originally led by Principal Investigator Laura Lautz and more recently by Professor Charles Driscoll, EMPOWER is a comprehensive graduate research training program that equips students with the content knowledge and professional skills necessary to pursue academic and non-academic careers at the water-energy nexus. Defined as the interrelationship between human needs for water and energy, the “water-energy nexus” is a priority for researchers nationally and globally, according to Driscoll, University Professor  of Environmental Systems and Distinguished Professor in the College of Engineering and Computer Science.

Today, EMPOWER brings together graduate students from the College of Arts and Sciences, Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, and the College of Engineering and Computer Science to participate in shared professional development, education and research activities related to the water-energy nexus. “EMPOWER combines broad training across management, policy, communication and law with in-depth training in a self-designed focus area that is most applicable to the trainee’s career objectives,” says Driscoll.

Driscoll says despite the pandemic, EMPOWER has had a successful year thanks to the efforts of  the University’s talented and energetic students, faculty and staff. Highlights include a suite of professional development activities, award winning research and the largest and most diverse cohort of Ph.D. students in EMPOWER’s history, enrolled in Fall 2019.

For example, trainee Lachlan Wright and faculty leadership member Christopher Scholz, professor of earth and environmental sciences in the College of Arts and Sciences, published a paper in the journal Tectonics and presented their work at the American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting in San Francisco. In addition, trainee Julianne Sweeney also won two prestigious awards from the American Geophysical Union. In the last year, 10 graduate trainees completed their Ph.D. or master’s degrees and have found employment. Graduates are now working in private industry, for government agencies, as environmental consultants or in higher education.

“With the strength of our professional schools coupled with the College of Arts and Sciences, I believe EMPOWER could be an innovative model for future graduate interdisciplinary training in the sciences, engineering and computer science, social sciences and information science at Syracuse University,” says Driscoll.

Trainees in the program have several specialized courses and resources available. All students complete a one-credit seminar each semester featuring current issues at the water-energy nexus. In addition, research training, professional development and presentations by visiting lecturers help trainees understand specific ways that classroom learning can be applied in the field of their endeavor. Students are supported through coursework that provides focused training in professional skills. This coursework is tailored to students’ self-identified career trajectory. To help bridge any gaps in communications skills, trainees enroll in a three-credit course designed to improve skills in public communication of science. Every graduate student in EMPOWER also receives a “career pathway experience” that is designed to develop research activities that integrate professional development to support their career goals.

Other specialized support includes domestic and international field experiences where trainees learn to make field measurements that would support their research or career work with faculty under challenging conditions as a unifying capstone experience.  Field experience is especially useful preparation for careers requiring intensive collaboration. EMPOWER’s faculty developed an integrated field course that is implemented either in the northeastern U.S. and Rwanda that weaves together EMPOWER’s research and training themes. To supplement their training, Syracuse University also offers trainees opportunities to apply for grants to support specific lines of emerging research or professional development activities that would not occur through traditional research grants or assistantships.

Future activities planned for EMPOWER include cultivating students’ professional development by offering mock review and paper reviews, resume development in collaboration with staff at the Graduate School, interview support and data visualization workshops. Tentatively, depending on public health conditions related to COVID-19, the program is planning to offer an international field course covering concepts at the water-energy nexus through hands-on exercises, student mini projects and demonstrations. This work would take place at various field sites on and near Lake Kivu in Rwanda.

“Our goal is to produce graduates with not only in-depth content knowledge, but also strong oral and written communication skills, a multidisciplinary perspective, entrepreneurial and project management skills, a sense of professionalism, and an understanding of how knowledge in one area can be applied across broad context,” says Driscoll.

Haejoo Kim

Haejoo Kim, a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of English, is currently researching and writing her dissertation “Medical Liberty and Alternative Health Practices in Nineteenth-Century Britain.” She is exploring 19th-century British anti-vaccination periodicals and pamphlets to examine the rhetoric. “When the pandemic first hit in early spring, I was thinking I should have been working on epidemics and contagious diseases instead of alternative health practices,” Haejoo says. “And then people started to protest against mask wearing, and vaccine refusal resurfaced with full force.”

Her research involves literary studies, the history of medicine, critical race studies and disability studies. “A lot of these documents drew on scientific language, while also drawing on other sources of authority—such as religion, anecdotes from nature and civil liberty arguments—which are fairly similar to what you can find on the internet today,” she says. �����鶹��Ʒ spoke to her about her research and the parallels she sees with the current public health crisis.

Q: Can you describe your research?

A: My research is about how people, especially lay people, make sense of medical issues. Part of the interdisciplinarity in my research comes from examining how lay people interacted with, made sense of and refused biomedical authority in the period when it was becoming a thing for the first time. This approach allows me to put scientific knowledge and methodology in conversation with the social and cultural contexts of which it is part. It is shocking that the anti-mask movement has so many sympathizers, but it means that the kind of tension I have been investigating in the 19th century between individual liberty and public health indeed left an enduring legacy for the medical imagination today.

Q: Can you describe challenges you have encountered or overcome conducting this research?

A: One thing was definitely getting access to these archives. Nineteenth-century anti-vaccination periodicals are largely not digitized, so I needed to physically travel to places such as the National Library of Medicine in Bethesda, Maryland, or the British Library in London to have access to the manuscripts. I am very thankful to the Syracuse University Humanities Center Dissertation Fellowship for making these trips possible. I currently have an external fellowship, the Curran Fellowship from Research Society of Victorian Periodicals, to fund research trips to Boston, New York and Philadelphia, but because of the pandemic I haven’t been able to go anywhere for a while.

Another thing is that the degree to which I myself am so steeped in the rhetoric around health I am trying to unpack. People tend to view vaccine refusal as a very eccentric thing, but the kind of rhetoric anti-vaccinators use is not that different from how people associate health, nature, purity and agency in the mainstream culture. And I am not exempt from that. Eating “natural” and “clean” to keep your body “pure” and “healthy” sounds all good, rather commonsensical, until you really look closely and unpack what those words mean. Studying 19th-century archives helps you in this regard because you are already a little bit removed from the documents, thanks to the historical distance.

Q: What are factors that contribute to people’s vaccine denial?

A: There are many. What I think is most important though is that there is a history in which the idea of individual liberty has been entangled with the idea of bodily purity, and mandatory vaccination is an affront to both ideas. In the period I am looking at, people objected to compulsory smallpox vaccination not only because the practice infringed on individual liberty but also because it did so by inserting something “unnatural” and therefore “filthy” into the body. The fact that vaccination needles in this period were often contaminated and carried diseases didn’t help either. For the urban working class, the public health measure was a “medical tyranny,” constructed by doctors and the state to take advantage of the “common” people and violate their bodies. Medical professionals, in this regard, were a corrupt and inept lobby group, wielding the powers of science to shore up their interests, when “real” health naturally overflowed from nature, and everyone had access to it as long as they kept their bodies pure.

You can find a similar line of thought in vaccine refusal today. It is “big pharma” that is taking advantage of the “common” people who do not have access to the mysterious workings of science. The language of the oppressor and the oppressed is very central to this tension. And nature tends to figure as a source of authority and healing for the oppressed.

Q: What are constructive ways to convince people to follow public health policies and recommendations?

A: There is still a tendency to ridicule people who turn to eccentric medical practices as merely ill-informed and foolish, drawing a line between scientifically minded “us” and anti-scientific “them.” This kind of rhetoric does not help, because anti-vaxxers actually believe themselves to be more informed than other people, and use enlightenment rhetoric such as “knowledge is power” or “curiosity is cure.” Simple condemnation would only encourage conversion to vaccine refusal by feeding into the rhetoric of self-victimization. I think understanding the motivation behind such cultural phenomena is important, and medical professionals and public health officials taking that reasoning into consideration for their communication with the public is very important.

Q: What are possible solutions and what are the implications for public health?

A: It is very tricky, because some of the feelings of disenfranchisement do resonate with the ways in which medicine as an institution has disempowered certain groups of people. For example, in the 1950s a dominant theory for autism blamed cold and distant “refrigerator mothers” as the cause of autism. When in 1998, Wakefield blamed MMR vaccine as the reason for autism, mothers eagerly took it up because it blamed the big pharma instead of mothers for autism. Of course, the study was later withdrawn. At this point, the rhetoric that the medical establishment is exploiting lay people is so bound up with alt-right politics and conspiracy theories, playing into people’s feeling of being misused that it is almost impossible to untangle these two threads. I think even with that context, better medical communication is a place to start.

Professor Vir Phoha

The NAI Fellows Program, which has elected 1,228 fellows globally, is awarded to academic inventors whose scholarship and innovations have a wide-ranging positive impact on both industry and the general welfare of society. Being elected an NAI Fellow is the highest professional distinction for academic inventors. Phoha’s research and insights have led to the development of authentication methods that use routine interactions as signatures of an individual’s identity.

Originally from India, Phoha came to the United States in 1988 as a graduate student at Texas Tech University. Today he considers Syracuse to be his hometown. He has always been interested in the science of security. His curiosity began first with networks and how to ensure someone sending an email could be authenticated.

Phoha says this concept goes beyond just a password challenge. Every user follows unconscious patterns when typing, browsing, swiping and even walking. These behaviors act as an underlying communication of a user’s authenticity. Taken together, these actions are akin to a digital fingerprint. This groundbreaking research and its applications are widely used in the commercial software industry. “The greatest motivation to continue this work is because there are a lot of problems still to be solved,” says Phoha. “The field is in its infancy. We’re just starting to understand many things, it is a wide-open field and a lot of this work still needs to be done.”

“This is both a profound and an eminently deserved acknowledgement of Professor Phoha’s accomplishments,” says J. Cole Smith, dean of the College of Engineering and Computer Science. “He exemplifies how research and classroom learning can lead to incredible innovations that shape industry.  As a successful inventor, he brings insight into the process to Syracuse University students.”

As a professor in the electrical engineering and computer science department, Phoha is also influencing this fledgling field by mentoring the next generation of researchers. Phoha has helped guide the research of 85 graduate students. Under his direction, 17 Ph.D. students have graduated. Many of his students hold faculty positions at Carnegie Classification 1 research universities; are scientists at places such as NASA, or working at leading U.S. companies such as Google, Facebook and Amazon. “Ultimately the torch has to be passed on to the next generation,” says Phoha. Training students in behavioral authentication will become more important because online interactions in virtual worlds is becoming more common. “These problems of identification, verification and authentication will potentially be highly impactful domains where a lot of work can be done, which can make society much safer,” he says.

Phoha becomes only the second faculty member to be named an NAI Fellow in Syracuse University’s 150-year history. Roger Schmidt, a mechanical and aerospace engineering professor, was elected an NAI Fellow in 2019.

Among the NAI Fellows are 556 members of the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine; 42 inductees of the National Inventors Hall of Fame; 63 recipients of the U.S. National Medal of Technology and Innovation and U.S. National Medal of Science; and 38 Nobel laureates, among other awards and distinctions.

Joan Feynman. Photo Credit: NASA

Feynman’s work accurately described the functions of solar activity and its affects on the Earth’s atmosphere. While working at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in 1985, Feynman proved that solar particles penetrating Earth’s magnetosphere led to auroras. Her insights contributed to the design of spacecraft and satellites that can operate longer despite being exposed to high energy particles.

Her love of science began at age 5. “I discovered science at home,” Feynman said in 2019. “My brother showed me all kinds of neat things.” Feynman’s older brother woke up Feynman in the middle of the night at one point and brought her to a nearby golf course to observe an aurora, a huge green light that moved across the sky. “That was the first aurora I ever saw,” said Feynman. She said she had a close bond with her brother as kids.

Her older brother was Richard Feynman, who would also go onto become a scientist and Nobel laureate. Richard’s research also helped link the faulty o-rings that led to the Challenger shuttle explosion in 1986. Feynman was wary of competing with her brother. In her essays “A Passion for Science: Stories of Discovery and Invention” (2013), she explained their agreement. “I said, ‘Look, I don’t want us to compete, so let’s divide up physics between us,’” she wrote. “‘I’ll take auroras and you take the rest of the universe.’ And he said, OK!”  Richard died in 1988.

Feynman completed an undergraduate degree at Oberlin College in 1948 and later earned a doctorate in physics from Syracuse in 1958. In 2000, she was awarded NASA’s Exceptional Scientific Medal for “pioneering contribution to the study of solar causes of geomagnetic and climate disturbances.”

The Aurora Borealis is seen in the night sky over Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in 2012. The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement.

Feynman’s work helped scientists better understand how the sun’s particles impact objects as they move through interstellar space. The constant flow of energy from the sun’s atmosphere, known as the solar wind, can adversely effect systems on ships and satellites without proper planning, said Feynman. “In the early days they had to over design everything and not get as much information as they would now,” she said. Her work is still the foundational basis for spacecraft design. Feynman’s observations,combined with other researchers about solar weather, now allow reasonable predictions to be made about the environment spacecraft operate in. The process took observing solar activity for long enough to determine what could come next, even in the chaotic environment of a star.  “It involved an enormous amount of data and the analysis of it.”

Feynman said becoming a scientist was driven by the desire to raise a family independently. As a teenager, she decided to pursue roles that were outside the accepted roles women at the time, like secretarial work or teaching grammar school. “So that, besides it’s much more fun, is why I went into science.” Feynman described science as a game. “What you do is watch something in nature. It’s all around here, it’s a million things to watch,” she said. “And then you notice something. And you think, ‘why is that?’”

Feynman said growing up, she was often made to feel she was in the wrong place as a woman in science. She said she was pleased at two women winning Nobel prizes in science (Donna Strickland in physics and Frances Arnold in chemistry) in 2019. “Now it is no longer in the wrong place,” she said.

In the past, undergraduate, graduate and law students could not view potential class schedule scenarios in an easily readable format. Searches for courses were also limited and did not always return all relevant results. Schedule Builder can display possible schedules side by side in a calendar format. Available to both Syracuse University and SUNY-ESF students, Schedule Builder’s improved search functionality allows students to search with multiple filters. Students can search by modality (in-person or online), subject and class number, and can add time restrictions for personal obligations, such as work schedules or practice times. Search results also include enrollment requirements, prerequisite courses and seat reserve capacity (for example academic level or major). For courses that require additional components (for example recitation or labs), Schedule Builder helps identify those options.

Another major benefit for students is the ability to build and save multiple schedule scenarios. This allows students to compare and make decisions by reviewing a visual representation in a calendar format. Students can choose the best time for them to attend class rather than registering for the only course they can find. In Schedule Builder, students may use a feature called “favorites” to share possible schedules with their advisor and receive feedback or recommendations. This will help keep students on track for graduation.

Having an optimal class schedule before registration reduces the need for students to adjust their schedules. Schedule Builder is available in MySlice for students to save favorites in their shopping cart prior to registering for classes in December

In a virtual Veterans Day address on Nov. 11, 2020, Syracuse University Chancellor Kent Syverud pledged to continue supporting veterans everywhere through inclusion and research on campus.

Chancellor Syverud cited the ways student, faculty and staff veterans enrich the campus community with their varied life experiences and unique global perspective. He also highlighted the University’s Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF), the first interdisciplinary academic institute in the country with a focus on advancing the lives of U.S. military veterans and their families. He praised IVMF for its unique advocacy on behalf of veterans everywhere.

Chancellor Syverud’s support is part of a historical commitment to supporting veterans that dates to World War II. Former Chancellor William Pearson Tolley was an author of the Servicemen’s Readjustment Act of 1944, more commonly known as the GI Bill. Syracuse University is a Yellow Ribbon school and places no limits on the number of Post 9/11 veterans eligible to receive educational benefits.

Today, Syracuse University is the only private top tier research (R1) university in the country that supports active duty, Reserves and National Guardsmen by capping costs at the rate of tuition assistance offered by the Department of Defense. The National Veterans Resource Center at the Daniel and Gayle D’Aniello Building recently opened on campus and serves as a central hub for veteran life on campus, in the local community and across Central New York. Addressing veterans directly, Chancellor Syverud said, ”We will continue helping you reach your goals through scholarship and education, here and around the world.”

Chancellor Syverud was mentioned in commentator Wick Sloane’s summary of his annual survey of veteran enrollment at highly selective colleges and universities, . For the first time, Syracuse University was included in the survey, with the number of student veterans exceeded only by Columbia University among the institutions ranked.

Justine Hastings

The College Reading & Learning Association’s (CRLA) International Peer Educator Training Program Certification (IPTPC) committee has awarded Justine Hastings ’21 the 2020 Outstanding Peer Educator Award. Hastings will be recognized at a virtual CRLA conference on Friday, Nov. 13.

Originally from Brooklyn, New York, Hastings is an English and textual studies and secondary English education double major. “I grew up in a neighborhood where people don’t have much opportunity,” she says. “Many are stuck in the cycles of inequality that I am trying to combat.”

Hastings says she is fortunate to have her mother’s support, and she recognizes that many of her peers may not have that same kind of support system. “That’s why I feel the need to give back and help others,” she says.

Hastings is grateful to be in a privileged position that enables her to help others. She gives back in her roles as Student Association president, as a WellsLink peer mentor, as a SEM 100 facilitator and as a mentor for the Syracuse Office of Undergraduate Research & Creative Engagement (SOURCE).

She says she was honored to be nominated by Samantha Johnston, the assistant director of the Center for Learning and Student Success, and recommended by her faculty advisor, research mentor and professor Kelly Chandler-Olcott. “Overall, it put a smile on my face and reminds me of why I do the work I do: to help others as others have helped me,” Hastings says.

Working as a peer educator is something Hastings would highly recommend. “Peer support plays such an integral role in student belonging and success because unlike teachers or administrators, students can truly empathize and connect with one another in terms of experience.”

Hastings says the key to her success as a peer educator are skills that people should already be practicing. “Displaying and expressing empathy can go a long way,” she says. “Making a fellow person feel seen, heard, appreciated and supported can go a long way.”

Peter Wilcoxen

The Clean Energy Futures Project is providing policymakers, industry leaders and the public with information about the projected real-world benefits and drawbacks of environmental policies that reduce carbon emissions through changes in the electrical grid. Wilcoxen is collaborating with Charles Driscoll, University Professor of Environmental Systems and Distinguished Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, and researchers across different disciplines at Harvard, Georgia Tech and the economic think tank Resources for the Future to contextualize environmental policies. This analysis includes providing a probable price tag and a cost-benefit analysis. Next steps in the project will include looking at how environmental policies will impact individual communities and neighborhoods by comparing probable pollutants to public health statistics.

“When people in Congress are thinking about policies, like cap and trade, setting a carbon price or an energy standard, these polices have implications that are not very obvious,” says Wilcoxen. The Clean Energy Futures Project will give decision makers the tools to make informed decisions based on data and empirical analysis.

The electric grid is highly regulated, and regulations rarely change over time. This predictability allows researchers to project how much carbon should be reduced in each policy option by a specific date, and probable pollutants that will be added to the environment. “We don’t want people to pick a policy to support without knowing what the implications are,” says Wilcoxen. A wide variety of private and government stakeholders are already interested in the research.

Initial Findings

“The exciting thing about this project is its interdisciplinary nature,” says Wilcoxen. “I’ve worked on a lot of economic analysis of different climate policies in the electrical sector but I haven’t had the chance to work with somebody like Professor Driscoll, who is one of the world’s leading experts on a lot of the pollutants we’re analyzing,” Wilcoxen says. The Clean Energy Futures Project combines deep and extensive economic analysis with in-depth and state-of-the-art analysis of pollution. This combination will provide an understanding of how these policies will play out economically and the potential impact on people’s health. “It is a tremendous and exciting opportunity,” says Wilcoxen.

Charles Driscoll

“They could completely transform our energy system,” says Driscoll. “If some of these policies go forward, there will be huge economic and health implications.” Driscoll says that Georgia Tech’s air quality modeling of the impact of 11 different policies has analyzed how effective each is at controlling carbon dioxide–a leading contributor to climate change–while also taking co-pollutants like sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide and mercury into account. “Though there is a lot of concern about climate and fossil fuels, there are many other pollutants emitted besides carbon dioxide.”

Driscoll says air quality computer simulations have been paired with an economic model which has been used by utilities, states and the federal government to try to evaluate the impact of different policies. The model simulates air quality outcomes that would affect local communities. “We can really be very aggressive at reducing carbon dioxide and there are some costs, but the cost is really remarkably modest considering the benefits,” says Driscoll. The next phase will be applying findings to epidemiological models for health-based outputs and ecosystem models to look at the longer-term impact.

What Climate Change Policies Mean for Neighborhoods

Wilcoxen says the next phase will involve student researchers from several disciplines. “What we’re going to do next is to look at the detailed demographic consequences of these environmental policies.” Researchers will next investigate public health effects at a very detailed geographic and demographic scale. The team will look at issues “like whose electric bills are going up or how much they’re going up, whose air quality is improving or deteriorating, depending on the policy,” says Wilcoxen.

Kathy Fallon Lambert is the Clean Energy Futures project policy engagement lead. She is director of the science policy exchange and senior advisor at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health Center for Climate Health and the Global Environment. Lambert sees opportunities for a wide variety of inputs, because an essential idea behind all this work is the importance of co-benefits. “It is an important lens through which to evaluate potential future policy options and is in essence the center of the Clean Energy Futures Project,” says Lambert.

Empowering Student Research

The Clean Energy Futures Project has already proven to be a great opportunity for third-year Syracuse University Ph.D. candidate Qasim Mehdi. Mehdi is a member of Education Model Program on Water-Energy Research (EMPOWER). This program brings together researchers working in the natural sciences and engineering with those in social sciences or public communications. As a Ph.D. candidate in public administration, Mehdi took a field science course. He enjoyed it so much he decided to take a biogeochemical class and met Driscoll. Seeing his interest in energy issues, Driscoll told him about the Clean Energy Futures Project. Mehdi is now pursuing a master’s degree in environmental engineering. “Qasim is deeply involved in doing the analysis. He’s a perfect fit at the intersection of the two fields,” says Wilcoxen.

Mehdi hopes the project can give policymakers the tools to make the best decisions. “It is rewarding to see that there is hope. We can have huge positive environmental outcomes for people and for every species on the planet, which just makes you feel very happy,” says Mehdi. “I think what will make even happier is if the policymakers recognize there’s something interesting here.”

Maxx Swoger

After completing a master’s degree from the University of Akron in physics, Ph.D. candidate Maxx Swoger attended a seminar hosted by Alison Patteson, assistant professor of physics at Syracuse University. “Originally and very broadly, I wanted to study soft matter physics or biophysics. And to be perfectly honest with you, I think this is one of the best places in the country to do that,” says Swoger. “The collaboration both within the physics department and the University allows students to approach the systems we’re studying with a variety of techniques. This is something I really liked about Syracuse when deciding which school to attend for my Ph.D.”

Patteson’s lab is affiliated with the University’s BioInspired Institute, which supports interdisciplinary study related to smart materials that can be used in medicine and other applications. Swoger had previously worked in an adjacent field, primarily on theory, so he was not accustomed to lab work. “I thought the work Professor Patteson was doing was really cool so I approached her,” says Swoger.

As a graduate assistant in the Patteson Lab, Swoger is involved in research centering on how cells interact with their environment and how physical forces shape life. Understanding the relationship of cells to their surroundings can help describe how cells are expected to move through the body. Swoger says scholarship in this area has mainly focused on surfaces that are strictly elastic, that work like springs.

“But in reality, the vast majority of your tissue is something called viscoelastic, which acts more like Silly Putty,” says Swoger. Examples include bodily structures like cartilage, ligaments, tendons and arteries.

Using an epifluorescence microscope and the confocal microscope at the next door Hehnly Biology Lab to make additional observations, Swoger says researchers look for proteins that are present when the cell interacts with its environment.

An example is the protein called vimentin, which is observed by adding a fluorescent marker that adheres to it. Researchers then shine a specific wavelength of light on the cell with the fluorescent marker.

“The protein will glow, so it allows us to very selectively image just the protein we want,” Swoger says. On elastic substrates, cells without the protein vimentin look basically identical. However, researchers have observed cells behaving differently on viscoelastic substrates. “Cells without vimentin on viscoelastic substrates cannot spread or attach strongly at all. It’s a stark difference,” says Swoger.

“Vimentin is part of the cell cytoskeleton, so you could consider it skeleton of the cell,” says Swoger. “What’s so interesting about it is that, when cells are moving, expression of this protein increases.” By forcing a cell into a two-micron wide space, researchers have observed vimentin acting like a seatbelt of sorts for the cell’s nucleus, surrounding it and protecting the enclosed genetic material as it passes through the narrow passage.

Swoger specializes in experiments with animal cells. His experiments include cultivating cells on substates where he can control mechanical properties like how rigid a substate is or whether it is elastic or viscoelastic. Swoger measures this by observing how vimentin is organized in the cell.

Swoger gauges interactions of the cell and substrate and evaluates proteins in locations where cells grab on to their underlying substrate, known as focal adhesions. “You can make different substrates for these cells to sit on that have varying stiffnesses, spread all across a physiologically relevant range, as the human body is stiffer or more pliable in different places,” he says.

This research has implications for all types of medical applications. “Say you have a disease or a cancer that up-regulates or down-regulates vimentin, it’s going to affect how your cells are able to move.” This can be important in predicting how healing might be affected.

Swoger says observations like this are an example of a shift in biophysics, physics and biology. “For a long time, cells were assumed to be acting based on chemical signals from their environment. Biophysicists challenged that notion by demonstrating that cells also have some physical interaction with the environment,” says Swoger. “This is the idea behind mechanosensing, the mechanism through which cells can feel their mechanical environment.”

Swoger says he’s excited to continue to do research that draw him into areas outside of physics.

From left, Ashtyn Holt, Amanada Troelstra and Zach Baxter

On Oct. 6, the University’s Public Health Team identified an emerging cluster of positive COVID-19 cases on campus. After consulting with the Onondaga County Health Department, the University determined that aggressive action was needed. This new threat demanded enhanced surveillance testing. “We needed a lot of help and support,” says Pruthvi Kilaru, program manager in the Department of Public Health in the Falk College. Volunteers were needed to swab and log samples at the stadium on a mass scale. The Public Health Team also needed assistance in the lab to pool samples before they were sent to the lab.

The University’s Army Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) answered the call. Led by political science and Middle Eastern studies major Zach Baxter ’21, since Oct. 7 a total of 43 cadets have logged 175 volunteer hours and facilitated an estimated 6000 tests. “Zach has been an integral part in getting people signed up and getting us staffed. They have really been amazing,” says Kilaru.

Baxter had volunteered earlier in the semester with the Public Health Team and approached Kilaru to ask if there were more opportunities to offer support. “Zach gave me a call around 6 p.m. and by the next day had an entire detail set up,” says Kilaru. “And since then we’ve heavily relied on ROTC cadets helping us out.”

“It started out with just myself and a small group of my team members,” says Baxter. “But once that cluster hit, we realized that we needed to bring in the entire battalion.”

Army ROTC’s Stalwart Battalion Commander LTC Jennifer Gotie says Baxter has hands-on experience that makes him an invaluable resource. “Based on Cadet Baxter’s extensive experience with safety protocols, he is the right leader to effectively manage our volunteers. He works part-time for the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office jail when he’s home from school, so this level of critical support falls well within his wheelhouse,” says Gotie.

Pruthvi Kilaru

Baxter helped with mitigation and contact tracing at the jail. “I had the opportunity to work under some really knowledgeable professionals. The whole jail command staff was very knowledgeable, and I learned a lot,” says Baxter.

Kilaru says volunteers are outfitted with all necessary personal protective equipment, like KN95 masks, gloves and gowns.

ROTC volunteers make up about half of the Public Health Team’s volunteer workforce. “I genuinely appreciate everything that they do,” says Kilaru. “Especially now when we’re doing whole student body testing at the stadium. Part of the reason we’re able to do this is because of all of the amazing support that we’ve gotten from them.”

Kilaru says Baxter’s ability to organize people has impressed him. “He is amazing when it comes to operations and logistics.” In addition to coordinating volunteers, Baxter stepped in and assisted in wastewater surveillance. He picked up multiple heavy-duty batteries and transported them with his truck and replaced the ice needed to keep the sample receptacle cool at the testing site. Baxter’s fellow cadets have also been equally dependable. “Not a single cadet has let me down. They always come when they’re supposed to, they’re always on time, and they have this service mentality,” Kilaru says.

“I’m not a science major; I’ve never had a pipette before. It has been pretty interesting,” says Baxter. “The learning curve wasn’t that steep. Our experienced volunteers are able to train up our newer cadets quickly.”

Baxter says a major benefit for the cadets is being able to serve the community directly. Being able to serve is why many joined Syracuse University’s Army ROTC, the longest consecutively running program of its kind in the country. “I take it personally. I do not want to go home. I want to stay in here and train,” says Baxter. He feels ROTC’s volunteering is just a part of the campuswide effort to socially distance and complete the semester.  He thinks the individual discipline of most students has been impressive.

Melanie Domanico

Melanie Domanico is an equal opportunity and accommodations specialist with the Office of Disability Access and Inclusion. When faced with a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities—like breathing, walking, seeing or hearing—Syracuse University employees are entitled to reasonable accommodations through the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). “An accommodation is a modification to a job that still allows the employee to perform their essential functions,” says Domanico. She directs employees in the process, connecting with their supervisor and their physician to keep people working and productive.

Identifying accommodations is not a one-size-fits-all approach. An accommodation request is the beginning of an ongoing, interactive process, Domanico says. “The physician doesn’t understand the person’s responsibilities, and that’s where I come in.” Using her professional and personal experience with disability and interacting with physicians, the results are a net positive for the University and the employee. Retaining experienced workers allows the University to benefit from their contributions and often leads to better employee relations and reduced costs.

Domanico is effective because she knows firsthand how circumstances and responsibilities can change when dealing with a new medical diagnosis or disability. Domanico was diagnosed with cancer at a young age. The experience of facing such a serious medical emergency shifted her perspective. While obviously life-threatening, cancer also limited her ability to participate in everyday activities. Her experience with cancer inspired her early work as a rehabilitation counselor before coming to Syracuse. Her experience allows her to think creatively about how someone can perform their essential job functions while managing their disability. “There are usually many ways to get to the same outcome,” she says.

Supporting employees through the accommodations process is very personal for Domanico for another reason. While working as a rehabilitation counselor, Domanico’s son, Colin, was born with several disabilities and health issues, including a congenital heart defect. Domanico left her full-time role to advocate and care for her son until he died at two years old. The limits Colin would have needed to manage have inspired Domanico to be a constant advocate for accessibility. “I think about that when I’m looking at different situations and scenarios.”

Dealing with her own illness and being the parent of a child with disabilities gives her insight. Domanico uses her personal connection to educate supervisors on disability issues, using her background as a counselor and as a caregiver. “I know how to handle this both from a professional and personal standpoint,” she says.

Domanico’s priority is to support the employee’s return or stay at work. “What you do is a big part of who you are,” Domanico says. Working with the employee, their department and their physician, Domanico brings everyone to the table to establish what reasonable accommodation would work best for all parties. This process also respects people’s privacy. “Many employees are hesitant to request an accommodation because they are unsure of where their medical information is housed,” says Domanico. “It stays confidential with me. Their supervisor and Human Resources are not made aware of the disability, only of the limitations to discuss appropriate accommodations.”

Employees should not delay if they need assistance, as obtaining an accommodation is an interactive process that develops and refines a plan through open communication. In the end, accommodations contribute to a more diverse, inclusive and equitable workforce at Syracuse University, she says.

COVID-19 has had a profound impact on Domanico’s work; she has never been so busy. She is receiving more accommodation requests, and employees with existing accommodations need additional accommodations or changes to their existing accommodations.

“I’ve been doing this a really long time, and I normally have the answers for most cases, but not only are there more accommodation requests, they are also becoming more complex. Accommodations and social distancing are not always compatible; processes are taking longer,” she says. Ongoing follow-ups are scheduled to ensure that accommodations remain effective, as needs may change over time.

As Domanico navigates the ever-changing landscape of workplace accommodations during COVID-19, her goal is the same: ensuring an employee is provided the accommodations they need to be successful. Domanico is also involved with other initiatives to make an accessible campus, participating in the Accessibility Assessment Committee and working closely with the interim ADA coordinator and the Center for Disability Resources (formerly known as the Office of Disability Services; the Center for Disability Resources underwent a name change this summer).

“We’ve developed a workshop called ‘Rethinking the Disability Paradigm’ with the ADA coordinator, director, and assistant and associate directors of the Center for Disability Resources,” she says. The workshop challenges biases associated with disability in the workplace and is currently offered as a professional development opportunity on campus.

University employees are encouraged to request a reasonable accommodation at any time if they have a disability and need an accommodation to perform their essential job functions. They can do so by visiting the . Medical information is kept confidential and employees with questions should email ADA@syr.edu.

“Volunteers will participate in at least one 45-minute session a week for the next few months and continuing through the fall,” says Brice Nordquist, dean’s professor of community engagement in the College of Arts and Sciences. Volunteers will work remotely with students at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Syracuse, La Casita, Mercy Works at the Clarence Jordan Vision Center, North Side Learning Center and the YWCA. “These remote tutoring sessions will offer subject area and educational technology support to K-12 and early college students across the city.”

The public health crisis has made completing essential schoolwork a challenge for many members of the Syracuse community, says Nordquist. “The limited access to technology and unreliable internet connectivity disproportionately affects marginalized communities,” says Nordquist. “Coupled with a scarcity of quiet, designated spaces to work, these students are at risk of falling behind without additional support.”

“The Office of Community Engagement is excited to support this innovative project that will connect K-12 students with community members across the city and region,” says Cydney Johnson ’77, G’96, vice president for community engagement and government relations.“COVID-19 has had an impact on some many parts of our lives, especially the education of our children. It is wonderful that our community members and neighbors will have the opportunity to help.”

After completing the form, volunteers will be matched with a community organization. Tutoring sessions will be scheduled in collaboration with participating organizations and the students they serve. Volunteers will be required to attend online orientation sessions to discuss remote tutoring protocols, risk management requirements and the broader context of working with students and organizations in the community. “Connecting with a K-12 student is an opportunity to support our community in a tangible way,” says Nordquist. “A crisis at this scale requires all hands on deck; we need your help.”

Kari Mickinkle is the Veterans Affinity Group’s chair of community service initiatives. She says this is the third year the Veterans Affinity Group has tended the veteran section of Oakwood Cemetery, which is located next to campus. “I think it is great that so many people are willing to give up some of their time on a Saturday,” says Mickinkle. Mickinkle works with student veterans extensively on campus in her other role as a school certifying official in the Office of Veteran Success. “I think it speaks volumes about the culture on campus that so many will volunteer their time to ensure the final resting places for these veterans are well taken care of.”

The Veterans Affinity Group cleans the section in the fall and spring semesters. The cleanup is just one example of the community service projects the group regularly organizes, says Mickinkle. This December, the group will work with the Onondaga County Veterans Service Agency to place wreaths on the section’s plots as part of the Wreaths Across America program.

Mickinkle says projects like the cemetery cleanup allow the campus community to support veterans in a tangible way. The Veterans Affinity Group is open to all members of the campus community with military service experience or a passion for supporting those who have served. For Mickinkle, Syracuse University being the best place for veterans is not just a tagline. “It is a motto that we live by,” she says. Those interested in joining the Veterans Affinity group may email SUVA@syr.edu for more information.

As assistant director for proposal development, Sarah Workman applies her academic background to help Syracuse University humanities faculty develop research proposals and find funding and support to make their ideas a reality. Workman, whose position is shared between the Office of Research and the College of Arts and Sciences, supports humanities faculty in a variety of ways. “I’m constantly looking at what’s out there in terms of funding, especially as it pertains to the humanities faculty,” she says. Workman encourages faculty to reach out to her via email. “We’ll do a brainstorming session to figure out what opportunity may be a good fit given where they are in the research process.”

Conversations turn to what she can do to best support the project and faculty member or research team. This includes searching for funding opportunities and connecting faculty with corporate and foundation relations. Workman also often works closely with the Syracuse University Humanities Center (SUHC) to strengthen humanities research culture on campus and is currently collaborating with the SUHC to develop a new webpage with updated resources for campuswide humanities faculty. She also connects faculty with related interests so they may learn from each other’s funding successes. Her support spans all phases of research development, from helping faculty prioritize their ideas, to developing funding proposals and connecting scholars with funding opportunities.

After completing an undergraduate degree in English and Spanish from Cornell University, Workman lived in Israel briefly. She then went on to earn an M.A. from Georgetown University and a Ph.D. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Workman has firsthand experience in developing research projects from start to finish. However, while finishing her Ph.D., she realized that she didn’t want to pursue a typical academic position in the humanities, where book-length research projects are the norm.

Sarah Workman

Workman realized that the parts of academic work she enjoys, like collaborating with colleagues, reading in different disciplines and working in a writing group, would be more accessible in an alternative support role for faculty. She worked for a time at Georgetown’s Center for New Designs in Learning and Scholarship. There she designed online learning environments and supported course and curriculum development funding opportunities. By gaining experience working with a wide range of faculty in various stages of their careers, Workman developed a strong understanding of challenges faculty members face. “I see how their research influences their teaching and vice versa. As a graduate student in the humanities, I understand the demands on their time as well as what it means to do academic research in the humanities,” she says.

Workman can help facilitate support and research connections among faculty. For example, Associate Professor Heath Hanlin in the Department of Transmedia is developing a project that uses virtual reality to create museum exhibitions in U.S. locations that have been drastically impacted by climate change. With Workman, Hanlin has been actively pursuing multiple grant opportunities for this project.

Workman conducted research and made connections relevant to grantees to help guide the process, including on-campus connections. For example, she connected him with Earth scientist Melissa Chipman who was previously awarded a relevant National Geographic Storytellers grant. “Heath and Melissa are off having their own conversation about the ways in which scientists are trying to learn about how they can better communicate the impacts of climate change,” Workman says. “Heath’s doing it from a virtual reality perspective, and Melissa’s thinking about it from an Earth sciences perspective. They’re thinking about the same questions from these various disciplinary vantage points, and I was able to bring them together.”

Workman thinks her role at Syracuse University is the fit she didn’t find in the course of her Ph.D. “I very personally know what it’s like to struggle with research momentum,” she says. Her empathetic approach appreciates the personal process that academic research is for professors. She is happy to be in a place to help the humanists on campus be successful. “I understand the challenges because I was processing all of that as a graduate student to see if I wanted to do it. It informs the way I now work with faculty.”

Yingyi Ma

Interim Vice Chancellor and Provost John Liu has recently announced the appointment of faculty member Yingyi Ma to serve as a Provost Faculty Fellow, focused on internationalization.

“We are incredibly fortunate that Professor Ma will be serving as a Faculty Fellow  to provide leadership and expertise in international programs,” says Liu. “Her specific expertise will benefit Syracuse University’s international students, programs and partnerships in tangible ways.”

Ma is an associate professor of sociology and director of Asian/Asian American Studies in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs.  She was the inaugural O’Hanley Faculty Scholar in the Maxwell School from 2014-2017.  She is a sociologist of education and migration. She has published extensively in the areas of college major choices, international student mobility and higher education in China. Her new book, “Ambitious and Anxious: How Chinese Undergraduates Succeed and Struggle in American Higher Education,” was published by Columbia University Press in February 2020, and has been featured in national and international news media, such as The Washington Post and Times Higher Education.

Ma will work with Steve Bennett, senior vice president for international programs and academic operations and chief of staff for academic affairs on two simultaneous efforts. She will support Syracuse Abroad’s efforts to identify and create residential and online study options for international students who may be unable to return to Syracuse for the Spring 2021 or Fall 2021 semesters. She will also work with senior leadership and staff from the University’s schools and colleges, Syracuse Abroad, the Center for International services and faculty colleagues to develop and advance partnerships with international universities, particularly those in China.

“As we work to strengthen our partnerships with international universities, Professor Ma’s deep understanding of educational culture in China and the United States and the needs of exchange students is a huge asset to our efforts,” says Bennett.

Ma’s research has been recognized by the National Committee on US-China Relations, where she was appointed a Public Intellectual Fellow, and the Luce Foundation/American Council of Learned Societies Program in China Studies, where she currently serves on the National Advisory group.

She is the co-editor of “Understanding International Students from Asia in American Universities: Learning and Living Globalization” (2017) and has received grants from the National Science Foundation, Alfred Sloan Foundation and Association of Institutional Research. She received a Ph.D. in sociology from Johns Hopkins University in 2007.

“Syracuse University is proud of its relationship with the Indigenous community, both on and off campus, and is committed to honoring the Onondaga Nation through a tangible expression of the land acknowledgement we make at every major University event,” says Chancellor Kent Syverud. “A permanent installation will serve as a lasting recognition of the Onondaga Nation’s past, present and future contributions to Syracuse University and its importance in our broader community.”

Indigenous students collectively recommended Onondaga artist Brandon Lazore to create the piece. ISAS president Nathan Abrams and Ongwehonwe Alumni Association representative Maris Jacobs say they have endeavored to include the voices of all Indigenous students at Syracuse University throughout this process. “We are proud to work toward a lasting, tangible statement of Indigenous survivance and resilience on Onondaga land,” says Abrams. “We look forward to Syracuse University’s continued efforts toward honoring their relationship and responsibility to our Indigenous community.”

Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer Keith Alford says the installation will be a welcome addition to campus. “The contributions of Indigenous people are present all over our campus and remind us of the importance of learning from and reflecting on our past,” says Alford. “This has been a student run initiative from the start, I look forward to connecting them with a myriad of stakeholders, including leaders from Onondaga Nation and expert faculty, to appropriately recognize the role these ancestral lands have played in Syracuse University’s history.”

Tadodaho Sidney Hill, Onondaga Nation, Haudenosaunee Confederacy and Betty Lyons, citizen of the Onondaga Nation, say they are happy to collaborate with the University to create a permanent and lasting message that recognizes the Haudenosaunee’s role and inspires more students to explore its culture and history.

“This work can be more than just an acknowledgement. It can start conversations and get people asking questions about the culture and historical context of the Haudenosaunee,” says Hill. “We welcome this collaboration and look forward to seeing a physical manifestation of the land acknowledgement on the Syracuse University campus.”

Representatives of Syracuse University and the Onondaga Nation will assemble a committee to discern the final placement and contents of the monument. Tentative early planning aims to have the acknowledgement installed in 2021.

James Spencer

Laura J. and L. Douglas Meredith Professor of Teaching Excellence James Spencer adapted his graduate course, Research and Career Resources in Forensic Science, for hybrid instruction this fall. It was a necessity but also a chance to try something new. “I see mixed delivery as an opportunity to do some things better than before,” says Spencer, a professor of chemistry and forensic science in the College of Arts and Sciences. “We certainly miss the person-to-person physical engagement, but we can still offer great courses.”

Spencer is one of several Meredith Professors interviewed by �����鶹��Ʒ to discuss their preparation for the semester and how they are addressing the challenges to their teaching presented by social distancing guidelines.

Research and Career Resources in Forensic Science introduces students to fundamental concepts in science research and how research fits into forensic science practice specifically. As part of the course, each student must come up with an original idea and develop a complete proposal using campus resources, such as Syracuse University Libraries. In addition, the class explores avenues of scientific communication as well as helping  students develop important professional skills and resources.

In this Q&A, Professor Spencer discusses how mixed delivery presents specific challenges, how to mitigate those issues and specific approaches he is taking in his classroom.

What are the challenges in bringing a science course online?

I think the greatest challenges occur in large introductory 100-200 level courses, such as CHE 113 (Intro to Forensic Science) that I have taught both in person and online. These classes involve mainly lecturing and its typically a challenge to provide opportunities for direct engagement with or between students. Often these classes are examining fundamental principles with a lot of ground to cover. An example in chemistry would be, if I have a chemical reaction, how do I balance it? In an in-person setting there might be little discussion involved. Sure, we might work some problems upfront, but it still is directed learning. Making these kinds of learning happen online, with purposeful engagement, can be challenging. But it really can be done quite effectively.

Are there any advantages to mixed-delivery instruction?

When I was thinking about shifting online, one of the things I started thinking about was what could we do better online that we cannot do in person. I started thinking about at least having a component piece of the course that is practically very difficult to do in a physical setting.

One of these is to have guest speakers come in from virtually around the world. For example, I have a friend of mine who was head of the Pan Am-Lockerbie investigation for the FBI, and he was the agent in charge of the Oklahoma City FBI station, among other posts. Normally it would be impossible for him to visit our classroom: he is a thousand miles away but he’s more than willing to spend an hour online with my class.  What a unique experience for my students!

I have lined up over half a dozen of these amazing volunteer speakers. The students are going to be able to meet people who are subject matter experts their fields. They will hear from an anthropologist who was part of the joint armed services remains recovery operation. In addition, I have a speaker from the Department of Defense, a forensic psychologist and others. It would be nearly impossible for these people to actually visit a live classroom but are very willing to join the class and be interviewed “live” online. The students seem to love this and there’s been plenty of lively discussion and exchanges so far.

In addition to industry being integrated into the classroom, what other approaches are you taking this fall?

I’m recording myself delivering presentations that students would otherwise hear in a lecture. I set up a little makeshift studio upstairs in my house, with some lights and a little green screen. For those, I have been using Zoom and creating 20- to 40-minute lectures on many different topics. Those are posted together and accessible like a course library. Students can watch these and read materials that I post on Blackboard.

Class time is then spent having discussions rather than me delivering a traditional lecture like I normally would do standing in front of the class, something like a “flipped” classroom. In this case, I give the taped lecture to them as an assignment and then that will hopefully spur us into a conversation in our live class. I have taught this way in past spring and summer courses. I have found that my preparation has students more willing to partake in a discussion online than in person. I do ask students, unless there is some overriding reason, to please turn on their video so that we are not all talking to nameplates. I think that this really helps to inspire a much better discussion.

I have also worked to develop small modules in collaboration with a wonderful former Ph.D. student of mine. Known as process oriented, guided inquiry learning units (POGILs), students complete short 5- to 10-minute exercises that first introduce a topic. For example, one module deals with pseudoscience and how to recognize it. For example, students are asked to identify their astrological sign for the day by only reading the descriptions—no astrological sign is given. When inevitably the number of students that chose their correct sign from the descriptions turns out to be statistically random, it introduces that whole topic of pseudoscience nicely. Scientific literacy, like thinking critically about the abundant examples of pseudoscience all around us, is just one part of this lesson. There are several other things that helps them consider real science versus pseudoscience and how do you tell the difference. I think it helps them get their mind focused on what is the problem before they start learning all the content.

How has using process oriented guided inquiry learning (POGIL) helped students in the past?

The Ph.D. student I worked with wrote her dissertation comparing four years of my general forensics class that did not use these POGILs with four years of classes that did use them. We had thousands of students in the pool before and after, and then we broke it down to look for trends and correlations with learning outcomes. It turns out that the students who it seems to help the most are those that tend to struggle a little bit more in the class. POGILs introduce a potentially complex scientific idea by first acclimating students to the concept being considered.  This work was also the first quantitative study about the effect of this form of active engagement.

How do you approach having students take exams online while ensuring academic integrity?

One tip that I have applied from the Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence is to go back and go through all of my syllabi carefully and make sure that I am explicit about certain things like academic integrity. Making clear these expectations, as well as the details of what is allowed and not allowed on exams and assignments, seems to help. In my introductory 113 class where I have 300-plus students, I have relied upon Blackboard; in it, I can develop a large test pool that can swap questions and answer choices around randomly, and time limits on exams helps too.

Some instructors that I have worked with for smaller classes have students take an exam with Zoom video running, something with multiple camera required, so that the instructor can proctor the exam.

In the class I am teaching this fall, exams are less of an issue because I am entirely using formal papers, essays, proposals and other written assignments. This is a course in which we ask students to do a lot of writing. That tends to mitigate many of these issues.