Morgan Foss

Growing up on a cattle farm in Alden, New York, a rural community 30 minutes east of Buffalo, gave Morgan Foss G’20 an understanding of agriculture, food production and life on a farm.

The master’s degree in public relations Foss graduated with from the gave her a strong foundation of communication, writing, relationship-building and strategic thinking.

Today, she puts it all together as program manager for the Buffalo Bills Foundation, the nonprofit arm of her hometown football franchise. The foundation supports a wide breadth of initiatives dedicated to improving the quality of life in the Western New York region, but its primary focus is addressing child hunger, food access and supporting healthy eating.

“Buffalo is the sixth most segregated metropolitan region in the country and 1 in 5 children—1 in 8 people overall—are food insecure,” Foss says, illuminating the importance of her work with the foundation. “There are many food deserts within the city and in surrounding communities, despite there being many agricultural areas, like where I grew up.”

The supports several nonprofit organizations and programs that uplift the food system and provide healthy foods to underserved families. Foss is one of three employees who liaise with the foundation’s board of directors to respond to funding requests and direct resources to the many hunger-fighting organizations doing the work.

“The Bills organization has such a large platform and influence in the Western New York region. So in this position, I can connect the community’s needs with resources and bring awareness to specific causes.”

A Pandemic-Inspired Pivot

While Foss was always drawn to nonprofit and community-based work, she went to Newhouse intent on entering entertainment public relations after completing an undergraduate degree from the University of Alabama.

In the spring of 2020, she was planning to visit Los Angeles for the entertainment immersion experience and was pursuing an internship in Nashville with Sony Music Entertainment, and then … we all know what happened next.

Foss (left) and Buffalo Bills Foundation president Thomasina Stenhouse, Ph.D., visit the Providence Farm Collective, an Orchard Park-based organization that cultivates farmer-led and community-rooted agriculture and food systems.

“All of a sudden I was finishing up my master’s degree, teaching undergraduate courses online and doing a virtual internship all from my childhood bedroom while simultaneously working on my family farm,” Foss says.

Not only were her personal plans put on hold, but the entire PR and entertainment industry was a question mark as the COVID-19 pandemic took hold. With so much uncertainty, Foss began looking for opportunities closer to home, ultimately leading to her dream career with the Bills.

“It was a crazy time and while many businesses closed, my family farm and the agriculture industry trudged forward to ensure food was produced and stocked on shelves,” says Foss. “The pandemic certainly changed the trajectory of my career, but I’m grateful for it.” She emphasizes that her experience in 2020 built life skills that have wildly benefited her career—including adaptability, organization, being innovative with her time and space and the ability to build relationships through a screen.

Giving Back and Living the Dream

Foss was named community relations coordinator with the Bills in 2022. Now in her third season with the organization, she has been promoted to Bills Foundation program manager, overseeing the distribution of foundation grants to nonprofits across the community.

Foss has also worked on initiatives promoting cancer awareness, military appreciation and social justice (in partnership with the National Football League’s Crucial Catch, Salute to Service and Inspire Change initiatives), as well as CPR education and AED awareness, youth sports and physical fitness and numerous other causes championed by players.

The Bills recently wrapped up their annual Huddle of Hunger Initiative, which collected over 31,000 pounds of food and raised more than $150,000 to support 20 local charities, including FeedMore WNY and its 400 hunger-relief agencies serving the four counties surrounding Highmark Stadium. “For this year’s food drive, we had 16 rookie players and six veteran players participate and a massive turnout,” Foss says. “The Buffalo Bills players are amazing and very dedicated to the community where they play.”

Foss with her partner, Tre, and son, Tino, at Bills training camp this summer

Besides the technical and interpersonal skills she developed at Newhouse, Foss says one of the best takeaways has been the group of friends and fellow alumni she connected with during the master’s program.

“I have a group chat with my best friends from the program,” Foss says. “Going through this experience together of graduating during the pandemic was unique, and we know we can count on each other to discuss our careers—areas we might want to grow in and navigating challenges or transitions. I love having peers who are on the same wavelength and seeing my friends growing and doing amazing work in their industries and their fields.”

Earlier this year, Foss had her first baby, a son named Valentino—Tino for short—and returned to her role part-time for the 2024 season. She is thrilled to be back in the business of connecting the foundation’s resources and the Bills players with the people and organizations in her community doing incredible work.

“Just so far this season [in addition to Huddle for Hunger], we’ve brought players to Dave and Buster’s to hang out with families affected by cancer, we’ve made sandwiches and handed out food with players at St. Luke’s Missionary Church, we’re getting ready for Veterans and Native Heritage Month celebrations in November. We do a lot with different youth organizations and that’s probably my favorite part of the job—just seeing kids light up after meeting their idol,” Foss says.

To learn more about the work of Foss and the Buffalo Bills Foundation, visit .

1. Football game in the JMA Wireless Dome

Grab your friends and get loud because fall Saturdays in Syracuse are synonymous with cheering on the . The home opener is Saturday, Aug. 31, when we take on Ohio University at 3:30 p.m. Join , the official student section, and snag your —which also includes tickets to every home men’s basketball game and complimentary admission to all home women’s basketball, men’s and women’s lacrosse, men’s and women’s soccer, field hockey, ice hockey, volleyball, tennis and softball competitions!

A packed house for a football game vs. Notre Dame in fall 2023. (Photo by Marilyn Hesler)

2. Involvement fair on the Shaw Quad

Every semester, Student Engagement hosts an involvement fair to connect students with opportunities to get… well, involved, with recognized student organizations (RSOs). This year’s fair spans three days: , will highlight RSOs in the cultural, performing or special interest category; , will include those dedicated to public service, publications, club sports, sports interest and esports; and , will feature Honors, religious and fraternity/sorority-related RSOs. Festivities are from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. each of the three days on the Quad (rain location is Goldstein Auditorium in the Schine Student Center).

RSO University Union recruits new members at last year’s fall involvement fair. (Photo by Angela Ryan)

3. A visit to the Barnes Center at The Arch

Whether the purpose of your visit is to , , or take advantage of one of the facility’s , it’s only a matter of time before the Barnes Center becomes a staple of your life on campus. The center provides integrated wellness services and programs that support a holistic and inclusive student-centered experience promoting lifelong growth and development—which thankfully, includes .

The Barnes Center is lit up with activity on a fall evening. (Photo by Angela Ryan)

4. Apple and pumpkin picking

A fall field trip to a local pumpkin patch or apple orchard is a must during your time in Syracuse. in Baldwinsville, in Lafayette and in Syracuse (among many others!) all offer apple picking. Later in the season, in Marietta and in Syracuse are two favorites for pumpkins and fall fun. All of these destinations are within a 30-minute drive from campus, but if you’re lacking transportation check the for upcoming outings to such places, which are sometimes sponsored and coordinated by the University.

A plethora of pumpkins available for picking at Abbott Farms. (Photo by Randy Pellis)

5. The season’s first snow

If you grew up nearby, this will be about as exciting to you as an all-nighter in Bird—but if you’re one of the many students who come to Syracuse from warmer climates, perhaps you’ll be experiencing your first-ever snowfall later in the fall semester. When it happens, put on your favorite scarf, get a mocha java from and prepare to wow your friends and family back home with your snaps of our beautiful campus covered in the season’s first snow. And then get used to it—because it will be here until April!

A light dusting of snow covers campus. (Photo by Jeremy Brinn)

To help students answer all these questions and more with just a few finger taps, Syracuse University recently launched a new flagship mobile app experience. The , available on the and , was developed directly in response to student feedback and brings together many of the essential tools, resources and platforms that contribute to a thriving student experience on campus.

Features of the app include:

• seamless integration with Blackboard to view class schedules, upcoming assignments, course announcements and connect with an academic advisor;
• a robust dining hub highlighting food menus, hours of operations and real-time insight into how busy a dining center or café is before you go;
• easy access to the Bus Tracker, campus maps, student activities calendars, MySlice, the Patient Portal/Wellness Portal and everything else needed to plan your day;
• and links to other crucial pieces of the student experience: school/college websites, athletics, news, ITS, Libraries, SU Mail, printing, parking and more.

The launch of OrangeNow represents a significant step in the University’s ongoing digital transformation efforts, which aim to deliver a best-in-class digital and technological experience to the University community.

Jeff Rubin ’95, G’98, the University’s first chief digital officer, longtime faculty member in the School of Information Studies and the founder of SIDEARM Sports, the nation’s leading digital provider for college athletics, oversaw development and implementation of OrangeNow in partnership with Jeff Stoecker, senior vice president and chief communications officer.

Rubin says he is excited for the campus community to begin using the app and for the iterative process to continue with the addition of future enhancements on an ongoing basis. While the primary audience is currently students, the app’s features will be expanded to serve a broader audience, including faculty and staff.

“As with most digital platforms, OrangeNow was designed to adapt and evolve dynamically, ensuring we meet the needs of our users,” Rubin says. “While this is just the beginning, we are extremely proud of the user experience for our students. We are committed to continuing to add new features, integrate with existing tools and technology, and evaluate student needs and feedback to ensure this remains an integral part of the Syracuse University technological landscape.”

“We’ve heard from students that they want the functionality and portability of a mobile app dedicated to the many facets of life at Syracuse University,” says Stoecker. “OrangeNow is a vibrant, fully customizable, comprehensive response to this need that synthesizes many of the tools and platforms students already use in one centralized digital location. We truly hope users find it valuable and that it helps students navigate a thriving life on campus with ease.”

Campus community members are encouraged to download the app on the App Store or Google Play today! To share your thoughts, look for the “Feedback & Support” button on the app’s home screen. Loving it so far? Be sure to leave a five-star review wherever you downloaded it!

A confluence of social, economic and systemic factors—under resourced communities, weak gun laws, inadequate educational and employment opportunities, and systemic racial inequities—all contribute to this disparity. But to what extent do place-based community factors also contribute to, or protect against, this elevated risk? And how do these factors converge to make our communities of color more or less safe?

Bryce Hruska

A team of researchers, including , assistant professor of public health in the David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics, , chair and professor of public health at Falk, and Margaret Formica, associate professor of public health and preventive medicine at Upstate Medical University, seeks to better understand these questions as they relate to firearm violence risk and potential urban design solutions in Syracuse.

With over $250,000 of funding from the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities over a two-year grant, the team hopes their analysis of the firearm violence landscape in Syracuse will have real-world applications as the city considers its future, especially as it relates to the I-81 Viaduct Project, as well as other urban renewal projects across the country.

In this Q&A, Hruska, the study’s principal investigator, shares more about the research and its potential to influence the development of public policies aimed at reducing firearm violence in Black communities in Syracuse and elsewhere.

L. Hazel Jack

Jack was working in the airport advertising field after earning a bachelor’s degree in marketing management and advertising from Pace University. She was responsible for her company’s national sales conference, scheduled in New York City on Sept. 10 and 11 that year, and was at a printing facility in New Jersey when the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center occurred.

“It was this moment that got me thinking, ‘Is this really what I want to do? What’s my purpose?’” Jack recalls. Soon after, she began searching for more meaning within her selected field, ultimately leading to a job in marketing and communications for the City University of New York’s School of Professional Studies.

That ignited her passion for higher education, and she has since held various executive roles related to marketing, communications, special events, advancement and crisis management with Johns Hopkins University, Howard University and now Colgate University, where she currently serves as vice president and chief of staff to the president. She has continued to collect advanced degrees along the way, and in fall of 2017, began her pursuit of a Ph.D. from Syracuse to take her expertise to the highest possible level.

An Unexpected, But ‘Easy Choice’

Jack, a first-generation college student, says when she was choosing where to study as an undergraduate, she didn’t consider her current role in higher ed administration as a viable career path. “I didn’t even know this was a thing. I just assumed I would do some kind of corporate communications or advertising. I never anticipated getting this level of education,” she says of attaining an MBA in marketing and a master’s degree in higher education administration from Baruch College before moving on to a doctoral degree.

“I often feel like I shouldn’t be here,” Jack says. “When you read about education and who tends to persist and who does well, I don’t exactly fit that mold.” After deciding to attain a Ph.D., she applied to a handful of programs, including the one at the School of Education. She didn’t think she would be admitted. “When I did, I was like, ‘Well that’s an easy decision!’”

She immediately connected with the professors and coursework. “I took a course on organization and administration in higher education, which was immediately applicable to my role at Colgate—looking at various aspects of how different institutions of higher learning are structured and some of the nuances of hierarchies and governance, which was really helpful,” says Jack.

Beyond coursework, she has been grateful to connect with her peers in the program who also work in higher education, helping break down the siloes that can prevail within and across institutions.

DEIA In Theory and In Practice

Another favorite course of Jack’s was one she took with on race, representation and culture. “It instantly gave me language to put to experiences I’ve had that I couldn’t explain before,” Jack says. “We dove into the literature around identity and place within higher education. As a woman of color in higher ed, working mostly at predominantly white institutions, there was always this ‘outsider’ feeling, even as I progressed in my career. Reading literature that described that experience, I realized it was not just in my head; it was real. It helped me make sense of what I’ve experienced in the space and reassured me that I deserve to be in this space.”

Jack plays an integral role in diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility (DEIA) work at Colgate and through her association with several professional organizations—including One X League, Chief, the National Council of Negro Women and as a John Roberts Lewis Fellow with the Faith & Politics Institute. She finds herself continuously revisiting and integrating her School of Education coursework into her career and advocating for others in the space who may share her background.

“Right now there is so much conversation around DEIA and higher ed, especially with affirmative action being struck down,” Jack says. “A lot of the conversation hits very close to home, and it’s often taking place in spaces where I’m the only one or one of very few who have a similar experience to me. Considering multiple perspectives is more important now than ever as we’re dealing with such complex issues.”

Dissertation Research on the Visibility of Black Women Leaders

Jack’s doctoral dissertation explores how Black women college presidents have historically been covered by the press—a topic she selected years ago, but has a certain element of timeliness in the wake of recent high-profile resignations of female college presidents, including the departure of Claudine Gay from Harvard University.

Focusing on eight Black women who led higher education institutes of various types and sizes beginning in the late 1980s, Jack examined national, regional, local and student press coverage of their tenures. She completed a content and discourse analysis of what was written and how they were written about, resulting in three preliminary findings.

“Up until recently, and I’m talking within the last 20 years, these women were often described physically in the coverage. For example, ‘She had short cropped hair with a beautiful smile and wore a blue suit,’” Jack says. “How often do you see a man written about in these terms? Second, unless they had a controversy or were a ‘first’ of some sort, they weren’t written about at all. A lot of the presidents in the middle of my timeline were basically non-existent in terms of being covered. My third finding is this notion that [Black female presidents] have to be perfect in their role and act in an exemplary way at all times—there is no margin for error.”

Jack anticipates defending her dissertation by the end of the spring semester. She plans to continue in her role at Colgate and considers a future in teaching, but says she isn’t in a rush to make any big moves or firm plans: “I’ve been working full-time and studying part-time for the better part of the last 20 years,” she says. “Maybe it’s time for a break. Maybe it’s time to come home from work and take a walk for a change. I never would’ve expected that I would be here in the first place, so we’ll see what happens next.”

Sam Clark (center) poses with Robin Howard (left) and Anna Proulx at the LA semester wrap event. (Photo courtesy of Sam Clark)

Sam Clark ’24 has known since he was 9 years old that he wanted to be a film director when he grew up. After a family trip to Egypt where his dad took hours and hours of video, Clark found himself enthralled by the footage and the ability to tell stories through film.

When it was time for him to choose a college, Clark was interested in Syracuse because not only did it boast one of the top-ranked film schools in the country but also because of its , offered through the Lawrence B. Taishoff Center for Inclusive Higher Education in the School of Education. InclusiveU, celebrating its 10-year anniversary this year, offers one of the premier opportunities in the country for students of all ages with intellectual and developmental disabilities to experience college life in a fully inclusive setting.

The decision to attend Syracuse was one of the best he ever made, Clark says. He’s spent the last four years studying the craft of filmmaking through his coursework, primarily in the College of Visual and Performing Arts (VPA) and S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications.

For the past two semesters, Clark has taken advantage of the , getting a flavor of life on the West Coast and “in the industry,” as he would say.

“LA has been incredible,” Clark says. “Every morning I go to my internship and then at night, I take awesome classes with professors who have been in the industry and who know the ins and outs of working in the media and entertainment fields.”

Clark and Doug Robinson (left) of Doug Robinson Productions at an LA-area event (Photo courtesy of Sam Clark)

In spring 2023, Clark participated in the and interned with Doug Robinson Productions (founded by fellow Orange alumnus Doug Robinson ’85) on the Sony Pictures Entertainment lot, where his duties included reviewing and evaluating scripts, shadowing production assistants on set and listening to pitches for future projects.

“He [Doug] took me on the set of an ’80s flashback show called ‘The Goldbergs’ and I learned about the art of production, editing and sound mixing,” Clark says. At night, he studied acting, writing and production through his Newhouse coursework.

Notably, he also found professional and industry mentorship under , director of Newhouse LA. “Robin has been awesome about giving me many opportunities in LA, from going to industry premieres to teaching me about pitching and helping me to attend PA [production assistant] bootcamp, which was hugely valuable,” says Clark.

“Sam is truly a shining light, a fantastic young man!” says Howard. “Everyone here has been deeply touched and inspired by his journey with us. It is a gift to know him.”

When faculty and staff affiliated with the saw how enthusiastically Clark was embracing the Newhouse program and all he was learning, they encouraged him to remain in Los Angeles for the fall semester through their immersion program. Clark got another internship, this time as a development intern with The Gotham Group, a talent management company, where his duties include listening to and evaluating clients’ pitches and their potential to become a movie or TV production. “I can’t say too much about the types of projects I’ve been working on, because it’s kind of classified,” Clark says with a grin.

His fall 2023 coursework encompassed a filmmaking senior project, a scriptwriting class focused on episodic dramas and a networking class, which he says has been his favorite class of the semester. “SULA has been helping me out with the alumni community in Los Angeles and making connections with people who may be able to help me in my future career, hopefully with getting a job in the industry,” Clark says. “I have especially appreciated [VPA program director for SULA] and the many opportunities she has given me as an InclusiveU student, including facilitating my attendance at several film festivals.”

Clark (center) hits the red carpet with film directors Alejandra Vasquez (left) and Sam Osborn at AFI Fest, organized by the American Film Institute. (Photo courtesy of Sam Clark)

“Sam embodies the spirit of SULA—a positive attitude, a willingness to try new experiences, an openness to network and introduce himself, and a strong work ethic,” says Proulx. “He has touched this program in so many positive ways, and we are honored to be a small part of his learning journey.”

Clark’s senior film project draws inspiration from the 2023 Writers Guild of America and SAG-AFTRA strikes—the plot involves artificial intelligence taking over an actor’s career. He says he has learned a lot about pitching his own projects through his internship at The Gotham Group, and he hopes to get a job as a production assistant after he graduates in May. Ultimately, he aspires to achieve his dream of becoming a filmmaker, and while Clark is not sure if he’ll remain in Los Angeles or return to his hometown of Philadelphia, he knows his time spent at SULA has set him up for future success.

“Sam is the epitome of what you want to see in a college student,” says Sam Roux, academic coordinator with InclusiveU in the School of Education and Clark’s academic advisor. “He is acutely aware of college’s transient nature and hustles every day to get the most out of this experience. The guy is a total rockstar.”

Rockstar, yes—and hopefully someday a big-time movie director too.

Tracey Marchese

From sentimental Amazon ads on TV to your neighbor’s perfect holiday landscape to an endless stream of social media posts depicting a Hallmark-esque experience, we are often bombarded with messages depicting the “ideal” holiday season that don’t always match up with our actual lives. And that’s OK.

In service of those perhaps feeling a little more “Grinch” and a little less “Buddy the Elf” this holiday season, �����鶹��Ʒ interviewed , professor of practice in the Falk College’s School of Social Work, to solicit practical advice to make the holidays feel a little more joyful, a little more peaceful and a lot more authentic to your own experience.

Members of the media looking to schedule an interview with Professor Marchese on this topic may contact Daryl Lovell, associate director of media relations, at 315.380.0206 or dalovell@syr.edu.

If you’re feeling burnt out and overwhelmed…

Start by keeping your expectations for the season—and what you can realistically accomplish and give of yourself—in check, Marchese says. “If you’re overdoing it with trying to create the ‘perfect’ holiday, you’re going to be exhausted—and where’s the enjoyment in that?”

It’s tempting to use the season as an excuse to overindulge in food and alcohol. While Marchese is not trained as a nutritionist, she says using either alcohol (which is a depressant) or sweets/sugar to cope don’t make us feel our best emotionally or physically. “While these might seem helpful in the short-term, overindulging at the holidays can actually compound or further contribute to feelings of burnout and overwhelm for us,” Marchese says.

If you’re suffering from “comparison fatigue”…

Sometimes it feels like social media is designed to make us feel poorly about ourselves, or like we aren’t living up to the standards everyone else is showing on their feeds. Marchese says it’s important to recognize that you are likely comparing yourself to “someone else’s highlight reel.”

“The truth is, life isn’t a Hallmark movie—life is messy sometimes and that is okay,” Marchese says. “You can still have lovely, joyful moments that are defined by how you want to enjoy the season. Don’t worry so much about what other people are up to because their social media is probably not depicting their reality, either.”

If you’re feeling particularly down after spending time on social media, setting daily app limits or deleting social media apps altogether for the remainder of December is always an option.

If you have strained or stressful family relationships…

There are many reasons why someone might dread spending the holidays with their families, from simply feeling like you aren’t on the same page with them—ideologically (politically or otherwise)—to having a history of abuse or other trauma in your family. If that’s the case, it’s totally normal not to feel excited to spend time with them and it’s always an option not to spend time with them.

If you do choose to spend time with your family, there are ways to make it easier on yourself. Marchese’s top tips include:

• Plan ahead for breaks and solitude. “Always have a game plan in your head for breaking away for a 20-minute walk, excusing yourself for some fresh air or taking a solo trip to the store because you ‘forgot something,’ if needed,” Marchese says. During a longer trip to visit family, incorporate spending time with friends in the area you’ve missed or going to see a movie by yourself.
• Practice deep breathing. If you’re feeling anxious, stressed out or triggered, your breath can be your best friend. “Practicing deep, slow breathing—into our bellies— can help reset our nervous system and activate what’s called a relaxation response,” says Marchese. “It’s free, takes just seconds or minutes, and can be done anywhere, even at the dinner table.”
• Remember that you’re an adult now. Even as a college student, you’re an adult, not a child, but “it’s natural when you’re around family to revert to old roles, which may mean being treated as a child and not like the adult that you are,” says Marchese. “You may find yourself falling back into old ways of relating with your family, but it’s helpful to remember that you’re an adult now and you can make different decisions.”

If you’re still confused about what “self-care” actually is…

Marchese says she thinks of “self-care” (widely used and rarely defined) in two realms: self-care and communal care.

“Self-care entails the basics like adequate sleep, exercise (anything that gets your blood moving—you don’t necessarily have to start an elaborate new workout routine), exposure to daylight, and being mindful about what you put in your body and how it makes you feel,” Marchese says. “It is also about making time for yourself to manage stress through things like meditation, self-reflection and engaging in enjoyable activities, like hobbies.”

Communal care, according to Marchese, means, “Do you have people you can rely on, that help meet your needs, that you have a reciprocal relationship with, that you actually like? Connecting and spending time with the people who ‘get you’ is a great way to offset familial obligations during the holidays.”

If you’re coping with grief and loss this season…

If you are grappling with loss, feelings of grief can well up at this time of year, especially if it’s the first holiday season without someone you love. “Losses come in lots of ways—so it could be a loss of a person through death, but it could also be the loss of a relationship,” says Marchese. “Know that there is no such word as ‘should’ in the grieving process. You are at where you are at, and it takes as long as it takes [to grieve].”

She recommends allowing feelings of grief and sadness to come up when they arise and feeling them fully, but also giving yourself an “exit strategy” from the intense feelings. “If you’re concerned you are going to get ‘stuck’ in those feelings, you might say, ‘OK I’m going to let myself feel what I’m feeling for maybe 20 or 30 minutes, and then I’m going to call a friend or get up and take a walk because I don’t want to find myself falling into a deep pit of despair.’”

Additionally, Marchese suggests journaling about your feelings of grief, writing a letter to your loved one, volunteering, or doing something special to honor their memory as additional coping strategies.

If you feel like you need additional support…

“December is a very common time for people to seek the support of a therapist,” says Marchese. Asking your primary care provider for a referral or seeking in-network providers with your health insurer are great starting points if you’re seeking a mental health professional. You may also search online for licensed professionals in your area, such as by accessing the , or use the to be connected with mental health resources.

If at any point you’re feeling like you may be suffering from , like you want to hurt yourself or are experiencing suicidal ideation, it is time to seek professional help. For crisis support, call or text 988 or use the live chat at to access the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, or go to your nearest emergency room for immediate assistance.

, an initiative of the Lawrence B. Taishoff Center for Inclusive Higher Education in the , offers a full four-year college experience for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

For the first time this fall, InclusiveU students were invited to participate in FYS 101—a significant step toward full campus inclusion.

“Students in the InclusiveU program contribute significantly to the fabric of our campus community, and they bring invaluable perspectives to the conversations that are at the heart of FYS 101,” says , associate provost for strategic initiatives in the Office of Academic Affairs, who oversees the First Year Seminar program. “Integrating our 27 first-year InclusiveU students into FYS 101 this fall just made sense—it is the right thing to do, and every single student present in these classrooms is benefiting from their presence.”

Leaders from FYS and InclusiveU assembled before the fall semester began to build mutual understanding of the InclusiveU program and the unique needs of its students. (Photo by Jimmy Luckman, associate director, FYS)

Since FYS 101 encourages learning, conversation and introspection on topics relevant to all incoming students at Syracuse, incorporating InclusiveU students required no modifications to the curriculum.

“This is a class about diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility (DEIA), so it’s just another identity we were able to add to the classroom conversations,” says Shannon Hitchcock Schantz G’21, director of FYS and a current lead instructor for the course. “Students are doing activities about their own identity and their transition to Syracuse University, and we’ve seen full participation from the InclusiveU students, sharing about their disabilities and their perspective on life.”

Brianna Shults, director of InclusiveU, says she sought out this partnership to broaden the participation of InclusiveU students in campuswide initiatives and offerings.

“These are students who want the opportunity to go to college and to be fully immersed in the culture, community and educational experience here at Syracuse,” Shults says. “We know that all students need an introduction to the University, which is why FYS exists. To include our students in things that are already being done here usually just takes a few extra steps in education and preparation, and I think the FYS 101 team has done a phenomenal job of incorporating InclusiveU students into their classrooms and fully enveloping them into the curriculum.”

The partnership officially kicked off in August, when InclusiveU staff attended training sessions for all FYS 101 lead instructors and peer leaders to provide education and build mutual understanding. “We wanted our lead instructors and peer leaders to know the InclusiveU program, understand the intentionality behind including those students in FYS 101 and learn ways to further support these students in the classroom,” says Schantz.

First-year InclusiveU student Stavros Ioannidis shared how he has appreciated the opportunity to take FYS, saying, “I like the classmates I have who tolerate different opinions, the teachers who are willing to help me (and others) out and the creativity of the teachers. They expose us to things we may not seek out on our own.”

InclusiveU students benefit not only from the curriculum, but the relationships and networks they’re able to develop with FYS classmates. “This is a class that our students take really seriously, and they’re engaged with, and it’s been great to see that level of commitment,” says Shults. “I think this only builds the network our students have available to them and increases understanding among the larger student population of why InclusiveU is here and the purpose of the program.”

Lead instructor Maithreyee Dubé ’96, ’16, G’17 has enjoyed having an InclusiveU student in her section. “Zach [Kilga] has a great sense of humor, participates in small group discussions, is great at remembering names (and helps me remember when he recognizes the need!) and submits all his work—even anything I clearly state as extra,” Dubé says.

Maithreyee Dubé (kneeling front, toward the right) and her FYS 101 section visited La Casita Cultural Center during their week 4 shared experience, which involves visits and collaborations with various organizations across campus. (Photo courtesy of Maithreyee Dubé)

“As the largest, most inclusive program in the country, we are continually thinking about new ways we can give our students access to things they didn’t have access to before,” Shults says. “This is just an expansion of that. We want InclusiveU students to be able to do and achieve anything they want during their time here on campus.”

From left: Savanna, Dougie, Gabriel and Donovan Capdeville (Photo by Marilyn Hesler)

Imagine making the decision to attend a university nearly 2,000 miles away from your home in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Imagine your father is a passionate alum of that university: You grew up watching its sports, wearing its colors and hearing about the impact it had on his life.

Now imagine you’re not making this decision alone—but alongside your three siblings, who are all applying and committing to schools around the same time.

That is the short version of how quadruplets Savanna Capdeville ’24, Donovan Capdeville ’25, Gabe Capdeville ’24 and Doug (Dougie) Capdeville Jr. ’24 all ended up following their dreams to Syracuse University.

To Orange, or Not to Orange? That Is the Question

It’s in the blood: The Capdeville quadruplets have been repping the Orange since they were babies. From left: Donovan, Dougie, Gabriel and Savanna, with parents Roxanne and Douglas Sr. (Photo courtesy of the Capdeville family)

Doug, who was named for his father, College of Law alumnus Douglas Capdeville ’74, G’77, L’77, says the decision was easy for him. “It’s in the blood for me,” says the major. “Syracuse was always my dream school. Growing up it was like, ‘I’ve got to go to the ’Cuse!’”

Among his siblings, however, there were varying degrees of hesitancy and commitment.

“Going to school with my siblings was the last thing I wanted,” Donovan says. “I wanted to be on my own and start an independent life without always being associated with a group of people.” But he wanted to pursue mechanical engineering (he has since switched to studying in the College of Visual and Performing Arts), and the academic offerings at Syracuse beat out the other schools he was considering.

For Savanna, a double and major in the College of Arts and Sciences | Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, it was their campus visit that swayed her. “I was blown away by how many programs Maxwell had that I was interested in and how beautiful the campus is. I’d never seen so many offices, resources and beautiful facilities.”

Gabe, who studies in the Maxwell School, originally planned to attend Arizona State University. After Doug and Donovan both committed to Syracuse, the pressure began mounting for the quadruplets to choose the same school.

“The thought came through that it was possible for all of us to attend Syracuse and with it being the same school our dad went to … you know, he’s had that school spirit since we were babies,” Gabe says. “We were split on whether we should all go to the same school or do our own thing, but in the end we all ended up going to Syracuse and our dad was super happy about that.”

With Gabe and Savanna jointly deciding on Syracuse, the plans were in motion. After studying remotely in the Fall 2020 semester due to COVID, the siblings packed their bags and in January 2021 landed in Syracuse together. “That was all of our first time seeing snow—we came out of the airport and it was just everywhere,” Donovan says.

Exploring Their Passions, Interests and Identities

During their undergraduate careers, the Capdevilles have blossomed as scholars and humans. They’ve remained close as ever while also cultivating their own passions, networks and extracurriculars.

Donovan spends much of his time downtown at the Nancy Cantor Warehouse, home of the College of Visual and Performing Arts’ School of Design, obsessively sketching ideas for new products and working on design projects.

Graduating high school at the height of COVID didn’t deter the quadruplets from pursuing their dreams at Syracuse. From left: Donovan, Savanna, Dougie and Gabe (Photo courtesy of the Capdeville family)

“I always had a passion for art and the aesthetics of things,” he says. “Designing the material and look of different products and making products better always intrigued me. I’m very excited to go to school every day.”

“As a kid, Donovan always said he wanted to build iPhones, so industrial design fits him really well,” Savanna says. This summer, Donovan studied abroad through the , interning with a website and user interface design company to help build his portfolio.

Fueled by his interests in math, business and entrepreneurship, Gabe loves the academic rigor of his economics major and continually challenges himself with increasingly difficult courses. He plans to attend graduate school for economics after graduating, but perhaps not in Syracuse—“I might want to do it in a place that’s warm,” he says.

This summer, Doug had internships in social media, graphic design and digital media. He is currently loving his Digital Media Cultures course, which covers the power of algorithms and the digital media space in general, and says his dream job is to be a social media manager for a professional sports team.

Savanna is an advocate for racial and environmental justice who hopes to further her commitment to those fields by entering a graduate program at Syracuse. She is currently a student employee at the Intercultural Collective—the intersecting office of , the and the —and is an intern with the in Multicultural Affairs.

Savanna engages in undergraduate research exploring marginalization on the campus, local and national levels, with her most recent projects involving statistical research on the influence of demographic factors on the American public’s perception of systemic racism and qualitative research on gentrification and outsider business ownership in her hometown of St. Croix. Savanna spent the summer working as a legal intern at a law firm on St. Croix and building her online secondhand clothing store that she’s been running since 2019.

She is currently doing a consulting internship through one of her Maxwell courses with the local nonprofit FORCE (Focusing Our Resources for Community Enlightenment), surveying Syracuse residents about public perceptions of reparations and the history of slavery. “It’s been a great opportunity to work off-campus in the Syracuse community and to get to know the people who live and work here,” she says.

The Capdeville family at home in St. Croix. From left: Roxanne, Douglas Sr., Donovan, Gabe, Savanna and Dougie (Photo courtesy of the Capdeville family)

A Venn Diagram of Social Connections

During the Capdevilles’ first year on campus, Savanna lived in Day Hall, home of the Multicultural Living Learning Community, which helped both her and her brothers find community and close-knit friendships with fellow Black students.

“Even though we all decided to go to the same school, we were all like, ‘Wow, we’ll probably see each other twice a week, once a week,’” Doug says. “We never thought we’d be in the same friend group, but it turned out to be the exact opposite.”

Through each sibling’s unique network of connections, the four ended up consistently running in the same circles. “We’ve honestly stayed pretty tight-knit since we’ve been here,” Donovan says. “A lot of our friend groups consist of each other, all of our friends are friends, and we’ve been in pretty much the same friend groups throughout.”

Gabe, Donovan and Doug currently live together off campus, while Savanna lives with friends nearby. The brothers have played intramural sports together, winning championships in volleyball and football sophomore year. The four recently attended a ’Cuse football game, and Savanna says she makes it a point to see her brothers regularly. “We do random stuff together. Gabe and I got food yesterday. Donnie and I are going on a hike tomorrow. Dougie and I have a cooking class together,” she says.

The quadruplets spend some quality time together on campus. (Photo by Marilyn Hesler)

Although each have their own social lives, having three lifelong, built-in friends comes with its advantages while navigating college life.

“We’ve honestly bonded being together here at school. We’re closer than we were before, and we’ve had each other to fall back on when friendships or relationships go awry. We always have one another for support,” Donovan says.

While their paths will likely diverge as the Capdevilles wrap up their undergraduate careers and head toward what’s next, the bond formed throughout childhood—and reinforced here at Syracuse—will remain unbreakable.

“Syracuse has really had it all for us,” Doug says. “The campus is beautiful. It has the sports teams, the social and academic life is out of this world. I’m glad I get to go here and experience it with my siblings.”

John and Gianna in John’s workspace at Newhouse in 1996

She recalls following her dad around classrooms as he checked on the technology required for teaching and learning—which at the time consisted mainly of overhead projectors. John worked back then as a technologist in what would eventually become the Information Technology Services (ITS) department. “Just being around college students and seeing the classroom checks, I would say to myself, ‘OK, someday I’m going to be in one of those seats,” Gianna says. But even she couldn’t have predicted how large of a role Syracuse University would play in her life.

Forever Orange, in Every Sense

In 2014, Gianna’s dream came true as she enrolled as a management major in the , and four short years later—“It’s the blink of an eye and you’re done with your college career,” she says—she graduated at the top of her class in Whitman in 2018.

Time flies: John and Gianna pose together in front of the Hall of Languages during grade school (left), college (center) and at Gianna’s undergraduate Commencement (right).

Since then, she’s held several professional roles at Syracuse, including working at University College (now the College of Professional Studies) on its pre-college program for high school students, and now in ITS as associate director of learning environments and media production (LEMP). Gianna oversees the technical aspects of a large scope of campus events, primarily in the K.G. Tan Auditorium in the National Veterans Resource Center at the Daniel and Gayle D’Aniello Building.

She is also working on an online MBA degree through Whitman, which she plans to complete in May 2024. “I enjoyed every moment of my undergraduate career—I loved it so much I had to come back and earn a second degree,” Gianna says. A proud alumna, she serves on the through the Alumni Association and admits, “I loved the Orange spirit at the University so much that I never left.”

After one conversation with her father, you realize—it might just be in her DNA.

A Dream Job 35 Years in the Making

While John is quick to extol Gianna’s academic and career success, his own route to a successful career in academia has perhaps been a little less “by the book.”

He calls himself a “born tinkerer” who learned everything he knows about mechanics, engineering and technology by opening things up, taking them apart and seeing for himself how they worked. Rather than attending college, John pursued trade schools and on-the-job learning, joking that the only degree or certificate he’s ever received from Syracuse is in scuba diving.

“I wasn’t much of a school person. I learned through the practical,” he says. “I’ve been called the ‘MacGyver’ of the University, because anything that’s challenging—whether it’s mechanical or electrical or whatever—they can usually call on me to figure it out.”

At Syracuse John has held various roles, from managing classroom technology to providing many iterations of audiovisual support as technology progressed over the years. He now has what he calls his “dream job” as an instructional technology engineer and manager of the , a collaborative, Universitywide lab that provides the space and resources to help its users imagine, design, build, tinker, modify, hack, teach and learn.

3D-printed heads of John Mangicaro and Gianna Mangicaro, created from scans at the ITS MakerSpace

“Back in 2012, 3D printers were just starting to appear in the mainstream. The University bought one and I had a little ‘underground’ MakerSpace in the back room of Newhouse, as well as a laser engraver,” John says. “Word started getting around. Then one day, Chris Sedore [then-chief information officer] came to me with the idea to build out what he called a ‘hackerspace.’ I loved the idea. That’s how the MakerSpace was born.”

John has spent the last 10 years relentlessly dedicated to the MakerSpace, which now houses 20-plus 3D printers, two laser engravers, embroidery and sewing machines, vinyl printing and cutting equipment, T-shirt printing and other tools.

“It’s a constantly evolving facility. I let it become student-driven and that is what it is today,” John says. “The students who work for me, they go on to build rockets, submarines, helicopters, you name it. They’re our true gems. I always tell them, ‘It only took 35 years for me to find my dream job, so be patient.’”

Who’s the Boss?

Gianna and John at the ITS MakerSpace

The MakerSpace is now under the purview of LEMP, meaning that while John officially reports to Mike O’Mara, associate CIO for academic service centers, Gianna has some involvement in John’s work. Currently, Gianna is busy planning for celebrations of the 10-year anniversary of the MakerSpace during Orange Central this fall.

“It’s always fun. People say, ‘Oh, she’s you’re boss now,’ and I go, ‘Well, she always was,’” John says, laughing. “She knows the machines as well as I do and she has all of the practical knowledge.”

It’s no coincidence. After all, Gianna grew up learning everything she could from her father—including how to change a tire on her car, snake a kitchen sink, tap maple trees in their neighborhood for syrup and use a wood splitter—at age 8. (“I told her not to tell her mom about that one,” John says.)

“He’s a very creative person and whatever he puts his mind to, he is able to accomplish it,” Gianna says of her father. “I always had the belief that if he learned how to do something or how something works, I could also figure it out.”

A recent example of father-daughter collaboration occurred last fall when the University hosted Micron Technology as the company announced its transformational investment in the Central New York area at Tan Auditorium.

“We used to hold our microphones together with tape and once the tape had come apart during a presentation and we could see it on the recording, so we knew we couldn’t have that happen again,” Gianna says. “I went to the MakerSpace to see if they could 3D-print some microphone clips for the Micron event and they were able to quickly print them for us. One even ended up on the governor’s podium. The MakerSpace is a place where you can create a small idea that solves a pretty big problem—like tape coming apart on a microphone.”

A Lifetime of Orange Memories

From Gianna visiting her dad’s outpost in the Newhouse School as an infant to enjoying family meals together at the restaurants on Marshall Street. From attending bowl games and dozens of other Orange athletic competitions to planting trees together in honor of the Remembrance Scholars. From Gianna naming Otto’s Juice Box when the Barnes Center was renovated to seeing Elton John perform in the JMA Wireless Dome last year, Syracuse is woven deeply into the fabric of the Mangicaro family.

At left, Szlamczynski, Gianna, Carolyn and John Mangicaro are ready to watch Elton John perform in September 2022. At right, John and Gianna pose on the turf of the JMA Dome.

Often accompanied by John’s wife and Gianna’s mother, Carolyn, and Gianna’s fiancé Christopher Szlamczynski ’18 (who works as assistant director of satellite facilities in the Barnes Center at The Arch) on their adventures, the pair speak highly of the University and the important role it has played in their lives.

“It’s just like an extended home for us. Everything we do at home, we do here—working, eating, laughing, spending time together,” John says.

“From the time I was a baby, everyone on campus was always excited to see you. As a student, there were faculty members who are super passionate about what they do and I was able to learn so much from them,” Gianna says. “Now as a staff member, I’m able to interact with so many different people and departments. It’s just an awesome place with a lot of great individuals that are just super happy to be here, too.”

Xiafei Wang, assistant professor of social work

Since 2014, June has been designated by the federal government as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Awareness Month, bringing attention to the serious mental health condition some individuals develop after experiencing or witnessing a life-threatening or traumatic event.

While PTSD is often discussed as it relates to the veteran population, data from the National Center for PTSD show that veterans are only slightly more likely to experience PTSD than the general population. Around 7% of veterans and 6% of all adults will have PTSD at some point in their lives and approximately 12 million adults suffer from it in any given year.

To shed further light on this important topic, SU News interviewed , assistant professor of social work in Syracuse University’s Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics. Wang studies the transmission of intergenerational trauma, how trauma-affected individuals and families can develop resiliency and how such factors as race, gender, disability and military service impact trauma and resilience. Wang shares her insights and research on these topics and more in the following Q&A.

Members of the media looking to schedule an interview with Professor Wang may contact Vanessa Marquette, media relations specialist, at 315.271.6417 or vrmarque@syr.edu.

Chance Baggett, a rising senior in the studying physics and mathematics and a member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program, has been named a 2023-24 Astronaut Scholar by the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation (ASF).

Founded by the Mercury 7 astronauts, the foundation awards scholarships to students in their junior or senior year who are pursuing a science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM) degree with intentions to pursue research or advance their field upon completion of their degrees. Astronaut Scholars are among the best and brightest minds in STEM who show initiative, creativity and excellence in their chosen field.

After graduating from Syracuse, Baggett plans to pursue a doctoral degree and research career in the field of physics. His current research, under the mentorship of , focuses on theoretical self-folding origami, an emerging branch of soft matter physics, with a particular focus on the role of elasticity in origami, which helps shed light on how certain physical materials function. Future implications of this work include in the fields of medicine, such as determining how misfolded proteins contribute to diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, and space science, helping researchers engineer unique solutions to solar array deployment.

“I find soft matter physics incredibly exciting because it gives me the opportunity to research systems at a scale I can hold in my hand. Paper-folding, beyond a scientific pursuit, allows me to express my creativity in my work,” says Baggett. In addition to his scientific aptitude and curiosity, he has had a personal interest in paper craft since middle school, when he used specialized software to create 3D models of props found in movies or video games from paper. “That’s one thing that excited me about being nominated for the Astronaut Scholarship—it mentioned the role of creativity and the artistic aspect of science, which is really cool to see.”

The Astronaut Scholarship includes funding of up to $15,000 toward educational expenses, a paid trip to the ASF Innovators Week and Gala in Orlando in August, where Baggett will receive the award, and lifelong mentoring and engagement opportunities with the astronauts, Astronaut Scholar alumni, industry leaders and the ASF.

“Chance’s commitment to a research career, and his pursuit of research opportunities in mathematics and physics since his first year at SU, made him an excellent candidate for the Astronaut Scholarship,” says Jolynn Parker, director of the .  “We’re delighted this award will support him in the work he aims to do in soft matter physics.”

Studying remotely in his first year at Syracuse, Baggett became interested in theoretical particle physics and conducted research with . After taking nuclear physics, he embarked on a research project modeling gamma flux through lead using Geant4 software simulations. This work culminated in an oral presentation at the Syracuse Office of Undergraduate Research and Creative Engagement (SOURCE) Research Festival this past spring, where Baggett illustrated a counterintuitive relationship between particle flux and lead thickness.

For the next phase of his research career, Baggett will continue his exploration of soft matter physics and hopes to pursue study in atomic molecular and optical (AMO) physics at the graduate level. This summer, he received funding to conduct a National Science Foundation REU (research experience for undergraduates) project on theoretical ultracold atomic physics at Washington State University and plans to use the opportunity to explore the critical role that atomic physics plays in nano-scale origami mechanisms.

“I really love physics, and even after four years of studying, it feels like I’m only at the surface,” Baggett says. “I’m still itching to learn more, and there’s so much more to explore, so I’m compelled to keep learning physics for as long as I can.”

“The 2023 Class of Astronaut Scholars is truly exceptional and embodies the passion, dedication and innovation that will propel us into the future of STEM,” says Caroline Schumacher, ASF’s president and CEO. “We are excited to support these outstanding individuals in their endeavors and cannot wait to witness their achievements as the game-changers of tomorrow.”

Created in 1984, ASF awarded its first seven scholarships in honor of its founding members, Scott Carpenter, Gordon Cooper, John Glenn, Virgil “Gus” Grissom, Walter Schirra, Alan Shepard and Deke Slayton. Each founding member sponsored a $1,000 scholarship and began to fundraise to support future scholarships by donating proceeds from their speaking engagements. The incredible efforts of these legends have shaped ASF’s mission to support and reward exceptional college students pursuing degrees in STEM fields. Over the past 39 years, more than $8.3 million has been awarded to nearly 800 students.

As a university partner of the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation, Syracuse University can nominate two students for the Astronaut Scholarship each year. Interested students should contact CFSA for information on the nomination process (cfsa@syr.edu; 315.443.2759). More information on the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation can be found on .

On the evening of Jan. 4, Hupp received a phone call from the producers of the nationally syndicated weeknight favorite “Jeopardy!,” inviting him to be a contestant on an upcoming episode.

Hupp with “Jeopardy!” host and legendary former contestant Ken Jennings (Photo courtesy of Hupp)

“I immediately called my HR representative from Syracuse and asked how big of a deal it would be if I took three vacation days the week after I started to compete on ‘Jeopardy!’” Hupp says, as one does if they are a lifelong quiz bowl and trivia nerd whose presence has been requested at the mecca—the Alex Trebek Stage at Sony Pictures Studios in Culver City, California.

Last week, Hupp’s appearance aired and viewers across the country watched him swiftly defeat his opponents on the Monday, April 24, episode and win a final take-home prize of $21,999. He was a returning champion on the episode airing Tuesday, April 25—but ultimately fell victim to some tough competition and a high-risk wager on Final Jeopardy, ending the night with $0 after a clue about ’80s television in the category TV History wound up being a “triple stumper,” meaning all three contestants got the question wrong.

Sporting a blue and orange striped tie in one episode and an Orange Block S pin on the second episode, Hupp proudly represented Syracuse during his two-day run on the popular quiz show. “I went in it without any expectations about winning or what the experience was going to be like. I was just thrilled for the chance to be on the show and wanted to have some fun,” says Hupp, who relocated from Little Rock, Arkansas, to Syracuse earlier this year to join the VPA team and be closer to family.

Surprisingly, Hupp is not a lifelong “Jeopardy!” aficionado—he actually didn’t watch the program regularly before he found out he was going to be a contestant. Instead, he cut his trivia teeth as the captain of his elementary, middle and high school quiz bowl teams, at quiz bowl camp and playing bar trivia.

“My senior year we won the Arkansas Quiz Bowl State Championship, the first in my school’s history, and went on to nationals,” Hupp says. “Since then, I’ve also played enough bar trivia to pay for a few drinks with my winnings over the years. So even though I wasn’t really into ‘Jeopardy!,’ people had of course been telling me my whole life that I ought to try out for the show.”

He eventually did and after taking the Anytime Test, several rounds of Zoom auditions and screen testing, Hupp got the call to be on the show on that fateful day in January.

“Once you get notified that you are in the pool [of contestants], you have 12 months to be called to be on the show—or not,” Hupp says. “If you aren’t called in those 12 months, you have to start the whole process over, beginning with the Anytime Test.”

Hupp

He says in conversing with others who were filming with him in California, he realized most “Jeopardy!” contestants had been trying to get on the show for years, sometimes decades. “I could sense they were kind of seething behind the eyes when they found out I got on the show on the first try,” he jokes. “But ultimately the other contestants helped make it such a blast. We got to hang out on the day of filming and rehearse together and see all the bells and whistles at the studio. It was one of the most amazing experiences of my life.”

Leading up to and since his appearance, Hupp has become a huge fan of the show. To prepare for his appearance, he even downloaded the PlutoTV app, which has a 24/7 “Jeopardy!” channel.

“I thought from a knowledge standpoint that I knew what I knew at that point—sports, geography, history, things like that. I knew I wasn’t going to become an expert in French authors overnight, so I didn’t try to do any rote memorization,” he says. “But I did watch ‘Jeopardy!’ reruns in every bit of free time I had in the month between when I knew I was going to be on the show and when my episode filmed.” Watching old episodes helped him get a sense of the rhythm of the show, how clues are phrased and strategies for how to play.

Although his diligent preparation did not protect him from being defeated in the second game, Hupp says he is pleased with his performance. “I won some cash, I didn’t totally embarrass myself with any of my responses, and I got to spend some time in February in California where it was 75 and sunny rather than being in gray and snowy Syracuse,” he says. “I have zero regrets about the entire thing—except wishing that I had any conception of what the TV show ‘Hawaii Five-O’ was.”

Brianna Sclafani

As a student in the joint J.D./M.P.A. degree program, Brianna Sclafani L’23, G’23 doesn’t find herself with a lot of free time for extracurricular activities.

But when she found out about the University’s (CRB), an independent advisory council comprising students, faculty, staff and administrators that provides community oversight of the , she knew she wanted to serve her fellow students and the campus at large by getting involved in its work.

As the board got off the ground in fall 2021, Sclafani was nominated as the law student representative, then voted in by the board as its inaugural chair, playing a key leadership role during the first two years of the board’s operation.

The CRB is tasked with reviewing appeals of civilian complaints regarding DPS officer conduct; reviewing and commenting on any new prospective DPS policies, procedures and trainings; and issuing an annual public report of findings and recommendations to the University community.

“What the CRB is and what it really boils down to is an independent body focused on making sure that our community members feel like their voices are heard when it comes to dealing with the Department of Public Safety,” Sclafani says.

University community members can do just that with two upcoming opportunities to get involved:

• The CRB will host its annual open forum on March 22 from 6 to 7 p.m. in the Underground in Schine Student Center. Board members will give a brief overview of the CRB and its work to date, then allow time for students, faculty and staff to share their experiences with DPS and ask thoughtful questions.
• Several board positions are vacant for the upcoming (2023-24) academic year. Students (undergraduate, graduate and law), faculty, staff and administrators interested in serving on the board can apply this spring. More information will be shared via email.

Check out episode 133 of the “’Cuse Conversations” podcast, where Sclafani discusses her experiences as a law and graduate student, her work with the CRB and how community members can get involved in this work. A transcript [PDF] is also available.

“I would recommend anyone who’s interested in serving their community at large apply,” Sclafani says, noting that no prior experience or interest in law enforcement, criminal justice or community policing is required. “All you need to have is an interest in serving your community, in serving the Syracuse University members who potentially come forth in front of this board unhappy with something that has happened.”

Those with questions about the CRB are invited to email CRB@syr.edu.

Jessica McGhee ’19

Her resume would reveal a 2019 B.F.A. recipient from the College of Visual and Performing Arts (VPA), a current graduate student in VPA’s art therapy program, an intern with a local hospital, an aspiring nonprofit leader, and a volunteer, instructor and arts programming coordinator with La Casita Cultural Center.

But she might describe herself in different terms—as a lifelong artist, a people watcher, a witness and observer of beauty, a survivor of intimate partner violence and sexual trauma, and an adamant believer in the power of art therapy.

“I love seeing the beauty in people, and oftentimes they cannot see it in themselves. I feel like being as I’m able to see it, it’s my job to communicate it,” McGhee says.

An artist from a young age, she is primarily a painter of surrealist landscapes, often created with mixed medias and on material that would otherwise be disposed of. Her work, with titles like “Roots,” “Mother Sun,” “Self-Actualization” and “On Coexistence,” evokes spirituality, connection to nature, self-expression, exploration of race and the prevalence of inner strength.

“My art has always tried to show people their value, the complexity of life, the complexity of existence in this physical place,” she says.

“On Coexistence” (mixed media on wood) by Jessica McGhee (Photo courtesy of the artist)

Art as a Therapeutic Intervention

Perhaps it was destiny that in 2019, the year McGhee graduated with a B.F.A., VPA announced the launch of its M.S. program in art therapy, housed in the Department of Creative Arts Therapy. She was intrigued by the program and eventually became part of its , beginning in the Fall 2021 semester.

McGhee says the program puts terminology and theory to what she felt she was already doing through her creative pursuits.

“Before I started the program, I feel I was doing art therapy with myself—but not fully understanding what was coming out,” she says. “I always learned a lot from my art and my creative investigation, but being in the program ties everything together and makes a lot of sense.”

Currently, McGhee puts theory into practice as an intern with a local hospital’s inpatient substance use disorder unit. She designed and facilitates a 28-day art therapy program that complements other treatment modalities for people with alcohol and substance use disorders.

Her clients receive support as they stabilize, build self-worth and find self-forgiveness, all critical to the recovery process, through principles of art therapy. “I teach about symbolism and metaphor, and it comes through in their artwork in ways that are so insightful,” McGhee says.

Based on her belief that substance use disorders are often a maladaptive response to trauma, McGhee emphasizes the importance of self-expression in healing and hopes to inspire others to find their purpose through art therapy.

“Once an individual can let go of all of the suffering and pain and actually start to investigate and get curious about their own interests, that’s when self-actualization comes to play,” she says.

Broadening her work beyond the hospital setting, McGhee holds multiple roles with , including volunteering with an Arts as Mindfulness group run by fellow art therapy student Bennie Guzman. The program is for adults to enjoy a space for creativity and self-reflection, build on community, manage stress and develop their creative expression.

“I teach different coping skills, meditation, strengths-based exercises and creative investigation into the self,” McGhee says. She is currently planning a community care workshop on April 3 at the .

Integrative Modalities

While art therapy is her main focus, McGhee incorporates other healing modalities into her work with clients and in the community.

Influenced by the principles of somatic therapy—which draws connections between emotions and where they are experienced in the physical body—she incorporates principles of vipassana (a Buddhist meditation technique), body scans, nature-based therapy and strengths assessments (she is fond of the ).

She explains that our emotional memories, particularly memories of traumatic origin, tend to be stored in the part of our brain that is non-verbal, or in the body, and surface later through these non-verbal realms—so practices that get us out of our brains and more connected to our bodies can help.

“All of those emotions and feelings, everything that’s going on inside of you, all of that nonverbal suffering… you can externalize it,” McGhee says. “In talk therapy, oftentimes you can re-experience the moment, and it can be re-traumatizing each time you bring it out of your mouth. But if you’re putting it on paper as it feels inside of you, then you’re actually exercising those emotions. You’re analyzing them, you’re investigating them, but you aren’t reprocessing that exact moment of trauma.”

Therapeutic Works on Display

Earlier this year, McGhee was invited to show her artwork at the University’s 38th Annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration as part of the held in the Club 44 VIP lounge in the JMA Wireless Dome.

“Never had I imagined I would be a part of something so big and so amazing,” she says of the experience, noting how surreal it was for her to see her art displayed on the JMA Dome’s giant videoboards. McGhee curated nine original works for the celebration, which welcomed over 2,000 students, faculty, staff and community members on Jan. 22.

The event was envisioned as a way for participants to celebrate the richness of Syracuse’s culture and beauty, in reflection of the theme of this year’s MLK Celebration, “Civil Rights and the City of Syracuse.” McGhee exhibited alongside fellow artists David R. MacDonald, Jaleel Campbell and Vanessa Johnson. Two pieces exhibited—“Self Actualization” (mixed media on a wood triptych) and “Rebirth” (mask)—were created as response art to her therapeutic work.

McGhee connects with a community member at the 2023 MLK Celebration in Club 44 of the JMA Wireless Dome. (Photo by Amelia Beamish)

“I was honored to be a part of the exhibition—it made me feel really wonderful,” McGhee says.

In the Works: Nonprofit Community Retreat Center

Upon graduating from the art therapy program next May, McGhee has aspirations to launch a Syracuse-based nonprofit offering alternative therapy services in a retreat-based setting to trauma survivors, regardless of their ability to pay. She and business partner Azra Gradincic have begun laying the groundwork to bring this dream to fruition.

The nonprofit, tentatively named , will offer inclusive access to integrative, holistic healing. Their ambition is to remove the financial barriers that often accompany retreat-style healing settings by offering a sliding-scale or free financial model, while also accepting Medicaid, Medicare and private insurance.

“I see a secure setting where people can heal and rebuild and have dedicated break time, when they aren’t trying to survive their day-to-day life, but can really focus on their personal needs and healing,” McGhee says.

McGhee with her painting “Lexical Priming” (mixed media on wood) at the 2023 MLK Celebration. (Photo by Angela Ryan)

To learn more about McGhee, visit . Her work is currently on display at (400 S. Salina St., Syracuse), Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and she plans to exhibit at La Casita later this spring.

Diane Schenandoah

Firmly rooted in her Haudenosaunee heritage—her mother was a clan mother of Oneida Nation’s wolf clan; her father an Onondaga Nation chief—Schenandoah brings teachings of gratitude, faith, peace and inner resilience to students who meet with her. A wide range of healing modalities, including energy work and acupressure, art therapy, dream interpretation, tuning forks, and ritualistic smudging with sage and tobacco, are included in the toolkit she uses to help students find their center in today’s hectic world.

Schenandoah has also brought various Haudenosaunee ceremonies, customs, learning opportunities and events to campus since joining the staff—including a monthly full moon ceremony (the next one is on  ), monthly and the introduction of sage and print copies of the Thanksgiving address in the Barnes Center pharmacy.

With November marking the celebration of Native Heritage Month, we invited Schenandoah to join the “’Cuse Conversations” podcast, where she shares about her life growing up on Oneida Nation lands with her close-knit family; her spiritual principles and practices; her role as faithkeeper; her art and singing careers; and her experience at Syracuse since joining the team at the Barnes Center.

Students interested in scheduling an appointment with Schenandoah are encouraged to call the Barnes Center at 315.443.8000 or send her an email.

Check out episode 123 of the “’Cuse Conversations” podcast featuring Schenandoah. A transcript [PDF] is also available.

After introductory remarks from current and former leadership of the Lender Center for Social Justice and a video welcome message from Marvin ’63 and Helaine ’65 Lender, who founded the center and continue to fund its work, a panel discussion commenced.

Sitting on that panel were Jaz Brisack, an organizer with Starbucks Workers United; Chris Smalls, president and founder of the Amazon Labor Union (ALU); and Johnnie Kallas, a former labor organizer and current Ph.D. candidate in Cornell University’s School of Industrial and Labor Relations (ILR) and director of the . Jenny Breen, associate professor in the College of Law, moderated the discussion.

From left: Katie Mott, Ph.D. candidate in sociology; Professor Gretchen Purser; Jaz Brisack; Chris Smalls and Johnnie Kallas (Photo by Angela Ryan)

A Pivotal Moment for Labor: Recent Starbucks, Amazon Victories

Brisack, who led the campaign that resulted in the first unionized Starbucks store in the country, told the audience of her journey as an organizer and the momentum Starbucks Workers United has built since Buffalo’s Elmwood Avenue store voted for a union in December 2021. Since then, workers at more than 240 corporate-owned Starbucks locations have voted to unionize.

“There’s no such thing as an unorganized workplace—there’s only workplaces that haven’t been organized yet,” Brisack said. She spoke about the importance of community-based action and the need to “make it socially unacceptable to be a union-buster.”

She also hypothesized that one of the factors that has benefited the success of Starbucks employees who have chosen to organize is that the company does not live up to the corporate values they espouse.

“Starbucks [employees] are 70% women and overwhelmingly LGTBQ. … There is a kind of culture at Starbucks that they create and say that they believe in, which is, ‘We’re a safe space for queer people,’ ‘We’re in support of Black Lives Matter,’ ‘We believe in the planet and the environment,’ and people came to work at Starbucks because they believed in those things,” Brisack said.

Partners (Starbucks’ term for its employees) are then disappointed to find out that the company’s actions behind closed doors don’t match the values it claims to hold. “But they are motivated to try to make it that, instead of just leaving—which I think is really conducive to organizing,” Brisack said.

Former five-year Amazon employee Smalls described the poor working conditions that led to his new job as labor union leader, saying, “What goes on behind the scenes is pretty much intolerable. It’s really inhumane. Work is work. 10 to 12 hours. For example, in Staten Island, they commute two and a half hours each way. They’re on their feet. I used to tell my new hires, ‘if you have a gym membership, you might want to cancel it.’

“Amazon warehouses are the size of nearly 14 NFL football fields, over a million square feet long. You don’t have time to go to the restroom because every restroom is about 10 minutes away. You’re tracked from the moment you clock in until the time you clock out. You have to have a rate, an hourly rate in my department alone was 400 items an hour—meaning by the end of the day you’re touching over 4,000 packages. If you don’t make that rate, you are replaced. They will fire you.”

In addition to sharing his experience as an Amazon warehouse employee, Smalls discussed his journey since he was fired in March 2020 after organizing a walkout to protest lack of proper safety protocols early in the COVID-19 pandemic.

He went on to found his first activist organization, the Congress of Essential Workers, and then the ALU in April of 2021. A year later, in April 2022, Amazon employees at its Staten Island warehouse became the first unionized Amazon employees in the country.

“We still have a long way to go. This is very much still the beginning,” Smalls said in regard to the ALU victory earlier this year. “It’s going to take a lot more than unionizing and winning campaigns. We’re going to need political support, we’re going to need community support, we’re going to need the support of consumers.”

Smalls said the key to ALU’s victory in Staten Island was building up relationships with workers and connecting with one another on a human-to-human level. “We weren’t going to defeat Amazon by money. It’s a trillion-dollar company. So the only thing we had was love and respect for one another and care for one another,” he said. “[Our victory] showed and proved that no amount of money in the world can stop the power of people when they come together.”

Labor Action Tracker Director Offers Historical Context, Data

The third panelist, Kallas, who worked as a labor organizer prior to undertaking his current work at Cornell, brought an academic lens to the conversation and provided an overview of the history behind the decline of the labor movement in the U.S. since the 1980s.

He also brought the data, sharing statistics from the ILR Labor Action Tracker, which aims to document the full scope of strikes, work stoppages and labor protests across the country while amplifying the voices of striking workers. Kallas said his comprehensive database of strike activity shows a more detailed view than labor data tracked by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

He juxtaposed the current labor movement against earlier points in history, saying, “We’re not in the same situation we were in in the 1970s. It’s much harder to organize, it’s much harder to go out on strike. Workers face considerably more obstacles to engaging and organizing activities and strikes. … But we are very much in a transformative moment for the labor movement.”

Protecting Commerce or Protecting Workers?

The evening culminated with a book talk with keynote speaker Erica Smiley, executive director of Jobs With Justice and co-author of the recently released “The Future We Need: Organizing for a Better Democracy in the Twenty-First Century,” with Sarita Gupta. Smiley (and all three panelists) noted the flaws in current U.S. labor law; the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA), which is rife with exclusions and loopholes; and how its oversight agency, the National Labor Relations Board, is understaffed and underfunded.

Erica Smiley, executive director of Jobs With Justice and co-author of “The Future We Need: Organizing for a Better Democracy in the Twenty-First Century” (Photo by Angela Ryan)

Early in her presentation, Smiley showed a slide with the preamble to the NLRA, positioning it as “an act to diminish the causes of labor disputes burdening or obstructing interstate and foreign commerce, to create a National Labor Relations Board, and for other purposes.”

“The goal is protecting commerce, to keep commerce moving. Labor peace. Does that sound like workers’ rights to you?” she asked the crowd.

Smiley centers the labor movement in the fight for racial justice and gender equality, which she says is a winning strategy over centering the movement on political party lines or a red-state/blue-state dichotomy. Her belief is that workers’ rights are much more firmly rooted in the Reconstruction (13th, 14th and 15th) amendments than in the NLRA.

“If we think about labor law from this context, we can understand a lot better that it’s actually something that should be foundational to democracy. And that we need to reshape it in a way that is actually about democracy—not just keeping commerce going,” Smiley said.

Gretchen Purser, associate professor of sociology in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs and co-director of the Lender Center, who organized this year’s Lender Center Conversation, said that nearly 300 people registered for the event, a clear indication of the surging interest in dialogue and action around labor and workers’ rights, with unions currently at their highest approval rating in over 50 years.

During the event’s intermission, local groups tabled in Dineen Hall and participants were encouraged to create signs in solidarity with the labor movement. (Photo by Angela Ryan)

As an academic, Purser’s research focuses on work and labor disparities, urban poverty, law and punishment, housing and homelessness and community-based action. She also chairs the board of the Workers’ Center of Central New York, grounding her in the day-to-day work to further labor rights and economic justice.

Purser kicked off the event with a labor acknowledgment, stating, “We must acknowledge that all wealth is created by labor. Our country’s economic growth and development was made possible by the forced labor of enslaved Africans and their descendants, as well as the exploited labor of immigrants. Our institutions rely upon and are organized around the unrecognized and unpaid labor of caregivers. We must acknowledge that we are indebted to the labor and sacrifice of all those who came before us and who, across time and space, in however horrific of circumstances, have organized to improve conditions for workers and secure dignity at work.”

To learn more about upcoming events at the Lender Center for Social Justice, . Members of the University community can also email lendercenter@syr.edu to join the center’s email list.

At a strapping and formidable 6-foot 2, William was a “man of the land.” He loved working with his hands and being with the earth. While he valued the small things like cleaning your plate or writing with impeccable penmanship, above all, William was fiercely committed to three things: his close-knit family, his beloved country, and his fellow Jewish service members.

As a young child, Sara remembers learning from her grandfather how to properly salute, raise, lower and fold the American flag. While he walked with a limp and would eventually need the assistance of a cane later in life, she remembers William seemingly always out in his fields digging and bringing back fresh fruits and vegetables.

“My grandfather was so patriotic. As the son of Jewish immigrants who fled the pogroms in Russia, he really saw the United States as a safe haven and as a land of opportunity,” Sara says. “He was thankful to have a home here, and the freedom to practice his religion. And his military service was a huge point of pride.”

While still a teenager, William graduated from the New York State Ranger School (part of the New York State College of Forestry at Syracuse University) in 1914 and would later enlist in the U.S. Army in 1917.

He served his country in World War I as a sergeant in the 4th Infantry Division, known as the “Ivy Division,” a play on the Roman numeral IV. Demonstrating extraordinary bravery during a long-fought battle in 1918 near Bazoches, France, William repeatedly put his life on the line, leaving his cover and crossing open space multiple times to rescue the wounded. Despite exposing himself to heavy machine gun and rifle fire, he managed to save three injured comrades. As a result, he was honored with a Distinguished Service Cross, Purple Heart and numerous other awards and clasps—but at the time, was denied the Medal of Honor due to his Jewish faith.

A new book, “The Ivy Hero: The Brave Life of Sergeant William Shemin” (City Point Press, 2022), authored by Sara and her cousin, Dan Burstein, shares William’s story—from his earliest years on the Lower East Side to his military service and time at Syracuse University, to the 15-year fight of his daughter Elsie Shemin-Roth ’51 for William to be posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. He is the only known graduate of Syracuse University to have received the distinction.

Universal Themes: Discrimination, Tenacity, Bravery

While the book, whose target audience is middle-school-age readers, tells William’s unique story, Sara says she and Burstein were motivated to write it because of the universal themes evident in his experience. “The book is about William and his family values—but it’s also about discrimination, it’s about immigration, it’s about tenacity, it’s about bravery,” she says. “We thought it carried a broader message that people outside of our immediate family would be interested in.”

The lives of Henry Johnson (left) and William Shemin are permanently linked by both their immense bravery during World War I and the discrimination they faced after the war. (Photo courtesy of the Shemin family)

“The Ivy Hero” is peppered with family anecdotes and photos, helpful definitions and a glossary of terms, beautiful illustrations by Gary Bullock, important lessons, and thought-provoking questions for readers. There is even a curriculum available on the that schools can use.

The book also shares the story of fellow WWI veteran Henry Johnson (1892-1929), a member of the U.S. Army’s all-Black 369th Infantry Regiment, the Harlem Hellfighters.

Although the two never met, Henry and William’s lives became inextricably linked in 2015 when both men were posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor nearly 100 years after their military service. Henry had been denied the honor because he was Black, despite displaying incredible bravery fighting alongside French soldiers on behalf of the Allies in 1918-19.

“We thought it was incredibly important to include Henry’s story in the book, because discrimination is discrimination—and unfortunately it comes in all different forms,” says Sara. “As my family was working to have my grandfather recognized [with the Medal of Honor], we learned that Senator Chuck Schumer was also pursuing recognition for Henry Johnson. He didn’t have any living relatives that could be tracked down, so we decided to adopt his cause as our own. We decided that whenever we talked about William Shemin, we would also tell Henry Johnson’s story, including in this book.”

Making Sure Our Heroes’ Stories Are Told

When William and Henry were finally at the White House on June 2, 2015, President Barack Obama spoke extensively about the importance of righting wrongs.

“It has taken a long time for Henry Johnson and William Shemin to receive the recognition they deserve. And there are surely others whose heroism is still unacknowledged and uncelebrated,” Obama said. “We have work to do, as a nation, to make sure that all our heroes’ stories are told. And we’ll keep at it, no matter how long it takes. America is the country we are today because of people like Henry and William—Americans who signed up to serve and rose to meet their responsibilities—and then went beyond. The least we can do is to say: We know who you are. We know what you did for us. We are forever grateful.”

VIDEO: Check out the story of World War I Medal of Honor Recipient William Shemin, as recounted by his daughter Elsie Shemin-Roth ’51.

(Video courtesy of the Medal of Honor Society)

From left: Ina Shemin-Bass ’53, Elsie Shemin-Roth ’51 (William’s daughters) and President Barack Obama at the Medal of Honor Ceremony in June 2015. (Photo courtesy of the Shemin family)

Asked what she thought her grandfather’s reaction would have been if he was in the room that day with President Obama and sixty of his family members, his two daughters squeezing one another’s hands while tearfully and joyfully accepting the Medal of Honor on his behalf, Sara carefully considers.

“He never would’ve thought he was discriminated against or that the military did anything to overlook him. He was happy with the medals that he had,” she says. “But I think he would’ve been full of pride. He wasn’t a man to show a lot of emotion, but the ceremony, being at the White House, getting that recognition … I think he would’ve cracked a little, gotten a little teary-eyed. He was so proud of and thankful for this country that he was willing to sacrifice his life for it.”

Post-Military Life and Legacy at Syracuse

William returned from the war in 1919 and enrolled in the New York State College of Forestry at Syracuse University (now the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry) on a full scholarship. Reconnecting with his love of plants and his passion for the land at Syracuse, William went on to start a successful nursery and landscaping business in the Bronx, New York.

His time at Syracuse also ignited generations of Orange pride. All three of William’s children—Elsie Shemin-Roth ’51, the late Emmanuel “Manny” Shemin ’52, former University Trustee, and Ina Shemin-Bass ’53—studied at the University, as well as one of his granddaughters (Leslie Shemin-Lester ’84) and four of his great-grandchildren (Rachel Forman ’05, William Cass ’08, Samuel Cass ’13 and Scott Bass ’15).

The Shemin family has been interwoven with the University community in myriad ways for over one hundred years. A tribute to William and his service and some of his personal memorabilia are on display alongside other military-affiliated heroes in the Hall of Honor in the National Veterans Resource Center at the Daniel and Gayle D’Aniello Building.

The Shemin family’s generosity is further evidenced by their support of numerous philanthropic initiatives, including but not limited to the Shemin Family Lecture Series, the Emanuel and Rhoda Shemin Auditorium in the Shaffer Art Building, the Rhoda Shemin Student Lounge in the Winnick Hillel Center for Jewish Life, the Manny Shemin Resource Room in the Stevenson Education Center at Manley Field House, and the Shemin Micro-Grant Fund within the Institute for Veterans and Military Families. William Cass ’08, great-grandson of William Shemin, serves as a member of the Young Whitman Advisory Council and supports various initiatives at the Whitman School and the D’Aniello Institute for Veterans and Military Families.

“The Ivy Hero” is and will be released on Nov. 8, 2022.

“Gayaneñhsä•ʔgo•nah” (Guy-AH-na Set GO-na, which translates to “the Great Law of Peace”), created by artist Brandon “Ganyada•kda” Lazore, Onondaga Nation, snipe clan, is situated on the southeast corner of the Quad outside Bowne Hall and across from the Orange Grove.

The artwork is the focal point of a larger installation that serves to acknowledge, in an enduring and prominent way, the relationship between Syracuse University and the Onondaga Nation and the University’s presence on ancestral land.

Members of the campus community will have the opportunity to view the artwork at an on Indigenous Peoples Day, Monday, Oct. 10, at noon.

Lazore’s artwork appears on the other side of this representation of the Hiawatha Wampum Belt, used as the Haudeonsaunee flag.

The ceremony will include the delivery of a Thanksgiving Address by Tadodaho Sidney Hill, Onondaga Nation, and remarks by Chancellor Kent Syverud, Lazore, and Syracuse University staff and alumni who have worked to bring this project to life, including Tammy Bluewolf-Kennedy ’04, G’10 (Office of Admissions) and Danielle Smith ’18, G’20, Onondaga Nation, hawk clan. American Sign Language (ASL) translation will be provided and a tent will be available in case of inclement weather.

The commissioning of “Gayaneñhsä•ʔgo•nah” was advocated for by a dedicated group of students, staff and alumni—including representatives from Indigenous Students at Syracuse (ISAS), the Native Student Program and the Ongwehonwe Alumni Association—to provide additional context and awareness of the that is read aloud at all public University events. Its intention is to honor the Onondaga Nation and its past, present and future on these lands, and to invite reflection and action that fosters meaningful and accountable relationships and opportunities that extend to all.

The artwork by Lazore, a respected and self-taught local artist known for his signature style blending graffiti art with elements of traditional Haudenosaunee culture, was selected by students and alumni after he responded to a call for artist submissions.

Lazore says “Gayaneñhsä•ʔgo•nah” attempts to educate viewers on a deeper and lesser-known version of history while celebrating the vast contributions of Haudenosaunee peoples to concepts critical to what is now known as the United States—including democracy, peace, harmony, respect for nature and women’s rights.

“I named it ‘Gayaneñhsä•ʔgo•nah’ because the story of the Peacemaker and our formation as a Confederacy is really at the center of the art,” Lazore says. “For the rest of the painting, I showed some of what came about as a result of this peace and unity—the influence that our people had on the forming of the United States, our meetings with the founding fathers, our impact on the women’s rights movement, a nod to lacrosse,  which is a big part of our creation story, and our connection to land, nature and the elements.”

The landscape immediately surrounding “Gayaneñhsä•ʔgo•nah” was also carefully re-thought under this project. White pines, purple and white flowers and granite—including six granite pillars representing the six nations comprising the Haudenosaunee Confederacy—were selected for the site to not only withstand the elements of Central New York but to articulate a connection to the natural world.

“Brandon Lazore’s extraordinary artwork will spark and sustain thought, dialogue, and action for generations to come,” says the Rev. Brian Konkol, dean of Hendricks Chapel, who has helped facilitate the project. “To witness the dedicated efforts and generous teamwork of students, alumni, faculty and staff was an honor, and such strong support from the Onondaga Nation and Syracuse University inspires a great deal of hope.”

Also on Oct. 10, students, faculty and staff are invited to a , founding assistant director of the Native Student Program in Multicultural Affairs. The celebration of Jones’ nearly 33-year career at Syracuse University will be held from 1 to 3 p.m. in the Shaffer Art Building’s Galleria Atrium.

Then, from 3 to 5 p.m., all are invited to . The celebration will acknowledge the sovereignty and history of Indigenous peoples of the Americas and includes a social dance of Haudenosaunee singers and dancers while teaching and learning about Indigenous history.

While these statistics may seem quite high, they are also proof that if you struggle with high blood pressure or prediabetes, you are not alone. The even better news is that there is evidence that enacting simple—but not always easy—changes to your lifestyle can help manage these conditions and prevent them from escalating.

Two programs offered through the Syracuse University Wellness Initiative this fall are designed to help benefits-eligible faculty and staff redefine their health and transform their life: the Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) and Blood Pressure Self-Monitoring Program (BPSM), both launching in October. Read on to learn more about these programs and how staff members have benefited from prior participation.

A Holistic Approach to Diabetes Prevention

When Stefania Ianno signed up for the DPP last year, she was intrigued by the program’s yearlong approach. She knew that for her own success, health and wellness needed to be an ongoing lifestyle and not a yo-yo dieting experiment.

“I was compelled to sign up for the DPP because it approaches health from many angles: movement and exercise; food and nutrition; and the mental/emotional aspects of motivation and discipline,” says Ianno, assistant director of development for Syracuse Stage.

The DPP is a small-group program offered in partnership with the YMCA of Central New York. It requires a 12-month commitment with 26 one-hour sessions over the course of the year. Sessions are facilitated by Stephanie Michaels, a YMCA lifestyle coach, and dive deep into the science of diabetes prevention while also offering participants practical, everyday strategies for eating healthier, increasing their physical activity and losing weight.

The program also includes a free YMCA family membership for the first 20 weeks, which can be used at any of six locations across Central New York. “Access to the YMCA was particularly awesome and very motivating—I was able to get on a better schedule of incorporating movement into my weekly activities,” says Ianno.

She found the resources provided, including education on topics she did not previously know much about and tracking mechanisms for food and activity, to be helpful, as well as periodic check-ins with Michaels to provide a touchpoint on her progress.

The upcoming DPP begins Oct. 11 and meets on Tuesdays from noon to 1 p.m. in the Hall of Languages, room 500. The program is for adults who have prediabetes or are at risk for developing type 2 diabetes, but who do not already have diabetes. There is a personal investment of $200 that is deducted via payroll and eligible for full reimbursement once the participant has met certain attendance criteria and action items.

Staying Ahead of Hypertension

Research shows that the simple process of checking and recording blood pressure at least twice a week may help lower blood pressure in people with high blood pressure. There is evidence that proper nutrition, particularly reducing sodium, can help lower diastolic and systolic blood pressure.

Participants in the Wellness Initiative’s BPSM, also offered in partnership with the YMCA of Central New York, receive a free blood pressure cuff that they can use at home for twice-weekly readings.

Over four months, they practice home self-monitoring and participate in one-on-one check-ins with Michaels on Microsoft Teams, as well as monthly one-hour seminars on topics like lowering sodium intake, shopping, preparing and cooking food for blood pressure management, and heart-healthy eating.

Derek Pooley, assistant director for student success in the College of Engineering and Computer Science, participated in a prior offering of the BPSM and says the program taught him new information that has been key to managing his diagnosis of high blood pressure.

“The different tips and conversations I had with Stephanie got me thinking about different ways to hydrate, sleep and eat better,” Pooley says. “I didn’t realize how much hydration affects blood pressure, so I drink way more water now than I did before!”

Pooley says he saw his blood pressure decrease over the course of the program and he still uses the blood pressure cuff he received to continue his home self-monitoring. “I would absolutely recommend this program to other faculty and staff members,” he says. “I took my blood pressure three times per week, had a weekly meeting to talk about different methods to lower it and tried the suggestions offered. It was simple and effective.”

The upcoming installment of the BPSM begins Oct. 3 and runs through January. There is a $60 personal investment via payroll deduction, with the opportunity for a full reimbursement upon successful completion of the program.

To learn more about the Diabetes Prevention and Blood Pressure Self-Monitoring programs, including qualifying criteria and full schedules for participation, visit the .

Chief Craig Stone (Photo by Jeremy Brinn)

What does it take to keep 21,000-plus students safe on a thriving residential campus in the heart of an urban area? We attempt to answer this question and others on the latest episode of “’Cuse Conversations” featuring Associate Vice President and Chief of Campus Safety and Emergency Services Craig Stone. Chief Stone joined the team at Syracuse University this past spring and his team works 24/7/365 to protect our community and ensure the University is a safe place to live, learn and work.

This interview covers his new role and his background in campus safety and law enforcement; the priorities for his tenure as chief; ways the Department of Public Safety (DPS) is inviting community members to engage with it this fall; common misconceptions about DPS; and strategies for protecting yourself and your belongings on campus.

Check out the full podcast with Chief Stone. A transcript [PDF] is also available.

Others may visualize an empty room as a blank canvas, just waiting for a little bit of work and a whole lot of creativity to make it a cozy area that reflects their identity and provides respite after a long day of classes, work and activities.

Zeke Leonard and Amie Freling ’89

As the University prepares for Syracuse Welcome, we tapped two expert designers for insights and inspiration. is an associate professor and associate director of the College of Visual and Performing Arts’ (VPA) School of Design, specializing in environmental and interior design. He is passionate about and conducts research on the role of social responsibility and environmental stewardship in contextually relevant design and fabrication practices.

VPA alumna is an artist, interior designer and owner of Meme Hill Studio in Rochester, New York. She is also a blogger and who has long partnered with such companies as Better Homes and Gardens, HGTV Magazine and Home Goods to bring her “traditional, yet whimsical” design style to life and share it with the masses.

Check out episode 110 of the “’Cuse Conversations” podcast featuring Amie Freling ’89. A transcript is also available.

Whether you’re looking for a few simple ideas to add some pizzazz to your room (on or off campus!) or envision an HGTV-worthy space that provides a picture-perfect backdrop for your college experience, our tips have you covered.

Oh, and in case you haven’t gotten the memo: sustainable design and eco-friendly solutions are always on-trend.

1. Follow the rules.

We’d be remiss if we didn’t start with a disclaimer: If you’re heading to one of our on-campus residence halls or apartments, there are some restrictions on how you can decorate your room and certain items that are not permitted. We highly recommend perusing the from New Student and Family Programs, as well as the before heading to campus. It’s also helpful to understand the , before showing up to campus with a carload of things that you either won’t need or won’t have the space for.

2. Bring some of your favorite items from home.

Before you hit up a big-box store and purchase everything you think you’ll need for your room brand-new, consider what you already have in your room at home. According to Freling, bedding, pillows, bedside lamps and throw rugs from home can all add coziness to your residence hall room with the added benefit of reminding you of home. “You certainly don’t have to go out and buy everything new,” she says.

Leonard says items from home can also constitute what he calls “objects of long-term value,” which you are more likely to keep rather than trash and then replace in the future. “If you bring that pillow that reminds you of your great aunt, or that blanket that you always lie under while you’re watching TV at home, that’s also something that you’re probably not going to then throw away at the end of the year,” he says.

The residence hall room Amie helped her daughter, Chloe, design at Ithaca College. (Photo courtesy of Amie Freling ’89)

3. Remember that space is at a premium.
When you move into a residence hall room, “you’re basically living in a little tiny house with another person,” says Freling with a laugh. It is key to maximize the space you have by finding multipurpose pieces—for example, an ottoman that doubles as a storage cube, a lamp that is also a charging station, or a narrow rolling cart with drawers that can provide both surface and storage space while taking up a relatively small footprint.

Speaking of storage, putting your bed on risers or even cinderblocks can help create more space for stowing luggage, extra clothes or laundry baskets. When Freling decorated her daughter Chloe’s room at Ithaca College ), she even used inexpensive window panels to mimic a bedskirt and conceal items stored under the bed.

4. Shop secondhand, preloved and local.

“Back-to-school annually is a $100 billion retail experience,” says Leonard, noting that it is second only to the winter holidays for retailers in terms of sales. All too often, he says, the school year begins with residence halls overflowing with cardboard, plastic and Styrofoam packaging elements from new items purchased, and ends with dumpster after dumpster filled with the items themselves, many of which are plastic and end up in a landfill.

“Here in Syracuse, we’ve got a really big Salvation Army store. We’ve got a bunch of secondhand stores—315 is one of them, right next to campus. There’s a Habitat for Humanity Restore that has all kind of lamps and stuff,” he says. From a sustainability standpoint, you may also consider bringing only what you absolutely need for day one to campus at move-in, and then picking up items gradually over the first few weeks of the semester—preferably secondhand—as you determine what you truly need to live comfortably in your space.

5. Cardboard, spray paint and the internet are your friends.
There is no shortage of inspiration for turning used wares into the picture-perfect item for your space—we’re pretty sure that is why the internet was invented. Freling says, “I am the queen of DIY—and it doesn’t have to be expensive! I tell everyone to head to Pinterest or just Google ‘dorm rooms,’ there are lots of places to go for inspiration.”

A coat of spray paint is perhaps one of the easiest and cheapest ways to bring new life to a preloved object, such as a desk chair, bedside lamp or small table. (Pro tip: do not use spray paint in your residence hall. Do this outside and before you come to campus!) Spray paint, of course, comes in shades of blue and orange, so this can also be an easy way you show your school spirit.

Leonard says he, too, finds inspiration on social media, using hashtags like #upcycle, #upcycledlighting or #upcycledstorage to gain new ideas. “Searching #cardboardfurniture will get you a ton of really interesting hits,” he says, noting that discarded cardboard will be in abundance as people unpack their store-bought things. “With some Elmer’s glue, cardboard and a craft knife, you can build a storage unit. Add some duct tape, and you’re off to the races.”

6. Let your room be an exploration of your identity.

For many students, especially those entering their first year of college life, decorating and furnishing their residence hall room is an opportunity to showcase their identity and, in some cases, begin to forge a new one. Think about what you value and start there.

A student’s cozy bed was photographed in Day Hall in 2021. (Photo by Marilyn Hesler)

If you value your friends from home or your family’s dog, work pictures of them into your décor (Freling reminds us that these days, photos can be made into everything from magnets to temporary wall clings to an accent pillow). If you value protecting the planet, think about how to reduce your environmental impact, bringing repurposed, preloved or borrowed items and only investing in those “objects of long-term value” if you truly need to buy new things.

“I totally respect that identity-creating is a big part of the college experience,” says Leonard. “But my question would be: ‘Does identity have to be a retail experience? Or can identity creation be really self-driven and be about ‘who am I?’ and not ‘what is someone trying to sell me?’”

Want more tips? Head over to Syracuse University’s TikTok for . Proud of your room’s style? Show off your décor by tagging @SyracuseU on TikTok or Instagram for the chance to be featured.

Together with her parents and six siblings, Thawtheet moved frequently among various refugee camps, where she learned the importance of building community, pursuing new skills and learning new knowledge to improve her life.

“We had to move so many places, and the refugee camps kept getting bigger and bigger. Eventually we became a village with over 100 houses and families,” Thawtheet says. “People would help each other out. Volunteers helped us learn the local language and how to read and write, which was very helpful to teach the next generation.”

It was there that the spark was lit within Thawtheet to keep learning, keep growing and never give up on her dreams. She finished high school in the Mae La refugee camp where she was settled, having developed a strong passion for learning and ambitions for her future.

Having studied biology, chemistry and law, and gaining skills in weaving, sewing and manicuring, Thawtheet says she would “sign up for just about anything, just to get to know something new.” She soon realized that career opportunities would be limited for her within the refugee camps of Thailand, and as the Mae La camp grew more and more crowded, Thawtheet set her sights on a bigger future.

“I told my parents, ‘I just want to go someplace to improve myself, because living here, our life is not going to get any better,’” she says. It took some convincing, but her family began to submit applications to emigrate from Thailand to a new country. “The countries were Australia, Canada, the UK [United Kingdom], the U.S., Korea, Japan…people would just go and apply, they didn’t care where we were going,” Thawtheet says. “The application that drew my name was the United States; and when the papers came, it said my destination was Syracuse, New York. I started asking people around, and no one knew of this place.”

On Sept. 11, 2007, Thawtheet arrived in Syracuse and was immediately captivated by life in America. “When I came here, I looked at everything and thought, ‘oh my goodness, this is so beautiful!’” she says. “And when you need the light, you just turned the light switch on. And then when you need to cook, you just turned the stove knob!”

She knew her family made the right choice and that they would have a better life here. Thawtheet enrolled in English language classes through the Northside CYO and began taking steps toward gainful employment. She worked briefly at the Embassy Suites hotel in Syracuse before her liaison at the Northside CYO encouraged her to apply for a position with Facilities Services at the University. In 2008, she became a member of the custodial staff and has spent the last 14 years growing her career.

Thawtheet is now a respected member of the custodial leadership team, known for her positive attitude and unstoppable work ethic. “As a custodian, Ma had a strong work ethic and incredible dedication to the University and our students,” says Mary Pat Grzymala, senior associate director of Facilities Services. “Her energy and enthusiasm made her rise to the top and take on a leadership role. As a supervisor, she is an excellent mentor and will assist in building a strong team to continue to serve our faculty, staff and students.”

Thawtheet attributes her success to two factors: her passion for learning about the various buildings, machines and tools on campus to excel in her role; and her dedication to working various shifts to gain as much experience and meet as many new people as possible over the years. As the direct supervisor of 30 people, she exemplifies the values of patience, teamwork and kindness, always going the extra mile to make sure her team is well-prepared and well-trained for the job at hand.

“I enjoy coming to work, and I always communicate with my coworkers on the phone or through text message to keep them motivated and informed,” she says. “Some of my teammates have become good friends. On the weekend, we’ll sometimes take our kids to the park and enjoy our days off together.”

She also says that responding to emergency requests from students is one of her favorite parts of the job. “The students go first,” she says. “Any time a customer or a student calls me for something, I’m going to do the job right and I’m training my staff to do it right, too.”

When she first began with the University, Syracuse students even helped Thawtheet improve her English language skills. “I remember, my English was not so good yet. I learned how to speak English by talking to students, talking to my coworkers, different people. I asked them to correct my pronunciation if I got it wrong and to teach me anything that I don’t know!” she says.

“We feel very blessed to have Ma as part of our custodial leadership team. She is an exemplary employee who leads with the compassion and vitality that is essential to this University’s operations and providing a clean and safe environment for everyone to enjoy,” says Pete Sala, senior vice president and chief facilities officer.

According to Thawtheet, she is the blessed one. In fact, she often wears a gold necklace emblazoned with the word Blessed in cursive font. “I count my blessings every single day,” she says. “I love it here. I’m so happy with my job, I love doing it, and I get along with everybody, everywhere I go.”

Team captain Cole Smith, dean of the College of Engineering and Computer Science, accepted an award on behalf of the University for having the largest team from a single organization, beating out other large employers in the area. Jonathan French, assistant teaching professor of chemistry in the College of Arts and Sciences, and Jennifer Collins, budget director for Syracuse University Libraries, held the fastest times among University employees in the men’s and women’s divisions, respectively.

Even those who didn’t place at the top of their division or achieve a personal best time had a whole lot of fun, enjoying food, beverages and photo ops with colleagues before and after a hot and muggy jaunt along the parkway.

Photos by EstherAlice Lopez, staff photographer in the Division of Marketing.

The Orange 5K Crew!

Team captain Cole Smith, dean of the College of Engineering and Computer Science, holds up the award presented to Syracuse University for recruiting the most participants—112!

Funds raised by this year’s event benefited the , which strives to end hunger and homelessness in Syracuse and the surrounding communities. Participants can ; and those interested in participating in the 2023 Workforce Run can look for information to be shared via SU News and SU Today next spring.

Otto helps usher in the JMA Wireless Dome era.

Home to countless athletic competitions, five Orange teams, some of the most memorable moments in collegiate sports history and cherished University traditions.

Host to Commencement, iconic performers, family-friendly entertainment, high school athletic events and graduations for local districts, and even serving as a temporary classroom and testing center amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.

The University’s on-campus stadium may be “just a building”—but for the hundreds of thousands of students, athletes, fans, alumni and employees who have played, performed, cheered, made friends and made history under its roof, it is part of the fabric of this University and the Syracuse community at large.

Last week, the University announced that JMA Wireless, a global leader in the wireless industry and 5G technology headquartered in Syracuse, has entered a 10-year naming rights partnership, ending the 40-year legacy of the Carrier Dome name and ushering in the JMA Wireless Dome era (or JMA Dome for short).

Chancellor Kent Syverud, JMA Wireless Founder and CEO John Mezzalingua, Director of Athletics John Wildhack, Women’s Basketball Coach Felisha Legette-Jack and Chief Facilities Officer Pete Sala spoke at a press event May 19 about the continuing transformation of the JMA Dome, the exhilarating partnership between two organizations committed to the Central New York region, and how it will always be “Dome Sweet Dome.”

Left to right: Director of Athletics John Wildhack, JMA Wireless Founder and CEO John Mezzalingua, Women’s Basketball Coach Felisha Legette-Jack, Chancellor Kent Syverud and Chief Facilities Officer Pete Sala

Here are five takeaways from the event.

1. The technology transformation will be unlike anything we’ve seen before.

As the company that was recently tapped to help prepare SoFi Stadium, home of the NFL’s Los Angeles Rams and host of Super Bowl LVI, with 5G technology, JMA has outfitted venues with some of the most advanced technology available. According to Mezzalingua, “There’s a revolution brewing in sports and 5G is at the heart of it.” Connectivity enhancements within the JMA Dome will help optimize performance (e.g., augmented reality sensors; advanced coaching tools; and ultra-fast communication between players and coaches) and create an elite fan experience that seamlessly integrates the in-person experience with fans’ digital worlds. “This partnership will give the JMA Dome the first and most advanced 5G network of any collegiate stadium in the world,” Mezzalingua said. “It will not only transform the experiences of fans, players and coaches, but it has the potential to supercharge the competitiveness of Syracuse University and create excellence at the level that we all expect.”

2. Our Athletics program will benefit tremendously from this partnership and ongoing investments in the building.

“This announcement, combined with the upcoming renovations to the JMA Dome, sends a very clear message about the future,” Wildhack said. “Syracuse University is committed to its athletics program. We are committed to providing the best experience, competitively and academically, for our student-athletes to compete successfully in the ACC and on a national level.” Or as Coach Legette-Jack put it, “We’re coming and we’re putting you on notice right now, we’re ready to go!”

3. The entire Central New York community will also get a boost.

In addition to being the venue for hundreds of athletic competitions, the JMA Dome will continue to be a hub of activity and catalyst for economic impact for the greater Syracuse community. Chancellor Syverud shared that the Dome brings upwards of 935,000 visitors and more than $240 million in economic activity to the Central New York region each year. “We think these improvements will make it one of the most attractive venues in the world for large crowds to attend, not just for sporting events but for many types of competitions and concerts,” Chancellor Syverud said. “I’ve learned to be very careful in making predictions, but we expect the economic impact to the region to grow significantly with these enhancements.”

4. The University and JMA Wireless both have deep roots in and an unwavering commitment to Syracuse.

The University has long prioritized a mutually beneficial relationship with the City of Syracuse and its surrounding areas—and JMA Wireless is also firmly rooted in Syracuse, founded locally by Central New York native Mezzalingua a decade ago. Earlier this year, the company opened its new campus and the first U.S.-owned 5G manufacturing facility on the city’s South Side. “We hope to see this as just the beginning of a revitalization of Central New York as a national tech hub,” said Mezzalingua. Chancellor Syverud thanked the people of Syracuse and Central New York, saying, “Our communities have never been more intertwined and aligned than they are right now. The JMA Dome is as much a part of Syracuse and Central New York as it is a part of our campus.

5. The historic building will never lose ‘that special feeling.’

“I’ve seen everything that’s happened in this Dome, big and small, exciting, heartbreaking, thrilling, historic,” said Sala. “When we first opened the doors of this building in 1980, I don’t think any of us imagined how special, how sacred, how iconic this venue would become.” Whether you’re there to watch one of your favorite musicians bring down the house, sway and sing the alma mater with friends at Commencement, or cheer on the football team alongside 35,000 of your closest friends, the JMA Dome will continue to deliver those uniquely Orange experiences—now with a new name, a transformative partner, and more power, speed and connectivity than ever before.

From left to right: Melissa Welshans, assistant director of CFSA; Jolynn Parker, director of CFSA; and Adam Crowley, academic and scholarship advisor

When it comes to applying for nationally competitive scholarships and fellowships, the team at the Center for Fellowship and Scholarship Advising (CFSA) offers a wealth of knowledge and resources for undergraduate and graduate students and recent alumni.

Located on the third floor of Bowne Hall, a team of three people—Jolynn Parker, director of CFSA; Melissa Welshans, assistant director of CFSA; and Adam Crowley, academic and scholarship advisor—guides students through the process of applying to scholarship and fellowship experiences that enhance and complement their studies across a broad range of disciplines and interests.

National opportunities they assist with include the Astronaut Scholarship, Beinecke Scholarship, Boren Awards, Critical Language Scholarship, Fulbright Program opportunities, Gilman Scholarship, Goldwater Scholarship, Marshall Scholarship and National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowships, just to name a few.

CFSA fosters a network of campus connections to build awareness of their office and award opportunities. They also liaise with the national foundations and organizations that offer awards and play a role in administering three high-profile internal scholarship programs specific to the University: the Syracuse University Scholars, Remembrance Scholars and Seinfeld Scholar Awards for Undergraduates.

It’s All About the Process

The center on average helps between 150 and 200 students apply to nationally competitive scholarships and fellowships each year, and the team says there is tremendous value in the application process, regardless of whether an individual is selected for the opportunity.

“One thing we really like to emphasize is that regardless of the outcome, the process of applying to these opportunities is extremely valuable for students. It can help them think through their future professional goals, as well as academic and personal goals,” says Welshans.

“Students often have big ambitions and a focus on what they want to do after graduation—but they don’t always have a practical step-by-step sense of how they’re going to get there,” Parker says. “Applying for national scholarships helps because they have to be able to articulate not just the big, long-term dream but how exactly they’re going to accomplish that dream. And we help them do that.”

One-on-one advising with CFSA helps students describe their past accomplishments and clarify their vision for the future in order to write a compelling personal statement, which is a critical component of many scholarship and fellowship applications. Parker and Welshans both have degrees in English and Crowley practiced law as a litigator (“a very writing-heavy area of the law,” he says) for almost a decade before making a career change to academic advising. Their fluency in the written word and practice crafting academic narratives allows them to add immediate value to student applications, regardless of the discipline of the award.

“Even for fields where we are not specialists, STEM fields, for example, we can still be helpful in the application processes because the personal statements are such a critical piece of writing for these awards,” says Welshans. “It’s a genre of writing that most people do not have expertise in, and we do. We really want to help students in all fields.”

Conducting Outreach Across Campus

Parker says a big part of her role is developing pipelines, collaborating with faculty and other groups and organizations on campus to connect with students who show national scholarship potential, ideally in their first or second year on campus.

“We are almost recruiters in a way, getting to know as many students as possible and connecting them with opportunities,” she says. “A lot of that comes down to relationship building—becoming familiar with who is in what role on campus and who the best contact is for various organizations and programs.”

To ensure that a range of students from across the University know about scholarship opportunities, the CFSA team reaches out to academic departments and graduate programs in all fields, and often liaises with such organizations as Women in Science and Engineering (WiSE), Multicultural Affairs, the Ronald E. McNair Scholars Program, WellsLink Leadership Program and the Posse Foundation. They also engage recent alumni since candidates remain eligible for many national scholarship opportunities even after graduation.

According to Parker, “There are students who show up their first year and say, ‘I want to be a Fulbright applicant because my parents have talked about it all my life and I grew up knowing about it’—but some of our best Fulbright applicants had never heard about the program before we encouraged them to consider it. We want to make sure we’re not only reaching out to the students who already know about these opportunities.”

Each year, the team runs an outreach program called the Invitation to Excellence, where faculty and staff are asked to recommend outstanding students they’ve worked with in the past two semesters.

“We are just three people and this is a very large campus, so we’re always grateful to faculty and staff for taking the time to consider which students are doing interesting things and send them our way,” says Welshans.

“We truly value our partnership with faculty and staff,” Parker adds. “We can help students polish their story about their time at SU—but that story depends on the great work our faculty are doing with students and in support of students’ independent interests and projects.”

Making an Impact, One Student at a Time

Crowley, who splits his time as an advisor between CFSA and the Renée Crown University Honors Program, says working with students on the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship is just one example of how rewarding he finds his work. The scholarship helps fund study abroad opportunities for students who are Pell Grant recipients.

“The Gilman Scholarship really opens up opportunities that students otherwise may not have access to,” Crowley says. “And it’s one of the awards that attracts a lot of younger applicants—first- and second-year students who perhaps haven’t yet given a lot of thought to what their future career or academic goals might be. I think the process of applying for Gilman can be extremely helpful and help them grow in their academic career.”

Welshans says their one-on-one meetings with students emphasize holistic advising. “We are truly in the business of getting to know students and understanding where they are coming from, what their background is, what they are comfortable sharing.”

“We try to really listen to students, drawing out their interests and passions. We work on knowing how to ask the right questions,” Parker says. “Some students may be reluctant to promote themselves and we try to give them the confidence to do that.”

Outside of CFSA, Parker enjoys running, is addicted to The New York Times Spelling Bee puzzle and has a husband who teaches in the English department in the College of Arts and Sciences and a 15-year-old son. Welshans is a hobby manicurist and loves spending time with her family, especially her 4-year-old daughter. Crowley is an avid home chef who collects vinyl records and lives in the University Neighborhood with his wife.

To learn more about CFSA and the myriad opportunities available to Syracuse University students, visit the center’s website: . Students and alumni can also to be considered for advisement opportunities related to pursuing national scholarships and fellowships.

Dropping off boxed food to the Greater Southside Neighborhood Association, one of the eight agencies FRN partners with in the local community.

After the dining centers close, as most students are scattering back to their residence halls, to the library to study or toward other late-night activities, volunteers with the Food Recovery Network (FRN), a student organization comprising members from SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF) and Syracuse, spring into action.

The premise of their work is simple: to recover as much leftover, untouched food as possible from on-campus dining centers and deliver it to its eight partner agencies located throughout the greater Syracuse community. In 2021, FRN volunteers recovered 21,985 pounds (almost 11 tons!) of food, contributing around 18,320 meals to neighbors in need.

The organization’s president, Adri Virag ’25, says she got involved with FRN during her first year at Syracuse after observing the contrast between campus and nearby city neighborhoods. “One of the first things I did when I arrived in Syracuse was bike around the areas surrounding campus. I was surprised by the extreme disparity between University Hill and other parts of the city,” she says. She sought to educate herself about food insecurity and food deserts in different neighborhoods around Syracuse and was moved to action.

Food Recovery Network volunteers, some of whom are pictured in Graham Dining Center, recovered nearly 11 tons of food from on-campus dining centers in 2021.

“I worked at Graham Dining Center at the time, and it was tough to see trays of good food that had to be thrown away at the end of the day,” she says. “Eventually, a colleague, Shallythaw Da, and I got to figuring out how to move the food to the local neighborhoods that needed it.”

This led Virag to learn that the Food Recovery Network, a national organization with chapters on over 180 college campuses across the United States, was already active on the Syracuse and SUNY ESF campuses. Within a couple weeks, recoveries were set up every day of the week at Graham with the help of volunteers from Campus Connect, a student organization overseen by the Lutheran Campus Ministry.

“I absolutely love the process of a Food Recovery run, and how practical it is,” Virag says. “You show up to the dining hall with friends, pack food and deliver it directly to shelters or churches. There, you learn where the food is going and connect with those receiving it.”

FRN tables on the Quad during the Fall 2021 Involvement Fair.

Today, Virag serves as the organization’s president, spending about seven hours a week on FRN to ensure that it’s expanding in a balanced way and supporting its e-board members—Elliot Salas ’24, vice president and dining center coordinator; Kara Mueller ’23, volunteer coordinator; Allison Schwartz ’25, social media; Kelsey Bares, agency coordinator (SUNY ESF); Lauren McNamara ’21, G’22, treasurer; and Zander Leff ’25, secretary.

She says her focus this year has been to expand the number of agencies FRN donates food to. Its network of partners experienced some minor setbacks during the COVID pandemic as a number of agencies dwindled in capacity and stopped accepting hot food donations for a time. “I scoured Syracuse for new organizations to accept recoveries,” Virag says. “We knew there were hungry people out there, it was just a matter of finding places to distribute the food.” These partners consist of shelters, rehabilitation facilities, women’s homes, food pantries and church communities.

That is how the group connected with the Greater Southside Neighborhood Association, a young food pantry started by a retired New York Police Department officer that provides boxed meals to anyone who stops by. “Their founder, Jackie Lasonde, is one of the most inspiring people I’ve met in Syracuse. She moved here recently, but she knows everything about Syracuse, and stays up late to help pack any recovery that we bring in,” Virag says.

This semester, FRN has had more than 80 active volunteers who work a combined total of around 100 hours per week, in addition to support from dining center staff and partner agencies. As the FRN continues to expand, the organization is always looking for more people from the campus community to get involved. Volunteers can consist of a group of friends, or student organizations on campus looking to give back.

“Since broadening our agency network, we now have the capacity to cover every day of the week, from every dining hall,” Virag says. “We need six more runs covered, or around 30 more volunteers. We have a particular need right now for drivers, but anyone with or without a car is welcome to join!”

NOMAS volunteers gather up uneaten food during a recent recovery.

Virag and several other e-board members are studying architecture, so there is lots of connectivity between FRN and the School of Architecture. Recently, 20 volunteers affiliated with the National Organization of Minority Architecture Students (NOMAS) helped recover an additional 537 meals on top of FRN’s typical weekly schedule, showing the power of how extra hands can make a big difference. Virag says many of the NOMAS volunteers expressed how eye-opening the experience was for them. “Their reactions revealed to me our role in creating experiences that can have a profound influence on people’s sense of citizenship.”

Angela Noon, Food Services manager at Graham Dining Center, is the staff advisor to the group and helps coordinate with other dining center managers to ensure that collections run smoothly for FRN volunteers and troubleshoot any concerns that may arise.

“We have families and individuals in need of nutritious meals right here in Syracuse,” she says. “We are fortunate to have an abundance of healthy and delicious food in our dining centers that can help cover the gaps in the community. FRN is an opportunity for students and other volunteers to build involvement and connectivity within our community and find common ground with each other.”

Those interested in volunteering with FRN should email Zander Leff at frnesfsu@gmail.com; shifts begin every day of the week at 8 and 9 p.m. and take up to two hours. To learn more about the organization’s incredible work, follow the FRN on or .

Four Syracuse University students have been awarded prestigious graduate research fellowships through the National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP), and two students were recognized with Honorable Mentions. The fellowship recognizes and supports outstanding graduate students who are pursuing research-based master’s and doctoral degrees in the U.S. The five-year fellowship includes three years of financial support, including an annual stipend of $34,000.

The 2022 recipients of the NSF GRFP are:

• Katelyn Bajorek ’21, an alumna of the College of Arts and Sciences and the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs with degrees in history and anthropology and member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program;
• David Coghiel ’22, a civil engineering major in the College of Engineering and Computer Science (ECS);
• Odlanyer Hernández de Lara, a Ph.D. student in anthropology in the Maxwell School; and
• Zhuoqi Tong ’22, a double major in applied mathematics and bioengineering in the College of Arts and Sciences and the College of Engineering and Computer Science and member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program.

Katelyn Bajorek ’21

Bajorek studies medieval history and human osteology, with a research focus on the intersections of medieval medicine and religion. This fellowship will allow her to pursue her Ph.D. in medieval studies at Cornell University and provide important professional advancement resources to further her academic career. With a passion for fieldwork, Bajorek hopes to one day work as an archaeological field director at medieval cemetery sites.

“As a child, I was fascinated by books about dinosaurs and Egyptian mummies,” she says. “An archaeological field school with Dr. Guido Pezzarossi in 2018 showed me that a career in archaeology was possible in real life. I envision that a significant portion of my career will be spent leading excavations. I eventually want to become a professor of medieval archaeology, where I can direct a teaching lab of new generations of students.”

David Coghiel ’22

Coghiel’s interest in civil engineering blossomed as he was growing up in New York City, where construction projects were a constant presence. He recalls being curious about what was being developed and excited about seeing the finished products. “I realized that all projects were meant to keep people safe and healthy—and as I got older, I decided that I wanted to use my passion for engineering to help create a safe and sustainable future for all,” he says.

With the support of the NSF GRFP, Coghiel plans to conduct research on the environmental impacts of carbon dioxide emissions from construction sites and determine whether there are more sustainable practices to implement in construction scheduling. During his undergraduate career, he participated in mentorship via the WellsLink Leadership Program and worked as a lab assistant under ECS professors Cliff Davidson and Svetoslava Todorova, both experiences he says will positively impact his career.

“Working directly with engineering professors taught me numerous practices that I plan to implement in my own research project and future engineering career,” Coghiel says.

Through his research, he seeks to find ways to provide healthier airspaces for all, especially underserved communities that are often adversely affected by construction pollution.

Odlanyer Hernández de Lara

Hernández de Lara has been interested in archaeology since volunteering with the Cuban Speleological Society in his home country of Cuba. Pursuing his Ph.D. in anthropology with a focus on historical archaeology, his research interests include conflict and battlefield archaeology and the archaeology of the contemporary past, heritage and memory. Hernández de Lara says the NSF fellowship will support his doctoral research, and potentially open the door for future grants to continue developing his research project.

“I have met great professionals at SU who have expanded my limits in unexpected ways,” says Hernández de Lara. “Interacting with professors and other graduate students in the Department of Anthropology and the Maxwell School as a whole contributed to shaping my approach to the discipline, and life in general.”

He hopes to ultimately become a college or university professional, with a significant interest in museums, historic preservation agencies and other public service positions in archaeology.

Zhuoqi Tong ’22

Tong will graduate from Syracuse next month and go on to pursue a Ph.D. in biomedical engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology. He was drawn to biomedical engineering and a research interest in immunoengineering from an early age and aspires to have a long career working toward defeating cancer and other diseases.

“The NSF fellowship provides students and their graduate institutions with a generous amount of money to support independent and creative research, giving students more flexibility to explore research directions which may not be fully supported under a faculty grant,” Tong says. “Now I can carefully think about what I want to do research on for my Ph.D., finding gaps in the existing research on cancer treatment options and aligning my research accordingly.”

He acknowledges his work in the lab of professor Jay Henderson, as well as mentorship from professor Henderson and professor Julie Hasenwinkel, as being crucial for his success. Tong’s long-term goals are to teach and mentor undergraduate and graduate students as a professor of biomedical engineering and to start his own lab to continue next-generation cancer research with curative potential.

Abigail McCarthy and Karma Thomas

Two students also received Honorable Mentions in this year’s NSF GRFP competition. Abigail McCarthy, a master’s student in Earth sciences in the College of Arts and Sciences, is researching new methods to evaluate flood risk using high-throughput computing, especially regarding flood risk for socioeconomically disadvantaged communities. Karma Thomas is a Ph.D. student in biology in the College of Arts and Sciences and member of the Althoff Lab, whose research interests include the ecology and evolution of insects and their interactions with plants.

Upcoming Learning Opportunities for Faculty

The associate provost for academic affairs and the Center for Fellowship and Scholarship Advising (CFSA) will host several faculty sessions to share ideas about how to increase the number of Syracuse University graduate and undergraduate students applying to the NSF GRFP. The sessions are as follows:

• Tuesday, April 26, 3 p.m., Katzer Collaboratory-347 Hinds Hall
• Tuesday, May 3, 3 p.m., Katzer Collaboratory-347 Hinds Hall
• Monday, May 9, 2 p.m., 243A Hinds Hall

Any of the three sessions can also be joined . CFSA staff will provide a brief overview of the NSF GRFP award and the support the University currently offers to students undertaking the application. The majority of each session will be devoted to learning about faculty experiences with the program and discussing ideas to increase the number of applications.

Students interested in learning more about or applying for the next NSF GRFP award cycle or any other nationally competitive scholarships and fellowships should visit the or email cfsa@syr.edu for more information.

What unites these two women is that both are natives of Ukraine, and have watched with horror as their home country has been invaded by Russia, enduring relentless air strikes, bombing and shelling of its cities and suburbs for the past five weeks.

Kulesha is from a small town in Central Ukraine, about 120 kilometers south of Kyiv. She says that while she is thankful to be studying abroad in America, she has friends and family all over Ukraine, some of whom have had to quickly evacuate and find shelter elsewhere and others who remain in their homes in regions of Ukraine that are safe, for now.

“I have family members who were lucky to escape during the first hour of the humanitarian corridor. They literally didn’t pack, they just got in the car and started driving away,” she says. Because of Russia’s continued assault on the humanitarian corridors that have been set up as a path out of besieged areas, it hasn’t been a reliable means of escape for Ukrainian civilians. “My cousin had friends who started packing and planned to leave [via the humanitarian corridor] one hour later than them. They couldn’t leave because the shelling had started again.”

Nguyen, a second-generation immigrant to Ukraine of Vietnamese heritage, worked for the Ukrainian government in public affairs and communications for six years prior to coming to Syracuse to pursue an M.P.A. This included time spent supporting the U.S. Agency for International Development to rebuild and introduce innovation to the city of Mariupol following the destruction that occurred in the aftermath of attacks by Russian-backed separatist troops in 2014.

Over the past five weeks, Mariupol has been a key target for Russian forces who again encircled the city. For the past three weeks, Mariupol was declared a humanitarian crisis, with as many as 100,000 citizens remaining trapped there with diminishing supplies of food, water and medicine. “It was a beautiful city,” says Nguyen. “It’s very personal for us—it makes everyone hurt to see what is going on in that city right now.”

Nguyen’s parents left Ukraine to live with her sister when she came to Syracuse in 2019. In December, COVID thwarted plans for them to return to Ukraine. Devastatingly, Nguyen has lost many friends to the violence in Ukraine, both in 2014 and over the past month. “One of my very close friends who used to be my deputy for two years got shot down when he was delivering medical supplies to the city of Bucha,” she says. “It doesn’t make it any easier when you don’t have family there—because I have 44 million sisters and brothers who are hostages of this horrendous war.”

Supporting Ukrainian Relief Efforts

Kulesha and Nguyen are both involved with the , which has been organizing and mobilizing resources at Syracuse University and in the local community in support of Ukraine. The group recently launched a with a list of links to donate to boots-on-the-ground Ukrainian organizations that are able to make a more immediate impact for Ukrainian soldiers and civilians.

“For people looking to make a monetary donation, we ask them to kindly prioritize the organizations that have a ground presence in Ukraine,” says Nguyen. Organizations vetted by the club include Save Life, Razom Emergency Response and the Leleka Foundation. “They understand what the needs are and can get supplies and resources into Ukraine far more quickly than some of the larger, more well-known NGOs [non-governmental organizations], which also generally benefit from much bigger and wider corporate giving support.”

The website outlines the group’s priorities to help the people of Ukraine: fundraising for tactical medicine, conducting advocacy and awareness campaigns on campus and beyond, and collecting and shipping humanitarian and other aid. They have already purchased and sent over 180 combat application tourniquets to Ukraine, which can be the difference between life and death.

“A human that is shot by a gun can bleed out in two-and-a-half minutes if they don’t have a tourniquet or a specialized bandage,” says Nguyen. “That’s the reality that Ukraine is living with. So we’ve collected our own resources and are reaching out to the greater community asking them for their support to purchase more.” On the website, the club also highlights additional ways individuals can help, including via in-kind donations and connecting the group with tactical medicine and gear producers who may be willing to make a corporate donation.

Addressing Misconceptions About the War

Another way Americans can support Ukraine is by learning more about the history of Ukraine and Eastern Europe to gain additional context to better understand the war.

“During my five years here, I’ve realized that Americans generally don’t know much about the history of Europe, so for them it’s hard to understand what’s going on,” says Kulesha. “This war didn’t start on Feb. 24, and it didn’t start in 2014. It didn’t even start in 1991, when Ukraine became independent [from the Soviet Union]. It started long before…for centuries, there have been many attempts by the Russian empire to either steal or destroy our language and culture.”

A compiled by the Syracuse University Libraries is a starting point for individuals seeking to enhance their background knowledge and current understanding of what is happening in Ukraine.

It’s also important to fact check news about the war and take in information from a wide range of sources to understand the full picture of the invasion. “Information needs to be checked because there is so much coming out that is unverified,” says Kulesha. “I encourage people to believe official sources and by official sources, I don’t mean the news. I mean statements by the government and statements by representatives of the groups who are on the ground in Ukraine. They are going to have a very different perspective than someone who is writing about it from far away.”

Nguyen says that she still reads news from Russian sources so that she can understand what their narrative of events looks like. “Despite the fact that I have so much fear and anger in me, I still watch their news, because it’s important for us to be informed and prepared to withstand Russia’s information war against Ukraine,” she says.

Ukrainians Will Fight Until the End

When asked what they wish everyone knew about Ukraine and its people, it is the nation’s long-held and deep commitment to its own freedom. “One thing I can tell you about Ukrainians is that we’ve always fought for our independence,” says Kulesha. “This is something which is in our blood. Ukrainians are born free and Ukrainians understand that.”

The long history of wars and attempts by colonizers to diminish Ukrainian sovereignty has instilled the value of independence in Ukrainian people, and Kulesha says there are many Ukrainian songs and sayings that reflect that value.

“One saying we have is ‘slaves are not allowed in heaven,’ which basically means that you have to fight for your freedom. We have a song that says, ‘crying didn’t give freedom to anyone and only the fighters will conquer the world,’” she says. “I feel like this is something in every Ukrainian—we are independent and very particular about this feeling of being free and not being a colony of a larger country. This is something that defines Ukraine.”

“We did not ask nor do we want to be in this situation,” Nguyen says. “But God bless that our people came together and took a fight, because if not, Russian troops could have been next to the NATO eastern border within days.”

“I know Ukrainians will stand for their freedom and they will fight until the end,” Kulesha adds.

Small group discussion at a recent Women in Leadership Crucial Conversations session

March 8 marks , a global day of celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. Here on campus, the Women in Leadership (WiL) Initiative is fulfilling its mission to be a catalyst for the individual and collective advancement of women on campus since its founding in 2018. All community members are invited to participate in WiL programming.

Each spring and fall semester, the initiative offers unique experiences that help build strong leaders at all levels and in all areas of the University. Past programming has included panel discussions, workshops, peer mentoring, design thinking sessions, clinics on promotion and tenure, a shared reading experience, and virtual and in-person networking opportunities.

Recently, the initiative hosted , an engaging and interactive discussion on leadership, resiliency and change between Provost and Chief Academic Officer Gretchen Ritter and Chief Marketing Officer Dara Royer. Later this month multiple cohorts will begin the Resilient Leadership and Change program, with sessions on Cultivating Positive Mindset Practices; Strengthening Emotional Intelligence and Resiliency; Communicating With Agility; and Creating Your Change Journey.

“At the core of our mission, we seek to inspire, uplift and amplify the experiences of women on our campus, and come together in an authentic way to discuss opportunities and challenges they face, collectively and individually,” says Senior Vice President and Chief of Staff to the Chancellor Candace Campbell Jackson, founder and chair of the initiative. “Our programs range from hosting empowering speakers from across academia to workshops that help build skills related to having difficult conversations and managing conflict. It is the hope of our Steering Committee that everyone can benefit from these offerings.”

Last year, WiL underwent a strategic planning process to refine its vision and mission and ensure its work continues to align with the hopes and expectations of women on campus. While programming is centered on topics and issues that primarily impact women, faculty, staff and graduate students of any gender identity are welcome.

Associate Provost for Faculty Affairs Jamie Winders, a member of the WiL Steering Committee, says she was eager to get involved with the initiative because she has benefited immensely from peer mentoring groups during her academic career.

“I’ve seen the power of bringing people together from different parts of campus, from different schools and colleges and in different kinds of roles,” she says. “That kind of mix can be difficult to replicate in our everyday lives, where we tend to work within our departments, school or college. Finding ways to facilitate the creation of and support those networks is really important.”

As part of their strategic planning process, WiL adopted three core strategies: to increase awareness of personalized professional development opportunities, to inspire and better prepare women for their “next,” and capture and amplify the voices and experiences of women on campus. Their work is as much about inspiring and empowering the next generation of women as it is advancing women already in leadership positions.

“The aspiration of WiL is to really put forth on a collective scale a different model of leadership—one that is collaborative and less hierarchal,” says Winders. “We’re finding ways to communicate and work across the divides, with the hope that it produces a new way of thinking about leadership, collaboration and how all the different parts contribute to the University’s overall mission of centering academic excellence and making SU a place where everybody belongs.”

WiL programs help provide a bridge between various populations on campus and promote the sharing of ideas and experiences that are unique to—or perhaps common among—individuals from all backgrounds. They use a multi-track model to target programs for both academic and administrative professionals, while also providing more general programs that inspire and provoke dialogue across a broad range of constituents.

The initiative also welcomes conversations about the overarching and day-to-day issues that can impact women and their colleagues in both higher education and the more broadly defined workplace.

Steering Committee member Elisa Dekaney, associate dean of research, graduate studies and internationalization in the College of Visual and Performing Arts and professor of music education, points out that demonstrate that with each level of professorship, from assistant professor to associate professor to full professor, women comprise smaller and smaller numbers. This is certainly not a trend exclusive to academia—there are many professions where the closer you get to the top of an organization, the scarcer women leaders are.

Last semester, Dekaney helped bring this conversation to the larger campus audience. To cap off a WiL shared reading experience, Dekaney co-facilitated a discussion of the book “Women Leading Change in Academia: Breaking the Glass Ceiling, Cliff, and Slipper” with one of the book’s co-editors, Amy Bonomi, chair and professor of human development and family studies at Michigan State University. The book shares the perspectives of diverse women academic leaders who discuss their rise to key leadership positions.

“It’s crucial for us to come together and figure out ways to support each other, whether that is with a fun event that is emotionally uplifting or with a conversation that is quite challenging or serves to educate,” Dekaney says. “We are then able to leverage our knowledge of each other’s journeys to the betterment of who we are as individuals and as a community.”

Balance is another recurring theme—not only how to balance career progression with home and family commitments, but how to balance the “masculine” and “feminine” qualities women bring to leadership roles. The concept of the “double bind” in feminist theory refers to how expectations and stereotypes about the characteristics of a leader can conflict with other identities, including as a woman or as a mother.

“If you have the characteristics of a good leader, those are traditionally masculine characteristics,” Dekaney says. “You’re demanding, you’re commanding. But sometimes when women exhibit those characteristics, they are seen as being abrasive or ‘too much.’”

Building community among participants is another priority for WiL. Meghan Florkowski says that joining the WiL steering committee has brought her closer to various women-focused initiatives across campus and helped her build stronger relationships with other women leaders.

Florkowski is the director of the WISE (Women Igniting the Spirit of Entrepreneurship) Women’s Business Center in the Martin J. Whitman School of Management, which empowers women entrepreneurs in all stages of their business across a seven-county service area in Central New York. She draws energy and inspiration for her work from WiL’s formal offerings as well as informal conversations she has with fellow steering committee members.

“There’s something powerful that happens when we bring women together to engage in a trusted space and layer that with great programming,” she says. “We have so many different voices at the table, which leads to meaningful discussions about the many ways in which women lead—whether that’s in business, the workplace, their communities or in other avenues.”

To learn more about Women in Leadership or get involved in upcoming programs, visit the .

Jessica Garay

According to recent statistics from the American Heart Association, more than 874,000 Americans died of cardiovascular disease in 2019, and it remains the leading cause of death in the United States. The pandemic may further exacerbate poor cardiovascular outcomes, as many have reported eating unhealthy foods, drinking more alcohol and delaying medical care over the past two years—all of which can negatively impact heart health.

February is American Heart Month, a time to focus on reducing your risk for hypertension (also known as high blood pressure) and cardiovascular disease by making heart-healthy behaviors and choices part of your daily routine. In this Q&A, Jessica Garay, assistant professor of nutrition and food studies in the Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics, offers practical tips to make heart health a priority for you and your family.

What are some basic nutritional strategies people can follow to maintain good heart health?

“For good heart health, it’s important to have healthy blood pressure and blood cholesterol levels. Your diet can definitely impact those values. Eating soluble fiber, which is found in foods such as oats, beans, fruits and vegetables, has been shown to help lower cholesterol levels. Research has also suggested that a daily intake of ground flaxseed can lower cholesterol levels. Avoiding highly processed foods that contain excess salt is also recommended.”

Does any research indicate that specialty diets (i.e., vegan, vegetarian, or low-carbohydrate) are beneficial to cardiovascular health?

“The best overall diet for reducing high blood pressure is called the . This eating pattern focuses on foods that are good sources of potassium, calcium and magnesium, while avoiding foods high in added sugars, saturated fat and sodium (salt). The Mediterranean diet is also highly rated for overall heart health. While animal foods are a source of dietary cholesterol, our bodies also make cholesterol. Following a well-balanced vegan or vegetarian diet can certainly lead to lower cholesterol intake, but this does not always translate to lower blood cholesterol levels.”

What are some practical tips for busy individuals or families who want to incorporate more heart-healthy eating behaviors into their lives?

“Check out the Healthy Monday campaigns, including and . These can be great motivators to not only make healthier food choices to start your week, but also to get moving. These days there are a variety of options offering convenient, healthy food for busy individuals and families. Look for pre-cut or prepped fruits and vegetables at the grocery store, or try a meal delivery service to provide some new heart-healthy recipe ideas.”

How does stress management fit into the picture?

“Stress can also lead to high blood pressure. Research has shown that more heart attacks occur on Mondays, presumably related to stress from returning to work. Engaging in a variety of stress reduction techniques, including exercise, meditation and other forms of self-care, can help to improve overall health status, but specifically heart health.”

Source: The American Heart Association

Kristi Vega with her daughter, Tori

“My first thought when I found out the group would be meeting virtually on Teams was, ‘Well, how am I going to weigh in?’” Vega recalls. She had never joined a program focused on improving her eating habits that didn’t begin with a trip to the scale. She realized over the course of the program that her obsession with the scale was just one of many aspects of her relationship with food and eating that had become distorted over the years.

When asked to explain the Am I Hungry? program, Vega says, “Let me start with what it’s not … it’s not a diet plan. It’s not a fad. There are no points or counting or weighing in or shakes or pills. It’s more like a book club. You read a few chapters [of the book ‘Eat What You Love, Love What You Eat’ by Dr. Michelle May] and then review and discuss them on weekly calls with the facilitators and as a group.”

According to the , the Am I Hungry? Mindful Eating Program is a “non-restrictive approach to a sustainable healthy lifestyle” and a “non-diet, weight-neutral approach that empowers individuals to take charge of their decisions about eating, physical activity, health and self-care.” Sounds great in theory, but what is it like in practice?

“The program is about mindfulness,” Vega says. “It’s about examining your relationship with food and relearning your own body’s signals.” One of the first questions the group was asked during the weekly sessions was, “Do you know when you are hungry?”

“I laughed because I realized that I couldn’t answer the question. It sounds ridiculous, but years of conflicting diets scrambled my signals. This program helped me reset my brain to eat when I’m hungry and stop when I’m not. It sounds super simple but I had a lot to relearn and habits to change.”

Going Below the Surface

Am I Hungry? encourages a psychological plundering of sorts to get to the bottom of why, when, how, how much and what we eat—with the goal of moving participants from an overeating or restrictive eating pattern (called the eat-repent-repeat cycle by Dr. May) to a more natural, instinctive eating pattern.

Weekly lessons explore topics like:

• why diets don’t work and why there are no “good” or “bad” foods
• how to incorporate movement that you actually enjoy into your daily life
• cultivating more presence
• building a toolkit with alternatives to mindless eating
• using a hunger scale to help identify physical hunger, as well as satiety (or fullness) cues
• awareness of physical, environmental and emotional triggers to eat and different ways to respond to those triggers

Vega says that going beyond the surface level into the emotional component helped her identify longstanding patterns and beliefs that were so deeply embedded in her subconscious that she wasn’t even aware of them.

“I discovered that ‘reward and punishment’ had become my personal life mantra,” she says. “I hated to exercise because I used it as either a punishment or a reward.” Vega uncovered a pattern of bartering with herself when it came to calories in and calories out—for example, telling herself that if she spent 20 more minutes on the treadmill, she could have a second glass of wine, or a cup of ice cream or some cookies.

“With Am I Hungry, I was able to stop that association. I started taking walks and enjoying them. The walks became my time to relax, breathe fresh air, look at the scenery. It wasn’t a punishment anymore for some food sin.”

Since participating in the program, Vega has also stopped eating things she hates. She shared some of the more extreme diets she’s tried over the years, and recalls with misery days of cabbage soup, boiled chicken, overloading on watermelon and even having to have her gallbladder removed after a period of being on the (low-carbohydrate, high-protein) Atkins Diet.

“I can happily say after participating in this program, I am never going to eat anything that I don’t want to ever again. I am not going to drink nasty powdery shakes. I will never eat celery or cabbage soup,” she says. “I am no longer going to torture myself or feel bad about what I eat or don’t eat.”

Setting an Example

Vega also says Am I Hungry? has been eye opening in how she approaches her 13-year-old daughter’s eating patterns. “This program has not only liberated me at this later stage of my life, but it’s helping me be a better mom. I hope my daughter will have more happiness and less stress about food and eating because of the example I’m setting,” she says. “That alone is priceless.”

Modeling healthy, balanced habits and self-care is extremely important to her as a parent. Vega says she comes from a generation where “self-care” feels like a naughty word, a forbidden thing—and Am I Hungry? has helped her realize that you cannot fill somebody else’s cup if yours is empty.

“I’ve come to see that there are many women, especially mothers, who put everyone and everything ahead of themselves. This group has shown that I’m not the only one who struggles with shame or guilt when I invest time and energy into my own well-being,” Vega says. “It’s hard to break the mindset that self-care is not the same thing as being selfish.”

She is grateful for the chance to participate in Am I Hungry? and felt empowered to make working through the readings and workbook lessons a priority each week. “A free program from my employer that is going to help me have a better life and hopefully help my daughter have a better life?” she says. “Yeah, sign me up.”

Am I Hungry? will run again this spring, beginning March 24 for five weeks. There is a personal investment of $60 from participants, which is paid for through payroll and reimbursed upon successful completion of the program.

“If you’re looking for a quick fix or the latest weight loss trend, this program isn’t for you,” Vega says. “But if you are interested in truly exploring your relationship with your own health, I strongly recommend it. The facilitators [Gail Grozalis and Kim DeStefano, both trained in the Am I Hungry? methodology] did a great job keeping us focused, encouraged and empowered. As SU employees, we are very fortunate to have the Wellness Initiative and team.”

Michelle Santosuosso

There are those who watch the Super Bowl for the football game. There are those who watch the Super Bowl for the ads. And then, there are those that watch the Super Bowl for the halftime show.

Michelle Santosuosso, a professor of practice in the Newhouse School’s Bandier Program for Recording and Entertainment Industries, falls firmly in the third category. As a seasoned music industry veteran and faculty member who teaches courses in music business fundamentals, including publishing, artist management and live touring entertainment, we sought Santosuosso’s input on the most coveted live performance of the year and what she’s looking forward to about this year’s lineup of hip-hop legends.

Quentin Brunson ’12, G’13 and Ashleigh Mann (Photo courtesy of the couple)

The whole world was watching this past November when Syracuse alumnus Quentin Brunson ’12, G’13 sprung a surprise proposal on his girlfriend of seven years, Ashleigh Mann, during singer-songwriter Adele’s “One Night Only” concert special on CBS.

After Brunson confirmed to Mann that the very public proposal was “in real life,” Adele appeared to serenade the couple with the Bob Dylan classic “Make You Feel My Love” while they took front-row seats among Lizzo, Melissa McCarthy, James Corden and other celebrities at the Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles on Oct. 24.

That Brunson set the bar high with his marriage proposal is perhaps the understatement of the century—but in speaking with the couple, you get the sense that they have nowhere to go but up. Heading into Valentine’s Day, with love and romance at top of mind, �����鶹��Ʒ caught up with Brunson and Mann to hear how wedding planning is going, what advice they have for someone who isn’t feeling the love this year and why they feel like they are going to “crush” marriage.

#BecomingBrunson

Wedding planning in the year 2022: Shared Instagram account? Check (). Wedding hashtag? Check (#BecomingBrunson). But has the date been set?

The couple shared that they will tie the knot on Oct. 10, 2022, a date that feels perfect for them for multiple reasons. “I’m a little dramatic and anytime I love something, like food or whatever, I call it a ‘10 out of 10,’” Mann says. “Our proposal was definitely a 10 out of 10. I knew I wanted to get married in 2022 and October is when we got engaged … so once I put all that together, it was easy to pick the date—10/10/22.”

The pair has also selected a venue for the nuptials in their adopted home of Los Angeles. And, thanks to the exposure of the Adele special, they’ve had a dress designer reach out and offer to make the bride not one, but two custom gowns. “We’re so lucky for them to reach out,” Brunson says. “It’s crazy how just that moment [of us getting engaged on TV] has led to so many people coming reaching outside of themselves to be a blessing to us.”

Mann says her mother recently visited from Ohio and, in a whirlwind four days, they secured the venue, said “yes” to the dress(es) and did two cake tastings. The picture for their big day is definitely coming together.

With Brunson hailing from upstate New York and Mann from Ohio, they are excited to welcome and host their extended families on the west coast for their wedding weekend. “99% of our guests are flying in, and for many of them this will be their first time visiting California,” the couple says. “So it’s not just about us getting married—we want to really curate an experience for them and show them our home that we love.”

Due to lingering uncertainty about the coronavirus pandemic, they’re also planning a Zoom option so that loved ones can attend virtually, if they feel more comfortable.

Above all else, Mann and Brunson say they want their special day to be an extension and reflection of their identities, both as individuals and as a couple. “When people come from out of town, when they get here, when they walk in the door—I want it to feel like us,” Brunson says.

Mann and Brunson at their engagement party. (Photo courtesy of the couple)

Rolling in the Deep

The pair first met when Brunson was 23 years old (and a fresh graduate of the Falk College’s master of social work program) and Mann was 25. By the time they got engaged, they’d known each other for nearly a decade—and had journeyed together through the obstacles, growth and evolution that are often hallmarks of one’s 20s and early 30s. So how has their love for and commitment toward one another deepened over the years?

“Love to me is a choice,” Mann says. “You have to want to choose to go through all of it with someone. When that person is worth it, you don’t care how ugly it gets. It’s putting in the effort, the listening, the growing, the fighting.”

Brunson agrees. “I think we’re sold this image of love just being so easy, based on what we see in the media and the culture. But over time you realize that it’s not going to be easy, and you don’t want it to be easy. It’s something you work at—and it doesn’t always feel like work—but you keep at it because you know that with the work, you’ll keep getting better, stronger and more real.”

They both say their partnership has helped them grow personally and professionally in profound ways. Brunson moved from Syracuse to Los Angeles and worked as a social worker for a couple of years before focusing his energy on more creative pursuits in music and acting. Mann spent six years as a nanny before answering her calling as a plant-based chef and food influencer. They’ve both pushed one another to become better, more successful, more authentic and more aligned versions of themselves.

Brunson says, “I had and still have all these big dreams in my head, and so does she. We’ve had to have patience and trust, knowing that we had those qualities inside of us and stay confident that we were going to grow into the people we said we wanted to be together.”

“I always say that if I would’ve known that this was the man that I was going to get from that 23-year-old boy, I would’ve went after him even harder,” Mann says. “I knew he was going to be a great man, a great partner—he was incredible when I met him—but now he just blows me away.”

Not Feeling the Love This Year?

Brunson and Mann were engaged in front of a celebrity-studded audience during an Adele concert special filmed in Los Angeles in October. (Photo courtesy of the couple)

If you’re more in the “listening to Adele on repeat because I recently got my heart shattered” phase of life than the “planning the wedding of my dreams with my soulmate after getting engaged in front of Adele” phase of life, keep reading.

When asked what advice they would give to a young person (say, a student at Syracuse University) who has just had their heart broken, the couple says to try to keep the relationship in perspective and stay focused on the bigger picture of your life. “First of all, I would say that you still have to graduate,” Brunson says. “Because you don’t know where that Syracuse degree is going to take you in life, and maybe you aren’t going to want that person holding you back anyways.”

“I’ve been there, and I know it’s easy to feel like the world is over,” Mann adds, sympathetically. “But seriously, you’re not going to be the same person you are right now in a year. When you graduate, you’re going to go out in the world and do big things and make your mark. It sounds cliché, but time is everything, honestly. The pain is temporary.”

“Everything happens for a reason,” Brunson says. “If a breakup has you hurting bad, just know that you grow from hurt. In the midst of all that pain, believe that after you go through it, you are going to be so much better and ready for that person you’re really supposed to be with.”

For Brunson and Mann, they have no doubt that their prior relationships (and breakups) were leading them to something bigger, to each other.

“I think what’s most exciting is that we got ‘it’,” says Mann. “That special something, that once-in-a-lifetime, that ‘I know you’re my person’ feeling. And we’re ready to crush marriage. It’s like we’ve been in training and now we’re ready to be in the game … we’ve been on the bench and now we’re ready to play.” You can follow the couple’s wedding journey on their Instagram account, or—if you’re one of the few people on the planet who happened to miss it— , courtesy of CBS.

Stephen Kuusisto (left) and Ralph James Savarese

Setting the scene … It’s spring of 2020. The world has been shut down for a period of weeks or months (you stopped keeping track at some point). You are living with a disability—perhaps you’re blind or you have a highly complex autoimmune condition that makes it especially precarious to make your way through daily life during a global pandemic. You are feeling isolated, alienated, disconnected and at times downright terrified. What do you do?

For Stephen Kuusisto, poet, memoirist, University Professor and director of interdisciplinary programs and outreach with the Burton Blatt Institute, and Ralph James Savarese, poet, nonfiction writer, activist and professor of English at Grinnell College, in Grinnell, Iowa, this was their reality. Kuusisto is blind and has had pneumonia several times in his life, making him particularly susceptible to respiratory illnesses. Savarese is on high-powered immunosuppressants that make getting a COVID infection a potentially life-threatening event.

Their answer to “what do you do?” Poetry.

Together, Kuusisto and Savarese penned “Someone Falls Overboard,” a book of poems written over the course of two nine-day periods early in the COVID-19 pandemic. The book is a dialogue between the two acclaimed poets, following a model set forth by Marvin Bell and William Stafford with their 1983 collection titled “Segues.”

The duo wrote and exchanged poems at a rapid pace—16 lines apiece, three, sometimes four poems per day, riffing on one another’s themes and word choices—until 128 poems emerged. The collection is by turn tender, nostalgic, starkly funny, brutally honest, whimsical and misanthropic—a literary balm to soothe the soul during these uncertain and isolated times.

The quickness of the writing was deliberate; the project began when Kuusisto off-handedly suggested, “let’s write poems back and forth frantically to one another” as a way to pass the time and stay connected to one another. Savarese—who says he can typically barely write three sentences in 18 days, let alone 64 different poems—was a bit intimidated by the proposition. Kuusisto, who admits he is a fast writer by nature, likened the process to “playing speed chess with poetry,” which he considers to be great fun.

The frenetic pace of the writing helped circumvent any potential writer’s block, while also preventing either of them from taking the project too seriously—despite the seriousness all around them.

As “Someone Falls Overboard” was coming to life, 28 people died in the assisted living facility where Savarese’s mother lives. “During that first spring, the phone line was open between us, we talked constantly. Sometimes I could hear over the phone the screams, the sobbing,” he recalls. “There was something absolutely absurdist about the whole situation. Grim, terrifying. Part of this book is also comedic—there was this feeling like if we could just tell jokes fast enough, we might stay three steps ahead of what’s after us.”

Both men are long established in the history and traditions of both American poetry and global poetry, which is evident in the book’s many allusions to famous poets, ancient and modern philosophers, and thinkers of all kinds. “While these poems were written quickly, they are still quite layered in the back and forth,” Kuusisto says.

Savarese adds, sheepishly, “Then it’s like the Marx brothers got a hold of classic literature and shredded it, throwing lines around haphazardly … these go from high learning to anarchy very quickly. That’s part of the method of them, they became loonier and I think more fun as we proceeded.”

“Loonier and more fun” is part of the collection’s charm. As we’ve been collectively beaten down, discouraged, encouraged and discouraged all over again by the pandemic, the authors remind us that engagement with the arts can be a bright spot, if we so allow it.

“It was Bertolt Brecht who said that in the dark times, there will be singing,” says Kuusisto. “I think it’s important to remember that our creative capacities have always been the place we go to in the darkest times.”

As exemplified in “Someone Falls Overboard,” Kuusisto says that dysfunction will often take a backseat to the imagination. “The imagination can give us a bridge over troubled waters, as Simon and Garfunkel would say, and we found it in this book. I’m very proud of it.”

“Someone Falls Overboard” is available through .

Anthony Cosby

Anthony Cosby often starts his days at 4:30 a.m. with a three-mile walk—not to beat the San Antonio heat or enjoy the quiet pre-dawn hour, but because it’s the only time left in his day to squeeze in fitness.

As an entrepreneur, dad to an aspiring tennis star and full-time employee of the Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF) at Syracuse University, Cosby’s days manage to be filled to the brim with hustle and bustle—which is exactly how he likes it.

From his home office in Texas, Cosby is currently director for employer outreach and co-director of the , one of the eleven national training programs conducted by IVMF. He works with employers across the country to help them secure military talent, including veterans, transitioning service members and military spouses, and partners with public, private and nonprofit organizations to help veterans and their families access a variety of services that can help them achieve their goals.

Motivated to Give Back and Serve Others

After retiring from a 21-year career in the U.S. Navy in 2012, Cosby struggled with his transition back to civilian life. This experience inspired him toward a career path helping other veterans and military-connected folks transition smoothly and seamlessly into the workforce post-service.

“I was in talent acquisition toward the end of my military career, so I wanted to see if I could transfer those skills to the private sector,” he says. “I got my career coaching certification and landed a job at the University of Texas (UT) at San Antonio as an alumni career coach and from there it was game on … I was able to assist folks and that’s when I saw my true calling to help people.”

Cosby worked for UT San Antonio and then Webster University, but he’d seen a “60 Minutes” interview in 2012 that had planted a seed in his mind. The segment featured IVMF Founder and Executive Director J. Michael Haynie speaking about the Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans, which not only put Syracuse University on his radar, but also sparked Cosby’s interest in becoming an entrepreneur.

Four years later, in 2016, he would join the IVMF team as the program manager for (O2O) at Joint Base San Antonio. O2O helps prepare service member and military spouses with industry-recognized certifications and skills training across high-demand sectors and occupations, like cybersecurity, project management and human resources.

“We started out with 32 people participating and now, fast-forward five years, and we’ve been able to help over 50,000 folks and change so many lives,” Cosby says.

Anthony and his family demonstrate their Orange spirit. Pictured left to right: Nina Pruneda-Cosby, Maria Mae Pruneda-Cosby, Anthony Cosby

As co-director of AmericaServes, which works to coordinate support for military families in communities all over the U.S., Cosby shared an anecdote about an elderly couple—a retired veteran and his wife—in their 70s in San Antonio. The couple was skeptical of organizations that claimed to help vets because they had been told “no” one too many times. Once they got on the phone with an AmericaServes intake specialist, they were asked a question they weren’t used to hearing: “How can we help you?”

“From this one access point, we were able to help them secure a free medical bed for the husband, who had had an amputation,” Cosby says. “Then we found out the wife was taking her husband to dialysis in a heavy, cumbersome wheelchair, so we were able to work with our local connections to get them a lighter wheelchair that was more easily accessible. We helped secure rides to and from dialysis so his wife no longer had to wait in the car for hours at a time. We even found out they were close to losing the home they rented because the building had been sold, and were able to help them secure six months of free rent in an apartment building that they loved.”

For Cosby, being able to help people in such profound and impactful ways on behalf of Syracuse University keeps his early mornings and long days in perspective.

A Burgeoning Entrepreneur

With that “60 Minutes” segment still in his mind, Cosby jumped at the opportunity to attend IVMF’s Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans (EBV) in 2019 at Texas A&M University. The program ignited his career as an entrepreneur and in 2021, after eight months of ideation, he launched , a brand of athletic/performance-based socks.

Importantly, Cosby says, STZY is not only a sock brand but a Certified Pending B-Corporation grounded in the mission of positively impacting the lives of student-athletes in need all over the world to keep them pushing toward their goals and aspirations, within and outside of the athletic realm.

“People are drawn to the socks because we’ve worked hard to make them the most comfortable sock known to man, but I think people are also drawn to the intentionality and the themes of empowerment that are present in our brand and our marketing,” he says.

Anthony and Maria show some STZY pride.

STZY is growing rapidly—the socks sold out within 40 days of the brand’s initial launch and have attracted attention from the likes of NFL and WNBA players interested in collaborating with the brand.

The company is preparing to launch their “V2” socks this month with a women’s line, and Cosby hopes it won’t be long before you see STZY socks at national retailers like Target, Foot Locker or Dick’s Sporting Goods.

The skills he learned during EBV have been instrumental to his success.

“The program taught me that I had to get laser-focused and to learn and understand the art of pivoting,” he says. “2020 and 2021 have been no joke in terms of getting a business off the ground, but my ability to focus and adapt has served me well.”

One of STZY’s early adopters and student-athlete ambassadors is Cosby’s 9-year-old daughter, Maria, who first picked up a tennis racket at age 3 and has since trained to become an elite tennis player. This summer, she played with 14- to 18-year-olds and her goal is to play in the U.S. Open by age 16.

Cosby says the spare time he finds between his work at IVMF and building and growing STZY is usually spent on the court, picking up balls while his daughter practices. He feels blessed to be able to spend time watching her talent unfold—and as a business owner, draws inspiration from her dedication to her craft.

“One thing I’ve learned from watching my daughter is—she can see her whole future, but she also knows that nothing good happens overnight,” Cosby says. “Great things take time to evolve. Even though I want STZY to shoot to the moon, I know that it’s going to take a bit of time. But I truly believe that if you put the work in and you’re a good person, big things are going to happen.”

By that philosophy, you can count on STZY going into the stratosphere—and Maria landing her spot in the U.S. Open.

John Burse ’94

John Burse ’94 first stepped foot on the Syracuse University campus as a high school senior in the late 1980s with dreams of becoming an architect. He recalls stepping onto the Quad for the first time and knowing in that moment, “this is where I wanted to go.” That single powerful experience set the foundation for a lasting relationship between Burse and the University that has been thriving ever since.

After earning a B. Arch. degree from the School of Architecture, Burse launched a successful career with Mackey Mitchell Architects, based in St. Louis, Missouri, that has spanned 24 years. He currently serves as design principal for the firm’s higher education practice. His passion is design rooted in community; Burse’s early career specialized in town planning and urban design and has evolved toward a concentrated focus on college and university design, with expertise in campus life facilities.

Schine Student Center Renovation Offers a ‘Career Highlight’

When a renovation of the Hildegarde and J. Myer Schine Student Center was green-lighted under Syracuse University’s Campus Framework in 2017, Burse quickly moved into action to bid on the opportunity to play a role in a massive campus life project with his beloved alma mater.

“As soon as the Schine opportunity came up, I called a former classmate of mine, Matthew Broderick [president and CEO at Syracuse-based firm Ashley McGraw Architects], and said ‘Matthew, we have to work on this project together! Let’s form a team and pursue it,’” Burse says.

An interior view of the renovated Schine Student Center, unveiled earlier this year.

After an RFP process led by the Office of Campus Planning, Design and Construction, the joint project team of Mackey Mitchell and Ashley McGraw was ultimately awarded the design component of the project, with LeChase Construction selected as the general contractor.

“As you might imagine, to have my firm and another alumni-led firm selected to plan and design Schine’s renovation was both a profound honor and responsibility,” Burse says. “For me personally, it’s an absolute career highlight.”

Having worked on the design of dozens of student centers and unions throughout his career, Burse speaks of this work as an exceptional undertaking. “One becomes a sort of surgeon specializing in improving the vitality of social hearts of campuses,” he says. “As designers, we really need to understand the student experience. How are students living their lives on campus? How are they interacting with the building? Where is it stacking up well and where is it falling short?”

These lines of inquiry led Burse, Broderick and their joint design team to solicit at numerous points in the design process. Their input highlighted the need for increased connectivity among the various student organizations, activities and resources that were co-located in Schine, and easier wayfinding to aid students’ discovery of what they’re looking to get out of their college experience—or perhaps things they don’t even know they’re looking for, as Burse points out.

“One thing we looked at was how to infuse the space with a sense of serendipity, fostering spontaneous interactions and allowing for collisions with new ideas and new ways of thinking,” he says. “We also thought about how the building contributes to ‘threshold moments’—like the one I had stepping onto campus the first time so many years ago—and ‘backdrop moments,’ things like meeting a spouse, discovering a new passion, or finding an opportunity for citizenship or leadership that changes the trajectory of one’s life. You really have to wear many different lenses when thinking about these kinds of spaces.”

The —which above all else is centered on accessibility, connectivity and reestablishing the building’s place as the true “heart” of campus— was completed and the building reopened to welcome students earlier this year. A is available for those who have not had the opportunity to visit the student center since its renovation.

A Stroll Down Memory Lane

Burse and his family pose in front of the Hall of Languages during a campus visit.

Returning to campus to work on Schine evoked memories of and comparisons to Burse’s own time spent as a student on campus. When he arrived in the late 1980s, the Schine Student Center was a new building, having opened in 1985. Burse recalls Schine as a “teeming place” during his undergraduate years and was surprised to see that the building had lost its relevancy as a campus hotspot, and especially surprised to see the emergence of Club Bird on the main floor of Bird Library as the “social hub” of campus. “As someone who worked at Bird for all five years I spent on campus, that really blew me away, to see its social vibrancy,” he says.

Burse was wowed by the Barnes Center at The Arch, which opened during the Fall 2019 semester as a premier health and wellness destination on campus. “My gosh, what an incredible amenity!” he says. “I was on campus at 10 or 11 o’clock on a Friday night and the place was just packed with people.” His inner architecture nerd can’t help but comment: “When you see a building being used so well, that tells you you’re really hitting your target.”

When asked about the fondest memories from his undergraduate career, Burse references time spent and camaraderie formed with his School of Architecture classmates in studio, many of whom he has maintained a relationship with over the years and enjoys reminiscing with about the Syracuse days. “I’ve been blessed to work with some of my former classmates, too,” he says, as was the case with the Mackey Mitchell-Ashley McGraw partnership on the Schine renovations.

Beyond time spent toiling away in Slocum Hall honing his design chops, John spent a semester studying abroad in Florence, Italy, which he reflects on as a profound and eye-opening experience. “Having the veil drawn back on all that there is to absorb in Italy, at that pivotal time in my life, you just can’t beat that experience,” he says. “Spending just one semester there was like drinking from a firehose. Outside the studio and the relationships I built with my classmates and professors, the study abroad experience shaped me the most.”

Shaping the Next Generation of Student Architects

Burse remains deeply connected to the School of Architecture and is passionate about making a positive contribution to the future generation of architects—as a whole—and especially Syracuse architects. He serves as a member of the School of Architecture Advisory Board, regularly participates in panel discussions and other alumni events, and mentors young architects and architecture students from the School.

“It’s about giving back,” he says. “I was blessed to have the professors and experiences I had here. There’s a sense of obligation to the profession and to the School of Architecture. A lot was given to me and there are so many different ways to pay that forward to future generations.”

A temporary sign educates passersby about the new Onondaga Art Installation on the southeast corner of the Shaw Quad. The installation will be completed later this year.

Those strolling through the Kenneth A. Shaw Quadrangle may notice a new addition to the landscape this week, as the first phase of a new Onondaga Art Installation—led by the Indigenous Students at Syracuse (ISAS), Native Student Program, Ongwehonwe Alumni Association and Haudenosaunee/Indigenous alumni representatives—is complete and fencing around the installation has been removed.

The Onondaga Art Installation, which was first requested by Indigenous students, will serve as a permanent acknowledgement of the relationship between Syracuse University and the Onondaga Nation and the University’s presence on ancestral land.

This initial phase of the project establishes the footprint and landscape for the art installation on the southeast corner of the Quad, outside of Bowne Hall and across from the Orange Grove. The planting of a white pine tree within five granite pillars seeks to represent the Great Law of Peace of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, which was made of five nations: Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga and Seneca (Tuscarora would join in the 18th century).

Natural and durable elements meant to withstand Central New York weather conditions were selected to articulate a connection to the natural world and ensure the installation’s status as a permanent part of the campus landscape. In the middle of a circular sidewalk, surrounded by granite boulders and affixed to two white pine posts, is a temporary sign explaining the project’s current status.

Later this year, the temporary sign will be replaced with commissioned artwork by Onondaga artist Brandon Lazore and additional text will be included to draw attention to the Land Acknowledgment read prior to all official University events. Once the commissioned artwork is installed, a formal dedication and unveiling event will be held, anticipated in early 2022.

A newly planted white pine, symbolic of the Great Law of Peace of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, is surrounded by five granite pillars on the site of the Onondaga Art Installation.

Lazore says his artwork is nearly complete and is a representation of the forming of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy; how the different nations of the confederacy opted to live amongst one another in peace and harmony rather than engage in civil war; and the influence that Indigenous peoples had on the founding of democracy within the United States of America, and then later on the women’s rights movement.

“I am excited and honored to be involved in this project,” Lazore says. “This is something that will be good for the community and for Indigenous people as a whole, not only in Syracuse but throughout the U.S. and Canada. It makes a huge statement that the University is invested in us—they have put in the effort to work with Indigenous people and to let us tell our story through our own words and highlight things in history that aren’t typically spoken about.”

“We are grateful for Syracuse University’s commitment to dedicating permanent space on campus to educate through this incredible Onondaga artwork by Brandon Lazore. The rich history of the Onondaga Nation, the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, these lands and our peoples will be shared with all that visit this exceptional campus,” says Tadodaho Sidney Hill. “The collaboration between the University and the Onondaga Nation continues to be strengthened by the mutual demonstration of peace, friendship and respect.”

Alumna and activist Danielle Smith ’19, G’20 says she is relieved to see the art installation on campus come to fruition. “As an Onondaga woman who is Hawk clan, I am grateful to all of the Indigenous students and staff who helped to make this happen,” she says. “By representing Onondaga Nation stories on campus, I hope it urges more faculty, departments and students to find out the true history of Haudenosaunee people and educates people who are new to campus that we, Indigenous people, are still here.”

Maris Jacobs ’19, from the Kahnawà:ke Mohawk Territory near Montreal, Quebec, became involved in the art installation during her senior year as a member of ISAS and feels strongly about seeing it through to completion. “This installation is important because so often, we [Indigenous students] are not visually represented in the classroom,” she says. “Students can go their whole time at Syracuse University without ever truly understanding what they are doing by listening to or saying the land acknowledgment.”

The reverse side of the temporary sign depicts the Hiawatha wampum belt, symbolizing the unity of the original five nations of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy.

Ionah M. Elaine Scully (Cree-Métis, Michel First Nation), a Ph.D. candidate in cultural foundations of education in the School of Education, says that as an Indigenous guest on Onondaga lands, they are honored to support the work of making the art installation on campus happen. “It is my responsibility to uplift and support Onondaga experiences and sovereignty,” Scully says. “As the art is created by an Onondaga artist, the project stewarded by Onondaga and other Haudenosaunee peoples and the space around the installation a space for Indigenous knowledges to be centered, it almost feels as if this project is a tiny moment of reclamation of our space as Indigenous people.”

“The Onondaga Art Installation will serve many functions, not only as a display of Indigenous art but also as a gathering place, a teaching place, a safe and brave place that sparks and sustains both conversations and actions,” says the Rev. Brian Konkol, dean of Hendricks Chapel, who has been helping to facilitate the project. “I am grateful for the tremendous efforts of our students in making this all possible, and I look forward to our continued collaboration.”

“I hope people take the opportunity to appreciate not only the artwork, but the space and the land acknowledgment as well,” Jacobs says. “I think a strong understanding and awareness of the lands you occupy and study on should be part of the Syracuse University experience and carried with you long after you leave.”

Clarise Shelby-Coleman and her son, Chase, at an ARC of Onondaga race in 2019

Back then, autism spectrum disorder, which encompasses a range of conditions related to individual differences in sensory, perceptional and cognitive processes, was not as broadly shared, discussed or celebrated as it is now. “When Chase was diagnosed in 2005, the chances of being diagnosed with autism were 1 in 151. Today it’s 1 in 68, and 1 in 45 for males,” Shelby-Coleman says. “Tomorrow a caregiver will get a diagnosis and wonder, as I did, ‘where are all the adults with autism? How do I prepare him for this world?’”

An attempt to join a local support group for parents with children on the spectrum didn’t feel like a good fit for Shelby-Coleman—so she made her own path.

Propelled by the incredible tenacity that is pervasive in her spirit, Shelby-Coleman spent the next 11 years accumulating knowledge, wisdom, tools and resources on her own, as she advocated for Chase and worked to ensure he had every opportunity to achieve his goals and dreams.

“People call us ‘helicopter moms’ … well, I’m an F-16,” she says. “I knew that if I could teach him how to navigate the world, then he eventually would be able to teach the world, ‘this is how you deal with me. This is how Chase is.’”

All along in the background, Shelby-Coleman was considering the idea of starting her own support group for caregivers, knowing how she had struggled to find community upon Chase’s diagnosis. “But something awful had to happen to him for me to really get to it,” she says. In 2016, when Chase was 15 years old, he was running with his team from Corcoran High School in a cross-country meet in Rochester, New York, when he was assaulted by a stranger.

Clarise and Chase before a workout at the Syracuse University Fitness Center in the summer of 2020.

The incident was widely publicized and spotlighted issues of both racial prejudice and ableism toward Chase. Shelby-Coleman says she was frustrated that even the police officers who responded to the scene and were trying to help her didn’t quite understand Chase or how his autism affected his perception of and reaction to the assault.

Unexpectedly, Chase and his differing abilities were receiving national and international attention and Shelby-Coleman found herself saying, “I know I’m not the only parent going through this.” She started putting her plan into action to make sure that no parent of an autistic child would ever feel as alone as she did in the aftermath of Chase’s assault.

Shortly thereafter, Shelby-Coleman founded Show Them How Smart You Are, a nonprofit organization focused on support and advocacy for parents and caregivers of children with autism in the Central New York community. The name comes from a sentiment that she began saying to Chase daily at age 4, following his diagnosis.

“I would say to him, and I still say to him, every morning when he leaves the house, ‘listen, you show them how smart you are,’” she says. “And I say it to every single child with autism I meet: ‘Show them how smart you are.’”

Show Them How Smart You Are is a beacon of light and hope for children with autism in Central New York and those who love and care for them. Shelby-Coleman leads a support group for parents, grandparents, teachers and therapists, and others who have been touched by autism every other Saturday on Zoom.

“Our group is multi-ethnic, multi-racial, we have different economic statuses, different professional statuses, some of us are stay-at-home moms and our children range from about ages 3 to 37,” Shelby-Coleman says. “When we come together, we can talk about things that we wouldn’t necessarily talk about with our friends who are parents of neurotypical kids.”

Shelby-Coleman also shares her own wisdom, stories, support and information with the caregivers in her group, which numbers around 25-30 at any given time. Advocating for individualized education plans (IEPs) and special education support within the schools, sharing contact information for local professionals that work well with autistic children (i.e., pediatric dentists) and connecting people with local events and other organizations that contribute to a high quality of life for kids on the spectrum are all under the purview of Shelby-Coleman’s mission.

Show Them How Smart You Are also puts on numerous events each year, including a parents’ brunch to offer them much-needed respite; a fun run with Chase, who is still an avid runner; and a skills fair that helps introduce autistic children to hobbies and interests that could potentially become careers down the line.

“Clarise creates this incredible chain reaction of love and support for families like mine,” says Carol Masiclat, a member of the group. “Since meeting her, I’ve felt more confident in my advocacy for my son, and it inspires me to support other parents. She has given me advice on everything. You can’t Google what she knows.”

Shelby-Coleman receives the Exceptional Woman of Central New York award for community service from Assemblywoman Pamela J. Hunter, New York District 128.

This past May, Shelby-Coleman was honored as an Exceptional Woman of Central New York in the community service category by Assemblywoman Pamela J. Hunter for her work with Show Them How Smart You Are. Two parents from her group nominated her for the award. “Receiving that award was very special to me,” Shelby-Coleman says. “I just don’t think about me. I try to think about everyone else, so to be honored in that way made me think, maybe I’m getting something right.”

One thing she is certainly getting right? Parenting her son, Chase, who is now 19 years old and recently graduated from the Institute of Technology at Syracuse Central High School’s media studies program. He is preparing to enter InclusiveU, an initiative of the Lawrence B. Taishoff Center for Inclusive Higher Education at Syracuse University, where he dreams of receiving a media certification from the Newhouse School. He has an active social life, friends he enjoys hanging out with, and loves running 5K races and spending time at the gym. With his mom’s help, Chase started an inclusive running club on campus, called Run, Walk and Roll with Chase, which meets every Monday and Friday morning at the Huntington Hall Commons and offers several routes for those with varying abilities.

“One of the biggest things for me was, don’t hide our kids,” Shelby-Coleman says. “Coming from the Black culture, there is a tendency when our kids are not ‘normal’ to hide them away from the world … you know, like the eccentric uncle in the back bedroom that no one ever sees. I wanted more for Chase. I knew he wasn’t going to live in an all-autistic world; so I wanted him to have as many inclusive experiences as possible. All he wants is to be included, just like everybody else. I truly believe that inclusion completes the puzzle.”

Show Them How Smart You Are welcomes new members to the support group; they also accept financial donations and occasionally have opportunities to get involved with other events and programs. To learn more, email Shelby-Coleman at smartwithautism37@gmail.com.

Here are six ways things were noticeably different 18 years ago.

1. Social media was in its infancy.
   It’s hard to remember a time when scrolling TikTok, Instagram or Twitter wasn’t part of our everyday lives, but in 2003? MySpace, which would become the largest social media network in the world from 2005 to 2008, had just been invented. Facebook didn’t come onto the scene until 2004, Twitter until 2006, Instagram until 2010 and TikTok until 2016.
2. We were all about that T-9 life.
   Smartphones were relatively rare in 2003, with BlackBerry just starting to catch on among predominantly business users. The best-selling cell phone in 2003 was the , on which you could call and text but not much else. Before unlimited texting plans became ubiquitous, users would pay 15 to 20 cents per text or have a monthly allotment of texts—so you had to make every message count. The first iPhone wouldn’t be released until 2007.
3. To obtain food, you had to (mostly) leave the house.
   Grubhub, Instacart, Uber Eats and DoorDash hadn’t been invented yet. Sure, you could have a pizza delivered back then, but the world of ordering any type of cuisine you desire with just a few finger taps was at least a decade away in 2003.
4. Network TV was still king.
   Before Netflix, Hulu, Sling, HBO Max, Disney+ and Apple TV (need we go on?) gave us a million things to watch at any given moment, Americans were still hooked on primetime network television. The top shows in 2003 were “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation” (CBS), “American Idol” (FOX) and “Friends” (NBC), the final season of which would air the following year in 2004.
5. Streaming music was not a thing.
   If you wanted to listen to one of the top albums of 2003 (“Get Rich or Die Tryin’” by 50 Cent, John Mayer’s “Heavier Things” or the “Bad Boys II” soundtrack, perhaps), you would more than likely hit a local music store like FYE or Sam Goody and buy the CD. YouTube didn’t launch until 2005, Spotify followed in 2006 and Apple Music wasn’t available until 2015.
6. Men’s hoops had everyone coming down with Orange fever.
   The spring of 2003 marks the last time the Syracuse Orange men’s basketball team claimed the title of NCAA Division 1 National Champion in a nailbiter game against the Kansas Jayhawks. While we could do without the return to flip phones and compact discs, here’s one piece of history from that era we wouldn’t mind repeating. Go Orange!

Destinations and Day Trips

Gaia the Giant Turtle is a highlight of Ithaca Children’s Garden, located a little over an hour from campus.

• The is a 3-acre public garden designed just for kids and built on the foundational concepts of play and connection to nature. The garden is free and features include honeybee hives, a bird habitat garden, a rice paddy pond, wildflower meadow, farm stand and more.
• is regarded by some as one of the best-kept secrets of the Finger Lakes region. Complete with a koi/turtle pond and sculptures, the living museum is free to visit and a fabulous place for a picnic lunch.
• , located in Binghamton right next to the , showcases various dramatic playrooms—an ambulance for children to play in, a dentist’s office, hair salon, grocery store, etc. There is also a room for science-based exploration and a storybook garden where children can play.
• The in Smyrna offers hiking and an opportunity to “meet” wolves, coyotes and foxes. Pack a lunch as there are places to picnic along the mountain! The center also offers a Camping with the Wolves option for families with children 12 years or older.

Adventures and Activities

• is a treasure hunt-style outdoor activity that involves exchanging unique rubber-stamped images by using various websites and mobile apps to search for letterbox clues. The website AtlasQuest.com provides a . Bring a blank journal, stamp pad and whatever your personal family stamp will be and head out for an adventure!
• Over 1,100 public libraries and branches across the state are open and offering fun and exciting summer events and enrichment activities for students of all ages. The provides access to a variety of books and other resources, and offers creative and educational programs for children and teens to support summer learning and help prevent the “summer slide.”
• Hot day? Try freezing small toys, shells, Lego blocks, glass pebbles, fidgets or any other colorful items in open plastic containers (to-go containers work well), using food coloring or liquid watercolors to color the water. Put them in the backyard or driveway and let kids uncover the treasures while cooling down at the same time! You can even make this activity into a scavenger hunt or, if age-appropriate, provide a small hammer and some golf tees to crack into the frozen treasures.
• Children’s shoes often have a unique pattern on the sole, making the soles of old slippers or broken flip-flops excellent “stamps” to paint with. Put a thin layer of acrylic paint on a paper plate, slide your hand into a slipper or around a flip-flop and “step” it into the paint, then press down on paper or fabric for a unique design.
• Take a cardboard shirt box, place a piece of paper inside and add a few drops of tempera or acrylic paint. Then, drop in a few marbles, golf balls or an old Matchbox car. Hold the sides of the box, as you tip and turn it the balls or car will roll through the paint and make a design.
• Check out the ARTBAR blog’s tutorials for and (and at-home craft ideas). Remember, with the Internet at your disposal there is no limit to what you and the kiddos can create together!

This leads me to the question… can you improve upon perfection? The Internet seems to think so! Below are a few suggestions for ways to reimagine the humble s’more into a gourmet delight that is sure to impress at your next cookout.

POV: You’re a peanut butter freak.

Peanut butter makes everything better! If you agree with this sentiment, try swapping the square of milk chocolate for a perfectly placed Reese’s cup… the combination of chocolate, peanut butter and marshmallow is quite pleasing, especially when the Reese’s cup gets just a bit melty! For those with a peanut allergy, sunflower or almond butter cups would also work nicely.

Gimme the nutrients.

S’mores aren’t exactly a health food, which is why they are generally relegated to the realm of an every-once-in-awhile treat. But there are ways to aim for a better-for-you s’more. Add sliced strawberries or bananas in lieu of chocolate for a more natural source of sweetness, opt for dark instead of milk chocolate for more antioxidants and less sugar, or consider more healthful versions of the basic ingredients. For example, contain no artificial colors or flavors or corn syrup and boast 10 grams of whole grains per serving and organic ingredients.

Think outside the (graham cracker) box.

Graham crackers tend to be the foundation on which we build our s’mores, but I say anything that is flat-ish and square-ish will get the job done. Try cookies (shortbread, Oreos, Fig Newtons, Thin Mints) or if a sweet-and-salty vibe is more your thing, Pretzel Crisps or Ritz crackers! You can even if you’re feeling adventurous.

Get decadent.

Decadence for the sake of decadence! Cocoa-flavored graham crackers (or heck, ) create a chocolate-lover’s delight; elevate your s’more’s middle layer with a gourmet candy bar (white chocolate with macadamia nuts or dark chocolate with caramel and sea salt sound intriguing); try a smear of Nutella atop the graham cracker; or, if it doesn’t offend your sensibilities, add a small chunk of bacon somewhere in the middle of the s’more and enjoy.

The room was buzzing with energy on a recent Tuesday night at the Clarence Jordan Vision Center on Syracuse’s south side. Eleven local high school students diligently toiled on Macs outfitted with headphones, digital keyboards and Novation Launchpads—digital soundboards used to create drum tracks, beats and other instrumental sounds. The students were putting finishing touches on compositions they’d been working on all semester using the music production software Ableton Live.

A group of seven graduate students in Professor David Knapp’s Assessment and Music Education course served as guides and advisors, answering students’ questions about the software, conducting a lesson on a component of music composition, and offering advice on the musical aspects of their songs, such as structure, melodies, harmonies and beat-making.

Cooper Elizabeth Klares G’21 (left) assists high school students with their digital music compositions.

The high school students’ compositions, ranging in genre from electronic music to hip hop to pop, are the culmination of the 12-week Digital Music Lab, a partnership between the University’s music education program and Mercy Works, a 501(c)3 organization serving Syracuse youth with free STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics) programs.

The partnership, which was concepted by Knapp in the fall of 2019, is a win-win-win for Syracuse University, Mercy Works and the students involved at both the K-12 and graduate level.

For Mercy Works, which has historically been more STEM-focused, it expands the organization’s offerings with the addition of arts-related programming. For the K-12 participants, it delivers a rich music learning experience tailored to their own interests and vernacular, exposing them to the digital tools and technologies that facilitate DJing, programming beats and record production in a guided environment.

And for Knapp and his graduate students, the Digital Music Lab is one piece of a larger Music in the Community (MiC) initiative that seeks to reinforce the importance of community music-making and diversify the field experience of future music educators studying at Syracuse.

“Historically, music education programs have a hard time connecting with diverse, dynamic experiences, with our students typically going to suburban schools to observe music education classes that likely reflect their own music education experience,” says Knapp. MiC programming, including the Digital Music Lab, seeks to expose undergraduate and graduate students to diverse students and musics and reflect teaching practices that can be carried forth in any K-12 classroom, especially those located in a rich urban environment like Syracuse.

MiC also encompasses a rock band composed of refugee youth in the Syracuse area, called the New American All-Stars. The band was formed through a partnership between the music education program (which is dually housed in the College of Visual and Performing Arts’ Setnor School of Music and the School of Education) and the Northside Catholic Youth Organization’s Refugee Youth Program.

The Digital Music Lab curriculum takes participants through an inquiry-based music education where they develop music composition and production skills based on essential questions in the Ableton Live software. During each class, participants also reflect on short writing prompts that interrogate the meanings of their produced tracks, encouraging the K-12 students to explore the extra-musical meanings of their vernacular music.

Because the graduate-level class is focused on assessment, the Syracuse students huddle up with Knapp at the mid-point and end of each class to share insights on how participants are learning and being assessed throughout the process of their musical compositions. At the end of the semester, Digital Music Lab participants will present a finished product that includes their completed track and a brief abstract about the meaning that underlies their composition.

David Knapp, assistant professor of music education, huddles with his class of graduate students at Mercy Works.

Nati Torrence, program director at Mercy Works, says that the Digital Music Lab and partners like Syracuse University are incredibly valuable to the students they serve. Running on a vision-based philosophy, Mercy Works offers professional development, personal development and development of STEAM skills to approximately 300 Syracuse youth per year. “We want them to really have a positive outlook on their future, so even as we teach young people about how to build robots, we’re always talking about vision,” says Torrence. If someone gets an idea about an activity they want to try or a passion they may want to pursue, like digital music-making, Mercy Works does its best to capitalize on that passion.

“It’s phenomenal that Syracuse University took an interest in bringing the Digital Music Lab here, where kids can access it so easily and have the one-on-one mentorship and interaction with the graduate students. I couldn’t ask for a better partnership,” says Torrence.

The graduate students teaching and mentoring in the Digital Music Lab share that the experience has been a highlight of their time at Syracuse. “The project has greatly inspired me as a music educator,” says Cooper Elizabeth Klares G’21, who graduated with her master’s degree in music education this May. “In our classes, we discuss creating music classrooms that look like this music lab, but most of us have never have the opportunity to be in one ourselves or see this kind of class operating in the field.”

Nicholas Peta , a graduate student in choral conducting, music education, and audio arts—a dual program in VPA and Newhouse—adds, “Syracuse prides itself on its relations with the community and it also prides itself on inclusivity—and inclusivity also relates to genres within music. Our ability to collaborate with these students is not only a learning experience for us, but a learning experience for them. It’s a really cool symbiotic relationship where we get to learn more about music, together.”

High school student Dhan Dhakal, who goes by her middle name, Maya, is one of the participants in the Digital Music Lab. Having been through Mercy Works’ robotics and coding classes, she was excited to experience the Digital Music Lab because she loves music but has never learned how to create it.

“We learn about how to make beats, we learn about concepts of music and how digital music works. I’m having fun doing it because this is something I’ve always wanted to try,” she says.

Maya, one of the local high school students participating in the Digital Music Lab, works to put finishing touches on her composition.

For her final composition, Maya describes a relaxing track with beats, drums and piano. She says her favorite memory from the Digital Music Lab was when Knapp helped her create a song with a sound similar to K-Pop, her favorite musical genre. “I wanted to learn how to play the music I always listened to and so Dr. Knapp helped me, taught me how to play the piano and we made something similar to the K-pop sound,” she says with a grin.

“One of my favorite things is to help a student whose work I have not heard in a few weeks,” says Klares. “Listening to how far they’ve progressed in just a few classes is such a treat and it feels amazing knowing that they have grown so much through this new musical medium.”

To listen to participants’ final tracks, visit the .

Kim DeStefano

As the wellness coordinator in the Office of Human Resources, Kim DeStefano ’05 is motivated by a singular goal—to help faculty and staff members get and stay healthy, whatever that means for them. DeStefano is one half of the two-person team behind the University’s Wellness Initiative, which offers workshops, challenges, educational opportunities, programs and resources to empower employees to make choices and changes that promote a balanced and healthy lifestyle.

Virtual group fitness challenges, which DeStefano conducts via Microsoft Teams, have proven to be particularly popular in the time of COVID. Dozens of faculty and staff members have joined in to work on their cardiovascular fitness (jumping jacks) and strength (planks and core exercises) over the past year, under DeStefano’s instruction and unrelenting encouragement. She is currently leading a challenge to work up to 50 burpees over a two-week period.

“We’ve received great feedback on the group fitness challenges, especially with people not being able to connect in person as much,” DeStefano says. “Employees have appreciated the connection with others around a common interest—fitness—and the motivation I give, while also building up their physical strength.”

Through at-home videos, with frequent cameos by her dog, Brutus, and toddler son, Asher, DeStefano demos each exercise with varying degrees of difficulty and optional modifications so that faculty and staff with any level of fitness can participate. “I want participants to experience the physical benefits, but more importantly I want them to feel good about themselves, be able to participate to their fullest ability and enjoy themselves along the way,” she says.

Kim and Asher squeeze in a workout together.

“Kim is an essential component of the success of the Wellness Initiative program,” says Gail Grozalis, executive director of wellness and the other half of the Wellness Initiative. “She is professional, knowledgeable, caring and exudes positive energy, and she especially shines in the meaningful connections she makes with our participants.”

Focused on a holistic and multi-dimensional approach to well-being, the Wellness Initiative delivers far more than physical fitness for faculty and staff. Since DeStefano and Grozalis became certified health and wellness coaches in 2019, they have renewed their commitment to offer diverse programs encompassing mental and emotional well-being, stress relief, work-life balance, financial wellness and relationship-building, in addition to exercise and healthy eating.

“Promoting physical activity and good nutrition will always be part of what we do, but I love that we’ve been expanding beyond that,” says DeStefano. In April the Wellness Initiative ran a weekly guided meditation series, two sessions of Move. Pause. Breathe.—25 minutes of stretching, meditation and deep breathing—and a back-by-popular-demand workshop series on bullet journaling offered by a third-party expert in positive psychology.

DeStefano began her journey with Syracuse as an undergraduate student in the School of Education, having graduated in 2005 with a bachelor’s degree in health and exercise science. Her interest in health and wellness stemmed from her time as a high school soccer player, during which she encountered injuries, surgeries and time spent in physical therapy.

“I started my degree with the idea that I would get my DPT [doctor of physical therapy], but over the course of four years, I became interested in so much more than just physical therapy,” DeStefano says. “I took nutrition classes and minored in psychology, where I started learning about how our minds work. I knew I wanted to do something to take care of people and help them feel their best.”

Upon graduation, DeStefano launched a 10-year career with St. Joseph’s Hospital’s cardiac rehabilitation unit as an exercise physiologist, conducting patient education and stress testing and writing exercise prescriptions for patients recovering from major cardiac events. Ready for a change of pace, she had her eye on her alma mater for career opportunities where she would be able to grow and evolve with a larger and more diverse organization. After a stint in the University’s special events office, she landed with the Wellness Initiative, where she has developed a real passion for worksite wellness and keeping the University’s employees healthy and engaged.

Juggling work, family and her personal well-being, DeStefano keeps a positive attitude through it all.

As a mom of two young children, the last year of working remotely has brought plenty of challenges, or growth opportunities, as the ever-optimistic DeStefano might describe them. Working odd hours around the kids’ schedules and juggling nap and feeding schedules with conference calls and work tasks became the new norm. Her husband Aaron, who works an overnight shift, was able to rearrange his work and sleep schedules when needed so DeStefano could run her programs and workshops, and they’ve also been lucky enough to have support from extended family to help with childcare.

“I’m pretty sure both of my kids have made an appearance on every call and in all my challenge videos,” DeStefano says. “It was definitely hard at first, as I’m sure it was for everyone, but as time went on we just went with it and adapted. Some days were a struggle but I’m all about staying positive. The work always gets done and I’ve been lucky to have all this time at home with my family.”

When it comes to her personal well-being, DeStefano stays active by keeping up with her little ones and doing at-home workouts—usually high-intensity interval training or yoga. She practices deep breathing exercises and isn’t afraid to find down time in front of the TV when her body calls for it. The DeStefano family is all about healthy eating, big on fruits, veggies and whole foods but allows for everything in moderation. “I do love ice cream,” she confesses. “So yeah, we indulge. I never want to deprive myself or the kids of anything.”

Please note, many of these images were taken prior to the COVID-19 pandemic and do not reflect current public health guidelines.

Courtney Albiker, assistant director in the Office of Student Living, with her daughter Addison during Addison’s first visit to the stadium, just before the pandemic.

Joanne Balduzzi, office coordinator in the Department of Communication and Rhetorical Studies, with her son Brian Balduzzi ’13 (College of Visual and Performing Arts) and Syracuse dad Mark Balduzzi (left).

Amanda Chau, a junior in the College of Arts and Sciences, shared this photo of her mom, Sui, decked out in a Syracuse tee with an Otto plush.

Giovanna Colosi, librarian in the School of Education, with her daughter Sofia Rose and Otto at a March of Dimes/March for Babies event.

Kim DeStefano ’05, wellness coordinator in the Office of Human Resources, gives her son Asher a lift while working on her fitness.

Rachel Evans, assistant director with the Barnes Center at The Arch Health Promotion, with her youngest little one, Wesley.

Kim Infanti ’06, G’16, executive director of digital engagement and communications in the Office of Alumni Engagement, with her son, Jameson Patrick, on Forever Orange Day.

First-year student Leah Jones (College of Arts and Sciences), with her mom, Carroyl, in front of the Hall of Languages during a campus visit.

Beth Kubala, teaching professor in the College of Law, and her son, Zach Kubala ’21 (College of Engineering and Computer Science), with Otto.

Kate Ludwig, associate director of affinity programs and reunions in the Office of Alumni Engagement, and her son cheer on the Syracuse Women’s Basketball team during the NCAA playoffs in 2019. “He loves to cheer on the Orange!” Ludwig says.

Gianna Marie Mangicaro ’18 (Whitman), pre-college programs specialist with University College, with her mom, Carolyn Mangicaro (left), and dad, John Mangicaro, an instructional technology engineer with Information Technology Services, at the stadium. “We’re definitely a ‘Cuse family!” says Gianna.

Jamie Oswald (left), manager of tax reporting in the Comptroller’s Office, celebrates a big ’Cuse win against Duke with her mom, Lila George (behind flag); children Jesse, Jack and Jamie; and husband, James.

Chef Mary Kiernan

If the image that comes to mind when you think of the words “savory, filled dough” is a calzone from your local pizzeria or *gasp* a hot pocket from the freezer section—prepare to have your mind blown!

Reghaif, sometimes called msemen, is a savory filled pancake that comes from the Moroccan culinary tradition. Chef Mary Kiernan, associate teaching professor of nutrition and food studies in the Falk College, shares her take on the dish below, with a recipe adapted from “The Food of Morocco” cookbook by Tess Mallos.

“Reghaif has lots of potential for fun adaptations. It’s a great way to use up bits of leftovers, especially hamburgers,” Kiernan says. “Try filling it with lots of herbs for a vegetarian option. You can also experiment with the flavor profiles—if you don’t care for cumin, use whatever you like. Because there is both some fat and carb, you can season generously.”

Kiernan recommends getting creative with your reghaif—the fillings are limited only by your imagination! “Dipping sauces are not out of order either,” she says.

Reghaif (courtesy of Chef Mary Kiernan)

Reghaif
Yield: 12 servings

For the Dough:

Ingredients:

• 2 tsp. yeast, active dried
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 8 oz. water, warm to touch
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2.75 cups flour, all-purpose
• Extra virgin olive oil, to coat dough for rise

Instructions:

1. Dissolve yeast and sugar in water in mixer fitted with dough hook.
2. Add salt and flour, mix on lowest speed until dough forms into one ball, approximately 15 minutes. Let the machine do the work. Dough should be silky, elastic and a bit sticky to touch.
3. Remove from bowl, roll into another bowl drizzled with olive oil to coat. Cover and let rise 30 to 45 minutes, until doubled in size.

Chef’s Tip: “Over the summer, I will definitely utilize dough balls from the grocery store as they are easy to manage.”

For the Filling/Spice Kefta:

Ingredients:

• 2 oz. butter (can substitute olive oil)
• 9 oz. beef, ground fine
• 2 Tbsp. onion, small cooking variety, finely minced
• 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1 Tbsp. cumin, ground
• 1 Tbsp. coriander, ground
• 1 tsp. kosher salt
• 1/2 cup water

Instructions:

1. In a sauté pan, melt the butter or heat the oil. Add the onion, garlic and spices, sautéing until aromatic (without burning). Add beef and continue to cook until cooked through.
2. Add water and continue cooking to dry off water. This allows flavors to bloom together.
3. Drain any excess fat and water. Hold mixture until dough is ready.

Chef’s Tip: “Measurements for beef and onion do not need to be exact. This is a great use for leftover meatloaf or hamburgers! If mixture is too lumpy, grind in a food processor until it is of a consistency similar to couscous.”

Assembly

1. After dough is doubled in size, with oiled hands, punch it down, gently kneading it together into a ball. Divide dough into 12 pieces. Roll them in small balls, cover with towel to prevent drying out.
2. Roll out dough ball using a rolling pin to a 7- to 8-inch circle. Put 1/12 of the filling centered on dough circle. Fold opposite sides to create a barrier edge, then fold the other two sides to enclose beef into dough like a burrito. Press seams together and press down filled dough.
3. Roll out filled dough aiming for a rectangle shape. Roll as thin as possible without the meat mixture breaking through the dough. Hold on an oiled tray until all dough balls are ready to cook.
4. On a hot grill or griddle, place the flattened filled doughs cooking 1 to 2 minutes per side, until done like a pizza.

Chef’s Tip: “The key is in the rolling. The first time I made them I was a bit light on the filling until I got the feel for rolling a filled dough. I find it unique to fill the dough much like a burrito and then flatten it out like a pizza before cooking.”

Or, maybe you spent more time watching Netflix than you thought was humanly possible, ate cookies for breakfast with alarming regularity and let any semblance of an exercise routine disappear faster than you can dismiss Netflix’s “Are You Still Watching?” pop-up.

Maybe you’re somewhere in between.

No matter where you fall on the spectrum, you are absolutely fine. Find a moment of gratitude for your body, whatever shape it is in. Breathe in the fresh energy of spring and remember that every day brings a new opportunity to move your body, with the help of some tips and encouragement from campus experts.

Move Outside, Together

Our ability to get outdoors more as spring blossoms encourages both physical movement and human connection. “Exercising outdoors with a friend or neighbor, you can walk, roller blade, go for a bike ride, go hiking, all while maintaining social distance and/or wearing a mask,” says Kristen Konkol, assistant teaching professor of exercise science in the Falk College and I-Move program coordinator in the School of Education.

The Konkol family spending quality time together outdoors.

After many months of isolation, the psychological need for socialization is just as important as the physiological need for exercise, Konkol says. There is also an added bonus of accountability when you involve another person in your plans for movement. “Not only will you get the benefits of fresh air and exercise, you’ll uplift yourself emotionally and have someone to connect with—both socially, and for accountability to stay motivated.”

‘A Journey of a Thousand Miles Begins With a Single Step’

This Chinese proverb is relevant for those seeking to return to a fitness routine after a year of unpredictability. Kim DeStefano, wellness coordinator with the Office of Human Resources’ Wellness Initiative, recommends small, achievable steps that can lead to bigger goals.

“When you’re just getting back into the swing of things, the idea of doing an hourlong or even 30-minute workout can seem overwhelming,” she says. “Try to begin by committing to five minutes. Once you are up and moving, you may surprise yourself and want to keep going.”

Konkol also emphasizes the importance of allowing yourself some grace. “We’ve all been going through a lot and people tend to be really hard on themselves when they miss a day or if they’ve been out of the habit of exercising for awhile,” she says. “Instead of beating yourself up, welcome the opportunity to re-boot mentally. If today is step one, then today is step one. Tomorrow will be step two. With exercise, it’s a cumulative effect.”

The DeStefano kids, Asher (1 1/2) and Kennedy (5) love getting outside for activities like bike riding and playground time.

A positive attitude is key, DeStefano says. Remember how good it feels when you make time to move your body and focus on the outcome of being physically active instead of the effort it may take to get started. “Do it for you. Make it a point to set a goal, even a small and very achievable one, then celebrate your successes!”

Get Out and Explore the Great Outdoors

If you’ve been moving consistently but are craving some novel ways to get out and active in the Central New York area and beyond, here are some ideas.

• : For just $80, you and whoever you can fit in your vehicle can access all New York State Parks and Department of Environmental Conservation facilities (more than 120 sites across the state!) through the end of 2021 without paying one-time entry fees for day use. The pass is also sharable.
• : This paved, multi-use trail spans nine miles along the western shore of Onondaga Lake, offering spectacular lake and city views and running right through the St. Joseph’s Health Amphitheater at Lakeview—a great spot to stop for a picnic! Park and enter the trail at the south side of the lake (take I-690 to exit 7), which is less heavily trafficked and remains half-shaded on hot summer days.
• : Behold all of nature’s beauty within 6 miles of campus. This hidden gem features 5 miles of trails, striking geological features and the picturesque Glacier Lake. You can even download a and track how many different species of birds you spot during your visit!
• : With its towering waterfalls, lush forests and majestic gorge that earned it the nickname “the Grand Canyon of the East,” there is no shortage of good reasons to visit Letchworth State Park. Opening this summer, the Autism Nature Trail will add to the park’s attractions as a first-of-its-kind, interactive experience in nature designed specifically for those with autism spectrum disorder and other developmental disabilities. The one-mile looped trail has eight stations, including a Sensory Station, Sunshine Slope maze, Music Circle, Curiosity Corner, Reflection Point, Meadow Run and Climb and Design Area. Specialized elements like cuddle swings, gliders and “alone zones” provide an inclusive environment for individuals of differing needs and abilities. Visit to view renderings of the trail and stay up-to-date on its opening plans.

Laura Markley

She is also the force behind the blog , where she writes about the science of sustainability—including her own research—and shares insights on practical ways the common consumer can reduce waste.

The product of two sustainability-minded parents, Markley has been passionate about the environment from an early age. Upon taking a marine science course in high school, she fell in love with the study of water and water science. She went on to receive a B.S. in environmental earth science from Eastern Connecticut State University and a master’s in earth and environmental science at Lehigh University, where she studied the formation of iron minerals in soils as an indicator of paleo precipitation.

Driven by a perpetual thirst for knowledge (pun intended), Markley finished both of her prior degrees thinking about how much more she wanted to learn. “After completing my undergraduate degree, I felt like the more I learned, the more I learned that I don’t know anything,” she says. “I opted to do my master’s. That flew by and then I was like ‘I still don’t know anything!’ So that’s how I ended up here at Syracuse working on my Ph.D.”

When searching for a Ph.D. program, Markley knew she wanted to delve into more water-based research. She was attracted to the interdisciplinary opportunities offered by ECS’s and the at Syracuse University. Markley is co-advised by Charles Driscoll, University Professor of environmental systems and distinguished professor of civil and environmental engineering, and Andria Costello Staniec, department chair and associate professor in civil and environmental engineering.

“Laura is one of the most well-rounded and engaged graduate students that I’ve worked with,” says Staniec. “Her commitment to sustainability is evident both in her research as well as her broad public environmental education platform. In both of these areas, Laura has already proven herself as a leader and she is poised to have a large impact.”

Markley’s dissertation includes three unique projects that are connected by their relationship to the life cycle impacts of plastics.

Laura Markley (Please note, this image was taken prior to the COVID-19 pandemic and does not reflect current public health guidelines.)

First, she studies the effects of certain stress conditions—like being left in the car on a hot summer day or exposure to ultraviolet light—on disposable plastic water bottles. Using breast cancer cells, Markley is investigating if these conditions cause estrogenic chemicals to leach out of the bottle and into the water, and the potential impacts this has on human health.

For her second project, Markley is using survey data from a 2019 social media campaign called #FuturisticFebruary to examine the generation of waste at the household level and consumer perspectives on waste, sustainability and pollution issues.

The campaign encouraged participants to document all their non-perishable waste for one month. By analyzing participant data, Markley is learning more about not only the composition of waste at the household/individual level, but also how environmental attitudes and knowledge of environmental issues factor into the equation.

“The survey asks general questions about how participants view the sustainability of their waste and pollution issues, but also specific questions like ‘do you believe there are floating islands of plastic in the ocean?’” she says. “Looking at this data is helpful in understanding where we may need to improve our communication about certain scientific topics as it relates to sustainability.”

Markley currently spends the bulk of her time on her third project: researching the abundance, distribution and potential sources of microplastics in Onondaga and Skaneateles lakes. With funding from the New York State Water Research Institute at Cornell University through the U.S. Geological Survey and help from the Upstate Freshwater Institute, she collects grab, bucket and net samples seasonally from the two lakes to develop a profile of microplastic concentrations with space and time.

According to Markley, 20% of the annual inflow from the historically polluted Onondaga Lake is sourced from wastewater effluent (a common source of microplastics), with additional potential sources from street litter runoff from the surrounding urban areas and inputs from combined sewer overflow events. A study in contrast, Skaneateles Lake is relatively pristine and provides most of the drinking water for the City of Syracuse.

Markley conducts net sampling for her research into microplastics abundance in local lakes.

“Our preliminary results show it’s not only where we sample, but how we sample that changes what microplastics we collect. What we’ve seen is that microplastics can be very diverse in these ecosystems, occurring in all types of colors, shapes and form. Microfibers, which shed from textiles during laundering or during wear or use, are very common, but not yet well understood,” Markley says.

When she’s not in the lab, Markley works on , where she shares recent research, opines on the science of trash and documents her ongoing commitment to reduce her own waste. She started the blog in 2018 to address a proliferation of misinformation in the waste-free movement.

“I noticed there was a lot of bad information out there about going waste-free and about plastics in general,” she says. “I wanted to make that information more accessible to people and also provide the scientific citations to back it up.”

Markley’s fluency in communicating science to the layperson shines on her blog, which offers approachable and non-dogmatic strategies for reducing one’s own waste.

“Not everyone necessarily has the interest in or the access to the science, but they have a right to it,” she says. “I wanted to create a place where people could get the information and make their own decisions about their behaviors, rather than being told what to do.”

Markley also has a side hustle doing graphic design, another interest she’s had from a young age, having recently designed a plant-based, minimal waste cookbook called “Fetagetaboutit.”

“I’m a very visual learner so I’ve found it important to incorporate graphical elements when communicating science,” she says. “If I have to learn something by reading it, I’ll never learn it.”

In honor of Earth Day and Earth Month being celebrated in April, Markley offers her tips for anyone trying to reduce their waste at the individual or household level.

• Look at your food waste. Do an assessment of how much food and what types of things you’re throwing away and see if there are any opportunities to compost that waste. The breaking down of food in landfills is a huge source of methane, Markley says, yet food waste is an aspect of trash that often gets ignored.
• Plan your meals and grocery lists. Another tip for reducing food waste is to plot out your grocery list and meals for the week before heading to the store. Then you’ll have a plan for all the food you buy, ensuring none goes to waste.
• Conduct a waste audit. You can look at all your trash for the week and see what types of things you most often dispose of. Are you trashing lots of paper towels? Or tossing excess shipping containers and materials from online shopping? Having more awareness of how much waste you’re generating and the main sources of it can be a first step toward reducing, Markley says.
• Gradually replace disposable/single-use items. Markley advises focusing on small changes that you can make over time as you use up existing supplies. If you run out of paper coffee filters, you can buy a reusable one. Instead of buying more paper towels, invest in cloth napkins. When you run out of plastic water bottles, look into purchasing a reusable/refillable one that you can use every day.
• Shop secondhand. Whether you’re looking for a new furniture piece or to spice up your wardrobe, there are plenty of secondhand options out there to save you money and keep resources circulating. Shopping secondhand also allows you to tailor furniture or clothing to your needs—making them more unique to you!

Markley emphasizes the need for progress over perfection when it comes to reducing our carbon footprints. “People have a lot going on right now without someone telling them they need to make only one jar of waste per year or something crazy like that,” she says.

Our series continues illuminating the people and teams that have risen to the task and shown what it means to be Orange. Read the first and second installments of the series for more great stories!

Delivering Excellent Customer Service (Along With the Mail)

Krystal Porter, office coordinator, Mail Services

The team in Mail Services has been instrumental in ensuring that all incoming packages and parcels to the University were delivered to the right place on campus. COVID-19 protocols have restricted vendors from making deliveries on campus, necessitating expanded warehouse service hours, adjustments to daily delivery schedules and modified staff working hours to better serve the needs of the University community.

“Despite the challenges this year has brought, our Materials Distribution and Mail Services staff have been able to keep the mail and packages moving with the use of technology, hard work and determination,” says Krystal Porter, office coordinator in Mail Services. “Our priority is delivering mail and packages to our campus community as quickly and efficiently as possible. That didn’t change during the pandemic.”

Porter says teamwork and adaptability were two important strengths that her team have leveraged during the pandemic to be successful. “Everyone works together, pitching in to help ensure superb service,” she says. “We take great pride in our adaptability. This has been a great example of how we work together as a team to improve the experience of the campus community.”

Facilitating Virtual ‘Career Connections’ Between Students and Alumni

Matt Wheeler, associate director of alumni relations in A&S and the Maxwell School

Matt Wheeler, associate director of alumni relations in the undergraduate advising office for the College of Arts and Sciences and the Maxwell School, saw the pandemic as an opportunity to reimagine how the University connects with alumni and students—and how it helps facilitate their connections with one another.

He expanded the existing Student-Alumni Career Connections program in A&S and Maxwell to include virtual opportunities for students to network with alumni, allowing them to gain insight and some informal guidance about establishing a career in their chosen fields. The program has seen great success, with more than 340 one-on-one meetings by Zoom or phone taking place between students and A&S/Maxwell alumni since April 2020.

“When things started shutting down last spring, one of our first thoughts was ‘how can we add to the student experience at this time?’” Wheeler says. “We wanted to not only keep the Career Connections program going, but make it even more beneficial for our students since they were losing out on other parts of the student experience.”

The program also benefited from the widespread adoption of Zoom by nearly every demographic, increasing the comfort level of alumni in communicating with students on the platform. Some also had more time to devote during the pandemic, making it a simple way for members of the alumni community to stay engaged with the University. “More than 700 alumni signed up to participate in these networking opportunities with students and they are just as excited to talk with our students as the students are to talk with them,” says Wheeler. “They want to ask what’s still open on Marshall Street, what clubs and organizations the students are a part of, things like that.”

Some of the connections made through this program over the past year have led to long-term mentoring relationships, internships and job interviews for A&S and Maxwell students, and Wheeler sees this program continuing long after a “return to normalcy.” “It’s a win for our students. It’s a great way to engage alumni and I hope to see this type of program scale up to other areas of the University,” he says, noting that several schools and colleges have reached out to him for guidance on starting similar virtual networking programs for their own students and alumni.

Dishing Out a Friendly Smile and Warm Meal at Goldstein Dining Center

Karen French, manager at Goldstein Dining Center, and Lucy Haag, assistant manager at Goldstein Dining Center

Over a year ago when the University’s initial campus shutdown took place, Goldstein Dining Center on South Campus remained one of the only dining options for students remaining on campus. Despite COVID still being a novel situation and public health guidance continually evolving, Manager Karen French and Assistant Manager Lucy Haag in Food Services didn’t miss a beat in making sure that Goldstein was open, well-stocked and safe for students.

“Our staff was amazing and leadership made sure we had the face masks, sanitizing wipes, hand sanitizers and digital thermometers needed to help everyone feel safe while working and getting food,” says Haag.

Early on, protocols were shifting nearly every day and the entire process of how the dining center operated had to be re-examined due to what was rapidly becoming known about COVID. “What seems like an easy thing, feeding our students, suddenly was very complicated,” says French. “We had to look at how we received products coming in and every additional step until the finished orders were handed off to customers. Luckily we had a good team of caring employees who helped us reinvent the wheel!”

French and Haag kept their spirits high, despite frustrating moments, and maintained continuous front-line contact with students, helping them feel at home during those early, difficult days. “The University’s 150th birthday [March 24, 2020] was unfortunately disrupted by the pandemic,” Haag says. “But we still gave out pre-bagged orange half-moon cookies and put up a few signs. We wanted to recognize that we all still bleed Orange.”

They also focused on keeping their team motivated and healthy, both physically and mentally, by conducting daily wellness checks on staff, and spent time preparing for any scenario that could emerge as the pandemic unfolded.

“I am proud to say that I am part of a team of people that collectively puts time, effort and thought into the way we do things to offer the best we can for our customers,” says French. “My experience over the past year has reminded me of how proud I am of this team.”

Helping Students Feel At Home in Residence Halls

Residence directors (RDs) and residence hall operations coordinators (RHOCs) in the Office of Student Living have worked non-stop to provide for the needs of our students amidst the pandemic, pivoting and adjusting based on the ever-changing needs of the University’s closing and reopening plans, while continuing to balance their many other duties on behalf of our students.

“Our RDs are an amazingly talented group of young professionals that deserve campuswide recognition and our RHOCs have been the backbone of a department that relies on their operational management,” says Courtney Albiker, assistant director in the Office of Student Living.

Moving to virtual connections with residents, resident advisors and colleagues around campus and facilitating student move-in during a pandemic were new challenges for those working on the front lines of the residential student experience.

“One of the reasons I got into student affairs was because of the students and the stories they bring into Syracuse University, which makes the University a better place to live and work,” says Ernie Arvizu Bastidas, RD for Brewster and Boland halls. “It’s taken more work to really connect with residents this year, but hearing their stories virtually is just as rewarding.”

Bastidas says that increased feelings of loneliness and isolation among students prompted residence directors to think outside of the box to offer better student experiences for students to more easily build a support system within their floor. “With the spring semester, it seems students are feeling better and are able to connect more with one another,” he says.

Maya Falkner-Guidice, RHOC for Flint and Day halls, experienced her first Syracuse move-in in 2020. “I often reminded myself that it was everyone’s first opening during a pandemic,” she says. “I missed the experience of sharing a comforting smile with students or parents, which was not possible from behind a mask. We had first-year parents who were unsure but eager to get their students moved in, and in some cases they weren’t able to accompany them to their residence hall. You want to convey that their student is safe but have to rely on words to provide a similar genuine effect.”

The OSL team helped keep one another motivated through frequent check-ins, development of new trainings, and using Teams and Zoom to share ideas and troubleshoot any roadblocks. “Watching my coworkers show up for the students and each other motivated me every day,” says Falkner-Guidice.

Kudos to the entire OSL crew of RDs and RHOCs, including: Mary Ellen Albiker, Ammar Asbahi, Ernie Arvizu Bastidas, Quincy Bufkin, Elizabeth Cronk, Maya Falkner-Guidice, Tim Gray, Joanne Green, Thai Le, Mike Louis, Valentina Louissant, Nicholas Martin, Haley Matlock, Jamel McMullin, Stephanie Mecca, Mel Molsberry, Derrick Morris, ShawnMarie Parry, Christi Pluff, Rachel Rodriguez, Isaiah Sheffield-Thergood, Adam Wallander and Russell Wesdorp.

Keeping the ‘Human’ in ‘Human Resources’

Denise Dyce, director of labor relations and labor counsel, Office of Human Resources

The coronavirus signaled a seismic shift in how the University supports and manages its workforce. Director of Labor Relations and Labor Counsel Denise Dyce in the Office of Human Resources (HR) contributed to this effort in two major ways: first, ensuring that our essential employees working on campus throughout the pandemic were kept safe; and then leading a team within HR to bring others safely back to work last summer once our reopening plans received approval from the state.

“The scope of my normal day-to-day functions significantly expanded in the time of COVID,” Dyce says. “Understanding the process of COVID-related leave, developing processes for when employees had exposures or suspected exposures and working with departments to enact new protocols—like social distancing, mask wearing, conducting the daily health screening—and continuing to develop our staff without large in-person gatherings.”

Working to bring the majority of employees back to campus last summer required interpretation and implementation of state-released guidelines, and brought opportunities for innovation, thinking differently, examining best practices among the University’s peer institutions and learning everything there was to know about the pandemic and how to keep employees safe.

Dyce attributes the success of the University’s efforts to keep staff safe ( have been very low among employees) to the excellent teamwork and outside-the-box thinking used by her team and others across campus. “I care about what we do here and I care about our people,” she says. “We owed it to them to be creative, to accommodate folks where we could and to keep everyone as safe as possible.”

Increasing Communication and Building New Relationships

Karess Gillespie, assistant director, Office of Student Living

For Karess Gillespie, assistant director in the Office of Student Living, the biggest change has been in how her team communicates information and changes to students living on and off campus.

“We’ve had to be more detailed and consistent in communication in order for both staff and students to feel supported,” she says. “Knowing that anxiety and uncertainty is at the forefront has prompted us to think through the impact and goal of a communication more effectively, to take our time versus just fixing the problem.” Communicating about students isolating and quarantining across various teams became of utmost importance to ensure staff has the information needed to effectively work with students.

2020 also brought the new challenge of staying connected with colleagues, students and parents in the virtual world. “I have found new value in speaking to someone over the phone to talk out what they are experiencing,” Gillespie says. Increased use of technology has also provided an unexpected benefit: Gillespie noted, and others have echoed, that over the past year she has met and collaborated with different people from more areas of the University than she would in a typical year and built more consistent relationships with colleagues. “Creating new partnerships and working together more closely helps all of us to enhance our work with students,” she says.

Ensuring the Physical Environment Is Clean, Safe and Well-Stocked

EHSS staff unload a truck full of COVID-19 supplies.

The team in Environmental Health and Safety Services (EHSS) quickly pivoted at the onset of the pandemic to aid the University’s COVID-19 response. Since April, EHSS Director Becky Ponza and her staff have supported the procurement and distribution of PPE and cleaning supplies, including the task of reviewing all cleaning products, masks and other supplies to ensure they met public health standards.

Occupational Health Coordinator Graham Smith leads distribution of supplies and is out daily delivering masks, hand sanitizer, wipes and other cleaning supplies across campus.  Early in the pandemic, when cleaning supplies were hard to find, EHSS staff members had to get a bit creative. Hazardous Waste Assistants Luke Fiaschetti and Michael Persson used drums of disinfectant to fill smaller bottles and make disinfecting wipes for use at the Barnes Center at The Arch and in the Department of Athletics.

“We helped to answer hundreds of COVID-related questions and concerns from students, faculty and staff,” Ponza says. “The entire EHSS team pitched in to prepare guidance for cleaning protocols, proper use of PPE, reopening research labs, and many other areas to help sustain safe University operations during the pandemic.”

Working in tandem with Ponza and the EHSS team was Safety Manager Kelly Miller in Facilities Services. Miller’s role is ensuring all Facilities-related staff—including grounds, maintenance and custodial—are implementing safe work practices. As the pandemic emerged and progressed, it became evident to Miller that in order to keep these teams safe, the University would need to move quickly to secure PPE, cleaning and disinfection products and all available sanitation measures.

Kelly Miller, safety manager, Facilities Services

“My job duties swiftly expanded to include identifying sources, negotiating product quantities and pricing, and securing funding to obtain all the necessary material and supplies to protect our staff and the larger campus community,” Miller says. Because of the demand surge for many of these products, vendors had put limitations and restrictions on certain items. She began working her relationships with multiple vendors and brokers in order to find adequate supplies to meet the University’s needs.

“I consider our ability to identify, procure and distribute all the necessary PPE, sanitation supplies and cleaning products needed for the University a win,” Miller says. “Having these products available has allowed us to keep our entire Facilities Services staff—all of whom are designated essential—on campus and working throughout the pandemic. This provided us with the resources necessary to reopen our campus and bring the student body back to a clean, safe and healthy environment for learning.”

The teamwork between Facilities Services and EHSS, with the backing of University leadership, was critical to reaching the goal of bringing students back to campus for in-person learning, Miller adds. “Further, I’d like to recognize the Business, Financial and Administrative Services leadership, managers and supervisors for their unending support throughout the ongoing pandemic.”

Behind the efforts of EHSS and Facilities Services to acquire enough PPE and cleaning/sanitation materials to supply our campus was Vince Patriarco, executive director of purchasing. Patriarco assembled a “PPE SWAT team” to procure items needed by campus partners, some of which was required by the state to reopen campus.

Purchasing staff members Bonnie Townsend, Tony Russo, Karla Salmonsen and Ian Jones had their marching orders from Patriarco: to get whatever was needed by our EHSS and Facilities Services teams and the COVID Project Management Office to keep our campus safe. “I’m really proud of the team. We had to get creative, we had to call upon relationships that we’ve had for a long time and build some new ones,” says Patriarco.

The purchasing team also jumped in to assist with sourcing the necessary supplies for the University’s COVID-19 testing program, which continued to shift and evolve as the public health team moved testing in-house between the fall and spring semesters.

Patriarco says that none of this happened in a silo, but rather was the result of many different teams and individuals moving toward a collective goal. “Between the leadership of Vice Chancellor Michael Haynie and his COVID response team, Dr. Karen Nardella and LeeAnne Lane in the Barnes Center, Dr. Ramesh Raina and others overseeing the testing laboratory, EHSS, Facilities Services, the wonderful folks at the Hawkins Warehouse receiving all of the deliveries … the amount of effort and communication going on across campus to order everything that was needed was tremendous,” he says.

The first in a series, here are the stories of just a few people and teams that have risen to the task and shown what it means to be Orange. Do you know someone who has been a COVID Hero? Let us know and we may spotlight them in an upcoming story!

Building a Testing Database From Scratch

Scott Davis and Chris Dunham, data scientists in the Department of Enrollment Management

Last summer, as the public health team planned for the mass testing program that would become an essential part of our risk mitigation strategy, they called on two data scientists from the Department of Enrollment Management to design and build a testing database. Scott Davis and Chris Dunham were initially tapped to build a system to track around 20,000 student tests, the University’s initial testing plan at the outset of the Fall 2020 semester.

As our COVID response continued to evolve, so did the database requirements. The system, colloquially referred to as Shiny, was continually upgraded and expanded upon by Davis and Dunham to include tracking compliance with testing requirements, automated communications to students, faculty and staff regarding test results and reminders to be tested, and more than 170,000 tests worth of data being tracked.

“It’s a custom solution with everything built entirely from scratch,” says Dunham, who alongside Davis collaborated with the University’s lead epidemiologists to build and refine the platform. “We were embedded in the COVID Project Management Office (PMO) to determine what the needs were, and then shaped the system in our heads and started programming.” These extraordinary efforts were undertaken in addition to the “normal” data work Davis and Dunham conduct in the Division of Enrollment and the Student Experience in support of our incoming students.

Supporting Students in a Year Like No Other

The , a centralized student resource that provides support and advocacy during times of challenge, hardship or difficulty, includes Dana Broadnax, assistant dean of students; Tyrone Reese, assistant director; and four case managers: Cristina Battle, Shelley Crawford, Emanual Oliver and Susan Sugar. In the face of the pandemic, this team became a major communications resource and information ambassador to students and their families by fielding questions, concerns and issues regarding new policies and protocols.

Staff members from the Dean of Students Office. Top row: Cristina Battle, case manager; Dana Broadnax, assistant dean of students; Shelley Crawford, case manager. Bottom row: Emanual Oliver, case manager; Tyrone Reese, assistant director; Susan Sugar, case manager

The DOS team also expanded their purview from the standard concerns their office addresses—mental health, physical health, academic concerns—and supported students dealing with the toll of COVID-19 on themselves and their families. Caseloads increased as case managers built relationships with students in quarantine or isolation to support their academic persistence, personal needs and wellness, many of which continued after the quarantine/isolation period ended, offering ongoing student support.

Engagement with students increased thanks to the proliferation of technology, like Zoom and Teams, to conduct appointments and reach students who study remotely. The unique circumstances of 2020 and 2021 also brought increased opportunities for collaboration and partnership between the DOS team and other areas of the student experience, including Student Living, Student Rights and Responsibilities, First-Year and Transfer Programs, and Parent and Family Services.

“To be a strong case manager, one needs to be able to establish and maintain relationships that can benefit students,” says Oliver. “It’s important to support the whole student.” Case managers have worked to build relationships across campus with academic advisors, counselors, faculty and other support staff. “Operating during a pandemic to offer the best student experience truly demands that we all demonstrate a higher level of service with agility, flexibility, creativity and collaboration,” says Broadnax.

Providing On-Campus Health Services During a Pandemic

LeeAnne Lane, nurse manager, Barnes Center at The Arch

For the health care team at the Barnes Center at The Arch, communicating with students and parents about COVID-19, prevention and self-care became a paramount area of focus in 2020, as well as managing the testing, screening, isolation/quarantine and care of University students.

“I’ve had almost-daily communication with the Onondaga County Health Department as we work together to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 on campus,” says LeeAnne Lane, nurse manager in the Barnes Center. “The clinical team has had to adapt to changes in workflow, increased demand, the anxiety of students and parents—not to mention PPE [personal protective equipment] becoming part of our everyday uniform.” The team has had to get creative about how they interact with students and each other in a way that builds trust, such as writing their name and title on their protective gowns or face shields.

As cases grew on our campus last fall, the health care team was challenged to see more people, test more people and field more phone calls from both sick and concerned students and parents. At the same time, many staff members were personally dealing with their own concerns related to the pandemic.

“The team demonstrated compassion, diligence and an unprecedented amount of teamwork,” says Lane, adding that despite daily exposure to persons who had tested positive for COVID-19, none of the clinical staff contracted the infection. “The University has demonstrated in so many ways that it cares for the entire campus community. As a health care professional, I have seen just how much our small corner of the University can be impacted by its surroundings, as well as how much power we have to impact others.”

Re-thinking Food Service and Delivery

Food Services staff member Christian Bozek puts together bags of meals that are pre-ordered by students in quarantine.

Dining has looked quite a bit different on our campus over the past year, and staff members in Food Services have rolled with the many curveballs thrown their way. From reconfiguring their cafes and dining centers to accommodate social distancing, to installing plexiglass and contactless payment at point-of-service, to coordinating food options for students in isolation and quarantine housing, the team has worked tirelessly to adapt to the pandemic restrictions and requirements.

“Our crew never hesitated and has done whatever we asked of them since the initial shutdown last March,” says Mark Tewksbury, co-director of Food Services.

For students in isolation at Skyhall or quarantining at the Sheraton Syracuse University Hotel & Conference Center, the team developed new meal delivery options that encompass a wide range of dietary preferences, consulting with their registered dietitian to ensure the menu meets the needs of all students. They text students in isolation and quarantine daily to solicit orders, have in-sourced campus food delivery and distribute shelf-stable items for students who may arrive into quarantine or isolation housing late in the day.

“Staff has been more than willing to accommodate the new requirements—wearing masks, following cleaning and sanitation protocols, and staying socially distanced. They have stepped up in every single way,” Tewksbury says.

Syracuse University Ambulance Shifts Gears

Paul Smyth, who oversees both Medical Transport Services and Syracuse University Ambulance (SUA) on campus, shifted job duties and personnel in rapid order to help provide medical transport to students who tested positive for or been exposed to COVID-19 to isolation or quarantine housing.

“There were changes to our operations on a daily basis. We were constantly coming up against a new situation to plan for or a new challenge to resolve,” Smyth says. While the team’s call volume was down for on-campus emergencies due to reduced density, they were getting calls at higher volumes to transport students—many happening after typical business hours.

SUA emergency responders are equipped with more PPE than ever to safely perform their duties.

PPE was amped up for drivers and responders, while plexiglass shields were installed in vehicles to prevent transmission from passenger to driver and cleaning/sanitation protocols expanded. At certain points in the fall semester, additional vans were borrowed from the Department of Public Safety (DPS) and Parking and Transit Services so the team could have three isolation vans running.

“It was really a Herculean group effort,” Smyth says, noting the constant collaboration between his student workers, the Barnes Center health care team, the COVID Project Management Office, EHSS, Physical Plant, DPS and Parking and Transit. “If even one component was missing, we wouldn’t have had the same great outcomes.”

Stay tuned to SU Today to read the second installment of this series!

A testing assistant checks in a student during move-in testing at the stadium.

The University conducted more than 100,000 COVID-19 tests in the fall semester. In the spring semester, the University’s Public Health Team expects to double, or even triple, that number.

How will they do that? The team is expanding and optimizing the to accommodate increased testing with faster results and improve upon the in-house testing model developed in the fall.

“Testing the campus community is one of the cornerstones of our public health strategy, and while the fall semester provided us with tremendous insight and bench strength in this area, we also identified some necessary process improvements,” says Adam Hepburn, executive director of operations, strategic initiatives and innovation. “With more rigorous testing requirements for students, faculty and staff in the spring, we anticipated a need for increased testing and faster processing and adjusted our strategy accordingly.”

Here are six things to know about the new operation.

1. New Testing Method Increases Efficiency, Ensures Privacy

The testing method at the stadium has been upgraded from the swab collection kits used in the fall to a new method called SalivaDirect, developed by the Yale School of Public Health and in use by many of Syracuse’s peer institutions.

The new testing method offers the primary benefit of faster test results, allowing the Public Health Team to process more samples in a day and follow up more quickly with anyone who has tested positive. This change also achieves cost savings for the University, as the test is less expensive to administer.

Newly constructed booths offer increased privacy during a COVID-19 test.

Instead of swabbing the inside of their mouth, individuals being tested will receive a sterile conical tube that they can deposit saliva directly into. Thirty privacy booths erected in the stadium help to provide additional privacy for the SalivaDirect method, and new directional and instructional signage was installed to help traffic move more efficiently through the testing center.

As the space was reimagined, it was also expanded to take up more of the stadium’s footprint, ensuring plenty of physical distance among those waiting for a test.

Check out a to learn more.

2. Samples Are Now Evaluated In-House
During the fall semester, pooled saliva swab tests were sent to a lab at Upstate Medical University for processing and evaluation. Now, samples from the testing center are heated for about 30 minutes to a temperature that makes them safe for transport, and then delivered to a new laboratory in the Center for Science and Technology. There, individual samples are pooled together in batches of 12.

The pooled samples are then transported to the Life Sciences Complex and tested via a polymerase chain reaction to detect the presence or absence of the SARS-CoV-2 pathogen in a laboratory under the direction of Ramesh Raina, interim vice president for research.

A testing assistant prepares sterile deposit tubes for the new SalivaDirect testing method.

“By building a fully autonomous on-campus testing laboratory, we can turn test results around more quickly. This helps us get people into isolation and begin the contact tracing process faster when the virus is identified on our campus,” says Hepburn.

The University will continue to partner with Upstate for limited testing support on an as-needed basis.

3. Please, Don’t Visit the Testing Center if You Have Symptoms!
The testing center is reserved for routine testing of asymptomatic individuals and under no circumstances should you visit the stadium if you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 or have been directed to quarantine by a public health official due to close contact.

If not feeling well, students should call the Barnes Center at 315.443.8000 and faculty/staff (and their dependents) should contact their doctor.

New signage helps instruct and inform visitors to the Stadium Testing Center about updated processes and protocols.

4. Hours Expand, but Protocols Remain the Same
As of Feb. 8, the testing center will operate from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday to accommodate increased testing during the spring semester.

Testing will also be available on Wednesday evenings from 5 to 10 p.m. and on Sundays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Many other elements of testing remain the same: enter the stadium through Gate N, no appointments are required, bring your Syracuse University I.D. and take care not to eat, drink anything (including water), brush your teeth or use mouthwash, chew gum or use any tobacco products in the 30 minutes prior to testing.

5. Stadium Testing Center: By the Numbers
The numbers reveal that the testing center has ramped up across the board—increasing the number of tests the Public Health Team anticipates completing in the spring semester, hiring additional staff, more space to conduct testing and getting students, faculty and staff results faster than before.

6. Faculty and Staff Dependents Can Now Access Stadium Testing Center
Earlier this year, the University announced that COVID-19 surveillance testing eligibility was expanded to include family members and loved ones of faculty and staff. Defined as anyone residing in the same household as a University employee, these dependents are eligible to be tested once every 14 days to help further safeguard the health of our community and provide a valuable testing resource.

Important to note, family members and loved ones must be accompanied by the faculty or staff member with whom they reside when visiting the Stadium Testing Center. Dependents should not visit the stadium if they are experiencing COVID-like symptoms or have been instructed to quarantine.

Annette Statum

Annette Statum vividly recalls the hot summer day in 1994 when she walked down Ainsley Drive to the Commissary because she’d heard the University was hiring. Busy raising her children at the time, Statum was looking for part-time work.

After filling out an application for a position in Food Services, she was told that they had no part-time openings but would call her if one became available. The very next day her phone rang with an offer for a 10-2 shift. “So that’s where my journey began, 25 years ago,” Statum says.

Statum’s current role is custodial manager for academic and administrative facilities in Facilities Services, where she oversees a team of over 160 staff members and seven custodial supervisors. After about a year in Food Services, she bid on a custodial position and has spent the last 24 years growing her career with the University.

Along the way, Statum has developed a passion for leading her team of custodians and the critical work that they accomplish together every day.

Working in nearly every building on campus through the years, Statum progressed from custodian to group leader. When a supervisor position became available she was encouraged to pursue it. Although she got along well with her crew as a group leader, Statum had some trepidation about making the leap to supervisor. “I didn’t think I could do it, I told them they should find somebody else,” she says with a laugh. “But there have been a few people here at the University who really believed in me and helped me realize that I had leadership potential.” Later she was promoted into her current custodial manager position, which she says is one of the most memorable days of her career with the University.

Since then, Statum has proven her leadership ability at every opportunity. “Annette is a strong leader who continues to learn every day how she and her team can best serve their customer: Syracuse University students, faculty, staff and visitors,” says Mary Pat Grzymala, senior associate director of Facilities Services.

According to Statum, the biggest key to success is understanding that her team, her people, are the heart of the entire custodial operation.

Statum and her team worked diligently to keep our academic spaces free from the coronavirus during the fall semester.

“I want them to feel like they can come to me, give me their ideas and that I’ll always listen,” she says. As her responsibilities continued to progress, Statum took advantage of opportunities for professional development, including taking online classes to help her enhance her communication and leadership skills.

“I’ve learned that I’m an egalitarian leader—I like to treat everybody as an equal, straight across the board.” She takes pride in being a fair, just and reasonable leader. Statum also prioritizes keeping her team motivated and doing what she can to ensure everyone has time off to relax and recharge their batteries—especially in light of the extra custodial duties her team has taken on in the face of COVID-19.

“We get a lot of emails from people in the buildings telling us that we’re doing a great job. I like to post them on the wall where the team can see them to help keep morale up,” she says. Over the holidays, she has worked and will continue to work extra hours to make it easier for her staff to have time off to spend with their families. “I know everybody is working hard and with COVID, things have been difficult on everybody, so they need some relaxation.”

“Annette has a lot of energy and is responsible for a 24/7 operation,” says Grzymala. “Her workday never ends and she has typically been on campus for several hours before most staff arrive each morning.”

Statum often starts her workday by 4 a.m., arriving early to make sure that her team is set up for a successful day, and is on-call most of the time. “I come from a hard-working family, three and four generations back, and I always want to make sure that work is going smooth,” she says.

In her time away from work, Statum is a self-professed homebody who likes to relax with a good documentary or movie, spend time with her family and take walks with her rescue dog, Roscoe. With five or so years remaining before she reaches retirement age, Statum counts her blessings for a long and fulfilling career with the University.

“I’ve been lucky. I have a great job where I get to be really engaged and hands-on with my group,” she says. “I get along well with trades and skills and our building supervisors. We work as a team. I know my leadership has my back and can help me work through any issues or complications.”

Statum finds purpose in being part of the larger Facilities Services team and loves to engage with everyone she meets, whether a student, superior, colleague or customer. “I can be a bit of a Cathy Chatterbox, but I just really love what I do,” she says.

Her passion does not go unnoticed. The work performed by Statum’s team to keep the University’s academic and administrative buildings clean, safe and sanitized is always of critical importance—but perhaps now more than ever to help minimize the risk of coronavirus infection in the physical spaces.

“Annette is a hard-working, dedicated employee whose leadership shows in the quality, care and cleanliness of our campus community,” says Pete Sala, vice president and chief campus facilities officer. “We are all very lucky to have her on our team.”

As Mayer was preparing to teach a unit on collage to sophomores in his Advanced Fashion Illustration class, Emanuel posted a challenge to design an updated costume for a re-booted Marie Antoinette movie. “I saw her post on Instagram and I thought, ‘What fun!’” Mayer says. “It fit really well with the collage theme and I knew it would be a fun project for the students.”

Once the idea started percolating in his head, Mayer thought about how special it would be if he could actually have Emanuel join the class to offer her critique on the students’ designs. “I’ve had a relationship with her through the years and have taken students to visit her studio during study abroad trips to London and she’s always been absolutely lovely,” he says. “So I emailed her to see if she’d consider joining us on Zoom to critique the projects inspired by her challenge. Amazingly, she said yes!”

With that, the students had their assignment: create a refreshed design for a fictionalized Marie Antoinette using the technique of collage (digital tools, like Photoshop, were permitted alongside traditional “cut and paste” collage) and impress Elizabeth Emanuel—who, perhaps most notably, designed Princess Diana’s wedding dress for her 1981 nuptials to Charles, Prince of Wales.

“The second I sat down to work on this project, I knew I wanted the focus to be on an unusual medium,” says Calla Kremidas ’22, whose dress design featured a collage of postage stamps from countries around the world. “The stamps came from my mother’s childhood collection and I felt that having images from all around the world was fitting as Marie was a queen of a powerful country.”

Kremidas was so inspired by the assignment that she designed two dresses under the parameters of the challenge. “For my second design, I went brighter and more extravagant with 3-D butterflies and a little bit of sparkle,” she says. “I was beyond excited to be critiqued by Elizabeth Emanuel. Hearing her say, ‘I can understand why you wanted to do both. They’re both amazing and they’re very different,’ was so inspiring and makes me want to keep pushing as a designer.”

Designs by Calla Kremidas ’22

Fellow student Yianni Biniaris ’22 says that while knowing Emanuel would be critiquing his work was extraordinary, he tried to approach his design as if she were not, in order to maintain its authenticity. “I took inspiration from Antoinette’s hometown flowers and the use of natural materials,” he says. “When being critiqued by someone like Elizabeth, the advice and pointers she gives carry such a heavy weight. You take what she says with a larger consideration. The experience made my quarantine a whole lot better!”

Design by Yianni Biniaris ’22

For her design, Maya Campos ’22 knew she wanted to combine elements of traditional collage with Photoshop to form a hybrid piece. “Professor Mayer always encourages me to push myself out of my comfort zone,” she says. “After a lot of thinking, I was most inspired by flowers so I actually hand-picked flowers from my garden and started working with that first and then brought that into Photoshop and created my collage.”

Design by Maya Campos ’22

“It was interesting to see the many different ways students took this assignment,” Mayer says. “There were different sensibilities—a lot of opulence, a lot of excess, a lot of working with silhouette and shape.”

According to Mayer, while the circumstances surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic have brought unique challenges to teaching and learning from a distance, it has also made moments like this possible. “I think under normal circumstances it would have been more difficult to nail Elizabeth down for something like this,” he says. “While she’s always been very generous with her time, I think we benefited from having this period where people are at home without much else to do. It’s nice to have something to focus on and to be able to give back a little bit.”

“It was such a pleasure to meet the students and very kind of Professor Mayer to ask me to critique their work,” Emanuel said in reflection of the experience. “I was impressed by the very high standard of the students’ presentations and I was very interested to understand what had inspired them and how they approached their work.”

Screen capture of a Zoom call with Elizabeth Emanuel critiquing Yianni Biniaris’ floral design.

The critique won’t soon be forgotten by the students involved. “Having someone so creative and so esteemed critique our work and give us feedback was an amazing experience,” Campos says. “Having a professional review your work and give you advice on how to improve it helps us grow as designers. Syracuse has such an amazing network that gives us exposure and helps us build connections.”

To view more of the Marie Antoinette-inspired designs, check out the .

Lia Killoren claps along to a “Singing with Liz” video featuring teacher Liz Kobasa. Photo courtesy of Jen McLaughlin, senior benefits specialist.

Like many other facilities on campus, the Syracuse University Early Education Child Care Center (EECCC) has been closed since March to adhere to COVID-19 guidance and social distancing protocols. With the children they provide care for safely at home with their parents, the EECCC teaching staff has put their creative skills to use by creating a library of over 100 videos on their .

The videos, initially conceived as a work-from-home project while the center was shut down, feature teachers reading books, singing songs, cooking and baking, leading STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and math) activities, leading kid-friendly yoga and more.

Joan Fleet, director of the EECCC, says the idea for the YouTube page came to her after one of the teachers began reading children’s books live on her personal Facebook page.

“It was a huge success—current families with children in the program were tuning in to her videos and former families began sending friend requests so that their children could watch the readings,” Fleet says. “At that point, I decided we needed a larger platform so that all our families could watch all the videos we created in once central place.”

Video: Jeanie Kinahan, a teacher in the Infant Room, walks students through a project of creating sensory bottles.

The channel has 40 subscribers and its videos have more than 2,500 views over the past month. With the center providing full-time care to 61 children of faculty, staff and students, repeat viewing appears to be the norm.

Isaac Benjamin takes a mindful moment while watching “Yoga with Julie and Kevin,” featuring yoga instructor Julie Daniel and her partner Kevin King. Photo courtesy of Laura Benjamin, access services librarian.

According to Fleet, the children at the center typically spend between 30 and 50 hours per week there. “It’s been very sad for all of us to be apart so suddenly and for so long,” she says. “We’re thrilled parents are able to use our videos to give their children a sense of routine and normalcy with familiar faces and voices.”

Laura Benjamin, access services librarian with Syracuse University Libraries, says that her 4-year-old son Isaac has been at the EECCC since he was 18 months old and has formed strong bonds with all the center’s teachers.

“The YouTube channel has been fantastic in helping us stay connected during this time at home,” she says. “His face lights up when he sees a teacher that he hasn’t seen since we went remote on the screen reading a story or singing a favorite song. It’s wonderful to have that moment with him to connect virtually with a familiar face that we love and miss.”

Phil Chan, advancement marketing strategist in the Division of Marketing and Communications, has two kids at the center: 1-year-old Ian and 3-year-old Peter.

“They love being able to see their teachers’ faces,” he says. “Peter especially loves the interactive videos they share … the ‘Eye Spy’ games and crafting videos really make him feel closer to his teachers. The EECCC is a magical place!”

Video: Float Teacher Wednesday Shedd sings Infant Room favorites.

In addition to YouTube videos, the center has stayed connected with families they serve through frequent Zoom meet-ups (just to check in or focused on an activity, like weekly online yoga), classroom newsletters, emails, photo sharing and connecting classroom friends with one another online. On Earth Day last month, dozens of families tuned into the weekly Zoom yoga class and sang “Happy Earth-Day” to the planet.

Recently, in preparation for children returning to the center once it is deemed safe to do so, the team compiled a video of what each of the teachers and staff members look like with and without their masks on. “We wanted to give parents something to share with their children to help alleviate some of the nervousness about not being able to see our faces when we return to campus,” Fleet says. As , masks can be scary for children—especially for kids under age 6 who tend to recognize loved ones by individual features rather than a whole face.

Video: EECCC teachers show off their masks in anticipation of an eventual return to campus.

“We are very lucky to have our daughter, Lia, at the EECCC,” says Jen McLaughlin, senior benefits specialist in the Office of Human Resources. “It’s been a blessing to continue interacting with the teachers virtually. It’s a great way to stay connected and engaged during this pause from school, and it’s quite evident that the entire center has worked hard to keep our children smiling and happy during these very challenging times.”

“We just can’t wait to see our small friends again in person,” says Fleet.

To learn more about the EECCC, or to join their waiting list, visit the center’s website at .

To further explore this topic, we chatted with positive psychology expert Jaime Weisberg, founder of Northbound Coaching & Consulting and facilitator of the offered through the Syracuse University Wellness Initiative. The upcoming workshop, “Other People Matter: Strengthening the Foundation of Happiness,” will be held virtually on April 28 or April 30 at noon, via Zoom. Faculty and staff can !

The Benefits of Human Connection

“I think we all intuitively know that if we think about the happiest times in our lives, they usually include other people,” Weisberg says. “There is also a lot of science and various mechanisms that help explain why relationships are such a strong predictor of human happiness.”

She points to the Harvard Study of Adult Development, one of the longest-running studies to look at adult males throughout the life span. It found that the quality of the connections subjects had with others over the course of their lives was correlated with both increased happiness and increased longevity—suggesting that relationships impact not only our emotional, but our physical health.

Emotionally, having the support of others, feeling connected and having a sense of belonging all elevate feelings of positivity and self-worth, thereby contributing to increased happiness. But, according to Weisberg, there’s also some neurobiology at play. “When we’re in connection, we release a neuropeptide called oxytocin, which stimulates the ‘calm-and-connect’ response,” she says. “This is the antithesis of the ‘fight-or-flight’ stress response. There’s a neurochemical process that unfolds when we’re in relationship to others that’s very calming. It builds trust, soothes our nervous system and helps buffer the stress response.”

Jaime Weisberg

This is thought to be an evolutionary response: simply put, we are wired to be in connection. When we are babies, being connected to our parent or caregiver helps ensure our survival, Weisberg says. When we get older, finding a mate and procreating help ensure the further continuation of our species. In tribal settings, we commonly lived in community with one another and shared responsibilities for hunting, gathering and child-rearing. Although our society has grown increasingly isolated from one another—not to mention the current experience of forced isolation, in many cases—we are not designed to live this way. As has been widely publicized in recent years, loneliness can have devastating consequences to our health.

“The emotion of loneliness is actually felt in the same center of our brain where we feel physical pain,” Weisberg says. “So when we’re lonely, it physically hurts. It’s thought to be a protective mechanism, to keep us in connection with one another.”

Focus on Good, Healthy Relationships; Romantic and Otherwise

It’s not just our romantic relationships that benefit us, either. Connecting with your children, friends, other family members, coworkers and even strangers can all invoke these feel-good chemical reactions in the body.

“Even micro-moments of connectivity that we have with other people—say a stranger on the subway—can stimulate this burst of activity, almost like taking a quick vitamin, involving something called mirror neurons in the brain,” says Weisberg. “The same parts of our brain and their brain light up at the same time, and we can share a really calming, connected moment together.”

Some of the hallmarks of healthy, productive relationships? According to Weisberg, they’re mutually supportive, in both bad times and good; there’s an ability to be authentic and vulnerable with one another; and there should be shared experiences that are not only enjoyable, but novel.

“If there are relationships in your life that are feeling very negative and toxic to you, it’s OK to step away from some of those and focus on ones that are more nourishing to you—especially right now,” she says. Because we tend to mirror or pick up the emotions of those we spend our time with, a concept known as “emotional contagion,” we should nurture relationships that are supportive, positive and celebratory and spend less time and energy on those that are dominated by negativity, gossiping or complaining.

During this period of social distancing and juggling home and work responsibilities, Weisberg emphasizes the importance of being truly present with those we care about and not multi-tasking. “It may be a little harder, especially not being in physical connection, to stay present in relationships—but presence is a big factor when it comes to trust, and trust is hugely important to quality relationships,” she says. “We need to carve that time out to be truly present, to actively listen, and to show up for people and honor that connection.”

The bottom line: our relationships are important and require the same level of prioritization and commitment as any other area of our lives. to learn more, including tools and strategies we can use to strengthen and be more present in our relationships.

“Now more than ever, we want to highlight the importance of strengthening community among our queer and trans folks,” says Jorge Castillo, interim director of the LGBT Resource Center. “Similar to our on-campus programs and events, within this new virtual space, we want the community to know that we’re still here fostering connection and support. Though we may not be sitting in our Center’s living room, we are still here for students through a variety of virtual spaces, connections and involvement opportunities.”

Below are ways you can stay connected with the LGBT RC and participate in their events, services and offerings, wherever you are. For the most up-to-date information, or follow the Center on , or .

Virtual Drop-In Office Hours

Monday through Friday from 2 to 5 p.m. EDT, anyone in need of support can virtually “drop in” to chat, vent or share with a staff member from the LGBT RC . To drop in by phone, simply call 415.762.9988 or 646.568.7788 and use the meeting ID 110-336-951. To set up a meeting outside of these hours, email lgbt@syr.edu.

QueerAntine Time

For the remainder of the semester, join the LGBT RC every Tuesday and Thursday from 11 a.m. to noon EDT for a craft or activity and opportunity for socialization on . Upcoming activities include evaluating the best Easter candies, baking vegan and non-vegan cookies, a science fair, a session on houseplants and a virtual tour of the queer-oriented .

“‘Ally’ Is A Verb: Unpacking and Attacking Covert Transphobia” Workshop

Activist and educator will facilitate a virtual workshop designed for cisgender LGBTQ+ allies to address covert transphobia and how allies can support and uplift trans and nonbinary students and community members. The workshop will be held on Tuesday, April 28, from 3 to 5 p.m. EDT and you can . Please email lgbt@syr.edu to request any accommodations.

Lavender Graduation

The LGBT RC’s Lavender Graduation is typically an in-person reception celebrating and sending off LGBTQ+ members of the graduating class. In lieu of an in-person event this year, the Center asks graduating students to share their degree, major(s), minor(s), a brief biography and any photos from their time at Syracuse for a special Lavender Graduation video that will be created and shared later in the semester. The submission form will be available on the Center’s and social media channels.

Safe Zone Workshop

Virtual Safe Zone workshops will be held on April 14 from 1 to 3 p.m. and April 23 from 10 a.m. to noon. This program aims to build a network of students, staff, faculty and community members who are visibly and actively committed to advocating for and creating spaces of respect and inclusion for LGBTQ+ members of our community. .

LGBTQ+ Staff Affinity Group

The LGBTQ+ Staff Affinity group continues to meet virtually every other Thursday from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. EDT . The meetings provide a safe space for LGBTQ+ identified staff to express themselves and support one another. The next meeting will be held on Thursday, April 23. Email lgbt@syr.edu to join the group and request a password for the next meeting.

Extra Support and Resources for the LGBTQ+ Communities During the COVID-19 Pandemic

• (phone: 866.488.7386; or reach out via )
• (phone: 888.843.4564)
• (serves youth through age 25; phone: 800.246.7743)
• (phone: 877.565.8860)
• (text from anywhere in the U.S. to connect with a crisis counselor, 24/7; not specific to LGBTQ+ people)
• (phone: 1.800.273.8255; not specific to LGBTQ+ people)
• (phone: 1.800.RUNAWAY)

It can be tough to remain active as winter grinds on, so we tapped into campus experts for tips to stay motivated, switch it up and re-energize your workout routine until sunny skies and T-shirt weather make a comeback.

1. 

   For those who like to exercise indoors, many of the amenities at the Barnes Center at The Arch are available to faculty and staff.

   Revitalize your playlist.
   “A fresh new playlist can be just the right motivation to get moving on those extra chilly days,” says Gail Grozalis, executive director of wellness in the Office of Human Resources. Whether you’re moving and grooving at the Barnes Center at The Arch, a local gym, outdoors or in the comfort of your own home, make a playlist of your favorite upbeat tunes that inspire you to get active!

2. Find an activity that you love. No, really.
   According to , assistant professor and I-Move program coordinator in the School of Education, people too often think rigidly about what exercise looks and feels like. “Someone will tell me that they don’t work out because they hate running, and my response is…‘who says you have to run?!’” she says. Instead of forcing yourself into an activity you find miserable in the name of “exercise,” think about ways you can move your body that you actually do enjoy. Do you love to dance? Are you energized by trying new group fitness classes? Do you like spending time outdoors? “Just because something is on-trend or popular, doesn’t mean that it’s right for you,” Konkol says. “It’s about committing to a practice for yourself—not for anyone else. It’s very personal.”
3. Don’t wait for spring to get outdoors.
   Thinking about skipping that mid-day cruise for Vitamin D that you’d take in the spring or summer? Don’t! Grozalis says you should override that instinct, especially on sunny days. “Getting outside for even 10 or 15 minutes can help boost your mood,” she says. “Keep a hat, gloves and boots or sneakers at your desk and take advantage of nicer days.” Faculty and staff can also take advantage of winter activities, like cross-country skiing and snowshoeing, at Drumlins Country Club through recreation services at the Barnes Center. Start slow if you’re new to outdoor workouts, offers Alena Anthony, associate director of fitness programs with recreation services. “Our outdoor programs offer beginner-level options where no experience is needed,” she says. “You’ll get free equipment with hands-on instruction to help you get started.”
4. Recruit an “accountabilibuddy.”
   Working out with a friend is a solid way to create mutual accountability and encouragement, while also providing an opportunity for social connection. “True wellness exists on a continuum that includes not only your physical but also your social and emotional well-being, your sense of community,” says Konkol. Partnering up to exercise not only increases your commitment to time scheduled for fitness, it also gives you a chance to connect with a friend and talk about what’s going on in your life. “It creates a positive experience directly related to fitness and wellness,” says Anthony. Strengthening this positive association makes it more likely that exercise becomes something you love, not something you dread.
   
5. Take advantage of campus resources.
   In addition to the outdoor programs at Drumlins mentioned above, faculty and staff can use many of the amenities at the Barnes Center, including its drop-in fitness classes, climbing wall, eSports room and walking track. “It only takes 20 to 30 minutes to use the track, and it’s something that can be done in most business or business casual attire,” Anthony says. “All you need is appropriate footwear!”

So, now that you’re out of excuses…get out there and enjoy what’s left of winter! Before you know it, we’ll be seeking reprieve in the A/C on a hot summer day.