Molly Egan (left) and Marlana Bianchi won the Grand Prix for their Spotify AI idea, “Break the Sound Barrier.” (Photo courtesy of AKQA)

This is part one of a two-part series documenting the first time Newhouse creative advertising students won the Cannes Future Lions Grand Prix.

In June 2024, Newhouse School creative advertising students Molly Egan ’25 and Marlana Bianchi ’24 walked across the stage to claim the most prestigious student award in the world: the Cannes Future Lions Grand Prix, at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity in Cannes, France.

The Cannes Lions Awards are so prestigious, they are considered the Oscars of the advertising industry. And this year, Syracuse made history as the first U.S. undergraduate university to win a Cannes Future Lions Grand Prix. In 2018, Syracuse became the first U.S. undergraduate university to ever win a Cannes Future Lions award.

This year’s competition saw entries from 245 schools across 59 countries—three times the number of entries from the previous year.

Each year, the competition releases a brief for students to answer. The brief for the 2024 competition was for Spotify. Egan and Bianchi earned the award through their compelling entry, “,” designed to make music streaming inclusive for the deaf community.

“‘Break the Sound Barrier’ is phenomenal, bravo. My favorite ideas make me deeply jealous that I didn’t think of them. And they make me ask: ‘How has this not been done yet?’ Because it’s so good,” says Avi Steinbach ’14, creative director/writer at Ogilvy and alumnus of the Newhouse creative advertising program.

Steinbach also won his first Cannes Lions Grand Prix this year in the Social and Influencer Category for the “” campaign. He was involved in every aspect of its creation—from the initial concept and pitching CeraVe to the script, social concepts and Super Bowl spot.

The Inspiration Behind the AI Idea��

Egan and Bianchi said their goal was to make music streaming inclusive for the deaf community.

“Sometimes the best ideas are your first ideas,” says Bianchi. “For me, they often come late at night when I’m exhausted and falling asleep at my desk. This idea started like that, and then Molly and I built on it to create something truly unique.”

Egan said their inspiration began with what she called the unforgettable halftime show at the 2023 Super Bowl.

“Rihanna headlined, but she wasn’t the only performer to leave a lasting impression,” she says. “At that time, Marlana was studying abroad in Florence, Italy, and I was in my college house without ESPN, so we both ended up watching the show on YouTube. From our separate corners of the world, we were mesmerized. Rihanna was split screen with Justina Miles. Miles, a deaf sign language performer, didn’t just translate Riri’s music—she embodied it.”

With electrifying energy, Miles created a whole new dimension to the performance. She brought every lyric and note to life, performing each word while dancing to Rihanna’s beats. Her hands told the story, and her body caught the rhythm so precisely that it felt like she was channeling the core of Rihanna’s music, Egan said.

“Marlana and I couldn’t stop replaying her performance, captivated by how she brought the music to life for both deaf and hearing fans,” Egan added.

Little did they know, this was the first time a deaf sign language performer like Miles was invited to join the Super Bowl halftime show. This major move for music inclusivity is what inspired Egan and Bianchi’s award-winning idea.

Another source of inspiration was MasterCard’s “True Name” campaign, which was shared during their Portfolio III course taught by , professor of practice in advertising. The campaign inspired them to think about how ideas can move the needle on inclusivity. “True Name” lets transgender and nonbinary people display their chosen name on their banking cards, regardless of the name on their identification or birth certificate.

The Grand Prix-Winning Idea for Spotify

“Break the Sound Barrier” is a digital idea for Spotify that aims to make music streaming more inclusive to the deaf community by integrating deaf sign language performances into the platform, ensuring that music streaming is accessible to all users, regardless of their hearing ability.

By partnering with deaf performers like Miles and using deepfake technology, “Break the Sound Barrier” can scale deaf performances into over 300 sign languages for each song on the platform. This approach ensures that Spotify will be accessible to the deaf community.

The next part of their idea lets musicians choose to opt into “.” If a musician opts in, Spotify will generate them signing with deepfake technology. This will let musicians perform in all the world’s sign languages for the first time, bringing deaf fans closer to their favorite artists than ever before.

‘‘‘Break the Sound Barrier’ is just so simple. Real problem. Real solution. While so many agencies are trying to find ways to use deepfake and AI, this idea uses it to address a real issue. This idea also starts on the app, but I could see it extending in a number of ways [like real-life concerts]—another good sign of a huge idea,” says Steinbach.

To read the full story, visit .

Story by , senior in the Newhouse School

“There are individuals across campus, in many different kinds of roles, who consistently go above and beyond in service to our university,” says Jamie Winders, vice provost for faculty affairs. “The Chancellor’s Citation for Excellence provides the perfect opportunity to recognize those individuals.”

Faculty, staff and students may be nominated in one of four categories:

• Award for Faculty Excellence and Scholarly Distinction (faculty)
• Award for Outstanding Contributions to the Student Experience and University Initiatives (faculty or staff)
• Award for Excellence in Student Research (students)
• Lifetime Achievement Award (faculty)

More information about the award and the nomination process is . Questions may be directed to Amanda Latreille at 315.443.5413 or arlatrei@syr.edu.

The Syracuse University contingent at the American College of Sports Medicine annual conference included, from left to right, Andrew Heckel, Assistant Professor Joon Young Kim, Alaina Glasgow, Wonhee Cho and Tara Cuddihee from the Department of Exercise Science.

Four students in the in the were recognized for their exceptional research at the recent Mid-Atlantic Regional Chapter of the American College of Sports Medicine (MARC-ACSM) annual conference in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

Doctoral students Alaina Glasgow and Andrew Heckel and undergraduate student Tara Cuddihee presented their research at the conference, while doctoral student Wonhee Cho presented for undergraduate student Eleanor Kwacz, who was unable to attend. (Read more about Cho and his research later in this story).

Heckel’s study was selected as a top five doctoral abstract, and Kwacz’s research was chosen as a top five undergraduate abstract. Exercise Science Assistant Professor works with all four students on their research and says they “demonstrate an impressive level of scientific understanding, critical thinking, hard work and dedication.”

“The students’ curiosity, intellectual rigor and resilience in tackling complex challenges reflect not only their individual talents but also the supportive academic environment that fosters their growth,” Kim says. “These students represent the next generation of researchers, innovators and problem-solvers.”

is comprised of a diverse group of professionals and students dedicated to the advancement of sports medicine and exercise science. The Mid-Atlantic Chapter represents Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Washington, D.C., and “the chapter seeks to communicate scientific information, provide a forum for research, foster professional peer interaction and support career growth,” according to its website.

Doctoral student Wonhee Cho presents at the conference for Eleanor Kwacz, whose research was chosen as a top five undergraduate abstract.

Two Falk College faculty members also presented at the conference: Exercise Science Associate Professor (Measuring Sleep with Wearable Devices) and Department of Nutrition and Food Studies Assistant Professor (Moving Beyond Female Athlete Triad: Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport).

“This recognition strengthens Syracuse University’s reputation, opening doors to further collaborations, future funding opportunities and increased visibility within the academic community,” Kim says. “It highlights the faculty’s mentorship, the quality of resources available to students through their mentor, department, college and university, and the university’s role in advancing knowledge in their fields.”

To learn more about their research journey in Falk College, we asked doctoral student Heckel G’25 and Kwacz ’27, a health and exercise science major on the pre-med track, to tell us about the MARC-ACSM conference, their presentations and their mentors. Visit the to read their answers.

Stronger as a Team

Cho, who presented for Kwacz at the MARC-ACSM conference, is another student who has made a significant impact the Department of Exercise Science.

Cho’s most recently, co-authored by Kim and his team members, appeared in Science Direct, one of the world’s leading sources for scientific, technical and medical research. He recently presented his abstract at annual meeting in San Antonio, Texas, where he received $1,500 for being selected as a finalist for the 2024 Ethan Sims Young Investigator Award.

Cho’s abstract presentation, “Relative Fat Mass as an Estimator of Abdominal Adiposity in Youth Across the BMI Spectrum,” was the result of a collaboration between Kim’s lab and UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, where Kim did his postdoctoral training before joining Syracuse University.

Heckel says he would have not been recognized by MARC-ACSM without the support and teamwork of his fellow lab mates, Cho and doctoral student Alaina Glasgow.

“Dr. Kim encourages us all to work together as a team, and I’m a better student and researcher today because of the people I get to surround myself with,” Heckel says. “I’m very thankful to have been able to work alongside Wonhee and Lainie during this project, and I’m excited for the future research we’ll all be able to do together.”

Visit the Department of Exercise Science website to learn more about Kim’s and exercise science , and . If you’d like to participate in research being conducted by the lab, contact Kim at jkim291@syr.edu.

Elizabeth Paulin

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

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

2024 ※�������50 Alumni Entrepreneur Award winners (Photo by Chuck Wainwright)

For the second year in a row, the University honored Orange ingenuity with two days of celebration, networking and a friendly pitch competition as part of the ※�������50 Alumni Entrepreneur Awards.

Last Thursday, the ※�������50 Alumni Entrepreneur Awards ceremony recognized the 2024 honorees, culminating with a live reveal of the top 10 fastest-growing Orange businesses. The evening also included a conversation with , celebrity chef and baker from A&E’s hit shows “Cake Dynasty” and “Legends of the Fork,” who participated in a fireside chat, sharing the personal ingredients behind his entrepreneurial success.

The next day, honorees of the ※�������50 Alumni Entrepreneur Awards headlined the ※�������50 Summit. The summit allowed students to meet and network with top thinkers on engaging, practical and forward-thinking opportunities. The summit also included a “Six for Six” student pitch competition, where the top six campus innovation teams participated in a spirited “Shark Tank”-style format for a “winner take all” $6,000 grand prize selected by ※�������50 honorees.

Check out how the two days went:

※�������50 Alumni Entrepreneur Awards (Nov. 14)��

Thomas O’Brien ’25, student in the College of Visual and Performing Arts, kicked off the ceremony. (Photo by Chuck Wainwright)

J. Michael Haynie, vice chancellor for strategic initiatives and innovation and executive dean of the Martin J. Whitman School of Management, provided the welcoming remarks for the evening. (Photo by Chuck Wainwright)

Tracy Barlok, senior vice president and chief advancement officer, and Buddy Valastro, celebrity chef and baker, participated in a fireside chat. (Photo by Chuck Wainwright)

The University presented Valastro with an Otto the Orange cake as a thank you for participating in the evening’s festivities. (Photo by Chuck Wainwright)

Student attendees were invited on stage to take a photo with Valastro and Otto the Orange. (Photo by Angela Ryan)

Valastro posed for photos with attendees after the event. (Photo by Chuck Wainwright)

Valastro posed with Aaron Krause ’92 (center), founder of Scrub Daddy and Otto the Orange. (Photo by Chuck Wainwright)

Award winners and attendees had an opportunity to network after the awards portion of the evening. (Photo by Angela Ryan)

Award winners and attendees gathered together after the awards portion of the evening. (Photo by Chuck Wainwright)

Students enjoyed the networking event after the ceremony. (Photo by Chuck Wainwright)

Otto had fun joking around with the award winners. (Photo by Chuck Wainwright)

※�������50 Entrepreneurship Summit (Nov. 15)

The ※�������50 Summit included conversations and networking with the 50 fastest-growing alumni businesses. (Photo by Chuck Wainwright)

Alex McKelvie, professor of entrepreneurship and interim dean of the Whitman School, provided welcoming remarks at the summit. (Photo by Chuck Wainwright)

Students met and networked with alumni founders and top executives of leading innovation companies at the ‘CUSE50 Summit. (Photo by Marilyn Hesler)

Haynie addressed the ※�������50 Summit attendees. (Photo by Chuck Wainwright)

※�������50 honorees participated in various panel discussions. (Photo by Chuck Wainwright)

Students engaged with ※�������50 honorees. (Photo by Chuck Wainwright)

The ※�������50 Summit brought out great conversations and collaboration. (Photo by Chuck Wainwright)

Students participated in a spirited “Six for Six” student pitch competition. (Photo by Chuck Wainwright)

Nicolas Courbage ’26 (center), student in the Whitman School and founder of PapeX, won the “Six for Six” student pitch competition. (Photo by Chuck Wainwright)

According to the organization, the HEIBO Member of the Year exemplifies the HEIBO mission: Being committed to developing and advancing the knowledge, skills, best practices and network of professionals who provide financial, operational and business leadership for global higher education.

Shukhrat Aminov

Aminov joined the HEIBO Steering Committee this year.

“His (Shukhrat’s) insights, experience and leadership quickly proved invaluable to a group focused on shaping HEIBO’s vision for the next 5 to 10 years. As the incoming co-chair of the HEIBO Steering Committee, we are excited about the direction he will help guide this volunteer-led organization,” says��Missy Peterson, director of finance and operations for global programs and strategy alliance at the University of Minnesota.

In his role at Syracuse University, Aminov oversees all non-academic operational activities for Syracuse Abroad and its centers abroad. He supports centers in the following areas: budget/finance; human resources; IT/data; legal; facilities; agreements and other operational areas. Additionally, Aminov is a member of the Syracuse Abroad Enrollment Management Committee and the Syracuse Abroad leadership team.

Aminov possessed more than a decade of operations management experience prior to his time with Syracuse Abroad, including��budget management, administration, strategy development and implementation, project management and asset management. He has also completed the Lean Six Sigma Green Belt certification.

Prior to joining Syracuse Abroad, Aminov served as the regional chief operating officer for the Western and Central New York regions of the American Red Cross, where he oversaw all administrative and business functions for a team that provided humanitarian services for a population of more than four million people. He has managed complex humanitarian aid operations in post-tsunami Indonesia and humanitarian efforts in Post-9/11 Northern Afghanistan.

Founded in 2014, is an educational association that supports higher education international business professionals who are passionate about quality education. Its��membership consists of over 100 financial professionals representing higher education institutions and global providers from across the country.��HEIBO strives to work in collaboration with surrounding international education and higher education business networks.

Citigroup CEO Jane Fraser (left) presenting FedEx CEO Raj Subramaniam with a CED Award. (Photo courtesy of CED Distinguished Leadership Awards)

The Committee for Economic Development (CED), the public policy center of The Conference Board, awarded Raj Subramaniam G’89, president and chief executive of FedEx, with a 2024 CED Distinguished Leadership Award for Business Stewardship and Corporate Citizenship. The ceremony took place on Oct. 9, in New York City.

The CED Distinguished Leadership Awards honor leaders who demonstrate a strong commitment to corporate citizenship, business stewardship and advancing public policy in the nation’s interests.

The 2024 awards pay special tribute to business leaders and their companies who have demonstrated exceptional leadership in challenging times. These include advancing equal opportunity during a time of national economic uncertainty, building a more civil and just society, and upholding a rules-based international order.

“The US continues to face economic and geopolitical uncertainty. This year’s distinguished honorees have demonstrated steadfast, innovative leadership amid these transformational times, working tirelessly to advance policies and practices that benefit our nation’s well-being,” says Lori Esposito Murray, former president of CED. “They embody the best of business stewardship and corporate responsibility, and truly epitomize CED’s vision of integrity in business leadership. By recognizing these exemplary leaders and companies, CED aims to inspire other leaders across the public and private sectors to follow in their footsteps.”

“Raj is a visionary leader on an international scale,” says J. Cole Smith, dean of the College of Engineering and Computer Science. “He has been at the forefront of transformational change and next-generation problem solving. It is wonderful to see him recognized with such a prestigious award.”

Subramaniam is the president and chief executive officer (CEO) of FedEx Corporation. Over the last 50 years, FedEx has built a well-connected network linking 220 countries and territories around the world. FedEx was also responsible for delivering the COVID-19 vaccine worldwide.

With more than 30 years of industry experience at FedEx, one of the world’s largest transportation companies, Subramaniam’s forward-thinking, innovative ways have helped revolutionize the transportation and logistics industry.

Subramaniam earned a master’s degree in chemical engineering from Syracuse University in 1989.

The other recipients of the 2024 Distinguished Leadership Awards for Business Stewardship and Corporate Citizenship included:

• Nikesh Arora, CEO and Chairman, Palo Alto Networks
• Jenny Johnson, president and CEO, Franklin Templeton
• Robert��F. Smith, founder, chairman and CEO, Vista Equity Partners
• Julie Sweet, chair and CEO, Accenture
• Hamdi Ulukaya, founder and CEO, Chobani, and founder, Tent Partnership for Refugees

The New Horizons Award honors a clear and impressive record of scholarly research; the potential to contribute significantly to future directions of public address through scholarship, teaching and/or community-engaged work; and a record of challenging of disciplinary hegemonies and/or expansion of the domain of public address to include diverse, historically marginalized scholars and areas of scholarship that have historically fallen outside of rhetoric’s traditional scope.

Chuck Morris

In 2022, Morris was inducted as a Distinguished Scholar by the NCA. He has also been the recipient of NCA’s Douglas Ehninger Distinguished Rhetorical Scholar Award (2021), three-time recipient of NCA’s Golden Monograph Award (2003, 2010, and 2022), as well as NCA’s CCS and RCT divisions’ distinguished scholar awards (2020, 2016), the Randy Majors Award for Distinguished LGBTQ Scholarship (2008) and the Karl Wallace Memorial Award (2001) for early career achievement.

Morris is co-founding editor of QED: A Journal in GLBTQ Worldmaking. His books include “Queering Public Address,” “An Archive of Hope: Harvey Milk’s Speeches and Writings,” “Remembering the AIDS Quilt,” and “The Conceit of Context.” His essays and guest edited special issues and forums have appeared in the Quarterly Journal of Speech, Rhetoric and Public Affairs, Communication and Critical/Cultural Studies, Text and Performance Quarterly, Women’s Studies in Communication and elsewhere.

The NCA advances communication as the discipline that studies all forms, modes, media and consequences of communication through humanistic, social scientific and aesthetic inquiry. NCA serves the scholars, teachers and practitioners who are its members by enabling and supporting their professional interests in research and teaching.

Sudha Raj (right) accepts her Lifetime Achievement Award from Manju Karkare, a registered dietitian nutritionist and nutrition coach who nominated Raj for the award.

In early October, Raj was recognized for her impactful career in dietetics when she received the Lifetime Achievement Award from (DIFM), a subgroup of the .

“Sudha brings a whole-person approach to her teaching and mentoring of students and colleagues,” says , associate professor and chair of the Department of Nutrition and Food Studies. “She willingly shares her time and knowledge with anyone who is curious to learn more about the benefits of nutrition.”

Raj, a fellow of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, received the award during the in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

“I am honored and humbled to receive the DIFM Lifetime Achievement award,” Raj says. “My deepest gratitude to those who nominated me, my colleagues, students who continue to inspire me every day and my family who have always supported me in all my endeavors.

“This incredible honor as a recognition of my work is inspiring and motivating to me,” she says. “It encourages me to continue making a positive impact in the field of nutrition and dietetics.”

According to the DIFM website, the purpose of the Lifetime Achievement Award is to “recognize a DIFM member whose contributions over their lifetime have advanced the principles and practices of integrative and functional medicine and nutrition. This award will honor one who has ‘made a difference’ in education and professional development, furthered professional opportunities and advancement for nutrition and dietetics practitioners, and has demonstrated excellence as evidenced by work that is innovative, creative and recognized as exemplary by professional peers.”

Raj has been a difference-maker on the Syracuse University campus and worldwide. She was instrumental in developing and implementing one of the first pilot studies to investigate dietary acculturation patterns in Asian Indian immigrants in the United States, and more recently she was one of two Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics members responsible for the inception of the member interest group for Asian Indians in Dietetics.

“Sudha has been a leader in the department and the nutrition and dietetics profession around integrative and functional nutrition for many years,” Brann says. “Due to her leadership and encouragement, several faculty attended a multi-day training to integrate these concepts into our courses and curriculum.

“Sudha has continuously supported the advancement of dietetic professionals practicing integrative and functional medical nutrition therapy by acting as an educator, scholar and through her public service,” Brann says.

The eligibility criteria for the Lifetime Achievement Award included two letters of recommendation. Brann wrote one letter, and the other came from Monique Richard, MS, RDN, LDN, FAND, IFNCP, RYT, owner of in Johnson City, Tennessee.

Sudha Raj

Richard says Raj’s vast and varied portfolio showcases her generous contributions to the profession, her students, and all those who benefit from her service.

“Sudha’s skills and attributes are not only admirable, but the lives she has touched with her contributions, advocacy, wisdom and dedication to the profession are immeasurable,” Richard says. “She teaches with thoughtfulness, depth and precision while using the Nutrition Care Process in addition to applying integrative and functional nutrition principles.

“In addition, her work ethic and commitment are further illustrated by her roles in her family and community, all while advocating for nutrition as an RDN, researcher, author, educator, leader and contributor in a variety of settings,” Richard says. “It is an honor and pleasure to call her colleague, mentor and friend and to serve our profession alongside her.”

While the Lifetime Achievement Award signals a milestone in Raj’s career, it does not mark the end of it as she continues her mentorship of students and unique contributions to the practice of integrative and functional nutrition.

“My deepest thank you to my nutrition colleagues for their unwavering support and encouragement as I navigated the field of integrative and functional medicine as a specialty within the broad nutrition space over two decades,” Raj says. “They have helped me develop professional resources and curriculum for education and training.

“My DIFM colleagues have been wonderful mentors; they have educated and provided me several opportunities to share my knowledge in the form of professional development offerings for dietetic professionals,” she says. “I also want to acknowledge Syracuse University and Falk College for supporting my teaching and research interests and fostering my academic interests. I hope I can continue to provide support and inspiration for the next generation of dietetic professionals.”

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

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

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

The evening’s festivities will also include a conversation with , celebrity chef and baker from A&E’s hit shows “Cake Dynasty” and “Legends of the Fork.” Valastro will participate in a fireside chat during the awards ceremony, sharing the personal ingredients behind his entrepreneurial success.

for the event.

Winners of the 2023 ※�������50 Alumni Entrepreneur Award (Photo by Chuck Wainwright)

※�������50 Entrepreneurship Summit

Honorees of the ※�������50 Alumni Entrepreneur Awards will headline the ※�������50 Summit the following day on Friday, Nov. 15, at the . The summit is open to student innovators, entrepreneurs and creatives across campus, as well as anyone who wants to develop an entrepreneurial mindset for personal and professional success.

Students will meet and network with alumni at the ※�������50 Summit. (Photo by Jeremy Brinn)

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

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

for the event, which will run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., starting in the Flaum Grand Hall and then moving to Whitman classrooms for 10 panel discussions with ※�������50 honorees. Conversations will be moderated by student innovators who will serve as “firestarters” for discussions with ample opportunity for audience participation.

“These events offer a distinctive learning experience for our students,” says Mike Haynie, vice chancellor for strategic initiatives and innovation and executive dean of the Whitman School. “The ※�������50 Awards ceremony and Summit allow students a unique opportunity to engage with alumni who began their entrepreneurial journey at Syracuse University, bridging the gap between our graduates and the entrepreneurial dreams of our current students.”

The summit will also include lunch in Flaum Grand Hall, followed by a spirited “Five for Five” student pitch competition in Lender Auditorium, where the top five campus innovation teams will participate in a spirited “Shark Tank”-style format for a “winner take all” $5,000 grand prize selected by※�������50 honorees.

For more information about the event, visit the .

Alumni panel discussions at the ※�������50 Summit (Photo by Jeremy Brinn)

The University adopted Handshake just before the start of the Fall 2018 semester. Over the years, Handshake has become an integral tool for uniting all career service centers across the University. It offers a range of services to students and staff. Students can schedule appointments with career advisers, upload resumes, explore employers, apply for jobs and internships, view upcoming events and career fairs, and access a wealth of career resources. For staff, the platform provides key insights into student needs, enabling better support through data and analytics.

“The University’s Career Services team has been recognized for its strategic use of data and analytics,” says Adam Capozzi, director of career services, assessment and student success. “By tracking student outcomes through the first-destination survey and utilizing hundreds of analytics reports, the team has engaged more deeply with students and shared insights creatively with internal and external partners. This data-driven approach has significantly impacted student support both on-campus and beyond graduation.”

Receiving the Spark Award strengthens the team’s mission to empower students and promote innovative, inclusive career development and affirms the goals of expanding access, enhancing student engagement and strengthening partnerships.

“We are absolutely thrilled to receive this award for the second year in a row,” says Capozzi. “Being recognized by Handshake once again is truly an honor, and we are deeply appreciative of the acknowledgment. It is a testament to our team’s dedication and the incredible support from our campus community. We could not be more grateful.”

In this fourth edition of the competition, sponsored by , architects, designers and visionaries from around the world were asked to redefine the future of residential architecture by designing a dwelling for the year 2124 that focused on innovation, sustainability and adaptability.

With issues like climate change, urbanization and technological advancements at the forefront, the competition invited participants to think beyond the conventional and explore the uncharted territories of architectural design by pushing the boundaries, challenging preconceptions and creating visionary concepts for homes that will define the 22nd century.

Guided by Marcos Parga, associate professor at the School of Architecture, the Syracuse University student team of Yifan (Ivan) Chen ’25 and Yue Zhuo ’25 designed “The Domestic Nomad,” a project that, rather than a housing solution, serves as a statement and provocation that redefines nomadism at a contemporary, domestic scale to address the rigidity of private enclosures promoted by the capitalist market.

“The Domestic Nomad”

Inspired by Gilles Deleuze’s notion of nomadism in “A Thousand Plateaus,” the team proposed a radical rethinking of residential spaces and household activities, prioritizing public, communal living over private ownership—even in cold climates like Chicago, their chosen site. Their project manifests as a versatile framework of four distinct levels, each offering unique combinations of height, light, acoustics and thermal properties designed to foster shared experiences and reduce the requirement for extensive private areas.

The design of “The Domestic Nomad” promotes efficient use of resources and energy, enhancing adaptability by allowing domestic activities to shift between indoor and outdoor settings. Sustainability and thermal consideration drive the formal output of the building. Throughout the project, tested building technologies and passive thermal systems that support dynamic living configurations are deployed on different levels, unified by a 22nd-century “hearth,” as theorized by Semper in his “The Four Elements of Architecture,” 1851, that serves as both a heat chimney and a vertical transport system.

Modular, multi-functional ‘creatures,’ a tribute to Hejduk’s “Victims,” 1984, become the catalysts for domestic mobility and community engagement by carrying practical function (sleeping, dining, etc.) and migrating to different levels through the “hearth.” Moving as shared infrastructure between the indoors and outdoors depending on the time and season, these nomadic apparatuses redefine interaction with the neighborhood and challenge the constructed borders of space, enclosure, program and privacy on a domestic scale.

Overall, “The Domestic Nomad” encapsulates a proactive approach to residential architecture by blurring the boundaries between private versus public living. The project invites residents to rethink their interactions with space and aims to set a precedent for how homes can evolve to foster a communal life in the century ahead.

“We wanted to use the Home2124 competition as an opportunity to present our thoughts on the future of living in a communal way and exhibit how novel spatial relationships and technologies could foster alternative forms of a collective domestic life,” says Shen.

After being critiqued by a jury of leading architects, designers and academicians of international repute, the Syracuse University team’s project was selected to receive the competition’s first-place prize. Shen and Zhuo were awarded a certificate of recognition, interviewed by competition organizers, and their project will be included in an upcoming publication.

In addition to winning the Home2124 international award, “The Domestic Nomad” received the overall design prize in the Spring 2024 competition at Syracuse’s School of Architecture competition at Syracuse’s School of Architecture.

“Shen and Zhuo’s project successfully merged creative freedom and real constraints, two critical challenges of my Integrated Design Studio course: it demonstrates an absolute commitment to experimentation and uses constructive imagination to celebrate an unapologetic approach to tectonics,” says Parga. “Their project encourages us to look closely at the dwelling spaces we live in and think deeply about the domestic landscape we would like to see in the future.”

“The Domestic Nomad” was also recently selected for a student design award from the American Institute of Architects Central New York Chapter (AIA CNY), which will be presented to Shen and Zhuo at the event on Friday, Nov. 15.

“We hope “The Domestic Nomad” will be remembered for its legible approach that not only redefines living spaces but also inspires a new generation of architects and students to think critically about the role of design in society’s progression,” says Shen.

The students, led by School of Design Associate �ʰ��Ǵڱ�����ǰ���, participated in two teams.��They completed the design proposals as part of their coursework in Spring 2024. The awards were announced in late September.

Surina Archey ’27, Milena Andrade ’26 and Haley Meyer ’26 took the silver award in product and structural design for ��a prescription for eco-anxiety. Arriving in eco-friendly packaging, the prescription provides resources for climate action and education in four capsules.

Offering a calendar of local, environmentally focused events, the action pill encourages community involvement. The giving pill spotlights an eco-organization and contribution opportunities.

The prescription also introduces users to sustainable companies through product discounts and samples in the sustainability pill. It provides a booklet with anti-anxiety practices and a newsletter containing positive climate news through its wellness pill.

Receiving highly commended recognition in , Qizhi Fang ’26, Valeria Chavez ’27, Peter Zejmis ’26 and Jiamin Chen ’26 confronted water accessibility issues. The students designed a water bottle that alerts people experiencing homelessness to the proximity of drinkable water. In partnership with Hydro Flask, the water bottle measures the distance to accessible, clean water sources by color change. The farther from a water source, the redder the bottle turns.

Award winners have their work displayed online and are invited to be a part of the Creative Conscience Community.

The faculty are and of (ECS); and of the ��(A&S); and of the .

, vice president for research and Charles Brightman Endowed Professor of Physics, says the awards demonstrate the exceptional promise of junior faculty in both research and education. “It is exciting to see such a diverse range of research projects recognized by the federal government and philanthropic foundations,” Brown says. “The awards provide funding that will help our researchers find ways to reduce inequality, develop new forms of energy, build better aircraft, secure computer systems and advance the frontiers of mathematics.”

Endadul Hoque, Yiming Zhao��

Hoque, assistant professor of electrical engineering and computer science in ECS, and Zhao, assistant professor of mathematics in A&S, both earned Awards—the NSF’s most competitive award for early-career faculty.

Endadul Hoque

Hoque will use the to enhance computer network security by developing an innovative technique known as “fuzzing.” Fuzzing injects invalid or unexpected inputs into a system to find security vulnerabilities in software, but current techniques have limitations. His work involves creating a language to encode complex structures of inputs that change depending on the context and creating techniques that can mutate inputs to systems without losing their context sensitivity. The research will create new methods to find loopholes in real-world security-critical systems. Hoque also plans to hold workshops for K-12 students to promote cybersecurity awareness and support students from historically marginalized communities to pursue careers in STEM.

Yiming Zhao

Zhao, a mathematician who specializes in convex geometry, geometric analysis and partial differential equations, will use the to explore new variations of two of geometry’s oldest problems: the isoperimetric problem and the Minkowski problem. These problems focus on recovering the shape of geometric figures from their geometric properties, such as their volume and surface area. Applications of the techniques developed can be used to create new solutions to science and engineering problems ranging from antenna reflector design to urban planning. He will host special educational sessions at the Milton J. Rubenstein Museum of Science and Technology for K-12 students to encourage them to think about math as discovery, not just as applying a set of formulas on an exam.

Yiyang Sun

Yiyang Sun��

Sun was presented with a from the , the basic research arm of the Air Force Research Laboratory. That program enhances career development for outstanding young researchers who advance the Air Force’s mission in science and engineering. Only 48 scientists and engineers received the award in 2024.

Sun’s grant of $446,360 is for her project, “Multi-Modal Interactions in Three-Dimensional Unsteady Flows.” Her research uses a cutting-edge technique to analyze multi-modal interactions in fluid flows to analyze and understand unsteady aerodynamic problems. The research outcomes could have a significant impact on advancing the designs of aircraft with improved aerodynamic performance for challenging operation conditions.

Craig Cahillane

Craig Cahillane��

Cahillane was awarded an��by the . He was one of only 23 researchers selected nationally in the first class of IGNIITE fellows and received the award at a The program supports early-career innovators who are working to convert disruptive and unconventional ideas into impactful new energy technologies.

The $500,000 award supports two years of work in fusion energy optimization on the project, “Ultra-High Power Photoneutralization Cavity for Neutral Beam Injection in Fusion Reactors.”��Cahillane is developing a prototype that has the potential to make fusion reactors nearly twice as efficient as they are with current technology. His lab will develop an ultra-high power laser cavity designed to help efficiently reheat and refuel a fusion reactor.

Ying Shi

Ying Shi

Shi received $350,000 from the Scholars Program for her exploration of Asian American students’ exposure to victimization and hate crimes in school. That program supports early-career researchers who are working to reduce inequality in youth outcomes and improve research evidence in decisions that affect young people in the United States.

Only four to six scholars are selected for this award each year, and Shi is the first scholar��from Syracuse University to receive it. Shi’s project, “School Victimization and Hate Crime Exposure Among Asian Students: An Evidence Base to Reduce Well-Being Inequality,” is funded for five years. Shi plans to use administrative data from studies across multiple U.S. cities and states to collect information on the prevalence and consequences of exposure to school victimization and hate crimes for Asian students, as compared with their peers.

Pinyuen Chen

�ʰ��Ǵڱ�����ǰ��� from the Department of Mathematics has received an award that honors the best publication each year from the Journal of Sequential Analysis. The Abraham Wald Prize is one of the most prestigious awards in the field of sequential analysis, which is a technique in mathematical statistics that, unlike classical techniques, analyzes data in real-time, allowing researchers to make decisions on whether to stop or continue an experiment as new data comes in, often leading to faster and more efficient results. It was developed during World War II as a tool to improve industrial quality control for the war effort.

Chen’s paper “” was co-authored by Elena Buzaianu, who received a Ph.D. from Syracuse in 2006, with Chen as her advisor, and Lifang Hsu, professor of mathematics at Le Moyne College. There is a connection from Chen to the namesake for the award, Abraham Wald. Wald, a mathematician who founded the field of sequential analysis, was the advisor for Milton Sobel, subsequently Chen’s advisor for his dissertation in 1982 at the University of California, Santa Barbara.

Teaching at Syracuse University since 1982, he is both a serial collaborator and an innovator, “I thank the department and my colleagues for giving me the time to work on my favorite research in the last 42 years,” says Chen.

Elena Buzaianu accepted the prize on behalf of herself, Chen and Hsu at Utah Valley University.

Chen conducts interdisciplinary research with scholars from other disciplines at Syracuse and around the world. He is a senior member of the����and affiliated with the�� at Syracuse University, both interdisciplinary programs within the College of Arts and Sciences that also include faculty from computer and information sciences, management, psychology and the social sciences. Chen has worked on military projects with electrical engineers at the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory in Dayton, Ohio, on data used for radar signal processing that may improve the detection and specific location and speed of a target.

“It’s always a thrill when our faculty are recognized for their outstanding scholarship,” says Graham Leuschke, professor and chair of mathematics. “The entire department is proud of Professor Chen’s accomplishment, and it’s especially sweet that our former Ph.D. student, Elena Buzaianu, was recognized as well.”

This is the 20th anniversary of the Abraham Wald Prize, established in 2004 and first awarded at the Joint Statistical Meetings in Minneapolis in August 2005. Elena Buzaianu accepted the award for Chen and the team in a special 2-hour ceremony at the 8th International Workshop in Sequential Methodologies, held at Utah Valley University.

Students game in the esports room at the Barnes Center at The Arch.

But the program’s first year was anything but a “zero” as Syracuse won the Emerging Program of the Year Award at the (NACE) National Convention from July 17-19 in Winter Park, Florida, just outside of Orlando.

In addition to the program award, two Syracuse University students—Kamron Manii ’24 and Braeden Cheverie-Leonard ’26—won awards and five other representatives from Syracuse were named award finalists.

“In year zero, Syracuse University esports was nominated and recognized across the board from students to staff for their contributions to the overall collegiate esports industry,” says Joey Gawrysiak, executive director of the esports degree program. “We are proud of what we are building here at Syracuse and want to continue to push the boundaries of what is possible by a collegiate esports program.”

Syracuse’s program employs a holistic, experiential learning-based approach that prepares students for career success in various industries, leveraging the largest collection of faculty and staff members of any esports program on a college campus. The , offered jointly by the and the , is among the first of its kind at a major university.

NACE is the only nonprofit membership association of colleges and universities with varsity esports programs. Over 260 schools across the United States and Canada compete for NACE championships every year across a variety of esports titles, and this past spring Syracuse captured the NACE .

Here’s more about Syracuse’s award winners from the 2024 NACE National Convention:

• Emerging Program of the Year: This award is presented to a program that has been active for two years or less, is on the path to excellence and has displayed outstanding achievements competitively, academically or within their community. Syracuse checked all these boxes, and Gawrysiak describes the program’s successful first year in an episode of the “’Cuse Conversations” podcast.
• Player of the Year (Counter-Strike 2): Manii, who majored in forensic science and psychology in the College of Arts and Sciences, received this award as a student-athlete who showed outstanding impact both on and off the game and was a leader who supported his team in multiple ways.
• Student Leadership Award: Braeden Cheverie-Leonard, a sport management major in Falk, received this honor for demonstrating exceptional leadership among his peers and exhibiting outstanding contributions to his collegiate esports community. In this , Cheverie-Leonard takes you on a whirlwind tour of his favorite spots on campus, including the esports room at the Barnes Center at The Arch.

Here are the Syracuse award finalists:

• Broadcast Talent of the Year: Daniel Saligman ’27, a dual major in television, radio and film in the Newhouse School and linguistic studies in the College of Arts and Sciences, was a finalist for this award, which recognizes a student who brought insight and electricity to a broadcast as an on-air talent.
• Coach of the Year (Counter-Strike 2): Director of Esports Competition Travis Yang was a finalist for this award that is presented to an individual serving in a coaching capacity who displays outstanding abilities in the development of their team both competitively and holistically.
• Support Staff of the Year: Program Manager Nikita Bair was a finalist for this honor awarded to a non-program director for outstanding leadership, mentorship and contributions to their program’s success.
• Emerging Director of the Year: Director of Production and Outreach Sean Kelly was a finalist for this award given to an individual with fewer than two years’ experience in collegiate esports as a full-time program director who displays outstanding abilities in the development of their program, whether it be competitively, academically or within their community.

For more about Yang, Bair and Kelly, read the news about them joining the program earlier this year.

• Scholar of the Year: Lindsey Darvin, an assistant professor in the Department of Sport Management in the Falk College, has emerged as a national leader in the movement for greater equity in esports and computer gaming. In , Darvin discusses the impact of her research and the course she teaches that is a requirement for all esports majors, Race, Gender and Diversity in Sport Organizations.

Visit the ��to learn more about the esports communications and management degree.

The approaching academic year will be filled with growing spaces that foster esports student experiences virtually and in-person, for both seasoned competitors and first-time gamers. Highlights include the anticipated spring 2025 opening of the dedicated Schine Student Center esports space.

So Darvin, Ph.D., an assistant professor in the in the , has dedicated her research and teaching career to creating greater equity in esports and gaming.

Lindsey Darvin

Darvin has emerged as a national leader in this area, and she was recently named a finalist for the (NACE) Scholar of the Year Award. The winner will be announced at the July 17-19 in Winter Park, Florida.

“It’s such an honor to be nominated for this award,” Darvin says. “I was thrilled to learn I was a finalist and excited to know that the work I have been doing to drive greater equity in the gaming and esports spaces has been recognized by scholars and practitioners across the industry.”

Nationally, Darvin is making an impact as associate editor of the (JEGE); co-chair of the esports mini-track at the January 2025 , where her goal is to advance esports scholarship and promote JEGE and publishing opportunities in the space; and a regular contributor to Forbes Magazine, where she writes columns such as about how an all-women’s Fortnite tournament is driving equity in esports.

On the Syracuse campus, Darvin has been awarded Falk College seed grants to examine the culture of gaming for gender minoritized participants, and to study the processes of building community in gaming spaces for minoritized participants.

She also received a to work with two undergraduate students on a multi-level review of the underrepresentation of women and girls in esports and gaming (the manuscript is currently being developed). Overall, Darvin has received more than $22,000 in grants and awards for esports and gaming research projects.

Starting this fall, the University is introducing an , offered jointly by the Falk College and . The course that Darvin teaches, Race, Gender and Diversity in Sport Organizations, will be a required course in this new major.

Below, Darvin shares more about her motivation to create greater equity in the esports and gaming space.

The CPN Seal of Prevention represents the highest standard for online prevention education, with a rigorous set of criteria to ensure colleges and universities are taking action to create a safer, more inclusive campus through comprehensive, evidence-based digital prevention education across critical areas, including sexual assault, alcohol misuse, mental health and discrimination. The CPN Seal of Prevention establishes guidelines for discerning quality online prevention education and implementation practices, and positions prevention as central to key institutional outcomes.

“O�ܰ� for incoming first-year and transfer undergraduate students are directly related to this award,” says Veronica Whalen Jones, director of Barnes Center at The Arch Health Promotion. To fulfill the University’s Community Wellness Requirements, incoming students are required to take three online training modules on alcohol education, sexual assault prevention and diversity, inclusion and belonging prior to arriving on campus for their first semester.

These required education modules help positively impact the campus community and help students thrive. “The programs that make up the Community Wellness Requirements are focused on equipping students with knowledge to create a safer, supportive and inclusive community for students to live and learn,” says Whalen Jones.

Expanding on education for returning sophomores, juniors and seniors, the Barnes Center Health Promotion team helped to implement the last summer. This is an annual sexual and relationship violence prevention training requirement that builds upon the Community Wellness Requirements.

To learn more or with questions, please visit the Barnes Center at The Arch , call Barnes Center at The Arch Health Promotion at 315.443.8000 or email communitywellness@syr.edu.

For the second year in a row, Syracuse University will honor the success of Orange business leaders across the globe at the ※�������50 awards. This annual celebration features 50 of the fastest-growing businesses founded or owned by Syracuse alumni. The inaugural honorees included a marketing agency CEO, a party rental company owner, a creative event production company founder and many others.

Applications for the are being accepted now.

“Syracuse University’s is home to one of the first academic entrepreneurship programs in the U.S., and we have a longstanding tradition of supporting and elevating the entrepreneurial aspirations of our students,” says��. “The ※�������50 Alumni Entrepreneur program is a natural extension of that tradition, and a unique opportunity to connect our alumni entrepreneurs with our current students and faculty.”

Alumni of any school or college, graduates of Syracuse University executive education programs and alumni of entrepreneurship programs operated by the�� are eligible and encouraged to apply.

“Syracuse University alumni are doing extraordinary work all over the world, and I am thrilled that we are going to recognize the business acumen they developed at Syracuse. What I’m most excited about is that our honorees will return to campus to pass along valuable insights to the next generation of Orange entrepreneurs,” says , Syracuse University’s chief advancement officer.

Honorees will be recognized on campus on Thursday, Nov. 14, in the National Veterans Resource Center at the Daniel and Gayle D’Aniello Building. While on campus, ※�������50 honorees will also share insights with each other and current students, as part of a series of campus engagement sessions planned for Friday, Nov. 15, during the ※�������50 Symposium.

��Do you want to compete to be recognized in the inaugural class of ※�������50 awardees?

The eligibility criteria for the ※�������50 awards are as follows:

• Applicants must be alumni of Syracuse University and be either a majority owner or hold a C-suite level leadership position in the company;
• Applicants must have founded their business at least three calendar years prior to the date of application for ※�������50 recognition;
• Must have had verifiable revenues of $100,000 or more in 2021; and
• Must have verifiable revenues of $250,000 or more in 2023.
• In addition, the company must meet one or more of the following criteria:
  • A Syracuse University alumnus or group of Syracuse University alumni maintain ownership in the company and have served as a C-Suite executive (i.e. chairman, CEO, president, or managing partner) for three consecutive years prior to nomination; or
  • A Syracuse University alumnus has led the company as a C-Suite executive for three consecutive years prior to nomination; or
  • A Syracuse University alumnus founded the company and has been active as a member of its senior management team for three consecutive years prior to nomination.
• The company and its leaders and/or founders must act with high integrity and operate in a manner consistent with the values of Syracuse University. To demonstrate the alignment with the values of Syracuse University, prospective and past honorees should:
  • Accept responsibility for their actions;
  • Hold oneself and others to the highest standards of personal integrity;
  • Practice equality in human relations;
  • Uphold the law, and respect the rights of others;
  • Contribute positively to Syracuse University as well as to the national and global community.

The deadline to apply for recognition is��Sunday, July 14. To learn more about the ※�������50 awards and nominate your company for recognition, visit��.

In their varied pursuits, the four individuals above have represented the Maxwell School’s commitment to engaged citizenship and making the world better for all. For their efforts, Wally Bobkiewicz ’89, Cathy Daicoff ’79, Anuradha Gupta ’07 and Ken Pontarelli ’92 will be honored with centennial awards at the planned for Friday, May 31, in the Smithsonian Institution’s

The event will mark the Maxwell School’s 100th anniversary and serve as a gathering for alumni and friends to connect and celebrate. “We are thrilled to honor these four highly engaged and accomplished individuals who have, in a variety of ways and across sectors, demonstrated a commitment to Maxwell’s ideals,” says Dean David M. Van Slyke, who will serve as the event’s emcee.

The centennial celebration includes five additional honors: will go to alumni B. Ben Baldanza ’84, Carlisha Williams Bradley ’09, Mary Margaret Graham ’78, Lia Miller ’03 and Jessica Sun ’09.

The centennial award honorees are listed below.

Centennial Champion Award

Wally Bobkiewicz ’89

Wally Bobkiewicz

The Maxwell Centennial Champion Award recognizes dedicated volunteer engagement and philanthropy in support of the school, and there is no greater champion of the Maxwell School’s local government initiatives than Wally Bobkiewicz.

A career city manager who has worked in local government for more than 30 years, Bobkiewicz tirelessly channels his passion for public service to uplift communities as well as the careers of countless Maxwell students and alumni. For decades, Bobkiewicz has been a powerful force behind the scenes, working to nurture relationships, create professional opportunities and galvanize support among Maxwell alumni. He is de facto host and connector at annual local and city management conferences and networking events; and he inspires others to invest their time and money to support career development opportunities for students.

Since 2019, Bobkiewicz has served as city administrator of Issaquah, Washington. He was previously city manager of Evanston, Illinois, and Santa Paula, California, and worked in local government for Novato, California, and Long Beach, California. He is a former president of the Syracuse University Alumni Association and served on its board of directors from 2001-10. He is the recipient of the 2024 American Society for Public Administration National Public Service Award.

Centennial Steward Award

Cathy Daicoff ’79

Cathy Daicoff

For significant engagement, volunteer service and philanthropic support that have sustained the continued excellence of the school, Maxwell School Advisory Board Vice Chair Cathy Daicoff is the recipient of the Centennial Steward Award. A dedicated supporter of the school since earning an M.P.A. in 1979, Daicoff has served as a member of its advisory board for more than 25 years and maintained an increasingly generous level of giving throughout this time.

Daicoff’s gifts, including her $1.2 million endowment to establish the Marguerite Fisher Faculty Research Fund and a major gift for the creation of the Daicoff Faculty Scholars award, help the school attract and retain world-class faculty. In addition, she shares her expertise in domestic and international finance with the board and as a trusted career advisor to students and alumni interested in the field.

Daicoff retired in 2016 as a managing director at Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services after 38 years with the company. Her career spanned management responsibility in U.S. domestic operations, Canada, Latin America, Asia-Pacific and global positions. She was the company’s first senior policy officer and director of policy training for Ratings Services, and she served for more than 20 years on the firm’s Analytics Policy Board.

Centennial Luminary Award for Global Health Equity

Anuradha Gupta ’07

Anuradha Gupta

For her profound impact in spearheading global initiatives that improve public health and increase equitable access to vaccines, Anuradha Gupta is the recipient of the Centennial Luminary Award for Global Health Equity.

Gupta’s work has helped to save and improve millions of lives. Currently, she is president of global immunization at Sabin Vaccine Institute in Washington, D.C., an organization dedicated to strengthening immunization in communities most affected by infectious diseases, especially in low- and middle-income countries. Prior to this, she served as deputy CEO of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance (2014-22) in Geneva, where she oversaw programs across 73 countries and partnerships with WHO, UNICEF and The World Bank. She introduced the pivotal concept of zero-dose children, bringing inequities into global focus.

Previously, Gupta served in the Indian Administrative Service for 30 years, holding leadership positions in a wide range of areas including health, education, nutrition and finance. As mission director of the National Health Mission of India (2010-14), she ran the largest public health program in the world, achieving several public health feats which include polio eradication and a steep reduction of maternal and child deaths in India.

Centennial Luminary Award for Sustainability

Ken Pontarelli ’92

Ken Pontarelli

For his leadership and dedication to developing solutions that balance the economic need for growth with environmental sustainability, Ken Pontarelli is the recipient of the Centennial Luminary Award for Sustainability.

As a Syracuse University trustee, Pontarelli lends his deep expertise in financial markets and sustainability investing, earned over a 30-year career at Goldman Sachs, to encourage interdisciplinary collaboration, resulting in environmental policy research that is grounded in a realistic understanding of markets and financial mechanisms. Together with his spouse, Tracey, he established the Pontarelli Professorship of Environmental Sustainability and Finance at the Maxwell School, currently held by Professor Jay Golden, founder and director of the Dynamic Sustainability Lab.

Pontarelli graduated from Syracuse University with a dual degree in economics, from Maxwell, and finance, from the Whitman School of Management, where he now serves on the advisory board. In 2018, Pontarelli founded Mission Driven Capital Partners, a New York City-based firm focused on sustainability investing. Two years later, he returned to Goldman Sachs, where he serves as partner and managing director and leads its sustainable investing group.

Fatimah Moody ’90 (left) and Rachel Vassel ’91, G’21, associate vice president, Office of Multicultural Advancement, with Chancellor Kent Syverud

Syracuse University’s has received the prestigious 2024 Alumni Association Inclusive Excellence Award from Insight Into Diversity magazine. This award brings national distinction to the team that supports and advocates for underrepresented alumni and students, raising funds for more than 50 scholarships and hosting the iconic Coming Back Together (CBT) reunion event.

According to Diversity Inc., the Alumni Award honors alumni association programs, culture and initiatives that encourage and support diversity, inclusion and a sense of belonging for all alumni, regardless of racial or ethnic background, sexual or gender identity, religion, socio-economic status, world view and more.

“We know that alumni associations are not always recognized for their dedication to diversity, inclusion and belonging,” says Lenore Pearlstein, owner and publisher of Insight Into Diversity magazine. “We are proud to honor these college and university alumni associations as role models for other institutions of higher education.”

“I am grateful to our team in Multicultural Advancement, which has been building on a 40-plus year commitment to students and alumni with diverse backgrounds,” says Rachel Vassel ’91, G’21, Multicultural Advancement’s associate vice president. “This accolade recognizes their hard work, which is having measurable impact across the University.”

Vassel cites the growth of CBT, the triennial reunion for Black and Latino alumni, which drew 50 alumni to campus in its first year and is now in its 14th year, drawing 1,500 alumni back to campus to engage with students and network with each other. “CBT has truly become part of the fabric of Syracuse University,” Vassel says. “It is a unique example of targeted programming that taps into the special interests of our Black and Latino alumni. From engaging speakers and VIPs to cultural food and entertainment, CBT speaks to a network of alumni who serve as inspiration to today’s students.”

Class of 1974 check presentation at CBT 2017 Gala

Vassel says the dramatic increase in alumni engagement—along with the eight-fold increase in Black and Latino alumni giving during the Forever Orange campaign—helped Syracuse University stand out among alumni association programs competing for the award. “I often hear from other academic institutions wanting more information about targeted engagement,” says Vassel. “I’m pleased that Syracuse University is now a case study for others who are hoping to more effectively engage various alumni segments.”

Vassel describes their fundraising approach as “community-based” and closely partnered with groups that mobilize and empower individuals to understand the greater power of the collective. She cites as an example the Delta Sigma Theta sorority.

“A key part of our culture as Black women is working together to get things done,” says Vassel. “When the Delta’s of Syracuse University decided to create a million-dollar endowment, they reached that goal by helping their members understand the multiple avenues to philanthropy, from cash donations to stock transfers to planned gifts. We would not have many of those new donors if it weren’t for the support of the sorority working in partnership with our office and the University.”

Over the past seven years, the Office of Multicultural Advancement has been recognized by CASE (the Council for Advancement and Support of Education) for the CBT 2017 reunion, diverse volunteer engagement, their targeted magazine (Syracuse Manuscript) and for its virtual CBT reunion in 2021.

“I’m really proud of the good work this team has done to cultivate deep and meaningful relationships with members of our alumni community, increase our pipeline of donors, and diversify our alumni volunteers,” says Tracy Barlok, senior vice president and chief advancement officer. “Their work is critical to the division and the university at large.”

The new award, presented to the Office of Multicultural Advancement in the June issue of Diversity Inc. magazine, is also recognition of the close-knit community of alumni of color and the 30-member Multicultural Advancement that helps to drive alumni engagement. “They give real meaning to the importance of connectedness and the power of community,” says Vassel.

This year’s awards provide funding for summer research and writing to students in 43 different programs.����

��Dissertation fellowships were awarded to:��

• Carlos Ramirez Arenas, religion����
• Emily Beauparlant, social psychology����
• Chelsea Bouldin, cultural foundations of education����
• John Brigham, earth sciences������
• Semaj Campbell-Blakes, history����
• Stephen Caviness, teaching and curriculum����
• Ahmet Celik, religion����
• Shreyas Aralumallige Chandregowda, civil engineering����
• Sicong Chen, computer engineering and information science������
• Joseph Colbert, biology����
• Nicholas Croce, social science����
• Amber Ford, chemistry����
• Lerie Gabriel, composition and cultural rhetoric����
• Nicole Yeannine Moller Gonzalez, geography����
• Xiaoxia Huang, political science����
• Jianqing Jia, mathematics����
• Linghua Jiang, human development and family science����
• Kelly Kearns, counseling and counselor education����
• Marie Kramer, mathematics����
• Qingyang Liu, human development and family science����
• Yang Liu, instructional design, development and evaluation������
• Michael McCall, political science����
• Catherine Montgomery, clinical psychology����
• Katherine Mott, sociology����
• Zakery Munoz, composition and cultural rhetoric����
• Brian Odiwuor, mathematics education����
• David Okanlawon, anthropology����
• Felipe Oliveira, philosophy����
• Madeline Olley, English����
• Zhijuan Niu, instructional design, development and evaluation������
• Jared Rosenberg, exercise science����
• Sarah Souders, public administration����
• Sarah Stegeman, history����
• Nimisha Thakur, anthropology����
• Sidney Turner, composition and cultural rhetoric����
• Renci Xie, Doctor of Juridical Science������
• Dong Zheng, civil engineering����

��Pre-Dissertation fellowships were awarded to:����

• Aleyna Akyuz, physics����
• Md Mahbubul Alam, chemistry����
• Karisa Bridgelal, composition and cultural rhetoric����
• Fatma Celik, religion ��
• Nelson Donkor, chemical engineering����
• Luanxin Gao, economics����
• Si Gao, counseling and counselor education����
• Falak Hadi, political science����
• Antonia Hamilton, clinical psychology����
• Sadam Hussain, anthropology����
• Geoffrey Huyck, composition and cultural rhetoric����
• Joanne Kim, public administration����
• Amanda Kingston, cultural foundations of education����
• Kaia Kirk, political science����
• Fasika Melese, instructional design, development and evaluation������
• Arda Oz, English����
• Eunji Park, counseling and counselor education����
• Abdul Bashir Pazhwak, social science����
• David Peters, mass communications����
• Caroline Plecki, biology����
• Vatya Raina, anthropology����
• Hannah Rembrandt, speech-language pathology����
• Karie Schmitz, mathematics����
• Soham Sinha, English����
• Ilariac Siriner, cognitive psychology����
• Paige Spencer, religion����
• Aditya Srinivasan, social science����
• Xihe Tian, counseling and counselor education����
• Nathalie Uwamahoro, electrical and computer engineering����
• Benjamin Valen, social psychology����
• Bryce Whitwam, mass communications����
• Jiahe Xing, economics����
• Zonglin Yang, earth sciences������
• Shuo Zhang, economics����

Vanessa Marquette G’19, media relations specialist, and Daryl Lovell, associate director of media relations, both in the Division of Communications, were honored with separate awards.

Providing Support to Members of the Military

Marquette G’19 was recognized by the National Infantry Association (NIA) with the Shield of Sparta – Heroine of the Infantry award after her husband’s most recent deployment in Africa. This honor is awarded to a spouse who has contributed significantly to the infantry. The NIA’s goal is to recognize spouses of infantrymen and other soldiers in support roles whose contributions deserve special recognition. The award is a token of appreciation for the sacrifice and commitment demanded of the spouses and supporters of infantrymen and other soldiers. It further symbolizes these individuals as true patriots with selfless ideals and the courage to send their soldier into harm’s way.

Ryan and Vanessa Marquette

Marquette’s military connections go further back as her grandfathers and great-uncle all served in WWII in the Army and Navy. Her parents, retired Chief Master Sgt. Steven Slachta G’71 and retired Lt. Col. Yvonne Slachta, both served in U.S. Air Force active duty and reserve for almost 30 years. She endured much more than typical drill weekends and long training exercises as a child as both parents were deployed overseas at times. Not only is her husband currently serving, but her nephew is in the U.S. Navy too, where she has supported his last three deployments on the USS Harry S. Truman. Her family’s dedication—and her own understanding of the sacrifices that families make—ultimately inspired her commitment to give back to the military community and to military families in many ways.

For the last 13 years, Marquette has selflessly devoted her time to supporting her husband, Ryan J.D./MPA’22, a U.S. Army veteran and member of the Army National Guard; his fellow infantrymen and their families through her work on numerous family readiness groups, according to the award. Whether it was relocating to where her husband was stationed, serving as a mentor to military families by relying on her lessons learned and struggles encountered as a child during her parents’ deployments, Ryan’s previous deployments to Iraq, Afghanistan, and Africa, and through her previous work at the D’Aniello Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF) and Office of Veteran and Military Affairs (OVMA), organizing events and ceremonies or just providing to military families in need, Marquette did all this while working full time—and never asked for anything in return. It was the sacrifices she made and the selfless support she provided for others, which made her an obvious candidate for this award.

Providing Support to Military Families

Daryl Lovell and Vanessa Marquette

Lovell was presented with the Service Member Patriot Award by the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve in the Office of Secretary of Defense. This honor is given to employee supervisors and reflects the efforts made to support citizen warriors through a wide range of measures, including flexible schedules, time off prior to and after deployment, caring for families and granting leaves of absence if needed.

According to the award, Lovell showcased her knowledge that military service is not just a service member commitment but a family commitment. Often, employers do not understand the stressors and commitments that a military spouse endures which makes employers—often unintentionally—unsympathetic toward military spouses who request accommodations to their work schedule so that the service member’s spouse can see their spouses off as they deploy overseas and welcome them back upon their return.

Not only did Lovell provide support to Marquette before, during and after her husband was deployed, but she has also been supporting veterans and military families since she began at University. As the liaison for OVMA and IVMF she has maneuvered through occasionally challenging circumstances to get the job done and ensure the stories of veterans and military families are told. Whether it was being prepared at 5 a.m. to facilitate back-to-back Veterans Day media interviews for J. Michael Haynie, vice chancellor for strategic initiatives and innovation, attend the Veteran Women Igniting the Spirit of Entrepreneurship (V-WISE) program in Atlanta to support the new board member, or help promote the research that comes out of the IVMF Lovell makes it happen which made her beyond deserving of this award.

Recognizing the Support Provided

“Daryl and Vanessa embody what it takes for Syracuse University to be the Best Place for Veterans,” says Mike Haynie, vice chancellor for strategic initiatives and innovation. “They are consistent supporters of our military-connected students and employees and use their professional talents to tell this important pillar of our university’s story. Staff play a large role in our University’s work on behalf of veterans and military families, and I am proud of Daryl and Vanessa for setting a stellar example for our community.”

Ryan Marquette was the driving force behind both of these nominations, recognizing how critical the support was that his wife provided him and how being part of a team that allowed her the flexibility to be there for him. He honored both Vanessa and Lovell during a Communications division meeting.

“Having not only one but two members on our media relations team recognized for their commitment to veterans and their families is something that we are very proud of,” says Ellen Mbuqe, executive director of media relations. “Surprising both of them on the same day in front of our entire division was truly an inspiring moment for everyone on our team and we have Ryan to thank for spearheading both of these honors.”

From left to right: Ryan Marquette, Daryl Lovell and Vanessa Marquette

Rina Banerjee’s “Take Me to the Palace of Love”

One of the highest honors given by MANY, the Art Museum, along with fellow awardees that include peer museums, museum professionals, industry partners and legislative leaders, will be recognized for their exceptional achievements at MANY’s 2024 annual conference “Giving Voice to Value” in Albany, New York, in early April. “We are honored to be recognized by our museum colleagues for the Rina Banerjee exhibition and related programs- which included extensive collaborations with our campus community through faculty, student and staff-led programs, as well as the greater Syracuse area community,” says Emily Dittman, interim director, who will receive the award on behalf of the museum. “This project provided us the opportunity to truly fulfill our mission to foster diverse and inclusive perspectives by uniting students across campus with each other and the local and global community, engaging with artwork to bring us together, and examining the forces that keep us apart.”

From left: Romita Ray, Rina Banerjee and Joan Bryant

Inspired by “Take Me to the Palace of Love” a 2003 art installation by contemporary artist Rina Banerjee about home and diaspora, Ray accumulated a group of work from the Syracuse University Art Museum permanent art collection as well as from other Central New York museums, to install in the museum galleries in conjunction with Banerjee’s monumental sculptures. “Viola, from New Orleans” a work that explores inter-racial marriage in America, and “A World Lost,” an installation that critiques climate change, anchored the galleries and was placed in dialogue with work from the collections.

As a part of the robust slate of public programs associated with the exhibition, the museum invited the University community, new Americans and under-represented communities in the city of Syracuse (a resettlement city for Afghans, Nepalese, Bhutanese, Somalians and Syrians) to document their own stories about identity and place—individually and collectively—in dialogue with Banerjee who was the University’s Jeannette K. Watson Distinguished Visiting Professor in the Humanities. “Take Me To The Palace of Love” was generously supported by the Syracuse University Humanities Center, along with 33 university departments and units at the University, The Republic of Tea and the National Endowment for the Arts.

2023-24 Student Employment Recognition Awards

Campus community members are invited to submit nominations for the recognition awards through Friday, March 29. Complete details are available on the .

• Student Employee of the Year: Seeking nominations for exceptional undergraduate and graduate student employees who have showcased outstanding work, initiative, professionalism and other remarkable qualities. To nominate please complete the .
• Student Employee Supervisor of the Year Award: Nominate a staff or faculty member who supervises student employees for the Supervisor of the Year Award. To nominate, please email the ’Cuse Works team the following supervisor details: name, email, department and a description of why they should be considered for the award.

To learn more or if you have questions, contact the .

Story written by Student Experience Communications Graduate Assistant Kalaya Sibley ’24, S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications ��

2023 RvD iPrize competition: Scott Warren, Syracuse University Libraries (left) and Bruce Kingma, School of Information Studies (right) presented check to Ben Ford ’23 (Martin J. Whitman School of Management), founder of Fundwurx.

Last year’s RvD iPrize winners included Ben Ford ’23, founder of Fundwurx; Adya Parida ’25 and Oliver Raycroft ’25, co-Founders of Scale Sense; Motolani Oladitan ’24, founder of Ta; Jeremy Shinder ’24, founder of Jere Bear Films, LLC; Travis Ghirdharie G’22, founder of Many Hands; Sai Krishna Bolla G’23, founder of Cognition X; Aidan Mickleburgh ’23 G’23, founder of Intervea; Kai Patricio, founder of Farm Loop; and Rob Goldblatt ’23, Paul Sausville and Nicole Byrnes, co-founders of Tree-Spun.

The 2023 Hunter Brooks Watson Spirit of Entrepreneurship Award was given to four student teams who best exemplified “The Spirit of Entrepreneurship.” Prizes honor the memory of Hunter Brooks Watson, a Syracuse University student who died tragically in a distracted driving accident. Last year’s winners were: Rabia Razzaq G’23, Kai Patricio G’23, Priscilla Cruz ’24, and Peyton Sefick, members of Re-mend team; Motolani Oladitan ’24; Jeremy Shinder ’24; and Ethan Tyo ’17 G’22, AlterNative Project and cookbook author.

Administered by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, the is a flagship leadership development opportunity for advanced-degree candidates who, if selected, receive two-year appointments within federal agencies. The program attracts and selects the best possible candidates, particularly those with the greatest potential to become government leaders.

Three current Maxwell School students will join four recent alumni as finalists for the highly competitive 2024 Presidential Management Fellowship Program.

The seven Maxwell community members are among selected from a pool of 7,193 applications. The finalists represent 102 unique academic degree programs and 264 academic institutions worldwide. Approximately 14 percent are veterans.

The three student finalists are Andrew Gasparini and Ryan Lamson, who are both enrolled in the dual master of public administration and master of arts in international relations program, and John Nipper ’23, who earned a bachelor’s degree in international relations and is pursuing a master of public administration degree.��Gasparini was also selected as a Robertson Foundation for Government Fellow for the 2022 academic year.

The four alumni finalists are: Michelle Duke G’24 (international relations); Roseanne Gerin G’21 (executive master’s degree in international relations); Shannon Isaacs G’23 (executive master’s in public administration); and��Sefa Secen ’22 (Ph.D. in political science).

“It is gratifying to see so many of our students and alumni among the finalists this year,” says Kelli Young, director of the at the Maxwell School. “Maxwell has a long history with the Presidential Management Fellowship, which prepares our students and alumni to move into management-level positions in the federal government, where they can further develop the leadership skills they learned here at the Maxwell School to contribute to the public good.”

Program alumni include University Professor and Phanstiel Chair in Leadership Sean O’Keefe G’78 (master’s in public administration). A four-time presidential appointee, O’Keefe was selected to the first class of presidential management interns after the program was started by former Maxwell Dean Alan K. “Scotty” Campbell, who was the first director of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management.

Dan and Mary Lou Rubenstein

This year’s program, called “Sankofa: Honoring the Past and Embracing the Future,” honors José Miguel Hernández Hurtado, founder and artistic director of , and Eric Kingson, professor of social work at Syracuse University. This year’s event will also pay tribute to , a founding faculty member of the Social Justice Awards who passed away in December 2023. The program features keynote speaker Dan Sieburg, chief executive officer of the of Syracuse, followed by a reception in Wildhack Lounge.

The Social Justice Awards are free and open to the public. To attend, please by Monday, March 4.�� For accommodations, please contact Karen Goebel at klgoebel@syr.edu, or 315.443.5557.

Presented for more than 30 years, the Rubenstein Social Justice Award is given in honor of the late Professor Dan Rubenstein, a former faculty member in the School of Social Work, and his late wife, Mary Lou, a former school social worker. Recipients of this award are role models whose courage and strength inspire others to stand up—and step up—to advocate and be a voice in the Syracuse community. The values of social justice are integral to their daily lives. The work of honorees each year, by their individual and collective examples, represent the true spirit of the Rubenstein Social Justice Award. Here’s a look at this year’s awardees:

Eric Kingson

Eric Kingson

Kingson’s 55-year career traces back to his involvement in the civil rights and anti-war movements of the 1960s. His work is grounded in ethical principles and values that promote human dignity, democracy, racial justice, service to others, self-determination, adequate wages and incomes, access to health care, affordable housing and meaningful employment. In addition to holding faculty positions in social policy at three universities, Kingson is recognized nationally for his expertise in and advocacy of Social Security as an institution that advances economic security across generations. He served as advisor for two presidential commissions and the Social Security Administration’s 2008-2009 transition team.

In 2009, Kingson co-founded Social Security Works, a national organization with a mission to preserve and expand the Social Security system. His belief that politics can be an instrument of social justice led him to run as a congressional candidate in 2016 and serve as a New York State member of the 2016 Democratic National Convention Platform Committee. Professor Kingson has authored numerous articles, books and commentaries with his research and writing focused on the politics and economics of aging, Social Security, cross-generational responsibilities, retirement and caregiving across generations. His most recent book is “Social Security Works for Everyone!” (2021), co-authored with Nancy J. Altman.

José Miguel Hernández Hurtado

José Miguel Hernández Hurtado

Hurtado is originally from Cuba and has lived in Syracuse since November 1997. In Cuba, Hurtado was selected as best male actor in a national student competition. His first 17 years in Syracuse were spent as a physical therapy aide at Rosewood Heights Health. Simultaneously, Hurtado organized and directed a theater company he founded in 1999 under the Spanish Action League, serving as artistic director and dance instructor. Currently, he works in the Pediatric Emergency Department at Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital.

Hurtado has directed over 21 contemporary and classical Spanish children’s plays. He received the Excellence in Outstanding Achievement for Direction Award for directing several plays: Gabriel García Márquez’ “A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings” in 2008; Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra’s “Adventures of Don Quixote” in 2011; and in 2012 “The Enchanted Shrimp,” a version of the French Laboulaye written by José Martí. He adapted “The Enchanted Shrimp,” among others, for the stage. Hurtado’s work on the radio and in theater in Cuba carried over to his life in Syracuse. He has maintained his firm belief that every child needs and deserves an opportunity to reach for a better place in which to live, and to realize their dreams for a better future.

Dan Sieburg, Keynote Speaker

Dan Sieburg

Keynote speaker Dan Sieburg is chief executive officer of the Rescue Mission Alliance of Syracuse. For 25 years he has worked in the non-profit human services sector, and the last 16 have been dedicated to providing housing, shelter, food and clothing for the hungry, homeless and housing vulnerable in Central New York. Sieburg is a New York State Licensed Social Worker, a former adjunct professor in the School of Social Work, and an alumnus of Syracuse University’s Master of Social Work program. The Rescue Mission Alliance of Syracuse was the recipient of the 2018 Dan and Mary Lou Rubenstein Social Justice Award.

Academic Affairs and Institutional Effectiveness (IE) are pleased to announce a call for nominations for . through Friday, March 22.

Nominations for the One University Assessment Awards are open through March 22.

The assessment awards recognize faculty, staff and students for their efforts to examine and enhance learning and campus operations. The meaningful and sustainable practices with which they engage to provide students with an unsurpassed learning experience will be showcased.

“Assessment plays a critical role in our effort to fulfill our goal of providing the best possible academic experience for our students,” says , associate provost for academic programs. “I look forward to celebrating the many ways in which faculty, staff, and students are participating in assessment practices that illuminate our strengths and enact our commitment to consistent improvement.”

The fifth annual One University Assessment Celebration will be held Friday, April 26, 2024, at 1 p.m. in the School of Education. Twelve awards will be announced in the following categories:

• Assessment Champion
• Shared Competencies Champion
• Outstanding Assessment
• Best Student, Faculty, and Staff Engagement Strategies
• Best Use of Results

Visit the for more information,��including award descriptions, past recipients and event photos.��If you have any questions, please contact the Assessment Working Team.

“The WellsLink program has been transformative for many of our first-year students of color. By providing mentoring, leadership development and a supportive community, it not only�� supports the transition to college life but also lays the foundation for their success at Syracuse University and beyond,” says . “I’ve seen students gain tremendous confidence in themselves and their abilities. Students form strong bonds with peers and mentors that motivate them to achieve their full potential. The relationships we work to facilitate through the program truly enrich the academic experience for students of color in their critical first year on campus. I’m excited to watch these talented young leaders continue to thrive with the foundation the program has provided.”

WellsLink Hosts 20th Annual Transitions Ceremony

Through academic, social and cultural enrichment activities to foster success for first-year students of color on their college journey, the is nationally recognized for academic and leadership excellence. As a celebration of student leader growth, the Transitions Ceremony honors WellsLink Scholars who have successfully transitioned into their second year at Syracuse University.

The ceremony will host keynote speaker Jenn Harper, award-winning social entrepreneur and founder and CEO of Cheekbone Beauty Cosmetics Inc., student scholars’ stories of transformation, and Academic Excellence Awards, Leadership Capital Certificates and stole presentation.

“For incoming students of color, the Transitions Ceremony serves as a visual representation that they are capable of success in college. Being able to see students that look like you prevailing in their academics and lifestyles is empowering,” says Ashley Kao ’26, second year WellsLink Leadership Program Scholar and peer leader. “It is a reminder that they can do anything they put their mind to, and they’ll always have the WellsLink community to support them.”

Keynote Speaker Jenn Harper

Jenn Harper

The 20th Annual WellsLink Transitions Ceremony will feature keynote speaker Jenn Harper. An award-winning social entrepreneur, Harper is founder and CEO of Cheekbone Beauty Cosmetics Inc. With a mission to help every Indigenous youth see and feel their enormous value in the world while creating sustainable cosmetics, Cheekbone Beauty is a digitally native direct-to-consumer brand that is helping Indigenous youth see themselves in a beauty brand while using the concept of Life Cycle Thinking in the brand’s ethos and in developing products, creating a new segment in the beauty industry—Sustainable Socially Conscious Beauty.

In addition to Cheekbone’s mission, Harper strives to educate as many people as possible about the Residential School System and the effects it has had on her family and friends through decades of generational trauma. She speaks regularly to high school and college students about social entrepreneurship, empathy and the history of her First Nations family. She has also been invited to speak to various entrepreneur groups, women in business associations, Apple Canada and First Nations organizations.

She was named 2019 “Women of the Year” by Chatelaine magazine and made the ��2022 “100 Women of Influence” list by Entrepreneur magazine. In 2023, Harper received an honorary doctorate degree from Brock University for her commitment to sustainability and commitment to her community.

WellsLink Leadership Program Class of 2026

This year’s ceremony will honor the following students:

• Tahirah Abdul-Qadir (College of Arts and Sciences/Martin J. Whitman School of Management)
• Sagal Abukar (Arts and Sciences)
• Brianna Anthony (College of Engineering and Computer Science)
• Fatoumata Barry (David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics)
• Tyree Benjamin (Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs)
• Meron Berhe (Maxwell School)
• Zoya Bukhari (Engineering and Computer Science)
• Anabelle Canals Olivencia (S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications)
• Natalia Cancel-Quintana (Arts and Sciences)
• Diego Cerri-Droz (Maxwell School)
• Tiana Chacon-White (Arts and Sciences)
• Victoria Chen (Newhouse School)
• Rahnaya Clarke (Engineering and Computer Science)
• Andrew Comprix (Whitman School)
• Christopher Davis (Maxwell School)
• Sean Diaz McCarthy (Arts and Sciences)
• Ty Duggins (Maxwell School/Arts and Sciences)
• Cindy Dupiton (Maxwell School/Arts and Sciences)
• Alaa Elhussen (Maxwell School/Arts and Sciences)
• Estefania Figueroa (Arts and Sciences)
• Tarohn Finley (Newhouse School)
• Grace Fong (Arts and Sciences)
• Alexa Gabrie (Arts and Sciences)
• Allison Goel (Arts and Sciences)
• Christian Han (Arts and Sciences)
• Dylan Harrison (Whitman School)
• Briana Hodavance (Maxwell School/Arts and Sciences)
• Kymani Hughes (School of Information Studies)
• Kaitlin Long (Whitman School)
• Muhammad Islam (Engineering and Computer Science)
• Qing Jin (Arts and Sciences)
• Keynan Jones (Arts and Sciences)
• Ashley Kao (Information Studies)
• Nathaniel Kennedy (Maxwell School)
• Aamna Khan (Maxwell School/Arts and Sciences)
• Mashiyat Khan (Engineering and Computer Science)
• Wafiq Khondkar (Arts and Sciences)
• Jesse Lamon (Falk College)
• James Lee (Maxwell School)
• Nailah Lewis (Engineering and Computer Science)
• Edward Lu (College of Visual and Performing Arts)
• Amanda Lynch (Whitman School)
• Shiye Lyu (Newhouse School)
• Gustavo Madero Carriles (Maxwell School/Arts and Sciences)
• Ty McElroye (Maxwell School/Arts and Sciences/Whitman School)
• Jett McKenney (Arts and Sciences)
• Haley Moreland (Newhouse School)
• Maheen Mukhtar (Arts and Sciences)
• Jhanae Ottey (Arts and Sciences)
• Aniya Palmer (Arts and Sciences)
• Eryn Pearson (Newhouse School)
• Harrison Pendleton (Visual and Performing Arts)
• Ayanna Peterson (Engineering and Computer Science)
• Ava Portney (Newhouse School)
• Arman Ramji (Falk College)
• Kennedee Robinson (Whitman School)
• Cayra Robles (Arts and Sciences)
• Neil Sagare (Newhouse School)
• Briana Salas (Newhouse School)
• Bailey Snead (Arts and Sciences)
• Fatumata Sow (Information Studies)
• Candace Tabb (Engineering and Computer Science)
• Chelsea Tagne (Information Studies)
• Evelyn Tang (Engineering and Computer Science)
• Abigail Torres (Arts and Sciences)
• Sarah Torres (Maxwell School/Arts and Sciences/Newhouse School)
• Mohammad Traore (Engineering and Computer Science)
• Jacquelyn Trotman (Newhouse School/Whitman School)
• Sarah Vallejo (Engineering and Computer Science)
• Lily Vengco (Visual and Performing Arts)
• Sergio Villar (Maxwell School/Arts and Sciences)
• Hassan Wouliyou (Engineering and Computer Science)
• Manling Yu (Engineering and Computer Science)
• Javien Zou (Newhouse School)

About the WellsLink Leadership Program

The WellsLink Leadership Program is a nationally recognized academic and leadership excellence program geared towards first-year students of color. Through structured academic, social and cultural enrichment activities, WellsLink Scholars develop the leadership capital necessary for exceptional success at Syracuse University and beyond. The program name was chosen to honor Barry L. Wells, founding director of Syracuse University’s first Office of Minority Affairs in 1976 and retired senior vice president and dean of student affairs.

The WellsLink Leadership Program is sponsored by Multicultural Affairs in the Student Experience division, and was designed by and former associate director Paul M. Buckley. Since the program’s inception in 2003, WellsLink Scholars have demonstrated outstanding leadership at the University with representation at the executive levels of many student organizations, task forces, committees and networks of service. They are high academic performers and balanced community citizens.

Story by Madison Manczko ’24, Student Experience communication intern

Kelly Gallagher

Experimental filmmaker and animator , an associate professor of film in the College of Visual and Performing Arts’ Department of Film and Media Arts, has received a 2024 .

Creative Capital awarded a total of $2.5 million in grants to artists for the creation of 50 groundbreaking new works. Chosen via a democratic process of external peer review out of 5,600 applications, the 28 successful visual arts project proposals and 22 film/moving image project proposals, representing 54 artists in total, were awarded on the basis of their innovative new approaches to painting, drawing, sculpture, public art, video art, architecture and design, printmaking, installation, documentary film, experimental film, narrative film and socially engaged forms. The award provides each individual artist with unrestricted project funding of $50,000.

Gallagher won for her project “,” a documentary film that explores three topics: histories of Irish and Palestinian solidarity, the politics of early Irish immigrants in America regarding the abolition of slavery, and the assassination of Robert Kennedy and subsequent incarceration of Palestinian Sirhan Sirhan. Using collage filmmaking strategies, oscillating between super 8mm film, found footage and handcrafted experimental animation, Gallagher asks her audience to engage with competing historical narratives.

A still from “By All Your Memories,” a film by Kelly Gallagher

As an anti-capitalist and prison abolitionist who grew up in an Irish-American Catholic household, stories of Irish resistance have always surrounded Gallagher. When she recently learned about Robert Kennedy’s assassination and Sirhan’s conviction, she was motivated to examine the historical relationship between Palestine and Ireland and the complexities of their legacies of solidarity.

“I am honored, ecstatic and humbled to receive this award and incredible support for my first feature film,” says Gallagher. “I believe that a majority of the filmmaking process requires perseverance, resourcefulness, courage, community and believing in oneself. I hope this recognition of my own film work can encourage and inspire my students here at SU to believe in themselves and their own film projects and remember that their work is worthy and deserving of external support, excitement and encouragement as well.”

Gallagher’s work is rooted in themes of resistance, struggle, political histories and personal explorations. Her films often explore left, revolutionary histories. At other times her films serve as confrontations themselves, resistance made visual. She is interested in film as a tool to re-open and re-discuss radical histories and film as a tool of confrontation.

Gallagher’s handcrafted films and commissioned animations have screened at venues including the Museum of Modern Art, the National Gallery of Art, Sundance Film Festival, Tribeca Film Festival and the Smithsonian Institution. Recent commissioned animations have screened on Netflix and PBS.

She has presented solo programs of her work at institutions including SFMOMA, Close-Up Cinema London, Balkanima, Visual Studies Workshop, Aurora Picture Show and Wexner Center for the Arts, among others. She is the 2022 recipient of the Helen Hill Award from New York University’s Orphan Film Symposium. Her latest film, “We Had Each Other,” about the solidarity of Irish Republican POW women, won the Research Award at the 2022 Athens International Film and Video Festival.

From left: Michael Speaks, dean of the School of Architecture, Barbara Opar, librarian for architecture and French language and literature, and David Seaman, dean of Syracuse University Libraries

The award is a 30+ year tradition recognizing Libraries staff who have made a significant contribution to both the Libraries and the broader Syracuse University community. A cross-departmental panel of Libraries staff judged nomination entries and selected the recipients based on outstanding service to Libraries’ users, excellence in professional skills and significant contributions to the Libraries’ community. The Distinguished Service Award, which is open to all Libraries employees, allows peer recognition based on nominations, a recommendation from the person’s supervisor and recommendations from at least two members of the University community.

Barbara Opar has been an integral part of the development of King + King Architecture Library, from dedicating the space and shaping its collections, to hiring and training excellent students, and serving daily on the front lines triaging questions from the University community. Faculty in the School of Architecture and French language and literature program highlighted and applauded Opar for her dedication to students over the years through teaching, mentorship and�� commitment to helping them succeed.

One person wrote in their nomination letter that “Barbara instilled within me a passion for scholarly research that continues to shape my worldview. Like an astute and persistent detective on a case, she showed me how to track down the most minute and hard-to-find items to support my objectives. She served not only as a pragmatic role model, but as a collegial ideal.”

Other contributions that colleagues found notable include Opar’s role in organizing the University’s annual French Colloquium and advocating for underserved voices in the architecture community. Beyond the University, Opar has contributed to the profession across several decades and received prestigious awards such as the Distinguished Service Award from the Association of Architecture School Librarians. One letter of support noted Opar’s 50 years of service to the Libraries and the University.

Sam Clemence was a recipient of the Deep Foundations Institute Legends Award on Nov. 2.

The Deep Foundations Institute (DFI) recognized Civil and Environmental Engineering Professor Sam Clemence as a recipient of a DFI Legends Award on Nov. 2. This award was established to honor practitioners that have made significant contributions and advancements to the research, design, construction, manufacturing and use of deep foundations.

Clemence was recognized for his 40 years of comprehensive research on the design and behavior of helical foundations. He is credited with shaping the modern use of helical piles and tiebacks, which advanced to a widely implemented foundation tool and robust business industry. He was a founding member and chair of DFI’s Helical Piles and Tiebacks Committee.

Matthew Conte ’06, principal at the Conte Company, introduced Clemence at the DFI Awards ceremony and provided the following tribute to Clemence’s accomplishments, innovation and leadership.

“If you work in the helical pile industry, you have Sam Clemence to thank. The modern use of these deep foundations was shaped by Sam. His research has created one of the most comprehensive data collections of torque-to-capacity and helix plate analysis in the industry. The use of helical piles and tiebacks advanced into a widely implemented foundation tool and robust business industry. Serving as the first chair of the DFI Helical Pile and Tiebacks Committee, Sam made it known that these foundations have their place in design standards.

Sam Clemence (left) and Matthew Conte at the awards ceremony

“As an assistant operations officer in the U.S. Navy Civil Engineer Corps, Sam completed projects in some of the most remote locations in the world. Installing deep foundations into crystallized coral and constructing bridges using elephants probably would not surprise you if you were familiar with his creative approach to engineering.

“With a career close to 50 years as an educator, Sam developed a unique way to both relate to young engineers while also preparing them for the industry ahead. He didn’t have to tout his accomplishments; you could recognize them in how he taught. When I meet other Syracuse University engineering alumni, we always share a fun story about our time with Professor Clemence. A legend always leaves a lasting impression on those they meet. The contributions of Sam Clemence have made impressions on the current deep foundation industry and will continue to do so in the contributions of the students he has taught.”

Alison Patteson (photo by Marilyn Hesler)

, assistant professor of physics in the College of Arts and Sciences, has been recognized by the American Physical Society (APS) with a national prize. Patteson received the 2024 , which recognizes outstanding achievement by a woman physicist in the early years of her career.

Patteson is a member of the�� and leads an institute focus group for mechanics of development and disease. Her research group studies biophysics and soft matter—specifically, how cells navigate and respond to the mechanical nature of their physical environment. She and her team are currently investigating how the structural protein vimentin affects cell migration and are also exploring the physical factors that control the growth of biofilms, which are slimy clusters of microorganisms including bacteria and fungi that can adhere to wet surfaces.

Learn more about����to find new solutions to challenges like SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19.

“Ali Patteson is an outstanding researcher, educator and service member in the Syracuse Physics Department,” says , professor and chair of physics. “Not only is her research excellent, but she is also a valuable collaborator within the department and Syracuse University community. And, she is a wonderful mentor and departmental contributor. She is truly a model of the teacher-scholar model we hope to all embody in Syracuse physics.”

APS President Robert Rosner cites Patteson’s important research contributions in characterizing the physics of living systems, including demonstrating how mechanics influences the collective behavior of bacteria and how intermediate filaments in a cell’s cytoskeleton impact its mechanics, migration and signaling. “This APS honor embodies a distinguished recognition within the academic community and necessitates adherence to the highest standards of professional conduct and integrity,” says Rosner of the award, named for the 1963 winner of the Nobel Prize in Physics, Maria Goeppert Mayer.

A Year of Achievements

Patteson has garnered several additional grant awards in 2023 recognizing her research. There were two in February including a��2023 Cottrell Scholar award, an honor that ranks her among the country’s best faculty researchers and teachers from the fields of astronomy, chemistry and physics. Currently, only two other New York state universities have more Cottrell-awarded faculty: Columbia and Cornell. Also, Patteson was awarded an Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Fellowship, honoring U.S. and Canadian researchers who exemplify the next generation of research leadership.

“I’m deeply honored and grateful to receive the Maria Goeppert Mayer Award, which would not have been possible without the support of my students and Syracuse community,” says Patteson.

About the Award

The award is presented to a woman, no later than seven years after she received a Ph.D., each year to recognize scientific achievements that demonstrate her potential as an outstanding physicist. It comes with a monetary prize of $5,000 and travel support to give three lectures in her field of physics and at the meeting of the APS to receive the award. The presentations are attended by students and can have a meaningful impact on their academic and professional trajectory. Patteson will travel to Minneapolis in March 2024 to accept the award and give a presentation.

Originally from Germany (now an area in Poland), born in 1906,����was a physicist and mathematician who proposed the nuclear shell model of the atomic nucleus which explained “why certain numbers of nucleons in the nucleus of an atom cause an atom to be extremely stable.” She was a trailblazer, both in her field and for women in science, as one of only four women to win a Nobel Prize in physics.

Patteson joins , associate professor of physics and William R. Kenan, Jr. Professor of Physics, who��received this award in 2018, for her research into soft, living matter. Manning and Patteson are the only two Syracuse faculty to receive the annual award since it began in 1986.

David Tarleton (left) and Adria Dawn

Two film faculty members in the (VPA) have received an Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Achievement for Children/Youth/Teen from the of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.

, professor of film and chair of VPA’s Department of Film and Media Arts, and , an actor and instructor in the film and media arts and drama departments, were nominated for “Identity,” one of eight short films in the “” series aimed at middle- and high school-aged youth. Each film focuses on a different social issue, such as cyberbullying, depression and school shootings. “Identity” is LGBTQ+ themed, focusing on gender identity, pronouns and chosen family.

“Identity” was produced by , a filmmaking partnership between Tarleton and Dawn’s multimedia production company (TDP) and The Performer’s School in Highwood, Illinois. Tarleton and Dawn served as co-directors as well as co-producers.

Since founding TDP in 2004, Tarleton and Dawn have worked on numerous projects together in different media and are most known for their films for social change. Recently, they’ve won three Telly Awards: for their award-winning Black Lives Matter film “Karen,” for their alcohol use disorder film “Gray Area,” and one for “Identity.”

The Chicago/Midwest Emmy Awards will be presented on Saturday, Nov. 11.

Ryan Garret Conner

Winning awards takes years for some creatives, but for , creativity flowed naturally from his first portfolio class.

Earlier this year, the student won in the 8th Annual Communication Arts Student Showcase, with his three winning ad campaigns showing in the March/April 2023 Communication Arts Issue. These campaigns were created in advertising professor of practice ’s Portfolio I course, and Conner’s win marks the fifth time in a row that Newhouse students have won this competition since the school started submitting work five years ago.

The Student Showcase doesn’t just award one advertising campaign in a student’s portfolio, it awards the entire portfolio of work. According to the Communication Arts Student Showcase 2023 Edition, students are chosen for this award for their “distinctive approach to creative problem solving and for producing work at a professional level.”

“Winning this competition reflects our curriculum, and it reflects the students’ hard work, creativity and talent,” says White. “It’s not just one campaign, it’s a whole portfolio of work, so winning impresses creative directors. Communication Arts is well-respected in the industry.”

Conner’s work takes an interesting angle on the products he’s advertising. In fact, among his three winning ad campaigns, none of them actually show the product itself. Instead, he chose to convey the product benefit through visual solutions.

“From an art direction standpoint, I was inspired by ads I’d seen that use really unique visuals to breathe life into products that otherwise may not have any,” Conner says. “If you make something interesting that makes people laugh, you’ve made a moment—and, in my eyes, that’s much more impactful than just showing a bottle or listing features.”

Conner’s first campaign, “Homesick” was created for the Tide To Go Mini, an instant stain remover stick. Conner’s insight was simple and relatable—people get clothing stains when they’re out or away from home. His idea zeroed in on the product’s strength and reliability; the power of a full washing machine in a portable-sized pen.

Tide To Go Mini campaign ad

“The beauty of this idea is its relatability. That’s what makes a good insight,” White says. “Ryan did a great job with creating a visual solution that conveyed a clever concept.”

Being adventurous doesn’t mean you have to be unprepared. Images of travelers trekking through nature with clunky washing machines strapped to their backs metaphorically explain the power of the Tide product.

Conner’s second campaign, “2,000 Uses” for WD-40 started off as an in-class activity with his copywriting partner, Mackenzie Murphy ’23. By the end of two classes, it had established itself as a competition-winning piece.

WD-40 campaign ad

The headline-driven solution focuses on Conner and Murphy’s big idea that WD-40 is a product with over 2,000 uses, but most people don’t take advantage of this. The cheeky copy insinuates that if other things in your life had this many uses, you’d be ahead of the game by now. For example, if your tutor had as many uses at the WD-40, you’d already be a genius.

For Conner and Murphy, inspiration struck like lightning, and they ran with it from that first brainstorming session.

“I learned to take that first crazy thing I sketch down in my notebook and see where it can go,” Conner says.

“The synergy that happened between Ryan and Mackenzie was electric,” White says. “They went above and beyond with the in-class project and created the campaign on the computer. It was like magic. When magic happens with an art director and copywriter team, it’s very clear. And the same happens in the industry.”

Conner’s third campaign, “Auto-Pilot,” also relied heavily on a visual solution without any actual pictures of the 2022 Hyundai Sonata with Lane Keeping Assist. Conner reflects on his creative process behind his headline: “Accidents happen when you lose focus.”

“Instead of focusing on the feature, or the benefit it serves, I wanted to take a stab at the opposite. Cars need something like Lane Keep Assist in the first place because people can’t focus when they’re driving,” Conner says. “Instead of showing how cool the car is, I showed what’s wrong with the people driving them. I wanted to tap into that human error element in a much less intense, comical way.”

Hyundai Sonata with Lane Keeping Assist campaign ad

“He explored exaggeration and opposites, and the execution is flawless,” White says.

Even though cars and hammers don’t seem to have much in common upon first glance, they share the same risk of an accident happening. That’s the beauty of a visual solution—merging two unlikely situations and letting your audience forge the connections.

“Ryan soaked up everything like a sponge, and he was always there to learn. And when you’re a student, that’s important,” White says.

“Winning this competition means I get the chance to represent my school, Newhouse and my professors, who helped make opportunities like this possible,” Conner says. “And it means that someone out there somewhere can recognize all the hard work that goes into a student perfecting their craft.”

Conner has a lot to be proud of during his time at Newhouse, especially after winning the Communication Arts Student Showcase, but his career is just getting started.

Story by Emily Bright ’22

From production and digital media companies to pizza tours and EV charging solutions, the honorees of the inaugural are an impressive group of leaders representing the 50 fastest-growing Syracuse University alumni-owned businesses.

Honorees will be Thursday, Nov. 9, followed the next day by engagement sessions between the alumni entrepreneurs and the University community. “We look forward to having this group of alumni honorees back on campus to celebrate their outstanding achievements in a whole new way,” says Tracy Barlok, senior vice president and chief advancement officer. “So many of our graduates have a strong entrepreneurial spirit and it is important that we get to celebrate the impact they are making in the world with their businesses.”

Students, staff and faculty will have an opportunity to engage with the ※�������50 honorees during the on Friday, Nov. 10, at the Whitman School of Management. The summit is open to everyone, but organizers, including Syracuse University Libraries, are especially encouraging students from across campus to participate. The summit represents an opportunity for students to learn about startup thinking, to develop personal and professional skills, and meet and network with alumni founders and top executives of fast-growing companies.

for the ※�������50 Summit, which will run from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., starting in the Flaum Grand Hall and move to Whitman’s classrooms for panel discussions.

“This is a unique learning opportunity for our students,” says , vice chancellor for strategic initiatives and innovation and executive dean of the Whitman School. “The inaugural ※�������50 Alumni Entrepreneur Award event and Summit sets conditions for our students to engage directly with alumni leaders who started their entrepreneurial journey at Syracuse University in a way that connects our graduates to the entrepreneurial aspirations of our current students.”

The summit will begin with welcoming remarks from Haynie and Alex McKelvie, interim dean of the Whitman School, and will move to breakout sessions featuring interactive panels with ※�������50 honorees and will be moderated by students who are conversation fire starters. The summit will conclude with a networking reception where students are encouraged to bring laptops to showcase their portfolio of work.

For more information about the event, visit the .

Rahman joined the faculty in spring 2020. Since then, she has taught critical core gateway courses involving foundational knowledge of the computing discipline to all three majors of the electrical engineering and computer science department.

Central to her teaching approach is an active learning style, which pairs hands-on programming exercises with challenging projects that demand students to cultivate skills in problem-solving, debugging and general software engineering. She is dedicated to creating equitable education and learning experiences for all students by providing inclusive educational opportunities that support women, genderqueer, nonbinary, underrepresented and minority students.

As a diversity spokesperson of the department, Rahman spearheads various diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility initiatives. One of her most impactful initiatives is Research Exposure on Socially Relevant Computing (RESORC), funded by Google Research, to increase both the exposure and visibility of undergraduate research.

With more than 200 students participating in RESORC over the past three years, she has designed and facilitated multiple virtual workshops to help undergraduate students develop computing identity, research skills and practice teaching strategies and explore research topics in the computing and engineering domains. The project formalizes best practices in research experiences to reach more students, particularly women from historically excluded groups, and prepares them for graduate study.

Rahman’s research and mentoring initiatives have been supported by many funding agencies, including the National Science Foundation, Google, the National Center for Women and Information Technology (NCWIT), Google TensorFlow and the American Association of Colleges and Universities to develop effective pedagogy in undergraduate computer science education.

She’s won the NCWIT Extension Services Award, ABI Systers PIO (Pass-It-On) Award, Google ExploreCSR Award and NCWIT Educator Award. She published numerous peer-reviewed articles, including in the Special Interest Group of the Association of Computing Machinery, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) RESPECT and IEEE Frontiers in Engineering Education, the American Society for Engineering Education conference.

Her overarching research interests are:

• exploring the impact of active learning pedagogy in undergraduate computing courses;
• the effectiveness of online and inverted classrooms;
• how different pedagogical practices can increase underrepresented student performance in computing courses;
• how effective re-entry pathways can facilitate the transition of returning women in computing-based discipline; and
• best practices in undergraduate research.

Students at a career fair organized by Career Services speak with recruiters. (Photo by Angela Ryan)

Often quickly evolving alongside shifting employment markets and career outlooks is the technology needed to grow professional networks and skills, in addition to cross-campus collaboration among students, schools, colleges and Career Services. As a result, , has become an established professional development foundation. As a free resource to students and alumni, Handshake hosts available internships, professional employment and professional development opportunities available through the University and external partners.

Within the University, Handshake’s collected data shares a story of what the student experience entails. Access to this data empowers staff to shift from reactively addressing obstacles to proactively identifying them and removing barriers before students may even experience them. “Illustrating our students’ career journeys from their first appointment to their first job allows us to make informed decisions and recommendations that elevate a student’s professional development journey,” says Adam Capozzi, director of career services, assessment and student success. “Tracking and reporting our impact is pivotal both in experiencing short-term and long-term successes.”

Handshake Career Spark Award 2023

The dedicated student-focused efforts of Career Services were further celebrated Tuesday, Oct. 17, as they were named a 2023 recipient of the Handshake Career Spark Awards. This honor recognizes an annual shortlist of Handshake career centers for their outstanding work. The team received this honor for reporting, analytics and overall engagement within the . Amplifying this honor as a responsive, reliable and successful leader in student career success, the team is one of only 31 institutions, within the over 1,400 schools using Handshake, to receive this award.

“This is a tremendous achievement for our career service network and a true testament to the hard work we’ve put into using this platform,” says Capozzi. “O�ܰ� unwavering dedication to improve operational efficiency, while gaining a clear picture of our impact on students, ensures we provide the right resources, to the right student, at the right time.”

Creative writing alum Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah (left) is a finalist for the National Book Award in Fiction, and alum Iain Haley Pollock (center) and visiting professor Emily Lee Luan (right) have received prestigious artist fellowships.

From faculty to alumni, the esteemed in the College of Arts and Sciences’ Department of English features some of the top literary talent in the world. Their acclaimed works regularly appear on bestselling lists and garner national attention with prestigious awards. Two alumni and one visiting professor were recently recognized for their recent accomplishments and ongoing work.

National Book Award

M.F.A. graduate��Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah��G’16 is a finalist for the��, one of the most prestigious honors in American literature alongside the Pulitzer Prize. His nomination stems from his debut novel, ““��(Penguin Random House, 2023), which portrays two gladiators fighting for their freedom within a private prison system. The novel addresses such issues as the exploitation of Black women, systemic racism, capitalism and mass incarceration.

Winners will be announced Nov. 15 at the 74th National Book Awards Ceremony and Benefit Dinner which will feature special guest Oprah Winfrey, at Cipriani Wall Street in New York City. The ceremony will be broadcast on ,�� and the foundation’s website at .

In addition to being named a finalist for the National Book Award, “Chain-Gang All-Stars” was longlisted for the New American Voices Awards, shortlisted for the Waterstones Debut Fiction Prize and longlisted for the Center for Fiction First Novel Prize. It was also a New York Times Book Review Editors’ Choice and was named a most anticipated book by The New York Times, The Washington Post, Entertainment Weekly, USA Today, Goodreads, Elle, Oprah Daily and many more.

Adjei-Brenyah is also author of the bestselling short story collection, “Friday Black.” Among his other honors, he was selected as one of the National Book Foundation’s “5 Under 35,” is the winner of the PEN/Jean Stein Book Award and was named a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle’s John Leonard Award for Best First Book and the Aspen Words Literary Prize.

In being a finalist for the National Book Award, Adjei-Brenyah joins bestselling author and professor�� G’88, whose acclaimed book “Tenth of December” was a National Book Award in Fiction finalist in 2013; professor , whose book “Eat the Document” was a finalist in that same category in 2006; professor , whose book “Devotions” was a finalist in the poetry category in 2011; former faculty member Junot Diaz, whose book “This Is How You Lose Her” was a finalist in the fiction category in 2012; and alum M.T. Anderson G’98, who was a finalist in the Young People’s Literature category four times, winning in 2006 for his novel “The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Vol. 1: The Pox Party.”

Prestigious Fellowships

Creative writing alum��Iain Haley Pollock��G’07 and visiting assistant professor��Emily Lee Luan��are recipients of��. They are among 88 New York state artists to receive the award in support of contemporary artistic expression. Their fellowships fall within the poetry category; other disciplines include craft/sculpture, digital/electronic arts, nonfiction literature and printmaking/drawing/book arts.

They were chosen among a highly competitive field of more than 4,000 applicants. Since launching in 1985, the program has awarded $35 million to 5,425 artists. Pollock and Luan join creative writing professor Dana Spiotta as authors with ties to Syracuse to receive the fellowship.

Iain Haley Pollock is author of “Ghost, Like a Place” (Alice James Books, 2018) and “Spit Back a Boy” (2011). Among his literary honors, he is a nominee for the NAACP Image Award and is winner of the Cave Canem Poetry Prize. His poems have appeared in African American Review, American Academy of Poets Poem-a-Day, American Poetry Review, The New York Times Magazine, PoetrySociety.org and The Progressive.

Emily Lee Luan is the author of “回 / Return” (April 2023), winner of a 2021 Nightboat Poetry Prize, and “I Watch the Boughs,” selected for a Poetry Society of America Chapbook Fellowship. Her work has appeared in The Best American Poetry 2021, Best New Poets 2019, American Poetry Review, FENCE and others.

Luan earned an M.F.A. from Rutgers University-Newark and is spending the 2023-24 academic year at Syracuse as a visiting assistant professor. This fall, she is teaching a graduate seminar called Literary Mapping, and in the spring will teach a graduate Open Poetry Workshop for students in the M.F.A. program.

“This award gives our university the opportunity to recognize and celebrate excellence in nearly any member of our teams,” says Jamie Winders, associate provost for faculty affairs. “O�ܰ� university community is full of people who go above and beyond every day in their scholarship, their work with students and their commitment to making our university and our world a better place. The Chancellor’s Citation for Excellence is a great way to recognize that excellence.”

Faculty, staff and students may be nominated in one of four categories:

• Award for Faculty Excellence and Scholarly Distinction (faculty)
• Award for Outstanding Contributions to the Student Experience and University Initiatives (faculty or staff)
• Award for Excellence in Student Research (students)
• Lifetime Achievement Award (faculty)

More information about the award and the nomination process is . Questions may be directed to Amanda Latreille at 315.443.5413 or arlatrei@syr.edu.

Sarah Appedu

Two students and three professors from the (iSchool) were recently honored with prestigious awards from the Association for Library and Information Science Education (ALISE).

��was awarded the����for demonstrating outstanding leadership qualities.

Tyler Youngman

��received two ALISE awards for Excellence in Teaching (Early Career) and for Best Conference Paper, which she shared with�� and Ph.D. students����and��.

Patin and Youngman won����as well, making them the first back-to-back winners in that category in ALISE’s history, according to Patin.

Leadership Award

Laverne Gray

Those chosen for the Norman Horrocks Leadership Award can only win the award once, and it is open to any ALISE member who has been with the organization for no more than seven years.

“What this award means for me … it’s encouragement to keep doing what I’m doing,” says Gray. “It’s recognition of the fact that I took seriously my contribution to the field through leadership and service.”

Gray came to the iSchool after completing a Ph.D. in the College of Communication and Information at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

“What really sold me on Syracuse was my campus visit, ” says Gray. “There was life in the building and a sense of a collective mission in research and teaching. People were active. They were present. And I really wanted to be part of that energy.”

Gray’s research uses critical race and Black feminist perspectives to explore information location and value in marginal community spaces. She is interested in African American historical information collectives and archival-evidence analysis.

“My greatest goal is to be able to support and make an impact on students’ lives,” says Gray.

Excellence in Teaching Award

Beth Patin

Patin was honored with ALISE’s Excellence in Teaching Award for her work in educating the next generation of library and information professionals. As part of her award, she receives a complimentary ALISE membership and registration to the annual conference.

Patin was chosen for her ability to illustrate student-centered thinking in her teaching, for her contributions to curriculum design and her forward thinking and ability to keep up with cutting-edge issues in the profession and in teaching, including those dealing with technology and its uses in the library field.

“Most of my life I’ve been an educator, and teaching is everything to me. So to be acknowledged for excellence in teaching at a teaching conference is pretty much a dream come true for me,” says Patin.

Her research agenda focuses on the equity of information in two research streams: crisis informatics and cultural competence. Patin is the co-founder of the Library Information Investigative Team research group. She is working on projects about epistemicide and the intersection of disability and race in youth literature.

Patin is also a member of the advisory board for the Laura Bush Foundation for America’s Libraries.

Best Conference Paper Award

Jasmina Tacheva

Coming off their win��, Patin and Youngman were joined by Tacheva and Appedu for this year’s win. Their winning paper was titled, “Flashing the Hazard Lights: Interrogating Discourses of Disruptive Algorithmic Technologies in LIS Education.”

“Winning again was a total shock,” says Patin. “Getting to work and write with so many of my colleagues continues to make this work robust and meaningful. Bringing in their perspectives is certainly why we were able to win this award.”

“What makes me so happy about this best paper award is that this time Tyler led the paper,” Patin says. “As an educator, my favorite thing is watching my students grow and come into their own scholarship. It is amazing to take a step back and watch your students step up to lead.”

Youngman credits teamwork for their win and said he was fortunate to work with his colleagues.

“O�ܰ� work serves as a reminder that librarians are essential; that they have been, and will continue to be, necessary,” says Youngman. “Recognizing the importance of librarians in the face of popular conversations and ethical tensions around disruptive emerging technologies, including AI tools, is imperative in our pursuit of information literacy and equity.”

The Clio Awards are some of the most prestigious awards in the advertising industry, and many professional creatives work their entire careers to win one. This year, Newhouse����students Jasmine Chin ’23 and Matt Powers ’23 won this most coveted award, while Victoria Lin ’22 and Sam Luo ’21 won in 2022.

The Clio Awards, established in 1959, took place this year on April 25 in New York City. Out of all the submissions worldwide, the judges chose only four campaigns to award in the Student Innovation Category. “Signlingo” was one of them.

Winning a spot on the 2023 Clio Awards Shortlist in the Student Innovation Category for their entry titled����Chin, copywriter, and Powers, art director, developed��an extension��for Duolingo—a language-learning app that makes language education accessible—in partnership with��the World Federation of the��Deaf. The creative team used��integrated augmented reality to help users learn sign language.

“We made sure to creatively find ways to make ‘Signlingo’ practical and intuitive, since it was meant to be a service that could easily be implemented into their everyday lives,” Chin says of her video campaign for Duolingo and the World Federation of the Deaf.

“Signlingo” was created in Chin and Powers’ Portfolio III course taught by advertising professor of practice��. The brief for this campaign was simple—solve a real-world problem using new technology. White chose this brief specifically to reflect the type of problem-solving that occurs in the industry.

“Creating a portfolio program that revolves around the partnership between a copywriter and an art director is important to crafting innovative ideas, as well as treating the program like a real agency,” White says.

And no one understood the need for innovation more than the powerhouse team of Chin and Powers.

After conducting research, Chin and Powers identified a gap that marginalizes deaf children from their parents. They said they found that 90% of deaf children are born to hearing parents who don’t know sign language. The biggest problem, however, is that many parents are busy between jobs and family responsibilities, and find it hard to��find time to learn enough sign language to be proficient in it. Chin and Powers solved this problem by using augmented reality technology for parents to learn sign language in real time. Users can point their phone at an object, and their avatar will demonstrate the correct use of sign language to identify it. So, when playing ball with their kid, parents can learn in the moment the correct signage for ball.

“Once we established that our target audience was hearing parents with deaf children, we made sure to creatively find ways to make ‘Signlingo’ practical and intuitive, since it was meant to be a service that could easily be implemented into their everyday lives,” Chin says.

Powers stated that convenience was a necessity when creatively solving the gap between hearing parents and deaf children.

“Most importantly, we wanted to make ‘Signlingo’ accessible for everyone, regardless of how well they can hear,” Powers says.

Winning a Clio Award isn’t just exciting for these students and the Newhouse School. Clinching a Clio Award reassures creative directors and recruiters in the industry that the advertising world’s best and brightest are ready to get to work. Innovative ideas are fostered by incorporating innovative technology, and honing this skill before even entering the industry is appealing to ad agencies.

“The creative bar for the Clio Awards is so incredibly high,” White says. “We’re competing not just against universities but portfolio schools, and we’re one of four winners worldwide in the Student Innovation category.”

Bruce Jacobson ’92, creative director at VMLY&R in New York City, said the Clios are the “Grammys of advertising.” He also noted that already having such an award to your name is enticing to agencies when hiring, as it indicates that the student is capable of winning more awards in the future.��“The best predictor of future awards is past ones,” he says.

Winning was a surreal moment for Chin and Powers.

“Never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined my work at Newhouse being represented on an international scale, and the fact that it is such a powerful campaign that Jasmine and I are so proud of, makes it all the more sweet,” Powers says.

This isn’t the first year Newhouse students have been recognized by the Clio Awards. In 2022, Lin and Luo secured themselves Clios. Their two campaigns were among six in the world chosen for the Student Print category.

Lin shows off her Bronze Clio Award.

Lin won a bronze Clio for her print campaign for Waterpik, “” created in White’s Portfolio I course. And she has the award statue to prove it.

Her insight stemmed from personal experience with flossing. Lin found that it’s often difficult to get everything out from between her teeth with just regular flossing, but Waterpik uses a stream of water to remove all food from even the toughest-to-reach crevices. That’s why she actually uses the product herself.

“I will always remember when I first used the Waterpik,” Lin says. “Experiencing the product and understanding the needs of the target audience helped me find an insight more easily.”

Instead of just showing images of food, she showed the entire animal itself coming out of the teeth to convey the power of the Waterpik.

White praised Lin’s ability to push past the most generic ideas.

“She didn’t stop at the obvious answers,” White says. “She kept thinking of ideas, but she wouldn’t stop until she got to a place that was unexpected. She really spent time to create a fresh idea.”

Lin’s award-winning campaign “Flushed Away” for Waterpik Water Flosser

Luo, another 2022 Clio Award winner, used a strong visual solution to call attention to a timely, real-world issue: climate change. ���ܴ�’s public service print campaign for the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), “”, was honored on the Clio’s 2022 Shortlist. He created this winning campaign in White’s Portfolio III course.

Luo wanted his public service campaign to be a shocking wakeup call.

Luo’s “2050” campaign for the World Wildlife Fund

“I wanted to create something to highlight how direct and immediate man-made pollution is to the animals,” he says. “The goal is to trigger an emotional response from people to help WWF in their efforts to raise awareness.”

Reflecting on his creative process, Luo said that the hardest part of this campaign was figuring out how to illustrate pollution in a creative way. His solution was to show a cause-and-effect relationship.

“I decided to focus on simple visual symbols to show both the cause as well as the effect to make the idea of ‘direct impact’ clear,” Luo says.

“This campaign is incredibly moving. There have been a lot of campaigns about this issue over the years, but this one has striking, compelling visuals that make you stop and think,” White says. “Showing two different perspectives in the ads makes you look twice to figure them out. Sam has a way of creating strong visual solutions that people have not seen before that draws you in.”

The Newhouse creative advertising curriculum teaches students to create, craft and execute innovative solutions and these Clio Award-winning students are the perfect example of student innovation at its finest.

Murphy

, associate professor of history in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, has received two new prizes for her first book, “The Creole Archipelago: Race and Borders in the Colonial Caribbean” (University of Pennsylvania Press, 2021). These prizes are in addition to two others she received late last year.

The Association of Caribbean Historians awarded the book its Elsa Goveia Book Prize, and the French Colonial Historical Society honored it with its 2022 Mary Alice and Philip Boucher Book Prize.

The Elsa Goveia award recognizes excellence in the field of Caribbean history and is awarded to one author every two years. The Boucher prize is awarded annually and recognizes the best book on the French colonial experience from the 16th century to 1815.

In “The Creole Archipelago,” Murphy traces how generations of Indigenous Kalinagos, free and enslaved Africans, and settlers from a variety of European nations used maritime routes to forge connections that spanned the eastern Caribbean. Murphy explains how these islands are distinct from other Caribbean colonial plantation societies, a result of the powers that competed for influence in the region—including Britain and France, as well as the Kalinagos, who continued asserting their right to their lands.

The book previously received two prizes: the James A. Rawley Prize in Atlantic History from the American Historical Association and the Forum on Early-Modern Empires and Global Interactions (FEEGI) 2022 Book Prize. Murphy was also awarded honorable mention for the Gilbert Chinard Prize, given by the Society for French Historical Studies.

Murphy received a Ph.D. from the University of Chicago in 2016. Her research interests include the Atlantic World, the comparative history of the early Americas, slavery and race, the colonial Caribbean and the Age of Revolutions.

Story by Sophia Moore

“Syracuse University is home to one of the first academic entrepreneurship programs in the U.S., and we have a longstanding tradition associated with supporting and elevating the entrepreneurial aspirations of our students,” says . “The ‘CUSE50 Alumni Entrepreneur program is a natural extension of that tradition, and a unique opportunity to connect our alumni entrepreneurs with our current students and faculty.”

※�������50 recognition is open to alumni of any school or college, graduates of Syracuse University executive education programs and alumni of entrepreneurship programs operated by the

“Syracuse University alumni are doing extraordinary work all over the world, and I am thrilled that we are going to recognize the business acumen they developed at Syracuse. What I’m most excited about is that our honorees will return to campus to pass along valuable insights to the next generation of Orange entrepreneurs,” says Tracy Barlok, Syracuse University’s chief advancement officer.

Awardees will be honored on campus on Thursday, Nov. 9, in the K.G. Tan Auditorium in the National Veterans Resource Center at the Daniel and Gayle D’Aniello Building. While on campus, ※�������50 Awardees will also share insights with each other and current students, as part of a series of cross-campus engagement sessions planned for Nov. 10.

Do you want to compete to be recognized in the inaugural class of ※�������50 awardees?

Eligibility criteria for the ※�������50 awards are as follows:

• Applicants must be alumni of Syracuse University and be either a majority owner or hold a C-suite level leadership position in the company;
• Applicants must have founded their business at least three calendar years prior to the date of application for ※�������50 recognition;
• The company must have had verifiable revenues of $100,000 or more, at a point two years prior to the date of application, and verifiable revenues of $250,000 or more, at a point one year prior to the date of application.
• The company must meet one or more of the following criteria:
  • An alumnus or group of alumni maintain ownership in the company and have served as a C-Suite executive (i.e., chairman, CEO, president, or managing partner) for three consecutive years prior to nomination; or
  • An alumnus has led the company as a C-Suite executive for three consecutive years prior to nomination; or
  • An alumnus founded the company and has been active as a member of its senior management team for three consecutive years prior to nomination.
• Additionally, the company and its leaders and/or founders must act with high integrity and operate in a manner consistent with the values of Syracuse University, including accepting responsibility for their actions; practicing equity in human rights; upholding the law and respecting the rights of others; and contributing positively to Syracuse University and the national and global community.

The deadline to apply for recognition is Thursday, Aug. 31. To learn more about the ※�������50 awards and nominate your company for recognition, visit .

Professor Charles Driscoll (Photo by Alex Dunbar)

Civil and Environmental Engineering Professor Charles Driscoll has been selected to receive the�� from the National Water Research Institute. Driscoll is the University and Distinguished Professor of Environmental Systems Engineering in the .

The Clarke Prize is considered one of the most prestigious awards pertaining to water science. It is awarded to thought leaders in water research, science, technology, or policy in the United States. Past honorees have included some of the most significant figures in civil and environmental engineering; the water, biological, physical, chemical, health and political sciences; and public planning and policy.

Driscoll’s research largely involves characterization and quantifying the impacts of air pollution, such as acid rain and mercury, changing climate, and land and water disturbances on the structure and function of ecosystems, and pathways of ecosystem recovery. Much of his work has focused on forests and associated aquatic resources, including long-term studies at the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest, New Hampshire and the Huntington Forest in the Adirondacks, New York. Recent work has included strategies for the decarbonization of sectors and achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions.

Professor Driscoll collecting water samples with two of his students (Photo by Alex Dunbar)

Over the past 40 years, Driscoll has advanced new analytical techniques, established and maintained long-term measurements and experiments, and developed a series of research and predictive models that simulate transformations of major chemical elements in forest vegetation, soil and surface waters in response to air pollution, climate and land disturbance. Beyond theory, he is interested in testing ‘in situ’ strategies to reverse the damaging effects of acid rain and mercury contamination, eutrophication, urbanization and climate change. Driscoll has testified at US Congressional and state legislative committee hearings and provided briefings to government agencies, industry and stakeholder groups on environmental issues. He has served on local, national and international committees pertaining to environmental management and policy.

Driscoll will receive the award and give a lecture in Irvine, California, on October 21, 2023. For information about attending the event, fill out the form on the��.

Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden confers the 2023 Library of Congress Prize for American Fiction to George Saunders at the National Book Festival on Aug. 12. (Photo by Shawn Miller/Library of Congress)

Syracuse University professor and acclaimed fiction writer received the 2023 at the Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden presented Saunders with the award during the ceremony. In a subsequent conversation with Clay Smith, the festival’s literary director, Saunders discussed his writing career and his award-winning and bestselling novel “Lincoln in the Bardo.” (Updated Aug. 16, 2022)

The annual prize is one of the most distinguished awards in fiction, recognizing a writer “whose body of work is distinguished not only for its mastery of the art but also for its originality of thought and imagination,” according to an announcement from the Library of Congress.

Saunders, a professor of English in the , is the No. 1 New York Times bestselling author of 12 books, including:

• “Lincoln in the Bardo,” which won the 2017 Man Booker Prize
• “A Swim in a Pond in the Rain”
• “Congratulations, by the way”
• “Tenth of December,” a finalist for the National Book Award and winner of the inaugural Folio Award
• “The Braindead Megaphone”
• “CivilWarLand in Bad Decline”
• “Liberation Day,” a collection of short stories chosen as one of President Barack Obama’s favorite books of 2022

George Saunders

“We are delighted to see Professor Saunders recognized by our nation’s oldest federal cultural institution,” says , dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. “This well-deserved honor shines a spotlight on the fantastic talent and teaching offered by Syracuse University’s English department and its creative writing program. We are so proud of George—and so pleased to offer our students the invaluable opportunity to hone the craft alongside such luminaries.”

In 2013, Saunders was named one of the world’s 100 most influential people by Time magazine. He is the recipient of a MacArthur Fellowship and a Guggenheim Fellowship. He has taught in the creative writing program since 1996.

“I look forward to… working with the Library [of Congress] to further the art of fiction; an art form that can do so much to bring us together and deepen our empathy for, and interest in, one another,” Saunders said when the prize was announced.

Here are several of the 50 Department of Sport Management students who received the Director’s Academic Achievement Award for achieving a GPA of 3.4 or higher for each of their consecutive semesters at Syracuse.

The recently honored about 70 undergraduate and graduate students from the Class of 2023. Here are the list of Falk College departments and student award winners, or links to full stories with a list of winners and descriptions of the awards.

Exercise Science

• Graduate Research Excellence Award: Page Williams
• Undergraduate Research Excellence Award: Christian James Ruiz

Food Studies

Human Development and Family Science

Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT)

• MFT Social Justice Award: Annemarie Sohn

Nutrition Science and Dietetics

• Outstanding Dietetic Intern—Director’s Award: Sydney Teeter
• Nutrition Science and Dietetics Graduate Research Award: Madeline Hobika
• Outstanding Graduate Student in Nutrition Science Award: Sophia Dimkopoulos
• Outstanding Graduate Assistant in Nutrition Science Award: Caroline Fletcher Moore
• Nutrition Science and Dietetics Undergraduate Research Award: Taylor Fein
• Emily Gere Coon Award: Ashleigh Lok Jack
• Peer Leader in Nutrition Science and Dietetics Award: Junhui “Carol” Lang
• Susan J. Crockett Prize for Student Leadership: Julia Langer
• Faculty Award for Excellence in Nutrition Science: Sivan Avramovich
• Marjorie V. Dibble Scholarship Award: Mariana I. Perez Lugo
• Ruth Tolley Award–Women of the University Community: Elizabeth Kot
• Vershann Icem-Wright Professional Promise in Nutrition Science and Dietetics Award: Philip E. Farina
• Victoria F. Thiele Scholarship Award: Cristina Sofia Grigas and Tess Palin
• Victoria Li Scholarship Award: Alyssa M. Quinn
• Selleck Award: Sivan Avramovich
• Elizabeth L. Reid Memorial Award: Rylee Brook Pepper

Public Health

• Academic Excellence in Public Health Award: Nicole Pulido
• Excellence in Public Health Practice Award: Brooke Breton
• Public Health Leadership Award: Panagiotis Hatzelamprou
• Research Award for Public Health Award: Kinley Gaudette
• Social Justice in Public Health Award: Brooke Kirchner
• Excellence in the Public Health Graduate Program Award: Md Koushik Ahmed and Rachel Arauz

Social Work

• Hortence Cochrane Award: Aglaeth Vazquez

Sport Management

Faculty of the Year Awards

• Professors Jane Burrell, Lynn Brann and Bryce Hruska were honored with for their outstanding teaching, scholarship and internal and professional service contributions in 2023

Winners of the 2023 44 Stars of Excellence Awards are:

One University Award��

Presented to a student or RSO that recognizes that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts and aims to bring University stakeholders together for a common purpose. These students embody the mission of One University by efficiently and effectively working towards cultivating a collaborative campus community.

• Orange After Dark Event Board

Award for Positive Advocacy and Awareness��

Presented to a student or RSO who has been the most effective in promoting social justice and raising awareness for a cause whether on campus or in the greater community, in a timely and relevant manner. Nominees demonstrate a commitment to continuous self-awareness and broad societal awareness, especially in working with people with marginalized identities.

• Alison Gilmore

Jolisa Smith, leadership coordinator in Student Engagement, presents the Award for Excellence by an Organization Leader to Sophia Lucina.

Award for Excellence by an Organization Leader��

Presented to an RSO leader who has demonstrated outstanding dedication and service to their student organization. Leaders should��not only have enhanced their individual organization, but also the Syracuse University community through their leadership and involvement.

• Sophia Lucina (pictured on the right)

Unsung Hero Award��

Presented to individuals who have helped their organization achieve success.�� This person may not be in a formal leadership position but goes above and beyond what is typical for a general member.

• Lily Braden

Award for Diversity and Inclusion��

Presented to a student or RSO who has demonstrated a sincere commitment to promoting diversity and inclusion by serving as advocates for awareness on campus and in the community.�� Nominees intentionally recognize and incorporate intersectionality in their work to better support people in making meaning of their lives, perspectives, and experiences.

• Jordan Beasley

Award for Public and Community Service��

Presented to a student or RSO who has exhibited exceptional effort in planning and implementing significant service projects within the University and Syracuse community.

• Angel Medina

Award for Outstanding Senior Leadership

Presented to graduating seniors who have demonstrated dedication to developing themselves, others, and the University through their involvement and leadership in the classroom and student organizations. These students are strong academically, active in the community, and serve as role models to their peers.

• Bailey Klemm

Award for Excellence by an Organization Advisor��

Presented to an RSO advisor who demonstrates outstanding commitment to an organization by providing mentorship to the organization, supporting organizational programs and events, as well as ensuring successful leadership transitions within the organization.

• Mary Custer (Phi Eta Sigma)

La Fuerza Community Enhancement Award��

Presented to graduating students in recognition of their outstanding contributions and commitment to diversity. These individuals have used their energy, spirit and leadership in initiating and implementing actions that help our campus community go beyond tolerance to create dialogue among people from diverse cultural groups.

• Enrique Prejula

Innovation Award

Presented to an RSO that has created a brand-new organization, event, or initiative, making a conscious effort to promote, plan, implement and introduce innovative programs/initiatives that have not been addressed by previous planning or organizations.

• Mexican Student Association

Orange Award: Best SU Spirit

Presented to a student who has demonstrated pride in Syracuse University by promoting, attending and being involved in a variety of student organizations and events, demonstrating to other students the importance of being part of the Orange Nation.

• Ronny Ditchek

44 Stars Award: RSO of the Year��

Presented to an RSO that has contributed to offering an unsurpassed student experience. This RSO has demonstrated excellence in collaboration with their advisor, Student Engagement and any other governing offices they routinely interact with. The RSO of the Year has also provided opportunities for each student, equitably, to become involved in their organization, contributing to a positive campus culture.

• OrangeSeeds

Story by Student Experience communications intern Wanshi Zhang ’23

Outstanding Teaching Assistants are honored for excellence in their work as classroom teachers, laboratory or studio instructors and recitation or discussion section leaders, and for assisting faculty members who teach high-enrollment courses.

Students are nominated by their departments, and a selection committee chooses honorees based on both the strength of their teaching portfolio and faculty and student letters of support. This is the 36th year the awards have been presented.

Graduate student Sara Jo Soldovieri leads a discussion for an Introduction to Inclusive Schooling class. (Photo by Jeremy Brinn)

“These awards typically go to only the top 4% of all teaching assistants campuswide, so selection truly is an honor,” says Peter Vanable, dean of the Graduate School. “Teaching assistants are integral to providing a high-quality educational experience. We thank them for the many ways their work contributes to and enriches learning, and we congratulate them on their selection.”

This year’s honorees are:

• Poonam Argade, social science
• Sinem Aytac, psychology
• Roseanna Benser, sociology
• Evan Bode, film and media arts
• Thomas Bouril, history
• Christopher Bousquet, philosophy
• Hugo Cantin, languages, literatures and linguistics
• Alexia Chatzitheodorou, physics
• Frank (Sicong) Chen, electrical engineering and computer science
• Ayse Dalgali, information science and technology
• Easton Davis, cultural foundations of education
• Thiago De Melo, philosophy
• Ashley Douglass, psychology
• Lerie Gabriel, writing studies, rhetoric and composition
• Adil Ghaznavi, physics
• Falak Hadi, political science
• Jesse Hulse, mathematics
• Shanel Khaliq, sociology
• Jiho Kim, public administration and international affairs
• Kaia Kirk, political science
• Florencia Lauria, English
• Anna-Blessing Merife, biomedical and chemical engineering
• Kerry Mess, communication and rhetorical studies
• Jacob Migdail-Smith, mathematics
• Giovanni Minicucci, languages, literatures and linguistics
• Courtney Noh, English
• Brian Odiwuor, mathematics
• Madeline Olley, English
• Sanum Shafi, human development and family science
• Sara Jo Soldovieri, teaching and leadership
• Amanda Surman, science teaching
• Mi Hoang Tran, entrepreneurship and emerging enterprises
• Lei Wang, instructional design, development and evaluation
• Cole Wilhelm, mechanical and aerospace engineering
• Danae Woodfaulk, religion

Leading up to the celebration, members of the University community are encouraged to nominate student employees, supervisors and teams that improved the student experience through their hard work and dedication. All nominations are then reviewed by the .

McGraw

Undergraduate Student Employee of the Year: Jacob McGraw ’23, Community Standards STOP Bias and Hate Initiative Peer Educator

“As a connector between students and staff, he has been an outstanding member of the team. He has had such an impact on our community,” says Jessica Roberts, Community Standards bias education coordinator. “Jacob is resourceful, adaptable and has incredible communication skills. He has gone above and beyond to educate students, serving as an excellent presenter and facilitator, especially when it comes to difficult or divisive dialogue. His patience and great active-listening skills challenges others to learn more while simultaneously supporting them in their learning process.”

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Graduate Student Employee of the Year: Andre �����Գپ�����ñ��� G’20, G’23, Barnes Center at The Arch Program Assistant for Sport Programs

“Andre has been the rock of Barnes Center at The Arch club and intramural sports programs. He’s open to change, willing to try others’ ideas and brings an overall ‘silver-lining point-of-view’ that makes him a bright spot,” says Jasmine Holmes, Barnes Center at The Arch associate director for sport programs. “I know he will be successful at the next level, he is the best teammate and has unmatched ambition. We are so thankful for the dedication, support and passion Andre has demonstrated.”

Cuevas

Supervisor of the Year: Vicente “Vinnie” Cuevas, Barnes Center Health Promotion Coordinator

Nominated by numerous coworkers, supervisors and student employees, Cuevas is described as a light who always finds the positive in things, hardworking, compassionate, a problem solver and always striving to provide good service. During the pandemic, he would check in with student employees just to ask about how they were doing. Embodying the values that Syracuse University encourages all its members to uphold, he creates a strong sense of belonging.

Members of the First Year Seminar team

Department of the Year: First Year Seminar (FYS) 101

Awarded to a team that exemplifies ideals of providing job opportunities and important skill-building to student employees, the 2022-2023 winner is FYS 101. As a first-year seminar that supports a strong foundation of the Syracuse University student experience, organizing FYS 101 is no small task, inclusive of supporting students as learners and growing student peer facilitator professional skills. FYS 101 hires nearly 240 student peer facilitators annually.

Story by Student Experience communications intern Madison Manczko ’24, S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications

Rothenberg

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

Rothenberg joined Maxwell in 2018 after serving as an economist at the RAND Corporation in Washington, D.C., as well as a professor at the Pardee RAND Graduate School.

He is a senior research associate in the . His research focuses on the effects of urban transport policies on commuting outcomes in Jakarta, Indonesia; long-term growth and development outcomes in Indonesia’s outer islands; the impacts of rural migration programs on diversity and identity; and how transport improvements affect firm entry and employment. His work has been published in such journals as the American Economic Review, the Economic Journal and the Journal of Urban Economics. He received a Ph.D. in economics from the University of California, Berkeley in 2012.

In his nomination letter, Professor and Chair of Economics wrote that in his 21 years with Syracuse University, he has “never seen an assistant professor who has been such a successful main advisor on doctoral dissertations.”

“Alex’s service record as an assistant professor is also unparalleled,” says Mitra, also Gerald B. and Daphna Cramer Professor of Global Affairs, noting that he served on the international trade search committee that Mitra chaired, making “very substantive contributions as a search committee member.”

Mitra also noted that Rothenberg has co-organized the department’s seminar series and regularly referees for top field and general-interest journals. “Alex is a truly outstanding scholar, an excellent teacher and advisor and a truly exceptional department citizen, who consistently provides valuable service to the department and the academic economics profession at large,” he says.

Story by Jewell Bohlinger

Luo (left) and Zhang

Launched in 2021, the award recognizes the top 100 graduating students in North America who, as rising leaders, are defining and reimagining the practice of architecture and interior architecture.

Selected from a diverse pool of candidates, Luo and Zhang are two of only 24 undergraduate architecture students to receive the honor, selected based on the creativity, rigor, skill and professionalism exhibited by their portfolios and nomination entries.

“We were blown away by the quality of work you and your peers submitted, and we feel that you represent a bright future for our industry—one of beautiful, thoughtful, innovative, sustainable and inclusive design,” says Avinash Rajagopal, editor-in-chief of the magazine, in the award letters.

Chenhao Luo

���ܴ�’s attempts to answer the question: How can urban design shift social and cultural paradigms in today’s precarious world and rapidly changing economic landscape?

“Grabhub,” ���ܴ�’s project, uses the vending machine as a metaphor to create a grocery store, with steel as the primary material, to anchor the population of downtown Syracuse. The proposal takes the conventional linear supply chain and the enfilade of spaces (unloading, back of house, floor space, storefront window display) and collapses their relationship into a series of planar moments. So much like the vending machine, the window display, the inventory, the transaction interface and the projected social bubble all exist within a thin slither of space. Each programmatic element takes on multiple agendas; shopping for groceries is also a social opportunity or a recreational moment.

“Grabhub” uses the vending machine as a metaphor for such omnipresence that puts materialism and our blasé consumerism on display as a mass spectacle. (Courtesy of Chenhao Luo)

“Chenhao tackles each project with an extraordinary rigor and unrivaled productivity,” says , undergraduate chair and associate professor in the School of Architecture, who nominated Luo. “His body of work is primarily rooted in the urban domain, yet his approaches are as meticulous and precise as it is all-embracing and systematic.”

During his time at the school, Luo has served as an undergraduate teaching assistant for both first- and fourth-year studios based in Shanghai and Syracuse. He has also received academic research funding from the (SOURCE) to study new forms of urbanity, material archi-tectonic research and new modes of sharing based on everyday life in Los Angeles.

“This nationwide competition was an excellent opportunity to evaluate my prior knowledge and design thinking. I feel incredibly honored to have been selected for Metropolis magazine’s Future100, and I’m thrilled that a wider audience can recognize my design,” says Luo. “I am truly grateful to the Syracuse University School of Architecture for providing me with a wonderful education—I would not be who I am without the program’s supportive faculty and encouraging peers.”

After graduation, Luo plans to make traveling a priority so that he can see and experience different architectural styles and cultures, giving him a deeper understanding of the ways in which architecture can shape and reflect society and inspire new ideas and approaches to his own design work. He also hopes to concentrate on gaining real-world experience in the fields of architecture and urban design, as well as exploring other industries, like regional planning, consulting or real estate, while preparing to take the Architect Registration Examination for professional licensure.

Angelina Yihan Zhang

�ܳ󲹲Բ�’s demonstrates her keen interest in the systematic creation of resilient habitats as practical remedies for disenfranchised communities.

In “Re-imagining Makoko,” an architectural and urban project done during the pandemic, Zhang worked closely with doctors, anthropologists and stakeholders in a marginalized slum neighborhood in Lagos Lagoon, adjacent to Nigeria, to address the undocumented health and safety hazards compounded by the resource scarcity.

“Re-imagining Makoko” is a modular mobile housing proposal for slum typology. (Courtesy of Angelina Yihan Zhang)

She led the design team in proposing mobile amphibious assemblages that could be adapted for multiple uses, with the goal of raising awareness and momentum to resolve the resource inequities that have been normalized in the Global South. The modular home design aims to tackle the most prevalent challenge experienced by inhabitants, from the predicted rise of sea levels to the lack of access to clean water, electricity and sewage systems.

“Angelina’s projects tackle the contemporary issues of climate change, extreme habitation, social inequality and technological influences through a systematic modular design approach,” says Park, who nominated Zhang for the program.

In addition to receiving the Future100 award, �ܳ󲹲Բ�’s work has been featured at the 9th UABB International Low Carbon City Exhibition (La Bonifica) and in the Villa Rossa Voice (Savoring Italy), as well receiving design awards by numerous international competitions such as Buildner (BeeBreeders, 2021), Non-Architecture (2022), ArchTwist (2022) and LandArtGenerator (2022).

While at Syracuse, Zhang has served as an undergraduate teaching assistant for a fourth-year integrated building design studio, as well as a research assistant for several faculty research projects. Zhang also received academic research funding from the SOURCE for her thesis research fellowship that explores the convergence of function and aesthetics by examining the possibility of plant integration in complex regenerative architectural mechanisms.

“We as designers are tasked with the responsibility of equipping mankind with the toolset to progress, explore and integrate new material provenances as we adapt to alternative ways of living. Being selected as one of the Metropolis Future100 means that my interest in optimized modular design as an accessible and collaborative medium is recognized by a wider range of audience,” says Zhang. “My pursuit for designing resilient habitats as practical remedies for disenfranchised communities will drive my research further and eventually be put into practice to benefit those in need.”

After graduation, Zhang hopes to attend graduate school for advanced study in the field of resilient designs as well as through research and cross-disciplinary collaborations. She also looks forward to contributing her expertise to firms and nonprofit organizations by deploying affordable, crisis-responsive, multi-scalar designs for the marginalized communities that can benefit most from these ingenuities.

As part of the Future100 honor, Luo and �ܳ󲹲Բ�’s work and credentials have been shared with architecture and design firms across North America to encourage professional connections and career opportunities, and are posted on the and in the magazine’s March/April issue, on newsstands now.

Professors Tripti Bhattacharya, Alison Patteson and Olga Makhlynets (left to right).

A trio of faculty members have received highly competitive national awards in recognition of their commitment to teaching and research excellence. , Thonis Family Professor of Earth and environmental sciences, and��, assistant professor of physics, were named��Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Fellows, an honor recognizing early-career scholars who represent the most promising scientific researchers working today. In addition, Patteson received a 2023��Cottrell Scholar��award, a national honor that ranks her among the country’s best faculty researchers and teachers from the fields of astronomy, chemistry and physics.

Adding to the significant list of awards, Patteson, Bhattacharya and chemistry professor����have also won National Science Foundation (NSF) CAREER grants, the NSF’s most competitive award in support of early-career faculty who have the potential to serve as academic role models in research and education. Last year,����won CAREER awards, which marked the most for the College in a single year. With several CAREER proposals still pending, A&S could exceed that total in 2023.

“Sloan fellowships, Cottrell Scholar awards and NSF CAREER grants are among the most prestigious distinctions for early career researchers, and we are incredibly fortunate to have winners of each in A&S this year,” says Alan Middleton, A&S associate dean of research and scholarship. “These honors affirm our standing as a premier research institution. I congratulate Tripti, Alison and Olga, and look forward to seeing their future research breakthroughs.”

To learn more about these faculty members, their awards and research visit .

Judy Woodruff

Woodruff served as anchor and managing editor of “PBS NewsHour” for 11 years before becoming a senior correspondent. During 2023 and 2024, she is undertaking a reporting project, “America at a Crossroads,” to better understand the country’s political divide. She has covered politics and other news for more than four decades at CNN, NBC and PBS.

Woodruff is the recipient of numerous awards, including the Peabody Journalistic Integrity Award, the Poynter Medal, an Emmy for Lifetime Achievement and the Radcliffe Medal. She and late journalist Gwen Ifill were together awarded Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite Award for Excellence in Journalism after Woodruff and Ifill were named co-anchors of the “PBS NewsHour” in 2013, marking the first time an American national news broadcast was co-anchored by two women.

For 12 years, Woodruff served as anchor and senior correspondent for CNN, where her duties included anchoring the weekday program “Inside Politics.” At PBS, she was the chief Washington correspondent for “The MacNeil/Lehrer NewsHour,” anchored PBS’ award-winning weekly documentary series “Frontline with Judy Woodruff,” was the principal reporter for the PBS documentary “Nancy Reagan: The Role of a Lifetime” and completed “Generation Next: Speak Up. Be Heard,” an extensive project on the views of young Americans.

At NBC News, Woodruff served as White House correspondent and as “Today” show chief Washington correspondent.

Woodruff is a founding co-chair of the International Women’s Media Foundation and serves on the boards of trustees of the Freedom Forum and The Duke Endowment. She is a former trustee of the Carnegie Corporation of New York and the Urban Institute, and a member of the Knight Foundation Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics. She is the author of “This is Judy Woodruff at the White House.”

The Dressler Award is given to individuals or organizations that have made distinct, consistent and unique contributions to the public’s understanding of the media.

About the Mirror Awards

The are the most important awards for recognizing excellence in media industry reporting. Established by the Newhouse School in 2006, the awards honor the reporters, editors and teams of writers who hold a mirror to their own industry for the public’s benefit. This year’s finalists will be announced next month.

The 2023 Mirror Awards ceremony will be held Monday, June 12, in New York City. Additional details will be announced soon.

For information about sponsorship opportunities, contact Carol Satchwell at cmsatchw@syr.edu. For information about the event, email mirrorawards@syr.edu.

Eight master’s and doctoral program students have been selected as winners of the 2023 Graduate Dean’s Award for Excellence in Research and Creative Work competition. The awards are presented annually by Syracuse University’s Graduate School to recognize overall graduate-level academic excellence and outstanding research initiatives and creative activity.

The competition drew 72 submissions representing broad disciplinary categories. Winners were chosen by a panel of faculty members serving on the Graduate Faculty Council.

“I’m extremely impressed by the broad interests and exciting initiatives these eight award winners represent,” says Peter Vanable, dean of the Graduate School. “The 2023 honorees are talented scholars who have produced excellent work. They are wonderful representatives of the graduate student community, and we are excited to see where their paths lead and how they apply their scholarship to society’s interests and needs.”

A recognition event, which includes brief presentations from each of the awardees, takes place , from 3 to 5 p.m. in 204 Maxwell Hall. A reception will follow. Faculty, students and staff are welcome to attend;

Honorees and their winning submissions are:

• Sarthak Gupta, a doctoral student in physics, College of Arts and Sciences, “Characterizing a Diseased Cell Nucleus Through Computational Modeling Techniques”
• Alexander Hartwell, a doctoral student in mechanical and aerospace engineering, College of Engineering and Computer Science, “Ceramic Origami: Self-Shaping of Ceramic Composites Utilizing Bilayer Shrinkage”
• Odlanyer Hernández de Lara, a doctoral student in anthropology, Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, “Violence, Destruction, and Memory: An Archaeological Approach to State Terrorism in Dictatorial Cuba (1952-1958)”
• Lauren McCormick, doctoral student in religion in the College of Arts and Sciences, “My Eyes Are Up Here: Guardian Iconography of the Judean Pillar Figurine”
• Samaya Nasr, a master’s student in museum studies, College of Visual and Performing Arts, “A Walk Through the 19th Century’s American West.”
• Katie Stone, a master’s student in studio arts, College of Visual and Performing Arts, “Subtractive Building: Modeling Gender and Power”
• Kelly (Mi) Hoang Tran, a doctoral student in entrepreneurship and emerging enterprises, Whitman School of Management, “Hiring Among Tech Startups: When Is Diversity a Priority?”
• Jeongwon Yang, a doctoral student in mass communications, Newhouse School of Public Communications, “Others Are More Vulnerable to Fake News Than I Am: Third-Person Effect of COVID-19 Fake News on Social Media Users”

Syracuse University doctoral and master’s students from all disciplines who are in good academic standing are eligible to enter the competition. Applicants are evaluated on the overall strength and impact of their achievements in research or creative work.

Abby Phillip

Abby Phillip, CNN’s senior political correspondent and anchor of “Inside Politics Sunday,” will serve as master of ceremonies at the award ceremony for the ��on Monday, March 27, in Washington, D.C.

The Toner Prizes, sponsored by Syracuse University’s , honor the life and work of late alumna Robin Toner ’76, the first woman to be national political correspondent for The New York Times.

Phillip joined CNN in 2017, covering the Trump Administration as White House correspondent through 2019. In 2020, she moderated CNN’s Democratic Presidential Debate in Iowa. She also anchored special coverage of Election Night in America. In January 2021, she anchored the CNN Special Report “Kamala Harris: Making History.”

Phillip joined CNN from The Washington Post, where she served as a national political reporter covering the White House. She previously was a digital reporter for politics at ABC News, and has also covered the Obama White House for Politico as well as campaign finance and lobbying.

Phillip was named to the Time 100 Next list in 2021 and she was the recipient of the National Urban League’s Women of Power award.

The Toner Prizes for Excellence in Political Reporting recognize the best U.S. national or local political reporting in any medium or on any platform—print, broadcast or online. Two prizes—one for local and one for national reporting—carry a $5,000 honorarium. Winners will be announced at the awards ceremony.

The event will begin at 6 p.m. at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center, 1300 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, D.C. .

For information about sponsorship opportunities, contact Carol Satchwell at��cmsatchw@syr.edu. For information about the event, contact Amanda Griffin at��nhspecialevents@syr.edu.

Each year, the award spotlights individuals and firms based in the United States, Canada and Mexico with distinct design voices that have the potential to influence the disciplines of architecture, landscape architecture and urbanism.

“We are thrilled to congratulate Katherine and Vincent in winning a 2023 Emerging Voices award,” , dean of the . “Their contributions to the future of design exemplify the impact they will have on forthcoming generations of architects—from Syracuse and beyond.”

Vincent Petrarca and Katherine Hogan ’05

Hogan and Petrarca are the principals and owners of , an architecture practice based in Raleigh, N.C. When the firm was first founded in 2003 (under the name of Tonic Design | Tonic Construction), its work focused on small design-build commercial and residential projects. As it has grown, its portfolio has broadened to include projects for public schools, universities, state parks and nonprofits.

Katherine Hogan Architects has crafted a diverse body of work, and has received numerous American Institute of Architects awards at the local, state and national levels for innovative design solutions to complex problems and for using ordinary materials in inventive ways. The firm was included in the 2022 AN Interior Top 50 and received a 2022 AN Best of Practice Award.

Hogan earned a bachelor’s degree in architecture from Syracuse University and is a member of the school’s advisory board. Petrarca earned both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in architecture from the North Carolina State University College of Design, where he has taught as a professor of practice.

“This is a significant honor to be recognized by the Architectural League of New York,” says Hogan. “At Syracuse, I was educated by professors, practitioners and mentors who operated at a high level of work and discourse and inspired me to be aware of the impact of the League since my first semester. Originally from New York, and now practicing architecture in the south, recognitions like this are important to our clients, co-workers, and partners, but most importantly to our community.”

Since 1982, the Emerging Voices award has been bestowed to over 300 firms and individuals. Past winners include Thom Mayne and Michael Rotondi (1983), Toshiko Mori (1992), James Corner (2001), Eric Höweler & Meejin Yoon (2007), Tatiana Bilbao (2010), Jing Liu and Florian Idenburg (2013) and Chris Leong and Dominic Leong (2017).

The selection process involved a two-stage review of work from approximately 50 entrants. This year’s Emerging Voices class was selected by a nine-person jury of design professionals (including several past Emerging Voices winners): Marie Law Adams (2022), Fernanda Canales (2018), Stephanie Davidson (2018), Mario Gooden (2001), Zach Mortice, Marc Neveu, Rashida Ng, Chelina Odbert (2021) and Nader Tehrani (2003).

The jury reviewed significant bodies of realized work and considered accomplishments within design and academia. The work of each Emerging Voice represents the best of its kind and addresses larger issues within architecture, landscape and the built environment.

“The works of this year’s Emerging Voices winners exhibit architecture’s ability to work across the various scales of the built environment in the production of community, sociality, space, and discourse,” says Mario Gooden, jury member and president of The Architectural League said in a statement.��“[They] challenge the discipline and the profession of architecture to confront architectural practices, histories, and their entanglements with social, environmental, and technological changes.”

This year’s winning designers will present their exceptional and challenging work to their peers, the greater design community and the public through a series of virtual Thursday evening lectures from March 9-30. Each moderated event, sponsored by The Architectural League of New York, will showcase two awardees. Hogan and Petrarca will lecture on March 9 at 6:30 p.m. ET as part of the series.

Advance registration is required.��Visit for additional details on the upcoming online lecture series and to learn more about the winners’ work.

Student Employee of the Year Award:

Nominate student employees who have demonstrated exceptional work, initiative, professionalism and other outstanding qualities. Complete the to nominate undergraduate and graduate student employees.

Student Employee Supervisor of the Year Award:

Nominate a staff or faculty member who supervises student employees for the Supervisor of the Year Award. Follow the instructions on��to submit a nomination.

Syracuse University hires approximately 7,000 student employees annually in a variety of roles from Food Services, Bird Library, the Barnes Center at The Arch and more. Not only do these positions provide students with financial assistance, they also offer valuable opportunities for students to develop and enhance their professional skills and competencies.

To learn more or with questions, contact the .

Story by Wanshi Zhang ’23, Student Experience communications intern