Julia Fancher, a rising junior majoring in physics and mathematics in the and a member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program, has been named a 2024-25 Astronaut Scholar by the .

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

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

Fancher worked with the University’s on her application. “Julia’s commitment to research in astrophysics since her first semester on campus at SU, combined with her extraordinary publication and presentation record, make her a superb fit for the Astronaut Scholarship,” says CFSA Director Jolynn Parker. “We’re thrilled that she’ll benefit from the program’s tuition support and excellent mentorship and professional development opportunities.”

“For 40 years, ASF has been at the forefront of nurturing the next generation of STEM leaders and fueling their passion for exploration and innovation,” says Caroline Schumacher, ASF president and CEO. “Each year, it’s thrilling to see the exceptional talent and dedication each new scholar brings to the ASF community. We welcome the 2024 class and look forward to supporting them in their quest to make their unique mark on our society.”

Fancher, who is also minoring in computer science in the College of Engineering and Computer Science, was recently named a 2024 Goldwater Scholar. When she was in middle school, her aunt gifted her Nathalia Holt’s 2016 book “Rise of the Rocket Girls: The Women Who Propelled Us, from Missiles to the Moon to Mars.”

“I was captivated by the stories of these women, and they inspired me to pursue STEM research,” Fancher says. She now plans a career researching theoretical high-energy astrophysics.

As a first-year student at Syracuse, she joined the high-energy astrophysics lab of Eric Coughlin, assistant professor of physics. Under Coughlin’s guidance, Fancher researches tidal disruption events (TDEs), astrophysical transients that occur when a star is destroyed by the tidal field of a black hole. She uses a combination of numerical simulations and analytical methods to accurately model TDEs, which reveal properties of distant galaxies. “I want to continue contributing to our understanding of the sources of astrophysical transients and expand our knowledge of the universe,” she says.

Fancher’s research has overturned previously held convictions about the physical effects of shocks during the disruption of a star in a TDE and established the importance of self-gravity for understanding how stellar debris behaves once a star has been destroyed. She published this research as first author in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society in December 2023. She is now testing a new model developed by Coughlin and Chris Nixon, associate professor of theoretical astrophysics at the University of Leeds, and she is creating a library of PHANTOM stars with realistic structures that will be publicly available for future TDE research.

With support from Syracuse’s undergraduate research office (SOURCE) and a Young Research Fellowship, Fancher presented her work at the 243rd meeting of the American Astronomical Society and was a finalist in the Chambliss poster competition. She has presented posters at SOURCE research fairs and at the Conference for Undergraduate Women in Physics at West Point. She is second author on a paper published in the Astrophysical Journal Letters in January 2024. Her publications and presentations have implications for how observational data from TDEs is interpreted and could lead to new insights into distant black holes and stellar populations in galactic centers.

Fancher supports local Syracuse high school students through the Syracuse University Research in Physics (SURPh) program during the summer and mentors students through the Society of Physics Students. She also volunteers for Friends of Inkululeko, through which she works with learners in South Africa. “I want to ensure that students from a variety of backgrounds have the opportunity to explore their interests and are encouraged to pursue careers in STEM just as I was,” she says. Outside of the classroom and lab, she plays alto saxophone in the Syracuse Marching Band and completed a half marathon last fall.

Fancher plans to enroll in a doctoral program that focuses on computational and analytical astrophysics, with the goal of joining a research university or national laboratory to conduct research in theoretical high-energy astrophysics.

“I aim to build my own astrophysics lab focusing on discovering possible mechanisms of observed astrophysical transients through a combination of analytical methods and computational modeling,” Fancher says. ‘The mentoring that the ASF provides will be invaluable as I work towards a career in research, and I am excited to meet the other scholars in my cohort as well. I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to join this community.”

Created in 1984, ASF awarded its first seven scholarships in honor of the Mercury 7 astronauts—Scott Carpenter, Gordon Cooper, John Glenn, Virgil “Gus” Grissom, Walter Schirra, Alan Shepard and Deke Slayton. Seven students received $1,000 scholarships. To fundraise and support future scholarships, the founders ̶ which included the six surviving Mercury 7 astronauts, Betty Grissom (Gus’s widow), Dr. William Douglas (the Project Mercury flight surgeon) and Henri Landwirth (an Orlando businessman and friend) ̶ began donating proceeds from their speaking engagements. The incredible efforts of these legends have shaped ASF’s mission to support and reward exceptional college students pursuing degrees in STEM. Forty years later, more than $9 million has been awarded to more than 800 college students.

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

The awards are funded by a 2022 grant that supports research and community programming over three years to examine the racial wealth gap’s root causes and ideas that may resolve its economic and social inequalities, says , Lender Center interim director. The awards are part of the Lender Center for Social Justice initiative led by the

The racial wealth gap is an ongoing issue that undermines potential economic and social progress and opportunities for members of underserved and underrepresented communities, according to , Lender Center senior research associate and associate professor in the Whitman School of Management.

“These research projects are noteworthy because of their unique courses of inquiry, their highly inter-disciplinary and inter-institutional nature and their close engagements with Syracuse community members and organizations,” says Phillips.

Projects receiving the one-year grants and involved faculty are:

“Addressing the Racial Wealth Gap Through Increasing Decennial Census Self-Response Rates in Marginalized Communities”

Leonard Lopoo

This project will test mechanisms to try to increase self-response rates for the 2030 federal census in undercounted communities in New York State. Successful efforts could offset census undercounts that might otherwise reduce federal funding for education, health care, housing, infrastructure and other vital services.

• , , principal investigator
• ,

Brice Nordquist

“Syracuse Futures”

This study looks at Syracuse’s arts and humanities infrastructure and how universities and community organizations can partner in offering arts and humanities programming and college and career support to historically marginalized communities.�� Led by the ’ , the effort involves multiple South Side organizations.

• , College of Arts and Sciences, principal investigator.
• ,
• ,

“Does Military Service Mitigate the U.S. Racial Wealth Gap? Overlooked Pathways for��Underrepresented Minorities in Public Service”

Arielle Newman

Corri Zoli

This project explores how military service intersects with racial wealth disparities. Researchers will look at military service as a means of economic advancement and a way to overcome social barriers that may hinder underrepresented minorities who are pursuing post-service career advancement and entrepreneurship.

• , , and , Whitman School, principal investigators
• , (IVMF)
• ,
• , Maxwell School
• , IVMF
• , Lender Center for Social Justice
• , University of Pittsburgh

“From Highways to High-Speed Internet: Leveraging Equitable Infrastructure for the Data Economy”��

LaVerne Gray

Researchers are determining whether access to first-class digital information, services, assets and increased technology training can reduce the racial wealth gap by lessening barriers to digital networks, critical information and data literacy skills. Skills-training workshops are planned with community members.����

• and , (iSchool), principal investigators
• , iSchool
• , iSchool
  

  Beth Patin

• iSchool
• , College of Arts and Sciences/
• , , Whitman School

“Opportunity Design: Engaging Public Health in Low-Income Communities”

Hannibal Newsom

This study leverages interest in ongoing energy retrofit work at 418 Fabius Street in the James Geddes Housing development in Syracuse to generate a more comprehensive examination of social determinants of health through the process of opportunity mapping.

• , , principal investigator
• , College of Visual and Performing Arts, co-principal investigator
• , School of Architecture, co-investigator

“Nourishing Families: Parents as Partners in the Alignment of a Mindful Eating Intervention to Meet the Needs of Low-Income and Marginalized Families With Young Children”

Lynn Brann

Parent and teacher workshops that include mindful yoga and mindful eating lessons for children are planned to address the nutrition needs of low-income, underrepresented families in Syracuse. Research will explore if better nutrition for vulnerable populations can mean better health for families and more opportunities for their gainful employment, lessening the racial wealth gap.

• , , principal investigator
• , Falk College
• , Falk College

“Addressing Obesity and Hypertension in Refugees through Culturally Relevant Meal Interventions”��

Miriam Mutambudzi

This project looks at obesity and hypertension in diaspora populations and works with African immigrants on post-immigration diets to introduce healthy adaptations while preserving culinary heritage. The goal is to assess whether healthier eating can reduce health issues and boost labor force participation, generating improved socioeconomic status.

• , Falk College, principal investigator
• , Falk College

“Disability as a Critical Element in Exploring the Racial Wealth Gap”

Nannette Goodman

Researchers will identify challenges faced by Black, Indigenous and People of Color individuals with��disabilities and will examine the role of disability in the racial wealth gap. They plan to develop recommendations regarding policies and practices that limit economic inclusion and trap people with disabilities into poverty.

• , College of Law, principal investigator
• , College of Law

“Optimizing Corporate Supplier Diversity Programs and Corporate-Facing Regulations for Addressing the Racial Wealth Gap”��

Karca Aral

This initiative examines diversity interactions and legislative interventions in business-to-business aspects of wealth distribution and corporate supplier diversity programs. Researchers will develop guidance on diversity programs and diversity initiatives while enhancing those programs’ potential to level the racial wealth gap.

• , Whitman School, faculty lead
• , Whitman School
• ., Whitman School

This powerful African proverb emphasizes how, after someone learns to read or write, they have an obligation and a responsibility to pass that knowledge on to someone else, thus spreading wisdom and education throughout their city or town.

Employing the same principles of uplifting and educating one’s community, the (MCI) began in 2020 with four Syracuse University students who were seeking to support and empower each other as they navigated their college journeys.

Through word of mouth, engaging programs and peer mentorship, MCI has developed into an impactful student organization and a true brotherhood for its members. The growth is impressive: The first class boasted 18 members. Four years later, during Friday’s annual —the culminating event of the inaugural Men of Color Initiative Week—approximately 64 students will be recognized as campus leaders during a ceremony inside the Regency Ballroom of the Sheraton Syracuse University Hotel & Conference Center.

“Groups like the Men of Color Initiative are necessary for every person of color, to have a support system filled with people who are going through the same journey as they are and who can offer advice and guidance on their journey. Because I was able to help cultivate my leadership skills during my time with MCI, I’ve been able to influence and help other students of color who need advice,” says Ibraheem Ayinde ’24, a senior biology major in the .

Through word of mouth, engaging programs and peer mentorship, the Men of Color Initiative has developed into an impactful student organization and a true brotherhood for its members.

“The induction ceremony is a special moment. We’re given our special MCI jackets and it’s a great feeling for everyone to be acknowledged and brought into this network of individuals striving for a better tomorrow. I know my induction ceremony was a pinnacle moment for me. Every single person who left that space was happy. For many of them, it was the first time their name was recognized in the presence of others for their accomplishments,” says Ryan Nkongnyu ’25, a junior studying communication and rhetorical studies in the (VPA).

MCI’s programs explore issues unique to the experiences facing men of color in higher education. Through peer, faculty and staff mentorship, MCI promotes leadership development, academic support and service-learning opportunities while cultivating the next generation of leaders by creating spaces where everyone feels seen, heard and valued. Meetings often center on topics like financial literacy, self-branding, personal advocacy and what it means to be a man of color.

“Our meetings are big picture. We talk about how we interact with our community, how there are specific challenges facing men of color and how we can overcome those challenges, and about the long-term changes we want to see for our respective communities. We get to the root of these issues, and it’s been rewarding knowing I’m not alone in any of this,” says Zac Chavez ’26, a sophomore studying film in VPA.

Leading up to the ceremony, get to know Ayinde, Nkongnyu and Chavez, three of the group’s passionate student leaders.

Ibraheem Ayinde ’24

Ibraheem Ayinde

When Ayinde transferred to Syracuse in 2021, he had never heard of colleges offering programs like MCI. It wasn’t until his first week, as he was walking around getting acquainted with campus, that he came across Open House and discovered MCI. It was a life-changing event.

Ayinde hopes to become a physical therapist after he graduates. Perhaps it’s his commitment to helping people that made Ayinde a natural fit as one of MCI’s peer mentors and leaders.

“This group was born from that desire to want to do more for ourselves and for this campus. We’re all like-minded individuals that, regardless of our career interests, want to see people that look like us succeed. I just love helping people. If there’s somebody who leaves our meetings feeling empowered and like they’re not alone, I know I am doing well as a leader,” says Ayinde, who helped orchestrate the recent Black History Month MCI Basketball Classic on campus.

Recently, the first cohort of MCI alumni came back and spoke with students about their experiences—both on campus and in the real world. Ayinde is looking forward to maintaining a lifelong camaraderie with his fellow MCI alumni and says he’ll always make time to mentor current students.

Ryan Nkongnyu ’25

Ryan Nkongnyu

Nkongnyu is an involved student leader, serving as vice president of the , event coordinator for the , ambassador and peer mentor for the (J.U.M.P. Nation) at Syracuse University and chaplain for the .

A first-generation college student and an , Nkongnyu admits he initially struggled some adjusting to life on campus. But earning a college degree has been his lifelong dream, so Nkongnyu was committed to overcoming any obstacles he faced.

During his second semester, Nkongnyu found himself seeking out spaces where he could meet and connect with “like-minded individuals who wanted to shape and mold the future.” He was introduced to MCI and inducted in February 2023.

“I was looking for great personal connections in a space where I felt like I belonged. MCI has helped make me gain confidence and be a better person. I’m inspired by this group. We’re always talking about how we can support each other and build a community where we lift each other up. These people have my back, and we help each other out with the problems we’re facing. We’re a true brotherhood,” says Nkongnyu, who hopes to work in the entertainment industry, either as an anchor or a producer.

Zac Chavez ’26

Zac Chavez

Chavez is no stranger to peer mentoring groups. When he was in middle school, Chavez began dedicating himself to his studies. The goal: getting into the college of his choice.

Before he committed himself to a career in film, Chavez first envisioned becoming a lawyer, and he joined a local program called Legal Outreach, where, with the help of public and private law firms across Manhattan, he participated in legal debates based on real cases on the Supreme Court docket.

But while the mentorship opportunities were meaningful, Chavez says he “struggled finding a mentor who looked like me.” That all changed when he joined MCI during his first year at Syracuse.

“It was a breath of fresh air to know there is a space and a program like MCI at Syracuse. It became a safe haven for me. Everyone has something positive or constructive to say, and there are different perspectives from people who have been through what you’re going through. It’s great to figure out how to navigate those issues from a multilayered perspective, and this experience has helped with my professional development,” says Chavez, who is also a member of the .

Chavez has also used the group to further his filmmaking skills, producing a documentary on both MCI’s basketball tournament and its upcoming induction ceremony.

Student leaders Dylan France and Andi-Rose Oates discuss what fueled their involvement as student leaders, how they hope to inspire other students to become agents of change and what their Black heritage and Black culture means to them.

Syracuse University has a proud and storied tradition of honoring through a series of engaging and thought-provoking student-run programs, events and discussions occurring through March 3 on campus.

The theme for this year’s celebrations is “Existing Outside the Lines: The Colors of Resistance,” and through a lens of intersectionality as art, student organizers like Dylan France ’24 hope to express both the rich diversity present within the Black community, and the broad spectrum of color that Blackness holds.

Dylan France

“If you look across campus, there’s so many students from so many different backgrounds doing all these amazing things. To highlight that creativity and the different leadership efforts from students, that’s the goal: to showcase all these different avenues and outlets while demonstrating how we’re existing beyond the lines of what, traditionally, blackness is looked as,” says France, a dual major studying finance and real estate in the .

France and sophomore Andrea-Rose Oates ’26 are among the many passionate and talented Black student leaders who have become agents of change for their peers during their time on campus. And France and Oates are committed to helping train a new generation of student leaders.

France serves as the comptroller for the Student Association, is one of two undergraduate representatives to the , belongs to both the and the , and is a member of the Black History Month Committee.

Oates is an energetic leader of , a peer-to-peer mentoring program geared toward self-identified women of color. Ever since she was a child, Oates has been inspired to do good and make her community a better place. But that drive intensified in the summer of 2020 after George Floyd died in police custody in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Andi-Rose Oates

“That’s when I became passionate about my advocacy work, whether it was talking about the issues affecting the Black population within America and the world, really focusing on that and getting more involved with not only my advocacy, but my direct action to bring about change in these issues,” says Oates, who is studying both public relations in the and policy studies in the .

On this “’Cuse Conversation,” France and Oates discuss what fueled their involvement as student leaders and how they hope to inspire other students to become agents of change, explore what their Black heritage and Black culture means to them, share how they found community on campus and offer up their highlights from the Black History Month celebrations.

Check out featuring France and Oates. A transcript [PDF]��is also available.

The new journal was developed from a Fall 2023 Honors course, HNR340: Producing a Scholarly Journal, and highlights the academic work of students across disciplines. It includes pieces ranging from technical projects to analytical essays. The course is taught by Honors Program faculty member Jeffrey Pepper Rodgers, who served as advisor.

The editorial team consisted of Anjana Dasam ’26 (S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications), Samantha Olander ’26 (Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs and Newhouse School), Elijah Schmeller ’25 (College of Arts and Sciences), Yuming Jiang ’25 (College of Arts and Sciences) and Neeya Rostampour ’25 (College of Arts and Sciences and David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics).

The design team included Gianna Rullo ’27 (School of Architecture), Brshna Sultan ’25 (Martin J. Whitman School of Management) and Jackelyn Villatoro-Ortiz ’25 (College of Visual and Performing Arts).

The website and marketing team included Amani Moses ’24 (College of Arts and Sciences and Whitman School), Kira Donegan ’26 (Newhouse School) and Ashfia Ibnat ’26 (College of Arts and Sciences).

According to Moses, the marketing director and website editor, “Research is an integral part of all our lives … we all actively engage in research to further our understanding of the world. Yet, we understand that sometimes it may be challenging for undergraduate students to find opportunities to showcase their everyday research achievements,” he says. “It is for this reason that we created The Crown: Syracuse Honors Research Journal, to give Honors and SOURCE-funded students a chance to display the bountiful research that they are conducting both within and outside of their academic courses.”

Moses says, “We are a team of 11 students in the Reneé Crown University Honors program who have worked all semester to bring you the carefully curated research pieces.” The staff comprises students from all four graduating classes and over seven different schools and colleges, which allowed them to interact with each other’s unique perspectives when discussing the elements of this journal.

“Our varied outlooks led to the selection of 20 research articles that represent students from a range of disciplines, including architecture, mechanical engineering, political science and sociology. Furthermore, we wanted to ensure that various forms of research were displayed in our journal,” says Moses. “You will find some traditional research projects like Lucy Olcott’s piece, ‘Treating Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea: Developing a peptide antagonist to prevent chemotherapy-induced nausea.’ Alternatively, you will find more creative work that utilized background research for their creation, such as Ash Murray’s ‘Hunted: A tale of identity, self-discovery, mourning and acceptance.’ While these are only two examples of the stellar work within our journal, we wanted to showcase the wide array of talent in the Syracuse University undergraduate research community.”

“It was an absolute joy to work with such a talented and motivated group of students over the course of the semester,” says Dylan Mohr, open scholarship librarian at Syracuse University Libraries. “The reward at the end of this is both a SURFACE-hosted journal that showcases the incredible research and creative work done by the undergraduates at SU and a hands-on learning experience for students with the research and publishing process.”

is a Syracuse University professor whose area of research includes social justice and digital inequities. She says government intervention is needed to ensure access for all citizens.

“Internet access and use are integrated with all facets of life in the 21st century. This is especially true in the post-pandemic world. Education and employment spaces are no longer confined to physical structures, but rather, people now learn and work in diverse settings that require Internet connectivity. As such, depriving a person or community from digital connectivity means that children will not meet their full potential through educational attainment processes, and that adults will lack a full range of meaningful employment and of opportunities to improve their living conditions.

Governmental intervention is necessary to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to build a decent life…We cannot tolerate digital dark spots in our communities.

In addition, in a civic and democratic nation, citizens engage with government and their fellow citizens through diverse interactions that require Internet connectivity. The Internet has flattened our planet. As global citizens, we interact transnationally, and not solely with people within our national borders. Issues such as climate, outbreaks of diseases, and political conflict, which affect people in seemingly remote places of the world, are no longer confined to where they live. There is growing solidarity among people whose interests align and who advocate for similar objectives. Using the Internet, the young and old around the world collaborate on shared values, hopes and aspirations, and form networks that support their goals.

Governmental intervention is necessary to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to build a decent life. Unequal distribution of digital resources is an attempt to deprive an individual or group of their basic rights and impedes them from flourishing. We cannot tolerate digital dark spots in our communities. We are seeing the maturation of a civically engaged global generation that will not tolerate existing inequities and corresponding forms of exclusion. People around the world continue to engage in rigorous public debate and to demand change. Netizens who protest in public spaces in Tehran, Cairo, Minneapolis and DC are part of a broader phenomenon that seeks to enhance civil dialogue. This social awakening is gaining momentum and is an attribute of digital bridging, which is good for society and for the earth.

Good governance mandates that government facilitate and regulate the mechanisms of Internet access, from which public discussions unfold. Government should ensure that its citizens participate in this global forum and in the digitalized economy, through access to the Internet. Digital equity cannot be left to the invisible hand of the marketplace. It is counter-intuitive to think otherwise.”

To request interviews or get more information:

Chris Munoz
Media Relations Specialist
cjmunoz@syr.edu

Maggie Sardino ’23

Recent graduate Maggie Sardino ’23 authored an article,��, featured recently in��, an online initiative of the National Humanities Alliance (NHA) Foundation highlighting higher ed-based humanities projects. She graduated in May 2023 with two bachelor’s degrees: one in writing and rhetoric from the College of Arts and Sciences, and a second in citizenship and civic engagement from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs.

The article shares the impacts of her experience as a student research assistant with the����(EHN), founded and directed by��, associate professor of writing and rhetoric and Dean’s Professor of Community Engagement in the College of Arts and Sciences (A&S). An initiative for publicly engaged research, teaching and creative work, EHN supports and connects teams of undergraduate and graduate students, faculty and staff working on community-based arts, humanities and STEM projects with historically marginalized communities in Syracuse and Central New York.

In her article, Sardino describes what engagement in community-based humanities can look like. To tell the story of residents living in Syracuse’s public housing, she shared some lessons learned through the process of writing and directing��. The documentary used local storytelling to present the history of Syracuse’s 15th ward, a neighborhood that was razed in the 1930’s to make room for new public housing, Pioneer Homes, originally intended for white families. By the 60’s the area was a thriving community with Black and Jewish families and businesses that was largely demolished for the construction of I-81, a highway cutting through downtown Syracuse. The documentary exposes current resident frustrations about the proposal to redevelop the area again. Sardino used the process of making the documentary to engage the community directly through panel discussions, gaining coverage by local news outlets. The project provided a voice to under-represented individuals in the renewal process. This led to increased accountability and input on the redevelopment project from a wider range of stakeholders.

Sardino was recently named a 2023 recipient of the prestigious Marshall Scholarship. Funded by the British government beginning in 1953, the Marshall Scholarship finances outstanding American students to study in the United Kingdom. Sardino is Syracuse University’s fifth Marshall Scholar. With this scholarship, she will pursue a master’s degree in digital humanities at King’s College London, followed by a master’s degree in applied anthropology and community arts at Goldsmiths, University of London.

In addition to her work with EHN, Sardino, raised in Syracuse, is both the Coronat and Remembrance Scholar, was named a����Research Assistant in 2020 and studied in Victoria, British Colombia as a����Intern in 2022. She is also a member of the��.

While at Syracuse University, Sardino maximized the opportunities these awards and scholarships presented to further her research, scholarship and civic engagement. In her article, she describes how her student experiences solidified her commitment to pursuing community-based storytelling as a career path. In particular, she cites how the collaborative relationships with EHN faculty, students, staff and community partners helped her realize the power of public humanities to expand important cultural discussions to effect change.

Twelve seniors have been named as the 2023 Syracuse University Scholars, the highest undergraduate honor the University bestows.

The Syracuse University Scholars Selection Committee, a Universitywide faculty committee, selected the 2023 scholars using criteria that included coursework and academic achievement, independent research and creative work, evidence of intellectual growth or innovation in their disciplinary field, a personal statement and faculty letters of recommendation.

“Syracuse University Scholars take advantage of all the educational, experiential and personal growth opportunities Syracuse has to offer and make the most of their time as students,” says Vice Chancellor and Provost Gretchen Ritter. “We are proud to recognize their achievements and grateful for their contributions to the University.”

The 2023 Syracuse University Scholars are:

• Chelsea Brown, a television, radio and film major in the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, a citizenship and civic engagement major in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs and a Posse Scholar; Brown studied abroad in Copenhagen, Denmark, during the Fall 2022 semester
• Dara Drake, a policy studies major in the Maxwell School and the College of Arts and Sciences (A&S) and a member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program; Drake studied abroad in London during the Spring 2023 semester
• Kiersten Edwards, a public health major in the Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics and neuroscience major in A&S
• Grace Haas, a bioengineering major in the College of Engineering and Computer Science (ECS) and a neuroscience major in A&S
• Adam Klinger, a chemical engineering major in ECS
• Julianna Mercado, a biochemistry and forensic science major in A&S
• Ruchatneet Printup, a film major in the College of Visual and Performing Arts and a Haudenosaunee Promise Scholar; Printup studied abroad in Italy during the summer of 2022
• Maggie Sardino, a writing and rhetoric major in A&S and citizenship and civic engagement major in the Maxwell School, a Coronat Scholar and a member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program
• Savannah Stocker, an inclusive education and special education major in the School of Education and a member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program
• Alesandra “Sasha” Temerte, an economics major in the Maxwell School and A&S and writing and rhetoric major in A&S, a Coronat Scholar and a member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program; Temerte studied abroad in Spain during the Fall 2019 semester and in Italy during the Fall 2021 semester, and is a Syracuse Abroad global ambassador
• Amreeta Verma, a student in the School of Architecture; Verma studied abroad in Italy during the Fall 2021 semester and is a Syracuse Abroad global ambassador
• Michaela Walsh, a finance major in the Whitman School of Management and public relations major in the Newhouse School

The symposia will feature research, scholarly and creative work presentations, poster sessions and exhibitions planned by schools, colleges and departments across campus to celebrate undergraduate student accomplishments. During the events, students will share their faculty-mentored work and engage in discussions with their fellow students and mentors.

“This spring’s undergraduate research symposia, celebrations and presentation events highlight experiential inquiry and provide opportunities for the campus community to engage with projects that have challenged students to apply their knowledge and skills to work that contributes to new bodies of knowledge,” says , director of the��

The SOURCE Symposium events will feature two forms of presentation:

• Orange Talks are fast-paced oral presentations that focus on the “why?” of the students’ research and creative work; presenters will showcase their projects ranging from hacking present forms of architecture with the past; intersections of fashion and emerging technology; next-generation calcium-ion batteries; how transphobic stand-up comedy impacts the attitudes of young adults; and a film exploring Native American community and representation.
• The Poster Session will feature 84 student poster presenters from across campus with a huge range of projects from students working independently, in teams, or as research assistants. This dynamic event will allow the campus community to meet students, hear the highlights of their work, have fascinating conversations, and experience the incredible range of experiential learning at the University.

The entire campus community is invited to attend the events.

A complete list of the programs in March, April, and May with event and registration details can be found (check back for updated information):

• : March 29 from 4-7 p.m. in Schine 304ABC.
• : The symposium will include Orange Talks: March 30 from 12:30-2 p.m. in the Peter Graham Scholarly Commons, 114 Bird Library; and a poster session: March 31 from 2-4 p.m. in the Panasci Lounge, Schine Student Center.
• : April 7 from 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. in Schine 304ABC.
• McNair Scholars Research Symposium: April 14 and April 21.
• : April 19 from noon-2 p.m., location TBD. Register to present by March 31.
• : April 21, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Joyce Hergenhan Auditorium, Newhouse 3.
• Arts and Sciences Undergraduate Research Festival: April 21
• Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP) Spring Symposium: April 28
• : May 2, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Hall of Languages.
• Maxwell School Celebration of Undergraduate Scholarship: May 2, 3-5 p.m., 220 Eggers Hall.

On Friday, Jan. 13, the University’s first Renée Crown Professors in the College of Arts and Sciences (A&S) were formally recognized. Heidi Hehnly, associate professor of biology, is the Renée Crown Honors Professor in the Sciences and Mathematics, and Karin Nisenbaum, assistant professor of philosophy, is the Renée Crown Honors Professor in the Humanities.

Heidi Hehnly (second from right), Renée Crown Honors Professor in the Sciences and Mathematics, is pictured with (from left) Honors Director Danielle Taana Smith, Chancellor Kent Syverud, Associate Provost Jamie Winders and A&S Interim Dean Lois Agnew.

The event was held at the Goldstein Faculty Center and speakers included Chancellor Kent Syverud; Jamie Winders, associate provost for faculty affairs; Lois Agnew, interim dean of A&S; Danielle Taana Smith, Honors program director and professor of African American Studies in A&S; and Professor Hehnly (Professor Nisenbaum was unable to attend).

The professorships are made possible thanks to a generous gift from the family of esteemed alumna and Trustee Emerita Renée Schine Crown ’50, H’84. Both Renée Schine Crown and her husband Lester attended the installation virtually.

Through the professorships, Hehnly and Nisenbaum will each serve a term of three years, teaching Honors courses and helping guide Honors students in their thesis research projects.

, who joined the Department of Biology in 2018, specializes in the mechanics of cellular division. She is also a member of the interdisciplinary and director of the . With nearly $3.5 million in research grants from the National Institutes of Health and others, Hehnly and her team are addressing urgent health needs relating to developmental disorders, genetic mutations and cancer-causing genes. Hehnly is also dedicated to leading interdisciplinary learning opportunities, such as the University’s first .

Hehnly’s 2022-23 Honors course, Light Microscopy and Illustration in Cell and Developmental Biology, focuses on fundamental principles in cell and developmental biology, such as mechanisms of embryonic development, cell division, tissue formation and maintenance, and the display of cells through imagery.

In recognition of her interest in microscopy, Chancellor Syverud presented Hehnly with a book titled, “The Microscope; Its History, Construction and Applications; Being a Familiar Introduction to the Use of the Instrument and the Study of Microscopical Science.” Noted as one of the most important books for the medical professional when it was published in 1854, it was once declared an essential read by the American Medical Association.

Karin Nisenbaum

joined the Department of Philosophy in 2021. Her research centers on topics at the intersection of ethics and metaphysics in the philosophy of Kant, in post-Kantian German Idealism, and in 19th- and 20th-century Jewish thought. She also has longstanding interests in phenomenology, existentialism and critical theory. Her 2018 book published with Oxford University Press, “For the Love of Metaphysics: Nihilism and the Conflict of Reason from Kant to Rosenzweig,” presents a new perspective on the history of German Idealism, focusing on the role of the principle of sufficient reason.

In 2022–23, Nisenbaum is teaching two Honors classes: Introduction to Ethics, in which students confront difficult moral decisions and consider how different philosophers would approach these decisions; and Philosophy and Literature, in which students consider the literary style of selected philosophical texts such as Plato’s Republic and the philosophical significance of foundational literary works such as Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale.

In April, Professors Hehnly and Nisenbaum will host the first Renée Crown Honors Symposium. The symposium panelists are Angela Breitenbach, a philosopher who teaches at Cambridge University, and Suzanne Anker, a contemporary visual artist and bio art pioneer based in New York City. Breitenbach and Anker’s engagement on campus will expose students to scholars at the forefront of interdisciplinary research in the sciences and humanities.

Read more about the .

Matt Cufari, a senior physics major in the College of Arts and Sciences, a computer science major in the College of Engineering and Computer Science, a Coronat Scholar and a member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program, has been named the recipient of the 2022 LeRoy Apker Award from the American Physical Society.

The prestigious award, given to just two students per year, recognizes outstanding undergraduate research and is the highest honor awarded to undergraduate physicists in the United States. Cufari is the first Syracuse University student to receive the award in its 44-year history.

“Receiving the Apker award is a tremendous honor. I’m incredibly grateful for the encouragement from Professor Coughlin and Professor Ross in pursuing physics at SU and in applying for this award,” says Cufari. “The support and contributions of Professors Coughlin and Ross, and Professor Chris Nixon at the University of Leicester, cannot be overstated.”

Cufari is recognized for verifying the Hills Mechanism as a viable method to generate repeating partial tidal disruption events (TDEs). At Syracuse, he studies TDEs under the supervision of , assistant professor of physics in the College of Arts and Sciences.

His work investigates an exciting new field of repeating partial TDEs—where a star is on a bound orbit about a supermassive black hole in a distant galaxy and is repeatedly stripped of its outer envelope through tidal interactions with the black hole. “The mass lost by the star feeds the black hole and generates an ‘accretion flare’ that illuminates the galaxy,” says Coughlin. “The detection of these events—now numbering on the order of tens per year but predicted to be many more in the future as survey science becomes more advanced—yields fundamental insight into the properties of black holes and stars in galactic nuclei.”

Cufari’s work highlights a mechanism for placing the star onto its tightly bound orbit, where the star was originally part of a binary star system and “captured” by the black hole—the Hills Mechanism. In an article in the April 20, 2022, issue of Astrophysical Journal Letters, Cufari used a combination of analytic arguments and numerical simulations to demonstrate that this mechanism can generate repeating partial tidal disruption events and applied it to a specific system, known as ASASSN-14ko. “This work is fundamental and theoretical and promotes a new pathway for creating periodic and energetic outbursts from supermassive black holes,” says Coughlin.

This summer, with undergraduate research grant funding from , Cufari traveled to the University of Leicester in the United Kingdom. There, under the direction of Chris Nixon, associate professor of theoretical astrophysics, he performed simulations of partial TDEs and analyzed the properties of partially disrupted stars.

“Matt Cufari is a superstar student. As with previous Apker winners, we anticipate a long and distinguished career in physics,” says , professor and chair of physics in the College of Arts and Sciences, who nominated Cufari for the award. “We anticipate that Matt will not be the last Syracuse Apker winner, but he is an extraordinary first one.”

Cufari developed a passion for plasma theory and nuclear fusion as a high school student when he began doing research at the University of Rochester Laboratory for Laser Energetics. There, he worked on a project to develop a theoretical framework for images of charged fusion products.

His studies at Syracuse have given him skills in designing physical models of complex systems and solving problems mathematically. “In addition to my work in physics, my coursework in computer science has helped me to understand technologies like reinforcement learning and apply them to my research,” he says.

In his first semester at Syracuse, Cufari joined a research project in the quantum information lab of , professor of physics, developing a parameter estimation software for superconducting circuits. Since his sophomore year, Cufari has worked with Coughlin researching theoretical astrophysics.

In May, Cufari was named a 2022-23 Astronaut Scholar by the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation. Earlier this year, he was selected for a 2022 Goldwater Scholarship.

He is a member of the Tau Beta Pi engineering honor society, the American Astronomical Society and the Society of Physics Students. Cufari plans to earn a Ph.D. in physics and pursue a career in astrophysics research.

Three Syracuse University students have been selected as recipients of the Voyager Scholarship: the Obama-Chesky Scholarship for Public Service, a new award for juniors committed to public service funded by the Obama Foundation.

The recipients are:

• Ka’ai Imaikalani I ’24 of Honolulu, Hawaii, a double major in international relations and policy studies in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs and College of Arts and Sciences (A&S) with minors in biology in A&S and information management and technology in the School of Information Studies;
• Yasmin Nayrouz ’24 of Rochester, New York, an English major in the College of Arts and Sciences and public relations major in the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications with a minor in global security studies in the Maxwell School and a member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program; and
• Iona Volynets ’24 of Washington, D.C., a history and international relations major in the Maxwell School and College of Arts and Sciences with a museum studies minor in the College of Visual and Performing Arts, a Coronat Scholar and a member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program.

The scholarship provides $25,000 a year for two years toward education expenses, $10,000 for research/service travel between junior and senior year (Summer Voyage), $20,000 in travel funding for the next 10 years, and leadership training.

I plans to use the scholarship to gain more skills and experience navigating the nonprofit sphere, particularly as it pertains to housing. “As someone who has been able to view the failures of the housing market firsthand, I plan on using the opportunities given to me by the Obama Foundation and Brian Chesky to combat the lack of access to affordable housing in Hawai’i,” he says. “This also takes on a more personal dimension, as I plan to focus most of my efforts on serving Native and Indigenous populations (as these communities are at far greater risk to lack affordable housing). Ultimately, I plan on using the scholarship to not only learn more, but to apply the knowledge I gain to better serve the communities around me.”

Nayrouz plans a career in policy advocacy for refugees and resettled families. She says the scholarship will allow her to focus more on volunteering and supporting nonprofits that help immigrant and refugee communities. “I’ve had to turn down unpaid opportunities in the past, so having this scholarship will allow me to volunteer during my summer and focus on my interests,” she says. “I hope to add to my education by using my Summer Voyage to explore policies and communication strategies that help immigrants and refugees.”

Volynets plans to use the scholarship opportunity to pursue an interest in preserving and celebrating cultural heritage, particularly of Ukrainian refugees during the current conflict. “Next summer, I hope to travel to Germany to speak to Ukrainian refugees to create a virtual museum celebrating the culture that is threatened or lost during the conflict,” they say.

All say their experience at Syracuse University has helped them prepare to make a difference.

“It was not until I sat through Professor [Bill] Coplin’s PST 101 class that I realized how much I had to learn,” I says. “I have learned countless lessons, perspectives and experiences that served to enrich my worldview and my ability to navigate professional and academic environments. Literally everything you can think of, from internships to community service, even this very scholarship, has been in some way impacted and enhanced by the vast resources Syracuse University has to offer.”

“The policy studies program has allowed me to get a better grasp on what effective and feasible change can look like, particularly on a community-wide scale. Through an emphasis on skills, experiential learning and servant leadership, I was able to not only discern a shortcoming in my community, but through collaboration, devise a manageable and creative solution,” he says.

Nayrouz says studying English and public relations at Syracuse has demonstrated to her the power of storytelling. “When we share stories, listen and use communication tools to advocate for those who often are silenced, I believe we can create more effective policies surrounding migration,” she says. “At Syracuse, I’ve been connected to InterFaith Works, where I currently volunteer, and have been a part of Student Association, where I’ve learned how to address concerns students have effectively. I was also a part of a data journalism project with Professor [Nausheen] Husain, where we looked at the consequences that one migration policy can cause.”

Volynets is gaining experience through their experience as a 2021-23 Lender Center Fellow. Their project involves creating a culturally sensitive food pantry for low-income refugee and New American women in Syracuse. And their experience in the museum studies program here showed them that it’s possible to reconcile their love of art and their passion for public service, they say.

The Voyager Scholarship was created by President Barack and Michelle Obama and Brian Chesky, CEO of Airbnb, to help shape leaders who can bridge divides and help solve the world’s biggest challenges together. Even though they come from different backgrounds, both the President and Chesky believe that exposure to new places and experiences generates understanding, empathy and cooperation which equips the next generation to create meaningful change. The scholarship gives college students financial aid to alleviate the burden of college debt, meaningful travel experiences to expand their horizons, and a network of mentors and leaders to support them.

All of the Voyager recipients learned of the opportunity through the (CFSA) and worked with CFSA on their application materials. “We’re thrilled that Kai’i, Yasmin and Iona will benefit from the extraordinary support and opportunities the Voyager Scholarship affords,” says Jolynn Parker, director of CFSA. “Their leadership and commitment to public service represent the very best of our Syracuse community.”

In 2022-23, the Voyager Scholarship was open to rising juniors planning careers in public service who are U.S. citizens, permanent residents or have DACA status. The deadline was mid-June. Eligibility requirements and deadlines for the next cycle have not yet been announced.

In 2002, a contribution from the Crown family enabled an ambitious revision to the honors program at Syracuse University. Over the past two decades, the has helped countless high-achieving students become leaders who are socially aware, globally informed and finding solutions to real-life problems. The Crown family has now renewed its commitment to the program with a gift to establish the Crown Honors Professorships in A&S.

Heidi Hehnly

Hehnly and Nisenbaum were chosen for the new positions by a selection committee led by previous Arts and Sciences Dean Karin Ruhlandt and Danielle Taana Smith, Honors program director and professor of African American Studies in A&S. Hehnly and Nisenbaum will each serve a term of three years, teaching Honors courses and helping guide Honors students in their thesis research projects.

“The professorships will provide an intellectual space in which Honors students from diverse disciplinary backgrounds can bring their experiences together to conduct research on interdisciplinary themes,” says Smith. “The students will engage with these themes by attending lectures by scholars in their fields, embarking on experiential learning field trips, preparing academic and creative works, and disseminating their research, all under the guidance of Professors Hehnly and Nisenbaum.”

Vice Chancellor and Provost Gretchen Ritter says that the new professorships will expand the interdisciplinary breadth and depth of the Honors program.

“These new professorships enrich the experience for Honors students through innovative learning approaches,” says Ritter. “We thank Renée, her husband Lester, and the entire Crown family for establishing the Crown Honors Professorships, which will ensure that the best and brightest faculty will have the time and resources to teach and mentor Honors students while pursuing their cutting-edge research and scholarship.”

Karin Nisenbaum

Hehnly and Nisenbaum’s proven track records in designing and implementing dynamic undergraduate academic experiences, including research and professional development, make them the perfect candidates for the new positions, says A&S Interim Dean Lois Agnew.

“As Crown Professors, they will elevate the Honors Program’s unique strengths and continue to ensure that its curriculum exemplifies best practices and is fully aligned with the University’s academic priorities,” says Agnew. “We are thrilled that Honors students can take part in new and innovative learning opportunities led by exemplary faculty such as Professors Hehnly and Nisenbaum, who are leaders in their fields.”

An Integrated Approach to Learning

, a biology professor at Syracuse University since 2018, specializes in the mechanics of cellular division and how and when cells in the body choose to divide. Before coming to Syracuse, Hehnly was an assistant professor at SUNY Upstate Medical University.

With nearly $3.5 million in federally funded research grants from the and the Department of Defense, among others, Hehnly and members of her team are relating to developmental disorders, genetic mutations and cancer-causing genes. As part of the , Hehnly is also collaborating with faculty across the University to develop and design materials to tackle global challenges in health, medicine and materials innovation.

In addition to laboratory research, Hehnly has helped foster unique interdisciplinary learning opportunities for students at Syracuse. She and , film and media art professor in the College of Visual and Performing Arts, co-taught the University’s first (Bio400/600 and TRM500) in Spring 2022, where STEM students joined art majors to create science-based art works based on their personal research interests.

Hehnly explains that integrated courses such as Bio-Art that combine techniques and knowledge from the sciences with visual and textual expression from the arts are central to helping students understand and appreciate the natural world. By transforming biological samples into traditional illustrations, paintings, or murals, students can use art to bring abstract theories, such as cell processes, to life. She aspires to incorporate similar courses into the Honors program curriculum.

“One of the things I love the most about being on a campus like Syracuse University is the cross-disciplinary studies that can take place,” Hehnly says. “This professorship creates time for me to make sure that I can host a class such as Bio-Art that incorporates art in STEM-based learning.”

“This professorship provides the opportunity to create courses that are welcoming to a diverse range of students,” says Hehnly.��“Whether they have an interest in science, art, or both, students will get plenty of experience in these courses with microscopy and other advanced biological techniques.”

Fostering Philosophical Thought

Karin Nisenbaum has been a faculty member in A&S’ Department of Philosophy since 2021. Prior to joining Syracuse University, Nisenbaum was an assistant professor of philosophy at Colgate University (2016-21) and Boston College (2020-21), and a postdoctoral fellow at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (2014-16).

Her research focuses on topics at the intersection of metaphysics and ethics in Kant, German Idealism, and modern Jewish thought.�� Most recently, she is author of “For the Love of Metaphysics: Nihilism and the Conflict of Reason from Kant to Rosenzweig” (Oxford University Press, 2021).

Nisenbaum’s courses approach questions such as: What is the ultimate aim of moral action? If we affirm God’s existence, what sort of arguments can we provide in support of the view that God exists? What is the value of hope, and how can we sustain it, especially when we are confronted with evil?

During the 2022-23 academic year, Nisenbaum plans to teach two Honors classes: Introduction to Ethics and Philosophy and Literature.

In Intro to Ethics, students will be presented with situations in life that require difficult decisions and will discuss how to answer questions such as: What is the morally right or wrong thing to do? What would a virtuous person do? What are my duties to others? By being introduced to different ethical theories, thinkers, and concepts, students will challenge, defend, or gain clarity on their own ethical convictions, as well as those of others.

Philosophy and Literature will invite students to consider the philosophical significance of foundational literary works such as Plato’s “Republic.” In that dialogue, Nisenbaum says Plato famously banished poets from the ideal city, and thereby established the traditional separation of literature from philosophy, fiction from truth, and logical argument from persuasion. By examining the literary style of selected philosophical texts, Nisenbaum will ask students to think about how different modes of writing can address traditional questions of philosophy and illuminate significant features of human existence.

For Nisenbaum, exploring the human experience with students is one of the most rewarding aspects of being a professional philosopher.

“Aristotle said that philosophy begins in wonder. But at times it can be difficult to maintain that sense of wonder when I am immersed in the weeds of my own research, or preoccupied about the job prospects of my graduate students,” she says. “My undergraduate students help me focus on the big questions, such as: What can I know? What should I do? What may I hope? What is man? These are the four most important philosophical questions, according to Kant.”

Nisenbaum, who is currently working on a manuscript on perfectionism and the highest good in post-Kantian German Idealism, considers it a privilege to work and interact with some of the most dedicated and accomplished students at Syracuse University. “I am eager to do all that I can to foster their intellectual development and personal formation, in order to help them contribute to our global society,” she says.

Through close faculty mentorship and meaningful collaboration and interaction with other students, both Hehnly and Nisenbaum are confident that the professorships will help Honors students flourish academically, professionally and personally.

Read more about the .

About Syracuse University

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As the most challenging required component of the honors curriculum, thesis projects are the culmination of three to four semesters of independent research and professional and creative work by students from across the schools and colleges of the University. Working with a faculty advisor, students design, research and complete a significant project in their major field of study.

The entire thesis requires the development of “next level” professional and academic skills and must be a particularly high-quality piece of scholarly work, worthy of Honors in the scope of its conception and execution.

Every year, thesis advisors select honors thesis projects that they deem “prize-worthy,” and committees made up of honors core faculty members meet to determine prize recipients in five categories—the humanities, the creative, the social sciences, the natural sciences and engineering, and the professional.

After evaluating each project nomination, subcommittee members awarded Jin with the Best Thesis Prize in the creative category for her project, “Woven Tensions: Chinatown Contestations.”

Dara H. Jin ’22

“This thesis would not have been possible without the guidance and support of both Professor Joseph Godlewski and my honors reader, Professor Danielle Taana Smith,” says Jin. “It’s truly an honor to be selected, and to have so many people resonate with the project’s aspirations is tremendously gratifying. I look forward to developing the project further in the future.”

Executed under the direction of honors faculty advisor and School of Architecture Associate Professor Joseph Godlewski, Jin’s project deals with the tenuous relationship between the residents of Chinatown and Johannesburg, South Africa, and proposes an architectural intervention that aims to acknowledge the rift and create a space for open dialogue.

“As a Chinese-American who grew up around Chinatowns, the contestations that Chinatowns globally experience was an important subject that I wanted to shine light on,” says Jin.

The project focuses specifically on Cyrildene, a neighborhood in Johannesburg that has become a substantial enclave for Chinese migrants who have integrated themselves into the once affluent suburb. As this new Chinatown has started to form its identity, it has also begun to take on and reshape apartheid architectures that have predated its arrival.

Currently, Cyrildene Chinatown can be seen as an anxious neighborhood where notions of otherness, lack of safety and paranoia often trouble the Chinese. Public space has become a place of hostility and vulnerability.

Through both collaborative design and architecture, Jin’s proposal embraces local aesthetics of recombinant and flexible architecture by using the ubiquitous Chinatown feature of the street “stall” and its larger counterpart, the market, as a medium for opening the spatial conversation, creating new zones for gathering and promoting cultural exchange.

The thesis views public space through AbdouMaliq Simone’s concept of “people as infrastructure,” which describes the remaking of cities through constantly flexible, mobile and provisional space. By defamiliarizing this space, new possibilities and understandings emerge; the stall is reenvisioned not as just a space for physical goods, but for cultural and identity transactions. The stall and the market become new spatial zones for gathering and cultural exchange.

In this project, the architect is the instigator and the people of Cyrildene are the real makers of the space. By providing a framework that then can be adapted, edited and expanded, the thesis proposes a sustainable solution to Cyrildene’s contestations.

“Dara is a stellar student, and it was an honor working with her on this brilliantly executed thesis. We share interests in investigating architectural and urban forms in Africa, and her project points to the exciting potentials of a directed research model between faculty and students,” says Godlewski.

To view the Renée Crown University Honors Program Convocation in its entirety, visit the website.

The scholarships, now in their 33rd year, were founded as a tribute to—and means of remembering—the 35 students who were killed in the Dec. 21, 1988, bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland. Those students, who were returning from a semester of study in London and Florence, were among the 270 people who perished in the bombing. The scholarships are funded through an endowment supported by gifts from alumni, friends, parents and corporations.

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

Selection Process

Remembrance Scholars are chosen in their junior year through a rigorous, competitive process. Applicants submitted an essay and a reflective response in multimedia, artistic, musical or written format as part of a comprehensive application, and finalists were interviewed by members of the selection committee, composed of University faculty, staff and current Remembrance Scholars. The $5,000 scholarships are awarded on the basis of scholarship, leadership and service to the community.

Additionally, two students from Lockerbie come to Syracuse each year for one year of study through the Syracuse-Lockerbie Scholarships, also in their 33rd year. The scholarships are jointly funded by Syracuse University and the Lockerbie Trust. Zack Blackstock and Natasha Gilfillian were recently selected as the 2022-23 Lockerbie Scholars.

“The Remembrance Scholars take on a great responsibility. They represent the legacy of each student lost in a horrific tragedy, looking back to ensure that they are remembered and honored. Along with the Lockerbie Scholars, they act forward by participating in leadership, scholarship and service activities that leave a lasting impact on our community and on their lives after Syracuse,” says Vice Chancellor and Provost Gretchen Ritter. “These 2022-2023 scholars represent a broad spectrum of disciplines, personal backgrounds and career aspirations. What brings them together is the desire to make the world better through leadership and service.”

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

The 2022-23 Remembrance Scholars, their hometowns, majors, and schools and colleges are the following:

• David Barbier Jr. of Miami, Florida, a television, radio and film major in the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, an international relations major in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs and the College of Arts and Sciences, and a member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program;
• Diane Benites of New Providence, New Jersey, a biology major in the College of Arts and Sciences;
• Mira Berenbaum of Los Angeles, California, an accounting major in the Martin J. Whitman School of Management, a public relations major in the Newhouse School and a member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program;
• Olivia Budelmann of Fayetteville, New York, a mathematics and Spanish languages, literature and culture major in the College of Arts and Sciences; an environment, sustainability and policy major in the Maxwell School and a member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program;
• Emma Dahmen of East Wenatchee, Washington, an economics major in the Maxwell School and College of Arts and Sciences; a citizenship and civic engagement major in the Maxwell School; a Spanish language, literature and culture major in A&S and a member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program;
• Cori Dill of San Diego, California, a political science major in the Maxwell School and College of Arts and Sciences and public relations major in the Newhouse School;
• Ronald Ditchek of Brooklyn, New York, a music education major in the College of Visual and Performing Arts and the School of Education;
• Dara Drake of Highland Park, Illinois, a policy studies major in the Maxwell School and the College of Arts and Sciences and a member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program;
• Fabryce Fetus of Brooklyn, New York, a policy studies major in the Maxwell School and College of Arts and Sciences and a public health major in the David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics;
• Karina Freeland of Burke, Virginia, a policy studies major in the Maxwell School and the College of Arts and Sciences;
• Kinley Gaudette of Salisbury, New Hampshire, a public health major in the Falk College, a policy studies major in the Maxwell School and College of Arts and Sciences, and a member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program;
• Riya Gupta of San Ramon, California, a policy studies major in the Maxwell School and the College of Arts and Sciences;
• Jaime Heath of Bridgeton, New Jersey, a policy studies and political science major in the Maxwell School and College of Arts and Sciences and a citizenship and civic engagement major in the Maxwell School;
• Sifan Hunde of Washington, D.C., an international relations major in the Maxwell School and the College of Arts and Sciences, a psychology major in A&S and a member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program;
• Amanda Lalonde of Baldwinsville, New York, a psychology and forensic science major in the College of Arts and Sciences and a member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program;
• Adam Landry of Nashua, New Hampshire, a civil engineering major in the College of Engineering and Computer Science;
• Ivy Lin of New York, New York, a creative writing major in the College of Arts and Sciences, a history major in the Maxwell School and A&S and a member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program;
• Julianna Mercado of Holbrook, New York, a biochemistry and forensic science major in the College of Arts and Sciences;
• Jenna Merry of Overland Park, Kansas, a student in the School of Architecture and a member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program;
• Josh Meyers of Livingston, New Jersey, a broadcast and digital journalism major in the Newhouse School;
• Ofentse Mokoka of Pretoria, South Africa, an economics major in the Maxwell School and College of Arts and Sciences and writing and rhetoric major in A&S;
• Riley Moore of Gibsonia, Pennsylvania, a communication and rhetorical studies major in the College of Visual and Performing Arts, a political science major in the Maxwell School and the College of Arts and Sciences and a creative writing major in A&S;
• Nadia Nelson of Suffern, New York, a policy studies and political science major in the Maxwell School and the College of Arts and Sciences;
• Janice Poe of Atlanta, Georgia, a chemistry major in the College of Arts and Sciences;
• Mackenzie Quinn of Fredonia, New York, a political science and sociology major in the Maxwell School and the College of Arts and Sciences and a member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program;
• Maggie Sardino of Syracuse, New York, a writing and rhetoric major in the College of Arts and Sciences, a citizenship and civic engagement major in the Maxwell School and a member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program;
• Brielle Seidel of Hillsborough, New Jersey, a public health major in the Falk College;
• Car Shapiro of Lake Worth, Florida, an entrepreneurship and emerging enterprises major in the Whitman School;
• Aidaruus Shirwa of Syracuse, New York, a policy studies and economics major in the Maxwell School and the College of Arts and Sciences;
• Louis Smith of Seneca Falls, New York, a biology major in the College of Arts and Sciences, a citizenship and civic engagement major in the Maxwell School and a member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program;
• Emily Steinberger of Burlingame, California, a photojournalism major in the Newhouse School, a management major in the Whitman School and a member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program;
• Taylor Stover of Amherst, New York, an international relations and history major in the Maxwell School and College of Arts and Sciences and a member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program;
• Alesandra “Sasha” Temerte of Bucks County, Pennsylvania, an economics major in the Maxwell School and College of Arts and Sciences (A&S), a writing and rhetoric major in A&S, and a member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program;
• Amreeta Verma of Green Brook, New Jersey, a student in the School of Architecture; and
• Jared Welch of Endicott, New York, an electrical engineering major in the College of Engineering and Computer Science.

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

The 2022 recipients of the NSF GRFP are:

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

Katelyn Bajorek ’21

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

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

David Coghiel ’22

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

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

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

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

Odlanyer Hernández de Lara

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

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

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

Zhuoqi Tong ’22

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

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

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

Abigail McCarthy and Karma Thomas

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

Upcoming Learning Opportunities for Faculty

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

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

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

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

Austin Lewter, a graduate student in Pan African studies in the College of Arts and Sciences, presents at the inaugural Social Differences, Social Justice Research Symposium March 31.

On March 31, the hosted its inaugural symposium, crossing interdisciplinary boundaries to showcase student and faculty research related to equity, social justice and global transformation.

Co-sponsored by the College of Arts and Sciences, Humanities Center, Lender Center for Social Justice, Renée Crown University Honors Program and Whitman School of Management, the symposium featured a keynote address from Gisele Marcus ’89, a Syracuse University Trustee and professor of practice in diversity, equity and inclusion at the Olin Business School at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri.

“Today is a day of celebration, valuing and honoring,” said , associate professor of management in the Whitman School and member of the Social Differences, Social Justice cluster, addressing scholars during her introductory remarks. “We are excited that we now have a cohort of cluster hires and that the University recognizes the value in convening scholars of different disciplines to bring forth issues of justice and equity and ideas about how we can make improvements. We are here to value you and your contributions. Your work is meaningful and impactful.”

, professor and chair of management in the Whitman School, and , co-director of the Lender Center for Social Justice and professor of arts education in the College of Visual and Performing Arts, welcomed symposium attendees before the panel discussions commenced.

The first panel on African Diasporic Studies showcased student research, featuring graduate students from the master’s program in Pan African studies in the College of Arts and Sciences.

Moderator , professor of African American Studies and director of the Renée Crown University Honors Program, acknowledged that “the Department of African American studies has a long and rich history at Syracuse University. It continues to be a space where intellectuals across many disciplines center Africa as a site of intellectual knowledge, where faculty and researchers contest pre-existing ideas of what Africa and its diaspora mean, and present alternative knowledges.”

Taana Smith then introduced first-year graduate students Joy Nyokabi, Kailey Smith and Austin Lewter.

From left: Melissa Yuen, Abdullah Naimzadeh and Danielle Taana Smith during a panel discussion on African Diasporic Studies.

Nyokabi presented her preliminary research on attempts by the British government to conceal documents and evidence of war crimes against Kenyans during the Mau Mau War in the 1950s.

As a critical component of the discussion about reparations, Kailey Smith’s presentation argued for the return of stolen cultural artifacts from Western museums to the African nations from which they originated.

Lewter presented his research on the legacy of lynching in the United States, arguing that lynchings have moved from public spectacle—such as the courthouse lawn—and become quieter and more institutionalized, invoking the deaths of Ahmaud Arbery, Sandra Bland and Eric Garner as examples of modern lynchings.

The second panel, Democratizing Internet Access, was moderated by Abdullah Naimzadeh, a graduate student in the School of Information Studies (iSchool), studying applied data science. Exploring the principle of global internet access as a human right, panelists Catherine Forrest ’22, doctoral candidate Jane Asantewaa Appiah-Okyere and Professor , from the iSchool, shared ongoing research on deployment of the , which was co-invented by McKnight.

Use of the internet backpack to expand global internet access was presented through the lens of several contexts and projects, including for health care workers in rural and remote Central America; teachers in rural Ghana; and elementary school students in underserved areas of Brooklyn and the Bronx in New York City. The panel also addressed the moral imperative for universal internet access—especially amidst the COVID-19 pandemic—and the importance of championing a framework for ethical data collection.

The morning then segued into a full schedule of faculty research briefs and presentations, including:

• , assistant professor of management in the Whitman School, presented on the characteristics and outcomes of diverse teams;
• *, assistant professor of communications in the Newhouse School, presented on contemporary representations of Mexico, Mexicans and Mexican-Americans in Hollywood films;
• *, assistant professor of management in the Whitman School, presented on dehumanization and maladaptive perfectionism at work;
• , associate professor of communications in the Newhouse School, presented on her forthcoming book, “Diversity and Satire: Laughing at Processes of Marginalization;”
• , Newhouse Professor in the Newhouse School, presented on the personal, professional and political challenges of critical race scholar-activism;
• , associate professor and director of graduate studies in marriage and family therapy in the Falk College; , Dean’s Professor and Provost Faculty Fellow in counseling and human services in the School of Education; and , assistant professor of public health in the Falk College, presented research on the continuation of teletherapy post-COVID-19;
• , assistant professor of English in the College of Arts and Sciences, presented on his forthcoming book, “The Body is Not the Land: Memory, Translation, and Territorial Aporias;”
• *, assistant professor of English in the College of Arts and Sciences, presented on her current book project, “Aerial Geographies: Rooting Aviation in Global Black Literature;”
• *, assistant professor of music history and cultures in the College of Arts and Sciences, presented on racial and language identity within the mixed race or coloured community of Cape Town, South Africa;
• , assistant professor of music history and cultures in the College of Arts and Sciences, presented “Mirroring Motherhood/Land in Diaspora: Igbo Women in Music;”
• Melissa Yuen, the curator at the Syracuse University Art Museum, presented “Teaching and Learning Social Justice at the Syracuse University Art Museum;”
• , associate professor of communication and rhetorical studies in the College of Visual and Performing Arts, presented “Too Much to Tolerate: School Bathrooms, Trans Temporality, and Black Excess;” and
• , associate dean and Andrew W. Cohen, Walter Montgomery and Marian Gruber professor of history in the Maxwell School, presented “Gender at the Polls: Illicit Voting and Suffrage Before the Civil War.”

*Indicates a cluster hire in the Social Differences, Social Justice research cluster.

Associate Provost for Strategic Initiatives Marcelle Haddix

, associate provost for strategic initiatives and Distinguished Dean’s Professor of Literacy, Race and Justice in the School of Education, shared her thoughts on the significance of the day prior to Marcus’s keynote address.

“This inaugural symposium is exactly the type of output, the kind of research work we want to see coming from the research clusters,” Haddix said. “Today spoke to the power of interdisciplinarity, the power of connecting us, bringing us together. And what we often don’t talk about are the kinds of resources it takes to engage in this work; how we acknowledge and reward interdisciplinary collaboration; how we create spaces and opportunities for people to come together across differences. That’s what today’s event really highlighted for me.”

Haddix then welcomed Marcus to deliver her keynote address, “Belonging: Essential to Enhancing the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Equation.”

Gisele Marcus ’89 delivers her keynote address, “Belonging: Essential to Enhancing the DEI Equation.”

Marcus began with a definition of belonging from diversity and inclusion expert Verna Myers: Diversity is being invited to the party; inclusion means being asked to dance; belonging is “they’re actually playing some of my music.”

She spoke of belonging as a human requirement, shared how companies can expand their DEI initiatives to include belonging to address the Great Resignation, and how increased feelings of belonging for students lead to better outcomes in higher education.

“Belonging is all about feeling welcomed in a space, feeling that you’re included, feeling that your contributions are valued,” Marcus said. “It matters because when people belong, they are going to help their organization be more productive, there’s going to be better teamwork and an increase in their pride as an employee. And all of those things can be contagious in your environment.”

Marcus earned a bachelor’s degree in management information systems and transportation management from Whitman and an MBA from Harvard University. She is a member of the Syracuse University Multicultural Advancement Advisory Council; former vice president of the Syracuse University Alumni Association; an inaugural lecturer for the University’s Sankofa Lecture Series; and a 2014 recipient of the Chancellor’s Citation for Excellence in Global Business Management. Marcus also endowed an Our Time has Come scholarship in her name in the Whitman School and joined the University’s Board of Trustees in 2021.

, associate professor in writing studies, rhetoric and composition in the College of Arts and Sciences and member of the Social Differences, Social Justice cluster, closed the symposium, remarking on the scholarly community being strengthened through the cluster. Berry stated that this group of scholars will be prepared to inform the academy, the arts, business and society, and that including students in the endeavor prepares them to make a global impact.

The Social Differences, Social Justice research cluster includes more than 30 affiliated faculty from the College of Arts and Sciences, College of Engineering and Computer Science, College of Law, College of Visual and Performing Arts, iSchool, the Maxwell School, the Newhouse School and the Whitman School. The group has a listserv to which interested scholars can subscribe to stay connected and learn of future events: SDSJ@listserv.syr.edu. To join, send an email to Professor Patrick Berry at pwberry@syr.edu. To learn more about its work, .

Four Syracuse University students have been selected to participate in the highly competitive Public Policy and International Affairs (PPIA) junior summer institutes.

PPIA fellows are rising seniors who are committed to pursuing a master’s degree in public policy or international affairs and a professional career in public service. The program supports students who demonstrate involvement in working to improve historically underserved or underrepresented communities. The program provides full tuition at a Junior Summer Institute (JSI), GRE preparation, a $5,000 scholarship at a PPIA graduate school (PPIA fellows often receive scholarships beyond this amount) and application fee waivers to graduate programs in the PPIA consortium.

PPIA is a summer program hosted by five institutions across the country with strong public policy programs. It promotes the inclusion of underrepresented groups in public service and advances their leadership roles throughout civic institutions. The program is designed to encourage participants to apply to graduate school in public policy, public administration, international affairs or a related field.

The four, all current juniors, are:

• Maya Benjamin, a policy studies major in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs and the College of Arts and Sciences, and a member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program;
• Andrea Sanchez, a political science and policy studies major in the Maxwell School and the College of Arts and Sciences;
• Aidaruus Shirwa, a policy studies and economics major in the Maxwell School and the College of Arts and Sciences; and
• Hailey Williams, a policy studies major in the Maxwell School and College of Arts and Sciences, a political philosophy major in the College of Arts and Sciences, a Coronat Scholar and a member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program.

Benjamin will attend the institute at the University of California, Berkeley; Sanchez at Carnegie Mellon University; and Shirwa and Williams at the University of Washington.

Maya Benjamin

Benjamin, from Atlanta, Georgia, is also minoring in public communication studies in the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications. She is hoping to sharpen her writing and economic policy analysis skills during her PPIA experience and plans to pursue a career as an education policy advocate to advance public policy and initiatives that will help end educational inequity in the United States.

“This experience will help me become an education policy advocate because of the extensive PPIA JSI network,” she says. “During and after my time at my JSI, I am looking forward to speaking with legislators and those working at organizations focused on education inequity. I hope to talk to as many people as possible about their successes and challenges in creating education policy so that all students receive an equitable education regardless of their socioeconomic status or race.”

Andrea Sanchez

Sanchez, from Bronx, New York, is also minoring in information management and technology in the School of Information Studies. She plans to delve further into poverty policy, which is an area of particular interest to her. “PPIA is a program whose mission is to increase diversity in graduate studies in public policy and international affairs and public service,” she says. “Therefore, I know I will receive a level of support I couldn’t receive elsewhere because these individuals will understand my passion often comes from my struggle. This program will take my knowledge and understanding of public policy to new heights, and I am looking forward to and grateful for the doors it will open to me for graduate school.”

Sanchez plans to pursue a career in Congress. “I believe this experience will help that because I will be networking with others who have a unique perspective that is not represented by most legislators today,” she says. “While we may not always agree, we will be in a space to listen and learn from one another, which is another skill politicians today struggle with.”

Aidaruus Shirwa

Shirwa, from Syracuse, New York, hopes to learn about different approaches to solving long-existing problems, saying, “I am excited to expand my knowledge on how to achieve international diplomacy. I want to also engage with my cohort and learn from different perspectives, and explore the city of Seattle.”

Shirwa plans to pursue a career in community/grassroots organizing. “I hope to use the skills and experience at the Junior Summer Institute to improve the communities I work with in an efficient and compassionate way,” he says.

He is particularly grateful to Michelle Walker, director of community programs in the policy studies program in the Maxwell School. “Michelle was a huge help to my whole application. She guided me through the process and really got me where I needed to be,” he says.

Hailey Williams

Williams, from Annapolis, Maryland, hopes to build the skills necessary to develop sound policies that address racial inequality as an analyst at a policy think tank. “I know that the PPIA JSI will provide me with important training in synthesizing and analyzing quantitative and qualitative information,” she says. “I also hope to improve my soft skills through networking and mentorship. I am excited to be a part of a supportive community of students, educators and professionals committed to the necessary work of helping underrepresented groups join the government and nonprofit sectors.”

In her career, Williams wants to act as an advocate for those in marginalized positions exacerbated by racial inequalities and empower those communities by promoting diversity and inclusion in our political sphere. “I plan to work for a policy think tank that researches issues related to racial justice and offers policy recommendations based on that research. Attending the PPIA Junior Summer Institute will help me achieve my goals by teaching and reinforcing the skills I’ll need to understand and analyze policy effectively, and to think creatively and thoughtfully about policy recommendations,” she says.

The applicants worked on their applications with Walker; Melissa Welshans, assistant director of the Center for Fellowship and Scholarship Advising (CFSA); and Jolynn Parker, director of CFSA.

“We’re thrilled to have four students accepted to the PPIA institutes this year,” says Parker. “The program is a wonderful opportunity for students interested in careers in public policy, public administration or international affairs. The experience will give them very useful insight on graduate study in their field and will help them shape their plans for their future careers.”

Benefits of the summer institute include all costs of the program, including housing, travel, tuition, supplies and meal vouchers, as well as a small stipend and a one-time graduate scholarship to any of the PPIA partner institutions. There are two other summer institutes at Princeton University and the University of Minnesota.

Candidates must apply as juniors to be eligible for PPIA. The deadline for applying to next summer’s institute is early November 2022. Interested students should contact CFSA at cfsa@syr.edu or Michelle Walker at mawalker@syr.edu for more information.

Three Syracuse University juniors—Cordiana Cozier, Matthew Cufari and Ellen Jorgensen—have been selected for the 2022 Goldwater Scholarship, the most prestigious undergraduate scholarship awarded in the natural sciences, engineering and mathematics in the United States. This is the first time Syracuse University has had three scholars selected in one year.

Cozier is a chemistry major in the College of Arts and Sciences (A&S); Cufari is a physics major in A&S and computer science major in the College of Engineering and Computer Science and a member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program; and Jorgensen is a double major in Earth sciences in A&S and environment, sustainability and policy in the Maxwell School and a member of the Crown University Honors Program.

The Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Program was established by Congress in 1986 to honor U.S. Sen. Barry Goldwater, the five-term senator from Arizona. The purpose of the program is to provide a continuing source of highly qualified scientists, mathematicians and engineers by awarding scholarships to students who intend to pursue research careers in these fields.

The Goldwater Foundation received 1,242 nominations this year from around the country and 417 students were selected for the scholarship.

Each of the Syracuse University Goldwater Scholarship nominees worked with the Center for Fellowship and Scholarship Advising (CFSA) to prepare their application. A faculty committee, headed by James Spencer, professor of chemistry, selected Syracuse’s nominees for the national competition.

Cordiana Cozier

Cozier, a Louis Stokes Alliance Minority Participation (LSAMP) Scholar, plans to earn a Ph.D. in chemistry, with a focus on synthetic organic chemistry. She hopes to eventually teach at the university level and research and develop organic materials that can serve as cancer therapeutics.

At Syracuse University, she has developed a robust understanding of the field of chemistry through coursework including organic chemistry, physical chemistry and inorganic chemistry. “These courses have taught me how chemistry can be used to formulate therapeutics, and have expanded my knowledge of the way research in organic chemistry is dependent on knowledge of other subfields,” she says.

During summer 2021, Cozier completed an internship at MassBiologics, a biopharmaceutical lab focused on the prevention of infectious diseases such as Lyme, tetanus and COVID-19, and worked on a project to isolate anti-IgA nanobodies using a synthetic yeast library. In fall 2021, she joined the organic chemistry lab of Nancy Totah, associate professor of chemistry in the College of Arts and Sciences, where she is assisting in research on the development of synthetic strategies for natural products.

Working in Totah’s lab, alongside graduate student Fortune Ogochukwu Ononiwu, has shown Cozier the ways that her education relates to and prepares her for research that can have a lasting impact on society. Cozier says that the work she is doing on dihydropyrones can provide new strategies for the preparation of complex molecules and benefit medicinal chemistry and drug development programs by increasing structural diversity in drug-like scaffolds. “To see the way in which this project and similar projects will have broad impacts within the science and medical world is what drives my passion for chemistry. I have always wanted to create something that drives change or benefits the society around me and chemistry has become that outlet and place for me to do so.”

As a woman of color, Cozier also wants to develop opportunities aimed at increasing diversity in the field of organic chemistry research. Through her African American studies minor, she has gained a nuanced understanding of the challenges minorities face in academia and within society, and how important mentorship and representation is to overcome discrimination.

“For this reason, I have engaged in numerous activities focused on mentoring underrepresented students in STEM at SU,” she says. She is an undergraduate associate for WiSE Women of Color in STEM.

As an LSAMP Scholar, Cozier attends workshops every other week focused on professional development and the mental health of students of color in STEM. She has also tutored under-resourced high school students in local public schools in science and math. At Syracuse University, Cozier has participated in Orange Seeds, Literacy Corps and as a tutor for student-athletes.

Cozier is very passionate about equal access for all who are interested in pursuing a STEM career. “It is so important to me that my career goals to earn my Ph.D. in organic chemistry are being supported by this prestigious opportunity,” she says. “I am incredibly honored to have received this scholarship, which only serves to motivate me more within my future career as a chemist.”

Matthew Cufari

Cufari, a Coronat Scholar and member of Tau Beta Pi, plans to earn a Ph.D. in physics and pursue a career in astrophysics research. His research interests are in drawing connections between laboratory plasmas and astrophysical plasmas to better understand phenomena like tidal disruption events and accretion disk formation.

“I’m interested in the dynamics of highly energetic phenomena which don’t readily occur in our solar system, like accretion onto black holes, the tidal disruption of stars and supernovae,” Cufari says. “These phenomena are exciting, luminous and abundant in the universe. Studying these phenomena is necessary to improve our understanding of the behavior of matter in exotic states and the physical processes which drive those behaviors.”

Cufari developed a passion for plasma theory and nuclear fusion as a high school student when he began doing research at the University of Rochester Laboratory for Laser Energetics (LLE). There, he worked on a project to develop a theoretical framework for images of charged fusion products.

His studies at Syracuse have given him skills in designing physical models of complex systems and solving problems mathematically. “In addition to my work in physics, my coursework in computer science has helped me to understand technologies like reinforcement learning and apply them to my research.”

In his first semester at Syracuse, Cufari joined a research project in the quantum information lab of Britton Plourde, professor of physics in A&S, developing a parameter estimation software for super conducting circuits. Since his sophomore year, Cufari has worked with Eric Coughlin, assistant professor of physics in A&S, researching theoretical astrophysics.

Cufari’s first project with Professor Coughlin, on eccentric tidal disruption events, culminated in a paper which was accepted for publication in the Astrophysics Journal. He presented his results to the broader community of astrophysicists this month at the conference of the High Energy Astrophysics Division of the American Astronomical Society.

Cufari and Coughlin are investigating chaotic three-body interactions between a supermassive black hole and a binary star system through a National Science Foundation REU. They recently had an article accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journal Letters that explains how to reproduce the periodic nuclear transient ASASSN-14ko using these encounters. Cufari was also recently awarded a Syracuse University undergraduate research grant (SOURCE) to fund his research this summer.

“The Goldwater Scholarship has already connected me to a network of scholar alumni who are a source of mentorship and advice going into graduate school and beyond. The scholarship also includes an opportunity to attend a research symposium this summer to meet and network with other scholars in the Goldwater community,” Cufari says.

Ellen Jorgensen

Jorgensen, a Coronat Scholar who also is minoring in physics, plans to pursue a career as a climate reconstruction researcher at a university or a national lab.

“To me, understanding our climate is the most important task I can participate in as a scientist. It’s so exciting that we can reconstruct climates of millions of years past ��with the smallest samples of sediment,” Jorgensen says. “More than that, we can use those assessments of our past to make projections for the dynamic climate we will face in the future.”

Jorgensen has taken advanced coursework in climate dynamics, mapping software and anthropogenic climate change. For the past three years, she has worked in the Paleoclimate Dynamics Lab (PDL) under the guidance of Tripti Bhattacharya, Thonis Family Professor: Paleoclimate Dynamics and assistant professor of Earth and environmental sciences in A&S, analyzing alkenones–biomarkers in the sedimentary record to calculate sea surface temperatures from the mid-Pliocene. That project culminated in a publication currently under review at Paleoceanography and Paleoclimatology on which Jorgensen is the fifth author.

In a new project in the PDL, Jorgensen is working with leaf waxes left behind by plants during the Pliocene-Pleistocene transition to investigate rainfall patterns from that time. She has also sought experiences beyond the PDL to gain insight into paleoclimate research in other time periods and parts of the world. In summer 2021, she completed a NSF research experience for undergraduates (REU) at Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory at Columbia University researching Heinrich events (events of iceberg discharge in the North Atlantic during the last glacial period) through the analysis and carbon dating of foraminifera. This coming summer, as a NOAA Hollings Scholar, she will participate in an internship at a NOAA field office related to climate dynamics.

At Syracuse University, Jorgensen has been a volunteer with the Office of Sustainability Management to manage the campus’s compost. Through that role, she helped facilitate the reduction of waste contamination by sorting recycling, compost and waste during athletic events at the stadium. She was also a staff writer for Blackstone Launchpad, highlighting campus entrepreneurs who integrate sustainability into their ventures.

“The Goldwater Scholarship affirms my commitment to pursue climate research at Syracuse and beyond as I continue my career as a scientist,” Jorgensen says. “I am extremely honored by this award and could not have reached this achievement without the support of my mentor, Dr. Tripti Bhattacharya; the EES department; CFSA; and my family.”

CFSA seeks applicants for the Goldwater Scholarship each fall; the campus deadline is mid-November each year. Interested students should contact CFSA at��cfsa@syr.edu.

Patricia A. Wood

A newly endowed fund set up to support undergraduate interdisciplinary research recognizes the importance of connecting diverse fields of thought in generating new ideas. It also reflects the experiences and passions of William Hrushesky ’69 who graduated cum laude with majors in philosophy, zoology, fine arts and anthropology, and was a teaching assistant in biology and histology.

The fund will be the Patricia A. Wood, M.D., Ph.D., Spinoza Award Fund, in honor of Hrushesky’s late wife and their shared passion for the ideas of the 17th-century Dutch philosopher Baruch Spinoza and his fearlessness in breaking boundaries to explore new ideas.

“Be not astonished at new ideas,” wrote Spinoza, “for it is well known to you that a thing does not therefore cease to be true because it is not accepted by many.”

Similarly, Wood carved new paths in cancer research, exploring the concept of medical chronobiology to create innovative approaches to cancer care. Together, Wood and Hrushesky found connections not previously explored in medical research.

In recent years, Hrushesky provided gifts toward what was known as the Spinoza Award, offered by the Syracuse Office of Undergraduate Research and Creative Engagement (The SOURCE) to an undergraduate exploring philosophical aspects of issues that arise within the sciences or other professional disciplines. To establish the award, he had contacted Danielle Smith, director of�� She told him about the course Linked Lenses: Science, Philosophy, and the Pursuit of Knowledge, co-taught by philosopher Samuel Gorovitz and paleontologist/oceanographer Cathryn Newton and connected him with Gorovitz. That led to Hrushesky’s initial donations.

One award recipient brought philosophical principals to the blending of theater and technology; two others together redesigned the interior of spacecraft. This new $50,000 endowment from Hrushesky ensures that such creative pursuits will continue in perpetuity, aligned with the mission of the .

Hrushesky explains that the new fund will provide ongoing support for the kind of exploratory critical thinking that turns learning into understanding: “During the Enlightenment, the intimate connections among science, philosophy, art, music and literature became vividly obvious; these deep and broad connections are now atrophying. This��award must go to ambitious students who see how these things are intimately connected, rather than separated. Patricia had that kind of encompassing perception, which fuels great creativity. She developed and gained approval for the first cellular gene therapy for acute lymphoblastic leukemia, saving tens of thousands of American children’s lives each year. My intent is for her example to inspire future students to emulate her and for my gift to inspire other donors to establish endowments to support student research in other ways.”

The endowment supports the kind of creative thinking fostered in courses like Linked Lenses.

“Creativity is often fueled by the blending in new ways of ideas, images, perceptions, or processes that might have been thought to be unrelated to each other,” says Gorovitz, founding director of the current Honors Program (2004-2010). “I’m convinced that any two items we identify are related to each other, if we can just see deeply and imaginatively enough to recognize, or invent, the relationships.”

Gorovitz explains that students must be encouraged “to abandon the idea that you have to have it all figured out before you start speaking, writing, drawing or composing. You may have a bunch of ideas; they may seem inconsistent with each other. You should let them tumble out in any order, don’t filter or censor. That comes later.”

This creative process is energized by The SOURCE, where the new endowment will be housed. Founded swiftly by Newton in collaboration with 60 colleagues, it was launched in 2019 to drive discovery and innovation and helps coordinate support for the interdisciplinary and inclusive research that Newton says is so vital to student success.

“Each of us has superpowers, right? My own gifts are not necessarily the same as all the members of the team, and that’s frankly what makes us strong,” says Newton, professor of interdisciplinary sciences, dean emerita of Arts and Sciences, and until recently special advisor to the Chancellor and provost for faculty engagement. “When you encourage original thought and creative work, and you look for ways to combine things that haven’t formerly been combined, you can have a powerful impact on the success of all students across diverse constituencies.”

Hrushesky says his beloved wife was always open to new ideas, welcoming contradicting arguments and data in the rigorous formation of evidence-based scientific breakthroughs. Her commitment to independent thinking and intellectual rigor was similar to that of Spinoza, a brilliant young ex-communicated Spanish/Jewish immigrant whose family and community fled the Spanish Inquisition to Holland near the end of the 16th century.

Both Wood and Spinoza provide a compelling intellectual model for students, says Hrushesky.

Now retired from academia, Hrushesky is co-owner of Oncology Analytics, a company whose mission is to ensure that cancer patients have access to evidence-based, data-driven guidance to receive the right diagnostic tests and treatments at the right time for the right reasons. He and his colleagues are creating a suite of decision support products to help cancer patients from the moment of diagnosis through end-of-life care.

“We are deeply grateful to Dr. Hrushesky for his vision and commitment to supporting undergraduate research that is dynamic, innovative and meaningful,” says Ramesh Raina, interim vice president for research. “These awards, named for individuals who were both thinkers and doers, will impact generations of students who want to make a positive difference in our world.”

Students interested in applying for the Patricia A. Wood, M.D., Ph.D., Spinoza Award will apply through The SOURCE Grant application process in either fall or spring. Visit����for instructions.

Please note: This image pre-dates the COVID-19 pandemic.

Presented by the Social Differences, Social Justice faculty cluster and sponsored by the College of Arts and Sciences, Renée Crown University Honors Program and Whitman School of Management, campus community members are invited to participate in the first annual . The symposium will be held as a hybrid event (in person and virtually) on March 31, 2022.

The inaugural symposium will explore the themes of equity, social justice and global transformation. “These fundamental issues remain unresolved in society, higher education and across professional settings,” says , associate professor of management in the Whitman School and member of the .

“Businesses are having to address them with their employees, activist investors, as well as consumers that are shopping their values. Management scholars, working with humanists colleagues, can examine this phenomenon in nuanced ways that will advance the study of organizational performance. Global contestations of existing systems and structures have the potential to transform how we work and shop and bridge the gap in who has access to opportunities.”

These challenges include access to quality education at all levels, high-quality and affordable health care and a universal basic income; protection of our climate; the right to immigrate; the right to be free from violence, civil strife and armed conflict, pandemics, environmental disasters; and the need for sustainable development.

The symposium seeks to respond to the urgent need for rigorous research and debate regarding these challenges. Key questions for exploration include:

• How can scholars and researchers at leading universities, such as Syracuse University, spearhead the process and engage our students, communities and policymakers in forging a common path forward?
• How can scholarly work contribute to improving our communities while at the same time improving the well-being of others in distant places?
• How can scholars better understand prevailing narratives and counter-narratives on current socio-political, economic and other changes which impact our human condition?
• How is interdisciplinary research in the humanities, social sciences, professional disciplines and sciences crucial to unpacking these phenomena?

Established and emerging scholars, including students, who are conducting transformative research and investigating these issues are invited to . Presentations can take multiple forms, including teams, and presentations will be approximately 20 to 30 minutes in length.

Submission Process and Deadline

Presentations are sought of works in progress, completed papers, performances and other forms of expression that speak to these themes. The deadline to submit a presentation is Feb. 28. For more information, with questions, or to submit work or join the Social Differences, Social Justice cluster, please email Kira Reed.

Interested in Attending the Symposium?

Faculty, graduate and undergraduate students from Syracuse University and partnering schools are welcome to attend the research conference on March 31 from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. ET. There is no registration fee to attend and lunch will be included for in-person participants. .

In Smith’s commentary, she discussed the trial of Kyle Rittenhouse and the commentary that has ensued since it began. She said, ‘Those who claim to support Rittenhouse actually do not care for him nor his family. They are hypocrites who use a child for their own cynical agenda. None of them would want their child to be in his predicament. A flaw in their belief system is their merciless legitimization and glorification of violence.’

Smith discussed the white saviorism saying, “I think it’s been a fundamental underpinning of Western imperialism, and it’s been evident in the global empire-building enterprise.”

Zachary Ginkel, a senior biology major in the College of Arts and Sciences, is studying acoustic detection of lameness in horses and mentored by Professor Susan Parks.

Ashanti Hunter and Michelle Ho

Isabelle Collins, a senior fashion design major in the College of Visual and Performing Arts working with Professor Todd Conover, is studying authentically sustainable fashion during a semester abroad at the University of the Arts in London.

All were spring 2021 recipients of undergraduate research grants from SOURCE, Syracuse University’s undergraduate research center that fosters and supports diverse undergraduate participation in faculty-guided scholarly research and creative inquiry.

Undergraduate research grants help breathe life into student participation in the research and discovery enterprise of the University and support students from all disciplines across campus. During the 2020-21 academic year, SOURCE and the Renée Crown University Honors Program funded 167 awards for individual or team projects.

Zachary Ginkel

Students interested in research funding for the spring 2022 semester are invited to apply for SOURCE and Honors Program grants this fall. This cycle includes application to the Spinoza Grant, which supports undergraduate research that explores philosophical aspects of issues within the sciences or other professional disciplines.

The SOURCE and Honors Program grants are for student-designed projects, guided by a faculty mentor, with a timeline that could include spring 2022 only, or spring and/or summer 2022. Awards will be up to $5,000 for spring projects or up to $7,500 for spring and summer projects, and budgets may include supplies, participant compensation, essential research travel, conference fees, student payroll or summer stipend. Applications must include a research proposal, timeline, budget, transcript, resume and recommendation from the faculty mentor.

Deadlines

��A required Intent to Apply form is due by Thursday, Sept. 30, and the complete application is due Thursday, Oct. 14. .

SOURCE and the Honors Program will offer multiple proposal-writing workshops and drop-in hours to review and give feedback on draft application materials. The schedule can be found on the .

Another application cycle will be held in February/March 2022 for SOURCE and Honors Program grants.

Within their research, Hunter and Ho are exploring and documenting the experiences of women of color who are K-12 school principals and district administrators. They hope their findings can help promote diversity in these roles and break down barriers.

“My research project is going well. I’ve been exposed to conversations that I probably wouldn’t have engaged in if it wasn’t for this research project,” says Hunter. “As a woman of color and future educator, I think it’s extremely important for me to understand these perspectives so that when I am in the field, I can create some expectations and prepare for what I may encounter.”

Regarding their research, Hunter says slow and steady wins the race. “The progress of the research isn’t moving too fast, however, I think it’s perfect because it allows me time to work effectively, to become more creative and to work on becoming a better listener.��“

Ho says that she and Hunter have made progress toward creating portraits for some of their participants. “Our portraits will be used for our University Council for Educational Administration conference this fall and hopefully a School of Education event in the spring where we can highlight our participants and their incredible stories.”

The SOURCE grant has helped Hunter and Ho fund technological supplies and to reach out to more participants. “Since there is such limited literature on women of color as district leaders, having the ability to have more participants involved has enriched our findings,” Ho says. “Ashanti and I are so grateful to Kate and Odette at SOURCE for believing in our project.”

Ginkel, a pre-veterinary student, is studying equine lameness, a broad term used to describe a deviation in a horse’s gait. “Detecting lameness can prove difficult since horses are herd-prey animals and they hide their injuries well,” Ginkel says. “Veterinarians are always searching for new diagnosis methods.” Ginkel worked at an equine hospital in Wisconsin this summer. There, he recorded footfalls to determine if an asymmetric gait is a viable classification method for lameness.

“The funding I received from SOURCE gave me that opportunity. Being involved in undergraduate research so closely aligned with my postgraduate plans has been such a gift. Not only does my application to veterinary school have an edge, but I also got clinical research experience,” he says. “It is hard to understate how lucky I am to have that. Thanks to the support from everyone in the Bioacoustics and Behavioral Ecology Lab and the funding Syracuse has given me, I have the resources to succeed as a pre-veterinary student that I would not have otherwise gotten.”

Isabelle Collins

Collins is working to bring awareness to the importance of sustainability in the fashion industry. She is exploring the process of zero waste and circular design production and using sustainable materials to create a fashion collection with environmental inspiration. She has visited numerous museums and galleries in London to aid in her research and understanding of art and fashion history.

“So far, I have chosen an inspiration for my collection based on environmental influence and developed initial fashion illustrations for it,” she says. “I have also made samples using cotton and hemp fabrics that I would like to use in the final garments. Right now, I am working on a new series of illustrations based on a sample I made overlaying some sustainable cotton fabrics.

“The SOURCE grant has been an amazing resource for my research. I have been able to purchase and fully explore materials that I have been interested in working with.

The��grant has also helped me to travel to conduct research,” Collins says. “And when I start constructing the whole collection in the spring semester back at Syracuse, the SOURCE grant will help me to buy all the supplies needed to put it all together, creating a fully sustainable and ethically made collection.”

David Barbier Jr.

David Barbier Jr. ’23 was looking to explore more of his professional interest in television, radio and film and stretch himself in a challenging role. He found what he was searching for after applying and being named a .

“After a tumultuous year of lockdown, I just wanted to continue to push myself to new heights,” Barbier says. Barbier, a Posse Scholar, is studying television, radio and film in the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and international relations in the College of Arts and Sciences and the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs.

Syracuse University partners with the to admit high school students from Miami with extraordinary academic and leadership potential, providing a full-tuition Posse Leadership Scholarship. The Jeff Ubben Posse Fellows are leaders in their communities who have demonstrated academic excellence as Posse Scholars.

The award includes a $10,000 stipend and a summer internship, working closely with an industry leader.

“Posse scholars get the opportunity to apply for the Jeff Ubben Fellowship their sophomore year of college in the hopes of shadowing an industry leader within their field,” says Barbier, who is also a member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program. “I was blessed with the opportunity to shadow CEO of AMC Networks Josh Sapan.”

The fellowship took place in New York City from June 21 through Aug. 2.

“While shadowing Josh Sapan, I’ve done it all,” Barbier says. “From determining how our company will move forward during the advent of streaming to working on new original programming that will hopefully strike a chord with consumers.”

The work allowed Barbier to better understand the professional field he’s pursuing.

“I’m taking away a better view of the ecosystem I’ll be navigating,” Barbier says. “As I’ve navigated the fellowship one recurring piece of advice has been ‘continue to believe in yourself and anything is possible.’ I believe that wholeheartedly. I can do anything I put my mind to. The right attitude can make a world of a difference.”

Barbier was one of only five Posse Scholars, among scholars at the Posse Foundation’s 63 partner colleges and universities, awarded the fellowship.

David Barbier Jr. with CEO of AMC Networks Josh Sapan

Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer Keith A. Alford, who recommended Barbier for the fellowship, says Barbier, who is determined to expand his knowledge of his chosen career field, was a natural fit for the fellowship.

“David is hardworking, thinks critically and shows a keen intellect toward his coursework,” Alford says. “David embodies a humanitarian spirit that rises above the crowd. His altruistic and authentic concern for others, diligence, professionalism and non-judgmental stance are assets he executes with ease and diplomacy. I see great promise in David on many levels.”

Barbier, who is also an orientation leader, spoke with Alford last summer about creating an online medium that promotes the strengths of students of color on campus. Barbier has since created and hosted “Shades of CUSE,” a Zoom monthly online program for Posse scholars and all University students.

“David embraces his undergraduate experience with a combination of compassion and determination. He seeks to understand his peers and actively tries to engage them in ways that are approachable,” Alford says. “It is clear that he has a passion for advancing the greater good.”

The Ubben Fellows Program was launched in recognition of ValueAct Capital CEO Jeff Ubben, who served as Posse’s board chair from 2007 to 2016.

Posse Scholars eligible for the are students who are college sophomores with a cumulative GPA of 3.7 or higher, show tremendous leadership potential and will likely apply for other later in their college��careers.

Each year, out of more than 600 Posse sophomores enrolled at elite colleges and universities nationwide, only five will be selected—less than 1%.

Nathan Shearn

After earning his bachelor’s degree in anthropology from the College of Arts and Sciences and the Maxwell School and graduating with honors from the Renée Crown University Honors Program, he received a Fulbright Teaching Assistantship to teach English in Belarus. Unfortunately, as a result of the pandemic, the Fulbright program in Belarus was suspended and he was furloughed from his temporary job in his hometown of Buffalo.

Instead of giving up on his dream of teaching English abroad, Shearn started to think creatively. “I reached out to one of my contacts at the State Department, who I met during Fulbright orientation, and asked them if there were any job opportunities at the United States Embassy in Minsk, Belarus. I was able to make contact with someone at the embassy who suggested I teach some virtual classes,” he said. With a grant from the embassy and an affiliation with Minsk State Linguistic University, he gave three workshops a week with teachers and university professors on topics such as cultural diversity, learning styles and strategies, the U.S. educational system and classroom games and activities. He also led eight different classes each week with secondary school ��pre-college students in seven different Belarusian cities, covering cultural knowledge of the United States, such as music, food, art, politics, sports and current events.

“Even in the virtual format, by the end, I really connected with a lot of the students. I learned their personalities and their classmates. It was a really great experience,” Shearn says.

As the pandemic wound down, Shearn hoped he would get to Belarus after all, but the ongoing political turmoil in the country made that impossible. So he took the Fulbright program up on an offer to be reassigned for the 2021-2022 academic year.�� “I’m planning to go to graduate school to earn my Ph.D. in anthropology, so waiting another year wasn’t really appealing,” he says. “A few weeks later, I got an email to interview with Fulbright’s program in Bulgaria and was accepted.”

“Nathan’s persistence, creativity and adaptability in the face of obstacles are precisely the qualities that made him a strong Fulbright candidate and that will ensure his success during his Fulbright placement in Bulgaria,” says Jolynn Parker, director of the Center for Fellowship and Scholarship Advising.” We’re thrilled that he will have this opportunity for an in-person teaching experience and know that he will be a wonderful representative of Syracuse University and the United States.”

As he learned more about Bulgaria, Shearn became more interested in experiencing the culture. He will be teaching in Kardzhali, a town in the southern part of the country with a large population of ethnic Turks. “I’m really interested in issues of migration and mobility. Bulgaria is a really interesting place because, historically, it’s been a crossroads of many different peoples and cultures,” he says. “Today, the country is experiencing new migration flows as more people fleeing violence and unrest in the Middle East make their way through the Balkans and many Bulgarians are looking for economic opportunities outside the country. These dynamics create interesting social and demographic changes both inside Bulgaria and beyond.”

While he won’t be doing any formal research during his Fulbright experience, Shearn says he is looking forward to learning more about the language and people, “I am looking forward to being immersed in a new culture and talking to Bulgarians about their lives. I think my Ph.D. work will be richer because I will have been exposed to different perspectives that are rooted in the history and cultures of the region.”

Founded by the Mercury 7 astronauts, the foundation awards scholarships to students in their junior or senior year who are pursuing studies in science, technology, engineering or mathematics and who plan to pursue research or advance their field upon completion of their final degree. Nominees are selected based on their exemplary academic performance, ingenuity and unique aptitude for research. Metcalf is one of 60 students from 44 colleges and universities around the country to receive the award this year.

Alexander Metcalf

In addition to funding for educational expenses of up to $15,000, the scholarship includes the opportunity for scholars to represent their institutions and present their research at the Scholar Technical Conference; professional mentoring for one year by scholarship alumni, a C-suite executive or an astronaut; the opportunity to participate in a professional development program and foundation events; and membership in the Astronaut Scholar Honor Society.

Metcalf will receive the award during the ASF Innovators Week and Gala held Aug. 11-15 in Orlando, Florida.��

“I am honored to have been recognized as an Astronaut Scholar by the Astronaut Scholar Foundation. I’d like to thank my primary research mentor, Jeongmin Ahn; the Center for Fellowship and Scholarship Advising (CFSA); and my family for their support throughout my college career,” says Metcalf. “I hope to leverage this award in the future as I pursue additional educational and research opportunities.”

The Astronaut Scholarship is the latest in a series of nationally competitive scholarships Metcalf has received. Earlier this year, he was selected for a 2021 Goldwater Scholarship and for a U.S. Department of Defense SMART Scholarship.

“Alex’s strong and varied research profile, as well as his extraordinary academic record, made him an outstanding nominee for the Astronaut Scholarship,” says Jolynn Parker, director of the CFSA. “We’re thrilled that this award will support him in the important work he aims to do in aeronautics.”

Metcalf has sought out a range of research opportunities during his time at Syracuse. In summer 2019, he interned at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio, developing computer code capable of performing mechanism assembly for the software Engineering Sketch Pad under the advisement of John Dannenhoffer, associate professor and aerospace engineering undergraduate program director.

He also pursued a bioengineering independent study research project during the fall 2019 and spring 2020 semesters overseen by Pun To (Douglas) Yung, associate teaching professor of biomedical and chemical engineering and bioengineering undergraduate program director. Project Footstrike focused on creating a computerized shoe insole capable of measuring a user’s heel strike and toe off mechanics during activity. Metcalf was the lead computer coder for this project, which required him to write code in C++ and MATLAB coding languages with the aim of increasing accuracy of the heel strike and toe off mechanics measurements.

In summer 2020, Metcalf joined the Combustion and Energy Research laboratory of Jeongmin Ahn, associate professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering. There, he is currently working on a hybrid power train for small unmanned aerial vehicles.

This summer, Metcalf is working as a systems engineering intern for Honeywell’s aerospace sector. “I am very excited about working closely with real engineers who have years of industry experience. In the first two weeks of the internship, I have already learned so much,” Metcalf says. “Honeywell encourages its employees to be ‘future shapers,’ so I hope to embody that motto throughout my internship and as I complete my final year of undergraduate studies at Syracuse University.”

After earning his bachelor’s degree, Metcalf plans to pursue a Ph.D. in mechanical and aerospace engineering with a focus on combustion, propulsion and aeronautics. “I want to work in a field that blends computational modeling and simulation with real-world testing and engineering,” says Metcalf. “I am particularly interested in conducting research that will increase efficiency and reliability of the engineering systems that contribute to U.S. national security.”

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

The 2021 ASIS&T Award of Merit is based on three criteria: impact on theory, scholarship and practice; exemplary leadership and sustained involvement; and education and mentoring. In nomination letters from colleagues around the globe, Sawyer is credited with “tireless championing of our discipline and our profession” along with “a decades-long dedication to mentoring the future generation of scholars” and being “a caring and generous teacher and scholar who has, in his quiet way, had a significant impact on our field.”

“This recognition is really about the privilege of being a member of such a great faculty here at Syracuse’s iSchool, the collegiality of my colleagues and collaborators, and all that I’ve gained from being around great students,” says Sawyer.

Sawyer’s research focuses on the ways in which people organize to work together and use information and communication technologies in social practices and collective action, the roles and functions of the technologies and systems of information sharing, and the institutional contexts in which these happen. His current research projects include distributed scientific collaborations, scientific data repositories, project-based (gig or freelancing) work and the technological skills (e.g., infrastructural competency and working on platforms) this requires, and new ways of organizing work.

“Steve’s research is both highly relevant and vital to advancing the field of social informatics,” says iSchool Dean Raj Dewan. “I am thrilled for him that his decades of work are being recognized and honored by his peers around the globe.”

“This recognition by an esteemed professional organization brings honor to both Steve and the iSchool,” says John Liu, interim vice chancellor and provost. “Steve inspires both students and faculty by focusing on the interdisciplinary nature of information science and technology and its impact on the global economy and society.”

In his nomination of Sawyer for the award, Kevin Crowston, associate dean for research and distinguished professor of information science at the iSchool, wrote that Sawyer “demonstrates a commitment to the next generation of scholars and information professionals through his active involvement in a range of mentoring activities in his home institutions, through ASIS&T and beyond.”

Upon learning of his selection as the 2021 Award of Merit winner, Sawyer said, “I am both surprised and honored by this recognition. I appreciate the recognition of my colleagues, and the opportunity to be part of the information science community at this important point in our society’s history.” He will receive his award during the association’s 2021 meeting in late October in Salt Lake City, Utah. ASIS&T represents thousands of researchers, developers, practitioners, students and professors from 50 countries around the world.

Sawyer is the current editor in chief of the Journal of the Association of Science and Information Technology (JASIST). He received a D.B.A. and a master’s degree in management information systems from Boston University. He also earned his master’s in ocean engineering from the University of Rhode Island. From his earliest published work in the 1990s to his latest publications, he has amassed an impressive body of scholarship including 46 articles, three books, 28 book chapters, 37 refereed conference papers, more than 70 invited talks and many other works.

As a designated U.S.��Intelligence Community Center for Academic Excellence, Syracuse University is part of the congressionally mandated program funded by the U.S. Office of the Director of National Intelligence, which partners with universities to increase the diversity of the U.S. intelligence workforce. The ICCAE offers undergraduate and graduate students unique coursework as well as programmatic and training opportunities to prepare for careers in any of the .

The Downey Scholarship is named for John “Jack” Downey, who was one of the first CIA paramilitary officers who distinguished himself under duress. In 1952, while on a clandestine mission during the Korean War, Downey’s aircraft was shot down in Manchuria, and he was imprisoned in China for 21 years. Downey, who later became a Superior Court judge, earned the Distinguished Intelligence Cross, the CIA’s highest award for valor.

Recipients��of the Downey Scholarship must be enrolled in, or be in the process of enrolling in, the Syracuse ICCAE program. Students can use the award stipend toward any need they have; many use the funding for travel related to their academic interests, conferences and expanding their skills.

“Downey Scholars are high-achieving students, interested in learning more about the diversity and importance of the work being done among the various Intelligence Community agencies—and how they might contribute one day,” says Carol Faulkner, chair of the Downey Scholars selection committee and professor of history and associate dean for academic affairs in the Maxwell School. “These students have a wide range of backgrounds and skills and a deep commitment to better understanding our world and the forces that shape it. The committee is pleased to honor their dedication and recognize their scholarship with the Downey Scholars Award.”

The students who received the award are the following:

• Courtney Blankenship, graduate student, international relations, security studies, Middle Eastern studies, Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs
• Justin Gluska, sophomore, computer science, College of Engineering and Computer Science
• Jonathan Hogg, graduate student, forensic science, College of Arts and Science
• Fiona Leary, graduate student, international relations, Maxwell School
• Miriam Mokhemar, College of Law
• Abigail Neuviller ’19, graduate student, public administration, Maxwell School, and College of Law
• Penny Quinteros, College of Law
• Grace Sainsbury, sophomore, international relations, College of Arts and Sciences and Maxwell School
• Ashtha Singh, sophomore, citizenship and civic engagement and international relations, College of Arts and Sciences and Maxwell School, and a member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program
• Meghan Steenburgh G’97, College of Law
• Madeline Tadeux, sophomore, biochemistry and forensic science, College of Arts and Sciences
• Amber Vandepoele, junior, biochemistry and forensic science, College of Arts and Sciences
• Emily Vecchi, graduate student, forensic science, College of Arts and Sciences

Other benefits for students who receive the Downey Scholarship include taking part in mentoring incoming SU ICCAE students to guide them through the program; opportunities for leadership development, internships and co-op programs within the IC; and induction into the SU ICCAE program, with recognition certificates from the IC.

Along with Faulkner, members on the interdisciplinary SU ICCAE Downey Scholars Selection Committee are Kristen Aust, director of career advising, College of Arts and Sciences; Michael Marciano, research assistant professor, forensic science, College of Arts and Sciences; Gladys McCormick, associate professor, history, Jay and Debe Moskowitz Endowed Chair in Mexico-U.S. Relations and director of diversity, equity and inclusion, Maxwell School; and Robert Murrett, professor of practice, public administration and international affairs, Maxwell School.

Vasundhra Aggarwal

Vasundhra Aggarwal ’21 (B.Arch.), a fifth-year student in the School of Architecture, was announced as a Class of 2021 Honors Thesis Prize recipient during the virtual presentation of the Renée Crown University Honors Program Convocation on Friday, May 21.

As the most challenging required component of the honors curriculum, thesis projects are the culmination of three to four semesters of independent research and professional and creative work by students from across the schools and colleges of the University. Working with a faculty advisor, students design, research and complete a significant project in their major field of study.

The entire thesis requires the development of “next level” professional and academic skills and must be a particularly high-quality piece of scholarly work, worthy of honors in the scope of its conception and execution.

Every year, thesis advisors select honors thesis projects that they deem “prize-worthy” and committees made up of honors core faculty members meet to determine prize recipients in five categories—the humanities, the creative, the social sciences, the natural sciences and engineering, and the professional.

After evaluating each project nomination, subcommittee members awarded Aggarwal with the Best Thesis Prize in the creative category for her project, “Latent Territories: A Manifesto for Design Thinking.”

Executed under the direction of School of Architecture faculty advisors, Professor Jean-François Bédard, Assistant Professor Britt Eversole, Associate Professor Roger Hubeli and Associate Professor Julie Larsen—and in collaboration with her thesis partner, Jaclyn Doyle ’21 (B.Arch.)—Aggarwal’s project insists that despite the appearance of living in a world of control, precision and total informational awareness, we are instead surrounded by a world of errors, mistranslations, digital hiccups and physical imperfections, all of which deserve to be evaluated as having positive cultural meaning and value, rather than simply erased as mistakes or optimized out of existence.

Using processes of LiDAR-scanning and 3D-prototyping, and HEX-editing and animating, “Latent Territories” creates a series of material studies exhibited both physically and virtually through a web-based interface. The results of the experiments showcase how information behaves as an evolutionary feedback process and suggest the possibility for design to do the same.

By reimagining the architectural operations manifesto, Aggarwal’s thesis proposes “Latent Territories” as the nascent sites of architectural innovation with machinic misbehaviors, delirious inefficiencies and spectacular blunders.

“The project is thoroughly original and fantastically creative,” says Eversole. “It is also a timely and urgent thesis, one that takes stock of the impact of technology on design practices while charting new aesthetic and intellectual ground.”

“The honors program has always been a space for me to meet and learn from diverse students and faculty in seemingly unrelated classes and incorporating architectural modes of thinking in all of them,” says Aggarwal. “Being awarded this prize reinforces all the exciting ways that architecture intersects with other disciplines, research and behaviors, which speaks to the nature of our thesis. I am so honored that my work with Jackie was selected, and grateful for all the support from our incredible team of advisors.”

Visit to browse all the Class of 2021 Honors thesis student project profiles.

Senior Class Marshals are selected each year based upon their academic achievement, campus and community involvement, and commitment to service. Upon beginning their senior year, the selected students will participate in a number of activities, including meeting with senior University leaders to share their insight on the student experience, participating in alumni and celebratory events, and serving on committees.

“Among a highly competitive pool of candidates, Ava and Morgan have distinguished themselves as leaders throughout their undergraduate experience, embracing all that Syracuse University has to offer. Their academic, co-curricular and extra-curricular involvement embodies all there is in being Orange and making the most of your student experience,” says Rob Hradsky, vice president for the student experience.

Ava Breitbeck

Ava Breitbeck

Originally from Cicero, New York, Breitbeck is a rising senior in the College of Arts and Sciences and Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs majoring in physics and political science. A member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program, Breitbeck’s academic accolades include Dean’s List, the Invest in Success Scholarship for high achievement in the first semester and the Erastus O. Haven Scholarship Award. She was also honored as a National AP Scholar by the College Board, a two-time Aspirations in Computing state award winner by the National Conference for Women in Computing and the recipient of New York State’s Leaders of Tomorrow Award.

Beyond her own academic accolades and achievements, Breitbeck also strives to support other students in their academic pursuits as a tutor and office assistant with the Center for Learning and Student Success (CLASS). In her three years with CLASS, Breitbeck has earned level 2 College Reading and Learning Association certification, provided mathematics and physics tutoring to dozens of students, and coordinated programs for the office. She has also served as an academic coach for the SummerStart program and regularly contributed to The Peel, providing study tips and advice to students.

Breitbeck is passionate about science and enjoys igniting others’ interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields. For more than six years, she has been a leader with the New York State Science Olympiad, serving as a regional and state supervisor. Working with hundreds of students from more than 120 middle and high schools to oversee competitions that support students in their exploration of science, Breitbeck supervises, runs and judges events at the regional and state level.

This passion and energy transcends Breitbeck’s role as a member of University 100, where she gives prospective and admitted students, as well as their families, tours of campus and shares her experience and love for all things Orange. Breitbeck also holds ambassador roles with the College of Arts and Sciences as a member of the Dean’s Team and with the Honors Program. She looks forward to continuing this ambassador role as the Senior Class Marshal.

“As a student I have witnessed first-hand the vibrancy and spirit of SU,” says Breitbeck. “I love to share my love of the Orange with prospective students and families as a tour guide, and this is an outstanding opportunity to continue to do so. Syracuse University has the best students, alumni and fans in the country, so representing the University means a great deal to me. I am incredibly grateful and appreciative of this responsibility.”

Morgan Storino

Morgan Storino

Storino, who is from Easton, Pennsylvania, is a rising senior in the College of Arts and Sciences and Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs majoring in chemistry and citizenship and civic engagement. She is a member of the Renée Crown University Honors Programs and a recipient of the prestigious Archbold-Day Scholarship Award, recognizing students who show exceptional leadership potential and the promise of changing the world for the better. Among her academic honors are also Dean’s List recognition and the Invest in Success Scholarship.

Along with her academic pursuits, Storino has built a foundation in research as an undergraduate research assistant in the Steinhardt Lab, which combines organic synthesis, molecular biology and soft materials synthesis to investigate a variety of relevant problems. She has also earned a Syracuse Office of Undergraduate Research and Creative Engagement (SOURCE) grant for her research project assessing interactions of the viral nonstructural protein NSs with TANK-binding kinase 1 (TBK1) using a biological and chemical laboratory technique.

A program that has significantly shaped Storino’s college experience is the WellsLink Leadership Program in the Office of Multicultural Affairs. Joining the program as a first-year student, Storino earned the program’s Leadership Capital Series Certificate and Academic Achievement Award. After her first year, she continued as a WellsLink program leader and mentor to support first-year students in their transition to college life.

Storino’s campus leadership involvement also extends to numerous student organizations and groups. She currently serves as the vice president of the Filipino Student Association and a “big sister” in Asian Students in America. An advocate for creating environments free from interpersonal violence, Storino has served as the fundraising chair and treasurer for Students Advocating Sexual Safety and Empowerment, a member of the Take Back The Night Planning Committee and an intern with Vera House Inc. She is also a member of the Rebecca Lee Pre-Health Society and an active volunteer with hospitals.

In reflecting on her involvement, accolades and academic achievements, Storino expresses gratitude to her parents, advisors and mentors who have encouraged and supported her, and looks forward to the ongoing opportunities to make an impact on the student experience.

“I reflected on how meaningful my journey at Syracuse University has been so far, and I am so excited to step into this role and share with others my Syracuse story, for which I am so grateful. I hope that my experiences will provide me with perspective when acting as a liaison between the Class of 2022 and other important members of the University community from whom I can learn and with whom I can collaborate to make lasting, impactful and positive changes looking into the future,” says Storino.

In high school, Ellen Jorgensen was highly involved in the Green Club in her school and led initiatives that focused on waste reduction. She also developed education initiatives for her peers to give them a sense of responsibility regarding the environment.

“In high school, my passion for the environment developed out of concern for the planet and frustration with the lack of urgency around me. At that point, my love for science in the classroom and my dedication to environmental action seemed separate,” she says. “Today, the convergence of these passions forms the foundation of my academic and professional goals. … While I wasn’t aware of climate sciences as a career path back in high school, I now see it as a calling.”

Jorgensen, a sophomore double major in earth sciences and environment, sustainability and policy in the College of Arts and Sciences, a Coronat Scholar and a member of Renée Crown University Honors Program, is a recipient of a 2021 , which will help support her studies.

Named for Sen. Ernest “Fritz” Hollings of South Carolina, the prestigious award provides tuition support ($9,500 per year) and paid summer internships with NOAA to recipients. The award is designed to support students working in areas related to NOAA’s programs and mission. ��Students apply as sophomores, do an internship in their junior year, and receive support and mentorship throughout their undergraduate career.

“Receiving NOAA’s Hollings scholarship is an honor and affirms my passion for climate and environmental science. I am very excited to participate in their internship program to explore applications of climate science in the field,” says Jorgensen. “While I have certainly worked hard to reach this achievement, it is much more a testament to the immense support I have received from CFSA; the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences; my faculty mentor, Dr. Bhattacharya; and above all, my family.”

Jorgensen is also pursuing a minor in physics and says her majors and minor allow her to balance her focus on scientific studies of the climate with a grounding in policy. She is currently engaged in research in the Paleoclimate Dynamics Lab of Tripti Bhattacharya, Thonis Family Professor: Paleoclimate Dynamics and assistant professor of earth and environmental sciences.

Jorgensen works with Bhattacharya constructing temperature proxies for the mid-Pliocene, a period that may serve as a predictor of the challenges ocean ecosystems will face in the coming century. Their research uses alkenones, biomarkers produced by haptophyte algae sourced from ocean sediment, to generate new records of ocean temperatures. In the fall of 2020, Jorgensen focused on samples from a site off of the coast of southern California, extracting alkenones from these samples. “Working in an active laboratory, I have gained a much greater understanding of mechanisms by which discoveries are made in the field of earth sciences,” she says.

Jorgensen also received a grant last summer from the University’s Office of Undergraduate Research (SOURCE), which she used to review literature on alkenone temperature proxies and paleoclimate reconstruction. This summer, she will pursue new channels of paleoclimate research through a Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program in a lab at Columbia University’s Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory.

Jorgensen is also involved in several community sustainability efforts. During the summer of 2020, she worked on a farm in North Carolina through WWOOF, an organization that provides small organic farms with volunteer help, to support sustainable, small scale food production and sell organic produce to local communities. During the academic year, Jorgensen is a volunteer with the University’s Office of Sustainability Management and manages the compost pile used by members of the University’s housing community. Currently, she is involved with the Student Association’s sustainability committee, with whom she has helped develop waste-reduction campaigns such as the promotion of reusable menstrual products for Earth Day later this month.

In all the work she does, whether in the lab or in the community, Jorgensen knows the importance of good communication. “I know that communication skills are an integral tool for a scientist aiming to make change,” she says. She sharpened her skills as the editor in chief of her high school newspaper and in her role as a writer at the University’s Blackstone LaunchPad, where she wrote stories about entrepreneurial projects.

After graduating from Syracuse, Jorgensen plans to pursue master’s and doctoral degrees in earth and environmental sciences. “I will center my career around my passion for innovative climate research while opening pathways for communication with communities who will benefit from the research,” she says. Ultimately, she plans to lead her own laboratory focused on predictive climate sciences.

Jorgensen worked with the�� to apply for the NOAA scholarship. CFSA offers candidates advising and assistance with applications and interview preparation for nationally competitive scholarships.

“Ellen’s clear focus on understanding and mitigating climate change—a focus that structures her academic, campus, and community work—made her a clear fit for the NOAA Hollings Scholarship,” says Jolynn Parker, director of CFSA. “She is poised to make the most of the extraordinary mentorship and support that NOAA provides to Hollings Scholars.”

The 2022 NOAA-Hollings Scholarship application will open on Sept. 1. Interested students should contact CFSA for more information: 315.443.2759; cfsa@syr.edu.

Yingyi Ma and Mary Szto

The Renée Crown University Honors program in the College of Arts and Sciences invites all members of the campus community to a . The virtual event will reflect on historical and current aspects of anti-Asian racism.

The virtual forum will take place on Friday, March 26, from noon to 1 p.m. Yingyi Ma, director of Asian/Asian American Studies and associate professor of sociology in the Maxwell School, and Mary Szto, teaching professor in the College of Law, will moderate the discussion.

Those interested should register using their @syr.edu email address on the .

This event is held in partnership with Barnes Center Counseling, the Center for International Services, the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, the Office of Multicultural Affairs, Asian/Asian American Studies, and the College of Arts and Sciences.

The forum comes just ahead of the University’s Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month hosted by the Office of Multicultural Affairs in collaboration with campus departments and student organizations. Celebrated nationally in May, AAPI Heritage Month takes place in April at the University and includes a variety of events that highlight the experiences of and challenges faced by the AAPI community. Register for via the Office of Multicultural Affairs website.

Syracuse University community members who have been the victim of a bias incident are urged to report it via the .

Twelve seniors have been named as the 2021 Syracuse University Scholars, the highest undergraduate honor that the University bestows.

The Syracuse University Scholars Selection Committee, a Universitywide faculty committee, selected the 2021 scholars using criteria that included coursework and academic achievement, independent research and creative work, evidence of intellectual growth and/or innovation in their disciplinary field, a personal statement and faculty letters of recommendation.

The 2021 Syracuse University Scholars are:

• Katelyn Bajorek, an anthropology and history major in the College of Arts and Sciences and the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs and a member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program;
• Jonathan Bosch, a sport analytics major in the David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics and mathematics major in the College of Arts and Sciences;
• Julie Coggiola, a music education major in the College of Visual and Performing Arts and the School of Education;
• Alaba Danagogo, a biology major in the College of Arts and Sciences;
• Paige Koss, a finance and supply chain management major in the Martin J. Whitman School of Management and an information management and technology major in the School of Information Studies;
• Patrick Linehan, a newspaper and online journalism major in the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, a policy studies major in the College of Arts and Sciences and the Maxwell School and a member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program;
• Simran Mirchandani, a biochemistry and Spanish language, literature and culture major in the College of Arts and Sciences, an economics major in the College of Arts and Sciences and the Maxwell School and a member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program;
• Daniel Oluwalana, an aerospace engineering major in the College of Engineering and Computer Science;
• Bobbi Whitney, an information management and technology major in the School of Information Studies and a member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program;
• Katherine Winebrake, a biology major in the College of Arts and Sciences and a member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program;
• Lily Wolfer, an inclusive elementary and special education major in the School of Education; and
• Yantao Wu, a mathematics and physics major in the College of Arts and Sciences.

A lifelong Syracuse University sports fan, Smith was ecstatic when he received his acceptance letter from Syracuse.

Louis Smith

But when Smith received the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine three days before Christmas, it was a feeling he could hardly describe.

“I couldn’t stop smiling, I couldn’t stop talking about it,” says Smith ’23. “I took a selfie, and the woman who vaccinated me said she had never seen somebody so excited to get a vaccine.”

As an intern at LifeCare Medical Associates in Seneca Falls, Smith has seen the COVID-19 infection rates steadily rise in Seneca County. Smith is acutely aware of the grim national numbers, with America’s death toll from the coronavirus having surpassed 350,000 with more than 20 million cases diagnosed.

And Smith has been personally affected by the virus. Although he was asymptomatic, he tested positive for COVID-19 in mid-September and needed to isolate at his South Campus apartment. Being involved in COVID-19 testing at LifeCare while living at home in Seneca Falls, Smith was relieved to get the vaccine so he can protect his parents, Annie and Bernie Smith; older sister Hannah, who attends St. John Fisher College in Rochester, New York; and younger brother Jacob, a high school senior who was born, Louis Smith noted, on the same day that the Orange won the 2003 basketball national championship.

“What I experienced was a cocktail of positive emotions that day because the world has been so grim and heavy and the vaccine provided a little lift,” Smith says. “It was a dose of hope, optimism and relief that has been so absent.”

Smith, who is majoring in biology and citizenship and civic engagement, is a College of Arts and Sciences’ who was selected to participate in the . He’s also a member of the Syracuse University Senate, an executive board member of the first-year leadership empowerment program and an organizer for OttoTHON, a 12-hour dance marathon that raises money for Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital in Syracuse.

“I was looking for a balance of academics and a social life, and there’s not a better place for both than Syracuse,” Smith says.

When Smith was a senior at Mynderse Academy, he spent a part of every school day shadowing doctors through the New Vision Medical Program at Geneva General Hospital. That’s when he decided to major in biology with the goal of becoming a pediatrician, and this past summer he worked as a medical secretary at LifeCare Medical Associates, a medical practice in the Finger Lakes Health network.

Starting over Thanksgiving, Smith returned to LifeCare and, with COVID cases rising in Seneca County, he was assigned to administer nasal swab rapid tests and determine the results. Smith works from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily and tests about one patient every 20 minutes, or about 24 per day.

As a result of his new duties, Smith was approved to receive the vaccine and became part of the first wave of vaccines for health care workers in New York State when he received the shot Dec. 22 at Newark-Wayne Community Hospital, Newark, New York. After a 15-minute observation period to make sure he didn’t have an allergic reaction, Smith drove home and experienced only mild side effects.

“That night my left arm was sore, and when I woke up, I had a headache—nothing crazy or unexpected,” Smith says. “I took some Advil and everything was fine.”

Smith says any reservations he might have had about the vaccine were “washed away” by co-workers at LifeCare who said it was “totally fine.” For those who feel the vaccine arrived too quickly and may not be safe, Smith says they should do their own research on it and, like him, they’ll find the speed at which the vaccines were approved had more to do with funding and the willingness of so many people to participate in trials.

With both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, a second shot is required. Smith is scheduled to get his second shot Tuesday at Newark-Wayne Community Hospital, and he can’t wait to experience that feeling.

“COVID has caused so much destruction and pain, and I view getting the vaccine as the greatest revenge we can get on the virus,” Smith says. “And to honor everyone that has passed due to COVID and to keep everyone safe, it’s just the morally just thing to do.”

The Chancellor’s Citation for Excellence recognizes members of the University community who have made invaluable contributions to Syracuse University in two overarching ways: 1) through commitment to scholarship and research that contributes to new understandings of world and creative responses to its needs; and 2) through advancing the four pillars Chancellor Kent Syverud has identified to foster excellence at Syracuse University. Those four pillars of excellence are: providing an outstanding undergraduate experience; empowering research excellence; fostering change and innovation; and positioning Syracuse as the best university in the world for veterans.

The Chancellor’s Citation for Excellence is bestowed in four categories: Lifetime Achievement; Faculty Excellence and Scholarly Distinction; Outstanding Contributions to the Student Experience and University Initiatives; and Excellence in Student Research.

The recipients will receive their awards, handmade bowls by David MacDonald, renowned ceramist and professor emeritus, later this summer.

��Lifetime Achievement Award

Charles T. Driscoll Jr.

This award honors those who have made extraordinary contributions over the arc of their careers while at the University and beyond. This year’s recipient is Charles T. Driscoll Jr., University Professor of Environmental Systems and Distinguished Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering in the College of Engineering and Computer Science.

A member of the Syracuse University community for more than 40 years, Driscoll has built an extraordinary record of contributions to the University’s core mission as a researcher and teacher-mentor to both undergraduate and graduate students. He has mentored underrepresented minority students on campus and in the community, bolstering their success and inclusion in STEM. His record demonstrates many years of leadership and meaningful service supporting excellence at all levels of the University.

Driscoll’s highly productive, cutting-edge research has provided evidence of the impact of air pollution, climate change and land disturbance and their effects on water resources, ecosystem health and climate change. Much of his work has focused on forest and associated aquatic resources, including studies at the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest in New Hampshire and in New York’s Adirondack Mountains. In recent years, he has worked as part of a team to quantify health and ecosystem co-benefits associated with a national carbon standard for power plant emissions.

He has also examined the effects of climate change and air pollution on wetlands, the Great Lakes, urban ecosystems, coastal waters and the open ocean. Driscoll’s lab has generated new analytical techniques and research models, enriching the discipline of environmental engineering. His work has made a substantial impact on policies and practices of national and international organizations.

Driscoll’s current research includes using models, field experiments and measurements to examine ecosystem effects of changing climate and acidic, nitrogen and mercury deposition; the effectiveness of “green” water infrastructure in storm water management; and ecosystem restoration.

His work has been repeatedly recognized by the University, including a 1985 Chancellor Citation award for academic excellence, and by his peers at the National Academy of Engineering and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. The Lifetime Achievement Award is given in recognition of his many achievements and his years of impact on the campus community and the nation.

Faculty Excellence and Scholarly Distinction

Robert P. Doyle

This award honors faculty members who are collaborators in work of intellectual richness that offers possibilities for collaboration within the University and outside in partnership with others and has the potential for future impact. This year’s recipient is Robert P. Doyle, professor, Laura J. and L. Douglas Meredith Professor and director of graduate studies in the Department of Chemistry in the College of Arts and Sciences. Doyle also holds a courtesy appointment as an associate professor of medicine at SUNY Upstate Medical University.

He is a medicinal chemist with an interest in pharmaceutical drug development for the treatment of obesity, cachexia and type 2 diabetes. He recently received a three-year, $3 million grant from the Department of Defense to develop a new drug to treat veterans with comorbid diabetes and obesity. The grant will allow Doyle, principal investigator, and co-collaborator Dr. Christian Roth, M.D., principal investigator at Seattle Children’s Hospital, to develop the peptide drug designated GEP44 through the pre-clinical phase all the way to clinical development, which means developing, testing and validating it for translation into humans.

Doyle has won awards for his teaching, including Faculty Advisor of the Year, and is described by students as engaging, challenging and highly interactive. He takes mentoring as seriously as his research, graduating 19 successful Ph.D. students since 2009. The project he completed while serving as a Laura J. and L. Douglas Meredith Professor resulted in symposia that highlighted and promoted the scientific research of women and first-generation students. Many of these students go on to present at conferences and win awards. His undergraduate researchers have garnered numerous scholarships and National Science Foundation fellowships in addition to attending prestigious graduate and medical programs.

Outstanding Contributions to Student Experience and University Initiatives

This award is made to members of the University faculty and staff who, through their work, have enhanced the undergraduate experience for students or made invaluable contributions to supporting and advancing the University’s mission and goals. This year’s recipients are Rebecca Kelly, assistant professor of communications design in the School of Design in the College of Visual and Performing Arts (faculty) and Kalpana (Kal) Srinivas G’12, interim executive director for student success in the Division of Enrollment and the Student Experience (staff).

Rebecca Kelly

Rebecca Kelly

Kelly’s primary interests lie in teaching the importance of being an effective global citizen, and she believes designers should benefit society through visual communication. This conviction guides her teaching. She led an interdisciplinary team of colleagues, including Marc Stress (communications design), Seyeon Lee and Zoriana Dunham (environmental and interior design), Meriel Stokoe (museum studies) and Louise Manfredi (industrial and interactive design), and 60 undergraduate students to submit design proposals for a call from the United Nations Pavilion for the World Expo 2020 in Dubai.

The theme was “connecting minds, creating the future,” and the United Nations endeavor was titled the United Nations Collaboration Project. Kelly and her colleagues engaged students from every department to work for a semester in interdisciplinary subgroups to create three-dimensional models of their proposed exhibition designs. The proposed design had to be accessible, interactive, visually appealing and conceptually sound in relation to the call for proposals.

The team elevated this project beyond the classroom by raising funds and coordinating logistics to enable 60 students to present their designs in person to members of the Department for General Assembly at the United Nations in New York City. The students plan to take their work to Dubai in October 2020 for the World Expo. This extraordinary effort of instruction, mentoring and leadership coalesced into an experience that will impact students for years to come and advance the reputation of Syracuse University.

Kalpana (Kal) Srinivas

Kalpana (Kal) Srinivas

Srinivas has worked diligently to ensure that undergraduates have an unsurpassed student experience that supports goal attainment. She was the driving force behind the launch of the Universitywide Orange SUccess initiative to enhance advising and accountability. Syracuse University and Orange SUccess are nationally recognized for excellence, winning the 2018 Hobsons Education Advances Award.

Srinivas is a highly sought-after speaker and advisor on how to plan, resource and execute accessible student success programs. While serving in the role of interim executive director for student success in the Division of��Enrollment and the Student Experience, she has activated many new and improved systems working collaboratively across the University to engage the intra-university transfer processes, Student Success Initiative and SummerStart, to name a few, all reducing impediments to student success. While much of Srinivas’ work has been on large-scale, system change projects, she has maintained deep connections with students, reflecting the Academic Strategic Plan goal of nourishing the whole student in support of academic, social and emotional well-being.

“Kal gently encouraged me to embrace new experiences, step out of my comfort zone, think outside the box, pay it forward and thrive not just on campus, but beyond,” says one former student.

A former parent says: “Kal showed us throughout the four years at Syracuse University that she is one of those people who sincerely cares about the students. With her integrity, compassion and a lot of creativity, students went to Kal to tell their story, their struggles, their fears and their dreams. Kal was always there to help encourage, guide and keep them on track.”

Excellence in Student Research

This award is given to undergraduate and graduate students who, during their time at Syracuse University, have engaged in collaborative research that has the potential to make a deep and lasting impact on the greater society. This year’s graduate student recipients are Adrienne Atterberry, a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Sociology in the Maxwell School, and Emily Judd G’20, a Ph.D. graduate in Earth sciences from the College of Arts and Sciences. Undergraduate recipients are Matthew Ambalavanar ’20, a biology graduate (pre-medicine track) from the College of Arts and Sciences; Naiya Jai Campbell ’20, a communication and rhetorical studies graduate from the College of Visual and Performing Arts; Tatiana Hernandez-Mitchell ’20, a psychology graduate from the College of Arts and Sciences; Megan Kelly Hu ’20, a Spanish graduate from the College of Arts and Sciences and marketing management graduate from the Whitman School; and Julia Riley ’20, a biochemistry and neuroscience graduate from the College of Arts and Sciences.

Adrienne Atterberry

Adrienne Atterberry

Atterberry’s work examines the social and cultural effects of globalization. As such, she designed a dissertation project titled “Cultivating India’s New Transnational Elite: Parenting, Schooling and Belonging in the Age of Global IT.” This project examines the global crisscrossing movements of highly skilled professionals and their families. It specifically focuses on how such movement affects professionals’ parenting practices, as well as youths’ understanding of their identity and sense of national belonging. She is a recipient of the STEM Dissertation Fellowship given to select Ph.D. students in the sciences or social sciences and of a grant from the Fulbright-Nehru Student Research program in support of her field research in India. She has a published book chapter on student migration from India to the USA and has three papers in preparation. Atterberry has presented her work at regional, national and international conferences. In 2019, she was invited to the International Sociological Association Laboratory in Spain to participate in a week themed “Mobilities and Social Inequalities in a Globalized World.” Atterberry has also been an instructor of record for select courses and held teaching and research assistant roles at Syracuse University. She holds master’s degrees in media studies and sociology.

Emily Judd

Emily Judd

Judd defended her dissertation this year in the Department of Earth Sciences in the College of Arts and Sciences. She is broadly interested in what controls seasonal temperature variation at the Earth’s surface and how seasonality responds to global climate change—both in the past and, by extension, in our near future. She has an exceptional record of scholarship, with two lead-author and four co-authored journal articles and several more in progress. Judd is passionate about teaching, having received Outstanding Teaching Assistant Awards from both the Graduate School and the National Association of Geoscience Teachers, and takes care to include underrepresented undergraduate students in her research. She is currently wrapping up a six-month internship at the National Institute for Water and Atmospheric Research, in Auckland, New Zealand, as part of a grant through the U.S. National Science Foundation to provide non-academic research experiences for graduate students. In July, she will begin a two-year postdoctoral research fellowship at the Smithsonian with the goal of reconstructing a history of Earth’s global temperature over the last 500+ million years.

Excellence in Student Research—Undergraduate Students

Matthew Ambalavanar

Matthew Ambalavanar

Ambalavanar was a Renée Crown University Honors student, Arts and Sciences College Marshal for the 2020 Convocation, a College of Arts and Sciences and Maxwell Scholar for 2020, a Founder’s Scholarship recipient and a Phanstiel Scholar. He was named a student of distinction in biology and received the George Wiley Award for Exceptional Performance in Organic Chemistry and the Donald G. Lundgren Memorial Award for Outstanding Achievement in Biology. Ambalavanar investigates mechanisms of exercise-related improvements in learning and memory in a rat model using behavioral and immunoblotting techniques. He is first author for one of the research teams abstracts for the premier international conference of the Society for Neuroscience, where he also presented his thesis work. Presenting at this conference is usually reserved for graduate and postdoctoral researchers. Ambalavanar is an active volunteer in various medical settings and has taken the initiative to shadow six physicians performing various medical procedures, including surgery. He will attend the Jacobs School of Medicine at the University of Buffalo in the fall to pursue an M.D. degree.

Naiya Jai Campbell

Naiya Jai Campbell

Campbell was a student in the Renée Crown University Honors Program and a Posse Scholar. She received a $5,000 grant from SOURCE to complete her thesis research project, which focused on the relationship between racial identity and media production. She interviewed African American media professionals, including Syracuse University alumni, and asked important questions about the role that race plays in the decision-making process and, importantly, how media professionals think about their race in relation to their profession. In the words of her nominator, Campbell “aspires for her interviews to be publicly accessible and become a resource for those who want to understand contemporary media through the lens of critical race theory as well as an inspiration for people who want to see changes in the industry.” Campbell says: “I had an amazing experience creating this project thanks to my advisor, Kendall Phillips in the College of Visual and Performing Arts, and Kate Hanson from SOURCE.” Campbell plans to move to Los Angeles to pursue a career in the film industry.

Tatiana Hernandez-Mitchell

Tatiana Hernandez-Mitchell

A McNair Scholar, Hernandez-Mitchell is interested in researching underserved populations and institutional racism and its consequences. She has immersed herself in understanding research methods. Her McNair project assessed experiences and well-being of students of color at Syracuse University in recent months. She specifically explored the connection between self-reports of racially biased interpersonal events and stress and mental health using both quantitative metrics and qualitative interviews. She is a member of the Psi Chi International Honor Society in Psychology and an Our Time Has Come Scholar. She presented posters at two internal poster events. She was the chapter president for the Zeta Epsilon chapter of the Lambda Theta Alpha Latin Sorority Inc. during the 2019-20 academic year. Hernandez-Mitchell will continue her education at Syracuse University in the fall as a master’s student in sociology with a concentration in power, capital and politics in the Maxwell School.

Megan Kelly Hu

Megan Kelly Hu

Hu received awards from The SOURCE for her research on transnational and multicultural theater and performance practices. She investigated the impact of theater and performance on social justice, inclusivity and diversity. Her work was to culminate on April 16 with five 15-minute performances that would explore what it means to “Be Orange” within a diverse, equitable and multicultural university community. In addition to her research accomplishments, Hu won first place in the 2018 Winston Fisher Seminar business competition. For this competition, she created a company known as Speak that connected people with speech impediments to therapists using telecommunication. Hu plans to pursue a master’s degree in advertising in the Newhouse School in the fall.

Julia Riley

Julia Riley

Riley’s research was done in collaboration with Professor Carlos Castañeda and Professor Heidi Hehnly and centered on a ubiquitin-binding shuttle protein called UBQLN2. Her particular project sought to determine the role of UBQLN2 bimolecular condensate formation in cellular stress response, especially the ways in which ALS-linked mutations in UBQLN2 alter this mechanism. Riley developed exceptional and productive research skills in addition to demonstrating excellence as a writer and presenter. She was first author on an invited perspective piece in Molecular Cell and presented a poster at the ACC Meeting of the Minds conference.�� She was recipient of the 2020 Norma Slepecky Undergraduate Research Prize. She will pursue a Ph.D. in neuroscience at the University of Pennsylvania in the fall.

A prestigious honor for two seniors, Senior Class Marshals exemplify academic achievement, campus and community involvement, and Orange spirit. The selection process, managed by ESE, includes an application, recommendations, an essay and an interview. The Senior Class Marshals not only lead the Commencement ceremony, they spend their senior year serving as representatives of their class at University events and on committees, as well as meet with senior leaders to share their experience.

“Alaba and Paige are exemplary students, scholars, leaders and community members. Their accomplishments across all facets of the student experience in and out of the classroom, in and beyond Syracuse, are prime examples of what it means to be Orange,” says Rob Hradsky, vice president for the student experience. “They will be excellent representatives for their class throughout their senior year.”

Alaba Anna Tam Danagogo

A rising senior in the College of Arts and Sciences, Danagogo is majoring in biology and minoring in English and textual studies. Among her academic accomplishments are dean’s list honors, distinction in biology and the 1870 Scholarship, the highest recognition offered by the Office of Admissions. Danagogo was born and raised in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, and came to the United States to pursue her interest in becoming a physician and a writer. At Syracuse University, Danagogo feels that she has lived the best of both worlds by being able to gain the necessary scientific skills to provide care for those in need while also learning about literature and creative writing.

Danagogo’s studies in biology have also included experience as an undergraduate researcher, performing routine laboratory experiments and analyzing experimental data in support of graduate students’ research. Her current independent research focuses on the precise mechanisms of Cited2, a transcriptional co-regulator that is expressed during a phase of neocortical development in the brain. Through this research, Danagogo hopes to increase the knowledge surrounding development of the neocortex, which could act as the basis of a possible medical model for understanding and rescuing phenotypes of related neurodevelopmental disorders.

In addition to her research and academic pursuits, Danagogo has been an active volunteer and aide in the clinical field. She has worked with Crouse Hospital, first serving as a medical imaging patient care aide and now as a medical and surgical unit patient care aid. She also volunteered at the Ophthalmic Specialist Clinics in Port Harcourt, assisting nurses with administering visual acuity tests.

Beyond her work in biology and the clinical field, Danagogo has also found a passion for service through her involvement activities. She is the event coordinator for the Food Recovery Network, planning and organizing events to increase awareness of food waste on college campuses and raising funds for local shelters. She also serves as an international student mentor through the Connections Program with the Center for International Services. In this role, she assists first-year and transfer international students with adjusting to life at Syracuse University and connecting with relevant resources. Danagogo also works with the Center for Learning and Student Success as a tutor providing academic support to other students. Among her many involvement activities, Danagogo also found a new passion through the aikido sport club. Now serving as vice president, Danagogo enjoys practicing aikido and is on the sixth kyu.

Much like all of her experiences at Syracuse University over the last three years, Danagogo looks forward to how her involvement and growth will evolve next year by taking on a new role as Senior Class Marshal.

“Being selected as a Senior Class Marshal makes me appreciate just how different my SU story is shaping up from how it started,” she says. “I feel honored and excited to be able to hold this position and communicate with people on important issues that pertain to University life and so much more.”

Paige Koss

Hailing from Hilton, New York, Koss is a rising senior in the Whitman School majoring in finance and supply chain management and minoring in information management and technology in the School of Information Studies. A member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program, Koss has earned dean’s list honors, was named a Whitman Leadership Scholar, and was inducted into the Beta Gamma Sigma honors society.

Building on her studies in finance and supply chain management, Koss has held two internships so far during her time at Syracuse University. First, as a service partner with Paychex Inc. and then as a financial management program intern at General Electric-Corporate. These experiences have helped her build professional skills in customer experience, financial walk-throughs and financial data analysis. This summer, she is working with Crowe in their financial services consulting group, continuing to build on her business and technology background.

In addition to her professional experience, Koss has been an active member of the campus community through her leadership roles. Koss currently serves as one of the Honors Learning Community resident advisors through the Office of Student Living, providing 65 first-year students with support, assisting them in acclimating to University life and building community and connections. Her role in helping younger students is also exemplified as a Whitman Ambassador, for which she helps prospective and incoming students learn about Whitman and the Syracuse University experience.

Koss also holds leadership positions in her student organizations, including as senior vice president of Delta Sigma Pi, the world’s leading professional fraternity for future business leaders. She is also a founding member of the Spanish Club, in which she also served as secretary. Reflecting on all her student organization experiences, Koss says one of the most memorable has been through her work with Enactus, a student-run organization that aims to create long-lasting economic, social and environmental improvements by assisting and empowering partners through entrepreneurship and service. Koss traveled to Guatemala this year to meet the women who make the products sold by Enactus and their daughters, who receive scholarships through the profits raised by Enactus. Seeing the impact of their collective effort on the lives of so many women, Koss says, was an amazing experience.

A resounding theme throughout her time as a student is finding opportunities to meet people and make lasting change on campus and beyond. This is something she relishes the opportunity to continue in her role as Senior Class Marshal.

“I look forward to continuing to meet and interact with individuals from all different backgrounds while serving in this role,” Koss says. “The single best part of this university is the people who make it up, and I look forward to meeting more of them. Most importantly, I am excited to learn.��I am excited to expose myself to new situations in which I can grow, interact with people who have more wisdom than me, and continue to affect change on a meaningful level.”

Alizée McLorg, at right, a senior with majors in public health and neuroscience, went to Kenya twice during her time at Syracuse University, for study abroad and an internship opportunity.

For Alizée McLorg ’20, public health is everywhere—from mentoring young adults in local Syracuse schools to analyzing demographic health surveys in East Africa. Her time at Syracuse has allowed her to do both, and in the process, discover her passion for improving the health of communities around the world.

McLorg was born in Quebec City, Canada, and moved to San Diego, California, when she was young. Excited by the idea of going to college far from home, Syracuse University’s neuroscience program caught her attention. It was a perfect fit for her plans to go to medical school. She enrolled as a neuroscience major. But her first semester of freshman year, McLorg discovered something completely new.

As a volunteer with the Office of Engagement’s Young Scholars program, she mentored middle- and high-school students of refugee families. “This experience completely changed my path and made me passionate about working with under-served communities,” McLorg says. “I was always interested in health. So, after my freshman year, I transferred to to be a public health major.”

Now as a senior with majors in both public health and neuroscience and a minor in mathematics, McLorg reflects on her time at Syracuse University, which took her all the way to Kenya and back—twice. “All my experiences from freshman and sophomore year pushed me to study abroad in Nairobi, Kenya, during fall 2018. When I returned in spring 2019, I was eager to start my honors capstone and was interested in returning to Kenya to do meaningful work.”

She connected with her faculty advisors in the Department of Public Health, who connected her with an internship opportunity through nearby SUNY Upstate Medical University. Along with Upstate faculty and medical students and residents, McLorg returned to Kenya in summer 2019.

Upstate partners with the U.S. Army Medical Research Directorate-Kenya (USAMRD-K) to support its Health and Demographic Surveillance System (HDSS). This is where McLorg focused her internship experience.

“The HDSS site is located in Kombewa, Kenya, a rural community about 30 minutes outside of Kisumu and works to collect important information on the health of the population. It covers approximately 40,000 households and 140,000 individuals,” McLorg explains. “Demographic health surveys (DHS) are used all over the world and are critical to capturing accurate information about a population to create solutions to inequities and health problems.”

McLorg worked directly with the HDSS team. “I observed the collection of demographic health data and verbal autopsy data: a common method of determining cause of death in low-income countries. After observing, I helped administer surveys to health facilities to better understand the available resources.”

In addition, she improved her Swahili language skills and improved her skills with DHS, a data collection format commonly used in developing countries. “I also solidified my interest in social determinants of health and reducing health disparities in low-income countries,” she adds.

A Renée Crown Honors student, McLorg’s internship was also her honors capstone, supported by a Crown-Wise Award to cover the cost of travel and living expenses. McLorg, who typically works full-time in the summer, says the Crown-Wise Award made this trip possible.

After graduation, McLorg plans to attend graduate school and use her skills in international health, implementing and evaluating public health programs for East African and refugee populations.

“My experience in Kisumu helped me understand how to be effective and useful in a foreign setting and how to develop lasting relationships that lend to successful and meaningful projects. I believe this ‘boots on the ground’ work will give me better context and perspective when working in the future,” she says.

“My time in Kenya and with the Young Scholars program brought significant meaning and purpose and have helped me identify my passion for global and refugee health,” says McLorg. “Syracuse University and Falk College have given me tremendous opportunities to identify my passions and connect with like-minded individuals.”

Next year, Emma Ettinger ’17 plans to work on a master’s degree in Shakespeare and creativity in the United Kingdom. Gwendolyn Burke ’20 plans to teach English and American culture to students in Vietnam.

Leah Garlock ’16 hopes to encourage students in South Korea to seek out cross-cultural experiences. Joshua Ratel-Khan ’20 wants to create a public speaking club for students in Colombia.

The four are among the 10 Syracuse University students and alumni who will make impacts around the globe as 2020-21 recipients of awards through the Fulbright U.S. Student Program. Ten students were also chosen as alternates. This year, a record 44 Syracuse University students applied to the Fulbright U.S. Student Program and 29 were named as semifinalists.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, most recipients will begin their placements after Jan. 1, 2021, contingent on travel advisories lifting.

The funds a number of different awards that include English teaching assistantships (ETA) and study/research grants in over 140 countries.

The Center for Fellowship and Scholarship Advising (CFSA) will hold two upcoming information sessions for students interested in applying for Fulbright awards for the 2021-22 program cycle. The first session was held on April 24. Students should to receive a Zoom link and password to attend the second information session on Friday, May 1, from 2-3 p.m. Juniors, seniors, graduate students and alumni who are interested in studying, conducting research or teaching English abroad after graduation are encouraged to attend. Fulbright applicants must be U.S. citizens at the time of application. Questions can be directed to Melissa Welshans, assistant director of CFSA, at mlwelsha@syr.edu.

This year’s Fulbright recipients include:

• Samar Al Any ’19, a psychology graduate from the College of Arts and Sciences, ETA, Turkey;
• Gwendolyn Burke ’20, an international relations major in the College of Arts and Sciences and the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs and a public relations major in the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, ETA, Vietnam;
• Santita Ebangwese ’19, G’20, a graduate student in biomedical engineering in the College of Engineering and Computer Science, study grant, Paris-Saclay;
• Erin Elliott ’20, an English and textual studies major and a fine arts major in the College of Arts and Sciences, a public relations major in the Newhouse School and a member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program, ETA, Norway;
• Emma Ettinger ’17, a stage management graduate from the College of Visual and Performing Arts, Study UK, University of Birmingham;
• Leah Garlock ’16, a communications design graduate from the College of Visual and Performing Arts, ETA, South Korea;
• Jamie Lustig ’20, a Spanish and neuroscience major in the College of Arts and Sciences, ETA, Spain;
• Katherine MacDonald, a Ph.D. candidate in geography in the Maxwell School, research grant, Tajikistan;
• Joshua Ratel-Khan G’20, a second-year master’s degree student in communication and rhetorical studies in the College of Visual and Performing Arts, ETA, Colombia; and
• Mackenzie Ryan ’19, a policy studies and political science graduate from the College of Arts and Sciences and the Maxwell School and a current M.P.A student in the Maxwell School, ETA, Taiwan.

This year’s Fulbright alternates include:

• Adam Bayer ’20, an information management and technology major in the School of Information Studies, a philosophy major in the College of Arts and Sciences and a member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program, ETA, Greenland;
• Brandy Boden ’20, a studio arts M.F.A. major in the College of Visual and Performing Arts, study grant, Ireland-Dublin City Gallery;
• Lauren Borg ’20, a history major in the College of Arts and Sciences and the Maxwell School and social studies education major in the College of Arts and Sciences and the School of Education, ETA, Belgium;
• Myles Chalue ’16, a philosophy and psychology graduate from the College of Arts and Sciences and a master’s student in higher education in the School of Education, ETA, Colombia;
• Eve Critelli ’20, an inclusive elementary and special education major in the School of Education and member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program, ETA, Thailand;
• Tajanae Harris ’20, an anthropology major in the College of Arts and Sciences and the Maxwell School and member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program, research grant, Germany;
• Stephanie Hausman ’20, an advertising major in the Newhouse School and marketing major in the Whitman School of Management, ETA, Macau;
• Taylor Krzeminski ’20, a citizenship and civic��engagement major in the Maxwell School, an international relations major in the College of Arts and Sciences and the Maxwell School and a member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program, ETA, Lithuania;
• Cayla Sharp ’20, an international relations major in the College of Arts and Sciences and the Maxwell School, ETA, South Korea; and
• Azarius Williams ’20, a finance major in the Whitman School and a sociology major in the College of Arts and Sciences and the Maxwell School, research grant, Cambodia.

Emma Ettinger ’17

Ettinger was drawn to studying in the UK by University of Birmingham’s master’s degree program, which combines literary analysis of Shakespeare with the opportunity for creative responses to his works. She was also looking for a place where Shakespeare is an essential part of the culture and the theatrical landscape.��“We��certainly value Shakespeare in United States as well, but it’s really fascinating to have the opportunity to look at the ways that the approach is different in the UK—and particularly to do so in��Stratford, which is home to the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust and the Royal Shakespeare Company.”

She is excited to get to know the cohort of UK Fulbrights, who come from a wide range of academic disciplines. “Ralph Zito (chair of VPA’s Department of Drama) always reminded us that as theater artists, we have to be students of the world,” she says. “I love that working with a given play can be a reason to learn about any number of topics ‘outside my field,’ so I always value opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration—to learn new things and to gain new perspectives on the things I do know. My hope for this degree is to gain new creative perspectives on both the things I know and the things I do not yet know about Shakespeare.”

Gwendolyn Burke ’20

Burke’s international relations studies have focused on Asia, primarily East and Southeast Asia. She also has minors in economics and Chinese. “Through both my studies and my own travel experience in the region, I have developed an interest in Asian cultures and how cultural values influence economic development and modernization,” she says. “Vietnam especially is undergoing rapid growth and is at an intersection where traditional values are meeting Western influences as the country continues to develop.”

Her public relations background has given her an understanding of the importance and power of communication and storytelling in learning about and understanding others. “I believe the students I’ll teach as an ETA will offer a unique insight into what it’s like to be at this cultural crossroads, which will make for engaging language practice in the classroom as well as significant cross-cultural dialogue,” Burke says. “In the future, I am interested in working in economic development in Asia, and the skills I will learn as an ETA will help prepare me to communicate effectively and work collaboratively with communities.”

Leah Garlock ’16

Garlock, a Korean American adoptee, grew up attending and teaching at a Korean adoptee summer camp. “While I lived in a diverse community, much of my understanding of South Korea and what it means to be Korean has been developed from afar,” she says. “Along with my professional goals, I chose to apply to South��Korea because I wanted to fully immerse myself into the culture in order to better understand the history, people and language.”

Her community project involves teaching art and language to kids. “Art is a great way for kids to learn without feeling the pressures and rigidity that school and classrooms often bring,” she says. “By creating a safe, fun and open environment to learn language, I hope to encourage my students to continue seeking out��cross-cultural experiences in whatever form that might take for them.”

Garlock, who has minored in communications photography in the Newhouse School, currently works for a design agency focused on social impact. Her projects have shaped her growing interests in the overlap of design, art and education. “My goal is to take all that I’ve learned as a Fulbright ETA and create design systems and projects that are culturally sensitive and accessible to diverse audiences,” she says.

Joshua Ratel-Khan G’20

Spanish classes gave Ratel-Khan a fondness for and interest in Colombia. “I think that a lot of people have misconceptions and perpetuate stereotypes about the country because of its history of drug trade and violence, but a lot has changed,” he says. “It is very inspiring the way that Colombia and its citizens have responded and persevered.”

Ratel-Khan has competed in speech and debate and currently teaches a presentational speaking course. “I want to bring something similar to Colombia and help students practice English by talking about things they are passionate about,” he says. “What I am most excited to learn about are different Colombian experiences and I look forward to interacting with a wide range of people. I think that these interpersonal interactions will stick with me for life and change the way that I perceive and engage with the world.”

After this experience, Ratel-Khan wants to work with Spanish-speaking immigrant communities in the United States and advocate for their needs to governmental entities. “I am especially interested in helping immigrants who are gender-diverse and/or sexual minorities as they face more obstacles when transitioning to life in the U.S,” Ratel-Khan says.

The presentation panels will run concurrently in 11 rooms throughout the building, except during lunch (noon to 1 p.m.), and are free and open to the University community.

Thesis projects are the culmination of three to four semesters of independent research and professional and creative work by students from across the schools and colleges of the University. Working with a faculty advisor, the students design, research and complete a significant project in their major field of study.

Among the topics that students are presenting on this year are: Japan and the International Whaling Commission; emoji in architectural communication; the design of an autonomous perching glider; synthesis and characterization of alkaline earth metal heteroleptic tetraarylborate pyrazolates; restoration of ex-felons’ voting rights and citizenship; “On/off”, a scored silent film; artificial intelligence in journalism; a virtual reality film demonstrating the perspectives of first-generation college students; and an analysis of citizen science and its effect on marine plastic pollution.

The projects range from work developed in scientific labs; to creative projects including magazines, screenplays and films; to architectural theses; to research and analysis representing a wide range of disciplines and methodologies.

Formats for the 15- to 20-minute presentations will include slide shows, websites, illustrations, films, readings and performance. Many of the students will also present or publish the results of their undergraduate research and creative work at national and international conferences or in publications.

The Honors Thesis Presentation Day schedule is available at��

Alexander R. Weiss

Alexander R. Weiss ’12 has a library full of books and journals, from arcane treatises on science and engineering to timeless works of literature and philosophy.

One book he holds dear is The New York Times Bestseller “The Brain That Changes Itself” (Viking Press, 2007), by Norman Doidge, a Canadian psychiatrist and award-winning science writer.

“At Syracuse, I was part of [in the College of Arts and Sciences], which brought him to campus in 2009,” recalls Weiss, who earned a bachelor’s degree in bioengineering from the (ECS). “Dr. Doidge discussed how neuroplasticity is challenging the traditional, hard-wired model of the brain in favor of something more malleable.”

A polymath with a flair for neuroscience, Weiss recalls Doidge’s Honors Lecture with pinpoint precision. At one point, Doidge showed a video clip of a woman with damaged inner ears who suffered from a perpetual sense of falling. Seated in a neuroscience lab wearing a wired hard-hat, she had electrodes taped to her tongue. Technology enabled her to send signals to her brain via the tongue, thus bypassing pass the damaged vestibular system. “Within a year, she was healed because the electrical impulses had rewired the brain,” Weiss says.

Norman Doidge

Imagine his surprise when, the day after the lecture, Doidge visited his classroom. Weiss was in “Linked Lenses,” a popular honors course co-taught by professors Cathryn Newton and Samuel Gorovitz. “Dr. Doidge signed my copy of his book, and sent me down the path I’m on now,” says Weiss, speaking by phone from Baltimore, where he is a postdoctoral research fellow in neuroengineering at Johns Hopkins University (JHU). “I still have that book, and often refer to it.”

Weiss has come a long way, literally, from that galvanizing encounter. He has spent the past six years shuffling between Exeter College (one of the constituent colleges at the University of Oxford),��earning a doctorate in biomedical science, and the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) in Bethesda, Maryland, completing multiple fellowships.

Weiss no longer accrues frequent-flier miles the way he used to, but the accomplished young experimentalist is earning other kinds of points from his JHU colleagues.

For example, 60- to 80-hour workweeks in JHU’s Cognitive Neurophysiology and BMI Lab are de rigueur. “BMI” refers to “brain-machine interface,” a growing field that uses movement- and other behavior-related neural activity to control prosthetic limbs and communicate with computers.

“I perform clinical research on BMI, functional mapping of language processes and cognitive neuroscience,” Weiss explains. “It is exciting, rewarding work, and has the capacity to develop assistive systems for individuals with disabilities.”

The postdoc is in exalted company. His supervisor is the inimitable Nathan Crone, a pioneer in cognitive research, neuro-engineering and electrophysiology. “He does real-time mapping of brain function in patients to reduce the possibility of impacting their brain function during surgery for epilepsy,” Weiss says. “This reflects our larger mission of understanding the neural mechanisms of motor, sensory and language functions.”

Weiss arrived at JHU in September and expects to remain there for a few years. Meanwhile, he is in early talks with prospective employers from Harvard, Stanford and Caltech. “I can’t say much, other than the projects involve really cutting-edge stuff. Until then, I will stay here, doing clinical research or getting involved with its vibrant startup scene,” he says.

Growing up in the shadow of the University of Pennsylvania and Temple University, Weiss seemed destined for a career in Philly. His parents were dyed-in-the-wool Ivy Leaguers—his father a civil engineer, his mother a chemical engineer. Trips to Penn, Penn State and Temple were frequent. “Then I visited Syracuse and fell in love with the campus. Didn’t hurt that I liked cold weather,” Weiss says, half-jokingly.

Meeting Gustav Engbretson, professor emeritus of biomedical and chemical engineering at Syracuse, sweetened the deal. Weiss first encountered the affable professor during his junior year of high school. “Gus was the nicest guy,” Weiss remembers. “He was a bioengineer who was into retinal degenerative disease.”

Engbretson told Weiss something he never forgot—that choosing an undergraduate program is like deciding whom to date in middle school. “It should be fun and feel important at the time, but it leads to bigger and better things in the long run,” Weiss recalls him saying.

At Syracuse, Weiss blurred the boundaries of professional and liberal arts learning. When not working in the Syracuse Biomaterials Institute (SBI), he could be found poring over books on statistics (his minor), playing trumpet in the marching and pep bands or studying multidrug tolerant infections in implant patients—the focus of his Honors Capstone project.

Recognition seemed to follow him everywhere, often in the form of scholarships and memberships in academic honor societies.

Cathryn Newton and Samuel Gorovitz

Cathryn Newton, professor of Earth and of Interdisciplinary Sciences, was an ardent early champion of his. “Alex’s creativity and incredible abilities of associative thinking are his hallmarks. He is quiet, funny, committed, insightful—in short, everything one would seek in a scientific colleague,” says the A&S Dean Emerita, who also is Senior Advisor to the Chancellor and Provost for Faculty Engagement.

Another proponent was Weiss’ senior thesis advisor, Jeremy Gilbert, then professor of biomaterials in ECS. Both logged hundreds of hours in SBI, studying how bacterial biofilms attached to metal surfaces and interacted with different electrochemical processes.

Weiss had an innate grasp of what they were doing—rare for an undergraduate, explains Gilbert, the newly appointed Hansjörg Wyss Endowed Chair for Regenerative Medicine at Clemson University. “Alex learned the methods that were required, including how to use an atomic force microscope to image and measure bacterial changes associated with the interactions. He was a pleasure to have in my lab.”

A highlight of their partnership was the Society for Biomaterials Annual Meeting and Exposition in Orlando, where Weiss presented his and Gilbert’s findings before a blue-ribbon audience of academic, healthcare, governmental and business professionals.

Was the Syracuse junior nervous? A little, but he did not show it. “Alex acquitted himself quite well. He was poised, focused and clear in his communication,” Gilbert adds.

Fate intervened during Weiss’ senior year, when he found out about the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Oxford-Cambridge Scholars Program. If selected, Weiss could spend two years in Oxford’s Nuffield Department of Medicine, followed by three years at the NIH campus in Bethesda—the largest biomedical research facility in the world.

“I told Professors Newton and Gorovitz about it, and they said I should ‘100-percent apply.’ The fellowship seemed like a pipe-dream,” he recalls.

Newton and Gorovitz worked closely with Weiss—meeting with him frequently, encouraging him to keep refining his application materials, urging him to be openly clear about his love of literature and of liberal education. They also arranged a mock panel interview, rounded out by Biology Professor John Russell, Gilbert and several ECS staffers. “It worked out, I guess,” Weiss says in a classic piece of understatement. “Shortly after graduation, I was on a plane to London.”

Weiss muses wistfully about life after Syracuse. At Oxford, he trained under Tipu Aziz, the Bangladeshi-born, British neurosurgeon, known for his innovative treatments for Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis and neuropathic pain. Aziz also founded the U.K.’s first functional neurosurgical unit dedicated to novel approaches to the surgical treatment of brain disorders.

“It was amazing to see his surgeries offer hope to patients battling Parkinson’s and to people wanting to walk again,” says Weiss, who worked with the renowned professor from 2012-14.

As the calendar flipped to 2015, Weiss returned stateside, spending the next three years with Judith Walters at NINDS. Walters is famous for many things, notably her studies of mechanisms in the brain that mediate dysfunctions associated with neurological diseases and disorders.

She says Weiss’s academic grooming, particularly in BMI and deep brain stimulation (in which implanted electrodes help the brain control body movements), was a boon to her research into Parkinson’s disease.

Judith Walters (Photo by Ernie Branson)

“Alex has a combination of skill sets that make him popular on the job circuit,” notes Walters, senior investigator and chief of NINDS’ Neurophysiological Pharmacology Section. “He is experienced with engineering-related tasks, rodent and human neurophysiology, behavioral studies, rodent neurosurgery and complex techniques for data analysis. These qualities enable him to investigate changes in brain function in a range of neurological disorders.”

Weiss’ soft skills are equally commendable. Walters says his “good-natured collegiality” made him popular among trainees and summer students. “He was one of my lab’s best mentors. He was kind and understanding, but also politically astute,” she says, noting his gift for a well-placed joke or piece of advice. “I look forward to hearing great things about him in the future.”

Weiss capped off his NINDS experience with a five-month postdoctoral fellowship, following graduation from Exeter in April.

Admittedly, having a “piece of paper” from one of the oldest, most respected colleges in the world (Exeter is more than 700 years old) is “pretty terrific,” Weiss says, but he would not have gotten it without his Syracuse education.

“What I accomplished at SU—combining my knowledge of engineering and statistics with a burgeoning interest in neuroscience—laid the groundwork for what I do today at Johns Hopkins,” says Weiss, who resides in the Capital Beltway community of Silver Spring. “Just as importantly, Syracuse instilled in me an entrepreneurial spirit—the desire to find creative solutions to tough problems.”

Weiss considers intellectual entrepreneurship more than an occupation; it is an attitude, a way of life for him. He credits his Syracuse professors, especially those in A&S and ECS, for teaching him the value of hard work; grit; and wide-ranging, associative, creative thinking.

“Sometimes, the best ideas are the craziest ones, but you have to start somewhere—to be willing to make mistakes or fail,” says Weiss, citing the concept of risk and reward. “I am reminded of this almost daily in Baltimore, which, with its proximity to Washington, D.C., and with Johns Hopkins’ commercial arm [JHU Technology Ventures], is filled with smart people with incredible ideas.”

Perhaps what Weiss is doing at JHU—and has undertaken thus far at Syracuse and Oxford—affirms the Norman Doidge adage that “we see with our brains, not our eyes.”

In a final nod to that psychological mentor, Weiss says, “The same intelligence that allows us to worry and anticipate negative outcomes allows us to plan, hope and dream.”

Without missing a beat, he adds, “It’s important to keep our head in the game.”

Sareta Gladson

Sareta Gladson, a freshman aerospace engineering major in the from San Pedro, California, and a member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program, was recently named a recipient of a Science, Mathematics and Research for Transformation (SMART) Scholarship from the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD). The award will fully fund her tuition for her remaining years of college; provide her with an annual stipend of $25,000; provide her with mentorship through a DoD sponsoring facility; guarantee summer internships at a DoD-connected institution every year she is an undergraduate; and guarantee her employment placement within the DoD or at a DoD-connected institution after graduation.��Gladson will be required to work for the DoD for at least four years as part of the conditions of the award. She answered some questions about her studies and the scholarship.

A group of 122 seniors in the Renée Crown University Honors Program will present their capstone projects on Wednesday, May 2, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Hall of Languages.

The presentation panels will run concurrently in 11 rooms throughout the building, except during lunch (noon-1 p.m.), and are free and open to the University community.

Capstone projects are the culmination of three to four semesters of independent research, professional and creative work by students from across the schools and colleges of the University. Working with a faculty advisor, the students design, research and complete a significant project in their major field of study.

Among the topics that students are presenting on this year are mass communications and cultivation theory; Better, a digital mental health and wellness magazine; Meštrović’s “Moses” and public Holocaust remembrance; project management education; blockchain and supply chain; branding and web design for preschools; the low mandible maneuver and its effects on aerodynamic and acoustic measures; the role of social media in the 2014 Ukrainian revolution; and the history, politics and memory of My Lai, 1968-2018. The projects range from work developed in scientific labs; to creative projects including magazines, screenplays and films; to architectural theses; to research and analysis representing a wide range of disciplines and methodologies..

Formats for the 15-20 minute presentations will include slide shows, websites, illustrations, films, readings and performance. Many of the students will also present or publish the results of their undergraduate research work at national and international conferences or in publications.

The Honors Capstone Presentation Day schedule is available at�� .

Danielle Schaf

Danielle Schaf, a junior majoring in anthropology in the and the and in forensic science and writing and rhetoric in Arts and Sciences and a member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program, is a recipient of a 2018 Beinecke Scholarship. She is one of just 18 students awarded the Beinecke Scholarship for 2018. The Beinecke Scholarship Program��was established in 1971 by the Board of Directors of the Sperry and Hutchinson Co. to honor Edwin, Frederick and Walter Beinecke. The program encourages and enables highly motivated students of exceptional promise to pursue opportunities available to them and to be courageous in the selection of a graduate course of study in the arts, humanities and social sciences.

Abigail Covington and Danielle Schaf have been named Senior Class Marshals for the Class of 2019 by the Division of Enrollment and the Student Experience, which oversees the selection process. Covington and Schaf will lead the Class of 2019 and carry their class banner to open Syracuse University’s 165^th Commencement ceremony.

Junior Hendrik Hilpert has been named Senior Class Marshal alternate. Hilpert is a finance major in the Martin J. Whitman School of Management and an economics major in the College of Arts and Sciences and the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs. He is also a student-athlete on the men’s soccer team and has earned numerous athletic and academic honors.

The longstanding tradition recognizes seniors who exemplify the academic achievement, campus and community involvement, and spirit of their class. In addition to leading their class at Commencement, the selected students will spend their senior year participating in and representing the graduating class at University-wide events and programs.

“The Senior Class Marshals embody the values of Syracuse University through their Orange spirit, academic and research experiences, leadership on campus, and commitment to service. They are exemplary students who thrive in their experiences and serve as role models for other students. Abigail and Danielle are well-deserving of this honor,” says Colleen O’Connor Bench, associate vice president in Enrollment and the Student Experience and chair of the selection committee.

Abigail Covington

Covington, from Bowie, Maryland, is a writing studies, rhetoric and composition major in the , with minors in public communications and information technology, design and startups. Earning Dean’s List honors every semester, Covington has earned recognition for her academic achievement and leadership as evidenced by her designations as a Benjamin A. Gilman Scholar, Emma Bowen Foundation Scholar, Ronald E. McNair Scholar, and Ruby Helen Henry and Marion A. Goodwin Our Time Has Come Scholar.

Abigail Covington

In addition to her academic achievements, Covington has applied her studies and skills to robust internship experiences. She has served as an energy and transportation intern and integrated advocacy and multicultural intern with Edelman, a social media intern with the Office of Multicultural Affairs, and a policy and advocacy intern with The Women’s Collective.

Covington has also held leadership roles in numerous student organizations, including vice president of internal affairs in the Black Leadership Network and co-chair of programming for Empowering Minds. In addition, Covington is a contributing writer with Femme Noire, mentor with Straighten Your Crown, member of the National Black Law Students Association, and member of the WellsLink Leadership Program. Her achievement and involvement also earned her the WellsLink Student of the Year award as a first-year student in the program.

Extending beyond her Syracuse University experience, Covington is also the founder and program director of the Madeira Black Alumnae Network: Sankofa, an alumna group she launched to sustain relationships of black students from The Madeira School.

Helping to make connections and serving others is something Covington is passionate about, exemplified by her motives for applying and serving as a Senior Class Marshal. When reflecting on what she is most looking forward to, Covington expressed serving fellow students and connecting with University leadership to share the student experience as main priorities.

“We are the truth-seekers, the ambitious academics, who are looking to gain something after our brief time on campus. We want to effectively change the world through the programs and research we participate in during our college years, but we need help along that journey,” says Covington. “We need the right student services and listening ears to hear and empathize with our concerns. We need voices that champion us when we win and help pick us up when we stumble. This position provides me with a platform to contribute to that student support system and uplift our campus to a new level of efficacy and success.”

Danielle Schaf

From Shelby, Nebraska, Schaf is a triple major in the College of Arts and Sciences and the , majoring in anthropology, forensic science and writing studies, rhetoric and composition. Schaf is also in the and has earned Dean’s List honors every semester.

Danielle Schaf (Photo by Susan Kahn)

Schaf’s academic experience has been greatly shaped by research opportunities.�� She has presented research on effects of labor therapy at the 19th-century Oneida County Asylum at the Bioarchaeologists’ Northeast Region Dialogue and served as a historical bioarchaeological researcher in the Physical Anthropology Lab performing osteological analyses on skeletal remains. She was also one of six students from the United States to be selected for the UK Fulbright Durham University Summer Institute, where she explored culture, history and heritage of the United Kingdom and studied archeology and medieval history.

On campus, her experience has spanned leadership roles in Residence Life as a resident advisor for the Science, Technology, and Math Learning Community, an executive board member of the College of Arts and Sciences’ Dean’s Team, co-captain of the women’s club volleyball team and co-president of the Undergraduate Anthropology Club. Schaf is also an active volunteer. She volunteers with University United Methodist Church and Eastern Hills Bible Church, as well as with Camp Kesem, a yearlong support system and summer camp for children who have been affected by a parent’s cancer.

Schaf credits her achievement and involvement to the people and experiences that have shaped her, and she hopes to do the same for others in her role as Senior Class Marshal. Always striving to leave a place better than when she came, Schaf looks forward to spending the next year further promoting inclusive communities and reciprocating the love, encouragement, support, guidance and care that she has received.

“I am excited to have the opportunity to meet and work with some of the best individuals that Syracuse has to offer. The people here are extraordinary; they have shaped me into the woman I am today and have brought out the best version of myself,” says Schaf. “I am looking forward to extending my reach on campus, which will provide me with the opportunity to form more relationships with people than I ever thought I could. I’m also looking forward to using this role to leave a positive impact; giving back all what SU has willingly given me.”

“Human books” representing a wide range of cultural backgrounds and life experiences will share their stories in conversation with individual “readers” during the Human Library event.

The Syracuse University Libraries will host the fifth annual Human Library event on Wednesday, April 11, from noon to 5 p.m. in Bird Library. “Human books” representing a wide range of cultural backgrounds and life experiences will share their stories in conversation with individual “readers.” The event is intended to create a positive space for dialogues on challenging topics, to break down stereotypes and to celebrate diversity within our community.

Human books—SU faculty, staff and students from a variety of campus departments and programs as well as others from the local community—will engage in one-on-one or small group conversations for 20 minutes at a time. Human books will share their experiences on a wide variety of topics, including immigration, homelessness, asexuality and queer identity, mental illness, life in law enforcement, reconciling faith and reason, and social justice.

The event is offered in partnership with the Blackstone LaunchPad at Syracuse University, the Center for Learning and Student Success (CLASS), Hendricks Chapel, the Office of Learning Communities, the Library and Information Science Student Association (LISSA) at the School of Information Studies, the Office of Multicultural Affairs, the Office of Veteran and Military Affairs, Renee Crown University Honors Program, and the Slutzker Center for International Services.

The Human Library is open to the campus community and no preregistration is required. However, participants can reserve a book in advance for a specific time, if desired, by completing the form on this page: . If you have difficulties using this form or wish to sign up via email, please contact askasowi@syr.edu or tanantac@syr.edu.

SU’s Human Library event is one of several similar events taking place during National Library Week (April 8-14), supported by the Central NY Library Resources Council. The first Human Library program was held in 2000 in Copenhagen, Denmark (see ). Since then, similar events have been organized in libraries, schools and other institutions around the world.

For more information, see .

University Scholars will represent the entire graduating class at the May 13 Commencement ceremony. On Wednesday, May 9, the scholars will be honored at a reception at the Chancellor’s house hosted by Chancellor Kent Syverud and Dr. Ruth Chen, at which they will receive special medallions to be worn at Commencement. The scholars will also be honored at the One University awards ceremony on Friday, April 20, at Hendricks Chapel.

The Syracuse University Scholars Selection Committee, a Universitywide faculty committee, selected the 2018 scholars using criteria that included coursework and academic achievement, independent research and creative work, evidence of intellectual growth and/or innovation in their disciplinary field, a personal statement and faculty letters of recommendation.

The 2018 Syracuse University Scholars are:

• Michael Aiduk, College of Arts and Sciences, Renée Crown University Honors Program;
• Jordan Barrett, College of Arts and Sciences, Renée Crown University Honors Program;
• Fanta Drame, David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics;
• Katie Duggan, College of Engineering and Computer Science;
• Jacob Gedetsis, S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, College of Arts and Sciences;
• Caitlin Harrison, College of Arts and Sciences, Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, Renée Crown University Honors Program;
• Joshua McMaster, College of Visual and Performing Arts;
• Jacqueline Page, S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, College of Arts and Sciences, Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, Renée Crown University Honors Program;
• Justine Paul, College of Engineering and Computer Science;
• Sarah Ritchey, School of Architecture;
• Elen Safarian, College of Arts and Sciences, Renée Crown University Honors Program; and
• Danika Van Niel, College of Arts and Sciences, Renée Crown University Honors Program.

About Syracuse University

Syracuse University is a private, international research university with distinctive academics, diversely unique offerings and an undeniable spirit. Located in the geographic heart of New York State, with a global footprint, and nearly 150 years of history, Syracuse University offers a quintessential college experience. The scope of Syracuse University is a testament to its strengths: a pioneering history dating back to 1870; a choice of more than 200 majors and 100 minors offered through 13 schools and colleges; nearly 15,000 undergraduates and 5,000 graduate students; more than a quarter of a million alumni in 160 countries; and a student population from all 50 U.S. states and 123 countries. For more information, please visit www.syracuse.edu.

Garet Bleir

Three months of research and countless interviews led to a series of articles Bleir produced for Intercontinental Cry, an indigenous peoples’ magazine that first made the assignment, and Toward Freedom, an analytical news publication.

“I investigated the health risks of mining, explored the ongoing and emerging efforts by local activists and legislators to safeguard America’s most iconic natural landscape and documented the cultural patrimony of indigenous stakeholders in the region,” says Bleir, a member of the .

His work was a personal achievement and also garnered attention online through social media—and on campus in the Honors Program, which funded his research travel with a Crown Award last fall.

Bleir was one of 15 honors students awarded funding for their capstone work to help them further pursue even more ambitious and in-depth projects.

The honors capstone project is a two-year research, creative or professional thesis in the student’s major and is guided by a faculty mentor.

The Crown Awards, which are up to $5,000, provide reimbursement for research materials, supplies and expenses; research travel; and other expenses. Students are also funded through Lynne Parker awards for women in science and Wise-Marcus 50-Year Friendship award for creative work.

The award winners are chosen by a selection committee of honors core faculty members. Students submit a formal proposal, timeline and budget, as well as a letter of recommendation from their faculty mentor. Through the application process, students learn how to argue on behalf of their work and budget anticipated costs.

“It is always uplifting to read these applications and see both the breadth of work and seriousness with which our students are taking their role in research this early in their careers,” says Sinéad Mac Namara, associate professor in the and in the and honors core faculty member. “This funding helps them take their research and exploration to another level of discovery and impact.”

Elizabeth Johnson ’18 is using her funding to support her thesis work in the School of Architecture on adaptive reuse—reconfiguring an older building so that its function is something different.

Elizabeth Johnson at the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa in South Africa. Photo by Birani Nyanat

“My capstone project is about using preservation in design practices in order to question the existence of obsolescence, and implementing sustainable ideas of successive authorship, longevity and value of heritage in contemporary culture,” Johnson says.

Johnson became interested in adaptive reuse after working on a competition—the Clandon Park Competition in the United Kingdom—while she was an intern at Selldorf Architects in New York City. The competition involved reimagining an 18th-century Palladian house and surrounding landscape.

With her capstone project, Johnson hopes to expand her knowledge of adaptive reuse while preserving cultural heritage within the broader scope of architecture.

The Crown funding allowed her to travel to Cape Town, South Africa, to study the newly opened Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa.

“While at the site I was able to rethink my thesis and learn from people on the site about the adaptive reuse of a massive grain storage silo as well as the redevelopment of the surrounding Cape Town waterfront,” says Johnson, who will use the rest of the funds to build models and drawings for her final project. “Funding from the Honors Program has enabled me to design and develop an exquisite representation of ‘Contemporary Preservation’ and showcase my work in the School of Architecture.”

After graduation, Johnson plans to pursue a position in architecture and work toward licensure as an architect before eventually applying to graduate school.

Bleir, who is majoring in magazine journalism and marketing management, used his funding to mitigate travel costs. He reported on various communities regarding the impact of Energy Fuels Resources (EFR), the company that owns a uranium mine, including mill workers struggling for a living in Blanding, Utah; the Havasupai Tribe, whose main water source lies beneath one of EFR’s newly active mines and is in danger of contamination; and the Ute Mesa Ute Tribe, located south of EFR’s White Mesa Mill, whose members have been exposed to significant amounts of the mill’s radon emissions.

Havasu Falls in the Havasupai Reservation in Arizona. Photo by Garet Bleir

Bleir spoke with many individuals, including representatives from the Environmental Protection Agency, Arizona Department of Environmental Quality, U.S. Forest Service, Haul No!, Dine No Nukes, the Sierra Club, U.S. Geological Survey, the president of EFR and other EFR employees; leaders from the Ute Mountain Ute, Havasupai, Navajo and Hopi communities; scientists; state and local politicians; and organizations working to protect the Grand Canyon.

Bleir says his work served as a catalyst for the Sierra Club’s continued investigation into the uranium mines, and the piece he co-wrote with the editor promoting the series and published on Intercontinental Cry was featured on Truth-Out.org.

“Through this project, I seek to communicate to the public how different communities navigate economic issues, environmental racism and a shared love of the land that surrounds them,” says Bleir.

Along with being posted online on Intercontinental Cry, the stories can be accessed through Bleir’s Instagram page (@GaretBleir), and his Facebook page (Garet Bleir Journalism).

Monument Valley in the Navajo Nation. Photo by Garet Bleir

After graduation, Bleir will be working as an investigative reporter looking into hate crimes, hate groups and the victims of those crimes through a fellowship at Arizona State University under the previous executive editor of The Washington Post.

“Being chosen as a Crown Scholar is an honor to me and has helped me to tell stories which otherwise may have gone unheard,” Bleir says. “These reporting experiences have impacted my life and informed my future career aspirations.”

The following is a list of the Renée Crown University Honors Program students who were presented with a Crown Award in fall 2017 and spring 2018:

Fall 2017

• Daniel Asoli, architecture: Urban Design of Midtown East Architecture (Advisor: Richard Rosa)
• Garet Bleir, magazine journalism and marketing management in the and the : Uranium Mining in the Grand Canyon Region (Advisor: Melissa Chessher)
• Patrick Castle, biotechnology in the : Analysis of Enzyme Activity Levels in Unfertilized, Fertilized, and Parthenogenetically Activated Sea Urchin Eggs (Advisor: Robert Silver)
• Grace Crummett, television, radio, film and English textual studies in the Newhouse School and the College of Art and Sciences: “Frankie’s Monster”: A Short Film Based on Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein” (Advisor: Joseph Comstock)
• Katherine Czerwinski, magazine in the Newhouse School: Better Magazine: A Mental Wellness Magazine for College Women (Advisor: Harriet Brown)
• Jackie Homan, magazine in the Newhouse School: Lightbulb Moments: The Power of Women’s Ideas in the Changing Media Industry (Advisor: Melissa Chessher)
• Elizabeth Johnson, architecture: Preservation and Adaptive Reuse (Advisor: Mitesh Dixit)
• Madelyn Kelly, transmedia in the : Two-dimensional, Computer Animated Short Film (Advisor: Owen Shapiro)
• Thomas Kuei, architecture: Architectural Representation and Design (Advisor: Jonathan Louie)
• Yejin Lee, information management and technology and supply chain management in the and the Whitman School: Blockchain: Rebuilding Traceability, Transparency and Trust (Advisor: Patrick Penfield)
• Amanda Liberty, architecture: Cultural and Physical Preservation of Venice’s Jewish Ghetto (Advisor: Molly Hunker)
• Margaret McCoy, biology in the College of Arts and Sciences: Part One: The Effects of KIT Signaling and Estrogen Deficiency on Meiotic Progression; Part Two: Oocyte Development and Ovarian Health in an Estrogen-Deficient Mouse Model Biology (Advisor: Melissa Pepling)
• Jacqueline Page, television, radio, film and international relations in the Newhouse School and the : “KHORA: The Impact of Community in Crisis”: Documentary of KHORA Community Center (Advisor: Renee Stevens)
• Joeann Salvati, psychology and forensic science in the College of Arts and Sciences: Effects and Effectiveness of Confession-Eliciting Tactics in Simulated Interrogation (Advisor: Shannon Houck)
• Gregory Walsh, physics in the College of Arts and Sciences: A Statistical Analysis on Two Astrophysical Events (Advisor: Ryan Fisher)

Spring 2018

• Emily Bonner, biochemistry in the College of Arts and Sciences: The Ruthenium Catalyzed Alder Ene Reaction (Advisor: Nancy Totah)
• Madalyn Bozinski, chemical engineering and political science in the College of Engineering and Computer Science and the Maxwell School: Water Column Methylmercury Production in a Meromictic Lake: The Importance of Metalimnetic Biogeochemical Interactions (Advisor: Svetoslava Todorova)
• April Kessler, biology in the College of Arts and Sciences: Using Zebrafish to Test Chemical Toxicity (Advisor: Kate Lewis)
• Yongna Lei, biochemistry in the College of Arts and Sciences: Effects of ALS-Linked Mutations on the Liquid-Liquid Phase Separation Behavior of Ubiquilin-2 (Advisor: Carlos Castañeda); Lynne Parker Scholar
• Taylor Middleton, biology in the College of Arts and Sciences: Genetic and Environmental Controls on Seed Germination (Advisor: Jannice Friedman)
• Saniya More, broadcast and digital journalism in the Newhouse School: Living Among the Adivasis (Advisor: Suzanne Lysak); Wise-Marcus 50-Year Friendship Fund Award
• Martina Morris, biology in the College of Arts and Sciences: Using Zebrafish to Assess the Toxicity of Potential Pollutants Isolated from Onondaga Lake (Advisor: Kate Lewis)
• Camerin Ortiz, biology and neuroscience in the College of Arts and Sciences: Investigating the Role of Mecp2 in the Precise Laminar and Areal Development of the Neocortex (Advisor: Jessica MacDonald); Lynne Parker Scholar
• Lyla Rose-Barwick, television, radio and film in the Newhouse School: 911: The First First-Responders and America’s Unsung Heroes (Advisor: Michael Schoonmaker)
• Danielle Schaf, anthropology, forensic science, and writing and rhetoric in the College of Arts and Sciences and the Maxwell School: The Working Women: Examining Skeletal Evidence of Labor on the Pre-Famine Irish Women of the Huntington Collection (Advisor: Shannon Novak)
• Kelsey Scott, anthropology in the College of Arts and Sciences and the Maxwell School: Solidarity for Success: Building Social Capital and Community Resilience in St. Thomas, VI (Advisor: Douglas Armstrong)
• Rebecca Spraggins, political science in the College of Arts and Sciences and the Maxwell School: Is the Citizenship of Ex-Felons in Florida Dependent on the Restoration of their Voting Rights? (Advisor: Kristi Andersen)
• Anna Strait, international relations in the College of Arts and Sciences and Maxwell School: U.S. Militarism and Tourism Development in the Philippines (Advisor: Natalie Koch)
• Sabastine Udeme, biology in the College of Arts and Sciences: Testing Pathogen Resistance in Polyploid Plants (Advisor: Kari Segraves)
• Shatira Woods, psychology and neuroscience in the College of Arts and Sciences: Effectiveness of Police Lineup Procedures (Advisor: Michael Kalish)
• Angie Zhao, biology and forensic science in the College of Arts and Sciences: Modeling Stutter and Pull-up in DNA Analysis Profiling using GlobalFiler (Advisor: Michael Marciano)

Seniors in the Renée Crown University Honors Program will present their honors capstone projects on Wednesday, May 2, in the Hall of Languages. The presentation panels will run all day in 10 rooms throughout the building and are free and open to the University community. The schedule will be posted on the honors website, , in late April.

Capstone projects are the culmination of three to four semesters of independent research, professional and creative work by students from across the schools and colleges of the University. Working with a faculty advisor, the students design, research and complete a significant project in their major field of study.��

About Syracuse University

Syracuse University is a private, international research university with distinctive academics, diversely unique offerings and an��undeniable spirit. Located in the geographic , with a global footprint, and��, Syracuse University offers a quintessential college experience. The scope of Syracuse University is a testament to its strengths: a pioneering history dating back to 1870; a choice of more than 200 majors and 100 minors offered through 13 schools and colleges; nearly 15,000 undergraduates and 5,000 graduate students; more than a quarter of a million alumni in 160 countries; and a student population from all 50 U.S. states and 123 countries. For more information, please visit .

As a child growing up in rural Minnesota, Laura Marsolek ’13, G’17 was fascinated by small objects. She was always collecting stones and beads and imagining how she could turn them into beautiful works of art. Her parents encouraged her creativity—they created a studio complete with an old jeweler’s bench and enrolled her in a community art program, where she learned the art of metalsmithing from a Norwegian artisan. She was also encouraged in her artistic pursuits by her grandmother, an avid sewer.

That creative spirit and family support began Marsolek on a path that has wound its way through Japan, Syracuse University, Kosovo and Florence. Now, that path will run through Asia. Marsolek, an aspiring jewelry expert and museum curator, is Syracuse’s first Luce Scholar. The Luce Scholars Program is a nationally competitive fellowship program launched by the Henry Luce Foundation in 1974 to enhance the understanding of Asia among future leaders in American society. The program provides stipends, language training and individualized professional placement in Asia for 15-18 Luce Scholars each year. As a Luce Scholar, Marsolek will spend a year in Asia, beginning in late June, to study Asian jewelry traditions and curatorial practices. Her placement is still being determined.

An alumna of the ��and the and former participant in the , Marsolek is one of 18 Luce Scholars chosen from a pool of 162 candidates nominated by 73 colleges and universities across the United States. Syracuse University is allowed to nominate up to three candidates for each year’s Luce Scholars competition. Nomination is coordinated through the (CFSA).

Marsolek worked with theCFSA in preparing her application. She also worked with Terry Lautz, visiting professor in the and former vice president for the Luce Foundation, to prepare for her interview.

“Laura’s unusual combination of talents and interests as an accomplished art historian, artist and arts administrator/curator—and her clear focus on gaining experience in Asia—made her a great Luce candidate,” says Jolynn Parker, director of CFSA. “She started early and worked hard to polish her application materials and, after she was chosen as a finalist, to practice for her interview. We’re so thrilled that she has been selected as SU’s first Luce Scholar. The opportunity will certainly help her become a leader in jewelry history and arts curation.” As a high school student, Marsolek had the opportunity to study abroad in Japan, living with a host family and attending classes. There, she explored local heritage crafts such as pottery, calligraphy and ikebana. “While Japan does not have a significant jewelry tradition, I developed a great appreciation for other craft mediums, which, like jewelry, emphasize a respect for process and adherence to time-honored technique,” she says. “I came to see how craft is inextricably linked with cultural practice. Japanese craft left an impression on me and a desire to learn more about how craft is experienced in Asia, both in the studio and in a museum.”

Marsolek chose Syracuse as the place to pursue her undergraduate degree because it would allow her to pursue her dual passions in metalsmithing and art history. As an undergraduate, she made a connection with College of Arts and Sciences Board of Visitors member and alumna Mary Gilbert Palmer ’65, a Utah-based jewelry historian. Marsolek has watched Palmer at work in Rome, London and Utah, and their mentor-mentee relationship continues to this day.

After graduating with her bachelor’s degree in 2013, Marsolek embarked on a year of study and English teaching in Kosovo as a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant. In addition to teaching English, she found an apprenticeship in a filigree studio, where she learned and practiced this delicate form of metalwork. It was an experience Marsolek recounts with much fondness, recalling sharing Turkish coffee and singing Albanian songs with the filigree masters as she learned their craft. Her experience in Kosovo taught her a great deal about the intersections of different cultures and traditions, she says.

After her experience in Kosovo, Marsolek’s master’s degree work brought her back to Syracuse University. She enrolled in SU’s prestigious graduate program in Renaissance art, based in Florence. There, she undertook an independent research project on a wine fountain commissioned by Ferdinando de’ Medici for his wedding feast in 1589.

“This spectacular object came alive thanks to Laura’s patient and thorough examination of obscure documentation in the Florentine archives and her artistic sensitivity to the object’s design and facture,” writes Gary Radke, professor emeritus of art history and director emeritus of the Florence Graduate Program in Renaissance Art, in a nomination letter for the Luce Scholar Program. “Not content simply to appreciate the fountain’s beauty, she also reconstructed how it might have actually functioned, no small challenge when so few objects of this nature survive.” Marsolek completed her master’s degree in 2017 and currently lives in Florence, where she is a teaching assistant in abroad programs for Syracuse and for Stanford University and teaches English. She is also studying engraving in the Buccellati goldsmithing tradition.

During her year in Asia, Marsolek wants to explore ways in which curators approach challenges to educating visitors about the complexity of jewelry making and the variety of metal objects beyond body adornments—such as ceremonial vessels, religious statues and decorative objects. Marsolek is looking forward to returning to Asia, the place where her interest in exploring craft heritage was formed.

As the study of jewelry and art history can be Eurocentric, she is also looking forward to immersing herself in a different perspective. In Asia, Marsolek is eager to explore culturally specific techniques, what jewelry says about society and curatorial practices.

“I realize that in order to be a leader in the field of jewelry history, I need more exposure to Asian craft,” she says. “I want to return to Asia, the place that first inspired my interest in craft, to better understand the processes of its creation as well as the methods of its display within a museum.”

Dina Eldawy

They are Dina Eldawy of Pensacola, Florida, an international relations and citizenship and civic engagement major in the and the and a member of the ; and Crystal Letona of Los Angeles, a communications and rhetorical studies major in the and a policy studies major in the College of Arts and Sciences and the Maxwell School.

The Truman Scholarship is awarded to approximately 55-65 college juniors each year in recognition of community service, academic accomplishment and commitment to a career of public service.�� This year, 194 finalists were selected from more than 750 nominated by schools and colleges from around the country.

The Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation was created by Congress in 1975 to be the nation’s living memorial to President Harry S. Truman. Since its creation, the Truman award has become one of the most prestigious national scholarships in the United States. The scholarship seeks to fund students who possess the leadership skills, intellect and passion that will make them “change agents” for the public good in any field. Recipients receive $30,000 to fund up to three years of graduate education leading to a career in public service. Winners also benefit from a network of other scholars and the opportunity to participate in professional development programming to help prepare them for careers in public service leadership.

Both Eldawy and Letona worked with the Center for Fellowship and Scholarship Advising (CFSA) on their applications and in preparing for their interviews. Eldawy will interview on March 7 in Atlanta, and Letona will interview on March 18 in San Francisco.

“Dina and Crystal are extraordinary students and activists who are passionate about public service,” says Jolynn Parker, director of CFSA. “We’re so proud that they have been recognized as Truman Scholarship finalists. Being selected as a finalist is itself a tremendous honor in this competition.”

The Truman Scholarship would give Eldawy the opportunity to continue to do something she loves—serving others. “Truman provides an opportunity to pursue a career in public service,” she says. “Filling out the application in itself was an eye-opening experience that helped me understand what I am most passionate about and what I want to do in the future.”

Eldawy has moved several times and her life, and visited family in Egypt each summer. Because of these experiences, she understands current issues through a global and intersectional perspective. “While many differences separate people around the world, I know that one unifying factor is that there are people making positive changes globally and locally,��like in the Syracuse community, and I want to be one of those people,” she says.

Eldawy plans on making positive change in international development��missions and foreign aid, particularly in the Middle East, and wants to work on education initiatives, especially for youth and women in countries like Egypt. “I believe that empowering the people and fostering civil society, instead of funding military��governments,��will have a greater potential for peace-building in the Middle East.”

Crystal Letona

Letona applied for the Truman Scholarship because she wants to address the racial and class disparities in reproductive and sexual health, particularly among low-income women of color. “To do this, I plan to pursue a dual degree program in law and public policy or administration; eventually, I want to run for City Council of Los Angeles,” she says. “With the Truman Scholarship, I could focus and achieve my career goals without the financial burden.”

Growing up in a predominantly Latino community in Los Angeles with her single mother and sister, Letona says she never really considered a job in public service, especially because there weren’t many people who looked like her holding public office. She worked on Wendy Greuel’s campaign for mayor of Los Angeles, and was inspired by her efforts.

Letona has volunteered within the Syracuse community through different organizations on and off campus, such as Students Advocating for Sexual Safety and Empowerment (SASSE) and Planned Parenthood. “I knew, however, that volunteering was not enough, which is why I started thinking about how I could enact change through policies and legislation,” she says. During the summer of her freshman year, she interned in the Office of the Los Angeles City Attorney, working with the diverse residents of Los Angeles through community engagement and outreach.

“My public sector experiences, along with my time at Syracuse University, cemented my decision to pursue a career in public service,” Letona says.

Letona is extremely passionate about promoting sexual health, family planning and reproductive rights. “I come from a culture where not talking about our bodies and sex is the norm. Many people within my community do not have access to education about their sexual health and body. Latinos and other communities of color continue to face reproductive obstacles as a result of systematic barriers, including poverty, racism and lack of insurance,” she says. “I want to make comprehensive sex education and quality healthcare available to all women, especially Latinas within low-income communities, because they need the ability to exercise self-determination, including making decisions about their reproductive lives.”

The ��has named Danielle Taana Smith director of the .

Smith, who was selected after a national search, comes to Syracuse from the Rochester Institute of Technology, where she is a professor of sociology and director of the school’s honors program. Her initial term of appointment is five years, with a formal review at three years.

“Danielle will further distinguish the honors program as a key component of advancing the University’s academic goals,” says Dean Karin Ruhlandt of the College of Arts and Sciences, which houses and administers the Universitywide program. “She has an impressive record of success as a scholar, teacher and administrator, and she has an obvious passion for challenging and inspiring students to strive for intellectual excellence. She is going to be a tremendous asset to an already strong program, and I look forward to working with her to make it even stronger.”

As director of the Honors Program, Smith will hold responsibility for all aspects of the program, including advancing its core values and mission, representing the program to internal and external constituencies, building positive and productive cross-campus relationships, chairing the program’s core faculty, overseeing staff and budgets, and teaching in the program. She also will hold a faculty appointment as professor in the Department of African American Studies.

Smith, whose areas of expertise include gender studies, population studies and global health and development, among others, joined the RIT faculty in 2003, and she has directed the honors program since 2009. In that capacity, she led several initiatives to advance the program and expand its impact, including establishing a comprehensive academic curriculum for the honors program and organizing an Honors Curriculum Committee to ensure that the program was sufficiently rigorous. She also advanced measures to enhance diversity within the honors program, including leading collaborations with the Multicultural Center for Academic Success and McNair Scholars Program and initiating National Technical Institute for the Deaf representation in the program. In 2016, she organized the first Honors Program Undergraduate Research Symposium. From 2008-2009, Smith also served as coordinator for RIT’s Urban and Community Studies Degree Program.

“In order for our students to succeed in today’s competitive, globalizing world, institutions of higher learning must ensure that they acquire core competencies and mastery of their respective fields of study,” Smith says. “They must also gain familiarity with broader areas of inquiry, particularly in the humanities and social sciences. After graduation and leaving the halls of their alma maters, they are then well-rounded, global citizens, who understand their responsibilities to push boundaries for the improvement of their communities, countries and the world at large. I believe that the Renée Crown University Honors Program is well-suited to lead in these endeavors. I look forward to the challenges ahead and to working with University partners and the larger Syracuse community.”

Among other honors and awards, Smith in 2016 was named an ERASMUS+ Exchange Scholar, Faculty of Pedagogy and Social Work, at Liepaja University in Latvia. She is a member of numerous professional organizations, including the American Anthropological Association and the American Sociological Association.

Smith earned a Ph.D. in sociology from University of South Carolina; an MBA from Saint Martin’s College, in Lacey, Washington; and a B.A. in Russian Studies from Dartmouth College, Hanover, N.H.

The Honors Program is named for Renée Schine Crown ’50, H’84, a civic leader and philanthropist, member of the A&S Board of Visitors, and member emerita of the University’s Board of Trustees.

About Syracuse University

Founded��in 1870, Syracuse University is a private international research university��dedicated to advancing knowledge and fostering student success through teaching��excellence,��rigorous scholarship and interdisciplinary research. Comprising 11��academic schools and colleges, the University has a long legacy of excellence��in the liberal arts, sciences and��professional disciplines that prepares��students for the complex challenges and emerging opportunities of a rapidly��changing world. Students enjoy the resources of a 270-acre main��campus and��extended campus venues in major national metropolitan hubs and across three��continents. Syracuse’s student body is among the most diverse for an��institution of its��kind across multiple dimensions, and students typically represent��all 50 states and more than 100 countries. Syracuse also has a long legacy of��supporting veterans and is home to��the nationally recognized Institute for��Veterans and Military Families, the first university-based institute in the��U.S. focused on addressing the unique needs of veterans and their��families.

Matilda Joslyn Gage (Wikimedia Commons)

In 1868, a young domestic worker in Philadelphia named Hester Vaughn made headlines for allegedly murdering her newborn infant. Never mind that Vaughn’s employer raped and then fired her after finding out she was carrying his child. Vaughn had no choice but to give birth alone in an unheated rented room, where police found the teenager critically ill with her dead child beside her. Worried about the growing rate of infanticide, the judge decided to make an example of Vaughn, and sentenced her to the gallows.

Among the people who took up Vaughn’s cause were women’s rights leaders Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton, who argued that the accused had not received a fair trial. (The all-male jury likely was a giveaway.) Stanton, in fact, supported the Working Women’s Association (WWA), which sent Clemence Lozier—one of the nation’s first women doctors and a graduate of the now-defunct Syracuse Medical College—to investigate Vaughn. Afterward, Lozier called a mass meeting, demanding, among other things, Vaughn’s acquittal and an end to capital punishment. The governor eventually pardoned Vaughn, who, by then, was a symbol of the burgeoning women’s rights movement—and an indictment of sustained patriarchy.

Persis Parshall Vehar

“Long before Harvey Weinstein or the #MeToo movement, there was Hester Vaughn, whose case reflected the institutionalization of rape in the United States,” says Sally Roesch Wagner, founder/director of the Matilda Joslyn Gage Foundation in Fayetteville, New York, and an adjunct professor in the College of Arts and Sciences (A&S). “The WWA, along with Anthony and Stanton, showed that, when women organized their efforts, they could do things that were virtually impossible on their own.”

Some argue that Anthony and Stanton would have gotten nowhere without the efforts of the aforementioned Gage. A native of Cicero, New York, Gage was a seasoned journalist, editor and feminist historian, who specialized in the plight of women since the advent of Christianity. Her complicated relationship with Anthony and Stanton—from the trio’s fateful meeting in 1852 to their public falling out in 1890—is the basis of a new opera titled “Pushed Aside: Reclaiming Gage,” by Ithaca-based composer Persis Parshall Vehar.

Commissioned by the Society for New Music (SNM), “Pushed Aside” premieres on Sunday, Jan. 21, at 4 p.m. in The OnCenter’s Carrier Theater (800 S. State St., Syracuse). Tickets are $15 for adults and $12 for students and seniors, and are available by visiting or calling 315.251.1151.

For more information, including a study guide about the opera, log onto .

SNM Program Advisor Neva Pilgrim produced the two-act opera, made possible by New York State’s Regional Economic Development Council initiative and the Central New York Community Foundation.

The premiere is part of a spate of events that marks the centennial of women’s suffrage in New York State in 2017 and continues until 2020, with the centennial of the ratification of the 19th Amendement.

L-R: Mezzo-soprano Danan Tsan (Matilda Joslyn Gage), soprano Laura Enslin (Elizabeth Cady Stanton), bass Gregory Sheppard ’00 (Frederick Douglass) and soprano Juliane Price (Susan B. Anthony)

“Gage, Anthony and Stanton formed a triumvirate of early women’s suffragists,” says Wagner, a nationally recognized lecturer, author and performance interpreter of women’s rights history who teaches in the Renée Crown University Honors Program. “The title is fitting because Gage fought for others who had been ‘pushed aside,’ notably African Americans and Native Americans. In the end, she was ‘pushed aside’ by members of her own movement—and right out of the history books. The time is ripe for her reappraisal.”

Vehar echoes these sentiments, explaining that the current culture of fighting back against sexual assault has been hundreds of years in the making. “Years ago, when I was teaching at the Crane School of Music [at SUNY Potsdam], one of my female students said that the demise of opera was due, in part, to women being portrayed as either ‘angels’ or ‘whores,’ but always as ‘victims,’” she says. “This student couldn’t identify with the portrayal of women in opera, and nor could I. I’m sure Matilda Joslyn Gage didn’t, as well.”

“Pushed Aside” marks Vehar’s eighth fully staged opera and second partnership with SNM, which has been commissioning, presenting and performing new music throughout Central New York since 1971.

SNM also commissioned Vehar to write the 2011 opera “Eleanor Roosevelt,” produced by Pilgrim and based on a book and play by the late A&S visiting professor Rhoda Lerman.

“Pushed Aside” is the fourth collaboration between Vehar and her daughter Gabrielle, an accomplished librettist. While Vehar is proud of the familial connection, she treats Gabrielle more like a colleague than a daughter—at least in this context. “I look for someone who knows how to write; has a professional knowledge of drama and dance; and is familiar with music, especially opera,” says Vehar, who has more than 300 works to her name. “Gabrielle’s qualifications fit these criteria, and that’s why I enjoy working with her.”

The mother-daughter team is not the only highlight of this mostly female production. Almost everyone onstage—and in the original story—has ties to Central New York, including mezzo-soprano Danan Tsan (Gage) and soprano Juliane Price (Anthony). Soprano Laura Enslin (Stanton) teaches voice in the Musical Theater Program in the College of Visual and Performing Arts (VPA)’s Department of Drama and in jazz and commercial music in VPA’s Setnor School of Music.

Other VPA affiliations are singers Julia Ebner ’04 (Maud Gage Baum), Jonathan Howell ’18 (Isaac Thomas) and Greggory Sheppard ’00 (Frederick Douglass) and pianist Sar-Shalom Strong G’98.

Pilgrim notes that Gage helped shape the utopian feminist vision of L. Frank Baum, author of “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz,” who was married to her daughter Maud.

“This opera is mostly by and about women,” she says, pointing out that the production’s conductor and director—Heather Buchman and Victoria King, respectively—also are women. “The focus, however, is on Matilda Joslyn Gage, who believed that all freedom struggles are equal and interconnected.”

Heather Buchman

A frequent conductor and trombonist for SNM, Buchman says the score is driven by the text and ideas expressed by the main characters. “The opera reminds me of Poulenc’s ‘Dialogues of the Carmelites,’ in that it focuses on women thinking about and grappling with deep philosophical and moral issues and principles in the face of what’s going on around them,” says Buchman, professor and chair of music at Hamilton College. “The accent of American English and its rhythmic character gives the music its particular character. The ideas expressed are, thus, crucial to get out in the performance.”

“Pushed Aside” opens in 1901 in Fayetteville Cemetery in New York, where Frank and Maud Baum are visiting Gage’s gravesite, recalling her disapproval of their engagement decades earlier.

The action switches to Gage’s home in Fayetteville, where 26-year-old Matilda has returned from delivering her first speech at the National Women’s Rights Convention in Downtown Syracuse. Also making her speaking debut has been Anthony, a Rochester native who had joined the women’s movement with Gage in 1852.

A photo of the Matilda Joslyn Gage House in Fayetteville, New York, taken by L. Frank Baum, son-in-law of Gage and author of “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.” (Matilda Joslyn Gage Foundation)

With Anthony and Stanton (who helped organized the Seneca Falls Convention in 1848), Gage forms the third of the National Woman Suffrage Association (NWSA) triumvirate. Together, they produce a remarkable body of literature, including a “Declaration of Rights of the Women of the United States” (1876) and the first three of the six-volume “History of Woman Suffrage” (1881-1922). Among the trio’s demands are ownership of their own wages and the right to act as free agents, without relying on husbands, fathers or male relatives to speak for them.

“Initially, all three got along with one another, and were at the forefront of the early struggle for women’s rights,” Wagner explains. “Over time, their roles began to change and become more defined. Gage and Stanton were the theorists. Anthony was the activist.”

Toward the end of Act I, Gage turns her attention to the Civil War. She becomes an enthusiastic supporter of runaway slaves and Union soldiers, encouraging them to let liberty be their “watch-word and war-cry alike.” Gage also helps persuade President Lincoln to publicly admit the war is about ending slavery, not preserving the Union.

“When the women’s movement emerged in the 1830s and ’40s, it was a radical movement, which criticized both church and state,” says Carol Faulkner, an associate dean and a professor of history in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs. “After the Civil War, as activists became more focused on the question of suffrage, they created coalitions within a broad array of women, temperance activists and white Southerners, who were more conservative on matters of religion and race. As a result, the suffrage movement lost some of its radicalism and some of its radicals, including Gage.”

These differences become more pronounced in Act II, which follows the second half of the trio’s relationship—a prolific, yet turbulent period, spanning from the 1870s to the 1890s. A top officer in the NWSA, Gage fights assiduously for women’s and civil rights. She also enmeshes herself in treaty rights and tribal sovereignty, leading to an honorary adoption into the Wolf Clan of the Haudenosaunee’s Mohawk Nation.

“Like Gage, African American and Native American women were concerned with issues of racial violence, survival, war, disenfranchisement and dislocation,” Faulkner says. “Although these groups have been written out of suffrage history, it does not mean that they weren’t there. … With Native Americans, Gage had a more universalist vision of rights that grew, in part, out of a sense of place—her home in Central New York—and her related interest in the matrilineality of Native Americans.”

Discouraged by the slow pace of suffrage efforts and the fast-growing conservative religious movement (whose ultimate goal is to form a Christian state), Gage creates the Women’s National Liberal Union in 1890. Her goal? To stop the unification of church and state. She reiterates her views in the aptly titled “Woman, Church and State” (1893), which all but severs ties with her NWSA sisters.

Stanton (left) and Anthony, c. 1900 (Wikimedia Commons)

“Anthony wanted to align with Christian women’s groups, but Gage and Stanton [who co-wrote the Women’s Bible in 1895-98] did not,” says Tsan, a frequent soloist with Symphoria and Syracuse Opera, who teaches voice at Le Moyne College. “Gage felt Christianity had oppressed women and reinforced patriarchal systems. She was deliberately written out of the history books after her death in 1898, as the suffrage movement became increasingly conservative.”

Vehar says Gage never lost sight of the “larger picture”—something that, in the short term, led to her undoing, but ultimately transformed Central New York into a hub of free thought and radical activism. “She knew that, to paraphrase Aristotle, inequality brings instability,” Vehar says. “Matilda Joslyn Gage practiced and taught respect for men and women of all races, nationalities and religions. No one should be pushed aside.”

The opera ends as it begins—in Fayetteville Cemetery, with Frank and Maud Baum reflecting on the many ways in which Gage inspired them and millions others.

Buchman, for one, is “blown away” by the timeliness and relevance of the subject matter. “The parallels between the three women speaking out about no longer being silenced and today’s #MeToo era—the Silence Breakers—are uncanny,” she says. “This fight for true equality, this national conversation, is every bit as much with us today as it was then.”

Tsan agrees: “Women still have to fight to not be grabbed by the [expletive] by the president of the United States.”

About Syracuse University

Founded��in 1870, Syracuse University is a private international research university��dedicated to advancing knowledge and fostering student success through teaching��excellence,��rigorous scholarship and interdisciplinary research. Comprising 11��academic schools and colleges, the University has a long legacy of excellence��in the liberal arts, sciences and��professional disciplines that prepares��students for the complex challenges and emerging opportunities of a rapidly��changing world. Students enjoy the resources of a 270-acre main��campus and��extended campus venues in major national metropolitan hubs and across three��continents. Syracuse’s student body is among the most diverse for an��institution of its��kind across multiple dimensions, and students typically represent��all 50 states and more than 100 countries. Syracuse also has a long legacy of��supporting veterans and is home to��the nationally recognized Institute for��Veterans and Military Families, the first university-based institute in the��U.S. focused on addressing the unique needs of veterans and their��families.

The finalists are��, professor of civil and environmental engineering in the and interim director of the Honors Program at Syracuse, and��, professor of sociology and director of the Honors Program at the Rochester Institute of Technology.

Each candidate recently presented at an on-campus forum, videos of which are available online. Students, faculty, staff and alumni are encouraged to view the videos and then send constructive feedback and critiques to��honorssearch@syr.edu. The deadline for feedback is noon on Thursday, Dec. 14. For more information, contact the Dean’s Office in the (A&S) at 315.443.3949.

Click����for Johnson’s presentation.

Click����for Smith’s presentation.

“Ultimately, we want a seasoned leader whose work and vision align with our institutional values,” says Karin Ruhlandt, dean of A&S and Distinguished Professor of Chemistry. “Timely and specific feedback about each finalist is vital to the search process.”

Based in A&S, Honors is an all-University program named for��, a civic leader and philanthropist who is a member of the A&S Board of Visitors and a member emerita of the University’s Board of Trustees. Described as an enhanced educational experience for exceptional undergraduates, the Honors Program offers intellectual challenge and curricular enrichment through seminars, special cultural events and close contact with faculty and students.

The College of Arts and Sciences (A&S) has narrowed down its search for the next director of the Renée Crown University Honors Program to three candidates.

As part of the search process, each finalist will participate in a public forum on campus.

Chris E. Johnson, professor of civil and environmental engineering and interim director of the Honors Program at Syracuse, will participate in the first forum on Thursday, Nov. 30, from 4-5:15 p.m. in the Peter Graham Scholarly Commons, 114 Bird Library.

Open to all members of the campus community, the event is being video-recorded for broadcast on the web. Communication Access Realtime Translation (CART) will be available for each event. If you have requests for accessibility and accommodations, please contact the Equal Opportunity, Inclusion and Resolution Services (EOIRS) office at 315.443.4018.

The other finalists are Danielle Taana Smith, professor of sociology and director of the Honors Program at the Rochester Institute of Technology, and David Settje, professor of history and director of the Honors Program at Concordia University Chicago. Their presentations are currently being scheduled, and are likely to occur before Dec. 15. The video of all presentations will be posted on .

Each forum enables the finalist to share his or her vision for the Honors Program, an all-University program based in A&S. Afterward, he or she will field questions from the audience. Students, faculty, staff and alumni are then encouraged to send feedback to honorssearch@syr.edu or honorsrc@syr.edu. For more information, contact the Dean’s Office in A&S at 315.443.3949.

“Our search for the Honors Program’s next director is vitally important,” says Karin Ruhlandt, dean of A&S and Distinguished Professor of Chemistry. “We are looking for someone with an exceptional portfolio of leadership and scholarship, as well as a clear grasp of the honors mission. It is our hope these presentations will enable the finalists to distinguish themselves, so the search committee can make an informed decision.”

The new director will collaborate with the program’s core faculty to guide honors curriculum, administration and procedures. He or she also will work closely with staff members to evaluate courses, advise students, manage records, implement policies and procedures, and oversee the budget.

The Honors Program is named for Renée Schine Crown ’50, H’84, a civic leader and philanthropist who is a member of the A&S Board of Visitors and a member emerita of the University’s Board of Trustees. Described as an enhanced educational experience for exceptional undergraduates, the Honors Program offers intellectual challenge and curricular enrichment through seminars, special cultural events and close contact with faculty and students.

Cameron MacPherson ’16, a graduate student in Pan African studies in the , has been named a recipient of the prestigious George J. Mitchell Scholarship for graduate study in Ireland. He is Syracuse University’s first Mitchell Scholar. MacPherson is one of only 12 U.S. students selected from more than 300 applicants for the award this year. He will use the award to study intercultural theology at Trinity College, Dublin.

A former member of the , a 2015-16 Remembrance Scholar and an exemplary student-athlete, MacPherson was also a district finalist for the Rhodes Scholarship this year. As interviews for the two scholarships occurred on the same day, MacPherson withdrew his application from the Rhodes Scholarship to pursue the Mitchell Scholarship. MacPherson worked with the Center for Fellowship and Scholarship Advising (CFSA) on his applications to nationally competitive scholarships.

“Cameron’s extraordinary combination of scholarly, philanthropic, athletic and literary accomplishments made him an outstanding candidate for the Mitchell Scholarship,” says Jolynn Parker, director of CFSA. “His passion for understanding cultures different from his own, combined with his commitment to social activism, will ensure that he makes the most of this opportunity. I can’t imagine a student better suited to represent Syracuse University, and the U.S., in Ireland.”

“We congratulate Cam on being named a George Mitchell Scholar,” says Syracuse Director of Athletics John Wildhack. “He is a deserving recipient of this very prestigious award. During his undergraduate studies at Syracuse, Cam excelled in the classroom, contributed greatly to our campus community and was a leader on the Syracuse football team.”

The Mitchell Scholarship Program, named to honor former U.S. Sen. George Mitchell’s pivotal contribution to the Northern Ireland peace process, is an initiative of the U.S.-Ireland Alliance. The award is designed to introduce and connect future American leaders to the island of Ireland and recognize and foster intellectual achievement, leadership and a commitment to community and public service. The Mitchell Scholarship Program provides tuition for one year of graduate study at an institution in Ireland, accommodations, a living expenses stipend and an international travel stipend.

MacPherson will enroll in a one-year master’s of philosophy program in intercultural theology and interreligious studies at Trinity College. MacPherson has studied refugee resettlement, particularly with Congolese populations, since he was an undergraduate. “Over the years, I have learned the crucial role that faith and religion play in migratory communities. Religious spaces not only create shared cultural experiences that perpetuate a distinct identity, but also enable the exchange of knowledge among newcomers to assist with integrative outcomes,” he says.

At Trinity College, he will examine the dynamic processes that shape religion as a cultural identity and analyze the social role of faith in migratory communities. “Studying in Ireland will provide a unique perspective on how religion can be used to promote social cohesion and peace in the face of conflict, which often shape the cultural practices of refugees and other forced migrants,” he says. MacPherson plans to create multimedia scholarship—including documentary film—as he investigates his research questions and their implications.

“I think there is a lot more to resettlement and migration than meets the eye. While we tend to think of resettlement as the domain of governments, a whole host of institutions—from faith-based nonprofits to churches and mosques—determine the ways newcomers enter into society,” MacPherson says. “Understanding the basis of common experience and interaction allows decision-makers to leverage community partners, empower grassroots activists and lead to better outcomes for resettled refugees that are respectful not only of human rights, but also of human needs for belonging, community and culture.”

This past summer, MacPherson conducted research on grassroots social organizations in Boston’s Congolese community and served as a case manager at a Congolese Development Center. He has also interned with Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand’s office to learn more about public policy and refugee issues. A spoken word poet, he volunteers with Writing Our Lives, a creative literacy program for local middle school students, leading poetry workshops and units in oral history and journalism.

MacPherson received a bachelor’s degree from Syracuse in 2016 in international relations from the College of Arts and Sciences and the and in television, radio and film from the . As a student-athlete, he earned CoSIDA Academic All-America First Team honors for his academic accomplishments and athletic contributions to the football team.

MacPherson is a member of a family that is deeply rooted in the Syracuse University and greater Syracuse communities. His late grandfather, Dick MacPherson, was the legendary head coach of the Syracuse football team from 1981-90. MacPherson’s mother, Maureen, and aunt, Janet, are Syracuse alumnae. His brother, Macky, is an alumnus, graduate student and graduate assistant with the football team. His sister, Suzy, is an undergraduate student.

“Since I was young, my family has impressed on me the importance of looking outward rather than inward, of ensuring that the actions I take, both big and small, make my little world a better place. My grandfather lived this creed through many small services that ranged from brightening people’s days to changing their lives. My mother taught her children the importance of empathy and selflessness through a lifetime of caring, quiet kindness,” MacPherson says. “If I contribute to the world or make some positive impact, then I know that I will have reflected the best lessons my family has taught me. I hope that the Mitchell Scholarship is the next step in actualizing these lessons.”

MacPherson says he could not be more excited at being named a Mitchell Scholar. “Meeting past winners and the other finalists made me realize what an exceptional community is created around this scholarship,” MacPherson says. “I am thrilled to join this group of people who have both the capacity and the conviction to improve the world. My cohort of fellow scholars are incredible people, and I cannot wait to get to know them better and spend a year in Ireland with them.”

Zainab Abdali

Zainab Abdali, a senior English and textual studies and mathematics major in the , was selected as a finalist for the Marshall Scholarship. Cameron MacPherson ’16, a master’s student in Pan African studies in the College of Arts and Sciences, was selected as a finalist for the Mitchell Scholarship and a district finalist for the Rhodes Scholarship. As interviews for the two scholarships occur on the same day, MacPherson had to choose between them. He has withdrawn from consideration for the Rhodes Scholarship and will pursue the Mitchell Scholarship.

Abdali studies Arab American and Muslim American literature; she hopes to gain a transatlantic context for her work. She has applied to use the Marshall to do a one-year master’s degree program in postcolonial studies at the University of Kent in the United Kingdom, followed by a one-year master’s degree program in comparative literature at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) at the University of London.

Abdali is also a member of the and a 2017-18 Remembrance Scholar. This past summer, she was selected and participated in the selective MICHHERS program at the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor for students who plan to pursue a Ph.D. in the humanities.

MacPherson studies the grassroots organizations of Congolese refugees; he seeks to gain a deeper understanding of the role of religion in this community, and in the relationship between religion and identity and conflict more generally. He has proposed to use the Mitchell Scholarship to enroll in a one-year master’s of philosophy program in intercultural theology and interreligious studies at Trinity College, Dublin,. There, he would create multimedia scholarship—including documentary film—as he investigates his research questions.

Cameron MacPherson

MacPherson received a bachelor’s degree from Syracuse in 2016 in international relations from the College of Arts and Sciences and the and in television, radio and film from the . He was a member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program and a 2015-16 Remembrance Scholar. MacPherson was also a member of the football team and is an accomplished athlete.

Both Abdali and MacPherson worked with the Center for Fellowship and Scholarship Advising (CFSA) as they planned and honed their applications to these prestigious awards. “Cameron and Zainab are truly outstanding students with impressive records of service to their communities and clear plans for graduate study,” says Jolynn Parker, director of CFSA. “The fact that they were selected as finalists for these extremely competitive awards is a testament to their talents and to the quality of their Syracuse University educations.” CFSA has arranged a series of “mock interviews” for Abdali and MacPherson to help prepare them for their interviews with the Marshall and Mitchell selectors in mid-November. “We’re extremely grateful to campus faculty and administrators who generously give their time to help prepare our finalists,” says Parker.

The Marshall Scholarships finances young Americans of high ability to study for a graduate degree in the United Kingdom. Up to 40 scholars are selected each year to study at the graduate level at a United Kingdom institution in any field of study. As future leaders with a lasting understanding of British society, Marshall Scholars strengthen the enduring relationship between the British and American peoples, and their governments and institutions. Marshall Scholars are talented, independent and wide-ranging, and their time as scholars enhances their intellectual and personal growth.

The Sen. George J. Mitchell Scholarship Program is an initiative of the U.S.-Ireland Alliance. The scholarship is a nationally competitive post-graduate award for 12 Mitchell Scholars to pursue one year of study in Ireland and Northern Ireland. The scholarship is designed to introduce and connect future American leaders to the island of Ireland and recognize and foster intellectual achievement, leadership, and a commitment to community and public service

The Rhodes Scholarships are awarded to 32 young students from the United States each year. Rhodes Scholars are chosen not only for their outstanding scholarly achievements, but for their character, commitment to others and to the common good, and for their potential for leadership in whatever domains their careers may lead. The scholarship provides full financial support for Rhodes Scholars to pursue a degree or degrees at the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom.

Chizobam Nwagwu

Chizobam Nwagwu ’18 spent an intensive seven weeks as a at the University of Minnesota’s Humphrey School of Public Affairs. The summer institute program—with its three graduate courses, networking opportunities and site visits that showed career possibilities—cemented her goals for her future.

PPIA is a summer program hosted by various institutions across the country that promotes the inclusion of underrepresented groups in public service and advances their leadership roles throughout civic institutions. The program is designed to encourage participants to apply to graduate school in public policy, public administration, international affairs or a related field.

“This experience reaffirmed my intention to pursue a graduate degree in public affairs. More importantly, I learned how I could combine my passion for public policy and science in graduate school,” Nwagwu says. “Going to graduate school no longer seemed like this far off thing that I hoped to do, but something I was more determined to do than ever.”

Nwagwu, a member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program, is majoring in policy studies in the College of Arts and Sciences and the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, and neuroscience in the College of Arts and Sciences—two areas of study that she melded during her time at Syracuse.

“In high school, I was very interested in psychology but also chemistry. Neuroscience was an interesting combination of the two,” Nwagwu says. “At the same time, I was fascinated by the conversations surrounding mental health and public policy.”

Nwagwu became interested in opportunities that would help her explore her interest in graduate school and learned about the Public Policy and International Affairs Junior Summer Institute (PPIA JSI) through one of her policy studies courses and the (CFSA) office. She worked with the CFSA director, Jolynn Parker, on her application, where she was able to receive feedback on her personal statements.

Benefits of the summer institute include all costs of the program, including housing, travel, tuition, supplies and meal vouchers, as well as a small stipend and a one-time graduate scholarship to any of the PPIA partner institutions.

“As a summer fellow, I was able to get exposure to what a graduate-level public policy program entailed. For seven weeks, we took three graduate-level public policy courses,” Nwagwu says. “We also visited several nonprofit organizations and local businesses to learn about the different careers Humphrey alums pursued.”

Nwagwu wants other students who are thinking about graduate school for public policy or international affairs to seriously consider this program as an option to learn more about graduate work and the possibilities out there. The deadline for applying to next summer’s institute is Nov. 1.

Jordan Barrett

From an academic standpoint, 2017 has been a very good year for Jordan Barrett ’18. Barrett is a senior physics and mathematics major in the and a participant in the . In May, he was one of two Syracuse University Students to be honored with a prestigious Goldwater Scholarship (Maizy Ludden is the other, and a third student, Ismael Gonzalez, received honorable mention). In June, Barrett was named a recipient of the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation award. And just last month, he attended a gala event in Washington, D.C., for Astronaut Scholars nationwide. He recently had a few free moments to answer four questions from �����鶹��Ʒ.

Samuel Gorovitz, professor of philosophy and former dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, with honors students

An all-University program administered by the College of Arts and Sciences (A&S), the Honors Program provides intellectual challenge and curricular enrichment through seminars, courses (including an intensive capstone project), special cultural events and close contact with faculty and students.

The Honors Program is a catalyst for intellectual discovery across the campus through innovative teaching, community engagement and high-quality scholarship. Its curriculum emphasizes intellectual depth and breadth, and reinforces the University’s commitment to preparing engaged citizens, scholars and leaders for participation in a changing global society.

The program also houses the Center for Fellowship and Scholarship Advising (CFSA), which informs students, alumni and faculty of nationally competitive fellowship and scholarship opportunities. CSFA helps students and alumni identify scholarship opportunities relative to their interests and backgrounds and assists them through all stages of the application process.

The director is responsible for all aspects of the Honors Program, including advancing the program’s core values and mission, representing the program to internal and external constituencies, building positive and productive cross-campus relationships, chairing the program’s core faculty, overseeing staff and budgets and teaching in the program.

“The Honors Program is poised to help the University advance its academic goals, particularly with improving the student experience and advancing discovery,” says A&S Dean Karin Ruhlandt, adding that Honors is integral to the Fast Forward Syracuse initiative, which includes the Academic Strategic Plan.

Candidates must have a strong administrative background, including curriculum and program development, budgetary, supervisory and fundraising experience; a distinguished record of academic achievement; experience developing programs that ensure high-quality undergraduate engagement; the ability to build an equitable and diverse scholarly environment; wide-ranging curiosity and interest in building connections across disciplines; and a talent for communicating excitement about a wide array of artistic and intellectual endeavors.

The initial term of appointment is five years, with a formal review at three years. Candidates from all areas of scholarship are eligible to apply. The successful candidate will be hired at the rank of advanced associate or full professor with tenure, and may be appointed to one of the University’s schools and colleges. Special consideration will be given to candidates who strengthen existing programs and initiatives. Nominations and expressions of interest are strongly encouraged and may be sent to Honors Director Search, 300 Hall of Languages, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York 13244, or by email at��honorssearch@syr.edu.

The search committee is comprised of representatives from the faculty, University administration and Honors staff and students. The committee is chaired by David Seaman, dean of libraries and University librarian.

Committee members include Rick Burton, David B. Falk Endowed Professor in the and an Honors core faculty member; Kate Hanson, deputy director of the Honors Program; Sharon Hollenback, professor of television, radio and film in the ; Erin Mackie, professor and chair of English in A&S; Sinead Mac Namara, associate professor in the and the and an Honors core faculty member; Ramesh Raina, professor and chair of biology in A&S; James Steinberg, University Professor in the ; and Dulce Morales, a senior majoring in policy studies and citizenship and civic engagement in A&S and the Maxwell School.

For a position description and online application instructions, interested candidates are encouraged to visit��. For full consideration, a cover letter, curriculum vitae, a statement of teaching philosophy and a history of involvement with Honors or other creative involvement with undergraduate enrichment programs should be submitted. Review of candidates will begin at the end of September and continue until the position is filled.

The Honors Program is named for Renée Schine Crown ’50, H’84, a civic leader and philanthropist who is a member of A&S’ Board of Visitors and a member emerita of the University’s Board of Trustees.