Douglas Present

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“We are thrilled to welcome Dan, Sean and Laurie to the Whitman Advisory Council,” says WAC Chair Tracy Barash ’89. “Their collective experience adds valuable perspective to our Council in supporting Whitman’s efforts to prepare its students for an ever-evolving business environment.”

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

Daniel Arty ’81

Daniel Arty

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

Sean Carey ’89

Sean Carey

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

Laurie Lovett (Weissberger) ’89

Laurie Lovett

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

Britt Tevis

To help scholars delve deeper into a greater understanding of antisemitism, from its history to its implications for the U.S. today, the (A&S) and announced the appointment of as an assistant professor in the in the Maxwell School and as the Phyllis Backer Professor of Jewish Studies in the in A&S. The Backer professorship was established in A&S in 2020 through a $1.5 million gift from the Phyllis Backer Foundation, which supports education and medical research organizations with an emphasis on Jewish-related causes.

Bringing vast knowledge as a modern Jewish historian with a focus on American Jewish history and antisemitism in the U.S.,��Tevis has had various academic appointments in her career, most recently as the Rene Plessner Postdoctoral Fellow in Antisemitism and Holocaust Studies at the Institute for Israel and Jewish Studies at Columbia University. She has a Ph.D. and a master’s degree in history from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a law degree from the University of Wisconsin School of Law, as well as a bachelor’s degree in Jewish studies and political science from the University of Florida.

“Our program is absolutely delighted to have Dr. Tevis’s appointment as the Backer Chair of Jewish Studies,” says , who served as director of the Jewish studies program when she was hired. “She brings invaluable expertise in the history of law and civil rights as reflected in the American Jewish experience, and she will contribute new and rich dimensions to the program.”

Tevis is eager to introduce modern Jewish history to students through coursework that will include such topics as the history of antisemitism in the U.S., Jews and American popular culture, Jews’ efforts to secure legal rights, the challenges of integrating into non-Jewish citizenries, changes to religious practices and traditions, and the array of Jewish American culture.

According to Tevis, studying American Jewish history and antisemitism as part of larger U.S. history sheds light on critical aspects, as the gap between the American ideal of equality, per the Declaration of Independence, and the country’s persistent denial of political and civil rights for certain segments of the population remain a fundamental tension in U.S. history. The interaction between degrees of discrimination and prosperity continues to describe the American Jewish experience from when Jews first arrived in North America in the 17th century through the present.

“Many people struggle to define the boundaries of antisemitism,” Tevis says. “Like most topics, understanding antisemitism requires studying the past so as to be able to understand its origin, particular characteristics and varied dimensions.”

Tevis intends to add to the intellectual vibrancy of the history department and the Jewish studies program through her teaching, research and publications. She is awaiting her forthcoming anthology, “Sanctioned Bigotry: A Documented History of Antisemitism in the United States,” in 2025. And, she is currently completing a book about Jewish emancipation lawyers who worked to secure rights for American Jews in areas like immigration, labor and civil rights but were overlooked by historians who painted them as political radicals. Tevis also has a long list of research interests examining Jews and U.S. law as she begins this next chapter of her career.

“To my mind it is impossible to overstate the importance of historical knowledge. History teaches us why our world functions as it does, illuminating how people made given choices and shaped later developments,” she says. “I am overjoyed to join the incredible faculty here as the Backer Professor of Jewish Studies and embrace the opportunity to uncover underdeveloped and undertheorized dimensions of American Jewish history.”

, professor and director of graduate studies in the in the College of Arts and Sciences (A&S) and member of the , is the 2024 recipient of the William Wasserstrom Prize in recognition of his exemplary mentorship of graduate students. A&S Dean Behzad Mortazavi conferred the award on Santangelo at the Graduate School doctoral hooding ceremony on May 10.

Christian Santangelo

The prize is awarded annually to a faculty member who exemplifies the qualities of William Wasserstrom, a professor of English who died in 1985. Wasserstrom was a scholar known for his broad interests and profound impact on learning, with a particular teaching interest in the graduate seminar. Since his death, Wasserstrom has been memorialized with this award by A&S for outstanding success as a graduate seminar leader, research and dissertation director, advisor and role model for graduate students.

Santangelo joined ���ϲ����� in 2019 and was named physics director of graduate studies in 2021. His research interests focus on soft condensed-matter physics and materials geometry, extreme mechanics, 4D printing and self-folding origami, design of mechanical metamaterials and topological effect in nonlinear systems. He teaches Physics 1, Introduction to Quantum Mechanics, Quantum Mechanics and Advanced Statistical Mechanics.

He has co-authored 75 peer-reviewed articles, been quoted in multiple publications related to his research, presented at dozens of conferences and symposia and has received nearly $4.5 million in external grant funding for his work.

Santangelo recently served as “March Meeting” program chair for the (DSOFT) of the American Physical Society. He was also the co-lead of the Smart Materials focus group within the BioInspired Institute and a member of the College Level Liberal Arts Core Committee at A&S.

Santangelo has received several other awards and honors throughout his career, including the Glenn H. Brown Prize from the International Liquid Crystal Society, a CAREER Award from the National Science Foundation, the Early Career Award from the APS DSOFT and he was named a fellow of the American Physical Society.

“Professor Santangelo is certainly an example of the level of excellence Professor Wasserstrom represented, and a person whose extraordinary commitment to the mentorship of graduate students is deserving of recognition,” says Mortazavi. “His scholarship and the guidance and knowledge he has provided as a mentor in graduate education has positively impacted the physics department, its students and the entire college since he joined the University five years ago. It is an honor to present him with this award.“

Santangelo has mentored 20 graduate students and post-docs and has served as a research advisor for 12 undergraduates. Professor Mitchell Soderberg, associate chair of the Department of Physics, notes that a common theme heard about Santangelo is his “knack for helping students develop as scholars—not by knowing all the answers but by helping them to recognize the best questions to pursue.”

Former students and colleagues submitted enthusiastic nomination letters that spoke to Santangelo’s qualifications for this award.

“As a mentor, Chris struck a perfect balance of being available for guidance and allowing independence. By imparting principles explicitly and through action, I learned from Chris how to identify interesting scientific problems, find strategies for tackling them, and navigate uncertainty and communication results,” says former student Salem Mosleh, a research associate at Harvard’s School of Engineering and Applied Science. “He makes sure students get exposure to the scientific community, allowing me to attend conferences and meet collaborators—which helped me get my position at Harvard.”

“As his first Ph.D. student, I was fortunate to have Professor Santangelo as my mentor, and I can confidently say that he has a natural talent for selecting research problems that are interesting, challenging and relevant in the modern context of theoretical physics,” says Marcelo Dias, who is a senior lecturer in structural engineering at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland. “Professor Santangelo’s extensive mathematical expertise and practical approach to research have contributed to my career development. His interest in interdisciplinary topics has led to collaboration with many researchers throughout my career.”

From left to right: Gokdenis Ersoy and Aiden Robinson of Haynie’s Heroes; Emma Lueders, Jennie Bull and Julianna Hernandez of Moody Management LLC; Garv Prabhaker and Sarah Schoenecker of University Diaries; and Xiangyi Han, Jingjing Wu and Minna You of Boundless Why (Photo by Amelia Beamish)

Bandages that monitor for diabetic foot ulcers and creating safe spaces for conversations about sexual wellness and self-love were just some of the winning innovations presented at the Whitman School Dean’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Innovation Challenge on April 18.

The challenge was a semester-long initiative coordinated by Erin Draper, director of experiential programs, with Jude Azai G’24 and Aakanksha Maheshwari G’25, that encouraged interdisciplinary collaboration as students honed their problem-solving and critical thinking skills around the 17 . While each team was required to have one Whitman student, participants came from across the University and included undergraduate, graduate, online and doctoral students. The students received no academic credit for participating but did so because of their passion for innovation and sustainability.

Fourteen graduate and 17 undergraduate teams submitted reports in March, which resulted in the selection of the “Elite 8”–the top four undergraduate and graduate submissions thought to have the greatest potential to make an impact on sustainable development goals across disciplines.

On April 18, teams displayed posters and posted 45-second YouTube videos about their projects, while judges Mark Coleman, adjunct faculty, Whitman School; Anna Chernobai, professor of finance in the Whitman School; Brian Macrae G’01, managing partner, Synapse; Cary Mullin G’08, vice president and general manager, broadband solutions, Belden Inc.; Megan Quill ’05, vice president, finance, Smartest Energy; and Meg Tidd, CEO of VIP Structures; heard six-minute pitches from the “Elite 8” vying for $25,000 in cash prizes to help further their projects.

“Whitman is committed to creating leaders that understand the importance of sustainability for the future and where our students can use their innovative problem-solving skills to begin to address some of the grand challenges our society is facing,” says Whitman Interim Dean Alex McKelvie. “By providing real-world solutions to issues listed among the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, our students have shown how we can come together as a community to make the world a better place. I’m also delighted to support our students’ efforts in experiential learning, where they emphasize teamwork, communication and developing innovative solutions that help to create the next generation of responsible business leaders and entrepreneurs.”

The following awards were presented at the event:

THE WHITMAN INNOVATION GRAND PRIZE:�� $5,000

Moody Management LLC: The undergraduate team of Jennie Bull ’24, Julianna Hernandez ’24 and Emma Lueders ’24 created a sex-positivity community media platform with a safe space for conversations about sexual wellness and self-love. It addresses the SDG of good health, gender and reducing inequalities.

DiabeTech: The team of Tosin Alabi G’25, Manjusha Baddipudi G’25 and Katayoon Faraji G’25 took the grand prize with an innovative “smart bandage” to prevent diabetic foot ulcers. The product looks much like an ordinary bandage but is equipped with sensors and uses artificial intelligence analytics to monitor wounds, signaling patients and doctors of signs of infection to prevent gangrene or amputation. DiabeTech addressed the SDG of good health, technology and reducing inequalities.

From left to right: Interim Dean Alexander McKelvie, Tosin Alabi, Katayoon Faraji and Erin Draper, director of experiential programs (Photo by Amelia Beamish)

FIRST RUNNER UP: $3,000

Haynie’s Heroes: The undergraduate team of Gokdenis Ersoy ’25, Aiden Robinson ’26, William Akerson ’24 and Nicholas Santangelo ’25 developed an innovative platform for convenient, fast and efficient refurbishing of e-waste covering the SDG of quality education, reduction of inequalities, sustainable cities and communities, and responsible consumption and production.

Eco Guardians: The graduate team of Aman Kumar G’25, Prashant Gautam ’25, Kushwanth Sai Chandu Meesala G’25 and Shivani Mangesh Sadare G’24 created a program for “climate literacy” in the education system to promote learning, awareness and self-incentivization of preserving the planet to help teachers and students have better understanding of the consequences of waste on the environment. The SDG were quality education and climate action.

SECOND RUNNER UP: $2,000

University Diaries: The undergraduate team of Sarah Schoenecker ’27 and Garv Prabhaker ’27 created an interactive online platform designed to help high school students through the college application process, particularly first-generation and underserved students who may lack resources, as well as newly enrolled college students. The SDG were quality education and reducing inequalities.

Circular Sages: The graduate student team of Trang Nguyen G’25, Akarsh Bhutani G’24 and Monthip Sonethavong G’24 created WasteWise, a digital platform for responsible consumption in the textile industry that identifies and manages resources through waste mapping and methods of eliminating excess materials in the marketplace. It addresses the SDG of responsible consumption and production, climate action, life below water and life on land.

AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARD: $1,000

Daredevils: The team of graduate students Natasha Lobo G’25, Dishant Bhansali G’25 and Bhavya Chheda G’25 designed a portal for the management of e-waste that connects customers, service centers and recyclers. This award was selected by audience vote at the event.

SDG BLACKBOARD DISCUSSION AWARD: $1,000

Eco Guardians (see project description above) was selected based on weekly discussions throughout the competition related to SDG.

MOST IMPACTFUL INNOVATION AWARD: $1,000

Boundless Why: The undergraduate team of ��Xiangyi Han ’26, Jingjing Wu ’25 and Minna You ’25 were selected for this award for creation of a global online community that provides art resources and therapy for teenagers with autism.

BEST CREATIVE VIDEO AWARD: $1,000

KG’s: The team of Ghonche Khalaj G’26; Ali Kozehgaran G’26; Adhadreza Safasinia G‘28; ��Seyed Babak Seyd Asadollah ’28 and Seyedehniloufar Mousavi ’27 was selected for a video presentation on AgriNect, an app designed to find and tip farmers whose products consumers enjoy.

BEST COLLABORATIVE DIVERSE TEAM: $1,000

Circular Sages: (see project description above) was selected for best representation of students from different backgrounds and various schools, as well as the contribution by each team member.

For more information, visit the Dean’s SDG Innovation Challenge page on our��.

Natasha Brao (left) and David Panasci (Photo by Amelia Beamish)

From delicious new food items to cloud management solutions and an innovative digital platform to connect local food producers and consumers, this year’s Panasci Business Plan Competition showcased outstanding ideas from the most innovative, business-minded students across ���ϲ�����. A campus-wide business plan event hosted annually by the at the , this year’s competition was held on April 5 and made possible by David Panasci ’80, president of DHP Consulting, and sponsor of the first, second and third place awards; Scott Friedberg ’14, founder and CEO of Gilded Social, sponsor of the Gilded Social Rising Entrepreneur Award; and Nick Monzi ’11, CEO and co-founder of Learn Fresh, sponsor of the Learn Fresh Award for Social Entrepreneurship—new this year.

“The annual Panasci competition is always an exciting day on campus, and this year’s event was no exception, as twice as many students competed this year than in 2023. Students from across the University came together to showcase their innovations and compete for prize money that will help them move their business plans forward,” says Cristiano Bellavitis, assistant professor of entrepreneurship, who managed this year’s event. ”Everyone who competed took away valuable feedback from our diverse group of judges, and this year’s winners are certainly on the fast track to making their entrepreneurial goals a reality.”

The 2024 Panasci competition awarded a total of $40,000 in prize money to the winning teams who demonstrated the best potential for growth and attracting outside financing. All competitors submitted written business plans in the semi-final round, and the top teams were brought together to compete in the finals. Whether or not they were selected as winners, every finalist was given specific and valuable feedback from industry professionals involved in the event.

First place and the Gilded Rising Social Entrepreneur Award went to Natasha Brao ’22, G’23, G’24, founder of Shooka. She received $20,000 for the first-place win and an additional $5,000 for the Gilded Rising Social Entrepreneur Award. Brao’s Shooka is a spiced tomato sauce based on the traditional Mediterranean dish shakshuka, which she first tasted on a trip overseas in 2019. Always one to love the “mixing and melding of cultures to promote creative cooking,” she developed Shooka, formalized her business in 2023 and started selling her product in March 2024.

“The Panasci Business Plan Competition at Whitman is one of the competitions that holds the most weight for me. I was looking forward to it the entire year, and it was amazing to compete alongside dear friends and talented entrepreneurs,” says Brao. “The prize money will help assist me with production, transportation and inventory holding costs, as well as allow me to focus on growing our sales in the next few months. My participation and success in this competition have also led to some valuable new connections in the industry. This gives me further validation for my product and myself as a founder, and I couldn’t be more excited to move forward!”

Second place went to Waqar Hussain G’25, Fulbright Scholar, founder of Iconnic.cloud, who was awarded $7,500. ��is a powerful cloud management solution designed for small and mid-sized enterprises (SME) aiming to scale and grow. This platform simplifies the transition of business and web solutions to the cloud, allowing for the effortless deployment and scaling of digital products with the cloud provider of choice. Iconnic.cloud eliminates the need for costly system administrators and IT managers, making cloud technology accessible and cost-effective. This solution not only reduces operational costs but also enhances efficiency, providing SMEs with the tools to innovate and thrive in a digital-first economy.����is a product of��,��a web wizarding team of designers and developers that “brews magic to power online businesses.”

Third place and $2,500, along with the Learn Fresh Award for Social Entrepreneurship of $5,000, went to Brielle Young ’27, co-founder and CEO of Aggregate, a digital platform that aims to bridge the gap between producers and consumers in local communities. Through its application, Aggregate empowers producers to share their goods, whether they are artisanal crafts or farm-fresh produce, as well as tell the stories behind their products. In addition, consumers can discover affordable and accessible local goods, all with just a few clicks. Its mission is to foster vibrant communities through local commerce while equipping local businesses with tools for growth and sustainability. Ezra James, an environmental engineering student at Cornell University, is a co-founder and chief operating officer of Aggregate. The Learn Fresh Award for Social Entrepreneurship is awarded to the innovation that demonstrates the greatest commitment to achieving social impact by addressing a persistent inequity or large-scale societal challenge. Learn Fresh is a nonprofit organization providing STEM learning to empower educators and inspire students.

Judges for this year’s Panasci Business Plan Competition included: Jack Adler ’23, Out2Win Sports; Eric Alderman L’75, adjunct professor, Whitman School; Nassim José Alemany ’09, Xolver; Haotian Bai, Patriot Conceptions; Logan Bonney G’17, West Gen LLC, and Stout Beard Brewing; Bill Brod, All Times Publishing; Blake Brossman ’98, PetCareRX; Salvatore (Tory) D’Amelio ’08, president, Selflock Screw Products; Alexander Deyhim, director Invent@SU, and iSchool faculty member; Cody Disch ’10, founder, Arias Advisors; Dustin Doucette, director of operations, Upstate Venture Connect; David Eilers ’80, ���ϲ����� College of Law Innovation Law Center; Jessica Falcone, Jessica Elizabeth Skincare Inc.; James Farrell G’19, East of Nowhere; Ben Ford ’23, Fundwurx; Meghan Florkowski, WISE Women’s Business Center; Scott Friedberg ’14, founder and CEO of Gilded Social; Linda Dickerson Hartsock, founder of ���ϲ����� Blackstone LaunchPad; Lekia Hill, Lekia Tech LLC; Sam Hollander ’21, co-founder and CEO, Share Club; Peter King ’08, Cayuga Economic Development Agency; David S. Klein ’92, owner and president, Greenwood Industries; Jeff Linowes ’77, chief branding officer, HALO Branded Solutions; Kelo Makelele, founder, RedTrace Technologies, Inc.; F. Jasper Massey, commercial loan officer, Empower Federal Credit Union; George Mazevski ’99, G’00, president and CEO, Govsphere Inc.; Nick Monzi ’11, founder and CEO, Learn Fresh; Emad Rahim, Surge entrepreneurship manager, ���ϲ����� Surge Accelerator/CenterState CEO; Joe Noll Jr. ’05, president, National Electronic Transit; Micah Shippee G’16, Samsung Electronics America; Don R. Stanton ’03, Tanglewood Gardens; and Vivek Sureddi ’15, owner president, VivCon LLC.

Visit Whitman’s website for more information on the��.

“The Madrid program felt perfect for me because I always knew going abroad was something I wanted to do,” says Agarwal. “I like how there is now a program specifically tailored towards health science, which is something I think is very unique. And, I love the option to take part in the signature seminar, as well. I think going abroad early in my college career is something I am ready for and an incredible, once-in-a-lifetime learning experience.”

Students in front of the Cibeles Palace, which serves as Madrid’s city hall. (Courtesy: Instagram @syracuseUmadrid)

has had a Universitywide program in Madrid for years, but the typical junior year experience doesn’t accommodate most science students’ schedules. However, a survey of incoming A&S students for fall 2023 showed that there was significant enthusiasm to go abroad from those planning to major in subjects like biology, chemistry, biochemistry and other pre-health programs. , assistant dean for student success, and , director of first year advising, academic and career advising, for A&S | Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, decided there was enough interest to pilot a unique opportunity for these students to go to Madrid during sophomore year for a semester in cooperation with ���ϲ����� Abroad.

“An important element of expanding our abroad offerings is designing programming specifically for those majors with course requirements that make it a challenge to complete a semester abroad or away,” says Schaffling. “Our biology program, for example, is one of the largest majors we have, but the abroad participation is low because of the curriculum requirements. Intentionally building a program that keeps the course sequence intact for our science and pre-health majors is critical to increasing their participation in a semester abroad.”

A group of ���ϲ����� students at Madrid’s Geomineral Museum. (Courtesy: Instagram @syracuseUmadrid)

Starting in the 2024-25 academic year, science and pre-health students from A&S and Maxwell can spend their sophomore fall semester in Madrid, where they will be able to complete required courses like Cross-Cultural Psychology, Sexuality in Spain and Healthcare in Europe: A Comparative Approach. All University students going to Madrid are required to take CAS 200: Mapping Spain, but a signature section specifically tailored to the needs of science-minded students has been developed for the pilot program. Best of all, science students will still be able to interact with other peers spending the semester in Madrid and participate in many of the same cultural and social activities the abroad experience provides.

The addition of Health and Science in Madrid fits in well with A&S’ Academic Strategic Plan, which includes a signature standard of excellence called “Understanding and Reimagining Worlds.” One of the specific examples outlined in the plan is “bridging worlds through comparative, cross-cultural and multilingual research, teaching and study away and abroad.”

The first group of science students will head to Madrid this fall. As of April 1, 25 students pursuing science at A&S or a pre-health track at Maxwell had committed to the Health and Science Madrid option through ���ϲ����� Abroad. If the program is successful and interest remains high, A&S hopes to make the experience annual, as well as adapt the program for additional majors like psychology.

“While going abroad is not required at the College of Arts and Sciences, there is a real level of self-discovery that comes from the experience. Often, students who do go abroad say they wish they could have gone earlier. In fact, no student I’ve ever talked to regretted their semester abroad,” says Williams. “The cultural exposure from staying with host families, taking language courses and traveling within their chosen city and beyond is a great way to become more open-minded and independent.”

For more information about Health and Science Madrid, visit the .

�ճ����, in the (A&S), offers key grants and fellowships to graduate students that allow them to advance their projects and share their ideas beyond the walls of the University. Two such opportunities include�������Ի���

“Advancing graduate student research is so important. As the work of this year’s dissertation fellows and public humanities grantees amply illustrates, graduate students are pushing the boundaries of their fields and advancing the humanities in new ways for the 21st century,” says��, director of the Humanities Center. “Their projects explore how we think about transnational and cross-cultural solidarity movements to address legacies of settler colonialism; how we experience and navigate linguistic interactions; how we think about visual, photographic and historical archives—and address absences within them; and how we can use photography and literature to foster a positive transformation in ourselves and wider communities. We invite the broader community to join us for conversation and engagement with these cutting-edge scholars this spring.”

Humanities Center Dissertation Fellowship Recipients

The Humanities Center Dissertation Fellowships are competitive one-year awards in the form of stipends that allow the awardees, who are in their final year of their doctoral programs, to focus on completing their dissertations and immersing fully in their research without the demands of teaching.

To be eligible, students must be completing dissertations in Ph.D. programs at A&S in English, philosophy, religion or writing. (.) Selected fellows benefit from a support system within the Humanities Center, camaraderie with one another and the opportunity to present their work to an interdisciplinary audience.

The Humanities Center will hold a virtual��, where this year’s cohort will engage in dialogue and Q&A about their respective projects on Friday, Feb. 16, at 10:30 a.m. To register, visit the .

Çağla Çimendereli,��Ph.D. candidate, philosophy

Çağla Çimendereli

Çağla Çimendereli’s dissertation,��, identifies a new aspect by adopting an existentialist approach to spoken language, shifting the focus from the goals of speaking to the act of speaking itself.

As a native of Turkey, when she came to the U.S. to earn a Ph.D., she started noticing that occasionally using a foreign language for basic communication and academic discussion was quite different from existing in a foreign language while trying to be a free and authentic person. After discussing her experience with other nonnative speakers at the University, she realized there was a common lack of understanding of the phenomenon.

Çimendereli noted that speaking a foreign language was often considered a privilege or additional power, and that linguistic norms and practices help determine what language is spoken, often oppressing nonnative speakers in ways that have been ignored. Her experiences led her to question how these two simultaneous modes in nonnative speaking can be reconciled, which became the focus of her dissertation.

“It seems clear to me that there are many people who experience agency-restrictiveness of nonnative speaking, but the traditional frameworks for understanding language speaking do not allow for open discussion,” says Çimendereli. “Exposing the structural/systemic aspects of these experiences helps those affected better understand that if they are feeling powerless and inauthentic, there are reasons, and that is not simply their own failure. I’m hoping to initiate a new way of discussing linguistic agency in philosophy, which I believe will better guide the linguistics justice debates in political theory, sociolinguistics and language education.”

Florencia Lauria,��Ph.D. candidate, English

Florencia Lauria

Florencia Lauria’s dissertation,��, puts Indigenous and Latinx studies in dialogue by examining border narratives in contemporary novels and films. Her research looks at reading borders as sites of profound tension for Latinx migration and Indigenous sovereignty and addresses materials that range from novels and fantasy and science fiction to historical archives and climatology reports.

The project examines settler colonial histories and environmental injustices in the Americas from Argentina to Canada. Her dissertation aims to refocus the conversations about Latinx and Indigenous contemporary literatures around borders that are not places for comradery and healing but instead unresolvable “unfriendliness” between contested positions. She poses what kind of shared political future is possible for migrant and Indigenous subjects given the turbulent landscapes in which they meet.

“Literature can highlight important inter- and intragroup relations, establishing common ground between different justice movements and providing avenues of collective resistance against colonial racial capitalist structures,” she says. “In some cases, it can also elude important differences between justice projects, such as land back campaigns or anti-deportation campaigns. My project is interested in challenging easy connection, which I argue do disservice to these relations in the long run. My hope is that by highlighting difference and non-equivalence, my work will contribute to more profound solidarities between justice projects.”

Humanities New York Public Humanities Grants Awardees

A joint initiative between the Humanities Center and the��, these competitive grants are awarded by Humanities New York (HNY) to support publicly engaged humanities projects that foster meaningful public partnerships and strengthen the role of the humanities across New York state communities.

Recipients of the Humanities New York Public Humanities grants also have the chance to take part in various networking events and workshops designed to develop greater skillsets and expertise. (.)

The Humanities Center will host a virtual��, where this year’s cohort will engage in dialogue and Q&A about their respective projects on Wednesday, April 10, at 10 a.m. To register, visit the .

Chelsea Bouldin,��University Fellow, Ph.D. candidate, School of Education

Chelsea Bouldin

Chelsea Bouldin, who was recently awarded an��Imagining America Publicly Active Graduate Education fellowship, was selected for a Humanities New York grant for her work, So be it; See to it: An Archiving Project.

Bouldin’s interest in this topic comes from her understanding that elitist, exclusionary institutions often house the archives of public figures whose insights offer potential frameworks for a fuller understanding of people’s histories, present and future—something particularly true for marginalized communities with less access to these institutions and whose histories have been disproportionately subject to being erased from mainstream education.

With this understanding, Bouldin has combined her work in archival research on Octavia E. Butler, one of the first African American female science fiction writers, with her commitment to public-oriented scholarship to explore how she could extend her project beyond academia to include public influence. Curating Butler’s work to form a Black women-centered community-based project in ���ϲ�����, Bouldin aims to showcase how their respective histories in particular offer transformative tools to engage the present for those who have limited “windows and mirrors” to see themselves through literature.

“It is my deep hope that this project will impact my area of research by widening our consideration of archives as sites of epistemic resources and as a model of expansively ‘doing’ scholarship,” Bouldin says. “I also hope this exemplifies the ways that singular academic projects can be creatively shared in a multiplicity of iterations across difference. This project verbalizes imagination, which is critical to my area of research.”

Caroline Charles,��Ph.D. student, English/film and screen studies

Caroline Charles

Another Humanities New York grant was awarded to Caroline Charles for her project,��Family Pictures ���ϲ�����/Turning the Lens Collective. Charles’ inspiration comes from research done for her dissertation,��Practices of Black Visual Archive in Film, which examines how Black filmmakers utilize archival materials inside their work, as well as from her work co-curating an archival exhibition,��A Love Supreme: Black Cultural Expression and Political Activism of the 1960s and 1970s, inside ���ϲ����� Libraries Special Collections Research Center.

As part of her dissertation research, she encountered the work of����and his own community engagement project, which encourages local communities to share stories through their family photographs. This motivated her to collaborate with The Family Pictures Institute, as well as students and staff at ���ϲ�����, to create a ���ϲ����� community-based project around family photographs. A native of ���ϲ�����, Charles hopes her work might inspire others to do a dissertation project, thesis or other form of scholarly research that involves the greater ���ϲ����� community.

“The photographs we take, display in our homes or keep in family albums are sites for public memory—windows into stories that too often go unseen and underwritten,” she says. “My hope is that this project will allow participants to see the value in their own photo archives, and that will inspire the community to narrate the stories behind their photographs to ensure that our histories are not lost or overlooked. Finally, I hope that the project will be an opportunity to connect the community to our local archives and learn more about the services and resources they provide.”

In early 2023, the for the and the rolled out a new approach that better serves students from the moment they step on campus to the day they receive their diplomas.

(From left to right): Megan Dailey, director of pre-health advising; Laura McArdle, director of upper-class advising; and Elena M. Paolini Williams, director of first-year advising in the Office of Academic and Career Advising.

The office now has six advisors focused solely on first-year students and 12 advisors assisting students from their sophomore through senior year. (Previously, the students were divided into two groups: first-year/sophomores and juniors/seniors.) The change allows a robust focus on the unique needs of many first-year students, which is often more about the transition to college life than just academics. It then gives continuity and a more holistic experience with advisors to sophomores, juniors and seniors that encompasses academics, experiential learning and career planning that puts them on an early track for success.

Three individuals in the office have recently been promoted to roles that align with these changes:

was promoted to director of pre-health advising in September of 2023. She was previously the assistant director of pre-health advising. Dailey’s experience also includes working in academic advising at Moravian University, Virginia Commonwealth University and the University of Virginia. In addition, she has worked in staff development and residential life at the University of Georgia and North Carolina State University. She has a bachelor’s degree in political science and English from Virginia Tech and a master’s degree in higher education administration from North Carolina State University.

Dailey’s responsibilities include supporting students who plan to apply to medical school or other health-related professional programs after receiving their bachelor’s degrees by making sure they are taking the required pre-requisites, helping them be competitive applicants and preparing them for the MCAT (Medical College Admission Test), which often can be a barrier for those interested in a medical degree.

“Many students come to school saying, ‘I am going to be a doctor,’ but they don’t understand what it takes to accomplish that,” Dailey says. “We are here to educate them and provide resources early, as well as expand awareness so that they know there are many options in the healthcare field besides medical school. I want them to know that it’s okay to change their plans or let other ideas creep in, be open to new experiences that lead to self-discovery and have an open mind as they pursue the pre-health journey.”

was promoted to director of upper-class advising in November of 2023. She joined the University in 2014 as assistant director of the Center for Career Development at the Maxwell School. In 2018, she became the lead pre-law advisor for the Office of Academic and Career Advising and, before her recent promotion, was the assistant director of advising. Her experience also includes serving as the internship coordinator at the Office of Career Services at and as assistant residence director for the University’s Office of Residence Life. She has also worked as a part-time instructor for A&S and the College of Visual and Performing Arts, as well as Onondaga Community College.

McArdle has a bachelor’s degree in magazine journalism from the , a master’s degree in higher postsecondary education from the , a master’s degree in communications and rhetorical studies from the , and is currently working on her Ph.D. in higher education.

Her new responsibilities include overseeing a team of 12 advisors for sophomores, juniors and seniors who will see students through to graduation with a focus on academic support and career advising. McArdle’s team aims to strengthen and integrate career advising and planning conversations and encourage students to build on opportunities available to them as they choose courses, look for summer internships and network with alumni.

“The liberal arts are very versatile, and the skills our students gain can translate into a variety of professional experiences,” McArdle says. “I want them to be open to the possibilities available them and realize that most people aren’t linear in their career paths. I want students to feel empowered to pursue the academic and career experiences they desire — and, of course, build a relationship with their advisor because we are their advocates.”

was named director of first-year advising in November of 2023. She joined the office in 2017 as an academic and career advisor, working her way up to assistant director in 2019. Her past experience includes working in an academic advising capacity for student-athletes at the University of Central Florida, American University and ���ϲ�����.

Williams has a bachelor’s degree in family, youth and community services from the University of Florida, a master’s degree in sport administration from the University of Louisville and is currently working on a Ph.D. in higher education.

In her new position, she oversees a team of six advisors who focus on first-year students in their transition from high school to college and throughout their first year.

“Thirty to 40% of first-year students change their majors almost immediately and are often unsure how to connect their interests to a potential career. We give holistic support, help them find their place, get engaged on campus, learn about the various opportunities across the University and build positive relationships,” Williams says. “First-year students can put a lot of pressure on themselves, but we give them permission to change or adjust their path. We encourage them to meet new people, be open to new ideas and allow themselves the opportunity to fail at something — then pick themselves back up and be resilient.”

Williams was recently named as the winner of Region 1 Excellence in Advising/Advising Administrator by NACADA, the global community for academic advising. She will be recognized at an upcoming NACADA conference.

Find out more about the resources available through the .

The humanities are pivotal to examining historical trajectories, understanding the pressing issues of our times and forging a more just world. As the next generation of scholars, graduate students are at the forefront of identifying and pursuing new questions in their research.

Each year, the����awards highly competitive�������Ի�����to support outstanding graduate students as they advance humanities research.

Three doctoral students in English and one in history have received fellowships and grants as part of the Humanities Center’s signature focus on enhancing research support and building scholarly community.

“We are so pleased to support cutting-edge graduate researchers at the Humanities Center,” says Vivian May, director of both the Humanities Center and��. “This year, the Dissertation Fellows’ timely projects each use interdisciplinary approaches to literature to illuminate heretofore under-theorized lived experiences and histories. The Humanities New York grant awardees’ projects advance our understanding of race and place, through poetry and writing as well as civil rights and school desegregation.”

Humanities Center Dissertation Fellowships

:

El-Eid

El-Eid is a doctoral candidate in English with a concentration in 20th- and 21st-century transnational American literatures and cultures. A first-generation Lebanese American Druze woman, El-Eid lives in the United States, but identifies Beirut as home. Her dissertation expands and reshapes critical scholarship across literary, trauma and memory studies by centering on the often invisibilized Druze, a transnational ethnoreligious group with origins in the Arab world. Her interdisciplinary work transects literature, film, online culture and self-conducted oral interviews with Druze people with a focus on the implications of the group’s belief in reincarnation. El-Eid’s examination of Druze and Druze reincarnation draws new lines of connection between these multiple fields of thought.

“My dissertation employs methodologies from trauma, memory and transnational anti-racist feminist studies to examine literature, media and personal accounts of the Druze community, in particular their central religious and cultural beliefs in reincarnation,” El-Eid says. “By amplifying and examining testimonies from this understudied and undertheorized group, my dissertation interrogates established relations of power in terms of whose stories are (un)heard, and illuminates how highlighting invisibilized voices is not just additive in critical scholarship but is transformative.”

:��Ecologies of Writing

Cooper

A doctoral candidate in English, Cooper is focusing on a project designed to generate humanities-based responses to environment, nature and place within the context of climate change. Much of her current work revolves around the��, where students, ages 7 to 15, from community centers within the City of ���ϲ����� participate in youth-focused weekly writing workshops. The program encourages students to express their environmental experiences and understanding through reading, creative writing and scientific inquiry.

A highlight of the group’s activities was a recent visit from poet��, who shared her work with these budding writers. The students, in turn, wrote and shared responses to what they heard.

“I am always so amazed with what these young students come up with,” says Cooper of the touching poems students wrote across different levels of experiences and interests. “The event couldn’t have gone better, as students had the opportunity to engage with .”

Cooper’s work will continue with Write Out during the Spring 2023 semester, along with plans to create a public art installation that reflects the students’ writing.

: A Children’s Story: School Desegregation in ���ϲ�����, NY, 1960-1970

Terry-Elliott

A doctoral student in history in the , Terry-Elliott is working on a project illuminating the experiences of children and teachers during the period of school desegregation in ���ϲ����� from 1960-1970. These participants are contributing to American history by giving their stories to future generations. The project is part of her larger examination of the Black Arts and Black Power movements of this era, particularly as questions of Black education have yet to be fully explored in these contexts.

Terry-Elliott has a special connection to this project, as she is not only a graduate of the ���ϲ����� City School District but also taught there for 10 years. She hopes the oral histories she collects will be a starting point to contribute to a larger archival space about the history of African Americans in the City of ���ϲ�����—containing not only her work but that of others.

“That is the ultimate goal,” she says. “Oral histories are a valuable medium of understanding the past and must be valued before we don’t have our elders to tell their stories first-hand anymore. This award has positioned me to be able to ask for help in furthering my research.”

Terry-Elliott is currently co-curating “” in collaboration with the Libraries’ staff. The exhibition is on display Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., on the sixth floor of Bird Library.

Graduate students working on dissertations or projects can apply for support from the��, in the form of competitive dissertation fellowships and����Public Humanities Graduate Project awards.

Dissertation fellowships are one-year stipends that allow awardees to focus on finishing their writing without the demands of teaching, while also receiving research funds while in residence.

Public Humanities Graduate Projects, a joint initiative between the Humanities Center and the��, are grants offered by����to support emerging scholars as they engage members of the public or partner with community groups in New York State on initiatives related to equity and social justice.

Will Scheibel’s recent book, “Gene Tierney: Star of Hollywood’s Homefront,” explores the legendary actress’s life beyond the big screen.

Growing up in Peoria, Illinois, Associate Professor����didn’t have access to many foreign or indie films found in art houses. But, as a teenager working at a library and video store, what he did have available to him was a host of films from the Golden Age of Hollywood, which he soon began to appreciate more than current box office releases. This contributed to his interest in U.S. narrative cinema and fueled his specific interest in stars, styles and production trends taking place between the 1930s and 1960s. Scheibel, who teaches in the��and serves as their director of undergraduate studies, recently published a book on the life of one the lesser-known celebrities of that era entitled “Gene Tierney: Star of Hollywood’s Homefront.”

Scheibel considers Tierney a Hollywood star who didn’t quite get the attention that surrounded her counterparts like Joan Crawford and Bette Davis. Tierney was known for her legendary beauty, but she was also plagued by mental illness that, interestingly, was not completely hidden away by the Hollywood studios that tightly controlled the stars of that era. The book looks at the cultural significance of Tierney, who was portrayed in traditional roles of a working woman, wife and mother, while also exploring her psychiatric treatment and so-called “comeback” into the Hollywood scene. In addition, her story draws some interesting parallels between the celebrities of classic Hollywood and those making headlines today.

The following is a question and answer with Scheibel about his recent work:

Where does your love of classic Hollywood come from?

I’ve always been interested in film. I think of myself less as an academic who works on film than as a cinephile who works in academia, where I’m lucky to be able to teach and write about film professionally. But, I realized that I was much more interested in watching the films of the 1940s and 1950s than watching what was new from Hollywood. I love the dynamic visual style of these films — the stark cinematography in black and white. There was something about this distinctive look, particularly of film noir, that drew me to them.

Why has the classic era of Hollywood stood the test of time?

The easy answer would be that the classic era quite simply produced some great films, and, while I think that’s true to a degree, it doesn’t explain why some stars and films from the period are remembered, while others have been forgotten. And, it romanticizes the past by hiding how many bad films came out back then, too. The “timelessness” of old Hollywood has a lot to do with the institutions and cultural forces that have maintained its visibility across generations, securing its associations with vintage glamour and canonical cinema. Repertory programming, cable channels like Turner Classic Movies, and home-video labels and streaming services have allowed these films to maintain a powerful status in our cultural memory, introducing films already identified as “classics” to new audiences. Nostalgia is also a self-perpetuating thing. When an Oscar-winning director like Damien Chazelle pays homage to MGM musicals in “La La Land” or a celebrity like Kim Kardashian wears a Marilyn Monroe dress to the Met Gala, trend-setters establish certain old Hollywood images as worthy of both recognition and imitation. This helps revive attention to historical subjects as repositories for retro style.

You recently published “Gene Tierney: Star of Hollywood’s Home Front.” What fascinated you about her?

I’ve been a fan of her films since childhood, as well as a fan of classic era Hollywood films, in general. She is considered 20th Century Fox’s first lady of film noir, particularly in “Laura,” where she played a supposed femme fatale in a story of murder and sexual obsession. The book came out of seven years of research and writing. There was plenty out there about Rita Hayworth, Barbara Stanwick and Marilyn Monroe, but I wanted to write about women in film history who have been misremembered, and I always had a fondness for Tierney and her career. The head of 20th Century Fox framed her as “the most beautiful women in movie history,” so there was this assumption that because she was so beautiful, she couldn’t possibly be a serious actress. Tierney never trained in a prestigious school of acting and wasn’t a singer or a dancer, so, she was considered something of a lesser star than some of her contemporaries.

Tierney dealt with mental illness that impacted her career. Why do you think she received such a level of support from the industry at a time when mental illness was not something that was generally discussed?

Mental illness is a stigma that still impacts celebrities today, but it was certainly not something that was talked about much in the celebrity journalism of the 1940s and 1950s. There were stars like Frances Farmer who dealt with mental illness, and people knew about it, but Tierney was a major movie star who underwent public scrutiny about her mental illness. In the 1950s, her roles became smaller and smaller, and soon she left Hollywood. The press blamed it on “exhaustion” and said she was spending time with her family. But, she attempted suicide and was eventually committed to a psychiatric institution. When she returned to Hollywood, presumably cured, the press framed it as a “comeback” and was sympathetic but in a kind of patronizing way. She was labeled as a woman who was overworked and didn’t have the strength to carry on, and the press said her romances and her daughter’s health issues contributed to her condition. At the time, the five major Hollywood studios controlled the messaging and disseminated the gossip. But, things that had previously been covered up – like Tierney’s mental illness – were starting to be exposed. She was not “cured,” as the narrative suggested, as it’s likely that she had bipolar or a manic depressive disorder.

The Hollywood studios tightly controlled celebrities’ PR during the 1940s and 1950s. Today’s stars seem to be willing to share so much of themselves, particularly on social media. Does this lack of mystique help or hurt the concept of stardom today? And, how does it impact the mental health conversation?

On the one hand, “oversharing” can be a form of overexposure, and that’s harmful when what celebrities let slip or expose about themselves challenges fans’ impressions of them. On the other hand, a star’s use of social media can be as carefully curated as a studio-controlled publicity campaign (even celebrities’ attempts to appear “relatable” online are a performance!). What has changed is really just the medium and the shift in management from the studio to the star. What we want to see is a more informed culture about mental health and greater resources to support it, and I think that starts with a de-stigmatization of mental illness. In comparison to Tierney, today’s stars can take advantage of their public positions to raise awareness and serve as advocates for mental health causes. At the minimum, I think stars who are open about their mental illnesses can serve as catalysts for more public conversations in which mental-health experts hopefully participate. And, I think that can only be a good thing.

How do you bring your interest in film and your research into the classroom to enrich your students’ education?

All of the classes I teach in the English Department are about film, and, as the department’s specialist in popular narrative cinema of the U.S., I have taught classes on film noir and the Hollywood star system in which Tierney has made appearances. What distinguishes the film classes in English from those taught elsewhere on campus is that we don’t teach students how to make films, nor do we use films as vehicles to teach something else (e.g., teaching literature through film). Rather, we give students the historical background and analytical skills to be able to interpret the meanings of films as texts and ascertain what they can tell us about cinema as a cultural institution. This humanities-based training in writing, research and critical thinking gives students the tools to formulate arguments supported by evidence, read closely and make judgements, solve problems, communicate better and assume a more informed, responsible role in navigating a world increasingly mediated by screens.

Selecting a major and choosing a career path don’t have to be daunting experiences. While some students come to ���ϲ�����’s College of Arts and Sciences (A&S) or the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs (Maxwell) ready to declare a major or choose a career path, many are still considering the many options available to them. Either way, most are eager to take advantage of the wide array of classes, experiential learning, alumni networking and other support that are certain to lead them down the path to success—and that’s where the ��is ready to help.

The advising office works with more than 5,000 students each year from A&S | Maxwell. The staff of 30 guides undergraduates through everything from making sure they’ve completed academic requirements to encouraging them to explore unique options both on and off campus that can help them better prepare for the challenges of the professional world.

Steven Schaffling, assistant dean of student success, received the Chancellor’s Award for outstanding contributions to the student experience.

Leading the success of these efforts is��, assistant dean of student success, who recently received the Chancellor’s Award for outstanding contributions to the student experience and University initiatives.

“Dr. Schaffling has brought significant enhancement in academic advising and career preparation to the University’s single largest undergraduate cohort by responding creatively to student needs and expectations and striving to ensure a vibrant and practical academic experience,” says A&S Dean Karin Ruhlandt.

By strategically integrating academic and career advising, A&S | Maxwell has ensured that students have four years of access to an advisor who can help them plan and follow an academic path that leads from the classroom to experiential learning, as well as career options or graduate school.

An important part of this process is����at A&S | Maxwell. Launched in 2021, it is a certification that encourages students to turn experiential learning into career or graduate school readiness. To earn this certification and digital badge, students must complete at least two of the available opportunities: research, internships, study abroad or community engagement.

The advising office also has initiated an ambitious alumni-student mentoring program, where a student is paired with an alum who works in a particular field of interest. Within the past two years, this program has seen five times more interactions with University alumni mentors. Other career preparation options include immersions programs in places like New York City and Atlanta, resume and interview workshops, and opportunities to attend panel discussions featuring alumni from a variety of industries.

Students at the 2022 A&S | Maxwell Convocation.

Another enhancement to the advising process is the recent implementation of��, a two-way text-messaging system that allows students to contact their advisors quickly. Since the initiative started, the office has received more than 10,000 student queries via text on a variety of topics—from basics like registration deadlines to more complex inquiries on how to find an internship. The advising office at A&S | Maxwell was the first at the University to adopt such technology—something that has since begun to catch on at other colleges and schools on campus.

International students comprise approximately 30 percent of the enrollment at A&S | Maxwell. As these students often face unique challenges, A&S | Maxwell recently welcomed , associate director of international student success, to ease their transition to campus. This position is the first of its kind at the University. In addition, the advising office has also worked to streamline the registration process and provide language instruction to international students during their first year at the University. These efforts to help them feel at home have proven successful, resulting in more international students completing their degrees.

Through the work of the Office of Undergraduate Academic and Career Advising, every student at A&S | Maxwell can navigate the academic experience with confidence and leave ���ϲ����� not only with a diploma in hand, but the tools and experience needed to successfully enter the job market or graduate school.

New three-credit interdisciplinary courses on current global issues will be offered to undergraduate students for the 2022-23 academic year by the College of Arts and Sciences (A&S) and the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs.

“Part of the value of a liberal arts education is the ability to see the connections between various subjects,” says , associate dean of curriculum innovation and pedagogy and professor of writing and rhetoric. “The subjects we offer are not meant to be learned in silos but contribute to larger conversations through collaboration, interaction and appreciation of others’ contributions.”

With faculty eager to work together on interdisciplinary questions, A&S Dean and Maxwell School Dean put out a call for proposals bringing together novel combinations of faculty research, expertise and teaching for students looking to delve deeper into topics that are making headlines.

“Through these new courses, students will be challenged in their critical thinking while examining contemporary issues,” says Ruhlandt. “We are excited to make available even more diversity of learning experiences to undergraduate students.”

“A&S | Maxwell majors already enjoy access to faculty expertise across both schools,” says Van Slyke. “The advantage of team teaching is the ability to explore public affairs through an interdisciplinary lens, adding richness and new dimension to students’ understanding of complex issues.”

While a number of outstanding ideas were proposed, three were selected for the 2022-23 academic year: “Muslims in Movies, Music and Media,” “Science, Religion and Society” and “Understanding Challenges to Democratic Citizenship: Lessons from Italian Politics, Cinema and Novels.”

“Muslims in Movies, Music and Media” was created by Associate Professor in the Department of History, and Associate Professor and Director of Undergraduate Studies in the Department of Religion. Kallander is a scholar of the early modern and modern Middle East, with a focus on popular culture in this region of the world, while Jouili is an anthropologist of religion focusing on contemporary Muslim communities in Europe. Together, they have designed a course that introduces students to 20th- and 21st-century Muslim life through movies, television, music and social media—made by and for Muslims. Topics will include how social media platforms help explore questions of identity for young Muslims as they navigate faith, generational differences, activism and even fashion; how the internet and social media have shaped Muslim communities, and ways in which media has been key to Islam’s global reach in transnational social and political movements.

In addition, students will produce individual and collaborative projects that further explore Muslim music and social media through platforms such as TikTok, Instagram and Twitter.

“Religion, Science and Society” was designed by , faculty fellow in religion and political science based in those respective departments, and Associate Professor in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences. With research that links religious and political identities, Brockway is especially interested in how secular individuals use science as a moral belief system to overcome partisan divisions. Junium’s research focuses on the long-term evolution of Earth’s surface environments and climate.

Calling religion and science “the most powerful forces in society,” the two faculty members will present perspectives on how these topics both represent different ways of seeing the world while often being inextricably connected in unending conflict. Students will have the opportunity to examine contemporary ideas, such as climate change, stem cell research, public health protocols, and even vaccines, and, at the same time challenge their existing assumptions and engage in new perspectives with a greater understanding of the sociological consequences of science and religion on modern society.

“Understanding Challenges to Democratic Citizenship: Lessons from Italian Politics, Cinema and Novels” was developed by Associate Professor , Department of Political Science, and Associate Professor in the Department of Languages, Literatures and Linguistics. Estevez-Abe’s field of study is comparative political economy of advanced industrial countries, as well as comparative welfare states and gender issues, while Giannini’s current research focuses on the relationship of cultures of the Mediterranean basin, particularly the encounters of modern Italian poets and writers with Northern Africa between the end of the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century.

The course introduces students to key political concepts and theories through the lens of Italy’s past and current events using a multi-disciplinary method that combines readings and films. With the premise that Italy has been “the harbinger of major political disfunctions” that have plagued both Europe and the U.S. for the past two centuries, as well as the first country whose political system was disrupted by social media—a major new political party, the Five Star Movement (Movimento Cinque Stelle, M5S) was created thanks to social media—it is an excellent example of a nation experiencing citizen discontent with politics.

The course will look at many influential Italian films and novels that struggle to make sense of key social events in different but complementary ways. It will also closely examine the role of religion in politics, the rise of fascism, the Mafia and the state, the Cold War and power, immigration and its backlash, and populism. Students will have the opportunity to acquire the cultural competencies of another nation’s history and societal structure, while also being encouraged to look at the U.S. from another country’s viewpoint.

Students interested in registering should consult with their advisor.

Thanks to ongoing academic innovations at A&S | Maxwell, such as these interdisciplinary courses, the and the new , students are assured of an undergraduate education that is contemporary, valuable and relevant in a variety of careers or graduate study.

AJ Willingham (Courtesy: CNN)

When AJ Willingham ’09 enrolled in the College of Arts and Sciences (A&S), she just wanted to be a writer. But the unique style she honed while in the ��(WRC) program led her to great things, including a career with CNN Digital and an Emmy Award for Outstanding Interactive Media.

Willingham started as a broadcast major at the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and later joined the School of Architecture, but when she heard that the College of Arts & Sciences had recently created a new major in writing, rhetoric, and composition, she made yet another switch.

Willingham loved the freedom and the challenges of the program. “The WRC program quickly felt like home. It was an opportunity to explore who I was,” she says. “The faculty were very accepting and extremely interested in students’ ability to tell their stories without filters. They understood that there was a certain amount of revealing yourself—and that was embraced no matter who you were. In addition, there was a huge element of community responsibility and the idea that, as a writer, you owed it to yourself to do something with that.”

“We were having conversations with the faculty about how to identify people’s places in the community and given new language to talk about these things in the world,” adds Willingham. “It was an education in how to use language that respects people. It emphasized that you’re interacting with the world when you put things down on paper. And, that a good writer is a good learner, and a good learner is a good citizen.”

WRC Professor Lois Agnew, associate dean of curriculum innovation and pedagogy, as well as Willingham’s former advisor, remembers her as a student whose passion stood out.

“AJ was one of those who was such a joy to work with,” says Agnew. “The goal of the WRC program has always been to find students who love to write, are fascinated by language and want to see where that can take them. AJ certainly took what she learned here and, combined with her own unique style, put that into practice.”

Willingham graduated and went to work for CNN at its Atlanta headquarters. After a few years, she found her niche writing for CNN Digital and was eventually promoted to senior writer. Willingham gained more recognition as the head writer for CNN.com’s daily email newsletter, 5 Things, and The Good Stuff, an e-newsletter she created with stories of inspiration and the power of people making a difference in their communities.

“The WRC program gave me the confidence and the ability to say, ‘This is the way I am, and this is the way I write,’” she explains. “My outlook and the unique voice I think I bring to my work has really helped define my career.”

AJ Willingham holding her ���ϲ����� diploma and her Emmy Award that she won while at CNN. (Courtesy: AJ Willingham)