The University welcomes alumni back to campus at the tailgate during Orange Central 2023 (Photo by Ross Knight)

Get ready for an unforgettable weekend as ���ϲ����� gears up for Orange Central Homecoming 2024. This year’s celebration, set for Nov. 1-3, will be a vibrant and family-friendly weekend, bringing the campus community together in a spirit of camaraderie and Orange pride.

While there is a , be sure not to miss these signature programs from the Office of Alumni Engagement and Annual Giving:

Friday, Nov. 1: Kick off the weekend with Forever Orange Friday from 6-9 p.m. on the Shaw Quad. Enjoy delicious cookout food, lawn games, a photo booth and time with Otto the Orange while mingling with student organizations participating in our Student Organization Challenge.

Saturday, Nov. 2: Start your day with our Homecoming Alumni Breakfast from 9-10:30 a.m. inside Schine’s Goldstein Auditorium. Connect with alumni, students, faculty and staff from various schools and colleges—all in one place. Pick up your exclusive game day clear tote, then head to the Quad for our tailgate.

Sunday, Nov. 3: Wrap up the weekend with our *NEW* SU Arts Fair and Brunch from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Shaffer Art Building lobby. Stop by as your schedule allows to enjoy hands-on art activities, an Instagram photo station, balloon artist, drumming performances and guided tours of the ���ϲ����� Art Museum—plus a delicious brunch.

Orange Central Homecoming 2024 is more than just a weekend of events; it’s a celebration of the ���ϲ����� community and our incredible spirit. Whether you’re a graduate, a current student, or a member of ���ϲ�����’s faculty or staff, we hope you’ll join us for a weekend filled with fun, food and festivities. Sign-up is .

is ���ϲ�����’s Black and Latino alumni reunion. Highlights of the weekend, set for Sept. 12-15, include a celebrity basketball game, comedy show, cookout on the Quad, fundraising gala, worship service and brunch. CBT provides alumni an opportunity to engage with current students, share exciting experiences with fellow graduates and learn about ways to give back.

Family Weekend, coordinated by , will be held Sept. 27-29. The weekend provides a great opportunity for students to show off the campus to their families and features a variety of programs that showcase the unsurpassed ���ϲ����� student experience. This year, the Orange football team will host Holy Cross during Family Weekend.

The Orange Central Homecoming Weekend, including Law alumni, is set for Nov. 1-3, when the Orange host Virginia Tech in the JMA Wireless Dome. Additional details will be released in the coming weeks.

���ϲ����� is also planning on-the-road programs and/or ticket blocks as the ���ϲ����� Orange head to away games at UNLV, NC State, Pitt, Boston College and Cal. There’s no better time to be Orange!

Among those attending the Dec. 5 preview performance in New York City were, from left, ���ϲ����� Stage Artistic Director Bob Hupp; Alumnus and Producer Ben Holtzman ’13; Alumnus and Producer Sammy Lopez ’13; Professor Christine Ashby; Lawrence B. Taishoff Associate Professor of Inclusive Education Beth Myers and Chancellor Kent Syverud.

���ϲ�����’s Broadway Series is hosted by the alumni engagement and annual giving team based out of New York City’s Lubin House. The evening began with a lively dinner and panel discussion at renowned NYC eatery Sardi’s. Panelists included Holtzman and Lopez, along with Bob Hupp, artistic director at ���ϲ����� Stage, and Beth Myers, Lawrence B. Taishoff Associate Professor of Inclusive Education and executive director of the Taishoff Center on Inclusive Education in the School of Education. Christine Ashby G’01, G’07, G’08, professor of inclusive special education and disability studies in the School of Education, moderated an important discussion about how “How to Dance in Ohio” made its way to Broadway, and how ���ϲ����� is paving the way for inclusivity.

“Autistic people can be in college. Autistic people can be on Broadway. ���ϲ����� should be really proud of the work that’s happened over the last 70 years at our university to make that possible,” said Myers, referencing the work of the Taishoff Center and the Center for Disability and Inclusion. ���ϲ�����’s work in disability awareness and inclusion is groundbreaking in the field of higher education.

The set of “How to Dance in Ohio.”

“How to Dance in Ohio,” based on the award-winning HBO documentary, explores the need to connect and the courage it takes to step out into the world. At a group counseling center in Columbus, Ohio, seven autistic young adults prepare for a spring formal dance—a challenge that breaks open their routines and sets off hilarious and heartbreaking encounters with love, stress, excitement and independence. “How to Dance in Ohio” is a story about people standing on the cusp of the next phase of their lives, facing their hopes and fears, ready to take a very big first step … and dance.

“That’s why we knew this show needed to exist. It’s because it hasn’t existed before,” said Lopez, referencing that the roles of the seven autistic young adults are played by actors who identify as autistic. The production offers many accommodations for the audience to fully experience the musical, from light-canceling sunglasses to special headphones with self-adjustable volume. This production and ���ϲ����� offer opportunities to experience Broadway and life in general to those who were previously excluded. Everyone feels welcome.

“How to Dance in Ohio” debuted at ���ϲ����� Stage in 2022 but was forced to close early due to COVID-19. The show opens Sunday at the Belasco Theatre on Broadway.

Forever Orange Week, March 20-24, is ���ϲ�����’s annual celebration of what it means to be Orange—a high-energy week that highlights the indelible bond that’s created the moment you become a member of the Orange community. The Forever Orange Student Alumni Council plays a key role in planning the week’s events.

As students return from Spring Break, they’re encouraged to participate in several programs and events throughout the week. On Tuesday, March 21, ���ϲ����� Life Trustee Nick Donofrio G’71, H’11 will lead an engaging discussion based on his new autobiography, “If Nothing Changes, Nothing Changes.” Donofrio spent decades as a top executive in business and technology. The discussion is set for 12:30-2:30 p.m. in Schine 304ABC, and those wishing to attend should RSVP to Heather Carroll by Friday, March 17.

The week will include several additional opportunities for students to interact with alumni, including a special D.C. Immersion Experience, where D.C.-based alumni will visit campus to offer students advice on living and working in Washington, D.C.

Boost the ’Cuse is the marquee event of Forever Orange Week 2023, with NFL Network’s Scott Hanson ’93 traveling to campus to anchor 16 live shows from the state-of-the-art Newhouse Studios. Each show will showcase some of the best of ���ϲ����� with the goal of inspiring students, faculty/staff, alumni, parents and friends to make a gift of any amount to support ���ϲ�����. All students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends are strongly encouraged to (Very Influential People) and earn ���ϲ����� swag!

On the evening of March 23, all members of the Class of 2023 who have made their Class Act gift will be invited to Club 44 in the JMA Wireless Dome for a Countdown to Commencement donor recognition celebration.

The week concludes on March 24, as the Orange community marks 153 years since ���ϲ����� was founded on March 24, 1870. All are invited to a birthday celebration at 2 p.m. in Schine’s Lower Atrium, including a chili cook-off and sweet treats.

Otto’s Army, the ���ϲ�����’s student section, is partnering with the Forever Orange Student Alumni Council on this special effort to spotlight the importance of giving back.

“Otto’s Army could not be more excited for the Blizzard! Seeing the student section come together and unite under this theme in support of our team is the highlight of game day. Being in the ���ϲ����� student section means more than just being a fan, it means being a part of something bigger—being a part of Otto’s Army. Giving goes a long way in helping the student section experience. Otto’s Army can only pull off so many of our wonderful initiatives without the support of these gifts, and so we appreciate everyone who assists us in our quest to remain the biggest, the loudest and the best student section in the nation,” says Anna Terzaghi ’25, president of Otto’s Army.

Students will be wearing Blizzard T-shirts with QR codes on the back; when someone scans to make a gift, that gift will go directly to Otto’s Army. Gifts support student travel to games, so that the travel does not become cost prohibitive.

For seniors, the gifts are especially meaningful. When a senior makes a gift of at least $20.23 in honor of their class year, it’s considered a Class Act gift—and the student will receive special cords at Commencement to show that they gave back.

“I’m proud to give back to the ���ϲ����� community because it makes special events and unique opportunities possible that current and future students can enjoy and take advantage of during their college experience,” says Anna Jenkins ’23, co-president of the Forever Orange Student Alumni Council.

The Blizzard is set for Monday, Jan. 30, at 7 p.m. in the JMA Wireless Dome. The game will be nationally televised and is the only ACC game that day, meaning all eyes will be on this amazing fundraising effort!

Can’t be at the game? Here’s how to .

He also knows that there might never have been a Quentin and Ashleigh were it not for a ���ϲ����� connection.

Quentin Brunson ’12, G’13 proposed to his girlfriend Ashleigh Mann during Adele’s “One Night Only” television concert special Nov. 14 at Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles.

Brunson, who many call “Q,” is from Rochester. In 2008, he was a SummerStart student set on studying mechanical engineering. He soon switched to social work, earning both bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics. Right after graduation in 2013, Brunson’s Omega Psi Phi fraternity brother from ���ϲ����� called him to tell him about a job opening at a high school in Los Angeles. Brunson flew out. He landed the job. And he also got introduced to that fraternity brother’s next-door neighbor—a girl named Ashleigh Mann.

“I instantly told him I had a crush on him. Like literally day one. I was like, ‘I promise you. You’re going to be my boyfriend,’” Mann recalls.

The two casually dated for two years before becoming an official couple. It took Brunson seven years after that to propose—something Mann isn’t shy to give him a hard time about.

Earlier this year, Brunson saw a post asking for a couple who wanted to get engaged in an “epic” way. It asked applicants to share how long they’d been dating, if she’d say yes, if he could keep a secret, who her favorite artists were and other questions. Singer-songwriter Adele was one of several artists Brunson listed. He submitted the one-minute video and waited. Soon after, producers were in touch, but were very hush-hush about the details of what would play out.

Brunson says he was able to keep everything from Mann by taking the calls after she went to work or while he was at work. Brunson’s work, it’s worth noting, is on the set of Nickelodeon’s “Side Hustle.” The show’s producers are all ���ϲ����� graduates. He drives a car with ���ϲ����� plates. He bleeds Orange.

Brunson and Mann say their phones have been “blowing up” since the television special aired with messages from ���ϲ����� to South Africa.

“We’ve gotten stuff from India, China, Malaysia, South Africa, France, Canada, UK, Hawaii… everywhere,” the couple shares.

What many people don’t know is that there was a part one of the epic night. Before escorting her blindfolded to Griffith Observatory, Brunson had taken Mann to a local park for a picnic with champagne. She thought that was the date. When they got back to the car, Brunson told her to put on the blindfold and trust him.

“We do weird stuff all the time,” Mann says. “It’s not out of the ordinary for us to do something strange. But, by all means, I did NOT think we were heading to see Adele. That’s for sure. Or get engaged, which I never thought he would do. I mean I’ve only been waiting my whole life.”

As for what took Brunson so long? “I knew it was her, but I didn’t know timing-wise what was going to happen. I was waiting for the right energy. People have been on my case for YEARS. When this post came up, I was like this ‘sounds like it’s for me’—and it ended up being for us!”

Producers kept telling him it would be something romantic and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. They didn’t clue him in on the Adele connection until a few weeks prior to the special, which was filmed in late October.

The celebrity-studded audience was a surprise for both Mann AND her man on one knee. Brunson did a walk-through that morning, but the producers didn’t tell him that Melissa McCarthy, Lizzo, Leonardo DiCaprio and Drake, among dozens of other A-listers, would be looking on.

The couple has a new Instagram account () to document the wedding planning details as everything comes together. They’ll announce their date soon.

“We’re trying to get Adele to perform, Oprah to officiate and to have it in Drake’s backyard. If we can get that combination, we think it’s going to be great,” the couple laughs.

And since Mann grew up in Ohio and Brunson in Rochester, it’s not out of the question that future kids could choose ���ϲ����� one day. If you ask Brunson, it’s a no-brainer.

“Oh absolutely. I love this school and what it did for me and my life, my career, my everything.”

The ���ϲ����� Alumni Awards are the highlight of Orange Central. Don McPherson ’87 will emcee the program, which is set for Friday, Oct. 29, at 6:30 p.m. at the new Daniel and Gayle D’Aniello Building, home to the National Veterans Resource Center. Awardees include former astronaut and retired U.S. Air Force Col. Eileen M. Collins ’78, H’01; diversity and inclusion trailblazer María D. Meléndez ’89, and Pixar President Jim Morris ’77, G’78. . All awardees will join the event in person to accept their honors.

A new addition to the weekend: the ���ϲ����� Campus Store will host Military/Veteran Award Winner Eileen Collins for a book signing on Friday, Oct. 29, from 1 to 2 p.m. Collins’ new book “Through the Glass Ceiling to the Stars: The Story of the First American Woman to Command a Space Mission” was released on Oct. 19.

The ���ϲ����� community is invited to participate in the dozens of programs planned for the weekend, including a full array of and several . For those planning to cheer on ���ϲ����� vs. Boston College, you can purchase football tickets via Orange Central registration and join in a spirited pregame tailgate on the Quad on Saturday, Oct. 30.

The Office of Alumni Engagement looks forward to celebrating all things Orange with you next weekend!

That’s just one of happening throughout the day. A student organization challenge made possible by Hendricks Chapel will unlock $5,000 each to the 10 registered student organizations that receive the most mentions on the #BoostCuse giving form. Schools, colleges and regions also have challenges to reach during the 24-hour period.

For those ���ϲ����� community members on campus today, we invite you to participate in the that will have campus abuzz. Look for the #BoostCuse tent on the Quad, tables in Schine and a golf cart driving around campus with #BoostCuse giveaways.

Philanthropy powers ���ϲ�����—and Boost the ’Cuse is when we all come together to show what it means to be Forever Orange.

We’re excited about several new developments for 2021, including:

• A student organization challenge: Thanks to Hendricks Chapel, the ten registered student organizations that are mentioned most often on the Boost the ’Cuse giving form will each receive $5,000 towards their important community-building work! .
• A quiz to identify your passion: If you like Buzzfeed-style quizzes, you’ll love this year’s to determine which ���ϲ����� fund best aligns with your passion.
• An elevated on-campus experience: From a hidden Otto scavenger hunt to a french fry bar on the Quad, campus will be buzzing during #BoostCuse! .

Together, we can Boost the ’Cuse. Together, we are Forever Orange. !

Coming Back Together, which celebrates African American and Latinx alumni, is slated for Sept. 9-12, 2021. Hosted every three years by the (formerly the Office of Program Development), and postponed in 2020, the reunion weekend offers students an opportunity to network with successful alumni of color by participating in a variety of events and cultural activities. Alumni support the University by giving to the Our Time Has Come (OTHC) Scholarship Fund.

Family Weekend, coordinated by , will be held Oct. 8-10, and registration information will be shared this summer. Loved ones are encouraged to participate in a host of programs that showcase daily life for ���ϲ����� students.

The Office of Alumni Engagement’s Orange Central celebration is set for Oct. 28-31. The weekend features reunion gatherings, fascinating academic lectures and the much-anticipated Alumni Awards Show. Visit the for the most current information, including registration details as they are available, and enjoy a look back at 2020’s virtual celebration.

For interested fans, ticket information for the 2021 football season will be shared in the coming weeks. ���ϲ����� Football will face Rutgers during Coming Back Together, Wake Forest during Family Weekend and Boston College during Orange Central.

About ���ϲ�����

���ϲ����� is a private research university that advances knowledge across disciplines to drive breakthrough discoveries and breakout leadership. Our collection of 13 schools and colleges with over 200 customizable majors close the gap between education and action, so students can take on the world. In and beyond the classroom, we connect people, perspectives and practices to solve interconnected challenges with interdisciplinary approaches. Together, we’re a powerful community that moves ideas, individuals and impact beyond what’s possible.

For the first time in University history, ���ϲ����� is surveying all emailable degree-holding alumni to better understand how alumni want to connect with their alma mater. In addition, the survey seeks to understand communications and philanthropic preferences.

“After more than a year of preparation and careful review by dozens of ���ϲ����� community members, we are excited that the alumni survey is live. Hearing directly from alumni will ensure that our alumni engagement program can be most responsive to what our graduates seeks,” says Sue Ballard, vice president of alumni engagement in the Office of Alumni Engagement. “The results will help shape the future of alumni engagement at ���ϲ�����.”

All emailable degree-holding alumni should have received an email from “Sue Ballard and Tracy Barash” with the subject line “���ϲ����� requests your feedback” late last week.

Degree-holding alumni who did not receive the email should and they will receive the survey as soon as possible.

All members of the ���ϲ����� community are encouraged to champion the survey among ���ϲ����� graduates.

Survey results are expected in late spring or early summer 2019.

Students, faculty and staff members are invited to the Shaw Quad to make a gift and celebrate what promises to be an extraordinary day for ���ϲ�����.

Here’s the Quad schedule:

10 a.m. Coffee and donuts
11 a.m. Cash grab challenge (supported by the Generation Orange Leadership Council)
Noon Selfies with Pete Sala
1 p.m. Student performances
2 p.m. Cake, cookies and hot chocolate bar

Our tent on the Quad will also be buzzing from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday evening before the ���ϲ����� Men’s Basketball game. Stop by any time.

Members of the ���ϲ����� community have three ways to give on Thursday:

Online: Make your gift at

By phone: Call 315.443.1848 or watch for a call from one of our student callers.

In person: Visit the tent on the Quad, or visit the tables in the schools, colleges and Bird Library.

Thanks to the generosity of ���ϲ�����’s school, college and unit boards, over $700,000 in challenge funds are available. Donors who support specific areas will unlock challenge funds that will go towards scholarships, the deans’ funds, and the Annual Fund. Challenges are detailed at

Also, across the country, several alumni clubs will be hosting to celebrate alumni philanthropy.

Don’t Miss a Minute

All members of the ���ϲ����� community are invited to track progress throughout the day at Additionally, look for the nine-foot rocket on the Quad, which will represent our progress during the day.

Together, we’ll send ���ϲ����� to new heights on Thursday!

These prestigious awards recognize altruistic members of our community (student groups, faculty members and alumni) and will be presented at an on-campus ceremony in March. The deadline to is Friday, Dec. 8.

Otto celebrates the success of the first Giving Day.

Boost the ’Cuse, ���ϲ�����’s 24 hours of giving, launched with an initial goal of 1,870 donors, and the historic day ended with nearly double that: 3,568 donors raised $1,769,780 for ���ϲ�����, unlocking all of the additional funds made possible by a generous challenge gift from Life Trustee Daniel A. D’Aniello ’68.

“We are immensely grateful to the thousands of alumni, parents, students, faculty, staff and friends of ���ϲ����� who made our first-ever day of giving a truly amazing success,” says David Wishart ’07,  assistant vice president for philanthropic engagement.

Gifts were designated for everything from scholarships to school and college dean’s funds to units like ���ϲ����� Libraries and ���ϲ����� Athletics. With your generous support, each of you is helping send ���ϲ����� to new heights.

Throughout the day, gifts came in from all 50 states—and from countries as far away as Uruguay, Sweden, Oman and Japan. More than 200 donors signed up as Advocates at mission.syr.edu, spreading the word about the effort. Advocates were responsible for more than 10 percent of all gifts made online throughout the day, truly showing the power of the Orange Network.

Take a look at the #BoostCuse excitement on social media .

Check back on Monday for a more detailed story on the day’s success. Thank you for helping to Boost the ’Cuse, and Go Orange!

We are one week away from Boost the ’Cuse—���ϲ�����’s first ever 24-hour giving day on Oct. 17. As you read last week, a $500,000 gift from ���ϲ����� Life Trustee Daniel A. D’Aniello ’68 will ensure that your gifts on that day have an even greater impact. We’ve released details of all of the day’s challenges. Learn more about them !

Otto’s been training to lead this important mission for several weeks. Watch above as Student Association President James Franco ’18 and Vice President Angie Pati ’18 give Otto the “Go for Launch!” stamp of approval.

Ballard comes to the University from Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, where she currently leads a team of 10 donor relations and events officers. Her team is responsible for providing strategic direction and oversight for all fundraising, cultivation and stewardship events that benefit Cincinnati Children’s. Under Ballard’s leadership, the team designed and managed the implementation of an institution-wide comprehensive stewardship and donor relations engagement program that received national recognition by the Advisory Board Co.

Prior to joining Cincinnati Children’s, Ballard served as the first-ever major gifts officer for the College of Mount St. Joseph. Before the College of Mount St. Joseph, Ballard spent the majority of her career at Bowling Green State University (BGSU) in increasingly prominent positions in events, alumni engagement and development. Her tenure with BGSU included a variety of alumni and volunteer engagement activities. Through collaborative efforts, Ballard assisted with the creation of alumni engagement activities including alumni events via chapters and societies, cultivation and stewardship receptions, homecoming gatherings, regional and national centennial celebrations, career mentorship and internship opportunities, and student-centered summer admission events. In addition, Ballard has substantial board management experience through her work with BGSU’s alumni board and foundation board, as well as Cincinnati Children’s foundation board.

“���ϲ����� alumni are incredibly passionate about their alma mater and want to remain connected to our great campus and to each other,” Ter Molen says. “Under Sue’s leadership and in partnership with ���ϲ����� Alumni Association (SUAA) president Mark Verone, the Office of Alumni Engagement will ensure that all alumni know just how meaningful it is to be members of the SUAA. Sue will create and implement strategies that show our alumni that the value of a ���ϲ����� degree is everlasting.”

Ter Molen adds, “We are thrilled that Sue is joining us at ���ϲ�����. Her warm, engaging personality makes her perfectly suited to oversee a growing, energetic team in the Office of Alumni Engagement and to work closely with the SUAA Board, club presidents and 250,000 alumni who want to remain Forever Orange. Her unique blend of work experience in alumni engagement, volunteer management, event planning and philanthropy positions her well for success.”

Ballard admires ���ϲ�����’s pride and culture and feels highly motivated to elevate the alumni engagement program. “I believe that relationship-centered alumni work should begin the moment a prospective student visits campus for the first time and continue long after graduation day, through every stage of a graduate’s journey. I look forward to creating a forward-thinking, premier alumni program that meets the goals of the Fast Forward initiative while fully engaging our alumni in the ways that matter most to them,” she says.

Ballard adds, “What I’m looking forward to most is getting out from behind my desk and meeting as many alumni as I can. I want to listen to their memories, to hear about their love for all things Orange, and to learn first hand what the ���ϲ����� experience meant to each of them.”

Ballard, a native of Rochester, N.Y., received a B.A. in political science from Hartwick College, where she was a two-time captain of the swim team and served as a representative on Hartwick’s Alumni Association Board. Ballard earned her M.A. in college student personnel at Bowling Green State University. She and her husband, Troy, enjoy all outdoor activities, no matter the season, and are very excited to become part of the Orange family and settle in the ���ϲ����� area.​

Erin McLaughlin

In 2007, Erin McLaughlin became the first Lockerbie Scholar to earn an undergraduate degree from ���ϲ�����. Typically, these outstanding scholars from Lockerbie, Scotland, study in ���ϲ����� for only a year, representing the 11 Lockerbie residents who died in the Pan Am 103 disaster. McLaughlin quickly realized that one year in ���ϲ����� would not be long enough. Now, nearly a decade after graduating from ���ϲ����� with a degree from the College of Arts and Sciences, McLaughlin has been granted permanent residency to the United States.

Q: When you came to ���ϲ����� as a Lockerbie Scholar, did you imagine calling the United States your permanent home?

A: I came into the ���ϲ�����/Lockerbie scholarship knowing and planning for a one-year experience. I was only 17 and was looking at it as a gap year before going back to Scotland to start at the University of Glasgow. However, by October of my freshman year, I couldn’t imagine not spending the next four years of my life at ���ϲ�����.

I worked very hard with Judy O’Rourke [���ϲ����� staff member and the ���ϲ����� facilitator of the Lockerbie Scholarships] to find ways to be the first Lockerbie Scholar to stay on and graduate from ���ϲ�����. By becoming a resident advisor, earning a merit scholarship from the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarship Programs, and receiving support from my selfless parents, I was able to continue on. Being chosen as a Remembrance Scholar during my senior year was very special and really brought my time at ���ϲ����� full circle.

Recently, my parents sent me a picture of a letter I wrote to myself when I was 8 years old after a vacation to the United States. In the letter, I wrote about wanting to live in America and visiting New York. I had no recollection of writing it, but it appears that when you put something out in the universe, you can make it happen!

Q: When you look back on it, what has your ���ϲ����� experience meant to you?

A: ���ϲ����� and the connections I made there were life-changing. I grew immeasurably in confidence and independence, and I have made lifelong connections. The connection I had with faculty and staff allowed me to try a lot of new things. Being president of a student club (Association for Student-Elderly Connection), acting in a play at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival with the drama department, and researching and writing an honors thesis are just a sample of the opportunities I had available to me and I am forever grateful.

Q: How did ���ϲ����� change your life or help you get to where you are today?

A: As a resident advisor, I was exposed to the career field of higher education administration. After ���ϲ�����, I went on to pursue a master’s degree at New York University. Mentors, such as Rebecca Reed Kantrowitz, Judy O’Rourke, Professor Chris Kyle and Kathleen MacLachlan NP, showed me the ways the University is set up to support and encourage the growth of every individual student—whether socially, academically or personally. This really propelled me into the field of student affairs, where I now work in Career Services at Fordham University under the leadership of Senior Vice President of Student Affairs Jeffrey Gray G’81. With his support, I was able to get sponsored for my permanent residency for my work in student affairs. I hope that through my work and community involvement, I can support, engage and lead those that I come into contact with.

Q: What’s your favorite memory of your time at ���ϲ�����?

A: This is an impossible question! I have so many. From living off-campus senior year with my best friends to being the mentor resident advisor for the Skyhalls during their inaugural year housing first-year students, I definitely had plenty of laughs.

One of the most poignant memories was Remembrance Week during my senior year. I worked with my fellow scholars to plan the rose-laying ceremony and to create the “Celebration of Remembrance.” I was chosen to represent the group and to speak at the service at Hendricks Chapel. I am always honored to represent Lockerbie and Scotland and doing so as a Remembrance Scholar gave me an even deeper connection to the ���ϲ����� students who lost their lives.

Q: As an alumna in the New York City region, how have you enjoyed connecting with other alumni in the area?

A: The great thing about ���ϲ����� is that everywhere you go, you can connect with new alumni. I was recently in San Francisco and went to the SU vs. Georgetown game watching party that was organized by the ���ϲ����� Alumni Club of Northern California Alumni group. It was wonderful to reconnect with friends but also to meet and learn about the great things that ���ϲ����� alumni are doing nationwide.

I have also been involved with the ���ϲ����� Mentor/Mentee Alliance program and the Generation Orange Leadership program through Lubin House in New York City. ���ϲ����� changed my life and so for me it is incredibly important to maintain and increase my ���ϲ����� network.

Shroff will give a presentation about his career in sports broadcasting at 2:30 p.m. in the Hergenhan Auditorium, located in Newhouse 3. The event is free and open to the public. Light refreshments will be served at a reception following Shroff’s presentation.

While studying broadcast journalism at the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, Shroff was sports director for the on-campus radio station WAER. In 2004, as he worked to complete his degree at SU, Shroff was featured on ESPN’s reality show “Dream Job.”

In ���ϲ�����, Shroff began his professional career working for WHEN radio, and then went on to do freelance work in New York City at College Sports TV. He later relocated to Yakima, Wash., where he was the sports director at KNDO-TV. Shroff then returned to the East Coast for a position at WSYR-TV in ���ϲ����� before joining ESPN in 2008.

Shroff’s visit is part of SU’s celebration of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. Following his visit on April 20, the celebration will continue on April 23 with a presentation by 2009 alumna Jennifer Zhao, an engineer with the Raytheon Company. Zhao’s lecture at 7 p.m. in 107 Hall of Languages will conclude the Alumni Speaker Series for the spring 2012 semester.

The Alumni Speaker Series is a collaborative effort of Career Services and the Office of Alumni Relations, which brings SU alumni back to campus each semester to share their career stories.

Space for the event is limited, and interested attendees must register in OrangeLink. If you do not have OrangeLink access, e-mail Kim Brown (kmbrow04@syr.edu) in the Career Services office to secure a spot.

Tarrant was recruited to ���ϲ����� to play football and studied sociology in The College of Arts and Sciences. A fellow SU alumnus helped him to land his first job after college working in sales. Tarrant joined MC² shortly after, working his way up to become the head of the company’s collegiate services division. Tarrant will share his career path with students and offer words of inspiration, especially for those students who might feel lost or struggling in their college experience.

The Alumni Speaker Series is a collaborative effort of and the that brings SU alumni back to campus each semester to share their career stories. The series will continue in partnership with Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, welcoming ESPN’s Anish Shroff on April 20 and Raytheon’s Jennifer Zhao on April 23.

For more information about the Alumni Speaker Series, contact Brown.

Keppler Speakers is one of the nation’s top celebrity lecture agencies and is located in Washington, D.C. The agency represents a wide range of leaders in the world of politics, journalism, sports and entertainment. Theo’s clients include CNN’s Soledad O’Brien, Baseball Hall of Famer Cal Ripken, Apollo 13 Mission Commander Capt. James Lovell and Frank Warren, the creator of the popular blog PostSecret.

Moll is a 1990 graduate of The College of Arts and Sciences, majoring in international relations with a minor in Spanish. While focusing her studies on intercultural communication, she held an internship with the International Center of ���ϲ�����, which arranged visits for foreign business leaders. She also led a non-violent social change film series and studied abroad in Madrid. Moll credits her internship with Congressman James Walsh for bringing her to the Washington, D.C., area, where she started on the career path she continues today.

More than 20 years ago, Moll started at Keppler Speakers and has scheduled nearly 3,000 lecture events at colleges and universities across the United States, Canada, Mexico and abroad. During her tenure, Moll has been responsible for directing strategic marketing campaigns, innovative use of social media, new client acquisitions and staff recruiting. She is involved with numerous professional associations, including the National Association of Campus Activities (NACA), the Association of Performing Arts Presenters (APAP) and the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE).

One of the most rewarding aspects of her career has been having the opportunity to work with and mentor students. During her tenure, the lecture industry has seen many changes and innovations—from videoconferencing to webcasting, and direct-mail campaigns to social media—but one thing that remains constant is the timeless value of storytelling and the importance of sharing knowledge and ideas.

The Alumni Speaker Series is a collaborative effort of Career Services and the Office of Alumni Relations, which brings SU alumni back to campus each semester to share their career stories. The series will continue with MC2 Events Exhibits Environments’ Brian Tarrant on April 4.

Luan will share advice on working for one of the world’s most recognizable companies, and will offer a unique perspective for international students interested in following her career path.

After receiving her master’s degree from the L.C. Smith College of Engineering and Computer Science, Luan now manages product marketing for Microsoft’s online advertising business in the Asia Pacific and EMEA regions. She is currently executing on the Microsoft and Yahoo! alliance and launching new international markets.

Previously, she managed merchant acquisition and business development for Bing Cashback, doubling the number of merchants to more than 1,000, and built numerous teams within Microsoft adCenter. As a program manager, she managed a 50-person engineering team spanning the United States, China and India, and spearheaded five major releases across five countries.

Luan served as president of the Microsoft Chinese Employee Diversity Group, which boasts 2,000 members. Luan holds a bachelor’s of engineering from Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, where she graduated Summa Cum Laude. She is an M.B.A. candidate at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business, where she received a coveted scholarship from the Financial Women’s Association and made the dean’s list every term.

The Alumni Speaker Series is a collaborative effort of Career Services and the Office of Alumni Relations, which brings SU alumni back to campus each semester to share their career stories. The series will continue in this spring with Keppler Speakers’ Theo Moll on March 27 and MC2 Events Exhibits Environments’ Brian Tarrant on April 4.

For the past 10 years, even while a student at SU, Adler has owned and operated a portrait, fashion and wedding studio distinguished by its ‘fashion flair’ approach to imagery. As a New York-based fashion photographer, her editorials have appeared in dozens of publications internationally. She regularly contributes to a variety of major photo publications, including Professional Photographer, Rangefinder Magazine, Popular Photography and more.

In May 2010, Adler published her first book, “A Linked Photographers’ Guide to Online Marketing and Social Media” (Course Technology PTR). In February 2011, she published her second book, “Fashion Flair for Portrait and Wedding Photography” (Course Technology PTR).

Adler is sponsored by a variety of major photography companies and can be found as a platform speaker at events like WPPI, Photo Plus, NECCC, PSA, and many more. She teaches thousands of photographers annually on topics ranging from retouching, to fashion techniques, to studio lighting.

Though only in her mid-20’s, her career and photography have received much acclaim and she has already become a respected name in the business.

The Alumni Speaker Series is a collaborative effort of Career Services within the Division of Student Affairs and the Office of Alumni Relations, which brings SU alumni back to campus each semester to share their career stories. The Speaker Series will continue this semester with Microsoft’s Lan Luan on Feb. 21, Keppler Speakers’ Theo Moll on March 27, and MC2 Events Exhibits Environments’ Brian Tarrant on April 4.

For more information about the Alumni Speaker Series and upcoming speakers, contact Kim Brown  at kmbrow04@syr.edu, or 443-3616.

The event is at 1:30 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 27, in Newhouse 3’s Hergenhan Auditorium. It is free and open to the public. An hors d’oeuvres reception will follow.

Forte majored in consumer studies at SU, when it was a major in the college that is now the . Forte manages a sales team covering all network television dayparts, as well as digital and new media sales. In this role, he is also responsible for the sale of ABC Network primetime advertising. He handles a roster of more than 30 national advertisers, including Apple, McDonald’s, J.C. Penney, Visa and PepsiCo. Forte negotiates the price of all upfront and scatter primetime advertising, including primetime specials, digital and integrated marketing partnerships. He is responsible for presenting new sales opportunities, research and programming development to clients.

Forte joined ABC in 2000 as an account executive in ABC Daytime and SOAPnet sales. Prior to joining ABC, he worked for the Media Edge and TN Media, Inc.

Messinger received his undergraduate degree in American studies from . A year later, he received a master of science degree in television, radio and film from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications. He now oversees national publicity campaigns for programs and special projects within the daytime division of the Disney-ABC Television Group – including the multi-Emmy Award-winning drama “General Hospital,” working with mainstream and soap press on a regular basis to garner media coverage.

While a student, Messinger was actively involved on campus, including University 100, Otto the Orange mascot, Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity, Greek Council and the Student Government Association. A long-running board member and a past president of the ���ϲ����� Alumni Club of Southern California, he also sat on the national board of the SU Alumni Association from 2004-10. Messinger serves as an alumni representative for the undergraduate admissions office, where he attends college fairs and conducts off-campus interviews of prospective students. He was the winner of SU’s Outstanding Young Alumnus Award in 2000.

The Alumni Speaker Series is a collaborative effort of within the Division of Student Affairs and the Office of Alumni Relations, which brings SU alumni back to campus each semester to share their career stories.

For more information about the Alumni Speaker Series and upcoming speakers, contact Kim Brown  at kmbrow04@syr.edu, 443-3616.