Dwayne Murray, deputy director of the Office of Veteran and Military Affairs (OVMA), discusses its impact on campus and around the world, explores what sets ���ϲ����� apart as a best place for veterans and shares his love for working with veterans and military-connected students.

���ϲ����� has a long, proud history of serving our veterans and military-connected students that dates back to World War I and the post-World War II era when thousands of veterans embarked on their journey to a college degree through the G.I. Bill.

One of the central organizations on campus that helps the University accomplish this mission is the (OVMA), which, for the last 10 years has played a critical role in helping veterans, military-connected students and their family members pursue their higher education dreams.

Dwayne Murray ’97 is living out his dream job as the OVMA’s deputy director, and he’s proud of the work the organization does through its programs and initiatives while serving as the University’s central hub for veteran and military-connected students.

Dwayne Murray

“The OVMA sets our veteran and military-connected students with an opportunity to go through the entire life cycle of being connected to ���ϲ�����, from being recruited to when they graduate with their degrees,” Murray says. “We provide student success opportunities, immersion trips, job readiness activities and an outstanding 100% job placement rate thanks to our career services office.”

Murray was a track and field student-athlete on campus and earned degrees in sociology ( and ) and information management and technology () before enlisting in the U.S. Army immediately after graduating.

Following a decorated 25-year active-duty career in the Army, both as an enlisted soldier and an officer, Murray returned to his alma mater in June 2022 to take on this latest career challenge, which blends his passion for his country with his drive to help veteran and military-connected students achieve their goals.

“To be at the intersection of where I’ve had some of the most formidable experiences of my life as a student, and then to combine that with the purpose, direction and motivation that comes from being in the Army, I had to take advantage of this opportunity,” Murray says. “It’s the only calling for me that was bigger than continuing to serve in the military because I could pay back my institution, I could pay back the students that walk these halls and I could share those lessons I’ve learned and experiences I’ve had with our campus community.”

On this “’Cuse Conversation,” Murray discusses the impact the OVMA has had on campus and around the world, explores what sets ���ϲ����� apart as a best place for veterans and shares his love for working with veterans and military-connected students.

Check out . A transcript [PDF] is also available.

Global Impact as a Best Place for Veterans

Murray says the commitment to our veterans and military-connected students is “baked into our DNA as a University,” including the advent of the Student Army Training Corps, which was the forerunner to the Army ROTC. ���ϲ����� was also home to one of the first Air Force ROTC programs on a college campus in the nation.

Dwayne Murray (second from left) poses with attendees at the OVMA’s Stars & Stripes tailgate.

Among the many ways the OVMA and the University help facilitate the transition from active duty to student, Murray points to:

• a simplified, streamlined admissions process, including waiving application fees, which has led to a 300% increase in enrollment over the last 10 years;
• customized support services;
• innovative and creative programming under the leadership of Director of Veteran Career Services Jennifer Pluta G’15 that has yielded a 100% job placement rate for student veterans;
• a welcoming and inclusive environment, featuring various affinity groups;
• strong cross-campus relationships that lead to expanded opportunities for students; and
• significant scholarship opportunities that eliminate financial barriers to a degree.

Dwayne Murray enjoyed a decorated 25-year active-duty career in the U.S. Army, both as an enlisted soldier and an officer, before returning to ���ϲ����� in June 2022.

Add it all up and Murray says it’s easy to see why Military Times consistently ranks ���ϲ����� among the “best place for veterans” among private universities.

“We are fully committed to enhancing the opportunities for our students, and these efforts have led to a global impact,” Murray says. “We have close to 60 veterans enrolled in the fully interactive hybrid online juris doctorate program [known as JDinteractive], which gives our veterans and military-connected students the opportunity to earn their law degree completely online. We have students in the Defense Comptrollership program, that earn an MBA from the and a master’s degree in public administration through the Maxwell School. They go on to serve as leaders in their civilian agencies or their military branch of service.”

National Veterans and Military Families Month

While Murray has always seen ���ϲ����� as part of his identity—when he was 7 years old, his grandmother bought him a ���ϲ����� sweatshirt from the Salvation Army that became a cherished possession—the University is also ingrained in his family.

Dwayne’s wife, Alison Murray ’01, currently serves as the assistant dean for student assistance with Hendricks Chapel, where she is responsible for religious and spiritual outreach programs and services that assist students seeking holistic support. Alison, who earned a nursing degree on campus, served in the Army for more than 20 years.

With November being National Veterans and Military Families Month, the Murrays are an outstanding example of service to country and passion for giving back to students.

“Alison is a nurse by trade, and Hendricks Chapel is like a hospital in that she can diagnose folks and provide them with the type of support and assistance they need to grow, thrive and be successful,” Dwayne says. “It’s an amazing feeling knowing we share this strong connection with our alma mater.”

Alison and Dwayne Murray.

“Spending time with my grandparents was really an important part of my childhood, and it helped me develop a lot of compassion and respect for older adults in our community,” Sako says.

Katarina Sako ’24 speaks with a participant in the recent Age Well Days event (Photo by Charles Wainwright)

Sako’s interactions with her grandparents, including more recently as part of her family’s role in caregiving, planted the seed for her interest in her work assisting older adults through the creation of community programming.

Sako is an volunteer through . As a community organizer, Sako works to improve how older adults get connected to services that can help them thrive.

“I’m able to look at systemic issues in our society and how that impacts older adults and their health,” says Sako, who is also working to strengthen and expand a coalition of aging services organizations. “Because you can’t really address one facet without addressing the model.”

As an undergraduate student, Sako was initially interested in researching memory from a psychology perspective. She joined a lab at SUNY Upstate Medical University, and through that work, Sako decided to focus on neurodegeneration and dementia from a biology perspective.

“When you’re talking about dementia, which is my hope to study as a geriatrician, it’s not just focused on the biology—you can’t just address things from a biological perspective,” she says. “You really need to look at the entire person.”

The skills utilized in her current role took shape during her time on campus, where she majored in biology and neuroscience and minored in Spanish in the .

Katarina Sako demonstrates an apple crisp recipe during a recent Age Well Day event in ���ϲ�����

Sako volunteered as a telehealth consultant over the summer with InterFaith Works. She created a pilot program to help older adults gain the skills needed to navigate telehealth appointments, which gained popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“There are a lot of benefits offered by telehealth, such as not going in person to your doctor’s appointment, which can be especially helpful if you have mobility issues,” says Sako. “However, technology issues can be really challenging for many older adults.”

The AmeriCorps VISTA program is focused on reducing poverty in the community. Sako’s skills and experience made her the perfect fit for the community organizer role.

Lori Klivak, senior director for the Center for Healthy Aging at InterFaith Works, was Sako’s supervisor in her telehealth consultant role and later introduced Sako to the community organizer opportunity, where Klivak��continues to be Sako’s supervisor.

One of InterFaith Works’ initiatives is the Greater ���ϲ����� Aging Services Coalition, which started in 2020 to unite aging services organizations under one umbrella.

One of the ways Sako reaches out and makes connections is through Age Well Days, an event that brings community services together for older adults. During the most recent event, held on Sept. 24 at Park Central Presbyterian Church in downtown ���ϲ�����, attendees were served a healthy lunch (including a salad made by Sako). They heard presentations from community organizations on health, digital literacy, voting and food assistance, while Sako demonstrated how to make a healthy (and tasty) apple crisp. Attendees took home fresh produce.

“These are opportunities for lower-income older adults in the community to receive important services. The goal is to have people actively enroll in things,” says Sako. “For example, if you need food assistance or you are experiencing food insecurity, let’s enroll you in SNAP. We want to ease this enrollment process because as much as we have these resources available, the number of older adults who are actually enrolled in these programs is low.”

A timeline of Age Well Day events is still being determined, but Sako plans to hold the events at three different locations throughout the community. The Sept. 24 event focused on eating well, and funding was provided by the ���ϲ����� Onondaga Food Systems Alliance.

Sako believes the project has a lot of longevity. “You could compare it to a resource fair, but it’s really meant to be a more intimate setting where we’re connecting with the participants who are there,” she says. “It’s affirming the dignity of all races, all religions and recognizing the diversity that is ���ϲ����� and Onondaga County.”

“My hope is that in forming these connections, we’re able to build long-term partnerships for the Greater ���ϲ����� Aging Services Coalition,” Sako says. “Our goal is promoting aging well in the community and reiterating that ageism doesn’t have a place here.”

Klivak says that Sako’s work is helping to fill a critical gap between services and knowledge. “We have programs, we have support, we have things in place in our community that can help older adults who age better,” she says. “But there’s a gap between what people understand or know about what we have and actually providing those services. And we don’t have all the services in all the right places.”

“Our goal is to improve the way that we, as service providers and program providers get information out, connect with communities and build relationships with communities so that they feel comfortable coming to us,” Klivak says.

It’s also raising awareness about what older people need that goes beyond the conventional wisdom that may focus on food or heat assistance or health care. There are other needs, such as AIDS and HIV prevention, digital literacy and voting issues that are not at the forefront of people’s minds.

“You may think of food or help with heat, but you’re not thinking about how it may not be easy for them to get on a computer or a smartphone and access these resources,” Klivak says. “We tend to think about aging through the lens of death, disease and decline, but that’s not the full story.”

Older adults are the number one voting bloc, the number one volunteering demographic and 42% of the local tax base, Klivak says. “These are people who are helping raise their grandchildren, helping their neighbors and who want to communicate with friends who have moved, all sorts of things,” she says. “And we want them to thrive.”

Klivak says as more outreach and connections are made, everyone is learning how to move the conversation forward and change the narrative to be more age-positive and age-friendly.

Klivak says that Sako has been a good fit for her role. “She is pretty fearless,” she says. “She jumps right in, asks really good questions and then just gets to work.”

Her title, community organizer, illustrates her mission to build relationships. “This is about making change, and change happens when people trust you,” Klivak says. “Her primary role is to be out and about in the community, meeting people, learning what’s going on, getting people interested in what we’re doing. And she has taken that seriously.”

Ultimately, Sako believes that, through her work, she is honoring her grandparents. “I think my grandparents could also benefit from Age Well days, definitely,” Sako says. “I think that they’re happy that I’m trying to make a difference.”

On this “’Cuse Conversation,” Jason Davis and Jenny Stromer-Galley offer up tips and tools you can use to help spot misinformation, share advice to help us be better-informed consumers of information and social media, and analyze the latest research on misinformation trends in the upcoming presidential election.

With the increase of misinformation and disinformation on the internet and social media, our brains struggle to process what we’re seeing and whether an image, a video clip or a story is real or not.

Faculty members and have studied the trends and created tools to help discern what’s real and what is synthetic when it comes to content posted online and on social media.

Stromer-Galley is an expert in political campaigns and misinformation and is a professor in the ; Davis is an expert on misinformation and disinformation detection. He is a research professor with the Office of Research and Creative Activity in the , and is also co-director of the .

“Depending on where people are getting their information, the quality and credibility of that information could be quite low,” Stromer-Galley says. “It leaves the public more vulnerable to state actors who are trying to engage in disinformation campaigns or U.S.-based malignant actors who are trying to manipulate the public for their own ends.”

“Our brains have not evolved as fast as the technology, and so we are still as vulnerable as we ever were to the same sorts of approaches at being deceived, intentionally or unintentionally,” Davis says. “With this new digital landscape and digital speed and scale, we need digital tools to help us protect ourselves from ourselves sometimes, and sometimes from that malicious information ecosystem.”

On this “’Cuse Conversation,” Stromer-Galley and Davis offer up tips and tools you can use to help spot misinformation, share advice to help us be better-informed consumers of information and social media, and analyze the latest research on misinformation trends in the upcoming presidential election.

Check out featuring Davis and Stromer-Galley. A transcript [PDF]��is also available.

Semantic Forensics Helping Detect What’s Real and What’s Fake

Davis is involved with the Semantic Forensics program, whose work is funded by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). Through his efforts with DARPA, Davis is helping to advance research into the detection of disinformation and misinformation in the media.

Jason Davis

Semantic forensics is the understanding of not just whether something is real or fake, Davis says, but also delves into the why. What was the intent? Who was the target?

In its fourth year of concentrating on this research area, Davis has been developing digital tools that identify synthetic, manipulated media. The program evaluates the detectors being used, striving to understand what they can and can’t do when it comes to identifying synthetic media, as well as how effective they are at spotting real or synthetic content.

“We can say with confidence that this detector works for detecting these kinds of fake, synthetic images at a 98% accuracy, and it is capable of doing this but not being able to do that. They’re not a panacea, but here’s what they can do, so we learn how to use these detection devices properly and use them appropriately,” Davis says. “Then there’s the development of the tools and the modeling of the threat landscape. How do we create controlled versions of what we know is going on out there in the wild so that we can study, train and better understand our capabilities.”

Investigating Social Media Spending Trends and Messaging Behind Political Ads

Stromer-Galley, who leads the University’s ��team, has studied misinformation trends in this presidential race and other top 2024 contests.

Jenny Stromer-Galley

After the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, over the summer, the ElectionGraph team explored the money being spent by the candidates, political action committees, political parties and unknown actors that mentioned presidential candidates in advertisements on both Facebook and Instagram.

The aim was to “visualize the firehose of information and misinformation coming at voters from groups with a jumble of motives, ties and trustworthiness ahead of the 2024 elections,” Stromer-Galley says.

The findings showed that:

• negative social media advertising in the presidential race increased after the assassination attempt;
• nearly 3,500 Facebook pages from outside organizations spent $55 million over the past year in an effort to influence the public this election season; and
• there was a pattern of “coordinated inauthentic behavior” among some outside organizations, including a large network of Facebook pages running ads (costing an estimated $5 million) aimed at scamming the public under the guise of supporting a presidential candidate’s campaign that garnered roughly 234 million impressions.

“To our surprise, there was a large network of individuals and organizations that we didn’t know who was behind this that were running scam ads targeted to people who are activated and excited about the presidential election. They were capitalizing on their enthusiasm by turning over their credit cards and then they’re getting scammed,” Stromer-Galley says. “While Facebook is trying to take down those pages, the scammers continue to stay a step ahead.”

Tips to Ward Off Misinformation

When you find yourself aimlessly scrolling through social media without thinking about the validity of what you just saw, that act makes you fully engaged in the platform and susceptible to misinformation or disinformation.

Users are encouraged to embrace cognitive friction when scrolling, because, according to both Davis and Stromer-Galley, the social media apps are designed for you to absorb content at face value, without applying deeper thought to who was behind the post or what their intent might be. By increasing friction, you take the proactive step of slowing down and contemplating the legitimacy of a post.

Both Davis and Stromer-Galley say that the best defense to misinformation and disinformation campaigns is knowledge, urging people to get their news from a wide-range of diverse, traditional media outlets, and to not solely rely on social media as a reliable news source.

From an early age, Mark Radel ’28 always demonstrated compassion for his peers. As a precocious 9-year-old, Mark would rush onto the basketball court (accompanied by the coaches) whenever someone got hurt to check in and offer a helping hand.

Luke Radel ’26 says empathy is his brother’s superpower. “Mark is overflowing with empathy, and he has a great ability to know if somebody is having a bad day, and what he can do to help them through it,” Luke says, with a proud smile—and that trait will serve Mark well as he strives for a career in sports and exercise science as an athletic trainer.

Mark’s career ambition is being supported by , an initiative from the�� that sets a high standard among inclusive higher education programs, making higher education more accessible for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities through individualized and inclusive coursework, student-centered planning, internships, and social and extracurricular activities.

“I want to help people. I’m loving learning about the body, and how what we eat helps make us strong, and when I graduate, I want to work with my football team, the Buffalo Bills, as a trainer,” says Mark, a sports and exercise science major at the University who was born with Down syndrome.

When Luke (left) attended ���ϲ����� and study both political science and broadcast and digital journalism, Mark decided to follow in his brother’s footsteps. (Photo by Chuck Wainwright)

An Unbreakable Bond

Mark’s benevolent spirit helped Luke during his darkest days. While visiting colleges with his family in Boston, Massachusetts, Luke, an aspiring broadcast journalist, was out to dinner when he discovered his voice had left him. Realizing there was a potential health problem, Luke checked into Massachusetts General Hospital for observation.

Within a few hours, the doctors gave Luke their diagnosis: Stage 4 Hodgkin lymphoma. With his head spinning, Luke began undergoing chemotherapy sessions twice a month for six months, oftentimes for five or more hours per visit. What got him through those trying times?

“Mark was by my side, and his compassion was so helpful. Plus, he gives the best hugs. Whenever I was having a bad day, those hugs were just amazing and turned my day around,” says Luke, whose cancer is in remission. “Mark’s had his fair share of health struggles, and in that moment, I realized what Mark overcomes every day just to keep going, all the work he does to go to school and live his life. If he’s taking on that daunting situation every single day, I can take care of my chemotherapy.”

When Luke decided to attend ���ϲ����� and study both political science in the and broadcast and digital journalism in the , Mark decided to follow in his brother’s footsteps, applying to and being granted admission into InclusiveU’s highly competitive program.

Their unbreakable bond was further strengthened as roommates on campus. Luke helps Mark with his homework and with prepping his meals, and configured Mark’s Google Maps app on his phone with the relevant directions needed for Mark to traverse campus on a daily basis.

Luke and Mark Radel during their shared class in the Falk College. (Photo by Chuck Wainwright)

“Mark is Mr. Independent on campus. He doesn’t want to rely on someone else to help him get across campus. He’s done an amazing job of navigating everything it takes to be a student,” Luke says. “I’m really grateful to be at an institution like ���ϲ����� that is always striving to ensure everybody has access to the opportunities they need to succeed and feel welcome in these spaces.”

Life-Changing Opportunities

From the moment Mark came into his life, Luke has embraced advocating on behalf of his brother, fighting to ensure he was given access to every possible opportunity. It’s part of the Radel family’s genetic makeup. Their father, Patrick, was an attorney who helped people with mental and developmental disabilities be included in their elementary and high school’s educational programs, and their mother, Mary, created a support group, , that raises awareness and educates and connects parents of children born with Down syndrome to resources.

October is Down Syndrome Awareness Month, which, Luke says, is the perfect time for members of the University to learn how people with Down syndrome are valuable contributors to the University community.

“People with Down syndrome are more alike than they are different from us. Mark needs to be in environments that will push him outside of his comfort zone and push the limits of what a person with Down syndrome can accomplish,” Luke says. “You’ll be helping Mark by interacting with him, but you’re also helping yourself gain a better understanding of how people with Down syndrome see and interact with the world around them.

Inspired to become a broadcast journalist from his efforts advocating on Mark’s behalf, Luke has amassed an impressive portfolio as a broadcast journalist, recently covering both the Republican and Democratic national conventions and serving as a in Utica, New York.

Luke hopes to use his dual degrees to continue telling impactful stories that make a difference, including his brother’s inspirational journey to ���ϲ�����.

When Mark got his acceptance letter into InclusiveU I cried tears of joy. I was so excited for him, and I have loved being able to share in the ���ϲ����� journey with Mark, Luke says.

“I always wanted to go to college, and being here with my brother has been amazing. This experience has changed my life,” Mark says.

Sports as a Unifying Force

A lifelong fan of playing sports, Mark Radel enjoys participating in the Special Olympics Unified Sports club basketball team on campus. (Photo by Chuck Wainwright)

The table tennis area in the lounge of Luke’s off-campus apartment complex is getting quite the workout on a Tuesday morning before they both have class in the Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics. Good-natured comments fly back and forth whenever a point is scored. Their friendly matches, typically a best two-out-of-three affair, offer insights into their dynamic.

“It’s fun to play sports and I like learning new things while I am playing,” Mark says. “And I like to beat Luke. We always have fun when we play.”

“Oh yeah, this is always fun whenever we play [table tennis]. Mark loves watching and playing sports because it’s exciting and fun for him, and it’s a great way to stay active and also be part of a team and a community. Mark just loves being around people,” Luke adds.

Outside of their sibling showdowns in table tennis, Mark also participates in the Special Olympics Unified Sports club basketball team on campus, practicing every Sunday in the Women’s Building.

Surrounded by friends, Mark takes great pride in his basketball abilities. “It’s fun to shoot, dribble the ball and then pass it to my teammates, but what I’m really good at is shooting and scoring,” Mark says with a smile—but more than his performance, he enjoys the camaraderie and friendships that form with his peers.

“It’s the best. We cheer each other on, cheer for big shots and we all want everyone to play well and have fun,” Mark says. “I play better when my teammates are cheering me on, yelling ‘Mark, Mark, Mark!’ It makes me happy and motivates me.”

Brothers Mark (left) and Luke Radel share an unbreakable bond, one that has only strengthened during their time at ���ϲ�����.

An avid fan of the ���ϲ����� football team, Luke and Mark eagerly await each home game. Mark can often be found yelling and cheering on the team while wearing his No. 6 ���ϲ����� jersey, originally purchased to honor former starting quarterback Garrett Shrader ’23, but this year, the jersey is a nod to current starting quarterback Kyle McCord ’25.

From his seats in the 300 section inside the JMA Wireless Dome, fans flock to Mark’s infectious attitude, exchanging fist bumps and high-fives every time ���ϲ����� comes up with a big play.

“It’s really cool and it makes me feel great to know I’m making new friends while we’re cheering on ���ϲ�����,” Mark says.

“Mark has such a big smile on his face when he’s interacting with our fans, and it makes me so happy to see his joy,” Luke adds.

The project is the first step in a plan that could possibly make such screenings available at OFAs across New York.

Early recognition of memory changes that could indicate an early stage dementia is important in order to help older adults gets the medical attention they need to avoid a crisis.

“If we are aware of early signs of memory issues, we are able to connect the individual to health care professionals who can begin appropriate treatment, while taking steps to educate and support families to improve the individual’s quality of life,” says , MD, SUNY Distinguished Service Professor and chair of the Geriatrics and director of the Center of Excellence for Alzheimer’s Disease. “The ability to easily screen this segment of the population has the potential to significantly benefit both the individual and their families.”

Changes that might be caused by early dementia can include changes in memory, depression, anxiety, aggression or lack of interest, Brangman says.

Here’s how the program works: OFA case managers in the selected counties have been trained by Upstate staff to administer what is called the “Mini-Cog,” a three-minute screening tool to assess potential memory loss. The screening can be administered in an individual’s home during a routine visit by OFA staff or at the county office. OFA case managers will not make any diagnoses based on the screening results; they will only administer the screening.

If the Mini-Cog shows any sign of memory change, the individual will be referred to Upstate University Geriatricians for a comprehensive geriatric assessment.

School of Social Work Associate Research Professor Maria Brown (right) speaks with reporters following the news conference announcing the partnership between ���ϲ����� and Upstate Medical University.

To evaluate the merits of this screening approach in community settings, , Ph.D., associate research professor in ���ϲ�����’s and will analyze screening information over the yearlong project to identify the number of clients screened, number of clients with scores indicating memory changes, number of clients who receive follow-up comprehensive assessments and their diagnostic results.

“We are excited about improving the ability of OFAs to identify older adults across the Central New York region who could benefit from geriatric evaluations and connection to services to address their changing needs,” Brown says.

Officials say they expect to screen about 3,750 individuals. Based on statistical analysis, they project that about 975 of those individuals will have scores suggesting some memory concerns.

If results of the evaluation show this screening approach with OFA to be a success, Upstate will create an online training manual and companion videos for use by the New York State Office for the Aging that could be included in the training of OFA staff throughout New York. The training resource also has the potential to be used by Offices for the Aging nationwide that have similar missions, programs and staffing.

In an earlier Upstate/���ϲ����� pilot program that looked at Onondaga County residents, Brown found that over a nine-month screening phase, 18 (26%) of the 69 mostly African American adults over the age of 65 who were screened had scores suggesting cognitive impairment.

Project officials say OFAs are appropriate entities to participate in this project as they already conduct standard assessments for clients. Called COMPASS, for Comprehensive Assessment for Aging Network Community Based Long Term Care Services, this assessment addresses issues such as housing, nutrition, psycho-social status, medications, daily activities, support network and health, but it does not currently screen for memory issues.

“Early detection of a memory problem such as dementia is vital for timely medical intervention and, just as importantly, to begin connecting individuals and families to the many community-based supports available through local offices for the aging,” says , the New York state director of the .

“These offices for the aging are ideally suited to support detection efforts because of their experience assessing individuals holistically, screening for targeted areas of concern, and delivering on the services and supports necessary to help a person age in place, whether it’s case management, home adaptations, personal care supports, nutrition, or other programs. I applaud SUNY Upstate’s Department of Geriatrics and ���ϲ�����’s Aging Studies Institute for this innovative collaborative effort with offices for the aging in their region.”

It’s noteworthy that Upstate and ���ϲ����� have joined forces to address this issue. The Upstate/���ϲ����� collaboration leverages significant resources and expertise on aging issues. Upstate is home to a Department of Geriatrics and a state (CEAD). CEAD currently has a staff that includes geriatricians who work in conjunction with geriatric nurse practitioners, social workers, and nurses with expertise in geriatrics. Social workers provide caregiver support with a particular emphasis on older adults at risk, especially those who live alone or with frail caregivers.

���ϲ����� is home to the Aging Studies Institute, which includes dozens of faculty working on age-related research and education issues, including age-based public policy; the causes and consequences of population aging; health and functioning across the life course; family, care work, and intergenerational support; and aging design, engineering, and technology.

Funding for the Upstate/���ϲ����� collaboration was made possible by the and the .

“The Health Foundation is proud to support this important initiative as part of our ongoing work on behalf of older adults,” says , Ph.D., president of the Health Foundation for Western and Central New York. “This program will break down barriers to bring earlier screening for memory issues to more people, meaning they’ll have the resources and treatments they need and deserve. Because those barriers to access often occur in communities of color or among people with lower incomes, this is a crucial health equity effort as well.”

The new station, “,” is “a thrilling and significant breakthrough” for the growing Spanish-speaking community in the area, says , executive director of cultural engagement for the Hispanic community and director of the University’s . “The station is poised to become a vital resource, reflecting the vibrant mix of Hispanic and Latino cultures and effectively engaging these populations like no other local or regional medium does.”

Paniagua and many others at the University were integral to the development of the station. She first got involved in the summer of 2023 when WCNY CEO and President approached her wondering if a Spanish-language radio station was available in the area. When he discovered there wasn’t one, Gelman asked Paniagua to help him assess the community’s interest in filling that void.

Gelman formed a community task force, which he co-chaired with Paniagua and WCNY-FM Station Manager . Over many months, more than two dozen task force members planned the station’s structure, helped developed funding, sought collaborators and generated programming ideas.

Teresita Paniagua, left, the University’s executive director of cultural engagement for the Hispanic community, speaks to students at an event celebrating Hispanic culture. Paniagua was instrumental in spurring community interest in and involvement to help bring about WCNY’s Spanish-language radio station.

Several University faculty members and instructors from the College of Arts and Sciences, including , associate teaching professor of Spanish and Portuguese and Spanish language coordinator, and , Spanish instructor, participated in the task force efforts.

Also involved in other ways were , Spanish department professor and chair; , Spanish professor; , assistant teaching professor of film in the College of Visual and Performing Arts; , development director for ���ϲ����� Stage; , professor of Spanish at Onondaga Community College; Josefa Álvarez Valadés, ��Spanish professor at LeMoyne College; and , a Newhouse School of Public Communications alumnus and former radio/TV producer who is an associate professor of communications at SUNY Oswego.

As part of the task force’s fact-finding, Paniagua enlisted Whitman School of Management students Nicolas Cela Marxuach ’25, Zachary Levine ’25 and Jonah Griffin ’24 to develop and distribute a community interest survey, which the students circulated to several hundred local residents at community events. She says 98% of respondents supported the idea. The survey also provided insights into audience demographics and programming ideas—including sports, community news, talk shows, music and faith-based content.

There are upwards of 1,000 Spanish-speaking radio stations in the U.S. but Pulso Central is the first of its kind in Central New York. The region is home to some 18,000 Spanish-speaking households, with Spanish-speaking people making up about 10.5% of the area’s population and comprising a segment of the community that has grown 30% over the past decade, according to research done by WCNY.

A Learning Resource

Pulso Central also provides a unique learning opportunity and “an extraordinary new pedagogical tool for experiential education” for the University’s students, says Ticio Quesada.

M. Emma Ticio Quesada, center, a professor in ���ϲ�����’s Spanish department, uses WCNY’s radio station studio as an experiential learning space and resource for her courses.

Five students from her immersive course, Community Outreach: Language in Action, are interning at the station. The students, Lailah Ali-Valentine, Adam Baltaxe, Kimberlyn Lopez Herrera, Nicolas Bernardino Greiner-Guzman and Jade Aulestia recently created their first podcast.

Ticio Quesada says she also expects students in SPA 300: Our Community Voices, an course, to benefit from the same kind of internship opportunity. The course connects native and non-native Spanish speakers, inspires them to contribute to the local community, and promotes inclusion and social justice.

Partnering Results

Miranda Traudt, the University’s assistant provost for arts and community programming, says the task force is a good example of the positive outcomes that can result when members of the University and local communities work together to achieve specific goals. “This project continues La Casita’s meaningful engagement with Hispanic communities in Central New York and helps fulfill its mission through work in the arts, media, cultural heritage preservation and research adding to the high quality of life,” she says.

Several dozen community members helped WCNY form and air the area’s first Spanish-language radio station. They included, from left, Mitch Gelman, WCNY president and CEO; M. Emma Ticio Quesada, ���ϲ����� professor of Spanish; Stephanie Gonzalez Rawlings, content producer; and DJ Lorenz (Renzo Quesada), music host. (Photo by Eric Hayden, WCNY)

Game Changer

Paniagua believes the station “can be a game changer,” not only in providing news and information about and for the Latina/Hispanic community but also by “helping to change long-established stereotypes and present a whole new world of possibilities for the people of this community,” she says. “There are many wonderful stories about people who have established their lives in this community and I hope Pulso Central can be a showcase for those stories.”

Launch Event Oct. 24

An official launch event, “,” will be held Thursday, Oct. 24, at WCNY studios and La Casita.

“WCNY is thrilled to help launch Pulso Central,” Gelman says. “Our goal is to provide a platform that will come alive with music and talk that engages listeners and fosters community connection.”

The station reaches listeners in 19 counties. Pulso Central airs on WCNY 91.3 HD-2 in ���ϲ�����, WUNY 89.5 HD-2 in Utica and WJNY 90.9 HD-2 in Watertown. It is accessible online at and streaming on the Pulso Central app.

InclusiveU Director Brianna Shults and student Matthew Falanga discuss the life-changing opportunities InclusiveU affords its students, how InclusiveU has made a profound impact, how InclusiveU has become the standard-bearer for how colleges run an inclusive higher education program and how the benefits extend to the greater campus community.

The White House. Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. The New York State Capitol building in Albany.

Matthew Falanga

These are just some of the places an enthusiastic delegation from ���ϲ�����’s InclusiveU program have traveled over the years, meeting with policymakers, politicians and higher education leaders to push for change to make higher education more accessible for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

For more than a decade, InclusiveU, an initiative from the��, has set the standard by which all other inclusive higher education programs are judged. Its model encompasses individualized and inclusive coursework, student-centered planning, internships, and social and extracurricular activities.

“I always wanted to go to college, and when I heard about ���ϲ����� and its InclusiveU program, I knew that was where I wanted to go to achieve my dreams,” says Matthew Falanga ’26, who was born with Down syndrome and is majoring in communications at ���ϲ�����. “The best part of coming to ���ϲ����� is making new friends and being involved on campus. It makes me feel very happy.”

Over the last 10 years, InclusiveU has experienced exponential growth and is now the largest program of its kind in the country. This year, 102 students are pursuing their academic dreams on campus, including 44 students who, like Falanga, live in residence halls.

Check out featuring Falanga and InclusiveU Director Brianna Shults G’20. A transcript [PDF] is also available.

Recruiting Advocates, Reducing Stigmas

Over the years, InclusiveU Director Brianna Shults G’20 has led countless trips to bring current InclusiveU students and recent graduates to meet with elected officials. These trips serve to recruit new advocates, increase support and awareness of the program, and reduce the stigmas that still exist surrounding students with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

The opportunities InclusiveU affords aren’t readily available for many students like Falanga. According to , only 2% of school-age students with intellectual disability are likely to attend college after high school, and of the 472 colleges and universities in New York state, only 24 have inclusive postsecondary education programs.

Brianna Shults

“There was this cliff that many students with developmental and intellectual disabilities would drop off once they graduated high school. Some would find work or a program that filled time in their day, while some would do volunteer activities. Some just stayed home. By being able to take that next step in their development alongside their peers, continuing their educations while gaining skills to launch their careers, InclusiveU has given students the opportunity to define who they are and what they want to be. They get to have the same experiences their peers were afforded,” Shults says.

Now, thanks to a $200,000 grant from the B. Thomas Golisano Foundation, the School of Education’s ��will provide technical assistance to schools and colleges in Western and Central New York to create and enhance inclusive college programs for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

This is in addition to the technical assistance InclusiveU has already provided to colleges and universities in Arizona, Florida, Kansas, New York, Pennsylvania and Tennessee when representatives from those institutions visited campus in 2023. InclusiveU students led campus tours while sharing how their higher education experiences had changed their lives.

“There are not enough inclusive programs like ours and our field is very collaborative. We want all students with intellectual or developmental disabilities who want to go to college to have an opportunity that fits their needs,” Shults says. “The demand versus available opportunity and the capacity of these programs is something that needs support. We are thankful for the Golisano Foundation’s help to build out this program and provide the type of support and knowledge that other programs [at other institutions] are looking for.”

Celebrating People With Disabilities

For many adolescent students with developmental disabilities, the pursuit of higher education is filled with roadblocks and can be a daunting task for both aspiring students and their families. But thanks to InclusiveU, students of all ages with intellectual and developmental disabilities are empowered to come to campus and experience college life in a fully inclusive setting, learning the necessary skills to thrive in the classroom and find a job after graduation.

These experiences prove to be life-changing for students like Falanga, who over the summer interned with , where he worked on a project promoting voting rights for people with disabilities, and also represented InclusiveU as an inclusive higher education advocate at a Disability Pride Event in the White House.

It was a once-in-a-lifetime moment for Falanga, who had a specific message for the government officials he met during his visit.

“Just because I was born with a disability, I want to celebrate my disability. I also want to help other people with disabilities feel better about themselves. Be proud of who you are. It is important for people with disabilities to learn about these programs [like InclusiveU] and know that they can go to college and start their new life,” says Falanga, who hopes to use his degree to land a job where he can help create more legislation that opens doors for people with disabilities.

Representing InclusiveU at a Disability Pride Event in the White House over the summer were (from left to right): Karly Grifasi, assistant director of operations and communications, Jennifer Quinn, internship and employment coordinator, Matthew Falanga and Shafreya Wilkins.

Opening Doors for All

���ϲ����� has a proud 154-year history of opening its doors to all students who are interested in receiving a college degree, regardless of their background or upbringing.

InclusiveU, which was founded in 2001 as a dual enrollment program with the ���ϲ����� City School District, has provided the necessary skills for students to both thrive in the classroom and find a job after graduation. By incorporating InclusiveU students in classes with the general ���ϲ����� student body, Shults says the entire campus community benefits.

“It helps make all ���ϲ����� students better friends, better classmates, better coworkers and better community members,” Shults says. “Having this experience and interaction with InclusiveU students helps our whole campus think inclusively. It helps our administration think differently and more inclusively. We’re able to adjust the way students access their classes or how they interact with faculty to make sure those experiences are inclusive for all.”

Equipped for Lifelong Success

The initiative’s work is evolving. InclusiveU students now participate in the University’s First Year Seminar course, and in May, InclusiveU is launching the first inclusive ���ϲ����� Abroad experience to Italy, with a goal of expanding opportunities for its students to study abroad.

Once they earn ���ϲ����� degrees, many InclusiveU students successfully find paid, competitive jobs, due in part to the strong relationships InclusiveU develops with its partners, both on campus and in the Central New York community. It’s also a result of the yearlong internships InclusiveU students participate in as part of their three years of academic education.

Matthew Falanga (left) and Shafreya Wilkins during a visit to Washington, D.C.

But there’s more work to be done when it comes to support and funding for InclusiveU, including thinking beyond the students’ time on campus.

“We want to ensure that students can lead the lives that they want to live afterwards, and that goes for employment, community involvement and living situations. We have advocated for ending subminimum wage and closing sheltered workshops. The Higher Education Opportunity Act hasn’t been reauthorized since 2008,” Shults says. “These are all really important things to help individuals with disabilities lead productive and meaningful lives beyond higher education.”

For now, Falanga is focusing on fine-tuning his public speaking skills, continuing to make new friends on campus and finding ways to get and stay involved with the University he loves so much.

“���ϲ����� makes me feel very happy and proud. InclusiveU has helped me to make new friends, take great classes and explore my career choices. This has changed my life,” Falanga says.

The network’s expanded reach is the result of its recent designation as a (CDC) Northeast Region Center of Excellence. The designation recognizes the network’s exemplary performance in the early detection and monitoring of communicable diseases as well as the innovative research coming from Larsen’s group. It also provides the new Center of Excellence with $1 million in CDC funding. Approximately $500,000 of that amount will support the University’s continuing affiliated operations and research.

David Larsen

, public health department chair and professor in the��, is gratified by the recognition, which is a nod to the program’s vast potential.

“I had a vision for the New York State Water Surveillance Network, but to be named a federal CDC Center of Excellence is just a real honor,” Larsen says. “What we’re doing now is building systems that will keep people healthier; operational processes that let people live more freely and improve the public health response are the ultimate goal.”

Larsen, members of his research team and their partner in the network, the ) and its , met earlier this month to formalize goals for their work with the CDC.

Early Response

Not long after COVID-19 was named a global pandemic, Larsen assembled a team of researchers from the Falk College, the , the and to begin developing the wastewater surveillance technology that would eventually become critical to New York State’s response to the disease. The team built a grassroots network that included sewage treatment plant operators, lab technicians and public health program workers to collect sewage samples, test for coronavirus, and report and share results.

The initiative first benefited Onondaga County and the University and soon expanded through the NYS DOH partnership. Today, the New York State network operates in all 62 counties and covers a population of more than 15 million. Testing has expanded beyond COVID to aid response to polio, mpox, influenza, RSV, hepatitis A, norovirus and antimicrobial-resistant genes.��

Essential Partnership

A total of $43 million, including $28 million from the CDC and $15 million from New York State, has already been invested in the state’s disease wastewater surveillance efforts, according to Daniel Lang, NYS DOH deputy director of the . He says the program’s efficacy and extensive operational network distinguished it for selection as a CDC Center of Excellence.

“Our partnership with ���ϲ����� was essential right from the start of the pandemic,” Lang says. “We worked with Dave Larsen’s team to establish a comprehensive statewide wastewater surveillance program, an impressive tool we didn’t have before. It provides universal coverage to assess disease trends and detect where variants are popping up, plus a system that reports back to community participants. Now, we’ll be able to expand the expertise we’ve developed here to other jurisdictions around the country.”

Professor David Larsen, standing, addresses workers from the New York State Department of Health who visited to plan strategy with the University’s research team for their work with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Photo by Cathleen O’Hare)

Bryon Backenson, NYS DOH director of the , says the detection of communicable disease spread through wastewater surveillance is groundbreaking science “because it doesn’t rely on the fickleness of whether people go to the doctor or not when they’re sick. We can only affect what we find out about. Awareness of the presence of disease allows us to sound the alarm, to take action and notify others to take action, allowing us to minimize the spread of disease.”

Backenson says the CDC designation “shows that we are a leader in this, and it allows us the resources to train others in what we do. Now, we’ll be teaching other cities, counties and regions.��We’re proud to be part of it.”

As the CDC Northeast Region Center of Excellence, the team’s work will support several New England states plus Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The researchers and health officials also want to coordinate with the CDC’s five other wastewater surveillance Centers of Excellence comprising the . They plan to share research and offer education and training on their operating protocols, efforts that could benefit communities throughout the U.S. and potentially impact disease-detection work globally.

Global Potential

Larsen’s research on infectious disease surveillance and the public health response to these threats will also help people around the globe.��He recently completed a program in Austria at the Medical University of Innsbruck where he worked with the Austrian wastewater surveillance network. He also spoke about the approach at a technology roundtable at the White House last month.

Wastewater testing research was underway by Larsen’s research team in the early days of COVID-19.

Larsen’s team is now transitioning program operations to NYS DOH, which will permit the researchers to refocus on how these systems can support public health responses to infectious diseases and “dive deeper to maximize the benefits of the systems,” he says.

“Public health functions dealing with infectious disease surveillance alert us to when a community is at increased risk and also confirm when a community is no longer at risk,” Larsen says. “Wastewater test results provide awareness of both aspects and key information needed to decide whether to close down community operations or keep them open and operating. Wastewater is a great way to gauge these elements and may be one of the most cost-effective ways to confirm levels of community risk.”

Davis Hood ’26, Carter Thompson ’26, Jennifer Mason ’26, and Matthew Pinto ’27 with Jim DaRin and professor and Invent@SU director, Alex Deyhim. (Photo by Alex Dunbar)

Former ���ϲ����� student��Jim DaRin��is one of many wheelchair users who rely on adapted vehicles to drive. These vehicles are equipped with a docking system designed to secure the wheelchairs in place while users focus on the road. However, even when the wheelchair is locked in, it’s not completely secure, causing DaRin to move back and forth while driving.

“The docking system moves and I’m rocking back and forth. I’m paralyzed from my waist down and have my hands on the steering wheel and throttle. It’s not secure or safe,” says DaRin. “The wheelchair’s pin also has a tendency to get caught on certain surfaces and the bolt drags on the pavement.”

DaRin is far from the first to complain about docking systems for adapted vehicles, but very few attempts have been made to fix these issues. That’s when he reached out to engineering students Davis Hood ’26 (electrical engineering), Jennifer Mason ’26 (mechanical engineering), Matthew Pinto ’27 (biomedical engineering) and Carter Thompson ’26 (aerospace engineering) to explore ways to improve his docking mechanism.

“I showed them the challenge I was having and the problems with my current docking system,” DaRin says.

Jennifer Mason ’26 and Carter Thompson ’26 measuring Jim DaRin’s docking system. (Photo by Alex Dunbar)

As part of , a six-week summer program where student teams prototype, design and pitch original devices to judges, Hood, Mason, Pinto and Thompson created MagniClaw, a device that securely locks wheelchairs in moving vehicles. Their device has a lightweight bar attachment on the back of the wheelchair and a docking mechanism that holds a clamping and electromagnet.

“We’ve gone through multiple different design iterations, and we are always trying to keep in mind Department of Transportation standards,” says Hood. “Our device is easy to use, has a universal design, and can go on a majority of manual wheelchairs.”

MagniClaw’s lightweight attachment can easily be connected to wheelchairs using two small clamps. Once attached, the user can connect to the docking frame. The attachment has a steel plate in the center that interacts with the electromagnet to securely hold the wheelchair in place.

“Our device has a clamping mechanism. With this, wheelchair users can back into clamps without any extra input from the control center and the clamp’s shape provides enough security for the electromagnet to turn on,” says Pinto.

The electromagnet, which holds the wheelchair in place, can pull up to 600 lbs. and is activated by a remote. The remote has a Bluetooth feature that can communicate whether the electromagnet is on or off.

Matthew Pinto ’27, Jennifer Mason ’26, David Hood ’26, and Carter Thompson ’26 examining Jim DaRin’s adapted vehicle and docking system. (Photo by Alex Dunbar)

“All wheelchair users have to do is back up, and the system gets locked in, holding them in place until they press a button that activates the electromagnet. They’re held for the car ride, and when they’re done, they press a button to release the electromagnet, and they can roll away freely,” says Mason.

MagniClaw’s hitch-less design and customizability not only sets it apart from competitors but also provides more freedom and mobility for wheelchairs with a more accessible docking system. They showcased their original device at Invent@SU’s final presentations to a panel of 14 expert judges and guests, including faculty, staff, Dean Cole Smith, ���ϲ����� Life Trustee Bill Allyn and program supporter Mike Lazar. The team tied for second place, winning a cash prize of $1,200.

“It was nice to have a broad spectrum of engineers in our group. It also feels great to help Jim out,” says Thompson.

“My previous docking system was not good. Their system is a hundred times better,” says DaRin. “It’s much more safe and secure. The potential for MagniClaw is huge.”

“Mr. Jim Darin, a former student of ���ϲ�����, approached me with a problem that he hoped an Invent@SU team could solve,” says Kenneth and Mary Ann Shaw Professor of Practice in Entrepreneurial Leadership��Alex Deyhim. “It was amazing to watch the students work directly with Mr. Darin to design and prototype MagniClaw, a magnetic wheelchair docking system that could be helpful to the millions of Americans who use wheelchairs full-time. This project is a wonderful example of what our students can accomplish when they work across engineering disciplines.”

Carter Thompson ’26 examining Jim DaRin’s docking system. (Photo by Alex Dunbar)

Larsen, Chair of the Department of Public Health in ���ϲ�����’s , was invited to present to a panel of scientists, policymakers and policy implementers at an information-gathering event called the “White House Roundtable on Emerging Technologies for Preventing Health Emergencies.” At the onset of COVID in 2020, Larsen spearheaded an interdisciplinary team of experts in coordination with the New York State Department of Health to create a wastewater surveillance system throughout New York State.

David Larsen presents his “lightning talk” at the White House.

As one of many presenters during the three-hour roundtable, Larsen was given two minutes to discuss the merits of testing wastewater for COVID-19 and other infectious diseases.

“It was quite humbling to receive the invitation,” Larsen says. “I always hope that my work can influence public health, and since COVID-19, I’ve been trying to support the improvement of our infectious disease surveillance systems in New York State and this country.”

Today, the����is testing for COVID in at least one wastewater treatment plant in all 62 of the state’s counties, covering a population of 15.4 million. The����provides the most recent statistics regarding the network.

Days before Larsen’s trip to Washington, D.C., the (CDC) named the New York State Department of Health Wastewater Surveillance Program as a new in the National Wastewater Surveillance System. New York’s system was recognized by the CDC for its exemplary performance in the early detection and monitoring of communicable diseases such as COVID-19, polio, influenza and more.

This past spring, Larsen received a prestigious to teach and continue his wastewater surveillance research at the Medical University of Innsbruck in Austria.

Larsen is clearly a leading expert in this field and he received the invitation to speak at the White House from Nicole Fehrenbach, the Branch Chief of the Rapid Response Research and Surveillance Branch of the CDC. The CDC is intimately familiar with Larsen’s work as the New York State Wastewater Surveillance Network is a part of the CDC’s .

Larsen had visited Washington, D.C., before Aug. 27 and saw the White House from the outside, but he had never been in the complex until he attended the roundtable hosted by the White House Office of Science and Technology in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building.

“Walking into the Eisenhower Office Building and seeing the offices of the Chief of Staff and other executive officials and the west wing of the White House was a bit surreal,” Larsen says. “It was the culmination of a lot of hard work since March of 2020.”

During his “lightning talk,” Larsen says he emphasized that the functions of infectious disease surveillance are two-fold. First, they need to alert us when a community is at increased risk,” he told the panel. “And second, they need to confirm a community is no longer at risk.”

David Larsen at the White House with the Washington Monument in the background.

“The Covid-19 pandemic showed how inadequately our systems performed in these two functions,” he added. “So, improvements are needed. Wastewater is a great way for both of these, and perhaps one of the most cost-effective ways to confirm a community is not at risk.”

Larsen says his remarks were “well received,” although he can’t share specific reactions because of the privacy guidelines for the roundtable. He’s encouraged that panelists were responsive because of the looming funding needs for wastewater surveillance.

“Right now, wastewater surveillance in the U.S. is largely being funded by COVID-19 emergency funds,” Larsen says. “As the emergency is over, those funds will expire. I hope that future funding will be made available to continue these efforts.”

Those efforts, which started on the campus of ���ϲ����� and now extend worldwide, will continue at ���ϲ����� with Larsen leading the way.

“Right now, my team at ���ϲ����� is focused on transitioning the operations of the program we’ve built in New York over to the State Department of Health,” he says. “That will allow us to dive deeper into the science and maximize the benefits of the systems.

“With the newly awarded Center of Excellence, we will support other states in the region, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands,” he adds. “And then globally, the Europeans are leading an effort to coordinate global wastewater surveillance and we’ll continue to support those efforts.”

Tarzan

Have you met Tarzan or Juan yet on campus? These latest members of the University community are hard to miss, with their friendly dispositions, shiny coats and wagging tails.

Tarzan, a one-year-old black lab, and Juan, a��four-month-old yellow lab, are puppies being raised by good friends Arianna Kuhn ’25 and Megan Panny ’25 for , a nonprofit organization that trains and cares for guide dogs for people with vision loss.

Kuhn, a biology major in the College of Arts and Sciences, and Panny, a dual degree English major in the College of Arts and Sciences and School of Education, became involved through outreach being done on campus by Mary Oonk, the organization’s local volunteer region co-coordinator.

Headquartered in Yorktown Heights, New York, Guiding Eyes for the Blind has puppy raisers along the Eastern Seaboard from Maine to North Carolina, including in Central New York. Founded in 1954, the organization, with more than 1,700 volunteers, provides all of their services free of charge.

Juan

Kuhn was interested in the organization after reading about its mission. “I am passionate about giving back to the community and wanted to have a positive impact on an individual that would benefit from the services of Guiding Eyes,” she says. “In addition to the opportunity to volunteer, the chance to combine my devotion to helping others and my love for dogs drew me to want to take part in this experience.”

Panny wanted to get involved after seeing the impact it had on people’s lives firsthand. “My hometown is near the Guiding Eyes for the Blind headquarters, which has given me the ability to see how the program works throughout my life,” Panny says. “When I saw the opportunity to be involved through ���ϲ�����, it was one I was excited about. This program has allowed me to help others while also fulfilling the love I have for animals.”

The organization was first connected with the University through a simple phone call: Oonk called the JMA Wireless Dome box office to order basketball tickets and started talking to the representative about the work of Guiding Eyes for the Blind. “I explained to him the work I do for Guiding Eyes for the Blind, and that socialization of these puppies is a huge part of that and asked if there was a way we could bring the dogs into the JMA Dome for training,” Oonk says. “The next thing I know, I got a meeting with the entire team at the JMA Dome.”

Training Space for Pups

Mary Oonk

The JMA Dome offers a good training experience for the puppies. Guide dogs must navigate large spaces, like an arena, with stairs, elevators and expansive areas.

“Mary approached us about hosting a one-time training class with the volunteers and puppies, but we worked with them to create something more where they could come into the JMA Dome for regular training and even attend a women’s basketball game so that the puppies could be exposed to a live event in the Dome,” says Pete Sala, vice president and chief facilities officer. The organization has had a relationship with the JMA Dome since 2015—volunteers come approximately once a month to walk the arena, attend a game or train.

While the experience in the Dome is invaluable, Oonk says the group was hoping to find a way to get students involved with the program. A University campus makes an ideal learning and socialization space for raising guide dogs, with a variety of spaces and situations and groups of people.

Puppy trainers and their dogs in the JMA Dome

Life-Changing Experience

In Summer 2022, Stephen Kuusisto, University Professor and director of interdisciplinary programs and outreach for the Burton Blatt Institute, met with local volunteers and their puppies and shared his story about how his life changed since getting his first dog, Corky, from Guide Eyes for the Blind.

Steve Kuusisto with his former guide dog, Nira

“A lot of things were going on in my life that were difficult, including losing an adjunct teaching job and becoming unemployed,” says Kuusisto. “So I suddenly thought, well, here I am, really visually impaired, and have nothing on the calendar. Why not get a guide dog?”

His life was forever changed. Kuusisto went from not really going anywhere without the dependence of a friend and their schedule to going wherever he wanted, whenever he wanted.

“I spent the next month walking everywhere from country roads to Midtown Manhattan, learning that I could trust this dog with my life,” Kuusisto says.

Kuusisto, who is forever grateful for the volunteers at Guiding Eyes for the Blind, connected Oonk with the Student Experience team during the Fall 2022 semester, who was very supportive in finding ways to gain student volunteers for the puppy raising program. “We are so grateful for the University’s support. Everyone we’ve worked with on campus has become an integral part of the Guiding Eyes mission,” says Oonk.

The only stipulation for students wanting to be involved with raising puppies on campus is that they cannot live in North Campus student housing; puppies in training are, however, allowed in South Campus housing. But that was no problem; even for those students who live on North Campus or perhaps have a busy schedule that wouldn’t allow for puppy raising, there are still many ways to get involved with the program.

The campus program got a boost when the Guiding Eyes for the Blind group was invited to table at the Fall 2023 student involvement fair. Kuhn and Panny saw the opportunity to take their love for dogs and make a difference in someone’s life.

Otto the Orange becomes fast friends with one of the guide dog puppies in training.

Invaluable Lessons in Community

Kuhn says one of her favorite parts about this program is the community of Guiding Eyes volunteers.

Tarzan at the ���ϲ����� Mets game with Kuhn and Panny.

“These individuals have taught me countless invaluable lessons outside of just puppy raising that I will carry with me into my future endeavors,” Kuhn says. “As I have embarked on my puppy raising journey, it has been life-changing to see the impact that this organization and its pups have on the lives of not only individuals with visual impairments but the lives of us as raisers as well.”

Panny agrees. “The Central New York region of Guiding Eyes has so many wonderful people and has provided me with a home away from home while at school. I have also loved my time training our puppies. This program and time spent with the pups is one I will cherish forever,” she says.

For others who might want to get involved, Kuhn says the organization is a great way to give back and be of service to others. “Within this program, there are countless ways to get involved, including campus volunteer work, puppy raising and sitting, as well as home socialization, among other ways,” she says.

“Guiding Eyes is not only fulfilling but goes on to change the lives of those who receive the pup they have raised,” Panny says. “Many involved in the programs have also gained lifelong friendships with whom their pup goes on to guide!”

Interested in becoming a puppy raiser or looking for other ways to get involved? Faculty and staff are welcome to get involved with the program too. “In guide dog training, we talk a lot about relationship-based training. The dogs learn to build a relationship with their puppy raiser and then their formal guide dog trainer and finally they transfer that relationship to the partner they are matched with to form a lifelong bond,” says Oonk. “Relationship building is what we have strived to do with the campus community. Administration, faculty, staff and students have come together to support these dogs that will go on to change lives.”

Visit the , or connect with Oonk and the local chapter by email: centralnyregion@guidingeyes.net. Check out the puppies and their .

A new $40 million award for the New York Semiconductor Manufacturing and Research Technology Innovation Corridor (NY SMART I-Corridor) was announced yesterday by U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer at a press conference in ���ϲ����� hosted by INFICON. ���ϲ����� will lead the NY SMART I-Corridor’s Collaboration and Commercialization Center. (Photo courtesy of Onondaga County)

���ϲ����� will play a leading role in advancing Central New York’s semiconductor manufacturing capabilities thanks to $40 million in new funds made available to the Buffalo-Rochester-���ϲ����� region through the U.S. Economic Development Administration’s . The new award for the New York Semiconductor Manufacturing and Research Technology Innovation Corridor () was announced yesterday by U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer at a press conference in ���ϲ����� hosted by INFICON. J. Michael Haynie, vice chancellor for strategic initiatives and innovation, spoke at the event, and Duncan Brown, vice president for research, represented the University as principal investigator on ���ϲ�����’s component of the Tech Hub award.

“This is a monumental victory for the Buffalo-Rochester-���ϲ����� region as the first major Tech Hub award in the nation, bringing a whopping $40 million from my CHIPS and Science Law. With this major investment, the feds are shining a national spotlight, and confirming what I have long known, that America’s semiconductor future runs through the heart of Upstate NY along the I-90 corridor,” said Senator Schumer. “From the fields near ���ϲ����� that will become Micron’s massive mega-fab to the cutting-edge research labs in Rochester and workers learning these manufacturing skills in Buffalo, this award helps connect the region to seize this once-in-a-generation opportunity and establish Upstate NY as the heart of America’s semiconductor industry. I created the Tech Hubs competition with Upstate NY in mind, and pulled out all the stops to win this award—first proposing this program in my Endless Frontier Act, then passing it into law as part of my CHIPS and Science Act, making the case to bring the region together, advocating at the highest levels and delivering the transformational investment to make today possible. It’s never been more clear: the heart of America’s semiconductor industry runs along the I-90 corridor in Upstate NY!”

���ϲ����� will lead the NY SMART I-Corridor’s Collaboration and Commercialization Center (C3), which includes Cornell University, Rochester Institute of Technology, University of Rochester and University of Buffalo. C3 will administer millions of dollars in grants to allow small and medium-sized businesses to collaborate with the region’s universities, bring new ideas to market and accelerate growth of the semiconductor industry in the region.

“���ϲ����� is proud to lead this higher education collaboration that will help drive innovation and establish the NY SMART I-Corridor as a world leading entrepreneurial incubator for the semiconductor industry,” says Chancellor Kent Syverud. “I am grateful for Senator Schumer’s steadfast advocacy. This substantial new grant builds on major investments the University is making. It will help create critical high-tech infrastructure and facilities, attract top semiconductor manufacturing researchers and faculty to the region, and develop unique experiential learning and internship opportunities for talented students.”

To support the NY SMART I-Corridor, the University is investing $10 million, which is matched by a $10 million investment from Onondaga County, to create a state-of-the-art advanced semiconductor manufacturing facility. The center is part of a more than $100 million investment in strategically transforming STEM and expanding the College of Engineering and Computer Science (ECS) at ���ϲ����� over the next five years.

“Together with our regional partners, and with the dedicated support of Senator Schumer, ���ϲ����� has a key role to play in the revitalization of Central New York,” says Haynie. “Today’s announcement is another exciting milestone in the realization of that goal, and we are gratified by the continuing opportunity to foster collaboration and innovation across the Tech Hub.”

As the NY SMART I-Corridor seeks to become the epicenter for American semiconductor commercialization efforts, C3 will integrate the region’s extensive assets into a single “point of entry” for small and medium-sized businesses, according to Brown.

“In our knowledge-driven society, university-led research and development is central to economic development. C3 will allow businesses of all sizes to partner with universities to develop, prototype and test new products,” Brown says. “Through these partnerships, the NY SMART I-Corridor will accelerate the transfer of ideas from lab to market.”

Modeled on New York State’s Centers for Advanced Technology, C3 will drive innovation in the I-Corridor’s semiconductor supply chain by establishing:

• Innovation Asset/Expertise Engagement Network, an inventory of semiconductor relevant facilities and innovation expertise across the I-Corridor, accessible via a central online portal;
• Knowledge/IP Collaboration Architecture, a new IP architecture for the region that incentivizes cross-collaboration between sectors and institutions and strengthens commercialization efforts in the I-Corridor; and
• Formal Community of Practice, which will facilitate collaboration between businesses, researchers, investors and manufacturers in the region and sponsor programming and internships designed to benefit underrepresented communities.

The federal Tech Hub designation spans ���ϲ�����, Rochester and Buffalo and includes Ithaca, Auburn and Batavia. Key academic partners include Monroe Community College in Rochester, which will lead the hub’s workforce development efforts, and University at Buffalo, which will lead the effort to improve the region’s supply chain for semiconductors.

Schumer created the Regional Tech Hubs competition as part of the CHIPS and Science Bill, and said the three-region consortium beat out hundreds of applications and was one of only 31 regions across the U.S. chosen for the Tech Hub designation.

Recent Maxwell graduate Isabelle Lutz is an enrolled member of the Oneida Nation in her home state of Wisconsin. Participating in the “Listen to the Elders” talks and engaging with the Not in the Books team has provided a chance to connect directly with Indigenous leaders in the ���ϲ����� area.

Senior Isabelle Lutz joined a group of fellow ���ϲ����� students and community members for a short bus ride last fall to the Skä•noñh Great Law of Peace Center—the Haudenosaunee cultural hub on the shore of Onondaga Lake in Liverpool.

The evening’s event, part of a series called “Listen to the Elders,” featured Onondaga Hawk Clan Chief Spencer Ohsgoñ:da’ Lyons speaking about the history of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy and sharing the traditional Thanksgiving address. The gathering included an array of Haudenosaunee foods, including three sisters soup made with corn, beans and squash.

“We’re not a people of the past,” Lyons told the audience. “The Haudenosaunee are still the Haudenosaunee. We have our language; we have our songs.”

For Lutz, an enrolled member of the Oneida Nation in her home state of Wisconsin, the Skä•noñh event provided a chance to connect directly with Indigenous leaders in the ���ϲ����� area.

“So much of Native American studies or Indigenous studies can be taught from a historical/past context, when the people, traditions, and cultures are still present and active in the community,” said Lutz ’24, who in May earned a bachelor’s degree in political science with a minor in Native American and Indigenous studies. “So, when there are opportunities to attend and listen to members of different nations share their story and knowledge, it truly complements and enriches my classroom studies.”

The “Listen to the Elders” series began in 2022, organized by a University group called Not in the Books, which fosters a reciprocal learning relationship between the University community and the peoples of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy.

The Maxwell School is strongly connected to the effort: two of its faculty members, Aaron Luedtke and Heather Law Pezzarossi, are among its key organizers and it is supported with funding from the Tenth Decade Project, an initiative created 10 years ago in the lead of to the school’s 100th anniversary (see related story: From Sovereignty to Mortality: Tenth Decade Awards Support Research Across Disciplines).

“The Tenth Decade awards have energized and enabled interdisciplinary research around critical themes to the Maxwell School,” says Carol Faulkner, professor of history and Maxwell’s senior associate dean for academic affairs. “‘Listen to the Elders’ engages the ���ϲ����� community around issues of citizenship, democracy and environment. It is a particularly appropriate project for our centennial because it highlights how our present obligations as citizens are tied to our past.”

Members of the ���ϲ����� Not in the Books team include, from left to right, Diane Schenandoah, Oneida Nation Faith Keeper and the University’s Honwadiyenawa’sek—or “one who helps them”; Heather Law Pezzarossi, assistant professor of anthropology; Jim O’Connor, producer with the special collections team at ���ϲ����� Libraries; Patricia Roylance, associate professor of English; and Aaron Luedtke, assistant professor of history. (Photo by David Garrett)

Indigenous Ties ��

The work of Not in the Books aligns with the teaching and research of Aaron Luedtke and Heather Law Pezzarossi.

Law Pezzarossi, an anthropologist trained in critical heritage studies, does collaborative work that addresses colonial history while serving the contemporary needs of Indigenous communities, such as the Nipmuc people of New England. Her teaching includes courses on contemporary Native American issues, and on Indigenous museum relations and Native Americans. She is a faculty affiliate in the Native American and Indigenous Studies Program and a member of the advisory board for the University’s new Center for Global Indigenous Cultures and Environmental Justice.

Luedtke, an assistant professor of history at Maxwell since 2022, is also a faculty affiliate with the Native American and Indigenous Studies Program. He focused his graduate research at Michigan State University on the native peoples of the Great Lakes—particularly, in his words, “how they used the authoring of their own histories as resistance to colonial erasure.”

The connections Luedtke has made with ���ϲ�����-area Indigenous communities through Not in the Books and other projects are influencing his research direction. “I have the privilege to build these relationships with Haudenosaunee elders,” says Luedtke, who is of Suquamish and Duwamish descent. “I am going to spend the rest of my career working in tandem with the Haudenosaunee to tell Haudenosaunee stories of resistance.”

The impetus for creating the Not in the Books group initially came from Diane Schenandoah, Oneida Nation Faith Keeper and the University’s Honwadiyenawa’sek—or “one who helps them.” A sculptor for 40 years, she earned an art degree from the College of Visual and Performing Arts in 2011. Her daughter, Michelle Schenandoah, is a graduate of the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and an adjunct professor in the law school, and her son-in-law, Neal Powless, serves as the University’s ombuds.

As Honwadiyenawa’sek, Schenandoah offers intuitive energy work grounded in traditional Haudenosaunee culture and teachings to the University community. She also leads events such as a Haudenosaunee welcome ceremony opening the academic year and a monthly full moon ceremony. “I was asked to be a Wolf Clan Faith Keeper in 1988,” she says. “As a Faith Keeper, part of my duty is to share our teachings of how to live in peace though gratitude. We have duties and responsibilities to one another as humans, and to our Mother Earth for all that is provided. Giving thanks on a daily basis is of great importance.”

Through her initial work on campus, Schenandoah began connecting with Native students as well as with professors, such as Luedtke, Law Pezzarossi, and Patricia Roylance, associate professor of English, who teach courses related to Native American and Indigenous studies.

The audience at a recent “Listen to the Elders” presentation at the Skä•noñh Great Law of Peace Center—the Haudenosaunee cultural hub on the shore of Onondaga Lake in Liverpool—included several students from ���ϲ�����. (Photo by David Garrett)

While students were clearly keen to learn more, many had little background on the impacts of colonialism and the dispossession of Indigenous lands, or on the persistence and current-day realities of Indigenous communities—topics rarely addressed in primary or secondary education. “As Indigenous people, our history is so erased,” Schenandoah says. “Many students see the purple and white flag flying around campus but don’t really know what it is. You’re standing in the capital of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy. This is the birthplace of democracy.”

Looking for ways to help fill this gap in knowledge and awareness of the area’s Indigenous heritage and contemporary presence—among not only students but faculty and staff—Schenandoah lit on the idea of connecting the University community with a tribal elder. She contacted Freida Jacques, Onondaga Turtle Clan Mother Whatwehni:neh. Jacques agreed to do a series of lectures, and the Not in the Books team—named by Schenandoah—coalesced to organize these events at Skä•noñh.

In addition to Luedtke, Law Pezzarossi, Schenandoah and Roylance, the Not in the Books team includes Scott Catucci, associate director of outdoor education at the Barnes Center; Jim O’Connor, producer with the special collections team at SU Libraries; and Tammy Bluewolf-Kennedy, a member of the Oneida Nation’s Wolf Clan who leads Indigenous student recruitment in the University’s Office of Admissions.

“The Onondaga are still here, and the Onondaga reservation is minutes away from SU’s campus,” says Luedtke. “We decided as a group very early on that we have a coherent job to do: to educate the campus community that Native peoples are not the mythological, ahistorical stereotype representations that people are accustomed to seeing. Native peoples are just as modern, nuanced, complicated and fully capable of all aspects of humanity as anyone else.”

Hosting the series at a Native cultural center, rather than bringing elders to campus, was important for the spirit and intent of the project. “Skä•noñh is a Haudenosaunee welcome center,” Law Pezzarossi says. “So, it’s the perfect place for people to start learning.”

Building Bridges

Freida Jacques, Onondaga Turtle Clan Mother Whatwehni:neh, is recording her history and experiences for documentary project called “Dropping Seeds” that is supported with a Maxwell School Tenth Decade grant. The first episode is expected to release later this year.

Supported with a $5,000 grant from Maxwell’s Tenth Decade Project and other campus programs, the “Listen to the Elders” series began in the 2022–23 academic year with four presentations by Freida Jacques, who in addition to being a clan mother has served for decades as a Haudenosaunee cultural liaison for educational institutions across New York state and beyond.

During these Skä•noñh events, Jacques led tours of the center and explained how in Haudenosaunee tradition, women choose the clan leaders and men marry into women’s clans rather than vice versa.

In one session, she discussed the enduring impact of the boarding schools run by churches or the federal government that tens of thousands of Indigenous children—including Jacques’ grandfather—were forced to attend between the late 1800s and the 1960s.

In a letter written to support a funding application, Jacques said that sharing her life experiences and knowledge has been fulfilling. “Both grandparents on my mother’s side attended Carlisle Indian Industrial boarding school in Pennsylvania,” she wrote. “My family was affected by this fact. My father was a Mohawk Wolf Clan person and originated at Akwesasne, whose territory is divided by Ontario, Quebec and New York State. …Building bridges between cultures appears to be one of my life’s purposes.”

Onondaga Chief Spencer Lyons continued the series in 2023-24 with presentations on Haudenosaunee traditions and governance. With free transportation available from campus to Skä•noñh, the “Listen to the Elders” series have consistently drawn capacity crowds.

To read the full story, visit the .

On Thursday, April 4, family, friends and supporters of the program will in downtown ���ϲ����� to celebrate the program, the largest and most inclusive program of its kind in the nation. Among the scheduled speakers at the anniversary gala are ���ϲ����� Chancellor and President ; State Sen. Rachel May (D-48); Captain , JAGC, USN (Ret.), benefactor of the Lawrence B. Taishoff Center for Inclusive Higher Education; and , Lawrence B. Taishoff Associate Professor of Inclusive Education and executive director of the Taishoff Center in the School of Education.

Andrew Benbenek at ���ϲ����� Welcome 2017

Founded in 2014, InclusiveU offers real opportunities for students with disabilities to participate in every aspect of ���ϲ����� campus life. Students take , on and off campus—and as far away as —join in , and in Albany, New York and Washington, D.C. Currently, the program hosts more than 100 students with intellectual or developmental disabilities from across the country.

InclusiveU and the Taishoff Center are both part of the School of Education’s . Together, CDI programs and initiatives demonstrate SOE’s global leadership and in disability and inclusion.

Sharing anniversaries with InclusiveU in 2024 are SOE’s first-in-the-nation program (1994) and “” (1984), a summer study abroad program that invites students to immerse themselves in Italy’s inclusive schooling.

“It’s hard to believe that we have reached our 10th year of serving students at ���ϲ����� through InclusiveU,” says Myers. “The milestones of our program—students in campus residence halls, InclusiveU Remembrance Scholars and Unsung Heroes, and full participation in all that our campus has to offer—remind us of the ways our program continues to make a profound impact in our community.”

Chloe Payne, left and a friend attend a game in the JMA Dome

Inclusion initiatives, such as dual enrollment with the ���ϲ����� City School District and partnership with a community agency, predated the establishment of InclusiveU in 2014 but did not provide a fully integrated campus experience. Receipt of a federal grant got the program off the ground, and it started with 14 students. “We started our internship program, and a few years later were able to have students live in residence halls and really build out pieces of the program,” says InclusiveU Director Brianna Shults.

Since its establishment, more than 320 students have accessed nearly 300 classes based on interest across most of the University’s colleges and schools. The last year of the four-year program is focused on internships and employment, building skills and connecting theory they learned at in the classroom and applying it to their resumes. Beyond the necessary skills, the program helps to instill confidence in students as they prepare for careers beyond college. Students receive a certificate upon completion of the program.

In addition to classes, students are fully immersed in the social life of the University. While students have a mentor to help with class needs and facilitation, social interaction happens organically through peers. “Socially, the Peer-2-Peer program is the piece that many students access,” says Shults. InclusiveU and matriculated students connect for whatever events are on campus. A lot of this is natural support.” Students attend Orange After Dark activities, speakers, athletic events and holiday events such as Diwali. “This happens through natural peer support that every other student can access on campus,” Shults says.

Bobby Pangborn, center, celebrates his graduation with his parents

And this interaction is good not just for the InclusiveU students, says Shults. “Having our students around makes their peers better friends, better employees down the road, better neighbors,” Shults days. “It makes them better people all around because our students are here and they are all working together.”

Andrew Benbenek ’21 enrolled in InclusiveU after graduating from Bishop Grimes High School in East ���ϲ�����. He was the first InclusiveU student to access classes in the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and was the second InclusiveU student named as a Remembrance Scholar, one of the University’s highest student honors. He was involved in lots of activities on campus including OttoTHON and Camp Kesem.

“���ϲ����� was where I had wanted to be since I was a kid,” Benbenek says. Peers helped him to get involved. He joined Z-89 and Citrus TV, which he says “is a big part of how I got to where I am. Once I joined, felt like this could be a career for me.” He also did a full-year internship in the Newhouse Sports Media Center with Professor Olivia Stomski.

Benbenek now works for Galaxy Communications as a board operator for SU games. “InclusiveU gave me the knowledge I needed to be successful and helped me discover what I really wanted to do,” he says.

Chloe Payne ’22, studied human development and family science and now works at Little Luke’s Daycare and Preschool in DeWitt. During her time at ���ϲ�����, Payne immersed herself in her classes and campus life, including becoming a member of a belly dancing troupe. InclusiveU was the best thing I have ever done,” she says.

Bobby Pangborn ’20, graduated from Nottingham High School in ���ϲ����� and studied drama through InclusiveU. He has brought his skills to many local productions through the years for both the Redhouse and Front Row Players and will play Sir Robin in a local production of “Spamalot” in late June. He also participates in Special Olympics, where he has won several medals downhill in skiing events.

Pangborn interned at the Whitman School of Management during his time with InclusiveU, and now works there full-time as an assistant In the mailroom, Pangborn does the jobs that people don’t see but that are critical to the smooth function of the school’s operations. He completes copy jobs, sorts and distributes mail, distributes student paychecks, sends package notifications and makes sure that supplies are stocked, organized and labeled. He is also a mentor for student employees.

“As an alumni, Bobby has been active in participating in various conference panels and employment events to share his experience while he was on campus and how that helped to shape what he is doing now that he has graduated,” says Shults.

When InclusiveU first started, there were about 30 post-secondary programs across the country—now there are little more than 300. And while that number seems large, it’s still pretty small, Shults says. “There are a lot of students who want to access education beyond high school. We are seen as a model, trying to support other programs at other schools starting to do what we are doing. It’s important that students have a choice and are able to pick the program that is best for them,” she says.

“There is such a rich history of disability work here at ���ϲ�����,” says Shults. “The fact that InclusiveU is here and is seen as a leader is really important in being able to push this work forward and in being thoughtful and innovative with what we are doing. … This is the first generation of students with disabilities to go to college and have this opportunity, and having this program here in ���ϲ����� is a really big deal.”

Tyler Sliker (left), clinic director at the Couple and Family Therapy Center, chats with Department of Marriage and Family Therapy graduate student Kalila Taylor in one of the therapy rooms at Peck Hall.

In 2023, student therapists from the Department of Marriage and Family Therapy in ���ϲ�����’s provided a total of 9,134 therapy sessions to 682 individuals. Those free sessions in the Couple and Family Therapy Center at Peck Hall included 3,713 for individuals and 5,412 for couples and families.

Think about those numbers for a minute–and the impact the sessions had on those in the community surrounding the ���ϲ����� campus.

“If not for the hard work of our students and faculty–given the dire state of mental health services in our community and most communities–it’s likely many of these clients would experience long waitlists elsewhere, reduced services due to expense or go without mental healthcare altogether,” says , clinic director at the . “This work is truly critical to our community and beyond as it’s training much-needed therapists and providing much-needed care.”

Indeed, this is a mutually beneficial arrangement as students seeking to earn their or in marriage and family therapy are provided real-life opportunities to hone their craft.

Kalila Taylor says she gravitated toward marriage and family therapy because it’s “a field that gives me the opportunity to make a real difference in peoples’ lives.”

“The thing about studying to be a therapist is that the only way to learn is by doing,” says Kalila Taylor, who’s on track to earn her master’s degree in May. “I was incredibly nervous when I first started seeing clients, but with the support of my colleagues and supervisors, I was able to develop my skills and build my confidence as a therapist.”

Taylor, who is from Jacksonville, Florida, earned her bachelor’s degree in philosophy with a minor in psychology from Florida State University. In researching graduate programs, she discovered ���ϲ����� and the exceptional reputation forged by the , which offered the first accredited master’s degree in the country.

“I’ve always wanted to better understand human behavior and have been continuously fascinated by how we relate to one another as people,” Taylor says. “Marriage and family therapy combines a lot of my various interests while also being a field that gives me the opportunity to make a real difference in people’s lives.”

Student therapists start seeing clients when they’re enrolled in MFT 760 (Practicum in Marriage and Family Therapy), and that’s typically in their second semester of the program. Sliker says their caseload varies depending on client need and the readiness of the student, but ideally students start their clinical work with four to five cases.

Taylor says when she first started seeing clients, she was concerned about managing conflict in the room. However, through supervision and experience, she learned how to help her clients navigate conflict in their relationships while also normalizing that conflict for herself.

Eventually, Taylor was providing up to 20 sessions per week.

“I think it can be especially challenging to help a client process an experience that you haven’t worked through yet in your own life,” she says. “Again, that’s why supervision is so important so that you get the opportunity to talk through your own personal obstacles to show up better for your clients.”

To ensure quality training for student therapists and beneficial care to their clients, Marriage and Family Therapy faculty and staff provide supervision to the students working with individuals, couples and families. In 2023, faculty and staff provided more than 1,800 hours of supervision to 16 students.

The students are supervised on a weekly basis, at minimum, and Sliker says it’s common for student therapists who are just getting started to reach out to on-call supervisors between their regularly scheduled supervision meetings.��Marriage and family therapists are only able to see clients unsupervised when they’re fully licensed.

In New York State, that’s roughly two years after graduation, if they’ve been working full-time as a therapist since receiving their graduate degree. If you’re a member of the community who meets with a fully licensed marriage and family therapist, and that therapist is licensed in New York, you can expect your therapist has had about 3 ½ years of supervised clinical experience, including 1 ½ years of graduate school.

As clinic director of the Couple and Family Therapy Center, Tyler Sliker works with faculty and staff to coordinate the thousands of therapy sessions that marriage and family therapy students provide each year.

“Students often begin their journey to become a therapist with excitement as well as plenty of anxiety and uncertainty of their ability,” Sliker says. “However, therapy is most effective when there is a strong relationship between therapist and client. For those who find themselves in a Marriage and Family Therapy graduate program, there is often already a strong ability to build relationships, and beginning therapists usually have the necessary skills to successfully navigate those initial sessions with clients.

“Then the path to becoming a great therapist, in my opinion, is forged by the therapist’s continued investment in their growth and development, a lifetime connection with supervisors and mentors, and genuine care for the clients they serve,” Sliker adds.

Taylor says there’s an immense feeling of satisfaction when a therapist is able to form relationships with clients, watch them progress in real time, and help them develop skills they didn’t have at the start of therapy. In what may seem like a strange twist to someone outside of the therapy sessions, Taylor says one of her proudest moments occurred when a couple she was working with chose to separate.

“I don’t believe it’s the job of a therapist to tell clients what to do because I think clients should be treated like the experts of their own experience,” Taylor says. “I was proud of this couple for coming to the realization that breaking up was the best thing for both of them because that can be one of the most difficult decisions to make. I remember those clients thanking me for helping them throughout the process, which was such an amazing moment that provided to me a lot of encouragement.”

For Taylor, it was a rewarding moment among many that occur for student therapists every day at the Couple and Family Therapy Center.

“Becoming a therapist is similar to learning a craft or an art: One learns by doing,” Sliker says. “So as much as our community benefits from the services the Couple and Family Therapy Center provides, the students are benefiting just as much.”

The Couple and Family Therapy Center is open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday. The center provides free, confidential sessions in-person and virtually. To inquire about receiving therapy services, call 315.443.3023.

The 108 volunteers gathered on Feb. 23 at Skybarn on South Campus for a three-hour workshop to sand, drill and assemble wooden bunk beds. The group included 86 University students, 11 staff, faculty and retirees, plus 11 other members of the ���ϲ����� chapter of (SHP).

Student volunteers work on drilling boards as part of the SHP bed assembly work. (Photos by Amelia Beamish)

SHP, whose mantra is “No Kid Sleeps on the Floor in Our Town,” is one of 270 chapters nationwide. The organization’s mission is to build and deliver new beds and bedding to children who may have been sleeping on a couch or the floor, and who, in many cases, have never had a bed of their own.

The ���ϲ����� SHP group has partnered with the for Public and Community Service—the University’s hub for academic community engagement—for several years. Though the chapter has built and delivered 4,564 beds to ���ϲ�����-area children since it began in 2018, 870 kids are still on the waitlist. SHP leaders say 76% of the beds built here will go to children who live within two miles of campus.

Friday’s event was organized by (SUVO) president ’25, a dual public relations and psychology major from Norwalk, Ohio. She says this is the first time in a decade that SUVO has initiated a large-scale volunteer project, and it’s one that seemed to resonate with everyone who heard about it.

“Hundreds of children in ���ϲ����� are currently sleeping on the floor. We often take a bed for granted, but it can have such an impact on one’s overall physical and mental health,” Ceccoli says. “A bed is not something I’ve ever given a second thought. I crawl into my bed when I’m sick, need a safe place or want some alone time. SHP’s goal of providing children who need but don’t have that safe space is such a worthy mission that I’m humbled and honored to leverage student resources to help a community partner.”

In a different area, student volunteers sand boards.

advisors Karrie Catalino and Mackenzie Jackson encouraged Ceccoli to bring the bed-building initiative to campus. Planning began in September 2023. Ceccoli applied for Student Association funding and SUVO was awarded nearly $12,000 to cover the costs of all materials and bedding. Once SUVO started promoting the event, volunteers eagerly signed on, including Phanstiel Scholars, Our Time Has Come Scholars and Kessler Scholars. Others reached out, too, including the University’s Brighten a Day unit, the Construction Management Club and Jonathan French, associate teaching professor and undergraduate director in the chemistry department in the , Ceccoli says.

Past and Current Employees

Several current and retired University employees are involved as volunteers with SHP and have been instrumental in the local chapter’s efforts. In 2018, employees Jon Wright, now retired from , and Jeff Pitt ’91, director of information technology services at the College of Arts and Sciences, formed the chapter and still serve as its co-presidents. Back then, they approached Dave Hoalcraft ’85 to join them. A 36-year University employee who retired in 2021, Hoalcraft now volunteers as SHP’s shop manager and bed-building trainer.

SHP-���ϲ����� volunteers Dave Hoalcraft, left, a retired University employee and Jeff Pitt, right, a current employee, worked with SUVO president and student Claire Ceccoli to lead the project.

Pitt says he likes that SHP fulfills two needs in the community. “One is the obvious one of providing a warm, comfortable place to sleep for children in need. The second is subtler: providing an outlet for people who want to give back to the community but who don’t know how to get started.”

Hoalcraft says the group’s mission “was a direct bullseye for me [so] I jumped right in. I am ‘Forever Orange,’ so doing a bed build with students on campus means a lot to me. I get to help a lot of kind people build beds for children in our community and ultimately help get children their own beds. It is awesome that ���ϲ����� students give back directly to the children in the community where [the students] live.”

On-Campus Spark

This is the first time SHP has held a mobile bed build on campus, and Ceccoli thinks the location has been key to the success of the event. “I think it can sometimes be intimidating for students to get off campus,” she says. “SUVO is seeking to connect students to the community and to inspire them to volunteer by making this opportunity accessible. We hope they will continue beyond this event to help SHP build or deliver more beds.” SUVO plans to provide students with information about additional volunteer opportunities.

“This is a beautiful testament to the interest and passion ���ϲ����� students have for community engagement,” Ceccoli says. “I want to work in the nonprofit sector. This is so real for me and to think of the impact we’ll be making on these children’s lives and their families’ lives while amplifying SHP’s mission is wonderful. Quite literally, I’d do this for the rest of my life.”

Claire Ceccoli with Kathryn Bradford, Shaw Center employee and SUVO advisor

Kathryn Bradford ’06, Shaw Center administrative coordinator and SUVO advisor, says she is extremely proud of how Ceccoli used knowledge from her classes and her Shaw Center leadership development intern experience to take the project from idea to reality through diligence, passion and positivity. “Hopefully this experience will encourage more students to participate in community engagement as a continuing part of their educational experience and beyond,” Bradford says.

Are you engaged in a volunteer activity that is having an impact on the greater community? In upcoming editions of SU Today, we plan to profile some of our faculty, staff and students who are making the world a better place through community service. Please email internalcomms@syr.edu with your story.

Their three-year research project, , offers new insights, recommendations and data supporting the practice of “retrofitting” older buildings. The team has demonstrated how updating interior and exterior building systems for increased energy efficiency and improved air quality can achieve “” energy use—where the energy a building harnesses is equal to or greater than the energy the building consumes. Retrofitting is an integral part of energy-use and carbon footprint reductions as well as lowering demolition waste and the building sector’s overall carbon impact, says , assistant professor at the and the project’s principal investigator.

Nina Wilson

“We expect to see wide application of our findings as the state and nation move forward in their efforts to fight climate change. Given the energy and carbon impact exerted by many thousands of retrofit-ready buildings just in New York state, it is important to keep delivering physical demonstration projects and data that enable the industry to better model and predict performance outcomes of retrofit approaches,” Wilson says.

New York State has set to combat climate change, committing $6.8 billion for projects to cut on-site energy consumption by 185 trillion BTUs by 2025, reach 70% renewably sourced electricity by 2030 and achieve a zero-emission electric grid by 2040.

The Net Zero project received a from the (NYSERDA), with an additional $200,000 from ���ϲ����� as part of a commitment to its Climate Action Plan.

Two-Building Approach

Two identical residential apartment buildings built in 1972 on�� Winding Ridge Road on the University’s South Campus were used for the study. One was chosen for retrofitting and the other served as a “control” to provide near-identical, non-retrofitted building data throughout the project.

Research began in 2021 with a building assessment to diagnose conditions like poor insulation, building envelope leakage and a lack of active ventilation and cooling systems. At the same time, sensor data, digital modeling, cost criteria and performance goals drove the design process. Construction of the retrofit was completed in the summer of 2022, followed by a year of post-occupancy energy and environmental data collection. That analysis compared the retrofitted building’s energy use to the non-retrofitted building to gauge the impact of the adjustments.

More Systems, Less Energy

The retrofit plan was initially modified due to cost issues during COVID-19, but because indoor thermal comfort and improved air quality remained as priorities, high-efficiency heat pumps and heat recovery ventilation systems were installed.

So far, Wilson says, the construction modifications have exceeded expectations, producing up to 80% reduction in energy use for heating and cooling, even with the addition of fresh air and cooling systems in place of the original electric baseboard heating. Data also shows significant improvements in indoor air quality through reductions in volatile organic compounds (VOCs), chemicals commonly found in indoor environments that can have long-lasting health effects.

Using holistic and interdisciplinary approaches have been important, given the research team’s expectation that this type of work will continue for decades, Wilson says. “We pushed beyond the simple energy-use reduction goal to include occupant well-being and environmental quality considerations. That we were able to do that and still meet the energy target was an outcome that provided valuable lessons.”

Interdisciplinary, Academic-Industrial Alliance

Faculty, staff and students from three University schools and colleges, the and the Office of Campus Planning, Design and Construction, plus industry experts and community business partners, participated in the project.

Bing Dong

, associate professor at the and a co-principal investigator, designed and managed building data-collection systems to measure indoor air quality, energy efficiency of the spaces and various ways occupant behavior (such as opening windows) affected energy use and indoor comfort levels. He used behavior models, building energy simulation and machine learning approaches in taking those measurements.

Bess Krietemeyer

associate professor and project co-principal investigator, led the design of an interactive, 3D exhibit showing how the ���ϲ����� community would benefit from the energy savings and improved environmental quality, health and well-being advantages that deep-energy retrofits can provide. The exhibit demonstrates how retrofitting can improve thermal comfort for occupants while realizing cost savings on monthly energy bills and provide fresher air to breathe inside and out. Through interactive, dynamic features, the exhibit also locates residential buildings of all types—from multifamily to single-family homes—to show where and how retrofits can support the health and vibrancy of all ���ϲ����� neighborhoods.

Jason Dedrick

faculty members and , also co-principal��investigators, created a website that broadcasts live project data and summarizes research methods, plus an app that streams energy performance data directly to building occupants’ personal devices.

Jeff Hemsley

Students have been involved in hands-on learning opportunities during all project phases. They have evaluated data, created modeling, analyzed innovative technologies and materials, reviewed life cycle analysis tools that measure carbon impact, assessed energy-saving technologies and documented all aspects of the work.

Website, MOST Exhibit

The website illustrates all phases of the project’s three-year path, from the start of building identification in 2021 through data collection, design origination and development and construction phases.

Bess Krietemeyer, center, project co-principal investigator, discusses aspects of the 3-D exhibit she developed showing how retrofitted buildings throughout ���ϲ����� could provide energy benefits. (Photo by Shengxuan Hector Yu.)

Through the interactive exhibit designed by Krietemeyer and Wilson, visitors can explore the impacts of deep-energy retrofits across residential communities in the ���ϲ����� area. The exhibit was developed in collaboration with interactive artists and students in the School of Architecture.

The display uses 3D depth-sensing technologies, tracking and gesture-directed software and projection mapping onto a 3D-printed model of the to display the environmental, health and economic benefits that retrofits offer. It will be on display at the in ���ϲ����� through the end of January.

Mariaelena Huambachano is an assistant professor of environmental humanities and Native American and Indigenous studies in the College of Arts and Sciences. Photos courtesy of www.mariaelena-huambachano.com

Mariaelena Huambachano is an Indigenous scholar, native to Peru, with Quechua ancestry, who also lived for many years in��, the Indigenous name for New Zealand. There she completed her undergraduate and graduate studies and formed long-lasting relationships with Māori, the Indigenous people of New Zealand. She joined ���ϲ����� in 2021 as an assistant professor to help build the (CGIC). Courses taught by Huambachano include food fights and treaty rights, Indigenous food cosmologies and reclaiming Indigenous intellectual sovereignty. She is a faculty affiliate across several programs and departments in the College of Arts and Sciences (A&S) and Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs including the , the , and the .

Food is often seen as a basic human right, but millions do not have food security because of factors like poverty, lack of access to affordable and nutritious food, inadequate social safety nets and environmental challenges. This is worse for vulnerable and marginalized people, like many Indigenous communities around the world. Huambachano is serving on her second United Nations (UN) ��providing evidence-based recommendations to policymakers. She calls this her “labor of love.”

The HLPE is the science-policy interface of the UN’s Committee on World Food Security (CFS). This group of experts develops a comprehensive report on how food system inequalities contribute to food insecurity, hunger and malnutrition. It also provides the CFS with recommendations on how to address these inequalities because, the report notes, these disparities diminish the quality of life and productivity, perpetuate poverty and hinder economic growth for the affected communities.

Huambachano engages in hands-on research through community-based projects in many regions.

We spoke with Huambachano to discuss her teaching and scholarship at A&S as well as her work for the UN.

Resettled refugees, also called new Americans, encounter myriad challenges from being displaced, ranging from financial stress to difficulties finding employment to lack of access to resources. These hurdles are magnified for new Americans who, in addition to possibly learning a new language, require speech, language and hearing services.

As the rate of asylum seekers arriving in the United States surges, ���ϲ����� in particular is one of the highest intake cities in the United States, welcoming over 7,000 refugees in the past decade alone. To help ease the language barriers faced by new Americans, communication sciences professionals must be prepared to provide culturally responsive, human-centered, trauma-informed services for refugees who have complex educational and health care needs.

In response to this growing challenge, the College of Arts and Sciences’ (CSD) has launched a new training program called Supporting Outcomes and Healthcare Access for Refugees (SOAR).

A first of its kind in the United States, SOAR provides the next generation of speech-language pathologists and audiologists with training in promoting health equity, interprofessional collaboration and experiential learning opportunities. CSD professors Jamie Desjardins and Stephanie McMillen lead the program, which received a $10,000 grant from the American Speech Language Hearing Association’s multicultural board in 2022 to support the project.

According to Desjardins, SOAR was established in part to respond to a recent report revealing that CSD clinicians nationwide are feeling underprepared and lacking confidence in servicing U.S. refugee populations.

“It is our responsibility, as a CSD higher-education program, to improve pre-professional training to better prepare our students for working with new Americans. We started SOAR to meet these needs in our community and profession.” – Jamie Desjardins

During the Fall 2023 semester, 19 CSD undergraduate and graduate students are participating in tailored classroom instruction and experiential learning activities. Together, these experiences allow students to learn about the needs and challenges that new Americans encounter when it comes to access to health care services.

CSD students attended a seminar where they learned about trauma-informed care.

At an event in early October, students learned how to work with an interpreter to provide linguistically and culturally sensitive clinical services for patients learning English as a new language. They interacted with in-person and virtual interpreters in scripted, live-action clinical scenarios with an actor, who portrayed a patient with limited English proficiency.

Organizers of the community photographic project, “,” want to visualize just that and are asking ���ϲ����� families to share their family photos and stories on camera to create a living photo archive. Community members—particularly those whose histories have been marginalized—are invited to talk about their family histories at a recorded interview station, digitize their family photos for later exhibition and have new portraits taken with their family photographs.

Thomas Allen Harris

The project is designed to build a more inclusive history of the city. It takes place Oct. 13-15 through a��series of activities and events with Yale University artist and filmmaker and his . The initiative is being coordinated by students and faculty in the University’s Turning the Lens Collective. The group is composed of , associate professor of English; , a Ph.D. candidate in English; , a Ph.D. candidate in history; Sarhia Rahim ’26, a policy studies major and Aniyah Jones ’25, an English and textual studies and psychology major.

Three Weekend Events

Events include a film screening and discussion of “: Black Photographers and the Emergence of a People,” with Harris (, from 6 to 8 p.m.). The with community members takes place , from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. A to celebrate the archived images and oral storytelling is planned on , from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m., and includes music, poetry and special guests. All events take place at the Everson Museum at 401 Harrison St. in downtown ���ϲ�����.

Hallas says the project will build a testament to marginalized families from across the city, cultivate a more inclusive archival history of ���ϲ����� and recognize the people suppressed, forgotten or lost to a highway (the I-81 viaduct) that created a decadeslong economic and racial barrier in ���ϲ�����.

“���ϲ����� is experiencing significant transformation and renewed hope for economic progress spurred by Micron’s multi-billion-dollar investment in a semiconductor megafacility, the city’s decades of commitment to refugee resettlement and the redevelopment of housing, transportation and industry when a community grid replaces the I-81 viaduct,” Hallas says. “Yet, in moving forward equitably, it’s necessary to remember and document the past. ���ϲ����� remains one of the most impoverished and segregated cities in the nation, specifically for its Black and Latinx communities. In its redevelopment of housing, transportation and industry, the city must not repeat the systemic violence of the past.”

Community members shared treasured photos with Jessica Terry-Elliot, right center, along with their memories of family.

Jessica Terry-Elliott, a project co-organizer, researches the application of various methodologies that comprise what scholars call “Black archival practices.”��She says Family Pictures ���ϲ����� will use oral history methods��coupled with the captured moments of Black life in photographs that are��often held in domestic��repositories.

“Using these methods to develop this project��is an actual application of Black archival practices,” Terry-Elliot says. “It will reveal the complexities of how Black life in ���ϲ����� was and is documented and remembered,��while at the same time constructing pathways to engage with memory for��the future.”

Collective member Charles is writing a dissertation on the Black visual archive in film. “I’ve discovered that family photographs play a tremendous role in shaping our identity and history beyond the purview of our institutional archives,” Charles says. “The photographs we all keep in our homes—hanging on walls or tucked inside family albums—contribute to a larger story. Yet, those items are not always seen as important historical knowledge. This project affirms our photographs are themselves invaluable archives that should be studied and celebrated as such.”

Collective member and undergraduate student Aniyah Jones ’25 looks over a collection of family photos.

Undergraduate students Jones and Rahim have supported the initiative through their ���ϲ����� Office of Undergraduate Research and Creative Engagement (SOURCE) appointments as research assistants on the project. A team of undergraduate students from the department of film and media arts and the Orange Television Network will staff the photo-sharing event and students in Hallas’ upcoming “Everyday Media and Social Justice” and Jessica Terry-Elliott’s “Public History” courses in spring 2024 will further the project after its launch.

��The collective is also coordinating with the Network’s WriteOut ���ϲ�����, a youth afterschool program designed to get students Interested In writing and storytelling, and Black and Arab Relationalities, a Mellon Foundation-funded research project led by College of Arts and Sciences faculty members and .

Wide Community Connections

Organizers are working with the Community Folk Art Center, Onondaga Historical Association and the North Side Learning Center and are collaborating with several other ���ϲ����� community organizations for future programming.

Many sources of funding have made the project possible, including the University’s departments of African American Studies; anthropology; communication and rhetorical studies; English; film and media arts; history; Jewish studies; Latino/Latin American studies; LGBTQ studies; policy studies; religion; sociology; television, radio and film; visual communications; women’s and gender studies; and writing. External funding has been provided by Humanities NY and the Allyn Family Foundation.

Also sponsoring the project are the Democratizing Knowledge project; Engaged Humanities Network; SOURCE; Special Collections Research Center; ���ϲ����� Humanities Center; The Alexa; Lender Center for Social Justice; Light Work and Orange Television Network.

In November, the Special Collections Research Center at Bird Library will host “Family Pictures in the Archive” (, 5 to 7 p.m.). The exhibition displays Black photographs from the University’s collections along with community photos archived during the Family Pictures ���ϲ����� events.

Entrepreneurship is one of the three major pathways that servicemembers pursue during the transition to their post-service lives. According to the , veterans are not only more likely than their civilian peers to start and run their own businesses but on average, they also out-earn their non-veteran counterparts.

The ���ϲ����� 2023 cohort for Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans (photo courtesy of Angela Ryan).

During the Saturday evening graduation ceremony at the National Veterans Resource Center, J. Michael Haynie, IVMF’s Co-Founder and Executive Director, shared his personal opinion on what makes the program a success in preparing veterans for the challenges of entrepreneurship.

Mike Haynie, vice chancellor of strategic initiatives and innovation at ���ϲ�����, welcomes the 2023 EBV ���ϲ����� cohort.

“The EBV program really embodies the convergence of two truths that I hold very closely. The first of those is the power of business ownership to change the trajectory of lives and families,” says Haynie, a U.S. Air Force veteran and the University’s vice chancellor for strategic initiatives and innovation. “The second truth is the resiliency, the grit, and the selflessness of those who have served, and how those attributes translate to the relentless pursuit of the next big challenge, however daunting that challenge may be.”

With more than 2,400 EBV graduates to date, the program also calls upon previous graduates who have seen significant success after attending one of the IVMF’s entrepreneurial training programs. One such graduate is U.S. Marine Corps veteran Chris Dambach, owner of Industry Standard USA. Dambach’s business provides construction and facility support services for government projects and has been featured on the Inc. 5,000 list celebrating the fastest-growing businesses in the United States.

Dambach also had a hand in recruiting one of this year’s graduates, local ���ϲ����� business owner and U.S. Air Force veteran, Brandon Johnson. Johnson is the owner of Crossett Property Management, which manages several properties located primarily in the Strathmore area of the city.

“I met Chris at a veteran-focused conference a few years ago, and we were talking about getting into the government contracting space eventually, and he told me I had to do the EBV program,” Johnson says. “Just feeling the energy in the room and being exposed to the faculty that’s here, it’s just a great refresher to keep our tools sharpened to go out there and be successful in business.”

Alex McKelvie, interim dean of the Whitman School, teaches a class for the 2023 Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans at ���ϲ����� cohort.

The program does more than teach about small business management, however, it also gets the participants out into the local community to speak with local business owners. This year’s cohort visited Dinosaur Bar-B-Que and Talking Cursive to learn firsthand what struggles local owners go through as they grow their businesses.

In addition to the EBV program, the at ���ϲ����� leverages access to world-class faculty for introductory lessons in entrepreneurship for a small group of participants with the Warrior Scholar Project (WSP).

The WSP program is designed to prepare transitioning service members for higher education. Understanding that most of the program participants haven’t been in an academic classroom for several years, WSP prepares participants for the rigors of higher education, equipping them with the tools necessary to be successful in the pursuit of their academic goals.

The WSP program spanned the course of two weeks; the first week focused on humanities and the second week focused on entrepreneurship. Tristan Whipps, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran studying information management technology and professional technical writing at the School of Information Studies, served as a business fellow over the summer to help guide and mentor this year’s participants after being a program graduate with last year’s cohort.

“The business week is designed to demystify business as an undergraduate degree. They’re getting a crash course on topics related to entrepreneurship like some legal considerations for entrepreneurship, branding and marketing, as well as small business finance,” Whipps says.

Crystal Houston, an adjunct professor in the Newhouse School, teaches a class on how to leverage social media to help grow a small business.

Both cohorts would not be nearly as successful without the dedication and support from professors and faculty members of ���ϲ�����. This year, 11 professors and faculty members from outside the IVMF taught crucial lessons in a range of disciplines between the two programs. Those faculty members are:

• Sean Branagan, director of the Center for Digital Media Entrepreneurship, S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications
• Craig Champion, professor of history, Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs
• Carol Faulkner, professor and associate dean for academic affairs, the Maxwell School
• Tim Gerkin, professor of writing and rhetoric in the College of Arts and Sciences
• Crystal Houston, adjunct professor, the Newhouse School
• Thomas Keck, professor of political science, the Maxwell School
• Eileen Schell, professor of writing and rhetoric, the College of Arts and Sciences
• Alex McKelvie, interim dean, the Martin J. Whitman School of Management
• John Torrens, professor of entrepreneurial practice, the Whitman School
• Kenneth Walsleben, professor of practice, the Whitman School
• Elizabeth Wimer, assistant teaching professor, the Whitman School

John Wildhack, the University’s director of athletics, served as the guest speaker during the graduation ceremony. Wildhack shared some of his personal insight from his time during the startup of ESPN and provided some of his own advice to guide them on their path upon leaving campus and returning to their entrepreneurial journey.

“As you embark on your next chapter or continue to grow the business you’ve already established, identify what motivates you, what drives you, and what’s most important to you both in your work and as an individual,” Wildhack says. “For me, it’s the three F’s: Family, Faith and Friends.”

For more information on the programs and services offered to service members, veterans, and military-connected spouses, please visit the.

“The Reading Buddies program is a chance for our pre-service teachers to get to know a young student while engaging in literacy activities. For most, it’s their first experience in the ���ϲ����� City School District, and for many perhaps their first time in a school not as a student themselves,” says Professor Christine Ashby G’01, G’07, G’08, who coordinates the program.

Adds Ashby, “The program is part of our commitment to offer our students sustained field experiences throughout their four years. Reading Buddies gets our students comfortable being in schools, being careful observers and making connections with the concepts—such as inclusive educational strategies—that they are learning in our classes.”

The program is part of our commitment to offer our students sustained field experiences throughout their four years.

—Professor Christy Ashby

Thanks to Reading Buddies, young readers get a chance to practice outside their classroom and form a relationship with a young adult who is a consistent figure in their lives and throughout the year. The program builds on a previous collaborative relationship with that supports grade level reading for SCSD students.

To learn more about how the SOE program works, the joys and connections it makes, and just how a 6-foot-5-inch freshman navigates furniture in a kindergarten library, we spoke to spring 2023 Reading Buddies participants who were assigned to SCSD’s Ed Smith K-8, Huntington and STEAM at Dr. King schools, as well as their supervisors.

Reading Buddy: Qin Gao ’25

Qin Gao

Gao is a rising junior who was assigned to Ed Smith Pre-K-8 School.

“Reading Buddies provides an excellent opportunity for pre-service teachers to support elementary students with their reading skills. During sessions, I encourage students to choose books that interest them, and I ask them to read aloud while I offer guidance and support. I also take the opportunity to observe the lead teacher’s lesson planning and delivery to gain insights to improve my teaching skills.

“One of the most enjoyable aspects of the program is building strong connections with our buddies. I will always remember when one buddy gave me a heart that he had drawn on my first day. This small action reinforced my dedication to teaching. The program has given me many heart-touching memories, and it has given me valuable hands-on experience that I can’t get from simply reading textbooks or attending lectures. I can observe experienced teachers and get a feel for what it’s really like to be in a classroom. I think it helps future teachers become more confident and effective for when they enter their own classroom.”

EDU 202 Coordinator: Lucy Winnie King

Lucy Winnie King

King is a School of Education Ph.D. student and program coordinator for .

“Mediated field experiences are an essential part of our teacher preparation program. Starting with Reading Buddies, teacher candidates are required to participate in the field right from the beginning of our program. These hands-on experiences allow students to apply and reconcile what they learn in classrooms through real-world interactions with students teachers, and administrators.

“Importantly, Reading Buddies offers our students experiences in underserved school districts, so they have opportunities to challenge their preconceptions about other cultures and families living in low socioeconomic school districts. This gives our students a better understanding of the diverse student experiences they work with and increases their confidence.”

Reading Buddy: Jack Withee ’26

Jack Withee

Withee is a rising sophomore assigned to Huntington PreK-8 School.

“I’d say I have a strong relationship with all my reading buddies. They are always excited to see me, and I them. One of my current buddies is learning to trust me, I think. Observing him, I think he struggles with confidence, sometimes with choosing a book or with words I know he knows. I think he understands that he reads below grade level, and he doesn’t want to be seen like that.

“But I’m learning flexibility from him. He recently crawled under the table in the library, so I crawled after him with our book, even though I didn’t fit because I’m 6 feet, 5 inches! I thought, what does it matter where we read? School can be such a controlled environment. Structure is important, but you need to let students take ownership sometimes. It was the same learning going on under the table. It’s valuable to stick with this student. I’m gaining a firm understanding of his abilities and thinking—and that foundation is important.

“Reading Buddies has been a very motivating experience, and I’m not the only one saying that. In lectures you can sometimes forget what you are doing this for, so it’s good to be reminded of that. Oh, and education majors are allowed to bring cars onto campus, so they can drive to assignments!”

Librarian: Janet Schuster

Janet Schuster

Schuster is librarian/media specialist at Huntington PreK-8 School. This was her second year of directing Huntington’s Reading Buddies program.

“Our Reading Buddies program is typically for kindergarten through third grade students, although in spring 2023 we served kindergarten through second grade. ���ϲ����� students arrive at Huntington around 10:40 a.m., with the program running from 11 a.m. to noon. Classroom teachers choose two students whom they think will benefit from a Reading Buddy, letting me know where they are in their reading progression. Each ���ϲ����� student gets two children to read to. We find out where the child is in their reading, and we build on that.

“We lay out book suggestions on the library tables, such as guided reading and ‘I Spy’ books. These books are participatory, which is especially important for English as a new language readers. For older readers, there are the ‘Don’t Let the Pigeon’ and ‘Pete the Cat’ series. The children really, really enjoy one-on-one attention, and our teachers mention that this attention is very useful. We make sure the children are having a fun time, especially at the beginning when it’s get-to-know-you time. You always want to make a lifelong reader. The children get a snack, which is important for those on a late lunch schedule, and there’s a treat at leaving time.

“There are hugs from the ���ϲ����� students as well. In their reflections, the pre-service teachers write about the bonds they are making with the children, as well as the progress they are making with reading. The students are excellent, and I think it’s good for them to practice.”

An engaged learning environment increases student attention and focus. It’s where meaningful learning happens.

—Sabrina Ashkar ’25

Reading Buddy: Sabrina Ashkar ’25

Sabrina Ashkar with her daughter, Selena

Sabrina Ashkar is a rising junior assigned to the STEAM at Dr. King Elementary School.

“One task in Reading Buddies is to build a relationship with young learners. I discuss home life, interests, school life and I share about my life and my kids. I believe relationship-building plays a major role in shaping learning and behavior/social skills. At the school library, we talk about reading experiences and challenges. We find a quiet place to read, taking turns and stopping to make predictions and connections. My buddies know the routine and become more and more intrigued about learning to read.

“I have always enjoyed reading, and this program gives me the opportunity to do what I love with a young learner. One buddy is from Africa, so we connect to other cultures, traditions and the world through books. Of course, research tells us that reading is an indispensable skill that students will rely on throughout their journey to educational success.

“What really stands out to me as a future teacher are reading’s common challenges. When my students come to a word they don’t know, their voice is lowered—they just want to skip over it. The opposite is when they feel like ‘I got this!’ They are so positive about how far they have come. I have learned so much about myself and will carry that with me into the classroom. To be comfortable in the school environment is essential. An engaged learning environment increases student attention and focus. It’s where meaningful learning happens.”

Learn more about the B.S. in inclusive elementary and special education (Grades 1-6) on the .

The provides legal representation to veterans and their families seeking benefits from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs or upgrading a military discharge through the various military branches. The VLC is staffed by student attorneys in their 2L or 3L year at the College of Law, many of who are veterans themselves or who have a connection to the military and a passion for serving veterans. “Our law school students leverage their critical thinking skills and analytical abilities to help veterans navigate a complex administrative process. We shoulder the legal process so that the veterans can focus on treatment and healing,” says Kubala.

“PTSD is an especially difficult diagnosis because it is often not recognized in veterans for many years after their service. They usually do not see it coming on while in the service because they are focused on their mission. All too often, these early symptoms of PTSD can lead to out-of-character behaviors that, in some cases, result in a veteran’s administrative discharge from service for that misconduct,” says 2L Seth Owens, a student in the VLC.

This summer, many student attorneys are assisting veterans with disability claims for PTSD.��“The government has taken steps over the past decade to expand access to VA benefits for veterans experiencing PTSD. But it’s not easy to navigate and secure these benefits, especially for veterans facing the adverse consequences of PTSD in their daily lives. Another student and I are working with a veteran who was not diagnosed with PTSD, nor had he ever heard of PTSD, until after he was discharged. We are helping him connect his undiagnosed PTSD to the circumstances surrounding his discharge, with the goal of getting him full care. I can’t imagine taking that on alone,” says VLC student 2L Natalie Bravo.

“Currently, we are working with a decorated 15-year veteran, separated under unfavorable circumstances, who is struggling to get full care for his PTSD almost 16 years after his discharge. This process has been extremely eye-opening and makes one realize how challenging the process of getting the right care can be. The benefit of hindsight is allowing us to trace the onset of his PTSD symptoms to the trauma he experienced on his last deployment before being administratively discharged,” says Owens

He continues, “As we have learned more about the effects of PTSD, it is especially important to advocate on behalf of veterans who were separated under these circumstances because it impacts their ongoing ability to receive treatment and be compensated for their service to this country. At the Veterans Legal Clinic, we have a tremendous opportunity to use the skills we are learning at the ���ϲ����� College of Law to directly improve the lives of our veteran clients. Providing a direct application of our legal knowledge, outside resources, or simply a compassionate ear to listen to their circumstances can all be beneficial to help that veteran navigate a challenging administrative process to get the right care for their PTSD.”

The VLC serves two critical functions on the ���ϲ����� campus. The VLC provides legal advice to veterans and their families and provides a training opportunity to empower law school students as veteran advocates.�� Student attorneys at the VLC learn about veteran’s law, military law and federal administrative law. Student attorneys manage actual veteran clients and their cases, engage in fact investigation, draft persuasive letters and briefs to the various governmental agencies, and even have the opportunity to orally advocate for clients.

“The clinic is administrative law in action. We are navigating statutes, regulations and department policy to be the best advocates for our veterans. It’s great legal experience, but even more so it’s a fulfilling experience,” says Bravo.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

NOMAS volunteers gather up uneaten food during a recent recovery.

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

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

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

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