Students (from left) Janese Fayson ’26, Astrid Melendez ’25 and Adalys Sanchez ’26 share what their Latine heritage means to them, how they’ve discovered a cultural home on campus and why they wanted to get involved in planning Latine Heritage Month celebrations on campus.

What does it mean to be a descendant of Latine/x/o/a and Hispanic heritage and trace your cultural roots to one of the more than 20 Spanish-speaking countries in Latin America, Central America, South America or the Caribbean?

It’s impossible to come up with a singular defining trait, characteristic or value that represents Latine culture, but beginning this week and running through Oct. 26, the University community is coming together to learn more about the rich cultural history of various identities within the Latine community during Latine Heritage Month (LHM).

Three current students—Astrid Melendez ’25, Adalys Sanchez ’26 and Janese Fayson ’26—share what their Latine heritage means to them, how they’ve discovered a cultural home on campus and why they wanted to get involved in planning LHM celebrations.

The theme of this year’s celebration is “Fronteras Sin Limites: Embracing our Borderless Cultures,” exploring the experiences of Latine communities who live along and across borders, both physical and cultural, and highlighting the resilience and adaptability of the Latine community who navigate multiple identities and spaces.

Learn the stories of how these three student leaders celebrate their cultures, then check out the complete schedule of .

Astrid Melendez ’25

Academic major: Information management and technology ()

What is your cultural heritage? “My entire family is from Lima, Peru.”

Astrid Melendez

What role does your cultural heritage play in your life? “It plays a very important role. Growing up in Germany and moving to the United States when I was in elementary school, I knew that my cultural background made me different. My parents left Peru when they were in their 30s, and growing up, my parents were still learning English. Spanish was my first language and no matter where I lived, our Peruvian culture was always prevalent in my day-to-day life. Especially when it came to language, food and our customs. When I am at ���ϲ�����, I like to cook Peruvian meals and treats like Lomo Saltado and Alfajores. Back home, my family and I often go to Peruvian cultural events and restaurants.”

How have you found a cultural home on campus? “Joining SALSA [the South American and Latine Student Association] is the place I have been able to find a cultural home at ���ϲ�����. Before SALSA, I had never met any other Peruvian my age that wasn’t related to me. It made me happy to not only get to meet other Peruvian college students, but also other students with South American heritage. SALSA and its members have turned into a family for me here.”

How has SALSA helped? “SALSA’s mission is to have a student organization focused on South American culture and we thrive creating events while educating and building a community for students belonging to or interested in South American cultures. I’m currently president, and this club is special and exciting! I’ve learned more about other South American countries and cultures and it’s been amazing working with the proud and passionate executive board members.”

Adalys Sanchez ’26

Academic major: Earth science with a minor in women and gender studies ()

What is your cultural heritage? “I am a first-generation college student who was born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and I also have family roots in the Dominican Republic.”

Adalys Sanchez

What role does your cultural heritage play in your life? “My Puerto Rican heritage shapes my perspective on resilience and community, influencing my drive to succeed as a first-generation student. It deeply influences my passion for environmental justice, as I’ve witnessed firsthand the effects of environmental inequality on marginalized communities. Part of why I wish to study environmental law is because I want to go back home and create sustainable policies that allow everyone to live in a safe and clean environment. My heritage is also important because it means that if I succeed in my career goals, I will be bringing a new and diverse perspective to the legal field.

“Whenever I’m home, I try to visit the different parts of the island to learn about our rich history. I also participate in local festivals such as Fiestas Patronales, where the streets come alive with music, dancing and traditional foods. And during the holidays, our culture really comes alive. At Nochebuena (Christmas Eve), we gather for large feasts of traditional food, including some of my favorite food like arroz con gandules (rice with peas), lechon (pork) and coquito (a coconut-flavored drink similar to eggnog). We also tell stories and do parrandas (similar to caroling).”

How have you found a cultural home on campus? “Through the student organizations I belong to, like the Puerto Rican Student Association, which allows me to connect with other people who celebrate Puerto Rican culture, discussing current events on the island and getting to organize events where we participate in our traditions. It really makes me feel like I have a little piece of home here with me at ���ϲ�����. I’m also a member of the Raíces Dance Troupe since I’ve always loved dancing and I can enjoy my culture through music and movement.”

Why did you want to get involved in organizing the LHM celebrations? “Latinx culture is deeply rooted in community, joy and resilience, which are often expressed through vibrant celebrations, music and gatherings. My main role was organizing the (Oct. 10), where students can have fun roller-skating while enjoying one of the most prominent music genres in current Latinx culture. I want everyone, especially first-year students, to embrace their roots and do so in ways that educate the community while having fun and empowering ourselves. I want to show how important claiming your heritage can be to finding your place on campus and in society.”

Janese Fayson ’26

Academic majors: Marketing and finance ()

What is your cultural heritage? “I am a first-generation college student from Miami, Florida. I am Black and Puerto Rican.”

Janese Fayson

What role does your cultural heritage play in your life? “My heritage influences so many things, from my style to my way of expressing myself, it is so inherently engrained in me. Good music, great food and amazing company is my go-to way to celebrate. I love my heritage.”

How have you found a cultural home on campus? “I belong to so many different organizations [including the Caribbean Student Association, the Black Student Union, Student Living and Student Association], not only because I enjoy being involved, but because I love being able to meet new people, some of whom share similar identities with me, and others who do not. I feel so immersed in culture when I am with them.”

How has the Caribbean Student Association helped? “I joined my freshmen year at the Welcome Fête and have been involved ever since, now holding the title of president. Our mission is to uplift, inspire and bring Caribbean people and the ���ϲ����� community together. It has helped me find some of my favorite people and I learn something from them every day, whether about their culture, heritage or as individuals. Being president of such a vast organization is so fulling for so many different reasons and I have learned more about myself through it all.”

This annual celebration provides opportunities for students, faculty and staff to learn about the history, culture and contributions of Americans whose ancestry can be traced to over 20 Spanish-speaking countries in Latin America, including Mexico, Central and South America and the Caribbean, as well as international students who hail directly from these countries and contribute to our rich and diverse campus.

Members of RSO La LUCHA at the 2023 Latine Heritage Month information fair (Photo by Marilyn Hesler)

“We, as the Latine Heritage Month committee, have engaged with countless campus partners, recognized student organizations and Greek life to create a dynamic Latine Heritage Month that encompasses the cultures of the Latine community here at ���ϲ�����,” says Cydavia Patterson, program coordinator at the , department co-chair for this year’s festivities. “Our hope with Latine Heritage Month is to establish a unified network of resources, information and community, highlighting the Latine community at ���ϲ�����.”

The theme of this year’s Latine Heritage Month celebration on campus is “Fronteras Sin Limites: Embracing our Borderless Cultures.” The planning committee and its partners centered events on exploring the experiences of Latine communities who live along and across borders, both physical and cultural, and highlighting the resilience and adaptability of the Latine community who navigate multiple identities and spaces.

Highlights of this year’s celebrations include:

• An , in the Schine Student Center atrium. Kicking off at 2 p.m., there will be tabling by recognized student organizations (RSOs), special performances and more. (Co-sponsored by Student Association)
• The 6th annual (soccer tournament), to be held at the Women’s Building Field on Saturday, Sept. 21; teams can through Sept. 18. (Co-sponsored by the Barnes Center at The Arch, South American and Latine Student Association and Lambda Theta Alpha)
• , a joyful and inclusive student/faculty mixer featuring delicious handcrafted mocktails inspired by diverse Latine cultures, at the Barner-McDuffie House on Thursday, Sept. 26. (Co-sponsored by the Office of Diversity and Inclusion and Caribbean Students Association)
• Arts and cultural exhibitions, including “WEIRD Barrio” by ���ϲ�����-based Puerto Rican artist Manuel Matías (opening at La Casita Cultural Center) and featuring more than 60 pieces from The Artist Book Collection (opening Oct. 11 at Punto de Contacto-Point of Contact).
• Live DJ sets, panel discussions, roller skating, comedy, paint night and more!

Visit the for the full lineup and links to further information on each event.

Players at the 2023 Torneo de Fútbol (Photo by Julie Herman)

The planning and coordination of Latine Heritage Month is led by BIPOC Student Success, Programs and Services and Student Association. Co-sponsors include , , , , , , , , and .

Additional programming support is offered by University Union, South American and Latine Student Association, Delsol Magazine, National Association of Hispanic Journalists-���ϲ����� Chapter, Latin American Law Student Association, CitrusTV Noticias, Latino-Latin American studies program in the College of Arts and Sciences, College of Law, Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs and several external academic contributors.

The 2023 Latine Heritage Month opening ceremony (Photo by Marilyn Hesler)

First-generation college students Melanie Salas (left), Jean Castilla (center) and Brianna Gillfillian discuss the challenges they faced, the lessons they learned and their plans for after graduation.

A trio of first-generation college students have demonstrated hard work and resiliency and shown how they ultimately set themselves on the path that will culminate Sunday morning inside the JMA Wireless Dome when they become the first members of their families to earn college degrees during ���ϲ�����’s .

• Melanie Salas ’24 was inspired by a high school coach to challenge herself to realize that she could do anything she set her mind to.
• Jean Castilla ’24 worked hard to strengthen his knowledge base and earn admission into a prestigious New York City high school that would prepare him for the rigors of college.
• Brianna Gillfillian ’24 pushed the limits of her comfort zone to leave her home country of Jamaica to earn a college degree and rely on the kindness of strangers to pay her way to ���ϲ����� through a GoFundMe account.

Surrounded by the nearly 6,700 fellow degree recipients, and in front of their families and friends, Salas, Castilla and Gillfillian will join the ranks of the more than 250,000 proud Orange alumni around the world, knowing that, hopefully, their stories will inspire other would-be college students to overcome their fears and blaze their own paths.

Leading up to convocation, these talented first-generation students sat down with SU News to discuss the challenges they faced, the lessons they learned and their plans for after graduation.

Melanie Salas ’24

Melanie Salas

Path to ���ϲ�����: “When I was in elementary school, people always told me I wouldn’t be anything in life. It motivated me and forced me to grow into the person I am today. When I was in high school, my softball coach helped me discover that I could do anything in this world, and that really inspired me to go out and learn as much as I can. My parents [Juan Salas and Lorena Granados] did everything for me to get to ���ϲ����� and now I am set to graduate early, and I’m just so thankful for the mentors on campus who helped me overcome the struggles I faced.”

Academic major: Biology ()

Involvement on campus: Our Time Has Come Scholar, Ronald E. McNair Scholar, Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation, orientation leader, Research Experience for Undergraduates, research assistant with SUNY Upstate Medical University, Food Recovery Network (part of the Catholic Center)

Best piece of advice: “Always put your foot in every single door, because you never know when the opportunity will come along that could change your life. Whenever I could, I represented myself, stood up and spoke out and from those moments, I grew into the person I wanted to be, who helped make change on campus. All those people who told me I would never be anything inspired me to bring about change to my community. You truly start on the path toward your dreams once you come to campus.”

Plans after graduation: Will be enrolling in Baylor University’s cell, molecular, health and disease biology graduate program, with the goal of earning a Ph.D. and one day opening her own research lab focused on studying ways to improve the overall health and well-being of society. “I want to help those who don’t have access to opportunities I’ve had. I want to give back to those less fortunate and help make a difference in our community.”

Jean Castilla ’24

Jean Castilla

Path to ���ϲ�����: “It’s been a mission of mine to attend college since I was in middle school. When I was in the eighth grade, instead of playing with my friends or playing video games, I was studying for the Specialized High Schools Admissions Test, which is used to determine who gets into one of the top eight specialized high schools in New York City. I was admitted into the High School for Math, Science and Engineering at City College, and was on a path to college from there. The decision to focus on my studies changed the trajectory of my life and my family’s life. My mom, Rosa, made a lot of sacrifices so I could pursue an education, and knowing what she sacrificed drove me and inspired me.”

Academic major: Entrepreneurship and emerging enterprises ()

Involvement on campus: Our Time Has Come Scholar, Hendricks Chapel Scholarship, Whitman Internship Scholarship, Veteran Legacy Fund Scholarship, Lois and Martin J. Whitman Scholarship, Office of Veterans and Military Affairs Scholarship, Daniel and Gayle D’Aniello Florence Scholarship, student liaison in the Office of Veteran and Military Affairs

Best piece of advice: “Especially for my fellow first-generation students, a big thing is to have faith that everything will work out. Having faith in yourself and believing in your abilities is something we all need to practice. If you can’t believe in yourself, it won’t happen. I know I’ve gone through a lot of obstacles and adversity in my life, but every time I remind myself that I’m just being tested to see if I’m ready to move on to the next chapter in my life.”

Plans after graduation: Castilla currently serves as a crew chief in the Air National Guard’s 174th Attack Wing and has a job lined up in the military once he graduates. He’s also planning on continuing his career as an entrepreneur, “creating an established business where I’m the CEO and I can help other people in my community. That’s my ideal situation. I want to be able to give back because I’ve been helped tremendously on my journey.”

Brianna Gillfillian ’24

Brianna Gillfillian

Path to ���ϲ�����: “My high school curriculum in Jamaica emphasized math, English and information technology, so I had a lot of experience in those fields and it was something I was genuinely good at and enjoyed. My parents didn’t graduate from high school, so after I graduated, people asked me ‘why don’t you stay in Jamaica for college?’ I knew I had to come to America, but I didn’t have the money to pay for a flight to ���ϲ�����, so I personally launched a GoFundMe to get me to ���ϲ�����. Because nobody in my family went to college, I relied on my high school guidance counselors for advice, and in terms of my finances, I had to do everything on my own. I learned that I am resilient from this process. It would have been easy to just stay in Jamaica, get a scholarship and get my degree but I knew if I didn’t go away to college I would regret it. I had a vision for myself and would stop at nothing to make it happen.”

Academic major: Computer science ()

Involvement on campus: Our Time Has Come Scholar, National Society of Black Engineers, Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation, Collegiate Science and Technology Entry Program, Alpha Kappa Psi (business fraternity), Delta Sigma Theta (sorority), Kalabash Dance Troupe, Scholars on a Mission, Save our Child’s Heart Foundation

Best piece of advice: “I feel being as outgoing as possible helped me connect with the University and discover my community. I love being involved in organizations, and I feel that through my involvement I was able to put myself out there and become the person and the leader I wanted to be.”

Plans after graduation: Will be enrolling in ���ϲ�����’s engineering management program in the College of Engineering and Computer Science, with the goal of one day working in product management or project management within the field of technology or engineering. “I’m a very creative person, and I’m always thinking in terms of the user experience and design when it comes to the different apps. I want to make sure that whatever product I’m helping to develop is suitable and maximizes the user experience.”

Annie Chen (left) and Bettina Talento are two of the passionate student leaders who helped plan ���ϲ�����’s annual Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month celebrations.

April is a time for the ���ϲ����� community to celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month.

Celebrated nationally in May, the University hosts its annual AAPI Heritage Month in April so all campus members can join in honoring the histories, cultural diversity, identities and contributions of AAPI communities.

Annie Chen

This year’s theme is “Harmony in Heritage,” celebrating the rich diversity found within AAPI communities while also highlighting the unity and shared experiences that bring these varied cultures together. Asian Americans trace their roots to over 20 countries in East and Southeast Asia, each with its own unique histories, languages beliefs and traditions. Pacific Islanders represent another ethnically diverse group with Indigenous peoples from Hawaii, Guam, Samoa and other Pacific islands and territories.

AAPI Planning Committee co-chairs Annie Chen ’25 and Bettina Talento ’25 say the month-long festivities are the perfect way to showcase their proud cultural heritage while emphasizing that the differing heritages serve to unite the AAPI community.

“Harmony in Heritage aims to pay homage to our heritage and the different traditions that have been passed down and subsequently shaped our cultures. It’s important to recognize and celebrate our heritage while also welcoming the present,” says Chen, who is studying psychology in the and plans on pursuing a career promoting mental health and well-being once she graduates.

“It means finding our middle ground among the diverse cultures in Asia and the Pacific islands, where we all can thrive in harmony,” adds Talento, a dual major in advertising in the and marketing management in the who hopes to work in a role combining her passions for design and marketing.

Bettina Talento

Chen, Talento and Chelsea Kang ’24 served as AAPI Heritage Month co-chairs on the planning committee, and they worked alongside to cultivate an highlighting and honoring the cultural heritage, history and achievements of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.

The month opened with a celebration kickoff on March 31 and included speakers, exhibitions, performances and student organization events. Some of the remaining highlights include Friday night’s , (April 17),  (April 19), the (April 20), and (April 20).

Chen and Talento sat down with SU News to share why they were passionate about planning this year’s events, the important role their culture plays in their lives and how their time on campus has strengthened their ties to their heritage.

The theme for this year’s celebrations was “Existing Outside the Lines: The Colors of Resistance.” Through a lens of intersectionality as art, this theme encapsulated the rich diversity within the Black community while also acknowledging the spectrum of color that Blackness holds.

Relive the celebrations through our photo gallery, which captures highlights from several of the signature events led by the Black History Month Committee and coordinated across campus by the . Thanks to all who participated!

Black History Month Kickoff Celebration (Photo by Julie Herman)

Black History Month Kickoff Celebrations (Photo by Julie Herman)

Black History Month Kickoff Celebrations (Photo by Julie Herman)

Black History Month Kickoff Celebrations (Photo by Julie Herman)

Black History Month Kickoff Celebrations (Photo by Julie Herman)

Black History Month Kickoff Celebrations (Photo by Julie Herman)

Black History Month Commemorative Event: Night at the Museum (Photo courtesy of on Instagram)

Olutosin Alabi G’25 won the Third Annual Afropreneurship Competition (Photo courtesy of ���ϲ����� Libraries)

The Third Annual Afropreneurship Competition (Photo courtesy of ���ϲ����� Libraries)

Black History Month Orange After Dark Trap N’ Paint (Photo by Amelia Beamish)

Black History Month Orange After Dark Trap N’ Paint (Photo by Amelia Beamish)

Black History Month Orange After Dark Trap N’ Paint (Photo by Amelia Beamish)

Black History Month Orange After Dark Trap N’ Paint (Photo by Amelia Beamish)

Black History Month Orange After Dark Trap N’ Paint (Photo by Amelia Beamish)

Black Beauty Expo (Photo by Angela Ryan)

Black Beauty Expo (Photo by Angela Ryan)

Black Beauty Expo (Photo by Angela Ryan)

Black Beauty Expo (Photo by Angela Ryan)

Black History Month Career Mixer (Photo by Jeremy Brinn)

Black History Month Career Mixer (Photo by Jeremy Brinn)

Black History Month Career Mixer (Photo by Jeremy Brinn)

Black History Month Career Mixer (Photo by Jeremy Brinn)

20th Annual WellsLink Transitions Ceremony (Photo courtesy of Multicultural Affairs)

20th Annual WellsLink Transitions Ceremony (Photo courtesy of Multicultural Affairs)

20th Annual WellsLink Transitions Ceremony (Photo courtesy of Multicultural Affairs)

Black History Month Week of Wellness–Mental Health Talk (Photo by Jeremy Brinn)

Black History Month Week of Wellness–Mental Health Talk (Photo by Jeremy Brinn)

Black History Month Week of Wellness–Mental Health Talk (Photo by Jeremy Brinn)

All Wheels! No Ceilings! Black History Month Soul Skate (Photo by Leigh Mai Vo ’24)

All Wheels! No Ceilings! Black History Month Soul Skate (Photo by Leigh Mai Vo ’24)

All Wheels! No Ceilings! Black History Month Soul Skate (Photo by Leigh Mai Vo ’24)

All Wheels! No Ceilings! Black History Month Soul Skate (Photo by Leigh Mai Vo ’24)

Men of Color Initiative Induction Ceremony (Photo courtesy of Dylan Antigua ’22, G’23)

The College of Law’s Fifth Annual Black History Month Dinner (Photo courtesy of on Instagram)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ibraheem Ayinde ’24

Ibraheem Ayinde

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

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

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

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

Ryan Nkongnyu ’25

Ryan Nkongnyu

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

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

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

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

Zac Chavez ’26

Zac Chavez

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

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

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

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

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

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

WellsLink Hosts 20th Annual Transitions Ceremony

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

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

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

Keynote Speaker Jenn Harper

Jenn Harper

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

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

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

WellsLink Leadership Program Class of 2026

This year’s ceremony will honor the following students:

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

About the WellsLink Leadership Program

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

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

Story by Madison Manczko ’24, Student Experience communication intern

Barner says the strong foundation for her career accomplishments formed as she was earning dual undergraduate degrees in and from ���ϲ�����.

And now, Barner is paying it forward. Thanks to her generous and transformative donation as part of the Forever Orange campaign, Barner’s latest gift of $1 million will ensure the future of . In recognition of the gift, the building will be renamed the Barner-McDuffie House—in honor of Barner, a ���ϲ����� trustee, and her husband, Haywood McDuffie.

Trustee Sharon Barner’s transformative donation of $1 million as part of the Forever Orange campaign will ensure the future of 119 Euclid—a space that celebrates the Black student experience—enhance scholarship opportunities for first-generation and underrepresented students and strengthen cultural, academic and social student-led activities that promote Black culture.

“Sharon and Haywood are passionate benefactors, ambassadors and supporters of ���ϲ�����, and especially our students,” says . “This gift allows the University to continue expanding meaningful opportunities for students to build a sense of belonging and community here at ���ϲ�����. I am grateful to Sharon and Haywood for their generosity and vision and look forward to celebrating their philanthropy later this year during Coming Back Together.”

This is the first building on North Campus named by an African American family through philanthropic support. In addition to endowing 119 Euclid’s future, the gift will enhance scholarship opportunities for first-generation and underrepresented students and strengthen cultural, academic and social student-led activities that promote Black culture.

“I came through ���ϲ����� during a period of change across the 1970s. As an African American female, I found a community that was supportive of all the things I thought I could do with my life,” says Barner, who is now vice president and chief administrative officer at Cummins Inc., an Indiana-based multinational known as a global leader in power technology. “As I looked to give back, it was about both giving back to ���ϲ����� and to people who had experiences like myself. I wanted to help make sure they had the foundations they needed, both through finding community and scholarship.”

Sharon Barner has achieved career success at the highest levels of her field, including as vice president and chief administrative officer at Cummins Inc., an Indiana-based multinational known as a global leader in power technology.

Reflecting on her days on campus, which served as a formative experience, Barner felt there was something missing from her Orange journey: a dedicated space for Black students to gather, share their experiences and feel at home on the University campus. Barner is excited to see how her donation will inspire and make a lasting impact on students for years to come.

Creating Sense of Home and Family

The first time Barner walked inside 119 Euclid, she understood why this was a special place for Black students. From the friendly faces greeting her to the enticing aromas emanating from the kitchen, Barner says she instantly felt at peace and knew this was a project to which she wanted to contribute.

“It felt like there were a million mothers telling me to ‘come in and be comfortable.’ I felt like I was home. There was this sense of family. You have a community of people who are going to help keep you safe, mentally and physically, while helping you grow as a person,” says Barner, whose son, Haywood McDuffie III ’17, also graduated from ���ϲ�����. “Students feel included when you have those kinds of spaces, knowing you have a village that supports you.”

“Affinity spaces such as the Barner-McDuffie House are critical for community-building, leadership development and student success. This space, under Marissa Willingham’s leadership, has helped our students cultivate a sense of belonging at ���ϲ�����,” says . “I’m excited to see the innovative programs that will be hosted in and through the space.”

Besides her academic pursuits, Barner found her community through her involvement in a number of activities at ���ϲ�����—from being a cheerleader and joining the Delta Sigma Theta sorority to writing for The Daily Orange and teaching English as a second language to Spanish-speaking children in the City of ���ϲ�����.

Inspiring Fellow First-Generation Students

Sharon Barner

A first-generation college student, Barner understands the financial stresses families can face trying to pay for higher education. That was the other driving force behind this gift, which will also support the , which provides critical financial assistance, leadership training and alumni mentorship for first-generation and underrepresented students at ���ϲ�����.

“I want those students to know that someone like me knows what they’re going through and is rooting for them to be successful at ���ϲ����� and beyond. I hope one day these students will look back, understand the value of their ���ϲ����� education and feel compelled to give back to future generations of students,” says Barner, who as a trustee is currently on the search committee charged with identifying the University’s next chief information officer.

“When you think of all that Sharon has accomplished as a first-generation graduate of ���ϲ�����, it’s clear that the ���ϲ����� experience is a game changer. It’s wonderful that she continues to think deeply about the needs of current students through her philanthropy,” says .

“Sharon’s generosity will help offer students more impactful programs and activities at the Barner-McDuffie House while furthering the space’s goals of providing a sense of community, a place to build connections and celebrate the outstanding contributions of the Black community on campus,” adds .

About ���ϲ�����

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

About Forever Orange: The Campaign for ���ϲ�����

Orange isn’t just our color. It’s our promise to leave the world better than we found it. Forever Orange: The Campaign for ���ϲ����� is poised to do just that. Fueled by more than 150 years of fearless firsts, together we can enhance academic excellence, transform the student experience and expand unique opportunities for learning and growth. Forever Orange endeavors to raise $1.5 billion in philanthropic support, inspire 125,000 individual donors to participate in the campaign, and actively engage one in five alumni in the life of the University. Now is the time to show the world what Orange can do. Visit  to learn more.

Indigenous students enjoy gathering at 113 Euclid Ave., home of the Native Student Program. (Photo by Angela Ryan)

The newly transformed Indigenous space at 113 Euclid goes beyond acknowledging the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, says Bailey Tlachac, program coordinator of the Native Student Program. The space, which will be celebrated during a grand opening Nov. 6, signifies many things for Indigenous community members.

Bailey Tlachac (Photo by Angela Ryan)

“The space also recognizes the sovereignty of tribal nations. Throughout history, our tribal sovereignty has been encroached upon and ignored by local, state and federal policies. This space allows us to express our sovereignty and advocate for our Indigenous students on campus,” Tlachac says.

“It communicates that Native students, faculty and staff are valued members of the ���ϲ����� community. 113 Euclid serves as a culturally affirming gathering place where our Indigenous students can find community and support,” she says. “Overall, 113 Euclid sends a message that Indigenous voices and perspectives matter at ���ϲ�����.”

As part of the kickoff celebration for Native Heritage Month, the campus community is invited to the grand opening of 113 Euclid Ave. on Monday, Nov. 6, from 2 to 4 p.m. If you plan on attending, please .

Brandon Lazore working on the 113 Euclid Ave. “Creation Story ” mural 2023. (Photo by Ross Knight)

The celebration will begin with an opening thanksgiving address followed by welcome remarks from University and Haudenosaunee leadership and include the history and vision for 113 Euclid Ave. After the ceremony, attendees can tour the space. American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation and Communication Access Realtime Translation (CART) will be provided.

The space at 113 Euclid Ave. serves as a “home away from home” for Native students and a gathering place for those who are interested in exploring Native American culture and history. A student-led design represents the Haudenosaunee Confederacy alongside Turtle Island tribal communities. This includes exposed pine beams representing the Roots of Peace along with the four directional colors of the Medicine Wheel. Additional highlights of the renovated space include the following:

• a culture room dedicated to revitalizing Indigenous languages and traditional regalia,
• fireplace lounge with beanbag chairs and
• Indigenous artwork pieces.

Construction at 113 Euclid. (Photo by Ross Knight)

113 Euclid has been home to the Native Student Program since 2006, but with limited space. With this renovation, the program’s space is going from three rooms, two offices and a student lounge, to the entire first floor and the majority of the second floor of 113 Euclid Ave. Renovations to the building by the University’s Campus Planning, Design and Construction team included a remodeled kitchen, elevator installation, accessible ramp and new sidewalk, updated fire alarm and sprinkler systems, new flooring and paint throughout the building, new doors and hardware, furniture upgrades, audio visual upgrades in conference rooms, and exterior refurbishment, paint and lighting.

“My favorite part of 113 Euclid is the mural that Brandon Lazore painted for us. The students had an amazing idea to have the Haudenosaunee creation story depicted on the walls. Brandon took that information and created a beautiful mural wrapping around the front staircase,” says Tlachac.

To learn more about the , email coordinator Bailey Tlachac or call 315.443.0258.

“Creation Story” mural by Brandon Lazore. (Photo by Angela Ryan)

Opening ceremony for Latine Heritage Month (Photo by Marilyn Hesler)

From Sept. 15 through Oct. 15, the campus community came together to celebrate Latine Heritage Month through a series of performances, networking, sporting events and more.

Hosted by Multicultural Affairs, students, faculty and staff participated in opportunities to learn about the history, culture and contributions of Americans whose ancestry can be traced to over 20 Spanish-speaking countries in Latin America, including Mexico, Central and South America and the Caribbean.

These photos capture highlights from several of the events.

Opening Ceremony (Photo by Marilyn Hesler)

Opening Ceremony (Photo by Marilyn Hesler)

Information Fair (Photo by Marilyn Hesler)

Information Fair (Photo by Marilyn Hesler)

Torneo de Fútbol (Photo by Julie Herman)

Torneo de Fútbol (Photo by Julie Herman)

Torneo de Fútbol (Photo by Julie Herman)

Fiesta Latina (Photo by Diana Garcia-Varo ’23, G’24)

Fiesta Latina (Photo by Diana Garcia-Varo ’23, G’24)

In Case You Missed it: Three current students—Evelina Torres ’25, German Nolivos ’26 and Janeice Lopez G’25—share what their cultural heritage means to them, how they’ve discovered a cultural home on campus and why they wanted to get involved in planning Latine Heritage Month celebrations.

From left: Savanna, Dougie, Gabriel and Donovan Capdeville (Photo by Marilyn Hesler)

Imagine making the decision to attend a university nearly 2,000 miles away from your home in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Imagine your father is a passionate alum of that university: You grew up watching its sports, wearing its colors and hearing about the impact it had on his life.

Now imagine you’re not making this decision alone—but alongside your three siblings, who are all applying and committing to schools around the same time.

That is the short version of how quadruplets Savanna Capdeville ’24, Donovan Capdeville ’25, Gabe Capdeville ’24 and Doug (Dougie) Capdeville Jr. ’24 all ended up following their dreams to ���ϲ�����.

To Orange, or Not to Orange? That Is the Question

It’s in the blood: The Capdeville quadruplets have been repping the Orange since they were babies. From left: Donovan, Dougie, Gabriel and Savanna, with parents Roxanne and Douglas Sr. (Photo courtesy of the Capdeville family)

Doug, who was named for his father, College of Law alumnus Douglas Capdeville ’74, G’77, L’77, says the decision was easy for him. “It’s in the blood for me,” says the major. “���ϲ����� was always my dream school. Growing up it was like, ‘I’ve got to go to the ’Cuse!’”

Among his siblings, however, there were varying degrees of hesitancy and commitment.

“Going to school with my siblings was the last thing I wanted,” Donovan says. “I wanted to be on my own and start an independent life without always being associated with a group of people.” But he wanted to pursue mechanical engineering (he has since switched to studying in the College of Visual and Performing Arts), and the academic offerings at ���ϲ����� beat out the other schools he was considering.

For Savanna, a double and major in the College of Arts and Sciences | Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, it was their campus visit that swayed her. “I was blown away by how many programs Maxwell had that I was interested in and how beautiful the campus is. I’d never seen so many offices, resources and beautiful facilities.”

Gabe, who studies in the Maxwell School, originally planned to attend Arizona State University. After Doug and Donovan both committed to ���ϲ�����, the pressure began mounting for the quadruplets to choose the same school.

“The thought came through that it was possible for all of us to attend ���ϲ����� and with it being the same school our dad went to … you know, he’s had that school spirit since we were babies,” Gabe says. “We were split on whether we should all go to the same school or do our own thing, but in the end we all ended up going to ���ϲ����� and our dad was super happy about that.”

With Gabe and Savanna jointly deciding on ���ϲ�����, the plans were in motion. After studying remotely in the Fall 2020 semester due to COVID, the siblings packed their bags and in January 2021 landed in ���ϲ����� together. “That was all of our first time seeing snow—we came out of the airport and it was just everywhere,” Donovan says.

Exploring Their Passions, Interests and Identities

During their undergraduate careers, the Capdevilles have blossomed as scholars and humans. They’ve remained close as ever while also cultivating their own passions, networks and extracurriculars.

Donovan spends much of his time downtown at the Nancy Cantor Warehouse, home of the College of Visual and Performing Arts’ School of Design, obsessively sketching ideas for new products and working on design projects.

Graduating high school at the height of COVID didn’t deter the quadruplets from pursuing their dreams at ���ϲ�����. From left: Donovan, Savanna, Dougie and Gabe (Photo courtesy of the Capdeville family)

“I always had a passion for art and the aesthetics of things,” he says. “Designing the material and look of different products and making products better always intrigued me. I’m very excited to go to school every day.”

“As a kid, Donovan always said he wanted to build iPhones, so industrial design fits him really well,” Savanna says. This summer, Donovan studied abroad through the , interning with a website and user interface design company to help build his portfolio.

Fueled by his interests in math, business and entrepreneurship, Gabe loves the academic rigor of his economics major and continually challenges himself with increasingly difficult courses. He plans to attend graduate school for economics after graduating, but perhaps not in ���ϲ�����—“I might want to do it in a place that’s warm,” he says.

This summer, Doug had internships in social media, graphic design and digital media. He is currently loving his Digital Media Cultures course, which covers the power of algorithms and the digital media space in general, and says his dream job is to be a social media manager for a professional sports team.

Savanna is an advocate for racial and environmental justice who hopes to further her commitment to those fields by entering a graduate program at ���ϲ�����. She is currently a student employee at the Intercultural Collective—the intersecting office of , the and the —and is an intern with the in Multicultural Affairs.

Savanna engages in undergraduate research exploring marginalization on the campus, local and national levels, with her most recent projects involving statistical research on the influence of demographic factors on the American public’s perception of systemic racism and qualitative research on gentrification and outsider business ownership in her hometown of St. Croix. Savanna spent the summer working as a legal intern at a law firm on St. Croix and building her online secondhand clothing store that she’s been running since 2019.

She is currently doing a consulting internship through one of her Maxwell courses with the local nonprofit FORCE (Focusing Our Resources for Community Enlightenment), surveying ���ϲ����� residents about public perceptions of reparations and the history of slavery. “It’s been a great opportunity to work off-campus in the ���ϲ����� community and to get to know the people who live and work here,” she says.

The Capdeville family at home in St. Croix. From left: Roxanne, Douglas Sr., Donovan, Gabe, Savanna and Dougie (Photo courtesy of the Capdeville family)

A Venn Diagram of Social Connections

During the Capdevilles’ first year on campus, Savanna lived in Day Hall, home of the Multicultural Living Learning Community, which helped both her and her brothers find community and close-knit friendships with fellow Black students.

“Even though we all decided to go to the same school, we were all like, ‘Wow, we’ll probably see each other twice a week, once a week,’” Doug says. “We never thought we’d be in the same friend group, but it turned out to be the exact opposite.”

Through each sibling’s unique network of connections, the four ended up consistently running in the same circles. “We’ve honestly stayed pretty tight-knit since we’ve been here,” Donovan says. “A lot of our friend groups consist of each other, all of our friends are friends, and we’ve been in pretty much the same friend groups throughout.”

Gabe, Donovan and Doug currently live together off campus, while Savanna lives with friends nearby. The brothers have played intramural sports together, winning championships in volleyball and football sophomore year. The four recently attended a ’Cuse football game, and Savanna says she makes it a point to see her brothers regularly. “We do random stuff together. Gabe and I got food yesterday. Donnie and I are going on a hike tomorrow. Dougie and I have a cooking class together,” she says.

The quadruplets spend some quality time together on campus. (Photo by Marilyn Hesler)

Although each have their own social lives, having three lifelong, built-in friends comes with its advantages while navigating college life.

“We’ve honestly bonded being together here at school. We’re closer than we were before, and we’ve had each other to fall back on when friendships or relationships go awry. We always have one another for support,” Donovan says.

While their paths will likely diverge as the Capdevilles wrap up their undergraduate careers and head toward what’s next, the bond formed throughout childhood—and reinforced here at ���ϲ�����—will remain unbreakable.

“���ϲ����� has really had it all for us,” Doug says. “The campus is beautiful. It has the sports teams, the social and academic life is out of this world. I’m glad I get to go here and experience it with my siblings.”

Titled “Spark Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility,” the symposium included research, initiatives and creative work from presenters across the University. The daylong series of interactive workshops, presentations and posters represented the goals and themes contained in the .

“We have such exemplary work being done here to advance our DEIA efforts and it’s amazing to showcase that,” Vice President for Diversity and Inclusion Mary Grace Almandrez told the attendees of the inaugural DEIA symposium.

Hosted by the at the Schine Student Center, approximately 500 participants learned more about the University’s vision for navigating through a critical time in higher education following the Supreme Court’s recent rulings on race-conscious admissions programs. These decisions prevent colleges and universities from considering race as one of many factors in the admission of qualified applicants.

“We’ve received a lot of positive response about today, the first time we’ve done a DEIA symposium at the University. We received a lot more registrants than we initially planned for, which is indicative of the desire from our community to do more work like this. And the presenters and poster presentations were incredible. We have such exemplary work being done here to advance our DEIA efforts and it’s amazing to showcase that,” said , vice president for diversity and inclusion.

Among the day’s highlights was a keynote panel discussion titled “Undeterred: ���ϲ�����’s Unique Connection to Affirmative Action and Our Next Steps.”

The DEIA symposium keynote panel discussion featured panelists (from left to right): Chancellor Kent Syverud; Vice Chancellor, Provost and Chief Academic Officer Gretchen Ritter; and Senior Vice President and Chief Student Experience Officer Allen Groves. Associate Provost for Strategic Initiatives Marcelle Haddix moderated the discussion.

The candid conversation drew a full house to Goldstein Auditorium and featured panelists ; Vice Chancellor, Provost and Chief Academic Officer ; and Senior Vice President and Chief Student Experience Officer . Associate Provost for Strategic Initiatives moderated the discussion.

When asked how ���ϲ����� would respond to the Supreme Court rulings, Chancellor Syverud said it would rely on its strong, historical track record of serving diverse populations­ to navigate the changing environment.

“We’re going to have to lead in a savvy way. We’re going to have to be proactive and thoughtful and still be determined to be the diverse and inclusive place we’ve been at our best, and that’s going to require some harder work,” Chancellor Syverud told the audience.

Provost Ritter said ���ϲ����� has responded to the court’s rulings by altering its application process, encouraging future applicants to share more about the role that their background, race and culture have played in their lives when applying.

“We’re inviting applicants to tell us more about their story, their personal experiences, the challenges they’ve overcome and the discrimination they may have had to contend with. They can also talk about how this has shaped their commitments to society, to public impact and to public good,” said Provost Ritter. “As a university that prides itself on recruiting excellent students with a commitment to public good, those are the students who we want to have tell us their story, those are the students we want to recruit to ���ϲ�����.”

Provost Ritter added that the University is focusing more of its recruiting efforts on attracting lower-income students and first-generation college students, expanding its work with community-based organizations to remain diligent in its commitment to diversity and inclusion efforts.

Knowing that many current and prospective students from historically underrepresented populations feel excluded and marginalized following the rulings, Groves emphasized that these students will always feel seen, valued and supported by the University. He also encouraged faculty and staff members who work with students to engage in conversations with these populations, demonstrating empathy and a willingness to listen to and acknowledge the concerns they’re feeling.

Members of the campus community attend a presentation during the DEIA symposium at the Schine Student Center. (Photo by Angela Ryan)

“Engage our students about this and about the importance of being empathetic and learning empathy. One of the ways we help our students with belonging and connection and feeling welcoming to all is if each of us can help teach the importance of reaching across and having empathy,” Groves said. “Being willing to say ‘I know my lived experience isn’t yours, but help me understand that and help me be better.’ It sounds simple, but it’s actually hard for young people to have those conversations, and we need to facilitate those conversations.”

As they were leaving the symposium, many community members felt invigorated and energized to take the lessons learned and apply them to their school, college, department or residence hall. Almandrez said plans for a second symposium are already being discussed to build upon the momentum generated by the inaugural offering.

“The energy I felt today gives me hope that this isn’t the end of our conversations, this is just the beginning. We hope this sparks change throughout the campus,” Almandrez said.

Latine Heritage Month will take place from Friday, Sept. 15 through Sunday, Oct. 15. (Photos by Angela Ryan)

���ϲ����� is proud to announce its vibrant lineup of events celebrating from Friday, Sept. 15 to Sunday, Oct. 15. This annual celebration, which honors the rich cultural heritage and contributions of the Latine community, will feature a diverse range of activities that are sure to engage and enlighten participants.

“This year’s Latine Heritage Month celebrations are hosted by ���ϲ�����’s in collaboration with numerous University partners and community organizations, which include the , , , , , ,  and Latine such as Las Naranjas,” says Breana Nieves Vergara, assistant director in Multicultural Affairs and co-chair of the Latine Heritage Month planning committee. “These events provide an opportunity for our campus and the broader community to come together, learn and celebrate the diverse and rich culture of the Latine community, inclusive of Americans whose ancestry can be traced to more than 20 Spanish-speaking countries in Latin America, including Mexico, Central and South America and the Caribbean. Latine Heritage Month aims to promote the history of solidarity with and intersectionality across identities and cultures. To celebrate Latine, Latinx, Latino, Latina and Hispanic heritage is to celebrate American culture.”

Students enjoying themselves during last year’s festivities.

The Latine Heritage Month celebration kicks off with an and on Friday, Sept. 15, in the Schine Student Center atrium. These events will set the stage for a monthlong journey through Latine culture, featuring performances, speakers, discussions, sporting events and more.

One of the most anticipated events of the month is the , scheduled for Friday, Oct. 6. The event features Latine cuisine and live entertainment from Trio Los Claveles, Raices Dance Troupe and the National Association of Latino Fraternal Organizations.

Sports enthusiasts won’t want to miss the annual , where friendly competition and community spirit will be on full display. Teams can register now through Wednesday, Sept. 13. All are invited to the tournament on Saturday, Sept. 16.

As part of the festivities, the Latine Heritage Month planning committee is once again partnering with the LGBTQ Resource Center to host a joint commemorative speaker. The Latine Heritage Month and LGBTQ+ History Month Potash Collaborative Keynote will feature acclaimed drag performer, recently featured on RuPaul’s Drag Race season 15, , who will deliver a drag performance and keynote remarks revolving around her queer and Latine identities, as well as leave time for audience Q&A.

For more information about the Latine Heritage Month celebration and a complete schedule of events, please visit the .

Written by Kalaya Sibley G’24 graduate assistant in Student Experience Communications

Celebrated nationally in May, ���ϲ����� hosts the annual Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month celebration in April so all on campus can join in honoring the histories, cultural diversity, identities and contributions of AAPI communities. Coordinated by the AAPI Heritage Month Planning Committee, with support from Multicultural Affairs, the Center for International Services and Student Living, this year’s calendar features a spanning speakers, exhibits, performances and student organization events. The theme for this year’s celebration is “Community Coming Together: Strength in Unity.”

“The theme’s concept represents our diverse AAPI community uniting across our differences and to show that we are a strong voice that can face our challenges together,” says Lia Jiening Fu Margolis ’23, a student in the School of Architecture and member of the planning committee. “Our goal is to bring together the community of folx within and allies to the AAPI diaspora through diverse cultural, educational and fun events.”

The is scheduled for Friday, March 31, from 4 to 6:30 p.m. in the first floor atrium of Schine Student Center. The event will feature AAPI student organizations and campus departments tabling, Asian cuisine, a program about the month’s events, student performances and display of the annual Anti-Asian Hate Crime Exhibit. The month continues with Orange After Dark events, the featuring Sharon Lee ’14, G’15, a , a and much more. This year’s annual will also take place during AAPI Heritage Month on Sunday, April 2.

Hua Hsu

The committee will welcome Hua Hsu, a staff writer with The New Yorker and bestselling author, as this year’s on Thursday, April 20. Hsu’s memoir, “Stay True,” touches on the immigrant experience and growing up Asian American and explores grief, pop culture, being young and how friendship helps us discover who we are. Hsu weaves his story with wider questions of diversity and culture, proving that “we aren’t alone, and we never have been.” A meet-and-greet and book signing will follow the event.

“Hua Hsu is an incredible author and his newest book ‘Stay True’ encapsulates the many interwoven and complex stories and feelings of being AAPI. The memoir references the immigrant experience while also being a coming-of-age story that explores larger questions of culture and diversity,” says Margolis. “I hope attendees are inspired by seeing a fellow AAPI figure create an inclusive space for discussion about diverse experiences and find unity within an amazing community.”

For more information and complete event details, visit the .

With efforts led by the Black History Month Planning Committee and coordination by Multicultural Affairs, the monthlong celebration highlighted Black history, culture and rich traditions in alignment with this year’s theme of “Black Resistance: Building Bridges and Navigating Barriers.”

These photos capture highlights from several of the signature events planned. Thanks to all who participated!

State of the Black Hair Experience

Black History Month Kickoff Celebration

Annual Basketball Classic

Black and Brown Informational Fair

Trap N Paint

Black History Month Kickoff Celebration

Annual Basketball Classic

Black History Month Kickoff Celebration

State of the Black Hair Experience

Trap N Paint

Black and Brown Informational Fair

State of the Black Hair Experience

Annual Basketball Classic

Black History Month Kickoff Celebration

Black and Brown Informational Fair

(Photos by Scarlett Benson ’23, Jeremy Brinn, Qianzhen Li ’25, Emily McNeill ’23 and Angela Ryan)

Through this nationally recognized program, which facilitates the transition from high school to college, students develop multifaceted skills, connect with mentors and develop into leaders who feel empowered to make a positive impact at ���ϲ����� and in their communities.

Shalom Acheampong ’25

Shalom Acheampong ’25 came to the University from Manchester, Connecticut, and while she says she’s always tried to act like a leader, her time as a WellsLink Scholar has equipped her to truly lead by example.

As Acheampong arrived on campus, she admits she was perceived as shy and studious, and not someone who was a vocal leader. Wanting to change her reputation when presented with a fresh start at ���ϲ�����, Acheampong got involved with the WellsLink program.

When she joined, her actions were driven by a desire to “inspire other people while being a leader on campus,” Acheampong says.

Acheampong’s transformation into an outgoing leader on campus will be on display for all to see during the , a graduation-style celebration for students who have successfully transitioned into their second year after participating in WellsLink during their first year.

The ceremony begins at 4 p.m. Friday in Hendricks Chapel, with a reception to follow, and is free to all members of the campus community.

In a moment that Acheampong says would have been unthinkable when she was in high school, she has the honor of introducing the ceremony’s keynote speaker, Marcus Bullock, a renowned justice reform advocate and the CEO and Founder of Flikshop Inc., which allows family members to connect with prisoners who are otherwise isolated from the outside world and a renowned justice reform advocate.

“I never thought I’d ever get an opportunity like this, just because I have that shy background and wasn’t necessarily a big fan of public speaking. I wouldn’t have grown as a person without WellsLink. I’m really excited for the Transitions Ceremony, being able to honor everyone’s accomplishments,” says Acheampong, who is studying civil engineering in the  and minoring in architecture in the .

Check out episode 130 of the “’Cuse Conversations” podcast featuring WellsLink Scholars Josh Ortega ’25 and Sophia Moore ’25. A transcript [PDF] is also available.

All WellsLink Scholars receive a mentor, a sophomore who successfully went through the program and is eager to help the next generation of scholars realize their full potential on campus. Acheampong was paired up with Nadia Nelson ’24, who “has had a huge role in my development.”

Huey Hsiao is the associate director of Multicultural Affairs and the Kessler Scholars Program and leads the WellsLink Leadership Program.

, associate director of  and the , has led the WellsLink Scholars program for eleven years, and is a big believer in the strong bond that forms between mentor and mentee.

“I thought it was such an incredible program when I came on campus, because of the focus on mentorship. Thinking about the first-year experience as a student’s foundation, we had this program that was centered around students of color who aren’t already receiving support through athletics or state or federally funded programs. It’s been an honor to take over and continue this legacy of supporting our students,” Hsiao says.

The program was so enjoyable that Acheampong opted to return for a second year with WellsLinks’ second-year program. Acheampong and her sophomore peers learn from and network with their cohort members, faculty, staff and alumni to further their leadership abilities through seminars and workshops geared toward academic mentoring, career and major exploration, co-curricular identity development and networking.

“This program is like one big family and I joined the second-year program because of the people. When we all gather together, we realize we have the same goals and ambitions. It’s a terrific opportunity and I want to grow my community and help other people within the program,” Acheampong says.

The WellsLink Leadership Program is sponsored by Multicultural Affairs in the . Launched in 2003, Hsiao proudly points out that WellsLink Scholars have gone on to garner 34 Remembrance Scholars and nine University Scholars. There have been three Student Association (SA) presidents, one SA vice president, and 16 class, school and college marshals.

WellsLink is a nationally recognized leadership program for first-year students of color. The WellsLink Transitions Ceremony celebrates students who have successfully transitioned to their second year at ���ϲ����� after participating in WellsLink during their first year. Through this program, students develop multifaceted skills and connect with mentors to help them flourish at ���ϲ����� and beyond.

“The WellsLink Leadership Program provides students with a strong foundation to excel as leaders not only on campus in their first year, but in the years to follow. Our scholars have and continue to make a positive impact in their communities and we look forward to celebrating their accomplishments at the Transitions Ceremony,” says Huey Hsiao, associate director of Multicultural Affairs and the Kessler Scholars Program. “It is an honor to be part of their journey and support their growth, sense of belonging and success while in the program and as a ‘home away from home’ in Multicultural Affairs throughout their years at ���ϲ�����.”

Marcus Bullock

Focusing on the themes of perseverance and innovation, this year’s is CEO and Founder of Flikshop, Inc. and justice reform advocate Marcus Bullock. At age 15, Bullock was sentenced to eight years in an adult maximum security prison for stealing a car. Now released and determined to make a difference, Bullock created a simple app called Flikshop that allows family members to connect with prisoners who are otherwise isolated. Now more than 140,000 prisoners use this app to connect with loved ones and get in touch with nonprofits.

Bullock also founded the Flikshop School of Business to mentor and introduce every student to a curriculum to help build confidence, learn strategy and communication skills and how to plan for a life of entrepreneurship. Among his accolades, Bullock won the inaugural social justice innovation award from Morgan Stanley + Centri Tech Foundation, was named one of John Legend’s Unlocked Futures business accelerators, and is a member of the Justice Policy Board of Directors.

In addition to the keynote from Bullock, the ceremony will include remarks from additional speakers, musical performances and presentation of stoles and awards. This year’s ceremony will honor the following students who are part of the WellsLink Leadership Program Class of 2025:

• Shalom Acheampong (College of Engineering and Computer Science)
• Jessica Aimunmondion (School of Information Studies)
• Rebecca Akinwale (Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs)
• Adriana Albizu-Russe (College of Arts and Sciences/ Martin J. Whitman School of Management)
• Sebastian Andrade (College of Arts and Sciences)
• Chelsey Antwi (College of Arts and Sciences)
• Ariana Arias (College of Arts and Sciences)
• Isabel Cardoso (College of Engineering and Computer Science)
• Monday Carter (David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics)
• Isabella Chavez Miranda (College of Arts and Sciences/Martin J. Whitman School of Management)
• Annie Chen (College of Arts and Sciences)
• Jessica Chen (Martin J. Whitman School of Management)
• Leny Chiong (College of Arts and Sciences)
• Minetsa Cotto Ortiz (Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs)
• Nicolas Cueba (Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs)
• Yassin Elsharafi (College of Engineering and Computer Science)
• Jordan Ferguson (Martin J. Whitman School of Management)
• Shayla Fisher (Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs)
• Mark Fortes (David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics)
• Joshua Garvin (College of Visual and Performing Arts)
• Jennifer Gonzalez (College of Engineering and Computer Science)
• Summer Green (College of Arts and Sciences)
• Rachael Ha (College of Arts and Sciences)
• Ajmir Hassan (Martin J. Whitman School of Management)
• Nahid Kalam (College of Engineering and Computer Science)
• Bryce Kemp (College of Engineering and Computer Science)
• Jordan Leuenberger (School of Information Studies)
• Jessica Li (College of Arts and Sciences)
• Kyra Lin (Martin J. Whitman School of Management)
• Rachel Lin (College of Arts and Sciences)
• Danny Liu (College of Arts and Sciences)
• Alexa Llucemo (S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications)
• Michael Lupton Jr (College of Engineering and Computer Science)
• Andrea Magdaleno (Martin J. Whitman School of Management)
• Emily Mazariegos (College of Arts and Sciences)
• Angel Medina (College of Engineering and Computer Science)
• Ivonne Millan (College of Arts and Sciences)
• Myles Miller (Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs)
• Alan Miranda (College of Engineering and Computer Science)
• Sophia Moore (Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs/S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications)
• Briana Negley (Martin J. Whitman School of Management )
• Kaylah Newbold (Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs/Martin J. Whitman School of Management)
• Kevin Nguyen (Martin J. Whitman School of Management)
• Miguel Nieves (S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications)
• Seth Obeng (College of Engineering and Computer Science)
• Allison Oey (Martin J. Whitman School of Management/S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications)
• Excellence Ojo (College of Arts and Sciences)
• Praise Omoregie (College of Engineering and Computer Science)
• Ivonne Ortega (Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs)
• Joshua Ortega (Martin J. Whitman School of Management)
• Roselyn Ortiz (College of Arts and Sciences)
• Timothy Paek (College of Arts and Sciences)
• Tulsiben Patel (Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs)
• Natalia Pedraza (College of Arts and Sciences)
• Amber Perry (College of Arts and Sciences)
• Kennedy Peterson (Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs)
• Christopher Prestia (College of Engineering and Computer Science)
• Xiaoyang Qu (College of Engineering and Computer Science)
• Jasmine Rodriguez (College of Engineering and Computer Science)
• Farmchan Saechao (David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics)
• Melanie Salas (College of Arts and Sciences)
• Torryn Sales (College of Arts and Sciences)
• Aaron Shinn (College of Engineering and Computer Science)
• Jessica Singh (Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs)
• Daqwuan Smith (Martin J. Whitman School of Management)
• Ryan Sylvester (College of Arts and Sciences)
• Jenny Tang (Martin J. Whitman School of Management)
• Ryan Tsuneishi (Martin J. Whitman School of Management)
• Grace Tu-Sekine (Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs)
• Nana Twum-Barima (Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs)
• Samantha Valeiron (College of Arts and Sciences)
• Jose Venegas (College of Engineering and Computer Science)
• Ansh Verma (College of Arts and Sciences)
• Emmanuel Wahpo (College of Arts and Sciences)
• Emma Wareing (School of Education)
• Jadyn Washington (David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics)

About the WellsLink Leadership Program

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

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

Story by Tessa Hodinger G’23, graduate assistant in Student Experience Communications

“Our theme for this year acknowledges the power of history to provide an understanding of the past that can help transform our present. For that purpose, we have compiled a range of programs throughout the month that focus on identify resistance based on individual and collective lived experiences,” says Marissa Willingham, manager of the Intercultural Collective and co-chair of the Black History Month Planning Committee.

The monthlong celebration will kick off on Tuesday, Jan. 31, from 7 to 9 p.m. in Goldstein Auditorium at Schine Student Center. Student groups and performers will be a part of the , as well as comedian and actor Karlous Miller, most known for being a veteran cast member on MTV’s Wild ’N Out, who will host.

This year’s is George Johnson, a journalist, LGBTQIA+ activist and award-winning Black, non-binary writer, author, and executive producer. They are the author of the New York Times bestseller, “All Boys Aren’t Blue,” which consists of a series of essays following Johnson’s journey growing up as a young Black queer boy in New Jersey. The event takes place Thursday, Feb. 2, 6:30 to 8  p.m. in Schine Student Center, 304ABC.

Additional featured speakers include Paul M. Buckley during the on Friday, Feb. 10, and Simone Adams, Charmain Jackman and Douglas McNeil Reed as part of a on Feb. 28, to increase accessibility and awareness of mental health in Black communities.

Additional events this month include:

• : Wednesday, Feb. 1, noon to 2 p.m., Schine Student Center, Atrium
• : Thursday, Feb. 2, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Schine Student Center, 304ABC
• : Wednesday, Feb. 8, noon to 4 p.m., Schine Student Center, Underground
• (With a Slight Twist): Thursday, Feb. 9, 9 to 11 p.m., Schine Student Center, Goldstein Auditorium
• : Wednesday, Feb. 15, 6 to 7:30 p.m., Schine Student Center, 304ABC
• : Friday, Feb. 24, 7 to 9 p.m., Women’s Building, Gym
• : Saturday, Feb. 25, 7 to 10 p.m., Schine Student Center, Goldstein Auditorium. (Free tickets available through the Student Box Office).

Working with campus partners, student organizations, staff and faculty, a full list of events and additional details are available on the .

For questions, contact Multicultural Affairs at oma@syr.edu or 315.443.0228.

Story by Tessa Hodinger G’23, graduate assistant in Student Experience Communications

This ancient proverb has been used by everyone from teachers to elected officials to describe the important role a community plays in creating a safe, healthy environment where children can grow and thrive while realizing their hopes and dreams.

Though they are not children and their needs vary on a case-by-case basis, the saying is also apt for the more than .

When high school graduates leave behind their hometowns, their family members and their friends to pursue their academic dreams, they face a daunting task in trying to acclimate to life on a college campus.

First-generation students make up roughly 19% of the ���ϲ����� student body (according to the most recent figures from the Fall 2020 semester), and they face challenges that are both vastly different and potentially greater in number than their peers. And unlike their peers, if first-generation college students have questions, they can’t rely on consulting with a college-educated family member to resolve the situation.

Challenges like:

• Guilt over leaving behind their home and their families to earn a degree, especially if their family is dealing with food insecurity and/or living in substandard housing.
• Anxiety over adjusting to the newfound academic, social and financial responsibilities.
• Arriving prepared to succeed in their classes.
• Confusion about how to take advantage of the available resources, including knowing when to reach out for help with their academics and how to network and land a work-study job or internship.
• Discovering community on campus.

This can lead to feeling isolated, like you don’t belong on campus. It’s a feeling Courtney Bennett ’23 felt when she first stepped onto ���ϲ�����’s campus.

Luckily for the University’s first-generation college students, they have a wide array of resources available to them as they adjust to life on campus.

First-generation college student Courtney Bennett (left) credits the resources available to her on campus with helping her reach her goals. Craig Tucker (right) helps connect students like Bennett to those essential resources on campus.

A Small Fish in a Big Sea

During her first semester, Courtney Bennett felt lost, like “a small fish in a big sea.” She struggled to maintain her academics while striving to find community. But after utilizing the many campus resources available to her, Bennett soon thrived and discovered her community.

Take Bennett’s case. Bennett, who is studying political science in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, hopes to attend law school once she completes her undergraduate degree in the spring, and she has matured into an accomplished and confident student during her first three years on campus.

But it wasn’t always that way for Bennett, a native of Miami, Florida. During her first semester on campus, Bennett felt lost, like “a small fish in a big sea.”

To make matters worse, as she was struggling to juggle classes with finding community and enjoying a social life on campus, Bennett recalls feeling overwhelmed and alone, not sure where to turn for guidance. Bennett, like many first-generation college students, didn’t think it was acceptable to reach out for help from her professors.

“In many first-generation households, we’re raised to believe that reaching out and asking for help is a bad thing. I often felt ashamed to reach out to my professor to set up a time to meet for office hours or to request a possible essay extension. But I came to learn that it is essential to reach out and ask for help if you need it. There are so many resources available to us in college,” says Bennett, who was selected as part of the inaugural cohort of Kessler Presidential Scholars, which provides first-generation students with four years of substantial scholarship aid along with access to services that enhance their time on campus.

Going Above and Beyond to Support First-Generation Students

On a campus with nearly 15,000 undergraduate students, Craig Tucker, director of the and works closely with many of ���ϲ�����’s first-generation students. From the moment these students walk onto campus, Tucker and his staff make it their mission to establish a strong sense of belonging between these first-generation students and their new academic environment.

Of equal importance is decreasing the anxiety levels that students and their families face as their child embarks on their ���ϲ����� journey.

Craig Tucker, director of the Arthur O. Eve Higher Education Opportunity Program and TRIO Student Support Services works closely with many of ���ϲ�����’s first-generation students, establishing a strong sense of belonging between these students and their new academic environment.

“The struggle often can be associated with students that are coming from marginalized, low-income and/or underrepresented backgrounds. There are cases where students may have a sense of guilt being in this environment where they have food and shelter while knowing that back home their families may be facing food insecurities and living in substandard housing. The challenges often are not academic in nature, but as a result of stresses and needs of the family back home, students may indeed end up struggling academically. I am so proud of our efforts here to support our students, but even more so those that come from the more challenging home environments. ���ϲ����� itself does its absolute best in going above and beyond to support the first-generation experience,” Tucker says.

As she approaches her final semester as an undergraduate student, Bennett is proud of the progress she’s made from someone who felt like an outsider when she came to campus to someone who now feels she belongs and found a home on campus.

Bennett credits the multitude of on-campus resources, including being a Kessler Presidential Scholar and belonging to registered student organizations like the Caribbean Student Association, Haitian-American Student Association and the African Student Union, among others, with aiding her growth and development.

“Moving away from home and studying here at ���ϲ����� has molded me into a more mature and responsible young woman who appreciates every opportunity she gets. I’m not afraid to reach out and ask for help. I learned not to wait for things to come to me, but to work to go get them. My time at SU has been one of the most challenging and trying yet rewarding times of my life. With every semester I reach a new level of maturity and growth. … I am grateful to have met a close-knit community of fellow minority and first-generation students who share stories similar to mine,” Bennett says.

Take Advantage of These Resources

• The ’Cuse First Pre-Welcome program, a two-day program held before ���ϲ����� Welcome (new student orientation) that offers up tips and best practices for preparing for their academic careers.
• Many2Come Student Organization, where students can voice their concerns and seek advice from their peers, panelists, guest speakers and more.
• The , which provides academic, social and cultural enrichment activities for first-year students of color.
• The , which supports students both during their transition to the University and throughout their time as undergraduate students.
• , which helps connect first-year students with the campus and its leaders.

Academically, first-generation students can benefit from these programs:

Learn More About How First-Generation Students Thrive on Campus

Later tonight, the University community is invited to a National First-Generation College Celebration, from 7-9 p.m. inside Watson Theater in Watson Hall. This event is celebrated annually on Nov. 8 to mark the anniversary of the signing of the Higher Education Act of 1965, which provides equal opportunity for those from low-income and minority backgrounds through the creation of grant and loan programs, investments in institutions of higher education and the creation of the Federal TRIO Programs to facilitate the academic success of first-generation college students.

There will be a keynote speech and fireside chat and Q&A with Evingerlean D.B. Hudson, known as “Dr. Eve,” who has dedicated her career to empowering first-generation students by paving the way for social mobility and fighting against generational poverty. The night will close with a reception and giveaway items.

From workshops, lacrosse demonstrations, ceremonies and speakers, there is an array of to celebrate, honor and raise awareness about Indigenous history, identities and traditions. It is also a time to renew commitments and educate the public about the challenges Native people have faced and how to conquer these challenges.

“For this year’s Native Heritage Month, we wanted to showcase the beauty and resiliency amongst Indigenous communities by having different workshops, discussions and films being shown on campus and in the surrounding community. We wanted to show the campus community that we are still here and thriving,” says Bailey Tlachac, program coordinator of the Native Student Program in Multicultural Affairs. “The campus community can expect an informational speaker series with Turtle Clan Mother Whatwehni:neh Freida Jacques, a history of lacrosse and demonstration with ���ϲ����� Ombudsman Neal Powless and the Club Lacrosse team, and a closing social dance at the Skybarn on South Campus, among many other events, to celebrate Native Heritage Month!”

The month began with a discussion on , which focused on the injustices Indigenous people have faced and currently face. The month continues with the, a two-day event that teaches participants how to make a contemporary ribbon skirt. The workshop is led by Deb Stalk (Mohawk), a sewer for over 40 years. No experience is needed and each participant will receive a kit with all necessary materials. Registration is required, as well as a commitment to both days.

The month will also include a , host of , to discuss the history of the Native food system and how traditional foods aid emotional, physical and spiritual health. Other highlights during the month include an opportunity to hear from and participate in a , , of a short film by Terry Jones ’16, , , and the .

The month will close with a on Nov. 30. Visit the for a complete listing of events, details and registration information.

Everyone is encouraged to join the Native Heritage Month celebration and share photos or videos using #cuseNHM on your favorite social media platform.

For more information regarding Native Heritage Month or to request accommodations, email Tlachac or call 315.443.0258.

Story by Tessa Hodinger G’23, graduate assistant in Student Experience Communications

In the case of Diana Garcia-Varo ’23, when she decided to attend ���ϲ����� and study both psychology in the College of Arts and Sciences and art video in the College of Visual and Performing Arts, she was not only leaving behind everything she had known, she was also leaving behind a well-established cultural community that meant the world to her.

Senior Diana Garcia-Varo credits her involvement with the Intercultural Collective with creating a cultural community and connecting her to her Mexican American heritage on campus.

Garcia-Varo, a proud Mexican American, enjoyed being surrounded by a diverse cultural community when she was growing up in the Bronx, New York. What does her heritage mean to her?

“It means community, it means family and it means finding people who are always there supporting each other, whether we share the same background or not. It’s about connecting and creating that community that makes us feel like a family,” says Garcia-Varo.

She’s the first to admit it was a big “culture shock” coming to ���ϲ�����, which has a student body consisting of 52.4% white students, compared to 9.8% for Hispanic or Latinx students.

While Garcia-Varo initially struggled to find her community on campus, that all changed when she was hired by the Intercultural Collective during the second semester of her freshman year.

“I saw a lot of students from different backgrounds and identities, and it reminded me of my neighborhood in the Bronx. It was a cool space to connect, and whether they were just hanging out or having important cultural conversations, it was a great way to find my new community. Those were such meaningful interactions because I was able to meet students and staff members who shared a similar background as I did,” says Garcia-Varo, who also works as a peer mentor for the .

Garcia-Varo knew she wasn’t alone in her desire to connect with her cultural heritage on campus, and over the summer, she was presented with a terrific opportunity to both showcase that pride in her heritage and pursue one of her passions: highlighting authentic stories featuring people of color on campus.

Breana Nieves Vergara, coordinator of mentoring programs in , approached Garcia-Varo about producing a video for the University’s annual .

Knowing the crucial role of Garcia-Varo’s involvement with Multicultural Affairs and the Intercultural Collective played in discovering her community, Garcia-Varo set about finding students who could share how their involvement with on-campus organizations allowed them to connect with their cultural identities.

Over the summer, Garcia-Varo interviewed 11 students from across campus—some who were involved with student organizations pertaining to their culture, like the and , others who were active in academic programs like the and others who belonged to Greek life organizations.

Diana Garcia-Varo speaks to the crowd about her video used to showcase how ���ϲ����� students connected to their cultural heritage through student organizations on campus.

Regardless of their heritage, Garcia-Varo said every one of the students she profiled told the important story of how belonging to these student organizations allowed them to maintain their authentic cultural identities while connecting with their peers and discovering a community on campus.

The video debuted to rave reviews during the Latinx Hispanic Heritage Month Opening Ceremony on Sept. 15

“One of my goals as a videographer is to highlight authentic stories and accurately depict the student experience here at ���ϲ�����. It was really important for me to have students from different backgrounds share their experiences, and it was powerful,” says Garcia-Varo, who produced versions in and to make her video accessible to as many people as possible.

“One of the biggest takeaways was the importance of students of color coming together to create a community and a home away from home. Sometimes you may have to start your own organization, sometimes you have to seek out these communities, but they are there,” she adds.

While the Latinx Hispanic Heritage Month programs serve as a source of pride for those who trace their ancestry to more than 20 Spanish-speaking countries in Latin America, they’re also an opportunity to demonstrate to the rest of the campus community the rich cultural heritage of the University’s students, faculty and staff.

The importance of celebrating one’s culture on a predominantly white campus is not lost on Garcia-Varo.

“For us, Latinx Hispanic Heritage Month is forever. This month puts our culture out there for people who may not stop to think about it. This is who we are, and this is what our rich culture is all about,” says Garcia-Varo.

The University’s Latinx Hispanic Heritage Month Celebrations have included weekly Café con Leche—translated as “coffee with milk”—discussions on important cultural topics like What is Latinx?,  (Sept. 23), Celebrating the First-Generation College Student Experience�����Ի��� (Oct. 4).

The culminating program is the Latinx Hispanic Heritage Month and Fourth Annual LGBTQ+ History Month , from 7 to 9 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 13, featuring Paola Ramos, a Cuban American author, Emmy Award-winning journalist and Latinx advocate who also worked as deputy director of Hispanic media for Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign and served on President Barack Obama’s reelection campaign in 2012.

But Nieves Vergara also knows and appreciates the many benefits associated with upper-class college students mentoring their younger peers, from sharing academic resources and providing feedback on classes and professors to understanding how to read a syllabus and inquire about summer internships.

Especially when it comes to students from low-income households who choose to attend ���ϲ�����, being connected to a network of mentors who understand how to successfully navigate these topics can be incredibly valuable.

Thankfully, in her role as the coordinator of mentoring programs in , Nieves Vergara combines her love of mentoring with her drive to make higher education accessible for all while connecting students to the proper resources and support systems once they arrive on campus.

Breana Nieves Vergara

“My passion for peer mentorship comes from the fact that I wish I had a peer mentorship program when I was in college,” says Nieves Vergara. “This job is my passion project, finding ways to create that community that I didn’t have. This position melds together all of my interests and is the perfect fit.”

Nieves Vergara pours this passion into helping the students she works with to discover community and feel comfortable exploring their own identities during their time on campus.

She says she feels blessed to be able to coordinate two peer-to-peer mentoring programs through her role: , where first-year female students of color are matched up with an upper-class female student of color, and , where first-year students of color are paired with an upper-class student of color, and the upper-class mentor is matched up with an Alumni, Employer, Faculty or Staff (AEFS) mentor.

“I get a lot of energy working with the students and they have great ideas. They’re all super energized and positive. Being able to be that mentor that I think I would have wanted when I was an undergraduate student, that’s also really fulfilling. This job is about providing our students with resources, but also bridging the gap and creating community for our students,” says Nieves Vergara.

It all stems from Nieves Vergara’s experiences as a student participant with On Point for College, a local nonprofit that strives to close the gap for lower-income students seeking to attend college. Nieves Vergara found the program to be incredibly beneficial, so much so that after she graduated, she embarked on a fellowship with On Point for College.

Breana Nieves Vergara poses with several of her student mentors and mentees in her role as coordinator of mentoring programs in Multicultural Affairs.

During her year-long stint as Programming Fellow, Nieves Vergara concentrated on providing students with peer mentorship opportunities through interactive, impactful and hands-on programming that helped students develop and grow as a person and in the classroom.

Because of her efforts to create academic, professional development, cultural and social connections between mentors and mentees, Nieves Vergara says she’s also gained a newfound appreciation for the role the University plays in giving back to the local ���ϲ����� community, something she didn’t always realize growing up in the city.

“Being involved in ���ϲ����� and working in this role has shown me how much the SU community is invested in the local ���ϲ����� community,” she says. “Since I coordinate those mentoring programs, being able to provide community service opportunities for my students in a way that’s meaningful for both the students and the ���ϲ����� community has been really rewarding.”

Her impact on campus extends beyond cultivating community through peer-to-peer mentoring opportunities. Nieves Vergara also supports the Kessler Presidential Scholars program and leads the University’s which begin with an on Sept. 15.

New for this year’s monthlong celebration are weekly Café con Leche—translated as “coffee with milk”—discussions on important cultural topics like (Sept. 23), (Sept. 28) and (Oct. 4).

The culminating program is the , from 7 to 9 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 13, featuring Paola Ramos, a Cuban American author, Emmy Award-winning journalist and Latinx advocate who also worked as deputy director of Hispanic media for Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign and served on President Barack Obama’s reelection campaign in 2012.

“I’m super excited for the programming we have planned during Latinx Hispanic Heritage Month. We have such an amazing resource on campus in [Cultural Center in the College of Arts and Sciences] that bridges the gap between SU and the local community, and there’s so much we want to highlight about our Latinx community. This is going to be a great time for our campus community and the City of ���ϲ�����,” says Nieves Vergara.

The evening will begin at 5 p.m. with a reception in the Grand Hall and Terrace, featuring remarks by , vice chancellor for strategic initiatives and innovation, and , vice president for diversity and inclusion. Following the reception, attendees will move to the K.G. Tan Auditorium for an introduction to the Mississippi Delta by English Professor and the screening of the documentary. Cheng will host a Q&A session for attendees after the film viewing.

A special screening of Samantha Cheng’s documentary “Honor and Duty: The Mississippi Delta Chinese” will be hosted on campus on Sept. 16.

Cheng’s documentary tells the story of the Chinese who were recruited to work in the Mississippi Delta after the Civil War. It explores how the community steadily grew in the early part of the 20th century, as Chinese families across the Delta opened grocery stores that served both the black and white populations. Despite the Chinese Exclusion Acts (1882-1943), which barred both immigration and citizenship for Chinese, more than 22,000 Chinese and Chinese Americans served in WWII. Among the Mississippi Delta Chinese, 132 served in the Army, 24 in the Air Force, 19 in the Navy and two in the Marines. These unsung heroes discuss their lives before, during and after the war.

Cheng’s documentary led to her authoring the , which finally honored the veterans in late 2020. She is now working on the Chinese American WWII Veterans Online Resource and Archive, which began this year. This is a comprehensive four-year project funded by a division within the National Archives and Records Administration.

The project is identifying and validating the service records of the over 22,000 Chinese and Chinese Americans who served on behalf of the five branches of the U.S. Armed Forces and the U.S. Merchant Marine Corps during WWII. It is one of the largest grants using public funds to preserve Chinese American contributions to U.S. history.

Cheng comes to ���ϲ����� at the invitation of , who teaches Asian Americans and the Law at the College of Law. Szto and Cheng were childhood friends in the Chinese American church in New York City that Szto’s father founded, but were only reunited this year after losing touch for several decades.

According to Szto, Cheng’s work in telling the story of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) veterans dovetails with the groundbreaking research on current in their transition from service to civilian life. Szto says these stories and research are critical to addressing current anti-Asian and other racial violence in the U.S., and growing global tensions.

Co-sponsors for the film screening include the ;��;��;��;��; ; Asian American Pacific Islander Faculty and Staff Association; Asian Pacific American Law Students Association; Latinx Faculty and Staff Affinity Group; and the .

The monthlong festivities were researched and planned out by the AAPI Heritage Month Planning Committee, with efforts led by Multicultural Affairs in collaboration with student organizations and departments across campus.

This year’s theme is “Regrounding: Celebrating Our Identity,” centering on sharing and celebrating the pride, strength and joy demonstrated by our on-campus AAPI community.

It’s an important theme, especially following the challenges of the last two years, including the COVID-19 pandemic and a troubling rise in anti-Asian hate crimes and bias incidents.

Hyejun Yoo (left) served as moderator for the annual Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Commemorative Lecture with singer/guitarist/author Michelle Zauner (right).

One of the highlights of AAPI Heritage Month was the April 7 Commemorative Lecture with Michelle Zauner, a talented and decorated singer and guitarist who creates indie pop under the name Japanese Breakfast.

Merci Sugai G’22, a graduate student in the School of Education and graduate assistant in student activities, served as AAPI Planning Committee co-chair.

Hyejun Yoo ’22, an advertising major in the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and information management and technology major in the School of Information Studies, moderated the commemorative lecture Q&A with Zauner.

We recently caught up with Sugai and Yoo to discuss planning this year’s AAPI Heritage Month celebrations, why they wanted to get involved and how their time at ���ϲ����� helped them discover more about their identities.

Why did you want to get involved in planning this year’s AAPI Heritage Month celebrations?

Hyejun Yoo: I’ve always felt that when I was younger, I kind of had to put my Korean or Asian heritage on a back burner because it wasn’t really something I could really talk about to my peers or anyone else around me. Being able to be proud of my identity and heritage and be part of something that celebrates my identity and others’ identities was something I wanted to explore and help with.

What were the goals of this year’s celebrations?

Merci Sugai: We wanted it to be a celebration for students, staff and faculty within the AAPI community here at ���ϲ�����. Last year’s AAPI Month celebration happened in the middle of a giant spike in hate crimes against Asian-Americans. And this year, while that hasn’t necessarily gone away, I think we’re moving toward reclaiming our sense of identity, which is where this year’s theme came from. How can we empower one another through difficult times as we are focused on celebrating how far we’ve come as a community while mourning those we’ve lost at the same time. And at the same time, we want to have some serious in-depth conversations about anti-Asian bias in this country. AAPI Heritage Month highlights the different facets of the Asian-American experience at SU and how far we have come as well.

Before Hyejun moderated the commemorative lecture with Michelle Zauner, you had to write an essay detailing why you wanted to lead the conversation. Tell us about your essay.

Hyejun Yoo: Music is a big part of my life. Not necessarily like playing or anything, but I’ve always grown up listening to music. I remember when I first heard about Michelle Zauner and Japanese Breakfast. I was really inspired because here was someone that also has Korean heritage and a Korean background like me, and she isn’t afraid to just be herself and make candid music about her experiences. Being able to be vulnerable with such a public audience was inspiring and a confidence boost for a lot of people. I talked about that and how she’s very inspiring to me. And her book, “Crying in H Mart,” was an amazing read that made me want to explore more about her experiences. She’s just an inspiration!

What role has your identity played in your life, and how has that connection to your identity changed since you came to ���ϲ�����?

Merci Sugai: I’m half Japanese, half Italian. Identity is something that I’ve kind of come to terms with through young adulthood, specifically as an undergraduate. Here at ���ϲ�����, I’ve been really lucky to discover and find the ways that my identity impacts my work with students. I’m really lucky that I get to work with so many students on a day-to-day basis, and a lot of them happen to be within that AAPI community.

SU has showed me how I can use my identity to relate to students and empower students to find their identity and where they fit in on a predominantly white campus. As a graduate student, I’m also learning how to claim my identity to help others, which I think is a really important conversation to have for a lot of graduate students. I’m very thankful that I’m in this place now, because it further emphasized my identity development as an Asian woman.

Hyejun Yoo: I’m Korean-American, and in high school I didn’t really talk much about my Korean heritage. But then toward the end of high school I started getting more into Korean culture, like art forms and music, and I also wanted to try more of the food, even though I had grown up on it. I wanted to embrace my culture more as I grew up because I think I was able to mature into appreciating it more instead of tucking it away in the background.

So when I got to college, I wanted to continue exploring my identity and meeting like-minded people. I started cooking more and trying more food, and since food is such a big part of our culture, it’s kind of what bridges me and my family together along with my extended family. Also just appreciating the Korean language, too. I remind myself to speak Korean with my parents more, as it lets me find my roots back to my Korean heritage.

Merci Sugai posing with Orange After Dark (OAD) event board members in her role with Student Activities

In your work as a graduate assistant in student activities, what’s the best piece of advice you can give to students who want to discover their identity and find out who they are? 

Merci Sugai: The biggest piece of advice I try to give and will always give is to never stop talking about your identity. I’m fortunate enough to work with student organizations that are centered around Asian-American and Pacific Islander identities on campus, and I think a lot of times they feel discouraged that they don’t feel supported by the University, or they don’t want to pilot a new initiative, again, because they don’t think they’ll have that campus or community support.

But once we stop having that conversation about our identities and wanting to celebrate those, the momentum goes away. So I always try to encourage students to continue advocating for themselves and for others who will keep advocating for the community. Also, know when to ask for help. There’s a lot of people here on campus that identify similarly as you and identify with the AAPI community. Use your voice to make a difference for you, but also for future generations of AAPI students who are going to come to SU.

Across the country, AAPI Heritage Month is celebrated in May, but since most University community members are gone during May, the planning committee opts to hold events on campus in April. AAPI Heritage Month runs through April 30, including . For more information, .

Visit the for ways to get more involved on campus.

PODCAST: Check out the full conversation with Sugai and Yoo on ’Cuse Conversations.

Huey Hsiao is the associate director of the Office of Multicultural Affairs and the Kessler Scholars Program and the interim director of the Disability Cultural Center.

As the associate director of and the and the interim director of the , Huey Hsiao considers himself fortunate to be able to guide ���ϲ�����’s students, providing a safe space for them to figure out who they are.

In his role, Hsiao provides leadership and direction on programming that enriches the University’s diverse campus culture and leads to academic, personal and social success for students.

It has been a meaningful career in higher education for Hsiao, who for nearly 20 years has worked to advance diversity and inclusion efforts, spearhead student success, especially for first-generation students, and more among college students.

It’s also a path he never envisioned himself taking when he was pursuing his undergraduate degree in biology from the University of Rochester.

“Whether it’s the opportunity to figure out their identities, what they want to study, what their career can be, or what their personal interests are, part of my job is helping students feel comfortable and feel like they belong here at the University. I don’t think I could have drawn up a better career path than what I’m doing right now, as part of a wonderful team at ���ϲ�����,” Hsiao says.

As an undergraduate, Hsiao did not have everything figured out but was on the pre-med track. While the plan sounded good in theory, Hsiao wasn’t passionate about the medical field.

Reflecting on the path he followed until a summer vacation after his sophomore year, he admits that, perhaps he went down the pre-med track because “of societal or parental pressure.”

Originally from China, Hsiao’s parents moved to the United States and planted their roots in Connecticut. Hsiao grew up in a predominantly white town and attended school with mostly white students, although he did attend a Chinese school on Sundays.

Hsiao says it was “like pulling teeth” going to Chinese school and he eventually quit around seventh grade.

It wasn’t until that family trip to China during the summer before his junior year at Rochester, when he visited China and Taiwan, that Hsiao decided to re-connect with his cultural roots.

He started taking Chinese classes again and did a study abroad semester in China during the second semester of his junior year at Rochester, “an amazing, eye-opening experience” that motivated Hsiao to learn even more about his culture and his heritage.

Eventually, Hsiao spent time teaching English in China after college and later accepted a job with the Council on International Education Exchange (CIEE), a study abroad provider, helping students who wanted to pursue a semester abroad as a program advisor and enrollment officer.

“It felt great, helping guide college students and encouraging them to participate in these life-changing study abroad programs,” Hsiao says.

After five years with CIEE, Hsiao knew it was time for a career change and decided to pursue a master’s degree in business administration.

From there, he accepted a job as assistant director of student services for M.B.A. and M.S. programs in the Whitman School, combining his interests in helping students with his graduate degree, before joining the Multicultural Affairs staff in 2012.

Huey Hsiao (far right) poses with students and staff during a Multicultural Affairs open house.

In his current role, Hsiao co-chairs the planning committee for the University’s celebration, leads programs aimed at enhancing belonging and student success, like the Kessler Program and WellsLink Leadership Program, and mentors students of color and first-generation college students on academic, personal, social and cultural matters.

Hsiao is proud of the work the University is doing for first-generation students through the Kessler Scholars Program, which provides comprehensive support to help students reach their goals from the moment their ���ϲ����� journey begins until they graduate.

“The Kessler Program is bigger than just the individual students; it’s about changing that overall narrative of what it means to be a first-generation college student, providing them with these great opportunities and connecting them to resources that will help them reach their goals,” says Hsiao.

This year’s is scheduled for Friday, April 1, in Schine Student Center from 4 to 6:30 p.m. AAPI student organizations and campus departments will table from 4 to 5 p.m., and a program beginning at 5 p.m. where attendees can learn about the month’s events, enjoy student performances and have an opportunity to engage with each other. This will be followed by the Anti-Asian Hate Vigil, bringing attention to the Anti-Asian Hate Crime Exhibit displayed in Bird library for the month.

Michelle Zauner

Events continuing throughout the month include an , the with musician and New York Times bestselling author Michelle Zauner, a , , and many more. The planning committee aimed to include events that represent the diverse needs of the campus community and center on intersectionality, explains AAPI Planning Committee Co-Chair Merci Sugai G’22, a graduate student in the School of Education. “We had students and staff create artwork, podcasts, performances and large-scale events to celebrate AAPI identity,” says Sugai.

The theme for this year’s celebration is “Regrounding: Celebrating Our Identity,” which focuses on sharing and celebrating the pride, strength and joy of the AAPI community, especially after a challenging two years in light of the pandemic and rise in anti-Asian hate and bias.

“I hope people take away the joy of celebrating AAPI students, staff and faculty at SU, but also take time to learn about ongoing racism, acts of violence, xenophobia and discrimination impacting the AAPI community and other minoritized communities in America,” says Sugai. “We can simultaneously express joy in our identities as AAPI individuals while taking time to mourn the lives we’ve lost and the growth we can make on campus and in our local communities.”

One of the month’s signature events is the with Zauner, taking place on April 7, from 7 to 9 p.m. in Huntington Beard Crouse Hall, Gifford Auditorium. A meet and greet and book signing will follow.

Zauner is best known as a singer and guitarist who creates dreamy, shoegaze-inspired indie pop under the name Japanese Breakfast. She has won acclaim from major music outlets around the world for releases like Psychopomp (2016) and Soft Sounds from Another Planet (2017). Her most recent album, Jubilee (2021), earned two GRAMMY nominations for Best New Artist and Best Alternative Music Album. Her first book, Crying in H Mart, now a New York Times Bestseller, is an unflinching, powerful memoir about growing up Korean American, losing her mother and forging her own identity. She’s currently adapting her memoir for the screen for MGM’s Orion Pictures. Campus community members are invited to join a of Crying in H Mart on April 5, from 7 to 8:30 p.m.

“Michelle Zauner’s life experiences, as she has shared in her memoir, will resonate with many of our students, especially our AAPI students, as she touches upon food, culture, grief and finding pride in one’s own identity,” says AAPI Heritage Month Planning Committee Co-Chair Huey Hsiao, associate director of multicultural affairs and the Kessler Scholars Program.

Visit the full for all events scheduled and additional information. Follow AAPI Heritage Month events and updates using the hashtag #CuseAAPIHM.

Story by Division of the Student Experience communications intern Isabella Podgorski ’22, College of Visual and Performing Arts

Nic Stone

The WellsLink Leadership Program, a nationally recognized academic and leadership excellence program for first-year students of color, invites the campus community to the on Friday, Feb. 11. The ceremony is scheduled from 4 to 6 p.m. in Hendricks Chapel and will feature a keynote address from Nic Stone, author of New York Times bestselling books “Dear Martin” and “Dear Justyce.”

The WellsLink Transitions Ceremony celebrates students who have successfully transitioned to their second year at ���ϲ����� after participating in the WellsLink Leadership Program during their first year. In addition to the keynote from Stone, the ceremony includes remarks, musical performances and the presentation of stoles to the WellsLink Scholars.

“Throughout their experience in the WellsLink Leadership Program, our WellsLink Scholars embody what it means to be Orange—making the most of the opportunities on campus that support them in pursuing academic excellence, personal and professional development and campus and community leadership. We look forward to celebrating their achievements and recognizing the impact they have and will continue to make on campus and beyond,” says Huey Hsiao, associate director in Multicultural Affairs and the Kessler Scholars Program.

Following the ceremony, a reception will take place in the Noble Room of Hendricks Chapel. A book signing will also take place with Stone.

The WellsLink Leadership Program Class of 2024

• Nykara Agosto (College of Visual and Performing Arts)
• Maram Ahmed (College of Arts and Sciences)
• Mira Ahuja (S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications)
• Faith Akoachere (College of Arts and Sciences)
• Aaron Alakkadan (College of Engineering and Computer Science)
• Rohail Alvi (College of Arts and Sciences)
• Ana Aponte (College of Visual and Performing Arts)
• Anayancy Barajas (College of Arts and Sciences)
• Maile Barry (College of Arts and Sciences)
• Juanitta Bekoe (College of Engineering and Computer Science)
• Kyra Brown (School of Architecture)
• Thomas Cahill (School of Information Studies)
• Christopher Calderon Suarez (College of Engineering and Computer Science)
• Timothy Chao (College of Arts and Sciences)
• Nina Chen (College of Visual and Performing Arts)
• Pich Chet (Martin J. Whitman School of Management/S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications)
• Joshua Carl Cully (College of Engineering and Computer Science)
• Arren Cuyler (S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications)
• Afua Danso Dankwa (Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs)
• Dennis Dao (College of Engineering and Computer Science)
• Kamran Darabi (College of Visual and Performing Arts)
• Hamere Debebe (Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs)
• Valentina Diaz (College of Arts and Sciences/S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications)
• Samantha Esparza (College of Engineering and Computer Science)
• Akweshie Fon-Ndikum (College of Engineering and Computer Science)
• Dylan France (Martin J. Whitman School of Management)
• Astrid Gedeon (Martin J. Whitman School of Management)
• Guerdyna Gelin (Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs)
• Yash Godiwala (Martin J. Whitman School of Management)
• Miguel Gomez Fernandez (Martin J. Whitman School of Management)
• Erickson Gomez Fernandez (Martin J. Whitman School of Management)
• Ralph Graham (College of Engineering and Computer Science)
• David Griffin Jr (Martin J. Whitman School of Management)
• Mia Gutarra (David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics)
• Ka‘ai I (Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs)
• Ena Izawa (Martin J. Whitman School of Management)
• Lexie Johnson (Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs)
• Leah Jones (College of Arts and Sciences)
• MaryKate Keevins (Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs/S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications)
• Nicola Kim (Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs)
• Maya Lee (College of Engineering and Computer Science)
• Jacob Leisawitz (College of Arts and Sciences)
• Dao Ming Lin (School of Information Studies/Martin J. Whitman School of Management)
• Kevin Loza Montiel (Martin J. Whitman School of Management)
• Hayley Melendez (College of Arts and Sciences)
• Lizmarie Montemayor (College of Arts and Sciences)
• Jalen Morales (Martin J. Whitman School of Management)
• Anna Nguyen (College of Arts and Sciences)
• Lisa Nguyen (School of Information Studies)
• Zikora Nnam (David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics)
• Nicole Nunez (Martin J. Whitman School of Management)
• Alejandro Parra (David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics)
• Destiny Pearson (College of Arts and Sciences/School of Education)
• Fabiana Perez (College of Engineering and Computer Science)
• LJ Perry (Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs/Martin J. Whitman School of Management)
• Ejay Ramos (Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs)
• Jose Reyes Soto (Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs)
• Fidel Rivera (School of Information Studies)
• Tamara Rodriguez (College of Arts and Sciences)
• Julia Ruiz (College of Engineering and Computer Science)
• Elliot Salas (College of Engineering and Computer Science)
• Julian Serrano (College of Arts and Sciences)
• Jeffrey Sims (Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs)
• Kailani Small (College of Engineering and Computer Science)
• Ryan St Jean (Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs)
• Tasfia Sultana (College of Engineering and Computer Science)
• Melissa Tang (College of Engineering and Computer Science)
• Marivi Urdaneta (College of Arts and Sciences/School of Education)
• Lizbeth Vidal (College of Arts and Sciences)
• Nathan Viramontes (College of Engineering and Computer Science)
• Nia Williams (College of Engineering and Computer Science)
• Michael Wong (College of Engineering and Computer Science)
• Myra Wong (Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs/S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications)
• Reyad Yassin (College of Engineering and Computer Science)
• Yulun Zeng (College of Engineering and Computer Science)
• Grace Zhang (Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs)
• Andrew Zheng (Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs)

About The WellsLink Leadership Program

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

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

The campus will celebrate Black History Month with a variety of events and speakers. Presenters include, clockwise from top left, Melody M. Brown G’17; Emmanuel Hudson; Reighan Alston ’19; Shyla Powell and Jaleel Campbell.

As the month of February begins, the campus community is invited to celebrate Black History Month. The Black History Month planning committee, comprising students, faculty and staff, and led by Multicultural Affairs, Barnes Center at The Arch, Student Activities and the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, have planned a centered on the theme of “Black Health and Wellness,” the national theme for Black History Month.

The month kicks off with a two-part opening celebration on Tuesday, Feb. 1. The Schine Student Center atrium will feature a from noon-2 p.m., and from 7-9 p.m., a featuring student groups and performers will take place in Goldstein Auditorium, Schine Student Center. Emmanuel Hudson, TV personality and comedian featured on “Wild ’N Out,” will emcee.

“As we honor Black History Month, the planning committee has organized a robust calendar of events that focus on the multifaceted components of wellness. From creative expression, to recreational activities, to mental health, the schedule encourages our campus community to reflect, celebrate, connect and practice self-care. I encourage all students, faculty and staff to get involved throughout the month,” says Cerri Banks, vice president and deputy to the senior vice president.

Some additional events scheduled during the month include:

• “State of the Black…” Series featuring sessions focused on creative work, professional experiences and hair experience, including one event with local artist and Black Artist Collective founder Jaleel Campbell
  

  London Hill and Alexis James

• A weeklong Black Health and Wellness Expo, including a MOVE-IT Workout with group fitness instructor Reighan Alston ’19; an event with Barnes Center therapists London Hill, Alexis James and Shyla Powell on Supporting Black Mental Health Through Self Care; and a session with Karina Anderson, assistant director of the financial literature program in the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarship Programs, on The Challenge of Debt for Black Students and How to Manage It

• Karina Anderson

New this year, the committee has also organized a recognition to share appreciation with faculty and staff who identify as Black/African American and have made significant contributions to campuswide diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility work and to the betterment of the Black/African American community.

Campus community members may now until Feb. 18. Roses will be presented at the Celebrating Black Excellence Ceremony on Feb. 25.

For more information about the Black History Month celebration, complete event details and additional events, visit the .

“Native Heritage Month serves as an opportunity to engage our campus community in learning about and celebrating the deeply rich history and traditions of Indigenous people, as well as to raise awareness about the issues that impact Indigenous people today,” says Regina Jones, assistant director of the Native Student Program.

Included in the monthlong celebration are activities spanning , , presentations and discussions, as well as the annual Canandaigua Treaty Day Commemoration on Nov. 11 and participation in the annual “Rock Your Mocs” national movement from Nov. 14-20. The month also includes new activities, such as the Moon Ceremony with Honwadiyenawa’sek Diane Schenandoah from the Barnes Center. The month closes with a social dance on Nov. 29 at the Skybarn.

“Native Heritage Month serves as an opportunity to engage our campus community in learning about and celebrating the deeply rich history and traditions of Indigenous people, as well as to raise awareness about the issues that impact Indigenous people today. We encourage students, faculty and staff to participate in the events and activities we have planned to explore topics of art, law, history and social justice, and participate in community-building, knowledge-sharing and dialogue,” says Regina Jones, assistant director of the Native Student Program.

Additional information, including the full event schedule, will be posted on the and the . For questions, contact Jones at rajones@syr.edu.

[Please note, this image was taken prior to the COVID-19 pandemic and does not reflect current public health guidelines.]

“As a part of the national campaign, this year’s theme for Latinx Hispanic Heritage Month is ‘Esperanza: A Celebration of Hispanic Heritage and Hope,’” says Breana Nieves Vergara, Office of Multicultural Affairs coordinator of mentoring programs and LHHM co-chair. “Alongside our cross-campus partners, we hope to showcase the diversity among Latinx Americans, their many contributions to the United States, in addition to celebrating the resilience, heritage and richness of our community at ���ϲ�����.”

Latinx Hispanic Heritage Month 2021
This month provides an opportunity to learn about the history, culture, and contributions of Americans whose ancestry can be traced to over 20 Spanish-speaking countries in Latin America, including Mexico, Central and South America, and the Caribbean. With a variety of events hosted through Thursday, Oct. 14, 2021, the campus community is invited to explore the complete event list on the .

“LHHM is important because it allows us to take time to better understand the complexities and intersectionality of Latinx culture. Being president of the National Association of Latino Fraternal Organizations [NALFO], I try to be authentic regarding my upbringing and culture, while prioritizing the well-being of my community here at ���ϲ�����,” says Rolando Cabral ’22 NALFO president and LHHM committee member. “Everyone’s experience is different but, that’s why taking time to understand each other, allows us to better understand ourselves even more and how we fit into our own culture.”

Highlighted LLHM events include the following.

“We are honored to have poets Ariana Brown and Alan Pelaez Lopez as our joint Latinx Hispanic Heritage Month and LGBTQ+ History Month Potash keynote performance as a collaboration among the Intercultural Collective,” says Jorge A. Castillo, co-chair of LHHM and director of the LGBTQ Resource Center. “Brown and Pelaez Lopez’s powerful work exemplify the rich cultural production and heritage of the Latinx community at the intersections of Blackness, indigeneity and queerness.”

For more information or to request accommodations, please contact Breana Nieves Vergara by calling 315.443.0228 or emailing bknieves@syr.edu.

The summer sessions are scheduled:

• Wednesdays, May 26 through June 30, noon-2 p.m.
• Wednesdays, July 7 through Aug. 11, 3-5 p.m.

The deadline to register is May 23. Please complete the to confirm your spot. Please note that participants must be available for all six sessions.

For questions or to request accommodations, contact Robin Maxile, graduate coordinator for C.A.R.E. Programs in the Office of Multicultural Affairs.

Frank H. Wu

A on “Confronting Anti-Asian Racism” will be held with Frank H. Wu, 11th president of Queens College, City University of New York, on Wednesday, May 12, at 7 p.m. ET. Wu, along with campus community members, will address the lived experiences of anti-Asian hate and bias, explore the historical context and examine actionable steps for social change.

The campus community is invited to attend. .

Prior to joining the City University of New York (CUNY) system, Wu served as chancellor and dean, and then William L. Prosser Distinguished Professor at University of California Hastings College of the Law in San Francisco. He was a member of the faculty at Howard University, one of the nation’s leading historically black college/university (HBCU), for a decade. In his leadership roles at Queens College and UC Hastings, as well as on the faculty at Howard, he was the first Asian American to serve in such a capacity. He was appointed by the federal Department of Education during the Obama administration to its National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity.

Wu, who is the author of “Yellow: Race in American Beyond Black and White,” was a trustee of Gallaudet University and of Deep Springs College. He received a B.A. from the Johns Hopkins University and a J.D. with honors from the University of Michigan.

Wu recently served on the Independent Advisory Panel responsible for engaging with the campus community and providing advice to the Board of Trustees Special Committee on University Climate, Diversity and Inclusion in developing recommendations regarding programs, policies and initiatives designed to foster and strengthen diversity and inclusion at the University.

The event is co-sponsored by the Center for International Services, Office of Diversity and Inclusion, and Office of Multicultural Affairs. American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation and live captioning will be provided. For questions or to request additional accommodations, please contact Huey Hsiao at huhsiao@syr.edu.

Managed through the Office of Multicultural Affairs, engages participants in meaningful, challenging and vital conversations about race and ethnicity. Throughout six weeks, participants will be challenged to explore their own racial and ethnic identity, understand the experiences of others, and critically identify social systems of oppression, working toward living a more socially just life.

After gathering feedback on availability from the summer interest form, C.A.R.E. will announce the signup and schedule for the summer sessions. All sessions will be held virtually.

Questions can be directed to Robin Maxile, graduate coordinator for C.A.R.E. Programs.

Writer, speaker and playwright Wajahat Ali will lecture on “A Caravan of Unity in the Age of Hate: Building a Multicultural Coalition of the Willing” on April 15.

Celebrated nationally in May, honors and celebrates Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders who have enriched America’s history and are instrumental in its future success. ���ϲ����� honors the month in April while the campus community is still together.

“Celebrating Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage month is especially significant this year with the rise in Anti-Asian sentiment throughout the country,” says Huey Hsiao, associate director of multicultural affairs and the Kessler Scholars Program and AAPI Heritage Month Planning Committee co-chair. “Bringing these events to the campus community, I believe, is going to create an important wave of awareness and a desire to educate oneself more about the AAPI community.”

Events celebrate and offer educational opportunities surrounding AAPI culture, heritage, histories, cultural diversity, contribution and often underreported challenges of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.

“We wanted to be very intentional in our discussions around intersecting AAPI identities,” says Nicholas Lee G’21, AAPI Heritage Month Planning Committee co-chair. “Our overall goal for this month is not only encouraging students to examine and make sense of their identities but also to figure out ‘Now that I’ve made sense of my identity, where do I go from here? How can I be a better advocate for my community?’ This is what we hope students will be able to take away from this month.”

The AAPI Heritage Month Planning Committee, the and cross-campus partners have combined their efforts to develop thought-provoking and relevant events for the campus community. Explore the complete list of events, learn more and register on the .

• Thursday, April 1, 5 p.m. ET:
• Monday, April 5, 12:30 p.m. ET:
• Wednesday, April 7, 7 p.m. ET:
• Friday, April 9, noon ET:
• Friday, April 9, 8 p.m. ET:
• Thursday, April 15, 7 p.m. ET:
• Saturday, April 17, 7 p.m. ET:

“The inclusivity and AAPI voices amplified during the month is truly empowering,” says Kimberly Ng ’21, president of Asian Students in America (ASIA) and AAPI Heritage Month Planning Committee member. “It is a space that allows for our shared AAPI experiences as a community while dissecting into our own individual connections to our cultural heritage.”

For more information or to request accommodations, please contact Huey Hsiao, by calling 315.443.9676 or emailing huhsiao@syr.edu.

Story by Division of Enrollment and the Student Experience graduate assistant Alana Boyd G’21, S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications.

“We are excited to host a series of virtual and in-person events throughout Black History Month to celebrate the contributions, history and traditions of the African Diaspora. Our calendar includes activities that highlight the many achievements and significant contributions African Americans have made and continue to make in such areas of education, medicine, art, entertainment, politics, human rights, economics, culture, spiritual, public service, business and armed forces,” says Cedric T. Bolton, coordinator of student engagement in the Office of Multicultural Affairs and chair of the planning committee. “We encourage the campus community to be ‘all in,’ and continue learning and exploring all the events hosted by our cultural centers this year.”

The Black Lounge

Eric Roberson

One of the most highly anticipated events each is year is the music celebration, , scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 6, at 7 p.m. via Zoom. This year’s event will feature headliner Eric Roberson, opening performance by J Shai, and music by DJ Maestro. In advance of the Black Lounge, Roberson will facilitate on Friday, Feb. 5 at 6 p.m. Registration for these events is available online through the University Events Calendar.

During The Black Lounge event, the Office of Multicultural Affairs will also present the annual Trailblazer Award and Distinguished Alumni Excellence Award. This year’s awardees are Syeisha M. Byrd ’12, director of engagement programs in Hendricks Chapel, and Karen Davis ’83 ’90, assistant dean for inclusive excellence at the College of Engineering and Computer Science, respectively.

Commemorative Lecture

This year’s commemorative speaker is Jamila Lyiscott, Ph.D., a community-engaged scholar, nationally renowned speaker, and the author of “Black Appetite. White Food. Issues of Race, Voice, and Justice Within and Beyond the Classroom.” The is scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 9 at 7 p.m. and will be offered to view online in-person and virtually.

About Jamila Lyiscott

Jamila Lyiscott

Jamila Lyiscott currently serves as an assistant professor of social justice education at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where she is the co-founder and co-director of the Center of Racial Justice and Youth Engaged Research. Jamila is most well known for being featured on TED.com where her video, “,” has been viewed over 4.5 million times. Lyiscott’s scholarship and activism work together to explore, assert, and defend the value of Black life globally. As a testament to her commitment to educational justice for youth of color, she is the founder and co-director of the Cyphers for Justice (CFJ) program, apprenticing NYC high school youth, incarcerated youth, and educators into research and activism through hip-hop, spoken word, and media literacy.

Additional events throughout the month include:

• “Stories My Grandmother Told Me” exhibit featuring Lavett Ballard: Feb. 1-March 20, By appointment at
• Choices, Careers, & Living Black History Conversation Panel: Thursday, Feb. 11, 5 – 6 p.m., Zoom
• BHM Esport 2K Tournament: Saturday, Feb. 20, 11 a.m. – 3 p.m., Barnes Center at The Arch
• Racial Equity Academic Symposium: Wednesday, Feb. 24-Saturday, Feb. 27, Zoom

For the full list of events and details during Black History Month, visit the or contact Bolton at 315.443.9676. To keep up with events on social media, use #CuseBHM.

The nationally-recognized , sponsored by the Office of Multicultural Affairs, supports first-year students on their journey to academic excellence and leadership. Through the program, WellsLink Scholars develop the leadership skills necessary to flourish at ���ϲ����� and beyond, and the Transitions Ceremony celebrates their achievements.

“The Transitions Ceremony is an important milestone in the academic and professional careers of our scholars,” says Huey Hsiao, associate director of the Office of Multicultural Affairs. “Now more than ever, we hope that this ceremony further unites the campus community in the celebration of their achievements and serves as a time to look forward to what these young leaders will accomplish.”

Annette Gordon-Reed

This year’s keynote speaker is esteemed Pulitzer Prize-winning author and Harvard University professor, Annette Gordon-Reed. Gordon-Reed is a professor of history in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences at Harvard University, and the Charles Warren Professor of American Legal History at Harvard Law School. Additionally, Gordon-Reed is the author of six books, including The Hemingses of Monticello: An American Family, which won the Pulitzer Prize in history and the National Book Award for nonfiction and fourteen other awards. It explores the inconsistencies of Jefferson’s stance on slavery and his relationship with enslaved woman Sally Hemings, and has been called “the best study of a slave family ever written” by noted Jefferson scholar Joseph Ellis. Gordon-Reed is also the recipient of the National Humanities Medal (presented by former President Barack Obama), a Guggenheim Fellowship, a MacArthur Fellowship and was recently elected a member of the American Philosophical Society, among other honors. Following the ceremony and Annette’s remarks, there will be time for Q&A.

The WellsLink Leadership Program Class of 2023

• Tsion Abebaw ’23 (Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs)
• Skye Alexander ’23 (College of Engineering and Computer Science)
• Soleil Andrews ’23 (Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs)
• Nabeeha Anwar ’23 (College of Visual and Performing Arts)
• Sara Augustin ’23 (College of Arts and Sciences/School of Education)
• Allan Baek ’23 (College of Engineering and Computer Science)
• Simone Bellot ’23 (College of Arts and Sciences)
• Keara Blanton ’23 (College of Arts and Sciences)
• Elijah Brown ’23 (S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications)
• Ashley Bruce ’23 (Whitman School of Management)
• Tysean Canada ’23 (College of Engineering and Computer Science)
• Raul Chakraborty ’23 (College of Engineering and Computer Science)
• Amit Chandramouly ’23 (Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs)
• Sabrina Chow ’23 (College of Arts and Sciences)
• Season Chowdhury ’23 (College of Engineering and Computer Science)
• Lindsey Coby ’23 (Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs)
• Colin Crawford ’23 (College of Arts and Sciences)
• Bisakh Das ’23 (College of Engineering and Computer Science)
• Ibrahima Diallo ’23 (College of Engineering and Computer Science)
• Nariya Douglas ’23 (College of Visual and Performing Arts)
• Atallia Elliston ’23 (Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics)
• Muriel Fayemi ’23 (Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs)
• Emma Fenton ’23 (College of Arts and Sciences)
• Daniella French ’23 (Whitman School of Management/S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications)
• Joel Gilgeous ’23 (Whitman School of Management)
• Briana Gilyard ’23 (College of Visual and Performing Arts)
• Nikita Goswami ’24 (School of Architecture)
• Clark Gray ’23 (Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs)
• Alyssa Griffin ’23 (College of Engineering and Computer Science)
• Olivia Henderson ’23 (College of Visual and Performing Arts)
• Jordana Hernandez ’23 (School of Education)
• Dianna Higaki ’23 (S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications)
• Kevin Hughes II ’23 (College of Arts and Sciences/S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications)
• Joshua Hull ’23 (College of Arts and Sciences)
• Rachel Jang ’23 (Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics)
• Brittnee Jean ’23 (College of Arts and Sciences)
• Clarke Johnson ’23 (Whitman School of Management)
• Nyah Jones ’23 (Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics)
• Assul Larancuent ’23 (College of Engineering and Computer Science)
• Matthew Leight ’23 (College of Engineering and Computer Science)
• Xinyan Lin ’23 (College of Engineering and Computer Science)
• Kym Mcgowan ’23 (College of Engineering and Computer Science)
• Briseyda Mendoza-Aguayo ’23 (Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics)
• Allia Mitchell ’23 (Whitman School of Management/S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications)
• Nadia Nelson ’23 (Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs)
• Kayla Nieto ’23 (College of Engineering and Computer Science)
• Ifeoluwa Ojo ’23 (Whitman School of Management)
• Hiba Ouldsahraouia ’23 (College of Arts and Sciences)
• Rita Ouldsahraouia ’23 (College of Arts and Sciences)
• Jeremiah Parrott ’23 (Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics)
• Christelle Pompee ’23 (College of Arts and Sciences)
• Fabian Ponce De Leon ’23 (College of Engineering and Computer Science)
• Tessa Pulgar ’23 (S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications)
• Kazi Rafee ’23 (College of Engineering and Computer Science)
• Bryan Reynoso ’23 (Whitman School of Management)
• Kirsten Riley ’23 (Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs)
• Rikeh Saingbe ’23 (College of Arts and Sciences)
• Michelle Schinaia ’23 (College of Arts and Sciences)
• Connor Schultz ’23 (Whitman School of Management)
• Ty’Kiau Seay ’23 (College of Engineering and Computer Science)
• Michelle Shanguhyia ’23 (College of Arts and Sciences)
• Dominique Sheldon ’23 (College of Arts and Sciences)
• Brandon Silvas ’23 (Whitman School of Management)
• Claudio Sobejano ’23 (Whitman School of Management)
• Jason Tan ’23 (College of Engineering and Computer Science)
• Ashley Torres ’23 (School of Information Studies/Whitman School of Management)
• Onyedikachi Umeh ’23 (College of Arts and Sciences)
• Joel Veras ’23 (College of Engineering and Computer Science)
• Anya Wijeweera ‘23 (College of Arts and Sciences)
• Liana Wong-Wright ‘23 (Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics)
• Donna-Nicole Zaiens ’23 (College of Arts and Sciences)
• Jonathan Zhang ’23 (S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications)
• Reiko Zhang ’23 (College of Arts and Sciences)
• Matthew Zoll ’23 (College of Visual and Performing Arts)

About The WellsLink Leadership Program

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

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

“The campus community is invited to participate in the many events we have curated as part of LHHM that showcase the diversity among Latinx Americans and the many contributions to the United States. Under the umbrella of the , an effort by the Division of Enrollment and the Student Experience’s Cultural Centers to promote the history of, solidarity with and intersectionality across identities and cultures, we encourage the University community to join us throughout the academic year in our celebratory months’ programs and events” says co-chairs of the LHHM Committee Jorge A. Castillo, director of the LGBT Resource Center and Marissa L. Willingham, program associate for budgets and operation of the Office of Multicultural Affairs. “This year’s LHHM theme is All In: Affirming, Celebrating and Honoring the Afro Latinx Experience. Our theme this year is meant to explore the intersections of being both Black and Latinx through the work of artists, activists and educators as guest speakers and panelists. Amid the national dialogue on anti-Black racism and the Black Lives Matter movement’s demand for racial justice, we hope to contribute to the campus dialogue that centers and celebrates Blackness in our Latinx communities.”

With planning led by OMA, partners across campus will host events in honor of LHHM. OMA invites the campus community to visit the for a full list of events, details and registration information. Below are a few of the month’s keynote events:

On Tuesday, Sept. 15, from 11:30 a.m. to noon, learn more about LHHM 2020. From lectures, to performances, art exhibitions and more, LHHM provides the campus and local community with a wonderful opportunity to reflect on, learn more about and experience the deeply rich traditions of Latinx and Hispanic cultures. Register today to join OMA and campus partners for the official kickoff of LHHM.

On Wednesday, Sept. 23, from 6 to 7:30 p.m., Griselda Rodriguez-Solomon, Ph.D., will lead a dialogue around the way anti-Black racism has influenced Latinx racial consciousness in the U.S. Rodriguez-Solomon earned a Ph.D. in sociology from ���ϲ����� and is an author and professor.

On Friday, Oct. 9, from 7 to 8:30 p.m., the campus community is invited to join a curated screening of “Negro: A Docu-Series About Latinx Identity” followed by a panel discussion on Blackness and Latinx Identity with filmmaker Dash Harris, educator and resource specialist Angeley Crawford Gibb, and ���ϲ����� Afro Latina students and alumni.

On Wednesday, Oct. 14, from 7 to 8 p.m., the campus community is invited to join guest speaker Louie A. Ortiz-Fonseca as he explores why storytelling is important to social justice movements and how those who tell stories record history. Through the lens of the Gran Varones project, attendees will reflect on how digital storytelling can be used to interrupt queer and trans antagonism, HIV stigma, anti-Blackness and racism, in order to build connection and community. Additionally, this interactive presentation will highlight the power of storytelling as a tool to amplify the experiences and history of Black Latinx LGBTQ+ individuals.

For more information, to find out how you can get involved or to request accommodations, please contact the Office of Multicultural Affairs by emailing oma@syr.edu or calling 315.443.9676.

���ϲ�����’s premier speaker series, the University Lectures brings to ���ϲ����� audience members and the larger public notable guest speakers of exceptional accomplishment who share their diverse global experiences and perspectives. The series was created through, and is supported by, the generosity of alumnus Robert B. Menschel ’51. Media sponsor for the University Lectures is .

Series events typically take place on campus, but—following public health guidance due to the COVID-19 pandemic—this fall’s lectures will all be virtual, viewable via Zoom. And audience members will be able to submit questions for consideration as part of the experience, time permitting. Connection information will be provided closer to each event.

Wilmer Valderrama
Tuesday, Sept. 22, 7:30 p.m.

Wilmer Valderrama

Valderrama will take part in a conversation with David Barbier Jr. ’23, an international relations major in the Maxwell School and a television, radio and film major in the Newhouse School. He is also a Posse Foundation Scholar and a participant in the Renée Crown University Honors Program.

Valderrama has amassed an extensive acting résumé in film and television that solidified him in Hollywood as a sought-after leading man. He is most recognized for his portrayal of the character Fez on Fox’s Emmy-nominated series “That ’70s Show” (1998-2006), a role that garnered him numerous Teen Choice Awards. In 2016, he joined the cast of the hit CBS drama “NCIS” (then in its 14th season) as NCIS Special Agent Nick Torres.

His other recent television credits include Fox’s “Minority Report,” Netflix’s “The Ranch,” ABC’s “Grey’s Anatomy” and Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino’s television series “From Dusk Till Dawn.” Valderrama also voiced the main character of Disney’s hugely popular animated children’s show “Handy Manny,” which introduced preschoolers to Spanish.

His film credits include the animated feature “Charming” (2018), for which he voiced Prince Charming, “The Adderall Diaries” (2015), “To Whom It May Concern” (2015), “Larry Crowne” (2011) and “From Prada to Nada” (2011).

Behind the camera, Valderrama created and produced the MTV series “YO MOMMA,” also serving as its host. And his production company WV Entertainment has multiple television and film projects in development.

In his community, Valderrama serves on the board of Voto Latino and is the spokesperson for the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute’s Ready 2 Lead program, which works to educate and empower Latino youth. Valderrama also recently co-founded HARNESS, a group dedicated to connecting communities to inspire action and power change. In 2013, Valderrama was honored with an ALMA Award for Outstanding Social Activism.

Born in Miami, Valderrama moved to Venezuela with his family at age 3 and returned to the United States as a teen. He and his sisters were the first in their family to speak English, and his parents instilled in them the critical importance of education.

Fluent in both Spanish and English, Valderrama resides in Los Angeles.

Valderrama’s appearance is sponsored by the .

Nikole Hannah-Jones
Thursday, Oct. 8, 7:30 p.m.

Nikole Hannah-Jones

Hannah-Jones will be interviewed by Rawiya Kameir, assistant teaching professor in the magazine, news and digital journalism department in the Newhouse School. A critic, editor and producer, Kameir was a finalist for the 2020 National Magazine Award in the Essays and Criticism category.

Hannah-Jones covers racial injustice for The New York Times Magazine and has spent years chronicling the way official policy has created—and maintains—racial segregation in housing and schools. Her deeply personal reports on the black experience in America offer a compelling case for greater equity.

She was named a  for “reshaping national conversations around education reform.” This is but one honor in a growing list. Her story “Worlds Apart” in The New York Times Magazine won the National Magazine Award (a.k.a. Ellie) for “journalism that illuminates issues of national importance” as well as the Hillman Prize for Magazine Journalism.

In 2016, Hannah-Jones was awarded a Peabody Award and a George Polk Award for radio reporting for her “This American Life” story “The Problem We All Live With.” She was named Journalist of the Year by the National Association of Black Journalists and was also named to 2019’s The Root 100 as well as Essence’s Woke 100. Her reporting has also won Deadline Club Awards, Online Journalism Awards, the Sigma Delta Chi Award for Public Service, the Fred M. Hechinger Grand Prize for Distinguished Education Reporting and the Emerson College President’s Award for Civic Leadership.

Most recently, The New York Times Magazine’s that she spearheaded on the history and lasting legacy of American slavery went viral, and her powerful introductory essay—written under the headline “Our Democracy’s Founding Ideals Were False When They Were Written. Black Americans Have Fought to Make Them True”—was awarded the 2020 Pulitzer Prize for commentary. Named for the year the first enslaved Africans arrived in America, the project features an ongoing series of essays and art on the relationship between slavery and everything from social infrastructure and segregation, to music and sugar—all by Black American authors, activists, journalists and others.

Nothing we know about American life today has been untouched by the legacy of slavery. “The 1619 Project” quickly went viral—the print issue flew off shelves immediately, prompting hundreds of thousands of extra copies to be printed—spreading its heartbreaking and important message worldwide. Random House announced that it will be adapting the project into a graphic novel and four publications for young readers, while also releasing an extended version of the original publication, including more essays, fiction and poetry.

Earlier this year, Hannah-Jones appeared on to discuss the project. And an impactful ad about the project—a collaboration with singer-songwriter Janelle Monáe—debuted at the Oscars just days later.

In addition to Hannah-Jones’ Pulitzer, “The 1619 Project” won two 2020 National Magazine Awards this past May, in the Public Interest category and in the Podcasting category, for three audio pieces.

In February 2020, she was profiled by Essence as part of its Black History Month series, celebrating “the accomplishments made by those in the past, as well as those paving the way for the future.”

Hannah-Jones co-founded the Ida B. Wells Society for Investigative Reporting with the goal of increasing the number of reporters and editors of color.

Along with The New York Times, her reporting has been featured in ProPublica, The Atlantic Magazine, Huffington Post, Essence, The Week Magazine, Grist, Politico Magazine and on “Face the Nation,” “This American Life,” “The Tom Joyner Morning Show,” MSNBC, C-SPAN, Democracy Now and radio stations across the country.

Hannah-Jones’ appearance is co-sponsored by the , which is presenting .

Thom Filicia ’04
Tuesday, Oct. 27, 7:30 p.m.

Thom Filicia

Filicia started his career at renowned design firms Parish-Hadley, Robert Metzger and Bilhuber & Associates. He launched his acclaimed enterprise in 1998 and emerged as one of today’s most influential and respected interior and product designers. His projects range from residential and hospitality to commercial interiors all over the world.

includes such projects as the VIP Suite for the USA Pavilion at the World’s Fair in Aichi, Japan; an eco-friendly apartment for Riverhouse, Manhattan’s first premium (LEED certified) “green” luxury condominium tower; and the Delta Sky Decks at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

Filicia has been praised as a top designer and international tastemaker. He gained widespread fame for his role as the interior design expert on the Emmy Award-winning “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy,” as well as for his television work for Style Network, HGTV and most recently Bravo’s “Get a Room with Carson & Thom.”

He is also the driving force behind the Thom Filicia Home Collection, which includes furniture, artwork, bedding, textiles and wallcovering, and has a flagship showroom, called , at The New York Design Center.

Filicia is the best-selling author of “Thom Filicia Style” (Atria/Simon & Schuster, 2008) and “American Beauty: Renovating and Decorating a Beloved Retreat” (Clarkson Potter Publishers, 2012).

In 2011, he was named one of Elle Decor’s top 25 A-List Designers. In 2006, he was chosen as one of ’s Top 100 American Designers and ’s Top 50 “Tastemakers.”

Filicia’s appearance is co-sponsored by the and is part of ���ϲ�����’s LGBTQ History Month.

Bolton, student engagement coordinator in the Office of Multicultural Affairs, is the creator of Verbal Blend, ���ϲ�����’s premier spoken-word program designed to enhance students’ confidence in writing and performing original poems. The program accomplishes this through a writer’s workshop series, peer reviews and performances.

In a recent writer’s workshop, the prompt of “social distancing” was used to generate ideas and discussion.

With the semester now being completed by students in their homes across the globe, Bolton has drawn on his deep well of experience and knowledge of technology to create an online space for students and alumni to connect and continue to engage in the creative work they did on campus.

Verbal Blend will host a virtual Unplugged Poets event today from 6:30 to 8 p.m. The event is an open mic night that will provide students an online space to share their work and reconnect with fellow students and members of the campus community. Two forms of expression, such as poetry and song, are welcome. To attend, students must register with at ctbolton@syr.edu. Students will then receive a Zoom invitation from which they can join the event.

On the three subsequent Thursdays, April 16, 23 and 30, Verbal Blend will host virtual writer’s workshops via Zoom from 6:30 to 8 p.m. These are opportunities for students and alumni to share their work and receive feedback from fellow students. Contact Bolton at ctbolton@syr.edu to register for the workshops.

Bolton held the first a virtual workshop via Zoom on March 25. On a white board, he provided the group with a prompt—social distancing. That prompt evoked a wide range of responses, from “anxiety,” “depression” and “job loss” to “hope,” “well-being” and “balance,” and got the students brainstorming.

The workshops are a great way for students to engage, Bolton says. “Students share poems, offer critique, feedback and ideas, and alums come back and share their experiences and what they are doing professionally,” he says. “It’s opening a new door for things to think about and how to be innovative in our approach to connecting.” This experience in creating new ways to connect out of necessity is giving Bolton ideas on how to infuse virtual connections into programming when the pandemic is over and life returns to some kind of normal.

Verbal Blend has become an integral part of the college experience for Laurie Fernández, a sophomore art education major in the College of Visual and Performing Arts, who has found a home with Verbal Blend. She began participating in poetry workshops in the fall semester of her first year.

“I remember wanting so badly to find a student organization or department program where I could go and feel like I should be there because I was meant to be there. Verbal Blend become that student program for me,” Fernandez says. She has continued her growth as a poet with Verbal Blend and hosted poetry workshops with Nu Rho Poetic Society for the youth of the ���ϲ����� Wilson Park Community Center earlier this semester.

Andrenne Rogers, a sophomore film major in the College of Visual and Performing Arts, says she is grateful for the Zoom workshops Bolton has created. “I already have a passion for poetry; it is a really useful tool to help me process emotions. I also love to share these thoughts and feelings with other people,” she says. “Verbal Blend is an important space because I can share my feelings and connect with others. Especially because I went from being in college and having constant access to my friends to being at home with minimized contact. I value still being a part of a community despite the physical distance.”

Imani Wallace ’16, is the educator, activist and spoken-word poet known as Lyrical Faith. For her, Verbal Blend has always been a home away from home.

“Verbal Blend has helped to cultivate me into the poet I am today, so any way I can help or support Verbal Blend now as an alum, I am more than willing to do so,” she says. “When Cedric announced that he was opening up the current workshops to alumni, I cleared my schedule to be a part of it. Turns out, it was just what I needed to get my gears going in time and overcome my writer’s block so that I could participate in 30 for 30 in celebration of National Poetry Month,” Wallace says. “I think this was an amazing idea with perfect timing, and it has motivated me these past several weeks to continue my writing, uplifted my spirits and connected us with other poets while we need it the most.”

Above all, Bolton reminds his students that even in this chaotic and challenging time, they remain artists at their very core. “As artists, we have a responsibility to capture moments like this. We are the ones who sing the songs, write the poems and dance the recitals,” he says. “We need to explore this moment and figure out ways we can inspire the world when its down. We continue to have responsibilities to be civically engaged and contribute to the world.”

“We are excited to host a variety of events throughout the month and encourage all campus community members to join the celebration,” says Regina Jones, assistant director in the Office of Multicultural Affairs, Native Student Program. “Through the celebration of rich and diverse cultures, traditions and histories, we not only acknowledge the important contributions of Native people but we strengthen our campus community as a whole.”

Events include:

As part of Native Heritage Month, join Neil Patterson, assistant director of the Center for Native Peoples and the Environment at SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry and member of the Tuscarora Nation for this free discussion on Wednesday, Nov. 6, from 4 to 6 p.m. in the Goldstein Student Center, 201ABC.

On Monday, Nov. 11, from 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., celebrate the 225th anniversary of the historic, federal Canandaigua Treaty of 1794 at the location of its original signing.

Join Scott Stevens, director, Native American and Indigenous Studies, and member of the Mohawk Nation, for this free lecture on Wednesday, Nov. 13, from 4 to 6 p.m. in the Goldstein Student Center, 201ABC.

Experience the work of Indigenous artists and the organization on Thursday, Nov. 14, from 7 to 9 p.m. in Skybarn, located at 151 Farm Acre Road on South Campus.

All are invited to join Indigenous people in wearing moccasins Friday, Nov. 15, through Friday, Nov. 22 to stand together globally while recognizing Tribal individuality.

Explore Haudenosaunee hand-made arts and crafts, including paintings, pottery, jewelry, baskets, soapstone, silverwork, leatherwork and more, Saturday, Nov. 16, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the .

The campus community is invited to attend this free lunchtime lecture on Wednesday, Nov. 20, from noon to 2 p.m. at 113 Euclid Ave., room 200. Percy Abrams, Ph.D., member of the Onondaga Nation and instructor of the Iroquois Linguistics for Language Learners certificate program; and Neil Patterson will host this interactive lecture.

Join Danika Medak-Saltzman, Ph.D. from the Department of Women’s and Gender Studies, for this free lecture on Wednesday, Nov. 20, from 4 to 6 p.m. at Slocum Hall, Room 214.

Concluding the month’s celebrations is the Closing and Alumni Award Ceremony on Sunday, Dec. 1, from 3 to 6 p.m. in Bird Library, room 550.

Be sure to share your celebration experiences on social media by using #CuseNHM. Please contact Regina Jones at rajones@syr.edu or by calling 315.443.9676 for more information or to request accommodations.

Crystal Endsley, DaMaris Hill and Imani Wallace.

Verbal Blend will honor Crystal Leigh Endsley, Ph.D. with the Poetic Icon Award as part of the Sixth Annual , held Friday, Oct. 25 through Saturday, Oct. 26. Verbal Blend is recognizing Endsley for her contributions to the art of spoken word poetry and her long-standing commitment as an artist, activist and academic.

Endsley is an internationally renowned spoken word artist and assistant professor of Africana studies at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, City University of New York, where she was also honored with the 2016 Distinguished Teaching Award. Her co-authored book entitled “Open Mic Night: College Programming that Champions Student Voice” (Stylus Publishing, LCC, 2017) was awarded a 2018 Outstanding Book Award by Division B from the American Educational Research Association and her first book, “The Fifth Element: Social Justice Pedagogy Through Spoken Word Poetry,”��explores spoken word poetry as a tool for social justice, critical feminist pedagogy and new ways of teaching and learning. With a global reach, Endsley’s spoken word poetry performances, workshops and curriculum development have taken her around the world, including Tanzania where her most recent scholarship-activism has focused on how spoken word poetry and performance can connect girls to each other globally.

The Spoken Word Poetry Institute consists of a panel and live performances from members of the campus community and guest poets on Friday, Oct. 25 at 6 p.m. in Bird Library, suite 550, and a on Saturday, Oct. 26 at 11 a.m. in Bird Library, suite 548. This year’s guest poets and workshop leaders are Endsley, DaMaris B. Hill, Ph.D. and Imani J. Wallace ’16.

“Having the opportunity to engage and interact with professional spoken word poets helps students learn firsthand how they can give voice to social issues through spoken-word poetry and contribute to greater society,” says Cedric T. Bolton, coordinator of student engagement in the Office of Multicultural Affairs. “Through the Spoken Word Poetry Institute and the incredible poets we bring to campus like Crystal, Imani and DaMaris, our community sees how scholarship and arts intersect and have no boundaries. We hope that through the weekend’s activities, student performers will stretch their imagination and create a new world through dramatic wordplay.”

is an associate professor of creative writing, English and African American studies at the University of Kentucky. She is the author of her memoir in verse “A Bound Woman Is a Dangerous Thing” (Bloomsbury, 2019), “The Fluid Boundaries of Suffrage and Jim Crow: Staking Claims in the American Heartland” and “\Vi-zə-bəl\  \Teks-chərs\(Visible Textures).”

A ���ϲ����� graduate and Bronx native, Wallace is the co-founder of a young-adult open mic and showcase in Harlem known as The Bomb Shelter. Since the age of 12, Wallace has been writing and performing, taking her to stages across the world. She was also named the ���ϲ����� 2015 Poet of the Year.

For more information or to register for the workshop, contact Bolton.

About Verbal Blend

, ���ϲ�����’s premier spoken word poetry program, is designed to enhance students’ confidence in writing and performing original poems. Coordinated by the Office of Multicultural Affairs, Verbal Blend members participate in a writer’s workshop series, performances and peer reviews.

Marcus Solis

Noted New York City broadcast journalist Marcus Solis ’91 will engage in an on-stage conversation with Simon Perez, associate professor of broadcast and digital journalism, on Tuesday, Oct. 22, at 7:30 p.m. in Hendricks Chapel as a guest of the , the and the .

American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation and Communication Access Realtime Translation (CART) will be provided.

Solis joined (Eyewitness News 7) in 1997 as a general assignment reporter. He was part of the station’s Peabody Award-winning coverage of the events of 9/11. He led the station’s coverage of the December 2012 mass-casualty shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, and was also on the scene to report on the Boston Marathon bombing in April 2013.

Solis, who is fluent in Spanish, was among the first New York journalists to report from Haiti following the 2010 earthquake, and he has covered papal visits in Mexico City, hurricanes in Puerto Rico and the dissident movement in Cuba.

After beginning his career at WFAS AM-FM in White Plains, New York, he moved to WDTV in Clarksburg, West Virginia, and then spent four years as an anchor/reporter at New York 1 News before joining WABC-TV.

Solis was one of feted at the Newhouse School’s 50th anniversary gala event in October 2015 in New York City. In 2012, he was inducted into the Newhouse School Professional Gallery, honoring some of the school’s most successful graduates.

As a student at the Newhouse School (graduating with a B.S. in broadcast journalism), Solis was a recipient of the Bob Costas Scholarship.

Simon Perez

About Simon Perez

Like Solis, Perez is an accomplished, bilingual reporter with more than 20 years’ experience in the news industry. His background includes work in television (KPIX-TV/San Francisco, WRIC-TV/Richmond, Virginia, WGXA-TV/Macon, Georgia, Canal de Noticias, WCNC-TV/Charlotte, North Carolina); newspaper (ABC Prensa Española in Madrid, Spain, Daily News-Record in Harrisonburg, Virginia and Danville Register & Bee in Danville, Virginia); and magazine (Macworld/España in Madrid, Spain).

He is a recipient of 2007 and 2008 Northern California Emmy Awards for best evening and daytime newscasts.

About the University Lectures

Now in its 19th season, the University Lectures was created through, and is supported by, the generosity of alumnus Robert B. Menschel ’51. The cross-disciplinary series brings to ���ϲ����� notable guest speakers of exceptional accomplishment who share their diverse global experiences and perspectives.

Julissa Pabon, OMA coordinator of mentoring programs and chair of the Latinx Hispanic Heritage Month Committee, says, “This year’s theme for Latinx Hispanic Heritage Month is ‘Celebrating the past, present and future.’ This month allows students, faculty and staff to come together to acknowledge the customs, morals and values of Latinx and Hispanic culture while celebrating a new generation of traditions. The University can look forward to a month-long celebration in collaboration with several different departments throughout the campus and local community.”

Although there are a number of events that will be hosted throughout the month, some of the larger collaborative events are noted below. OMA invites the campus community to visit .

Fiesta Latina

In collaboration with the ���ϲ����� Office of Multicultural Advancement and Phi Iota Alpha Fraternity Inc., OMA will host on Saturday, Sept.  21, at 6:30 p.m. in Goldstein Auditorium in the Schine Student Center. The annual celebration includes Latin cuisines, live entertainment and performances by Raices Dance Troupe, Fulanito and Oro Solido. Tickets are available for $5 with a valid ���ϲ�����/SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry I.D. and $10 for the general public at the Box Office (temporarily located in the Women’s Building, Room 119).

Torneo de Futbol

In collaboration with the University’s health and wellness team, OMA will be hosting the . The event is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 5, at noon in the Barnes Center at The Arch. Registration will be available online at the end of September.

Latinx Hispanic Heritage Month Commemorative Lecture

In collaboration with the LGBT Resource Center, OMA will host poet, educator and performer . Frohman is a CantoMundo Fellow, former Women of the World Poetry Slam Champion and National Association of Latino Arts & Cultures grant recipient. Her poems have appeared in The Adroit Journal, Nepantla: An Anthology for Queer Poets of Color and Women of Resistance: Poems for a New Feminism and garnered over 10 million views online. She has been featured on national and international stages, including The Apollo, the White House and the Nuyorican Poets Café, and has performed at more than 200 colleges and universities. She has a graduate degree in education and co-organizes #PoetsforPuertoRico. Although originally from New York City, Frohman currently resides in Philadelphia.

For more information on the month, to find out how you can get involved or to request accommodations, contact Julissa Pabon at jupabon@syr.edu or call 315.443.1932.

Story by Division of Enrollment and the Student Experience communications intern Abigail J. Covington ’19, G ’20.

Kevin Richardson

Kevin Richardson was one of five teens—four African-American and one Hispanic, ages 14-16—who were arrested, interrogated and subsequently charged in the brutal beating and sexual assault of a 28-year-old woman in Manhattan’s Central Park in April 1989. While there was no physical evidence tying the teens to the crime, they were tried and convicted based on what they and their families claimed were coerced confessions.

The “Central Park Jogger” case inflamed racial tensions in New York City and drew nationwide attention. Richardson, 14 at the time of his arrest, served more than five years in a juvenile detention facility; three of the others did the same, held for between five and seven years. The 16-year-old, convicted as an adult, served 12 years in prison.

All five were later exonerated, in June 2002, when a convicted murderer and serial rapist serving a life sentence admitted that he was responsible for the attack. This was confirmed by DNA testing, and the convictions of the “Central Park Five” were vacated. They filed a wrongful conviction lawsuit against the City of New York that was settled in 2014 for $41 million.

Their story has received renewed attention by way of the Netflix four-part series which premiered this past May and has earned 16 Emmy Award nominations.

Richardson will visit ���ϲ����� and take part in an on-stage conversation—“Justice in America: A Discussion on the Exoneration of the Central Park 5”—on Monday, Sept. 9, at 7:30 p.m. in the Schine Student Center’s Goldstein Auditorium.

Participating with Richardson in the conversation are Candice L. Carnage ’90, chief operating officer of , and Paula C. Johnson, ���ϲ����� professor of law and co-director of the .

“Justice in America” is free to ���ϲ����� students, faculty and staff, but tickets are required. Tickets—one general admission ticket per person with a valid SU I.D.—are available starting Aug. 21 in person at the Schine Box Office, now located in Room 119 in the Women’s Building. Box Office hours are Mondays through Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Fridays and Saturdays from noon to 9 p.m.

Communication Access Realtime Translation (CART) and American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation will be available. For more information or to request an accommodation, contact Alex Snow at adsnow@syr.edu.

The event is sponsored by Faculty Affairs in the Office of the Provost, the Office of the Chief Diversity Officer, the Office of Multicultural Affairs and the Office of Multicultural Advancement.

The previous day—Sunday, Sept. 8—Richardson will attend a 2 p.m. matinee performance of the ���ϲ����� Stage production “Thoughts of a Colored Man,” highlighting the Black male experience in America. Afterward, he is the guest of honor at a benefit reception for the across the street at the Community Folk Art Center, 805 E. Genesee St. in ���ϲ�����. The reception is from 5 to 7 p.m. The combination play-and-reception ticket is $75; food and drinks are included. Registration is .

About Kevin Richardson

In June, Oprah Winfrey interviewed “When They See Us” creator/director and the five men in the Central Park Jogger case—Antron McCray, Kevin Richardson, Yusef Salaam, Raymond Santana and Korey Wise, now known as the Exonerated Five—for a special released simultaneously on Netflix and Oprah’s OWN channel: “Oprah Winfrey Presents When They See Us Now.” In the interview, Richardson told Winfrey that he once dreamed of attending ���ϲ����� and playing the trumpet.

He never had a chance to fulfill that dream. Today, Richardson, 44, lives in New Jersey with his wife and children. He is a motivational speaker and an advocate for criminal justice reform. He works with , which employs various legal resources, foremost being DNA testing, to “free the staggering number of innocent people who remain incarcerated and to bring reform to the system responsible for their unjust imprisonment.”

“Using my platform to raise awareness is therapeutic in a way that it’s touching others globally,” Richardson says. “I have dreams and aspirations to change the criminal landscape of this unjust society that we live in.”

About Candice L. Carnage

At The Bronx Defenders, Carnage has leveraged her love for numbers and problem solving into the chief operating officer role for the $40 million legal organization that redefined public defense and pioneered the holistic defense model.

Carnage is a versatile, high-energy executive with more than 25 years of nonprofit experience with such organizations as Columbia University, the Innocence Project, Amnesty International USA, the Ms. Foundation for Women and the Children’s Museum of Manhattan. Additionally, she worked in the private sector for Deloitte & Touche, LLP, Arista–Bad Boy Entertainment and Diversified Investment Advisors.

She is a hands-on leader with an extensive background in finance complemented by diverse talents in human capital, information technology, facilities and operations management.

Carnage is a 1990 graduate of ���ϲ�����, with a B.A. in economics and mathematics, and later earned an MBA at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Business. She is a member of the ���ϲ����� Multicultural Advancement Advisory Board.

About Paula C. Johnson

Johnson is a professor of law at the and author of several publications on race, gender and the criminal justice system. She co-founded and directs the Cold Case Justice Initiative, which investigates civil rights-era and contemporary racially motivated murders.

Johnson has held the Haywood Burns Chair in Civil Rights at CUNY Law School, the Sparks Chair at the University of Alabama School of Law and the ���ϲ����� College of Law Bond, Schoeneck and King Distinguished Professorship.

She is a member of the at ���ϲ����� and previously served as co-president of the Society of American Law Teachers. Her honors include the Emmett Till Legacy Foundation Woman of Courage Award in Honor of Mamie Till Mobley and the Unsung Heroine Award from the ���ϲ����� Martin Luther King Jr. Awards Committee.

Applications for , a peer-to-peer mentoring program for self-identified women of color, are due this Sunday, April 14, at 10 p.m.

In addition to completing the , new applicants must submit one recommendation from a non-student member of ���ϲ�����’s faculty or staff. References must be on official ���ϲ����� letterhead and submitted in a sealed envelope to the or emailed to Julissa Pabon.

With 500-plus former members and counting, Dimensions has positively impacted ���ϲ����� by creating a space for women of color to come together through uplifting support. Per similar shared interests, first-year and transfer students are paired with mentors from junior and senior classes. Once paired, the mentors guide the mentees on how to personally and professionally navigate their first year of college. Dimensions seeks to create a sisterhood through dialogue and activities that facilitate self-confidence, academic success and cross-cultural engagement.

“Dimensions is more than just a program. It’s a true sisterhood,” says Cameron Gray ’22. “It has been one of the only true safe spaces that I’ve had. Whether it’s Sunday afternoons or a Wednesday morning, I know that I can call on any of the girls for help, or just to talk about what’s going on in my life. My mentor became one of my best friends here.”

For questions about the Dimensions program, contact Pabon.

Story by Division of Enrollment and the Student Experience communications intern Nadia Suleman ’19

The monthlong celebration begins on April 1, with the opening event on Tuesday, April 2, from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Peter Graham Scholarly Commons (Bird 114). Attendees will enjoy food; meet and mingle with students, faculty and staff; learn about the month’s events; view and discuss the student documentary film, “April 11, 1997” by Jasmine Kim ’19; and participate in the unveiling of this year’s Anti-Asian Hate Crime Exhibit.

AAPI Heritage Month consists of programs and signature events that educate all members of the ���ϲ����� community about the histories, cultural diversity, contributions and often-underreported challenges of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. Celebrated nationally in May, ���ϲ����� honors the month in April to celebrate while the campus community is still together.

One of the month’s signature events includes the commemorative event. This year’s commemorative speaker is comedian and writer Joel Kim Booster. Booster is a Chicago-bred, Los Angeles-based comedian and writer. He has appeared on “Conan,” “The Late Late Show with James Corden,” Netflix’s “The Fix,” Comedy Central’s “The Meltdown with Jonah and Kumail,” “This Is Not Happening and @midnight,” Logo’s “Comedy Cabaret” and truTV’s “Comedy Knockout.” In 2017, Booster recorded a stand-up special for Comedy Central’s “The Half-Hour,” a full-length stand-up album called “Model Minority” and was listed as one of Esquire’s “10 Comedians to Watch.” Booster recently made the Wall Street Journal’s “Young Hollywood Portfolio,” Forbes’ 2018 “30 Under 30” list in their Hollywood and Entertainment category, and Variety’s 2018 “10 Comics to Watch.”

Booster will speak on Thursday, April 11, at 7 p.m. in Slocum 214. The evening will include a comedy act, followed by a student-moderated Q&A session and audience meet-and-greet. The event is sponsored by the Office of Multicultural Affairs and the LGBT Resource Center and is free and open to the public. American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation and Communication Access Realtime Translation (CART) will be provided.

Joining the collective theme of all Office of Multicultural Affairs’ cultural heritage month celebrations for 2018-2019, the theme of this year’s AAPI Heritage Month program of events is “One Endless Voice to Enhance Our Traditions.”

“It’s been such a joy to serve on the AAPI Heritage Month Planning Committee throughout the course of my doctoral journey at ���ϲ�����,” remarks Bryan Dosono, Ph.D. candidate at the School of Information Studies and co-chair of the AAPI Heritage Month Planning Committee. “The inclusive campus programs we organize and promote intentionally spotlight the complexity and untold voices of the AAPI experience.”

“By sharing a common theme across OMA’s cultural heritage celebrations, we not only recognize and honor the rich array of programming that has been developed throughout this school year, but also acknowledge a solidarity amongst the AAPI community in supporting each other and all communities of color,” reflects Tarida Anantachai, outreach librarian at ���ϲ����� Libraries and co-chair of the AAPI Heritage Month Planning Committee. “We’re excited to present a robust calendar of events for this year’s AAPI Heritage Month. From student-led discussions to performances to professional development workshops, there are plenty of exciting opportunities for the campus community to come together and examine the contributions and perspectives of the AAPI community.”

Other highlights for this year’s heritage month celebration include:

March 28: “Trans Week of Liberation Commemorative Keynote: Geena Rocero,” 7:30 to 9 p.m., Slocum Hall Room 214

Geena Rocero, Filipina-American model, producer and transgender advocate, will deliver this year’s commemorative keynote address for Trans Week of Liberation. Since speaking at TED in March 2014, where she came out as a trans woman, Rocero has spoken at the White House, the UN and at countless universities around the country on trans rights and elevating the visibility of the trans community in the media. Rocero is the founder of Gender Proud, an advocacy and aid organization that stands up for the right of transgender people worldwide to “self-identify with the fewest possible barriers.” Sponsored by the LGBT Resource Center, Pride Union, and Qolor Collective.

April 2: “AAPI Heritage Month Kick-Off,” 6 to 8 p.m., Peter Graham Scholarly Commons (Bird 114)

Enjoy food and meet and mingle with students, faculty and staff. The event will host the public debut of a short documentary created by Jasmine Kim ’19, which examines the Denny’s incident that occurred 22 years ago in ���ϲ�����. Following a discussion of this film, the Anti-Asian Hate Crime Exhibition of this incident will be unveiled and will be on display in Bird Library for the month of April.

April 4: “Decolonizing Asian American Institutions,” 6 to 7:30 p.m., Hall of Languages 500

The racial formation of Asian American institutions is plagued by a longstanding history of colonialism in the United States. Dosono will present critical case studies from dissertation research that uncovers the ways in which Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders negotiate collective action in the context of online identity work. Recent efforts by activist groups are seeking to dismantle colonial structures, and this workshop lends practical applications of postcolonial theory to rising student leaders seeking to build a more equitable campus climate. Sponsored by the Filipino Student Association.

April 6: “K-Night with Special Guest: LATE LEE,” 7 to 9 p.m., Schine Underground

Come celebrate Korean culture and the talent within the Korean American community! K-Night is the Korean American Student Association’s biggest event of the year. This year’s special guest performer is Late Lee. Lee’s sound is described as Indie Hip-Hop and K-Pop with its infusion of western modern rap with highly addictive pop tunes. Tickets are available at the Schine Box Office for $5 for ���ϲ�����/ESF/General Public.

April 9: “Paving the Way Alumni Speaker: Leo Wong ’14,” 6 to 7:30 p.m., Peter Graham Scholarly Commons (Bird 114)

Leo Wong hails from San Gabriel, California, and is a proud 2014 ���ϲ����� graduate with a B.S. in advertising from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications. During his time in the Orange Nation, he was involved in a variety of organizations ranging from Otto Tunes, TNH, U100, First Year Players and Phi Delta Theta. Wong was also chosen as a WellsLink Scholar, Remembrance Scholar and University Marshal. After ���ϲ�����, he went on to work at renowned advertising agencies such as Droga5, McCann Worldgroup and Digitas, in roles ranging from account management to diversity and inclusion. Sponsored by the Office of Multicultural Affairs and ���ϲ����� Multicultural Advancement.

April 12: “SASE Talent Show” 7:30 to 9 p.m., Hall of Languages 500

Spin some fidget spinners on your toes (even though that’s so 2017) or grab your guitar and win over the crowd—anything goes! Grab your best bud and share your talent to showcase that engineers are more than just calculators. Sponsored by the Society of Asian Scientists and Engineers.

April 13: “‘Do It For The Culture’ with Ronny Chieng of “Crazy Rich Asians,” 5 to 7 p.m., Watson Theater

Ronny Chieng, cast member of 2019 Golden Globe-nominated film “Crazy Rich Asians” and the senior correspondent on “The Daily Show,” will be featured on the annual Multicultural Greek Council’s cultural experience program. The show will be highlighting Chieng’s road to success as well as talking about Asian American representation in today’s media. Students will have the opportunity to interact with the star during the program and at the scheduled meet-and-greet session. Sponsored by the Multicultural Greek Council.

April 16: “AAPI Heritage Month Book Club Discussion: ‘The Leavers’ by Lisa Ko,” 6 to 7:30 p.m., Peter Graham Scholarly Commons (Bird 114)

A discussion of “The Leavers” by Lisa Ko led by Jordan Burgh ’19, Mitchell Liang ’18, Rachel Pray ’19 and Sarina Wallace ’19. Food will be provided. Sponsored by the Office of Multicultural Affairs and the Renée Crown University Honors Program.

April 17: “Cultural Expo,” 7 to 8:30 p.m., Hall of Languages 500

Kappa Phi Lambda Sorority Inc. and Sigma Beta Rho Fraternity Inc. proudly present the Cultural Expo. Student organizations will host their own distinctive booths dedicated to their respective cultures. They hope to bring a taste of different cultures to the student body, where everyone can learn about the depth behind each cultural booth.

April 19: “Mr. ASIA Pageant 2019,” 7 to 9 p.m., Grant Auditorium

Mr. ASIA is a male pageant that focuses on the current issues revolving around Asian Americans at SU. Mr. ASIA aims  to tackle the stigmas placed upon Asian males and issues behind masculinity. Featuring Simu Liu, a star on the sitcom “Kim’s Convenience,” his talents will inspire our community and he will provide his own insights in the discussion of Asian male masculinity. Enjoy entertaining performances by student organizations and guest artists. Sponsored by Asian Students in America.

April 20: “South Asian Students Association Formal,” 8 p.m. to midnight, Sheraton Hotel

Join SASA for its annual formal. Bring a date and enjoy good music, good food, a photo booth and memories that will last a lifetime. Tickets are $10 at the Schine Box Office.

April 23: “Now More Than Ever: The Political Urgency of Community Archives,” 4 to 5 p.m., Peter Graham Scholarly Commons (Bird 114)

Stories have the powerful ability not only to chronicle the histories of communities, but also to enable the cyclical nature of privilege and systemic oppression by the dominant cultures who disseminate them. In this talk, and Samip Mallick—co-founders of the (SAADA)—explore how members of communities marginalized by white supremacy and heteropatriarchy imagine archives as potential sites of disruption of these oppressive cycles. Caswell and Mallick argue that archivists make more liberatory interventions in disrupting white supremacy and patriarchy in archival practice, going beyond the standard solutions of diverse collecting and inclusive description. In so doing, they will explore emerging examples from their own pedagogical and archival practices to illustrate possibilities for archival disruption, and galvanize archivists to embrace activism during times of political and social crisis. Sponsored by the ���ϲ����� Humanities Center, ���ϲ����� Libraries, iSchool, Maxwell School, Department of History, South Asia Center, LGBT Resource Center, Central NY Library Resources Council, and the Eastern NY Chapter of the Association of College and Research Libraries.

April 24: “How to Tell Your Community’s Story,” 10 a.m. to noon, Peter Graham Scholarly Commons (Bird 114)

In follow up to their , co-founders Mallick and Caswell host an interactive workshop to guide participants through the process of starting and building community archives, sharing stories about what worked and what didn’t. Topics include how to get started, developing a collection focus, building relationships with donors, fundraising, and more. Space is limited; RSVP to Anantachai; include any requests for accessibility accommodations. Sponsored by the ���ϲ����� Humanities Center, ���ϲ����� Libraries, iSchool, Maxwell School, Department of History, South Asia Center, LGBT Resource Center, Central NY Library Resources Council, and the Eastern NY Chapter of the Association of College and Research Libraries.

The full AAPI Heritage Month events calendar is available on the and available for pickup in Schine Suite 105.

Follow AAPI Heritage Month events and updates using the hashtag #CuseAAPIHM.  For more information on AAPI Heritage Month events, contact Anantachai or Dosono.

In preparation for the renovation, teams from the divisions of Enrollment and the Student Experience and Business, Finance and Administrative Services have worked diligently to coordinate office relocations and expand services currently within Schine Student Center.

Here is where you can find offices and services once the planned renovation begins:

• The Office of Multicultural Affairs and Disability Cultural Center will relocate to 548 Bird Library. They join the LGBT Resource Center, which moved to this accessible, central location this spring.
• The Office of Student Activities and the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs will relocate to Suite 100 in the Women’s Building.
• The Office of Parent and Family Services will reloate to 306 Steele Hall.
• Schine Box Office will relocate to Suite 118/119 in the Women’s Building.
• Learning Communities and Student Centers and Programming Services will relocate to Suite 138 in the Women’s Building.
• Career Services will relocate to Suite 214 in the Women’s Building.
• The Shaw Center for Public and Community Service and the Office of First-Year and Transfer Programs will relocate to Suite 309/310 in the Women’s Building.
• will enhance staffing and add popular menu items at nearby Pages Café and food.com. Come fall, Kimmel Food Court will open earlier to accommodate breakfast and lunch. All Schine Food Services staff will be reassigned to other locations on campus.
• Reservable meeting rooms and event spaces will be available in Bird Library, Skybarn, Goldstein Student Center (South Campus), and other campus locations.

The ���ϲ����� Bookstore and Goldstein Auditorium will remain open throughout the renovation. Accessible entrances will be located from the Einhorn Family Walk and from the East entry between Goldstein Auditorium and the Bookstore. The Einhorn Family Walk entry will serve the Bookstore and the East entry between Goldstein Auditorium and the Bookstore will serve Goldstein Auditorium. This accessible path starts at Waverly Avenue.

Updates with additional information about relocations and services will follow throughout the remainder of the semester.

Lawrence K. Jackson

The Office of Multicultural Affairs (OMA) and the Office of Multicultural Advancement announce the third annual Sankofa Alumni Lecture Series, featuring Lawrence K. Jackson ’13, on Tuesday, Feb. 26, at 6 p.m. in Watson Theater.

The lecture series began as part of the University’s and welcomes a ���ϲ����� alum of African descent back to campus to discuss their accomplishments and career path after graduation.

Jackson, a journalist, host, producer and public speaker, is currently the newest anchor for NBC’s digital news show “Stay Tuned.” Before joining NBC News, Jackson signed with VIACOM as one of the hosts for the reboot of MTV’s iconic show “Total Request Live.” His rise began as an on-air host for Sean “Diddy” Combs’ music cable network, Revolt TV, where he served as their New York correspondent, providing live news hits and breaking news coverage.

“We are excited to have Lawrence K. Jackson as this year’s alumni speaker for the Sankofa Alumni Lecture,” says Cedric T. Bolton, coordinator of student engagement in OMA. “He’s making history, Black history, and the campus community will take much from hearing about his experiences and career as a journalist, host, producer and public speaker.”

A graduate of the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications’ broadcast journalism program, Jackson also served as vice president for the National Association of Black Journalists,  produced his own show on the student-run radio station WERW and was an Our Time Has Come Scholar through the Office of Multicultural Advancement during his time at ���ϲ�����. He is a proud member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Incorporated.

For more information on the event, please contact Bolton at ctbolton@syr.edu.

Huey Hsiao

Huey Hsiao, associate director in the Office of Multicultural Affairs (OMA), has been appointed the interim director of the Disability Cultural Center (DCC), effective Jan. 1, 2019. Hsiao’s interim role comes on the heels of Director Diane Wiener’s appointment as research professor and associate director of the Burton Blatt Institute’s new Office of Interdisciplinary Programs and Outreach.

Hsiao brings nearly two decades of experience in higher education in roles spanning diversity and inclusion, student success, international education, advising, enrollment and recruiting. Throughout his career, Hsiao has been an advocate for inclusion and equity. He has worked with partners across the University and broader community, including the DCC, LGBT Resource Center, Slutzker Center for International Services, student organizations and ESF’s Student Diversity and Inclusion Office, to host programs centered on identity, privilege, intersectionality and cultural awareness.

Joining OMA in January 2012, Hsiao leads and directs mentoring programs, including the nationally recognized WellsLink Leadership Program, and coordinates the University’s annual celebration of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. Hsiao also serves on the Chancellor’s Task Force on Sexual and Relationship Violence and the Chancellor’s Ad Hoc Committee on DACA/Undocumented Students.

The national search process has commenced for a permanent director.

Aretha Franklin, 1968 (Wikimedia Commons)

The tribute is free and open to the public. CFAC is located at 805 East Genesee St. in ���ϲ�����.

For more information, call Tamar Smithers ‘07, CFAC’s education director, at 315.442.2230 or visit .

Smithers considers Franklin an icon whose artistry defied categorization. “Her voice was a treasure. It broke down barriers and unified people from all backgrounds. Aretha Franklin provided the soundtrack for both the Civil Rights and Women’s movements,” she says.

The evening begins with a moderated panel discussion, followed by an audience Q&A, about Franklin’s impact on music, activism, spirituality and community service.

The panelists are as follows:

• Jackie Grace ’93, author, storyteller, educational consultant and motivational speaker;
• Joan Hillsman, director of the ���ϲ����� chapter of the Gospel Music Workshop of America, as well as a prominent teacher-scholar and performer;
• Janis Mayes, associate professor of African American Studies (AAS) in the College of Arts and Sciences (A&S), who also is an author, literary critic and translator, and Africana literature specialist;
• Juhanna Rogers, motivational speaker, commentator, artist and education activist;
• The Rev. Phil M. Turner, pastor of Bethany Baptist Church in ���ϲ�����;
• James Gordon Williams, assistant professor of AAS, who is a pianist, composer and critical musicologist; and
• Roosevelt “Rick” Wright Jr., professor emeritus of television, radio and film in the Newhouse School.

The program continues with an hour-long set by Brownskin, local R&B favorites in the vein of Mint Condition, the Roots and Tony! Toni! Toné!

“Brownskin draws on decades of jazz, hip-hop, funk and dance to create a high-octane show. They know how to gain the ‘R-E-S-P-E-C-T’ of the audience,” says Smithers, in a nod to Franklin’s signature song.

One of the greatest singers of all time, Franklin died in August at the age of 76. Her career spanned more than six decades, selling more than 75 million records worldwide and racking up 18 Grammy Awards. She was the first woman inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

The tribute is co-sponsored by CFAC (which is a partner of AAS) and OMA, with support from AAS, the Department of Women and Gender Studies in A&S and the University’s Student African-American Society.

This year’s celebration begins on Thursday, Nov. 1, at noon with the opening ceremony and Thanksgiving address in the Schine Student Center’s Jabberwocky Café. Additionally, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., campus community members can stop by the Schine Atrium, where there will be an information table.

“Native Heritage Month brings the community together to celebrate and share the rich diversity of Native peoples’ identities, traditions and histories,” says Regina Jones, assistant director in the Office of Multicultural Affairs, Native Student Program. “We invite the campus community to join us in honoring and raising awareness about the cultures and contributions of indigenous peoples.”

As part of the celebration, a Native Speaker Series will be held throughout the month, and a film festival featuring ���ϲ����� alumni productions will take place on Saturday, Nov. 10, from 2 to 5 p.m. in Shemin Auditorium in the Shaffer Art Building. A closing ceremony will be held on Saturday, Dec. 1. Additional details regarding these events, as well as other Native Heritage Month community events, will be available soon on the .

Speakers for the Native Speaker Series are:

• Michael Obert, distinguished professor of history at SUNY Geneseo, for the Treaty of Canandaigua Lecture on Monday, Nov. 5, at 2:30 p.m. in 443 Dineen Hall.
• Jolene Rickard, Ph.D., director of the American Indian and Indigenous Studies Program and associate professor in the Departments of History of Art and Visual Studies and Art at Cornell University, on Tuesday, Nov. 13, at 6 p.m. in Kittredge Auditorium in Huntington Beard Crouse Hall.
• Lori Quigley, Ph.D., vice president for academic affairs at Medaille College and member of the board of directors of the National Indian Education Association, on Wednesday, Nov. 14, at 6 p.m. in 121 Shaffer Art Building.

The celebration will also include participation in the national “Rock Your Mocs” movement, which encourages indigenous peoples across the world to wear moccasins and stand together as one, while also recognizing and celebrating tribal individuality. The national Rock Your Mocs Day is Thursday, Nov. 15, but is celebrated throughout the week on campus to allow for more moc-wearing opportunities.

For more information or questions, contact Jones at 315.443.0258 or rajones@syr.edu. Join the celebration on social media using #CuseNHM.

The schedule of events includes:

Celebrate Indigenous Survival
10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Einhorn Family Walk

Join the Indigenous Students at ���ϲ����� student organization and Native Student Program within the Office of Multicultural Affairs in celebration of indigenous survival. The table will feature information about indigenous cultures and identities and provide opportunities to celebrate and recognize indigenous survival.

Indigenous Peoples’ Days Gathering
11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
ESF Quad

Attend the opening Thanksgiving Address and hear more about the history and importance of Indigenous Peoples’ Day. There will also be a poster-making station and indigenous foods workshop with samples. Please bring your own dish and spoon.

Film Screening of ‘On a Knife Edge’
5:30 p.m.
Marshall Auditorium, ESF
Co-hosted by the Society for Ecological Restoration Student Association and the Society for Conservation Biology student organization, “On a Knife Edge” shares the story of a Lakota teenager learning what it means to lead a new generation during the American Indian Movement while growing up on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota.

Indigenous Peoples’ Day Poster Exhibit
Gateway Building, ESF

Biidaaban Moses Reinhardt, a graduate student in ESF’s Sustainable Construction Management and Engineering Program, curated this exhibit.

In addition to on-campus events, the University community is also invited to attend the Neighbors of the Onondaga Nation’s (NOON) event at 4:30 p.m. in Columbus Circle in Downtown ���ϲ�����.

For more information, contact Regina Jones, assistant director of the Native Student Program, at rajones@syr.edu or 315.443.0258.

Shaun R. Harper

“The Transition Ceremony is always a joyous celebration of our WellsLink Scholars’ accomplishments, as well as an opportunity to reflect on the incredible network on campus supporting our students’ success,” says Huey Hsiao, associate director in the Office of Multicultural Affairs and leader of the WellsLink Leadership Program. “Our WellsLink Scholars leverage every opportunity through the WellsLink Leadership Program and go on to excel inside and outside the classroom throughout their time at ���ϲ�����. It’s always an honor to celebrate their achievements each year.”

The ceremony will feature a keynote from Shaun R. Harper, Ph.D., with a book signing and reception to follow. Harper is a Provost Professor in the Rossier School of Education and the Marshall School of Business at the University of Southern California. He also is the Clifford and Betty Allen Chair in Urban Leadership, founder and executive director of the USC Race and Equity Center, and immediate past president of the Association for the Study of Higher Education.

A nationally recognized scholar and researcher, Harper’s research focuses primarily on race, gender and other dimensions of equity in an array of organizational contexts, including K-12 schools, colleges and universities, and corporate environments. He has published over 100 peer-reviewed journal articles and other academic publications, and received more than $13 million in research grants. Johns Hopkins University Press is publishing his 13th book, “Race Matters in College.” His research has been cited in more than 8,000 published studies. The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Chronicle of Higher Education, and over 11,000 news outlets have quoted Harper and featured his research, and he has interviewed on CNN, ESPN, and NPR.

Harper has been recognized in Education Week as one of the 10 most influential professors in the field of education. He spent a decade on the University of Pennsylvania faculty, where he founded the Center for the Study of Race and Equity in Education.

For more information about the 15th annual WellsLink Transitions Ceremony, contact Hsiao at huhsiao@syr.edu.

The WellsLink Leadership Program Class of 2021

• Christian Andino Borrero (College of Arts and Sciences)
• Ajene Arokium (College of Arts and Sciences)
• Malate Aschalew (David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics)
• Yen Ping Bao (Whitman School of Management)
• Kai T. Bason (College of Visual and Performing Arts)
• Ashley Blanco (S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications)
• Khari C. Brandes (S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications)
• Sanford E. Brown II (Whitman School of Management)
• Raylyn Cabrera Gomez (David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics)
• Emara S. Cambridge (David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics)
• Wendy Chen (College of Arts and Sciences)
• Zoe Cheng (College of Arts and Sciences)
• Janelle G. Chin (College of Arts and Sciences)
• Elizabeth A. Clarke (College of Engineering and Computer Science)
• Shakir R. Clarke (College of Arts and Sciences)
• Jennifer Diaz (College of Arts and Sciences)
• Nhari E. S. Djan (S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications)
• Karis E. Felton (David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics)
• Olivia Flores (College of Arts and Sciences)
• Adia Gist (College of Engineering and Computer Science)
• Elizabeth N. Guanipatin (College of Arts and Sciences)
• Naja I. Hall (College of Arts and Sciences)
• Hamza Hamid (Whitman School of Management)
• Justine C. Hastings (College of Arts and Sciences/School of Education )
• Diem Ho (College of Arts and Sciences)
• Farhan Islam (College of Arts and Sciences)
• Rajvi Jani (Whitman School of Management)
• Javier A. Lammoglia (College of Arts and Sciences/S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications)
• Rebecca E. Lan (S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications)
• Alexandra A. Larios-Garcia (College of Arts and Sciences)
• Connor A. Laurent (Whitman School of Management)
• Danielle E. Llewellyn (College of Arts and Sciences)
• Nicole H. Llewellyn (College of Engineering and Computer Science)
• Yang Lu (College of Engineering and Computer Science)
• Oliver J. Mack Jr (Whitman School of Management/S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications)
• Corey A. Marshalleck (College of Arts and Sciences)
• Nadia M. Mcmichael (College of Engineering and Computer Science)
• Ji Hyung Min (College of Arts and Sciences)
• Asif Mohammed (College of Engineering and Computer Science)
• Berkley M. Morgan (David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics)
• Victoria Muriel (College of Arts and Sciences)
• Alexa-Jada Nelson (S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications)
• Shamar H. Niang (Whitman School of Management)
• Victoria G. Payne (David B. Falk College of Sports and Human Dynamics)
• Cyan A. Perdue (David B. Falk College of Sports and Human Dynamics)
• Vi Pham (College of Information Studies)
• Christian Pilarski (College of Arts and Sciences)
• Lenny A. Reynoso (College of Arts and Sciences)
• Amy M. Rios (Whitman School of Management)
• Eliza Roberts (College of Visual and Performing Arts)
• Symone P. Roberts (David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics)
• Raven C. Robinson (College of Visual and Performing Arts)
• Brian Rodriguez (College of Engineering and Computer Science)
• Roxana Rojas (College of Arts and Sciences)
• Isabella Salgado (College of Engineering and Computer Science)
• Nicole Sarfo (College of Arts and Sciences)
• Jordan A. Shepherd (Whitman School of Management)
• Sierra R. St. Louis (College of Arts and Sciences)
• Isabella M. Taglioretti (School of Education)
• Mathew Thenor-Louis (S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications)
• Kyra D. Thomas (College of Engineering and Computer Science)
• Nana O. Tutu (College of Arts and Sciences)
• Valentina L. Velasquez (College of Arts and Sciences)
• Joshua Vindas (College of Engineering and Computer Science)
• Anisha Viswanathan (College of Arts and Sciences)
• Abhinav Yadava (College of Arts and Sciences)
• Qicheng Yang (College of Visual and Performing Arts)
• Xingzheng Zhao (College of Arts and Sciences)
• Angela Zheng (College of Arts and Sciences)

The month started with a parade on the Einhorn Family Walk followed immediately by an opening ceremony in Panasci Lounge. Scheduled events continue throughout the month.

A hallmark event of the celebration is Fiesta Latina, which is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 22, at 7 p.m. in Goldstein Auditorium, Schine Student Center. The annual celebration includes Latino cuisine, live entertainment and a presentation of the Trailblazer and Distinguished Alumni Awards. Tickets are available at the Schine Box Office for $5 (students with valid SUID) and $10 (all others).

Campus community members are invited to attend all events throughout the month. Access the on the .

LHHM honors Spanish, Latino American and Afro-Latino cultures in the United States. Celebrations beginning around Sept. 15 is fitting, as that date commemorates the anniversary of independence for Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua; Mexico celebrates on Sept. 16 and Chile on Sept. 18.  The celebration continues through Oct. 15.

LHHM is one of four celebratory months coordinated by the Office of Multicultural Affairs. Upcoming heritage months include Native Heritage Month (November 2018), Black History Month (February 2019) and Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month (April 2019).

The event is sponsored and organized by the Disability Cultural Center; the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Resource Center; the Office of Multicultural Affairs; the SUNY-ESF Student Diversity and Inclusion Office; La Casita Cultural Center; the Office of Engagement Programs; and the Slutzker Center for International Services.

The fair welcomes new and returning students, faculty and staff from the ���ϲ����� and SUNY-ESF communities each year. During the fair, the campus community will have the opportunity to meet the staff and students working in the cultural centers and learn about the offices’ services and programs. Attendees can also connect with the cultural organizations, departments and offices tabling.

A slide show and videos will be shown at the event highlighting robust programs and student involvement in these offices. Image descriptions of the slides are available on the event’s .

The event will also feature performances by the Black Reign Step Team, among others.

“This is a great time for students to meet and become involved with organizations where they can celebrate their identity and learn about new cultures,” says Disability Cultural Center Coordinator Kate Pollack. “The aim of the event is to be inclusive to all people and to celebrate the many different cultural identities on campus.”

American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation will be provided, as well as gluten-free, kosher, Halal and vegetarian/vegan food options. A sensory break room will also be available.

The SU Corporate Duck, decorated by Denise Dowdall, Executive Assistant to the Associate Vice President for Health and Wellness, Division of Enrollment and the Student Experience

Double the “good feeling” when you simultaneously help two great causes. Buy Duck Race to End Racism raffle tickets from one of the Office of Multicultural Affairs’ nonprofit community partners until Saturday, June 9, and you’ll help support the programs and activities of that organization and the Ahmad & Elizabeth El-Hindi Center for Dialogue. Ticket sales are split 50/50. The grand prize for the raffle drawing is a $1,000 shopping spree at Destiny USA. Contact InterFaith’s Gwen Sanders at gsanders@interfaithworkscny.org or call her at 315.449.3552, ext. 119, for a list of partnering organizations and contacts.

Besides the free family entertainment and free ice cream from Byrne Dairy, here is what you can expect this year for the 16th Duck Race to End Racism, scheduled from noon-4 p.m. on Saturday, June 9, at ���ϲ�����’s Inner Harbor. Returning for the third year is Terra MakerHall, who is providing fun science and technology activities for children and youth, as well as a video booth and roving reporters, thanks to ���ϲ����� Stories.

In addition to the information shared by a diverse array of civic groups and corporate and community duck races, the event also features duck races by youth organizations and school classes and the chance to win an $800 diversity library.

Graduating Indigenous students at the 15th annual Indigenous Student Graduation Reception on May 5. Photos by Steve Sartori

The Office of Multicultural Affairs’ Native Student Program celebrated graduating Indigenous students during the 15th annual Indigenous Student Graduation Reception on May 5.

The University’s Indigenous students earned 17 bachelor’s degrees, four master’s degrees, one J.D. and one Ph.D. It was the second largest group of graduates for the Native Student Program.

All graduating Indigenous students were presented with coffee mugs with the Indigenous Students at ���ϲ����� logo, a ���ϲ����� Alumni pin; a Tuscarora Woodworks pen; and a congratulatory note from the Ongwehonwe Alumni Association welcoming students to the association and inviting them to become official Haudenosaunee / Indigenous Alumni Representatives. Several of the Indigenous students also wore “Respect Indigenous Women” and “No More Stolen Indigenous Sisters” red shirts at the event and at Commencement to raise awareness of the issue of missing and murdered Indigenous women.

Emily Porter received a stipend from the Ongwehonwe Alumni Association for receiving the highest GPA of the undergraduate graduating class.

Emily Porter received a stipend from the Ongwehonwe Alumni Association for receiving the highest GPA of the undergraduate graduating class.

Each of the graduates received a stole handcrafted by Tammy Beauvais Designs of Kahnawake, Canada, specific to their degrees and indigenous identities. Undergraduates received a purple stole while graduates received a white stole.

Those attending the event also included Chancellor Kent Syverud, Faithkeeper Oren Lyons (the first Haudenosaunee graduate from ���ϲ����� in 1958) and Tadodaho Sid Hill.

Several students earned individual awards, recognition and scholarships over their academic careers with the University, including:

���Ի�����������ܲ��ٱ��:��

Caleb Abrams, Seneca Nation, associate producer,  “Lake of Betrayal: The Story of the Kinzua Dam” film

Kasey Chopito, Zuni Pueblo Nation, American Indian Services Scholarship and Pueblo of Zuni Higher Education scholarship

Janet Flores, Guachichil Nation, Chichiemeca Confederacy, Mexico, social justice advocate and activist, 2017 Revolutionary Award from the Latina sorority at ���ϲ�����

Gabrielle Hill, Tonawanda Seneca Nation, Florence B. Potter Award

Ginger Jacobs, Onondaga Nation, Dean’s List three semesters

Alyana Jimerson, Allegany Seneca Nation, Dean’s List three semesters

Jocelynn Martin, Mohawk Nation, Dean’s List, Magna Cum Laude

Jaiden Mitchell, St. Regis Mohawk Nation, Dean’s List Scholar

Emily Porter, Six Nations Cayuga, Valedictorian, Community Engagement Award (Food Studies Senior Award), and Roseane do Socorro Goncalves Viana Human Rights Award (Undergraduate Paper)

Paige Priest, Seneca Nation, Dean’s List

Jade Rhoades, Tuscarora Nation, Udall Scholarship 2017, Critical Language Scholarship-Russian 2017 & 2018, George B. Cressey Award 2018, Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs Fellowship

Graduates:

Michael Abrams, Onondaga Nation, Undergraduate Haudenosaunee Promise Scholar; M.A. and Certificate of Advanced Studies/Linguistics/Language Teaching/College of Arts and Sciences

James K. Duah-Agyeman, director for the Office of Multicultural Affairs; graduate student Michael Abrams; Chancellor Kent Syverud

Michelle Shenandoah-Powless, Oneida Nation of New York, B.A. Cornell University 1999, Juris Doctor 2009, Master of Laws 2012 (LLM) in Taxation at NY Law School; M.S./Magazine, Newspaper and Online Journalism/S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications

Lori Tarbell, Akwesasne Mohawk Nation, NYS Office of Mental Health and Schools of Social Work, and Deans’ Consortium Project for Evidence-based Practice in Mental Health Award; M.S.W./Social Work/Certificate of Advanced Studies/Trauma-Informed Practice/David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics

Portia Skenandore-Wheelock, Oneida Nation of Wisconsin, J.D./Law/M.P.A./Public Administration/ Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs

Hayley Cavino, Ngati Whitikaupeka/Ngati Pukenga (Maori, New Zealand), He Kokonga Whare Postgraduate Fellowship (Independent Institute for Maori Research), and Ithaca College Diversity Pre-doctoral Fellowship, Ph.D./Sociology of Education/School of Education/Women’s and Gender Studies/College of Arts and Sciences

Trenna Hill, Mohawk Nation, M.S./Higher Postsecondary Education/School of Education/Certificate of Advanced Studies/Intercollegiate Advising/David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics

About ���ϲ�����

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