The program expands existing , offered on campus or at sites in the U.S., by broadening the scope of social justice research to include examinations with global dimensions. The research is customized to students’ interests and location. London is the inaugural site for the Lender Global program, which was announced last fall.

After arriving in the U.K., “Green Britain” course participants visited several environmentally designed and redeveloped sites in Wales, led by London Center instructor and ���ϲ����� Abroad’s community engagement specialist, and Lender Center Director . They toured the , , , , and to learn about geographies, ecosystems, climate challenges, environmental preservation policies and cultural practices, as well as sustainable design.

Stops in Wales included visiting the parliament building, which was designed for the best use of light and with many sustainability and conservation-minded features. (Photo by Becca Farnum)

The Lender Global student research fellows describe how their involvement in the program and participation in the course is already enlightening them on how environmental issues are treated worldwide.

Jude Bazerman

Jude Bazerman ’26 is a dual major in broadcast and digital journalism in the Newhouse School of Public Communications and geography in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs. He believes his study abroad experience in the U.K. and Europe in general—regions he says have long been at the forefront of positive environmental change—will support his goal of becoming a TV news reporter whose focus is consumer and environmental stories.

“This experience has been hands-on, and that’s how I like to learn, rather than in a classroom with a couple hundred other people. As someone studying outside the U.S. for the first time, I would not have put Wales and Cornwall on my bucket list. But interacting with Welsh people and exploring various sites in Wales has been fantastic.”

Bazerman says his experience so far has taught him how to pivot and how to keep an open mind about new possibilities. “Leaving London and traveling in Wales just a few days after our arrival here has helped me learn to adapt quickly. Becca Farnum has taught me not to write anything off before you’ve had the chance to learn about it and experience it. I’ve learned that you have to adapt on your toes and roll with whatever comes your way. Those are skills I will use after I graduate and in my career.”

Gabrielle McCafferty

Gabrielle McCafferty ’25, a dual biology and psychology major in the College of Arts and Sciences, plans to eventually earn a doctorate in physical therapy. She says she comes from an environmentally conscious family that has long participated in sustainability practices.

Her time in London and trip to Wales have provided a new awareness of how other countries approach environmental concerns, she says. “I’ve seen a lot of sustainability features here that you don’t see as much of in the United States. Recycling bins are located everywhere. There are no paper towel dispensers, only electric hand dryers. The Welsh parliament’s windowed design and water-operated heating and cooling system is the most sustainable building I’ve ever seen. It has shown me how the little things add up here and that the United Kingdom has a very firm grasp on the environment. It is obviously working on a very sustainable future.”

Abdulai Jibril Barrie

Abdulai Jibril Barrie ’26, an industrial and interaction design major in the College of Visual and Performing Arts, plans a career in footwear and product design geared toward addressing community challenges and creating solutions.

He says past visits to Ecuador, Senegal, Egypt, Germany and Jordan, and time living in both Guinea and the United States, have informed him on how differently various countries can regard environmental issues. Visits to museums and historic sites since he’s been in London have shown him how history, culture, natural resources and politics affect the ways a locale addresses environmental issues, such as the coal industry’s importance in Wales, yet its eventual shutdown due to environmental concerns.

“I’ve learned that preserving the environment is not just about recycling. It’s also about saving the trees and the oceans, where much of our air comes from. I think educating kids from an early age about the environment can be quite impactful, too.”

The second Lender Global location, announced earlier this month, is Santiago, Chile. Students studying there during the 2025-26 academic year will focus on social justice reparations and remembrances for hundreds of thousands of victims of human rights violations during the dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet from 1973-90.

“” features the work of 2024-25 ���ϲ����� Art Museum Faculty Fellows , associate professor of communication and rhetorical studies in the , and , assistant teaching professor of management in the Martin J. . Another exhibit, “,” is curated by , assistant professor of Latinx literatures and cultures in the .

The works will be on display in the Joe and Emily Lowe Galleries at the Art Museum from Tuesday, Jan. 21, through Saturday, May 10.

The ���ϲ����� Art Museum Faculty Fellows program supports innovative curriculum development and experiential learning and aims to more fully integrate the museum’s collection into the University’s academic life, says , museum director.

Gestures Study

Gratch’s exhibition, “Performance, Gesture and Reflection,” mirrors her performance studies course CRS 314, which explores the social, cultural and political dimensions of performance in various forms, including theater, dance, rituals, everyday life and media. The display features 23 objects that examine the social, cultural and political dimensions of performance, including how human gestures shape identity, power, memory and social relations.

This screen print by Robert Rauschenberg is one of the central pieces in Lyndsay Gratch’s exhibition, “Performance, Gesture and Reflection.”

Gratch says the portrayals “show gestures as more than isolated movements in a single time and place. Gestures are dynamic, culturally loaded and ever-changing symbols which have a wide range of social, political and historical meanings based on when, where, how, by whom and why a gesture is made and also interpreted.” Gratch says the course and the exhibition illustrate how performance “is not necessarily something that’s theatrical or fake or put on, but actions we do as part of everyday life.”

Culture as Economy

Wimer’s exhibition consists of a dozen different artistic works that express key ideas regarding the global economy from an African perspective. These include viewing culture as an economic component; how culture is represented by proverbs and sayings passed from generation to generation; and how climate change and health care infrastructure affect people very differently depending on whether they live in the global south versus the global north.

The exhibition was created to complement Whitman’s required core class for all sophomores, Managing in a Global Setting, to bring a different perspective on key course concepts such as infrastructure, human capital and globalization.

A custom pet portrait by a Kenyan artist involved in Elizabeth Wimer’s immersion course is an example of using artwork to create an economic revenue stream.

As an extension of that course, Wimer and students who have applied for and been accepted to Whitman’s Kenya Immersion Experience undertake a 10-day business immersion trip to Kenya. There, they can see firsthand how creative and artistic works provide paths to financial opportunity for people who live in limited economic situations, while also sometimes meeting the Kenyan artists.

“[They see that] artist creations are not solely artistic expression as a work of art but as works that help them sustain a living. Both have beauty, but the inspiration behind the beauty is very different,” she says.

Tropical Images

Pardo Porto’s exhibition is a collection of work by acclaimed New York City-based Dominican artist in conversation with selected works from the ���ϲ����� Art Museum collection. It examines the visual culture of tropicality through stereotypical depictions of landscapes like pristine beaches and sunny skies, as well as racist portrayals of women as exoticized figures, Pardo Porto says.

A work by Joiri Minaya represents the visual culture of tropicality through combined stereotypes of an exoticized woman who is wearing tropical-themed swimwear.

The exhibition consists of objects including postcards, tourist brochure images, fabric from Hawaiian shirts, posters and photographs, and video and sound performances ranging from the late 19^th century to the present. “This emphasizes part of my research into how the images surrounding us shape our perception, our thinking and our feelings about places like the Caribbean and how we relate to images in our daily lives,” Pardo Porto says.

The exhibit is being incorporated into two of Pardo Porto’s courses. An undergraduate course on contemporary Latinx art, conducted entirely in Spanish, uses the Spanish-language artwork labels and tags in the exhibit as part of class lessons. A graduate seminar focuses on theorizing race and diaspora and how an artist like Minaya, who was born in New York City but has Dominican heritage, examines how diasporic identities are constructed and how being separated from community can complicate identity. Pardo Porto says Minaya will visit campus to give a talk, work with students and share interpretations of her art with the community.

Erica Kiduko self-secured an internship with the Global Peace Foundation to connect and enhance the research in her thesis with a hands-on summer internship.

Erica Kiduko G’25, who grew up in Tanzania, decided to use her 2023-24 to help further her research and promote education around gender-based violence through a nonprofit in the country.

Kiduko, who is pursuing a master’s degree in Pan-African studies in the , was doing her thesis research on the status of women in Tanzania and a National Plan of Action to help prevent violence against women when she decided to expand her work through a Clements Internship.

“I was working on a project that is my passion, and I applied for an internship that captured my goals and my passions,” Kiduko says.

The Mark and Pearle Clements Internship Awards are now open for juniors, seniors and graduate students of any major who seek to further their career development through undertaking self-obtained unique internship opportunities. The award provides students with financial assistance to help in the pursuit of their unique professional goals.

The award typically provides students with $1,500-$6,000 to assist with internship-related travel, accommodations, required materials or living expenses.

Erica Kiduko

Kiduko was working on a thesis titled “Reckoning an Icon: Exploring Scholarship and Activism of [Kenyan professor] Mĩcere Gĩthae Mũgo,” where she explored the ongoing imbalance women in Tanzania face and why, despite the implementation of the National Plan of Action, many women were still experiencing physical violence.

The action plan focuses on protecting the rights of women and girls, preventing such violent acts from occurring in the future and providing relief to help violence victims recover, but Kiduko says many of the citizens are unaware of the plan and many of the laws in place to protect these girls and women aren’t strict enough.

Wanting to connect and enhance the research in her thesis with a hands-on summer internship, Kiduko turned to the Clements Internship Award to study the effectiveness of the National Plan of Action through a self-secured internship with the Global Peace Foundation, which was one of the organizations involved in launching the National Plan of Action.

As a program officer, Kiduko worked on the Global Peace Foundation’s Uniting to End Violence Against Women in Football [soccer] initiative, which focused on both resolving issues of gender-based violence in women’s soccer and changing the societal norms and behaviors that often prevent victims of violence from reporting these incidents. Kiduko worked with soccer players ages 16 to 25.

“The initiative was trying to promote women’s empowerment by preventing gender-based violence while creating a safe environment for everyone to play their sport,” Kiduko says.

Kiduko helped run workshops where she and her fellow program officers would provide consultations to determine how much they understood about the prevalence and risks of violence while also equipping them with the knowledge of how to proceed should they witness an attack. One of the culminating projects was the release of an app where the players could anonymously report incidents of violence, whether they were the victims or the witnesses to an attack.

Erica Kiduko (back row, third from the left) turned to the Clements Internship Award to study the effectiveness of Tanzania’s National Plan of Action to help prevent violence against women through a self-secured internship with the Global Peace Foundation.

“It can be really hard for these players to report these incidents. Soccer could be their entire life and they’re afraid of being taken off the team for reporting an attack,” Kiduko says.

How will Kiduko apply the critical lessons learned through her internship and apply them to her work once she graduates from ���ϲ�����?

“Once I graduate, I still plan on exploring this community-driven approach to solving the important issue of gender violence. Now, I can conceptualize the different types of activism, from political and humanitarian activism, and I’m so grateful to have received the Clements Internship Award,” Kiduko says.

Applying for the 2024-25 Mark and Pearle Clements Internship Award

This year’s application process closes on Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025. In addition to being responsible for self-securing internships, students interested in applying are also required to include their internship proposal, including outlining the purpose and goals of the internship and how this relates to their educational and career objectives. Interested students also need to secure a faculty or staff sponsor letter by the application deadline. Visit the for complete details.

, FYS associate director, has worked with the for the past three years. This fall, FYS 101 student volunteers compiled 480 winter-care packages of warm clothing, snacks and personal care items for Rescue Mission clients. FYS 101 lead instructors and peer leaders also helped package meals for the organization’s annual Thanksgiving dinner, which is open to anyone in need.

As a result of that relationship, leaders from the Rescue Mission invited Luckman and FYS students to participate in this year’s donation drive, “,” on Sunday, Dec. 8. Luckman will appear as an on-air telethon guest between 12:30 and 12:50 p.m. He’ll talk about the purpose of FYS, the University’s partnership with the Rescue Mission and how the organizations work together to help community members while providing positive experiences for students. He and some student volunteers were also invited to answer telethon phones to receive viewer pledges.

Jimmy Luckman

The ability to help others through community volunteerism resonates with students, Luckman says. He believes the Rescue Mission’s motto, “Put Love Into Action,” reflects how students can see the immediate impact of their efforts.

“Our lead instructors and peer leaders have love for our campus and the local community. They recognize that helping people who need emergency shelter, housing, clothing, food, employment, educational resources and connections to other services—which the Rescue Mission provides—is a transformational experience that creates positive change within the community we love. As part of their exploration of the concepts of diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility (DEIA), working in the community provides tangible experiences [that connect] to what we discuss in class,” Luckman says. “ is a tool that creates connections to help make ���ϲ����� home and to actively engage in DEIA work outside of the classroom. We’re happy to have this relationship with the Rescue Mission and to work with several other local organizations to help make a difference in the community.”

“Movie With a Mission,” now in its 35^th year, will air from noon to 3 p.m. on . The telethon features the 1935 movie classic, “Scrooge.” The fundraising goal is $85,000, and pledges can be made by calling 315.446.9999. Gifts made before and during the program will be matched by community sponsors.

Livia McQuade (center) with U.S. wheelchair rugby team members Joe Delagrave and Sara Adam. The team won a silver medal in Paris, and Adam became the first woman to compete on the U.S. wheelchair rugby team at the Paralympics.

For sport management major Livia McQuade ’25, the path from the to Paris for the Paralympic Games went like this:

After learning about an internship opportunity with the (OSG) on the Careers webpage, McQuade reached out to Internship Placement Coordinator for more information. OSG is a management and marketing agency that provides top sponsorship opportunities and marketing strategies for Olympic and Paralympic athletes.

Through Perez, McQuade learned that recent sport management graduates Elena Randolph ’24 and Jacob Bennett ’24 strongly endorsed OSG after both had interviewed with the organization and Bennett worked there as an athlete relations intern. From there, McQuade discovered that OSG’s Director of Athlete Relations ’16 was a sport management alumna and “connecting with her jumpstarted this experience from the first interview all the way to the Paralympics,” McQuade says.

“I preach that the Falk College is better known as the ‘College of Opportunity’ and this internship is the purest reflection of that,” McQuade says.

Thanks to her Falk connections and stellar academic background, McQuade spent this past summer with OSG in Loveland, Colorado. McQuade, the executive vice president of the in the Falk College and co-chair of the club’s 2024 , says she wants to work with the Olympic and Paralympic Movement following graduation and this internship has been an invaluable step in that process.

We asked McQuade to describe her experience working for OSG at the Paralympic Games in Paris and here’s what she wrote:

Livia McQuade (left) with Olympus Sports Group Director of Athlete Relations Jessica Leonard ’16. They’re standing in front of the Arc de Triomphe with the Agitos (the Paralympics logo) displayed on the Arc for both the Olympic and Paralympic Games (similar to the Olympic Rings on the Eiffel Tower).

“Over the summer and into this fall semester, I have been an athlete relations intern with Olympus Sports Group. I worked under OSG Founder and President and former U.S. speed skater Ian Beck and ���ϲ����� alumna Jessica Leonard, and much of my internship was centered around the Paris 2024 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games.

“Through the summer months and while four of our Olympic swimmers were competing in Paris, I worked on the backend reviewing and supporting contract negotiations for athlete partnerships, preparing athletes’ speaking outlines, updating athlete websites and project managing the upcoming book release for one of our most prominent athletes (Jessica Long).

“At the beginning of September, I took a hiatus from my classes in Falk to attend the Paralympics with OSG’s incredible leadership team and nine of our competing athletes. Our roles on the ground in Paris were largely dedicated to celebrating our athletes at their events; we cheered for Jessica Long in para swimming, Sarah Adam and Joe Delagrave in wheelchair rugby, Noah Malone and Susannah Scaroni in para track and field, Dennis Connors and Jamie Whitmore in para-cycling and Steve Serio and Trey Jenifer in wheelchair basketball. All while proudly decked out in USA apparel!

“All other responsibilities centered around any of our athletes’ media or speaking appearances. This included trips to Team USA House, Bridgestone House and Toyota House, as well as a luncheon with Bank of America and International Paralympic Committee Board members. Of all the places and moments we witnessed, the one that sticks with me the most is attending para swimming: Seeing the notorious Olympic/Paralympic-sized pool, being in a packed arena, and just being in that atmosphere was an ‘I made it’ moment for me.

“I am incredibly grateful and fortunate to work with Ian and Jessica at OSG. For the remainder of the fall semester, I am continuing to work with OSG in a limited role with the addition of our newly hired intern and capstonee sport management major (and ���ϲ����� track and field hurdler) Kirstyn Schechter ’25. While Kirstyn takes over the responsibilities I held this summer, I will focus mostly on coordinating media opportunities and schedules for the release of Jessica Long’s new book, “,” set to publish on Oct. 1!”

Interested in a career in the sport industry? Visit the webpage to learn more about academic programs, experiential learning, and career opportunities.

Frank Marin, Natasha Brao, Tosin Alabi, Motolani Oladitan and Jessica Grace McGhee

This semester, five University students working at the Couri Hatchery Student Business Incubator at the Whitman School of Management made it through the regional level of the New York State Business Plan Competition (NYBPC), an intercollegiate event designed to help prepare the next generation of entrepreneurs in New York state.

The hatchery, led by Program Manager and supported by faculty from the Department of Entrepreneurship and Emerging Enterprises (EEE), assists students in preparing for this highly competitive event. They will compete for up to $100,000 in cash prizes to support their ventures.

The following students are currently competing for a place in the statewide competition to be held in Albany, New York, on April 25:

Tosin Alabi G’25 (MBA) is an entrepreneur-in-residence at the Couri Hatchery and a student in Whitman’s MBA program. She is competing with her business venture DiabeTech, an electronic bandage created for diabetic foot ulcers.

The bandage not only protects the wound but has sensors that check temperature and glucose levels in real time, providing vital information for the patient and physician. This information can be used to ward off dangerous consequences of diabetic foot ulcers like gangrene or amputation.

From Nigeria, Alabi appreciates the support she has been given at the Hatchery, particularly as an international student.

“International students are already dealing with acclimating to both the culture and the rigors of the education here. Sometimes I feel like an octopus juggling so many things at once,” she says. “It took courage for me to go to the hatchery, but the resources there have helped me understand the rules, legalities, licenses and visa limitations that impact my business. And, I could not go a day without the support of Indaria. She has put a light in the Couri Hatchery and made it the place for me. DiabeTech is not just a business idea for me. It’s helping people have a better life, even those in my own family who are diabetic.”

Natasha Brao ’22 (College of Visual and Performing Arts (VPA)), G’23, G’24 (MBA) first discovered the deliciousness of the classic Mediterranean dish Shakshuka on a trip overseas in 2019 and soon realized it was a compilation of many Mediterranean backgrounds and cultures. Having always loved experimenting with cooking, she created , a spiced tomato sauce with the idea of “mixing and melding cultures to promote creative cooking” and formalized her business in 2023. The product quickly gained attention this March when she started selling the sauce. Brao recently acquired a spot at New York State’s International Taste Festival where upwards of 7,000 attended and had the chance to try Shooka.

“My entrepreneurial side comes from my creative background [Brao earned a bachelor’s degree in design]. I was an idea machine and very passionate about food and culinary businesses,” she says. “I’ve been hanging out at the hatchery for quite a while, planning the future of the business, considering strategic partnerships and creating a road map so I can stay on track as a busy student and entrepreneur. I have weekly meetings with the advisors at the hatchery and that has kept a fire under me to keep progressing week to week.”

Frank Marin ’23 (College of Engineering and Computer Science), G’24 (MBA) is enrolled in a dual program earning an undergraduate degree in aerospace engineering in the College of Engineering and Computer Science and an MBA with concentrations in entrepreneurship and supply chain management. He is working on a business opportunity called , which involves the removal of debris in space through innovative techniques. Marin is creating a general process for the spacecraft to follow that will give it maximum efficiency in debris removal.

“I am incredibly passionate about science and its growing importance, and I have a lot of ideas on how to make the world a better place, starting with removing debris,” he says. “The Couri Hatchery has been a place for me to talk with like-minded, entrepreneurial people, including members of the EEE faculty who challenge me and also help me stay on track. I hope that one day my ideas can make a difference in people’s lives.”

Jessica Grace McGhee ’19 (VPA), G’24 (VPA) is a fine artist with her own online gallery, who is also a creative arts therapy graduate student in the College of Visual and Performing Arts. She is entering her business venture Sacred Art of Rising (SAOR) in the competition. will engage survivors of chronic and complex trauma on three different platforms: the Resource Center in ���ϲ�����’s South Side, an area of the city with a high poverty level; the Retreat Center, a safe space with a myriad of nonverbal and verbal therapeutic platforms with access to restorative rest; and the Sacred Art of Rising mobile app with sliding scale access to psychoeducational, motivational and self-care content with a platform for telehealth therapy.

As a survivor of complex and chronic trauma, McGhee has created SOAR as an alternative, non-verbal therapeutic platform to help others recover, especially those who are underserved, as a means of “symbolic investment.” She wants SOAR to create a full-circle investment in marginalized communities that heals and uplifts people to reach their own self-directed goals. And, McGhee hopes it will be a place to provide safe outdoor space for individuals and families to build healthy attachments, get social rest and also reach people in need of a place to heal and decrease the chronic toxic stress that accompanies poverty.

“I knew SOAR would be amazingly helpful but, financially, I couldn’t see how I could make it happen. Linda Hartsock just lit up that path for me,” she says. “I moved from Los Angeles to ���ϲ����� in 2008 and was promised a very healthy existence but then endured several kinds of abuse before I got up the courage to leave. But, ���ϲ����� and the people at the Couri Hatchery have rooted for me and done their best to uplift me and help me reach my dreams.”

Motolani Oladitan ’24 (A&S), a psychology major, has created , an online marketplace for African entrepreneurs to sell their beauty products collectively online. From Nigeria, Oladitan is starting with six to eight products and hopes to expand from there, becoming the premier destination for African beauty and wellness by helping get these brands into mainstream U.S. markets. She has tested and used every product she offers, and when people kept asking to borrow her products, Oladitan knew she was on to something.

“Traci Giesler, Indaria Jones, Linda Dickerson Hartsock and all the mentors at the Couri Hatchery and the Blackstone LaunchPad have been so good to me and are always ready to help me practice my pitch or offer recommendations on how to tackle the things I’m facing,” she says. “I’m looking to put together a marketing plan, and even if I don’t win the competition, I know it’s a learning experience. ���ϲ����� has been a learning experience, too, and I will take the feedback and implement that into the future of the business. I am in this for the long run.”

The Couri Hatchery is named for John Couri ’63, co-founder of Duty-Free International and president of the Couri Foundation.

���ϲ����� City School District students work on an experiment

The initiative, ���ϲ����� Physics Emerging Research Technologies Summer High School Internship Program (SUPER-Tech SHIP), is a partnership between the Department of Physics in the College of Arts and Sciences and the ���ϲ����� City School District (SCSD). , professor and chair of physics, is principal investigator. The co-principal investigator is , professor and associate chair of physics.

“This program will allow us to really increase the impact we can have on both the local community of high school students who might be interested in future STEM careers, and also on our ���ϲ����� undergraduate and graduate students who work alongside them and use the experience to develop as mentors, teachers and scientists,” Soderberg says.

Jennifer Ross

Through SUPER-Tech SHIP, student interns will be exposed to skills and concepts related to quantum information, semiconductors and biotechnology during a six-week program. It’s based on a run by the physics department during the summers of 2022 and 2023. That program, ���ϲ����� Research in Physics (SURPh), engaged SCSD students and recent graduates in six-week, paid internships, during which they worked alongside faculty researchers in physics labs and classrooms. Ross developed it after then-student Ruell Branch ’24 told her that his former classmates at SCSD’s Henninger High School would love to experience hands-on learning in the University’s physics lab.

“I am very invested in exposing people to the positives of physics and science—especially people who have been historically excluded from the field due to cultural stereotypes,” Ross says. “I want people to have opportunities, and this program is a way to give people opportunities to learn about other career paths.”

SUPER-Tech SHIP, like SURPh, seeks to create STEM career pathways for historically excluded groups by involving them in authentic research experiences and providing mentoring and peer networks. The SCSD student body is 48% Black, 15% Latino and 1% Indigenous; 85% of students are economically disadvantaged. To recruit students to the program, physics faculty members will visit SCSD classrooms to promote participation. Applications will be evaluated based on a student’s persistence and grit, rather than science experience.

Mitchell Soderberg

Following an orientation “boot camp,” interns will work in pairs on long-term research projects in the labs. Ross says interns may work on biotechnology in biophysics labs, looking at the mechanical nature of bacteria; particle detection, using semiconductor technology and novel detection schemes; or astrophysics, working to understand how black holes collide and tear apart stars.

Past participants in the SURPh project will return to serve as peer mentors and participate in research with current interns. The interns will also benefit from seminars on science topics, professional development workshops, lunch-and-learns with speakers from the University and the industry and weekly activities to introduce them to different areas of campus. The six weeks will conclude with a poster session and a celebration event attended by the interns’ friends, family members and teachers.

Ross says encouraging the next generation of creative problem-solvers to work in tech is essential in order for the U.S. to remain competitive in the high-tech industry, and that “creativity requires diversity in thought and that often comes from diversity in thinkers.”

She also notes the program’s synergy with the impending arrival of Micron Technology in Central New York. “Micron will need many workers for the fabrication and production factory, and the exposure the students will get will help them to understand the fundamental science and the cutting-edge technologies that microchips support,” she says. “It is the right thing to do to develop our local economy by training the folks in our community who have outstanding potential to make the world a better place through high-tech solutions to the world’s problems. ���ϲ����� is the right place for this development to take place.”

Weems, an internationally renowned artist, will travel to Florence to deliver a public lecture, “Resistance as an Act of Love,” April 17. While there, she will review the work of students in the studio arts program.

Carrie Mae Weems (Photo by Jerry Klineberg)

The students will also attend the conference in Venice April 20 and 21. Weems and Florence faculty member will participate in the conference, which is co-sponsored by ���ϲ�����. Weems will be a panelist for the discussion “Black Realities through Digital Media,” and Nelson will serve on the “Radical Curricula” panel.

Students traveling to the conference include studio arts majors Anastasia Cardona, Sidney Hanson (a dual art history major in the College of Arts and Sciences) and Rumini Nguyen; computer art and animation major Mark Casadevall; and illustration majors Madeleine Herberger, Sarah Mednick, Sarah Skalski and Alissar Youssef.

Black Portraitures, now in its 14^th year, is organized in concert with the . This year’s theme “Shifting Paradigms,” brings together thought leaders in the arts from Africa and the African Diaspora. Founder Deborah Willis says the convening “will explore and expand narratives on memoir and memory studies; migration stories through family and politics; and reimagine ideas about art practices and the exhibition experience, all while considering new research practices.”

Jay N. Zemel

“���ϲ����� Physics was and still is a vast entryway to the future.” Words by alumnus and philanthropist Jay N. Zemel when he was in his 90s and reflecting on his experiences at ���ϲ�����. He earned a B.S. in 1949, a master’s in 1952 and a Ph.D. in 1956. Such was his love for his alma mater that Zemel made the University the beneficiary of a $1.5 million estate gift in an endowed fund as part of the Forever Orange Campaign to support summer undergraduate research experiences for students studying physics.

Zemel took what he learned at ���ϲ����� and launched a career in research and teaching—much of it at the University of Pennsylvania—that brought him national renown, 26 patents, 120 journal articles and book chapters, and the endless praise of mentees, colleagues and admirers along the way. After his death at the age of 95 on July 20, 2023, one of his former graduate students Carlos Lopez Reyna wrote to his daughter Babette: “He gave me the gift of knowledge, experience and a listening ear when needed.”

Zemel was passionate about teaching and personally guiding young researchers because he knew firsthand how vital it was to one’s future. He described his undergraduate years as difficult because he suffered from dyscalculia, which limited his ability to do simple math—though he was a math major and had no problem with logic, complex variables and quantum mechanics. Zemel’s professor in geometric optics, William R. Fredrickson (who is named and honored in the gifted endowment), recognized his potential despite the challenges.

“It was Fredrickson’s decision to grant me a teaching assistantship in his remarkable course on the history of science and his approving my entrance to graduate school that I have never forgotten,” Zemel shared in an with the College of Arts and Sciences. “Indeed, that course on history has been one of my key intellectual enlightenments, as well as giving me the insight into teaching that should accompany highly technical courses.”

“As a distinguished researcher and committed educator, Dr. Zemel saw the immense value of undergraduate participation in faculty-guided scholarly research,” says Behzad Mortazavi, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. “The benefits of undergraduate research are numerous, including helping students to apply their classroom knowledge and giving them valuable experience in working as part of a team.” The Zemel Undergraduate Research Experience Endowed Fund will provide research stipends for students who are interested in pursuing research as a career, especially multidisciplinary research.

‘Learning by doing’

Zemel had a distinctive approach, blending teaching and research to create a “unique learning environment,” according to colleague and former mentee Jan Van der Spiegel, professor of electrical and systems engineering at Penn. “At the undergraduate level, his teaching philosophy centered around the principle of ‘learning by doing and making mistakes.’ Rather than dictating precise instructions, he encouraged students to explore potential solutions independently. While maintaining a hands-off approach, he remained a constant pillar of support, readily available with an open-door policy for students to seek guidance at any time.”

Even when Zemel officially retired from his academic career directing Penn’s Center for Chemical Electronics/Sensor Technologies, he continued to mentor student researchers. “He would get so jazzed when he saw a student putting things together,” recalls Babette. She, like Zemel’s other children and several grandchildren, have become teachers and mentors. “Mentoring is, by far, the most enriching and fulfilling thing that I do,” says Babette. “Young researchers need encouragement, a sympathetic ear, professional connections and guidance on how to secure funding during these challenging times.”

Remembering his encouragement

The young researchers who worked with Zemel most remember his encouragement, empathy and warmth. “Working for his group was the best thing I could have ever done,” says Ashok Sood, president and CEO at Magnolia Optical Technologies. “He was an amazing professor,” Sood says of his thesis advisor. “I also learned from him to always stay busy, to keep your neurons working!”

Even into his 90s, Zemel challenged his neurons, continuing to analyze scientific data and contribute to meaningful research. He worked with daughter Babette’s colleagues at the Children’s Hospital of Pennsylvania to develop a device called the Neoneur that measures the flow of fluid through a nipple in a baby bottle to characterize infant sucking behavior and help parents and physicians determine if a baby was feeding properly. And just weeks before his death, recalls Babette, he solved the problem of how to manage wrapping his oxygen tubes around his ears, while wearing glasses and hearing aids.

Jennifer L. Ross, chair of physics in the College of Arts and Sciences, says Zemel’s gift is as inspiring as he was. “His passion and generous gift will fuel the physics department’s dream of having all undergraduate physics majors get hands-on research experiences,” says Ross. “The experiential learning opportunities will expose our students to the wonders of the universe and create the scientists who will make amazing discoveries of the future.”

That was clearly Zemel’s intent in setting up the endowment. Recalling that ���ϲ����� physics opened the doors of discovery for him, Zemel wrote in a letter to the physics department: “You and your colleagues are part of a great tradition that I sincerely hope continues now and into the future.” His estate gift ensures that the tradition continues.

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.

Photo illustration by Peter Pietrangelo, USA TODAY Network

Police vehicle accidents and the impact such crashes have had on communities across New York State are the focus of a new  involving Newhouse School students working in partnership with reporters from the USA Today Network and Central Current.

The first two stories from the “Driving Force” investigative series were published last week on , the result of exhaustive reporting that began in June 2023. The initial stories looked at �����Ի��� for officers in New York State, with more articles set to be published over the next few months.

At the Newhouse School of Public Communications, the project was led by , knight chair in data and explanatory journalism, and , assistant professor of magazine, news and digital journalism. Students in three of Upton’s data journalism classes read hundreds of pages of documents, pulling out details such as the type of conduct, date, officer involved and the resulting discipline in a process called “data tagging.”

The Driving Force reporting team meets at the Newhouse School in September 2023. (Photo by William Ramsey, USA Today Network)

The exercise helped the students to grasp the importance of how government PDFs can be converted into data for analysis, Upton and Husain said. The team went through the records, court papers and other state and police documents to locate individuals who were injured or killed in police vehicle accidents.

Overall, the reporting collaboration now includes 35,000 records from 115 departments ranging from those in large urban areas to village departments with only a handful of officers.

Upton and Husain said the partnership is building a public-facing police vehicle crash database. It plans to hold workshops to help the public and other journalists inspect local police department documents and understand the impact police vehicle crashes have had on communities.

The investigation was supported with funding from the . That project is funded by the Google News Initiative in partnership with Northwestern University-Medill.

.

Falk students accompany their faculty research mentors to leading academic conferences across the country and commonly receive high honors for their accomplishments in research. Danny Baris, Sarah Dellett and Mingxuan (Jessica) Li are three examples of students who have been recently honored for their research.

We asked them to discuss their research and here’s what they shared:

Danny Baris ’26
B.S. Sport Analytics

Danny Baris

Danny Baris ’26 won the student paper competition at the New York State Economics Association annual conference in October 2023 in Old Westbury, New York, where he presented his research, “Promotions and United States Hockey League Attendance,” under the guidance of Professor Rodney Paul.

“As someone who enjoys attending sports games, the topic of promotions is of great interest to me. For my paper, I wrote about the effects of various types of gameday promotions on attendance for minor league hockey. Through this project, I was able to gain valuable experience conducting a study, writing a research paper and presenting my findings.

“My findings could be used to help teams set their promotions schedules in ways that maximize revenue. Future research could examine the effects of promotions in other sports leagues. Along with some other students, I am currently working on a project surrounding the effects of promotions across minor league baseball.”

Sarah Dellett
M.A. Nutrition Science

Sarah Dellett

Sarah Dellett received first prize among students in master’s degree programs at the mid-Atlantic region of the American College of Sports Medicine annual meeting in November 2023 for her research “Prevalence of and Reasons for Dietary and Supplementation Habits Among Physically Active College Students,” under the guidance of Professor Jessica Garay. Through Sarah’s work in Professor Latha Ramalingam’s nutrigenomic lab, where she studies metabolic improvements and genetic differences with omega-3 supplementation, Sarah discovered her ambition to become a clinical researcher in the wide field of nutrition science.

“I loved my statistics and research methods class during my first year and wanted to further hone my analytical skills using R Studio. I linked up with Professor Garay over the summer to explore her dataset collected on athletes in Fall 2020. She helped me critically think through the methodology and correctly describe statistical results for my presentation.

“I found my passion for this project as I’m interested in how sustainable, plant-based diets can be a balanced diet for athletes. This research showed unique developments within vegetarianism, as the most common reason for adopting a vegetarian diet among this cohort is environmental, rather than animal rights reasons. We also found that the vegetarian group had a higher level of nutrition knowledge and had supplementation habits that reflected an understanding of their need to supplement with Vitamin B12 and iron, commonly deficient in vegetarians.”

Mingxuan (Jessica) Li
Master of Public Health

Mingxuan (Jessica) Li

In November 2023, Mingxuan (Jessica) Li attended the American Public Health Association annual meeting in Atlanta, Georgia, where she accepted the Public Health Education and Health Promotion Student Award on behalf of her fellow students, Michelle Asiedu-Danso and Matthew Scrape. There, Jessica, Michelle and Matthew were recognized for their research, “Prostate Cancer Screening and Treatment in New York State: A Content Analysis of Articles Published by Newspapers Focusing on People of Color,” completed under the guidance of Professor Bernard Appiah.

“Our goal of this study is to understand how newspapers for people of color discuss prostate cancer, examining both risk factors and media representation. We identified a significant gap in news coverage for people of color on this crucial health issue. Our mission was not just to point out the issues but also to find ways to better share information about prostate cancer in these communities.

“It was a moment of immense honor and pride when standing as the first author and presenter of our project in Atlanta. As we shared our findings and engaged with fellow researchers during the conference, we realized there are potential impacts that our work could have in raising awareness, fostering informed discussions and shaping future research directions in prostate cancer. We hope our work has positive impacts not only on academic discourse but also inspires ongoing efforts to bridge communication gaps and champion health equity for all.”

The final round—a pitch competition—occurred Feb. 9 in the Whitman School of Management and was led by Don Carr, professor in the VPA School of Design, and Kai Alexander Patricio G’23, a design consultant at Matchstix in Brooklyn, New York.

.

The students behind “Dialog,” an application to increase a sense of belonging on campus for student with disabilities, won the fast-paced, seven-day No Code Design Sprint competition.

A multidisciplinary team, Dialog consists of Fasika Melese G’18, G’19, a doctoral student in SOE’s instructional design, development and evaluation program; Viha Mashruwala, G’24, a master’s degree student in the School of Information Studies’ applied data science program; Lang Delapa ’24, a senior in the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications’ advertising program; and Sawyer Tardie ’27, a first-year student in the Whitman School of Management.

The Dialog team consulted with students from SOE’s to identify a challenge neurodiverse students face—loneliness. To increase their sense of belonging, the team designed and developed a mobile app to help develop communication skills, including journaling prompts, discussion boards, daily challenges and more.

Honorable mention went to LearSona, a team that developed a working prototype of an app that offers academic content to users in a medium that fits their learning preference, such as visual, textual or kinesthetic.

Other teams pitching their ideas—and developing —w�����:

• Optimal Assessment, an artificial intelligence-powered teaching and assessment “co-pilot” for professors, to tailor course content for different learning preferences;
• Equilearn, a learning platform to address the “pain points” of accessible education; and
• BookTalk, a platform that encourages neurodiverse students to better understand material by sharing learnings with each other.

The Design Sprint began on Feb. 2, with an intensive workshop on no code and inclusive design led by Patricio. The author of “,” Patricio is an expert in regenerative design, inclusive design, interaction design and the development of new digital interfaces.

After the initial workshop, teams assembled to create a minimum viable product for an inclusive product or service that could vie for the pitch competition prize of $500, plus $5,000 in Amazon Web Services credits.

Coaches for the week of intensive idea development were: Samantha Calamari, senior learning experience designer, Microsoft; Quinton Fletchall, senior design researcher, Conifer Research; Max Mirho, content creator, Make with Max; and Andrew Tsao, founder, Codeless Coach.

The competition judges were: Samantha Calamari; Seth Gitner and Adam Peruta ’00, G’04, associate professors in the Newhouse School’s magazine, news and digital journalism program; Aimara Rodriguez, co-founder of Function Wellness; Brenton Strine, co-founder and CTO of Kicky Art; and Gianfranco Zaccai ’70, H’09, co-founder of the innovative design firm EPAM Continuum and Founder of . Joining the hosts as competition sponsors were the and .

serves as the University’s entrepreneurship and innovation hub, partnering with academic programs and entrepreneurial centers across campus and beyond to connect students to local, regional and national networks of alumni entrepreneurs, company founders, subject matter experts and venture partners.

Administered by ���ϲ����� Libraries and located in Bird Library, the LaunchPad hosts classes, speaking events and workshops and offers a mentoring program. In addition, LaunchPad hosts each year.

Winning Startups

Three businesses developed by graduate students recently claimed the top prizes in the ’Cuse Tank competition, one of the University’s premier business plan competitions. Here, the winners offer advice for other graduate-level students who have an entrepreneurial spirit.

Natasha Brao

developed , inspired by the Mediterranean dish Shakshuka. The MBA student says she plans to run the business full time after she graduates this spring. Brao recently began production runs and is forming relationships with small local retailers. She will expand the business by hiring staff and ramping up marketing and sales and hopes it will soon be investor ready.

“Creating a food product and brand has been something I have dreamed of doing since I was a kid, and now I owe it to myself to give it all I’ve got,” she says. She encourages others to pursue their startups while still in school. “If you have an idea you want to explore or that is ready and has a place in the market, this is the best time for that. Starting a business while being in grad school has made me more passionate and driven me to absorb as much as I can from my classes. They provide invaluable tools to learn as I go and I can immediately apply those lessons to the real world.”

Waqar Hussain

founded , a cloud-hosting platform engineered with proprietary software that offers streamlined cloud server management solutions. He is on track to earn an MBA with a concentration in entrepreneurship and marketing next year. Now, he’ll use his ’Cuse Tank prize to fund product development, improved technology, automation, marketing and the infrastructure and operations teams, he says. He encourages graduate students to take on startup ventures.

“[The experience] allows grad students to start building while they’re studying. These programs help you think more holistically when you’re competing—from writing to pitching to financing. You find there’s a whole world of things you can put into practice to build your real-world skills.”

heads , which uses engineering analysis software to design systems for active space debris removal, on-orbit satellite servicing and in-space manufacturing missions. He is in his final year of the H. John Riley dual engineering/MBA program.

Marin’s interest in creating a space company began in high school after a military representative at a science fair thought his passion could become something more. He credits a first-year entrepreneurship course with helping him better understand how to solve problems and seek opportunities. “Explore the connection between your passion and problem-solving while there’s time for it,” he suggests. “If you find something worth doing, do it.” He says he will enter his company in additional competitions this semester, then look for longer-term sources of funding.

Additional Resources

Students can also find entrepreneurship opportunities in their home school or college.

: The (New Explorations in Information and Science) Lab is a research lab where student innovators initiate IT projects, work with peers and explore emerging technologies. Students work on independent projects that advance the fields of information science, engineering and technology. The school also hosts workshops and hackathons.

: The  provides information about patents, trademarks and copyrights. Student entrepreneurs can meet with law student experts regarding questions on intellectual property, regulatory compliance and commercialization resources as well as the technical, legal and business aspects of bringing new technologies to market. The center also hires graduate students from a wide range of disciplines to assess and analyze proposals submitted by real-world clients.

: The is an entrepreneurial workspace that partners with new media startups and offers tailored services to help students’ companies grow and succeed. The coordinates co-op internships that allow students to work with some of the world’s fastest-growing media startups.

: The graduate degree program in offers specialized tracks in four areas: new venture, social, corporate and family entrepreneurship. The school presents several competitions each year, including , the and . Whitman is also home to the , a student-centered co-working space and mentorship program, and the

: Veteran or military-connected students will find many at IVMF. help students get their ideas off the ground. The annual focuses on the opportunities and challenges faced by growth-stage businesses that are actively scaling or ready to scale. is a one-day entrepreneurship training event, offered in cities across the U.S., for veterans, active-duty military and military spouses or life partners who are just beginning to explore the opportunity of small business ownership as a post-service career path.

Prof Quinn Qiao (third from left) with his research team (from left) Hansheng Li, Madan Bahadur Saud, Muhammad Bilal Faheem Sattar, Poojan Indrajeet Kaswekar and Yuchen Zhang

���ϲ����� is a core partner in the , one of 10 inaugural Regional Innovation Engines created by the National Science Foundation (NSF). The program was Monday by U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer, whose CHIPS and Science Act helped create the NSF Engines.

“Up to $160 million is now on its way to supercharge Upstate New York as a booming battery research hub from ���ϲ����� to Binghamton and beyond,” Sen. Schumer says. “Thanks to my CHIPS and Science Law, Upstate New York will be the beating electric heart of federal efforts to help bring battery innovation and manufacturing back from overseas to spark the growth of this critical industry vital to America’s national and economic security. Whether it is Micron’s historic investment in Central New York or cutting-edge innovation in battery development, my CHIPS and Science Law has been the catalyst to supercharge a transformation in Upstate New York’s economy. Batteries are the building block for the next generation of technology—from cell phones to electric vehicles—and this esteemed award from the National Science Foundation shows that America’s top scientific minds believe Upstate New York universities and workforce are best-in-class for the scientific discovery and innovation to ensure this industry grows in America.”

Led by Binghamton University and its New Energy New York coalition, the Upstate New York Energy Storage Engine will bring $15 million in federal funding over two years and up to $160 million over 10 years to support research and development in battery and energy storage technologies.

The goal, according to NSF, is to establish a “tech-based, industry-driven hub for new battery componentry, safety testing and certification, pilot manufacturing, applications integration, workforce development and energy storage, including through material sourcing and recovery.” It builds on the region’s historical strengths in battery innovation and manufacturing.

“���ϲ����� looks forward to collaborating with New Energy New York to further world-renowned research and development, address next-generation energy storage challenges and inspire the future innovators of this critical industry,” says Vice President for Research .

At ���ϲ�����, the program lead is , professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering in the (ECS) and an expert in solid-state batteries. Qiao is the ���ϲ����� site director for the Center of Solid-State Electric Power Storage, an NSF Industry-University Cooperative Research Center.

“The transportation sector produces the largest share of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States. Battery is a key component in electric vehicles, which will significantly reduce the amount of carbon emissions,” Qiao says. “NSF Engines funding will address the entire battery technology value chain and facilitate new battery technologies for a green world by working on the three key areas including use-inspired battery research and development, technology translation and workforce development.”

Professor Quinn Qiao works with his graduate students on testing new solid-state batteries.

Qiao will conduct use-inspired battery research and development and training activities, work with industry partners and collaborate with local economic development agencies and government. Leveraging the work of the Center of Solid-State Electric Power Storage, he will also work with faculty, graduate students and existing entrepreneurship programs for technology transfer and commercialization. Additionally, he will organize workshops and other training opportunities for students from primary to graduate school as well as local industry employees.

“The College of Engineering and Computer Science is dedicated to research that tackles the grand challenges facing our planet today: research that improves the human condition,” says ECS Dean . “The NSF Engines award speaks to the heart of our college’s mission by promoting the development of cleaner, safer and more affordable energy sources. This prestigious award will serve as a vital cornerstone as our college embarks on its 50% growth trajectory in the next five years.”

In addition to Binghamton and ���ϲ�����, core partners include Rochester Institute of Technology, Cornell University, New York Battery and Energy Storage Technology Consortium, Launch NY and Charge CCCV.

“I want to work in local government,” says Cole, who earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from St. Bonaventure University in 2023. “I think that local government is where you see the impact of what you do.”

Nate Cole

While taking courses such as State and Local Financial Management at Maxwell, the Livonia, New York, native is gaining practical experience in local government through a fellowship that honors a Maxwell M.P.A. alumnus who devoted himself to public service.

As the recipient of Livingston County’s Dominic F. Mazza County Management Fellowship, Cole has a front-row seat to the inner workings of county government and, just a few months in, has had opportunities to work on critical issues like housing.

“We’re trying to find ways to attract developers,” he explains of the county of roughly 62,000. He says affordable and available housing is a big need in the largely rural county located about 100 miles southwest of ���ϲ�����.

The fellowship’s namesake, Mazza, is retired and resides in Albany. Three years after earning his Maxwell School M.P.A. in 1985, he became Livingston County’s first administrator, serving until 2009. He is credited with professionalizing the budget process, overseeing the modernization of the county’s facilities and centralizing services, among numerous other accomplishments. In addition, he is the former president of the New York State City/County Management Association (NYSCMA) and has taught ethics and budget training programs for the New York State Association of Counties for many years.

“It is an honor to be in this program” says Cole. “The fellowship has provided unique opportunities that I wouldn’t be able to get in school. One of these that stands out to me is attending the strategic planning meeting with the board of supervisors. In that meeting, I was able to see how the county government makes decisions about its plans. That strategic planning is what really drives what the county’s goals are for the future.”

Also beneficial: mentorship from Livingston County Administrator Ian Coyle. “He has shown me what it takes to be a county administrator,” says Cole. “I’ve learned about his philosophy of what is important in local government.”

Cole is the fourth recipient of the fellowship.

“Fellowships and formal internship programs are a great way to introduce people like Nate to career path possibilities in the field of local government management,” says Coyle. “In this fellowship, he has the opportunity to work directly with me as county administrator and has participated in strategic planning work sessions, shared services panel discussions and economic development department meetings.”

Cole’s interest in local government began in high school and grew during his undergraduate studies. He interned with former New York Congressman Chris Jacobs and gained experience working with Empire State Development’s Rochester office.

At Maxwell, Cole has gained experiences outside the classroom that have furthered his career interest. For instance, he was among a group of students who were sponsored to attend the International City/County Management Association (ICMA) annual conference in Austin, Texas, this past fall. Comprised of those appointed to local government roles, the ICMA has long included a strong network of Maxwell alumni, many of whom studied public administration.

“I was able to meet and talk with a lot of local government professionals and Maxwell alumni,” says Cole of the experience.

He has also attended numerous panels and events that he says have provided valuable insights, starting with the M.P.A. colloquium that served as an introduction to the Maxwell School; events included an alumni panel, “What is a public service perspective?” More recently, he took part in Maxwell’s Local Government Day, organized to inspire students and forge connections with alumni and friends.

When considering graduate schools, Cole says he looked at several options offering M.P.A. programs. But, he says, “Maxwell was the obvious and first choice. It has been great.”

This story was written by Steve Buchiere.

While the is an accelerated immersive experience—two placements in the fall semester, lasting six to seven weeks each—former students say their time putting inclusive teaching theory into practice allows them to see themselves transforming into a teacher.

Elena Perez ’24 teaches a fifth grade class at PS 212, Midtown West in Manhattan.

“Bridge to the City is a great opportunity for our students to really find their teacher voice,” says G’01, G’07, G’08, professor of inclusive special education and disability studies and director of the , who is completing research on student experiences in the program.

Selling Point

Ashby, who was a graduate student in the School of Education when Bridge to the City launched in 2003, has taught students in the program over the last decade and has witnessed its growth. “This opportunity to student-teach in New York City is really unusual amongst our peer institutions,” she says. “It’s become a real selling point for the school.”

Thanks to its two-decades-long commitment to providing an inclusive education placement experience through guided mentorship, the program of the University’s study away offerings in New York City.

It also has transformed the lives and careers of generations of educators. “We have this genealogy of students that have graduated from our program, gone down to New York City, and stayed,” Ashby says.

Ashby’s research on student experiences from the program is aided by Emilee Baker, an SOE doctoral candidate. The pair spent a year and a half interviewing alumni of the program for a forthcoming paper. Respondents all noted significant personal and professional growth.

Drew Yakawiak ’03 was among the first cohort of Bridge to the City student-teachers in 2003.

“The next section of the research will go deeper into the alumni network of Bridge to the City,” Baker says. It will examine teacher retention rates, asking “Does Bridge to the City equate that you’re going to be more successful as a teacher long term?”

Something New

“A Bridge to The City” was the title of a program development proposal put forward by Professor Emeritus Gerald Mager, who taught courses on inclusive classrooms. Receiving a 2001 gave Mager three years of funding to support his idea. The proposal called for development of a two-way partnership between the University and New York City schools to provide SOE students a semester of guided student teaching in an urban setting.

In the late 1990s, Mager played a pivotal role in developing an , a groundbreaking approach for general education classrooms where students with and without learning differences learn together. This experience prompted him to extend this model to New York City, a place in need of qualified inclusive educators. “Although they have many teacher preparation programs in New York City, none were overly inclusive at that time,” Mager says. “This was going to be something a little bit new for city public schools.”

“My proposal was to build out connections and launch the program based on my background and my commitment to teacher preparation,” Mager says. He spent the first year establishing partnerships; the second year connecting SU faculty to schools and staff in New York City, as well as bringing administrators from city schools to SU. By the third year, the first group of SU students was exploring inclusive teaching practices in schools across the metropolis.

The Meredith Professorship and Mager’s efforts set the stage to develop a network of support to grow both the program and cultivate a pool of future educators. That network remains to this day. “If I hadn’t had that Meredith project,” he says, “it just wouldn’t have happened because there were no resources for it.”

The initial proposal gained momentum with support from Professor Corinne Roth Smith, who served as SOE interim dean from 2000 to 2002. Having leadership and other faculty behind the initiative, Mager says, led to backing from University administration, which propelled the program forward.

Mager says his vision for the project was never for it to be under his direction, but for it to become an established and supported offering for SOE students and partner schools: “If it was my project only, it wasn’t going to be any good. It could only work and be sustained if other people began to be involved in it and to own it.”

Support Network

Bridge to the City students from left, Elena Perez, Sadie Ikeda, Amanda Feliz and Ni “Katherine” Chen enjoy some down time at a game at Yankee Stadium in September 2023.

Bridge to the City students teach full time—with mentored guidance from professors and seasoned teachers—honing skills in both general and special education. Additionally, they participate in seminars reflecting the work they are doing in the field.

“Faculty both teach and supervise,” Ashby says. “Thus, students get the freedom and independence of experiencing teaching in a new city, but with the safety net of their school colleagues and their faculty supporting them.”

One participant from the 2003 pilot class, Sarah Stumpf ’00, G’03, says the program solidified her commitment to teaching and shaped her understanding of the broader role educators play in students’ lives.

“It was an amazing experience,” says Stumpf, who remembers she was one of six students participating that fall. The program starts the day after Labor Day, launching with a session on professional development, and then wraps up around Thanksgiving. Students live in the city with their peers, helping to establish a dedicated support network.

“As a cohort, we made sure we ate together at least once a week,” she says. “My roommate and I would proofread each other’s lesson plans. We really made sure that we kept an eye on one another. We made sure everyone was safe, eating and being supported—not just by Professor Mager but by one another.”

Stumpf’s journey is emblematic of the program’s broader goals, to instill a sense of responsibility as well as a commitment to inclusion and social justice in future educators.

Intentionally Diverse

New York City is a unique microcosm of education, doctoral candidate Emilee Baker explains, not only in its diversity of students but also because so many different school networks are operating.

“The schools we place our students in are not random,” Ashby says. “These are schools that are intentionally diverse.” This deliberate choice, she says, exposes students to various models of instruction and ensures that they learn to navigate the reality of inclusive education in action.

The program’s success is not only measured by the impact on students but also by its contribution to equity and justice in the broader educational landscape.

“I think what really surprised me during Bridge to the City were the number of children who really relied on us to be a secondary parent figure,” Stumpf says. “There were quite a few days where teaching was secondary. Making sure that my students were fed, bathed, had clean clothing or they had things to write with came first.”

“Critical reflection is part of what we do,” says Tom Bull, assistant teaching professor and director of field relations for the program. “We have students reflect on what they’ve learned and experienced, and it is pretty consistent in terms of theme.”

In his near decade leading the program, Bull says he has watched students arrive anxious about leading a class and navigating a new city, but in the end the growth they achieve consistently exceeds expectation. “The program provides a scaffolded, progressive structure,” something that Bull says is one of its greatest strengths, setting up students for success.

As Bridge to the City celebrates its 20th anniversary, the program’s ability to evolve, adapt and consistently produce educators equipped to navigate the complex landscape of urban education speaks volumes about its significance.

And as the program looks toward the future, there is a collective hope that it will continue to shape educators for years to come. “I’m thrilled it’s been going for 20 years,” Ashby says. “I hope it’s going for 20 more.”

Learn more about the or contact Professor .

Story by Ashley Kang ’04, G’11 (a proud alumna of the M.S. in higher education program)

Students from Newhouse assistant professor J. Christopher Hamilton’s television, radio and film capstone course, meet virtually with senior executives from Lionsgate Motion Picture Group. (Photo by Lena Osso)

A new immersive learning opportunity lets students pitch ideas about actors, directors and producers to senior executives in the Lionsgate Motion Picture Group. The executives are also getting feedback on their scripts through virtual conversations with the students. This learning experience is all part of a capstone course this fall for TRF students interested in careers as executives in media, entertainment or the arts.

The collaboration is spearheaded by Erin Westerman ’04, president of production of the Lionsgate Motion Picture Group, and , a TRF assistant professor. Conversations about the idea started when Westerman returned to her alma mater in May to at the Newhouse Convocation Ceremony for the 2023 graduating class.

“We wanted to offer ���ϲ����� students real feedback to projects they are developing and workshopping,” Westerman said. “Access can lead to opportunity and this class offered real insight from executives who are working in the business.”

Erin Westerman (left) and J. Christopher Hamilton during Newhouse’s 2023 graduation weekend in May. (Photo by Lynn Vanderhoek)

It’s the latest example of experiential learning opportunities that Newhouse has developed for ���ϲ����� students in the TRF executive track. Other experiences this semester included a class trip to the Toronto Film Festival to screen movies, learn from industry veterans and network with filmmakers, as well as Newhouse visits from Robert Halmi ’79, founder and chairman of Great Point Studios, and Joseph Cohen, president of American Entertainment Investors and author of “Investing in Movies: Strategies for Investors and Producers.”

Lionsgate Motion Picture executives Brady Fujikawa and Chelsea Kujawa, as well as department coordinator Alex Tannebaum, have also been instrumental in implementing the studio’s collaboration for the TRF executive track course.

“All of these experiences culminate with students interacting with Lionsgate executives to pitch scripts they have in active development,” Hamilton said.

“Students must identify the actors, directors and producers that they think would be the most compelling talent choices to transform their project or literary property into a greenlighted success story and present a compelling business and creative analysis for their project,” he added.

While pitching to studio executives might sound intimidating, senior Samantha Meir said the process was conversational, though preparation was key. The TRF major hopes to draw from the experience as she builds toward a career of working at a talent agency to represent television writers.

A new immersive learning opportunity this fall lets television, radio and film (TRF) program students pitch ideas about actors, directors and producers to senior executives in the Lionsgate Motion Picture Group. (Photo by Lena Osso)

“The partnership has been really helpful for us to get a more present view (of the entertainment field) from current executives,” Meir said. “They’ve been able to give us a lot of valuable insight on where the industry is going.”

Mia Rodriguez, a TRF senior minoring in theater, said she appreciated the feedback that students received about realistically making cast pitches according to budget. The Lionsgate interaction, coupled with the trip to Toronto, also helped students focus on the business side of the industry and practice their networking skills, which will be important to hone as they enter the entertainment field.

“It was really nice to be able to take this kind of class, especially as someone who wants to enter the business side of the industry,” she said.  Rodriguez, who wants to go into the music industry, is thinking about specializing in copyright law.

This learning experience helps students focus on the business side of the industry and practice their networking skills, which will be important to hone as they enter the entertainment field. (Photo by Lena Osso)

The foray into motion picture development with a major Hollywood studio comes on the heels of Newhouse offering students another immersive opportunity in the field of talent representation. launched a robust partnership for Hamilton’s artist representation training course in 2022, which includes in-person instruction from the company’s agents.

Students spent a day at UTA’s New York City headquarters in the Fall 2023 semester, learning from seasoned agents and executives representing clients in music, television and broadcast news. The students also spent part of the day pitching the agency on talent they’ve tracked and who they believe the company should represent, in addition to networking with Newhouse alums working at UTA.

In 2022, Newhouse also launched a partnership with Halmi’s Great Point Studios to offer internships for TRF students enrolled in the program. Lionsgate has also partnered with Great Point Studios on three production facilities in cities including Yonkers, Atlanta and Newark.

Faculty, staff and students gather to discuss their collaborative work at an Engaged Communities cohort meeting.

Sports teams that succeed are those that feature athletes who work well together and bring different skills to the field. Humanities scholarship is no different. When College of Arts and Sciences (A&S) Dean’s Professor of Community Engagement  founded the  (EHN) in 2020, one of the guiding principles was to seed, support and foster collaborations among publicly engaged researchers so they could address a range of pressing issues and amplify a diverse range of voices. As ���ϲ����� moves forward with a new focusing on experiential inquiry and engaged citizenship as two of its pillars, the work of EHN aligns closely with the mission and goals of the University.

To build on the community-engaged work already happening across the University, city and region, Nordquist and his team established the Engaged Communities (EC) initiative in 2021. This program provides faculty, students, staff and community partners with support for publicly engaged research, programming and creative work. Inspired in part by a desire among faculty, staff and students to collaborate with communities beyond the University, the program provides project teams with seed money for their work over the next academic year. Nordquist says critical to the prolonged success of this effort is forming collaborations among project leaders that enhance the scope and reach of their work.

“While many of us are deeply invested in improving the well-being of our communities, there are few structures that bring us together to share resources, collectively problem solve, align efforts, and better understand and invest in each other’s work,” says Nordquist. “Engaged Communities is designed to draw more people into a network of mutual support to improve the efficacy and sustainability of community-engaged research, creative work and programming.”

Brice Nordquist

With funding from A&S, the Academic Affairs’ Office of Strategic Initiatives and external grants awarded to EHN, a record 11 publicly engaged projects received mini-grants through the Engaged Communities initiative, an increase from last year’s cohort of six, and five the year prior. Project leaders come from four different schools and colleges and from 17 different departments and units, making this a truly interdisciplinary effort.

Over the course of the year, the 11 teams will convene regularly in the Tolley Humanities Building on campus to workshop project ideas, exchange resources, work through challenges, collectively advocate and collaborate across projects and communities. Members of previous years’ EC cohorts will also participate in those meetings so that their projects continue to grow along with this expanding network, notes Nordquist.

One example demonstrating the benefits of this collaborative structure is a partnership between Write Out and the Natural Science Explorers Program, two projects that received mini-grants in �����Ի���, respectively. Write Out is a youth storytelling initiative run by students and faculty in the Department of English’s creative writing program and NSEP is a science exploration program for children at the North Side Learning Center organized by students and faculty from the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences and the Department of Biology. Together, they have held joint creative writing and science workshops at the Museum of Science and Technology (MOST) and the North Side Learning Center–a testament to EHN’s mission of fostering collaboration between faculty, students and communities.

2023-24 Engaged Communities Mini-Grant Recipients

• The Body Project

• Creative Art Lab: Cradle to Cradle Open Art Studio, Exhibition & Story Space

• Exploring the Intersection of Math Education and Geography through Youth-Centered Community-Engaged Research on Environmental Justice

• Family Pictures ���ϲ�����

• Fermenting Stories: Exploring Ancestry, Embodiment and Place

• Imagined Identity / Identidad Imaginada

• Not in a Book: Haudenosaunee Elders Series

• Onondaga Community Trauma Task Force’s Community Healing Series
• Onondaga Language Project
• ���ϲ����� Research in Physics (SURPh)
• Unearthing Black Girl Literacies ‘In Place’

Visit the College of Arts and Sciences website to learn more about the .

Rayan Mohamed

The program aims to elevate photography and digital media as pathways for undergraduate students to pursue their careers and make a difference in their communities. Fellows receive a $2,000 tuition scholarship as well as mentorship for a community project. Mohamed plans to make an ethnographic film focusing on the mental health of first-generation refugee youth.

Mohamed was born in Somalia and spent several years in an Ethiopian refugee camp before moving to ���ϲ����� as a grade-schooler in 2014. “I always wanted to start a discussion about the mental health of refugees,” she says. “This project is important to me because the topic of mental health in some cultures is found to be taboo, shame and embarrassing.”

The project will entail a series of interviews, workshops and creative art making, according to Mohamed. Participants will be asked questions such as, “What does it mean to be a first-generation refugee?” and “How do you heal from trauma?”

“I would love to give total control of creativity to these students and how they want to tell their stories to the world,” Mohamed says.

Before arriving on campus, Mohamed attended ���ϲ����� City Schools and, as a junior at Henninger High School, , a storytelling and leadership initiative that provides resettled refugee youth in ���ϲ����� with the tools and resources to share their histories and experiences through artistic expression.

The consortium brings together people from a range of disciplines and industries “to imagine, study and enact a more just and liberatory ‘America’ and world.” ���ϲ����� is a member institution.

In addition to working on her project, Mohamed will attend Imagining America’s —held this year in Providence, Rhode Island—and participate in regular, virtual learning exchanges. She will also benefit from connection to the consortium’s national network of scholars, artists and community organizers.

Joel Kaplan welcomes graduate students on the first day of boot camp (Photo by Molly Irland)

The biggest misconception about boot camp is that the rigor and intensity are meant to discourage students, says , associate dean of . “We’re not trying to wash anyone out like they would in the military,” says Kaplan. “We’re really trying to imbue them with those skills that they’re going to need for the rest of their program.”

The typical boot camp structure consists of six weeks of classes, Monday through Friday, from about 9 a.m.-5 p.m., with the schedule fluctuating depending on the program. Some cohorts might have a night class or classes Monday through Thursday, with Friday reserved as a time to shoot, write, report or complete a project. “Almost every day, I was exposed to new knowledge,” says Jiaqi Jin, an master’s student. “It was a fascinating experience to feel my brain racing and thinking, understanding more about the media industry and thinking about the possibilities unseen before.”

Boot camp was the brainchild of the late Nancy Weatherly Sharp, a professor emerita of newspaper journalism and the school’s first assistant dean for graduate and professional studies. Observing the beautiful but empty ���ϲ����� summers, she had the idea to bring graduate students in when faculty could have their complete attention and the campus is quiet, Kaplan says.

Graduate students introduce themselves on the first day of boot camp. (Photo by Karen Z Velardi)

The Newhouse School’s graduate programs draw students from different universities with myriad skill sets and educational backgrounds, so the main purpose of boot camp is leveling the academic playing field and preparing students for the year to come. “This is the evening out process, right? We’re going to assume that you don’t really know anything, even though some of you do and those who do will be in good shape at the beginning,” Kaplan said. “But we have this intense six weeks in their topic areas so that when [the students] come out, they’re all pretty much on the same level,” he added. “So now we can go into the heavier academic courses in the fall and the spring and no one’s saying ‘I’ve never done that before.’ It’s a building block.”

Every cohort takes different classes tailored to their program.  students might take news writing and data reporting while  students take a production class and the history of television with Professor  the director of the .

Students work while enjoying ice cream outside Newhouse 3. (Photo by Molly Irland)

Boot camp provided  student Gloria Rivera inspiration for the fall semester. “I think it could be a wonderful time to be a journalist, but also challenging,” says Rivera. “I’m hoping to be in an environment that pushes and encourages me to think critically about the type of writer I want to be.”

Even with the academic rigor, Kaplan and his graduate program colleagues make sure there’s time for fun and bonding amongst the students, allowing them to make the types of connections that can help them support each other during the academic year.

James Roberts, a master’s student in the , said the best thing about boot camp was meeting his cohort. “We became great friends very quickly and got even closer throughout the course of the summer,” says Roberts. “We explored the city together and got to know the campus very well.”

The overall boot camp goal: developing poised graduate students who have grown comfortable at Newhouse, looking forward to the upcoming year.

What does Kaplan want future students to know? “There’s a huge support system here to not only make sure you learn a lot, but that you actually have a good time,” says Kaplan.

Surviving the end of an academic year can be a challenging exercise for students. With their final assignments and exams completed, no one would blame these students for wanting to recharge their batteries and take a long, relaxing summer vacation.

But for many, once the rigors of the academic year have been completed, a new challenge takes its place during the summer: landing a competitive and impactful internship that can put them on the path to a fulfilling career once they graduate.

Three current students—Tianyi Zheng ’25, Bakary Darboe ’25 and Gift Onyenkwere ’25—discussed how their summer internships will set them up for lifelong career success, the valuable lessons they learned on the job and how they feel energized to pursue their professional goals after their internships.

Tianyi Zheng ’25, Bakary Darboe ’25 and Gift Onyenkwere ’25 participated in summer internships that each one of them feels will set them up for lifelong career success.

Tianyi Zheng ’25

Tianyi Zheng ’25

Zheng is a senior in the who plans on becoming both an independent architect and a farmer when she graduates. For her internship, Zheng traveled to Fukushima, Japan, which in 2011 experienced a 9.0-magnitude earthquake, the most powerful earthquake ever recorded in the country.

Zheng says a community of scientists, architects and artists formed in the village following the Fukushima nuclear disaster. Zheng’s internship—which was fully funded thanks to the Office of Central Career Services and its —served as the perfect compliment to the architectural theories and ideas she’s been studying at ���ϲ�����.

“I transitioned from being a student to a member of society, as various real-world factors were presented, such as finances, materials and structure. These factors imbue the designer with a greater sense of vitality and uncertainty. In school, I envision society through books and lectures, while in the real world, the richness of reality helps me construct a new intellectual realm. The combination of university studies and this internship nurtures my ideals through the intertwining of theory and practice,” Zheng says.

Company: Korogaro Association, an architecture office established by architect Kengo Sato in the Otama Village in Fukushima, Japan. Korogaro coexists with the landscape and the community, drawing inspiration from the land, the farmers and daily life. Its projects range from artworks to public buildings.

How will this internship help you achieve your career goals? “Architects can come in a variety of forms. There are architects who focus on urban scales in cities or who are involved in rural development in the countryside … My questions are: What kind of architect do I want to be? How can I become like that? These two questions became clearer after the internship in Japan.”

Most important lessons learned: “Learning advice and skills from others has served as inspirational guides for my future. The person who has influenced me the most is my boss, Kengo Sato. His architectural practice, rural lifestyle and personal charisma as a leader have shown me another dimension of what an architect can be. At the same time, being able to participate in every process of each project has shown me the direction and steps needed to become an independent architect.”

Bakary Darboe ’25

Bakary Darboe ’25

Darboe is on the pre-law track as a in the . Upon graduation, Darboe plans to earn a law degree. His career ambitions include becoming a lawyer, an entrepreneur, an international businessman, a real estate investor and a philanthropist.

“The more of an asset you can prove to be, the more likely those positive impacts will come back full circle. What can I do to help should always linger in your mind when meeting people instead of, ‘What can this person do for me?’” Darboe says when asked about the most important lesson he learned from his internship.

Company: Vornado Realty Trust, a publicly traded real estate investment trust that owns and manages Class A commercial properties across North America.

Responsibilities: Routing invoices to the assistant property manager for approval to process payment to various vendors; learning about the company’s leases, contracts and the different languages, amendments and clauses contained in various documents.

Other important lessons learned: “The importance of relationships—that relationships should be a two-way street—and to be personable, always willing to learn. So long as you are willing to be a sponge and have that drive and tenacity, there are no shortage of individuals who are eager to teach you. I will apply such an attitude whenever I embark on a new venture.”

Favorite part of the internship: “During my 10 weeks with Vornado, they hosted weekly lunches for the interns with executives, and we heard about various individuals’ paths and their journeys to success. It was reinvigorating to learn there’s no set path or formula to succeeding. I never got the sense that these folks were doing these lunch and learns to get something in return. They took time out of their busy lives to give us guidance and wisdom on how to better thrive in real property. I, too, intend to give back to those who come after me.”

Gift Onyenkwere ’25

Gift Onyenkwere ’25

Onyenkwere is a junior majoring in supply chain management, retail management and marketing management in the . Once Onyenkwere graduates, she plans to work as a supply chain manager, specializing in areas related to inventory control and logistics. Onyenkwere is interested in becoming an area manager in the retail sector, overseeing multiple locations while contributing to efficient operations, and she aspires to become a marketing analyst, relying on data-driven insights to create effective marketing strategies that drive business growth.

“As part of my internship, I spearheaded the implementation of a comprehensive training program for a team of over 100 employees. This initiative resulted in a significant improvement in customer service scores, as validated by customer feedback surveys. Additionally, I successfully developed and executed promotional events that substantially increased foot traffic to the store, leading to a considerable boost in sales,” Onyenkwere says of how she made an impact on the store through her internship.

Company: UNIQLO USA, a prominent retail organization known for its innovative approach to fashion and a commitment to delivering high-quality apparel to customers.

Responsibilities: “As a store management intern, I contributed to the day-to-day operations of a UNIQLO store in Orlando, Florida. I had hands-on experience in tasks such as inventory management, stock replenishment, customer service and contributing to the overall store presentation. This practical experience not only broadened my skill set but also deepened my appreciation for the critical role that effective store management plays in creating a positive customer experience.”

Most important lessons learned: “I gained a comprehensive understanding of the collaborative efforts required to maintain the brand’s reputation for quality and innovation. I learned how each team member—from sales associates to managers—plays a vital role in delivering exceptional service and upholding the brand’s values. I received valuable hands-on experience, participated in team collaboration and learned about the customer-centric approach to retail, and the importance of time management, adaptability, attention to detail and problem-solving.”

Most valuable piece of advice: “Embrace learning and be proactive. Don’t be afraid to take the initiative to learn beyond your assigned tasks. Seek opportunities to gain exposure to different aspects of the company or your industry. Ask questions, engage with professionals and demonstrate your eagerness to contribute.”

Tyger Munn, a Newhouse broadcast and digital journalism graduate student, stands in front of a green screen to be filmed for a video to introduce the Infodemic project. (Photo by Collin Bell)

“” includes more than 30 stories packaged with photos, videos, illustrations, audio, data visualizations and other interactive media. The wide-ranging report was released May 1 on , a multimedia news site for ���ϲ����� University to teach practical and digital skills needed for the media industry, in conjunction with and newspaper.

The project, which involved more than 100 student journalists, investigated the sources and effects of disinformation that have undermined trust in communities and democracy overall, and explored ways to combat disinformation. About a dozen Newhouse faculty and staff members advised the student editors and contributors who worked on stories during the 2022-23 academic year.

“Infodemic” drew inspiration from work connected to a led by , an assistant professor of magazine, news and digital journalism, and Shelvia Dancy, a former Newhouse professor of practice now teaching broadcast and digital journalism at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

That project, “Combatting Disinformation in Communities of Color,” has been developing and testing on ���ϲ�����’s South Side,