���ϲ����� ranks No. 3 in Best for Veterans for Online Bachelor’s Programs of private universities for three consecutive years, according to U.S. News and World Report’s 2025 Best Online Programs rankings.

���ϲ����� additionally ranked No. 7 for Best Online Bachelor’s Programs of private universities, and the AACSB-accredited , a partnership between the College of Professional Studies and the Whitman School of Management, ranked No. 1 in Best Online Bachelor’s in Business Programs of private universities.

“The rankings are a testament to the excellence of the College of Professional Studies staff and faculty—of consistently and without fail delivering online programs of exceedingly high quality with a differentiated level of student support,” says Michael Frasciello, dean of the College of Professional Studies. “Our third consecutive year ranked No. 3 for Best Online Bachelor’s Programs for Veterans of private universities similarly demonstrates our unwavering commitment to establishing ���ϲ����� as an unrivaled ‘best place’ for veterans and military-connected students.”

These rankings are attributed to the University’s innovative degree and certificate programs developed for online learning by best-in-class faculty and instructional design and course development teams.

The College of Professional Studies is raising the bar for what it means to be an online learner by prioritizing student success through high-touch admissions, advising and financial aid counseling. Students gain the prestige and rigor of earning a degree from a top-tier R1 research institution with flexible, part-time online programs taught by University faculty.

To learn more about continuing online education, visit .

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.

The Lender Global program was launched last year to offer students innovative research opportunities to examine social justice issues from a global perspective. The first cohort is studying environmental issues at the ���ϲ����� Abroad center in London now. In Santiago, student fellows will study the impact and consequences of the Augusto Pinochet dictatorship in Chile, which lasted from 1973 to 1990, during which more than 3,000 people died or disappeared, 200,000 suffered exile and 27,000 were tortured.

Three student fellowships will be awarded to students who plan to during the 2025-26 academic year. All students who have been accepted to study there via the OrangeAbroad portal will be invited to express interest in the fellowship project.

Information Session

An online information session about the program is scheduled Thursday, Jan. 30, from 12:30 to 1:15 p.m. ET, with Mauricio Paredes, Santiago Center director. Students. interested in studying Spanish, human rights, engineering and/or collective memory in Santiago can register for the session .

for Fall 2025 semester ���ϲ����� Abroad programs are currently open and have a deadline of March 15. Applications for Spring 2026 abroad programs open on May 15.

Redress, Prevention

Student fellows will take courses about that period in Chilean history and will also work on a hands-on project at a memorial museum. They will also get involved with community members, share their new findings, enhance how victims are remembered and gain an understanding of how commemorative education can help redress and prevent human rights abuses.

Mauricio Paredes

The initiative will be led by Director , an expert on Chilean internment camps, nationalism and U.S. involvement in Chilean politics who teaches courses about human rights, political memory and Latin American dictatorships. He will teach the course, “Dictatorships, Human Rights and Historical Memory in Chile and the Southern Cone” and lead examinations of how the country has rebuilt art, culture and institutions since 1990. ��Paredes will also guide student fellows in enhancing a current display of victims of that time at Santiago’s (Museum of Memory and Human Rights). The museum documents the human rights violations committed by the State of Chile between 1973 and 1990 and provides those .

Parades’ viewpoint on the topic is unique. He is not only a scholar of the Pinochet dictatorship and the outcomes of that era, but was also a political prisoner of that government, so understands firsthand the impacts of political violence and the importance of social justice.

“One of the most important aspects of this project is its potential to demonstrate that abolishing democracy and installing terror as a means of accomplishing political goals will affect not only one’s political enemies but can also put everyone’s safety and integrity at risk,” Paredes says. “[This project] can serve as a reminder that once terror is unleashed, nobody is safe.”

Students chosen for Lender Global’s Santiago 2025-26 fellowship will conduct exhibit work at the Museum of Memory and Human Rights. (Photo courtesy Museum of Memory and Human Rights)

Specialized Interests

Due to its unique nature, students who have specialized capabilities and interests that align with the project are encouraged to apply.

They include:

• A Spanish-speaking fellow to conduct an archival project exploring motivations for collateral killings and work with local collections and organizations to understand what happened to victims of the dictatorship (Fall 2025)
• An engineering fellow to work with a local technician to enhance a lighting system for the museum’s exhibit of victims’ photographs (Spring 2026)
• A design-centric fellow to develop materials that will be used to share research findings with broader audiences, comprising an enhanced display at the museum (and for later exhibit on the ���ϲ����� campus) (Spring 2026)

A group of students studying at the ���ϲ����� Santiago Center in 2023 visited the high peaks of Patagonia while there. Center Director Mauricio Paredes, third from left, accompanied them. (Photo courtesy ���ϲ����� Abroad)

, Lender Center director, says the Santiago program’s location and structure provide students a rare opportunity in the field of social justice studies to learn about the victims of political violence and mass death and get involved with the communities that experienced those atrocities. “This is such a powerful project and it brings together many of the key topics the Lender Center has engaged with in the past. It is exactly the kind of global perspective on social justice we seek to foster with the Lender Global partnership,” he says.

For millions around the world, degradation of their land due to factors like climate change, deforestation, overgrazing and unsustainable farming practices have caused harm to both human health and the environment. Desertification, which is when fertile land turns into desert because of natural and human factors, can lead to food and water scarcity, loss of biodiversity and forced migration. In December 2024, the United Nations hosted a conference in Saudi Arabia, bringing together leading environmental experts and policymakers from around the globe to discuss strategies for combating desertification and safeguarding both the environment and human well-being.

Mariaelena Huambachano (second from left) speaking during one of the panel presentations at the UN Desertification Conference High-Level Interactive Dialogue

(Quechua, Peru), an Indigenous scholar and assistant professor in the College of Arts and Sciences, gave three talks during the 11-day United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD). Huambachano is among the faculty in A&S’ . She teaches courses that include Food Fights and Treaty Rights, Indigenous Food Cosmologies and Reclaiming Indigenous Intellectual Sovereignty.

Huambachano’s talks came during the UNCCD’s . An internationally recognized scholar of Indigenous food sovereignty, Huambachano researches and advocates for Indigenous peoples’ rights to control their own food systems. In August 2024, she published “” (University of California Press), based on 10 years of fieldwork with the Quechua of Peru and Māori of New Zealand. The book explores their philosophies on well-being, food sovereignty, traditional ecological knowledge and sustainable food systems.

A&S Professor Mariaelena Huambachano (second from left) was a panelist at the UN Desertification Conference High-Level Interactive Dialogue along with (from left to right) Nichole Barger (University of Colorado), Michael Obersteiner (Oxford University) and Becky Chaplin-Kramer (World Wildlife Fund for Nature).

During the conference, she spoke on the importance of recognizing and integrating Indigenous knowledge into climate change policy development. She also highlighted how Indigenous values foster healthy land, safeguard biodiversity and enhance climate resilience.

“I provided examples drawn from my years of work on the value of integrating Indigenous science in improving sustainable food systems,” Huambachano says. “We have been informed that the policy recommendation we presented has been endorsed by the host country, Saudi Arabia. I am particularly happy to see that Indigenous science, innovation and practices are being recognized internationally.”

This is Huambachano’s fifth distinguished appointment to a United Nations High-Level Panel, showcasing her expertise and commitment to global issues. .

Jackson Capenos

Hailing from Central New York in a small town just north of ���ϲ�����, Jackson grew up immersed in a close-knit community. His early life revolved around family, sports and work. Whether chopping wood or doing landscaping work with his grandfather, or taking part in football, track and the band at his high school, Capenos cultivated a strong work ethic that would guide him through life’s challenges.

“I grew up in Penneville and went to Phoenix High School; it’s one of those towns with a gas station and a few churches, not a lot going on. I just spent a lot of time either working for my grandfather, which was just like landscaping and chopping down trees,” says Capenos. “I did a lot of athletic stuff, played football since I was 5 years old and also did track and field, and even wrestled for a couple of years.”

A Family Legacy of Service

The call to serve came early. Inspired by a family legacy of military service among his two grandfathers and uncle—spanning the Army, Navy and Air Force, Jackson felt compelled to join the Marines, drawn by the camaraderie and the elite reputation. His grandfather, who Capenos credits with helping to raise him, gave him the most persuasive guidance when Capenos was torn between enlisting after high school or going off to college like a lot of other students.

“He told me I had two options. I could go to school for a few years and see how that goes, then by the time I was 27 or so it would be harder to join the military, if at all. Or I could go into the military, do my time, but then go to college afterwards and at least it would be paid for,” Capenos says.

During his time in the Marines, Jackson served as an amphibious assault vehicle crewman, a now-discontinued military occupational specialty, but an experience that taught him a lot about taking care of others and attention to detail.

The amphibious assault vehicle (AAV), or “Amtrack” as it was commonly called, was a lightly armored tracked vehicle that carried infantry Marines from ship to shore on contested beaches. In 2020, eight Marines and a sailor tragically lost their lives during a training incident when their AAV flooded with water, sinking off the coast of California before the service members could escape.

Capenos’ role in the AAV was ensuring the Marines in the back were safe, and that included highly detailed inspections of the AAV before the Marines ever boarded it. Every seal, every hinge, every valve was thoroughly checked to ensure the armored vehicle would keep the crew afloat.

Jackson Capenos

After being medically separated in 2014, Jackson faced the challenge of transitioning to civilian life. He pursued higher education, earning a degree in psychology from SUNY Oswego, with a focus on military and veteran mental health. His academic path underscored his passion for understanding the struggles veterans face during transitions and finding ways to support them.

After graduating, Capenos moved to Colorado Springs, Colorado, for work. With his wife joining him, the pair started to make a new life for themselves and started to settle into the local community. Then COVID hit.

“We were living near Fort Carson, I became a football coach and was an educational assistant for students with developmental disabilities, so I became really ingrained in my community out there,” says Capenos. “Once COVID hit, my wife and I couldn’t afford to live out there anymore, so we were forced to move back to New York. The day we moved back we found out we were pregnant with our son, and I immediately took the next job that I could.”

His journey eventually led him to ���ϲ�����, where he found his calling as a liaison for student veterans navigating their education benefits. “When I was transitioning, I didn’t have much support,” Jackson says. “Now, I get to be that person for others. To help them navigate the process, talk through challenges and connect them with the resources they need.”

Ensuring Veterans Success

Today, Jackson’s role is more than a job—it’s a mission. He ensures veterans feel supported as they navigate the complexities of higher education, their education benefits and life after military service. His own story of resilience and dedication serves as an inspiration to the students he works with.

“There are so many parts with education benefits depending on which program the student is using. When you’re going through that educational process you don’t always know all the details like how the monthly housing allowance works with the G.I. Bill,” says Capenos. “As I’ve been going through my training, I’ve learned that there’s so many things I never knew about. So, I feel like the important thing about my role here at ���ϲ����� is helping to give the student a peace of mind that they’re taken care of.�� Here, the student comes first.”

Capenos, along with the other school certifying officials and administrators working with the , are available to answer questions any student may have about the educational benefits.

In addition to doing presentations for student veterans and keeping them informed about updates to their benefits, the University’s school certifying officials urge military-connected students to seek them out before making any significant changes to their academic plans to ensure they’ll have the coverage they’re expecting.

The fellowship will support three months of field research in 2025 for a multi-year research project, “Civil Society Thrives in the Kafana: Locally Led Development and Grassroots Civic Engagement in Serbia.”

Catherine Herrold

Herrold will explore how Serbian civil society actors understand, implement and measure the effectiveness of initiatives such as sustainable agriculture, cultural festivals and community development programs by grassroots groups and philanthropic entities outside of professional non-governmental organizations.

The project builds on past research and collaborations with scholars at the University of Belgrade and contacts in Serbian civil society and international aid agencies. Herrold intends to produce a book, academic journal articles and policy briefs and hopes to build public engagement through opinion pieces and podcasts as well as course content.

“Professor Herrold’s research can help better explain how to build and maintain a dynamic society through the participation of everyday people at the grassroots,” says , associate dean for research and Merle Goldberg Fabian Professor of Excellence in Citizenship and Critical Thinking. “She epitomizes Maxwell’s commitment to engaging on pressing issues of democracy around the world and bringing those lessons back to campus.”

The Fulbright-Hays Program awards grants to U.S. teachers, administrators, pre-doctoral students and postdoctoral faculty as well as to institutions and organizations for overseas research and training that focus on non-Western foreign languages and area studies. The program is funded by a congressional appropriation to the U.S. Department of Education.

Maxwell School Associate Professor Catherine Herrold will spend three months in Serbia as she continues her research on civil society and grassroots development initiatives.

Herrold received a U.S. State Department Fulbright Scholar award for her 2023 research on citizen-led development initiatives in Serbia as well as the 2023 University of Maryland Do Good Institute and Association for Research on Nonprofit Organizations and Voluntary Action (ARNOVA) Global Philanthropy and Nonprofit Leadership Award.

She spent five years doing similar research in Egypt and Palestine for her book, “Delta Democracy: Pathways to Incremental Civic Revolution in Egypt and Beyond” (Oxford University Press, 2020), which was awarded ARNOVA’s Virginia A. Hodgkinson Research Book Prize.

Herrold is a senior research associate for the Middle Eastern Studies Program and the Program for the Advancement of Research on Conflict and Collaboration and an associate professor by courtesy appointment in the political science department. Her research focuses on global civil society, international development, democracy promotion, nonprofit management, and collaborative and participatory governance.

Story by Michael Kelly

The Whitman School’s “Discover Florence: A Gastronomic and Cultural Odyssey,” runs June 26 to July 4, 2025.

The will host an , “Discover Florence: A Gastronomic and Cultural Odyssey,” during the summer of 2025.��The edu-tourism experience will run from June 26 to July 4, 2025, and is open to interested University students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends of ���ϲ�����.

“The Whitman School has long valued the importance of experiential learning outside the classroom for students, and now we are excited to venture into the area of edu-tourism for faculty, alumni and others in our Orange family, too,” says trip leader ,��Whitman’s professor of supply chain practice and director of executive education.

“Not only will participants learn firsthand about food, wine, art and culture, but they’ll also see some of the business concepts behind them as they meet award-winning chefs and restaurateurs, vineyard owners, government officials and alumni in related fields,” Penfield says. “To round out the trip, travelers will get a firsthand look at the historical significance of one of the world’s most iconic cities.”

This nine-day trip kicks off with a welcome reception that includes insights from faculty based at the , as well as a unique opportunity to hear from , the European Union Parliament minister of food and agriculture and former mayor of Florence who delivered the 2024 Commencement address at ���ϲ�����’s graduation ceremonies.

This event will allow travelers to network and get to know one another, as they prepare for a slate of activities* that includes:

• visits to and vineyards;
• culinary adventures through a hands-on Florentine cooking class;
• Stops at iconic landmarks like the Duomo and the Uffizi Gallery;
• first-hand looks at the work of Renaissance masters like Michelangelo and Ghirlandaio;
• premier dining at two Michelin-star restaurants, and ;
• escapes to ancient olive groves, charming local markets, quaint cafés and more; and
• free time to explore, shop, relax and take in the beauty of Florence.

The cost of the trip includes the above adventures and lodging at the four-star in the heart of Florence. Based on the maximum enrollment of 20 people, the cost is $9,600 for single occupancy and $12,600 for double occupancy. Transportation to and from Florence is not included in the price, allowing travelers to make their own plans from anywhere in the world.

The registration deadline is March 20, 2025, and space is limited so to experience Florence with the Whitman School.

*Itinerary subject to change

Joe Sidoni, associate director of Drumlins food and beverage, carves a turkey as students look on (Photos by Chuck Wainwright)

The University’s International Thanksgiving Celebration marked its 40th anniversary on Nov. 21 in the Schine Student Center’s Goldstein Auditorium. The beloved University tradition is believed to be the only celebration of its kind on a college campus in the United States.

Students David Ojo and Stephanie Hua served as the evening’s emcees

The seed for today’s celebration was planted in 1965 when T.E. Koshy left his home in India and came to ���ϲ����� to pursue a doctoral degree in the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications. With no family in ���ϲ�����, no car and few resources, he found himself homesick, recalls his son, Jay Koshy.

“He was in his room one day, probably feeling a little bit lonely, and came up with an idea. God was speaking in his heart, telling him to reach out to fellow international students and be a blessing,” Koshy says.

T.E. Koshy, who later became the University’s Evangelical Christian chaplain, started serving free meals to international students, a practice that continues to this day through the Evangelical Christian chaplaincy at Hendricks Chapel, which Jay Koshy now leads.

T.E.’s wife, Dr. Indira Koshy, joined him in ministry to the campus community. They decided to start offering a free Thanksgiving meal to international students. “It was a great opportunity to provide a blessing to students, most of who had not experienced an American Thanksgiving meal and who could not go home for the holidays,” says Jay Koshy.

In the early years, the meal was offered in Rockefeller Church in the University’s eastern neighborhood. There, the Koshys and Indira’s mother, Dinah Perry, provided a sense of family and community for international students. In subsequent years, the celebration moved to campus.

Evangelical Christian Chaplain Jay Koshy, back row center, has been to every dinner since its inception and has been a table host for many years. His father, the late T.E. Koshy, began the tradition, Jay’s son, Josh Koshy ’24, stands next to him.

The Nov. 21 celebration was sponsored by the Chancellor’s House and the Center for International Services. Dr. Ruth Chen, professor of practice in the College of Engineering and Computer Science, and Juan Tavares, director of the Center for International Services, serve as co-hosts. Stephanie Hua, an undergraduate student in the Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics and David Ojo, a Ph.D. student in the College of Engineering and Computer Science, served as the evening’s emcees.

This year’s event was attended by more than 600 people. During dinner, table hosts—faculty, staff and community members—engaged attendees in conversation and answered questions about the history and traditions of Thanksgiving. It’s also an opportunity for those attending to learn about different cultures. Jay Koshy, who has attended every celebration since its inception, offered the invocation and served as a table host. His son, Josh Koshy ’24, also attended.

Regina Jones and Neal Powless delivered the Native Thanksgiving Address

The Native American blessing was given by Regina Jones, member of the Oneida Nation Turtle Clan and retired assistant director of the University’s Native Student Program, and Neal Powless, member of the Onondaga Nation Eel Clan and University ombuds.

Food Services prepared and served traditional Thanksgiving fare: 600 pounds of turkey, 15 gallons of gravy, 250 pounds of mashed potatoes, 200 pounds of corn and 135 pies. Kosher and Halal turkey and vegetarian options were also served. Vendors from the greater ���ϲ����� area donated the food, linens and table decorations.

A highlight of the evening was the ceremonial carving of the turkey on the Goldstein Auditorium stage. Students, with camera phones in hand, eagerly crowded around Associate Director of Drumlins Food and Beverage Joe Sidoni as he carved the turkey.

A musical performance was given by Ania Kapplani, Catherine Cosenza and Kai Wong, jazz and commercial music studies students in the Setnor College of Music in the College of Visual and Performing Arts. The evening closed with a benediction by Christian Protestant Chaplain Devon Bartholomew.

Michael Tick, dean of the College of Visual and Performing Arts, serves to students at his table

“It was my honor to co-host the 40th Annual International Thanksgiving Celebration,” says Tavares. “I really enjoyed sharing this time at the table with nine students from different countries. I am especially grateful for the Chancellor and Dr. Chen’s continued support of this tradition.”

Tula Goenka, professor of television, radio and film in the Newhouse School, attended the first dinner 40 years ago. She was an international student studying for a master’s degree in the Newhouse School. She attended with her housemate, who was also an international student.

After years as a filmmaker, Goenka returned to the Newhouse School to teach. She has served as a table host at the celebration for many years. As the Newhouse Dean’s Leadership Fellow, one of her charges is outreach to international students.

“When I realized it had been 40 years since that first dinner, it was a full-circle Thanksgiving for me. I have been fortunate to not only teach hundreds of students over the years, but also help create a sense of belonging,” she says.

Chancellor Kent Syverud hosted a table and gave welcoming remarks at the celebration

Jedidiah Koubiessi, a first-year student from Monrovia, Liberia, attended for the first time. This was her first experience with the traditional American Thanksgiving.

“It was a good way to bond and celebrate together,” she says. “Thanksgiving as a whole is very meaningful to me, as it is always good to reflect and see how far I have come, and be thankful for my journey so far.”

Jay Koshy says his parents, who have both passed away, would be proud to see the tradition that they established and nurtured continues to flourish today. “They would be thrilled that it is continuing and would be thrilled to see the care they have for their international students during Thanksgiving,” he says. “I am so thankful to Dr. Chen and Chancellor Syverud and to all who are involved. I know international students are thankful and blessed to be able to experience this.”

Students enjoy the celebration

These seniors have been involved as students taking the course in their first year of college, then as peer leaders for (FYS) for three subsequent years. The one-credit, 15-week required course engages students in��conversations, activities and assignments about making the transition to life on campus. It not only serves as an introductory course to ���ϲ�����, but also actively builds community, connects students to faculty/staff and each other, and encourages a positive transition to a new environment. Within that setting, students explore the topics of belonging, interdependence, wellness, development of identity, socialization, discrimination, bias and stereotypes.

First Year Seminar students Amya Jenkins, left, and Luis Gomez at an information table representing the program at Bird Library’s Welcome Fest. (Photo by Jimmy Luckman)

Since the program began in 2021, more than 500 faculty, staff and students have participated in FYS in various roles. They’ve served as����(faculty, staff and graduate students) or��as ��(undergraduate students). Lead instructors partner with peer leaders to guide seminar discussions for class sections. With some 4,000-plus new students in first-year classes, and with sections capped at 19 students to create an intimate, seminar atmosphere, 225 students were needed to fill the peer leader role in 2024.

Peer leaders are the embodiment of FYS and they are the connectors that are integral to the program, say , FYS director, and Jimmy Luckman, associate director. Peer leaders work in conjunction with lead instructors to guide discussions that are anchored around increasing students’ sense of belonging on campus.

“The program isn’t advanced only by faculty and staff; peer leaders are a big part of the FYS experience. They are connectors for FYS participants and they’re conduits who facilitate discussions on many issues while sharing the kinds of University resources that are available. They connect students where students want to be connected. Through discussions, they can transform the classroom experience, providing a space for sometimes difficult conversations, and that’s been a very strong thing,” Luckman says.

The past four years have been a time of growth for the program, as the previous FYS leaders, Schantz and her team have built “a great foundation,” she says. “Now, we are looking ahead and seeing how to enrich the peer leader experience.”

In addition to monthly leadership development meetings for peer leaders, Luckman says the team is considering creating a peer leader development model and potentially expanding leadership opportunities for the students. ��They are also conducting focus groups to obtain feedback on the peer leader role and may form a peer leader alumni group. They also hired a coordinator to supervise peer leaders and manage the myriad details of hiring and tracking a 200-plus student workforce.

In addition to working with First Year Seminar classes, peer leaders commit time to community service projects, such as a “Blessings in a Backpack” food initiative to help local school children.

While hundreds of peer leaders are needed each year, Luckman says it has not been difficult to recruit for those roles because students love working with fellow students and they understand the value community-building work adds to their background and experience. Many also recognize the role as a chance to develop leadership skills and want to take advantage of that, Luckman says.

The team asked for peer leader feedback to continue to enhance the position and the co-facilitation model the course follows. Schantz says the responses showed the importance of the lead instructor and peer leader in creating a positive atmosphere in the course. Another factor that influenced peer leaders returning to their roles in subsequent years is the respectful environment that peer leaders form with their students.

Four students who took FYS their first year on campus and then stayed on as peer leaders for the next three years are set to graduate this spring. They shared with SU News their reasons for deciding to remain in those roles and what the program has meant to them since their earliest days at the University.

Mariana Godinez-Andraca

Mariana Godinez-Andraca, a dual public relations/psychology major in the and the , is an international student from Mexico City. She likes that FYS embraces “uncomfortable” conversations, such as discussions about cultural awareness, microaggressions and learning to have empathy for others, she says.

“What I value most is that FYS embraces these conversations wholeheartedly, creating a space where students can open up, challenge their beliefs and grow into more empathetic individuals.” She says she has appreciated “sharing my experiences and cultural background…in a space where we actively listen to each other and where everyone’s stories and perspectives enrich our understanding, broadening my own cultural awareness while giving me a meaningful platform to share my journey. I hope I leave an impression that encourages others to embrace diversity and engage more thoughtfully with the world around them.”

Aaron Hong

Aaron Hong, a finance and accounting major in the , credits FYS for helping him overcome difficulty returning to in-person classes after almost two years of virtual learning during COVID. Coming from a mostly white community in Charlotte, North Carolina, Hong says he appreciated the focus on diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility. “As a person of Asian heritage, those conversations are very important to me. This experience gave me a different lens on diversity. Having the opportunity to have those conversations and to share those experiences is pretty important.”

Adira Ramirez

Adira Ramirez, a library studies and information management and technology student in the , says participating in FYS for four years has helped her become skilled in how to talk to people in different ways, confidently address a public audience and “better understand people and explain to them who I am in a more cohesive way.”

She says learning about the concept of intersectionality—where everyone has multiple layers of identity that comprise who they are—”has taken me by storm. It’s our lens. It teaches who your audience is, how we learn things, how we view the world and how the world views us.”

N​ehilah Grand-Pierre, a broadcast and digital journalism major in the Newhouse School, finds the give-and-take between FYS participants and peer leaders invigorating and gratifying.

Nehilah Grand-Pierre

When FYS participants were offered the opportunity to ask peer leaders any question about any topic, she says one participant asked how to discover one’s self-worth while in college. “I said the best way is to not define your self-worth through other people. I told how studying abroad in London forced me to stop defining myself by the activities and relationships I had on main campus, and instead define myself by my reactions to all the new things I was experiencing. I said what happens to you doesn’t define you, but how you react to those situations does. I recognized that as a senior, I had so much experience to pull from, and I saw how real experiences helped drive discussions.”

Applications for peer leader positions are now being accepted for the 2025 sessions, says Luckman. Interested students who want to become a peer leader can apply by early December through the Handshake website. More information is available by emailing�� firstyear@syr.edu��or contacting the program office at 315.443.9035.

Through a new initiative called Lender Global, each year one of the University’s abroad centers will be designated as the Lender Global Partner. In addition, three research fellowships will be awarded to students studying at that location.

Lender Global begins in Spring 2025 at with a focus on social and environmental justice. The student fellows will examine the themes of biodiversity and the rights of nature; climate justice for people of the global majority; and meaningful engagement with ethical travel.

Lender Center Director says the extension of the Lender Center’s social justice initiative via the ���ϲ����� Abroad platform makes sense because most social justice issues exist beyond the United States. “This initiative aligns with the University’s goals of preparing students to be responsible global citizens and addressing the social and scientific issues that affect people everywhere. It helps raise awareness that social justice issues don’t begin and end at a country’s borders and that solutions can come from innovative thinkers and dedicated researchers anywhere in the world.”

Assistant Provost and ���ϲ����� Abroad Executive Director says, “We are pleased to partner with the Lender Center on this innovative concept that enhances our current programming and supports experiential learning, innovative research and human thriving. It’s an excellent way for students to include unique research opportunities while they study abroad.” ��

Climate Research

Students will be mentored and guided in their research by , an environmental activist-academic who is ���ϲ����� Abroad’s London-based community engagement specialist, and Maggie Sardino ’23, a graduate of the College of Arts and Sciences and the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs and a Marshall Scholar. The fellows will be affiliated with ���ϲ����� London’s Environment, Sustainability and Policy learning community, which allows students to take classes, live, intern, volunteer and engage in other activities alongside peers with similar interests.

In addition to working on their research and participating in the learning community, fellows will also collaboratively develop communication tools for future ���ϲ����� Abroad students about how to be mindful of their ecological footprint and meaningfully engage with ethical travel, according to Farnum.

Spring 2024 students in the ���ϲ����� Abroad London center program visit the Big Pit National Coal Museum in Wales as part of their examination of sustainable energy transitions and environmental heritage. (Photo by ���ϲ����� London staff)

Farnum says London is an ideal location to study how major cities can creatively solve sustainability challenges. “London regularly ranks as one of the world’s Top 10 Sustainable Cities, is home to many of the world’s greenest buildings and is technically classified as a forest given its extensive green spaces, which comprise 47% of the city’s area. That’s why London makes a wonderful ‘living lab’ for this topic and why the London center provides a natural home for environmental, sustainability and policy studies.”

Troy Gordon, ���ϲ����� Abroad director of global teaching and learning, says the social and environmental justice program is one of the ���ϲ����� London center’s strengths. That focus comprises about 15% of the center’s curriculum—including a pre-semester traveling seminar on sustainability in Scandinavia, a course on climate change and environmental activism and a studio-based course on urban sustainability, in addition to its Learning Community for Environment, Sustainability and Policy. Students are also able to engage and learn in an exciting, green urban environment where social and environmental justice is a focal point and a true strength of the center, he says.

Students enrolled in the Spring 2025 London abroad program will be invited to apply for the fellowship.

Fall 2023 students from a geography course on environmental racism in the ���ϲ����� London program volunteer at Calthorpe Community Garden. It is a green space in the heart of London supporting food security and cultural connection for migrant populations. (Photo by ���ϲ����� London staff)

Lender Center Support

The Lender Center for Social Justice, made possible by a gift from , seeks to foster proactive, innovative and interdisciplinary approaches to social justice issues of equity and inclusion. The Lender Global program is designed to prompt development of novel approaches and creative solutions to global challenges while considering the needs and capacities of the partner program and its host community, Phillips says.

���ϲ����� Abroad shares many of the Lender Center’s values and commitments, according to Wilkens. Consistently ranked among top study abroad programs in the U.S., ���ϲ����� Abroad has a long history of meaningful community engagement, experiential learning and cultural exchange around the world. Quality academic experiences across professional and liberal arts disciplines are offered at six overseas centers in Florence, London, Madrid, Santiago (Chile), Strasbourg (France) and through a program in Central Europe.

Phillips and Wilkens say ���ϲ����� Santiago will likely be designated as the 2025-26 Lender Global Partner, which would enable students to do research in English, Spanish or both languages.

Anthony Adornato, an associate professor of (BDJ) in the , has been named a Fulbright Specialist to train journalists in Kosovo on best practices for reporting across platforms.

Anthony Adornato

The BDJ department chair, will travel to the southeast European country in the summer of 2025 for the nearly three-week Fulbright Specialist assignment. Adornato will train staff at Radio Television of Kosovo on new trends in media and communication.

�ճ�� , which is part of the larger Fulbright Program, was established in 2001 by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. It is designed to (two to six weeks) for faculty and professionals from the United States.

Previously, Adornato was named a Fulbright Scholar in 2020 and spent a semester teaching and conducting research at universities in Milan. Adornato explored the impact of mobile and social media on journalism and journalism education in Italy.

is one of three postdoctoral fellows who are involved in the center’s examination of the in America. That initiative explores the gap’s causes and consequences and aims to create effective solutions to counter it through social collaborations that help dismantle the root causes of racial wealth disparities.

Before coming to ���ϲ�����, Christophe was a research fellow focused on this area at the at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. Before that, she earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in finance and business administration from Florida Memorial University and a Ph.D. in management from Morgan State University.

We sat down with Christophe to hear about her interest in understanding the critical stages of entrepreneurial journeys, the psychological factors and resource needs that drive entrepreneurial success and the dynamics between individual entrepreneurs and social institutions.

More than 60 pieces from the institutional collection are featured in the show, housed at the of the University’s Nancy Cantor Warehouse Building at 350 W. Fayette St. The show runs through Friday, Nov. 22. Admission is free and open to the public.

The exhibition, “Libro de Artista,” features more than 60 artists books from the collection at the Argentine National Museum. (Photo by Matias Roth)

The exhibition is a production of the University’s POC) gallery in partnership with the (MNBA) and the University’s in the .

Sergio Moscona’s “Personajes Diarios,” in ink, acrylic and collage, depicting the intervention of facsimile 1956 edition of “La Prensa,” a daily newspaper that was censored in 1951. (Photo by Matias Roth)

Latin American creators represented in the exhibition include artist books by Diana Dowek, Luis Felipe Noé, Lucrecia Orloff, Jacques Bedel, Daniel García, Miguel Harte, Carolina Antoniadis, Marcos López and Marcia Schvartz. The exhibition also includes the Agentinian museum’s latest accession to the collection, a piece co-authored by Argentine artists Pedro Roth and the late ���ϲ����� professor and POC founder Pedro Cuperman.

Juan Astica’s acrylic-on-paper piece, “Diversos Conjuros,” consists of 64 paintings. (Photo by Matias Roth)

“It is an honor to partner with MNBA in its first showing of the ‘Libro de Artista’ collection in the United States,” said , executive director of the Office of Cultural Engagement for the Hispanic Community at ���ϲ�����.

“Point of Contact worked in close collaboration with the Roth family of creators and with the National Ministry of Culture of Argentina in exhibitions at the New York Art Book Fair held at MoMA PS1 from 2012 to 2018. ‘Libro de Artista’ culminates such a project with this timely exhibit as we commemorate National Hispanic Heritage Month 2024,”she says.

Andrés Duprat, MNBA director, explains the art form. He says, “The artist book or Libro de Artista is generally not considered a work of art in itself, but for us, it holds great interest because it is in artist books where explorations, intentions, sketches, and even doubts and regrets or new searches are revealed.”

This foldable book in ink on paper, and bound in leather, is by artist Leonel Luna. It’s called “Genealogías del Arte Argentino.” (Photo by Matias Roth)

In terms of artist techniques, formats and materials, artist books take many forms on paper, cardboard, celluloid, acrylic, metal and other materials, transforming into boxes, intervened prints, collages and pop-up books.

One of the pieces in the show, “La Dama del Río,” is a collaborative work with original texts by Pedro Cuperman and illustrations by Pedro Roth. Pedro Roth is a recipient of the 2023 National Award for Artistic Trajectory, an honor bestowed by the National Ministry of Culture recognizing the exceptional path and contributions of living Argentine creators inducted to the National Gallery of Visual Arts.

Juan Pablo Ferlat’s digital print is titled “Golem.” (Photo by Matias Roth)

“Point of Contact, soon to commemorate its 50th anniversary, has much to celebrate with the accession of this piece to the MNBA’s permanent collection,” says Matias Roth, curator of the “Libro de Artista” Buenos Aires exhibition and an exhibiting artist in the show. “As a member of the Point of Contact board of directors and longtime collaborator of both POC and the National Museum, I greatly appreciate that this work will be preserved in Argentina’s National Art Collection.”

At Point of Contact’s exhibition opening are, from left, Tere Paniagua, gallery director; Matias Roth, Point of Contact board member and show curator; Museum Studies Professor Andrew Saluti and museum studies graduate students Paola Manzano and Molly Dano.

Jade Aulestia

After spending the Spring 2024 semester in , Aulestia decided to extend her time abroad and spend the summer interning in the same location. During her summer session, she interned for ARTE, the Franco-German broadcast station in Strasbourg, just a six-minute walk away from the ���ϲ����� center.

“It was amazing to see how ARTE manages bilingual content in France but also how it caters to the rest of the neighboring counties. ARTE is a popular channel for Europe with coverage in several languages aside from French and German,” Aulestia says.

As a broadcast and digital journalism major, this internship was a valuable experience contributing to both her personal and professional growth. Her internship responsibilities included working on reports, conducting research for their social media platforms and helping to plan future projects. “I learned so much about myself while abroad and I will always be thankful for the experience,” Aulestia says.

Summer 2025 Programs

Summer study abroad programs, ranging from two to nine weeks abroad, are a valuable option for both undergraduate and graduate students who might have trouble fitting study abroad into their busy schedules. Enrolling in programs over the summer can help students catch up or get ahead on degree credits and can even provide valuable work and internship experience.

Summer at ���ϲ����� Centers

���ϲ����� students spend time in Strasbourg during their time abroad.

During��, students can choose from a variety of courses at ���ϲ����� Centers in Florence, London, Madrid and Strasbourg. Students can enroll in one or two classes for over two to nine weeks and earn three to nine credits. Sessions are designed to immerse students in the city’s culture through unique activities and city exploration opportunities, along with specially designed weekend trips to surrounding cities and sites.

Courses are offered in a variety of disciplines including advertising, biology, communications, history, political science, psychology, public health policy, sociology, sport management and more.

Summer Internships Abroad

abroad provide students with the opportunity to gain international work experience and build a global network. ���ϲ����� Abroad offers a variety of summer internship opportunities, including programs at ���ϲ����� centers, internships led by University faculty, and programs with pre-approved partners in locations, including Brussels, Tel Aviv and Singapore.

In partnership with the Strasbourg Center, students have access to an exclusive internship program at the . This program is ideal for graduate and advanced undergraduate students interested in human rights, governance, diplomacy and international relations. The Strasbourg Center also offers community internships ranging from placements in business, politics, education, media, art, community service and more.

Faculty-Led Summer Programs

Summer programs led by University faculty are also offered throughout the summer in a variety of locations covering many academic disciplines. Students can study education in South Africa, design in Japan and exercise science in Peru. View all��.

Students can for Summer 2025 programs. The application deadline is Saturday, Feb. 1, and applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. Students can to learn more about summer study abroad.

Financial aid is also available for summer programs, including merit scholarships, study abroad grants, need-based grants and more. Learn more about .

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

A Learning Resource

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

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

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

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

Partnering Results

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

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

Game Changer

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

Launch Event Oct. 24

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

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

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

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

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

Matthew Falanga

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

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

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

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

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

Recruiting Advocates, Reducing Stigmas

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

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

Brianna Shults

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

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

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

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

Celebrating People With Disabilities

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

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

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

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

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

Opening Doors for All

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

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

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

Equipped for Lifelong Success

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Astrid Melendez ’25

Academic major: Information management and technology ()

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

Astrid Melendez

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

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

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

Adalys Sanchez ’26

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

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

Adalys Sanchez

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

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

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

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

Janese Fayson ’26

Academic majors: Marketing and finance ()

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

Janese Fayson

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

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

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

Nomar Diaz ��’25 combined a months-long internship as a systems analyst for ML Systems Integrator Pte Ltd. in Singapore with ���ϲ����� Abroad’s 18-day program. In addition to his time in Singapore, he visited tech innovation firms in seven countries and business and cultural centers in 10 cities.

Diaz, who is pursuing concurrent master’s degree programs in information systems and applied data science at the , is open to a career in another country. He’d like to do sales engineering or be a solutions engineer at a computing solutions or information consulting firm in the United Kingdom, Singapore or Spain. As a former global ambassador for ���ϲ����� Abroad, Diaz tells students not to second-guess their interest in studying abroad. “If you feel the hunch, just go for it,” he says. “You won’t regret it.”

While studying abroad, Nomar Diaz (front left, in the black shirt) and a group of fellow graduate students visited a landmark on the waterfront at Palau Uben, a small island in Singapore. (Photo courtesy of Nomar Diaz)

Bennie Guzman ��’25 is a master’s student studying art therapy in the , and he works full-time at La Casita Cultural Center. His goal is to be a licensed creative arts therapist. “My dream would be to connect what I’m doing here with international places that do similar work and expand our outreach beyond ���ϲ�����,” Guzman says.

Guzman says the short-term Mexico’s History, Culture and Security program was exactly the right program for him. “Mexico is the place for Latin American art and indigenous studies. I wanted to see how international communities think about art, culture and community health and tie those things together,” says Guzman, whose experience helped him formulate his thesis on how Latino/Latin American communities use art and culture for community well-being.

M.B.A. student Jude Azai ��’25 used a summer abroad program to fine-tune his leadership capabilities in the pharmaceutical and healthcare industries. That interest developed during his bachelor’s degree program in pharmacy at the University of Jos in Nigeria and has continued throughout his work in business and healthcare.

The Business in East Asia program, which is offered by the Whitman School of Management, helped Azai with valuable insights into healthcare and broader leadership structure in countries such as Singapore. He wanted to understand how such nations become global powerhouses and learn how innovation and effective governance can drive economic growth. He also discovered that leadership is not overly complex. “Leadership is about creating the right vision, following through with openness and honesty and bringing people along. When leaders do this, miracles in nation-building can happen,” Azai says.

Whitman School of Management Students, including Jude Azai (far left), pose at the waterfall garden at Changi Airport in Singapore. (Photo courtesy of Jude Azai)

Krister Samuelson ��’25 is pursuing a master’s degree in information systems in the iSchool and sees a future as an analyst or security engineer in information security. His EuroTech experience provided quality time with like-minded people, he says. He attended the short-term program along with recent iSchool graduate Emmy Naw G’24. She says the program allowed her to engage with professionals in the field while seeing firsthand how business operations integrate technology. “I learned in real-world settings, broadened my understanding of global business strategies and enhanced my ability to think critically about how to apply technological solutions to complex business challenges,” Naw says.

This group of students, which includes graduate students Krister Samuelson and Emmy Naw, began the three-credit EuroTech course in Norway. They visited a number of tech companies located in 10 cities across seven countries in the two-and-a-half-week tour. (Photo at the Royal Palace in Oslo courtesy of Krister Samuelson)

public administration graduate student Troy Patrick ��’25 interned with the Council of Europe in Strasbourg and participated in the Religion, Law and Human Rights in a Comparative Perspective program. He has studied peacebuilding and human rights and wants to work in the humanitarian field, perhaps one day at the United Nations secretariat, he says.

Patrick used the summer term to maximize his work experience. For his Council of Europe internship in the Department of Political Affairs and External Relations, he was assigned high-level tasks such as running meetings with international leaders and creating talking points for leader visits. The work provided real-world training and helped him better understand how religion, religiously affiliated states and religious groups impact how advocacy actions are formulated to deal with human rights and legal issues.

Learn More

Students can learn more about the University’s wide range of study abroad programs during ���ϲ����� Abroad Week, which started Monday and runs through Sept. 20. They can also visit the ���ϲ����� Abroad website at suabroad.syr.edu.

David Van Slyke (left) and Shri Dharmendra Pradhan

David M. Van Slyke, dean of the , met with alumni, partners and dignitaries, including India’s minister of education, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, during a recent visit that celebrated the school’s and its 70-plus-year partnership with the country.

Dean Van Slyke was in India along with Maxwell’s Director of Accelerated Learning and Global Engagement Dan Nelson to celebrate the centennial and highlight the global impact of the school’s students, faculty and alumni. The ��began more than��. That history started soon after India’s independence, grew stronger in the second half of the last century, and has recently focused on Maxwell’s educational expertise in public administration and international affairs. Over the decades, Maxwell has hosted thousands of Indian students, citizens and civil servants.

The meeting with Minister of Education Pradhan was made possible by the long relationship between Maxwell and India, and it represented the hope for even more collaboration and partnership with the world’s largest democracy and most populous country.

“Meeting with Minister of Education Pradhan was truly an honor, and it put an exclamation point on what was a wonderfully productive visit where we spent time with our global partners and accomplished alumni,” says Van Slyke. “I look forward to our continued partnership with India and its people.”

Van Slyke also met with Surendra Nath Tripathi, the director general of the Indian Institute for Public Administration (IIPA), founded upon the recommendation of and in consultation with former Maxwell dean Paul Appleby.�� Van Slyke spoke with faculty, civil servants and military personnel at IIPA, among other institutions, on how governments manage complex partnerships with industry.

Maxwell’s longstanding position to invest in the development and raise awareness of good governance initiatives around the globe is a hallmark of the school and was facilitated through meetings with Dr. R Balasubramaniam at the Government of India’s Capacity Building Commission.

Dean Van Slyke also served as the keynote speaker at the International Conference on Public Policy and Management hosted by the Centre for Public Policy at the Indian Institute of Management Bangalore. The interdisciplinary conference drew scholars representing diverse perspectives on public policy issues and provided a forum for showcasing the latest developments in policy research and practice.

The visit to India culminated with a centennial gathering at the Delhi Gymkhana Club. There, Van Slyke and Nelson joined over 80 Maxwell alumni, partners and dignitaries to celebrate the global impact of Maxwell and the school’s special relationship with India.

A large group of Maxwell alumni, partners and dignitaries celebrate the school’s centennial with Dean Van Slyke.

The students were part of the Significant Disabilities: Shifts in Paradigms and Practices (SPE 644) course taught by , associate professor in the School of Education, who was the Libraries’ 2023-24 Special Collections Research Center .

The students presented their findings at a public showcase in spring 2024 and their work is available online as a digital exhibition. “” explores disability as a cultural construction by examining historical developments in special and inclusive education, as well as the development and later closures of institutions and asylums for individuals with intellectual disabilities. The archives—and exhibit—show details of how Americans in past decades regarded disability, including information about eugenics (the selective breeding of humans) as the basis for institutionalization; letters exchanged between institutions and individuals about certain individuals and situations; and striking images collected by those who advocated for disabled individuals and disability rights.

Graduate students held a public showcase last spring describing their research and capping their course, “Significant Disabilities: Shifts in Paradigms and Practices.” From left are Associate Professor Julia White and students Neil Boedicker, Kayla Cornelius and Raquell Carpenter. (Photo by Martin Walls)

White says the primary source materials provided the students with particularly rich and informative records, in part due to ���ϲ�����’s long history as a vanguard for disabled individuals and a leader in inclusive education and disability rights. Today, the Center on Disability and Inclusion continues the legacy of the , founded in 1971 by Dean Burton Blatt, a groundbreaking disability rights scholar. Blatt and other individuals at the University were involved in disability rights lawsuits during the 1970s and developed language surrounding the creation of special education law. All of that history—and dozens of associated original documents and artifacts—are preserved for viewing and research.

Julia White

“We at ���ϲ����� have really reconceptualized how to think about people with disabilities, especially intellectual disabilities. The University is known for its forefront advocacy on inclusive education and all that work is evident in the archives,” White says. “There are so many things to investigate and so many lessons we can get from this; it’s a gold mine waiting to be explored.”

A former special education teacher, White now researches national and international special education policy and inclusive education as a human right. But she “was always interested in how law and policies could be applied to different people under different circumstances. I noticed how some students could be placed in segregated or self-contained classrooms while others were in resource rooms and were more integrated. Very little was different about their learning profiles other than their race or socioeconomic profile. I wondered why, if some students had more significant disabilities, they were held to very few or no academic standards.”

Based on her experience as both a doctoral student and a teacher, White says, “I had a pretty strong sense of the racial and economic injustice inherent in U.S. society and always considered inclusive education a civil rights issue.” Yet it was her experience in a Fulbright teacher exchange program in the Slovak Republic and later work for the Landmine Survivors Network for the United Nations Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities, that cemented her perspective of inclusive education as a broader human rights issue.

Cover of “.” (Photo: Special Collections Research Center, ���ϲ����� Libraries)

‘Fantastic’ SCRC Process

The time she spent examining materials and working with staff at SCRC “was a fantastic process all around,” White says. “Sometimes, an artifact had very little to do with what I was interested in—���ϲ�����’s role in deinstitutionalization, inclusive education and disability activism—but there were many�� ‘aha’ moments that sent me down rabbit holes and that was a lot of fun. The discovery of so many amazing contributions of folks affiliated with the University was the best part of this fellowship. And the staff were phenomenal; they had great insights. I came into this knowing little about archival work and hadn’t done any myself, but they were so gracious and so helpful.”

SCRC staff were also readily available to the , discussing their readings, helping them categorize materials and offering advice on how to formulate the exhibit, White says. , instruction and education librarian, was involved with the class almost every time they met. , humanities librarian and digital and open scholarship lead, helped them create the digital exhibit.

Gratifying for Students��

The experience of using primary source documents and finding so much relevant information to work with was gratifying for the students, two of the class members say.

Sierra Eastman ’20, ��’25 teaches math to seventh- and eighth-grade students in the ���ϲ����� City School District. Her review of archive materials helped her gain a better understanding of the perspectives of people with disabilities, Eastman says. “I have students with various disabilities in my classes and I wanted to get an understanding of them that I didn’t have as an able-bodied person. We tried to put ourselves in their shoes and see how we could make sense of how this [institutionalism] happened, how they were personally impacted and the larger societal reasons that it occurred.”

A “Fight Handicapism” poster provides a historic perspective about the word’s definition. (Photo: , Special Collections Research Center, ���ϲ����� Libraries)

Kionna Morrison G’24 is an algebraic reasoning teacher in the ���ϲ����� City School District who completes the inclusive special education (grades 7-12) program this month as a scholar. She wanted to understand the experiences that people of color, especially Black children, had in institutions for the intellectually disabled. “I could see how disability, institutionalization and racism can be traced to the pre-Civil War and Reconstruction eras. I gained insight on how certain bodies have been consistently institutionalized.��Now, I want to continue to learn about the intersectionality between race and special education and how people from multiple marginalized communities navigate their experiences with disability,” she says.

White believes there has been a significant change in the public’s views on disability, and particularly on intellectual disability, in recent years. “The U.S. has much farther to go in terms of changing society’s perception of disability, intellectual disability and breaking down barriers for any group of marginalized people,” she says. “We need to recognize how far we’ve come in changing attitudes in society, making places accessible, and providing higher education opportunities for disabled people, such as ���ϲ�����’s program. That’s a good start to thinking differently. Although attitudes are something that we still have to change, the civil and human rights of people with intellectual disabilities are routinely denied in the U.S. and worldwide, and I hope that this project helps shed some light on the history of the continuing fight for disability rights.”

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On this episode of the “‘Cuse Conversations” podcast, El-Baz Abdallah and Budoor Alsaadi discuss their experiences as international Fulbright students participating in the pre-academic program, how they adjusted to life as students in the United States and how they plan on using their research to make a difference.

Each summer, the hosts a prestigious preparatory program that helps dozens of international Fulbright Scholars begin their journeys to graduate degrees and research opportunities.

It’s called the , and ���ϲ����� has served as a proud host site for the last 10 years, celebrating the power of both an international education and a cultural exchange.

This year, 44 master’s and Ph.D. students��from 20 countries around the world are spending four weeks on campus discovering American culture, learning about life as a graduate student in the U.S. and developing necessary research skills.

The program is operated on campus by the (ELI), sponsored by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and administered by the Institute of International Education.

Each morning, the ELI offers English courses and lessons, including how to write a research paper as a graduate student. In the afternoons, cultural presentations and workshops are offered by ���ϲ����� faculty and staff.

These international scholars are connected to a facilitator, a graduate of the pre-academic program who offers advice, guidance and friendship while mentoring these aspiring researchers. On the weekends, participants can take advantage of social field trips to cultural destinations like Niagara Falls and Green Lakes State Park.

El-Baz Abdallah

Before departing for their graduate schools, the students give poster presentations on their research as a potential springboard to the research they will conduct for their capstone project.

“Through my research, I want to see how we can use technology and data information to better people’s lives,” says El-Baz Abdallah, a facilitator from the Comoro Islands who is entering his second year studying data analytics in the . “When I heard about the pre-academic program, I had been working for some time and hadn’t really thought about going back to school for my master’s degree, but the prestigiousness of the Fulbright program really stood out. There’s such a great impact, not just from the curriculum or the academics but the networking with your fellow scholars. This program was very rigorous, but it was really worth it.”

Budoor Alsaadi

“From how we should be writing up our research and our bibliographies to what it means to do research as a graduate student in the United States, I’ve been really happy with all of the information I’ve learned that helps us adapt to the educational system here,” says Budoor Alsaadi, a native of Iraq who is pursuing a master’s degree in civil engineering with a focus in environmental engineering at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

In this “’Cuse Conversation,” Abdallah and Alsaadi discuss their beneficial experiences as international Fulbright students participating in the pre-academic program, how they acclimated to life as students in the United States and how they plan on using their research to make a difference.

Check out podcast featuring Abdallah and Alsaadi. A transcript [PDF]��is also available.

How has this program helped with your academic transition to graduate school and your cultural adjustment?

El-Baz Abdallah: This program helped me tremendously. It was a big adjustment in terms of the food, the people, the culture and the language. Before I came here, I spoke English every day but had to think about what I wanted to say in French first and then express myself in English. But the College of Professional Studies made our transitions so easy. They set me up with a host family, which is a proud tradition here, and that host family became like a second family for me.

Academically, the program taught me how to directly interact with the professor if we have a question about a lecture or a topic. Back home, you would go to class and take notes, but here, we learned you can actually ask questions of your professor. We learned about office hours where you can go and discuss the topic if there’s something you didn’t understand. These are things I wouldn’t have known about being a master’s student in America were it not for the pre-academic program.

Budoor Alsaadi: There was a lot of new information to learn. There was so much harmony in the program because we’re all international students trying to figure things out while supporting each other. Everyone has been so kind, sweet and caring and willing to help each other out. We’re learning but we’re also having fun.

Another great thing is how many different cultures are in this program. There are students from more than 20 countries here, so we get to learn about their cultures, music, foods and languages. It’s great that Fulbright brings together these people from different backgrounds and experiences to learn from each other.

How do you plan on using your degree to make a difference in the world?

Alsaadi: I want to study water treatment and water pollution, which is a rising problem in my country and all over the world. It’s a problem that needs much more attention, because one day, we’re going to have very limited resources for water. Water technology is a broad field with a lot of opportunities, and I wanted to accelerate my knowledge on this topic at an early age so I can be well-equipped to make a difference in my career.

Most people in Iraq drink groundwater because the water in the rivers has high levels of total dissolved solids (TDS), which is expensive to treat and turn into drinking water. I hope that, through my research, I can go back to Iraq and find new technologies and new chemicals that can help with treating TDS. I want to discover a solution that can improve the water quality in my country and help deal with this ongoing and increasing water shortage.

Abdallah: My studies combine data science and artificial intelligence (AI), how to actually build AI models to harness information or data. I’ve been involved with two projects I’m passionate about. One was analyzing the energy consumption trends of New Yorkers to study how low-income people can improve their energy consumption through incentives from the government. Another project was working with my mother, who is a gynecologist back home on Comoros Island, to enhance maternal health care and address the big problem of women losing their baby without knowing it. For my capstone research project, I’m building an AI model to analyze the mother’s and the baby’s heart rates, analyzing the existing data and looking at gaps in the data to ensure that when this happens, we can act so mothers don’t have to move from their rural home to the capital city, or from one island to another, to get medical attention.

Note: This conversation was edited for brevity and clarity.

2023 Haudenosaunee Welcome Gathering (Photo by Angela Ryan)

The Haudenosaunee Welcome Gathering is an event held on campus to welcome all incoming and returning students, faculty and staff for the 2024-25 academic year, and for all to show respect for the Indigenous people on whose ancestral lands ���ϲ����� now stands. Schenandoah is a citizen of the Oneida Nation and a Wolf Clan Faithkeeper, as well as . The Haudenosaunee Confederacy is comprised of Six Nations: Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, Seneca and Tuscarora.

This year’s featured speaker, Wakerahkáhtste Louise McDonald Herne, is a Bear Clan Mother for the Mohawk Nation Council. Wakerahkáhtste presented at the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues and lectures regularly at universities throughout Canada and the United States on Ratinonhsón:ni philosophies and self-determination regarding the rights of women. Wakerahkáhtste has been the Distinguished Scholar in Indigenous Learning at McMaster University Institute for Innovation and Excellence in Teaching and Learning (MIIETL) and received an honorary doctorate from State University of New York at Canton. Her most recent work includes a feature in the award-winning documentary film, “Without a Whisper: Konnon:kwe” about the Ratinonhsón:ni women’s influence on the women’s rights movement.

Diane Schenandoah, Faithkeeper of the Wolf Clan, Oneida Nation, speaks at the 2023 Haudenosaunee Welcome Gathering. (Photo by Angela Ryan)

“This land is sacred. We welcome visitors to be part of this sacred place. Part of our teaching is that no one can own the land, so it’s important to remember that ���ϲ����� is part of a much bigger picture,” says Schenandoah. “It’s important to acknowledge and recognize that there are Indigenous peoples still here and we are standing in the capital of the Haudenosaunee territory.”

At the gathering, speakers and dancers will welcome a new academic year. Hot scones and strawberry drink will be offered. The hot scones are derived from traditional breads and the strawberry drink consists of strawberries, maple syrup and water. “This is significant because strawberries are the leaders of the plants and maples are the leaders of the trees. In this way we honor them,” says Schenandoah.

Schenandoah encourages students, faculty and staff to participate in the Haudenosaunee Welcome Gathering. “We are sharing our culture because the Earth is calling to us to pay attention, we require collective healing, and most importantly, we are inviting our community to live in gratitude,” she says.

For more information on this and other Hendricks Chapel programs and services visit .

The awardees are:

• , professor and director of the graduate program in magazine, news and digital journalism in the Newhouse School of Public Communications
• , assistant teaching professor of writing studies, rhetoric and composition in the College of Arts and Sciences
• , assistant teaching professor of writing studies, rhetoric and composition in the College of Arts and Sciences

They are among 400 faculty and professionals awarded fellowships to work in more than 135 countries in the coming year.

Harriet Brown

Brown, who is also a longtime magazine writer and author of several nonfiction books, plans to travel��to Israel in the spring to continue her research and reporting about families whose children use medically prescribed cannabis to treat health issues such as seizures, cancer and autism spectrum disorder. She wants to learn more about the cutting-edge research taking place there and connect to the strong network of parents who advocate for medically prescribed cannabis to treat their children’s conditions. She will also teach a course on how to report and write accurately on scientific topics at the .

In addition to research contacts, Brown believes that it is important for Americans to maintain academic, citizen and government connections with Israel, given the call by some to sever all ties in the wake of the Israel-Hamas war. She says that, as a Jewish academic on an American campus, she has been negatively affected by that perspective. “Change doesn’t come from simply shutting people down,” Brown says. “Part of the reason I want to do this is because I feel like maybe I can build some bridges and dispel some myths about life in Israel. I feel strongly that there is a need for those connections, especially for academic ones.”

Robin McCrary

McCrary will visit the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada, in the spring to teach and conduct research about how public health humanities education can help close trust gaps between health care practitioners and marginalized patients and populations. He hopes interactions with faculty, students and health care professionals in a different country with a different health care system will enhance how he teaches health humanities to ���ϲ����� student who are preparing for careers in health care and medicine.

He will also teach Cross-Cultural Care Traditions, a course designed to improve two-way dialogue between patients and providers by exploring how different cultures understand and influence health care and illness, including differing attitudes toward medical treatment, varying perceptions on living and dying, Indigenous and non-Western forms of care and diverse spiritualities. He aims to help students better understand the disability, minority, non-Western, gender identity and sexual-orientation contexts patients bring to their health care provider interactions.

Volunteering with immigrant, newcomer and refugee populations in ���ϲ����� has helped McCrary formulate the course content, he says. “Given their different backgrounds, those groups have provided me with insight regarding the context of how they understand care traditions. For those entering the health professions, I believe it’s not just about what our students can learn but also how they bring themselves to the contexts of the care that they provide patients.”

Amy Murphy

Murphy will be in the Slovak Republic from September through January 2025 to research how the communist government’s suppression of literature during its 40-year rule impacted Slovak society and citizens.

Her research will include looking at the underground movement that helped Slovak people obtain literature and maintain high literacy levels during that time. She will work with faculty��at ��and speak with students, faculty and families to understand how Slovak citizens maintained literacy and continued to access information at a time when it was dangerous to do so. “We��take for granted the educational freedoms we have here, but the people who were part of that movement could have gone to jail for helping others obtain information at that time,” Murphy says.��She will also teach a course for students who plan to become teachers of English or translators. The art writing course��has a broad cultural component, and she wants to see how students��interpret various aspects of American culture.

Murphy applied for the fellowship after learning that her great-grandfather, who came to the U.S. at age 15 to mine coal and silver in Colorado, was from Slovakia, and not Austria, as her family had always thought. “I wanted to understand his story, more about the people who stayed there and the whole underground literature movement. It is part of what has helped that country maintain a very high level of literacy,” she says.

Students in Brad Horn’s Managing Global Brands of Sport: An International Public Relations Study class learned about global sport through the communication lens during a three-week immersion experience in Lausanne, Switzerland.

Historically, the Olympics have provided countless memorable athletic achievements—the Miracle on Ice men’s hockey team upsetting the Soviet Union at the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, New York; the Dream Team capturing gold at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain; gymnast Kerri Strug shrugging off an ankle injury to lead Team USA to its first-ever team gold medal at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia, just to name a few.

And while there are sure to be impressive performances when the world’s best athletes converge in Paris, France, for the upcoming Summer Olympics, the Games are also an opportunity to showcase the global power of sport, which is the focal point of recently concluded Managing Global Brands of Sport: An International Public Relations Study class, held for three weeks in Lausanne, Switzerland, as part of an immersion experience for students.

Brad Horn

“We focus on how to bridge the gap between what Americans know about sports in our country compared to global sport through communications,” says Horn, associate dean for strategic initiatives and professor of practice in public relations in the .

“Look ahead to what the U.S. is going to see in sport. We’re hosting the 2026 World Cup, the 2028 Summer Olympics are being held in Los Angeles and the 2034 Winter Olympics potentially will be hosted in Lake Placid. This is a decade where those working in U.S. sports will be working with and dealing with global sport entities like never before, and there’s a big knowledge gap. I want to do my part to help prepare students to better understand that landscape.”

Horn’s professional background in communications and public relations includes working for more than 20 years in Major League Baseball (MLB) and with the Baseball Hall of Fame, serving as an ambassador at the World Series, the World Baseball Classic, the All-Star game and MLB International before heading up communication and education for the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency.

“This idea of global sport has always been part of my DNA,” says Horn, who sat down with SU News to discuss the objectives of his class, the important takeaways and how his students leave with a broadened understanding of the global power of sport.

Describe the goals and important takeaways of the class.

Students pose on the floor of the Union Cycliste Internationale’s headquarters in Aigle, Switzerland.

This is an immersion into global sport through the communication lens. We look at how organizations communicate through their sport or their sport’s governing body about cultural and geopolitical issues with stakeholders around the globe. The idea is to give students various perspectives from organizations like the International Olympic Committee, FIFA, the International Testing Agency, anti-doping agencies, FIBA, the World Baseball Softball Confederation, the Union Cycliste Internationale and more. These were some of the bigger organizations we visited this year.

Our students also work a two-day Hosts and Federations Summit, where 300 delegates came to Lausanne to pitch their cities on major sporting events, to pitch their sport to match with a city or to pitch their rights to sell these sporting events. It gives students a chance to look at sport in an entirely different way than what we think about in the U.S., which is so focused on the four major sports [football, basketball, baseball and hockey] and on college sports. They get to study how global sport governance works and how communication is developed at a central office. It’s an immersion that gives them a front row seat into global sport communication.

How did you incorporate the upcoming Summer Olympics into your class?

We’re trying to understand the origins of sport in places like Greece, Switzerland, China and Australia. The origins are not in the four major sports in America, which are so young compared to the historical lens of the Olympiad. We look at the lessons we’ve learned during the modern Olympics by bringing people together across cultures. We look at moments like the 1936 Summer Olympics in Germany, when Adolf Hitler used the Olympics as his propaganda and Jesse Owens, the great Black American track and field athlete, refused to interact with Hitler and his racist agenda while winning four gold medals.

We spend time trying to understand the idea of Olympism, a philosophy that emphasizes the wholeness of body, will and mind, combining sport with culture and education. We examine how the media prepares for the Games, the questions the press could be asking the host country and how people are representing their nations from a media standpoint.

We then look at how the Olympics create this idea that sport unites us during a time when the world is so polarized. As communicators, there are two questions we always want to answer in public relations: Who are we trying to reach and what are we trying to get them to do? In sport, we’re not just trying to get a box score out there and hope fans see it. We’re trying to think deeply about passion and fan engagement and how we can unlock this fandom.

Influenced primarily by an American viewpoint on sports, what are some of the reactions students have when they come over for this immersion experience?

These students realize that the U.S. is not the center of the sports world. We went to the Centre for Sport and Human Rights to help students understand that not everything that glitters is gold when it comes to sport. There are human rights atrocities and violations of athletes’ rights. There are violations of worker rights when stadiums are being built for competitions. Migrant workers died building stadiums for the World Cup in Qatar.

These issues are all becoming bigger with each passing day. I feel very passionate about this immersion experience because it truly gives students a sense that sport is a lot more than just the NBA Finals, the Super Bowl or seeing a great Aaron Judge home run. Globally, sports are tied into societies and into national pride, and communicating across those cultures is really challenging.

As associate director of First Year Seminar, Jimmy Luckman helps provide a warm, welcoming and engaging atmosphere for the thousands of first-year students who arrive at the University each year.

When Jimmy Luckman prepared to embark on his college journey at SUNY Brockport, he desperately sought a meaningful connection with the campus community, opting from the get-go to become involved with a multitude of activities.

“I wanted to be a part of that process to welcome students into the college experience,” Luckman says.

Today, as associate director of the University’s (FYS) in the , Luckman helps provide a warm, welcoming and engaging atmosphere for the thousands of who arrive at the University each year.

His professional career and accompanying research studies the emerging field of orientation, transition and retention, which aims to examine why some college students excel and engage with their campus community while others feel disconnected once they arrive on campus.

Jimmy Luckman

“Every day I get to bring in the things that I’m passionate about, what I learned in the classroom, and figure out how we can continue to enhance the student experience and help students figure out their identities. That’s important because I didn’t really find out who I was and discover all the elements of my identity until graduate school. I’m still learning who I am,” says Luckman, a passionate advocate for LGBTQ+ issues who identifies as a queer man.

Recently, Luckman completed a doctoral degree from St. John Fisher University in executive leadership and successfully defended his dissertation, “More than Just a Sticker of LGBTQ+ Inclusivity: Exploring College and University-Based LGBTQ+ Center Director’s Process and Perceptions of LGBTQ+ Campus Climate Assessments.”

Among the goals of his research: collecting and leveraging the stories of LGBTQ+ students at various universities to both ensure their experiences are being heard and to create meaningful changes and to explore what universities are doing to connect students with local LGBTQ+ community resources.

“By being outspoken and an advocate in public spaces, hopefully, I can inspire queer scholars, queer community members and allies in our community to make a difference. We have an obligation to inspire queer youth and we must support those who want to support the LGBTQ+ community, and that starts with setting an example. I’m grateful for these opportunities,” says Luckman, entering his fourth-year teaching FYS.

Luckman sat down with SU News to discuss how he uses his lived experiences to enhance his FYS teachings, how he hopes to use his dissertation research to make a difference and effect change and why you can find him wearing his trademark bow tie in class and around campus.

How does First Year Seminar enhance the development of our students?

Jimmy Luckman (second from right) poses with the Department of the Year award.

I tell my students that my classroom is a space for them to actively make a difference on campus. FYS helps students with their transition to the University.

Another thing I love is making students a little uncomfortable. When we think about the transition to college, we think about how to make a comfortable and inclusive environment, and I recognize that. But when I talk to my students about my LGBTQ+ identity, specifically my queer identity, I automatically tell my students on the first day that, based on the way I sound, you’re potentially going to assume certain things about me. This doesn’t make you a bad person if you did. That’s part of FYS, learning about yourself and the opinions we form and learning to get uncomfortable.

���ϲ����� is a place to engage in conversations, and for some of our students, they’ve never talked to someone who was so out before. I often share my queer identity and that openness invites students to share the elements of who they are, and potentially to expand what they know about the LGBTQ+ community.

How has your time on campus helped you discover your queer identity?

Some people say coming out, but I say I came into my identity at age 24 because that reflects how I was able to truly embrace who I am. I came into my queer identity in my graduate program [at Northern Arizona University] and ���ϲ����� was the space and the place where I first explored how my identity looks as a working professional and as a role model who engages with and forms friendships and connections in the community.

I started volunteering at the immediately when I came to ���ϲ����� in 2019. The majority of my really close friends are members of the LGBTQ+ community because we have similar interests and that commonality of seeking spaces where we can be authentically queer, which is something that I didn’t get to do when I was younger.

���ϲ����� has given me an opportunity to learn, reflect and try to find those alliances, resources and people to help propel our community forward. The has been very intentional and inclusive in its efforts to provide counseling and resources to the community. The has invited me to do a on my dissertation. We have a space to celebrate queer work and I know we have people on campus who feel a sense of support through the people and the resources available to them.

How did you decide on your dissertation?

There’s not a lot of literature specifically focusing on LGBTQ+ campus climate assessments to see how we are actually supporting students. I wanted to look at it from a lens of what do colleges and universities say or do to bring in students while offering an inclusive space, collecting data from LGBTQ+ centers and then utilizing that data to share that out from the perspective of these centers. How do we leverage this data to make changes on campus?

For my dissertation, what I really focused on was the importance of storytelling. We have students who share their stories of their experiences on a college campus, and I explored how can we leverage this information and these stories to make sure their voices are being heard and then go about creating change. How can we support LGBTQ+ students and create inclusive environments and affirming spaces that allow our campus community members to feel safe sharing their life experiences.

What’s the significance of the bow ties you frequently wear?

Jimmy Luckman poses with a First Year Seminar participant.

It’s all about having fun. Students are spending their Friday afternoons with me, so why not dress up for them? I’ve lost track of how many bow ties I own. I have different color bow ties. Holiday-themed bow ties. Floral bow ties. Even an SU-themed bow tie! It’s just a fun and different way to engage with my students. For them to see their professor dressed up and excited for class, I’ve noticed that they will open up with me and trust me more than previous students might have. I’m known on campus hopefully for my positive demeanor and for being a queer leader, but the bow ties help me standout and they’re a conversation starter. Plus, it brings me happiness!

Meetings were conducted with representatives of the University of Seoul, Ewha Women’s University, Korea University and Sungkyunkwan University. The discussions were part of an exploration to consider locating a ���ϲ����� center in South Korea, according to Pamela Young, director of academic strategic plan implementation in the Office of Academic Affairs.

University delegates participated in discussions with Korea University officials about potential faculty research collaborations and study abroad opportunities.

Young says a center there could provide ���ϲ����� and Korean universities with new opportunities for collaborative research, including projects focused on the semiconductor industry and gravitational wave research. It could also facilitate joint faculty and student participation in seminars and workshops, faculty and graduate student exchanges and the development of new partners that support study abroad for ���ϲ����� students in Korea.

The expansion of collaborative efforts in East Asia is an important part of the University’s strategic vision, says Young.��“There is great interest among many ���ϲ����� schools and colleges in partnering with Korean universities to enhance creative activities and the research enterprise, including through faculty and graduate student exchanges. There is also significant space to expand opportunities for ���ϲ����� students to study abroad and engage in experiential learning outside of Western Europe. Each year many students come from Korea to study and earn degrees at ���ϲ�����. Our strong Korean alumni base has many business and industry connections that can provide students with opportunities for experiential learning, too,” she says.

The Korea Center Initiative group visited with officials at Ehwa Women’s University, one of several universities they visited in South Korea.

During the trip, the delegation enjoyed dinner with several members of ���ϲ�����’s Korean Alumni Association. It also caught up with two School of Architecture students who are studying at Ewha Women’s University and a group of ���ϲ����� students who were in Seoul as part of a new Maymester design course led by Seyeon Lee, associate professor in the College of Visual and Performing Arts.

Among highlights of the trip was a dinner gathering for ���ϲ����� students studying abroad at Ewha Woman’s University along with a group of students participating in a Maymester program focused on South Korean design and culture led by College of Visual and Performing Arts Associate Professor Seyeon Lee.

At Sunkyunkwan University, the delegation heard a presentation from Youngseek Kim G’08, G’13, an associate professor who earned master’s and doctoral degrees at the School of Information Studies. In addition, the trip allowed Architecture Dean Michael Speaks and Daekwon Park, undergraduate program chair, to meet with high school students and their parents regarding program opportunities.

The ���ϲ����� delegation was also welcomed to Sunkyunkwan University. Among the presenters was alumnus Youngseek Kim G’08, G’13, who is now an associate professor there.

College of Arts and Sciences Dean says he appreciates the opportunity to pursue new partnerships in Korea and strengthen alumni ties.

“I am confident in the potential of these connections and I am eager to work with my fellow deans at the University to develop new opportunities for student exchange, internships and university and industry partnerships in Korea,” he says.

“We all look forward to continuing our efforts to develop new opportunities for student exchange, internships and industry collaborations in Korea with the goal of establishing in Seoul a new Asia center for the University,” says Speaks.

���ϲ����� is a national leader in international education, with a highly ranked study abroad program. The University’s Academic Strategic Plan, “Leading With Distinction,” calls for the expansion of study abroad and study away venues and programs and the removal of barriers to make it possible for every undergraduate to participate. In addition to Mortazavi, Speaks, Young and Park, the delegation included Andrew Sears, then-dean of the School of Information Studies; Nicole Collins, director of strategic partnerships and outreach for ���ϲ����� Abroad; and Brian Kim L’19, international engagement specialist, who served as liaison between ���ϲ����� and the Korean Alumni Association.

Two ���ϲ����� students have been named as student cultural ambassadors through the U.S.-UK Fulbright Commission’s UK Summer Institute program.

They are Keona Bukhari-Adams ’27, a psychology and neuroscience major in the College of Arts and Sciences, and Adalys Sanchez ’26, an earth sciences major and women and gender studies minor in the College of Arts and Sciences and a member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program.

The Fulbright UK Summer Institutes are fully funded three- to four-week summer study programs for first- and second-year U.S. undergraduates. The Summer Institutes are made possible through generous donations from private individuals and through partnerships with some of the top universities in the UK. Participants are selected based on leadership skills, academic achievement, character, adaptability and ambassadorial qualities, as well as demonstrated interest in the UK and its culture.

Selection is highly competitive; only 36 students from the U.S. were chosen as recipients this year. The first two ���ϲ����� students to receive Fulbright UK Summer Institute awards studied in the UK in 2016 and 2017. Four students received the award in 2018.

“The Fulbright UK Summer Institutes program is one of the most competitive programs to which Center for Fellowship and Scholarship Advising (CFSA) helps first- and second-year students apply,” says Melissa Welshans, assistant director of CFSA. “Adalys and Keona were selected because they embody the academic excellence and ambassadorial spirit that this program seeks to cultivate among emerging leaders. We are so proud of them and know they will be excellent representatives of ���ϲ����� and the U.S. during their time in the UK.”

Bukhari-Adams will study at the Glasgow School of Art and the University of Strathclyde in Scotland, in a focused on technology, innovation and creativity.�� Sanchez will study at the University of Exeter in England in a focused on global sustainability and climate change issues.

During the summer institute, Bukhari-Adams hopes to explore the intersection between medicine and technology. “I want to learn how these two industries have collectively revolutionized global medicine,” she says. Bukhari plans to attend medical school and embark on a career as a neurosurgeon or pediatric oncologist. “I hope that this experience will serve as a stepping stone in achieving the extraordinary and pushing the boundaries for greatness in the world of medicine,” she says.

Bukhari-Adams is also excited to make her first international trip and to learn more about a different culture. She developed an interest in anthropology after taking a class with Professor Azra Hromadžić in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs. “I am very excited to explore Scotland from an anthropological perspective,” she says.

Sanchez is passionate about the intersection of environmental justice and marginalized communities. “Through my academic journey, I want to gain the knowledge and skills necessary to advocate for environmental justice as a lawyer,” she says. “I hope attending this program in Exeter helps me learn how to do this from a diverse perspective.”

She plans to explore the UK’s climate change research and sustainability practices and to integrate these insights into initiatives back in the U.S. “I am also looking forward to sharing my past research experiences with coastal communities and water quality with experts in Exeter who do similar work,” Sanchez says. “I think that participating in this program will help me become a better advocate for a healthier planet, an advocate who is aware of the major impact of climate change and practices sustainability in a way that creates social equity.”

This will also be Sanchez’s first time traveling internationally. “I’m excited for the experience as a whole—the opportunity to see all the historical sights of Exeter, being in Central London for the first week of the program and just getting to explore and meet new people.”

The����funds a range of awards that include English teaching assistantships (ETA) and study/research grants in over 140 countries.

The 2024 recipients are:

• Caroline Barraco G’24, a history master’s degree student in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, English teaching assistantship (ETA), Spain
• Olivia Budelmann ’23 (mathematics; environment, sustainability and policy; and Spanish language, literature and culture in the College of Arts and Sciences), ETA, Andorra
• Jaemon Crosby ’24, an acting major in the College of Visual and Performing Arts (VPA), study award, United Kingdom—London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts (LAMDA, classical acting)
• Avital Datskovsky, a Ph.D. student in anthropology in the Maxwell School, research award, India
• Jessica Hogbin, a Ph.D. student in history in the Maxwell School, research award, Italy
• Lindsey Kernen ’23 (psychology in A&S and citizenship and civic engagement in the Maxwell School), study award, United Kingdom—University of Strathclyde
• Yasmin Nayrouz ’24, an English and textual studies major in A&S, a public relations major in the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and a member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program, study award, United Kingdom—University of Sussex
• Anthony Ornelaz G’24, a creative writing M.F.A. student in A&S,��ETA, Poland
• Alec Rovensky ’21 (School of Architecture), study award, Germany—Technische Universität Berlin
• Adriana Rozas Rivera G’21 (magazine, news and digital journalism, Newhouse School), ETA, Spain
• Zelikha Shoja G’24, an art video student in VPA, research award, Tajikistan
• Julianne Strauss ’23 (inclusive elementary and special education, School of Education) G’24 (literacy education), ETA, Spain
• Elizabeth Vanek G’24, a clinical mental health counseling student in the School of Education, ETA, Mexico
• Ciara Young ’24, an international relations and anthropology major in the Maxwell School | A&S and linguistics major in A&S and member of the Renée Crown Honors Program, ETA, Korea

The 2024 alternates are:

• Huleymatu Barrie ’22 (international relations in the Maxwell School | A&S, ETA, Ghana
• Ian Ferguson, a Ph.D. student in history in the Maxwell School, research award, Kenya
• Liam Goff, a senior broadcast and digital journalism major in the Newhouse School, ETA, Germany
• Mary Matthews, a senior international relations major in the Maxwell School | A&S, ETA, Estonia
• Laura Roman Lopez G’24, a master’s degree student in magazine, news and digital journalism in the Newhouse School, ETA, Argentina

Jaemon Crosby

Crosby, while studying at LAMDA, hopes to bring a new perspective and diversify the world of classical acting, as classical texts and acting historically have been written for and performed by white men.

Jaemon Crosby

“Some of these texts, for example Shakespeare, convey a bigger message and an experience that is not unique to just one race or gender, but to everyone,” Crosby says. “There has been a big revamp in the use of classical texts and bringing them to modern eyes, and I want to be a part of that. … I have always been very drawn to language, rhetoric and the power of listening. I hope this training will help me bring that into works that are performed today and give me a new perspective and interpretation of texts to bring into auditions as I begin my acting career.”

Crosby hopes he can be a role model for younger Black kids in that they may see themselves in classical texts. “Representation is very important in television, theatre and film,” he says. “I want to act and play roles that go against stereotypes of what a Black man is and show what we can be and the power in our Blackness.”

He also hopes that in the future, the connections he makes during his time in the U.K. will aid him in producing shows both in the United States and the U.K. “In my time during my previous semester abroad in London (through ���ϲ����� Abroad), I saw so many beautiful, specific and bold plays that are telling important stories that all should see,” Crosby says. “Theatre should tell stories that allow people to see themselves in them and relate, tell untold stories, educate and make people feel less alone. Everyone should have access to that. There are amazing shows I think should be brought to the U.S., and their messages shared with everyone. I want to be a part of that, and this training and the connections I make will help me get there.”

Jessica Hogbin

Jessica Hogbin

During her Fulbright year in Italy, Hogbin will conduct research for her dissertation, which studies how melancholy—a now-defunct medical category from humoral theory—was used and abused by Renaissance scholars and physicians to express and explain mental health and the mind. Her project, “Innumerable Melancholies: Medicine, Mental Health and Human Nature in Renaissance Italy, 1450-1650,” engages with the deeply interconnected relationship between medicine, narratives around mental health and politics in the 16th and 17th centuries.

Hogbin will conduct research in several archives and libraries in the Veneto region of Italy, including the Historic Archive of the University of Padua, the Marciana Library, and the State Archives of Padua and Venice.

“Through this study, I aim to explore the increasing presumption that it was a patient’s responsibility to care for their own mind and body, along with stereotypes that claimed certain people were more likely by birth and social status to be victims of melancholy, concepts that continue to affect how mental health is imagined to this day,” she says. “I am greatly looking forward to spending this Fulbright year building my dissertation project, conversing with Italian scholars and eating plenty of gelato.”

Hogbin plans to transform her dissertation into a book project in the future. “I hope to take everything that I learn during my Fulbright year, both academically and culturally, back into the classroom, where I am looking forward to sharing this information with my students and allowing the content that I find to shape my lessons.”

Lindsay Kernen

During her Fulbright year, Kernen will pursue a master’s degree in work and organizational psychology at the University of Strathclyde Business School in Glasgow, Scotland.

Lindsay Kernen

Her research will focus on interpersonal relationships in organizations and how diverse groups have the power to produce creative, innovative and profitable outcomes as opposed to conventional top-down management styles.

“I hope to bridge theory and practice, promoting the importance of community involvement in psychological research. I’m looking forward to partnering with an organization in Glasgow to improve employee well-being and satisfaction,” she says. “I’m so excited to have a year dedicated to community-based learning and I hope this leaves me exposed to many diverse perspectives in the psychology field and beyond.”

Beyond her Fulbright year, Kernen plans to embark upon a career dedicated to connecting psychological research that informs employee wellbeing with organizational practices and to raise awareness of the benefits of inclusive group dialogue for innovative workplaces. “This experience will allow me to dig deep into these topics while providing many opportunities to collaborate with local organizations to implement these strategies while learning from the local community and diverse cultures,” she says.

In addition to her studies, Kernen plans to attend meetings for worship at the local Quaker meetinghouse and enjoy Glasgow’s vibrant music and arts scene.

Julianne Strauss

Julianne Strauss

During her Fulbright year, Strauss will be an English teaching assistant in the La Rioja region of Spain. “I hope to find ways to promote inclusive education within the classrooms I teach in and in the school community,” says Strauss. “I also want to instill a love of reading in my students and use inclusive children’s literature that I read in my own U.S. classrooms to promote English learning.”

Strauss, who studied in Madrid during her junior year through ���ϲ����� Abroad, hopes to grow as a Spanish speaker and immerse herself in Spanish culture. “I have not had the chance to visit this region previously, so I want to explore all of my new home,” she says.

She plans to use this Fulbright year as a chance to expand her teaching experiences to students who are learning English as a second language. “I want to bring this experience home and draw upon it to support my future students in the Central New York or New York City region,” she says.

Students interested in applying to the Fulbright program should contact the Center for Fellowship and Scholarship Advising at 315.443.2759 or cfsa@syr.edu. The campus deadline for the 2024-25 application cycle is Sept. 10.

The group enjoyed a public lecture presented by ���ϲ����� Artist in Residence at the University’s Villa Rossa facility in Florence. Weems was in Italy for the “” conference, which was co-sponsored by the University as part of the in Venice. She participated in the panel discussion, “Black Realities Through Digital Media.”

University Artist in Residence Carrie Mae Weems presented a public lecture titled “Resistance As an Act of Love” while in Florence. (Photo by Francesco Guazzelli)

Jonathan Nelson, a faculty member with the Florence program and a specialist in late 15th- and 16th-century��Italian painting and sculpture, also participated in the conference as part of the “Radical Curricula” panel.

In Florence, Weems, an internationally known and widely acclaimed artist, spoke to the students in their studio and exhibit space and conducted individual critiques of their artwork.

Eight VPA students also traveled to Venice to take in the international cultural and artistic exhibition at 2024. Attending the event allowed them to view art and other forms of creative expression made by people from all over the world.

Artist in Residence Carrie Mae Weems spoke to students studying at the University’s Florence, Italy Center. (Photo by Francesco Guazzelli)

They included Anastasia Cardona (studio art), Mark Casadevall (computer art and animation), Sidney Hanson (studio arts/art history), Madeleine Herberger (illustration), Sarah Mednick (illustration), Rumini Nguyen (studio art), Sarah Skalsk (illustration) and Alissar Youssef (illustration). Accompanying the group were Marcelle Haddix, associate provost for strategic initiatives, and Miranda Traudt, assistant provost for arts and community programming.

Another three ���ϲ����� students studying in Florence participated in the critique with Weems: Paige Esposito (social work), Oskar Kraft (studio art) and Zohra Mekki (illustration).

“It was wonderful for students to learn from our artist in residence in a close-up, informal atmosphere, then see her present on the world stage about a topic that is prominent across America and the world now. Students’ exposure to world-renowned artists, emerging creatives and global thought leaders provided them with experiential learning that brought enjoyment in the moment and lasting experiences that are likely to impact them for their lifetimes,” Traudt says.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Writing and rhetoric professor Amy Murphy has been awarded a Fulbright to research and teach in Slovakia. The photo is of Murphy during a trip to Slovakia in 2023. She traveled there in search of ancestral information about her great-grandfather.

Genealogy websites like are a popular way for individuals to trace and preserve their family histories. Before this information was widely accessible via the web, people would often learn about their past through stories passed down from older generations.

While a good way for family members to connect with one another and take pride in their roots, these oral histories could be subjective and not provide the full picture of how a family came to be. If certain details about a family’s past were omitted or altered, then inaccuracies could be perpetuated for generations.

For , associate teaching professor of in the College of Arts and Sciences, an unexpected discovery about her family history played a pivotal role in her scholarly pursuits, and ultimately led to her applying for and receiving a prestigious award to teach and conduct research in Slovakia.

Journey to Discovery

The research expedition began in ���ϲ����� in 2023 when Murphy’s husband took a deep dive into her lineage using Ancestry.com. While working to recreate a family tree, he came across a surprising document: a Census record stating that Murphy’s great-grandfather, Anton Plott, listed his home country as “Slovak Land” (a term previously used to denote Slovak-inhabited territories). This came as a shock because the family had always believed him to be of Austrian descent.

“I was just very perplexed because that was not part of any conversation I ever had with my father or my grandmother or any member of that family,” says Murphy, who has taught several different writing and rhetoric classes since starting at the University in 2019. “I was just trying to understand what had happened there and why I never knew about it, and so that sort of began a larger interest that I had in Central Europe and in Slovakia in particular.”

To piece together this complicated puzzle, Murphy knew it would take more than the information available to her on the web. Luckily, she already had a trip planned to Czechia (Czech Republic), a country which borders Slovakia, for an unrelated conference in summer 2023.

“I thought that I might not get to do this again, so I set out to figure out where his village was,” says Murphy. “Since Slovakia is a very small country of about 5 million people, I presumed I’d have a good shot at finding it.”

She contacted Michael Razus, a local historian, and explained that she would be taking the train to Bratislava (the capital of Slovakia) from the Czech Republic and asked if there was anyone who could take her around Kalná nad Hronom, the village where she believed her great-grandfather was born. She was introduced to another local resident, who helped her locate the cemetery where her family’s burial plot was situated and visit the Catholic church where her great-grandfather, Anton Plott, was baptized.

Anton Plott, Amy Murphy’s great-grandfather

After confirming the birthplace of her great-grandfather, the question turned to why this information was kept secret. Murphy believes it probably had something to do with the period when he emigrated to the United States. Anton came to the U.S. in the 1880s at the age of 15, a time when the Slovak people were repressed and struggling to find national identity under the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

“He came to the United States as such a young person by himself,” says Murphy. “It was a very odd time historically and socially because of what was happening in Europe politically. Slovaks did not have a recognized,��national identity because they were subjects of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. For outsiders coming to the United States at that time, they would have never disclosed that they were Slovak.”

Murphy says the experience of uncovering this remarkable untold aspect of her family history was not only emotional, but also inspired her to seek a deeper connection with her Slovak roots through her research and scholarship.

“I just felt really determined that I wanted to find a way to connect to the country, and so the Fulbright seemed the natural place to do that, so I began the application process,” says Murphy.

Connecting With Her Culture

Murphy’s research concentration lies at the intersection of history, language and literature. As a Ph.D. student at the University of Arizona, she focused her dissertation on how women writers were documenting labor in the 19th century. Her longstanding interest in the historical and cultural aspects of language and writing is what led her to apply for a Fulbright, where she will research literacy in the Slovak Republic.

Whereas in the United States people have maintained the freedom to read and learn freely, Slovakia (formerly Czechoslovakia until 1993) was under an authoritarian communist rule from 1948 to 1989, which deeply impacted the literacy of people living in that country. At universities, inquiry and free debate was stifled, and lectures would often emphasize the benefits of communism.

Following the Velvet Revolution in 1989, a protest movement that ended more than 40 years of communist rule in Czechoslovakia, students gained the ability to pursue their own academic interests and learn about the diversity of cultures and perspectives on a global scale.

“When I was in college in the late 1980s, people my age in Slovakia couldn’t read the literary texts that I could because they were banned,” says Murphy. “I’m interested in my generation—people that were born in the 60s and 70s—and want to explore how literacy worked in a former dictatorship in terms of access to materials and how that affected people’s ability to read and think.”

Among the topics Murphy will investigate is samizdat (from Russian sam, “self,” and izdatelstvo, “publishing”), which was literature secretly written, copied and circulated in Czechoslovakia and throughout the former Soviet Union.

“There was a whole underground of people who had typewriters and were making copies of books and manuscripts,” says Murphy. “The government saw books such as J.R.R. Tolkien’s ‘Lord of the Rings’ as being a threat to a communist ideology and people could go to jail for reproducing these books. I’m very interested in finding out more about how people accessed literature.”

As a U.S. Fulbright Scholar, Murphy will teach and conduct research at Comenius University in Bratislava, the largest university in Slovakia.

Murphy will research and teach in the British and American studies program at located in Bratislava, Slovakia. She will work with faculty there to explore the role United States authors and academics played in helping the underground writers to connect to literature and find inspiration.

In addition, she will connect with students, faculty and their families to document their experiences with language, literature and education to examine how Slovaks in former Czechoslovakia expressed themselves artistically despite the difficulties and potential dangers they had in obtaining texts.

As a scholar who specializes in innovative writing pedagogy, Murphy will work with Slovak students who are studying to become teachers of English. Being able to share materials which she has created for the writing studies program at ���ϲ����� with future educators in Slovakia carries great significance, both professionally and personally.

“What I have been able to achieve in my academic and scholarly career was made possible because my great-grandfather came here and took that kind of risk and worked very hard his whole life,” says Murphy. “Having the opportunity to teach abroad and immerse myself in the culture of my ancestors is a huge gift and I’m incredibly grateful for it.”

Murphy will travel to Slovakia for the Fall 2024 semester and says she looks forward to sharing the cross-cultural teaching and research insights she gains during her time abroad with students in her classes and faculty at ���ϲ�����. She also plans to publish and share the results of her findings at conferences and in a scholarly journal upon her return.

Angelica Molina (left), Adya Parida (center) and Yajie (Lannie) Lan discuss their respective journeys to ���ϲ�����, how they found not only success but a welcoming community on campus, their advice for fellow international students and how they plan on making a difference in their communities once they graduate.

Finding out you were accepted into ���ϲ����� to pursue your academic dreams is a joyous time—and the start of a new adventure.

On this “’Cuse Conversation,” three accomplished international students stopped by to discuss their respective journeys to ���ϲ�����, how they found not only success but a welcoming community on campus, their advice for fellow international students and how they plan on making a difference in their communities once they graduate.

Adya Parida ’25 traveled nearly 7,700 miles from her home in Ranchi, India, to study computer science in the (ECS).

Yajie (Lannie) Lan ’24 ventured more than 7,300 miles from her home in Chengdu, China, to earn an architecture degree from the .

Angelica Molina ��’25 ventured more than 2,700 miles from her home in Cali, Colombia, to earn master’s degrees in public administration and international relations in the .

Check out episode 161 of the podcast featuring Parida, Molina and Lan. A transcript [PDF]��is also available.

“The Abroad center directors are coming to campus at a very exciting time as the University is beginning to implement the core commitments in “,” the University’s academic strategic plan,” says Erika Wilkens, assistant provost and executive director for ���ϲ����� Abroad.��“As leaders within one of the highest ranked study abroad programs in the U.S., the center directors are uniquely positioned to help implement key goals of the plan: ensuring that every undergraduate will be encouraged and enabled to participate in a study abroad or away experience before they graduate; leveraging our robust international assets; and further elevating ���ϲ�����’s position as a premier globally engaged academic institution.”��

From left to right: Sasha Perugini (Florence), Mauricio Paredes (Santiago), Juliet Golden (Central Europe), Troy Gordon (London), Dieter Kuehl (Madrid) and John Goodman (Strasbourg). (Photo by Jeremy Brinn)

���ϲ����� Abroad Center Directors Week: March 25-29��

Join ���ϲ����� Abroad staff and center directors to learn about program tracks, exciting new initiatives and updates from our campuses abroad. ��

All students, staff and faculty are invited to join ���ϲ����� Abroad for the following with select Center Directors. This will be an opportunity to get the inside scoop on ���ϲ����� Abroad centers directly from the source. Program alumni will also be sharing their stories about their semesters abroad.��

��

• Monday, March 25 | 10:15 – 11:15 a.m.��
• ���ϲ�����Abroad@Bird, Bird Library, Room 002��

• Wednesday, March 27 | 1:45 – 2:45 p.m.��
• Peter Graham Scholarly Commons, Bird Library, Room 114��

• Thursday, March 28 | 9:45 – 10:45 a.m.��
• ���ϲ�����Abroad@Bird, Bird Library, Room 002��

• Thursday, March 28 | 1:30 – 2:30 p.m.��
• Hall of Languages, Room 500��

Meet the Abroad Directors��

Each ���ϲ����� Abroad Center is managed by a director and multicultural staff, who deliver unparalleled academic programs and support services to students studying abroad. Our program directors, who oversee operations at the centers and often teach a number of courses, are experts in their fields and have extensive experience in the countries where they live, work and teach. Our directors include:

• Sasha Perugini, Daniel and Gayle D’Aniello ���ϲ����� Program in Florence��
• Troy Gordon, ���ϲ����� London��
• Dieter Kuehl, ���ϲ����� Madrid��
• Mauricio Paredes, ���ϲ����� Santiago��
• John Goodman, ���ϲ����� Strasbourg��
• Juliet Golden, Exploring Central Europe��

Learn more about each of the ���ϲ����� Abroad .��

Peer mentors, who were honored at a reception in this photo, are part of an academic advising initiative to help international undergraduate students thrive. The initiative, developed by the Office of Academic and Career Advising/Office of Student Success in the College of Arts and Sciences (A&S) and Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, was recognized with a 2024 Senator Paul Simon Spotlight Award for Campus Internationalization by NAFSA: Association of International Educators.

���ϲ����� has been awarded a prestigious . Named after the late U.S. Sen. Paul Simon of Illinois, the annual NAFSA Simon awards celebrate outstanding commitment and accomplishment in campus internationalization.

The University was recognized for its academic advising initiative, the International Student Success Model, launched by the Office of Academic and Career Advising/Office of Student Success in the College of Arts and Sciences (A&S) and Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs.

���ϲ����� was one of only three institutions this year to receive the spotlight award from NAFSA, the largest nonprofit association dedicated to international education and exchange.

“���ϲ����� has long recognized the benefits of embracing the talents and contributions of people from all backgrounds around the world,” Chancellor Kent Syverud says. “The University’s International Student Success Model reflects our commitment to internationalization and ensures equitable access to the supports our international students need. It is a tremendous honor for the University to be recognized with the NAFSA Simon Spotlight Award, and I am proud of the program’s success and those who have made it possible through their dedication to our students.”

Ling Gao LeBeau

The International Student Success Model was developed by Steve Schaffling, assistant dean of student success, and Ling Gao LeBeau, director of international student success, in the Office of Academic and Career Advising in A&S | Maxwell. These two colleges represent about 40% of the University’s undergraduate population, including typically about 1,000 international undergraduate students from over 50 countries, more than 50% of the University’s international undergraduate student population.

In 2019, Schaffling saw the need to help international students in their first-year transition to their academic career at ���ϲ����� and boost retention rates. His proposal was to provide intentional, targeted programming to international students in academic and career advising. In January 2020, the office hired the first associate director of international student success, LeBeau, to lead these efforts.

After meeting with stakeholders and assessing challenges and opportunities, Schaffling and LeBeau developed a mission statement, student learning outcomes and five pillars. The five pillars are pre-arrival academic onboarding coaching through a noncredit asynchronous course that familiarizes students with the University’s academic expectations and the people that will help guide them; peer mentoring; advisor training; academic intervention to help students stay on track; and communication, including through a weekly newsletter and social media connections that also keeps parents connected. There is also a weekly International Student Wednesday Forum, a welcoming space for students to meet, learn and share their experiences.

Steve Schaffling

“The International Student Success Model ensures we’re doing all we can to give students the specific tools they need for a rewarding first-year experience—that leads to a successful academic career at ���ϲ�����,” Schaffling says. “We are grateful to NAFSA for recognizing this important work that we hope will inform other institutions and their efforts to help international students thrive and flourish.”

The success model has paid off: in fall 2022, the international student retention rate for A&S | MAX was 91.5%, the highest since 2010 and the second highest on record.

“The initiative represents a vision for student success by changing the narrative of international student support and, most importantly, bridging the gap between academic advising and international education,” LeBeau says. “My work is to help international students navigate their first year and beyond through multiple connection points, and to build trust and provide impactful programs that boost their confidence in academics and career development.”

The programming has also benefited students in other schools and colleges. International students across the University can subscribe to the international student newsletter, attend the weekly forum and join the weekly onboarding academic training.

The targeted advising approach gained national notice from an article last year in the Chronicle of Higher Education, “.” LeBeau and Schaffling, who discussed the initiative in the article, received inquiries from other institutions interested in following ���ϲ�����’s model. The two later authored , a newsletter of NACADA: The Global Community for Academic Advising, that further explained their work.

���ϲ����� will be featured along with the other awardees in NAFSA’s annual report , to be published this fall, and honored during NAFSA’s 2024 Annual Conference and Expo this spring.

Ling Gao LeBeau (center, left) and Steve Schaffling (center, right) accepting the 2024 Senator Paul Simon Spotlight Award for Campus Internationalization from NAFSA CEO Fanta Aw (left) and NAFSA President LaNitra M. Berger during the annual conference.

[Editor’s note, June 7, 2024: Updated with photo from NAFSA’s 2024 Annual Conference and Expo.]

Eleven students from the University were selected for Fulbright research and teaching awards for academic year 2023-24 to the Czech Republic, France, Germany (three awards), Mexico, Oman, Poland, Spain (two awards) and Tajikistan.

“Fulbright’s Top Producing Institutions represent the diversity of America’s higher education community. Dedicated administrators support students and scholars at these institutions to fulfill their potential and rise to address tomorrow’s global challenges. We congratulate them, and all the Fulbrighters who are making an impact the world over,” says Lee Satterfield, assistant secretary of state for educational and cultural affairs.

The Fulbright competition is administered at��. This is the fourth time—and second year in a row—the University was named a Fulbright Top Producing Institution. The University was previously recognized for the 2012-13 cohort (under campus Fulbright advisor and professor emerita Susan Wadley) and the 2019-20 and 2022-23 cohorts (under CFSA).

Twenty-six faculty and staff members from across the University served on the campus Fulbright committee for the 2023-24 cohort. The committee is convened by CFSA; members interview applicants, provide feedback and complete a campus endorsement for each applicant. “Faculty and staff investment in our Fulbright candidates is crucial; our Fulbright work is an all-campus effort,” says Jolynn Parker, director of CFSA.

Kiana Khoshnoud ’23 with some of her students in a classroom in Tajikistan (Photo courtesy of Kiana Khoshnoud)

Students apply for Fulbright awards in the fall and awards are made in the spring. In the current competition for the 2024-25 cohort, 31 of the University’s 39 applicants have been named as semifinalists. Awards will be announced this spring.

Kiana Khoshnoud ’23 majored in public relations with a minor in environment and society at ���ϲ�����. She is currently engaged in an English teaching assistantship in Dushanbe, the capital city of Tajikistan. She frequently travels to smaller villages outside of Dushanbe as well to work with Afghan refugee students.

She says her Fulbright experience has been life changing. “Becoming an educator has brought so much challenge and joy into my life. Tajik students are incredibly respectful, and I have been able to connect with hundreds of students,” she says. “Moreover, on the weekends, I get to pursue one of my passions, horseback riding.”

The classes Khoshnoud teaches are free and open to all, so each class has different students of various ages and English levels. She teaches 20 individual classes a week on a variety of subjects, including writing, basic English, public speaking, diversity and inclusion, critical thinking, filmmaking, magazine-making, current events, short stories, a book club, English conversation, the United States, art classes, geography and more.

Kiana Khoshnoud ’23 on horseback in Tajikistan (Photo courtesy of Kiana Khoshnoud)

“My goal as a teacher here is to bridge cultural gaps between Tajiks and Americans. As one of the first or only Americans many people here meet, it is important to provide the students with as much diverse knowledge about the United States as I can,” she says.

Khoshnoud’s grant includes a language stipend, and she has studied the Cyrillic alphabet and the Tajik language. She is now focused on mastering her Farsi language skills and attempting to learn a bit of Russian. “Many people in Tajikistan are bilingual and speak Tajik and Russian,” she says. “Also, I have been learning a new way of life. Tajikistan is a very unique country. I have learned how to adopt new cultures, and that is quite amazing.”

Khoshnoud says she will never forget her time in Tajikistan for many reasons. “The people here have been so welcoming,” she says. “As a new teacher, I have learned so much about how to manage classes with 40-50 students of different ages and levels. And I have become more confident in myself. I have had to rely on myself to face challenges head-on, and I am becoming a stronger person because of it.”

Fulbright is the U.S. government’s flagship international educational exchange program. It is also among the largest and most diverse exchange programs in the world. Since its inception in 1946, more than 400,000 participants from all backgrounds and fields—including recent university graduates, teachers, scientists, researchers, artists and others, from the United States and over 160 other countries—have participated in the Fulbright Program. Fulbright alumni have returned to their home countries to make an impact on their communities thanks to their expanded worldview, a deep appreciation for their host country and its people, and a larger network of colleagues and friends.

Fulbright alumni work to make a positive impact on their communities, sectors and the world and have included 41 heads of state or government, 62 Nobel Laureates, 89 Pulitzer Prize winners, 78 MacArthur Fellows and countless leaders and changemakers who carry forward the Fulbright mission of enhancing mutual understanding.

CFSA and the Office of Research will hold a Fulbright Day on Wednesday, March 20, from 3 to 4:30 p.m. in the Shaffer Art Building Atrium.

Fulbright Day will introduce the campus community to the range of opportunities funded through Fulbright. Attendees can learn about Fulbright opportunities available to faculty, students, alumni and staff, and will hear from campus administrators and program alumni about the application process and Fulbright experience.

More information about the��.

Krushil Watene, Peter Kraus Associate Professor in Philosophy, University of Auckland, New Zealand

This spring, the welcomes a visit by renowned Māori scholar, moral and political philosopher, Krushil Watene. She is a member of the Māori tribal communities of Ngāti Manu, Te Hikutu, Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei and the Pacific Island of Tonga (Hunga, Vava’u). Watene is the Peter Kraus Associate Professor of Philosophy, and associate professor, faculty of arts, at the University of Auckland/Waipapa Taumata Rau, Aotearoa New Zealand. She will be in residence on campus as the .

The center provides major support for a faculty member to organize the Watson Professorship. This year, two College of Arts and Sciences (A&S) faculty members are partnering to host Professor Watene, each bringing distinct expertise and leadership capabilities: Professor , associate professor of philosophy, and , assistant professor of Native American and Indigenous studies and environmental justice.

Watene’s scholarship draws on Indigenous philosophies to address climate change. For example, she suggests that people can transform how they think about the environment by looking through the lens of “kaitiakitanga,” the Māori concept of stewardship of the sky, sea and land. This mindset, rooted in a deep connection to history, ancestors and the environment, offers valuable wisdom for informing policy and law and helping cultivate a healthier, more reciprocal relationship between humans and the environment.

, the title of Watene’s residency, will address fundamental questions in ethics, politics and Indigenous philosophy. In particular, Watene will explore various philosophical traditions, emphasizing the essential contribution of local communities to achieve global change. Watene’s areas of expertise include mainstream theories of well-being, development and justice, intergenerational justice and Māori philosophy.

“We are honored to welcome Krushil Watene as the Watson Professor this spring,” says , director of the Humanities Center and professor of women’s and gender studies, both in the College of Arts and Sciences. “At a time when we are confronting environmental crises on multiple fronts, we need solutions to climate change that draw from diverse knowledges and experiences, and that foreground the humanities’ important role in our collective future. Watene brings a depth of expertise grounded in Māori philosophy and in her own community engagement and climate justice work in Aotearoa New Zealand.”

Professors Erlenbusch-Anderson and Huambachano collaborated to host Watene for the Watson Professorship because of her important contributions to contemporary Western philosophy and scholarship on intergenerational justice. They agree that her body of work provides crucial guidance in finding solutions to environmental degradation and climate change by robustly embracing Indigenous philosophies that consider obligations to future generations, as well as ancestors.

“Professor Watene’s work exemplifies the social and political urgency of philosophy and shows how transformative philosophy can be when it is grounded in a commitment to justice, connected to local Indigenous communities and in dialogue with other disciplines,” says Erlenbusch-Anderson. “Her work provides a striking contribution to contemporary philosophy by foregrounding Indigenous values as an innovative way to ensure a sustainable future.”

“From a local to a global scale, Professor Watene’s research highlights the valuable role that Indigenous epistemologies, ontologies and ethics play in improving planetary health,” says Huambachano. “Her work urges humanity to listen to and learn from Indigenous philosophies about our responsibilities to build resilient communities in which both human and non-human entities, like rivers, forests and the Earth itself, can thrive in unison, paving the way for present and future generations to live in flourishing communities.”

Watene will headline six public scholarly events. These will draw on her research on Indigenous conceptions of well-being and sustainable development, including insights from Māori tribal communities and how these are influencing policy and law.

Her two-week residency includes the following opportunities to engage:

Wednesday, March 20, 4-5:30 p.m.

Watene discusses how Indigenous philosophies are inherently good for equitable social, economic, environmental and cultural development. Also, she shares insights on sustainable development, achievable through the proven methods of Māori communities.

Thursday, March 21, 4-5:30 p.m.

Faculty working in the fields of Native American and Indigenous Studies and Philosophy join Watene to discuss reconciliation, transitional and Indigenous justice.

Friday, March 22, 10 a.m.–2 p.m. (Space is limited, registration required.)

A three-part interdisciplinary graduate student workshop on reclaiming Indigenous philosophy, including the Māori philosophy of kaitiakitanga (stewardship), and how these philosophies are transforming policy and law. Interested students should follow the link for all details and requirements.

Public lecture: Monday, March 25, noon-1:30 p.m.

Watene highlights key Māori concepts for intergenerational justice, showcasing how Indigenous philosophies foster relationships, regeneration and innovation. She suggests that applying these perspectives to policy-making can empower communities and cultivate lasting collective responsibility for climate justice.

Public dialogue: Friday, March 29, 3-4:30p.m.

Kyle Whyte from the University of Michigan and ���ϲ�����’s Mariaelena Huambachano will join Watene to discuss the impact of Indigenous philosophies, leadership and diplomacy on global justice and policy development. They draw from Whyte’s experience with the White House Office of Domestic Climate Policy, Watene’s service on the UN Human Development Reports and International Science Council’s Committee, and Huambachano’s work with the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) and the UN High-Level Panel Experts on Food Security and Nutrition.

A closing reception will be held on Friday, March 29 from 4:30 to 6 p.m. at Hendricks Chapel.

All events are free and open to the public. Read all the details about these events, including date, time and location on the .

About the Watson Professorship

The Jeannette K. Watson Distinguished Visiting Professorship in the Humanities is a distinguished lectureship founded by the Watson family with the aim of fostering on-campus residencies for distinguished scholars, writers, and artists in the humanities. Individuals who have previously held this professorship include Noam Chomsky, Angela Davis and Toni Morrison.

Those appointed as Watson Professors actively participate in the University community through various means, such as delivering public lectures, conducting mini-seminars, engaging in readings or performances, and more. Their residency extends over a significant duration within a semester, or they may opt for a series of brief visits throughout the academic year. Starting this year, the Watson Professorship will be awarded biennially to maximize its funding and potential for collaboration. The center’s next call for Watson Professor proposals will be in fall 2024 for a spring 2026 mini-residency.

Additional ���ϲ����� departments and centers that are supporting this year’s Watson Professors residency with Watene include anthropology, the Engaged Humanities Network, Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics’ food studies, Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs’ geography and the environment, Hendricks Chapel, the Native American and Indigenous Studies program, Office of Diversity and Inclusion, philosophy, religion and sociology.

The South Campus Outdoor Challenge Course tests students’ mental and physical aptitude during a fall Connections outing.

The is a dedicated resource on campus to help international students from around the world make the most out of their time studying at ���ϲ�����. While the center offers a diverse array of programming throughout the academic year that is exclusively tailored to the international student experience, two programs—Connections and College 101—are highlighted below, offering new and reimagined ways to get involved as the spring semester gets underway!

Connections

The Connections program for undergraduate international students has been modified slightly from its previous format, which focused on creating formal mentorship opportunities between newer and more experienced students on campus. It now serves to offer more informal ways for international students to connect with one another, with the larger ���ϲ����� campus and with the local community through engaging activities offered at no cost to students.

Through these activities, students are afforded the opportunity to build lasting friendships, experience offerings from other campus units (like Orange After Dark, the Barnes Center at The Arch and Athletics), and most importantly, have fun socializing, trying new things and getting a break from their studies!

Students got to see how pumpkins grow and feed goats while visiting Tim’s Pumpkin Patch last fall as part of the Connections program.

While the program is mainly targeted to first- and second-year international students, undergraduates in their junior and senior year at ���ϲ����� are also welcome to attend. Examples of activities in the fall semester included craft and game nights, karaoke, pet therapy, the Outdoor Challenge Course on South Campus, ice skating at Tennity Ice Pavilion and outings to such local venues as Tim’s Pumpkin Patch and Navarino Orchard.

Some of the activities planned for the spring semester include “Around the World” grocery bingo, a Lunar New Year celebration, Bollywood movie night and trips to ���ϲ����� Stage and the Rosamond Gifford Zoo.

International students took in an American football game in the JMA Wireless Dome, which also gave them the opportunity to learn more about the sport.

College 101

The Health Hub, an interactive outreach program designed to promote health and wellness on campus, led a “stressbuster” activity for international students as part of the College 101 program.

Introduced in the fall 2023 semester, College 101 is offered to first- and second-year undergraduate international students to assist with the acclimation to both college life and life in the United States.

Considered an extension of the robust orientation programs that are offered to international undergraduate students at the beginning of each semester, the program provides a series of practical and timely activities throughout the academic year. While informative in nature, all activities are designed to be fun and engaging to maximize students’ learning and enjoyment.

Last semester students experienced both a football and basketball game at the JMA Wireless Dome, while enjoying a mini tailgate and learning the rules of the games from domestic students. Other fun activities included a trivia night with the Department of Public Safety and a walking tour of downtown ���ϲ����� combined with learning how to get there using public transit.

This semester activities will focus on tax filing, off-campus housing, getting a U.S. driver’s license and restaurant etiquette.

To learn more about upcoming Connections and College 101 events, visit the . Students are also encouraged to follow the Center for International Services on and for the latest activities.

Among the delegation visiting campus from the University of Seoul were Yongkul Won, president; Jung Hyeun Kim, dean of the College of Engineering; Kang Su Kim, dean of the College of Urban Science; Ji Hee Song, vice president of international affairs; Nohjeong Park, chief secretary to the president; and Eunhwa Shin, head of international partnerships.

Leaders from the University of Seoul met with ���ϲ����� leaders Jan. 8 to advance and expand academic and cultural collaboration and exchange between the two institutions. (Photo by Jeremy Brinn)

They met with Chancellor Kent Syverud; Vice Chancellor, Provost and Chief Academic Officer Gretchen Ritter; and several other University leaders. The group also toured campus. A group from ���ϲ�����, including Chancellor Syverud, Provost Ritter and Dr. Ruth Chen, professor of practice in the College of Engineering and Computer Science, visited the University of Seoul last March.

University of Seoul President Yongkul Won, left, and Chancellor Kent Syverud sign the memorandum of understanding. (Photo by Jeremy Brinn)

Among the possible outcomes of the burgeoning relationship between the two institutions are the establishment of a University center in Korea as well as the development of new University of Seoul programs that leverage ���ϲ�����’s study abroad and study away facilities. Other potential activities and programs include the exchange of faculty members; joint research activities, including semiconductor research; and participation in joint seminars and workshops.

The ongoing relationship between the two institutions includes an MOU between the University of Seoul and ���ϲ�����’s that was signed last year.

“As we seek to deepen ���ϲ�����’s relationships with partners in Korea, we were pleased to welcome leadership from the University of Seoul to our campus,” Ritter says. “We are interested in collaborating across many disciplines with our Korean counterparts, and I am very excited to explore these possibilities.”

But Larsen is also a father of four children, and that side of him had a slightly different reaction.

“I didn’t expect to get it because the European posts are quite competitive. When I received the email notification, it was kind of an ‘oh, crap’ moment. What have I done?” Larsen says, smiling.

What Larsen and his wife, Natalia, did was pack up their four children—Isabel, 13; Sophia, 11; Madeline, 8; and Teddy, 5—and travel roughly 6,500 miles to a house they’re renting in Birgitz, a village outside of Innsbruck, from January through July. Their daughters are attending English-speaking schools, while their son is attending a German-speaking preschool (German is the primary language in Austria).

“Their schooling is going to be a bit disrupted, but they’re good students who read a lot and we’ll keep on top of it and fill in the gaps they might miss,” Larsen says. “It is a ski town, so we’ll spend some time skiing, and the schools for the older girls had London excursions last year so perhaps they can do trips like that.”

are competitive fellowships that provide students, scholars, teachers, artists and professionals of all backgrounds and fields the opportunity to study, teach and conduct research abroad, exchange ideas, and play critical roles in U.S. public diplomacy as they seek to find solutions to shared international concerns.

Since its establishment in 1946 under legislation introduced by the late U.S. Senator J. William Fulbright of Arkansas, the Fulbright Program has provided more than 390,000 scholarships and its alumni include 62 Nobel Laureates, 89 Pulitzer Prize winners, 78 MacArthur Fellows, and thousands of leaders and world-renowned experts in academia and many other fields across the private, public and nonprofit sectors.

At the outset of COVID in 2020, Larsen, an epidemiologist, led an interdisciplinary team of experts in coordination with the New York Department of Health to create a wastewater surveillance system throughout New York state. Today, the is testing for COVID in at least one wastewater treatment plan in all 62 of the state’s counties, covering a population of 15.3 million. The provides the most recent statistics regarding the network.

Before Larsen and his family traveled to Austria, we asked him about the Fulbright Award, what he’ll be doing in and outside of Austria, and why a wastewater surveillance system to test COVID and other infectious diseases is crucial to worldwide health. Here’s that conversation:

Q: Why did you want this fellowship?

A: You submit for a specific award, and I submitted for a position at the Medical University of Innsbruck. I had reviewed their papers and there was good science coming out of there, so I reached out to their scientists who are working on wastewater surveillance in Austria and created their own network in the Tyrol region where Innsbruck is located.

I told them about my work in New York state and the wastewater surveillance network here, and they were supportive of my application.

Q: What will you be doing at the Medical University of Innsbruck?

A: I’m a visiting professor and they’ve asked me to teach two courses that meet once a week and are equivalent to a 3-credit course here. I’m teaching a condensed version of my “Spatial Statistics for Public Health” course, and I developed an overview course for public health surveillance. Those were selected in brainstorming with my colleagues at Innsbruck who thought those would be of most value to their students.

In addition, I’m working with the wastewater-based epidemiologists there, and the research project attached to the Fulbright is the comparison of the networks in New York state and Tyrol.

Q: Will you be working outside of Austria?

A: There’s a national wastewater network in Austria, and initiatives to establish a global network being led by Europeans. Europeans have been doing wastewater surveillance for drugs since 2010, and they’ve got a great model of collaboration across the different nation states. So, I hope to connect with that team and learn more about it, in addition to working with the Austrians.

I’m working here in New York state, primarily, and others are working across the globe on the same issue and building a global system. So, we’ll take the lessons we’ve learned and the challenges we’ve overcome here in New York and go to Austria, share those, and I hope to learn lessons they’ve learned and the challenges they’ve overcome in Austria, and then Europe, and more broadly. Hopefully, we’ll have a greater understanding and improved wastewater surveillance systems as a result.

At the outset of COVID in 2020, David Larsen led an interdisciplinary team of experts in coordination with the New York Department of Health to create a wastewater surveillance system throughout New York State.

Q: Why is this collaboration so important?

A: ��We built this (network) with COVID, but we also built it for the future. Right now in New York state, local health departments are using the data we produce–particularly the sequencing data to track variants–but also the hospitalization forecasting that we provide them. Our aim is to provide the local health departments and the public with robust understanding of COVID-19 risk.

At the same time, COVID is not the only infectious disease, and there’s always potential for what we call “Disease X,” which is the next emerging infection. It could be another coronavirus, it could be an avian influenza, it could be something we’re not thinking about right now. The goal is to make this system ready and prepared to empower the public health response to whatever comes in the future.

In New York state, we supported the polio response in 2022 and made a huge impact on understanding how many people were at risk of polio. We are piloting influenza, RSV, Hepatitis A, Norovirus, and Antimicrobial Resistance (which occurs when a virus doesn’t respond to medicine). Antimicrobial resistance is a looming public health threat and could be very impactful. We do support the COVID response, but that’s the tip of the iceberg of where we hope the wastewater surveillance network goes.

The idea here is that perhaps most, if not all, infectious diseases can be surveilled or found in wastewater. Beyond that, drugs and environmental toxicants and pollutions and other measures of non-communicable diseases can be measured. How do we build this system to make the world a better place?

Q: What motivates you to do this?

A: This came about because I wanted to safely open my kids’ schools. I wanted to get back to normal. When COVID hit, we shut down and I supported the response—I still support the response we had—but it was a response made without local understanding of risk.

Infectious diseases are local. You have travelers that take them from community to community, but you can have little enclaves of safe places. We had one at ���ϲ����� in the fall of 2020. It was safe from COVID because of the aggressive public health measures and the aggressive infectious disease surveillance we were doing with wastewater and testing.

Could we have a situation where infectious disease is threatening, but we have these little pockets of freedom? And that’s informed a lot of my work: How do we live a free life in a world affected by infectious disease? The way to do that, in my view, is to fight these diseases so they’re no longer a threat and then you have to be able to confirm that they’re not affecting people. That’s where infectious disease surveillance comes in.

Q: Vaccinations are down, and a new COVID variant is on the rise. What’s your message to people as we approach the four-year anniversary of COVID?

A: People associate COVID with public health restrictions: masks, closed restaurants, closed schools, quarantine, isolation. But at its best, public health is empowering. Freedom from polio, the ability to drink tap water, the trust we have in our food system, the long-term health care as we get older. That is public health. And if we are on the front foot—if we prevent the disease—then we can avoid the restrictions that happen. The shutdowns are a last resort when we have overflowing morgues and overflowing hospitals and it’s a panic button. It was the last resort and that’s the situation we found ourselves in.

Real public health is, how do we build a system so we don’t get into that position again? Vaccines are part of that toolkit; clean air, air filtration, environmental adjustments are also part of that toolkit and infectious disease surveillance is definitely part of that toolkit.

John Trimmer (Photo by Alex Dunbar)

From the drylands of Kenya to the rainforests of Suriname, civil and environmental engineering professor John Trimmer in the has dedicated his career to making a difference. After a service-learning trip to Nicaragua, where he helped with construction projects, Trimmer was inspired to pursue humanitarian engineering and improve the well-being of others. With a core research focus on water systems, sanitation and resource recovery, he strives to promote sustainable living.

As an undergraduate at Bucknell University, Trimmer was able to work with a few non-governmental organizations (NGOs). In addition to his trip to Nicaragua, he collaborated with a Peace Corps volunteer in Suriname, South America, stationed in a remote village and working on a rainwater collection system. After graduation, Trimmer continued working with the Peace Corps and spent three years in Uganda working with an NGO that specialized in constructing water tanks, latrines, classrooms and other structures.

After completing a Ph.D., which included working in Uganda on innovative approaches to sanitation systems, Trimmer joined the Aquaya Institute on their mission to improve global health through safe water and sanitation access. His work at the Aquaya Institute largely focused on research and he found himself based in Nairobi, Kenya, interacting with pastoral communities in dry regions of the country.

Trimmer and Aquaya Institute colleagues at Nairobi National Park in Kenya. (Photo courtesy of Aquaya Institute)

“Though the communities were nomadic, it seemed like they were also looking to settle, and they were open to permanent infrastructure,” Trimmer says. “It was very qualitative.��We focused primarily on asking questions regarding their current water systems and what they do for sanitation. We also did interviews and discussion groups to understand what these communities wanted and needed.”

While working with the Aquaya Institute, Trimmer also researched the effectiveness of a program that aimed to provide more durable infrastructure to vulnerable households in northern Ghana. Since unstable soil is an issue that impacts certain areas, they wanted to ensure the structures they built would last.

“If you dig a traditional pit latrine, it may collapse because the soil is unstable. Since the locals in the area didn’t have the means for a more durable structure, we were looking at different ways those systems could be supported financially,” says Trimmer. “UNICEF funded the project so durable structures could be installed.”

A completed rainwater tank in Uganda. (Photo courtesy of Aquaya Institute)

As Trimmer has traveled to different countries, he’s loved working with young researchers and found it rewarding to help them develop their skills and witness their growth. This passion for mentoring younger researchers would translate to his position as a ���ϲ����� professor, giving him a chance to continue guiding and supporting students.

While teaching courses at the University, Trimmer plans to collaborate with NGOs he’s previously worked with on upcoming projects. He hopes to collaborate with colleagues to develop a platform that models sanitation systems to implement them as a teaching and research tool in the classroom. This will enable him to share the knowledge he’s gained from his humanitarian work and educate future researchers to do the same.

It is not every day that ���ϲ����� partners with an international organization representing more than 700 million people.

The and the University have announced a new agreement that strengthens and expands an existing relationship by providing internships for students studying abroad in Strasbourg, France, as well as research opportunities for students and faculty.

The agreement provides for up to 12 student internships at the council each year, widens the number of departments and divisions that ���ϲ����� students can engage with, and broadens opportunities for research collaboration for ���ϲ����� students and faculty.

Founded after World War II, the Council of Europe is Europe’s leading human rights organization, composed of 46 member-states, such as Ukraine, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Turkey and Italy. Separate from the European Union, it is akin to a “United Nations of Europe” and strives to uphold human rights, democracy and the rule of law.

The agreement was signed by Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs Dean David M. Van Slyke and Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Europe Bjørn Berge on Dec. 8 in Washington, D.C.

“While the United States is not a member of the Council of Europe, it has close links as an observer state, and your presence here today, Mr. Deputy Secretary General, is a sign that the United States and Council of Europe are indeed partners,” said Van Slyke at the signing event. “���ϲ����� and the Maxwell School are proud to be part of the council’s relationship with the United States and to play our modest part in fostering understanding between our two societies and in furthering a partnership so vital to the well-being of the world.”

Maxwell School Dean David M. Van Slyke, left, shakes hands with Miroslav Papa, director of political affairs and external relations with the Council of Europe, next to Bjørn Berge, deputy secretary general of the council, at an event in Washington, D.C., to celebrate a new agreement between the council and ���ϲ�����.

The relationship between the Council of Europe and ���ϲ����� began in the early 1990s, growing out of ���ϲ����� Strasbourg’s strong historical reputation and network of partnerships in the region. Through the years, an estimated 300 ���ϲ����� students studying abroad in Strasbourg have benefited from council internships, adding to the wide array of programs affiliated with the ���ϲ����� Center in Strasbourg.

Berge asked those in attendance at the signing event to consider the diverse array of former program participants now working in public service on both sides of the Atlantic. He described the relationship as a “win-win” for the Council of Europe and the University.

“There could also be no better moment to reinforce this relationship and demonstrate our shared determination to shape a better world,” Berge said. “The memorandum of understanding that we sign today with ���ϲ����� is one step in that direction. It represents an important trans-Atlantic link with a prestigious university.”

Berge was joined at the signing celebration by Miroslav Papa, director of political affairs and external relations at the Council of Europe.

In addition to Van Slyke, ���ϲ����� representatives at the event included Steve Bennett, senior vice president for international programs and academic operations, and Margaret Talev, Kramer Director of the Washington, D.C., based Institute for Democracy, Journalism and Citizenship (IDJC).

Bennett shared that in the past year, ���ϲ����� students have served as interns in numerous council departments and divisions, from the directorate general of human rights and the rule of law to the Pompidou Group, which focuses on international drug policy.

“For ���ϲ�����, these are precisely the types of experiential learning opportunities that our students’ treasure and that are a cornerstone of what makes a ���ϲ����� education exceptional,” he said.

The Pompidou Group has long enjoyed a special relationship with the Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics. Beginning in 2010, Falk College engaged with the Pompidou Group, leading to the 2019 creation of the International Drug Policy Academy. The academy’s courses are developed with Falk faculty and provide an opportunity for ���ϲ����� students to engage with cutting-edge issues in drug policy with international stakeholders from across the world.

The relationship with the Council of Europe has also been a draw for Maxwell School students from across disciplines. Senior Riona Sheik interned with the Council in the spring of 2023. “This was a very rewarding internship because I was able to gain firsthand experience with social welfare and insight into how different European social rights are from the United States,” said Sheik, who is majoring in political science and international relations at the Maxwell School and finance at the Whitman School of Management.

���ϲ����� students participated in the World Forum on Democracy at the Council of Europe in November. Shown, from left to right, are Nathaniel Hasanaj, Iraklis Kapanidis, William Johnson and Grace “Gray” Reed.

An opportunity to intern with the Council was a draw for Carina Sarracino, who is majoring in political science and international relations. While studying abroad from January to April of 2023, she gained an up-close view of the council’s vital work while interning under the mentorship of its director of political affairs and external relations. Among the many meaningful opportunities was the chance to witness the adoption of a resolution that addressed the issue of sexual violence during wartime.

“Having an opportunity to see such an important resolution adopted, and to see firsthand how these processes work, was unparalleled,” said Sarracino.

Van Slyke said the agreement’s timing aligns with two milestones—50 years of ���ϲ����� Abroad in Strasbourg and the Maxwell School’s 100th anniversary in 2024. Further, it is well-timed with the recent launch of the IDJC, a joint initiative of the Maxwell School and the S.I. Newhouse School of Communications.

“A broad range of ���ϲ����� and Maxwell faculty and students are focused on issues related to polarization, misinformation and disinformation, access to information, and democracy,” Van Slyke said. “The new Institute for Democracy, Journalism and Citizenship, led by Margaret Talev, offers another potential resource, partner and source of collaboration. As Margaret has said, ‘Current and emerging challenges to democracy are everyone’s problem and can’t be fixed alone.’”

Established in 1974, offers fall and spring semester and summer programs for students across the University’s 13 schools and colleges. Approximately 150 students participate annually, taking classes and harnessing internships and other experiential learning opportunities at the Council of Europe and other organizations and institutions. Fluency in French is not a prerequisite for many programs, including the Council of Europe internship, which seeks both French and English speakers as the two official languages of council business.

“For students interested in international affairs, human rights, democracy, political science and related topics, Strasbourg is a great place to study internationally,” said ���ϲ����� Strasbourg Director John Goodman, who is a former diplomat for humanitarian organizations. He played an instrumental role in cultivating the University’s deepened relationship with the Council.

“Thanks to ���ϲ�����’s 50-year presence in the city, students have direct access to working practitioners in major international bodies. It is extremely rare and valuable to have the chance to work inside some of the world’s preeminent inter-governmental institutions,” he added. “���ϲ�����’s relationship with the Council of Europe is a gem of an opportunity for ���ϲ����� students.”

Story by Jessica Youngman and Cort Ruddy

Yulia Bychkovska was in Boston in February 2022 when Russian missile attacks struck a mostly residential area west of her home in Zhytomyr, Ukraine. Though she was in the U.S., she learned of the invasion before her mother.

“I had to call my mom and wake her up to tell her the war had started,” said Bychkovska, who had recently completed a bachelor’s degree at Columbia College in Missouri. “I was very worried because I didn’t know what was happening on the ground. All I knew was this terrible news.”

Yulia Bychkovska is shown at a Boston rally that followed Russia’s full-scale invasion of her home country, Ukraine, in February 2022.

In the days that followed, she would call family just before she went to bed to check on them, and then do the same as soon as she woke up. “I didn’t know if I would see them again,” she said.

Around the same time, Bychkovska learned she had been accepted to the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs to pursue dual master’s degrees in public administration and international relations. It was a dream realized, but she knew she couldn’t begin her studies that July unless she returned to Ukraine to see her loved ones.

Without telling them, she boarded a plane for Poland and then embarked on a 16-hour bus ride home. The arduous route took her past the remains of shelled buildings and other signs of war. Though it was painful to see the destruction, she was relieved to be home. “I wanted them to know I didn’t abandon them,” she said of her family. “Also, in some ways it gave me peace of mind because I knew what my parents were doing, how society acted in war, and that they had some protections in place like the warning sirens.”

Bychkovska’s mother made her promise she would cut her visit short and return to the U.S. if their city was attacked. The day dozens of bombs exploded nearby, Bychkovska’s mother said, “It’s time to go.” She packed her bags and quickly returned to the U.S.

Soon after, Bychkovska began her Maxwell studies.

Nearly two years into the invasion in Ukraine, she and other students from the embattled country carry what few of their classmates can comprehend—worry for their loved ones back home, and sometimes, feelings of guilt for having been afforded such opportunity.

But they find refuge joining a community of scholars with a long history of supporting those impacted by war and the unique opportunities to collaborate, research and influence policy in support of Ukraine’s sovereignty.

Veterans Bridge

The Hon. James E. Baker is shown during an appearance on a Ukrainian news station during a visit last summer to the embattled country. During the interview, he advocated for the care of the growing population of Ukrainian veterans to bolster national security. Seated on the right is Nataliia Kalmykova, one of Ukraine’s deputy ministers of defense.

The US-Ukraine Veterans Bridge brings experts from the U.S. veterans’ community together with officials in Ukraine to support its bourgeoning veteran population and build national security. The leading academic partners in the relatively new coalition are two Maxwell professors, the Hon. James E. Baker and Vice Admiral Robert B. Murrett (U.S. Navy, retired).

Baker, a highly regarded national security lawyer, policy advisor and former chief judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces, and Murrett, a principal investigator of the Intelligence Community Center for Academic Excellence, are aligning resources from ���ϲ����� and offering their expertise. The coalition works with the Ukraine Veterans Foundation (UVF), and it includes veterans from the U.S. and Ukraine and leaders in areas such as health care, benefits administration, education, employment, reintegration and family.

The professors, who serve as the director and deputy director of the ���ϲ����� Institute for Security Policy and Law, invited Bychkovska and fellow Ukrainian student Eduard Gusak to participate in meetings where they get to witness and take part in international collaborations to build their country’s national security.

“The students bring important perspective to our work in support of Ukrainian security, both in terms of direct contact with counterparts in Kyiv and in assisting Maxwell students in relevant research and programs dealing with the effects of the Russian invasion,” said Murrett, professor of practice of public administration and international affairs. “For example, both Yulia and Eduard have a role in a current master of public administration workshop, a semester-long student research effort which evaluates comparative veterans’ support programs and is sponsored by the UVF.”

Veterans Bridge meeting participants sometimes include Nataliia Kalmykova, a Fulbright scholar who became executive director of the UVF weeks before the Russian invasion. Now one of Ukraine’s deputy ministers of defense, she visited ���ϲ����� last spring and met with Baker, Murrett, Maxwell Dean David M. Van Slyke, Ukrainian students and numerous other University representatives, including from the D’Aniello Institute for Veterans and Military Families.

The students have gained experience in international collaboration and crisis response as well as a deeper understanding of the relationship between the care and treatment of veterans and national security.

“A society of demobilized veterans can be a force for good, as the World War II G.I. Bill boom demonstrated in the United States,” Baker explained in a position paper he recently shared with the U.S. government and Ukraine’s Ministry of Veterans Affairs. “It can also result in instability if those veterans are alienated from society or government and subsequently mobilized as a political movement or military force,” he wrote.

‘A way of paying it forward’

Mark Temnycky G’17 joined an alumni panel, “What is a public service perspective?” during a colloquium for incoming master of public administration students this past July. From Ukraine, he shared how he advocates for his home country in his work as a nonresident fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Eurasia Center and as a freelance journalist.

Last July, Eduard Gusak and other incoming M.P.A. students began their year-long academic journey with a two-day colloquium that serves as an in-depth orientation and networking opportunity.

One of the colloquium events, “What is a public service perspective?” included a Ukrainian-American, Mark Temnycky G’17.

Temnycky, who is a defense contractor, a nonresident fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Eurasia Center and a freelance journalist, writes about the war for major outlets like The New York Times and recently received the Ukrainian World Congress’ inaugural “Ukrainian diaspora 30 under 30” award. He was also recognized by the International Sports Press Association for his coverage of the Russian invasion. He shared some of the pivotal opportunities he took advantage of while studying at Maxwell, including an internship with NATO and work for the Ukraine Parliament. “I always had this desire for public service,” he said.

Of his writing, he added, “It is a way of paying it forward and informing people what’s happening.”

Gusak was inspired by Temnycky and fellow panelists. He appreciates the opportunities he has been afforded, for instance joining the US-Ukraine Veterans Bridge meetings and working as a research assistant to Murrett.

Murrett and other faculty often ask him to consider how he might apply what he learned back home. “For now, I have experienced the hardest period in my life, but on the other hand, I am being provided opportunities to learn from people with an enormous amount of life experience and a willingness to help,” said Gusak. “The reason why I came here is because of the opportunity to gain this experience to influence Ukraine’s future.”

In the U.S. for two years through a program called “Uniting for Ukraine,” Eduard Gusak is pursuing a master of public administration at Maxwell and hopes to return to Ukraine to help it gain independence from Russia and rebuild from the war.

Gusak was home in Kyiv when Russia invaded. Shortly after, his parents asked him to bring his older sister to Slovakia, where she would be safer. While there, he received a call from Gennady Bratslavsky, a family friend who is chair of the urology department at Upstate University Hospital in ���ϲ�����.

Gusak told Bratslavsky he considered returning to Ukraine, but as a young man he knew he would return to a higher level of responsibility while his country was at war. He didn’t expect he would be called to service in the military; a supporting role in government seemed more likely given his background—he’d received a bachelor’s degree in political science and government from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv.

Bratslavsky told Gusak about a new program that enables Ukrainians to come to the U.S. with the support of a sponsor. He mentioned opportunities at ���ϲ����� and the Ukraine 1991 Foundation, a nonprofit he co-founded that provides humanitarian aid to the frontlines.

In August 2022, Gusak relocated to ���ϲ����� to stay with the Bratlavskys. He enrolled at the English Language Institute in the College of Professional Studies to improve his fluency, and applied to Maxwell.

When he learned he’d been accepted, he said he “almost jumped to the sky” from excitement.

The Maxwell School is a community of faculty who research the rule of law, international politics, and peace and security, and are helping build networks of scholarship and training to support democracy in Ukraine. To read the full story, visit the .��

Emcees David Ojo and Qingyang Liu welcomed members of the University community to the 39th Annual International Thanksgiving Dinner. (Photo by Charles Wainwright)

More than 700 first-year international students and members of the University community recently came together to celebrate the University’s 39th Annual International Thanksgiving Celebration. A beloved University tradition, it is believed to be the only celebration of its kind on a college campus in the United States.

The event, sponsored by the Chancellor’s House and the Center for International Services, was held in the Schine Student Center’s Goldstein Auditorium on Nov. 16. Ph.D. students Qingyang Liu and David Ojo served as the evening’s emcees.

“Thanksgiving is a time to cherish, a time to reflect on the things we are grateful for and a time to share warmth and joy with friends and family,” said Liu. “While the historical origins of Thanksgiving are well-known, tonight we want to focus on the values that make this day extraordinary.”

Bailey Tlachac, a member of the Oneida Nation Bear Clan, and Regina Jones, a member of the Oneida Nation Turtle Clan, offer the Native American Blessing. (Photo by Charles Wainwright)

“Thanksgiving transcends borders and backgrounds; it’s a universal celebration of gratitude. No matter where we come from, we can all appreciate the value of being thankful for the blessings in our lives,” Ojo said. “We’re thankful for the opportunities we’ve been given, for the support of our friends and family, and for the friendships that connect us despite our diverse backgrounds.”

Dr. Ruth Chen, professor of practice in the College of Engineering and Computer Science, co-hosted the event with Center for International Services Director Juan Tavares. “I am thankful our international students are part of the Orange family. You bring your culture, language and traditions with you,” she said. “We learn from you, just as you learn from your professors and fellow students.”

Students gather around Associate Director of Drumlins Food and Beverage Joe Sidoni as he carves the turkey. (Photo by Charles Wainright)

Started by the University in the 1980s by then-Evangelical Chaplain Rev. T.E. Koshy, the celebration is intended to introduce new international students to the American Thanksgiving experience. For nearly four decades, the event has served as a celebration of cross-cultural friendship, international community and fellowship. Koshy’s son, Jay, the University’s Evangelical Chaplain, offered the invocation, and his grandson, Josh ’25, was also in attendance.

The Native American blessing was given by Bailey Tlachac, program coordinator of the Native Student Program and member of the Oneida Nation Bear Clan, and Regina Jones, member of the Oneida Nation Turtle Clan, who retired last year as assistant director of the University’s Native Student Program.

Dinner is served (Photo by Charles Wainwright)

Food Services prepared and served traditional Thanksgiving fare: 750 pounds of turkey, 20 gallons of gravy, 300 pounds of mashed potatoes, 200 pounds of stuffing, 150 pounds each of corn and sweet potatoes and 160 pies. Kosher and Halal turkey and vegetarian options were also served. Vendors from the greater ���ϲ����� area donated all the food, linens and table decorations.

During dinner, table hosts—faculty, staff and community members—engaged attendees in conversation and answered questions about the history and traditions of Thanksgiving.

A highlight of the evening was the ceremonial carving of the turkey on the Goldstein Auditorium stage. Students, with camera phones in hand, eagerly crowded around Associate Director of Drumlins Food and Beverage Joe Sidoni as he carved the turkey—an annual tradition at the event.

The Hendricks Chapel Choir performed “El Nacimiento” from “Navidad Nuestra” by Ariel Ramirez and “Oye” (Trad. Ghanaian) arranged by James Varrick Armaah to close the evening. (Photo by Charles Wainwright)

The Hendricks Chapel Choir performed “El Nacimiento” from “Navidad Nuestra” by Ariel Ramirez and “Oye” (Trad. Ghanaian) arranged by James Varrick Armaah to close the evening. Christian Protestant Chaplain Devon Bartholomew gave the benediction.

Leytisha Jack, a first-year doctoral student from St. Vincent and the Grenadines, attended the dinner last year and again this year. “I was even more excited about this year’s Thanksgiving dinner because our table’s host has Caribbean roots like my own. There was laughter, wholesome rapport and learning of new things because we were all open with each other.”

“The Thanksgiving dinner allows us to forget about the academic settings and responsibilities (momentarily) and helps us to appreciate this festive, rich and unique American culture,” Jack says. “It’s one of the events that I truly think is most organized, relevant and impacts international students in a profound way. … This dinner is where friendships are formed, and students are reminded that there is a great group of SU faculty and staff who represent home and who support us.”

Table host Maggie Washburn, administrative specialist with the Barnes Center at the Arch health promotion team, and her guests take a selfie. (Photo by Maggie Washburn)

Maggie Washburn, administrative specialist with the Barnes Center at the Arch health promotion team, hosted a table for the first year. “My coworker, Vicente Cuevas, encouraged the rest of our office to consider this opportunity as he has done it before and found it very rewarding. I heeded the call and was not disappointed,” she says.

The students at her table were primarily from India. “We had a lovely conversation about traditions and food. Even better for me, the students spoke with me about the Cricket World Cup happening that weekend between India and Australia and how they would gather in the wee hours of the morning to watch the match together,” Washburn says. “They were very excited, and I truly enjoyed hearing their excitement and discussing food and sports with them. We did not part before taking pictures and a selfie!”

Tetiana Hranchak

On Feb. 24, 2022, Tetiana Hranchak awoke to the sound of explosions near her home in Kyiv, Ukraine. She expected Russia’s invasion and knew once it happened that she would leave her home country for the United States. Given her activism and scholarly research, she feared for her safety.

Hranchak and her husband, Yurii Gryga, packed their most basic needs—clothing and personal care items—and a few of their most precious treasures into a duffel bag and two backpacks. They traveled to the western border and, in an arduous, two-week journey, traveled to Hungary and Iceland before landing safely in Chicago.

In addition to their family and friends, the couple left behind a recently remodeled home they adored. “We left everything because life was more precious,” says Hranchak.

This fall, Hranchak joined the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs as a visiting assistant teaching professor. Her stay is made possible by ���ϲ�����’s participation in the Scholars at Risk Network, a nonprofit international program that provides academic visiting positions to threatened scholars. The University joined the program following the Russian invasion; Hranchak is the first participant.

“Given our profile as a University and a school committed to global engagement, her presence provides a unique opportunity for our students to learn about a country that has dominated international news for the past two years,” says Brian Taylor, professor of political science and director of the Moynihan Institute of Global Affairs where Hranchak’s position is based.

He says, “She has brought to life the history, culture and traditions of Ukraine, shared her expertise in the politics of memory and candidly shared her experiences since the invasion. Faculty and students are learning from her and are inspired by her passion for Ukraine. We are grateful to her, and to University Chancellor Kent Syverud and Vice Chancellor and Provost Gretchen Ritter for their enthusiastic support for our participation in the Scholar at Risk Network.”

Tetiana Hranchak and her husband, Yurii Gryga, pictured, left Ukraine in February 2022.

Hranchak spent two decades as a researcher at the VI Vernadsky National Library of Ukraine, and she has published more than 90 scholarly works including the 2012 monograph “Library and Political Communication.”

At Moynihan, Hranchak is continuing her research on media literacy, countering misinformation and propaganda and the role of libraries in the politics of memory. The latter is of particular interest and what made her feel vulnerable amid Russia’s invasion; the “politics of memory” refers to political influence over organizations, as well as the preservation and transformation of collective social memory.

Hranchak also engages with faculty and students on issues related to Ukraine. She launched the Ukrainian Culture and Conversation Table—a place where students can learn more about Ukraine in an informal setting, and this spring she will teach a course focused on her country’s history and culture. She hopes to spread understanding and appreciation for her home country as more than the target of Russia’s siege.

This is Hranchak’s second appointment since arriving in the U.S. She was previously supported by the Indiana University-Ukraine Nonresidential Scholars Program. Like the Scholars at Risk Network, it supported her research and provided a teaching opportunity—she developed and taught a course this past summer, “Libraries and the Politics of Memory,” that has been replicated elsewhere, including in Ukraine.

The ���ϲ����� Scholar at Risk opportunity came at the right time, just as the Indiana position was coming to an end, says Hranchak. “I’m extremely grateful that the University connected with this organization and decided to host someone who needs help—that person was me,” she said.

Cars line up at the Ukraine border.

Nearly two years since Hranchak’s world was upended, the tears still come easy. Sometimes, they arise from her despair for the continued destruction and lost lives in Ukraine. She has also cried in gratitude for the many acts of kindness and generosity she and her husband have encountered in the U.S. Their first home, in Toledo, Ohio, for instance, was offered rent free for months.

Hranchak and Gryga have helped community groups gather donations to support refugees and Ukraine. The work has brought a sense of empowerment amid the continued uncertainty and worry for loved ones back home, who include their two grown sons.

The assistant teaching position ends this May. Hranchak isn’t sure yet what’s next, but she and Gryga have become adept at embracing each day as it comes. “We try to value what we have,” she says. “I find my sense of stability in people.”

Today, the University defines human thriving as valuing and enabling the contributions of people of all ages, abilities and backgrounds and as understanding the physical and social conditions needed to create and support healthy and sustainable communities for everyone, particularly those who have been historically excluded or neglected.

In this alumni roundtable, graduates of the School of Education’s offer their advice on how we all can support human thriving in broadly diverse, fully equitable and radically inclusive contexts.

Kirsis A. Dipre G’22

Kirsis A. Dipre

Dipre, a core faculty in the Counseling@Northwestern program at The Family Institute at Northwestern University, says:

“To me, human thriving means creating a space where we as a collective can be our authentic selves, bring our existing knowledge, and co-create experiences and knowledge that propel everyone involved forward regardless of differences in the space.

“Human thriving means that we no longer must live in separate worlds, institutions of higher education and our personal lives. It is as if there is no space for our full selves to be received in academia, which creates dissonance and deepens a wound we can recognize but struggle to name. Only when we are able to integrate our full selves are we able to heal from this wound,

“Therefore to answer this question, the ‘we’ needs to be named. Institutions are the ‘we’ because ‘we’ as individuals—who are surviving and aiming to thrive in these systems—can only create spaces of mutuality in corners and pockets within institutions.

“Institutions must first assess gaps, areas that conflate thriving with surviving and provide support for improvements. It takes intentional work for an institution to look at itself, recognize areas for growth and properly care for them to encourage them to grow and thrive.

“One answer is to create spaces that are equitable and responsive to those in it, without privileging certain voices, with the goal of making those spaces the norm. When we are able to challenge and change the current norm—through critical recognition of the parts that are not working—then we can begin to effectively promote human thriving.”

Jordan P. Shannon G’20

Jordan Shannon

Shannon, assistant professor of counselor education in Seattle University’s College of Education, shares:

“As an academic in counselor education, I have been reflecting on what it means to make sure my students are thriving and prepared to embrace a diversity of ideas, challenges, knowledge and experiences.

“Part of that challenge has been making sure students are aware of their own worldview, biases and assumptions. This is often done through presenting knowledge of systemic inequities, diverse needs and culturally responsive strategies to aid wide variety of populations.

“Students and I are further challenged by reflecting quite vulnerably on our individual and collective identities in face-to-face measures (e.g., skills practice, group counseling and delivering feedback). It is a delicate tension to maintain.

“As students and I start to feel emboldened to bring our full selves into the work of diversity, equity and inclusive practices, doing so can leave folx—particularly those who hold multiple marginalized identities—vulnerable to isolation, invalidation and discomfort from majority culture peers.

“I believe as an instructor, with both institutional and social power, it is my responsibility to craft a space that breeds boldness but specifically a space for those in the margins. Often this means modeling vulnerability of my worldview, assumptions and biases for my class, so the power dynamic can feel less present.”

Peitao Zhu G’20

Peitao Zhu

Zhu, assistant professor of counseling and ACUE Distinguished Teaching Scholar in Northern Illinois University’s Department of Counseling and Higher Education, says:

“In the increasingly polarizing global climate, we often interact with one another in non-relational manners. We judge the worth of fellow human beings through the materialistic lens of accomplishment, status and financial assets.

“We segregate ourselves among those with similar identities and immutable characteristics. We stay siloed and sheltered within those who share our same belief systems and demonize those who do not.

“One cannot thrive if actions are motivated by fear, insecurity and defensiveness. One cannot thrive if they are alienated from their fundamental need to be connected to.

“The responsibility to foster human thriving, in my view, does not lie in any abstract ‘system,’ because systems consist of willing participants. By only scapegoating the ‘system,’ we run the risk of not holding ourselves accountable for the same types of transgressions that we condemn others for.

“Instead, I believe each of us ought to play an active role in shifting the global tide of polarization, beginning with an honest reflection of our own biases, flaws and growth edges: Do I judge others based on their opinions and ideologies? Do I value one form of diversity but am dismissive of another? Am I willing to challenge the opinions and beliefs that I hold close to my heart in facing disconfirming evidence?

“In short, only through a shared deep commitment to valuing our human connections can we achieve the collective wisdom to navigate this exceedingly complex global society.”

Note: This story appears in the 2023 issue of .

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.

Antonio Herrera

Traveling the world during his time in the military, Antonio Herrera ’24 understood what it meant to be somewhere and not speak the native language. So when he heard about the English Conversation Group through the Center for International Services, he knew he wanted to assist others who were in the same situation that he had once been in.

“I wanted to engage with this program not only to connect with the community and do something I was interested in,” Herrera says. “But even more over that, I wanted to do something that could genuinely help other students.”

The hosts several programs to assist students to get the most out of their experience at the University by connecting with fellow students, building intercultural understanding and celebrating the richly diverse student body.

One of its signature programs, the , founded in 1987 by staff member Riet Dekleermaeker, promotes friendship and understanding between English-speaking group facilitators and international students, scholars and spouses. It provides participants an opportunity to practice and improve their English language skills through informal conversations—and a chance for both international students and facilitators to connect and learn from each other.

Herrera has been involved with the military since 2012, enlisting in the U.S. Air Force and then transferring to the U.S. Army before separating from active duty to pursue a public health degree in the .

During his time in the military, Herrera traveled all over Europe and Asia, making friends who helped him learn different languages; he discovered a love for languages, culture and traveling.

While he was in Japan and Korea, he would often encounter individuals who did not speak English and remembered how difficult that was at times.

“I didn’t want students to come here, especially non-English speaking students, and feel like they didn’t have someone that is here for them to talk to,” Herrera says. “Being involved with the English Conversation Group is my personal way to give back and support those students, having an idea of what they are going through.”

English Conversation Group Summer 2023 session (Photo by Meriel F. Stokoe)

Herrera’s current group of students are from China and Korea. There is no real structure to the weekly conversations they have at the Center for International Services on Walnut Place, but rather Herrera lets the group ask questions about the University, the English language or perhaps issues or challenges they might be facing.

“I want them to talk about what they’re interested in or run through simple scenarios they are having issues with; maybe it’s doing a presentation in class or reading certain types of literature for certain studies. Every session is very, very different,” says Herrera, who will be commissioning as a second lieutenant in the Marine Corps next year after graduation.

Interested in becoming a facilitator like Herrera? Easily through a form. International students, scholars or spouses interested in joining the English Conversation Group can use a separate to apply. For questions about the English Conversation Group, call 315.443.2457 or email international@syr.edu.

Acknowledging the unique needs of students who are not only acclimating to a new university but oftentimes a new country and culture, the , in collaboration with a host of campus partners, will offer dozens of welcome events customized for both graduate and undergraduate international students.

, beginning Aug. 18, provides a strong foundation for the academic and extracurricular pursuits that await students this fall. “Our international students go through a lengthy process to get here,” says Juan Tavares, director of the Center for International Services. “First, they have to apply for a student visa, which is a time-consuming and expensive process. Many are coming to the U.S. for the first time and have very long flights. It’s important that we give them the best launch possible by providing a welcome experience that encompasses as many events as we can fit in.”

Opportunities for International Graduate Students

Meeti Shah

Meeti Shah G’24 is an international student from Mumbai, India, entering her second year of graduate study in the . She sees serving as a (WAI) as a way to “pay it forward” to younger, less experienced students after greatly benefiting from the guidance of other graduate students last summer when she arrived in ���ϲ����� for the first time.

“It was difficult for me in the start, considering I was coming to a new country with so many differences—differences in how travel works, in how you interact with people,” Shah says. “When I came to orientation, the ambassadors were so helpful in giving us campus tours, acclimating us to the resources available at the University and answering our questions. I’ve always been inspired to help people in the same way that others helped me.”

Orientation activities for international graduate students are held this weekend and highlights include:

• Campus tour and ice cream social with current graduate students—Aug. 18, 6-8 p.m.
• Game night at the Barnes Center at The Arch—Aug. 18, 8:15-10 p.m.
• Presentations on health and wellness, personal and public safety, and resources and success tips for new graduate students—Aug. 19, various times
• Lunch on the Kenneth A. Shaw Quadrangle—Aug. 19, 12:45-2 p.m.
• Shuttle bus shopping trips to Target and Destiny USA mall—Aug. 20, various times

“The campus tours are something I’m looking forward to because it gets new students excited for how big the campus is and what things here will excite and inspire them,” says Shah. “And of course, the ice cream party—last year we had so much fun eating ice cream and then playing games in the . We played badminton until they asked us to leave!”

A Warm Welcome for International Undergraduates

For undergraduate students, residence hall move-in begins Friday, Aug. 18, and there are several days of activities specifically designed for international students prior to general activities kicking off Aug. 24. It is also critical for international undergraduate students to complete the upon arriving in the United States.

Yida He

Yida He ’26, an international relations major in the from Xinjiang, China, serves as a member of the Goon Squad and as a WAI. He attended every single undergraduate orientation activity last year, his first year as an ambassador.

“These activities are opportunities to help others and make new friends, but serving as a WAI also helped me to know the school and its resources better,” He says. “To help others, I must see every detail, like campus tours and school medical services, so this has been a process of both teaching and learning.”

His favorite activity, besides showing new students around campus, is the shuttle bus trips to the local mall and Target retail store, which allow students to purchase essentials that may not have been practical to pack for international travel.

Fellow WAI Alex Snioch ’26, a health and exercise science major in the Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics, came to the University from Massachusetts but is originally from Poland. She got involved with the Center for International Services based on her own yearning for shared culture and community as a first-year student.

Alex Snioch

“When I arrived, I wanted to connect with other European students on campus and I struggled finding that,” she says. “I visited the international center to see what programs may be available and ended up getting involved with the . I saw how much the students appreciated the opportunity to feel like they were at home with others for just an hour.”

Snioch says this inspired her to become a WAI, knowing she could aid new international students in feeling more comfortable on campus, creating connections and friendships and becoming acquainted with various resources—from help finding a job on campus to all the health, wellness and medical services available at the Barnes Center.

Her advice to incoming international students is to not be hesitant to ask questions. “Reaching out for help and being vulnerable is not a bad thing!” she says. “There are a lot of resources on campus but sometimes it’s tricky figuring out where to go for what. But in my experience, people are happy to help—all you have to do is ask.”

There is no shortage of both educational and social opportunities coming up for undergraduate international students to get more familiar with the school and the ���ϲ����� area, including:

• Shuttle bus trips to Target and Destiny USA Mall—Aug. 20, various times
• International student welcome meeting (required)—Aug. 21, 10-11 a.m.
• Immigration essentials presentation; two sessions available (required)—Aug. 21, 1-2 p.m., or Aug. 22, 2-3 p.m.
• Personal and public safety presentation (required)—Aug. 21, 2-3 p.m.
• International talent show—Aug. 21, 6-7 p.m.
• Health and wellness presentation (required)—Aug. 22, 10-11 a.m.
• Community standards and academic integrity presentation (required)—Aug. 22, 3-4 p.m.
• International student welcome dinner—Aug. 22, 5:30-7:30 p.m.
• On-campus resources presentation (required)—Aug. 23, 10-11 a.m.
• Career Services and on-campus employment presentation (required)—Aug. 23, 11:15 a.m.-noon

.

Students gather at ���ϲ����� Welcome 2022. (Photo by Estheralice Lopez)

It’s her first time studying abroad, but she’s adjusted to campus life with ease. On the weekends, she explores South Korea, while weekdays are reserved for studying sociology, psychology and Korean literature and language.

Leondra Tyler, a HEOP student, is capitalizing on a study abroad experience in South Korea to enjoy new research perspectives.

Tyler, a student of the University’s part-time is the first part-time HEOP student to receive the .

Back home, Tyler is a part-time neuroscience and psychology student in the at ���ϲ�����. Scholarships like the OTHC scholarship have allowed Tyler to push the limits of post-traditional learning and take part in studying abroad.

“What drew me into the OTHC scholarship program was that I really wanted an academically focused program for Black and brown students. This has given me a great opportunity to connect with Black and brown alumni and hear about their experiences and their post-academic lives,” Tyler says. “Although I just got the scholarship this semester, it’s been really nice knowing that I have a support system, not only at ���ϲ����� but also here at Yonsei.”

A Diverse Learning Experience

Scholarships have not only offered Tyler access to an abundance of networking opportunities, but they have also opened doors that diversify her learning portfolio.

When Tyler wraps up classes for the day, she heads across campus to a PC café, a popular hangout spot for people to eat while they play computer games. While she waits for a game to download, Tyler orders lunch and reviews notes from her class about the history of Korean cinema.

For Tyler, studying abroad has allowed her access to an array of engaging academic experiences and even expanded her viewpoint.

Leondra Tyler.

“We’re learning Korean history through film,” Tyler says. “I took the course because I wanted to learn more analytic skills, because that can translate into my research. But also, I wanted to learn more about Korea outside of pop culture.”

However, South Korea’s pop culture has also given Tyler a chance to analyze sociology and psychology from a new perspective. As the popularity of K-pop and K-dramas make their way into American media, Tyler uses K-pop artists like SHINee and 2PM in the course “Understanding K-pop” to examine global trends and parasocial relationships.

“Studying abroad has given me more opportunities to be creative with different projects,” Tyler says. “Sociology courses I’ve taken in the past have been about Western culture, so it’s been nice to learn about it through the lens of Korean society.”

Embracing Communities and Cultures

From attending K-pop concerts to taking part in traditional Korean practices, Tyler has also learned the value of community and the importance of embracing different cultures.��Students from 53 different countries gathered at Yonsei University to participate in the study abroad program, giving Tyler the chance to learn about a myriad of cultures.

“I’m not just experiencing Korean culture but also culture from my friends that I met here that are from Australia, New Zealand, and Germany,” Tyler says.

On the weekends, Tyler and her friends take public transportation across South Korea and learn about the history of the country through its landscape. From visiting the coastal city of Busan to exploring the assortment of districts throughout Seoul, Tyler documents it all on her instant film camera and soaks up the unforgettable moments.

While studying on the other side of the world has been a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, friendship has made Tyler’s study abroad trip an even richer experience.

“Even though we’re all from different parts of the world, I’m going to stay connected with the people I’ve met here for years to come,” Tyler says. “That’s what makes this experience so special.”

The Daniel and Gayle D’Aniello Endowed Florence Scholarship is named after U.S. Navy veteran Daniel D’Aniello ’68, H’20 and his wife. D’Aniello studied abroad in Florence, Italy, when he was a student at ���ϲ�����, and seized the opportunity to ensure other military-connected students at his alma mater could also benefit from studying overseas.

The scholarship recipients will receive substantial financial support over the semester. Not only will their tuition be covered for the semester, but the scholarship also provides funding for travel expenses to and from Italy, cost of living in the country, as well as a personal stipend to ensure the students can enjoy the local culture.

While the G.I. Bill has been through several iterations since it’s inception in 1944, each with substantial improvements, it currently does not provide the opportunity for recipients to study abroad. There are limited programs that offer the ability to study abroad, like the which is offered through the U.S. Department of State. The uncertainty of receiving a scholarship through those programs can result in a lot of last-minute changes that can cause substantial hardship for the student.

The first four military-connected students at ���ϲ����� who will receive this extraordinary scholarship opportunity are:

Marisa Ashworth ’24

Ashworth is a junior majoring in cybersecurity administration in the College of Engineering and Computer Science. She served on active duty in the U.S. Coast Guard for 11 years and currently serves in the Coast Guard Reserve. Ashworth plans to continue her education after graduation and intends to focus on either earning a master’s degree in cybersecurity or a law degree with a focus on policy and law related to technology.

“I am looking forward to the study abroad experience in Florence, Italy, as it will be an excellent opportunity to learn about Italian culture and education. In addition, I am excited to immerse myself and my family in the Italian way of life and broaden my perspective on the world,” Ashworth says.

Abigail Fitzpatrick ’26

Fitzpatrick is a first-year student studying both political science in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs and College of Arts and Sciences and citizenship and civic engagement in the Maxwell School. Originally from Monterey, California, Fitzpatrick is the daughter of a U.S. Marine Corps veteran who served for 20 years and currently teaches at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey. She plans to continue her education after graduation by pursuing a graduate degree or going to law school.

“I look forward to exploring Florence’s culture, especially the food and rich history. I am also excited about forming close bonds with the other students in the program and taking the exciting classes offered in Florence. I chose ���ϲ����� because of the fantastic opportunities provided by the Maxwell School, which have allowed me to find my place in a smaller community of students and faculty while having all the benefits of a large university,” Fitzpatrick says.

Brenda Osorio ’25

Osorio is a first-generation college student and sophomore majoring in policy studies in the Maxwell School and College of Arts and Sciences. She plans to work as an international policy consultant after graduation and plans to pursue a master’s degree in international relations in the future. Both of Osorio’s parents served in the military, one in the the U.S. Marine Corps and one in the U.S. Army.�� Osorio served as president of the Student Association at Jefferson Community College prior to transferring to ���ϲ�����.

“���ϲ����� has given me access to so many different opportunities, whether through the military community or other communities within ���ϲ�����. It has helped me build so many different connections and relationships that have been invaluable. Studying abroad in Florence will help me learn about the politics of the European Union, Italian politics and immigration in Europe, as well as first-hand experience of the impact of international policy on the Italian people,” Osorio says.

Myra Wong ’24

Wong is the daughter of dual-military parents, both her father and mother served in the U.S. Army. She is currently a junior pursuing a dual major in public relations in the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and political science in the Maxwell School and College of Arts and Sciences. Her goal after graduation is to work with a national nonprofit organization, where she hopes to use her communication skills to help the vulnerable members of society.

“Working with people who are not from ���ϲ����� and not from the United States will give me more experience working with diverse groups and cultures. From what I have heard from friends, the work culture outside of the U.S. is very different, and I am excited to see this for myself,” Wong says.

Those students interested in taking advantage of studying overseas for a semester are encouraged to learn what programs are available through . Those eligible students interested in applying for the Daniel and Gayle D’Aniello Endowed Florence Scholarship are encouraged to attend future information sessions hosted by the .

Ten ���ϲ����� students/alumni have been named as 2023 recipients of awards through the .

The��program��funds a range of awards that include English teaching assistantships (ETA) and study/research grants in over 140 countries. All of this year’s ���ϲ����� recipients received teaching assistantships.

The 2023 recipients are:

• Sarah Bennett ’20, G’22, a philosophy and psychology alumna in the College of Arts and Sciences and master’s of social work alumna in the Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics, Poland.
• Laura Bueno ’22, a modern foreign languages alumna in the College of Arts and Sciences, Germany. Bueno studied abroad in Spain in fall 2018.
• Nish Chowdhury, a senior international relations and anthropology major in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs and College of Arts and Sciences, Spain. Chowdhury studied abroad in Spain in spring 2022.
• Sarah Dolbier ’22, a citizenship and civic engagement alumna in the Maxwell School, a sociology alumna in the Maxwell School and College of Arts and Sciences and German language, literatures and cultures alumna in the College of Arts and Sciences and a former member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program, Germany. Dolbier studied abroad in Germany in spring 2020.
• Kiana Khoshnoud, a senior public relations major in the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, Tajikistan. Khoshnoud studied abroad in Spain in fall 2019.
• Kiana Papin ’22, a television, radio and film alumna in the Newhouse School, France.
• Alyeska Reimer, a senior theater management major in the College of Visual and Performing Arts and Spanish language, literature and cultures major in the College of Arts and Sciences, Mexico. Reimer studied abroad in Spain in spring 2022.
• Camran Shealy, a senior political science major in the Maxwell School and College of Arts and Sciences and public relations major in the Newhouse School, Spain. Shealy studied abroad in Spain in fall 2019.
• Kimberly Stuart G’23, a graduate student in creative writing in the College of Arts and Sciences, Czech Republic.
• Ruth Xing G’23, a graduate student in library and information science in the School of Information Studies, Germany.

Bennett will teach English at a Polish university and plans to support refugee aid initiatives. She also plans to engage with creative writing communities. “I know firsthand that poetry can offer an affirming space for cultural expression and exchange,” she says. “In Poland, I hope to join or create a space for writers to come together and share their work.”

Her time in Poland will also be personal. This year, she uncovered an autobiography written by her great-grandfather, which chronicled his life as a teacher, scholar and political activist with the General Jewish Labor Bund in his hometown of Łódź. “There has been a long lineage in my family of writing, teaching and advocacy,” she says. “I hope to follow this familiar pull as a Fulbright ETA in Poland while connecting with a culture and history I am eager to know better.”

During her Fulbright year, Khoshnoud will teach English and American culture in one of the eight American Spaces—a public diplomacy program run by the U.S. Department of State—located across Tajikistan. She has proposed a course in multimedia storytelling.

“I hope to help students to express themselves through storytelling because it is an incredibly powerful tool for learning, and it can also work as a cultural bridge for them to learn about the United States,” she says. “I know this experience will be transformative, and I am sure that it will teach me about a new culture and lifestyle.”

“As someone who is passionate about one day living and working in Washington, D.C., I believe this experience will teach me public diplomacy skills and give me an international perspective that will be important as I further my education and career,” Khoshnoud says.

Reimer will work part time teaching English and engage in a supplementary volunteer project involving theater. She hopes to volunteer with a branch of Microteatro, which she has been researching with Gail Bulman, associate professor of languages, literatures and linguistics in the College of Arts and Sciences and a Fulbright Global Scholar.

“I am really excited for this opportunity for so many reasons. I am honored to be offered the position and thrilled to find myself in a third Spanish-speaking country in two years. I am also excited to reconnect with some elements of Mexican culture that were prevalent in my hometown, especially coming from a dual-immersion K-12 program where many of my peers and close friends were from Mexican families,” Reimer says. “I’m excited to approach this opportunity with an open mind and to challenge my own perceptions.”

In the future, Reimer hopes to work to expand access to the arts by addressing translation and access barriers. “I aim to encourage connecting with art from other communities and cultures and helping people see how we can learn from each other,” she says.

Shealy will teach at the American Space in Valencia, Spain. “I hope to help students become familiar with what life and academics look like at an American university, and to help bridge cultural and language barriers,” she says.

She hopes the experience will help her improve her Spanish and gain skills to promote cross-cultural collaboration in her future career. “My long-term goals include working in a sector that combines my passions for international affairs, law and communications,” she says.

Stuart will teach English language at a secondary school in the Czech Republic for the 2023-24 school year. “I hope to use creative, inclusive lessons to scaffold learning for English language learners through my teaching,” she says.

She will also pursue a secondary publishing project that she’ll be completing with students and the community—writing poetry and prose and hand-binding chapbooks to distribute to surrounding communities. “I hope to inspire a love for writing and to encourage eager writers to put their work out there,” she says.

Stuart hopes to become a stronger teacher during her year abroad, and to take what she learns from Czech educators and apply it to American classrooms.

The Center for Fellowship and Scholarship Advising (CFSA) supports current undergraduates, graduate students and alumni in Fulbright applications. CFSA will hold information sessions on the Fulbright U.S. Student program on the following dates:

• Thursday, April 27, from noon-1 p.m. in��347 Hinds Hall
• Friday, May 5, from noon-1 p.m. on Zoom. .

Email��mlwelsha@syr.edu��for more information or to request accommodations.

Students interested in applying to the Fulbright program should contact CFSA at 315.443.2759 or��cfsa@syr.edu.

Interested students should open an application on the Fulbright portal by June 1. The campus deadline for the 2023-24 application cycle is Sept. 12.