Jeff Goldstein ’77, president of global theatrical distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures, will address graduates at the School of Education (SOE) on Saturday, May 9, at 4:30 p.m. in the John A. Lally Athletics Complex.

Goldstein oversees all aspects of Warner Bros. Pictures’ distribution activities worldwide, including filmmaker and exhibitor relations, release dating and patterns, business strategy, sales and administration, and specialty/premium formats.

Additionally, he manages Warner Bros. Pictures’ extensive international distribution network, which includes both affiliate offices and third-party partnerships. Goldstein also partners on marketing, and his team is responsible for distributing a diverse range of films each year, including titles from Warner Bros. Pictures, New Line Cinema, Warner Bros. Pictures Animation and DC Studios.

A highly respected leader in the distribution field, Goldstein previously served as president of domestic distribution at Warner Bros. Pictures. He began his career at the company as an intern in the Los Angeles office and quickly climbed the ranks, holding various roles across regional sales offices.

Over the years, his leadership and expertise have been instrumental in shaping the company’s distribution strategy and global success.

Goldstein’s work has been central to Warner Bros.’ recent global box office success. In 2025, the Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group surpassed $4 billion at the worldwide box office across 11 releases, delivering eight consecutive No. 1 openings (nine with “Wuthering Heights” in 2026) and seven straight debuts over $40 million.

Recent highlights include “A Minecraft Movie” approaching $1 billion worldwide following its record-setting $163 million domestic opening; “Sinners” becoming the highest-grossing original horror film domestically; “Final Destination: Bloodlines” earning the best opening and highest total gross in franchise history; “Weapons” achieving the largest August horror opening; and “The Conjuring: Last Rites” securing the biggest global horror opening ever.

Additionally, “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” became Tim Burton’s second highest-grossing domestic release, while “Barbie” crossed $1.4 billion worldwide, becoming the highest-grossing film in Warner Bros.’ 100-year history.

In a , Goldstein explains that the roots of his career “started in Syracuse,” soon after he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in special education: “I had an uncle who was in the entertainment business. He said, if you are interested, I can get you a summer job at Warner Bros.”

When asked what connects Íű±ŹĂĆ and his School of Education degree to his success as a movie executive, Goldstein says, “I got my entrepreneurial spirit by working jobs in the dining hall, as a residence advisor and in the business affairs office. While at Syracuse, I realized I had a bent for business, as well as the ability to teach others, mentor others, [and] be curious.”

Elle Key ’93, an award-winning film, television and commercial director, writer and producer, will deliver the 2026 convocation address to bachelor’s and master’s degree candidates of the at the college’s convocation ceremony on Saturday, May 9, at 7:30 p.m. in the JMA Wireless Dome.

Key earned a bachelor of fine arts degree in illustration from VPA and was a starting goalie for the Syracuse women’s lacrosse team. She was born in New York City and is the co-president and founder of Bigger Picture Media Group.

Key spent her early years working off-Broadway with theater companies such as Malaparte, Naked Angels and the Atlantic Theater Company. She then went into television and film production and has helmed numerous national commercial campaigns as well as several projects for the NFL, the Pro Bowl, NBC Sports, Fox Sports, The Peabody Awards and The Gotham Awards.

She was officially the first female head writer for “The NFL Honors” in 2017. She came back and served as segment director, producer and head writer for “The NFL Honors” in 2021 and 2024. She was an executive producer on “Brain Games” for Disney/Nat Geo and was an executive producer with James Corden for “Game On!” for CBS.

Key is currently in development as creator and show runner for a new scripted streaming comedy series. She has been writing and directing with, and for, her Emmy and Peabody Award-winner partner, Keegan-Michael Key, for over a decade.

In 2022, Key won the Webby Award for Best Podcast Writing for her original Audible series “The History of Sketch Comedy.” Key, and the series that she created, wrote and directed, was also nominated for an NAACP Image Award.

She then followed her award-winning podcast with the book “The History of Sketch Comedy,” which became a best-seller, garnered rave reviews and quickly reached the No. 1 spot on Amazon’s comedy book list. “The History of Sketch Comedy” made 2023’s Barnes and Noble’s Best Books of the Year list as well as Vulture’s Best Books of 2023.

Key is a member of the Creative Coalition and Women in Film, and she is on the Leadership Council for RFK Human Rights.

Mike Tirico ’88, acclaimed NBC Sports broadcaster and dedicated alumnus, will deliver Íű±ŹĂĆ’s address Sunday, May 10, in the JMA Wireless Dome. The ceremony begins at 9:30 a.m.

Tirico, who serves as vice chair of Íű±ŹĂĆ’s Board of Trustees, has built a career at the center of American sports broadcasting, calling play-by-play for “Sunday Night Football” and “NBA on NBC” and serving as the primetime host for NBCUniversal’s coverage of the Olympics.

In February 2026, he became the first U.S. broadcaster ever to call the Super Bowl and host a Winter Olympics in the same year—a milestone that capped more than three decades in the profession he first pursued in the studios of WAER-FM, Íű±ŹĂĆ’s public radio station.

“Mike Tirico is the definition of an Orange success story,” says Chancellor Kent Syverud. “He began his career right here on campus, and has gone on to become one of the most respected voices in sports broadcasting. His deep and lasting commitment to Íű±ŹĂĆ reflects the same values of excellence we hope to inspire in every graduate. We are honored and proud to welcome him home for this milestone celebration.”

“There is no place that has meant more to me than Íű±ŹĂĆ,” says Tirico. “Personally and professionally so much of what has defined my life traces back to SU. It is an incredible honor to be asked to address the Class of 2026 and welcome them to our proud family of Orange alums. I can’t wait to share this special day with the next group that joins our Forever Orange family.”

Broadcast Start

Tirico earned a dual bachelor’s degree in 1988 in political science from the and the and in broadcast journalism from the . He launched his broadcasting career at WAER-FM before joining WTVH-TV in Syracuse as sports director and serving as the play-by-play voice for Íű±ŹĂĆ basketball, football, lacrosse and volleyball.

Tirico joined ESPN as a “SportsCenter” anchor in 1991, eventually becoming the voice of “Monday Night Football” from 2006-15, one of only four play-by-play announcers to call primetime NFL games for at least 10 seasons. Over 25 years at ESPN and ABC Sports, he called the NBA, college football, college basketball, golf’s Masters and The Open, the FIFA World Cup and tennis championships, the U.S. Open and Wimbledon. In July 2016, he joined NBC Sports.

At NBC, Tirico is the play-by-play voice of “Sunday Night Football,” primetime television’s most-watched show for an unprecedented 15 consecutive years, and has served as the network’s primetime host for the PyeongChang, Tokyo, Beijing, Paris and Milan Cortina Olympics. In February 2026, he called Super Bowl LX and then immediately shifted to host the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, an unmatched broadcasting double that drew widespread acclaim. He was named the 2010 Sportscaster of the Year by the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association and has won five Sports Emmy Awards. In the summer of 2025, he was inducted into the National Sports Media Association Hall of Fame by a vote of his peers.

Dedication to the University

Tirico has remained closely connected to the University throughout his career. Elected to the Board of Trustees in 2016, he was elected vice chair in 2025 and serves on the board’s Executive, Advancement and External Affairs and Student Experience Committees. He has served on the board’s search committees, including for the dean of the Newhouse School, the athletics director and, most recently, the chancellor. His University service also includes membership on the Newhouse Advisory Board and the Advisory Board.

He has been recognized with the George Arents Award, the University’s highest alumni honor, in 2005; the Outstanding Young Alumni Award in 1996; and the Newhouse School’s Marty Glickman Award for Leadership in Sports Media in 2017. He and his wife, Deborah Gibaratz Tirico ’89 (Martin J. Whitman School of Management), established the Mike Tirico Scholarship Endowment and supported initiatives across the Maxwell, Newhouse and Whitman schools, WAER and Íű±ŹĂĆ Athletics.

recently announced the spring 2026 recipients of the Orange Innovation Fund, awarding $5,000 grants to a cohort of student inventors and entrepreneurs advancing high-potential ventures across health care, financial technology, consumer products and enterprise software.

The Orange Innovation Fund is designed to accelerate student-led startups beyond the idea stage, supporting founders who have demonstrated meaningful progress through customer discovery, prototyping and early validation.

The fund emphasizes deep research and development work, along with comprehensive proposal development, and recognizes ventures that show strong execution, real-world traction and a clear path toward commercialization. Funding supports critical next steps such as product development, regulatory readiness, pilot testing and go-to-market strategy.

“The Orange Innovation Fund plays a critical role in SU’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, enabling student founders to move beyond concept and into execution,” says David Seaman, dean of Libraries and University Librarian. “By supporting ventures at a pivotal stage of development, the fund helps transform promising ideas into scalable businesses with real-world impact.”

Spring 2026 Winners

Celes Buffard ’27 (School of Information Studies) for SecondWave

SecondWave is a financial wellness platform that helps users build personalized roadmaps to manage and grow their finances. The platform combines education, tools and vetted resources to guide users toward financial independence. Funding will support minimum viable product (MVP) completion, user testing, cloud infrastructure and trademark registration, as well as continued customer discovery.

Jayson Bromley (Martin J. Whitman School of Management) for Bromley Bio Med LLC – InDeazy

InDeazy is an integrated incision and drainage device designed to improve efficiency, control and safety in urgent care and emergency settings. Funding will support final design refinement and pilot manufacturing, including engineering updates, simulated workflow testing and Food and Drug Administration pre-submission readiness.

Nicholas Davis ’26 (College of Engineering and Computer Science [ECS]) for Ethyra

Ethyra is an AI-native auto-grading and classroom analytics platform that helps educators save time and better understand student performance. Funding will support MVP completion, a version 1.0 launch and pilot testing at Íű±ŹĂĆ, the University of Washington and Eastside Preparatory School, along with learning management system integration and a study on grading efficiency.

Haley Greene ’26 (Newhouse School of Public Communications) for Miirror

Miirror is a clinically guided, peer-led, tech-enabled platform redefining eating disorder recovery. Offering free, inclusive and stigma-free tools, support circles, crisis resources and therapy matching, the platform connects underserved communities with accessible recovery pathways. Funding will support completion of the MVP, regulatory compliance, technical infrastructure and a campus pilot at Íű±ŹĂĆ.

Ronan Hussar ’26 (Whitman School) for MacroFlow

MacroFlow is an Excel add-in that automates macro creation, saving users significant time and increasing productivity. Funding will support development of secure AI implementation, full local functionality and enterprise-grade validation of macro generation capabilities.

Yasmin Madmoune G ’27 (Whitman School) for Yas Apothecary

Yas Apothecary is a Moroccan-inspired body care brand with a long-term vision of building a cooperative-based production infrastructure. Funding will support equipment upgrades, production scaling, wholesale market entry and supply chain development.

Nathan Brekke ’26 (ECS), G ’27 (Whitman School) and Joshua Varkey ’26 (ECS) for Phloat

Phloat is a magnetically attachable flotation device that deploys to bring a submerged phone back to the surface. Funding will support the first commercial-grade production run, field testing with beta users and development of a scalable manufacturing supply chain. The company has recently filed for a patent.

Jack Venerus ’27 (School of Information Studies) for WingStat

WingStat is a business-to-business platform for aircraft transaction data in the pre-owned business jet market. Funding will support the transition from a no-code MVP to a production-ready platform, including backend infrastructure, authentication systems and automated data workflows.

About the Orange Innovation Fund

The Orange Innovation Fund was initially established through a gift to the Libraries from Raj-Ann Rekhi Gill ’98, an alumna, a member of the Board of Trustees and an operating partner at Silicon Valley Quad (an angel investing syndicate). The program is administered through Íű±ŹĂĆ Libraries as a Universitywide initiative, run in collaboration with multiple campus innovation and entrepreneurship programs. Proposal reviewers include entrepreneurial faculty and staff, along with alumni who have come through the ecosystem and are venture founders or in C-Suite roles at leading innovation companies.

has spent her career studying how the world moves—the migration of people across borders, the evolution of international norms and the political forces that shape both. Now, the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs professor of political science has been named the inaugural Heighberger Family Faculty Fellow of Public Service, a recognition of scholarship that has influenced both academic debate and real-world policy.

“Audie’s research on migration and international norms addresses some of the most consequential questions in global politics,” says Dean David M. Van Slyke. “This fellowship recognizes her work and provides resources to support it. We’re thrilled to honor her, and grateful for the generosity that made it possible.”

A specialist in global migration, Klotz has shaped scholarly debates and public understanding of pressing issues in international politics. She has authored five books and contributed to an additional 15. Her work has been supported by the National Science Foundation, the Social Science Research Council, the MacArthur Foundation and the Fulbright Program.

Klotz’s many honors include Maxwell’s 2023 Wasserstrom Prize for excellence in teaching and mentoring. She is the incoming president of the International Studies Association, one of the world’s oldest and largest interdisciplinary organizations devoted to the study of international and global affairs.

Klotz will hold the fellowship for three years.

Decades of Public Service

The fellowship takes its name from Eric Heighberger, a 1993 graduate of Maxwell’s international relations undergraduate program, and his spouse, Genevieve, whose combined careers span decades of public service. Eric held roles with the White House Homeland Security Council and Senate and House committees on homeland security, before serving as chief of staff at FEMA from 2017-21. He is now senior director of federal affairs for LA28, the organizing committee for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Genevieve has spent more than 20 years in public sector consulting, focused on FEMA and the local governments it serves.

“Being named the first Heighberger Family Faculty Fellow of Public Service is especially meaningful to me,” Klotz says. “Their careers using expertise in the service of others is how I think of my efforts to foster greater equity in academic communities. I am also grateful to the donors for recognizing the crucial place of public service within a school of citizenship.”

The Heighbergers’ commitment to public service traces back to a pivotal time in their careers. After the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, Eric joined his longtime friend and fellow Maxwell alumnus Stephen Hagerty ’93 M.P.A. at PricewaterhouseCoopers, where their team helped New York City access $8.8 billion in federal recovery funding. Genevieve joined them.

“Working on the World Trade Center recovery efforts gave both of us a sense of professional purpose that has stayed with us ever since,” Eric says. “Genevieve and I are motivated by using our skills in the service of others, and Steve played a big role in shaping that, as a friend and as a mentor.”

The fellowship was established through a gift from Hagerty, a Maxwell Advisory Board member and Íű±ŹĂĆ Trustee, and his spouse and fellow alumnus Lisa Altenbernd ’93 M.P.A. With combined funds from the University’s Forever Orange Faculty Excellence Program, it totals $1 million.

“Neither of us would have had the careers we have had without Steve and Lisa’s friendship and mentorship,” says Eric. “We are so honored by their decision to include us in this gift.  Having our family name on a fellowship at Maxwell is a genuine honor, as the school shaped my professional path in ways I couldn’t have anticipated. To see it given to someone like Audie Klotz—whose work and mentorship embody everything Maxwell stands for—makes it even more meaningful.”

A climate finance pioneer. A diplomat who helped evacuate thousands from a war zone. A champion of global school nutrition. A trailblazing scholar of equity in public administration. A leader in the federal inspector general oversight community.These are the five alumni who will be celebrated at the annual Awards of Excellence on Thursday, April 30, in Washington, D.C.

The event, to be held at the Íű±ŹĂĆ Washington, D.C., Center in the heart of Dupont Circle, will also serve as an opportunity for the Maxwell community to reunite and celebrate the school’s enduring commitment to engaged citizenship.

Established in 2022, the Awards of Excellence program celebrates the contributions of the school’s alumni and friends to their fields, communities and society through work that reflects the Maxwell School mission and values. Recognition categories include the 1924 Award, Bridge Award, Charles V. Willie Advocate Award, Compass Award and Spirit of Public Service Award.

“We are honored to welcome members of the Maxwell community to join us for an evening of celebration and reflection,” says Dean David M. Van Slyke. “Each year, this event reminds me of why our mission endures. This year’s honorees have built careers spanning climate finance, diplomacy, food security, public administration and the law—and in every case, they have used their Maxwell education as a foundation for making the world more sustainable, more humane and more just. I look forward to celebrating them and to welcoming our community back to Washington, D.C.”

The five 2026 honorees are Jeff Eckel G’82,  George Farag G’02, G’07, Emily Fredenberg G’16, Susan Gooden G’95, G’96 and Roslyn A. Mazer ’71.

Jeff Eckel—Bridge Award

For his commitment to improving our climate future, Eckel is the recipient of the 2026 Bridge Award, which honors exemplary leadership across sectors while advancing the Maxwell School’s mission of making the world a better place.

Eckel, who earned an M.P.A. from Maxwell, has spent four decades advancing climate-positive investing with the view that climate change is among the greatest challenges of our time. As chair of HASI and its CEO for the previous two decades, he pioneered the use of finance to accelerate the adoption of low-carbon climate solutions in the United States and the developing world.

He developed the HannieMae Trust, a first-of-its-kind investment vehicle for funding energy-conservation projects, oversaw HASI’s 2013 public offering as the first dedicated climate solutions investor, and created CarbonCount, a tool that measures how efficiently capital investments reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

George Farag—Spirit of Public Service Award

Farag is the recipient of the Spirit of Public Service Award, which honors individuals whose work has had widespread global impact and reflects the ideals of the Maxwell School. For more than 25 years, he has worked at the intersection of diplomacy, immigration and national security to advance U.S. interests and protect American lives. Farag earned master’s degrees in public administration and international relations and Ph.D. in anthropology from the Maxwell School.

Inspired by the Sept. 11 attacks, Farag joined the U.S. Department of State as a diplomat and consular officer in 2002. During five years of service in some of the world’s most volatile environments, he helped lead the evacuation of 15,000 Americans during the 2006 Lebanon War and was among the first U.S. diplomats to enter Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom. In 2013, he founded Silverline Strategies, a consulting firm whose operations now affect more than 3 million visa applicants each year across 15 countries. Farag received the Department of State’s Superior Honor Award and Meritorious Honor Award.

Emily Fredenberg—Compass Award

Fredenberg, who holds an M.P.A. degree and a master’s degree in international relations, is the recipient of this year’s Compass Award, given in recognition of her exceptional accomplishments and impact as an early-career alumna. In the 10 years since earning her Maxwell degrees, she has built a career dedicated to strengthening food security among some of the world’s most vulnerable populations.

Fredenberg is currently senior officer of programs and advocacy at the Global Child Nutrition Foundation, where she cultivates global partnerships to advance sustainable school meal programs worldwide. She previously served as a project manager at The Rockefeller Foundation, overseeing grants focused on combating the global food crisis. Before that, she spent six years with the World Food Programme, serving in Lebanon—helping the response to the Syrian refugee crisis—and in Rwanda, where she led communications strategy for the nation’s home-grown school meal initiative.

Susan Gooden—Charles V. Willie Advocate Award

Gooden is the recipient of the Charles V. Willie Advocate Award, which recognizes alumni whose contributions reflect Maxwell’s commitment to creating an environment that is welcoming to all and oriented toward engaged citizenship. The honor recognizes her excellence in leadership, teaching and scholarship advancing inclusive governance and equity in public administration.

Gooden, who earned both a master’s degree and Ph.D. in political science at Maxwell, is dean and professor of the L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs at Virginia Commonwealth University, where she co-founded the Research Institute for Social Equity.

She has authored six books and more than 100 academic journal articles and reports and is a founding editor of the Journal of Social Equity and Public Administration. An elected fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration, she is a past president of the American Society for Public Administration, which honored her with the 2025 Dwight Waldo Award recognizing more than 25 years of preeminent contributions to the field.

Roslyn A. Mazer—1924 Award

Mazer is the recipient of this year’s Maxwell 1924 Award, which honors graduates for distinguished and sustained professional or civic leadership in the spirit of the school’s mission.

After earning a bachelor’s degree in political science from Maxwell, Mazer went on to provide vigorous oversight of government programs as inspector general of the Federal Trade Commission, inspector general of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and special investigative counsel in the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General. Earlier, she served in the Department of Justice, including as deputy assistant attorney general, guiding federal judicial nominees through the confirmation process.

Before entering public service, Mazer was in private law practice specializing in media and First Amendment law. Notably, she represented the Association of American Editorial Cartoonists as friend of the court in Hustler Magazine Inc. v. Falwell, the landmark Supreme Court ruling affirming First Amendment protection of satire. Today, she continues to advocate for cartoonists’ rights and free expression.

Looking for your next great read? Members of the University’s in the College of Arts and Sciences have a few suggestions for titles that deserve a spot on your shelf. These eight books, all written by alumni and either released in the last decade or forthcoming in 2026, span poetry, short stories and novels.

Whether you’re looking to read more this year, or add to your already long “to be read” list, they say these titles by graduates of the Syracuse creative writing master’s program are not to be missed.

Below, the recommended reads and why the faculty members recommend them:

by Bridget Lowe G’09 (February 2020)

Professor suggests picking up this second, aptly titled poetry collection from Lowe, in which she makes meaning from the perversity of suffering. “Bridget Lowe interrogates the profound disquietude of the world, and that world is both miraculous and haunted; it’s both a world we recognize—work, Missouri—and a world she sees transformed by her vision into the numinous,” Smith says.

by Peter Mishler G’07, G’08 (May 2024)

Smith also recommends this collection, which received the Iowa Poetry Prize, and is set in distinctly American landscapes. “Peter Mishler poems are most sensitive to rumbles of culture and the intimacies that find their most acute analogy in the lives of children,” Smith says. “They astonish in their range and unnerving truth.”

by Max Delsohn G’24 (October 2025)

Young transmasculine characters navigate life in 2010s Seattle in this recently published collection of short stories, which professor recommends. “Max Delsohn is a brilliant new voice, as funny, wild and original as they come,” she says. “He writes with bracing honesty and complexity from an insider’s perspective. His work can be sharply ironic and wonderfully entertaining while also exploring deeper questions about connection, about dignity, about identity.”

by Aaron Fagan G’06 (October 2025)

Faculty member G’88 recommends reading this collection of sonnets that delve into existence and impermanence. “The poems in Aaron Fagan’s ‘Atom and Void’ are lyrical and witty philosophical treatises on the human condition in the chaotic world of the 21st century,” says Kennedy, whose own debut novel “Stealing Marquee Moon,” in May 2026.

by Sydney Rende G’21 (January 2026)

This debut collection of short stories, which capture the obsession with how we are perceived, the desire to be adored, big ambitions and the fascination of fame, is not to be missed, according to , professor and director of the creative writing program. He says it is a “a hilarious, savvy, tender-hearted short story collection about life in the age of social media and reality TV: how to be seen, how to be liked and how to be careful what you wish for.”

by JR Fenn G’22 (February 2026)

, associate professor emeritus, recommends this collection of 17 pieces of flash fiction, that travels backwards and forwards in time, focused on what it means to be human. “Jess Fenn’s tiny collection of tiny tales is a masterpiece of flash fiction in which every word is a full grown story, a consummate work of art,” Flowers says.

by River Selby ’15, G’18 (May 2026)

Flowers also recommends this debut memoir that captures the author’s experiences as a female wildland firefighter from 2000 to 2010. “River Selby’s account of a young woman’s journey as a wildland firefighter brings literary intensity and narrative grace to a tale of personal, gender and environmental struggle,” Flowers says.

by Leila Renee G’22 (August 2026)

This debut novel, an off-kilter coming-of-age-novel that follows a recent college graduate after she runs away from home, is one to keep on your list, according to professor G’88. “It’s a wry, funny, beautifully written story of a fraught but intense friendship, by a writer with real heart,” says Saunders, whose latest novel released in January.

One of Íű±ŹĂĆ’s most celebrated alumni is coming home. The University today announced that Gerry McNamara ’06, a member of the 2003 National Championship-winning team, has been named head coach of the . A Scranton, Pennsylvania, native, McNamara returns to lead the storied program where his legendary career began, following two seasons as head coach at Siena University where he engineered one of the most dramatic turnarounds in Division I basketball. His appointment, effective immediately, was approved by the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees.

“I love this place. I love what Syracuse means: to the fans, to the players who have worn this jersey, to the people of Central New York. This program has given me everything, and I am ready to give everything back to it,” says McNamara. “College basketball has changed. How you build a program, recruit talent, compete for resources and win looks different than it did even five years ago. I know that. I’m ready for it. What hasn’t changed is what Orange Nation expects, and what this place deserves. We are going to build something special here.”

McNamara spent 14 seasons as an assistant coach on Jim Boeheim’s staff before serving as associate head coach under Adrian Autry in 2023-24, then departing for Siena in March 2024. In his first season leading Siena, he guided the Saints to a 14-18 record, a 10-win improvement over the previous season that ranked among the top 10 turnarounds nationally and earned him recognition as one of 16 finalists for the CollegeInsider.com Joe B. Hall Award, presented annually to the nation’s top first-time Division I head coach. He opened his tenure with three consecutive victories, becoming the first Siena coach to start with three straight wins in more than four decades.

“Gerry McNamara is who our storied basketball program needs at this important moment,” says Bryan B. Blair, incoming director of athletics. “In every conversation, his competitive fire and passion was undeniable—it’s simply part of his DNA. He returns to Syracuse as a proven Division I head coach who led a program through a turnaround and back to the NCAA Tournament. At every stop in his playing and coaching journey, he has elevated those around him—student-athletes, staff and the broader community—through his energy, his standards and his ability to connect. While Gerry’s deep connection to Syracuse is meaningful, it’s simply a bonus to what he brings as a coach and leader. He honors our past, but he is driven to build for the future. This is a critical moment for Syracuse basketball, and it will take all of us—everyone connected to Íű±ŹĂĆ, Syracuse Athletics and Central New York—locking arms and supporting this program like never before. We welcome Gerry home and can’t wait to see where he takes our program.”

“Gerry is a leader who brings out the best in people,” says John Wildhack, outgoing director of athletics. “I watched him for years as an assistant: in the gym, on the road recruiting and in conversations with players and their families. What has always distinguished him is the trust he builds. He has proven in a short time as a head coach that he knows how to build a program. I am proud that this was among the final pieces of work I had a hand in, and I have no doubt that he will make Syracuse and all of Orange Nation proud.”

A four-year starter from 2002-06, McNamara is the program’s all-time career leader in made three-pointers (400), free throw percentage (.888) and minutes played (4,799) and ranks among the all-time leaders in assists, steals and scoring. He was part of the 2003 National Championship team, earning All-Final Four honors after hitting six three-pointers against Kansas in the title game as a freshman. As a senior in 2006, he earned Associated Press Honorable Mention All-American honors and was named the Dave Gavitt Award winner as tournament MVP after leading Syracuse to the Big East Championship. His No. 3 jersey was retired by the University in March 2023. Following his collegiate career, McNamara accepted an invitation to Utah Jazz training camp and played professionally in Europe before returning to Syracuse to begin his coaching career.

As an assistant at Syracuse, McNamara was a cornerstone of the program’s recruiting operation for 15 seasons, helping guide the Orange to nine NCAA Tournament appearances, including Final Four runs in 2013 and 2016. He was a primary mentor for NBA players, including Michael Carter-Williams, Dion Waiters and Tyler Ennis, as well as Buddy Boeheim, Cole Swider, Michael Gbinije and Elijah Hughes.

“Gerry McNamara’s story is as authentically Syracuse as they come,” says Chancellor-elect J. Michael Haynie. “He came here from Scranton with something to prove and became one of the greatest players this program has ever seen and one of the most trusted coaches to sit on our bench. Now he’s coming home with a singular mission: to return Syracuse basketball to where it belongs, among the elite programs in the country. His coaching, recruiting and fundraising prowess, his passion and talent, and his deep belief in what it means to be Orange are exactly what we need. I could not be more excited to welcome Gerry, Katie and their family back to the Hill, and I can’t wait for the tip-off of the 2026-27 season.”

McNamara brings to the role deep and proven recruiting relationships, having spent well over a decade as the primary contact for elite guards and perimeter players nationally. During his time as an assistant, he was widely credited with building the pipeline of backcourt talent that kept Syracuse competitive at the highest level. Student-athletes who have played for McNamara consistently point to his accessibility, his direct communication style and his commitment to preparing players for life beyond basketball as hallmarks of his approach.

McNamara graduated from Syracuse in 2006 with a bachelor’s degree in speech communications. He earned two AP Pennsylvania State Player of the Year honors at Bishop Hannan High School and finished seventh all-time in Pennsylvania high school scoring history. He is a gold medalist with the United States national team at the 2005 World University Games. McNamara and his wife, Katie, have four children: sons Gerry and Patrick and daughters Maggie and Grace.

Each semester, ended his introductory policy studies course in the the same way. He led his students to the first-floor foyer of Maxwell Hall, gathered them before the iconic statue of George Washington, and had them read aloud the Oath of the Athenian City-State engraved on the wall behind it.

The oath’s closing promise, to “transmit this city not only not less, but greater, better and more beautiful than it was transmitted to us,” was in many ways the mission statement Coplin had been living since he arrived at Íű±ŹĂĆ in 1969 as an associate professor. Over the 56 years that followed, he founded the , mentored tens of thousands of students, authored more than 115 books and articles, and became one of the most honored and beloved teachers in the University’s history.

Coplin, professor of policy studies and Laura J. and L. Douglas Meredith Professor for Teaching Excellence, retired Jan. 1, 2026.

While he sought a quiet exit from a storied career, his legacy lives on in the impact on countless careers, and in the Bill Coplin Policy Studies Support and Experiential Learning Endowed Fund. Through Coplin’s estate, the fund will become permanently endowed, but it can immediately support policy studies students thanks to his initial contribution.

A devoted alumna is helping to build the foundation. Rebecca Edelman ’03 has pledged to match up to $10,000 in donations made to the fund now through the end of March 2026.

“Coplin’s insistence on action over theory and real skills over fluff has shaped every job I’ve held, every pitch I’ve made and every boardroom I’ve entered,” says Edelman, who now leads Caper Associates LLC, an education venture that seeks to address the gap between traditional learning and workforce readiness. “I owe a great deal to this program, and I am proud to carry its purpose and values forward.”

A Different Drummer

Coplin said he has always been an outlier in academia.

“I never followed a strict academic path,” he says, pointing out that he finished his undergraduate degree at Johns Hopkins with a 3.2 GPA before earning a master’s degree and Ph.D. in international relations from American University. He emerged, by his own account, “completely unconstrained by the reality of academia.”

As a professor, he focused on practicality. What skills do students need? What experiences best prepare them for the real world?

He founded the policy studies undergraduate program in 1977 on the premise of those questions and around the belief that students should leave college ready to make a tangible difference. The program required 30 hours of community service, embedded directly into the curriculum.

Coplin never asked his students to be selfless idealists. “I ask students, ‘Do you want to do good or do well?’” he often said. “The answer should be both, but unless you’re Mother Teresa, you should do well first.”

His mantra, “do well, and do good,” became a guiding principle among alumni, who often referred to themselves as “do gooders” as well as “Coplinites.”

Renee Captor ’80 said his teachings served her well as an attorney and nonprofit director. “Skills really do win, and as it turns out, Excel is life,” she says, offering a nod to some of Coplin’s sayings. Another of his favorites: “Life is an aggregation problem.”

Sam Underwood ’11 remembers receiving a less-than-ideal grade and pointed written feedback on an assignment from Coplin.

“That was the first time anyone had told me in an academic setting that, if I was going to be successful, I needed to apply myself rather than just regurgitating the notes I had read from a book,” says Underwood, who now leads one of Ohio’s fastest-growing startups. His message to Coplin: “You did well, and did good yourself.”

 isn’t just about gifts—it’s a global celebration where the Orange community comes together to make an impact!

Tomorrow, March 24, Syracuse celebrates 156 years of Orange pride, and Syracuse Giving Day promises a full day of energy, generosity and campuswide fun. From grabbing giveaways in Schine Student Center to supporting from wherever you are, Giving Day is all about fueling what makes Syracuse extraordinary.

What’s Happening on Campus?

Free Food, Giveaways and Stamp Card Rewards
Schine Student Center | 10 a.m.–5 p.m.

Energize your day! Make a gift, enjoy treats and earn your way to an Otto straw topper while supplies last. Visit the photo booth or record your own Giving Day video with a branded ring light to help you create your best Orange content. Watch live shows throughout the day for exciting student-created stories.

Goldstein Auditorium | 11 a.m.–2 p.m.

Discover the incredible work of 41 student organizations! Meet students, learn about their goals and support your favorites. When 150 alumni support any project, $2,100 in additional funding will be split among the top five groups thanks to the generosity of the Íű±ŹĂĆ Alumni Association Board.

Class of 2026 Donor Exclusive Party
Make your class gift, earn your grad cord and join Otto’s After Party from 6 to 8 p.m.

How to Make an Impact

• ! The University’s goal is to inspire 4,444 supporters on Giving Day. When there is at least one donor from every state and the entire map turns orange, $100,000 will go to Íű±ŹĂĆ thanks to our Regional Councils.
• ! You’ll receive an exclusive Syracuse gift wrap set.
• ! Create an account, share your personal link and earn Syracuse keyboard stickers.
• ! Whether it’s your favorite school, college or program, help unlock additional funding that will multiply your impact.

Let’s give Syracuse the best birthday gift: a powerful show of Orange pride and generosity.

Steven W. Barnes ’82, H’19, a devoted alumnus, University trustee and generous supporter of Íű±ŹĂĆ, will deliver the keynote address at the ‘s 2026 Convocation Ceremony. Barnes, who majored in accounting in the Whitman School, has maintained close ties to the University throughout a career spanning nearly four decades in private equity.

Bain Capital LP is one of the world’s leading global private investment firms, managing more than $215 billion in assets under management across private equity, venture capital, public equity and leveraged debt. Barnes has been affiliated with Bain since 1988 and previously served as chairman of global private equity, head of North American private equity, co-head of European private equity, and founded and led the global portfolio group.

He also served in various leadership positions within Bain’s portfolio companies, including as CEO of Dade Behring, a global diagnostic company, president of Executone Business Solutions, a telecommunications company, and president of The Holson Burnes Group, a publicly traded consumer products company.

Barnes served as chairman of the University’s from 2015-19 and as chairman emeritus from 2019-23. He currently serves as vice chair of the board. Outside of Syracuse, Barnes serves on the board of directors of the Boston Celtics as a member of ownership, and is a board member of MV Youth, The Park of West Palm Beach and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County. He previously served on the boards of Boston Children’s Hospital, New Profit, the United Way of Massachusetts Bay, Boston City Year and was the former chairman of the board of The Make-A-Wish Foundation of Massachusetts and Rhode Island.

“We are thrilled to welcome Steve Barnes back to campus to speak to our graduates this year,” says Whitman Interim Dean . “Steve’s extraordinary career in private equity, combined with his lifelong commitment to this University and its students, make him an ideal voice for our Class of 2026. His story, from his time as a student at Whitman to the heights he has reached in business and in his service to Íű±ŹĂĆ, is one that will truly inspire our graduates as they take their next steps.”

Barnes’ connection to the Whitman School is long-standing and wide-ranging. He is a longtime member of the , a founding investor in the Orange Value Fund and served as the founding co-chair of the Advisory Board. He received the Whitman School’s Jonathan J. Holtz Alumnus of the Year Award in 2011.

The generosity of Barnes and his wife, Deborah, has had a transformative impact across campus, including:

• providing the lead gift for the , the University’s integrated health, wellness and recreation complex;
• endowing the Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans with Disabilities and the Barnes Professorship in Entrepreneurship at the Whitman School and establishing the Barnes Award for Academic Excellence, a merit-based scholarship recognizing outstanding first-year Whitman students; and
• supporting Remembrance Scholars, Syracuse Athletics, the Office of Disability Services and other initiatives across the University.

Barnes was recognized with an honorary doctorate degree from Íű±ŹĂĆ in 2019 and he received the Dritz Trustee of the Year Award in 2014.

The Whitman School’s Convocation Ceremony will be held Saturday, May 9, from 4 to 6 p.m. at the JMA Wireless Dome.

Allison Hinman G’15, G’16 goes to work every day in a place filled with the historical memory of courageous acts: the Rochester, New York, home of Susan B. Anthony where she fought for women’s right to vote and was arrested for casting a ballot.

As president and CEO of the National  Hinman leads the institution she first interned at while pursuing her dual master’s degrees in museum studies and arts leadership administration in the and . It’s a role that she says set the course of her career.

Going into the internship, Hinman was skeptical she’d learn anything new about the operation of historic house museums, since she’d already interned at the , the historic home of William Henry Seward, who served as a New York State senator, governor of New York, a U.S. senator and secretary of state in the administrations of both Abraham Lincoln and Andrew Johnson.

But her time at the Anthony Museum had a profound impact on the way she thought about her path.

“It was such a transformative experience for me with the type of programming the Anthony Museum was doing and how they were creating programming with community, instead of for community,” Hinman says. “That was really influential in how I wanted to move forward with museum education and thinking about how to work with community. ”

Hinman ended up the Anthony Museum in 2021 as deputy director and was promoted to chief operating officer in 2024. She the new president and CEO as of January 2026.

“I work with the absolute best staff and the best volunteers,” Hinman says. “Everybody is so passionate, and it’s just a great environment to work in, and everybody really views it as a team effort in how we make all of the work happen here.”

Currently, Hinman is focused on overseeing and for a that will include a 6,000 square foot self-guided exhibition space to the museum. She says the new building will allow the museum to expand its programming.

For Women’s History Month, the museum is a series of guest lecturers, and Hinman said she’s looking forward to the historic house once again serving as an early voting location for the 2026 election cycle. In 2024, more than 6,000 visitors chose to vote early in Susan B. Anthony’s backyard.

Below, she delves into lessons she learned from her time at Syracuse and what she hopes current students will keep in mind during their own time on campus.

The ten women stand together in the gymnasium, faces serious, hands on their hips. With their shoulders squared, right feet turned in a split stance, their eyes stare into the camera in an unmoving challenge.

That’s the photo that accompanies an April 15, 1895, article titled “Women’s Gymnasium Work” in the University News, describing the activities of the Syracuse women students playing a unique sport on campus—battle-ball.

“We, too, have our college athletics,” the article reads. “You have doubtless heard of the basketball teams of Wellesley, and other women’s colleges; but do you know that in our own University we have two teams of young women, not playing basket-ball but the splendid game of battle-ball? Vigorously do we practice on Tuesday and Thursday of each week, and so expert have we become that we quite belie the accusation that ‘a girl can’t throw a ball.’”

What exactly was battle-ball? According to the , there’s no other information on the game in the library’s collections.

But the article’s author Carrie S. Romer wrote that battle-ball was only “a part of our work in the gymnasium.”

“Our eyes have long since wearied of the statement—or we might almost say epitaph—so often seen in our college papers, ‘Miss — has been obliged to leave college because of ill-health,’ and we have determined that we, the members of the women’s gymnasium classes, will prevent, as far as we can, the possibility of such remarks concerning ourselves,” she wrote. “Hence, two, three, or four times each week we repair to the gymnasium to enjoy our exercises and games.”

A Higher Stakes Game

, professor of history and senior associate dean for academic affairs in the , reviewed the article for Íű±ŹĂĆ Today. She says the piece gives a glimpse of the experience of women attending college in the late 19th century.

Women’s education and college athletics both expanded dramatically in the United States after the Civil War, she says.

“Americans worried that men might become weak without the testing ground of war,” Faulkner says.

There was particular concern at the time about “neurasthenia”—a nervous disorder for both men and women, she says.

“As the article makes clear, there was concern that college might be too mentally (and physically) taxing for women, which could also be an argument to exclude them from education, careers, political and legal rights, etc.,” Faulkner says.

According to the University News article, the women used “traveling rings, horizontal bars and ladders” during those gym sessions in the University’s , which was built in the early 1890s and demolished by 1965.

“We strengthen the various muscles of our bodies, and acquire a courage that we should not have dreamed of possessing a few years ago,” Romer wrote.

In the 1895 article, the students made clear that their exercise wasn’t a chore.

“We should not be college women if we did not mingle a bit of fun with our work, and one of our chief pleasures has been to invent names for our various exercises,” Romer states. “Perhaps you have heard of our ‘gymnastic hop,’ ‘chicken walk,’ ‘ostrich walk’ and ‘flying angel,’ but if you do not know what they are, we invite you to come and see for yourself—if you may. Should you be so unfortunate as to belong to the sex seldom admitted during ‘ladies hours,’ we can give you no better advice than to follow the suggestions given by the names and learn for yourself what we mean.”

Faulkner says the article and accompanying photo make clear the women exercised separately from their male classmates, which is likely why their skirts are shorter. During the 1890s, women’s activities were “severely proscribed” by fashion (corsets and long skirts), modesty and propriety of the Victorian era.

The 1890s saw those standards giving way to the era of the “new woman,” Faulkner says, in which women discarded those restrictions as they embraced sports for the health and social benefits.

“I love the picture because their choice of clothing, especially the short skirts, shows how much athletics challenged the still powerful views that women should be modest,” she says. “Women’s fashion did not allow shorter (above the ankle) skirts for everyday wear until about WWI. Earlier, in the 1850s, women’s rights activists stopped wearing the ‘’ because they were mocked so severely.”

Beyond the Gymnasium

The article that follows the story on battle-ball also focuses on the experience of women in higher education at the time, titled “What is the College Woman Doing in the World?”

“We can hardly imagine a woman who has had the inspiration of four years of college life as going out into the world and leaving behind her all the life and stir that have been hers for four years,” the article by M.S. Coon says.

The second article delves into ways female graduates were making careers for themselves, namely with social activism or social work. Specifically, it mentions women college graduates founding and working in , which functioned as community-based centers in poor neighborhoods.

The two articles, side-by-side, give a clear look at how women on the Syracuse campus were advocating at the time for their own athletics, education and careers after graduation.

“The author and her fellow athletes were asserting their physical health along with their academic capabilities in hopes of creating or advancing post-college opportunities at a time when careers were still very limited for women and most women would still marry and have children,” Faulkner says.

The articles from the University News are housed in the in the University Archives. Anyone can visit the Special Collections Research Center and request to see them.

—March 24—is a day to celebrate all that it means to be Orange, to keep beloved traditions alive for students and keep building the community that makes Íű±ŹĂĆ extraordinary.

There are countless ways to support students—through greatest needs and deans’ funds in all of the University’s schools and colleges and through initiatives that benefit students Universitywide, across majors and disciplines.

Here are five unique ways you can make your impact on the Orange in support of experiences, community and traditions:

Since 23 students gathered at Crouse College on Feb. 4, 1901, the Íű±ŹĂĆ Marching Band has grown into one of the most celebrated collegiate bands in the nation. From its first football game appearance that fall to marching in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and performing at Super Bowl XLVIII, the band has represented the University on some of the world’s biggest stages.

The band earned its iconic nickname, The Pride of the Orange, in 1970, when an announcer introduced the band following its award-winning performance at the World Band Festival in Kerkrade, Netherlands. The name has defined the band ever since.

Today, with nearly 220 members drawn from five Central New York colleges (Syracuse, SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Le Moyne College, SUNY Oswego and Onondaga Community College) and more than 80 majors, the band is far more than a performing ensemble. It is a cornerstone of Íű±ŹĂĆ life; it’s a community where students find lifelong friendships and carry the Orange spirit forward.

As the band marks its 125th anniversary, the College of Visual and Performing Arts is raising funds for new uniforms, which will debut at the Sept. 5, 2026, football home opener vs. New Hampshire. A generous donor has pledged an $85,000 matching gift, doubling every dollar contributed to this historic milestone.

Syracuse is home to more than 300 registered student organizations—from performance groups and cultural organizations to service clubs and everything in between—and they’re at the heart of what makes the Syracuse experience special.

On Giving Day, 41 student organizations are competing for a share of $3,500 in bonus funding through the Student Organization Challenge, rallying their communities to give, engage and show up. Winners are determined by unique donor count, social media engagement and on-campus spirit at Schine Student Center, so every gift, like and share genuinely moves the needle. The challenge dollars have been allocated via Senior Vice President Allen Groves and the Student Experience team.

Can’t find a group that speaks to you? A gift to the Student Experience Fund supports small grants that help all Syracuse students fully enjoy campus life. This is your chance to invest in the people and communities that make Íű±ŹĂĆ home.

The Center for the Creator Economy (CCE) is the first academic center of its kind on a U.S. college campus. Led jointly by the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and the Martin J. Whitman School of Management, the center reinforces the University’s commitment to bold, forward-looking academic leadership.

By aligning strengths in entrepreneurship, media, communications, athletics and digital infrastructure, the University is charting how higher education can prepare students for the 21st-century economy. The center will serve as a dynamic platform for teaching and learning; workshops and executive education; speaker series and showcases; on-campus incubators and makerspaces; research and thought leadership; and college athletics.

The fund will support many CCE initiatives, including The Vibe, a student-run creative agency providing students real-world experience through working with clients, and the ’CUSE Creator Crew, which will support creator and brand collaborations and hands-on student learning.

Thomas O’Brien ’25, who helped launch the new center, will co-host six live shows from the Schine Student Center throughout the day to showcase Íű±ŹĂĆ creators.

In May, the Hendricks Chapel Choir will perform on the African continent for the first time. The choir travels internationally every four to five years, providing unique experiential learning opportunities to its members. The choir has previously performed in China (2005); Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay (2009); Europe (Poland and Germany, including Auschwitz, 2013); Mexico (2018); and London and Lockerbie and Edinburgh, Scotland (2023). With plans to visit Oceania in 2030, the choir will have performed on every habitable continent by the 100th anniversary of the chapel.

The performances on the South African tour include Johannesburg (performing with the University of Johannesburg Choir); Soweto (Apartheid Museum and Mandela House); Pretoria (University of Pretoria-Tuks Camerata); Drakensberg (performing with the Drakensberg Boys Choir); Pietermaritzburg (UKZN School of Religious Studies) and Cape Town (performing with the St. George’s Cathedral Choir).

“When our graduating seniors consider the most impactful and meaningful moments of their time studying at Íű±ŹĂĆ, international performing tours always top the list,” says Jose “Peppie” Calvar, professor and chair of applied music and performance and director of choral activities in the Setnor School of Music in the College of Visual and Performing Arts and director of the Hendricks Chapel Choir. “Performing tours forge lifelong friendships and memories within our students. The experience of singing in front of an international audience confirms our shared humanity and our students’ place as citizens of a larger world and stewards of the world they’re shaping.”

Syracuse Giving Day is a great time for fans and alumni to support Íű±ŹĂĆ Athletics. Make a gift to the athletic department’s top priorities through Athletics Competitive Excellence. Your support pushes our 20 varsity athletic programs to compete for championships and elevates the student-athlete experience for more than 550 student-athletes on campus.

Visit the for the complete Giving Day experience.

The in the College of Visual and Performing Arts (VPA) is launching ÂĄGuitarra!, a new recital series that will bring world-renowned classical guitarists to campus for free public performances and master classes for Setnor students.

The inaugural performance of ¡Guitarra! will take place on Thursday, March 19, with by at 8 p.m. in Setnor Auditorium, Crouse College. Recognized as “a young 21st-century virtuoso” (The Guardian), Whittingham’s debut album “My European Journey,” released in 2021, was described as “a superb debut” (BBC Music Magazine) and led to her being chosen as one of Classic FM’s “Rising Star” artists in 2022.

The series will continue on Wednesday, April 1, at 8 p.m. with by , in Setnor Auditorium, Crouse College. Smits, who plays on eight-string guitars and historical instruments, has been praised as “an uncommonly musical guitarist” (The New York Times) and “one of the most sensitive and cultured performers of our time” (Diapason).

ÂĄGuitarra! is generously supported by VPA alumna Ronna B. Erickson ’76, whose love of classical guitar inspired her to establish the series first at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and then at Íű±ŹĂĆ.

“We are beyond grateful for Ronna’s generosity, as it enables us to bring international concert artists and educators to our students and community, for years to come,” says , instructor of guitar in the Setnor School.