, Marjorie Cantor Endowed Professor in Aging and chair of sociology in the , has received the 2026 Outstanding Mentoring Award from the American Sociological Association’s Section on Aging and the Life Course.

The award recognizes section members who have distinguished themselves as mentors to students and junior faculty in the field of aging and the life course. Silverstein will be recognized at the association’s 121st Annual Meeting, Aug. 7 to 11 in New York City.

“Merril’s influence extends far beyond his own scholarship—it lives on in the generations of researchers he has trained and championed,” says . “This award reflects the generosity and rigor he brings to mentoring, and it is richly deserved.”

Silverstein is the inaugural holder of the Marjorie Cantor Chair in Aging Studies. The professorship was established by then-Chancellor Nancy Cantor and her brother, Richard L. Cantor, in memory of their mother, Marjorie Cantor, whose scholarship advanced understanding of the lifestyles of older adults, the importance of caregiver support systems and the needs of elders across class and culture.

Silverstein earned a doctorate in sociology from Columbia University. At Syracuse, he plays a leading role in advancing collaborative research and teaching through the University’s interdisciplinary Aging Studies Institute.

The author of more than 200 research publications, Silverstein studies aging in the context of family life, with an emphasis on intergenerational relationships, social support, public policy and later-life migration across life course and international perspectives. He has received nearly $4.5 million in external grants for his research and is principal investigator of the Longitudinal Study of Generations, with related projects in China, Sweden, the Netherlands and Israel. He is a Brookdale Fellow and a Fulbright senior scholar, and he served as editor-in-chief of the��Journal of Gerontology: Social Sciences, the flagship journal of the Gerontological Society of America, from 2010 to 2014. He has also held a visiting fellowship at the University of Oxford’s Institute of Population Ageing.

Silverstein’s honors include the Matilda White Riley Distinguished Scholar Award from the American Sociological Association (2020), the Chancellor’s Citation for Excellence in Faculty Excellence and Scholarly Distinction from ������ (2021), the Outstanding Contribution to Graduate Education award from the University’s Graduate School (2023) and the Olson Grant for Bridging Research, Theory and Practice from the National Council on Family Relations (2023 and 2024).

The granite pavers crisscrossing the Newhouse Family Plaza have anchored one of the University’s most recognizable gathering spaces for decades, connecting three buildings built across three different eras. This summer, major work is being done on the plaza.

Beneath the pavers sits a drainage system that has shifted, tilted and needed repairs over the years. This summer marks the start of a comprehensive renovation that will replace the membrane, drains and pavers across all three sections of the plaza, work that campus planners say should keep the space watertight and stable for years to come.

To understand what goes into balancing infrastructure needs with the character of a beloved campus space, ������ Today spoke with Brenda Law ’90, a campus architect and alumna who has worked in facilities planning for about 30 years. Law, associate director of design in walked through the technical work behind the project and the choices made to preserve what makes the plaza feel like .

A Roof in Disguise

The Newhouse complex was built in three phases, with , Newhouse 2 joining in 1974 and Newhouse 3 completing the school in 2007.

According to Law, the Newhouse plaza is largely original to the school’s older buildings. In addition to being a gathering place on campus, the plaza serves as a roof to occupied space below.

The original drainage system, built with Newhouse 1, allowed water to filter through porous concrete to drains beneath, while later construction added a different system for Newhouse 2 and 3.

“This project is really a comprehensive replacement of all three sections and there will be a new roof membrane below, so the roof drains below will be replaced and the new pavers will be installed on a pedestal support system,” Law says. “It will ensure that the whole thing is watertight and it should last many, many years. And on top, the pavers will be set level and true.”

Work on the project will extend into the fall semester.

What Visitors Will Notice

Visitors will also notice changes on the surface after the project is complete. A new snow-melt system installed beneath the plaza’s major pathways will keep them clear during winter months.

The new pavers themselves will look a little different, too.

They will be slightly darker than the old pavers, but they will still be in the warm tones—gray, beige, pinkish—that echo the Newhouse buildings. Law says her team reviewed dozens of paver options before settling on one with enough color variation to avoid looking too uniform against the older precast concrete facades.

“That’s really our job here at Campus Planning,” Law says. “We really want to preserve our iconic spaces, which doesn’t mean you can’t introduce something new, but we’re sensitive and want to be respectful of historic elements and the historic buildings on campus. The new pavers have a little bit of a rustic tone that relates to the existing buildings.”

The footprint of the plaza itself isn’t changing, but new furnishings will be added for the first time beyond the original seat wall. Newhouse uses the plaza for events, including ones that require tents, so the new gathering areas had to be designed to give people a place to hang out without compromising event space functionality.

“We are eager to see these long-overdue renovations come to fruition to create a reimagined Newhouse Family Plaza,” Dean says. “These changes will create a more dynamic and modern-looking gathering hub while preserving the aesthetics that generations of alumni fondly remember.”

Preserving an Iconic Space

Part of the challenge of projects like the Newhouse plaza redesign is preserving a space with deep institutional memory while still allowing for change.

Law says the goal is that the plaza feels warm and human-scaled.

“Trying to advance things and embrace modernity, but still being respectful to the existing structures is the line we walk, trying to mesh those things,” she says. “Architectural design often contrasts or matches, so it’s finding the right direction and balance.”

That balance is part of Syracuse’s architectural history, visible across campus in how the University has made room for stylistic variety.

“The Hall of Languages is built out of Onondaga limestone, and it was placed at the head of University Ave as the first building on the hill,” Law says. “Crouse College was the second, and it’s vastly different. The University founders decided then to build in the style of the day. And that’s why you see so much architectural variety on campus. I think it’s our green space and our plazas that hold things together, so we’re trying to honor that. To embrace the new technology, to give this place a clean, safe, beautiful plaza, but also be respectful of the old buildings.”

Ryan Schram, a veteran industry leader and strategic advisor at the intersection of content, commerce and creativity, has been named the inaugural executive director of ������’s Center for the Creator Economy.

A first-of-its-kind academic center on a U.S. college campus, the�� aligns strengths at ������ in entrepreneurship, media, communications, athletics and digital infrastructure, charting how higher education can prepare students for the 21st-century economy. Launched last fall, the center is led jointly by the����and the��—two of the top schools in their respective fields.

Schram, who will start Aug. 3, will guide the center’s growth as it expands its academic programs, research and industry partnerships. His appointment brings a practitioner’s perspective to the University’s trailblazing initiative.

��������������ٳ󲹲԰�������for his vision that created the center.

“Syracuse has done what no other university has: build the first academic center for the creator economy with the ambition of becoming the global authority on curriculum, research and rankings in this space,” Schram says. “As someone who has spent the last decade and a half building businesses in this industry, I see real value in leading it from a practitioner’s vantage point. I am excited for what we will build together in the years to come.”

Schram’s 25-plus year career includes extensive experience across public and private companies. He was recognized as a Top 10 Global Chief Operating Officer at the 2023 OnCon Icon Awards and as a Top 101 COO by Boardroom Media in 2022.

Most recently, Schram worked at Particle Wave, where he was managing partner for the boutique advisory firm that counsels leading companies on navigating the rapidly evolving creator economy. He also spent 13 years, including 12 as president and COO, at IZEA, a global leader in professional services, technology and talent representation.

Before IZEA, he was��group��vice��president at Merkle (formerly HelloWorld/ePrize) and held roles of increasing responsibility at Westwood One and iHeartMedia.

“Ryan brings the vision, industry experience and entrepreneurial mindset needed to lead the Center for the Creator Economy at this pivotal moment,” says , dean of the Newhouse School. “He understands how storytelling, audience development, technology and business come together in today’s media landscape. We are looking forward to working with Ryan to build a vibrant hub at the University that leads across the evolving creative economy.”

“The creator economy represents one of the fastest-evolving sectors of the global economy, and Ryan has spent his career helping organizations navigate that change,” says , interim dean of the Whitman School of Management. “His practitioner perspective, combined with his commitment to innovation and collaboration, will help ensure the Center for the Creator Economy continues to shape how we prepare future business and creative leaders.”

Poised to Flourish��

The Center for the Creator Economy enters its second year with expanding programming and positive momentum. The University is launching a creator economy minor this fall, providing a new path��for students to build careers in content creation, digital entrepreneurship and the��practitioner��ecosystem reshaping how ideas, audiences and businesses are��built��online.

Besides courses from Whitman and Newhouse, the minor includes electives offered by other schools and colleges, including a Name, Image and Likeness class offered from the , and Music Industry Marketing and Media from the .

Programs and academic offerings from the center are available to students from all schools and colleges at the University, and the minor’s interdisciplinary design reflects the scope of the creator economy itself. According to Goldman Sachs Research, nearly 50 million people globally work as full- or part-time creators, and the sector could be worth $480 billion by 2027.

The center’s physical home at the Newhouse School, which opened this past spring, features areas for collaboration and programming, and new podcast production booths are slated to open in the fall.

������’s Board of Trustees invites the campus community to celebrate the inauguration of J. Michael Haynie as the University’s 13th chancellor and president.

The formal Investiture Ceremony will take place Friday, Sept. 18, at 2 p.m., highlighting a series of events running Sept. 17 to 18 that will honor the occasion. Inaugural activities will include academic programming, student-centered events and additional opportunities for students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends across the Orange community to mark this historic University milestone.

The University will launch a dedicated webpage this week with registration details and logistics for the weekend’s events. Additional information will be shared as plans are finalized.

Members of the campus community are encouraged to save the date for the Investiture Ceremony, with more details to follow.

In late May, five School of Architecture students traveled to in Clermont, Kentucky, where they joined School of Architecture faculty member to construct 10⁶ (Ten to the Power of Six), an immersive mirrored pavilion that transforms visitors and the surrounding landscape into an infinite series of reflections.

Constructed over a four-day period between May 28 and June 6, the project offered students a rare opportunity to participate in the realization of a full-scale architectural installation, engaging directly with fabrication, construction and on-site problem-solving.

Participating students were Alexander Barney ’26, Clark Dong ’27, Grace Hong ’26, Gia Lettieri ’27 and Nicole Trubsky ’27, alongside Riley Wines ’26, a student collaborator from Cornell University’s College of Architecture, Art and Planning.

The pavilion was selected through a competitive open-call process organized by Bernheim Forest and Arboretum’s initiative, which commissions immersive outdoor installations exploring the relationship between people, nature and the built environment. More than 160 proposals were submitted for consideration, with 10⁶ selected as one of only two projects chosen for construction.

“10⁶ exemplifies what we hope to achieve through L+A+N+D by bringing together innovative design, environmental awareness and public engagement,” says Jenny Zeller, curator of the L+A+N+D program. “Beyond creating a remarkable visitor experience, the project has provided Syracuse Architecture students with the rare opportunity to take a design from concept to a full-scale installation within a living landscape.”

The title 10⁶ references founder Isaac W. Bernheim’s vision for the forest as a place with “a million things to see and do.” Reflecting that history, the pavilion’s mirrored interior creates an immersive environment that blurs the boundaries between visitor, landscape and reflection.

“The name is a direct response to this history, and so is the pavilion,” says Erar. “The interior is clad in mirrors on all sides, acting as an infinity room and multiplying the image of visitors by a million, just like the offerings of nature in the forest.”

Built Without a Single Nail

The project also served as a testing ground for Erar’s research into construction methodologies. Constructed from flat-packed, CNC-milled plywood components, 10⁶ was assembled on site using a custom joinery system that relies on wooden pegs rather than metal hardware.

Early prototyping and milling tests were conducted in Slocum Hall with student research assistant Clark Dong, while the pavilion’s components were prefabricated in Syracuse and Ithaca before being transported to Kentucky for installation.

Designed for a four-day assembly, the reversible system minimized site disturbance while limiting the need for power tools, creating a quieter construction process responsive to the surrounding forest.

“Being part of both the fabrication and build team was a rewarding experience because it allowed me to apply the theoretical knowledge I gained through years of studio in a practical setting,” says Dong. “From early prototyping and fabrication through the final installation, I gained a much deeper understanding of how architectural ideas become built reality.”

The project also reflected Erar’s approach to teaching, which treats the construction site as an extension of the classroom.

A Classroom in the Forest

“I view the construction site as an extension of my classroom, where typical classroom structures and hierarchies are dissolved to make way for a more democratic, collaborative learning environment,” says Erar. “I see my students as collaborators as we problem-solve and troubleshoot collectively on the building site.”

For Lettieri, the experience bridged the gap between design and construction.

“My studio experience with Professor Erar helped me develop a strong foundation in design detailing, but I wanted to better understand the construction side of architecture,” says Lettieri. “Working on 10⁶ gave me the opportunity to help build a project at full scale. The biggest lesson I learned was the importance of being flexible and adapting when things don’t go as planned.”

The experience also challenged students to reconsider the relationship between design and construction.

“Working on 10⁶ showed me the importance of prototyping, iteration and adaptability when moving from design to construction,” says Barney. “In school, we spend so much time designing structures on a computer, where every measurement aligns perfectly. Building a structure intended to exist outdoors rewrites that process and forces you to respond to the realities of the physical world.”

As part of Bernheim’s expanding L+A+N+D collection, the pavilion joins a series of site-responsive installations that invite visitors to experience the forest through art, architecture and design.

As the calendar has placed Syracuse squarely into the “dog days of summer,” the Wellness Initiative, a program of the , is doing its part to keep University faculty and staff members hydrated and healthy.

will be set up at more than 20 locations around campus from Monday, July 27, through Friday, Aug. 7, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Each station will include a choice of three infused waters, refillable cups and information on hydration and wellness.

According to the , staying hydrated is essential for the body to function normally. Water helps regulate body temperature, cushions joints, protects sensitive tissues and flushes waste from the body. Dehydration, even mild, can cause fatigue, unclear thinking, mood changes and overheating, all of which can affect focus and productivity at work, especially during the summer heat.

Yet CDC data shows many U.S. adults fall short of the recommended daily water intake. The Wellness Initiative’s hydration stations aim to close that gap by making water more visible, accessible and appealing throughout the workday.

This is the second year that the stations have been set up on campus. “Small changes in daily routines can add up to big benefits for health,” says Molly Morgan, associate director of health and wellness for faculty and staff. “We want hydration to be simple, accessible and something to look forward to.”

“Supporting the well-being of our faculty and staff is central to who we are as an employer,” says Alex Dietrich, interim chief human resources officer. “Hydration stations are a tangible way we’re investing in the health of our people, right where they work.”

spent nearly 30 years climbing the corporate ladder, working his way up to a director-level role that took him traveling the world.

So, when he arrived at the University’s in 2011, he found himself learning the rhythms of academia from a new post in the iSchool’s IT department.

And when, a decade into that role, he was asked to teach a course, he was initially hesitant to accept.��That one iSchool course soon became two, and before he knew it, he was teaching full time.

His industry background saw him become the professor of record for project management, the discipline he now oversees for the iSchool, alongside a capstone course built around real-world case studies with companies like Accenture and IBM.

His experience and his passion for teaching has resonated with students.

This year, Corsello, an assistant teaching professor, the Undergraduate Jeffrey Katzer Professor of the Year, nominated by students for his approach to bringing real-world experience to the classroom and fostering a supportive, but challenging, environment for students focused on practical application and professional development.

The impact of his relationship-driven teaching style is evident well beyond graduation: many former students return years later for career advice, and alumni consistently volunteer to help with his capstone case studies when he asks.

“I love the students,” he says. “Getting the award, it confirmed I’m doing the job I want to be doing.”

Below, Corsello shares more about his approach in the classroom and why he loves teaching undergraduates.

We asked faculty and staff to share photos of their favorite recent high school graduates. Congratulations to all, and good luck as you continue your journeys!

When prominent content creators met with U.S. policymakers earlier this summer during Creator Row, a first-of-its-kind content creator gathering organized by the , ������ was the only higher education institution represented on Capitol Hill.

Thomas O’Brien, project coordinator for the (CCE), was part of the University delegation invited to help inform and educate lawmakers on the unique challenges content creators face and learn more about potential legislative priorities involving creators.

O’Brien met face-to-face with elected U.S. representatives, content creators and employees from leading platforms like YouTube, TikTok, Meta, Patreon, Substack, Adobe and Rumble, to help advance the conversation around the creator economy as a growing economic sector.

“We’re the first school to create an academic resource center entirely focused on social media content creation and the revenue streams that exist within that industry, so it was fitting and a great honor to be able to represent both Syracuse and the Center for the Creator Economy at these events,” O’Brien says. “We’re paving a path forward and it’s an exciting time for content creators.”

It was the perfect opportunity for O’Brien and the University delegation—consisting of Carrie Welch, CCE launch director, and Cameron MacPherson, senior director of operations and government affairs with the —to share how the CCE helps students build real-world skills in media, entrepreneurship and digital strategy.

The CCE,��a joint initiative between the and the , is a first-of-its-kind academic initiative dedicated to preparing students for careers in the creator economy.

Through meetings with elected representatives, the University’s delegation learned why support for the creator economy has become a priority at the local, state and federal levels, and how Congress is addressing the growing gap between what content creators need to be successful with potential overregulation of this emerging industry.

“The room was full of some of the biggest names shaping the creator economy, from tech companies and platforms to creators themselves, and it’s great that ������ was in it,” MacPherson said of the event. “All in all, it couldn’t have gone much better for the University. It was a fantastic, dynamic event for us to participate in.”

The Creator Row event was organized and hosted by U.S. Reps. Beth Van Duyne of Texas and Yvette Clark of New York.

The Syracuse Center of Excellence in Environmental and Energy Systems (SyracuseCoE) will serve as the organizing host of Healthy Buildings 2027 America, a flagship conference of the . The conference will be held June 20–23, 2027, in Syracuse.

Under the theme “Intelligent Environments: Designing, Retrofitting and Operating for a Healthy, Affordable and Resilient Future,” the conference will bring together subject matter experts from around the world, including researchers, architects, engineers, public health experts and policymakers, to address challenges in the built environment.

Keynotes, panels and breakout sessions will highlight scalable, effective and efficient technologies, collaborative design methods and practices, and policy pathways to healthier indoor environments across all building types and communities.

Healthy Buildings 2027 America will be chaired by Conference President , Ph.D., and Conference Co-President , Ph.D. The conference organizing committee leverages the expertise of faculty from the , , and , as well as the State University of New York’s .

The expertise will span disciplines that include mechanical engineering, civil and environmental engineering, geography, public health, architecture and chemistry. The scientific committee is composed of international experts in indoor environmental quality, building science, health and wellness.

Creating a Healthy Building Environment

“We are thrilled to welcome the global healthy buildings community to Syracuse again in 2027,” says Dong, SyracuseCoE’s co-director and Traugott Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering in the College of Engineering and Computer Science. “This conference is a celebration of collaboration, bringing together brilliant minds from across the world to share ideas, forge new partnerships and shape a future where every person, in every building, can have a healthy indoor environment. We look forward to an inspiring and transformative conference.”

“We look forward to welcoming everyone to Syracuse for an intellectual and enjoyable conference,” says Zhang, SyracuseCoE’s executive director and interim department chair of mechanical and aerospace engineering in the College of Engineering and Computer Science. “There is so much to discover and exchange to advance science and technology for the built environment.”

The goal of the Healthy Buildings conference series is to advance intelligent, inclusive, cost-effective and future-ready solutions to the converging challenges of climate change, public health disparities, aging infrastructure and rising construction costs. The conference will cover research themes, including the following:

• AI Applications in Healthy Buildings
• Smart Health Monitoring and Control
• Advanced and Sustainable Materials
• Retrofit and Resilience Strategies
• Intelligent New Building Design and Life Cycle Analysis
• Community-Scale Intelligence and Public Health
• Occupant Behavior, Health and Wellness in Buildings

“ISIAQ is very excited about the innovative slate of topics to be presented at the Healthy Buildings conference, as they are critically important to everyone interested in indoor environments around the world,” says Professor , ISIAQ President.

Healthy Buildings 2027 America will take place at the Marriott Syracuse Downtown in Syracuse. Abstract submissions open this month, and sponsorship opportunities are available. Conference registration will open in 2027. For more information, visit .