, director of research development for the arts and humanities in the and the (A&S), has been recognized with the 2026 Innovation Award from the (NORDP).

The award recognizes professionals who advance research development through partnerships, new tools and techniques or the creation and sharing of knowledge that produces demonstrable results. Workman and her NORDP colleague, Allison DeVries of Chapman University, received the award in recognition of the evolution of the (CASSH) affinity group, which they founded in 2022. The group, which has grown to more than 150 NORDP members across the country, helps them marshal and create collective resources and share best practices, case studies and challenges in support of faculty in the humanities, creative arts and social sciences areas.

“I’m honored to receive this award and proud to have had a part in bringing the CASSH group together four years ago when it seemed rare to have a designated arts and humanities research development staff member housed in an R1 institution,” Workman says. The group has gained momentum “because higher education recognizes the value of this support nationwide as integral to the national research landscape and vital to an individual institution’s research ecosystem,” she says.

Workman came to Syracuse in 2019 and built a dedicated arts and humanities research development infrastructure from scratch. She now connects with more than 200 faculty across eight schools and colleges and partners with and several University-affiliated arts organizations.

Beyond campus, she is part of the , an 11-university consortium for collaborative research, teaching and programming. She co-leads its HF4 Corridor Futures and Initiatives working group with program manager Aimee Germain to offer professional development opportunities for faculty.

Impact on Faculty and Funding

Prior to Workman’s arrival, scholars navigated grant funding alone or through informal networks, often missing critical opportunities, says , senior director of research development in the Office of Research, who co-nominated Workman for the award.

She says Workman has contributed to faculty winning prestigious awards, including summer stipends, a and a grant. Workman has also supported a fellowship, an digital justice grant and several successful applications.

In 2025, Workman supported 64 grant proposals seeking $44 million in funding. She recently helped nine arts faculty and five organizations secure awards, making Syracuse the only university in the state to receive multiple awards in that cycle, Chianese says.

, professor of women’s and gender studies and director of the ������ Humanities Center and the Central New York Humanities Corridor, says Workman’s Corridor support has deepened scholarly community across the region and has had significant impact on Syracuse faculty success.

“Sarah has been instrumental in several prestigious Mellon awards, including our first and ensuing New Directions fellowships and many other highly competitive awards and grants,” says May, who co-nominated Workman for the award. “Many of these awards have been substantial enough to transform individual career trajectories and drive transformational work at the University and in�� wider communities locally and nationally.” May says faculty frequently remark about how much they enjoy collaborating with Workman and appreciate her support.

, assistant professor of music history and cultures in A&S, credits Workman with helping her secure a , a first for Syracuse among 200 competing institutions. “I am deeply grateful for her thoughtful engagement with my research and for helping make its relevance accessible to a broader interdisciplinary readership,” Peñate says.

, associate professor in women’s and gender studies in A&S, says Workman’s guidance “proved instrumental in shaping two grant proposals into competitive, fundable projects. Her careful feedback led to key revisions that directly contributed to securing a major award from a private funder. In a context of shrinking funding, Sarah’s leadership has been indispensable for the success of humanities’ interdisciplinary, social justice-centered research.”

While Workman focuses on the arts and humanities, the Office of Research supports faculty across disciplines through a broader research development team. Researchers across campus partner with team members on proposal development, funding searches, cohort writing programs for competitive federal awards and strategic guidance on funding opportunities. Faculty interested in support for their projects can learn more about .

In an age when artificial intelligence can generate content instantly, the human ability to write with clarity, originality and critical insight has become more essential than ever.

Students in the College of Arts and Sciences (A&S) have ample opportunity to strengthen their writing through a rich landscape of publications and digital platforms. Aurantium, Broadly Textual, Intertext and Mend are among the outlets where students build strong portfolios, sharpen their professional communication skills and engage in experiential learning that prepares them for careers in writing, publishing, media and advocacy.

Aurantium: Making Philosophy Accessible and Alive

Like its namesake, ��(the Latin word for orange) is vibrant, inviting and full of fresh perspective. Founded in 2023, this student-led undergraduate philosophy journal was created to invite curiosity, creativity and conversation across disciplines. Supported by the and the Philosophy Club, the journal publishes two issues each year: one focused on the ������ and SUNY ESF community and another open to contributors worldwide.

Essays, reflections, creative writing and artwork all find a home in Aurantium, making it a space where philosophy is explored not as an abstract exercise, but as a living, interdisciplinary practice.

For editor-in-chief Brielle Brzytwa ’28, discovering philosophy was anything but immediate. “In high school it felt abstract, inaccessible and frustratingly stuffy,” she recalls. It wasn’t until college that philosophy began to feel meaningful, and that transformation shaped her vision for Aurantium. “Philosophy doesn’t have to be confined to dense texts or exclusive academic spaces,” she says. “It can—and should—invite curiosity and conversation.”

As editor-in-chief, Brzytwa has made accessibility a guiding principle. She describes the journal as a place where ideas are not only preserved but “shared, challenged and reimagined,” with an emphasis on amplifying a range of undergraduate voices.

Broadly Textual: Building Community Through Public Scholarship

For graduate students eager to share their ideas beyond the boundaries of academic journals, ��offers an inviting and meaningful platform. Overseen by William P. Tolley Distinguished Teaching Professor , the online publication highlights graduate student work designed for public audiences, featuring literary and cultural commentary, , and thoughtful explorations of digital media and identity. With its focus on a broad variety of subject matter, the publication encourages students to see scholarship as both collaborative and accessible.

Co-editor Elena Selthun first encountered Broadly Textual as a contributor during their first year of graduate study and quickly recognized its value. They describe the experience as “low-pressure and supportive,” an ideal introduction to publishing. Equally important, Selthun was drawn to the publication’s commitment to public humanities. “The public-facing nature of the blog allows graduate students to apply what we learn beyond academia,” they say.

For fellow co-editor Meg Healy, the appeal initially lay in skill-building and community engagement. Over time, she gained a deeper appreciation for the publication’s role in demystifying the publishing process. “There is a strong incentive to publish while in graduate school, but that can be daunting,” Healy says.

Both editors emphasize the sense of connection the publication fosters. Selthun points out that graduate research can often feel siloed, and “Broadly Textual” helps bring students across departments into conversation.

Intertext: Celebrating Writing Across WRT Courses

For more than three decades, has celebrated writing by undergraduate students in the (WRT), and community partners. In April 2026, editors and contributors gathered to mark the release of the journal’s .

Reflecting on their involvement, editors Jules Vinarub and Kairo Rushing wrote in the introduction to the 2026 issue, “This publication relies on the willingness of ������ students to be vulnerable enough to let their truth be on display—sharing themselves with you, allowing you to hear and see their stories.”

Throughout the year, students met with publishing professionals and authors like Rand Timmerman, member of the at ������, whose essay about a is published in the 2026 issue along with a .

Any student who has taken a WRT course can submit their work to “Intertext,” and submissions are accepted on a rolling basis. Students interested in joining the editorial team can enroll in WRT 340: Advanced Editing Studio. For more information, contact Professor Patrick W. Berry.

Mend: Amplifying Voices, Honoring Stories and Creating Purpose

��is an annual publication started by , WRT associate professor, and is dedicated to celebrating the lives and creative work of incarcerated and formerly incarcerated people, as well as individuals impacted by the criminal legal system. Featuring fiction, poetry and nonfiction on a wide range of topics, the publication offers contributors the freedom to explore personal experience while centering dignity, creativity and voice.

Editor Drew Murphy ’26, who is majoring in writing and rhetoric, and in psychology in A&S, first encountered Mend as a junior through an Engaged Humanities course, WRT 413: Rhetoric and Ethics after Prison, taught by Berry. Guest visits from formerly incarcerated writers involved with Mend left a lasting impression.

“Their stories represented a powerful intersection of my two majors, writing and rhetoric and psychology,” Murphy says, describing the experience as one that immediately sparked curiosity on both personal and professional levels. When Murphy learned about internship opportunities with , the decision felt natural.

“The opportunity to work with impacted individuals while contributing to a publication that shares their stories has been meaningful for both my academic studies and future career ambitions,” she explains.

As Murphy prepares for graduate study in social work, she credits Mend with deepening her belief that thoughtful writing can contribute to meaningful change.

The in the College of Arts and Sciences observed Dalit History Month again this April with a two-part program featuring Chinnaiah Jangam, associate professor of history at Carleton University in Ottawa. Hosted on April 14 and 15, the program included a workshop and a public lecture exploring the history and present of Dalit communities in North America.

Dalit History Month was established by civil rights activists, inspired by Black History Month, to commemorate the intellectual legacy, activism and lives of caste-oppressed people, communities historically labeled “untouchables.”

Caste, a form of structural oppression originating in ancient India, divides people into categories at birth, and members of Dalit communities continue to face discrimination and violence both in South Asia and across the diaspora. The term “Dalit,” meaning “broken” or “oppressed,” was adopted as an act of political self-identification.

On April 14, Jangam led the Anti-Caste Methodologies workshop for graduate students and faculty in Sims Hall. The workshop explored approaches for writing history from anti-caste and critical-caste perspectives capable of countering dominant narratives.

A day later, Jangam delivered his public lecture, “Dalit Diaspora and Anti-Caste Movements in North America,” at Watson Theater. He examined what it means to be a Dalit in North America and argued that the Dalit diaspora on the continent is as old as that of the Savarna (dominant-caste Hindu) diaspora.

Drawing on stories of survival and resistance, he highlighted Dalit-led community mobilizations and social equity movements in the United States and Canada, and showed how intersectional solidarity is reshaping diaspora identity politics.

Jangam is the author of “Dalits and the Making of Modern India” and translator of “Gabbilam (Bat): A Dalit Epic,” which received the Association for Asian Studies A.K. Ramanujan Prize for Translation in 2024. He co-founded the South Asia Dalit Adivasi Network (SADAN) in Canada, whose advocacy led the Toronto District School Board and the Ontario Human Rights Commission to address caste discrimination.

The events were organized by faculty members and of the Department of Women’s and Gender Studies, with co-sponsorship from the Humanities Center, South Asia Center, LGBTQ Studies, History, CODE^SHIFT, English, Social Science Ph.D. program, Engaged Humanities Network, Feminist Pedagogy Collective, the Dean’s Office and the College of Arts and Sciences.

’ paintings line the walls of her studio in Anchorage, Alaska. From “icon portraits” to landscapes, her artwork holds a palpable verve—carrying a panorama of stories, ideas and interpretations with them, often centered on Alutiiq culture and identity.

From April 6-17, Infante Lyons will bring her visual and academic storytelling to ������ as the 2026 . Her two-week residency is organized around the theme of “Visions of Resilience: Sacred Art and Storied Landscapes.” Humanities Center Director Vivian May says she is excited about the many different ways Infante Lyons will engage the community through dialogues, lectures and seminars focused on her art, Indigenous cultural resilience, approaches to environmentalism and environmental activism, storytelling and more. Infante Lyons’ work, says May, “immerses us in a sense of place and asks us to build relationships across boundaries. Infante Lyons visualizes the sacred, imagines the environment and builds stories in ways that invite us to come together and imagine a more just future for all.”

All are welcome to meet Infante Lyons and experience her work in person at an at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 7, in Eggers Hall and at other .

Infante Lyons, a painter and multimedia artist whose work engages themes of Indigenous sovereignty, cultural resilience and environmental sustainability, was raised in Anchorage. After earning her bachelor’s degree from Whitman College, she studied at the Viña del Mar Escuela de Bellas Artes and spent 18 years in Chile. Her maternal family is from Kodiak Island—a large island in the Gulf of Alaska and the ancestral homeland of the Alutiiq/Sugpiaq people—where her grandparents were commercial salmon fishers. She is a registered Alutiiq Alaska Native and has tribal affiliation with the Alutiiq/Sugpiaq corporation, Koniag.

“I’m looking forward to conversations about learning from different cultures: the importance of a diverse mindset, the richness of looking at Indigenous cultures, how they see the world,” says Infante Lyons. Turning to the future, she asks: “And then, how can you apply that to a conversation [about] where we go forward? It could be applied to sustainability, or how we get along as human beings, or how we get along with the rest of the world.”

Notably, two new paintings by Infante Lyons will find a permanent home in the ������ Art Museum. Melissa Yuen, curator at the museum, says Infante Lyons’ potrtaits “invite interdisciplinary conversation, highlighting humanity’s relationship with the environment, disrupting Eurocentric worldviews and celebrating the role women play in Alutiiq culture as connectors with the world.”

These as-yet unnamed pieces, to be unveiled on April 7, each depict Alaskan Native women dressed in kuspuks. The works incorporate traditional and contemporary Indigenous designs, and each woman cradles an animal central to Alutiiq culture: a seal pup in one painting, an otter in the other. The compositions echo a “Madonna and Child” style painting, complete with halos and other visual symbols of reverence.

In portraying animals in the style of sacred Orthodox paintings and iconography, Infante Lyons emphasizes an intimate relationship between humans and the natural world—one that opposes Western models of extraction and domination. Relatedly, some of her upcoming events on campus will highlight how Indigenous mindsets forge new pathways for understanding and caring for the environment.

Chie Sakakibara, associate professor of Native American and Indigenous Studies and geography and the environment, says when she came across one of Infante Lyons’ icon portraits, “” she was speechless.

“I was immediately struck by the work’s powerful expressivity, as Linda brings together multiple elements—ancestral presences and sacred, spiritual words—into the present, rather than relegating them to a past that no longer exists,” says Sakakibara.

Sakakibara invites the campus and broader Syracuse community into a shared encounter with Infante Lyons’ artistic wisdom, and hopes the residency will spark some of the same kinds of connections she cultivates with students around traditional and land-based knowledge, cultural resilience, multi-species relations and the continuity of Indigenous storytelling.

For co-host Timur Hammond, associate professor of geography and the environment, Infante Lyons’ residency opens up new points of academic connection, particularly for his Spring 2026 course, ‘Geography of Memory,’ and for strengthening his ongoing collaborations with the (EHN). One of EHN’s projects includes an , developed with Infante Lyons, to help spark discussion and activity in the classroom and community.

While Infante Lyons’ work carries many layers of meaning, her creative process begins without a preconceived agenda. Referencing Syracuse creative writing professor and author George Saunders, Infante Lyons subscribes to the idea that “the muse finds you.” A blank canvas is an invitation for her to explore meaning, and to see her life experiences naturally flow out onto the canvas.

“You come to the studio, you start something, and you may try to have a concept or an idea or a composition, but that will change,” she says. In being open to spontaneous inspiration during this creative process, “you end up with a better piece of artwork,” says Infante Lyons.

She hopes to inspire the same approach in those who come across her art. Her paintings—and the conversations that arise around them—need not uphold a rigid, absolute message. Rather, her work invites an opportunity for thought, exploration and emotion.

Story by Colette Goldstein G’25

On a February morning, members of the University community sat down at their keyboards with a shared purpose: to pull the voices of history out of the archive and into the digital age—one keystroke at a time.

Gathering at the on Feb. 13 to mark Douglass Day 2026—the annual national celebration honoring abolitionist Frederick Douglass—faculty, staff and students spent the afternoon transcribing collected documents from the Colored Conventions, a Black political movement that spanned seven decades in the 1800s.

The large-scale nationwide transcription effort is a way to broaden digital access to historical documents for all who are interested—community members, educators and scholars.

“The Humanities Center is proud to participate in this shared project each year,” says , professor of women’s and gender studies in the and director of the ������ Humanities Center. “In just a few short hours, we can all pitch in to make a rich trove of knowledge in Black historical materials widely available via digitization, rather than stored in hard-to-access archives or separated across the nation in different libraries.”

Illuminating How Social Change Unfolded

The documents included meeting minutes, proceedings, newspaper articles, speeches, letters, transcripts and images, drawn from both before and after the American Civil War.

“This nationwide, and now international, collective effort really makes a difference,” May says. “For instance, thanks to previous Douglass Day ‘transcribe-a-thons,’ today, we can easily access the Syracuse, New York, 1864 Colored Convention program, ‘.’ Reading the speeches and engaging with this program helps us understand how this movement for social change unfolded across the nation but also right here, in .”

Some students who participated were surprised to learn how many Black newspapers there were in the mid-1800s, and they could see the role of print journalism in getting people together to organize and advocate for civil rights, May says.

For example, with morning and evening editions of Black papers in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, it became obvious in transcribing different stories and announcements that newspapers were key to political organizing and functioned more like an Instagram post does today—getting the word out and bringing people together around a cause.

The University began partnering with Douglass Day and hosting an event to coincide with the national effort in 2020.

“We look forward to keeping up the annual tradition in honor of Frederick Douglass and Black History Month,” says Diane Drake, assistant director of the Humanities Center.

According to the , the political gatherings offered opportunities for free-born and formerly enslaved African Americans—both men and women—to organize and strategize for racial justice. The first Colored Convention was held in 1830 in response to Ohio’s 1829 exclusionary laws and a wave of anti-Black mob violence that had forced 2,000 Black residents to flee the state.

That first meeting brought Black leaders together to contest widespread discrimination against Black communities, and a movement was born. More than 600 Colored Conventions were held at the national and state levels from 1830 to the 1900s.

Douglass escaped slavery in Maryland as a young man and became a national leader in the abolitionist movement, renowned for his oratory skills, in Massachusetts and New York, and for his newspaper in Rochester, New York, The North Star, which was an important tool in abolishing slavery and advocating for women’s rights and civil rights. The paper’s motto summarizes Douglass’ inclusive approach to human rights nicely: “Right is of no Sex—Truth is of no Color—God is the Father of us all, and all we are Brethren.”

Common lore is that Douglass did not know the exact date he was born in 1818, so in emancipation he chose to celebrate his birth on Valentine’s Day, Feb. 14. The Annual Douglass Day event is planned each year at that time.

for individuals to assist with the transcription from home.

and the , in partnership with the (IVMF) and the National Veterans Resource Center (NVRC), are hosting a discussion of art, identity and conflict featuring Veterans Writing Award-winning authors on Friday, Nov. 7, at 5 p.m. at the National Veterans Resource Center at the Daniel and Gayle D’Aniello Building at 101 Waverly Ave. The event is featured in the Humanities Center’s on “Creativity.”

Robin Caudell, the 2023 Veterans Writing Award winner, will read an excerpt from her upcoming book, “Black Heel Strings: A Choptank Memoir,” published by ������ Press. In addition, the panel discussion will include award-winning veteran writers Dewaine Farria, Brian O’Hare, Jenny Pacanowski and Maurice Decaul. Those interested in attending should . A reception and book signing will take place following the panel discussion.

As an extension of the Veteran’s Writing Award, the University will also host a on Nov. 8 and 9 at the NVRC. Participants will have the opportunity to receive instruction and develop their writing under the direction of Farria, O’Hare and Pacanowski.

The workshop provides veterans a space to reflect on their experiences, gain insight and solace, process complex emotions, and build public voices and community with other service members while sharing stories with varied audiences. Those interested in applying to participate in the workshop should complete the by Oct. 1. The cost of participating in the workshop is $100, which covers the cost of instructional material and food. A limited number of need-based scholarships are available. If you would like to be considered, please contact vwasubmissions@syr.edu.

The weekend workshop includes two public readings by workshop leaders and participants. A full schedule of events is available on the .

About the veteran writer panelists on Friday, Nov. 7:

• Robin Michel Caudell is an award-winning Press-Republican staff writer. A Native of Maryland’s Eastern Shore, Caudell served in the U.S. Air Force and was a John L. Levitow Honor Graduate. She holds an MFA in creative writing from Goddard College. Her poetry has been anthologized in national and international publications. She is the director/screenwriter for “Witness Tree at Union Road,” a documentary in collaboration with Skidmore College. Veteran, activist and author Anuradha Bhagwati selected Caudell’s memoir “Black Heel Strings: A Choptank Memoir” as the 2023 winner of the Veterans Writing Award.
• Dewaine Farria served in Jordan and Ukraine as a U.S. Marine. In addition to his military service, Farria served in the United Nations’ Department of Safety and Security. He supervises field security for the Asian Development. He holds an MA in international relations from the University of Oklahoma and an MFA in creative writing from Vermont College of Fine Arts. Farria’s writing has appeared in Literary Hub, The New York Times, Southern Humanities Review, The Daily Beast and War on the Rocks. Tobias Wolff selected his novel “” as the winner of the inaugural Veterans Writing Award.
• Brian O’Hare is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, former Marine officer and Gulf War veteran. He is an award-winning writer and filmmaker living in Los Angeles. National Book Award winner Phil Klay selected his short story collection “” as the winner of the 2021 Veterans Writing Award. His film “Rizoo,” about a young girl deciding whether to wear the hijab for a class picture, was released in 2025 by The New Yorker. His feature documentary “Cannon Shot” about the world’s largest croquet match between the U.S. Naval Academy and St. John’s College, will premiere later this year.
• Jenny Pacanowski is a poet, playwright, military combat veteran and public speaker. She is the founder and artistic director of Women Veterans Empowered and Thriving (WVE&T), which has expanded its programming to include men, civilian support members and LGBTIA+ community members. Her writing has appeared in The War Horse, Spring St, Aquila Theater, The Journal of Military Behavioral Health and multiple poetry anthologies. She wrote the original drama “Dionysus in America,” which premiered in October 2019 at Canopy Theater and The Vortex. In June 2025, Jenny earned an MFA degree in performance creation.
• Maurice Decaul is a former Marine, poet, essayist and playwright. His work has been featured in The New York Times, The Daily Beast, Sierra Magazine, Epiphany, Callaloo, Narrative and other outlets. His poems have been translated into French and Arabic and his theatrical works, “Holding it Down” and “Sleep Song,” collaborations with composer Vijay Iyer and poet Mike Ladd, have been produced and performed at New York City’s Harlem Stage, the Atlas Intersections Festival in Washington, D.C., and in Paris and Antwerp. He holds degrees in creative writing from Columbia University and New York University.

������ Press, in cooperation with the D’Aniello Institute, established the Veterans Writing Award in 2019. The mission of the Veterans Writing Award is to recognize the contributions of veterans to the literary arts, shine a light on the multivalent veteran experience and provide a platform for unrecognized military writers. For more information, visit the . To ensure accessibility, CART and ASL services will be provided for this event.

Story by Lisa Kuerbis

The themes of healing, identity and community through the lens of the human body are the focus of a new exhibition at .

A opens “Corpórea,” which translates to “of the body,” on Friday, Sept. 12, from 6 to 8 p.m. with music, traditional Spanish-Caribbean cuisine and a presentation of participating artists. The exhibition runs through the 2025-26 academic year.

Featuring large-scale collective works and individual pieces created by members of Syracuse’s Latino community, the exhibition recognizes the body as a site of memory, resilience and transformation, says organizer Bennie Guzmán G’25, a Syracuse-based artist and graduate of the master’s program in in the . Body maps and mixed media, collected over six weeks of art therapy workshops held this summer, reflect the artists’ personal journeys.

“‘Corpórea’ is about what we carry, how we heal and how we thrive,” Guzmán says. “Art becomes a way to regulate, reflect and reconnect. It’s not about being perfect; it’s about being present.”

Emily Nolan, professor of practice in creative arts therapy and a licensed art therapist, was an advisor on the project. M. Emma Ticio Quesada, professor of Spanish and linguistics in the , was also involved. Also assisting were Brenda Teruya, a doctoral candidate in the economics program in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, and Paola Méndez G’25, a graduate of the master’s program in museum studies and curator of the exhibit.

The project is part of the 2025–26 , ��presented by the . It is also��supported by the and the University’s .

, executive director of the Office of Cultural Engagement for the Hispanic Community, says the program was “an opportunity [for participants] to share their stories and experience a sense of wellness through creative expression, even as they navigated linguistic and cultural barriers. The project affirms the importance of visibility, empathy and mutual support and is a powerful model of connection and belonging.”

A series of community dialogues on the outcomes of the program is also planned.

A key aspect of preparing students to become engaged global citizens is exposing them to new perspectives. According to a study from the��, humanities public programming is one effective way to achieve this, as it “equips students with essential skills that are transferable to many areas of life and work, making them more thoughtful, informed and critical individuals.”

�ճ������hosts the Syracuse Symposium, which encompasses a variety of art exhibitions, lectures, film screenings, workshops, musical performances and more. These events, open to ������ students, faculty and staff, along with the local community, inspire critical thinking about current issues and encourage reflection on personal values and beliefs, highlighting how the humanities can be applied in various real-world contexts.

The yearlong Symposium����with a series of events centered around this year’s theme, ‘community,’ as selected by the��. Continuing this spring, events will demonstrate how the humanities are essential for helping to create environments in which everyone can thrive, resulting in more inclusive communities and healthier and more just societies. Programming will also spark thoughtful discussions through unexpected juxtapositions, such as how sports and theater are vital to community-building, and how youth storytelling can be brought to life through film, music and dance. Explore the full slate of Symposium events below.

Spring Symposium Events

Sunday, February 2

��–���ճ���� (TwMC) collaborative will present a screening of works by Syracuse-area high school students at the Watson Hall Theater. Films were shot using readily available tools like smartphones, illustrating that anyone can create impactful movies, regardless of their resources.

Friday, February 7 and Saturday, February 8

Resettled refugee youth from the����will host two storytelling events. On Feb. 7, the fellows����through poetry set to music by Iraqi composer Ameen Mokdad, performed by Cuatro Puntos musicians and Ekklesia Contemporary Ballet dancers, choreographed by ECB artistic director Elisa Schroth. On Feb. 8, the poets, composer, choreographer, musicians and dancers will facilitate a��.

Wednesday, February 26

��– In this event presented by Syracuse Stage, former ������ athletes Eric Devendorf (basketball) and Eric Jackson (football) will discuss the role of sports in building community and how it can result in unexpected friendships and lasting connections. The panel discussion, in conjunction with the play��,��will be moderated by��, an instructor of Spanish in A&S and former editor at ESPNDeportes.com and ESPN.com.

Thursday, March 6

��–��, associate professor of teacher education and school improvement at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, will explore pathways and possibilities for justice-oriented, community-based and youth-engaged teaching and learning in the context of today’s polarizing political climate.

Tuesday, March 18

Two related events will spotlight Gertrude Berg, the groundbreaking writer-actress who created the serial comedy-drama��The Rise of the Goldbergs��(1929), later known as��. ������ Trustee Professor����“” viewing series will feature radio and television screenings of Berg’s work, co-curated by Pulitzer Prize-winning critic Emily Nussbaum. Later that day, Nussbaum will use archival letters from the Special Collections Research Center’s Gertrude Berg Papers to��.

Thursday, April 3 and Friday, April 4

New York State Poet Laureate����will host a reading of her works and a craft-focused discussion. On April 3, Spears Jones will����at the Syracuse Downtown YMCA’s Shinder Theater. On April 4, she will����in conversation with students and fans of poetry in the campus community. Space for that talk is limited. To register, contact��Phil Memmer, executive director of the Arts and Education Branch of the YMCA of CNY, by March 28.

Saturday, April 5

��–��Film director Will Fraser will share excerpts from his two decades of work producing documentaries and films related to the pipe organ. He will also join a panel of organists to discuss the instrument’s future.

.

A new exhibition featuring the work of renowned photographer, writer, poet, musician and composer Gordon Parks will open at the ������ Art Museum on Aug. 22 and be on view through Dec. 10.

“Homeward to the Prairie I Come” features more than 75 of Parks’ images, examining his wide-ranging artistic ideas. The exhibition not only includes Parks’ documentary photography such as the series Paris Fashions, Fort Scott Revisited and The Redemption of the Champion��(featuring images of Muhammed Ali), but also his thoughts on photography as a fine art medium and his engagement with celebrated paintings and sculptures.

Most significantly, the photographs instigate cultural change by challenging viewers to imagine a more inclusive culture than the one they know: a world where Black skin represents ideal beauty, where an African American athlete embodies the exemplary hero and where an artist of African heritage has a place within the lineage of excellent artists in Western art history.

“This exhibition leverages the power of art to catalyze dialogue about the wide range of issues that Parks engaged with in his photography, from systemic racism to the labor and ethics of the global fashion industry to ideas of celebrity and home,” says Melissa Yuen, the ���ܲ���ܳ�’s interim chief curator.

Interim director of the museum Emily Dittman says, “Gordon Parks was a visionary interdisciplinary artist whose work had a lasting impact on the world. His dedication to continually tell the stories of individuals that were—and still are—too often hidden and overlooked is clearly evident and inspiring throughout his artistic work.”

In this spirit, the museum is taking steps to creating an accessible, diverse and multilingual space for all communities and families. The interpretive text in the exhibition is bilingual, providing both English and Spanish text for visitors, large-type text will be available and a family guide is provided to help youth and families explore the exhibition. An open access digital exhibition catalog for the exhibition will be available for visitors in the reflection area, as well as reading materials on Gordon Parks and his multifaceted career. The exhibition will be accompanied by a dynamic slate of public programming, all free and open to the public.

Co-curated by Aileen June Wang, Ph.D., curator, and Sarah Price, registrar, at the Marianna Kistler Beach Museum of Art, Kansas State University, the tour is organized by Art Bridges. The exhibition and related programs have been made possible by generous support from Art Bridges, the Wege Foundation and the Humanities Center (Syracuse Symposium).

About the Artist

Parks, one of the greatest photographers of the twentieth century, was a humanitarian with a deep commitment to social justice. He left behind an exceptional body of work that documents American life and culture from the early 1940s into the 2000s, with a focus on race relations, poverty, civil rights and urban life. Parks was also a distinguished composer, author and filmmaker who interacted with many of the leading people of his era—from politicians and artists to athletes and celebrities.

Born into poverty and segregation in Fort Scott, Kansas, in 1912, Parks was drawn to photography as a young man when he saw images of migrant workers taken by Farm Security Administration (FSA) photographers in a magazine. After buying a camera at a pawn shop, he taught himself how to use it. Despite his lack of professional training, he won the Julius Rosenwald Fellowship in 1942; this led to a position with the photography section of the FSA in Washington, D.C., and, later, the Office of War Information (OWI). Working for these agencies, which were then chronicling the nation’s social conditions, Parks quickly developed a personal style that would make him among the most celebrated photographers of his era. His extraordinary pictures allowed him to break the color line in professional photography while he created remarkably expressive images that consistently explored the social and economic impact of poverty, racism, and other forms of discrimination.

Featured Events

• Opening Reception and Keynote—Sept. 6, 4-6:30 p.m.; keynote: 4-5 p.m., 160 Link Hall; reception: 5-6:30 p.m., ������ Art Museum
• The Duke Ellington Orchestra presented in partnership with the Malmgren Concert Series—Sept. 22, 4 p.m.; Hendricks Chapel, with reception to follow at the ������ Art Museum
• Community Screening of “Shaft” (1971), directed by Gordon Parks—Oct. 4, 7 p.m.; The Westcott Theater, 524 Westcott St., Syracuse
• Community Day—Oct. 5, noon-4 p.m.; ������ Art Museum
• Art Break: Gordon Parks with Nancy Keefe Rhodes—Oct. 16, noon;�������� Art Museum
• Celebrating the Legacy of Gordon Parks—Nov. 9, noon-4 p.m.; ������ Art Museum;��1 p.m.: Art Break with contemporary photographer Jarod Lew; 2:30 p.m.: screening of “A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks” (2021)
• Gordon Parks Community Gathering/Showcase—Dec. 7, timing TBD;��Deedee’s Community Room, Salt City Market, 484 S. Salina St., Syracuse

Visit the for event information. Members of the media may contact Emily Dittman, interim director of ������ Art Museum, for more information or to schedule a tour.

[Featured image: Gordon Roger Alexander Buchanan Parks, “Mrs. Jefferson,” from the series Fort Scott Revisited, 1950, printed in 2017, gelatin silver print, 20 x 16 inches. Kansas State University, Marianna Kistler Beach Museum of Art, gift of Gordon Parks and the Gordon Parks Foundation, 2017.373. Image courtesy of and copyright by The Gordon Parks Foundation]

Philosopher Immanuel Kant’s 1795 essay “Toward Perpetual Peace” still holds significant relevance even now more than two centuries after it was first published. With ongoing wars across the globe, securing peace remains elusive.

An upcoming will explore how Kant’s principles can help lay the foundation for lasting peace. The symposium is supported by the , whose administrative home is based at the . The event, “” will be held Friday, April 19, at Cornell University, with a symposium and workshop on one of Kant’s most widely read essays, Zum ewigen Frieden (“Toward Perpetual Peace”).

The symposium, as part of the , is organized by , Dean’s Professor of the Humanities in the College of Arts and Sciences and a founder and co-director of the Perpetual Peace Project, and , director of the Institute for German Cultural Studies and associate professor in the Department of German Studies and Graduate Field of Comparative Literature at Cornell University.

The Perpetual Peace Project, an ongoing international forum on the concept of peace, began as an initiative of the Humanities Center in 2008.

“The purpose of the project is to raise awareness and attention to the fact that war is not one regional issue,” Lambert says. “It is a global issue, and the number of wars only seems to increase each year.”

Open to the public, Friday’s symposium, which also is a celebration of Kant’s 300th birthday, will begin with three individual papers that examine different aspects of Kant’s treatise and its contemporary relevance.

“Kant’s popular essay was reviewed and cited as an inspiration by numerous thinkers from the start,” Gilgen says. “Anyone thinking about peace and what it means and implies had/has to take Kant’s profound remarks into account.”

The treatise served as an inspiration for the League of Nations, the first worldwide intergovernmental organization, founded in 1920, as well as its successor organization, the United Nations, in 1945.

“At the symposium, we hope to draw on a wide audience interested in Kant’s political philosophy as well as the theory and practice of peace—a topic that could not be more timely in light of the many ongoing conflicts in different parts of the world,” Gilgen says.

The second half of the event is dedicated to a workshop on the Perpetual Peace Project.

Lambert, who is also founding director of the ������ Humanities Center in the College of Arts and Sciences, and , associate professor in the School of Arts, Media and Engineering, Arizona State University, and co-director of the Perpetual Peace Project, will present the workshop, which will launch the Perpetual Peace Academy. The academy will feature a curriculum created by faculty from all over the world, contributing designs of courses that they would teach in a virtual setting.

“We are really trying to engage students on all campuses and other participants in talking about the Perpetual Peace Project, and then we’re going to inaugurate the Perpetual Peace Academy,” Lambert says. “The academy will be driven by international faculty who want to contribute their ideas from across the disciplines.”

Along with his presence at the symposium, Nocek also joined Lambert in Lambert’s undergraduate seminar, , Tuesday for a discussion with students, and other participants, about the Perpetual Peace Academy. Nocek’s time at the symposium and in the seminar is supported as part of ������’s Distinguished Visiting Collaborator (DVC) initiative of the CNY Humanities Corridor.

Vivian May, director of the SU Humanities Center and lead director of the CNY Humanities Corridor, says the scholar mini-residency bridges the ������ campus with another corridor campus, a model that deepens collaborative networks.

“In conversation with Lambert, Gilgen, and a range of other interlocutors over the course of his visit,��, founding director of the Center for Philosophical Technologies at Arizona State University, will discuss the importance of philosopher Immanuel Kant’s yet-to-be-realized concept of ‘perpetual peace,’” May says. “I encourage everyone who can to engage with this year’s DVC events and activities, as they offer an important opportunity for us to step back, refuse broad acceptance of violence and devastation, and actively pursue planetary peace—a peace that centers climate justice and holistic thriving.”

Since its start in 2008, the Perpetual Peace Project, structured around Kant’s six preliminary articles, has gone through three phases, with the first at ������ and the United Nations in New York. This first phase included a co-edited and re-issue of a new book publication of Kant’s “Perpetual Peace” and several different events.

In partnership with the Humanities Center and the Centre for Humanities at Utrecht University in the Netherlands, the second phase from 2013-15 included a series of events commemorating the Treaty of Utrecht and a documentary film.

This latest phase has reinaugurated the project following the invasion of Ukraine by Russia in 2022. Lambert partnered with Nocek to kick off this latest phase, including a launch event conference at the University of Warsaw, Poland, followed by conferences at the Institute of Philosophy of the Czech Academy and the Jan Evangelista Purkyně University in Ústí nad Labem, both in the Czech Republic.

Friday’s symposium features a presentation by Gilgen, moderated by Elke Siegel, German studies, Cornell; a presentation by Patchen Markell, associate professor, government, Cornell, and moderated by , Renée Crown Professor in the Humanities and assistant professor, College of Arts and Sciences, ������; and a presentation by Neil Saccamano, associate professor, literatures in English, Cornell, and moderated by , associate professor, philosophy, College of Arts and Sciences, ������.

For this latest phase, Lambert edited a new version of Kant’s original treatise, which has been published and is available for event participants.

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 ������’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 ������ 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.