As a freshman, Mason Burley ’27 made himself a promise: experience as much of the world as possible and “put myself out there.” In fact, his first trip over the Atlantic was a study abroad experience in Kenya. And he’s been racking up the miles ever since.

“I guess I did put myself out there,” he says.

Since arriving at Syracuse, the , minor and recently-named Remembrance Scholar and 2027 Class Marshall, has logged study away experiences on four continents—playing soccer with village kids in Kenya, bartering at a Maasai market, teaching at a private school in Poland, standing at the Brandenburg Gate and meeting a Holocaust survivor.

But Burley isn’t collecting passport stamps for the sake of it. Every trip ties back to the classroom he will soon be leading.

“These experiences have helped solidify my decision to be a social studies teacher,” he says. “I wouldn’t be the educator I am without them.”

Burley understands that cost is a reason some students might not do study abroad or study away. But his own journey was made possible by a mix of support that is available to others: the ; the , a gift by Lauri ’77 and Jeffrey Zell ’77; and ������ Abroad.

“Don’t be discouraged by cost,” he says. “There are many opportunities for financial help.”

Even though you might only make one study trip, Burley’s story is proof that trip can change everything.

Below, take a tour around the world with Burley as he describes some of the photographic memories recorded along the way.

Summer 2024: Kenya

Burley: During our study abroad trip to Kenya, we were based in a homestay in the village of Ugweri. This photo was taken when we were heading out for dinner. We met some village kids and played soccer with them. I remember they were fascinated by my hair as they had never met someone with straight hair before.

This Kenya study abroad program is organized by (SOE) professors �����Ի���. It enables pre-service teachers to experiencing rural and urban education in the nation and interact with students, teachers and university faculty.

A major difference I saw with Kenyan education is that the government picks your major based on the state’s needs. Also, the education system is a British colonial holdover. The lessons were very western-centric education, with not much about native history.

This photo shows some of my cohort at Nanyuki, a small village on the Equator that is a big tourist destination even for Africans. My cohort was a mix of undergraduates, graduate students and doctoral students. All were from the School of Education except for one.

One of the most interesting places I visited in Kenya was a Maasai market. There were hundreds of vendors, and we got to barter with them. It was good to experience these local customs, and I became quite well known for bartering!

Spring Break 2025: Washington,  D.C.

Burley: During Spring Break, SOE Professor ���Ǵڴڱ������, a credit-bearing immersion week in Washington, D.C. This group was mostly undergraduates from SOE and the . We met with human rights activist groups, visited organization such as the US Institute of Peace, and toured the Holocaust Museum.

As a history teacher, I am interested in teaching the Holocaust and learning how to bring the new era of policies and activism into this work, because human rights abuses are ongoing.

This photo is of almost the entire DC immersion week cohort. We were visiting the world war memorials near the National Mall when we took this selfie next to one of the famous cherry blossom trees. It was a very good cherry blossom day.

Fall 2025: Central Europe (Czechia, Germany, Moldova, Poland, and Romania)

Burley: In 2025, I was awarded a Tyler Center for Global Studies Fellowship, which is a grant made to 12 universities by Florida State University and distributed at Syracuse by . As part of this grant, I am working on a research paper about Soviet-era education programs, how they affected Soviet bloc children and how they were used to spread propaganda.

The above photo was taken in Warsaw Old Town, which was rebuilt after the bombing of World War 2, using old paintings as references. We spent between three and five days in each country and traveled by bus. We visited museums and other cultural and historical sites, including the Nazi camps Auschwitz and Treblinka, and took classes at Poland’s University of Lower Silesia.

This photo shows the famous Brandenburg gate in Berlin. There was an NFL game being played in the city between the Atlanta Falcons and Indianapolis Colts. That was a crazy clash between German and American culture!

Berlin was my favorite of all the places we visited. It had both old and newer history, and I was especially struck by the contrast between East and West Berlin, the differences in public transportation and the contrast between the old halogen lights in the East and the new LED lights in West Berlin. As a history teacher, those disparities gave me food for thought.

January 2026: Houston, Texas

Burley: Another short-term study away course SOE offers is the , which you can take for credit with Professor Emerita . This program is geared more toward Holocaust educators, so there were social studies education students on this trip, as well as some museum and library studies students.

The cohort traveled to the Holocaust museum in Houston, Texas, to learn how to properly teach about the Holocaust and human rights. There are lectures, and we even met a Holocaust survivor, Bill Orlin, who is a local legend. He is in his 90s, but he is still sharp as a tack, digging back dozens of years. He was a lovely gentleman to talk to, and he made us understand the importance of individual stories when learning about the Holocaust.

When Beth Myers, executive director of the Taishoff Center for Inclusive Higher Education, celebrates students at their graduation, she does so with both pride and optimism. Myers knows that the InclusiveU experience has positioned them for success. “For example, we know that students with intellectual disability are three times more likely to be employed after graduation if they have come out of a comprehensive postsecondary program like InclusiveU,” Myers says.

InclusiveU is ������’s comprehensive postsecondary program for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Now, with a new $1 million grant from the B. Thomas Golisano Foundation, Myers and the team at the will be able to extend the impact of their work well beyond campus.

The new grant is both a vote of confidence and continued support for the approach IHETAC has taken to provide assistance to others, as part of a pilot program funded in 2024 by an initial $200,000 grant from the Golisano Foundation. With the initial funding, the Taishoff Center for Inclusive Higher Education launched IHETAC to help create or expand inclusive postsecondary education programs at three pilot schools: Hartwick College, Daemen University and Roberts Wesleyan University.

“Our InclusiveU program is the largest in the country but we can’t be the only place nor should we be,” says Christine “Christy” E. Ashby, G’01, G’07, Ph.D.’08, director of the Center for Disability and Inclusion (CDI). “The idea that we can support others to build and improve programs to provide access and opportunity is both an awesome responsibility and a tremendous gift.”

“We were really successful in what we accomplished in the first phase,” says Myers, who also serves as the associate director for the CDI. “These three pilot programs are thriving as we provide the resources and training to address their needs and desires.” The IHETAC model incorporates four core components: comprehensive assessment, customized coaching, professional learning and resource development, and ongoing evaluation and sustainability planning.

Scaling up the Programming

“With the new grant from Golisano, we are ready to scale up,” says Myers. The new funding will support five additional pilot programs, the development of a resource library with toolkits on best practices and a statewide Community of Practice, including reoccuring workshops and professional development.

The need is critical. Recent data from the New York State Office for People with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD) indicates that more than 130,000 students in New York state receive special education services, yet less than 0.5% of them access inclusive college programs. Of the 472 colleges and universities in the state, only 24 have inclusive postsecondary programs. Only 435 students are currently enrolled in an inclusive postsecondary program.

“This is the first generation of college students with intellectual disability,” says Myers. “It’s exciting to see a growth in opportunities for them, but we still simply do not have enough programs or slots across this country. For example, if you’re a student with intellectual disability in New Hampshire, there are zero opportunities for you. And few programs offer a fully inclusive program like what is availabe here at InclusiveU, including residential, social and career transition components.”

“We are incredibly grateful that the Golisano Foundation recognizes that education is a lever toward possibilities,” says Ashby. “This population is underemployed, undereducated and undervalued. Every time we start one of these programs, we shift the way people think about someone’s potential, and we love that Golisano gets to experience that along with us.”

“The Golisano Foundation is proud to support ������ and IHETAC as they expand access to inclusive postsecondary education across New York state,” says Erica Dayton, executive director of the Golisano Foundation. “For far too many individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, opportunities like these remain out of reach. This investment is about changing that, building pathways to education, independence and meaningful participation in community life.”

InclusiveU as a Nationwide Model

������’s commitment to ensuring that people with intellectual disability have access to postsecondary education is a model for inclusion nationwide and worldwide. “We’re always making new inroads because our motto at CDI is ‘what’s next?’” says Ashby. “What’s the next barrier to inclusion? What’s the next landscape that students with intellectual disability haven’t yet had a chance to access? We know that there are so many students with tremendous potential for being contributing citizens and who have high aspirations. We believe that all people are capable of more if they only had the resources. All people should have access to rich, meaningful lives.”

Of the 110 applicants for InclusiveU this year, there were only enough spots for 30 individuals. InclusiveU students, now totaling 105, receive a comprehensive student experience—academic, residential, social, career-planning. They are currently enrolled in 375 different college classes across campus. Their presence in daily Orange life has transformed the entire campus.

Accommodating All Learners

“We are a better university because of the inclusive practices that are here,” says Myers. She says that professors who adapt their practices to accommodate different kinds of learners discover that all learners benefit. “We are thinking about how all our students in these classes will go out into the world after their experiences here and how they will be better family members, better colleagues, better neighbors and better voters.”

Recently, InclusiveU students were invited to pledge at ������ fraternities and sororities. They also participate in study abroad programs. Ashby and Myers went to Italy with 14 students, seven of whom were part of the InclusiveU program.

“At the Borghese gardens in Rome, we hopped on group-powered bikes. Just watching the pure joy, the interaction between our students and the people around them, those were extraordinary moments,” Ashby says. “But for every one of our students who get that opportunity, there are thousands of others who only dream about it. That’s what we are here for—to change that and deliver on those dreams.”

With similar passion and purpose, the Golisano Foundation has targeted significant funding to organizations and initiatives that support people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. B. Thomas “Tom” Golisano, the founder of Paychex Inc., has a son with intellectual disability and understands the challenges and the changes needed to transform lives.

“In a perfect world, we wouldn’t have to fight for inclusive education,” says Ashby. “It would just be education.”

About the Golisano Foundation

The Golisano Foundation is one of the largest private foundations in the U.S. dedicated to making the world a better place for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The foundation is devoted to opening doors to opportunity, changing negative perceptions and stereotypes, and forging unprecedented partnerships to ensure individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities have pathways to personal dignity, independence and the best possible expression of their abilities and talents throughout their lifetimes. Founded in 1985 by Tom Golisano—entrepreneur, philanthropist, civic leader, and founder of Paychex, Inc.—the Foundation “imagines the possibilities,” advocating for families, fighting for their dignity, and giving people with IDD the opportunity to thrive in their communities. With more than $100 million in gross assets, it awards about $5 million annually to non-profit organizations in Western New York and Southwest Florida.

������ Libraries recognized its student employees with an awards celebration on April 20. The Libraries typically employs about 150 undergraduate and graduate students each year to contribute to the safety of Libraries’ spaces, the quality and repair of collections, and service support to patrons and student entrepreneurs.

Supervisors nominate student employees who have demonstrated dedicated service over time and significant contributions that have made a lasting impact on the Libraries.

The Libraries recognize these students through the generous support of Kathy and Stanley Walters, the family of Patricia Kutner Strait and the many donors to the Libraries Dean’s Fund.

In addition, this year the Libraries acknowledges Carole and Glenn Johnston for their gift in honor of their daughter, Beth Ann Johnson, who was killed in the Dec. 21, 1988, bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland.

“We are incredibly fortunate to work alongside our library student employees, whose energy, commitment and talent strengthen our community every day. In my role, I see firsthand the meaningful impact they have across our organization. Many of these students stay with us throughout their time at ������, growing into trusted and valued members of the SU Libraries community,” says David Seaman, dean of the Libraries and University Librarian.

2026 student award recipients and their respective Libraries departments are:

Kathy and Stanley Walters Student Employee Scholarship Awards

• Souleymane Bah ’26 (College of Arts and Sciences and Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs), floor monitor, Libraries Facilities and Security
• Niah Edwards ’26 (S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications), public services student, Special Collections Research Center
• Grace Hoffman G’26 (College of Law), graduate assistant, Access and Resource Sharing
• Ava Lubkemann ’27 (College of Engineering and Computer Science), Orange Innovation Scholar, Strategic Initiatives
• Duyen Thum Pham ’26 (College of Visual and Performing Arts), student assistant, Access and Resource Sharing
• Katie Ryder ’26 (College of Visual and Performing Arts), preservation assistant, Access and Resource Sharing
• Alexander Schulz G’26 (School of Information Studies), Information Literacy Scholar, Information Literacy

Patricia Kutner Strait Student Scholarship Awards

• Mason Burley ’27 (School of Education), preservation assistant, Access and Resource Sharing
• Alani Henderson ’26 (College of Arts and Sciences and Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs), floor monitor, Libraries Facilities and Security
• Anna Shuff G’26 (School of Information Studies), graduate student archivist, Special Collections Research Center
• Anthony Thomas ’26 (School of Information Studies), innovation mentor/marketing team lead, LaunchPad
• Sreynoch ‘Jess’ Van ’26 (S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications), photographer/videographer, Marketing and Communications

Dean’s Commendations Awards (in memory of Pan Am 103 victim Beth Ann Johnson)

• Hadja Fatoumata Barry ’26 (School of Information Studies), floor monitor, Libraries Facilities and Security
• Joel Carpenter G’26 (School of Information Studies), Information Literacy Scholar, Information Literacy
• James Harman ’26 (School of Information Studies), student worker, Access and Resource Sharing
• Iman Jamison G’26 (School of Information Studies), graduate instruction assistant, Special Collections Research Center
• Calvin Silver ’26 (School of Information Studies), public services reference, Special Collections Research Center
• Grace Suhadolnik ’26 (School of Information Studies), student worker, Learning and Academic Engagement
• Camren Wych’26 (College of Visual and Performing Arts), floor monitor, Libraries Facilities and Security

Honorable Recognitions:

• Khadija Kante ’26 (Arts and Sciences), floor monitor, Libraries Facilities and Security
• Philomena Kern’26 (School of Information Studies), student archival processing assistant, Special Collections Research Center
• Hannah Marosi G’26 (School of Information Studies), collections team graduate student worker, Department of Research and Scholarship
• Alexus Rowe ’26 (Arts and Sciences), floor monitor, Libraries Facilities and Security
• Mera Singh ’26 (School of Information Studies), floor monitor, Libraries Facilities and Security
• Fatumata ‘Nima’ Sow ’26 (School of Information Studies), floor monitor, Libraries Facilities and Security
• Haven Travis G’26 (School of Information Studies), graduate student assistant, Access and Resource Sharing
• Jiaying Wang ’26 (Arts and Sciences), public services student employee, Special Collections Research Center

As the parent of a child with an intellectual disability, Amy Allyn became an accomplished advocate and someone other parents could rely on to help them pave a pathway to success for their kids.

“When our daughter Kate was in middle school in Skaneateles, I was part of a parent group, working with the faculty and the school board,” says Allyn. “I was charged with creating a section of the handbook listing options for students in special education throughout middle and high school, and beyond.” That’s when Allyn discovered at ������.

Kate, who has Down syndrome, was only 12 years old at the time. Ten years later, Kate is graduating from InclusiveU and members of the Allyn family are not just celebrating her milestone, they are paving the way for Kate and other graduates with an intellectual disability to pursue personal and professional success following graduation.

Connection and Community

Members of the Allyn family, including mom, Amy; dad, David; grandpa William “Bill” F. Allyn G’59; and uncles Scott, Mark, Eric and his wife, Meg, have provided a combined $1 million gift to the (CDI) that will support new programs, services, facilities and staffing to ensure a successful transition from the University, as these students return to their communities and begin new jobs and lives beyond campus. The funding will strengthen career services, a network of alumni and access to community resources wherever InclusiveU graduates live.

“At InclusiveU, our students are well-prepared for employment after graduation,” says Professor Beth A. Myers, executive director of the Taishoff Center for Inclusive Higher Education, and associate director for CDI. “They’ve had access to robust internships and a business engagement model that helps them pursue careers in their majors, but we recognize that our students need more support outside of employment. They need help to maintain the social networks they’ve built here and build new ones. They need to be able to tap into the alumni network that ������ is so well-known for. They need help to access housing and other community resources.”

“There’s more to life after graduation than just the job,” says Allyn. “It’s about connection and community and all the things they’ve learned in their years at Syracuse.” Kate’s own experience at InclusiveU was a continuous process of discovery for her and her family. She participated in focused on inclusive entrepreneurship, design and community. She took advantage of InclusiveU’s residential program, and ultimately she had to learn new ways to care for herself on her own.

Kate had the additional challenge of a congenital condition called camptodactyly; her fingers were curved tightly, which meant she needed a special keypad for her dorm room and other accommodations. With each challenge, the family learned what it could do to help Kate and, ultimately, to help others.

New Adventures

A few years ago, a $100,000 gift from Amy and Dave Allyn allowed the program to hire a residential coordinator to support InclusiveU students living on campus, a gift that not only benefited Kate but all the residential students. Amy continues her advocacy work by serving on the Taishoff Center Advisory Council, which assists with and guides key programs and initiatives, including regional events, fundraising, strategic planning, research and InclusiveU admissions and recruitment.

“Amy has done so much for us,” says Myers. “She has so much experience navigating the nonprofit and community space and doing it in a very calm and beautiful way. She recognizes what needs to be done and pushes me to make difficult asks to do the next right thing.”

“I am grateful to the members of the Allyn family for their vision, counsel and generosity for the Center on Disability and Inclusion, the Taishoff Center for Inclusive Higher Education, and InclusiveU,” says Kelly Chandler-Olcott, dean of the and Laura J. and L. Douglas Meredith Professor for Teaching Excellence. “Over many decades, Syracuse has led the movement to support people with disabilities as they pursue fulfilling lives and careers. Thanks to members of the Allyn family, we can improve InclusiveU graduates’ post-secondary outcomes, including their self-advocacy skills, and offer dedicated services in modern, welcoming and purpose-built facilities.”

When asked what she is looking forward to after her four years on campus, Kate says she’s most excited about traveling and experiencing new adventures. Her mom credits the University with Kate’s increased sense of confidence: “I’m excited to see her show it.”

A distinguished scientist and educator, a physician and healthcare innovator, a pioneering entrepreneur, a ground-breaking academic leader, a distinguished public servant and a transformative national leader in higher education will be recognized with honorary degrees from ������ at the .

Dr. Ruth Chen, a professor of practice in biomedical and chemical engineering in the College of Engineering and Computer Science at ������; Dr. Mantosh Dewan, president, SUNY Distinguished Service Professor and the Alan and Marlene Norton Presidential Chair at Upstate Medical University; Clifford J. Ensley ’69, ’70, G’71, founder and chief executive officer of Leisure Merchandising Corporation; Linda M. LeMura G’83, G’87, president of Le Moyne College; Joanne M. Mahoney ’87, L’90, president of the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry; and Chancellor Kent Syverud, the 12th chancellor and president of ������, will be honored for their outstanding professional contributions, achievements and service to their communities and the public good.

Dr. Ruth Chen
Doctor of Science

An environmental toxicologist, Dr. Chen has built a distinguished career at the intersection of environmental science, public health and policy, and has had an indelible impact on the ������ community and Central New York through her commitment to students, scholarship, service and the public good.

Dr. Chen holds a Ph.D. and M.P.H. in environmental toxicology from the University of Michigan and an M.S. in biomedical sciences from the University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston. Prior to academia, she served as state toxicologist for the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, where she was responsible for risk assessment and risk management decisions across programs in permit, remediation, corrective action, combustion facilities, toxic substances and landfills. She provided expert counsel to multiple state divisions on issues of human health and toxicology while simultaneously managing Tennessee’s Drinking Water Laboratory Certification Program. She secured federal funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Environmental Protection Agency, and was a staff fellow at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), working on pharmacokinetics.

Before joining ������, Dr. Chen served on the faculty at the School of Engineering and Applied Science, Washington University in St. Louis, where she led a professional engineering master’s degree program and an international education program. At Syracuse, she is admired for her ability to translate complex topics into accessible and inspiring learning experiences, with courses that bridge theory and application and empower students to see engineering as a vocation.

Beyond the classroom, Dr. Chen’s leadership has strengthened student and community life in extraordinary ways. She has championed an award-winning International Student Success Model and hosts an annual International Thanksgiving Celebration for students who cannot travel home for the holidays. She is an advocate for Women in Science and Engineering and a consistent presence at student performances and athletics, ensuring every student feels they have a place at the University.

Dr. Chen’s impact extends well beyond campus. She has served on the boards of United Way, Interfaith Works and Syracuse Stage. During the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, she helped procure masks for the community. She launched Operation Orange Warmup, the University’s winter coat drive, and through her support of local nonprofits, she has turned generosity into action across Central New York.

Dr. Mantosh Dewan
Doctor of Science

A physician scientist who has made significant contributions to clinical psychiatry, neuroimaging, psychotherapy and mental health systems, Dewan has dedicated his career to advancing medical education, expanding access to mental healthcare and serving the Central New York community.

Dewan began his career at SUNY Upstate in 1975 as a mixed medicine/psychiatry intern, becoming chief resident in psychiatry before joining the faculty as an assistant professor. Over the decades he has served as director of undergraduate education, director of residency training and chair of the Department of Psychiatry, and as interim dean of the College of Medicine from 2016 to 2017.

His scholarly output encompasses more than 80 papers, 35 books and book chapters, and hundreds of presentations on topics ranging from brain imaging and the economics of mental healthcare to psychotherapy and medical education. His research has been funded by the National Institute of Mental Health and the Health Resources and Services Administration. He is co-editor two books: “The Difficult to Treat Psychiatric Patient” and “The Art and Science of Brief Psychotherapies,” a best seller now in its third edition, translated into five languages and chosen for the American Psychiatric Association’s Core Competencies in Psychotherapy Series.

Dewan’s leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic was transformational. Under his direction, Upstate developed the world’s most sensitive saliva diagnostic test and provided over four million tests to 60 of the 64 SUNY campuses, enabling all of SUNY to remain open and in-person. ������ partnered directly with Upstate in this critical effort. Reflecting Dewan’s vision for leveraging technology to expand access to care, Upstate provides tele-psychiatry diagnostic and treatment services to students at 56 SUNY campuses. More recently, Dewan launched Upstate Biotech Ventures with $6 million in seed funding to cultivate biotech companies incubated at the medical center.

Listed in The Best Doctors in America and a Distinguished Life Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association (APA), Dewan has received numerous honors, including the APA’s George Tarjan Award, designation as an “Exemplary Chair” by SUNY, ������’s Chancellor’s Medal in 2021 and an honorary degree from Onondaga Community College. He is also an affiliated professor at Jönköping University in Sweden.

Dewan’s career reflects intellectual curiosity, innovation, ethical leadership and a deep commitment to using science and medicine in service to society. His accolades and leadership reflect a career that has made profound contributions to science and to improve the well-being of the Central New York community.

Clifford J. Ensley ’69, ’70, G’71
Doctor of Humane Letters

A dedicated University trustee, accomplished entrepreneur and a celebrated student-athlete, Ensley has demonstrated a lifelong commitment to his alma mater through service, philanthropy and unwavering Orange spirit.

Ensley arrived at Syracuse as a walk-on with the football team after no Division I programs recruited him. His tenacity on the practice field earned him a scholarship from head coach Ben Schwartzwalder, and by his sophomore year he was starting on the varsity squad.

Ensley went on to become the last three-sport letter winner in ������ history, earning letters in football, wrestling and lacrosse. He was an honorable mention All-American in football, set interception and special teams records as a defensive back and delivered a record-setting 76-yard punt return for a touchdown against Navy.

He was captain and most valuable player of the lacrosse team and was named the 1969 ������ Athlete of the Year, joining a distinguished list that includes Jim Brown ’57, Ernie Davis ’62, Floyd Little ’67, H’19, Dave Bing ’66, H’06 and Larry Csonka ’68. Ensley received the Letter Winner of Distinction Award from ������ Athletics and the Varsity Club in 1993 and the Dritz Rookie Trustee of the Year Award in 2018. A champion of volunteerism, he also founded Athletes Who Care in 2022, an organization that partners with Syracuse student-athletes to support charitable causes and community organizations in Central New York.

Ensley earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from the and the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering from the and an MBA from the . He was a member of the U.S. Army ROTC and Phi Delta Theta fraternity. After his military service, Ensley entered the luggage industry. Drawing on his education, his experience in retail luggage sales and a perseverance built on the playing fields, he launched his idea for a wholesale luggage and accessories manufacturing business in 1978 with $2,500. The founder and chief executive officer of Leisure Merchandising Corporation grew the business into a multimillion-dollar enterprise with a brand presence in thousands of retail locations.

Elected to the Board of Trustees in 2015, Ensley currently serves on the Athletics, Advancement and External Affairs, and Facilities committees. Together with his wife, Sue, he has provided lead gifts for the Ensley Athletic Center, the Chris Gedney Endowed Football Scholarship and the Orange Forever Endowed Memorial Fund, which provides keepsake blankets to the families of every deceased former student-athlete. They have also lent their support to initiatives in the College of Engineering and Computer Science, the D’Aniello Institute for Veterans and Military Families, the Whitman School, the Maxwell School, the Catholic Center and the Sala Family Plaza, among other numerous initiatives.

Linda M. LeMura G’83, G’87
Doctor of Humane Letters

LeMura’s career has been defined by groundbreaking leadership, scientific excellence and an unwavering commitment to educational equity and access.

LeMura graduated from Bishop Grimes High School as a three-sport athlete and honors student. She earned both a master’s degree (1983) in physical education and a Ph.D. (1987) in applied physiology from the at ������, where her academic training laid the foundation for a distinguished career. Her research in pediatric obesity, pediatric applied physiology and lipid and energy metabolism has produced more than 30 peer-reviewed articles, two books and 26 externally funded grant proposals. She has served as a research consultant for both the U.S. and Italian Olympic committees. She has consistently included students as co-investigators and co-authors in her work, highlighting her work as a mentor and a commitment to the next generation of scientists.

After serving as a professor, research scientist and graduate program director at Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania, LeMura joined Le Moyne College in 2003 and held leadership roles as dean of arts and sciences and provost before making history in 2014 as the first female layperson to serve as president of a Jesuit institution of higher education in the U.S. Her appointment opened pathways for women’s leadership across Jesuit higher education, with 10 additional women now serving in presidential roles at Jesuit institutions.

Under her leadership, Le Moyne has raised roughly $200 million, achieved eight consecutive years of record enrollment and led the college’s strategic transition to NCAA Division I athletics as a full member of the Northeast Conference.

LeMura co-chairs the Central New York Regional Economic Development Council. She was actively engaged in the Central New York’s efforts to bring Micron’s microchip manufacturing facility to the area and has aligned Le Moyne to the resulting workforce demand through new semiconductor-focused programs and the college’s ERIE 21 partnership with Micron.

She holds board positions with the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities and the International Association of Jesuit Universities. Her awards include the 2023 ������ Tolley Medal, selected by the School of Education; the 2019 Syracuse Key4Women Achieve Award; the 2017 Temple Adath Yeshurun Citizen of the Year Award; the 2017 Bishop’s Award from the Diocese of Syracuse Catholic Charities and recognition as a 2016 New York State Senate Woman of Distinction.

The relationship between ������ and Le Moyne College has grown in collaboration during LeMura’s presidency through joint academic initiatives, community engagement projects and shared commitments to excellence.

Joanne M. Mahoney ’87, L’90
Doctor of Laws

Mahoney has built a career defined by her commitment to community, environmental stewardship and the advancement of Central New York. She earned a bachelor of science degree in marketing management from the Martin J. Whitman School of Management in 1987 and a juris doctor from the College of Law in 1990. She credits her legal education as the foundation of her career in public leadership. Her late father, Bernard J. Mahoney L’69, was also a graduate of the College of Law.

Mahoney began her legal career in private practice at Harris Beach before serving for five years as a criminal prosecutor in the Onondaga County District Attorney’s Office. She went on to serve on the Syracuse Common Council from 2000-03. In 2008, she became the first woman elected Onondaga County Executive, a position she held for three terms while overseeing a county government serving approximately 460,000 residents.

During her tenure, she created the nationally acclaimed Save the Rain green infrastructure program and helped lead efforts that transformed Onondaga Lake to swimmable water quality. She maintained the county’s highest bond ratings among all New York State counties and championed the Say Yes to Education partnership. Governing Magazine named her Public Official of the Year in 2011.

In November 2020, Mahoney was appointed president of the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY ESF), the first woman to lead the institution in its more than 110-year history. Under her leadership, SUNY ESF has risen in the Princeton Review’s rankings of the nation’s most environmentally responsible colleges.

She serves as co-chair of SUNY’s systemwide Sustainability Advisory Council and has sustained the historic partnership between SUNY ESF and ������, ensuring collaborative academic programs, shared student opportunities and joint diplomas.

Mahoney has also served as chair of the New York State Thruway Authority, where she oversaw completion of the Gov. Mario M. Cuomo Bridge, one of the nation’s largest infrastructure projects. She currently serves on the College of Law’s Board of Advisors and has supported the Hon. Theodore A. McKee L’75 Endowed Law Scholarship and WAER.

Chancellor Kent D. Syverud
Doctor of Laws

Chancellor Syverud has led ������ through 12 years of transformational change, reshaping the campus, strengthening research and academic excellence, and expanding ������’s impact in Central New York and beyond.

Hailing from Irondequoit, New York, Chancellor Syverud earned a bachelor’s degree magna cum laude from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service, a law degree magna cum laude from the University of Michigan Law School and a master’s in economics from the University of Michigan. He counts among his closest mentors the late U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, for whom he clerked. His career in legal education spans three decades, including deanships at Vanderbilt University Law School and Washington University School of Law. An elected member of the American Law Institute, he received the 2024 TIAA Institute Theodore M. Hesburgh Award for Leadership Excellence, one of the highest national honors in higher education.

Since becoming chancellor in 2014, Chancellor Syverud has placed students at the center of the University’s mission. Under his leadership, Syracuse has seen record applications and enrollment, invested over $100 million in student life—including the Barnes Center at The Arch, a renovated Schine Student Center, two new residence halls and a transformed JMA Wireless Dome—and expanded global learning programs across five international centers and domestic sites in New York City, Los Angeles and Washington, D.C.

Chancellor Syverud played a central role in Central New York’s economic resurgence, including the University’s work to attract Micron Technology to build its largest American fabrication facility in the region. He directed the hiring of more than 700 faculty, helped the University achieve Research 1 status and oversaw the Forever Orange Campaign, which raised more than $1.59 billion—the largest fundraising effort in University history—as the endowment more than doubled to over $2 billion.

His dedication to veterans and military families stands among his most profound contributions. The expansion of ������’s D’Aniello Institute for Veterans and Military Families and the creation of the National Veterans Resource Center at the Daniel and Gayle D’Aniello Building set a national standard for research, policy development and support to those who have served, and veteran enrollment has more than tripled since 2014. Throughout his chancellorship, Chancellor Syverud has continued to teach negotiation courses at the College of Law and the Whitman School of Management, embodying the teacher-scholar ideal.

Chancellor Syverud’s commitment to service extends beyond the University. He serves as a member of the Board of Directors of the Atlantic Coast Conference, having previously served as its president, and as an ex officio trustee of the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry. He is a trustee of Crouse Hospital and of Le Moyne College, and, by appointment of the governor of New York, serves as a member of the Board of Directors of the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York.

Seven faculty members will leverage ������’s for research and program development this summer, supported by funding from the .

The initiative, launched this year, provides full-time faculty members with $10,000 for high-impact summer projects based in Los Angeles, New York City or Washington, D.C.

“These faculty members will chart new territory, using study away sites to push disciplinary and interdisciplinary research forward, forge partnerships across sectors and reimagine how students learn,” says , associate provost for strategic initiatives. “We are excited to see the new initiatives that grow out of these summer projects.”

Los Angeles

, assistant professor of fashion design in the College of Visual and Performing Arts’ School of Design, will conduct a one-week research “sprint” investigating adaptive apparel needs for disabled performing artists, a population that is largely overlooked in existing research. Through interviews with disabled performers, Jiang will examine pain points around range of motion, quick changes, heat management, assistive device interfaces and aesthetic expression. The project will conclude with an Inclusive Performancewear Listening Session and the development of an Inclusive Adaptive Performancewear Design Requirements Toolkit.

Following the summer project, Jiang will bring VPA faculty and students into the research as stakeholders and collaborators and focus on developing prototype garment directions informed by the toolkit. She plans to return to LA next summer to engage in wear trials, follow-up interviews with original participants and the creation of a refined toolkit.

, associate professor of sport management, and , senior associate dean and professor of sport management in the David B. Falk College of Sport, plan to develop two new interdisciplinary courses and advance a growing research agenda. The first course, Sport Business, Hip Hop and Fashion, will examine the commercial and cultural intersections of sport, hip hop and the global fashion economy, using LA’s streetwear ecosystem and athlete-driven enterprises as living case studies. The second, Venue Hospitality: Sport Facilities as Engines of Experience, will use LA’s facility landscape—including the Intuit Dome, SoFi Stadium and Crypto.com Arena—to explore the idea of modern sport venues as hospitality enterprises. The pair will meet with venue directors and industry professionals to generate curriculum content, confirm guest lecturers and support Falk College’s newly funded research partnership with a leading stadium technology company.

The courses, which Pauline and Tainsky plan to launch next spring, will be designed for sustained industry engagement through recurring guest speaker infrastructure and applied student projects, while the relationships developed in LA will be expanded into internship and capstone opportunities for sport management undergraduates.

New York City

, assistant professor of sport analytics in Falk College, will begin building the groundwork for a repeatable women’s sports analytics study away program that will be centered on the city’s concentrated women’s professional sports ecosystem and emphasize city-specific partnerships, hands-on student experiences and exclusive data access. She will conduct exploratory meetings with leadership at organizations including WNBA headquarters, NWSL headquarters, Gotham FC, the New York Liberty and the New York Sirens, as well as with sports analytics firms and women’s sports media companies.

Rubenstein plans to establish relationships with multiple organizational partners, secure letters of intent or MOUs, complete a feasibility report and develop a draft curriculum and syllabus informed directly by industry input. She envisions the program generating a network of industry partners committed to ongoing data sharing for research, internships and classroom collaboration, with findings integrated into coursework. The program also has potential as a student recruitment tool, and as a pathway for faculty research through sustained engagement with the New York study away site.

, associate professor of public administration and international affairs in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, will build a sustained, credit-bearing study away program centered on peacekeeping and global governance. He will conduct archival research at the United Nations Dag Hammarskjöld Library and think tank collections to support ongoing work on multilateral diplomacy and peace operations. He will also cultivate relationships with alumni, practitioners and New York-based NGOs working on human rights, peace building and sustainable development; these organizations will serve as sources of guest speakers, internship opportunities and potential research collaborators for Maxwell students.

The project is designed as a catalyst for a repeatable, on-site intensive course offered at the 400/600 level and open to undergraduate students in international relations, political science and policy studies as well as master’s candidates in international relations. That would bring Maxwell students into direct engagement with the UN, international NGOs, think tanks and global financial institutions, while partnerships with New York organizations would potentially generate collaborative projects that connect scholarly analysis to real-world advocacy and program design.

, assistant professor in the School of Education and VPA’s Setnor School of Music, will deepen partnerships with K-12 schools that are leading the way in modern band and popular music pedagogy. DeAngelis will meet with music educators and administrators at current and prospective partner schools, with a particular focus on programs that blend modern band and contemporary music approaches with traditional models. These efforts will broaden field placement opportunities for University music education students pursuing New York State K-12 certification.

Two high-visibility events will result from the project: a Fall 2026 professional development day at the Fisher Center featuring workshops and a panel discussion on contemporary music pedagogy with New York City-based educators and leaders in this field; and a Spring 2027 NYC music workshop that will bring partner school students to the Fisher Center for collaborative jam sessions, ensemble coaching and songwriting. These initiatives aim to create a sustained “feedback loop” between the University’s music education program and New York City schools and students, strengthening and expanding New York-based field placements, elevating Syracuse’s profile as a leader in contemporary music education, attracting prospective students and ultimately extending the School of Education’s  student teaching program to include music education.

Washington, D.C.

, teaching professor and executive director of the Betty and Michael D. Wohl Veterans Legal Clinic in the College of Law, will utilize the University’s Washington, D.C. site as a sustained hub for interdisciplinary collaboration, alumni engagement and experiential learning in military and veterans law, administrative practice and public policy. She plans to formalize relationships with federal agencies and adjudicative bodies central to military and veterans law and host a reception for stakeholders in these areas. The event will serve to convene agency leaders, alumni and faculty, and engage University government relations and alumni affairs colleagues to build a coordinated institutional strategy and durable programming infrastructure.

The project will include early-stage development of an interdisciplinary speaker series in collaboration with that explores issues at the intersection of military and veterans policy, federal administration and institutional reform. Looking ahead, Kubala aims to establish a three-credit intersession residency course in Washington, serving both residential J.D. and hybrid-online JDi students, with a companion speaker series and alumni event to deepen professional networks. This will position the D.C. campus as a recurring convening hub that integrates academic programming, alumni relations, collaborative research and sustained federal partnerships across the College of Law and the broader University.

In its inaugural year, the Study Away Summer Awards drew 20 applications from faculty across eight schools and colleges. A review committee evaluated proposals based on five key areas: site engagement, research and creative merit, sustained impact, strategic alignment with the priorities outlined in the University’s academic strategic plan, “,” and strength of partnerships.

Recipients will participate in a Universitywide showcase during the 2026-27 academic year, helping establish best practices and inspire broader faculty engagement with the University’s study away sites.

For more information about the awards, contact Dekaney at 315.443.0768 or emdekane@syr.edu.

No classroom lecture can replicate the experience of being face-to-face with the evidence of genocide. That’s the premise behind a School of Education (SOE) immersion course that brings students to Washington, D.C., to view historical records, talk with experts in human rights law and policy and worldwide atrocities issues, and experience the visual weight of bearing witness to atrocity crimes.

is a one-week, intense examination of those topics. It is both a standalone experiential inquiry excursion and a component of the SOE interdisciplinary minor, .

The course is open to any undergraduate and is led by G’03 G’07, SOE associate professor, scholar in human rights and current secretary of the . It also includes extensive advance readings, a pre- and a post-trip online class and attendance at the , which is supported by SOE alumni Lauri M. Zell ’77 and Jeffrey M. Zell ’77, who also underwrite the D.C. trip.

Multiple Dimensions

Pre-trip, students read about active international court cases, global justice mechanisms and U.S. foreign policy on atrocity prevention. Then, over six days in D.C., they met experts on human rights law and issues, including representatives of the United Nations Office on Genocide Prevention and the Responsibility to Protect, Disability Rights International, the Alliance for Peacebuilding, the Syria Justice Accountability Centre, No Business with Genocide, the Simon-Skjodt Center for Genocide Prevention, the Alliance for Diplomacy and Justice and former officials of the U.S. Department of State Office of Global Criminal Justice.

They also toured the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, the National Museum of the American Indian, the U.S. Supreme Court  and the Library of Congress. (VPA) alumna and artist ’81 hosted the group for dinner at her D.C. home and an exhibition of her work around human rights, displacement and the refugee crisis.

At Ground Level

SOE inclusive adolescent education and history major Elijah Burke ’27 calls the experience “one of the most formative weeks of my academic career,” providing “a ground-level understanding of this work unlike what I could learn in a classroom. It clarified the direction I want to take toward documentation, education, and advocacy in the international human rights space.”

Hailey Vanish ’27, a social work (SOE) and psychology major in the (A&S), says the immersion “reshaped how I view my studies and the world by emphasizing the importance of awareness, accountability and global engagement.”

Alexa Price ’28, a political science major, came to understand “not only how atrocities around the world start, but how the U.S. chooses to involve itself … the possibility of human rights work … and a glimmer of hope for a peaceful future.”

Initial Unawareness

Students are often initially unaware of historical atrocities and may not recognize how current events contribute to the potential for atrocities to occur, White says.

“Students are consistently surprised by how much they don’t know about what happened, why it happened, what the aftermath looks like, what reconciliation looks like, and the risk factors that lead individuals to commit atrocities,” White says. “They don’t know because we don’t teach human rights education in this country.”

White says that by participating in the immersion, the students are “really bearing witness to the Holocaust, antisemitism and human rights violations, and becoming aware of what companies do business with countries that are carrying out atrocities, and [recognizing] that they have an obligation not to be silent about these things anymore. It is my hope they come back with the tools to engage with these issues beyond the classroom. This will mean asking harder questions of themselves, their families and friends and their communities … and holding people and institutions accountable and understanding that awareness is meaningless without action.”

Hard, But Rewarding

Facing the intense subject matter head-on is genuinely hard to deal with but also deeply rewarding, White says, and students are fully engaged regarding the information they’ve taken in.

“They talk about this as an amazing trip, how it’s horrible but also kind of invigorating because this is not an abstract idea anymore,” White says. “They are learning from the people who are doing the work and realizing atrocities don’t happen in a vacuum, that there are real, material consequences of decisions that governments and policy makers make. They see that you can do something about this and they’ve been shown ways to participate in atrocity prevention.”

A&S mathematics major Leo Chen ’26 says what he saw at the Holocaust Museum hit home. “Despite being heavy, it serves as an everlasting remembrance of all the lives lost and a forever reminder to future generations of one of the darkest chapters in human history, so that we must do better.”

Those factors also resonated with Destiny Katsitsatekanoniahkwa Lazore Whitebean ’26, a dual major in communication and rhetorical studies in VPA and political science in the Maxwell School | A&S, renewing her long-standing question: “If we recognize the warning signs of genocide happening today but feel powerless or hopeless, what actions can individuals or communities take to help prevent mass atrocities?” She says the week “helped me see the many opportunities to get involved and make a difference.”

Aiden Boyer ’28, a broadcast and digital journalism major in the , says he hopes many more people are able to access the immersion, calling it “a rare opportunity, a program that is a standout in this field.”

As a Minor

The 18-credit provides a more extensive interdisciplinary look at international law, genocide crimes and social justice and human rights issues. Its overall goal is to create awareness of those issues so students can learn how to be responsible citizens in a democratic society.

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 ������ 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.”

Nearly four decades after the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 claimed 35 ������ students, a new cohort of scholars is keeping their memory alive.

The Remembrance Scholarships, now in their 37th year, were founded as a tribute to—and means of remembering—the students studying in London and Florence through ������ who were killed in the Dec. 21, 1988, bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland. Those students were among the 270 people who perished in the bombing. The scholarships are funded through an endowment supported by gifts from alumni, friends, parents and corporations.

Significant support for the Remembrance Scholarships has been provided by Jean Thompson ’66 and ������ Life Trustee Richard L. Thompson G’67 in memory of Jean Taylor Phelan Terry ’43 and John F. Phelan, Jean Thompson’s parents; by Board of Trustees Chairman Emeritus Steven Barnes ’82 and Deborah Barnes; by The Syracuse Association of Zeta Psi in memory of Alexander Lowenstein; and by the Fred L. Emerson Foundation.

Selection Process

Remembrance Scholars are chosen in their junior year through a competitive selection process. Applicants submitted an essay and a reflective response in multimedia, artistic, musical or written format as part of a comprehensive application. The application evaluation committee is composed of University faculty and staff and current Remembrance Scholars. The $5,000 scholarships are awarded on the basis of community impact, leadership, creativity and thoughtful academic inquiry.

“The Remembrance Scholars bring something exceptional to our University: a commitment to learning, to leading and to giving back. Through their accomplishments, they carry forward the legacy of the students for whom these scholarships were created. Recognizing them is both a privilege and a point of deep pride for ������,” says Lois Agnew, vice chancellor, provost and chief academic officer.

The Remembrance Scholars plan the Remembrance activities held at the University each year, and the cohort will be recognized during a convocation in the fall.

2026-27 Remembrance Scholars

The 2026-27 Remembrance Scholars, their hometowns, majors and schools and colleges are the following:

• Victoria Alwar of Homa Bay, Kenya, a biology major and neuroscience major in the College of Arts and Sciences (A&S) and a member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program;
• Madiou Bah of Bronx, New York, a broadcast and digital journalism major in the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and an economics major in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs and A&S;
• Sigourney Bell of Birmingham, Alabama, a broadcast and digital journalism major in the Newhouse School and member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program;
• Nasya Simone Bellard of Concord, North Carolina, a political science major in the Maxwell School and A&S;
• Tyler Branigan of Delhi, New York, a policy studies major and economics major in the Maxwell School and A&S, an environment, sustainability and policy major in the Maxwell School and a member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program;
• Teaghan Brostrom of Sacramento, Califorrnia, an international relations major in the Maxwell School and A&S, a broadcast and digital journalism major in the Newhouse School and a member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program;
• Keona Bukhari-Adams of Springfield, New Jersey, a neuroscience major and psychology major in A&S;
• Mason Burley of Webster, New York, an inclusive adolescent education major in the School of Education and history major in the Maxwell School and A&S;
• Samuel Esteban Cornell of Houston, Texas, an international relations major in the Maxwell School and A&S and finance major in the Martin J. Whitman School of Management;
• Eliora Enriquez of Doon, Iowa, a film major in the College of Visual and Performing Arts (VPA);
• Quinn Gonzalez of Wantage, New Jersey, a nutrition major in the David B. Falk College of Sport and a member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program;
• Jiya Gumaste of Ashburn, Virginia, a chemistry major and neuroscience major in A&S;
• Shivika Gupta of Rochester, New York, a political science major in the Maxwell School and A&S and law, society and policy major in the Maxwell School;
• Abigail (Abi) Handel of Newton, Massachusetts, a biology major in A&S and a member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program;
• Alexis Heveron of Rochester, New York, a chemical engineering major in the College of Engineering and Computer Science (ECS);
• Emily Hunnewell of Chicago, Illinois, a policy studies major in the Maxwell School and A&S and a business management major in the Whitman School;
• Daniella Jacob of Millburn, New Jersey, a health and exercise science major in the Falk College and a member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program;
• Sydney Kincaid of Seattle, Washington, a music education major in VPA and the School of Education;
• Kennedy King of Pasadena, California, an anthropology major and political science major in the Maxwell School and A&S, an art history major in A&S and a member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program;
• Chloe Anjolie Kiser of Edinboro, Pennsylvania, an advertising major in the Newhouse School and a member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program;
• Carmen Lee-Bennett of Buffalo, New York, a biology major in A&S and a member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program;
• Aaron Lener of Homer, New York, a linguistic studies major in A&S, an international relations major in the Maxwell School and A&S and a member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program;
• Haonan (Eric) Ma of Beijing, China, a student in the School of Architecture;
• Carter J. Moreland of Dallas, Texas, a political science major and an economics major in the Maxwell School and A&S;
• Darren Murphy of San Ramon, California, an applied mathematics major in A&S, an economics major in the Maxwell School and A&S and a member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program;
• Sophia Hoyos Murray of Northborough, Massachusetts, a psychology major and biology major in A&S;
• Matilda Nichols of Fairfield, Connecticut, a chemistry major and forensic science major in A&S;
• Will Parsons of Albany, New York, a chemical engineering major in ECS;
• Alana Ramirez-Velez of Manati, Puerto Rico, a biology major and neuroscience major in A&S and a member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program;
• Ella Roerden of Syracuse, New York, an anthropology major and international relations major in the Maxwell School and A&S;
• Sreshtha Thangaswamy of Edison, New Jersey, a political science major and economics major in the Maxwell School and A&S;
• Halle Varney of Potsdam, New York, a psychology major in A&S;
• Cara Williams of Greenwood, Indiana, an international relations major in the Maxwell School and A&S, a political philosophy major in A&S and a member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program;
• Katie Wood of Clifton, Virginia, a musical theater major in VPA and a member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program; and
• Chelsea Zhang of Suzhou, China, and Hayward, California, a student in the School of Architecture.

When Vincent “Vinny” P. Longhi Jr. ’78 started to consider ways to give back to ������, he thought about his father, Vincent Sr., and his son, Matteo.

His father died from a massive heart attack in 1960, when Vinny was just 7 years old. Matteo Longhi G’15 followed in his father’s footsteps and spent three graduate years at Syracuse, where he earned master’s degrees in violin performance and music education.

To both honor his father and support students like his son who want to excel as musicians and teachers, Vinny Longhi created the $135,000 Vincent Paul Longhi Sr. Endowed Scholarship for students in the �����Ի�����(������)��.

The Longhi Scholarship is combined with a 50% match through The Syracuse Promise scholarship fundraising initiative, bringing the total amount to more than $200,000.

It was important to Vinny Longhi that the scholarship benefits students who want to become music teachers because he spent his entire career as a special education teacher, and Matteo is now a music teacher in the Syracuse area.

“In both my case and Matteo’s, Syracuse was a place where we fulfilled our potential through some special teachers,” Vinny says. “If it weren’t for Syracuse, maybe it would be a little different story. This is just something to give back.”

Through music education students, the scholarship also will give back to the Syracuse community. , professor of music and director of the , says that through the efforts of , associate professor and former chair of the music education program, and , associate professor and current chair, the program had 100% placement for graduates in recent years. Many of them, like Matteo, are now building renowned music programs in schools throughout Central New York.

“I want to express my gratitude to Vinny and his family for paying it forward because that’s exactly what it is, creating opportunities for students to get fantastic training and have this great experience at Syracuse,” Warren says. “Then they go out into the schools and produce wonderful musicians, but most importantly, wonderful people.”

A Positive Environment

Vinny grew up in a working-class neighborhood in Yonkers, a suburb of New York City. His entire extended family lived in Yonkers, and while he does not have a lot of memories of his father, he does remember that Vincent Sr. was a gregarious man who was the life of the party at their large family gatherings.

“That’s the reason the scholarship is named after my father, because he really didn’t have anything to look back on in terms of recognition of his life,” Vinny says.

His mother supported the family by working as a dental hygienist for the Westchester County dental clinic, and Longhi enrolled at ������ in 1972. He initially wanted to become a journalist, but he had second thoughts after his freshman year and took a few years off before returning with the goal of becoming a teacher.

In the SOE’s groundbreaking special education program, Vinny says he was guided by several prominent mentors, including former Dean Burton Blatt, a pioneer in humanizing services for people with intellectual disabilities and namesake of the ; Blatt’s wife, Ethel D. Blatt G’77, who trained special education undergraduate students; professor and director of special education James F. Winschel, Jr. ’71, G’73, who later became SOE’s associate dean for administration; and professor and Dean Emeritus  G’73, Ph.D.’73.

“Syracuse was a place where we fulfilled our potential through some special teachers,” Vinny says. “It was a very positive environment, and with the people I mentioned along with the special education professors and others, I found them very warm and supportive.”

The Gift that Keeps on Giving

Growing up, Matteo Longhi recalls his mother loved music and played guitar and piano, but neither she nor her husband were trained musicians. But they encouraged their children to take music lessons, and Matteo became a talented violinist who honed his skills with the New York Youth Symphony in Manhattan.

After receiving a music degree in violin performance from Ithaca College, Matteo was interested in becoming a teacher, and a friend who was attending Syracuse for violin told him about the University’s .

After graduating from Syracuse, Matteo spent five years leading the grades 7-12 orchestra at Chittenango middle and high schools before joining West Genesee High School in Camillus, where he is director of violin and orchestral studies in a district that has been  among the “Best Communities for Music Education” for 17 consecutive years.

“I had teachers I always liked and respected in high school, and your teacher on your primary instrument is an important figure in your development,” Matteo says. “I think there’s something nice about working with young students and giving them an outlet to participate in music and have this artistic experience.”

No one understands that teacher-student connection more than Vinny Longhi, and with the help of the Vincent Paul Longhi Sr. Endowed Scholarship there will be a new wave of students like Matteo who will leave the music education program to make the world a better place through music.

“I know it’s kind of corny, but it’s the gift that keeps on giving,” Warren says. “It’s the impact on the current students, but it’s also the impact that they’re going to have on their students. And this gift will make that possible.

came to ������ as a with an urgent purpose: to learn all she could about helping veterans return to civilian life and bring that knowledge home to war-torn Ukraine.

Pohorielova is an associate professor and head of the Department of Pedagogy, Foreign Philology and Translation at in , near the front lines of the Russia-Ukraine War. Her journey to Syracuse began after she heard a high-level Ukrainian official observe that is about to become a city of veterans.

The comment was a turning point. Pohorielova realized that, when the war ends, hundreds of thousands of veterans will need support transitioning to civilian life: finding jobs, housing and educational pathways and, hopefully, a society aware of and responsive to their unique psychological needs. Yet Pohorielova also knew her country was far from ready to provide that help. “I felt like I didn’t know anything about veterans. I had no clue. And I felt like other establishments weren’t ready for the influx of veterans, either,” she says.

The next day, she learned about the Fulbright Visiting Scholar program and applied. To her surprise, she became just the second person from her university to receive a Fulbright in 30 years.

Right Place, Right Time

The Fulbright program matches host institutions with a scholar’s research goals, making ������, with its emphasis on veterans, a natural fit. Pohorielova’s visit is being hosted through the (CHB), drawing on the expertise and engagement of the (IVMF), the (OVMA), the (SOE), and colleagues at the . Among those who facilitated Pohorielova’s residency was IVMF founder and University Chancellor-elect .

“[This] is one of the best places in the U.S. to observe veteran re-entry services. Practices here have been validated. We need to learn, borrow, start them and adjust American practices to existing Ukrainian realities,” Pohorielova says.

Since her arrival, Pohorielova has attended monthly CHB seminars, worked closely with faculty sponsors , professor of psychology and CHB director; and , SOE faculty director of online programs and strategic initiatives, associate teaching professor in the School of Social Work and CHB associate director. She also engaged with faculty, staff, doctoral students and researchers across campus.

“Their contribution to my research is incredible,” she says of her sponsors. The broader campus culture has been welcoming, too. “Every person I meet here is trying to support me and give me the information I need.”

Facilitating the Transition

Ukrainian soldiers face the same reintegration challenges as American veterans: psychological health risks, substance use, financial instability and difficulty transitioning back to civilian life. But for Ukrainian veterans who are returning to communities still under threat, with shattered economies and disrupted families, those risks may be even more acute, Pohorielova says.

Reintegrating also involves other obstacles, including funding, cultural resistance and a general distrust of mental health services, which is a legacy of Soviet-era political repression. Ukraine’s military culture, which prizes toughness and stigmatizes psychological struggles as weakness, presents another hurdle, Pohorielova says.

Pohorielova believes Ukrainian educational institutions can help facilitate veterans’ transition from military service to civilian life. At the same time, they can leverage veterans’ leadership, experience and a strong sense of purpose, qualities that can make them active contributors to postwar recovery efforts in Ukraine.

“Investing in veterans’ wellbeing, education and vocational pathways supports not only individual reintegration but also broader social and economic stability,” she says.

Insights from Pohorielova’s research at Syracuse form the basis of her recovery action plan, “Veteran Reintegration Ecosystem for Ukrainian Universities.” The scalable, locally grounded program can be implemented within existing institutions, she believes. The plan’s three pillars are institutional capacity and coordination; behavioral health and wellbeing; and workforce and economic integration.

Components include:

• Clear coordination and referral pathways to help veterans navigate academic and support services
• Faculty and staff training to strengthen the university’s ability to support veteran students
• Behavioral health awareness and referral pathways
• Flexible online and hybrid learning options
• Short-course retraining, microcredentials and entrepreneurship pathways aligned with workforce needs
• Structured employer and community partnerships to support job placement, entrepreneurship and business development

Pohorielova and her 13-year-old daughter, who came with her to the U.S. and attends school locally, have been here since February and will return to Ukraine this summer. By then, Pohorielova will be ready to present her fully developed framework to her university’s leadership as a ready-to-go strategy, and she hopes to see its immediate adoption.

Success would fulfill her dream of helping her country, her university and her community, and ensure that veterans will have proven systems in place to support their return.

“Following a dream is a good thing,” she says. “Once you succeed, you will get to a new level. That’s what happened to me. I didn’t expect it, but I’m very happy to be here.”

For spring break, March 9-13, students traveled to perform mission service, immersed themselves in learning experiences, took in new sights and dominated on the field.

Here are some of the ways they spent their spring break:

The role of entrepreneurship driving economic development in Kenya. Education systems and the propaganda machines behind them in Eastern European socialist states. The preservation of Polish castles and their use for telling the country’s history.

Those are just three of the independent research projects seven Syracuse students pursued internationally last year as Tyler Center Fellows, supported by a $20,000 grant to and the (SOURCE) by the .

For the students who participated, it was a life-changing experience.

“This fellowship changed who I am,” says Mason Burley ’27, a double major in adolescent education and history in the School of Education and the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs.

The University has once again received an award from the Tyler Center for 2026 and is currently accepting applications for fall 2026 fellowships based in Santiago and Strasbourg. Below, three students who received the fellowship in 2025 share their experiences.

‘Research Something You Love’

Burley, whose research project was focused on the education systems during the era of socialist republics in Poland, Romania and Moldova, says the Tyler Center Fellowship was his first substantial experience with research.

“I am fascinated by Joseph Stalin and his cult of personality and, more specifically, how his sheer influence on the region consumed every single aspect of life,” Burley says. “From school, jobs, social life, government and interpersonal connections. Stalin was lurking in all of these, and it has been a goal of mine to see its effects firsthand.”

The Tyler Center grant and research opportunity opened the gates for him to study the topic in-depth and in-person.

“It is my academic goal to be a well-rounded educator who is exceptionally knowledgeable in my content area,” he says. “I felt that this type of deep immersive, experiential type of research would benefit not only me academically but my students in my future classroom.”

The experience made Burley fall in love with research and “experiencing” history, and has since inspired two additional research projects.

He says visiting Poland, Romania and Moldova, speaking with people and learning their stories was an experience he’d repeat in a “heartbeat.”

“Do whatever your heart says,” Burley says. “Go to a new place and touch the earth. Eat food from a street cart. Put everything that you’ve ever learned away for a second and just experience life as it passes by. Be you, unapologetically. Then come back to campus and show everyone just how cool it is that you got to research something you love.”

‘Be Creative’

For Ella Roerden ’27, the fellowship also allowed the pursuit of a passion project.

A student in the Maxwell School studying anthropology and international relations, Roerden visited five medieval castles around Poland with the goal of analyzing and comparing how they’ve been preserved and restored, as well as how they’re being used as museums in the present day.

“The narratives all differ, and they each tell a different part of the story of Poland,” says Roerden. “I was drawn to castles because of my childhood love of fairytales, all of the magic, dragons and princesses. When I learned that Poland had over 500 castles, I knew I had to find a way to visit some and incorporate them into my studies.”

Like Burley, she says the experience opened her eyes to research, which previously she thought had to be “formulaic and physical.” Gaining the experience of pursuing a topic in the humanities has her looking forward to an international relations capstone.

“If you’re already going to be in a different country, take advantage of the opportunities and resources there that we don’t have here in Syracuse (like medieval castles) and be creative!” Roerden says.

‘Put in All Your Effort’

Mary Begley ’26, a Whitman School finance and entrepreneurship major graduating in December, traveled to Kenya in May 2025 with a professor and fellow students, supported by her grant.

“I had the opportunity to immerse myself in a new culture and experience how businesses operate within an emerging economy,” she says. “Because of this opportunity, I decided to conduct independent research where I spoke one-on-one with small business owners to learn about their experiences running a business in Kenya.”

The best part, she says, was speaking with entrepreneurs and learning about their work, their passions and the challenges they face as business owners.

She encourages other students to consider the Tyler grants.

“Put in all your effort,” she says. “For me, I was very new to research and had no idea how to conduct it at first. But having the right people around you and consistently asking questions or seeking feedback really helped me throughout the process.”

How to Apply

Fall 2026 Tyler Fellows—supported by awards up to $3,000—will design projects in Santiago or Strasbourg with guidance from a home campus faculty mentor, as well as Syracuse Abroad and SOURCE staff. Students must first be accepted into one of those programs.

As part of the fellowship, they will take a “Research in Community” seminar and participate in cohort activities with Tyler Fellows from other institutions.

“The Tyler Center for Global Studies Fellowship not only provides essential funding to support students’ international undergraduate research activities but also facilitates a community of scholars engaging with cross-cultural research both here at ������ and in the larger, multi-institution Tyler Center program,” says Kate Hanson, director of SOURCE. “Students navigate the complexities of research with another culture alongside fellow students and mentors in a program that facilitates discussion and reflection.”

Interested students should first email ugresearch@syr.edu to express their interest in the Tyler Fellows Program and then prepare a project proposal and apply through . Applications are due by April 2 or July 9.

An information session for interested students will be held Thursday, March 19, from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. on the sixth floor of 100 Sims Drive.

SOURCE can also help students develop research ideas, find faculty mentors and prepare application materials. Contact the SOURCE team at ugresearch@syr.edu or 315.443.2091.

Nine  graduate students have been selected to receive  the Graduate Dean’s Award for Excellence in Research and Creative Work at a ceremony hosted by the Graduate School on .

The event takes place from 3 to 5 p.m. in 312 Lyman Hall and will include presentations by the recipients. The campus community is invited to attend; .

This year’s competition drew applicants from programs and departments across the University. Winners were chosen by a panel of faculty members who serve on the . Honorees receive a certificate of recognition and a $500 award.

The 2026 Graduate Dean’s Award winners are:

• Yanbei Chen (instructional design, development and evaluation, School of Education), “Preparing Future Teachers for Responsible AI Use: AI-Related Teaching Anxiety, Protective Resources and Implications for Teacher Education”
• Jessica Hogbin (history, Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs), “Innumerable Melancholies: Medicine, Mental Health and Human Nature in Renaissance Italy, 1450-1650”
• Dian Ling (multimedia, photography and design, Newhouse School of Public Communications), “Documentary Film, ‘The Cycle Breaker’”
• David Ojomakpene Moses (chemical engineering, College of Engineering and Computer Science [ECS]), “Designing ‘Smart’ Catalysts for Cleaner and More Efficient Chemical Manufacturing”
• Christine Eunseol Park (public relations, Newhouse School), “Narrative Structure and Explanatory Link Strength in Low-Fit Corporate Social Advocacy: An Experimental Study of Perceived Authenticity”
• Michael Seitz (bioengineering, ECS), “Engineering Poly(ethylene) Glycol Hydrogels as Synthetic ECM”
• Aditya Srinivasa (social science, Maxwell School), “Imagining Infrastructure: The Rise and Fall of Interstate 81”
• Elina Ruiqi Su (social psychology, College of Arts and Sciences [A&S]), “Perceiving to Provide: How Partner Attachment Perceptions Inform Buffering Behaviors”
• Jiayue Yu (art photography, College of Visual and Performing Arts [VPA] ), “After the Photograph”

In addition, five students received honorable mention:

• Kaia Kirk (political science, Maxwell School),  “The Black Cabinet: The Role of Movement-State Actors in Institutional Development and Policy Change”
• Katie Mulligan (illustration, VPA), “Tales of Rattlesnake Gulch: An Illustrated History of Cicero Swamp”
• Bixuan Ren (mass communications, Newhouse School), “Who Deserves to Belong? The Influence of Partisan News and Anti-Immigrant Misinformation on Immigrant Deservingness and Policy Preferences”
• Aliza M. Willsey (mechanical and aerospace engineering, ECS), “Development of Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Emission Control Technology for Combustion Systems”
• Wusirige (human development and family science, A&S), “Family Processes and Children’s Development across Social and Cultural Contexts”

“The Graduate School is pleased to recognize these students as among the many talented scholars who are contributing to our community every day,” says Peter Vanable, Graduate School dean. “We applaud their ongoing progress in research projects and creative initiatives and enjoy the opportunity to showcase their work to the University.”

Rich and Janice Fialka-Feldman have established the Opening Doors Fund for InclusiveU as part of the Center on Disability and Inclusion’s . The fund will provide critical financial support for students in the School of Education’s , ensuring that students with intellectual disability can pursue their college dreams without financial barriers.

The fund’s name carries deep personal significance. When their son, Micah Fialka-Feldman, entered his first-grade special education classroom, he noticed he had to enter through a different door than the rest of the grade. He came home with a simple but powerful request to his parents: “I want to go through the same door as my friends.” That moment when their child sought belonging has become the family’s guiding principle.

Genuine Understanding

With the support of his parents and many others, Micah grew up determined to pave his own path in life. That determination led him to become the first student in the country to win a lawsuit securing access to university housing, at Oakland University, a landmark victory that opened doors not just for himself but for students with disabilities across the nation.

After graduation, his commitment to advocacy only deepened when he accepted a paid internship with Michigan Roundtable, a social justice organization working throughout the state.

It was during this internship that Micah was invited to speak at ������, where he shared his experiences, advocacy and vision for disability inclusion. The connections he made during that visit were immediate and profound. He felt something different in the room; a genuine understanding that resonated with him.

Micah called his parents with certainty in his voice: “They get me here,” he said, referring to the Syracuse community’s warmth and embrace for exactly who he is. It was a moment that validated his journey and reinforced that he had found a place where he truly belonged.

What began as a peer trainer position has grown into Micah’s current role as outreach coordinator for InclusiveU, as well as a co-teacher for disability studies classes, continuing to champion the same access and inclusion he once had to fight for.

Inspire and Motivate

The Opening Doors Fund for InclusiveU will be administered at the discretion of the , with support for housing, meals, textbooks and other essential expenses that help students to remain enrolled and succeed in the program.

Micah is also the author of ““, published by Inclusion Press, the same organization that supported his parents’ efforts in learning about inclusion when he was born. Co-written with his friend and colleague, Lynn Albee, he tells his story of advocacy, disability pride, circles of support and determination.

The Fialka-Feldmans emphasize that their support for inclusive higher education is more than just rhetoric. They have witnessed firsthand how life-changing it can be, not just for InclusiveU students, but for the University’s matriculated students, faculty and staff, who learn alongside them.

Their hope is that the Opening Doors Fund for InclusiveU will help ensure no student has to leave the program due to financial need, and that their fund will both inspire and motivate others to take action toward making their own gift.

Learn more on the or by visiting Micah’s website at .