Graduate student represented Syracuse University at the Middle States Commission on Higher Education last month in Philadelphia.

Akano, a student in the , presented “Student-Led Assessment in Linguistics MA Program” during the student poster presentation portion of the event.

The presentation outlined the project Akano and two former classmates (now alumni), Loretta Awuku and Sylvia Page, began last year with , professor of linguistics and program director. The project,��, was supported by a .

The students submitted the presentation to MSCHE at Brown’s urging. They previously presented their research at the TESOL/Applied Linguistics/Foreign Languages Conference.

Akano, who plans to study second language development at the doctoral level, says, “Presenting at the MSCHE conference was a wonderful experience for me. It was a rare opportunity to share with educators in higher education how active student involvement in curriculum development is transforming the learning experience of students in the M.A. linguistic studies program at Syracuse University.”

Merrill Brown, a veteran news executive and media consultant, has been named a visiting professionals fellow for spring 2026 by the (IDJC).

He plans to use his fellowship to study existing and evolving business models across the media landscape and new ways to sustain quality journalism.

The founding editor in chief of MSNBC.com (now ms.now), Brown brings decades of experience at the intersection of journalism, media innovation and business strategy.

He also served as senior vice president at RealNetworks, editorial director at G/O Media, founder and CEO of the News Project, co-founder of the Online News Association and inaugural director of the School of Communication and Media at Montclair State University.

In addition, Brown has served in roles at The Washington Post and Court TV, and with numerous nonprofit and advisory boards related to journalism, media and civic engagement.

Exploring Sustainable Journalism Models

Brown’s fellowship project will examine revenue strategies, emerging technologies, artificial intelligence and opportunities for innovation to support high-quality journalism, particularly at the local level.

Brown, who holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from Washington University in St. Louis, has also served as a judge for the Newhouse School’s��.

A joint initiative of the and the , the IDJC engages in research, teaching, experiential learning and industry partnerships to address challenges to democracy related to the information environment.

“I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to become a fellow at the IDJC,” Brown says. “I’ve been an admirer of the research and teaching done at Newhouse and the Maxwell School. Joining with the experts at the two schools and with [IDJC Kramer Director] to explore media business models and new ways to sustain quality journalism is a timely and important opportunity.”

As part of the fellowship, Brown will engage with students through guest lectures and public programming. His goal is to develop a long-term structure for studying media business models within an academic setting.

“I look forward to being able to conduct research on this vital topic and to share that work and my news industry experience with the University community,” Brown says. “Syracuse is at the center of the urgent future of news research and experimentation, and I look forward to contributing to those efforts.”

Talev sayd Brown’s work and experience will complement two trailblazing initiatives announced recently by the University, including IDJC’s own .

Led by , associate professor of communications, Local NeXT Lab is the first project of its kind that will connect newsrooms, funders and academics to pioneer journalism innovations, with the goal of strengthening local news.

Brown’s work will also be instrumental to the development of the University’s��. The center, which is led by Newhouse and the , is building real-world skills in media, entrepreneurship and digital strategy to prepare students for the 21st-century economy.

“We are proud to host Merrill this year as he develops this important work,” Talev says. “Merrill’s research and engagement with students will focus on developing and sustaining the media and communications industries of the future.”

About IDJC’s Visiting Fellow Program

The IDJC’s fellowship program for visiting professionals reflects the institute’s broader mission to connect students with leading voices in journalism and civic life. Through public events, classroom visits and collaborative projects, fellows contribute to a dynamic learning environment that prepares students to become thoughtful, engaged communicators and citizens.

Story by Emma Hudson

The in the raised $76,540 for at its 21st Annual Charity Sports Auction. The ceremonial check was presented to Golisano officials Jan. 13 before the Orange men’s basketball game at the JMA Wireless Dome.

During the Syracuse men’s basketball game on Nov. 18, supporters purchased items and placed bids on sports memorabilia, electronics, jewelry, gift baskets, experiences and trips, among other items. In addition to the in-person event, an online auction ran through Nov. 23, allowing supporters to bid on hundreds of items.

served as Title Sponsor for the 2025 auction.

Proceeds from this year’s Charity Sports Auction benefited the Upstate Pediatric and Adolescent Center (UPAC) at the . UPAC is a full-service pediatric and adolescent primary care clinic that provides well-child care, adolescent medicine, foster care support through its ENHANCE program, behavioral health integration, immunizations, and other family-centered services to children, adolescents and young adults.

“At Upstate Pediatric and Adolescent Center, we take care of 11,000 patients from 25,000 visits every year,” says UPAC Director Dr. Steven Blatt. “These are children and families like every other family in the community, but often with economic or logistical challenges in their life. We at UPAC have done many things to help them, but the money the students have raised will help with the extras.”

The auction donation will create a Sport Management Club of Syracuse University Endowment in honor of Blatt and is being highlighted by recognition at the playground at , and naming in the UPAC elevator lobby on the fourth floor of the Nappi Wellness Institute.

“We are incredibly grateful to the Falk College Sport Management Club for their extraordinary generosity and commitment to Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital,” says Dave Bartell, assistant vice president of development for The Upstate Foundation. “Through their leadership, dedication and passion for service, these students are making a meaningful difference for the children and families served by the Upstate Pediatric and Adolescent Center, and we are honored to partner with them in this important work.”

The Sport Management Club is a student-run organization. Since its founding in 2004, the club has raised more than $849,000 for local charities.

Previous beneficiaries of the club’s annual charity auction include Boys & Girls Clubs, the Ronald McDonald House Charities of CNY, the Central New York SPCA, Upstate Cancer Center, Special Olympics New York, Food Bank of CNY, the Salvation Army, Rescue Mission Alliance, American Diabetes Association, Make A Wish CNY, Meals on Wheels, the Jim and Juli Boeheim Foundation, McMahon/Ryan Child Advocacy Center, Vera House and Tillie’s Touch.

Over the years, the club has contributed more than $125,000 to , a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation. Notable gifts include $20,000 to Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital in 2009–10 and $30,444 to the Upstate Cancer Center in 2011–12.

“Students from the Sport Management Club, for the past 20 years, have done what I think is one of the most important activities you will do, not only in college but in your life, and that’s making efforts to help people in your community,” Blatt says.

The Sport Management Club meets weekly during the academic year. For more information about the annual charity auction, visit , , or the .

Story by James Stickel

Due to construction on the new hotel on University Avenue, Parking and Transportation Services has implemented a change to the bus stop on University Avenue serviced by the .

The University Avenue lane closure has resulted in the following change, effective immediately: Shuttles will no longer stop on University Avenue between Harrison and Adams Streets. No other stops on the Orange and Blue Loops will be affected.

To continue providing convenient shuttle service, Parking and Transportation Services has added two new stops along University Avenue. The Orange and Blue Loops will now stop at:

• The northwest corner of University Avenue and Harrison Street, adjacent to the
• The southwest corner of University Avenue and Adams Street, located in the pull-off area in front of the College of Professional Studies

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.��If you have any questions regarding this change, please do not hesitate to contact the Parking and Transportation Services Department at 315.443.4652.

The Barnes Center at The Arch, a national pioneer of student-focused holistic health and wellness, has been named to the . The Barnes Center is one of only 30 recipients of this prestigious nationwide award.

“Our starting catalysts of success began in 2019 with the grand opening of the Barnes Center alongside Syracuse University’s commitment to being a national leader in integrated wellness,” says Cory Wallack, Ph.D., associate vice president of student health and wellness.

“The Princeton Review naming us to the Mental Health Services Honor Roll and more importantly, doing so for our work in student-focused holistic wellness, proactive and preventative skill-building, in addition to cultivating a campus culture fueled to support wellness, is a wonderful recognition of the hard work everyone has contributed to support student wellness.”

The 2026 Mental Health Services Honor Roll is a celebration of undergraduate institutions for their exceptional dedication and commitment to their students’ mental health and well-being. Through intentionally empowering students by placing them into the driver’s seat of their uniquely defined wellness journeys, coast-to-coast the Barnes Center has been established as a student experience success leader.

Uniting Wellness for Individualized Student Success

At the forefront of this honor is the recognition of the Barnes Center’s intentional and trailblazing work to implement an Integrated Wellness Model. This model intentionally weaves together Health Care, Counseling, Health Promotion and Recreation teams, services and programs, yielding countless student support success outcomes it continues to see accomplished.

“As a national leader our Integrated Wellness Model continues to be unique. While other campuses have integrated parts of these systems, Syracuse University is one of the only universities in the United States that has integrated services to the extent that we have,” Wallack says.

The Barnes Center is centrally located on campus and physically hosts the wellness team (Health Care, Counseling, Health Promotion and Recreation) under one sprawling roof. This shared location naturally creates and strengthens integration of student wellness experiences. At the Barnes Center, all are encouraged and empowered to “be well” in their own unique, ever-evolving wellness journey. In addition to integrating teams, this holistic wellness approach also intentionally encompasses mind, body, spirit and community.

The Princeton Review Names Barnes Center on 2026 Mental Health Services Honor Roll

The Princeton Review and partners selected honorees based on data from its 2025 Campus Mental Health Survey and those that have shown a strong commitment to their students’ mental health and well-being. Recipients, such as the Barnes Center, scored highly in campus quality of life, overall well-being, student empowerment and education, offerings (e.g., services, programs and resources) and administrative support (e.g., policies, staffing).

“One of the key strengths of our campus is the intentional way we foster a quality of life that supports students’ overall well-being,” says .

Among the other criteria that supported the Barnes Center’s honor roll placement are:

• Authentic Holistic Wellness Approach: Demonstrated through a broad range of services integrating mental and physical health, emotional resilience, identity development and community connection.
• Proactive and Preventative Skill-Building: A strong emphasis on equipping students to navigate stress, conflict and transitions.
• Campus Culture Prioritizing Holistic Wellness: A united campus in the pursuit of student well-being and a community of care, supported by data-driven presentations and trainings for faculty, staff and students.

Shaping Tomorrow’s Wellness with the Data of Today

“To ensure that the Barnes Center remains responsive to students’ evolving needs, we pursue continuous assessment comprised of collaboration and adaptation. Ultimately, we strive to remain curious and connected to the student experience, adapting our approach as new needs emerge and ensuring that wellness remains welcoming and a shared community-wide responsibility,” Brown says.

For the dedicated Barnes Center health and wellness team, this honor is just one of many milestones to come in the evolving pursuit of defining student wellness on a national level. Fueling a future of success is the ongoing commitment to data-informed decision-making.

“Our ongoing commitment to utilizing data to inform integrated health and wellness programs and services is a priority,” says Veronica Whalen Jones, director of health promotion.

“In addition to tracking utilization, we are committed to assessing impact through program assessment and focus groups to ensure we are meeting the needs of the student community now and into the future.”

University faculty and staff seeking practical tools to navigate today’s work and life challenges are invited to join upcoming learning sessions focused on helping participants live their best life by prioritizing well-being, happiness and resilience.

The Thrive! well-being series, facilitated by Jaime Weisberg of Northbound Coaching & Consulting, returns to campus with refreshed content, updated research and new strategies drawn from the field of positive psychology.

The program offers 12 monthly sessions, each held twice—once on North Campus and once on South Campus—to accommodate different schedules. Sessions run for one hour during lunchtime and are designed to stand alone, allowing participants to attend as many or as few as their schedules permit.

“This is the kind of program that people usually don’t know they need until they get here,” says Weisberg, who has facilitated the program for higher education institutions, nonprofits and corporations over the past seven years. “It’s for anyone curious about how to live better, feel better, understand how our minds work and eager to put evidence-based tools into practice.”

What to Expect

The sessions cover topics ranging from the science of happiness and optimism change in habits, mindfulness, goal setting and relationship-building. Each session combines research-backed theory with practical application through activities and group work, equipping participants with immediately usable tools.

“I think we’re sold a narrative on happiness that it’s a destination that we might arrive at someday,” says Weisberg. “When we go into the science of happiness and what really makes us thrive, people are surprised that it’s something you can be creating all along, and that the factors that lead to happiness are actually quite broad and can be different for each person.”

Why Now?

The need for these tools has only intensified over the years. Remote and hybrid work arrangements, cultural upheaval and the lingering effects of the pandemic have contributed to skyrocketing rates of loneliness and mental health challenges.

“Our mental health and well-being have never been more challenged than it is at the moment,” Weisberg says. “People are usually adept at seeking out support when they have illness or trauma. There’s also a lot of people who might not feel unwell, necessarily, but just don’t feel as vibrant as they could be—that’s who this program is for.”

The in-person format offers additional benefits beyond content delivery. Weisberg points to the neurological advantages of gathering with others who share similar goals. “We produce oxytocin, the calm-and-connect hormone, when we’re connecting with other people,” she says. “There is an implication on our nervous systems when we’re all coming together to connect and learn together.”

More information about session dates, topics and registration is available on the . As a reminder, the Syracuse University Wellness Initiative provides opportunities, programs and resources to empower faculty and staff to lead a balanced and healthy lifestyle.

Badi H. Baltagi, Distinguished Professor of Economics in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, has been named a 2025 Great Arab Minds Award laureate in the economics category. The honor, one of the Arab world’s most prestigious recognitions for intellectual achievement, celebrates Baltagi’s profound and lasting contributions to econometrics and economic data analysis.

The award was announced by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, vice president and prime minister of the United Arab Emirates and ruler of Dubai, who congratulated Baltagi for his distinguished academic career and global impact. He highlighted Baltagi’s extensive scholarly output and noted that his work has become essential reading for researchers around the world.

“Professor Baltagi’s scholarship exemplifies the intellectual rigor and global impact that define the Maxwell School,” says Dean David M. Van Slyke. “His work has influenced generations of scholars and policymakers, and this international recognition speaks to both the depth of his contributions and the lasting value of fundamental research in economics.”

Launched in 2022, the Great Arab Minds Initiative honors exceptional Arab scholars, scientists and thinkers whose work advances knowledge and benefits humanity. Awards are presented annually in six fields: economics, medicine, natural sciences, engineering and technology, architecture and design, and literature and the arts. Often described as the “Arab Nobel,” the initiative seeks to spotlight Arab intellectual leadership on the global stage, inspire future generations and reinforce the value of research-driven solutions to complex global challenges. Award recipients are selected by international expert committees and recognized for careers marked by originality, influence and sustained excellence.

Baltagi, a senior research associate at the Maxwell-based Center for Policy Research, is recognized as a leading econometrician, particularly for his foundational work in panel data analysis, a methodology that combines cross-sectional and time-series data to study economic behavior over time. His research has shaped how economists analyze data related to labor markets, economic growth, health outcomes and regional development, influencing scholarship, policymaking and applied research across continents.

His research spans theoretical and applied econometrics, with particular focus on panel data models, spatial econometrics, health econometrics, wage dynamics and gravity models.

Baltagi has authored more than 200 peer-reviewed articles published in top journals such as Econometrica, Journal of Econometrics, Journal of Political Economy, The Review of Economics and Statistics, Econometric Theory and Journal of Applied Econometrics. He is also the author of several highly influential books. “Econometric Analysis of Panel Data,” now in its sixth edition, is considered a definitive text in the field and is widely used by graduate students and researchers. His textbook “Econometrics,” also in its sixth edition, provides a comprehensive foundation in modern econometric methods. Additional works include “The Oxford Handbook of Panel Data” and “Health Econometrics.”

Beyond his publications, Baltagi has played a major leadership role in the economics profession. He previously served as editor of Economics Letters and Empirical Economics and has held editorial positions with several other leading journals. He is a fellow of multiple professional societies and a founding member of the International Association for Applied Econometrics. He has also conducted training programs for economists at institutions such as central banks and international organizations around the world.

Baltagi received a bachelor’s degree in statistics from the American University of Beirut, a master’s degree from Carnegie Mellon University, and a Ph.D. in economics from the University of Pennsylvania.

He will formally receive the award at a ceremony in Dubai on Jan. 15 at the Museum of the Future, a global landmark dedicated to innovation, knowledge and forward-looking ideas.

For , beliefs are a bit like the weather. Introne, associate professor in the School of Information Studies (iSchool), studies how ideas cluster and shift across a population—much like currents in a changing atmosphere. Introne recently received a one-year, $300,000 grant from the Defense Advanced Projects Research Agency (DARPA) to map these “belief weather patterns” with a new kind of forecasting tool.

“I’m so excited about this grant,” Introne says. “I’ve been working on this project for years, since I started at Syracuse University, so it’s gratifying to see it advance.”

The project, “Predicting Belief Evolution In Non-Ergodic Systems,” builds on Introne’s ongoing research into how population beliefs change over time.

“I envision beliefs as a big, high-dimensional space,” Introne says. “Individuals—holding vast numbers of beliefs—move through that space in distinct patterns, and people with similar beliefs move in similar ways.” He compares it to leaves drifting in a stream. While the currents aren’t visible, their direction can be inferred from the leaves’ movement.

“I want to understand these belief patterns to develop better predictive models, diagnose polarization and even anticipate extremist events or conflicts,” Introne explained. “These are not abstract mathematical ideas—they have real-world impact.”

With doctoral student Mia Huiqian Lai, Introne is analyzing a decade of Reddit and Twitter data, along with news articles. “The years 2013 to 2023 include key events like COVID, the Me Too movement and the 2016 and 2020 elections,” he says.

While social media data allows for surprisingly accurate predictions about individual beliefs over time, Introne focuses on global patterns. His goal is to develop a “physics of belief” that accounts for non-ergodicity—where past patterns don’t reliably repeat. Models can become outdated as language evolves (for example, “corona” went from primarily being known as a Mexican beer to referring to a virus) or as beliefs change political alignment (such as anti-vaccine attitudes spreading across ideological groups).

The belief landscape framework tracks how pockets of belief shift over time. It identifies when the system reaches a tipping point, showing “critical slowing”— recovering more slowly from shocks and making it fragile and primed for major events at the level of the Arab Spring or the George Floyd protests.

For the current project, Introne is focusing on beliefs and issues that are likely to impact national security—including social unrest, pandemics and big market changes. “But certainly other sorts of indicators would be useful for predicting global events, like looking at population changes, financial signals, corruption levels of different governments,” he says.

And in the long run, Introne hopes his modeling can help improve or even replace traditional opinion polling as a more flexible and realistic way to understand public sentiment, not by asking survey questions but by observing natural conversations.

“We might develop a metric to assess whether our public discourse is healthy and resilient,” Introne says. “These insights could guide better deliberative tools—but any work must be guided by a strong ethical stance.”

The (CSE), launched last fall, brought together the University’s student support programs into a single administrative structure in order to build synergies and better serve students.

As of last week, those programs are now together in a single physical space as well, at .

“This move truly creates a centralized hub for student success, academic support, engagement and persistence,” Assistant Provost for Academic Programs and CSE Director Tommy Powell says. “It brings together multiple high-impact student support offices with a shared mission: helping students thrive academically, personally and professionally from their first day on campus through graduation.”

CSE serves all undergraduate students, with a focus on student transition and adjustment to college; academic skill-building and coaching; retention and persistence; engagement, belonging and experiential learning; and clear communication and coordination across support services.

CSE comprises multiple programs working closely together:

• First Year Seminar
• Center for Learning and Student Success (CLASS)
• Retention and Student Success
• SOURCE (Syracuse Office of Undergraduate Research and Creative Engagement)
• Center for Fellowship and Scholarship Advising
• Higher Education Opportunity Program (HEOP)
• McNair Scholars Program
• Our Time Has Come Scholars
• Remembrance Scholars
• STEP (Science and Technology Entry Program) and CSTEP (College Science and Technology Entry Program)
• Shaw Center for Public and Community Service
• Living Learning Communities

Student-Athlete Academic Services, located in the John A. Lally Athletics Complex, is also a core part of the CSE.

The building is located at the corner of Sims Drive and College Place, adjacent to Sims Hall. Drop-ins are welcome.

For more information, call 315.443.2005.

Dear Orange Students, Faculty, Staff, Alumni, Families, and Friends:

Today marks the start of a new semester, a time of fresh possibilities and new chapters. It is in that spirit that I share news of a new chapter of my own. In late August I announced my intention to step down as Chancellor and President of Syracuse University this coming June. Since then, I have given considerable thought to what’s next, both professionally and personally. While few opportunities could draw me away from Central New York, I have been offered and accepted the position of President of the University of Michigan.

This is truly a homecoming for Dr. Ruth Chen and me. We met at Michigan as students, and together we hold four degrees from there. I served on the faculty for 10 years and began my career in administration at Michigan. The University of Michigan shaped the trajectory of our lives and in so many ways prepared us for our 12 years at Syracuse. For someone who has spent their life in service to higher education, this call to return to the university that first inspired my path is profoundly meaningful.

Dr. Chen and I have been deeply blessed by our years at Syracuse University. This remarkable community has given us more than we could ever have imagined—lifelong friendships, opportunities to teach and learn from extraordinary students, and the privilege of working alongside faculty and staff who embody the very best of higher education. It is the people at Syracuse who make this a truly great university. We will always consider Syracuse home and will forever remain part of the Orange family.

I will continue serving as your chancellor through June 2026 as originally planned. The Board of Trustees’ search for the University’s next leader continues, and I remain fully committed to advancing our priorities and ensuring a smooth transition during these remaining months.

My commitment to Syracuse University remains unwavering. We have important work ahead, and I look forward to continuing the momentum that has been inspired by all of you. Thank you for making our time at Syracuse University such a rewarding chapter of our lives.

Sincerely,

Chancellor Kent Syverud

Mary J. Goodwin-Oquendo L’09 learned what true advocacy looks like long before she ever stepped into a law school classroom. Growing up, she watched her mother tirelessly fight to secure appropriate educational services for her younger brother, who has autism and learning disabilities. Seeing firsthand how complex systems can fail families, she began to ask a powerful question: Who helps students who do not have anyone able to challenge the system for them?

Today, Goodwin-Oquendo is that advocate. As the founder of The Goodwin-Oquendo Law Firm in New York City, she champions disability civil rights, particularly related to education, standardized testing, professional licensing and employment. Getting to this point took grit, talent and determination. She credits the College of Law for providing the foundation, flexibility and mentorship she needed to earn her law degree and pursue the work that drives her—advocating for others through the legal system.

Goodwin-Oquendo will speak about her experiences and the process of advocating for bar exam accommodations later this spring during a webinar hosted by the ).

The presentation was purposefully planned as a virtual event, as it accommodates Goodwin-Oquendo’s disability-related needs, as well as those of attendees with disabilities, and allows both on-campus and online JDinteractive students—in addition to other guests around the country—to participate.

Walking in the Steps of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Goodwin-Oquendo’s desire to be a lawyer started early. She studied at the James Madison High School Law Institute in Brooklyn, New York—the same school the late U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg attended.

The four-year program helps students understand the legal system through law classes, moot court and mock trials. She came to see attorneys as “helpers,” and realized the law could be her pathway to advocate for those who needed a voice.

Facing Her Challenges and Finding a Mentor

While pursuing her undergraduate degree at St. Joseph’s University in New York, Goodwin-Oquendo was diagnosed with fibromyalgia and learned first-hand how difficult it was to navigate higher education with “an invisible, poorly understood disability.”

However, she learned how to self-accommodate her disabilities, graduated as valedictorian and set her sights on law school. She ultimately chose the College of Law because of its various clinics, particularly the Family Law Clinic, because she knew the challenges from clients who felt vulnerable or unheard would make her a more respectful and transparent lawyer.

Her first year wasn’t easy, as Goodwin-Oquendo navigated the demands as a first-year law student while managing a physical condition that fluctuated day to day. This was compounded by her lack of health insurance (prior to the Affordable Care Act), which limited her ability to receive the care she needed.

“I went from graduating first in my class in college to struggling in my first semester of law school because I didn’t have the physical stamina to keep up the pace,” she says. “Some of the strategies that had worked in high school and college just didn’t work anymore because the expectations of law school were much higher.”

Fortunately, she enrolled in a class led by�� who took emeritus status in 2024. Kanter is an acclaimed expert in international and comparative disability law and helped Goodwin-Oquendo understand the accommodations she was entitled to. (Kanter founded the DLPP at Syracuse Law in 2005, one of the nation’s most extensive disability law programs in the U.S.)

She is forever grateful to Kanter—who remains a role model—for helping her find ways to manage her disability and continue to succeed. For the past five years, Goodwin-Oquendo has been an adjunct professor at Fordham University School of Law, in part, she says, “to be for my students what Professor Kanter was for me.”

Professor Kanter had many resources, including this ‘holy book’ of disability law firms in the New York area, which were few and far between. She encouraged me during my 2L year to reach out to Jo Anne Simon, a disability civil rights attorney in Brooklyn, who later became a state assembly member, to learn more about working in this part of the legal field.

They connected, and soon Simon offered Goodwin-Oquendo a summer job at the firm. In 2008, the Americans with Disabilities Amendments Act was passed, reaffirming Congress’s commitment to disability rights. That law ��shaped a lot of the work Goodwin-Oquendo did at the firm.

“It was not light work,” she says, “but the job training I received was nothing short of phenomenal—so much so that I joined her firm after law school and stayed there for the next 14 years. Jo Anne remains a dear friend and mentor, and she has done so much to advance the rights of individuals with disabilities.”

Establishing Her Own Firm for Educational Advocacy

In 2024, she launched the Goodwin-Oquendo Law Firm in New York City, dedicated to representing individuals with cognitive, physical and psychiatric disabilities who face discrimination or need accommodations in education for admissions tests, professional licensing exams, state bar exams and medical boards.

“People come to me because they clearly need certain accommodations to fully access and complete an exam, for example, and they are being denied this for the highest stakes exam of their lives,” she says. “Others come to me because they’ve received a diagnosis later in life or have been living with a disability that wasn’t as challenging for them until they reached college, law school or medical school, and now they need someone to help them understand their options and advocate for their rights.”

City of Syracuse Mayor Sharon Owens ’85 will serve as the featured speaker for the 41st Annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration on Sunday, Jan. 25, in the JMA Wireless Dome. This year’s theme is “The Dream Lives Here.”

Tickets . Due to limited seating, guests are encouraged to reserve their tables and seats as soon as possible.

Honoring Dr. King’s Life and Legacy

The annual event is known as the largest of its kind on any college campus. The dinner program seeks to honor the life and legacy of a leader who brings hope and healing to our world and is a direct expression of Syracuse University’s commitment to advancing academic excellence at a university welcoming to all.

“Dr. King’s dream truly does live here—and it continues to guide us. As we mark the 41st Annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration, we are honored to welcome Mayor Sharon Owens as our keynote speaker,” says Alison Murray, assistant dean for student assistance at Hendricks Chapel and this year’s MLK Celebration chairperson. “Her historic election as Syracuse’s first Black mayor affirms that Dr. King’s dream is alive and thriving in our community. We invite everyone to join us as we honor his legacy and recommit to making that dream a reality.”

Owens was sworn into office on Jan. 3. Originally from Geneva, New York, Owens studied economics at the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs and was an avid athlete on the women’s track and field team. Since graduating from the University, Owens carved her path in Syracuse as an advocate for community members, holding positions at several well-known nonprofits, including PEACE, Inc., Jubilee Homes, Home Headquarters and Syracuse Community Connections at the Southwest Community Center.

Owens joined the City of Syracuse staff in 2010 as the deputy commissioner for neighborhood and business development. She was later appointed by then Mayor Ben Walsh as the deputy mayor, overseeing the city’s Neighborhood and Business Development committee and the police and fire departments.

Owens was elected mayor by 73.8% of the vote. Her win and tenure set the stage for her speech at Syracuse University with the theme, “The Dream Lives Here.”

“I am honored and excited to serve as the featured speaker for the 41st Annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration,” Owens says. “This event is a powerful opportunity to reflect on Dr. King’s enduring legacy and recommit ourselves to the principles of justice, equality and unity that he championed.”

Along with Owens’ address, the 2026 program will include student and community group performances and a presentation of this year’s Unsung Hero Awards.

Dinner buffets will open at 5 p.m. and will be held near the JMA Dome’s west end zone. Guests can enter the Courtside Lounge and Suites entrance located between Gates A and B. Halal, kosher, gluten-free and vegetarian options will be available. All guests will remain at the tables for the program.

Tickets Are Now Available

Ticket purchase options are as follows:

• (dinner and program): $40
• (dinner and program): $20

All tickets will be assigned a table number at the time of purchase, which will be included in the mobile tickets. Guests interested in sitting with friends are recommended to purchase tickets together to ensure the same table assignment.

Guests may order up to eight dinner and program tickets online. To purchase one full table (eight seats), select eight�� total tickets and proceed to checkout. To purchase more than one table or more than eight individual tickets, or if experiencing difficulties, please call the JMA Dome Box Office at 1.888.DOME.TIX (315.443.2121), option two.

Buy tickets online at , in person at the Dome Box Office inside Gate B at 900 Irving Ave. (Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.) or by phone (888.DOME.TIX or 315.443.2121, option four). Tickets will be mobile this year and uploaded directly to your MyCuse account to manage upon purchase. View the for more information.

Free parking is available in the , the , and the . American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation, AIRA and Communication Access Realtime Translation (CART) will be available for the event.

For more information about the MLK Celebration or to request accommodations, contact Hendricks Chapel at chapel@syr.edu or 315.443.2901. Learn more about this and other Hendricks Chapel events by visiting .