Throughout her career, Nancy A. Mattison, Ph.D., ’69 took risks, forged new paths, broke glass ceilings and made decisions based on the “rocking chair theory,” which essentially suggests that one should consider any decision through the lens of being retired and rocking leisurely on a front porch.

“I would ask myself whether in my elder years I would be satisfied that I had taken advantage of as many opportunities offered as made sense,” Mattison says. “For example, if I did not take the opportunity—and risk—of moving to Europe, and pushing the envelope of what I could achieve as a woman, would I have regrets when I was older?”

Mattison’s recent $1.2 million gift to the is designed to give graduate students more opportunities to make rocking chair decisions.

“Financing one’s education always presents challenges, and some may forego a graduate program for that reason,” Mattison says. “This gift is intended to help allow a student to engage in graduate studies sooner rather than later.” And she believes Maxwell can help develop thinkers and leaders who will seize opportunities, take risks and help solve problems around the globe.

For Mattison, her undergraduate degree in international studies was the catalyst for graduate work and a fascinating career in healthcare policy, with a decidedly international focus.

A Curiosity About the World

Though she grew up on a dairy farm in Central New York, Mattison’s vision for her future was expansive, and Syracuse University nurtured both her intellectual curiosity and interest in the world.

Mattison’s college experience was inextricably intertwined with societal and global change: the Vietnam War was in full swing; Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy were assassinated; the National Organization for Women was established with an active Syracuse chapter; curfews and dress codes were eliminated at the University.

After earning a Ph.D. in international relations from the University of South Carolina, Mattison brought an international perspective to the Center for the Study of Drug Development, an academic group studying public policies affecting medical innovation. This was soon followed by an active role in influencing those policies in positions at Novartis and Roche in the U.S. A move to Switzerland to work at Roche headquarters offered a chance to be more directly involved in international efforts.

Mattison then headed the London-based Pharmaceutical Partners for Better Healthcare, a global strategic policy group sponsored by the pharmaceutical industry. Among other projects there, Mattison was instrumental in the creation of the International Alliance of Patients’ Organizations, the first and only such global patient advocacy group, still influential in healthcare policy worldwide 30 years on. Ultimately, she returned to the states to launch The Mattison Group, an international consultancy specializing in healthcare policy and strategy.

“Each of these career opportunities was possible in part because I had such a strong grounding in international studies,” Mattison says. “It was both a challenge and a pleasure to work closely with people from so many different cultures, as part of a global community of interests.”

Mattison’s gift to Syracuse University recognizes its commitment to global citizenship and civic responsibility. “The University has always impressed me with its focus on community. It does not close itself off, but tries to be part of a community,” she says. “This gives students both invaluable opportunities and an important perspective.”

Creating Global Citizens

The Nancy Mattison ’69 Endowed Graduate Scholarship, enhanced in part by The Syracuse Promise scholarship initiative, will provide scholarship and financial assistance to Maxwell graduate students with a preference to those pursuing a master’s degree in international relations.

“Nancy is the embodiment of what it means to be a global citizen,” says Maxwell Dean David M. Van Slyke. “Throughout her career, she focused on improving the health of people around the globe. Her philanthropy maintains that vision, allowing our students to pursue similarly meaningful careers that make a tangible difference.”

“Nancy’s foresight is aligned with Syracuse University’s historic commitment to providing opportunities to talented students who dream big but need some support to deliver on those dreams,” says Chancellor J. Michael Haynie. “The Syracuse Promise initiative, when activated by the generosity of donors like Nancy Mattison, ensures that ambitious dreams remain within reach for every deserving and driven student.”

“Education clearly expands and hones one’s ability to understand how different countries and cultures view the world and how that affects both public and private decision-making,” says Mattison. “Universities are where the leaders will come from, people who can think critically and solve whatever problems we are facing.”

Inspiring Generations

As Mattison was making her own private decisions about “estate matters” she envisioned a gift that would have lasting impact. By combining an estate gift with enough current funding to make the graduate scholarship active now, Mattison can see the impact of her support for students during her lifetime.

This is not the first time Mattison has given the gift of opportunity. “Years ago, I established a smaller endowed scholarship in my mother’s name at her alma mater, Keuka College. It was one way of thanking her for encouraging me to pursue a career path that would be both intellectually challenging and make a positive contribution to the world,” she says. “I have been pleased with the benefits it has brought to students.” Doris A. Mattison G’60 also attended Syracuse, earning an M.A. from the in 1960.

Mattison is currently writing a biography of her mother, whom she describes as “an extraordinary ordinary woman who made a difference in all the lives she touched. She is one of those unsung women who represent and pass on the best of humanity.”

With her new gift to graduate students at Maxwell, Mattison is hoping to inspire new generations to pass on the best of humanity.

“Without reliable leaders, and thoughtful voters, the future is bleak,” she says. “Maxwell offers outstanding programs that are invaluable. Supporting that seemed to me to be just the right choice, particularly at this point in history.”

Syracuse-area veterans will have a chance to connect with benefits specialists, health care enrollment help and local support services under one roof when the ’Cuse Vet Fest for 9/11 Day comes to the on Friday, Sept. 11. The event will take place from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Levy  Atrium. Admission is free, with free parking available in the Irving Garage.

The event is a joint effort between the , the College of Law’s and the. It is open to all veterans, including University students, faculty and staff.

Regardless of whether individuals have healthcare and benefits set up, the breadth of available resources to veterans in the Syracuse region guarantees there will be something new to learn. An annual event, attendees will have the opportunity to directly interact with representatives from over 20 offices and organizations which serve veterans and military connected families.

While at the event, attendees can:

• Learn how to enroll in VA healthcare;
• Explore veterans benefits (disability, education, employment, community and more);
• Connect with VA professionals;
• Engage with Syracuse University’s veteran resources;
• View and connect with a variety of community resources;
• Try the Clearpath for Veterans food truck
• Learn about the VA’s Mobile Prosthetics Center; and
• Visit the Mobile Vet Center.

Representatives from the University’s and Office of Veteran Success will take part, and event staff will be on site to guide attendees while they explore the participating organizations. This year’s event is sponsored by Bond, Schoeneck & King PLLC, along with the 9/11 Day Foundation and AmeriCorps.

For additional details, contact veteranadvocacy@syr.edu.

The recently unveiled a plaque honoring two of Syracuse University’s military-connected alumni at . Brothers Charles Vincent “Vin” Byrne ’47 and William M. “Bill” Byrne ’49,  who were the prominent leaders of the Central New York business Byrne Dairy, were inducted into the Capt. Floyd “Ben” Schwartzwalder Hall of Honor, where their legacy will live alongside more than a century of notable military-connected University alumni.

“As we honor Bill and Vin Byrne, we celebrate not only their individual accomplishments, but also the enduring legacy of a generation that changed Syracuse University, strengthened our nation and demonstrated what is possible when service, education and opportunity come together,” says retired U.S. Army Lt. Col. Dwayne Murray, deputy director of the OVMA, who emceed the ceremony. “Their journey reminds us why Syracuse University’s commitment to veterans remains as important today as it was 80 years ago.”

The Byrne brothers’ Syracuse story began in the early 1940s, when boxing was one of the University’s marquee sports. In 1943, the brothers made collegiate boxing history when Vin Byrne won the Eastern Intercollegiate Flyweight Championship and Bill won the Eastern Intercollegiate Middleweight Championship, the first time brothers had claimed Eastern Intercollegiate boxing titles in the same year. Later that  same year, with the country at war, both brothers left campus to serve in the U.S. Army Air Corps and join the 16.1 million who served in the U.S. armed forces throughout World War II.

The Byrne Brothers Return With the G.I. Bulge

Bill and Vin’s return to Syracuse charts a course through an impactful decision the University made at the closing of World War II that still defines its legacy today. Following the war, Chancellor William Pearson Tolley opened Syracuse’s doors to returning veterans on the G.I. Bill, at a time when many colleges were reluctant to do so. More than 7,000 veterans enrolled at the university that fall, growing to 9,500 the following year, making up nearly half the student body. Bill and Vin Byrne were part of that wave, often referred to as the “G.I. Bulge.”

The discipline they built at Syracuse, in the ring and in their military service, followed them into business. Their father, Matthew Byrne, founded Byrne Dairy in Syracuse in 1933, bottling milk and delivering it by horse-drawn wagon. Bill and Vin took over as the family’s second generation of leadership and ran the business the way they’d trained for military service: prepared, disciplined and unwilling to cut corners.

That foundation has carried the Byrne family through multiple generations since. Three of those five generations returned to campus to see the plaque unveiled, from Bill and Vin’s own children to great-grandchildren just starting their careers.

That through line, from campus to combat to career, was the catalyst to bring the Byrne brothers’ story to the Hall of Honor.

“Some of us spent decades in close relationships with Vin and Bill, and others of us were born decades after their passing. That makes it hard, and it means that those of us who knew them well have a responsibility to the younger generations to tell the stories of their lives to their great- grandchildren and their great-great grandchildren,” says Bill Byrne, past president of Byrne Dairy and a member of the family’s third generation. “Bill and Vin have left an amazing legacy that deserves to be passed down to their family, and this display will tell some of their story to the community.”

To mark the occasion, the Byrne family and the OVMA announced the William M. Byrne ’47 and Charles “Vinnie” Byrne ’49 Endowed Scholarship for military-connected students, made possible through Byrne Dairy. The gift also supports the football head coach’s fund and the Veterans Legacy Fund.

Bill Byrne unveiled the commemorative plaque on behalf of the family and Byrne Dairy, on what he noted, by coincidence, would have been William M. Byrne’s 104th birthday.

For more information about Syracuse University’s notable military-connected alumni, and to find out about the programs and services available to military-connected students, visit the .

At the edge of a park on Syracuse’s Rich Street, a small dog barks with excitement, straining to get closer to roughly 30 approaching walkers. Jill Ceilly holds the other end of the leash.

Maxwell School alumnus Andrew Lunetta is among the walkers.

“Hey, Jack,” says Lunetta to the dog, before it leaps into his welcoming arms.

Ceilly and Jack live across the street from the park in a home built by Lunetta’s nonprofit, . This scene plays out nearly every Tuesday morning: Tiny Home staff and supporters embark on a 2-mile walk that starts at the organization’s headquarters on South Avenue and passes several of the homes it has built or rehabbed.

Along the way, several tenants, including Ceilly, join the walk or step outside for a friendly catch-up. The route is filled with conversation, laughter and hugs—a contrast to the hard times many tenants have known, from job loss and addiction to domestic abuse and illness.

What’s clear: They count Lunetta a friend, and perhaps, a lifesaver.

“When he says he’s going to do something, it gets done,” Ceilly says. “He’s not just a landlord. He’s trying to build a community.”

Lunetta founded A Tiny Home for Good in 2014, the same year he earned a master of public administration from Maxwell. In the 12 years since, the nonprofit has built 23 tiny homes and rehabilitated nearly two dozen additional properties across Syracuse, housing 47 people. Roughly two dozen more projects are underway.

That work made Lunetta a 2026 , an honor given annually to people making extraordinary contributions to their communities. The segment aired in July, featuring some of the tenants on the walk on a recent Tuesday morning.

When the call came in late 2025, Lunetta didn’t believe it.

“I thought it was just a scam—a call from some random number saying someone from CNN was trying to reach me,” he says.

A committee had already reviewed a nomination on his behalf, and after months of vetting, made it official.

Lunetta says the recognition isn’t about him.

“It’s a recognition of what our team has built,” he says.

A Different Plan

Lunetta didn’t come to Maxwell with homelessness on his mind. He arrived planning to work with international organizations in a career that would involve extensive travel.

“I don’t remember the professor, but I remember the class. I remember exactly where I was sitting,” Lunetta says. “I remember thinking, ‘Oh—this is not what I want to do.’”

Lunetta volunteered at a 115-bed men’s shelter in Syracuse during his undergraduate years at LeMoyne College and eventually became a staff member. He watched a cycle that never seemed to break. Men would leave with a plan to find stable housing and, time and again, come back, often because they couldn’t afford anything beyond some of the city’s worst housing stock.

“Maybe a quarter of the way through that first year, I really started asking myself: What do I care about?” Lunetta says. “And it was this. It was the work at the shelter, hearing the guys’ stories, trying to find a solution.”

He focused on nonprofit management. The idea for what would become A Tiny Home for Good—permanent, dignified housing paired with long-term support—began to take shape.

Lunetta said his Maxwell coursework gave him tools he reaches for every day. Chief among them: statistics, taught by Sarah Hamersma, associate professor of public administration and international affairs.

“Statistics was something I would have run in the opposite direction from,” says Lunetta. “She’d come in and share a statistic that’s published, that everyone treats as gospel and then break down why it didn’t actually hold up. It was like, ‘Wow—these numbers I’ve always been afraid of are actually useful.’”

Hamersma says Lunetta “was that ideal student we always dream of for the M.P.A.”

She added, “He had a vision for serving the public good—a big vision—and he was ready to work really hard to master the skills he needed, even the ones that didn’t come naturally.”

Lunetta said Tina Nabatchi’s course in public organizations and management gave frameworks for running an organization.

“I went into Maxwell thinking I’d do something very different,” he says. “There’s a very direct line from what I learned there to where I ended up. Without it, I probably would have ended up doing something I wasn’t best suited for.”

One House at a Time

While pursuing his M.P.A. and volunteering in the shelter, Lunetta talked about his idea for A Tiny Home for Good with nearly everyone in the community supporting the unhoused. People told him the idea could work but cautioned him about the capital and risk involved. He started the paperwork while still a student.

“For a while, from 2016 to 2020, pretty much, it was just me,” he says.

The operation looks different today: volunteer crews, tradespeople and sponsoring businesses now handle much of the physical construction. But Lunetta still finds his way onto job sites.

“I really love that part of the work,” he says. “I hope to always spend at least a little bit of time doing it.”

One of the most recent projects sits right next door to the headquarters: a two-family home that just cleared final approval for occupancy after a remodel. Out back, a new playground sits near a pergola designed and built by Syracuse University architecture students.

Every home the organization builds or renovates goes to someone who would not pass a typical background check for market-rate housing. Most go to tenants pulled from the county’s coordinated entry list, which ranks people by how long they’ve experienced homelessness; those with co-occurring substance use or mental health needs rank near the top.

“We’re proud of that,” Lunetta says. “That’s who our houses are for.”

The documents that track the U.S. Territory of Guam’s legal history tell the story of a judicial system still coming into its own. Every statute, court opinion and legal publication represents another chapter in the evolution of the Pacific island’s legal system.

During the summers of 2025 and 2026, Sarah Elmore-Hernandez L’26 completed an externship at the , gaining a deeper understanding of the legal foundation behind the advocacy work she conducts for the community that is her home.

Completed as a requirement for  the externship immersed her in the office responsible for publishing Guam’s statutes, opinions for the Supreme Court of Guam and other legal resources relied upon by judges, attorneys, policymakers and the public.

“Going through Supreme Court opinions gave me a greater appreciation for how much Guam’s legal system has developed in a relatively short period and for the responsibility we have to continue building on it,” Elmore-Hernandez says, noting that, just over 50 years ago, the  reshaped Guam’s court system and led to the establishment of an independent judiciary, which only achieved status equal to the legislative and executive branches in 2004.

A Career Dedicated to Public Policy, Helping Survivors

Elmore-Hernandez began her career as a policy analyst at the Guam Legislature before advancing to chief of staff for senators on both sides of the aisle. Through those roles, she became passionate about addressing gender-based violence and helped advance legislation to strengthen protections for survivors.

That mission carries particular importance on Guam, where geographic isolation, a limited pool of practicing attorneys, and constrained resources can create additional barriers for survivors seeking legal assistance or a safe path out of abuse.

By the time she entered law school in August 2023, Elmore-Hernandez was working for the Judiciary of Guam as the director of policy, planning and community relations, as well as completing a Ph.D. in gender and politics. In February 2026, she was appointed director of Guam’s Bureau of Women’s Affairs, bringing her into the executive branch and completing a public service career spanning all three branches of Guam’s government. Today, she oversees grants from Guam’s Office on Violence Against Women and works to expand resources for survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault and human trafficking.

“I have always believed policy is where I can have the greatest impact,” she says, noting that she hopes to one day establish a women’s law center on Guam. “For me, earning a law degree was never simply about becoming a litigator, but a stronger policy advisor and advocate—being better equipped to turn ideas into protections that make a difference in people’s lives.”

JDi Program Flexibility Allowed Her To Stay With Her Island Community

“I knew for some time that I wanted to go to law school, but it didn’t always seem practical,” Elmore-Hernandez says.

With no law school on Guam and the nearest ABA-accredited school located 3,800 miles away in Hawaii, pursuing a residential degree required leaving the island. The JDi program presented her with an alternative option where she could remain in Guam and continue her public service career while simultaneously earning a law degree alongside a cohort of experienced professionals from around the world.

The 14-hour time difference between Guam and Syracuse actually worked in her favor, allowing her to log on to online classes in the morning while continuing her professional responsibilities throughout the day.

Staying on Top of the Storm

Elmore-Hernandez has certainly faced plenty of challenges juggling full-time work, studies, and community volunteering. However, one last challenge remained before she could complete her law degree: Super Typhoon Bavi.

Guam is in the midst of “typhoon alley,” and while its 170,000 residents stay prepared, they could not avoid two typhoons that impacted the island this year. Just after recovering from Super Typhoon Sinlaku in April, the island was hit by Bavi in July. The storm left much of Guam without power, water, or internet services just days before Elmore-Hernandez’s final exams.

In fact, internet service was only partially restored when she logged on for an oral final exam on national security with the , professor of law, director of the  and professor of public administration in the .

Still, she succeeded, completing her exams and degree in early August, as well as preparing to take the newly introduced NextGen bar exam.

Looking back, the experience with Syracuse Law’s JDi program was well worth all of her efforts, and she credits strict time management, encouragement from her mentors and support from faculty and others in her cohort at Syracuse Law, her husband, and her three shih tzus for helping her reach her goals.

“Guam is my home. It always has been and I can’t imagine serving anywhere else. That, and our sunsets are the best in the world!” she says. “If I can use what I’ve learned to make life better for the people in my community, particularly women, then I’m exactly where I need to be. The Syracuse Law JDi program helped me make that happen.”

From July Fourth Weekend to Labor Day Weekend at , just before the horses load into the gate, a single trumpet call cuts through the chatter of the grandstand. It’s the Call to Post, a tradition as old as thoroughbred racing itself.

For the past few years, that sound has come from Carson Gambaro ’22, an alumnus and four-year member of the Syracuse University Marching Band (SUMB). He plays it alongside the person who taught him almost everything he knows about music: his dad, Tony Gambaro.

Carson picked up the trumpet in elementary school, discovering along the way that he’d been born with perfect pitch, a gift he says he’d feel guilty not using to its fullest.

His musicality helped point him toward Syracuse, though not because he had a clear plan.

“I knew there was a lot of potential there,” he says, and joining the SUMB felt like a way to find out what that was.

Lessons and Memories From Marching Band

As a band member, pre-season camp meant 12-hour days, which bonded him not just with his trumpet section but with the entire ensemble.

During his freshman season, Syracuse played in the Camping World Bowl in Orlando and the marching band was there. Gambaro remembers the trip fondly, including riding Disney World’s Space Mountain twice to make up for missing it on a high school trip.

More than any single moment, though, the marching band taught him how to perform with what he calls “nonstop passion,” a lesson that has followed him well beyond his playing days on the field.

During the pandemic, while running solo workouts on the practice track behind South Campus, Gambaro reconnected with another lifelong passion: track and field, a sport he’d competed in throughout high school.

Paired with his time at the Newhouse School of Public Communications, his interest in athletics propelled him toward a career in sports broadcasting. He’s now an announcer who covers track and field regularly and has done play-by-play at prestigious events including the Penn Relays (the oldest running meet in America), New Balance Nationals and the New York State Championships. He served as a color commentator for American Grant Fisher’s 5,000-meter indoor world record (12:44.09) at Boston University in 2025.

Gambaro also launched his own interview podcast, “In Full Stride,” and engaged in networking opportunities with top broadcasters at the USA Track and Field National Championships in New York City in July.

A New Tradition at Saratoga

But it’s Saratoga where two of Gambaro’s worlds, music and sport, collide most visibly.

Growing up not far from the track in Saratoga Springs, he wasn’t especially familiar with it as a kid. That changed when his father, a professional trumpet player, was asked to take over Call to Post duties from the track’s longtime bugler, Sam Grossman (known as Sam the Bugler), in 2022. Tony’s schedule meant he couldn’t cover every one of the meet’s roughly 40 racing days, so father and son began splitting the job.

What was supposed to be a primary-and-backup arrangement turned into something more during a sound check, when an audio engineer suggested they try playing together. The reaction from track marketing staff was immediate. Interviews, and a new tradition were born almost overnight.

Now, the Gambaros take turns and sometimes combine playing the Call to Post before each of the day’s races. In between races, they entertain the crowd, taking requests from wedding songs to rap hits.

Off the clock, the father-son duo also perform together in Tony’s 10-piece group, Ten Most Wanted, playing weddings, clubs, corporate events and in summer concert series around the Albany area.

What’s it like to work with his dad?

“It’s telepathic,” the younger Gambaro says. “We can look at each other and say a word or two before playing a song, and then we’ll just play it.”

Months could pass between bugling gigs, he says, and they still pick up exactly where they left off.

While many college students spent their summer at home or in a classroom, Andrew Uryniak ’28 spent his summer helping engineer the next mission to Mars.

The aerospace engineering major in the completed a 10-week internship at NASA’s (JPL), managed by the California Institute of Technology, where he worked in the System Safety Office supporting NASA’s contribution to the European Space Agency’s (ESA) ExoMars Rosalind Franklin mission. NASA is providing the ESA with Mars lander engines, a mass spectrometer for the mission’s MOMA instrument and a launch vehicle, along with potential use of lightweight heater units, for the joint mission to search for signs of past life on Mars.

Uryniak’s project focused on assessing the risk of inadvertent mechanism deployment, a scenario NASA evaluates for its launches. To do that work, he used Siemens NX, a CAD and finite element analysis program widely used in the aerospace industry, to build 3D models of spacecraft components and run structural simulations.

“The work I did during my internship gave me a great look into one of the most widely-used CAD and FEA software programs in the industry, and it really elevated my appreciation for the structural work that aerospace engineers do,” says Uryniak.

At JPL, Uryniak also had an orange connection. Aerospace engineering alumnus Shaun Ryan ’16 served as his mentor and provided guidance as he learned his way around the legendary NASA facility.

“I’m extremely grateful for Shaun and his support as a mentor during my time as a JPL intern. He was there to help me when challenges arose, but he also gave me opportunities to learn and make progress independently, and I’m very thankful for that,” says Uryniak. “My success as an intern would not have been possible without his guidance and feedback. I also really appreciate each chance I was given to explore the laboratory with him and learn about his role at JPL. Because of Shaun, I was able to develop skills and an engineering mindset that I know will take me far in life.”

Uryniak’s work at JPL included learning to mesh components for analysis; running hand calculations rooted in dynamics, kinematics and structural engineering principles; and conducting impact tests on composite material samples to study how they respond to varying levels of impact energy.

Beyond his primary project, Uryniak supported cleanroom operations and spacecraft hardware testing and watched a Mars rover test bed make the trip from a cleanroom to JPL’s Mars Yard, where engineers test vehicles built for the Curiosity and Perseverance rovers.

“Being able to support cleanroom operations was one of my favorite parts of the internship,” Uryniak says. “It was so surreal getting to stand near hardware that would eventually be leaving Earth. I hope to pursue work that gives me that kind of opportunity again in the future.”

The internship also gave Uryniak access to speakers and facilities not typically open to the public.

“JPL did an amazing job of ensuring interns made the most of their experience by arranging events with guest speakers like Reid Wiseman, the commander of the Artemis II mission,” Uryniak says. “I was also fortunate enough to hear the current NASA administrator, Jared Isaacman, speak about the next few years of NASA during his visit to JPL.”

Uryniak also toured JPL’s Space Flight Operations Facility, the mission control center that has directed NASA’s interplanetary and deep space missions since 1964 and manages the Deep Space Network, along with several other facilities across the lab.

“Working for NASA has been a dream of mine for years, so being able to spend my summer in Southern California at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory was an absolute dream come true,” Uryniak says. “I am so grateful for everything I was able to learn and do in just 10 weeks.”

Maria Calabrese Murray ’44 was 17 when she arrived at Syracuse University in 1940. A talented flutist and pianist, Murray had already performed with the Columbia University Symphonic Band before pursuing higher education in Syracuse. By the time she earned her bachelor of fine arts degree in art education, the U.S. had been fighting in World War II for nearly three years, and women across the country were stepping into roles being opened to them for the first time in the military.

Murray was chosen as one of five women from Syracuse University to attend the U.S. Naval Midshipman School at Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts, training alongside other women who would help redefine what military service meant for generations to come. She completed the program and was commissioned as an Ensign in the U.S. Navy WAVES, or Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service.

Thanks to a donation from Murray’s daughter, Susan Cooper, a part of Murray’s military legacy is now prominently on display in the gallery at the . The informational display contains uniform items from Murray, as well as photos and articles from her time on campus and in the service.

“My mother always spoke of being a WAVE with great pride. Growing up, I didn’t recognize the significance until I was older, particularly after she passed away in 2012,” Cooper says. “She had been living with us for eight years, so I had all of her items in my basement, and I knew it had to find a wonderful home.”

Before her military service, Murray built a record of achievement on campus. She was a member of the Sigma Kappa sorority and the fine arts honor society Sigma Chi Alpha, and she served as manager of the women’s varsity rifle team and chair of the Women’s Athletic Association.

Not long after graduating from Syracuse, she married William Ellsworth Murray, a fellow alumnus and a commissioned medical officer in the U.S. Navy. The couple eventually settled in Indiana, but Murray first returned to Syracuse after her own military service, becoming the first returning service member to teach art in the College of Human Development. She later earned a master’s degree in applied arts from the University.

Murray went on to have a rewarding career as an educator, artist and civic leader in Indiana, where she founded the Indianapolis chapter of Hospital Audiences, Inc., a nonprofit bringing visual and performing arts to underserved and special-needs communities.

Murray died July 7, 2012, in Indianapolis at age 89. She was a charter member of the Women in Military Service for America Memorial, one more marker of a life spent going first. Her personal papers, including correspondence, photographs, scrapbooks and military records, are preserved separately in the at .

“Moments like these are both rare and rewarding. Having the opportunity to learn about the incredible impact Maria Calabrese Murray and her service in the WAVES had on our nation and the University during World War II is truly remarkable,” says retired U.S. Army Col. Ron Novack. “Having a piece of that history to share with the University community in our gallery is a great connection to the University’s historic commitment to those who served.”

In addition to memorabilia that belonged to Murray, the informational display educates viewers about the WAVES and about programs at the University that supported students preparing for military service. It also contains a draft map of Iwo Jima that Murray drew during her military service.

The Battle of Iwo Jima, fought from Feb. 19 to March 26, 1945, remains one of the most consequential and costly battles of World War II. American forces sought to capture the island’s airfields due to its critically important strategic location in the Pacific Ocean. For military planners, accurate maps and coastline drawings, like the one Murray drafted, were not a luxury but a necessity for operational success.

“Because of her connection to Syracuse, I started thinking that the NVRC is the right home for this. For me, this place feels like a home for her. The Office of Veteran and Military Affairs treated her with tremendous respect, which I admire. She personally wouldn’t have demanded this, but she would have loved every moment,” Cooper says.

While Murray’s uniform and information on the WAVES are already on display in the NVRC Gallery, the map of Iwo Jima she drafted is being carefully prepared to preserve the historical artifact while allowing visitors to understand the complexities of topographic drafting before the development of satellite imagery. It will be featured for public viewing in the near future, but the exhibit can be viewed during regular operating hours at the start of the academic semester.

Otto is in a marathon race and needs the support of Orange Nation.

The beloved University mascot is one of 20 finalists nationwide as part of . From now through Aug. 17 at 11:59 a.m., supporters can claim the title.

The nomination isn’t the first time Otto’s central role in the Syracuse community has been recognized. The adored orange, who participates in 800 events a year, was a member of the 2023 class of the Mascot Hall of Fame.

, the University’s mascot coach, says when she told Otto about the USA Today nomination, the orange’s excitement was palpable.

“Otto, of course, can’t talk—but when I gave Otto the news, you’d think that orange was shouting with delight,” she says. “Otto did a lot of excited dancing and jumping, but then got very focused. Otto wanted a strategy—because Otto likes to win!”

More Than a Mascot

Walas says the USA Today nomination shows Otto’s legacy and impact are still “very much alive and growing.”

“It means everything,” she says of the nomination. “Otto has been part of this community since the early 1980s and became our official mascot in 1995. To be recognized nationally, alongside just 20 finalists from across the country, is a huge honor for our entire program. This isn’t about one costume or one performer; it’s a reflection of 40-plus years of students who have poured their hearts into making Orange Nation smile.”

Otto, she says, is the “one constant” that shows up for every version of the Orange community, from first-year students at their first football game and alumni returning to campus to kids’ birthday parties and families at a hospital visit.

Otto’s devoted presence on and off campus, powered by cheering fans, is what makes the lovable orange a symbol of Syracuse’s community spirit, not just a mascot, Walas says.

“Otto doesn’t just cheer for wins; Otto shows up in the hard moments too,” she says. “Otto is a unifier. Otto welcomes you no matter how long you’ve been an Orange fan, Otto just wants everyone to feel like they belong.”

How Orange Nation Can Help

Walas says Otto’s message to Orange fans right now is simple: “Thank you for making me who I am! Now let’s bring this one home together.”

With voting open now through Aug. 17 at 11:59 a.m., once per day, every day, until the polls close.

“We are encouraging students, alumni, families and fans to set a daily reminder and vote every single day,” Walas says. “Every vote counts, and with daily voting allowed, consistency is everything.”

For more than 40 years, Otto has shown up for the community—now it’s time for the community to show up for Otto, she says.

“This nomination belongs to every fan who has ever hugged Otto, danced with Otto at a game or cheered with Otto in the stands,” says Walas. “Otto is one of four ACC nominees this year, and we’d love nothing more than to bring this title home to Syracuse. Thank you to everyone who has supported Otto for every award, induction and initiative—let’s show the country why Otto’s the best.”

At the dedication of Miron Victory Court on Nov. 8, 2024, Robert J. “Bob” Miron ’59 told the crowd that he was “blown away by the whole thing,” as he and his wife Diane were able to experience and enjoy the fruits of their philanthropy.�� It was a powerful moment for Miron to truly feel the impact of his vision and generosity. Now, the impact of his passing on July 29, 2026, at the age of 89, is being felt across campus, Central New York and beyond.

The man who shaped the cable television industry was also seen as its moral conscience in transforming the way Americans received news, information and entertainment.

“His judgment was thoughtful, his ethics unwavering and his word absolute,” according to his

Generosity and Service to His Alma Mater

Miron’s judgment, vision and trust also helped shape his beloved alma mater, which became the primary beneficiary of his generosity. His connection to Syracuse University spanned more than six decades, beginning with his 1959 bachelor’s degree in marketing management from the . Miron went on to serve the University as a voting trustee from 2002 to 2014, vice chair from 2005 to 2009 and life trustee thereafter. He was twice named the Dritz Life Trustee of the Year, in 2015 and 2024, and received the highest alumni honor, the . He was also longtime member of the Newhouse Advisory Board.

“Bob’s impact on Syracuse University will endure for generations,” says Chancellor J. Michael Haynie. “He was far more than a generous donor. For decades he served as a trusted adviser to University leaders, and he never stopped showing up for this institution. Bob’s own experience at Syracuse shaped a lifelong commitment to giving back, and that commitment touched countless students and programs across this university. He was kind and humble and generous with his time, and Syracuse is better for having known him.”

“Bob and his wife Diane have been extraordinary champions of the University through both service and philanthropy,” says Board Chair Jeff Scruggs. “As a trustee, Bob brought the same judgment and integrity to Syracuse’s boardroom that defined his career in the cable industry. He asked hard questions, he listened carefully and he always kept the University’s best interests at the center of every conversation. Bob’s generosity, wisdom and devotion to the University leave a legacy that will endure for generations.”

The Diane and Bob Miron Fund for Academic Success supports academic and student success initiatives within , including the Blackstone LaunchPad, student services, technology enhancements and student spaces. The in Newhouse 2 is named in their honor and is dedicated primarily to news, talk and magazine-style production, with multimedia capabilities, a contemporary news set, a green screen, state-of-the-art lighting systems and cameras. The Miron Learning Commons on the first floor of Bird Library was dedicated in 2022, and the Miron Victory Court, the space connecting the JMA Wireless Dome and the Barnes Center at The Arch, was dedicated in 2024. The Mirons have supported many initiatives in the , the , and Syracuse University Libraries.

Mark J. Lodato, dean of the Newhouse School, says Miron mentored students, supported leadership and helped to transform programs and facilities at Newhouse. Even last week, Miron participated in a virtual advisory board meeting, encouraging others to support the school’s future.

“Bob was someone you could always pick up the phone and have a genuine conversation with,” Lodato says. “He was optimistic and kind, always looking for the positive in a difficult situation. It was wonderful to have someone like Bob in your corner.”

“Bob Miron loved Syracuse University in action, not just in words,” says Chancellor Emeritus Kent Syverud. “For more than six decades as a Whitman School graduate, a pioneer who helped build Discovery Channel into a global powerhouse and a devoted life trustee, he gave Syracuse University his time, his generosity and his belief in what it could become. Miron Victory Court, where thousands of people pass through each year for some of the University’s most seminal academic, social and athletic events, stands as a lasting testament to that commitment. Syracuse is stronger because of Bob Miron, and I’m grateful to have called him a friend.”

A Distinguished Career in the Communications Industry

Beyond Syracuse University, Miron had a distinguished career in the communications industry. He joined Advance/Newhouse Communications and its predecessor companies in 1966. He led the company’s cable TV interests for more than 50 years, pioneering improvements in customer service, expanding programming through early microwave distribution, helping fund and guide C-SPAN and promoting Cable in the Classroom and other educational initiatives. He retired as chairman and chief executive officer in 2010. He also served as chairman of Discovery, a global leader in real-life entertainment reaching billions of viewers, and as non-executive chairman of the board of directors of Discovery Inc.

He chaired the board of directors of C-SPAN and served two terms as chairman of the board of directors of the Internet and Television Association, formerly the National Cable and Telecommunications Association (NCTA), where he led numerous committees and oversaw the Music Licensing Committee for more than 25 years. He also served as vice chair of the board of directors of the Cable Center.

His industry honors include induction into the Cable Hall of Fame in 2001 and the Broadcasting and Cable Hall of Fame in 2002, the CTAM Grand TAM Award in 2009, the Cable Television Public Affairs Association’s President’s Award in 1995, NCTA’s Distinguished Vanguard Award for Leadership in 1991, NCTA’s President’s Award in 1990 and the New York State Cable Television Association’s Chairman’s Award in 1987. He was the inaugural recipient of The Cable Center’s Bill Bresnan Ethics Award, recognizing the qualities colleagues believed defined him more than any title ever could: integrity, humility, fairness and ethical leadership.

Miron also served on the board of directors of Crouse Health in Syracuse, as president of the board of directors of the Jewish Community Center of Syracuse and as vice president of Temple Adath Yeshurun, which named him Citizen of the Year in 2000.

Miron is survived by his wife of 64 years, Diane, their children, Trustee Nomi Bergman G’24 (Neal), Steve Miron (Jackie) and Lisa Sidel (Jaret Seiberg); grandchildren Becca Hayworth (Justin), Jimmy Miron (Elizabeth Hodges), Dori Bergman (Brandon Hacken), Danny Miron (Shay), Rachel Sidel, Anna Sidel, Allie Bergman, Ellie Sidel and Josh Sidel; great-grandson Solomon Hayworth; his sister, Mitzi Miron Shure (Jerry Wische); and many nieces, nephews, and cousins, including fellow Trustee Michael Newhouse.

In “Second First Date,” the first full-length movie script from Matt Sacca ’19, protagonist Nora falls for the man of her dreams at a house party, only for her love interest, Charlie, to suffer a concussion and forget her entirely.

For the rest of the movie, Nora schemes to recreate each magical moment of their chance encounter to win back Charlie’s affection. Nora and Sacca, the brainchild behind the project, share the same personality trait to never give up on a dream.

That mentality helps explain how Sacca is now on the verge of having his script picked up by movie production company American High. It comes nine years after “Second First Date” was submitted as a project in a “Script-to-Screen” course offered through a partnership between the and .

“Who would have ever thought my thesis project would turn into my first feature film? I’m excited thinking about where this can go,” says Sacca, who wrote the original “Second First Date” script as part of a Newhouse senior thesis with Fallon Siegler ’19 and Daniel Walters ’19.

Finding a Hollywood Ending

The “Script-to-Screen” class was designed for students to develop feature-length films in collaboration with writer-director-producer Jeremy Garelick and his independent movie production company, American High, through its first-look deal with Hulu.

Garelick, along with , an assistant professor of television, radio and film in the Newhouse School, taught the course. Sacca credits that connection with turning his idea into reality.

“This has been an incredible journey,” says Sacca, who has expanded American High’s reach on college campuses across the country and mentored hundreds of emerging writers. “I wouldn’t be equipped to take this on without the experience of taking notes, getting actionable feedback and learning how to produce scripts that get made.”

‘The Idea Just Lingered’

Sacca is currently “head down” in revisions, transforming the story’s bones into something more relatable.

Sacca wants to include as many jokes as possible using “plant and payoff,” a screenwriting technique that adds depth and meaning to a few moments in a story, rewarding the audience for paying attention to a particular bit or detail later on.

Into the fall, American High and Sacca will focus on securing financing to accelerate the movie’s development and turn their attention to production.

Sacca is no stranger to the industry’s ups and downs. He was American High’s first intern. After graduating, he worked as Garelick’s executive assistant, sifting through and giving feedback on hundreds of scripts from aspiring filmmakers before being promoted to head of development in summer of 2021.

When Sacca was working as Garelick’s assistant, the project started to gain momentum when the original draft received positive coverage from American High’s script readers.

“The idea for ‘Second First Date’ just lingered. It was sticky,” Sacca says. “It didn’t just fade as soon as we graduated. I thought about this film often.”

Creating Industry-Connected Opportunities for Students

Frahm knew Garelick from their time together in a Los Angeles screenwriter’s group, reviewing and giving feedback on each other’s projects.

When Frahm learned Garelick and American High were setting up shop in Syracuse, he saw a chance to collaborate on how to “create wonderful opportunities for our students.”

“This partnership is unique to any other film program perhaps in the nation,” says Frahm, who meets weekly with Sacca and remains an integral part of Sacca’s film project. “We’re building industry-connected opportunities at Newhouse, creating classes and pipelines that connect students directly with professional filmmakers and tangible career outcomes.”

Never Gave Up on a Dream

From the fall of 2021 through December 2022, Sacca was constantly tweaking the script during consultations with Frahm, Garelick and actress Peyton Elizabeth Lee, a former Disney Channel star who was attached to play Nora and serve as a producer.

Hulu passed on the script initially in January 2023, but that initial rejection further motivated Sacca. In 2025, when American High released “Pizza Movie,” which starred Lee and held the top spot for a week on both Hulu and Disney+, Sacca, Garelick and Frahm revived the project, which was optioned in March. The film project and Lee’s involvement were announced .

“After the initial Hulu pass, I started to accept that maybe the script wouldn’t be brought to life, but this story truly never left my mind,” Sacca says.

“Matt was able to deal with the frustrations and the rejections. He kept working hard and that’s a big reason why this project is being made,” adds Frahm.