, professor in the University’s , has always been drawn to studying the legal issues that impact families, Indigenous communities and identity. He has long shared that research with audiences beyond the classroom.

That expansion began around 2011 when he started writing for The New York Times and continued with the release of his debut children’s book, “” in 2019, which the Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal and the . His second book, “ published last year and was listed on Kirkus Best Books of 2025.

His third book for children, “,” will be released on Oct. 13.

“I like to do the same topics over and over, but for different audiences, so it’s making this type of scholarship accessible,” Maillard says.

His latest book, “The Ones Who Came Before” explores the idea of belonging and “who came first” through a child and grandfather. Maillard says it was sparked by an unexpected encounter with bears during a family trip to Vermont.

“We were all sitting by the window in the dark, and then something blew on our faces,” he says. “It was really hard and stinky. We couldn’t see it, but we were nose-to-nose with a bear in the window. We ran out screaming, and then we saw another bear in another window. And we realized we were surrounded by bears.”

When the game warden arrived, the response to his request for help removing the bears stopped him in his tracks.

“He said, ‘Actually, the bears were here long before you, and they’ll be here long after,’” Maillard says.

The warden’s words stuck with him, and the idea for the book grew.

“That forest ranger’s words reminded me of something very important,” Maillard says. “You have to recognize that there was somebody else here before, and you’re in their spot. They’re not in your spot.”

Maillard, an  enrolled member of the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma, shares more with Syracuse University Today about his newest book and the links between his scholarship and his writing for children.

The (BBI) has been awarded two competitive grants from the , part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Together, the awards total $4. 5 million over three years and will bring a significant infusion of new research, education and outreach activity to BBI and the University.

“This is an amazing day for BBI,” says , BBI chairman and University Professor at the . “These awards are a testament to my BBI colleagues, the support of the Office of Sponsored Research and the entire Syracuse University community.”

Training the Next Generation of Researchers

A $750,000 grant will fund the Advanced Rehabilitation Research and Training Program on the Future of Employment for People with Disabilities. , director of research for BBI and a research assistant professor in the College of Law, is principal investigator. Blanck is co-PI.

The program will recruit and train four postdoctoral fellows to study disability employment policy, practice and law, including the role of artificial intelligence in these areas. Fellows will join BBI’s Disability Employment Policy Rehabilitation Research and Training Center, work with faculty mentors and complete a community practicum with disability-led organizations.

“Employment among people with disabilities has reached historic highs, but a significant employment gap remains, and we need to study both,” Hyseni says. “This national program will train leading young career researchers to do that work.”

Syracuse mentors include , and of the , and of the . They are joined by scholars from Harvard and Rutgers Universities and the National Organization on Disability.

The application period for the 2026-27 fellowships opens Sunday, Nov. 1. is available on the BBI website.

Renewing ADA Support Across the Southeast

A $3.7 million competitive renewal will continue BBI’s leadership of the , with Blanck as PI. One of 10 regional centers in the ADA National Network, the center provides information, training and guidance across eight states: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. It reaches more than 1 million stakeholders annually.

“The Southeast ADA Center makes a positive difference in the lives of individuals with disabilities and their families by fostering understanding of the ADA,” says , program director and co-PI, who is BBI’s director of outreach.

Over the next three years, the center will build partnerships among the disability community, government, business and community organizations, and produce new knowledge about employment, health care and economic self-sufficiency.

The at Syracuse University Libraries has announced Eric Alderman L’75 as its latest Faculty Entrepreneur in Residence for the 2026-2027 academic year. Alderman attended the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and . A Syracuse native, he has practiced law for most of his career, founded multiple businesses and has taught in the for many years. In 2025, he received Whitman’s George R. Burman Entrepreneurial Leadership Award in recognition of his contributions to entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial education.

As Entrepreneur in Residence, Alderman will provide students with practical guidance as they navigate the entrepreneurial process. His mentoring will focus on areas including business strategy, venture formation, legal and organizational considerations, financing, negotiation, operations and the transition from an idea to a sustainable business. Students interested in meeting with him can connect through the LaunchPad at Syracuse University Libraries.

“Entrepreneurship is rarely a straight line,” Alderman says. “Students need advisors who have been through the process and who can help them recognize opportunities, understand risks and make better decisions. There is tremendous entrepreneurial talent at Syracuse, and I’m excited to be part of helping students turn their ideas into action.”

“We know Eric Alderman well in the LaunchPad and appreciate his mentoring of students and frequent participation at our business planning competitions,” said Dean David Seaman. “He understands that students need someone who will listen, challenge their assumptions and help them determine what comes next. It is a delight to continue our partnership with Eric as Faculty Entrepreneur in Residence and to extend our close relationship with Whitman.”

The LaunchPad’s Faculty Entrepreneur in Residence program connects student innovators with experienced faculty members who are entrepreneurs and business leaders and who can provide individualized mentoring and perspective. Previous LaunchPad Faculty Entrepreneurs in Residence have included John Torrens, chair of Whitman’s Entrepreneurship and Emerging Enterprises program and three-time ’CUSE50 Awardee for his entrepreneurial ventures, and Don Carr, VPA School of Design faculty member and accomplished industrial and interaction designer, patent holder and inventor.

�ճ���� is Syracuse University’s innovation hub, connecting the campus resource-rich ecosystem with a global network that provides support for aspiring entrepreneurs, inventors and creators. The program serves faculty, staff, students and recent alumni across all disciplines who are interested in entrepreneurship, venture creation and innovation careers. The program supports a key pillar of Syracuse University’s academic strategic plan to give students experiential opportunities that help prepare them to be trailblazers in an entrepreneurial world.

Mark your calendar: The Summit kicks off festivities on Thursday, Sept. 17.

Reflecting Chancellor Haynie’s belief that the University’s greatest strength is its people, The Summit invites the University community to explore the ideas, people and collaboration defining Syracuse University’s future.

The schedule is designed so community members can drop in for a single session or take part in the entire day.

The Passport Challenge

Pick up a limited-edition Syracuse keychain and event passport in Panasci Lounge during the Summit Showcase, then collect three different commemorative charms as you move through the day. Complete at least five passport activities and turn it in at Orange Fest on Sept. 18 for a chance to win tickets to the University Suite at a men’s basketball game. Also stop by for inauguration keepsakes, including blankets and drinkware, showing your Syracuse University spirit.

Start the Day With Big Ideas

Head to Schine Student Center at 9 a.m. for the Syracuse Summit Showcase, where schools and colleges from across campus will have tables organized around five themes: artificial intelligence, experiential inquiry, creating (innovation, invention and design), engagement and access. Presentations include the following:

• Check out hands-on demos, including an immersive crime scene experience from Forensic and National Security Sciences; live hearing tests from the Gebbie Speech, Language and Hearing Clinic team; and inventions built by students from Invent@SU.
• The College of Engineering and Computer Science and School of Information Studies are teaming up on an AI and robotics showcase.
• The Newhouse School of Public Communications will spotlight student-led national reporting alongside an interactive opportunity with the Center for the Creator Economy.
• The College of Arts and Sciences will showcase community-engaged humanistic scholarship and its impact on the Syracuse community.
• The College of Visual and Performing Arts (VPA) will showcase art, design and performances across all disciplines.
• Other participants also include the School of Architecture, Falk College, the College of Law, the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs and the National Veterans Resource Center.

Keynote: Future in Focus

At noon, Goldstein Auditorium is the place for Future in Focus, where members of our community will share personal stories of change, resilience and reinvention through a series of short talks.

Doors will open at 11:30 a.m. for a complimentary lunch buffet, and the program will begin at noon.

An Afternoon of Discovery

From 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., there will be a full slate of collaborative sessions across campus.

• Discover study abroad and away. Find out about the variety of opportunities available from representatives on the Quad (11 a.m.-3 p.m.).
• Committing to Academic Access and Inclusion for All Learners at SU and Beyond (1-1:45 p.m., Huntington Hall Commons), a panel with the School of Education, College of Law and College of Professional Studies.
• VPA in the Making: Ideas, Experiments, Performances and Possibilities (1-5 p.m., first floor, Shaffer Art Building), featuring a college-wide exhibition of student, faculty and alumni work, with pop-up performances in Shemin Auditorium.
• Game Changers: A Conversation with Mike Levine of CAA Sports (2-3 p.m., Flaum Grand Hall, Whitman School of Management). Levine, the co-founder of CAA’s Sports Division, talks career and the business of sports media with Falk College Dean Jeremy Jordan.
• Veteran and Military-Connected Syracuse: Education, Research and Impact (3-4:30 p.m., National Veterans Resource Center Lobby). Meet student veterans and ROTC cadets, tour the Hall of Honor and NVRC Gallery, and grab complimentary coffee from the Canteen Café.
• Solving Grand Challenges Together (3-3:45 p.m., Schine Student Center). College of Arts and Sciences faculty and researchers dig into interdisciplinary work spanning the University.
• The 38th Annual Herbert Lourie Memorial Lecture on Health Policy (3:30-5 p.m., Strasser Legacy Room, Eggers Hall). Journalist and author Gary Taubes will speak on diet, disease and the limits of scientific consensus.
• AI Across Syracuse: Ideas, Innovation and Impact (4-4:45 p.m., Schine Student Center). Faculty from across the University will share how their program, unit or initiative is working with AI and why it matters.

Elsewhere, don’t miss two exhibitions at Bird Library: “” (all day) tracing the impact of the University’s 13 chancellors across more than 150 years, and “” (2 to 5 p.m.), a University Archives pop-up on how students have driven change on campus.

On the Einhorn Walk, stop by “Charting Our Future Together.” At this interactive station, you can add your own ideas about where Syracuse should be headed, from what campus looks like in 20 years to what every student should experience by 2045.

The Syracuse University community is coming together this week to mark 25 years since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Special events will honor those who lost their lives and recognize the sacrifices of our nation’s first responders and military-connected members who showed extraordinary courage in the face of unimaginable tragedy.

On the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, attacks at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and aboard United Airlines Flight 93 killed 2,977 people, including 30 Syracuse University alumni.

In observance of the day, and the (OVMA) are holding a starting at 8:46 a.m., the same time when hijacked American Airlines Flight 11 crashed into the World Trade Center’s North Tower.

At precisely 8:46 a.m., there will be a moment of silence in the chapel, followed by a chime ringing 25 times in honor of those who died that day. At the conclusion of the service, 25 candles will be lit to remember the victims.

Here’s a complete rundown of the events happening on campus:

• Sept. 11: Hendricks Chapel 9/11 Remembrance Ceremony, an interfaith memorial service, from 8:30 to 10 a.m. The event will be and will include remarks from several of the chapel’s chaplains and performances from the and José “Peppie” Calvar, director of the Hendricks Chapel Choir and professor and assistant director of choral activities at the Setnor School of Music.
• Sept. 11: 9/11 , JMA Wireless Dome. Registration starts at 8 a.m., followed by an opening ceremony at 8:30 a.m. The climb starts at 8:46 a.m. and ends at noon.
  • Note: the Hendricks Remembrance Ceremony and the Syracuse University Ambulance Stair Climb and Walk will happen simultaneously starting at 8:46 a.m.

• Sept. 11: College of Law ’Cuse Vet Fest, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Levy Atrium. Syracuse-area veterans are invited to a , hosted at the College of Law. This is a joint effort between the , the College of Law’s  and the . Free admission and free parking in the Irving Avenue Garage.
• Sept. 12: , noon to 3 p.m., Women’s Building Field. Celebrate our and enjoy free food, non-alcoholic beverages, a cash bar, games, music and shuttled transportation to and from the event. This is a collaboration between the OVMA, the , and the .

• Sept. 12: vs. the University of California, Berkeley, 3:30 p.m., JMA Dome.
• Sept. 14: , 4 to 7 p.m., National Veterans Resource Center at the Daniel and Gayle D’Aniello Building, K.G. Tan Auditorium. Following a moment of silence for those who lost their lives, there will be a panel discussion from 4 to 5 p.m. featuring Chris Meek ’92, G’18, founder and CEO of the ; , dean of the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications who reported from the Pentagon on 9/11; and ����Ǵڱ�����ǰ����������Ի���, who will reflect on the enduring legacy of the first responders, survivors and everyday citizens. Following the discussion will be a screening of the documentary, “,” from 5 to 7 p.m. Both events are free and open to the public.

When Dean Terence Lau L’98 envisioned the Judicial Wall of Honor, he had a simple but powerful goal: to make visible what has always been true about Syracuse Law. That its graduates don’t just enter the legal profession, they rise to lead it, including from the bench.

The wall celebrates more than 400 College of Law alumni who have served as judges at every level of the American judiciary, federal and state, trial and appellate, from small claims courts to the U.S. Court of Appeals. Their reach spans the full arc of the law school’s history, beginning with Judge Blake of the Class of 1897 and extending to judges serving on the bench today.

For Dean Lau, the wall is both a tribute and a teaching tool. “We want current students to look up at those names and see what’s possible,” he says. “The legal profession demands more than mastery of doctrine. It demands character, integrity and a commitment to justice that outlasts any single case or career. The judges honored on this wall embody that standard.”

The wall also tells a story about path. Not every judge arrived at the bench by a straight line. Some came through decades of trial practice. Some through public service. Some through roads they never anticipated. What they share is a foundation built at Syracuse Law, and a willingness to keep building on it.

For students with judicial ambitions, offer a concrete first step to the bench. These prestigious roles offer invaluable insight into the inner workings of a courtroom and legal decision-making and allow budding attorneys the opportunity to develop their research and writing skills while working closely with judges.

Judge Rodney Thompson G’93, L’93, presiding judge, Family Division, New Jersey Superior Court, who has recruited or placed 11 Syracuse Law clerks and four externs over his career, believes the experiences and relationships forged in a judge’s chambers prove invaluable throughout a legal career. He strongly encourages students to pursue clerkships and externships, particularly with Syracuse Law alumni on the bench.

The Judicial Wall of Honor is not merely a display of achievement. It is an invitation for our current and future students to aspire, to serve and to understand that a legal education, at its best, shapes not just what you do but who you become.

The wall was formally unveiled on Wednesday, Aug. 26, following Justice for All: Opening Pathways to the Bench, a fireside conversation held in Dineen Hall with three distinguished members of the judiciary: Hon. Lillian Wan, Associate Justice of the New York State Appellate Division, Second Department; Hon. Meredith Vacca, United States District Judge for the Western District of New York; and Hon. Staci Dennis-Taylor L’14, Judge of Syracuse City Court. The panelists spoke about the challenges of pursuing a seat on the bench and what it means to serve once you get there.

Following the conversation, the panelists joined for the wall’s unveiling, welcomed by remarks from Dean Lau and Judge Thompson, before a reception brought together students, faculty and staff to celebrate the new tribute to Syracuse Law’s judicial legacy.

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 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.”

Syracuse University’s three study away locations, which provide distinct and wide-ranging opportunities for students, are an equally valuable resource for their professors.

Several faculty members capitalized on those resources this summer, supported by funding from the new program offered by the . The awards were established as a direct result of work done on the University’s academic strategic plan, “,” with the aim of facilitating in Los Angeles, New York City and Washington, D.C.

“These locations give our faculty a rare kind of reach,” says , associate provost for strategic initiatives. “These are fully embedded footholds in three of the most influential cities in the world. They provide an opportunity to extend the classroom into the center of the industries our students are preparing to enter, and to let that experience shape both scholarship and pedagogy in expansive ways.”

Participating faculty members agree that the experience enhanced their professional work and helped lay the groundwork for new academic experiences. , associate professor of public administration and international affairs at the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, was one of them. He conducted archival research at the United Nations Dag Hammarskjöld Library and think tank collections with an eye toward building a study away program centered on peacekeeping and global governance. “New York City is one of the world’s great cities and a hub for innovation, international business, civil society and global governance,” he says. “It has been great spending the summer learning how to access the best of what the city has to offer to enhance the education of Syracuse students.”

Mira Lan Gaitanis, a second-year student in the , recently attended the 17th Annual International Disability Law Summer School, held by the Centre for Disability Law and Policy at the University of Galway. The theme was “The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) Twenty Years On: New Horizons and Emerging Challenges.”

The three-day conference covered the convention’s drafting history through the gaps and emerging challenges now testing it, to its future and a participatory exercise imagining a revised treaty.

The College of Law and the Disability Law and Policy Program sponsored Gaitanis’ participation in the conference.

Gaitanis, a research assistant at the , says the conference provided “an honest reckoning with what the UNCRPD has and has not changed in disabled people’s lives; a reframing of the convention as one tool among many rather than the endpoint; and a clear sense that the next wave of leadership will come from the minds of young disabled people, working in collaboration with earlier generations who are living testaments to disability history and the current movement.”

She also presented a poster, “Presence Is Practice: Music, Independent Living and the Law as a Form of Advocacy.”  The poster argued that advocacy does not only happen in courtrooms and legislatures, but happens every time a disabled person walks into a room that was not built for them and stays. The poster highlighted Gaitanis’ multi-dimensional advocacy through her music. A member of the Recording Artists and Musicians with Disabilities, Gaitanis has released three albums with the band Flat Moon Theory, with songs such as “See Me As I Am” and “Sparrow,” each illustrating her journey as a micropreemie with low vision and chronic pain.

The poster also traced her advocacy journey, including her first individualized education program meeting in fifth grade, her participation in the Florida Youth Leadership Forum, her involvement with Disability Rights Florida and her internships with AAPD and The Harkin Institute. It then illustrates her journey to Galway for the conference and her goal of serving as U.S. special advisor on international disability rights.

At the conclusion of the conference, participants were challenged with drafting new articles for the UNCRPD. Gaitanis served as her group’s envoy, coordinating with the other groups’ envoys in the exercise’s private Discord channel so that, where ideas overlapped, each group could carry forward a distinct proposal. The group proposed, among other things, amending Article 34 to seat a youth representative and create a youth subcommittee.

As part of the craftivism portion of the conference, Gaitanis created a zine titled “Reflections and Musings,” with the cover titled “Nothing About Us Without Us,” that combined collage, printmaking and handwritten notes from the week.

“There were so many incredible speakers, and my favorite part was the participatory exercise that let us imagine the improvements we would make to the U.N. Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities,” says Gaitanis. “My idea was to add a youth representative to the main board and create a subcommittee dedicated to youth and disability. I also deeply valued the panel ‘The Road Ahead: Bringing the UNCRPD into a New Era.’ We are at a turning point in disability rights history, and youth are the ones who can bring in the next wave through activism, community and collective action.”

When Austin Dewey L’26 found out his externship would take him to Copenhagen, Denmark, to present his patent research to the chief legal officer of an international corporation, he never expected his introduction to the city would include a last-minute dash to replace a suit the airline lost in his travels. But, taught him to think on his feet, and, in the end, he arrived dressed for success and well-prepared to demonstrate the knowledge he gained through his unique experiences in law school.

Combining Science, Technology and the Law

With an undergraduate degree in environmental science from Florida State University, Dewey thought he might be a marine biologist but changed his mind and headed to law school. He was particularly attracted to Syracuse Law for its  as well as the opportunity to pursue a career that touched on his interest in science and technology.

Last spring as a third-year law student, Dewey accepted an externship with , a Michigan-based firm specializing in intellectual property law (IP). Through that externship, he discovered an area he never knew existed before law school: patent law.

“My externship provided invaluable hands-on experience in this area of law, strengthened my research and analytical skills and offered a unique glimpse into the global practice of IP strategy,” he says.

Dewey was tasked with research for one of the firm’s clients, , a Danish manufacturer of audio and home entertainment products, as it explored expansion in U.S. markets. He spent months digging through the client’s existing patents, identifying potential infringers and uncovering licensing opportunities that led to a freedom to market analysis.

Working remotely five hours a day, in addition to his coursework at Syracuse Law, was challenging but well worth it.

“The externship experience was awesome, and ultimately I was able to identify three potential infringement claims upon Bang & Olufsen’s intellectual property,” Dewey says. “After that, I worked with the firm’s partners to help develop the best legal strategies for the client.”

He created a detailed presentation outlining his findings and recommendations. The firm flew Dewey, along with another extern and partners Kevin Quinn and Mark C. Willard, to Copenhagen to present to its chief legal officer and legal team.

“It was so exciting to not only show my work to the client first-hand but also have the chance to see how this process works in actual practice,” says Dewey of the three-hour solo presentation. “I assumed their legal team had all of this information in-hand but was surprised my research was able to make them aware of some additional potential infringement that was going on.”

The brand’s partners asked a lot of strategic questions, and his research helped him supply answers with confidence.

“Millions of dollars were potentially at stake for Bang & Olufsen, and it really struck me that the work I did was contributing toward their decision making,” Dewey says. “It was such an opportunity for me to confirm my interest in IP law.”

One thing that left a real impression on him was Bang & Olufsen’s take on how European countries viewed their legal systems.

“It opened my eyes to a lot of differences, particularly how Europeans tend to be less litigious than Americans,” Dewey says. ”It was interesting to get that global perspective on the law.”

Dewey stayed in Copenhagen for an extra day, exploring an ancient castle, taking in the unique Scandinavian design and architecture, sampling amazing street food and walking around the city’s historic canal systems—making the experience even more memorable.

Law School ‘on a Whim’ Opened His Mind to IP

Dewey admits he started law school “on a whim with an open mind to see what it could offer me.” He credits L’99, executive director of the Innovation Law Center and professor of practice, as well as Distinguished Lecturer , for showing him ways to combine science and technology with the law.

“Professor Traficonte is a ‘tech guy’ like me and really helped me discover IP law, and Professor Gerling’s guidance at Syracuse Law’s ILC, where I was able to help real inventors protect their ideas, allowed me to see technologies I didn’t even know existed,” says Dewey, who spent two years of law school involved at the ILC and became a senior research associate.

Director of Alumni Relations Adrienne Lutz connected him with several alumni as career resources, which eventually led to the Willard Quinn opportunity.

“Syracuse Law understands that learning about the law in the classroom is only one aspect of a legal education, and seeing what’s done in actual practice adds another level,” Dewey says. “My externship at Willard Quinn was so impactful and proved to me how much I enjoyed this kind of day-to-day work. And I’ll never forget my visit to Denmark. IP, patents and technology are an evolving area of the legal field that are going to be extremely important in the future.”

Four faculty members have been named Faculty Fellows for the 2026-27 academic year. Now in its fifth year, the program pairs faculty with museum curators and staff to build object-based teaching into courses across the University. The fellows integrate the museum’s collection into their courses and ask students to consider how a photograph or a hand-thrown sake bottle offers its own kind of insight, much like a passage in a textbook.

The fellows this year come from four very different corners of the University including law, economics, music composition and geography, and each is putting the collection to a different use. Together, their projects show just how many doors the museum’s collection can open.

“This year’s cohort shows just how interdisciplinary the uses of the museum’s collection can be and the possibilities it holds for object-based teaching across wildly different, yet interconnected, fields,” says Emily Dittman, director of the Syracuse University Art Museum. “The same collection, in the hands of these faculty, provides opportunities for four completely different conversations. That is at the heart of this program: showing that the museum belongs to every discipline.”

The 2026-27 Faculty Fellows are:

, Daniel Patrick Moynihan Chair in Public Policy and professor of economics and public affairs in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs and the College of Arts and Sciences

Cawley will integrate the museum’s collection into his course, The Economics and Regulation of Risky Health Behaviors. This course uses the social science of economics to understand the causes and consequences of risky health behaviors such as poor diet, alcohol and drug abuse and smoking. He identified more than a dozen objects, ranging from tobacco advertising posters, Prohibition-era cartoons, photographs romanticizing alcohol and more, to engage students with the ideas presented in the course. Cawley says that the collection highlights the contrast between the marketing of these behaviors and their real-world consequences, arguing that tangible, visual evidence reaches students in ways readings alone can’t.

, professor of law and associate dean for faculty research, in the  College of Law

This fall, Barnes will bring museum objects into her Housing Law course. She identified photographs and prints for her students to examine that touch on subjects including worker housing, environmental injustice and high-pollution sites located next to residential communities. During class visits to the museum, she will ask students to think about the interconnectedness of housing and climate.

, assistant professor of music theory and composition,  in the Setnor School of Music, College of Visual and Performing Arts

As part of her course, Class Composition, Loiacono will ask her students to compose two different works in response to objects from the museum’s collection, building on historical examples like Feldman’s “Rothko Chapel” and Rachmaninoff’s “Isle of the Dead,” both inspired by visual art. Students will complete a short in-class response after an initial museum visit, then return independently to choose a work for a longer piece that will be performed at the end of the semester.

, assistant professor of geography and the environment, in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs and the College of Arts and Sciences

Kelly will bring object-based teaching to her course, Transformative Cartographies, a graduate seminar exploring feminist, decolonial and social-justice approaches to mapping. Students will spend the semester with weekly readings that will be paired with hands-on analysis of map-based objects, such as 1965 satirical map of global disease by Boris Artzybasheff. Kelly sees synergy between object-based teaching and geography and cartography, as the disciplines blend theoretical and hands-on training.