Thirty-two graduates will earn dual degrees: a master of business administration degree from the Martin J. Whitman School of Management and an executive master of public administration degree from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs.

Founded in 1952, the DCP prepares military and civilian financial leaders from across the U.S. Department of Defense through an intensive graduate education in business, public administration and defense resource management. Since expanding to serve all branches of the armed services and defense agencies in 2006, the program has continued to develop leaders responsible for managing complex financial and organizational challenges across the defense enterprise.

The commencement celebration follows the program’s annual awards and Beta Gamma Sigma induction ceremony on Thursday, July 23. This year, six students will be inducted into Beta Gamma Sigma, the international business honor society: Raleigh Audette, Jennifer Berry, Joonki Hong, Morgan Hood, Jared Michael McClish and Xiaobin Wu.

During the awards ceremony, Robert Unger, director of resources and analysis for U.S. Central Command, will receive the James F. McCall Award. Bruce Miller, auditor general of the U.S. Army Audit Agency, will receive the Leonard F. Keenan Memorial Award. The David Laychak/Rhonda Rasmussen Award, selected by the graduating class, will be presented to Nickkole Daniels, and the LTC Thomas P. Belkofer Award, recognizing the program’s highest-ranked student, will be presented to Xiaobin Wu.

The 32 graduates of the Class of 2026 are:

Raleigh Audette

Joshua Baker

Jennifer Berry

Trenton Betts

Anthonio Black

Briana Brown

Edgar Carrasquillo

Yu Feng Chao

Nickkole Daniels

Boren Du

Angelica Dy

Tania Gonzalez

Deuntae Greenfield

Joonki Hong

Morgan Hood

Eui-Suk Jung

Monica Lorenzetti

Michelle Ma

Jared Michael McClish

Tatiana McCook

William Meindl

Kiandra Moore

Tan Nguyen

Benson Njoroge

Emilio Obregon

Andrea Pena

Kevin Pollard

Elia Ramirez

Ashley Solorzano

Katelyn Voss

Xiaobin Wu

Wei Ye

“Why have you traveled so far to be here? Why are you here?” Rev. Akhona Masiza asked the , local choirs and concertgoers at the Seth Mokitimi Methodist Seminary in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. “The world is out of tune. And yet, I marvel at the sight in this room.”

It was truly marvelous. In May, over 50 members of the Hendricks Chapel Choir (HCC) visited South Africa—the choir’s first-ever visit to the African continent. The HCC performed six times in 11 days, from Johannesburg to Cape Town and several places in between. HCC Director José “Peppie” Calvar set the tone before departure: “During these trips, the choir is building a global network of kindness that lasts for a lifetime. Our choir students will develop lasting connections with each other and with the South African students they meet along the way,” he said.

Lasting Connections and Beautiful Concerts

The tour’s first dual-billed concert featured the University of Johannesburg Choir and the HCC performing as peers—comparing notes and breaking bread before sharing the stage. Each choir performed separately, then combined their voices to sing “Tshotsholoza,” a well-known South African song traditionally sung by migrant workers. Baritone Samuel Mincey ’28 featured prominently in the lively number.

At Aan-die-Berg Gemeente, a Dutch Reformed church in Randburg, baritone Nick Dekaney ’26 sang his first solo on South African soil, performing “Hlohonofatsa,” a traditional South African song. The choir then visited Rietondale High School, where the energy was electric from the moment they arrived. Destiny, a Rietondale student, declared that she plans to sing forever, inspired by what she heard.

“An experience I will carry with me is singing with the Rietondale High School Choir,” said HCC member Aurelia Harp ’28. “Each and every student in that choir carries a true passion for music and everyone wanted to sing. The students had such a positive energy and it made me feel very welcome in their community and excited to sing.”

Culture, History and the Drakensberg Boys’ Choir

Between concerts, choir members immersed themselves in South Africa’s rich and complicated history. They visited the Apartheid Museum, Nelson Mandela’s house and Archbishop Desmond Tutu’s house in Soweto, went on a safari in Pilanesburg, toured the Union Buildings in Pretoria and hiked in the Drakensberg Mountains. HCC members picked up greetings in Zulu, Xhosa and Afrikaans, often wearing their “be kind.” shirts—wearing their hearts on their sleeves, both figuratively and literally.

A highlight of the Pietermaritzburg leg was a workshop with the internationally acclaimed Drakensberg Boys’ Choir. The two groups combined for vocal and physical warmups, exchanged songs and sang “Tshotsholoza” together, a fitting echo of the tour’s spirit of connection. The HCC also performed that evening at the Seth Mokitimi Methodist Seminary alongside several local choirs, where soprano Eleanor Cjzakowski ’24 G’29 captivated the audience with the traditional spiritual hymn “I’ve Been in the Storm So Long.” Rev. Masiza’s challenge to the choir lingered long after the concert ended: they had come, he suggested, to relearn the dance of love and to make God known again as song.

Cape Town: The Final Leg

The final concert was held at St. George’s Cathedral in Cape Town—a venue rich with history from the anti-apartheid movement and long directed by Archbishop Desmond Tutu. Much like Hendricks Chapel, the cathedral is known as a place of prayer and a space where people of all faiths meet in common acceptance. The HCC shared the stage with the University of the Western Cape Creative Arts Choir, and well-known South African musician Zolani Mahola was thrilled to hear both groups perform the traditional isiXhosa tune “Bawo.” Organists Anne Laver, associate professor in the Setnor School of Music and University organist; Annie Spink G’26 and Michael Guarneiri ’28 also showcased their skills on the cathedral’s stunning instrument.

For several choir members who had graduated just a week before the trip, the Cape Town concert was more than the last show of the tour—it was the last time they would sing together in their current formation. The Western Cape choir students sent them off with a blessing before the evening wound down to a celebratory wrap-up dinner, where the surprises kept coming: a birthday serenade for Laver and a spontaneous announcement from Bryce Meuschke G’26, who shouted, “I got the job!” The choir erupted in applause.

A Legacy of Giving

“One of the things we hope with trips like this is for you to forge lasting friendships with each other,” said Calvar at the tour’s closing dinner. “The Hendricks Chapel Choir has a long legacy of these trips because people a long time ago had a great experience and they later gave a gift to support this trip. At some point we hope you can help the choir travel again and create new experiences.” Calvar closed with a line from the Prayer of St. Francis: “It is in giving of ourselves that we receive.” The Hendricks Chapel Choir is already looking ahead to Hendricks Chapel’s 100th anniversary tour to New Zealand in 2030.

The University is again a proud sponsor of the , a four-day celebration of world-class jazz music and community spirit, taking place July 9-12 at Beak & Skiff Apple Orchards in LaFayette, New York, and on the Syracuse University campus.

As it marks its 40th anniversary, the Syracuse International Jazz Fest enters an exciting new era, expanding its footprint while staying true to its roots. This year’s lineup includes such internationally acclaimed artists as Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue, Tower of Power, Gunhild Carling, Hejira, Dumpstaphunk, and Nathan & the Zydeco Cha Chas, along with the University’s own student jazz ensemble, Orange Juice.

The grand finale of the Syracuse International Jazz Fest, Return to Community: A Sunday Gospel Jazz Service, will be held Sunday, July 12, at , featuring a special performance by the Winston-Salem State University Concert Choir and local ensembles.

Opening Night: Celebrating the Nation’s 250th Anniversary With the Airmen of Note

Syracuse University and the Syracuse International Jazz Fest are proud to co-present a special opening night on Thursday, July 9, at the National Veterans Resource Center at the Daniel and Gayle D’Aniello Building (NVRC), 101 Waverly Ave., Syracuse. The United States Air Force Band’s Airmen of Note will take the stage at 6 p.m.

Presented in association with the University’s , the evening will feature an exclusive Upstate New York regional performance by the world-renowned USAF Airmen of Note, an 18-piece jazz ensemble, musically celebrating the nation’s 250th anniversary.

Admission is free with priority given to Syracuse-area veterans; . Free parking is available in the University Avenue Garage, located at 1101 East Adams St.

Student Ensemble Performance: Orange Juice

Among the festival’s featured performers is the jazz combo, a standout student ensemble of instrumental and vocal performers from the College of Visual and Performing Arts’ . They will perform at 5 p.m. on Friday, July 10, in the tasting room at Beak & Skiff Apple Orchards in LaFayette.

The ensemble performs regularly in concerts on campus and at community events throughout the year. This will be the ensemble’s fourth appearance at the Syracuse International Jazz Fest under the musical direction of , director of jazz and commercial music in the Setnor School.

Fusing Gospel and Jazz

Wrapping up the festival, Hendricks Chapel’s will offer a unique blend of spiritual inspiration and musical artistry. The event will begin at 3 p.m., with a pre-event outdoor community luncheon preceding the service. Both are free.

Hendricks Chapel invites the community to this uplifting experience that fuses and celebrates gospel and jazz music, highlighted by special guests the Winston-Salem State University Concert Choir, the Syracuse Community Choir, composed of Syracuse-area residents, and the Black Celestial Choral Ensemble.

All Syracuse International Jazz Fest events are free and open to the public.

For the full schedule and artist lineup, visit .

On Monday, 50 members of the Hendricks Chapel Choir , carrying with them years of rehearsal, a deep repertoire of music and a mission that stretches well beyond the concert hall. For most of them, it will be their first international tour with the choir. For all of them, it will be something they will carry for the rest of their lives.

The trip is part of a goal set by , director of the choir and professor and assistant director of choral activities in the Setnor School of Music in the . In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, Calvar set a goal to bring the ensemble to every inhabited continent by the time Hendricks Chapel celebrates its centennial in 2030. The choir has performed in China (2005); Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay (2009); Poland and Germany, including Auschwitz (2013); Mexico (2018); and London and Lockerbie and Edinburgh, Scotland (2023).

South Africa represents the fifth such continent, with Oceania still on the horizon. The destination was chosen in no small part thanks to a longstanding connection. Former Vice President and Hendricks Chapel Dean Brian Konkol completed a Ph.D. at the University of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa with connections in South African musical and academic circles. Two years ago, Calvar traveled there to deliver a guest lecture, laying the groundwork for what would become a collaborative itinerary.

“Musically, I feel like the ensemble is as ready as it’s ever been,” Calvar says. “The choir is next level.”

International audiences, he says, want to hear American choirs perform American music, so that forms the backbone of the program. But woven throughout are selections that speak to a broader worldliness: pieces chosen to demonstrate the choir’s versatility, its appreciation of global traditions and its genuine desire to connect. Three South African pieces are on the program, including one of the country’s de facto national anthems.

A Diverse Range of Performance Partners

The choir will perform alongside a diverse range of South African ensembles—high school, university and community choirs—and performances are scheduled in Johannesburg, Pretoria, Drakensberg, Pietermaritzburg and Cape Town.

“It doesn’t get any more diverse,” says Calvar. “South Africa is a place where they’ve found ways of celebrating their own diversity and finding ways to unify and connect, and I think that it’s so very critically important that we show them our own brand of that.”

Life Lessons

For the students making the journey, the significance of the trip is both personal and expansive. Caiyan Bass ’26 is the choir’s president and one of two choir members who also toured with the ensemble in the UK in 2023. Being open to the unexpected, she says, is not just a musical lesson, it’s a life one.

“You never know what kind of relationship may come from music,” she says. “I find that in performance spaces, people connect effortlessly.”

The trip coincides with her first two weeks as a Syracuse University graduate, making it a threshold experience in every sense. After the trip, she will head to the University of Wisconsin-Madison to pursue a master’s degree in speech-language pathology, and she already sees the connection. Working with students from diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds, she says, will require exactly the kind of empathy and openness that international travel cultivates.

For other students on the trip, like Mathena Rush ’27, an environmental health major at the , the South Africa experience carries a different but equally powerful resonance.

Rush is heading into a career in environmental remediation, specifically focused on brownfield development. “Having these international experiences allows me to understand the struggles different communities go through and learn what needs to be done to fix them,” Rush says.

Rush also speaks about what the choir itself has meant to her beyond the tour. As an ESF student, she arrived at Syracuse without the built-in liberal arts community that many of her peers enjoy. Choir became her outlet, her anchor and one of the defining experiences of her college years.

Calvar, when asked to reflect on what these tours mean to students, points to the exit interviews conducted with seniors each year. “The Hendricks Chapel Choir international tour is always on the top of the list,” he says. It is consistently named among the significant moments of students’ time at Syracuse.

They came walking en masse down the Einhorn Family Walk—a 250-person strong contingent of students, faculty, staff and senior leaders led by Otto the Orange. They walked past the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications complex and past tulips wobbling in a brisk spring wind. They walked toward Crouse-Hinds Hall with a single, steady purpose: to rally in support of Chancellor Kent Syverud.

The “Go Gray in May Walk” was conceived by the Student Government Association (SGA) and held with the support of more than 60 recognized student organizations. The walk on April 28, had a dual purpose: to raise funds for the , in honor of Brain Cancer Awareness Month, and to support Chancellor Syverud, who announced on April 15 that he has been diagnosed with brain cancer and is undergoing treatment at University of Michigan Medicine.

Staff members of Syracuse University in DC also walked on April 28 in support of Chancellor Syverud and in solidarity with the Syracuse campus.

Letters and Messages of Support

In front of the Schine Student Center, before the walk, University community members, many clad in in gray, gathered to write personal letters of caring to Chancellor Syverud and Dr. Ruth Chen. Large posters with such messages as “Facilities Services (heart) U!,” “Stand With Our Orange Family” and “No One Fights Alone” were displayed on the façade of Schine.

“Being here is a deeply meaningful experience for me on both a personal and community level. It gives me the opportunity to stand in support of my first University boss and Chancellor during an incredibly difficult time, while also honoring the memory of my uncle, who lost his life to this disease,” said Liz Costa, office coordinator with Facilities Services. “Being surrounded by others who are here for similar reasons creates a strong sense of connection and shared purpose.”

Offering Prayers

Once gathered at Crouse-Hinds Hall, the Rev. Devon Bartholomew, Christian Protestant chaplain at Hendricks Chapel, thanked those assembled.

“Thank you all for coming today. Thank you Student Government Association for responding to Chancellor Syverud’s diagnosis by asking the right question: How do we respond? You have responded well with conscience and clarity,” Barthlomew said.

He then asked those gathered to join arms in prayer. “We pray for Chancellor Syverud and Dr. Chen and for their continued strength when they feel weakest. Let them experience peace and rest when things are uncertain. Give their sons courage as they support their father and mother. Fill each one with the love and the support that we are sending them from Syracuse when they feel alone.”

Bartholomew asked for prayers for all who are involved in the fight against cancer: for the diagnosed and the undiagnosed, for the families and friends, for the support services, for the doctors and nurses, for the counselors and chaplains, for the researchers and innovators. “We pray that progress is made in the advances of cancer research to prevent cancer and detect it early. We pray for treatments that will give longer life to those fighting cancer. We pray for families who support their loved ones,” he said.

“Lastly, I pray for those in our Orange Family who have been impacted by brain cancer, that they would be cared for by us as they work or study at Syracuse University and ESF,” Bartholomew said.

Max Lachut ’28, vice president-elect of SGA, was one of the walk’s organizers and leaders in the walk to Crouse-Hinds. He wanted to support Chancellor Syverud, appreciative of the Chancellor’s leadership and care for students.

“Chancellor Syverud has been extremely receptive and approachable. I emailed him after a University Senate meeting about a topic I was concerned about. He heard me out and provided valuable insight, and I felt truly heard,” he said. “That level of accessibility shapes the culture of an entire institution. It showed me how he views shared governance, and it is a standard I carry into my own leadership.”

More than 50 of Theta Chi’s Syracuse membership turned out to participate in the walk and posed for a group photo outside Crouse-Hinds Hall afterwards.

“We have had several members in the house whose family and friends have dealt with cancer or had cancer scares themselves, so we recognize the importance,” said Jake Karedes ’27. “We really wanted to come out here and show support for the community.”

SGA President German Nolivos estimated that more than $1,000 has been raised for the Brain Tumor Foundation, with donations continuing to come in. “What happened here on Tuesday is uniquely Syracuse—we show up for each other, we care and we are a family,” he said.

Well wishes for Chancellor Syverud and Dr. Chen can be shared on the .

The Syracuse University Alumni Association will honor Chancellor Kent Syverud and Dr. Ruth Chen, professor of practice in the College of Engineering and Computer Science, with the George Arents Award, the University’s highest alumni honor, at the 2026 Alumni Awards Celebration on Thursday, April 23, in Hendricks Chapel. The event is free and open to all alumni, students, faculty, staff and friends of the University.

Check-in begins at 4:30 p.m., with the awards ceremony beginning at 5 p.m. A complimentary reception with food and refreshments follows from 6 to 7:30 p.m. inside the Miron Victory Court.

Chancellor Syverud has led Syracuse University through a period of transformational change over the past 12 years, overseeing record enrollment, a landmark fundraising campaign and the establishment of Syracuse as the nation’s premier private university for veterans and military-connected students. His leadership has reshaped the University’s academic profile, physical campus and national standing.

Dr. Chen has built a distinguished career in environmental toxicology spanning state government, the National Institutes of Health and higher education. Throughout her tenure at Syracuse, she has brought deep expertise and an unwavering commitment to students and the broader University community.

The 2026 Alumni Awards Celebration will also recognize four additional honorees: Ronald J. Taylor ’15, G’16, who will receive the Generation Orange Award for a career spanning education leadership, youth development and technology policy; Daniel A. D’Aniello ’68, H’20, who will receive the Military/Veteran Alumni Award in recognition of his distinguished U.S. Navy service and decades of transformative support for Syracuse University; Akima H. Rogers ’92, who will receive the Volunteer of the Year Award for his deep and enduring engagement with the University community; and Diana Wege ’76, who will receive the Melvin A. Eggers Senior Alumni Award for her loyalty, service and distinguished career as a conceptual artist, curator and activist.

The event is complimentary, but seating is limited. to join the University community in honoring this year’s recipients.

In 2016, Father Gerry Waterman, OFM Conv., was considering taking the role of Catholic chaplain at Syracuse University. It was not an easy decision, he says.

For starters, he loved his work at Elon University in North Carolina, where he served as Catholic chaplain for 11 years. Syracuse University is a much bigger institution, and he was not crazy about the idea of long, cold winters.

Waterman embarked on a three-day trip to Syracuse in April that year to meet with Chancellor Kent Syverud and other leaders. On an early-morning run on the Onondaga Creekwalk, he asked God to send him a sign.

Waterman stopped in front of a covered iron storm drain embossed with letters and numbers. The letters spelled out his last name and the numbers, 84 and 55, were the year he was ordained and the year he was born, respectively. He had his answer.

The decision to come to Syracuse has been one of his best, Waterman says. Now his Syracuse chapter is coming to a close, as he is retiring from campus ministry after Commencement. A farewell reception will be held on Thursday, April 16, from 5-7 p.m. at the Catholic Center, followed by Mass at 7 p.m.

“It’s bittersweet. I have been doing campus ministry for 21 years—it’s a long time,” he says. “I said it’s time, but there is going to be a huge hole in my heart. I love these kids; they are the salt of the Earth.”

A Spirit and Energy Unrivaled

Waterman has brought an infectious spirit and boundless energy to his role as the University’s Catholic chaplain. During his tenure, attendance for Catholic Masses and activities has exploded. Masses that once saw 20 students now see more than 200. Attendance at the recent Easter Masses was close to 1,100,

With a transformational gift from Daniel ’68, H’20 and Gayle D’Aniello through the Forever Orange campaign, a new chapel was built and renovations done to make the Catholic Center space more conducive to the activities held there. Thursday night Mass and dinner, monthly sandwich-making community outreach and social activities draw record numbers of students. A newly installed organ, a gift from a donor, fills the space with beautiful music.

Waterman’s greatest legacy, though, is the people within the space. He attributes the expanding numbers to the students. “I was able to get the students so comfortable and confident in their faith that they were willing to evangelize their friends,” he says. “That’s how our numbers have grown. Not by me inviting them, by their friends inviting them.”

His Greatest Legacy

The connection with students is what has nourished Waterman over the past decade.

“Father Gerry truly is one of a kind, never have I met such a welcoming priest who somehow knows every student’s name,” says Anthony Iannazzone ’28. “His homilies hit me differently than any other priest that I have listened to; he gets the message across unlike anybody I’ve ever heard. He has had a true impact on my time here at Syracuse.”

Anna Lupardo ’26 tragically lost her dad at age 12, and in the ensuing years stopped going to church. “I remained a spiritual person after I lost my father, but I struggled to find a place for faith in my life,” she says. During her junior year, a couple of friends brought her along to the Catholic Center on a Sunday.

“Father Gerry gave me a big hug and told me he was so excited to have me there,” Lupado says. “I had never felt more welcomed into a community of believers as I did in that moment.”

Lupado began attending Mass weekly. “Father Gerry is somehow always capable of telling me exactly what I need to hear. As someone who never saw a place for my Catholic roots after my father died, Father Gerry showed me that there is always a place for Jesus in my heart, no matter how connected or ready I might feel at the time.”

Mikie Jantz ’28 says Waterman is unique in his ability to help students have their faith be at the center of their life, as opposed to just a part of their life.

“Father Gerry has built such a great community at this school and done so humbly, and with an intent to point everyone to Jesus,” Jantz says, “I have gone to Mass with friends that have been Catholics their whole lives, and friends that are not Catholic at all. In all situations, he has made them feel welcomed and at home.”

“Father Gerry Waterman has provided steadfast and dynamic leadership to the University’s Catholic community, dramatically altering the physical space at the Catholic Center and greatly increasing participation in worship, programs and community service,” says Rebecca Reed Kantrowitz, interim dean of Hendricks Chapel. “Father Gerry has also served as a strong and collaborative partner to his fellow chaplains and staff at Hendricks Chapel. We are deeply appreciative of his many contributions to Syracuse University over the past decade.”

Leaving Syracuse With a Full Heart

Waterman calls his new chapter semi-retirement. He will be based in Washington, D.C., but, in the spirit of St. Francis, will go where he is needed and called—covering for vacations, leading spiritual retreats and helping to oversee outreach activities. He also plans to travel; hiking the Camino de Santiago in Europe is one of his bucket list items.

In his time in Syracuse, Waterman learned to live—and thrive—in winter. “Winter never mattered because I have had the warmth and love of so many around me,” he says.

No matter where he goes, memories of Syracuse will always hold a special place in his heart—his students, this campus and, being the foodie he is, Syracuse’s iconic Columbus bread.

is offering an end-of-semester opportunity for students to help others while reducing their library fines. “Food for Fines” will run from Monday, April 20, through the end of the spring semester.

All Libraries patrons with overdue circulation fines can reduce their fines by donating healthy, nonperishable food and hygiene items to the . Donations will be accepted at the circulation desks of Bird, Carnegie, Law, Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial and King + King Architecture Libraries. Fine reductions exclude interlibrary loan and lost book fees. Even those without library fees are encouraged to donate!

Fines will be reduced by:

• $1 per item for canned beans and vegetables;
• $2 per item for soap, canned fish/soup, single serving cereal or oatmeal, lip balm, pasta, sauce, tissue, toilet paper or toothbrush;
• $3 per item for baked beans, cereal, canned meat/fruit, oatmeal, ramen noodles, rice, shampoo/conditioner or toothpaste;
• $4 per item for granola bars, deodorant, jam/jelly, hot chocolate, peanut butter or tea; and
• $5 per item for coffee or lotion. Contributions should not be open or expired and single-use items are preferred.

Bird Library is a donation point for contributions to the Coach Mac Food Pantry year-round to support its mission to serve individuals who experience hunger, food insecurity and a lack of resources. The Libraries will accept any sealed, non-expired and non-perishable food or personal care items at the first floor checkout desk at Bird Library during regular . Visit the for more information. With questions, email circulation@syr.edu.

Syracuse University Chancellor Kent Syverud and Chancellor-Elect J. Michael Haynie today announced the members of the search committee charged with identifying the next dean of , the University’s center for religious and spiritual life. The search comes as Hendricks Chapel approaches its centennial in 2030 and prepares to complete a new strategic plan under incoming leadership.

“Hendricks Chapel touches every corner of campus life,” says Chancellor Syverud. “It is our center for faith and spiritual life, hosts some of our most treasured ceremonies and events, and is home to our world-class choir and music program. And every day, it is a place where students have found connection and belonging. We need a strong leader who will build on what makes Hendricks Chapel special and bring people together in new ways.”

“Hendricks Chapel’s next dean will inherit a remarkable legacy and a profound responsibility,” says Chancellor-elect Haynie. “We are looking for a leader who understands the spiritual, cultural and communal dimensions of this role, who can steward our traditions with care and imagination and who will inspire the next generation of students to find their place within this community. The next dean comes to this role with a clear and exciting charge: complete a new strategic plan and lead Hendricks Chapel toward its centennial in 2030.”

Search Committee Members

The committee is co-chaired by Dawn Singleton, vice president for the student experience, and David Aitken ’94, G’97, chair of the Hendricks Chapel Advisory Board.

Other members of the search committee are:

• Gisele Marcus ’89, voting trustee, Board of Trustees
• Joan Nicholson ’71, G’89, life trustee, Board of Trustees, and member, Hendricks Chapel Advisory Board
• John Papazoglou, senior vice president and chief operations officer
• Ingrid Coutts ’92, member, Hendricks Chapel Advisory Board
• Jillian Juni, executive director, Syracuse Hillel
• Gerry Waterman, Catholic chaplain
• Martha Sutter G’83, teaching professor, Setnor School of Music, and senior associate dean of academic affairs, College of Visual and Performing Arts
• Tom Barkley, professor, Whitman School of Management, and advisor, Christian Staff and Faculty Association
• Mian Muhammad Abdul Hamid ’25, graduate student and convener, Student Assembly of Interfaith Leaders
• Alana Mitchell ’27, undergraduate student, Christian Outreach member and Hendricks Chapel hospitality associate

Campus Engagement Opportunities

The committee will lead a series of Zoom listening sessions with campus and community stakeholders as follows:

• Friday, April 10, 2:30-3:30 p.m. (open to all constituencies)
• Monday, April 13, 3-4 p.m. (student-focused)
• Wednesday, April 15, 2-3 p.m. (open to all constituencies)

All community members are welcome to for any session that fits their schedule.

Community members can also provide . Both exercises will help the search committee develop a clear picture of what the community needs most from the chapel’s next dean. That input will directly inform the recruitment process and candidate interviews.

The search firm WittKieffer will work with the committee to identify finalist candidates. The committee will engage with each finalist and provide Chancellor-Elect Haynie with input to support his final decision. The goal is to have a new dean in place by the start of the Fall 2026 semester.

A new documentary exploring the history of and the role of faith across the Syracuse University community premiered this week on Fox Nation.

“” tells the story of Hendricks as the spiritual heart of campus, home to five world religions and 16 chaplains serving a diverse student body. The 25-minute film is hosted by Hall, a foreign affairs correspondent for Fox.

In the film, Chancellor Kent Syverud reflects on how faith at Syracuse extends well beyond the building itself. “It’s not the building,” he said. “This is a community, and it’s been a booming, vibrant community for all faiths, and that’s one of the reasons why we’ve had a solid community experience in recent years when many universities have been torn apart.”

Former Hendricks Dean Brian Konkol spoke with Hall about the chapel’s unique role as both a sacred space and a hub for campus life, from major performances and events to People’s Place coffee shop and the Coach Mac Food Pantry.

Faith, Leadership and Athletics

The documentary also captures the intersection of faith and athletics. Hall interviewed football coach Fran Brown and women’s basketball coach Felisha Legette-Jack about their personal faith journeys and how those experiences shape their leadership on and off the field. Athletics Chaplain William Payne discussed his work supporting student-athletes as they navigate the demands of academics and competition.

The film also turns to one of the most solemn chapters in the University’s history. The University’s connection to the Pan Am Flight 103 bombing over Lockerbie, Scotland, is woven into the film. The 1988 tragedy claimed the lives of 35 Syracuse University students, one of the most devastating losses in the University’s history. The Fox team visited the Remembrance Wall on campus to honor their memory.

Visually, the documentary draws on a range of campus scenes: students studying outside on sunny days, the football team walking across the Quad on game days, candlelight vigils outside Hendricks, chaplains leading services and Otto’s Army rallying inside the JMA Wireless Dome.

In addition to the feature documentary, Fox Nation produced a on the renovated and expanded St. Thomas More Chapel and Syracuse University Catholic Center, which reopened in 2025. The crew also visited the .

Names on the Wall

Another stop on campus carried personal significance for Hall. At the , Hall visited a memorial wall honoring more than 2,500 journalists killed in the line of duty. While covering the war in Ukraine, he was severely injured in a missile attack that killed two of his colleagues. He lost a leg, part of his other foot, an eye and the use of one hand, and later documented his recovery in his books “” and “.” During his visit to the wall, he saw the names of his colleagues, photojournalist and Ukrainian journalist Oleksandra “Sasha” Kuvshynova, etched into the memorial.

The Newhouse connection runs deeper still for the production. Fox team members included alumni Tania Joseph ’18, a Newhouse graduate in broadcast and digital journalism, and Jayson Jones ’19, who earned a master’s degree in communications from Newhouse.

“” marks the series’ inaugural season. Alongside the Hendricks episode, the series features St. Louis Cathedral in New Orleans and the Brigade of Midshipmen Chapel at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. The documentary is available to stream with a paid Fox Nation subscription.

The 10th Annual One University Awards Ceremony, an event to honor members of the Syracuse University community who are making a difference through academics, scholarship, creative work and dedicated service, will be held Friday, April 17, from 1 to 2:30 p.m. in Hendricks Chapel.

Two major awards—the Chancellor’s Medal and the Chancellor’s Citation for Excellence—will be bestowed. The ceremony will also include the presentation of the Student-Athlete Award, the Seinfeld Scholar Award, the Meredith Professorship for Teaching Excellence, the Meredith Teaching Recognition Award, the Enduring Values Award, the William Pearson Tolley Medal and the Chancellor’s Forever Orange Award.

Emeriti faculty who retired in 2025 and employees who celebrated years of service milestone anniversaries in 2025 will also be recognized. This year’s University Scholars, Senior Class and School and College Marshals, and Remembrance and Lockerbie Scholars will also be honored.

All members of the University community are invited and encouraged to attend. A reception will follow in the lobby of the Heroy Geology Laboratory.

American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation and Communication Access Realtime Translation (CART) will be provided at the ceremony. For questions about accessibility or to request accommodations, contact University and Advancement Events at UAevents@syr.edu.

What does it mean to cultivate a campus welcoming to all? That question sits at the heart of the annual Creating Community Retreat, a one-of-a-kind experience for campus members.

Hosted by the and , the retreat brings together a cohort of faculty, staff and students for an immersive, multi-day, off-campus experience designed to explore connection, community-building and how to cultivate a campus culture that truly welcomes everyone.

Set apart from the rhythms of daily campus life, the retreat gives participants the time and space to engage in meaningful dialogue, collaborate on skills-building activities and reflect on their shared responsibility to one another.

The Creating Community Retreat, which will next be held in the fall of 2026, is centered around the belief that community must be intentionally built, practiced and sustained. It is intended to gather leaders and those looking for community into a shared space.

Through facilitated discussions and interactive activities, participants are challenged to examine their understanding of community, learn from varying perspectives and foster new relationships. “Most importantly, we strive to build a network that cultivates connections during and following the retreat,” says Armando Martinez, director of community and connection in the Office of People and Culture and retreat facilitator.

The most recent retreat was hosted Nov. 7-9, 2025, at Greek Peak Mountain Resort with participation of more than 30 campus members.

For Renee Yu ’26, an undergraduate student participant, the 2025 retreat was one of the most memorable experiences she has had at Syracuse University. “Through storytelling and collaborative activities, we began to see how each of us contributes to building bridges within a community,” says Yu, “and the retreat created a space where people felt safe enough to be vulnerable, to listen deeply and to be heard.” Yu studies policy studies in the | .

The results demonstrate a clear impact: 100% of participants at the 2025 retreat reported that they:

• connected with someone new during the retreat experience;
• learned inclusive practices to foster community in their daily campus roles; and
• expanded their understanding of what it means to make Syracuse University welcoming to all.

Lasting Connections

Aylin Gonzalez, director of belonging and student success in the division, expressed gratitude for the shared vulnerability that was met with affirmation. “I left this retreat feeling seen by students, faculty, and staff I may never have crossed paths with otherwise,” says Gonzalez. “I’m grateful to see these people on campus as a reminder of what we experienced.”

The skills and relationships cultivated at the retreat do not end when participants return to campus. The Creating Community Retreat is designed to send attendees back with concrete tools: practices for cultivating community, frameworks for dialogue and a renewed sense of purpose around shaping a welcoming culture at Syracuse and beyond.

Be a Champion for the Next Retreat

In the spirit of on March 24, the Office of People and Culture is raising funds specifically to support the next Creating Community Retreat. Donations will directly cover the meal, lodging and related costs that make this retreat experience possible, removing financial barriers for participants to sustain this program for years to come.

“Whether you attended the 2025 retreat or simply believe in the value of building a connected community, your contribution directly supports the University’s efforts to create a campus that is welcoming to all,” says Mary Grace Almandrez, vice president for people and culture. .

If you are a student, staff or faculty member interested in attending the next retreat, please email the Office of People and Culture to receive more information as details are finalized.

Story by Rachel Scalisi