The National Security Management (NSM) course recently brought together 40 high-ranking officers, noncommissioned officers and civilian officials from the U.S. defense establishment for an intensive week-long examination of the complex landscape of contemporary national security.

The on-campus phase builds on seven weeks of online sessions with civilian and military experts, featuring Maxwell’s faculty alongside distinguished guest speakers, with the recent agenda including a talk with former Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks on the topic of “Leading through Uncertainty.”

“Dr. Hicks led the day-to-day operations of the Defense Department through the most consequential period in global security since the end of the Cold War,” says Maxwell Dean David M. Van Slyke. “Having her speak with our participants—leaders who are themselves navigating that landscape—and discussing valuable lessons learned is exactly what this program is designed to do.”

The NSM course, offered each spring and fall, is one part of a broader National Security Studies portfolio that Maxwell has built in partnership with the Department of Defense, and serves as both an anchor of the Executive Education Department and a cornerstone of the University’s deep, enduring commitment to serving the men and women who serve the nation.

Law as a National Security Tool

In the session with James E. Baker—a professor by courtesy appointment of public administration and international affairs at Maxwell, a former chief judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces, and a former legal adviser to the National Security Council—participants explored the fundamentals and frontiers of national security law, from constitutional theory to the strategic implications of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

“What makes these challenges today so complex?” Baker asked participants. Three things, he said, “First, these challenges come with a new age of technology.” He cited artificial intelligence, synthetic biology and our technological dependence on near-Earth space for communications and navigation.

The second complicating factor, Baker argued, is a crisis in the legitimacy of international legal norms, including the fundamental respect for international borders.

“Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine is a statement that no law matters,” Baker said. “It is the right of the powerful to take from the weak, and that has fundamentally eradicated our understanding of what international law has been.”

On the domestic side, Baker pointed to deepening debates over the boundaries of executive power—what legal scholars call unitary executive theory—as another factor undermining law as a stabilizing force.

Baker’s third reason is deep division within the United States.

“It’s hard to do things in the international security sphere if you only bring along half the country,” Baker said. “The United States is most powerful when it speaks with one voice, and it speaks with all three branches.”

Yet Baker’s message was ultimately one of institutional hope. Despite the turbulence surrounding law and governance, he argued that the U.S. military stands apart as a model of professional restraint and accountability.

“The United States military is still the finest military in the world,” he said, describing its superpower as twofold: its adherence to the law, and its nonpartisan, apolitical character. Baker, who began his long career as an infantry officer in the U.S. Marine Corps, added, “That is different than most militaries. And that stands out.”

He noted that the military remains the only American public institution in which more than half the country—62 percent, according to a recent Gallup poll—expresses high confidence. “Law is not an impediment,” Baker concluded. “It is a feature and virtue of the U.S. national security system, if you use it wisely and well.”

A Program Built to Serve

Baker’s session was one of many that challenged participants to think beyond their immediate operational environments through lectures, discussions and case studies tailored to senior executives who grapple with the challenges of national security decision making. Attendees also participate in simulations that put all the skills they discuss and learn to the test.

The has deep roots and a long history, starting in 1996 and growing steadily in prestige and scope. Upon completing the program, participants receive a national security management certificate—and often also earn professional development credits in their organizations that can help with merit-based promotion.

Maxwell has also expanded its national security offerings with The Discipline and Practice of Strategy, a course for midcareer professionals developed in collaboration with the U.S. Army—reflecting the University’s identity as one of the most veteran-friendly research universities in the country.

“There are a lot of smart lawyers in the world,” Baker told participants. “But there are a lot fewer smart lawyers in the world who are prepared to make decisions on national security timelines and be held accountable for them. You don’t get to go back and research it and study it. You have to put it on the table right there.”

Those are stakes members of the national security establishment can understand, and the very situations Maxwell’s National Security Management course has been preparing them to grapple with for 30 years.

Three of Central New York’s most prominent champions for veterans, including Syracuse University ,  were honored May 28 at Madison County Distillery in Cazenovia, as WCNY launched its first “Mission: Honor Our Heroes”—an event raising funds to keep local veterans’ stories on the air.

Chancellor Haynie, Col. F. William (Bill) Smullen III, U.S. Army (Ret.), a Syracuse alumnus and former director of the University’s national security studies program, and Rear Admiral John Paddock, co-founder of Honor Flight Syracuse, were honored by WCNY.

The event secured funding for continued production and distribution of “Honor Flight Syracuse,” ensuring the voices and experiences of local veterans reach audiences across the region.

“‘Mission: Honor Our Heroes’ reflects �°䱷��’s deep commitment to telling the stories of those who have served our country and our community,” said Mitch Gelman, president and CEO of WCNY. “We are honored to recognize these extraordinary individuals while bringing our community together to celebrate their leadership, sacrifice and lasting impact.”

“I am humbled to be recognized as an advocate for Honor Flight Syracuse and Central New York veterans,” says Chancellor Haynie. “I have always believed that the debt we owe to those who have served and sacrificed for our nation’s defense can never be repaid, but it certainly can and should be acknowledged and honored. That’s what has driven Syracuse University to be a leader in veteran education, and that’s why I’m so proud to be a supporter of Honor Flight Syracuse.”

An influential researcher and scholar, Haynie assumed the chancellorship of Syracuse University on May 11. He is the founder of the and has an extensive record of national public service.

His advocacy for service members and veterans also includes serving as chairman of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Federal Advisory Committee on Veterans Employment, Training and Employer Outreach; vice chairman and later chairman of a White House Presidential Task Force on long-term reform at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA); and membership on the George W. Bush Institute Advisory Council and the VA’s Veterans’ Advisory Committee on Education. Before entering academia, Haynie served as a commissioned officer in the U.S. Air Force for 14 years.

Smullen G’74 is a Vietnam veteran who served in the U.S. Army and U.S. State Department for more than 32 years. His last assignment on active duty was special assistant to the 11th and 12th Chairmen of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral William J. Crowe Jr. and General Colin L. Powell. He served as director of Syracuse’s in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs from 2003-21 and taught in the . He is the former CEO of Clear Path for Veterans.

“For so many years WCNY has been a partner in amplifying the Honor Flight mission, in telling the stories of Central New York veterans and in helping our community understand the contributions of those who have served,” Haynie says. “Today we’re working to ensure that mission can continue so every veteran who wants to be part of the Honor Flight experience has not only that opportunity but the chance to share their story through WCNY.”

When arrived at Syracuse University’s in the fall of 2006 as an assistant professor, he had recently transitioned out of the Air Force as an officer after 14 years of service. He arrived in Syracuse with no particular intention of staying more than a few years. “My brain was sort of wired,” he told students at a recent fireside chat to celebrate Whitman Day. “I was used to staying in a place for a couple years.”

Nearly two decades later, on March 3, 2026, the Syracuse University Board of Trustees appointed him the institution’s 13th chancellor and president. The arc from his arrival to the University’s highest office is a story of scholarship put to use and of research that charted a new course.

The Scholar Behind the Work

Haynie completed a doctoral degree in entrepreneurship and business strategy at the University of Colorado at Boulder. His scholarship has been published in the world’s leading business and entrepreneurship journals, and his body of work has now been cited approximately 9,000 times.

That number places him, as Whitman Interim Dean Alex McKelvie said as he introduced Haynie at the fireside chat, “among the most influential entrepreneurship scholars in the world.” At Syracuse, he was recognized for his work by earning the Barnes Professorship and, in 2018, was named University Professor, the University’s highest faculty distinction.

“What makes Mike’s scholarly record so remarkable is not just the volume or the impact—it’s the context,” says McKelvie. “He has 21 journal publications with more than 100 citations each, including five with more than 500 citations each, while simultaneously building programs, leading institutions and taking on the University’s most pressing challenges. Most scholars of his caliber are doing research full time. Mike was doing it as a fraction of his job. That is what separates him.”

Much of Haynie’s work focused on entrepreneurial cognition: how successful founders think, decide and act under uncertainty. His findings pointed repeatedly toward military veterans—a population largely absent from entrepreneurship discourse, yet shaped by training that produces exactly the traits research links to high-performing entrepreneurs: quick consequential decisions, leadership under pressure and persistence through unpredictable environments. What was missing was a program to help them translate those skills into building a business.

An Entrepreneurship Program for Veterans

About six months into his Whitman appointment, Haynie hit upon what a program could look like. His idea was to bring seriously wounded post-9/11 veterans to campus and help them become small business owners. “Here I am, an entrepreneurship professor,” he said. “I’m a veteran myself. It’s something I could do.”

He proposed the program to then-Whitman Dean Melvin Stith, a Vietnam veteran, and set one condition that the program would be free. Stith’s response: “Sure. Go raise the money.”

Haynie had never raised money before. Two months before the first program was set to launch, he had raised roughly $20,000 of the $120,000 he needed. It was at that time that he first met Martin J. Whitman, a University benefactor and the school’s namesake.

Whitman, a World War II veteran, wrote a check and covered the gap. “He made a point to me that has stuck with me now for 20 years,” Haynie said, “that this is an institution that gives people a chance when others would not.”

That first program, launched in 2007, became the : a three-phase curriculum combining 30 days of online business instruction, a nine-day residential at Whitman, and a year of mentorship.

More than 2,400 veterans have now graduated from EBV. Approximately 79% have started or continued to grow their own businesses, and 92% of those businesses remain in operation. The program expanded into a national consortium headquartered at Syracuse.

Inc. magazine named EBV one of the country’s 10 best entrepreneurship programs in 2011, the Department of the Army recognized it as a national best practice and in May 2013 CBS News’ “60 Minutes” spent nearly a month on campus following the work.

From Program to Institute

As EBV’s profile grew, letters from World War II veterans led Haynie to Syracuse’s own history. GIs who accepted Chancellor William Pearson Tolley’s 1944 open invitation had transformed the school from a 4,100-student regional college into a research university of nearly 18,000. Fast forward decades later, Haynie saw that no center in American higher education was systematically studying veterans’ and military families’ concerns.

�մǻ岹��’s is a national hub offering career, entrepreneurship and transition programs alongside research, policy analysis and community partnerships for service members, veterans and their families.

With initial funding he secured from JPMorgan Chase, the IVMF became the nation’s first interdisciplinary academic institute chartered to advance the policy, economic and wellness concerns of America’s veterans and military-connected families. Through partnerships with corporations, government agencies and nonprofits, it built new pathways for veterans transitioning to civilian life. More than 230,000 service members, veterans and military family members have participated in its programs.

Haynie served as the University’s vice chancellor for strategic initiatives and innovation for more than a decade. He went on to chair the U.S. Secretary of Labor’s Advisory Committee on Veterans’ Employment, Training and Employer Outreach and to help lead long-term reform at Veterans Affairs. Time magazine named him one of 16 individuals working toward a more equal America in 2020, the same year he led the University’s COVID-19 response, which earned him the 2021 Chancellor’s Medal.

A Scholar and Teacher at Heart

Twenty years after he first arrived on campus, Haynie’s dedication to the Whitman School remains as strong as ever. In 2023, he was named the school’s executive dean. In that role, he provided strategic direction for Whitman’s Transformation 2030 plan, under which the school has risen in national rankings, strengthened its research profile and expanded experiential learning opportunities. Under his leadership, Whitman recently launched the in partnership with the .

“I’ve had the rare opportunity to see Mike Haynie in action across nearly every layer of the University’s innovation ecosystem. What stands out is how deeply personal his commitment to entrepreneurship really is. Mike doesn’t just lead programs. He lives the work,” says Linda Dickerson Hartsock, founder and retired executive director of the University’s Blackstone Launchpad. “He understands the creative energy of startup ventures because he embodies those qualities himself.”

Hartsock says Haynie’s connection to students really defines him. “As a mentor, he has been instrumental to some of our most promising student and alumni startups,” she says. “He has a way of pushing founders to think bigger while grounding them in disciplined execution.”

A Chancellor Formed by His Work

Haynie’s appointment as Syracuse’s 13th chancellor was the natural extension of what his scholarship had always done: identify a problem, build something real in response and grow it.

At the fireside chat, Haynie was asked what excites him most about what lies ahead for the University. His answer was characteristically direct: the same conditions that challenge higher education—declining enrollment, eroding public trust and the disruption brought by AI—are also the conditions that create the most opportunity for institutions willing to respond with speed and imagination.

“If we do that well and do that quickly,” he said, “we can thrive relative to our peers.”

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.

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

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

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

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

Right Place, Right Time

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

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

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

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

Facilitating the Transition

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

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

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

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

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

Components include:

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

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

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

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

When Sgt. First Class Andrew Zellar began basic training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, on June 6, 2006, he thought he knew what his career in military service would look like.

Twenty years later, as he moves on from years as a military science instructor at Syracuse University and prepares to retire later this year from the New York Army National Guard, he reflects on a career that took unexpected turns and allowed him to impact hundreds of lives in ways he never imagined.

“The most unexpected part was the chance to have the assignment at ROTC. I had a vague understanding of what I would be doing, but my experience was a lot more rewarding than I expected,” Zellar says. “The thing I am most proud of is seeing past soldiers and cadets performing in the Army and in life.”

Zellar’s journey began like many of his generation, shaped by the events of Sept. 11, 2001. Fresh out of high school in 2004, the Cazenovia native wanted to serve, but his parents encouraged him to pursue college first.

After two years, the pull toward service won out. He enlisted in the Army National Guard as a military police officer, initially planning to combine service with the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC).

When plans to deploy overseas did not materialize, Zellar found himself in limbo—until an opportunity emerged that would define his career.

Finding His Calling in Recruiting

In 2007, during one of the most challenging periods for military recruiting, Zellar stepped into a role that would test every interpersonal skill he possessed. The economy was collapsing, wars in Iraq and Afghanistan were intensifying, and the National Guard needed people who could connect with potential recruits and their families.

“Most people that join the military always have a desire to do it,” Zellar says. “It’s just that the opportunity to do it has to intersect with the motivation.”

He saw this firsthand at career fairs, where he met not teenagers but 25- and 30-year-old adults with impressive resumes who simply had no jobs. The 2008 economic crisis had created both challenges and opportunities for recruiting.

His approach was simple but demanding: show up.

“I probably failed more than I succeeded in a lot of things, but I would just show up,” he says. That first year, he worked every single day, meeting potential recruits whenever and wherever they needed—late nights, weekends, holidays.

His work in St. Lawrence County, located along New York’s northern border, juxtaposed recruiting Clarkson University, SUNY Potsdam, SUNY Canton and St. Lawrence University with the county’s rural residents.

One memory stands out in particular. Zellar visited a young man living in dire poverty—a home heated with wood pallets, with essentially nothing. “You need this. You got to get out of here,” he remembers thinking. The National Guard gave the young man a path forward.

The rural assignment taught Zellar invaluable lessons, sharpening his skills and deepening his understanding of how people struggle.

Preparing the Next Generation

In 2018, Zellar was chosen for a new role with the New York Army National Guard. He joined Syracuse University as a military science instructor with the Army ROTC program, a position that joined his recruiting expertise with a deeper mission of developing young leaders.

Over the next eight years, he worked with more than 325 cadets and contributed to the commissioning of 215 Army second lieutenants.

“The thing I’ll look back on and enjoy the most is watching them achieve what they’re capable of achieving,” Zellar says. He remembers helping a cadet, an Iraqi refugee, obtain her citizenship, presenting her with a pocket Constitution at the ceremony.

His teaching philosophy challenges students to expand their perspectives.

“Whatever news source you get, whatever stuff you like to read, read the opposite,” he tells first-year students. “Just for no other reason than to see something a little bit different.”

His advice extends beyond tactics and strategy. “Swing at the pitch. If you get an opportunity, you can strike out. I’ll deal with it. We will figure it out. But nothing’s worse than watching the pitch go by,” he says.

A Legacy Beyond the Uniform

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Zellar and his ROTC colleagues proved indispensable, running testing sites and helping keep the University operational. It exemplified what he values most about service: being there when it matters.

As Zellar retires from military service later this year, he leaves behind more than statistics. He leaves young officers commissioned and ready to lead, recruits who found purpose and opportunity, and countless individuals whose lives changed because one person was willing to show up every time, without fail.

As he moves forward, Zellar will continue to pursue his real estate career. And he is looking forward to spending more time on what matters most: his wife Gloriann, daughters Audrey and Gabriella, and son Andrew Jr.

The announced the hiring of Marine Corps veteran Justin Machain as the director of the (OVS), bringing to campus more than a decade of experience supporting student veterans and military-connected students in higher education.

The former director, retired U.S. Navy Senior Chief Keith Doss, entered retirement in early December after 35 years at Syracuse University. Doss began his career on campus in 1990, serving in various capacities around the university before joining the OVS in 2011, known as the Veterans Resource Center at the time. Doss steered the OVS through some of the most transformative years in the University’s recent history in supporting student veterans and military-connected students. He has been referred to by many student veterans over the years as a critical component to their success in higher education.

Machain, a native of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, comes to Syracuse from the University of Colorado where he served as the assistant registrar, which included the responsibility of being the lead school certifying official (SCO). SCOs are a vital component for military-connected students using their education benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Not only do they ensure all administrative requirements are met, they serve as a vital conduit of information between the VA and students.

“Playing a proactive role really helps offset any kind of financial or academic issues that may come up,” Machain says. “If student veterans inform the staff here of any issues or questions, we can get ahead of any potential problems and tackle any roadblocks before the veteran experiences any difficulties or disruptions with their benefits.”

Machain brings with him a wide variety of experience from institutions in higher education across the country. From Austin Peay State University in Tennessee, to his home state of Pennsylvania with Montgomery County Community College and Villanova University.

He earned a bachelor’s degree in secondary education from Kutztown University, and later, a master’s degree in political science from East Stroudsburg University.

“I started in higher education after I completed graduate school in 2012, and I’ve been in higher education ever since,” says Machain. “The majority of my job descriptions and duties have been working with student veterans, whether it be certifying benefits or running student veteran centers on campus.”

Machain  joined the Marine Corps in 1999 after graduating from high school. After four years of service, which included a deployment to Iraq in early 2003 with the 1^st Marine Division, he left the Corps and leveraged the education benefits of his G.I. Bill.

Aside from being closer to home, Machain says a big appeal for coming to Syracuse was the university’s reputation with veterans in higher education.

“It was just a great opportunity to finally transition to a school where veterans kind of took front seat,” says Machain. “The university treats veterans with the same priority most educational institutions treat student athletes, and it’s just great to be at a place that puts military-connected students at the forefront.”

The University has seen a 300% increase in veteran and military-connected enrollment since 2015, and in that time, the OVS has handled more than $156 million in VA education payments to the University. With more than 700 students typically requiring certification for VA benefits each semester, Machain enters an office that is critical to making the University the “Best Place for Veterans.”

“The expansion of professional staff that work with student veterans has definitely grown in spaces across higher education,” Machain says. “Since I started in higher ed, offices and personnel have expanded on college campuses for student veterans because the VA and state regulations can change so much. It takes much more time for the staff to be able to figure out the new guidelines and everything.”

As Machain settles into his new position, he says he wants veteran and military-connected students to be reminded of how crucial communication with the OVS is.

“You can only give out so much information,” he says. “Every student situation is different, so without them asking about their particular life circumstances, situations or things they are experiencing, we may not know how to best answer or help them through that. This office and these certifying officials do a great job of getting information out to students like I’ve never seen anywhere else, so they’re doing their part. It also falls on the student a little bit when they have an issue or situation to reach out, and I highly encourage them to do so.”

Students using their VA benefits at the University are highly encouraged to reach out to the OVS if they have any questions or concerns about their benefits. The OVS is located in Suite 012 on the bottom floor of the National Veterans Resource Center in the Dan and Gayle D’Aniello Building. Students are encouraged to contact the OVS via e-mail or by calling 315.443.0358.

A significant expansion in structure, programming and community outreach  is paving the way for the (CHB) to help position Syracuse University as a national leader in research, education and practice.

An initiative of the (A&S), the and the (IVMF), CHB has a particular focus on the study and promotion of health, well-being and resilience among veterans and military-connected individuals.

Since launching its website and affiliate portal this past summer, have joined CHB—researchers, educators and clinical practitioners from across the University and from area health institutions. have been launched and the student research cohort has been formed.

CHB has hired a dedicated to support affiliate projects. It has also established a for staff who coordinate research initiatives and plans to implement student awards. Additional workshops and research showcases are scheduled for spring.

Building an Ecosystem

CHB is designed to advance translational health behavior research, education and training and provide a collaborative ecosystem for professionals working in the health behavior field, says , A&S professor of psychology, licensed clinical psychologist and CHB director.

Health behavior is a broad, interdisciplinary area that examines the many factors, choices and conditions that influence physical and mental health across the lifespan. The center’s purposeful cross-campus, cross-institutional structure makes it a hub for affiliates to share interests, findings and treatments and engage in academic and professional collaborations. Affiliates conduct basic laboratory studies, field research, clinical trials, digital health intervention work, qualitative studies and implement projects.

Veteran Focus

While CHB operates across a wide range of health behavior fields, a specialized focus on veterans and military-connected individuals complements the University’s commitment to that population, according to Ditre.

“Syracuse University has a national reputation as the best university for veterans and military-connected students. The University has worked with the Syracuse VA for about 30 years, beginning with faculty research collaborations and later expanding to co-mentored training and student placements. Building on that reputation and three decades of partnership, we should also strive to be the best place to learn how to serve veterans,” he says.

Veterans experience higher rates of suicide risk, trauma-related concerns, sleep problems, chronic health conditions and substance use compared to civilian peers. Many also face barriers tied to geography, stigma and complex transitions between military and civilian systems.

“These gaps have real consequences for individuals, families and communities. The University and this center, in collaboration with the IVMF, are uniquely positioned to address them,” Ditre says.

Digital Innovation

Digital innovation is a high priority because technologies like mobile devices, biometric monitoring and virtual reality help researchers collect real-time data from participants and capture their moment-to-moment experiences as well as indicators of health and behavior.

Affiliates have built mobile tools, tested them in trials and worked with community partners to implement check-in platforms and digital interventions that deliver guided exercises or personalized feedback.

“These tools let us reach people who may not engage with traditional services and connect with participants as they go about their daily routines or in settings where traditional care is harder to access. These technologies also help us understand behavior, tailor information to individual needs and deliver support in ways that fit people’s circumstances. For many of the populations we serve, this kind of flexibility is essential,” Ditre says.

Assuring health equity is another key focal point. That means designing studies and programs that are flexible, accessible and attentive to actual conditions and making sure that research benefits and outcomes reach the communities that need them most.

Grant and Award Applications

Application portals for the new pilot grant programs open Jan. 20, 2026, and close Feb. 12, 2026.

The supports cross-departmental and cross-campus projects with external institutional partners. The supports new or expanded Syracuse University and Veterans Affairs collaborations.

The grants range from $500 to $10,000 and the total pool of $50,000 is funded by A&S.

The funds give teams a way to test ideas, build a partnership or generate early data for larger external grant submissions. They also lower the barrier for new investigators who want to connect their work with campus priorities, according to Ditre.

Nominations for the , which cites excellence in research coordination work, are ongoing.

Future Activities

Future plans include more workshops with VA partners and collaboration with University Academic Affairs and the IVMF on a “Voices of Service” showcase where faculty, staff, students and community partners share veteran-focused research, courses and applied programs.

A neuroscience and health behavior research day, new working groups regarding sleep, substance use, trauma and digital health issues, awards for student work and additional community engagement activities are also planned.

If you’re looking for an expert to discuss the increased U.S. military presence in the Caribbean, retired Vice Admiral is available for interviews.

Murrett is professor of practice in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs and deputy director of the . He shared his thoughts on recent updates below. If you’d like to schedule a time to speak with him, please reach out to Vanessa Marquette, media relations specialist, at vrmarque@syr.edu.

Professor Murrett writes: “The U.S. current force posture and projected augmentation (e.g., USS Gerald Ford (CVN-78)) confirm that the current administration intends to increase an already significant military footprint in the Caribbean. The sea-based and land-based (Puerto Rico) air, ground and maritime assets can escalate attacks on drug-related targets, and also support any additional tasking, e.g., with respect to Venezuela.

“Clarity on mission sets will be key throughout this operational evolution, as well as taking into account U.S. interests with all the regional states—including Colombia, Panama, Mexico and allied island states in the Caribbean.”

associate professor at Syracuse University and expert on NATO, US foreign policy and international security, is available to speak to media on issues related NATO-member warplanes shotting down several Russian drones over Poland, the first time the alliance has engaged Russian drones over a member’s territory. To schedule an interview, please contact Ellen James Mbuqe, executive director of media relations, at ejmbuqe@syr.edu.

• “Russia has made regular incursions into NATO air space for years now. What is different in this case is that NATO military forces shot down the intruding aircraft. This was an intentional intrusion most likely to test allied response capability and to signal Russian capability.
• This incursion highlights NATO’s lack of air defense systems, which has been hotly discussed for years now.
• In 2024, at NATO’s Washington Summit, the alliance agreed a Russia strategy, which was largely written up by the end of the year but then set aside in January 2025 to avoid upsetting the Trump Administration. But ironically this incident highlights well President Trump’s critique that NATO allies are too dependent on the United States,” said Williams.

Williams has been a NATO Security Studies Fulbright Fellow at the Brussels School of Governance in Belgium; a Robert Bosch Fellow in the German Ministry of Defense, a visiting fellow at the University of Oxford’s Rothermere American Institute, and a DAAD Fellow at the Bundeswehr Center for Social Science in Potsdam. During his time at the German Ministry of Defense he was special advisor to the Parliamentary State Secretary for Defense.

September 2, 1945, marks the formal surrender ceremony aboard the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay—known as V-J Day—a pivotal moment that not only ended WWII but also shaped America’s role in the Pacific for generations to come.

Retired Vice Admiral , professor of practice at Syracuse University’s Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs and deputy director of the Institute for Security Policy and Law, is available to provide context on how the war’s legacy connects directly to today’s U.S. alliances and responsibilities in East Asia.

He shared the following comment: “The 80th anniversary of VJ Day reminds us of the progress that we have made in the Pacific, and at the same time the continued responsibility that we have to engage in East Asia.  The sacrifices that so many of our countrymen made between 1941 and 1945 – including close family members of many of us – provided the basis for the thriving, prosperous region that we witness today.  Moreover, our treaty obligations and long list of allied nations that we have in the region are a direct result of effective presence and diplomacy over the ensuing decades – and we should never take our stalwart allies in the Pacific for granted.  We have an obligation to continue what has been for the most part a well thought out, strategic approach in Asia for the sake of future generations – home and away.”

If you’d like to schedule an interview with Professor Murrett, please reach out to Vanessa Marquette, media relations specialist, at vrmarque@syr.edu.

Syracuse University cordially invites the campus community to the 108th Chancellor’s Review and Awards Ceremony, a distinguished event honoring our Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) cadets, on Friday, March 28, 2025, at 9 a.m. in the JMA Wireless Dome, followed by a brief reception at Club 44. This time-honored tradition, inaugurated on May 4, 1917, by Chancellor James R. Day, underscores the University’s unwavering dedication to military service and mirrors traditional military ceremonies that date back to the Middle Ages.

The Chancellor’s Review serves as a platform to recognize the exemplary achievements of the University’s Army and Air Force ROTC cadets. Cadets from both ROTC detachments will be presented awards for their commitment to service and success. Scholarships from military commands, veterans service organizations and Syracuse University alumni will also be presented to cadets to support their continued academic journey prior to commissioning into the military.

This annual ceremony not only honors the dedication of our ROTC cadets, but also reflects the University’s historic commitment to supporting veterans and military families.

“The annual Chancellor’s Review is one of the few events throughout the year where the campus community can get a glimpse of what makes Syracuse University the ‘Best Place for Veterans.’ The Army ROTC program at Syracuse is one of the longest-running ROTC programs in the country and our Air Force ROTC program was one of the first programs in the nation. These programs are vital components to the University’s rich history of supporting veterans, service members and their families,” says retired U.S. Army Colonel Ron Novack, executive director of the Office of Veterans and Military Affairs (OVMA). “With the “University celebrating the 10-year anniversary of the OVMA later this year, the Chancellor’s Review ceremony is an excellent time to see the growth both the Army and Air Force ROTC programs have experienced during the University’s revitalized initiatives to support military-connected students.”

We encourage all students, faculty, staff, alumni and community members to join us in recognizing and celebrating the future leaders of our nation’s armed forces. Those interested in attending can .

The ceremony will be live streamed this year for those who cannot make it to the JMA Wireless Dome. Stay tuned to the RSVP link for updates on how to access the live stream.