“A dark presence looms over the sanctity of a collegiate event.

In walks the top-ranked player, in walks the destroyer of worlds.

You asked for friendlies and you got a war; Syrup is in the building.”

Those were the words commentators uttered as Andrew Mo ’29  took his place with his Syracuse teammates , the largest gaming competition for Super Smash Bros. in the world. The University competed at the August event, facing off in a best of three crew battle against Shenandoah University.

When it was his turn at the controller, Mo sat slouched slightly forward in the black folding chair, focused on the monitor before him, seemingly unshakable as onlookers and commentators reacted to his gameplay.

“This guy is crazy,” one of them said.

After one devastating blow to an opponent, the commentators let out squawks of delight while people in the crowd clasped their hands to their heads in amazement.

Mo deftly removed his headphones, offered his opponent a fist bump and turned forward again, waiting for the next player to take a seat beside him.

By the time the battle was over, the commentators labeled the “Syrup sweep” complete.

At the time, Mo was ranked eleventh globally for Super Smash Bros Ultimate. His Smash Bros. coach , who is also the esports program manager in the , says Mo is now trending closer to the top five.

“He’s probably the fifth in the world right now,” Bair says.

What Makes Syrup So Good

Mo, an undeclared major in the , first picked up a controller when he was 5, playing Smash with his brother. He says what he loves about the game is how free form it can be.

“There’s a lot of room for creativity and your gameplay has personality in it,” he says. “Your gameplay is your own, and it’s unique.”

He began playing competitively in 2019 at the age of 12, starting with local tournaments in his home state of New Jersey.

Mo says when he was getting ready to compete in his first match, he forgot to create his “in-game” tag, or name. So he played with the moniker left behind by another player—Syrup.

“It was someone else’s, so I was just like, ‘OK, this is mine now,’” Mo says.

Now, it’s how he’s known around the world.

Why He Chose Syracuse University

Mo says he was drawn to Syracuse for its programs, but also for its investment in esports and new state-of-the-art facilities.

Esports started on campus in 2017 as a student club, but the University now has both an esports communications and management bachelor’s degree—offered jointly by the and the —a�Ի� , meaning the squads are school-supported, under . Thirty students field the six varsity teams playing Call of Duty, Counter-Strike 2, Overwatch 2, Rocket League, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and Valorant.

Programs are run out of two gaming facilities on campus, at the Barnes Center at The Arch and the Schine Student Center. A third space is also being built in the Marley Building.

“Syracuse is probably the only school with two whole facilities,” Mo says. “And the facilities inside, they’re very advanced and modern looking. It’s literally the perfect place to play any competitive game.”

While the NCAA doesn’t currently support esports, the University’s varsity teams compete in the Power Esports Conference (PEC) against other Division I schools, such as Michigan State, Boise State and Ohio State, among others. With a fall and spring season, the University plays each school in the fall and then again in the spring, culminating with an in-person championship in April. Some of the varsity teams also compete in the PlayVS College League (PCL).

There are seven student-athletes on the varsity Smash team, including Mo. Bair said separate of his skill, Mo’s contributions as a person and teammate in the program have also been significant. He’s humble when Smash comes up in classes, a good student and hardworking member of the varsity team.

“He represents collegiate esports really well,” Bair says.

The Impact at Syracuse

To convey what it means to have a player of Mo’s caliber, Joey Gawrysiak, executive director of esports and professor of practice, brings up another Syracuse legend.

“The analogy we always use is that Andrew is the best recruit Syracuse has had since Carmelo Anthony,” he says. “He is not only just technically gifted, he is mentally gifted at the game and understands how somebody is going to react to his play style, so he can then counteract it really well and not have to react in real time as much as the average person might have to.”

Bair says Mo might be the most talented person at a single skill you could meet in your lifetime.

“I don’t know if I will meet someone better at something than Andrew is skilled at this video game,” he says.

Part of Mo’s talent is simply innate, Bair says.

But the coach stressed the time Mo puts in to develop his game is also huge.

Mo says he tries to play every day. And if he can’t pick up a controller, he is still thinking about the game.

“I think about Smash a lot,” he says. “A big way to improve once you reach a higher level is you have to start thinking of new situations and how to implement new ideas into your game.”

Mo says Syracuse is the “perfect place to go” if you’re interested in esports.

He’s learned in his own classes how esports can translate to other majors, like business, management or production.

“I want to lean toward learning how to make content and get into maybe the production side of things, which Syracuse can definitely help me with,” he says.

Syracuse University has been recognized as a STARS (Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Rating System) Silver institution by the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education. STARS is a comprehensive rating system for colleges and universities to measure sustainability. Sustainability Management completes a STARS assessment every three years to track progress.

STARS consists of four categories: academics, engagement, operations, and planning and administration. Each section within these four categories has a set number of points and the final rating (bronze, silver, gold or platinum) is determined based on total overall score. The University earned a silver rating based on an overall score of 64.57, an improvement compared to a score of 61.55 given in 2022. The minimum overall score to reach gold is 65.

Syracuse University earned points due to an increase in sustainability-related academic courses and expanded sustainability research efforts across departments. Additional points came from conducting a 2023 sustainability culture and literacy survey for students, faculty, and staff, which helped establish a knowledge baseline and inform future initiatives. A new peer-to-peer student education program was launched to raise awareness, and the University participated in a peer review exchange of STARS reports with Florida State University. These initiatives helped increase the overall score.

Carbon Neutrality

Sustainability Management continues to work towards the University’s goal of carbon neutrality by 2032. New exterior LED lighting fixtures have been installed outside Graham Dining Hall, Flint Hall and Day Hall. New LED lighting fixtures will be installed on the first floor of Bird Library in the coming months, cutting the energy use from lighting in half.

Phase I of an energy recovery project is in its final stages at the Life Sciences Complex. The project will recover energy from exhaust air and use it to heat the incoming air. This will reduce the building’s need for steam in the heating months. Phase I will impact heating for the research wing of the building, parallel to Comstock Avenue, while the second phase will impact the teaching wing. Phase II is expected to be complete in the fall.

Plastic Reduction

The University is also in the process of drastically reducing its use of single-use plastics by the 2027-28 academic year. Food Services has done a great job swapping out plastics for alternative reusable items such as bulk condiment and coffee creamer dispensers in dining areas across campus. You can visit to view progress on the plastic reduction dashboard

In the Schine Student Center, Halal Shack, Panda Express and CoreLife Eatery have also converted to compostable cutlery and containers. Sustainability Management worked with Slice Consulting to design effective composting signage and potential solutions to the waste receptacle issues in Schine. The goal is to review these recommendations and implement updates this summer or fall.

Food Waste Audits

Sustainability Management interns hosted numerous food waste audits throughout Sadler, Ernie and Graham Dining Halls this semester. As students brought their plates up at the end of each meal, interns would ask students to separate the remaining waste into three separate bins. One was for untouched food (a full slice of pizza), one for non-edible scraps (banana peels, apple cores) and one for food scraps (half-eaten bowl of rice). Surveys were also issued to students to gain a better understanding as to why they may have had leftover food on their plate.

Sustainability Management intern Diana (Jiarong) Zou compiled the survey data and found two main reasons why students had leftover food. Food scraps accounted for the highest amount of waste, followed by non-edible scraps and untouched food. The food waste audits helped bring awareness to food waste and encouraged people to be more thoughtful when making their food selections.

Earth Month

Several events were hosted throughout the month of April for Earth Month and Earth Day. Sustainability Management partnered with the WhitmanSchool of Management for an undergraduate mixer held in the Grand Hall. Students learned about the Sustainability Management department and were given seeds to take home. On Earth Day, student interns hosted a plant propagation event on the Einhorn Family Walk. Students learned about the benefits of compost and were able to take home their own propagated plant. On Friday, April 25, a Sustainability Walking Tour was held. Attendees learned about past, future and currently underway projects to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Check out the in the fall for the next round of events. If you happen to be around this summer, volunteer hours for Pete’s Giving Garden will also be posted on the Community Calendar.

To support individuals on our campus and in the community, the University is hosting Operation Orange Warmup to collect winter coats. The collection to assist students in need is happening on campus now through Friday, Dec. 6.

“There is a greater need for warm coats on this campus now more than ever before and no one should go without during the winter months,” says Dr. Ruth Chen, professor of practice in the College of Engineering and Computer Science, who helped establish the Operation Orange Warmup initiative. “Through the work of many campus units, we are helping to ensure those in need are prepared for the cold with a winter coat, and we are proud to partner with InterFaith Works to also assist those in the broader Syracuse community.”

Ways to Donate

Donations can be made several different ways:

• First, happening now through Friday, Nov. 22, students can donate in their residence halls. Collection bins are available in Ernie Davis, Milton, Orange, Day and Brewster, Boland and Brockway halls.
• Next, on Saturday, Nov. 30, when the football team takes on Miami in the JMA Wireless Dome, attendees can bring coats with them to the game. Donation bins will be placed strategically around the JMA Dome at gates A, B, C, D, E, F, M and N.
• Finally, from Monday, Dec. 2, through Friday, Dec. 6, collection bins will be available at Hendricks Chapel, the Schine Student Center on North Campus, Goldstein Student Center on South Campus and the Nancy Cantor Warehouse.

Members of the JMA Dome staff will manage the laundering of the donations before they are given out. Additionally, all children’s coats that are collected will be donated to Interfaith Works.

Volunteer Opportunities

Students looking to volunteer can get involved with Operation Orange Warmup. Volunteers are needed for the following:

• Monitoring collections during the coat drive at the football game on Nov. 30
• Sorting coats at the Schine Student Center
• Administering the selection of coats at the Schine Student Center

For more information and to register to volunteer, students can .

Coat Selection Event

Students in need of a coat can for the coat selection event on Tuesday, Dec. 10, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in The Underground at the Schine Student Center.

Through the generosity of Orange fans and the entire Syracuse University community, we can share the warmth with those in need this winter!

Lunar New Year—sometimes also known as Chinese New Year or the Spring Festival—began earlier this month on Feb. 10. Events have occurred on campus over the last several weeks to usher in the Year of the Dragon.

Celebrations were hosted by the Newhouse School, School of Architecture and Orange After Dark/the Center for International Services. Additionally, the Asian American Journalists Association, Chinese Students and Scholars Association and Chinese Union hosted a dinner and two galas. The events presented the opportunity to share Chinese culture—including performance arts, cuisine and time-honored traditions—with the entire campus community. The photos below capture the essence and celebratory nature of the holiday.

The Syracuse University Campus Store has more to offer than just textbooks and your favorite orange and blue branded apparel. Whether you are a student, faculty, staff, alumni or visitor, there is something for everyone.

Located in the Schine Student Center, the Campus Store is constantly buzzing with people shopping for a variety of different items. Recently renovated, there are two floors full of items.

Starting on the lower level, the market not only has everyones favorite drinks and grab-and-go snacks, but there are also local items featured from the Central New York area, including Dinosaur Bar-B-Que sauce, RodFather’s spice rubs and It’s a Utica Thing pasta sauce.

The lower level is also home to various office/school supplies, a custom framing area, fiction and non-fiction books and where the store hosts their pop-up events. Two upcoming pop-up events include a plant sale from Monday, March 20, through Friday, March 24, and a vintage University apparel pop-up Thursday, March 23, and Friday, March 24. Keep an eye on the Campus Store’s emails for more information or to sign up, .

The main level of the store features much more than apparel for men, women and children; there is something for every occasion!

Whether decorating an office or home, show your Orange pride with a piece of the Carrier Dome roof, a ’Cuse Trolley car figurine or even a decorative pillow. Show your game day pride with an official “S” lawn ornament or get everything you need for the next tailgate or Syracuse Orange viewing party.

When you stop to pick up apparel for yourself, don’t forget your furry friends too. Share a picture of them in their new gear for a chance to be featured on the Campus Store’s social media accounts.

Finally, if you are in need of a unique gift, don’t forget to check out the variety of wonderful products by illustration artist Julia Gash.

Don’t live in the Syracuse area? You can also shop the Campus Store online. For more information, including store hours, visit .

Photos courtesy of Abby Haessig. 

Transformed by an abundance of natural light, warm Syracuse Orange colors and a new vibrant spirit, the renovated Hildegarde and J. Myer Schine Student Center will soon welcome students and the entire campus community to discover its redesigned spaces, make fresh connections and appreciate its abundance of features. The Schine Student Center will officially open its doors on Monday, Feb. 8, the first day of classes for the Spring 2021 semester.

Planned in consultation with, and input from, the campus community, the Schine Student Center offers the feel of a home and hub for student life: a place to study; meet up; eat, in accordance with public health best practices; and recharge. Its environs include a generous amount of gathering spaces, new eateries and accessible features, and a vibrant open central atrium that extends from the top floor to the main floor, with a two-story video wall.

Student-facing services and student organization offices are prioritized and highly visible, along with a key grouping of cultural centers—the , the and the —framed as the Intercultural Collective, which allows deeper, connected conversations around the many intersections of identities. The Schine’s new footprint includes an additional 8,600 square feet of student activity space.

To celebrate the Schine Student Center’s reopening, many activities have been planned for the first week:

• The , 7 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 11.
• Orange After Dark (OAD) staff will table outside its offices on Wednesday, Feb. 10, to answer students’ questions and offer giveaways. They will also provide stressbuster kits in the Underground.
• The , 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 11, following social distancing and safety guidelines. Students can meet the staff of the three offices and learn about their programs and services, tour the space, pick up swag and watch student spoken word and dance performances.
• OAD and the Center for International Services will host a on Friday, Feb. 12.
• in various spaces throughout Schine, while adhering to safety protocols, with craft, and other activities, on Saturday, Feb. 13.
• The Campus Store and Food Services will offer tours and specials throughout the week.

Students can explore and experience the Schine Student Center’s new spaces in myriad ways.

“This truly state-of-the-art facility gives all of our students ideal spaces for meeting friends, hanging out, studying, eating, attending events, finding what they are passionate about and developing as leaders,” Chancellor Kent Syverud says. “It is the University’s living room, and it is completely student-centric. This is the experience that our students asked for and deserve.”

Chancellor Syverud notes how many people around campus—students, staff and faculty—were involved in redeveloping the Schine Student Center and making it welcoming to all students.

“This total reimagining also returns the Schine Student Center to its original mission and purpose—to serve our students,” Chancellor Syverud says. “This space brings together many of our cultural centers and offices that serve the spectrum of cultures, experiences and interests that our wonderful students bring with them to Syracuse University. Here, our students can collaborate and learn from each other outside of the classroom.”

Student Association President Justine Hastings ’21 says she is excited for students to experience the Schine Student Center’s new spaces.

“The spaces within Schine were designed to make us feel at home, on campus. Students will now have multiple rooms and spaces to hold meetings, plan and hold events, hang out, and spend time between classes,” Hastings says. “The University listened to students; we asked for different food options, student organization offices and storage, and plenty of places to sit, relax and plug in. This building will provide all of that, and more.”

The Schine Student Center was built in 1985, in an initiative led by Renée Schine Crown ’50, H’84, who provided the primary gift to create this new space for students on campus. The student center, named in honor of Crown’s parents, quickly became the center of student life on campus.

Three decades later, the renovation of the Schine Student Center was featured prominently as part of the Campus Framework, a 20-year plan released in 2017 to guide future campus development. Once again, Renée and Lester Crown took an active role in the process—this time to help reimagine the Schine Student Center into the future.

The campus community also played a critical part in the center’s transformation, as students, faculty and staff shared their ideas and input that were integral to the planning and design process.

“The people, spaces and services within this building undoubtedly shape the student experience. That is why, throughout this renovation, connecting with students about what they envisioned for this space was so important,” says Robert Hradsky, vice president for the student experience.

More than 1,700 pieces of input from students—during graffiti wall sessions, pop-ups in dining halls, surveys, focus groups and more—provided focused feedback on connection, involvement, versatility and food.

The center atrium was opened to bring in more light and connection; the student activities and cultural centers are in new front-and-center spaces; and modern, comfortable furniture—selected after receiving student feedback—was brought in. Accessibility was enhanced throughout, with all exterior grade-level public doors accessible with automatic door openers; smooth floor transitions; upgrades to existing elevators; a fully accessible path through the building from Waverly Avenue to the Einhorn Walk; new fully accessible restrooms on each level; counter heights and work surfaces made universally accessible; and accessible wayfinding signage.

Behind this massive renovation was the work of Campus Planning, Design and Construction (CPDC) staff, and other units within the Division of Business, Finance and Administrative Services (BFAS). The Syracuse alumni-led team of Mackey Mitchell and Ashley McGraw Architects provided the designs, and the project’s general contractor was LeChase Construction.

“Our goal was for our students to have an exceptional redesigned space for them to enjoy and one that truly reflects the needs of current and future students,” says Senior Vice President for Business, Finance and Administrative Services and Chief Financial Officer Amir Rahnamay-Azar, who oversees BFAS. “This renovated Schine Student Center represents an ideal that has come to life, and I’m looking forward to seeing how the Syracuse University community experiences this renovated center of life on campus.”

Another significant component of the upgrade has been the changes to the dining experience, including providing a mix of local and national food options such as Panda Express, CoreLife Eatery, Halal Shack, Biscotti Café and Chocolate Pizza Company, as well as returning favorites Dunkin’ and The Tomato Wheel. New dining “booth boxes” and countertop seating add a new look to the renovated dining area.

The bookstore—renamed the Campus Store—has been reinvigorated with new flooring and lighting. Along with its continued focus on academic resources, the Campus Store also has more room for new University-branded apparel, a late-night food and grocery market, a coffee stand, and an open-mic event space. The store can be accessed both on the 100 and 200 levels of Schine.

“Not only have these physical spaces been transformed, but the activities, experiences and programs will also be transformed, changing the way students engage on campus,” Hradsky says.