Student Experience Archives | Syracuse University Today /topic/student-experience/ Mon, 24 Aug 2026 13:27:17 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.0.4 /wp-content/uploads/2025/08/cropped-apple-touch-icon-120x120.png Student Experience Archives | Syracuse University Today /topic/student-experience/ 32 32 Students Offer Tips for Making Friends and Bonding With Roommates /2026/08/24/students-offer-tips-for-making-friends-and-bonding-with-roommates/ Mon, 24 Aug 2026 13:27:16 +0000 /?p=342091 From breaking the ice to navigating boundaries with roommates, these upperclass students say communication is key in building new relationships on campus.

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Campus & Community Students

Mouna Toure (left) and Emma Donvito

Students Offer Tips for Making Friends and Bonding With Roommates

From breaking the ice to navigating boundaries with roommates, these upperclass students say communication is key in building new relationships on campus.
Dialynn Dwyer Aug. 24, 2026

Getting to know your roommate can feel intimidating. Making new friends in a new environment, too, can feel daunting.

When Mouna Toure ’27 arrived on campus for move-in, she had only a quick moment to say hello to her first-year roommate, Emma Donvito ’28, before Donvito headed to marching band rehearsal. It was their first in-person interaction after connecting online, and Toure was nervous.

But when Donvito returned, they spent time talking and sharing stories.

“It was pretty obvious to me we were going to be great roommates because we spent the whole night giggling,” she says.

Donvito also knew they would become friends based on their early online interactions and their similar personalities and hobbies.

“When we met in person, it was like I’d known [Mouna] for months already!” she says.

Elizabeth Swart ’29 recalls that she and her roommate, Valeria Lamadrid ’29, also didn’t meet until move-in. It felt overwhelming as they met while saying goodbye to family members.

It was awkward at first, going to different events together and not knowing anyone else, she says.

“But when we were standing in food truck lines at Citrus in the City, we had a lot of time to talk to each other, and I instantly realized just how much we had in common,” she says.

Cameron Froehlich ’29 described a similar experience meeting and befriending his first-year roommate, Westley Topps ’29.

“I was nervous about starting college, and I wanted to have a good relationship with my roommate,” he says. “I knew we were going to become friends when we started talking about music taste and found out we had similar hobbies.”

Toure says she wants new students to know it’s OK to feel anxious about being in a new place. Everyone is experiencing the same feelings, she says. What’s important is to be yourself.

“Keep calm, leave your room and remember we all bleed Orange!” she says.

As new students settle in on campus, Toure, Donvito, Swart and Froehlich shared their advice with Syracuse University Today for making friends during the early weeks on campus.

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Valeria Lamadrid (left) and Elizabeth Swart

What’s one small habit, routine or boundary that you and your roommate built early on that strengthened your friendship?

Toure: If someone needed to call their family, the other would step out until the conversation was over. First year was a stressful time for me being 18 hours away from family. Whenever I needed to have a serious conversation with them, Emma would utilize the study room on our floor. I would do the same thing when she needed to talk with her family.

Donvito: One habit we set was staying organized. Creating a space that was welcoming for us and for others. We respected bedtime routines and communicated.

Swart: Communication is key. With both of us being heavily introverted it was difficult to initially connect and make conversation. I didn’t even have Val’s phone number until maybe three weeks into the semester, but once we had that line of communication it made things much easier to communicate what we were doing.

Froehlich: We respected each other’s space and established what our boundaries were as far as guests, sharing items and sleeping habits on the first night. This ensured we understood what the other person needed to feel safe and comfortable in our space and allowed us to grow our friendship.

What’s your advice for handling tougher moments of awkwardness or friction together?

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Cameron Froehlich

Toure: As simple as it sounds, don’t let it fester. It is better to talk about the thing that is bothering you right away instead of circling back to it. You live with your roommate for around 10 months. You see every high and every low, and you have to navigate a shared space daily.

Donvito: Communication is key. It’s OK not to be best friends with your roommate, but you still need to create a positive environment to share. Utilize lounges in your dorm, go to the library to study, find a place that you can be by yourself if you need a break.

Swart: If you communicate with one another, it will be easier to combat any issues and even minimize them from the start.

Froehlich: Discuss mutual rules and boundaries early on and make a plan for how to handle conflict. If conflict comes up, follow your plan, whether that be talking immediately or giving the other person space. Work toward a mutually beneficial conclusion and apologize where necessary.

What’s a piece of advice you’d give to incoming students about roommate relationships/making friends that you wish someone had told you before your first year?

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Mouna Toure (left) and Emma Donvito

Toure: Leave your dorm room! It can be hard to put yourself out there. Attending events and club/org fairs and studying in random buildings on campus were some of the easiest ways I made friends. The most memorable way I made friends was by sitting in the study lounge on my floor.

Donvito: It’s OK to be uncomfortable during your first weeks on campus. But talk to people! Create study groups in class. Go on adventures with your roommate. Try new things. You will never know who you’ll meet!

Swart: Try new things and push yourself outside of your comfort zone. During your first weeks, talk to everyone and go to events. If you don’t meet your best friends in the first week, that is totally OK! Your people are still waiting for you somewhere on campus. Give yourself grace and don’t stress too much or take anything too seriously. Introduce yourself to the other people in your dorm hall and on your floor, that is a good place to find community and friends. If you are coming into your first year knowing nobody, it is all going to be OK. Chances are everyone else around you will be in a similar boat.

Froehlich: Everyone is just as nervous as you, go to events and talk to people. It’s OK if you don’t stay friends, but it’s a great way to make friends in the beginning and find people who might remain friends with you for the rest of the year and beyond. It can be scary, but college is a lot more fun with friends.

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Two people posing together at an indoor event, smiling toward the camera near auditorium seating.
New Students Urged to Embrace the Unfamiliar at Convocation /2026/08/21/new-students-urged-to-embrace-the-unfamiliar-at-convocation/ Fri, 21 Aug 2026 15:41:27 +0000 /?p=342046 More than 3,600 first-year and transfer students filled the JMA Wireless Dome as University leaders offered guidance for their Syracuse journey.

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Campus & Community New

The Syracuse University Marching Band plays during New Student Convocation. (Photo by Amy Manley)

New Students Urged to Embrace the Unfamiliar at Convocation

More than 3,600 first-year and transfer students filled the JMA Wireless Dome as University leaders offered guidance for their Syracuse journey.
John Boccacino Aug. 21, 2026

Get involved. Find your community. Be flexible with your career path.

Seated inside the JMA Wireless Dome for their first official gathering as Syracuse University students, more than 3,600 first-year and transfer students heard that core message Thursday morning from New Student Convocation student speaker Elyas A. Layachi ’27.

Layachi, a double major in mathematics in theand inclusive adolescent education in the, told the new students that he thought his Orange path would be “linear”—a degree in aerospace engineering, an internship at NASA and a space exploration job before graduation.

But early in his first semester, a professor’s question about his interests and passions sent him toward a new academic course, one that led to research teams, clubs, religious organizations and community service.

“Changing majors, because one professor was willing to ask me an honest question, changed the trajectory of my time here and ultimately of my life,” Layachi told the crowd. “Every student in the Dome today has something powerful before them: the opportunity to learn and grow at this amazing institution.”

Student
Elyas A. Layachi delivers remarks during New Student Convocation. (Photo by Amy Manley)

Those incoming students arrive from every corner of the map: 45 states, including Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico; 19 Indigenous nations and 55 countries.

Resist the Urge to Seek Comfort in This New Beginning

, a member of the Syracuse University community for more than two decades, began his remarks by noting a shared trait: the students were new to Syracuse, and Chancellor Haynie was new to his current leadership role.

While it can be easy for students to seek comfort in the familiar during times of change, Chancellor Haynie recommended employing the opposite approach, telling students to resist being “pulled toward wanting some assurance that the unfamiliar will quickly become familiar, and that the road ahead will smooth itself out.”

“At Syracuse, our obligation is to arm our students with the tools to think clearly under pressure, to lead with conviction while remaining open to the fact that they may be wrong, and to act with purpose even when the path is anything but clear,” Chancellor Haynie said.

Chancellor
Chancellor Haynie addresses the more than 3,600 first-year and transfer students during New Student Convocation. (Photo by Amy Manley)

Haynie pointed to Ethan, an orientation leader and a dual major in business and communications, as an example. Over the summer, Ethan told Chancellor Haynie that he was enrolling in a course where he’d learn to sing and play guitar, not to advance his major, but to “force himself out of his comfort zone,” Haynie said.

“New students, be like Ethan,” Haynie said. “Discomfort is where character is built. Discomfort is where leaders are made.”

‘This Window Will Only Be Open for a Brief Time’

As he stepped to the podium, brought with him a stuffed Otto the Orange, “the best mascot in all of higher education,” which elicited applause from the audience.

Referring to their time on campus as a “metaphorical window” that “will only be open for a very brief time,” Groves urged new students to take intriguing new classes, meet extraordinary people and always extend respect to everyone on campus.

“I want you to think about the kind of community you want to be part of and then act in a way that helps achieve that goal,” Groves said.

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Students applaud a speaker during New Student Convocation. (Photo by Amy Manley)

‘Determined to Make Their Mark on the World’

, vice chancellor, provost and chief academic officer, reminded the incoming class that there is no such thing as a typical Syracuse University student.

While each student possesses differing academic and co-curricular interests and personal and professional goals, Syracuse University students “love their University in ways that are rare among college students” and are “bold, ambitious and determined to make their mark on the world.”

“You are bringing a personality, background, abilities, perspectives, interests and dreams thatwe’veneverencounteredbefore,” Agnew said. “You’llforge a path here that is your own, and you will leave a unique and extraordinary mark on the University through the life you create here.”

To conclude the convocation, the new students recited the charge, which dates back to 1871, and sang the alma mater, following the Orange tradition by swaying as the lyrics were sung.

Students
(Photo by Amy Manley)

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Marching Band sousaphones play beneath a "Welcome New Students" screen.
Syracuse’s Goon Squad: Photos Capture Decades of Move-in Day Help /2026/08/17/photos-syracuse-university-goon-squad-tradition/ Mon, 17 Aug 2026 16:42:58 +0000 /?p=340868 Explore the beloved University tradition that sees student volunteers hauling boxes, welcoming nervous first years and hyping up families on campus across generations.

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Campus & Community Syracuse’s

Goon Squad members help students and their families unload trucks in September 1982. (From the Syracuse University Photograph Collection)

Syracuse’s Goon Squad: Photos Capture Decades of Move-in Day Help

Explore the beloved University tradition that sees student volunteers hauling boxes, welcoming nervous first years and hyping up families on campus across generations.
Dialynn Dwyer Aug. 17, 2026

The has assisted first-year students adjusting to college life on campus during Welcome Week and spreading school spirit since the 1940s. One of several , the student volunteers helping out on move-in day has become a signature part of the Orange experience.

Below, find pictures of the Goon Squad and its memorabilia through the years, all from the Syracuse University Archives, , Syracuse University Libraries.

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The Goon Squad helps first year students move in on opening day, September 1974. (Photo from the Syracuse University Photograph Collection)
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A Goon Squad member with a rag doll in the 1980s (Photo from the Syracuse University Photograph Collection)
Volunteers
Goon Squad members helping first-year students move into their dorms in 2013. (Photo by Stephen Sartori, from the Syracuse University Photo and Imaging Collection)
Orange
A 1953 Goon Squad button (from the Syracuse University Memorabilia Collection)
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Goon Squad members in 1956
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A Goon Squad member moves a full cart during move-in, circa 1980s. (From the Syracuse University Photograph Collection)
Straw
A Goon Squad hat worn by Pamela B. Baumgartner Luchsinger ’67, circa 1964-1967. (From the John F. and Pamela B. Baumgartner Luchsinger Memorabilia Collection)
Person
A member of the Goon Squad holding a box of items on Opening Day in 1968. (From the Syracuse University Photograph Collection)
Black-and-white
A Goon Squad member in 1959
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The Goon Squad helping first-year students move into Shaw Hall in 1971. (From the Syracuse University Photograph Collection)
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The Goon Squad poses in front of the Goon Stop Information booth on Opening Day in August 1972. (From the Syracuse University Photograph Collection)
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Goon Squad members assist with move-in in the 1980s.
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Goon Squad members at work in 1970.
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A Goon Squad member helps out in 1979.
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Goon Squad ride in a Jeep with a “Goon Squad Trouble Shooters” sign in August 1972. (Photo by Jim Blick, from the Syracuse University Photograph Collection)
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The Goon Squad performing in 1979.

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Volunteers unload boxes and belongings from trailers and vehicles during a campus move-in event.
New Student Orientations Help Incoming Students Feel at Home /2026/07/28/new-student-orientations-help-incoming-students-feel-at-home/ Tue, 28 Jul 2026 20:30:00 +0000 /?p=341194 Through small groups and candid conversations, new students and their families build real connections before classes even begin.

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Campus & Community New

"New students get to see the beauty that Syracuse offers, not only by getting to know the students who make up the incoming class, but through all of the incredible resources and engaging opportunities available to them,” says Johanna Schober, orientation leader.

New Student Orientations Help Incoming Students Feel at Home

Through small groups and candid conversations, new students and their families build real connections before classes even begin.
John Boccacino July 28, 2026

Index cards get passed around a circle of strangers. On one side: someone’s hope for the year ahead. On the other: a looming fear. Students take turns reading a stranger’s words aloud and realize everyone in the room is experiencing the same feelings.

It’s one moment in Syracuse University’s sessions, which launched in the summer of 2024 with smaller groups, more personal conversations and programming built around what incoming students and their families most want to know.

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Johanna Schober

As a result, everyone involved—from new students to their family members—leaves orientation with a stronger sense of community, says orientation leader Johanna Schober, a rising sophomore studying international relations and law, society and policy in the .

“These new students get to see the beauty that Syracuse offers, not only by getting to know the students who make up the incoming class, but through all of the incredible resources and engaging opportunities available to them,” Schober says. “These sessions help us guide students, so they feel prepared to start their Orange journeys.”

Starting Small to Build Community

At the heart of the New Student Orientations are small groups: intimate settings led by orientation leaders that turn strangers into a connected group. Sessions open with friendly icebreakers before building to the index card exercise, which Schober says is the moment new students realize “everyone is in the same boat.”

“Everyone has the same feelings of excitement, but also nervousness,” she says. “It just really helps make the orientation experience a little more personal.”

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Wes Sullivan

When Wes Sullivan, an incoming accounting major in the , arrived on campus after traveling four hours from his home in Yardley, Pennsylvania, he knew only one person there. By the end of his first orientation day, he went from feeling like a stranger to feeling like he belonged.

“I was a little nervous at first but being in these smaller groups and having that smaller bond is really impactful,” Sullivan says. “Now I know 10 or 20 people, and it feels much more welcoming. We all are starting to find a community on campus.”

The same was true for Samantha DiCrisi, a musical theater student in the from Costa Mesa, California. DiCrisi is the first member of her family to leave home to attend college, and orientation created an unexpected sense of belonging.

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Samantha DiCrisi

“I walked in for breakfast and just sat at a table of people I hadn’t met before,” DiCrisi says. “By the end of it, I felt really connected to them. That’s the spirit of what they were talking about. Being Orange is being welcoming and leading with an open mind.”

The two-day programs are led by the , featuring small group meetings during the day and social activities in the evening.Students attended open houses and participated in activities in , the , , the and . They also sat in on sessions hosted by the and , as well as the Barnes Center at The Arch, where staff discussed navigating the first year and the transition to Syracuse University, among others.

Students Aren’t the Only Ones Adjusting

Heading off to Syracuse University isn’t just an adjustment for new students. It’s also a time of change for the students’ support system at home.

As part of New Student Orientation, planned and implemented a Family and Supporter Orientation for family members and supporters of incoming students. The sessions offered expert resources, guidance on critical conversations families may want to have with their student and insight into the student perspective from Family Support Navigators, a group of trained student leaders.

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Eric Nestor

Eric Nestor, director of apartment and off-campus living in , led presentations about living on campus. Drawing on his own experience as a parent sending his oldest daughter to college for the first time, Nestor helped reshape the sessions around practical concerns: safety, mental health, roommate conflicts and the logistics of .

“This is an adjustment for the whole family,” Nestor says. “You’re giving up some sense of control, and your student is gaining independence. We’re here to help your student grow through this journey.”

The feedback has been rewarding.

“We’re receiving a lot of positive feedback and thank-yous from families now,” Nestor says. “We’re giving them exactly what they’re looking for.”

For these new students, the payoff is a renewed sense of confidence heading into the fall.

“The idea of starting college is so thrilling, and I feel ready to throw myself into this experience,” DiCrisi says.

“Once you take that first leap, everything else in college comes so much more naturally,” Schober says. “You’re one step closer to being incredibly independent.”

Students
(Photo by CoCo Boardman)

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A group of orientation students pose outdoors with Otto the Orange mascot beside a "Small Group 1" sign.
Researchers Examine the Invisible Hearing Struggle of Student Veterans /2026/07/20/researchers-examine-the-invisible-hearing-struggle-of-student-veterans/ Mon, 20 Jul 2026 18:22:05 +0000 /?p=340743 Two University faculty, both certified audiologists, are the first to study how tinnitus impacts student veterans as they navigate college classrooms.

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Syracuse University Impact Researchers

Karen Doherty and Tammy Kordas (Photo by Amy Manley)

Researchers Examine the Invisible Hearing Struggle of Student Veterans

Two University faculty, both certified audiologists, are the first to study how tinnitus impacts student veterans as they navigate college classrooms.
Dialynn Dwyer July 20, 2026

Hearing loss and tinnitus are the two most common service-related disabilities among U.S. veterans, affecting more than three million people nationwide.

Knowing military service members are routinely exposed to noise that can cause lasting auditory damage, which can make school harder for active duty and student veterans, Karen Doherty, senior associate dean for faculty affairs and professor in the in the, and Tammy Kordas, associate teaching professor also in CSD, set out to learn how tinnitus may be impacting veteran students on campus.

When the two certified audiologists initially went looking for existing research on the prevalence of tinnitus—a ringing or other noise in the ears that isn’t caused by external sound—among veterans on college campuses, they found almost nothing.

So they, along with two of their doctoral students, Marissa Merrifield and Joshua Deus, surveyed service members and veterans currently enrolled at Syracuse University to explore the relationship between self-perceived hearing difficulty and listening fatigue and self-perceived hearing difficulty and tinnitus severity.

The two faculty members have collaborated on research in the past, though this is their first project focused on veterans. Together, they bring complementary expertise to the project. Doherty contributes a research perspective, while Kordas brings a clinical perspective and specialized training in tinnitus management through her work with patients at the .

Doherty says the sparse literature on student veterans and tinnitus wasn’t entirely surprising. Most tinnitus research focuses on older veterans, the demographic that arrives at VA medical centers in their 60s and 70s, ready for hearing aids for diagnosed hearing loss.

Student veterans, meanwhile, appeared to occupy a different and largely unexamined space.

“You might have ‘normal’ hearing yet have a lot of difficulty hearing in background noise as well as challenges in trying to deal with the secondary effects of tinnitus,” Doherty says.

To get a sense of how much tinnitus impacts student veterans, they sent out the survey with the help ofretired U.S. Army Colonel, executive director of the .

Determining the Prevalence—and Impact—of Tinnitus

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Doherty and Kordas presented their findings at the Voices of Service Symposium in April.

The research team developed a survey combining standardized outcome measures for determining self-perceived listening difficulties and the severity of a person’s tinnitus. Original questions about the students’ past noise exposures, such as firearms, explosions or piloted aircraft, were included.

“Tinnitus is one of the most common service-connected injuries affecting members as they transition out of military service,” Novack says. “It affects your quality of sleep, your concentration. It affects stress levels for you, either up or down, depending on the acoustics in the environment in which you’re operating. It affects your ability, or a student’s ability, to fully engage in learning environments.”

For student veterans, experiencing tinnitus could mean difficulty focusing during lectures or increased fatigue, with background noise in a classroom forcing them to work twice as hard to hear the lesson.

“The tinnitus itself wears on anyone,” Novack says. “It can increase anxiety in what we would like to see and experience as a quiet learning environment. And veterans may not come right out and tell someone they have this problem. They’re going to go into a classroom, and they’re going to find a way to navigate that invisible disability potentially without an accommodation, because they don’t think it’s a big deal. So they might be recording the whole entire lecture and then come back and take notes at their own pace and cadence.”

The research team sent the survey to 270 student veterans in the fall and 97 responded. Of those students, 82% reported experiencing tinnitus.

Students who reported experiencing tinnitus went on to complete a standardized test measuring the severity. Forty percent reported bothersome tinnitus, which indicates it is affecting quality of life. Only about 10% of the general population in the same age range experiences bothersome tinnitus.

“We went into this with certain hypotheses, one of them being that exposure to loud noise during military service would be associated with higher rates of tinnitus,” Doherty says. “But we didn’t know it was going to be more than twice those of traditional college students. We were really surprised.”

A Starting Point

Person
Ron Novack

Kordas, Doherty and Novack all agree that identifying the scope of the problem is only the first step toward developing meaningful support and solutions.

“It gives us more of an opportunity to move from an anecdotal awareness on campus, toward a more data-informed understanding of how this issue really affects student veterans at the University,” Novack says.

Doherty and Kordas aim to implement interventions for student veterans with listening difficulties and tinnitus, including using hearing assistive technologies in the classroom that improve signal-to-noise ratios in lecture settings. This would potentially reduce fatigue and listening effort.

The researchers also hope to bring student veterans into a clinic setting to assess whether their tinnitus is accompanied by measurable hearing loss.

“You can manage and treat tinnitus, so knowledge is power,” Kordas says. “I think providing them with informational counseling about this condition would be beneficial as well.”

Many student veterans may already be eligible for treatment or other interventions for their hearing difficulties through the VA medical center.

“‘I need assistance,’ that’s what our veterans need to say,” Novack says. “Once they do that, we have the here on campus and we have the VITAL program where we can help knock down barriers and facilitate care for our veterans who might need accommodations, need to have this tinnitus addressed and put in a care plan to assist them.”

First for Veterans

The University’s infrastructure for veterans made this research possible in a way few universities could replicate, Doherty says.

“We couldn’t do this without the veteran center being the way it is, and Ron’s support of the project was an integral part of its success,” she says.

Novack says the OVMA is always eager to partner and support “responsible research that helps better inform and understand the lived experience of our veterans.”

“It’s small things like this that move the needle each and every day,” he says. “And our longstanding institutional commitment is what brings transitioning service members to Syracuse, because they know when they come here, they’re going to get taken care of, that this institution has a national reputation for taking care of those who have worn the nation’s cloth.”

What the research team learned and implements as a result of their recent study could serve as a model for other academic institutions with smaller veteran programs and less organized support systems, Doherty says.

“There are a lot of people who have tinnitus and there are ways to treat it,” Kordas says. “It may not go away completely, but the goal is to manage it and reduce how much it affects daily life.”

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Two people stand outside Syracuse University’s National Veterans Resource Center, with colorful flowers in the foreground.
Citrus Racing Posts Best Results in 20 Years at Formula SAE Michigan /2026/06/11/citrus-racing-posts-best-results-in-20-years-at-formula-sae-michigan/ Thu, 11 Jun 2026 18:47:59 +0000 /?p=339669 The College of Engineering and Computer Science team completed every dynamic event at Formula SAE Michigan for the first time in 20 years.

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Citrus Racing Posts Best Results in 20 Years at Formula SAE Michigan

The College of Engineering and Computer Science team completed every dynamic event at Formula SAE Michigan for the first time in 20 years.
Alex Dunbar June 11, 2026

The team returned from the Formula SAE Michigan competition having outperformed every car the program has produced in the last 20 years—a milestone that marks a turning point for one of the University’s oldest engineering clubs.

The team’s entry, designated CR5, was the first car Citrus Racing designed entirely from scratch in six years. For the first time in 20 years, the team completed every dynamic event on the Formula SAE schedule. The CR5 car also cleared technical inspection before noon on the second day—a benchmark rarely achieved by any team in the field.

“Citrus Racing represents trust in the importance of self-guided learning,” says outgoing team leader Ryan Brennan ’26. “The result is that Citrus Racing alumni are growing not simply into engineers that can turn a wrench, but they are also learning how to work with each other across dynamic business, media, technical and social domains out of real need to operate well or suffer as an organization. We appreciate the help we received from across the . Without that help, Citrus Racing would not be nearly as strong as it is today.”

Citrus Racing is student run with faculty and staff advisors available for consultation. That model gives students opportunity take risks and learn from failures.

Brennan said the experience has shaped members into more than capable engineers. “Our members take full responsibility for every problem that lands at their feet—because they have to,” he says. “Citrus Racing is not just a club, it is an ECS sports team that transcends the years.”

New Leadership Named for 2026–27 Season

Nico O’Neill, a Ph.D. student in physics in the , will serve as the club’s president in the coming year. O’Neill has been managing much of the team’s back-end operations and was recognized for that work with the formal appointment.

Additional lead positions will be published on the once all appointments are finalized.

What Comes Next

Design work for the next Citrus Racing car is scheduled to begin by June 1, 2027. Incoming leadership will establish high-level improvement goals and set deadlines over the summer, following the same development calendar used in 2025. The team has committed to continuing development of internal combustion vehicles for the near term, while advancing electric vehicle research in parallel. Those interested in getting involved can reach the team’s leadership at formsae@syr.edu.

More Photos From Michigan

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The 2025-2026 Citrus Racing Team poses with their car at the Formula SAE event in Michigan
2 University Programs Receive National Endowment for the Arts Grants /2026/06/04/2-university-programs-receive-national-endowment-for-the-arts-grants/ Thu, 04 Jun 2026 19:29:11 +0000 /?p=339346 The grants fund arts programs that enrich student learning and bring creative experiences to the community.

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Arts & Humanities 2

The Community Folk Art Center, at 805 East Genesee Street in Syracuse, and a unit of the University's College of Arts and Sciences, celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2022.

2 University Programs Receive National Endowment for the Arts Grants

The grants fund arts programs that enrich student learning and bring creative experiences to the community.
Diane Stirling June 4, 2026

Faculty in the (VPA) and the (A&S) have received (NEA) grants to support their community-engaged creative arts programs.

The awards—$20,000 for a collaborative filmmaking production program aimed at Syracuse City youth and $18,200 for two years of artist residencies at a campus-affiliated cultural center—reflect the University’s commitment to connecting academic and creative work with the Central New York community.

Teens With a Movie Camera

Now in its third year, “” brings about a dozen local high school students to campus each summer for a three-week media arts production collaboration. Working with film faculty and University students, teens ages 13 to 18 make original short films using smartphones and everyday objects and then present them publicly.

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Three 2025 program participants found that imagination and smartphones were the essential movie-making ingredients for “Teens With a Movie Camera.” (Photo by Amy Manley)

Their work has been shown at the and at . It has also been screened in national and international film festivals, including the Thomas Edison Film festival, where “” won an honorable mention; and in the New Year/New Work Film Festival at The Film-Makers’ Cooperativein NYC.

The program is co-led by , associate professor in VPA’s Department of Film and Media Arts; VPA film program alumnus G’23 and , a Guggenheim fellow and adjunct professor of photography at Onondaga Community College.

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Led by film, media arts and photography faculty, the “Teens With a Movie Camera” program invites local teenagers to make movies using their creative ideas, their smartphones and everyday objects such as oranges, foil fabric and handmade posters. (Photo by Amy Manley)

The trio is assisted by undergraduate and graduate film and media arts students. The program aims to empower teens by voicing their ideas through images and public presentation, according to Mišo Suchý. He says production relies heavily on improvisation “because it is undertaken as a zero-budget creative production based on the ethos of the tradition of independent cinema and low-budget experimental filmmaking.”

This summer’s program will explore themes of “defying gravity” and “overcoming the impossible.” Interested teens can apply on the program’s .

Community Folk Art Center

A second NEA grant of $18,200 will support “Rooted & Rising,” an artist residency program at the (CFAC), a University-affiliated cultural hub dedicated to promoting artists of the African Diaspora.

The residency is directed by , executive director of CFAC and assistant professor of African American studies in A&S. The grant will allow a program beginning in summer 2026 continuing through the end of 2027 that will support four artists over the two-year period. In addition to interacting with students in A&S programs, the artists will develop workshops, exhibitions, talks and free public events.

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Assistant Professor Tanisha Jackson leads the CFAC.

Jackson says the residencies will create meaningful opportunities for Syracuse University students to engage directly with working artists while also expanding access to arts programming for the Central New York community. They also offer the artists “the time, space and institutional support to develop new work grounded in public engagement and cultural dialogue,” Jackson says.

The project reflects CFAC’s mission to bridge scholarship, creative expression and community wellness through support of multidisciplinary artists.

More information about NEA grants and their impact on communities is available on the .

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The colorful exterior of the Community Folk Art Center on East Genesee Street
Up Close and Unmatched: New Microscope a First-of-Its-Kind in the Region /2026/06/04/up-close-and-unmatched-new-microscope-a-first-of-its-kind-in-the-region/ Thu, 04 Jun 2026 18:14:17 +0000 /?p=339320 World-class technology means more viewing power for campus researchers and regional partners across Central New York.

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Up Close and Unmatched: New Microscope a First-of-Its-Kind in the Region

World-class technology means more viewing power for campus researchers and regional partners across Central New York.
Diane Stirling June 4, 2026

A recent major investment in Syracuse University research infrastructure has resulted in the installation of a field emission scanning electron microscope in the University’s (MRC) facility. The instrument has introduced dramatic new imaging capabilities to researchers at the University and at partner institutions in the region.

The new instrument demonstrates the University’s commitment to supporting and enabling cutting-edge research in important fields like biomedical engineering, materials science and quantum computing, says , director of research operations in the .

The Zeiss will serve researchers across disciplines and career stages, from advanced undergraduates and graduate students to postdoctoral scholars and faculty. The Zeiss also supports the campus research group and Central New York’s rapidly expanding semiconductor and quantum technology ecosystem. The instrument was funded by a $335,000 investment by the Office of Research, the and individual faculty contributors.

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Duncan Brown

On Campus and Beyond

The microscope is part of the Office of Research’s efforts to build shared, core facilities available to users across the University and the greater Syracuse region, says , vice president for research. “Strong core facilities are a force multiplier for our outstanding faculty and student researchers, providing access to state-of-the-art scientific instruments without the burden of having to purchase and maintain them individually.”

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Jeremy Steinbacher

“For researchers who once drove an hour to use a scanning electron microscope, that capability is now right here, benefiting researchers on our campus, in our community and throughout the region,” Steinbacher says. It also serves as a recruiting tool because it demonstrates to prospective graduate students, postdoctoral scholars and faculty that state-of-the-art instrumentation is readily accessible at Syracuse, he says.

A Billionth of a Meter

Its resolution of 1.6 nanometers means the Zeiss can zoom down to the nanoscale, revealing details as small as a billionth of a meter, sharp enough to capture images of computer chip components, nanoparticles, bacteria and living cells, Steinbacher says.

It captures the shape and texture of an object’s surface in detailed, three-dimensional images versus thin cross-sections of materials. Because its electron beam works at lower energy levels, the microscope also offers highly detailed viewing of soft or non-metallic materials that typically are difficult or impossible to examine with older equipment, Steinbacher says.

Conventional electron microscopes require samples to be stripped of all moisture and placed under high vacuum, but some materials fall apart or change when dried out. Zeiss permits variable pressure imaging, so air pressure inside the imaging chamber can be adjusted to view samples that aren’t bone-dry. That lets researchers examine hydrogels, drug-delivery particles and biological samples in a more natural state. That capacity did not previously exist at Syracuse University or other area institutions, according to Steinbacher.

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Eric Finkelstein, technical director of the Materials Research Core and research assistant professor of biomedical and chemical engineering in the College of Engineering and Computer Science, manages the Zeiss and oversees core facilities operations. (Photo by Amy Manley)

Who Will Use It

Biomedical and chemical engineering researchers can use the microscope to examine polymer film morphology. Environmental scientists can image rocks and fossils. Others will use it for battery technology research and catalyst design. The group and scientists in electrical engineering, computer science and physics can conduct device characterization—testing device effectiveness and checking for flaws.

, technical director of the , says the Zeiss enables exciting new levels of research. “It lets researchers image the surface appearance of synthetic materials, such as polymers or other engineered materials, and biological samples, such as cells, tissues and organisms, at higher resolution and better definition compared to existing instruments in the area.”

The instrument “is a critical addition to Syracuse’s growing suite of fabrication and characterization tools for next-generation quantum technologies,” says , assistant professor of electrical engineering and computer science in the College of Engineering and Computer Science. “We’ll use it to image our superconducting devices at the nanometer scale, hunting down the surface defects and contaminants that limit their performance.”

, assistant professor of physics in the College of Arts and Sciences, says the Zeiss will assist in prescreening superconducting qubit devices—the tiny, ultra-cold circuits that are the building blocks of quantum computers—from device batches fabricated elsewhere. “That will help us focus on the most promising devicesand let students make the connection between the abstract shapes they draw on computer screens andthe actual footprints of the tiny electrical circuits their designs imprinton the chips.”

For more information about of University instruments and facilities, visit the Core Facilities webpage.

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Two individuals in a lab setting operating a ZEISS Gemini scanning electron microscope, with one pointing at high-resolution sample images on dual computer monitors displaying microscopic analysis data.
16 Students Spend Spring Break on NYC Career Immersion /2026/05/04/16-students-spend-spring-break-on-nyc-career-immersion/ Mon, 04 May 2026 19:17:04 +0000 /?p=337591 The Winston Fisher Seminar took A&S | Maxwell undergraduates inside top firms across finance, law, media and the arts.

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Members of the 2026 Winston Fisher Seminar cohort pose for a photo on a New York City street.

16 Students Spend Spring Break on NYC Career Immersion

The Winston Fisher Seminar took A&S | Maxwell undergraduates inside top firms across finance, law, media and the arts.
Casey Schad May 4, 2026

For many students, the path from a degree to a career can feel uncertain. Over spring break, 16 A&S | Maxwell undergraduates traded that uncertainty for firsthand experience in seeing exactly how their liberal arts education gives them an edge.

This spring, a cohort of students from the and the traveled to New York City for the 18th Winston Fisher Seminar, one of the A&S | Maxwell Office of Student Success’s signature.

This year’s group visited top firms in finance, law, sports, media, publishing and the arts, such as Fisher Brothers, Latham & Watkins, the National Basketball Association, AlphaSights, BBDO, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, WeWork, Teach For America, Penguin Random House, Morgan Stanley and Bloomberg. These experiences allowed students to gain exposure to the many different directions their degree can take them.

The weeklong experience gives undergraduate students from across all majors the opportunity to explore how a liberal arts education translates into real-world career success in the business world. Students spend their time developing and presenting business plans, meeting with industry leaders and building critical networking skills alongside Syracuse University alumni.

Founded in 2006 by Fisher Brothers partner, AREA15 CEO, Dean’s Advisory Board member and Life Trustee Winston Fisher ’96, the seminar has for nearly two decades connected students with a wide range of professional environments, helping them see the breadth of opportunities available to them after graduation.

“The Winston Fisher Seminar proves that a Syracuse liberal arts education opens doors,” says, director of employer and alumni engagement. “Students gain direct access to accomplished alumni and top employers in the world’s most competitive city. It builds connections that launch careers and a mindset that helps students thrive. For 18 years, Winston has delivered something no classroom can replicate—proof that a liberal arts education is a professional advantage.”

Take a peek at scenes from the 2026 Winston Fisher Seminar below.

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Students listen to a presentation while visiting Bloomberg.
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The 2026 cohort poses for a group photo in the Financial District.
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Nafia Jeilani (left) and Vivian Champ (right), student winners of the week-long business plan competition, pose for a photo with Winston Fisher.

 

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A diverse group of eight professionally dressed young adults pose together on a busy city sidewalk, smiling and making peace signs at the camera. Several are wearing lanyards, suggesting attendance at a professional or academic event.
Biomedical Engineering Society Is Shaping the Next Generation of Engineers /2026/05/04/biomedical-engineering-society-is-shaping-the-next-generation-of-engineers/ Mon, 04 May 2026 12:43:04 +0000 /?p=337610 The student organization connects students to research and career opportunities and brings STEM education to Central New York children.

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Somya Chakraborty (left) and Charity Hosler are doing their part to educate future generations of STEM enthusiasts.

Biomedical Engineering Society Is Shaping the Next Generation of Engineers

The student organization connects students to research and career opportunities and brings STEM education to Central New York children.
John Boccacino May 4, 2026

Before Charity Hosler ’27 and Somya Chakraborty ’28 decided to study biomedical engineering, they were once wide-eyed children discovering science through hands-on experiments and the possibilities in STEM.

Now, enrolled in the (ECS) and serving as the president and vice president, respectively, of the (BMES), Hosler and Chakraborty are doing their part to educate future generations of STEM enthusiasts.

Each year, one of the main events organized by the BMES is STEM Day, which allows current engineering students to teach lessons about the core principles of aerospace, biomedical, chemical and civil engineering to Central New York children in kindergarten through sixth grade.

“Just the excitement of learning about science. It’s really cool being able to give back for the next generation,” Hosler says. “And it’s really cool to think we could be the reason some kid decides to come to Syracuse to study biomedical engineering.”

Hosler, Chakraborty and other BMES members organize activities at four stations, each focused on a particular field of engineering.

During this year’s STEM Day on Feb. 28, students made slime at the chemical engineering station, learning about polymers and the chemical phase changes the substances undergo as the slime is formed. At the civil engineering station, students built structures that were mechanically sound and could withstand the elements like wind and water.

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Students learned about the chemical and physical changes that substances undergo as slime is formed.

At the biomedical engineering station, students encountered a hand grabber, which simulated the bones and muscles in a hand, using straws and string to depict how hand muscles move. They also participated in a candy DNA activity, where, using Twizzlers and gummy bears, children learned how the base pairs of DNA match up with each other and what DNA looks like and why.

Demonstrating aerospace engineering, students launched cups into the air, observing Newton’s Third Law, that every action has an equal and opposite reaction.

“I was brought up being exposed to science at a young age, and that’s part of what made me want to become a biomedical engineer. You can really tell how much these kids love science,” Chakraborty says. “Watching the gears in their brains turn in real time while they’re trying to figure something out is fascinating to me. This brings me a lot of joy because that’s how I felt as a kid when I went to these sessions.”

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Students learned about Newton’s Third Law, that every action has an equal and opposite reaction, at the aerospace engineering station.

What Is Biomedical Engineering?

BMES aims to answer that question, helping students connect with each other, discover potential research opportunities, explore possible career paths and develop their networking skills.

Both Hosler and Chakraborty say their organization feels a responsibility to share why biomedical engineering is a timely, important and interdisciplinary specialty.

Biomedical engineers can be responsible for developing, processing and mass-producing drugs and potential life-saving medications, and often they’re tasked with ensuring quality control when a drug is produced. Or they could be charged with improving how medical devices like pacemakers, heart implants and stents that are going to be used by medical professionals worldwide are sanitized. They’re also involved with biomaterials, such as studying how to install a device into a patient without causing negative responses.

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Charity Hosler

“Biomedical engineering is an important field, and I think it’s important for students to get connected with other biomedical engineers and form connections with the people in your major,” Hosler says. “Through the Biomedical Engineering Society, we become more well-rounded, better biomedical engineers who have a desire to serve our communities.”

“I love that this field allows me to be involved in medicine and have an impact on someone’s life behind the scenes,” Chakraborty says. “You’re dedicating your life to solving a problem that a lot of people are dealing with by trying to find a solution.”

Connecting Students to Research and Career Opportunities

BMES holds study nights each semester and organizes volunteer activities in the community each month. The organization also serves as a bridge between academia and the related industries in the medical field, conducting site visits at different local biomedical engineering facilities.

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Somya Chakraborty

Partnering with the Chemical Engineering Society, members visited Lotte Biologics, a biopharmaceutical production facility in East Syracuse, touring the space and connecting with industry professionals.

BMES also hosts professors for informal gatherings where students can learn about potential research opportunities across campus.

“A lot of our students are interested in doing research, but they don’t really know how to get started. We help bridge that gap, introducing freshmen and sophomores who are looking to start their research journey to faculty who are involved with relevant research,” Chakraborty says. “We’re making a difference by connecting students with each other while helping to advance our major.”

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Two smiling students sit at a welcome table in front of a Biomedical Engineering Society STEM Day sign.
Clad in Gray, the Orange Family Shows Up /2026/05/01/clad-in-gray-the-orange-family-shows-up/ Fri, 01 May 2026 13:38:17 +0000 /?p=337554 From students to senior leaders, the University community rallied behind Chancellor Syverud with a walk, prayers and letters of support.

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Clad in Gray, the Orange Family Shows Up

From students to senior leaders, the University community rallied behind Chancellor Syverud with a walk, prayers and letters of support.
Kelly Homan Rodoski May 1, 2026

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.”

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Staff members from Facilities Services send their support to Chancellor Syverud. (Photo by Amy Manley)

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.

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Rev. Devon Bartholomew, Christian Protestant Chaplain, leads those assembled at Crouse-Hinds Hall in prayer. (Photo by Amy Manley)

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 .

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Otto the Orange leads participants down the Einhorn Family Walk to Crouse-Hinds Hall.
How to Make a Great First Impression at Your Summer Internship /2026/05/01/how-to-make-a-great-first-impression-at-your-summer-internship/ Fri, 01 May 2026 13:07:00 +0000 /?p=337462 From what to wear to when to ask questions, Career Services Director Adam Capozzi breaks down what it takes to turn a summer internship into a full-time offer.

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How to Make a Great First Impression at Your Summer Internship

From what to wear to when to ask questions, Career Services Director Adam Capozzi breaks down what it takes to turn a summer internship into a full-time offer.
John Boccacino May 1, 2026

While a summer internship lasts a few months, the impression students make can launch a career.

For students who want to land a full-time position, it’s all about making a great first impression. And as Career Services Director says, you don’t get a second chance to establish a professional identity in the workplace.

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Adam Capozzi

“A first impression isn’t just a moment; it shapes how every interaction after that is seen at the company,” Capozzi says. “From day one, employers are watching to see how interns carry themselves, whether they’re curious about the work and how they treat people at every level of the organization.”

Summer internships are an opportunity where students will either confirm they’re on the right career path or realize they need to reassess. Capozzi says students should devise short- and long-term goals using the FIT (function, industry and type of organization) lens.

“An internship is the perfect time to do a career pressure test, whether that’s the job function you’re doing, the industry you’re in or if the culture of the organization resonates with who you are,” Capozzi says. “That information is extremely valuable as you set your goals moving forward.”

Capozzi shares how students should prepare for their summer internship and offers tips from employers on how to make a great first impression.

Q:
How should students prepare for this audition?
  • Read the organization’s website. Learn the recent news and what their strategic priorities are. Often, a company has a LinkedIn presence, so look to see what their top voices are talking about from a staff member perspective.
  • Confirm logistics early. You don’t want to arrive that first day not knowing where to park, how to dress or who you’ll be reporting to.
  • Reach out proactively to the onboarding person you’ve been working with and ask them if there’s any human resources documentation you should prepare or review ahead of time. That will signal your initiative and professionalism before your first day.
Q:
What are some other questions to ask during onboarding?

You want to come across as genuinely curious, specific and intentional. Good examples are:

  • What should I be doing in moments when I don’t have a project?
  • What should I be focusing on when I get ahead on a project timeline?
  • How can I help with other group activities?

That’s going the extra mile. That initiative is what separates the interns who become full-time hires from those who don’t.

Q:
What else separates interns who get hired full-time from those who don’t?
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Whenever employer partners come to campus or participate in career fairs, they say it’s not the students that are the most impressive in terms of their backgrounds who convert, it’s the ones that really initiate. They learn about the culture and build relationships across the entire organization, not just within their team. They consistently deliver what they promise. They’re strategic and visible throughout the experience. They’re volunteering for tasks and being present in the moment. Those are the interns who become full-time hires.

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How should interns dress for their role?
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Always do your research. Look at the company’s social media channels. If they post team photos, what are employees wearing? Ask your onboarding person what the typical dress code is for a summer intern. When in doubt, it’s better to dress slightly more formal during your first week and adjust based on what you observe.

Need access to professional attire for the internship? Students can check out , a virtual professional styling service that provides students with curated boxes of up to six items of professional clothing shipped directly to their door, with the option to keep what they like at a steep discount or return everything for free.

Q:
How should interns balance asking questions with getting the work done?
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Asking smart questions is a sign of initiative and demonstrates you’re engaged with your thinking. Be thoughtful about what you ask and when you ask it. We tell students to try first, then ask a question. Don’t come to your supervisor with a problem you haven’t already tested out and done your best to solve first.

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(Photo by Angela Ryan)
Q:
What advice do employers wish all interns knew before their first day?
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If you say you’re going to do something, get it done by when you said you were going to do it. When it comes to communication, know what to communicate, who to communicate with and when you should communicate it. Check your ego at the door. You’re not going to always be the smartest person in the room. Your technical skills got you in the door, but now everything else you do from here on will impact if you stay and how you will be remembered.

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(Photo by Angela Ryan)

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A career advisor meets with two students on an orange couch in a colorfully decorated office space.
Class of 2026: 6 Steps to Take Before Commencement /2026/04/29/class-of-2026-6-steps-to-take-before-commencement/ Wed, 29 Apr 2026 19:00:30 +0000 /?p=337433 The below checklist helps the Class of 2026 make the most of their final days as they balance coursework and celebrations.

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Campus & Community Class

Members of the campus community gather with Otto to celebrate at a prior Commencement. (Photo by Jeremy Brinn)

Class of 2026: 6 Steps to Take Before Commencement

The below checklist helps the Class of 2026 make the most of their final days as they balance coursework and celebrations.
Gabrielle Lake April 29, 2026

“Leaving the place I’ve called home for the past four years is truly bittersweet. While I am sad to say goodbye, I am incredibly proud of what my peers and I have accomplished,” says Kate Jackson ’26. “I look forward to more amazing opportunities and adventures ahead. Go Orange!”

Here are six things seniors should do before they receive their diploma on May 10.

  1. : Don’t miss one of the last times on campus to celebrate with friends before graduation! Highlights include activities, food, giveaways and fun.
  2. : Pay it forward by making your Class Giving Campaign gift of $26 and you’ll !
  3. : Celebrate your next adventure and complete today!
  4. : Acting like a printed time capsule, order a yearbook to preserve University photos, memories of friendships, trends and more.
  5. : Including preparation instructions, a complete schedule of events, accessibility information and more, this is your one-stop for all Commencement Weekend information needs.
  6. : Graduation marks the start of the alumni experience! Be sure to stay in touch through the Alumni Association’s expansive events, services, clubs and more!

“Seeing the hard work of the past four years wrap-up is hugely rewarding and likewise emotional,” says Nora Benko ’26. “Leaving behind this place is bittersweet but the upcoming celebrations will be a great way to close out this chapter in Syracuse.”

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Graduates in orange stoles pose with a large orange mascot wearing a blue cap in front of architectural columns.
8 Things Seniors Want to Do Before Graduation /2026/04/28/8-things-seniors-want-to-do-before-graduation/ Tue, 28 Apr 2026 18:42:29 +0000 /?p=337319 From winning a national championship to visiting the chimes in Crouse College, these soon-to-be-graduates share what’s on their Syracuse bucket list.

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The Crouse Chimes feature 14 bronze-cast bells operated by a system of levers and pulleys.

8 Things Seniors Want to Do Before Graduation

From winning a national championship to visiting the chimes in Crouse College, these soon-to-be-graduates share what’s on their Syracuse bucket list.
John Boccacino April 28, 2026

The Class of 2026 is wrapping up final assignments, studying for exams and gearing up for their next adventure. But the days before Commencement are a chance to take in everything campus has to offer one last time, whether it’s a final cup of coffee at People’s Place in Hendricks Chapel, a farewell slice of pizza at Varsity or a laughter-filled stroll through the Quad with friends.

Eight seniors shared with Syracuse University Today the one thing they need to do before they go.

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Top row (left to right): Daniel Baris, Caiyan Bass, Juinkye Chiang, Tommy DaSilva. Bottom row (left to right): Janese Fayson, Joy Mao, Emma Muchnick, German Nolivos.

Daniel Baris, a sport analytics and statistics major in the and the (A&S): “Win a championship in intramural wiffleball. My team has come close in the past, and I feel like this could be our year.”

Caiyan Bass, a communication sciences and disorders major in A&S and a Remembrance Scholar: “Take a trip up the Mount to visit Flint Hall, my freshman year residence hall. Walking through campus and the Quad to get to the top of the Mount steps was something I did every day when I first got to Syracuse. Going back would serve as a fun moment to not only remember that uphill trek, but also to reflect on everything the past four years have taught and given me.”

Juinkye Chiang, an architecture major in the : “I want to build a full-scale mockup of my architectural design, as this will be one of the only opportunities I will ever have to access the advanced fabrication facilities in Slocum Hall.”

Tommy DaSilva, a public health, policy studies and citizenship and civic engagement major in the and a Remembrance Scholar: “Have a movie night with friends. With college ending, I know that there is a very low possibility that I will live so close to all my friends again, so I want to make the most of our last few weeks together through our film nights.”

Janese Fayson, a marketingandfinancemajor in the and executive vice president of the (SGA): “Visit every academic building on campus. Somehow, there are still a few I’ve never stepped foot in, and it feels important to experience all the spaces that make up the University before I leave. It’s a way of fully taking in everything Syracuse has to offer while closing this chapter feeling complete.”

Joy Mao, a television, radio and film major in the, policy studies major in the Maxwell School and A&S and a Remembrance Scholar: “I took Fashion and Portraiture with Professor Gregory Heisler my sophomore year. It was an impactful class for my creative brain. One of the photographers we researched was Margaret Bourke-White, the first female photographer for Life magazine and the first female war correspondent. She gave her work to the University after she retired. I would like to visit the in Bird Library prior to graduation.”

Emma Muchnick, a sport management major in the Falk College and a midfielder on the : “Before I graduate, I want to win a national championship. To be able to bring back a national championship to Syracuse with this group would be so special and a perfect way to cap off my time as a student-athlete here. I’m so proud to represent this University and I want to do it on the biggest stage.”

German Nolivos, a political science major in the Maxwell School and A&S, public relations major in the Newhouse School, SGA president and a Remembrance Scholar: “Visit the chimes in the bell tower in Crouse College. It’s such a meaningful and recognizable part of the University, representing the history and tradition that defines the Syracuse experience. Being able to stand there before graduating feels like a full-circle moment.”

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Large bronze bells hang from a wooden frame inside a brick bell tower, with names and inscriptions written on them.
Applications for Spring 2027 Study Abroad Programs Open May 15 /2026/04/28/applications-for-spring-2027-study-abroad-programs-open-may-15/ Tue, 28 Apr 2026 14:32:18 +0000 /?p=337313 Syracuse Abroad offers more than 60 programs across its global centers and World Partner locations, with new offerings in Santiago, Chile, and Strasbourg, France.

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Campus & Community Applications

Students walk in Strasbourg, France, during a study abroad semester.

Applications for Spring 2027 Study Abroad Programs Open May 15

Syracuse Abroad offers more than 60 programs across its global centers and World Partner locations, with new offerings in Santiago, Chile, and Strasbourg, France.
Ashley Barletta April 28, 2026

Students interested in studying abroad in spring 2027 can begin applying on Friday, May 15, at 9 a.m. ET.

With over 60 program options and locations around the globe, from major cities to hidden gems, there’s a Syracuse Abroad experience waiting just around the corner. Syracuse Abroad centers in Florence, London, Madrid, Santiago (Chile) and Strasbourg (France) are each designed to provide an authentic and immersive study abroad experience. Select World Partner programs are available across Africa, Asia, Australia and more.

View all .

New Program Features Debuting in Spring 2027

Iconic Travel Destination Added to Santiago Center Program Itinerary

Beginning in spring 2027, the Santiago Center program is adding an exciting component to its included travel itinerary: students will take a group trip to Machu Picchu, Peru, to explore the expansive Inca terrace system.

As a master class in agricultural innovation, students will dive into the history of this ancient land while studying soil conservation, water irrigation systems and more. In addition, all courses in the spring are taught in English, with the exception of Spanish beginner and intermediate Spanish language classes. This spring program is ideal for students who have basic Spanish-language skills and are interested in .

Looking to fulfill core course requirements? The course Dictatorships, Human Rights and Historical Memory in Chile and the Southern Cone, taught by center director Mauricio Paredes, will now count as IDEA credit. This course studies the military coup of 1973 and its time period and evaluates its significance and contributions to the configuration of social, political and economic aspects of Chile today.

In addition, all students studying in Santiago in spring 2027 will receive a $2,000 location grant automatically applied to program costs. There is no additional application required.

Learn more about .A

Syracuse Abroad Global Ambassador Isabella Gardea poses in Machu Picchu, Peru.

Special Program Launching for Environment, Health and Policy Enthusiasts

The Santiago Center will also offer a new program focusing on health, sustainability and the environment in Latin America. will include new focusing on local health practices Latin America.

Chile ranks among the region’s leaders in environmental legislation, public health reform and urban sustainability. Students on this program will explore the intersection of these issues through special courses and field trips, including visits to Machu Picchu, Patagonia, Buenos Aires and more.

Exclusive Communications Internship in Strasbourg, France

In collaboration with the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, the Strasbourg Center has partnered with local publication station ARTE to create a new paid, nearly full-time, on-site internship program.

, a leading European media and cultural platform headquartered in Strasbourg just minutes from the Syracuse center, will host two prestigious internship opportunities in the Digital News and Global Offers divisions exclusively for Syracuse students. This credit-bearing internship program will allow students to intern, produce media and take related courses at the Strasbourg Center.

A limited number of opportunities are available, and all internship students will receive a monthly stipend and a $1,000 scholarship. The application deadline for the ARTE Internship program is Sept. 1; students can reach out to Brad Gorham or visit the to learn more.

Preparing to Study Abroad

The spring 2027 application cycle opens on Friday, May 15, at 9 a.m. ET and closes on Oct. 1 for most programs; applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, with the exception of special programs and World Partner programs. The application deadline for World Partner programs is July 1. For specific deadlines, students should refer to each program’s individual application page.

Students are encouraged to apply as early as possible, as many programs have limited capacity. Due to these constraints, securing a spot at specific Centers in the spring, and at World Partner programs, cannot be guaranteed. As part of the application, students will be asked to select a second and third choice program should their first choice program reach capacity.

For more information, students can with an international program advisor or make a general advising appointment to explore their options. Syracuse Abroad will continue to offer virtual advising appointments throughout the summer on a limited basis.Visit the to view all application details and requirements.

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Syracuse Abroad students walk along a cobblestone street in Strasbourg, France, laughing and carrying coffee, with one student wearing an orange Syracuse beanie.