The journey to Syracuse from Yogyakarta, Indonesia, took Ryan Nugraha 28 hours. He arrived at night, exhausted.

But the greeting he and other Fulbrighters received from administrators of the Fulbright Pre-Academic Program gave a boost.

“Suddenly, to me at least, it didn’t feel as tiring anymore because we got to see the warmth of Syracuse,” Nugraha says.

Nugraha was one of 26 students from 20 countries who spent four weeks on the Syracuse University campus over the summer, participating in the program designed to prepare international graduate students for academic life in the United States.

The program, which returned this summer after a yearlong hiatus, is administered through the in the . The scholars spend their mornings sharpening their English and academic skills, and their afternoons meeting guests—librarians, deans and experts who offer information on topics ranging from conducting research to the U.S. political system to mental health.

The rest of the time, scholars are provided experiences outside the academic realm: dinners with host families and field trips to regional historic sites and cultural experiences.

, director of international programs, says the dinners in particular offer a cultural exchange that runs both ways.

“Families offer scholars a personal window into local life, and scholars offer families their own introduction to a new country and culture,” he says. “That kind of exchange is really the heart of what Fulbright is about.”

The program culminates with a poster session where the scholars present on a topic within their academic focus. When the program is over, the scholars head to their home institutions, where they will begin their graduate study in the United States.

But even after their departure, the program’s impact is felt on campus, Lind says.

“Faculty, staff, and students across departments get a chance to connect with incoming international scholars early, building relationships that often carry into the academic year and beyond,” he says. “It gives the university a meaningful way to live out its global engagement mission, showing that Syracuse invests in international students’ success.”

The Experience for Scholars

For Melanie Lemus, who participated in the program before going on to pursue a master’s degree in global studies at Oklahoma State University, her arrival in Syracuse marked her first time leaving home. She was nervous and scared when she said goodbye to her family in Honduras.

“I was almost crying because it was my first time away,” she says of her arrival. “It was at night. It was tiring. I was so homesick and so nervous.”

Within a few days, she says the warmth of the people participating in and administering the program and the many engaging activities—a trip to Niagara Falls was a favorite experience for both her and Nugraha—overtook her homesickness as she found support and friendship in her cohort.

“The professors were really warm and really kind,” she says. “It was really nice to feel supported by them, the facilitators, too. We have a really good group of Fulbrighters. We all got to know each other, and we had a great time with each other.”

Coming into the program, Lemus says she wasn’t expecting to learn so much outside of the classroom and academic preparation or for those experiences to prove so meaningful.

“I love how everything was planned to make us enjoy not only the academic side, but also to know where we are, what is in our surroundings,” she says.

The Impact on Campus—and Beyond

Nugraha, who is pursuing his doctoral degree in health service policy and management at the University of South Carolina, agrees that it was the warmth of the people of Syracuse and the program’s administrators that made the experience amazing.

Academically, Nugraha says that even though he’s been working in classrooms as a lecturer in Indonesia, the program helped him get back in touch with “being on the other side of the table.”

“This program really warms up our academic brain before actually getting to our home institution,” he says.

Getting a re-introduction to balancing classes, assignments, events and excursions gives a preview of what academic study will be like for him, he says.

“We’re getting exposed to that academic environment again, to that social environment again and also to really know and get in touch with other cultures,” Nugraha says.

Lemus says the program was essential to providing an introduction to that academic system in the United States.

“We can go to our home institutions, knowing what is going on, knowing what we are going to face,” she says.

The Fulbright Pre-Academic Program has been hosted by the College of Professional Studies for a decade, but what Lind says makes it so successful is how many people from all corners of the University participate.

“The Fulbrighters get plugged into conversations with deans, professors and specialists from , the , , , and the , to name just a few collaborating units,” he says. “That kind of reach only happens with institutional backing behind it. Administrative and academic leadership have consistently championed the program’s value to the University, treating it not as a one-off but as a standing part of Syracuse’s international mission.”

There’s a new face leading this year, and he’s already feeling right at home. Lt. Col. Jared C. Larpenteur has stepped into the role of professor of military science, taking charge of one of the longest-running Army ROTC programs in the nation.

Becoming a professor of military science is a competitive process. Officers apply and their records go before a selection board. If chosen, they rank their preferred universities. The Army then matches officers to programs based on those preferences and each program’s needs. For Larpenteur, Syracuse was the clear favorite.

“Syracuse was my number one choice, so my family and I were extremely excited when I was selected to come here,” Larpenteur says.

A Leader at Fort Drum

That excitement didn’t come out of nowhere. Larpenteur has served at Fort Drum in Watertown, N.Y., several times over the course of his career, most recently as a battalion commander in the 10th Mountain Division. Those years gave his family a chance to fall for the region.

“Over those assignments, my family really fell in love with Central and Northern New York, the people, the outdoors and the community,” Larpenteur says. “When Syracuse appeared on the list, putting it first was an easy decision for us.”

Since arriving on campus, Larpenteur says one thing stood out to him right away.

“The first thing that stood out to me was the level of support Syracuse University provides its ROTC program and its military-connected community,” Larpenteur says. “A successful ROTC program depends on having a strong relationship with the university, and I saw immediately that Syracuse values that relationship.”

He’s also been struck by the people he’s inherited.

“I have also been impressed by the professionalism of our cadre and staff and, most importantly, the quality of our cadets,” Larpenteur says. “I inherited a program with a strong culture and a record of success. My responsibility is not to come in and reinvent it, but to understand what has made it successful, take care of our people and continue moving the program forward.”

Larpenteur is a native of Plaquemine, Louisiana, where he and his wife, Clare, met in high school. The two have been married for more than 16 years and have two children, Ruthie and Charlie. The family doesn’t have deep roots in Central New York, but years stationed at Fort Drum made the area feel like a second home well before the move to Syracuse. His last assignment was command of the 4th Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team of the 10th Mountain Division. “Being able to finish that assignment and move just down the road to Syracuse, rather than across the country, was a great opportunity for our entire family,” he says.

Larpenteur was commissioned as an infantry officer through Army ROTC at Louisiana State University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in history. Over 19 years of active-duty service, he has served with the 1st Cavalry Division, the 82nd Airborne Division and the 10th Mountain Division, with deployments to Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria. His assignments and training have also taken him overseas to Japan, Australia, Poland and Germany. He holds a master of science degree in adult learning and leadership from Kansas State University and a master of military operational art and science degree from the U.S. Army School of Advanced Military Studies at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.

Developing the Next Generation of Leaders

Looking ahead, Larpenteur hopes his time leading the Stalwart Battalion becomes more than just another assignment.

“I hope Syracuse becomes a genuine home for my family and me,” Larpenteur says. “From my first interactions with the university, people have been incredibly welcoming, and I want to contribute to that community rather than simply work here for a few years. Professionally, what excites me most is the opportunity to develop the next generation of Army officers and leaders. The Army has given my family and me tremendous opportunities over the past 19 years. At this stage of my career, I see this assignment as an opportunity to invest some of that experience back into young people who are just beginning their own careers.”

For the broader campus community, Larpenteur has a simple message: get to know your cadets.

“I hope the campus community continues to see Army ROTC as part of the Syracuse community, not something separate from it,” Larpenteur says. “Our cadets are Syracuse students first and foremost. They are in classrooms, on athletic teams, in student organizations and throughout the university while also preparing to serve as U.S. Army officers.”

While the cadets will continue to be a core component of the university’s culture, Larpenteur hopes for even more visibility beyond those moments the cadets are most known for.

“You’ll certainly continue to see us at some of the more visible Syracuse traditions, our cadets presenting the colors at major events and carrying the large American flag onto the field in the JMA Wireless Dome before football games,” Larpenteur says. “But I also want our cadets engaged with the university beyond those events. The Stalwart Battalion has established a very strong record of performance nationally. My goal is to build on that foundation while developing good officers, good leaders and people who positively contribute to Syracuse University.”

For more information on the Stalwart Battalion, and the support programs available for ROTC cadets, visit the website.

This summer, three Syracuse students crossed the Atlantic for immersive academic three-week programs through the . Only 30 students were selected nationwide for this prestigious program.

Though their subjects couldn’t have been more different, Ellie Ensign, Clara Hasegawa and Anthony Viola engaged in an experience that reshaped how they think about their own field of study.

Ellie Ensign ’29—Queen’s University Belfast: Listening Across a Divide

Ensign, an international relations major in the and and a marketing management major in the , spent three weeks in Queen’s University Belfast’s (QUB) international summer school studying Northern Ireland’s history and the dynamics of divided societies. The program paired classroom lectures on nationalism and populism with field trips to Derry-Londonderry, the North Coast, Crumlin Road Gaol and Stormont.

One conversation stayed with her most: a session with Brian Rowan, a journalist who covered Northern Ireland during the Troubles. Rowan described the burden of relaying information from every side of a conflict to the public, without a rulebook to guide him. For Ensign, it reframed how she thinks about storytelling under pressure. She learned that pursuing unbiased truth doesn’t mean there’s a single clear path to it.

A second formative moment came from Karl Vidamour, a QUB doctoral student who spoke about how environmental issues get filtered through the same “othering” dynamics as political ones. It showed Ensign the patterns she was studying in Belfast appear in places she wouldn’t have expected, including debates back home.

Clara Hasegawa ’29—Lancaster University: Finding a Voice Behind the Sound

For Hasegawa, a film major in the , the defining challenge of her program at Lancaster University was collaborative filmmaking—pitching, critiquing and producing a script as a team that would share a single grade.

Going in, she worried about managing creative differences among a group of equally passionate filmmakers. Instead, she found the experience to be the highlight of her trip. After each student wrote and pitched a short screenplay, the group settled on one story to produce together and divided up production roles.

Hasegawa ended up as sound designer, a role she’d never held before, working alongside a first-time cinematographer and a first-time director.

The group’s film explored the anthropocene, the time we are living in, using Lancaster’s city streets to evoke humanity’s disruption of the natural world. Hasegawa built much of the soundscape from field recordings of traffic and crowds, and in hindsight, wishes she’d gathered even more raw audio to layer into the mix.

Beyond the shoot itself, weekend travel to Liverpool, the Lake District and London gave her a broader sense of British storytelling traditions, from the Beatles Museum to Beatrix Potter’s house to the West End stages.

Anthony Viola ’28—University of St Andrews: History as Information Architecture

Viola, an information management and technology major in the, found that a Scottish history program at the University of St Andrews spoke directly to his discipline. Visits to the university’s special collections archive showed him how carefully organized historical documents and letters preserve context, not just content, and he found himself applying that lens throughout the trip.

This insight structured his experience of Dunnottar Castle, a ruined fortress perched on cliffs above the North Sea, built in part to physically separate classes by keeping servants on the lower levels. Walking through its remains, Viola began seeing the castle itself as a form of information storage, its architecture encoding a history that’s still open to interpretation.

The three students worked with the to apply for the Fulbright UK awards. For more information, contact cfsa@syr.edu

Syracuse University welcomed the Class of 2030 to campus last week. Check out the slideshow below for a sampling of the fun, spirited and emotional moments. Wishing all of our students a wonderful semester!

Shwetha Srikanta, a computer science Ph.D. student in the , won two top honors at Amazon’s global intern recognition event for her work developing artificial intelligence systems to detect and stop sophisticated automated attacks.

Srikanta received the Global Top EXPO Award and the Global Top People’s Choice Award for her project during an internship as an applied scientist at Amazon. Her project focused on building AI systems designed to identify and mitigate advanced automated attacks, technology that could help safeguard billions of customer interactions.

“It has been an exciting technical challenge and a meaningful opportunity to contribute to AI systems operating at an incredible scale,” says Srikanta. “This recognition reflects the support, mentorship and collaboration of many exceptional people.”

Srikanta says the recognition will motivate her continued research into AI systems aimed at solving large-scale, real-world problems.

“I’m deeply thankful to my mentors, advisor, and everyone who has supported me along the way,” says Srikanta. “This recognition inspires me to continue building AI systems that solve challenging real-world problems and create meaningful impact.”

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.

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?

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?

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.

The classroom spaces in the Center for Science and Technology buzz with activity as high school students build and learn how to code autonomous vehicles on land, in the air and underwater.

A black and white quadcopter drone hovers a few feet above ground, precisely navigating a test flight.

On the ground, black robotic rovers navigate a racecourse consisting of varying terrains, mapped out in blue and orange masking tape.

Below the surface, twin submersibles glide through the water, responding to commands from students on the pool deck relayed through a tethered topside control unit.

is a summer STEM program that ran June 29 through July 28 in the (ECS), meant to develop a pipeline of high school students interested in working with autonomous vehicles. As part of the program, 23 high school students from the greater Syracuse area built and operated different autonomous systems using video game-style controllers.

Students also worked on UAS-SAR (Unmanned Air System—Synthetic Aperture Radar), exploring radar imaging by building and flying a radar on a small drone and using it to capture images of different objects. Throughout the program, students also got a foundational look at the batteries driving these systems, discussing how factors like weight, capacity and charge time shape the performance of vehicles operating on land, in the air and underwater.

“It’s important to get high schoolers into engineering and the STEM fields,” says Connor Sumner ’25, G’27, a current teaching assistant who earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering and will complete a master’s degree in May. “Seeing a drone fly by, watching the submarine glide across the water and learning how to build the race car is definitely one of the biggest factors that hook kids on these activities.”

From Curious Scholar to Confident Coder

Coen Fierke ’29 enjoyed the engineering lessons he learned three years ago as a student scholar at Orange Works so much that he enrolled as an electrical engineering major in ECS.

“This program is amazing, and it’s so helpful for students to come to Syracuse and get these opportunities to be introduced to these skills,” Fierke says. “I was motivated to attend Syracuse University after doing Orange Works because I could see myself doing electrical engineering. The program made me want to come here.”

Like many of the participants, Fierke came into the program with minimal coding experience, but after taking an introductory Python programming course each evening, Fierke says he soon felt comfortable navigating the coding required to program the different vehicles.

“These students will live in a world full of autonomous systems where, starting today, they will have the tools to help shape the future,” says Anthony Terrinoni, the associate director of academic programs in mechanical and aerospace engineering who also directs Orange Works.

A Slice of Life on Campus

In its fourth year, Orange Works falls under the mechanical and aerospace engineering department in ECS and is funded jointly by the (CASE) at Syracuse University, and the . Led by Binghamton University, the Engine brings together premier research and development universities, educational institutions, industry, economic development and community organizations and government agencies to grow the battery ecosystem in Upstate New York driving national and regional impact.

“Programs like Orange Works are only possible because of strong partnerships and support,” says , professor and chair of the Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department. “We’re grateful to CASE and the NSF Energy Storage Engine in Upstate New York for their financial support, which allows us to give these students hands-on experiences with battery integration and autonomous systems while helping build the next generation of engineers here in Central New York.”

“Orange Works is a great entry point into the Energy Storage Scholars Initiative, our effort to build a talent pipeline for this industry from high school through college and beyond,” says Tim Thomas, chief workforce development officer for the NSF Energy Storage Engine in Upstate New York. “Building a strong energy storage ecosystem in New York State requires a steady supply of skilled engineers, and programs like this one are essential to giving more students across our region access to engineering degrees at institutions like Syracuse’s College of Engineering and Computer Science.”

Students eat in the dining halls and visit campus spots like the , the and the , activities that Fierke says “help connect students with Syracuse and show them what life is like as a Syracuse University student.”

Orange Works participants also learn from ECS faculty and current students, building up their engineering skills while gaining the confidence to turn their passion for autonomous vehicles into a potential career path.

“Orange Works gives high school students the chance to work in teams and design, build and program a real autonomous system alongside our faculty and current students,” says , interim ECS dean and associate provost for academic programs. “This unique and engaging experience helps them build the skills and confidence to pursue engineering and computer science degrees in college and become the innovators of the future.”

Putting Skills to the Test at MIT

The highlight of Orange Works was putting the students’ skills to the test on a challenging course as part of an international autonomous-vehicle competition at the (MIT) , held July 30 through Aug. 2.

Leading up to the competition, students spend hours together testing their autonomous vehicles, supporting and learning from each other in a collaborative environment while overcoming challenges stemming from building, programming and troubleshooting.

“It’s pretty cool going home and telling your friends that you spent part of your summer building these autonomous vehicles. These students want to learn, and this program educates them now and prepares them for a career in the future,” Sumner says.

For Fierke, the same program that first sparked his interest in electrical engineering as a high school scholar has him giving back to aspiring engineers as one of the program’s teaching assistants.

“Orange Works creates these opportunities to network and learn from some of the best minds in the field,” Fierke says.

Elyas A. Layachi ’27 thought he had his Syracuse University journey figured out the day he arrived on campus.

He planned to study aerospace engineering, but he soon realized that while engineering interested him, it wasn’t his passion.

After self-reflection and conversations with family, friends, professors and advisors, he decided to double major in mathematics in the and inclusive adolescent education in the . It was a decision that opened the door to research, mentorship and leadership roles he never expected to pursue.

On , Layachi will address the more than 3,600 first-year and transfer students as the New Student Convocation speaker inside the JMA Wireless Dome, encouraging the newest members of the Orange family to stay flexible in mapping out their path.

“I came into Syracuse University with absolute certainty about how the rest of my college journey would pan out, but I wish I gave myself more grace when it came to reconsidering that path,” Layachi says. “Once I let go of that certainty, I began to grow into the person I wanted to be from the start.”

Layachi grew into a leader, serving as vice president of the and a  peer leader, and as an and member. He also participated in the University’s first inclusive study abroad trip to Florence, Italy, served as an undergraduate research assistant for two faculty members and presented original research on virtual reality eye tracking at the American Educational Research Association.

SU Today caught up with Layachi to learn more about his favorite memories from his first year on campus and his advice to the new students in the Class of 2030.

1. He fell in love with the campus from the jump.

“I was drawn to Syracuse University by its size and diversity of majors. This is a beautiful campus that offers students a plethora of clubs, organizations and other ways to get involved outside of the classroom. After visiting the University for prospective student day, I was certain I wanted to commit here.”

2. A warm welcoming reception made him feel right at home.

“My memories from Move-In/Welcome Week are warm. I clearly remember the welcoming smiles from Goon Squad members as they helped me move in, meeting my roommate and floormates for the first time and attending events like the Y2K Party on the Quad. I was nervous, yet motivated and excited to meet new people and get acclimated to college life. Looking back, that first week set the tone for how welcomed and supported I’d continue to feel throughout my time at Syracuse University.”

3. He became his own best advocate.

“I realized that advocating for yourself and taking initiative are key to academic and personal success. Through research programs like and the , I learned to apply research skills in education and gained a newfound passion for educational research. Looking back, Syracuse University gave me the opportunity and resources to pivot, find my footing and grow into the person I’d hoped to become.”

4. His passion for community service motivated his on-campus involvement.

“These experiences in the , First Year Seminar, the Muslim Students’ Association and the Honors Program enabled me to grow as a person and explore my strengths and weaknesses in mentorship, research and public speaking. Being an active student leader on campus improves my leadership skills while letting me give back to the University and help positively impact the college experiences of other students.”

5. He wants to use his degrees to impact educational research and policymaking.

“Once I graduate, I plan to earn a master’s degree in an education field and teach secondary mathematics for at least five years. Further down the line, I hope to earn a doctorate in educational policy or a related field and build a career in educational research and policymaking.”

6. He intends to emphasize the importance of finding community on campus.

“I plan to call on students to be proactive and seek out community at Syracuse University, and I’ll share a personal story about a pivotal early moment that speaks to these themes.”

Syracuse University’s is rolling out Azimuth Check, a new coaching program that connects student veterans and military-connected undergraduates with a dedicated Pathfinder Coach from the start of their academic journey through graduation.

The program, developed with the national nonprofit InsideTrack, sits within OVMA’s Resiliency Program (ORP). Pathfinder Coaches reach out regularly to help students work through academic, financial, personal and professional challenges; connect them with campus resources and build the resiliency and self-advocacy skills that keep students on track toward their degree.

The name “Azimuth Check” comes from a familiar military practice. An azimuth provides direction, while an azimuth check ensures that an individual or team remains oriented toward its intended destination. The new program applies that same principle to higher education by helping students clarify their goals, navigate challenges and remain on course toward degree completion. Likewise, dedicated coaches are called Pathfinders because they provide student veterans and military-connected students with the navigational aids to stay on course and achieve a successful transition into higher education.

“Transition from military service to higher education for the first time can be a daunting task for veterans and currently serving service members. At Syracuse University, our responsibility extends beyond helping veteran and military-connected students enroll,” says retired U.S. Army Col. Ron Novack, OVMA’s executive director. “We want every student to feel supported, connected and positioned to succeed from the moment they arrive through graduation and beyond. Azimuth Check represents another important investment in the whole student experience and strengthens our commitment to making Syracuse University the ‘Best Place for Veterans.’”

Students paired with a coach get a single, consistent point of contact who understands what it’s like to balance coursework with military obligations, family responsibilities or a full-time job. Coaches help students identify priorities, build a plan and strengthen skills such as time management, motivation and problem-solving. When a student needs more specialized help, coaches connect them with the right office on campus.

Azimuth Check will not replace academic advisers, counselors or financial aid staff. Instead, it gives students someone to check in with regularly, someone who can help catch a small problem before it grows into a reason to leave school.

Azimuth Check builds on the work of the OVMA Resiliency Program, created to support the overall well-being of Syracuse’s veteran and military-connected students. ORP offers personalized, nonclinical support to help students navigate university and community resources, working from the idea that a student’s path to graduation depends on more than grades. Belonging, personal well-being, family circumstances, financial stability and a willingness to ask for help all play a part.

“Student veterans and military-connected students arrive at Syracuse with tremendous strengths, including leadership, adaptability, discipline and a commitment to something larger than themselves,” says U.S. Air Force veteran Kenneth Marfilius ‘07, associate director of the OVMA Resiliency Program, faculty director of online programs and strategic initiatives in the School of Education and associate teaching professor of social work. “At the same time, they may be balancing school with work, family, military service or the transition to civilian life. Azimuth Check gives students someone who will consistently reach out, listen, and help them navigate the path ahead. This is proactive support designed to strengthen resiliency, persistence and connection while ensuring students know they do not have to manage every challenge alone.”

InsideTrack, the program’s coaching partner, is a national nonprofit that works with colleges across the country to provide personalized, evidence-based coaching aimed at strengthening student engagement, persistence and completion. Its coaches rely on regular, individual conversations to help students recognize barriers, build on their strengths and follow through on their goals.

Azimuth Check adds to a support network that already includes OVMA, the National Veterans Resource Center at the Daniel and Gayle D’Aniello Building, as well as academic, career and health resources across campus. It is another way for the university to reach students early, stay connected and help them feel like they belong, not just at Syracuse, but on the path to their degree.

For more than a century, Syracuse has stood by the people who serve and their families. Azimuth Check carries that commitment forward, giving students a personal guide, a steady point of contact and a chance to periodically check their direction as they work toward their goals.

“At its core, this initiative is about making sure our students know that someone is in their corner,” Novack says. “That level of sustained, personal support is central to who we are and why Syracuse University continues to set the standard as the ‘Best Place for Veterans.’”

For more information on this impactful program, and other mental health resources available to student veterans and military-connected students, please visit the .

Syracuse University students majoring outside the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications can now add journalism skills to their degree through .

A summer in Spain is like no other. Ask any one of the 36 students who spent five weeks this summer in one of Europe’s most vibrant cities: Madrid, Spain.

Over the course of the Madrid Summer Session at , students explored the streets of captivating cities, engaged with local communities and built a long-lasting connection with Spain that spans beyond the classroom.

Out of the Classroom, Into the Culture

The session began with the program orientation and welcome session at the center, led by center director Dieter Kuehl. The cohort then launched into their program with a visit to Toledo, Spain, for a trip filled with culture, history and exquisite cuisine.

Rolling up their sleeves, the group of students participated in a cooking workshop, discovering the flavors and traditions of Spanish food firsthand while cooking traditional Spanish dishes, including tortilla de patatas, a Spanish tortilla. Students also visited the Toledo Cathedral, witnessing centuries of art and history through their own eyes.

Visiting the Spanish Senate was another highlight of the session in Madrid. The cohort visited the Senado and received a behind-the-scenes look at the Senate’s role in the legislative process, how sessions are conducted and the inner workings of the chamber that shapes national policies. Students were able to visit the hemicycle, explore the art collection housed at the Palacio del Senado and gained a deeper understanding of Spain’s political infrastructure and democratic institutions.

From Lecture Halls to Local Businesses

While in Madrid, students enrolled in a range of courses including Mediterranean Environment and Ecosystems, Arts of Spain: Paintings, Architectures, Cities, Spain, Past and Present, Cross-Cultural Psychology, and Spanish courses including Media, Film and Pop Culture and Living in Madrid: Life in the Neighborhoods.

Seven students also participated in three-credit internships in a variety of fields including business, marketing, communications and education. These internships, designed to develop intercultural skills, communications practices and adaptability, provide students with an in-depth look into the workplace culture and professional dynamics of their host country.

Some of this summer’s internship locations in Madrid included:

• Ayúdame3D, where a student worked on the communications team for the 3D prosthetics printing company
• ShowMeTheProject, where a student interned at the architecture company drawing illustrations that will be turned into advertisements through AI
• REIN Studio, where a student worked with an artist leading a creative photography project in Madrid
• Fundación Bocatas, where a student learned how international immigration patterns and displacement shape the daily realities of immigrant communities at the local level

Learn more about Ayúdame3D in this created by Sofi Traversari ’27.

Lessons Above and Below the Surface

Emma Anderson ’27, a biology and neuroscience major in the College of Arts and Sciences, participated in the trip to Cabo de Palos and Mar Menor in Cartagena. This course, offered during the semester and over the summer, studies marine ecosystems and the physiology, behavior and ecology of marine and coastal organisms.

On the first day of the trip, students visited the National Museum of Underwater Archaeology, hiked and saw the Teatro Romano de Cartagena. At the museum, they learned about ancient artifacts found underwater, including one of the oldest known shipwrecks in the Mediterranean sailed by the Phoenicians. On the second day, and the highlight of the trip, students went snorkeling and swam with species they learned about in class including sea tomatoes, anemones and sea urchins.

“This trip was an amazing experience,” Anderson says, “because we were able to connect our classroom lectures to real-world observations to understand the importance of protecting the Mediterranean.”

On the third day, the cohort took a boat trip to see the marine reserve and learn about ecosystem protections in place in the region. The trip concluded with scuba diving, paddle boarding and more hiking, a hands-on way to directly interact with the local marine species and wildlife.

Five weeks, multiple cities and countless memories. From cooking in Toledo to snorkeling in the Mediterranean, these students truly embraced Spanish life and culture and returned home with broader perspectives and a piece of Madrid that will stay with them forever.

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

Combining Science, Technology and the Law

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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