The in the (VPA) is celebrating the release of two albums showcasing the Syracuse University Singers and faculty.

“” features the Syracuse University Singers, conducted by , professor and director of the Setnor School of Music. VPA alumni and faculty contributed new a cappella choral music for the project.

The University Singers began gathering contemporary music in 2022 when the ensemble was invited to present the featured closing concert of the Society of Composers, Inc., Region 2 Conference, hosted by the Setnor School of Music in Crouse College.

The program debuted all new music, including three works by guest composer and alumnus Nilo Alcala G’09.

“The concert was in November and went very well, so at the end of the semester we recorded the music during the last couple of days of classes,” says Warren.

Two additional songs were added during the spring semester, including the album’s namesake, “Sing Me Awake,” by Dylan Kim ’24, then a student composer in the choir. , associate professor of composition in the Setnor School of Music, also contributed a piece, “I Have a Bird in Spring.”

While celebrating the release of the album, the University Singers are also looking toward the future. This February, they will hold a concert bringing the 40-part voice piece “Spem in Alium” to life with the Southern Tier Singers’ Collective and the Binghamton University Chamber Singers.

The Setnor School of Music also commemorates the release of an album from two faculty members, composer Draper and organist , associate professor of applied music and performance (organ).

The culmination of a six-year artistic partnership, “” presents eight contemporary works that place the organ in conversation with violin, trombone, solo voices, choir and three distinctive pipe organs.

The project began in 2019 when Laver asked new VPA faculty member Draper to write her first work for organ. Draper’s use of the organ impressed Laver.

“What surprised me most was how quickly Natalie adapted to the organ and made it an extension of her compositional voice,” says Laver. “The organ can be a daunting instrument to write for, but Natalie embraced the challenge.”

As the music took shape, the pair drew on the University community. The album features Setnor faculty , violin, and G’26, soprano, Department of Drama instructor G’24, mezzo-soprano, as well as the Hendricks Chapel Choir under the direction of . Setnor alumna Katerina Skafidas ’20, soprano, also contributed.

The album’s use of the academic phrase et al. (“and others”) is a nod toward the collaborative spirit it embodies.

The organ itself becomes a collaborator through the work of Draper. In the title work, “Interlaced,” violin and organ intertwine to create what she describes as a “super-instrument.”

“The organ is so often a solo instrument—it felt liberating to open it up to chamber possibilities,” says Draper. “In many ways, this album is a celebration of the collaborative spirit on every level.”

That vision was made possible with support from organizations including the New York State Council on the Arts, CNY Arts, Sonoma Bach and several chapters of the American Guild of Organists, whose support helped transform an initial commission into a multi-year creative endeavor.

All are welcome to celebrate the album’s release at a on Saturday, Oct. 24, at 11 a.m. in Setnor Auditorium.

Syracuse University’s Women in Sports Club (WISC) is making history through a new partnership with . As the organization’s first on-campus student group, WISC will expand opportunities for students to connect with industry professionals, develop leadership skills and prepare for careers in sport.

The initiative was announced Oct. 13 at the Women Leaders in Sports National Convention in Chicago, where the served as presenting sponsor of the keynote session.

“As the ‘Women in Sport Club at Syracuse University empowered by Women Leaders in Sports,’ we are thrilled to announce our partnership as their first official collegiate chapter,” says Maggie Grejda ’27, a sport management major in Falk College and president of WISC. “Our relationship will set a leading example for universities across the nation of what this amazing organization can offer female students for professional development, networking opportunities and sport industry confidence.”

Through the collaboration, WISC members will receive access to Women Leaders in Sports membership, including its national professional network, leadership development resources, mentorship and internship and job opportunities. Members can also join the Rising Stars Circle, a community for students and early-career professionals to learn from industry leaders, share best practices and gain career insights.

The partnership provides dedicated programming each semester, including virtual professional development sessions, in-person leadership experiences and opportunities to connect with sport industry executives and professionals. Participation is open to Syracuse University students across all academic programs.

“The partnership between Women Leaders and Syracuse is truly innovative and impactful, aiming to advance knowledge and elevate the professional skills of sports administrators and executives,” says Jennifer Williams, board president of Women Leaders in Sports. “Falk College stands out as one of the premier sport management programs in the country, and their dedication to recruiting and advancing women in sports perfectly aligns with the mission of Women Leaders.”

The initiative builds on a between Falk College, Syracuse University’s Women in Leadership Initiative and Women Leaders in Sports. Since then, the collaboration has connected Syracuse students with industry leaders through networking and professional development opportunities.

“By partnering with Women Leaders in Sports, WISC’s network of mentors, educational opportunities, and exploration of the sport industry will grow tremendously,” Grejda says.

—Story by Lizzie Barlow

As a four-year member of the offensive line for the Syracuse University football team, prided himself on being a team player, someone who would do the little things every day to help the Orange succeed on the field.

That selfless strategy helped Tarullo become a starter for the final 36 games of his career, including earning First-Team All-Big East honors during his senior season.

That same approach guided Tarullo’s entrepreneurial career as partner, financial advisor and vice president of recruiting and sales for , part of Cetera Investors.

For the second straight year, Tarullo is being recognized during the University’s fourth annual��, which on Nov. 12 will celebrate 50 of the fastest-growing global businesses and nonprofit ventures owned or led by Orange alumni.

“I’m very honored,” says Tarullo, who earned dual degrees in psychology and communications and rhetorical studies from the . “It’s a phenomenal event showcasing the entrepreneurial spirit our alumni have, and I strongly encourage other alumni to be a part of this celebration.”

While he’s looking forward to the awards ceremony, Tarullo says he’s equally excited to impart his business acumen to student entrepreneurs at the ’CUSE50 Student Summit, when honorees will share insights with students at the .

Over the summer, Tarullo’s company hosted several current students for internships. Tarullo plans to use this year’s Student Summit to emphasize the importance of giving back to future students.

“It’s beneficial for students to hear stories of success, but also how we overcome problems. I tell students how important it is to have a niche, a passion that motivates your work,” Tarullo says.

for the ’CUSE50 Student Summit and Alumni Awards Ceremony.

The Student Summit runs from noon to 3 p.m. in the Flaum Grand Hall in the Whitman School, with Chancellor J. Michael Haynie and Whitman Dean Alex McKelvie delivering remarks. Latavius Murray G’20, a retired NFL running back, community builder and entrepreneur will serve as the keynote speaker, followed by two panel discussions featuring ’CUSE50 alumni entrepreneurs and a “Five for Five” pitch competition, where five student startups will compete for a winner-takes-all $5,000 prize judged by the ’CUSE50 honorees in attendance. To support student entrepreneurs, consider a gift to the which makes the student prize money possible.

The Alumni Entrepreneur Awards Ceremony begins with check-in and light refreshments at 5 p.m., followed by the awards at 5:30 p.m. in the K.G. Tan Auditorium and a reception starting at 6:45 p.m. in the Bisignano Grand Hall. All events occur in the National Veterans Resource Center at the Daniel and Gayle D’Aniello Building.

Tarullo sat down with Syracuse University Today to preview the ’CUSE50 Alumni Awards.

A project started during a school break has grown into a task management app used by more than 30,000 people worldwide.

Dongda Li, a Ph.D. student in computer and information science and engineering, is the creator and primary maintainer of Mindwtr, a free and open-source app built around the Getting Things Done method, often called GTD.

Li says he first encountered the GTD methodology around 2022 but spent years without finding an app that fit what he wanted: something that worked consistently across multiple devices and operating systems, functioned offline, kept data in users’ hands and didn’t require a subscription or mandatory cloud account.

During winter break in December 2025, with some free time on his hands, he decided to build it himself.

“At first, it was really just a personal side project,” Li says. He was building a tool for his own research, projects and personal tasks. Once he found it useful, he open-sourced it, thinking others might be looking for something similar.

Building Beyond the Code

The response came faster than he expected. People began discovering the project, installing it, starring it on GitHub, reporting bugs and contributing code. That pushed Li to expand Mindwtr beyond a developer-focused GitHub repository into a polished consumer app. He brought it to iOS, Android, macOS, Windows and Linux, publishing it through the Apple App Store, Google Play and Microsoft Store.

Along the way he had to learn skills beyond programming, including release engineering, app store review processes, cross-platform testing, code signing and user support.

Mindwtr has 2,000 stars on GitHub while remaining free and open source.

Li says the app is no longer shaped only by his own preferences. Users have brought him workflows he never would have encountered on his own, sometimes changing the software’s direction entirely.

One user with a Pebble Index 01 smart ring built a custom connector to speak thoughts into the ring, sending transcriptions and audio directly into Mindwtr’s inbox, reporting roughly 10 captures a day. That feedback led to built-in support for similar capture methods, audio-handling fixes and more restricted credentials so capture devices don’t need full access to a user’s task data.

It also pushed Li toward supporting quick capture from wearables, including a feature that lets Apple Watch users capture tasks by voice or text without pulling out their phone.

Users with different language and regional needs have shaped the app as well. A Persian-speaking user’s frustration with repeatedly converting dates from the Jalali calendar to the Gregorian calendar led Li to add Jalali date support and improve Persian localization.

Outside contributors have also added major features, including native iCloud and CloudKit synchronization for iOS and macOS, along with Docker and self-hosting infrastructure. Smaller community contributions, Li says, include translation corrections, release testing and workflow suggestions.

One App Store reviewer said they might learn Swift to build a lock-screen widget themselves if Li didn’t; he built it first.

Li says the project complements his doctoral research, which focuses on multimodal artificial intelligence and vision-language models, by giving him experience in software architecture, synchronization, localization and product design that his academic work doesn’t provide.

Sharing the Story With Fellow Developers

Mindwtr includes an optional AI assistant. Users can choose their own AI��provider or a compatible local model, while the core app remains usable without AI. Li says AI tools have also become part of how he personally develops and maintains the project alongside his research.

Earlier this year, Li spoke at LoFi/37, a local-first web community meetup, about building Mindwtr as a solo developer. His talk, titled “Building a Cross-Platform Local-First GTD App as a Solo Dev,” covered sharing a TypeScript core across platforms and supporting synchronization without requiring a Mindwtr-operated central service.

Li says maintaining the app alongside his research and teaching duties takes considerable time but watching a tool he built for himself become something people around the world use and contribute to has made it worthwhile.

He says that some of his friends at Syracuse already use Mindwtr and said he sees students as a natural audience, given how often they juggle coursework, research and personal responsibilities.

Wondering when to go abroad? Here are five reasons fall might be your best bet.

Fall-Only Programs

Some programs only run in the fall, including engineering in Strasbourg, France, acting at Shakespeare’s Globe in London, England, Spanish immersion in Santiago, Chile, and health and science in Madrid, Spain.

Whatever your major, there may be a fall option that fits.

Better Odds

Fall programs tend to offer more availability, which can mean more housing choices and a better shot at your first-choice program. Looking to study in Florence or Madrid? Applying for fall can make it easier to land there at the same time as your friends.

Similar Cost

You keep your institutional aid on a program, so costs are similar to studying on campus. There are also a handful of grants and scholarships available for fall programs!

Holidays Abroad

Fall means holiday magic in Europe, from some of the oldest Christmas markets to cultural events like the Strasbourg World Forum on Democracy.

Personal Growth

A fall semester abroad provides a unique opportunity to reflect and grow in a new environment. Launch your spring semester back on campus with fresh perspectives and newfound passions.

Ready to start? Fall applications .

For students earning a graduate degree entirely online, the chance to sit across from a professor or classmate in person can be rare.

Not so in the (A&S), where its highly regarded (MFT) program intentionally builds that opportunity into the curriculum. Recognizing the human-centered nature of the practice, a signature residency creates a valuable network for participants, while introducing them to the resources and dedicated professionals of the Syracuse University campus.

This year, 25 students traveled from states across the country for the program’s fourth graduate residency since 2020, an immersive three days of workshops, panel discussions and hands-on practice designed to turn distance learning into shared experience. Among the attendees were students from Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Washington, D.C., Illinois, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, Oregon, Texas, Washington and New York.

The September residency gives students completing clinical training in communities nationwide a chance to come together in person to sharpen clinical skills, pursue professional development and build connections with peers and faculty. The reflective activities help students integrate their academic and clinical learning while deepening their understanding of systemic therapy and professional practice.

“One of the things I love about the residency is seeing students who already know each other online meet in person for the first time,” says , professor of practice and chair of the Department of Human Development and Family Science. “There’s such a nice moment of recognition because they aren’t meeting as strangers. They already have relationships with each other. Being together in Peck Hall gives them another way to connect, learn from each other and see themselves as part of a larger professional community.”

The residency reflects a broader commitment within A&S to address grand challenges facing society, particularly those tied to health and well-being. By training clinicians equipped to meet growing demand for mental health services, the program extends that mission beyond the classroom and into communities from coast to coast.

“What stood out to me this year was the openness and support of students across programs,” says , the MFT master’s program director. “Online students were meeting with residential students, watching their cases and offering beautiful support. Even without knowing each other, there was a level of openness and trust in their communication and feedback. Each student seemed to understand the delicacy of clinical work and worked as a team during observations.”

In a field built on human connection, that time together may be nearly as essential to a student’s training as anything covered in a syllabus.

“My cohort was already pretty connected in the online space, but spending time together added a layer of understanding and emotional safety we hadn’t experienced before,” participant Anne Esse says. “In an online course, you’re never sure if you’re just a sea of faces instructors see every week or not. It felt like they all knew us individuals, as if we’d been attending their classes in person.”

Fellow participant Nikki Shayer says all of the sessions and exercises “were excellent.”

“Each session was a different topic, of course, but each one made me think about things with a different eye,” she says. “I think that’s what I’ve been loving the most about this program, and about the residency experience—all the knowledge and wisdom shared just lingers, and I’m able to connect dots together that I wouldn’t have been able to before. It was really an enriching experience; I’d love to do it again.”

Syracuse University wants to hear from undergraduate students about their experiences. A new , open now through the end of the day on Friday, Oct. 23, invites students to share their thoughts on life at Syracuse and how they see the University today.

The survey takes 5-10 minutes to complete. Responses are confidential. Results are reviewed only in aggregate, so no one will see what any individual student said.

Student feedback plays an important role in helping ensure Syracuse reflects the pride, values and priorities of its students. Whether a first-year student still settling in or a senior preparing for what comes next, every student’s perspective matters.

Take a few minutes to make your voice heard: .

Lockerbie, Scotland, is well known as a place of tragedy connected to Syracuse University through the 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103. But for a new generation of Syracuse University students, the small Scottish town is also an international classroom, a research laboratory and a second home.

In spring 2024, Anna Newbould received a happy call: She had been named a Lockerbie Scholar and would head to Syracuse University that fall. The same day, an orange calf was born on her family’s dairy farm. They named the baby cow Syra.

A few months later, Syracuse students met Syra during their visit to the low-carbon farm, which is part of Syracuse Abroad’s travelling summer course on .

The course exists because of the COVID-19 pandemic. In fall 2021, students at Syracuse London expected to travel to Scandinavia for their course. Plans were cut short by the Omicron variant, as international borders closed abruptly once again. But thanks to Kirsty Boardman, a 2007-08 Lockerbie Scholar who now teaches geography at Lockerbie Academy, an alternative, UK-based itinerary was quickly created. Students instead traveled to Scotland, learning from former Lockerbie Scholars and their families about ecosystem restoration projects, Passivhaus housing developments and sustainable forestry.

Green Britain is just one example of Lockerbie opening doors to learning for Syracuse students at short notice. Inclusive education major Mason Burley ’27 was meant to spend summer 2026 in Ghana exploring education policy in diverse contexts as a

When the program was suddenly canceled, a team of Lockerbie Scholars and local teachers came together to host Burley in Scotland instead, enabling him to complete an independent study on civic education practices. A 2026-27 Remembrance Scholar, Burley is now supporting a special project to develop a music video celebrating the “” that have characterized the Lockerbie community since 1988.

These learning experiences are possible thanks to ongoing partnerships between the and community groups in Lockerbie. Each semester, students from Syracuse London travel to Lockerbie on a Remembrance Exchange program, which is made possible by the generosity of Trustee Mike Venutolo ’77 and his wife, Kim. The trips include workshops with local students, a forensic tour of impact sites and a community dinner. These weekends serve not only to build meaningful relationships but also to provide academic enrichment for education abroad.

Yida (Rick) Li ’26 first visited Lockerbie in February 2024 through the London program. He was so inspired by his time at Tundergarth Kirks Trust—a preserved church and educational charity located near a prominent impact site—that he returned two years later to conduct field research for his senior honors thesis.

“,” argues that traditional memorial architecture fails when it attempts to contain memory within a singular, formal object. Rather, sustaining a network of spatial, institutional, oral and ritual practices allows for remembrance to be a “living thing” that can continually be encountered. Li conducted multigenerational interviews, creative workshops and site visits to inform his thesis, which received an honorable mention in the creative category of the and won .

Last month, 23 Syracuse London students traveled to Lockerbie as part of the exchange. For Brynn Wisniewski ’28, time in Lockerbie brought to life “what I have been learning in my Death as Political class and previous political science classes about grief, mourning and the lasting impact of violence on communities.”

Conversations with first responders were especially meaningful for Mouna Toure ’28, a psychology student, who hopes that “my future role as a victim advocate will showcase the value of maintaining a relationship between Lockerbie and Syracuse University.”

Meanwhile, the trip encouraged John Fitzhenry ’28, a television, radio and film major, to consider the limitations of his chosen professional sector. “No piece of media can recreate the kindness that the Lockerbie community gave us. I realized the importance of putting the camera down sometimes.”

Wisniewski, Toure and Fitzhenry had the opportunity to spend time with the 2026 Lockerbie Fellows, 10 senior students at Lockerbie Academy who will soon be traveling to campus to participate in this year’s . Students in the U.K. will honor the victims through a parallel rose-laying event at the London campus, and later in the year will participate in a special Service of Remembrance held by the .

Learn more about , taking place Oct. 18-24.

Story by Becca Farnum

Support does not always begin with an appointment. Sometimes it begins with a few quiet minutes to reset. Other times, it begins by hearing someone else say, “I’ve been there, too.”

The University’s (OVMA) Resiliency Program is creating more opportunities for both. Building on the Cabana Pod already available at the (NVRC), OVMA is partnering with Cabana to bring Cabana Live to the University’s veteran and military-connected community.

The OVMA Resiliency Program (ORP) offers personalized, nonclinical support to help students navigate challenges that can affect their academic experience and well-being. Its staff work with students to understand what they need, connect them with resources and help them find a path forward. Cabana Live adds a way to connect with others wherever they are.

With no appointment and no cost, community members can drop into anonymous, moderated peer support sessions throughout the day. Sessions cover stress, focus, relationships, confidence, feeling disconnected and major life changes. Some are led by veterans and designed for military audiences.

Members join with an alias and their camera off. Only the moderator appears on camera, and participants can listen or contribute as much as they wish.

“We know that support looks different for different people—and even for the same person on different days,” says Ken Marfilius, associate director and co-founder 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. “The Cabana Pod offers a private space to pause and reset when you’re at the NVRC. Cabana Live extends that opportunity for connection beyond the building. You can join from anywhere, on your own terms, and find people who understand some of what you’re carrying.”

The Cabana Pod at the NVRC gives visitors a private place to decompress using guided experiences such as breathing exercises and meditation. Cabana Live offers a different kind of connection: live conversations with peers, available whether someone is on campus or miles away. Between sessions, members can also use a guided journal, self-guided content and Cabana FM, a lo-fi station for focus and winding down.

“Our goal is to build a resilient community where veteran and military-connected students know there is more than one way to reach out,” says U.S. Army Colonel (Retired) Ron Novack, executive director of OVMA. “From a moment of quiet in the Cabana Pod to a live conversation with people who share similar experiences, these resources give our community more ways to find support when they need it.”

Cabana Live is available to Syracuse University’s veteran and military-connected community through the OVMA Resiliency Program. For those military-connected staff, faculty and students who are interested in this new service, visit the and select the specific community that applies to you.

Coco Wing Yun Wong G’27, a clinical mental health counseling master’s degree student in the and former graduate student employee in Health Promotion at the Barnes Center at the Arch, has been named the 2026 recipient of the .

The award is given to just one student nationally each year by the Foundation for Play Therapy. Named in memory of Dr. Charles Schaefer, a co-founder of the Association for Play Therapy, the scholarship provides $5,000 toward training and supervision as Wong works toward a registered play therapist credential.

Wong’s path to the field began in high school in Macau, China, where a single picture—of a colorful room full of toys, a child and a play therapist—stuck with her long before she had any formal training.

That interest carried her through an undergraduate degree in psychology at Peking University, a gap year that included two months as a full-time volunteer supporting children and adolescents with developmental disabilities in Yunnan, China; two full-time jobs in Macau (one in a residential setting for adults with substance use disorders; one as a pre-school counselor); and, eventually, a weekly ferry commute from Macau to Hong Kong, the closest place she could find training in Child-Centered Play Therapy (CCPT).

In this interview, Wong talks about the scholarship’s importance, what play therapy is (and is not), her experience studying with the School of Education and her future goals.

Thirty-eight years after the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103, the 2026-27 Remembrance Scholars and Lockerbie Fellows will lead Syracuse University’s annual Remembrance Week, Oct. 18-24.

Remembrance Week activities are planned to look back on the impact of the Dec. 21, 1988, bombing over Lockerbie, Scotland. The bombing claimed the lives of 270 people, including 35 students returning from a semester of study abroad in London and Florence through the University’s Division of International Programs Abroad (now Syracuse Abroad) and 11 Lockerbie residents.

The week will also highlight how students are acting forward. During their scholarship year, this year’s Remembrance Scholars are engaged in a broad range of “Act Forward” projects on Remembrance education, community healing through the arts, a participatory awareness art campaign, remembering through recipes, a Remembrance and global citizenship and walking tour, intercultural dialogue and aviation safety.

The Remembrance Scholars will be joined by the 2026-27 Lockerbie Fellows on the Syracuse campus for the week. The fellows are 10 students from Lockerbie Academy chosen through a competitive process. During their time in Syracuse, the Lockerbie Fellows, accompanied by Lockerbie Academy Deputy Head Teachers Catherine Carrick and Kerry Currie (a 1996-97 Lockerbie Scholar), will represent the 11 Lockerbie residents who died in the bombing and 2002-03 Lockerbie Scholar Andrew McClune, who died during his scholarship year in Syracuse.

This year’s Lockerbie Fellows are Max Atkinson, Carly Black, Anna Byers, Megan Curry, Falon Oliphant, Amy Oliver, Imogen Reid, Emma Sloan, Joshua Thompson and Lewis White.

Remembrance Week will be held Sunday, Oct. 18, through Saturday, Oct. 24. All activities are free and open to the public, unless otherwise noted. For more information, visit .

Those who require accommodations to fully participate in these events should contact Tamara Hamilton at��315.443.4282 or��tnhami01@syr.edu. The week’s schedule is as follows:

��All Week��

• Empty Seats Display, Kenneth A. Shaw Quadrangle:��The Empty Seats Display is a visual representation of the Syracuse University students lost aboard Pan Am Flight 103. The exhibition is meant to serve as a reminder of how a loss in the past can inspire positive actions in the present. This year’s Remembrance Scholars and Lockerbie Fellows will sit in solidarity in the chairs for 35 minutes on Wednesday, Oct. 21, beginning at 2 p.m.
• Pen-and-ink drawings of the Syracuse University study abroad student victims will be on display in Hendricks Chapel.
• Blue and white flags, one for each of the 270 Pan Am 103 victims, will be on display in the area between the Newhouse School of Public Communications and Schine Student Center. Also, the Hall of Languages, Hendricks Chapel and the JMA Wireless Dome will be lit in blue in honor of Remembrance Week.
• The Remembrance Quilt will be on display in Hendricks Chapel. The quilt was created by the 1998-99 Remembrance Scholars, members of the Hendricks Chapel Quilters and many other contributors to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the bombing. The stories of the SU student victims are told through the design of each quilt block.
• Pan Am Flight 103/Lockerbie Air Disaster Archives temporary exhibition, Bird Library, first floor display case near Starbucks café: A temporary exhibition of materials from the Pan Am Flight 103/Lockerbie Air Disaster Archives’ collections pertaining to the sculptural work��“Dark Elegy”�� by Suse Lowenstein will be on display throughout the week. Lowenstein lost her eldest son, Syracuse University student Alexander Lowenstein, in the bombing.

Sunday, Oct. 18

• Candlelight Vigil, Hendricks Chapel steps, 5 p.m.: The Remembrance Scholars will remember the 270 victims of Pan Am 103. American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation will be available. The event will be .

Tuesday, Oct. 20

• A Remembrance Week Reception will be held from 6:30 to 9 p.m. at the Syracuse University Washington D.C. Center. Contact Cameron MacPherson at camacphe@syr.edu for more information or to register.

Wednesday, Oct. 21

• “Sitting in Solidarity,” Kenneth A. Shaw Quadrangle, 2 p.m.: The Remembrance and Lockerbie Fellows will sit in the empty chairs on the Quad for 35 minutes.
• Film Screening, 107 Hall of Languages, 6:30-8 p.m.: The first installment of the Netflix drama series “The Bombing of Pan Am 103” will be presented.

Thursday, Oct. 22

• Act Forward Symposium, lobby of Heroy Geology Laboratory, 6-7 p.m.: The Remembrance Scholars will present posters that share their plans to “act forward” through outreach, research, education and creative projects designed to benefit the community.
• Lockerbie Fellows Presentation, Heroy Geology Laboratory, 001 Auditorium, 7-8 p.m.: The Lockerbie Fellows will speak on their personal experiences and offer reflections.

Friday, Oct. 23

• Rose-Laying Ceremony, Place of Remembrance, 2:03 p.m.: American Sign Language interpretation will be available for this event. The Rose-Laying Ceremony and Remembrance Convocation will be .
• Remembrance Scholar Convocation, Hendricks Chapel, 3 p.m.: ​This annual convocation will honor the 2026-27 Remembrance Scholars. ASL interpretation and CART will be available. A reception in the Allyn Innovation Center, located on the first floor of Link Hall, will immediately follow.

��

Syracuse University’s Community Review Board (CRB) is currently seeking nominees for two faculty representatives.

Nominations can be submitted to the co-chairs of the Employee Services, Fiscal Affairs and Operations Senate Committee, to the attention of Douglas Yung (ptyung@syr.edu) and/or Joyce Zadzilka (jazadzil@syr.edu).

This semester, the CRB continues its important work as an independent entity that reviews and provides input on certain matters involving the University’s Department of Public Safety (DPS). The board’s areas of responsibility include the following:

• reviewing appeals of civilian complaints regarding DPS officer conduct (after a formal complaint has been filed with DPS Internal Affairs);
• commenting on prospective new DPS policies, procedures and trainings;
• reviewing key community-facing functions of DPS; and
• issuing to the University community a public annual report of findings and recommendations.

The board is composed of three undergraduate students, one graduate student, one law student, two faculty members and two staff members/administrators. Current membership includes the following:

• Stephanie Freeney, assistant dean, budget, finance, administration, School of Architecture (chair)
• Adam Hepburn, associate vice president, strategic initiatives and government engagement, Office of the Vice Chancellor (administrator)
• Julian Luis Hernandez, undergraduate student, College of Arts and Sciences (vice chair)
• Benjamin Katz, graduate student, Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs
• Chloe Kang Qi Lin, undergraduate student, Whitman School of Management
• Braydon Sutherland, undergraduate student, College of Engineering and Computer Science
• Kathrine Turner, graduate student, College of Law

The following individuals serve as advisors to the CRB:

• Bea Gonzalez, senior advisor
• Tony Perez, law enforcement consultant
• Michael Gadarian, associate general counsel, Office of University Counsel

To learn more or to connect with members of the CRB, or email CRB@syr.edu.

Families, friends and supporters from all over the globe will be celebrating connections and football for Family Weekend 2026, Friday, Oct. 16 to Sunday, Oct. 18. Family Weekend has been a core tradition of Syracuse University dating back to the 1950s.

“Families are traveling from 44 U.S. states and territories and 10 countries to spend time with their student,” says Missy Mathis-Hanlon, director of Parent and Family Services. “We have plenty of programming available, but we know that each family’s primary focus is checking in with and spending time with their student.”

Family Weekend Highlights

Families and supporters can learn more about what it’s like to be part of the Orange community over the fun-filled weekend. Highlights for Family Weekend can be explored below. Families and students can also download the or visit the for more information.

• Friday, Oct. 16, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.: Check-in begins at the Schine Student Center.
• Friday, Oct. 16, 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.: Experience the campus with a campus tour.
• Saturday, Oct. 17, 9:30-11:30 a.m.: Attend your student’s .
• Saturday, Oct. 17, 7:30 p.m.: .

While online registration is now closed, students can still through Friday, Oct. 9, in 137 Schine Student Center.

Prioritizing Health Through Family Weekend and Beyond

While Family Weekend is a fun and exciting few days on campus, it’s also a great time for families to encourage their students to prioritize their health in the chillier months ahead, when flu season is at its peak.

“As students and families gather for Family Weekend, remember that flu season is here, and the best protection is an annual vaccine,” says Michele Frontale, supervising pharmacist for the Barnes Center at The Arch.

for students are scheduled on campus throughout October and November, including one during Family Weekend on Friday, Oct. 16, from 1-4 p.m. at 309 Barnes Center.

“Take a moment to encourage your student to book a flu vaccine appointment on the . Help them keep our whole campus community healthy!” says Frontale.

Helpful Things to Know:

• (will be updated through Oct. 9)

As he walked across the Shaw Quad during the Orange Blast Involvement Fair his freshman year, Jesús Tiburcio Zane ’27 was drawn to a particular table that felt like home and tradition and would connect him to others who would help him find his footing.

That table belonged to (La L.U.C.H.A.)—the University’s largest Latiné Recognized Student Organization (RSO) and one of its oldest, on campus since 1989.

Soon, executive board members, including Sidney Mejia ’25, G’26, then co-vice president of the RSO, began mentoring Tiburcio Zane, a first-generation college student, sharing their favorite study spots and dining hall recommendations.

“Those tips helped me thrive during my freshman year. With La L.U.C.H.A., I found a home for my Latiné culture and a place where I could share my Mexican traditions and customs,” says Tiburcio Zane, president of La L.U.C.H.A. and a dual major in accounting and entrepreneurship and emerging enterprises in the . “The group helped me find my people, my voice and my community on campus.”

Before she arrived on campus, Diana Bonilla-Prado ’28 made a thorough list of RSOs she hoped to join, with La L.U.C.H.A. among the top.

For Bonilla-Prado, a first-generation college student with family roots from El Salvador, joining La L.U.C.H.A. was a chance to strengthen her connection to her heritage, increase Latiné cultural awareness and give back.

After an introductory meeting with then-president Jasmine Rodriguez ’25, Bonilla-Prado says she knew right away she was where she was meant to be. Today, she serves as La L.U.C.H.A. co-vice president.

“When I came to Syracuse, everything about the college experience was brand new to me. La L.U.C.H.A. welcomed me with open arms and pushed me to become the best version of myself,” says Bonilla-Prado, who is studying political science in the and information management and technology in the .

The organization is open to all students, regardless of their cultural background or heritage. During , La L.U.C.H.A. organized several events, including “Nuestra Identidad,”��an interactive cultural workshop designed to give students a space to explore, celebrate and share who they are; and Café con Leche, a conversation about the history of coffee in Latin America and the Caribbean.

To close out Latine Heritage Month, La L.U.C.H.A. and several other Latin student organizations will come together to enjoy food, music and fun games during , from 7 to 9 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 14, in the Goldstein Auditorium in the Schine Student Center.

Bonilla-Prado and Tiburcio Zane sat down with Syracuse University Today to discuss their heritage and why students should join La L.U.C.H.A.

Join La L.U.C.H.A.

Tiburcio Zane and Bonilla-Prado are always looking to recruit new members. Interested students can email laluchasu@gmail.com or follow La L.U.C.H.A. on , , and .