wrapped up participation in the 2025-26 academic year with the Student Library Advisory Board (SLAB), student representatives from across the University.

Participants in SLAB shared their ideas and feedback with Libraries management on the Libraries’ services, resources, spaces and programming in a structured format across the semester. Members also served as ambassadors for the Libraries, gaining leadership and skills in information literacy, communication, civic responsibility, research and creative thinking. Those who completed the Spring 2026 semester received an Engaged Citizenship Digital Badge.

Students are eligible to participate for two semesters. Those who participated in both Fall 2025 and Spring 2026 semesters included:

• Jivishaa Pandit ’26, College of Arts and Sciences (A&S) and Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs
• Andrea Jacob G’26, Newhouse School of Public Communications
• Delaney Hendrick ’26, A&S

For the Fall 2025 semester, SLAB students included:

• Min Paing Moe G’29, School of Education
• Phoebe Russell ’28, School of Information Studies
• Nafisa Jeilani ’26, Maxwell School
• Darika Djusupova ’28, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Students who participated in the Spring 2026 semester included:

• Olivia Wisner ’28, Whitman School of Management
• Nicole Balkissoon ’29, School of Information Studies
• Claudia Reto G’26, Maxwell School
• Zach Ehrenreich ’29, School of Architecture
• Mehmooda Shakoor ’27, School of Education
• Elizabeth Akeloko G’26, A&S

Some examples of input from SLAB members that resulted in Libraries improvements included:

• Improved signage around the self-check-out kiosk​s and printers in the library
• Navigation updates to the website​
• Information on size options for the plotter poster printer​
• Improved communication with international students​
• Increased number of hours to reserve some study rooms​

SLAB members shared their feedback on the experience, with one student saying, “Participating in SLAB this semester has been a great experience in professional collaboration and student advocacy. It provided a unique behind the scenes look at how the libraries function and gave me the platform to contribute to the campus culture in a tangible way.”​

Another student reflected, “… SLAB has been a really meaningful way to engage with the Libraries differently—less as a student researcher and more as a bridge between the institution and the people that it serves.”

The Libraries is currently soliciting members for the fall 2026 cohort. can be submitted online. Those with questions can contact libref@syr.edu. SLAB was funded in part through a grant from the Syracuse Office of Undergraduate Research and Creative Engagement  (SOURCE).

, director of research development for the arts and humanities in the and the (A&S), has been recognized with the 2026 Innovation Award from the (NORDP).

The award recognizes professionals who advance research development through partnerships, new tools and techniques or the creation and sharing of knowledge that produces demonstrable results. Workman and her NORDP colleague, Allison DeVries of Chapman University, received the award in recognition of the evolution of the (CASSH) affinity group, which they founded in 2022. The group, which has grown to more than 150 NORDP members across the country, helps them marshal and create collective resources and share best practices, case studies and challenges in support of faculty in the humanities, creative arts and social sciences areas.

“I’m honored to receive this award and proud to have had a part in bringing the CASSH group together four years ago when it seemed rare to have a designated arts and humanities research development staff member housed in an R1 institution,” Workman says. The group has gained momentum “because higher education recognizes the value of this support nationwide as integral to the national research landscape and vital to an individual institution’s research ecosystem,” she says.

Workman came to Syracuse in 2019 and built a dedicated arts and humanities research development infrastructure from scratch. She now connects with more than 200 faculty across eight schools and colleges and partners with and several University-affiliated arts organizations.

Beyond campus, she is part of the , an 11-university consortium for collaborative research, teaching and programming. She co-leads its HF4 Corridor Futures and Initiatives working group with program manager Aimee Germain to offer professional development opportunities for faculty.

Impact on Faculty and Funding

Prior to Workman’s arrival, scholars navigated grant funding alone or through informal networks, often missing critical opportunities, says , senior director of research development in the Office of Research, who co-nominated Workman for the award.

She says Workman has contributed to faculty winning prestigious awards, including summer stipends, a and a grant. Workman has also supported a fellowship, an digital justice grant and several successful applications.

In 2025, Workman supported 64 grant proposals seeking $44 million in funding. She recently helped nine arts faculty and five organizations secure awards, making Syracuse the only university in the state to receive multiple awards in that cycle, Chianese says.

, professor of women’s and gender studies and director of the Syracuse University Humanities Center and the Central New York Humanities Corridor, says Workman’s Corridor support has deepened scholarly community across the region and has had significant impact on Syracuse faculty success.

“Sarah has been instrumental in several prestigious Mellon awards, including our first and ensuing New Directions fellowships and many other highly competitive awards and grants,” says May, who co-nominated Workman for the award. “Many of these awards have been substantial enough to transform individual career trajectories and drive transformational work at the University and in  wider communities locally and nationally.” May says faculty frequently remark about how much they enjoy collaborating with Workman and appreciate her support.

, assistant professor of music history and cultures in A&S, credits Workman with helping her secure a , a first for Syracuse among 200 competing institutions. “I am deeply grateful for her thoughtful engagement with my research and for helping make its relevance accessible to a broader interdisciplinary readership,” Peñate says.

, associate professor in women’s and gender studies in A&S, says Workman’s guidance “proved instrumental in shaping two grant proposals into competitive, fundable projects. Her careful feedback led to key revisions that directly contributed to securing a major award from a private funder. In a context of shrinking funding, Sarah’s leadership has been indispensable for the success of humanities’ interdisciplinary, social justice-centered research.”

While Workman focuses on the arts and humanities, the Office of Research supports faculty across disciplines through a broader research development team. Researchers across campus partner with team members on proposal development, funding searches, cohort writing programs for competitive federal awards and strategic guidance on funding opportunities. Faculty interested in support for their projects can learn more about .

Go back in time with this selection of historic images from the . The photos capture the evolution of the campus, student life and the community that has defined the University through the years.

To learn more about materials and photos in the University Archives, part of the in the , visit its .

senior Abbey Fitzpatrick spent last summer doing archival research in Hollywood. This spring, she brought those findings to a lectern in the University’s at the 5th Annual CHRONOS Undergraduate History Conference.

Fitzpatrick’s research took her to Los Angeles, where history department funding supported archival work at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and the Warner Bros. archives. Her faculty advisor, professor of history Andrew Cohen, had encouraged her to find a topic with personal resonance and pointed her toward California history.

“It really complemented what I learned in CHRONOS in a real-world way,” Fitzpatrick says.

Hers was one of eight student presentations at the April 3 conference, which drew five Syracuse undergraduates alongside students from New York University, Columbia University and Rochester Institute of Technology—a reflection of the journal’s expanding reputation beyond Syracuse.

“CHRONOS had been thinking of opening our conference to students from other universities for a while,” says Junko Takeda, professor and chair of history and CHRONOS faculty advisor. “But this year, they were able to plan ahead of schedule, reach out to undergraduate directors at multiple universities across the eastern seaboard, send out calls for papers and select a number of external speakers.”

Now in its 21st year of publication, CHRONOS is one of just a few active student-run, undergraduate historical research journals in the country, and one of the only to host a conference. In addition to widening participation beyond Syracuse students, CHRONOS leaders also started to develop a new podcast series.

Fitzpatrick, a history and political science major from Pacific Grove, California, joined CHRONOS as a first-year student and remained deeply engaged for all four years.

That support is a hallmark of CHRONOS’s close ties to Maxwell’s history department.

“It’s so ingrained in the history department, and it allows us to connect with professors in a way that a lot of other clubs don’t have,” she says. “It’s a really awesome opportunity to be able to publish your research and get feedback from other students and professors.”

Fitzpatrick says her CHRONOS experience made her a stronger reader, writer and researcher.

At the conference, she moderated a panel discussion exploring the theme “Intersections: Gender, Sexuality and the Discipline of History,” featuring Albrecht Diem, Carol Faulkner, graduate student Victoria Vidler and undergraduate students Gillian Reed and Ella Burke. Diem is a professor of history who specializes in medieval history, while Faulkner, a professor who specializes in 19th-century American history, gender, women and social movements, is also senior associate dean for academic affairs at Maxwell.

The Range of Research Presented

Student research presented at the conference ranged from a deep dive into the life of Mary Queen of Scots to the politics of abortion in late Cold War Brazil. Several presentations reflected a similar focus on primary-source and archival research—work that students credited in large part to their access to Maxwell faculty with deep experience in those areas.

Jorge A. Morales, a senior studying history and anthropology and a CHRONOS editorial board member, presented findings drawn from slave registries and municipal documents from Caguas, Puerto Rico, in the years before the island abolished slavery in 1873. Morales shared that his family ties to Puerto Rico have made his work deeply personal.

“Growing up in the continental U.S. but still spending a good amount of time visiting family on the island, has made me increasingly interested in understanding how Puerto Rico’s national and cultural identity formed,” he says. “The roles of slavery and enslaved individuals have often been overlooked.”

Morales says interior regions like Caguas have received less scholarly attention than other parts of Puerto Rico. His research aims to help fill that gap.

Like Fitzpatrick, Morales says CHRONOS provided research and editorial experience as well as a strong network of peers.

“I found a community of people who were just as passionate and curious as I was, and I felt like I finally belonged somewhere on campus,” he says, adding, “Every CHRONOS publication is special because it represents not just the work of authors and editors, but of peers and colleagues who come together to learn and to connect that knowledge with the public in a way that fosters curiosity.”

Andrew Cole, a senior studying history and philosophy, presented his research on a foundational monastic text. His work analyzed John Cassian’s “Institutes” through a lens closer to literary criticism—an approach he developed after taking a class with Diem.

Cole was among the students who helped revive CHRONOS after the pandemic.

“At the time, CHRONOS had been in hibernation since before COVID; it was a lot of work to get it up and running but well worth the effort,” he says. “The editorial board is a close-knit community. CHRONOS is unique in that it offers an excellent learning opportunity for both editors and writers—we are dedicated to turning good research papers into excellent, approachable essays.”

The conference presentations included PowerPoint demonstrations and lively question-and-answer sessions in which students praised one another for their research and asked in-depth questions about their research findings. History faculty watched on, clearly gratified.

Takeda provided closing remarks, reflecting on what the students had accomplished.

“I can say without a doubt that my weekly interactions with the CHRONOS board have shown how much our students have developed important critical leadership skills,” she says. “As writers, researchers and presenters, you have told difficult stories. …You’ve explained complexity.”

The conference was held at a moment of transition for CHRONOS. Several members of the current editorial board are graduating seniors—among them Fitzpatrick, Morales and Cole—each preparing to carry the habits of mind CHRONOS instilled into whatever comes next.

Morales says his time with the journal has shaped what he hopes to build in the future.

“My work on CHRONOS has definitely shown me the value of intellectual community,” he says. “It has made me committed to trying to build up a similar sense of academic community between undergraduate and graduate students and faculty at the institutions that I end up studying and hopefully working at in the future.”

Story by Mikayla Melo

Syracuse University Libraries’ LaunchPad hosted an inaugural Athletes for Data Sovereignty (A4DS) Summit and Pitch Competition, in partnership with UMiEconomy through its Charitable Foundation, , on April 24. The pitch competition was open to student-athletes, student-athlete alumni and student entrepreneurs with sports-related ideas. Winners of the pitch competition were:

• Gabriel Josefson ’28 (Martin J. Whitman School of Management), founder of XCHKR, won the grand prize of $2,000.
• Zach Richter ’26 (College of Arts and Sciences) and Taran Singh ’26 (Whitman School), founders of Wavelength, tied for second place, winning $750.
• Edouard Agbor G’27 (School of Information Studies), founder of GritGateway, also won $750 for second place.
• Marissa Johnson ’26 (S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications), founder of Gymify, won $250.
• Dylan McKinley ’26 (Newhouse School), founder of DylanDoesBasketball, won a Tier 1 Marketing Package from UMiEconomy.
• Jase Malloy ’27 (School of Information Studies), founder of ErgoCraft, won a Tier 2 Marketing Package from UMiEconomy.
• Ethan Barone ’26 (Whitman School), founder of CaneCLamp, won a Tier 1 Intellectual Property Legal Package
• Jonathan “Jack” Wren ’26 (Whitman School) and John “Trey ” Adams III ’26 (Whitman School), founders of Happy Duck, won a Tier 2 Intellectual Property Legal Package

In addition to the pitch competition, the summit included interactive games and workshops around the importance of data in industries such as sports, healthcare, media and finance, and how startups can build long-term value beyond short-term deals.

The Special Collections Research Center (SCRC) at  is accepting applications now through May 31 for the Alexander N. Charters Adult Education Grants-in-Aid program.

The grant, up to $5,000 depending on the proposal, is awarded to scholars or practitioners doing research using SCRC’s adult education collections. Decisions will be shared by June 15.

Details on the application process are available on the .

Alexander N. Charters (1916-2018) was an internationally recognized American expert in the field of adult and continuing education. Libraries has assembled historical documents and University records, including manuscript, print, visual and media materials related to adult education since 1949.

This material is known collectively as the Alexander N. Charters Library for Educators of Adults, in recognition of Charters’ efforts to promote and expand SCRC’s adult education holdings. Through the generosity of Charters, SCRC offers annual grants to one or more scholars or practitioners wishing to do research using SCRC’s adult education collections with the amount of the award dependent on the scope of the research outlined in the applicant’s proposal.

Syracuse University Libraries recognized its student employees with an awards celebration on April 20. The Libraries typically employs about 150 undergraduate and graduate students each year to contribute to the safety of Libraries’ spaces, the quality and repair of collections, and service support to patrons and student entrepreneurs.

Supervisors nominate student employees who have demonstrated dedicated service over time and significant contributions that have made a lasting impact on the Libraries.

The Libraries recognize these students through the generous support of Kathy and Stanley Walters, the family of Patricia Kutner Strait and the many donors to the Libraries Dean’s Fund.

In addition, this year the Libraries acknowledges Carole and Glenn Johnston for their gift in honor of their daughter, Beth Ann Johnson, who was killed in the Dec. 21, 1988, bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland.

“We are incredibly fortunate to work alongside our library student employees, whose energy, commitment and talent strengthen our community every day. In my role, I see firsthand the meaningful impact they have across our organization. Many of these students stay with us throughout their time at Syracuse University, growing into trusted and valued members of the SU Libraries community,” says David Seaman, dean of the Libraries and University Librarian.

2026 student award recipients and their respective Libraries departments are:

Kathy and Stanley Walters Student Employee Scholarship Awards

• Souleymane Bah ’26 (College of Arts and Sciences and Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs), floor monitor, Libraries Facilities and Security
• Niah Edwards ’26 (S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications), public services student, Special Collections Research Center
• Grace Hoffman G’26 (College of Law), graduate assistant, Access and Resource Sharing
• Ava Lubkemann ’27 (College of Engineering and Computer Science), Orange Innovation Scholar, Strategic Initiatives
• Duyen Thum Pham ’26 (College of Visual and Performing Arts), student assistant, Access and Resource Sharing
• Katie Ryder ’26 (College of Visual and Performing Arts), preservation assistant, Access and Resource Sharing
• Alexander Schulz G’26 (School of Information Studies), Information Literacy Scholar, Information Literacy

Patricia Kutner Strait Student Scholarship Awards

• Mason Burley ’27 (School of Education), preservation assistant, Access and Resource Sharing
• Alani Henderson ’26 (College of Arts and Sciences and Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs), floor monitor, Libraries Facilities and Security
• Anna Shuff G’26 (School of Information Studies), graduate student archivist, Special Collections Research Center
• Anthony Thomas ’26 (School of Information Studies), innovation mentor/marketing team lead, LaunchPad
• Sreynoch ‘Jess’ Van ’26 (S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications), photographer/videographer, Marketing and Communications

Dean’s Commendations Awards (in memory of Pan Am 103 victim Beth Ann Johnson)

• Hadja Fatoumata Barry ’26 (School of Information Studies), floor monitor, Libraries Facilities and Security
• Joel Carpenter G’26 (School of Information Studies), Information Literacy Scholar, Information Literacy
• James Harman ’26 (School of Information Studies), student worker, Access and Resource Sharing
• Iman Jamison G’26 (School of Information Studies), graduate instruction assistant, Special Collections Research Center
• Calvin Silver ’26 (School of Information Studies), public services reference, Special Collections Research Center
• Grace Suhadolnik ’26 (School of Information Studies), student worker, Learning and Academic Engagement
• Camren Wych’26 (College of Visual and Performing Arts), floor monitor, Libraries Facilities and Security

Honorable Recognitions:

• Khadija Kante ’26 (Arts and Sciences), floor monitor, Libraries Facilities and Security
• Philomena Kern’26 (School of Information Studies), student archival processing assistant, Special Collections Research Center
• Hannah Marosi G’26 (School of Information Studies), collections team graduate student worker, Department of Research and Scholarship
• Alexus Rowe ’26 (Arts and Sciences), floor monitor, Libraries Facilities and Security
• Mera Singh ’26 (School of Information Studies), floor monitor, Libraries Facilities and Security
• Fatumata ‘Nima’ Sow ’26 (School of Information Studies), floor monitor, Libraries Facilities and Security
• Haven Travis G’26 (School of Information Studies), graduate student assistant, Access and Resource Sharing
• Jiaying Wang ’26 (Arts and Sciences), public services student employee, Special Collections Research Center

Three Syracuse University Libraries’ LaunchPad student start-up teams won prizes in the finals of the , powered by Upstate Capital Association of NY, held in Albany on April 22.

Celes Buffard ’27 (School of Information Studies), founder of SecondWave, won the $10,000 first prize in the learn, work and live category. SecondWave combines financial literacy education with fractional real estate investing, starting with fix-and-flip properties and community development.

Nathan Brekke ’26 (College of Engineering and Computer Science), co-founder of Phloat LLC, won the $2,000 second prize in the products and hardware category. Phloat is a phone case that has an ultra-compact, deployable flotation feature that triggers in the event of a phone falling and sinking into deep water.

Frederick Zindell G’27 (Martin J. Whitman School of Management), founder of Renewed Roots, won a $500 best concept stage award in the health and wellbeing category. Renewed Roots is a sustainable alternative to traditional burial options.

The NYBPC attracts some of New York state’s best student entrepreneurs. The competition promotes entrepreneurial opportunities for college students from across the state who pitch their business plans to seasoned investors. Students also get to engage with mentors and judges from the business community.

The finals event connects students with business professionals, provides experiential learning opportunities through competitions, introduces entrepreneurs to available resources through the Entrepreneurship Expo and awards up to $100,000 in cash prizes to help seed new ventures.

This year 60 finalist teams from across the state participated in the competition.

Syracuse University Campus Dining will open and operate a full-service Starbucks inside Bird Library beginning at the start of the Fall 2026 semester. It will take the place of the existing Pages Café, with construction beginning in mid-May 2026 and continuing through late August. The Bird Library location will be the campus’s second full-service Starbucks, joining the café on the ground floor of the Campus West apartment building.

Campus community members can look forward to enjoying all of their favorite Starbucks beverages, food, snacks and merchandise right in the heart of campus.

“As the busiest café on campus, this renovation is exciting news for our campus community,” says Dean of Libraries David Seaman. “We believe the new Starbucks will drive even more student engagement to the Libraries while providing an important service to our students, faculty and staff.”

The transformation of the café in Bird Library follows a multi-year expansion of “We Proudly Serve” Starbucks locations to several other cafes on campus. These are not full-service Starbucks franchises, but cafes that can offer a wide range of Starbucks beverages (such as The Canteen in the National Veterans Resource Center).

The new Starbucks will be staffed entirely by University employees, mirroring the location on West Campus. Employees will undergo training from Starbucks prior to the grand opening.

“We know that our students love Starbucks,” says John Papazoglou, senior vice president and chief operations officer. “We are intent on continuing to bring exciting national brands to campus to enhance our dining options, and this is just the latest – after Choolaah and Yella’s in food.com, and Boar’s Head in Slocum Café. We look forward to providing the next steps in the evolution of our ���ǴDz�.”

More details about the new Starbucks location, including hours and full menu options, will be available closer to the start of the fall semester.

From partnering with students in the classroom to building cross-campus collaboration that led to real-time improvements, the University’s commitment to meaningful assessment took center stage at the seventh annual One University Assessment Celebration on April 10. The event, hosted by Academic Affairs and the Office of Institutional Effectiveness (OIE), included awards and poster presentations.

In her opening remarks, Julie Hasenwinkel, associate provost for academic programs, highlighted the importance of celebrating the many ways faculty, staff and students engaged in assessment across the University over the past year.

Awards were given in five categories.

• Institutional Effectiveness Champions: This award honors campus community members who champion meaningful assessment and who have made outstanding contributions to the University’s culture of improvement. The recipients were:
  • Academic programs: Xiyuan Liu, associate teaching professor, Dean’s Faculty Fellow for Academic Affairs, College of Engineering and Computer Science
  • Co-curricular programs: Emily Dittman, director, Syracuse University Art Museum
  • Course feedback: Magdelín Montenegro, part-time instructor, Spanish, College of Arts and Sciences
  • Shared competencies: ‘Cuse Works
  • Shared competencies student champion: Fetch Collective magazine
• Outstanding Assessment: This award recognizes a distinguished academic, co-curricular and functional area for overall robust assessment. The recipients were:
  • Academic: Library and information science master’s degree program, School of Information Studies
  • Co-curricular: Disability Cultural Center
  • Functional: Office of Pre-College Programs
• Best Engagement Strategies: This award recognizes the engagement of faculty, staff and students in the assessment process. The recipients were:
  • Faculty engagement: Ash Heim and Vera McIlvain, the biology department, College of Arts and Sciences
  • Staff engagement: Arts at SU
  • Student engagement: Linguistic studies master’s degree program, College of Arts and Sciences
• Best Use of Results: This award recognizes an academic, co-curricular and functional area for how assessment results are used in making decisions. The recipients were:
  • Academic: Bachelor’s of biomedical engineering degree program, College of Engineering and Computer Science
  • Co-curricular: LGBTQ+ Resource Center
  • Functional: Syracuse University Libraries
• Collaborative Inquiry and Action: This award recognizes a partnership that extends beyond a single school, college, division or unit and uses strong assessment methods and data as a catalyst for improvement. The recipient was:
  • First Year Seminar

Following the awards, 2025 poster presenters were acknowledged for their efforts to collaborate, experiment, reflect and innovate in their areas over this academic year. Assessment Leadership Institute faculty participants included:

• Ben Akih Kumgeh, Xiyuan Liu, Karen Martinez Soto, Anupam Pandey and Mehmet Sarimurat, mechanical and aerospace engineering, College of Engineering and Computer Science
• Alex Méndez Giner, film and media arts, College of Visual and Performing Arts
• Ash Heim and Vera McIlvain, biology, College of Arts and Sciences
• Jane Read, geography and the environment, Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs
• Nancy Rindfuss, nutrition and food studies, Falk College of Sport

Recipients of the 2025-26 “Student Engagement in Assessment” grant included:

• Civil and environmental engineering: Yilei Shi
• Civil and environmental engineering: Svetoslava Todorova
• Communication sciences and disorders: Charles Nudelman
• Environment, sustainability and policy: Jane Read
• Nutrition science: Claire Cooney, Nikki Beckwith
• Setnor School of Music: Klark Johnson
• School of Social Work: Nadaya Brantley
• The Writing Center: Collie Fulford

Closing the event, Laura Harrington, director of institutional effectiveness, reflected on the deeper meaning of the work: “At its root, the word ‘assess’ comes from Latin, meaning ‘to sit beside.’ This is what it asks of us: to sit beside our work, take stock of what we see, and take action… Assessment isn’t a requirement. It’s a practice,” Harrington said.

Explore photos, award highlights and full poster presentations on the .

Story by A’yla James

Syracuse University Libraries is accepting undergraduate and graduate applications for its Student Library Advisory Board for the Fall 2026 semester. from active students in good standing, regardless of year or discipline, are due by Sept. 1. Selected students who satisfactorily complete all advisory board assignments for the fall semester will receive a $250 stipend.

The Student Library Advisory Board is an opportunity for students to share their ideas, needs and feedback to improve the Libraries’ services, resources, spaces and programming. Members will participate in activities during once-a-month Friday meetings and will serve as ambassadors for the Libraries among their peers.

Members will also gain leadership and skill-building experience, including areas of information literacy, communication, civic responsibility, research and creative thinking, while helping to improve the Libraries through fun and interactive engagement. Applicants can anticipate a commitment of approximately 3 hours per month. Current library student employees are ineligible to participate.

The Student Library Advisory Board is supported, in part, through a collaboration with . Those with questions can contact libref@syr.edu.

Two Syracuse University students are bringing TEDx back to campus Thursday with a question they want the entire community to wrestle with: What matters next?

, a community-organized offshoot of the popular series, will challenge and inspire attendees to think beyond the present about the research, innovation and technology that will shape our collective futures.

The lineup spans journalism, education, generative AI, mental health and digital storytelling, with speakers tackling everything from what urban classrooms can teach us to the power of true stories and the burdens we carry in silence.

“The tools are in our hands. We are the architects of tomorrow. We are the ones who are going to determine what matters next by what we give our attention to,” says Ryan Nkongnyu ’25, G’26.

Eight speakers, including University students, faculty and alumni, will share their insights into how research, innovation, technology and a creative mindset will shape the future and, hopefully, inspire attendees to “explore the things that matter as we shape our tomorrow,” says Nkongnyu, who earned a bachelor’s degree in communication and rhetorical studies from the and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in television, radio and film from the .

Nkongnyu and Sonia Issa ’24, G’25 are the event co-organizers and emcees who lined up the  speakers.

“People are searching for direction, clarity and purpose,” says Issa, who earned an undergraduate degree in political science and a master’s degree in public administration from the . “This is a moment to learn from one another and leave with new ideas that help guide the next chapter of our collective journey.”

This year’s is Thursday, April 16, from 4:30 to 8 p.m. in the K.G. Tan Auditorium in the National Veterans Resource Center at the Daniel and Gayle D’Aniello Building. The free event is open to students, faculty, alumni and members of the community and is co-sponsored by and the Office of Strategic Initiatives and Innovation.

Nkongnyu and Issa sat down with SU Today to preview the event and share what attendees can expect.

kicks off on Sunday (April 19-25), and to celebrate, we asked , associate professor and program director for the program in the , to share her favorite, lesser known, services and resources that local libraries offer their communities.

“Libraries are so much more than books and audiobooks; though they are two of my favorite perks,” Patin says.

The modern public library, she says, is community infrastructure, as essential to its functioning as roads or schools.

“What strikes me most is that public libraries are one of the few remaining truly public spaces,” Patin says. “Places where you don’t have to buy anything to belong. A teenager doing homework, a job seeker updating their resume, a new immigrant learning English, a senior researching a medical diagnosis, they’re all welcome, and they all get the same quality of professional help.”

The librarians, too, are doing far more than just organizing their collections, Patin says.

“They are trained information professionals who help people find, evaluate and use information in ways that change their lives,” she says. “Librarians don’t just connect people to information: they connect people to each other, to services and to a sense of belonging in their community. That’s not a side function. That’s the whole point.”

Patin says she wants library science students to understand the work they’ll be doing is relational, not just technical, since the best librarians are not just retrieving information. They are building trust, “meeting people where they are, listening deeply and advocating fiercely on behalf of their communities” she says.

Patin says the best way to support your local library and librarians is to use the library “loudly and often.”

“Usage data matters enormously when library budgets are being debated,” Patin says. “Check out books (physical and digital), attend programs, bring your kids, bring your neighbors. Beyond that: advocate. Show up to your local library board meetings. Contact your elected officials and tell them you value library funding.”

Headed into National Library Week, Patin says she hopes people not only appreciate their local library, but take steps to actively protect it, say thank you to a librarian and engage with the materials, programs and services they offer.

Below, Patin shares the five services and resources she wants every community member to know about at their local library.

Park and Nature Passes—Borrowable Like a Book

Cardholders at (OCPL) can to county parks like Beaver Lake Nature Center, Highland Forest, Jamesville Beach and even the Rosamond Gifford Zoo. Library patrons can also get New York State Empire Passes for state parks across the state.

“It’s one of my favorite examples of libraries providing access to experiences, not just information,” says Patin.

If OCPL isn’t your local library, don’t worry. Most public libraries offer similar options to check out passes for cultural or natural resources like museums, parks, zoos, aquariums or even theaters. Ask your local librarian!

Makerspaces and Technology Access

It’s not uncommon now to find access to technological tools and makerspaces—collaborative workspaces that offer access to resources like 3D printing, laser cutters or audio/video equipment—at your local library.

“ give community members access to equipment, from 3D printers to adaptive technologies, that most people couldn’t afford on their own,” Patin says. “The Central Library also has a Preservation Lab and specialized adaptive technology resources for people with disabilities. You can also record your next album there!”

A ‘Library of Things’—Not Just Books and Media

While libraries have always been in the business of lending, Patin says that idea has expanded in remarkable ways.

“At Syracuse University Libraries, you can borrow laptops, cameras and other tech gear,” Patin says.

Public libraries around the country have taken the “library of things” even further, lending cake pans, seed libraries for gardeners, musical instruments, tools, board games, sewing machines, telescopes and more to patrons.

“The underlying principle is the same one that has always driven libraries: why should everyone have to own something they only need occasionally?” she says. “Access over ownership is a radical and quietly revolutionary idea, and libraries have been living it for over a century.”

Adult Literacy, GED Preparation and ESOL Programs

Public libraries also remain an important lifeline for adult learners offering a range of educational programming, Patin says.

“OCPL offers adult literacy tutoring, GED/TASC preparation, and English for Speakers of Other Languages programming,” she says. “This is workforce development, family stability and community building happening right at the branch level.”

Programming That Brings People Together

“Libraries are community living rooms: places where things happen, not just places where things are stored,” Patin says.

As such, many libraries run seed swaps, art supply exchanges, maker workshops and language learning circles for their communities. OCPL regularly hosts book clubs, storytimes, author talks, art events and technology help sessions.

“This programming serves every age and stage of life, and it’s all free,” Patin says. “That matters enormously in communities where paid entertainment and enrichment are out of reach for many families.”

is offering an end-of-semester opportunity for students to help others while reducing their library fines. “Food for Fines” will run from Monday, April 20, through the end of the spring semester.

All Libraries patrons with overdue circulation fines can reduce their fines by donating healthy, nonperishable food and hygiene items to the . Donations will be accepted at the circulation desks of Bird, Carnegie, Law, Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial and King + King Architecture Libraries. Fine reductions exclude interlibrary loan and lost book fees. Even those without library fees are encouraged to donate!

Fines will be reduced by:

• $1 per item for canned beans and vegetables;
• $2 per item for soap, canned fish/soup, single serving cereal or oatmeal, lip balm, pasta, sauce, tissue, toilet paper or toothbrush;
• $3 per item for baked beans, cereal, canned meat/fruit, oatmeal, ramen noodles, rice, shampoo/conditioner or toothpaste;
• $4 per item for granola bars, deodorant, jam/jelly, hot chocolate, peanut butter or tea; and
• $5 per item for coffee or lotion. Contributions should not be open or expired and single-use items are preferred.

Bird Library is a donation point for contributions to the Coach Mac Food Pantry year-round to support its mission to serve individuals who experience hunger, food insecurity and a lack of resources. The Libraries will accept any sealed, non-expired and non-perishable food or personal care items at the first floor checkout desk at Bird Library during regular . Visit the for more information. With questions, email circulation@syr.edu.

The University is once again taking part in “,” the long-running celebration of visual arts organized by CNY Arts that spotlights the creative talents of avocational artists across the region. This year marks the program’s 53rd anniversary.

Active, full-time or part-time faculty and staff who paint, sculpt, photograph, weave, weld or create using a number of other media are invited to submit original work for the campus exhibition, “On My Own Time — Celebrating the Artistic Talents of Syracuse University Faculty and Staff.” The show will be on display at Bird Library from May 28-June 11 during regular library hours.

Artists must by May 15 and be able to submit finished pieces on or before May 28. Colleagues are encouraged to visit the exhibition and vote for their favorite piece in the People’s Choice Award.

A selection panel that includes a CNY Arts representative will also choose standout works to advance to the “On My Own Time Grand Finale,” a five-week exhibition at the Everson Museum of Art running Oct. 3-Nov. 8.

A reception for artists, University colleagues, family and friends will be held Oct. 8. Finale tickets will go on sale in September.

If you have questions or would like to volunteer to assist with the exhibition at Bird Library, email OMOT@syr.edu.