Community engagement. Reciprocal learning. Service to others through volunteering. Those were the principles behind the creation of the Mary Ann Shaw Center for Public and Community Service in 1994 under the direction of then-Syracuse University Chancellor Kenneth Shaw and his wife, Mary Ann, who also served as the associate of the Chancellor. For …

The cutting-edge weight loss and diabetes research developed by medicinal chemist Robert Doyle has offered significant and consistent weight loss and glucose control to its recipients through peptide-based treatments. Doyle and his fellow collaborators reported that two new peptide compounds­­—GEP44 and KCEM1—considerably reduce body weight and nor…

Syracuse University is committed to removing barriers and creating opportunities so all undergraduates can study abroad or away before they graduate. More than 50% of students explore the world through a Syracuse Abroad center, according to Nicole Collins, director of strategic partnerships and outreach with Syracuse Abroad. With over 100 study abr…

In this episode, Ashley Watson, Assistant Professor of Communication at SUNY Geneseo, discusses the research behind her recently completed dissertation, “Born Unveiled: The Process, Protest, and Product of Racialization among International Black African Collegians in U.S. Graduate Education” (University of Minnesota, 2024).…

Syracuse is now home to a fantastic resource for international students!Interstride is an interactive portal supporting international students in their job search, immigration journey, and community building. If you've ever been unsure of where to look for jobs with employers who are willing to sponsor, this is the place. If you've had questions ab…

Mallory Fix-Lopez discusses her consultancy Language ConnectED, which provides research communication and professional development trainings for academics. Fix-Lopez will visit Syracuse on February 28, 2025, to deliver a 4-hour workshop for international grad students on “Telling Your Research Story.”…

Ten years after the Report of the MLA Task Force on the Future of Doctoral Education in Modern Language and Literature, task force chair Russell Berman (German and Comparative Literature, Stanford) reflects on which of the report’s recommendations have had traction over the past decade, which goals have been elusive, and where we stand now with eff…

As president of the Council of Graduate Schools (CGS), Suzanne Ortega, Ph.D. advocates for graduate issues, leads research projects, and fosters best practices in graduate education. In this episode, Ortega discusses CGS’s mission, her role with the organization, and what institutions can do to improve graduate experiences and outcomes. If you've e…

With the arrival of the new year, many people view this as the ideal time to figure out the changes they'd like to see and make in themselves as part of a new year, new you mentality. But as we all know, keeping those resolutions and achieving change is not easy work. It takes commitment, patience and dedication. It can be easy to fail if we make h…

Instead of wallowing in what could have potentially been the lowest moment of her life, Kathrine Switzer ’68, G’72, H’18 used the adversity from her historic run at the Boston Marathon as fuel to inspire women around the world to get into running. After her triumph in Boston, Switzer would go on to complete more than 40 marathons, including winning…

Syracuse University has a long, proud history of serving our veterans and military-connected students that dates back to World War I and the post-World War II era when thousands of veterans embarked on their journey to a college degree through the G.I. Bill. One of the central organizations on campus that helps the University accomplish this missio…

Misinformation and disinformation are prevalent everywhere you look these days, especially on the internet and social media. What's more troubling, our brains are struggling to process and understand what we're seeing and whether an image, a video clip or a story is real or synthetic. Thankfully, on this 'Cuse Conversation, two esteemed Syracuse Un…

Carrie Murawski, PhD has a fascinating career trajectory. Starting out as a visit assistant professor at a small liberal arts college, she transitioned to being a full time, tenure-track faculty member--before deciding to take a different path. Recently arrived at Syracuse University, she is the Director of DEIA Learning and Development at Syracuse…

The Charlotte Newcombe Dissertation Fellowship is an excellent opportunity for graduate students who have written dissertations which respond to and participate in deep and meaningful conversations within religion, values, and ethics. Fellows receive a $31,000 stipend to complete the writing stage of their dissertation, and it is available regardle…

For many adolescent students with developmental disabilities, the pursuit of higher education is filled with roadblocks and can be a daunting task for both aspiring students and their families. But thanks to InclusiveU, an initiative from the Taishoff Center for Inclusive Higher Education, students of all ages with intellectual and developmental di…

Many folks looking for academic jobs struggle to figure out the "two-body problem," in which both members of a couple are seeking academic jobs at more or less the same time. What do you do? How do you prioritize? How do you talk about this issue as a couple? I'm joined this week by Laura Coutts, Associate Director of Career Services in Biostatisti…

Leonard Cassuto, Professor of English at Fordham and author of Academic Writing As If Readers Matter. He is a leader in innovative graduate education, and his book is essential reading for all writers, whether for academic audiences or otherwise. He is visiting Syracuse On Sept. 30th and Oct. 1st, giving two talks: How to Go Public: Writing for Peo…

The Fran Brown era got off to a fantastic start when the Syracuse University football team defeated Ohio University 38-22 Saturday afternoon before a raucous crowd inside the JMA Wireless Dome. Since his hiring, Brown has been focusing on once again turning the Orange into national championship contenders. But this job is about more than football f…

The Philanthropic Educational Organization (P.E.O. International) is the most important funding agency for women that you've never heard of. P.E.O. supports women in all fields with two awards, one for U.S. citizens, and another, the International Peace Scholarship, for international students. This podcast, with P.E.O. representative Lisa Blystone,…

Melissa Welshans, Ph.D., Assistant Director, Center for Fellowship and Scholarship Advising (CFSA), walks us through the Mellon/ACLS Dissertation Innovation Award, a generous and unusual award for early-stage doctoral students. This award is meant to support early-stage doctoral students pursuing innovative approaches to dissertation research in th…

When the Goon Squad formed in 1944, its original purpose was to reinforce Syracuse University’s campuswide policy requiring all new students to wear beanie caps during their first semester on campus. Sue Weber ’68 fondly recalls wearing her beanie when she arrived in the fall of 1964, and her beanie and the straw Goon Squad hat she received when sh…

Each summer, the College of Professional Studies at Syracuse University hosts the Fulbright pre-academic program⁠, which prepares international Fulbright students to embark on their graduate degrees and research opportunities. This year, 44 students from 20 countries around the world will spend four weeks on campus discovering American culture, lea…

When the Summer Olympics begin later this month in Paris, France, one of Syracuse University’s best-known alums will be front and center. In many ways, it’s a role veteran sportscaster Mike Tirico ’88 knew he wanted at an early age. On this Olympic-themed episode of the "'Cuse Conversations" podcast, Tirico talks about getting ready for the games, …

Beginning in the fall, Syracuse University’s electronic sports, or esports, academic degree program will welcome admitted students to campus for classes. This past academic year served as “Year Zero” for the esports degree program, which employs a holistic, experiential learning-based approach that will prepare students for career success in variou…

Attending college was not on Leondra Tyler’s ’24 mind when persistent bullying and harassment forced her to drop out of high school in the tenth grade. The same was true for Omnia Shedid L’24, who grew up chasing chickens and running through her grandparents’ corn fields on a small, rural village in Banha, Egypt. Yet when Syracuse University holds …

What does it mean for Syracuse University to invent and demonstrate cutting-edge sustainability initiatives? It means reducing the University's environmental impact in a responsible manner by identifying, promoting, and implementing practices that will meet our current needs without compromising the needs of future generations. And it includes redu…

When more than 5,500 international students begin their Syracuse University journeys, they face different challenges from their domestic counterparts. Besides leaving behind their families, their friends and everything they’ve ever known, for many international students, the first time they step foot on campus is often the day they arrive to embark…

If you’re writing a dissertation, it’s likely you’re incorporating at least some material that is under copyright and thus requires permission to reproduce. In this episode, Dr. Dylan Mohr, Syracuse University’s Open Scholarship Librarian, discusses copyright issues that dissertation-writers are likely to encounter, including identifying, approachi…

Amir Durić knew he was meant to serve as a faith leader when he was a child and his grandfather called upon him to lead his family’s daily prayers during the holy month of Ramadan, a time when observant Muslims around the world come together in hopes of increasing their consciousness, self-awareness and empathy through fasting daily from dawn to su…

Jon “JAG” Gay ’02 is the founder and owner of “JAG in Detroit,” a successful podcasting business that helps companies and non-profits share their stories through original audio content. He launched his podcasting business after a 15-year career in radio because he understands the compelling and intimate nature of audio storytelling. Gay talks about…

Margaret Talev covered American politics and the White House for 30 years, including working the campaign trail for presidential elections in 2008, 2012 and 2016 as a White House correspondent for Bloomberg News and McClatchy Newspapers. As Talev watched the events of Jan. 6, 2021, unfold, she wondered how thousands of her fellow citizens could sta…

I'm joined today by Maren Wood, PhD, CEO and Director of the Center for Graduate Career Success. A longtime friend of Syracuse University, Dr. Wood has created a platform, Beyond Graduate School dedicated to preparing Master's students for their careers after graduation, from career exploration, to networking, to resume prep, to closing the deal in…

Syracuse University has a proud and storied tradition of honoring Black History Month through a series of engaging and thought-provoking student-run programs, events and discussions occurring through March 3 on campus. Student leaders like Dylan France ’24 and Andrea-Rose Oates ’26 are among the many passionate and talented Black student leaders wh…

I recently sat down with my new collegue, Claire Perrott, PhD, Professional Development Postdoctoral Fellow in Syracuse's Office of Research, to learn about her transition from her doctoral program and from tenure track roles she held to higher education administration. Claire offered an honest, unsparing picture of her transition, and I think you'…

The founder and owner of the consultancy Data Dozen, Erin Waldron leverages her expertise in data analytics to help grad students, postdocs and faculty communicate their research with compelling visualizations. Erin discusses her career path, reviews the state of play with data visualization, and gives a preview of her two upcoming workshops, “Data…

Syracuse University has developed into an outstanding and accomplished research institution. As Syracuse's Vice President for Research, Duncan Brown supports and empowers Syracuse's internationally recognized creative and scholarly excellence, advancing centers and institutes that are global leaders in their fields. In this role, Brown oversees $15…

Roosevelt "Rick" Wright G'93 had a front-row seat as the Civil Rights movement took off across the American South in the late 1950s and early 1960s, participating in the sit-ins and demonstrations as a teenager in Elizabeth City, North Carolina. At the heart of the movement were the non-violent, civil disobedience teachings of the late Dr. Martin L…

Despite growing up on Cayuga ancestral lands, one of the six nations that make up the Haudenosaunee Confederacy of Native Americans in New York, Lorna Rose ’11, G’21 never really identified with her Native heritage. She was raised Italian American and always thought of her Italian roots when it came to her cultural heritage. But that perspective ch…

Adrian Autry ’94 came to Syracuse University from New York City as a talented men’s basketball recruit, a McDonald’s All-American who etched his name in the school’s record books as a prolific passer and tremendous defender during his four years on campus. Following a successful playing career that included stints in Europe and across North and Sou…

Ariel Ash-Shakoor, Ph.D., Biomedical Engineer at FDA in their Cardiovascular Devices division, sits down with me to talk transitions from her PhD program in Bioengineering to her role in the federal government. Along the way, Ariel shares about her experience in building community at Syracuse University, making hard decisions in choosing the right …

"Look back. Act forward." Those words influence how Syracuse University's Remembrance and Lockerbie Scholars honor and celebrate the lives of the people who were killed during the terrorist bombing of Pan Am Flight 103. This year marks the 35th anniversary of the bombing, which claimed the lives of 270 people, including 35 Syracuse students who wer…

Nneka Eke, PhD, a graduate of Syracuse's Political Science department and a current Research Associate at SEIU Local 721, joins us to discuss her career exploration journey. From a graduate to doing great work outside of academic, Nneka's experience is instructive for us all.

One of the most impactful and influential examples of how the University is leading the way in research excellence is the BioInspired Institute, an interdisciplinary institute whose members examine complex biological systems, developing and designing programmable smart materials to address global challenges in health, medicine and materials innovat…

Moving away from home and embarking on your Syracuse University journey can be a difficult time as students leave behind their families and friends and start a new chapter in their lives. On top of that, social anxiety among college students is at an all-time high. The mental health and well-being of Syracuse's students is a top priority for Carrie…

As Dean’s Professor of Community Engagement in the SU College of Arts & Sciences, Brice Nordquist created and directs the Engaged Humanities Network, which “seeds, supports, and fosters exchanges across publicly engaged research, teaching, and creative projects” connecting the University with communities in Syracuse and across Central New York. In …

What does a recruiter do? How can a recruiter help you in your job search, if at all? Natalie Schmitt, a recent Career Associate in the Graduate School and a former staffing agency recruiter, has lots of great insights into the many applicants she met over the course of her time in that role and what a candidate can do to maximize their chances on …

In June, the Supreme Court decided to undo decades of judicial precedent by reversing rulings that allowed race-conscious admissions programs, preventing colleges like Syracuse University from considering race as one of many factors in deciding which qualified applicants are admitted. As the University’s vice president for diversity and inclusion, …

Today, Mary Idzior of the Center for International Services (CIS) takes us through their Top 10 Tips for international students to take advantage of the resources that CIS offers. If you had questions about CIS but haven't wanted to ask, this episode is for you!

In May, Danielle Koppenaal ’17 was diagnosed with Stage 4 colon cancer. She is 28 years old. In this ’Cuse Conversation, Koppenaal shares her approach to battling cancer by taking it day-by-day. She talks about how she leans on her support system, her efforts to stay active and her commitment to raising awareness about cancer – particularly the inc…

In our first "Careers In" episode of the semester, we are joined by Vinnie Ustach, PhD, a Senior Machine Learning Engineer at GeneDX. Join us as Vinnie talks about his sometimes-circuitous path to his current role, his experiences--good and bad--in graduate school, and offers excellent advice on finding the right job for you.…