The White House. Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. The New York State Capitol building in Albany.

These are just some of the places an enthusiastic delegation from 性视界 University鈥檚 InclusiveU program have traveled over the years, meeting with policymakers, politicians and higher education leaders to push for change to make higher education more accessible for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

For more than a decade, InclusiveU, an initiative from the聽, has set the standard by which all other inclusive higher education programs are judged. Its model encompasses individualized and inclusive coursework, student-centered planning, internships, and social and extracurricular activities.

鈥淚 always wanted to go to college, and when I heard about 性视界 University and its InclusiveU program, I knew that was where I wanted to go to achieve my dreams,鈥� says Matthew Falanga 鈥�26, who was born with Down syndrome and is majoring in communications at 性视界. 鈥淭he best part of coming to 性视界 is making new friends and being involved on campus. It makes me feel very happy.鈥�

Over the last 10 years, InclusiveU has experienced exponential growth and is now the largest program of its kind in the country. This year, 102 students are pursuing their academic dreams on campus, including 44 students who, like Falanga, live in residence halls.

Check out聽聽featuring Falanga and InclusiveU Director Brianna Shults G鈥�20. A聽transcript [PDF]聽is also available.

Recruiting Advocates, Reducing Stigmas

Over the years, InclusiveU Director Brianna Shults G鈥�20 has led countless trips to bring current InclusiveU students and recent graduates to meet with elected officials. These trips serve to recruit new advocates, increase support and awareness of the program, and reduce the stigmas that still exist surrounding students with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

The opportunities InclusiveU affords aren鈥檛 readily available for many students like Falanga. According to聽, only 2% of school-age students with intellectual disability are likely to attend college after high school, and of the 472 colleges and universities in New York state, only 24 have inclusive postsecondary education programs.

鈥淭here was this cliff that many students with developmental and intellectual disabilities would drop off once they graduated high school. Some would find work or a program that filled time in their day, while some would do volunteer activities. Some just stayed home. By being able to take that next step in their development alongside their peers, continuing their educations while gaining skills to launch their careers, InclusiveU has given students the opportunity to define who they are and what they want to be. They get to have the same experiences their peers were afforded,鈥� Shults says.

Now, thanks to聽a $200,000 grant聽from the B. Thomas Golisano Foundation, the School of Education鈥檚聽聽will provide technical assistance to schools and colleges in Western and Central New York to create and enhance inclusive college programs for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

This is in addition to the technical assistance InclusiveU has already provided to colleges and universities in Arizona, Florida, Kansas, New York, Pennsylvania and Tennessee when representatives from those institutions visited campus in 2023. InclusiveU students led campus tours while sharing how their higher education experiences had changed their lives.

鈥淭here are not enough inclusive programs like ours and our field is very collaborative. We want all students with intellectual or developmental disabilities who want to go to college to have an opportunity that fits their needs,鈥� Shults says. 鈥淭he demand versus available opportunity and the capacity of these programs is something that needs support. We are thankful for the Golisano Foundation鈥檚 help to build out this program and provide the type of support and knowledge that other programs [at other institutions] are looking for.鈥�

Celebrating People With Disabilities

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, students of all ages with intellectual and developmental disabilities are empowered to come to campus and experience college life in a fully inclusive setting, learning the necessary skills to thrive in the classroom and find a job after graduation.

These experiences prove to be life-changing for students like Falanga, who over the summer interned with聽, where he worked on a project promoting voting rights for people with disabilities, and also represented InclusiveU as an inclusive higher education advocate at a Disability Pride Event in the White House.

It was a once-in-a-lifetime moment for Falanga, who had a specific message for the government officials he met during his visit.

鈥淛ust because I was born with a disability, I want to celebrate my disability. I also want to help other people with disabilities feel better about themselves. Be proud of who you are. It is important for people with disabilities to learn about these programs [like InclusiveU] and know that they can go to college and start their new life,鈥� says Falanga, who hopes to use his degree to land a job where he can help create more legislation that opens doors for people with disabilities.

Opening Doors for All

性视界 University has a proud 154-year history of opening its doors to all students who are interested in receiving a college degree, regardless of their background or upbringing.

InclusiveU, which was founded in 2001 as a dual enrollment program with the 性视界 City School District, has provided the necessary skills for students to both thrive in the classroom and find a job after graduation. By incorporating InclusiveU students in classes with the general 性视界 University student body, Shults says the entire campus community benefits.

鈥淚t helps make all 性视界 University students better friends, better classmates, better coworkers and better community members,鈥� Shults says. 鈥淗aving this experience and interaction with InclusiveU students helps our whole campus think inclusively. It helps our administration think differently and more inclusively. We鈥檙e able to adjust the way students access their classes or how they interact with faculty to make sure those experiences are inclusive for all.鈥�

Equipped for Lifelong Success

The initiative鈥檚 work is evolving. InclusiveU students now participate in the University鈥檚 First Year Seminar course, and in May, InclusiveU is launching the first inclusive 性视界 Abroad experience to Italy, with a goal of expanding opportunities for its students to study abroad.

Once they earn 性视界 degrees, many InclusiveU students successfully find paid, competitive jobs, due in part to the strong relationships InclusiveU develops with its partners, both on campus and in the Central New York community. It鈥檚 also a result of the yearlong internships InclusiveU students participate in as part of their three years of academic education.

But there鈥檚 more work to be done when it comes to support and funding for InclusiveU, including thinking beyond the students鈥� time on campus.

鈥淲e want to ensure that students can lead the lives that they want to live afterwards, and that goes for employment, community involvement and living situations. We have advocated for ending subminimum wage and closing sheltered workshops. The Higher Education Opportunity Act hasn鈥檛 been reauthorized since 2008,鈥� Shults says. 鈥淭hese are all really important things to help individuals with disabilities lead productive and meaningful lives beyond higher education.鈥�

For now, Falanga is focusing on fine-tuning his public speaking skills, continuing to make new friends on campus and finding ways to get and stay involved with the University he loves so much.

鈥溞允咏� University makes me feel very happy and proud. InclusiveU has helped me to make new friends, take great classes and explore my career choices. This has changed my life,鈥� Falanga says.

The Fran Brown era got off to a fantastic start when the 性视界 University football team defeated Ohio University 38-22 Saturday afternoon before a raucous crowd of students, Central New York community members and alumni of the football program inside the JMA Wireless Dome.

Since his hiring as the program鈥檚 31st head coach on Nov. 28, 2023, Brown has been busy making his mark, bringing in a slew of talented student-athletes and coaches while focusing on once again turning the Orange into national championship contenders.

But this job is about more than football for Brown, who came to 性视界 as the nation鈥檚 top college football recruiter and a member of the 2022 College Football National Championship coaching staff with the University of Georgia. Brown uses the life lessons football teaches to transform his players into men who are invested in their community and put the needs of the team above their own needs.

鈥淔ootball has changed everything. It鈥檚 helped me be where I鈥檓 at today because of teamwork, because it鈥檚 bigger than just yourself. When you鈥檙e able to give it everything you鈥檝e got, and it鈥檚 for us, not for I, then it becomes about everybody,鈥� Brown says. 鈥淣ow that I鈥檓 in the position I鈥檓 in, I can take football and I can help people literally change lives. I can be a blessing to others and to the community.鈥�

Brown is a self-made man who came from humble beginnings in Camden, New Jersey, and football became an outlet for Brown. He excelled on the gridiron as Camden High School鈥檚 quarterback. After spending a year playing for Hudson Valley Community College, Brown was recruited to play for Western Carolina University by Matt Rhule, future head coach of the NFL鈥檚 Carolina Panthers. Brown thrived at cornerback, earning first-team All-Southern Conference honors and serving as team captain en route to earning a bachelor鈥檚 degree in criminal justice.

Brown credits his coaches for helping him reach his full potential as a football player and, more importantly, as a man focused on making a difference in his community.

鈥淢y coaches were good, positive men that were teaching me the right things and wanted to see me be successful,鈥� says Brown. 鈥淭hat just poured into me and has been a big influence on my coaching career. You always take all the good that everyone gives you and you want to be able to give back, to help, to push young men to go be successful in life.鈥�

With excitement building around the Orange football team鈥攆aculty and staff are encouraged to purchase their tickets to Saturday鈥檚聽鈥擝rown stopped by the 鈥溾�機use Conversations鈥� podcast to discuss how he鈥檚 making his mark on the program, why he鈥檚 all-in on 性视界 University football and how his upbringing shaped and molded him into the leader he is today.

Check out聽聽featuring Brown. A聽transcript [PDF]聽is also available.

How can you describe the emotions of this past weekend?

It was cool. It was emotional, just because of my family and getting them to have the opportunity to see me become a head coach. It鈥檚 a milestone when it comes to the entire family, my wife, my children, my siblings, my aunts and uncles. I鈥檓 extremely happy for them, and more so I鈥檓 happy for all the buildup from this community and how, since day one, we鈥檝e gotten buy-in from the community. Everyone, the community, the staff, the faculty, the students, the alumni, everyone has been behind us. Everybody鈥檚 been open arms wanting to see us be successful. This win was for them. We deserved to start this out the right way.

How nervous were you before kickoff?

There were uncontrollable nerves! I was extremely nervous, but at the same time, when you prepare like we have, it鈥檚 a little bit of anxiety and that鈥檚 a part of the game. But I knew we were prepared. I didn鈥檛 lack the preparation, so it was just about football. I鈥檓 just thankful and happy that everybody [in the JMA Dome] got to enjoy their Saturday with a win.

What did you learn about yourself after your first game as a head coach?

I鈥檝e got to control my composure on certain things. I was still in a practice mindset. My coaching staff did a great job and I learned that I was able to trust them and let them do what they need to do. Keep the players involved, even if they鈥檙e not on the field. Just getting everyone to focus on the game. Be where your feet are. It鈥檚 mental toughness. This is bigger than just a football game. Football teaches us about life and teaches us how to take care of all those little things.

With our core values, we are DART (Detailed, Accountable, Relentless, Tough). We need to be able to live DART at all times. Are you being detailed? Accountable? Relentless? When things are going the wrong way, are you displaying toughness?

What is the thought process behind DART?

I figured out what I can give these young men, outside of trying to get them closer to their faith, that they can take with them for the rest of their lives. No matter the situation, this DART tool is going to get them in and out of some of the toughest situations in their lives. Anyone that is going to lead a business, lead a family or be successful needs to be detailed, be accountable and be able to hold others accountable and be comfortable with others holding you accountable. You鈥檙e going to have to be relentless going after what it is you want to be in life. And you should be tough. If you鈥檙e DART in everything you do, you鈥檙e probably going to be very successful.

Note: This conversation was edited for brevity and clarity.

Each summer, the聽聽hosts a prestigious preparatory program that helps dozens of international Fulbright Scholars begin their journeys to graduate degrees and research opportunities.

It鈥檚 called the聽, and 性视界 University has served as a proud host site for the last 10 years, celebrating the power of both an international education and a cultural exchange.

This year, 44 master鈥檚 and Ph.D. students聽from 20 countries around the world are spending four weeks on campus discovering American culture, learning about life as a graduate student in the U.S. and developing necessary research skills.

The program is operated on campus by the聽聽(ELI), sponsored by the U.S. Department of State鈥檚 Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and administered by the Institute of International Education.

Each morning, the ELI offers English courses and lessons, including how to write a research paper as a graduate student. In the afternoons, cultural presentations and workshops are offered by 性视界 faculty and staff.

These international scholars are connected to a facilitator, a graduate of the pre-academic program who offers advice, guidance and friendship while mentoring these aspiring researchers. On the weekends, participants can take advantage of social field trips to cultural destinations like Niagara Falls and Green Lakes State Park.

Before departing for their graduate schools, the students give poster presentations on their research as a potential springboard to the research they will conduct for their capstone project.

鈥淭hrough my research, I want to see how we can use technology and data information to better people鈥檚 lives,鈥� says El-Baz Abdallah, a facilitator from the Comoro Islands who is entering his second year studying data analytics in the聽. 鈥淲hen I heard about the pre-academic program, I had been working for some time and hadn鈥檛 really thought about going back to school for my master鈥檚 degree, but the prestigiousness of the Fulbright program really stood out. There鈥檚 such a great impact, not just from the curriculum or the academics but the networking with your fellow scholars. This program was very rigorous, but it was really worth it.鈥�

鈥淔rom how we should be writing up our research and our bibliographies to what it means to do research as a graduate student in the United States, I鈥檝e been really happy with all of the information I鈥檝e learned that helps us adapt to the educational system here,鈥� says Budoor Alsaadi, a native of Iraq who is pursuing a master鈥檚 degree in civil engineering with a focus in environmental engineering at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

In this 鈥溾�機use Conversation,鈥� Abdallah and Alsaadi discuss their beneficial experiences as international Fulbright students participating in the pre-academic program, how they acclimated to life as students in the United States and how they plan on using their research to make a difference.

Original air date: May 9, 2024 Attending college was not on Leondra Tyler鈥檚 鈥�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鈥�24, who grew up chasing chickens and running through her grandparents鈥� corn fields on a small, rural village in Banha, Egypt. Yet when 性视界 University holds its 鈦�2024 Commencement exercises鈦� Sunday morning, both Tyler and Shedid will be honored and celebrated for their perseverance and resilience in the face of immense adversity. A non-traditional student, Tyler will graduate cum laude with dual degrees in neuroscience and psychology from the 鈦燙ollege of Arts and Sciences鈦� and the 鈦燙ollege of Professional Studies鈦� through the Part-Time Higher Education Opportunity Program (HEOP) and plans on becoming a doctor. Shedid, the president of the College of Law鈥檚 Class of 2024, landed her 鈥渄ream job鈥� as an honors attorney with the government after graduation. Tyler and Shedid discuss their surreal paths to Commencement, how their time on campus reinforced their drive to make a difference once they graduate and how they plan on utilizing their degrees to help out those less fortunate.

Original air date: April 9, 2024 What does it mean for 性视界 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 reducing greenhouse gas emissions through wisely managing energy efficiency projects. During April, the campus community is coming together to celebrate Earth Month. On this ”Cuse Conversation, Sustainability Project Manager Lydia Knox G’22 discusses the state of sustainability at 性视界 University, explores the sustainability efforts occurring on campus, describes how the University is committed to achieving carbon neutrality by 2032, shares how you can get involved with these initiatives and explains why she left her career as a television meteorologist to pursue her passion for sustainability and preserving the Earth.

Original air date: March 28, 2024 When more than 5,500 international students begin their 性视界 University journeys, they face different challenges from their domestic counterparts. Besides leaving behind their families, their friends and everything they鈥檝e ever known, for many international students, the first time they step foot on campus is often the day they arrive to embark on their 性视界 journeys. That was the case for Adya Parida 鈥�25, who traveled nearly 7,700 miles from Ranchi, India to study computer science in the College of Engineering and Computer Science; Yajie (Lannie) Lan G鈥�24, who ventured more than 7,300 miles from Chengdu, China to study architecture in the School of Architecture; and Angelica Molina G鈥�25, who traveled more than 2,700 miles from Cali, Colombia to earn her master鈥檚 degree in public administration and international relations in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs. These students discuss their respective journeys to 性视界 University, how they found success and a welcoming community on campus, their advice for fellow international students and how they plan on making a difference in their communities once they graduate.

Original air date: March 12, 2024 Amir Duri膰 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鈥檚 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 sunset and worship that elevates their spirituality. Since 2017, Duri膰 has led efforts to enhance and improve the Muslim student experience, both at 性视界 University and college campuses across the country, as the Imam with Hendricks Chapel. With Ramadan underway, Duri膰 stopped by to discuss the role an Imam plays on campus, as well as the core tenets of Islam and the biggest misconceptions surrounding the religion. He also discusses his groundbreaking research on the Muslim student experience and explains how an interfaith collaboration with Rabbi Ethan Bair brought together Muslim and Jewish students to learn more about each other’s beliefs and values.

Original air date: March 5, 2024 Jon 鈥淛AG鈥� Gay 鈥�02 is the founder and owner of 鈥淛AG in Detroit,鈥� 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 that, his experience as a 性视界 University student and graduate, and his podcasting passion project, 鈥溾仩WJPZ at 50鈦�.鈥� Gay created 鈥淲JPZ at 50,鈥� a podcast featuring alumni of 性视界 University student radio station Z89, to celebrate the station鈥檚 50th anniversary in 2023. More than a year and a half later, the podcast鈥檚 nearly 120 episodes serve as an oral history of the station and illustrate the strong bond shared by generations of alumni.

Original air date: Feb. 27, 2024 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 stage a protest based on misinformation. In the aftermath, Talev wanted to focus her career efforts on the relationship between the news being produced and consumed by voters and how that impacted their views on democracy and governance. Talev was eventually hired to lead the Institute for Democracy, Journalism and Citizenship (IDJC), a joint effort of the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs. Talev discusses the mission and vision for the IDJC, how distrust in election results and politicians is at an all-time high, the importance of voters becoming media literate, the role citizens can play in addressing issues facing our democracy and the challenges artificial intelligence poses.

Original air date: Feb. 15, 2024 性视界 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 through March 3 on campus. Student leaders like Dylan France 鈥�24 and Andrea-Rose Oates 鈥�26 are among the many passionate and talented Black student leaders who have become agents of change for their peers during their time on campus. And France and Oates are committed to helping train a new generation of student leaders. On this 鈥�’Cuse Conversation,鈥� France and Oates discuss what fueled their involvement as student leaders and how they hope to inspire other students to become agents of change, explore what their Black heritage and Black culture means to them, share how they found community on campus and offer up their highlights from the Black History Month celebrations.

Original air date: Jan. 29, 2024 性视界 University has developed into an outstanding and accomplished research institution. As 性视界’s Vice President for Research, Duncan Brown supports and empowers 性视界’s internationally recognized creative and scholarly excellence, advancing centers and institutes that are global leaders in their fields. In this role, Brown oversees $157 million in internal and external research funding across the natural sciences, engineering, education, social sciences and law fields. Brown also leads the Office of Research and its component units, which serve as the backbone of the University鈥檚 research, scholarship and creative support enterprise. Collectively, these efforts help students and faculty expand their knowledge through innovation, creativity and discovery. On this ‘Cuse Conversation, Brown shares his vision for the research enterprise at 性视界 University, explains what makes 性视界 a premier research institution, examines the impact the research being done by our faculty and students is having on campus and beyond, and reveals where his passion for research came from.

Original air date: Jan. 11, 2024 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 Luther King Jr., the Civil Rights leader who inspired Black citizens around the country to speak out and stand up for their rights. Wright had the pleasure of meeting and eating with Dr. King several times as a teenager, with King imparting many valuable life lessons on the impressionable Wright. On this ‘Cuse Conversation, Wright recalls the powerful impact Dr. King made on him, shares how Dr. King utilized the radio to preach his non-violent message, and how Dr. King’s oratorical prowess inspired his successful career as both a radio broadcaster and television, radio and film professor at the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications. Wright, who became the first Black communications professor at Newhouse, was the first faculty advisor for the student-run radio station WJPZ and served as an invaluable resource for the thousands of students who took one of his classes. He’s the definition of “Major Market.”

Original air date: Nov. 27, 2023 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 鈥�11, G鈥�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 changed with the sudden passing of her older sister in 2020. That loss led Rose to a spiritual reawakening, cultivating an affinity for both her Native culture and her Native heritage. From the depths of sadness, Rose immersed herself in her Cayuga culture, reacclimating and reacquainting herself with her Native roots while rediscovering pride in belonging to the Cayuga Nation, the People of the Great Swamp. As the University community celebrates Native Heritage Month, Rose discusses her spiritual reawakening, the pride she feels through her Native heritage and culture, how the 性视界 University community helped her overcome depression and mental health issues, and why she鈥檚 eternally proud to be a 性视界 University alumna.

Original air date: Nov. 6, 2023 Adrian Autry 鈥�94 came to 性视界 University from New York City as a talented men鈥檚 basketball recruit, a McDonald鈥檚 All-American who etched his name in the school鈥檚 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 South America, Autry embarked on his second act: as a basketball coach. He learned from one of the best, serving as an assistant and associate coach for his mentor, Hall of Fame head coach Jim Boeheim ’66, G’73, and in March, Autry was named the program’s eighth head coach. Before the Orange open the season on Nov. 6, Autry discusses this exciting opportunity and why he鈥檚 ready to take over and make his mark on the program. Autry also reveals the lessons he’s learned from Boeheim, why his team will be fast-paced on offense and tenacious on defense, recalls his favorite memories from his playing days, and shares why 性视界 has always felt like home.