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hosted 鈥機use Collections this spring for the third year in a row, an event where students can drop off new and gently used items that they no longer need or are unable to take home at the end of the semester.

The collected items are provided to local organizations and nonprofits, and at the two collection sites on campus, 性视界 University and SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry students donated an estimated 85 bins of items.

Student volunteers helped oversee the drop-off sites and assist organizations in picking up the donated items.

The items (equivalent to over three dump-truck loads) were donated to seven local organizations, including the Boys & Girls Club of 性视界, John 6:12, Lydia鈥檚 Attic, Rescue Mission, SEA Without Borders, Spanish Action League of Onondaga County and Huntington Family Centers, Inc.

鈥淒onations collected through 鈥機use Collections help the Rescue Mission meet immediate needs in our community. Items like blankets, sheets and clothing are used directly in our emergency shelter services, while additional donations help stock Thrifty Shopper stores with affordable goods for local families,鈥� says Luana Lovenguth, chief social enterprise officer at the Rescue Mission. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a meaningful example of community impact and sustainability working together.鈥�

These donations help keep items out of the waste stream, reduce the amount of energy used to create new products and benefit those in the 性视界 community.

If you鈥檙e interested in getting involved next year or are an organization that would like to partner with Sustainability Management, please reach out to sustain@syr.edu.

Together, they took a corner bakery-grocery and turned it into a new cornerstone of a 性视界 Northside neighborhood.

The project for design students from 性视界 University鈥檚 (VPA) and construction management students from (SUNY ESF) was both an experiential learning opportunity and a chance for them to undertake engaged citizenship in the year they worked with community 聽residents and organizers of , a community nonprofit.

Students redesigned an aging, two-story bakery and apartment structure at 601 Park Street owned by Northside Futures into a modern building serving expanded residential and commercial needs. Northside Futures is a collaborative project of the Northside Learning Center and Justice Capital that focuses on workforce training and small business development, housing, remediation and property management, and community wellness and safety for residents of 性视界鈥檚 Northside neighborhood.

The project provided real-world professional experience through the VPA course DES 451 (also known as 鈥淢eaningful Partnership鈥�).

The cross-institutional collaboration also involves SUNY ESF course CME 454, , along with Northside Futures and the University鈥檚 .

The Real Thing

鈥淭his is not a hypothetical,鈥� says , assistant teaching professor in the School of Design and program coordinator. 鈥淚t has real users, real challenges and real goals. Students engaged deeply with the community, developed real solutions for real stakeholders and came away with a genuine understanding of what it takes to bring a project to life.鈥�

Founded in 2017 by , professor in 聽VPA鈥檚 , the program became a formal service-learning initiative in 2022 through the Shaw Center. In addition to Dunham, , SUNY ESF associate professor in the Department of Sustainable Resources Management, is a co-teacher. 鈥�84, transportation coordinator at the Shaw Center, 聽handles logistics.

During its first six years, Meaningful Partnership operated as a three-way collaboration among designers, construction managers and community stakeholders. This year it expanded to four components鈥攚ith members of the Northside Futures cohort joining as active participants. They learned hands-on construction and trade skills alongside the students while accumulating design literacy for future independent community development. That model is an authentic co-design process where residents are positioned as empowered decision-makers shaping the future of their neighborhood, Lee says.

Two-Semester Overview

In the project, students from both institutions work together for a full year. Last fall, 19 environmental and interior design (EDI) students examined the facility, conducted site visits and client meetings, developed construction blueprints and presented final designs.

In the spring, 17 construction management engineering (CME) students joined them. They used the construction documents to prepare estimates, construction schedules, decide phasing and logistics, suggest value engineering strategies and explore sustainable grants and programs for the project.

Community-Centered Project

Dunham says direct communication with clients is essential to the project鈥檚 success.

鈥淒uring our site visit students were able to speak directly with building owner Northside Futures and the building鈥檚 occupants (a residential tenant, the bakery owner and neighbors) and continued to obtain feedback throughout the process,” she says. “That kind of direct engagement with the people who live and work in these spaces is invaluable and it is very much part of what makes this process real.鈥�

In addition to the bakery redesign, students developed alternatives for using an adjacent lot where a dilapidated garage was due for demolition.

Community members suggested building a library, day care center and a community/gym workout space for that structure.聽The client ultimately chose the idea of a laundromat, Dunham says, since it filled a real need, made sense financially as a revenue stream and was the right fit for the neighborhood.

Human Context

EDI student Ella Mchale says residents鈥� involvement expanded her understanding of the city and provided a true client experience.

鈥淲hat we achieved goes so much deeper than just a design project,” she says. “Our community member Fatima helped ground us and gave us the real human context we needed to design with purpose. We took that seriously and created something accessible and meaningful while still bringing our own design concept to the table.鈥�

EDI student and project manager Jolie Ramos says that despite language and cultural differences, 鈥渁 bond was built based on the betterment of our shared community.”

“That exposure beyond our University bubble gave us the opportunity to not only engage with our community but to form intimate personal connections,” she says. “It was really beautiful to watch the relationships unfold and grow.鈥�

Cultivating Community

鈥淎t its core, this project is about community, understanding and creating meaningful impact,鈥� Dunham says. 鈥淭he community representatives who came into our class shared their culture, needs and challenges and were a true voice for their neighborhood. The connections they formed with our students were genuine and those voices shaped everything. That deeply resonated with our students and it showed in everything they produced.鈥�

Meaningful Partnership鈥檚 staying power results from an intentional and ongoing investment of time, interest and shared resources, says Lee.

“Community partnership is something that must be continuously cultivated and is grounded in relationship-building and trust,” she says. “It means sharing resources, lived experience, cultural knowledge and social awareness alongside academic expertise and a commitment to paying that knowledge forward.”

They came walking en masse down the Einhorn Family Walk鈥攁 250-person strong contingent of students, faculty, staff and senior leaders led by Otto the Orange. They walked past the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications complex and past tulips wobbling in a brisk spring wind. They walked toward Crouse-Hinds Hall with a single, steady purpose: to rally in support of Chancellor Kent Syverud.

The 鈥淕o Gray in May Walk鈥� was conceived by the Student Government Association (SGA) and held with the support of more than 60 recognized student organizations. The walk on April 28, had a dual purpose: to raise funds for the , in honor of Brain Cancer Awareness Month, and to support Chancellor Syverud, who announced on April 15 that he has been diagnosed with brain cancer and is undergoing treatment at University of Michigan Medicine.

Staff members of 性视界 University in DC also walked on April 28 in support of Chancellor Syverud and in solidarity with the 性视界 campus.

Letters and Messages of Support

In front of the Schine Student Center, before the walk, University community members, many clad in in gray, gathered to write personal letters of caring to Chancellor Syverud and Dr. Ruth Chen. Large posters with such messages as 鈥淔acilities Services (heart) U!,鈥� 鈥淪tand With Our Orange Family鈥� and 鈥淣o One Fights Alone鈥� were displayed on the fa莽ade of Schine.

鈥淏eing here is a deeply meaningful experience for me on both a personal and community level. It gives me the opportunity to stand in support of my first University boss and Chancellor during an incredibly difficult time, while also honoring the memory of my uncle, who lost his life to this disease,鈥� said Liz Costa, office coordinator with Facilities Services. 鈥淏eing surrounded by others who are here for similar reasons creates a strong sense of connection and shared purpose.鈥�

Offering Prayers

Once gathered at Crouse-Hinds Hall, the Rev. Devon Bartholomew, Christian Protestant chaplain at Hendricks Chapel, thanked those assembled.

鈥淭hank you all for coming today. Thank you Student Government Association for responding to Chancellor Syverud鈥檚 diagnosis by asking the right question: How do we respond? You have responded well with conscience and clarity,鈥� Barthlomew said.

He then asked those gathered to join arms in prayer. 鈥淲e pray for Chancellor Syverud and Dr. Chen and for their continued strength when they feel weakest. Let them experience peace and rest when things are uncertain. Give their sons courage as they support their father and mother. Fill each one with the love and the support that we are sending them from 性视界 when they feel alone.鈥�

Bartholomew asked for prayers for all who are involved in the fight against cancer: for the diagnosed and the undiagnosed, for the families and friends, for the support services, for the doctors and nurses, for the counselors and chaplains, for the researchers and innovators. 鈥淲e pray that progress is made in the advances of cancer research to prevent cancer and detect it early. We pray for treatments that will give longer life to those fighting cancer. We pray for families who support their loved ones,鈥� he said.

鈥淟astly, I pray for those in our Orange Family who have been impacted by brain cancer, that they would be cared for by us as they work or study at 性视界 University and ESF,鈥� Bartholomew said.

Max Lachut 鈥�28, vice president-elect of SGA, was one of the walk鈥檚 organizers and leaders in the walk to Crouse-Hinds. He wanted to support Chancellor Syverud, appreciative of the Chancellor鈥檚 leadership and care for students.

鈥淐hancellor Syverud has been extremely receptive and approachable. I emailed him after a University Senate meeting about a topic I was concerned about. He heard me out and provided valuable insight, and I felt truly heard,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hat level of accessibility shapes the culture of an entire institution. It showed me how he views shared governance, and it is a standard I carry into my own leadership.鈥�

More than 50 of Theta Chi鈥檚 性视界 membership turned out to participate in the walk and posed for a group photo outside Crouse-Hinds Hall afterwards.

鈥淲e have had several members in the house whose family and friends have dealt with cancer or had cancer scares themselves, so we recognize the importance,鈥� said Jake Karedes 鈥�27. 鈥淲e really wanted to come out here and show support for the community.鈥�

SGA President German Nolivos estimated that more than $1,000 has been raised for the Brain Tumor Foundation, with donations continuing to come in. 鈥淲hat happened here on Tuesday is uniquely 性视界鈥攚e show up for each other, we care and we are a family,鈥� he said.

Well wishes for Chancellor Syverud and Dr. Chen can be shared on the .

Sixty student organizations. Gray ribbons. Handwritten letters. A prayer. On Tuesday, April 28, the University community will rally to respond to Chancellor Kent Syverud’s recent cancer diagnosis with an unmistakable show of community and solidarity.

(SGA), in partnership with 60 recognized student organizations, will host a Go Gray in May: Brain Cancer Awareness Month Walk. The event will begin at noon in the Schine Student Center with a walk to Crouse-Hinds Hall at 2:30 p.m. There, the Rev. Devon Bartholomew, Christian Protestant chaplain at Hendricks Chapel, will lead those assembled in a prayer.

Chancellor Syverud announced on April 15 that he has been diagnosed with a form of brain cancer. He is currently undergoing treatment at University of Michigan Medicine.

鈥淎fter the news broke, our SGA executive team came together to ask ourselves one question: 鈥楬ow do we respond?鈥欌�� says German Nolivos 鈥�26, SGA president. 鈥淐hancellor Syverud has been there for all of us鈥攖hrough every hard moment this University has faced. This is our chance to be there for him and his family.鈥�

May is Brain Cancer Awareness Month, and the event will raise funds for the . Organizers are encouraging members of the University community to consider making a monetary donation. 鈥淭he most powerful thing we can do in this moment is fund the fight,鈥� Nolivos says.

Those who donate $15 or more and submit a screenshot of their donation to , the SGA鈥檚 home on Instagram, can claim a free T-shirt at Schine at the April 28 event.

Participants in the walk are encouraged to wear gray and pick up a gray ribbon at Schine that day. There will be a community poster wall for students, faculty and staff to leave messages of support for Chancellor Syverud and anyone in the community affected by brain cancer. There will also be a letter-writing station where individuals can write personal letters of support to Chancellor Syverud and Dr. Ruth Chen.

Participating organizations span every dimension of campus life: fraternities and sororities, cultural and identity organizations, pre-professional societies, advocacy groups, athletic clubs, honor societies and more. Nolivos says this will be the largest coalition of student organizations ever assembled for a single awareness event in recent University history.

鈥淲hen 60 organizations come together, that鈥檚 not just coordination鈥攖hat鈥檚 conviction,鈥� Nolivos says. 鈥淓very single one of these groups is choosing to show up. That means something. That tells you something about who we are as a university.鈥�

Additionally, the SGA Assembly passed a formal resolution on April 15 extending formal gratitude and support to Chancellor Syverud.

鈥淐hancellor Syverud has given this institution 12 years of transformational leadership,鈥� says Nolivos. 鈥淗e has shown up for students, for faculty, for staff and for this community through its hardest chapters. April 28 is our opportunity, all of us, to show up for him.鈥�

In 2016, Father Gerry Waterman, OFM Conv., was considering taking the role of Catholic chaplain at 性视界 University. It was not an easy decision, he says.

For starters, he loved his work at Elon University in North Carolina, where he served as Catholic chaplain for 11 years. 性视界 University is a much bigger institution, and he was not crazy about the idea of long, cold winters.

Waterman embarked on a three-day trip to 性视界 in April that year to meet with Chancellor Kent Syverud and other leaders. On an early-morning run on the Onondaga Creekwalk, he asked God to send him a sign.

Waterman stopped in front of a covered iron storm drain embossed with letters and numbers. The letters spelled out his last name and the numbers, 84 and 55, were the year he was ordained and the year he was born, respectively. He had his answer.

The decision to come to 性视界 has been one of his best, Waterman says. Now his 性视界 chapter is coming to a close, as he is retiring from campus ministry after Commencement. A farewell reception will be held on Thursday, April 16, from 5-7 p.m. at the Catholic Center, followed by Mass at 7 p.m.

鈥淚t鈥檚 bittersweet. I have been doing campus ministry for 21 years鈥攊t鈥檚 a long time,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 said it’s time, but there is going to be a huge hole in my heart. I love these kids; they are the salt of the Earth.鈥�

A Spirit and Energy Unrivaled

Waterman has brought an infectious spirit and boundless energy to his role as the University鈥檚 Catholic chaplain. During his tenure, attendance for Catholic Masses and activities has exploded. Masses that once saw 20 students now see more than 200. Attendance at the recent Easter Masses was close to 1,100,

With a transformational gift from Daniel 鈥�68, H鈥�20 and Gayle D鈥橝niello through the Forever Orange campaign, a new chapel was built and renovations done to make the Catholic Center space more conducive to the activities held there. Thursday night Mass and dinner, monthly sandwich-making community outreach and social activities draw record numbers of students. A newly installed organ, a gift from a donor, fills the space with beautiful music.

Waterman鈥檚 greatest legacy, though, is the people within the space. He attributes the expanding numbers to the students. 鈥淚 was able to get the students so comfortable and confident in their faith that they were willing to evangelize their friends,鈥� he says. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 how our numbers have grown. Not by me inviting them, by their friends inviting them.鈥�

His Greatest Legacy

The connection with students is what has nourished Waterman over the past decade.

鈥淔ather Gerry truly is one of a kind, never have I met such a welcoming priest who somehow knows every student’s name,鈥� says Anthony Iannazzone 鈥�28. 鈥淗is homilies hit me differently than any other priest that I have listened to; he gets the message across unlike anybody I’ve ever heard. He has had a true impact on my time here at 性视界.鈥�

Anna Lupardo 鈥�26 tragically lost her dad at age 12, and in the ensuing years stopped going to church. 鈥淚 remained a spiritual person after I lost my father, but I struggled to find a place for faith in my life,鈥� she says. During her junior year, a couple of friends brought her along to the Catholic Center on a Sunday.

鈥淔ather Gerry gave me a big hug and told me he was so excited to have me there,鈥� Lupado says. 鈥淚 had never felt more welcomed into a community of believers as I did in that moment.鈥�

Lupado began attending Mass weekly. 鈥淔ather Gerry is somehow always capable of telling me exactly what I need to hear. As someone who never saw a place for my Catholic roots after my father died, Father Gerry showed me that there is always a place for Jesus in my heart, no matter how connected or ready I might feel at the time.鈥�

Mikie Jantz 鈥�28 says Waterman is unique in his ability to help students have their faith be at the center of their life, as opposed to just a part of their life.

鈥淔ather Gerry has built such a great community at this school and done so humbly, and with an intent to point everyone to Jesus,鈥� Jantz says, 鈥淚 have gone to Mass with friends that have been Catholics their whole lives, and friends that are not Catholic at all. In all situations, he has made them feel welcomed and at home.鈥�

鈥淔ather Gerry Waterman has provided steadfast and dynamic leadership to the University鈥檚 Catholic community, dramatically altering the physical space at the Catholic Center and greatly increasing participation in worship, programs and community service,” says Rebecca Reed Kantrowitz, interim dean of Hendricks Chapel. 鈥淔ather Gerry has also served as a strong and collaborative partner to his fellow chaplains and staff at Hendricks Chapel. We are deeply appreciative of his many contributions to 性视界 University over the past decade.鈥�

Leaving 性视界 With a Full Heart

Waterman calls his new chapter semi-retirement. He will be based in Washington, D.C., but, in the spirit of St. Francis, will go where he is needed and called鈥攃overing for vacations, leading spiritual retreats and helping to oversee outreach activities. He also plans to travel; hiking the Camino de Santiago in Europe is one of his bucket list items.

In his time in 性视界, Waterman learned to live鈥攁nd thrive鈥攊n winter. 鈥淲inter never mattered because I have had the warmth and love of so many around me,鈥� he says.

No matter where he goes, memories of 性视界 will always hold a special place in his heart鈥攈is students, this campus and, being the foodie he is, 性视界鈥檚 iconic Columbus bread.

For a second year, the University is hosting Micron Day on campus to showcase the innovation and future of technology education and careers in Central New York.

The event on April 21 will be a full-day celebration of technology, education and opportunity, bringing students, families, educators, industry leaders and community partners together to inspire the next generation of innovators in the region.

Last year鈥檚 event focused on Micron鈥檚 transformative $100 billion investment in the community with the development of their facility in Clay, New York, and their ongoing partnerships with the University. This year, Micron Day will highlight what is possible when there is strong collaboration between higher education and industry, illustrating the shared commitment between the University and Micron to build sustainable, tech driven pathways and opportunities for young people in Central New York.

鈥淢icron Day represents how universities and industry can work together to create real, tangible opportunity for students while strengthening the regional economic ecosystem,鈥� says Acting Chancellor J. Michael Haynie. 鈥淏y engaging students early and showing them what鈥檚 possible, we鈥檙e helping them envision a future for themselves in technology that begins right here in Central New York.鈥�

The centerpiece of the day will be a large-scale technology fair and tech expo in the Ensley Athletic Center from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., where hundreds of local students in grades 9-12 will be welcomed to explore interactive, hands-on exhibitions alongside University students, faculty, staff and members of the public. Exhibitions in the expo will be designed to spark curiosity and demonstrate how classroom learning connects to real-world applications and future careers.

The exhibitors will include a range of University schools, colleges, clubs and programs, as well as Micron camps and activities, community partner organizations, military and emergency response partners, higher education institutions and local tech employers.

鈥淢icron Day allows us to connect with students and families long before careers begin and show how today鈥檚 learning leads to tomorrow鈥檚 opportunities,鈥� says Janine Rush-Byers, director of strategic university partnerships at Micron. 鈥淭he partnership with 性视界 University ensures we鈥檙e building a future workforce that reflects the talent, diversity and potential of this community.鈥�

With exhibitions ranging from immersive demonstrations to creative problem-solving activities, the expo aims to meet students where they are and invite them to actively engage with technology.

A scavenger hunt-style experience that encourages students to move through the expo and interact with exhibitions while earning prizes for participation is also planned. Lunch will also be provided to the students; schools must register in advance.

鈥淔rom hands-on exhibitions to interaction with students and professionals in tech industries, everything about this event is designed to keep students curious, engaged and excited about learning,鈥� says A.J. Florkowski, program operations manager with the Office of Strategic Initiatives and Innovation and lead planner for Micron Day at the University.

After the expo, Micron Day will continue into the evening with additional programming focused on the families and caregivers of young people in the region.

From 5 to 6 p.m. in Marley Hall, an esports competition will be held in the University鈥檚 new Esports Classroom between Boise State and 性视界. A town hall will take place afterwards, from 6 to 7 p.m., during which parents and students can learn more about the clubs, campus and programs available at both the University and elsewhere in the region. Exhibitor tables highlighting the different opportunities will be set up from 5 to 8 p.m.

With a focus on hands-on engagement, the goal of Micron Day this year is to reflect the long-term vision of the partnership between the company and University by acknowledging that today鈥檚 middle and high school students are the region鈥檚 future workforce, leaders and innovators.

鈥淥ur goal is to make Micron Day fun, interactive and inspiring鈥攕omething students remember as the day they realized technology could be for them,鈥� Florkowski says.

Graduate students Jamea Candy Johnson ’25, G’27 and Adara 鈥淒arla鈥� Hobbs ’26 are taking their affordable housing research out of the classroom and directly to the landlords, developers and community organizers working to solve one of 性视界’s most pressing challenges.

Thanks to a revamped partnership with (TMR), a longstanding, community-focused series of events hosted by the , Johnson and Hobbs shared their findings directly with key public housing constituents.

The two students are conducting the research as , alongside three of their peers.

鈥淢y research focuses on the intersection of housing and health care, especially as it relates to economic stability, and this experience has only solidified that interest,鈥� says Johnson, who is on a pre-med and pre-law track while pursuing a master鈥檚 degree in public health from the .

鈥淲e need community-driven solutions to the problems facing 性视界. This needs to be about bringing people together from different backgrounds and perspectives and seeing what we can collectively do to address and solve the housing issue,鈥� says Hobbs, who in May will earn a master鈥檚 degree in Pan-African studies from the .

Research With the Community, Not 性视界 It

The collaboration with TMR pushed Johnson to conduct qualitative research after engaging directly with those who provide and build housing in the city, and not just those people who need housing.

鈥淚t turned out to be one of the best ways to conduct research,鈥� says Johnson, who works for both the Onondaga County Legislature and at the Salvation Army Women’s Shelter.

Rather than crunching numbers and visualizing datasets, the fellows conducted one-on-one interviews with each panelist before every session. They used those conversations to write discussion questions tailored to each speaker’s expertise, questions designed not just for academic audiences, but for the community members filling seats in the room.

Housing as a Health Issue

When panelists from Housing Visions鈥攚hich develops large multi-unit complexes鈥攁nd A Tiny Home for Good鈥攚hich builds small-scale permanent housing for people experiencing chronic homelessness鈥攄escribed how they partner with Helio Health and Upstate Medical to bring health care directly to residents in their units, it reframed the entire conversation.

“We’re not just talking about giving people housing. We’re talking about giving people health care. Health care plus housing is going to lead to better lifelong solutions overall,鈥� Johnson says.

It鈥檚 a point echoed by Hobbs, who was born and raised in 性视界.

鈥淎ccess to adequate health care, education and healthy food, that all comes underneath the umbrella of economic mobility,鈥� Hobbs says.

Lived Experience as Expertise

What surprised Hobbs most through the TMR process was being recognized as an expert by many of the community leaders she had long admired and respected.

“I’m not just taking something from the panelists, they’re learning something from me as well. I do know what I’m talking about. I do have something valuable to contribute,鈥� she says.

鈥淥ur lived experiences as locals and residents are the experiences that should be the change agents,鈥� says Hobbs, who has spent more than a decade working in the 性视界 City School District.

Sharing Their Research Insights

Johnson and Hobbs will participate in 鈥淔or 性视界 or With 性视界? What Lender Student Fellows鈥� Research Reveals 性视界 Housing and Health in 性视界鈥� during the . The session runs from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. in Room 100A of the Nancy Cantor Warehouse Auditorium.

“This research program has really emphasized human connection more than anything, and I think that’s the greatest part,鈥� Johnson says.

鈥淣ow, I can bring those collective experiences back to my community and hopefully continue to make a difference,鈥� Hobbs says.

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.

鈥淟ibraries are so much more than books and audiobooks; though they are two of my favorite perks,鈥� Patin says.

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

鈥淲hat strikes me most is that public libraries are one of the few remaining truly public spaces,鈥� Patin says. 鈥淧laces 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.鈥�

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

鈥淭hey are trained information professionals who help people find, evaluate and use information in ways that change their lives,鈥� she says. 鈥淟ibrarians 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.鈥�

Patin says she wants library science students to understand the work they鈥檒l be doing is relational, not just technical, since the best librarians are not just retrieving information. They are building trust, 鈥渕eeting people where they are, listening deeply and advocating fiercely on behalf of their communities鈥� she says.

Patin says the best way to support your local library and librarians is to use the library 鈥渓oudly and often.鈥�

鈥淯sage data matters enormously when library budgets are being debated,鈥� Patin says. 鈥淐heck 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.鈥�

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鈥擝orrowable Like a Book

Cardholders at (OCPL) can to county parks like聽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.

鈥淚t’s one of my favorite examples of libraries providing access to experiences, not just information,鈥� says Patin.

If OCPL isn鈥檛 your local library, don鈥檛 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鈥檚 not uncommon now to find access to technological tools and makerspaces鈥攃ollaborative workspaces that offer access to resources like 3D printing, laser cutters or audio/video equipment鈥攁t your local library.

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

A 鈥楲ibrary of Things鈥欌�擭ot Just Books and Media

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

鈥淎t 性视界 University Libraries, you can borrow laptops, cameras and other tech gear,鈥� Patin says.

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

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

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.

鈥淥CPL offers adult literacy tutoring, GED/TASC preparation, and English for Speakers of Other Languages programming,” she says. 鈥淭his is workforce development, family stability and community building happening right at the branch level.鈥�

Programming That Brings People Together

鈥淟ibraries are community living rooms: places where things happen, not just places where things are stored,鈥� 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.

鈥淭his programming serves every age and stage of life, and it’s all free,鈥� Patin says. 鈥淭hat matters enormously in communities where paid entertainment and enrichment are out of reach for many families.鈥�

is offering an end-of-semester opportunity for students to help others while reducing their library fines. 鈥淔ood for Fines鈥� 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.

A group of 性视界 University students has spent months working with 性视界 youth, guiding them through theater, design and media workshops that will culminate in a live public performance this spring.

The students are leading (Theater Workshop), an annual, bilingual creative arts program based at on 性视界’s Near West Side.

The program, which involves and in addition to La Casita, delivers culturally oriented arts education for community youth, says , the University’s executive director of cultural engagement for the Hispanic community. The workshops build dual-language skills, artistic presentation abilities and stage-presence confidence for children ages 6 and up.

The public performance will be held on Saturday, , at La Casita as part of the annual Arte Joven/Young Art exhibition, a celebration of visual art, music and dance. The event is open to the public.

Mutual Benefits

Taller de Teatro benefits both the students who lead the workshops and the children who participate, Paniagua says. “This program creates meaningful opportunities for University students to engage directly with the community while developing professional skills.鈥�

The structure of the collaboration creates a dynamic environment where students and youngsters learn from one another, she says. 鈥淪everal of the student instructors are studying drama and they are facilitating workshops alongside students from the creative arts therapy graduate program. Other students are contributing through documentation, photography, video and communications skills. In this way, the program becomes a multidisciplinary learning experience where students apply their training in a real community setting.鈥�

For young actors and for theater students in particular, the chance to gain experience as instructors early in their careers can open important professional pathways, Paniagua says. 鈥淭hey are learning how to guide creative processes, work with children and adapt theater practices to educational and community contexts. Ultimately, the efforts of those involved are tremendous and they allow La Casita to offer high-quality theater programming to local youth.”

Kate Laissle, director of education at 性视界 Stage, says involving 性视界 students as teaching assistants for this program helps inspire and train the next generation of theater educators while providing programming that supports community connections.

‘For Everyone’

鈥淭he ability to partner with La Casita and build on our relationship and its well-established programming also helps show that theatre is for everyone,鈥� Laissle says. 鈥淲orking collaboratively between performance, design and storytelling, students get to experience the depth and breadth of theater. Using multiple capacities of theatrical art-making lets young people use their creativity in ways that serve them best. It is outstanding to see the growth of the students, both school- and college-aged, over the course of this program.鈥�

This year’s student participants, who lead acting workshops and provide media support and documentation, are: GB Bellamy 鈥�27 and Sofia Slaman 鈥�27, acting majors, Department of Drama, VPA; Nashaly Bonilla 鈥�28, major, Department of Drama, VPA; Catie Kobland 鈥�21, G鈥�26, fine arts graduate and master’s candidate in VPA; Iman Jamison G’26, master’s student in , School of Information Studies; Sara Oliveira 鈥�29, film and media arts major, Department of Film and Media Arts, VPA; and Sophia Domenicis 鈥�28, , Newhouse School of Public Communications.

Three Presenting Partners

The program is possible because of a collaboration among three university-connected organizations:

• La Casita Cultural Center is a program of 性视界 University established to advance an educational and cultural agenda of civic engagement through research, cultural heritage preservation, media and the arts, bridging the Hispanic communities of the University and Central New York.
• Punto de Contacto/Point of Contact, celebrating its 50th year, bridges cultures and disciplines through exhibitions, poetry and聽 a permanent art collection. Its El Punto Art Studio has served youth since 2008.
• 性视界 Stage, the city’s leading professional theater, contributes expertise through acting and playwriting workshops that strengthen University-community connections and support literacy development.

More than 280 people representing approximately 110 organizations gathered in downtown 性视界 recently for the 2026 Lender Expo. This is the second year the communitywide convening and dialogue has been hosted by the University’s , and the expanded schedule was made possible by a new sponsorship from .

The Lender Center addresses important social issues through interdisciplinary research, community engagement and faculty and student fellowships. The expo is among the most visible expressions of that mission, offering organizations an opportunity to share resources, build partnerships and engage in dialogue about the area’s most pressing needs, says , director.

The program opened with a “State of the Region” panel discussion featuring 性视界 Mayor , Onondaga County Executive , U.S. Rep. and 性视界 City Court Judge .

Also addressing the group was , chief administrative officer and president of health plans at , who discussed the company鈥檚 efforts to address community health needs. Workshops covered grant writing, mental health, data collection, legal services, artificial intelligence and conflict resolution. A session, “Where Service Meets Progress,” drew a wide audience on the second day.

The convening also included recognition for , president emerita of InterFaith Works and founding member of the Lender Center Advisory Group, who was honored for her many years of social justice advocacy and community service.

More Event Photos

Stephen Kuusisto, Urayo谩n Noel and OlaRose Ndubuisi鈥攖hree poets whose work embody resilience, identity and the radical possibilities of language鈥攚ill present their work at the annual poetry reading on

The event, produced by Punto de Contacto/Point of Contact, takes place at the , where the 鈥�鈥� spring exhibition, which recognizes artists who live with disabilities, is currently displayed.

“This unique setting provides 聽much excitement for our Cruel April series this year,” says , the University’s executive director of cultural engagement for the Hispanic community and Point of Contact director. “Just as the exhibition’s artistic expressions expand on ideas of creativity shaped by body, mind, culture and history, the works of the three poets enter into a dialogue across cultures and disciplines. Both forums offer varied perspectives on how artists navigate the world on their own terms.”

The poetry program begins at 5:30 p.m. and is free and open to the public.

Poet and essayist is a University Professor and director of the . Blind since birth, Kuusisto has built a celebrated body of work that redefines understandings of perception and beauty. His poetry collections, 鈥淥nly Bread, Only Light鈥� (2000) and 鈥淟etters to Borges鈥� (2013), along with memoirs including 鈥淧lanet of the Blind鈥� and 鈥淗ave Dog, Will Travel,鈥� have established him as one of the most compelling disability voices in American letters. His work has appeared in Harper’s, Poetry and The New York Times Magazine.

is an internationally recognized poet and scholar, an associate professor of English and Spanish at New York University and a defining voice in Latinx and Nuyorican literary traditions. He is the author of the landmark study 鈥淚n Visible Movement: Nuyorican Poetry from the Sixties to Slam鈥� (2014) and the poetry collections 鈥淏uzzing Hemisphere/Rumor Hemisf茅rico鈥� (2015) and 鈥淭ransversal鈥� (2021), which was a New York Public Library Book of the Year. He is also the winner of the LASA Latino Studies Book Award. His work explores neurodivergence, migration and the politics of language. Cruel April is presented in partnership with the , , , and the .

’29, the 2024鈥�25 New York State Youth Poet Laureate, is a 性视界 student pursuing dual majors in biology and journalism. She is also a Coronat Scholar and Ren茅e Crown honors student and is enrolled in SUNY Upstate Medical University鈥檚 B.S./M.D. program. Her poetry draws on her experience with scoliosis, her Nigerian heritage and her commitment to uplifting marginalized communities. A premature birth survivor, she is the founder of The Finding Scoliosis Kindly Project and a Prudential Emerging Visionaries award winner.

Beginning Tuesday, March 31, and continuing through Friday, April 3, 性视界 University will host a multi-agency hazardous materials drill on South Campus. Several agencies, including the New York State National Guard Civil Support Team 2, the 性视界 Fire Department HazMat Team, Onondaga County Emergency Management and the 性视界 University Department of Public Safety will take part in the exercise, which is meant to showcase hazardous material response techniques used by military and civilian emergency response professionals.

The drill allows the various agencies and units to practice their response to real-life events and plan for interagency cooperation in the event of a genuine emergency, says Joseph Hernon, associate vice president for emergency and environmental risk services.

This training exercise will also involve a unique academic opportunity for students in the College of Arts and Sciences. Faculty and students in related academic programs, including forensic science, will be able to observe and engage with participating agencies, connecting students directly to practical, hands-on applications of their coursework in hazardous materials response and crime scene management.

鈥淭he HazMat drill is a great experiential learning opportunity for our students, bridging classroom instruction and real-world emergency response practice,鈥� says Hernon. 聽鈥淲e鈥檙e looking forward to a full week of training for everyone involved.鈥�

Minimal Campus Disruption Expected

All exercise activities will be confined to the South Campus area, away from residential areas. Members of the University community may observe agency vehicles and personnel in the area during the exercise and should expect no disruption to normal campus operations. If you have any questions or concerns, contact the Department of Public Safety at 315.443.2224.

鈥� paintings line the walls of her studio in Anchorage, Alaska. From 鈥渋con portraits鈥� to landscapes, her artwork holds a palpable verve鈥攃arrying a panorama of stories, ideas and interpretations with them, often centered on Alutiiq culture and identity.

From April 6-17, Infante Lyons will bring her visual and academic storytelling to 性视界 University as the 2026 . Her two-week residency is organized around the theme of 鈥淰isions of Resilience: Sacred Art and Storied Landscapes.鈥� Humanities Center Director Vivian May says she is excited about the many different ways Infante Lyons will engage the community through dialogues, lectures and seminars focused on her art, Indigenous cultural resilience, approaches to environmentalism and environmental activism, storytelling and more. Infante Lyons鈥� work, says May, “immerses us in a sense of place and asks us to build relationships across boundaries. Infante Lyons visualizes the sacred, imagines the environment and builds stories in ways that invite us to come together and imagine a more just future for all.鈥�

All are welcome to meet Infante Lyons and experience her work in person at an at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 7, in Eggers Hall and at other .

Infante Lyons, a painter and multimedia artist whose work engages themes of Indigenous sovereignty, cultural resilience and environmental sustainability, was raised in Anchorage. After earning her bachelor鈥檚 degree from Whitman College, she studied at the Vi帽a del Mar Escuela de Bellas Artes and spent 18 years in Chile. Her maternal family is from Kodiak Island鈥攁 large island in the Gulf of Alaska and the ancestral homeland of the Alutiiq/Sugpiaq people鈥攚here her grandparents were commercial salmon fishers. She is a registered Alutiiq Alaska Native and has tribal affiliation with the Alutiiq/Sugpiaq corporation, Koniag.

鈥淚’m looking forward to conversations about learning from different cultures: the importance of a diverse mindset, the richness of looking at Indigenous cultures, how they see the world,鈥� says Infante Lyons. Turning to the future, she asks: 鈥淎nd then, how can you apply that to a conversation [about] where we go forward? It could be applied to sustainability, or how we get along as human beings, or how we get along with the rest of the world.鈥�

Notably, two new paintings by Infante Lyons will find a permanent home in the 性视界 University Art Museum. Melissa Yuen, curator at the museum, says Infante Lyons鈥� potrtaits “invite interdisciplinary conversation, highlighting humanity鈥檚 relationship with the environment, disrupting Eurocentric worldviews and celebrating the role women play in Alutiiq culture as connectors with the world.鈥�

These as-yet unnamed pieces, to be unveiled on April 7, each depict Alaskan Native women dressed in kuspuks. The works incorporate traditional and contemporary Indigenous designs, and each woman cradles an animal central to Alutiiq culture: a seal pup in one painting, an otter in the other. The compositions echo a 鈥淢adonna and Child鈥� style painting, complete with halos and other visual symbols of reverence.

In portraying animals in the style of sacred Orthodox paintings and iconography, Infante Lyons emphasizes an intimate relationship between humans and the natural world鈥攐ne that opposes Western models of extraction and domination. Relatedly, some of her upcoming events on campus will highlight how Indigenous mindsets forge new pathways for understanding and caring for the environment.

Chie Sakakibara, associate professor of Native American and Indigenous Studies and geography and the environment, says when she came across one of Infante Lyons鈥� icon portraits, 鈥溾�� she was speechless.

鈥淚 was immediately struck by the work鈥檚 powerful expressivity, as Linda brings together multiple elements鈥攁ncestral presences and sacred, spiritual words鈥攊nto the present, rather than relegating them to a past that no longer exists,鈥� says Sakakibara.

Sakakibara invites the campus and broader 性视界 community into a shared encounter with Infante Lyons鈥� artistic wisdom, and hopes the residency will spark some of the same kinds of connections she cultivates with students around traditional and land-based knowledge, cultural resilience, multi-species relations and the continuity of Indigenous storytelling.

For co-host Timur Hammond, associate professor of geography and the environment, Infante Lyons鈥� residency opens up new points of academic connection, particularly for his Spring 2026 course, ‘Geography of Memory,’ and for strengthening his ongoing collaborations with the (EHN). One of EHN鈥檚 projects includes an , developed with Infante Lyons, to help spark discussion and activity in the classroom and community.

While Infante Lyons鈥� work carries many layers of meaning, her creative process begins without a preconceived agenda. Referencing 性视界 creative writing professor and author George Saunders, Infante Lyons subscribes to the idea that 鈥渢he muse finds you.鈥� A blank canvas is an invitation for her to explore meaning, and to see her life experiences naturally flow out onto the canvas.

鈥淵ou come to the studio, you start something, and you may try to have a concept or an idea or a composition, but that will change,” she says. In being open to spontaneous inspiration during this creative process, 鈥測ou end up with a better piece of artwork,鈥� says Infante Lyons.

She hopes to inspire the same approach in those who come across her art. Her paintings鈥攁nd the conversations that arise around them鈥攏eed not uphold a rigid, absolute message. Rather, her work invites an opportunity for thought, exploration and emotion.

Story by Colette Goldstein G’25