Dear Orange Friends:
Extraordinary things are happening every day at Syracuse University. This last week was no exception. In recent days, students, faculty, and staff were recognized for a variety of achievements. We are blessed with so many great teachers and great students:
We recently celebrated the significant impact of community service and engagement made by our students with the Chancellor’s Awards for Public Engagement and Scholarship (CAPES). We have more than 10,000 students engaged in and working with the community through academic courses, practica, projects, and initiatives, and the University provides approximately 500,000 hours of community engagement each year. This work happens on the local, national, and international levels. The breadth of contributions is amazing. Some examples recently recognized include mentoring in local schools, promoting financial literacy, working with veterans, providing tax assistance to those in need, and promoting initiatives to prevent sexual violence.
Robert Doyle, professor of chemistry in the College of Arts and Sciences, and Peter Wilcoxen, professor of public administration and international affairs in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, were named as the 2016-19 Laura J. and L. Douglas Meredith Professors for Teaching Excellence. Professors Doyle and Wilcoxen join an esteemed group of faculty members who have been honored for their excellence in teaching. They created novel ways to improve student engagement and learning on the Syracuse University campus. I know we will see more great things during their Meredith tenures and beyond.
Seven faculty were honored with Meredith Teaching Recognition Awards for their innovations in teaching and their work with students. They are Elizabeth Ashby, assistant professor of economics in the Maxwell School and College of Arts and Sciences; Patrick W. Berry, assistant professor in the Writing Program in the College of Arts and Sciences; Michelle Blum, assistant professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering in the College of Engineering and Computer Science; Dawn Dow, assistant professor of sociology in the Maxwell School and College of Arts and Sciences; Natalie Koch, assistant professor of geography in the Maxwell School and College of Arts and Sciences; Kyle Miller, assistant professor in the School of Architecture; and Kevin Morrison, assistant professor of English in the College of Arts and Sciences.
Tara Helfman, associate professor in the College of Law, was named as the 2016 United Methodist Scholar/Teacher of the Year, recognizing her teaching abilities and scholarship.
I am very grateful for the many innovative ways that teaching and learning happen at Syracuse University.
Sincerely,
Chancellor Kent Syverud