Class of 2020 Commencement events to be held Sept. 17-19

Syracuse University will host a Commencement ceremony—delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic—and other celebratory events for the Class of 2020 during the weekend of Sept. 17–19.  

Commencement will be held Sept. 19 at 10 a.m. at the Stadium. This University-wide ceremony, where Syracuse University Chancellor and President Kent Syverud will formally confer degrees, is for all undergraduate, graduate and doctoral candidates. Doors open at 8 a.m.

Following Commencement, all 2020 Newhouse graduates and their families are invited to join Dean Mark J. Lodato and the faculty and staff for a celebratory reception. The event will include a dean’s welcome, recognition of participating graduates and an opportunity to reconnect with faculty. A precise time and location will be announced soon; stay tuned for details.

For more information about Commencement activities for the Class of 2020, see the event listing.

Photo Gallery: 2025 Newhouse Convocation Ceremony

The Newhouse School celebrated a new class of graduates at the Convocation Ceremony on May 10 in the JMA Wireless Dome. Jim Weiss ’87, founder and chairman of Real Chemistry, delivered the keynote address and had some fun in the process—even taking a selfie at the podium before his speech.

Look back on a memorable afternoon at Syracuse University. Congratulations to the Class of 2025! (Photos by Genesee Photo Systems unless otherwise noted.)

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Left: Weiss took a selfie with Dean Mark Lodato (right front), senior associate dean Regina Luttrell (second row, left) and University Trustee Steven Einhorn ’64, ’67, and Rahman (third row, left) and Campbell. Right: Beth Egan (left), co-director of the Weiss Center at the Newhouse School, jokes with Weiss before the ceremony.

Newhouse LA Students Get Glimpse of Life as a Production Assistant in Hollywood Through Boot Camp 

Behind the scenes on a television show, a production assistant’s most valuable asset can be a walkie-talkie.  

There’s a certain etiquette in communicating information quickly and accurately that could affect the next scene—one mistake could cause a re-shoot, wasting valuable time.  

It’s one of the core skills taught at the P.A. Bootcamp, a Los Angeles-based program that teaches attendees everything they need to know about working as a production assistant, who are also known in the business as a “P.A.” While P.A. Bootcamp typically isn’t available to college students, organizers make an exception for students from the Newhouse LA program.

Jody Brockway, head of liaison work and camper registration for P.A. Bootcamp, said Syracuse students typically arrive anxious to learn and engage.  

“Nobody on a set has time to train you and stop what they’re doing to tell you what to do. So, we want to train people so that they show up and know their job, not have to be told their job,” Brockway said. 

The boot camp is typically held one weekend a month, with all-day sessions Saturday and Sunday. Knowing what you’re doing with a walkie-talkie can help job seekers stand out or land a position on a high-budget project. 

“It’s all information on the radio, so it is critical for new set [production assistants] to not mess that up. They need to know how to respond, how to communicate, how to use the radio,” Brockway said. 

Those lessons came in handy the following week for Molly Meisner, a junior television, radio and film major who took part in the boot camp in February. She was involved in a class this spring that shot the latest episode of “Two Truths and a Lie,” the game show produced by Newhouse LA students.  

“I think definitely helping others and behaving properly, using the [walkie-talkie] right and not playing on it, and just having proper language and communicating well,” Meisner said when asked about the most valuable lessons from boot camp. “Having to use all that and working with others making sure that everything I’m doing is correct.” 

It’s why it’s essential to stay engaged during P.A. Bootcamp.  

“Bring a notebook … don’t get distracted,” Meisner said when asked to offer advice for Newhouse students interested in the program. “They’re there to help you, so I’d say just go there and really focus and take in everything they’re saying because they’re trying to really prepare us.”  

Given the limited number of opportunities each semester for students interested in production to take part in the boot camp, it is important to reach out to Newhouse LA or Newhouse’s Office of Off-Campus Programs to plan for a semester in California, said Robin Howard, director of the Newhouse LA program.  

“At Newhouse LA, we are committed to providing our students with real-world experiences that prepare them for the industry, and opportunities like P.A. Bootcamp are a perfect example,” Howard said. “We’re grateful to the team at P.A. Bootcamp for making this possible and proud of our students for taking full advantage of this incredible hands-on training.” 

Newhouse Student Awards Spring 2025 Roundup

PRSSA Bateman Case Study Competition

A team of Newhouse School students took third place in the PRSSA’s prestigious Bateman Case Study Competition, in which competitors research, plan, implement and evaluate a PR campaign for a real-world client.

Students Eva Aurnhammer, Jack McCarty, Hannah Kim, Teresa Kurkjy, Cici Modin and Mariana Godinez-Andraca traveled to New York City for the final round of judging May 8 in the Public Relations Student Society of America’s premier competition.

Working with faculty advisor Arien Rozelle, an assistant teaching professor of public relations, the Newhouse team was one the finalists selected from 45 competitors this year from colleges and universities around the country.

The Newhouse team developed its “Libraries for All, Voices for All” campaign for the nonprofit EveryLibrary. They forged partnerships with stakeholders off and on campus, including the Onondaga County Library System, Parthenon Books, the Newhouse School and Syracuse University’s School of Information Studies.

Syracuse Press Club

Newhouse School students and media outlets won 10 first place honors in the professional and college categories at the annual Syracuse Press Club (SPC) Awards on May 3. Public radio station WAER earned another six first place honors. 

Newhouse Students and Media Outlets Win 10 First Place Honors at Syracuse Press Club Awards

Society of Professional Journalists

The Newhouse School won nine Society of Professional Journalists Mark of Excellence regional awards for student work from The NewsHouse, CitrusTV, The Daily Orange, Jerk and NCC News among the 28 finalists for this year’s contest. The winners were announced May 2 in New York City at the SPJ Region 1 conference.

Newhouse School Wins 9 Society of Professional Journalists Mark of Excellence Awards

Graphis

The Newhouse School had an astounding 97 wins among advertising and visual communications students in the 2025 Graphis New Talent Awards, which recognize the best design work among college students worldwide.

This total ranks among the top three for overall Newhouse totals in recent years and exceeds last year’s total of 75 honors. 

Newhouse Stuns With 97 Wins in Graphis New Talent Awards

The Alexia

Newhouse visual communications student Murphy McFarlane was a runner-up in The Alexia grants competition Sports Grant category for her image of a women’s ice hockey player.

2025 Alexia Grant Recipients and Finalists

National Press Photographers Foundation

Md Zobayer Hossain Joati, a master’s student in the multimedia, photography and design program, won the National Press Photographers Foundation’s Kit C. King Scholarship. Only graduate students studying photography at a U.S.-based institution are eligible for the honor. The award is named after Kit King, the chief photographer at The Spokesman Review and Spokane (Washington) Chronicle who died in a fishing accident in 1991.

Joati is also the inaugural Alexia Scholar recipient at the Newhouse School.

White House Correspondents’ Association

Luke Radel, a junior majoring in broadcast and digital journalism, earned a White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA) scholarship. The program pairs a student interested in pursuing government or political reporting for a year with a volunteer mentor from the White House press corps. Radel, a dual major in political science at the Maxwell School, will attend the annual WHCA dinner Saturday night in Washington, D.C.

Last year, Syracuse University joined WHCA’s roster of partner institutions in the prestigious scholarship program.

Society for News Design

Student designers, illustrators and producers were recognized with Awards of Excellence in the organization’s Best of News Design Creative Competition.

Feature Page Design

• “Buffalo’s Brewing Legacy”: Hannah Saltz, editor; Britney Kirwan, reporter/writer; Amanda Rosenthal, reporter/writer; Gianna Ellison, web and digital media manager; Jeannie Jedlicka, art director. (“Canal Keepers”)
• “Catch Of The Day: The Round Goby”: Grace McConnell, editor/reporter/writer; Gianna Ellison, web and digital media manager; Julia Virnelli, reporter/writer; Jeannie Jedlicka, art director (“Canal Keepers”)

Magazine Cover or Spread

• Jerk cover (December 2024):Megan Radakovich, designer; Abby Johnson, photographer; Sophie Davis, photo assistant
• “Recreating Family Photos”:  Megan Radakovich, designer; Md Zobayer Hossain Joati, photographer (Jerk magazine)

 Original Illustration

• “Election Guide 2024”: Flynn Ledoux, illustration editor (The Daily Orange)

SND 46^th Annual Creative Competition Results

Hearst Journalism Awards

Photography junior Diana Valdivia was named a sixth place finisher in the Photojournalism Picture Story/Series competition of the 2024-2025 Hearst Journalism Awards. Photography minor Kelsey Quinn Leary placed 18th in the contest.

2024-25 Hearst Photojournalism Picture Story/Series Competition Winners Announced

One University Awards

Student-Athlete Award: Charlotte Ebel, Public Relations; German Language, Literature and Culture; Women’s and Gender Studies; Member of Women’s Rowing Team

Seinfeld Scholarship: Claire Ceccoli, Public Relations

University to Honor Those Making a Difference at One University Awards

Associated Collegiate Press

Newhouse students and projects had an impressive showing in the Associated Collegiate Press Clips & Clicks contest for work produced in the Fall 2024 semester.  Among the 14 honorees were four First Place winners and a sweep of the entire Broadcast Features category. 

Newhouse Students Honored With 4 First Place Wins at ACP Clips & Clicks Contest

Syracuse University Scholars

Charlotte Ebel is one of 12 seniors named as the 2025 Syracuse University Scholars, the highest undergraduate honor the University bestows. Ebel is a public relations major at the Newhouse School, a women and gender studies and German language, literature and culture major in the College of Arts and Sciences and member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program.

2025 Syracuse University Scholars Announced

Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication

Newhouse students, faculty and projects had a fantastic showing with 17 wins, including five Gold Awards, at the Festival of Visual and Interactive Media contest, sponsored by AEJMC’s VISCOM division for the best in design, interactivity, photos, video and advertising. 

Newhouse Students, Faculty Make Exceptional Showing With 17 Honors at AEJMC Festival of Visual and Interactive Media

Intercollegiate Broadcasting System

Orange Television Network (OTN), NCC News and WAER students secured four of the Intercollegiate Broadcasting System’s coveted Golden Mic awards including OTN being named as the Best College/University Television Station. Along with these honors announced in New York City, there were also six finalists in the annual contest. 

Winners:

Best College/University Television Station – OTN – Orange Television Network
Best Sports Update – “9/25 WAER Afternoon Sports,” Ian Nicholas (WAER)
Best News Report – “Chipped Away,“ Newhouse Spotlight Team, John Perik, Lilli Iannella, Finn Lincoln, Julieanne Gilchrist (NCC News)
Best Sports Play by Play – “No. 1 Pitt/Syracuse Volleyball PxP 10/6/24,”  Nico Horning (Syracuse ACC Network Extra)

Finalists

Best Sports Pre-Game/Post-Game Show – “Orange Overtime: UNLV,” Austin Barach  (WAER)
Best Sports Program – “Sideline Squeeze,” Lindsay Arons, Victoria Daly (OTN)
Best Comedy Program – “Floor Four: Episode Two: Smoke Out,” Jamie Christensen, Claire McBride (OTN)
Best Variety Program – “Think Tank,” Truman Lapp, Samantha Rodino, Colin Campbell (OTN)
Best Phone App – OTN – Orange Television Network, OTN Staff and the Lightcast Design Team (OTN)
Best Faculty Adviser – Meg Craig, OTN – Orange Television Network (OTN)

Intercollegiate Broadcasting System’s Golden Mic Award Winners

Hearst Journalism Awards

Newhouse visual communications student Murphy McFarlane placed fifth in the Hearst Journalism Awards Innovative Multimedia contest for her interactive video project on girls’ ice hockey, “As Tough as Ice,” earning a $1,000 scholarship prize.

Recent magazine, news and digital journalism graduate Annie Labarca placed 14^th in the contest for her interactive Erie Canal boat tour produced in MND 505. 

Winners

Multimedia Innovation: Fifth Place, Murphy McFarlane ($1,000); 14th Place, Annie Labarca
Broadcast Features: Sixth Place, Moira Vaughan – “Welding with a Purpose” and “Front and Center“
Sports Writing: Eighth Place, Wally McKeon
Multimedia Narrative Storytelling: 13th Place, Jess Van
Photo News and Features: 12th Place, Arthur Maiorella

2024-25 Hearst Multimedia Innovative Journalism Competition Winners Announced

Syracuse University Libraries’ Blackstone LaunchPad

Newhouse television, radio and film graduate students Asha Breedlove, Anthony H. Smith Jr., Bryson Carter and Stacey Collier entered their streaming idea HBeatzCU into the Afropreneurship Celebration and Business Competition, hosted by Syracuse University Libraries’ Blackstone LaunchPad, winning a $1,500 prize for their proposal.

Newhouse Graduate Students Win for Streaming Platform Idea in Entrepreneurship Competition

Broadcast Education Association

From 2,285 entries from 300 schools around the globe, Newhouse School students won an incredible 28 awards for their stories and projects at this year’s Broadcast Education Association (BEA) Festival of the Media Arts, one of the top annual college media competitions.

Newhouse Students Set School Record With 28 Wins at BEA Festival of the Media Arts

Graphic Design USA

Eight Newhouse School students have been honored in the annual Graphic Design USA (GDUSA) Design Annual Showcase, winning awards for projects that reflect graphic design’s influence in shaping and serving commerce and culture. The projects were completed in a final capstone course during the students’ senior year.

Eight Newhouse Students, Pixels & Print Team, Honored at GDUSA Design Awards

Newhouse Students and Media Outlets Win 10 First Place Honors at Syracuse Press Club Awards

Newhouse School students and media outlets won 10 first place honors in the professional and college categories at the annual Syracuse Press Club (SPC) Awards on May 3. Public radio station WAER earned another six first place honors. 

Among the 25 winners recognized this year were the NCC News/Spotlight Team,  Driving Force collaboration with USA Today Network-New York and Central Current, Canal Keepers podcast, The Daily Orange, The NewsHouse, NCC News and CitrusTV.

Newhouse also had ties to three of SPC’s top annual honors. First-year broadcast and digital journalism student Ryan Storie was awarded SPC’s Devesty-Williams Scholarship, a $2,000 prize for a top journalism student originally from central New York.

Student

Student Audio News Story, First Place – WAER Syracuse Public Media, “Why a small Adirondack mountain has made big, even Olympic, waves in skiing,” Nate Harrington

Student Podcast, First Place – “Canal Keepers: Eerie Encounters,” Sophia Anastasakis, Gloria Rivera, Dan Klowsowski

Student Best Use of Multimedia, First Place – Canal Keepers, Canal Keepers Staff

Student Print/Digital News Story
First Place – The Daily Orange, “Eroding education: The state of African American Studies at Syracuse University,” Ahna Fleming, Kendall Luther
Second Place – The Daily Orange, “Falk College restructure leaves faculty, students with uncertainty,” Kendall Luther

Student Print/Digital Feature Story
First Place – The NewsHouse, “Forever Young,” Seth Quinn
Second Place – The Daily Orange, “Syracuse Mets host the only minor league baseball game on eclipse day,” Aiden Stepansky
Honorable Mention – The Daily Orange, “Dan Engelstad’s unorthodox journey led him to Syracuse assistant role,” Zachary Wolf

Student Print/Digital Sports Story
First Place – The Daily Orange, “IMMORTAL: Paul Gait’s revolutionary lacrosse life encapsulates jersey retirement at SU,” Cooper Andrews
Second Place – The Daily Orange, “Joey Spallina searching to lead USA Box Lacrosse to 1st-ever gold medal,” Zachary Wolf
Honorable Mention – The Daily Orange, “STILL HERE: Gerry McNamara has remained consistent through promotion to associate head coach,” Henry O’Brien

Student Television/Video News Story
First Place – NCC News, “NY-3: The Special Election to Replace Santos,” Chilekasi C Adele
Second Place – NCC News, “Child Poverty Rate in Syracuse Remains High; How the Community is Responding,” Max Williams
Honorable Mention – Citrus TV, “Remembering Annie Eisner,” Tyler Oldano, CitrusTV News Staff

Student Television/Video Feature Story
First Place – NCC News, “Welding with a purpose: empowering women at Ironwood Studios,” Moira Vaughan
Second Place – NCC News, “Central New York Drive-In Opens for First Time in 40 Years,” Max Williams

Professional

Digital Journalism: Multimedia Story, First Place – Newhouse Spotlight Team, “Chipped Away,” John Perik, Lilli Iannella, Finn Lincoln, Julie Gilchrest

Print/Digital News: Investigative Story/Series, First Place – USA TODAY Network-New York, Syracuse University, Central Current, “Driving Force” series, Maria Birnell, Evan Butow, Kayla Canne, Daniel DeLoach, Anna Ginelli, Jon Glass, Seth Harrison, Nausheen Husain, Hayden Kim, Chris Libonati, Finn Lincoln, Beryl Lipton, Tina MacIntyre-Yee, Peter Pietrangelo, William Ramsey, David Robinson, Kyle Slagle, Eden Stratton, Sarah Taddeo, Jodi Upton, Marili Vaca

Television: Investigative Story/Series, First Place – Newhouse Spotlight Team, “Green Black Market,” Zach Richter, Jamie Korenblat, Josh Feldstein, Nardeen Saleep

Audio Journalism: Human Interest & Features, First Place – WAER Syracuse Public Media, “How Marathon New York is providing relief for Hurricane Helene victims,” Sean Tessler

Audio Journalism: Investigative Story/Series, First Place – Newhouse Spotlight Team, “Green Black Market,” Jamie Korenblat, Josh Feldstein

Audio Journalism: News Features/Series
First Place – WAER Syracuse Public Media, “SU Student fights conduct sanctions over pro-Palestinian protests,” Natasha Senjanovic and Patrick McCullough
Second Place – WAER Syracuse Public Media, “Onondaga County voter registration soars; election commissioners request more staff,” Scott Willis

Audio Journalism: Sports Story, First Place – WAER Syracuse Public Media, “Remembering Syracuse Football Coach Dick MacPherson,” Tyler Aitken

Audio Journalism: Special Series, First Place – WAER Syracuse Public Media, “Syracuse Speaks: A deep dive into the evolving opioid epidemic in Onondaga County,” Scott Willis, John Smith, Kat Kollins, Bob Beck, Natasha Senjanovic

Mark Lodato Reappointed to 5-Year Term as Dean of the Newhouse School

Interim Vice Chancellor, Provost and Chief Academic Officer Lois Agnew has announced the reappointment of Mark J. Lodato as dean of the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications for a five-year term. The reappointment follows a comprehensive review process that included feedback from key stakeholders, including Newhouse faculty, staff and advisory board members.

“Dean Lodato took the helm of an already strong school and managed to make it even stronger,” Provost Agnew says. “His energetic and collaborative leadership and his emphasis on innovation, industry partnerships and an exemplary student experience have marked his five years as dean and led to many wins for Newhouse.”

Lodato became dean in July 2020, and his tenure has been marked by dynamic forward motion, expansion and success in several key areas for the school.

He was one of the driving forces behind the establishment of the Syracuse University Institute for Democracy, Journalism and Citizenship (IDJC) in Washington, D.C., to create new knowledge, foster a more informed and engaged citizenry and better equip students for success in media, communications, policy, governance and citizenship. He also established the undergraduate Newhouse DC program, which dovetails with the work of IDJC and further strengthens Newhouse’s robust study away offerings, which also include Newhouse LA and Newhouse NYC.

Under Lodato’s leadership, the school launched a fully online bachelor’s degree program in strategic communications, making a Newhouse education more accessible to new populations and serving as a model for other Syracuse schools and colleges looking to expand online undergraduate education.

Lodato also spearheaded the creation and renovation of several learning spaces at the school. These include the Startup Garage, which provides co-working and co-location space to media and tech startups who want to work with talented Newhouse students, and the new Sports Media Center, a hub for undergraduate and graduate students interested in a career in sports communications.

He has increased investment in research and creative activity, which has resulted in more than $7.3 million in sponsored research funding, and articulated the goal of strengthening the connection between communications and technology, particularly through faculty scholarship in emerging technologies like artificial intelligence.

Early in his time at Newhouse, Lodato implemented salary equity across Newhouse professional and support staff and faculty. He also has overseen a 17% growth in the faculty, representing a more diverse population.

“Working with the stellar faculty and staff of the Newhouse School has been an incredibly rewarding experience, and it has been my honor and privilege to serve as dean for the past five years,” Lodato says. “I am excited to continue our work together as we expand and realize our shared vision for the future of the school as a place that provides students with the best possible education and training for careers in communications. And I know that collective work is what makes Newhouse the top communications school in the country!”

Lodato joined the Newhouse School after more than 14 years at Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication, where he served as associate dean and associate general manager at Arizona PBS. He previously spent 16 years as an award-winning television reporter and anchor for network affiliate television stations in Washington, D.C., San Francisco, Phoenix and Fort Myers, Florida.

Newhouse School Wins 9 Society of Professional Journalists Mark of Excellence Awards

The Newhouse School had nine Society of Professional Journalists Mark of Excellence regional winners from The NewsHouse, CitrusTV, The Daily Orange, Jerk and NCC News among the 28 finalists for this year’s contest. The winners were announced May 2 in New York City at the SPJ Region 1 conference.

The regional winners now advance to compete against the 11 other regional winners for the national winners, which will be announced this summer.

Winners

Personality Profile Writing (Large)
“Bows up: Freshman Elijah Moore brings signature elbow celebration to SU” — by Aiden Stepansky, The Daily Orange

General News Photography
“A pierce-ing devotion” — by Jack Henry, The NewsHouse

Feature Photography
“The Dollhouse is the ‘most inclusive house’ for CNY bands” — by Lars Jendruschewitz, The Daily Orange

Illustration
“New York Jazz” — by Dorothea Dolan, Jerk

Photo Illustration
“The American Dream” — by Zobayer Joti, Jerk

Podcast (Conversational)
“We the Students:  LGBTQ+ in America” — by Sophia Moore, Alejandro Rosales, Tommy DaSilva, The NewsHouse

Television Feature Reporting
“Welding with a purpose” — by Moira Vaughan, NCC News

Collaborative Journalism
“A Tale of Two Cities: Reclaiming Niagara Falls and Salinas” — by A Tale of Two Cities staff, The Newhouse School, Syracuse University, Universidad del Sagrado Corazón

Retail/Small Business Journalism
“Parthenon Books emphasizes shopping local | Juice and Java” — by CitrusTV staff, CitrusTV

Finalists

General Column Writing
Daily Orange columns — by Sarhia Rahim, The Daily Orange

Best Ongoing Student Magazine
-Baked — by Baked staff, Baked
-Jerk  — by Staff, Jerk

Best Affiliated Web Site
The Daily Orange — by The Daily Orange staff, The Daily Orange

Photo Essay/Slideshow
-“Otto Tunes’ first ICCA semifinals is the result of a close knit brotherhood” — by Cassandra Roshu, The Daily Orange
-“A look inside local recycling” — by Arthur Maiorella, The NewsHouse

Best Use of Multimedia
“Impact unveiled: Wildfire smoke” — by Zach Nemirovsky, The NewsHouse

Feature Videography
“On the Fly diner brings Cajun food to Syracuse with ‘labor of love’” — by Joe Zhao, The Daily Orange

Radio In-Depth Reporting
“The green black market” — by Jamie Korenblat, AudioFiles

Television Breaking News Reporting
“Psi Upsilon hazing allegations” — by Michael Lamorte, Staff, CitrusTV

Television General News Reporting
-“Rumor has it” — by Nicole Aponte, NCC News
-“Child poverty rate in Syracuse remains high; How the community is responding” — by Max Williams, NCC News

Television Feature Reporting
“Central New York drive-in opens for first time in 40 years” — by Max Williams, NCC News

Television In-Depth Reporting
-“CitrusTV Election Night 2024” — by Margueritte Bellotti, Brandon Myers, staff, CitrusTV
-“Green black market” — by Zach Richter, Jamie Korenblat, Nardeen Saleep, Josh Feldstein, Newhouse Spotlight Team

Television Sports Reporting
ACC Women’s Soccer coast-to-coast travel feature — by Nico Horning, ACC Network Extra

Investigative Reporting
“Chipped away” — by John Perik, Lilli Iannella, Finn Lincoln, Julie Gilchrest, NCC News

Regional Political Reporting
“Talking Points” — by Margueritte Bellotti, Luke Radel, Jake Morel, Ben Bascuk, CitrusTV

Science/Environment/Climate Reporting
“Catch of the day: The round goby” — by Grace McConnell, Julia Virnelli, Dan Klosowski, Gloria Rivera, The Canal Keepers

4 Things to Consider If You’re Thinking About Grad School

After I graduated last year, I found myself wondering whether I should go to graduate school or not. Before that moment, it felt like my whole life was mapped out for me. I always had a clear idea of what my next move would be. I kept thinking that if I didn’t jump into graduate school right after undergrad, I might never end up going at all. So I went, and I landed myself at one of the top communication schools in the country, the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications!

I’ve learned a lot from my experiences, and moving across the country for grad school has helped me grow just from being in a totally different environment. I could just list some benefits of going to grad school, like better earning potential, career growth opportunities and more educational opportunities, but I’m sure you’re already aware that grad school can offer all of that. Instead, I’ll share my personal take and experience on grad school, which I hope will makes things a little bit easier for you as you weigh your options.

It’s OK Not to Get A’s

To be clear, I’m not advocating that you fail your classes! You should definitely pass all your classes, and try to earn those A’s whenever you can, but it’s OK if you don’t get straight A’s. In grad school, I had to learn to prioritize events, extracurricular opportunities and experiences, which included writing for school newspapers, participating in a sports team, covering a football game and maintaining a social life. It’s so easy to get wrapped up in grades, but balance is essential, and graduate school allows you to let go of grades a little more than undergrad.

Your Classmates Are Interested in the Same Thing

In graduate school, you and your classmates are all interested enough in the field you’re studying to go to more school for it, so help each other out! There are a lot of smart people around you with different experiences and thoughts on the subjects you’re learning. I have learned a lot from my peers’ backgrounds and experiences, and I’ve grown in the field of journalism because we all approach life differently, shaped by our unique experiences. My classmates have helped make me a better person and a better student. Grad school has also helped me realize that group work isn’t horrible!

The Alexia Announces 2025 Grant Winners

The Alexia program, which supports student and professional visual journalists, has announced the winners of its 2025 grants competition. The submissions, which represented more than 90 countries, were reviewed during a live judging process April 4-5 at the Newhouse School.

The jurors included Maye-E Wong of Reuters, Ron Haviv of The VII Foundation and independent visual storyteller Lynn Johnson, this year’s Alexia fellow. Whitney Latorre, president and CEO of Catalina Island Conservancy, moderated the judging process.

Grants were awarded to professional and student photographers. Notably, among the student honorees was Newhouse visual communications student Murphy McFarlane, who was a runner-up in The Alexia Sports Grant category for her image of a women’s ice hockey player.

The program began in 1991 as the Alexia Foundation, created with the mission to promote cultural understanding and peace by supporting photographers as agents for change.

Founded by Peter and Aphrodite Tsairis, the program honors their daughter, Alexia Tsairis, a 20-year-old photography major at Newhouse who was killed in the bombing of Pan Am 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, as she was returning home from a semester abroad in London. In 2021, the program transitioned to the Newhouse School and became The Alexia.

The Alexia promotes the power of visual storytelling through its nearly $2 million in funding in support of hundreds of student and professional photographers and filmmakers whose work informs, fosters cultural understanding and inspires meaningful change.

The early April weekend served as a significant time for The Alexia, as Newhouse faculty member and award-winning photographer Bruce Strong was also officially installed as The Alexia Endowed Chair.

Newhouse Stuns With 97 Wins in Graphis New Talent Awards

The Newhouse School had an astounding 97 wins among advertising (ADV) and visual communications (VIS) students in the 2025 Graphis New Talent Awards, which recognize the best design work among college students worldwide.

This total ranks among the top three for overall Newhouse totals in recent years and exceeds last year’s total of 75 honors. This year’s honors were:

• 13 Gold (11 for ADV, two for VIS – listed below)
• 38 Silver (24 ADV, 10 VIS)
• 46 Honorable Mentions (24 ADV, 22  VIS)

Gold Awards

• “Paralympians” by Ita Kim
• “Plastic is a Weapon” by Chon Kei Chan
• “Buzz Off” by Daniel Arougheti
• “Climate AI“ by Juliette Keller
• “Now, Not Later” by Hannah Frydman
• “King of the Jungle” by Maggie Anderson
• “Become One with Nature” by Stella Zimmerman
• “Filthy Fragrance” by Bettina Talento
• “Taste as Good as It Feels” by Kari Marvel and Hank Ihle
• “Jazz Legends” by Jacob Bergh
• “Fresh Vision” by Olivia Riddoch and Anastasia Svetlova
• “Thoughtify” by Remi Tsunoda and Avery Schildhaus
• “Unlaced“ by Catie Rokkos and Anastasia Svetlova

One Year, Many Stories: My Journey as a Graduate Student at Newhouse

When I first stepped into the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University, I knew I was in for an intense sprint. In only 12 months, the magazine, news and digital journalism (MND) program promised rigor, creativity and real-world experience – which it delivered on all counts. What I didn’t anticipate was how much this single year would reshape my understanding of media, sharpen my skills and help me grow not just as a critical thinker but as a collaborator.  

As I reflect on my year at Newhouse, here are three key takeaways from my time at this school: 

1. HUNT for those opportunities! 

Newhouse has a lot to offer in terms of career growth, but one of the biggest takeaways was learning that not every opportunity will be advertised or served to you in a silver spoon.  

From day one of “bootcamp” – an intensive six-week summer session – we were thrown into a pool of activities, event coverage, media training, writing and networking. Choosing the opportunities that aligned with my long-term goals proved daunting at first, but talking to professors and Newhouse alumni made it a lot easier. As my time at Newhouse draws to a close, I am proud to say I have interned with the SXSW festival and newsrooms like Syracuse.com and NYUp.com; experienced being a research assistant for spaces like CODE^SHIFT; and launched my own startup, Aqua9. None of these opportunities would have been possible if I hadn’t gone hunting for them. 

2. Master skills beyond your major 

In today’s media world, being a one-trick pony doesn’t cut it. My professors were future-oriented and emphasized the importance of being fluent in up-and-coming digital platforms. Even though MND focuses on mainly writing, I know much more than just that – from utilizing the newest audio and video editing tools and creating data visualizations to designing interactive web features and front-end web development, I can do it all.  

On the writing front, I have also learned how to adapt my style for different formats, including social media and newsletters, and to think visually as much as textually. Hands-on experiences with my professors in collaborative settings have taught me how to pitch, produce and polish stories across mediums. 

3. Build a personal brand 

One of the best parts of Newhouse was how much it prepared me for the professional landscape. From building a portfolio to learning how to market myself to the media world, I began seeing myself and my voice as a brand.  

Faculty mentors and visiting professionals offered resume feedback, networking tips and insights and connections into the job market. I attended industry talks, career fairs and connected with alumni who had once stood where I did. And in all those instances, I learned that having a personal brand matters and it makes much more impact than I initially imagined. 

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My time at Newhouse was brief, but nothing short of transformative. It taught me how to report with heart, adapt with agility and connect with intention. I leave this school not only with industry-grade clips and skills, but with a deep belief in the power of media to shape the world.