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.

Ian ’90 and Noah Eagle ’19 Share a Love of Sportscasting and Storytelling

There’s a new father-son sportscasting team on the national scene, one with a decidedly Orange background: Ian ’90 and Noah Eagle ’19.

Ian finished his second year as the lead announcer for the NCAA men’s basketball tournament and has crafted an award-winning career calling NFL, NBA and college basketball games on a variety of national broadcast networks. He’s also the longtime Brooklyn Nets TV announcer for the YES Network.

Noah is a rising star, working the Super Bowl and serving as the voice of Team USA basketball at the Olympics, the radio voice of the Los Angeles Clippers, and broadcasting French Open tennis and countless primetime college football and basketball games.

“When Noah was calling Team USA basketball games at the Summer Olympics, I was watching as a fan but also as a proud father and as a broadcaster who studies what the broadcaster is saying and what information they’re using in the moment,” Ian says. “I was blown away by Noah’s calls, his coverage and his choice of words in the moment. He crushed it, and he’ll always have that moment for the rest of his life.”

Growing up, Noah always saw how excited his dad was calling games and thought it could be a fun career option to pursue.

“I see it’s possible and knew what to expect with this job and what comes with it, but I didn’t do anything with that until I got to Syracuse,” Noah says. “By the time I got there as a freshman, I was singularly focused and really had a feeling of what I wanted to do so I could attack it.”

The Eagles were both nominated for a Sports Emmy for Outstanding Personality/Play-by-Play, and on June 30, Ian will receive the National Sportscaster of the Year Award from the National Sports Media Association.

Sportscasting and a love for Syracuse University runs in the Eagle family. Ian earned a broadcast journalism degree and Noah earned a broadcast and digital journalism degree from the S.I. Newhouse School of Communications. Ian’s wife, Alisa (Terry) Eagle ’90, earned a retailing degree from what is now the Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics, and his daughter, Erin ’21, earned an advertising degree from Newhouse.

In honor of Father’s Day, the Eagles stopped by the “’Cuse Conversations” podcast to discuss their special bond and reflect on the important role Syracuse University has played in their lives.

Newhouse Creative Advertising Students Win an Impressive 18 Awards at Addy Competition

On Feb. 22, Newhouse creative advertising students triumphed at the 2025 Addy competition in Rochester, New York, snagging 18 of the 22 student awards, including all three Best in Show scholarships worth $500, $750 and $1,250.

By winning three Best in Show scholarships, eight Golds, six Silvers and a Mosaic Award, Newhouse creative advertising students demonstrated they have their creativity down to an art.

Sixteen of the 18 awards came from campaigns created in professor of practice Mel White‘s Portfolio I and III courses taught to creative advertising majors at the Newhouse School. Two awards originated from a campaign created in adjunct instructor Dan Lombardi’s Portfolio I course.

“The work clearly demonstrates how much our creative advertising students have grown creatively through their coursework. It was a privilege to see them take the Addy 2025 stage as winners,” said White.

Through their comprehensive education at Newhouse, these students have sharpened their conceptual thinking and refined their craft, whether training as art directors or copywriters in the program. All their award-winning work was displayed in the 2025 Addy Awards Showbook.

“My Opia” for 21Grams Wins Best in Show and Two Gold Addys

“My Opia” won a Best in Show $1,250 scholarship and first Gold Addy in the Student Elements of Advertising Art Direction category. It won a second Gold Addy in the Student Online Interactive App Mobile category.

This campaign addresses a growing problem: Generation Z’s screen addiction that is increasingly worsening their vision, sometimes even leading to an eye condition called myopia, where vision is permanently worsened due to screen time.

Art director Remi Tsunoda and copywriter Avery Schildhaus came up with an ultra-creative fix to this problem: a digital pet named Opia. The catch? Opia thrives when the phone is off. The less screen time, the happier your pet and your eyes.

Each user’s Opia has a juice bar that decreases the more time they spend on their phone. If the juice runs out, the Opia literally leaves to go fishing, rod in hand. With a quirky widget friend that rewards users for cutting back on their screen time, this Best in Show and two-time Gold-winning campaign deserves its accolades, successfully addressing a serious issue with levity. This was created in Portfolio III taught by White.

“Buzz Off!” for Off Wins Best in Show, Gold and Silver Addy

“Buzz Off!” won a Best in Show $500 scholarship and a Gold Addy in the Student Elements of Advertising Art Direction category. It also won a Silver Addy in the Student Print Ad Campaign Magazine category.

“Buzz Off!” by art director Daniel Arougheti sends mosquitoes packing, with suitcase in hand, as they leave the campsite, woods and dock in defeat. It shows that Off bug spray doesn’t just repel bugs, it sends them packing. This was created in Portfolio I taught by White.

“Thoughtify” for Spotify Wins Best in Show and Two Gold Addys

“Thoughtify” won a Best in Show $750 scholarship and first Gold Addy in the Student Elements of Advertising Copywriting category. It won a second Gold Addy in the Online Interactive App Mobile category.

Memorizing exam material is a nightmare for most students. By tapping into music’s ability to cue active recall of information in the brain, studying can now be as easy as do-re-mi. Art director Tsunoda and copywriter Schildhaus created “Thoughtify,” a machine learning tool that turns students’ lecture notes into lyrics, for Spotify.

With the power of music and AI, this campaign helps students remember their study materials by transforming their notes into catchy tunes. Scan notes, pick a genre, a study playlist is conjured up by the AI gods. This was created in Portfolio III taught by White.

“Break the Sound Barrier” for Spotify Wins Mosaic and Silver Addy

“Break the Sound Barrier” won a Mosaic Addy Award because it promoted systemic change through equity and inclusion. It also won a Silver Addy in the Student Online Interactive App Mobile category.

Student art director Marlana Bianchi and copywriter Molly Egan’s artificial intelligence-powered idea, titled “Break the Sound Barrier,” takes inclusivity to a whole new level. Their idea takes an experience that has been exclusive to the hearing community and made it, for the first time ever, inclusive to people across the full spectrum of hearing. It makes music streaming inclusive to the deaf community by integrating deaf sign language performances directly into the Spotify platform. Deaf sign language performances are when members of the deaf community sign the lyrics of songs while dancing to the beats of music.

Their idea uses AI to scale deaf sign language performances into over 300 sign languages on the platform, making music streaming accessible to the deaf community. Musicians would also have the choice to opt into “Break the Sound Barrier” to generate themselves signing using deepfake technology for social good. This was created in Portfolio III taught by White.

“Ones Eagles Nation” for Duolingo Wins Gold Addy

“One Eagles Nation” won a Gold Addy in the Student Cross Platform Integrated Advertising Campaign category.

Who says Eagles fans need to be in Philly to cheer? Through their research, art director Jack Wojtowicz and copywriter Micaela Kraker found that Philadelphia Eagles fans are fiercely passionate, but with 34% living outside the U.S., their chants don’t always reach the Philly stadium. Their “One Eagles Nation” campaign uses Duolingo’s platform to connect international Eagles fans with fans in Philadelphia.  

To bring this concept to life, they thought of the idea to livestream for the first time ever, directly from the stadium tailgates to new Eagle bars around the world using Eagle Ambassadors. To become an Eagle Ambassador, the most active learners on the Duolingo app will be chosen.

Using their Duolingo international language skills, Eagle Ambassadors will initiate chants back and forth in different languages with captions below it, which will also be featured on the Jumbotron at the Lincoln Financial Stadium.

Posters with playful messaging like “Learn how to say ‘Screw the Niners’ in Portuguese” will spread the word. This campaign was created in Portfolio III taught by White.

“Spotify FM” for Spotify Wins Gold Addy

“Spotify FM” won a Gold Addy in the Student Cross Platform Integrated Advertising Campaign category.

Remember when radio was king? Art director Lara Molinari and copywriter Brooke Hirsch created a campaign, “Spotify FM,” that brings music back the magic of airwaves. Molinari and Hirsch’s campaign connects younger generations to the magic of music history, as local radio used to connect older generations to music.

This would launch on World Radio Day with Spotify going old-school with a throwback to AM and FM radio, ditching playlists and daylists for the good old-fashioned radio experience to play uninterrupted audio from archived local radio stations. This was created in Portfolio III taught by White.

“AI vs. AI” for The New York Times Wins Gold Addy

“AI vs. AI” won a Gold Addy in the Student Online Interactive App Mobile category.

What’s the best way to curb AI-driven misinformation? Copywriter Hirsch thought: use AI.

Hirsch came up with a digital AI idea, titled “AI vs. AI” for The New York Times, which uses AI to find deceptive AI, detecting and notifying people of false AI content in real-time.

Hirsch’s tool scans content for signs of manipulation, alerting users to misleading content they see in real-time. To get the word out, Hirsch created ads to get people to question the “news” they see. One example reads, “How do you know that AI didn’t write this article? Now you can find out. Spot AI using AI.”

Banner ads would be placed on YouTube, where deepfakes circulate. These ads would read, “There’s no way to tell what you’re watching is a deepfake. Until now. Spot AI using AI.”

Hirsch’s idea is rooted in one essential goal: preserving human truth. This was also created in Portfolio III taught by White.

From digital AI to sharp print, Newhouse students’ award-winning ideas and campaigns took the cake at the Rochester Addys, and now advances to the district level of the Addy competition. The district winners will move on to the final stage of the competition: the Addy AAF National Student Competition.

Newhouse Creative Advertising Addy Award Winners

Best in Show / Scholarship Addy Winners

Remi Tsunoda and Avery Schildhaus
• $1,250 Best in Show Scholarship: Elements of Advertising, Art Direction Category: 21Grams, “My Opia”
• $750 Best in Show Scholarship: Elements of Advertising, Copywriting Category: Spotify, “Thoughtify”

Daniel Arougheti
• $500 Best in Show Scholarship: Elements of Advertising, Art Direction Category: Off Bug Spray, “Buzz Off!”

Mosaic Award Addy Winner

Marlana Bianchi and Molly Egan
• Spotify, “Break the Sound Barrier”

Gold Addy Winners

Lara Molinari and Brooke Hirsch
• Cross Platform, Integrated Advertising Campaign Category: Spotify, “Spotify FM”

Jack Wojtowicz and Micaela Kraker
• Cross Platform, Integrated Advertising Campaign Category: Duolingo, “One Eagles Nation”

Daniel Arougheti
• Elements of Advertising, Art Direction Category: Off Bug Spray, “Buzz Off”

Remi Tsunoda and Avery Schildhaus
• Elements of Advertising, Art Direction Category: 21Grams, “My Opia”
• Online Interactive App Mobile Category: 21Grams, “My Opia”
• Online Interactive App Mobile Category: Spotify, “Thoughtify”
• Elements of Advertising, Copywriting Category: Spotify, “Thoughtify”

Brooke Hirsch
• Online Interactive App Mobile Category: The New York Times, “AI vs. AI”

Silver Addy Winners

Jack Wojtowicz and Micaela Kraker
• Cross Platform, Integrated Advertising Campaign Category: Spotify, “Spotify Duets”

Daniel Arougheti
• Print Ad Campaign, Magazine Category: Off Bug Spray: “Buzz Off”

Cole Meredith
• Print Ad Campaign, Magazine Category: Peloton, “This is My Happy Face”

Marlana Bianchi and Molly Egan
• Online Interactive App Mobile Category: Spotify, “Break the Sound Barrier”

Hanna LaBerge
• Elements of Advertising, Art Direction Category: WWF + NFL, “Don’t Be a Spectator”
• Print Ad Campaign, Magazine Category: WWF + NFL, “Don’t Be a Spectator”

Blackstone LaunchPad Founders Circle Welcomes New Members

Syracuse University Libraries’ Blackstone LaunchPad welcomed 34 graduates of the Class of 2025 as new members of the Founders Circle. They were selected in recognition of launching or leading ventures at the University while students, as well as contributing to building the Blackstone LaunchPad. The Founders Circle is a group of dedicated LaunchPad alumni entrepreneurs and innovation professionals, who plan to continue to be mentors and role models for current students. They exemplify the University’s spirit of entrepreneurship.

“This group of LaunchPad graduates were unbelievably driven and proactively looked for and leveraged every opportunity and connection to move the needle forward with their respective ventures,” says Traci Geisler, director of the LaunchPad. “By the time they graduated, some of these students had ventures in market generating revenue, some started their next venture, some raised thousands of dollars in capital and some have hired employees. We’re excited to see what’s next for them and how they will continue to change their communities for the better.”

• Adam Thomson, S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications
• Anthony Smith, Newhouse School
• Asha Breedlove, Newhouse School
• Bryson Carter, Newhouse School
• Kathryn Kelley, Newhouse School
• Megan Kane, Newhouse School
• Skylar Takac, Whitman School and Newhouse School
• Stacy Collier, Newhouse School
• Tyler Marma G’25, Newhouse School

Newhouse School Announces Winners of 2025 Mirror Awards

Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications announced the winners of the 2025 Mirror Awards at a ceremony Monday in New York City. The awards recognize excellence in media industry reporting.

Chosen by a group of journalists and journalism educators, the winners are:

Best Single Article/Story 

Katie Thornton
Rolling Stone

• “Jesus, Take The Dial” 

Best Profile

Jack Herrera
Columbia Journalism Review

• “La Periodista de Iowa” 

Best Commentary 

Clare Malone
The New Yorker (subscription required)

• “The Meme-ificiation of American Politics” 
• “Is the Media Prepared for an Extinction-Level Event?” 
• “Is Hunterbrook Media a News Outlet or a Hedge Fund?” 

John M. Higgins Award for Best In-Depth/Enterprise Reporting

Manuel Roig-Franzia and Hope Hodge Seck
The Washington Post (subscription required)

• “A Taliban revenge killing prompts questions, removal of an acclaimed documentary” 
• “Murrow Award rescinded for acclaimed ‘Retrograde’ documentary” 

Mary Calvi ’90, anchor of Inside Edition Weekend and morning news anchor at WCBS-TV in New York City, served as master of ceremonies. Also, these previously announced honorees received their featured awards:

Fred Dressler Leadership Award

Bob Costas H’15
Sportscaster

Lorraine Branham Award

ICT (formerly known as Indian Country Today)
Accepting the award:
Jourdan Bennett-Begaye G’16
Managing Editor

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About the Mirror Awards

Established by the Newhouse School in 2006, the Mirror Awards honor the writers, reporters and editors who hold a mirror to their own industry for the public’s benefit. The competition is open to anyone who conducts reporting, commentary or criticism of the media industries in a format intended for a mass audience. Eligible work includes print, broadcast and online editorial content focusing on the development or distribution of news and entertainment. Winners are chosen by a group of journalists and journalism educators.

Newhouse Professor Robert Thompson Featured on ‘NBC Nightly News’ for Pop Culture Lecture Series

Newhouse School and University Professor Bob Thompson was recently featured on “NBC Nightly News” for his long-running lecture series that uses classic television to bridge generational divides and spark important conversation. The segment, produced by NBC’s Brian Cheung ’15—a University alumnus and University Scholar—highlights Thompson’s “Tuesdays with Bleier.”

For 18 years, this weekly gathering has brought together students, faculty and staff to watch and discuss unedited television broadcasts from decades past—from “Howdy Doody,” “The Flying Nun” and “The Brady Bunch,” to early YouTube clips. The weekly luncheon discussion explores how television has shaped and reflected American culture, while fostering intergenerational dialogue through shared media experiences.

NBC’s coverage emphasized the emotional and educational impact of the class. One student shared how a clip from “Howdy Doody” helped him connect with his grandmother, who was in the late stages of dementia. Another noted how the class gave her new ways to relate to her parents through pop culture references, while another brought his mom and dad to one of Thompson’s discussions.

Thompson told NBC, “If you want to understand the country we live in, you have to understand its presidencies, the wars its fought, its political parties. But you also have to understand its lawn ornaments, its love songs, and its sitcoms.”

Tuesday’s at Bleier take place in Thompson’s office in Newhouse 3, every Tuesday at noon, and are open to all.

Newhouse in the News

Bill Werde, Bandier Program for Recording and Entertainment Industries

• ‘Gatekeepers Are Dead’: Kanye West’s Antisemitic Song Plays On Despite Takedowns (The Wall Street Journal-subscription required)
• After lengthy feud, Taylor Swift buys back masters for first six albums (The Washington Post-subscription required)

Joel Kaplan, Magazine, News and Digital Journalism

• B’ville student to face consequences for damaging Chromebook amid online (CNY Central)

Robert Thompson, Bleier Center for Television and Popular Culture

• Why ‘Suits LA’ got disbarred (Yahoo Entertainment)
• Netflix, Rivals Bet Big on Live Events: Can the Technology Deliver? (The Wrap)
• Syracuse professor shows how bygone pop culture references can bridge generations (NBC News)

Joey Gawrysiak, Esports Communications and Management

• Esports in Higher Ed (The Chronicle of Higher Education)

Adam Peruta, Advanced Media Management

• Lawmakers push app store age verification to protect kids online (The National News Desk)

Austin Kocher, Office of Research and Creative Activity

• The revival of an old program delegates Trump immigration enforcement to local police (Associated Press)
• Gov. Jeff Landry urges Louisiana polic to partner with ICE on immigration operations (The Times-Picayune-subscription required)

Master’s Alumni Profile: Sharmistha Chatterjee G’03

Newhouse Master’s Program: Public Relations
Current Position: Director of Social Media and Audience Development, Hallmark Media

How did you land your current position and what positions did you hold before it? 

I was looking for a job change, and I applied directly on Hallmark Media’s website.  I was previously a director of marketing and social media for Variety, manager of marketing for Warner Bros., and senior account executive for Hill & Knowlton.

What is an average day like for you on the job? 

My day-to-day tasks consist of strategic planning, content creation and curation, community engagement, performance analysis and team management. The goal is to elevate Hallmark Media’s social media presence, achieve business goals of driving tune in for Hallmark Channel shows and gaining new subscribers to Hallmark Plus.  

How do you feel Newhouse prepared you for your current position? 

Newhouse provided me with an understanding of the importance and role of public relations/communications for any corporation, writing skills, design and corporate law, all of which helped prepare me for my positions. 

Did Newhouse open your eyes to new professions or aspects of your field you may have not considered when applying?  

Photoshop and design skills, which are still helpful in my career today.

Did you take advantage of the Newhouse Career Development Center?

Yes! My internship was obtained through a Newhouse alumni reference in PMK *BNC, a celebrity agency in Los Angeles which then resulted in my first full-time job.

What are the moments of your career so far that have been the most important? 

I served as a key member of the Variety marketing team to ring the closing bell at NASDAQ’s MarketSite in Times Square on April 30, 2015, to commemorate the arrival of Variety’s Entertainment and Technology Summit in New York City.  

I was also a keynote speaker that spoke on diversity and inclusion at Ragan Daily’s Social Media Conference 2024, specifically focused on a Hallmark Channel movie that I collaborated on: “Make Me A Match.” The movie featured the first Indian diverse wedding seen on the network. With this, I was recognized in Cynopsis’ Top Women in Media’s Directors Who Do It All list in 2018 along with their Social Media Groundbreakers list in 2021. 

What unique features encouraged you to apply to your graduate program? 

The curriculum and also the school ranking.  

What are some of the obstacles and misconceptions that students should be aware of when it comes to your field?

In entering a competitive job market post-graduation, students need to understand the application of artificial intelligence and how that would change communications-related jobs. I also recommend enhancing skill sets by taking up additional courses in communications, video editing, learning tools such as Photoshop, Canva, etc.  

What advice do you have for current or incoming students? 

I would recommend they actively take up internships and network with alumni as much as possible to learn more about the job market. Also, I would recommend joining networking clubs such as PRSA, Social Media Club (based in several cities) and any others as it applies to their jobs. 

Snapshots From Route 66: One Student’s Journey to Newhouse LA

“If you ever plan to travel west, travel my way, take the highway that’s the best.” It’s been nearly 80 years since Nat King Cole uttered the now famous lyrics, “Get your kicks on Route 66,” but still to this day long distance drivers are enjoying the ride along this historic byway. The trip was recently (and safely) completed by Newhouse student Malcolm Taylor ’26, a rising senior majoring in photography with a minor in art photography from Chicago, the terminus of Route 66.

Taylor is in Los Angeles this summer taking part in the Newhouse LA program and decided to take the 2,000 mile drive in his silver 2018 Buick Regal to get there. Taylor’s field of study created a great photographic opportunity, and he shared some of the images with Syracuse University News.

“This trip was much more than transportation to LA,” says Taylor, who comes from a family of road trippers. “My dad is a self-described nomad. We’ve driven to Maine, Florida, New Orleans, there and back again, and I loved every minute of it. I’ve always dreamed of completing the Route 66 drive, Chicago to LA, solo. It’s been my goal ever since I was a kid. This trip is the culmination of all of those hours spent in the car watching my dad not just transport us, but show me the real America.”

During his journey, Taylor made a stop in New Mexico to visit his high school art teacher who is building a home in the desert.

The side trip allowed him to capture incredible photos of the other worldly landscape.

His trip overall was “filled with trials and tribulations,” including a needed tire repair on day one and a slight wrong way turn on day two, but overall Taylor described the drive and stops along the way as an incredibly rewarding experience.

“Honestly, I wouldn’t change a thing,” he says, adding that “I’m proud of overcoming these obstacles and learning from them.” A true sign that this trip was about the journey as much as the destination.

Newhouse Student Awards Spring 2025 Roundup

Telly Awards

The Newhouse School had four winners in this year’s Telly Awards, the long-running contest that recognizes the best in professional and student TV and video. The winners included one Gold Telly for OTN productions and a Silver Telly for the 2023 Mirror Awards tribute to veteran journalist Judy Woodruff.

Newhouse Wins 4 Telly Awards for TV and Video Projects

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.

Those regional winners then advanced to compete against the 11 other regional winners in the national competition. Works from Jerk magazine and The NewsHouse were the two winners in the national SPJ Mark of Excellence competition.

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

Illustration: “New York Jazz“by Dorothea Dolan

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

New York Press Club and National Association of Black Journalists

The New York Press Club has recognized the Newhouse School Spotlight Team’s “Chipped Away” article in the online category for the Jordan Schuman Award for Excellence in Student Journalism. 

“Chipped Away” has also been named a finalist for the National Association of Black Journalists’ Salute to Excellence Awards for Online News Reporting.

Alumni John Perik ’24, Lilli Iannella ’24, Finn Lincoln ’24 and Julie Gilchrest ’24 produced the story on Syracuse’s lead poisoning issues as part of Jim Osman’s Investigative Reporting class.

2025 NABJ Salute to Excellence Nominees Announced

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

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 Wins 4 Telly Awards for TV and Video Projects

The Newhouse School had four winners in this year’s Telly Awards, the long-running contest that recognizes the best in professional and student TV and video. The winners included one Gold Telly for OTN productions and a Silver Telly for the 2023 Mirror Awards tribute to veteran journalist Judy Woodruff.

“Loud & Clear” by OTN is a Gold Telly Winner in the Student: TV Episode category

Meena Chung, Sofia Chwe, Chloe Fatuova, Carter Braxton, Rhylee Hudson, Mia Gonzalez, Hayden Kim, Maya Kleinberg, Liam White, Victoria Thompson, Parth Wadke, Owen Williams, plus staff support from Meg Craig, Neal Coffey and Patrick McDougall

“RHYTHMIC” | Ellie Cohen – “Risk” (Gracie Abrams) by OTN is a Silver Telly Winner in Student: Social Media Video category.

Chloe Fatuova, Jackie Arbogast, Ellie Cohen, Ben Jelinek, Wyatt Humpf, Hayden Kim, Alexandra Nikou, Cole Meredith, Hannah Luib, Greta Freed, plus staff support from Meg Craig

“Mean Streak” by OTN at Silver Telly Winner in the Student: Emerging Talent category.

Gabe White, Soleil Molesworth, Alycia Cypress, Mikayla Rhoda, Roger Moore, Tyler Toledo, Patrick Malone, Evan Reese, Silvino F. Rosado, plus faculty and staff support from Shaina Holmes, Michael Schoonmaker, Patrick MacDougall, Amanda Lerch and Jordan Kligerman

Mirror Awards – “Judy Woodruff Tribute” by Jimi DeLine & the Newhouse School is a Silver Telly Winner in the Craft: Use of Archival Footage category.