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.
Kicking Off a New Year: Newhouse Graduate Program Boot Camp
A new class arrived Monday for the start of the Newhouse School’s graduate program boot camp, a six-week summer session that kicks off the academic year and provides incoming students with the tools to succeed.
The typical boot camp structure consists of classes all day each weekday, with schedules fluctuating depending on the program. The summer 2025 boot camp began with a welcome session, followed by introductory program meetings and time to socialize with fellow graduate students.
(All photos by RC Concepción)
Bandier Master’s Program Launches
The incoming students include the inaugural class of the Bandier Master’s in Music Business program. First announced last year, the program expands on the success of the prestigious undergraduate program in the recording and entertainment industries.
The new master’s program offers students the same top features that set apart the undergraduate program, delivering hands-on experiences, training for cutting-edge skills needed to make students job-ready upon graduation and access to the large and loyal networks of Bandier and Newhouse alumni. Billboard magazine has never published its list of the world’s top music business schools without including the Bandier program.
New Associate Dean for Professional Graduate Programs
The introductory session Monday also served as handoff of sorts as veteran journalism faculty member Joel Kaplan (above, left) introduced Carolyn Hedges, the new associate dean for professional graduate programs. Kaplan, who previously served in that role, is taking over this year as director of the Goldring Arts, Style and Culture Journalism master’s program.
“Getting to Know You” Time
Boot camp does build in some time for fun and bonding, too. Events this summer include a trip to the zoo and a Syracuse Mets minor league baseball game, plus an ice cream social at the end of July.
Above left, professor Michael Schoonmaker (left) speaks to the television, radio and film master’s students. Above right, Bridget Lichtinger, director of the Career Development Center (left), Dean Mark Lodato and CDC assistant director Melissa Figueroa listen to remarks during the welcome session.
Thinking Strategically: Opportunities Abound for Newhouse Students Interested in Advertising, PR
Newhouse students interested in a career in strategic communications can work with real-world clients from around the country without leaving Central New York. And they’ll gain that hands-on experience working in firms run by student leaders eager to help others learn and grow.
Advertising students can work at TNH, the largest student-run ad agency in the nation. For public relations students, Hill Communications has established itself as a top student-run firm since launching two decades ago. Learn more about these opportunities that help students apply the skills they’re learning in the classroom to use helping real clients build their brand and strengthen their reputation.
TNH
“The reason I started [TNH] was because we have no advertising industry in Syracuse,” said Ed Russell, associate professor and chair of the advertising department. “Every spring semester we had students that wanted to do internships, but we had nowhere to send them. We started this just so they would have the ability to gain that experience.”
Russell serves in an advising role to the student leadership, which this past spring included Cole Meredith ’25, TNH president. He described TNH’s mission as an avenue to give students practical experience in the advertising world and a better sense of life at an ad agency.
Taking on real-world clients from Central New York and around the country, TNH is structured like a professional ad agency. Notable clients have included Bacardi, Nissan, Doritos and Tide. Each client has a tangible problem that needs to be solved, Meredith said, and students work hard to find a solution.
“We do everything we can to produce the client work on a timely schedule, so each week progresses towards a final presentation,” Meredith said.
During a typical week, student teams meet and work to develop pitches and campaigns for clients. Students engage in strategic planning, audience analysis, media planning and more. Through these partnerships, students make meaningful professional connections, meet deadlines, provide deliverables and gain practical experience.
Periodic LinkedIn workshops and alumni speaker panels also provide career-building skills and opportunities for mentorship.
“Every year that I’ve been part of TNH, I’ve met a whole new group of friends,” Meredith said. “Everybody is so happy to be there, and everyone wants to do the work, so you meet a lot of like-minded people, and it’s great to form those connections.”
Russell encourages all Syracuse students to join, regardless of discipline and experience. Every year, TNH continues to grow and open the door for Newhouse students to succeed in the world of advertising. He gives a lot of the credit to students like Meredith who have poured their time into TNH.
“When I retire soon, this is going to probably be my proudest accomplishment, and it’s not my accomplishment, it’s Cole’s,” Russell said.
Hill Communications
A student-run boutique public relations firm at the Newhouse School, Hill Communications was led in 2024-25 by Aviya Garg ’25, with professor of practice and department chair Anthony D’Angelo serving as faculty adviser.
Also known as “Hill Comm,” the firm is a “classic learn-by-doing exercise [where] you’re confronted with real client challenges or problems,” D’Angelo said. It’s up the Hill Comm “to come up with strategies that meet a need and then equip the strategies with the practical tools. It’s both the strategic thinking and the tactical development.”
Students can fill a variety of positions within Hill Comm, beginning as early as their first semester on campus. Members develop expertise in social media, press releases, content creation, media outreach and more, with many tasks overlapping with concepts students are learning in the classroom. They also expand their professional network, as reflected in the Spring 2025 semester’s alumni panel and networking event Hill Comm hosted with SUPRSSA and healthcare PR agency Chamberlain PR.
“This is exactly why we do what we do: Expose students to new and unexpected corners of the communications industry, helping them discover paths they may not have previously considered,” Garg said.
“Hill Comm makes you stand out in a number of ways, whether it’s deepening your impact with Newhouse, but also, if you want to apply for an internship or a job, this is great experience to have on your resumé and a great organization to be part of if you want to grow your relationship with other PR students,” Garg added.
One of Hill Comm’s clients is the Annietober 365 Foundation, which works to fund leukemia research while honoring Newhouse student Annie Eisner, who passed away from the disease in 2023. As giving back is another essential piece of Hill Comm’s mission, working with the foundation has been particularly inspiring for Garg.
“It’s been a really great collaboration to keep the memory of a fellow PR student alive and give back to a wider community to spread awareness on a really serious illness,” Garg said.
“This is exactly what I signed up to do,” she added. “How can we exercise our PR skills while making an impact?”
Alicia Hoppes is a rising sophomore visual communications student at the Newhouse School.
Newhouse in the News
Some recent media appearances or interviews by Newhouse School faculty, or stories about Newhouse programs and initiatives.
Anthony Adornato, Broadcast and Digital Journalism
- U.S. State Department Supports Journalist Training Program at RTK (RTK Live)
- RTK interview (YouTube)
Nina Brown, Communications
Joshua Darr, Communications
Roy Gutterman, Magazine, News and Digital Journalism
J. Christopher Hamilton, Television, Radio and Film
- Mayor Bass issues directive to bring film, TV production back to L.A. (KNX-FM (Los Angeles)
Joel Kaplan, Magazine, News and Digital Journalism
Farem Karimkhan, Advertising
Robert Thompson, Bleier Center for Television and Popular Culture
- Taylor Swift, Blake Lively and why the internet is obsessed with ‘girl feuds’ (USA Today)
- Loretta Swit, Emmy-winning ‘Hot Lips’ Houlihan on ‘M.A.S.H.,’ dies at 87 (The Washington Post-subscription required)
Bill Werde, Bandier Program for Recording and Entertainment Industries
- After lengthy feud, Taylor Swift buys back masters for first six albums (The Washington Post-subscription required)
Newhouse Dominates NYSBA Awards with 11 Wins Across CitrusTV, Mornings on the Hill and Spotlight Team
Newhouse School students nearly swept the College Television division of this year’s New York State Broadcasters Association’s Excellence in Broadcasting Awards, winning 11 categories with work from Mornings on the Hill, CitrusTV and the Newhouse Spotlight Team. Winners listed below will be recognized at the NYSBA awards luncheon on Sept. 24.
NYSBA Excellence in Broadcasting – College Division
Outstanding Spot News Story – Live Report of Psi Upsilon Hazing Allegations – Michael Lamorte (CitrusTV)
Outstanding Hard News Story – “Chipped Away” (Newhouse Spotlight Team)
Outstanding Feature News Story – “Syracuse’s Beloved Shoemaker” – Max Williams (CitrusTV)
Outstanding Series or Documentary – Newhouse Spotlight Team Investigations
Outstanding Sportscast – Sportscast 2/26/25 – CitrusTV Sports Staff
Outstanding Specialty Programming – “President Biden Speaks in Syracuse” – Brandon Myers, Marguerite Bellotti, Staff(CitrusTV)
Outstanding Morning Newscast – “Juice & Java” 10/5/24 – Dorothy Sabo and Shayna Lakin (CitrusTV)
Outstanding Weathercast – “Mornings on the Hill” 10/9/24 – Nico Horning
Outstanding Election Coverage – CitrusTV Election Night 2024 – Brandon Myers, Marguerite Bellotti, CitrusTV Staff
Outstanding Social Media Personality – Isabella Galan
Outstanding Breaking News Coverage – “House Speaker Mike Johnson ‘Probably Will’ Repeal CHIPS ACT”- Luke Radel (CitrusTV)
Carolyn Hedges Named Associate Dean of Professional Graduate Programs
Carolyn Hedges, an award-winning professor, innovative thinker and leader in curriculum development, has been named associate dean of professional graduate programs at the Newhouse School. She begins her new position July 1.
Hedges currently serves as director of virtual instruction at Newhouse, managing the school’s online master’s programs. She also led the launch of the new online bachelor’s in strategic communications program this past spring.
In her new position, Hedges will oversee the Newhouse School’s 12 in-person master’s programs while continuing to administer the online master’s programs.
An associate teaching professor of communications, Hedges was named a Kopenhaver Center Fellow by the Lillian Lodge Kopenhaver Center for the Advancement of Women in Communication in 2021. That same year, she earned a Teaching Recognition Award for Early Performance from Syracuse University’s Meredith Program.
“Carolyn shares my commitment to making sure our in-person graduate programs meet the evolving needs of the media, entertainment and strategic communications industries, creating opportunities for students to succeed after graduation,” Dean Mark Lodato said. “A forward-thinking philosophy and passion for teaching make her the ideal candidate to lead graduate studies at Newhouse.”
Also a graduate of the master’s and doctoral programs at Newhouse, Hedges joined the faculty at her alma mater in 2017. A former film publicist and consumer analytics professional, she brings expertise in online education, diversity and inclusion in mass communication, and pop culture studies to her work as an educator and program leader.
Joel Kaplan, the longtime associate dean of graduate programs and journalism professor, will be assuming new roles in the fall while remaining a key member of the Newhouse leadership team. Kaplan is taking over as director of the Goldring Arts, Style and Culture Journalism master’s program, and will also serve as the faculty leader of the Toner Prizes and Mirror Awards. He is also taking on the role of special advisor to Lodato.
Registration Open for Esports Campus Takeover Hosted by University and Gen.G
Syracuse University and global esports and gaming organization Gen.G have opened general registration at campustakeover.gg for its first Campus Takeover Sept. 20-21. The two-day conference will bring students and administrators to Syracuse to highlight career opportunities within the esports industry and various ways in which students can use esports for project-based learning within the careers of their choice.
Campus Takeover will offer diverse programming headlined by the first-ever national Esports Business Case Study Competition for undergraduate students interested in esports, traditional sports and gaming. The event will also feature daily keynote presentations, industry panels for collegiate esports professionals, career panels for students interested in working for the esports industry and daily networking events. Campus Takeover will feed into the University’s Career Week from Sept. 22-26 hosted by Career Services.
This programming complements the innovative esports communications and management bachelor’s degree at the University offered jointly by the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and the Falk College of Sport, which on July 1, 2025, will launch as the first college on a high-research activity campus to focus on sport-related disciplines.
Real-World Ready: Inside Newhouse’s NYC, D.C. and LA Study Away Programs
Spending a semester away from campus is an invaluable experience for Newhouse School students. Students can study abroad; they can also study away. Newhouse’s study away programs offer students the opportunity to earn credits and complete an internship while living in some of the most exciting cities in the world, which also happen to be in the United States.
Students can choose between Newhouse NYC, in the communications capital of the world; Newhouse DC, in the nerve center of American democracy; and Newhouse LA, in the entertainment capital of the world. Each program can be completed by a junior or senior with good academic standing during a fall or spring semester. Newhouse NYC and LA also offer summer semesters.
Newhouse students Diamonte Giacovelli, Anjana Dasam and Jessie DiMatteo reflect on their study away experiences in the three programs during the Spring 2025 semester.
Newhouse NYC
Like many students, Giacovelli chose the study away program because he wanted an “abroad” experience, but studying internationally wouldn’t work for him as a dual major in creative advertising and strategic marketing. He didn’t want to fall behind academically, so he headed to the Big Apple.
“This program perfectly aligns with my curriculum while still giving me that study away experience,” Giacovelli said.
The NYC program offers students a chance to live and learn what it’s like to succeed in the one of the most electrifying, busiest cities in the world, where communications industry opportunities are plentiful. While there, Giacovelli interned at the New York Post writing branded content articles; appeared on the “Today” show, getting a shoutout from NBC sportscaster and Newhouse alumnus Mike Tirico ’88; and experienced an NBA game at Madison Square Garden.
Giacovelli said his favorite experiences were living in the heart of midtown Manhattan, visiting different media and advertising agencies in his ADV/PRL 400 class, attending a live taping of “The View,” working at the Post and even meeting rapper and singer Ja Rule.
His biggest takeaways were the people he met along the way who helped him navigate the complexities of professional city life.
“This experience has prepared me not just as a young professional, but also as a young man learning how to treat people, work hard and push forward no matter what,” Giacovelli said. “This program is truly the best of both worlds—you get that study abroad feel in one of the biggest and most diverse cities in the world, while also gaining real-world internship experience to prepare for life after college.”
“If I could go back, I’d tell myself that things aren’t as scary as they seem—especially coming from a small city,” Giacovelli added. “Everything works out, and there’s no need to stress over every little thing.”
Newhouse DC
Majoring in broadcast and digital journalism and policy studies, rising senior Anjana Dasam chose Newhouse DC to pursue her interest in human rights reporting. The opportunities have been endless, she said, including a chance to cover President Trump’s inauguration and the People’s March.
“Attending both of those events made me realize how strong the political divide is, because I had seen it right in front of me,” she said.
“Another highlight was attending the Toner Awards Celebration,” Dasam added. “We heard from many talented, award-winning journalists and being able to tell them one on one was truly a dream come true.”
During the Newhouse DC program, students gain hands-on professional experience as interns at media companies, take classes, meet with mentors and build their network by engaging with accomplished Newhouse alumni. Dasam interned for local station DC News Now, where she helped reporters interviewing subjects out in the field, filmed standups for her reels and more.
For Dasam, all the trips, site visits and lunches emphasized networking and making connections with Syracuse University alumni who are experts in their chosen field. She visited the D.C. headquarters of CBS and NBC, Lockheed Martin and even New York City for a day, visiting the United Nations.
Dasam appreciated the networking skills she learned and said that being in the nation’s capital made her feel like she’s a part of something bigger.
“I think seeing the changes happen in front of you, hearing the breaking news as it breaks, learning how to comprehend what’s happened and share that with your audience is a powerful skill to have and I’m grateful to have that experience and continue to learn.”
Dasam’s advice for students interested in the program? Apply now and trust the process, which is something she wishes she would have done.
“Taking advantage of the time you have being a student is so important because the real world is right at our heels so choosing opportunities to enrich your background and resume is so important to not only who you are now but who you will grow to be later,” she said.
Newhouse LA
Television, radio and film rising senior Jessie DiMatteo chose Newhouse LA for one reason and one reason only: how much her peers loved it. The stellar reputation of the Los Angeles professors also fueled her desire to go to the West Coast for a semester.
While in the City of Angels, students get to intern at Los Angeles-based companies, take courses taught by entertainment industry professionals, work on once-in-a-lifetime projects, attend special industry events and more. DiMatteo took advantage of all the opportunities, including attending the “Live with Kelly and Mark After the Oscars Show,” going on-air at KROQ radio station and being the camera operator for the Orange Television Network game show “Two Truths and a Lie.”
Some of her favorite LA experiences were the screening opportunities that the students got through classes with Bob Boden, an adjunct professor also known as “TV Bob.” The students attended live tapings of “America’s Got Talent,” “The Price is Right,” “Everybody’s Live with John Mulaney,” “After Midnight,” and even “America’s Funniest Home Videos.”
For DiMatteo, Newhouse LA taught her the true importance of maintaining connections.
“The word ‘networking ‘ is thrown around a lot, but LA gave it a whole new meaning to me,” DiMatteo said. “Seeing how coworkers, classmates and friends depend on each other throughout decades of their careers really emphasized the importance of maintaining my relationships.”
For students out there thinking about the program, this is the closest you can get to preparing for post-grad, DiMatteo said.
“Being in a new city and starting with a new company is a bit intimidating, but it is exactly what we’ll all have to do when we inevitably leave Syracuse,” she said. “The hands-on work experiences I’ve been getting at my internship cannot be replicated.”
Genae Horst is a junior in the broadcast and digital journalism program at the Newhouse School.
7 New Representatives Added to the Board of Trustees
Chancellor Kent Syverud has appointed Dean Mark Lodato of the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications as academic dean representative to the Board of Trustees. In addition, Andrea Rose Persin, assistant dean of budget, finance and administration in the College of Arts and Sciences, was appointed the new staff representative.
Tula Goenka, professor of television, radio and film in the Newhouse School, was named faculty representative to the board by Interim Vice Chancellor and Provost Lois Agnew, in consultation with the University Senate Academic Affairs Committee. Lodato, Persin and Goenka will all serve two-year terms.
In addition, four new student representatives to the board have also been named: German Nolivos ’26 and Anna Mirer ’26, undergraduate student representatives; Alexia Chatzitheodorou, graduate student representative; and Ryleigh Peterson L’26, law student representative.
The diverse backgrounds and experiences of these newly named representatives will bring fresh insights to the board and its various committees, and contribute greatly to the implementation of strategic objectives in support of the University’s mission and vision. All representatives will report to the Board at Executive Committee and full board meetings.
Dean, Faculty and Staff Appointments
Mark Lodato, Academic Dean Representative, 2025-27
Appointed dean of the Newhouse School in 2020, Lodato came to Syracuse University from Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication. He serves on the Carnegie-Knight Initiative on the Future of Journalism Education and represents the Association of Schools of Journalism and Mass Communication on the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications.
Ensuring Newhouse students are job-ready, Lodato expanded professional partnerships that boost experiential learning opportunities with industry leaders, including BuzzFeed, Edelman, ESPN, the New York Post and PBS. He added the school’s first-ever executive director of instructional technology position to lead plans to design and implement technology strategies that prepare students for a rapidly evolving field and is committed to Newhouse taking a leading role in the responsible use of artificial intelligence in communications.
Under Lodato’s leadership, Newhouse partnered with the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs to launch the Syracuse University Institute for Democracy, Journalism and Citizenship in Washington, D.C. He spearheaded plans to launch a new esports communications and management bachelor’s program in partnership with the David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics. He also led Newhouse as the school formulated a five-year strategic plan that focuses on how engaged digital citizenship will drive the future of journalism and mass communications.
Before his academic career, Lodato 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.
As academic dean representative, he participates, ex officio, on the board’s Academic Affairs Committee.
Tula Goenka, Faculty Representative, 2025-27
Goenka is a professor of television, radio and film and the graduate program director for her department in the Newhouse School. Goenka is an author, human rights activist and filmmaker who produces and edits documentaries. The common thread in all her pursuits is an interest in women’s rights, equity, resilience and the use of art and music to build awareness and preserve heritage.
Born and raised in India, Goenka first came to Syracuse University as an international graduate student in 1984, and received a master of science in television-radio from Newhouse in 1986. Ten years later, she joined the Newhouse faculty. She created the SU Bollywood program offered through Syracuse University Abroad, and has taken more than 50 Newhouse students to Mumbai for the monthlong immersion.
She served on the Chancellor’s Task Force on Sexual and Relationship Violence and founded and co-directed the annual Syracuse University Human Rights Film Festival and Digital Witness Symposium.
In 2009, Goenka received the Chancellor’s Award of Excellence for Engaging the World, and the Chancellor’s Awards for Public Engagement and Scholarship, 2014 Inspiration Award, partly because of her social justice work. She was the Newhouse Endowed Chair of Public Communications from 2016-19, and the Newhouse Dean’s inaugural Leadership Fellow from 2022-25.
Goenka was a member of the Senate Agenda Committee from 2022-25 and has been a member of the Academic Affairs Committee of the Senate since 2017. As faculty representative, she participates, ex officio, on the board’s Academic Affairs Committee.
German Nolivos ’26, Undergraduate Student Representative, 2025-26
Coming to Syracuse from Miami, Nolivos is a first-generation college student and a rising senior at the University. He is pursuing a dual major in political science and public relations through the College of Arts and Sciences, the Maxwell School and the Newhouse School.
A recipient of the prestigious Posse Foundation Full-Tuition Leadership Scholarship and a Remembrance Scholar, Nolivos currently serves his second term as president of the Student Government Association. He also represents the student body as a senator in the University Senate and as the undergraduate student representative on the Syracuse University Alumni Association Board of Directors. In 2023, Nolivos pioneered and spearheaded the first Latino Music Festival at the University.
Nolivos is a member of the provisional chapter of Pi Kappa Alpha. His professional experiences include internships with Telemundo, NBCUniversal, Miami-Dade County Public Schools and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute. He received the 44 Stars of Excellence Award from the Office of Student Engagement in spring 2024, and was named an outstanding student in 2021 by the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute.
As undergraduate representative, he participates, ex officio, on the Student Experience Committee.
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”
Written by Molly Egan, a senior in the creative advertising track at the Newhouse School.