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.
Advance Local, Newhouse School Launch Investigative Reporting Fellowship Program
Senior Finn Lincoln named inaugural recipient of David Newhouse Investigative Reporting Fellowship.
A new collaboration with Advance Local will provide Newhouse School journalism students opportunities to write and report on investigative projects with local impact for newsrooms across the country.
The David Newhouse Investigative Reporting Fellowship program, which launched this year in conjunction with Advance Local, will allow recipients to pursue individual reporting projects, partner with local reporters and take part in national investigative stories. Finn Lincoln, a senior majoring in magazine, news and digital journalism, has been named the inaugural fellow.
The program is named for the late David Newhouse, who led The Patriot-News in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, to a Pulitzer Prize in 2012 for coverage of the Jerry Sandusky scandal at Penn State University. As editor of The Patriot-News, Newhouse burnished the newspaper’s reputation for tough-minded investigative reporting, publishing work that landed some of Pennsylvania’s most powerful politicians in jail and freed several wrongly convicted people from prison after decades of incarceration.
Later in his career, Newhouse worked as editor at large for The Patriot-News’ parent company Advance Local, where he helped establish a culture of excellence in digital journalism as the newspaper industry grappled with profound changes brought on by the shift to online publishing.
“David was a fearless leader and an enthusiastic champion of the exciting opportunities that digital platforms provide local journalists,” said John Hassell, senior vice president and editorial director at Advance Local. “It is fitting his legacy should be celebrated with a fellowship that recognizes excellent young journalists and work that makes a difference in people’s lives.”
The program is the latest collaboration between Advance Local and Syracuse University’s Newhouse School that provides student journalists with valuable experiences to work alongside professional reporters and editors. Most recently, Newhouse students contributed to Advance Local through coverage of the 2024 election campaign and other investigative reporting projects, along with social media strategy.
The new fellowship program reinforces the Newhouse School’s commitment to partnering with media platforms in support of comprehensive local news coverage, Dean Mark J. Lodato said.
“While exhaustive investigative projects take time to report, they can deliver a lasting positive impact on communities,” Lodato said. “We are proud to partner with Advance Local on this new initiative that supports local news while offering an outlet for our talented journalism students to hone the writing and reporting skills they learn in the classroom.”
The Newhouse School offers several classes that focus on, or include, investigative reporting projects, including an advanced data journalism course that trains students to tell stories with data.
“Until you’ve actually had the experience of requesting public documents, analyzing government data and interviewing the gatekeepers, you can’t really understand what our government is up to or how it works,” said Jodi Upton, Knight Chair in Data and Explanatory Journalism at the Newhouse School.
“Data and document reporting is critical for reporters on beats, enterprise, investigations— any kind of reporting,” Upton said.
As a junior, Lincoln took the advanced data journalism class with Upton. The students worked on an exhaustive data reporting project that looked at the impact of police vehicle accidents on communities across New York State.
Lincoln has already written or contributed to more than a half-dozen stories since February for AL.com, the Advance Local media platform in Alabama.
(Photo provided by Brad Horn)
“We are excited to have Finn helping research some of the larger investigative projects this year, and it’s been good to see him involved in local news as well,” said Challen Stephens, director of investigations at Advance Local. Stephens, who will run the fellowship program, has led an AL.com newsroom team that has won four Pulitzer Prizes in the past decade.
“We expect to see his name on more great work soon,” Stephens said.
Newhouse School Announces Finalists in 2025 Mirror Awards Competition
Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications today announced the finalists in the 2025 Mirror Awards competition, which honors excellence in media industry reporting. Winners will be announced June 9 at an awards ceremony in New York City.
The finalists, selected by a group of journalists and journalism educators, are:
Best Single Article and Story
- Brian Stelter, The Atlantic: “The Real Story of the Crisis at The Washington Post”
- Kyle Paoletta, Columbia Journalism Review: “A New Normal”
- Katie Thornton, Rolling Stone: “Jesus, Take The Dial” (subscription required)
- John Daniszewski, Laura Colarusso, Megan Cattel and Fatma Khaled, Nieman Reports: “Unparalleled and Unprecedented”
Best Profile
- Jack Herrera, Columbia Journalism Review: “La Periodista de Iowa”
- Amaris Castillo, Poynter.org: “In New Orleans, a pioneering nonprofit newsroom ponders a future beyond its founder”
- Aidan McLaughlin, The Spectator World: “Inside the unlikely success of Patrick Bet-David”
Best Commentary
- Jon Allsop, Columbia Journalism Review
- Jay Caspian Kang, The New Yorker: “Fault Lines” (subscription required)
- Clare Malone, The New Yorker: “Media Writing” (subscription required)
- Jessica Bennett, The New York Times
John M. Higgins Award for Best In-Depth/Enterprise Reporting
- Jason Buch, Texas Observer/palabra/PBS
- Manuel Roig-Franzia and Hope Hodge Seck, The Washington Post (subscription required)
- Ann Cooper, Gabe Bullard and Laura Colarusso, Nieman Reports
About the Mirror Awards
Established by the Newhouse School in 2006, the Mirror Awards are the preeminent competition in the field of media industry reporting. They recognize the reporters, editors and writers who hold a mirror to their own industry for the public’s benefit.
For information about the awards, visit newhouse.syracuse.edu/mirrorawards or email mirrorawards@syr.edu.
Nina Brown Named 2025-28 Meredith Professor
The associate professor of communications will focus on creating a comprehensive faculty development program during her tenure. The Meredith Professorship is a prestigious honor for Syracuse University faculty.
Nina Brown, an associate professor of communications at the Newhouse School, has been named a 2025-28 Laura J. and L. Douglas Meredith Professor for Teaching Excellence, a prestigious honor that recognizes and rewards outstanding teaching among the faculty.
Created in 1995, the Meredith Professorship Program aims to improve the teaching and learning environment on campus and foster campuswide conversations about teaching excellence.
Brown, who has taught at Newhouse for a decade, plans to focus her Meredith Professorship on creating a comprehensive faculty development program to support the transition and professional growth of new faculty across the University. The initiative would provide new faculty with tools, training and mentorship to help them thrive in the classroom, and ultimately enhance student learning outcomes, faculty effectiveness and a sense of belonging.
Brown said she plans to work collaboratively with academic units across campus to tailor to each unit’s needs, instead of taking a “one-size-fits-all” approach. She will be among the honorees to be recognized Friday at the One University Awards Ceremony at Hendricks Chapel.
“This is such a deserving honor for Nina, whose dedication to teaching excellence and helping new faculty succeed is well known at Newhouse,” Dean Mark J. Lodato said.
“I am eager to see the impact she will make across the rest of campus in setting new frameworks for faculty development,” Lodato said. “Nina’s dynamic ideas ultimately will bolster the Newhouse School’s standards of excellence as the nation’s top communications school.”
Also a graduate of the Newhouse School, Brown began her career as a copywriter at an advertising agency, and eventually held roles as director of communications for a startup technology company and associate vice president of brand development at a Fortune 500 company.
Brown then attended Cornell Law School, where she focused her coursework and scholarship on First Amendment and intellectual property law. After several years practicing law, Brown joined the Newhouse faculty to teach courses in communications law. Her academic research focuses on the intersection of media law and technology.
2025 Newhouse Faculty/Staff Recognition
The Newhouse School recognized the work, scholarship, service and achievements of faculty and staff during a March 28 recognition ceremony. The event in the Joyce Hergenhan Auditorium concluded faculty/staff appreciation week at Newhouse.
DEIA Award
- Tula Goenka
- Hua Jiang
- Syanis Vargas-González
Distinguished Service Award
- Tracy Feocco
- Roy Gutterman
Industry Connections Award
- Mylinda Smith
- Bill Werde
Positive Impact Award
- Jillian Mitchell
Keystone Award
The Keystone Award honors one Newhouse staff member who has demonstrated outstanding performance supporting a department, program or individual(s).
- Shelly Griffin
Teaching Excellence Awards
Adjunct Teaching
- Chase Clifford-Manley
Ongoing Performance
- Shaina Holmes
Early Performance
- Jason Webb
Hidden Gem Award
The Hidden Gem Award honors a Newhouse staff member who is known for their commitment, reliability and consistent hard work “behind the scenes,” which enables their colleagues, the school and/or the university to shine.
- Richard Mendez
Newhouse Impact Award
- Gregory Heisler
- Olivia Stomski
- Robert Thompson
Rising Star Award
The Rising Star Award recognizes the initiative, self-starter attitude, enthusiasm, energy and creativity of a staff member.
- Kit Fletcher
Staff Member of the Year Award
- Roxane Niezabytowski
Creative Achievement Award
- Milton Santiago
- Michael Snyder
- Bruce Strong
Literary Achievement Award
- Nicholas Bowman
- Anthony D’Angelo
- Joshua Darr
- Regina Luttrell
- David Oh
- Rebecca Ortiz
- Srividya Ramasubramanian
- Michael Snyder
Reuters, NJ Advance Media Win 2025 Toner Prizes for Excellence in Political Reporting
Journalists at Reuters honored in national reporting category, NJ Advance Media in local category, in prizes awarded by the Newhouse School at Syracuse University in honor of Robin Toner ’76.
Reuters won the 2025 Toner Prize for national political reporting for comprehensive stories published as part of the news organization’s “Politics of Menace” special report during the presidential campaign.
NJ Advance Media earned the 2025 Toner Prize for local political reporting.
The winners of the annual Toner Prizes for Excellence in Political Reporting were announced Thursday by Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications. The honors will be formally presented March 24 at the Toner Prizes Celebration in Washington, D.C.
Awarded annually by the Newhouse School, the Toner Prizes recognize the best political reporting of the past year. They are named after Robin Toner ’76, the first woman to hold the position of national political correspondent for The New York Times.
In addition to the winners, Politico took an honorable mention in the national political reporting category.
The judges were:
- Christina Bellantoni, journalism professor at the University of Southern California’s Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, columnist and former editor-in-chief at Roll Call.
- Ann Compton, Emmy Award-winning retired reporter for ABC News and the first woman to cover the White House for network television.
- Lucy Dalglish, professor and dean emeritus at the Phillip Merrill College of Journalism at the University of Maryland, former executive director of the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press; attorney and former reporter and editor at the St. Paul Pioneer Press.
- Beverly Kirk, director of Washington programs and professor of practice of broadcast and digital journalism at the Newhouse School, with more than two decades of experience in journalism working at national and local outlets.
- Rick Rodriguez, professor of the Southwest Borderlands Initiative at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University, and former executive editor and senior vice president of The Sacramento Bee.
- Maralee Schwartz, retired political editor of The Washington Post and contributing editor at Columbia Journalism Review.
- Joseph B. Treaster, professor at the University of Miami School of Communication; prize-winning reporter who spent more than three decades as a reporter and foreign correspondent
Toner Prize for Excellence in National Political Reporting
Winner: Reuters
Reporters: Peter Eisler, Ned Parker, Aram Roston and Joseph Tanfani
Entry: “The Politics of Menace”
Judges’ Comments
“Breathtaking reporting … explains not just the actions, the impact, but also the grievances that empower.” _Schwartz
“Well-documented catalogue of threats, their impact, the growth of combative political forces and the ferocity of cultural clashes.” _Compton
Honorable Mention: Politico
Reporters: Jessie Blaeser, Kelsey Tamborrino, Benjamin Storrow, Zack Colman, David Ferris, Timothy Cama and Christine Mui
Entry: “Biden’s Billions”
Judges’ Comments
“This is an important story that documents the success and failures of the Biden agenda.” _ Dalglish
“Meticulous, dogged reporting inside every agency and delivered one well-written narrative after another. This is the kind of accountability and investigative work I like teaching my students.” _Bellantoni
“Politico looked almost step by step into an enormous plan.” _Treaster
Finalists
- ProPublica with Wisconsin Watch, Documented and The New York Times Magazine: “Investigating the Christian Right’s efforts to influence elections,” Andy Kroll, Ava Kofman, Phoebe Petrovic and Nick Surgey
- NBC News: ”The disinformation machine: How falsehoods shaped American politics,” Brandy Zadrozny
- The Boston Globe: “Vibe Check,” Emma Platoff, Sam Brodey and Jim Puzzanghera
- The Atlantic: “Inside the Trump Campaign,” Tim Alberta
Toner Prize for Excellence in Local Political Reporting
Winner: NJ Advance Media
Reporters: Spencer Kent and Riley Yates
Entry: “Project Extreme”
- “Inside the Mainstreaming of Hate. How Toxic Influencers are Pushing N.J. Politics to the Far Right”
- “Looking over their shoulder” (subscription required)
- “A war for hearts & minds” (subscription required)
- “Civil war” (subscription required)
Judges’ Comments
“The storytelling and reporting here was riveting and courageous … The writing was so clear I couldn’t stop reading.” _Rodriguez
“An excellent examination of the different forms of extremism, the people affected by it, and the threat it presents to democracy.” _Kirk
Finalists
- The Texas Tribune, ProPublica and Votebeat:
- The Boston Globe: “State Secrets,” Laura Crimaldi, Samantha J. Gross, Emma Platoff and Matt Stout
- Chicago Tribune:
- Santa Cruz Local:
- Houston Chronicle: “How Gov. Greg Abbott made the Texas border America’s problem,” Benjamin Wermund and Matt Zdun
- The Texas Tribune: “A Texas Supreme Court justice’s disregard for ethics rules,” Robert Downen
About the Toner Prizes
First presented in 2011, the Toner Prizes for Excellence in Political Reporting highlight and reinforce quality, fact-based political reporting—work that illuminates the electoral process, reveals the politics of policy and engages the public in democracy.
They are named after Robin Toner, who covered five presidential campaigns, scores of Congressional and gubernatorial races and most of the country’s major political figures during her nearly 25-year career at The New York Times. A 1976 graduate of Syracuse University, Toner earned a bachelor’s degree as a dual major in journalism from the Newhouse School and political science from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs.
Toner died in 2008, leaving a husband and two young children. To honor her legacy, family and friends established the Toner Program in Political Reporting at the Newhouse School.
Syracuse University, Major League Baseball Players Association Team Up to Offer Academic Programs to Current and Former Players
A new partnership between Syracuse University and the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA) will create academic pathways for current and former players. Under this agreement, Syracuse University will offer market-relevant and industry-specific online degrees, certificates and credentials, as well as a range of non-credit professional development and executive education training programs, courses and workshops.
Responsive to the MLBPA’s desire to expand opportunities for career growth to its thousands of players, the new cross-campus collaboration taps into the expertise of several of the University’s schools and colleges, including the new David B. Falk College of Sport, the Newhouse School of Public Communications, the Whitman School of Management and the College of Professional Studies (CPS).
“My fellow deans and I are excited to partner with the Major League Baseball Players Association to provide the Syracuse University experience to those interested in pursuing our vast academic offerings,” says Falk College Dean Jeremy Jordan, whose initial discussions with the MLBPA inspired the creation of this new initiative. “This partnership reflects our collectively held value that higher education should be achievable for everyone, regardless of the demands of their profession or personal circumstances. For athletes and professionals with unpredictable schedules, our online programs offer the perfect balance of flexibility, robust academic support and real-world applicability—all without compromising their careers.”
“The Major League Baseball Players Association is thrilled to partner with Syracuse University to provide our members with exceptional educational opportunities,” says Chris Singleton, MLBPA special assistant for player resource programs and a former major league outfielder. “This collaboration underscores our commitment to supporting players both on and off the field, ensuring they have access to world-class academic resources that empower their personal and professional growth.”
Seth Gitner Appointed to National Press Photographers Foundation Board
Newhouse School faculty member Seth Gitner has been appointed to the board of directors of the National Press Photographers Foundation (NPPF).
The appointment acknowledges Gitner’s “significant contributions to visual journalism and multimedia storytelling,” the foundation said in an announcement. The NPPF is a nonprofit dedicated to advancing the field of photojournalism through education, awarding scholarships and fellowships to individuals who have demonstrated ability or promise in the field of visual journalism.
Gitner is an associate professor in the visual communications and magazine, news and digital journalism departments at Newhouse. He teaches courses in multimedia storytelling, video journalism, digital design and sports photography.
Gitner also serves as web developer and visual storytelling advisor for TheNewsHouse.com, the school’s award-winning student news platform.
Besides his NPPF work, Gitner has maintained close ties to the industry through various leadership roles with the National Press Photographers Association (NPPA), including national secretary, national event committee chair and technology committee chair. He was co-director of the NPPA’s multimedia immersion program for 14 years.
Before joining the Newhouse School in 2009, Gitner was a photojournalist and multimedia editor at newspapers in Maryland and Virginia, including The Roanoke Times and Roanoke.com.
Currently, Gitner is working on the third edition of his textbook “Multimedia Storytelling for Digital Communicators in a Multiplatform World,” which is used at the Newhouse School.
Remembering Bob Lissit
This message was first sent from Dean Mark Lodato to faculty and staff.
Dear Newhouse Community,
I write today with sad news. Bob Lissit, a professor emeritus who taught and mentored hundreds of Newhouse students during a two decade-long tenure on the faculty that followed a distinguished career in the newsroom, has died. He was 88.
Funeral arrangements were announced this week for Bob, who passed away
Feb. 1.
I never knew Bob personally, but his legacy at the Newhouse School lives on through stories from former colleagues and students. Bob taught at Newhouse between 1992-2011. He was so proud of his students that he took a group picture of each of his classes and posted them on his office wall.
Lynne Adrine, former director of the Newhouse DC program, credits Bob for encouraging and supporting her transition to academia after the two first worked together at ABC News. Bob and professor emeritus Dona Hayes created the Newhouse graduate capstone program in Washington.
Lynne described Bob as a “larger-than-life presence who shaped many Orange careers.”
“It is not hyperbole to say he changed my life. I am not alone in being able to make that statement,” she said. “Bob enjoyed a storied career in broadcast journalism and in academia. It is impossible to count the number of lives he touched.”
Anthony Adornato described Bob as “a gem” and recalls fond memories from his classes when Anthony was an undergraduate at Newhouse. They kept in touch after Anthony graduated, with Bob reaching out through calls and emails.
The service, which will be held Feb. 24 in suburban Chicago, will also be streamed live on the funeral home website. On behalf of the Newhouse community, let me extend our sincerest condolences to Bob’s family and friends. He leaves a lasting impact through the dedication he showed former students who went on to work in newsrooms across the country, and the enduring friendships he forged with colleagues.
Sincerely,
Mark
Bandier Program Alumni and Leaders from Across Recording and Entertainment Industries Join Inaugural Advisory Board
Distinguished panel to play important role in shaping future of renowned program at Newhouse School.
The Bandier Program for Recording and Entertainment Industries is forming a new advisory board, comprised of alumni leaders and experts who will play important roles in shaping the future of one of the top music business programs in the country.
The distinguished panel is made up of 13 Syracuse University graduates working in leadership roles across the recording and entertainment industries. Advisory Board members are dedicated to helping the Bandier program continue to innovate, prepare the next generation of music industry leaders and enrich the student experience.
Advisory Board members include:
- Jon Cohen ’90, Co-Founder/CEO of The FADER and Cornerstone Agency
- Alex Coslov ’12, EVP of Mercury Records
- Joel Klaiman ’90, CEO/Founder of ASCEND4M
- Gabz Landman ’12, VP of A&R at Warner Chappell
- Caitlin Lytle ’16, Senior Publishing Director at Nice Life Publishing
- Steve Magee ’16, General Manager at Alter Music
- Grant Palmer ’13, Royalties Analyst/Songwriter at Sirius XM and Sony Music Publishing
- Joey Papoutsis ’13, CEO/Founder of Keel Artist Management
- Jacqueline Saturn ’90, President of Virgin Music
- Justin Shukat ’96, Partner/President of Primary Wave
- CJ Strock ’00, Co-Founder/Partner at MINT Talent Group
- Margaret Tomlin ’13, VP of A&R at Sony Music Nashville
- Max Weinberg ’12, VP of Marketing at Interscope Records
Working with Bandier program director Bill Werde and managing director Lisa Steele, the Advisory Board will support the program’s mission by providing mentorship and facilitating job placement. Members will expand the program’s reputation, foster diversity and help align curriculum with emerging trends in the music industry.
“The diverse skills and career paths of the 13 inaugural members of the Advisory Board shine a light on the legacy of excellence in music business education at Syracuse University and the Newhouse School,” said Newhouse Dean Mark Lodato.
“On behalf of the University, let me extend our gratitude to these talented, successful professionals for taking the time to share their insights and working toward our common goal of helping Bandier students succeed.”
This initiative strengthens Bandier’s position as one of the country’s premier music business programs, giving students the connections, tools and expertise needed to excel in an evolving industry. The undergraduate program, which celebrated its first graduating class in 2011, regularly makes Billboard’s annual Top Music Business Schools list.
Building on the success of the bachelor’s program, a new Bandier master’s degree program in music business launches this fall at Syracuse. Providing a true multi-disciplinary education, the music business master’s program is a partnership between the Newhouse School and the College of Visual and Performing Arts.
Both programs are named after Martin Bandier ’62, the legendary music publishing executive and University Life Trustee.