Award-Winning Faculty: Charisse L’Pree

Charisse L’Pree encourages Newhouse students to broaden their understanding about the media and the world. 

L’Pree, an associate professor of communications, developed the Newhouse Home College Experience (NHHCE), an online media literacy program focused on inclusion and diversity taken during the Syracuse University First Year Seminar. Through individual modules and group discussion, the NHHCE encourages Newhouse students to reflect on their favorite media, analyze its messages and impact and apply the insights to their future work in the communications industry. 
 
“My larger goal is and has always been to encourage media literacy through self-reflection and a connection to the social practices of the past,” L’Pree said. “If we can understand why we feel and act the way we do, we can better tackle the implicit and collective processes of marginalization.”  

Her work developing the media literacy program has made such an impact that she was recognized this past spring with the Syracuse University Chancellor’s Citation for Excellence Award for Outstanding Contributions to the Student Experience and University Initiatives. 

“It was an honor to be recognized,” said L’Pree who began developing the program in 2021. “I have worked hard to streamline it and ensure that it adds value for students and instructors.” 

“Learning isn’t easy, and these topics can be hard for everyone—myself included—so the award inspires me to keep trying,” she added.  
 
Trained in social psychology and critical media studies, L’Pree is also working on Make America Dream, a repository of American Dreams in the 21st century. The interactive website makeamericadream.com features over 100 clips of diverse American Dreams and a book that brings together interviews with over 200 people about the American Dream.

Additionally, her continued research on diversity and satire is an extension of her 2023 book, “Diversity and Satire: Laughing at Processes of Marginalization.” Projects in this area includes an analysis of stand-up comedians who identify as disabled and their social media content; scrutinizing anti-classism satire in The Onion; and producing a podcast about “Saturday Night Live” satire.  

Through her teaching and research, L’Pree is committed to encouraging students to rethink their relationship to media and expanding diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility initiatives, as well as media literacy initiatives and education, throughout Newhouse and Syracuse University. 
 
Her approach “emphasizes the value of diversity—recognizing the variety of humanity by encouraging individuals to dive deeper into the ‘why’ of their own stories,” she said. “I consider it an honor to reach all first-year students at Newhouse to foster the tools to think about these topics early and often.”   

This is the first in a series of four stories about Newhouse faculty honored by Syracuse University in 2024 for teaching and research excellence.

New Leadership Roles at Newhouse School 

Two veteran Newhouse professors have assumed new leadership roles at the school. 

Hua Jiang, a professor of public relations, is now interim associate dean for diversity, equity, inclusivity and accessibility (DEIA), while Aileen Gallagher ’99, G’20, a professor of magazine, news and digital journalism, is the new associate dean for academic affairs.  

Jiang and Gallagher enter their first full semester in their new positions after Dean Mark J. Lodato made the announcements over the summer. They are members of the dean’s leadership team.

Hua Jiang

Jiang leads strategic planning in DEIA at the Newhouse School, including efforts to recruit diverse students, faculty and staff; programming for marginalized students; campus visits by diverse industry leaders, thinkers and scholars; and course development. For the 2024-2025 academic year, Jiang is aligning Newhouse’s DEIA programming with the school’s strategic plan, including an emphasis on community engagement, and outreach to current and prospective students. Priorities also include nurturing an inclusive learning environment; organizing a DEIA climate assessment; and fostering effective communication with the Newhouse community. 

Jiang, who was promoted to full professor earlier this year, started teaching at Newhouse in 2013. From 2022 to 2024, she served as associate dean for academic affairs at Newhouse. During her tenure, she fostered a renewed sense of openness and collaboration in leading curricular and instructional excellence at Newhouse. Jiang successfully collaborated with department chairs and graduate program directors on numerous innovative curricular initiatives. In addition, Jiang spearheaded efforts to ensure that faculty teaching excellence was recognized across at the University and school levels. 

As a leading scholar in public relations, Jiang has published over 50 peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters and serves on the editorial boards of the top three public relations journals. She earned her Ph.D. in communication from the University of Maryland, College Park. 

Aileen Gallagher

Gallagher joined the Newhouse School faculty in 2010 after an impressive journalism career. Her most recent industry position was at New York Magazine, where she shared several National Magazine Awards with her colleagues. Gallagher became interim chair of magazine, news and digital journalism in 2021 before being appointed chair the following year.  

Also in 2022, Gallagher spearheaded the complex reaccreditation process for Newhouse as the school’s assessment director and wrote a self-study one site team member described as “the best I have ever read.”  

Gallagher, whose research interests are digital editorial and journalism education, was promoted to full professor in 2023. A nationally recognized expert on the magazine industry, she has been interviewed by outlets including The New York Times, CNN and Marketplace. Since joining the faculty, Gallagher has written for The Washington Post, New York Magazine, Slate and elsewhere. 

Gallagher completed the Harvard Graduate School of Education’s Management Development Program in June. She is a two-time graduate of Syracuse University, earning a master’s in higher education, as well as a bachelor’s degree as a dual major in newspaper from Newhouse and history from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs and the College of Arts and Sciences.  

The Importance of Saying “Yes” 

While I was a master’s student at the Newhouse School, I consciously committed to saying yes to more opportunities. As an undergraduate student I commuted to school, and because of this I was a lot more hesitant about the opportunities I took within my school community. This was due to a mix of things. The main reason being that I simply felt more comfortable at home.  Safety was also a real concern and many of the organizations and projects I wanted to be a part of met later in the evening. I admittedly held myself back from a lot of opportunities, and by the time I realized that, it was too late. We entered the pandemic, and I had a strong sense that the opportunities had officially passed me. 

Over the last two to three years I have spent a lot of time growing into someone who has become much more outgoing in every corner of their life. I love the idea of being able to be present in my personal and professional community. I love meeting new people and collaborating on projects that I never thought I’d be a part of. But, I owe that ability to one big thing. 

The decision to say “yes” is one that I think people don’t ever realize how big of a difference it makes. When I decided to finally come back to grad school, I knew that in some ways it was a chance to “make right” on the things I felt I did wrong before. 

(Before I continue, I would like to say that I don’t actually believe saying no was “wrong.” I continued to set a boundary that was comfortable for me as I navigated a new school, adulthood and being responsible for my own time and commitments. Boundaries are okay, in fact they are excellent when deciding what you are comfortable with. I considered what life would look like if I pushed my boundaries because I knew something was not working for me. It’s important to listen to your body and mind when approaching new environments!)

Coming to Newhouse was one of those opportunities that made me realize just how much the world has to offer. I was involved in a podcast, on two Orange Television Network shows and was always busy. If nothing else, I built a dense resume in 10 months that makes me more of a candidate for roles who are looking for someone with a multitude of skills. But, further than that, I am finally tapped into my academic space and creating the community I have always wanted.  

I will also, of course, remind you to take care of yourself and to not put too much pressure on yourself. And definitely don’t bite off more than you can chew. But, I’ll encourage you to consider how your life may be different if you just said “yes.” 

Six Ways to Get Involved at Newhouse 

First-year students are now adjusting to their first fall semester at the Newhouse School. With classes and schedules set, what now? It’s easy to feel overwhelmed in your first year, so here are six fun ways to meet other students, make friends, gain experience in your chosen field and make Newhouse feel like a new home.

1. Become a Newhouse Ambassador 

If you love to talk about the Newhouse School, stop by the Visitor’s Center in the third-floor lobby of Newhouse 1 and apply to be a Newhouse Ambassador. In this volunteer role, you’ll give tours to prospective students and their families, speak at information sessions and be at the center of everything going on. You’ll also get cool merch, yummy snacks and random facts about Newhouse history! 

2. Go to events 

Newhouse frequently holds social events, speakers and panels for students, so an easy way to stay involved is to read your emails and check the events calendar! You’ll know when you and your friends can stop by a food truck, work on your resumes in a resume building session, hear a distinguished guest speak in the Joyce Hergenhan Auditorium and much more.  

3. Join a club or organization

Newhouse students can get involved with more than 30 communications organizations. From CitrusTV, Z89 Radio, University Girl magazine and TNH advertising agency to The Daily Orange, Jerk magazine, Hill Communications and Orange Television Network, these clubs are a great way to gain experience for a future internship and career, build your network and make fun memories outside of a classroom.  

4. Get to know your professors 

Newhouse professors have the knowledge and experience us students aspire to have. Ask your professor to coffee and get to know them! It’s a good way to connect with them and get engaged with their class as well as expand your professional network.

5. Take a non-major elective

The Newhouse School has some wonderfully unique communications courses available. For the Spring 2025 semester (registration starts Nov. 6) and beyond, talk to your advisor, check the course catalog and look into taking a class that is not required for your major! This is an awesome way to meet other students, make friends and expand your knowledge to bolster your Newhouse education. 

6. Sit in Food.com  

If you’re in Newhouse 3, head up to the second floor and immerse yourself in the hustle and bustle of Food.com! Sit and study or plan a group project at a booth. You might get asked to be in a photoshoot, give a statement for a story or be featured in a video…and you’ll definitely see friends and classmates.

Newhouse Alumna Nicole Aponte ’24 Wins Prestigious Edward R. Murrow Award

Newhouse School alumna Nicole Aponte ’24 was honored with a prestigious 2024 Edward R. Murrow Award for her 2023 story “Beating the Odds, Taking the Reins.” Aponte won Best Video Feature Reporting in the Student category for the story—completed during her senior year in the broadcast and digital journalism program—which highlights a rider on the Special Olympics equestrian team.

Aponte is the first Murrow Award winner at the Newhouse School since 2021.

This is not Aponte’s first brush with prestigious awards, as she was honored with a Hearst National Championship Award last year, winning second place in the National Television Championship category for a story about artificial intelligence’s impact on society.

The Edward R. Murrow Awards are presented by the Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA), which is a global professional organization devoted solely to broadcast and digital journalism. The Murrow Awards recognize local and national news stories that, according to the RTDNA website, “uphold the RTDNA Code of Ethics, demonstrate technical expertise and exemplify the importance and impact of journalism as a service to the community.”

All winners will be honored at the Edward R. Murrow Awards Gala on Oct. 14 in New York City.

Photo Gallery: Newhouse School Cheers to 60 Years

The Newhouse School celebrated its 60th anniversary with an afternoon full of events on Aug. 28 attended by Donald Newhouse and his family. The celebration included a special luncheon, a tour of the complex for the family and a ceremony on the plaza, where Chancellor Kent Syverud and Newhouse Dean Mark J. Lodato unveiled the new name of the space that connects the complex’s three buildings: the Newhouse Family Plaza.

Luncheon

Tour

Ceremony

Reception

A reception on the newly renamed Newhouse Family Plaza followed the ceremony, with the family, alumni and the entire Newhouse community invited.

University Unveils ‘Newhouse Family Plaza’ as Newhouse School Celebrates 60th Anniversary

The Newhouse School welcomed Donald Newhouse and his family back to Syracuse University to mark the school’s 60^th anniversary with an afternoon full of celebratory events highlighted by the renaming of the plaza in between the school’s three buildings in the family’s honor.

The festivities Wednesday included a special luncheon, a tour of the complex for the family and a ceremony on the plaza, where Chancellor Kent Syverud and Newhouse Dean Mark J. Lodato unveiled the new name as hundreds watched from the Einhorn Family Walk.

The owner of Advance Publications, Donald Newhouse is the patriarch of one of the first families of American publishing. Advance was founded by his father, Samuel I. Newhouse, in 1922.

In remarks on the plaza, Donald Newhouse recounted how he observed a meeting in the late 1950s between his father and then-University Chancellor William P. Tolley during which the idea for what would become the Newhouse School was conceived.

Donald Newhouse was one of the honored guests on Aug. 5, 1964, when President Lyndon B. Johnson joined S.I. Newhouse to formally open the Newhouse 1 building. That day also happened to be Donald Newhouse’s 35^th birthday.

“I am fortunate to have the chance in the same month that I celebrate my 95^th birthday, to look back with overwhelming pride at the record of the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications. It is one of the great joys of my life,” Donald Newhouse said Wednesday.  

“Thank you all for helping me celebrate this anniversary, and for your role in realizing the dream of my father and Chancellor Tolley.”

The Newhouse family is one of the largest donors in Syracuse University’s history, including the $75 million pledge by the Samuel I. Newhouse Foundation to the Newhouse School in 2020. That pledge was the single largest gift in the University’s history.

“There are so many amazing alumni of this school that I’ve met all over the world—editors, broadcasters, leaders in print, cable news and network newsrooms. They founded and led radio stations, PR agencies, advertising firms, countless ventures in the business, digital music and entertainment industries,” Syverud said before unveiling the plaza’s new name.

“All of them amazing people, all made possible because of the transformational gifts of Donald Newhouse and the Newhouse Foundation,” he added. “You’ve really, in a meaningful sense, shaped the trajectory of the University, the Newhouse School and most importantly, the careers of tens of thousands of our students and our graduates and faculty.”

Today, the Newhouse School offers seven undergraduate programs and more than a dozen graduate programs covering the gamut of fields in media and communications. The school also launched its first fully online bachelor’s program, in strategic communications, this year.

But what will not change, Lodato said, is an unwavering dedication to journalism education.

Lodato pledged to continue to work with newsrooms and journalism organizations on key issues like filling news deserts, and striving to ensure the diversity of newsroom staffs and leadership accurately reflects the communities they serve.

He cited expanded opportunities for students to hone their skills through study-away semesters in Washington, D.C., New York City or Los Angeles, or special trips such as coverage of the recent Democratic and Republican presidential nominating conventions for professional media outlets.

Newhouse also combined the broadcast and digital journalism, and magazine, news and digital journalism programs, into one journalism major starting this fall following state approval, the result of years of discussion with faculty.

Students will still choose one of two tracks under the new journalism major structure—broadcast and digital journalism, or magazine, news and digital journalism. But Lodato noted the change is reflective of how the Newhouse School pivots to meet the needs of an industry which increasingly is looking for journalists who can tell stories on multiple platforms.

“I can think of no better way of recognizing the vision and generosity of Mr. Newhouse and his extraordinary family than to reinforce our steadfast commitment to journalism and journalism education,” Lodato said.

Newhouse was joined Wednesday by several members of his family, including sons Steven and Michael, the co-presidents of Advance. Larry Kramer ’72, vice chair of the University Board of Trustees, offered remarks at the luncheon, as did Newhouse Dean Emeritus David Rubin and Margaret Talev, Kramer Director of the Syracuse University Institute for Democracy, Journalism and Citizenship, and a professor of practice of journalism at Newhouse.

David Zaslav, the president and CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery, spoke during a videotaped message.

Marie Achkar, a senior in broadcast and digital journalism, spoke on behalf of students at the luncheon. Jada Knight, a senior in television, radio and film, spoke on students’ behalf during the plaza ceremony, which was followed by a reception for the family, students, faculty, staff and alumni.

Newhouse Students Cover 2024 Presidential Nominating Conventions

About two dozen Newhouse students covered both the Republican and Democratic presidential nominating conventions this summer. Led by Joel Kaplan, associate dean of graduate programs, the students gained invaluable experience and built up their resumes through their robust coverage for professional media outlets which included writing stories, creating packages, conducting interviews and more.

Coverage from the Republican National Convention

Stefanik Puts NY-21 Center Stage With Prime Time Speech at Republican National Convention

Day 1 of the RNC

Coverage from the Democratic National Convention

Why John Mannion sat out the DNC as NY-22 takes center stage among Dems

As party picks Harris, women take center stage among New York’s Democrats: ‘It’s our time’

Alabama Trump voter speaks at DNC, endorses Kamala Harris

New to Newhouse? Five Tips for First-Year Students  

The Newhouse School welcomes over 500 first-year and undergraduate transfer students this fall. To help them get accustomed to life at Syracuse University, Newhouse offers an introductory course that aids students in learning the ins and outs of life at the school, covering everything from getting involved in extracurricular activities and where to go for help, to recognizing their responsibilities as students.  

“One of the main goals of the COM 100 intro class is to get students to think about what they need to do to succeed in college,” said Karen McGee, assistant dean of student success. “What new skills or challenges do they need to learn or experience that they didn’t have in high school?” 

With the Fall 2024 semester starting today, McGee offered some tips for incoming students as they take their first steps toward a career in communications.  

1. Read the syllabus 

The blueprint of a college course, the syllabus outlines goals and often provides details of what will be covered each class, along with assignments and other important academic information. It’s important to read a syllabus carefully and ask questions of instructors if you’re not clear on deadlines and expectations.  

“It’s a simple way to get started on the right track: read the syllabus and check with your professor if you’re not sure about something. Sync important dates with the calendar on your phone,” McGee said.  

2. Manage your time 

Successful time management makes for successful students, McGee said. Keep virtual calendars up to date and set reminders on your phone, or maybe a planner or wall calendar is your time management strategy of choice. If you’re looking for other ideas, talk to classmates or ask advice from your peer adviser.  

An additional tool for managing your time is the new Syracuse University app, OrangeNow. It’s a customizable app students can use to link with MySlice so it will show their personal schedule, McGee said. They can bookmark things, check assignments, see the bus schedule, the weather and more.

The Syracuse University Center for Learning and Student Support also offers “Maximize Your Learning” one-on-one sessions for students to help them  organize their work for the semester.  

3. Visit faculty during office hours 

This is the one of the most important things that a student can do to help themselves succeed, McGee said. A faculty member’s office hours are usually listed on the syllabus. “Even if you have no pressing concerns, it can be helpful to meet your professors at least once during the semester and give them a chance to know who you are,” McGee said.  

4. Ask for help

It’s OK for students to feel anxious before tests and stressed when project deadlines are piling up. It’s understandable to feel lonely being away from home and familiar support structures. Resources are available at Syracuse to help. 

One step a student can take is to contact their academic adviser. The Newhouse Academic Advising Office helps students navigate their new environment while making sure they’re on track to achieving their academic goals. 

The University also offers many options to help address the health and wellness of students, including mental health counseling at the Barnes Center at the Arch. 

“There is ‘normal stress’ during the academic year. Stress or anxiety can become a problem if they prevent you from handling day-to-day responsibilities,” McGee said. “The important thing is to speak up, because help is available.” 

5. Get involved!

One of the easiest ways to meet new people and start making connections is by getting involved in extracurricular activities. Newhouse students can connect with more than 30 organizations across campus that cover the communications spectrum, from The Daily Orange, the independent campus newspaper, to Hill Communications, the award-winning public relations firm based at the Newhouse School.   

Get a head start on getting involved at the Campus Media Fair to be held outside Newhouse 1 on Friday, Aug. 30 from 1-4 p.m. 

Photo Gallery: Welcoming New Students

The Newhouse School welcomed first-year and transfer students to campus this week. At a reception Thursday, students mingled with their new classmates, staff, faculty and student peer advisers.

Dean Mark J. Lodato welcomed our new students at his welcome reception Friday at Goldstein Auditorium in the Schine Student Center. Classes start Monday. We’re looking forward to a great Fall 2024 semester!

Photos by Malcolm Taylor unless otherwise noted.