Forever Orange: Dara Dilmaghani ’23

Syracuse University’s Forever Orange Scholarship provides half of the tuition for students who enroll full-time in a qualifying graduate degree or certificate program at Syracuse University. The scholarship is automatically available to all Class of 2024 graduating Syracuse University seniors who are eligible for admission—no separate scholarship application is needed. Graduating seniors who have already been admitted to a qualifying graduate program are also eligible.

Learn more about recent students like Dara Dilmaghani, who is developing his skills and the ability to lean into the future of technology with the help of a Forever Orange Scholarship.

Dara Dilmaghani

Undergraduate Program: Advertising, ’23
Newhouse Master’s Program: Advanced Media Management, G’24

What drew you to Syracuse University for your undergraduate studies? 

Newhouse played a role in me coming to Syracuse. I was not sure where I wanted to end up when I was applying to college but when I was accepted to Newhouse and researched more about the school, I knew that this was the place I needed to be. 

What made you want to pursue a master’s degree?    

There were a few factors that led me to stay one more year, with the main one being the pandemic. I felt like my senior year was the first year I was experiencing the full in-person opportunities Newhouse had to offer, and I wasn’t ready to leave without spending a little more time growing as a student. The advanced media management program was the perfect place for me to continue my journey. With an emphasis on skills I didn’t get the chance to develop in my undergraduate career and the ability to lean into the future of technology was just something I could not pass up.  

How did you first hear about the Forever Orange Scholarship and how did it play a role in your decision to attend graduate school?  

I heard about it in my application process. I had always had plans on pursuing a master’s degree, but the Forever Orange Scholarship was another great incentive to stay here and pursue it at Newhouse. The ability to receive my master’s degree in half the time for half the price was honestly a bigger blessing than I could have ever imagined.  

What unique features of your graduate program made you want to apply?  

I picked Newhouse because it had already done so many amazing things for me and taken me to so many places. I picked advanced media management because I felt like I was going to have the opportunity to do something really great, and I have. The faculty in the program, especially Professor Adam Peruta, have gone above and beyond and given me opportunities that I never imagined I could achieve. Just in one semester I feel more knowledgeable than I have in the past four years, I have met some amazing like-minded classmates and was able to go to Las Vegas. I don’t think there are many graduate students that are having the same experiences as me and I’m so grateful that Newhouse has given me these opportunities to continue growing as a student.  

What moments in graduate school have been the most exciting or defining thus far?  

100% learning about the impact AI is having not only on media, but the world as we know it. This program has given me the ability to test out these new tools and find a workflow that works for me. I do not think I would’ve been able to stay ahead of the curve if I was already in the professional world. Now, I can spend my time preparing myself for an inevitable change in the way media will function with tools that are unfamiliar to many.

What advice would you give to students that are in the initial stages of deciding to pursue graduate school? 

It is worth it, especially right after undergrad. It is tough to go back to school when you have been out of the routine for a while but spending that extra year or two learning a bit more can really take you far once it is all said and done. Do not be afraid to lean into discomfort and remember that opportunities are just right in front of you, you just need to know when to take them. 

For more information on Newhouse School graduate programs, please email nhmasters@syr.edu.