'Cuse Conversations

When Chris Licht '93 came to Syracuse University's S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, he thought he was setting off on a path to become a television news anchor but when he entered the world of journalism, he discovered a passion - and a tremendous skill - for producing. His professional journey has taken him to the top of the mountain in both the news and entertainment industries. His...

Matthew Berry '92 is one of the best known and most respected voices in the world of fantasy sports. Better known as the Talented Mr. Roto, Berry has carved out an impressive career discussing fantasy football as the Senior Fantasy Sports analyst at ESPN. After graduating from Newhouse with a degree in producing for electronic media, and at a time when fantasy sports were starting to rise in popul...

Fans of Syracuse University basketball got to know Eric Devendorf ’09 on the basketball court – knocking down shots and talking trash, a role he’s reprised as an anchor member of Boeheim’s Army in the TBT. Members of the Syracuse community have gotten to know Devendorf off the court – organizing winter coat drives, hosting free basketball clinics and delivering hundreds of Thanksgiving dinners to...

From an early age, Elizabeth Strout L'82 was fascinated with seeing life through someone else's perspective, so it's no surprise she envisioned a career in writing, penning works of fiction as a teenager. Upon arrival at Syracuse University's College of Law, Strout aspired to be a lawyer during the day and an author at night. While her legal career was short-lived after graduating cum laude from S...

College All-American, basketball Hall of Famer, founder and CEO of Michigan’s largest steel company, Detroit mayor, life-changing mentor – those are just some of the titles Dave Bing ’66 has had during an illustrious career. In his new memoir, “Attacking the Rim,” Bing talks about the trademark drive, spirit and philosophy that propelled him for success on and off the court. He shares stories abou...

When Patrick Garrigan '01 was studying musical theater at Syracuse University's College of Visual and Performing Arts, he learned to be fearless, to think audaciously, and to go after what he wanted in life. Those core tenets have served him well as Garrigan has carved out a successful career in the communications field, including his current job as Global Head of Bloomberg Live at Bloomberg Media...

In the spring of 1970, Greg Allen '73 and seven of his teammates on the Syracuse University football team, frustrated at how they were treated by the football coaches, sacrificed their shot at glory and took a stand for equality by boycotting spring practices. Among their demands: a more diverse and integrated coaching staff, equal access to academic support and medical care, and playing assignmen...

If you’re a Syracuse University alumnus, you probably haven’t heard of  John and Jerry Dellas , but chances are good that you’ve been inside one of their restaurants before. John and Jerry co-own the Varsity, which has occupied the same location at the corner of Marshall St. and Crouse since its founding in 1926, when John and Jerry’s grandfather, Jerry Dellas, built the Varsity.  From i...

What started with a surprise gift from his grandfather led to quite the career for Ben Clymer '05 , the founder and CEO of Hodinkee. After receiving his grandfather’s OMEGA Speedmaster watch, Clymer began blogging about vintage watches in 2008, and he quickly discovered there was a tremendous market out there for content about watches. Today, Hodinkee has grown from a one-man shop to a company wit...

Since its founding in 1987, the Our Time Has Come Scholarship has changed the lives of more than 1,500 Black and Latino students at Syracuse University. On this 'Cuse Conversation, current scholar Sofia Rossi '22 shares how the scholarship has made an impact on her life, helped her find her community at Syracuse and cultivated her leadership skills. Rachel Vassel '91 and Maria Lopez '05, G'12 with...

Hattie Taylor '17 felt lost living in Melbourne, Australia on her gap year between high school and college when she was approached by a women's rowing coach from Syracuse University. Intrigued by the recruiting pitch, Taylor, a native of the United Kingdom, went on to earn a political science degree as a four-year member of the women's rowing team. An All-American, Taylor credits rowing with bring...

When it comes to your favorite films, the actors and actresses deliver memorable performances, and the screenwriters put together an entertaining script. But before you see the movie, Selena Saldana’s '05 job is to market these films to a wide audience. Saldana, the vice president of publicity for FilmNation Entertainment, has promoted films at the Oscars and nearly every major film festival from...

Whether you’re trying to land a big business deal, angling to get a raise or just trying to get your teenager to do some chores, you can probably pick up a few tips from Joshua Weiss, a 1991 Syracuse University graduate. Joshua’s latest book, “ The Book of Real World Negotiations ,” breaks down strategies that will help you get through those often difficult discussions. From high stakes matters of...

Orchestrating the Daytime Emmy Awards is difficult enough during a normal year. But in a world grappling with COVID-19 pandemic, David Parks '83 , the Executive Producer and Director of the Daytime Emmy Awards, responded to the challenge by planning and executing large-scale, live awards shows to honor television's best. Parks — whose 25-year career in entertainment and broadcast production has in...

People have lost loved ones, their jobs, their sense of security, and even their sense of purpose during COVID-19. Brian Konkol , Dean of Hendricks Chapel, says there is another side that can be nearly as devastating: the damage done to our mental and spiritual well-being. Social distancing has changed how we interact with our friends and family members. We’re all learning to live through this unp...

Charity Purchas '13, G'19 is passionate about two things: providing assistance to vulnerable residents, and Syracuse University. In her role at the Huntington Family Centers under fellow alumna and executive director Mary Lou Sales G'93, Purchas helps people in need get access to essentials like food, water, clothing, personal hygiene items and diapers. Purchas shares her passion for service, why...

For 17 years, Keri Potts '98, G'99 guided strategic communications efforts around ESPN's college sports businesses, created engaging promotional content for the network's NFL and NBA coverage, the 30 for 30 documentary series, the ESPY's awards show and more. But her true passion was advocating for women's empowerment issues, and this summer, Potts became vice president of external relations with...

Everything Flose LaPierre '14 does is driven by a desire to make society better.  After graduating from Syracuse University with dual degrees in sociology and public relations, LaPierre worked to help Miami-Dade County adopt affordable housing policies while learning first-hand the important role community organizing plays in bringing about change. As the world grapples with issues of racial...

Ruth Colvin '59, H'84, the founder of Literacy Volunteers of America (now ProLiteracy), has traveled the world in pursuit of knowledge. She is a proud lifelong learner, the recipient of Presidential Medal of Freedom and a member of the National Women's Hall of Fame. At 103 years old, Ruth still golfs and walks 2,000 steps a day, as tracked by her iPhone. She recently published a memoir: My Travels...

Andrew Lunetta G'14 is the founder of A Tiny Home for Good, a not-for-profit organization in Syracuse that designs and builds single-resident houses for homeless people in and around Syracuse. Since its founding in 2016, they have built 21 homes from the ground-up for homeless tenants across Syracuse, with half of the homes going to our nation's veterans. Lunetta discusses why he's passionate abou...

Alex Kline has always had an eye for talent on the basketball court. When he was 16, Kline started his own recruiting website, The Recruit Scoop, earning a reputation as a scout with reliable and useful intelligence. While earning his undergraduate degree in broadcast and digital journalism from Newhouse, Kline landed a job with the NBA’s New Orleans Pelicans, first as a basketball operations assi...

2015 Miss Rhode Island Allie Curtis '14 is more than just a former Miss America contestant. A second lieutenant in the Rhode Island National Guard, Curtis graduated from the U.S. Army’s Field Artillery Basic Leadership Course, becoming the FIRST woman field artillery officer in Rhode Island. A public affairs officer, Curtis will help integrate more women into combat arms, part of her mission to em...

If you’re a fan of baseball, you’re familiar with Jayson Stark ’73. He’s the senior baseball writer for the Athletic, an MLB Network studio analyst and a Baseball Hall of Famer - the 2019 J.G. Taylor Spink Award recipient. In this ’Cuse Conversation, Jayson talks about his lifelong connection to Syracuse University, shares stories from his career and previews the 2020 MLB season, which is certain...

From the moment he stepped on campus, Ian Wishingrad ’08 recognized that Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications was where he belonged. The marketing pro’s career path hasn’t been traditional, but it has led to success. Wishingrad is the founder and creative director of a marketing and advertising firm , the creator of a cereal brand and recently reunited some of the or...

From an early age, Doug Robinson '85 envisioned a career in the entertainment industry, preferably as a producer. Robinson worked his way up from the Creative Artists Agency mailroom to become an agent, and eventually he was a partner and co-founder of the talent division at Endeavor Talent Agency where he represented Adam Sandler, Chris Farley, Will Smith, Jennifer Garner, Wesley Snipes, Ashton K...