‘Promise of Public Service’ Exhibit Debuts at Maxwell
The traveling exhibit by the National Academy of Public Administration celebrates public servants amid America’s 250th anniversary.
See related: Alumni Experience, School History, Student Experience
Anthropologist Selected for Prestigious Weatherhead Fellowship
Maxwell’s Fethi Keles will examine how refugees create social networks as they create new lives in the United States.
See related: Awards & Honors, Promotions & Appointments
Three of a Kind: Sisters Find Their Calling—and Each Other—at Maxwell
Sisters Taylor, Sydney and Lauren Grosso left their family farm for the Maxwell School to earn M.P.A. degrees, finding the mentors, opportunities and family atmosphere that shaped their careers.
See related: Alumni Experience, Student Experience
Maxwell to Host Panel Discussion, Film Screening Marking the 25th Anniversary of 9/11
The event will be held in the K.G. Tan Auditorium on Sept. 14, and features a screening of the documentary, The Heroism and Resiliency of 9/11: From Tragedy to Triumph, produced by Maxwell alumnus Chris Meek.
See related: Alumni Experience, U.S. National Security
Alumna’s $1.2M Gift Endows Maxwell Scholarships for Graduate Students
The gift honors Nancy Mattison’s international career in healthcare policy and will prioritize Maxwell students studying international relations.
See related: Alumni Experience, Giving, International Affairs
New Faculty Fellowship Honors a Legacy of Service and Civic Engagement
Maxwell political scientist Emily Thorson has been named the inaugural Fortunato Priore Endowed Faculty Fellow in Civic Engagement, an appointment made possible by an alumnus’ estate gift.
See related: Awards & Honors, Giving, Promotions & Appointments
MPA Alumnus Is Changing Lives, One Home at a Time
Andrew Lunetta found his focus at the Maxwell School—now he’s a ‘CNN Hero’ building homes for people who need them most.
In Memoriam: Louise Gartner Birkhead ’52 M.P.A.
When Louise Gartner Birkhead arrived at the Maxwell School in 1951 to begin a master of public administration degree, she was one of only two women in her class. The education and training she received shaped a career devoted to public service and a lifelong drive to open doors in government for the women who would follow her. Birkhead died July 13 at the age of 97.
See related: In Memoriam
The Effects of Recalling Health Insurance and Health Care Experiences on Policy Attitudes
The article, co-authored by Associate Professor of Political Science Emily Thorson and Maxwell alumna Emma Dreher, was published in the Journal of Health Politics, Policy and Law.
See related: Government, Health Insurance, U.S. Health Policy, United States
From Toa Alta to Madrid, Maxwell Student Carries on Wanetik’s Spirit of Service
The annual Matthew Ross Wanetik Memorial Scholarship recognizes Maxwell undergraduate Angelie “Angie” Serrano Baéz for academic excellence and a deep commitment to service.
See related: Academic Scholarships, Awards & Honors, Giving, Student Experience
Creative Practice and Spatial Storytelling in the Cartographic Classroom
Co-authored by Assistant Professor of Geography and the Environment Meghan Kelly; Maxwell Ph.D. students Cameron Kline, Rachel Ameen and Brooklyn Montgomery; and Maxwell alum Simone Yoxall, the article was published in Cartographic Perspectives.
See related: Cartography, Education, GIS, New York State
Phanstiels Gift $1M to Maxwell School for Van Slyke Scholarship
Howie ’70, G’71, H’22 and Louise Phanstiel's gift, boosted by a $500,000 Syracuse Promise match, endows scholarship honoring Dean David M. Van Slyke and supporting future leaders.
See related: Academic Scholarships, Giving
O'Keefe One of Two Syracuse University Alumni to Join the Board of Trustees
University Professor Emeritus Sean O'Keefe ’78 M.P.A., along with David S. Klein ’93, have earned accolades in their fields, including highest honors for their accomplishments, and both credit their studies at the University for providing the foundation and the tools for their success.
See related: Promotions & Appointments
From $500 and a Dream to CFO: Alumna Dan Zhang Is Opening Doors for the Next Generation
The ClickUp executive has revived the Maxwell Student Emergency Support Fund to pay it forward—and because she knows firsthand what’s at stake.
See related: Alumni Experience, Giving, Student Experience
‘Service Is Not Just a Career Path—It’s a Lifelong Journey’: Alumni Honored at Awards of Excellence
The fifth annual event in Washington, D.C., celebrated five Maxwell graduates whose careers reflect the school’s commitment to the public good.
See related: Alumni Experience, Awards & Honors, Washington, D.C.
In Memoriam: Greg Cook ’12 Ph.D. (Anth)
Cook, an associate professor of anthropology at the University of West Florida, died April 1, 2026. He was a 2012 Maxwell School anthropology doctoral alumnus whose underwater archaeology work helped reshape understanding of the Atlantic slave trade and Euro-African maritime history.
See related: In Memoriam
Maxwell Celebrates Public Service Recognition Week With a Community Built to Serve
Offering an opportunity to honor those among us who dedicate themselves to uplifting others through careers in government and community service, the celebration is led by the Partnership for Public Service, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization working to build more effective government and strengthening American democracy.
Maxwell Alum to Receive Honorary Degree at 2026 Syracuse University Commencement
Clifford J. Ensley ’69, ’70, G’71, a dedicated University trustee, accomplished entrepreneur and celebrated student-athlete, will be recognized with a doctor of humane letters from Syracuse University at the 2026 Commencement on Sunday, May 10.
See related: Alumni Experience, Awards & Honors
Maxwell Makes a Strong Showing at ISA Annual Convention
Faculty and graduate students presented research, led panels and shaped the conversation at one of international studies’ premier gatherings.
See related: Alumni Experience, Student Experience
Maxwell Alum to receive Generation Orange Award
Ronald J. Taylor ’15 B.A. (PSt/PSc), G’16 will be honored at the annual Alumni Awards Celebration on April 23.
See related: Alumni Experience, Awards & Honors