Public Health Students Take Their Research to a National Stage
Five projects, from a class assignment to years of faculty-led research, earned spots at the American Public Health Association’s 2026 Annual Meeting.
Maxwell’s ‘Agents of Change’ Conference to Celebrate and Examine the Nation’s 250th Anniversary
The full-day event on Oct. 16 is part of the school’s USA@250 programming and will feature a keynote by Goldman School Dean David C. Wilson and panels with faculty scholars and pollster John Zogby ’74 M.A. (Hist).
See related: Federal Government, School History, United States, USA@250
A Fitting Backdrop: Maxwell Examines America’s 250th in Philadelphia
At the Museum of the American Revolution, Syracuse University alumni heard Dean David M. Van Slyke and historian Tessa Murphy reflect on the nation’s founding and the legacy of independence.
See related: Colonialism, School History
In Memoriam: James D. Carroll
Carroll, Maxwell alumnus, former faculty member and chair of Public Administration Department, died Aug. 18, 2026, in Washington, D.C. He was 91.
See related: In Memoriam
Maxwell Advisory Board Welcomes Six Accomplished Alumni
Their expertise spans a range of fields, and they play a vital role in advising the dean and school leadership.
See related: Promotions & Appointments, School History
‘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
Sanctioned Bigotry: A Documented History of Antisemitism in the United States
Britt Tevis, Phyllis Backer Professor of Jewish Studies and assistant professor of history, has edited an anthology, Sanctioned Bigotry: A Documented History of Antisemitism in the United States (Yale University Press, 2026). Tevis uses a variety of sources to chart the course of antisemitism in the United States from the colonial period to the present day.
See related: Conflict, Race & Ethnicity, United States
New Federal Grant Funds Specialized Training in Health and Aging Research
Doctoral students will examine how policies and geographic factors shape health outcomes for American adults.
See related: Aging, Community Health, Grant Awards, Longevity, Student Experience, U.S. Education, U.S. Health Policy, United States
Epidemiology and Public Health Policy Concentrations Added to Maxwell MPH Program
The additions align with the department’s expertise, student interests and public health industry demands.
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
Gangster of New York: A Violent Life in Nineteenth Century America
Andrew Wender Cohen, professor and director of graduate studies in the History Department, has written Gangster of New York: A Violent Life in Nineteenth Century America (Cambridge University Press, 2026). The book traces the extraordinary life of Louis Bieral, a 19th-century gangster, politician, sportsman and Civil War hero whose turbulent journey illuminates the violence woven into the fabric of American life.
See related: Crime & Violence
From Cartography Class to National Conference: A Maxwell Graduate’s Research Journey
Amelia Rudolph, a geography and citizenship and civic engagement dual major, presented undergraduate research at the largest gathering of geographers in North America.
See related: Cartography, Research Methods, Student Experience
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
Nonprofit Organization Management in China: Research and Practice
Jiahuan Lu, associate professor of public administration and international affairs, has co-edited a new research handbook, Nonprofit Organization Management in China: Research and Practice (Routledge, 2026). The volume examines nonprofit management in China through a comparative, organizational lens rather than the state-society framework common in earlier scholarship.
See related: China, Non-governmental Organizations
Maxwell School Announces Faculty Promotions for 2026-27
Four faculty members have received tenure in their promotion to associate professor, while one has been promoted to full professor and another to associate teaching professor.
See related: Promotions & Appointments