Some of our readers are receiving the Perspective magazine for the first time as a Maxwell alumnus. This includes our recent graduates, of course, but also the over 1,200 alumni of the Public Health Department, which transitioned over the summer from Falk College to Maxwell as part of a University restructuring detailed in this edition’s cover story.

I am thrilled to welcome each of our public health alumni. You have joined a community that has a strong global reach—43,000 alumni in 50 states and 162 countries. As you get to know Maxwell, you’ll hear us speak about the Athenian Oath that’s engraved on the wall of our first-floor foyer and serves as a shared mantra—a commitment to leave the world not less, but greater than we found it. Across disciplines and fields, our alumni strive to uplift others. That is just one of the many reasons why public health is such a great fit here. Over the last several months, I’ve greatly enjoyed getting to know the highly accomplished faculty, staff, students and alumni who are working to advance research on infectious disease, vaccines, mindfulness, public health education, wastewater monitoring and more. So many areas of public health align with work that’s long been underway within Maxwell and Eggers halls.

We fully understand that it is a bit of a strange proposition as an alumnus to join a school or college with which you may have had little affiliation as a student. You may always identify as a Falk graduate, and that’s understandable, and perhaps even expected. I can imagine I might feel the same. But I hope you’ll give Maxwell a chance: Take a few minutes to get to know us in the pages of this magazine. Visit us online. Our website offers the latest news about public health faculty, student and alumni achievements, and you can learn more about our other areas of study. Also on our site, you’ll find a link to our alumni update form which you can use to keep us informed about your own accomplishments and career changes. You will also find information about upcoming school and alumni events. I hope you will also consider joining one of these in-person and virtual opportunities.

Speaking of events, as I write this, we are basking in the happy memories from another successful Syracuse University Homecoming weekend. We were thrilled to welcome Maxwell alums back to campus for events that included a panel discussion on national security featuring Maxwell faculty members The Hon. James Baker, Chris Mihm, Brynt Parmeter and Kristen Patel ’90 B.A. (Econ/PSt). We also participated in a vibrant alumni breakfast showcasing schools, colleges and units across campus. I was delighted to connect with alumni and friends at these opportunities and at other events throughout the weekend. Check out and download photos from Homecoming weekend and other past events at our Flickr account.

Once again, a heartfelt welcome to our public health alumni. We’re honored to have you in our Maxwell family.

Jessica Murray
Director of Alumni Relations