During the third annual ’CUSE50 Alumni Entrepreneur Awards ceremony, the 50 fastest-growing businesses owned or led by Orange alumni were honored. (Photo by Amy Manley)
’CUSE50 2025 in Photos
For the third year in a row, the University honored Orange ingenuity with two days of celebration, networking and a friendly pitch competition as part of the ’CUSE50 Alumni Entrepreneur Awards.
On Nov. 13, the ’CUSE50 Alumni Entrepreneur Awards ceremony recognized the 2025 honorees, culminating with a live reveal of the top 10 fastest-growing Orange businesses.
The next day, ’CUSE50 Alumni Entrepreneur Award honorees headlined the Student Summit, where students networked with top thinkers and explored building in the creator economy, developing startups, launching entrepreneurial careers and creating personal and business brands.
The summit also included a “Five for Five” student pitch competition, where the top five campus innovation teams participated in a spirited “Shark Tank”-style format for a “winner take all” $5,000 grand prize selected by ’CUSE50 honorees.
Check out how the two days went:
Wakeena Dickens received the ‘CUSE50 Alumni Entrepreneur Award for Down Home Comfort Cafe, one of the fastest-growing alumni-owned businesses. (Photo by Amy Manley)
Laurenne Yomi Mvete ’25, G’26 (left) and Joy Cho ’01 led the keynote fireside chat. (Photo by Amy Manley)
Student emcee Ryan Nkongnyu ’25, G’26 delivered the opening remarks to kick off the ceremony. (Photo by Amy Manley)
Matthew Tarullo ’04 (right) received the ’CUSE50 Alumni Entrepreneur Award from J. Michael Haynie, vice chancellor for strategic initiatives and innovation and executive dean of the Martin J. Whitman School of Management. (Photo by Amy Manley)
Haynie presented the ’CUSE50 Alumni Entrepreneur Award to Stephannie Addo-Zuniga (right). (Photo by Amy Manley)
Kerri Garbis ’92 (right) received the ’CUSE50 Alumni Entrepreneur Award from Haynie. (Photo by Amy Manley)
Student emcee Ryan Nkongnyu ’25, G’26 shared the stage with Otto. (Photo by Amy Manley)
During the third annual ’CUSE50 Alumni Entrepreneur Awards ceremony, the 50 fastest-growing businesses owned or led by Orange alumni were honored. (Photo by Amy Manley)
This family posed for a cute photo during the ’CUSE50 Alumni Entrepreneur Awards. (Photo by Amy Manley)
The National Veterans Resource Center at the Daniel and Gayle D’Aniello Building was decked out in orange and blue to commemorate the annual awards celebration. (Photo by Amy Manley)
Award winners and attendees had an opportunity to network after the awards portion of the evening. (Photo by Amy Manley)
David Van Slyke (left), dean of the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, and Mark Lodato (right), dean of the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, shared a laugh with one of the attendees. (Photo by Amy Manley)
A student and an alumnus mingled during the ’CUSE50 Alumni Awards reception. (Photo by Amy Manley)
Students and alumni who attended the ’CUSE50 Student Summit learned about engaging, practical and forward-thinking opportunities available to entrepreneurs. (Photo courtesy of Syracuse University on Facebook)
The ’CUSE50 Student Summit included conversations and networking with the 50 fastest-growing alumni businesses. (Photo courtesy of Syracuse University on Facebook)
Students met and networked with alumni founders and top executives of leading innovation companies at the ’CUSE50 Student Summit. (Photo courtesy of Syracuse University on Facebook)
