Orange Academy Returns in Fall 2021 With Seven Courses and Discount for Alumni, Faculty and Staff

Syracuse University’s College of Professional Studies announces online noncredit course offerings in two sessions for fall 2021 as part of Orange Academy, which launched in 2020. The cost of each four-week course is $244, with a discounted rate of $195 per course available to alumni, faculty and staff.

“Orange Academy provides a unique pathway to access all that Syracuse University has to offer post-traditional students, as well as those who have earned a college degree but are seeking further educational enrichment,” says Michael Frasciello, dean of the College of Professional Studies. “High school students are also welcome to take Orange Academy courses as a low-stress introduction to the University.”

Courses through Orange Academy are taught by University faculty and instructors. The first four-week session runs from Sept. 20 through Oct. 15, with an enrollment deadline of Sept. 8. Course offerings are Film Production: From Script to Set (led by Donato Rossi, director and video producer at the Center for Online and Digital Learning); The Business of Sport (led by Professor John Wolohan from the Falk College of Sport & Human Dynamics and the College of Law); Social Media Strategies (led by Melinda Sebastian from the School of Information Studies); and The Power of Your Chakras (led by Andrea Willis, director of academic programs in the College of Professional Studies).

The second four-week session runs from Oct. 25 through Nov. 19 with an enrollment deadline of Oct. 11. Course offerings are Historic Cases in Forensic Science (led by Professor James Spencer Ph.D. from the College of Arts and Sciences); Introduction to Brand Development (led by Rich Merrill, a Whitman alum and adjunct instructor in the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications); and Introduction to Project Management (led by Mark Borte, Syracuse University alum and adjunct professor in the School of Information Studies).

Orange Academy offers high-engagement learning opportunities in a relaxed academic environment to those wanting to pursue a personal or professional passion or interest. There are no prerequisites to enroll in Orange Academy and no exams or graded papers, which provides the opportunity to advance knowledge in an open, welcoming setting.

“Orange Academy was launched in 2020 as a way to engage the Orange community during the COVID-19 pandemic,” says Frasciello, noting the partnership between the College of Professional Studies and the Office of Alumni Engagement. “Without having to leave the comfort and safety of home, students of all ages and backgrounds interacted with University faculty—and each other.”

The four-week noncredit courses provide weekly evening live sessions with supplemental content provided between class meetings. Attendees can strengthen their skills, learn a new craft and increase their knowledge base.

In 2020, Orange Academy students also had the opportunity to contribute to the University community, according to Jeff Comanici, executive director, post-traditional advancement. Proceeds from the course fees for students enrolled in the Voices Matter: Why You Need to Talk About Race course contributed more than $4,000 to the College of Professional Studies’ Our Time Has Come (OTHC) scholarship fund. “The fund creates possibilities for underrepresented students at Syracuse University to earn their degree part time,” Comanici says. “The College of Professional Studies’ Our Time Has Come scholarship will be awarded through the College for the first time this fall thanks to the commitment and generosity of students in that Orange Academy course.”

To learn more or register for Orange Academy fall 2021 courses, visit the Orange Academy webpage. For more information about how to donate directly to the College of Professional Studies OTHC scholarship, contact Jeff Comanici at jjcomani@syr.edu.