SU, Destiny USA invite students to share visions for New Orleans as a blueprint for 21st century cities

SU, Destiny USA invite students to share visions for New Orleans as a blueprint for 21st century citiesOctober 19, 2005Matthew R. Snydermrsnyder@syr.edu

New Orleans represents not only a critical need to rebuild, but also an opportunity to assemble an international showcase for next-generation cities in the United States, incorporating dramatic improvements in health, quality of life and security while creating sustainable urban ecosystems.

To act on this opportunity, Syracuse University and Destiny USA are partnering to host a three-day student summit, Oct. 28-31, titled “New Visions, New Cities: New Orleans-Upstate New York Student Summit.” The event, free for student participants, will take place at the Savannah Dhu Lodge, in Savannah, N.Y. Transportation, accommodations and food will be provided by Destiny USA, along with the opportunity to participate in Savanna Dhu’s world-class outdoor recreation opportunities.

The deadline for application is this Thursday, Oct. 20, at 5 p.m. Students from all majors are invited to apply; the simple application process begins online at http://soling.syr.edu. Visiting students displaced by Hurricane Katrina are especially encouraged to apply. Applications will be reviewed by a team of faculty and staff from SU and Destiny USA. The National Chamber Foundation, an independent, non-profit, public policy think tank affiliated with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, is a co-sponsor. Participants will be selected to include a diverse range of backgrounds and interests, with the number of participants limited by the lodging facilities at Savannah Dhu.

“This is a truly unique opportunity to bring students from a wide variety of backgrounds and disciplines together to think about some of the most important issues of our times,” says James T. Spencer, professor of chemistry and director of the Soling Program. “We hope that this conference represents just the beginning of a sustained project in which our students can make a very meaningful contribution to how cities are viewed and planned in the years to come.”

The summit’s outcome will be a collaborative, student-led effort to produce recommendations for the development of a new generation of cities for the 21st century. Discussions will explore several realms of possibilities, such as housing, transportation, music, architecture and much more. After the summit, selected participants will be invited to visit Washington, D.C., to brief members of Congress and the leaders of major corporations.

Speakers at the summit will include the Rev. Thomas V. Wolfe, dean of Hendricks Chapel, on “Connections and Working with Communities and Discussions”; and Ryan Chin, chief researcher and director of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Emerging Cities Initiative, on “Technology in Facing the Future Challenges of Cities.” A keynote speaker will be announced in the coming weeks.

Engagement of SU’s students is being coordinated by the Soling Program, with the participation of the Renee Crown University Honors Program. Each program encourages participants to use collaborative experiences gained through the summit as part of their academic programs. Additionally, the Syracuse Center of Excellence in Environmental and Energy Systems is facilitating engagement of students from institutions across Upstate New York, including Clarkson University, Cornell University, Ithaca College, Le Moyne College, Onondaga Community College, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry and SUNY Oswego.

For more information, call the Soling Program at (315) 443-2426.