Twelve named as 2007 University Scholars

Twelve named as 2007 University ScholarsMay 09, 2007SU News ServicesSUnews@syr.edu

Twelve graduating seniors have been designated as Syracuse University Scholars and three as State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry Scholars. This is the highest undergraduate academic honor bestowed by the universities.

The University Scholars represent the entire graduating class and are recognized at Commencement. They took part in an April 27 reception at the Chancellor’s Residence hosted by Chancellor and President Nancy Cantor, at which they received special medallions to be worn at Commencement.

In the selection process, the Syracuse Scholars Selection Committee considers the academic activities of the nominees, both within and outside of the classroom, assessing how closely outside activities are integrated with a student’s overall academic or professional development and how relevant they are to his or her study. Jerome Dusek, psychology professor in The College of Arts and Sciences and chair of the selection committee, observed that this year’s scholars seem more deeply involved, “using their education in a broader sense, out of the class and applying it across the community.”

Of the group as a whole, Dusek says, “These are the best students, but not just academically. They’re the brightest, most articulate and very mature as a group.”

The 2007 University Scholars are:

Brooke Leigh Carey, a history and Italian major in The College of Arts and Sciences and magazine journalism major in the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, has developed a thesis on women in Dante’s Divine Comedy. She studied abroad in Italy in spring 2006 through Syracuse University Abroad.

Jeremy J. Chapman, a computer engineering major in the L.C. Smith College of Engineering and Computer Science and physics major in The College Arts and Sciences, is a fifth-year senior earning two degrees. Chapman, who conducted research throughout his undergraduate career, has worked with Argonne National Laboratory and the SU High Energy Physics Group.

Sharon Clott, with dual majors in magazine journalism in the Newhouse School and communication and rhetorical studies in the College of Visual and Performing Arts, worked as editor-in-chief of the student magazine Equal Time; served as public relations director for Signature Syracuse, a nonprofit organization for inner-city children who want to study music; and was president of Ed2010, the magazine majors networking club. She also interned with Phaidon Press and powerHouse Books and worked for Syracuse University Press.

Krystle M. Davis, a dual major in magazine journalism in the Newhouse School and sociology in The College Arts and Sciences with a minor in African American studies, served as an SU Literacy Corps tutor and a writer/editor for 360 Degrees magazine. Davis is also a Newhouse Ambassador and a member of the Association of Black Journalists.

Maria V. DeFazio, a dual major in English and graphic arts in The College Arts and Sciences and Newhouse School, is a recipient of the Rossman scholarship for students majoring in the humanities and the Margaret Y. Cragg Prize in English, and a Newhouse Scholar. She was a Newhouse peer advisor and was named grand prize winner of the 2006 Love Your Body national poster contest sponsored by the National Organization for Women (NOW) Foundation. DeFazio will give a Commencement address, representing the group of University Scholars.

Eric Thomas Hansen, a public relations major in the Newhouse School and information management and technology major in the School of Information Studies, will graduate with a dual degree. As an undergraduate, Hansen developed and taught a 12-session series on new media for public relations students, the Newhouse New Media Series. He also founded the School of Information Studies Undergraduate Alliance (IST-UA), a grassroots community of information studies undergraduate students. Hansen interned at Edelman, the global public relations firm.

Douglas S. Jack, a fifth-year senior in the School of Architecture, discovered his interest in architecture during high school and worked as an undergraduate with Syracuse-area high school students through his honors capstone project, Design Outfit, to introduce the students to architectural design and construction. A Remembrance Scholar for 2006-07 and a Crown Scholar, Jack is also a School of Architecture student marshal for Commencement and was named recipient of an individual award in the 2007 Chancellor’s Awards for Public Engagement and Scholarship.

M. Gregory Lack, an aerospace engineering major in the College of Engineering and Computer Science, worked summers as a sailing instructor in Annapolis, Md. In addition to aerospace engineering, Lack has minors in mathematics and economics. He studied abroad in London through Syracuse University Abroad.

Monica Leap, a ceramics major in the College of Visual and Performing Arts with a minor in entrepreneurship, will spend a year in Maine living and working as a juried artist-in-residence at the Watershed Center for the Ceramic Arts, a nonprofit organization and residency/retreat providing artists the time and space to create in clay.

Sarah Anne Ryman, an international relations and Spanish major with a geography minor in The College Arts and Sciences, interned in Washington, D.C, at the U.S. Department of State and spent a semester abroad in Ecuador working as a caseworker for Colombian refugees and Ecuadorian migrants. Ryman is a Remembrance Scholar for 2006-07. Her thesis addresses the impact of post-9/11 U.S. and Canadian border policies on persons seeking refugee protection in North America.

Carissa B. Smith, an information management and technology major in the School of Information Studies, works with the StudyResponse Center for Online Research (SCOR), an online social science research center in IST. Smith administers project databases, manages participant recruitment and acts as liaison with academic researchers. With research interests in library science, Smith is also a student leader in IST-UA.

Chelsea Page Tracy-Bronson, with majors in inclusive elementary and special education in the School of Education and sociology in The College Arts and Sciences, volunteered with the OnCampus program, a partnership between the University and the Syracuse City School District that allows high school students with disabilities to experience the social and academic life of college. Tracy-Bronson is currently working with a fourth-grade student with disabilities. She previously served as an undergraduate teaching assistant for the elementary reading methods course.

Three students were named State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry Scholars: Ashleigh M. Simeone, an environmental studies major; James J. Willacker, an environmental biology major; and Paul W. Simonin, an aquatic and fisheries science major. They will be presented with medallions by ESF President Cornelius B. Murphy Jr.