Schools, Colleges Announce Speakers for 2015 Convocations

From men and women who have achieved outstanding careers in their fields to prominent faculty members to some of the most accomplished students, all of Syracuse University’s schools and colleges have named speakers for their Convocation ceremonies. The Convocations will take place in the day or two preceding the University’s Commencement on Sunday, May 10. The schedule of convocations can be found here.

Following are the schools’ and colleges’ Convocation speakers:

• School of Architecture—Richard Gluckman ’70, G’71 is a founder and principal of award-winning Gluckman Mayner Architects in New York City. Gluckman has been a visiting critic at Harvard Graduate School of Design, Syracuse Architecture, and Parsons School of Design and is a member of the Syracuse Architecture Advisory Board. Gluckman’s work at Syracuse University includes Dineen Hall, the new home of theCollege of Law, and the Nancy Cantor Warehouse near Armory Square.
• College of Arts and Sciences—The faculty speaker will be John S. Burdick, professor and chair of the Department of Anthropology in the College of Arts and Sciences and the Maxwell School. The senior speaker will be Alexander Sammartino, a double major in English and philosophy.
• School of Education—Neal Powless G’08, assistant director of the Native Student Program in the University’s Academic Affairs Office, will be the Convocation speaker. Powless is a member of the Eel clan and son of Chief Irving Powless Jr. Powless received a master’s degree in school counseling from the School of Education. He coordinates and facilitates the College Transition and Native Identity seminar, and is the native faculty mentor for the Multicultural Empowerment Network.
• College of Engineering and Computer Science—Jerry Whitaker ’72 will address the undergraduates. He is the former president of Electrical Sector-Americas at Eaton Corp. Before joining Eaton, Whitaker spent 22 years with Westinghouse Electric Corp. He serves on the board of the College of Engineering and Computer Science. Haden Land G’91 will speak to the master’s and doctoral students. He is vice president of research and technology for Lockheed Martin’s Information Systems and Global Solutions. He serves numerous U.S. government agencies, allied nations and regulated commercial industries.
• David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics—Three students will speak at the Falk College convocation. Ethan Lewis, a social work student, will give the graduate student reflection. The undergraduate student reflections will be given by Aziza Mustefa, a public health major, and John Rodgers, a nutrition science and dietetics major.
• School of Information Studies—Krista Canfield ’03, vice president of corporate communications at Gogobot, will give the Convocation address. Prior to joining Gogobot in December 2014, Canfield spent nearly seven years working corporate, consumer and trade communications at LinkedIn. She is a graduate of the Newhouse School and the Whitman School, and currently is a member of the iSchool’s Board of Advisors.
• College of Law—William Brodsky ’65 L’68 began his career as an attorney in the securities industry with the investment banking/ brokerage firm of Model, Roland & Co., and joined the American Stock Exchange in 1974, where he ultimately became executive vice president of operations and the AMEX representative on the board of the Options Clearing Corp. Later, he served as president and CEO of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange.
• Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs—J. Brian Atwood, former administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development and dean of the Hubert H. Humphrey School of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota, will deliver the Convocation address. His talk is titled “Diplomacy in a Counter-Intuitive World.”
• Newhouse School of Public Communications—Diane Nelson ’89, president of DC Entertainment and president and chief content officer of Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, will be the Convocation speaker. She graduated from the University with a dual degree in advertising and English. As president and chief content officer of Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, she has the additional responsibilities of overseeing the development, production and marketing of all video game titles for WBIE, including those based on DC characters, as well as other Warner Bros. properties and original IP.
• College of Visual and Performing Arts—Jon Cohen ’90 will give the Convocation address to bachelor’s and master’s degree candidates. Cohen is co-CEO of Cornerstone, an award-winning global creative agency; co-founder of the FADER Inc., an award-winning music, style and culture publication and music media platform; and co-founder of FADER Label. He is a regular guest speaker for the Soyars Leadership Lecture Series and he established the program’s Jon Cohen Family Endowed Scholarship.
• Whitman School of Management—The speakers at the Whitman School’s Convocation will be Whitman Class Marshals Maryann Akinboyewa and Taylor Brady; Jin Pan, president of national business honor society Beta Gamma Sigma; Assistant Professor Will Geoghegan, Beta Gamma Sigma Outstanding Faculty Member of the Year; Brett Kaplan, Whitman Student Government President; WGSO Faculty of the Year John Petosa, professor of practice in accounting; Justin Saia, iMBA student speaker; and Jimmy Zheng, MBA student speaker.
• University College—Casey Crabill, president of Onondaga Community College, will speak at University College’s Commencement. Crabill joined OCC in 2013 after serving as president of Raritan Valley Community College in New Jersey and College of the Redwoods in Eureka, Calif.