National Pan-Hellenic Council Hosts ‘Syracuse 8’ Panel Oct. 4

The National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) welcomes four members of the “Syracuse 8” on Thursday, Oct. 4, for a panel discussion titled “Leveling the Playing Field.” The panel discussion begins at 7 p.m. in Goldstein Auditorium, Schine Student Center.

Returning to campus are Gregory Allen ’73, Dana J. Harrell ’71, G’73, John Lobon ’73 and A. Alif Muhammad ’71. Each will share their experience as members of the Syracuse 8—nine African American members of the 1969-70 Syracuse University football team who boycotted the team to protest inequities within the athletic program. “Leveling the Playing Field” is also the title of the book about their story.

“The Syracuse 8 were courageous student-athletes who put everything on the line to protest discrimination and racial inequity. We are honored to have Greg, John and Alif share their past experiences with us as they advocated for change on campus and beyond,” says Tyler Louis-Jeune ’19, president of NPHC.

Food and refreshments will be provided at the event courtesy of NPHC and the Office of Program Development. Communication Access Realtime Translation (CART) will be provided.

Tickets are available free-of-charge at the Schine Box Office beginning Friday, Sept. 28. Tickets are required for entry. The event is open to all.

For questions, contact Louis-Jeune at tmlouisj@syr.edu.

Gregory Allen

Allen graduated with a bachelor of science degree from the Newhouse School of Public Communications in 1973, and completed business graduate programs at Duquesne University and Northwestern’s Kellogg Business School. Allen spent 33 years in corporate America with Liberty Mutual Insurance Company and retired as an insurance executive. He has participated on several boards, including the Arizona Mental Health Association, Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Syracuse University School of Education Board of Visitors, Northern Illinois University Business School-Marketing Board and Liberty Mutual Advisory Board. He has coached youth sports in the different communities where he lived and won several championships and coach’s awards. He is involved in his church and volunteers his time in the community. He and his wife Sirena have three children and live in Illinois.

Dana J. Harrell

Harrell is an attorney and principal of Harrell Associates, founded in 2004, a commercial real estate consulting firm. He is also adjunct associate professor of real estate finance at Bentley University, Waltham, Massachusetts. With many years of executive experience in both the private and public sectors, Harrell provides real estate investment strategies and advisory services to developers, investment advisors, community development corporations, law firms, real estate brokers and managers, architectural firms, private investors and estates.

He began his real estate career with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey in 1972 where he was a member of the leasing team for the initial lease-up of the World Trade Center Towers and Complex. In 1980, Harrell joined Equitable Real Estate as director of leasing responsible for leasing activities for all Equitable owned assets in New York City, and over the years worked his way up to senior vice president.

Harrell earned a B.A. in history in 1971 and was awarded a Ford Foundation Fellowship for graduate studies. He earned an M.P.A. from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs in 1973. He graduated first in his class from the Real Estate Institute at New York University in 1974, and he earned a J.D. from New York Law School in 1979. Harrell’s professional and community activities include the Greater Boston Real Estate Board, Urban Land Institute, Building Owners and Managers Association, United States Green Building Council, Dimock Community Health Center and Pop Warner Football. Harrell and his wife, Michelle ’72, G’73 live in Milton, Massachusetts. They have three adult children: Jared, Nicholas and Alva ’11.

John Lobon

Lobon was a senior vice president and senior loan officer for the Connecticut Development Authority’s (CDA) Urbank Small Business Lending Program. The CDA is a quasi-public state agency created in 1973 to provide financial assistance to Connecticut businesses. He retired from the State of Connecticut in 2013 after 29 years of service. Prior to joining the CDA in 1993, he held positions in state government and the banking industry. Lobon is a 1973 graduate of Syracuse University and a 1980 graduate of Williams College Graduate School of Banking. In June 2005, he was also appointed by Governor M. Jodi Rell to be a commissioner on the Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities.

A. Alif Muhammad

Muhammad has more than 35 years of experience in general, technical vocational, and adult education settings from pre-school to elementary, to junior high, to high school, to higher education and adult basic education.  His educational roles include classroom teacher, mathematics staff developer, curriculum developer and academic coordinator, dean, director of technical vocational education, technology integration specialist, adjunct professor, consultant, and a forever student of life. Muhammad is a graduate of Syracuse University (BS) and New Hampshire College (MS), and has pursued continuing education at Syracuse University School of Education, Massachusetts Institute Technology, University of Massachusetts Boston, Harvard University, Ford Fellowship, and currently the M.A.L.I. Institute.