Syracuse Sun

The Maxwell School at Syracuse University is set to celebrate its centennial this month, focusing on the contributions of students, staff, faculty, and alumni. The celebration will take place in the Schine Student Center's Goldstein Auditorium from 4 to 7 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 18. The event will feature a reception followed by awards recognizing individuals for their dedication and service.

Dean David M. Van Slyke stated, "As we gather on campus to celebrate a century of service and shared commitment to making the world a better place, it’s my privilege to recognize these stand-out individuals." He emphasized that each awardee embodies the spirit of Maxwell's commitment to engaged citizenship over the past century.

The Centennial Scholar Awards will be presented to several students including Adam Baltaxe, Jorge Morales, Anna Rupert, Nathan Torabi, Mariana Zepeda, Ferdinand Eimler, Benjamin Katz, Julia Liebell-McLean, and Kaythari Maw.

Staff members Sarah McLaughlin, Dan Nelson, Amy Schmidt, and Deborah Toole will receive Dean’s Citations. Faculty members Devashish Mitra, Jennifer Karaz Montez, Chie Sakakibara, and Baobao Zhang are also set to be honored.

Four alumni will receive Changemaker Awards: John Mandyck '89,'92; Sharon Owens '85; H. Lewis "Lew" Rapaport '59; and Kathryn Ruscitto '92.

The celebration marks a year filled with events commemorating the school's founding by George H. Maxwell in 1924 as the School of Citizenship and Public Affairs. Over its 100-year history, Maxwell has grown significantly with more than 38,000 alumni worldwide and a wide range of academic offerings across social sciences and public affairs.

Earlier this year in May 2024, distinguished alumni were celebrated at an event at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Portrait Gallery in Washington D.C., part of ongoing initiatives highlighting Maxwell's global impact.

In addition to the main celebration on Oct. 18th, other scheduled events include lectures by Maeve E. Kane and Arthur C. Brooks as well as talks on democracy and ancient Egypt research led by Mark Lehner.

For more details about these events visit the Maxwell School’s centennial events page.