Syracuse Sun

The JMA Wireless Dome recently hosted the 108th Chancellor’s Review and Awards Ceremony on March 28, honoring the achievements of cadets from Syracuse University's Army and Air Force ROTC programs. The annual event, which started in 1917 under Chancellor James R. Day, celebrates academic and leadership success within the military training community at the university.

This year's ceremony included a formal troop inspection by Chancellor Kent Syverud and the presentation of awards recognizing exceptional academic, leadership, and civic achievements. Retired U.S. Army Col. Ron Novack, executive director of Syracuse's Office of Veteran and Military Affairs, highlighted the remarkable contributions of the ROTC cadets to the campus and broader community, stating, “Every year the Army and Air Force ROTC cadets at Syracuse University make significant accomplishments and contributions which are important for us, as a campus community, to recognize and celebrate.”

Awards bestowed during the ceremony included the General Edward C. Meyer Leadership Award, honoring U.S. Army ROTC Cadet Andrew Lopane for his leadership potential. Lopane, studying landscape architecture at SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, also volunteers with Syracuse University Ambulance. U.S. Army Lt. Col. Matthew Coyne praised the event, saying, “The Chancellor’s Review...honors the dedication, leadership and achievements of Army and Air Force ROTC cadets, reinforcing the University’s deep connection to military service.”

U.S. Air Force ROTC Cadet Charles Tang ’25 received the Professor John A. and Dean Marion Meyer Scholar Award for his leadership and performance. Tang, a political science student at the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, expressed gratitude for the opportunities provided by Syracuse. “Syracuse University and the AFROTC program have made me confident in my ability to lead as a future officer in the US Air Force,” Tang said.

The ceremony concluded with a Pass in Review, symbolizing honor and respect, as cadets paraded before their families and university leaders. U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Michael Skarda emphasized Syracuse's commitment to the ROTC, saying, “Syracuse University doesn’t just talk about supporting ROTC—it has demonstrated that commitment for 108 years in a tradition that even predates the Air Force itself.”