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Study Abroad alumni named 2025-26 Remembrance Scholars

Thirty-five students have been chosen as the 2025-26 Syracuse University Remembrance Scholars, 20 of which are Syracuse Abroad program alumni and Global Ambassadors.

The scholarships, now in their 36th year, were founded as a tribute to—and means of remembering—the students studying in London and Florence through Syracuse University who were killed in the Dec. 21, 1988, bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland. Those students were among the 270 people who perished in the bombing. The scholarships are funded through an endowment supported by gifts from alumni, friends, parents and corporations.

Remembrance Scholars are chosen in their junior year through a competitive selection process. Applicants submitted an essay and a reflective response in multimedia, artistic, musical or written format as part of a comprehensive application. The application evaluation committee is composed of University faculty and staff and current Remembrance Scholars. The $5,000 scholarships are awarded on the basis of community impact, leadership, creativity and thoughtful academic inquiry.

The study abroad alum scholars are:

Ellie Allen of Newton, Massachusetts, a citizenship and civic engagement major in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, a policy studies major in the Maxwell School and College of Arts and Sciences (A&S), and a member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program; Summer Program: The European and Global Internship Program in Brussels and Global Ambassador

Jacqueline Arbogast of Warwick, New York, a television, radio and film major in the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications; Madrid Center

Belinda Chan of Brooklyn, New York, a social work major in the Falk College; World Partner: University College Dublin 

Tommy DaSilva of Newark, Delaware, a public health major in the Falk College; a policy studies major in the Maxwell School and A&S, and a citizenship and civic engagement major in the Maxwell School; London Summer Session and Global Ambassador

Nick Dekaney of Syracuse, New York, a broadcast and digital journalism major in the Newhouse School; London Center

Ava Downey of Newport Beach, California, a linguistics major in A&S, an international relations major in the Maxwell School and A&S, and a member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program; World Partner: Amideast Area and Arabic Language Studies in Morocco and Global Ambassador

Leah Farrell of New Milford, Connecticut, a citizenship and civic engagement major in the Maxwell School and policy studies major in the Maxwell School and A&S and a member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program; Strasbourg Center

Abbey Fitzpatrick of Pacific Grove, California, a history and political science major in the Maxwell School and A&S; Florence Center and Global Ambassador

Olivia Fried of Clinton Corners, New York, an international relations major in the Maxwell School and A&S and magazine, news and digital journalism major in the Newhouse School; Santiago Center and Global Ambassador

Olutoyin Green, of Long Island, New York, a health humanities and political philosophy major in A&S, a law, society and policy major in the Maxwell School, and a member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program; World Partner: SIT South Africa: International Relations in the Global South and Global Ambassador

Alani Henderson of Syracuse, New York, a political science major in the Maxwell School and A&S and a law, society and policy major the Maxwell School; London Center and Global Ambassador

Wafiq Khondkar of New Hyde Park, New York, a biotechnology and philosophy major in A&S and member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program; Madrid Summer Session

Joy Mao, of Cary, North Carolina, a policy studies major in the Maxwell School and A&S, a television, radio and film major in the Newhouse School, and a member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program; London Center

Valeria Martinez-Gutierrez of Laredo, Texas, a geography and sociology major in the Maxwell School and A&S; an environment, sustainability and policy major in the Maxwell School, and a member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program; London Center

Marc Pantano of Newington, Connecticut, a marketing and supply chain management major in the Martin J. Whitman School of Management; Madrid Center and Global Ambassador

Zachary Setzkorn of Overland Park, Kansas, a geography and history major in the Maxwell School and A&S, a social studies education major in the Maxwell School and School of Education, and member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program; London Center and Global Ambassador

Ethan Shavelson of Parkland, Florida, an acting major in VPA; London Center: Acting at Shakespeare’s Globe 

Nathan Torabi, of Visalia, California, a political science major in the Maxwell School and A&S; a citizenship and civic engagement and law, society and policy major in the Maxwell School, and a member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program; Florence Center

Jacquelyn Trotman of Edison, New Jersey, a retail management major in the Whitman School, an advertising major (creative track) in the Newhouse School, and a member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program; Florence Center

Anya Von Wolff of San Francisco, California, a fashion design major in VPA; World Partner: London College of Fashion

Madrid 101: Advice from Reagan

The most unforgettable experience I had in Spain was, without a doubt, the entire signature seminar. As a biology major, I initially signed up for the credits, but those 10 days traveling down Spain’s eastern coast—visiting Valencia, Santa Pola, Cartagena, Cabo de Palos, and more—became so much more. It was the perfect introduction to life in Spain, allowing us to immerse ourselves in the culture before settling in Madrid.

Our professor, Monica, was incredibly passionate about marine ecology, which made us care even more. We snorkeled, hiked, cleaned beaches, and even scuba-dived, all while learning about the ocean and how to better protect our environment. Rediscovering my love for learning and finding new passions was a form of personal growth I didn’t realize I needed. It was the best learning experience I’ve ever had and even inspired me to explore careers in marine biology and ecology. I wish I could do it all over again!

Beyond the seminar (which I could talk about for hours), another meaningful part of my time in Spain was my work-study job in the academic office and all of the time I spent in our school (¡El Instituto Internacional!). Since I usually have a work-study job on campus, I was excited to continue that abroad—especially with the cost of living! More than that, it became a great creative outlet, helping to balance the occasional stress of adjusting to life in a new country. Working with Cat and Álvaro (or even just visiting the academic office) was an incredible way to connect with the SU Madrid staff and feel more at home in my new environment.

Every moment of my study abroad experience is one I’ll cherish forever. Getting to visit so many amazing cities with some of my closest friends makes studying abroad one of the most unforgettable times in my life. From spontaneous metro rides to discovering new restaurants between classes, speaking broken Spanish with locals, and the bittersweet tears with my new friends on our last night, it was all perfect. Madrid is an incredible city full of rich culture, and I’ll always dream of the day I get to return.

Advice if you’re heading abroad:

  • First, learn the language, even if it’s just a few basic words! A lot of students assume that in big cities, most people will speak English—and many do—but the point of studying abroad is to embrace the culture. Speaking the local language, even a little, is one of the most respectful and meaningful ways to do that.
  • Next, make a budget. I was managing my finances while abroad, so I created a spreadsheet to track what I could spend and where I needed to save. You don’t want to get to the end of the semester and realize you can’t do something because you ran out of money. Be smart, save where you can, and plan ahead!
  • Finally, remember: there’s always a flight home. Don’t stress too much about adjusting to a new environment. I’d tell anyone a million times over to stay—but ultimately, you know yourself best. Being in a foreign country comes with challenges, and the only way to grow is to let yourself fail, learn, and figure things out.
  • Also, don’t forget that there are so many people to support you. When I felt stuck or overwhelmed, I talked to friends and Syracuse Madrid staff, and they helped me shift my mindset. There are people who want you to succeed and enjoy your time. Everything will work out, and you’ll end up having the time of your life!

Reagan Cavanagh ’26

Biology & Psychology

Madrid Center Fall 2024

Study Abroad alumni named 2025 Syracuse University Scholars

Twelve seniors have been named as the 2025 Syracuse University Scholars, the highest undergraduate honor the University bestows, 7 of which are study abroad alumni!

The Syracuse Abroad alumni named 2025 Syracuse University Scholars are:

  • Charlotte Ebel, a public relations major in the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, a women and gender studies and German language, literature and culture major in the College of Arts and Sciences, and member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program; Managing Global Sports Communications, Summer 2023.
  • Abigail Greenfield, a history major in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, a political philosophy major in the College of Arts and Sciences, and member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program; Madrid Center, Fall 2023 and Florence & London Summer session, Summer 2022.
  • Sierra Kaplan, a political science major in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, a health humanities major in the College of Arts and Sciences, and a member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program; Exploring Central Europe, Fall 2023.
  • Emmy Njue, a finance and business analytics majors in the Whitman School of Management; Madrid Center, Spring 2024.
  • Morgan Opp, a chemistry and biology major in the College of Arts and Sciences; Madrid Summer Session, Summer 2023.
  • Yifan Shen, an architecture major in the School of Architecture, a music history and cultures major in the College of Arts and Sciences, and member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program; Florence Center, Spring 2023 and London Center, Fall 2023.
  • Sophia Znamierowski, a biology and neuroscience major in the College of Arts and Sciences, and member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program, World Partner: DIS Copenhagen, Fall 2023.

Philanthropy That Brings Outside the Box Thinking to the Student Experience

Michael “Mike” Venutolo ’77 and his wife, Kim, vividly remember sharing an eight-hour bus ride through the 110-degree desert in the United Arab Emirates with a half dozen engineering students from Syracuse University. Mike had helped design a novel two-week internship experience to expose the students to issues involved in producing and transporting potable water hundreds of miles across the desert. It was the kind of experiential learning that the Venutolos have supported through their philanthropy. The kind that directly and rapidly transforms the student experience.

His appreciation for international experiences and experiential learning is reflected in Venutolo’s most recent philanthropy, pledging nearly $1 million to create or support:

  • Kim and Michael Venutolo ’77 Fund for Experiential Learning to support students studying abroad and the London Center program with particular focus on community and cultural engagement through program-sponsored travel,
  • Kim and Michael Venutolo ’77 Fund for Professional Development to augment the activities of ECS clubs and societies specifically oriented to building professional skills, networking and education through their activities, including student travel to conferences,
  • Kim and Michael Venutolo ’77 Undergraduate Endowment Scholarship to provide scholarship and financial assistance to deserving ECS undergraduates,
  • Kim and Michael Venutolo ’77 Fund for Remembrance and Lockerbie Exchange to support trips to Lockerbie, the Lockerbie Academy and other remembrance related activities and
  • Invention Accelerator Fund, which supports undergraduates as they design, prototype and pitch their inventions.

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Tyler Center for Global Studies Awards Grant to University to Fund International Travel for Research and Creative Projects

The Tyler Center for Global Studies has awarded a $20,000 grant to Syracuse Abroad and the Syracuse Office for Undergraduate Research and Creative Engagement (SOURCE). Tyler Center Fellowships will fund international travel (up to $5,000) for undergraduate research and creative projects. 

Learn more about this fellowship: Tyler Center for Global Studies

Duke U. heads to Strasbourg!

Fall 2024 student Audrey Davies, a junior at Duke University studying computer science and finance, talks to Dr. Bart about her semester at Syracuse Strasbourg.

Dr. Bart: Why did you decide to study in Strasbourg?

Audrey: I’ve been studying French since high school and knew that I wanted to study abroad in France and speak French. The programs available to me were Duke’s program in Paris and Syracuse’s in Strasbourg. I knew it would be hard to really learn French and meet locals in Paris as it is such a big, cosmopolitan city, so Syracuse in Strasbourg was the most feasible option for my goals.

Dr. Bart: So how did the semester go?

Audrey: Academically speaking, my semester was great. I welcomed the break from my usual STEM heavy course load at Duke by taking two French classes, an art history class, and a communications class. One of my French classes was at IIEF, a French language institute connected to the University of Strasbourg. My decision to take classes at the university really made the experience for me, as I was in a class of mostly immigrants from countries such as Turkey, Iran, and Ukraine. The only common language we all had was French, which meant I couldn’t ask questions or explain a concept in English the way you can in foreign language classes in America where everyone speaks English. Thanks to my IIEF class I elevated my French throughout the semester and interacted with people I never would’ve interacted with before. 

Dr. Bart: Did you enjoy the homestay experience?

Audrey: I personally had a great homestay experience. I consider myself really lucky because I genuinely had no issues whatsoever with my host family and it ended up being very additive to my overall study abroad experience. I lived with just a grandma in an apartment in the city, but she has two granddaughters who are 20 and 22 who often dropped by. Having French people my age around helped me tremendously, as they taught me more “spoken” French and slang that young people use that I would hear at bars and around town. This complemented the more formal French I learned in the classroom. My host grandma enjoyed how much I talked to her and her family and made an effort to learn the language and indulge in their culture (eat traditional Alsatian meals that she cooked, visit neighboring villages, etc.). I ended up becoming good friends with both granddaughters as well as my host grandma, and we’ve kept in touch! I recommend the homestay experience if you are committing to learning and speaking French. The thing my host family appreciated most was the effort I made. If you are not willing or prepared to make an effort, you will have a different experience.

Dr. Bart: What did you do with your free time in Strasbourg?

Audrey: Most of my free time was spent traveling and socializing. During the semester, I split my time evenly between Strasbourg and traveling to other cities. This was partly because of my goal to learn as much French as possible and partly because I ended up liking Strasbourg a lot more than I expected and since my host family was great, I felt comfortable staying during the weekend. On a typical weekday I’d go to class and depending on if my host family was home, I’d go home for lunch and hang out with them or get lunch with friends. I’d always have dinner at home with my grandma and after dinner would see my friends from Syracuse. Some other fun things we all did in Strasbourg included going to hockey and soccer games, watching NFL on Sundays at La Brasserie Meteor, shopping, walking around the Christmas markets, exploring nearby towns such as Molsheim, Hindisheim, and Colmar, and participating in weekend activities planned by Syracuse.

Dr. Bart: How would you describe Strasbourg to someone who’s never been there?

Audrey: Coming from a big city like Atlanta, Strasbourg felt small, but in a good way. Everything is accessible by foot or public transportation, and the large student population from the University of Strasbourg made the city feel almost like a college town but with the amenities of a city such as professional sports teams and lots of bars, clubs, and restaurants. The level of English is not high like in Paris, so it definitely felt very authentically French. A pro of being a smaller city is that there aren’t a ton of Americans there, meaning we were more of a “novelty” to the locals and thus we found everyone was pretty nice and welcoming, differing from the stereotypes of French people stemming from Parisians. Being so close to Germany with a uniquely French and German history, there are a lot of German influences in the food, architecture, and language.

Dr. Bart: Do you have any advice for future Syracuse Abroad students, to get the most out of their time in Strasbourg? 

Audrey: My advice for future students would be to make an effort to learn French as it is much appreciated by the locals and will you get you super far if you are staying with a host family, say yes to everything and put yourself out there, and don’t travel so much that you forget to explore your home city or the neighboring towns around it because Alsace is such a cool place. Most importantly: have a good attitude. In a four month abroad experience, not every day is going to be amazing and some things are going to take more effort than you’d like, but that’s part of having an authentic experience:

  • Learn the language – When I led with French, even though people could immediately tell I wasn’t French, they’d almost always go out of their way to accommodate me or go the extra mile.
  • Put yourself out there/say yes to everything – Some of the highlights of my semester were times I spent all together with my host cousins and our friends. This “friendship crossover” wouldn’t have been possible if I didn’t put myself out there and make an effort to hang out with them. The closer to my host family I got, the more things they invited me to do such as visit their home in a nearby village for raclette or go to birthday dinners or to an election watch party. I’m so glad I said yes to all of these opportunities even though I was insecure about my French because situations like these are how I improved as a speaker while soaking up French culture. 
  • Some places I loved in Strasbourg: Brasseries: Happy Hours, Public House, Place de Marché Gayot, Le Meteor / Restaurants: La Corde à Linge, Le Tonneau / Quick food: Patisserie Gerber, Au Wegele, Sushido.

Lender Global Student Fellows Learn About UK Environmental Sustainability

Among the students studying in the Syracuse Abroad London program this semester are three undergraduates who were selected for unique research opportunities as Lender Global research fellows. Since the semester began, they have engaged in hands-on learning by visiting famous environmental sites and examining social justice topics focused on the environment.

The Lender Global program expands existing Lender Center for Social Justice student research opportunities, offered on campus or at sites in the U.S., by broadening the scope of social justice research to include examinations with global dimensions. The research is customized to students’ interests and location. London is the inaugural site for the Lender Global program, which was announced last fall.

Read more: Lender Global in the UK

Lender Global Program Recruiting Students for Next Research Fellowships in Santiago, Chile

Syracuse University’s Lender Center for Social Justice and Syracuse Abroad have chosen the Santiago, Chile, program as the next location to host a new globally focused student research initiative.

The Lender Global program was launched last year to offer students innovative research opportunities to examine social justice issues from a global perspective. The first cohort is studying environmental issues at the Syracuse Abroad center in London now. In Santiago, student fellows will study the impact and consequences of the Augusto Pinochet dictatorship in Chile, which lasted from 1973 to 1990, during which more than 3,000 people died or disappeared, 200,000 suffered exile and 27,000 were tortured.

Three student fellowships will be awarded to students who plan to study abroad in Santiago during the 2025-26 academic year. All students who have been accepted to study there via the OrangeAbroad portal will be invited to express interest in the fellowship project.

Learn more about the Lender Center Research Fellowship

Abroad Alumni Selected for Prestigious Rangel and Pickering Fellowships

A Syracuse University senior and an alumna were recently chosen for prestigious graduate fellowships that prepare students for careers in the Foreign Service.

Linda Baguma ’25, an international relations and political science major in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs and College of Arts and Sciences, has been named a 2025 Rangel Fellow and studied abroad in South Africa. Alexandria Johnson ’24, an international relations graduate from the Maxwell School and College of Arts and Sciences, has been selected as a 2025 Pickering Fellow and studied abroad at Syracuse Strasbourg Center.

Read more about Linda and Lexie

Gilman International Scholarship Recipients Announced for October 2024 cycle

Syracuse Abroad congratulates the 4 students who have been awarded Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarships for upcoming study abroad programs in spring and summer 2025. The total amount received by the students is $17,500

The recipients, along with the country where they will be studying, are the following:

  • Leo Skipper, Taiwan, Summer 2025
  • Ashlana Prashad, Spain, Spring 2025
  • 2 other students have been awarded scholarships and plan to study in France and Italy

Syracuse Abroad partners with the Center for Fellowship and Scholarship Advising (CFSA) to advise students during the application process. Throughout the recent cycles, CFSA and Syracuse Abroad held information sessions and writing workshops to help students prepare their applications and essay submissions.

Gilman Scholarships are open to undergraduate students who are U.S. citizens receiving Federal Pell Grant funding at a two-year or four-year college or university to participate in study or internship programs abroad.

All who meet the qualifications with plans to study abroad are encouraged to apply. Gilman encourages applications from students from diverse ethnic backgrounds; students planning to study in non-traditional destinations; students in fields underrepresented in study abroad; and students with high financial need. Students studying a critical need language (such as Arabic, Korean, Japanese or Portuguese) can apply for an additional $3,000 supplement for a total possible award of $8,000.

The application deadline is the first Tuesday of March for summer/fall/full-year programs; the first Tuesday of October for spring semester and summer (early application). Funding for fall, spring and summer study abroad opportunities is available.

For more information on Syracuse Abroad programs, students can make an appointment to meet with an advisor for more information.

Learn more: Gilman and other Outside Scholarships