Student & Faculty Engagement

Nicole Fonger—an associate professor of mathematics and mathematics education in the College of Arts and Sciences and School of Education—was selected as the 2025–2027 Lender Faculty Fellow. Her project is centered on meaningful algebra learning in K-12 settings. As the co-founder of the "Data Warriors" after-school club, Fonger uses math, mapping, and social justice to help students engage with complex data in their own communities. Her fellowship research utilizes design studies and community-engaged scholarship to tackle long-standing gaps in math education, aiming to make algebra both accessible and relevant to diverse learners. 

Her student research team includes Lauren Ashby ’25, sociology, Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs; Meghavarshini Iska ’27, economics and international relations, Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs; Shavonne Jacobs ’27, information management and Technology, School of Information Studies; and Shameen Fatima ’27, communication and rhetorical studies, College of Visual & Performing Arts. By bridging empirical research with grassroots club activities, Fonger and her team are working to advance equity in the classroom and empower the next generation of data-literate advocates. 

The 2025–2026 Lender Global project in Santiago, Chile, provided students a critical opportunity to examine "Human Rights and Historical Memory" through the lens of the 1973 military coup and the subsequent Pinochet dictatorship. Working under the guidance of Syracuse Santiago Director Dr. Mauricio Paredes and in partnership with the Museo de la Memoria y los Derechos Humanos, fellows bore witness to past atrocities while studying the systematic role of violence and the United States’ involvement in the region's history. The fellowship spanned two distinct phases: a Fall 2025 Spanish-language track focused on archival research and press coverage of collateral killings, and a Spring 2026 English-language track dedicated to amplifying the identities and personal narratives of victims.

The Fall 2025 research team included Ohemaa Asibuo ’27, international relations and Spanish, Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs; and Ayanna Hyatte ’27, international relations, Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs.

The Spring 2026 cohort included Sophia Ortiz-Heaney ’27, economics and international relations, Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs; Laila Terrell ’27, political philosophy, College of Arts and Sciences; Madiou Bah ’27, broadcast and digital journalism, S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications; Mason Rosenbaum ’27, international relations, Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs; Jherlyn Brady ’27, communication & rhetoric studies, College of Visual and Performing Arts; and Grant Montonye ’28, international relations, Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs.

By exploring the art, culture, and institutions rebuilt since the 1990 return to civilian rule, the project bridged historical documentation with active memorialization to foster a deep understanding of global justice and recovery.

Becca Farnum, assistant director for Teaching and Learning at Syracuse London, led the 2025 Lender Global Fellows in an exploration of environmental and climate justice across England and Wales, focusing on Britain's transition from a coal-mining past toward a sustainable future. The fellowship project, "London – International Education and Climate Justice," immersed students in innovative engagements with environmental issues through research visits to London, Cardiff, and Cornwall. The team analyzed key themes within the "Green Britain" initiative to understand how policy and local efforts can address the global climate crisis. The research team included Gabrielle McCafferty ’25, biology, College of Arts and Sciences; Jude Bazerman ’26, broadcast and digital journalism, geography and the environment, S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs; and Jibril Barrie ’26, industrial and interaction Design, College of Visual and Performing Arts. 

By digging into the socio-political complexities of fossil fuel dependency and the initiatives moving beyond it, the fellows bridged international education with practical environmental advocacy to promote a more equitable and sustainable global landscape.

Miriam Mutambudzi—a specialist in the social determinants of health and a faculty member in the Maxwell School’s Public Health Department—led the 2024–2026 Lender Faculty Fellowship project, “For Syracuse or With Syracuse?” Over two years, Mutambudzi and her student team dug into the city's housing landscape to understand how affordability and safety directly impact the health of local residents. The fellows were instrumental in relaunching the Thursday Morning Roundtable (TMR), where their research provided the foundation for the “Just Syracuse: Conversations for a Thriving City” series.

This research team included Jamea Johnson ’25, psychology, College of Arts and Sciences; Tommy DaSilva ’26, dual major in public health, policy studies, and citizenship and civic engagement, Falk College and Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs; Darla Hobbs ’26, Pan African Studies, College of Arts and Sciences; Sabrina Lussier ’26, triple major in geography, citizenship and civic engagement, and environmental sustainability and policy, Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs; and Shreya Potluri ’27, architecture, School of Architecture.

By bringing their findings to public discussions and a final symposium, the team helped turn academic data into real-world conversations about building a more equitable Syracuse.

Nausheen Husain—an assistant professor of magazine, news and digital journalism in the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications—was chosen as the 2023–2025 Lender Faculty Fellow and led a project investigating the societal impact of media coverage on Muslim communities. Drawing on her extensive background as a data reporter for the Chicago Tribune, Husain led a research team in analyzing the legacy of state surveillance, carceral systems, and government disinvestment to better understand the systemic consequences of media narratives. Her project utilized data and documented journalism to bridge investigative research with social advocacy, aiming to uncover how journalistic practices influence public policy and community safety. 

This research team included Azadeh Ghanizadeh ’25, writing studies, rhetoric, and composition, College of Arts and Sciences; Mary Hanrahan ’25, communication and rhetorical studies, College of Visual & Performing Arts; Tia Poquette ’25, policy studies, Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs; Mohammad Ebad Athar ’26, history, Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs; and Olivia Boyer ’26, magazine, news, and digital journalism, S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications. 

By integrating visual journalism and backend infrastructure into the study of social justice, Husain leveraged her expertise in reporting on the "Muslim Ban" and refugee communities to transform complex data into a critical examination of equity and representation in the digital age.

Mona Bhan—associate professor of anthropology and Ford-Maxwell Professor of South Asian Studies in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs—was named the 2022–24 Lender Faculty Fellow. Her project examined the social justice implications of artificial intelligence (AI) weaponry. Utilizing the lens of a cultural anthropologist, Bhan led an interdisciplinary research team to challenge the assumptions of humanitarianism in autonomous systems and explore how these technologies reconfigure global understandings of accountability, human rights, and sovereignty. The project employed collaborative documentation, GIS-enabled mapping, and immersive media to analyze the political transformations brought about by AI, working in tandem with the Autonomous Systems Policy Institute and collaborators at Ohio University.

This research team included Anna Terzaghi ’24, international relations and anthropology, Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs; Aren Burnside ’25, anthropology, Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs; Nadia Lyngdoh-Sommer ’25, sociology and law, society & policy, Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs; Cheryl Olanga ’25, computer science, College of Engineering and Computer Science; and ParKer Bryant ’26, literacy education, School of Education.

By investigating the intersection of technology and ethics, Bhan—who holds a Ph.D. from Rutgers University—leveraged her expertise in South Asian studies and anthropology to transform the discussion around AI from a technical debate into a critical examination of global citizenship and free will.

Seyeon Lee—current associate dean for Strategic Initiatives and Research and associate professor in the School of Design—was named the 2021–2023 Lender Faculty Fellow and led a project evaluating social equity through community design. Building on her work with the Northside Women’s Wellness Center, Lee led a research team to investigate how underutilized spaces in Syracuse could be transformed into accessible hubs for residents of all backgrounds. Lee, an NCIDQ-certified interior designer with a Ph.D. from Texas A&M University, used her expertise in sustainable and affordable architecture to engage students in participatory research focused on local social and political disparities. 

Her student research team included Aaishanni Agny ’23, clinical mental health counseling program, School of Education; Roselynne Hodges ’23, environmental and interior design with a minor in architecture, College of Visual & Performing Arts and School of Architecture; Iona Volynets ’23, history and international relations with a minor in museum studies, Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs and College of Visual & Performing Arts; and Ana S. Aponte González ’24, communication and rhetorical studies with a minor in public communications, College of Visual & Performing Arts and S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications. 

Together, they explored the intersection of design and social justice, seeking to maximize urban space utility while addressing systemic issues of equity within the city's built environment.

In the spring of 2020, Evan Weissman, an associate professor of food studies and nutrition in the Falk College, was named the 2020–2022 Lender Faculty Fellow for his proposal, “Food Justice within the Syracuse-Onondaga Food System Alliance,” which examined the community’s food systems during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Following Weissman’s unexpected passing, Jonnell Robinson, an associate professor of geography and director of the Syracuse Community Geography Program, was chosen to carry on the fellowship in his name to honor his passion for advancing food justice in Syracuse. Robinson, an expert in community-based participatory action research with a Ph.D. from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, led a multi-disciplinary team of student fellows to actualize Weissman’s vision through the newly created Syracuse Onondaga Food Systems Alliance.

This research team included Taylor Krzeminski ’21, public diplomacy and global communications, S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs; Phoebe Ambrose ’22, double major in food studies, citizenship and civic Engagement, with a minor in sustainable food enterprises, Falk College and Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs; Shiori Green ’22, architecture, School of Architecture; Anna Gugerty ’22, linguistics, environment, sustainability, and policy, with a double minor in food studies and Spanish, College of Arts & Sciences and Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs; Avalon Gupta VerWiebe ’22, nutrition and food studies, Falk College; and Nicky Kim ’24, citizenship, civic engagement and policy studies, Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs. By studying the structural inequalities of local food systems, the project served as a testament to Weissman’s life work, bridging academic inquiry with grassroots action to promote sustainable, community-driven food policies and practices.

In April 2019, Casarae Gibson-Abdul-Ghani, an assistant professor of African American Studies, was selected as the inaugural Lender Faculty Fellow and led "The Social Justice #Hashtag Project: A Digital Humanities Study," a two-year initiative that explored how social media platforms uncovered modern advocacy trends. During the fellowship, Gibson-Abdul-Ghani guided a team of student fellows in analyzing digital activism, aiming to equip them with the necessary tools to challenge systemic inequality through innovative research and sustainable community initiatives.

This research team included Grace Asch ’21, television, radio, and film with a double minor in Spanish and African American Studies, S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications; Andrea Constant ’21, sociology Ph.D. program, Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs; Adriana Lobo ’22, communication and rhetorical Studies, College of Visual & Performing Arts; and Abigail Tick ’22, sociology, citizenship and civic engagement, Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs.

The project bridged classroom theory with real-world engagement and culminated in a 2021 symposium that showcased the team's findings on the intersection of digital aesthetics and social justice. An expert in Black Arts Movement literature with a Ph.D. from Purdue University, Gibson-Abdul-Ghani leveraged her extensive background in racial unrest and aesthetics to transform hashtag activism into a rigorous academic framework for advancing diversity and inclusion.