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Thursday evening, April 3rd, Patricia Spears Jones visited the Shinder Theater at the YMCA in downtown Syracuse as part of the Syracuse Symposium series. Spears Jones, the current New York State Poet Laureate, read poems from her newest collection, “The Beloved Community.” Released in 2023, the collection aims to capture the “volatility of the world."

Bryant's distinguished work does not stop at her new book. She has since returned to her Humanities Center fellowship research: a social history project that pieces together what freedom meant for those living in the part of Southern New Jersey that overlooked Delaware while it was still a slave state — a place she calls “the edge of freedom.”

Layers of support and recognition continue to add up for AY25 Humanities Center Dissertation Fellow, Caroline Charles (Ph.D. candidate - English). Earlier this month, Charles was one of just eight recipients of this year's Graduate Dean's Award for Excellence in Research and Creative Work, competing with dozens of other nominees for this selective honor.

In another one of its "Meet the Scholars Coffee Hours," the Humanities Center's 2024-2025 Dissertation Fellows, Lerie Gabriel and Caroline Imani Charles participated in a Q&A-style session highlighting a common thread in both projects: how they each draw from their lived experience to craft dissertation projects focused on the preservation and continuation of Black cultural practices.

Sunday's free public screening (Feb. 2) revealed a kaleidoscope of storytelling approaches — from experimentation with stop-motion animation, to anime-inspired sequences, to slice-of-life vignettes — forming a digital mosaic that echoed the 2024-2025 Syracuse Symposium theme, “Community,” as seen through the eyes of local students.

Peer review is foundational in scholarly careers. But who teaches us how to provide effective peer review to colleagues? And how do we interpret the mixed bag of peer review feedback that we sometimes receive on our book manuscripts, journal articles, and funding proposals? In December, Janet Salmons, Ph.D. highlighted the importance of peer review in a Zoom session for participants from Corridor institutions.

A key aspect of preparing students to become engaged global citizens is exposing them to new perspectives. The Syracuse University Humanities Center hosts the Syracuse Symposium, which encompasses a variety of art exhibitions, lectures, film screenings, workshops, musical performances and more, highlighting how the humanities can be applied in various real-world contexts.

For millions around the world, degradation of their land due to factors like climate change, deforestation, overgrazing and unsustainable farming practices have caused harm to both human health and the environment. In December 2024, the United Nations hosted a conference in Saudi Arabia, bringing together leading environmental experts and policy makers from around the globe to discuss strategies for combating desertification and safeguarding both the environment and human well-being.

A study by the American Association of Colleges and Universities notes that students who participate in community-engaged work experience improved learning outcomes and enhanced soft skills, such as communication, teamwork and critical thinking.

In the College of Arts and Sciences (A&S), undergraduate and graduate students have access to myriad community-based learning opportunities through the Engaged Humanities Network (EHN).

CNY Humanities Corridor hosted its fourth annual writing retreat on the Syracuse University Minnowbrook campus on Blue Mountain Lake in the Adirondacks. From an initial pool of 76 applicants, 33 scholars convened on a beautiful and sunny autumn weekend. With clear night skies, many attendees caught a glimpse of both Comet A3 with its long tail as well as the Milky Way.