Jim Brown, Julius Edwards, Spike Lee, Rufus Morris, General Davis at the School of the heARTS (inside what is now the Merchant's Commons Building). Brown and Lee came to Syracuse a decade ago to premiere the 40 Acres & A Mule documentary Jim Brown: All-American.
The Syracuse University Football Team became bowl eligible after Saturday's final minute, 34-31 win over Boston College. The party continued when the marching band belted out some tunes inside a packed Varsity Pizza (Marshall and S. Crouse Avenue).
Corcoran, Obeng and Jordan: Three of the seven ladies who took the stage to discuss race and gender at CFAC tonight.
Bravo to director and actor Ryan Johnson-Travis. The theater man continues to write, direct and produce some creative stage work along the Connective Corridor Arts District. His latest conception, “When We Were Wanderers” closed tonight to a packed house at the Community Folk Art Center’s Black Box Theater. The play touched on a plethora of emotions, and honestly explored race and gender from a female perspective.
Later this weekend brothers will grace the stage at CFAC for the CNY Mocha Men production by Me’Shae Brooks Rolling. The Mocha Men event will focus on financial literacy.
Shawn Wayans, Finesse Mitchell and Marlon Wayans at Syracuse University.
Shawn and Marlon Wayans (aka the Wayans Bros.) along with Finesse Mitchell and newcomer Spoken Reasons played a show at Syracuse over the weekend. In addition to their 1990s sit-com the Wayans Bros. are also film producers and directors.
Saturday’s show was a fundraiser for the Syracuse Chapter of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. The fraternity historically brings some great comics to campus (such as D.L. Hughley and John Witherspoon).
And in case you are in the mood for a family reunion, it was also announced recently that the first generation of Wayans Bros. (Damon and Keenan) will team up with Shawn and Marlon next year to do a series of stand up shows.
Spoken Reasons at Syracuse University: Making a name for himself.
M.I.N.D. Lab: Shaping a new perception of reality in Downtown Syracuse.
Here are some photos from last night’s open house for the Newhouse School’s M.I.N.D. Lab, which is located in the AXA Towers (ground floor). Special shout out to Danushka Bandara, grad student and science guy, who demystified the workings and practical applications for many of the center’s devices. Would love to see someone from this group do a TEDx series or similar symposium.
Danushka Bandara sits at the fNIRS device, which measures blood flow in the brain.
EEG and eye-tracking station: Blending media and science.
Former SU Dean and program namesake Barry Wells
Maybe it’s because I have two mentors who began educational transition programs that got me interested in finding out more about the WellsLink Leadership program at Syracuse University. It also could be the fact that I too was a member of a similar program. Either way, I was happy to hear that the organization celebrate its celebrating its 10th year anniversary on campus.
This year’s speaker was poet Nikki Giovanni. Giovanni was introduced by former SU staffer Dr. Paul Buckley. There was also an appearance by former SU Dean Barry Wells, who started the program. To get an appreciation of what the WellsLink has done, and continues to achieve, listen to the sound clip from Paul Buckley below.
Featured speaker for the event poet and educator Nikki Giovanni read a few of her pieces during the Friday afternoon ceremony.
Dr. Paul Buckley, who currently serves as a dean for undergraduate students at Dartmouth College, worked closely with the WellsLink program when he was at Syracuse University.
Rent the Runway Fall Fashion Show, Syracuse
Bravo to the students at Syracuse University for staging an effective and efficient fashion show for the Rent the Runway (RTR) program last week. The concept was to promote renting versus retail, or to simply find it, book it, wear it, and return it.
The festivities were held at Stolkin Auditorium (Physics Building).
Instead of opting for a trunk show the organizers were bold enough to convince the student models to meander down the curved stairs toward the front of the auditorium. Despite the degree of difficulty, the execution was flawless.
And oh yes, my daughter was a big fan of the gift bag from L’Oreal Paris.
RTR: wear, enjoy and return
RTR: Frugal Fashionistas
A flash mob showed appreciation for outgoing Chancellor Nancy Cantor at Syracuse Stage on Friday.
The city gave a farewell flash mob for Nancy Cantor today at three locations: The Warehouse, City Hall, and Syracuse Stage.
If there was one word that can describe her tenure it was engage. Cantor engaged the alumni, students, sports fans, the government, the environmentalists, urbanites, artists, and several of our neighborhoods.
Most important, Cantor engaged our attention. Her leadership showed us more was possible.
SU Senior and Remembrance Scholar Erin Carhart (left) helped her classmates light candles on the stairs of Hendricks Chapel tonight.
This year will mark the 25th Anniversary of the Pan Am 103 Lockerbie Air Bombing.
The tragedy has permanently linked the city of Syracuse with Lockerbie.
At SU they call it Remembrance Week and events kicked off last weekend. Senior Erin Carhart helped organized a candlelight vigil tonight that began at Hendricks Chapel with speeches and concluded at the Wall of Remembrance with silence.
Educator Graham Herbert, of Lockerbie Academy, made the trip to Syracuse for this week's activities.
For a list of the activities for the 25th Anniversary Commemoration of Pan Am Flight 103 at SU, click here.
Candlelight Vigil, Wall of Remembrance
To hear some of the audio from tonight’s program, click the link below (Orange Appeal Singers with senior Tim Chang on the beatbox).
Timothy Bond, Producing Artistic Director at Syracuse Stage, said Brian Dennehy was one of his heroes because he practices what he preaches about the importance of regional theater.
Seasoned actor Brian Dennehy, whose son attends Syracuse University, was a special guest for the Friday night portion of Orange Central. He was joined in conversation and an occasional gut-busting laugh by Syracuse Stage’s Timothy Bond.
The event was held at the Joyce Hergenhan Auditorium (Newhouse complex).
During the hour-long program, Dennehy gave numerous anecdotes about writers Jimmy Breslin and Frank McCourt, as well as actors Kevin Kline and Zero Mostel.
He discuseed his numerous roles in film, television and his first love, regional theater. “What happens in the theater can only happen in the theater,” he said.
Dennehy, whose career spans five decades, also gave a reading, told some jokes, and even sang during a musical interlude with pianist Jeff Sawyer (an SU grad).
Brian Dennehy, an actor's actor, prepared for a reading of the work of Arthur Miller on Friday night.