thursday, september 17, 2026
celebrating 123 years
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O • Orange pride
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Our columnist argues Syracuse University has much more to offer than suggested by the WSJ article
Though the Grateful Dead disbanded in 1995, the band’s legacy lives on through its loyal fans, known as Deadheads.
Gabriela Knutson tried to qualify for the main draw at nine Grand Slams before making the cut at this year’s U.S. Open.
Literary legacy
SU’s longstanding writing lineage upholds Syracuse’s renowned author legacy By Lily Zuckerman culture editor
W
hen George Saunders first arrived at Syracuse University as a graduate student, he was in his late 20s and had just finished reading Douglas Unger’s “Leaving the Land.” On Saunders’ first day of school, he wandered up the Hall of Languages’ fourth floor. Then, Unger walked over to him. “I’d never really met a writer who published at that level before, and I walked in, and he introduced himself,”
Saunders said. “Immediately it wasn’t teacher to student. It was writer to writer.” Little did Saunders know, his own presence would later have the same influence on SU creative writing students decades later. That interaction between Saunders and Unger is a prime example of why Saunders returned to SU to teach creative writing. In a time when some SU humanities programs have been threatened and artificial intelligence is advancing, Professor and Director of SU’s Creative Writing program Jonathan Dee said SU has valued the writing community, even when “it feels like a dangerous world” for humanities programs, he said.
SU’s creative writing folklore dates back to 1891, when some argue the creative writing program unofficially began from poet Stephen Crane’s bedroom in the Delta Upsilon fraternity house. It wasn’t until 1963 that SU officially launched a master’s degree in creative writing. In the following years, the university recruited prominent professors like Raymond Carver, Tobias Wolff, Philip Booth (a co-founder of the program), Mary Karr, Unger and Saunders himself. In 1994, the creative writing graduate degree changed from a master’s of arts to its current master’s of fine arts. Today, SU’s creative writing program has been dubbed see writing page 4
abigail aggarwala digital design director | avery magee development editor | courtesy of jay mcinerney | courtesy of george saunders | courtesy of paul griner | daily orange archive photo
on campus
Experts say SU’s ‘D’ free speech grade requires nuanced context By Sydney DePietto asst. copy editor
As conversations surrounding free speech spark at college campuses nationwide, experts say Syracuse University’s “D” grade in The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression ranking is more nuanced than it may seem. Released on Sept. 9, FIRE’s annual College Free Speech Rankings, which surveyed 344 SU students, gave the university a score of 64.8,
its highest ever recorded grade. The score places Syracuse at 65th out of 261 schools, moving up 11 spots from the previous year. The overall score is 7.82% higher than the previous year. The nonprofit, in collaboration with other organizations, surveyed college undergraduates from 261 schools about their perceptions and experiences regarding free speech on their campuses. The overall state of free speech on college campuses is “grim,” the FIRE release reads, with administrators
misusing their power to cancel controversial speakers, cave to government or student calls for censorship and limit academic freedom. FIRE calculates each school’s overall score through 12 different components, six measuring student perceptions, three assessing campus speech policies and three evaluating how schools respond to speech controversies. Roy Gutterman, Newhouse School of Public Communications professor and director of its Tully Center for Free
Speech, said the findings show SU is in the same boat as other colleges and universities across the country. He added that free speech is not always “absolute” everywhere all the time. “It is virtually impossible to please everyone when it comes to free speech policies. But the real test is how policies on the books are applied and whether anyone ‘gets in trouble’ for their pure speech,” Gutterman said in a statement to The Daily Orange. “Universities have a difficult task to balance multiple interests and rights.”
Aileen Favilla, senior program manager for higher education and free expression at PEN America, explained that the FIRE rankings are one tool to measure free speech and conflicts but don’t show the full picture of campus life. FIRE’s methodology may not consider other, more positive, factors on campuses, Favilla said, including a “robust” student government, articles in student newspapers, extracurriculars or classroom discussions. see free speech page 6
2 september 17, 2026
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september 17, 2026 3
on campus
SU moved 20 students from Walnut Hall before fall semester By Owen Smith
asst. digital editor
After making her housing selection in the spring 2026 semester, Syracuse University sophomore Edina Pasic expected to live in Walnut Hall for the upcoming school year. Instead, she received notice from the university on July 28 informing her that wouldn’t be the case. After calling the housing office, Pasic was told Walnut Hall — which typically houses 60 students — would only house 40 in the upcoming semester. Housing and Residential Living told Pasic that Walnut residents were moved to other halls, including DellPlain, to “maximize space,” she said. “I just woke up one day to that email,” Pasic said. “I was a bit upset because I didn’t expect it.” Pasic is one of multiple students who said they received the same email, obtained by The Daily Orange, just under a month before the start of the fall 2026 semester. The email, sent from SU’s Housing portal, included a notice that students’ housing assignments had been updated as well as information about the specific dorm and room they’d been reassigned to. “We understand that this may come as an inconvenience to you, but we hope that this new assignment will be suitable for your needs,” the email reads. “If you have any questions or concerns regarding your new housing assignment, please do not hesitate to contact us.”
SU housing moved students out of Walnut Hall after an unexpected change in the number of rooms being used. owen smith asst. digital editor
In a statement to The D.O., an SU spokesperson said Housing and Residential Living reviews occupancy across on-campus residence halls over the summer, leading to decisions to transfer students to other “lower occupancy” buildings. “The goal was to bring more students together rather than disperse them across sparsely populated buildings, which supports a stronger sense of safety, community and belonging for
students living there,” the spokesperson said. Sophomore roommates Mary Mason Ingold and Vivian Moon said the notification gave them no choice in their new placement. “We didn’t have any say at all where we were moved to,” Moon said. “They pretty much just said, ‘You’re moving to DellPlain.’” Moon said she was upset when she received the notification, as the email offered students no context for the reassignment.
“It’s one thing if you as a student are baffled, but I remember my parents as well were shocked by the lack of communication,” Ingold said. Pasic and her roommate were placed in a large split double instead of the open double they had chosen and were expecting for the semester. Although they were “forced” to live in another dorm, the cost didn’t change, Pasic said. The 2026-27 room rates list open doubles as $5,450 per student per semester and $5,990 for split doubles and large open doubles. Moon and Ingold said they chose Walnut partly for its location near their sorority house and were drawn to the building because of its “historical significance and older appearance,” Ingold said. Despite being relocated further from her schools, the Newhouse School of Public Communications and Whitman School of Management, Pasic said her floormates have developed a shared bond over being moved into DellPlain. Relocated students in DellPlain occupy floors four and five, which are designated for sophomore residents. Despite early concerns, all three students have been enjoying DellPlain, they said. Pasic said she was positively surprised by the new dorm and that the move gave her a better quality of living. “I just think they could have communicated it better, and not just in an email me or someone else could have brushed over easily,” Pasic said. owensmith@dailyorange.com
national
Trump administration backs Micron facility, cites national security By Fiona McHugh asst. digital editor
President Donald Trump’s administration is backing Micron Technology’s facility in Clay following a local lawsuit, arguing the facility serves national security interests, syracuse.com reported Wednesday. In publicly released court documents, the United States Department of Justice urged a judge to toss the lawsuit, filed by a Clay citizens group against the Micron project, arguing the country has “substantial interest” in the case, according to a DOJ brief. The federal government argues the project has the potential to produce millions of semiconductor memory chips per year, which will supply chips for defense, cybersecurity and supplychain security that are necessary to defend the nation, officials say. On Jan 16., Neighbors for a Better Micron and Jobs to Move America filed an initial lawsuit in an attempt to force the Onondaga County Industrial Development Agency to issue a more extensive report on Micron’s potential environmental impact, including greenhouse gas emissions and “forever chemicals.” The lawsuit was filed on the same day as Micron’s groundbreaking ceremony and claims
the county’s final environmental report from December 2025 lacked details about potentially negative impacts. On Aug. 3, NBM filed another complaint alleging Micron’s approved wastewater and air permits are invalid and allow the company to leak “forever chemicals” into the Oneida River. The plant will use polyfluoroalkyl substances, known to contaminate waterways and ecosystems. Per federal law, the DOJ is allowed to intervene in court cases when the federal government has a compelling interest. The DOJ argues that Micron is the only American company producing memory chips, increasing the Clay project’s importance. Micron has notable ties to the Trump administration, with Chief Executive Officer Sanjay Mehrotra attending White House dinners on multiple occasions. Micron is also one of the donors contributing to Trump’s ballroom construction at the White House. Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” also boosted incentives for chipmaking facilities. In July 2025, it became clear that Micron Technology was rewarded about $5 billion in tax breaks for the chipmaking complex, syracuse.com reported. Micron is also receiving over $20 billion in taxpayer subsidies for two
Following a joint Micron lawsuit from NBM and Jobs to Move America, President Trump’s administration is backing the facility in Clay. leonardo eriman daily orange file photo
of Micron’s four planned chipmaking facilities, under President Joe Biden’s 2022 CHIPS and Science Act. A hearing on Aug. 25 debated if the original report was thorough enough. During this hearing, both citizen groups said they’re advocating for reduced and better researched environmental policies, not the end of the Micron project.
Albany Supreme Court Justice Thomas Marcelle hasn’t yet issued a verdict from that hearing. The groups filed separate lawsuits on July 31 that attempted to revoke air and water permits the state granted to Micron. The federal government hasn’t addressed the second lawsuit, syracuse.com reported. fionamchugh@dailyorange.com
on campus
Haynie’s special committee will host forums to answer ‘key questions’ By Ryan Garipoli asst. news editor
Syracuse University Chancellor Mike Haynie’s special committee will host listening sessions to hear student, faculty and staff perspectives on its key questions surrounding the future of SU, the committee announced in a campuswide email Wednesday. Haynie announced the formation of a special committee designed to address SU’s low enrollment and budget deficit in June. The committee is tasked with answering “foundational” questions about the purpose of enrolling at SU and what the university must do to deliver on its promise to students. The special committee and sessions aim to answer two questions: “What is now — and what can be in the future — the purpose and distinctive contribution of Syracuse University for the students who enroll here, and more broadly in American higher education?” and “What must change, and what must be preserved, for this institution to fully deliver on our promise to our students and their families, and to our faculty, staff, alumni and community?” The sessions are taking place in addition to the university’s standing meetings such
as monthly faculty and staff meetings. Two committee members will host each session and the conversations will inform the committee’s analysis and written report it delivers to the chancellor by Nov. 15, according to the email.
The session schedule is as follows: •
Staff: Tuesday, Sept. 22, 12:30–1:30 p.m. on Zoom • Graduate and professional students: Wednesday, Sept. 23, 7–8 p.m. on Zoom • Undergraduate students: Monday, Sept. 28, 2–3 p.m. in the Schine Student Center’s Underground • Undergraduate students: Tuesday, Sept. 29, 7–8 p.m. on Zoom • Faculty: Thursday, Oct. 1, 1–2 p.m. on Zoom • Open campus, any constituency: Monday, Oct. 5, 6–7 p.m. on Zoom Those looking to participate in a session must RSVP and have the option to respond to a post-session survey, which will be released soon, according to the email. rcgaripo@syr.edu
chancellor haynie’s special committee will host an opportunity for SU community to provide insight about contested topics on campus. avery magee development editor
4 september 17, 2026
George Saunders (left) and his wife Paula Saunders. The couple met at Syracuse University while pursuing graduate degrees.
Tobias Wolff signs his book, “In Pharaoh’s Army” for an SU student. This article appeared in The Daily Orange on Nov. 15, 1994.
George Saunders (left) and his wife Paula Saunders po in front of a truck. Both are renowned authors. from page 1
writing
An article from an Aug. 1, 1968 issue of The Daily Orange. It appeared on Page 6.
Molly Jo Gorevan plays outside with her dog. Gorevan, 37, graduated from SU’s Creative Writing program in 2025.
Jason Ockert (left), George Saunders, Junot Diaz and Christopher Kennedy. The group was at Saunders’ former house on Scott Avenue during a party.
Paul Griner smiles for a photo. After graduating from Syracuse University’s creative writing program in 1989, Griner spent more than six years teaching at SU and SUNY ESF.
A Nov. 21, 1997 article in The Daily Orange about Mary Karr. Karr is a Trustee Professor and Jesse Truesdell Peck Professor of Literature.
Raymond Carver (left) and Jay McInerney smile while McInerney was studying creative writing at SU. McInerney graduated in 1986.
A Sept. 27, 1994 article in The Daily Orange about The Raymond Carver Reading Series lineup.
one of the top creative writing graduate programs in the United States, accepting roughly 1% of the more than 600 applications received each year, Dee said. In 2021, SU began offering a major and minor in creative writing. Many creative writing graduates stay in Syracuse following their studies; Jay McInerney spent three to four more years in Syracuse after his graduation. Syracuse felt like an incubator for writers, McInerney said. He began writing “Bright Lights, Big City” while studying at SU’s creative writing graduate program. Within McInerney’s first six weeks at SU, he finished the first draft. Like many fellow literati, McInerney lived in the Westcott-University neighborhood while in Syracuse. McInerney, on Allen Street, lived up the street from Carver (who was “Ray” to McInerney). Carver and his wife, Tess Gallagher, lived on Maryland Avenue while Saunders first lived on Ackerman Avenue and later Scott Avenue (in a house occupied by Wolff earlier). Samuel “Sam” Gruber has lived in the WestcottUniversity neighborhood since 1993. Gruber, a former SU professor, is the co-president of the Westcott Neighborhood Association. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Gruber began noticing the sheer scale of writers in Syracuse. That’s when he began researching the city’s literary history. Gruber compiled a spreadsheet with 180 writers affiliated with the city. That spreadsheet inspired a public art display in Forman Park called “The Syracuse Writers Project,” with quotes from authors like F. Scott Fitzgerald and Joyce Carol Oates who had associations with Syracuse. While aspiring writers like Carver and McInerney were living in the Westcott-University neighborhood, it became an ideal place to live, Gruber said. “It was a pretty easy place for a graduate student to get cheap digs,” Gruber said. “There was a lively scene on Westcott Street. It’s a very literate community.” It’s unclear when and how the Westcott-University neighborhood became a milieu for Syracuse’s literary community, but for some, it’s where they blossomed. Upon graduating from SU’s undergraduate program in 2015, Alexander Sammartino lived on Westmoreland Avenue and stayed in Syracuse to attend SU’s creative writing MFA. program, where he graduated in 2018. For the last two years of graduate school, Sammartino lived in the WestcottUniversity neighborhood, within close proximity to many creative writing peers, he said. Some of Sammartino’s friends lived in houses that were passed down from previous generations of creative writing students; it was a way the “history of the MFA program was always kept alive,” he said. Sammartino, who now lives in Brooklyn, also said the social aspect of the program — dinner parties at professors’ homes, like Sarah Harwell’s, and cocktail parties with guest writers — also made him a better writer. The parties made former MFA students, like Paul Griner, feel like they were part of the professional literary world before they even entered it. Griner, 66, recalls a dinner he attended at Karr’s home where everyone at the table — Karr, Stephen Dobyns and David Foster Wallace — had published a book; everyone but Griner. “Nobody treated me any differently than anyone else at that table. Nobody cared whether you didn’t have a book out,” Griner said. “They cared that you liked writing and that you knew you were good conversationalists.” Griner’s writing career in Syracuse didn’t stop at his 1989 graduation from SU’s creative writing program. He spent more than six years after graduation teaching at both SU and SUNY ESF. Teaching gave Griner the flexibility to write. That’s the same reason why Molly Jo Gorevan, 37,
still lives in Sy from SU’s crea Like Grine time since he not teaching. possible to ha craft, she said “What else Gorevan said. Compared Gorevan grew said Syracuse still being crea SU’s creativ ed, meaning e program (12 p for their full tu cohort, six stu study fiction. Teaching s gram has mad better writer h When Spio had two publ written three another forthc ing at the “ico wasn’t always “I was very of the history great writers writers have g don’t want to m In the hom otta, a vertica fraction of bo alumni and p Sydney Rend Christopher K Kingdom,” A and Arthur F Spiotta of th breeds, she sa Some of th already workin Raymond Car welcomes prom about their wo Beyond SU its long winte State Fair and But it’s also be known nickna Around th Crane was e nearly half o close proximi Typewriter C Typewriter C Syracuse mo move to Syra begin writing But what m been a poet a department s budget-friend “So when I fact that I cou In Syracus go on “Syracu Market and P to “appreciate and find the vi A shared ph and McInerne other cities, is their creative McInerney called his seve tive time” of h In fact, to m SU, McInerne
adelaide guan presentation director | avery magee development editor | courtesy of jay mcinerney | courtesy of george saunders | courtesy of paul griner | daily orange archive photo
ose
september 17, 2026 5
“House of Cotton” Monica Brashears, SU Creative Writing program alum
“The Animals of My Earth School” Mildred Barya, SU Creative Writing program alum
Dana Spiotta (left) and Jonathan Dee stand in front of a bookcase in their Syracuse home. The bookcase is a mini collection of SU-associated authors.
yracuse following her 2025 graduation ative writing program. er, Gorevan has taught at SU parter graduation, writing whenever she’s . Gorevan never thought it would be ave a life where she could continue her d. e is there to do but write and read?”
to living in New York City — where w up and attended college — Gorevan e was easier to make a living in while ative. ve writing MFA program is fully fundeach student in the 36-person graduate per cohort year) receives a scholarship uition and a stipend of $24,000. In each udents study poetry and the other half
students in SU’s creative writing prode Dana Spiotta, an English professor, a herself, she said. otta began working at SU in 2009, she lished books. Since then, Spiotta has e more books to her anthology, with coming; she credits the speed to workonoclastic” writing program. But that the case. y intimidated when I got here because of it,” Spiotta said. “Because so many have taught here and so many great graduated from this program, you just mess it up, it’s a big responsibility.” me of husband-and-wife Dee and Spial bookshelf invites visitors to a small ooks published by SU creative writing professors. The spines of texts — like de’s “I Could Be Famous: Stories,” Kennedy’s “Clues from the Animal Anthony Veasna So’s “Afterparties” Flowers’ “De Mojo Blues” — remind e talent that SU’s writing program aid. hose authors return — if they’re not ng at SU or living in Syracuse — for the rver Reading Series. The annual series minent writers to SU for a Q&A session orks. U, some people may know Syracuse for ers, the home of the Great New York d a place with Italian American roots. een coined the “Salt City” and a lesserame, the “Typewriter City.” he late 1890s, at the same time when enrolled at SU, Syracuse produced of the typewriters in the U.S. The ity to typewriter factories like Union Company and L.C. Smith & Brothers Company might’ve made writing in ore desirable for Toni Morrison to acuse or residents like Eric Carle to g, Gruber said. made writers like Bruce Smith — who’s nd professor in SU’s creative writing since 2002 — stay in the relatively dly market is SU, he said. I came to Syracuse, I really loved the uld afford a house,” Smith said. se, Smith, 79, and his wife regularly use appreciation walks” to Salt City Parthenon Books, which allow them e this waning industrial Rust Belt city irtues of it,” Smith said. henomenon among writers like Smith ey, who’ve both lived in Syracuse and s the influence that Syracuse had on stimulation. y, 71, graduated from SU in 1986. He en years in Syracuse “the most formahis writing career, McInerney said. make extra money during his time at ey worked as a clerk at the Westcott
Cordial Shop. It was there that he got a call in the fall of 1983 that Random House would publish his novel. It was also when McInerney received a phone call from Paramount Studios saying they would like to turn “Bright Lights, Big City” into a movie, before the book had even been published (the movie debuted in 1988). But Carver ensured McInerney would find success by moving to Syracuse. During a trip to New York City in the early 1980s, Carver had some extra time between a book reading, which was when he met McInerney for the first time at his Greenwich Village apartment. McInerney had just been fired from The New Yorker as a fact-checker after claiming he could speak French, which was then discredited by a heft of inaccuracies in an article. So, he turned to a different writing style. Already a fan of Carver’s, McInerney said the two hung out for so long that Carver was late for his reading at Columbia University, so McInerney took the subway with him. “Then he wrote me a letter and called me. He basically said, ‘Look, your life in New York doesn’t seem very conducive to becoming a novelist, you should come to study with me,’ which I pretty quickly did,” McInerney said. Carver’s advice proved to be right once he enrolled in SU’s creative writing graduate program. And he’d then become one of McInerney’s closest mentors in his writing career, up until Carver’s 1988 death. For Sammartino, the most challenging part of being a writer is experiencing doubt about the craft. But those feelings evolved once he joined the graduate program. “You join this part of history. It’s a reason for faith because you see these people have come through the same space and produced this great work, and you think maybe there’s something here that I can soak up to and contribute,” Sammartino said. “It’s a source of continued inspiration.” One of the catalysts of Sammartino’s career was Saunders — who was his thesis advisor in graduate school. Saunders, who’s been a professor at SU since 1996, said the creative writing program’s lasting legacies still show up in his teaching. Now, 67-year-old Saunders still teaches a workshop every semester to graduate students in the creative writing program. For Saunders, if there’s somebody people admire, whether they are family or friends, they can be channeled. For him, those people are Wolff and Ungar. Oftentimes, when Saunders is working with a student, he asks, “What would Doug do? What would Toby do?” he said. If it wasn’t for Saunders, Griner said he probably wouldn’t have had his first book published as early and fast as he did. Working with students like Griner and Sammartino has informed Saunders’ view of “what human beings are all about,” he said. “The talent here is eternal. Every generation is just as talented as one. They manifest it in different ways, but talent is a constant and so is enthusiasm and love,” Saunders said. “So to see that in students, you also start seeing it in the world around you.” lvzucker@syr.edu
“Boomer1” Daniel Torday, SU Creative Writing program alum
“Chain-Gang All-Stars” Nana Kwame AdjeiBrenyah, SU Creative Writing program alum
“Days of Distraction” Alexandra Chang, SU Creative Writing program alum
“Forest of Noise” Mosab Abu Toha, SU Creative Writing program alum and Visiting Scholar
“The Last Chicken in America” Ellen Litman, SU Creative Writing program alum
“Barn 8” Deb Olin Unferth, SU Creative Writing program alum
“How It Works Out” Myriam Lacroix, SU Creative Writing program alum
“Hot Pink” Adam Levin, SU Creative Writing program alum
“Night Rooms” Gina Nutt, SU Creative Writing program alum
“Freshwater” Akwaeke Emezi, SU Creative Writing program alum
“Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail” Cheryl Strayed, SU Creative Writing program alum
“Mister Toebones” Brooks Haxton, SU Creative Writing program alum and professor
“Ovenman” Jeff Parker, SU Creative Writing program alum
6 september 17, 2026
dailyorange.com news@dailyorange.com
on campus
What to expect at SU for Chancellor Mike Haynie’s inauguration By Vivian Collins
asst. news editor
Mike Haynie will officially be inaugurated as Syracuse University’s Chancellor in the JMA Wireless Dome on Friday. The ceremony will begin at 2:00 p.m. and is open to the public and campus community. The Investiture Ceremony is one of many events throughout Thursday and Friday celebrating Haynie and his installation. To give students and faculty the option to attend the ceremony, SU also canceled all afternoon classes on Friday. Haynie was selected to serve as SU’s 13th Chancellor and President on March 3, after previously serving as the university’s vice chancellor for strategic initiatives and innovation and executive dean of the Whitman School of Management. “I am profoundly humbled and honored to serve as Syracuse University’s 13th Chancellor and President, and I am deeply grateful to every member of this community whose voices, wisdom and investment in this University made this moment possible,” Haynie wrote in a message on SU’s website.
The Investiture Ceremony is one of many events celebrating Haynie and his official installation as chancellor. Festivities begin Thursday with an “archival exhibition” across campus, according to the university’s website. The exhibition, titled The Summit: Syracuse University into the Future, is hosting pop-up activities across campus. At the All Day Charting Our Future Together pop-up, Professor Rochele Royster will run an interactive display where attendees can fill out postcards with their ideas for SU’s future. Another part of the exhibition, titled VPA in the Making: Ideas, Experiments, Performances and Possibilities, will feature performances and interactive activities from students, faculty and alumni from the College of Visual and Performing Arts. Once Thursday’s summit concludes, SU will host a football game watch party with prizes and food at the Miron Victory Court, according to the university’s website. After the Friday ceremony, the Dome will host Orange Fest to “celebrate a new era of leadership,” which will include student performances, therapy dogs and a dunk tank.
chancellor haynie’s inauguration and celebrations begin Thursday, with classes cancelled Friday afternoon to encourage attendance. avery magee development editor
“Syracuse University is not just an institution to me. It is home,” Haynie wrote. “It is a community that has shaped me, challenged me
and given me the privilege of doing the most meaningful work of my life.” viviancollins@dailyorange.com
on campus
Federal judge postpones international student visa limits By Mirren Grimason asst. news editor
A federal judge blocked a ruling that would limit international student visas to four years on Monday, Forbes reported. The ruling would’ve gone into effect on Tuesday. The ruling, which was finalized in July, would end a nearly 50-year-old policy that allowed international students to stay until the end of their studies, instead limiting them to four years. United States District Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV ruled that the Department of Homeland Security failed to follow the Administrative Procedure Act, which outlines how government departments must develop and issue rulings and regulations. Since the block, the current duration of status visa rules are still in effect nationwide, meaning visa holders can stay until the end of their program. The decision comes after a lawsuit by multiple organizations including the Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration and NAFSA: Association of International Educators. The “preliminary relief” provided by the ruling is an “important step” toward clear and fair legislation around international students and educators, co-plantiff of the lawsuit and CEO and Executive Director of NAFSA Fanta Aw wrote in a statement to The Daily Orange. “At a time when countries around the world are competing for talent, the United States should be strengthening our ability to attract the best and brightest, not creatfrom page 1
free speech Despite information from a national organization like FIRE, Favilla said students have the best sense of expression from just being on campus and getting involved with their university. “It’s not going to tell the whole story. The people who are going to be able to tell you what the climate for free expression on your campus is like best are going to be the people who are on campus with you,” Favilla said. “You’re the experts in your own community.” Tomasz Saarloos, vice president of SU’s chapter of College Democrats, said he sees students coming to clubs and organizations to feel a sense of community and speak their minds. Saarloos said organizations like SU’s College Democrats are a place where students don’t feel societal pressure or judgment and are welcomed back regardless of viewpoints. Saarloos also referenced the impact federal legislation and political influences have on the environment of free speech on campus. “We all are witness to this incredibly difficult political time in all our lives,” Saarloos said. “This is not normal.” Nearly half of Americans say freedom of speech is under major threat, according to a survey from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. FIRE’s release specifically mentions the killing of Charlie Kirk as creating a “jarring” year for free expression on campus and having a “profound impact” on students nationwide. Its survey, conducted in October 2025, found around half of undergraduates felt less comfort-
DHS’ ruling to cap student visas at four years was blocked by a federal judge, postponing the next hearing until Oct. 2. cassie roshu daily orange file photo
ing new barriers to it,” Aw wrote. “NAFSA remains committed to protecting international education and the tremendous benefits it brings to our nation.” Syracuse University struggled to “attract” international students in recent years, before the new change to visas. While the ruling is a regulatory change issued by the DHS, President Donald Trump’s administration has already targeted student visas in its One Big Beautiful Bill Act. International student enroll-
ment at SU has decreased by around 50% in “recent years,” a university spokesperson previously told The D.O. In April 2025, the Trump administration also revoked visas for three international students at SU. In a 2025 University Senate meeting, former Chancellor Kent Syverud said SU was 41 students below its master’s student enrollment goal. He attributed this to international students struggling to get visas.
able going to controversial public events on campus after Kirk’s killing. Additionally, around half also said they were less comfortable expressing their views on controversial topics on campus, in class and on social media. “Charlie Kirk’s assassination also prompted increased pressure from public officials to sanction faculty speech, primarily in response to social media comments about his death,” its press release reads. SU received national attention after a New York Post article named two SU professors who had written comments about Kirk after his death, raising questions about their status at the university. SU’s chapter of College Republicans did not respond to The D.O.’s request for comment. Gutterman said he’s unsure if Kirk’s killing affected the contemporary debate on free speech more so than Kirk did through his nonprofit Turning Point USA. Gutterman said he still believes Kirk’s legacy in tracking free speech on campus lives on. Saarloos agreed Kirk’s death hasn’t created a notable difference at SU but thinks it introduced the notion that political speech is threatened across the political spectrum. He said although SU’s College Democrats aren’t aligned with Kirk’s politics, the group believes political violence isn’t the answer. “I think it really has shed a light to people that we need to tone down in terms of rhetoric, but we can also be true to our principles while doing that,” Saarloos said. Favilla said violence cannot be the answer to any kind of expressive activity because it has a “chilling” effect, which will “absolutely” impact free expression.
However, rather than solely looking at rankings or assassinations, Favilla highlighted the importance of staying aware of state and federal rulings. She specifically mentioned a bill passed by the Texas Senate in May 2025 which sought to restrict expressive activities. Several months after Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed the bill into law, a federal judge temporarily blocked parts of the law under First Amendment concerns. Also referencing legislation, Saarloos spoke about The Protect Economic and Academic Freedom Act of 2026, passed by the U.S. House of Representatives on Sept. 3. The act blocks certain federal funding and student aid to colleges and universities participating in commercial boycotts of Israel. Saarloos explained that conversations at the federal level limiting many college students’ free speech are upsetting and need to be discussed. “I think it’s really important to have those dialogs instead of our federal legislators behind closed doors trying to repress our speech and take us further back,” Saarloos said. Despite the concerns referenced in FIRE’s findings, other research paints a different picture. Lumina Foundation and Gallup polls found 55% of college students believe their school’s leadership usually makes decisions in the best interest of students. SU students have the right to express themselves freely on any subject, as long as they don’t violate the Student Conduct Code. Possible violations include the prohibition of harassment of others or disruption of university operations, including the right of unimpeded egress on
The judge’s blocking only postpones the final resolution, meaning the lawsuit remains ongoing. The ruling affects certain F, J and I class visas. F visas are for students, J visas are for “exchange visitors,” including educators and researchers and I visas are for journalists and media representatives. If the rule is passed, stays on F and J class visas would be capped at four years or until the end of their program – whichever comes first. I class visas would be capped at 240 days. The current duration of status regulations state that F-1 and J-1 visa holders can stay until their program or studies are finished, with no renewal needed. Under the new rule, if approved, students with a program longer than four years, such as a Ph.D. program, must request an annual extension. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services will decide if extensions will be granted, and decisions cannot be appealed. USCIS is currently backlogged, with processing times around one year, meaning visa holders will have to apply early for extensions. Visa holders will be 240 day grace period while waiting for a decision on their extension, but rulings may take longer. If a request is denied, visa holders must leave the country immediately. Grace periods with visa expirations will also be shortened from 60 to 30 days. In his court order, the judge said that plaintiffs are “therefore likely to succeed on the merits of their claims.” The ruling’s next court date is scheduled for Oct. 2. mirrengrimason@dailyorange.com
campus, the university Community Standards website reads. The Syracuse Statement on Free Expression and Free Inquiry emphasizes the university’s dedication to free expression and inquiry. Expression on campus will only be restricted if it incites violence, harasses someone based upon a protected characteristic or violates the law, according to the statement. Private institutions generally are not bound by the First Amendment and create their own guidelines and rules for students’ free speech rights, according to the New York Civil Liberties Union. As a private university, Gutterman said SU adopted a “strong defense” of free speech values on paper but says in practice it may be harder to view as judicial affairs are confidential. “Aside from anecdotal experiences, (free speech) is hard to gauge. But it is not difficult to feel a lot of the tension surrounding public affairs and speech about public issues,” Gutterman said. “There are certainly concerns there.” Favilla emphasized the importance of taking into consideration the uniqueness of location, mission, values and community to meaningfully improve the environment for free speech. She said a campus is going to be informed by the people on it more than it’s going to be informed by an organization that’s taking a single viewpoint. “You know your campus better than anybody else for any ranking, and the power to make change for free speech is in the hands of the people who make up a campus,” Favilla said. sadepiet@syr.edu
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CULTURE
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Deadhead diaries
Uncle Jason’s Band members James Fingerman and Robert Searing strum their guitars while practicing at Fingerman’s house. Tribute bands like Uncle Jason’s Band keep the Grateful Dead’s legacy alive. avery magee development editor | courtesy of bob minkin
The Grateful Dead disbanded in 1995, but the Deadheads keep its legacy alive By Joel Pelachik
asst. culture editor
F
ifty years ago, Bob Minkin, a 17-year-old living in Brooklyn, hopped on a flight with his friend from New York City’s LaGuardia Airport to Syracuse. Minkin and his buddy had one goal for that trip:
see the Grateful Dead’s Tuesday night show. After Minkin’s flight touched down, he and his friend caught a cab. The problem? They had nowhere to stay, no tickets and they didn’t even know where the band was playing. The driver brought them to different venues, eventually arriving at the correct spot, the Onondaga County War Memorial (now called Upstate Medical University Arena). To Minkin’s surprise, the show wasn’t sold out, so they grabbed two tickets at the box office for around $7 each. For Minkin, flying for the first time and traveling hundreds of miles on the day of the concert was a big deal. And in retrospect, the entire tour was a big deal for the Grateful Dead. Minkin was about to experience one of the band’s statement years, Richard Ellis, who attended the same 1976 see deadheads page 11
campus life
DJ Amplitude’s ‘pure positive energy’ skyrockets fame By Paige Schoen staff writer
By day, Dylan Steele is a Syracuse University sophomore studying in the Bandier Program for Recording and Entertainment Industries. By night, he’s DJ Amplitude, a rising DJ who’s played in front of packed clubs in Washington, D.C. and San Francisco, California, working on projects for big-name artists like Doechii and launching his own music career. “My goal is to be a guy that influences tens of millions of people
through my music,” Dylan said. “My motto is pure positive energy.” In the nine years he’s been DJing, Dylan’s developed a style that blends genres and music from different eras to create something distinct. He’s known for posting mashups (like the Kahoot theme song x “Poker Face” x “SexyBack”) on social media, where he’s gained over a million followers across several social media accounts. Growing up in Leesburg, Virginia, Dylan was a sporty kid. His mother, Connie Steele, thought that he should have something to call
his own, so Dylan tried everything from soccer to baseball to, eventually, music. At 9, she convinced him to sign up for free DJing lessons with music company Bach to Rock’s Lansdowne branch. “I would have done that if I ever had the chance to do that,” Connie said. “I had no idea he would be a complete natural.” Though Dylan was initially skeptical of his musical capabilities, his tutor, LJ Diseale, recognized he had real talent for the art of the mashup. After the first few sessions, Dylan
harnessed his curiosity and began learning the then-analog audio workstation’s controls. “He picked it up really quickly,” Diseale said. “He came in with really good musical knowledge, and he had a ton of great energy.” Dylan credits Diseale for his rapid progress. It was Diseale, he said, who noticed his talent early and encouraged him to keep developing his skills. Over time, Diseale went from Dylan’s tutor to mentor; Dylan began to rely on the more experienced DJ for advice about business decisions.
After a few months, Dylan had honed his skills enough to start playing for crowds. Through his music school, Dylan booked a few unpaid gigs at his local community center where he received a positive response from crowds. He placed second in a competition judged by career DJs at 11 years old and won a gear bag. This public recognition motivated him to keep practicing; he uses the same bag to transport his equipment today, eight years later. The recognition kept him practicing, but his audience’s approval kept see amplitude page 11
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EVENTS
campus life
Students find zen, alleviate stress in yoga classes THIS WEEKEND By Alex Rice
asst. digital editor
On Monday mornings during her freshman year at Syracuse University, Isabella Ford-Valiente would get up in a hurry to make it to her 9:30 a.m. writing course. Stressed, she would rush to eat breakfast and get ready for the day. But after her hectic morning, she’d grab the yoga mat her mom sent her and head to a onecredit yoga class, where she could finally catch her breath. “I would have a good day after having that class,” Ford-Valiente said. “If I had a stressful day, I used the breathing techniques she taught us. I would feel more regulated the rest of the day.” Ford-Valiente, a sophomore dual majoring in political science and public relations, took yoga in fall 2025 when her sister, who’s an SU alum, told her about the physical education classes SU students can take for academic credit. She didn’t think too highly of yoga before taking the class, and was only really exposed to yoga because her mom practices at home, Ford-Valiente said. But those expectations were exceeded after coming into Adjunct Professor and Hendricks Chapel Communications Manager Dara Harper’s class and experiencing the calming environment. Not only did the class benefit Ford-Valiente’s mental health, but it also helped her heal from an ACL injury she got in high school. “I came into the class so stressed every day and would leave totally relaxed,” Ford-Valiente said. “I feel like her yoga class benefitted me more than physical therapy did.” Harper’s yoga class usually starts with a mindfulness exercise, conversations about the effectiveness of different stretches or sometimes stories passed down from other yoga practices. For example, one day she taught her class about the teachings of the Hindu God Ganesha and how to overcome obstacles in life and yoga. The class then moves into an overview of different yoga poses, and Harper sometimes randomly picks students to help demonstrate them. Now, Ford-Valiente has a new outlook on yoga and even does it alongside her mom when she’s home. Olivia Camacho, an SU freshman, also picked up on yoga’s calming features. Camacho, a psychology major, is taking yoga this semester with Harper, after hearing about it
through her advisor. Prior to the class, Camacho had no experience with group fitness or yoga, but after being in the course for a few weeks, she appreciates the relaxing class climate. “It’s really rejuvenating,” Camacho said. “Especially when I’m going there straight from Chemistry, a really hard class, then to yoga, it gives me 50 minutes of just time to focus on myself and body.” Harper also encourages students to be present and away from their devices to be more grounded, SU senior Sofia Self said. Self, a Studio Arts major, enrolled in Harper’s yoga class last semester to give her structured time to move. Semesters prior, Self admitted her busy schedule interfered with opportunities to move her body during the day. “If I was doing it for credit, I would have to build it into my schedule and force myself to have that time,” Self said. Self’s roommate is also a yoga class instructor at the Barnes Center at The Arch, which influenced her to check out Harper’s class. That way she can take part in more advanced yoga classes like the one her roommate teaches.
Before I took yoga I couldn’t even touch my toes, now I can touch the ground. Sofia Self su senior
In most yoga classes, grades primarily come from simply showing up, being attentive and participating. Some professors have students attend a virtual follow-along yoga session to make up for a missed in-person class. But if a student misses two of Harper’s classes, she has them make it up by attending a Buddhist meditation session at Hendricks. . Self attended one of the make-up meditation sessions where she sat in complete silence while doing breathing exercises for 25 minutes. It was nothing like anything she’d ever done before, she said. “I guess at times I even felt challenged to be thinking deeper and more mindful than I had before,” Self said.
The four-credit yoga classes tend to provide a lot of students with a much-needed break in their schedule — designated time where they can relax and focus on the meditative practice at hand, Self said. Now, this semester Self is taking another one-credit course in Pilates because of the positive experience she had with yoga. Self said the yoga class helped her gain a good foundation before taking a more exercise-intensive class like Pilates, Self said. “Before I took yoga I couldn’t even touch my toes, now I can touch the ground,” Self said. Another difference students noticed is that the yoga classes offered through the school focused more on teaching the reasons behind different poses or practices, like why their hips should be aligned above their knees or which muscles the pose targets. This is often less fastpaced than a normal exercise class tends to be, Self said. SU sophomore Megan Mills, who majors in international relations and economics, is currently enrolled in Professor Hyo Suk Kang’s yoga class this semester. Every Monday, Mills arrives at Ernie Davis at 3 p.m. for yoga after her classes. She got involved with yoga after looking for a good “mental break” from her course load, so her friends suggested she take the class, Mills said. For Mills, the cost of workout classes like Solidcore can add up. As a college student, it’s valuable to be able to take a class where you exercise as part of your tuition, she said. While the class was beginner-friendly, it was still challenging and allowed for the students to get out of their usual element, Mills said. “I enjoy it at the end of the day,” Mills said. “After stressful classes and after a really long day to take a breather then maybe kinda reset my nervous system, it’s a good break.” Not only has yoga served as a positive break in the school day for students like Camacho, it has also encouraged her to be more active by taking group fitness classes and going to the gym more often, she said. “College sweeps you up so quickly, and it’s really hard to find time, especially for yourself when it comes to fitness and mental health,” Camacho said. “It’s beneficial for both. You get a credit and a moment to focus on you.” arice19@syr.edu
arts
Football T-shirt contest winner explains design By April Stelle staff writer
On Sept. 5, Syracuse University alum Emma Lee stood by the staircase next to the student section and waited for the referee’s whistle to signal a break in SU football’s opening game at the JMA Wireless Dome. Lee had been on the field before working for the Dome changeover crew, but this was different. Filled with rowdy SU football fans, Lee appeared on the jumbotron in the end zone holding up a framed “CUSE” with detailed illustrations filling the letters. Cheerleaders lined on either side of her, donning black shirts with the same design. The design was Lee’s, who was being honored as the winner of the 2026 Syracuse University Football T-Shirt Design Contest, which was organized by SU Athletics, the Syracuse Campus Store and Auxiliary Services. Only current SU students could participate, and they had to submit an original design highlighting staples of the SU community, so Lee, who was still a student, submitted her work in April. She found out she was the winner a few days later. The Campus Store sold out of the first and second orders of tees after SU’s first two games, the store told The Daily Orange over email. “I love drawing figures and stuff like that, which is why I really like drawing sports,” Lee said. “So it was kind of perfect.” Lee, who graduated in May from the College of Visual and Performing Arts’ illustration program, initially wanted to create drawings for children’s books or newspapers. Around her sophomore year, Lee pivoted to sports illustrations. While SU Athletics had hosted public fan contests in the past, it decided to take a student-centric approach this season, according to Rachel Duffy, SU’s Director of Strategic Partnership & Licensing. The competition was announced over email in the spring, and as soon as René Vetter, a friend and classmate of Lee’s, saw it, he thought Lee would be the perfect candidate. “Emma had just done the first draft of the design for one of our classes, and I was like, ‘Dude, you should actually consider doing this because you have something that would already work,’” Vetter said. “‘I feel like you actually could have a real shot.’”
Lee grew up outside Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, so sports were difficult to avoid. Although she wasn’t as diehard as other Philadelphia sports fans, once she arrived at SU, she kept track of her city’s sports to stay connected to home. Her favorite to watch was basketball, where she backs the Philadelphia 76ers. Fueled by SU’s sporting game environment and her love for drawing figures, Lee began illustrating sports-related subjects for her class projects. She mostly focused on Philadelphia sports, but for one project, she drew a piece based on a Syracuse Mets game she attended. Now, Lee works as a motion graphics coordinator for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, a hockey team based in Allentown, Pennsylvania. Seeing Lee’s passion for both the illustrations and subject matter, Vetter knew she’d found her niche. “It just started really clicking, and she was able to do all these complicated compositions with all these different players all at once,” Vetter said. Lee had been designing a poster for Geek/Art Confluence earlier that year, which highlighted all SU sports. She used it as inspiration for her initial submission to the contest. The designs were ranked and selected by a combination of SU Athletics staff and students who judged entries based on their inclusion of Syracuse staples. In her final design, Lee included the tradition of the marching band playing on the steps of Hendricks Chapel, a nod to Varsity Pizza, a football player wearing Ernie Davis’ beloved No. 44 and Otto the Orange in front of the iconic Hall of Languages. The T-shirts with Lee’s design hit the Schine Student Center Campus Store and the Dome before the first football game. Since selling out, it’s waiting on a third order to come in, the Campus Store told The Daily Orange. Lee got to keep the enlarged framed printout of her design and received a gift basket from the Campus Store, Syracuse Auxiliary Service and SU Athletics with merchandise, gift cards and more. Lee appreciated the prize, and despite not getting any revenue from the sales, she said the experience made it worthwhile. From working on the design at the John A. Lally Athletics Complex to being honored at the opening
football game, Lee’s dreams as an SU sports fan were fulfilled. At the opening game, she met fans walking around the Dome sporting her design and some Athletics team members who worked on the shirt after Lee’s initial design won. “I remember some kid passed by and was like ‘Oh, that’s the person that designed it,’” Lee said. “That was kind of funny.” Those kids were some of the few lucky ones to get their hands on the shirt. Marisa Paninski, an SU senior who’s been working at the Campus Store for four years, was working when the initial order came into the store. Paninski wanted to snag a shirt, but it was sold out by her next shift. Paninski said some high-profile people at SU purchased the shirt, including deans and staff. She also appreciated that the design featured other aspects of SU sports games, like the marching band. “I didn’t know that the competition was happening until we actually got (the shirts) in,” Paninski said. “I think it’s cool to have a student have a voice in what we’re selling.” Lee grabbed a shirt for Vetter, who now teaches art classes in Palo Alto, California. The two met freshman year in DellPlain Hall, where Lee lived on floor one and Vetter on the second floor. Lee’s design impressed Vetter, specifically the details and layering. “It’s so detailed, and I think she did a great job of capturing all these different parts of Syracuse and the student experience, especially the football experience,” Vetter said. “It’s just so impressive. “And then also it looks great on a shirt. It’s really just an effective design.” The shirt will be available online soon and will continue to be sold until completely sold out, the Campus Store told The Daily Orange. The Campus Store and SU Athletics plan to hold a new competition sometime during the spring semester to choose a new design for next season. Vetter hopes this will give art students a chance to get involved in one of SU’s most popular activities: sports. “I feel like some pretty cool designs are really gonna come out of it,” Vetter said. “There’s a lot of very artistically talented people, and I think it’s going to be really cool to see.” ajstelle@syr.edu
Spark Radio Benefit In a benefit concert for Spark! Radio (WSPJ-LP 103.3/93.7 FM), The Flashing Astonishers, Perilous and Know Nothing will be performing for a night of tunes. The radio station is owned and operated by Syracuse Community Radio. WHEN: Friday, 8 to 11 p.m. PRICE: $18.22 WHERE: Funk ‘n Waffles
Green Lakes State Park Day Hike Before Syracuse trails become covered in snow, take advantage of the miles of paths within Green Lakes State Park. The park includes two lakes known for their famous bluegreen hue. WHEN: Saturday, 12 to 4 p.m. PRICE: $5 for undergraduate students, $10 for graduate students WHERE: Green Lakes State Park
BareRoots Music Festival The BareRoots Music Festival aims to share Syracuse voices and experiences through art and music. Five local bands performed at the festival last year. WHEN: Saturday, 12 to 7 p.m. PRICE: Free WHERE: Thornden Park
Oktoberfest at Harvey’s Garden The Harvey’s Garden Oktoberfest celebration will include a steinholding contest and a best dressed contest. Harvey’s Garden will also hold its fourth annual dachshund race beginning at 5 p.m. WHEN: Saturday, 2 to 8 p.m. PRICE: Free WHERE: Harvey’s Garden
Quinceañera Dreams To celebrate its 15th anniversary and the opening of its new Quinceañera Dreams exhibit, La Casita Cultural Center is hosting a live quinceañera celebration. The exhibition will include community-sourced photographs, oral histories, family memorabilia and vibrant gowns as well as music and a Cuban buffet to celebrate the historic tradition. Festive or dress attire is encouraged. WHEN: Saturday, 6 to 9 p.m. PRICE: Free WHERE: La Casita Cultural Center
Whitney Cummings: Big Baby Tour Stand-up comedian, actress, podcaster, producer, writer and director Whitney Cummings will be coming to Syracuse for her Big Baby Tour. Cummings hosts the “Good For You with Whitney Cummings” podcast and is the co-creator of “2 Broke Girls.” WHEN: Saturday, 7 p.m. PRICE: $48.35 to $77.05 WHERE: The Oncenter Carrier Theater
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james fingerman of the Uncle Jason’s Band passionately sings with his bandmate, Bob Searing. The band started performing in local establishments in February. avery magee development editor from page 9
deadheads
Syracuse show, said. After a two-year touring hiatus, the Grateful Dead were back. “The ‘76 (Syracuse) show, the second set was just electric, but also, (the fans) were electric,” Ellis said. “Traveling with the Dead was always a mind-altering experience. We were either tripping or doing mushrooms and drinking wine and smoking weed.” Formed in 1965, the Grateful Dead was a California-based rock band founded by Jerry Garcia, Bob Weir, Phil Lesh, Bill Kreutzmann and Ron “Pigpen” McKernan. The group blended rock, folk, jazz and other genres, eventually becoming one of the greatest bands in American history. After Garcia’s death in 1995, the group disbanded, but offshoot Grateful Dead projects began to tour, like Phil Lesh and Friends and Dead & Company. But besides the music, the band’s cult-like followers, known as Deadheads, have kept the Grateful Dead’s legacy alive. “Deadheads are kind of different. You either got it or you didn’t,” Ellis said. “Some people look at Deadheads like they’re idiots, and us Deadheads look at other people that don’t get it like they’re idiots.” When 19-year-old Ellis attended the Syracuse concert on Sept. 28, 1976, he was still a novice Deadhead. It was about the 12th Grateful Dead show he’d seen. But from 1970-95 (Ellis’ “formative years”), he attended at least 480 Grateful Dead concerts across the country, including seven or eight in Syracuse, he said. For about 300 of those, Ellis was accompanied by a few of the same people, but he also bumped into many faces he’d met over the years — most of them fellow Deadheads. “I miss it so much, too,” Ellis said. “I’ve gone to every incarnation of the Dead since ‘95, and every time I leave a show after that, I just miss what we actually had more than before.” Even though Ellis wasn’t a fan of Dead & Company with John Mayer, he still attended those performances just to see his friends. He from page 9
amplitude Dylan gigging. In his first competition, Dylan saw how people grooved to his mixes, which banished his pre-show nerves. Even now, he gets a thrill every time he sees a crowd go wild. But Dylan wasn’t content with only mixing other people’s songs, so he set out to create his own music. His first rap song, “Where Them O’s At,” was released when he was 10, complete with a zero-budget music video shot with Diseale’s help in a local grocery store’s cereal aisle. Despite only being shared with friends and family, the video quickly amassed several thousand views on Youtube and became a hit among family and friends. Even General Mills took notice, sending him a custom box of Cheerios with his name on it. Just as he was gaining broader recognition, the COVID-19 pandemic hit. With his town locked down and no crowds to play in front of, Dylan started drifting away from DJing. Sports had started calling his name again, particularly golf. Connie helped him keep his eye on the prize. “I was like, ‘I’m just going to throw you a bunch of things, and I want you to create a halfhour mix,’” she said. “We’re going to set up a Zoom DJ dance party and invite friends.” Dylan used the Zoom shows to push his musical boundaries in a controlled environment, creating longer mixes blending disparate genres (one of his first was a mashup of Post Malone, Queen and House of Pain) and getting audience feedback in real time. The meetings also got Dylan his first paid gig, when a dance party attendee booked him to play their daughter’s birthday party. His first
said seeing the Grateful Dead and the offshoot projects felt more communal than seeing other legendary groups like The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin or Pink Floyd. And on the East Coast — specifically in New York — Ellis said the Grateful Dead picked it up a notch. Many New York state Grateful Dead shows, like the 1976 Syracuse and the legendary 1977 Cornell University performance, were immortalized through “Dick’s Picks,” an archival series of live albums. Dick Latvala, the band’s archivist, curated and released live Grateful Dead performances. The Syracuse show came out in 2001 as part of “Dick’s Picks Vol. 20.” Brian Kinsler, an SU graduate student who studied English from 1977-79, saw the band about 20 times in upstate New York — including the 1976 Syracuse show — and 50 times in New York City. Like Ellis, Kinsler, who’s originally from Brooklyn and now lives in California, said the New York shows were always high energy. “The people are crazier,” Kinsler said. “People are more laid back (in California), but people are definitely more amped up (in New York). And maybe better drugs, who knows?” Kinsler discovered the band after listening to a live album, “Grateful Dead (Skull & Roses),” when he was around 14. As a freshman in high school, Kinsler went to his first show on Dec. 5, 1971, at the Felt Forum (now the Infosys Theater at Madison Square Garden). Starting in 1974, he went “on tour” as a Deadhead and caught 369 Grateful Dead performances — he even skipped his Fairleigh Dickinson University graduation to see one of them. Around the time he finished graduate school at SU, Kinsler saw the Grateful Dead perform in Pittsburgh. At 3 a.m., he stepped out of his hotel room to grab a Coke from a vending machine, and when he turned around, his hero — Garcia — stood behind him. “You know what? I’ve been to almost 300 shows,” Kinsler said. “I’ve been to a few myself,” Garcia responded. “Hey, would you mind just walking into my room and saying hello?” Kinsler asked. “Maybe smoke a joint with my friends?”
“Sure,” Garcia said. When Garcia walked into the room, Kinsler’s seven friends were stunned; they couldn’t even talk. The cherry on top: Garcia did smoke a joint with them. Minkin also saw Garcia (sometimes smoking a joint) in intimate spaces, like backstage, often through a camera lens. At 18, Minkin began shooting professionally. His work, like photos of Garcia playing an outdoor San Francisco show in 1977, was published in Relix magazine, where he was a senior photographer in the 1980s and 90s. In the 1980s, Grateful Dead management provided Minkin with backstage access for many performances. His photos were used for Grateful Dead-themed calendars, CD packages and even in the background of Dead & Company’s shows at the Sphere in Las Vegas. Over the years, Minkin developed personal relationships with members of the band. Before Weir died in January, they lived close by in Marin County, California. Minkin photographed his daughter’s 16th birthday party and family portraits for Christmas cards. Minkin also snapped photos in Lesh’s home and received holiday cards from Lesh before his 2024 death. Minkin, who saw the Grateful Dead play “only” about 200 times, published individual photo books focusing on Garcia, Weir and Lesh. But Minkin began taking photos at concerts before he was even paid. When the 1976 Syracuse show ended, Minkin had an idea of how to potentially meet the band. Strapped with a portable camera — he can’t remember, likely the Kodak Instamatic his aunt gifted him or a Kanika Rangefinder — he walked to the back of the Onondaga County War Memorial. “I wanted to hopefully meet Jerry Garcia, whose voice I heard in that stairwell, because we were in this little cubicle, like we stepped in the doorway,” Minkin said. “But then, the door right in front of me opens up, and Bob Weir comes walking out.” While the Grateful Dead’s crew was moving equipment, he snapped a shot of Weir wearing a sports jacket.
paycheck, $100, made Dylan realize DJing was a business and an art form. Never one to waste an opportunity, Dylan released his first rap album in 2021. Songs discussed quarantine blues and school during the pandemic, among other topics. It received more than 300,000 streams before being taken down by Spotify. By then, Dylan had begun building a reputation as a DJ at his high school. Limited to only playing at birthday circuits, only a few of his peers had actually heard him DJ. That changed when the school booked him to play a pep rally during his junior year. Dylan recalled the palpable energy in the room. “It went absolutely insane,” Dylan said. “It was 2,000 people screaming, they were dancing, it made people realize, ‘Oh my God, he’s actually a really good DJ.’” After the pep rally, Dylan’s stage name started bouncing around the school, and the shows came rolling in. Soon after, he played to 300-person house parties, weddings and packed Washington nightclubs. Things accelerated when he upped his social media game, posting mashups on TikTok to spread his music even further. He recalled posting his first viral video, a mashup of Drake’s “NOKIA” and “Hotline Bling” before going to bed with no expectations. “I wake up the next morning, and it has a million views,” Dylan said. “My mind is exploding, ‘Whoa, I’ve never seen this before.’” Every subsequent video broke new personal records. After his success on TikTok, Dylan began expanding his presence across platforms, building a sustainable career while gaining new in-person opportunities. He’s since built an audience of over a million followers across all social
media accounts, including 613,000 on TikTok and 370,000 on Instagram. Dylan said he considered the Bandier program since high school, recognizing the program’s focus on making industry connections as vital to his growth as a performer. When he got his acceptance letter from SU, his choice was already made. “He didn’t know if he would get in,” Connie said. “He knew how competitive it was.”
Tribute bands have also been a factor in immortalizing the Grateful Dead. In Syracuse, bands like Dark Hollow, Dark Star Orchestra and Liverpool resident Jason Fingerman’s group, Uncle Jason’s Band, continue to carry on the Grateful Dead’s legacy. Fingerman has worked as a musician in the Syracuse area for the last five years. But since February, Fingerman and his friend, Robert Searing, have played gigs as Uncle Jason’s Band. The name is a play on the classic Grateful Dead song “Uncle John’s Band,” but Fingerman, who has a niece and several nephews, is actually an Uncle Jason, though. The group hopes to add more members in the future, but for now, the duo is putting their own spin on the Garcia-Weir dynamic. “Any place that advertises, ‘We have a Grateful Dead tribute coming in,’ there’s always going to be some people just to come and check it out,” Fingerman said. “It’s a built-in Deadhead audience that you can count on.” A self-described “late-to-the-party Deadhead,” Fingerman started listening to deep cuts in the Grateful Dead’s catalogue over the past couple years. But for Tom Prowda, his love of the band began in 1969 at a record store on Marshall Street. Prowda, a classical music fan, was looking through the Johann Sebastian Bach cantata section when he started tapping his foot to the record that was playing in the store: “Aoxomoxoa,” the Grateful Dead’s third studio album. When one of Prowda’s friends realized he liked the Grateful Dead, he told Prowda he needed to see them live. On May 2, 1970, Prowda saw them play at Harpur College (now Binghamton University). He said it was an evening of firsts — his first rock concert, his first Grateful Dead show and his first psychedelic trip. Big jugs of orange juice were being passed around, and when one came near Prowda, he started guzzling it. An attendee behind him said they were supposed to share that jug with everyone, so Prowda passed it on. Then, he told Prowda the show would get better. “I start to feel tingly all over. The walls start weaving. I start seeing sparks coming out of the speakers,” Prowda said. “And then all of a sudden, all the musicians have these bright neon halos around them. And I went, ‘Did I say just take acid? Oh my God, I did. I took acid.’” Outside of slinging grilled cheese sandwiches and substance use, the Grateful Dead also played a pivotal role in Deadheads’ family lives. When Ellis’ second daughter, Rose, got married, their father-daughter dance song was “Ramble on Rose,” which brought a tear to Ellis’ eye. Kinsler stopped following the band across the country when his child was born in 1981. But once Deadhead, always a Deadhead — Kinsler’s thankful for what being a Deadhead has brought him, changing his life forever. “I wouldn’t have met my wife. I wouldn’t have had a kid,” Kinsler said. “All these things happened because of the Grateful Dead. All of my lifelong friends are basically Deadheads, almost every one.” jdpelach@syr.edu
Nowadays, you can find Dylan DJing house parties and clubs all over Syracuse. He hasn’t given up on his original music either, having teased new releases on Instagram. It all came from a split-second decision to sign up for free music lessons. “This was something I never thought I enjoyed,” Dylan said. “Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.” paschoen@syr.edu
In front of a crowd, Dylan Steele uses his controller to mix songs. Steele, also known as DJ Amplitude, has been a DJ since he was 9. madison cox staff photographer
12 september 17, 2026
OPINION
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column
WSJ article is well informed, but doesn’t paint full picture of SU By Peyton Tapp columnist
If you’re part of the Syracuse University community, you’ve likely read, or at least heard about, the infamous Wall Street Journal article. Last month, the WSJ published an article with the headline “Why Syracuse Can’t Attract the Students It Needs to Pay the Bills,” a pretty bold claim and enough to make current students and alumni wince. The WSJ wasn’t wrong to ask why SU can’t attract the students it needs to pay the bills, as this issue is affecting almost all midsize private schools in the U.S. The answer, though, speaks to the future of higher education as a whole. What the story doesn’t do is capture what keeps me, and over 15,000 undergraduates, choosing SU every year. The article opens with a quote from SU’s former director of international student services, claiming the problem is that the school thinks of itself like an Ivy, but it isn’t. This is a fair claim to make — SU’s total cost of attendance adds up to $95,676 per year for an undergraduate student living on campus, with tuition at $69,180. The WSJ also discusses the fact that SU missed its enrollment target for the fall 2026 class, which it ties to a 1.5% operating budget deficit. This was originally confirmed in June by Chancellor Mike Haynie. One of the biggest factors the WSJ points to is issues regarding international enrollment, highlighting that it’s a stream of revenue SU depends on. But this issue is far from self-inflicted. President Donald Trump’s administration’s continued pressure on student visas is significantly harming international enrollment numbers nationwide. This context doesn’t erase the very real deficit at hand, but it does change how we should consider it. It isn’t simply a situation of the university mismanaging or carelessly spending. It’s an issue of SU struggling, along with other institutions, as a result of changes within higher education.
The Wall Street Journal highlights Syracuse University’s financial challenges but overlooks what makes the university worth choosing. zabdyl koffa staff photographer
Haynie’s response to the article was strong and rooted in SU pride. He responded to the 1.5% deficit, calling it “far from a crisis.” The WSJ says a rough few years for men’s football and basketball are “depriving the university of national exposure,” equating athletics to marketing for the school. That lens completely misses what those programs mean to the SU community day to day.
The JMA Wireless Dome filling up with students in orange and blue on a Saturday has nothing to do with SU’s ranking and everything to do with the shared sense of identity and pride that students have on campus. Transferring from a school whose football stadium was a 45-minute drive from campus, living within walking distance of the Dome was a shock. It makes game days feel like an event the entire
campus is involved in, and it’s easy to see how much the entire SU community cares about our team. The article also fails to acknowledge SU’s academic strengths. SU is home to the Newhouse School of Public Communications, which is consistently ranked one of, if not the best, communications schools in the country. The Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs is also ranked first by U.S. News Graduate Rankings for public affairs programs. As a Maxwell student, I’ve witnessed firsthand that the faculty here are some of the best in their industries. Almost all of my professors have published research in their respective fields, and some have even been featured in news outlets like The New York Times. Being surrounded by such successful people every day is inspiring. SU’s study abroad programs are also among the best of any American university. With campuses in places like Italy, the United Kingdom, Spain and France, SU students are encouraged to complete at least a semester of their studies while immersing themselves in a new culture. Downtown Syracuse is another part of the SU experience that often gets overlooked. Armory Square is close enough to campus that students can easily visit for a dinner or night out without needing a car. Restaurants like Dinosaur Bar-B-Que and Pastabilities are known as classic celebration dinner spots that are favorites among students. A story written about a university’s cost is never going to explain why students choose it. A close-knit campus life and school spirit, top-tier programs and downtown Syracuse are all part of a tradition that’s made SU special for the past 156 years. These are the reasons students choose to spend four years here. The WSJ didn’t leave us with an incorrect image of SU, but one article can’t paint the whole picture. Peyton Tapp is a junior majoring in philosophy and political science. She can be reached at petapp@syr.edu.
column
Trump’s proposed changes to mail-in voting were manipulative By Declan Berry columnist
On Sept.14, an unsigned emergency order from the U.S. Supreme Court put an end to the proposed changes President Donald Trump ordered the U.S. Postal Service to make to mailin voting standards. This comes after years of comments questioning the nature and integrity of federal and state elections by the president, dating back to his first term. “Get rid of ballot harvesting, it is rampant with fraud,” Trump posted on X in 2020. “The USA must have voter I.D., the only way to get an honest count!”
30% of Americans who voted in 2024 used a mail-in ballot
While his past rhetoric had a large impact on public trust in officials, Trump’s recent attempts to change the system have had a far greater effect since his reelection in 2024. “USPS lacks the technical or operational capability needed to effectively implement the EO’s provisions in a way that safeguards every citizen’s right to vote in the upcoming midterm elections,” read a report sent by Sen. Richard Blumenthal on behalf of an anonymous whistleblower. “Despite this, the Trump Administration appears intent on USPS moving forward with its flawed plans, no matter the chaos they may create.” The order mentioned in the letter, «Ensuring Citizenship Verification and Integrity in Federal Elections,» ordered the Department of Homeland Security to compile a list of eligible voters and transmit it to election officials. It also directed the Postal Service to enforce new standards for mail-in ballots. The main concern of the whistleblower memo was that the Postal Service wouldn’t be able to finalize changes and provide ballots to voters and election officials, potentially leaving millions disenfranchised.
Trump said the changes would prevent ineligible and noncitizen voters from accessing ballots, safeguarding elections from fraud. But these changes are unnecessary and would drain time and money away from an already cut and underfunded federal workforce far too close to the midterms. The executive order failed to clear the courts for numerous reasons. Elections Clause powers are split between the states and Congress. States set their own regulations while Congress can override any decision. The Postal Service can adopt rules governing its operations, and this would fit many of the postage rules in the order. But voter lists kept by the Postal Service that exclude voters on state lists would contradict the preexisting order that used state-made lists to order mail-in voters. Timing was much more damning than the provisions to implementation. The Purcell Principle is a legal doctrine under which federal courts avoid changing election standards close to an election to avoid confusing voters and election officials. Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh said applying these changes to the 2026 elections would be “arbitrary and capricious.” But he also left room for reconsideration after the election, claiming Trump’s proposals may be within the capabilities of the Postal Service. Kavanaugh is correct. While there may be a way to implement some of these changes in the future, enforcing them this close to the midterms is ridiculous. This legal battle isn’t the first time the president has brought attention to voting. Since the 2020 presidential election, Trump has voiced serious concerns about the integrity of voting, specifically via mail. Due to the COVID19 pandemic, absentee voting excuses were expanded, making it considerably easier to access absentee ballots. Trump’s election fraud claims focused on coordinated attempts by political opponents to register noncitizens to vote, yet the evidence is weak. Statistics on the topic are hard to find, and most are heavily disputed. The largest audited figure is provided by the Associated Press, which found 475 potential cases among 25.5 million ballots cast in six battleground states.
kendall thompson contributing illustrator
This means fraudulent ballots cast by noncitizens would represent 0.0002% of ballots cast, hardly the endemic problem of 250,000 noncitizen voters that Trump’s DHS continues to claim. The narrative that Trump continuously purports is part of his larger strategy to never admit defeat or concede the truth despite evidence to the contrary. Now in power, this narrative affects our system. The president’s recent focus on mail-in voting isn’t an effort to curb fraud. It’s a tool of confusion meant to aid the Republican Party in upcoming midterms slated to be a turning point against the Republican trifecta. Narrative building also plays a crucial role. Statements made now could later be used to challenge election results. This tactic was used in 2020 and culminated in 60 lawsuits targeted at throwing out ballots, calls to state election
officials and a request to have former Vice President Mike Pence refuse to certify the 2020 election results on Jan. 6. The dismissal of the executive order adds fuel to the narrative fire. Unimplemented changes are a perfect springboard for potential recounts and litigation, further complicating our electoral process. Trump’s decision to discredit and bog down our electoral system is a major issue. The worst consequences of untimely changes to mail-in voting have been avoided, but his battle against the system isn’t over. With two more years left in his second term, you can expect a continued verbal assault on integrity and fresh legal challenges around the corner. Declan Berry is a freshman majoring in journalism and data science. He can be reached at deberry@syr.edu
september 17, 2026 13
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from page 16
tremble Wesleyan needed a play. Pridgen made Jamie’s job simple — he only needed to focus on his read. And he always came through. “My goodness, I wish he was still around because he would sack the quarterback almost every time,” Pridgen said. “It was a heck of a weapon for us.” Jamie said his high school versatility aided his transition last season, though it wouldn’t come into play for another few years. That started with his recruitment. Jamie was advertised as a receiver and tight end, his defensive experience being a mere bonus. Greg said many schools worried about his stature — 6-foot-1, 200 pounds — but not Syracuse. After originally being recruited by former SU head coach Dino Babers, Jamie’s athleticism kept him on Brown’s list. He had an absurd 11-foot, six-inch broad jump, which Greg said would top the NFL Combine each year. He also ran a 4.6-second 40-yard dash and competed in track and field at Wesleyan, placing second in the triple jump in the 2023 Georgia AAA states. Tommy can’t even match those numbers. A few years ago, the brothers had a vertical jump contest in their house. As the NFL player, Tommy said he didn’t think Jamie could even sniff his mark, mistakenly underestimating his brother. The competition was too close to call on two legs, so they switched to one. To Abigail, the result was clear: Jamie won. Tommy won’t admit it but said he certainly doesn’t want a rematch. “I noticed as I was doing stuff, I’m like, ‘This kid’s times are kind of insane,’” Tommy told The Daily Orange. “How are you running this? How are you jumping this far? I don’t really get how you’re doing that stuff.” Jamie’s measurables landed him 45th on 247Sports’ 2024 Freaks List, which ranked that year’s “freakiest college football recruits.” But even his self-promotion couldn’t get many non-Atlantic Coast Conference teams to bite. The Orange did, and Brown’s commitment, along with SU’s reliance on future NFL tight end Oronde Gadsden II across his career, led to Jamie’s decision in June 2023. “When Jamie was being recruited, it was just a little different,” Greg said. “It seems like they already wanted him at 230 pounds instead of saying, ‘You’re 17 years old, you’re gonna grow during your career.’” “But Fran recognized the potential,” Abigail responded. “That was the difference with Fran.” It was hard for Jamie to show that potential without opportunity, though. He caught one ball in 12 games as a freshman, prompting his move to defense. That led Brown to call Jamie’s parents before his sophomore year. Brown emphasized Jamie was too good to sit on the bench behind
jamie tremble lines up before a snap in Syracuse’s loss to Duke on Sept. 27, 2025. Tremble previously played tight end before switching to linebacker. leonardo eriman daily orange file photo
other offensive playmakers and that his athleticism alone could improve SU’s barren pass rush unit. Jamie was the parents’ next call. He fielded question after question, including: “Will you play both sides?” His answer, initially, was yes. Though Greg was skeptical at first, Tommy didn’t question the switch. That’s because Jamie and Tommy were outliers in a “defensiveminded family,” Tommy said — besides Greg, Watts played safety and their grandfather played linebacker. Now, the brothers are playing on different sides of the ball for the first time in six years. “I talked to my parents, and then I talked to my position coach, Coach (Michael) Johnson, and then I was talking to some of the defensive coaches, and we were all on the same page,” Jamie said. “I was just ready to get in there and play, so I was willing to do whatever it took.” Jamie’s transition was delayed a few weeks after pulling a hamstring in last year’s fall camp. But from there, Syracuse’s coaches added new tactics to his repertoire every week, former SU linebackers coach Robert Wright said. One session, he’d take on blocks. Another, they’d go over footwork. Syracuse’s coaches didn’t want to overwhelm him, especially when he was still practicing with the offense early in the season.
The offense and defense practice on separate fields, so Jamie initially spent the final minutes of each drill hauling himself to either end of the complex. He’d go from offensive meetings to individual tight end drills to manning the SAM linebacker spot in defensive sessions. But by SU’s Week 4 clash with Clemson, Jamie had fully switched over. There was no need to run back and forth; he was just a linebacker. After adding bits and pieces, Jamie became Syracuse’s third-down guy. His athleticism got him places, even if Greg felt he didn’t know much about “reading defensive keys” and sometimes “looked a little lost.” Former Orange defensive lineman Kevin Jobity Jr. said he taught Jamie passrush moves that fit his skill set, including stab clubs and stab goes. Jobity — now with the Pittsburgh Steelers — remembers one particular sack. In Jamie’s third full game on defense at SMU, Jobity turned the corner and prepared to hit Mustangs quarterback Kevin Jennings. Before he could get close, Jamie already had Jennings on the ground. “There’s a lot of guys out there who move around position to position. If you’re not tough, you’re not going to be (successful),” Jobity said. “But he’s a guy where you can put him at kicker, he’ll probably figure out a way to
be tough there, too.” The offseason granted Jamie time to learn the ins and outs of linebacker instead of relying on raw ability to stay afloat, Abigail said. Jamie spent two weeks in California working with Proactive Sports Performance, a training company that helped him master pass rush packages, Tommy added. “Jamie really focused and wanted to learn defense more,” Abigail said. “But like Jamie always says, he’s ready to go in on an offensive play whenever they need it.” Jamie’s already been asked about returning to offense. Standing in the John A. Lally Athletics Complex on Sept. 1, he chuckled. He’d already mulled it over. Syracuse’s offensive coaches had joked with him about it. He’ll always be ready, as his mother said, because that’s the type of player he is. But he’s made his switch. He’s Jamie Tremble, the linebacker, and any offensive output is the true bonus now. “Him getting this opportunity to really show his talents, especially on the defensive side, it’s fun,” Tommy said. “And hopefully one of these next few years, I can line up against him on the pro field.” njnussba@syr.edu @Noahnuss99
from page 15
le moyne “Kids were taking a risk when they would come here,” Brown said. “Now, it’s definitive.” Most Le Moyne teams had already completed at least one D-I season when Brown was hired from Vanderbilt in October 2024. Donnelly — whose first season managing the men’s soccer program was with the interim tag — and his squad mightily struggled in their first NEC season. They finished 2-8-7, conceding 37 goals while scoring 22. There was a real sense of imposter syndrome among the group, Dupell said. Many players, some of whom learned of the school’s proposed D-I transition while being recruited, were coached by Bonus. Virtually no players, who were also hampered by injuries, had experience at that level. “So much of it was unknown,” Donnelly said. Le Moyne needed continuity to change the group’s mindset. Donnelly was hired as the Dolphins’ permanent head coach after 2023, and 14 players returned for a second D-I campaign, which featured a marquee matchup against crosstown foe Syracuse. The No. 7 Orange, two years removed from w inning the 2022 National Championship, welcomed Le Moyne for a September 2024 nonconference fixture. Ever since Ian McIntyre became SU’s head coach in 2010, the two programs regularly played in the spring, aptly dubbed the “El Clásico.” But that Monday night was the first time the schools met at the D-I level. Le Moyne traveled in numbers, bringing students, alumni and family members to pack SU Soccer Stadium’s bleachers. And the Dolphin faithful got rewarded early. Liverpool native Justin Pham drove into the box in the 16th minute, where Chimere Omeze brought him to the ground. Referee Luis Reis pointed to the spot, awarding Le Moyne a golden opportunity. Jack Goodrich, a defender who Bonus recruited, stepped up and slotted the penalty past Tomas Hut
Le Moyne men’s soccer practices during its 2026 season. The Dolphins, who joined Division I in 2023, face Syracuse at SU Soccer Stadium on Saturday. paul hakimian staff photographer
for a 1-0 lead. The Orange spent the rest of the match peppering Dupell — who grew up attending Syracuse soccer matches — in net. The Cicero native held firm with a seasonhigh eight saves. As soon as Syracuse’s Ernest Bawa got under his last-minute free kick, pure euphoria radiated across the field and into the stands. Once the Le Moyne players returned to campus, they rewatched the entire game on ESPN. They couldn’t believe what just
happened. “When you take a step back and see what we’ve accomplished, it’s definitely something to be really proud of,” Dupell said. In 2026, Le Moyne is a far more established D-I soccer team than when it last faced Syracuse. It’s beaten Colgate and Lafayette by multiple goals with freeflowing, attacking soccer. Donnelly, who ripped into his players Friday afternoon for loose touches in a passing drill, knows his group can go
even further. Saturday’s matchup against Syracuse not only gives Le Moyne and its raucous alumni a chance at another win over its “big brother,” but also a chance to firmly complete its transition from just a small liberal arts school into a D-I national brand. “We’re not that regional school in Syracuse anymore,” Brown said. “We’re a national school playing Division I sports in Syracuse.” qdpostma@syr.edu @quinnpostman _
14 september 17, 2026
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football
QB Mason Heintschel’s best friend died at 13. He honors him at Pitt. By Will Clifford staff writer
From the moment they met in third grade, Mason Heintschel and Lukas Mason were inseparable. They played middle school football in their hometown of Oregon, Ohio, and dreamed of one day playing under Clay High School’s Friday night lights. Heintschel would be under center, and Lukas would block for him. A few years before that dream could be realized, tragedy struck. On June 11, 2020, Lukas was biking past Clay High School when he was hit by a passing car. He died the next day. He was 13 years old. As he dealt with the loss of his good friend, Heintschel’s career continued. He led Clay to its first Northern Lakes League Cardinal Division Championship in 42 years and joined Pittsburgh in 2025, where he became its starter within a month. In 12 games with the Panthers, Heintschel has thrown over 3,000 passing yards and 23 touchdowns. He’ll look to continue his torrid stretch when Pitt hosts Syracuse Thursday. And when he lines up, Lukas will be honored, with his middle school football number, “63,” etched on Heintschel’s cleats. “Even though he’s at Pitt now, Lukas is still a piece of his life he could never forget about,” said John Galyas, Clay High School’s former head coach. “He still honors Lukas, and it’s incredible.” Heintschel didn’t seem to experience many growing pains when he became the Panthers’ starter on Oct. 4, 2025. The then18-year-old threw 12 touchdowns in five straight wins. Heintschel’s rise made it clear he’s the right guy to lead Pitt. He’s drawn national attention for program-record passing numbers and carries hefty expectations as he is believed to be the Panthers’ youngest captain ever. “When Heintschel came in, we could see that this guy was special,” Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi said. “But did we think he was going to be starting (in 2025)? Absolutely not.”
mason heintschel warms up before starting for Pitt. The Panthers’ quarterback leads Pitt into a matchup against Syracuse on Thursday. courtesy of pitt athletics
Pitt started the 2025 season 2-2 after dropping back-to-back games against unranked West Virginia and Louisville. In that stretch, Panthers starter Eli Holstein led the Atlantic Coast Conference with five interceptions and tossed a game-sealing pick against the Cardinals. Holstein’s collapse motivated Narduzzi to search for a different option under center. He chose Heintschel, and the change paid off immediately. Heintschel set Pitt’s record for most passing touchdowns in a quarterback’s first start with four in a 48-7 stomping of Boston College. The moment never seemed too big for him that day, especially as he’d faced heavier moments before. Heintschel didn’t overthink the starting role. When in doubt, he turned to a coach who’d been with him for years. “I have the most faith in Coach Kade Bell,” Heintschel said. “I know he’s doing all he can to put us in the right spot to win games.” Bell, Pitt’s offensive coordinator, was one of
Heintschel’s main recruiters. He doesn’t watch quarterback film until their junior years, when Heintschel opportunely grew two inches and added 20 pounds. With Heintschel’s size, 3,000 yards and 33 touchdowns, Bell gave him his first Power Four offer before his senior season. Galyas said Big Ten schools sent scouts to games but always overlooked Heintschel despite earning NLL Cardinal Division Offensive Player of the Year twice. Pitt’s offer gave Heintschel a chance to prove those programs were missing out. “I have no idea what they’re looking for, because to me it’s about production,” Galyas said. “And if you look at Mason’s high school career, it’s nothing but production.” After Pitt’s early-season downfall last year, it took just a few games for Heintschel to propel the Panthers into the national spotlight. By mid-November, Pitt was ranked No. 22 and won seven of nine games. ESPN’s College Gameday even partially favored the Panthers before their matchup with thenNo. 9 Notre Dame.
While Pitt fell short against the Fighting Irish, Heintschel’s modest performance was a one-off. He was named ACC Rookie of the Week in his first and fourth career starts and ACC Quarterback of the Week in his second. Heintschel peaked in the Panthers’ 53-34 win over NC State. The quarterback set Pitt’s freshman record with 423 passing yards and added three touchdowns. After putting his name on a list alongside esteemed Panthers quarterbacks like NFL Hall of Famer Dan Marino and NFL Draft first-round pick Kenny Pickett, Heintschel searched the stands. Jodie Mason, Lukas’ mother, watched like she used to when Heintschel and Lukas dreamed about Fridays at Clay. Heintschel jogged to her after the final whistle and handed her a pair of his cleats, with “63” stitched across the heel. The gesture wasn’t surprising to Galyas. He said, “It says a lot about who Mason is.” “He leads our football team,” Narduzzi said. “His votes for captain didn’t just come from the offensive side of the ball. They came from the entire team.” Heintschel started the 2026 campaign hot, throwing for over 450 yards and seven touchdowns in a Week 1 win over Miami (Ohio). His performance set the ACC’s single-game passing touchdowns record and earned him conference quarterback of the week honors. Last week, Pitt stayed undefeated with a 12-7 win over UCF. Heintschel’s performance — 212 passing yards, zero touchdowns — wasn’t too special, but he did what was needed. His 332.5 yards per game now rank second in the ACC, only behind SMU’s Kevin Jennings (383.5). Even when he enters a filled Acrisure Stadium against Syracuse Thursday, Heintschel’s playing for one person. He’s still the kid who wanted to play alongside his best friend. And for Jodie, it goes both ways. “As much as Mason carries Lukas in his heart,” Jodie told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, “I know Lukas is looking down on Mason. wmcliffo@syr.edu @willcjournalism
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knutson Knutson was on the brink. It seemed she wouldn’t have to wait long for her first main draw. But that was anythingbut the case. ••• In Flushing Meadows, Knutson tried her best to keep things light during the delay. In one of the most stressful moments of her life, she stayed loose and kept her mood positive. “I was trying to keep a relaxed atmosphere with her,” Knutson’s coach and brother Dominik Knutson said. “We were just waiting for the go-ahead.” Despite remaining relaxed — or as relaxed as one could be in her situation — Knutson’s mind wandered to all the times she came achingly close to breaking through the qualifier brackets. There was Roland-Garros in 2024, where Katarzyna Kawa brought Knutson tumbling back to earth with a humiliating 6-2, 6-4 first-round qualifying loss on the storied French clay. There was Wimbledon a month later, where Lulu Sun beat Knutson by one point to keep her from the final qualifying round. There was the other time she came to the U.S. Open in 2024, when she lost to Eva Lys in the first round of qualifying in straight sets. Then there were the three straight first-round qualifying exits in the other 2026 majors. Since that week in Melbourne in 2024, nothing had gone Knutson’s way in Grand Slams. Yet when Knutson arrived in New York, a perfect storm was brewing around her. She was playing some of the best tennis of her career, making the finals in her most recent tournament, the Polish Open. It was also her first time playing in New York since 2024, giving her a rare chance to play in front of many friends. “Her tennis was in a really good spot,” Dominik said. “That confidence in her game really helped her.” In her first match, Knutson faced Varvara Lepchenko. Knutson picked up the first set 6-1, and despite Lepchenko making the second set competitive, Knutson won, clearing the firstround hurdle that plagued her previous three qualifier attempts. The second round brought more of the same. Against Dominika Salkova, Knutson won the first set convincingly. In the second, Salkova never had a chance, as Knutson rolled to a 6-1 victory. Four sets after arriving in New York, Knutson was back
gabriela knutson readies to serve at the 2026 U.S. Open. Knutson attempted to qualify for the main draw at nine Grand Slams before making the cut this year. courtesy of gabriela knutson
where she hadn’t been since her first visit to Melbourne: the final qualifier round. ••• As the downpour continued, Knutson realized that, up to then, she hadn’t lost a set in qualifying. She could not only break through the qualifying stage, but do so by winning six straight sets. “A lot of thoughts came up during that time.” Knutson said. “I tried to minimize those thoughts as much as possible though.” At long last, the rain stopped, and Knutson went back out to finish off Gorgodze. As she
walked to her court, she pushed every thought out of her mind. In that moment, the most important thing — the only important thing — was finishing off Gorgodze. It didn’t take long for that to happen. Before the storm, Knutson led 6-4, 4-3. Under half an hour later, the score read 6-4, 6-4. After coming up short nine times, Knutson was through. In that moment, all the pain, all the times she’d been heartbreakingly close, came flooding back. It was all worth it. “I’ve dedicated a lot of my life to the sport,” Knutson said. “To finally be acknowledged and feel like you made it is incredible.” A first-round
loss to Lys four days later somewhat dampened the mood, but the fact remained: she finally got in, and once you do it once, doing it again becomes easier. “I know that it will come,” Knutson said. “As I continue to find success, my confidence will continue to climb.” In taking 10 attempts to finally qualify, Knutson has learned the virtue of patience. After two attempts to qualify at the U.S. Open, it all finally came together for her. What was another three hours of waiting? jwood20@syr.edu @JackWood_55
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field hockey
J.S. Coyne’s blue turf serves as prototype for 2028 Olympics By Toph McWilliams staff writer
Syracuse field hockey spent considerable time on the road to begin the 2026 season. The Orange played their first five games away, and each practice was held over an hour away at Cornell in Ithaca, New York. That’s because SU had something brewing back home at J.S. Coyne Stadium. Previously, just six of 83 Division I field hockey programs played on blue turf, replicating the international standard color for competition surfaces. And after 54 years of playing on various green fields, Syracuse will join the minority in its home opener Friday against UMass Lowell. This offseason, SU installed the new blue turf — for the first time at J.S. Coyne Stadium, joining Virginia, Duke, Liberty, Longwood, Saint Louis and UMass Lowell as the only schools with blue turf. Even with the turf’s construction forcing the Orange to play five away games, the Orange (4-1, 0-0 Atlantic Coast) have started their season strong, recently downing Bucknell 10-0 Sunday. “Resilience is something we spoke about in the beginning … you make it work,” SU head coach Lynn Farquhar said of the challenge of traveling for practice. “It’s about where you are at the end of the season, so we hope it’s going to make us stronger.” The change to blue comes ahead of the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, where the J.S. Coyne surface will serve as a prototype for the fields that will be used. Most international competition surfaces — like those used in the Olympics — are blue. Syracuse isn’t new to historic new surfaces. SU last rolled in a new field in 2016, when it used the same surface as the 2014 Hockey World Cup. That season, the Orange went 15-4, only losing one home game. Over the 10 years the field was used (2016-25), the Orange won 57 home games, which included two postseason victories. For those who played on green turf in the past, the new surface could be an adjustment because of its bright color and ability to hold water better. I was really shocked coming on,” sophomore midfielder Taylor Bigbie said. “I think it’s a lot brighter than what I ever imagined it was going to be.”
Syracuse field hockey’s J.S. Coyne Stadium dons its new blue turf, which was installed this offseason. The Orange play their first game on the surface on Friday against UMass Lowell. peter shin contributing photographer
Eventually, it could give SU a home-field advantage, as opposing players used to playing on a green surface will have to adjust to the blue, just as Syracuse players are adapting before Friday’s contest. Despite the initial shock of playing on it for the first time, Orange players acknowledged that the new turf was a muchneeded upgrade. “I think the turf is great,” sophomore forward Aubrey Turner said. “It looks great,
less bouncy which is quite nice. I’m really excited to play a home game on it, and I’m excited to get working.” “It’s so much nicer than what we had before, and I’m very grateful to anyone who put something into this project to get it done,” Bigbie added. With Turner previously playing on a blue turf for her last two years at WC Eagles in Spring City, Pennsylvania, she isn’t concerned about adjusting to the new field.
“Our club went from green astroturf to blue astroturf,” Turner said. “Although it was my last two years, I feel it was easy to switch; it wasn’t anything major.” With a historic new turf and gritty young squad, Syracuse looks to win its first home game with blue under its shoes. “It plays incredible,” Farquhar said of the field’s quality. “So we’re just happy to be here.” cemcwill@syr.edu @TophMcW
le moyne athletics
3 years after joining D-I, Le Moyne aims to upset SU again By Quinn Postman
digital managing editor
At first glance, Le Moyne is just a small liberal arts college in Syracuse. The five academic buildings on “The Heights” — a name for the 160-acre suburban campus — sit side by side. The four athletic facilities, housing 20 programs, are minutes apart. But when Dolphins men’s soccer head coach Callum Donnelly and senior goalkeeper Wyatt Dupell step onto the Ted Grant Field pitch, Le Moyne is much more than just a small liberal arts college in Syracuse. They pass a Northeast Conference logo printed on the turf. Sitting on dark green foldable plastic chairs near the technical area touchline, they begin talking about Division I athletics life. “We’re testing ourselves against the very best,” Donnelly says. “That’s where we want our program to be.” After accepting a four-year invitation to join the Northeast Conference in early 2023, Le Moyne moved from Division II to the D-I level that fall. A supposed four-year transition from D-II to D-I became three in June, which means the Dolphins are now eligible for NCAA Championships. They still likely need to win the NEC Tournament to reach the NCAA Tournament. An upset over “big brother” Syracuse in the Salt City Derby — two years after beating the thenNo. 7 Orange at SU Soccer Stadium — Saturday would give Le Moyne a massive boost, too. “There’s been a lot accomplished. There’s been a lot of change. There’s been a lot of challenges along the way,” Donnelly said. “But I don’t think any of us would have changed it for the world.” When longtime head coach Tom Bonus took over Le Moyne men’s soccer before the 2000 season, the Dolphins weren’t “very good,” he said. The program had a few “good players” but hadn’t qualified for the D-II NCA A Tournament in over 20 years. That drought ended with Bonus. Throughout his 22-season tenure, Le Moyne reched seven NCA A Tournaments and posted 17 10-win seasons in the Northeast-10
Le Moyne goalkeeper Wyatt Dupell (left) and head coach Callum Donnelly (right) show off the Dolphins’ NCAA Tournament appearances. The two have been key in Le Moyne’s move to Division I. paul hakimian staff photographer
Conference, what Bonus called “the best conference in the nation.” The transition served as an “overall arching strategy to help Le Moyne grow,” Le Moyne President Dr. Linda LeMura said in 2023. But Bonus moved on, citing an unwillingness to go into “D-I with D-II resources.” So, he retired before Le Moyne’s first D-I campaign, and his assistant and former player Donnelly took his place. Previous athletic director Bob Beretta also left for St. Bonaventure, allowing Phil Brown to step in.
“I enjoy a challenge,” Brown said. “Knowing you’re walking into a situation in the middle of a reclass is a pretty big challenge.” Brown’s first 18 months in his new role focused solely on ensuring Le Moyne met academic and financial eligibility requirements to compete in D-I athletics for its full four-year reclassification period. However, once the NCAA adopted new reclassification criteria in January 2025, Le Moyne notified the governing body of its intent to “accelerate
its transition to full membership in the NCA A Division I.” On June 24, the NCA A Division I Cabinet accepted the NCAA Membership Committee’s recommendation to approve Le Moyne for full NCAA D-I membership. It was the first time Brown and the Dolphins’ coaching staff could assure recruits and their teams they’d have the chance to fight for a D-I NCAA Tournament spot. see le moyne page 13
SPORTS
16 september 17, 2026
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GRAND ENTRANCE
gabriela knutson prepares to return a serve during the 2026 U.S. Open. Knutson, who graduated from Syracuse in 2019, qualified for the tournament’s main draw. courtesy of gabriela knutson
10 tries later, SU alum Gabriela Knutson qualified for Grand Slam main draw By Jack Wood
asst. digital editor
T
he gray skies hanging over the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens, New York, had threatened to open all morning and douse the courts. On the outer courts, dozens of players looked to punch their tickets to one of tennis’ most prestigious tournaments, the U.S. Open, before the impending storm forced them inside for an indefinite amount of time.
Gabriela Knutson was no stranger to the situation — the qualifier bracket, that is, not the storm. It was her 10th time playing in a qualifier bracket, and she had no Grand Slam appearances to show for it. This time, though, everything was going her way. Knutson, the world’s 163rd-ranked player, won the first set of her match against world No. 161 Ekaterine Gorgodze and led 4-3 in the second. But then, the skies opened. A rain delay was immediately called, so Knutson had to wait a little longer to earn her first Grand Slam main draw appearance. “You’re so close, yet so far,” Knutson told The Daily Orange. “Anything can happen once the match restarts.” Knutson, a Syracuse alum, is in her fourth full season in the Women’s Tennis Association, the highest level of female tennis. Despite her time on the circuit, Knutson hadn’t appeared in the main draw — the single-elimination final stage — of a Grand Slam. But at the 2026 U.S. Open, everything came together for Knutson, who earned her first main draw berth after 10 tries. She showed her promise across her Syracuse career. Knutson’s 179 career singles victories
remain the second-most in program history, while she was named a two-time All-American and was a finalist for Syracuse’s Female Athlete of the Year award in 2019. “It took her a little time to play more mature tennis,” Syracuse head coach Younes Limam said. “She was getting close to her potential during her junior year.” After graduating from Syracuse, Knutson took a short hiatus from tennis before making her professional debut in 2022. She played tournaments on the Women’s World Tennis Tour for about a year until she earned enough points to move up to WTA 125 tournaments, the second tier of women’s tennis. Knutson stayed there for about a year before qualifying for the WTA Tour in summer 2023. Soon after, Knutson entered her first Grand Slam qualifier at the 2024 Australian Open. She came within striking distance of the main draw, reaching the third and final round of qualifying. Despite her valiant effort, Knutson fell to current World No. 43 Yuliia Starodubtseva in three sets. see knutson page 14
football
After moving to LB in 2025, Jamie Tremble embraces new identity By Noah Nussbaum managing editor
Jamie Tremble had heard it for years. He was a tight end that should be playing linebacker. “He is the prototype for a pass rusher,” his uncle Bert Watts often told his parents, Greg and Abigail Tremble. “He has the bend to do it, the speed to do it. “You gotta let him play linebacker.” Still, Jamie had no plans to move off offense, where he played for most of high school and his 2024
freshman season at Syracuse. After all, he was following the path of his brother, Tommy Tremble, a tight end for the NFL’s Carolina Panthers. That was until Abigail’s phone rang last spring. It was Fran Brown, and SU’s head coach was contemplating a change: He wanted to use Jamie’s athleticism off the edge. But he didn’t want to move forward without consulting Abigail and Greg. Brown first called Abigail, but she turned the decision over to Greg, a former NFL defensive
back. All Greg cared about was guaranteeing Jamie playing time, which Brown assured him this move would do. Jamie had already agreed to switch for that reason. It proved successful last season when Jamie established himself as a viable pass rusher, validating Watts’ and others’ beliefs. Jamie finished 2025 with three sacks — the second most on a weak pass rush unit — four tackles for loss and 18 tackles in 246 defensive snaps, per Pro Football Focus. Now, after a full offseason learning defensive keys, Jamie
has become defensive coordinator Vince Kehres’ third-dow n specialist in 2026. “The biggest thing was opportunity,” Jamie said of his positional switch. “Coach Fran just wanted somebody really athletic to play, so he asked me, and I stepped up.” But Jamie’s quick adjustment didn’t come out of nowhere. He was Wesleyan High School’s (Georgia) No. 1 receiver for three years despite beginning his varsity career at linebacker after older receivers blocked him.
On offense, he was a “deep threat, quick screen threat and everything in between,” Wesleyan head coach Franklin Pridgen said. He caught 10-12 balls per game and could turn screens that should go five yards into touchdowns, his receivers coach Candler Baxley added. That isn’t too unorthodox for a Division I commit. But his defensive involvement was. Even when starting at receiver, Jamie took occasional linebacker snaps to blitz and get sacks when see tremble page 13