January 30, 2025

Truth in tragedy

On a

By Henry Daley asst. news editor

In the aftermath of the 1988 Pan Am Flight 103 terrorist bombing and his daughter Flora’s death, Dr. Jim Swire was left unsatisfied by investigators’ conclusion that Libyan intelligence officer Abdelbaset alMegrahi was responsible for the attack.

In early January, Peacock premiered “Lockerbie: A Search for Truth.” The show

examines the bombing that killed all 259 passengers on board, including 35 Syracuse University students, from Swire’s perspective. The show, based on Swire’s book “The Lockerbie Bombing: A Father’s Search for Justice,” concludes that alMegrahi was wrongfully convicted.

wished it was based on other accounts of the event, as Swire has been labeled as a conspiracy theorist by the families of some victims.

Sarah Trevis, “A Search for Truth’s” casting director, said the show’s writers chose to focus on Swire’s story to highlight how one voice could make a difference and to showcase his personal experience.

crowd and emphasized trust, economic growth and job creation. As Election Day approached, the Georgia governor used his trip

Every year, SU celebrates the lives of the victims by naming 35 Remembrance Scholars in their honor. Many of this year’s scholars said the show felt like a misrepresentation of the tragedy and

to Syracuse to connect with central New York’s blue-collar workforce and push his economic agenda. Robert J. Searing, curator of history at the Onondaga Historical Association, said Carter demonstrated his authenticity and commitment to others during the visit.

“He was famously referred to as ‘Jimmy Who’ when he first started to run,” Searing said. “His unknown qualities were a real positive for him as a candidate. The way he carried

“I like the idea of a ‘mouse who roared’ – a man who was seemingly a very ordinary citizen who then really

himself, his authentic persona, which wasn’t really a persona at all, it was the man himself.”

Nearly half of a century after his visit, the former president died at 100 years old. In his speech, Carter addressed issues from his campaign, outlining his plans to fix the economy and rebuild the people’s trust in the United States government. He also discussed the controversial swine flu vaccine and reiterated his commitment

went above and beyond his expectation of himself to have access to world leaders,” Trevis said.

She also said Swire’s story shows the importance of standing up for one’s beliefs. Natalie Dolenga, who graduated from SU in December and is a 2024-25 Remembrance Scholar, said in focusing on only Swire’s perspective, the plot ignored the experiences and suffering of other families affected by the bombing.

Remembrance Scholars dissatisfied by depiction of Pan Am Flight 103 bombing in new show see lockerbie page 5

to calling for a freeze on American missiles and warheads.

Between gusts of wind, the soonto-be president described America’s bleak economic situation, noting there were 2.5 million more unemployed Americans than a year prior, a record deficit, and ever-rising interest rates.

Unlike others in Washington D.C., Carter was known for his longterm focus on allocating funds for emergency job creation in public service sectors, rather than opting

for a tax cut, which would have provided a quicker stimulus boost for the economy. He focused on prioritizing the workforce by tackling high inflation rates in the U.S. and creating more job opportunities, Searing said. Carter’s ability to resonate with people in Syracuse was crucial, as he aimed to build on the growing movement among disillusioned Rust Belt voters.

see carter page 5

By Shivika Gupta asst. news editor

rainy, windswept October morning in 1976, Jimmy Carter, then-Democratic presidential candidate, delivered a speech outside of the Syracuse Hotel in front of 8,000 spectators. Three weeks before being elected to the oval office, he addressed the

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WEATHER

COMING UP

Noteworthy events this week.

WHAT: Black History Month Kickoff

WHEN: Friday, 7-9 p.m.

WHERE: Schine Student Center, Goldstein Auditorium

WHAT: Orange After Dark: Lunar New Year

WHEN: Friday, 11 p.m. - Saturday, 1 a.m.

WHERE: Schine Student Center, Panasci Lounge

WHAT: Homage to Black Wall Street

WHEN: Saturday, 11 a.m. - 3 p.m.

WHERE: Community Folk Art Center

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Helepoloei discusses abolitionist ideology in prison systems

By Arabella Klonowski asst. copy editor

Syracuse University’s Anthropology Department hosted Justin Helepololei, a Colgate University professor, on Wednesday for an exploration of corruption in the prison system, where he argued against its necessity in modern society.

The lecture, titled “Abolitionist Realities of the Northeast,” argued that prisons are deeply problematic due to their history of forced labor and their dominant presence in American society and history. Helepololei said reform isn’t enough to combat the broken system. Instead, he pointed to a time in which incarceration systems weren’t central to civilization, so therefore they’re not needed in modern society.

“Abolitionist politics require us to think expansively about what’s possible; we’re imagining what doesn’t already exist,” Helepololei said. “There are communities without prisons. Historically, most human communities have been that way.”

At first interested in social activism, Helepololei said he began studying anthropology because he was told that it would allow him to continue to be involved in social movements, while also engaging in the academic world.

Helepololei’s work now primarily focuses on the prison systems and criminal justice reform in Western Massachusetts’ Pioneer Valley. He said that although reforms and rehabilitationbased programs may have a positive effect on the surrounding community and inmates themselves,the presence of incarceration in the first place isn’t a societal necessity.

Throughout the talk, he explained the complex relationship between police officers — who oversee prisons and potential reforms — and their personal connections to the local community.

“Abolitionists demanding more care from the state … does not seem to be threatening the jail or policing. It continues to and has always helped justify its existence,” Helepololei said. “The jail exists to take care of people, albeit in a very violent and disruptive way.”

city

In 2020, Helepololei worked on a case study titled “COVID-19, Care, and Incarceration in Massachusetts,” which dove into the internal issues that arise within prisons when circumstances such as the pandemic allow for disease transmission. Within this work, he also discussed how people of color and people in the working class were disproportionately affected.

While Helepololei said he supports abolishing the incarceration system, he also referenced areas where positive reforms have occurred and

past histories of civilizations that existed for thousands of years without a prison system.

He specifically referenced the Haudenosaunee people and their history of living without a system of incarceration for tens of thousands of years, until they were introduced to the current prison system by colonization, he said. Before European arrival, many Indigenous cultures focused on rehabilitating rule breakers, not punishing them.

“That’s about 200 years with prisons,” Helepololei said. “That’s a blip. There’s a reframe of

imagining a world without prisons, when really a world with prisons is the new weird thing.”

Max Yogeshwar, a senior at SU studying international relations, reflected on Helepololei’s points, admitting he hadn’t ever imagined a world where prisons didn’t exist.

He said that although he isn’t an anthropology major, the topics discussed at the event aligned with some of the work he did while studying abroad in Brazil, particularly regarding what he observed about the country’s complicated history with incarceration.

“From this event, I realized that it’s not impossible to live in a world without prison,” Yogeshwar said. “It’s so part of our lived reality, that we don’t know what life is like without them.”

Helepololei said it’s difficult to work as an abolitionist and activist when he wants to help provide the best circumstances for the people incarcerated, while also eliminating the system that they are imprisoned in.

“I think that while people can be trying to bring about change, it can also be kind of messy,” said Lauren Woodard, an SU anthropology professor and event organizer, referencing the abolitionist work Helepololei advocates for.

Woodard said she met Helepololei in graduate school, while he was working in Spain. She said she was interested in seeing how his work had developed.

Helepololei closed by challenging the audience to consider how universities and other academic institutions work to keep students out of prisons. He said many students in higher education are protected by their status and the institution they belong to, therefore protecting them from unjust incarceration.

“Studying abolition from the perspective of people who are incarcerated or formerly incarcerated is important and makes a lot of sense for understanding the perspective of people most impacted by the thing, especially as abolitionists who are trying to get rid of it,” Helepololei said.

The lecture is part of a larger series hosted by SU’s Anthropology Department, Woodard said. The department will host speakers every other Wednesday through April.

akklonow@syr.edu

Author Robin Wall Kimmerer holds reading of ‘The Serviceberry’

By Anzor Mustafa contributing writer

Around 200 community members gathered at the May Memorial Unitarian Universalist Society Wednesday night for an exclusive reading and discussion led by Robin Wall Kimmerer on her new book “The Serviceberry” and its central concept of creating community through a giftbased economy.

Kimmerer, a distinguished teaching professor of environmental biology at SUNY ESF and author of the New York Times Bestseller “Braiding Sweetgrass,” discussed her latest book’s central focus on the serviceberry plant. The plant’s lesson, above all, is that society should prioritize community over the individual, she said. As she read excerpts from the book, Kimmerer painted a picture of an economy without the constraints of capitalism and unchecked ambition.

“When the natural world is understood as a gift instead of private property, ethics limit accumulation of abundance,” Kimmerer said. “Gifts are not meant to be hoarded, and therefore made scarce for others, but given away, which generates enoughness for everyone.”

Kimmerer’s work is largely grounded in traditional Indigenous practices like potlatches, a gift-giving ceremony that reaffirms social status. Through Indigenous frameworks, Kimmerer said people have the power to create stronger local economies in the shadow of modern, largescale financial systems.

She explained the tradition of gift economies in Indigenous communities, saying that her nation, the Potawatomi, often participates in a “giveaway ceremony” that reinforces relationships through gift-giving.

“Wealth and security come from the quality of relationships, not from the illusion of selfsufficiency,” Kimmerer said.“Without relationships with bees and birds, serviceberries would disappear from the planet. Even if they hoarded abundance, perched atop the wealth ladder, they would not save themselves from the fate of extinction if their partners didn’t also share in that abundance.”

Andy Mager, a coordinator for Syracuse Cultural Workers, said Kimmerer offers a unique perspective as both a deeply spiritual and aca-

robin wall kimmerer, author of “Braiding Sweetgrass,” discussed and read excerpts from her latest book, “The Serviceberry.” The novel emphasizes the use of gift economies and sharing within communities. alexander zhiltsov contributing photographer

demically dedicated person. He said the current American political climate makes it important for people like Kimmerer to speak up.

“There’s so many of us that are hungering for a different vision from what we’re seeing coming out of Washington right now,” Mager said. “The need for resistance, for people organizing and coming together to stand up for the values we believe in is greater than at any time in my lifetime.”

Rev. Jennifer VonRue of the MMUUS discussed the overlapping principles of her faith and

Kimmerer’s teachings, calling for equality, openness and connection with Earth. She added that while life can make people feel separated from nature, every person is “woven” into the natural world — giving humanity further responsibility.

“There is a relationship with what’s around us. We are connected. Nothing is by itself,” Nancy Gallagher, an attendee, said. “How we treat what’s around us is a reflection of how we treat ourselves, and the more gracious we are, the more grateful we are . . . the more abundance there will be.”

Kimmerer urged the audience to consider the importance of relationships and how inextricably linked individuals are to their economies. Instead of distancing oneself from largescale economic systems, Kimmerer advocated for reciprocity and avoiding accumulation for self-enrichment.

The event closed with a question and answer session and a book signing, where attendees asked Kimmerer for advice on creating community in their neighborhoods. amusta04@syr.edu

SU’s Anthropology Department hosted Justin Helepololei, a Colgate University professor, for a talk exploring the prison system. brycen pace asst. photo editor

GSO discusses changes to higher education enacted by Trump

By Anna Clair Levitt asst. copy editor

During the first meeting of the semester for Syracuse University’s Graduate Student Organization on Wednesday, GSO President Daniel Kimmel urged senators to advocate for students in the wake of the changes to higher education enacted by President Donald Trump’s administration.

Since Trump took office on Jan. 20, a wave of education policy changes have affected higher education, including a freeze of federal funding that has since been judicially blocked, removals of diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives and roll backs of previous administrations’ efforts for LGBTQ+ inclusivity. Kimmel said these policies threaten the welfare and rights of many graduate students, making it GSO’s responsibility to respond.

“I am doing my best to keep up on those developments, to listen to what our administrators are saying and to also continue having conversations with our administrators in defense of not just graduate student rights, but at this point, in some cases, human rights,” Kimmel said.

Kimmel urged senators and cabinet members to defend the rights of affected graduate students and communicate the complaints and concerns of their constituents to administrative officials.

In the wake of these efforts, Kimmel announced the appointment of Saladin Abuhamdiya, a master’s in public administration student, to head the University Senate’s Free Speech and University Policy Committee. The committee was founded in November and promotes free speech on campus.

“They will be defending graduate student interests on their committee,” Kimmel said. “It will touch on vital matters regarding rights to protest, how free speech can be embodied on campus.”

Kimmel also stressed the importance of graduate student involvement in GSO in light of the federal changes. With multiple positions open currently and new cabinet seats expected to be available next semester, they encouraged members to apply for these positions.

GSO filled one of the open positions in the meeting, electing Ethan Engelhart, an international relations masters student, to one of the seven available University Senate seats. Engelhart said he hopes to serve on the finance committee and wants to focus on improving GSO’s accessibility for the rest of the graduate student body.

Members proposed two funding requests at the meeting. GSO passed the first resolution, allocating $1,300 to the Geology Graduate Student Organization’s annual Central New York Earth Science Student Symposium.

The Math Graduate Organization requested $4,700 for their annual New York State Regional Graduate Mathematics Conference. This sparked discussion about where to financially limit such requests.

The finance committee recommended limiting GSO’s contribution to $3,000, in accordance with the organization’s constitution. MGO requested the additional $1,700 to cover the extra costs of special alumni speakers in honor of the annual conference’s 50th anniversary.

The event is anticipated to serve SU students and a significant number of graduate students outside the university, with a National Science Foundation grant covering the attendance expenses of students who need transportation.

GSO voted against the $4,700 request, choosing instead to allocate $3,000. aclevitt@syr.edu

GSO held its first meeting of the semester. GSO President Daniel Kimmel urged members to advocate for students in the wake of the changes to higher education enacted by President Donald Trump’s administration. christian calabrese staff photographer

“I think we should be using a lot more caution when consuming media about it, especially when it’s for dramatized purposes, and especially when it’s based on the account of one individual in his family,” Dolenga said.

Trevis said one reason the show is re-told from Swire’s perspective, rather than others, was because many families declined to participate in the show’s creation. To work around this, the show included characters based on the stories of other victims and created fictional characters inspired by them, she said. She added that some characters were a blend of two people, altered for the show, while some were entirely imagined.

Tabitha Hulme, a Remembrance Scholar and senior studying public health, said the creation of fictional victims and combining the stories of families who declined to participate was an oversight on the show’s part.

Hulme visited the Pan Am 103 memorial in Washington, D.C., with the other Remembrance scholars on the anniversary of the tragedy in December. After speaking with the families of some victims, she agreed that the show can come off as insensitive.

“From our understanding with the victims of the Pan-Am Association and everyone that we’ve spoken to, it’s a pretty gruesome re-encountment (sic) that is very inaccurate,” Hulme said. “Of course, things are dramatized to have a certain appeal to the eye, but I think it’s very insensitive to make this inaccurate piece about what happened and not really address the victims.”

On Jan. 2, the board of the Victims of Pan Am Flight 103 organization released a statement expressing their frustration and anger about the show’s content, adding that the series amplifies falsehoods and unsupported theories

“You help me in November, and I’ll help you in January,” Carter said repeatedly during his speech.

Stephen Wilkes, then a freshman photojournalism student at Syracuse University, said he was fortunate to witness the “magic” of Carter that day, alongside 8,000 eager spectators. He said he looks back on the opportunity to photograph the event as a careerdefining moment.

“He just had this physicality to him, you know, a big presence in a room,” Wilkes said. “The energy in the room was palpable ... You could feel the flame go out when he left.”

The momentum built in Syracuse reflected a broader sense across the country that change was beginning to take shape, Searing said. Carter’s speech in Syracuse mirrored his

about the tragedy, particularly in regards to al-Megrahi’s portrayal.

In the show and book, Swire concludes alMegrahi is innocent, calls him a victim and argues the Iranian government was responsible. Al-Megrahi, who was sentenced to life in jail in 2001, was freed on compassionate grounds in 2009 by the Scottish government while terminally ill with cancer, before he died in Libya three years later.

The board said in the statement that exploring al-Megrahi’s innocence as a central theme of the show “dishonored the memories of (their) family members.”

Kelsey Leary, a Remembrance Scholar and senior photography major, also said her main issue with the show was its willingness to explore al-Megrahi’s innocence.

Leary’s parents were sophomores at SU when the bombing occurred and had friends on board when the plane crashed into Lockerbie, also killing 11 residents on the ground. She said the bombing had a long-term impact on her parents and convinced her mother not to go abroad the following year.

“The woman I was speaking to directly about this told me her brother died on that plane. Imagine watching a show and hearing them call, essentially, the murderer of your brother also a victim of this. That’s upsetting,” Leary said.

Trevis, who has worked on the project since 2021, said that the show made a conscious effort to cast actors with similar authentic backgrounds similar to each character. In cases of controversial roles like al-Megrahi — which she described as the most difficult to cast — Trevis said multiple actors turned down the role because they didn’t want to be cast as a terrorist, complicating the process.

“The casting team was really sensitive about that. So we tried our very best to find as authentic an actor to match the person as we could. But

political style: straightforward, focused on morality and positioning government as a tool to serve the public.

Carter reflected on the words of former Syracuse resident Father Theodore Hesburgh, who wrote “How to be a Good President,” which emphasized the importance of “being human.” Carter promised to implement this principle in his presidency, saying “If I can cling to … that basis, we’ll have a great country again,” the Onondaga Community College Student Newspaper reported.

In 1976, the American political landscape was defined by fear and uncertainty. Americans sought trustworthy leadership to help navigate the challenges of the tumultuous years leading up to the election, including the end of the Vietnam War, the economic impact of “stagflation” and rising unemployment rates, Searing said.

Carter’s call for change and clear political stances fueled his popularity, and his visit to

it wasn’t always possible with the Libyan roles. We had to really think laterally around those,” Trevis said.

While Trevis said casting al-Megrahi was a struggle, selecting Colin Firth for the role of Swire was an easy choice. She felt that Firth would effectively portray the emotion required to convey Swire’s feelings of hopelessness and heartbreak in the immediate aftermath of the attack.

Mason Garbus, a Remembrance Scholar and senior studying music education, said he wishes the show had cast a lesser-known actor for Swire’s role. Garbus pointed to the show’s release in the U.S. and the U.K. as a potential concern for how quickly the content could spread misinformation using a well-known actor like Firth.

Garbus said the show’s potential for spreading misinformation could place an added burden on groups like Remembrance Scholars to help distinguish fact from fiction.

Garbus said the show could be especially pivotal ahead of an upcoming trial in May. Abu Agila Masud, who U.S. authorities have accused of making the bomb as an accomplice to alMegrahi, will stand trial at a federal court in Washington in May. Like al-Megrahi, Masud faces a potential lifetime sentence.

“I think it has the potential to be problematic. I think it’s important for people to remember that it was made for the purpose of entertainment, and I think it’s important for people to be educated on the history of the tragedy and the events leading up to and following the trial,” Garbus said.

Various scholars also expressed discontent with the show’s graphic content. The first episode depicts debris from the crash falling on Lockerbie residents, who use torches to find the bodies of the deceased passengers throughout the town.

For Dolenga, the dramatization of the crash is like that of an action film. She believes viewers

Syracuse cemented his reputation as a man of the people — someone who could connect with everyone, Wilkes said.

As a former peanut farmer, Carter was seen as someone who understood the value of hard work, compared to the political elites of Washington at the time, which Wilkes said was viewed as refreshing after the Watergate scandal. He added that Carter came across as charismatic but, even more notably, transparent and authentic.

The 24mm wide-angle lens Wilkes used to capture the event granted an intimate view of Carter’s speech, highlighting the human connection the former president shared with the crowd, he said. Wilkes recalled when Carter gestured with his arms above the crowd and said the photo he captured in that instance remains a powerful image.

“When he lifted his arms like that, it was just, wow,” Wilkes said. “It really captured the

could still grasp the serious nature of the attack without the graphic scenes.

“It’s not respectful, and there are just so many family members and victims who are still alive. It feels very graphic for such a sensitive topic where the victims have actively said, ‘We do not support this show,’” Dolenga said.

Hulme said if the victims’ families don’t feel comfortable with how the crash is depicted or how the overall content is presented, it’s hard for her to support it. As a Remembrance Scholar, she sees it as her job is to uphold the truth and bring honesty forward, especially considering the U.S.’s efforts to resolve the case, she said.

Dolenga agreed, saying she believes that while the show attempts to provide a detailed account of events through Swire’s perspectives, other sources are available for those seeking more accurate information on the terrorist attack.

She said the Remembrance Scholars program will present projects in the spring that offer a more accurate account than the show does. Dolenga also said she hopes people don’t rely solely on the show to educate themselves about the bombing, emphasizing there are other resources dedicated to educating the community and fostering understanding and connections.

Hulme said people can research the attack in the SU Library archives, or through other sources such as first-hand accounts, if they want to learn more about the bombing. She specifically pointed out that many of the victims’ families are still alive and questioned the decision to rely on Swire’s book.

“It’s interesting to see that media has taken a turn to kind of profit off of the grief of others,” Hulme said. “Although it might sound interesting to want to watch this series, also remember, at the core, what is this trying to really do? And how is it trying to impact others?”

hdaley@syr.edu

feeling in the room. It was as if he was embracing everyone in the room at the moment.”

Carter went on to win the presidency weeks later, defeating incumbent Gerald Ford. His visit to Syracuse, along with other stops from the campaign trail, helped solidify his image as someone connected to the American people – a bond which carried him through his presidency and the rest of his life, Wilkes said.

Carter is seen as an example of a dedicated public servant, both during and after his presidency, remaining deeply engaged in meaningful initiatives throughout his centurylong life, Searing said.

“Whatever you think about his presidency, Carter was always about trying to make a difference in the world, and you could feel that in his presence,” Wilkes said. “That’s what people really connected with.”

sgupta38@syr.edu

former president jimmy carter visited Syracuse in 1976, just three weeks before Election Day, promising to deliver economic prosperity to the region. courtesy of stephen wilkes

Imaginary Friends

Eboni Booth’s play, “Primary Trust,” serves as an antidote to loneliness

By Eliana Rosen asst. digital editor

Right after she saw “Primary Trust” for the first time at the Roundabout Theatre Company in New York City, Syracuse Stage Director Melissa Crespo had the sudden urge to call her mom. She knew she had to bring the show to Syracuse.

“I was blown away,” Crespo said “I left in a ball of tears feeling wonderful about the world.”

Eboni Booth’s “Primary Trust” is playing at Syracuse Stage from Jan. 22 to Feb. 9. The Pulitzer Prize-winning play tells the story of 38-year-old Kenneth (Garrett Turner) as he grapples with isolation, friendship and change alongside his imaginary best friend Bert (Bjorn DuPaty).

After the bookstore Kenneth works at closes, he must confront the traumas that led him to this isolated existence and

create new relationships. In the process, he considers applying for a new job at Primary Trust Bank.

“Primary Trust” transports audiences to Cranberry, New York, a fictional town 40 miles east of Rochester. This familiar, central NY setting serves as the play’s “sixth character,” Crespo said. Bringing the show to Syracuse was a “no-brainer.” She hopes local audiences will connect to the story’s themes and see themselves represented in its small town characters.

Like Syracuse, Cranberry experiences bitter cold months of gray skies and bleak winters that can easily induce feelings of loneliness and isolation. The obvious similarities between Kenneth’s hometown and their own are an instant hook for Syracuse audiences, said Amarando Gutierrez, who performs the show’s music.

At first glance, having an imaginary friend at age 38 might seem like a ridiculous or exaggerated storyline. But upon deeper examination, it represents

see primary page 9

from the studio

Nabil Harb invites people to view central Florida as he does

By Mia Jones asst. culture editor

From drag queens to trucks, Nabil Harb’s hometown of Lakeland, Florida, is a place he doesn’t want to leave. His knowledge and connection to the area’s land and its communities have made central Florida his photography’s focus.

“There’s this kind of tension between the levels of narrative that can occur here,” Harb said. “And maybe that depends on who you are and what you bring to it, for me it’s Polk County and I know it so well.”

Nabil Harb’s exhibit, “Mater si, magistra no,” is currently on display at Light Work until April 25. The exhibit is a culmination of various works in Polk County, Florida, including scenes of both nature and the various communities Harb grew up around. Harb also teaches at Florida Southern College, sharing the lessons he’s learned when viewing the world through photography. Even though he’s their professor, his students bring in their own perspectives on using photography to share a narrative, which he learns from.

“When I’m giving them a camera, I’m not telling them what to do with that camera except to explore their own interests,” Harb said. “We all have something to share.”

Harb shoots his photos digitally in black and white, with most works depicting the raw, fragile landscape of Polk County. Through his frequent use of flash photography, Harb desires to tell a story about central Florida as he sees it.

Though the region’s land and creatures are constantly changing, some places always feel the same to Harb.

For years, Harb has weaved his way around the bar and backstage of The Parrot, a LGBTQ+ nightclub he frequently shoots photos at. As a gay man, he’s talked with people about their experiences in Lakeland, specifically during the HIV/AIDS crisis in Polk County. Using a strobe of light, Harb captures a host of warm human interactions and raw moments in his time photographing at the club. Through this tactic, Harb can look at the before and after of intimate moments.

“When you spend time in a place like that, you fold into the fabric of it,” Harb said.

Harb started photographing at The Parrot the year after the Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando. It was a terrifying and personal time for him, especially since he was only an hour away from the shooting. Harb decided he wanted to focus on the LGBTQ+ community in Florida after the tragedy, and what the nightclub culture meant to the community. From The Parrot, Harb began to photograph the

A miniature portrayal of the fictional town Cranberry, New York is displayed below the stage at Syracuse Stage. courtesy of joanna penalva

Megaton Games offers vintage video game rarities

By Ben Butler culture editor

Walking toward Megaton Games, you might see two unassuming guys, one with red glasses and the other with a Bowser tattoo on his arm, taking a long drag from their cigarettes.

If you strike up a conversation with them, you might end up talking about the merits of Red Dead Redemption 2’s narrative, or which Fallout game is the best, among other things.

Just don’t ask the one with red glasses, Alex Silver, about Sonic the Hedgehog, which his tatted business partner, Xuan Tran, said Silver “hates deep in his soul.” They’re extremely passionate about video games, so go figure they opened a store together.

“It’s just something that people don’t do, open a f*cking video game store,” Silver said. “But one day, I came down here, and the price was perfect. One thing led to another.”

Megaton Games opened up at the start of last November in Syracuse’s Eastwood neighborhood. Tran did much of the work himself, gutting a kitchen in the back and ripping out grease traps.

“There was butter in the walls,” Tran said. “Butter everywhere.”

Once the store was refurbished, Tran and Silver started to envision what Megaton could be. Events and game tournaments in the back, shop in the front.

The store has a countertop loaded with vintage video games and systems. Art from Tran’s favorite fighting games hangs on the walls. In the back, there’s an events area with chalk writings

slice of life

covering the walls. Even the bathroom is covered in permanent marker statements, ranging from kind to juvenile.

There are tons of oddities at Megaton, from a Sega Genesis to a Doom cartridge from 1993 to a game starring 50 Cent, “Bulletproof.” The two have sales competitions where they each choose

a game and see what sells better. Silver admitted “Bulletproof” is an unfair pick because of its novelty.

Tran opened Megaton so the fighting game community in Syracuse could have a home. They’ve been nomadic for years, and their odyssey has taken them all around town. From his friend Chris’

Reyanna Dundas’ GRWM TikToks ‘changed her life’

By Irene Lekakis asst. culture editor

When Reyanna Dundas made her TikTok account public, she didn’t expect it to change her life. It took two months for her videos to reach a massive audience, and this Sunday, she reached a milestone of one million TikTok followers.

“I decided to unprivate (my account) just for fun,” Dundas said. “I didn’t really expect it to go anywhere.”

Shortly after making her account, “@grwmforpookies,” public, Dundas went viral for a video sharing her nighttime routine before the first day of school. The TikTok has 2.1 million views and nearly 300,000 likes. Dundas gained popularity for the “get ready with me”-style videos she began making in her senior year of high school. She filmed a video series, counting down the days of her senior year.

From there, she continued posting and found her niche: relatable school content. She received attention from followers who said she had a calming voice and appreciated her posting consistency. Dundas said she prides herself on talking about whatever’s on her mind and having no filter.

Dundas has a specific appreciation for TikTok’s algorithm because she feels that anyone can go viral. Most people, even with small followings, have “that one viral video,” she said. On other platforms, the algorithm is more selective, making it difficult for smaller creators to get their foot in the door, she said.

Nandi Delgado, Dundas’ friend from high school, said her videos counting the days of school kept viewers on their toes and offered a new aspect to the standard GRWM style format. Dundas also became known for having catchphrases, like saying “deuces” and putting up a peace sign at the end of her videos.

Another longtime friend, Olivia Charles, shared similar sentiments about how Dundas’ creativity and humor appeals to her audience. The entertaining topics, such as talking about her likes and dislikes or rules for her future children, keep viewers interested.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Dundas and Charles both had YouTube channels and would upload content together. Charles eventually stopped making videos but Dundas continued, later transitioning to TikTok. This change is part of the reason Charles remains unsurprised by her success.

“One thing about her, she’ll inspire you to do your own thing too. I am really proud of her, I think she’s just gonna go up from here,” Charles said.

After graduating high school, Dundas continued making content, but she expanded her scope with advice videos and vlogs. Now a freshman studying computer science at Syracuse University, she understands the importance of balancing school and making videos.

When she first got to SU, she took a brief break from posting to get accustomed to her new schedule and environment. But it didn’t take long for Dundas to find her groove again and get back to making content.

“Either way, I’m going to have to get ready, so I might as well just set up my camera while I do it,” Dundas said.

Her consistent posting schedule is intentional. Dundas has been saving the money she’s been making from TikTok and plans to eventually use it for her tuition. Despite this, she’s chosen not to participate in TikTok’s Creator Fund, opting instead to sign with TalentNation agency.

Dundas was intentional about avoiding the Creator Fund, a program where TikTok monetizes creators’ content if it meets a certain criteria. She said the app is known for shadowbanning influencers once they join the fund, especially creators in the GRWM space.

Dundas still makes profit off the app through brand deals and partnerships her agency approves. Now that she’s hit one million followers, her income from partnerships will likely grow because of the larger audience she can reach.

“It’s been such an amazing opportunity to be able to meet some other creators, work with some of my dream brands, and to make the income that I’m making at 18,” Dundas said.

Issues with the Creator Fund aren’t the only thing Dundas and other TikTok creators have to

A Formal Jazz Evening at Dazed

Get ready for an upscale, sophisticated night at Dazed. The student venue is hosting bands GUNK! and Garden Club for an evening of downtempo, chill jazz. Formal attire is required for entry.

WHEN : Friday at 10 p.m.

WHERE: DM @dazed on Instagram for address

PRICE: $7 presale, $10 at door

worry about. With the platform’s potential ban looming, she could lose TikTok as a source of income. Nonetheless, she remains positive.

Dundas has always made an effort to prioritize school and said she’s more worried for creators who dropped out of college to pursue social media. In the event TikTok does get banned, Charles is also confident that Dundas will have no difficulty marketing herself on other platforms like YouTube and Instagram.

Charles said Dundas’ dedicated fanbase will make moving to other platforms easier. When Dundas is at her house filming, she’ll post a video. Minutes later, Charles will look at the video and there’ll already be 1,000 views and many comments from followers.

Regardless of whether the app gets banned, Dundas will continue to post and engage with her followers while also prioritizing her schoolwork. Doing social media has helped her find a healthy balance of doing things she enjoys while maintaining her responsibilities.

“It changed my life in the aspect of understanding how to balance a hustle like that, along with doing my schoolwork,” Dundas said. “I feel like it’s definitely made me more open-minded.” iclekaki@syr.edu

Back to School Party with 2Rare and friends

Take a break from the hustle and bustle of school’s start with a latenight concert by Philadelphia-born rapper 2Rare. He’s known for his 2019 breakout single, “Big Bag,” and collaborations with artists like Drake, Lil Durk and NLE Choppa. 2Rare will perform alongside musical guests DJ Crazy, DJ Blackout, DJ Mase and DJ Scalpel.

WHEN : Friday from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m.

WHERE: The Westcott Theater PRICE: $43.02

Every So Often

Enjoy Every So Often with special guests Patient Basement, Landslide and Hell Yeah So What live at The Song & Dance this week. All featured artists are Syracuse-based and focus on alternative sounds, with emo, pop punk and rock elements.

WHEN : Friday from 6-9:45 p.m.

WHERE: The Song & Dance

PRICE: $20.55

Syracuse Winter Fair: UAD Kings of the Fall

UAD Kings of the Fall, central New York’s Show Group, will bring their classic R&B, soul and funk act to the Syracuse Winter Fair. The city locals combine a smooth jazz sound with the energy of ‘60s and ‘70s stand-up singing groups.

WHEN : Saturday from 3:15-4:45 p.m.

WHERE: New York State Fairgrounds PRICE: $5 for fair ticket

Winter Fair: Just Joe

Local recording artist and singersongwriter Just Joe is bringing his music to the Winter Fair. This year, he’s coming with a twist: it’s request hour. He will play whatever the audience wants to hear on the spot. His expertise spans across various genres, so prepare for an afternoon of mixed sounds and rhythms.

WHEN : Saturday from 3-4 p.m.

WHERE: New York State Fairgrounds PRICE: $5 for fair ticket

silver and his business partner, Xuan Tran, hold tournaments in the back of the store and sell games in the front. lars jendruschewitz senior staff photographer

reyanna dundas didn’t expect to become popular on TikTok. Now the SU freshman posts relatable videos while balancing school. courtesy of reyanna dundas

see megaton page 9

‘The Thing With Feathers’ explores complex approach to grief

By Nate Lechner senior staff writer

PARK CITY, Utah — Grief has taken many forms in film history. From the haunting depiction of family trauma in “Hereditary” to the changes Riley’s anthropomorphic emotions undergo as she ages in the “Inside Out” films, grief is a theme that transcends genres and filmmaking styles.

Premiering at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, “The Thing with Feathers” explores the tumultuous process a father and his sons undergo after his wife dies. Led by an excellent performance from Benedict Cumberbatch and supported by visual storytelling, writerdirector Dylan Southern tells a complex story about grief and the different ways people deal with a tragic loss.

Based on Max Porter’s 2015 award-winning psychological fiction novel, “Grief Is the Thing With Feathers,” the film follows an unnamed man (Cumberbatch) and his unnamed sons (Richard and Henry Boxall) as they must find a way to recover from the death.

Southern’s intimate storytelling connects the audience with every emotion the characters feel. It’s difficult for them to overcome the loss of their mother and wife, and each of them deals with their feelings differently.

Nate Lechner senior staff writer

The father tries his best to retain normalcy in his parenting by making his kids breakfast, taking them to school and reading bedtime stories, but something is clearly off within their relationship. He can’t keep up with the responsibilities and eventually loses his sanity. A mysterious spirit, representing the father’s grief, begins to follow him around, mocking him for his inability to deal with his wife’s death.

At first, the entity is just a shadow and a voice (David Thewlis) the father can’t escape, whether working at home or out grocery shopping. Cumberbatch brings the perfect manic energy to this performance, emphasizing how haunted the father is by the spirit. He constantly twitches and looks over his shoulder, trying his best to ignore the spirit, but to no avail.

The line between reality and the father’s psychological fantasy is blurry throughout the film. He interacts with the spirit as if it exists

in the real world, but there are times when the spirit exists in a more dream-like sense.

When the father is out buying food for his family, he tries to fight off the spirit by constantly saying it isn’t real. But the store walls close around him as the spirit yells at the father for being so weak. Though it’s a fantastical scene, the father’s despair is real. He starts to break down as the spirit’s shadow gets closer before he wakes up in line to check out, confused about what happened to him. The father has a difficult time dealing with his grief, and his struggle is heightened in a terrifying, imaginary way.

Southern’s intimate storytelling connects the audience with every emotion the characters feel. It’s difficult for them to overcome the loss of their mother and wife, and each of them deals with their feelings differently.

While the father is grieving heavily, he refuses to let his sons see his pain, thinking it will help normalize the situation. The sons, meanwhile, are much more active in their grief, not listening to their father at all. The family dynamic suffers with the father out of control. It’s through this chaos the spirit can haunt the entire family.

The spirit’s shadow and voice quickly transform into a man-sized crow, named Crow

(Eric Lampert, voiced by Thewlis) who walks around the family’s home. How each person interacts with Crow tells viewers how the characters learn to deal with their grief.

Everywhere the father turns, Crow taunts and forces him to confront the grief he’s suppressing around his children. There’s even a physical altercation between the two, where Crow leaves the father bloody and beaten for trying to ignore him.

Contrastingly, his sons seem to embrace Crow and learn to spend time with him. To the kids, Crow is a fun, interesting friend, who only wants the best for them. The father is amazed at how the relationship between Crow and his children has formed.

The Boxall brothers do an incredible job of interacting naturally with Lambert in the crow costume. They find wonder in him and embrace Crow’s role in their lives. The children aren’t scared of Crow and actively learn to live with him.

Seeing how well his children live with their grief, the father’s attitude toward his pain begins to change. He opens up about the sorrow he’s feeling over his wife and uses their shared pain to find a greater connection with his sons. Crow becomes less of a nuisance in his life, and he begins to embrace the struggle

his family is going through. The loss of his wife will always stay with the father, but he must learn how to live with it in the healthiest way possible.

In the film’s final moments, the father takes his sons to the beach to spread their mother’s ashes. In a heartbreaking performance, Cumberbatch breaks down in tears as he says a final goodbye to his wife. It’s an acceptance of both her death and his grief, and Cumberbatch perfectly displays the moment’s difficulty.

The sorrows turn to smiles when his sons run over, saying, “I love you, I love you,” toward both parents. The joy on Cumberbatch’s face is beautiful and ultimately shows how the father and his sons grew together despite this tragedy.

Throughout the film, Southern deftly presents grief as a difficult but necessary process. Crow’s turn from a haunting spirit to a supporting presence in the family’s life is an important representation of how people can learn to live with their grief. Cumberbatch’s strong leading performance and Southern’s superb visual storytelling make “The Thing with Feathers” an intriguing and emotionally satisfying watch.

nrlechne@syr.edu

andrew berkman cartoonist

julia english cartoonist

“The Thing with Feathers” tells the story of an unnamed man, played by Benedict Cumberbatch, who must navigate grief while caring for his two sons. The movie premiered at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival. courtesy of sundance institute

a larger message of widespread isolation in today’s society, DuPaty said. The show uses Bert’s imaginary character to examine modern human connection.

“I hope (audiences) leave the theater incredibly touched and moved by acts of humanity,” DuPaty said.

Loneliness has been deemed a widespread epidemic, with the mortality impact of social disconnection similar to that caused by smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day, according to the United States Surgeon General. Cast members credit this phenomenon with deepening the relatability and universality of the show’s messages.

It isn’t crazy to think that some audience members may or do have their own imaginary friends to lean on. In a time of global pandemics and widespread technology, people are kept from connecting with others face to face, DuPaty said. With loneliness and disconnection so pervasive, audience members may identify with Kenneth’s position and understand his extreme attempts at connection.

“I feel like there’s a piece of it that can resonate with everyone,” DuPaty said. “Watching people come in and deal with that in a real human way and lead with compassion shows us what we could be.”

Booth’s script leaves room for a musician to play live music on stage during various parts of the show. After working with Crespo in a previous Syracuse Stage production, Gutierrez approached her about wanting to write the music

rest of Polk County, eventually focusing on more of central Florida.

Much of Nabil Harb’s work is inspired by his identities and hometown of Lakeland, Florida. Growing up, Harb was rarely surrounded by identities similar to his own. </p>

While lots of Harb’s friends had family roots in Polk County, he’s a first generation resident. Harb’s parents immigrated from Palestine and his family is Muslim. His left-leaning political opinions, religion and sexuality weren’t always common among those around him while growing up. Harb called growing up in Lakeland “a textured experience,” but he appreciates the rural lifestyle, like seeing the cows behind his house.

When he started taking photos, Harb didn’t think much about how his identity as a gay, Palestinian-American would influence his work. He was just reacting to the world with his camera.

But a Yale professor from Harb’s time getting his photography master’s degree told him that if you’re really connected with your practice, the things you care about will show up, regardless of whether or not you want it to. That stuck with Harb, and he began to feel that in his photography.

Harb’s web of supporters, including his friend and former Yale classmate Alex Nelson, agree that he’s very intentional and detail-oriented in his practice. Harb shared with her how he uses matte paper for his photographs instead

apartment in Tipperary Hill, packing in 25 rowdy people, to Beer Belly Deli & Pub in Westcott (which is no longer in operation), and then online during COVID-19, a place like Megaton has been long desired for Tran’s community.

The fighting game community can “get real ignorant,” Tran said. Rowdiness is expected. But Sean Muldoon, a fellow member of that community and Megaton regular, said that despite the banter and chirping, the community is welcoming and supportive.

“We definitely view ourselves as a family, and we stick together through thick and thin,” Muldoon said. “If anybody is ever down, for any reason, we pick them back up.”

Tran said there’s not a lot of video game stores in the area, and Megaton fills a niche. There’s Microgame Play and Trade in Clay, New York, and Voltage Video Games in Downtown Syracuse. But Megaton has more of a “neighborhood feel,” Tran said.

“It’s somewhere that you can stop in, check out, maybe find something,” Tran said. “We got a couple of (games) that are a little weirder that some of the other guys won’t take.”

Tran’s more conservative than Silver when it comes to business estimates. As with every business, there’s a slow season and a busy season, and Tran’s waiting for the other shoe to drop.

But business has been booming in the three months they’ve been open. Almost too good;

for the show. Crespo knew his composing talent would elevate the show’s impact.

Gutierrez scored the entire play with original music, playing four instruments throughout the production. He created distinct themes for each character based on the actors’ portrayals of them. Gutierrez said he tried to create simplistic musical phrases that repeat throughout the show and tie into the themes and emotions of each scene.

“What I composed to was the voice and the energy and the dynamic of (the cast),” he said. “The way their voices made rhythms with the script was what I answered back to.”

Although the play revolves around loneliness, watching the show can actually alleviate the audience’s own feelings of isolation, Gutierrez said. When they’re seated in the theater and the house lights are dim, viewers are no longer alone.

“Loneliness is so potent in our society and culture, but theater is truly an antidote,” Gutierrez said. “There’s a sort of magic trick in the material of the play and what it is actually doing in bringing people together.”

The show’s reception has been overwhelmingly positive, DuPaty said. Viewers have told him they spent the show on a rollercoaster, shifting between laughing and tears. Watching audiences interact with the performance has helped him better understand the power of its story.

“Primary Trust” is a five-person ensemble, with some actors playing multiple characters. Shows that only run for a month usually don’t have time to form strong connections among cast and crew. But, the small cast size cultivated tight-knit relationships, with Gutierrez calling

of something more glossy, because it allows the dark points in his photos to suck light in.

The two met during the interview round of the application process at Yale. In their second year at the university, Nelson collaborated with Harb on a video piece. She said he’s one of the most hardworking and dedicated people she’s ever met.

“When he’s interested in portraying something, he really sinks his teeth into it and commits fully to the idea,” Nelson said. “Whether that means getting access to an old prison or getting into a helicopter to get an aerial shot of a landscape in Florida.”

The land in central Florida is untamed. Harb said it’s subversive in its own way, because it’s always going to do what it wants. He can take a photo of the land in Lakeland and relate it back to his own identity as a gay man, even if central Florida doesn’t conjure up that image for most people.

“There’s something inherently a bit queer about the environment, the way it grows, it’s sticky, it’s humid, it holds you,” Harb said.

Location and landscape are integral to the messaging of Harb’s photography. It’s infinite to him. He appreciates the world that already exists, but also the one he’s constructed through his photography.

“I can’t help but think that my engagement with the landscape and honing in on it is something that comes from this fear of things changing,” Harb said.

Harb was getting his bachelor’s degree in anthropology from the University of South Florida when he started thinking about who was telling the stories of places like Polk County and

Silver estimates about 25-30% of their starting inventory is gone.

To make up for that, Megaton offers repairs, especially of old video game systems, like the stack of PlayStation 2s lying behind the counter. Tran’s background in network engineering helps the business when stocking games becomes an issue.

Megaton can’t buy games wholesale; they don’t have the scale for it. If they did, even if they sold all that inventory, in Tran’s estimation, the profit margin would be a little over $5. So they order games off eBay, go to yard sales, check Facebook Marketplace and accept trade-ins from customers.

Events are also a major source of revenue for Megaton. First, attendees pay a venue fee to get into the building, and then a bracket fee to enter into the prize pool. But not every event is paid; Tran also likes running free, casual game nights for less-skilled players.

“What (Silver) and I both agree on is doing something for the community,” Tran said. “I don’t want people to come in and then get their ass kicked, which is probably gonna happen.”

The events have done better than Tran or Silver anticipated. Tran didn’t prepare for the sheer amount of people that showed up, and had to move tables around on the fly.

The goal in the competitive gaming events is for everyone to improve their skills, so they can travel and “beat up Buffalo, New York City, Rochester,” Tran said. There are national-level competitions as well.

Tran and Silver banter for hours. On Sunday, their topic of conversation surrounded Death

the group a “beautiful little family.” These strong bonds correspond to stronger, more realistic relationships between their characters on stage, DuPaty said.

The smaller cast also allowed for a more collaborative atmosphere in rehearsals, with opportunities for the actors to voice opinions about the script. They formed deeper connections to their characters and input more of their own ideas on how to bring this world to life, Crespo said.

the rest of central Floria. He decided he wanted to be one of these storytellers.

Part of that story is the ever-changing landscape of central Florida. A photo Harb took of a sinkhole is, environmentally, not the greatest sign. But he uses his camera lens to look and respond more deeply to these things. The land’s resistance tells its own narrative about human interaction with it.

Nabil Harb uses his camera to capture the developing landscape of central Florida. The land’s resistance tells its own narrative about human interaction with it.

Similarly, a photo in the exhibit depicts a defunct army tank, with three massive, discolored tires and a hand reaching for a lighter Harb’s friend dropped underneath it. He said photographing the barely visible lighter juxtaposed under the immense tank reminded him of a “grenade under a tank.”

Harb uses his local sphere to think through things happening globally, like environmental changes and other large-scale conflicts, like the genocide in Gaza, he said.

“There’s kind of this funny little thing that happens, where it took me out of Polk County, to these global narratives,” Harb said.

Other scenes in his photos reflect parts of his daily life, like observations from years of driving down the same road. In the photo “Night Horizon” (2021), Harb photographed where the road intersects with streetlights at the sky’s horizon.

“It’s kind of like those little mental things you do when you’re used to a place or you know to expect something,” Harb said. “Sometimes it feels like you can drive to the grocery store with

Kenneth’s story emphasizes the importance of regular small acts of kindness, reminding audiences of the impact of thoughtful actions. As Kenneth is impacted by the kindness of others, audiences understand how seemingly insignificant acts can have a heavy impact on those who need them.

“This play really highlights how simple acts between humans have a ripple effect,” Crespo said. “I hope it helps people remember to be kinder to each other, but also to themselves.” ehrosen@syr.edu

your eyes closed because you know how long, it’s just these instinctual things.”

Kyna Patel, Harb’s longtime friend since first grade, grew up taking her own photos in Lakeland while watching Harb begin to experiment with his interests in photography, especially after they graduated high school.

“That work is born out of a love of the community that we both grew up in and also the queer community in central Florida,” Patel said.

Harb took a break between high school and undergrad — he moved to Boston for a year and worked in fashion in New York City. Patel had the privilege of watching Harb’s growth through all those years, saying the gap he allowed himself to have between high school and undergraduate study was really instrumental for him.

During this time, Harb could hone the structure of his work, which allowed Patel to see the trajectory and language of his photography play out.

“He’s able to show me things that I also see and find interesting, but he’s able to explain why it’s interesting in a way that I find fascinating,” Patel said.

Creating the exhibit for Light Work was a way for Harb to put together multiple aspects of his work, both the drag queens and the sinkholes, into one utterance about Polk County and how he feels about living there, he said. It tells a more holistic story of Lakeland and Harb’s experiences living and growing up there.

“It’s important to see the world and approach the world with questions, with a camera in your hand,” Harb said.

mjones58@syr.edu

Stranding, a 2019 game Silver says he loves, despite it being strange.

In the game, the player character, a mailman, drinks Monster Energy and showers in the nude every hour to rest. There’s also a baby in a huge jar strapped to the back of the player’s avatar.

The controller triggers are used to direct the player character’s hands on his backpack, a bizarre gameplay choice, Silver said.

Campy and strange stuff like that is just what Silver and Tran love, even if it isn’t palatable to most people. But Megaton isn’t just for the weird gamers, Silver said.

“My philosophy is that anybody who does any video games is a gamer,” Silver said. “If your mother has 2,000 hours of Candy Crush and has never touched anything else, she’s a gamer.” bnbutler@syr.edu

“Primary Trust” cast members attempt to embody the show’s message of kindness as a solution to isolation. courtesy of joanna penalva

alex silver, co-owner of Megaton Games, leads a customer around the store. Tran refurbished the store himself. lars jendruschewitz senior staff photographer

Universities must meet antisemitism with strict accountability

By Max Lancer columnist

I woke up on a cold Monday morning ready for my first day of the spring semester at Syracuse University. The wind bit at my face as I moved outside, the kind of sharp chill only central New York delivers. The scent of fresh coffee and toasted bagels filled the air as students huddled over their breakfasts at Goldstein Student Center, still shaking off the morning frost.

I caught the South Campus bus, gripping the icy metal pole as it lurched forward, sensing an air of optimism about classes starting fresh. Stepping off, I braced myself and walked toward my first class, the crunch of salt and snow beneath my boots grounding me in the possibilities of a new term.

For most students, the first day of college is a moment of excitement. But for Jewish students at Columbia University this year, that sense of anticipation was shattered mere moments into a specific lecture on the history of modern Israel.

A group of masked students flooded into the room, their movements swift and deliberate. They distributed flyers emblazoned with the image of a boot crushing the Star of David — a symbol not simply of opposition to Israel, but of open hostility toward Jews themselves.

The protesters’ message was not an invitation for discussion. Rather, it was an unmistakable attempt at intimidation and a blatant display of antisemitism intended to isolate and silence Jewish students and faculty. The classroom, meant to be a sanctuary for learning, was turned into a battleground of hostility and fear.

Columbia responded by suspending the students involved, a swift disciplinary action that suggests a commitment to accountability. But the reality remains — this incident is not just about a single act of harassment. It is a symptom of a deeper systemic issue. Suspension may serve as a consequence, but it doesn’t address the underlying environment that allowed such an act to occur in the first place. The fact that this happened at all concerns me deeply.

A few students gathered their belongings and left, unwilling to endure the overt harassment. The mob succeeded — not by implementing change, but by creating an environment of exclusion.

This wasn’t an isolated incident, symbolizing a growing trend of antisemitic behavior on college campuses. At Harvard, student groups circulated a letter blaming Israel entirely for the Oct. 7 attacks, creating an environment where Jewish students faced doxxing and harassment.

At SU, multiple instances of antisemitic graffiti have been reported on campus, including swastikas and other hateful symbols defacing campus property. In November 2023, more than 200 protesters participated in a “Shut It Down for Palestine” event on campus. During the protest, one speaker criticized the university for allowing Hillel and Athletes for Israel to hold events in support of Israel and named other Jewish organizations who co-sponsored the events as being “complicit,” accusing them of “directly promot(ing) the ethnic cleansing of Gaza.”

Consistently, universities have allowed activists to dictate what can and can’t be said

in classrooms, failing their Jewish students by refusing to enforce the same standards of discipline that apply in other cases of harassment.

Such refusal reflects a dangerous double standard. Universities often position themselves as champions of diversity and inclusion, yet when faced with blatant discrimination, choose to look the other way. This hypocrisy emboldens those who seek to harass and oppress, sending a clear message that Jewish students don’t receive the same protections as others on campus.

There is no justification for what occurred in that classroom at Columbia. The American protection of free speech doesn’t extend to the disruption of an academic setting, nor does it allow for acts of terror. Universities must recognize that their reluctance to rapidly enforce consequences for such actions sets a dangerous precedent — one that risks legitimizing future harassment under the guise of activism.

Students deserve to learn without anxiety of being targeted. When institutions fail to address these violations, they create an atmosphere where such behavior is tacitly condoned.

Students who choose to engage in true activism should do so without infringing on the rights of others. There is a fundamental difference between advocating for Palestinian rights and storming a classroom to intimidate Jewish students.

Universities must draw a clear line that disruption of education and incitement of hatred will not be tolerated. The right to education shouldn’t be compromised by those

who impose their beliefs through coercion and fear mongering.

When academic spaces are disrupted, the institution itself is weakened and the very mission of higher education is called into question. This places American colleges at a crossroads. This isn’t a matter of silencing political opinions, but instead ensuring that hate speech doesn’t find a home within academic settings. If a group storms a classroom to promote hatred again, there must be swift and genuine consequences.

Academic institutions are places where students deserve to engage in challenging discussions, not where they must endure subjugation. Universities nationwide must rise to the occasion considering the conflict between Israel and Hamas. They must set clear standards and ensure that education remains a space free from alarm and distress. The time for complacency is over.

Universities must enforce their own policies and protect their classrooms, or risk sending the message that intimidation and harassment are permissible forms of expression. Beyond these principle solutions, they must stop normalizing tolerance in the place of acceptance. It’s not enough to speak for unity — they must actively demand and uphold it.

Max Lancer is a junior majoring in chemistry, biochemistry and mathematics. His column appears weekly. He can be reached at mlancer@syr.edu.

samantha siegel contributing illustrator

Free

speech can’t exclude

By Bella Tabak guest columnist

Online media censorship is an increasing problem in recent United States legislation. Texas’ H.B. 1811 law, requiring online spaces with a majority of pornographic content to be age-restricted, advanced to the Supreme Court after being challenged by adult industry advocacy group, The Free Speech Coalition.

The organization focused their concerns on the rights to privacy, free speech and access to websites like Pornhub.

“There are people of all ages who are trying to explore their sexuality,” Isabella Genes, a sophomore at Syracuse University studying communications design, said. “They do that in different ways which may include Pornhub.”

While problems found within the porn industry are well-documented, access to adult entertainment should be included in our domestic right to personal expression. I understand why legislators would want to restrict access that might be harmful to minors, but these age restriction laws hurt instead of help.

Requiring websites to verify a user’s age by uploading information like personal government IDs seems like an unnecessary, foreboding overstep. Out of concern for user privacy, Pornhub and other adult websites shut down their platforms in Texas for all citizens, including legal adults — suppressing the inherent rights to sexually explore and identify.

Texas isn’t the only state passing agerestriction legislation. Almost 20 Republican-dominated states have followed the same trend, resulting in Pornhub being widely inaccessible now in America.

Other critics of age-restriction laws are worried that censorship and suppression

adult entertainment website access

could expand to other content. These laws are based on a broad definition of censoring material “harmful to minors.” Conservative legislators might take advantage of this rhetoric and criteria to argue for online censorship of the LGBTQ+ community.

Pornhub became a specific topic of questioning during the Free Speech Coalition v. Paxton case. In trying to figure out exactly which content would be inappropriate for minors, Justice Samuel Alito posed a question that went viral online.

“Is (Pornhub) like the old Playboy magazine? You have essays there by the modern-day equivalent of Gore Vidal and William F. Buckley, Junior?” the 74-year-old Justice asked.

The question hit a humorous note for those who’ve accessed the outlet before; there are certainly zero essay-style articles on progressive subjects available for the site’s audience. Nonetheless, the Justice’s comparison between the two different forms of pornographic media doesn’t sit right with me.

The juxtaposition between Pornhub and Playboy displays that Justice Alito is out of touch with the tendencies of our younger generation. But the cultural impact of Playboy and its lesser-known article content should be opening the Supreme Court’s eyes, not leading to inaccessibility.

“Playboy first existed to entertain men, but I look at it like an art form, something that can be learned from,” Genes said.

The knowledge of Playboy’s essay-style articles on relevant sexual issues is lost to the public today, a populace that idolizes the magazine’s imagery on dates like Halloween, yet fails to realize the depth of the publication. Those who’ve seen or own older copies,

like me, know the publication prints more than pornography on its pages.

Articles featured in these older editions of the publication touch on surprisingly liberal topics. Gore Vidal, the American writer Justice Alito referenced, authored “Sex is Politics” in the magazine’s January 1979 edition. The piece criticizes heteronormativity and the patriarchy in American society. It’s ironic this piece was indirectly referenced considering the Supreme Court’s legislation in the past few years upholds ideals Vidal pushed against.

Requiring websites to verify a user’s age by uploading information like personal government IDs seems like an unnecessary, foreboding overstep.

Bella Tabak su junior

Playboy’s June 1968 edition, with words on environmental degradation by former Justice William O. Douglas, also features reformist content from returning readers in its collaborative column, “Playboy Forum.”

One reader’s entry was critical of Wisconsin’s birth control restrictions at the time. “I hardly dared to admit to my fellow troopers that I was a resident of such a backward state,” Donald P. Hershey said.

Playboy published many progressive hits. The publication is also validly criticized for objectifying women. Women advocates were largely left out of this political discourse despite their presence in the magazine, thanks to their visual portrayal on its pages of counter-conservative sentiments.

It’s clear that the content surrounding reproductive rights in these magazines didn’t resonate with Justice Alito, considering he voted in favor of the overturning of Roe v. Wade, a decision that led to abortion bans across the U.S.

Justice Alito was referencing the written works of Playboy, but the ignorance in his notion makes me doubt whether he truly consumed the publication for its literature. His neglect to uphold such a monumental decision demonstrates the ignorance that accompanies a lack of media literacy. Should we continue to abandon varying forms of media, even those considered unconventional, we will be left with a set of societal regulations that don’t properly allow the exploration of self.

Legislation in America is invading the privacy of our bodies and our media. If we want to fight nationally against moving backward in time, we must use media of the past to inform us. Those appointed to the highest positions in our government must also be aware of progressive works, even more so when they choose to reference them with nationally impactful policy on the line.

We should always be critical of those who are trying to silence our voices, regardless of the taboos obscuring important dialogue.

Bella Tabak is a junior majoring in magazine journalism. She can be reached at batabak@syr.edu.

guest column

madison denis contributing illustrator

spearhead an upset over the program where he once starred.

“I recognize that there will be some emotions to it, just like there is with any first game,” Galloway said. “But then you add the obvious factors of my hometown, my alma mater, being back there for the first time, it’ll certainly be a mix of emotion.”

Growing up 15 minutes away, Galloway frequently attended Syracuse games. SU was headlined by brothers Casey, Ryan and Mike Powell, but Galloway kept his eyes on goalies like Rob Mulligan and Jay Pfeifer. Like most lacrosse players from central New York, Galloway imagined what it’d be like to play for Syracuse. While he was in 11th grade, former SU head coach John Desko started recruiting him.

When Galloway arrived at Syracuse in 2007, the program was arguably at its lowest point after missing the postseason for the first time since 1982. The Orange’s defense was leaky, and their goalies saved 51% of the shots they faced.

In the fall, there was a goalie competition between Galloway, sophomore Al Cavalieri and Pete Coluccini, who’d started every game the two seasons prior. Galloway used his elite clearing to separate himself. Joel White, who was part of Galloway’s 2007 recruiting class, said Galloway’s mindset was simple: Goalies are supposed to save the ball, so he separated himself with his outlet-passing game.

White said Galloway spent more time playing wall ball than any goalie he’d ever seen. His refined touch made 70-to-80-yard passes look routine, which grabbed Desko and then-goalie coach Kevin Donahue’s attention.

Donahue would set up trash cans at the corners of midfield after practice for Galloway to throw passes into. Brooks often heard loud “dings,” signaling Galloway either hit the target or was just off.

“Rarely do you get a high school defender or goalie coming in that just has a great command of the field. And John had that pretty quickly,” Desko said.

Galloway’s clearing earned him the starting job. When he stepped on the field in his debut against Villanova, he described it as “going to a movie you never thought you’d act in.”

The honeymoon didn’t last long. Galloway allowed 14 goals in an overtime loss to then-No. 3 Virginia. Two games later against then-No. 4 Johns Hopkins, he let 13 in with eight minutes remaining in the fourth quarter and SU trailing by three. Galloway stopped the bleeding, pitching a shutout the rest of the way, as the Orange came back to win in overtime.

“I remember that game thinking, ‘Oh wow, I got some stuff to learn,’” Galloway said.

The confidence in Galloway never wavered, per Brooks. He wasn’t afraid to

Winters. He thought Medley could be a staple of his defense in the future, and the two quickly forged a bond.

Winters, St. Frances head coach Messay Hailemariam and defensive backs coach Cameron Wiggins all stayed in touch with Medley as he approached his freshman year. By eighth grade, he had zero doubt about his high school decision.

“I had my family all in agreement that I was going to go to high school at St. Frances Academy,” Medley said. “I already had a bond with the coaches for two years prior.”

By then, Medley had joined the Columbia Ravens. There, he first encountered Baker, who played for the Hamilton Tigers at the time. Baker knew him through mutual friends, but they didn’t meet until their teams faced off. When they played, Hamilton lost to Columbia 20-19. Baker was shocked by Medley’s size and talent at his age.

While Medley’s athletic traits made him a standout at each position he played, he hadn’t found his best fit prior to St. Frances. His 247Sports profile lists him as an athlete, a blanket term given to players who could project well at several positions.

Winters saw Medley as an outside linebacker. He hadn’t played there before, but Winters thought he’d adapt well. He was right. When St. Frances linebackers coach Cody Acker first saw Medley, he was blown away by his similarities to another Panthers linebacker.

“At the time, we had a guy named Jaishawn Barham, who’s the middle linebacker for Michigan right now,” Acker said. “I met (Medley) in person, I looked at him and I was like, ‘Y’all are kinda almost carbon copies of each other.’”

criticize veteran defenders in practice, demanding cleaner execution. It garnered a sense of respect from the upperclassmen, and Galloway never wavered in big moments, especially in the 2008 National Championship against Johns Hopkins.

In the semifinal, Galloway had a mediocre performance in regulation but produced two stops in the first overtime before Mike LaVelle’s game-winner in double overtime. Another heavyweight bout ensued versus Johns Hopkins, led by Paul Rabil, one of the best lacrosse players ever.

Brooks warned Galloway that Rabil shot low whenever he was running to his left. When Galloway allowed two early goals from Rabil, Brooks unleashed a profanity-laced rant to the goalie during a defensive huddle. The comments didn’t phase Galloway. They’d been talking to each other like that all season, demanding the best out of themselves.

“The next two shots (Rabil) took were high, so good thing I didn’t listen to Steve,” Galloway said.

Rabil scored six goals, though Galloway got the last laugh as Syracuse won 13-10. It was a dream freshman season for Galloway, yet that didn’t mean he could rest on his laurels.

As a sophomore, Galloway admitted he was far from his peak and endured some roadblocks. He singled out a poor performance in a loss against Princeton.

When he returned to campus, Galloway picked up a copy of The Daily Orange’s latest issue. One of the headlines read, “Big City Bummer: Shaky goalie play leads to SU’s 2nd loss.”

The article lambasted Galloway for his poor goalkeeping, getting outplayed by Princeton freshman Tyler Fiorito.

Galloway stuffed the paper in his bag and kept it there for the rest of the season. Syracuse didn’t lose a game from there, as Galloway helped it to a second-straight title, defeating Cornell 10-9 in the final.

“When lacrosse matters at an institution like Syracuse, it’s great when you’re winning, but it stinks when you’re losing,” Galloway said. “I think there is a very high expectation there, and that’s what drives you.”

Despite back-to-back national titles, complacency never set in for Galloway, who worked tirelessly with Donahue ahead of his junior season. They emphasized hip mobility and not taking full steps while remaining patient. The two often broke down film in Donahue’s office, making sure Galloway’s technique didn’t have holes.

There weren’t many over the next two seasons. As a junior, he led the nation with 7.16 goals allowed per game and ranked third with a 59.5% save percentage. In his final collegiate season, he allowed a career-best 6.9 goals per game and saved 57.2% of the shots he faced. He earned the Ensign C. Markland Kelly Jr. Award — given to the nation’s best goalie — in two straight seasons.

“I don’t know if there was another goalie I would trade for him,” Donahue said.

During that time, Galloway was a complete goalie. Rather than clearing through the defense, Desko entrusted him to make the right decision.

Once Galloway saved a shot, it was off to the races for White, a long-stick defensive midfielder. His mentality was, “Get the heck open because John could find you.”

White streaked up the middle of the field, and if he was open, Galloway hit him in stride. If not, Galloway looked elsewhere while players ran routes like wide receivers, systemically picking teams apart as if he were Tom Brady.

“Anybody that would watch the game, especially a coach, would say, ‘Oh my God, that’s maybe the best clearing goalie I’ve ever seen,’” Desko said.

JoJo Marasco, who played with Galloway from 2010-11, recalled a matchup with No. 1 Notre Dame in 2011. With less than 30 seconds left in the first quarter, Galloway tossed a perfectly placed ball from the 20-yard line to Marasco at the five on the other end. Marasco curled around the net and found Scott Loy for a goal in a game the Orange won 11-8.

“It was basically watching Wayne Gretzky on the ice, or watching Kobe Bryant, just like the aura and swag he had out there,” Marasco said.

The only thing missing was another National Championship. During his junior and senior seasons, the Orange suffered two upset defeats.

First came a shocking loss to Army in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, which was

considered one of the biggest upsets in lacrosse history. Galloway felt the team lost focus and wasn’t ready to win a title. He took ownership and ensured SU’s attention to detail during his senior season was razor-sharp.

The Orange were a buzzsaw in 2011. Galloway was at his peak, and SU was the best team in the country, with one loss heading into the NCAA Quarterfinal against Maryland. At the time, there was no shot clock in place, so the Terrapins often held the ball for minutes. The tactic worked, and Syracuse fell 6-5, with Galloway surrendering a goal to Grant Catalino in overtime.

The loss still burns Galloway to this day. It was an abrupt end to an illustrious career. After four years, Galloway finished as the gold standard for goalkeeping at Syracuse. He came in as a teenager living out a childhood dream and left with his name in the pantheon of Syracuse greats.

Galloway didn’t wow crowds with the flashiness of Syracuse legends like Gary and Paul Gait or the Powells. Instead, he bored people with how easy he made goalkeeping look. One thing is certain: Galloway will always be remembered as a Syracuse icon.

“He put it in place for the future for any goalie that ever wants to play at Syracuse, you have to look up and you want to strive to be like John Galloway,” Marasco said.

zakwolf784254@gmail.com

@ZakWolf22

team’s mentality and the raucous JMA Wireless Dome atmosphere during its comeback win over Virginia Tech.

His second visit to the Dome for Syracuse’s season finale against Miami sealed the deal. Afterward, he was nearly ready to commit on the spot. Two days after SU’s upset over the Hurricanes, Medley committed to the Orange.

“When he went on that visit, that’s all he was talking about,” Baker said. “He was like, ‘I’m just going to commit now. I don’t think there’s nowhere else I want to go besides Syracuse.’”

His decision came on the heels of a junior season where he accrued 52 tackles, 2.5 sacks, a forced fumble and seven tackles for loss. But the season was defined by his performance against Mater Dei Academy (California). The Monarchs were named MaxPreps’ No. 1 high school team in 2024.

When St. Frances traveled to Santa Ana this past September, Medley was determined to derail Mater Dei’s hype train. After missing a tackle on the first play, he terrorized its offense all game, ending the contest with 10 tackles, four tackles for loss, a pass breakup and a forced fumble. Medley’s performance limited the Monarchs to a season-low 25 points, but the Panthers lost after scoring just 14 points.

“He was literally in the backfield on every single run play. He was flying around,” Acker said. “That was really his coming-out party. Where it was like, ‘That’s the level that will have you being an elite linebacker.’”

Although Medley’s freshman year consisted of garbage-time reps and special teams, Power Four programs noticed his potential. Penn State, Michigan State and Michigan offered him scholarships in February. He held eight offers

Medley and Baker continued to face off in practice at St. Frances. Medley’s size, speed and twitchiness gave Baker trouble in one-on-one reps. As he refined his pass-rushing technique, he added a Von Miller-esque ghost move to his arsenal. When Baker tried to block the move, Medley made him eat grass. The pair couldn’t stop laughing afterward.

by the end of his freshman year, but he promptly narrowed his options.

Heading into his junior year, Medley had locked in his top four choices: Maryland, Cincinnati, Penn State and Syracuse.

Maryland remained the most persistent in his recruitment, yet Syracuse strongly appealed to Medley. When he visited SU in November, he was blown away by the coaching staff, the

Medley still has one more season at St. Frances before he steps foot in the Dome. Yet, he can’t contain his excitement about the program. Under head coach Fran Brown, Syracuse football is heading in a new direction. And he’s ready to be a part of it.

“Number 20 (in the AP Poll), 10-3, you feel me? They just won a bowl game, too. Things (are) looking good,” Medley said.

medley

john galloway became arguably the greatest goalkeeper of all time at Syracuse, finishing his career as the winningest goalie in NCAA history. courtesy of su athletics

On the heels of a stellar junior season at St. Frances Academy, three-star linebacker Maurice Medley is SU’s fourth-highest-rated 2026 commit. courtesy of amaré parker

men’s lacrosse

Beat writers agree SU will defeat Jacksonville to start 1-0

By Daily Orange Sports Staff

Following its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2021 and victory since 2017, No. 2 Syracuse is back in action Saturday against Jacksonville. The Dolphins are coached by former SU goalie John Galloway, who helped the Orange win back-to-back national championships in 2009 and 2010.

Syracuse returns a plethora of talent from the team that made the NCAA Quarterfinal last season. Joey Spallina, Owen Hiltz, Finn Thomson and others are back as SU begins its quest for its first Final Four appearance since 2013 and national championship since Galloway was the goalie. The expectations are high.

COOPER ANDREWS (0-0)

PIPE DREAM

SYRACUSE 16, JACKSONVILLE 14

It’d be a dream come true for Galloway to shock the No. 2-ranked Orange on the same field he roamed over a decade ago. But, it’s still a pipe dream. Syracuse is uber-talented everywhere on the field, namely led by Spallina at X and Billy Dwan as its star close defender. I don’t know if the Dolphins can handle this SU squad from a personnel perspective.

Still, I think it’ll be close. There’s a major underlying question mark for Syracuse this season: what’s it going to do at goalie? Standout LIU transfer Will Mark graduated. That seemed to leave Jimmy McCool as the sure-to-be starter, right? Well, SU head coach Gary Gait expressed little confidence in his goalie position, not naming a confirmed starter and instead imploring that “Obviously, someone’s got to start.”

ZAK WOLF (0-0) NOT A HAPPY HOMECOMING

SYRACUSE 17, JACKSONVILLE 10

Syracuse is by far the more talented team in this matchup, but Jacksonville shouldn’t be taken lightly. The Dolphins pose a threat on offense with their high-paced style. They may have lost last season’s leading scorer, Jacob Greiner, but Intrieri — who’s logged 174 points in three seasons — is an adequate replacement. With that being said, I do think Syracuse wins this one relatively comfortably in the end.

NICHOLAS ALUMKAL (0-0) DOWN GO

THE DOLPHINS

SYRACUSE 18, JACKSONVILLE 6

The last time Syracuse lost its season-opener was in 2021 when it fell 18-11 to then-No. 12 Army. It’s won the first game of the campaign every season since. That trend will continue in 2025. Though Jacksonville narrowly fell in the ASUN Championship last year, it lost its top goalscorer in Greiner and its lead faceoff specialist, Kapp, who also picked up a team-high 120 ground balls.

Jacksonville is the first step along the way for Syracuse. The Dolphins lost in the Southern Conference championship game to Richmond in 2022 and, after switching conferences, lost in the Atlantic Sun Conference final to Utah last year.

Here’s how our beat writers think Syracuse (0-0, 0-0 ACC) will fare against Jacksonville (0-0, 0-0 ASUN) in its season-opener.

sports@dailyorange.com @DOsports

That doesn’t give me much faith that McCool — or Syracuse’s other options in Kyle Rolley, Michael Ippoliti and Brayden Ferguson — will start the year strong. The Orange face a clear learning curve between the pipes after Mark’s departure. A Jacksonville attack led by Jackson Intrieri, an All-ASUN Second-Team member in 2024, will give SU trouble.

Will it be enough to upset the Orange? No. Yet, goalie struggles seem imminent for Syracuse, at least early in the 2025 campaign.

I think Saturday will play out similarly to SU’s NCAA Tournament win over Townson last season. Jacksonville might hang around in the first half, but eventually, Syracuse will go on a run and separate itself. Spallina tore apart teams like Jacksonville last season, and this won’t be any different. He should have a big day to spearhead a strong offensive performance. Jacksonville simply doesn’t have enough defense to contain Syracuse for a full 60 minutes.

Another key advantage for Syracuse comes at the faceoff spot. Jacksonville lost its starting faceoff man Nathan Kapp from a year ago, and John Mullen should have a field day with whoever the Dolphins put out there. Mullen keeping the ball out of JU’s sticks will be a key factor to Syracuse starting the season on a positive note.

Galloway is one of the best athletes in Syracuse history. But even if he’s as good a coach as he was a goaltender — which hasn’t been proven with a 66-49 record through eight seasons — the Dolphins have a snowman in a hot tub chance to defeat the juggernaut Syracuse.

Simply, the Orange have too much depth and pedigree for Jacksonville. With the lingering question of who starts in net for SU, I see Gait affording chances to multiple goaltenders to assess who will be the No. 1 netminder going forward. I also expect SU to score early and often, allowing multiple players to get involved and shake off any offseason rust before its opposition gets turned up versus No. 17 Towson on Feb. 10 and No. 5 Maryland on Feb. 15.

Late-game struggles plague Syracuse in 1-8 start to 2025

By Jordan Kimball asst. copy editor

With 15 blown leads or ties and two eight-plus game losing streaks — which has never happened in program history — Syracuse has struggled in its third season under Britni Smith. An 8-20-0 record. Outshot in 24 of 28 games. Ranked 32nd of 44 teams nationally in scoring defense.

Still, a 3-2 victory over the Rochester Institute of Technology Saturday propelled SU past its win total from the 2023-24 season (7-24-3). However, even in the victory, the Orange continued a trend of crumbling down the stretch in close contests.

In its 28 games, Syracuse has scored two or fewer goals 21 times while allowing 2.8 goals per game. And, as SU’s late-game struggles have persisted since the calendar flipped to 2025, it’s allowed 25 of its 29 goals in the second period or later, an 86.2% distribution clip.

“We don’t expect this season to be easy in our league,” Smith said following Syracuse’s 3-2 loss on Oct. 26 to Boston University. “There’s no easy one. There’s no easy game, and that’s something that we’ve already seen.”

Though the Orange ended 2024 with a commanding sweep over Robert Morris, which they beat 4-1 on two straight days, late-game struggles have plagued them, resulting in a 1-8 January record. Syracuse has been outscored 29-13 in the stretch.

SU’s frequent losses often stem from deeper issues beyond what happens on the rink each week. The personnel Smith trusts, the behind-the-scenes actions of each skater and facing high-level competition have all contributed to the Orange’s skid. No matter what Smith dials up, opposing teams are consistently a step ahead.

In its first game of 2025, Syracuse was bound to struggle. On top of nearly a month away from the ice, the Orange were facing thenNo. 4 Minnesota Duluth, their highest-ranked opponent of the season.

Syracuse initially held its own before UMD responded with three second-period goals to secure a 6-2 victory. In the rematch the following day, Allie Kelley’s 12 secondperiod saves kept Syracuse in contention. But with just three third-period shots, the Orange fell 2-1.

Just as it had in many games during the first half of the season, SU struggled in the closing moments.

“That’s what good teams do is they find ways to continue to pressure and wear teams down,” Smith said of Syracuse’s late-game collapses. This pattern emerged the following weekend against Mercyhurst. SU allowed two goals over the first two periods of Jan. 10’s game and couldn’t rally, falling 2-1. On Jan. 11, despite Kelley’s 17-save first period, the Orange managed just five testing shots on Mercyhurst goaltender Magdalena Luggin.

Late-game struggles have hampered Syracuse since re-starting its season in 2025, leading to a 1-8 record. In the timespan, the Orange have allowed 25 of their 29 goals in the second period or later. avery magee asst. photo editor

Mercyhurst capitalized with two secondperiod goals. Despite SU scoring twice in the third, two late Lakers finishes in the same period extended the Orange’s losing streak.

With a short week ahead, SU had every reason to start the game the same way it had in its first four matchups of 2025. However, it got going early against then-No. 6 Cornell on Jan. 14.

The Orange scored twice early but lost momentum after Cornell replaced its firsttime starting goaltender Jeanne Lortie with regular starter Annelies Bergmann after the first period. SU mustered just one total shot between the second and third periods, while the Big Red scored six of the game’s seven final goals.

The 6-3 loss meant Syracuse ended its nonconference schedule with a 2-12 record, extending its losing streak to five.

“We believe that in conference play, we’re ready to make a statement. We’re ready to make a push and play our best hockey coming

into the playoffs,” Smith said following SU’s loss to Cornell.

Back in Atlantic Hockey America competition, though, Syracuse’s woes reached new depths against then-No. 9 Penn State on Jan. 17 and 18. For the first time since Feb. 23-24, 2018, the Orange were shut out in a weekend series.

In its next series against RIT — which the Orange previously swept — the series opener Friday saw Celia Wiegand score her first career goal, giving them an early lead. But the Orange surrendered two second-period goals and fell 2-1.

But Saturday against the Tigers, Syracuse defied expectations — exploding on offense early and locking down on defense to secure the win.

SU jumped out to an early lead with two first-period goals — only the fifth time it had done so all season. It tallied another score in the second period, heading into the final 20 minutes with a 3-0 lead.

In the third period, RIT started mounting a comeback. First, it scored a power-play goal 5:37 into play. Still ahead by two goals, Syracuse was in a comfortable spot. Yet, that two-goal lead was quickly halved when Kyla Bear scored for the Tigers four minutes later. With 10 minutes to play, SU seemed like it might lose its lead again. But Jessica Cheung made a game-saving block with 1:10 to play, sealing the Orange’s first victory in 49 days.

Syracuse’s rare bright spots haven’t hidden its ongoing struggles. To compete in the AHA playoffs, where they currently rank fourth, the Orange must build resilience under pressure. Though there are flashes of potential, late-game consistency will be key to SU’s final six games.

“I think we’re a more competitive team this year. We’re a team that has really bought into the way we need to play,” Smith said. “I think we’re prepared come playoff time.”

jordankimball28@gmail.com

ice hockey

Syracuse’s rank in Inside Lacrosse’s preseason poll

Previewing Syracuse’s 2025 season opener vs. Jacksonville

By Zak Wolf senior staff writer

No. 2 Syracuse will open the 2025 season Saturday when it takes on Jacksonville. The Dolphins are coached by former SU goalie John Galloway, who led the Orange to back-to-back National Championships from 2008-09. Galloway took over Jacksonville in 2016, leading it to a 66-49 record in eight seasons.

SU is coming off its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2021 and its first postseason victory since 2017. The Orange fell to Denver in the NCAA quarterfinals, one win shy of their first Final Four since 2013. Syracuse does return a plethora of talent, especially in its attack, highlighted by Joey Spallina, who recorded 88 points last season, the third-highest mark in the country. Owen Hiltz (38 goals), Finn Thomson (24 goals) and Michael Leo (28 goals) highlight more returnees.

On the back end, SU replaced goalie Will Mark with Jimmy McCool, while John Mullen is set to have an increased role at the faceoff X with Mason Kohn gone.

Here’s everything to know about Jacksonville (0-0, 0-0 Atlantic Sun) ahead of its seasonopening matchup with Syracuse (0-0, 0-0 Atlantic Coast):

All-time series

This is the first time Syracuse and Jacksonville have played each other.

The Dolphins report

Galloway has turned Jacksonville into one of the most underrated programs in the country since taking over. In Galloway’s first five seasons in charge, the Dolphins finished above .500 once. That’s changed in the past three, with 39 wins during that span and a 76% winning percentage. JU has shown it can give elite teams trouble during that time. It defeated Duke in back-to-back seasons in 2022-23 when the Blue Devils were ranked in the top 10.

The only thing that’s eluded Galloway is an NCAA Tournament appearance. In 2022, Jacksonville fell to Richmond in the Southern Conference Tournament championship. Last season, the Dolphins lost to Utah in the ASUN finals.

Jacksonville held onto most of its attacking core from last season. Top scorer Jacob Greiner graduated, but JU’s four next-highest goalscorers are all back, including three-year starter Jackson Intrieri. Goalie Ryan Della Rocco is another key returner. Della Rocco was the ASUN Defensive Player of the Year in 2024, with a 55.8% save rate. At the faceoff X, Nathan Kapp, who won 58% of his faceoffs last year, graduated, leaving sophomore Drew Rippeon to take his place.

The Dolphins love to play an up-tempo style and spread the ball around. They were second in the ASUN in goals per game last season with 14.33 and dished out the most assists with 10.11 per game, well above Utah’s 8.56. Along with its high-octane offense, Jacksonville can hold its own on defense. In 2024, it allowed just under 10 goals per game, only bested by the Air Force in the ASUN.

How Syracuse beats Jacksonville Syracuse is a much more talented team than Jacksonville, but the Dolphins are a scrappy bunch, and SU shouldn’t take them lightly. The biggest thing for Syracuse is taking care of the ball and paying good attention to detail on the offensive end. Not many teams can contain SU’s offense, so if turnovers are kept to a minimum, the Orange should have no problem.

It’ll also be crucial for Syracuse to get out to a good start. Against an underdog like Jacksonville, it’s important not to let it hang around. The longer JU stays within reach, the greater the tension will become. The Orange showed last season that they can score goals in a hurry. They had nine in a row in just over 10 minutes against Towson in the NCAA Tournament.

Stat to know: 77%

Syracuse returns 77% of its goal production from last season. The key absences are midfielder Jake Stevens and attack Christian Mulé, who had 21 and 25 goals, respectively. Kohn accounted for eight as well. Other than that, Syracuse didn’t lose much. Hiltz led the team with 38 goals, while Spallina was second with 37. The two are set to spearhead one of the most dangerous attacks in the country.

Player to watch: Jackson Intrieri, attack, No. 12

Over the last three seasons, Intrieri has been one of Jacksonville’s most productive players. A day-one starter, Intrieri has totaled 174 points (91 goals, 83 assists) across 51 appearances. He burst onto the scene as a freshman, starting all 17 games while breaking the Dolphins singleseason assist record with 30. In 2022, he was awarded the SoCon Freshman of the Year. Intrieri had a dip in production as a sophomore, with 45 points, but is coming off his best season as a junior. The attack was second on the team in goals (39), assists (29) and set a career-high in points with 68. Intrieri is equipped at both scoring on his own — finishing with at least one goal in Jacksonville’s final 12 games — and setting up his teammates from X. He’s likely to garner the attention of Syracuse’s top long pole Saturday. @ZakWolf22

Syracuse

cole ross digital design director

GOAT GOALIE

Legendary goalie John Galloway returns to SU as Jacksonville head coach

By Zak Wolf senior staff writer

Steven Brooks remembers staring in the bathroom mirror prior to an early-season bout against Army in 2008 while applying eye black to his face. Brooks peered to his left and watched as then-freshman goalie John Galloway dipped his hands into a plastic bag filled with dirt and smeared

with the pressure of being SU’s starting goalie one season after it missed the NCAA Tournament for the first time in nearly three decades. The dirt-smearing tactic weirdly made Brooks confident in Galloway.

“I was kind of like, ‘OK, you got a screw loose, I like that,’” Brooks said. “‘There’s something about you that makes you a competitor. And now, with a screw loose, you can be something great.’”

Brooks was right. Galloway did end up being great. Arguably the greatest of all time. Galloway’s name is painted all over Syracuse’s record books, and his accolades are almost too hard to count. In his freshman and sophomore seasons from 2008-09, Galloway helped Syracuse win back-to-back National Championships. He finished his career as the winningest goalie in NCAA history (59) while becoming a two-time All-American and Tewaaraton Award finalist in 2011 — the second goalie ever to do so.

Fourteen years after his last game in the then-Carrier Dome, Galloway returns for the first time Saturday as Jacksonville University’s head coach. JU takes on Syracuse in the 2025 season-opener as Galloway — amid his ninth season at the helm — looks to

nominated

3-star linebacker Maurice Medley bolsters SU’s 2026 class

By Mauricio Palmar asst. digital editor

Before linebacker Maurice Medley and guard Edward Baker played a snap for national powerhouse St. Frances Academy (Maryland), the two were eighth graders participating in the Panthers’ spring practices. Neither had faced such high-caliber athletes before, but they relished the opportunity.

During a drill, future UConn and Auburn running back Durell Robinson

stood in the backfield. The ball was handed to Robinson, and Medley barrelled downhill. Left on an island, he laid a crushing hit on Robinson. The team was stunned. It was the first time Baker realized his future teammate would be a Division I athlete.

“When I seen that, I knew he was going to be something,” Baker said.

“For him to come in as an eighth grader and do a big hit on one of the best (running backs) at the time… that was something big to me.”

Now a junior at St. Frances, Medley is a consensus three-star athlete. This past December, he became Syracuse’s third commit in the class of 2026. He ranks as the ninth-best recruit in Maryland, according to 247Sports’ composite rankings. Equipped with an SU commitment, Medley is poised to have a breakout senior season at St. Frances.

But before he became a crucial piece for one of the strongest high school defenses in the country, Medley grew up in Meade Village, 20 miles

from Baltimore. He was primarily raised by his mother, Briana, in a single-parent household.

Medley was introduced to football as a 5-year-old when he began playing flag football for the Severn Seminoles. Three years later, he put on equipment for the first time.

Though he wasn’t a defensive player initially. Medley started at center, anchoring offensive lines until he was 10. He then joined the

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Mill Patriots, where he played wide receiver and defensive end. He played with the Patriots until he joined the Maryland Heat in sixth grade. The Heat have developed several top high school recruits, such as 2025 four-star Malik Washington. Medley hoped to attract more attention before he began high school. His plan worked to perfection. On the Heat, Medley caught the eye of St. Frances defensive coordinator Justin

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john galloway was a two-time National Champion and became the second-ever goalie

for the Tewaaraton Award in 2011. Fourteen years later, he returns to Syracuse for the first time as Jacksonville’s head coach. courtesy of su athletics