Before the start of the Spring 2026 semester, members of the (GMB), a registered student organization (RSO), traveled to Panama with a shared goal of providing essential medical care and conduct community health research in rural areas.

The expedition offered 37 students a unique opportunity for experiential learning, cultural immersion and leadership development outside the traditional classroom setting.

A Global Effort for Local Impact

Global Medical Brigades is a student-led organization dedicated to providing sustainable health care to under-resourced communities abroad. By mobilizing student volunteers and health care professionals, the chapter works to improve health outcomes and empower local communities through education and medical assistance.

“The Syracuse University chapter of GMB is part of a larger international movement that has facilitated over 1.5 million patient consultations globally over the past 20 years,” says Keona Bukhari-Adams ’27, the newly elected president of the chapter.

During the week-long brigade, students assisted health care professionals in treating over 250 community members who face significant barriers to medical access.

“Global Medical Brigades is a small part of a much larger global effort to assist rural communities with extremely low physician densities,” Bukhari-Adams says. “It has reshaped my understanding of culture and solidarity in ways that challenge traditional perceptions of what it means to live a life of wealth.”

Community-Driven Fundraising

To finance the mission, 37 student volunteers raised a total of $90,000, each with a $2,430 donation goal. Through local partnerships and personal advocacy, students engaged the Syracuse community to fund trip costs and essential medical supplies.

Becky Roby ’26, the chapter’s vice president, raised $2,030, while Ava Mastalir ’28, the vice president of membership and outreach, raised $2,500 through outreach to family and friends.

“This experience alone made me want to fundraise and participate in our next brigade,” Roby says. “Every trip is special in its own way and I was grateful that I was able to have another experience in Panama.”

On campus, the organization hosted several benefit nights where a portion of the proceeds supported the trip, including events at Chipotle, luv handlz and Purple Banana.

Clinical Care, Field Research and Community Engagement

The trip focused on clinical support and patient care. Students took vitals, assisted doctors in dental extractions for children and helped treat older patients who had not received physical checkups in years.

Students also participated in public health research and spent an entire day conducting community health surveys. This research involved interviewing local women about menstrual and sexual health to understand existing education gaps.

Participants sharpened their professional skills by navigating language barriers and learning local dialects to better console and educate patients. The brigade also worked with local leaders to ensure that disease prevention and hygiene education would have a lasting benefit for the community long after the students departed.

“The primary skill I learned in Panama was how to interact with patients who were nervous or confused, and how to care for them even with the challenge of a language barrier,” Mastalir says.

Leadership Opportunities and Friendships

The experience also served as a catalyst for student leadership on campus. Many participants, motivated by previous trips to Guatemala, utilized the Panama brigade to further their commitment to global health. Roby says the trip provides “hands-on experience in global health and service that cannot be replicated in a classroom.”

Beyond clinical experience, the brigade fostered a strong sense of community among the students themselves. For students considering future brigades, participants emphasize the value of stepping outside one’s comfort zone.

“I loved the friendships I built during the trip, and we still constantly stay in touch,” Roby says. “Being part of something so meaningful created a strong sense of community and belonging for me on campus.”

The Syracuse University Global Medical Brigades chapter continues to welcome students of all majors who are interested in global experiences and meaningful service.

Story by Kate Jackson ’26, S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs

In Jamaica, where track and field stars like Usain Bolt (eight-time gold medalist) and Elaine Thompson-Herah (five-time gold medalist) captured national glory at the Summer Olympics, children grow up wanting to emulate their heroes.

But for every Bolt or Thompson-Herah, thousands of aspiring track and field athletes will never qualify for the Olympics. For them, they compete because they love their sport, not because they envision winning a gold medal.

Recognizing the important role support systems play in the development of teenagers into adults, a team of three students in the built a holistic vision for supporting elite youth athletes in Jamaica during the Grand Final of the fifth annual in Lausanne, Switzerland.

“Our focus was on preparing these students for a future outside of athletics. We wanted to give them the support they needed to succeed where they were at, but also to experience success once they’re done competing,” says Cooper Feldstein ’28, a sport management major.

The Falk students were invited to compete in the undergraduate event at the Grand Final after claiming first place in the semifinals back in December. , assistant teaching professor of sport management, served as the group’s advisor throughout the process.

Helping Athletes Feel Heard and Supported

At the Olympic Museum, Feldstein, Noah Bair ’28 and Angel Rooks Orton ’28 applied the lessons learned through their Falk College classes and presented their solution to a contemporary challenge in sports management.

The group selected Jamaica because of the country’s recognizable brand and success on the global stage, but also because of the national pride its citizens derive from the sport, and because of how many children take up sprinting.

To learn more about Jamaica’s youth track and field landscape, focusing on athletes ages 15 to 18, the students interviewed former Jamaican sprinter Kemardo Tyrell, now an assistant professor of research at Temple University’s School of Sport, Tourism and Hospitality Management. Tyrell spoke to the unique pressures facing Jamaica’s youth athletes.

The group focused on increasing athlete retention (especially among girls), improving academic success and programming, enhancing sport participation and addressing growing mental health challenges.

Knowing most won’t make a successful career in athletics, the Falk team “wanted to help ensure that these elite athletes feel heard and are protected while they are committed to their sport,” Bair says.

“We wanted to look at what the path of a youth athlete looks like, not only in terms of athletic success and accomplishments, but in their academics and their life outside of track,” says Bair, a sport analytics major. “What we found was there are wide gaps in how well students can build a sustainable and enjoyable career in athletics.”

Prioritizing Mental Health and Well-Being

Their research into the trends among Jamaica’s youth track and field competitors showed that if an athlete didn’t develop a positive mindset from an early age, they wouldn’t be able to handle the pressure of competing at the highest level.

“We needed to understand how we could provide them with the stability that they would need to perform to the level that they can actually get to, with how much pressure these kids are facing every day,” Feldstein says.

As one of their cornerstones, the team proposed developing an app as an all-encompassing support system, serving as a communication tool between coaches and their athletes.

Wanting athletes to stay present and in the moment while balancing academics with athletics, the trio came up with weekly mental wellness check-ins where the youths could discuss what’s on their mind.

“These elite athletes are facing a ton of pressure to succeed,” says Rooks Orton, a sport management major. “There are needs we’re trying to meet in Jamaica, and the app can help athletes stay in their program longer, enjoy their sport more and build habits to be successful in sports and in life.”

Leveling the Playing Field

According to research conducted by the group, once a female athlete turns 13, the chances of her quitting her sport are two times greater than those of her male counterparts.

“These females often get discouraged from competing because there isn’t a great support system in place, and because, for many girls, they don’t have examples of successful female athletes to look up to,” Rooks Orton says. “With the app, girls can ask questions, learn from successful women athletes and get the support they need to stay in sports at a high level.”

While the Orange trio didn’t win the Grand Final, the lessons learned from this global experience will stay with them as they prepare for a career in sports.

“This has been a formative experience,” Feldstein says. “The opportunity to work on this high-level professional project will prepare us for the future.”

“It was an honor representing Falk College and Syracuse on the world stage,” Bair says. “We put our best foot forward thanks to the incredible work we’re doing at Falk.”

Rooks Orton agrees. “It’s cool to be in a position where we’re constantly learning about the industry,” she says.

This experience was made possible by the generosity of Jeff and Andrea Lomasky, whose son, Marc Lomasky ’12, is an alumnus of the sport management program.

A climate finance pioneer. A diplomat who helped evacuate thousands from a war zone. A champion of global school nutrition. A trailblazing scholar of equity in public administration. A leader in the federal inspector general oversight community.These are the five alumni who will be celebrated at the annual Awards of Excellence on Thursday, April 30, in Washington, D.C.

The event, to be held at the Syracuse University Washington, D.C., Center in the heart of Dupont Circle, will also serve as an opportunity for the Maxwell community to reunite and celebrate the school’s enduring commitment to engaged citizenship.

Established in 2022, the Awards of Excellence program celebrates the contributions of the school’s alumni and friends to their fields, communities and society through work that reflects the Maxwell School mission and values. Recognition categories include the 1924 Award, Bridge Award, Charles V. Willie Advocate Award, Compass Award and Spirit of Public Service Award.

“We are honored to welcome members of the Maxwell community to join us for an evening of celebration and reflection,” says Dean David M. Van Slyke. “Each year, this event reminds me of why our mission endures. This year’s honorees have built careers spanning climate finance, diplomacy, food security, public administration and the law—and in every case, they have used their Maxwell education as a foundation for making the world more sustainable, more humane and more just. I look forward to celebrating them and to welcoming our community back to Washington, D.C.”

The five 2026 honorees are Jeff Eckel G’82,�� George Farag G’02, G’07, Emily Fredenberg G’16, Susan Gooden G’95, G’96 and Roslyn A. Mazer ’71.

Jeff Eckel—Bridge Award

For his commitment to improving our climate future, Eckel is the recipient of the 2026 Bridge Award, which honors exemplary leadership across sectors while advancing the Maxwell School’s mission of making the world a better place.

Eckel, who earned an M.P.A. from Maxwell, has spent four decades advancing climate-positive investing with the view that climate change is among the greatest challenges of our time. As chair of HASI and its CEO for the previous two decades, he pioneered the use of finance to accelerate the adoption of low-carbon climate solutions in the United States and the developing world.

He developed the HannieMae Trust, a first-of-its-kind investment vehicle for funding energy-conservation projects, oversaw HASI’s 2013 public offering as the first dedicated climate solutions investor, and created CarbonCount, a tool that measures how efficiently capital investments reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

George Farag—Spirit of Public Service Award

Farag is the recipient of the Spirit of Public Service Award, which honors individuals whose work has had widespread global impact and reflects the ideals of the Maxwell School. For more than 25 years, he has worked at the intersection of diplomacy, immigration and national security to advance U.S. interests and protect American lives. Farag earned master’s degrees in public administration and international relations and Ph.D. in anthropology from the Maxwell School.

Inspired by the Sept. 11 attacks, Farag joined the U.S. Department of State as a diplomat and consular officer in 2002. During five years of service in some of the world’s most volatile environments, he helped lead the evacuation of 15,000 Americans during the 2006 Lebanon War and was among the first U.S. diplomats to enter Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom. In 2013, he founded Silverline Strategies, a consulting firm whose operations now affect more than 3 million visa applicants each year across 15 countries. Farag received the Department of State’s Superior Honor Award and Meritorious Honor Award.

Emily Fredenberg—Compass Award

Fredenberg, who holds an M.P.A. degree and a master’s degree in international relations, is the recipient of this year’s Compass Award, given in recognition of her exceptional accomplishments and impact as an early-career alumna. In the 10 years since earning her Maxwell degrees, she has built a career dedicated to strengthening food security among some of the world’s most vulnerable populations.

Fredenberg is currently senior officer of programs and advocacy at the Global Child Nutrition Foundation, where she cultivates global partnerships to advance sustainable school meal programs worldwide. She previously served as a project manager at The Rockefeller Foundation, overseeing grants focused on combating the global food crisis. Before that, she spent six years with the World Food Programme, serving in Lebanon—helping the response to the Syrian refugee crisis—and in Rwanda, where she led communications strategy for the nation’s home-grown school meal initiative.

Susan Gooden—Charles V. Willie Advocate Award

Gooden is the recipient of the Charles V. Willie Advocate Award, which recognizes alumni whose contributions reflect Maxwell’s commitment to creating an environment that is welcoming to all and oriented toward engaged citizenship. The honor recognizes her excellence in leadership, teaching and scholarship advancing inclusive governance and equity in public administration.

Gooden, who earned both a master’s degree and Ph.D. in political science at Maxwell, is dean and professor of the L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs at Virginia Commonwealth University, where she co-founded the Research Institute for Social Equity.

She has authored six books and more than 100 academic journal articles and reports and is a founding editor of the Journal of Social Equity and Public Administration. An elected fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration, she is a past president of the American Society for Public Administration, which honored her with the 2025 Dwight Waldo Award recognizing more than 25 years of preeminent contributions to the field.

Roslyn A. Mazer—1924 Award

Mazer is the recipient of this year’s Maxwell 1924 Award, which honors graduates for distinguished and sustained professional or civic leadership in the spirit of the school’s mission.

After earning a bachelor’s degree in political science from Maxwell, Mazer went on to provide vigorous oversight of government programs as inspector general of the Federal Trade Commission, inspector general of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and special investigative counsel in the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General. Earlier, she served in the Department of Justice, including as deputy assistant attorney general, guiding federal judicial nominees through the confirmation process.

Before entering public service, Mazer was in private law practice specializing in media and First Amendment law. Notably, she represented the Association of American Editorial Cartoonists as friend of the court in Hustler Magazine Inc. v. Falwell, the landmark Supreme Court ruling affirming First Amendment protection of satire. Today, she continues to advocate for cartoonists’ rights and free expression.

Syracuse University is home to more than a dozen registered dietitians spread across the , , , and the . Recently, they started meeting as a cross-campus coalition.

The group came together through Molly Morgan, associate director of in Human Resources, who joined the University last year and quickly realized that dietitian colleagues were embedded across a range of schools, colleges and units.

She floated the idea of regular meetups, and the response was unanimous. The coalition’s goal: foster collaboration, align on best practices and amplify the collective impact of their work across the campus community.

As we celebrate in March, six dietitians with wide-ranging expertise share the myths they spend the most time correcting—and the tips they wish more people would actually try.

Myths Worth Busting

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The word “natural” on a label feels reassuring, but it’s an overgeneralization. Plenty of natural substances—lead and arsenic among them—are anything but good for you (remember the apple juice scare of 2024?). Meanwhile, some artificial additives serve real purposes: extending shelf life, improving texture or boosting a food’s nutritional profile. The takeaway? Read the full label, not just the buzzword. — Nikki Beckwith, M.A., RD, CDN, director of the master of arts in nutrition science program, Falk College

Carbs Are the Enemy

A lot of people think that carbohydrates make you gain weight, but in reality they are the body’s main energy source. Whole carbs like fruits, vegetables, beans and whole grains deliver fiber, vitamins and sustained energy. The real issue isn’t carbs themselves; it’s the type and quantity people reach for. — Ashley Russo-Leone, M.A., RD, CDN, CNSC, assistant director of nutrition management, Campus Dining

Your Body Needs an Annual Detox or Cleanse

A common myth is that you need to detox or do a “cleanse” at least once per year. The human body has its own detoxification crew working around the clock: the liver, kidneys, lungs, lymphatic system, colon and skin. Most healthy bodies do not need help eliminating toxins and harmful substances. They need consistent, balanced nutrition. — Ashley Russo-Leone, M.A., RD, CDN, CNSC, assistant director of nutrition management, Campus Dining

A ‘Nutritionist’ and a ‘Registered Dietitian’ Are the Same Thing

In most states, anyone can call themselves a nutritionist—no degree, no exam, no oversight required. Becoming a registered dietitian (RD) or registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN), on the other hand, requires rigorous education, supervised practice hours, a credentialing exam and ongoing continuing education. If you’re managing a health condition, navigating food allergies or fine-tuning athletic performance, that distinction matters. — Molly Morgan, RDN, CDN, CSSD, associate director of health and wellness for faculty and staff

Tips Worth Trying

Think 80/20, Not All-or-Nothing

Dietitians are not the food police. A more sustainable framework: about 80% of the foods you choose should align with your health goals and nutritional needs, leaving 20% for flexibility. Perfection isn’t the point, consistency is. — Jessica Garay, Ph.D., RDN, CSSD, CSCS, FAND, assistant professor of nutrition and food studies, Falk College

Push Back on the Protein Hype

From protein coffee foams to meat add-ons at every counter, today’s marketing makes it seem like more protein is always better. It’s important, sure, but excess calories from protein can lead to weight gain just like excess calories from anything else. Most people can meet their daily needs without the extras, and over-focusing on protein can crowd out variety and other essential nutrients. Unsure how much you actually need? A registered dietitian can help. — Nikki Beckwith,��M.A., RD, CDN, director of the master of arts in nutrition science program, Falk College

Breakfast Breaks the Fast—Literally

After a full night of sleep, your body’s energy tank is running on empty. Skipping breakfast extends that deficit and can leave you dragging well into the afternoon. It doesn’t have to be elaborate. Even a small meal with protein and complex carbs can make a noticeable difference. — Jessica Garay, Ph.D., RDN, CSSD, CSCS, FAND, assistant professor of nutrition and food studies, Falk College

Feeding Kids? Stock Smart and Let Them Play

When it comes to young eaters, two strategies go a long way. First, focus less on curating a perfect diet and more on what’s visible and convenient in the house. Kids tend to grab what they see, so keeping fruit, yogurt, nuts and whole-grain snacks at eye level—while limiting ultra-processed options—quietly shapes better habits without mealtime battles.

Second, let little ones explore. Touching, smelling, squishing, and yes, making a mess with food are legitimate steps toward acceptance. Food play is food learning, and pressuring a child to “just take a bite” often backfires. — Maryam Yuhas, Ph.D., RD, assistant professor of nutrition and food studies, and Lynn S. Brann, Ph.D., RDN, FAND, associate professor of food and nutrition studies, Falk College

Hungry at Night? Eat. (Just Eat Smart.)

Hunger is hunger, regardless of what time the clock reads. If you’re genuinely hungry at night, eat something, ideally a reasonable portion with both carbohydrates and protein. Protein promotes fullness and helps slow the rate at which carbs hit your bloodstream, which beats the alternative of raiding the chips bag on autopilot. — Jessica Garay, Ph.D., RDN, CSSD, CSCS, FAND, assistant professor of nutrition and food studies, Falk College

Since Russia invaded Ukraine just over four years ago, roughly 500,000 soldiers and civilians have been killed and 1 million people injured. Millions of Ukrainians currently live under Russian occupation. At least 20,000 Ukrainian children have been kidnapped and deported to Russia. Millions have fled the country.

These sobering statistics were shared by Brian Taylor, professor of political science and director of the Moynihan Institute of Global Affairs, as he introduced Oxana Shevel, a leading scholar who grew up in Ukraine, for a talk reflecting on the ongoing war and the possibilities of what’s to come.

Before Shevel took the microphone, Taylor, a renowned expert on Russian politics himself, asked the audience to observe a moment of silence “for those who have suffered as a result of this war.” Students, faculty and staff who filled the Hall of Languages conference room quietly bowed their heads.

Shevel, who grew up in Kyiv during the Soviet era, directs Tufts’ International Relations Program, is president-elect of the Association for Slavic, East European and Eurasian Studies and vice president of the Association for the Study of Nationalities. Her talk at Syracuse, titled “Russia’s Invasion, Ukraine’s Resistance and Prospects for Peace,” was hosted by Moynihan’s Center for European Studies with support from the College of Arts and Sciences’ Russian Program within the Department of Languages, Literatures and Linguistics.

The talk was the latest in a series of events and initiatives by the Maxwell School intended to expose community members to unique perspectives and lend greater understanding to the conflict’s legal, strategic and humanitarian dimensions. Maxwell is home to a community of faculty including Taylor, Michael Williams, the Hon. James E. Baker and Vice Admiral Robert Murrett (U.S. Navy, retired) who research the rule of law, international politics, and peace and security, and are helping build networks of scholarship and training to support democracy in Ukraine. They have spearheaded programs such as the US-Ukraine Veterans Bridge to support the country’s bourgeoning veteran population and have contributed to research and commentary in major media outlets.

Growing Identity

During her talk, Shevel shared a view from her co-authored book, “Russia and Ukraine: Entangled Histories, Diverging States” (Polity Press, 2024), that the roots of Russia’s war on Ukraine lie not in NATO enlargement but in the growing identity and regime divergence between the two states since 1991. She cited Russia’s confidence in its security, the improbability of Ukraine’s NATO entry from the beginning, and Russia’s desires for far more than Ukrainian neutrality.

“Russia is deporting children, trying to re-educate them, banning Ukrainian books, destroying Ukrainian culture,” she said. “These actions have nothing to do with hard security and everything to do with identity.”

The lecture centered on what Shevel calls the “escalatory cycle”—the cycle of events and growing differences between Russia and Ukraine that eventually led to war. “It progressed gradually,” she said. “The more Ukraine pulled away, the more Russia pushed. The more Russia pushed, the more Ukraine pulled away.”

Throughout the escalatory cycle, Shevel identified several critical junctures—times of ideological split between Russia and Ukraine that could have been mended, but were not. Each was an opportunity to end the cycle, and each an identity divergence that built on the last, leading to the point of no return, she said.

The start of the cycle came with the 1991 Soviet collapse, often called a “civilized divorce,” dissolving the 15 united republics peacefully. “In Russia, this was seen not as a divorce, but as an opportunity to draw closer together again later, perhaps not in the Soviet Union, but in some other form,” she said. “The idea that Ukraine would permanently separate was not widely accepted in the Russian political class.”

As Shevel identified further critical junctures—such as the 2004 Orange Revolution and 2014 Euromaidan protests—her own experience of the post-communist region offered a personal dimension.

“I remember how things were taught,” she explained. She recalled clicking to the presidential website after Yanukovych’s election and finding that all mention of the 1932-33 Ukrainian famine had vanished.

War Not Likely to End Soon

Shevel expressed doubt that the Russo-Ukrainian war is likely to end anytime soon.

“The war has been horrendous for Ukrainian society. The people are tired. I have family there, sleeping in tents in Kyiv,” she said.

Though data shows that Ukrainians are slowly becoming more open to compromise in some areas, they do not believe that negotiations alone will lead to peace. “Ukrainians know what they’re fighting for,” she said.

When her formal remarks concluded, several students asked Shevel a range of questions, including about the role of the United States in supporting Ukraine.

Shevel said the U.S. could help Ukraine by applying greater pressure on Russia. “We do have leverage,” she said, “both economic and military—we just aren’t using it how we should be.”

Shevel ended the lecture on a note of hope. For the war to end, she said, Russia needs a fundamental mindset shift—whether that comes from new leadership or outside pressure. Russia needs to understand it will not gain more than it already holds.

“There has to be a leader in Russia who decides Russia can still be important without Ukraine,” she said.

Story by Catherine Scott

After years of podium finishes and back-to-back undergraduate team titles, the in the Falk College of Sport has made winning at the (NCSAC) into a habit. This year, the program didn’t just return to the top—it dominated.

Senior Austin Ambler captured the overall undergraduate individual title, and the team of Ambler, Daniel Griffiths and Daniel Baris claimed the undergraduate team championship, with all three landing in the top 10  in overall points.

For the four sport analytics majors who made the trip, Ambler, Griffiths, Baris and Jessica Fackler, the result was the payoff of a disciplined, collaborative preparation process built around one guiding principle: do the work before you ever step in the room.

“Winning the overall undergraduate individual title was incredibly rewarding,” Ambler says. “The competition featured so many talented and high-performing students, so being named first among them is something I’m truly proud of. It validates the hard work, preparation and support system that went into getting to that moment. Representing Syracuse and Falk College means a great deal to me.”

Preparation Was Key

The students’ preparation was shaped by weekly sessions with , who led the group through practice data sets, varied prompt scenarios and repeated five-minute presentation drills in the months leading up to the competition.

“This year’s team had strong analytical skills and was eager to discuss how to improve,” says Rafique. “The students were very engaged in discussing strategies to optimize their points. We had a good plan going into the first day of the championship. However, some delays and obstacles forced us to improvise, and the students did an amazing job of maintaining their composure and persevering throughout the day.”

Rafique’s teaching emphasizes not just technical proficiency, but the ability to communicate findings clearly and persuasively under pressure.

“The weekly preparation sessions with Dr. Rafique completely changed how I think about data storytelling,” Griffiths says. “The check-ins and iterative feedback meant that by the time we got to competition weekend, we weren’t starting from scratch, we were refining. That preparation gave us a massive advantage compared to teams who were building everything last-minute.”

Fackler described a similar transformation in how she approached the competition’s core challenge.

“I originally had a completely different perception of what the competition was about,” she says. “Those sessions made me quickly realize I needed to pivot. They taught me that I needed one simple idea and basically sell it to the judges.

Competition Strategy

Beyond the preparation, the Syracuse team arrived in Nashville with a collective strategy for the competition weekend itself. NCSAC features not only the signature presentation competition but also a series of side events and challenges, and the four students approached each one with intention.

“The team dynamic was both competitive and highly collaborative,” Griffiths says. “We pushed each other internally to be better, but we were also very intentional about optimizing how we worked together.”

For Ambler, the hours of weekly preparation paid dividends from the first moments of competition.

“I immediately felt my preparation click into place once the competition began,” he says. “Elements from my practice presentations translated directly into my final delivery, and having a strong foundation from the practice data, study guide, and weekly prep sessions allowed me to start confidently. This head start let me focus on refining and building upon my presentation rather than starting from scratch, which made a noticeable difference in my performance.”

For Baris, the competition’s most memorable moment came from watching his own growth across rounds. “What stands out the most to me is probably my presentation,” he says. “I felt like it improved every time I presented it as I got more and more comfortable.”

Griffiths found his most striking moment in the broader picture of what NCSAC represents. “The moment that stood out most was realizing, right before my presentation, just how diverse the field of sports analytics really is,” he said. “Seeing 50-plus students compete with backgrounds in marketing, engineering, business, fan engagement, it made the experience feel bigger than just the competition itself.”

“Beyond the win, I hope students leave with confidence that they can tackle complex, real-world problems and compete at a high level,” says Rafique. “Experiences like this build resilience, teamwork and the ability to communicate ideas clearly under pressure. I hope they see themselves not just as students completing a project, but as emerging professionals who can meaningfully contribute to the field of sports analytics.”

Griffiths offered a challenge to the next generation of Falk competitors. “It takes more than just coding and analytical skills to compete at this level,” he says. “It requires determination, adaptability and the courage to make decisions under uncertainty. This competition is designed to identify future leaders in sports analytics. If that mindset excites you, then this is absolutely the competition for you.”

, Distinguished Professor of Anthropology and professor of international relations in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, has received the 2026 Sol Tax Distinguished Service Award from the . The award ceremony will take place March 20 in Albuquerque, New Mexico, during the organization’s 86th annual meeting.

Presented each year to a member in recognition of long-term and outstanding service, the award is named for Sol Tax, a pioneering anthropologist who advanced the concept of “action anthropology” emphasizing collaborative, community-engaged research designed to produce practical benefits. Tax played a key role in institutionalizing anthropology, including founding the journal Current Anthropology.

The Society for Applied Anthropology works to address local and global challenges through anthropology, and to deepen understanding of the world through sociocultural and environmental lenses. It promotes research, education and practice that serve the public interest through awards, meetings, mentorship, networking, professional development and publications.

Rubinstein previously served on the society’s Founders Endowment, Public Policy and Sol Tax Award committees. He was also a founding board member of the Higher Education TIG, an interdisciplinary group that connects anthropologists with higher education scholars, practitioners and administrators from various fields, and dedicated long-term leadership to the Commission on Peace and Human Rights of the International Union of Anthropological and Ethnological Sciences.

Rubinstein is a senior research associate for the , the , the and the .

He specializes in political and medical anthropology and has conducted research in the United States and internationally, including in Egypt, where he resided for four years, as well as throughout the Middle East, Belize and Mexico.

In July 2025, Rubinstein was honored with the Wasserstrom Prize for Graduate Teaching. Awarded annually to a faculty member from Maxwell and the College of Arts and Sciences, the prize honors the legacy of the late William Wasserstrom, a noted professor of English at Syracuse University who died in 1985. Wasserstrom was known for his broad intellectual interests, profound impact on learning and dedication to the graduate seminar.

Story by Jacob Spudich

Behind the scenes of every skating routine, ski jump and slalom race at the 2026 Winter Olympics, sophisticated analytics are at work, turning super athletes into record-breakers—and helping fans understand what makes these games extraordinary.

, assistant professor of sport analytics in the , studies how data transforms both athletic performance and sports storytelling. He shares in this SU News Q&A how analytics are changing the Olympic experience for fans and athletes.

Every four years, millions of people around the world find themselves glued to their televisions, watching athletes slide massive stones across sheets of ice while teammates frantically sweep in front of them at the Olympics.

What makes curling so appealing?

Members of the explain what entices people into the sport that is part ice, part strategy and part finesse.

“There’s just something special about curling. The novelty and the silliness of the sport draw you in. Every four years we just have to watch curling at the Olympics,” says Adam Wingert ’27, a member of the Syracuse University club curling team and fourth-year architecture student in the .

“Growing up, I would watch curling at the Olympics with my parents and I often thought, ‘Yeah, I could do that,’” says teammate Alex Reid ’26, who is studying computer science in the .

Before this year’s Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina, Italy, Wingert and Reid share what viewers can expect and invite community members to try their own hand at some of the team’s open lessons.

The Basics of Curling

Traditional curling features four-person teams taking their turn sending a massive stone down a thin sheet of ice while teammates frantically clean and sweep as the stone slides towards its target, known as a house.

Sweepers utilize a broom to melt the top surface of the ice as the stone is hurtling toward its target. But don’t let the name fool you: there are no bristles on these brooms, just a thin fabric covering over a foam pad.

Sweepers use their brooms to control the stone’s speed and trajectory by reducing friction with the ice—making it slide farther, curl less or curl more depending on strategy.

Stones can be used to either knock an opponent’s stone out of the house, or to position it strategically in the house to amass points. Teams score points for each stone closer to the center of the house than their opponent’s best stone.

Debunking Misconceptions

Despite competing on ice, the athletes don’t wear skates when they throw the stone. Instead, Orange student-athletes either wear sliders or specialized nonstick shoes made from Teflon that provide grip and traction.

Once the stone has been released, Reid says another misconception—that the stone will automatically go where you intend it to—is also quickly debunked.

“Playing conditions on the ice change over time,” Reid says. “By the nature of the sport, the same exact shot is not going to wind up in the same position as the competition advances. Curling gets down to the minutiae, and every moment has to be perfect.”

What to Know About Syracuse Curling

The Syracuse Curling Club has nine co-ed student-athletes, practices at the Utica Curling Club and competes in tournaments (called bonspiels) as part of both the regional Grand National Curling Club College League and USA Curling. At each competition, teams earn points based on their performance that determine which schools advance into the National Championship.

Syracuse recently placed second at the Yale Curling Club’s SuperSpiel tournament in Bridgeport, Connecticut, and is preparing for the Northeast Regionals tournament this weekend in Utica, New York. If Syracuse places in the top two teams at regionals, it will automatically qualify for the 2026 National Championship, March 12-15, in Schenectady, New York.

“We’re able to come out and represent Syracuse and be part of the club’s proud history,” Reid says. “To be able to say I made my mark is a really special feeling.”

After each tournament, a Spirit of Curling award is presented to the team that best embodies sportsmanship and professionalism while helping to grow the sport. Teams will then stack their brooms on the table and celebrate the end of a hard-fought game by getting to know a little bit more about their opponents.

“That speaks to the broader culture of curling,” Wingert says. “Curling is a competitive sport, and we want to win, but being part of this tight-knit community comes first. Curling is about doing better every single time and being the best person you can be.”

‘I’m Part of Something Bigger Than Myself’

Determined to spread their love of curling across campus, the club team runs free learn to curl classes at the Tennity Ice Skating Pavilion on South Campus. At these sessions, which normally occur in September and October, all the necessary equipment is provided, free of charge.

That’s how Reid became involved and now he’s a key contributor to the team that has its sights set on representing the University at the upcoming national tournament.

“Once I tried the sport, what made me stick around was this understanding that I was part of something that was bigger than myself,” Reid says.

Wingert, who fell in love with the sport when he was a child growing up in Southern Ontario, Canada, says nearly every member of the club team had zero curling experience before coming to campus.

“The learn to curl sessions are great because it helps us recruit for the club while spreading our love of curling on campus,” Wingert says.

For more information or to fill out an interest form, visit the .

When the puck drops for women’s ice hockey at the , three members of the Orange community will be competing for gold, representing Canada, the United States and Japan.

The University’s women’s ice hockey coach will be serving as an assistant coach for Hockey Canada, ’16 will be working as a video coach for Team USA and ’15 will be playing defense for Team Japan.

Seeing Smith and other members of the Orange’s hockey alumni community on the Olympic stage is “an amazing feeling,” says current defensemen ’26.

“It’s awesome to see how far the game has grown,” she says. “Obviously, everyone dreams of one day playing in the Olympics. So knowing your coach is there, some of the teammates you played with before are there, it just represents something bigger than yourself. And it’s really motivating to see the younger girls and the younger generations really get inspired, hopefully, to have the same dream that we all did of hopefully making it to the Olympics.”

Gendron says she hopes others watching women’s ice hockey know they can stay motivated and determined in pursuit of their own dreams of Olympic gold.

“Believe in yourself, be confident and you’ll succeed if you just keep working hard every day,” Gendron says. “One thing I really learned at Syracuse, especially, is there’s always something bigger than yourself. So remind yourself when you play, always play for something bigger than yourself and for the people around you.”

The Syracuse women’s ice hockey team is planning big watch parties with their coaches to cheer Smith on in particular, she says.

“We’re obviously very happy and proud for her, and we just can’t wait to watch her succeed,” Gendron says.

Below, learn more about Smith, Piacentini and Hosoyamada:

Smith, the second head coach in Orange women’s ice hockey program history, has worked in coaching positions for Hockey Canada since 2014. A native of Port Perry, Ontario, Smith was a Top-10 finalist for the 2010 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award while a defenseman at St. Lawrence University. She was an assistant coach at Clarkson for eight years, taking the reins at Syracuse in May 2022.

She and Hockey Canada took silver at the 2025 IIHF Women’s World Championship in Czechia in April, falling only to the United States in an overtime classic for the Gold Medal Round.

“Representing Canada on the international stage is both humbling and exciting, and I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to contribute alongside some of the most accomplished athletes and coaches in the game,” Smith in a statement when her Olympic position on the team was announced in July.

Smith said she looks forward to returning to Syracuse “with valuable experiences and insights that will further benefit our team and the continued growth of our program.”

Piacentini ended her senior season playing forward for Syracuse as the program’s all-time leader in career points (112, accounting for both goals and assists) and was the recipient of the . She also won the award in 2016.

After graduating, she played professionally for the EVB Eagles Südtirol (formerly the EV Bozen Eagles) in Bolzano, Italy, winning the Italian league crown in 2017.

A native of Weymouth, Massachusetts, she served as a video coach for the 2024 U.S. Under-18 Women’s National Team and is currently the assistant coach for the .

Hosoyamada will represent Team Japan for the at the Olympics. A team member since 2017, she previously competed as a defender in Pyeongchang (2018) and Beijing (2022).

During her time at Syracuse, Hosoyamada played five seasons after redshirting during her sophomore year and served as team captain during her redshirt senior year. During her college career, she played 151 games, tallying 10 goals and 51 assists.

Hosoyamada told Syracuse University Today that representing both Team Japan and the University brings reflection and responsibility.

Playing for the Orange, she says she learned to trust her instincts and “embrace the process.” She says she’s carried that mindset with her after graduating, to the Olympic bench and Team Japan.

With each Olympic appearance, she says her understanding of what it means to wear her jersey has “deepened.”

“I’m proud to represent Team Japan—not just as a player, but as someone who understands the history, the growth and the responsibility that comes with it,” she says. “Syracuse University will always be a huge part of who I am. It’s where I learned how to compete, how to lead and how to handle adversity. Those lessons have stayed with me throughout my career and continue to shape how I approach moments like this. Standing on the Olympic stage again, I feel grateful, grounded and motivated to give everything I have—using my experience to help the team and to perform at our best when it matters most.”

Hosoyamada says her biggest advice to young athletes dreaming of competing in the Olympics is to not give up when you encounter adversity.

“For me, there was a season when I felt like giving up completely,” she says. “But instead of walking away, I gave myself another chance—one more season, one more push. Looking back, that decision changed everything. Growth often happens right at the point where things feel hardest, so trust the process, stay patient and keep showing up, even when it’s tough.”

As advertisers gear up for the 2026 Super Bowl this year’s commercial landscape may look familiar on the surface, even as major forces behind the scenes are reshaping everything from who buys ads to how reliably audiences are measured.

Associate Professor of Advertising says early indicators point to a surprisingly murky year for Big Game advertising. Despite Adweek dubbing it the “health and wellness bowl,” she’s skeptical that such a trend actually exists. Traditional players like Pringles, Lay’s and Uber Eats are still prominent, while so called “healthy” entrants (like Poppi, Oikos yogurt and even Raisin Bran) don’t necessarily signal a meaningful shift.

“I don’t know what the deep consumer insight is that makes Raisin Bran a Super Bowl brand,” says Egan, who teaches in the Newhouse School of Public Communications. She believes some brands may have purchased their Super Bowl slots before determining what will be included in the actual ad, or even knowing the product. “Sometimes the corporation buys the spot, a campaign gets delayed, and they end up scrambling to fill it.”

Competing for Ad Dollars

But the forces shaping this year’s ad spend run far deeper than brand categories. According to Egan, advertisers face a rare convergence of three major global sporting events within the same window: the Super Bowl, the 2026 World Cup in the United States and the Winter Olympics. For brands with fixed annual budgets, this perfect storm may create unusually tough decisions.

“This is a huge live sports year,” Egan says. “Once advertisers cover those buckets, they’re more likely to shift remaining dollars into streaming rather than make up the loss in linear TV.”

Complicating matters further is the timing of the Super Bowl in a midterm election year. By law, political advertisers must be given the lowest rate card price during the political window. To compensate, networks typically raise rates for everyone else.

“That’s what drives up the cost,” Egan says. “They want that ‘lowest’ rate to not be so low.” For many brands, that means buying a Super Bowl ad doesn’t just carry an $8 million price tag—it carries the inflated marketplace around it.

Streaming Splits Audience

Meanwhile, the viewing experience itself is becoming increasingly fragmented. While NBCUniversal will air the game on linear TV, the broadcast will also run on Peacock, Hulu, YouTube TV, DIRECTV and NFL+. That means millions of viewers may see different ads depending on how they’re watching.

Streaming platforms also measure audiences differently than traditional Nielsen panels. A viewer who logs out and back in, for example, counts as multiple impressions. Egan says that makes her “highly skeptical” of modern Super Bowl viewership totals.

“It’s harder than ever to know what the audience actually is,” she says. “But networks still have every incentive to tout record breaking numbers.”

Despite the confusion, she believes the Super Bowl remains advertisers’ strongest opportunity to reach a massive shared audience, which is a rarity in today’s targeted, algorithm driven media environment.

“It’s still the biggest live audience you’re going to get,” Egan says. “The question of whether it’s worth $8 million depends on the brand, but the value of that shared experience is real.”

When the final whistle blows on either a New England Patriots or Seattle Seahawks victory, Egan expects this year’s Super Bowl ad story to be less about who bought airtime, and more about how the industry is adapting to a marketplace that’s fundamentally changing.

In soccer, build-up play is when a team uses short passes to move the ball from the defensive third into the attacking half.

In many ways, the groundbreaking relationship between the sport analytics program in the Falk College of Sport and the in Oldham, Greater Manchester, England, has been a build-up play that’s resulting in unique “scoring opportunities” for sport analytics students and Oldham Athletic.

About four years ago,��Sport Analytics Professor met at a sports analytics conference in Spain. Reade is a professor of economics at the University of Reading in Reading, Berkshire, England, and a diehard Oldham fan.

Last year, when Sanders was working with Falk College student Ava Uribe and Associate Sport Analytics Professor on soccer-related research, he reached out to Reade for help with collecting data and ideas on how best to mine that data for actionable insights. With Uribe, a member of the women’s soccer team, as lead author, the research was selected among thousands of entrants as one of seven finalists in the research paper competition at the prestigious MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference in Boston.

In advance of the conference, Reade visited Falk College and was amazed to learn of the work being done by sport analytics students with Syracuse Athletics and professional teams and leagues around the world.

Darren Royle, the CEO of Oldham Athletic who has a background in sport analytics, created an Academic Advisory Board that includes out-of-the-box thinkers and passionate football fans like Reade (Oldham is the only professional club in England with such a board). Reade passed the idea of working with the University to Royle, who says there was a “keen appetite on both sides” to create an innovative partnership by sharing knowledge and providing opportunities for sport analytics students to work with Oldham.

“What we found was a real pool of talent and a high level of skill by the students with what they’ve done so far,” Royle says. “They’ve been very diligent around this, and their work already has fed into our (player) recruitment process.”

The build-up play of the partnership progressed in early December at the second hosted by Oldham in conjunction with the University and the University of Reading. Professor , chair of the Department of Sport Analytics, sport analytics graduate ’23, and Falk Director of Corporate Partnerships and External Engagement have been involved with the relationship from the start and played key roles in the conference.

“This was a rare opportunity to work with a club that combines deep tradition with a genuine commitment to innovation and education,” Paul says. “Oldham’s history gives the partnership immediate credibility, but what truly stood out was how deeply Darren and James care about education at every level, from young children to adults engaged in lifelong learning.”

“Their initiatives in Manchester have the potential to be transformative for the local community, and it was important to me that Syracuse and Falk College sport analytics be part of something that connects football, education, and social impact in such a meaningful way,” Paul says.

High-Level Insights

Starting in June, 15 sport analytics students embarked on a series of data analysis projects aimed at helping Oldham identify a player’s style of play, strengths and weaknesses, mindset and character (for example, how the player responds after a difficult match, proneness to injuries and salary expectations).

“Some of the work the students have been doing is novel; certainly, it hasn’t been done before in our league,” Royle says. “It has fitted as an extra resource for us since we had just got promoted back to the EFL and we didn’t have the structures and staffing in place that a team in the EFL might normally have.”

To oversee the students’ work, Riverso enlisted the help of Freson, a former senior data analyst for Oldham who is now an assistant data scientist for the Blackburn Rovers Football Club in Blackburn, Lancashire, England, and a data analyst for the Estonian Football Association. As a student in Falk College, Freson was the lead data analyst for the 2022 Syracuse University men’s soccer team that won the NCAA Division I national championship.

“James (Reade) and I created open-ended projects based on the needs of the club, and delegated groups of students to work on each project,” Freson says. “That allowed them to deliver high-level insights while developing their own skills and learning how to cater the end product to the end user.”

“Hopefully one day I’ll be working in a front office or with the analytics’ staff for a top club like Tottenham and this internship has greatly helped me prepare for that,” says sport analytics major Gavin Anderson ’28. “It has offered me invaluable insight into the day-to-day operations of a club and what teams value in players and potential targets.”

Paul says perhaps the biggest benefit for the students is that they’re operating at a truly professional level in terms of expectations and impact as they’re working with real data, real constraints and real decision-making timelines.

“While we have strong partnerships elsewhere, the scope and continuity of the work with Oldham is unique; students are not just completing stand-alone projects, but contributing to an ongoing analytics and strategy process,” Paul says. “That level of immersion accelerates learning, builds confidence, and prepares students to operate in global sport environments in ways that are difficult to replicate in a classroom alone.”

‘We See The Synergies’

The Football Analytics Conference in December provided an opportunity for the Syracuse contingent and Oldham officials to discuss short- and long-term opportunities.

“I see this developing as a long-term partnership that allows Syracuse University students to gain invaluable professional experience while also allowing Oldham to conduct analysis way beyond their means otherwise,” Freson says.

“You guys are unique because of your founder (Paul) and your model for students,” Royle says. “We really like the thinking around it. So we’ve kind of mapped ourselves to your culture, philosophy, and strategy and we see all the synergies.”

Erin Hern, associate professor of political science in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, recently shared her expertise on how to measure gender discrimination under systems defined by legal pluralism for an international organization as it prepares to update an index widely referenced by researchers and policymakers.

Hern joined a working group of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), a Paris-based international group of 38 democracies that works to promote economic growth and trade while setting global standards on issues ranging from tax policy to education and environmental protection. As a lead discussant, she addressed the challenges of determining how to measure gender discrimination in plural legal systems.

Legal pluralism refers to the coexistence of two or more parallel or overlapping legal systems within a country. Hern has researched and written on discrimination in Africa, where most countries are legally plural due to colonialism, religious law and other factors.  She has maintained that such systems are often doubly bad for women, as they reinforce patriarchal threads in Indigenous practices alongside male-dominated Anglo-European laws.

Referring to the OECD working group, Hern says, “We also discussed how to measure discrimination when women can theoretically opt into a gender-equal legal system, but social and familial pressures might make that impossible for them.”

The panel was held in advance of the OECD’s fifth edition of the , the most widely used measure of international gender inequality in academic and policy work. The index includes measures of gender inequality in countries by looking at discrimination in the legal system, within families, in education, in the economy and physical integrity.

Hern is among a small group of subject area experts who were invited to join the panel to explore challenges related to measurement data. Their feedback and perspectives will influence changes to the methodology and content areas as the organization prepares to release the next edition in 2027. Other invited speakers included academics, topical experts from the United Nations, think tank fellows and representatives from private organizations such as the Clooney Foundation for Justice.

Hern is the author of “When do Women Win in Legally Plural Systems? Evidence from Ghana and Senegal” (Journal of Modern African Studies, 2022) which examines how women navigate complex legal and social systems to claim their rights in courts.

When visited campus during an admitted students day, she didn’t think she would end up attending the University. That quickly changed.

“I had no intention of coming here,” says Rafferty. “I had just applied on a whim. And we got on campus and I said, ‘I think I’m going here.’”

Syracuse checked all the boxes for her: a larger school with a tight-knit feel; a student body and alumni network that took pride in its school; and a that could set her on the path toward her career goal of being a sports agent.

She enrolled as a sport management major and became highly involved on campus. As a  she gave campus tours to prospective students and families. The spring semester of her junior year was spent in ���ٳ���dzܲ�����. She joined the ,��, and the . Each experience helped shape her vision for her future.

In particular, the Sport Management Club and its annual  opened her eyes to a possible new career path. Each year, students in Sport Management Club hold an auction during a Syracuse men’s basketball game with all proceeds benefitting a Syracuse-area charity. During Rafferty’s junior year the beneficiary was the  of Central New York, which had a lasting effect on her.

“I really saw the impact of collective action,” Rafferty says. “That if a lot of people came together, and worked hard together, it could make an impact on the community. And I realized community-focused work and events were more so where I wanted to be.”

Even when the auction was over, Rafferty remained involved with the local Make-A-Wish chapter and later, when she moved to Philadelphia, was connected with the Make-A-Wish chapter there to continue her work.

Her senior year also opened another door. She met her future husband, Luke Rafferty ’16, a photojournalism major in the , through the University’s . Both were  and were members of the program’s Community Impact Committee.

They married in 2019.

In the years after graduating, Luke worked as a freelance videographer while Hannah worked in marketing before moving into corporate event planning. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, canceling events for the foreseeable future, Hannah’s position was eliminated. A few local nonprofits hired her to plan virtual events, creating the opportunity for the couple to work together.

“You needed videos for the virtual events, so Luke and I started working together that way,” she says.

It was the start of what would later become their company: , with Luke handling the technical side and Hannah using skills she honed through the sport management program to manage all production logistics and oversee client development and relationships.

Their client list includes the American Red Cross, Make-A-Wish, the Jewish Federation of Philadelphia and other Philadelphia area nonprofits. They also work with companies like American Airlines, JetBlue and Visa, showcasing their community initiatives.

Hannah was named a for their work at Filmiamo Productions.

In starting their company, they leveraged Syracuse’s expansive alumni network and community to connect with clients.

“[Luke’s] Syracuse connections lead him to a variety of different clients,” Hannah says. “Now we’re like five, six, seven steps removed from that, but probably 85% of our business stems back to connections at Syracuse.”

Her bond with the University and the Falk College of Sport is something she is passionate about continuing to grow. She joined Falk College’s (ELC), a group of young alumni who provide guidance to current students, assist with capstones and internships and help them prepare for their futures.

She joined the ELC with encouragement from fellow sport management alumna , who Hannah heard speak at the admitted students day she attended. By chance, Wood became her Peer Advisor freshman year and the two became close friends. Wood later served as a bridesmaid at Hannah and Luke’s wedding.

As an engaged alumna, Hannah has made a  gift through the  to help students access all types of experiential learning, something that, at times, felt out of reach for Rafferty as the daughter of a single mom.

“I recognize the value of experiential learning, and I didn’t always feel I could afford those experiences while I was in college,” she says. “I don’t want another student to have that financial barrier to having that hands-on experience that is so valuable to education.”

Millions of people worldwide begin the new year by participating in Dry January, a monthlong break from alcohol that has evolved from a niche wellness challenge into a mainstream cultural phenomenon.

As the movement continues to gain traction, , assistant professor of psychology in the , explains what’s driving its popularity and why it might be particularly relevant for young adults.

“The rising popularity of Dry January and similar temporary alcohol abstinence challenges seems to follow broader health and wellness trends, with participants motivated by concerns about alcohol’s effects on their health,” says Zaso, “Many people document their Dry January experiences on social media, amplifying the visibility of these challenges.”

Why 31 Days?

The appeal of Dry January isn’t just about timing, which is strategically positioned as a fresh start following the sometimes alcohol-heavy holiday season. The monthlong timeframe provides a clear, manageable goal rooted in behavioral psychology.

“S.M.A.R.T. goals, which are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound, might be more effective than vague resolutions, because they help individuals track progress and stay motivated,” Zaso says. Unlike open-ended commitments to “drink less,” a defined 31-day period offers a concrete finish line.

Participating in January means joining millions of others taking the same challenge simultaneously, creating community support as people share experiences, swap mocktail recipes and celebrate milestones together, turning what could be an isolating experience into a shared journey.

Real Benefits Beyond January

For those who complete the challenge, the benefits can extend well beyond the month itself. reduced alcohol consumption offers numerous advantages: greater energy, improved sleep, weight loss, better mental health and improvements in such biological health markers as insulin resistance.

Perhaps most significantly, taking part in Dry January or similar breaks appears to create lasting behavior change for many participants. found that half of those who participated in a temporary alcohol abstinence challenge reported drinking less afterward, and 15% continued abstaining after the challenge ended.

“Dry January provides a space for people to reflect on their relationship with alcohol and rethink their drinking habits,” Zaso says.

Addressing Concerns About the Trend

One common concern is whether people simply make up for lost time once February arrives. However, research suggests these fears are largely unfounded for those who complete the full month.

“‘Rebound’ effects—drinking more after participating in Dry January—have not been consistently identified for most people who complete these challenges,” says Zaso. When rebound drinking does occur, it appears particularly .

Zaso emphasizes that Dry January isn’t appropriate for everyone. “People who have been drinking heavily over time should seek medical help before stopping or reducing their drinking, as withdrawal can be dangerous,” she says.

For those seeking longer-term support, she recommends professional resources like the .

Part of a Broader Generational Shift

For Gen Z, Dry January fits into a larger cultural transformation. Young adults today are drinking significantly less than previous generations, a trend driven partly by growing health consciousness.

“Growing concern about alcohol’s health effects might be driving more people to reduce their drinking and participate in Dry January challenges,” Zaso says. “The rising popularity of these movements could help destigmatize choosing not to drink, potentially contributing to broader reductions in overall alcohol consumption.”

For anyone curious about reassessing their relationship with alcohol, Zaso points to as a helpful starting point.

Whether one participates in Dry January, Sober October or any other monthlong abstinence challenge, the movement reflects a growing recognition that taking an intentional break from alcohol can offer valuable insights and tangible benefits, Zaso says.

Zaso is available for media interviews on the topic of Dry January or psychosocial alcohol risk and protective factors. Interested members of the media can contact Daryl Lovell, associate director of media relations, at dalovell@syr.edu.