alumni

Top 20 Reasons to Apply to the College of Arts and Sciences | Maxwell in 2020 [Part 2 of 2]

Today I’m sharing reasons #11-20 of my two-part post: the Top 20 Reasons to Apply to the College of Arts & Sciences | Maxwell in 2020!

Syracuse University's Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs

If after reading Part Two, you still have questions – don’t hesitate to reach out to the Office of Admissions! We’re here to help you as you navigate your college research and application process. Reach us anytime at orange@syr.edu!

11. Unique Integrated Learning Majors
Syracuse’s signature Integrated Learning Majors (ILMs) in Forensic Science; Environment, Sustainability & Policy; Ethics; Energy & Its Impacts; Citizenship & Civic Engagement; and Neuroscience combine the academic coursework of traditional majors with professional training in an applied or multidisciplinary field. First created in 2010, ILMs, housed in A&S | Maxwell, offer students broad exposure to their field of choice and increased employability due to the versatile nature of these programs.

12. Liberal Arts Core
The College of Arts & Sciences is the home of liberal arts at Syracuse University. A&S faculty believe that education should do two essential things: help students master fundamental intellectual skills for communication and expression and develop broad perspectives on the world and human experience.

The Liberal Arts Core requirements ensure that all students in A&S take courses in writing, language, quantitative skills, humanities, social and natural science, and is part of what makes an A&S | Maxwell degree so meaningful. These skills also translate to success after Syracuse – written communication skills, problem-solving skills, and the ability to work in a team are three of the most-cited attributes employers look for in college graduates!

13. Tailored Career Advising
In addition to a university-wide Career Center, A&S | Maxwell students can take advantage of tailored career advising from in-house advisors that specialize in the liberal arts and sciences. Need help finding an internship or networking in your field? Starting to think about graduate school or obtaining a full-time job after graduation? Take advantage of resources like school-specific immersion trips, online networking and job platform Handshake, and annual career fairs with the assistance of our A&S | Maxwell advisors and feel confident in your path!

14. Support from the Dean’s Team
The A&S | Maxwell Dean’s Team is a group of undergraduate student ambassadors who will help you transition to Syracuse and answer any questions you have along the way. Members of the Dean’s Team are selected across diverse backgrounds, majors, and hometowns but they all have one thing in common: they bleed Orange! Dean’s Team ambassadors will be on hand to help you answer any questions you might have throughout the year, and even serve as mentors in first-year forums, the discussion-based courses required of all first-semester A&S | Maxwell students.

15. Discovery ProgramOtto the Orange visits Big Ben in London
Do you have the travel bug? Considering a gap year abroad? First-year students in A&S have the opportunity to study abroad during their first semester as a Syracuse University student through the Discovery Program. With locations in Florence, Italy; Madrid, Spain; or Strasbourg, France – you can scratch your itch to travel while earning Syracuse University credit alongside other Syracuse students.

 16. Exciting Minors
A&S | Maxwell students are able to take advantage of any of the 100 minors at Syracuse University, no matter which school or college they are housed in! With unique options like Global Security Studies, Mindfulness & Contemplative Studies, Entrepreneurship & Emerging Enterprises, and much, much more, you’ll be sure to find a great option to complement your chosen course of study.

17. Power of A&S | Maxwell Alumni
With over 70,000 accomplished and engaged alumni worldwide, A&S | Maxwell students don’t have to look far to find connections that bleed Orange. With alumni events both on and off-campus, social networking programs like Handshake and the #hireorange initiative, it’s easy for A&S | Maxwell students to connect and share with Syracuse alumni from day one!

Syracuse University students on graduation day

18. Washington Semester Program
The Maxwell School’s Washington Semester Program allows undergraduate students to work and intern in the nation’s capital while earning Syracuse University credit. Students who participate in the Washington Semester Program gain first-hand experience in both international and domestic policy that sets them up for success pursuing careers in public service, public affairs, NGOs, media and business, and more!

19. Meaningful Community Service OpportunitiesSyracuse University students participating in community service
With resources like the Shaw Center and 20+ community service organizations at their fingertips, A&S | Maxwell students have countless opportunities to volunteer and make a difference during their time at Syracuse. During the 2019-20 academic year, Syracuse’s 150th Anniversary, the campus community was even charged with completing 15,000 hours of community service in 150 days – which they met and exceeded! No matter the cause that is near and dear to your heart, you’ll be able to make a difference during your undergraduate career at Syracuse.

20. Ability to Take Academic Risks
With 60+ majors and 100+ minors to choose from and the ability to take classes across campus as part of the Liberal Arts Core, A&S | Maxwell students are encouraged to explore their academic interests and take learning risks. Want to dabble in economics? Interested in trying a new language or learning more about nutrition? You’ll have space to indulge your curiosities and under guided support from academic and career advisors.

How to Build Genuine Relationships with Alumni

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One of the most rewarding parts about Syracuse University is meeting incredible alumni that were once in the exact same position you are.

I’ve had the opportunity to connect with SU alums from all walks of life. From executives at multi-national corporations to entrepreneurs starting businesses from their parent’s houses. I’ve come to notice they all share a similar trait: an immense passion for Syracuse University.

As a student, you can take advantage of that passion by reaching out to alumni. Here’s a secret: SU alumni love talking to SU students.

You can meet alumni everywhere. During homecoming weekend tons of alumni come back to campus for events. You can also reach out to alumni through LinkedIn, an online professional network. Alumni will also come back to campus throughout the year for recruiting and other events.

Here are few simple things you can do to build genuine relationships with SU Alumni:

When you’re reaching out to an alumni for the first time, don’t do it because you want something

The absolute worst thing you can do when trying to build a real relationships with someone is to reach out to them for the first time and ask for something. It indicates that you’re only interested in what they can do for you.

The best way to start a relationship with an alumni is to reach out and ask to learn more about their career. Set up a quick phone call with them to talk about what they do for a living and how they got there.

It’s easy to tell when you’re talking to someone that’s just interested in getting something from you. Before you start reaching out to people, develop a genuine interest in learning about others.

Keep the relationship going

What’s worse than having no network? Reaching out to a bunch of people and not following up.

The best relationships are developed over time. Keep in touch with the alumni you connect with by following up with them every couple of months. Keep a spreadsheet of the people you’ve talked to and what you talked about. It will help you keep track of your professional relationships.

An easy way to initiate follow-up contact with an alumni is by sharing a news article relating to what you talked about last time you spoke, or even better, a piece of SU news they would care about.

Offer your help

This seems trivial, because how could a student possibly help an established alumni? The point of offering help is less about helping someone on the spot and more about letting the person know you want to help them if and when they need it.

You would be surprised how many people could use your help once you start offering it. Relationships are supposed to be mutually beneficial. Everyone has some sort of knowledge or skill they can share with others. Figure out what that is and distribute it.

Written by Daniel Strauss ’19, a Finance major in the Whitman School of Management. Daniel is a member of the Daily Orange, the SU Investment Club, Delta Sigma Pi, and Syracuse University Enactus.

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What it is like to Shamelessly #BleedOrange

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When I was applying to colleges, I had my eye on schools located in metropolitan areas: New York City, Los Angeles, San Francisco, etc. As someone who enjoys bustling streets and sleepless lights, I knew I wanted to end up in a big city. However, I eventually realized that while I want to settle in a big city, what I really wanted for my college years was a traditional campus atmosphere. I wanted to immerse myself in school spirit. That was when I knew Syracuse University was the school for me.

I got my first taste of what bleeding orange really means when I attended “Own the Dome” the spring before my freshman year. On that day, I became part of “Otto’s Army.” I got to see the inside of the famous dome–“where the magic happens”– and learned the SU anthem, “Head Held High.” I immediately fell in love with this school and all of its spirit and emotion. I have never owned more orange clothing than I do now and I am so proud of it. Regardless of how the basketball and football teams play,  everyone shows their unconditional support for our teams. As an SU student, even if you previously knew nothing about sports, you just become a die-hard fan. And, member of Otto’s Army isn’t a title you vacate at graduation either, it stays with you for the rest of your life.

This basketball season is the first time in history that both SU’s men’s and women’s basketball teams have made it to the Final Four. All over campus and on social media, students are proudly showing their orange pride. The Student Association even provided free buses for students to travel to Houston and Indianapolis for the men’s and women’s Final Four games. Students were lining up at midnight the night before bus tickets were available at the ticket office just to secure a spot. That is dedication!

Bleeding orange isn’t just about the festivities and tailgates though. As a member of the Orange Nation,  you are welcomed into a strong and supportive network the day you arrive on campus. I recently attended a guest speaker event featuring a Newhouse alum who now works at ESPN, and he expressed how he will always answer an email sent from an syr.edu email. The alumni network here is incredibly connected and they are always willing to extend career advice to current students, all you have to do is ask.

For students who are considering SU, don’t say I didn’t warn you — your wardrobe will have an unhealthy amount of orange in it. (Orange is the new black!) And you will soon realize that this campus we call home weaves students, faculty, and staff together with one common thread: we all bleed orange!

 

Eric Chuang ’17, is a  Public Relations major at the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications with a minor in English & Textual Studies. Additionally, he is part of the Fashion & Beauty Communications Milestone Program. Eric is a California native, dog enthusiast, fervent traveler, and sushi connoisseur. When not taking Buzzfeed quizzes or coming up with clever Instagram captions, he can most likely be found jamming to Taylor Swift’s “1989” album. More blogs from Eric Chuang.

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