et al.: Alumni Journal A Lu M N IJ 0 uR NAL 11-800-SUALUMS (782-5867) www.syr.edu/alumni Ensuring the University's Future I AM FORTUNATE TO BEGIN MY TWO­ year term as president of the Syracuse University Alumni Association at such a significant time in the history of our univer­ sity. The Campaign for Syracuse University, which will officially launch on November 2, is an important foundation for the vision of Scholarship in Action, and the support of all alumni is key to the campaign's success. The Alumni Association, working with the Office of Alumni Relations, is focused this year on three priorities to support these efforts: Celebrating Orange, Creating and Maintaining Lifelong Connections, and En­ suring Stewardship of the Future. The first priority is to celebrate with alumni the accomplish­ ments of students, faculty, and staff at Syracuse University and the vision of Scholarship in Action. There are so many exciting things happening on campus that alumni often cannot experi­ ence. The Office of Alumni Relations, in collaboration with our alumni clubs around the country, is organizing programs to take on the road that share these exciting happenings. In addition, we are working to celebrate the accomplishments of alumni, both great and small, that continue to add to the reputation of our university. The second priority is to help create and maintain connections with all alumni and our students. Over the last several months, we have held successful "soft landing" events for recent graduates in cities around America, hosted send-offs to help welcome new students into the Syracuse family, and welcomed alumni back to campus as part of our new Homecoming+ Reunion activities. The third priority is perhaps the most important: Ensuring Stewardship of the Future. The university we all enjoyed as stu­ dents was made possible by the contributions of those alumni who came before us. It is now critical that as alumni today we ensure for future generations of Syracuse students the same outstanding experience we enjoyed. I encourage all alumni to learn more about The Campaign for Syracuse University and the vision of Scholarship in Action, and to actively contribute your time, talents, and treasure to support our university. Go Orange! Wally Bobkiewicz G'89 President Syracuse University Alumni Association Inc. Published38 by SURFACE,I Syracuse Universit2007 y Magazine Photos by Steve Sartori 1 Syracuse University Magazine, Vol. 24, Iss. 3 [2007], Art. 8 Traditions » Above, at left, cu stomers line up for coffee, lunch, and Coffee and Community Served at People's Place baked goods during a bu sy morning TED FINLAYSON-SCHUELER '83, G'94 RETURNS ON the fall, we decided to go with a staffed venture." at People 's Place. occasion to his former on-campus haunt and is sur­ Organizers kept it simple. Besides coffee and At right, a worker makes room for more prised-and pleased-by what he finds at People's doughnuts, they purchased fruit at a local farmers' doughnuts outside Place . Located in the lower level of Hendricks Cha­ market and soda from a wholesale grocer. Finlay­ Peopl e's Place in pel, the coffee shop was founded more than 35 years son-Schueler's mother, Louise Schueler, and later his October 1975. ago by Finlayson-Schueler and other members of brother, Paul Schueler, supplied homemade cookies the University Religious Council. True, the menu has by the hundreds: molasses, oatmeal, peanut butter, expanded, the prices have increased, and the faces and chocolate chip. Customers wandered into the have changed . But student staff members still joke Noble Room to play bridge or listen to others playing with customers and each other, prices remain a bar­ guitar. People's Place stayed open into the evenings gain, and the nearby Noble Room continues to be a and served sangria at the Friday night coffeehouse. homey retreat. "It's really kind of amazing how little "People's Place met a purpose and furthered the mis­ People's Place has changed," says Finlayson-Schueler, sion of the chapel in a broad sense of creating com­ who studied at SU from 1968 to 1973 and returned munity," Finlayson-Schueler says. "And it was fun, so to complete his degree in 1983. "It has maintained a what more could you ask?" unique sense to it." More than three decades later, People's Place re­ Students who work there experience that same aura. mains popular because of its convenience, prices, and "I was a regular customer since I was a freshman and the homemade quality of the items, Keneally says. I made friends with a number of the employees," says "We're a nonprofit business, which keeps prices low," summer manager Zebadiah Keneally '07. "It's a warm he says. During the school year, the snack bar goes place in a big campus." through dozens of bagels, doughnuts, muffins, cook­ That was the intent of the University Religious ies, and pastries every day. The coffee is prepared on Council, an organization made up of various student site; all other items are delivered. The baked goods religious groups that wanted to create a refuge on come from a local bakery and the snack bar's sand­ campus where people could relax with a cup of coffee. wiches and popular soup or chili of the day are pre­ There was no student union at the time and no campus pared locally and delivered daily. snackbars existed. In spring 1971, the council provided The fun that employees have also attracts a steady coffee and doughnuts on the honor system at Hendricks crowd of regulars, Keneally says. "People see us en­ Chapel. But by the end of the semester, organizers re­ joying ourselves, and they laugh and lighten up," he alized it wasn't working, says Finlayson-Schueler, who says. The interaction at People's Place has connected was the council co-chair. That summer, he decided to Keneally to a range of students, faculty, and staff. "As run a snack bar by himself, offering coffee, soda, cook­ I walk around campus, I see all the different people I ies, and other items. "Even as quiet as it is during the know and can wave to," Keneally says. "It's helped the summer, it turned out to be a good idea," he says. "In University feel like home to me." -Kathleen Haley https://surface.syr.edu/sumagazine/vol24/iss3/8Photos above (left) Steve Sa rtori, (right) cou rtesy of Sy racuse University Archives Fall/W inter 2007 I 39 2 et al.: Alumni Journal West Coast Class Shows SU Pride EVERY W EEKDAY MORNING, ORANGE PRIDE IN­ fuses M adoc Powell's second-grade classroom at Winchester Elementary School in Riverside, Ca lifor­ nia, as his students kick off their lessons with the SU fight song. Pictures of the University decorate t he walls and bulletin boards, and every Friday, the class­ room is awash in SU orange, as children and teacher wear the SU colors for University Spirit Day. The act ivities are part of "No Excuses University," a nationwide school initiative designed to promote high academic expectations and college readiness among children. The initiative, which W inchester joined last year, encourages elementary school classrooms to "adopt" a college or university, and Powell says h e chose SU for two reasons: He knows the University, having lived in Syracu se while his father completed his master's degree at SU, and he wants to e xpand his students' hori zons. "A lot of the teachers in our school picked California schools," he says. "I wanted a portable stereo. Students al so plan to write letters to pick a college that was far away to demonstrate to, and make banners for, the SU volleyball team, as to the students that their options were not limited to they did with the softball team last year. Su ch rit uals California." have created a strong bond between t he youngsters Powell features a different SU building on each of and t he University, says Powell. "One parent last year his classroom bulletin boards, and he incorporates told me she had to wait for her son to fall asleep be­ discussion of higher education into daily lessons. On fore she could remove his SU T-shirt because he didn't University S pirit Day, Powell's s tudents troop out­ want to take it off," he says. "Another student se lected side for the weekly flag ceremony w earing t heir SU orange and blue as the co lors for his bedroom. They T-shirts as the fight song ("Down the Field") plays on really do love SU." The p rogram has drawn support from Los Angeles area alumni. Powell says a ctor Brian Stepa nek '93, who appears in t he Disney Channel's The Suite Life of Zach and Cody, sent the class an autographed picture after hearing about the SU -Winchester connection and expressed interest in a possible visit this fall. Jack Mitchell '83 a nd S usan Verrett '92 visited P owell's classroom last year and answered children's questions about SU. Several other alumni have become pen pals, corresponding regu larly with the children. "The 'No Excuses Universi ty' program i s a n awe­ some addition to existing curriculum," Powell says. "It helps students rea lize their potent ial and gives them an ed ucational goal. High school is not t he e nd of their educationa l journey. I realize t hese kids are on ly 7 yea rs old. However, each of them has set t he goal to attend college someday.