e n i Z a G a M Y t i S r e V i n U fall/winter 2010 | VOl 27 | no 3 The ArT of Bill ViolA Contents0VoLno 3 1 027 2 r e t n i w / l l a F Features 24 Video Visionary Arents Award recipient Bill Viola ’73, H’95 found a passion for video in Syracuse that set him on a path to the frontiers of artistic creativity. 30 Phantastic! Historic gift from Louise and Howard Phanstiel ’70, G’71 establishes a unique scholarship program for middle-class students. 32 Spoleto Spectacular Goldring students take their multimedia talents to Charleston, South Carolina, enhancing coverage of the city’s renowned arts festival. 32 36 Parent Power Project Transition links parent involvement to student achievement and success. 42 An Enduring Tribute The Dineen family honors their parents with a landmark gift to the College of Law for construction of a new building. 30 36 o n 3 10 19 Departments 2 Chancellor’s Message 3 Opening Remarks 4 Orange Matters » Photography and Literacy Project » Exhibition » University Treasures » Q & A » Financial Literacy ON The COver: Projection of Bill Viola video » Research Snapshots » Lava Project at the Everson Museum of Art, » Newsmakers » Women’s Ice Hockey » Film Festival as part of the Urban Video Project. Photo by Steve Sartori 18 SU People 44 Alumni Journal 12 FFaallll//WWiinntteerr 22001100 11 C h a n C e l l o r ’ s M e s s a g e A FEW WEEkS AGO, I JOINED SU BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEMBERS, FACULTy, DEANS, students, friends, and alumni in a parking lot on the western edge of campus to honor a quintessential SU family, the Dineens, near a neighborhood once known as “the Swamp,” where patriarch Robert Dineen Sr. L’24 had been a child. Robert would rise to the heights of the insurance profession, meeting and marrying Carolyn Bareham Dineen L’32 along the way, a pioneer in her own right as only one of two women in her law school graduating class. Thanks to an overwhelmingly generous gift of $15 million from their family, a fitting monument to Robert and Carolyn soon will rise on that site: Dineen Hall, a new home for the SU College of Law. The Dineen story illustrates what may be SU’s most precious legacy: being a place of access and opportunity where people from all backgrounds have come to make the most of their talents and make a difference in the world—and the impact often ripples across generations. From admitting women since our founding in 1870, to throwing our doors open wide to veterans after World War II, to our current partnership with Say yes to Education (see Fall 2009 cover story), we continue to build on this legacy. Most recently, in a precedent-setting public-private collaboration that naturally builds on Say yes, we unveiled 2+2 joint admission agreements with two-year institutions Onondaga Community College and Georgia Perimeter College, which serve predominantly lower income populations. The agreements provide qualifying students—both in Central New york and in Atlanta, one of our “geographies of opportunity”—with dual admission, guaranteed transfer into a wide array of SU degree programs, and predictive financial aid packages for SU enrollment. This innovative arrangement promises to significantly reduce students’ financial burden while assuring them of a world-class education that prepares them for the world in the world. And because the challenging economic climate has created new levels of need among students and families across all income levels, we continue to expand our efforts to ease the financial burdens of middle- and upper-middle income students and families. True to their visionary leadership and deep generosity, Howard Phanstiel ’70, G’71 and his wife, Louise, are providing an extraordinary $20 million gift that helps support middle-income students who demonstrate a desire to become engaged citizens and leaders. As Phanstiel Scholars, recipients of this funding support will actively promote and model the value of civic engagement and the importance of using their education to effect positive change. We need not look far to see those effects. At this fall’s induction ceremony for new University Trustees, we heard from Alex Jimerson ’11, a public health major, member of the Seneca Nation, and a Haudenosaunee Promise Scholar. The son—and grandson—of an ironworker, Alex movingly recounted how his father nurtured in him the desire to go to college, which ignited his fire to work hard to get there. “Without the Haudenosaunee Promise scholarship,” he said, “I would not be standing here before you today.” Upon graduation, Alex plans to pursue graduate work that will equip him to help shape policies addressing the health disparities afflicting indigenous populations. Assuring access and opportunity not only makes dreams come true, but also brings widely varied perspectives and life experiences to our campus that bridge cultural divides and broaden our worldview. Across the generations, we celebrate the successes of every Carolyn and Robert Dineen—and every Alex Jimerson—in our midst…and the ripples they generate. Cordially, Nancy Cantor Chancellor and President 2 Syracuse University Magazine Photo by Steve Sartori OpeningREMARkS DRAWING ON CREATIVITy WHEN I WAS A kID, TWO CREATIVE FORCES TUGGED AT ME: WHEN I FIRST LEARNED TO read, it was the Peanuts gang of Charles Schulz; later, the tales of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle put me on the trail of Sherlock Holmes. I was enchanted enough by each that I entertained thoughts of becoming a cartoonist or a detective. This recollection surfaced when I heard Robb Armstrong ’85, the creator of Jump Start, give a hilarious presentation on his life as a cartoonist. Appearing as part of an Orange Central exhibition and discussion among alumni cartoonists, Armstrong talked about drawing Peanuts characters as a youngster. “If you can draw a circle, you can draw like everything,” he said, stepping to an easel, marker in hand, and spinning out a circle on the board. “That’s Charlie Brown’s head.” Needless to say, I’m still working on mastering circles and my sleuthing skills usually involve trying to figure out where the dog made off to with the television clicker. Fortunately, as a teenager, I discovered writing as a way to entertain myself and set out to earn a living at it. While structuring sentences can be difficult, one summer spent in a hot, dusty warehouse taping boxes together and readying shipping orders assured me that writing trumped anything involving heavy lifting, although lugging around a typewriter back then was a hefty task. Throughout my adult life, I’ve been fascinated with the creative process: what inspires people and how they pursue their visions. In working on this issue of the magazine, I enjoyed talking with sculpture professor Robert Wysocki about his passion for creating natural landforms outside their common realms, including his current explorations of lava. I came to admire the work of Stephen Mahan, director of the Photography and Literacy Project, who shares his passion for photography and writing with Syracuse city school students, devoting countless hours to drawing out their creativity. I was also intrigued to learn how Arents Award recipient Bill Viola ’73, H’95 discovered his love for video art at Syracuse and unleashed it, taking him to the highest levels in the world of art. These days, I find myself back at the drawing board—this time with my 6-year-old daughter. She loves drawing and recruits me to join in the fun. Now if the dog doesn’t steal her markers, I just might have a go at Charlie Brown’s head. Jay Cox Editor SyracuSe UNIVERSITY MAGAZINE NANCy CANTOR, Chancellor and President TOM WALSH G’84, Executive Vice President for Advancement and External Affairs NICCI BROWN G’98, Associate Vice President for Marketing and Communications; Publisher WEB SITE: sumagazine.syr.edu EDITOR VIDEO EXECUTIVE PRODUCER CHANGE OF ADDRESS ONLy: Advancement Services, 820 Jay Cox Stu Lisson ’72 Comstock Avenue, Room 009, Syracuse Ny 13244-5040. ART DIRECTOR & DESIGNER VIDEO PRODUCERS Telephone: 315-443-3904. Fax: 315-443-5169. E-mail: Laurie Cronin ’81 Francis DiClemente, Bob Gerbin, [email protected]. For duplicate mailings, send both mailing Meg Lynch, Gary Maiorano ’86 labels to above address. ASSOCIATE EDITORS David Marc, Christine yackel G’75 STUDENT INTERN MAGAZINE CORRESPONDENCE AND OTHER BUSINESS: Sierra Jiminez ’11 Syracuse Uni ver sity Magazine, 820 Com stock Avenue, PRODUCTION COORDINATOR Jennifer Merante CONTRIBUTORS Room 308, Syrac use Ny 13244-5040. Telep hone: 315- Michele J. Barrett G’92, Larry Bashe ’66, 443-3390; Fax: 315-443-5425. E-mail: [email protected]. G’68, kelsey Bennett ’11, Erica Blust G’94, Sean Chaffin, Brian Hudgins, Paula Meseroll, Contents © 2010 Syracuse University, ex cept where noted. Scott Pitoniak ’77, kristen Rajczak G’10, Opinions ex pressed in Syracuse University Magazine are Jim Reilly, kelly Homan Rodoski ’92, those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the Satoru Tsufura ’54 opinions of its editors or policies of Syracuse University. Fall/Winter 2010 3 orange MATTERS NewS from the SU CoMMUNity » PHotograPHy aND literaCy ProJeCt giViNg VoiCe to City SCHool StUDeNtS oN a fall Day at fowler HigH SCHool oN tHe students in photography and creative writing assignments. city’s Near westside, Stephen Mahan projects images this summer, the program emerged as the Photography onto a classroom screen. He discusses photographic tech- and literacy (Pal) Project under the auspices of SU’s Co- niques and composition: foreground, background, point alition of Museum and art Centers, with the goal of further of view, silhouetting. “Use the frame of the photograph to extending its reach into the community. the project, now make a statement about what you want to say without say- headquartered in the SU warehouse in downtown Syra- ing it explicitly,” says Mahan, director of the Photography cuse, has its own computer lab classroom, meeting room, and literacy Project, an SU-based community initiative and office, as well as a gallery to highlight project works. that seeks to foster creativity and learning in Syracuse city throughout the summer, Mahan worked at the ware- school students. as he flashes images of local homes, the house with schoolchildren from the westside family students guess at the streets and neighborhoods of the resource Center of P.e.a.C.e. inc., a community-based houses and point out details: a sagging porch, a bed sheet organization. He introduced them to photography, had covering a window, a tV satellite dish. “it’s the details that them write about their pictures, and familiarized them with make things interesting,” Mahan says. “Here’s what i want computers. “Circle the photos you like best,” he tells them, you to think about when you’re taking photographs—add passing out photo contact sheets of images they’ve taken several together and it sets up a story.” of their families and neigh- the students in adam lutwin’s 11th-grade english class borhoods. “then we’re going are reading A Streetcar Named Desire and focusing on de- to sit down at the comput- tailing their daily surroundings—in their photographs and ers and show you what you writings. when lutwin asks if anyone wants to share from can do with the photos, and their journal, Demetria Smith volunteers. She reads about you’re going to write about noisy children and barking dogs in her neighborhood and what’s important to you.” looking forward to it quieting down with fall’s arrival. “No this fall, Mahan contin- more feeling annoyed from unnecessary noises,” she says. ued working with the cen- lutwin sees the opportunity to link classroom instruction ter’s children through a Pal with the students documenting observations and thoughts afterschool program for el- about their everyday lives as a way to help them grow as ementary and middle school individuals. “the program draws kids into the true beauty students, while maintaining of self-expression, the most important expression of them ongoing programs at fowler all,” he says. “you cannot attach a test score to a student High and ed Smith elemen- who tries something new and finds a voice that previously tary School. Complemen- remained silent.” tary to the project, Mahan Helping students discover that voice through writing and teaches the VPa course lit- imagery is Mahan’s mission. with digital cameras, jour- eracy, Community, and Me- nals, and a fierce sense of commitment to the students, dia, which gives SU students he is poised to help them learn storytelling techniques and hands-on experience as Pal media skills that trigger critical thinking and self-expres- mentors. “the pictures help start the conversation,” says sion, building self-esteem as they explore their outside anna Stulb ’12, a communications design major. worlds and inner selves. the front line of urban education when discussing Pal and his work with city school stu- is familiar territory for Mahan, who has been involved for dents, Mahan regularly turns to his mantra, a quote from the past five years with this University initiative. launched British educator and author Sir Ken robinson: “there are in 2005 as the literacy, Community, and Photography Pro- too many brilliant kids in the schools who think they’re gram through the College of Visual and Performing arts not.” Mahan recognizes these students, he says, because (VPa) in collaboration with several other campus partners he sees himself in them. He was hyperactive, constantly and the Syracuse City School District, the program places in trouble, and had difficulty paying attention and reading. SU faculty and student mentors in city schools to guide eventually, a passion for photography led him to an M.f.a. 4 Syracuse University Magazine Classroom photos by John Dowling To view a video of the PAL Project, log on to sumagazine.syr.edu. fowler High School english teacher adam lutwin (facing page) reviews photo contact sheets in his class. Stephen Mahan (above, right), director of SU’s Photography and literacy Project, discusses a photo with a fowler student. Mahan and SU student mentors work with the fowler students to help them create images that often combine photographs with poetry, such as the one above by wilquan Burke. degree from the University at Buffalo, where he taught english, and his father is happily working. Some of the stu- photography in a program for inner-city kids. the combi- dents are shy about reading their writings, so the mentors nation clicked. “i know a lot of these kids have the same help out. Meng Shui ’11, a communications design major difficulties i did,” he says. “if i can make one kid or any from Chengdu, China, finds working in an american high number of them feel they’re capable, intelligent, creative, school challenging and interesting. “what i learned from and have something substantial to add to the conversa- television is very different from what i see here,” she says. tion in class, then that’s rewarding to me.” Now in their third year of working together, Mahan at fowler High School, that challenge is regularly put to and lutwin have encountered their share of stark, hon- the test. Many of its students come from the city’s poor- est writing that reflects the all-too-real lives of the stu- est neighborhoods. like many urban schools nationwide, dents. one wrote about his father’s suicide, others about fowler is underfunded, overcrowded, and faces scru- domestic abuse, street violence, teenage parenting, and tiny for standardized testing performances. look beyond homelessness. “Most of these kids do not have an outlet that, though, and you see a global village: students from for their emotions and this causes turmoil,” lutwin says. Bhutan, Nepal, Sudan, liberia, Vietnam, Puerto rico, the “they grow to imagine that their views and feelings are Dominican republic, iran, and elsewhere. at last count, simply not important. on the contrary, these kids, when 21 languages were spoken in fowler’s halls. “this is a tre- given the opportunity, have the ability to dazzle readers mendous clash of cultures,” lutwin says, “and our pro- and viewers with their rawness and uncommon maturity.” gram gives students the ability to not only be comfortable Mahan and lutwin measure the program’s success in sharing their deepest thoughts, but to appreciate others helping the students realize the value of their words and as well.” imagery—that they have something to say. it is a way for Hari ghimire, a Nepalese student, shares the story of them to discover they are important. “when the pictures his family’s struggles in his native Bhutan and how the are all laid out on the table, it is impossible to tell which family’s life has changed since immigrating to the United kid has difficulties,” Mahan says, “and that is what moti- States. the children are attending school and learning vates me.” —Jay Cox fall/winter 2010 5 » » exhibition CoMMUNity CUratorS exPlore art ColleCtioN ivan Mestrovic Magdalane Under the Cross, 1926 bronze 41 x 24.5 x 8 inches woodcarvings, bronze castings, and carving stones to illustrate Mestrovic’s creative process. » abstract painter Jack white ’88, who co- founded the Community folk art Center in 1972, turned to boxing and wrestling for In The Ring and On The Mat: Observations on Hand-to- Hand Combat, drawing on the longstanding legacy of artists’ fascination with the combatant sports. » Community folk art Center executive b tHe artiStiC ViSioNS of director and african o o four Syracuse personalities american studies professor ks came together at SUart Kheli r. willetts ’92, g’94, to galleries this fall in the g’02 explored seven vices and r e exhibition, Four X Four: seven virtues in Seven & Seven, . s Community Curators and drawing parallels between y r. the Syracuse University Art ethnographic art and pieces e d Collection. the four alumni, labeled “fine art” and pairing u all with deep connections objects together to create to the local arts community, visual discourses. explored the collection to as part of orange Central curate their own distinct weekend, SUart galleries exhibitions: welcomed alumni to the » arts journalist Nancy exhibition and hosted a Keefe rhodes ’73, g’89, reception and discussion g’06 created Hand in Hand: with the curators. “it was Artist and Public in Depression great seeing alumni come 50/50 cotton-blend ‘CUSE hoodie. Era America, which featured back to campus and enjoying Appliquéd. Champion. S-XL. $39.99; XXL. $42.99. works from the public art the University’s galleries,” Ladies 50/50 fitted vintage Syracuse sublimation burnout T-shirt. programs from the 1930s. says Domenic iacono, » Printed. Step Ahead. S-XL. $32.99. former orange lacrosse director of SUart galleries. coach and renowned artist “roy, Nancy, Jack, and Kheli’s 100% cotton I Bleed Orange T-shirt. S-XL. $12.99; XXL. $14.99. roy Simmons Jr. ’59 paid exhibitions, along with our homage to acclaimed 20th- new permanent collection century sculptor and SU galleries, allowed students, professor ivan Mestrovic in past and present, to get a In The Shadow of a Genius. good view of what we have Simmons selected drawings, to offer.” —Jay Cox 6 Syracuse University Magazine parent ad.indd 1 10/18/2010 3:56:23 PM » University Treasures CartooN CaCHe for More tHaN a CeNtUry, NewSPaPer cartoons have cracked wise about our cultural obses- sions and daily absurdities, skewered politicians, lured us into soap-opera drama, and delivered death-defying adventures. at the SU library’s Special Collections re- search Center (SCrC), there’s no shortage of chuckles, epic drama, and high adventure in the cartoon collec- tion, one of the nation’s largest comic and cartoon art holdings. the collection features original works, proofs, sketches, and other materials from more than 150 art- ists, ranging from Pulitzer Prize-winning editorial car- toonists to syndicated comic-strip specialists who gave us the likes of Prince Valiant, Beetle Bailey, Mutt and Jeff (widely considered the first daily comic strip), and yel- low Kid, the country’s first wildly popular comic-strip character. “there are so many good ones,” says Susan Kline, cartoon archivist at SCrC. “our biggest strength is material from the 1950s and ’60s.” as part of the orange Central celebration this fall, illustration professor John thompson drew from the SCrC collection to curate The Original Art of the Funny Papers, an exhibition at xl Projects, a downtown gal- Joe glisson g’84, a Syracuse-based cartoonist and VPa lery operated by the College of Visual and Performing faculty member. they talked about their time at SU and arts (VPa). with Kline’s guidance, thompson combed its influence on their careers, developing their skills, the through boxes and boxes of funnies and related mate- importance of overcoming rejection, and the value of a rials, searching for selections for the exhibition. “it’s an solid punch line. “eventually,” anderson said, “the char- incredible collection,” thompson says. “i enjoyed look- acters begin to take over their own personalities.” ing at the originals and loved seeing comments by them for SCrC, sharing the laughs is one objective of a 2008 or their editors, words pasted in, or whited out. i wasn’t grant it received from the National Historical Publications familiar with some of the work, but it jumped out at me and records Commission, an affiliate of the National ar- because these guys can draw.” chives and records administration. the grant recognized the show featured 32 pieces from the SCrC collec- the SU holdings as one of the “truly great collections of tion, plus more than 20 originals from alumni cartoonists cartoon art,” according to SCrC director Sean Quimby, Brad anderson ’51 (Marmaduke), greg walker ’72 (Beetle and supported Kline in processing, cataloging, and pre- Bailey), and robb armstrong ’85 (Jump Start). as a way serving the material, enhancing the collection’s accessi- to complement the exhibition and tie the historic to the bility to scholars and the public. Comics, after all, cap- contemporary, thompson brought the three together tured many of us as young readers and haven’t let go. on campus, along with Bill Janocha ’81, who works with “long before i decided to be an artist, i was reading the the walker family on Beetle Bailey and other projects, comics,” thompson says. “and to now see the original for “the Syndicated Cartoonists,” a discussion led by drawings, wow, it’s like going to the museum.” —Jay Cox Mort walker cartoon: © 1950, King features Syndicate inc., world rights reserved. yellow Kid image courtesy of SU Special Collections research Center fall/winter 2010 7 orange MATTERS » Q&a a DeaN’S PerSPeCtiVe for tHe BoarD of trUSteeS tHe SyraCUSe UNiVerSity BoarD of trUSteeS iS among the most open governing bodies in U.S. higher edu- cation. in its efforts to keep in close touch with the campus through dialogues with members of the University commu- nity, the board welcomes faculty, undergraduate, and gradu- ate-student representatives to its meetings. earlier this year, a fourth constituency was invited to send an observer: the deans of SU’s schools and colleges. Dean Douglas P. Biklen g’73 of the School of education accepted the new role and attended his first board meeting last May. He spoke about his experience with Syracuse University Magazine associate editor David Marc. DoUglaS P. BiKleN You’ve been part of the su community for quite a representative to the board, we can speak directly to some time, so you must have attended your first meeting the trustees on issues of vision. that’s important, because with some preconceptions. What is it actually like in priorities and projects often flow from a vision of what the there? University should be. i came here as a grad student in 1969, so i’ve seen different transformational moments in the life of the University. over Can you illustrate how that works? the years, i’ve learned just how important the board is in i was asked about Scholarship in action: what does it determining the character of those changes. as a dean, i mean? i told them that people—faculty and students— know that the schools and colleges depend on their alumni want to do something that makes a difference. in my field, trustees to help carry their messages through. like many education, it may mean creating more inclusive schools, or of the deans, i’ve been to board meetings before to make new educational opportunities, such as a preschool literacy presentations or as a member of special committees made program or a poetry project for adolescents. in exercise up of trustees, students, and faculty members. at the science, it could be a project about how the body builds and meetings, the trustees discuss the University’s finances, but maintains muscle through the aging process. in essence, it they also talk about how we can attract the best faculty and involves the researcher saying, “i want to work on important how we can increase our standing as a university. they’re questions in ways that affect the lives of people. i want that concerned with every aspect of University life. they have to to be a byproduct of the best quality teaching and learning.” approve anything that has a financial component, and that anyway, we talked about this kind of thinking. My guess is includes everything from decisions about construction to the trustees want to know more than just the phrases. they signing off on tenure for faculty. want to know what’s behind the phrases. for one thing, it gets them excited as contributors to the University, and What can be gained from having the deans represented at for another, it prepares them to speak about the University board meetings? out in the world—and that’s an important job for trustees the Chancellor and John Chapple [’75], the board chair, because they would like to see Syracuse viewed as a top- both believe board members need to be well-informed tier institution in every discipline—and in every sense. about what is happening on campus—what people are working on and what they need to do their work. they want How do you report to the other deans? the board to get the pulse of the campus from a variety of although it’s informal, we get together regularly for lunches sources. one way of doing this is to give the trustees more and i’ll report there. But that’s not an issue of concern. the direct access to people. i know, from a dean’s point of view, deans are in contact with each other by e-mail all the time. we would like to have our perspectives heard in as many places as possible where decisions are made. By having 8 Syracuse University Magazine