Office of Student Services Helps Students Navigate Academic and Personal Challenges
Marriage & Family Therapy News
Committed to Student Success
As a non-traditional, first-generation undergraduate student at Syracuse University, Chandice Haste-Jackson excelled academically but always felt there was something missing in her pursuit of knowledge.
That missing piece? Connecting with others.
“Ultimately, I discovered that in connecting with others, I could expand my knowledge and understanding beyond anything I learned from textbooks,” Haste-Jackson says. “That set me on a career journey oriented toward human connection, holistic development, and service, whether that be in fields of teaching, counseling, leadership, or administration.”
This past summer, Haste-Jackson’s lifelong journey of connecting with others continued with her appointment as Associate Dean of the Office of Student Services in Falk College. An associate teaching professor in Falk’s Department of Human Development and Family Science (HDFS), Haste-Jackson previously held several prominent HDFS positions and was chair of the Dean’s Committee on Diversity and Inclusion. In 2021-22, Haste-Jackson served as Syracuse University’s interim director of the First-Year Seminar course.
Before joining Syracuse University, Haste-Jackson was drawn to work that supported vulnerable populations. It was her job, she says, to help those populations expand their understanding, move from deficit toward sufficiency, and identify what wholeness, health, and stability meant to them and/or their families.
“Was this difficult work at times? Yes!” Haste-Jackson says. “But what I gained from these experiences is that our humanity connects us all, even those who are not like ourselves. We all want similar things–health, happiness, longevity, stability–and that makes us more interconnected than we think we are.”
To introduce Haste-Jackson to Falk students, we asked her to discuss her previous experience with students, the services offered by the Office of Student services, and questions that students might ask. Here’s that conversation:
What attracted you to your new job and why is it important that you’re helping Falk College students succeed?
After 20 years of working in nonprofit organizations and schools, rising through the ranks of direct service to executive leadership and administration, I spent a good deal of time teaching and training frontline employees and college student interns. In working with college student interns, I developed a desire to teach, mentor, and prepare the next generation of human service workers, a field that is very broad but one that involves human connection, holistic development, and service–tenets I live my life by!
Given the climate in which we live in today, college students are dealing with issues that may impact their ability to successfully engage in academic pursuits. The COVID-19 pandemic, mass racial violence, wars, and significant personal losses have impacted academic performance and emotional well-being. Helping students to navigate these challenges during their time with us in Falk College is what I endeavor to do, and I am committed to leading and supporting the professional staff in our office who have made that same commitment to student success.
I’m a first-year or transfer student who isn’t familiar with the Office of Student Services. What are the services you provide?
In your first year at Syracuse University, our office will provide academic counseling and advising around other areas in your life that you identify as being important to your growth as a student in Falk College. Additionally, our office supports career exploration and professional skill development, and offers opportunities for learning through career immersion experiences.
Every first-year and transfer student has an assigned academic counselor, and the Office of Student Services will be one of the first places that you connect with to learn more about your major and all the resources available at Syracuse University.
I’m a student struggling with my classes and I’m not sure if I’ve chosen the right major. How can you help?
This is common for students who are adjusting to the intensity of college-level work. We can help you identify the source/cause of the struggle with your classes and then locate campus resources that you might consider accessing for help.
Sometimes, making a change in how you study, how much time you give to studying, or even where you study is all that may be needed to alleviate the struggle. Sometimes, motivation is at the root of the struggle and subsequently causes you to consider if the major is right or not. We’ll help you to explore and develop a pathway to successful academic performance.
I’m a student having a hard time being away from home and I’ve got personal issues that are getting in the way of my sleep, classwork, and social life. Do I go to you or somewhere else?
You most certainly can meet with your academic counselor to discuss these personal issues. Our academic counselors will listen and help you find the resources that are right for you and meet your needs. You do not have to be alone in trying to address emotional, social, or academic well-being.
We also recommend that students contact the Barnes Center at The Arch and/or Hendricks Chapel for support with any personal issues that arise. We are well-connected to these two resources and support student engagement with their services.
Why is it important for students to see you if they have issues rather than trying to work them out on their own? Isn’t that what college is for, learning how to handle stress?
Absolutely! Learning how to handle stress is an expectation of a college student, yet many students are not prepared for the inherent stress that comes with transitioning to college. During the first year of study or even subsequent years, there are a series of social, emotional, and academic adjustments that must occur for you to be successful as a college student. There will be some new stressors, and some of your past ways of handling stress may not be as effective for you now.
Being proactive in seeking help before something becomes an issue is also something that college students are expected to learn early in their college career. We can help you to learn these skills and support you along the way as you employ them.
Help is Here
The Falk College Office of Student Services is in Suite 330 Barclay Hall. You can visit at any time or schedule an appointment by calling 315.443.3144 or emailing falkss@syr.edu. Visit the Office of Student Services webpage for more information and a complete list of services, important announcements, and staff directory.
Dean Murphy Welcomes Falk Students
Dear Falk Students,
Finally, our beautiful campus is packed with energy after the quiet summer months. It’s great to see our returning Falk students—we’re so glad to have you back! Please join me in giving a big Orange WELCOME to the Class of 2026, and to our new transfer and graduate students! Our Falk family just got a whole lot bigger.
As we share in the excitement of a new semester, I want to remind you of some important information that will help you navigate life on campus.
Official Syracuse University Communications
Syracuse University email is the primary communication method at the University. Your professors and University offices will contact you with important information using your Syracuse University email address (ending in “@syr.edu”), not your personal email address. It’s important to read your University email at least once every day so you’re aware of the latest information that’s essential to you.
Public Health Information
Public health remains a critical priority for life on campus. Please review the Fall 2022 Public Health Guidelines. We fully expect all Falk College students to follow University public health guidelines. For public health information and updates, please visit the Stay Safe website, the official source of public health information for Syracuse University. Thank you for doing your part to keep our community safe and healthy.
Student Support Services
Falk College Student Services is an important resource in your support system at Syracuse University. Student Services counselors are here to provide you with academic advising and help you meet your requirements and goals. In addition, they are your resource for private consultation related to student social and emotional concerns. If you have any concerns throughout your academic career, please contact Student Services or visit Suite 330 Barclay Hall in the Falk Complex.
I encourage you to connect with the staff at Falk Career Services, who can help you prepare for life after college through career exploration, internship and job searching, professional networking, and more. They are also located in Suite 330 Barclay Hall, or you can search for opportunities through Handshake, the University’s job search and professional events portal.
In addition, you can connect to spiritual life on campus at Hendricks Chapel, as well as health and counseling services in the Barnes Center at the Arch.
Student Spaces in Falk College
The Student Lounge, located in Falk 216, is available to you anytime the Falk Complex is open. The lounge has a microwave, refrigerator, and vending machines for student use. Across the hall is the Falk Café on 2, open 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Friday starting September 6. Visit the Food Services website for up-to-date operating hours for cafés and dining centers across campus. Just down the hall is Falk 229, the quiet student lounge.
There are several computer labs in the Falk Complex. Falk 113 is a PC lab, and Falk 229 is a quiet study area that has both PCs and Macs available for your use. Both spaces are available to students at any time. Falk 400 and 407 are PC labs that are also used as teaching classrooms. When class is not in session, they are open for student use. You may check their schedule of availability using the 25Live website. You may also use the quick-print stations in Falk 216 and 229 for printing and email. These stations log out automatically after 15 minutes of use.
Ways to Get Involved
The Student Involvement Fair will be held Thursday, September 8, on the Quad from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. There are more than 300 student organizations at Syracuse University. Be sure to explore organizations that might be outside your usual interests, too. Remember, this is a great way to meet new people and discover something new about yourself!
There are many exciting events planned for Fall 2022, including two signature Syracuse University events: Family Weekend October 14-16 and Orange Central, Syracuse University’s annual homecoming and reunion weekend, September 29-October 2. You can discover activities and events on campus by visiting the Syracuse University Calendar.
There are so many ways to connect, express, and grow at Syracuse University, and these are just a few suggestions to get you started. I encourage you to visit the Syracuse University For Students page for more resources and opportunities to make the most of your Syracuse experience.
I wish you the best as you begin (or continue) your Orange story. Best of luck to each of you. We’re excited to see all that you will accomplish this year.
Go Orange!
Diane Lyden Murphy, M.A., M.S.W., Ph.D.
Dean
Falk College
Welcome Class of 2026
Welcome to Syracuse, new Falk College students! The newest Falk students in the Class of 2026 are a talented group from 30 states and 18 global countries. We welcome 386 first-year and 14 transfer students who join new graduate students, 141 in residential programs and 244 online. We’re glad you’re part of the Falk family. Altogether, the Falk College student body is 2,140 strong!
We look forward to meeting with you, your families, and friends at Syracuse Welcome August 25-28, 2022. It will be an exciting time of meeting new classmates and professors, and discovering all that our campus and region have to offer.
Join us for important Falk College welcome events. You can also check out the main Syracuse Welcome website for information on all events surrounding Syracuse Welcome and getting moved in!
Falk College Syracuse Welcome Events:
There are currently no events scheduled, please check back soon.
Falk College Welcomes New Faculty and Staff
Syracuse University’s Falk College is pleased to welcome 14 new staff members who have joined Falk College in the past academic year: Peter Ashworth, Social Work Internship Placement Coordinator; Rebecca Berard, Marriage and Family Therapy Internship Placement Coordinator; Jennifer Coughlin, Social Work Program Manager; Kim Fudge, Admissions Operations Coordinator; RoQueHarmon, Exercise Science Internship Placement Coordinator; Chandice Haste-Jackson, Associate Dean of Student Services; Kara Hughes, Social Work Administrative Assistant; Timothy Lamey, Exercise Science Internship Placement Coordinator; Matt Michael, Communications Manager; Kim Mura, Human Development and Family Science Office Coordinator; Matthew Murphy, Nutrition and Food Studies Procurement Specialist; Beth Perez, Sport Management Internship Placement Coordinator; Ian Richardson, Assistant Director of Undergraduate Admissions, and; Tyler Sliker, Marriage and Family Therapy Clinic Director.
In addition, Falk College is pleased to announce 12 new faculty appointments:
- Exercise Science – Kylie Harmon, Kristen Konkol;
- Human Development and Family Science – Ashleigh Jones;
- Marriage and Family Therapy – Tristan Martin, Tracey Reichert Schimpff;
- Nutrition and Food Studies – Naomi Shanguhyia;
- School of Social Work – Nadaya Brantley, Ting Guan, Joseph Smith, Aviva Vincent;
- Sport Management – Lindsey Darvin, Jason Maddox, Adrian Simion
Kylie Harmon
Assistant Professor, Exercise Science
Kylie Harmon joins the Department of Exercise Science as an assistant professor. Her position is part of the Aging, Behavioral Health, and Neuroscience research cluster.
Prior to joining Syracuse University, Harmon was a graduate research assistant at the University of Central Florida (UCF) within the School of Kinesiology and Physical Therapy. There, she taught undergraduate kinesiology classes in exercise science, assessment techniques, and health and wellness. While at UCF, she also served as the research coordinator of the Neuromuscular Plasticity Laboratory within the Institute of Exercise Physiology and Rehabilitation Science. During her M.S. studies, she was the Human Performance Laboratory director within the Department of Kinesiology at California State University, Fullerton.
Harmon’s research focuses on understanding the neuromuscular adaptations that occur in response to aging, immobilization/disuse, fatigue, and strength training, with an emphasis on both changes in motor unit behavior and alterations in the corticospinal pathway. She is particularly interested in how to best preserve muscular strength during periods when resistance training is not feasible, such as during illness, injury, or immobilization.
During her doctoral studies, Harmon was awarded a Richard Tucker Gerontology Applied Research Grant from the University of Central Florida Learning Institute for Elders (LIFE) Group to support her research in older adults. To support her dissertation project, Harmon was awarded the University of Central Florida Graduate Dean’s Completion Fellowship.
Harmon was named recipient of the University of Central Florida Division of Kinesiology Doctoral Scholar Award and Graduate Writing Award supported by the American Kinesiology Association. She is an active member of the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) and was awarded both the NSCA Foundation’s Women’s Scholarship and Challenge Scholarship.
Harmon earned a Ph.D. in education, exercise physiology track, from the University of Central Florida in 2022, preceded by a M.S. in kinesiology from California State University, Fullerton, in 2016, and a B.A. in Russian studies from Binghamton University in 2013. She is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist through the National Strength and Conditioning Association.
Kristen Konkol
Associate Teaching Professor, Exercise Science
Kristin Konkol is an Associate Teaching Professor in the Department of Exercise Science. She teaches courses such as structural kinesiology for performance enhancement and injury prevention, structural kinesiology, scientific principles of conditioning, and concepts of fitness. She also runs the internship and experience credits for the department.
She joined Falk College as an Assistant Teaching Professor in the Department of Exercise Science in Fall 2020. Prior to joining Falk College in 2020, the Department of Exercise Science was positioned within Syracuse University’s School of Education, where Konkol has served as Assistant Professor since 2018, and formerly as part-time faculty. Previously, Konkol was an Assistant Professor in the Department of Human Performance, Exercise Science/ Physiology at the Minnesota State University, Mankato, where she taught courses such as individualized exercise, aerobic conditioning, and concepts of fitness, among others. She also held an adjunct faculty position there, as well as coaching positions at the Gustavus Adolphus College.
At the University of Kwa-Zulu Natal in South Africa, Konkol held several titles, including lecturer, lab instructor, manager in the Human Performance Laboratory, and performance specialist for professional athletes. Konkol’s research interests include sport specific training; speed, agility, and quickness training; athletic performance testing; strength and conditioning; exercise immunology; and global perspectives in human performance. Konkol’s work is published in the Cardiovascular Journal of Africa, Sport Sciences for Health, Children, Sports and Exercise Medicine Open Journal, and International Journal of Exercise Science.
Konkol currently serves at Syracuse University as the I-Move Program Coordinator and Dance Minor Coordinator. From 2004 to 2006, she served as a United States Peace Corps Volunteer in Guyana and South America. Konlol is a Certified Performance Enhancement Specialist through the National Academy of Sports Medicine. Konkol earned her Ph.D. in Sports Science from the University of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa in 2013.
She earned an M.A. in Kinesiology with an Exercise Physiology emphasis and a graduate minor in Complementary and Alternative Therapy and Healing Practices. She earned her B.S. in Exercise Science with a Cardiac Rehabilitation emphasis from the University of Toledo, where she was a Division I collegiate basketball athlete.
Ashleigh Jones
Assistant Teaching Professor, Human Development and Family Science
Ashleigh Jones joins the Department of Human Development and Family Science as an assistant teaching professor. She teaches classes in human sexuality and intimate relationships.
Jones has over 10 years of teaching experience and has taught courses across various subjects spanning multiple disciplines at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. As an educator, Ashleigh takes immense pride in creating an informative and engaging classroom environment in which students are encouraged to control their own learning experience. Dr. Jones leverages her extensive teaching experience with novel teaching pedagogies to create an immersive and collaborative teaching environment to help future scholars and practitioners apply theory to practice. Recent courses she has taught include families in crisis, cross-cultural research, adolescents and their families, mental health, and human sexuality.
Prior to joining Syracuse University, Jones was an instructor at Texas Tech University in 2020 in the Departments of Human Development and Family Sciences and Community, Family, and Addiction Sciences. Prior to Texas Tech, while completing her graduate degrees, she served as an instructor at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, teaching courses for the Department of Community Health from 2010-2017.
In addition, Jones worked as an academic coach with Disabilities Resource Education Services at the University of Illinois from 2012-2017. In this role, she worked directly with students and conducted needs assessments; offered career counseling; and created, implemented, and facilitated several skill-based workshops and trainings for students, staff, and faculty across the university campus.
Jones earned a Ph.D. in 2019, an M.S. in 2011, and a B.S. (with honors) in 2008, all from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
Tristan Martin
Assistant Teaching Professor, Marriage and Family Therapy
Tristan Martin joins the Department of Marriage and Family Therapy as an assistant teaching professor. He teaches classes in family therapy, including sexual issues for the helping professional.
Prior to Fall 2022, Martin was an adjunct instructor both in Marriage and Family Therapy and Human Development and Family Science at Syracuse University.
Martin’s research focuses on transgender sexuality with the intersections of relational and erotic diversity. He has presented at multiple national conferences and contributed to publications in the field of family therapy and transgender issues, including the “Handbook of LGBTQ-Affirmative Couple and Family Therapy” and “Sexual and Relationship Therapy.”
Martin was a recipient of the Summer Dissertation Fellowship at Syracuse University in 2019 for his dissertation “Transgender Congruence and Sexual Satisfaction in Trans Masculine Adults: The Role of Affirmative Sexual Partners.”
Martin is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) and AASECT-certified Sex Therapist. His clinical work focuses on providing support for the LGBTQ community, with specialization in supporting gender transition for youth and adults.
Martin earned a Ph.D. in Marriage and Family Therapy from Syracuse University in 2020, a Certificate of Advanced Study in Sex Therapy from the University of Wisconsin-Stout in 2020, a master’s degree in family therapy from Mercer University in 2016, and a B.A. (with honors) in 2014 from Huntingdon College.
Tracey Reichert Schimpff
Associate Teaching Professor, Marriage and Family Therapy
Tracey Reichert Schimpff is an associate teaching professor in the Department of Marriage and Family Therapy. She teaches supervision in marriage and family therapy for doctoral students and practicum courses for the master’s program.
Reichert Schimpff has been the director of clinical services for Marriage and Family Therapy since 2013 and served as the clinic supervisor from 2008 to 2013. Prior to working at Syracuse University, Reichert Schimpff was the director of family services at The Salvation Army in Syracuse. She held several clinical and administrative roles in the non-profit organization from 1998 to 2008.
Reichert Schimpff’s focus has been on child welfare and the treatment of trauma. Her research explored therapists’ experiences of trauma and the role of compassion fatigue and compassion satisfaction. She is also interested in developing community collaborations to increase access to mental health care.
She has collaborated on scholarly articles and grants in the areas of community violence, trauma, and maternal mental health.
Reichert Schimpff has served as chair of the Supervisor Committee, Clinic Committee, Handbook Committee and Clinical Readiness Committee in the Department of Marriage and Family Therapy. She also provides supervision mentorship to supervisor candidates in the Central New York area.
Reichert Schimpff earned a Ph.D. from Syracuse University in 2019 and an M.A. from SU in 1996. She received a B.S. from LeMoyne College in 1993. Reichert Schimpff is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Clinical Fellow of AAMFT, and an Approved Supervisor.
Naomi Shanguhyia
Associate Teaching Professor, Nutrition and Food Studies
Naomi Shanguhyia joins Nutrition and Food Studies as an associate teaching professor. She teaches classes in contemporary food issues, global food politics, and oversees the undergraduate and graduate practicums.
Prior to joining Falk College, Shanguhyia was the associate director of the Renée Crown University Honors Program, where from 2019 to 2022 she oversaw the program’s curriculum and day-to-day operations and taught a course on food security in Africa. She was also a part-time instructor in the Geography and the Environment Department in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, where she taught a class on geographies of hunger, and a faculty affiliate in the international relations program. From 2012 to 2014, Shanguhyia was a lecturer in the Department of Geography and Environmental Sustainability at SUNY Oneonta, where she taught courses in introductory geography, food, society and environment, and gender geography. In 2014, Shanguhyia joined the College of Arts and Sciences at Syracuse University as a post-doctoral faculty fellow and taught writing-intensive seminars focusing on the themes of food, society, gender, and environment.
Shanguhyia’s research focuses on the global and local processes that intersect to shape food, nutrition, and health outcomes among communities in Africa south of the Sahara. Her dissertation research, which was funded by an NSF DDRI grant, examined the impact of environmental and economic change on food and livelihood security among rural communities in western Kenya. Her previous work, which is published in Human Geography: A Radical Journal, analyzed the politics of chronic hunger in arid and semi-arid areas in northern Kenya. She has presented her work at the annual conferences of the American Association of Geographers (AAG) and the Association for the Study of Food & Society (ASFS), the Cornell University International Studies Summer Institute Workshop, and other forums.
Shanguhyia holds a Ph.D. and M.A. in geography from West Virginia University and a B.Ed. and M.Ed. from Kenyatta University, Kenya.
Nadaya Brantley
Assistant Teaching Professor, Social Work
Nadaya Brantley joined the School of Social Work as an assistant teaching professor in Spring 2022. She teaches courses in introductory social work and social welfare policy and serves as the baccalaureate of social work program director.
She joined Syracuse University as a member of the field office in January 2011 as an internship placement coordinator and previously served as the assistant director of BSSW field education in Falk College, School of Social Work Field Education Office. She is a New York State Licensed Master Social Worker. Her practice areas include work with adolescents, developmental disabilities, mental health, and incarcerated populations.
As a systems thinker, she believes that, in the words of Bell Hooks, “there must exist a paradigm, a practical model for social change that includes an understanding of ways to transform consciousness that are linked to efforts to transform structures.” Brantley’s research interests include exploring intersectional identities and educational equity in higher education through a critical race theory lens.
Brantley serves on several department committees and as an advisor for several student organizations, including SU-NAACP, SU-Special Olympics of New York, Social Worker’s United, and the Juvenile Urban Mentoring Program (J.U.M.P. Nation).
She received a bachelor’s degree in social work and a master’s of social work (M.S.W.) degree from Syracuse University. She is currently a doctoral student in the Cultural Foundations of Education in the Syracuse University School of Education.
Ting Guan
Assistant Professor, Social Work
Ting Guan joins the School of Social Work as an assistant professor. She will teach courses on foundations of social work research.
Prior to joining Syracuse University, Guan was a Ph.D. candidate at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Social Work, where she also served as a research assistant, working with faculty in the School of Social Work, School of Nursing, and Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center on federally funded work related to integrated health care and cancer care. Guan has over eight years of clinical experience in hospital settings as a medical social worker in China.
Guan’s research focuses on developing and evaluating family-based psychosocial interventions to improve cancer patient and caregiver quality of life through collaborative and interdisciplinary social work practice in healthcare settings. She has published over 20 peer-reviewed articles in academic journals, including Psycho-Oncology, Supportive Care in Cancer, Journal of Psychosocial Oncology, Social Work in Health Care, and Journal of the Society for Social Work and Research.
Guan’s dissertation research was supported by a Royster Dissertation Completion Fellowship at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2021.
Her work has been recognized and funded by the Association of Oncology Social Work, Society for Social Work and Research, and Association of American Medical Colleges. In 2015, Guan was awarded China’s Most Dedicated Social Worker Award, a prestigious national award for social work practitioners.
Guan earned a Ph.D. in social work in 2022 from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Social Work, a master’s degree in social welfare in 2009 from Peking University, and a bachelor’s degree in social work in 2006 from China Youth University for Political Studies.
Joseph Smith
Associate Teaching Professor, School of Social Work
Joseph Smith joined the School of Social Work as an associate teaching professor in Spring 2022 and serves as the college online MSW program liaison. He teaches classes in applied research in social work, psychopathology, and alcohol and other drugs in social work practice.
Prior to his full-time faculty appointment at Syracuse University, Smith served as an adjunct faculty member in both the BSSW and MSW programs since 2010. He was heavily involved in online curriculum development and teaching in various content areas. Additionally, Smith comes to this position following 25 years of administrative and teaching experience as Department Chair of Chemical Dependency Counseling and Human Services at SUNY Tompkins Cortland Community College.
Smith has practiced as a licensed clinical social worker and Master CASAC in a wide range of social work settings, including adult psychiatric inpatient, substance abuse outpatient and residential, and children’s psychiatric outpatient programs. Smith has interests in trauma-informed and evidence-based strategies, psychodynamic interventions, and culturally responsive practice.
His research interests focus on the areas of mental health and student success, substance use on college campuses, and academic achievement and job placement with underrepresented and minority college students. Smith’s work has been supported by a Perkins Grant from Assertive Community Intervention and Guided Pathways aimed at providing intrusive and structured supports for undergraduate students experiencing academic difficulties; a New York State OASAS College Environmental Prevention Grant aimed at preventing/reducing underage alcohol and drug use on college campuses; and an ALANA Scholarship Grant from the Park Foundation aimed at increasing educational opportunities and job placement for underrepresented and minority students.
Smith has previously served as an MSW Research/Thesis Advisor at Smith College School for Social Work in Northampton, Massachusetts. He also consults and work with NYS OASAS as a statewide trainer in the areas of ethics, cultural competency, and clinical supervision.
Smith earned a Ph.D. in social work from Smith College School for Social Work in 2006, a master’s of social work (M.S.W.) degree from Syracuse University, and a B.S. in psychology from Utica College.
Aviva Vincent
Assistant Teaching Professor, School of Social Work
Aviva Vincent joins the School of Social Work as an assistant teaching professor. She teaches classes in the online master of social work (M.S.W.) degree program.
Prior to joining Syracuse University, Vincent was the program director at Fieldstone Farm Therapeutic Riding Center, a premiere accredited PATH Intl. facility in Ohio. She was also an adjunct at the University of Connecticut and Case Western Reserve University. She is an instructor of animal-assisted interventions at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, in its Veterinary Social Work Certificate Program and has served as the program’s community engagement coordinator. Vincent is co-owner of the only Veterinary Social Work private practice in Northeast Ohio, Healing Paws LLC.
Vincent’s research focuses on the bi-directional physiological impact of human-animal interaction. She has published over 15 peer-reviewed publications, of which she is the first author of nine. She is also a contributor to The Comprehensive Guide to Interdisciplinary Veterinary Social Work; Integrating Horses into Healing; The Handbook on Human Animal Interactions, Interventions, and Anthrozoology; and Career Paths in Human-Animal Interaction for Social and Behavioral Scientists.
Vincent recently concluded a study as a co-investigator, Reining in Anxiety, which tested a 10-week manualized CBT-based curricula in adaptive riding sessions. Vincent has also completed research exploring the impact of equine assisted services toward the promotion of mindfulness for veterans. Currently, she is leading a local pilot of the Man O’War Project, a curriculum developed in partnership with Columbia University and PATH Intl. Subsequent research has been supported by the Institute for Interdisciplinary Salivary Bioscience Research (Spit Camp, 2017). Later in 2017, Vincent was a recipient of an inaugural fellowship to the Animals and Society Institute for pre-doctoral candidates.
Vincent was awarded a Doctoral Program Research Fellowship from 2015-19 from the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences at Case Western Reserve University. During her tenure, she received the Phi Beta Kappa Research Award (2018), Dr. Dorothy Pijan Student Leadership Award (2018), and Verhosek Fund Award (2016). Prior to her doctoral career, Vincent received the Next Generation Leadership Award (30 under 30) in 2014 from the National Afterschool Association. Vincent is president of the International Association of Veterinary Social Work, board of trustee member for PATH Intl., and an advisory member for the Center for Human Animal Interaction Research and Education at The Ohio State University.
Vincent earned a Ph.D. in 2019 from Case Western Reserve University in social welfare with a concentration in veterinary social work, including a Veterinary Social Work Certificate from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, in 2017. Vincent is a Licensed Social Worker in the state of Ohio and has completed specialized training as a Certified Therapeutic Riding instructor (2016), Equine Specialist in Mental Health and Learning (2019), and Equine Services for Heroes (2018). She has also completed Green Dot Bystander Training (2018), Sustained Dialogue (2018), LGBTQ+ Safe Zone Training (2015), and the Institute For Social Change and Harwood Institute (2012). She earned a master of social work degree in community organizing in 2011, and a B.A. from University of Massachusetts at Amherst in social thought and political economy in 2007. In her undergraduate studies she also completed a semester abroad at the University of Limerick.
Lindsey Darvin
Assistant Professor, Sport Management
Lindsey Darvin joins the Department of Sport Management as an assistant professor. She will teach classes in research methods and race, gender, and society in sport.
Prior to joining Syracuse University, Darvin was an assistant professor from 2018-22 at the State University of New York College at Cortland, where she taught sport ethics, athlete development, and administration of sport.
Darvin’s research centers around the themes of sport industry and esport industry gender equity, with a particular focus on seeking to combat the underrepresentation of women leaders and women and girl participants at the intercollegiate and professional levels of sport and esport competition. She has published in refereed journals across a variety of academic segments in the areas of management, sociology, vocational behavior, organizational behavior, communications, and sustainability science. Her research has been featured across a variety of media platforms, including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, New York Daily News, Inside Higher Education, and SB Nation. Darvin was co-editor of a special issue in the Journal of Athlete Development and Experience (JADE), released March 2022, that focused on NCAA Division III athlete wellbeing and experience. Recently, Darvin served as an author of the Women’s Sport Foundation 2022 collaborative report, “50 Years of Title IX: We’re Not Done Yet.”
Subsequent research has been supported by SUNY Faculty Research Program awards in 2019, 2020, and 2021.
Professor Darvin serves on the editorial board of several peer-referred journals, including the Sport Management Education Journal (SMEJ), the Journal of Athlete Development and Experience (JADE), and the Journal of Electronic Gaming and Esports (JEGE). Darvin is a member of the Dell Technologies Research Collective and the North American Society of Sport Management, and she serves on the steering committee for the PNC Bank Pittsburgh Knights women in esport group. In Spring 2019, Darvin created and advised the first women in sport management group on the campus of SUNY Cortland.
Darvin earned a Ph.D. in sport management in 2018 from the University of Florida, an M.S. in sport management in 2014 from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, and a B.A. in political science in 2012 from Bryn Mawr College.
Jason Maddox
Assistant Professor, Sport Analytics
Jason Maddox joined the Department of Sport Management as an assistant professor in Spring 2022. He teaches sport data analysis and R for sport analytics.
Prior to joining Syracuse University, Maddox was a student at Baylor University earning his B.S., M.S., and Ph.D., all in statistical science. While a doctoral candidate, he taught introduction to statistics courses and focused research on sport analytics. Maddox also served in the front office of the San Diego Padres as a research and development intern during the summer of 2019.
Maddox’s research focus is on sports data analysis in R, using methods such as regression, machine learning, and Bayesian analysis. His dissertation was focused on creating in-game win probability models for basketball and football.
Maddox earned a Ph.D. in 2022, an M.S. in 2018, and a B.S. in 2016, all in statistical science from Baylor University.
Adrian Simion
Instructor, Sport Analytics
Adrian Simion joins the Department of Sport Management as an instructor. He teaches classes on python programming for web scraping and statistical analysis.
Prior to joining Syracuse University, Simion was a graduate student at Wayne State University from 2017 to 2022, pursuing his Ph.D. in economics with a focus in econometrics. He taught principles of microeconomics and macroeconomics, intermediate macroeconomics, and intermediate econometrics during his time there. He was also a research assistant working on sport management research projects.
Simion’s research is in applied econometrics and sport management. His thesis is on external imbalances and their ability in predicting future exchange rate movements. His sport-related research has been on the impact of college football on the surrounding lodging industry, and the NCAA transfer portal and its impact on the welfare of transferring athletes.
Simion was awarded the Nancy S. Barrett Endowed Prize in Applied Economics in 2021 for his thesis work.
Simion is a Ph.D. candidate in economics at Wayne State University. He earned a M.A. in economics from Wayne State University in 2022 and earned a B.A. in mathematics from Michigan State University in 2016.
‘I Love The Work That I’m Doing’
Internship Coordinator Enjoys Creating ‘Diversity of Learning Opportunities’ for Marriage and Family Therapy Students
With their job in the Department of Marriage and Family Therapy at Falk College, Tyler Cashion Sliker found the perfect intersection between their passion and expertise.
As internship coordinator for the residential master program, Sliker places students in internships; creates internship opportunities with community agencies; supervises students who provide counseling to individuals, couples and families in the Couple and Family Therapy Center at Peck Hall; teaches courses in the department; and supervises transgender and gender diverse support groups through the Gender Expansive Support Team (GEST) created by Associate Professor Deborah Coolhart.
“I love the work that I’m doing, it’s near and dear to my heart, and it affects me professionally and personally–both individually and with the people I love and care about,” Sliker says. “I’ve got a lot of passion for our transgender expansive team and there’s a huge need in our community for working with trans and gender diverse people.”
Sliker’s job, which they started in November, also brings them back home to Syracuse University. A Syracuse native who attended West Genesee High School, they selected the Marriage and Family Therapy Department’s master program because of Coolhart and GEST. Sliker graduated in 2014 after going to school part-time while working full-time at ACR Health as director of the Q Center, which provides a safe space for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and questioning youth, their families and allies.
Following graduation, Sliker worked at Vera House in Syracuse as a therapist for survivors of domestic and sexual violence, and they developed Vera House’s first LGBTQ survivor group specifically for LGBTQ-identified survivors of domestic and sexual violence. They also became a site supervisor for the interns from the Marriage and Family Therapy program who were placed at Vera House.
In their brief time with the Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT) Department, Sliker has made an enormous impact by initiating the transgender and gender diverse support groups and creating new internship opportunities with organizations such as Family Matters, Helio Health, IView, NuStep, Family & Children’s Services of Ithaca, and SUNY Oswego.
“Tyler joined our team full time in the fall of 2021, just as the MFT program was in a state of expansion,” says Tracey Reichert Schimpff, clinical director of the Couple and Family Therapy Center. “We brought in the largest-ever class of residential master students and did not have enough internships in the community to make matches. Due to Tyler’s diligence and connections within the Central New York area, we were able to cultivate placements and provide opportunities for the students in this cohort.
“I appreciate the way Tyler jumped in and worked so hard to meet both student and department needs, Schimpff adds. “Tyler also took initiative to develop support groups for transgender and gender questioning individuals. It was quite successful from the very beginning and met such an important need in the community.”
In this conversation, Sliker explains more about their role as internship coordinator, the importance of the support groups, and the partnerships they’re forming in the community:
Q: Tell us about your role and day-to-day duties.
A: My job is facilitating placement for students out in the community and I develop relationships with a lot of different community placement sites, such as private practices, community agencies, and community clinics. Placing students there and supporting students throughout their placement is the bulk of what I do.
In house, I supervise students here in our clinic, and as part of that I oversee the supervision of our transgender support groups. We offer groups for adults who are trans or gender diverse, teens who are trans or gender diverse, and for the first time ever this past semester we offered a parent caregiver group for parents and caregivers of children who are trans or gender diverse.
Q: How do students get involved in working with the transgender and gender diverse communities?
A: They can participate in what’s called the Gender Expansive Support Team (GEST) and work alongside Deb (Coolhart), who is the lead and one of the clinical supervisors for GEST. My impact on that aspect of the program is the developing of those support groups for trans and gender diverse people.
I’m trans myself, and that’s what informs my interest in this. Having been a trans person growing up in the Central New York community, we didn’t have any trans-specific or gender expansive-specific spaces in the community. So that’s where our clinic really meets a need in the community where there’s a gap.
Q: Why are having those services so important to our community?
A: Not only is the actual violence increasing toward trans people, but the political and legislative violence has also been increasing. These (support) groups have been needed all along, but they’re even more imperative lately. Our community has a number of local schools where queer and trans students have died by suicide, and while that should have never happened, it certainly shouldn’t be happening anymore, especially in 2022.
One of the cool things about our groups is that they’ve been running virtually for most of the time and youth get to participate from all different areas of Central New York, so trans youth get to meet other trans youth that they would not normally cross paths with. If that trans youth is living in with a family in a community where they’re the only trans youth that they know, these groups are a great space to decrease that feeling of “wow, it’s not only me, but other people feel this, too.” These groups run for six or eight weeks and they provide a community where maybe they feel less alone and can talk about things that no one else would really understand what that experience is like.
At the end of the group sessions, we provide information about community resources, in addition to Syracuse University’s resources. And they are welcome to participate in those groups again.
Q: Tell us more about some of the community partners that you’re involved with.
A: One of our community partners is the Q Center at ACR Health. (Q Center Family Peer Advocate) Karen Fuller has regular communication with me and our office coordinator (Anne Metzger-Wormuth) and we share information about what families the Q Center needs to refer to our clinic. The Q Center hosted a meet-and-greet for community partners to meet the staff and the people who work at the Q Center, so of course we relayed that to our students and we had a number of students who attended that event. So, the students who are working in the clinic as part of our program, they’re intentionally going to these opportunities and reaching out to community partners.
A new partner is the Volunteer Lawyers Project (VLP) of CNY and we’re providing services for their team and working with them on serving transgender clients in a helpful and culturally informed way. Our students will also refer our clients to their program because trans clients will often need legal resources for a name change or gender marker change on an identity document.
Q: Why is this job so meaningful to you?
A: I love working with MFTs (Marriage and Family Therapy students) in the field, and whether it’s a non-profit or community health clinic or private practice, seeing all the different ways MFTs are doing therapy and working with people and families and couples and helping all those different relationships. I love seeing the diversity of what MFTs do in our Central New York community. And then, of course, watching that translate to the diversity of the learning opportunities for our students. Our students get to see such a wide range of things MFTs can do once they graduate, and that is really exciting to me.
Internships at Falk College
In Falk, every undergraduate academic program includes an applied learning requirement, which means you will have career-relevant experiences before you enter the job market. Each department is staffed with dedicated, credentialed internship placement coordinators. Leveraging Syracuse University’s established connections with employers across the U.S., they will help you secure purposeful internship placements that align with your desired degree paths.
Congratulations Class of 2022
Along with Dean Murphy, the entire Falk College community of students, faculty, staff, alumni, community partners and friends, congratulates the Class of 2022! Falk College’s 484 degree candidates represent seven academic departments and schools, including:
325 undergraduates;
131 masters candidates;
24 students earning certificates of advanced study, and;
4 Ph.D. students.
Through the month of May, departments across Falk College honored student achievements and celebrated the graduating Class of 2022, which are detailed on individual department websites.
Falk College Convocation was held Saturday, May 14 at Manley Field House. Falk College Convocation, other college convocations, and the May 15 Syracuse University Commencement ceremony, were recorded and are available to view on the Syracuse University commencement website and is also included below.
Falk College Convocation | Saturday, May 14 | 4:30 p.m. ET
Falk College Convocation Photos
Class of 2022 honored with Marriage and Family Therapy Awards
The Department of Marriage and Family Therapy in Falk College is pleased to recognize the outstanding work of its graduate students for excellence:
MFT Social Justice Award: Jordan Gaines
The MFT Social Justice Award is given to a student who represents the department’s commitment to social justice and is awarded to a graduating MFT MA student.
MFT Department Student Marshal: Logan Thompson
Senior Class Marshals have excelled during their time on campus and exemplify the spirit of the senior class. The selection committee assesses the nominees on scholarship, academic honors, student organization involvement, and campus/community service.
Falk students provide essential therapy services while gaining clinical practice
Marriage and family therapy is one of the fastest-growing mental health disciplines. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 16 percent growth in employment of marriage and family therapists from 2020 to 2030, as compared to the projected 8 percent average growth for all occupations. These therapists evaluate and treat mental and emotional disorders and other health and behavioral problems and address a wide array of relationship issues within the context of the family system.
In Falk College, marriage and family therapy students receive extensive clinical training while practicing under the close supervision of faculty and staff who are licensed marriage and family therapists in the field and either American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT) Approved Supervisors or Approved Supervisor Candidates.
Graduate students must provide 500 direct client hours of therapy. For every 5 hours of client contact, students must receive 1 hour of supervision. Supervision must include review of video recordings or direct observation of therapy sessions.
A portion of the required hours are completed at internship sites, while the remaining hours are completed at the Couple and Family Therapy Center located just off campus in Peck Hall. Operated by the Department of Marriage and Family Therapy, the Center offers individual, couple, family, and group therapy to the larger Central New York community, serving clients of all ages, identities, and demographics.
“The Couple and Family Therapy Center has played a significant role in my growth and development as a training therapist,” says Abigail Seubert, a graduate student in marriage and family therapy. “Through my work with clients along with the support from our on-site supervisors I have learned how to navigate complex family systems, remain neutral in couple’s conflicts, engage children in teletherapy, and care for myself following challenging sessions. The Couple and Family Therapy Center has laid the foundation that I will continue to build from as a new therapist throughout my career.”
In 2021, 19 therapists provided 5,256 therapy sessions to 341 individuals.
“The Center remained open throughout the pandemic and was able to offer telehealth services through HIPAA compliant Zoom,” says Tracey Reichert Schimpff, director of clinical services. “Remote services enabled the Center to serve clients from an even wider geographical area and reach those who would not have been able to travel to Syracuse for therapy.”
All services are free for all clients, which allows the Center to serve those who may not otherwise be able to afford therapy. To further reach underserved populations in Syracuse, the Center has built community partnerships with organizations such as PEACE, Inc. Head Start and Syracuse Community Connections. The clinic also specializes in working with transgender and gender expansive individuals and their families.
Dean’s Winter Welcome
Dear Falk Students,
Welcome back to Syracuse University! We hope you enjoyed your winter break and had the opportunity to relax and spend time with friends and family. We’re excited for all that lies ahead for you in Spring 2022. With that in mind, here are some important reminders as we start the new semester:
Public Health and University Communications:
Public health remains a critical priority for life on campus and in our wider Syracuse community. We fully expect all Falk College students to follow University public health guidelines and local public health mandates. By doing our part, we can keep each other safe and healthy. Please visit the Stay Safe website, the official source of public health information for Syracuse University, for guidance and updates.
Remember to check your Syracuse University email daily, as it is the primary communication method at the University. Your professors and University offices will contact you with important information using your Syracuse University email address (ending in “@syr.edu”), not your personal email address.
Student Support Services:
Falk Student Services counselors are here to provide you with private academic advising and help you meet your requirements and goals. In addition, they are your resource for private consultation related to student social and emotional concerns. If you have any concerns throughout your academic career, please contact Student Services or visit Suite 330 Barclay Hall in the Falk Complex.
Falk Career Services advisors, also located in Suite 330 Barclay Hall, can help you prepare for life after college through career exploration, internship and job searching, professional networking, and more. You can also search for opportunities through Handshake, the University’s job search and professional events portal.
In addition, you can connect to spiritual life on campus at Hendricks Chapel, and health and counseling services in the Barnes Center at the Arch.
Student Lounges, Computer Labs, and Cafés:
The Student Lounge, located in Falk 216, is available to you any time the Falk Complex is open. The lounge has a microwave, refrigerator, and vending machines for student use. Just down the hall is Falk 229. This quiet student lounge has both Windows and Mac computers that are available to students any time the Falk Complex is open.
Falk 113, 400, and 407 are Windows computer labs that are also used as teaching classrooms. They are available to students any time class is not in session. You may check the schedule of availability using the Orange Events website. You may also use the quick-print stations in Falk 216 and 229 for printing and email. These stations log out automatically after 15 minutes of use.
The Falk Café on 2 is expected to open Feb. 2 on a limited basis. Check the Food Services website for other campus cafés and operating hours, which are subject to change.
Ways to Get Involved:
Get to know many of the hundreds of Syracuse University student organizations at the Winter Student Involvement Fair 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Jan. 26, 2022, in Goldstein Auditorium, Schine Student Center.
You can also discover activities and events on campus by visiting the Syracuse University Calendar. Please note that events are subject to change according to public health guidelines. You can find the most up-to-date event information on the University Calendar. Once again, visit the Stay Safe website regularly for public health information and watch your University email for important announcements.
There are many other resources available to you at Syracuse University beyond these important highlights. Please visit the For Students page to review a more comprehensive listing of student resources to enhance your experience at Syracuse.
Thank you for being part of the wider Syracuse University community and our Falk College family. On behalf of the Falk faculty and staff, I wish you the best for Spring 2022.
Go Orange!
Diane Lyden Murphy, M.A., M.S.W., Ph.D.
Dean
Falk College
October 28 event features alumni in disability advocacy
Falk College Career Services will host the “Falk College Alumni Speaker Series: Improving Access for People with Disabilities” on October 28, 2021, from 3:30 to 4:45 p.m. in Grant Auditorium, followed by a networking reception with refreshments from 5 to 6:30 p.m. The panel discussion will focus on current issues surrounding accessibility in a range of environments, and will be of particular interest to students seeking internships or careers in healthcare, mental health, education, policy and advocacy, and sport and recreation.
This is the fourth event in a series of Falk College alumni panels, which bring alumni back to campus to discuss current industry trends of interest to Falk students and share valuable career experiences and insights. Previous alumni panels have focused on topics such as community health and wellness; promoting exercise and nutrition as natural approaches to health, and; sport, health and social activism.
“For students, this is an exceptional opportunity to learn more about how they can be an advocate in whatever field they pursue,” says David Sly, director of Falk College Career Services. “In addition to learning about the specific careers of our panelists, students, faculty, and staff can leave this event with ideas for better serving people with a range of disabilities in any setting.”
The “Improving Access for People with Disabilities” panel will include four Falk College alumni:
Scott Ebner, MSW ’97
Scott Ebner is the Executive Director at CIRCARE, a local agency that supports people with behavioral health disabilities, including family and employment support. He has also worked with Provisions Bakery in Armory Square, a work transition site for people with mental illness.
Jeremy French-Lawyer, BS Public Health ’14Jeremy French-Lawyer is the Assistant Director of Evaluation, Assessment and Research at SUNY Upstate Medical University. Jeremy also has previous experience as a Disability Integration Fellow with SUNY Upstate, integrating disability-relevant information into medical school and continuing medical education curriculum. Other previous roles include working with children and at-risk parents in education and healthcare settings. Jeremy holds a master of public health (MPH) degree jointly awarded from Syracuse University and SUNY Upstate Medical University.
Ocesa Keaton, MSW ’15Ocesa Keaton is the Central New York Regional Director for New York Civil Liberties Union and has previously served as the ADA Coordinator for the City of Syracuse. Ocesa has extensive experience in youth and advocacy programs, with a focus on at-risk pregnant and parenting teens, youth violence prevention, and poverty.
Eileen May-West, BS Sport Management ’10Eileen May-West is the Program Director at Wasatch Adaptive Sports and leads outdoor adaptive recreation operations for over 500 individuals with disabilities each year. Eileen holds a master’s degree in therapeutic recreation from the University of New Hampshire.
For Syracuse University students, registration is appreciated, though not required, through Handshake. For faculty, staff and community attendees, please RSVP to falkcareers@syr.edu. CART and ASL services will be provided. To request other accommodations, please contact Falk Career Services at falkcareers@syr.edu or 315.443.3144. For event information, visit the event page.
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