Social Work  News

Social Work student Benetta Dousuah G’25 is one of three talented and passionate Pat Tillman Foundation Syracuse University 2024 Tillman Scholars.

The award unites and empowers remarkable military service members, veterans, and spouses as the next generation of public and private sector leaders committed to service beyond self. Dousuah was selected out of nearly 1,600 applicants.

Tillman Scholars are provided with academic scholarships, leadership development opportunities, and access to a supportive national network as they embark on career journeys in the fields of health care, public service, business, STEM, law, the humanities, and education.

The fellowship program honors Pat Tillman, a starting safety for the National Football League’s Arizona Cardinals, who in 2002 put his football career on hold to serve his country with the U.S. Army’s 75th Ranger Regiment in Afghanistan. Tillman’s family and friends established the Pat Tillman Foundation following his death in April 2004.

Syracuse University was invited to become a Pat Tillman Foundation University Partner in 2017. To date, the university has seen 13 students honored as Tillman Scholars.

Dousuah sat down with SU News to discuss why she wanted to become a Tillman Scholar, reflect on the prestigious honor, and share how she will use the scholarship to make a difference in her community.

Benetta Dousuah G’25, U.S. Army

Academic major: Social Work

What drew you to study at Syracuse University?

“I chose Syracuse University because it’s known for being a veteran-friendly school. While transitioning out of the military, I visited and was impressed by how much they support student veterans. The National Veterans Resource Center at the Daniel and Gayle D’Aniello Building showed me how much the school cares about their veteran community.”

Where did your interest and passion for your field of study come from?

“My aim is to challenge and transform the existing stigma surrounding mental health and well-being in the military. My goal is to become a social worker and serve as Sexual Harassment/Assault Response and Prevention (SHARP) representative at a behavioral health clinic on a military installation, particularly regarding sexual assault and harassment. This position will allow me to address significant issues related to mental health and advocate for policy changes within the SHARP program.”

How does it feel to be recognized as a Tillman Scholar?

“It’s an honor to be surrounded by people dedicated to making a difference in our military. My passion is to change how investigations are done in the SHARP program. I am excited to bring this idea to other scholars and see what the future holds.”

What motivated you to apply to be a Tillman Scholar, and why do you think you were selected?

“Pat’s story is incredible. It demonstrates selfless service and leadership, two of the Army’s core values. As a Tillman Scholar, I am honored to carry on Pat Tillman’s legacy. I’m inspired by these exceptional individuals who are making a difference. I was chosen as a Tillman Scholar because of my dedication to making a positive impact. Despite facing a traumatic experience, my goal is to reform the system that failed me, ensuring a safer military for future generations.”

How do you plan to use this scholarship and this experience to make an impact in your community?

“I aim to use the education and experiences from Syracuse University and the Tillman Scholar program to advocate for significant policy changes, specifically to reform the investigative process within the SHARP program.”

Read the full story.

Excerpts from a Syracuse University News story by John Boccacino originally published on June 27, 2024.

In recognition of May being Mental Health Awareness Month, the University’s Office of Veteran and Military Affairs (OVMA) is pleased to announce the launch of the OVMA Resiliency Program (ORP) in partnership with Falk College and Hendricks Chapel. The ORP is an innovative wellness program tailored to meet the unique needs of veterans pursuing higher education and aims to enhance the overall well-being of veteran and military-connected students throughout their academic journey.

According to a U.S. Government Accountability Office report earlier this year, almost 70% of student veterans who are patients in Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) hospitals received services for mental health care, compared to just 40% of all other veterans who received mental health care from the VA. Aside from seeking services to address concerns regarding post-traumatic stress disorder, the report shows a rising trend over a six-year period of student veterans seeking out care for depression and anxiety-related disorders more than their non-student veteran peers.

“Aside from being non-traditional students, which brings additional stresses to their academic studies, student-veterans also have unique needs that most colleges and universities are not prepared to handle. There’s a clear need to provide military-connected students with assistance beyond just information on where they may find resources,” says Ken Marfilius ’11, assistant dean of online and distance education and associate teaching professor of social work in the Falk College. “This program will help assist student veterans in not only knowing what resources are available, but also how to navigate the process to receive those services and, sometimes, providing further support to ensure they get the care they need.”

Marfilius, a U.S. Air Force veteran, will become the associate director for the ORP where he will lead two Falk College graduate student interns, Brenic Nam G’25 and Natalie Hawes G’25, as well as leverage his extensive experience in providing mental health care services to the military-connected community to ensure the program’s effectiveness.

Both interns are military-connected students at Syracuse University who are pursuing master’s degrees in social work. Hawes is a veteran spouse as well as the granddaughter of two World War II veterans, and has more than five years of experience in supporting the military-connected community. For Nam, currently a sergeant in the U.S. Army Reserve after spending time on active duty, it’s an opportunity to build upon lessons learned while working at Clear Path for Veterans, a nonprofit veteran’s service organization located in Central New York.

“Veterans and military-connected students undergo significant transitions as they shift from military to civilian life. Through this phase of acculturation, they endure unique challenges that often result in immense stress. A dedicated program like ORP will provide imperative support, empowering these veterans and (military-connected) students to confidently navigate these challenges while pursuing their personal ambitions and reaching their fullest potential,” Nam says.

Hendricks Chapel, alongside the OVMA, will provide a stipend for both interns and support engagement with local community programs and services that are available in the area. The program will also seek to leverage support from the Syracuse VA Medical Center, which already provides medical services for many of Syracuse University’s student veterans.

“This initiative is a clear reflection of Syracuse University’s strategic vision to be recognized as the premier institution for veteran and military-connected students,” says U.S. Army Col. (Retired) Ron Novack, executive director of the OVMA. “By harnessing the strengths of its community and resources, the University is poised to not only meet but exceed the needs of this distinct student population. The ORP embodies the University’s commitment to fostering an environment of excellence and support for veterans and their families, further establishing Syracuse as the best place for veterans.”

The program will officially launch on Aug. 26, the first day of classes for the fall 2024 semester, with more details to come later this summer on how to access the program. Aside from standing as a beacon for the University’s resolve to create an inclusive and supportive environment for student veterans, the ORP will support military-connected students with concierge-style support to help them thrive academically during their transition to post-service life.

For more information on the programs and services available to veterans and military-connected students at Syracuse University, please visit the Office of Veteran and Military Affairs website.

An SU News story by Charlie Poag originally published on May 30, 2024.

Dessa Bergen-Cico, professor and graduate director in the Department of Public Health, has been selected as the Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics’ Honors Core Faculty member for a three-year term starting this May.

Renée Crown University Honors Program Core Faculty help shape the Honors Program curriculum and policy, and assist with strategic planning. Their academic vision and scholarly rigor guide the Honors Program in matters crucial both to the larger Honors faculty and to Honors students.

At Syracuse University, Bergen-Cico is coordinator of the Addiction Studies Programs, faculty in the Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Program, and a research affiliate for the Lerner Center for Public Health Promotion at the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs. She was selected as Falk College’s Honors Core Faculty member by a four-person committee in consultation with Falk Dean Jeremy Jordan and Honors Program Director Danielle Taana Smith.

“Dessa’s credentials and passion for this opportunity were simply outstanding, and we are fortunate to have her represent us with the Honors program,” says Falk Associate Dean of Faculty Affairs Mary Graham, who was joined on the committee by Associate Dean of Academic Affairs Kay Bruening, Associate Dean of Research and Administration Katie McDonald, and Nutrition and Food Studies Associate Teaching Professor Chaya Charles.

“The Honors core faculty are so pleased to welcome Dr. Bergen-Cico to the group,” says Honors Program Director Smith, Professor of African American Studies in the College of Arts and Sciences at Syracuse. “The core faculty are high-impact teachers and researchers, at the forefront of their disciplines. They enhance the collegial experiences of students and are integral to the program.

“Dr. Bergen-Cico brings a background of undergraduate education excellence and academic leadership,” Smith adds. “We are excited to work with her to impact students, the campus, and our communities as a whole.”

Bergen-Cico holds a research appointment at the Syracuse Veterans Administration Medical Center and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Health Care Providers in the Addictive Disorders. She is a Certified Addiction Specialist (CAS), Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES), and Certified Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) Teacher.

Bergen-Cico completed her MBSR teacher training through the Center for Mindfulness in Medicine, Health Care, and Society at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. She has been selected for two Fulbright Scholarships and was selected as a Rotary Peace Fellow in the International Rotary Peace Program at Chulalongkorn University in Thailand.

Bergen-Cico is currently leading a research team that’s exploring how to combine an artificial intelligence system with mindfulness-based practices to help people in treatment for opioid use disorder, and she co-developed the International Drug Policy Academy, which is one of several unique opportunities for students to obtain global experience that exposes them to new ways of thinking about substance abuse and addictive behaviors.

“As an Honors Faculty member, I would be able to teach students interdisciplinary and global perspective courses that encompass depth and breadth of content I am otherwise not afforded the opportunity to teach, at the level our top students need and want,” Bergen-Cico said in her letter of interest for the Honors Core position. “For example, it would afford opportunities to engage students in learning and research in applied neuroscience and cross-cultural biomarkers across diverse fields of study integrating sociology, psychology, and neurobiology in the study of addictive behaviors, stress, trauma, and conflict.”

Bergen-Cico is replacing Rick Burton, David B. Falk Endowed Professor of Sport Management, as Falk College’s Honors Core Faculty member.

“I and my colleagues in the Dean’s Office would like to thank Professor Burton for serving so capably for over 10 years as our Falk College designee to the Honors Program,” Graham says.

“Every year, we come together to celebrate the outstanding contributions and tremendous success of our students, faculty, staff and broader community,” says Chancellor Kent Syverud. “The accomplishments of this year’s recipients reinforce what it means to be Orange. This ceremony also shines a bright spotlight on the work being done around campus, much of which happens behind the scenes. I thank the many members of our community who organized this event and look forward to recognizing this year’s winners.”

Two major awards—the Chancellor’s Medal and the Chancellor’s Citation for Excellence—will be bestowed. The ceremony will also include the presentation of the Student-Athlete Award, Judith Seinfeld Scholarship, Meredith Professorship for Teaching Excellence, Teaching Recognition Award, Diversity and Inclusion Award, William Pearson Tolley Medal for Distinguished Leadership in Lifelong Learning and Chancellor’s Forever Orange Award.

Emeriti faculty who retired in 2023 and employees who celebrated years of service milestones in 2023 will also be recognized. This year’s University Scholars, Senior Class and School and College Marshals, and Remembrance and Lockerbie Scholars will also be honored.

All members of the University community are invited and encouraged to attend. A reception will follow in the lobby of the Heroy Geology Laboratory.

American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation and Communication Access Realtime Translation (CART) will be provided at the ceremony. For questions about accessibility or to request accommodations, contact Gabe Coleman at gbcolma@syr.edu.

Award Recipients

The Chancellor’s Medal is the University’s highest honor and is awarded to individuals in honor of their trailblazing and extraordinary contributions to the University, to an academic body of knowledge or to society. This year’s recipient is Shiu-Kai Chin, Laura J. and L. Douglas Meredith Professor for Teaching Excellence and professor of electrical engineering and computer science in the College of Engineering and Computer Science.

The Chancellor’s Citation for Excellencerecognizes individuals who have made outstanding contributions in four overarching categories:

• The award for Excellence in Student Research recognizes students who have engaged in collaborative research that has the potential to make a deep and lasting impact on greater society. This year’s recipients are Jingjing Ji, a doctoral candidate in chemical engineering in the Department of Biomedical and Chemical Engineering in the College of Engineering and Computer Science (graduate), and Ashtha Singh, an international relations major in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs and citizenship and civic engagement major in the Maxwell School (undergraduate).
• The award for Outstanding Contributions to the Student Experience and University Initiatives acknowledges faculty and staff who, through their work, enhance the undergraduate experience for students or make invaluable contributions to supporting and advancing the University’s mission and goals. The recipients are Charisse L’Pree Corsbie-Massay, associate professor of communications in the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications (faculty); Maureen Casey, chief operating officer for the D’Aniello Institute for Veterans and Military Families (professional staff); Amy Schmidt, program coordinator of citizenship and civic engagement in the Maxwell School (professional staff) and Jolanta Niwelt, events coordinator at Lubin House (support staff).
• The Faculty Excellence and Scholarly Distinction award is intended for faculty members who are collaborators in work of intellectual richness that has the potential for future impact. The work of these nominees offers possibilities for collaboration within the University and outside in partnership with others. This year’s honorees are Wayne Franits, Distinguished Professor in the Department of Art and Music Histories in the College of Arts and Sciences, and Katherine McDonald, associate dean of research and professor of Public Health in the Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics.
• Chancellor’s Citation for Excellence, Lifetime Achievement Award. This award honors those who have made extraordinary contributions toward advancing all four pillars of excellence over the arc of their careers while at Syracuse University and beyond. This year’s recipient is Shobha Bhatia, Laura J. and L. Douglas Meredith Professor for Teaching Excellence and professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering in the College of Engineering and Computer Science.

The other awards to be presented are:

• The Student-Athlete Award recognizes the top female and top male student athletes and are presented to the senior student-athletes with the highest cumulative grade point average over the course of their academic and athletic careers. This year’s recipients are Izabela Krakic, an international relations major in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs and College of Arts and Sciences and member of the women’s rowing team, and Julius Rauch, an entrepreneurship and emerging enterprises major in the Whitman School of Management and a member of the men’s soccer team.
• Seinfeld Scholarship: Each year Syracuse University honors the talents of outstanding faculty or students through an award made possible by Judith Greenberg Seinfeld ’56, a distinguished alumna and member of the University Board of Trustees. Awards are made to those who have been determined by their peers to have made outstanding contributions to the beauty of the world, to have added to human values and to ending human abuse anywhere in the world, and to have demonstrated passion for excellence, creativity and originality in academic or artistic fields. This year, the designation is bestowed upon a faculty member, Rebecca Ortiz, associate professor of advertising in the Newhouse School.
• The Laura J. and L. Douglas Meredith Professorships for Teaching Excellence were created in 1995 to recognize and reward outstanding teaching among faculty. The 2024-27 Meredith Professors are Joon Park, professor in the School of Information Studies, and Cora True-Frost, Bond, Schoeneck and King Distinguished Professor in the College of Law.
• In 2001, the Meredith Professorship Program was expanded to recognize teaching excellence by non-tenured faculty and adjunct and part-time instructors. Awards are given in two categories: Early Performance and Continuing Excellence. This year’s honorees in the Early Performance category are Kelly Leahy, assistant professor of television, radio and film in the Newhouse School; Farzana Rahman, associate teaching professor of electrical engineering and computer science in the College of Engineering and Computer Science; Milton Santiago, assistant professor of visual communications in the Newhouse School; Darwin Tsen, assistant teaching professor of Chinese and Chinese language in the College of Arts and Sciences; and Nina Wilson, assistant professor in the School of Architecture. The two honorees in the Continuing Excellence category are Kenneth Marfilius, assistant dean of online and distance education and associate teaching professor of social work in the Falk College, and Sudha Raj, teaching professor and graduate director of nutrition and food studies in the Falk College.
• The Diversity and Inclusion Award recognizes an individual who is integral in helping us achieve academic excellence at a university that is welcoming to all through our investments in a diverse, inclusive, accessible and equitable community. This year’s recipient is Suzette Meléndez, teaching professor in the College of Law and faculty fellow for the Office of Strategic Initiatives and the Office of Diversity and Inclusion.
• The William Pearson Tolley Medal for Distinguished Leadership in Lifelong Learning is based in the School of Education and honors national or international leadership in support of lifelong learning. This year’s recipient is Rhodia Thomas ’77, executive director of MidPenn Legal Services, adjunct professor of law at Dickinson University and an alumna of the School of Education.
• The Chancellor’s Forever Orange Award recognizes individual students, faculty or staff who—by virtue of extraordinary hard work, good values and commitment to excellence—have come to embody the best of Syracuse University. This year’s recipients are Colleen O’Connor Bench, associate vice president of parent engagement and student experience, and Ian McIntyre, head coach of the men’s soccer team.

U.S. Army veteran Benetta Dousuah G’25, currently a graduate student in the Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics, vividly recalls her family’s escape from Liberia during the back-to-back civil wars that ravaged the nation between 1989 and 2003. Initially seeking refuge in a camp in Ghana, it took almost a decade before they secured the opportunity to immigrate to the United States.

In reflecting on her resettlement experience, Dousuah expresses deep gratitude for the social workers who played a pivotal role in providing stability for her family, especially considering Liberia’s dire circumstances during the 2014 West Africa Ebola Virus outbreak, the worst in recorded history. In the remote villages scattered throughout West Africa, young women are often an indicator of viral outbreaks since they often serve as caretakers in their rural communities.

The enduring memories of U.S. Army soldiers providing humanitarian aid in her homeland influenced Dousuah’s decision to enlist in the military. While she was initially drawn by the educational benefits like the post-9/11 GI Bill, her desire to give back and assist those in need also significantly influenced her choice.

“After we came here from Liberia, I remember seeing soldiers helping out on the news. At the time it spoke to me, and I wanted to reciprocate that same energy, so I chose to enlist in the Army,” says Dousuah.

Dousuah served as a unit supply specialist, a crucial role in the logistical backbone supporting the U.S. military’s global presence. The military’s logistical units often play a vital role in humanitarian operations, particularly in remote areas with limited infrastructure.

In 2014, the U.S. Army responded to the Ebola outbreak in Liberia by constructing specialty field hospitals and providing essential medical services throughout the region. By 2021, Dousuah, now a Sergeant in the U.S. Army and a mother to a young daughter, found herself offering the same kind of assistance to refugees that her family was shown when they fled Liberia

“We were deployed to Indiana to help with the Afghan refugee resettlement process,” says Dousuah, who identified parallels between her experiences coming to the U.S. and the Afghan families she assisted. In addition to her regular duties, she contributed to developing classes for children and volunteered as a teacher. This direct involvement inspired a long-term goal of establishing a school in Liberia.

“I plan on going back to Liberia after graduate school just to get the idea of what I need to do first, but ultimately I want to get the foundation going to try and build, and then open, a school there,” says Dousuah.

As an Army veteran, Dousuah is committed to supporting service members and veterans dealing with mental health challenges. Her motivation stems from personal experiences working with soldiers struggling to access adequate behavioral health services and recognizing the insufficient support for Black women in particular.

“Our mental health is not taken as seriously as it should be. If I’m experiencing social anxiety I may not be comfortable in the situation, but that’s not how people see it,” says Dousuah. “They just label us as angry, and it puts a lot of pressure on us when it comes to our mental health.”

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, women veterans aged 26 or older are among the most vulnerable members of the veteran population when it comes to suffering major depressive episodes. Dousuah sees her studies as a way to integrate both goals.

“While my concentration is on the clinical side of social work, I’ve also been able to take AIP (Advanced Integrated Practice) classes, which are more policy-related in a way,” says Dousuah. “My classes are helping me implement what I’m learning into the idea of building the school.”

Dousuah also seized an opportunity to assist her fellow veterans by interning with the College of Law at the Betty and Michael D. Wohl Veterans Legal Clinic.

“The work that I do in my internship is compelling because I get to help other veterans, particularly veterans like me or going through things I’ve been through. It’s helped me understand the whole holistic aspect of connecting veterans to resources, some of which I knew nothing about before,” says Dousuah.

To learn more about military-connected students at Syracuse University, or the programs and services available to them, please visit the Office of Veteran and Military Affairs website.

An SU News story by Charlie Poag originally published on Feb. 26, 2024.

Ken Marfilius and Nick Armstrong are U.S. military veterans who have dedicated their lives to helping active military members, veterans, and their families.

Together, they have created a new and innovative partnership starting this spring that will greatly benefit veterans as well as students from the School of Social Work at Syracuse University’s Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics.

Marfilius, a U.S. Air Force veteran and assistant dean of online education and associate teaching professor in the School of Social Work, and Amstrong, a U.S. Army veteran and head of public sector at Cabana, teamed with Cabana Co-Founder and CEO David Black to form a partnership that will integrate their immersive group support technology into the School of Social Work’s curriculum and tap into the combined strengths and capabilities of both organizations.

“Our collaboration with Ken and Falk leverages our immersive support technology platform, Cabana, and combines it with Syracuse University’s academic excellence and its nationally recognized commitment to veterans,” Armstrong says. “Our plan includes hands-on initiatives such as internships, collaborative education, and joint research. These efforts will bring our partnership to fruition and strengthen our shared commitment to serving military communities.”

As Syracuse University’s first Post 9/11 GI Bill recipient, Armstrong earned his M.P.A. and Ph.D. from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs. He spent nine years at Syracuse’s D’Aniello Institute for Veterans and Military Affairs before joining Cabana, which builds innovative technology solutions that provide guided mental health support for employers, healthcare workers, and military professionals.

Marfilius, who received his bachelor’s degree in psychology from Syracuse and his M.S.W. and D.S.W. degrees from the University of Pennsylvania, developed the first military mental health course at Falk College, serves as Falk’s student veteran liaison, and led the creation of the partnership between Falk and Syracuse University’s College of Law that helps help veterans access the legal services they need.

So, when Armstrong reached out to Marfilius to discuss ways in which they could partner around the services Cabana provides to military populations, Marfilius jumped right in and started working with Armstrong and Black on the framework for their collaboration.

“I believe the partnership between Cabana and Falk College is innovative in social work education and mental wellness,” Marfilius says. “It offers the ability to integrate real-world internships and cutting-edge tele-mental health training into our curriculum. We can prepare our graduate students for the future of social work, ensuring they are not only skilled but also technologically adept.” Marfilius and Armstrong discuss this partnership on Cabana’s “You’re Always fine” podcast in an episode called “Building bridges in mental health.”

Here are the highlights of this unique partnership:

Cabana Internship.

Cabana will host one graduate student intern from the School of Social Work to support ongoing peer group support operations and psychoeducational content development. The intern will work under the supervision of Cabana’s head of mental wellness for a minimum of 500 hours.

Tele-Mental Health Training and Education Support.

Cabana will collaborate with Falk College faculty to embed its immersive group support technology into ongoing coursework and curricula to foster training and preparation of future social work professionals.

“The tele-behavioral health landscape is evolving rapidly, demanding practitioner and client adaptability to virtual environments,” Armstrong says. “Our partnership infuses Falk’s curriculum with leading-edge tools via Cabana’s underlying technology platform, better preparing students for client engagements through digital platforms.

“Moreover, Falk students, equipped with an advanced tier of military cultural competence, will enhance our clients’ experiences–and their future clients–with more relatable, informed support that builds trust and overcomes stigma,” Armstrong adds.

Military and Veteran Virtual Peer Groups.

Cabana will work with Falk faculty and its alumni network to assist ongoing virtual peer support groups for military and veterans starting this spring.

“This collaboration aligns with the Syracuse University mission to be the best place for vets, and it uniquely positions us to offer specialized support to our military and veteran communities,” Marfilius says. “Through virtual peer support groups and the development of tailored psychoeducational content, we are providing them with the essential mental health support they deserve.”

Military and Veteran Psychoeducational Content Development.

Cabana will work with Falk College faculty to review and evaluate Cabana content as a third-party reviewer.

“Engaging with industry partners allows us to bring practical, real-world experiences into our academic environment,” Marfilius says. “This partnership brings vast possibilities for research collaborations and advancement in peer interventions and group psychoeducation.”

CEU/Education Credits.

Falk College faculty will provide feedback, evaluate, and where appropriate, certify Cabana groups and content to satisfy New York State CEU (continuing education unit) requirements for wellbeing hours.

Research Collaborations.

As opportunities arise for Cabana and Falk College, the two entities agree to evaluate research collaborations and grant opportunities surrounding peer interventions, group psychoeducation, and other forms of mental health support.

“This collaboration aims to address the critical national shortage of mental health professionals, leveraging technology to extend reach and overcome barriers to access, especially for underserved populations,” Armstrong says. “It’s not just about serving more; it’s about serving smarter and cultivating a workforce ready for the challenges of today’s and tomorrow’s mental health landscape.”

Social Work students interested in getting involved in this partnership should email Marfilius at kjmarfil@syr.edu, or School of Social Work Director of Field Education Tracy Walker at ttwalker@syr.edu. Graduate students interested in the internship will go through an interview process with the School of Social Work and Cabana, and the intern will receive a modest stipend.

Veterans Day is a time for the Syracuse University community to come together and honor our veterans and active-duty military members for their service to their country.

Leading up to Veterans Day, three current student veterans who are active leaders on campus—Jack Pullano ’24, Benetta Dousuah G’25 and Raphael Grollmus ’24—reflect on their military careers, discuss the valuable lessons they learned through enlisting and share how the University is helping them achieve their academic goals and providing a blueprint for giving back to their communities.

Jack Pullano ’24

After earning his high school degree from Parishville-Hopkinton High School in Parishville, New York, Pullano couldn’t wait to enlist in the U.S. Air Force. He was so eager to serve his country that he took the first assignment he could: as a refueling journeyman for planes and helicopters.

“My dad told me I should wait it out and not do this contract because he didn’t think I would like the work, but I was a young, stubborn 18-year-old who didn’t want to listen to him,” says Pullano, a health and exercise science major in the Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics who is involved in the Syracuse University Student Veteran Organization. “Things played out in my favor. I didn’t enjoy refueling, but I was lucky to be on an Air Force Special Operations Command Base where there was a special fuel duty called the Special Operations Forward Area Refueling Point Team [FARP] that supports special operations command in combat locations. The tryout I had to go through for FARP was intense, and that experience started me down the path that led to Syracuse University,”

Branch of the military: U.S. Air Force, serving on the Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, Japan, helping fuel different kinds of aircraft. In his third year, Pullano was deployed to Afghanistan as part of a three-man FARP team. He served four years in the Air Force.

Why serve? “Because of my parents, Jim and Kelly. My dad joined the Air Force when he was young like me, doing one enlistment and then pursuing his education. My parents were always involved in my community growing up, especially with the sports I played. Seeing that community involvement probably instilled in me the service aspect that drives me today.”

Why Syracuse? “It was my personal interest in the human body from the intense physical tryout to get on the FARP team. I became interested not only in working out, but in what was causing changes to my body. I was learning about the human body by watching YouTube videos on how different muscles work. When I was looking at colleges, I wanted to pursue something I was interested in, and exercise science stood out to me. Syracuse has a strong program.”

How do you want to make a difference when you graduate? “Part of why I joined the military was the service aspect. Service was a goal of mine since I was young. When I got out of the Air Force, I wanted to continue to serve in ways that could be impactful to the community. Physical therapy drew my attention because of my past experiences and my drive to work one-on-one with patients trying to overcome an obstacle in their life. I’m currently interning at the VA [Veterans Affairs] Medical Center and that really opened my mind that I could not only continue with service that impacts people, but I could do it in the VA system, helping veterans with physical therapy.”

Benetta Dousuah G’25

When Dousuah was in the U.S. Army, she says soldiers dealing with mental health issues didn’t discuss their struggles openly, instead choosing to bottle up their emotions and their issues. Seeing the stigmas associated with mental health inspired Dousuah to pursue a master of social work degree from the Falk College.

“I want to be that person who lets you know that it’s okay to seek help if you’re struggling. I want to be that voice that says there shouldn’t be a stigma among military members who want to seek behavioral health and mental health help,” Dousuah says. “While I was in the service, a lot of people told me they were scared to seek help because they wouldn’t be promoted or they would be judged. I started going to behavioral health to let the soldiers know that it’s okay to admit you need help while bringing awareness to mental health,”

Branch of the military: Served as a sergeant in the U.S. Army. Stationed at both Fort Hood (now Fort Cavazos in Texas) and Fort Drum (Watertown, New York), Dousuah was involved in supply logistics, ensuring her company had everything they needed, from arranging broken equipment repairs to ordering supplies.

Why serve? “When I was younger, my mother used to remind me that I wanted to be a police officer. I don’t know why; all I know is from an early age I wanted to serve. The military allows you to go to college for free after your service is over, and that really appealed to me. I’ve always known I wanted to earn a college degree and be part of something bigger than myself.”

Why Syracuse? “I wanted to be somewhere where I could not only feel at home, but still feel like I’m connected to the military family. I chose Syracuse because of its reputation as a military-friendly school, but also because of the pride people take in going to Syracuse. It’s like being in the Army. When you meet someone who was in the Army, we’re proud of our service and will usually say, ‘Go Army.’ The same is true for someone who attended Syracuse. They always say, ‘Go Orange,’ and I’m blessed to be part of that community. I’ve been introduced to so many resources available to veterans.”

How do you want to make a difference when you graduate? “Right now, I’m the first Wendy Goidel Scholar, and through my work at the Betty and Michael D. Wohl Veterans Law Clinic, I connect our veterans to the available resources within the community. I have a passion for working with veterans, and this scholarship has been a great fit. When I graduate, I want to work at the VA Medical Center here in Syracuse, but I also want to work with at-risk African American youths. I feel like my story could be every young Black girl’s dream—coming from nothing, serving my country in the military and then earning a master’s degree. I could be an inspiration to others who want to follow my path.”

Raphael Grollmus ’24

Grollmus didn’t need to look far in his family tree to understand why military service was important. Grollmus became the sixth member of his family to enroll when he joined the U.S. Marine Corps in 2012. While he enjoyed his time, Grollmus always knew he wanted to utilize the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill to earn a college degree. Today, Grollmus is working toward a bachelor’s degree with a double major in forensic science and psychology in the College of Arts and Sciences.

“The time I served better prepared me for not only going to Syracuse, but life in general. I learned to think critically and to assess a situation before reacting,” Grollmus says. “For the student veterans at Syracuse, there are so many tools and resources available to us. Many veterans I talk with didn’t know all of the resources they had when they went back to school, but that’s where Syracuse has excelled. They take care of their veterans.”

Branch of the military: Served in the U.S. Marine Corps for nine years as a military policeman at the Marine Corps Air Station at Iwakuni, Japan, and at Camp Pendleton (Oceanside, California). Later, Grollmus assisted in combat operations as a forensic analyst stationed in the Middle East in Kuwait, Jordan, Bahrain and Iraq. After reenlisting, Grollmus finished his Marine security guard training and was stationed at the U.S. Embassy in Bamako, Mali, and the U.S. Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

Why serve? “My mother, brother and sister were all in the Army. My grandfather on my mom’s side, Hank, fought in World War II, while my grandfather on my dad’s side, Paul, fought in the Korean War, so I grew up knowing the importance of service. After I graduated from high school, I enlisted in the Marines’ delayed entry program and ended up serving nine years. It goes back to my time as a military policeman. I want to protect people from the bad things that could happen to them. I also want to give back to people who have been wronged or been taken advantage of. I can’t go back in time and right the wrongs, but moving forward I can help give back to them.”

Why Syracuse? “When we were in the Middle East, we did forensics work and I was lucky enough to go to a monthlong forensic bootcamp. When transitioning out of the Marines, I wanted to study something I actually enjoyed. What we did in the Middle East was probably the most influential work from my military career and I was proud of what I was able to contribute. I wanted to keep doing forensic science and Syracuse has a great forensic science program. All the classes I’ve taken have been fantastic.”

How do you want to make a difference when you graduate? “My dream job would be working for one of those three-letter agencies [i.e., the Federal Bureau of Investigation]. That’s shooting for the stars, but I’d love to enter government service. But right now I’m taking a forensic pathology course that is fascinating and I genuinely love it. Crime scene investigation is a really interesting career path to consider.”

An SU story by John Boccacino previously published on November 9, 2023.

Alejandro Garcia, Professor Emeritus of social work in Falk College, died Nov. 17, 2023. He was 83.

A professor of social work at Syracuse University since 1978, Garcia is known as a and an exceptionally generous and engaged colleague, teacher, and scholar whose many contributions extend well beyond the University’s boundaries. He taught gerontology, social policy, and human diversity courses for over 43 years, shaping Falk College’s School of Social Work and generations of students. He held the Jocelyn Falk Endowed Professorship of Social Work at the time of his retirement in 2021.

“Alejandro possessed a deep personal commitment to advancing social, racial, and economic justice, particularly for older adults, Hispanics, and many others,” says Eric Kingson, also a professor in Falk College’s School of Social Work and close friend of Garcia for 45 years. “He made lifelong connections with people and had an impact on so many lives as a social worker, teacher, mentor, advocate, and scholar—and as a friend. The kind of friend that is more like family.”

Carrie Smith, professor in Falk College’s School of Social Work remembers Garcia as a treasured member of the social work, Falk College, and Syracuse University communities, and one of the first people to welcome her to the School of Social Work more than 28 years ago. “His interest and reach beyond the University are evident in the numerous awards and commendations that he has received over a lifetime of dedicated service to advancing social justice and improving the lives of all people, especially those who have experienced oppression,” she says. “He was a dedicated professional and he worked tirelessly to teach his students to understand the importance of committed, competent, and sometimes courageous social work endeavors.

“I am indebted to him for his kindness and generosity to me through the years. He will be missed, but, just as importantly, he will always be remembered,” Smith adds.

Raised in one of the poorest neighborhoods in Brownsville, Texas, Garcia was one of six children of parents who migrated from Mexico. After learning English in grade school, he was recognized as an outstanding student. His musical talent propelled him into the best high school in Brownsville at a time when discrimination and racism limited such opportunities.

Garcia was one of very few Hispanics studying at the University of Texas, and after graduation he enlisted in the United States Army. He earned his Master of Social Work (M.S.W.) degree at California State University Sacramento where, years later, he received the “Distinguished Service Award d was designated by its School of Social Work as “The Social Work Educator of the Decades,” He was recruited by the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) to fill a new leadership role as the National Student Coordinator.

Encouraged by NASW leadership to pursue doctoral studies, Garcia was accepted a few years later at Brandeis University’s Florence Heller School for Advanced Studies in Social Welfare. That led to one of the very first studies of the economic status of elder Chicanos and Chicanas, a dissertation entitled “The Contribution of Social Security to the Adequacy of Income of Elderly Mexican Americans.” An elected member of the National Academy of Social Insurance and Fellow of the Gerontological Society of America, he was also designated by the NASW as a “Social Work Pioneer.”

Jennifer Genovese, assistant teaching professor in the School of Social Work, first met Garcia when she was a student at Syracuse. Garcia was one of her professors, and when she received her M.S.W. in 1983, he spoke at the Convocation ceremony.

Genovese recalls the words he shared that day, which were later published in his article, “Reflections of a Latino in the Social Work Profession” (2014):

I suggest that there has never been a greater need for the social work profession to be the conscience of society. Now is the time to be heard: to reiterate our commitment to those who cannot care for themselves, to condemn an era of narcissism and ethnocentricity, and to re-establish the spirit of humanitarianism that has been an essential ingredient of American society. We must be heard. We must speak and be guided by the spirit that emanates from the depths of our hearts and the wisdom of our minds. We have guiding principles that speak to the dignity of the individual and advocacy for the downtrodden. With our voices in unison, we can be heard, and we can work toward effective change. We can regain our place as the conscience of American society. We must keep our priorities clear: We have a responsibility to those who cannot provide for themselves. We have responsibilities to continues aggressive efforts toward the eradication of poverty, racism, sexism, and homophobia. We cannot allow our society to capitulate to narcissistic, self-serving interest. We cannot allow what Carl Rowen calls “a spirit of meanness” to pervade this county. We must make certain that terms like compassion, commitment, social justice, and equality continue to be an integral part of our essential vocabulary and focus. Only then can we affirm the meaning of our profession.

“Dr. Alejandro Garcia’s inspirational words from 1983 continue to ring true in 2023 and remain part of his everlasting legacy,” says Genovese.

Over the years, Garcia served in many other leadership roles, including most recently as an Emeritus Board Member of the Syracuse Rescue Mission, Chair of AARP’s National Policy Council, Chair of the National Hispanic Council on Aging, member of the boards at the Syracuse’s Spanish Action League and the Council of Social Work Education and NASW. He received the Scholar/Teacher of the Year award at Syracuse University and was recognized as a “Hometown Hero” by its National Veterans Resource Center. He served as the Director of the School of Social Work for two years and in many other leadership roles.

Garcia co-edited three books, including “Elderly Latinos: Issues and Solutions for the 21st Century” (with Marta Sotomayor in 1993), “HIV Affected and Vulnerable Youth Prevention Issues and Approaches” (with Susan Taylor-Brown in 1999), and “La Familia: Traditions and Realities” (with Sotomayor in 1999). He also authored numerous articles and book chapters and served on the editorial boards of several Social Work Journals and the Encyclopedia of Social Work.

Most notably, Garcia was a remarkably kind, generous, and gregarious man who loved spending time with family and friends sharing his humor, laughter, and broad knowledge of art, literature, Hispanic culture, Social Work, Syracuse, and so much more.

The Falk College family extends its deepest sympathy to Dr. Alejandro Garcia’s family, friends, colleagues, and students.

By faculty colleagues of Alejandro Garcia. Obituary excerpts used with permission of the author.

The idea of merging social work principles and practices with the sports industry is an emerging field, and Syracuse University is at the forefront with a new undergraduate course scheduled to start in fall 2024 in the School of Social Work at the Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics.

Introduction to Sport Social Work is an elective course created by Associate Teaching Professor of Social Work Ken Marfilius in collaboration with Rachel Hamilton, a master’s of social work student who’s currently interning with the Syracuse Athletics Department. Marfilius will teach the course and Hamilton will be his research assistant, and here’s an excerpt from the course description:

Introduction to Sport Social Work: Applying a strength-based perspective to promote the health and wellbeing of student-athletes through a social justice framework. Through course readings, students will learn about sport social work theory, interprofessional collaboration, and understanding well-being issues of athletes. Course assignments will help students gain knowledge in applying strength-based perspectives within engagement, assessment, and interventions with athletes.

In recent years, more professional and collegiate sports teams have added mental health professionals to their staffs. But a professional with a social work degree provides teams with what Hamilton describes as a “macro and micro mix.”

“You’ve got an individual who can see something from the micro level of the individual who’s right in front of them, but also can zoom out and look at the societal trends, the trends within athletics, and the policies in place to evaluate what can be done to improve those policies and make it easier for athletes to feel supported in their mental health and well-being,” Hamilton says.

“With social workers, it’s that vast scale and scope of skill sets that makes the difference,” Hamilton adds. “It’s not just a clinical degree. It can be, if that’s what you want it to be, but as an advanced clinical student, I’m also having to take classes like social welfare policy that are more organizationally based and macro-based. With that knowledge, even if I do just want to work one-on-one with an individual, I still have the ability and the skill set to look at it from the macro perspective.”

Jon Mitchell joined the Syracuse Athletics Department in the newly created position of senior associate athletics director, sports medicine, in October 2022. Mitchell oversees sports medicine, strength and conditioning, nutrition, and mental health, and he says he’s learning from Marfilius and Hamilton the many ways in which social work principles benefit student-athletes.

“It’s never been a part of our program before, and Rachel and Ken are educating me about utilizing it because we want to have as many tools in our toolbox as possible,” Mitchell says. “In college athletics, we are continually challenged to identify new ways to best serve our student-athletes, and this program has the potential to provide us with another resource to help serve the bigger purpose.”

‘Mental Health Linchpin’

Marfilius and Hamilton are both former athletes; Marfilius was a member of the rowing team at Syracuse University, and Hamilton was a member of a varsity cross-country team in Maine that won multiple high school state championships. Hamilton’s husband is former Syracuse football player Macky MacPherson, who went on to play for the NFL’s Buffalo Bills and coach Division I college football.

“We have many dinner conversations about the effects of college sports on student-athletes,” Hamilton says, smiling.

Hamilton, a student member of the Alliance for Social Workers in Sport and the Association for Applied Sport Psychology, is the first social work student to intern in the Athletics Department. Marfilius, an Air Force veteran whose primary research focus has been on military populations and veterans, had started building a course on social work and sports and was assigned as Hamilton’s field placement supervisor for her internship with athletics.

Together, they refined the course that Marfilius had started to build by incorporating that “macro” strength-based view that goes beyond general mental health support.

“It could be a student-athlete who comes from a challenging background with adverse childhood experiences and what we find, just like with the military, is that at 18 years old those experiences aren’t left behind,” Marfilius says. “They bring those with them–in addition to the pressure and the competition and the academics–and we look at both individual needs and systemic and structural needs of student-athletes and organizations.”

Marfilius says social workers can serve as a team’s “mental health linchpin,” helping directly with mental health-related issues or making referrals to other mental health professionals when appropriate. Mitchell says he views social workers as another potential source of education for student-athletes who don’t know what resources are available or have tried to cope privately with their problems because they didn’t want to seek help.

“We want to build trust by educating them and letting them know we have their best interests at heart,” Mitchell says. “If they can trust us when everything is going great, it increases the trust when things are not going as well.”

A Growing Demand

In addition to student-athletes, Marfilius says the new course is ideal for any student across campus who’s interested in sports administration, coaching, or working in some way with athletes from high school through professional. Falk College is a natural fit for the course because it houses the School of Social Work along with sports-related programs such as sport management, sport analytics, health, and exercise science, and starting in 2024, esports.

“I was interested in working with student-athletes, but there were not a lot of universities, if any, that have a social work program that’s so heavily integrated into a school that offered sport management and sport analytics and all those things,” Hamilton says. “I believe that’s why I was able to break into the athletics department for my internship hours.”

Hamilton says her internship started with her interest in working with student-athletes on their mental health challenges but has evolved to look at how student-athletes can be supported from a systemic level. With a guest speaker list that includes athletics administrators and coaches from inside and outside the university, Marfilius says the Sport Social Work course will provide students a similar opportunity to explore both sides.

“Just that exposure alone, and to have that understanding of what sport social work really is at a macro level, allows them to then look at their career trajectory in a different way,” Marfilius says. “But also, as a career choice, we have more folks who are entering this niche of a field.”

Indeed, the marriage of social work and sport may be the next frontier for the sports industry, which is always seeking a competitive edge. Hamilton says her long-range goal is creating a sport social work program at Syracuse that will meet what will eventually be a growing demand for social workers in the industry.

“Sports acts like a microcosm; there are leadership positions and administrative positions where you can utilize your social work skills to perform well,” Hamilton says. “There are support roles, mental health roles, and your traditional counseling roles, but also this skill set is invaluable to help navigate personality dynamics and group dynamics, and understanding the ways in which you can integrate and use those skills.”

Since 2014, June has been designated by the federal government as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Awareness Month, bringing attention to the serious mental health condition some individuals develop after experiencing or witnessing a life-threatening or traumatic event.

While PTSD is often discussed as it relates to the veteran population, data from the National Center for PTSD show that veterans are only slightly more likely to experience PTSD than the general population. Around 7% of veterans and 6% of all adults will have PTSD at some point in their lives and approximately 12 million adults suffer from it in any given year.

To shed further light on this important topic, SU News interviewed Xiafei Wang, an assistant professor of social work in Falk College. Wang studies the transmission of intergenerational trauma, how trauma-affected individuals and families can develop resiliency, and how such factors as race, gender, disability, and military service impact trauma and resilience. Wang shares her insights and research on these topics and more in this Q&A.