The Association of College Unions International (ACUI) has recognized the transformation of the Schine Student Center at Syracuse University by Mackey Mitchell Architects and Ashley McGraw Architects with a 2023 Facility Design Award of Excellence. The project was recognized as the best project in the extremely competitive Student Union Projects between $35 and $55 million category. The 2023 awards were announced during the ACUI Annual Conference in Boston, Massachusetts on February 28, 2023.

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Nicholas Williams, Principal and Director of our Mid-Atlantic Office, was a featured panelist at the Facades+ Conference on February 14, 2023 in Washington, DC. Facades+ is the premier conference on high-performance building enclosures. Nick was a panelist for “Sustainable Public Spaces: Mass Timber, Net-Zero Energy, & Facade Strategies.”

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“Designing Spaces for the Whole Student” was an engaging and interactive session that explored the emerging and evolving needs of today’s students, the meaning of the “Whole Student,” and the role of stakeholder engagement in executing spaces to support these evolving needs. The session was presented by Susanne Angarano, Principal / Senior Interior Designer, at the 2023 SUNY/PPAA & NYAPPA Winter Conference on January 31, 2023 in Saratoga Springs, New York.

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Calvin Ahn, Principal, and Susanne Angarano, Principal / Senior Interior Designer, co-presented “All Are Welcome Here: Transforming the Schine Student Center” at the 2022 ERAPPA Conference on Tuesday, September 20 at the Turning Stone Casino. Joining Calvin and Susanne for the presentation was Robert Hradsky, Vice President for the Student Experience and Dean of Students, Division of the Student Experience, at Syracuse University. Attendees learned how the nexus of principles of Universal Design, student-centered design, and planning for diversity, equity, and inclusion can increase student engagement while advancing a welcoming campus experience and how diversity and inclusion change the process of design and the design itself.

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Nicholas Signorelli, Principal, and Catherine Wolfe, Associate Principal / Senior Interior Designer, hosted an interactive panel discussion, “The Aspirational Leader: Holistic Understanding that Builds Agency” at the 2022 New York State Council of School Superintendents (NYSCOSS) Fall Leadership Summit in Saratoga Springs, NY. This interactive session demonstrated the entire arc of an aspirational leader – from the school level to the community level and beyond. The panel discussion with school leaders included Jeremy Belfield, Superintendent of Schools, LaFayette Central School District; Daniel Henner, Superintendent of Schools, Liverpool Central School District; and Douglas Lawrence, Deputy Superintendent, Liverpool Central School District.

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Calvin Ahn, Principal, co-wrote “All Are Welcome Here: Syracuse University’s Schine Student Center Renovation” for APPA’s March/April 2022 issue of Facilities Manager magazine. Calvin partnered with John Burse, Principal of Mackey Mitchell Architects on the article about the two firm’s transformation of the Schine Student Center that also sought to change the way students engage through the lenses of diversity, equity, and inclusion.

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Calvin Ahn, Principal, co-presented “All Are Welcome Here: Transforming the Schine Student Center” at the Society for College and University Planning (SCUP) North Atlantic Conference on March 17, 2022. The conference was held in Amherst, MA. Along with Calvin, presenting on the transformation of the Syracuse University Schine Student Center was John Burse, Principal of Mackey Mitchell Architects, and Joseph Alfieri, Director of Campus Planning, Design and Construction at Syracuse University.

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On Thursday, July 22, 2021, Calvin Ahn, Principal, presented “A New Nexus for Campus Design” at the 2021 APPA Virtual Summit. Ahn was joined by John Burse, Principal of Mackey Mitchell Architects, and Joseph Alfieri, Director of Campus Planning, Design and Construction at Syracuse University. As campuses embrace many changing trends and expectations, incorporating them into renovations in an integrated way brings tremendous challenges. Syracuse University faced this challenge as they approached the substantial renovation of their campus center - the Schine Student Center. The recently completed renovation of Schine represents the nexus of three significant trends: Universal Design, Student-Centered Design, and Design for Diversity and Inclusion.

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On Thursday, March 25, 2021, Matthew Broderick, President of Ashley McGraw Architects, and Susanne Angarano, Principal of Vaysen Studio, presented “A Whole Systems Approach to Post-Pandemic Visioning” during the 2021 SUNY PPAA & NYAPPA Winter Conference (held virtually). The intent of the session was to provide space for and facilitate a guided discussion around Post-Pandemic Visioning for higher education institutions. From physical facilities and infrastructure, to educational Delivery and academic goals, to student wellness and operations, they zeroed in on what the key areas of concern are and worked together to find connections and opportunities to help move forward, in service not only to a safe and healthy Campus after the Pandemic, but also for future planning.

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On Monday, March 8, 2021, Nicholas Signorelli, Principal, and Catherine Wolfe, Associate Principal, presented “The Path Forward: Finding Opportunities in Disruptions” during the 2021 NYSCOSS Winter Institute virtual conference. They were joined by Dr. Peter Smith, Superintendent of Jamesville-DeWitt Central School District. Since the onset of the global pandemic, educational systems around the world have been faced with significant disruption. In a time marked by an incredible change comes a need for an incredible response.

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