News

The May 1 session of the Institute for Retired People (IRP) will feature Casey Crabill, president of Onondaga Community College. Crabill will talk about his first year as president of the college and how OCC will continue to reach out to its students and community.

IRP meets from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at First Baptist Church of Syracuse, 5833 East Seneca Turnpike, Jamesville.  The meeting is open to anyone in the community who is retired or semi-retired.

For more information, visit http://uc.syr.edu/irp, call Colleen at 315-443-4846, or e-mail cmkarlho@syr.edu.

IRP is a community program of University College of Syracuse University, dedicated to the principle of lifelong learning.

 

The Onondaga Citizens League (OCL) released its new study report, “Early Childhood and School Readiness: Creating a Community Where All Children Thrive by Five” at a conference on April 14 at WCNY.

The report, co-chaired by OCL board members Laurie Black of Syracuse 20/20 and Paul Predmore of the Bousquet Holstein law firm, focuses on the importance of early childhood experiences to kindergarten readiness and calls for a community-wide coalition made up of key stakeholders to address early childhood issues from birth to age five in a more strategic, data-driven fashion.

“Our community is already well-equipped and committed to addressing early childhood issues, and as a result of this study process, real progress is already being made in establishing a community coalition that we hope will ensure better coordination and better outcomes for all of our children,” says Predmore.

Over the past year, the study committee convened study sessions with OCL members, representatives of local organizations with an interest in early childhood issues and experts in childhood development and early learning. Study committee members reviewed numerous reports, studies and articles and conducted interviews with other stakeholders and parents involved in local social service and educational programs.

In the final report, they reviewed the early childhood programs and initiatives in Onondaga County and best practices from other communities, in order to make recommendations that will aid in achieving the goal of having all children entering school kindergarten ready. 

The Onondaga Citizens League fosters informed public discourse by identifying and studying critical community issues affecting Central New York, developing recommendations for action, and communicating study findings to interested and affected groups. For more information, or to view the full study, visit http://onondagacitizensleague.org.

The April 17 session of the Institute for Retired People (IRP) will feature Katelyn Wright, executive director of the Greater Syracuse Land Bank. Wright will discuss the 165 dilapidated, decaying, and/or tax delinquent properties that the Land Bank has acquired since its inception in 2013. She will share how the city acquires the properties, how the Land Bank is creating jobs and more.

IRP meets from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at First Baptist Church of Syracuse, 5833 East Seneca Turnpike, Jamesville. The meeting is open to anyone in the community who is retired or semi-retired.

For more information, visit http://uc.syr.edu/irp, call Colleen at 315-443-4846, or e-mail cmkarlho@syr.edu.

IRP is a community program of University College of Syracuse University, dedicated to the principle of lifelong learning.

The April 3 session of the Institute for Retired People (IRP) will feature Ted Fox, director, Rosamond Gifford Zoo and Janet Agostini, president of Friends of the Zoo.

They will discuss the long history of the zoo at Burnet Park and the growth and improvements that have developed over the last 100 years –from the original four-acre facility to the present 43 acres, home to 700 animals.

IRP meets from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at First Baptist Church of Syracuse, 5833 E. Seneca Turnpike, Jamesville.  The meeting is open to anyone in the community who is retired or semi-retired.

For more information, visit http://uc.syr.edu/irp, call Colleen at 315-443-4846, or e-mail cmkarlho@syr.edu.

IRP is a community program of University College of Syracuse University, dedicated to the principle of lifelong learning.

Establishing goals for professional success is important, and few are more knowledgeable than William Smullen, director of National Security Studies at the Maxwell School and former chief of staff to Secretary of State Colin L. Powell. Smullen is releasing a new book in April, “Ways and Means for Managing Up.” Smullen describes how taking care of business by managing up not only provides a strategic advantage in moving you from one good job to the next; it is a value-added proposition for the organization and the people in it. “Managing yourself and others well is of paramount importance in your professional life,” Smullen says.

Smullen served 30 years in the U.S. Army, reporting directly to two joint chiefs of staff and to Secretary of State Powell. His book builds on firsthand experience with leaders in charge of millions of people and billions of dollars and describes tips and techniques that helped him and the leaders he served succeed. Smullen will describe how his experience can help other professionals in a three-part seminar titled, “Charting Your Professional Path.”

The first seminar, “Ways and Means for Managing Up,” is scheduled for Thursday, April 10, at University College’s TEDCenter. The other seminar topics, “Communicating in Times of Crisis” and “Strategic Thinking/Strategic Planning,” will be held in June. He will be joined by executive coach and business consultant Connie Whitton, who was the former assistant vice president at Strategic Initiatives at SRC Inc. in Syracuse.

Professionals who are interested in advancing their careers are invited to register for the seminar(s) at http://tedcenter.syr.edu/advancecareer/. Participants will obtain an advanced, signed copy of Smullen’s new book, and have the opportunity to practice techniques to build confidence and understanding of when to use the skills taught. Class size is limited. Discounts apply when registering for all three classes. For more information, contact Andrea German-Willis at 315-443-5241 or ajgerman@syr.edu.