Dedicated this fall, the Writing Center celebrates the lasting legacy of a beloved member of the Ģ����Ƶ College faculty. Dr. Ilacqua inspired generations of students through her tireless dedication to teaching writing for publication and empowering young writers to find their voices. That includes 2026 Simon Ģ����Ƶ Award recipient Lynne Parker Davis ’78, who endowed the Center. Davis credited Ilacqua with teaching her students that the creative can also be enormously practical, and that the study of English is a springboard to success. In particular, Ilacqua created internships with local companies to provide undergraduates with experience in advertising, journalism and creative writing, kick-starting many thriving careers.

During the dedication ceremony, Director of the Writing Center Matthew Fledderjohann, Ph.D., reflected on Ģ����Ƶ’s commitment to investing in writing at time when, as he put it, the growth of AI “hasn’t made composition irrelevant; rather, it has amplified the importance of the kind of careful deliberation and critical inquiry that writing makes possible.”

In addition to its investment in writing, the College is also dedicating resources to promoting adult literacy locally, nationally and globally through the Ruth Colvin Adult Learning Center. Endowed by Christopher ’79 and Karin Curtis, the Adult Learning Center honors the work, energy and imagination of a pioneer of the modern adult literacy movement with deep roots in Syracuse. Ruth Colvin founded Literacy Volunteers of America, now ProLiteracy Worldwide, in 1962. The center named in her honor will provide pathways to further learning, meaningful employment, and full participation in civic and community life.

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• A profile titled in Solis Magazine, a publication of the Syracuse Diocese.
• An about AI and how Jesuit education can help guide the discussion

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As a surgical physician assistant, Maggie Narrigan ’06, PA ’07 finds deep meaning in assisting with delicate procedures, monitoring her patients’ recoveries, and helping them manage potential complications. However, it is often the simple, unexpected moments that most resonate with Narrigan. She recalls spending much of one shift simply sitting with a patient who was alone, talking to him, keeping him company and, she hopes, lifting his spirits. That desire to be present for others drives Narrigan as a clinician, educator and mentor to those entering the field.��

A native of Adams Center, New York, Narrigan earned both her undergraduate degree in biology and her master’s degree in physician assistant studies at Ģ����Ƶ. Today she is one of thousands of Dolphins working in healthcare in Central New York (CNY) and beyond. Narrigan has spent the past 20 years caring for patients in the region. Every interaction she has is guided by her expertise in clinical medicine – and by her commitment to honoring the Jesuit principle of cura personalis and seeing the individual in front of her as a whole person.��

Beyond caring for and advocating on behalf of her patients, Narrigan dedicates herself to helping train the next generation of healthcare professionals. She is a professor in Ģ����Ƶ’s Department of Physician Assistant Studies Program and serves as a coach for PA students in the College’s Healthcare Opportunities for Professional and Educational Success (HOPES) program. The program helps graduate students in healthcare address whatever challenges they may face in being successful in their programs, whether those challenges are academic, financial or personal. Narrigan also developed a program in CNY that aids new PAs and family nurse practitioners in making the transition from graduate school to full-time practice, and serves as the president of the New York State Society for Physician Associates. Narrigan calls it a privilege to be able to use her skillset not just to practice medicine at a high level and care for her sickest patients, but to grow the number of qualified caregivers in the region.��

In addition to her degrees from Ģ����Ƶ, Narrigan earned a master’s degree in organizational management and will soon be completing a doctoral degree in business with a concentration in organizational management. Her doctoral work focuses on the transition to practice models that are needed to help professionals launch their careers in healthcare.��

This is part of a series of stories about the Ģ����Ƶ College Dolphins who are using their Ģ����Ƶ educations to power Central New York.

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There’s a question a lot of students carry with them to college:

It’s a big question. And for many, it�� comes with a lot of pressure to have the answer before you begin your college career.

But Meredith Tornabene, director of career advising and development, offered a different perspective when she sat down with The Ģ����Ƶ Way podcast.

She recalled a piece of advice former Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh shared during a visit to Ģ����Ƶ: Don’t worry about figuring out what you’re going to do for the rest of your life. Focus on what’s next.

It’s a philosophy she brings to her work with students every day.

It’s Okay Not to Know

Career support at Ģ����Ƶ begins from the moment a student arrives on The Heights. In her role, Tornabene works with students at every stage of the journey from those just beginning to explore their options to those preparing to take their next step after graduation.

And one thing she sees again and again?

Uncertainty.

Students worry they’re behind. That they should have a clear plan. That everyone else has it figured out.

But her experience shows that’s rarely the case.

“Most of your peers are in the same boat,” she explains. Some have just chosen a major to feel like they have an answer.

Being undecided isn’t a weakness.

It’s honesty.

Finding Your Direction

Tornabene’s own path wasn’t perfectly linear.

She started college pursuing journalism, drawn to writing and storytelling. But along the way, she realized that the path she was on didn’t quite fit.

What made the difference wasn’t having a perfect plan.

It was paying attention.

Through involvement outside the classroom like mentoring peers, working with advisors, and reflecting on where she felt most energized, she began to see a different direction take shape.

That led her to a career helping students navigate the same questions she once faced.

Small Steps Create Momentum

When students feel overwhelmed, Tornabene encourages them to think smaller.

Not smaller in what they want to achieve, but smaller in steps.

Instead of trying to map out an entire future, she suggests focusing on what’s right in front of you:

• Have one conversation
• Attend one event
• Explore one opportunity

“An object in motion stays in motion,” she says, “and once you start moving, clarity tends to follow.”

Those small steps build momentum.

And momentum builds confidence.

Rethinking Success

Early on, Tornabene admits she thought success meant something external: prestige, recognition, the ability to say you were part of something impressive.

But over time, that definition changed.

Now, success looks different.

It’s about doing work that feels meaningful. Making an impact. Feeling aligned with what you’re doing and why you’re doing it.

It’s also about asking better questions:

Am I doing this because it’s right for me?
Or because it looks good to someone else?

The Power of Curiosity

One of the most important mindsets Tornabene encourages is curiosity.

Not judgment. Not pressure.

Curiosity.

What interests you?
What gives you energy?
What might you want to explore next?

When you approach your path with curiosity, setbacks feel different. They’re not failures, they’re information.

They help you adjust, refine, and move forward.

You’re Not Meant to Do This Alone

At Ģ����Ƶ, career exploration isn’t something students have to navigate on their own.

From faculty and advisors to career development staff, support is built into the experience from the first day you set foot on The Heights.

But there’s one step students always have to take themselves:

Show up.

Ask questions. Start conversations. Take advantage of the resources around you.

Because the people here are ready to help. You just have to let them in.

Start Where You Are

You don’t need a five-year plan.

You don’t need every answer.

You just need a starting point.

And sometimes, that’s as simple as asking:

What’s next?

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Gina Cittadino ’25 traces her fascination with dentistry back to the first tooth she lost. Like many children, Cittadino asked lots of questions when she first discovered that wiggly incisor, and even more when she was eventually fitted for braces. By the time she was in high school, the New Hartford, New York, native knew that she wanted to become a dentist. Her years on the Heights, where she majored in

Today when Cittadino is in the classroom she reflects on her undergraduate courses in microbiology, organic chemistry, and anatomy and physiology. Not only did they ready her for the dental school entrance exam, but they also left her well-prepared for graduate school itself. It is enormously helpful to hear one of her professors reference a particular muscle in the mouth and already understand how it helps control chewing, for example. Cittadino also draws on skills she cultivated at Ģ����Ƶ as a member of the swimming and diving team, student government representative, and resident adviser – namely the capacity to lead, to problem solve and to communicate effectively. Additionally, she found that the College’s Health Professions Advisory Committee was a wonderful resource for her when it came time to select the graduate schools to which she applied, gather references and prepare for her interviews.��

When Cittadino saw her first patient for a cleaning, it reaffirmed�� that dentistry is a perfect use for her passion for science, working with her hands and interacting with others. What’s more, dentistry aligns with the Jesuit principle of cura personalis, or care for the whole person, that undergirded her College experience. Today whether she is learning about the structure of the mouth in a lecture or practicing injecting anesthesia in the lab, Cittadino finds herself reflecting on what draws her to this work. Caring for people’s smiles has ripple effects, from improving their overall health, to boosting their self confidence. As Cittadino puts it, “Your mouth reflects how the rest of your body is doing.”��

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The opportunities that Dan Feeley

Feeley’s time on the Heights equipped him well for this upcoming role. Not only did he learn to evaluate data, run economic models and measure consumer behaviors, but he also cultivated his ability to communicate, collaborate and problem solve in a rapidly changing environment. The marriage of the analytical and interpersonal will serve him well as he builds his career. The Buffalo, New York, native hopes to use his work in banking to help combat economic inequality, an aspiration that closely aligns with Ģ����Ƶ’s Jesuit mission of service to others.

As he discerned which vocation would best fit him, Feeley worked closely with the College’s Office of Career Advising and Development (CAD), crafting his résumé, honing his interviewing skills and identifying professional connections. Today he uses what he learned there to help other undergraduates as a student ambassador for CAD. Whether he is helping another Dolphin craft a LinkedIn profile or simply offering a word of encouragement, it is a way for him to give back and to reflect on a process that ultimately led to his role at Capital One.

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Founded in 2016, A Tiny Home for Good’s mission is to end homelessness in Syracuse by building homes on vacant lots or renovate derelict properties, which are then rented to an individual or family who has faced homelessness. His nonprofit has built 23 tiny homes and refurbished almost two dozen other properties.

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Chris Granozio ’86 and Don Familo ’86 attended their first Ģ����Ƶ basketball game in the fall of 1982 and were – by their own admission – immediately hooked. Nearly 44 years later, what began as a way for these friends to spend a winter afternoon has grown into an opportunity for them to give back to the school they love. This fall Granozio and Familo will begin their 35th season as the voices of the College’s men’s basketball team, calling games for a local radio and web audience. Of all the radio duos now providing commentary for NCAA Division I men’s basketball, only one has been doing so longer.

The graduates’ passion for using the intonation and inflection in their voices to paint a picture of what is happening on the court has guided them through nearly 1,000 broadcasts to date. That includes a regional title, a trip to the Elite 8, and a headline-grabbing upset over the nationally ranked Syracuse University Orange in 2009. The latter remains their favorite moment and memory, with their call of the game’s final seconds – and the winning shot – highlighted on ESPN’s SportsCenter that evening and the following day.

More recently, Granozio and Familo have borne witness to Ģ����Ƶ’s transition from Division II to Division I athletics, which they described as “transcendent.” This move has meant new opportunities not just for the team, which has taken on increasingly larger schools, like Villanova and Georgetown, but also for the broadcasters, who have found themselves interviewing legends like former University of Notre Dame men’s basketball coach Digger Phelps and Boston Globe sports columnist Bob Ryan during their halftime reports. They also launched their own show, Dinner with the Dolphins, in which they interview players and coaches from the men’s and women’s teams weekly throughout the season to discuss all things basketball. What’s more, they have seen the team grow exponentially without losing the sense of camaraderie and community that characterize all 22 of Ģ����Ƶ’s athletic programs.

But perhaps what this team cherishes most about its journey is how organic it has been.

“If you had asked me on Dec. 1, 1992, when we worked our first game at Pace University in a basement gym underneath the Brooklyn Bridge, how long I’d want to do this, I probably would’ve said: ‘Let’s finish out this season and see where we are after that,’ “Granozio recalled. “There was no way on Earth I could’ve predicted what that would eventually become, and I’m quite certain Don feels the same way.

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