Aaron '27

Majors: Linguistic Studies and International Relations

Minors: Russian and Finance 

Orange Trivia: Is on the finance board of OttoTHON, the University’s largest student-run philanthropic organization, raising over $100,000 annually for Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital. 

“Giving is important because it creates programs that will produce the next generation of leaders, scholars and innovators. Giving is how we secure the future of Syracuse University.” 

Describe your Syracuse experience.

My Syracuse experience can be adequately captured in one word: electric. I wake up every morning ready to embark on the adventure that each new day brings. I never know what sorts of emails might find their way to my inbox or who I might bump into on the Quad. Syracuse pulses with a current of opportunity unlike anything I have ever encountered before. 

How is the College of Arts and Sciences preparing you for your future career? 

A&S at Syracuse challenges you to think. One of the most highly sought-after skills in the modern workplace is creativity. The diversity of my coursework at A&S, ranging from classes on indigenous Siberian literature to the science and structure of sounds in language has introduced me to entirely new ways of thinking and approaching problems. This is essential for success in our new age of information hyper-availability. It is no longer sufficient to know how to string together a haphazard sentence in Russian or how to use spreadsheet formulas, both skills you can acquire from the web. What sets you apart is how you integrate Russian and spreadsheet skills, and everything else you learn at A&S. What sets you apart is your ability to recognize the multiplicity of possible solutions to a challenge. These are the skills that I have learned through A&S: those competencies that can only be taught through a well-rounded, experiential education.  

How has donor generosity impacted your time at Syracuse?  

Donor generosity has allowed me to participate in some of the most meaningful experiences of my undergraduate career. Thanks to donor Winston Fisher ’96 and his flagship seminar, I found an industry which I love and which aligns with my abilities and interests. I am even in the process of starting a business from the inspiration and knowledge I gained from the program! Furthermore, I had the honor of presenting my original research on Russian literature earlier this semester at the nationally recognized Russian, Eastern European and Central Asian Studies Northwest Conference at the University of Washington. At the conference, I received crucial feedback on my work and made connections with highly accomplished professionals in the field of Eastern European studies and international relations, including the Honorable Mark Gitenstein, the Former United States Ambassador to the European Union. This was all made possible thanks to the gift of benefactor Douglas Shaheen ’72 to the Department of Languages, Literatures and Linguistics at A&S.  

Why do you think giving is important? 

Giving is an investment. Myself, my peers and all the students who will stride through the Hall of Languages afterwards, are shaping the legacy of A&S, and so are you. By giving, you can fund programs to help students find their passions, share their wonderful work and build themselves up to be the inheritors of Syracuse’s name. Giving is important because it creates programs that will produce the next generation of leaders, scholars and innovators. Giving is how we secure the future of Syracuse University. 

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