More than 300 people celebrated the introduction of the David B. Falk College of Sport during a kickoff event Sept. 12 in the K.G. Tan Auditorium at the National Veterans Resource Center at the Daniel and Gayle D’Aniello Building. Officially launched July 1, the Falk College of Sport unites R1 research and D1 athletics as the nation’s first and only college at a high-research level university focused solely on sport related disciplines.
After a tailgate party following the program, the celebration continued at the JMA Wireless Dome with, from left to right in the above photo, Athletics Director John Wildhack, Vice Chancellor Mike Haynie, the David B. Falk family, Falk College Dean Jeremy Jordan, and Otto!
Representing Falk College’s most valuable resource – its students – were, from left to right in the photo below, Daniel Baris (sport analytics), Ryan Blankenhorn (esports), Megan Hollander (nutrition), Isabelle Gardner (exercise science), and Braeden Cheverie-Leonard (sport management), standing with Chancellor Kent Syverud, Falk College benefactor David B. Falk, and Falk College Dean Jeremy Jordan.
Falk College of Sports students are among the most talented, entrepreneurial, and academically accomplished in the world. They live and bleed orange 24/7, and they are committed to the success of the college.
Syracuse University Chancellor Kent Syverud
My involvement with Falk College, with its students, faculty, and staff, has been a thoroughly rewarding experience over the past 20 years. While my wife Rhonda and I provided the funding to establish Falk College, my experiences interacting with everyone associated with the program has been a true gift to me, and from the bottom of my heart, I say, thank you.
All of us at Falk firmly believe that we are a major player in moving sport forward. As champions for sport, we understand sport is not just a game, it’s something that can unite us all. So at Falk, we’re not just changing the game, we’re changing the way people live.
The Falk College Advisory Board and Emerging Leaders Council read like a who’s who is the sport industry and their members are the driving force behind the evolution of the College of Sport. Advisory Board members who attended the kickoff celebration included, from left to right in the above photo, Deidra Maddock, Sandy Montag, Jay Canell, John Wildhack, Brandon Steiner, David B. Falk, Nicholas Carparelli, and Stuart Goldfarb with Falk College Dean Jeremy Jordan.
The Advisory Board, in my opinion, is one of the major points of distinction that our program has that differentiates us from more than 400 other sport management programs around the country.
David B. Falk
“We’re happy to have you (David B. Falk) here. There’s a lot of people with their names on buildings all over universities, but you never get to see them. But we can talk to you, you’re always coming in, you’re just one of the guys and I really appreciate that.” --- Syracuse University head football coach Fran Brown as he surprised the audience by visiting the stage during David B. Falk’s presentation.
Postscript: Coach Brown, who exited the stage saying, “I better get to this game,” returned to the JMA Wireless Dome and led the Orange to a 66-24 win over Colgate. The game included Dean Jeremy Jordan participating in the ceremonial coin toss before kickoff, and a tribute to David B. Falk during the game.
Kickoff Celebration Photo Gallery
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