The College of Arts and Sciences | Maxwell School's Office of Student Success received two significant awards from the University this spring, highlighting the department's commitment to student success and innovative programming.

First, the office earned the distinguished Functional Unit Award, which recognizes teams for robust assessment and action planning that meaningfully supports decision-making. This honor celebrates programs with strong assessment practices, clear focus and well-defined plans for collecting evidence. Recipients demonstrate thoughtful review of results to identify strengths, areas for improvement and actions that enhance both student learning experiences and operations.

Then, Ling Gao LeBeau, director of international student success in the College of Arts and Sciences, received the Chancellor's Citation for Excellence for Outstanding Contributions to the Student Experience and University Initiatives. The award recognizes her contributions to Syracuse University through advancing its four pillars of excellence: providing an outstanding undergraduate experience, empowering research excellence, fostering change and innovation and positioning Syracuse as the best university in the world for veterans.

A Year of Recognition

These spring honors conclude a remarkable year of accolades for the office and its staff. The Office of Student Success previously received the prestigious 2024 Senator Paul Simon Spotlight Award for Campus Internationalization, recognizing its academic advising initiative that provides intentional, targeted programming to help international students navigate their first-year transition and beyond.

The office also earned NACADA's 2024 Outstanding Advising Program Certificate of Merit Award—the University's first such recognition. This award spotlighted the office's innovative programming, particularly its stocks and finance immersion trip, which connects liberal arts students with financial sector careers through New York City-based alumni and employers.

Most recently, Ryan Howlett received the NACADA Region 1 "Excellence in Advising - New Advisor" award for 2025, further demonstrating the office's commitment to professional excellence in academic advising.