Scholarships have the power to change a student’s life trajectory. By lessening or removing financial barriers to an education, they help forge opportunities that were once considered impossible.
At Syracuse University, programs like the Otto Sussman Trust Scholarship provide critical assistance to students in need, especially those facing unexpected hardships. This allows them to focus on academics without incurring considerable debt.
The impact of the Sussman Scholarship extends far beyond the classroom, as evidenced by the following stories of recent graduates whose lives—and careers—have been positively transformed.
“The Sussman Scholarship allowed me to prioritize my course load while exploring professional development opportunities,” says Philip Okituama ’25, who now works for PNC Bank in Pittsburgh.
Investing in Success
Philip Okituama ’25 appreciates the demands of college life. He also understands the importance of staying focused on what matters most.
“I applied for the Sussman Scholarship last fall because of financial pressures,” says Okituama, who graduated with a bachelor’s degree in information management and technology from the School of Information Studies (iSchool). “The scholarship allowed me to prioritize my demanding course load while exploring professional development opportunities.”
They included an iSchool-organized trip to the AfroTech Conference 2025 in Houston, where Okituama networked with a “slew of technology companies.” Among them was PNC Bank, which offered him a job as an associate analyst in their corporate headquarters in Pittsburgh.
The Sussman Scholarship also enabled Okituama to take up residence on the Dean’s List and graduate summa cum laude.
“Because of the scholarship, I didn’t have to work a part-time job while going to school,” says the Our Time Has Come and Success scholar. “This freed me up to do more meaningful things.”
The New Jersey native studied business at Wells College before transferring to Syracuse in 2023. He praises the iSchool’s professors, peer advisors and student services staff for helping him “grow [his] professional toolkit and prepare for the real world.”
“I’m proof that Syracuse invests in its students’ long-term success,” Okituama adds.
Alex Shaffer ’25 used the Sussman Scholarship to help cover academic and basic living expenses.
Embracing Adversity
Alex Shaffer ’25 does not so much as adapt to adversity than embrace it.
“I have a disability,” declares the sociology graduate of the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs. “At one point, I was living out of a hotel and working as much as I could to make ends meet, due to the rising costs of medications, treatments and medical equipment.”
The Sussman Scholarship helped Shaffer meet basic living expenses and purchase a laptop. “I was able to finish my degree program and buy professional clothes for my internship and my job after graduation,” says the Renée Crown University Honors student, who minored in psychology and political science.
At Syracuse, Shaffer thrived on helping others. In addition to presiding over the Disability Student Union, they served as agency coordinator—and for a year, vice president—of the Food Recovery Network. This mindset infused their Syracuse London experience, where they studied the Americans with Disabilities Act and the U.K.’s Equality Act.
“I’m interested in how ‘holes’ in the [social services] system can potentially harm young adults,” says Shaffer, who also investigated LGBTQ+ issues and disability resources.
The 1870 Scholar credits Syracuse for giving them opportunities to succeed when other universities didn’t. “I’m forever grateful to Syracuse.”
“The Sussman Scholarship helped me realize my capabilities without worrying about money,” says Corrine Soo ’25, a graduate of the five-year, professional B.Arch. program.
Fulfilling Potential
Corrine Soo ’25 has lost count of the number of times she paused to admire the sunset from Hendricks Chapel or the fall colors along the Einhorn Family Walk. “Sometimes I stopped just to gaze at the stars,” recalls the graduate of the School of Architecture’s five-year undergraduate architecture program. “I love how safe and hospitable our campus is. It’s been my home away from home.”
Such moments of reverie were well-earned. Mounting financial pressures, due in part to her parents’ divorce, prompted Soo to apply for the Sussman Scholarship. Being able to cover her academic expenses was the difference between continuing her degree or having to change course.
“The Sussman Scholarship helped me reach my fullest potential and make the most of my final year at Syracuse,” says the Brooklyn native, who minored in psychology and graduated magna cum laude.
Soo’s degree program culminated in a design-build capstone project titled LA F[i]ESTA. Her group’s installation, STOP, GATHER, PLAY, was highly immersive. It also was Soo’s first full-scale project.
“The Sussman Scholarship helped me realize the extent of my capabilities without having to worry about money,” says Soo, who also burnished her public relations and graphic design skills at Syracuse. “There’s more to me than just architecture.”
