The Fast Forward competition is a strong demonstration of Chancellor Kent Syverud’s interest in students and effort to engage with the Syracuse University campus.

Fast Forward, a video-pitch competition, will be a part of Syverud’s inauguration on April 11. Entrants submit videos detailing a personal project, and winners are awarded a grant up to $1,500. Of the 66 entries in the contest, 12 winners will be announced on April 7, leading up to an in-person pitch on the day of the inauguration.

By pairing this competition with his inauguration, Syverud set the tone for the type of focus he hopes to have during his chancellorship at SU. It shows that his goals and ambitions for the campus are student-centric, and that he is engaged with the community.

When it was first announced that Syverud would become chancellor, he indicated he was still trying to figure out what his main goals would be. By incorporating this competition into his inauguration, it displays that working with students and building stronger relationships with them is a large part of Syverud’s goals.

The video entries are a unique way for Syverud to learn about students on campus and their personal projects. It allows students to directly show their personality to the chancellor, along with their passions.

This competition demonstrates that Syverud recognizes the entrepreneurial and creative nature of SU. Syverud spent his first day as chancellor meeting with student entrepreneurs and visiting the Syracuse Tech Garden. He’s applying what he’s learned from the students into his initiatives. With SU’s ranking as the fourth-best college for entrepreneurship according to the Princeton Review, Syverud is making this aspect of SU a significant part of the school’s identity.

By promoting this initiative, Syverud is showing that education at SU is about more than sitting in a classroom. The competition is encouraging students to learn in the best way: personal experiences. It encourages them to pursue their dreams and take advantage of what SU can offer.

This competition sets a positive tone for Syverud’s first semester as chancellor. He should continue having events and competitions like Fast Forward that keep him in direct connection with students on campus.

Published on April 3, 2014 at 1:08 am

Contact: opinion@dailyorange.com