VIDEO TRANSCRIPT
Students and Staff: Happy birthday to you.
Sarah Schafer: It’s not every day you celebrate a 156th birthday. But at Syracuse University, they’re doing it in full orange style.
From balloons to bright outfits, everything is a little more orange today. And students are feeling the spirit. Happy birthday, Syracuse.
Students: Happy birthday, Syracuse.
Happy birthday, Syracuse. We love Otto. We love you.
Sarah Schafer: At the Orange Dining Center, the celebration comes with a taste of upstate New York.
Corey Jordan, Chef at Orange Dining Center: It’s exciting to be able to show people these different things. They’ve heard about them before, but they would have to travel to go get them. What better to showcase a birthday party than some home-style comfort food from all different areas of Syracuse.
Sarah Schafer: And that goes down really well here.
Student: It was so good. This dining hall has never been this good before. This is like the best food it’s ever been.
Sarah Schafer: From buffalo rings to salt potatoes, today Syracuse is celebrating its roots through food. But Orange Day isn’t just about food. It’s also about giving something back.
Over at Goldstein Auditorium, that spirit turns into action. More than 40 student groups are competing in the Giving Day Challenge, encouraging donations and support across campus.
Albert Alorado, Student: I think it’s important to not only organize and create something for the community, but also make sure that they know how to give back to the community.
Josi Diadado, Student: I think it’s important. However, I do not have the money at the moment to donate.
Sarah Schafer: However, this year nearly 10,000 donors raised close to $4 million, supporting student organizations, athletics, colleges, and financial aid for students.
It’s a day that brings together school pride, community, and a whole lot of Orange.
Sarah Schafer, NCC News.
SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News)—At Syracuse University, Orange Day is more than just a birthday—it’s a celebration of history, community, and regional identity.
Founded in 1870, the university has grown from a small private institution into a nationally recognized campus. From the very beginning, inclusion was part of its foundation. At the university’s inauguration, Dr. Jesse Truesdell Peck, a founder and first chair of the Board of Trustees, charged the faculty to remember that “the conditions of admission shall be equal to all persons … there shall be no invidious discrimination here against women or persons of any nation or color… brains and heart shall have a fair chance …”.
That idea continues to shape the university today, as students gather each year on March 24 to celebrate its founding—and to give something back.
A Celebration of History and Community
This year’s celebration also coincided with Syracuse Giving Day. Nearly 10,000 donors contributed close to four million dollars, funding student organizations, athletics, academic programs, libraries, and financial aid. This number marks the most successful Giving Day in its nine-year history. Of that amount, $1,144,402—nearly 30% of the donations—went to the university’s athletics program.
Upstate New York on a Plate
At the heart of the festivities was food—specifically, the flavors of Upstate New York. At the Orange Dining Center, students were served a menu of regional classics that reflect the area’s diverse culinary influences.
For many students, it was a first introduction to these meals. For others, a nostalgic reminder of home.
By combining tradition, food, and a sense of community, Orange Day offers a snapshot of key aspects of life at Syracuse University: community engagement, institutional history, and an orange school identity—served with a distinctly local flavor.