Scholars Across the University Look Back on 2025-2026 Term

During the past year, Ian Reifowitz, SUNY distinguished professor, and Melissa Wells, associate professor and director of teaching, learning, and faculty development, have shared their scholarship across the Empire community as part of the Scholars Across the University program. The university selects two mentors for the initiative each year, which provides funding dedicated to sharing their research across the university across a variety of formats. As their term comes to an end, they reflect on their participation in the initiative, the scholarship they have shared with various constituency groups, and the significance of receiving institutional support for academic researchers.

What the Rhetoric Reveals

Reifowitz has frequently been featured in the media for his expertise on current political events.  The research he shared throughout his term pulls from his book, “Riling up the Base: Examining Trump’s Use of Stereotypes through an Interdisciplinary Lens.”

Reifowitz was thrilled to be selected for the initiative, adding: “Seeing that other Empire colleagues are conducting scholarship and achieving at a high level, not to mention getting support for doing so from the university, help motivate and encourage more people to pursue that path.” His words underscore the impact of such initiatives and of institutional support, which is key to conducting research while being an active faculty member.

Each of Reifowitz’s three presentations pulled from a chapter of his book, and participants chose which presentation they wanted to hear. For the professor, presenting his findings to colleagues provided valuable feedback. He saw and appreciated a deep desire to understand how political rhetoric molds the perceptions of its target audience.

Mapping Pathways to Improved Student Support

In her role at SUNY Empire, Wells is immersed in the study of accessibility in education, helping keep the university’s accessibility practices current. “My work has always centered on improving access, belonging, and success for students, particularly students with disabilities and those navigating online and adult-learning environments,” Wells says.

At an online university with a mission to serve as many students as possible, the importance of accessibility is paramount. “This work is deeply connected to the university’s commitment to equity, innovation, and student-centered learning,” says the associate professor, who was honored to be chosen for the initiative.

Wells focuses on investigating how to rethink systems of support to prevent students from running into barriers while pursuing higher education, including the areas of disability services, universal design for learning, artificial intelligence use, faculty development, and data-informed approaches to teaching and learning.  She presented her findings at SUNY Empire’s Annual Meeting earlier this year, also offering online professional development sessions throughout the 2025-2026 academic year.

At SUNY Empire, the implications of this research mean shifting “from reactive accommodations alone toward more proactive, inclusive course design and faculty support. The goal is to strengthen the student experience across modalities while supporting faculty in practical, sustainable ways,” Wells says.