Advocacy in Action

Making meaningful change begins with building community. That is the most important lesson Syd Kellogg ‘26 learned during a transformational summer internship with the Syracuse Peace Council (SPC). One of the oldest peace and social justice organizations in New York, the SPC is committed to using assembly, education and programming to oppose war, violence and exploitation. Kellogg gained hands-on experience in running an organization, coordinating events and creating materials for the organization. 

A communications major from Brewerton, New York, Kellogg spent the bulk of the internship using the lessons they learned in the classroom about messaging, authenticity and connection to create materials in support of the organization’s mission. The work aligned perfectly with Kellogg’s passion for advocacy and social justice. It is extremely moving to help educate others about some of the issues that matter most to them, Kellogg said, and then to see that education inspires action. The internship also furthered Kellogg’s capacity to collaborate and work as part of a team, and offered them a new perspective on what it means to lead and to serve. Those experiences will serve Kellogg well in their role as president of Peace Action Le Moyne, a student organization whose mission is closely aligned with that of the SPC. It will also serve as the foundation of the work they hope to do in the future in communications and social justice and advocacy.