In below-freezing weather, Syracuse University senior Dan Cowen stood atop a hill in Schiller Park as he announced his campaign for Syracuse councilor-at-large Saturday morning.

“We’re at Schiller Park partly because the pool and the baseball diamond remind us of the summer and the warm days to come,” he said near the beginning of his speech, “and the view on a clear day is pretty good over the city.

“This is a special place for me,” Cowen continued, “because the Northside is where I discovered the character of Syracuse.”

Cowen, a political science and policy studies major with a minor in entrepreneurship and emerging enterprises, was not born in Syracuse, but said there’s no place he feels more at home. He is part of the Renee Crown University Honors Program and is a 2012-2013 Remembrance Scholar.

After getting to know members of the Congolese community in Central New York, all of whom “escaped atrocities at home to live out the American Dream,” Cowen felt inspired to do “everything in my power to help them realize their dreams,” he said.

Cowen’s work with the Congolese community also encouraged him to reach out to other groups in Syracuse, like the Burundi community, that are united by a vision for a more promising future, he said.

“This city’s success will depend on the efforts of its people,” he said.

Cowen said in his speech that he’ll work hard to give the people of Syracuse the tools they need to fight low graduation rates, high unemployment, growing vacancies and rising crime.

“One in every 10 residents in this city is unemployed,” he said, “and it is obvious that our community deserves and demands more.”

Cowen also expressed a desire to take advantage of Syracuse’s good fortune in having three prestigious universities. He wants to increase the number of students who stay in Syracuse after graduation, and foster further innovation through creating programs like Resume Play, an interactive career fair he’s creating to help connect students to the city.

Cowen further noted only one in two students graduate from Syracuse high schools, despite the efforts of the city’s teachers.

“But this is no time to give up,” he said, pounding the podium. “The teachers are convinced of the incredible potential that our talented students possess, and we should be, too.”

Cowen said he hopes to combat growing vacancies and crumbling infrastructure in the city by empowering the homeless and unemployed. He wants to create programs that will give them the necessary skills to rebuild deteriorating properties and make them stronger candidates for jobs.

Cowen also wants to address the crime that persists in Syracuse, in spite of police officers’ valiant efforts, he said.

“Violent crime will decline when we create new jobs and opportunities in our city,” he said. “Violent crime will decline when, together, we build a school system that is safe and engaging for all of our children. Violent crime will decline when we fill our homes with proud people who are developing skills to employ themselves.”

Cowen asserted he is running for councilor-at-large because he believes all of Syracuse’s most pressing issues are connected, and declared, “from this day forward, I am the people’s candidate.

“Let’s settle for nothing less than the best for our great city,” he said at the end of his speech. “The time for change, my friends, is now.”

After his speech, Cowen said that as the “people’s candidate,” he would be reaching out to as many people as possible, and is already setting up meetings with union leaders and community groups in Syracuse. As a new candidate, Cowen said, it is important to meet people and understand exactly what citizens want for the city.

Alex Durantini, a sophomore biology major, said Cowen’s level of dedication to the city of Syracuse, if nothing else, qualifies him for the position.

“He’s gone on and on about how much he loves this city,” she said. “And coming from right outside of Boston, I think that’s a really big deal.”

She also noted that because he’s a policy studies major, he knows the ins and outs of the community.

“You can tell he’s crazy passionate about what he’s doing,” said Eric Merrell, a freshman biology major. “I’m sure he’s going to go 100 percent, no matter what.”

Published on March 16, 2013 at 3:27 pm

Contact Cheryl: cjseligm@syr.edu | @CherylSeligman