CROSSROADS TURN INTO NEW OPPORTUNITIES

Photos by Shane Grates and Karl Lamb Jr

What started as Syracuse University alumna Samantha Parrish’s senior capstone project turned into a service-based organization, carrying on her legacy and goal of connecting students with the local Syracuse community. The name, “Crossroads Collective,” was born out of that aspiration.

Miles Scherer, an SU junior, currently serves as the club’s president after having been a part of the organization since its founding.

“We found that we can serve as a student organization, as that intersection, as that crossroads between the community and the campus, and additionally, we're a collective,” Scherer said. “It's a collective of people, and it wouldn't be possible without the really incredible team.”

Crossroads Collective bridges the gap between students and the local community by coordinating service and fundraising efforts that go directly toward helping Syracuse-based organizations, such as Meals on Wheels and Vera House, through events that combine music and food with helping hands.

In April 2024, the organization fundraised alongside Food Bank of Central New York to raise $5,000 for Food Access Healthy Neighborhoods Now—a result of collaborating with Bruce Springsteen for his concert at the JMA Wireless Dome. In September, Crossroads Collective collaborated with BareRoots Musical Festival to help promote the event to students and encourage them to engage with the community at an event just walking distance from campus in Thornden Park.

Even though Crossroads Collective has its roots in the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications’ Bandier Program for Music Industry—Parrish’s alma mater—Scherer is an Environment, Sustainability and Policy and International Relations major, proving that music and food together can be a “universal language.”

“You can listen to good music from any language, not knowing a single word, and be like, ‘I really like this,’ and it's kind of the same with food,” Scherer said. “You'll find food from different cultures and try something new, and a whole new mindset opens up.”

Scherer, a South Florida native, grew up with a community-based background, which is just one part of what led him to join. Scherer emphasizes the physical space needed to bring people together when working towards a common goal.

“My main thing has always just been community organizing, community building, finding community spaces where people can connect, because ultimately, it's really great to talk about,” Scherer said. “But if there isn't the physical space to actually synergize and make music and listen to good music and to eat good food and to just enjoy good company, it becomes a lot harder.”

Jerks can look out for an upcoming potluck and acoustic night this fall, but Crossroads Collective has even more to come.

“If this has been remotely interesting to you, reach out in some way, in an email, on our Instagram, liking and commenting—whatever it is—reach out, let us know that you're here,” Scherer said. “We want you, the reader, to really be a part of this organization, as much as anyone else.”