Say Yes Alumni Spotlight | Maximilian Eyle

As Maximilian (Max) Eyle settled into his new position as the executive director of Central Current – a nonpartisan and nonprofit newspaper serving Central New York, he reflected on his college experience as a Say Yes Syracuse scholarship recipient, and how it positively transformed the course of his life for the better.

Although he was unsure of what field he would pursue in college, Max noted that the financial support offered by Say Yes Syracuse made him feel at ease about the barriers that often stand in the way of college for many of his classmates.

Upon filling out the Say Yes Syracuse application in high school, he discovered Hobart and William Smith Colleges, where he would ultimately end up attending to study History and American Studies.

“I appreciated how Say Yes gave me a list of partner colleges to choose from,” said Max. “It made the college application process easier and more focused.”

Once he arrived on campus, Max explained that he immediately knew he had made the right decision and was eager to further his studies in history, specifically pertaining to early American political philosophy. Over the course of the next four years, Max was an active member of his campus community, volunteering for the Community Service House, and serving as a member of the Libertango (Argentine tango club) and the American Studies faculty hiring committee. He also participated in the radio broadcasting group on campus.

During his fall semester of 2013, Max had the opportunity to study abroad in Seville, Spain, on a cultural immersion language program. Living with a family that spoke no English, Max found himself in a completely new environment that helped him grow exponentially. Not only was he able to learn a new language, but he was also provided with the opportunity to build relationships and form connections with people from a new culture. This allowed him to grow and experience human interaction in ways he may not have been able to in the U.S.

Throughout his study abroad experience, Max was able to travel and explore many cities in Spain, learning about the rich culture and history of each place. He enjoyed this experience so much, that after graduating from Hobart in 2015, he decided to return to Spain and became a teaching assistant at an elementary school in Mahón, Minorca.

It was there that he got the opportunity to build off of his previous Spanish language skills and assisted teachers and staff through the curation of history lessons, teaching basic English grammar and planning of art and music classes. Max remained in Spain for a year, returning back to Syracuse in 2016.

“After returning from my time abroad, I took more than just the language back with me,” he said.  “I have carried the culture and lessons that I learned along the way with me and they have shaped my passion for communications work to this day.”

Since then, Max’s passion for communications has grown as he’s worked in the nonprofit sector and gives back to his diverse community through involvement with various news outlets. This includes founding his own consulting firm, Publius Consulting, in 2018. His goal through the creation of the firm was to work with clients across New York State on comprehensive communication strategies such as website building, media campaigns and audience building.

From January 2021 through March 2024, Max worked as the grants and communications specialist at The Gifford Foundation. It was there that he oversaw the organization’s communications strategy and assisted with the distribution of over $500,000 in funding to regional nonprofits.

“Gifford took me inside the world of funding and organizational development, and opened my eyes to the crucial role philanthropy can play in building community,” said Max. “Working under the leadership of Sheena Solomon and Lindsay McClung gave me an invaluable education on how to help nonprofits succeed.”

Now, Max has embarked on the latest step of his journey, recently being named the executive director of Central Current, where he oversees the business side of the organization, focusing primarily on building new revenue streams and increasing the newspaper’s readership.

Max demonstrates the profound impact Say Yes Syracuse can have on one’s educational and personal growth journey, and hopes to inspire others in the community to take advantage of all Say Yes Syracuse has to offer. With many aspirations for Syracuse’s future, Max is committed to giving back to the community that helped shape him.