鶹Ƶ

Skip to main content
  • Home
  • 鶹Ƶ
  • Faculty Experts
  • For The Media
  • ’Cuse Conversations Podcast
  • Topics
    • Alumni
    • Events
    • Faculty
    • Students
    • All Topics
  • Contact
  • Submit
Campus & Community
  • All News
  • Arts & Culture
  • Business & Economy
  • Campus & Community
  • Health & Society
  • Media, Law & Policy
  • STEM
  • Veterans
  • University Statements
  • 鶹ƵUniversity Impact
  • |
  • The Peel
Sections
  • All News
  • Arts & Culture
  • Business & Economy
  • Campus & Community
  • Health & Society
  • Media, Law & Policy
  • STEM
  • Veterans
  • University Statements
  • 鶹ƵUniversity Impact
  • |
  • The Peel
  • Home
  • 鶹Ƶ
  • Faculty Experts
  • For The Media
  • ’Cuse Conversations Podcast
  • Topics
    • Alumni
    • Events
    • Faculty
    • Students
    • All Topics
  • Contact
  • Submit
Campus & Community

Unlikely Connections: How a DPS Officer and Former Men’s Basketball Player Find Common Ground

Thursday, October 3, 2024, By Kiana Racha
Share
Department of Public Safety

An unexpected connection was made between a current Department of Public Safety (DPS) officer and a former 鶹ƵUniversity men’s basketball player thanks to a DPS detective. Detective Mike Toia brought DPS Officer Teng Kiir and former men’s basketball player John “Bol” Ajak ’22 together for a conversation in Bird Library. Sharing stories about their journeys to the United States and finding common ground, the two hit it off.

four people standing in lobby of library

From left to right: Detective Mike Toia, Officer Teng Kiir, John “Bol” Ajak and Officer John Mazurowski

Kiir came to the United States at a very young age. While pregnant, Kiir’s mother and father chose to take a leap of faith and leave everything they love in Sudan. Kiir’s family made the journey to Cairo, Egypt. The next step for his parents was to leave Africa as a whole and move to the U.S. In 2005, Kiir and his family found themselves in Chicago, Illinois. With his parents not knowing any English and now with a very young child, they navigated through their new country, eventually settling in Syracuse, New York.

Ajak had a similar start to his journey, leaving Sudan as well. Ajak left at the start of the war when his mother took him and his older siblings to a refugee camp in Kenya. During this time, he started his education journey, which eventually helped land him an opportunity to come to the U.S. It was here that Ajak started playing basketball, eventually being recruited by the University. While at Syracuse, Ajak realized that it was a lot more like home than he could have imagined. He saw many families living in the City of 鶹Ƶfacing similar struggles to those at the refugee camp he was once in and decided that he wanted to do something to give back.

Teaming up with friends and family, Ajak created , which provides scholarships to kids in Sudan, helping them come to the U.S. to pursue their education.

“I want to help kids through school. Me being at 鶹ƵUniversity, was for school. No one brought me here. I didn’t get drafted; I came to the United States because of school. If it’s possible for me, it is possible for the thousands of kids back home,” says Ajak.

“John’s charity is super impactful because it doesn’t just help our people back home in Sudan, but it also gives a sense of direction and hope for migrants from Sudan who are new to the U.S. and helps them navigate through these new windows of opportunities that have now opened for them,” says Kiir. “Many Sudanese families that are new to the U.S. end up in horrible living conditions because they come here with no guidance and are left blinded in what seems to be a whole new world to them; a charity like John’s can help counteract that.”

Ajak is hopeful that his charity will help keep kids coming to the U.S. off the streets and in school. He also believes having a familiar face like Kiir working as an officer for DPS will help bridge the gap.

“The next Sudanese kids that are coming here, will look up to him and hopefully abide by the law because it’s one of them telling them,” says Ajak. “In my mind, no one else can relate to them better than Teng can. This is a huge step for DPS, because this helps the community.”

Kiir graduated from the Department of Public Safety’s Peace Officer Academy in August. His reasoning for joining the force? He wants to be able to have the opportunity to connect with students on a level that most officers might not be able to, and not just connect, but understand them as well. Kiir says that in return, the students can also learn to understand the role of DPS and feel comfortable connecting with DPS officers.

  • Author

Kiana Racha

  • Recent
  • 鶹ƵStage Hosts Inaugural Julie Lutz New Play Festival
    Wednesday, May 28, 2025, By News Staff
  • Timur Hammond’s ‘Placing Islam’ Receives Journal’s Honorable Mention
    Tuesday, May 27, 2025, By News Staff
  • Expert Available to Discuss DOD Acceptance of Qatari Jet
    Thursday, May 22, 2025, By Vanessa Marquette
  • 鶹ƵUniversity 2025-26 Budget to Include Significant Expansion of Student Financial Aid
    Wednesday, May 21, 2025, By News Staff
  • Light Work Opens New Exhibitions
    Wednesday, May 21, 2025, By News Staff

More In Campus & Community

Michael J. Bunker Appointed Associate Vice President and Chief of Campus Safety and Emergency Management Services

鶹ƵUniversity today announced the appointment of Michael J. Bunker as the new associate vice president and chief of Campus Safety and Emergency Management Services following a national search. Bunker will begin his new role on July 1, 2025. He…

鶹ƵUniversity, Lockerbie Academy Reimagine Partnership, Strengthen Bond

鶹ƵUniversity and Lockerbie Academy are renewing and strengthening their longstanding partnership through a reimagined initiative that will bring Lockerbie students to 鶹Ƶfor a full academic year. This enhanced program deepens the bond between the two communities, forged in…

鶹ƵUniversity 2025-26 Budget to Include Significant Expansion of Student Financial Aid

鶹ƵUniversity today announced a major investment in student financial support as part of its 2025-26 budget, allocating more than $391 million to financial aid, scholarships, grants and related assistance. This represents a 7% increase over last year and reflects…

Engaged Humanities Network Community Showcase Spotlights Collaborative Work

The positive impact of community-engaged research was on full display at the Community Folk Art Center (CFAC) on May 2. CFAC’s galleries showcased a wide array of projects, including work by the Data Warriors, whose scholars, which include local students…

Students Engaged in Research and Assessment

Loretta Awuku, Sylvia Page and Johnson Akano—three graduate students pursuing linguistic studies master’s degrees from the College of Arts and Sciences—spent the past year researching and contributing to assessment and curricular development processes. The research team’s project, Peer-to-Peer Student Outreach…

Subscribe to SU Today

If you need help with your subscription, contact sunews@syr.edu.

Connect With Us

For the Media

Find an Expert
© 2025 鶹ƵUniversity News. All Rights Reserved.