Editor’s note: “Who is Syracuse?” is a series that runs in The Daily Orange every spring. It highlights individuals who embody the spirit of Syracuse. Members of the community were encouraged to nominate people they thought fit this description. This series explores their stories.

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n the sixth grade, Hayley Bermel wrote a letter to the County Executive of Onondaga County when a local library was struggling to stay afloat. Her letter to Joanie Mahoney expressed how important public libraries were to the community — she loved to play games there.

Now a senior sociology major at Syracuse University, Bermel has continued to raise her voice to advocate for the city she loves.

“I like to think that in my time here at SU, I have made people question their place and their purpose of being here, not only at SU but in the city that I grew up in,” she said.

Bermel is a manager at People’s Place and has been involved with various local nonprofit and political organizations, including Swing Left, the Catholic Charities of Onondaga County and HOPE for Bereaved. Her campus involvement includes serving as a SEM 100 peer facilitator last fall and founding Merely Players, a Shakespeare troupe.

At first, Bermel had no desire to go to SU. Growing up in Syracuse, she viewed SU students as ignorant of the city itself. Her greatest concerns were seeing the university take advantage of her hometown’s weaknesses, while never giving back to the community beyond the hill.

But after learning more about SU’s sociology program, Bermel applied. She has since aimed to help bridge the gap between the university and the city of Syracuse. Her favorite part about the school, she said, is having the space and resources to better understand the world.

“I think that’s the purpose of the university to me, is to have a better understanding of your place in the world and where you can contribute,” she said.

One of her greatest inspirations on campus is Gretchen Purser, an associate sociology professor who now oversees her independent study. Bermel’s current research focuses on the state of healthcare in the United States.

She has taken a few classes with Purser, starting with a course on urban poverty, during her freshman year, which surveyed the city of Syracuse. Purser said Bermel is one of the most driven and passionate students she’s ever had.

“She believed in me when I couldn’t believe in myself,” Bermel said. When she felt torn and upset, Purser was there for her.

Bermel’s favorite spots on campus — aside from a tucked in alcove with couches and computers in the Maxwell School’s sociology department — include Carnegie Library and People’s Place.

Last week, her Friday morning began with a trip to Wegmans after getting a text saying the cafe was short of some supplies before her 9:30 a.m. shift. Her mom, Kim, drove her to the grocery store to help. As a commuter student, Bermel said her mom is always willing to lend a hand.

“She really is my hero,” Bermel said of her mom, before tearing up.

Bermel’s father passed away when she was eight years-old. This inspired her involvement with HOPE for Bereaved, an organization that supports individuals grieving a loss. Bermel said working with this organization has helped shape who she is. She volunteers by making brownies for luncheons, assisting with data entry and answering phones.

Kim is equally amazed by her daughter’s strength. Even as a young child, Kim said, Bermel was focused on the big picture.

“I’m very proud of her for not letting the things that have happened in our life hold her back,” Kim said.

For Bermel, there’s no such thing as free time. When she isn’t brewing a cup of coffee in the heart of campus or researching the nation’s healthcare system, she enjoys spending time in nature and people watching.

She’ll often sit on the steps of Hendricks Chapel or take the bus for a ride around the city to see people from different walks of life. She’s passionate about the community grid project and hopes to advocate for public transit projects in the future.

Bermel has not finalized her post-graduation plans, but she hope to work for a union someday. Her goal is to further advocate for workers, especially in New York, who are being underserved.

“I want to be the person that says ‘Okay, what are you dealing with? What’s going on here, and how can we make sure you have your needs met?’ And I think that unions are a great place for that.”

Reflecting on her four years at SU, Bermel said she’ll not only miss the people — like her friends and favorite customers at People’s Place — but she’ll also miss having a space where questioning things is encouraged.

Bermel described herself as “annoying” as a kid, asking too many questions and reading deeply into things. For her, SU has fostered an atmosphere where she has felt inspired to push boundaries.

“I guess it’s just my perspective coming in feeling like SU wasn’t attainable for me, and now all of a sudden I’m leaving it,” she said. “I love SU with all my heart.”