By: J.D. Ross
(315) 443-3094
The School of Information Studies (iSchool) mourns the loss of recent alumna Addison (Xiang) Wang O’Leary.
O’Leary graduated with her master’s degree in telecommunications and network management from the iSchool in 2012, and had been working as an application analyst for International Paper in Ticonderoga, NY. She drowned off the shores of Ticonderoga Beach while swimming in Lake George last Thursday evening.
The 31-year old had come to Syracuse to pursue her graduate degree after earning her bachelor’s degree in electronic and informational sciences and technologies at China’s Nanjing University. O’Leary worked for several electronics and technical firms in China before pursuing her graduate degree, including Huawei Technologies and TeleNav China.
While at the iSchool, O’Leary worked as a teaching assistant for Professor Bahram Attaie’s advanced networking course, and served as a research assistant for Professor Milton Mueller on his deep packet inspection project.
“Addison was a very serious student, so it was always fun to make her laugh at herself, and when she did it was like a sunrise,” recalled Mueller. “She was unusually individualistic and really enjoyed the freedom and responsibility she found in America. She was headed for real career success and it’s terrible that her life was cut short in this way.”
Professor Martha Garcia-Murillo, who was the faculty program director for the telecommunications and network management degree when O’Leary was admitted to the program remembered her as, “an outstanding student who showed tremendous energy, dedication and drive, and people who worked with her couldn’t be more impressed with her work and desire to do her best.”
O’Leary is survived by her husband, Francis O'Leary, and her family in China. Funeral arrangements will be private.