When Syracuse Orange defensive end Kingsley Jonathan ’20, G’22 crushed Florida State quarterback Jordan Travis earlier this season, he did more than notch the game’s first sack. Jonathan experienced a homecoming of sorts. Three years earlier almost to the day, he famously brought down Travis’ predecessor, Deondre Francois, amid the sweltering heat of the Syracuse University stadium. “It was one of the first sacks of my college career and certainly the most memorable,” says the fifth-year senior. “I love the adrenaline rush that comes from tackling people.”
When not anchoring one of the ACC’s most veteran-laden defensive lines, Jonathan holds court in the School of Education. Credit the COVID-19 pandemic for giving him an extra year of NCAA eligibility—and the chance to pursue a master’s degree in instructional design, development and evaluation. Encamped in historic Huntington Hall, he explores instructional solutions for various learning and performance problems. Mostly the stuff of business, industry and education, Jonathan explains. “Everybody wants to do things more efficiently and effectively. Instructional design models can optimize behavioral performance.”