Syracuse University Honored with Academic Excellence Award by Society of Defense Financial Managers

Syracuse University was recognized with the Academic Excellence Award from the Society of Defense Financial Managers (SDFM) for its outstanding contribution to defense financial education and professional development at the SDFM’s 25th anniversary celebration of the Certified Defense Financial Manager (CDFM) program held Oct. 16. The University was the only academic institution honored at the event, commended for its long-standing leadership in preparing defense and finance professionals for the high standards of fiscal stewardship, accountability, leadership and service.

“Our university has trained thousands of Department of Defense financial managers over the past 74 years,” says Tom Constable, director of Defense Programs at Syracuse University’s Martin J. Whitman School of Management, who accepted the award at the event. “This award recognizes the strength of our long standing partnership with the U.S. Army and the commitment of our leaders to support the military-connected community by offering the very best education in the industry.”

The CDFM is a professional certification administered by the SDFM that validates a candidate’s broad-based understanding of core defense financial management principles, practices and standards. Since the inception of the CDFM, students enrolled in the Syracuse’s Defense Comptrollership Program (DCP)—a flagship partnership between the Whitman School and the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs—have been required to pass all three core module exams necessary to earned this certification.

“Syracuse University has consistently demonstrated a commitment to excellence in defense financial management education,” says Whitman School Interim Dean Alex McKelvie. “Our students graduate not only with advanced academic training but also with the professional credentials and ethical foundation necessary to serve the nation effectively.”

According to Constable, the long standing integration of the CDFM into the DCP curriculum underscores the University’s deep alignment with the professional standards and competencies valued across the Department of Defense (DoD) financial management community. As the Whitman and Maxwell schools prepare to receive the 75th cohort of the DCP in May 2026, Syracuse University continues to strengthen its defense financial management programs through innovative curriculum design, partnerships with industry and federal agencies, and a focus on analytical and technological tools shaping the future of government finance.

For more information or to request an interview, contact Syracuse University’s Office of Defense Programs at defenseprograms@syr.ed