A gift from William T. “Ted” Frantz ’80, P’13 will establish a new endowed chair in engineering and computer science. (Photo by Joey Heslin)

His new gift, which will be partially matched by the University through the Forever Orange Faculty Excellence Program, will establish the William T. Frantz Endowed Chair in Engineering and Computer Science. “The idea for this gift has been simmering for nearly 20 years,” says Frantz. The engineer turned investor, who has studied and invested in many promising concepts and companies, says his newest investment in ECS as part of the was a matter of just-the-right timing.

“The timing is ideal, coming on the heels of Micron Technology’s ��$100 billion commitment to the region,” says Frantz. He says the partnership opportunities between the technology company and the University are a boon for students, faculty and the wider community. “It’s a great time to invest in the University, the expansion of the engineering program and in the region. These things tend to build on each other.”

Frantz draws similarities to the success of Silicon Valley, where he once worked for Hewlett-Packard. “I witnessed the growth of Silicon Valley and how nearby universities like Stanford, Berkeley and Santa Clara provided the intellectual expertise, engineering and research,” he says. Forward-looking investors seized opportunities brought about by the region’s dynamic partnerships and ingenuity.

New Ideas

Investing in new ideas has always held appeal for Frantz, who has provided capital for companies exploring new computer technologies and biotech firms developing new therapeutics for Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, diabetes and other diseases. “It’s the challenge of seeing something grow and make a go of it, get off the ground and get bigger,” says Frantz.

The man who loves to see new ideas get off the ground and soar was perhaps inspired at a young age by his neighbors. They were airline pilots who built an aerobatic plane in the garage. A curious young Frantz helped out after school. One of those neighbors was Leo Loudenslager, who was a mechanic in the Air Force and a pilot for American Airlines, but who is best known for winning multiple U.S. Aerobatic Championships. “Leo was innovative,” says Frantz. “The design changes he made shook up the aerobatic community. And he not only built it, he flew it.”

Frantz, who has his own pilot’s license, has combined his passion for flight with his desire to fuel innovation through investment in a significant gift he made to Syracuse University students and the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering in 2008. Frantz funded the purchase and upkeep of an advanced flight simulator that would allow students to get hands-on experience with flight vehicles that they designed and to experiment “with the ‘edge of the envelope’ without endangering any persons or property.”

Edge of Innovation

Similarly, Frantz hopes his latest gift will help keep ECS on the edge of innovation, build on past successes and bring greater prestige. He notes that the gift is structured to allow for flexibility in that it is not restricted to a particular aspect or field of engineering. The recipient of the endowed chair will be selected by the dean of the college and hold a term of five years that is renewable. Frantz says flexibility allows the dean to look into the future and identify new fields where investing in faculty expertise would be most promising.

“Ted is a visionary in his approach to philanthropy,” says ECS Dean J. Cole Smith. “His background as both an engineer and investor allows him to look far into the future, to see where technology and creativity can take the next generation of engineers and computer scientists. His generosity is literally helping us shape the future of our program as we address the challenges facing our globe.”

“I’ve been studying the history of Syracuse,” says Frantz. “At one point, it was the center of commerce with proximity to the Erie Canal that allowed steel and manufacturing to thrive. But the city did not adjust to change, and new growth industries did not take root and adapt. Now, with Micron’s investment, the city has new opportunities, and Syracuse University is perfectly situated to take advantage of those opportunities.”

About Syracuse University

Syracuse University is a private research university that advances knowledge across disciplines to drive breakthrough discoveries and breakout leadership. Our collection of 13 schools and colleges with over 200 customizable majors closes the gap between education and action, so students can take on the world. In and beyond the classroom, we connect people, perspectives and practices to solve interconnected challenges with interdisciplinary approaches. Together, we’re a powerful community that moves ideas, individuals and impact beyond what’s possible.

About Forever Orange: The Campaign for Syracuse University

Orange isn’t just our color. It’s our promise to leave the world better than we found it. Forever Orange: The Campaign for Syracuse University is poised to do just that. Fueled by more than 150 years of fearless firsts, together we can enhance academic excellence, transform the student experience and expand unique opportunities for learning and growth. Forever Orange endeavors to raise $1.5 billion in philanthropic support, inspire 125,000 individual donors to participate in the campaign, and actively engage one in five alumni in the life of the University. Now is the time to show the world what Orange can do. �վ�����������to learn more.

Robert E. Dineen Jr. (center) served on the Board of Trustees from 2007 to 2016 and was a member of the Budget and Advancement and External Affairs committees. He was also a member of the College of Law Board of Advisors and the National Alumni Association Board.

Dineen Jr. was generationally attached to the College of Law. His parents had attended the College of Law and Dineen Hall is named in honor of them: Robert E. Dineen Sr. L’1924, H’66 and Carolyn Bareham Dineen L’1932. His mother was one of only two women in her class. His father was raised in the Irish immigrant neighborhood near the law school at the western edge of the University campus, a neighborhood referred to as “the swamp.”

Dineen Jr. passed away Oct. 12, 2024, at 84. He served on the Board of Trustees from 2007 to 2016 and was a member of the Budget and Advancement and External Affairs committees. He was also a member of the College of Law Board of Advisors and the National Alumni Association Board. He was generous in his philanthropy, supporting scholarships and financial aid for law school students.

“For decades, Bob Dineen Jr. played a major role in ensuring Syracuse University remained at the forefront of legal education,” said Chancellor Kent Syverud. “That’s evident in all the ways he continued to give back to his alma mater, including his years of dedicated service on the Board of Trustees and on the College of Law Board of Advisors. His family’s transformational gift led the way in creating a state-of-the-art facility to support the next generation of law students, while honoring his parents’ legacy. And Bob’s accomplishments in finance law across the globe demonstrate that a Syracuse education can take our students anywhere.”

When Hannah Arterian became dean of the College of Law in 2003, she asked for Dineen Jr.’s assistance in creating a strategic plan to form a new Board of Advisors. She described him as “an incredible person” for his guidance. ��He was a driving force behind the capital campaign that would bring Dineen Hall to life—a 200,000-square-foot building that brought together the law school community under one roof for the first time and would be hailed as one of the most architecturally attractive law school buildings in the world.

Robert E. Dineen Jr.

Dineen Jr. had attended the College of Law after earning his undergraduate degree at Brown University. He served as editor of the Syracuse Law Review and was named to the Order of the Coif and the Justinian Honor Society. In 2010, the College of Law presented him with its Law Review Alumni Achievement Award.

Dineen Jr. had a successful career focused on public finance transactions. He was also a specialist in U.S. and international private banking and financial transactions, including equipment and project financing.

He was a partner of Shearman & Sterling LLP, a leading international law firm from 1974 until his retirement in��December 2005. While at Shearman & Sterling, he led several of the firm’s corporate groups, including those responsible for Latin America and Asia as well as��its global project finance work. Over the years, he spent significant time in the firm’s offices in Algeria, Hong Kong, London, New York, Paris, Toronto, and Washington.

“Bob’s brilliant career in international legal and financial transactions and steadfast client relationships inspires our students to excel in everything they do,” says College of Law Dean Terence Lau L’98. “As commendable is his leadership, along with his siblings, in honoring their parents when they led the campaign to build Dineen Hall that our students, faculty, and staff are thankful for every day.”

Dineen Jr. is survived by his wife, Jeanne C. Olivier, Esq., and his sister, the Honorable Carolyn Dineen King H’06, judge and former��chief judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.

To mark Giving Tuesday, the global generosity movement that started in 2012, the University introduced Giving ’CUSEday in 2016. Since then, it’s become a beloved tradition for our campus, encouraging everyone—alumni, students, faculty, staff and friends—to come together and give back in meaningful ways.

Your Gift, Their Future

Every dollar you contribute to the Annual Fund opens doors of opportunity—funding scholarships, groundbreaking research and transformative student experiences. Your gift isn’t simply an act of generosity; you’re investing in the dreams of future leaders.

Double Your Impact Today!

Make history with us by supporting one of 18 remarkable student organizations in their Fall 2024 Student Organization Challenge. Your gift goes even further with additional challenge funds:

• $1,000 bonus for the group with the most unique donors
• $700 for the second-place organization
• $300 for the third-place finisher

Show Your Orange Pride

Join the movement! Share your giving story by posting an #Unselfie on social media with #GivingCUSEday. Let’s show the world the extraordinary power of Orange generosity!

Ready to Make a Difference?

Visit now to:

• Support groundbreaking student initiatives
• Fund life-changing scholarships
• Champion your favorite student organization
• Be part of something bigger than yourself

Together, we can create ripples of change that will impact generations of Syracuse students.

Make your gift now on the .

Let’s show the world what Orange can do, together!

Robert J. Miron ’59�� and his wife, Diane, lead the ribbon cutting with Chancellor Kent Syverud as Miron Victory Court welcomes its first guests.

On Friday, Nov. 8, members of the Syracuse University community gathered to celebrate the dedication of Miron Victory Court, a new dynamic campus space that physically connects two of the University’s most visited campus facilities—the JMA Wireless Dome and the Barnes Center at The Arch. Named for Life Trustee Robert “Bob” J. Miron ’59 and his wife, Diane, Miron Victory Court is a living testament to their dedication to the University and their support of the Forever Orange Campaign.

“Bob and Diane Miron’s generosity brought this amazing new event space to life,” said Chancellor Kent Syverud. “The Miron Victory Court is the latest example of how transformational gifts through the Forever Orange Campaign create new opportunities for our Orange community to come together. Whether we’re welcoming fans for an indoor tailgate, celebrating an important University milestone or hosting a communitywide event, this will be a place to engage, connect and celebrate for generations to come.”

Miron Victory Court

The enclosed pedestrian concourse is part of the University’s multi-million-dollar project that reimagined and transformed the JMA Wireless Dome experience. Miron Victory Court expands and redefines the JMA Dome’s footprint and will provide a more seamless navigational experience between the Barnes Center and the JMA Dome.

During his remarks, Bob Miron said he was “blown away by the whole thing” [Miron Victory Court] and extended his deep appreciation to the Chancellor; Pete Sala, vice president and chief facilities officer; and several fellow trustees for their support of this vision.

“It’s pretty impressive to see this space in person,” said Bob Miron. “We’ve always had the philosophy, Diane and I, of wanting to give back, and to give back while you can appreciate and see the value of doing it. Syracuse University is where I grew up so it’s been a pleasure for us to enjoy the fruits of our philanthropy.”

The Mirons have supported many academic programs, University priorities and athletic initiatives over the years through service and philanthropy. The Diane and Bob Miron Fund for Academic Success supports academic and student success initiatives within the Syracuse University Libraries, including entrepreneurship efforts like the Blackstone LaunchPad, student services, technology enhancements and the creation and maintenance of student spaces. The Miron Learning Commons on the first floor of Bird Library was dedicated in their honor in 2022.

Members of the University community gathered to celebrate the dedication of Miron Victory Court.

Prior to his retirement, Bob Miron served as chairman and CEO of Advance/Newhouse Communications, where he oversaw the company’s cable television interests. Diane Miron serves on the Libraries Advisory Board. She is a graduate of Kean (then Newark State) College and holds a degree in elementary education and an honorary doctorate degree. Diane taught elementary school for 25 years, then became a teacher advisor on using technology and cable television in the classroom. The Mirons’ daughter, Nomi Bergman, was elected to the University’s Board of Trustees in May and installed on Thursday, Nov. 7—continuing the Miron family’s service to the University.

At the dedication event, several other generous donors were recognized for their support of Miron Victory Court and the JMA Dome transformation, including Trustee Clifford J. Ensley ’69, ’70, G’71 and his wife, Susan; Trustee Edward J. Pettinella G’76, P’09 and his family; and the State of New York.

About Syracuse University

Syracuse University is a private research university that advances knowledge across disciplines to drive breakthrough discoveries and breakout leadership. Our collection of 13 schools and colleges with over 200 customizable majors closes the gap between education and action, so students can take on the world. In and beyond the classroom, we connect people, perspectives and practices to solve interconnected challenges with interdisciplinary approaches. Together, we’re a powerful community that moves ideas, individuals and impact beyond what’s possible.

About Forever Orange: The Campaign for Syracuse University

Orange isn’t just our color. It’s our promise to leave the world better than we found it. Forever Orange: The Campaign for Syracuse University is poised to do just that. Fueled by more than 150 years of fearless firsts, together we can enhance academic excellence, transform the student experience and expand unique opportunities for learning and growth. Forever Orange endeavors to raise $1.5 billion in philanthropic support, inspire 125,000 individual donors to participate in the campaign, and actively engage one in five alumni in the life of the University. Now is the time to show the world what Orange can do. Visit foreverorange.syr.edu to learn more.

Debbie and Ajay Nagpal

Ajay and Debbie Nagpal recently pledged a major donation to create the Nagpal Family Faculty Fellowship, which will support a faculty fellow in the Martin J. Whitman School of Management.

The Nagpals’ gift is part of the . The program was launched in 2022 to accelerate the creation of endowments for professorships, chairs and faculty support funds. It is part of the $1.5 billion .

“Syracuse is dedicated to excellence in the classroom that translates to the real world,” says Alex McKelvie, interim dean of the Whitman School and professor of entrepreneurship. “We are grateful to Debbie and Ajay Nagpal for this gift to support the research and scholarship for which the University is known.”

“Throughout our family’s experience with Syracuse University and the Whitman School of Business, we have been incredibly impressed with the faculty members that we have been fortunate to meet and engage with on campus,” Debbie and Ajay Nagpal say. “It is a privilege to support their work and we are excited to see the continued impact of the Forever Orange Faculty Excellence Program.”

are the parents of Alec Nagpal, a senior and a major in the finance program in the Whitman School. They have been active members of the Syracuse University Parents Council, which Ajay calls a “bridge” to connect parents to the University. The parents of four say Syracuse was the right fit for their son, with the ability to specialize across the 13 schools and colleges and all-around spirit of the University. According to Debbie, her son was sold “from the minute he saw the school.”

Ajay Nagpal is president and chief operating officer of Millennium Management, a global investment firm. Debbie Nagpal also has a background in the financial industry, including a decade with Goldman Sachs.

“At Whitman, when you go to the classes and you listen to the professors, there’s such a wealth of resources, both from the academic and the practitioner’s perspective,” says Ajay, noting that beyond the academic side of business, the school teaches students how to conduct themselves in the workplace.

“Highly engaged families like the Nagpals are crucial to the Syracuse University community and mission,” said Whitman School Dean for Advancement and External Engagement Michael Paulus. “We cannot thank them enough not only for their support for the Forever Orange Faculty Excellence Program but also for their enthusiastic involvement in the intellectual, social and philanthropic life of the university and the Whitman School.”

The Nagpals have supported other University initiatives, including the Annual Fund, Student Experience Fund, Whitman School of Management Dean’s Fund and Hendricks Chapel Dean’s Discretionary Fund. They are active in philanthropy at a number of other universities and institutions and emphasize the importance of aligning their giving with their values. “We have to believe in the mission, we have to believe in the institution, we have to feel aligned with what they’re trying to accomplish,” Ajay says.

Throughout their son’s time at Syracuse, Ajay and Debbie have been a regular presence at parents’ programs and other learning experiences like faculty lectures. Debbie notes that she has appreciated not only the communication between the Whitman School and parents about the student experience, but also the ability for parents to learn.

“We are both attracted to academic environments, the resources and interacting with faculty. That engagement is something that fuels both of us,” says Ajay.

It is fitting, then, that their gift will bolster the recruitment and retention of world-class faculty scholars.

About Syracuse University

Syracuse University is a private research university that advances knowledge across disciplines to drive breakthrough discoveries and breakout leadership. Our collection of 13 schools and colleges with over 200 customizable majors closes the gap between education and action, so students can take on the world. In and beyond the classroom, we connect people, perspectives and practices to solve interconnected challenges with interdisciplinary approaches. Together, we’re a powerful community that moves ideas, individuals and impact beyond what’s possible.

About Forever Orange: The Campaign for Syracuse University

Orange isn’t just our color. It’s our promise to leave the world better than we found it. Forever Orange: The Campaign for Syracuse University is poised to do just that. Fueled by more than 150 years of fearless firsts, together we can enhance academic excellence, transform the student experience and expand unique opportunities for learning and growth. Forever Orange endeavors to raise $1.5 billion in philanthropic support, inspire 125,000 individual donors to participate in the campaign, and actively engage one in five alumni in the life of the University. Now is the time to show the world what Orange can do. �վ�����������to learn more.

Story by Suzi Morales

John E. Breyer

Breyer was first elected to the Board of Trustees in 2001, co-chaired the Budget Committee from 2003-2006 and was a life trustee participant on the Board Finance Committee. He was a member of the Dean’s Leadership Council at ECS and the Atlanta Regional Council.

His deep connection to the University began when he moved to Central New York to pursue a career with General Electric. For nearly three decades, Breyer worked for this Fortune 500 company’s underseas business division and rose to serve eventually as general manager of the entire underseas systems business. He took graduate courses at ECS and became the company’s representative for GE Corporate-sponsored programs on campus. Several of his employees were adjuncts in the college, and he appointed a member of his human resources department to initiate a program to help support minority students in engineering.

“We feel strongly that all citizens should support education, and we wanted to do something that would make a difference for many years to come,” said Breyer when it was announced that he and his wife bestowed a $1.1 million faculty endowment gift to establish the John E. and Patricia A. Breyer Professorship in Electrical Engineering to attract world-class faculty specifically to the electrical engineering program, and advance excellence in engineering research and teaching. The couple also established an endowed scholarship fund to support deserving students.

“John was such an ardent supporter of the College of Engineering and Computer Science and Syracuse University,” says J. Cole Smith, dean of the . “He and his family have made a tremendous impact in supporting our students and our research enterprise. I will miss him and will be forever grateful for the generous and sincere way John helped advance the aspirations of so many people in ECS.”

Breyer himself earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1961, after serving in the United States Navy as an enlisted soldier and continuing in the Navy Reserve. Described as a lifelong learner by his family, Breyer graduated from GE’s rigorous Advanced Engineering and General Management Programs. He was recognized as an innovator and leader in multiple fields related to communication, signal intelligence and antenna measurement.

Breyer joined Scientific-Atlanta Inc. in 1989 as the company senior vice president and president of two divisions before ascending to become president and chief executive officer of MI Technologies, a company he founded along with other investors. He continued to lead in these roles as the company expanded and merged to become NSI-MI Technologies, a high-tech company that develops and manufactures testing and measurement systems, equipment and products used to test communications, radar, satellite, wireless and EMC/EMI systems. He retired in 2021 at the age of 86.

Breyer’s connection to Syracuse University was personal and professional. His daughter, Deborah Knoblock ’88, G’90, earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the School of Education and is chair of the School of Education’s Advisory Board. He is survived by his wife of 64 years, Patricia, his daughters Deborah and Tamara, and three grandchildren. The family has requested that memorial contributions be directed to benefit ECS or the School of Education or the Tunnel to Towers Foundation that serves veterans and first responders.

A donor family’s $1 million pledge to Hendricks Chapel and a matching challenge has inspired others to give.

When an anonymous donor family pledged $1 million to Hendricks Chapel and to inspire other donors to match it, no one could foresee the extraordinary outpouring of support for what is widely known as the spiritual heart of Syracuse University. The donor family promised an additional $1 million if the challenge could be met. Since last March, more than 2,500 donors stepped up to meet—and exceed—the challenge, raising $1,757,496.

That brings the total funds raised as part of this campaign to more than $3.7 million, significantly amplifying the impact of the initial pledge. “Hendricks Chapel is such an important part of the Syracuse experience for not only our students and alumni, but for faculty, staff, parents and friends,” says Chancellor Kent Syverud. “This outpouring of support is the direct result of the good work Hendricks Chapel does every day to foster belonging, friendship and acceptance within our campus community. It is truly in the spirit of Hendricks Chapel that so many who benefited from its programs made gifts to support a strong interfaith community for the next generation of students.”

“For Hendricks Chapel to be on the receiving end of such transformative generosity is a remarkable blessing,” says Brian Konkol, vice president and dean of Hendricks Chapel. “The successful campaign is already making a positive difference. I am grateful for student leaders in the Interfraternity Council, campus partners in the Division of Advancement and External Affairs, and of course, the remarkable supporters from around the world who love Syracuse University.”

Since its dedication in 1930, Hendricks Chapel has enriched student life and learning, connected people within and across faith communities, supported those in need both on and off campus and served as a sacred setting for thousands of programs and services.

Inspired to Advance Goodness

The anonymous donor family includes University alumni and even a couple who were married at Hendricks Chapel. Their unrestricted gift was intended to inspire others who share in the chapel’s mission to build community in a spiritual and religious setting. Says one member of the donor family: “The focused effort required to learn a field of endeavor during your college years needs to be balanced with a constant reminder that each field’s ultimate purpose is to advance goodness in the world.”

The $3.7 million raised will be utilized to strengthen core programs and services through the following:

• Increasing student involvement in religious and spiritual life through programs and services that prioritize outreach and communication throughout the campus community;
• Leadership development programs for students and chaplains, through such programs as the Interfaith Leadership Summit and Parliament of the World’s Religions;
• Interfaith dialogue and cooperation, through such programs as the Student Assembly of Interfaith Leaders, Jewish-Muslim Dialogue Fellowship and Interfaith Days of Service and Learning;
• Supporting students in need through the Student Opportunity Fund, Student Veteran Support Fund and Hendricks Chapel Food Pantry; and
• Expanding the impact of sacred music and the arts by supporting the Hendricks Chapel Choir, Hendricks Chapel Organ Scholars Program and the Black Celestial Choral Ensemble.

Find out more about Hendricks Chapel’s events and programming at .

About Syracuse University

Syracuse University is a private research university that advances knowledge across disciplines to drive breakthrough discoveries and breakout leadership. Our collection of 13 schools and colleges with over 200 customizable majors closes the gap between education and action, so students can take on the world. In and beyond the classroom, we connect people, perspectives and practices to solve interconnected challenges with interdisciplinary approaches. Together, we’re a powerful community that moves ideas, individuals and impact beyond what’s possible.

About Hendricks Chapel

Hendricks Chapel, the spiritual heart of Syracuse University, is the student-centered global home for religious, spiritual, moral and ethical life. Established in 1930 as a home for all faiths and place for all people, the chapel hosts 15 chaplains, more than 25 student-led religious and spiritual groups, and sponsors more than 1,900 in-person and online programs for more than 900,000 annual participants. Hendricks Chapel employs student workers, supports musical ensembles, offers support through the Student Opportunity Fund and Food Pantry, and partners throughout the campus community to advance academic excellence at a university welcoming to all. As a central contributor to holistic life and learning at Syracuse University, Hendricks Chapel helps to prepare engaged citizens, scholars and leaders for participation in a changing global society.

About Forever Orange: The Campaign for Syracuse University

Orange isn’t just our color. It’s our promise to leave the world better than we found it. Forever Orange: The Campaign for Syracuse University is poised to do just that. Fueled by more than 150 years of fearless firsts, together we can enhance academic excellence, transform the student experience and expand unique opportunities for learning and growth. Forever Orange endeavors to raise $1.5 billion in philanthropic support, inspire 125,000 individual donors to participate in the campaign and actively engage one in five alumni in the life of the University. Now is the time to show the world what Orange can do. Visit to learn more.

Edward C. Magee Sr.

“My dad was serious about work, community, country and Syracuse University athletics,” says Magee. The senior Magee died in 1989 at the age of 78. In recognition of his son’s gift to the John A. Lally Athletics Complex and the Athletics Opportunity Fund, the dining hall will be commonly referred to as Magee One Team Dining.

“My father was a low-key guy, but I know he would have wanted to help student-athletes and the athletics program in meaningful ways,” says Magee. Both father and son shared an appreciation for the power of sports to enhance the visibility and reputation of the entire University. “He turned me into an avid Syracuse University sports fan at a young age,” says Magee. “We had football season tickets forever!”

When his father became too ill with congestive heart failure to attend games, he would watch from his recliner chair at home. “This was before the internet, and he would create his own score sheets,” says Magee. On the day he died, Magee Sr. was watching the Syracuse basketball team play Missouri. “Five to ten minutes into the game, he took his last breath. My brother Tom, who graduated from Syracuse University College of Law in 1973, still has that score sheet.” Now, Magee Sr.’s dedication to the Orange is memorialized in a place that honors the dedication of more than 600 student-athletes across 20 sports.

“Since we launched a dedicated campaign in 2021 to raise $150 million to enhance the student-athlete experience, we’ve been amazed and gratified by the support of donors like Ed,” says John Wildhack, director of athletics. “They truly appreciate the value of student-athlete focused facilities and services in attracting the most talented student-athletes and staff and ensuring competitive excellence in the athletics program.”

Edward “Ed” C. Magee

The athletics fundraising goal is part of the $1.5 billion for Syracuse University. “Philanthropy has always been critical to creating an environment where all our students can thrive, in the classroom and beyond, and in their chosen careers,” says Chancellor Kent Syverud. “I am grateful to Ed for recognizing that his gift can elevate the entire student experience, along with the reputation of the entire University.”

Magee graduated from the in 1970 with a bachelor of science in aerospace engineering, and earned an MBA in management data systems from the in 1972. He says he wasn’t a great athlete or an outstanding student, but he learned from his father and mother, a teacher, the value of hard work and dedication to family, community and country. He signed up for Air Force ROTC while in college, earning a scholarship that “would help out my parents.”

His father, Magee Sr., graduated from the in 1933 and completed a law degree in 1936. He joined the U.S. Army, served with the 84th Infantry Division in the South Pacific and Asiatic theaters, and trained soldiers for combat. He was a reservist for 20 years and retired as a major. He was equally devoted in his professional life, spending 40 years at the Utica Mutual Insurance Company.

Similarly, his son Ed was loyal in service to both country and a corporation that gave him the means to build wealth that could be used in service of others. Magee served four years at Eglin Air Force Base as an officer in the Air Defense Command and, as an air force captain, he designed real-time software to drive the world’s first phased-array Space Track Radar. Following the Air Force, he devoted himself to PepsiCo, first developing information systems and ultimately rising to the level of Pepsi-Cola International chief information officer. He retired at the young age of 48 and has spent his time since consulting and investing in promising ventures, giving back to community through various charities, and supporting his beloved alma mater.

Rendering of dining hall at the One Team Olympic Sports Center

In 2018, Magee established the Edward C. Magee Endowed Scholarship to provide financial assistance to undergraduate students in the and “help students who need a helping hand.” Believing students and student-athletes across all disciplines and sports can contribute to a thriving university and a culture of competitive excellence, Magee targeted his latest gift for the benefit of student athletes who will “fuel their bodies” at Magee One Team Dining.

About Syracuse University

Syracuse University is a private research university that advances knowledge across disciplines to drive breakthrough discoveries and breakout leadership. Our collection of 13 schools and colleges with over 200 customizable majors closes the gap between education and action, so students can take on the world. In and beyond the classroom, we connect people, perspectives and practices to solve interconnected challenges with interdisciplinary approaches. Together, we’re a powerful community that moves ideas, individuals and impact beyond what’s possible.

About Forever Orange: The Campaign for Syracuse University

Orange isn’t just our color. It’s our promise to leave the world better than we found it. Forever Orange: The Campaign for Syracuse University is poised to do just that. Fueled by more than 150 years of fearless firsts, together we can enhance academic excellence, transform the student experience and expand unique opportunities for learning and growth. Forever Orange endeavors to raise $1.5 billion in philanthropic support, inspire 125,000 individual donors to participate in the campaign, and actively engage one in five alumni in the life of the University. Now is the time to show the world what Orange can do. �վ�����������to learn more.

Laufey performed “From the Start” and other hits from her decorated album “Bewitched.”(Photo by Arnold Turner)

Grammy Award-winning artist captivated the crowd at an invite-only launch party for Syracuse University’s new music business master’s program at Spotify Studios in Los Angeles.

Laufey performed “From the Start” and other hits from her decorated album “Bewitched” at the event Tuesday night, which also saw the announcement of a new scholarship in the artist’s name that supports international students or those in need of financial aid in the Bandier music business master’s program.

The , starting classes in summer 2025, expands on the success of the prestigious undergraduate program in the recording and entertainment industries in the . Both degree programs are named after Martin Bandier ’62, the legendary music publishing executive and University Life Trustee. The master’s program was created in partnership with the , and reflects a true, cross-disciplinary, hands-on approach to study.

The Laufey Scholarship for Graduate Students will provide $100,000 over the next 10 years to the Bandier program.

In February, Laufey won the Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album award at the 2024 Grammys. She has deep connections to the Bandier program through her core team, which includes manager Max Gredinger ’13, of Foundations Music; attorney Harry Roberts ’12, of Mark Music & Media Law; and publisher Gabz Landman ’12, of Warner Chappell Music.

The team also includes digital marketing manager Izzy Newirth ’23 and management coordinator Kaylee Barrett ’24, of Foundations.

“I’m incredibly proud to support this scholarship and be part of such an important moment for the Bandier program. The talent, knowledge and passion that my team brings to our work every day are a direct result of the incredible education they received at Syracuse University,” Laufey said.

“I hope this scholarship will help future students find the same success and fulfillment in the music industry,” Laufey added.

The is regularly recognized as one of the top undergraduate music business programs in the country. Billboard magazine’s list of the world’s top music business schools has always included the Bandier program.

Laufey (left) and Bill Werde, director of the Bandier undergraduate program (Photo by Arnold Turner)

Created in 2006 in the College of Visual and Performing Arts’ Setnor School of Music, the Bandier program was the brainchild of three Newhouse alumni: Rob Light ’78, John Sykes ’77 and the late Phil Quartararo ’77, who suggested the concept to Martin Bandier.

The program established a solid foundation and grew at VPA before moving to Newhouse in 2017. Bandier students still take classes at VPA, as well as the .

The new will offer students the same top features that set apart the undergraduate program, delivering hands-on experiences and training for cutting-edge skills needed to make students job-ready upon graduation, as well as providing access to the large and loyal networks of Bandier and Newhouse alumni.

A comprehensive curriculum will cover topics, including music law, copyright, social media and the latest data tools used by top industry professionals. A key feature of the program will be a semester based in Los Angeles that provides students with valuable industry experience.

The new master’s program will be led by Bill Werde, director of the Bandier undergraduate program and former editorial director of Billboard.

“An overwhelming percentage of our undergrads are leveraging the skills, network and experiences built in the Bandier program into jobs upon graduation,” Werde said. “We look forward to welcoming these new graduate students into our community and working with them to develop the core that they need to succeed.”

Mark J. Lodato, dean of the Newhouse School, expressed gratitude to Laufey and her team for their commitment to helping Bandier master’s students succeed.

“Through the Bandier master’s program, students aspiring to work in the music industry will have exciting opportunities to hone the skills they learn in the classroom in real-world settings,” Lodato said. “We are so grateful to the Bandier alumni, who play pivotal roles working with such a gifted artist like Laufey, for setting examples for career success.”

Beth and Steve Ballentine

When Steven “Steve” W. Ballentine ’83 recalls his years playing club volleyball at Syracuse University, he remembers the fun, comradery and deeply satisfying sense of belonging it created for him. He also remembers the challenges: “Club sports didn’t receive University funding back then. I remember each of us on the team had to chip in $5 so we could travel to play at the University of Rochester. We brought our sleeping bags to my parents’ home and slept there when we travelled to Philadelphia.”

Those memories helped lay the foundation for the most recent gift from Steve and his wife, Beth (Shuman) Ballentine ’83, both of whom love sports and their alma mater. The nearly $2 million gift is part of the and will be used to create a dedicated field with lights for club sports and an endowed fund to support club sports programs and participants who might need help with fees, equipment and travel expenses.�� In recognition of this transformational gift, Syracuse University’s Club Sports Program has been named the Ballentine Club Sports Program.

Steve, an investment advisor by profession, and Beth, a published writer and essayist, describe sports as “very important to us as a family,” with both of them playing on sports teams throughout adulthood. Beth played on a women’s ice hockey team for nearly 20 years. Steve is a competitive tennis player. “We’ve made lifelong friends through sports,” says Beth. “For me, it’s about physical health, connections with people and sisterhood.”

The couple has also maintained strong connections to their alma mater through service and philanthropy. They provided lead gifts for the establishment of the Ballentine Investment Institute at the Whitman School of Management and have supported other initiatives in the and Athletics. Beth majored in advertising at the . Steve received a degree in business administration with dual majors in finance and accounting from the Whitman School, where he is a member of the Advisory Council. He has been a member of the University’s Board of Trustees since 1998, currently serving on the Executive, Investment and Endowment and Athletics Committees.

“Steve and Beth’s support will create an even more outstanding experience for the hundreds of students every year who find a place of belonging at Syracuse through club sports,” says Chancellor Kent Syverud. “Their generosity will help nurture student success beyond the classroom. It will also encourage more students to integrate fitness, teamwork, and leadership into their Orange experience. I am grateful to the Ballentines for a gift that will improve students’ wellbeing and enhance the student experience.”

As chair of the Board of Trustee’s Athletics Committee, Steve is especially appreciative of the impact athletics has on the student experience. “Growing up, I played everything until I wasn’t good enough to play it at the varsity/JV level, then moved on to another sport—from baseball and basketball to volleyball and bowling. There are so many young people like me who weren’t sports superstars, who played sports in high school and who really miss that part of their lives when they get to college. Finances can stand in their way of participating in club sports.�� Beth and I saw the need to address that.”

There are currently 45 at the University, with more than 1,500 students participating. Most teams are ��organized by student leaders and supported by club sports staff in the Student Experience Division. The Ballentines met with student leaders of the club sport teams to better understand how their financial support could have the greatest impact.�� “It was an incredibly eye opening and impressive experience,” says Steve. “They are entrepreneurial leaders, raising funds to book transportation for the teams, sharing ideas, learning from each other.” Beth was impressed by their dedication to helping others and “essentially doing a part-time job for which they don’t get paid, while managing a full course load.”

The Ballentine Club Sports Program Endowed Fund, established through this ��gift, will help ensure teams have the resources to enhance participation in post-season competition and playoffs and team leaders have the tools to manage their programs more effectively. “We’re big on teaching someone to fish rather than just handing them the fish,” says Steve. That idea was also foundational to the previous creation of , which provided students with the kinds of tools, training and resources to prepare them for a career in finance. Steve’s own career in the financial industry began as an equity analyst and portfolio manager for Prudential Life Insurance Co. of America. In 1989, he founded his own investment management firm, Ballentine Capital Management Inc.

The Ballentine Field for Club Sports will be located on South Campus on grounds that are across from the Tennity Ice Skating Pavilion. “There will be irrigation and lights, so players can practice or compete after classes, when the sun goes down,” says Steve.

The Ballentines look forward to seeing the growth of club sports that present “a huge opportunity for students from all walks of life to come together” and excel beyond the classroom.

About Syracuse University

Syracuse University is a private research university that advances knowledge across disciplines to drive breakthrough discoveries and breakout leadership. Our collection of 13 schools and colleges with over 200 customizable majors closes the gap between education and action, so students can take on the world. In and beyond the classroom, we connect people, perspectives and practices to solve interconnected challenges with interdisciplinary approaches. Together, we’re a powerful community that moves ideas, individuals and impact beyond what’s possible.

About Forever Orange: The Campaign for Syracuse University

Orange isn’t just our color. It’s our promise to leave the world better than we found it. Forever Orange: The Campaign for Syracuse University is poised to do just that. Fueled by more than 150 years of fearless firsts, together we can enhance academic excellence, transform the student experience and expand unique opportunities for learning and growth. Forever Orange endeavors to raise $1.5 billion in philanthropic support, inspire 125,000 individual donors to participate in the campaign, and actively engage one in five alumni in the life of the University. Now is the time to show the world what Orange can do. �վ�����������to learn more.

Get pumped, Orange Nation! The 2024 football season is kicking off with a bang after a win against Ohio, and now it’s time for you to join the action with your very own Game Day Kit. Whether you’re rooting from the stands or your living room, this kit has everything you need to show your Orange pride and support our amazing student-athletes.

What’s in the Game Day Kit?

Inspired by favorite traditions like “beat buttons” and banner flips, the kit includes:

• An 11-inch by 17-inch poster featuring Coach Fran Brown to track the season’s games.
• An 8.5-inch by 11-inch sticker sheet with Beat [Opponent] banners, game dates and pennant stickers to customize your poster and follow our wins.
• Five Otto temporary tattoos to boost your game-day spirit.
• A small felt Syracuse pennant to add some Orange flair to any space.

How Can I Get One?

and make a gift of $10 or more to the Athletics Opportunity Fund, and a kit will be sent straight to you!

Get your Game Day Kit now and cheer on the Orange while supporting our student-athletes. It’s a win-win, just like we’re hoping this season will be. New coach, new rivals and a whole lot of Orange pride—let’s go, Syracuse!

Fraternities and sororities rallied their members and friends to contribute, and as the day unfolded, the remarkable generosity of these groups was made apparent. “We are all so grateful for the overwhelming response to this first-ever Hendricks Cup challenge. With over $300,000 raised, our Syracuse University students were the true winners,” said Alison Murray, assistant dean for student assistance at Hendricks Chapel, acknowledging the immense impact of the day’s efforts.

A staggering total of $333,192 was raised for the Hendricks Chapel Food Pantry on the 2024 Syracuse Giving Day, a testament to the collective spirit of giving within the Syracuse University campus community. Among the 1,280 donors, 984 identified as being affiliated with Fraternities and Sororities, accounting for a significant portion of the overall contributions.

In addition to financial contributions, the Hendricks Chapel Food Pantry also received 1,484 in-kind donations as part of the Hendricks Cup challenge, which stocked the pantry shelves and made an immediate impact in support of those in need.

Reflecting on the day’s events, Rev. Dr. Brian Konkol, dean of Hendricks Chapel, expressed profound gratitude for the overwhelming response: “Witnessing the energy and efforts of Syracuse University’s Giving Day was a spark of inspiration and appreciation. For the Hendricks Chapel Food Pantry to be on the receiving end of such extraordinary generosity—especially among our students—is an honor and joy that far exceeded my expectations.”

Following a final tally of in-kind contributions, total donors and dollars, and percentage of respective membership involvement, the inaugural Hendricks Cup trophy was awarded to Theta Chi, with Phi Kappa Psi in second place and��Delta Tau Delta in third. “I am incredibly proud of the effort that each Greek organization put into the Hendricks Cup. The Greek Community absolutely exploded with support and participation,” said Tage Oster, president of the Interfraternity Council.

Members of Theta Chi (from left to right) Tage Oster, Jake Bransfield, David Ritacco and Drew Maier with Dean Konkol.

As Syracuse University’s Giving Day for 2024 concluded, the importance of community, compassion and collaboration were top of mind. “I am left humbled by the outstanding leadership of campus partners in the Division of the Student Experience and the Office of Advancement and External Affairs, as their shared efforts will help us all to impact more students, which then helps students to impact our world,” said Dean Konkol.

The Hendricks Chapel Food Pantry is open to all Syracuse University and State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY-ESF) students who may be experiencing food insecurity. The pantry provides supplemental shelf-stable foods, produce, personal hygiene products, and more at no cost to students. For more information on how to donate to or receive food from the pantry, please visit .

Results are still being finalized, but this was a record year for the most donors to Syracuse University in a 24-hour period. This included donors from all 50 states and 13 countries, with 2,702 alumni, 636 students and 1,225 faculty and staff giving back.

The Class of 2023 holds the bragging rights by class year by bringing in the most donors, and the Class of 1987 raised the most dollars.

Giving Day included donors from all 50 states and 13 countries, with 2,702 alumni, 636 students and 1,225 faculty and staff giving back.

Hendricks Chapel’s food pantry fund received the most donor and dollar support with 1,270 donors giving $333,192. Big thanks to Greek Life for rallying around this cause!

Eighteen student organizations tabled in the JMA Wireless Dome during our first Giving Day Power Hour, competing for $1,000 in challenge money. (Congratulations go out to Orange Pulse Dance Troupe, Zeta Phi Eta and WJPZ Radio!)

Giving Day Live!

As part of the day’s events, ESPN’s Kayla Burton G’19 hosted four live shows, featuring 35-plus live guests, three student performances from the JMA Wireless Dome and 22 videos. Other stats include the following:

• 9,257 total live viewers
• 496 cumulative hours watched
• 13:12 average watch time
• Most watched show: 2 p.m edition—3,000-plus live viewers across Vimeo and Facebook Live

Other highlights of Giving Day and Forever Orange Week:

• 153 Orange Advocates used their unique links to spread the word and brought in 596 gifts.
• 956 donors made their first-ever gift to Syracuse University.
• To kick off Forever Orange Week, staff crashed 48 classrooms with donuts, Otto pins and BINGO cards with Syracuse Giving Day activities.
• Syracuse Connects, the student engagement center, called alumni and parents during an epic 10-hour shift.
• 10 small plush Ottos were hidden around campus, sponsored by the Generation Orange Leadership Council.
• Otto visited areas around campus for a total of seven hours throughout the day.
• All 13 schools and colleges hosted events or tabled throughout the day.
• 8 alumni clubs in New York City; Minnesota; Boston; Tampa Bay, Florida; Los Angeles; Atlanta; South Florida and Washington, D.C., hosted Giving Day events.
• 36 challenges and matches contributed $549,999 across campus.

Hendricks Chapel’s chaplains gathered to offer words of hope and inspiration at the 2023 Blessing of the Students. Otto made a guest appearance at the ceremony.

A historic gift to Hendricks Chapel, the largest since its dedication in 1930, will launch a $3 million Challenge Campaign to enrich student life and learning through the spiritual heart of Syracuse University.

As a home for all faiths and place for all people, Hendricks Chapel hosts nine chaplaincies, more than 25 student-led religious and spiritual life groups, and sponsors over 2,000 programs for more than 600,000 annual attendees. Hendricks Chapel employs student workers; supports musical ensembles; offers support through the Student Opportunity Fund, Student Veteran Support Fund and the Hendricks Chapel Food Pantry; and also partners throughout the campus community to advance academic excellence at a university welcoming to all.

The recent anonymous gift will be used to support various chapel programs and initiatives, to prepare engaged citizens, scholars and leaders for participation in a changing global society.

Through the connection of family members who attended Syracuse University, two of whom were married at Hendricks Chapel, the donors are inspired by the chapel’s mission and want to support its efforts through an unrestricted gift that inspires others to give. “I like the idea of universities having an opportunity to be brought together in a spiritual and religious setting,” says a member of the family. “The focused effort required to learn a field of endeavor during your college years needs to be balanced with a constant reminder that each field’s ultimate purpose is to advance goodness in the world.”

The gift will launch the $3 million Hendricks Chapel Challenge Gift Campaign. The donors have already committed to $1 million. If Syracuse University alumni, parents, friends and other supporters can raise an additional $1 million by June 30, the family will give another $1 million, for a total of $3 million in support of Hendricks Chapel. All donations to any Hendricks Chapel funds by June 30, 2024, will count toward the Hendricks Chapel Challenge Gift Campaign. “For Hendricks Chapel to be on the receiving end of such remarkable generosity is an honor and a joy,” said Reverend Brian Konkol, dean of Hendricks Chapel. “This gift will help us to impact more students, which help our students to impact our world.”

The initial $1 million gift has already made a significant impact:

• “We are very blessed to be receiving funds from Hendricks Chapel this year. Some of these funds are being used to bring an ASL [American Sign Language] interpreter to our 12:10 p.m. Mass on Wednesday afternoons,” says Father Gerry Waterman, Catholic chaplain.
• “It is hard to put into words the enormous impact that Hendricks Chapel’s support has on the Syracuse Hillel community. We are so grateful for our partnership with the chapel. In addition to thought partnership, strategic support and the benefits of a community of practice, grants from the chapel have enabled Hillel to inspire students as they embrace Shabbat and holiday traditions here on campus,” says Jillian Juni, executive director of Syracuse Hillel.
• “Hendricks Chapel has supported our many service trips. Through these trips, students have engaged in compassion-oriented service work, providing food and water filtration, and replacing roofs after the destruction of Hurricane Maria. Over 70 students have benefited from our trips to Puerto Rico, New York City and Nepal over the years,” says Rev. Devon Bartholomew, nondenominational Christian protestant chaplain.
• “Thanks to Hendricks Chapel I was able to study abroad, which has drastically shaped my Syracuse experience, allowing me to learn more about myself and the world around us,” says Leondra Tyler, student coordinator for the��Hendricks Chapel Food Pantry.
• “Funding from Hendricks Chapel helps the Hendricks Chapel Choir stay connected to the campus community, and to the artistic community around our state, our nation, and our world,” says José “Peppie” Calvar, DMA, director of the Hendricks Chapel Choir.
• “Funding from Hendricks Chapel enables our group to expand its programming, makes it easier to accommodate religious observances like Ramadan Iftars, and gives our students additional opportunities to gather and connect in meaningful and creative ways without the burden of financial constraints. It was pivotal in building our community, sense of belonging, and student connections, which have increased enrollment, participation and engagement,” says Imam Amir Durić, Muslim chaplain.

For more information or to support the Hendricks Chapel Challenge Gift Campaign before June 30, 2024, please visit or contact Jeff Comanici at jjcomani@syr.edu or 315.420.9330.

Find more about Hendricks Chapel’s events and programming at .

About Forever Orange: The Campaign for Syracuse University

Orange isn’t just our color. It’s our promise to leave the world better than we found it. Forever Orange: The Campaign for Syracuse University is poised to do just that. Fueled by more than 150 years of fearless firsts, together we can enhance academic excellence, transform the student experience and expand unique opportunities for learning and growth. Forever Orange endeavors to raise $1.5 billion in philanthropic support, inspire 125,000 individual donors to participate in the campaign, and actively engage one in five alumni in the life of the University. Now is the time to show the world what Orange can do. �վ�����������to learn more.

Ann Covitz, right, with her daughter Jill

A Queens, New York, native, she always wanted to be a teacher, and friendly influences and a strong School of Education led her to Syracuse University. “My best friend Susan wanted to go to Syracuse, and it got to be a whole clique of people in the neighborhood who went,” she recalls. “It was too big a school for me, really. But I loved the area all around campus.”

One weekend she met David Covitz, a Cornell University student in the same fraternity as her brother. After Ann graduated from Syracuse, the couple married and settled near Cornell. They later moved to Long Island, where their daughter, Jill, was born. But Ann ran the household as David was frequently attending to his veterinary practice, and the marriage fell apart when Jill was 2 years old. Ann adapted as best she could, focusing on her teaching career and raising her little girl.

For 35 years Ann split her time between teaching and family therapy. She always loved children and became a Montessori School directress. She also organized parenting classes. Ann applied the lessons she learned as a single parent to help build up other families and guide schoolchildren in the same way she nurtured her daughter.

“She was such a happy kid—the girl whose perpetual, dimpled smile would light up the room,” Ann recalls. “I remember her receiving the ‘Friendliest Camper Award’ as a young child. They used to call her ‘bubbly’; she was very outgoing and made friends everywhere she went.”

A Love of Travel

Jill Covitz ’92 loved music throughout her childhood, especially bands. And while Ann admits Syracuse wasn’t the ideal choice for her, it was perfect for Jill, who joined Alpha Chi Omega sorority and majored in electronic media production at the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications. She loved the entertainment aspect of the music industry and aspired to work in events production.

Ann and Jill Covitz at Commencement

Of all her Syracuse experiences, a semester abroad set the tone for the rest of Jill’s life. “Jill studied abroad in London and traveled all over Europe. She loved being in a group and exploring, especially being an only child,” Ann says. “She always had the travel bug, but Syracuse was the place that gave her the inspiration to live internationally.”

Jill graduated cum laude and spent over a decade in New York City, working for Columbia Records and Sony Music Entertainment. But she still wished to live in another part of the world and was drawn to Australia for its people and its beauty.

“Australians are very happy people—boundless. They have a light about them similar to Jill’s personality, and she loved the camaraderie,” Ann recalls. “She said, ‘Mom, one day I want to go to Australia. It’s just the place I want to be.’”

In 2005, Jill moved across the world and joined Fox Studios Australia. Six years later she went into business for herself, starting The Corporate Method (known as TCM Events), an event management company responsible for a full range of launches, premieres, galas and corporate, live and public events. In 2016 she kicked off a new start-up called FUNLOCKA, a tech platform connecting businesses with fans in meaningful ways. Jill applied all her entertainment experience into being a freelancer and consultant, living her dream. Life was perfect…except for the distance from her mother.

“I’m very different from Jill—I’m an introvert, and we have opposite personalities. But we had a strong bond,” Ann says. “We were just always apart because Jill wanted to travel, while I was afraid of planes and wanted to stay close to home.”

Jill Covitz with her dog, Paris

In the fall of 2021, Ann got the courage to fly across the U.S. and the Pacific to live out her retirement in Australia with Jill nearby. It was a beautiful plan: mother and daughter together again, exactly where they wanted to live. But only months after Ann’s arrival, tragedy struck.

For one so outgoing and working in the bustling entertainment business, Jill enjoyed private moments too. Every morning she took her dog, Paris, for a walk, and most days included a quiet swim.

On the morning of Jan. 25, 2022, Jill went swimming alone on Peregian Beach, a small coastal town in Queensland, where she was caught in a rip current and drowned. The news of her sudden passing devastated everyone who knew her, but no one more deeply than her mother Ann, left to ponder the impossible question: “Why?”

“She was amazing, always. The friendliest, warmest, nicest and strongest young woman. She had a magic about her, and that’s one of the reasons why it’s still so hard for me,” Ann says. “Jill was described as ‘the bright flame that all good things and people gravitated towards. Her open and beautiful smile will be eternal to all who knew her.’”

Celebrating Jill’s Life

Two years since that tragic day, Ann has tried to channel her grief in a manner that celebrates her daughter’s life. After all, it’s what Jill would have wanted.

“‘It is what it is, Mom,’—that’s what she would say whenever we faced any kind of loss or hardship,” Ann recalls, knowing Jill wouldn’t want to dwell on things one couldn’t change. “It reflected her whole attitude and zest for life. Jill wasn’t going to waste a moment of life.”

For the first anniversary of her daughter’s passing, Ann and friends raised over $5,000 to plant trees in Jill’s honor across various Australian national parks, to build landscape resilience after recent fires and flooding. “Jill had been heartbroken about the devastation from these natural events and the impact of the habitat loss on koalas and other animals,” she says. “It seemed fitting to celebrate her by supporting our community.”

Closer to Jill’s home, a park bench bearing her name sits along Jill’s favorite route by the water, where she walked each morning with Paris (Jill’s beloved pet died just two months after her passing).

The trees and bench were beautiful ways to honor Jill and her love for Australia. But as Ann, in her 80s, contemplated her own legacy, she sought an avenue to ensure her daughter’s memory would never be forgotten.

Jill Covitz

Everything Ann had saved was intended for her daughter, so she wanted her estate to pay tribute to all that was special about Jill—the zest for life, the pursuit of adventure, the appreciation for learning about new cultures and perspectives, and the joy of bringing people together.

Inspired by those qualities, Ann created the Jill Rebecca Covitz ’92 Memorial Scholarship through her estate to provide financial assistance to students participating in a Syracuse Abroad program, with preference to students enrolled in the Newhouse School. She hopes the scholarship will enable students to explore the world and gain a new perspective, as Jill experienced. Anyone wishing to support the scholarship in Jill’s memory can make a gift at .

“There are no words of comfort to soften Ann’s grief, and it is with deeply grateful but heavy hearts that we accept her incredible generosity,” says David Whitmore, vice president for advancement, academic affairs. “We can’t ease the pain of Ann’s loss, but we can honor Jill with the promise that every student who receives her scholarship will know her story and keep her memory alive.”

Today, Ann feels some peace knowing her gift will bring students together in the spirit of learning, to make lasting memories and view the world differently, reflecting Jill’s attitude toward life.

“Living abroad is like living more than one life at a time—you go there alone and isolated, but you come back with lifelong friends. I think that’s why Jill liked it so much,” Ann says. “She just took the most she could from life and ran with it, and anyone who wanted to run alongside was welcome. And I thought that was a wonderful way to live.”

The new home of the Syracuse University Dick Clark Los Angeles Program in North Hollywood (Photos by Rich Prugh)

Celebrating the enduring legacy of a well-loved alumnus, members of the University community marked the official opening of the new location of the Syracuse University Dick Clark Los Angeles Program in North Hollywood, California on Saturday, March 2.

Along with family members of the late Dick Clark ’51, students, faculty, staff, leadership, alumni and friends gathered to dedicate the University’s new home in LA, the result of a gift from the Kari and Dick Clark Foundation to significantly expand the University’s presence and impact in the entertainment field.

The expansion of the , a vibrant example of the University’s commitment to Study Away, includes new space for offices, classrooms, studios, additional academic programs, faculty and internships. It is home to LA programs for the and the .

During the March 2 dedication of the new building of the Syracuse University Dick Clark Los Angeles Program, Vice Chancellor, Provost and Chief Academic Officer Gretchen Ritter, left, speaks about the Clark legacy at the University and the importance of such vital programs as the LA program to provide students with an immersive Study Away experience. She is joined by Anna Proulx, College of Visual and Performing Arts program director, Syracuse University Los Angeles Semester, second from left, and Cindy Clark ’86 and RAC Clark, daughter and son of Dick Clark ’51, respectively.

Members of the University community gather for the dedication of the new building for the Syracuse University Dick Clark Los Angeles Program.

Cindy Clark ’86, at the podium, with her brother RAC Clark, shares remarks during the dedication of the new building for the Syracuse University Dick Clark Los Angeles Program.

Provost Gretchen Ritter, second from left, Cindy Clark ’86 and RAC Clark cut the ribbon dedicating the new building. Students Soley Liboy ’24, far left, in the College of Visual and Performing Arts, and Benjamin Galvanoni ’25, far right, in the Newhouse School of Public Communications and the Whitman School of Management, assist in the moment.

Students help celebrate the opening of the new location of the Syracuse University Dick Clark Los Angeles Program.

Among those celebrating the new home of the Syracuse University Dick Clark Los Angeles Program are, from left, Anna Proulx, director of the College of Visual and Performing Arts Program, LA Semester; Robin Howard, director of the Newhouse School Program, LA Semester; Newhouse School Dean Mark Lodato; Cindy Clark ’86; RAC Clark; Provost Gretchen Ritter; College of Visual and Performing Arts Dean Michael Tick; John Sykes ’77, president of entertainment enterprises for iHeartMedia; and Joan Adler, assistant vice president of regional programs in Los Angeles.

Members of the University community gather for the dedication of the new building for the Syracuse University Dick Clark Los Angeles Program.

The new location of the Syracuse University Dick Clark Los Angeles Program in North Hollywood

Roger Chen

For nearly 37 years, professor C.Y. Roger Chen has been an invaluable guide for many students on their academic and professional journeys. Teaching electrical engineering and computer science courses in the (ECS) at Syracuse University since 1988, Chen has continued to mentor several doctoral students who have gone on to enjoy successful careers in big technology.

Naresh Sehgal G’88, Ph.D.’94 is one of many former students whose career was shaped by Chen’s mentorship. As one of Chen’s first master’s students, the two developed a close bond that lasted beyond Sehgal’s time at Syracuse University. Now, after retiring from a 32-year career at Intel Corporation, Sehgal and other alumni are seeking to give back.

“After leaving Syracuse in 1988, Chen agreed to continue being my Ph.D. advisor remotely before the advent of the internet, Skype, Zoom or any online meetings. He’s extremely humble and flexible,” says Sehgal. “Along with my former Intel colleagues [Bill and Bharat, who also studied under Chen], we wanted to give something back to him and Syracuse University.”

Sehgal, Bill Halpin ’88, G’95, Ph.D.’05, Bharat Krishna G’94, Ph.D.’05, Nagbhushan Veerapaneni G’87 and Uminder Singh G’91, Ph.D.’94 established the Dr. Roger Chen Scholarship to honor their professor and advisor for his unwavering guidance and support.����For five years, the scholarship will provide financial assistance of up to $10,000 per year to undergraduate students in ECS and will support students studying computer engineering, electrical engineering or computer science.

“Syracuse played a huge role in my success and that of my friends. Many of us were able to afford college through assistantships and scholarships,” says Halpin. “The investment by Professor Chen and Syracuse has led us to have fantastic careers and blessed lives. Recognizing him was something that we talked about for a long time.”

The alumni hope this scholarship sets a precedent of appreciation for the college and its faculty who have played a vital role in shaping the careers of many students. They hope to inspire students to pursue their dreams by supporting them, just as Chen and the University once did for them.

“During my master’s studies, Syracuse generously supported me through a teaching assistantship which was a big help,” says Sehgal. “We are glad to have attended this university and studied under Professor Chen. We’re forever grateful for his patience and encouragement.”

“It was natural for us to want to help make college affordable for the next generation of students,” says Halpin. “We hope that this scholarship creates a virtuous cycle where more Alums donate today thereby creating the next generation of Alums who feel the same desire to donate.”

If you would like to make a gift in honor of Dr. Roger Chen, please visit the Thank you!��

K.G. Tan

Table tennis is a game of both force and angles.

The goal is to strike the ball past your opponent by taking advantage of the observable angles and opportunities. Devising a plan of attack for problems known and unknown. Predicting your opponents’ future moves while remaining in position to return a forehand, backhand or overhand slam.

It’s no wonder Kwang G. Tan G’73 naturally took to table tennis.

Possessing an innately inquisitive, problem-solving mind, Tan, who earned a Ph.D. in electrical engineering from the (ECS), was ideally suited for the fast-paced game that requires one to both immediately tackle the problem they’re facing while thinking about where your opponent is vulnerable now, and where they will be vulnerable in the future.

“I always liked playing table tennis. Even now, we have table tennis downstairs, and I still like playing,” Tan says about the facilities in his retirement community in San Diego, California. “There’s always a lot of physical movement, side to side, forward and backward. You always have to be thinking.”

When it comes to philanthropy, Tan is always thinking of Syracuse University. He is a generous benefactor of the University, including his immense support of the .

In 2017, K.G. Tan made a gift of $3.5 million, which led to the creation of the Barnes Center at The Arch.

In 2017, a $3.5 million gift from Tan enabled students to have access to comprehensive health, wellness and recreation services and resources through both significant renovations to Archbold Gymnasium and the creation of the Barnes Center at The Arch. The result is the K.G. Tan Sports and Fitness Facility on the second floor, and a dedicated table tennis space where students who wish to follow in Tan’s footsteps can pick up a paddle and play on the third floor.

In 2019, Tan donated $5 million toward the creation of the National Veterans Resource Center, a facility dedicated to academic research, programming and thought leadership that addresses the social, economic and wellness concerns of the nation’s veterans and families.

“K.G. has enjoyed an exemplary and innovative career in the technology sector. His commitment to the University highlights the impact a defining Orange experience can have,” Chancellor Kent Syverud says. “Syracuse University is grateful that K.G. continues to inspire current and future generations of students. His support and generosity will set our students and faculty up for continued academic and research excellence.”

Recently, Tan funded the $1.5 million K.G. Tan Professorship, which will focus on artificial intelligence (AI) research for ECS faculty.

“Dr. Tan’s endowed professorship will support a preeminent researcher and educator in the field of artificial intelligence. This person will be a top scholar in the development and rigorous analysis of AI algorithms, all while serving as a compelling instructor for our talented cadre of computer science students. We are grateful for his gift, his guidance and his passion for innovation,” says ECS Dean J. Cole Smith.

Devising Solutions for Unknown Problems

The same traits that suited Tan in table tennis helped him carve out a successful career in the technology sector, especially in the early days of computers, when engineers were devising solutions for problems that weren’t yet known. Engineers like Tan were both examining problems that needed to be solved and working out the answers to those problems.

K.G. Tan

Working for such titans of the industry as IBM, Hewlett-Packard (HP) and Sun Microsystems, Tan held five patents —four from IBM and one under Sun Microsystems—while maintaining important leadership positions at both IBM and HP.

The very first time Tan used a computer as an undergraduate student studying electrical engineering at the University of Illinois-Urbana in the late 1950s, he became determined to understand what made these ginormous machines work.

“Every field has potential, and that potential is unlimited. But at the time, we knew very little about what computers could do and what role they would play in the future. I gained experience working on the university’s main computer then and from that point on I was fascinated with learning as much about computers as I could. What can these big supercomputers do? How does their software and hardware work? I didn’t know, but I knew I wanted to know,” Tan says.

From IBM to Syracuse University

After earning a master’s degree in electrical engineering from The Ohio State University in 1962, Tan immersed himself in the exciting world of computers, designing computers for IBM for roughly five years.

While at IBM, Tan applied for an IBM residence fellowship program, with the hopes of earning a doctoral degree in electrical engineering. Out of more than 200 applicants, Tan was one of two selected to the prestigious program and was admitted to Syracuse University’s electrical engineering doctoral program.

As part of the program, ECS engineering professors traveled to IBM’s Poughkeepsie-Kingston campus. One faculty member in particular, Professor Ming-Kuei Hu, made a lasting impression on Tan. Hu helped lead the intellectual development of Syracuse University’s computer engineering program, which at the time was only the second accredited program of its kind in the country and Hu was the first professor to teach computer courses at the University.

As one of Tan’s professors and his advisor, Hu encouraged Tan to build upon his impressive practical experience with computers and conduct a deeper dive into the field.

“Professor Hu was very open-minded and gave me some great guidance in the field of computers that really enhanced the work I was doing for IBM while encouraging me to focus on new areas of study in computing,” says Tan, who spent two years at Syracuse.

Doing Whatever It Takes to Accomplish a Task

Today computers are everywhere, from personal laptops and desktop computers to powerful smart phones and Apple watches. Users have an insatiable need for speed when it comes to accomplishing tasks on computers and electronic devices.

When Tan first started working for IBM, he was tasked with designing some of the company’s first functional computing units. Much was unknown about the tasks a computer could handle, but the same desire for computing tasks to be completed as quickly as possible permeated throughout IBM’s offices.

In this emerging field, there were countless problems for Tan to investigate. Every problem he attempted to solve was brand new. Tan says that, in general, adding more components would lead to a faster solution, but he was also operating in a finite system where the physical space was limited.

It was a constant balancing act between speed and space.

“Take the adder (a digital circuit that performs additions of numbers). You based your work on the component given to you and went about providing the fastest unit you could design. That was the goal. Of course, the component you were designing didn’t exist in the field, so you had to design something that would meet specific performance requirements,” Tan says. “We were given specifications for how fast it should be and had to figure out the minimum components to use. Much of the time, adding more components wouldn’t fit the physical space requirements. There’s always a trade-off of speed versus space. In this field, there was no precedent; you had to think about different solutions and go through many iterations. Sometimes it worked.”

The Profound Impact of Giving Back

Growing up in China, Tan’s parents instilled in him at an early age the importance of getting an education and being a lifelong learner. As he was pursuing his college degrees, Tan helped pay for his room and board by working part-time jobs, first as a busboy and then in a lab.

Every minute Tan was working part-time was time he couldn’t spend either studying or working on that day’s classroom lessons.

Wanting to give more time back to Syracuse University’s students, in 2013 Tan established the Tan Family Education Foundation Scholarship, providing a minimum of six and as many as nine qualified students $10,000 annually. As of March 2022, this Scholarship amounts to $90,000 annually for three years through 2024.

“Time is the most important resource. The scholarships I had as a student were important to me because they bought me more time to pursue my studies. Those two extra hours I was working each day could have been spent in the lab and in the classroom,” Tan says. “When recipients have a scholarship, they have more time to do the research that they need to do. More time to work on solving their problems. More time to focus on their studies. More time to pursue what they’re interested in academically. It makes a difference.”

About Syracuse University

Syracuse University is a private research university that advances knowledge across disciplines to drive breakthrough discoveries and breakout leadership. Our collection of 13 schools and colleges with over 200 customizable majors closes the gap between education and action, so students can take on the world. In and beyond the classroom, we connect people, perspectives and practices to solve interconnected challenges with interdisciplinary approaches. Together, we’re a powerful community that moves ideas, individuals and impact beyond what’s possible.

About Forever Orange: The Campaign for Syracuse University

Orange isn’t just our color. It’s our promise to leave the world better than we found it. Forever Orange: The Campaign for Syracuse University is poised to do just that. Fueled by more than 150 years of fearless firsts, together we can enhance academic excellence, transform the student experience and expand unique opportunities for learning and growth. Forever Orange endeavors to raise $1.5 billion in philanthropic support, inspire 125,000 individual donors to participate in the campaign, and actively engage one in five alumni in the life of the University. Now is the time to show the world what Orange can do. �վ�����������to learn more.

Jay N. Zemel

“Syracuse Physics was and still is a vast entryway to the future.” Words by alumnus and philanthropist Jay N. Zemel when he was in his 90s and reflecting on his experiences at Syracuse University. He earned a B.S. in 1949, a master’s in 1952 and a Ph.D. in 1956. Such was his love for his alma mater that Zemel made the University the beneficiary of a $1.5 million estate gift in an endowed fund as part of the Forever Orange Campaign to support summer undergraduate research experiences for students studying physics.

Zemel took what he learned at Syracuse University and launched a career in research and teaching—much of it at the University of Pennsylvania—that brought him national renown, 26 patents, 120 journal articles and book chapters, and the endless praise of mentees, colleagues and admirers along the way. After his death at the age of 95 on July 20, 2023, one of his former graduate students Carlos Lopez Reyna wrote to his daughter Babette: “He gave me the gift of knowledge, experience and a listening ear when needed.”

Zemel was passionate about teaching and personally guiding young researchers because he knew firsthand how vital it was to one’s future. He described his undergraduate years as difficult because he suffered from dyscalculia, which limited his ability to do simple math—though he was a math major and had no problem with logic, complex variables and quantum mechanics. Zemel’s professor in geometric optics, William R. Fredrickson (who is named and honored in the gifted endowment), recognized his potential despite the challenges.

“It was Fredrickson’s decision to grant me a teaching assistantship in his remarkable course on the history of science and his approving my entrance to graduate school that I have never forgotten,” Zemel shared in an with the College of Arts and Sciences. “Indeed, that course on history has been one of my key intellectual enlightenments, as well as giving me the insight into teaching that should accompany highly technical courses.”

“As a distinguished researcher and committed educator, Dr.��Zemel��saw the immense value of undergraduate participation in faculty-guided scholarly research,” says Behzad Mortazavi, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. “The benefits of undergraduate research are numerous, including helping students to apply their classroom knowledge and giving them valuable experience in working as part of a team.” The Zemel Undergraduate Research Experience Endowed Fund will provide research stipends for students who are interested in pursuing research as a career, especially multidisciplinary research.

‘Learning by doing’

Zemel had a distinctive approach, blending teaching and research to create a “unique learning environment,” according to colleague and former mentee Jan Van der Spiegel, professor of electrical and systems engineering at Penn. “At the undergraduate level, his teaching philosophy centered around the principle of ‘learning by doing and making mistakes.’ Rather than dictating precise instructions, he encouraged students to explore potential solutions independently. While maintaining a hands-off approach, he remained a constant pillar of support, readily available with an open-door policy for students to seek guidance at any time.”

Even when Zemel officially retired from his academic career directing Penn’s Center for Chemical Electronics/Sensor Technologies, he continued to mentor student researchers. “He would get so jazzed when he saw a student putting things together,” recalls Babette. She, like Zemel’s other children and several grandchildren, have become teachers and mentors. “Mentoring is, by far, the most enriching and fulfilling thing that I do,” says Babette. “Young researchers need encouragement, a sympathetic ear, professional connections and guidance on how to secure funding during these challenging times.”

Remembering his encouragement

The young researchers who worked with Zemel most remember his encouragement, empathy and warmth. “Working for his group was the best thing I could have ever done,” says Ashok Sood, president and CEO at Magnolia Optical Technologies. “He was an amazing professor,” Sood says of his thesis advisor. “I also learned from him to always stay busy, to keep your neurons working!”

Even into his 90s, Zemel challenged his neurons, continuing to analyze scientific data and contribute to meaningful research. He worked with daughter Babette’s colleagues at the Children’s Hospital of Pennsylvania to develop a device called the Neoneur that measures the flow of fluid through a nipple in a baby bottle to characterize infant sucking behavior and help parents and physicians determine if a baby was feeding properly. And just weeks before his death, recalls Babette, he solved the problem of how to manage wrapping his oxygen tubes around his ears, while wearing glasses and hearing aids.

Jennifer L. Ross, chair of physics in the College of Arts and Sciences, says Zemel’s gift is as inspiring as he was. “His passion and generous gift will fuel the physics department’s dream of having all undergraduate physics majors get hands-on research experiences,” says Ross. “The experiential learning opportunities will expose our students to the wonders of the universe and create the scientists who will make amazing discoveries of the future.”

That was clearly Zemel’s intent in setting up the endowment. Recalling that Syracuse physics opened the doors of discovery for him, Zemel wrote in a letter to the physics department: “You and your colleagues are part of a great tradition that I sincerely hope continues now and into the future.” His estate gift ensures that the tradition continues.

About Syracuse University

Syracuse University is a private research university that advances knowledge across disciplines to drive breakthrough discoveries and breakout leadership. Our collection of 13 schools and colleges with over 200 customizable majors closes the gap between education and action, so students can take on the world. In and beyond the classroom, we connect people, perspectives and practices to solve interconnected challenges with interdisciplinary approaches. Together, we’re a powerful community that moves ideas, individuals and impact beyond what’s possible.

About Forever Orange: The Campaign for Syracuse University

Orange isn’t just our color. It’s our promise to leave the world better than we found it. Forever Orange: The Campaign for Syracuse University is poised to do just that. Fueled by more than 150 years of fearless firsts, together we can enhance academic excellence, transform the student experience and expand unique opportunities for learning and growth. Forever Orange endeavors to raise $1.5 billion in philanthropic support, inspire 125,000 individual donors to participate in the campaign, and actively engage one in five alumni in the life of the University. Now is the time to show the world what Orange can do. �վ�����������to learn more.

More than 50 students volunteered at the 2023 Falk College Department of Sport Management Charity Sports Auction on Nov. 28 at the JMA Wireless Dome.

The at Syracuse University raised $48,000 for Tillie’s Touch as a result of its 19th Annual Charity Sports Auction.

During the Syracuse men’s basketball game on Nov. 28, supporters purchased items and placed bids on sports memorabilia, electronics, jewelry, gift baskets, experiences, books and trips, among other items. In addition to the in-person event, an online auction was held where online supporters placed bids on hundreds of items.

strives to make children’s dreams of playing a sport possible while helping them to achieve academic excellence. Tillie’s Touch provides the necessary sports and/or school equipment for a child when their family is unable to do so.

served as the title sponsor for the 2023 auction.

Sport management seniors Jacob Geisinger, Zach Roth and Alex Grossman (pictured left to right) served as co-chairs for the 2023 event.

Sport management seniors Zach Roth, Jacob Geisinger and Alex Grossman served as co-chairs for the event.

The SPM Club is a student-run organization in the Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics’ . Since its founding in 2005, the club has raised more than $712,000 for local charities. Previous beneficiaries of the club’s annual charity auction include Boys & Girls Clubs, Golisano Children’s Hospital, the Ronald McDonald House Charities of CNY, the Central New York SPCA, the Upstate Cancer Center, Special Olympics New York, Food Bank of CNY, the Salvation Army, Rescue Mission Alliance, American Diabetes Association, Make A Wish CNY, Meals on Wheels, the Jim and Juli Boeheim Foundation, McMahon/Ryan Child Advocacy Center and Vera House.

“Our Sport Management Club was founded on the principles of teaching our membership the value of civic engagement, community service and social responsibility through sports,” says , Rhonda S. Falk Endowed Professor and director of sport management, who also serves as the organization’s faculty advisor. “The countless hours of dedication by these students to ensure that the proceeds from our charity auction would benefit our community is extremely gratifying.”

The Sport Management Club meets weekly during the academic year. For more information about the annual Charity Auction, visit , , ��or the .

To promote the auction, student organizers appeared on WSYR’s “” program, and .

Life Trustee Daniel D’Aniello ’68, H’20 receives the keys to the city of Florence, Italy, from Mayor Dario Nardella.

Alumnus, philanthropist and Life Trustee Daniel D’Aniello ’68, H’20 was recently celebrated by the city of Florence, Italy, for his dedication to the city and his support of the Syracuse Abroad program in Florence. In a ceremony hosted by the mayor of Florence, D’Aniello was presented with the keys to the city. University leadership, students, faculty and staff and local dignitaries attended the ceremony on Oct. 19 in the city’s town hall, Palazzo Vecchio.

“We are honored to open this ceremony in Palazzo Vecchio to give you the keys of the city, which is a sign of our friendship—our way to say to you thank you for your love and for your passion for our city, for our community,” Dario Nardella, the mayor of Florence, said.

D’Aniello, an alumnus of the Florence abroad program, has recalled his time in Florence as some of the most memorable of his college career and his recent support of the program and future generations of students reflects his deep connection.

In 2022, D’Aniello and his wife, Gayle, donated $10 million toward significantly enhancing the . The gift will expand opportunities for students, attract exceptional faculty and improve facilities. It will also dramatically expand scholarship funding for whom study abroad programs have been out of reach, including student veterans, lower-income students and post-traditional students.

Life Trustee Daniel D’Aniello ’68, H’20 (third from left) was celebrated by the city of Florence, Italy, for his dedication to the city and his support of the Syracuse Abroad program in Florence. From left are Chancellor Kent Syverud; Sasha Perugini, director of Syracuse Florence; D’Aniello; Dario Nardella, the mayor of Florence; Consigliere Regionale Cristina Giachi; and Assessore Elisabetta Meucci.

In honor of the couple’s gift, the program was renamed the Daniel and Gayle D’Aniello Syracuse University Program in Florence. The Daniel and Gayle D’Aniello Florence Program is located on Piazza Savanarola, at the historic Villa Rossa, with additional spaces for studio art and architecture on nearby Donatello Square.

The couple also has funded a scholarship for four military-connected students to spend a semester studying in Florence. The Daniel and Gayle D’Aniello Endowed Florence Scholarship will provide substantial financial support to the students. As part of the celebration activities, D’Aniello visited with student veterans who are studying in Florence with support from the endowed scholarship.

“Many tens of thousands of Syracuse alumni have come to truly understand and to love this place, no one more so than Dan D’Aniello,” Chancellor Kent Syverud said at the ceremony. “I also need to say thank you for giving back both to Florence and Syracuse University and particularly to the next generation so the next generation of students can love this city as you do.”

Chancellor Syverud explained the importance of D’Aniello’s support of the Florence program. “His gift is going to enable us to update the Villa Rossa and other University facilities in Florence. It’s going to help expand our programs, our faculty, our curriculum in Florence,” Chancellor Syverud said. “And most important it’s going to enable students who cannot afford to study in Florence to study abroad to receive scholarships to be here in Florence, and specifically scholarships for those who served in the U.S. armed forces and their families.”

After accepting the keys to the city during the ceremony, D’Aniello spoke in Italian about how much the honor meant to him and how it was with “great joy” that he was returning to the city he loved. His time there as a student coincided with the great flood in 1966. The disastrous flood deluged churches, libraries and museums, containing art and historical works, with mud. Residents and young people traveling the European continent and studying in Florence, including D’Aniello, helped rescue the priceless artifacts.

“Although I have visited this wonderful city many times over the years, my mind keeps taking me back to November 1966 and the great flood. To this day, I am still in awe of the heroic will of the Florentine people to overcome a disaster of such magnitude and to save and restore the Cradle of the Renaissance and the priceless iconic works of Western civilization,” said D’Aniello, co-founder and chair emeritus of The Carlyle Group. “Of all the titles I have received throughout my life I will forever cherish the title of ‘Mud Angel.’”

“Florence, through Syracuse University’s study abroad program, has given me more than I can ever repay, so helping to provide more young students with an unforgettable experience is a small gesture of my appreciation,” D’Aniello said. “My roots are 100% Italian, and my relatives in heaven and on Earth are smiling right now. I have no words to express my gratitude for the honor of receiving the keys to this beloved city.”

When he had heard of D’Aniello’s commitment to the Syracuse Abroad Florence program, which has been in existence for more than 60 years, Nardella said he understood more about the importance of the legacy of Syracuse University and its generations of alumni.

“This alumni community is an incredibly big family,” Nardella said. “Syracuse University I think is the oldest American university in our city. You are pioneers and after your decision to establish an important campus in our city, many other universities decided to follow you, to follow your example.”

Following the ceremony, the mayor invited those in attendance to his office, a unique part of Palazzo Vecchio, which is decorated with frescoes and tiled floor designs.

Following the ceremony in which Daniel D’Aniello (at right) received the keys to the city of Florence, the mayor invited those in attendance to his office, a unique part of Palazzo Vecchio, which is decorated with frescoes and tiled floor designs.

Sidney “Sid” ’53 and Helaine Lerner

Words that resonate, a memorable message and the power of the media to inspire action—these are fundamental to improving public health and foundational to the . Established at the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs in 2011 with a gift from Sidney “Sid” Lerner ’53 and his wife, Helaine, the Lerner Center has brought together students, faculty and disciplines from across the University to bring marketing and promotion best practices to public health.

Now, with a new $2.52 million gift to the Lerner Center and the Forever Orange Campaign, Helaine Lerner strives to amplify the impact of the center’s work to educate, inspire and empower a new generation of advocates for public health: “We hope the center can build on Sid’s creative vision and legacy to train the next generation of skilled, smart and tech savvy individuals who can modernize and broaden the impact of public health promotion.”

, who died at the age of 90 in 2021, was a legend in the advertising business, helping to create the “Please Don’t Squeeze the Charmin” campaign featuring Mr. Whipple for his client, Procter & Gamble. He applied his gift for developing a simple and compelling message to improving public health after a conversation he had with physicians about the need to cut back on dietary saturated fats. “That was the genesis of the campaign, an idea that became a global phenomenon,” says Peggy Neu, former president of the , the nonprofit public health organization behind the Meatless Monday movement. “Sid figured it would be a lot easier for people to grasp the idea of just skipping a day of meat, rather than measuring their intake of saturated fats at each meal.”

The Meatless Monday campaign, which convinced two-thirds of Americans to reduce meat consumption, grew in spirit and morphed into a movement, transforming the first day of the work week as a day when Sid Lerner said “all health breaks loose.” According to Neu, the interdisciplinary approach at Syracuse University that combines the expertise in communications from the Newhouse School of Public Communications with the focus on public policy and engaged citizenship at the Maxwell School is highly effective in amplifying the impact of the movement.

Over the past several years, the Lerner Center has launched numerous health promotion programs and community partnerships, including the Monday Mile walking routes developed in partnership with the City of Syracuse, Onondaga County, city parks, local hospitals and the Madison County Rural Health Council.

The new gift will allow the Lerner Center to initiate new programs, expand reach and enhance impact. For example:

• Syracuse University will house the Healthy Monday website, develop new content, manage social media channels and develop new partnerships with targeted populations, like veterans, educators and media.
• A Social Impact Investigation Competition would be launched to engage students in creating novel solutions to pressing public health challenges.
• Classroom competitions will inspire new approaches to the dissemination of public health information.
• A new undergraduate seminar will focus on best practices in health communication and marketing, health policy, and population health research and translation.
• New short courses in health promotion and best practices will be marketed to other higher education institutions.
• Seed grants will encourage research related to population health and public health communications.

“This gift will enhance the Lerner Center’s ability to build evidence about the strategies that can best help Americans live longer and healthier lives and to train tomorrow’s leaders on how to use that evidence to influence policy,” says Shannon Monnat, Lerner Chair in Public Health Promotion and Population Health and director of the Center for Policy Research at Maxwell.

“It’s important to make research more accessible to broader audiences,” says Lerner Center Director Alexandra Punch. “We intend to develop programming that helps undergraduates, graduate students and faculty focus on translational research that can help create new public health policies. Our programming will be action-oriented to help people readily apply health information to their own lives.”

Maxwell School Dean David M. Van Slyke says the center will collaborate with the new in Washington, D.C., a partnership of Maxwell and Newhouse. The institute offers a platform for evidence-based, nonpartisan research, teaching and experiential learning and could help to build trust in media and governance. “Sid Lerner was a strong believer in the importance of a multidisciplinary approach to addressing important policy challenges and using ‘sticky’ messaging to change behavior and achieve positive outcomes while providing public impact,” says Van Slyke. “We are grateful for Helaine’s continued confidence in the Maxwell School and the Lerner Center to realize her and Sid’s vision of accessible options to address public health challenges.”

The Lerner Center based at Syracuse University will work closely with Lerner Centers at , and to expand awareness of research and student engagement opportunities.

“One of the best ways to change policy and impact public health is to ensure that communities are empowered and educated,” says Punch. “People need to know how to find and implement information in a way that actually helps people. Students are craving these types of opportunities, to learn how to evaluate programs, how to write policy briefs, how to create impactful campaigns.”

Neu says the new gift from Helaine Lerner will pass the torch to a new generation, along with the resources to help them be successful in improving health and well-being: “They will be building on Sid Lerner’s vision and legacy.”

About Syracuse University

Syracuse University is a private research university that advances knowledge across disciplines to drive breakthrough discoveries and breakout leadership. Our collection of 13 schools and colleges with over 200 customizable majors closes the gap between education and action, so students can take on the world. In and beyond the classroom, we connect people, perspectives and practices to solve interconnected challenges with interdisciplinary approaches. Together, we’re a powerful community that moves ideas, individuals and impact beyond what’s possible.

About Forever Orange: The Campaign for Syracuse University

Orange isn’t just our color. It’s our promise to leave the world better than we found it. Forever Orange: The Campaign for Syracuse University is poised to do just that. Fueled by more than 150 years of fearless firsts, together we can enhance academic excellence, transform the student experience and expand unique opportunities for learning and growth. Forever Orange endeavors to raise $1.5 billion in philanthropic support, inspire 125,000 individual donors to participate in the campaign, and actively engage one in five alumni in the life of the University. Now is the time to show the world what Orange can do. �վ�����������to learn more.

Syracuse University is encouraging the Orange community to give to our areas of greatest need through the Annual Fund or by participating in the last day of the Student Organization Challenge. The top three student organizations (by donor count) will split an additional $4,000 in challenge money. Help your favorite student organization reach its goal and contribute directly to their greatest needs. The challenge ends Nov. 28 at 11:59 p.m.

No matter what you choose, your gift will have an immediate impact on campus.

�վ��������� to learn more and to make your gift!

“My goal is to challenge the views that they hold most firmly and often unreflectively and to inspire them to think more deeply about the world around them,” says Rasmussen, professor of political science and a senior research associate in the Campbell Public Affairs Institute in the .

His work at the intersection of human nature and political thought made him the ideal candidate for the inaugural Hagerty Family Faculty Fellow. The fellowship was created with a generous gift from Maxwell alumnus and advisory board member Stephen Hagerty ’91, G’93 and his wife, alumna Lisa Altenbernd G’93.

Combined with funds pledged by the University in support of the Forever Orange Faculty Excellence Program, the endowment totals $1 million. Launched in early 2022, the Faculty Excellence program strives to advance academic excellence by generating the resources needed to recruit and retain diverse and talented faculty in a highly competitive academic landscape.

Rasmussen is the author of “Fears of a Setting Sun: The Disillusionment of America’s Founders” (Princeton University Press, 2021), which was named a Wall Street Journal Best Politics Book of the Year. The book explores the doubts George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson had about the viability of the nation they spent their lives building.

Earlier this year, Rasmussen published another little-known story about the creation of the United States. “The Constitution’s Penman: Gouverneur Morris and the Creation of America’s Basic Charter” (University Press of Kansas, 2023) tells of a Founding Father and abolitionist who put into words the ground-breaking ideas in the nation’s most important document.

Rasmussen wants students to wrestle as much as the founders and other historical figures did with questions about justice, freedom, happiness and what makes a good society. “One of the greatest compliments I ever got as a professor was when a student told me…he found himself lying awake at night wondering whether everything he thought was wrong,” he says.

Hagerty, whose gift supports Rasmussen’s work, hopes students’ disquiet will pay off later as they take their places in government and society.

“There’s a lack of critical thinking in America these days,” he says. “There’s no more important time than now to be doubling down on schools of citizenship and the importance of democracy. Maxwell professors are some of the very best in the country doing this teaching. It’s a worthy investment.”

Hagerty’s sense of urgency arises in part from his term as mayor of Evanston, Illinois, from 2017-21. After 16 years leading Hagerty Consulting, the emergency management firm he founded, Hagerty applied his expertise to running a suburban Chicago city of 77,000. As he confronted issues of housing, police transparency, social unrest and a global pandemic, Hagerty coped with critics undeterred by facts. He found the lack of inquiry and deliberation more challenging than his firm’s work helping communities overcome devastating events, from the 9/11 attacks to California wildfires.

Hagerty and Altenbernd had not stipulated a fellowship devoted to critical thinking. They left the use of their gift to the discretion of Maxwell Dean David M. Van Slyke.

“We have a tremendous amount of faith and belief in David Van Slyke and his vision for the school,” Hagerty says. “We wanted him to have the flexibility with this fund to invest in an area he believes will most benefit the school’s research and teaching.”

Van Slyke sought to honor Hagerty’s own public service and longtime interest in developing thoughtful leaders. In 2015, Hagerty co-sponsored a panel discussion on the state of democracy, “Does Citizenship Require Sacrifice?”

“Steve Hagerty is a remarkable example of public service and leadership for our students,” Van Slyke says, “and Professor Rasmussen’s focus on the writings and questions that underpin our democracy will provide students the tools to emulate his leadership.”

About Syracuse University

Syracuse University is a private research university that advances knowledge across disciplines to drive breakthrough discoveries and breakout leadership. Our collection of 13 schools and colleges with over 200 customizable majors closes the gap between education and action, so students can take on the world. In and beyond the classroom, we connect people, perspectives and practices to solve interconnected challenges with interdisciplinary approaches. Together, we’re a powerful community that moves ideas, individuals and impact beyond what’s possible.

About Forever Orange: The Campaign for Syracuse University

Orange isn’t just our color. It’s our promise to leave the world better than we found it. Forever Orange: The Campaign for Syracuse University is poised to do just that. Fueled by more than 150 years of fearless firsts, together we can enhance academic excellence, transform the student experience and expand unique opportunities for learning and growth. Forever Orange endeavors to raise $1.5 billion in philanthropic support, inspire 125,000 individual donors to participate in the campaign, and actively engage one in five alumni in the life of the University. Now is the time to show the world what Orange can do. Visit foreverorange.syr.edu to learn more.

Story by Lenore Friend

Dick Clark

One of Syracuse University’s most famous graduates, Dick Clark ’51 started his broadcast career in Central New York and grew to prominence in Philadelphia as host of “American Bandstand.” But it was Los Angeles that offered the greatest opportunity for the visionary who would become legendary for building an entertainment empire that launched countless careers.

“LA remains the center of the broadcast industry, and Dick always wanted to support young people hoping for a career in entertainment,” says his wife Kari, explaining the reasoning behind the Kari and Dick Clark Foundation’s Forever Orange Campaign gift to significantly expand the University’s presence and impact in the entertainment field. Soon to be named the Syracuse University Dick Clark Los Angeles Program, the expansion of the includes new space for offices, classrooms, studios, additional academic programs, faculty and internships. The expansion aligns with one of the strategic priorities of “Leading with Distinction,” the University’s new academic strategic plan which seeks to make study away and study abroad opportunities more accessible to all undergraduate students.

“When Dad moved his company to LA, it flourished,” says Clark’s daughter Cindy, who graduated from the in 1986 and built her own successful career in television and film production in LA. “The expansion of the is a continuation of my father’s commitment to fostering new talent in the entertainment business. Seeing how the sausage really gets made—it’s just an invaluable experience.”

“Dad was always of the mind that nothing beats a practical hands-on experience in this business,” says Clark’s son RAC, who has produced thousands of hours of live event and entertainment programming and created Lion’s Heart Entertainment in LA. “You get to be in the belly of the beast.”

Chancellor Kent Syverud and family members of the late Dick Clark ’51 gathered Sunday in California to celebrate a gift from the Kari and Dick Clark Foundation to expand the University’s presence in Los Angeles. From left are Eve Adair ’86, Chancellor Syverud, Kari Clark and Clark’s son RAC P’27.

That’s why, about 40 years ago, Dick Clark met with University administrators and laid the foundation for SULA. He helped initiate the idea of a “Hollywood benchmark trip,” which started with fewer than a dozen students coming from Syracuse to meet with him in LA and visit production studios. Clark’s legacy of helping generations of students will endure as new students benefit from the incredible mark he left on the entertainment industry and through the family’s generosity.

“The entertainment business offers vast opportunities for students interested in careers in performance, production, drama, music, engineering, design, marketing, public relations, media, technology, business development and more,” says Chancellor Kent Syverud. “Dick’s legacy spans so many aspects of the entertainment world, which is captured in here on campus. Now, with this new gift, we will offer students unrivaled academic and experiential opportunities to explore interests in this evolving industry.”

All the Clarks take pride in the connection with Syracuse University. The Dick Clark Studios opened in the Newhouse School in 2014, with generous funding from the family. It provided cutting-edge facilities to train students interested in broadcast, television and film production. “My first time on campus was for the dedication of the studios,” says RAC. “I was just so proud to be his son.” When RAC’s daughter enrolled in the , he told her: “You are carrying a legacy that goes back generations.” Her mother, Eve Adair ’86, graduated with a degree in communications and is a successful director of live entertainment programming.

Though the world knows Dick Clark through his on-camera work, and watched him for four decades counting down the seconds to midnight as host of “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve,” Clark’s undergraduate degree was from the Whitman School of Management. It was his business sense, his work ethic and his commitment to innovation and excellence for which he is most remembered by those who knew him best.

“Dad was a ‘famous face’ but that was tangential to his work,” says RAC. “It was the means by which he started his production company. Everyone knew him as a host, but it was the business side that drove him.”

Soon to be named the Syracuse University Dick Clark Los Angeles Program (rendering of program name at new location pictured), the expansion of the SULA Semester includes new space for offices, classrooms, studios, additional academic programs, faculty and internships.

“It’s no exaggeration to say that Dick was a pioneer, boldly going into the uncharted waters of radio and television,” says Kari, who worked with him for more than 40 years. She remembers how he described going door-to-door in Philadelphia asking people if they would be willing to pay to watch football games in their homes, long before the advent of cable. “He was thinking that far ahead,” she says.

RAC recalls his father talking about how entertainment “would be piped into your home in a box. He predicted the beginning of streaming.”

Dick Clark was excited to share knowledge with Syracuse University students who came to LA to study or experience the industry, and with those who came to work for Dick Clark Productions. “He loved imparting advice,” says Kari. She says the many young professionals he helped train would say they went to Dick Clark University (DCU).

“There wasn’t a better run production company,” says Cindy. “The company was so buttoned up. Everyone learned how to do production right and do it well. It was all about preparation. It was the DC way.”

“Looks good, sounds good, on time, on budget,” says RAC. “That was the adage that permeated the staff and all the freelancers who worked there.”

For Dick Clark, that was an important part of everything he did to help others move ahead and find their own success. “Dick was always happy for people who worked on his shows to learn and then advance in their careers as graduates of DCU,” says Kari. “Now, there will be a real university program in LA that carries the Dick Clark name.”

About Syracuse University

Syracuse University is a private research university that advances knowledge across disciplines to drive breakthrough discoveries and breakout leadership. Our collection of 13 schools and colleges with over 200 customizable majors closes the gap between education and action, so students can take on the world. In and beyond the classroom, we connect people, perspectives and practices to solve interconnected challenges with interdisciplinary approaches. Together, we’re a powerful community that moves ideas, individuals and impact beyond what’s possible.

About Forever Orange: The Campaign for Syracuse University

Orange isn’t just our color. It’s our promise to leave the world better than we found it. Forever Orange: The Campaign for Syracuse University is poised to do just that. Fueled by more than 150 years of fearless firsts, together we can enhance academic excellence, transform the student experience and expand unique opportunities for learning and growth. Forever Orange endeavors to raise $1.5 billion in philanthropic support, inspire 125,000 individual donors to participate in the campaign, and actively engage one in five alumni in the life of the University. Now is the time to show the world what Orange can do. �վ�����������to learn more.

Gill

The Orange Innovation Fund is a concept to commercialization seed fund for student research initiatives emerging from the Blackstone LaunchPad and other campus innovation programs. The fund is designed to help move student research, scholarly or creative projects from ideation to proof of concept and commercialization by helping overcome some financial barriers students face.

The program will be administered through Syracuse University Libraries, in collaboration with the University’s existing research and commercialization programs such as the , the , , , the , the at Syracuse, , , the (NYSTAR designated Center for Advanced Technology) and the . Applicants can also come through research classes, labs or independent study programs across the University.

“It’s been wonderful to see Syracuse University’s Blackstone Launchpad and its other innovation programs be so enthusiastically embraced by students across all disciplines. I hope this new fund will help remove any barriers student entrepreneurs might encounter as they develop their products for market. The U.S. economy depends on the tenacity of entrepreneurs to keep its edge,” says Gill. The Orange Innovation Fund supports the University’s goal to distinguish Syracuse University for excellence in research, scholarship, student experiential learning and innovation.

“We are so grateful for Raj-Ann’s commitment to Syracuse University, the Libraries and most importantly to the students we serve,” said David Seaman, dean of Syracuse University Libraries and university librarian. “Through her generosity, students will have the opportunity to apply for grants that will help bring their ideas to fruition, removing barriers to development of their products, services, technology and creativity.”

Each semester graduate and undergraduate students engaged in commercialization projects will have an opportunity to apply for grants up to $5,000 per award, with a total of up to $50,000 per academic year awarded over five years.

Applicants must identify specific tangible needs related to the development of a product, service, technology or creative work in the discovery, testing, building and/or launching of their initiative. Prospective applicants are encouraged to attend two proposal/grant writing workshops on Sept. 13 and 14 at 3 p.m. in the Peter Graham Scholarly Commons in Bird Library. The workshops will be offered by Linda Dickerson Hartsock, advisor, strategic initiatives at Syracuse University Libraries, and former founding director of the Blackstone LaunchPad.

The first application round will close Sept. 29. Applications for funding will be directed to the Libraries and reviewed by a cross-campus committee. For additional information email�� orangeinnovation@syr.edu.

About Forever Orange: The Campaign for Syracuse University

Orange isn’t just our color. It’s our promise to leave the world better than we found it. Forever Orange: The Campaign for Syracuse University is poised to do just that. Fueled by more than 150 years of fearless firsts, together we can enhance academic excellence, transform the student experience and expand unique opportunities for learning and growth. Forever Orange endeavors to raise $1.5 billion in philanthropic support, inspire 125,000 individual donors to participate in the campaign, and actively engage one in five alumni in the life of the University. Now is the time to show the world what Orange can do. �վ�����������to learn more.

Artist rendering of John A. Lally Athletics Complex

“I want to offer my sincere gratitude to all ’Cuse Athletics Fund members and donors who continue to step up and impact Syracuse Athletics and Syracuse University through their support,” says Director of Athletics John Wildhack. “Providing competitive resources for our student-athletes, coaches and staff is a top priority, and we simply cannot pursue and accomplish this without you. We are immensely appreciative of your support across all levels and thank you for the impact you have on our student-athletes.”

Contributions to the ’Cuse Athletics Fund encompass all areas supporting Syracuse Athletics, including annual giving to the Athletics Opportunity Fund, support to individual sports teams, priority seating and Legends Society commitments to the John A. Lally Athletics Complex.

“We have been able to surpass significant milestones in supporting our student-athletes due to the collective support from our alumni, friends and fans,” says Michael Paulus, senior associate athletic director and executive director of ’CAF.�� “Every gift matters, and we want to thank the more than 11,300 members and donors who have supported ’CAF through our many avenues of giving and have a vital impact on Syracuse Athletics.”

Support for ’CAF came at every gift level in 2022-23 to achieve a record number of donors. This year during the University wide day of giving—Boost the ’Cuse—Syracuse University Athletics received gifts from more than 870 donors. The one-day total in giving was 2.5 times more than the amount raised in 2022 for the giving challenge. Annual support from Boost the ’Cuse for head coaches’ funds provides resources for recruiting, training and competing. Due to generous donor support, several teams were able to travel abroad for training trips in 2023, including men’s soccer to England and men’s and women’s rowing to the Henley Royal Regatta. Furthermore, donations from alumni and friends provided individual teams the ability to upgrade training technology, improve team spaces and invest in additional areas of programmatic support.

Most notably from the successful year, philanthropic major gifts from donors propelled the capital campaign to surpass $50 million in commitments and complete Phase 1 of the John A. Lally Athletics Complex. The first step in this capital project was celebrated on Feb. 17, 2023, with a ribbon-cutting to formally open the Complex Entranceway. In May, the capital project reached another on a new Football Operations Center and “One Team” Olympic Sports Center. Anticipated completion of Phase 1 renovations is set for spring 2025.

Support through the Legends Society has provided momentum for the John A. Lally Athletics Complex, the new home of the Orange. The Legends Society, which serves as the leadership philanthropic giving arm of ’CAF and supports the John A. Lally Athletics Complex capital campaign, saw record growth during this fiscal year.

Since July 1, 2022, there have been 85 new Legends Society commitments, of which more than 65 were from first-time major gift donors to Syracuse Athletics. With the addition of these new commitments, the Legends Society has eclipsed 191 donors as of June 30, 2023, including 20 donors who have committed $1 million or more. The support comes from across Orange Nation and includes donors from 20 states, Washington, D.C., and Canada.

Commitments to the Legends Society begin at $25,000 and are fulfilled over a period up to five years ($5,000 per year). The program encompasses six levels of commitments and extends up to $1 million or more. In recognition of their philanthropic leadership, donors of the Legends Society may enjoy unique stewardship experiences and engagement opportunities in alignment with their support.

“Our Legends Society donors have been critical to achieving the Phase 1 milestone and impacting the student-athlete experience for all our programs. We thank you for trusting the vision of the capital campaign and helping bring to fruition the first part of our new home at the John A. Lally Athletics Complex,” says Wildhack.

As construction continues on the Football Operations Center and the “One Team” Olympic Sports Center, fundraising will begin to support the anticipated next phase of the multi-year, multi-phase capital project. Phase 2 will include a Student-Athlete Development Center encompassing academic program support, tutoring space, mental health support and career counseling. The University also plans to construct a new Strength and Conditioning Performance Center and an updated Hall of Champions to recognize alumni successes and celebrate the accomplishments of Orange student-athletes in the classroom and on the field. This area will also serve as a gathering and event space.

The plans to renovate the existing footprint at the Lally Athletics Complex follow the in the fall of 2021 to raise $150 million to impact the student-athlete experience for all 20 sports programs and 600-plus student-athletes.

About Syracuse University

Syracuse University is a private research university that advances knowledge across disciplines to drive breakthrough discoveries and breakout leadership. Our collection of 13 schools and colleges with over 200 customizable majors closes the gap between education and action, so students can take on the world. In and beyond the classroom, we connect people, perspectives and practices to solve interconnected challenges with interdisciplinary approaches. Together, we’re a powerful community that moves ideas, individuals and impact beyond what’s possible.

About the ’Cuse Athletics Fund

The ’Cuse Athletics Fund (’CAF) is the driving force of private support for Syracuse University Athletics. The goal of ’CAF is to provide the resources needed for our 600 student-athletes and 20 sports teams to excel in competition and the classroom. ’CAF relies on the support of annual members, alumni and major gift donors to provide these resources. Thanks to the commitment and passion of our supporters, Syracuse Athletics leverages exceptional athletics and academics to transform student-athletes into leaders and champions. .

About the Legends Society

The Legends Society is an exclusive group of Syracuse fans, family and alumni who join in this shared vision and are actively supporting the John A. Lally Athletics Complex by making commitments to the capital campaign. Donors to the Legends Society enjoy unique stewardship opportunities in recognition of their support.

About Forever Orange: The Campaign for Syracuse University

Orange isn’t just our color. It’s our promise to leave the world better than we found it. Forever Orange: The Campaign for Syracuse University is poised to do just that. Fueled by more than 150 years of fearless firsts, together we can enhance academic excellence, transform the student experience and expand unique opportunities for learning and growth. Forever Orange endeavors to raise $1.5 billion in philanthropic support, inspire 125,000 individual donors to participate in the campaign, and actively engage one in five alumni in the life of the University. Now is the time to show the world what Orange can do. Visit to learn more.

Fellow graduate and wife Judith C. “Judy” Mower ’66, G’73, G’80, G’84 shares his conviction that a great professor can make a profound difference in a student’s approach to learning. That belief drives their latest gift to the University.

The Mowers

“At the very heart of its academic value, Syracuse University continues to build upon the excellence of its faculty—excellence that is found, nurtured, developed and celebrated,” says Judy Mower. “As the University increasingly heightens its already impressive reputation in academia as a special place, there are no boundaries to what we can achieve as a learning community.”

In support of nurturing and growing faculty excellence, the Mowers have made a gift to establish the Mower Endowed Professorship of Persuasive Communications in the . Their $1.3 million gift to create the professorship is enhanced by a $666,000 commitment by the University through the .

“Judy and I have always tried to match our interests with what the University needs,” says Eric Mower, in describing their approach to philanthropy. As generous supporters of academic programs, lectures, athletics and the libraries—among other programs—both were recognized recently with the dedication of the in Bird Library, a gathering space for faculty to come together to collaborate, work across disciplines, encourage creativity and innovation, and inspire scholarship and research.

Having spent his entire career in marketing and communications, Mower saw the need for a new kind of professorship to integrate the various fields of communications that encompass persuasive communications in the advertising department of the Newhouse School.

“Persuasive communications is the essence of successful advertising, brand-building and public relations programs,” says Mower, who earned a master’s degree in public relations from the Newhouse School. Persuasive communications involves a deep understanding of the “sender-receiver” relationship in creating credible, original, engaging and effective messages that convey the benefits of a product or the strength of an idea.

“My graduate degree is in public relations but two-thirds of my business is advertising,” says Mower. “And on any given day, the work we do at Mower embraces one or the other or both from client assignment to client assignment. My time as a student at Syracuse University and what I learned in sociology, economics, history, philosophy, literature, psychology and religion all provide food for thought and the problem-solving our work requires to make what we at Mower call ‘Fierce Friends’ on behalf of our clients.”

“A communications school must remain nimble and maintain strong professional connections in order to keep up with the quickly changing industry,” says Newhouse Dean . “Alumni like Eric and Judy Mower represent this dynamic at its best. Their on-the-ground understanding of current issues, combined with their generous financial support, enhance our curriculum and faculty in ways that provide enormous benefits to our students.”

Persuasive communications has also driven the success of the agency over the last 55 years as an integrated communications firm in a fast-evolving industry that uses all forms of communications to create “deep emotional connections between people and brands.”

As Mower describes it: “We view the work of our industry through the lens of persuasive communications where the business, the art and the science of marketing and communications intertwine and overlap.”

Today, Mower has senior-level staff located in 10 cities around the country, employing more than 150 people in a profession that is “forever revolving, evolving and involving.”

Mower keeps up with the changing world by perusing multiple newspapers every day (The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, The Washington Post, plus various daily newsletters and trade journals) because they “provide the vital, raw material for the work we do that might enrich our messaging.” He expects the person who holds the Mower Endowed Professorship of Persuasive Communications to inspire that same kind of passionate curiosity and love of learning in Newhouse students, producing the kind of graduates that will be successful in the field he loves.

“When I interview someone who wants to join our company, I’m hoping to see someone with great curiosity about the world, a welcoming appreciation of human diversity, a desire to problem-solve as part of a thinking team in the pursuit of outstanding message programs. If they bring those things, then maybe they can be successful in helping a client evaluate their needs in whatever business category they may function and better understand their marketplace and their customers. Every school of communication ought to have a persuasive communications professorship that embraces all the moving parts of�� message creation and delivery and how they fit together,” Eric Mower says.

This newest gift through the Faculty Excellence Program adds to an extraordinary history of philanthropy and service to the University by both Eric and Judy Mower. From 1990-2006, Eric Mower served as a voting member of the Board of Trustees and is now a Life Trustee; he is a member of the and a past member of the Whitman Advisory Council. Judy Mower was elected to the Board of Trustees in 2007 and became a Life Trustee in 2019. An organizational development consultant, Judy Mower is currently chair of the Libraries Advisory Board and has been an adjunct faculty member in the Martin J. Whitman School of Management and the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs. Judy and Eric met while students at Syracuse University and married in Hendricks Chapel.

About Syracuse University

Syracuse University is a private research university that advances knowledge across disciplines to drive breakthrough discoveries and breakout leadership. Our collection of 13 schools and colleges with over 200 customizable majors closes the gap between education and action, so students can take on the world. In and beyond the classroom, we connect people, perspectives and practices to solve interconnected challenges with interdisciplinary approaches. Together, we’re a powerful community that moves ideas, individuals and impact beyond what’s possible.

About Forever Orange: The Campaign for Syracuse University

Orange isn’t just our color. It’s our promise to leave the world better than we found it. Forever Orange: The Campaign for Syracuse University is poised to do just that. Fueled by more than 150 years of fearless firsts, together we can enhance academic excellence, transform the student experience and expand unique opportunities for learning and growth. Forever Orange endeavors to raise $1.5 billion in philanthropic support, inspire 125,000 individual donors to participate in the campaign, and actively engage one in five alumni in the life of the University. Now is the time to show the world what Orange can do. Visit to learn more.

Ed Pettinella

“We are grateful for the support and leadership of Ed and his family.��Their commitment to the John A Lally Athletics Complex and the JMA Wireless Dome will enhance the experience for all of our student-athletes at Syracuse and our fans who attend events at the JMA Wireless Dome,” says Athletic Director John Wildhack. “Ed’s gift provides tremendous momentum to two projects that are critical components of our long term vision for Syracuse Athletics.”

This new commitment will support Phase 1 of the ongoing John A. Lally Athletics Complex project, which includes the construction of the One Team Olympic Sports Center and the Football Operations Center. These two facilities will combine to support all 600 student-athletes and include updated dining and nutrition spaces, locker rooms, and medical training and strength and conditioning facilties. Additionally, a portion of this commitment will support the JMA Wireless Dome Transformation Project and the construction of Miron Victory Court.

Pettinella has been an influential and impactful figure on Syracuse’s campus for years. He first arrived at Syracuse to pursue an MBA after graduating with a B.S. degree from SUNY Geneseo in 1973 and beginning his career at Community Savings Bank (CSB). After earning an MBA in 1976, he returned to CSB to blaze a trail as the bank’s first investment analyst. In the years following, he continued to build his impressive resume in banking as the president of Charter One Bank of NY and executive vice president of Charter One Financial Inc., as well as several management positions with Rochester Community Savings Bank, including chief operating officer, chief financial officer and chief investment officer. In 2001, Pettinella joined Home Properties, which owns, operates, develops, acquires and rehabilitates apartment communities in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic. After initially serving as the executive vice president, he became president and chief executive officer and ran the company’s $7 billion real estate investment trust.

“Ed’s generosity is matched by his vision and informed by his business acumen,” says Chancellor Kent Syverud. “He invests his time and philanthropy in faculty and academic initiatives that enhance both research and teaching, and in projects that transform the total student experience, both inside and outside the classroom. We are a much stronger university because of Ed.”

Pettinella’s success as a businessman is rivaled only by his impact on the communities in which he lives and works. In addition to his service as a Syracuse University Trustee, Pettinella is a member of the Martin J. Whitman School of Management Advisory Council and the Kuhn Real Estate Center Advisory Board. He received Whitman’s Jonathan J. Holtz Alumnus of the Year Award in recognition of his career accomplishments and dedication to Syracuse University,. He was also named SU Dritz Trustee of the Year in 2016. His leadership philanthropy funded two professorships at Whitman and a scholarship for athletic graduate students. With the announcement of this new $3 million gift to support Syracuse Athletics, Pettinella and his family continue to lead the way in providing the resources Syracuse’s ��faculty, coaches and students need to be successful. Their generosity also advances the Forever Orange Campaign, the comprehensive effort to raise $1.5 billion in philanthropic support for the University.

“As a proud Syracuse University alumnus, it’s an honor to support the John A. Lally Athletics Complex, the JMA Wireless Dome Transformation Project and the Miron Victory Court as these projects are very instrumental to the future of Syracuse Athletics,” says Pettinella. “The combination of superior academics and exceptional athletics provides the student body with an unrivaled collegiate experience. I look forward with enthusiastic anticipation to watching our future students and student-athletes gain tremendous life experiences from these outstanding projects.”

The John A. Lally Athletics Complex and the reflect the commitment by Syracuse University to provide the best possible experience to all student-athletes, coaches, alumni and fans by improving infrastructure and resources that support all of Syracuse’s athletic programs. When complete, the will be a state-of-the-art academic and athletic village featuring a new Football Operations Center, One Team Olympic Sport Center and new Academic Center to serve all 20 sports teams and 600-plus student-athletes. The to reimagine the stadium experience, includes installation of upgraded seating and new premium offerings throughout the historic venue.

About Syracuse University

Syracuse University is a private research university that advances knowledge across disciplines to drive breakthrough discoveries and breakout leadership. Our collection of 13 schools and colleges with over 200 customizable majors closes the gap between education and action, so students can take on the world. In and beyond the classroom, we connect people, perspectives and practices to solve interconnected challenges with interdisciplinary approaches. Together, we’re a powerful community that moves ideas, individuals and impact beyond what’s possible.

About the Legends Society

The Legends Society is an exclusive group of Syracuse fans, family and alumni who join in this shared vision and are actively supporting the John A. Lally Athletics Complex by making commitments to the capital campaign. Donors to the Legends Society enjoy unique stewardship opportunities in recognition of their support.

About the JMA Wireless Dome Transformation Project

aims to enhance the game day experience for all Syracuse fans, student-athletes, coaches, students and alumni. The second phase of the project, which was announced in December, includes the installation of upgraded chairback seating throughout a majority of the Dome and the introduction of new premium offerings, building upon earlier enhancements that included the installation of a new roof, the largest center-hung video scoreboard in college sports, air conditioning throughout the venue, lighting and sound enhancements, and an improved concessions experience.

About Forever Orange: The Campaign for Syracuse University

Orange isn’t just our color. It’s our promise to leave the world better than we found it. Forever Orange: The Campaign for Syracuse University is poised to do just that. Fueled by more than 150 years of fearless firsts, together we can enhance academic excellence, transform the student experience and expand unique opportunities for learning and growth. Forever Orange endeavors to raise $1.5 billion in philanthropic support, inspire 125,000 individual donors to participate in the campaign, and actively engage one in five alumni in the life of the University. Now is the time to show the world what Orange can do. �վ�����������to learn more.

Dina ’91 and David Nass ’91

According to Whitman School Interim Dean Alexander McKelvie, “This kind of support for mental health-related issues is something we haven’t seen at many other business schools, despite it being increasingly important for young professionals to understand. The programming we are creating through the generosity of the Nass family is forward-thinking and rare. It’s asking our students: ‘What does happiness look like to you?,’ ‘How will you prioritize the important things in your life?’ and ‘How will you deal with the challenges?’”

“At the end of the day, our goal is to better prepare our students for professional and personal success that allows them to thrive,” McKelvie adds. “Creating this signature initiative, which will leverage expertise from across campus, will help students do just that. And, we are very grateful to the Nass family for helping the Whitman School make this possible.”

The development of this new initiative also supports the recent of dual undergraduate and master’s public health and business programs with the David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics. Given the new dual programming, creating a tighter relationship between the two schools was central to the Nass family.

As managing director and head of real estate finance at UBS Investment Bank in New York City, David knows all too well the stresses and long hours involved in rising through the banking industry. Dina, who majored in psychology, and for a time worked as a substance abuse counselor, also understands the pressures and stigma attached to mental health issues in the workplace.

“We believe that mental health awareness is a key ingredient to being healthy and happy. Therefore, it is critical to educate students and business professionals about mental health awareness and to destigmatize mental health issues,” says David. “Our goal with this program is to provide students and graduates with tools and resources to manage daily stressors, maintain healthy relationships and be able to recognize if and when they need to seek support. These skills, combined with the ability to make informed decisions, can provide the opportunity to live healthy and happy lives while still enjoying a thriving career.”

The initiative will encompass more than coursework and include expert guest speakers, symposiums, technology and the introduction of a variety of mental health topics for both graduate and undergraduate students. A formal launch event will take place early in the Fall 2023 semester.

“As we prepare students for a lifetime of professional success, I can’t think of a more important skill we can provide them with than one that will aid in dealing with the personal challenges that they—or their friends, family members and teammates—are going to face,” says McKelvie. “Addressing issues related to mental health, such as work-life balance, stress, anxiety, dealing with rejection or burnout, can lead to more fulfilling lives and potentially a more reasonable view of success for our students.”

About the Whitman School

The Martin J. Whitman School of Management at Syracuse University inspires students for a world of accelerating change. Offering B.S., MBA, M.S. and Ph.D. programs, all accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), the Whitman School’s faculty includes internationally known scholars and researchers, as well as successful entrepreneurs and business leaders. Whitman continues to be ranked among the nation’s top business schools by U.S. News & World Report and Bloomberg Businessweek. To learn more about the Whitman School of Management, visit .

About Syracuse University����

Syracuse University is a private research university that advances knowledge across disciplines to drive breakthrough discoveries and breakout leadership. Our collection of 13 schools and colleges with over 200 customizable majors close the gap between education and action, so students can take on the world. In and beyond the classroom, we connect people, perspectives and practices to solve interconnected challenges with interdisciplinary approaches. Together, we’re a powerful community that moves ideas, individuals and impact beyond what’s possible.��

About Forever Orange: The Campaign for Syracuse University��

Orange isn’t just our color. It’s our promise to leave the world better than we found it. Forever Orange: The Campaign for Syracuse University is poised to do just that. Fueled by more than 150 years of fearless firsts, together we can enhance academic excellence, transform the student experience and expand unique opportunities for learning and growth. Forever Orange endeavors to raise $1.5 billion in philanthropic support, inspire 125,000 individual donors to participate in the campaign, and actively engage one in five alumni in the life of the University. Now is the time to show the world what Orange can do. Visit to learn more.��

Thonis and his wife, Susan, recently gifted $1.34 million to establish the Thonis Family Professorship III of Earth Science. As part of the , the University contributes an additional $666,000 to the gift amount to fund the professorship. This is their third endowed professorship supporting the geosciences, though each recipient is distinctive in their research and teaching. This latest gift supports the work of , professor of Earth and environmental sciences, who joined Syracuse University in 2011.

“I think any problem that geochemistry can solve, Zunli can take it on,” says Thonis. He speaks with similar enthusiasm about the work being done by the other endowed professors in the Earth and environmental sciences department. The first Thonis Family endowed professorship currently supports research into “what’s going on way down deep in the Earth” and the second endowed professorship currently “uses geochemistry to understand rainfall, past and future.”

Lu’s work covers a wide range of topics intersecting geology, energy, environment and climate. “I like to use my science as a vehicle for exploring complex interactions among rock, water and life, to the maximum extent across space and time,” says Lu. , Lu and a team of interdisciplinary scientists were awarded a $2 million grant from the Frontier Research in Earth Sciences program of the National Science Foundation to study the causes of mass extinctions and how animals millions of years ago responded to environmental changes. Specifically, Lu looks at the stressors placed on marine animals by changing ocean conditions, such as elevated temperatures and reduced oxygen availability.��The research could help predict the impact of climate change on the entire ecosystem that supports animal and human life.

Thonis believes these gifts to advance research and scholarship help boost the overall reputation of the University. His focus on the geosciences may be personal, but his philanthropic goal is broad: “I know there are others out there who are passionate about math or philosophy or creative writing. I hope to propel someone to make a gift in the field of their choice.”

“This series of endowed professorships from Mike’s generosity has driven strong positive feedback in the growth of our faculty and in the reputation of our department,” says Lu.

“The Thonis family’s commitment to academic excellence, demonstrated by their generous support of our faculty, is deeply appreciated,” says College of Arts and Sciences Interim Dean Lois Agnew. “It’s inspiring to see someone parlay their own positive experience as an undergraduate into advancing the careers of countless students and researchers who are making a real difference in the field.”

“Through their continued philanthropic commitment to Syracuse University, Mike and Susie are helping us attract and retain top scholars who drive discovery,” says Chancellor Kent Syverud. “In the field of geology, discovery involves looking back millions of years to help us shape the future for years to come. Similarly, endowments are long-term investments in the future of scholarship that impacts generations to come.”

“The time I’ve spent with Mike and Susie Thonis drives home the value of the student experience within the department and the student-professor relationship in instilling a lifelong passion for both the department and institution,” says Gregory Hoke, chair of the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences. “As we enter our 150th year as a department, their generosity does so much to cement our future as one of the University’s oldest academic units.”

In addition to his philanthropy, Thonis has generously donated his time and talent. He serves on the Advancement and External Affairs Committee and Finance Committee as a life trustee, and is a tri-chair of the National Campaign Council Executive Committee. He served as a voting trustee from 2008-2021, and was a member of the Boston Regional Council and College of Arts and Sciences Dean’s Advisory Board. In 2015, he received the Dritz Trustee of the Year Award, and in 2022, he received the Dritz Life Trustee of the Year Award for outstanding Board service.

After Thonis graduated from Syracuse, he earned an M.S. in geology from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and then changed his career trajectory with an MBA from Harvard Business School. He launched a career in endowment management and co-founded Charlesbank Capital Partners, where he remains a senior advisor. With a career devoted to helping others understand what it means to invest in the future, Thonis sees his own philanthropy as a gift to the University and to himself.

“When you give gifts, you begin to feel more like your career matters,” says Thonis, who has gifted more than $5 million to support scholarships and academic excellence in research and teaching at Syracuse University. He says he was inspired by the teachings of Arthur Brooks, Ph.D., a former professor in The Maxwell School, and now Harvard Kennedy School and professor of management practice at the Harvard Business School. Brooks writes about the link between charitable giving and increased happiness and prosperity.

“When people give more money away, they tend to prosper,” Brooks . In other words, it’s good for the giver and for society because there’s an economic multiplier effect to philanthropic investments. Applying the same principles, Thonis continues to be a fervent supporter of Syracuse University.

“When you retire in business, it doesn’t mean you’re done contributing,” says Thonis. “If you want to be happy, you need to take what you’ve done in your career and convert it into something new and different. For me, it has meant returning to my geology and Earth science roots and becoming even more fervent in my support of the University.”

The direct beneficiary of his latest gift shares Thonis’ appreciation for the broad impact of a focused investment. “I think there may be a surprising number of parallels between understanding the Earth system and navigating the finance world,” says Lu. “You need to pay attention to micro-scale details while tracking the big picture on a global scale. You constantly struggle with too much information and not enough information. The amazing thing about Mike is his success in having substantial influence and long-lasting impacts in both worlds.”

About Syracuse University

Syracuse University is a private research university that advances knowledge across disciplines to drive breakthrough discoveries and breakout leadership. Our collection of 13 schools and colleges with over 200 customizable majors closes the gap between education and action, so students can take on the world. In and beyond the classroom, we connect people, perspectives and practices to solve interconnected challenges with interdisciplinary approaches. Together, we’re a powerful community that moves ideas, individuals and impact beyond what’s possible.

About Forever Orange: The Campaign for Syracuse University

Orange isn’t just our color. It’s our promise to leave the world better than we found it. Forever Orange: The Campaign for Syracuse University is poised to do just that. Fueled by more than 150 years of fearless firsts, together we can enhance academic excellence, transform the student experience and expand unique opportunities for learning and growth. Forever Orange endeavors to raise $1.5 billion in philanthropic support, inspire 125,000 individual donors to participate in the campaign, and actively engage one in five alumni in the life of the University. Now is the time to show the world what Orange can do. Visit to learn more.

Boost the ’Cuse takes all of ’CUSE. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to be part of this momentous occasion and contribute to our continued success. Let’s show the world what it means to be Forever Orange!

On-campus activities:

1. Scott Hanson will broadcast LIVE from Newhouse!

Tune in on March 23, 2023, starting at 8:44 a.m. when NFL RedZone’s Scott Hanson ’93 anchors 16 live shows from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications studios, with David Barbier ’23 hosting various segments from the Schine Student Center and Club 44. View the to see the full list of interviews, prerecorded videos and student performances to enjoy throughout the day.

2. Free snacks and Syracuse swag

Visit select locations for treats and merch while supplies last. Start your day with a hot cocoa bar, complete with marshmallows, whipped cream and sprinkles. Make your own trail mix creation and an orange float, and grab a half-moon cookie and an orange as an afternoon pick-me-up. Across campus, tables hosted by schools, colleges and units will feature fun activities and delicious snacks. . At each table, grab some Boost the ’Cuse branded merchandise, including pennants, charging cables, reusable coffee sleeves and more.

3. Visit with Otto

Everyone’s favorite Orange mascot will be in the Schine Student Center at 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. for high-fives, hugs and photos.

4. Crafts across campus AND a 360

On campus, don’t miss out on the fun activities available to everyone! Get creative and stamp your own canvas zipper pouch at the Barnes Center at The Arch or color your own 1.5-inch pin-back button at the Schine Student Center. And, be sure to stop by the 360-degree photo booth in Schine’s lower atrium near the video wall to snap a unique keepsake.

5. Hidden Ottos

As part of Forever Orange Week, 20 plush Ottos will be hidden around campus. Follow @SUalums on social media for clues and be the first to find an Otto to win a prize pack. For each Otto discovered, $100 will be donated to a fund of your choice on behalf of the Generation Orange Leadership Council and the Syracuse University Alumni Association. Plus, that donation will be matched with another $100 by the Chancellor Challenge, meaning each Otto is worth $200.

6. Support the part of campus that’s important to you.

Boost the ’Cuse empowers you to , whether it’s a specific school, college or program. Your generosity can make a significant impact and help students achieve their goals. to make your gift go even further.

7. Happy Birthday ’Cuse!

As the day comes to an end, we’ll join together to sing Happy Birthday to Syracuse University on the! Although Boost the ‘Cuse will be over, our celebration continues on Friday, March 24, at 2 p.m. in the Schine Center with the annual Chili Cookoff, where you can taste the best recipes from the University community and vote for your favorite. Wear your best Orange and enjoy photo booths, trivia and sweet birthday treats. This event is sponsored by the Forever Orange Student Alumni Council, Office of Student Engagement and the Office of Alumni Engagement.

This is a time for us all to unite, support Syracuse University and demonstrate our unwavering Forever Orange spirit. Are you ready to Boost the ’Cuse?

The Mother Cabrini Health Foundation donated $1 million in additional grant funding to the D’Aniello Institute for Veterans and Military Families.

This is the second time Mother Cabrini Health Foundation has supported the IVMF. An initial $500,000 grant in 2020 was fundamental in establishing a partnership between the City of Syracuse and the IVMF to create SyracuseServes, and it also supported a landscape assessment on the status of veteran care across New York State. The assessment, conducted by the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs and IVMF, was later used in developing an action plan for what this additional funding will achieve.

“Coordinated care has increasingly gained attention as an effective way to improve the health and well-being of veterans and the military-connected community. Accessing care can be difficult though, especially for veterans and their families,” says Vincent DelSignore, IVMF’s director of community services. “The investment from the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation to expand the SyracuseServes network will further the reach of our coordinated care efforts and will help remove barriers so veterans and their families can easily, and more directly, access resources in their communities.”

Over the last two years veterans from neighboring counties have increasingly sought out support from SyracuseServes, indicating the need for expansion. The first $500,000 grant in 2020 mostly supported military families in the City of Syracuse. A portion of the new grant funding will contribute to expanding coordination services to the neighboring counties of Cayuga, Cortland, Madison and Oswego. The expansion will see SyracuseServes continuing to support the important work of local partners and organizations serving the approximately 45,000 veterans and their families residing in the five-county region.

Additionally, the funding will support IVMF’s continued efforts across New York state to help veterans and their families. IVMF will establish a statewide Community of Practice with support from the grant and will also share the data gained to further help communities and organizations understand how to best serve the military-connected community.

The investment from the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation will expand the SyracuseServes network.

Like many regions across the country, Central New York is home to a variety of federal and nonprofit organizations dedicated to supporting veterans and their families. Finding these organizations, however, and knowing which one to go to for a particular service can be challenging.

“As we begin to recover from a pandemic that has hit vulnerable populations the hardest, we must continue to address the challenges communities across New York State are facing: food and housing insecurity; lack of access to basic health care, including vaccines; workforce issues; and educational, racial, economic and health disparities made worse during COVID-19. We must continue to support the full range of services that make for healthy people and communities,” says Monsignor Gregory Mustaciuolo, chief executive officer of the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation.

To learn more about IVMF’s efforts in empowering communities to best care for veterans, servicemembers and their families, or to connect to a AmericaServes community, visit .

About Mother Cabrini Health Foundation

The is a private, nonprofit organization whose mission is to improve the health and well-being of New Yorkers, bolster the health outcomes of vulnerable communities, eliminate barriers to care and bridge gaps in health services. Named after a tireless advocate for immigrants, children, and the poor, the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation funds programs and initiatives across New York state that either provide direct health care services or address the social determinants of health.

Howard Woolley

A gift from Newhouse School alumnus and Syracuse University Trustee Howard Woolley ’80 will support students studying in Washington, D.C.

Woolley, who is based in Washington, is president and CEO of the Howard Woolley Group, a strategic business and public policy advisory firm for the telecommunications and technology industries. He is a member of the Newhouse Advisory Board and sits on the DEI subcommittee.

The gift will support students with demonstrated financial need who are studying in the school’s program, based at the new Syracuse University Democracy, Journalism and Citizenship Institute. Preference will be given to students who advance the University’s interest in promoting the educational benefits of a diverse student body. Students may begin benefiting from the fund as early as this spring.

“The academic work and�� professional internships will be invaluable to the students’ careers,” says Woolley. “Their participation in the Democracy, Journalism, and Citizenship Institute will be invaluable�� to society.”

Newhouse dean says support from Woolley and other alumni will play a key role in the success of the school’s DC-based initiatives. “We are grateful for alumni like Howard, who share our vision for an expanded presence in Washington and who understand the myriad ways our students will benefit from educational and hands-on experiences in the nation’s capital.”

About Syracuse University

Syracuse University is a private research university that advances knowledge across disciplines to drive breakthrough discoveries and breakout leadership. Our collection of 13 schools and colleges with over 200 customizable majors closes the gap between education and action, so students can take on the world. In and beyond the classroom, we connect people, perspectives and practices to solve interconnected challenges with interdisciplinary approaches. Together, we’re a powerful community that moves ideas, individuals and impact beyond what’s possible.

About Forever Orange: The Campaign for Syracuse University

Orange isn’t just our color. It’s our promise to leave the world better than we found it. Forever Orange: The Campaign for Syracuse University is poised to do just that. Fueled by more than 150 years of fearless firsts, together we can enhance academic excellence, transform the student experience and expand unique opportunities for learning and growth. Forever Orange endeavors to raise $1.5 billion in philanthropic support, inspire 125,000 individual donors to participate in the campaign, and actively engage one in five alumni in the life of the University. Now is the time to show the world what Orange can do. Visit to learn more.

On Friday, Jan. 13, the University’s first Renée Crown Professors in the College of Arts and Sciences (A&S) were formally recognized. Heidi Hehnly, associate professor of biology, is the Renée Crown Honors Professor in the Sciences and Mathematics, and Karin Nisenbaum, assistant professor of philosophy, is the Renée Crown Honors Professor in the Humanities.

Heidi Hehnly (second from right), Renée Crown Honors Professor in the Sciences and Mathematics, is pictured with (from left) Honors Director Danielle Taana Smith, Chancellor Kent Syverud, Associate Provost Jamie Winders and A&S Interim Dean Lois Agnew.

The event was held at the Goldstein Faculty Center and speakers included Chancellor Kent Syverud; Jamie Winders, associate provost for faculty affairs; Lois Agnew, interim dean of A&S; Danielle Taana Smith, Honors program director and professor of African American Studies in A&S; and Professor Hehnly (Professor Nisenbaum was unable to attend).

The professorships are made possible thanks to a generous gift from the family of esteemed alumna and Trustee Emerita Renée Schine Crown ’50, H’84. Both Renée Schine Crown and her husband Lester attended the installation virtually.

Through the professorships, Hehnly and Nisenbaum will each serve a term of three years, teaching Honors courses and helping guide Honors students in their thesis research projects.

, who joined the Department of Biology in 2018, specializes in the mechanics of cellular division. She is also a member of the interdisciplinary and director of the . With nearly $3.5 million in research grants from the National Institutes of Health and others, Hehnly and her team are addressing urgent health needs relating to developmental disorders, genetic mutations and cancer-causing genes. Hehnly is also dedicated to leading interdisciplinary learning opportunities, such as the University’s first .

Hehnly’s 2022-23 Honors course, Light Microscopy and Illustration in Cell and Developmental Biology, focuses on fundamental principles in cell and developmental biology, such as mechanisms of embryonic development, cell division, tissue formation and maintenance, and the display of cells through imagery.

In recognition of her interest in microscopy, Chancellor Syverud presented Hehnly with a book titled, “The Microscope; Its History, Construction and Applications; Being a Familiar Introduction to the Use of the Instrument and the Study of Microscopical Science.” Noted as one of the most important books for the medical professional when it was published in 1854, it was once declared an essential read by the American Medical Association.

Karin Nisenbaum

joined the Department of Philosophy in 2021. Her research centers on topics at the intersection of ethics and metaphysics in the philosophy of Kant, in post-Kantian German Idealism, and in 19th- and 20th-century Jewish thought. She also has longstanding interests in phenomenology, existentialism and critical theory. Her 2018 book published with Oxford University Press, “For the Love of Metaphysics: Nihilism and the Conflict of Reason from Kant to Rosenzweig,” presents a new perspective on the history of German Idealism, focusing on the role of the principle of sufficient reason.

In 2022–23, Nisenbaum is teaching two Honors classes: Introduction to Ethics, in which students confront difficult moral decisions and consider how different philosophers would approach these decisions; and Philosophy and Literature, in which students consider the literary style of selected philosophical texts such as Plato’s Republic and the philosophical significance of foundational literary works such as Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale.

In April, Professors Hehnly and Nisenbaum will host the first Renée Crown Honors Symposium. The symposium panelists are Angela Breitenbach, a philosopher who teaches at Cambridge University, and Suzanne Anker, a contemporary visual artist and bio art pioneer based in New York City. Breitenbach and Anker’s engagement on campus will expose students to scholars at the forefront of interdisciplinary research in the sciences and humanities.

Read more about the .

James D. Kuhn ’70, G’72 and his wife, Marjorie, have provided a substantial new commitment to support the Forever Orange Campaign for Syracuse University and of the multimillion-dollar, multi-year effort to reimagine the stadium experience. The gift creates a new premium field/courtside space within the JMA Dome and provides an upgraded fan experience for premium seat holders for all five Syracuse Athletics programs that compete in the facility.

“Through their philanthropy, Jimmy and Marjorie continuously redefine what it means to be a fan, friend and ambassador of Syracuse University,” says Chancellor Kent Syverud. “Thanks to their leadership, selflessness and vision, Syracuse University will continue to transform and elevate the fan and student experience on campus for years to come.”

The Kuhns have made several high-impact gifts over the years. Their gifts have established the and the Leo and Sunnie Kuhn Endowed Scholarship for Entrepreneurial Studies at the Whitman School of Management, as well as the Kuhn Film Fund in the College of Visual and Performing Arts. They have also supported initiatives in the School of Architecture, the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs and Syracuse University Athletics. In addition to supporting a number of Syracuse University initiatives, Kuhn has been a champion of philanthropy to a number of other organizations with gifts to NYU Langone, National Jewish Hospital, Mt Sinai, HSS and the Diversity Scholarship Fund at NYU Schack Real Estate Center for students pursuing a master’s degree in real estate.

James Kuhn is just as generous with his time. He has served on the Board of Trustees since 2007, was vice chair from 2013-17 and chair of the Facilities Committee from 2009-13. He has been a member of the Board Executive, Finance and Facilities committees. He also currently serves as chair of the Board Athletics Committee (through early May 2023). He is a member of the Whitman Advisory Council, which he had previously chaired for 10 years. In 2010, Kuhn received the inaugural Dritz Rookie Trustee of the Year Award and in 2018, he received the Dritz Trustee of the Year Award. In 2001, he received the Whitman School’s Jonathan J. Holtz Alumnus of the Year Award.

“Jimmy appreciates what it takes to excel as a student-athlete,” says John Wildhack, director of athletics. “Besides the commitment and hard work it takes to be a competitor, he knows that the entire University community plays a role in the success of our athletics program. Enhancing the fan experience at the JMA Dome strengthens our commitment to our student-athletes.”

A , Kuhn captained the Syracuse fencing team during the 1967-68 season and was a three-time letterwinner. During his tenure on the team, he won the North Atlantic Collegiate Foil Championship and went on to finish in the top 16 at nationals in 1968. After a 25-year absence, Kuhn returned to fence in the veterans division, where he was ranked seventh in the nation by the time of his retirement in 2001.

“Syracuse gave me everything I needed and wanted to prepare me for life,” says Kuhn. “There are two things you can do in your life that are unrequited—philanthropy and helping your children be better than you are.”

After earning a B.S. in finance in 1970 and an MBA in 1972 from Syracuse University, Kuhn began his career as a lender with Metropolitan Life, and then was an owner/manager with The Mendik Company, before selling it to Vornado. He is principal, president and head of investor services for New York-based Newmark, which he joined in 1992. With more than 6,500 employees worldwide, Newmark operates from approximately 170 global offices. Kuhn also founded and leads Newmark’s technology and innovation practice group.

aims to enhance the game day experience for all Syracuse fans, student-athletes, coaches, students and alumni. The second phase of the project, which was announced in December, includes the installation of upgraded chairback seating and the introduction of new premium offerings throughout the venue, building upon earlier enhancements that included the installation of a new roof, the largest center-hung video scoreboard in college sports, air conditioning throughout the venue, lighting and sound enhancements, and an improved concessions experience.

About Syracuse University

Syracuse University is a private research university that advances knowledge across disciplines to drive breakthrough discoveries and breakout leadership. Our collection of 13 schools and colleges with over 200 customizable majors closes the gap between education and action, so students can take on the world. In and beyond the classroom, we connect people, perspectives and practices to solve interconnected challenges with interdisciplinary approaches. Together, we’re a powerful community that moves ideas, individuals and impact beyond what’s possible.

About Forever Orange: The Campaign for Syracuse University

Orange isn’t just our color. It’s our promise to leave the world better than we found it. Forever Orange: The Campaign for Syracuse University is poised to do just that. Fueled by more than 150 years of fearless firsts, together we can enhance academic excellence, transform the student experience and expand unique opportunities for learning and growth. Forever Orange endeavors to raise $1.5 billion in philanthropic support, inspire 125,000 individual donors to participate in the campaign, and actively engage one in five alumni in the life of the University. Now is the time to show the world what Orange can do. �վ�����������to learn more.

From left to right: Quartermaster Joseph Dishaw, Officer Kara Salce, Chief Craig Stone, Jay Gelb, Chief Student Experience Officer Allen Groves, Officer Charles Fiesinger

A generous donation made by a student’s family is helping strengthen the work of the Department of Public Safety (DPS) to provide a safe and secure campus environment. The gift from Jay and Sandra Gelb, parents of College of Law students Matthew, Nicole and Robert, has allowed DPS to purchase two state-of-the-art electric bicycles, with a third expected to be purchased soon.

“Campus safety should be a priority. As parents we entrust that our most valuable asset—our children—is safeguarded while away from home,” says Jay Gelb. “It is so important to make sure that those protecting our loved ones have the best resources at their disposal.”

The motorized bicycles will help conserve officers’ energy during long shifts and can navigate terrain that may not have vehicle access. The new bikes will be used during various campus events, including concerts, graduation, move-in and athletics events, adding to the department’s fleet of bicycles. They will be vital for patrol and crowd management.

“This donation from the Gelb family will have a tremendous impact on our campus community,” says Craig Stone, DPS chief and associate vice president. “It will allow us to revamp our bicycle fleet for our officers, cover more ground and expand upon our community engagement.”

Allen Groves, senior vice president and chief student experience officer, is grateful to the Gelb family for the funding that will bolster policing across campus in different ways.

“We appreciate this demonstration of support by the Gelb family for our broader campus safety initiatives, and their trust in Chief Stone and DPS leadership to put these funds to their best use,” says Groves. “The motorized bicycles we’ve purchased with this generous gift will enhance our goal of true community policing and will also allow campus safety officers to respond in new ways.”

Stone and Groves presented the Gelbs with a custom plaque to commemorate the family’s investment in helping to create the safest campus possible. In addition, DPS has added decals to each of the bicycles highlighting the generosity of the Gelb family. ��

“A donation of this magnitude shows me how invested our Syracuse families are in our shared goal of safety,” says Stone. “We will continue to use every resource at our disposal to enhance community safety. The Gelb family has allowed us to add important new tools in this effort.”

The Gelb family’s gift will aid DPS officers in the vital work they do every day for every campus community member. “Through this experience, I have found that DPS is staffed with professional and dedicated individuals. They do a great job, but I wanted to find out how we could assist them in doing even more,” says Gelb. “As parents and community members, it is important to ask how we can help, because our ultimate goal is that everyone at Syracuse University goes home safe every single day.”

About Syracuse University

Syracuse University is a private research university that advances knowledge across disciplines to drive breakthrough discoveries and breakout leadership. Our collection of 13 schools and colleges with over 200 customizable majors closes the gap between education and action, so students can take on the world. In and beyond the classroom, we connect people, perspectives and practices to solve interconnected challenges with interdisciplinary approaches. Together, we’re a powerful community that moves ideas, individuals and impact beyond what’s possible.

About Forever Orange: The Campaign for Syracuse University

Orange isn’t just our color. It’s our promise to leave the world better than we found it. Forever Orange: The Campaign for Syracuse University is poised to do just that. Fueled by more than 150 years of fearless firsts, together we can enhance academic excellence, transform the student experience and expand unique opportunities for learning and growth. Forever Orange endeavors to raise $1.5 billion in philanthropic support, inspire 125,000 individual donors to participate in the campaign, and actively engage one in five alumni in the life of the University. Now is the time to show the world what Orange can do. �վ�����������to learn more.

Diane and Bob Miron

Within the Miron Learning Commons, the campus community has access to information services, responsive collections, knowledgeable staff and accessible spaces. It offers a safe and welcoming environment that encourages intellectual exploration, enables the creation of new knowledge, catalyzes collaboration and advances the University’s teaching, learning and research mission. The Miron Learning Commons is equipped with public workstations, printers and a variety of seating options that include individual workstations, tables and chairs, and soft seating.

Also within the space is the Joel and Barbara Zelnick Assistive Technology Room; Department of Public Safety, Information, Check Out and Technology service desks where staff are available to assist users; Blackstone LaunchPad for entrepreneurs, innovators and creatives; Peter Graham Scholarly Commons for scholarly or academic events; Pages Café; and exhibit cases featuring a variety of themed content throughout the year.

Diane Miron and Life Trustee Robert J. Miron ’59 are generous supporters of Syracuse University and the Syracuse University Libraries. The Mirons have supported many academic programs, University initiatives and athletic endeavors over the years. The Diane and Bob Miron Fund for Academic Success in the Libraries supports academic and student success initiatives within the Libraries, including but not limited to entrepreneurship efforts like the Blackstone LaunchPad, student services, technology enhancements and the creation and maintenance of student spaces.

Diane Miron serves on the Libraries Advisory Board. She is a graduate from Kean (then Newark State) College and holds a degree in elementary education and an honorary doctorate degree. Diane taught elementary school for 25 years, then became a teacher advisor on using technology and cable television in the classroom. Robert Miron ’59 retired as chairman and CEO of Advance/Newhouse Communications, where he oversaw the company’s cable television interests with more than two million subscribers.

Just a few days earlier, a 20-year-old gunman walked into Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, and took the lives of 26 people, including 20 children.

Boeheim ’66, G’73 reflected on his sentiment in the shooting’s aftermath before a packed auditorium in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs on Friday, Sept. 9. He shared the stage with Chris Faricy, associate professor of political science and inaugural Hicker Family Professor in Renewing Democratic Community.

Chris Faricy (left) and Jim Boeheim ’66,G’73 shared the stage on Friday, Sept. 9, for a conversation-style event titled “Renewing Democratic Community: Basketball, Leadership and Citizenship.” (Photo by Angela Ryan)

Faricy told the audience of mostly students that Boeheim wrote about the shooting in his 2015 memoir, “Bleeding Orange.” He then asked the coach, “As someone who isn’t just a basketball coach but a leader in the University and a leader in the community, when do you decide to wade into politics and when do you decide to take a pass?”

“You know, you just do what your heart tells you to do,” said Boeheim. “I felt it that night, and I still feel that way. …We have more gun violence deaths than all the other countries in the world put together and that’s not changing until the politics change. I am realistic about that.”

The event, titled “Renewing Democratic Community: Basketball, Leadership and Citizenship” was the first to be offered in the Hicker Family Professor Speaker Series that celebrates the creation of the professorship with a generous gift from Boeheim’s former Orange teammate, George Hicker ’68, and his wife, Kathy. The Hickers hope to advance civil discourse and mutual understanding in today’s polarized political climate.

Boeheim credited George Hicker for his generosity and community service, a theme of his remarks during the conversation-style event. “We can talk about a lot of things today, and I hope we do, but for me, an important question is always, ‘What are you giving back? What are you doing for the other people in the world?’” said Boeheim to the audience. “I’ve been fortunate to have a platform and we’ve been able to give back a lot to our city and our community.”

What are you giving back? What are you doing for the other people in the world? I’ve been fortunate to have a platform and we’ve been able to give back a lot to our city and our community.”

—Men’s Basketball Coach Jim Boeheim

That proved a segue to Faricy’s first question: What responsibility do players have to provide service to the community? Boeheim said that though his athletes keep busy schedules between academic responsibilities, training and games, they are involved with the local Boys and Girls Club and support other organizations like Make-A-Wish and the Jim and Juli Boeheim Foundation.

Faricy then asked the coach to share his thoughts on the Supreme Court ruling last year that allows NCAA athletes to make money from business ventures without losing their eligibility. The changes removed prohibitions that prevented athletes from selling the rights to their names, images and likenesses (NIL).

Faricy pointed out that after the ruling, his 5-year-old son was able to get an autograph during a special appearance by former standout player Cole Swider. Boeheim shared that his son, former player Buddy Boeheim, also benefitted from the ruling, earning income from a line of “Buddy Buckets” merchandise and appearances.

But, the coach said, the rulings have not been without problems. For instance, recruitment of student-athletes has become significantly more competitive. And international athletes are ineligible to take advantage of the NIL ruling because of visa work restrictions, thus creating inequities. “NIL was a great idea if it was organically done with Cole Swider giving autographs,” he said, adding, “There are no guardrails, and there’s nothing to change it. The Supreme Court came and voted that every player can get whatever it is. …It is what it is, and we adjust to it.”

Boeheim recalled how his friend, NBA legend LeBron James—an outspoken advocate for social justice—was criticized by a media commentator who suggested he “shut up and dribble.”

Faricy then asked him about the role of athletes in the social justice movement. The coach shared how he encourages his players to register to vote and visit the polls—“a small step,” he conceded. He said that when he arrived at the University his freshman year, roughly 32 of 9,000 students were Black and of them, about “30 of them were athletes.”

Faricy pointed to the diverse audience of mostly students. “When you look around this classroom, there’s much more diversity,” he said, noting that a frequent topic in his classes is the tension between the progress that has been made and how much work still needs to be done. He asked Boeheim what he heard from his players following the killings of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd, for instance.

The coach told him, “I don’t think there are many people who didn’t understand that this was a pivotal moment, and it shouldn’t have been because there were pivotal moments two years before that, and five years, and 10 years earlier.”

Left to right: men’s basketball coach Jim Boeheim ’66, G’73, Associate Professor of Political Science Chris Faricy, Kathy Hicker, George Hicker ’68 and Maxwell School Dean David M. Van Slyke (Photo by Angela Ryan)

Leadership was another frequent topic during the talk—Boeheim shared how he was positively influenced by the example set by his fellow Orange athlete and roommate, Dave Bing ’66, who went on to become a National Basketball Association all-star and mayor of Detroit. “He had a tremendous effect on me,” he said. “He showed me how I should be, how I should treat people.”

Intertwined in Boeheim’s remarks were life lessons gleaned from decades on the court. He shared how he was a walk-on player, told by some that he would never succeed. “Don’t ever let anyone tell you that you can’t do something,” he said. And then, a few minutes later, a message of perseverance: “Everything is fine when you’re winning—you find out who you are when you’re losing.”

After the hour-long conversation between Faricy and Boeheim, the audience was invited to ask questions. The first was posed by a sophomore policy studies major who wondered how students can be more engaged in the greater Syracuse community.

The question clearly struck a chord with the coach and provided him an opportunity to again impart his message that giving back is an underpinning of citizenship—a lesson often echoed within Maxwell School classrooms. There are numerous opportunities to get involved, Boeheim told the audience, but one organization that could especially use the support is the Boys and Girls Club.

“They would welcome any help they could get,” he said. “You don’t realize it, but sometimes the only food those kids get that day is there.”

George Hicker and his wife, Kathy (second and third from right), are shown with Syracuse University basketball alumni Dave Bing ’66/H’06 (left) and the late Richie Cornwall (right) as well as longtime supporter Brian McLane ’68 and Charles R. Wainwright ’68.

On the first day of his Introduction to American Politics class, Chris Faricy imparts a message to his students that will serve as a guide for the semester.

“We will not speculate on how American government should work or evaluate whether what the government does is good or bad,” he tells them. “Instead, we will investigate what the government is and how it works.”

Faricy, associate professor of political science at the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, takes a similar approach in his own scholarly work: he examines how, when and for whom American democracy works. His forthcoming book will examine whether the creation of new social and economic benefits for citizens will revitalize public trust in the federal government and democracy.

For his teaching and subject area expertise, Faricy has been selected to hold a new professorship created in hopes of advancing civil discourse and mutual understanding in today’s polarized political climate. Syracuse University basketball legend George Hicker ’68 and his wife, Kathy, have created the Hicker Family Professorship in Renewing Democratic Community.

Combined with funds pledged by the University in support of the Forever Orange Faculty Excellence Program, the endowment totals $2 million. Launched in early 2022, the program strives to advance academic excellence by generating the resources needed to recruit and retain diverse and talented faculty in a highly competitive academic landscape.

“The generosity of George and Kathy Hicker will go far to advance our work at Maxwell,” says Maxwell School Dean David M. Van Slyke. “Their goals align with Professor Faricy’s work to bring evidence to promote dialogue and understanding. He is especially skilled at cultivating a learning environment in which students are engaged in understanding our political systems and the impacts of public policies on different communities and stakeholders.”

Faricy will hold the professorship for its inaugural term of five years. In addition to American politics, he researches social policy, income inequality, tax policy and public opinion on government spending. He authored “Welfare for the Wealthy: Parties, Social Spending, and Inequality in the United States” (Cambridge University Press, 2015) and co-wrote “The Other Side of the Coin: Public Opinion toward Social Tax Expenditures” (Russel Sage Foundation, 2021).

Faricy has received funding from the Russell Sage Foundation for his research on social, political and economic inequality. And, he has been cited by numerous media outlets, including The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Forbes and The Washington Post.

“I am truly honored to have been selected to serve as the first Hicker Family Professor,” says Faricy. “The Hickers’ gift supports our work to examine how American democracy can better function during an era of increasing diversity, social stratification and political polarization.”

Chris Faricy

To celebrate the inaugural year of the professorship, the Maxwell School will host a series of speakers. Another teammate, former National Basketball Association all-star and Detroit Mayor Dave Bing ’66, H’06, is also expected to join the lineup.

Hicker, who received a bachelor’s degree in political science from the Maxwell School and the College of Arts and Sciences, is president of the Los Angeles-based Cardinal Industrial Real Estate. He says his former teammates can offer relevant perspective from their storied careers as well as experiences they shared. The trio played for the Orange in 1966 when the team averaged 99.9 points per game and advanced to the NCAA’s Elite Eight regionals in Raleigh, North Carolina. Hicker remembers his elation turned to disappointment when he and teammates arrived at the hotel.

The check-in clerk told Coach Fred Lewis that the team’s four Black players—including Bing—had to stay at a different hotel. “I’ll never forget his words—he said, ‘Tell them to keep our plane warm, then, because we’re not playing,’” recalls Hicker.

Lewis’ words forced the hotel to reconsider, and the team got to stay together.

Hicker has reflected on the hotel scene throughout his life, especially amid the social reckoning of recent years. “More than 50 years have passed since that hotel incident and yet we as a nation are still plagued by racism and intolerance,” says Hicker. “It is not where I’d hoped our country would be—it is deeply unsettling, especially combined with what seems like weekly mass shootings and a deep political divide.”

Hicker says funding the professorship is an investment in the future. “It turns some of our frustration to hope,” he says.

His previous gifts have been transformative: At the University, he has supported students and brought brick-and-mortar improvements. He helped fund the construction of the Carmelo K. Anthony Center and the Ingwald and Lillian Hicker Basketball Plaza, named in honor of his parents. He also expanded opportunities for students with disabilities across the University, initiated an endowment fund to provide academic support for student athletes and contributed to numerous funds, including those named for his teammates, Bing and Boeheim.

Beyond Syracuse, Hicker’s philanthropy saved the modified basketball program at his alma mater in Franklinville, New York, and funded scholarships for graduates of his former high school. He has supported numerous charities, including KidSave International, Save-A-Life, the California Council of the Blind, the Los Angeles Aids Project, Camp Fundamental, the Brotherhood of American Veterans and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.

Hicker is especially proud of his work with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes; he served as chairman of its board for nearly a decade and saw it expand to serve roughly 6,000 at-risk youth from over 100 schools every week.

Hicker played three seasons for the Orange starting his sophomore year. He was known for outstanding one-handed perimeter shooting, dubbed the “Hicker flicker.” After his first year on the court, he broke his femur in an automobile accident, leading to speculation about his future. Thanks to a strenuous rehabilitation program and his own determination, Hicker started the first game of his junior year, leading the team with 26 points. He went on to average 18.6 points per game for the season.

Hicker was drafted by the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks and saw the world playing with the European leagues and with a team sponsored by Gillette. Injury brought an early retirement; he then worked briefly as a concert promoter and manager for such legendary acts as Sly and the Family Stone, the Chambers Brothers, Iron Butterfly and Rick James.

The music industry work brought a move to California—and a realization. Hicker found success and enjoyed the exposure to big name performers, but he quickly saw the dark side of the industry as some of the most talented turned to drugs and alcohol.

“Around that time a friend said, ‘why don’t you take this real estate course?’” he recalls. “So, I took it.”

A decade later, he started Cardinal Industrial Real Estate. He and Kathy still reside in the Bel Air home they purchased in 1972. They have two grown sons, Konstantin ’18 and Nikolai, both adopted from Russia 16 years ago.

“We’ve been blessed in our lives, and we are pleased to be able to use our success to help others,” says Hicker.

About Syracuse University

Syracuse University is a private research university that advances knowledge across disciplines to drive breakthrough discoveries and breakout leadership. Our collection of 13 schools and colleges with over 200 customizable majors closes the gap between education and action, so students can take on the world. In and beyond the classroom, we connect people, perspectives and practices to solve interconnected challenges with interdisciplinary approaches. Together, we’re a powerful community that moves ideas, individuals and impact beyond what’s possible.

About Forever Orange: The Campaign for Syracuse University

Orange isn’t just our color. It’s our promise to leave the world better than we found it. Forever Orange: The Campaign for Syracuse University is poised to do just that. Fueled by more than 150 years of fearless firsts, together we can enhance academic excellence, transform the student experience and expand unique opportunities for learning and growth. Forever Orange endeavors to raise $1.5 billion in philanthropic support, inspire 125,000 individual donors to participate in the campaign, and actively engage one in five alumni in the life of the University. Now is the time to show the world what Orange can do. Visit to learn more.

Story updated Sept. 13, 2022

Renovations to the conservation lab, which included added space, new and specialized conservation equipment and new modular furniture, were completed in 2021, with support from University Trustee William J. ’65, G’68 and Joan ’67, G’68 Brodsky, who is a Libraries Advisory Board member. The expanded lab accommodates additional student workers and staff with more workspace and a wider range of treatment capabilities.

The Brodskys are generous supporters of Syracuse University and the Syracuse University Libraries and have established an endowment for the Brodsky Series for the Advancement of Library Conservation, an annual program featuring prominent library conservators that promote and advance knowledge of library conservation theory, practice and application.

Joan Brodsky is a graduate of the School of Information Studies and was recently appointed by President Joe Biden to the National Museum and Library Services Board. She has a strong interest in the traditional art of book preservation and experience working as a volunteer in conservation facilities. She has volunteered at the Spertus Museum and the Newberry Library. She currently serves on the Board of Trustees of the Newberry Library in Chicago, the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library in Springfield, Illinois, and the advisory board of the Library of the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York City.

The conservation lab is responsible for the conservation and preservation of both individual items and entire collections, carrying out repairs on and creating archival safe housings for a wide range of artifacts, including bound and unbound manuscripts, printed books, works on paper, architectural drawings and many other formats such as photographs, films and plastics. Working with the curators, the conservator assesses the needs of collections and contributes to both long- and short-term preservation planning. The lab prepares material for both in-house exhibitions and external loans, coordinates disaster preparedness and reaction, and monitors environmental conditions throughout the Libraries’ sites.

About Syracuse University

Syracuse University is a private research university that advances knowledge across disciplines to drive breakthrough discoveries and breakout leadership. Our collection of 13 schools and colleges with over 200 customizable majors closes the gap between education and action, so students can take on the world. In and beyond the classroom, we connect people, perspectives and practices to solve interconnected challenges with interdisciplinary approaches. Together, we’re a powerful community that moves ideas, individuals and impact beyond what’s possible.

About Forever Orange: The Campaign for Syracuse University

Orange isn’t just our color. It’s our promise to leave the world better than we found it. Forever Orange: The Campaign for Syracuse University is poised to do just that. Fueled by 150 years of fearless firsts, together we can enhance academic excellence, transform the student experience and expand unique opportunities for learning and growth. Forever Orange endeavors to raise $1.5 billion in philanthropic support, inspire 125,000 individual donors to participate in the campaign, and actively engage one in five alumni in the life of the University. Now is the time to show the world what Orange can do. Visit to learn more.

Rendering of the proposed Football Team Operations Center at the new John A. Lally Athletics Complex

One of David Tate’s first memories of Syracuse football is what has endeared the team to him the most. Entering into the program as a freshman in 1972, Tate says coach Ben Schwartzwalder’s first direction to the newcomers wasn’t on how they played, but rather how they looked.

“During a time when everyone wore long hair, [Schwartzwalder] decided to cut all our hair off on the first day,” Tate says. “We were buzzed to the scalp. We all looked odd, but we all looked the same.”

The uniformity that Schwartzwalder imposed upon the freshman class instilled the importance of unity within Tate, both on and off the field. Tate, who played for the Orange from 1972 to 1976, now aims to grow that unity within the Syracuse football alumni and make its brotherhood stronger than ever.

Tate, the founder and CEO of Healthgram, has pledged $1 million to the first phase of transforming Manley Field House into the John A. Lally Athletics Complex, a state-of-the-art academic and athletics village that will benefit all student-athletes.

“David’s generosity and commitment to our football program is inspiring and motivating,” says Athletics Director John Wildhack.��“It also reflects his deep commitment to unite our football alumni from all eras to support Head Football Coach Dino Babers and our current program.”

The project’s first phase began in April and includes a new and expanded entryway into the John A. Lally Athletics Complex. Additional renovations of phase 1 include an expanded Football Operations Center and a renovated Olympics Sports Center, which will feature new sport medicine, training, cafeteria and lounge spaces. These renovations are contingent on philanthropy being secured.

Tate’s donation is his first to Syracuse University, and he believes it is important to give back after all the University has given him.

Rendering of the proposed Football Team Operations Center at the new John A. Lally Athletics Complex

“I got the chance to play at Syracuse, and going there improved the way I feel about myself, what I have learned and what I now know,” Tate says. “From there, I grew a business, and from there, I now have the ability to come back to Syracuse and say thank you and help others do the same.”

Tate’s pledge will be directed toward the renovation of the Football Team Lounge and Football Operations Center, which he declined individual naming recognition for in favor of naming the area “Unity Hall.” In doing so, Tate wants to recognize the congregation of the Syracuse football alumni and unite the various eras as one.

“I don’t want my name on anything because it’s not about me, it’s about all of us,” Tate says. “I’ve met a lot of amazing guys from my time playing, and this is a reason for us just to come together.”

Tate hopes that his leadership will inspire other Syracuse football alumni to come together, which is why in addition to his gift, he has spearheaded a challenge that aims to promote the active engagement of program alumni in supporting the future of Syracuse football. By joining the , alumni commit to becoming more involved with the current program through the mentorship of current student-athletes, participation at events sponsored by Syracuse Athletics, purchase of tickets and/or private philanthropic support.

“Our Syracuse football family is grateful to David for his generosity in support of the new facility and the future of our program. His impact goes far beyond his recent donation. The leadership he brings to the Unity Challenge will inspire fellow letterwinners to come together and help us bridge the gap between the past, present and future of Syracuse football. We are excited for what’s to come,” says ��Coach Babers.

The will run through Nov. 12. All funds generated as a part of this challenge will go towards the John A. Lally Athletics Complex/Football Operations Center development unless directed otherwise.

“I wanted my donation to be more of a unified pledge,” Tate says.. “My contribution was to kick start players coming together, and we hope everyone rallies behind this mission.”

As Tate joins the effort to create the John A. Lally Athletics Complex, he is incredibly grateful to have the opportunity to give back to his university. Growing up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Tate’s father owned and managed a bakery, which Tate’s brother, Bob, still operates today. The eldest of eight children, Tate’s only opportunity to go to college was through a football scholarship. Bob joined the Syracuse football program two years after David as a walk-on and later earned a scholarship as well.

“I care about the University because of what it did for me and the opportunity it gave my brother,” Tate says. “It gave us a chance that we wouldn’t have had otherwise.”

Rendering of the proposed Football Team Recovery Area at the new John A. Lally Athletics Complex

However, David and Bob are just a piece of the Tate football legacy. The brothers’ father and their three uncles all played Division I football and earned their way into college through athletic scholarships as well. David and Bob’s uncle, Bill Tate, became the head coach of Wake Forest in 1964 and headed an effort to integrate collegiate athletics in the south by recruiting Bob Grant and Butch Henry, two black student-athletes, to play for the university.

Given his family history of fighting division, Tate deeply values unity and believes it has the utmost importance in football and life. As Tate focuses on unifying his fellow alumni through the Unity Challenge, he draws parallels in his efforts and playing the sport he loves.

“There isn’t one athlete that can walk out on a field and single-handedly defeat a team of 11,” Tate says. “It takes a team. If a team isn’t together, if a team is not unified, if there’s not a common belief and goal, you don’t even have a chance of winning.”

The completion of the upgraded facilities at the John A. Lally Athletics Complex are the first steps in an exciting future for Syracuse football. These facilities will enhance the experience for players and staff alike, and bring the team and alumni closer as one. In doing so, Tate believes that the team will have a better chance to succeed on the field and at Syracuse University.

“To compete at the highest level, you have to have the best facilities, so it’s great that Syracuse has made the commitment to improve theirs,” Tate says. “We’ve had amazing players at this school, and I think our history speaks for itself. Hopefully, this project will bring more players like them to Syracuse.

About Syracuse University

Syracuse University is a private research university that advances knowledge across disciplines to drive breakthrough discoveries and breakout leadership. Our collection of 13 schools and colleges with over 200 customizable majors closes the gap between education and action, so students can take on the world. In and beyond the classroom, we connect people, perspectives and practices to solve interconnected challenges with interdisciplinary approaches. Together, we’re a powerful community that moves ideas, individuals and impact beyond what’s possible.

About Forever Orange: The Campaign for Syracuse University

Orange isn’t just our color. It’s our promise to leave the world better than we found it. Forever Orange: The Campaign for Syracuse University is poised to do just that. Fueled by 150 years of fearless firsts, together we can enhance academic excellence, transform the student experience and expand unique opportunities for learning and growth. Forever Orange endeavors to raise $1.5 billion in philanthropic support, inspire 125,000 individual donors to participate in the campaign, and actively engage one in five alumni in the life of the University. Now is the time to show the world what Orange can do. Visit to learn more.

Fifty years after they last stepped foot on campus, Bernie and Louise are making a return with a gift to support Ph.D. candidates through the D’Aniello Institute for Veteran and Military Families (IVMF). Through this generous gift, they hope students who are in positions like the ones they were in during their time on campus will benefit from the additional support.

Sometimes Second Is Better Than First

When it came time to write his master’s thesis, Bernie couldn’t get his first topic choice as it was already taken by another student.

“The topic I wanted was public infrastructure, but somebody else got it. So, I ended up with [my second choice] the topic of manpower planning,” Bernie says. “I wrote a master’s thesis on cost-benefit analysis of manpower training. And that’s how I got into the manpower business.”

Meanwhile, Louise was experiencing the full force of winter in Syracuse as she looked to enroll in the master of social work program. “I interviewed during the snowstorm of ’66 and remember walking through snow to the interviewee’s house,” Louise says. While initially unsure of her ability to afford to attend Syracuse University, the National Institute of Mental Health stepped up and awarded Louise a grant that would go on to shape her experience in the field of social work. Louise would ultimately graduate in 1968 while Bernie finished his Ph.D. while posted to the Pentagon.

As if it were destiny, Bernie was drawn into the manpower business through his Ph.D. He says he happened upon a flyer that offered a dissertation fellowship sponsored by the Manpower Administration of the Department of Labor. “They [the Department of Labor] were buying a whole generation of labor economists at the point where just a few dollars made a difference,” says Bernie. The fellowship paid tuition as well as support for attending conferences and travel to do necessary research.

After fulfilling his military commitment, Bernie joined the RAND Corporation as a research economist. He ended up supporting the efforts of the U.S. Air Force while at RAND and then, propelled yet again by his earlier Ph.D. work on manpower planning, was selected by the Carter administration to serve in the Navy secretariat. Eventually, this led to his appointment as the director of the Selective Service System. Later, after a return tour at RAND, Bernie was asked by the Clinton administration to serve as the assistant secretary of the Navy, then undersecretary of the Army, and finally as the undersecretary of defense for personnel. During their careers in and out of government Bernie and Louise worked to improve schooling for military children, provide affordable childcare for Navy and Marine Corps families, expand employment opportunities for military spouses, secure needed medical care for veterans of the Persian Gulf War and champion equal opportunities for all to serve their country in the armed forces.

Establishing the New Fund

After an illustrious career, Bernie began to explore options with Louise on how and where to give back. The pair ultimately reminisced on their time at Syracuse and Bernie recalled his experience in the Ph.D. program. After reaching out to the University they decided to set up a fund through the IVMF with the hope of supporting a Ph.D. candidate, similar to how Bernie received external funding during his Ph.D. program.

“If you look at what I have proposed here, in terms of dissertation support, it’s kind of like the support I got from the Department of Labor,” says Bernie. “So, setting up this fund was with the intent and hope to do something helpful along the lines of what the Department of Labor did for me.”

As part of the , the Bernard D. and Louise C. Rostker IVMF Dissertation Research Fund supports interdisciplinary dissertation research on veteran- and military family-related topics to be conducted by Syracuse University Ph.D. candidates through the IVMF. The fund can be used to accommodate travel costs, software and equipment purchases, research or academic conferences, and fieldwork and data gathering.

“While I’m trained as an economist, the RAND Corporation is famous for having an interdisciplinary approach, more so than any other institution. I didn’t want this [research fund] to be just for economists, I wanted it to be interdisciplinary,” Bernie says. “I would like to see people who produce doctoral quality work receive their degree in whatever discipline supports veterans and military families.”

The fund application is open to doctoral candidates from all Syracuse University schools and colleges and it will support one or more Ph.D. candidate(s) doing dissertation research on veteran- and/or military family-related topics.��Interested and qualified candidates can .

Robert B. Menschel

“Bob was truly a model of service to Syracuse University,” says Board chair Kathleen A. Walters ’73. “First elected to the Board of Trustees in 1981, he served as a voting trustee for more than two decades, becoming a trustee emeritus and part of a select group of honorary trustees recognized for their contributions. From exhibitions to lecture series to professorships and endowed chairs, Bob supported creativity, innovation and academic excellence that defines this university.”

Menschel earned a bachelor of science degree from the College of Business Administration in 1951. After earning a degree from the Graduate School of Business Administration at New York University in 1954, he joined Goldman Sachs & Co. where he founded the first Institutional Department, which became the model for the securities industry. Menschel subsequently became a partner in charge of institutional sales and later rose to become one of the firm’s senior directors. In 2002, he published “Markets, Mobs & Mayhem: A Modern Look at the Madness of Crowds,” where he explored the phenomenon of crowd psychology and its effects on business and culture.

Along with his Board of Trustees work, which included serving on the executive and investment and endowment committees, Menschel served on the Commitment to Learning Campaign, the Schine National Committee and the Ballentine Center Committee. His philanthropic support was widespread, including the Paul Volcker Endowed Chair in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs; the Robert B. Menschel Endowed Fund; the Maxwell-Eggers Building Fund; the Tolley Distinguished Teaching Professorship in the Humanities; and the William Safire Chair in Modern Letters. He was lauded for his foresight when he provided a gift in 2001 to establish The University Lectures, a cross-disciplinary lecture series bringing to Syracuse individuals of exceptional accomplishment in the areas of architecture and design; the humanities and the sciences; and public policy, management and communications.

His philanthropy supported the renovation of Light Work and Community Darkrooms in the Watson Theater Complex, which was dedicated as the Robert B. Menschel Media Center. He was the major sustaining private supporter of Light Work and Community Darkrooms, providing financial support, resources and extensive collections of photographs to the Light Work holdings and for exhibitions in the Robert B. Menschel Photography Gallery.

Similarly, Menschel was widely praised and recognized for his support of photography exhibitions at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., and the Joyce and Robert Menschel Hall for Modern Photography��at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York City. The 2016-17 MoMA exhibition titled “The Shape of Things: Photographs from Robert B. Menschel”��told the story of photography over 150 years from its start in 1843, and featured works acquired over 40 years with Menschel’s support. Menschel was a member of the Committee on Photography at MoMA with building the vast photography collection through financial support and donations from his personal collection.

The 2017 exhibition at the National Gallery of Art, titled “Posing for the Camera: Gifts from Robert B. Menschel,”��once again demonstrated his passionate advocacy for photography. The exhibition explored portraiture and featured photographs acquired with funds from Menschel or pledged as gifts from his personal collection.

Robert Menschel, second from left, accepts the Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy from Harvey Fineberg of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in 2015. Judy Woodruff and Vartan Gregorian of the Carnegie Corp. of New York, in background, were also on stage at the event at the New York Public Library. Photo by Filip Wolak (Source: Carnegie Corp. of New York)

In 2015, Robert and his brother Richard L. Menschel ’55 shared the Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy, which honors those who that “with wealth comes a responsibility to contribute to the world’s betterment and a more open and just society.” In the medal presentation, it was noted that the brothers’ “dedication and talent took them both to the top of the investment banking field at prestigious Goldman Sachs, and they have been giving back in countless ways for decades.” Robert was quoted as saying “there is no mode of disposing of surplus wealth creditable to thoughtful and earnest men into whose hands it flows save by using it year by year for the general good.”

Menschel received the University’s George Arents Pioneer Medal in 1980 for “excellence in business, excellence in life” and was awarded an honorary degree by Syracuse University in 1991. In 1999, he was awarded the Martin J. Whitman School of Management’s Jonathan J. Holtz Alumnus of the Year award.

Beyond his Board work at Syracuse University, Menschel served as chairman of The Vital Projects Fund Inc., a charitable foundation with an interest in human rights and criminal justice reform; chairman emeritus and former president of MoMA; member of the Board of Trustees and Executive Committee of the New York Presbyterian Hospital; honorary trustee and former board president of the Dalton School; member of the trustee council of the National Gallery of Art; and member of the Council on Foreign��Relations where he is the namesake of the Robert B. Menschel Economics Symposium.

He is survived by his partner, Janet Wallach; his former wife, Joyce Frank Menschel; his children, David Frank Menschel and Lauren Elizabeth Menschel; several grandchildren; and his brother and sister-in-law, Richard Menschel ’55 and Ronay Menschel.

Daniel D’Aniello

“Syracuse University’s study abroad program is second to none. Dan and Gayle’s gift will invigorate the Florence program by funding necessary updates to its facilities and strengthening the curriculum. It will also provide support to retain and attract an exceptional cadre of faculty members, and, most importantly, increase access to international experiences to more students,” says Chancellor Kent Syverud. “Dan and Gayle’s leadership, generosity and vision are paving the way for Syracuse University’s future. I am grateful for their continued support for the University’s most important academic priorities.”

The Daniel and Gayle D’Aniello Florence Program is located on Piazza Savanarola, at the historic Villa Rossa, with additional spaces for studio art and architecture on nearby Donatello Square. The crown jewel of the Syracuse Abroad portfolio, the Syracuse program in Florence is the oldest and one of the most coveted international learning experiences in the city and the country. This new gift will support upgrades and enhancements in the programs facilities to ensure they meet the increasing needs of students.

The gift will dramatically expand scholarship funding to students for whom study abroad programs have been out of reach, including lower-income students, post-traditional students and student veterans. For student veterans, Syracuse Abroad will work closely with the Office of Veteran and Military Affairs and the D’Aniello Institute for Veterans and Military Families to expand support for military-connected students in navigating the complexities of using GI Bill benefits for study abroad, covering gaps in funding and providing specialized support services unique to the needs of veterans.

“The Syracuse Abroad program is an essential element of the academic experience for so many students. My time abroad in Florence was some of the most memorable of my college career, and I am delighted to be able to support that experience for today’s students—especially students with need, veterans and others for whom a semester abroad seems out of reach,” says Daniel D’Aniello, a Syracuse University Life Trustee and co-founder and chair emeritus of The Carlyle Group, who was recognized during the Class of 2020 Commencement with an honorary doctor of humane letters degree. “Gayle and I are so pleased to provide this support to the University and its faculty and students, who will gain illuminating global perspectives during their time in Italy and bring those insights to their professional lives.”

The D’Aniellos are deeply committed to Syracuse University and its community through their time and resources. They have been especially supportive of Forever Orange: The Campaign for Syracuse University, a $1.5 billion fundraising initiative focused on enhancing academic excellence, transforming the student experience and expanding unique opportunities for learning and growth. In November, the couple announced a $30 million gift to secure the future and long-term success of the D’Aniello Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF). In addition, the D’Aniellos’ 2018 gift of $20 million provided for the construction of the Daniel and Gayle D’Aniello building that houses the National Veterans Resource Center (NVRC).�� These gifts ensure it remains the nation’s leading academic institute focused on the concerns of America’s more than 20 million veterans and their families. Their latest gift to the Syracuse Abroad program further strengthens their commitment to student excellence and the importance of a Syracuse University education.

“With this tremendous support from Dan and Gayle D’Aniello, the University can take the Syracuse Abroad Florence program to a new level. Along with upgrades to our facilities, this funding will allow our faculty to further innovate the curriculum, coursework and immersion experiences, focusing on project-based learning, allowing students to learn by investigating real-world issues,” says Vice Chancellor, Provost and Chief Academic Officer Gretchen Ritter. “Through the D’Aniellos’ generosity, an abroad experience in Florence, Italy, will be attainable for more students, putting talented and deserving students in the heart of a dynamic European city, immersed in its language, arts, culture and people.”

“This is an exciting announcement for the Syracuse Florence program and the University. Syracuse Abroad students grow each day through their experiences in Florence. Enhancing their experience, the coursework they take and the immersion opportunities throughout their time here will enable them to further learn, grow and gain a greater self-confidence that they will take with them for the rest of their lives. We see it every semester,” says Erika Wilkens, executive director of Syracuse Abroad. “The D’Aniellos’ gift will increase the possibilities for students to engage with the culture in Florence and throughout Europe. It will be extraordinarily impactful in all that Syracuse University does to create a distinctly global learning experience.”

Syracuse Florence Director Sasha Perugini echoed the Provost and Wilken’s comments. “I am grateful and excited to see such a powerful recognition made to acknowledge the outstanding work done through the decades by the Florence team in building an extraordinarily high-quality program.”

About Syracuse University

Syracuse University is a private research university that advances knowledge across disciplines to drive breakthrough discoveries and breakout leadership. Our collection of 13 schools and colleges with over 200 customizable majors closes the gap between education and action, so students can take on the world. In and beyond the classroom, we connect people, perspectives and practices to solve interconnected challenges with interdisciplinary approaches. Together, we’re a powerful community that moves ideas, individuals and impact beyond what’s possible.

About Forever Orange: The Campaign for Syracuse University

Orange isn’t just our color. It’s our promise to leave the world better than we found it. Forever Orange: The Campaign for Syracuse University is poised to do just that. Fueled by 150 years of fearless firsts, together we can enhance academic excellence, transform the student experience and expand unique opportunities for learning and growth. Forever Orange endeavors to raise $1.5 billion in philanthropic support, inspire 125,000 individual donors to participate in the campaign, and actively engage one in five alumni in the life of the University. Now is the time to show the world what Orange can do. Visit to learn more.

Kathy Walters

The new gift establishes the Kathy and Stan Walters Endowed Professorship for Quantum Science, creating a new faculty position in the physics department of the College of Arts and Sciences, and promoting research and teaching in quantum science. Because the gift is part of the , the University amplifies the power of their philanthropy.

The $2.25 million investment will help the University recruit and retain the most creative and innovative faculty. “We’re depending on universities to be the bedrock of discovery,” says . “That requires faculty who can think uniquely and do meaningful research that can pave the way to a better future for us all.”

“Kathy and Stan have been exceedingly generous over the years, always focusing their gifts on initiatives that will enhance academic excellence and the student experience,” says Chancellor Kent Syverud. “An endowed professorship directly impacts our ability to attract the most talented scholars, researchers and teachers and opens up more opportunities for scholarship and research among faculty and students.”

Walters, who graduated with a B.S. in mathematics and went on to the Wharton School for an MBA, says she was schooled as an economist, trained to appreciate both the short-term and long-term impacts of consumer behavior, along with business and financial decisions. “The study of mathematics was where I came to understand that if you could frame out how to think about something in a very broad way, you could start to discover new concepts,” says Walters. That’s why, a few years ago, the Walters provided a $1 million gift to support a think tank called the at the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs and the research of Len Lopoo, Paul Volcker Chair in Behavioral Economics and professor of public administration and international affairs.

The students in the X Lab learn how to use data and behavioral science to shape human behavior and solve societal problems, helping governments and nonprofits operate more efficiently and improve service delivery.

“Kathy and Stan’s support for Maxwell and their critical investment in the Maxwell X Lab have been an absolute game changer for the study of behavioral economics at SU and being able to work with public sector agencies and nonprofit organizations that would not be able to afford the type of research and program evaluation that can improve their mission and operational effectiveness,” says Maxwell Dean David M. Van Slyke. This work is bringing national recognition to Syracuse University and its faculty. “This is exactly what Kathy told me she wanted—philanthropic support, which would support academic excellence and experiential learning that would not only benefit Maxwell, but Syracuse University as well.”

The newest gift of an endowed professorship in quantum science is intended to do the same.

“The Walters’ gift will help us recruit more world class researchers and teachers who inspire our students to ask the big questions and seek solutions to life’s biggest problems,” says Jennifer Ross, chair and professor of physics. “The impact of great faculty is immeasurable in the life trajectory of inquisitive students.”

Duncan Brown, Charles Brightman Professor of Physics in the College of Arts and Sciences, whose own research in gravitational wave astronomy is recognized internationally, believes that investments in faculty excellence will help the University build upon its R1 status and become a premier research university, among the finest in the nation. “If you are a student coming to Syracuse University, you know you’ll be able to work with professors doing world-changing fundamental research and discovery.”

“Young people who have a chance to do research, to test theories and start to build them out—these are the people we need 10 to 20 years before something happens that redefines how we do things,” says Walters.

Brown points out that the field of quantum science has its roots in academic research in the early 1900s. “The technologies required to make an iPhone work, from the screen to the chip inside, are based on rules that were written down 100 years ago by people who had no conception that a device like this could exist. Gifts like this one from the Walters target areas that can revolutionize society.”

Though Kathy Walters is now retired after a long career in business and Stan Walters is now retired after a long career in professional football, both remain fully engaged in helping Syracuse University students pursue their dreams and build new futures for themselves and the world around them.

“Every gift ultimately contributes to the student experience and to the development of future citizens,” says Walters. “To invest in the bedrock of discovery is to desire to make a better world.”

About Syracuse University

Syracuse University is a private research university that advances knowledge across disciplines to drive breakthrough discoveries and breakout leadership. Our collection of 13 schools and colleges with over 200 customizable majors closes the gap between education and action, so students can take on the world. In and beyond the classroom, we connect people, perspectives and practices to solve interconnected challenges with interdisciplinary approaches. Together, we’re a powerful community that moves ideas,individuals and impact beyond what’s possible.

About Forever Orange: The Campaign for Syracuse University

Orange isn’t just our color. It’s our promise to leave the world better than we found it. Forever Orange: The Campaign for Syracuse University is poised to do just that. Fueled by 150 years of fearless firsts, together we can enhance academic excellence, transform the student experience and expand unique opportunities for learning and growth. Forever Orange endeavors to raise $1.5 billion in philanthropic support, inspire 125,000 individual donors to participate in the campaign, and actively engage one in five alumni in the life of the University. Now is the time to show the world what Orange can do. Visit to learn more.

Christine A. Carona

“I believe if you see it, you can become it,” says Carona, in explaining her motivation behind the new Carona, Beney and Malarney Family Endowed Faculty Fellowship in the Sciences (in the names of her parents, daughters and husband). The $1 million endowment includes matching funds from the University, made possible through the Forever Orange Faculty Excellence Program. Carona, a devoted alumnus, generous donor and engaged member of the Syracuse University Board of Trustees, says the design of the new Faculty Excellence Program gave her a greater opportunity to impact more lives, in much the same way the University impacted her own.

Now a Forbes Top Advisor, family wealth director and executive director in wealth management, the Syracuse native says she was only able to afford going to Syracuse University because her mother got a job in the health center there after her father suffered a career-ending heart attack. This opportunity wouldn’t have been available to her and her brother Phil Carona ’86 without tuition benefits provided to employees. Carona and her brother witnessed their stay-at-home mother literally reinvent herself to become the family’s sole breadwinner. “My mother could do anything she put her mind to. She taught me to always keep moving forward with perseverance, hard work and faith. My father was kind, generous and giving. Essentially, my parents made me feel like the sky was the limit. There were no boundaries.”

Carona embraced all the University had to offer, including the dance team and Alpha Phi (the University’s first sorority now celebrating its 150th year). She was inspired by professors and mentors she met through internships coordinated by the Martin J. Whitman School of Management. Still, after graduating with a bachelor of science degree in human development from Syracuse and completing a financial planning program at Northeastern University, Carona discovered the challenges of breaking boundaries in the working world and receiving appropriate recognition as a top-performing woman. She points to the experiences detailed in a TED Talk by her close friend, Elizabeth Rowe, the only woman in a principal flutist position in a top tier orchestra. “As a woman in my position, I didn’t fit in, I stuck out…. I have tried to be flawless, impeccable, unflappable.” Yet, gender inequities led Rowe to file (and win) an equal pay lawsuit against the Boston Symphony.

Carona advocates for opportunity and equity for all women. “Women can lift each other up to achieve new heights,” says Carona. She admires College of Arts and Sciences (A&S) Dean Karin Ruhlandt, impressed that along with her rise in a male-dominated field, she remains authentic, kind and a genuine mentor to students. Through her endowed gift, Carona hopes that the faculty member chosen for the fellowship housed in the college will influence hundreds of young students to excel in fields where they are underrepresented.

Carona’s own daughters are excelling as they pursue careers in the sciences. Sophie Beney ’22 majors in psychology and graphic design in A&S. Marissa Beney works at a cloud-computing company focused on pharmaceuticals and life sciences while pursuing an MBA at Whitman. Both were inspired by teachers at the Newton Country Day School of the Sacred Heart, where the motto is “Courage and Confidence.” Now, Carona wants to pass that confidence on, beyond her daughters and stepdaughter Caroline, who is a nurse, to other young women, along with a sense of optimism and possibilities.

Optimism is what Carona says she feels every time she steps onto the University campus. She quotes from a recent video called Rhapsody in Orange released by the University. “At Syracuse University, the climb up the hill is never easy, but there’s always a fresh view at the top.” Carona says she’s “hoping this gift opens the door to many possibilities for young women in the sciences and helps Dean Ruhlandt attract and retain talented faculty who are committed to mentoring and developing women in the sciences.”

Carona says her own mentors made her better: “The one thing they always said to me when I thanked them was ‘do the same for someone else.’ I’m honoring my promise through this endowment, grateful for their words and examples that guided me throughout my work life.”

Carona herself mentors students from high school through college, offering internship opportunities in wealth management, helping several young women launch careers in the financial services industry in the Boston area. She tries to instill in them a sense of mission in advocating for clients, especially those who find themselves overwhelmed by sudden life experiences that require personalized wealth management. As a testament to her professionalism, dedication and results, Carona was named a Forbes Top Women Wealth Advisor 2022, 2021, 2020 (and 2017), a Forbes Best-in-State Wealth Advisor 2022, 2021, 2020 and a Five Star Wealth Manager Award winner 2022, 2021 and 2020.

She was appointed in 2020 to Syracuse University’s Board of Trustees, serves on the Boston Regional Council for the University and is a member of The Hill Society. Previous gifts to the University were designated to support the Barnes Center at The Arch, the National Veterans Resource Center at the Daniel and Gayle D’Aniello Building, the College of Arts and Sciences Dean’s Fund, scholarships and Syracuse Responds.

She often speaks to other alumni about their personal goals in philanthropy, espousing a similar philosophy to what she practices in wealth management and the teachings of a priest who inspired her at Bishop Grimes Jr-Sr High (“to whom much is given much is asked”).

“While many donors have given back to the University in ways that have been transformational, I feel blessed to have been able to give back in a way that makes a significant impact while fitting my family’s goals,” says Carona. “Once you examine what your wishes and goals are, Syracuse University can design a plan that’s right for you and create a gift that really does matter to countless others.”

About Syracuse University

Syracuse University is a private research university that advances knowledge across disciplines to drive breakthrough discoveries and breakout leadership. Our collection of 13 schools and colleges with over 200 customizable majors closes the gap between education and action, so students can take on the world. In and beyond the classroom, we connect people, perspectives and practices to solve interconnected challenges with interdisciplinary approaches. Together, we’re a powerful community that moves ideas,individuals and impact beyond what’s possible.

About Forever Orange: The Campaign for Syracuse University

Orange isn’t just our color. It’s our promise to leave the world better than we found it. Forever Orange: The Campaign for Syracuse University is poised to do just that. Fueled by 150 years of fearless firsts, together we can enhance academic excellence, transform the student experience and expand unique opportunities for learning and growth. Forever Orange endeavors to raise $1.5 billion in philanthropic support, inspire 125,000 individual donors to participate in the campaign, and actively engage one in five alumni in the life of the University. Now is the time to show the world what Orange can do. Visit to learn more.

Lauren R. Villanueva

Villanueva comes to Syracuse from Drexel University, where she has served as the assistant vice president and executive director of the Alumni Board of Governors since 2017. She first joined Drexel in 2007 as associate director of alumni relations and has since held progressively responsible roles within the department.

“Lauren’s deep expertise in strategic planning, program development, board management and team leadership made her a natural fit to lead our already well-established alumni engagement team and position us for success in the remaining phase of the Forever Orange Campaign,” says Ter Molen. “Her 15-year tenure at Drexel afforded her the opportunity to experience all facets of alumni engagement, and to recognize how teams and events must evolve to meet the needs of a growing, global alumni base. We’re thrilled to welcome Lauren into the Syracuse University community.”

In her current role, Villanueva sits on the senior leadership team for Drexel’s alumni relations and development division. Her primary responsibility is developing strategy to guide programs, volunteer engagement and data management in the context of the university’s current $750 million campaign, The Future is a Place We Make.��Her portfolio also includes managing the Alumni Board of Governors to enhance the organization’s effectiveness and strengthen its role as a strategic partner.

Villanueva sets strategic goals for alumni programming and volunteer efforts to support the achievement of the campaign goal to engage at least 35,000 alumni as donors, activity participants and volunteers. Under her leadership, Drexel alumni partnered with colleagues in advancement, as well as in academic and administrative units across campus, to engage more than 42,000 alumni as donors, volunteers and activity participants during the campaign. This figure represented a 20% increase over the initial campaign goal. She has sole management responsibility for signature alumni events like homecoming and alumni weekend, as well as all core programs, including alumni career services, shared interest/affinity programs, recent graduate/student programs, signature campus partnerships and internal operations.��In addition, she has led data management practices to support the development of Drexel’s Alumni Engagement Index.

“Over the past few months, I have met many members of the Syracuse University community. Their passion for the institution, dedication to advancing its strategic goals and commitment to keeping alumni engaged in the life of the institution was evident throughout our conversations. I am honored to join the Orange family and look forward to partnering with the advancement and external affairs team, campus partners and volunteer leaders to build on such an exemplary alumni engagement program,” says Villanueva. “I look forward to contributing to strategies that build a culture of philanthropy, deepen relationships with alumni who are already advocates for the institution, and engage future leaders and donors in moving the University forward.”

Villanueva holds both a bachelor of arts in communications and a master of science in higher education administration and organizational management from Drexel, where she is currently a student in the Ed.D. program, pursuing a research interest in talent management within the advancement function. She has also served as an adjunct instructor for Drexel’s School of Education and College of Arts and Sciences and is a regular presenter for the Council for Advancement and Support of Education and other professional organizations.

Villanueva, her husband and two daughters will be relocating from Philadelphia to Syracuse over the summer.

About Syracuse University

Syracuse University is a private research university that advances knowledge across disciplines to drive breakthrough discoveries and breakout leadership. Our collection of 13 schools and colleges with over 200 customizable majors��closes��the gap between education and action, so students can take on the world. In and beyond the classroom, we connect people, perspectives and practices to solve interconnected challenges with interdisciplinary approaches. Together,��we’re��a powerful community that moves ideas, individuals and impact beyond what’s possible.

About Forever Orange: The Campaign for Syracuse University

Orange isn’t just our color. It’s our promise to leave the world better than we found it. Forever Orange: The Campaign for Syracuse University is poised to do just that. Fueled by 150 years of fearless firsts, together we can enhance academic excellence, transform the student experience and expand unique opportunities for learning and growth. Forever Orange endeavors to raise $1.5 billion in philanthropic support, inspire 125,000 individual donors to participate in the campaign, and actively engage one in five alumni in the life of the University. Now is the time to show the world what Orange can do. Visit to learn more.

Jane ’56 and Daniel Present ’55

Just a few days after Jane Werner Present ’56 died, students at Syracuse University received a gift from her … in the form of a reading by New York Times bestselling author Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah G’16, the Jane and Daniel Present Lecturer. Jane and her husband Daniel ’55 had supported the creative writing program through an endowment.

“My mother was truly Forever Orange,” says Douglas (Doug) A. Present ’86. “For years before she passed away and afterwards. Despite having been involved with so many non-profits during her lifetime, her only posthumous gift was to Syracuse University.”

The posthumous gift playing out was especially fitting because writer Adjei-Brenyah had attended Syracuse University as a graduate student and taught there, mentoring other young writers. He : “I love my students and those that call me mentor.�� I love being part of a long legacy of love passed down through craft.” He could have been channeling the thoughts of Jane Present.

The Present family is defined by a long legacy of love and one that continues to make an impact on countless Syracuse University students and others through mentorship programs and more. Jane founded Friends of the High School for Leadership and Public Service in New York City and the Syracuse University Mentor/Mentee Alliance there, pairing alumni with inner-city youth as mentors and role models.

But the Present legacy of love really started when Jane was a freshman at Syracuse University. Walking across Comstock Avenue with three girlfriends, she encountered a group of four boys walking the other way. In an incredible stroke of fate, each student met the person who would eventually become their spouse. Jane Werner and Dan Present started dating at Syracuse University and forged a union that would foster each of their career interests and, literally, change the world for the better.

Daniel and Jane Present (left and second from left) started dating at Syracuse University and forged a union that would foster each of their career interests and change the world for the better.

After graduation with a biology degree in 1955, Dan went on to medical school and became a nationally renowned researcher and clinician in the treatment of Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. Dan passed away in 2016. Together, they played a major role in the creation of the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation with Jane serving as its national president. Later, they launched the Foundation for Clinical Research in Inflammatory Bowel Disease which supported research and education for both physicians and patients. Jane, who earned degrees in American literature from the College of Arts and Sciences and in TV-radio from Newhouse, parlayed her communication skills into patient education, traveling the nation to raise awareness and improve patient care.

Separately, both Dan and Jane received the Arents Award, the only alumni couple to receive Syracuse University’s highest honor in different years and for different service. Dan received the Arents Pioneer Medal for excellence in the field of medicine in 2008; Jane was honored for Excellence in Philanthropy and Public Service in 2012. In a video interview recorded for the Arents Award presentation, Jane defined the source of her energy, philanthropy and service: “The idea of righting a wrong, making the world a better place, fixing something if it’s broken, that’s been what drives me.”

Her words resonate daily with her son Doug. He and his two sisters visited campus several times as children. “My mother often dressed us in Orange and was relentless in teaching us the fight song. It was important to them, as was maintaining their lifelong friendships with other alumni.”

Doug started his own love affair with the University after a campus visit when he was a high school senior. “It was an unusually sunny day. The Carrier Dome had just been built. The Rolling Stones had just played there. The Grateful Dead were coming the next month,” Doug says. At first, he says he was more interested in all the extracurricular activities. But that all changed freshman year. “I actually took up studying, became more leadership focused and developed the confidence needed for success.”

With a marketing management degree from Whitman, Doug went on to receive an MBA in finance from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and carve a successful career in the health care services industry. For 13 years he served as chairman and CEO of Managed Health Care Associates, one the country’s largest pharmaceutical and medical supply purchasing groups. After selling the company in 2013, Doug founded Douglas Present Associates, a family office that invests in and helps manage private-equity-backed health care services companies. He has been on the faculty at the Wharton School for 15 years and won Wharton’s prestigious “Excellence in Teaching” awards numerous times. Doug had served for many years on the Whitman School of Management Advisory Board and, in 2019, was appointed to the Board of Trustees at Syracuse University. “My mother was always proud of me, but on the day that I was asked to become a Trustee—I think that was perhaps the day she was most proud.”

Trustee Doug Present ’86 (left) with his mother Jane Werner Present ’56

Doug and his wife Susan have carried on the Present family legacy of love. Their philanthropy at Syracuse has focused on first-generation and Pell Grant students and improving the overall experience for these students at the University. This has included funding summer internships for those who cannot afford to accept an unpaid opportunity and helping students who experience hardships while at Syracuse, to ensure their ability to continue in their studies and make it to graduation.

Doug says his parents helped define his own philanthropic goals: Provide opportunity. Take a chance on deserving kids. Expand access to Syracuse University. Doug tells the story of a young boy he mentored as part of his own volunteer work with . The boy was in third grade when he met Doug and they remain close over 30 years later. Jane helped this young man attain the scholarship that allowed him to go to Syracuse University, where he met his wife and began a successful career of his own. Doug says, “Syracuse has a long track record of taking chances on deserving students and giving them the opportunity to succeed. My wife and I hope to help create more of these opportunities for other deserving students in the future.”

It’s the Present family way of giving life and meaning to the phrase Forever Orange: “If you can achieve something, you should. If you can help someone, do it. If you can help in a big way, do that. If you can help in a little way through a small act of kindness, that is good enough.”

The week begins with Class Act Day, which runs from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. today at various locations across campus. Current seniors can leave their legacy and support the part of the University that means the most to them while helping the next generation of Orange students by making a in the amount of $20.22 (to honor the graduating Class of 2022).

Kelsey Davis ’19, G’20

Kavell Brown ’16

This evening, students are invited to Forever Orange in Action, an�� led by��Kelsey Davis ’19, G’20��and��Kavell Brown ’16, starting at 6 p.m. inside the Grand Hall of the National Veterans Resource Center at the Daniel and Gayle D’Aniello Building. Davis and Brown will discuss what it means to be Forever Orange, and why it’s important for students to get involved and give back to their communities.

“Forever Orange Week is all about celebrating Syracuse University, and our students should be excited for this great opportunity. While our alumni will be celebrating what it means to be Orange wherever they are around the world, we’re proud to have our campus serve as the center of our celebrations,” says Grace Terry, assistant director of young alumni and student engagement in the Office of Alumni Engagement.

Hosted by the , this year’s programs highlight the strong bond between the University, its students, and its alumni while showcasing how students can become leaders on campus, make the most of a strong alumni network and give back to their community.

Celebrate National Orange Day with Otto!

For the first time in two years, the University campus community can celebrate and commemorate the 152nd anniversary of Syracuse University’s founding in 1870 during our in-person National Orange Day programming. Join us at 12:30 p.m. on Thursday in the lower level of the atrium inside the Schine Student Center to enjoy Orange-themed birthday treats and sing “Happy Birthday” to the University.

“Forever Orange Week is unique to Syracuse University and it’s easy to see and feel that pride here on campus. Orange is truly forever. We’re really excited to celebrate Syracuse University’s birthday together. This should be a special, high-energy celebration in the newly renovated Schine Student Center,” says Terry.

For more information, visit the .

The sense of pride current Syracuse University students and alumni feel for their campus will be on full display during this year’s Forever Orange Week festivities, held the week of March 21.

Hosted by the , Forever Orange Week emphasizes the lifelong connection to the University that begins the moment a student first steps on campus.

Forever Orange Week is unique to Syracuse University and it’s easy to see and feel that pride here on campus. Orange is truly forever.—Grace Terry.

Celebrate National Orange Day with Otto!

This year’s rundown of events highlights the strong bond between the University, its students and its alumni while showcasing how students can become leaders on campus, make the most of a strong alumni network, harness their Orange pride and develop a drive to give back to their community.

“Forever Orange Week is all about celebrating Syracuse University, and our students should be excited for this great opportunity. While our alumni will be celebrating what it means to be Orange wherever they are around the world, we’re proud to have our campus serve as the center of our celebrations,” says Grace Terry, assistant director of young alumni and student engagement in the Office of Alumni Engagement.

The week kicks off Tuesday, March 22, with Class Act Day, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at various locations across campus. Seniors can leave their legacy on the campus, support the part of the University that means the most to them and help the next generation of Orange students by making a in the amount of $20.22 (to honor the graduating Class of 2022).

Forever Orange Week begins March 22 and runs through March 25.

Later that evening, students are invited to Forever Orange in Action, an����led by��Kelsey Davis ’19, G’20��and��Kavell Brown ’16, starting at 6 p.m. inside the Grand Hall of the National Veterans Resource Center at the Daniel and Gayle D’Aniello Building. Davis and Brown will discuss what it means to be Forever Orange, and why it’s important for students to get involved and give back to their communities.

During Wednesday’s —from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the lower atrium of the Hildegarde and J. Myer Schine Student Center—students can share what makes them grateful for their time at the University.

For the first time in two years, the University campus community is invited to celebrate and commemorate the 152nd anniversary of the University’s founding in 1870 during our in-person National Orange Day programming.

Students, faculty, staff members and local alumni are at 12:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 24, to enjoy Orange-themed birthday treats and sing “Happy Birthday” to the University. The celebrations will occur in the lower level of the atrium inside the Schine Student Center.

“We’re really excited to celebrate Syracuse University’s birthday together. This should be a special, high-energy celebration in the newly renovated Schine Student Center,” says Terry.

Additionally,����in celebration of National Orange Day.

New this year, in partnership with , students who are interested in relocating to Washington, D.C., after graduation can participate in the , March 24-25. The two-day Immersion Experience features an in-person career workshop, networking reception and industry conversations with alumni from Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia.

For more information, visit the .

“Forever Orange Week is unique to Syracuse University and it’s easy to see and feel that pride here on campus. Orange is truly forever,” says Terry.

1976 portrait of mathematics Professor Philip Throop Church. (Courtesy: Syracuse University Archives, Special Collections Research Center)

It’s common for a certain noise, taste or smell to bring about memories of the past. For Susan Church Andersson, she remembers the distinctive squeak her father’s chair would make as he worked late into the night in the kitchen below her bedroom.

“Hearing that noise under my room—knowing he was there—always gave me a sense of comfort,” says Andersson ’84.

Her father, Philip Throop Church, a professor of mathematics for 43 years at Syracuse University, had a flair for the unconventional when it came to his workday.

“My dad was a complete night owl, and he always scheduled his classes after noon and would stay up late working,” she recalls. “He used to walk in our neighborhood late at night, practicing his lectures. I’m sure our neighbors thought he was crazy.”

But his midnight strolls, where he would recite and perfect the content that he would deliver in class the following day, were a testament to his deep commitment to his students, the math department and Syracuse University.

“I think of my dad as one of the most honest, dedicated and hard-working men ever,” says Andersson. “He was extremely proud of his research and equally devoted to teaching and supporting his students.”

To honor his career at Syracuse and dedication to students, Susan Andersson and her brothers, Peter T. Church and Daniel R. Church, have established the Philip Throop Church Undergraduate Math Endowed Scholarship fund through the Forever Orange campaign. The scholarship provides financial assistance to one undergraduate student majoring in mathematics each year.

A Distinguished Career

A scholarship in honor of Philip Throop Church (pictured) provides financial assistance to undergraduate students majoring in mathematics. (Courtesy: Susan Andersson)

Church came from humble beginnings, working on his family’s poultry farm in Connecticut from the age of nine. When it came time to go to college, he attended Wesleyan University on a tuition scholarship, and nearly had to drop out because he couldn’t afford room and board, says Andersson. But he persevered, working in the kitchen of his fraternity and living in a room in a local minister’s house in exchange for house- and yardwork. He eventually graduated from Wesleyan University in 1953 with a B.A. in mathematics. He received an M.A. in mathematics from Harvard University in 1954, and a Ph.D. in mathematics from the University of Michigan in 1959.

Committed to Family

Philip Throop Church (right) and his wife, Pat, on their 60th wedding anniversary in 2014. (Courtesy: Susan Andersson)

While research and teaching consumed much of Church’s energy and efforts, his family always remained his top priority.

“He loved and respected his family and was there when they needed him,” Timourian says. “His family was the most important thing in his life and talk about family was the most popular break from our mathematical discussions.”

Church’s dedication to finding optimal solutions to problems through hard work—both in his research and at home—was a trait his children say passed down to them in various ways.

“From selecting a vacuum cleaner and buying a car to trying to navigate departmental issues, he would focus and consider and think until he was satisfied that whatever he had decided was the best option,” says Andersson. “Generally, this was an exhaustive exercise, and it did sometimes drive some people (my mom, for one) crazy. But the way he approached everything—with honesty and dedication—was something my brothers and I have all tried to emulate in our own lives and ways.”

When it came time to distribute their parents’ donor-advised fund, Church’s children wanted to honor their father’s 43-year legacy at Syracuse while also providing opportunity for students in the department their father shaped in so many ways.

“Our father was able to attend college in large part due to financial aid, and it is our wish to provide such an opportunity for future math students at Syracuse University,” says Andersson.

From his research to his teaching, College of Arts and Sciences (A&S) Dean Karin Ruhlandt says Church exemplified the best of A&S.

“Phil’s kindness to his students, dedication to the math department and insistence on living ethically all embody the liberal arts at A&S,” says Ruhlandt. “Thanks to his children’s generous gift, future students will carry on his great legacy. All of us thank Peter, Susan and Daniel for honoring their father’s vision.”

About Forever Orange
Orange isn’t just our color. It’s our promise to leave the world better than we found it. Forever Orange: The Campaign for Syracuse University is poised to do just that. Fueled by 150 years of fearless firsts, together we can enhance academic excellence, transform the student experience and expand unique opportunities for learning and growth. Forever Orange endeavors to raise $1.5 billion in philanthropic support, inspire 125,000 individual donors to participate in the campaign, and actively engage one in five alumni in the life of the University. Now is the time to show the world what Orange can do. �վ�����������to learn more.

Michael and Sharon Bill

Michael Bill ’58 was a top student-athlete at Syracuse University, a center on the highly ranked football team that went to the Cotton Bowl. After graduation, he lost touch with his alma mater, but never lost the Orange spirit. In fact, his wife Sharon recalls that when they met and married in the 1970s, Mike told her: “If I get a chance, I’m going to give back to Syracuse University. They gave me the foundation for my success in business.”

That sense of gratitude—and the desire to see other student-athletes succeed—is the motivation behind the Bill family’s latest gift to the Forever Orange Campaign. ��Mike and Sharon Bill have pledged $2 million to support the John A. Lally Athletics Complex, a state-of-the-art academic and athletics center designed to benefit all student-athletes and enhance the entire student experience.

In honor of their generosity, the new football locker room will be named the Michael M. Bill #59 Football Locker Room, acknowledging Mike’s legacy on the field (he wore #59) and his continuing support off the field.

“Mike and Sharon’s commitment to Syracuse Athletics and our student-athletes is remarkable,” says Director of Athletics John Wildhack. “Their passion inspires all of us and their support of the Lally Athletics Complex will significantly aid in our efforts to recruit student-athletes who excel academically and athletically.”

“To attract talented young men and women, colleges have to have a great athletics complex,” says Mike. “Better recruiting means better teams. ��And, in the case of football especially, great teams help build donor support. We see this as a long-term investment and a very good investment in the future of the Orange.”

Mike says his experience as a student-athlete at Syracuse University in the 1950s truly defined him. ��He had been an outstanding athlete at Garden City High School on Long Island, New York, playing basketball, football, baseball and track. He was courted by several universities, all offering scholarships. He played high school basketball against Jim Brown and was impressed that Brown had chosen Syracuse University (he was a year ahead of him in school). But what sealed the deal with Syracuse for Mike was the University’s academic reputation.

“Academics were extremely important to my Dad,” says Mike. “My high school baseball coach was also a history teacher and a Syracuse University graduate. He took me to visit Syracuse.” After that visit, Mike was all in.

“Syracuse really took care of me,” says Mike. “They gave me a scholarship and an education. ��If you wanted to play, you had to play hard and study hard. It’s really a time management skill.” He credits his coaches with improving his performance and nurturing a “linebacker mentality.” He had strength and speed.

After graduation—even with an invitation to join the Green Bay Packers—Mike set new goals and focused his energy on business. ��So with his history degree, an entrepreneurial spirit (and well-honed time management skills!), Mike became a respected entrepreneur and built MJ Insurance, one of the top 100 privately held insurance agencies in the country. He also founded company subsidiaries, Omnibus Financial, a finance vehicle for premiums; Benefit Design and Administrators, a third-party administrator; and Omnibus Insurance, products for the mining industry.

Once successful in business, he got reconnected to his alma mater. He was invited to join the Board of Trustees in 2001, serving as Audit Committee chair for several years. Both Mike and Sharon visited campus frequently.

“The Board includes the spouses in campus activities,” says Sharon. “I went to classes and met the deans. ��I saw how everyone was working together for the good of the students, to make their experience better and to give them more.” That’s what motivated the Bills to support the Ernie Davis 44 Endowed Football Scholarship and create the Sharon C. Bill and Michael M. Bill Endowed Football Scholarship which, each year, aims to bring the best and brightest to Syracuse.

“Both the physical and intellectual are important,” says Mike. “We believe that if these young men and women have a high-level experience at Syracuse they will continue on as enthusiastic alumni and donors.”

Sharon says that when she looks up to Mike (she’s only 5’8” and he is 6’3”), she sees “someone who has always been very determined, who always set goals and had a plan for how he was going to achieve what he was going to achieve. And I think a lot of that comes from football. To carry out a plan and know where you must go to reach the goal.”

Their shared goal: to see the Lally Athletics Complex come to fruition, and set the stage for successful students and alumni, on and off the playing field.

About Syracuse University

Syracuse University is a private research university that advances knowledge across disciplines to drive breakthrough discoveries and breakout leadership. Our collection of 13 schools and colleges with over 200 customizable majors closes the gap between education and action, so students can take on the world. In and beyond the classroom, we connect people, perspectives and practices to solve interconnected challenges with interdisciplinary approaches. Together, we’re a powerful community that moves ideas, individuals and impact beyond what’s possible.

About Forever Orange: The Campaign for Syracuse University

Orange isn’t just our color. It’s our promise to leave the world better than we found it. Forever Orange: The Campaign for Syracuse University is poised to do just that. Fueled by 150 years of fearless firsts, together we can enhance academic excellence, transform the student experience and expand unique opportunities for learning and growth. Forever Orange endeavors to raise $1.5 billion in philanthropic support, inspire 125,000 individual donors to participate in the campaign, and actively engage one in five alumni in the life of the University. Now is the time to show the world what Orange can do. Visit to learn more.

The University presented Duke University’s men’s basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski with a framed photo printed on a piece of the former Carrier Dome roof and announced the creation of a new scholarship in Krzyzewski’s name, recognizing his commitment to service and his military service.

The game was the last time that Duke’s Mike Krzyzewski would coach at the stadium against his good friend Coach Jim Boeheim. In honor of this final Syracuse meetup, Boeheim and the University presented “Coach K” with a framed photo printed on a piece of the former Carrier Dome roof and announced the creation of a new scholarship in Krzyzewski’s name, recognizing his commitment to service and his military service. Krzyzewski separated from the military in 1974 as a captain, following his graduation from West Point in 1969.

The Captain Michael William Krzyzewski Award for Leadership and Civic Engagement will now be presented annually to a Syracuse University student veteran, serving military member or a military family member enrolled here, who through their actions and aspirations embodies Krzyzewski’s public and demonstrated commitment to the virtues of honor, empathy and servant-leadership. The Krzyzewski Award honoree will be not only be an exceptional student but also a leader on the campus and in the community.

“The honor they bestowed on me today was absolutely amazing,” said Krzyzewski, who is the winningest coach in the NCAA Division I. “Wow. So, thank you, thank you. Very, very much appreciated.”

An annual gift from Jim Lee ’75 and his wife Lou Ann Lee has made The Captain Michael William Krzyzewski Award for Leadership and Civic Engagement possible. Jim graduated with a math degree from the College of Arts and Sciences and a degree in math education from the School of Education. Jim served as co-captain of the Syracuse University men’s basketball 1975 Final Four team, received Syracuse University’s Vic Hanson Medal of Excellence Award, served as a member of Syracuse University’s All Century Basketball Team and received the Syracuse University Letter Winner of Distinction Award. Jim currently serves on the Advisory Board of Syracuse University’s Office of Veteran and Military Affairs (OVMA), which supports, assists and empowers veteran and military-connected students and employees and serves as the University’s point of entry for all veteran and military-related programs and initiatives.

“As a former Syracuse University men’s basketball player and now a season ticket holder, it is my pleasure to step up and honor Coach K for his service in the United States Army,” says Jim. “Since my father Harold Lee, a United States Coast Guard veteran, passed away, I’ve made it a personal mission of mine to support veterans and military-connected students through my support of the University and my role on the OVMA Advisory Board.”

The University honored Fiserv President and CEO Frank Bisignano, along with his wife Tracy and other family members, with the unveiling of the Bisignano Grand Hall and the Bisignano Family Programs and Services Wing at the National Veterans Resource Center.

Before the game, the University honored Fiserv President and CEO and proud Syracuse parent Frank Bisignano, along with his wife Tracy and other family members, including Sam ’11 and Morgan Lituchy ’11, with the unveiling of the Bisignano Grand Hall and the Bisignano Family Programs and Services Wing at the National Veterans Resource Center (NVRC) at the Daniel and Gayle D’Aniello Building on campus.

The family was also recognized during the game with a signed game ball, presented by Chancellor Kent Syverud, Vice Chancellor J. Michael Haynie, Director of Athletics John Wildhack, Senior Deputy Athletics Director Herm Frazier and Chief Advancement Officer Matt Ter Molen. The recognition is an expression of gratitude to Bisignano for his personal support and the corporate commitment of Fiserv to the University’s D’Aniello Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF), as well as the NVRC. Their latest giving totals more than $10 million.

“On behalf of Syracuse University, we are grateful to Frank for his leadership and dedication to veterans and military communities,” says Chancellor Kent Syverud. “He has spent his lifetime supporting veterans and the military, both philanthropically and personally. His generosity has had a transformative impact at Syracuse University, among veterans and on our whole country. His support of programming for veterans to develop as leaders and entrepreneurs provides the knowledge and critical thinking skills they need to succeed.”

“I had the good fortune to meet Frank Bisignano back in 2010, when a few of us on campus were just beginning to think about the opportunity to create an academic institute at Syracuse University, focused on the economic and wellness issues impacting veterans and military-connected families” says Vice Chancellor Haynie. “When I had the chance to pitch the idea to Frank, he did not hesitate. He said, ‘let me help you make this institute a reality.’ Fast forward 10 years later, the IVMF’s programs have directly impacted more than 170,000 veterans and military family members, and Syracuse University is nationally acknowledged as a leader in research, policy and programs aligned with the military-connected community. I’m grateful to Frank and his family for their personal commitment to those who have served, and to Fiserv for the firm’s extraordinary efforts to empower veterans and military spouses through the IVMF’s business ownership training programs.”

Frank Bisignano, center, was recognized at the men’s basketball game Saturday for his personal support and the corporate commitment of Fiserv to the University’s D’Aniello Institute for Veterans and Military Families, as well as the National Veterans Resource Center.

“My family and I are proud to be part of the Syracuse University community and are honored to contribute to the advancement of the D’Aniello Institute for Veterans and Military Families and the new National Veterans Resource Center,” says Bisignano. “Being an advocate for the military community and ensuring they have the best opportunities to achieve success is incredibly important to me personally and is also reflected in the Fiserv values and the company’s steadfast commitment to the military and veteran community.”

As part of the Forever Orange Campaign, the pledge by Merle Goldberg Fabian ’59 will establish an endowed professorship in citizenship and critical thinking in the Maxwell School. “I was a good high school student, but didn’t have a vision,” recalls Fabian. “But when I took classes with professors who had a world view, who were so educated and incredibly articulate, they inspired me. They had a great sense of what government responsibility and citizens’ responsibility should be. I learned not to simply accept what I heard without challenging it in some way.”

She went on to earn a graduate degree in library science from Catholic University of America and held positions of responsibility at the Canadian Embassy Library, the San Francisco Public Library and the Government Affairs Institute.

Fabian believes the need for critical thinkers is more important than ever in a nation plagued by divisiveness and disinformation. Her conversations with Maxwell Dean David M. Van Slyke convinced her that today’s students could fill that need when inspired, as she was, by dynamic professors.

“I’m so encouraged by the fact that our students really want to make a difference,” says Van Slyke. “Merle believes, as I do, that professors can do a lot to expose students to a range of ideas that they may not have thought about or experienced. The most impactful professors bring together research and teaching and policy relevance to send their students out into the world to be constructive forces of change.”

Van Slyke is confident that the Merle Goldberg Fabian Professor of Excellence in Citizenship and Critical Thinking will be an inspiring force who can impact careers and change lives. Fabian’s gift endowing the professorship says it is intended to support “an accomplished professor who champions ethical citizenship and educates students on the importance of critical thinking in service of democratic values within American politics and government.”

Van Slyke notes that “nearly every student at Syracuse University takes a social science class in Maxwell where they are similarly encouraged to challenge ideas, wrestle with issues, and become a force for positive change.” Van Slyke intends to name a faculty member in the spring semester.

“I would like to see the person who is awarded this professorship be someone with a strong academic background and who is already engaged in public issues,” says Fabian. “This person should be highly articulate and care deeply about student achievement and engagement. People of my generation may not have that much more time to contribute, but somewhere between me and those college students, there are people who are smart and creative and making a difference.”

Through their family business—Bowl America Inc.—Fabian and her brother Leslie H. Goldberg accrued an impressive estate. Following Leslie’s death, his sister focused on setting up a family foundation and making donations in his name to his alma mater, the University of Virginia. That inspired her to create an endowment at her own alma mater while she is alive and able to see its impact on Maxwell faculty and students.

About Syracuse University

Syracuse University is a private research university that advances knowledge across disciplines to drive breakthrough discoveries and breakout leadership. Our collection of 13 schools and colleges with over 200 customizable majors closes the gap between education and action, so students can take on the world. In and beyond the classroom, we connect people, perspectives and practices to solve interconnected challenges with interdisciplinary approaches. Together, we’re a powerful community that moves ideas, individuals and impact beyond what’s possible.

About Forever Orange: The Campaign for Syracuse University

Orange isn’t just our color. It’s our promise to leave the world better than we found it. Forever Orange: The Campaign for Syracuse University is poised to do just that. Fueled by 150 years of fearless firsts, together we can enhance academic excellence, transform the student experience and expand unique opportunities for learning and growth. Forever Orange endeavors to raise $1.5 billion in philanthropic support, inspire 125,000 individual donors to participate in the campaign, and actively engage one in five alumni in the life of the University. Now is the time to show the world what Orange can do. Visit to learn more.

Sherman F. Levey

The College of Law and Deborah Ronnen, of Rochester, New York, announce the creation of the Deborah and Sherman F. Levey ’57, L’59 Endowed Scholarship. The scholarship, as part of the , builds on and memorializes the enduring contributions that Levey, who passed away in April 2018, made to his alma mater, his community and the legal profession.

“This scholarship will enable our students to achieve their dream of a career in law and advance diversity and inclusion in our profession,” says Dean Craig M. Boise. “The Levey Scholars will bring wide-ranging perspectives to our classrooms, continuing Syracuse Law’s firm commitment to diversifying legal education and the legal profession, just as Sherm imagined it should be.”

Boise continues, “Deborah Ronnen’s vision and generosity—in Sherm’s memory—will not only help ensure that law school is accessible to brilliant minds among the broadest possible group of students, it will actively encourage them to select Syracuse Law as their law school of choice.”

The inaugural Levey Scholar is 2L Kerstein Camilien. “As a Syracuse Law student, there is no greater feeling than knowing that our alumni and their families keep us in mind. It’s a reminder that the rigors of law school need not be dealt with alone and some of them can be soothed,” he says. “Law school is stressful, and this scholarship has eased that stress by giving me one less thing to worry about. It’s made my career goals more achievable. I am deeply grateful for Deborah Ronnen’s generosity and Sherman Levey’s inspiring legacy and am very proud to be a Levey Scholar.”

Born in Rochester on July 4, 1935, Levey earned a full scholarship to Syracuse University. After graduating in 1957, he enrolled in the College of Law, where he graduated with honors in 1959 and was an editor of Syracuse Law Review.

After graduating from law school, he formed the tax law firm of Rubin and Levey in Rochester, with Sydney R. Rubin. The firm eventually merged with Harris, Beach and Wilcox to form Harris, Beach, Wilcox, Rubin and Levey. Later in his distinguished career in tax law and estate planning, Levey joined the Rochester firm Boylan Code as Counsel.

Levey served as an adjunct professor at Cornell University Law School, the Simon Business School of the University of Rochester, and the Syracuse University College of Law.

He noted in a Syracuse Law magazine feature that, as a teacher, his proudest accomplishment was establishing and co-directing the College of Law’s Low-Income Taxpayer Clinic. He helped to secure the clinic’s original funding, in 1998, through a Congressional program.

In 1999, Levey established the Levey Lecture Series at the College of Law, which brings distinguished practitioners to Syracuse, including former American Bar Association President Robert MacCrate. Levey’s daughter—Lynn Levey—followed her father to the College of Law, graduating in 1994 and joining its faculty as a Legal Writing Professor until her departure in 2017 to become Clark University’s Title IX coordinator and assistant dean for wellness.

“Sherm was passionate about his alma mater, and throughout his career, as a lawyer, a teacher and a philanthropic leader and volunteer, he was a strong believer in lifting up his communities,” says Ronnen. “Sherm’s spirit is embedded in this endowed scholarship. It exemplifies all that is great about him: his keen intellect, his kindness and grace, his enduring commitment to his profession, and his open heart and generosity in support of countless generations of students.”

“What I like about practicing law is dealing with real people and real problems,” Levey once told Syracuse Law. “I never quite believed in the grandeur of the law. But I do believe in the rule of law trying to solve problems in a civilized way by an orderly process. The law is basically a framework by which society attempts to solve, or hopefully avoid, problems among people.”

Together, Levey and Ronnen have underwritten multiple artistic projects in their hometown. Among the organizations that have benefitted from their generosity are the George Eastman Museum, the Memorial Art Gallery, the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, the Eastman School of Music and Garth Fagan Dance. Levey also served as chair of the Jewish Home Board of Trustees and Vice Chair of the George Eastman Museum. He worked with the Rochester Area Community Foundation, and he was on the board of Rochester public media company WXXI.

About Forever Orange: The Campaign for Syracuse University

Orange isn’t just our color. It’s our promise to leave the world better than we found it. Forever Orange: The Campaign for Syracuse University is poised to do just that. Fueled by 150 years of fearless firsts, together we can enhance academic excellence, transform the student experience and expand unique opportunities for learning and growth. Forever Orange endeavors to raise $1.5 billion in philanthropic support, inspire 125,000 individual donors to participate in the campaign and actively engage one in five alumni in the life of the University. Now is the time to show the world what Orange can do. Visit to learn more.

Syracuse has shaped our lives and careers in many ways, just as it does for our students. We hope you’ll join us now, and help make an impact that will last forever.

As a faculty or staff member, you give more than just your time and talent, and our Orange community is better because you are part of it. During this season of giving we hope you will consider to a part of the University that means the most to you.

From the start of our fiscal year in July to now, over 20% of all faculty and staff have already made a gift. We hope you’ll join us as we strive to exceed 33% participation by June of 2022. Your gift—at any amount—supports the Forever Orange campaign goal to attract 125,000 individual donors, so please participate at whatever level is comfortable.

When Janet Gretchen Jones’ wife Faith (“Chris”) Maltby Cobb ’51, G’66, G’74 (Ph.D.) passed away in 2018, Jones considered different ways to honor her partner’s legacy. Out of all the different institutions and organizations her wife was involved with throughout her life, Jones kept coming back to Cobb’s endearing fondness for her alma mater, Syracuse University.

“Chris fell in love with the University,” Jones said in a 2020 interview with �����鶹��Ʒ. “She really found herself there. And when it came time to choose a place to pursue her Ph.D. in clinical psychology, Syracuse was the only choice for her.”

Cobb and Jones met in the early 2000s and were married in April 2010, as soon as it was legal to do so in their home of Washington, D.C. Those close to them say the pair shared some of the happiest times of their lives together in their later years. Soon after Cobb passed away, Jones’ health also began to decline due to an illness, but she remained committed to seeing through a tribute to her late wife. She and Cobb’s children decided an endowment to the psychology department was the proper way to honor Chris’s legacy.

The College of Arts and Sciences has named Jillian Scheer, Ph.D., as the inaugural Cobb-Jones Professor of Clinical Psychology.

Syracuse University and the College of Arts and Sciences’ (A&S’) Department of Psychology held a special place in Cobb’s heart, as it was there that she molded her passion for clinical psychology, which would blossom into a successful career operating her own private practice and working as a school psychologist at the Fayetteville-Manlius School District, located in the eastern suburbs of Central New York.

Through a gift of $2 million to the Forever Orange campaign, the Cobb-Jones Clinical Psychology Endowed Professorship was established in the fall of 2020. The College of Arts and Sciences has now named Jillian Scheer, Ph.D., as the inaugural Cobb-Jones Professor of Clinical Psychology.

Scheer, who received a Ph.D. in counseling psychology from Boston College and completed a postdoctoral research fellowship through the Yale University School of Public Health, has been a faculty member in the A&S psychology department since August 2020. Though Jones sadly passed away in fall 2021 prior to Scheer’s official installment, the professorship will stand as a celebration of the life, careers and loving bond between Cobb and Jones.

“The Forever Orange campaign has been transformative for Syracuse University as a whole and we are so grateful for the donors, friends and alumni who have provided support,” says John Wildhack, director of athletics. “We recognize that creating a truly superior student-athlete experience demands a focused initiative that aligns academic and athletic aspirations. Philanthropy is critical to creating an environment in which student-athletes can thrive in their sport, in the classroom and in their careers. As a department, we are competing to attract the most talented student-athletes from around the nation and globe. Creating an unprecedented student-athlete experience will require equally unprecedented donor support for those who choose to wear Orange.”

As part of Syracuse Athletics’ fundraising initiative, Manley Field House, which has been the hub of activity and the center of student-athlete life for Syracuse University’s athletics for nearly 60 years, will be, over time, transformed into the John A. Lally Athletics Complex, a state-of-the-art academic and athletics village that will benefit all student-athletes. Named after alumnus and three-time football letterwinner John Lally ’82, he and his wife, Laura, , which will be entirely funded by private philanthropy.

The John A. Lally Athletics Complex will transform the student-athlete experience at Syracuse University for generations to come.

“John and Laura have been incredible partners over the years,” says Chancellor Kent Syverud. “We are grateful for their loyal support of Syracuse University—as donors, as champions and as fans. This is a defining moment for Syracuse University Athletics. The launch of this transformational project advances our trajectory to further create and foster a world-class culture of academic and athletic excellence.”

The first phase of the multi-million, multi-year project will commence in spring 2022 with the construction of a new front entrance. As part of this initial work, the Student-Athlete Academic Support Program will have an expanded state-of-the-art area to meet student needs through private in-person meeting spaces for expanded tutorial appointments and academic advising, along with career and life skills programming. Available to all student-athletes, the expanded academic support facility will house private rooms for student-athletes to utilize for completing class assignments or studying between classes. Additionally, early work will include an enhanced multi-display Hall of Champions experience. The display will celebrate the accomplishments of Orange student-athletes in the classroom and on the field in real time, as well as recognize alumni successes. This area will also serve as a gathering and event space that can be used for special events, along with day-to-day activities and programming.

Wildhack notes the revitalized complex will benefit all student-athletes at Syracuse University, improve recruiting and increase retention.

“Thanks to John and Laura’s generosity and the philanthropic support of other donors, our student-athletes are receiving a holistic experience that positions them to achieve their aspirations, on and off the playing fields,” says Wildhack.

The Lallys began thinking about how they could make an enduring impact on the University after retiring a few years ago. “It started with a donation to resurface one of the practice fields and the vision grew from there. Teamed up with Chancellor Syverud, John Wildhack and Head Football Coach Dino Babers, Laura and I became more and more excited about ways to impact the experience for generations of student-athletes to come,” says John Lally, a graduate of the Martin J. Whitman School of Management and an offensive guard for the Orange from 1977-82. “It was clear to us they had the chemistry to accomplish great things, and that motivated us to take on a bigger role. We have been exceedingly happy with that decision.”

Originally from Clarence, New York, Lally is the former president and owner of PCB Piezotronics Inc., headquartered in Depew, New York. Together, he and Laura are active philanthropists, having supported the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Western New York, along with supporting many other charitable organizations. In addition to their 2019 gift to create the Lally Complex, the couple also established an endowed scholarship to be awarded annually to a student-athlete on the football team.

This is a crucial time to be involved with the University, Laura says. “We believe in the leadership and the vision for Syracuse University, that makes a huge difference to us knowing that the University is in such good hands.”

Babers says he is grateful to the Lallys for their leading gift that will hopefully inspire others. “John is an incredible alumnus and storied Syracuse football player and, with Laura, they are an incredible team to help us reach new heights as a football program,” Babers says. “With their support, our student-athletes are positioned to succeed to their fullest potential.”

The new Lally Complex will support the academic and athletic experience of the 600 student-athletes across all sports at Syracuse University. Additional enhancements to the facility will be announced as new philanthropy is secured. As part of the vision for the Lally Complex transformation, the Department of Athletics is considering enhancements that include the creation of a new Football Operations Center; a One Team Center, which will be utilized by all of Syracuse University’s Olympic sports teams; a student-athlete academic center to expand resources for academic support and professional and career development; updated dining and nutrition facilities; renovated locker rooms, medical training and strength and conditioning facilities; and modernized facades on the exterior of the complex.

About Syracuse University

Syracuse University is a private research university that advances knowledge across disciplines to drive breakthrough discoveries and breakout leadership. Our collection of 13 schools and colleges with over 200 customizable majors closes the gap between education and action, so students can take on the world. In and beyond the classroom, we connect people, perspectives and practices to solve interconnected challenges with interdisciplinary approaches. Together, we’re a powerful community that moves ideas, individuals and impact beyond what’s possible.

About Forever Orange: The Campaign for Syracuse University

Orange isn’t just our color. It’s our promise to leave the world better than we found it. Forever Orange: The Campaign for Syracuse University is poised to do just that. Fueled by 150 years of fearless firsts, together we can enhance academic excellence, transform the student experience and expand unique opportunities for learning and growth. Forever Orange endeavors to raise $1.5 billion in philanthropic support, inspire 125,000 individual donors to participate in the campaign and actively engage one in five alumni in the life of the University. Now is the time to show the world what Orange can do. Visit to learn more.

The event at the K.G. Tan Auditorium at the NVRC recognized the 10-year anniversary of the , which has served more than 160,000 veterans and their families and is now located in the NVRC.

After a delay of more than a year due to the pandemic, the dedication also marked the official grand opening of a spectacular building that serves as a center of research, innovation and programming in support of our nation’s veterans; acts as a community hub for student veterans and the entire campus; and advances the economic and wellness concerns of the nations’ veterans and their families.

And perhaps most importantly, the event reconfirmed Chancellor Kent Syverud’s commitment that Syracuse will be the best university in the country for veterans and their families.

“So, what is next?” Chancellor Syverud asked. “What is our vision for the next 10 years, for IVMF, for OVMA (Office of Veteran and Military Affairs), and for Syracuse?

Chancellor Kent Syverud

“In 2031, let’s not be the best private university for veterans and military-connected service members and their families, let’s be simply the best university of any kind for those who are serving or have served,” Chancellor Syverud said. “Let’s be the best university for vets, period. I think we can do this. If you doubt this, look around. Look what you have already achieved.”

In addition to Chancellor Syverud, other guest speakers included J. Michael Haynie, vice chancellor for strategic initiatives and innovation and IVMF’s founder and executive director; Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman; and Mark Elliott, managing director and global head of military and veterans affairs for JPMorgan Chase & Co., a foundational sponsor for IVMF when it was founded in 2011.

The event featured a captivating fireside chat with Mike Hayes, chief digital transformation officer at VMware and retired U.S. Navy SEAL commander and author, and Britt Slabinski, Medal of Honor recipient and retired U.S. Navy SEAL master chief special warfare operator. Adding to the pomp and circumstance, former President George W. Bush provided a video message.

“The NVRC represents a continuation of a long-standing commitment from Syracuse to those who have worn our nation’s uniform and their families,” Bush said. “I thank my friends Dan and Gayle D’Aniello for their transformative gift that made this facility a reality, and for their continued support of our veterans.”

Vice Chancellor for Strategic Initiatives and Innovation and IVMF Founder and Executive Director J. Michael Haynie

Haynie, whose vision for IVMF started with scribbles on a napkin at a meeting with potential funders, said the NVRC “represents Syracuse’s commitment to paying on the moral accountability in a model of national defense where the many benefit from the sacrifice and service of the few.” Since the draft was eliminated in 1973, Haynie said, less than 1% of the population serves in the military at any time.

Haynie told a story from several years ago, when he was on a plane ride with a Marine Corps veteran named Tim who had served five years, including three in the Middle East. Tim said he had been out of service for six months, couldn’t find a job and was on his way to a VA hospital because the ringing in his ears was preventing him from getting more than two hours of sleep at night.

“He looked at me and said, eyes welling up with tears, worse than all of that, he feels anonymous,” Haynie said.

“The NVRC represents, both in a symbolic and practical way, Syracuse University’s commitment to Tim to telling his story and creating the intellectual and social conditions between those who have served and those who have not to facilitate knowing and inclusion and understanding and empathy,” Haynie said. “Thank you, on behalf of Tim and the many like him in this very room, who because of all those who made this remarkable space and place possible, they will no longer be anonymous while among us.”

Army ROTC student Isabella Lee ’22

Isabella Lee ’22, an Army ROTC student, provided a reflection and emphasized that the NVRC gives veteran students, ROTC students and veterans and their families a welcoming place where their voices–unlike Tim’s–are being heard.

“My family has served for generations and we’ve seen what freedom costs because soldiers just do not pay with their lives, they pay in their children’s soccer games and school plays, they pay with their peace of mind and sleepless nights that are caused by PTSD, and they pay with every service-related injury and every moment spent away from their loved ones fighting for the freedom of our nation,” Lee said. “I’m so proud to stand here today as a student of an institution that’s ready to pay it forward.”

The IVMF’s ability to pay it forward is the result of a vast network of partners and sponsors who have provided financial support. On Oct. 28, the Small Business Administration announced that the IVMF was awarded a $5 million grant to participate in the new Community Navigator Pilot Program to help the economic recovery efforts of specific communities, including veterans, women and socially and economically disadvantaged individuals.

The building is named in honor of U.S. Navy veteran and Life Trustee Daniel D’Aniello ’68 and his wife, Gayle, who provided a $20 million gift in support of the construction of the facility. While on campus for the dedication, Daniel and Gayle announced a $30 million gift to support the creation of an endowment to provide annual operational support for the IVMF, ensuring it remains the nation’s leading academic institute focused on the concerns of America’s more than 20 million veterans and their families.

Fireside chat between Mike Hayes, chief digital transformation officer at VMware and retired U.S. Navy SEAL commander and author, and Britt Slabinski, Medal of Honor recipient and retired U.S. Navy SEAL master chief special warfare operator

Miguel Pica, a student veteran who will graduate in December and is the Syracuse University PAVE (Peer Advisors for Veteran Education) team leader, said to him, the Daniel and Gayle D’Aniello Building represents the University’s commitment to veterans and how that commitment will only get stronger.

“We’re not just saying we’re going to help you or assist you with your transition, or give you the tools to succeed in academia, but beyond that it’s an actual statement,” Pica said. “We’re not just saying it, but actually dedicating an incredible space for veterans and their families.”