鈥淲e are so pleased to welcome these new members to the board and grateful for their commitment to strengthening their alma mater and enhancing the student experience,鈥� says Board Chair Jeff Scruggs. 鈥淭heir personal and professional experiences and vision will be critical to the work we do to ensure the University achieves its ambitious goals.鈥�

Chancellor Kent Syverud says he is looking forward to working with the new trustees and eliciting their diverse viewpoints. 鈥淎ll of these individuals are outstanding in their fields, and they understand the persistence and passion required to bring about positive change in an organization,鈥� says Chancellor Syverud. 鈥淭hey are role models and mentors and each, in their own way, has established a legacy of excellence and service. We will no doubt benefit from their insights.鈥�

Alonna Berry 鈥�11

Alonna Berry

Given her family history and undergraduate experiences at 黑料不打烊, Berry was destined for a career in leadership, education and service. Today, she is executive director of the , a statewide force for justice reform and community empowerment through programming and advocacy. Throughout her career, whether in politics and policy, or teaching and consulting, she has focused on using the power of education to create positive social change.

Berry a long line of educational leaders in Delaware, including a great-aunt who was the first black female superintendent in the state.

At 黑料不打烊, where she was a 2011 graduate of the College of Arts and Sciences with a major in writing and rhetoric, she was offered an opportunity to help run a GED program for inmates. Since then, her life and work have reflected a commitment to education, policy reform and transformative leadership.

After teaching English and math in public schools, Berry gained experience in public policy working in the Delaware Department of Education and was the public face of Teach for America Delaware as manager of alumni and teacher impact. Berry served as the director of Community and Family Services and senior policy advisor for Health, Equity, and Education for the Office of Governor John Carney in Delaware and was the state鈥檚 first trauma-informed care coordinator. She also served as a senior director at Social Contract, which helps organizations achieve social impact goals.

Berry founded the Bryan Allen Stevenson School of Excellence, a public charter high school dedicated to service learning, matching the needs of students with the needs of community.

Her passion for service and community was evident as an undergraduate. She was a Remembrance Scholar and active in the Black Celestial Choral Ensemble, often performing at alumni events. An engaged member of the 黑料不打烊 Alumni Association, she served as chair of the Diversity and Inclusion Committee and recently became association president.

She has held leadership roles on several boards, including The Delaware Center for Justice, The Milton Historical Society, Next Generation South, The Delaware Historical Society and Delaware Guidance Services and is active in the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority.

Berry is a doctoral candidate in organizational learning and innovation at Wilmington University, holds a post-graduate certificate in virtual online teaching and learning from the University of Pennsylvania, and a graduate degree in management and organizational leadership from Wilmington University.

She lives in Milton, Delaware, with her husband, Benjamin Spears, and son, Malkemus.

Jonathan Resnick 鈥�89

Jonathan Resnick

As president of Jack Resnick & Sons, Resnick understands what it means to uphold and advance a legacy. For nearly a century, the company has been a major force in the dynamic Manhattan real estate market. Joining the company in 1996 and becoming its president in 2007, Resnick oversees the firm鈥檚 portfolio of more than five million square feet of commercial, office and retail space, and approximately 900 high-rise luxury rental apartments.

Resnick learned the business from his father, Burton, who learned it from his father and company founder, Jack, who learned from , Israel, who owned brownstones in Harlem.

The Resnick family firm is highly respected in the industry, from ground-up development, construction, leasing and management, earning awards for sustainability and energy efficiency, and credited with revitalizing urban landscapes.

Resnick helped to honor the legacy of a former 黑料不打烊 fundraising executive by establishing a scholarship in 2021 in memory of Tom Walsh. Walsh had spent much of his career raising funds to position the University for growth. The creative writing scholarship strengthened the study of arts and literature in the creative writing undergraduate program in the College of Arts and Sciences. Resnick has actively supported other 黑料不打烊 fundraising efforts as well, including Hillel and the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, and was heavily involved in construction of the Fisher Center in New York City.

Resnick serves as chair of the Realty Advisory Board on Labor Relations in New York City, and sits on the Executive Committee of the Real Estate Board of New York. He is a director of the New York Building Congress, and a former chairman of the Greater New York Construction User Council. He is a board member of the Borough of Manhattan Community College Foundation, RiverSpring Health Plans (the managed care arm of RiverSpring Living) and the Masters School in Dobbs Ferry, New York.

Resnick graduated from 黑料不打烊 in 1989 with a B.S. in producing for electronic media from the Newhouse School.

He lives in Harrison, New York, with his wife, Joelle, and two children.

Frank Ryan IV 鈥�90, L鈥�94

undergraduate student-athlete who earned a four year varsity letter to magna cum laude Order of the Coif graduate from the College of Law, Ryan says 黑料不打烊 . Today, Ryan is global co-chair, global co-CEO and Americas chair at DLA Piper, a global law firm with more than $4 billion in revenues and offices in more than 40 countries.

Known as a go-to strategist for some of the world鈥檚 most sophisticated media and sports companies, including Disney, ABC, the Pac-12 and ESPN, Ryan helped lead the firm through a period of unprecedented growth. He is also founding chair of the firm鈥檚 scholarship programs established to assist student athletes and veterans wishing to pursue a legal career.

Ryan joined the firm in 2010 as a partner, U.S. co-chair of the intellectual property and technology practice, and deputy chair of the media, sport and entertainment sector. He was instrumental in strengthening the firm鈥檚 growth in technology, life sciences and health care sectors and launching artificial intelligence, health care policy consulting and space exploration practices. Before DLA Piper, he spent nearly 16 years at Nixon Peabody LLP where he was partner and chair of the firm鈥檚 litigation practice.

He is a member of the Legal Service Corporation’s Leaders Council, the nation鈥檚 largest funder of civil legal aid programs for low-income people, and on the Board of Directors for Beat the Streets NYC. He is also a member of The Wall Street Journal CEO Council and Thomson Reuters’ Global Strategy Board.

Ryan graduated with a B.S. in finance from the Martin J. Whitman School of Management in 1990, though he often calls wrestling his major undergraduate pursuit and was a three-time team captain of the 黑料不打烊 Wrestling Team.

Ryan has served on the College of Law鈥檚 Board of Advisors since 2004.听He is a former member of the College Law Board of Visitors (1998-2003), the College of Law Associates Council (1998-2016), and in 2017, was awarded 黑料不打烊鈥檚 College of Law Distinguished Service Award.

He and his wife, Melissa M. Dunne-Ryan 鈥�90, L鈥�94, have three adult children, Zach, Sean and Will 鈥�26 (Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs/College of Arts and Sciences).

Kim and Mike Venutolo

Michael 鈥淢ike鈥� Venutolo 鈥�77 and his wife, Kim, vividly remember sharing an eight-hour bus ride through the 110-degree desert in the United Arab Emirates with a half dozen engineering students from 黑料不打烊. Mike had helped design a novel two-week internship experience to expose the students to issues involved in producing and transporting potable water hundreds of miles across the desert. It was the kind of experiential learning that the Venutolos have supported through their philanthropy. The kind that directly and rapidly transforms the student experience.

鈥淚n the many hours we spent together, we learned so much about their lives and hopes and dreams,鈥� says Kim. 鈥淭hese students come from all walks of life and many of them don鈥檛 have the funding they need to help them get where they want to go.鈥� The desire to directly help students 鈥済et where they want to go鈥� is the motivation behind their recent gifts to the Forever Orange Campaign for 黑料不打烊 and what has become a nearly $2 million legacy in philanthropy that can only be described as 鈥渙utside the box鈥� thinking by a dedicated alumnus who describes himself as 鈥渁typical.鈥�

Venutolo, who was appointed to the University Board of Trustees in 2022, came from modest means鈥攈is father was a plumber, and he grew up in a New Jersey town where many teens went to vocational and technical high schools to learn trade skills. 鈥淚 grew up in a household filled with experiences,鈥� says Venutolo. 鈥淭here was a lot less learning from textbooks and a lot more learning from doing what my parents and grandparents did.鈥�

His parents insisted that he go to college, but he says he didn鈥檛 do very well鈥攗ntil he met a counselor who helped him identify a field where he could excel (civil engineering) and a few professors who spent the time to support his success.

The atypical student became an atypical graduate, taking his engineering degree overseas to work in Saudi Arabia. 鈥淚 was a junior engineer, working on a multibillion-dollar project building the world鈥檚 first major desalination plant,鈥� Venutolo says. 鈥淲e had no Google. If we had a critical question, we had to drive two hours to the closest telegraph office. It was hands-on problem solving.鈥�

Venutolo would spend more than four decades living overseas, building a successful career and creating a company that became a worldwide leader in engineering and construction services. Living in the Gulf region and England, he was disconnected from the Orange community, but decided to attend his 30th class reunion and forge a new bond to bring his international experience to benefit his alma mater. He helped originate the Middle East Regional Council and engaged his company, Raymond International Pipeline Services Group, in the design and implementation of summer internships for civil and environmental engineering students.

The Venutolos designed and supported engineering internship experiences, which included this group of six students who went to a site in Kuwait in 2014.

In a 2012 article published in the American Society for Engineering Education, 黑料不打烊 professors credited Venutolo with 鈥渉elping to create and support another model for successful development of future global engineers.鈥� The article, titled 鈥淪tepping Outside the Box: Education of Global Engineers,鈥� detailed the significance of this kind of experiential programming. 鈥淭hese programs have provided an essential service to the engineering profession by providing students with a solid foundation of genuine openness, cultural curiosity and cultural understanding, as well as a greater appreciation for the power of communication, interpersonal relationship skills, organization and team membership,鈥� the professors wrote.

Venutolo also supported the creation of a new construction engineering lab in the College of Engineering and Computer Science (ECS) in 2016, providing students on campus with a dedicated space for hands-on educational and research initiatives. His appreciation for international experiences and experiential learning is reflected in Venutolo鈥檚 most recent philanthropy, pledging nearly $1 million to create or support:

• Kim and Michael Venutolo 鈥�77 Fund for Experiential Learning to support students studying abroad and the London Center program with particular focus on community and cultural engagement through program-sponsored travel,
• Kim and Michael Venutolo 鈥�77 Fund for Professional Development to augment the activities of ECS clubs and societies specifically oriented to building professional skills, networking and education through their activities, including student travel to conferences,
• Kim and Michael Venutolo 鈥�77 Undergraduate Endowment Scholarship to provide scholarship and financial assistance to deserving ECS undergraduates,
• Kim and Michael Venutolo 鈥�77 Fund for Remembrance and Lockerbie Exchange to support trips to Lockerbie, the Lockerbie Academy and other remembrance related activities and
• Invention Accelerator Fund, which supports undergraduates as they design, prototype and pitch their inventions.

鈥淲e want to make a difference in individual students鈥� lives, to make it possible to attend a conference or get a passport or get on a plane to the Middle East,鈥� says Venutolo. For his wife, Kim, who never had a chance to get a college degree, helping college students achieve their dreams is particularly satisfying. 鈥淚 feel like these students try their hardest and we like to help.鈥�

“Mike and Kim have a deep understanding of the importance of experiential learning opportunities to student academic, professional and personal growth, and a passion for supporting these opportunities abroad,鈥� says Erika Wilkens, Ph.D., assistant provost and executive director of 黑料不打烊 Abroad. 鈥淭heir generous gift will provide students with invaluable immersive learning experiences in London, Lockerbie and beyond, and enable them to develop global skills that will benefit them for years to come.”

Both Venutolos have been judges for , which encourages the kind of innovative and entrepreneurial spirit that guided Michael in his career development. 鈥淢ichael has told me that he credits 黑料不打烊 with his ability to succeed,鈥� says Kim, who went to work after high school in order to help her family financially. Now married nearly 20 years, Michael credits Kim with being 鈥渁 champion for the underdog鈥� and identifying opportunities for philanthropy that directly help students. 鈥淚t doesn鈥檛 have to be huge dollars,鈥� says Kim. 鈥淚t鈥檚 just got to be from your heart. I love the University that has adopted me. I鈥檝e become Orange.鈥�

“Through these extraordinary gifts, Mike and Kim have given current and future Orange students the chance to pursue a life-changing education: an education that is distinctive in the way it fosters innovation and professional growth,鈥� says ECS Dean J. Cole Smith. 鈥淭hanks to them, ECS will now be able to provide new life-changing scholarships, support experiential learning initiatives through our engineering and computing clubs and organizations, and devise groundbreaking inventions through our invention accelerator program, Invent@SU.鈥�

鈥淲hen we can talk to the students, see what they are inventing or touch what they are building, that鈥檚 what gets us excited,鈥� says Venutolo. Now that he is based in the states (he and Kim live in New Jersey), he has more access to the students and more reasons to visit campus as a University Trustee. 鈥淚鈥檓 really honored and proud to be part of the group. I鈥檓 enjoying bringing an international perspective and more outside the box thinking.鈥�

The Venutolos’ philanthropy helps support such initiatives as Invent@SU.

Richard Alexander

Over the last decade, Richard Alexander L鈥�82 has navigated his chosen profession (the law) and his chosen passion (黑料不打烊 and its law school) through incredibly challenging waters. As partner, managing partner and chair of one of the nation鈥檚 most prestigious law firms, Arnold & Porter, and as current University and College of Law , Alexander has always been directed by a North Star, a guiding light amidst uncertainty.

鈥淒uring very dynamic and demanding times in academia and the legal profession, I have found some common challenges and opportunities.听 Among other things, universities and law firms are in the talent business,鈥� says Alexander, who became at the start of 2025. 鈥淭he mission of the university is to recruit and retain very talented people, develop student scholars and create the kinds of connections that will help them become future leaders of the world. Law is a similarly noble profession, but it has become brutally competitive, which requires law firms to differentiate themselves in terms of talent recruitment and retention while delivering great results for clients.鈥�

Alexander is deeply proud of and grateful for the four decades spent at a law firm that is well known for its cutting-edge work, its strong pro bono program and its focus on providing opportunities for personal and professional growth throughout the organization. During his nearly ten years as chairman of the firm, he led the strategic combination of Arnold & Porter and Kaye Scholer (in 2017), and saw the combined entity surpass $1 billion in revenue in 2021. With more than 1,000 employees in 15 offices worldwide, Arnold & Porter has consistently been named to听The American Lawyer鈥檚听A-List, according to the magazine, because of its ability to balance industry pressures with a commitment to core values.

Core Values

When the A-List was announced last year, Alexander said, 鈥淥ur inclusion in The American Lawyer鈥檚听A-List is a reflection of the firm鈥檚 continuing commitment to providing extraordinary client service, protecting and defending the rule of law, having a diverse workplace and investing in our talent.鈥� He says those core values were reinforced while studying at the College of Law, including a commitment to pro bono work and the value of public service.

With his law degree, Alexander began his legal career in the federal government in the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. Though he was recruited just three years later to join Arnold & Porter, he told 黑料不打烊 law students that he left government work with great reluctance. In remarks delivered to first-year law students at the Sherman F. Levey Lecture in 2010, Alexander said, 鈥淧ublic service offers an opportunity to get fantastic experience and responsibility.听While I recognize that government jobs are not as lucrative as the private sector, they can be more rewarding in terms of professional development and personal growth.鈥�

This belief drove the establishment of a scholarship in honor of his parents, the Rhoda S. and Albert M. Alexander Memorial Scholarship, to encourage law students to pursue public and government service. It also drives distinction for Arnold & Porter. Alexander points out the significance of its continuing pro bono portfolio of work. “We’re the firm that secured the constitutional right to counsel in听Gideon v. Wainwright鈥攁rgued by one of our founding partners, Abe Fortas鈥攁nd we believe we are one of the leading pro bono firms in the world,”听he .

Public Service Ethos

From helping to secure American Sign Language interpreters at White House briefings, to protecting civil rights and voting rights, to cases involving police discrimination, housing, public benefits, immigration and unemployment, the firm nurtures a public service ethos among associates and partners. Last year, Arnold & Porter was recognized by The American Lawyer as a top 10 firm on its .

鈥淒o not forget those who are in need, and put your law degree to work to help the community at large,鈥� Alexander counseled law students during his lecture.

Kevin Toomey L鈥�12 says Alexander and the firm have 鈥渄one a great job in recruiting top talent from the law school鈥� and describes the firm鈥檚 commitment to both excellence and public service as a 鈥渦nique combination.鈥� A 黑料不打烊 native, Toomey first met Alexander while Toomey was in law school working at the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. and rising star at Arnold & Porter and head of the firm鈥檚 financial services practice group.

鈥淚t takes a certain type of character to lead a law firm of 1,000 very qualified, credentialed and also opinionated lawyers,鈥� says Toomey. 鈥淩ichard did that very well, while balancing collegiality and client success, getting the best of the best and retaining talent, and holding on to our core values as a firm.鈥�

黑料不打烊’s ‘Secret Sauce’

Both Toomey and Alexander believe that 黑料不打烊 law school graduates are well-prepared to compete in an increasingly competitive industry. Both agree there鈥檚 something intangible about 黑料不打烊 that strengthens its students. 鈥淢aybe it鈥檚 walking up the hill to the law school through the snow every day,鈥� says Toomey with a chuckle. 鈥淵ou feel some kind of obligation and responsibility to prove yourself.鈥�

Alexander calls it 黑料不打烊鈥檚 鈥渟ecret sauce,鈥� a kind of grittiness. 鈥淲e also have a strong moral compass at the University,鈥� says Alexander, who was elected to the Board of Trustees in 2016 and currently serves as its vice chair. He will become chair of the Academic Affairs Committee in May.

鈥淯niversities have had to navigate through some important challenges, including the rising cost of education, changes in athletics, the implications of technology and online learning,鈥� says Alexander. 鈥淚 think 黑料不打烊 has done an excellent job and there鈥檚 more to be done. The University and law school must continue to differentiate themselves. I want people to understand the strengths of the University as a place that brings together people with different life experiences and from all walks of life.鈥�

Similarly, Alexander points to Arnold & Porter鈥檚 commitment to be a place that is welcoming to all. That idea of bringing a wide range of perspectives to the college and practice of law inspired the creation of the Hon. Theodore A. McKee L鈥�75 Endowed Law Scholarship. Alexander and his wife, Emily, made a substantial gift to help establish the scholarship in 2022 to honor the legendary graduate and jurist whose public service demonstrated a deep concern for social justice and to provide opportunity for deserving students.

No matter what his role Alexander remains a steward of ethical principles and the dual pursuit of justice and excellence. After all, he says, 鈥渨e are teaching young people to be citizens of the world.鈥�

John Chawner 鈥�84 holds a disk of aluminum that was part of a testing device for supersonic airflow he created during his time at the University. Chawner recently provided a gift to establish a new endowed professorship.

In his home office, John Chawner 鈥�84 proudly displays a disk of aluminum dated 鈥�4-8-84.鈥� It is a treasured memento from his days at 黑料不打烊 and, in many ways, it is symbolic of his approach to service and philanthropy to his alma mater, which includes a recent gift establishing a new endowed professorship. Chawner vividly recalls assembling a 100-foot-long shock tube, a testing device for supersonic airflow, in the basement of Link Hall, assembling it from parts, bolts and instrumentation that was scattered in offices throughout the engineering building. It was part of an independent study project under John LaGraff, then professor of mechanical, aerospace and manufacturing engineering in the College of Engineering and Computer Science.

鈥淐reating such a device required open-ended thinking that is critical to learning,鈥� says Chawner, who credits 黑料不打烊 for laying the foundation for a highly successful career that made possible the generous gift for the professorship. 鈥淚 feel that I was transformed by my time at the University, from a raw 18-year-old to someone ready to enter the professional world. I want to ensure that today鈥檚 students and professors are able to maximize their time at 黑料不打烊 and enjoy the benefits of higher education.鈥�

Chawner has supported scholarships for deserving students for years, but his latest gift funds an endowed professorship within the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. Through the Forever Orange Faculty Excellence Program, the University will match one-third of the gift to ensure that the John R. Chawner Endowed Professorship听has the resources to support world-class scholars and the research needed to propel their work forward.

Chawner earned a bachelor of science degree in mechanical and aerospace engineering in 1984 and, later, a master鈥檚 degree from The University of Texas at Arlington. Immediately after graduation from 黑料不打烊, he got a job with General Dynamics in Texas. 鈥淚 came out of 黑料不打烊 with a great body of knowledge and raw skills that allowed me to get into the aerospace and defense field at a great time,鈥� says Chawner. 鈥淚鈥檓 an engineer by degree but I鈥檓 a programmer by practice because I got involved in computational fluid dynamics (CFD), which was a brand new software technology back then. A bunch of us 22- to 25-year-olds were given the opportunity to develop this capability from scratch and that launched the rest of my career.鈥�

Cultivating Talent

Chawner would go on to launch Pointwise Inc., which became internationally renowned for developing mesh generation software for CFD in aerospace applications. The technology has been applied to virtually every major military aircraft and spacecraft, including the F-16, F-22, F-35, B-2, and Space Shuttle. After more than 26 years at the helm, Chawner sold Pointwise to Cadence Design Systems where he continued to work until retiring in 2023 and forming his own consulting firm.

鈥淥wning a small business is like agreeing to be punched in the face for a living,鈥� Chawner told an interviewer in a blog on how to become a CFD engineer. In all seriousness, he loved the process of cultivating talent, inspiring creativity in teams, and the continuous learning required to develop and successfully market new technologies. 鈥淓veryone wants to pigeonhole engineers,鈥� he says, but he personally defied being defined and found great value in following more than 300 blogs in engineering, business and marketing. He calls himself 鈥渁n early adopter鈥� of social media and eventually created a very popular blog called Another Fine Mesh to educate and share information.

Chawner is still educating, sharing and inspiring through a company called (he鈥檚 the chief gibberish officer), where he attempts to redefine the stereotype of consultants. 鈥淲hat you need is someone with direct experience to guide you through the gibberish with simple, direct and actionable advice. That鈥檚 my role,鈥� he says, adding the consulting work allows him to remain relevant, to pass along earned wisdom.

Building Future Engineers

Chawner brings that same wisdom and experience to his role as a member of the Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Advisory Board at the College of Engineering and Computer Science and as a member of the Dean鈥檚 Leadership Council. 鈥淛ohn鈥檚 service to the college is invaluable,鈥� says Dean J. Cole Smith. 鈥淗e has acquired wisdom over the years that has impacted our approach to educating and preparing engineering students for successful careers. His generosity has opened doors, helped build futures and, with this new gift, creates a legacy that will continue to support innovation and creativity for generations to come.鈥�

鈥淚鈥檓 a big believer that an engineering education should not be like going to a trade school. It鈥檚 about developing the aptitude and ability to learn,鈥� says Chawner, who describes himself as a continuous learner. 鈥淎n engineering education allows one to be very impactful and I want to enable students and professors to enjoy that. The investment Micron has made in the 黑料不打烊 region amplifies that impact and essentially multiplies the effect of the gift.鈥�

Chawner says he views philanthropy as a way to give back 鈥渢o a place that gave me so much in terms of education and other life experiences.鈥� Those 鈥渆xperiences鈥� include his wife, Cathy, of nearly 40 years, whom he met 鈥渁t a mixer鈥� during freshman year. They lived in the same dorm and share many memories, including the first football games in the then-Carrier Dome.

Those were the years in the first phase of life, says Chawner鈥攖he learning phase, which is followed by the earning phase, and finally, the returning phase. Learn, earn, return. 鈥淚鈥檓 in the return phase where I give back what I鈥檝e learned and earned,鈥� he says.

Tarky J. Lombardi Jr.

Longtime Board of Trustees member and dedicated University supporter Tarky J. Lombardi Jr. 鈥�51, L鈥�54, H鈥�87 passed away peacefully on Nov. 24, 2024. Referred to simply as 鈥淭arky鈥� by all those who knew him in the Orange community and around Central New York, Lombardi was 95 years old.

Lombardi earned a bachelor鈥檚 degree from the Martin J. Whitman School of Management in 1951 and a J.D. from the College of Law in 1954.听He was awarded an honorary doctorate of laws from 黑料不打烊 in 1987.

Appointed to the Board of Trustees in 1976, Lombardi served as a voting trustee for nearly three decades. He also served on the College of Law Board of Advisors, Falk College Board of Visitors and the National Alumni Association Board.听He was also co-chair of the Schine Student Center National Campaign and honorary chair of the College of Law Annual Fund. In addition, he supported various initiatives in the College of Arts and Sciences, College of Law and 黑料不打烊 Athletics. He was recognized in 1983 with the University鈥檚 highest alumni honor, the George Arents Award.

鈥淭arky was an incredibly dedicated public servant, a giant in Central New York politics,鈥� says Chancellor Kent Syverud. 鈥淵et, no matter how busy he was legislating, lobbying and leading, Tarky could often be found in his Dome suite, cheering on his alma mater. The Dome is not only a place he helped get built, it is home to the spirit that drove his loyalty and passion for service to the Orange community.鈥�

Lombardi was an avid 黑料不打烊 Athletics supporter and longtime season ticket holder. His support started with the Orange Pack, the athletics fundraising arm founded in 1974, which became the Orange Club in 2006, and is now known as the 鈥機use Athletics Fund. He helped secure $15 million in state grants for the Dome鈥檚 construction.

Lombardi began his public service in 1959 when the Onondaga County Republican Party selected him to run for a seat on the 黑料不打烊 Common Council. It was the first of what would mark many campaign victories. He served the Common Council for six years, including time as its majority leader. He eventually ran for statewide election and, in 1965, was elected New York State Senate representative for the 49th district. His district covered a large swath of Central New York situated almost entirely in Onondaga and Cortland counties.

He championed legislative efforts to contain health care and medical malpractice costs through medical malpractice reform and the creation of physician assistants and nurse practitioners. His signature piece of legislation was the Nursing Homes without Walls program鈥攁 pilot program that served as a model for other states and earned him recognition as Legislator of the Year from the National Association for Home Care. He chaired the Senate Health Committee from 1971 until 1989 and the Senate Finance Committee from 1989 until 1992.

Lombardi was similarly committed to supporting arts and culture initiatives, believing they were fundamental to a well-rounded education. He was chairman of the Senate Special Committee on the Arts and helped re-codify the state鈥檚 art law. He became quite popular among members of the New York entertainment community and worked closely with celebrities like Kitty Carlisle Hart and Tony Randall on multiple legislative projects.听In 1986, he was named National Republican Legislator of the Year. In 1992, Lombardi retired from the Senate.

As special counsel to the law firm of Barclay Damon LLP in 黑料不打烊, Lombardi worked with clients in the energy, health care, insurance, telecommunications and transportation industries. His civic commitments included service on the boards of the New York Historical Society, 黑料不打烊 Symphony Orchestra, 黑料不打烊 Opera Company, St. Joseph’s Hospital Health Center Advisory Board, WCNY Public Broadcasting, Loretto, Onondaga Community College Foundation, Landmark Theater Foundation, New York Historical Society in New York City and the New York State Council for Humanities.

Lombardi is survived by his wife, Marianne, and their children Tarky III; Jennine Lombardi Yonta G鈥�92 (Whitman School); Marianne Lombardi Fogelson 鈥�89 (College of Arts and Sciences), L鈥�92; Michael 鈥�91 (College of Arts and Sciences); and Rosemary; and eight grandchildren.

Carrying on his legacy, Lombardi鈥檚 family encourages memorial contributions to the 黑料不打烊 Athletics Opportunity Fund in recognition of his commitment and passion for 黑料不打烊 Athletics and his enduring love for supporting student-athletes, coaches and his alma mater.

A gift from William T. 鈥淭ed鈥� Frantz 鈥�80, P鈥�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. 鈥淭he idea for this gift has been simmering for nearly 20 years,鈥� 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.

鈥淭he timing is ideal, coming on the heels of Micron Technology鈥檚 听$100 billion commitment to the region,鈥� says Frantz. He says the partnership opportunities between the technology company and the University are a boon for students, faculty and the wider community. 鈥淚t鈥檚 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.鈥�

Frantz draws similarities to the success of Silicon Valley, where he once worked for Hewlett-Packard. 鈥淚 witnessed the growth of Silicon Valley and how nearby universities like Stanford, Berkeley and Santa Clara provided the intellectual expertise, engineering and research,鈥� he says. Forward-looking investors seized opportunities brought about by the region鈥檚 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鈥檚, Parkinson鈥檚, diabetes and other diseases. 鈥淚t鈥檚 the challenge of seeing something grow and make a go of it, get off the ground and get bigger,鈥� 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. 鈥淟eo was innovative,鈥� says Frantz. 鈥淭he design changes he made shook up the aerobatic community. And he not only built it, he flew it.鈥�

Frantz, who has his own pilot鈥檚 license, has combined his passion for flight with his desire to fuel innovation through investment in a significant gift he made to 黑料不打烊 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 鈥渨ith the 鈥榚dge of the envelope鈥� without endangering any persons or property.鈥�

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.

鈥淭ed is a visionary in his approach to philanthropy,鈥� says ECS Dean J. Cole Smith. 鈥淗is 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.鈥�

鈥淚鈥檝e been studying the history of 黑料不打烊,鈥� says Frantz. 鈥淎t 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鈥檚 investment, the city has new opportunities, and 黑料不打烊 is perfectly situated to take advantage of those opportunities.鈥�

About 黑料不打烊

黑料不打烊 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鈥檙e a powerful community that moves ideas, individuals and impact beyond what鈥檚 possible.

About Forever Orange: The Campaign for 黑料不打烊

Orange isn鈥檛 just our color. It鈥檚 our promise to leave the world better than we found it. Forever Orange: The Campaign for 黑料不打烊 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听听to learn more.

Robert 鈥�86 and Kathryn Taishoff

How do you inspire people to open their hearts and provide the support to raise the hefty sum of $2.5 million? Just ask retired U.S. Navy Capt. Robert 鈥淩ob鈥� P. Taishoff 鈥�86 who sees opportunities where others see obstacles, and who is determined to change the way the world views intellectual disability. With the recent Taishoff Family Foundation gift of $2.5 million to inclusive higher education at 黑料不打烊, Taishoff is challenging others to see the world the way he does and match his family鈥檚 pledge.

鈥淚鈥檝e seen the confidence that these young men and women with intellectual disabilities develop when given educational opportunities, and it鈥檚 mind-blowing,鈥� says Taishoff. 鈥淚f we give them the chance to pursue their interests and prepare them for careers, just like we do with every student at 黑料不打烊, they will thrive, excel, succeed and surprise us.鈥�

Taishoff continues to marvel at the successes of the students who attend InclusiveU and the accomplishments of the , named for his father in 2009 with a $1.1 million grant from Taishoff. The center and InclusiveU have become national models for the inclusion and education of students with intellectual and developmental disabilities. At that time, Taishoff was a University Trustee; he served as a voting trustee from 2009 to 2021 and is now a life trustee. Taishoff has been involved in many University initiatives, but it was inclusive education and the work going on at the (CDI) in the School of Education that captured his whole heart.

Taishoff鈥檚 daughter, Jackie, was born with Down syndrome in 2001, and he experienced firsthand the promise and the heartbreak felt by the families of young people often marginalized by society. 鈥淛ackie is very social and friendly, and frequently surprises us with what she鈥檚 capable of doing,鈥� says Taishoff. He鈥檇 love to see her attend InclusiveU but as a resident of Maryland, her benefits associated with her disability won鈥檛 cross state lines. The portability of benefits is one of those systemic policy issues that CDI鈥檚 staff is working to change, helping students overcome barriers to pursue an education and career.

According to Sara Hart Weir, a national expert in disability policy and former president of the National Down Syndrome Society, Taishoff is the kind of visionary who 鈥渟ees endless opportunities not just for Jackie, but for all people with disabilities. Rob wants them to have the kinds of opportunities every other American has, from education to health care, from financial services to careers.鈥� Weir says individuals with Down syndrome are an 鈥渦ntapped workforce who, with access to programs like InclusiveU, can skill up, enter the workforce and become taxpayers.鈥� She says InclusiveU is the 鈥渂est of the best鈥� in providing these kinds of opportunities.

Strengthening Programming

The Taishoff Family Foundation has contributed several million dollars over the years to strengthen CDI, the Taishoff Center and InclusiveU, providing resources for programmatic growth. 鈥淭hey鈥檝e achieved all their goals in the last five-year plan and that set the stage for the next five-year plan,鈥� says Taishoff, who hopes his new gift will be leveraged to bring in new donor support. The next five-year plan seeks to grow enrollment by 25% and offer new experiences for students with intellectual disability.

鈥淲e鈥檙e never satisfied with what we鈥檙e doing,鈥� says Beth Myers, the Lawrence B. Taishoff Associate Professor of Inclusive Education, executive director of the Taishoff Center and assistant director of CDI. 鈥淲e may be the largest program of our kind in the nation, but there are always more opportunities to pursue. For example, I dream of first providing our students with a two-week study abroad in Italy with the goal of a full semester of study abroad in any location where any other 黑料不打烊 student can go. Am I dreaming huge dreams? Yes. Is it possible? Yes!鈥� But, Myers acknowledges, it takes more resources and staffing to achieve those dreams.

Myers credits her 鈥渁mazing team and an incredible staff at InclusiveU who would do anything for these students鈥� to deliver on dreams. She has watched the program at InclusiveU grow from 14 students in three majors to 100 students in 45 majors taking more than 300 courses across the University. 鈥淲e have allies in every department across campus, top down and bottom up support,鈥� says Myers. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a culture grounded in the University鈥檚 60-plus year history in disability advocacy. People really value the work we do in inclusion.鈥�

鈥淚 am continuously inspired by Rob Taishoff鈥檚 generosity and, now, his strategic challenge to others to help advance 黑料不打烊鈥檚 leadership in the disability community,鈥� says Chancellor Kent Syverud. 鈥淩ob persists in challenging all of us to think of innovative and creative solutions and to collaborate across units and colleges to ensure equitable opportunities for all our students and to be a standard-bearer for academic institutions nationwide.鈥�

Through those opportunities, Taishoff sees how students become one with the University community. 鈥淥ur intellectually disabled students are woven into the fabric of the University, from the classroom to living arrangements, from social activities to career preparation,鈥� says Taishoff.

Going Beyond

CDI鈥檚 strategic plan for growth goes beyond assisting the growth of the Taishoff Center and enrollment in InclusiveU. It would enhance access to higher education among students in the 黑料不打烊 City School district (nationally, less than 2% of high school students with intellectual disability go to college). It would invest in innovative technical assistance for disabled students and establish an Inclusive Higher Education Technical Assistance Center to help other colleges and universities. It would support research, fellowships and teaching to advance the field. It would provide more resources for career advising and career placement (only 17% of adults with intellectual disabilities are employed nationally). The newly established Robert and Kathryn Taishoff Fund would support many of these initiatives and scholarship support for students.

In addition to the new fund, the latest Taishoff gift continues support through the Lawrence B. Taishoff Center for Inclusive Higher Education Endowed Fund. Part of the $1.5 billion , Taishoff鈥檚 gift builds on and the legacy of the School of Education. Rob Taishoff鈥檚 father Lawrence and grandfather Sol philanthropically supported education, journalism and health research. Taishoff says his father was 鈥渆xceptionally close鈥� to granddaughter Jackie, perhaps because he had witnessed a cousin with Down syndrome sent to an institution and shielded away from society and opportunity.

Taishoff says his own military experience also reinforced the family鈥檚 commitment to opening the doors of opportunity. He spent more than two decades in active duty in the Navy and managed Navy and Marine Corps attorneys and civilians representing service members. 鈥淣o matter what background or walk of life someone was from, whether enlisted or an officer, we were all pulling for the same goals, trying to fulfill a mission,鈥� Taishoff says. 鈥淚 saw people who were given opportunities in the military that they would not have had otherwise, and I saw them thrive and excel.鈥�

The Taishoff Family Foundation鈥檚 legacy aligns with that of the School of Education, which is recognized as an international leader in the deinstitutionalization and school inclusion movements. The school is home to the first disability studies program in the country and the first joint degree program in law and disability studies, and it helped 黑料不打烊 become the first research university to launch an integrated elementary and special education teacher education program.

鈥淚t鈥檚 time to build on history once again,鈥� says Taishoff. 鈥淚 hope others will join me in creating new futures for countless young people who deserve a chance to contribute in ways that will amaze us.鈥�

About 黑料不打烊

黑料不打烊 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鈥檙e a powerful community that moves ideas, individuals and impact beyond what鈥檚 possible.

About Forever Orange: The Campaign for 黑料不打烊

Orange isn鈥檛 just our color. It鈥檚 our promise to leave the world better than we found it. Forever Orange: The Campaign for 黑料不打烊 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听听to learn more.

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鈥檚 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鈥檚 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.

鈥淲e feel strongly that all citizens should support education, and we wanted to do something that would make a difference for many years to come,鈥� 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.

鈥淛ohn was such an ardent supporter of the College of Engineering and Computer Science and 黑料不打烊,鈥� says J. Cole Smith, dean of the . 鈥淗e 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.鈥�

Breyer himself earned a bachelor鈥檚 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鈥檚 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鈥檚 connection to 黑料不打烊 was personal and professional. His daughter, Deborah Knoblock 鈥�88, G鈥�90, earned bachelor鈥檚 and master鈥檚 degrees from the School of Education and is chair of the School of Education鈥檚 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.

Doctoral students in clinical psychology听Alexa Deyo 鈥�21 and Alison Vrabec G鈥�23 spent their summer testing a theory that a certain kind of therapeutic technique called motivational interviewing could improve sleep and overall health among adolescents. According to the , sleep problems can impact how people learn, think and get along with others. 鈥淚f teens are sleeping better, their mental health is improved; they are more emotionally regulated and less impulsive,鈥� says听, Ph.D., assistant professor of psychology, who is supervising the clinical research.

Kathy Walters

Their research is exactly the kind of promising work that philanthropic alumni听Kathy Walters听鈥�73, H鈥�23 and her husband, Stan 鈥�72, had in mind when they set up the Walters Endowed Fund for Science Research in 2016. According to Kathy Walters, they were hoping to create new opportunities for research that would benefit humanity鈥攁nd they left the door open for the dean and faculty in the College of Arts and Sciences (A&S) to define what those benefits might be.

鈥淩esearchers tend to see things that those of us not immersed in science would never see,鈥� says Walters, a 黑料不打烊 Trustee. 鈥淚鈥檓 not a big believer in telling capable people what they should be researching.鈥� In fact, the funding is to be used to support a vast array of academic inquiry, including 鈥渦ndergraduate, graduate or faculty-led research in the sciences, including departments of biology, chemistry, communication sciences and disorders, Earth science, mathematics, psychology and physics.鈥�

The funding is awarded at the discretion of the A&S dean and associate dean for research to recognize outstanding research faculty. 鈥淩esearch funding is critical to supporting our academic mission,鈥� says A&S Dean听Behzad Mortazavi. 鈥淲ith Kathy and Stan鈥檚 gift, we can invest in more of our stellar faculty and students, so they can contribute their enormous expertise to solving challenges in the areas of the environment and climate, health and wellness, social justice and human thriving.鈥�

Favour Chukwudumebi Ononiwu

Since the fund was established, it has supported research by graduate students in physics, chemistry, biology and psychology. 鈥淭hanks to the Walters, I was able to spend the summer of 2023 in the lab full-time,鈥� says Favour Chukwudumebi Ononiwu, who is pursuing a Ph.D. in cell biology and is dedicated to figuring out the cellular behavior that governs early development of human tissue. 鈥淭his particular tissue helps the body organize itself. Understanding how that happens is key to understanding developmental defects.鈥�

鈥淏ench to bedside research鈥� like this takes years of toil at the 鈥渂ench鈥� in the lab to reach the 鈥渂edside鈥� where people can benefit. Ononiwu says the funding from the Walters allowed her to spend a lot more time at that bench, reduce some of the costs associated with conducting the research, and speed up the process of discovery. 鈥淚t was also empowering to be in a space where I didn鈥檛 have to worry about my finances and could come into the lab and focus on the experiment. It also helped get my research to the point where I could apply for more grants and fellowships to accelerate the research.鈥�

Ononiwu, who hopes to pursue a job in a biotechnology, pharmaceutical or biomedical company, says the Walters funding was a 鈥渃atalyst for my development as a researcher and a professional.鈥�

Kidwell says her graduate students are deepening their own clinical training through the funded research and positioning themselves to be more competitive for National Institutes of Health grants.

鈥淥ftentimes, teaching assistantships take precedence over research assistantships because of financial need,鈥� says Deyo, a first-year doctoral student in clinical psychology.

Professor Katie Kidwell (second from left) with members of the Child Health Lab, including graduate students (from left) Toni Hamilton, Alison Vrabec, Lyric Tully, Alexa Deyo and Megan Milligan.

The doctoral students were able to accelerate the launch of their study this past summer, recruit a significant number of teens aged 13 to 17 as study subjects, expose them to the intervention called motivational interviewing and measure the impact on their sleep using a smart watch-type of device called an actigraph.

The intent of their research, of course, is to help teens and college students problem-solve and deal with stressors that impact their well-being. The research aligns with Kathy Walters鈥� sensitivity to the impact of stress on health. 鈥淭he world is moving at such a rapid pace that it鈥檚 difficult for people to prioritize and focus amidst the change and anxiety,鈥� says Walters. 鈥淗elping faculty and students make the most of opportunities to improve health and humanity remains our priority.鈥�

鈥淲e are so grateful to Kathy and Stan for their generosity and vision in establishing this fund,鈥� says John Quigley, A&S assistant dean for advancement. 鈥淲e hope others who are similarly passionate about academic and research excellence at the University will follow suit. An endowment of $100,000 or more provides the kind of annual supplemental support needed by our talented faculty to accelerate the impact of their teaching and research.鈥�

Walters says it鈥檚 important to provide gifts that are not too restricted. 鈥淪tudents are developing the critical thinking skills required to pursue knowledge that answers the big questions facing our world. By supporting research, we are helping them find the answers.鈥�

Edward C. Magee Sr.

鈥淢y dad was serious about work, community, country and 黑料不打烊 athletics,鈥� says Magee. The senior Magee died in 1989 at the age of 78. In recognition of his son鈥檚 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.

鈥淢y father was a low-key guy, but I know he would have wanted to help student-athletes and the athletics program in meaningful ways,鈥� says Magee. Both father and son shared an appreciation for the power of sports to enhance the visibility and reputation of the entire University. 鈥淗e turned me into an avid 黑料不打烊 sports fan at a young age,鈥� says Magee. 鈥淲e had football season tickets forever!鈥�

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

鈥淪ince we launched a dedicated campaign in 2021 to raise $150 million to enhance the student-athlete experience, we鈥檝e been amazed and gratified by the support of donors like Ed,鈥� says John Wildhack, director of athletics. 鈥淭hey 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.鈥�

Edward 鈥淓d鈥� C. Magee

The athletics fundraising goal is part of the $1.5 billion for 黑料不打烊. 鈥淧hilanthropy has always been critical to creating an environment where all our students can thrive, in the classroom and beyond, and in their chosen careers,鈥� says Chancellor Kent Syverud. 鈥淚 am grateful to Ed for recognizing that his gift can elevate the entire student experience, along with the reputation of the entire University.鈥�

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鈥檛 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 鈥渨ould help out my parents.鈥�

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鈥檚 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 鈥渉elp students who need a helping hand.鈥� 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 鈥渇uel their bodies鈥� at Magee One Team Dining.

About 黑料不打烊

黑料不打烊 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鈥檙e a powerful community that moves ideas, individuals and impact beyond what鈥檚 possible.

About Forever Orange: The Campaign for 黑料不打烊

Orange isn鈥檛 just our color. It鈥檚 our promise to leave the world better than we found it. Forever Orange: The Campaign for 黑料不打烊 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听听to learn more.

Beth and Steve Ballentine

When Steven 鈥淪teve鈥� W. Ballentine 鈥�83 recalls his years playing club volleyball at 黑料不打烊, he remembers the fun, comradery and deeply satisfying sense of belonging it created for him. He also remembers the challenges: 鈥淐lub sports didn鈥檛 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鈥� home and slept there when we travelled to Philadelphia.鈥�

Those memories helped lay the foundation for the most recent gift from Steve and his wife, Beth (Shuman) Ballentine 鈥�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.听 In recognition of this transformational gift, 黑料不打烊鈥檚 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 鈥渧ery important to us as a family,鈥� with both of them playing on sports teams throughout adulthood. Beth played on a women鈥檚 ice hockey team for nearly 20 years. Steve is a competitive tennis player. 鈥淲e鈥檝e made lifelong friends through sports,鈥� says Beth. 鈥淔or me, it鈥檚 about physical health, connections with people and sisterhood.鈥�

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鈥檚 Board of Trustees since 1998, currently serving on the Executive, Investment and Endowment and Athletics Committees.

鈥淪teve and Beth鈥檚 support will create an even more outstanding experience for the hundreds of students every year who find a place of belonging at 黑料不打烊 through club sports,鈥� says Chancellor Kent Syverud. 鈥淭heir 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鈥� wellbeing and enhance the student experience.鈥�

As chair of the Board of Trustee鈥檚 Athletics Committee, Steve is especially appreciative of the impact athletics has on the student experience. 鈥淕rowing up, I played everything until I wasn鈥檛 good enough to play it at the varsity/JV level, then moved on to another sport鈥攆rom baseball and basketball to volleyball and bowling. There are so many young people like me who weren鈥檛 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.听 Beth and I saw the need to address that.鈥�

There are currently 45 at the University, with more than 1,500 students participating. Most teams are 听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.听 鈥淚t was an incredibly eye opening and impressive experience,鈥� says Steve. 鈥淭hey are entrepreneurial leaders, raising funds to book transportation for the teams, sharing ideas, learning from each other.鈥� Beth was impressed by their dedication to helping others and 鈥渆ssentially doing a part-time job for which they don鈥檛 get paid, while managing a full course load.鈥�

The Ballentine Club Sports Program Endowed Fund, established through this 听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. 鈥淲e鈥檙e big on teaching someone to fish rather than just handing them the fish,鈥� 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鈥檚 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. 鈥淭here will be irrigation and lights, so players can practice or compete after classes, when the sun goes down,鈥� says Steve.

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

About 黑料不打烊

黑料不打烊 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鈥檙e a powerful community that moves ideas, individuals and impact beyond what鈥檚 possible.

About Forever Orange: The Campaign for 黑料不打烊

Orange isn鈥檛 just our color. It鈥檚 our promise to leave the world better than we found it. Forever Orange: The Campaign for 黑料不打烊 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听听to learn more.

H. John Riley Jr.

On his journey from his first job in a corporate mailroom to the executive suite, H. John Riley Jr. 鈥�61 often credited the education and opportunities he received at 黑料不打烊 for his success. His gratitude shaped his approach to both service and philanthropy at his alma mater. Riley was still serving as a life trustee and co-chair of the Forever Orange Campaign and its $1.5 billion goal when he passed away on June 1, 2024, at the age of 83.

鈥淛ohn was incredibly thoughtful and generous in all things, including his support for 黑料不打烊,鈥� says Chancellor Kent Syverud. 鈥淛ohn was committed to ensuring meaningful student experiences鈥攊n and out of the classroom鈥攚ere accessible to all 黑料不打烊 students. His philanthropy opened doors and carved paths of opportunity for engineering students to succeed in the business world, just as he had over his lifetime.鈥�

The 2017 endowed gift from John and Diane Riley establishing the H. John Riley Dual Degree Engineering/MBA Program was designed to give 黑料不打烊 students the opportunity to set themselves apart. Earning a bachelor鈥檚 degree in engineering along with an MBA in five years prepares students to make an immediate impact.

鈥淛ohn recognized that successful business executives understand multiple disciplines and that it was important for students to have both theoretical and experiential learning in interdisciplinary ways of thinking,鈥� says J. Cole Smith, dean of the College of Engineering and Computer Science (ECS). Since the dual degree program鈥檚 inception, it has drawn high-achieving students to both ECS and the Martin J. Whitman School of Management and helped carve a path that was so important to Riley鈥檚 own career success.

Riley was the first in his family to go to college, an opportunity made possible with a scholarship from The Gifford Foundation. He was only 16 when he graduated as valedictorian from his high school. After four years of riding the bus from his parent鈥檚 home on 黑料不打烊鈥檚 North Side to campus and back, Riley earned a degree in industrial engineering. During college, he worked in the mail room of Crouse-Hinds, the electrical products manufacturing company that Riley once described as a 鈥渒ind of family affair.鈥� His father, three sisters and brother all worked there for a time.

Shortly after graduation, Riley entered a training program at General Electric, but eventually returned to Crouse-Hinds where he rose through the ranks, given more executive responsibilities as the company grew and acquired other firms. Riley, who also completed Harvard Business School鈥檚 Advanced Management Program, eventually became the CEO of Cooper Industries, the multi-billion-dollar parent of Crouse-Hinds. The Riley family moved to Houston, Texas, where Cooper was headquartered.

Still, the loyal alumnus never left 黑料不打烊 far behind. Riley was first elected to the Board of Trustees in 2004 and served as a voting trustee until 2016. He served on the Audit and Risk and Student Experience Committees and chaired the Student Experience Committee from 2008-2012. He also served as a lifetime member of the Whitman Advisory Council. In 2019, he was recognized with the Dritz Life Trustee Award. When he died he was serving as tri-chair of the National Campaign Executive Committee for the Forever Orange Campaign, alongside trustees Patricia Mautino 鈥�64, G鈥�66, and Michael Thonis 鈥�72.

鈥淛ohn was an exemplary alumnus and trustee,鈥� says Board Chairman Jeff Scruggs. 鈥淗e was laser-focused on ensuring that the University had the vision, guidance and resources to meet the evolving needs of our students, faculty and staff. He will be sorely missed.鈥�

At his funeral mass at St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church in Houston, Riley鈥檚 daughter Beth recalled that her father never missed a Board meeting or an event at his alma mater. 鈥淗ow did he accomplish so much? Well, my dad had a no-nonsense way about him that cherished truth over fanfare, responsibility over impulsiveness, long-term value over short-term gain.鈥� She said he taught his children to be curious and empathetic, to 鈥渄o it once and do it right. He was a great man and lived a great life.鈥�

Throughout their marriage, Riley and his wife were generous in their time and financial contributions to many organization. They established the H. John and Diane M. Riley Family Fund when he retired in 2006, directing their philanthropy to education, health, welfare and civic improvement. Major beneficiaries include 黑料不打烊, the Women鈥檚 Home, Baylor Breast Center, Discovery Green, the Hobby Center, the Museum of Fine Arts, St. Michael鈥檚 Catholic Church, YMCA of Martha鈥檚 Vineyard, the MV Preservation Trust, the MV Youth Scholarship fund and many others. The Rileys have chaired many major fundraising events: the United Negro College Fund, the Star of Hope, Houston Grand Opera, Ronald McDonald House and the Women鈥檚 Home.

The Rileys have supported many other initiatives at 黑料不打烊, including in ECS, the Whitman School, 黑料不打烊 Athletics and the Winnick Hillel Center for Jewish Life. The family has requested that memorial contributions be directed to

Riley is survived by his wife of 60 years, Diane; his daughter, Beth (Marcus) St. Raymond; Thomas (Dr. Lizabeth) Riley; and Patrick 鈥�90 (Beatrice) Riley; seven grandchildren, Emma and Charlotte St. Raymond; Matthew Riley, Megan Riley 鈥�24 and Tristan Riley 鈥�26; and John and Connor Riley.

鈥淲e are excited to welcome these new trustees, all of whom have a connection to the Orange community either though their personal experiences or through their families,鈥� says Board Chair Jeff Scruggs. 鈥淭hey have each demonstrated extraordinary vision and expertise in their different fields of interest, and we look forward to their insights and service to our students and the continued growth of the University.鈥�

鈥淥ur trustees express their dedication in so many different ways,鈥� says Chancellor Kent Syverud. 鈥淭hey share their wisdom, their experiences and their generosity of time, talent and treasure in ensuring that we deliver on the promises we make to our students to prepare them for success. The newest trustees are joining a board that works collaboratively and effectively to strengthen our university.鈥�

Nomi Bergman

Nomi Bergman

Bergman is a senior executive at Advance and president of Advance/Newhouse Investment Partnership, a subsidiary of Advance. Throughout her career, she has been an executive, investor and advisor in the communications and emerging technology space with a focus on transforming the customer experience.

Bergman also recently served as interim CEO of 1010data, a technology platform provider of decision science, data management and data analytics that was owned by the Advance/Newhouse Investment Partnership and acquired by SymphonyAI. Previously, Bergman was president of Bright House Networks and helped lead the company to become the sixth-largest cable operator in the nation. She and her team provided corporate guidance, execution and oversight of technology, product and strategic partnerships across the company鈥檚 video, broadband, voice and wireless platforms.

Bergman currently serves on the board of directors for Advance鈥檚 growth investment HawkEye360. In addition, she is on the boards of Visteon and Black & Veatch, and was honored to serve as a Comcast board member. She is involved with several industry and nonprofit organizations; as a member of the FCC Technological Advisory Council, The Marconi Society, Adaptive Spirit and Bridging Voice.

She received the National Cable & Telecommunications Association鈥檚 Vanguard Award for Distinguished Leadership in 2008. In 2011, she was recognized with Women in Cable Telecommunications (WICT) highest honor, Woman of the Year.

Bergman earned a B.A. in economics and statistics from the University of Rochester in 1985. Growing up in 黑料不打烊, her association with 黑料不打烊 runs deep. Her father, Bob Miron 鈥�59, is a Martin J. Whitman School of Management alumnus and a life trustee. Her husband, Neal, is a 1981 graduate of the Whitman School. Bergman herself has served on the College of Engineering and Computer Science (ECS) Dean鈥檚 Leadership Council and taught part-time as an adjunct professor. She is working to complete her own 黑料不打烊 degree, as she is enrolled in the Whitman School鈥檚 online MBA program.

Bergman lives in Fayetteville, New York, with her husband. They have three adult children, Becca (Hayworth), Dori and Allison.

Brian D. Grossman

Brian D. Grossman

Grossman is managing partner and chief investment officer for San Francisco-based PFM Health Sciences, a $1.6 billion health care focused investment advisor. The firm is one of the longest tenured public market life science investment funds, which focuses broadly across health sciences from small biotech firms to large global pharmaceutical, medical device and diagnostics companies.听The firm also has a long history of investing in hospitals, health insurance and other businesses involved in providing medical services.

Grossman was a founding member of Partner Fund Management (PFM), which started operations in the fall of 2004. Prior to PFM, Grossman spent time as an investment analyst at Andor Capital (2001-2004) and Pequot Capital (2001) where he focused primarily on the biotech industry. He started his career in 1996 at J.P. Morgan Investment in the summer of 1996.

A graduate of economics from the University of Pennsylvania, Grossman grew up in 黑料不打烊 and has strong familial ties to 黑料不打烊. His grandfather Lionel O. Grossman L鈥�1916; his father, Murray Grossman 鈥�43, G鈥�45 (College of Medicine); and his uncle Richard D. Grossman 鈥�51, L鈥�55 all attended the University as undergraduates, with his grandfather, uncle and sister Sarah going on to graduate from the College of Law. His father, Murray, provided medical services for many years to the athletics department, for which he was later recognized in 2016 with a Letterwinner of Distinction Award.

Grossman now lives in the San Francisco Bay area with his wife, Elizabeth, and three children: Brady, Zoe and Sylvie. He currently serves as co-chair of the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) Health Executive Council, which evaluates business strategies, operations and financial performance for UCSF Health. The Grossmans are active philanthropically in their community, supporting the S.F. Ballet, Planned Parenthood, The Boys & Girls Clubs of the Peninsula, Tipping Point and their children鈥檚 schools.

Stephen H. Hagerty 鈥�91, G鈥�93

Stephen H. Hagerty

Hagerty is a management consultant, entrepreneur and civic leader. He is the founder and president of Hagerty Consulting, one of the nation鈥檚 leading emergency management consulting firms that help governments, schools, hospitals, businesses and other large organizations prepare for, respond to and recover from disasters. Between 2017 and 2021, he served as the mayor of Evanston, Illinois, successfully leading the city through a global pandemic and social unrest. As a result of his leadership, Evanston had one of the lowest infection and fatality rates in the state and one of the highest vaccination rates.听Soon after leaving office, Evanston was named an All-American City in 2021 by the National Civic League.

Hagerty has successfully helped manage the recovery efforts from major U.S. disasters, including 9/11, Hurricane Katrina and the California wildfires. Before starting his firm in 2001, Hagerty worked for PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) for eight years building a disaster recovery practice.

Hagerty earned a B.S. degree from the College for Human Development (now the Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics) in consumer studies and went on to earn an M.P.A. from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs. He has served on the Maxwell Advisory Board since 2014.

Together with his wife, Lisa Altenbernd G鈥�93, they established the 听in 2022, the Stephen Hagerty and Lisa Altenbernd Faculty Fellow Fund in 2018 and the William D. Duncombe Faculty Research Endowment in 2014. Hagerty and Altenbernd reside in Evanston, Illinois, with their two children, Caroline, a junior at Washington University in St. Louis, and Garrett, a sophomore at Evanston Township High School.

Allegra F. Ivey G鈥�99

Allegra F. Ivey

Ivey is a managing director at BofA Securities Inc. She has served as a public finance investment banker in the municipal banking and markets division for 15 years, primarily covering large cities, such as New York, Atlanta, Houston, Detroit, Nashville, Memphis and New Orleans.

During her 25-year career, Ivey worked for PaineWebber Inc. (which became UBS Financial Services), J.P. Morgan and Bank of America Merrill Lynch. She has helped state and local governments nationwide finance over $40 billion in infrastructure projects, including airports, toll roads and water and sewer facilities, among others.

Ivey earned a master鈥檚 in public administration from the Maxwell School, where she has served on the advisory board since 2017. She inspired other Maxwell graduates when she delivered the keynote speech at the 2018 convocation.

Ivey came to 黑料不打烊 after earning a bachelor鈥檚 degree in economics from Harvard University in 1997. She lives in Manhattan with her husband, Matthew Brennan, and their four children, Tiernan (TJ), Ellison (Ellie), Kellan and Braden.

Jeannine L. Lostritto 鈥�90

Jeannine L. Lostritto

Lostritto parlayed her interest in architecture into her professional, personal and volunteer experiences, most recently in her engagement with the board of trustees of Friends Academy in Locust Valley, New York, an independent Quaker college-preparatory private school serving early childhood through 12th grade.

A former Friends Academy parent, Lostritto serves as a member of its board of trustees and on its Governance Committee, and helps oversee new building construction, maintenance of the campus and existing buildings as clerk of the Buildings and Grounds Committee.

With an undergraduate degree from the School of Architecture, she first took a job as an architectural consultant at Avis Rent-a-Car and on commercial architecture projects. From 1995 to 1998, Lostritto was employed in the civil engineering division at Sear-Brown鈥攁n architecture, engineering, planning and construction services firm鈥攚here she worked on large highway and expressway projects, such as the renovation of the Queens Midtown Tunnel, as well as drainage and landscape architecture projects.

She is currently a board member of her family鈥檚 real estate company, Steel Equities and is a member of the Board of Regents at NYU-Winthrop Hospital. Additionally, she and her husband, Glenn, actively support 黑料不打烊 through contributions to such initiatives as the Barnes Center at The Arch and the General Supported Scholarship Fund. She is also a member of the School of Architecture Advisory Board.

Lostritto lives in Old Brookville New York, with her husband. They have three children, Domenica 鈥淪unny鈥� L鈥�23, Glenn Jr. and Joseph.

Kirthiga U. Reddy G鈥�95

Kirthiga Reddy

Reddy is an听entrepreneur and听investor who has been at the helm of technology-driven transformations in innovative companies. She is CEO and co-founder of Virtualness, a mobile-first platform to help creators and brands navigate the complex world of Web3, and use听the power of generative AI and blockchain. She is a听founding investment partner of f7 Ventures,听whose mission is听鈥淏old Women Investing in Bold Ventures.鈥� She is co-founder of Liftery, a听social impact听initiative focused on working mothers.

Previously, she was the first female investment partner at SoftBank Investment Advisers focused on frontier, enterprise and health tech investments. She was managing director for Facebook India and South Asia and then became managing global partner听and emerging markets lead for global accounts in markets, including Mexico, Brazil, Indonesia, South Africa and Middle East.听She has also held engineering and product executive听roles at听of Phoenix Technologies, Motorola and听Silicon Graphics听Inc.

Reddy earned a master鈥檚 degree in computer engineering from the College of Engineering and Computer Science and later earned an MBA from Stanford University. She served on the ECS Dean鈥檚 Leadership Council for several years and has established the Kirthiga Reddy Graduate Scholarship in ECS.

Reddy lives in Summerlin, Las Vegas, Nevada, with her husband, Dev G鈥�94, who also attended the College of Engineering and Computer Science. They have two adult children, Ashna and Ariya.

Michael Falcone

Michael 鈥淢ike鈥� Falcone 鈥�57 often said he was of entrepreneurs, and when he passed away on April 10, 2024, accolades poured in for the man who helped develop millions of square feet of office buildings, shopping centers, assisted living centers, hotels and urban mixed used projects throughout the nation.

, representing thousands of companies, chambers of commerce and professional and trade associations, observed his 鈥減assion for the state鈥檚 business community and vision for growing the economy.鈥�

(OHA) had previously honored the Falcone family with the OHA Medal Award, noting a 鈥済enerational legacy of entrepreneurship that literally and figuratively built the 黑料不打烊 community.鈥�

Falcone was also deeply committed to his alma mater. He earned a bachelor鈥檚 degree in real estate from the Martin J. Whitman School of Management and carved a career in real estate development that impacted the University (building graduate student housing at an early point in his career) and its surroundings. He served the Board of Trustees as a voting trustee from 1995 to 2009, and later as a life trustee participant on the Board Facilities Committee. Falcone was also a member on the Whitman School of Management Advisory Council. In 1992, he was awarded the Whitman School鈥檚 Jonathan J. Holtz Alumnus of the Year.

Well before he attended 黑料不打烊, at the age of 16, Falcone began a real estate career, inspired by his family鈥檚 successes in business. 鈥淚t didn鈥檛 surprise me to learn that Mike was the youngest licensed real estate salesman in New York state,鈥� says Chancellor Kent Syverud. 鈥淗e loved developing and enhancing communities, and he was dedicated to the idea of inspiring that kind of passion in future generations of students.鈥�

He and his late wife, Noreen, were fundamental to the creation of the Entrepreneurship and Emerging Enterprises program. They established the Michael J. Falcone Center for Entrepreneurship and Emerging Enterprises and the Michael J. Falcone Endowment Fund for Entrepreneurship and were early supporters of the Whitman School鈥檚 Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans with Disabilities (EBV) program.

Falcone鈥檚 goal was to boost entrepreneurial activity on campus and in the region, providing funding for a center that provides valuable resources and advice to aspiring entrepreneurs. The Falcone family also created the Falcone Chair in Real Estate.

Falcone was an influential real estate developer throughout Upstate New York spanning from the early 1960s. In his early years as a real estate broker for Egan Real Estate in 黑料不打烊, he started buying small rental properties, improving them, and eventually selling them. After serving in the Air Force Reserve, he began purchasing and redeveloping shopping centers throughout Upstate New York. In 1969, he and classmate Robert Congel from Christian Brothers Academy formed the Pyramid Companies, building shopping centers, warehouses, office buildings and student apartments throughout the Northeast.

Less than a decade later, Falcone started his own development company, the Pioneer Group, the predecessor to today鈥檚 , a property management and development company headquartered in 黑料不打烊 whose projects have included master-planned industrial parks, stand-alone rehabilitation centers, new-urbanist living communities, suburban office parks, downtown office buildings, high-rise mixed-use developments, lifestyle shopping centers and various senior housing and hospitality products. After stepping back from his role as chairman, Falcone became chairman emeritus, described by the company as an 鈥渆ngaged advisor on our existing portfolio as well as new investment opportunities.鈥�

Falcone and his wife, Noreen, who died in May 2021, were well-known throughout 黑料不打烊 and Skaneateles because of their civic involvement and philanthropy. They lived most of their lives together in Central New York, and, for many years, had a home in North Palm Beach, Florida, where Falcone passed away. They took great pleasure in grape-growing and wine-making through their involvement in Hobbit Hollow Vineyard in Skaneateles, which grows Pinot Noir and Riesling grapes and serves as a grower for Heart & Hands Wine Company, Union Springs, New York, among others.

Their portfolio of philanthropic initiatives include the David B. Falk College听of Sport and Human Dynamics, the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, the College of Visual and Performing Arts, the WAER public media organization. They also supported Le Moyne College, Christian Brothers Academy, Skaneateles Festival, The Skaneateles Lake Association, the Finger Lakes Land Trust, The Everson Museum, Catholic Diocese of 黑料不打烊, 黑料不打烊 Symphony and Opera, and Francis House.

Some of Michael鈥檚 awards include the 黑料不打烊 Mayor鈥檚 Achievement Award, the Boy Power Distinguished Citizen Award, Temple Adath Yeshurun Citizen of the Year Award and the Post-Standard Achievement Award.

Falcone (who was known to his closest friends as Mickey) was also an avid traveler, hunter, golfer, skier (he skied into his 80s) and could be seen often rowing his Adirondack boat on Skaneateles Lake.听 He was also an enthusiastic fan of horse racing.

Falcone is survived by his children听Michael,听Mark, Michelle and Melissa; 13 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Three of his grandchildren are 黑料不打烊 alumni: Olivia L. Falcone 鈥�14 (College of Arts and Sciences), Michael J. Falcone 鈥�15 (Falk College) and Gabriella Drumm听鈥�22 (College of Arts and Sciences).

Bernard “Bernie” Kossar

鈥淏ernie Kossar was really one of the smartest people I have ever known,鈥� said Chancellor Kent Syverud, recalling the esteemed 黑料不打烊 and College of Law graduate, trustee, advisor, engaged alumnus and generous philanthropist. 鈥淏ernie鈥檚 IQ was so high and, with persistence, it was what kept opening up opportunities for him; but it was really his EQ, his emotional intelligence, that made him great, that made him most successful in my view. Bernie was a great judge of people.鈥�

Syverud conveyed his thoughts at a memorial service for Kossar, who passed away at the age of 91 on April 10, 2024. Over many decades, Kossar had forged a legacy of innovation, leadership and generosity. He was recalled as an extraordinary individual with an unmatched work ethic, fierce loyalty to friends and important causes, and a born entrepreneur who was always willing to help others, especially his alma mater.

Kossar majored in accounting, graduating with a B.S. from the Martin J. Whitman School of Management in 1953 and earned a J.D. from the College of Law in 1955. 鈥淭he combination of a strong business undergraduate degree, especially focusing on accounting and finance, mixed with a solid legal education equips you for almost anything and everything,鈥� Kossar said in an interview for the College of Law鈥檚 , in explaining both his 鈥減roprietary interest鈥� in his alma mater and his sense of responsibility to be supportive and engaged.

He served on the University Board of Trustees Advancement and External Affairs and Finance Committees as a life trustee participant. He was a voting trustee from 2000-2012 and chair of the Budget Committee from 2003-2006. In 2013, he received the Dritz Life Trustee of the Year Award. He was also a member of the Whitman Advisory Council, serving as its chair for 13 years. In 1996, he was the recipient of the University’s Outstanding Alumni Award. He was a member of the College of Law鈥檚 Board of Advisors and a member of the Society of Fellows.

In 2023, he received the first-ever Dean鈥檚 Distinguished Alumni Award, an honor created by College of Law Dean Craig Boise to recognize the accomplishments of outstanding alumni.听 鈥淏ernie achieved so much in his professional life, and yet he was very involved in giving back and helping succeeding generations earn their own accomplishments,鈥� said Boise.

It was his legal education that set the stage for extraordinary success in business. 鈥淚n law school, you learn how to think, how to evaluate and come to an informed judgement. The greatest thing you get out of law school is learning how to take an analytical approach to a problem, to tax your brain to get to the depth of the issue and understand it,鈥� said Kossar. After passing the bar, he served in the Marine Corps with a two-year active commitment. While practicing law upon his return, he attended New York University Law School at night to earn a master鈥檚 in tax law.

Working at the New York City-based law firm of Van Buren, Schreiber, and Kaplan, Kossar focused on the complexities of corporate law, eventually becoming indispensable to one of his clients, Franklin Stores Corporation. He ended up working full-time for the expansive New York Stock Exchange (NYSE)-listed company, and it was his legal acumen and business sense that earned him the responsibilities and title of president and chief operating officer.

After his tenure there, he strengthened other corporations, becoming the president and COO of Vornado, a NYSE-listed company engaged in retail and real estate holdings. He was special advisor to the chairman and CEO of Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company before joining W.R. Grace & Company as senior vice president. At W.R. Grace & Co., Kossar served as senior vice president of seven retail companies. During this time, Kossar created HQ Home Quarters Warehouse, which he eventually purchased from W.R. Grace. As its president and chief executive officer, Kossar negotiated a highly profitable sale of HQ in 1988. That same year, he founded OW Office Warehouse Inc., an office supply superstore chain; six years later, OW was sold to OfficeMax at a substantial profit. Thereafter, Kossar founded Millennium Partners, LLLP, a private investment partnership focused on public and private investment opportunities.

Kossar鈥檚 grandson, Michael Kossar 鈥�13, co-managed Millennium Partners with his grandfather, along with another private investment partnership, the Kossar Family LLLP. Michael was a finance major at the Whitman School, and credits his grandfather for teaching him that success in business is about building relationships and loyal friendships. 鈥淢y grandfather instilled in me that it鈥檚 all about the people that surround you. He cared about everyone, every employee, accountant and lawyer. He may have started as a caboose on the train, but he ended up at the head of the train and everyone followed him.鈥�

Kossar and his wife of more than 70 years, Carol Karetzky Kossar 鈥�53 (College of Arts and Sciences), impacted countless lives with their philanthropy. At 黑料不打烊, they established the Bernard R. Kossar Endowed Scholarship, and generously supported other initiatives in the College of Law, Whitman School, College of Arts and Sciences, the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs. Other philanthropic endeavors included the Tel Aviv Foundation, the Kossar-Karetzky Park and the Kossar-Karetzky Senior Center.

Kossar once described philanthropy as a 鈥渟elfish endeavor,鈥� adding 鈥淚 have derived more pleasure and more satisfaction and more good feelings from some of the good things that we鈥檝e done. I鈥檝e had payback beyond belief.鈥�

Kossar is survived by his wife, Carol, their daughters听Stephanie Kossar Stuart and Valerie Lise Kossar, grandchildren Michael and Ariana Kossar Cohn 鈥�16, and great-grandchildren Blaine Monroe Kossar and Juliette Kossar Cohn.

Fatimah Moody 鈥�90 (left) and Rachel Vassel 鈥�91, G鈥�21, associate vice president, Office of Multicultural Advancement, with Chancellor Kent Syverud

黑料不打烊鈥檚 has received the prestigious 2024 Alumni Association Inclusive Excellence Award from Insight Into Diversity magazine. This award brings national distinction to the team that supports and advocates for underrepresented alumni and students, raising funds for more than 50 scholarships and hosting the iconic Coming Back Together (CBT) reunion event.

According to Diversity Inc., the Alumni Award honors alumni association programs, culture and initiatives that encourage and support diversity, inclusion and a sense of belonging for all alumni, regardless of racial or ethnic background, sexual or gender identity, religion, socio-economic status, world view and more.

鈥淲e know that alumni associations are not always recognized for their dedication to diversity, inclusion and belonging,鈥� says Lenore Pearlstein, owner and publisher of Insight Into Diversity magazine. 鈥淲e are proud to honor these college and university alumni associations as role models for other institutions of higher education.鈥�

鈥淚 am grateful to our team in Multicultural Advancement, which has been building on a 40-plus year commitment to students and alumni with diverse backgrounds,鈥� says Rachel Vassel 鈥�91, G鈥�21, Multicultural Advancement’s associate vice president. 鈥淭his accolade recognizes their hard work, which is having measurable impact across the University.鈥�

Vassel cites the growth of CBT, the triennial reunion for Black and Latino alumni, which drew 50 alumni to campus in its first year and is now in its 14th year, drawing 1,500 alumni back to campus to engage with students and network with each other. 鈥淐BT has truly become part of the fabric of 黑料不打烊,鈥� Vassel says. 鈥淚t is a unique example of targeted programming that taps into the special interests of our Black and Latino alumni. From engaging speakers and VIPs to cultural food and entertainment, CBT speaks to a network of alumni who serve as inspiration to today鈥檚 students.鈥�

Class of 1974 check presentation at CBT 2017 Gala

Vassel says the dramatic increase in alumni engagement鈥攁long with the eight-fold increase in Black and Latino alumni giving during the Forever Orange campaign鈥攈elped 黑料不打烊 stand out among alumni association programs competing for the award. 鈥淚 often hear from other academic institutions wanting more information about targeted engagement,鈥� says Vassel. 鈥淚鈥檓 pleased that 黑料不打烊 is now a case study for others who are hoping to more effectively engage various alumni segments.鈥�

Vassel describes their fundraising approach as 鈥渃ommunity-based鈥� and closely partnered with groups that mobilize and empower individuals to understand the greater power of the collective. She cites as an example the Delta Sigma Theta sorority.

鈥淎 key part of our culture as Black women is working together to get things done,鈥� says Vassel. 鈥淲hen the Delta鈥檚 of 黑料不打烊 decided to create a million-dollar endowment, they reached that goal by helping their members understand the multiple avenues to philanthropy, from cash donations to stock transfers to planned gifts. We would not have many of those new donors if it weren鈥檛 for the support of the sorority working in partnership with our office and the University.鈥�

Over the past seven years, the Office of Multicultural Advancement has been recognized by CASE (the Council for Advancement and Support of Education) for the CBT 2017 reunion, diverse volunteer engagement, their targeted magazine (黑料不打烊 Manuscript) and for its virtual CBT reunion in 2021.

鈥淚鈥檓 really proud of the good work this team has done to cultivate deep and meaningful relationships with members of our alumni community, increase our pipeline of donors, and diversify our alumni volunteers,鈥� says Tracy Barlok, senior vice president and chief advancement officer. 鈥淭heir work is critical to the division and the university at large.鈥�

The new award, presented to the Office of Multicultural Advancement in the June issue of Diversity Inc. magazine, is also recognition of the close-knit community of alumni of color and the 30-member Multicultural Advancement that helps to drive alumni engagement. 鈥淭hey give real meaning to the importance of connectedness and the power of community,鈥� says Vassel.

Marco Campos

Since childhood, Marco Campos has carved his own path, one that took him from poverty to great success. Today, Campos, together with his sister, Deanna Campos-Miller, are committed to creating opportunities for educational institutions and communities in support of student success through their foundation, .

Through the foundation, Campos, whose son is a third-year student in the , has just pledged $2.15 million to 黑料不打烊 as part of the Forever Orange Campaign. The gift will fund a new student center in the . The student center will offer programming designed to attract underrepresented students to the college and support the academic success of all ECS students. It comes at a time of tremendous growth for ECS. As part of the University鈥檚 Academic Strategic Plan, ECS will grow its enrollment and faculty ranks by 50% by 2028.

鈥淭he Campos Student Center will provide dedicated space for our students with a home for collaboration, community and access to resources that maximize their success,鈥� says ECS Dean . 鈥淭his space will facilitate club activities that enhance the experience of our diverse student body. More than that, it will be a home on campus that is inviting and welcoming to all.鈥�

The Campos Student Center will be housed on the second floor of the Center for Science and Technology.

Marco and his sister grew up in West Denver, Colorado, raised by a single mother with limited resources. Campos-Miller says her brother literally wore the boots in the family. 鈥淢arco got the snow boots, but I didn鈥檛 have any, so when we had to walk to school in the snow, he would walk in front of me and pave the way to school,鈥� says Campos-Miller. 鈥淗e told me, 鈥榃alk right behind me in my footprints.鈥欌€�

Today, the siblings are paving the way for student success through the Campos Foundation.

鈥淎s a young teenager, I didn鈥檛 have role models,鈥� says Campos. 鈥淚 sensed there was something bigger, but there wasn鈥檛 a clear path.鈥� He was talented in math but received little encouragement or support until becoming part of a summer bridge program in his senior year of high school. That opened the door to engineering at the University of Colorado in Boulder where, for the first time, his potential was recognized and cultivated. 鈥淚 never loved engineering and math, but I saw the pathway to a career in an engineering degree,鈥� says Campos. 鈥淚t was grueling work, but the perseverance and grind ultimately get you there. You have to be consistent and hold the course.鈥�

Campos-Miller says her brother has never forgotten where he came from. 鈥淢arco wants to elevate as many people as possible, and he can do that by funding the right kinds of programs,鈥� says Campos-Miller. 鈥淕rit, perseverance and compassion are the best ways to describe Marco. He was always a really good dreamer!鈥�

Marco Campos with three of his four children. (Photo by Alex Dunbar)

Campos鈥� gift was inspired by a recent visit to campus and by the success of an earlier gift made by his foundation to the University of Colorado in Boulder. He says he saw the geography and the demographics of 黑料不打烊 and thought he could make a similar impact. He believes the new student center will be a welcoming and inclusive home where engineering, computer science, and other STEM students can go for academic support, financial advice and career direction. The student center is intended to inspire those who have big hopes and dreams but maybe haven鈥檛 been empowered in the past, he says.

鈥淭his kind of philanthropic support represents a true endorsement of and investment in the vision, mission and strategic planning of the College of Engineering and Computer Science,鈥� says . 鈥淚 am grateful to Marco and Deanna for their commitment to 黑料不打烊 and am confident this center will have an impact on generations of students pursuing career paths in engineering.鈥�

Campos鈥� career began with an internship at Texaco during his college years, and he was hired immediately upon graduation. By age 30, he had accumulated enough work and consulting experience, confidence and wealth to start his own company and start giving back. , established in 2005 with headquarters in Denver, offers engineering, procurement and construction counsel for utility, energy and midstream organizations. The company also offers STEM education initiatives through a community outreach program, while the foundation supports summer bridge programs, scholarships and SmartLabs at primary and secondary schools, among other initiatives.

鈥淲hen I talk about the company, I rarely talk about the business,鈥� says Campos. 鈥淓veryone can engineer. Everyone can project manage, but I want to be known for trying to improve the community and improve quality of life.鈥�

He credits his hard-working employees for their commitment to giving back and driving the success of the Campos Foundation. He notes that the guiding principle of Campos companies is, 鈥淥ur People are our Power,鈥� and the power of philanthropy rests with his employees.

Campos and his sister believe the foundation鈥檚 intensive focus on mission through philanthropy, and the recruitment of specialized talent to lead and manage these kinds of student-centered programs helps universities 鈥渕ove the needle鈥� when it comes to attracting students of all backgrounds to engineering fields. 鈥淭his has become our corporate and social responsibility,鈥� says Campos. 鈥淵ou have to be focused and disciplined and patient in your approach. Working with the University, we set up metrics to make sure the funding is accomplishing our established goals.鈥�

Campos-Miller says the naming of the new student center aligns the hopes and dreams of students with the man who forged an enviable path to success. 鈥淐ampos isn鈥檛 just a name. It鈥檚 the story behind the name. It represents possibilities and pathways to get there.鈥�

鈥淲e all have a sphere of influence and it鈥檚 incumbent on each of us to affect our sphere of influence in the most positive ways we can,鈥� says Campos. 鈥淧utting good out there in the universe brings back good, even more than we put out.鈥�

Doris 鈥淒ottie鈥� Payson

Doris 鈥淒ottie鈥� Payson 鈥�57 first parlayed a bachelor鈥檚 degree in education from 黑料不打烊 into a teaching career in the Brooklyn School District. But her passion for travel and learning about the wonders of the world led to her second career in the travel industry, serving clients at Jeffrey鈥檚 World of Travel, Ltd. in Great Neck, New York.

Payson passed away on Feb. 12, 2024, at the age of 87. She was first elected to the Board of Trustees in 2000 and served as a voting trustee until 2012. She was co-chair of the Academic Affairs Committee from 2003-07, and continued to be engaged in that committee and the Facilities Committee as a life trustee.

Payson鈥檚 service to 黑料不打烊 went far beyond the Board of Trustees. She was an alumni representative for the Office of Admissions for nearly two decades. Payson also served on the Metropolitan New York and advisory boards and was co-chair of the National Campaign Council for the Commitment to Learning Campaign, a multi-year capital campaign launched in the 1990s.

After graduating from the , Payson earned a master鈥檚 degree in history from Columbia University and enrolled in New York University鈥檚 Law School, but took a break from her law studies to raise a family. While parenting, she taught in the Long Island School System.

Payson鈥檚 philanthropic endeavors included the , the Maxwell School (where a scholarship fund is set up in honor of her parents David and Tillie Greenberg) and the Hildegarde and J. Myer Schine Student Center.

Payson and her husband, Martin, a renowned media executive and former vice chairman of Time Warner Inc., set up the Martin and Doris Payson Foundation. They had a fund dedicated to supporting the New York Jewish Film Festival. Dottie Payson also served on the boards of the United Jewish Appeal and Yivo Institute for Jewish Research, and the New York Eye and Ear Infirmary.

It was her love of the arts and international travel that drew her to the travel agency business where she served an impressive array of clients and earned the description, 鈥渢ravel agent extraordinaire.鈥� She is her husband of 63 years and their children Michele Rosenfield, Leslie and Eric Payson; grandchildren Benjamin, Simon and Daniel Rosenfield; and son-in-law Mark Rosenfield.

Vernon L. Lee Jr.

It鈥檚 a love story that began at Hendricks Chapel, where Vernon L. Lee Jr. first met Marcia L. Heath. Both undergraduates, they raised their voices in song together, worshipped together and, six days after they both graduated from 黑料不打烊 in 1954, they married. Their devotion to each other and to the Orange Community lasted a lifetime and beyond鈥攊n the establishment of the Marcia 鈥�54 and Vernon 鈥�54 Lee Endowed Fund for Hendricks Chapel.

The Reverend Vernon LaMont 鈥淏onky鈥� Lee Jr. was 92 when he passed away on Dec. 10, 2023. He had served as a voting trustee on the 黑料不打烊 Board of Trustees from 1976 to 1989, when he became a life trustee. He also served on the Hendricks Chapel Advisory Board.

鈥淰ernon was a valued trustee and supporter of 黑料不打烊 for decades,鈥� Chancellor Kent Syverud says. 鈥淚 am so grateful for his life and work.鈥�

Lee earned a bachelor鈥檚 degree in speech and drama from the College of Arts and Sciences followed by a master鈥檚 degree in theology from the Boston University School of Theology in 1957. He began as a pastor in 1957, advancing to the position of superintendent of the Elmira District of the Methodist Church in New York. Lee also had served as executive director of the church鈥檚 Central New York Conference, headquartered in 黑料不打烊. In retirement, he had been a senior consultant to the United Methodist Frontier Foundation Inc.

It is noteworthy that the Methodist leader was so dedicated to and engaged with his alma mater, a university that was initially founded by resolution of the Methodist State Convention in 黑料不打烊 in 1870. “Reverend Lee embodied the dynamic relationship between faith and learning,鈥� says the Rev. Brian E. Konkol, dean of Hendricks Chapel. 鈥淭hrough his lifelong commitment to mission and ministry, Vernon truly lived the famous quote by Methodist theologian John Wesley: 鈥楧o all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can.鈥欌€�

鈥淭o be on the receiving end of Rev. Lee’s kindness and wisdom was an honor. Though 黑料不打烊 is no longer affiliated with the Methodist Church, leaders such as Vernon help to ensure that the spirit and soul of our campus community will remain strong for generations to come,” says Konkol. Lee鈥檚 ministry mentor was Charles Noble who was the dean of Hendricks Chapel when he and Marcia were students. The endowed fund set up by the couple was created 鈥渢o initiate, support and/or enhance programs that fulfill the mission of Hendricks Chapel.鈥� Konkol says it provides support for students in need, and creates opportunities for student engagement.

As a Methodist pastor in the Central New York Conference, Lee served churches in Watkins Glen, 黑料不打烊, Auburn, Geneva and Elmira. In later years, he became district superintendent for Elmira, and subsequently conference executive. He completed his active ministry at the United Methodist Church in Fayetteville, New York.

Lee was a member of the United Methodist Frontier Foundation鈥檚 Board of Directors, serving New York and Connecticut. He was past president of the Board of Directors of the Folts Foundation Inc. in Herkimer, New York; past chair of the Board of Trustees of Alban at Duke Divinity School (formerly The Alban Institute in Herndon, Virginia); and past president of The Rotary Club of 黑料不打烊.

He and his wife Marcia, who received a bachelor鈥檚 degree from the School of Education, were also generous supporters of the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, 黑料不打烊 Athletics and 黑料不打烊 Libraries.

He is survived by his wife of 69 years, Marcia, two children, four grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

Jay N. Zemel

鈥満诹喜淮蜢� Physics was and still is a vast entryway to the future.鈥� Words by alumnus and philanthropist Jay N. Zemel when he was in his 90s and reflecting on his experiences at 黑料不打烊. He earned a B.S. in 1949, a master鈥檚 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 黑料不打烊 and launched a career in research and teaching鈥攎uch of it at the University of Pennsylvania鈥攖hat 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: 鈥淗e gave me the gift of knowledge, experience and a listening ear when needed.鈥�

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

鈥淚t was Fredrickson鈥檚 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,鈥� Zemel shared in an with the College of Arts and Sciences. 鈥淚ndeed, 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.鈥�

鈥淎s a distinguished researcher and committed educator, Dr.听Zemel听saw the immense value of undergraduate participation in faculty-guided scholarly research,鈥� says Behzad Mortazavi, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. 鈥淭he 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.鈥� 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 鈥渦nique learning environment,鈥� according to colleague and former mentee Jan Van der Spiegel, professor of electrical and systems engineering at Penn. 鈥淎t the undergraduate level, his teaching philosophy centered around the principle of 鈥榣earning by doing and making mistakes.鈥� 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.鈥�

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

Remembering his encouragement

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

Even into his 90s, Zemel challenged his neurons, continuing to analyze scientific data and contribute to meaningful research. He worked with daughter Babette鈥檚 colleagues at the Children鈥檚 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鈥檚 gift is as inspiring as he was. 鈥淗is passion and generous gift will fuel the physics department鈥檚 dream of having all undergraduate physics majors get hands-on research experiences,鈥� says Ross. 鈥淭he 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.鈥�

That was clearly Zemel鈥檚 intent in setting up the endowment. Recalling that 黑料不打烊 physics opened the doors of discovery for him, Zemel wrote in a letter to the physics department: 鈥淵ou and your colleagues are part of a great tradition that I sincerely hope continues now and into the future.鈥� His estate gift ensures that the tradition continues.

About 黑料不打烊

黑料不打烊 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鈥檙e a powerful community that moves ideas, individuals and impact beyond what鈥檚 possible.

About Forever Orange: The Campaign for 黑料不打烊

Orange isn鈥檛 just our color. It鈥檚 our promise to leave the world better than we found it. Forever Orange: The Campaign for 黑料不打烊 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听听to learn more.

Sidney 鈥淪id鈥� 鈥�53 and Helaine Lerner

Words that resonate, a memorable message and the power of the media to inspire action鈥攖hese 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 鈥淪id鈥� Lerner 鈥�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鈥檚 work to educate, inspire and empower a new generation of advocates for public health: “We hope the center can build on Sid鈥檚 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 鈥淧lease Don鈥檛 Squeeze the Charmin鈥� 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. 鈥淭hat was the genesis of the campaign, an idea that became a global phenomenon,鈥� says Peggy Neu, former president of the , the nonprofit public health organization behind the Meatless Monday movement. 鈥淪id 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.鈥�

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 鈥渁ll health breaks loose.鈥� According to Neu, the interdisciplinary approach at 黑料不打烊 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 黑料不打烊, 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:

• 黑料不打烊 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.

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

鈥淚t鈥檚 important to make research more accessible to broader audiences,鈥� says Lerner Center Director Alexandra Punch. 鈥淲e 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.鈥�

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. 鈥淪id Lerner was a strong believer in the importance of a multidisciplinary approach to addressing important policy challenges and using 鈥榮ticky鈥� messaging to change behavior and achieve positive outcomes while providing public impact,鈥� says Van Slyke. 鈥淲e are grateful for Helaine鈥檚 continued confidence in the Maxwell School and the Lerner Center to realize her and Sid鈥檚 vision of accessible options to address public health challenges.鈥�

The Lerner Center based at 黑料不打烊 will work closely with Lerner Centers at , and to expand awareness of research and student engagement opportunities.

鈥淥ne of the best ways to change policy and impact public health is to ensure that communities are empowered and educated,鈥� says Punch. 鈥淧eople 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.鈥�

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: 鈥淭hey will be building on Sid Lerner鈥檚 vision and legacy.鈥�

About 黑料不打烊

黑料不打烊 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鈥檙e a powerful community that moves ideas, individuals and impact beyond what鈥檚 possible.

About Forever Orange: The Campaign for 黑料不打烊

Orange isn鈥檛 just our color. It鈥檚 our promise to leave the world better than we found it. Forever Orange: The Campaign for 黑料不打烊 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听听to learn more.

Dick Clark

One of 黑料不打烊鈥檚 most famous graduates, Dick Clark 鈥�51 started his broadcast career in Central New York and grew to prominence in Philadelphia as host of 鈥淎merican Bandstand.鈥� 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.

鈥淟A remains the center of the broadcast industry, and Dick always wanted to support young people hoping for a career in entertainment,鈥� says his wife Kari, explaining the reasoning behind the Kari and Dick Clark Foundation鈥檚 Forever Orange Campaign gift to significantly expand the University鈥檚 presence and impact in the entertainment field. Soon to be named the 黑料不打烊 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 鈥淟eading with Distinction,鈥� the University鈥檚 new academic strategic plan which seeks to make study away and study abroad opportunities more accessible to all undergraduate students.

鈥淲hen Dad moved his company to LA, it flourished,鈥� says Clark鈥檚 daughter Cindy, who graduated from the in 1986 and built her own successful career in television and film production in LA. 鈥淭he expansion of the is a continuation of my father鈥檚 commitment to fostering new talent in the entertainment business. Seeing how the sausage really gets made鈥攊t鈥檚 just an invaluable experience.鈥�

鈥淒ad was always of the mind that nothing beats a practical hands-on experience in this business,鈥� says Clark鈥檚 son RAC, who has produced thousands of hours of live event and entertainment programming and created Lion鈥檚 Heart Entertainment in LA. 鈥淵ou get to be in the belly of the beast.鈥�

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

That鈥檚 why, about 40 years ago, Dick Clark met with University administrators and laid the foundation for SULA. He helped initiate the idea of a 鈥淗ollywood benchmark trip,鈥� which started with fewer than a dozen students coming from 黑料不打烊 to meet with him in LA and visit production studios. Clark鈥檚 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鈥檚 generosity.

鈥淭he 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,鈥� says Chancellor Kent Syverud. 鈥淒ick鈥檚 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.鈥�

All the Clarks take pride in the connection with 黑料不打烊. 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. 鈥淢y first time on campus was for the dedication of the studios,鈥� says RAC. 鈥淚 was just so proud to be his son.鈥� When RAC鈥檚 daughter enrolled in the , he told her: 鈥淵ou are carrying a legacy that goes back generations.鈥� Her mother, Eve Adair 鈥�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 鈥淒ick Clark鈥檚 New Year鈥檚 Rockin鈥� Eve,鈥� Clark鈥檚 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.

鈥淒ad was a 鈥榝amous face鈥� but that was tangential to his work,鈥� says RAC. 鈥淚t 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.鈥�

Soon to be named the 黑料不打烊 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.

鈥淚t鈥檚 no exaggeration to say that Dick was a pioneer, boldly going into the uncharted waters of radio and television,鈥� 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. 鈥淗e was thinking that far ahead,鈥� she says.

RAC recalls his father talking about how entertainment 鈥渨ould be piped into your home in a box. He predicted the beginning of streaming.鈥�

Dick Clark was excited to share knowledge with 黑料不打烊 students who came to LA to study or experience the industry, and with those who came to work for Dick Clark Productions. 鈥淗e loved imparting advice,鈥� says Kari. She says the many young professionals he helped train would say they went to Dick Clark University (DCU).

鈥淭here wasn鈥檛 a better run production company,鈥� says Cindy. 鈥淭he 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.鈥�

鈥淟ooks good, sounds good, on time, on budget,鈥� says RAC. 鈥淭hat was the adage that permeated the staff and all the freelancers who worked there.鈥�

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

About 黑料不打烊

黑料不打烊 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鈥檙e a powerful community that moves ideas, individuals and impact beyond what鈥檚 possible.

About Forever Orange: The Campaign for 黑料不打烊

Orange isn鈥檛 just our color. It鈥檚 our promise to leave the world better than we found it. Forever Orange: The Campaign for 黑料不打烊 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听听to learn more.

鈥淭he film festival provides a space for faculty, students, staff and community members not just to view impactful films, but more importantly have a space in which we can share our reactions to them, ask questions of their filmmakers and learn more about the situations, people and events they depict,鈥� says Roger Hallas, associate professor of English and director of the festival. 鈥淭his is how films can change the world, one conversation at a time.鈥�

鈥淲hen Spring Came to Bucha”

Founded by Tula Goenka, professor and graduate director of television, radio and film in the Newhouse School, the festival has consistently engaged the urgent issues of our time, from climate change to institutional racism to ongoing wars. Two films about the current war in Ukraine, to be presented Saturday, Sept. 23 at 1 p.m., were made by filmmakers with 黑料不打烊 connections. Shashkov Protyah鈥檚 short film听鈥淢y Favorite Job鈥澨齩ffers an intimate look of Ukrainian volunteers rescuing civilians from the besieged city of Mariupol. 鈥淚 was struck by how powerfully this short film conveyed the courage and resilience of the rescuers,鈥� says Hallas. Protyah is a member of听, a film collective from the city, whose members include Oksana Kazmina, who is also a current graduate student in the M.F.A. film program in the College of Visual and Performing Arts.

鈥淢y Favorite Job鈥� is paired with the feature film听鈥淲hen Spring Came to Bucha,鈥� directed by Mila Teshaieva and Marcus Lenz, which follows the lives of the Ukrainian village outside Kyiv after liberation from Russian occupation as the full extent of the atrocities committed there come into full view. Photographer and filmmaker Teshaieva was an artist in residence at Light Work in 2016. Teshaieva, Protyah and Kazmina will all participate in the post-screening discussion.

The film festival is part of 黑料不打烊 Symposium, which is marking its 20th anniversary. The Symposium theme of 鈥淟andscapes鈥� weaves throughout the films. 鈥淭he film festival鈥檚 2023 lineup takes up diverse meanings of the concept, from the politics of memory to questions of grief and trauma to human trafficking to war, traversing national boundaries and engaging in different genres and visual technologies,鈥� says Vivian M. M鈥媋y, director of the University鈥檚 Humanities Center. 鈥淛uxtaposing local and global human rights issues and weaving questions of justice across contexts is what SUHRFF does best.鈥�

Opening the festival on Thursday, Sept. 21 at 7 p.m. is 鈥淣orth by Current,鈥� a searing look at family trauma, grief, addiction and transgender identity captured by the filmmaker Angelo Madsen Minax when he returns home to rural Michigan after the death of his niece. Minax will introduce the film and participate in post-screening discussion.

The dual national landscapes of Greenland and Canada are featured in 鈥淭wice Colonized鈥� by Lin Alluna, featuring the lifelong struggle for the rights of Indigenous people by Inuit lawyer Aaju Peter who will be available for Q&A after the film screening on Friday, Sept. 22 at 7 p.m.

Similarly, director Sanjeewa Pushpakumara will discuss his film 鈥淧eacock Lament鈥� that closes the festival on Saturday evening, Sept. 23, at 7 p.m. Hallas calls the film an 鈥渆nthralling drama鈥� into the corrupt world of trafficking babies from unwanted pregnancies in Sri Lanka.

Aaju Peter appears in “Twice Colonized” by Lin Alluna, an official selection of the World Documentary Competition at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival. Photo courtesy of Sundance Institute | Photo by Angela Gzowski Photography.

Festival founder Goenka remains both engaged and enthusiastic about this year鈥檚 screenings. 鈥淐ollaborating with Roger on SUHRFF since 2010 has been one the most professionally rewarding and inspiring experiences I have had in all my years on campus,鈥� says Goenka. 鈥淚 am extremely thankful that he has now taken over as its sole director. The 2023 program is stellar and topical as always, and I am very excited about it.鈥�

The festival also includes a new collaboration with the听 (UVP), another program at Light Work, which presents听large-scale architectural projection of the artist鈥檚 work onto I. M. Pei鈥檚 Everson Museum building in downtown 黑料不打烊. 鈥淯VP鈥檚 director Anneka Herre suggested that our shared commitment to social justice and art would provide a strong opportunity for collaboration,鈥� says Hallas. On Saturday afternoon, Sept. 23 at 4 p.m. there will be an artist talk with which presents an Afro-Surreal poetic virtual reality experience featuring 3D renderings of objects from Afro-diasporic culture in local archives.

May points out that the film festival helps advance the mission of the Humanities Center, 鈥渟howcasing the humanities as a public good, and enhancing the scholarly community by bringing people together to confront some of the most pressing issues of our time.鈥�

All screenings are free and open to the public (no tickets are required). The has more details describing each screening with specific dates and times. All films are closed-captioned or subtitled and audio described in English. Communication Access Realtime Translation (CART) is available during all Q&A sessions. For other accommodations, contact Jacqulyn Ladnier (humcenter@syr.edu) or 315.443.7192.

Courtney Mauldin

This fall, the corridor marks 15 years in existence and its fifth year into the endowment that provides humanities research support in perpetuity, thanks to an award from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Though the administrative home of the corridor is at the听, the corridor is a consortium of 11 institutions connecting faculty, academic staff, students and members of the wider community across disciplinary, geographic and institutional boundaries.

鈥淭he corridor has truly become a regional consortium with global reach,鈥� says Vivian M. May, director of the Humanities Center and the corridor, and professor of women鈥檚 and gender studies. 鈥淭hanks to our support this past year, working groups engaged with over 3,800 individuals and collaborated with over 260 institutions and organizations across at least 37 states and 23 countries around the world.鈥�

With funding from the corridor, Mauldin has been able to bring together educators and others who aspire to mentor Black girls to explore ways to give them more voice. As part of their research (the working group is now in its third funding cycle), Mauldin and her co-lead Misha Inniss-Thompson, assistant professor in the department of psychology at Cornell University, discovered that the adult educators first needed to explore their own beliefs, backgrounds and judgments and 鈥渄iscover the Black girl in all of us and unlearn some of what we had learned as girls鈥� to more effectively mentor and inspire the next generation.

Misha Inniss-Thompson

鈥淚n a world where we are constantly bombarded with messages of who we ought to be (or not), in the working group we鈥檝e cultivated a space that truly begins to embody what it means to express our thoughts freely, make space for our healing and co-construct spaces where current generations of Black girls can have a space to be in intentional community with one another,鈥� says Inniss-Thompson.

Now, each event sponsored by Mauldin鈥檚 working group has an intergenerational element. 鈥淭he corridor has given us an opportunity to do the kind of applied research that doesn鈥檛 fit into a box,鈥� says Mauldin. 鈥淲e go in with one idea and discover something new, always thinking about impact.鈥� At an at the Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art in Ithaca, New York, the art of Nydia Blas will be used as a springboard for participants to听consider the role of family, history and home in shaping understanding of Black girlhoods.

鈥淭he corridor brings to life our commitment as stated in the Academic Strategic Plan to support and encourage research focused on the community good and fosters empathy and civic engagement through the arts and humanities,鈥� says Associate Provost for Strategic Initiatives Marcelle Haddix. 鈥淭ogether with our academic colleagues across Central New York, we grapple with critical questions and address issues that have the potential to transform society in positive ways.鈥�

The collaboration of researchers across disciplines and backgrounds is key to the corridor鈥檚 success in sparking new ways of thinking and ensuring that the humanities remain relevant as an area of study. 鈥淢any of us who were trained in the humanities didn鈥檛 really have to make a case for ourselves. It was a given that the humanities were important. It never occurred to me to wonder what I was going to do with the work,鈥� says Lois Agnew, associate provost for academic programs and professor of writing and rhetoric. 鈥淭he world has changed and students are pressing for answers on how to make the humanities more relevant and how they can make a difference in the world.鈥�

Lois Agnew

Agnew, along with Stacey Langwick, associate professor of anthropology at Cornell, and Andrew London, professor of sociology at 黑料不打烊, co-leads a working group on . 鈥淗ealth humanities is a broad discipline that provides a vehicle for acknowledging the complex factors that shape people鈥檚 experiences with health,鈥� says Agnew. 鈥淔or example, we know that illness is something everyone experiences. But we don鈥檛 always think about the structural inequalities that affect people鈥檚 access to medical treatments and the quality of care they receive. We are looking at the complex ways in which there are barriers that might not be obvious, as well as the sociocultural influences that shape people鈥檚 assumptions about health, medicine, disease and disability.鈥�

An sponsored by Agnew鈥檚 working group is designed to move attendees beyond those assumptions by challenging them to consider how they define 鈥渉ealthy food鈥� in the context of food deserts. Keynoter Hanna Garth, assistant professor of anthropology at Princeton University 鈥渋lluminates how the concept of 鈥榟ealthy food鈥� is loaded with assumptions about the ways different racialized populations eat, and operates a racial signifier indexing whiteness and in opposition to Black and Latine ways of eating.鈥�

鈥淎ll of us in academia will likely take some of the questions she introduces back to our students and that should help them understand the world a little better, specifically how structural inequality in the world is interfering with people鈥檚 ability to live and flourish,鈥� says Agnew.

Other corridor activities have included an early modern philosophy conference; a skills-building archival research workshop; writing workshops for military veterans; a colloquium on ethics and data science; a public lecture and youth workshop on grassroots organizing; Indigenous performance and art; a micro-theater festival; career workshops for doctoral students; the formation of a new public policy humanities network; several book circles and writing workshops to provide mentoring and advance research outcomes across all career stages.

鈥淭o my knowledge, there is no other program of its kind nationally, which is fiscally supported by a combined endowment physically located at three universities,鈥� says Gregg Lambert, founding director of the corridor. He credits Chancellor Kent Syverud for providing the commitment and support that resulted in $3.65 million matching endowment grant from the Mellon Foundation, enabling the corridor to establish centers at 黑料不打烊, and the University of Rochester, and include other institutions in the collaborative to form a whole that is truly more powerful than its parts (including Colgate University, Hamilton College, Hobart and William Smith Colleges, Skidmore College, St. Lawrence University, Union College, Le Moyne College and the Rochester Institute of Technology).

鈥淲hat is truly unique is a funding model that fosters interdisciplinary research that is organic and evolutionary,鈥� says Lambert. 鈥淭hrough this faculty-driven collaborative model, the working groups have flexibility in developing and adapting their research in response to discoveries and innovations that broaden the creative process and impact.鈥�

Vivian May

鈥淚n addition to advancing our mission to provide research support, build bridges and cultivate scholarly community for faculty, students and academic staff across our region, working group collaborations lead to diverse outcomes,鈥� says May. 鈥淭he ripple effects of our funding include publications, cross-institutional learning communities and teaching collaborations, external grants and fellowships, archive-building, newly commissioned musical scores, and more.鈥�

鈥淐entral New York is fortunate to have such a thriving and engaged humanities community, and the consortium鈥檚 co-directors and I are proud to support the wide-ranging needs and interests of the region鈥檚 scholars, artists, performers and activists,鈥� says May. 鈥淪uch heterogeneity, evocative of a vibrant quilt of different fabrics, textures and colors, is key to our vitality as a research consortium that advances cutting-edge research and brings the humanities to bear on a range of local and global concerns.鈥�

Minnie Bruce Pratt

Pratt died on July 2 at the age of 76. According to an in The New York Times, her death was caused by glioblastoma. A few weeks before her death, her sons Ben and Ransom Weaver that she was 鈥渇ree of pain and surrounded by loving friends and family.鈥� It was a poignant post by the sons she fought for but lost custody of after she came out as a lesbian in the mid-1970s. In North Carolina where she lived at the time, same-sex relationships were considered a crime.

Pratt was already a renowned feminist, poet, essayist and activist when she came to 黑料不打烊 in 2005, with a joint appointment as a professor in the departments of writing and women鈥檚 studies.听She began her 黑料不打烊 tenure teaching two courses: Nation, Sex, Sexuality: Critical Perspectives on Contemporary Life in the U.S. in the women鈥檚 studies program and Narratives of Power in the writing program. She was a key architect in the 2006 launch of the in the College of Arts and Sciences.

Pratt also co-chaired and keynoted numerous academic conferences, served as an affiliated faculty member in disability studies, and lent her expertise to major programs and initiatives, including the University鈥檚 Future of Minority Studies Project and the Stone Canoe arts journal.听 At a retirement celebration to honor her decade of teaching at 黑料不打烊, she was credited with helping the University be named as one of the nation鈥檚 top-50 LGBT-friendly institutions.

Pratt was born Sept. 12, 1946, in Selma, Alabama, and attended a segregated high school. She earned a B.A. from the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, where she was also Phi Beta Kappa, and a Ph.D. in English Literature from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Prior to 黑料不打烊, she taught at the University of Maryland-College Park and was the Jane Watson Irwin Chair of Women鈥檚 Studies at Hamilton College.

She was a member of Feminary, a feminist journal and collective. She co-authored 鈥淵ours In Struggle: Three Feminist Perspectives On Anti-Semitism and Racism,鈥� chosen in 2004 as one of the 100 Best Lesbian and Gay Nonfiction Books of all time by the Publishing Triangle.

Pratt published eight books of poetry: 鈥淭he Sound of One Fork,鈥� 鈥淲e Say We Love Each Other,鈥� 鈥淐rime Against Nature,鈥� 鈥淲alking Back Up Depot Street,鈥� 鈥淭he Dirt She Ate: Selected and New Poems,鈥� 鈥淚nside the Money Machine鈥� and 鈥淢agnified.鈥澨€淐rime Against Nature,鈥� on Pratt’s relationship to her two sons as a lesbian mother, was chosen as the Lamont Poetry Selection by the Academy of American Poets, an annual award given for the best second full-length book of poetry by a U.S. author. 鈥淐rime Against Nature鈥� was also chosen as a New York Times Notable Book of the Year and given the American Library Association Gay and Lesbian Book Award for Literature. 鈥淭he Dirt She Ate鈥� received the 2003 Lambda Literary Award for Poetry and the Lucille Medwick Memorial Award from the Poetry Society of America.听Pratt also received a Lillian Hellman-Dashiell Hammett award given by the Fund for Free Expression to writers “who have been victimized by political persecution.”

Pratt鈥檚 book of autobiographical and political essays, 鈥淩ebellion: Essays 1980-1991,鈥� was a finalist in nonfiction for the Lambda Literary Awards. This volume includes her essay “Identity: Skin Blood Heart,” which was adopted for teaching use in hundreds of college courses and community groups.

Pratt with these words published on her website: 鈥淭he struggle鈥攆or social justice and for workers and oppressed people, against racism and imperialism and for liberation for women and all gender and sexually-oppressed people鈥攊s my life.鈥� And though she was determined through her work to educate and raise consciousness, that wasn鈥檛 enough: 鈥淲e must act on what we understand to be unjust, or our hard-won consciousness is useless, nothing more than sand running back and forth through an hourglass.鈥�

Pratt was predeceased by her longtime partner, author and trans activist Leslie Feinberg and is survived by her two sons, their partners and five grandchildren.

A $1M gift for a culinary hub in the John A. Lally Athletics Complex honors Joseph O. Lampe 鈥�53, L鈥�55, H鈥�04.

鈥淲hen Joe was a young boy, his father took him to all the football games. He even got to sit on the bench with the team, and he grew up determined to go to 黑料不打烊,鈥� says Shawn. 鈥淚鈥檝e never known someone to be so in love with his university. And he loved all sports. We often had to cancel social plans to stay home and watch 黑料不打烊 basketball games on TV. As the new athletics complex was taking shape, I wanted to honor Joe there in some special way. It made sense to make a gift that would put his name on the kitchen that will nourish every student-athlete in the 鈥極ne Team鈥� Olympic Sports Dining Hall and the Football Dining Hall.鈥�

The Lampe Culinary Hub and dining halls are centrally located in the new John A. Lally Athletics Complex, which has entered a new phase of development and where on the new Football Operations Center and the 鈥淥ne Team鈥� Olympics Sports Center. The new complex replaces what was once known as the Joseph and Shawn Lampe Athletics Complex. 鈥淎s a real estate executive and a fundraiser, Joe understood how things must evolve to meet current needs and demands. I know he would be pleased to have his name in a location in the new athletics complex where there will be energy and intention to help students,鈥� Shawn says.

鈥淎 native of 黑料不打烊, Joe bled Orange,鈥� said Director of Athletics John Wildhack. 鈥淓very 黑料不打烊 student, including each one of our student-athletes past, present and future, are the beneficiaries of Joe鈥檚 passion for the Block S. We are grateful for the generosity and commitment he and his wife, Shawn, make to the place we are all fortunate to call home.鈥�

鈥淛oe was generous in countless ways, giving of his time and wisdom and wealth, always trying to enhance the student experience from the classroom to the playing field,鈥� says Chancellor Kent Syverud. 鈥淲ith his name forever present in the new athletics complex, generations to come will know of his contributions and impact on his alma mater.鈥�

Joe Lampe鈥檚 connection to 黑料不打烊 runs as far back as his birth at the former Hospital of the Good Shepherd in 黑料不打烊, now known as Huntington Hall. From birth until the day he died on Jan. 25, 2018, he was connected to the University. He earned a degree in speech and dramatic arts and continued his education at the College of Law. He served as a member of the Air Force Reserve at Hancock Field and was called to active duty after completing his law degree.

Joseph O. Lampe 鈥�53, L鈥�55, H鈥�04

Though he did not return to 黑料不打烊, instead building a life and career in Arizona where he had been stationed, he remained connected to campus. He supported the Student-Athlete Fund and established the Joseph O. Lampe Endowed Scholarship, which is awarded to the captains of the football and men鈥檚 basketball teams. He also supported Our Time Has Come and College of Law scholarship funds, along with dozens of other scholarship programs. For the College of Visual and Performing Arts, he established the Iris L. P茅rez Celis Fund to support studio arts majors from traditionally underrepresented groups.

鈥淲hen Joe was ready to go to college, his father had a financial setback,鈥� says Shawn. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 why he got the job in the cafeteria. He was a determined person. Nothing got in his way when he put his mind to something. He believed his education enabled him to be successful. Joe wanted to help students with financial challenges and give them opportunities to be successful.鈥�

Lampe described his desire to make life better for others in a book about leadership, written by former 黑料不打烊 Chancellor Kenneth A. 鈥淏uzz鈥� Shaw. In 鈥淭he Intentional Leader鈥� (published Aug. 29, 2005), Lampe is quoted: 鈥淲ork is important to me. I want to work hard and I want to believe that the work I am doing makes things better for people鈥t is important to me to believe that my time on earth results in the betterment of others.鈥�

Shawn recalls that her husband鈥檚 work ethic, loyalty and determination applied to all his dealings with the University. He was on the College of Law Board of Advisors and the Chancellor鈥檚 Council. He served on the Board of Trustees beginning in 1987 and was its chairman from 1998 to 2004. 鈥淛oe barely missed a meeting, despite the difficulty in flying from Phoenix to 黑料不打烊. In fact, he kept a bag at the campus hotel, so it was ready for him on quick trips,鈥� Shawn says.

In honor of Lampe鈥檚 contributions to the University and its students, 黑料不打烊 recognized him with numerous awards, including the 黑料不打烊 Athletics honorary Letterwinner of Distinction award in 2003, SU Alumni Award in 1984, the Distinguished Service Award from the College of Law in 1991, the George Arents Award for Business and Service to Alma Mater in 2003 and an honorary doctor of laws degree in 2004.

鈥淚 knew what Joe was passionate about,鈥� says Shawn. 鈥淗e had so much energy. Now, his name will live on in a place filled with positive energy.鈥�

About 黑料不打烊

黑料不打烊 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鈥檙e a powerful community that moves ideas, individuals and impact beyond what鈥檚 possible.

About the Legends Society

The Legends Society is an exclusive group of 黑料不打烊 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 黑料不打烊

Orange isn鈥檛 just our color. It鈥檚 our promise to leave the world better than we found it. Forever Orange: The Campaign for 黑料不打烊 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听听to learn more.

Michael Wohl

Today, it all makes sense for a man who built a successful career by meeting the needs of the less fortunate. Wohl co-founded Pinnacle Housing Group in 1997, which came to be recognized as the leading producer of affordable housing in the southeastern United States, creating homes for countless families across three states.

鈥淚鈥檓 very passionate about affordable housing and providing for the workforce, for the elderly and for those transitioning out of homelessness,鈥� says Wohl, who is now a principal in Coral Rock Development Group LLC, a real estate investment firm focused on mixed-use developments that help communities prosper. One of its most recent projects is in North Miami, Florida, where a new affordable housing complex will feature 138 apartments. 鈥淭he fact is that this form of real estate development is a very lucrative business and it has allowed me to engage in philanthropy. What is better than doing well by doing good?鈥�

Real estate investment has allowed Wohl to invest in the future of others, especially students at 黑料不打烊 and its College of Law. Wohl has invested his own 鈥渢ime, treasure and talent鈥� in the development of the campus, its programs and services, and its students. He served on the College of Law鈥檚 Board of Advisors; is a Life Trustee of the University; was a driving force behind the development of the Barnes Center (the connecting lobby is named for Michael and his wife, Betty) and the development of Dineen Hall; provided support for the Betty and Michael D. Wohl Veterans Legal Clinic at the College of Law; funded the Sheila and Alfred Wohl Dining Center at the Winnick Hillel Center for Jewish Life in honor of his parents and the Alfred Wohl 鈥�34 Lacrosse Field behind Manley Field House; and supports the academic success of promising students through the Alfred Wohl Memorial Law Scholarship funds. His daughter, Heather Wohl Herzberg 鈥�12 has carried on the family tradition of philanthropy, naming the Dean鈥檚 Suite at Falk College.

Wohl says that investing in law students pays lasting dividends because so many of them go on to contribute to their communities (and to the college) after graduation. In a letter of thanks to Wohl, one scholarship recipient wrote: 鈥淭he College of Law has provided me with a number of incredible opportunities to grow as an aspiring attorney and, more importantly, as a person. I am incredibly grateful. I hope that one day I will be able to help students achieve their goals, just as you have done for me.鈥�

Just as his father set an example for him, Wohl says his philanthropy is motivated by a deep desire to show others 鈥渨hat you can do with your education, your life, your background and your affiliation with 黑料不打烊.鈥�

When he majored in sociology as an undergraduate, focusing on the study and dynamics of small groups, Wohl had no idea how it would come to serve him in his career. 鈥淎ll of my business involves dealing with groups of people, recognizing the dynamics and understanding how to utilize those dynamics to achieve success.鈥�

Similarly, Wohl entered law school with an open mind for knowledge and no predisposition to any particular aspect of the law. He recognized the usefulness of a broad legal education. 鈥淚 knew that law school was going to be a huge stretch for me in terms of academics and discipline. I wasn鈥檛 like many of my classmates who had the scales of justice hanging above their cribs, destined to be lawyers. I did not. But I had a tremendous sense of the value of my law school education,鈥� says Wohl. 鈥淭he skill sets that you acquire鈥攈aving the ability to dissect material, to reason and think logically, to speak publicly, to stand up and advocate for a position. These are invaluable in business and in life鈥攁nd they came from my law school experience.鈥�

College of Law Dean Craig M. Boise says it is Wohl鈥檚 sensitivity and vision for how a legal education can amplify any career that makes him such a valuable advisor, engaged alumnus and philanthropist. 鈥淢ichael is supportive of initiatives that make the College of Law more relevant and contemporary in meeting the needs of students and ensuring that their education enhances their professional opportunities. He has taken many of our graduates under his wing and helped them succeed beyond the college.鈥�

As his father before him, Wohl used his law degree to excel in the real estate business. Alfred Wohl 鈥�34 consulted in the construction of apartment houses, commercial buildings, industrial buildings, shopping centers and post office buildings. As his success increased, so did his generosity. 鈥淢y father started some amazing things,鈥� says a very proud son. 鈥淗e founded the largest boys and girls club in the United States, in Queens, and he was co-founder of the Long Island Jewish Medical Center, the place where the first COVID-19 vaccine was administered.鈥�

When his father passed away, Wohl was in charge of managing his estate and assets, which included a lot of apartment developments in Manhattan. That鈥檚 when he really fell in love with the real estate business and saw the value of his legal training. He structured sales that ultimately reaped huge benefits for his estate. In the 1990s, there were a lot of distressed properties for sale. Wohl seized the moment and the momentum. 鈥淚 built my first affordable housing complex in the Little Havana area of Miami, and the 35 units sold out quickly,鈥� he recalls. 鈥淎gain, what is better than doing well by doing good?鈥�

The business of affordable housing not only aligned well with the philanthropic legacy of his father, it also 鈥減layed into my social consciousness, if you will, that grew out of my academic experiences and being a child of the 60s.鈥� Wohl was at Woodstock in the infamous summer of 1969, just as his 黑料不打烊 student experience was being shaped.

鈥淢usic had a profound influence on me in the 1960s and 1970s,鈥� reflects Wohl. 鈥淧erhaps the most beautiful lyric ever written came from the Beatles: 鈥楢nd in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make.鈥欌€�

A fitting phrase for a man who has created opportunities for so many through the love of giving.

Fellow graduate and wife Judith C. 鈥淛udy鈥� Mower 鈥�66, G鈥�73, G鈥�80, G鈥�84 shares his conviction that a great professor can make a profound difference in a student鈥檚 approach to learning. That belief drives their latest gift to the University.

The Mowers

鈥淎t the very heart of its academic value, 黑料不打烊 continues to build upon the excellence of its faculty鈥攅xcellence that is found, nurtured, developed and celebrated,鈥� says Judy Mower. 鈥淎s 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.鈥�

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 .

鈥淛udy and I have always tried to match our interests with what the University needs,鈥� says Eric Mower, in describing their approach to philanthropy. As generous supporters of academic programs, lectures, athletics and the libraries鈥攁mong other programs鈥攂oth 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.

鈥淧ersuasive communications is the essence of successful advertising, brand-building and public relations programs,鈥� says Mower, who earned a master鈥檚 degree in public relations from the Newhouse School. Persuasive communications involves a deep understanding of the 鈥渟ender-receiver鈥� relationship in creating credible, original, engaging and effective messages that convey the benefits of a product or the strength of an idea.

鈥淢y graduate degree is in public relations but two-thirds of my business is advertising,鈥� says Mower. 鈥淎nd 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 黑料不打烊 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 鈥楩ierce Friends鈥� on behalf of our clients.鈥�

鈥淎 communications school must remain nimble and maintain strong professional connections in order to keep up with the quickly changing industry,鈥� says Newhouse Dean . 鈥淎lumni 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.鈥�

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 鈥渄eep emotional connections between people and brands.鈥�

As Mower describes it: 鈥淲e 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.鈥�

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

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 鈥減rovide the vital, raw material for the work we do that might enrich our messaging.鈥� 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.

鈥淲hen I interview someone who wants to join our company, I鈥檓 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听 message creation and delivery and how they fit together,鈥� 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 黑料不打烊 and married in Hendricks Chapel.

About 黑料不打烊

黑料不打烊 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鈥檙e a powerful community that moves ideas, individuals and impact beyond what鈥檚 possible.

About Forever Orange: The Campaign for 黑料不打烊

Orange isn鈥檛 just our color. It鈥檚 our promise to leave the world better than we found it. Forever Orange: The Campaign for 黑料不打烊 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.

Point of Contact is a nonprofit collaborative initiative exploring contemporary visual and verbal arts.

Originally founded in 1975, Point of Contact (POC) is a nonprofit collaborative initiative exploring contemporary visual and verbal arts. Through forums, readings and exhibitions, POC has provided opportunities for writers, scholars and artists to display and explore diverse cultures and identities. Initially conceived by its founder, the late Professor Pedro Cuperman in the College of Arts and Sciences, as an arts journal, it evolved into a series of books and bilingual poetry editions and, eventually, a gallery and multicultural arts education program.

鈥淲e look forward to a new age for Point of Contact and the opportunity to expand the reach of its exhibition programs and annual celebration of poetry month,鈥� says Tere Paniagua 鈥�82, who studied under Cuperman when she was a student at the University. Paniagua is now executive director of the , overseeing both Point of Contact and . 鈥淲ith POC鈥檚 new collaboration with the museum studies program, we will have the opportunity to use the gallery space in the Nancy Cantor Warehouse, where Point of Contact will present an exhibition each fall and its poetry readings program in April.鈥�

POC has plans to present 鈥淭he Border Is a Weapon鈥� in the fall of 2023 to mark Hispanic Heritage Month. This contemporary art installation show features work by a collective of artists in a project initiated at the Laredo Center for the Arts, curated by Gil Rocha. The show has received a grant from the and will be part of the 2023-24 黑料不打烊 Symposium on 鈥淟andscapes.鈥�

POC鈥檚 board president, , associate professor of studio arts in the School of Art at VPA, and a native of Laredo, Texas, is working in collaboration with the museum studies program to bring this exceptional work representing the arts and culture of the border regions to the community.

鈥淧oint of Contact’s transition to the provost’s office positions us in a broader context and gives us an opportunity听to share our unique brand of interdisciplinary arts to a larger听audience,鈥� says Juarez. 鈥淧OC’s unique blend of creative writing and visual arts is an excellent platform to engage with 黑料不打烊’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. With the provost’s office support, we will be able to expand what we can offer the University, local and international communities.鈥�

, assistant professor and program coordinator of museum studies in the , is excited about the partnership between museum studies and POC.

POC has plans to present 鈥淭he Border Is a Weapon鈥� in the fall of 2023 to mark Hispanic Heritage month.

鈥淭he ongoing partnership between museum studies and Point of Contact represents one of the most valuable community collaborations for our students,鈥� says Saluti. 鈥淏oth within the exhibition space and beyond the gallery walls, the work that our programs engage in intersect on multiple levels. This newly formalized relationship will not only enhance our practical approach to educating emerging cultural heritage professionals but will forge invaluable relationships across the University and greater 黑料不打烊 community.鈥�

Paniagua believes POC鈥檚 collaboration with the museum studies program will greatly benefit students and faculty in interdisciplinary studies throughout the University, exposing them to international scholars, resources and art and literary collections. Historically, POC has engaged students from across the academic spectrum in such programs as creative writing, Latino-Latin American studies, public relations, nonprofit management, arts leadership, art collections management, design and printmaking, among others.

鈥淧OC reaches across the campus and around the globe and aligns well with 黑料不打烊鈥檚 commitment to provide students with diverse cultural experiences and international connections,鈥� says Paniagua. 鈥淧OC鈥檚 board recently welcomed several new members, including representation from the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes in Buenos Aires, Argentina, with whom we have partnered for years.鈥�

The new members include Mat铆as Roth, from the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and Jos茅 Sanjin茅s G鈥�90, professor of communication, media and culture at Coastal Carolina University.

The art collection accumulated by POC will be available for study and research and will travel to other museum spaces in the U.S. and across Latin America and the world. One of its signature pieces, the 鈥淭ower of Babel,鈥� by Argentine artist Joseph Kugielsky, will be featured in a tour next fall, traveling to the Munson in Utica, New York, the Boston Museum of Fine Arts and the Mattatuck Museum, for a co-curated show: 鈥淏etween Worlds: Stories of Artists and Migrations.鈥�

Each spring, POC hosts Cruel April, a series of events that takes its title from T.S. Eliot鈥檚 1922 poem 鈥淭he Waste Land鈥�: 鈥�April is the cruelest month, breeding lilacs out of the dead land, mixing memory and desire, stirring dull roots with spring rain.鈥� This program complements the release of POC鈥檚 annual poetry collection, Corresponding Voices, currently a 15-volume series.

After a yearlong process of review and reorganization, plans are in place to publish a new poetry collection in 2024 and resume the Cruel April poetry reading series featuring some of the best poets from around the world. POC will be innovating its long-established program by leveraging textual and visual content with new online platforms and technologies to make poetry accessible to a wider audience.

鈥淲e believe that making poetry accessible, regardless of location or access to resources, is key in creating meaningful conversations and experiences around poetry and across cultures. The program鈥檚 aim is to draw attention and appreciation for the art form while creating a platform for poets, both established and aspiring, to share their work across cultures,鈥� Paniagua says.

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 黑料不打烊 in 2011.

鈥淚 think any problem that geochemistry can solve, Zunli can take it on,鈥� 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 鈥渨hat鈥檚 going on way down deep in the Earth鈥� and the second endowed professorship currently 鈥渦ses geochemistry to understand rainfall, past and future.鈥�

Lu鈥檚 work covers a wide range of topics intersecting geology, energy, environment and climate. 鈥淚 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,鈥� 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.听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: 鈥淚 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.鈥�

鈥淭his series of endowed professorships from Mike鈥檚 generosity has driven strong positive feedback in the growth of our faculty and in the reputation of our department,鈥� says Lu.

鈥淭he Thonis family鈥檚 commitment to academic excellence, demonstrated by their generous support of our faculty, is deeply appreciated,鈥� says College of Arts and Sciences Interim Dean Lois Agnew. 鈥淚t鈥檚 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.鈥�

鈥淭hrough their continued philanthropic commitment to 黑料不打烊, Mike and Susie are helping us attract and retain top scholars who drive discovery,鈥� says Chancellor Kent Syverud. 鈥淚n 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.鈥�

鈥淭he time I鈥檝e 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,鈥� says Gregory Hoke, chair of the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences. 鈥淎s we enter our 150th year as a department, their generosity does so much to cement our future as one of the University鈥檚 oldest academic units.鈥�

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鈥檚 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 黑料不打烊, 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.

鈥淲hen you give gifts, you begin to feel more like your career matters,鈥� says Thonis, who has gifted more than $5 million to support scholarships and academic excellence in research and teaching at 黑料不打烊. 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.

鈥淲hen people give more money away, they tend to prosper,鈥� Brooks . In other words, it鈥檚 good for the giver and for society because there鈥檚 an economic multiplier effect to philanthropic investments. Applying the same principles, Thonis continues to be a fervent supporter of 黑料不打烊.

鈥淲hen you retire in business, it doesn鈥檛 mean you鈥檙e done contributing,鈥� says Thonis. 鈥淚f you want to be happy, you need to take what you鈥檝e 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.鈥�

The direct beneficiary of his latest gift shares Thonis鈥� appreciation for the broad impact of a focused investment. 鈥淚 think there may be a surprising number of parallels between understanding the Earth system and navigating the finance world,鈥� says Lu. 鈥淵ou 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.鈥�

About 黑料不打烊

黑料不打烊 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鈥檙e a powerful community that moves ideas, individuals and impact beyond what鈥檚 possible.

About Forever Orange: The Campaign for 黑料不打烊

Orange isn鈥檛 just our color. It鈥檚 our promise to leave the world better than we found it. Forever Orange: The Campaign for 黑料不打烊 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.

Robert Gang was recognized with a certificate by Elizabeth G. Kubala, teaching professor in the College of Law and executive director of the Betty and Michael D. Wohl Veterans Legal Clinic, in front of current faculty, alumni, students and honored guests during a College of Law Alumni Weekend event in 2021. (Photo by Mike Roy)

Gang passed away on Feb. 18, 2023, a few months shy of his 105th birthday. The World War II and Korean War Army veteran, attorney, outdoorsman and world traveler demonstrated the meaning of the phrase Forever Orange in his loyalty to his alma mater and his determination to serve others through the skills he learned as a student.

Last year, 黑料不打烊 named Gang a 鈥淗ometown Hero鈥� at a celebration during a campus football game (the game ball holds a place of honor in his home). The National Veterans Resource Center at the Daniel and Gayle D鈥橝niello Building also and military memorabilia in an exhibition last year. And on his 103rd birthday, College of Law Dean Craig Boise celebrated the oldest living alumnus of the college with a party at Gang鈥檚 home and a proclamation recognizing the day as 鈥淏ob Gang Day.鈥�

Dean Boise paid tribute once again to Gang in a to the College after he died, noting that Gang had practiced law for 50 years and continued to do pro bono work well into his 80s: 鈥淗is dedication to the legal profession, to country and to service, his palpable commitment to family and community, and his smile were infectious.鈥�

Gang grew up in the 黑料不打烊 area and attended Christian Brothers Academy. According to family lore, his attendance at 黑料不打烊 was mandatory鈥攈is father gave him no choice (either 黑料不打烊 or no college!). He lived at home as an undergraduate and walked 3.5 miles to campus for class! He chose Army ROTC as a gym class alternative, became a cadet in the 鈥淪talwart Battalion鈥� program and joined the Pershing rifle team.

Gang entered the College of Law immediately upon his graduation in 1939, but the completion of his legal education was interrupted by military service. In fact, he was just five credits from completing his degree when he joined the U.S. Army, serving from 1942 to 1951 as an infantry officer. He completed his law degree while on duty and passed the New York State Bar in 1946, using his legal skills to help represent soldiers charged with misconduct. He served in the inspector general鈥檚 office in Camp Bowie in Texas and became an inspector general at Fort Hood.

Bob Gang served from 1942 to 1951 as a U.S. Army infantry officer.

Between World War II and the Korean War, Gang also helped carry on the family funeral home business in 黑料不打烊, which was founded by his great grandfather. After serving his country, Gang started a very successful career in private legal practice, working in the firm Smith, Dolan, Gieselman and Gang. He specialized in real property law and served as the assistant city corporate counsel during his career. Later, he joined the firm of Mackenzie Hughes and retired after more than 50 years, though he continued to practice and serve others in the community.

Gang was a longtime trustee of Christian Brothers Academy, founding member of the Ka-Na-Wa-Ke Canoe Club, an early member of the Onondaga Ski Club, a part owner of the Ironwood Ridge Ski Center and a member of the Angler’s Association of Onondaga; Onondaga Bar Association; Skaneateles American Legion, Post 239; German-American Society of Central New York; Otisco Rod & Gun Club; the Arion Stein Club; Arion Singing Society Men’s Chorus; the Skaneateles YMCA and Community Center; and the Osceola Snowmobile Club.

He is by his wife, Holly Gang, eight children, 15 grandchildren, 31 great-grandchildren, 10 nieces and nephews and eight great-nieces and nephews. Gang鈥檚 sons-in-law Ed Moses L鈥�68 and Michael P. Williams L鈥�95 and grandson Matt Moses L鈥�97 all attended 黑料不打烊 for their law degrees.

Jimmy Luckman

For Jimmy Luckman, college opened his eyes to a world he never knew existed. With fewer than 50 graduates in his high school class in Lyndonville, New York, the opportunity to attend SUNY Brockport gave him access to new and exciting ideas and experiences. 鈥淚 majored in sociology, and I didn鈥檛 even know what that was in high school!鈥� says Luckman. 鈥淏ut I had amazing mentors who saw potential in me and my love of learning.鈥�

Luckman鈥檚 sister was not so fortunate. She had such a negative experience during a college orientation that she decided not to attend college at all. His sister has cerebral palsy and felt so unsupported at that college during orientation that she declared it just wasn鈥檛 for her. 鈥淚 witnessed the pain she experienced because she did not feel a sense of belonging and support,鈥� says Luckman.

Those personal experiences shaped Luckman鈥檚 decision to enter the field of Orientation, Transition, and Retention (OTR), a specialized area in academia that applies rigorous research to the understanding of why some students excel and others don鈥檛, why some are fully engaged in the college experience and others feel marginalized. Luckman鈥檚 research and passion serve him well in his position with the Office of Academic Affairs as associate director of the First Year Seminar (FYS).

Luckman鈥檚 work with students, faculty and staff has already earned him national awards and accolades. This past year, he was awarded the by the Association for Orientation, Transition, Retention in Higher Education (NODA), given to graduate/doctoral students who are contributing to the enhancement of the field. Luckman also received the 2023 award from the . In nominating him for the latter, Associate Dean of Student Services Chandice Haste-Jackson wrote: 鈥淛immy is one to watch; he will undoubtedly be among the change leaders of our time.鈥�

Haste-Jackson detailed how Luckman developed curriculum for the first-year course and training modules using high-impact practices grounded in research, consulted with and trained peer instructors and faculty, delivering the modules to more than 600 individuals in just one year. He 鈥渆xhibited consummate leadership and the capacity to mentor and support individuals that were tenured and seasoned well beyond Jimmy鈥檚 experience. Yet, what he had to offer was not anything they could learn without his guidance and support.鈥�

Luckman brings his personal experiences and insights together with his professional interest in data-driven research. He came out as queer in graduate school; he received his master鈥檚 in counseling and student affairs from Northern Arizona University and is currently a doctoral student at St. John Fisher University, studying LGBTQ+ students鈥� sense of belonging and the phenomena of queerbaiting on college campuses.

鈥淢y personal experiences, continuing self-reflection, learning and research demonstrate the importance of exploring identity. I see how much I still have to grow,鈥� says Luckman.听 鈥淭he big picture of a campus climate鈥攖hat sense of belonging, feeling comfortable in navigating campus life鈥攚eighs on me every day. College is not a sprint. It鈥檚 a marathon. And the first-year experience is just one lap around the track. What students learn in their first year guides them in the next lap around and then the next. For example, they learn to have difficult conversations in FYS, to talk about differences鈥攁 skill that will help them throughout college and throughout life.鈥�

Luckman was integral in transitioning the first-year course from being a 5-week, 0-credit, seminar-style course based on a shared reading to a 1-credit, 15-week, semester-style course including experiential learning, which is a graduation requirement for all incoming first-year and transfer students.

In recommending Luckman for the emerging professional award, Associate Professor Kira Reed noted Luckman鈥檚 passion for data collection and analysis by monitoring the attendance of all 4,300 incoming students to assess patterns of engagement. 鈥淛immy presents almost weekly with campus partners data on what we learn about each year鈥檚 respective first-year class regarding the number of withdrawals, drops, fails and concern flags raised to brainstorm remedies in real-time that will support student success and retention. The result has been decreased drops and a low percentage of failures.鈥�

Luckman explains how he worked with one college that offered lectures on diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility issues as part of the first-year experience but had disappointing student engagement. Luckman called upon campus partners in student experience to help the college implement programs that offered more opportunities for social interaction and dialogue, along with lectures, to engage more students. The associate dean was appreciative and the data demonstrated success.

According to Associate Provost for Strategic Initiatives Marcelle Haddix, 鈥淛immy provided leadership to explore what was done in the past as well as ways to enhance practices in the future to ensure that FYS effectively reflects its mission of helping students transition into the 黑料不打烊 community and engage in conversations focusing on diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility.鈥� Haddix says Luckman鈥檚 work is making education 鈥渕ore engaging, relevant and equitable.鈥�

Luckman believes that 黑料不打烊 is the perfect place for him to put theory into practice to advance research in student success. 鈥淲e are really innovative at 黑料不打烊,鈥� says Luckman. 鈥淚n comparison to other first-year experience programs, we have tremendous engagement by a large population of student peer leaders and greater intentionality to integrate DEIA into weekly programming. We are setting new expectations in the field. And we are keeping up with what students are asking for.鈥�

Feldman still majored in biology but decided to follow in her father鈥檚 footsteps and pursue a law degree. She eventually entered into practice with her father and grandfather, concentrating in medical malpractice and complex litigation. She formed the first all-female owned trial law firm in Philadelphia and specializes in medical malpractice, drug and medical device injury, and other personal injury cases. Feldman also serves as chair of the Philadelphia Bar Association鈥檚 Public Interest Section, advocating on behalf of individuals who are often marginalized by society.

Laura Feldman 鈥�81

Despite her professional success, Feldman has never forgotten the challenges she faced as an undergraduate. That memory鈥攁nd the desire to ease the journey for others鈥攊s what drives her philanthropy. In her latest gift to 黑料不打烊 through the , Feldman has bequeathed $1.5 million to the SUSTAIN program in the . Launched in 2017 with funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF), the , provides scholarships and academic support along with professional and social experiences to attract and retain students from underrepresented groups in science and mathematics (STEM).

鈥淲hat I learned as a biology major served me well in my career,鈥� says Feldman, whose specialty demands a deep understanding of medicine and pharmaceuticals. 鈥淚 like to think I ended up in a non-conventional science job. That鈥檚 why I want to help students with an interest in science see the possibilities they might explore.鈥�

The world of possibilities is what SUSTAIN is all about. 鈥淢any of our young scholars are first-generation college students who come to 黑料不打烊 thinking of being a doctor or veterinarian or dentist,鈥� says John W. Tillotson, associate professor of STEM Education and chair of the Department of Science Teaching in A&S. 鈥淲hat we try to do in SUSTAIN is expose them to all the many career possibilities beyond the traditional. We bring in professionals, give them early immersion research experience and help them with internships and job shadowing. We open their eyes to what exists out there in STEM fields.鈥�

Tillotson says the SUSTAIN program is truly turning the tide for many students interested in STEM fields. 鈥淭ypically, only about 40% of students who enter college with the intention of being a STEM major graduate with a STEM degree,鈥� he says. 鈥淢any of them change course in their first year. With the support and encouragement SUSTAIN provides our students, our first-year retention rate is 95% and our graduation rate is over 75% into STEM fields.鈥�

That kind of statistical success impressed Feldman and inspired her first gift to SUSTAIN, a $250,000 five-year commitment to support the program. She was even more impressed and inspired by the letters from SUSTAIN students who wrote to thank her for her ongoing support.

鈥淚 was contemplating transferring out of a STEM major because it was becoming too stressful and time-consuming,鈥� wrote one student. 鈥淭he SUSTAIN scholarship’s resources and guidance are the primary reason I am still studying a science major today.鈥�

鈥淚 started college with the intention of being pre-med and wanting to go on to medical school. Joining a lab as a freshman, and getting to listen to special SUSTAIN speakers, helped me realize I would prefer a career in research,鈥� wrote another student. 鈥淲ith the extra support and guidance of the SUSTAIN program, I was able to finish my undergrad degree a full year early with a major in biology and a minor in anthropology.鈥�

Feldman, who serves on the College of Arts and Sciences Dean鈥檚 Advisory Board, says she was moved to tears by letters from students like this one: 鈥淥verall, my experience in SUSTAIN was as influential as it was because it was the first time that anyone had been willing to invest in me because they believed I had the potential to succeed.鈥�

The 鈥渂elief in potential鈥� strikes Feldman close to home. She became foster parent to five siblings, ages 6 to 17, after their mother died. 鈥淭heir mother was one of my father鈥檚 clients,鈥� Feldman says. 鈥淪he died of AIDS after a blood transfusion. Her legal case involved negligence in the medical care she received that led to the transfusion. Before she died, she made me promise to take care of her kids. I quickly realized the many challenges these kids would face in their pursuit of the American dream.鈥�

Feldman adds that she truly believed in her kids鈥� potential: the oldest became a first-generation college student; all are now adults working in fields they enjoy.

鈥淏elief in potential鈥� is a critical element in SUSTAIN. Tillotson says students who come from challenging backgrounds鈥攚hether low-income or historically marginalized groups鈥攐ften suffer from 鈥渋mposter syndrome.鈥�

鈥淭hey find it difficult to fit into the culture at many universities, feeling like they are not talented enough to compete with their peers,鈥� Feldman says. Through faculty mentorship and other support, they gain confidence and recognize their capabilities.

鈥淭he SUSTAIN program is a fine example of what we mean when we say 黑料不打烊 is committed to preparing our students for personal and professional success,鈥� says College of Arts and Sciences Interim Dean Lois Agnew. 鈥淭hat preparation goes well beyond the classroom. We create a holistic environment for students to thrive, give them the opportunities to explore their passions, allow them to see what success looks like, and provide them the tools they need to get there.鈥�

The endowed fund created by Feldman鈥檚 latest gift will ensure the SUSTAIN program can continue in perpetuity to carve pathways to success for countless students. 鈥淟aura is making a long-term investment in the human capital these students possess,鈥� says Tillotson. 鈥淪he is investing in the future well-being of these young people, who have demonstrated their desire to pay it forward.鈥� Tillotson says SUSTAIN graduates stay involved with the program, motivating the students who come after them.

Feldman is heartened by the fact that her gift will 鈥渒eep on giving鈥� through SUSTAIN graduates. 鈥淚鈥檇 like the people who benefited from my gift to give back to future generations,鈥� she says.

Judging from the letters written to her, that鈥檚 already happening: 鈥淚 really appreciate your generosity and your gift has allowed me to attain my goals,鈥� writes one SUSTAIN graduate. 鈥淵ou have motivated me to give back to students in the future so that they too have the opportunity to achieve their goals.鈥�

About 黑料不打烊

黑料不打烊 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鈥檙e a powerful community that moves ideas, individuals and impact beyond what鈥檚 possible.

About Forever Orange: The Campaign for 黑料不打烊

Orange isn鈥檛 just our color. It鈥檚 our promise to leave the world better than we found it. Forever Orange: The Campaign for 黑料不打烊 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.

Samuel V. Goekjian 鈥�52

鈥淚 have always considered myself a Maxwell man,鈥� Goekjian . It鈥檚 where he 鈥� not only about the rights of citizenship, but also of the obligations that accompany that citizenship.鈥� He took what he learned and made a real difference in the world and in the lives of hundreds of 黑料不打烊 students.

Goekjian鈥檚 father, Vahram, was an Armenian journalist who escaped the bloodshed in Turkey at the end of World War I. He married another Armenian refugee in Greece, and emigrated to Ethiopia to build a business and raise their two sons, eventually sending them to an American boarding school on the island of Cyprus. Later, Goekjian returned to Ethiopia to work at the Ministry of Education, where one of his responsibilities was to place students in British and American universities. That鈥檚 when he was presented with an opportunity that would change his life鈥攁 four-year scholarship to 黑料不打烊. He arrived in 1948, as one of the few international students on campus.

At the University, Goekjian demonstrated his diverse skills, interests and leadership: he was a three-sport letter winner in soccer, track and tennis (recognized by the Varsity Club of 黑料不打烊 Athletics 40 years later as a 1996 LetterWinner of Distinction); he belonged to the Phi Kappa Alpha Honor Society, the Orange Key and was a Phi Beta Kappa; he was elected president of his junior class, the debate society and the men鈥檚 student government in his senior year. He graduated magna cum laude in 1952 with a bachelor鈥檚 degree in history.

After graduation, Goekjian joined the U.S. Army and served as a mortar gunner in the Korean War. Following two years of combat service, he attended Harvard Law School and earned a law degree in 1957.

Fluent in seven languages and having lived in four continents, he navigated the world of international law and business with ease, spending the next five decades working for law firms, businesses or consulting firms with international offices. At Surrey & Morse, he rose to managing partner, overseeing its finance committee, international arbitration department and offices in Paris and Beirut. For nearly ten years, he was chair and CEO of Consolidated Westway Group Inc., an international trading and agro-industrial group. He was past chair and CEO of Intracon Associates LLC, an international business consulting firm in Washington, D.C., and managing partner of Kile Park Reed & Houtteman, which specializes in intellectual property, internet technology and international trade.

He also served as a senior consultant to various agencies at the United Nations and was a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. The author of papers on international law and finance, Goekjian taught at the George Washington University Law School, the Georgetown University Law Center and Georgetown鈥檚 International Law Institute. He also taught a course in international economic development at Maxwell as an adjunct professor of international relations from 1998-2003.

Goekjian served his alma mater in diverse ways. He was first elected to the Board of Trustees in 1997 and was a voting trustee until 2010, serving on the Academic Affairs and the Enrollment and the Student Experience committees. He had the distinction of being one of the longest-serving members of the advisory board of his beloved Maxwell School, which recognized his service with the Horizon Award in 2005. He received the University鈥檚 highest alumni honor, the George Arents Award, in 2009 for his excellence in international business and law.

Ensuring a legacy of his love for the University and commitment to international affairs, he established the Samuel V. Goekjian Endowment in Global Affairs. His philanthropy supported hundreds of summer travel research grants for Maxwell students doing international field research, providing students with the opportunity to gather information and data that would position them to better compete for future research funding. Each summer, the fund provides more than a dozen grants, awarded through Maxwell鈥檚 Moynihan Institute of Global Affairs. Recipients have used the money to help with airfare, translators and basic expenses.

, Goekjian committed another $250,000 to the fund that had already exceeded $1 million. In a 2018 Maxwell School news article about the celebration, one of the award recipients said, 鈥渢his is the type of financial and intellectual generosity that positively alters the course of people鈥檚 lives.鈥�

At the time of his death, he lived in Washington, D.C. He is survived by his children Kenneth, Christopher, Peter and Lisa, and six grandchildren.

Walter Broadnax

鈥淧ublic service isn鈥檛 about something you do today and then you鈥檙e done. It鈥檚 about improving our society, improving the world鈥or the people that live in it.鈥� Words attributed to Walter Broadnax G鈥�75 that defined the way he approached life, education, work and volunteer service. The esteemed 黑料不打烊 alumnus, professor, trustee and benefactor passed away on Dec. 2, 2022, at the age of 78.

Broadnax was raised in Hoisington, Kansas, in the part of town that had no paved roads, no indoor plumbing or sewage, and attended a predominantly white elementary school. He demonstrated both ambition and leadership early in life, becoming superintendent of his Sunday school at the First Baptist Church when he was just 16 years old, and graduating from Hoisington High School as an outstanding senior student in 1962.

That was just the beginning of what would become a long and distinguished career in public service. With a Ph.D. from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs (his dissertation was titled 鈥淩ole Differentiation Between Minorities and Non-minorities in Urban Administration鈥�), Broadnax shaped a career in the public and nonprofit sectors that led him to be considered one of America鈥檚 most respected scholar-practitioners in the field of public policy and management.

鈥淎s a teacher, scholar and lifelong public servant, Walter has always been an inspiration,鈥� says Maxwell School Dean David M. Van Slyke. 鈥淲alter鈥檚 humility, intellect and commitment to making a positive difference could be seen in the magnanimous ways he interacted with people from all walks and stations in life and treated them with dignity, respect and compassion.鈥�

Walter Broadnax

Before joining the Maxwell faculty in 2008 as Distinguished Professor of Public Administration and International Affairs, he served as president of Clark Atlanta University in Atlanta, Georgia; dean of the School of Public Affairs at American University in Washington, D.C.; and professor of public policy and management in the School of Public Affairs at the University of Maryland, where he directed the Bureau of Governmental Research, and was founding director of the Innovations in State and Local Government program at Harvard University鈥檚 Kennedy School of Government.

In addition to his academic career, Broadnax held many positions in the government sector, including deputy secretary and chief operating officer of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, overseeing a major restructuring of the agency and the creation of the Social Security Administration as an independent entity; transition team leader for the Clinton/Gore administration; president of the Center for Governmental Research Inc. in Rochester, New York; president of the New York State Civil Service Commission; and director of Children, Youth and Adult Services for the state of Kansas.

In 2010, Broadnax and his wife, Angel, to provide scholarship and financial assistance to a graduate student or students enrolled in Maxwell, and pledged a $1 million bequest gift to support public administration students in perpetuity. Acknowledging the gift, Van Slyke said that Broadnax represented 鈥渢he ideals of the Maxwell School鈥� parlaying his Maxwell education into public service and sharing his acquired wisdom with students aspiring to public service.

Five years later, Broadnax retired from teaching and took on emeritus status at the Maxwell School.

Walter Broadnax speaking at the M.P.A. convocation in 2015. (Photo by Arthur Paris)

In honor of his retirement, his former colleague at Maxwell, James D. Carroll, wrote a tribute: 鈥淲alter鈥檚 distinctive contribution has been his unique combination of study and experience and his ability to share it with others鈥攁 contribution in the finest Maxwell tradition.鈥�

Broadnax鈥檚 commitment to 黑料不打烊 included election to the Board of Trustees in 1999, serving as a voting Trustee until 2008 and then Life Trustee. He and his wife supported other initiatives beyond Maxwell, at the College of Visual and Performing Arts and Hendricks Chapel. Broadnax received the George Arents Award for excellence in public service in 2001, the University鈥檚 highest alumni honor.

Earlier this year at the annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration, Chancellor Kent Syverud paid tribute to Broadnax, along with Dr. King and Charles Willie G鈥�57, H鈥�92, who earned a Ph.D. in sociology from the Maxwell School. Broadnax had been one of Willie鈥檚 students. 鈥淟et鈥檚 take our inspiration from Dr. King and Dr. Willie and Dr. Broadnax,鈥� said Syverud. 鈥淟et鈥檚 persevere through setbacks. Let鈥檚 commit ourselves to excellence that is rooted in equality. Let鈥檚 make 黑料不打烊 an example of the transforming power of higher education.鈥�

Broadnax is survived by his wife, Angel, of Fayetteville, New York, and their daughter, Andrea A. Broadnax-Green (Leonard), of Loxahatchee, Florida, along with several nieces and nephews.

Xin Liu

As co-founder and president of The Enlight Foundation, Liu has focused her philanthropy on projects and people who share a desire to create equal educational opportunities around the globe and nurture social entrepreneurs and change-makers.

That same desire drives the parents of Alexia Tsairis, for whom The Alexia is named. Alexia was 20 years old鈥攁 photography major in the Newhouse School鈥攊n 1988 when she was killed in the terrorist bombing of Pan Am 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, as she was returning home from a semester abroad in London.

鈥淎ll through our almost 34 years since that fateful night in 1988, we have had hopes and dreams,鈥� says Alexia鈥檚 mother Aphrodite Tsairis. 鈥淲e have been dedicated to visual journalism by supporting the important socially relevant work of professionals and by providing a platform for educating emerging photojournalists.鈥�

Aphrodite and her husband, Peter, founded the in partnership with Newhouse in 1991 and, since then, it has awarded $1.7 million in grants to 170 students like Liu and professional photographers through annual competitions, encouraging them to heighten the impact of their work. In 2021, the program transitioned to the Newhouse School and became The Alexia.

鈥淥ur overriding interest is in the stories they produce,鈥� says Aphrodite Tsairis. 鈥淲e care about current issues that plague our crisis-ridden planet and, most importantly, how to solve them. We elevate the visual journalist to the role of change-maker, not just reporter.鈥�

That philosophy resonates deeply with Liu. 鈥淰isual storytelling can connect people in powerful ways,鈥� she says. 鈥淭hose connections can inspire social change around the globe. Journalists, photojournalists and videographers play a vital role as change agents in our world and when we support the profession, we help amplify its impact.鈥�

Through the , 黑料不打烊 is providing an additional $1 million to enhance the impact of the Enlight Foundation鈥檚 $2 million gift. The funding creates The Alexia Endowed Chair and provides continuous support for the grants, and for teaching, research, fellowships, programmatic and educational opportunities to inspire more impactful storytelling.

鈥淚 am so thankful to Xin for having the vision to expand The Alexia,鈥� says Bruce Strong, associate professor in visual communications and The Alexia Endowed Chair in the Newhouse School. 鈥淚n addition to offering the grants, our plan is to provide fellowship opportunities for top-tier professionals so they can pull away from their hectic careers and take time to reflect, develop additional skill sets and research relevant topics before going back into the industry. This will also provide an additional opportunity for our Newhouse faculty and students to engage with accomplished visual communicators.鈥�

Liu believes the Alexia grant helped her rise to the 鈥渢op of her game.鈥� Born and raised in China, she attended Renmin University of China with the intention of becoming a journalist. The university had just launched a new major in photojournalism, and she was immediately attracted to the idea: 鈥淚 had never even touched a camera before,鈥� she says. 鈥淏ut I figured that if I could do both writing and photography, I could go on assignment and do all parts of the story.鈥�

She worked at the China Youth Daily for almost three years. While there, she was contacted by a former professor and advisor, as she had been selected as a graduate student upon graduation, and informed about The Alexia grant opportunity for students. She seized the opportunity. After a three-month internship at The Baltimore Sun, Liu arrived in Central New York in the winter of 1994 (just before a season of nonstop snow that she says destroyed two pair of her military-style boots!).

鈥淓verything I learned in 黑料不打烊 was so very different from what I had learned in China,鈥� she says. She developed storytelling skills in photo essays and still remembers the story she crafted about a 黑料不打烊 high school student who was struggling as a single mother (in fact, Liu includes these photos in an upcoming book collection that will capture pivotal moments in her life). When Liu interned at The Baltimore Sun, she 鈥渕et all these amazing photojournalists, including many women, which truly encouraged me. In China, most of them were men.鈥�

Ultimately, she was offered a full scholarship to Ohio University in Athens, Ohio, where she earned a master鈥檚 degree in visual communications. She worked for the Miami Herald, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and Palm Beach Post.

Liu founded Enlight Foundation in 2004 to provide opportunities for Chinese students to study abroad. She describes how Enlight evolved to focus its philanthropy on rural education, youth leadership training and programs that would foster the growth of social entrepreneurs and changemakers. Funding for journalists became a priority more recently as the profession became more vulnerable to political attacks.

鈥淛ournalism is the fourth pillar of our society and a critical pillar of democracy,鈥� says Liu. 鈥淚nternational bureaus are closing. Local newspapers are dying.鈥� Her support of The Alexia is based on her belief that journalists are witnesses to history and can influence its course. She notes that photojournalists often capture 鈥渁 decisive moment鈥� in history鈥攁n iconic image that 鈥渃aptures the soul of a historical era.鈥�

Newhouse School Dean Mark Lodato says the power of great journalism and communications can be wielded to strengthen society. 鈥淭he gift from Enlight, along with Xin鈥檚 vision for the future, will enable Newhouse to further broaden its reach around the globe and heighten the impact of deep thinkers and trailblazers who understand the power of storytelling to transform lives.鈥�

Strong stresses that The Alexia grants go beyond simply recognizing great work. 鈥淭he grants are essentially incubators for important projects,鈥� he says. 鈥淲e find people who desire to make a difference in the world and heighten their influence. The Alexia was created to help people understand different cultures, something we need now more than ever. Visual communication is a language that cuts across all cultures, all backgrounds, all languages. You don鈥檛 have to speak the language of the photographer to understand what they are saying in their story.鈥�

Peter and Aphrodite Tsairis still think about what stories their daughter might have told through her photojournalism had she had a chance. 鈥淲ith the support of the Newhouse School, which gave us a home, we were able to channel our loss in a way that made us whole again,鈥� says Aphrodite. 鈥淲e felt closer to her as we met students and professionals who showed us what her life would or could have been had she lived. It was healing.鈥�

Now, the promise of a young life cut short lives on in a legacy gift made by the woman who still treasures the grant that carries Alexia鈥檚 name. 鈥淭his is about capacity building,鈥� says Liu. 鈥淭he capacity of storytellers around the globe to bridge cultural divides, to foster understanding, address social issues, and bring about lasting change.鈥�

About 黑料不打烊

黑料不打烊 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鈥檙e a powerful community that moves ideas, individuals and impact beyond what鈥檚 possible.

About Forever Orange: The Campaign for 黑料不打烊

Orange isn鈥檛 just our color. It鈥檚 our promise to leave the world better than we found it. Forever Orange: The Campaign for 黑料不打烊 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.

Joan Breier Brodsky 鈥�67, G鈥�68 and William 鈥淏ill鈥� Brodsky 鈥�65, L鈥�68 at the dedication of the Joan Breier Brodsky Conservation Lab and Classroom in Bird Library in August

鈥淎s first-year students, we all had to take a course in citizenship taught at the Maxwell School,鈥� says Bill. 鈥淐ivic responsibility was a concept that was simply instilled in us, to 黑料不打烊鈥檚 great credit.鈥�

Fast forward to 2022, when both Bill and Joan were recently appointed to serve their country in new ways by the president of the United States: Bill was chosen by President Joe Biden L鈥�68 and confirmed by the Senate to serve as a board member of the Securities Investor Protection Corporation (SIPC), which administers a fund that is used to restore investors鈥� missing assets in the event of a brokerage firm failure. Joan was appointed to the National Museum of Library Services Board, which advances听programs in museums, libraries and information services throughout the nation and the public鈥檚 access to historically significant resources.

In making these prestigious appointments, the president considered the expertise and commitment 鈥渂rought to the table鈥� by both Bill and Joan. 鈥淲e are bringing all our worldly experiences to these new roles,鈥� says Joan. 鈥淲e both wanted to do something where we could do some good.鈥�

They both credit 黑料不打烊 for providing the education, the inspiration and the vast network of alumni that has sustained their lifelong commitment to the Orange community. Most prominent among the latter is President Biden, who attended the College of Law with Bill. Two of the Brodsky鈥檚 sons worked for Biden as interns on Capitol Hill; the families remain close.

Drawn to Public Service

It was during law school and their dating years that both Joan and Bill were drawn to public service. Bill learned about a federally funded program in downtown 黑料不打烊 to provide legal services for those who could not afford it. He became its first employee. He helped create Onondaga Neighborhood Legal Services Inc. Meanwhile, Joan, who graduated from the School of Information Studies and developed a keen interest in book preservation and library conservation work, made sure to create a record of his public service, and donated his important papers to the Equal Justice Library in Washington, D.C. Also early in their marriage, Joan had a federal grant to set up an innovative media center in an inner city school in 黑料不打烊.

It was a 黑料不打烊 professor who would set the trajectory for the rest of their public service. 鈥淢ichael Sawyer was a revered Maxwell School professor,鈥� says Bill. 鈥淯pon graduation from law school, I had offers to stay in poverty law or to go to Wall Street. Sawyer told me: 鈥楪o to Wall Street, make a lot of money and you鈥檒l do more good for people in poverty than being a poverty lawyer.鈥欌€� So that鈥檚 exactly what they did. Says Joan: 鈥淭he impact of one great professor on people鈥檚 lives can be extraordinary.鈥�

Bill began his New York City career as a securities lawyer, joining the American Stock Exchange in 1974 and became its head of options trading in 1976. Then, he and Joan had the opportunity to move to Chicago to advance his career. He rose to the highest levels of leadership at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, the Chicago Board Options Exchange and the World Federation of Exchanges, a global body of more than 60 of the leading exchanges of the world.

鈥淢oving to Chicago was the biggest risk we ever took,鈥� Bill recalls. They had no family and no friends there. But the 黑料不打烊 connection came into play once more: the alumni association connected the Brodskys to alumna Ren茅e Schine Crown 鈥�50, H鈥�84, whose philanthropy established and maintains the Schine Student Center. 鈥淲e co-hosted a tailgate party with the Crowns. They became our role models in civic engagement and philanthropy.鈥�

鈥淲e鈥檝e always tried to find good people and emulate them,鈥� says Joan. 鈥淭o this day, the Crowns are the most kind, outstanding and generous people we know.鈥�

Remaining Connected

Like the Crowns, the Brodskys remained closely connected to 黑料不打烊 across hundreds of miles. Bill served on the Law School Board of Advisors for several years, and on the Board of Trustees for decades and is now a life trustee. Joan serves on the Libraries Advisory Board and formerly served on the iSchool Advisory Board.

Together, Bill and Joan spearheaded the campaign that established the Michael O. Sawyer Chair of Constitutional Law and Politics at the Maxwell School, tapping into the generosity of alumni and colleagues who wanted to carry on Sawyer鈥檚 legacy. They are also generous supporters of the University and the Libraries, having established an endowment for the Brodsky Series for the Advancement of Library Conservation,听and provided significant funding to renovate the conservation lab on the sixth floor of Bird Library, with new equipment and space to care for special collections materials and preserve rare and fragile materials. Their three sons all attended 黑料不打烊 and their grandson Matthew is a senior in the Newhouse School.

In his to graduates of the College of Law in 2015, Bill advised: 鈥淔ind ways to share your gifts of talent and time and ultimately maybe some money with the broader community. One of the greatest sources of satisfaction for Joan and me is our involvement in the community, in the political process, in professional and industry organizations, in educational and medical institutions and through our philanthropy. It鈥檚 amazing that as our activities have grown, how our lives have become enriched.鈥�

鈥淲e are forever intertwined with 黑料不打烊,鈥� says Joan. 鈥淎nd we are forever grateful.鈥�

Throughout his career, Conservation Librarian David Stokoe has had an extraordinary window into history.

For the last 16 years, Stokoe has worked in 黑料不打烊 Libraries and its . Located on the sixth floor of Bird Library, the recently dedicated Joan Breier Brodsky 鈥�67, G鈥�68 Conservation Lab is responsible for the conservation and preservation of individual items and entire collections, carrying out repairs to bound and unbound manuscripts, printed books, works on paper, architectural drawings and much more.

Throughout his career (which began at age 17 in his native Newcastle upon Tyne in the United Kingdom), Stokoe has had an extraordinary window into history. That鈥檚 the nature of a conservator who has worked in museums, libraries, government archives and academia. Some of the most memorable items that have passed through his hands include the following:

• Materials relating to King Herod鈥檚 census
• 4,000-year-old cuneiform tablets used by shepherds to record their flocks
• Artwork and writings from internment camps on the Isle of Man during World War II (housing people deemed a security risk at that time)
• Early printed medieval bibles and manuscripts from the 14th century onwards
• An eloquently written letter by Malcolm X outlining his philosophical evolution on racism

Stokoe says the most challenging project involved piecing together parts of the epic cartoon strip 鈥淧rince Valiant鈥� created by Hal Foster in 1937. It鈥檚 an adventure story that continues through 4,000 comic strips.

鈥淚t was originally drawn on large boards with stuck on captions, many of which became loose or completely detached over time,鈥� says Stokoe. He designed a spread sheet to keep track of all the 鈥渙rphaned鈥� captions, words and letters. Much like a giant jigsaw puzzle, Stokoe essentially 鈥渞ebuilt鈥� the series with the help of printers鈥� proofs and rehoused individual sheets in acid-free portfolios to preserve for all time.

A conservator鈥檚 work involves everything from repairing torn and tattered paper, to removing scotch tape, to rebuilding books, to cleaning and chemically treating paper, to preparing items for preservation in cold storage in a humidity-controlled environment.

With generous philanthropic support, Stokoe has had the privilege of working with the most advanced tools in special conservation laboratories, including a that makes acid-free archival book boxes (it used to take 20-30 minutes to assemble archival boxes by hand; now it takes under five minutes).

For the last 16 years, Stokoe has worked in 黑料不打烊 Libraries Special Collections Research Center and its Conservation Lab.

Recently, 黑料不打烊 completed on a 15,000 square foot facility that includes cool and cold storage vaults to provide optimal environmental conditions for materials that are crucial to teaching and research.

Stokoe is responsible for training staff in many aspects of preservation and also teaches a graduate class 鈥淧reservation of Library and Archival Collections鈥� covering storage environments, disaster planning/reaction, book and paper repair, and much more. That鈥檚 why students in his class get to beat up on books: 鈥淭hey each get a hardback and a paperback book. We damage the books and repair them. We break the joints and spines, tear pages, take spines off and damage the board corners. Of course, it鈥檚 all hypothetical and they don鈥檛 get any points for the damage, just for the repair,鈥� he says. He notes that the damage inflicted in seconds can take hours to repair.

He brings with him to class, lectures and workshops from vast experience in damage and destruction, along with extraordinary detail on the disaster recovery process.

鈥淎t one institution we had twenty-nine water-based emergencies in just five years,鈥� says Stokoe. 鈥淢ultiple construction projects contributed to water ingress, burst and leaking pipes, basement floods and more. We used a freeze-drying technique to rescue numerous historically important medieval volumes and other material affected by water damage.鈥� He remembers using more than 2 miles of duct tape to hang protective plastic sheeting and filling bags with 26 pounds of dust during HVAC renovation work.

Fortunately, his disaster experiences at 黑料不打烊 have been less dramatic, but no less interesting. Circulating books sometimes come back with mold, stains and even bugs 鈥淲e have to bag everything and freeze them at minus 30 degrees for two weeks to kill the insects,鈥� Stokoe says. 鈥淭hen we have to vacuum and sanitize but are able to recover the most materials.鈥�

Stokoe keeps detailed notes on each conservation process in a database; recording every treatment detail is a critical part of a conservator鈥檚 job.

鈥淚 keep specific records so someone in the future can review what I did,鈥� he says. 鈥淎nd almost everything I do is reversible. It all entails a little bit of physics, math, chemistry, biology, environmental science, mechanics and a lot of attention to quality control.鈥�

Stokoe says the job requires tremendous patience and attention to detail as it can take months to conserve some damaged materials, but he never gets discouraged.

鈥淩epair is not the final straw,鈥� he explains. 鈥淚tems that cannot be treated to be made accessible can always be stored in their current condition in the hope that future technology will find a way. If it鈥檚 beyond my capacity to fix today, I hope for a fix in the future. That means nothing is ever really disposed of because of its current condition.鈥�

鈥淲e are making it more affordable than ever for first responders to achieve undergraduate certificates, and undergraduate and graduate degrees,鈥� says Green, executive director of online student success in the college. The new tuition grant program is another component of the Go Local Learn Local initiative, which recently expanded opportunities for health care workers in the region. Similar to the health care worker grant, first responders will be able to earn degrees through online part-time studies at a fraction of the normal cost.

鈥淏ut first we have to overcome some negative perceptions鈥攃oncerns they might have over not being able to do their studies while doing their jobs, or not being able to afford a higher education degree,鈥� says Green. By appearing in person, Green hopes to build trust with the community鈥檚 public servants鈥攖rust in the University and trust in themselves and their abilities to excel.

鈥淛ust as they serve the entire city, police and firefighters serve our university community every day. We want to support and strengthen them,鈥� says Michael Frasciello, dean of the College of Professional Studies. 鈥淎s part of 黑料不打烊鈥檚 commitment to community, we have an obligation to be an innovator in providing education, training, services and support. Our greatest asset is our excellence in teaching and learning. We should be providing as many pathways to that excellence as we can.鈥�

All full-time and part-time first responders in the City of 黑料不打烊 are now eligible to apply for online professional certificates and undergraduate degrees in a wide variety of subjects, including data and predictive analytics, business management, cybersecurity, leadership and project management. The cost for admitted and eligible first responders represents a significant discount (50% of the normal part-time tuition rate, and an 89% discount off the full-time tuition rate).

In addition, all first responders throughout the entire state of New York who already have an undergraduate degree can apply for a 30-credit hour online graduate degree in project management at the discounted rate of $1,000 per credit hour.

鈥淓veryone at every level of every organization does project management in some way,鈥� says Frasciello. 鈥淭he more training and skills acquired in all the dimensions and practice of project management, the more valuable individuals will be in their workplace. They become proficient in asset resource usage, time management, delegation and staff management.鈥�

Frasciello says the offerings for undergraduate degrees and professional certificates are based on the rapidly changing needs of employers and employees to 鈥渦pskill and reskill鈥� to meet industry demands. For example, police officers are increasingly adding skills in research and data analysis. 鈥淪o much of modern policing is digital, involving sifting through and analyzing large amounts of data,鈥� he says. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 why our data science courses will be valuable.鈥�

Frasciello expects police officers, many of whom have associate degrees in criminal justice, to pursue policy studies and other courses that will help them progress in their careers in the public sector and pivot to the private sector. 鈥淲e know there鈥檚 a great interest in business management and creative leadership as well,鈥� he says.

Interest in continuing education through online programs increased dramatically during the pandemic and 黑料不打烊鈥檚 programs have expanded dramatically to meet student needs. 鈥淚t鈥檚 crucial for continuing education leaders to engage with people who live in the area and respond with programming that residents and employers find valuable,鈥� says Frasciello. 鈥淲e are the gateway to the University for the community.鈥�

For more information on how to enroll, visit the .

Robert 鈥淩obbie鈥� Robinson

Shortly after Robert 鈥淩obbie鈥� Robinson became the University鈥檚 chief of public safety in October 1993, he had a 鈥渃hance encounter鈥� with James K. Duah-Agyeman, who was then the director of the Center for Academic Achievement in the Division of Student Support and Development. 鈥淚 made it a point to introduce myself to him,鈥� says Duah-Agyeman, who now serves as lead director, Intercultural Collective, and director, Multicultural Affairs. 鈥淎s I began to do so, the chief chimed in and said, 鈥業 know who you are, James. It is my job to know those I serve and protect.鈥欌€�

The memories of the former chief鈥檚 deep sense of public service came flooding back to Duah-Agyeman after learning of Robinson鈥檚 death earlier this year. Robert T. Robinson was 75 years old when he passed away April 8, 2022. Today, he鈥檚 being remembered for what he brought to 黑料不打烊 when he was appointed to lead the Department of Public Safety in 1993 and what he left behind when he left the job nearly nine years later in January 2001.

鈥淩obbie led by example,鈥� says Keith A. Alford, who was an assistant professor of social work when he met Chief Robinson in 1996. Alford is now dean of University at Buffalo鈥檚 School of Social Work. 鈥淩obbie was fiercely dedicated to his role as chief of public safety. He was a hands-on leader and had a special ability to make sure that everyone he encountered felt uniquely valued鈥攖his included students, staff and faculty.鈥�

It was that dedication to inclusion that Robinson brought with him to 黑料不打烊. He had previously served as chief of police at Southern Methodist University (SMU) in Dallas, Texas. When he stepped down from his SMU post, The Daily Campus newspaper published a story (Aug. 31, 1993, Vol. 79, No. 2) quoting Robinson: 鈥淢y goal and intention at the time that I took the position was to present a challenge to SMU. That was a challenge of diversity, of sensitivity鈥攖hat the SMU police department would be inclusive within the community, as opposed to exclusive. When I came here, I was on a journey. Now, I鈥檓 taking this journey to 黑料不打烊, New York.鈥�

Duah-Agyeman says that鈥檚 exactly what happened: 鈥淎 dedicated servant leader and diversity change agent, Robbie was very committed to engaging his department in relevant trainings on diversity, equity and inclusion to raise the level of sensitivity and awareness of his staff on diversity related issues as they interacted with our students.鈥� Duah-Ageyman recalls it was a difficult time and 鈥渢here was a need for our students of color to see that they could relate to law enforcement.鈥�

When Alford arrived on campus three years later, progress was underway. 鈥淚 remember the public safety division being quite diverse, inclusive of women and people of color,鈥� says Alford. 鈥淩obbie was well known for making sure his department had the proper training to engage a diverse campus and work well with diverse groups around campus. He met with campus leaders and student leaders, and he was good at sponsoring gatherings, just pulling folks together to engage in opportunities for dialogue. I remember attending several cultural festivals with Robbie front and center. It was important for someone of his stature to embrace multiculturalism.鈥�

Robinson was born in Jefferson, Alabama. He joined the United States Air Force after graduating high school. Following the Air Force, he joined the Baltimore City Police Department and later became a Baltimore City Court Commissioner. He attended Baltimore City Community College where he received an associate鈥檚 degree; University of Baltimore for a bachelor of science degree in law enforcement and Coppin State University for a master鈥檚 degree in correctional education-administration.

According to a memorial tribute authored by family and friends, Robinson was the first black assistant director of public safety at Georgetown University Law School; the first black director of public safety at Goucher College in Baltimore; the first black director of public safety at Youngstown State University; and the first black director of public safety at SMU before coming to 黑料不打烊. Robinson ended his career at two historically black institutions as director of public safety at Texas Southern University in Houston, Texas, and the University of the District of Columbia in Washington, D.C.

Robinson is survived by his wife Carol, two daughters, a son, three grandsons and extended family.

鈥淭he ADA was the floor, not the ceiling,鈥� says Mary Grace Almandrez, vice president for diversity and inclusion. 鈥淎s we reflect on the anniversary of the ADA, it鈥檚 important for us to understand how inclusion and accessibility fit into our diversity commitment. We must dismantle all the barriers to inclusive learning and move toward a more social justice and equity-minded framework.鈥�

There is a need to press beyond the tenets of the ADA. 鈥淟ike the experiences of persons with marginalized identities based on race, gender identity, and religion for instance, the civil rights laws that have provided some tools for protecting the disabled from discrimination have not eradicated the attitudinal barriers that society creates and that our social structures perpetuate,鈥� says William N. Myhill, M.Ed., J.D., interim director and ADA/503/504 coordinator. 鈥淭his is why compliance with the laws is not enough, and why we have offices of diversity and inclusion that champion equity, where attitudes fail to provide meaningful access in our learning materials, teaching practices, workplaces, and the information and communication technologies we use.鈥�

It is the attitudinal transformation that is still underway, 32 years after the ADA became law.

鈥淲hen you pass a civil rights law, a culture goes with it,鈥� says Stephen Kuusisto, director of interdisciplinary programs and outreach at the Burton Blatt Institute. 鈥淎 disability culture has begun to permeate the arts, the public sector, corporate life, even international diplomacy. But there is still a stigma attached to the disabled and the disfigured. And that鈥檚 why the unemployment rate for the disabled remains 70 to 80% in this country. And why only one in four students who enters college and identifies as disabled actually persists to graduation.鈥�

鈥淚t is now a crucial time to recommit to the principles of the ADA for full participation, independent living and economic self-sufficiency for individuals with disabilities,鈥� says Peter Blanck, Ph.D., J.D., chairman of the Burton Blatt Institute (BBI), a global advocacy organization for people with disabilities. BBI, a distinctive program built at 黑料不打烊 by the former dean of its School of Education, has offices in 黑料不打烊, Washington, D.C., and Atlanta.

Valuing Diversity

The University鈥檚 draft Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility Strategic Plan, states clearly that accessibility involves ensuring that 鈥減hysical and psychological obstacles do not prevent individual achievement or participation.鈥� Throughout its history, the University has acknowledged the value of diverse individuals, talents and experiences鈥攆rom creating programs for nontraditional learners to the vast set services for students of color and underrepresented groups, as well as veterans and military-connected families.

Recently, the Chronicle of Higher Education highlighted 黑料不打烊 as one of the first universities in the nation to create a disability cultural center. In the article, 鈥淚n Fight Against Ableism, Disabled Students Build Centers of Their Own,鈥� the authors noted that such centers 鈥渉elp students find a sense of self and belonging鈥� and 鈥渇oster a sense of community, promote activism and disability justice.鈥�

鈥淭here is still much work to be done to ensure full and equal participation of people with disabilities,鈥� says Carrie Ingersoll-Wood, director of the Disability Cultural Center. 鈥淲hile the ADA provides specific protections for the disability community, the onus of enforcement and compliance of the law continues to fall on the individuals it protects. For example, if an individual with a disability faces discrimination on campus or at work, it is incumbent on the individual with the disability to file a complaint or lawsuit to enact compliance.听Looking into the future, it is important that听everyone听on campus understand the importance and power of collective action to challenge ableism in all its forms.听I think that modeling an inclusive community on campus is pivotal to driving positive generational and societal change toward embracing disability as a diverse identity.鈥�

University leadership who collaborate on diversity and inclusion issues say policies and practice must be acutely sensitive to the intersection between the disabled and those who have been historically marginalized or discriminated against.

鈥淓ach year as we celebrate the anniversary of the ADA, it is important to reflect on the progress we have made in advancing disability rights, but it is equally important to acknowledge that the law is not always equally applied,鈥� says Paula Possenti-Perez, director of the Center for Disability Resources. 鈥淥ur diverse identities that intersect with disability, leaves many experiencing violence, oppression and discrimination. Our complacency is ableism; therefore, we must remain vigilant in our work toward upholding the ideals of the ADA.鈥�

More Inclusive Approaches

The community that is defined as disabled is growing exponentially to include individuals with psychiatric, emotional and intellectual challenges鈥攐ftentimes defined as invisible disabilities鈥攖hat demand more inclusive approaches to teaching and learning.

鈥淲e know that the adverse impact of the pandemic鈥攆rom isolation to economic hardships to medical complications鈥攚as amplified for people with disabilities. Still, the pandemic forced all of us in academia to think more creatively about the learning process for all our students, and to redesign pedagogy and curricula,鈥� says Almandrez. 鈥淔rankly, one of the principles of good design is that it is good for everyone. Now that we are moving through this pandemic, let鈥檚 not forget the inclusive thinking that values each individual for their potential and for their contributions.鈥�

On this 32nd anniversary of the ADA, those who advocate for inclusion of individuals with disabilities see no difference between disability rights and human rights. The ADA, by establishing standards for compliance with the law, also inspired the world to see disability through an equity lens, and expanded opportunities for people with disabilities to contribute in countless ways to a dynamic campus culture, society at large, and progress on a global scale.

鈥淭here鈥檚 not much poetry in the ADA, but in a way, that鈥檚 what it needs,鈥� says Kuusisto. 鈥淚t needs more imagination.鈥�

Robert B. Menschel

鈥淏ob was truly a model of service to 黑料不打烊,鈥� says Board chair Kathleen A. Walters 鈥�73. 鈥淔irst 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.鈥�

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鈥檚 senior directors. In 2002, he published 鈥淢arkets, Mobs & Mayhem: A Modern Look at the Madness of Crowds,鈥� 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 黑料不打烊 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听at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York City. The 2016-17 MoMA exhibition titled 鈥淭he Shape of Things: Photographs from Robert B. Menschel鈥澨齮old the story of photography over 150 years from its start in 1843, and featured works acquired over 40 years with Menschel鈥檚 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 鈥淧osing for the Camera: Gifts from Robert B. Menschel,鈥澨齩nce 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 鈥�55 shared the Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy, which honors those who that 鈥渨ith wealth comes a responsibility to contribute to the world鈥檚 betterment and a more open and just society.鈥� In the medal presentation, it was noted that the brothers鈥� 鈥渄edication 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.鈥� Robert was quoted as saying 鈥渢here 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.鈥�

Menschel received the University鈥檚 George Arents Pioneer Medal in 1980 for 鈥渆xcellence in business, excellence in life鈥� and was awarded an honorary degree by 黑料不打烊 in 1991. In 1999, he was awarded the Martin J. Whitman School of Management鈥檚 Jonathan J. Holtz Alumnus of the Year award.

Beyond his Board work at 黑料不打烊, 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听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 鈥�55 and Ronay Menschel.

Harry E. Goetzmann Jr.

Goetzmann passed away on April 20, 2022, at the age of 84. 鈥淚t was his determination to succeed that defined Harry鈥檚 life and service to 黑料不打烊,鈥� says Board Chair Kathy Walters 鈥�73. 鈥淎s a student-athlete, he played one sport鈥攍acrosse鈥攁nd cheered on others as captain of the football and basketball cheerleading teams. He parlayed that enthusiasm for the Orange community into generosity with his time, treasure and talent, serving as a voting trustee from 1987 to 2003 and supporting a computer terminal room in the Schine Student Center, named for him and his wife Sylvia. We remain grateful for his generosity during his lifetime.鈥�

While pursuing an undergraduate degree in business from the Whitman School of Management, Goetzmann was an Army ROTC cadet, graduating as a Distinguished Military Graduate and serving our country by flying helicopters as an officer in the U.S. Army.

Goetzmann began his professional career with IBM in 黑料不打烊 as a salesman and later as a sales manager. Just six years after joining IBM, he started his own company, 黑料不打烊 based Continental Information Systems (CIS), which bought, refurbished and leased IBM computers to businesses. CIS, which was launched out of Goetzmann鈥檚 home, eventually grew to 1,200 employees with offices in the United States, Germany, England, Switzerland and Japan. Eventually, CIS expanded its operations into leasing commercial aircraft, trains and ocean-going ships.

A serial entrepreneur, Goetzmann also helped launch Schomann Entertainment, an entertainment and communications company. He then founded and developed MegaCom Limited in 1993, the first cellular company in the Republic of Georgia. MegaCom provided the ability for Georgians to communicate on an international level.

Goetzmann was actively engaged with numerous business and civic organizations, including holding Board positions at Cazenovia College, WCNY, Chase Lincoln First Bank, the Salvation Army, Hiawatha Boy Scout Council of America, Crouse Irving Memorial Foundation, American General Life Insurance Company, Central N.Y. Leukemia Society, Citizens Foundation, Computer Dealers and Lessors Association, Central NY Metropolitan Development Association and 黑料不打烊 Symphony. He also served as chairman of the Board for the Greater 黑料不打烊 Chamber of Commerce and the Greater 黑料不打烊 Services Corporation.

In his free time, Goetzmann enjoyed relaxing with family and friends on Skaneateles Lake. He and his wife Sylvia, whom he met at 黑料不打烊, raised five children together in Skaneateles.听 He is survived by Sylvia and their children, Craig 鈥�85 (College of Arts and Sciences), Dan G鈥�87 (Whitman School of Management), Eric, Harry and Darlene; fifteen grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

Christine A. Carona

鈥淚 believe if you see it, you can become it,鈥� 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 黑料不打烊 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 黑料不打烊 native says she was only able to afford going to 黑料不打烊 because her mother got a job in the health center there after her father suffered a career-ending heart attack. This opportunity wouldn鈥檛 have been available to her and her brother Phil Carona 鈥�86 without tuition benefits provided to employees. Carona and her brother witnessed their stay-at-home mother literally reinvent herself to become the family鈥檚 sole breadwinner. 鈥淢y 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.鈥�

Carona embraced all the University had to offer, including the dance team and Alpha Phi (the University鈥檚 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 黑料不打烊 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. 鈥淎s a woman in my position, I didn鈥檛 fit in, I stuck out鈥�. I have tried to be flawless, impeccable, unflappable.鈥� 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. 鈥淲omen can lift each other up to achieve new heights,鈥� 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鈥檚 own daughters are excelling as they pursue careers in the sciences. Sophie Beney 鈥�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 鈥淐ourage and Confidence.鈥� 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. 鈥淎t 黑料不打烊, the climb up the hill is never easy, but there鈥檚 always a fresh view at the top.鈥� Carona says she鈥檚 鈥渉oping 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.鈥�

Carona says her own mentors made her better: 鈥淭he one thing they always said to me when I thanked them was 鈥榙o the same for someone else.鈥� I鈥檓 honoring my promise through this endowment, grateful for their words and examples that guided me throughout my work life.鈥�

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 黑料不打烊鈥檚 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鈥橝niello Building, the College of Arts and Sciences Dean鈥檚 Fund, scholarships and 黑料不打烊 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 (鈥渢o whom much is given much is asked鈥�).

鈥淲hile 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鈥檚 goals,鈥� says Carona. 鈥淥nce you examine what your wishes and goals are, 黑料不打烊 can design a plan that鈥檚 right for you and create a gift that really does matter to countless others.鈥�

About 黑料不打烊

黑料不打烊 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鈥檙e a powerful community that moves ideas,individuals and impact beyond what鈥檚 possible.

About Forever Orange: The Campaign for 黑料不打烊

Orange isn鈥檛 just our color. It鈥檚 our promise to leave the world better than we found it. Forever Orange: The Campaign for 黑料不打烊 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.

Jillian Schultz

This week, Schultz and her team are placing collection boxes at 40 different locations throughout campus, including the Schine Student Center, Barnes Center at The Arch, Ernie Davis Dining Hall and various schools and colleges. Supplies needed for the relief effort include everything from bandages and over-the-counter medical supplies to non-perishable food and personal hygiene supplies, to blankets and flashlights.

鈥淲hen Luba shared with me her family鈥檚 plight, and that her home and town were likely destroyed, I just knew I had to do something,鈥� says Schultz, a senior majoring in television, radio and film at the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, who aspires to become a talent agent and advocate for others trying to achieve their dreams.

She credits her desire to help others to her upbringing, recalling that her parents encouraged philanthropy when she was as young as 6. 鈥淭hey would write things like 鈥楳iss Jillian Schultz has made a donation to St. Jude鈥檚鈥� on my Christmas stocking!鈥� Schultz says. Her parents are supporting the Ukraine effort, offering to drive all donated supplies to a collection source in New Jersey that ships directly to Ukraine.

Schultz is working closely with Olecsander Taras Colopelnic 鈥�23, president of the Ukrainian Club at 黑料不打烊.

鈥淭he students in our club and those from Ukraine have been working nonstop to do everything we can to help Ukraine,鈥� says Colopelnic, who is studying management and entrepreneurship in the Whitman School. 鈥淭his is what makes our SU community great. I have no doubt that there will be a great willingness from all students to take part in this humanitarian aid drive. Everyone can donate something, and their donation of a tangible item will make them feel more connected to the people they are helping. They can be assured that every single medicine, food product or other supplies will directly help someone in Ukraine.鈥�

Jillian Schultz labels a box for donations to Ukraine.

Schultz says she is grateful for the support her team of volunteers have received from the University administration, including Senior Vice President and Chief Student Experience Officer Allen Groves who personally delivered to her 50 empty boxes to assemble for distribution around campus; the Athletics Department; Student Association; and many in the Greek Life community.

鈥淚t鈥檚 so rewarding to see so many individuals and organizations at 黑料不打烊 come together to make an impact on the world around us,鈥� says Marin Grillo 鈥�23, director of philanthropy for the 黑料不打烊 Panhellenic Council, who is studying entrepreneurship and emerging enterprises in the Whitman School. 鈥淲e have been given a unique opportunity and I cannot wait to see what we’re able to accomplish!鈥�

The drive will continue until the end of April, when the boxes are collected and supplies sorted for shipment. 鈥淭he fact is that Luba can鈥檛 return home, but we as an Orange community can do something to support the country that is her home,鈥� says Schultz.

Anthony Y.C. Yeh

After earning a master鈥檚 degree in mechanical engineering from the College of Engineering and Computer Science, Anthony Y.C. Yeh G鈥�49 returned to his native country determined to help the throngs of refugees fleeing into Hong Kong from mainland China. He had a brilliant mind, an innovative spirit and a keen understanding of the intersection of engineering and business that helped him build an international company that supplied custom-made carpets to Queen Elizabeth II, President John F. Kennedy, the king of Thailand and other notables.

While building a global business, Yeh never lost his fondness for 黑料不打烊. He had been active on campus as a graduate student, serving as president of the Chinese Students Club and a junior member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. He was first elected to the Board of Trustees in 1994, serving six years as a voting trustee. He was recognized for his business acumen with the Arents Award in 1992, the highest honor recognizing alumni for their professional achievements. Yeh passed away Feb. 24, 2022, just two months shy of his 99th birthday.

鈥淭ony was instrumental in building relationships between 黑料不打烊 and China, ensuring that Chinese and American students understood the importance and nuances of the global economy,鈥� says Board Chair Kathleen A. Walters 鈥�73. 鈥淗e forged a partnership between the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs and the China National School of Administration (CNSA) that has continued to thrive for nearly three decades.鈥�

Yeh鈥檚 connection with 黑料不打烊 began after receiving a bachelor鈥檚 in science from the Henry Lester Institute of Technical Education in Shanghai, China, in 1945. While working on a master鈥檚 degree from 黑料不打烊, he served as a technician and engineer at the U.S. Army Air Forces Kiangwen Air Base in Shanghai and on board Chinese Maritime Customs patrol ships. His career in the cotton industry began after he received a master鈥檚 degree. Together with colleagues from a Hong Kong-based cotton producer, he launched a carpet company in 1956 in Hong Kong with the expressed purpose of supplying jobs for Chinese refugees.

Yeh served as managing director of Tai Ping Carpets and used his engineering prowess to create and patent an electric hand-held tool that tufted the elaborate carpets 100 times faster than hand tying. , Yeh developed the techniques in hand tufting carpets, leading to the successful commercialization of the product. He helped form alliances with other Asian partners and established international sales subsidiaries, leading to the formation of the world-recognized custom carpet group of today. Tai Ping has showrooms in New York, Los Angeles, London, Paris, Milan, Hong Kong and Shanghai.

Yeh was also a partner in Suntec City in Singapore, a major mixed-use development in Marina Centre that established Singapore as an international convention and exhibition center.

Together with his wife, Sylvia, Yeh established the Anthony Y.C. Yeh Endowed Beijing Scholarship and the Anthony Y.C. Yeh Endowed Undergraduate Scholarship. They have supported other initiatives in the College of Arts and Sciences, College of Engineering and Computer Science, the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, the College of Visual and Performing Arts, the Goldstein and Alumni Faculty Center, the Hildegarde and J. Myer Schine Student Center, 黑料不打烊 Abroad and alumni relations.

Notably, as part of Yeh鈥檚 efforts to ensure a global experience for Chinese and American students, he served as a member of the Council of the (CUHK). CUHK is a comprehensive research university with offerings in English, Cantonese and Putonghua (Mandarin). It is a world partner with 黑料不打烊 and requires an application from 黑料不打烊 Abroad and CUHK. The , program is available to Martin J. Whitman School of Management undergraduates.

Yeh is survived by his wife, Sylvia; two sons, Kent and Russell Yeh; two daughters, Lucienne Cheng and Monique Poon 鈥�74 (David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics); and eleven grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

About 黑料不打烊

黑料不打烊 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听closes听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,听we鈥檙e听a powerful community that moves ideas, individuals and impact beyond what鈥檚 possible.

黑料不打烊 Global provides students who are unable to engage with the University full-time or on campus with transformational educational opportunities, combined with integral support services, in pursuit of a 黑料不打烊 degree, credential or certificate.

黑料不打烊 today announced the official launch of , a virtual and extended campus that integrates and elevates the University鈥檚 broad range of digital and place-based learning opportunities to students around the globe. Regardless of location or life circumstances, undergraduate students, graduate students and lifelong learners have access to relevant, challenging and innovative courses, programs and non-credit credentials in a range of fields, from cybersecurity to health care to business.

鈥満诹喜淮蜢� Global takes many of the high-quality academic programs available, along with new programs in high-demand fields, and expands their reach beyond the borders of our campus,鈥� says Chancellor Kent Syverud. 鈥満诹喜淮蜢� Global removes barriers to obtaining degrees, credentials and knowledge that create opportunities for career advancement and professional success for students. Making a 黑料不打烊 education accessible to a wide array of learners supports our mission of advancing academic excellence in a university welcoming to all.鈥�

Attending the University through 黑料不打烊 Global positions traditional and non-traditional students to grow, kickstart and accelerate their professional, academic and personal aspirations. 黑料不打烊 Global provides students who are unable to engage with the University full-time or on campus with transformational educational opportunities, combined with integral support services, in pursuit of a 黑料不打烊 degree, credential or certificate.

鈥淥ver the past four years鈥攁nd as we rapidly adapted to the challenges of a global pandemic鈥攚e developed innovative and robust learning platforms to meet the needs of students who are not physically on campus,鈥� says Vice Chancellor for Strategic Initiatives and Innovation J. Michael Haynie. 鈥満诹喜淮蜢� Global takes the excellence of the University to a new level, offering online degrees, executive and professional education, credentialing programs and more. We are meeting students where they are, with what they need.鈥�

黑料不打烊 Global is designed to engage and educate a wider range of students from any location who are at different points and paths in their lives, making a 黑料不打烊 education more accessible.

鈥満诹喜淮蜢� has a proud history of serving students who, for many reasons, could not attend campus classes full time,鈥� says Vice Chancellor and Provost Gretchen Ritter. 鈥淏ack in 1918, when the University launched its first evening session for part-time adult students, through decades of innovation at University College and now, as the College of Professional Studies, this university has found new ways to meet people where they are鈥攊n their lives and in their careers鈥攁nd help them advance.鈥�

The flexibility of digital learning is especially important for students like Edward Furcinito 鈥�22, who works during the day for his family鈥檚 construction company. In the evenings, he joins a diverse cohort of classmates, including some serving overseas in the military, who connect across continents and time zones to learn together and share their interests in the emerging field of . 鈥淜nowledge management prepares me to work in any sector, because every company has data and people,鈥� Furcinito says. 鈥淭he focus on data-driven skills appealed to me as I believe in an education that not only prepares you for today’s job market, but for the future.鈥�

College of Professional Studies Dean Michael Frasciello says it鈥檚 students like Furcinito who the University had in mind when building this global initiative.

鈥淭he strength of 黑料不打烊 Global is the result of extraordinary collaboration among deans, department chairs, faculty and staff who brought this vision to life,鈥� Frasciello says. 鈥淥ur students are directly and immediately benefiting from the creativity, energy, commitment and excitement generated by their work. Together, we are redefining and reimagining transformative education through unbound access.鈥�

黑料不打烊 Global also offers students flexible access to a suite of support services, including individual counseling and advising on personalized academic pathways and career development.听 More than 60 degrees and credit certificate programs are offered. They are delivered digitally, and faculty are available to students on flexible schedules.

鈥淎s a global institution, we send students abroad to live and learn, and we bring students here from around the world to live and learn on campus,鈥� adds Ritter. 鈥淣ow, through 黑料不打烊 Global, we are connecting high-quality opportunities for advancement to individuals regardless of how and where they learn.鈥�

About 黑料不打烊

黑料不打烊 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听closes听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,听we鈥檙e听a powerful community that moves ideas, individuals and impact beyond what鈥檚 possible.

Jane ’56 and Daniel Present ’55

Just a few days after Jane Werner Present 鈥�56 died, students at 黑料不打烊 received a gift from her 鈥� 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 鈥�55 had supported the creative writing program through an endowment.

鈥淢y mother was truly Forever Orange,鈥� says Douglas (Doug) A. Present 鈥�86. 鈥淔or 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 黑料不打烊.鈥�

The posthumous gift playing out was especially fitting because writer Adjei-Brenyah had attended 黑料不打烊 as a graduate student and taught there, mentoring other young writers. He : 鈥淚 love my students and those that call me mentor.听 I love being part of a long legacy of love passed down through craft.鈥� 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 黑料不打烊 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 黑料不打烊 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 黑料不打烊. 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 黑料不打烊 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 黑料不打烊 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鈥檚 disease and ulcerative colitis. Dan passed away in 2016. Together, they played a major role in the creation of the Crohn鈥檚 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 黑料不打烊鈥檚 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: 鈥淭he idea of righting a wrong, making the world a better place, fixing something if it鈥檚 broken, that鈥檚 been what drives me.鈥�

Her words resonate daily with her son Doug. He and his two sisters visited campus several times as children. 鈥淢y 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.鈥�

Doug started his own love affair with the University after a campus visit when he was a high school senior. 鈥淚t 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,鈥� Doug says. At first, he says he was more interested in all the extracurricular activities. But that all changed freshman year. 鈥淚 actually took up studying, became more leadership focused and developed the confidence needed for success.鈥�

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鈥檚 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鈥檚 prestigious 鈥淓xcellence in Teaching鈥� 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 黑料不打烊. 鈥淢y mother was always proud of me, but on the day that I was asked to become a Trustee鈥擨 think that was perhaps the day she was most proud.鈥�

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 黑料不打烊 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 黑料不打烊, 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 黑料不打烊. 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 黑料不打烊, where he met his wife and began a successful career of his own. Doug says, 鈥満诹喜淮蜢� 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.鈥�

It’s the Present family way of giving life and meaning to the phrase Forever Orange: 鈥淚f 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.鈥�

Michael and Sharon Bill

Michael Bill 鈥�58 was a top student-athlete at 黑料不打烊, 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: 鈥淚f I get a chance, I鈥檓 going to give back to 黑料不打烊. They gave me the foundation for my success in business.鈥�

That sense of gratitude鈥攁nd the desire to see other student-athletes succeed鈥攊s the motivation behind the Bill family鈥檚 latest gift to the Forever Orange Campaign. 听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鈥檚 legacy on the field (he wore #59) and his continuing support off the field.

鈥淢ike and Sharon鈥檚 commitment to 黑料不打烊 Athletics and our student-athletes is remarkable,鈥� says Director of Athletics John Wildhack. 鈥淭heir 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.鈥�

鈥淭o attract talented young men and women, colleges have to have a great athletics complex,鈥� says Mike. 鈥淏etter recruiting means better teams. 听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.鈥�

Mike says his experience as a student-athlete at 黑料不打烊 in the 1950s truly defined him. 听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 黑料不打烊 (he was a year ahead of him in school). But what sealed the deal with 黑料不打烊 for Mike was the University鈥檚 academic reputation.

鈥淎cademics were extremely important to my Dad,鈥� says Mike. 鈥淢y high school baseball coach was also a history teacher and a 黑料不打烊 graduate. He took me to visit 黑料不打烊.鈥� After that visit, Mike was all in.

鈥満诹喜淮蜢� really took care of me,鈥� says Mike. 鈥淭hey gave me a scholarship and an education. 听If you wanted to play, you had to play hard and study hard. It鈥檚 really a time management skill.鈥� He credits his coaches with improving his performance and nurturing a 鈥渓inebacker mentality.鈥� He had strength and speed.

After graduation鈥攅ven with an invitation to join the Green Bay Packers鈥擬ike set new goals and focused his energy on business. 听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.

鈥淭he Board includes the spouses in campus activities,鈥� says Sharon. 鈥淚 went to classes and met the deans. 听I saw how everyone was working together for the good of the students, to make their experience better and to give them more.鈥� That鈥檚 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 黑料不打烊.

鈥淏oth the physical and intellectual are important,鈥� says Mike. 鈥淲e believe that if these young men and women have a high-level experience at 黑料不打烊 they will continue on as enthusiastic alumni and donors.鈥�

Sharon says that when she looks up to Mike (she鈥檚 only 5鈥�8鈥� and he is 6鈥�3鈥�), she sees 鈥渟omeone 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.鈥�

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 黑料不打烊

黑料不打烊 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鈥檙e a powerful community that moves ideas, individuals and impact beyond what鈥檚 possible.

About Forever Orange: The Campaign for 黑料不打烊

Orange isn鈥檛 just our color. It鈥檚 our promise to leave the world better than we found it. Forever Orange: The Campaign for 黑料不打烊 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.

Patricia A. Wood

A newly endowed fund set up to support undergraduate interdisciplinary research recognizes the importance of connecting diverse fields of thought in generating new ideas. It also reflects the experiences and passions of William Hrushesky 鈥�69 who graduated cum laude with majors in philosophy, zoology, fine arts and anthropology, and was a teaching assistant in biology and histology.

The fund will be the Patricia A. Wood, M.D., Ph.D., Spinoza Award Fund, in honor of Hrushesky鈥檚 late wife and their shared passion for the ideas of the 17th-century Dutch philosopher Baruch Spinoza and his fearlessness in breaking boundaries to explore new ideas.

鈥淏e not astonished at new ideas,鈥� wrote Spinoza, 鈥渇or it is well known to you that a thing does not therefore cease to be true because it is not accepted by many.鈥�

Similarly, Wood carved new paths in cancer research, exploring the concept of medical chronobiology to create innovative approaches to cancer care. Together, Wood and Hrushesky found connections not previously explored in medical research.

In recent years, Hrushesky provided gifts toward what was known as the Spinoza Award, offered by the 黑料不打烊 Office of Undergraduate Research and Creative Engagement (The SOURCE) to an undergraduate exploring philosophical aspects of issues that arise within the sciences or other professional disciplines. To establish the award, he had contacted Danielle Smith, director of听 She told him about the course Linked Lenses: Science, Philosophy, and the Pursuit of Knowledge, co-taught by philosopher Samuel Gorovitz and paleontologist/oceanographer Cathryn Newton and connected him with Gorovitz. That led to Hrushesky鈥檚 initial donations.

One award recipient brought philosophical principals to the blending of theater and technology; two others together redesigned the interior of spacecraft. This new $50,000 endowment from Hrushesky ensures that such creative pursuits will continue in perpetuity, aligned with the mission of the .

Hrushesky explains that the new fund will provide ongoing support for the kind of exploratory critical thinking that turns learning into understanding: “During the Enlightenment, the intimate connections among science, philosophy, art, music and literature became vividly obvious; these deep and broad connections are now atrophying. This听award must go to ambitious students who see how these things are intimately connected, rather than separated. Patricia had that kind of encompassing perception, which fuels great creativity. She developed and gained approval for the first cellular gene therapy for acute lymphoblastic leukemia, saving tens of thousands of American children鈥檚 lives each year. My intent is for her example to inspire future students to emulate her and for my gift to inspire other donors to establish endowments to support student research in other ways.”

The endowment supports the kind of creative thinking fostered in courses like Linked Lenses.

鈥淐reativity is often fueled by the blending in new ways of ideas, images, perceptions, or processes that might have been thought to be unrelated to each other,鈥� says Gorovitz, founding director of the current Honors Program (2004-2010). 鈥淚鈥檓 convinced that any two items we identify are related to each other, if we can just see deeply and imaginatively enough to recognize, or invent, the relationships.鈥�

Gorovitz explains that students must be encouraged 鈥渢o abandon the idea that you have to have it all figured out before you start speaking, writing, drawing or composing. You may have a bunch of ideas; they may seem inconsistent with each other. You should let them tumble out in any order, don鈥檛 filter or censor. That comes later.鈥�

This creative process is energized by The SOURCE, where the new endowment will be housed. Founded swiftly by Newton in collaboration with 60 colleagues, it was launched in 2019 to drive discovery and innovation and helps coordinate support for the interdisciplinary and inclusive research that Newton says is so vital to student success.

鈥淓ach of us has superpowers, right? My own gifts are not necessarily the same as all the members of the team, and that鈥檚 frankly what makes us strong,鈥� says Newton, professor of interdisciplinary sciences, dean emerita of Arts and Sciences, and until recently special advisor to the Chancellor and provost for faculty engagement. 鈥淲hen you encourage original thought and creative work, and you look for ways to combine things that haven鈥檛 formerly been combined, you can have a powerful impact on the success of all students across diverse constituencies.鈥�

Hrushesky says his beloved wife was always open to new ideas, welcoming contradicting arguments and data in the rigorous formation of evidence-based scientific breakthroughs. Her commitment to independent thinking and intellectual rigor was similar to that of Spinoza, a brilliant young ex-communicated Spanish/Jewish immigrant whose family and community fled the Spanish Inquisition to Holland near the end of the 16th century.

Both Wood and Spinoza provide a compelling intellectual model for students, says Hrushesky.

Now retired from academia, Hrushesky is co-owner of Oncology Analytics, a company whose mission is to ensure that cancer patients have access to evidence-based, data-driven guidance to receive the right diagnostic tests and treatments at the right time for the right reasons. He and his colleagues are creating a suite of decision support products to help cancer patients from the moment of diagnosis through end-of-life care.

鈥淲e are deeply grateful to Dr. Hrushesky for his vision and commitment to supporting undergraduate research that is dynamic, innovative and meaningful,鈥� says Ramesh Raina, interim vice president for research. 鈥淭hese awards, named for individuals who were both thinkers and doers, will impact generations of students who want to make a positive difference in our world.鈥�

Students interested in applying for the Patricia A. Wood, M.D., Ph.D., Spinoza Award will apply through The SOURCE Grant application process in either fall or spring. Visit听听for instructions.

Howie ’70, G’71 and Louise Phanstiel

Now, Phanstiel and his wife, Louise Phanstiel, are paying tribute to the 黑料不打烊 legend, pledging a $5 million gift to the that will enhance the student-athlete experience in alignment with the vision of the $150 million fundraising initiative recently announced by the Department of Athletics. In recognition of the Phanstiels鈥� generosity, an atrium entryway commonly referred to as the Little Atrium will be named in honor of Little.

The couple鈥檚 latest gift continues an extraordinary legacy of philanthropy from the Phanstiels. Howie, a Life Trustee, and Louise, a Voting Trustee, continue to serve the University and its students in countless ways, including a decade of scholarship support to more than 80 Phanstiel Scholars through a program designed to encourage students to balance community service with their academic pursuits.

Floyd Little ’67, H’16

Phanstiel says that Little embodied service to community and dedication to others throughout his lifetime.听 Little passed away on Jan. 1, 2021, at the age of 78 after nearly a year of battling cancer. 鈥淗e was a fierce competitor on the field,鈥� says Phanstiel of Little, the three-time all-American who was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1983 and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2010. 鈥淥ff the field, Floyd was gentle, kind and a very engaged and giving person. There was nothing he wouldn鈥檛 do to help 黑料不打烊. Floyd and his wife, DeBorah, bled Orange, giving back in every way they could.鈥�

Phanstiel says that he and Louise began thinking about making a gift in Little鈥檚 honor long before they knew he was ill.听 They often worked together on capital campaigns and initiatives that would strengthen the football program. 鈥淔loyd always demonstrated the work ethic and the commitment required to achieve goals. He was a great teammate, understanding the importance of everyone on the team. He was truly inspiring.鈥�

黑料不打烊 Athletics Director John Wildhack says the gift from the Phanstiels is similarly inspiring. 鈥淛ust as Floyd Little left a legacy, so are the Phanstiels. Floyd Little impacted so many people, not just by his passion for football, but through his mentorship of students and the guidance he imparted to our staff. He was always willing to share his time and his wisdom. By giving such a generous gift to the Lally Athletics Complex in Floyd Little鈥檚 name, the Phanstiels are keeping his spirit alive and reminding us of the best of Orange values and virtues.鈥�

Wildhack added that the Phanstiels鈥� philanthropic support of the academic and athletic aspirations of student-athletes is aligned with the transformative vision behind the Lally Athletics Complex. The $150 million to be raised from private philanthropy will help transform the Manley Field House into the John A. Lally Athletics Complex, a state-of-the-art academic and athletics village. In the spring of 2022, the multi-million, multi-year project will get started with the construction of a new front entrance to the center for student-athlete life.

Phanstiel says the decision to honor Little with their newest gift to the Lally Athletics Complex is their way of reminding others of what it means to pursue goals and achieve them. And not just on the football field. 鈥淔or us, life is about winning, but not in the context of whom you defeat. Winning should be about fulfilling your personal goals and those of the organizations you believe in,鈥� says Phanstiel, the past chairman and CEO of PacifiCare Health Systems, one of the nation鈥檚 most prominent consumer health companies that eventually merged with UnitedHealth Group.

鈥淲inning is about fulfilling a mission and giving back to community,鈥� says Phanstiel. 鈥淣o one exemplified this more than Floyd Little.鈥�

About 黑料不打烊

黑料不打烊 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鈥檙e a powerful community that moves ideas, individuals and impact beyond what鈥檚 possible.

About Forever Orange: The Campaign for 黑料不打烊

Orange isn鈥檛 just our color. It鈥檚 our promise to leave the world better than we found it. Forever Orange: The Campaign for 黑料不打烊 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.

As part of the Forever Orange Campaign, the pledge by Merle Goldberg Fabian 鈥�59 will establish an endowed professorship in citizenship and critical thinking in the Maxwell School. 鈥淚 was a good high school student, but didn鈥檛 have a vision,鈥� recalls Fabian. 鈥淏ut 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鈥� responsibility should be. I learned not to simply accept what I heard without challenging it in some way.鈥�

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鈥檚 students could fill that need when inspired, as she was, by dynamic professors.

鈥淚鈥檓 so encouraged by the fact that our students really want to make a difference,鈥� says Van Slyke. 鈥淢erle 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.鈥�

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鈥檚 gift endowing the professorship says it is intended to support 鈥渁n 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.鈥�

Van Slyke notes that 鈥渘early every student at 黑料不打烊 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.鈥� Van Slyke intends to name a faculty member in the spring semester.

鈥淚 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,鈥� says Fabian. 鈥淭his 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.鈥�

Through their family business鈥擝owl America Inc.鈥擣abian and her brother Leslie H. Goldberg accrued an impressive estate. Following Leslie鈥檚 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 黑料不打烊

黑料不打烊 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鈥檙e a powerful community that moves ideas, individuals and impact beyond what鈥檚 possible.

About Forever Orange: The Campaign for 黑料不打烊

Orange isn鈥檛 just our color. It鈥檚 our promise to leave the world better than we found it. Forever Orange: The Campaign for 黑料不打烊 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.

Charles Vert Willie

The legacy of 黑料不打烊 alumnus Charles Vert Willie G鈥�57, H鈥�92 will forever be tied to that of his friend Martin Luther King Jr., making Willie鈥檚 passing a week before MLK Day 2022 especially poignant. Willie, who died on Jan. 11 at the age of 94, will be remembered in his own right as a champion for inclusion, equity and social justice.

Twenty years ago, Willie delivered some on the occasion of MLK Day 2002 at Harvard University: 鈥淏y idolizing those whom we honor, we fail to realize that we could go and do likewise. As I have said on many occasions, honoring Martin Luther King Jr. would be dishonorable if we remember the man and forget his mission. For those among us who believe in him, his work now must become our own.鈥�

Willie, indeed, made the work of King his own, as a student, teacher and administrator at 黑料不打烊 for nearly 25 years. He arrived on campus as a teaching assistant in 1950, joined the faculty two years later as an instructor and earned his doctorate in 1957 from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs. A decade later, he was appointed chair of the Sociology Department, becoming the first Black man appointed to an academic administration position at the University. He was also named vice president for student affairs in 1972.

Willie once described 黑料不打烊 as a place 鈥渨here I made thousands of friends and learned hundreds of lessons about reform and rebellion, redemption and reconciliation.鈥� He engaged with students during campus protests, always seeking justice through understanding and mutual respect.

Charles V. Willie, at left, was awarded the Chancellor鈥檚 Citation Lifetime Achievement Award by Chancellor Kent Syverud during the One University Awards Ceremony in 2017

Willie brought to academia and administrative work a perspective grounded in history and personal experience as a child of segregation. He detailed what that meant to him in 1989 for the Concord, Massachusetts, Oral History Project, recalling his boyhood in Dallas, Texas: 鈥淚 also grew up during the period when blacks had to sit at the back of the bus and at the back of the streetcar. It was always humiliating to me to pay one鈥檚 fare and then have to push through a crowded streetcar all the way to the back of it, but these were the experiences that one grew up with…. High office and prestige is no basis for knuckling under to injustice, and that鈥檚 been a tenet of my life over the years. So, wherever I find injustice, I am sorry, I have to oppose it.鈥�

Chancellor Kent Syverud, who presented Willie with the 2017 Chancellor鈥檚 Citation Lifetime Achievement Award, noted his dedication to social justice. During the presentation, Chancellor Syverud said, 鈥淭hrough teaching, research and public service, Dr. Willie built a powerful legacy of advancing access and opportunity for all. Educator and social activist, he served as a court-appointed master, expert witness and consultant in many school desegregation cases. Throughout his career, he leveraged the power of social research to advance the cause of justice.鈥�

Martin Luther King Jr., right, and Professor Charles Willie during King’s 1965 visit to the 黑料不打烊 campus.

During his tenure at 黑料不打烊, Willie twice hosted his friend Martin Luther King Jr. on visits to campus, in 1961 and 1965. Willie and King had been classmates at Morehouse College, where Willie earned a B.A. in 1948. Years later, Willie once again stood by King鈥檚 side when introducing him to a 黑料不打烊 audience: 鈥淲e have great affection for you in this city,鈥� Willie told his friend. 鈥淲e honor you because you have visited us and because of your achievement and because of your suffering.鈥�

In 1974, Willie left 黑料不打烊 to accept a tenured position as professor of education and urban studies at Harvard University鈥檚 Graduate School of Education. His areas of research included desegregation, higher education, public health, race relations, urban community problems and family life. He published more than 100 articles and 35 books. Even after formally retiring from Harvard in 1999, Willie continued to teach part-time for another decade.

In 1992, Willie was awarded an honorary degree by 黑料不打烊. And, in 2000, he received the George Arents Pioneer Medal, 黑料不打烊鈥檚 highest alumni honor, presented to alumni who have made outstanding contributions to their chosen fields.

His is a tribute to his life and legacy: 鈥淗e strove to bring the ideals of justice, equity, empathy, and reconciliation to every conflict he faced. He uncovered the best in everyone, understanding that no matter how intransigent the conflict, resolution required neither the annihilation nor the humiliation of opposing sides. Following those principles allowed Willie to build strong professional and personal bonds; he leaves behind a broad and diverse community of those who were touched by his grace.鈥�

Charles and Mary Sue Willie and their daughter, Sarah Susannah Willie-LeBreton

Willie is survived by his wife of 59 years Mary Sue (Conklin) Willie; daughter Sarah Willie-LeBreton (Jonathan LeBreton) of Media, Pennsylvania; son Martin Willie (Jayme) of Denver, Colorado; son James Willie (Susan) of Takoma Park, Maryland; grandchildren Jeremy-Nathaniel Willie LeBreton, Susannah James Willie and Addison Jean Willie. Continuing Willie鈥檚 legacy with Maxwell, his son James and daughter-in-law Susan are former and current Maxwell Advisory Board members, respectively.

Kenneth “Kenny” Goodman ’70

鈥淲hen we launched IMPRESS, we targeted first-year students who had dreams of pursuing careers in business,鈥� says Goodman.听 鈥淚 knew they would acquire important skills in the classroom鈥攂ut not all the skills they would need for success. I had seen a lot of really smart people come into the business world who were not successful.听 They had all the academic skills but they didn鈥檛 have the right means of connecting to people within an organization that would make them successful.鈥�

Lindsay Quilty, Whitman School assistant dean for undergraduate programs, says that IMPRESS has achieved notable results鈥攊t is a magnet that attracts prospective students to 黑料不打烊. In addition, it has contributed to better job placement rates in higher paying positions for graduates of the program. 鈥淚MPRESS is giving our students an edge,鈥� says Quilty. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a co-curricular program that offers the soft skills necessary for career success鈥攈ow to work within teams, develop better listening skills, have difficult conversations in the workplace, read someone鈥檚 body language, even greet someone during a job interview.鈥�

IMPRESS stands for Initiating Meaningful Partnerships and Responsibilities to Encourage Student Success. 鈥淭his program is helping our students be prepared for an ever-changing future by enhancing professional and personal skills,鈥� says Alex McKelvie, Whitman School associate dean for undergraduate and master鈥檚 education and professor of entrepreneurship. 鈥淭he new Goodman gift essentially creates IMPRESS 2.0. Just as we are preparing our students to be adaptable to rapidly changing circumstances in our world, we are adapting and customizing the program to make it more accessible to more students and for a digital work environment.鈥�

Every new student admitted to Whitman becomes part of one of four IMPRESS houses. Each house is led by a faculty 鈥渉ouse mentor鈥� who guides students through their first business course and helps them engage in extracurricular activities for which they are rewarded with points. These activities include community engagement, the exploration of career possibilities and certifications.听 Through their involvement in these activities, students collect points toward a personal point total and a group point total鈥搘ith the gamification acting as an additional motivator to get involved. Each year, the group with the greatest number of points is awarded the Goodman Cup at a celebratory event.听 The points accumulated and the experiences pursued are reflected on student co-curricular transcripts.

The enhanced IMPRESS program will have components that are personalized for upper division students with a focus on leadership development, says Goodman. 鈥淲e want to create a leadership development plan for those students who demonstrate capabilities,” he says. “We know we can positively impact their futures.鈥� Goodman says the plan to expand IMPRESS includes increased access to experiential learning opportunities, soft-skills training and certifications, and an emphasis on diversity, inclusion and equity. 鈥淚 know that a lot of students figure things out on their own, but it is my sense that we could do a much better job helping develop the next generation of leaders. If we ensure our students are better trained in the non-academic side of things, more of them will be hired into great jobs at better pay, improving the university鈥檚 overall ranking and reputation.鈥�

Goodman, who serves on the Whitman Advisory Council, was formerly vice chair of the University Board of Trustees and is now a Life Trustee.听 Though he started his academic pursuits at 黑料不打烊 in engineering, he switched to accounting.听 Graduating in 1970, he quickly recognized that a career in public accounting would not satisfy his spirit to innovate, create and drive new products to market.听 He decided to 鈥渢ake a risk鈥� and join a start-up that grew to become an international leader in pharmaceutical manufacturing and marketing.

鈥淲hen you end up managing many thousands of people, you realize that it takes much more than an education to make a real difference in business,鈥� says Goodman. With his continued generosity and support of IMPRESS, Goodman is ensuring Whitman graduates are well-prepared to make that difference.

About Forever Orange: The Campaign for 黑料不打烊

Orange isn鈥檛 just our color. It鈥檚 our promise to leave the world better than we found it. Forever Orange: The Campaign for 黑料不打烊 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 Forever Orange campaign is focused on advancing academic excellence at all levels

鈥淲ords can鈥檛 fully express the depth of our gratitude to our generous donors,鈥� says Matt Ter Molen, chief advancement officer and senior vice president, Advancement and External Affairs. 鈥淲e are making incredible things possible through the Forever Orange campaign, things our campus community couldn鈥檛 have imagined 10 years ago. We are literally reshaping futures in providing the resources to support the dreams and aspirations of our amazing students and faculty.鈥�

The Forever Orange campaign is focused on advancing academic excellence at all levels, including providing opportunities for talented students to excel; supporting new ways to deliver the learning experience; attracting and retaining faculty who are engaged in interdisciplinary and meaningful research; and ensuring that the Orange promise to create a better world is accessible to all.

The Forever Orange campaign accomplishments thus far include:

• Allocation of $115.5 million to student financial aid and another $135 million to research funding;
• Creation of nearly 500 new scholarships, dramatically increasing the amount of financial support available to our students; and
• Establishment of approximately 65 new funds to support faculty research, including 18 new endowed chairs and professorships.

The campaign has also allowed the University to be responsive to the unique needs brought about by the global pandemic, raising $1.8 million for the 黑料不打烊 Responds COVID-19 relief effort to provide students with immediate financial support to continue their studies with minimal disruption. In addition, about $4.6 million has been raised to advance the University鈥檚 diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility initiatives.

Some of the campaign鈥檚 impact is visible across campus in new or transformed facilities, including the Hildegarde and J. Myer Schine Student Center, renovations to the 黑料不打烊 stadium, the National Veterans Resource Center at the Daniel and Gayle D鈥橝niello Building and the Barnes Center at The Arch.

Recent gifts to the campaign demonstrate the variety of donor interests, the diverse opportunities for giving, and the potential impact for philanthropy to change lives and fuel career success. These include:

• A legacy gift that advances academic excellence by establishing a new institute to foster life science research and entrepreneurship that will bring discoveries to market safely and efficiently.
• New funding for undergraduates to have global experiences and opportunities to pursue communications careers.
• New support for students from underrepresented groups to pursue careers in science and mathematics (STEM).
• Financial assistance for graduate students dedicated to careers in citizenship and public affairs.
• A intended to expand the numbers of minorities majoring in engineering and computer science.
• Funding that advances futures for student-athletes and the athletics program.

Ter Molen also notes that more than 5,100 donors made a gift during Boost the 鈥機use giving day on Oct. 7, 2021, raising nearly $1.3 million. He credited the collaboration, creativity, enthusiasm and support of both donors and staffers who fuel the Forever Orange Campaign and sustain its momentum. More campaign initiatives are on the way as the University sets it sights on achieving the $1.5 billion campaign goal.

Sharon Jacquet鈥檚 gratitude and recognition that teachers bring value to many industries is the foundation for her ongoing generosity to the School of Education and service to 黑料不打烊.

Sharon Jacquet graduated from 黑料不打烊 in 1972 with a degree in elementary education but decided against becoming a teacher. 鈥淚 felt it was an awesome responsibility and I was too immature to be responsible for those young minds,鈥� Jacquet recalls, with just a hint of irony. Today, Jacquet bears the responsibility of being a wealth manager, providing guidance and advice to families whose livelihoods and retirements often depend on her expertise.

In fact, Jacquet uses the skills she learned in the School of Education鈥攋ust not in a classroom setting. Jacquet is a vice chairman of JPMorgan Private Bank where she leads a specialized team that works with corporate executives and ultra-high net worth individuals. 鈥淚鈥檓 still a teacher. I teach people all the time,鈥� she says, with both pride and appreciation for what she learned at her alma mater.

Jacquet鈥檚 gratitude and recognition that teachers bring value to many industries is the foundation for her ongoing generosity to the School of Education and service to 黑料不打烊. She is a Life Trustee and also serves on the School of Education Board of Visitors. She has given more than $1 million to support initiatives at the school, including the Sharon Haines Jacquet Endowed Scholarship as part of the .

When the new Center for Experiential Pedagogy and Practice (CEPP) opens at the School of Education in the fall, it will be partly because Jacquet is determined to help the school stay on the cutting edge. 鈥淪haron knows the impact that money can have,鈥� says former School of Education Dean Joanna Masingila. 鈥淪he wants the school to have the resources to be innovative and distinctive.鈥�

The CEPP will focus on simulations, digital counseling and supervision to provide students with immersive and challenging experiences designed to better prepare them for complex human interactions. 鈥淭his kind of clinical simulation provides rich conversation about the educator鈥檚 responsibilities,鈥� Masingila says. 鈥淚 remember when I was a teacher facing parent-teacher conferences. I thought it would have been good to have been better prepared.鈥�

The concept appeals to Jacquet. 鈥淚 believe that people learn by doing,鈥� Jacquet says. 鈥淚n financial advising and in teaching, the best of the best are the ones who do the most listening.鈥�

鈥淲e prepare our teachers and leaders to know it鈥檚 a whole system,鈥� says Masingila. 鈥淵ou have to get to know the whole family and the community, not just how the child is doing in my math class.鈥�

This holistic view of an educator is in alignment with Jacquet鈥檚 holistic view of a financial advisor. 鈥淚 deal with multi-generations in large families,鈥� says Jacquet. 鈥淚 get to impact the relationships between the person who made the money and their children, grandchildren and future generations.鈥�

Jacquet has come to realize that the relationship between a financial advisor and client is very much like the relationship between a teacher and student. 鈥淚t鈥檚 very intimate. You really need to know everything about the individual and the family in order to serve them properly.鈥�

鈥淪haron is genuinely committed to supporting the good work of education and educators,鈥� says Masingila. 鈥淪he鈥檚 an educator even though she鈥檚 not a teacher. She has a big vision for education, and we are the beneficiaries of that vision.鈥�

鈥満诹喜淮蜢� gave me so much,鈥� says Jacquet. The School of Education graduate who worked her way up on Wall Street to the uppermost levels at JPMorgan says she succeeded because of her intellectual curiosity, critical thinking skills learned in liberal arts courses and a semester abroad in France that exposed her to other cultures. 鈥淚 got to where I am today because other people wanted me to succeed and helped me along the way. 鈥�

About 黑料不打烊

黑料不打烊 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鈥檙e a powerful community that moves ideas, individuals and impact beyond what鈥檚 possible.

About Forever Orange: The Campaign for 黑料不打烊

Orange isn鈥檛 just our color. It鈥檚 our promise to leave the world better than we found it. Forever Orange: The Campaign for 黑料不打烊 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.

Vernon Greene

Professor Emeritus of Public Administration and International Affairs Vernon Greene, who passed away on Oct. 10 at the age of 77, saw the aging process as much more than a person getting old, and his vision helped build 黑料不打烊鈥檚 reputation as a national leader in gerontology, home of the Aging Studies Institute (ASI) and the Center for Aging and Policy Studies (CAPS).

鈥淰ernon is a bedrock for one of the most distinguished interdisciplinary aging institutes in the nation,鈥� says Maxwell School Dean David M. Van Slyke. Greene was the director of the All-University Gerontology Center (1988-1993), the predecessor to the Aging Studies Institute. He was a political scientist by training (M.A. and Ph.D. from Indiana University, Bloomington; B.A. from University of Texas, Austin).听 He taught at the University of Arizona before coming to 黑料不打烊 as an associate professor of public administration in 1986. He was promoted to professor in 1992 and was the longtime chair of the doctoral program in social science at Maxwell.

鈥淚t is a testament to his work that we have been able to recruit and retain prolific research faculty and talented students who have an interest in aging as a life course and its direct relationship to public policy,鈥� says Van Slyke. 鈥淭hroughout his career鈥攁s researcher, teacher, advisor and mentor鈥攈e challenged colleagues and students to question conventional norms and to rethink issues through an interdisciplinary lens and rigorous research methodology.鈥�

That鈥檚 what attracted Professor Douglas Wolf to 黑料不打烊 more than two decades ago. Wolf, now professor of public administration and international affairs and the Gerald B. Cramer Professor of Aging Studies, says the interdisciplinary nature of the team and Greene鈥檚 approach to teaching reflected 鈥渢he Maxwell way of looking at the world.鈥�

鈥淰ernon taught his students to ask the 鈥榗entral questions鈥� about the rationale for government intervention in people鈥檚 lives,鈥� says Wolf.听 鈥淗e explored implications for public funding and policies involving the safety net, housing, organizational and community support. He included the neurosciences, biology and social sciences in his perspectives on aging. His lens was broad and analytical.鈥�

Greene referenced this approach in The Gerontologist in December 1999 in his farewell message as he stepped down from his position as editor-in-chief. 鈥淚 have tried to steer a course for the journal that is multidisciplinary in substance and ecumenical in methodological philosophy. As other journals in the (Gerontological Society of America) have increasingly defined their missions along section and disciplinary lines, I have tried to maintain and enhance the commitment of The Gerontologist to providing a venue for a reflective and scholarly conversation that seeks to broadly involve the Society as a whole.鈥澨� (Vol. 39, No. 6, 644).

鈥淗is legacy are the students whose work he supervised,鈥� says Wolf. 鈥淗e was training people to be exceptionally rigorous in laying out the rationale and the tools for carrying out public services.鈥�

鈥淗e was both big picture and a stickler for details,鈥� says Stuart Bretschneider who, along with Greene, taught doctoral students research methodology. Bretschneider is now director of the Center for Organization Research and Design at Arizona State University. 鈥淰ernon trained a lot of people to do very careful, high quality analytical research.听 He had high expectations for his students and worked tirelessly with them to help them achieve those expectations.鈥�

Sarah Laditka, now professor emeritus in public health sciences, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, was one of Greene鈥檚 Ph.D. students. 鈥淰ernon was generous in sharing his wisdom and advice, which helped me greatly to succeed in my academic career. Vernon was never too busy to talk with me. When I needed his advice the most, he put meeting with me ahead of everything else. He was a role model for my entire career. I will always be inspired by Vernon鈥檚 dedication to mentoring graduate students in research and to promoting the health and well-being of older adults.鈥�

Kristina Lambright, Greene鈥檚 graduate assistant from 1996-97, says he 鈥渋nfluenced me to become a professor in public administration. The lessons I learned 25 years ago from Vernon about what it means to be a kind, thoughtful and conscientious faculty mentor continue to impact my own work with graduate students today as a professor at Binghamton University.鈥�

Dean Van Slyke recalls that Greene served on his own mentoring committee when he first came to 黑料不打烊 as an assistant professor in 2004. 鈥淚 recall people saying he鈥檚 exactly the kind of person you want on your mentoring committee because if you can make it by Vernon Greene, you can make it by most people. Vernon was seen as a proxy for quality. He did not suffer fools gladly. He was going to ask hard questions and scrutinize things.鈥�

Bretschneider jokingly recalls that if Greene was in the audience for any research presentation, 鈥渉e would invariably ask about some endogenous factor in the methodology, inspiring a comprehensive discussion of the issue. Vernon thought deeply about why things happen the way they do. He was a serious scholar who tackled the truly important things in life.鈥�

Greene is survived by his wife of 42 years, Deborah Monahan, emerita professor of social work, Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics, their daughter Rachel (Philip Roth) Greene; son, Samuel (Kseniia) Greene; brothers, Geoffrey (Carol) Greene, Mark (Dani) Greene; and several nieces and nephews.

A gift from Dr. Jason Soifer 鈥�51 creates new endowments in Soifer鈥檚 name in the Department of Drama to support scholarships and in the Setnor School of Music to support international study and experiences, both in the College of Visual and Performing Arts.

Soifer, who passed away on July 14, 2021, at the age of 91, named 黑料不打烊 the beneficiary of his $2.7 million . As part of the Forever Orange Campaign, the gift creates new endowments in Soifer鈥檚 name in the Department of Drama to support scholarships and in the Setnor School of Music to support international study and experiences, both in the College of Visual and Performing Arts (VPA).

鈥淚 had always been stage-struck, gifted with a booming voice, backed up with a lack of talent, but I persevered and ended up in the box office during my four years at 黑料不打烊,鈥� said Soifer in describing the inspiration behind the endowments, during an interview earlier this year. 鈥淚 trained at Medical School in Amsterdam in the Netherlands and realized how important an international education was, especially in language and to broaden one鈥檚 view of life. It can be quite educational to people鈥攚atch from a sidewalk cafe in Paris!鈥� Soifer served abroad in the U.S. Army and was stationed in Paris for NATO as its medical head. The endowment to the Setnor School to support international study is intended to give students the same opportunities to absorb new cultures and expand their worldviews.

鈥淭his gift is very personal to me,鈥� says Milton Rub茅n Laufer, director of the Setnor School of Music. Even though Laufer never met the man behind the gift, he appreciates deeply the potential impact of Soifer鈥檚 endowment funds to support music and drama students in VPA. 鈥淭hough I was a promising student, my family couldn鈥檛 afford the tuition for me to go to my top choices. It was a scholarship like this one, earmarked for under-represented students, that gave me the opportunity to attend the best schools and travel internationally. I would not be where I am today without those experiences or support.鈥�

Echoing Laufer鈥檚 sentiments, Holly Thuma, interim chair of the Department of Drama, also describes the Soifer gift as one of opportunity that 鈥渉elps us to overcome the inequities many students face.鈥� The Jason Soifer Endowed Scholarship for Drama is intended to provide scholarship and financial assistance to students who will bring diverse perspectives to the dramatic arts. 鈥淲e are one of the top-rated drama programs in the country,鈥� says Thuma, 鈥渂ut many gifted students can鈥檛 afford to come here. We are so grateful for Dr. Soifer鈥檚 gift, which offers a real chance to change things.鈥�

Thuma points out that exposure to diverse perspectives and voices is vital to the developing artist. 鈥淭o become better actors requires empathy, to walk a mile in someone else鈥檚 shoes,鈥� says Thuma. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 what actors do. We step into someone else鈥檚 shoes and walk that life experience. Part of our job is to help students expand their worldview鈥攊n acting, directing, designing, all aspects of the performance arts. Diverse voices are part of our art form and we need to expand the stories we tell. The Department of Drama has a strong vision for the future, one in which stories that have long been excluded will be given their due and brought center stage.鈥�

鈥淐ost is the biggest barrier for anyone of talent to come here,鈥� says Laufer. 鈥淪cholarship support that brings diverse voices and perspectives to the stage will strengthen the whole college.鈥� Laufer also serves as co-chair of VPA鈥檚 Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee. 鈥淭hese students could be the next Fulbright Scholar or Grammy winner or Tony Winner, or the next professor or dean. I鈥檓 the first person of color to lead Setnor in its 140-year history. It鈥檚 not my intention to be the last.鈥�

The Jason Soifer Endowed Fund for International Music Opportunities offers students expanded world views through cultural music exchange and immersion programs, international competitions, concerts, performance tools, student stipends, student research and internship opportunities.

鈥淚 think every Setnor student should have a chance to be on foreign soil,鈥� says Laufer. 鈥淚t increases our abilities as artists to immerse ourselves, transcend language in many ways and break down barriers. It helps our students develop as human beings and as global citizens. There鈥檚 a certain aspect of fearlessness that accompanies international travel and that, too, is an important gift to give our students. In addition, the more our students interact with students from other nations, the more likely we are to get international students here.鈥�

VPA Dean Michael Tick calls the Soifer gift transformational. 鈥淛ason Soifer has provided opportunities for current drama and music students and invested in the future of 黑料不打烊. I am deeply grateful for the ways in which the Soifer endowments will lift up VPA for years to come.鈥�

About 黑料不打烊

黑料不打烊 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鈥檙e a powerful community that moves ideas, individuals and impact beyond what鈥檚 possible.

About Forever Orange: The Campaign for 黑料不打烊

Orange isn鈥檛 just our color. It鈥檚 our promise to leave the world better than we found it. Forever Orange: The Campaign for 黑料不打烊 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.

Richard M. (Rich) Jones

The incoming chair of the Office of Veteran and Military Affairs (OVMA) , Richard M. (Rich) Jones 鈥�92, G鈥�95, L鈥�95, believes that President Abraham Lincoln鈥檚 second inaugural address provides us with a call to action. He says that the most important obligation as a nation and as a university community is to 鈥淸T]o care for those who have borne the battle.鈥� Jones says it is this very commitment that has guided the leaders of 黑料不打烊 for many decades and will shape the future for generations to come. 鈥淭he idea of how to best support our veterans and military families is continuously evolving,鈥� Jones says. 鈥淥ur nation spends billions of dollars each year recruiting and then training our young men and women in uniform. We need to be as equally purposeful as they transition out of uniform and into the civilian workforce.鈥�

Jones, who is the executive vice president, general tax counsel and chief veteran officer at ViacomCBS, believes the OVMA is well-positioned to build a broader, innovative network of support for veterans and their families鈥攐ne that leverages the resources of the University as well as those of the public and private sector.

鈥淚n my estimation, in order for the OVMA to be as impactful as it can, we must, to use a military term, be hyper aware of 鈥榯he conditions on the ground鈥� because conditions affecting this generation of transitioning veterans are changing in ways that we can鈥檛 even imagine and they will need our best thinking and support,鈥� he says.

Jones describes himself as just a hard-working soldier who has never forgotten where he came from. He was a non-commissioned officer in the U.S. Army, where he served honorably as a member of the 75th Ranger Regiment and 10th Mountain Division. 鈥淚 still operate like the staff sergeant that I was: head on a swivel, always looking out 1,000 meters,鈥� Jones says. 鈥淥ur mission at 黑料不打烊 is to provide a world-class education. What should distinguish our approach to serving student veterans? What 黑料不打烊 does, which is so unique, is to supplement the classroom instruction with community, support, mentoring and life-coaching and always providing the practical survival skills necessary to be successful in the civilian workplace and beyond.鈥�

Guidance and support

Richard M. (Rich) Jones, front, founded the ViacomCBS Veterans Network 13 years ago to provide mentoring, education, internships and economic empowerment to veterans.

Jones credits 黑料不打烊 for changing his life and providing the guidance, support and education that he needed to successfully take on the challenges of life after the military. After six years of service, he was medically retired from the Army after being critically injured when his parachute malfunctioned during a training exercise. Jones was being treated at the 黑料不打烊 VA Medical Center when he made the decision to hobble across Irving Street on crutches to campus and found his way to the office of Horace Landry, professor emeritus of accounting in the Whitman School of Management and a WWII Navy veteran. Jones says that Landry鈥檚 genuine concern exemplifies the old saying that 鈥渆veryone needs someone in their life to give them the courage to be what they are meant to be.鈥�

Jones went on to earn a bachelor of science degree (summa cum laude) as well as law and business degrees (with honors) from 黑料不打烊. He credits that chance meeting for setting in motion the events that led to where he is today. 鈥淎t a critical point in my life, 黑料不打烊 literally helped me get back on my feet,鈥� says Jones. 鈥淚t gave me the gift of an outstanding education, allowed me to have a great career and, most importantly, the ability to make a difference in the lives of others.鈥�

Despite any success, he has never forgotten how gut-wrenching it was to have his military career end and how difficult it was to overcome the pain, physical limitations and trauma. It drives him to help others, just like Professor Landry and the 黑料不打烊 community helped him, to get to the other side stronger and empowered.

Jones, who was awarded the University鈥檚 highest alumni honor, an Arents Award, in 2014, works closely with many of the nation鈥檚 most impactful veteran service organizations to ensure that we honor the sacrifice of this generation of veterans and their families. He founded the 13 years ago to provide mentoring, education, internships and economic empowerment to veterans. He considers it a great honor to serve as the chief veteran officer at ViacomCBS where nearly 1,000 veterans are currently employed, bringing with them skills essential to both military and corporate success, like leadership, problem solving, teamwork and attention to detail.

Thi茅yacine Fall

鈥淔or us, it鈥檚 all about selfless service and quiet, impactful action,鈥� says Jones. He cites the as an example of how companies can help student veterans with听hands-on experience, career-building workshops, professional development courses and networking opportunities.

Thi茅yacine Fall G鈥�22, who is pursuing an MBA at the Whitman School, is one of the program interns, working in the Global Sourcing Department. Fall was an active-duty U.S. Army soldier in the infantry, assigned to the 10th Mountain Division and deployed to Afghanistan in 2010. When he left the service, he got an undergraduate degree at Fordham University. 鈥淲hen I got out of the service, I saw all these promotional promises: 鈥楬ire vets! Hire heroes!鈥� I figured if I got a degree, the doors would be open, and the bounty would be plentiful,鈥� Fall says. 鈥淏ut the reality was鈥攖here were no doors.鈥�

Fall discovered the painful truth suffered by many veterans. Companies didn鈥檛 seem to value the skills they had developed on the battlefield.

Translating military skills

Janina Rios, another ViacomCBS intern and 黑料不打烊 undergraduate, was similarly discouraged. The army veteran had gone directly from high school into basic training, serving in the National Guard before suffering an injury that forced her into medical retirement. 鈥淓verybody kept saying it鈥檚 going to be easy, you served in the military,鈥� Rios says. 鈥淏ut every time I applied for a job, I was told I didn鈥檛 meet the qualifications.鈥�

Janina Rios

Looking back, Rios wishes someone had helped her translate her military skills into civilian language to improve her resume and her interviewing skills. That鈥檚 exactly what the programs at 黑料不打烊, OVMA and the ViacomCBS Veterans Network can help with. Rios, now majoring in film studies in the College of Visual and Performing Arts, is editing content to create engaging videos. 鈥淭he fact that I was selected for the internship in my freshman year and am able to connect with people who are extremely passionate about veterans鈥t鈥檚 genuine love and care that you鈥檙e experiencing, along with mentorship and understanding,鈥� Rios says.

Both Fall and Rios say that the greatest challenge for veterans transitioning to civilian life is the lack of structure. The internship program provides opportunities that are well-defined and a clearer pathway to career success. 鈥淩ich Jones is making the roadmap easier for me,鈥� says Fall. 鈥淎nd I鈥檇 like to make that roadmap easier for other veterans.鈥�

鈥淲e have to make sure that we provide our student veterans with the mindset and the tools to navigate their transition,鈥� says Jones. 鈥淭hat sums up the mission of the OVMA, its board and this wonderful 黑料不打烊 community. We have the great privilege to continue this work, to honor a promise that was made decades ago and the unique opportunity to make a huge difference in the lives of transitioning veterans and their families for generations to come.”

2014 Arents Award, Excellence in Finance and Veterans Affairs

Charles (Charlie) and Carolyn Wheeler

Charles (Charlie) and Carolyn Wheeler 鈥�67 have been married and in business together for more than five decades. They have lived conservatively, which has allowed them to build an estate that achieves a shared dream鈥攖o help humanity for generations to come. Their recent gift to 黑料不打烊 will do just that, advancing academic excellence and innovation in both the life sciences and business.

It all began when Carolyn graduated from 黑料不打烊 in 1967 with a degree in psychology, sociology and the fine arts. The young coed walked into the 黑料不打烊 office of the British-based Royal Insurance Co. where Charlie was part of the leadership team. Carolyn had applied for a job as an underwriter. Charlie rejected her application鈥攈e was concerned about her lack of experience and the investment in resources the company would have to make to train her–but he was overruled by a hiring committee. 听Carolyn became the first woman underwriter hired by the company in the United States.

Six months later, Charlie married her.

鈥淐harlie knew how to capitalize on the company鈥檚 investment,鈥� says Carolyn with a chuckle. 鈥淎nd throughout our lives together, he has demonstrated a great business sense, putting us in a position to be able to make this significant estate gift to the University.鈥� The Wheelers prefer to keep the total amount of their bequest confidential, but their extraordinary generosity will be recognized with their name on a new institute and two endowed professorships. Their planned gift advances the Forever Orange Campaign鈥檚 support of breakthrough and impactful research.

The vision for the Carolyn B. and Charles M. Wheeler Institute is to combine the talents, ingenuity, entrepreneurial spirit and business acumen among faculty and students in the life sciences in the College of Arts and Sciences and the Martin J. Whitman School of Management. The intent is to bring discoveries in life sciences to market safely and more efficiently to address global challenges in health and materials innovation. The collaboration among researchers, faculty and students in the Wheeler Institute will accelerate the development of breakthroughs in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of disease.

The institute will foster basic and applied life science research, while tailoring curriculum and research in finance, regulation and supply chains for specific business conditions in industries like pharmaceuticals and medical devices. There will be internships, experiential learning opportunities, professional development and networking, along with grants to help launch products and services emanating from life sciences research.

鈥淭he life sciences are essential drivers of health, as well as economic growth and employment,鈥� says Whitman School Dean Gene Anderson. 鈥淭he Wheelers鈥� generous gift will greatly advance the impact of the life sciences on the health of individuals and communities through the power of business.”

鈥淲e鈥檝e known so many brilliant people who had great ideas but lacked the business acumen to bring those ideas to fruition,鈥� says Charlie. 鈥淵ou can be extremely intelligent in the sciences, but you鈥檝e got to have business sense in order to thrive.鈥�

The Wheeler Institute will be led by two endowed professorships: the Carolyn B. Wheeler Endowed Professorship in Arts and Sciences and the Charles M. Wheeler Endowed Professorship in Whitman. The professorships will recognize highly accomplished faculty members and support them in taking their research and teaching to the next level.

鈥淚 am grateful to Charles and Carolyn Wheeler for their generosity in establishing the Wheeler Institute and its two new endowed professorships,鈥� says College of Arts and Sciences Dean Karin Ruhlandt. 鈥淭hanks to the Wheelers鈥� visionary gift, students will develop the scientific knowledge and entrepreneurial insight needed to help push the boundaries in pharmaceutical and medical innovation for healthier communities, as the world continues to face down the pandemic.鈥�

The Wheelers hope the new institute will attract the best and brightest students in biological research and business to 黑料不打烊. 鈥淭hey are our hope for a better future, to transcend all the problems our world is facing,鈥� says Carolyn.

Five decades after they first got together, the Wheelers look forward to leaving a legacy, filled with promise. 鈥淲e are so lucky to have achieved just about everything we鈥檝e wanted to achieve in life and in business,鈥� says Charlie. 鈥淲e have had no desire to live an extravagant lifestyle,鈥� says Carolyn. 鈥淥ur desire now is to see this institute thrive, to bring even greater excellence to 黑料不打烊, and to produce the kind of talent that will change our world for the better and help humanity in the long run.鈥�

About 黑料不打烊

黑料不打烊 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鈥檙e a powerful community that moves ideas, individuals and impact beyond what鈥檚 possible.

About Forever Orange: The Campaign for 黑料不打烊

Orange isn鈥檛 just our color. It鈥檚 our promise to leave the world better than we found it. Forever Orange: The Campaign for 黑料不打烊 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.