Debbie and Ajay Nagpal

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

About ���ϲ�����

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

About Forever Orange: The Campaign for ���ϲ�����

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

Story by Suzi Morales

Robert ’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 “Rob” P. Taishoff ’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 ���ϲ�����, Taishoff is challenging others to see the world the way he does and match his family’s pledge.

“I’ve seen the confidence that these young men and women with intellectual disabilities develop when given educational opportunities, and it’s mind-blowing,” says Taishoff. “If we give them the chance to pursue their interests and prepare them for careers, just like we do with every student at ���ϲ�����, they will thrive, excel, succeed and surprise us.”

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’s 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. “Jackie is very social and friendly, and frequently surprises us with what she’s capable of doing,” says Taishoff. He’d love to see her attend InclusiveU but as a resident of Maryland, her benefits associated with her disability won’t cross state lines. The portability of benefits is one of those systemic policy issues that CDI’s 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 “sees 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.” Weir says individuals with Down syndrome are an “untapped workforce who, with access to programs like InclusiveU, can skill up, enter the workforce and become taxpayers.” She says InclusiveU is the “best of the best” 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. “They’ve achieved all their goals in the last five-year plan and that set the stage for the next five-year plan,” 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.

“We’re never satisfied with what we’re doing,” says Beth Myers, the Lawrence B. Taishoff Associate Professor of Inclusive Education, executive director of the Taishoff Center and assistant director of CDI. “We 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 ���ϲ����� student can go. Am I dreaming huge dreams? Yes. Is it possible? Yes!” But, Myers acknowledges, it takes more resources and staffing to achieve those dreams.

Myers credits her “amazing team and an incredible staff at InclusiveU who would do anything for these students” 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. “We have allies in every department across campus, top down and bottom up support,” says Myers. “It’s a culture grounded in the University’s 60-plus year history in disability advocacy. People really value the work we do in inclusion.”

“I am continuously inspired by Rob Taishoff’s generosity and, now, his strategic challenge to others to help advance ���ϲ�����’s leadership in the disability community,” says Chancellor Kent Syverud. “Rob 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.”

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

Going Beyond

CDI’s 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 ���ϲ����� 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’s gift builds on and the legacy of the School of Education. Rob Taishoff’s father Lawrence and grandfather Sol philanthropically supported education, journalism and health research. Taishoff says his father was “exceptionally close” 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’s 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. “No 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,” Taishoff says. “I saw people who were given opportunities in the military that they would not have had otherwise, and I saw them thrive and excel.”

The Taishoff Family Foundation’s 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 ���ϲ����� become the first research university to launch an integrated elementary and special education teacher education program.

“It’s time to build on history once again,” says Taishoff. “I 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.”

About ���ϲ�����

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

About Forever Orange: The Campaign for ���ϲ�����

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

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

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

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

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

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

Inspired to Advance Goodness

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

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

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

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

About ���ϲ�����

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

About Hendricks Chapel

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

About Forever Orange: The Campaign for ���ϲ�����

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

Edward C. Magee Sr.

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

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

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

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

Edward “Ed” C. Magee

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

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

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

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

Rendering of dining hall at the One Team Olympic Sports Center

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

About ���ϲ�����

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

About Forever Orange: The Campaign for ���ϲ�����

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

Beth and Steve Ballentine

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

About ���ϲ�����

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

About Forever Orange: The Campaign for ���ϲ�����

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

A gift from Daniel D’Aniello ’68, H’20 and his wife, Gayle, will support construction of a new chapel and renovations to modernize and expand the Catholic Center at 110 Walnut Place. From left are Chancellor Kent Syverud; Daniel D’Aniello; Pete Sala, vice president and chief campus facilities officer; and Luke Radel ’26.

With a ceremonial shovel and breaking of the ground, a new chapter in the history of Catholic ministry at ���ϲ����� is being written, thanks to a transformational gift from philanthropist, life trustee and dedicated alumnus Daniel D’Aniello ’68, H’20 and his wife, Gayle.

Part of the , the D’Aniellos’ newest gift will support construction of a new chapel and renovations to modernize and expand the Catholic Center at 110 Walnut Place. Land is currently being cleared for the building of the new St. Thomas More Chapel at the corner of East Adams and Walnut Place.

“Dan continues to be a devout ���ϲ����� supporter whose kindness to our students knows no bounds,” says Chancellor Kent Syverud. “His impact is felt and visible all around our University, from our main campus in ���ϲ����� to our campus in Florence, Italy. Dan’s philanthropy has allowed us to strengthen our commitment to veterans, enhance the student experience both on campus and abroad, and now, build a more vibrant spiritual community. This new gift enhances our ability to be a University welcoming to all, including to students of all faiths, by providing an expanded and modern space to come together, worship and serve the community.”

Chancellor Kent Syverud and Daniel D’Aniello ’68, H’20

D’Aniello has often spoken about his own upbringing in an Italian Catholic family, steeped in tradition and faith. Growing up, he was an altar server and sang in the church choir, experiences that led to faith-based giving becoming a central pillar in his philanthropy.

“I admire the way in which ���ϲ����� supports the spiritual needs and nurtures the moral and ethical development of students,” says D’Aniello. “Faith in God has always been a guiding principal in my life and I am proud to support the new Catholic Center and chapel; a gathering place for our catholic students to support them and their faith while at ���ϲ�����.”

The Catholic chaplaincy is one of 15 housed in Hendricks Chapel, which also supports 25 student-led religious and spiritual life groups, and hosts more than 2,000 programs each year, many of which are responsive to student engagement at the Catholic Center.

“The ’Cuse Catholic community has grown dramatically over the last several years, with significantly increased attendance at worship services and growing student interest in activities hosted at the Catholic Center in service of the broader ���ϲ����� community,” says Fr. Gerry Waterman, who was appointed to his position as Catholic chaplain in 2016. “I am deeply grateful to Dan D’Aniello for supporting the spiritual growth of our students in an environment that serves to deepen their religious understanding, their relationship with God and their desire to help others in the community.”

Waterman notes that the unprecedented interest in Catholic ministry services has necessitated additional seating to accommodate increased attendance. “Each folding chair we’ve had to add, and the long lines at post-Mass Thursday dinners and Sunday brunch gatherings, demonstrate that our ’Cuse Catholics find strength in fellowship.”

The presence of a Catholic ministry at the University to 1908 with the formation of the first Brownson Club, the predecessor to the Newman Club. Today, the Catholic Center includes a vibrant group of servant leaders composed of students who are dedicated to service and who offer study groups, retreats and mission trip experiences to enrich spiritual development.

D’Aniello is a co-founder and chairman emeritus of Carlyle. Prior to forming Carlyle in 1987, D’Aniello was the vice president for finance and development at Marriott Corporation for eight years. Before joining Marriott, D’Aniello was a financial officer at PepsiCo Inc. and Trans World Airlines. D’Aniello served in the United States Navy from 1968 through 1971 during which time he was a Distinguished Naval Graduate of Officer Candidate School, Newport, Rhode Island, a supply officer (LTJG) aboard the USS Wasp (CVS 18); and in 2016, D’Aniello was awarded the designation of Lone Sailor by the U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation.

D’Aniello is a 1968 magna cum laude graduate of ���ϲ�����, where he was a member of Beta Gamma Sigma, and a 1974 graduate of the Harvard Business School, where he was a Teagle Foundation Fellow.

About ���ϲ�����

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

About Forever Orange: The Campaign for ���ϲ�����

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

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 ���ϲ����� 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’s Academic Strategic Plan, ECS will grow its enrollment and faculty ranks by 50% by 2028.

“The Campos Student Center will provide dedicated space for our students with a home for collaboration, community and access to resources that maximize their success,” says ECS Dean . “This 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.”

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. “Marco got the snow boots, but I didn’t 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,” says Campos-Miller. “He told me, ‘Walk right behind me in my footprints.’”

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

“As a young teenager, I didn’t have role models,” says Campos. “I sensed there was something bigger, but there wasn’t a clear path.” 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. “I never loved engineering and math, but I saw the pathway to a career in an engineering degree,” says Campos. “It was grueling work, but the perseverance and grind ultimately get you there. You have to be consistent and hold the course.”

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

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

Campos’ 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 ���ϲ����� 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’t been empowered in the past, he says.

“This 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,” says . “I am grateful to Marco and Deanna for their commitment to ���ϲ����� and am confident this center will have an impact on generations of students pursuing career paths in engineering.”

Campos’ 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.

“When I talk about the company, I rarely talk about the business,” says Campos. “Everyone can engineer. Everyone can project manage, but I want to be known for trying to improve the community and improve quality of life.”

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, “Our People are our Power,” and the power of philanthropy rests with his employees.

Campos and his sister believe the foundation’s intensive focus on mission through philanthropy, and the recruitment of specialized talent to lead and manage these kinds of student-centered programs helps universities “move the needle” when it comes to attracting students of all backgrounds to engineering fields. “This has become our corporate and social responsibility,” says Campos. “You 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.”

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. “Campos isn’t just a name. It’s the story behind the name. It represents possibilities and pathways to get there.”

“We all have a sphere of influence and it’s incumbent on each of us to affect our sphere of influence in the most positive ways we can,” says Campos. “Putting good out there in the universe brings back good, even more than we put out.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

About Forever Orange: The Campaign for ���ϲ�����

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Students help celebrate the opening of the new location of the ���ϲ����� Dick Clark Los Angeles Program.

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

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

The new location of the ���ϲ����� Dick Clark Los Angeles Program in North Hollywood

K.G. Tan

Table tennis is a game of both force and angles.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Devising Solutions for Unknown Problems

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

K.G. Tan

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

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

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

From IBM to ���ϲ�����

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

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

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

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

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

Doing Whatever It Takes to Accomplish a Task

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

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

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

It was a constant balancing act between speed and space.

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

The Profound Impact of Giving Back

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

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

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

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

About ���ϲ�����

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

About Forever Orange: The Campaign for ���ϲ�����

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

Jay N. Zemel

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

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

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

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

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

‘Learning by doing’

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

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

Remembering his encouragement

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

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

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

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

About ���ϲ�����

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

About Forever Orange: The Campaign for ���ϲ�����

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

Barner says the strong foundation for her career accomplishments formed as she was earning dual undergraduate degrees in and from ���ϲ�����.

And now, Barner is paying it forward. Thanks to her generous and transformative donation as part of the Forever Orange campaign, Barner’s latest gift of $1 million will ensure the future of . In recognition of the gift, the building will be renamed the Barner-McDuffie House—in honor of Barner, a ���ϲ����� trustee, and her husband, Haywood McDuffie.

Trustee Sharon Barner’s transformative donation of $1 million as part of the Forever Orange campaign will ensure the future of 119 Euclid—a space that celebrates the Black student experience—enhance scholarship opportunities for first-generation and underrepresented students and strengthen cultural, academic and social student-led activities that promote Black culture.

“Sharon and Haywood are passionate benefactors, ambassadors and supporters of ���ϲ�����, and especially our students,” says . “This gift allows the University to continue expanding meaningful opportunities for students to build a sense of belonging and community here at ���ϲ�����. I am grateful to Sharon and Haywood for their generosity and vision and look forward to celebrating their philanthropy later this year during Coming Back Together.”

This is the first building on North Campus named by an African American family through philanthropic support. In addition to endowing 119 Euclid’s future, the gift will enhance scholarship opportunities for first-generation and underrepresented students and strengthen cultural, academic and social student-led activities that promote Black culture.

“I came through ���ϲ����� during a period of change across the 1970s. As an African American female, I found a community that was supportive of all the things I thought I could do with my life,” says Barner, who is now vice president and chief administrative officer at Cummins Inc., an Indiana-based multinational known as a global leader in power technology. “As I looked to give back, it was about both giving back to ���ϲ����� and to people who had experiences like myself. I wanted to help make sure they had the foundations they needed, both through finding community and scholarship.”

Sharon Barner has achieved career success at the highest levels of her field, including as vice president and chief administrative officer at Cummins Inc., an Indiana-based multinational known as a global leader in power technology.

Reflecting on her days on campus, which served as a formative experience, Barner felt there was something missing from her Orange journey: a dedicated space for Black students to gather, share their experiences and feel at home on the University campus. Barner is excited to see how her donation will inspire and make a lasting impact on students for years to come.

Creating Sense of Home and Family

The first time Barner walked inside 119 Euclid, she understood why this was a special place for Black students. From the friendly faces greeting her to the enticing aromas emanating from the kitchen, Barner says she instantly felt at peace and knew this was a project to which she wanted to contribute.

“It felt like there were a million mothers telling me to ‘come in and be comfortable.’ I felt like I was home. There was this sense of family. You have a community of people who are going to help keep you safe, mentally and physically, while helping you grow as a person,” says Barner, whose son, Haywood McDuffie III ’17, also graduated from ���ϲ�����. “Students feel included when you have those kinds of spaces, knowing you have a village that supports you.”

“Affinity spaces such as the Barner-McDuffie House are critical for community-building, leadership development and student success. This space, under Marissa Willingham’s leadership, has helped our students cultivate a sense of belonging at ���ϲ�����,” says . “I’m excited to see the innovative programs that will be hosted in and through the space.”

Besides her academic pursuits, Barner found her community through her involvement in a number of activities at ���ϲ�����—from being a cheerleader and joining the Delta Sigma Theta sorority to writing for The Daily Orange and teaching English as a second language to Spanish-speaking children in the City of ���ϲ�����.

Inspiring Fellow First-Generation Students

Sharon Barner

A first-generation college student, Barner understands the financial stresses families can face trying to pay for higher education. That was the other driving force behind this gift, which will also support the , which provides critical financial assistance, leadership training and alumni mentorship for first-generation and underrepresented students at ���ϲ�����.

“I want those students to know that someone like me knows what they’re going through and is rooting for them to be successful at ���ϲ����� and beyond. I hope one day these students will look back, understand the value of their ���ϲ����� education and feel compelled to give back to future generations of students,” says Barner, who as a trustee is currently on the search committee charged with identifying the University’s next chief information officer.

“When you think of all that Sharon has accomplished as a first-generation graduate of ���ϲ�����, it’s clear that the ���ϲ����� experience is a game changer. It’s wonderful that she continues to think deeply about the needs of current students through her philanthropy,” says .

“Sharon’s generosity will help offer students more impactful programs and activities at the Barner-McDuffie House while furthering the space’s goals of providing a sense of community, a place to build connections and celebrate the outstanding contributions of the Black community on campus,” adds .

About ���ϲ�����

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

About Forever Orange: The Campaign for ���ϲ�����

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

This special effort from Otto’s Army, ���ϲ�����’s student section, is a partnership with the Forever Orange Student Alumni Council (FOSAC) to highlight the importance of giving back.

Gregory Slodysko ’24, president of Otto’s Army, emphasizes what the organization means to the University’s student-athletes.

“If you’ve ever seen some of the post-game interviews for football or basketball, often either our coaches or the opposing team’s coaches mention how much Otto’s Army affects each and every game. […]�� No team wants to play ’Cuse at home, and a large part of that belief is thanks to Otto’s Army.”

On Saturday, students will be wearing Blizzard T-shirts with QR codes on the back that lead to a link to make a gift that will go directly to Otto’s Army.

“All money raised will go directly to Otto’s Army so we can continue to improve the student section for years to come. For this reason, giving back is important because it allows Otto’s Army to remain one of the best college student sections in the nation,” Gregory says. “In the past, we have used the money raised to help fund our bus trips so that we can turn critical away games into home games and support our Orange on the road. Giving back for the Blizzard game this year will continue to help us grow and improve the gameday experience for all ���ϲ����� students.”

For the Class of 2024, the gifts are especially meaningful. A gift of at least $24 in honor of their class year means the student will receive special cords at Commencement to show that they gave back.

“Those who give back bring students to ���ϲ�����. Without them, many students wouldn’t be able to come to school here. FOSAC helps remind the campus community of those who brought them here, whether it be alumni or donors they’ve never met,” says Megan Edenfeld ’25, president of�� FOSAC. “We encourage students to take pride in being part of the Orange family and help maintain the spirit that draws so many to SU. By fostering student-alumni connections, FOSAC empowers students while also reminding alumni that they will forever have a place in the Orange family”

The Blizzard is forecasted for Saturday, Jan. 27, at 7 p.m. in the JMA Wireless Dome.

“If you plan to attend this game (student or not), please wear white and prepare for the snow. Let’s ice out the dome next Saturday,” Gregory says.

Can’t join us in the JMA Dome? Here’s how to .

Story by Laura Verzegnassi ’25

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

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

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

Dick Clark

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

About ���ϲ�����

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

About Forever Orange: The Campaign for ���ϲ�����

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

When the Greatest Generation (people born from 1901 to 1927) speak about their youth, a common theme is how times were simpler back then. Living through the Great Depression and both World Wars made them both resilient and self-reliant. For Esther M. Larsen, grandmother of ���ϲ����� Board of Trustees Vice Chair Christine E. Larsen G’84, life was rustic growing up on a farm in eastern Nebraska in the early 1900s. Satisfaction came from a hard day’s work, and they did what they could to enjoy life with what they had. As Christine explains, no electricity, no running water and no radio meant entertainment came from sharing stories and reciting poetry while laboring on the farm or in the kitchen.

Mona Awad

“Poetry and singing helped pass the time while working long days in the kitchen, often with extended family members gathering in one location to preserve the day’s harvest,” says Larsen.

Esther learned poetry through the oral tradition—shared across the community. After her father died and her family sold the farm, Esther and her mother moved to the city and the poetry came along. After graduating from high school, she taught at a one-room schoolhouse just outside Sioux City, Iowa, and would remain a proponent of education throughout her life.

When thinking back on memories of her grandmother reciting poetry, Christine says Longfellow poems were among Esther’s favorites.

“She taught us a few stanzas, our favorite being ‘On the eighteenth of April in ’75…. (The midnight ride of Paul Revere),’” says Larsen, who credits her grandmother for instilling the importance of education in all five of her grandchildren: Christine, her brother and their three cousins. “She systematically taught us to read through phonics before we went to kindergarten, and we all went on to graduate from college.”

To honor her grandmother, Christine generously made a gift to the University to establish the Esther M. Larsen Faculty Fellowship in the Humanities, housed in the College of Arts and Sciences (A&S), through the . As part of the , the University contributes an additional amount to fund the endowed faculty fellowship. Fittingly, the inaugural fellow is bestselling author and creative writing professor . She was appointed to the fellowship by then-interim dean of A&S Lois Agnew based upon the recommendation of a faculty committee.

“I’m so pleased that the Larsen Fellowship has given us an opportunity to recognize and support Mona Awad,” says Agnew, who is now associate provost for academic programs. “Professor Awad is a remarkably prolific writer whose work has received worldwide acclaim at an early stage in her career. She is also a dedicated teacher who both challenges and supports students. She has been an outstanding addition to our renowned creative writing program, and we are fortunate that she joined our faculty.”

A young Christine Larsen (left) with her grandmother Esther at a holiday gathering.

Awad, who has been a faculty member in the Department of English’s since 2020, teaches a variety of writing courses, including the popular , where students take part in writing exercises, read classic fairy tale stories and discuss what makes the stories compelling. Her bestselling novel “Bunny” (Viking, 2019) was named a top book of 2019 by TIME, Vogue and others, and was recently optioned for film by JJ Abrams’ Bad Robot Productions.

“It is such an honor to be associated with Mona and to support her work,” says Larsen. “As an undergrad English literature major myself, I deeply value a core liberal arts education. I wanted to particularly support the humanities faculty who often have less opportunity for outside research money.”

In addition to “Bunny,” Awad has written two other novels: “All’s Well” (Simon & Schuster, 2021) and “13 Ways of Looking at a Fat Girl” (Penguin, 2016). “13 Ways” won the Amazon Best First Novel Award, the Colorado Book Award and was a finalist for the Scotia Bank Giller Prize. Her forthcoming book, “Rouge: A Novel” (Simon & Schuster, 2023) is a gothic fairy tale about a lonely dress shop clerk whose mother’s unexpected death sends her down a treacherous path in pursuit of youth and beauty. “Rouge” is slated to hit bookshelves in September.

Awad’s writing has also appeared in New York Times Magazine, McSweeney’s, Time, Vice and elsewhere. This past April she was also featured in a New York Times Style Magazine article alongside legendary author Margaret Atwood, author of “The Handmaid’s Tale” (1985), who named Awad as her “.”

“I am deeply grateful to be the inaugural Esther M. Larsen Faculty Fellow in the Humanities,” says Awad. “It’s a real vote of support and is so helpful to me as it creates time and space for my next literary project, which is connected to and expands on a previous novel of mine, taking it in a very ambitious and new direction.”

Awad says the fellowship will also support a forthcoming literary project about fairy tales and fairy tale collection, which will involve a research component in Scotland.

Larsen, who earned a master’s degree in library science from the (iSchool), says giving back to the University and supporting the retention of top-tier faculty is vital to the success of the University.

Christine E. Larsen

“In 1984, armed with my SU degree, I had a career-defining professional role when I was recruited at Arthur Andersen’s consulting division (now Accenture), and from there I built a career in technology and operations leadership in financial services and payments,” Larsen says. “My career launched because previous stewards of ���ϲ����� provided the resources both to sustain the incredible faculty at the iSchool and to set aside fellowship money which allowed me to attend.”

In addition to this latest fellowship, Larsen has supported various initiatives in the College of Arts and Sciences, Hendricks Chapel, the iSchool, the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, and alumni relations. She has also generously supported the athletics program and various student scholarships.

After graduating from ���ϲ�����, Larsen embarked on a 25-plus year career leading technology and operations across all lines of business at JPMorgan Chase, held a number of senior executive roles at Citi and was senior manager in the Financial Services technology practice at Accenture. She retired as COO of First Data Corporation (now Fiserv), a Fortune 500 software company. Larsen also serves on the board of directors of the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, a $60 billion market cap and leading North American bank as a member of the Risk Committee.

“I am proud to be able to now be a steward through my role as vice chair of the Board of Trustees and to be able to return some of my financial success to long-term support for the University’s mission,” says Larsen. “Each faculty member touches many students, and their ongoing research and creative work drives energy and ideas that keep the students engaged. I hope that this fellowship memorializes my grandmother by enhancing humanities scholarship and education at ���ϲ�����.”

About ���ϲ�����

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

About Forever Orange
Orange isn’t just our color. It’s our promise to leave the world better than we found it. Forever Orange: The Campaign for ���ϲ����� 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.

Gill

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

About Forever Orange: The Campaign for ���ϲ�����

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

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

“When 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 ���ϲ�����,” says Shawn. “I’ve 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 ���ϲ����� 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 ‘One Team’ Olympic Sports Dining Hall and the Football Dining Hall.”

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 “One Team” Olympics Sports Center. The new complex replaces what was once known as the Joseph and Shawn Lampe Athletics Complex. “As 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,” Shawn says.

“A native of ���ϲ�����, Joe bled Orange,” said Director of Athletics John Wildhack. “Every ���ϲ����� student, including each one of our student-athletes past, present and future, are the beneficiaries of Joe’s 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.”

“Joe 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,” says Chancellor Kent Syverud. “With his name forever present in the new athletics complex, generations to come will know of his contributions and impact on his alma mater.”

Joe Lampe’s connection to ���ϲ����� runs as far back as his birth at the former Hospital of the Good Shepherd in ���ϲ�����, 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 ’53, L’55, H’04

Though he did not return to ���ϲ�����, 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’s 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. Pérez Celis Fund to support studio arts majors from traditionally underrepresented groups.

“When Joe was ready to go to college, his father had a financial setback,” says Shawn. “That’s 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.”

Lampe described his desire to make life better for others in a book about leadership, written by former ���ϲ����� Chancellor Kenneth A. “Buzz” Shaw. In “The Intentional Leader” (published Aug. 29, 2005), Lampe is quoted: “Work 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…It is important to me to believe that my time on earth results in the betterment of others.”

Shawn recalls that her husband’s 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’s Council. He served on the Board of Trustees beginning in 1987 and was its chairman from 1998 to 2004. “Joe barely missed a meeting, despite the difficulty in flying from Phoenix to ���ϲ�����. In fact, he kept a bag at the campus hotel, so it was ready for him on quick trips,” Shawn says.

In honor of Lampe’s contributions to the University and its students, ���ϲ����� recognized him with numerous awards, including the ���ϲ����� 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.

“I knew what Joe was passionate about,” says Shawn. “He had so much energy. Now, his name will live on in a place filled with positive energy.”

About ���ϲ�����

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

About the Legends Society

The Legends Society is an exclusive group of ���ϲ����� 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 ���ϲ�����

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

Artist rendering of John A. Lally Athletics Complex

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

About ���ϲ�����

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

About the ’Cuse Athletics Fund

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

About the Legends Society

The Legends Society is an exclusive group of ���ϲ����� 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 ���ϲ�����

Orange isn’t just our color. It’s our promise to leave the world better than we found it. Forever Orange: The Campaign for ���ϲ����� 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.

Azadeh Tajdar (right) speaks with student Anna Vila about her poster presentation at the Celebration of Undergraduate Scholarship this past spring. Vila, a political science and citizenship and civic engagement major, will be among Tajdar’s students as the inaugural Cramer Family Professor of Practice in Community Impact.

After studying law at the University of Amsterdam, went to work in public policy, hoping to be part of the inner workings of the European Union (EU) at an exciting time: A year before she graduated, the EU was poised for a stronger global presence thanks to the Treaty of Amsterdam, which also brought added resources for employment and citizens’ rights.

Tajdar did, indeed, get a close-up view of government—but it wasn’t what she hoped for. She was a lobbyist, and her job was to convince lawmakers to make decisions that supported special interests. She found herself promoting things like tobacco and deregulation. “I was so disappointed to see how democracy happened from the back end,” she said. “I was very much disenfranchised by what I saw.”

When directed to lobby in support of weapons, Tajdar knew she needed a new career, something that empowered her to uplift others and supported her beliefs. Now, nearly 20 years later, Tajdar is an expert in the field of social entrepreneurship and shares her experiences as a startup founder, project manager and incubator consultant to empower innovators. At the start of the Spring 2023 semester, she was appointed as the Maxwell School’s inaugural Cramer Family Professor of Practice in Community Impact.

Seated in the , the professorship was created with a generous gift by the Gerald and Daphna Cramer Foundation to provide support to students across a range of community engagement efforts that develop capabilities and skills in entrepreneurship, civic engagement, philanthropy, systems change, social innovation and impact.

The late Gerald B. Cramer earned a degree in accounting from the in 1952 and went on to become one of the Maxwell School’s most generous and dedicated supporters. He and his wife, Daphna, funded professorships and graduate assistantships and supported the creation of the Global Affairs Institute at Maxwell (now the Daniel Patrick Moynihan Institute of Global Affairs) as well as the University’s Institute for National Security and Counterterrorism (now the Institute for Security Policy and Law).

Cramer’s dedication and impact were recognized with numerous University distinctions, including a George Arents Pioneer Medal—the University’s highest alumni distinction—and an honorary doctor of laws degree.

In establishing the latest professorship, Daphna Cramer noted that her husband’s vision was that students would “find the value of a Maxwell School and ���ϲ����� education to help them think globally while acting locally.”

The late Gerald B. Cramer ’52, H’10

“He said that his goal is to always seed fund new initiatives that create opportunities for independence and entrepreneurship, and to see the benefits of impact investing by bringing about sustainable prospects for community benefit by all types of organizations and to all people,” she said of Gerry, who served as a University trustee before his passing in 2018.

Dean David M. Van Slyke says the professorship honors the legacy of Gerry Cramer, who he called “an extraordinary friend and benefactor” to the Maxwell School. He says Cramer found joy in working quietly and effectively behind the scenes to support programs and opportunities and was committed to Maxwell’s focus on global engagement and citizenship.

“Generations of students will benefit from the extraordinary support of the Cramer family,” says Van Slyke. “I am certain Gerry would have been an enthusiastic supporter of CCE and of the addition of Professor Tajdar to the Maxwell community. Her expertise and experience are a natural complement to our cross-disciplinary approach and our efforts to teach students to think about public issues from a systems perspective.”

As the Cramer Professor, Tajdar helps students work with community-based organizations in Central New York including Utica, Rochester and ���ϲ�����; assists students with their capstone projects; and teaches courses in community development, social entrepreneurship, philanthropy, grantsmanship and program design and evaluation.

Before joining Maxwell, Tajdar held a diverse mix of positions across the globe. She has worked with numerous impact ventures as a mentor, consultant and donor. She has consulted for the European Commission’s Humanitarian Aid Office, monitoring and evaluating humanitarian projects in Afghanistan, and, at the Urban Justice Center in New York City, she studied the feasibility of setting up a cooperatively owned mobile food vendor commissary.

Tajdar’s startups have focused on building the capacity of diaspora-led community organizations in countries of origin, including in Rwanda and Senegal, as well as co-founding Kabul’s first incubator and coworking space for peace building through social entrepreneurship. After she left the latter, called the Center for Business and Social Innovation, she enrolled at the University of Fribourg, Switzerland, to continue her graduate studies. She earned a Ph.D. from the Faculty of Management, Economic and Social Sciences in 2021.

Tajdar is excited about her next chapter at Maxwell. Among the lessons she hopes to impart on students is that “democracies flourish when you give people the opportunity to change their own civic and economic lives.” She added, “Social entrepreneurship does that.”

In addition, Tajdar said she strives to share the importance of adopting an entrepreneurial mindset for innovation and impact. “Today, many organizations across the public, private and nonprofit sectors embrace entrepreneurial skills and mindset to solve problems more effectively—and are breaking silos through public, private and people’s partnerships,” she said.

She said some of the greatest inventions of our time—smartphones and GPS—are a result of the U.S. government having a “visionary entrepreneurial mindset” to invest in the technology. “Some of the most defining social, economic and ecological movements of the 19th and 20th centuries were radical innovations—they disrupted conventional institutions at the time, for new ways to solve societal problems,” she said, adding, “My goal is to help students to adopt an entrepreneurial mindset to solve problems with societal, economic and ecological impact.”

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

The Mowers

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

About ���ϲ�����

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

About Forever Orange: The Campaign for ���ϲ�����

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

Ed Pettinella

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

About ���ϲ�����

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

About the Legends Society

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

About the JMA Wireless Dome Transformation Project

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

About Forever Orange: The Campaign for ���ϲ�����

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

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 ���ϲ����� in 2011.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

About ���ϲ�����

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

About Forever Orange: The Campaign for ���ϲ�����

Orange isn’t just our color. It’s our promise to leave the world better than we found it. Forever Orange: The Campaign for ���ϲ����� 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.

Forever Orange Week, March 20-24, is ���ϲ�����’s annual celebration of what it means to be Orange—a high-energy week that highlights the indelible bond that’s created the moment you become a member of the Orange community. The Forever Orange Student Alumni Council plays a key role in planning the week’s events.

As students return from Spring Break, they’re encouraged to participate in several programs and events throughout the week. On Tuesday, March 21, ���ϲ����� Life Trustee Nick Donofrio G’71, H’11 will lead an engaging discussion based on his new autobiography, “If Nothing Changes, Nothing Changes.” Donofrio spent decades as a top executive in business and technology. The discussion is set for 12:30-2:30 p.m. in Schine 304ABC, and those wishing to attend should RSVP to Heather Carroll by Friday, March 17.

The week will include several additional opportunities for students to interact with alumni, including a special D.C. Immersion Experience, where D.C.-based alumni will visit campus to offer students advice on living and working in Washington, D.C.

Boost the ’Cuse is the marquee event of Forever Orange Week 2023, with NFL Network’s Scott Hanson ’93 traveling to campus to anchor 16 live shows from the state-of-the-art Newhouse Studios. Each show will showcase some of the best of ���ϲ����� with the goal of inspiring students, faculty/staff, alumni, parents and friends to make a gift of any amount to support ���ϲ�����. All students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends are strongly encouraged to (Very Influential People) and earn ���ϲ����� swag!

On the evening of March 23, all members of the Class of 2023 who have made their Class Act gift will be invited to Club 44 in the JMA Wireless Dome for a Countdown to Commencement donor recognition celebration.

The week concludes on March 24, as the Orange community marks 153 years since ���ϲ����� was founded on March 24, 1870. All are invited to a birthday celebration at 2 p.m. in Schine’s Lower Atrium, including a chili cook-off and sweet treats.

John A. ’82 and Laura Lally cut the ribbon to officially mark the opening of the John A. Lally Athletics Complex entranceway.

The John A. Lally Athletics Complex entranceway is complete. The first milestone in the ongoing to build a new home for the Orange will welcome all visitors to the Lally Athletics Complex. When completed, the John A. Lally Athletics Complex will stand as a state-of-the-art academic and athletics village serving all 20 ���ϲ����� teams and more than 600 student-athletes.

On Friday afternoon in front of more than 100 esteemed donors, coaches, student-athlete and University leaders, ���ϲ����� Chancellor Kent Svyerud, Director of Athletics John Wildhack ’80 and lead donors John A. ’82 and Laura Lally cut the ribbon to officially mark the opening of the John A. Lally Athletics Complex entranceway.

“The John A. Lally Athletics Complex is an Athletic and Academic Village,” Wildhack said. “It represents our commitment to provide every student-athlete with the tools to reach their full potential, both academically and athletically. We will provide best-in-class services in academic support, sports medicine, nutrition, strength and conditioning, career counseling, and personal support for every student-athlete at ���ϲ�����. It will enable us to recruit the brightest and best student-athletes. It will help us compete and win at the ACC and national level. The success of our student-athletes, both academically and athletically, will bring great pride to our University, our community, our alumni, and Orange fans around the world.”

A key priority of Forever Orange, ���ϲ�����’s comprehensive capital campaign, the Lally Athletics Complex will elevate the student-athlete experience and provide a first-rate facility to help the department continue to develop, recruit and retain high caliber student-athletes. Thanks to the leadership support of Lally, a three-time Orange football letterwinner, and his wife, Laura, this vision is steadily becoming a reality.

“Being a ���ϲ����� Football player was formative for me,” Lally said. “I took what I learned on the field and applied it to business and life. I am very excited about where we are with the project at this time. But we’re just beginning—we need to do everything we can to support it and continue to make this great facility a reality.”

Lally, a graduate of the Martin J. Whitman School of Management and an offensive guard for the Orange from 1977-82, made a in 2019 to jumpstart the campaign and help inspire fellow alumni, fans and donors to support.

“The John A. Lally Athletics Complex is the physical embodiment of ���ϲ�����’s promise to our student athletes,” Syverud said. “Here our students will see the investment ���ϲ����� is making in their development as a whole person —academically, athletically and personally.”

Friday’s ribbon cutting marked the completion of construction on a new front entrance and expanded meeting space that features engaging interactive technology and state-of-the-art video boards. The entranceway will be the central entry for all alumni, friends, staff, coaches, student-athletes and prospective student-athletes and their families to enter into the home of ���ϲ����� Athletics. Future plans for the complex call for the second level of the entranceway to be expanded into a student-athlete academic success center serving all ���ϲ����� student-athletes.

Momentum for the campaign is building as the ‘Cuse Athletics Fund (‘CAF) and ���ϲ����� continue to fundraise for the next phases of the John A. Lally Athletics Complex. The includes the creation of a new Football Operations Center and the ‘One Team’ Olympic Sports Center, which will be utilized by all Olympic sports teams and house updated dining and nutrition facilities, renovated locker rooms, medical training and strength and conditioning facilities, and modernized displays honoring the history of ���ϲ����� Athletics.

“John and Laura, your support, commitment and passion inspire all of us,” Wildhack said. “Thank you for believing in us, thank you for trusting us. Your generosity will enable tens of thousands of young women and men to come to ���ϲ����� to learn, to grow as people, to thrive, to compete, and to win at the highest level. Today, our collective vision and dream is being realized — and we’re just getting started.

“What does today represent?�� It represents the official beginning of the multi-phase vision for the John A. Lally Athletics Complex. It represents a new era in ���ϲ����� Athletics.”

To date, the Phase 1 fundraising goal to continue construction on the John A. Lally Athletics Complex is 90% complete. In just two years, the , a leadership group of fans, family and alumni who join in a shared vision to provide current and future student-athletes with a championship experience through philanthropy, has grown to almost 170 donors who have made major gift commitments to support ���ϲ����� Athletics and the John A. Lally Athletics Complex.

To learn more about the John A. Lally Athletics Complex capital campaign and how to support, please visit the .

About Forever Orange: The Campaign for ���ϲ�����

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

Feldman still majored in biology but decided to follow in her father’s 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’s Public Interest Section, advocating on behalf of individuals who are often marginalized by society.

Laura Feldman ’81

Despite her professional success, Feldman has never forgotten the challenges she faced as an undergraduate. That memory—and the desire to ease the journey for others—is what drives her philanthropy. In her latest gift to ���ϲ����� 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).

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

The world of possibilities is what SUSTAIN is all about. “Many of our young scholars are first-generation college students who come to ���ϲ����� thinking of being a doctor or veterinarian or dentist,” says John W. Tillotson, associate professor of STEM Education and chair of the Department of Science Teaching in A&S. “What 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.”

Tillotson says the SUSTAIN program is truly turning the tide for many students interested in STEM fields. “Typically, only about 40% of students who enter college with the intention of being a STEM major graduate with a STEM degree,” he says. “Many 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.”

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.

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

“I 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,” wrote another student. “With 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.”

Feldman, who serves on the College of Arts and Sciences Dean’s Advisory Board, says she was moved to tears by letters from students like this one: “Overall, 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.”

The “belief in potential” strikes Feldman close to home. She became foster parent to five siblings, ages 6 to 17, after their mother died. “Their mother was one of my father’s clients,” Feldman says. “She 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.”

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

“Belief in potential” is a critical element in SUSTAIN. Tillotson says students who come from challenging backgrounds—whether low-income or historically marginalized groups—often suffer from “imposter syndrome.”

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

“The SUSTAIN program is a fine example of what we mean when we say ���ϲ����� is committed to preparing our students for personal and professional success,” says College of Arts and Sciences Interim Dean Lois Agnew. “That 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.”

The endowed fund created by Feldman’s latest gift will ensure the SUSTAIN program can continue in perpetuity to carve pathways to success for countless students. “Laura is making a long-term investment in the human capital these students possess,” says Tillotson. “She is investing in the future well-being of these young people, who have demonstrated their desire to pay it forward.” 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 “keep on giving” through SUSTAIN graduates. “I’d like the people who benefited from my gift to give back to future generations,” she says.

Judging from the letters written to her, that’s already happening: “I really appreciate your generosity and your gift has allowed me to attain my goals,” writes one SUSTAIN graduate. “You have motivated me to give back to students in the future so that they too have the opportunity to achieve their goals.”

About ���ϲ�����

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

About Forever Orange: The Campaign for ���ϲ�����

Orange isn’t just our color. It’s our promise to leave the world better than we found it. Forever Orange: The Campaign for ���ϲ����� 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

About ���ϲ�����

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

About Forever Orange: The Campaign for ���ϲ�����

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

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—a photography major in the Newhouse School—in 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.

“All through our almost 34 years since that fateful night in 1988, we have had hopes and dreams,” says Alexia’s mother Aphrodite Tsairis. “We have been dedicated to visual journalism by supporting the important socially relevant work of professionals and by providing a platform for educating emerging photojournalists.”

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.

“Our overriding interest is in the stories they produce,” says Aphrodite Tsairis. “We 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.”

That philosophy resonates deeply with Liu. “Visual storytelling can connect people in powerful ways,” she says. “Those 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.”

Through the , ���ϲ����� is providing an additional $1 million to enhance the impact of the Enlight Foundation’s $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.

“I am so thankful to Xin for having the vision to expand The Alexia,” says Bruce Strong, associate professor in visual communications and The Alexia Endowed Chair in the Newhouse School. “In 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.”

Liu believes the Alexia grant helped her rise to the “top of her game.” 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: “I had never even touched a camera before,” she says. “But I figured that if I could do both writing and photography, I could go on assignment and do all parts of the story.”

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!).

“Everything I learned in ���ϲ����� was so very different from what I had learned in China,” she says. She developed storytelling skills in photo essays and still remembers the story she crafted about a ���ϲ����� 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 “met all these amazing photojournalists, including many women, which truly encouraged me. In China, most of them were men.”

Ultimately, she was offered a full scholarship to Ohio University in Athens, Ohio, where she earned a master’s 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.

“Journalism is the fourth pillar of our society and a critical pillar of democracy,” says Liu. “International bureaus are closing. Local newspapers are dying.” 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 “a decisive moment” in history—an iconic image that “captures the soul of a historical era.”

Newhouse School Dean Mark Lodato says the power of great journalism and communications can be wielded to strengthen society. “The gift from Enlight, along with Xin’s 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.”

Strong stresses that The Alexia grants go beyond simply recognizing great work. “The grants are essentially incubators for important projects,” he says. “We 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’t have to speak the language of the photographer to understand what they are saying in their story.”

Peter and Aphrodite Tsairis still think about what stories their daughter might have told through her photojournalism had she had a chance. “With 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,” says Aphrodite. “We 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.”

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’s name. “This is about capacity building,” says Liu. “The capacity of storytellers around the globe to bridge cultural divides, to foster understanding, address social issues, and bring about lasting change.”

About ���ϲ�����

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

About Forever Orange: The Campaign for ���ϲ�����

Orange isn’t just our color. It’s our promise to leave the world better than we found it. Forever Orange: The Campaign for ���ϲ����� 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.

Matt Ter Molen

A key part of Ter Molen’s portfolio has been leading Forever Orange: The Campaign for ���ϲ�����, a $1.5 billion initiative that launched in November 2019. The campaign, which focuses on advancing academic excellence at all levels, has raised more in private philanthropy than at any other time in the University’s history, with more than $1.2 billion raised toward the $1.5 billion goal. Thanks to Ter Molen’s leadership and his team’s persistence, the Forever Orange campaign has so far resulted in:

• 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 financial support available to our students; and
• establishment of approximately 65 new funds to support faculty research, including 18 new endowed chairs and professorships.

“Matt came to ���ϲ����� at an important moment in the University’s history and made an immediate impact,” says Chancellor Syverud. “He hired a talented team of fundraising and alumni engagement professionals, expanded alumni programming and led the launch of the University’s most ambitious fundraising campaign. Matt has been a tenacious steward of the University’s mission and has inspired countless donors and alumni to support the Orange vision for the future.”

More recently, Ter Molen and his team introduced the Forever Orange Faculty Excellence Program to accelerate the creation of endowments for professorships, chairs and faculty support funds, all of which are essential to recruiting and sustaining a high-achieving faculty. Ter Molen also says the philanthropic response to the pandemic was inspiring, with $1.8 million raised for the ���ϲ����� Responds COVID-19 relief effort to provide students with immediate financial support to continue their studies with minimal disruption.

“It has been an extraordinary privilege to witness the support of students, family, faculty, staff, alumni and friends of ���ϲ�����,” says Ter Molen. “The Orange community has responded to every appeal and every need with enthusiasm. Together, we have faced unprecedented challenges, but the fierce dedication and loyalty of our Orange community has carried us forward to advance our shared vision and deliver on the dreams of our amazing students and faculty.”

Chancellor Syverud added that he is grateful for Barlok’s contributions and appreciates her willingness to lead at such a critical juncture at the University. While at Holy Cross, she directed its $400 million comprehensive campaign, which was completed in 2021 and raised more than $420 million. Barlok has also held advancement leadership roles at Skidmore College and Colgate University.

“Tracy joined our community only a few short months ago and is already having significant impact,” says Chancellor Syverud. “Thanks to her counsel and guidance, we’ve had several successful campaign events, including in San Francisco and Atlanta, and have registered several high-impact gifts from donors. Her experience as a fundraiser, leader and strategist have allowed her to be an immediate asset both to the AEA [Advancement and External Affairs] team and to the Orange community as a whole. I look forward to working with her in her interim leadership role.”

Appointed by Chancellor Kent Syverud in December 2014, Ter Molen came to ���ϲ����� from Northwestern University in 2015, just as the University began implementing a new . Shortly thereafter, the University launched , a $100 million initiative that helped bring to life the big ideas and innovative proposals envisioned in the Academic Strategic Plan. Under Ter Molen’s leadership, AEA successfully raised $40 million to support scholarships and financial aid that were a critical part of Invest ���ϲ�����.

Ter Molen grew up in Evanston, Illinois, and graduated from Miami University in Ohio. After two years in the Peace Corps in Honduras, he accepted his first fundraising position at the University of Chicago, where he started as an assistant director in annual giving. From 1990-98, he held successive positions at the University of Chicago. In 1998, Ter Molen was hired as the assistant dean for development for the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences at Northwestern University, and, in 2003, he became the associate vice president for alumni relations and development at Northwestern, where he led the $6 billion campaign We Will: The Campaign for Northwestern.

As an R1 research institute, it should come as no surprise that ���ϲ����� is a source for groundbreaking research across the vast array of disciplines available throughout its 13 schools and colleges. To conduct quality research, it can be a challenge to obtain the required funding. Surveys, focus groups, experiments, interviews and even observations require expenses, and that is before there is an attempt to publish the research and present it at conferences.

“The field of veterans studies crosses many disciplines and modes of inquiry, and this is certainly reflected in our five inaugural recipients,” says Nick Armstrong G’08, G’14, IVMF managing director for research and data. “The generous support provided by the Rostkers exemplifies what makes ���ϲ����� best-in-class and best for veterans—it provides rising scholars the resources and flexibility to pursue distinctive excellence, while at the same time addressing some of the leading challenges facing the veteran community.”

The funding, provided by Bernard G’66, G’70 and Louise Rostker G’68 through the , did not come with the typical restrictions due in part because of the personal experiences the couple went through in pursuing their own advanced degrees. The Rostkers have spent years dedicating time in support of military families. Bernard is a veteran of the U.S. Army and later served as a senior executive in the Department of Defense and Louise devoted herself to her lifetime career in social work, having a history of supporting education for military children and expanding employment opportunities for military spouses.

The combined total of $50,000 in funding will be dispersed between five recipients this year, each of whom have a research topic focused on the military-connected community. The five recipients for the 2022 fellowship are:

Mariah Brennen
Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs

Brennan’s research interests include population health disparities and veterans’ health. She joined the D’Aniello Institute as a doctoral student researcher in 2019 and works in the research and evaluation division. The objective of her dissertation, titled “Post-9/11 Female Veterans: Health and Employment During Reintegration,” aims to describe gender differences in veteran health care and employment needs during the reintegration process. It will examine health and employment outcomes, reintegration stressors and social supports among veterans who recently separated from the military.

Adam Cucchiara
Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs

Cucchiara’s research interests are in the fields of veterans’ affairs, law enforcement and policing and national security. He is a U.S. Army Veteran whose dissertation, “Essays on Military Veterans in Law Enforcement,” examines the influence of military veterans on law enforcement, specifically regarding use of force.

Cucchiara seeks to address the knowledge gap surrounding veteran performance by examining the influence of military service on individual police officers’ propensity to use lethal and non-lethal force. Cucchiara will join the Department of Social Sciences at the United States Military Academy at West Point upon completion of his studies at ���ϲ�����.

Jacob DeBlois
Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics

DeBlois’ research interests focus on the contribution of occupational stressors to the risk of cardiovascular disease. The topic first caught his attention during his undergraduate studies after working on projects funded by the Department of Homeland Security investigating firefighting tactics and the impact of those tactics on physiological outcomes.

His dissertation, “The Occupational, Psychosocial, Biobehavioral and Physiological Determinants of Hypertension Risk Among Military Service Members,” seeks to explore the impact of occupational stressors on hypertension risk among a nationally representative sample of service members to determine if those with military combat exposure, injury or trauma and prolonged overseas deployments have higher blood pressure or physician diagnosed hypertension that hose without similar experiences.

Kyle Leister
Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics

Leister’s research interests are focused on improving quality of care for amputees. Leister is a certified orthotist/prosthetist and has over seven years of practice and continues to treat patients in the clinical setting on a part-time basis. His dissertation, “Development and Cross Validation of a Prediction Equation for Estimating Step Count in Individuals With Transtibial Amputation,” seeks to develop and cross validate two equations to estimate daily step count based on two common clinical-based functional outcome measures and one patient-reported outcome measure.

Rachel Linsner
Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics

Linsner’s research interests focus on military families, specifically within child and family policies. She first started with the D’Aniello Institute in 2015 as a student researcher and is now a full-time research associate working in the research and evaluation division. Her dissertation, “Military Spouse Employment Status: Implications for Attitudes Toward the Military, Individual, Well-Being and Family Functioning,” will examine the relationships between military spouse employment status, attitudes towards the military, individual well-being and family functioning.

About ���ϲ�����

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

About Forever Orange: The Campaign for ���ϲ�����

Orange isn’t just our color. It’s our promise to leave the world better than we found it. Forever Orange: The Campaign for ���ϲ����� 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

About ���ϲ�����

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

About Forever Orange: The Campaign for ���ϲ�����

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

Art Jones (left) and Chandler Jones have announced a seven-figure commitment in support of the John A. Lally Athletics Complex.

Years after making their presence felt on the gridiron, the Jones brothers are committed to impacting the Orange football program well into the future. Arthur ’09 and Chandler Jones ’15, who dominated the line of scrimmage for ���ϲ����� from 2005 through 2011, are helping to position ���ϲ����� Athletics—and every person who wears the Orange—for success for years to come. The brothers announced a seven-figure commitment in support of the John A. Lally Athletics Complex, a state-of-the-art academic and athletics village that will benefit more than 600 student-athletes. Their commitment will assist with construction of the new Football Operations Center at the Lally Athletics Complex.

The Jones brothers’ commitment represents a major boost for ���ϲ�����’s $1.5 billion Forever Orange Campaign and continues to build momentum toward completing phase 1 of the John A. Lally Athletics Complex. Initial components of the first phase began in the spring with construction of a new front entrance into the complex. Additional renovations included in phase 1 are dependent upon philanthropy being secured, including the new Football Operations Center and the updated Olympic Sports wing.

The brothers, who grew up in Endicott, New York, each starred on the defensive side of the ball during their time at ���ϲ�����.

A defensive lineman from 2005 to 2009, Arthur was a two-time All-BIG EAST First Team selection and was selected in the fifth round of the 2010 National Football League draft by the Baltimore Ravens. He played for the Ravens from 2010 to 2013, including the team that won Super Bowl XLVII in 2013. He then played with the Indianapolis Colts from 2014 to 2016 and the Washington Redskins in 2017.

Chandler, a defensive end for the Orange from 2008 to 2011, and All-BIG EAST First Team selection, was a first-round pick by the New England Patriots in the 2012 NFL Draft. During his four years with the Patriots, New England won Super Bowl XLIX (2014). From 2016 through 2021, he played for the Arizona Cardinals before signing with the Las Vegas Raiders in 2022. Chandler has recorded the most sacks and forced fumbles of anyone in the league since 2012. His 71.5 sacks during his first five-plus seasons with the Cardinals (2016-21) ranks third in the NFL during that span and first all-time in franchise history. A four-time Pro-Bowl Selection (2015, 2017, 2019, 2021), Chandler was named to the NFL 2010’s All-Decade Team in April 2020.

“My father being a pastor, he instilled in my brothers and me that it’s always better to give than to receive,” says Arthur Jones. “���ϲ����� has been a blessing to my family and me throughout the years. The impact that SU has made on me is priceless, and you can’t put a dollar amount on that. I am a proud alumnus of the greatest school in the world!”

“���ϲ����� Football is a great piece of my history that I will always cherish,” says Chandler. “It is an honor for me to give back and be part of shaping the future of ���ϲ����� Football. Together, we can continue to build a legacy of excellence on the football field and in the classroom. Being able to lift up others to assist in accomplishing their dreams is something I look forward to telling my children one day! Let’s go Orange!”

Designated as a core priority of phase 1 and vital to the future of ���ϲ����� Football, the Football Operations Center, once complete, will immediately enhance recruiting efforts and support new levels of development for ���ϲ����� Football student-athletes. In recognition of their commitment, the second level Football Suite in the new Football Operations Center will be named in honor of the Jones Brothers.

“The Football Operations Center is essential to the future of our program. It will be a new home for our student-athletes and include all the necessary resources to support their day-to-day development and enhance our recruiting efforts,” says Head Football Coach Dino Babers. “This commitment from Arthur and Chandler is remarkable, and we are so grateful to them for giving back and paying it forward for current and future players.”

The commitment from the Jones brothers amplifies the strong response since the athletics department announced the John A. Lally Athletics Complex was close to achieving its phase 1 goal. The ’Cuse Athletics Fund, the fundraising organization of ���ϲ����� Athletics, recently announced a successful fundraising year that yielded nearly $30 million in donations. Energized by the campaign, fundraising for the athletics department has served as a catalyst to support the future renovations at the John A. Lally Athletics Complex. To date, the athletics department has raised $43.5 million toward its phase 1 goal of $55 million. These capital investments in athletics facilities, along with support for other building projects on campus, are all part of ���ϲ�����’s Forever Orange Campaign.

“Support from the Orange family for the new complex has been tremendous, and this recent gift from Arthur and Chandler is another example of people wanting to making a positive impact,” says Director of Athletics John Wildhack. “Both Arthur and Chandler had outstanding careers as students and athletes, and we are thankful for the impact they continue to make on ���ϲ����� and ���ϲ����� Athletics. The fact they both have their degrees from ���ϲ�����, are Super Bowl champions and are from upstate New York is incredibly impactful.”

To learn more about joining the Legends Society and supporting the new John A. Lally Athletics Complex, visit the .

About ���ϲ�����

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

About Forever Orange: The Campaign for ���ϲ�����

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Chris Faricy

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

About ���ϲ�����

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

About Forever Orange: The Campaign for ���ϲ�����

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

Story updated Sept. 13, 2022

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

About ���ϲ�����

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

About Forever Orange: The Campaign for ���ϲ�����

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

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

Sometimes Second Is Better Than First

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

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

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

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

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

Establishing the New Fund

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

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

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

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

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

Daniel D’Aniello

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

About ���ϲ�����

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

About Forever Orange: The Campaign for ���ϲ�����

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

Kathy Walters

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

About ���ϲ�����

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

About Forever Orange: The Campaign for ���ϲ�����

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

Christine A. Carona

“I believe if you see it, you can become it,” says Carona, in explaining her motivation behind the new Carona, Beney and Malarney Family Endowed Faculty Fellowship in the Sciences (in the names of her parents, daughters and husband). The $1 million endowment includes matching funds from the University, made possible through the Forever Orange Faculty Excellence Program. Carona, a devoted alumnus, generous donor and engaged member of the ���ϲ����� 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 ���ϲ����� native says she was only able to afford going to ���ϲ����� because her mother got a job in the health center there after her father suffered a career-ending heart attack. This opportunity wouldn’t have been available to her and her brother Phil Carona ’86 without tuition benefits provided to employees. Carona and her brother witnessed their stay-at-home mother literally reinvent herself to become the family’s sole breadwinner. “My mother could do anything she put her mind to. She taught me to always keep moving forward with perseverance, hard work and faith. My father was kind, generous and giving. Essentially, my parents made me feel like the sky was the limit. There were no boundaries.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

About ���ϲ�����

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

About Forever Orange: The Campaign for ���ϲ�����

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

Lauren R. Villanueva

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

About ���ϲ�����

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

About Forever Orange: The Campaign for ���ϲ�����

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

Jane ’56 and Daniel Present ’55

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

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

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

The Present family is defined by a long legacy of love and one that continues to make an impact on countless ���ϲ����� 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 ���ϲ����� 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 ���ϲ�����. 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 ���ϲ����� 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 ���ϲ����� and forged a union that would foster each of their career interests and change the world for the better.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Doug and his wife Susan have carried on the Present family legacy of love. Their philanthropy at ���ϲ����� 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 ���ϲ�����, 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 ���ϲ�����. 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 ���ϲ�����, where he met his wife and began a successful career of his own. Doug says, “���ϲ����� has a long track record of taking chances on deserving students and giving them the opportunity to succeed. My wife and I hope to help create more of these opportunities for other deserving students in the future.”

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

David K. Whitmore

As part of the $1.5 billion Forever Orange Campaign, ���ϲ����� recently announced the launch of the Forever Orange Faculty Excellence Program, an initiative focused on advancing academic excellence. To support that ambitious effort, today, Matt Ter Molen, senior vice president and chief advancement officer, announced the appointment of David K. Whitmore G’06 to the position of vice president for advancement, academic affairs. Whitmore’s appointment was approved by the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees. He begins his new role on May 2.

“David is an academic-focused development leader with more than 15 years of experience meeting fundraising goals,” says Ter Molen. “As a ���ϲ����� alumnus, he already holds a deep connection to and affinity for the Orange community. We’re thrilled to welcome him back and know his contributions will significantly increase our capacity to support key academic initiatives, including the Faculty Excellence Program.”

“I am honored to return to SU and serve the academic mission of such a prominent institution,” says Whitmore. “As an alumnus, I have witnessed firsthand the strength of the faculty’s research and teaching. I look forward to joining the advancement team to enhance the fundraising and engagement focus in the critical area of academic affairs.”

This new position will support the advancement efforts benefiting the University’s academic and research enterprise. Whitmore will work closely with Vice Chancellor, Provost and Chief Academic Officer Gretchen Ritter, her team in the Office of Academic Affairs, the Office of Research, interdisciplinary centers and institutes, ���ϲ����� Abroad, ���ϲ����� Libraries and the ���ϲ����� Art Museum.

“Having a strategic partner who can support the dynamic fundraising needs of our academic units and our evolving Academic Strategic Plan will position the University for continued growth and success within our academic and research portfolio,” says Ritter. “The resources David and his team generate will be instrumental in our work to attract, recruit and retain talented and productive faculty. Our future as an elite institution is stronger with a leader in place who can facilitate donor relationships with our faculty’s world-class research, scholarship and creative work.”

Whitmore comes to ���ϲ����� from Cornell University, where he has served as the associate vice president for major gifts, alumni affairs and development, a role he held since 2017. There, he was responsible for advancing long-range campaign planning for individual giving at the university. Whitmore was a member of the senior leadership team for the university’s development division, which provided advancement and alumni support to 11 schools and colleges, 12 non-academic units and more than 250,000 constituents. He oversaw work planning, training, metrics and best practices for roughly 75 major gift officers and had accountability for ensuring the goal of raising over $100 million in major gifts annually was met. He directed a team of 35, including the west coast advancement office and international fundraising efforts. Whitmore was instrumental in securing a $25 million gift for the new Brooks School of Public Policy. Prior to his leadership role on the central development team, he held several development positions with the largest college at Cornell, the College of Arts and Sciences.

Born and raised in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Whitmore earned his undergraduate degree from Cornell University and his master’s in public administration from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs. He currently lives in Ithaca, New York, with his wife, Sara, his son, Lucian, and his two dogs, Rufus and Blue.

About ���ϲ�����

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

About Forever Orange: The Campaign for ���ϲ�����

Orange isn’t just our color. It’s our promise to leave the world better than we found it. Forever Orange: The Campaign for ���ϲ����� 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

A Distinguished Career

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

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

Committed to Family

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 ’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’s 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.

“Be not astonished at new ideas,” wrote Spinoza, “for it is well known to you that a thing does not therefore cease to be true because it is not accepted by many.”

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 ���ϲ����� 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�� 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’s 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��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’s 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.

“Creativity 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,” says Gorovitz, founding director of the current Honors Program (2004-2010). “I’m 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.”

Gorovitz explains that students must be encouraged “to 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’t filter or censor. That comes later.”

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.

“Each of us has superpowers, right? My own gifts are not necessarily the same as all the members of the team, and that’s frankly what makes us strong,” 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. “When you encourage original thought and creative work, and you look for ways to combine things that haven’t formerly been combined, you can have a powerful impact on the success of all students across diverse constituencies.”

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.

“We are deeply grateful to Dr. Hrushesky for his vision and commitment to supporting undergraduate research that is dynamic, innovative and meaningful,” says Ramesh Raina, interim vice president for research. “These 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.”

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. �վ�����������for instructions.

Patrick Ahearn ’73, G’73

The workshops are made possible by a gift from ’73, G’73—a School of Architecture alumnus, member of the school’s advisory board and a member of the University’s Board of Trustees—that created the Patrick Ahearn Workshops in Professional Practice Fund. The gift is part of the University’s .

As a student at the school, Ahearn participated in a similar series of workshops with practicing architects, which had a powerful impact on him and on the career path he would choose after graduation. As a result of that experience, Ahearn wanted to provide current architecture students with similar opportunities to work with professionals in architecture and related fields, especially business.

“Patrick Ahearn is not only among the most important residential architects working today in the U.S., but he is also a brilliant urban designer and business strategist. And his interests and expertise extend beyond architecture and planning to automobile and other design practices,” says Michael Speaks, dean of the School of Architecture. “Patrick is a great architect. But it is this range of design-related interests, including business strategy, that have distinguished him from his peers and made him such an important and influential architect.”

Each semester, the School of Architecture will host up to three Patrick Ahearn Workshops.

From Feb. 11–14, G’93 (M.Arch.), will lead a workshop for graduate students at the School of Architecture. They will study archetypal elements that form the basis for a series of investigations that transforms conventional expectations through hybridization, recombination, morphological mutation, occupation and experiential speculation. Blackwell will also give a public lecture in Slocum Hall on .

From Feb. 28–March 4, and will lead a workshop for School of Architecture students enrolled in this spring’s ARC 409: Integrated Design Studio course. Through themed group sessions and mini-talks, students will navigate the front between engineering and architecture and become empowered about clear strategies for performative, responsive, intelligent and impactful architecture. Bates and Williamson-Taylor will also give an interdisciplinary public lecture in Slocum Hall on , where the discussion will be moderated by School of Architecture Associate Professor Sinéad Mac Namara, associate dean for student affairs in the College of Engineering and Computer Science.

On March 26 and 27, ’99 (B.Arch.) and will lead a workshop for School of Architecture student organization representatives about leadership in the design profession. De Angel Salas and Cooney will also give a public lecture in Slocum Hall on .

“It is my distinct pleasure to provide ���ϲ����� School of Architecture students with the insight and the tools to become ‘the most important person in the room,’ regarding the built environment process,” says Ahearn. “These workshops will open the doors for students to learn and develop the skills needed as architects in the real world to become leaders in the development process, and will provide them with a rich understanding of the skills required to be successful in the business of architectural practice.”

Previously, Ahearn established the at the School of Architecture, given each year to an architecture student, with preference given to those from Levittown, N.Y., or Boston, Mass. Ahearn serves on the University’s Boston Regional Council, which is made up of University alumni and parents dedicated to raising the profile of the school within the region. He also established the at the School of Architecture to help support key activities in critical areas and assist the dean in developing special projects and events to raise the school’s national and international profile.

Ahearn—a fellow of the prestigious American Institute of Architects—is the founding principal of . His firm specializes in historically motivated architecture and interior design. For nearly five decades, he has designed and built residential projects distinguished by finely crafted and detailed work spanning classic styles of architecture from city town houses to island homes.

He is author of “” (ORO Editions, 2018), which features 18 Ahearn-designed homes and explains how he adapts and applies philosophy’s greater-good theory to each of his projects.

In 2014, Ahearn was named the Dean’s Outstanding Alumnus, an award given by the School of Architecture annually to a graduate who has exhibited dedication to the school while also practicing at the highest levels of the architecture discipline. He was inducted into the New England Design Hall of Fame in November 2013.

To make a gift to support the Patrick Ahearn Workshops in Professional Practice Fund, visit .

Howie ’70, G’71 and Louise Phanstiel

Now, Phanstiel and his wife, Louise Phanstiel, are paying tribute to the ���ϲ����� 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’ generosity, an atrium entryway commonly referred to as the Little Atrium will be named in honor of Little.

The couple’s 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.�� Little passed away on Jan. 1, 2021, at the age of 78 after nearly a year of battling cancer. “He was a fierce competitor on the field,” 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. “Off the field, Floyd was gentle, kind and a very engaged and giving person. There was nothing he wouldn’t do to help ���ϲ�����. Floyd and his wife, DeBorah, bled Orange, giving back in every way they could.”

Phanstiel says that he and Louise began thinking about making a gift in Little’s honor long before they knew he was ill.�� They often worked together on capital campaigns and initiatives that would strengthen the football program. “Floyd 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.”

���ϲ����� Athletics Director John Wildhack says the gift from the Phanstiels is similarly inspiring. “Just 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’s name, the Phanstiels are keeping his spirit alive and reminding us of the best of Orange values and virtues.”

Wildhack added that the Phanstiels’ 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. “For 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,” says Phanstiel, the past chairman and CEO of PacifiCare Health Systems, one of the nation’s most prominent consumer health companies that eventually merged with UnitedHealth Group.

“Winning is about fulfilling a mission and giving back to community,” says Phanstiel. “No one exemplified this more than Floyd Little.”

About ���ϲ�����

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

About Forever Orange: The Campaign for ���ϲ�����

Orange isn’t just our color. It’s our promise to leave the world better than we found it. Forever Orange: The Campaign for ���ϲ����� 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 ’59 will establish an endowed professorship in citizenship and critical thinking in the Maxwell School. “I was a good high school student, but didn’t have a vision,” recalls Fabian. “But when I took classes with professors who had a world view, who were so educated and incredibly articulate, they inspired me. They had a great sense of what government responsibility and citizens’ responsibility should be. I learned not to simply accept what I heard without challenging it in some way.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

About ���ϲ�����

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

About Forever Orange: The Campaign for ���ϲ�����

Orange isn’t just our color. It’s our promise to leave the world better than we found it. Forever Orange: The Campaign for ���ϲ����� 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.

“We’re turning the focus toward building the resources that will further enable our faculty to succeed,” says Chancellor Syverud. “We will be working to raise funds that jump-start new faculty research and provide seed funding for promising ideas. We will also be building the resources we need to attract and retain faculty in a highly competitive world. Doing this right will assure that ���ϲ�����’s academic mission will persevere and succeed for generations ahead.”

The major objective of the Forever Orange Faculty Excellence Program is accelerating the creation of endowments for professorships, chairs and faculty support funds, all of which are critical to recruiting and sustaining a high achieving faculty.

“Through this initiative, the University will set aside endowment funds to leverage private philanthropic donations establishing permanent teaching and research positions,” says Senior Vice President and Chief Advancement Officer Matt Ter Molen. “The University will add financial support to funds contributed by donors to endowments that establish permanent teaching and research positions.”

“Academic leadership from across ���ϲ����� collaborated with the advancement team to create the Forever Orange Faculty Excellence Program,” says Gretchen Ritter, provost and chief academic officer. “We know that faculty scholarly and creative works, discovery and invention have the greatest potential to increase ���ϲ�����’s institutional prestige, rankings and competitiveness for grant funding. We are excited to launch this initiative, which will speed creation of prestigious professorships and chairs.”

The University will contribute between one quarter and one third of the funds required to create endowed chairs, professorships, faculty fellowships, visiting professorships and postdoctoral fellowships. The program will emphasize cluster hires, high-growth or priority disciplines. Endowments may also be supported when funds are contributed to name existing, unnamed chairs and professorships or faculty fellowships.

“This initiative is also critical to our success in retaining talented and productive faculty who are already contributing to academic excellence at ���ϲ�����. Endowed positions provide resources that enable deans to retain our world-class faculty, who are frequently approached by our peer institutions,” Ritter adds.

“We hear frequently from alumni that ���ϲ����� and its world-class faculty enabled their success. Creating an endowed position is a great way to establish a permanent legacy that recognizes the University’s impact on their lives,” adds Ter Molen.

Along with the Forever Orange Faculty Excellence Program, the University will be working to attract philanthropic support for funds to jumpstart new faculty research and provide seed funding for promising ideas.

The Forever Orange campaign launched in Nov. 2018 and has since raised $1.14 billion. The 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.

Sherman F. Levey

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

About Forever Orange: The Campaign for ���ϲ�����

Orange isn’t just our color. It’s our promise to leave the world better than we found it. Forever Orange: The Campaign for ���ϲ����� 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

About ���ϲ�����

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

About Forever Orange: The Campaign for ���ϲ�����

Orange isn’t just our color. It’s our promise to leave the world better than we found it. Forever Orange: The Campaign for ���ϲ����� 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.

“Dan’s love for ���ϲ����� goes beyond alumni loyalty or the responsibility as a trustee,” says Chancellor Kent Syverud. “The D’Aniellos are invested in our vision for serving veterans and military-connected families. It is impossible to measure the ripple effect that his leadership and support have had on our community. Thanks to the D’Aniellos, ���ϲ�����’s commitment to veterans will continue to grow, to aspire to new and better programs, and to make a tangible difference to those who have served our nation.”

Founded in 2011, over the past 10 years the IVMF has grown to become one of the most influential centers of thought leadership, research and programming focused on the nation’s veterans and military families. The IVMF designs and delivers programs—at no cost to veterans, military-connected individuals and families—focused on vocational skills training, career preparation and business ownership, while also conducting actionable research, policy analysis and advocacy. With the support of public- and private-sector partners, the IVMF also works in communities across the U.S., supporting efforts to help veterans and their families navigate the transition from military to civilian life.

The D’Aniello family’s commitment to service is at the heart of the decision to extend support of IVMF, the NVRC and other veterans-focused initiatives at ���ϲ�����.

“The IVMF is doing the kind of groundbreaking work that is vital to understanding and breaking down the barriers facing veterans and their families as they transition from military service to civilian life,” says D’Aniello. “The institute’s innovative programs and services provide veterans an opportunity to find a meaningful career or launch their own business. In turn, our nation’s veterans and their families contribute to their communities and serve their country in new and profound ways. Gayle and I are honored to support this work that is taking place at the University that means so much to us.”

Daniel D’Aniello, a U.S. Navy veteran and co-founder and chair emeritus of The Carlyle Group, serves as co-chair of the IVMF Advisory Board and was recognized during the Class of 2020 Commencement with an honorary doctor of humane letters. He also serves as chairman of the American Enterprise Institute (AEI) and the Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts. He earned a bachelor’s degree in 1968 from what is now the Martin J. Whitman School of Management and was later named alumnus of the year. He was drafted into the U.S. Navy in 1968 and spent three years serving as a supply officer aboard the USS Wasp (CVS 18). Following his military service, D’Aniello continued his education at Harvard Business School, where he earned an MBA and was also a Teagle Foundation Fellow. In 2016, D’Aniello was awarded the U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation’s Lone Sailor Award for drawing upon his Sea Service experience to achieve success in his personal and professional life while exemplifying the core values of honor, courage and commitment.

J. Michael Haynie, vice chancellor for strategic initiatives and innovation, created the IVMF at ���ϲ����� in 2011. Haynie credits the support the University has received from the D’Aniello family for making it possible for the IVMF to provide training, educational programming and community-based services to more than 160,000 veterans and military families since its founding in 2007.

“Dan’s commitment to our work has been transformative, and now his commitment to create an endowment ensures that the work of the IVMF can continue for generations to come,” says Haynie. “Dan’s support also enables the IVMF team to act entrepreneurially, in pursuit of innovative opportunities. Our ability to pursue new initiatives will be enabled by Dan’s ongoing support and his commitment to seeding innovation across the IVMF’s programs, services and research,” says Haynie.

The D’Aniello family has given back in meaningful ways in support of many organizations and communities. His philanthropic work is far-reaching, with a focus on education, mental health, the performing arts, veterans, entrepreneurship and faith-based organizations.

In addition to his service to the University’s Board of Trustees, D’Aniello is a member of the Chancellor’s Council and the Whitman Advisory Council and serves as co-chairman of the IVMF advisory board. D’Aniello received the George Arents Award in 2017, the University’s highest alumni honor.

About the Institute for Veterans and Military Families at ���ϲ�����

The Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF) is the first interdisciplinary national institute in higher education focused on the social, economic, education and policy issues impacting veterans and their families. Through its professional staff and experts, the IVMF delivers leading programs in career, vocational and entrepreneurship education and training while also conducting actionable research, policy analysis and program evaluations. The IVMF also supports communities through collective impact efforts that enhance delivery and access to services and care. The institute, supported by a distinguished advisory board, along with public and private partners, is committed to advancing the lives of those who have served in America’s armed forces and their families. For more information, visit and follow IVMF on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

About the National Veterans Resource Center

The National Veterans Resource Center (NVRC) at the Daniel and Gayle D’Aniello Building is a class-leading exemplar of academic, government and community collaboration. The NVRC functions as the center of veteran life on the campus of ���ϲ�����, in the local community, and across Central New York. Specifically, the NVRC leverages a public-private sector partnership model to nurture academic research, actionable programming, and collaborative thought leadership positioned to impact veterans and their families on the campus of ���ϲ�����, in New York State, and in communities across the U.S. Home to the Institute for Veterans and Military Families, the NVRC houses state-of-the-art vocational and educational programs designed to advance the economic success of the region’s and the nation’s veterans and military families, and also serves as a platform through which to seed, nurture, and coordinate veteran-connected academic research and technology commercialization. To learn more about the NVRC, visit nvrc.syr.edu.

About ���ϲ�����

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

About Forever Orange: The Campaign for ���ϲ�����

Orange isn’t just our color. It’s our promise to leave the world better than we found it. Forever Orange: The Campaign for ���ϲ����� 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

“Words can’t fully express the depth of our gratitude to our generous donors,” says Matt Ter Molen, chief advancement officer and senior vice president, Advancement and External Affairs. “We are making incredible things possible through the Forever Orange campaign, things our campus community couldn’t 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.”

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 ���ϲ����� 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’s diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility initiatives.

Some of the campaign’s impact is visible across campus in new or transformed facilities, including the Hildegarde and J. Myer Schine Student Center, renovations to the ���ϲ����� stadium, the National Veterans Resource Center at the Daniel and Gayle D’Aniello 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 ’Cuse 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.

A gift from Dr. Jason Soifer ’51 creates new endowments in Soifer’s 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 ���ϲ����� the beneficiary of his $2.7 million . As part of the Forever Orange Campaign, the gift creates new endowments in Soifer’s 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).

“I 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 ���ϲ�����,” said Soifer in describing the inspiration behind the endowments, during an interview earlier this year. “I trained at Medical School in Amsterdam in the Netherlands and realized how important an international education was, especially in language and to broaden one’s view of life. It can be quite educational to people—watch from a sidewalk cafe in Paris!” 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.

“This gift is very personal to me,” says Milton Rubén 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’s endowment funds to support music and drama students in VPA. “Though I was a promising student, my family couldn’t 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.”

Echoing Laufer’s sentiments, Holly Thuma, interim chair of the Department of Drama, also describes the Soifer gift as one of opportunity that “helps us to overcome the inequities many students face.” 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. “We are one of the top-rated drama programs in the country,” says Thuma, “but many gifted students can’t afford to come here. We are so grateful for Dr. Soifer’s gift, which offers a real chance to change things.”

Thuma points out that exposure to diverse perspectives and voices is vital to the developing artist. “To become better actors requires empathy, to walk a mile in someone else’s shoes,” says Thuma. “That’s what actors do. We step into someone else’s shoes and walk that life experience. Part of our job is to help students expand their worldview—in 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.”

“Cost is the biggest barrier for anyone of talent to come here,” says Laufer. “Scholarship support that brings diverse voices and perspectives to the stage will strengthen the whole college.” Laufer also serves as co-chair of VPA’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee. “These students could be the next Fulbright Scholar or Grammy winner or Tony Winner, or the next professor or dean. I’m the first person of color to lead Setnor in its 140-year history. It’s not my intention to be the last.”

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.

“I think every Setnor student should have a chance to be on foreign soil,” says Laufer. “It 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’s 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.”

VPA Dean Michael Tick calls the Soifer gift transformational. “Jason Soifer has provided opportunities for current drama and music students and invested in the future of ���ϲ�����. I am deeply grateful for the ways in which the Soifer endowments will lift up VPA for years to come.”

About ���ϲ�����

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

About Forever Orange: The Campaign for ���ϲ�����

Orange isn’t just our color. It’s our promise to leave the world better than we found it. Forever Orange: The Campaign for ���ϲ����� 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 (Charlie) and Carolyn Wheeler

Charles (Charlie) and Carolyn Wheeler ’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—to help humanity for generations to come. Their recent gift to ���ϲ����� will do just that, advancing academic excellence and innovation in both the life sciences and business.

It all began when Carolyn graduated from ���ϲ����� in 1967 with a degree in psychology, sociology and the fine arts. The young coed walked into the ���ϲ����� 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—he 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. ��Carolyn became the first woman underwriter hired by the company in the United States.

Six months later, Charlie married her.

“Charlie knew how to capitalize on the company’s investment,” says Carolyn with a chuckle. “And 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.” 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’s 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.

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

“We’ve known so many brilliant people who had great ideas but lacked the business acumen to bring those ideas to fruition,” says Charlie. “You can be extremely intelligent in the sciences, but you’ve got to have business sense in order to thrive.”

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.

“I am grateful to Charles and Carolyn Wheeler for their generosity in establishing the Wheeler Institute and its two new endowed professorships,” says College of Arts and Sciences Dean Karin Ruhlandt. “Thanks to the Wheelers’ 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.”

The Wheelers hope the new institute will attract the best and brightest students in biological research and business to ���ϲ�����. “They are our hope for a better future, to transcend all the problems our world is facing,” says Carolyn.

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

About ���ϲ�����

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

About Forever Orange: The Campaign for ���ϲ�����

Orange isn’t just our color. It’s our promise to leave the world better than we found it. Forever Orange: The Campaign for ���ϲ����� 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.

Henrietta “Etta” Fielek

Opportunity is defined as a situation that makes it possible to do something you want to do. For Henrietta “Etta” Fielek ’70, G’77, the opportunity to attend her dream school—���ϲ�����—was made possible by scholarship support and financial aid. Now, she’s ensuring that others have similar opportunities, especially those who are driven by the same kind of passionate curiosity that inspired her.

“I’m from a small town, Perth Amboy, New Jersey, a dying industrial city,” says Fielek. “I was a curious girl with a mother who encouraged me to be independent and to explore whatever I was interested in.” The young Etta showed an early interest in journalism, even reading newspaper headlines at age 4. As a teenager, she started a weekly newspaper for the town’s recreation department, reporting on playground news.

“I was always ‘nosey’ and curious and information-oriented. If you give people information that helps them make connections with people and things they need, they can have better lives,” Fielek says. She was editor of her high school newspaper and dreamed of a career in journalism. She saw the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications as the best way to achieve that dream.

It was the late 1960s when she headed to ���ϲ�����. The Vietnam War, the Kent State shootings and campus unrest dominated the national news. This small town girl began to see a much bigger world with even greater opportunities to explore. So she took advantage of scholarship support once more and headed to Florence, Italy, to study abroad during the spring semester of 1969. “I took an additional six weeks to travel around Europe on a train with another woman from ���ϲ�����,” Fielek says. “It was such an eye-opener!”

Those experiences as a ���ϲ����� student inspired Fielek.�� In 2020, through her estate plans, she established the Henrietta Fielek Endowed Scholarship to provide financial support to first-year students at Newhouse, supporting students both now and in the future. This year, she also established the Fielek ���ϲ����� Abroad-Newhouse Fund, to cover program fees and other non-tuition expenses for undergraduate students in Newhouse interested in global experiences.

Dean Mark J. Lodato expresses deep gratitude for Fielek’s continuing support of the Newhouse School. “Her generous contribution will help more women and other curious and adventurous students succeed at ���ϲ����� and achieve their personal and professional goals,” Lodato says. “Etta is a shining example of the strength of the Newhouse School alumni network.”

In the late ’60s Fielek recalls women did not have the same opportunities to excel in reporting careers. After graduation, she worked at starter papers in New Jersey. “It wasn’t until that time that I understood the limitations professionally because I was a woman,” says Fielek. Female reporters were not allowed to cover what editors saw as more dangerous stories like an industrial plant explosion; they were forced to work the phones in the office instead. When offered a “promotion” to work the overnight desk, she decided to leave journalism and pursue new adventures.

“I knew there was a big world out there and unless I took the initiative to dip my toe in it, it wasn’t going to happen,” says Fielek. She headed to Washington, D.C., hand-delivered resumés to dozens of Congressional offices, pursued a job opening she heard about in an elevator, worked various public affairs and media relations jobs in government and eventually joined the American Hospital Association (AHA) where she spent nearly two decades and helped to launch the Coalition to Protect America’s Health Care. Two years ago, she retired from her position as vice president of political outreach for the AHA.

Fielek says her own professional success comes from both pursuing opportunities and seizing them when they come along. She credits her mother with essentially giving her permission to explore, take risks and be bold. “She never questioned my ideas. She never tried to get in my way. She let me try new things, screw up, make mistakes. She was never judgmental, even when I did crazy things. I think I have made every mistake there is to make,” she says. “The point is not to make the same mistake twice!”

Through her philanthropy, Fielek hopes to nurture in others, especially young women and others who have an entrepreneurial spirit, that sense of adventure that her mother offered her. “I just want to make it possible for them to fulfill their own dreams,” she says. “You don’t have to be a mega-millionaire to support a cause, to advance education and to support young people. You just have to decide what your priorities are—and then take action.”

About ���ϲ�����

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

About Forever Orange: The Campaign for ���ϲ�����

Orange isn’t just our color. It’s our promise to leave the world better than we found it. Forever Orange: The Campaign for ���ϲ����� 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.

Steve Huang G’72, G’75

“You kind of change your life perspective,” says Huang. “I decided my focus will be trying to train and cultivate younger engineers and professionals in my company and creating the proper environment for them to grow and develop.”

Now as a management and technology consultant, Huang is scaling these core philosophies and finding new ways to serve gifted, young talent around the world. In honor of the man that once served him, Steve Huang has made a generous gift to the University’s campaign to establish the endowed Allen J. Barduhn Memorial Scholarship in Chemical Engineering.

“Professor Barduhn trained me and shaped me to become an engineer, but he also helped me on a personal basis,” says Huang. “I told him once, ‘I look at you not just as my advisor, but almost like a parent.’ I respect him to such a degree.”

Barduhn had a profound influence, but it was the caring actions of foreign student advisor Virginia Torelli that made Huang first feel welcome in ���ϲ�����. Huang completed his undergraduate degree in Taiwan and a scholarship made it possible for him to pursue a graduate degree at ���ϲ�����. He arrived in the United States for the first time after 5 p.m. on the Friday before Labor Day weekend. To Huang’s surprise, Torelli waited to help him get settled.

“She stayed until everything was taken care of,” says Huang. “Even the service people at the dorm stayed to open the door and get me into my room. I could not believe that. My first impression was very warm, and it was a tremendous experience.”

Selflessness from others is at the center of Huang’s ���ϲ����� experience, most notably from Professor Barduhn.

“I was very, very fortunate. I had one of the best advisors I could ever have. Professor Barduhn really had patience and explained to us the purpose of research,” says Huang. “He really taught you how to work on problem solving. He wanted to train you and help you grow, and he wanted you to graduate.”

Barduhn also had experience in industry, which enabled him to prepare his students with knowledge and insight unobtainable from a textbook. The benefits and positive experiences stemming from Huang’s decision to attend ���ϲ����� were considerable, but it was what Barduhn did next that may have carried the most weight.

“Professor Barduhn had such good advice. He is a tremendous person,” says Huang. “Not only did he teach me how to make good engineering judgments, but he also helped me get my green card.”

Having a green card sponsor was key because it made it easy for Huang to take job interviews. Barduhn hired Huang to work in his lab and helped him gain permanent resident status.

“He told me, don’t worry, you have a Ph.D. degree, stay, work for me, and at the same time he said he would apply for a green card for me,” says Huang. “I was only his student, but he was willing to do that. So, I got my green card from Dr. Barduhn’s application. That is a favor I can never return. I will always remember him.”

Huang also credits his time at ���ϲ����� as a big step toward learning how to develop cross-cultural relationships and working with a variety of people—skill sets that would become invaluable as his professional career took off. Huang initially wanted to be a professor, but Barduhn urged him to first go to work as an engineer. Young and fearless, Huang accepted a research and development position with IFF in 1976. He was the first chemical engineer with a doctoral degree hired by the company, and Huang took up the challenge to pioneer his position.

In the 1980s while Huang was developing and implementing advanced control systems at IFF’s United States and European manufacturing sites, he collaborated with colleagues in legal, finance and marketing departments to lead the company’s game-changing expansion into China. Through the 1990s, business in China thrived and Huang’s global manufacturing responsibilities increased substantially. In 2001, Huang advanced to the role of vice president of global chemical manufacturing and he continued to help IFF grow by applying solid business models, including sales and operations (S&OP), and Systems Applications and Product (SAP) implementation. By the time he retired after 35 years, IFF had seen sales increase by 600 percent and become an industry leader worldwide.

It is not a coincidence Huang understands the impact of generosity and the right environment over time. The opportunities afforded to him by others prompted one good thing leading to another throughout his education and career. Ultimately putting him in a position to serve. That is a position he says he may not be in without a chance to attend ���ϲ�����.

“Every one of those small things adds up. I am very appreciative for the scholarship that I had. I don’t think I would have been able to come to the United States without it,” says Huang. “With this gift, I hope we can stimulate our alumni to really spend some effort and resources to help with education to build a better society. People are our foundation. I was really happy that I was able to do this.”

Vishal Shukla

The concept of luck goes against the principles of engineering. Luck happens without design. The story behind most great careers may sometimes include luck, but the truth behind it is usually years of hard work, continued learning and the application of knowledge. In many ways, that is the story behind Vishal Shukla ’89. Currently, he is a senior customer success manager in Microsoft’s business applications division, but despite all his accomplishments, he still partially attributes his outcome to another variable—chance.

“I don’t know if I would consider myself successful, but I’ve been lucky and a lot of that came from my parents,” says Shukla.

Shukla had the good fortune of growing up in a family that stressed the value of education. Understanding the importance of learning gave him a solid foundation to build upon and it led him to begin thinking about laying a similar bedrock for future students in the College of Engineering and Computer Science. Through a gift to the , Shukla is honoring his parents and their emphasis on education by establishing scholarships in their names to benefit future students.

“I wanted to do something with my estate that would add value,” says Shukla. “I thought back to the benefits and what I got out of being at ���ϲ����� for four years. Providing other people with the opportunity to do the same would be a great way to make a difference.”

Shukla’s parents immigrated to America from India and Shukla was the first member of his family born in the United States. He grew up in Westchester County, north of New York City, and the only college campus he visited was ���ϲ�����.

“I loved the campus. It gave you a feeling of community,” says Shukla. “What appealed to me about ���ϲ����� was the variety of programs. I could study anything and get a high-quality education.”

Shukla decided to study electrical engineering, but his time on campus became bigger than a single field of study. Shukla discovered an affinity for karate, which he continues to practice and teach to this day. He fondly remembers experiencing iconic moments in ���ϲ����� sports history, like the football team’s undefeated season in 1987. He still keeps in touch with the friends he made his freshman year, and he enjoys meeting alumni from different generations that share similar memories. These are the distinctions and the spirit he talks about with West Coast students considering ���ϲ�����.

“You have the opportunity to go out and find whatever knowledge you want at ���ϲ����� because it is such a diverse and inclusive campus,” says Shukla.

After graduation, Shukla went to work as design engineer for Dynacast International. He started his job and graduate school for computer science on the same day. Upon completing his first master’s program, he was directed to look at something Dynacast International had just purchased called salesforce automation (SFA). Shukla became the project leader for the global rollout of SFA and it led him into the IT and software industries. He went on to hold positions at Oracle, Salesforce and now Microsoft. Along the way he added three more master’s degrees to his list of academic achievements:one in business administration, another in organizational psychology and one more in organizational leadership.

The values instilled in Shukla by his parents are at the core of all he has attained and his gift will ensure those principles continue to ripple through to future generations. For aspiring engineers and their families, a scholarship can be more akin to lowering a drawbridge than opening a door. Reducing barriers for brilliant young students can have a long-lasting and far-reaching impact.

“I’d like to think that one kid, that might not have been able to stay, got a scholarship and then went out and did something that changed the world,” says Shukla. “If you’re lucky enough to have a good career, you can pass those values on to your kids. It’s ongoing.”

While there is no way to measure the role chance plays in any career, it is likely the chance Shukla is giving to young talent that will have a quantifiable impact for years to come.

“It’s incredible to think what our alumni base could be over the next few decades. I’d love to help bring that opportunity to future students,” says Shukla.

About ���ϲ�����

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

About Forever Orange

Orange isn’t just our color. It’s our promise to leave the world better than we found it. Forever Orange: The Campaign for ���ϲ����� 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.

Ed Mitzen

When Ed Mitzen ’88 graduated from ���ϲ�����, he could never have imagined that he would one day own a multimillion-dollar company and employ hundreds of people. But the man who dreams big—and achieves those dreams—also never forgot his humble roots. Maybe that’s why his company’s philosophy is all about leveling the playing field—a philosophy that also guides his philanthropy, including a recent $1 million gift to ���ϲ����� as part of the .

Mitzen launched Fingerpaint in 2008, his third successful marketing/advertising company. As described on its , Fingerpaint’s “people-first philosophy attracts top talent and gives them a space to thrive. Our strict no titles, no offices, no egos structure creates an environment where collaboration and creativity happen naturally. This level playing field lets us learn more from each other, integrate our services and teams better, and, ultimately, create work that solves our clients’ most complex marketing challenges.”

Providing opportunity at ���ϲ����� for talented students and creating an environment where they can thrive and succeed inspired Mitzen’s latest gift to strengthen the SUSTAIN program in the College of Arts and Sciences. Launched in 2017 with funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF), the A&S SUSTAIN (Strategic Undergraduate STEM Talent Acceleration Initiative) provides scholarships and academic support along with professional and social experiences to attract and retain students from underrepresented groups in science and mathematics (STEM).

“SUSTAIN provides an opportunity and a proven pathway to success for students who could not otherwise afford to attend ���ϲ�����,” says Mitzen. “First, it provides the financial support they need. But it goes much farther by giving them the mentorship, guidance and confidence to develop their passions, understand their value, and have experiences outside the classroom that prepare them for success after graduation.”

The fact is that around the country abandon their program of study before completion. Retention rates for underrepresented populations in STEM are about 30%. The SUSTAIN program changes that trajectory, with 75% of students continuing as STEM majors, and a retention rate of about 90%.

“Students who come from low-income households and poorly resourced high schools are especially at risk for leaving STEM fields,” says John W. Tillotson, associate professor and chair, Department of Science Teaching, College of Arts and Sciences, and principal investigator for the NSF-funded initiative. “They often suffer from what’s known as imposter syndrome, feeling like they are not talented enough to compete with their more well-prepared peers. SUSTAIN levels the playing field, providing every facet of support they need to help them recognize their capabilities and gain the confidence essential for success.”

“Having a faculty mentor is essential,” says Dean Karin Ruhlandt, College of Arts and Sciences, who recalls her own difficult experiences as a first-generation college student. “I didn’t have role models. What we have found is that it’s critical to have mentors and to build a community among fellow students. We are also exploring different learning strategies—these are all factors driving successful outcomes for our SUSTAIN scholars.”

Mitzen says his appreciation for the opportunity gap has evolved over time. His father passed away suddenly shortly before he went to college. “If it wasn’t for grants and loans, I wouldn’t have been able to go to school,” he says. “When I joined the Dean’s Advisory Board at the College of Arts and Sciences, I realized just how many talented kids were there in the college only because they got financial support. It became really important to me to encourage those students with limited means to pursue opportunities that would create a better life for them and their families.”

Mitzen believes that the SUSTAIN program will result in a more diverse pool of graduates who can bring their distinct talents, voices and ideas to companies and organizations. Mitzen endorses the same approach in the corporate world. In his book “More Than a Number:��The Power of Empathy and Philanthropy in Driving Ad Agency Performance,” Mitzen says employees who are given the tools and resources they need to feel empowered are critical to a “winning corporate culture.”

“As my career has progressed, I’ve realized that I’m at my happiest when I’m able to give back,” Mitzen told Authority Magazine . “I’m so thankful that I’m in a position to do so and it’s why I built philanthropy into my company’s culture. Every year, we contribute time, talent and treasure to a number of deserving nonprofits and causes.”

Mitzen recently launched a new family charitable foundation called to share resources, strategies and connections with businesses seeking to improve lives and shape communities “to help as many people as we could, to do as much good as we could do.”

Mitzen’s continuing desire to lift others up and make a difference in their lives ensures a bright future for the SUSTAIN program at ���ϲ����� and its promising scholars.

“Ed’s gift is going to cement the legacy of the SUSTAIN program going forward,” says Tillotson. “Long after our grant funding from the National Science Foundation is gone, we will be able to help students who have great talent overcome barriers to the education they deserve.”

About ���ϲ�����

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

About Forever Orange

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