The countdown is on, as we reach 95% of our goal!

Just 10 months to the wrap-up and celebration of the most ambitious fundraising effort in our history, Orange pride has never been more apparent. From the friendships forged here to the experiences gained and memories shared, there’s a common theme—love for and belief in Syracuse University. In fact, alumni and friends have raised more than $955 million for scholarships, faculty, academic programs, facilities, and more!

Alumni are responding from coast to coast, supporting The Campaign for Syracuse University. After successful regional efforts in Boston, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C., the campaign is making a run in the New York and Chicago metro areas with gift challenges from Trustees Winston Fisher ’96 and David Edelstein ’78. A regional effort also kicked off in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Orange spirit is especially strong among New York City alumni—with about 30% of campaign gifts coming from the NYC metro area! This is a testament to our NYC campus, its vast alumni network, its wealth of events, and immersion programs that provide hands–on student experiences—like the Tepper Semester’s exclusive new training partnership with the Casting Society of America! Read about it in this issue.

SU faculty and staff are leading by example, too. Employees have contributed more than $7.25 million since the campaign began. Read about Kal and Vijay Srinivas, Margie Johnson, and Shiu–Kai Chin, and learn how faculty/staff donors are at the heart of SU!

The Wallace Foundation awarded a $4.2 million grant to Say Yes to Education, a national, non-profit education foundation committed to increasing high school and college graduation rates for urban youth. The Syracuse chapter of Say Yes to Education is a partnership among SU, the Syracuse City School District, and the National Say Yes to Education Foundation. The grant will be used to implement Say Yes Syracuse and develop a guidebook and toolkit for the City-Wide Turnaround Strategy.

Take a moment to review some of the highlights of these last months. Then learn more about the many exciting initiatives that are underway and still require funding—and consider the difference we all can make.

Your campaign co-chairs,

Melanie Gray L’81
Howie Phanstiel ’70, G’71
Deryck Palmer ’78

February 29, 2012

The Campaign for Syracuse University

Total as of 1/31/12:
$955,024,795

Celebrate Philanthropy SU Style!

The week of April 9, 2012, marks SU’s annual Philanthropy Week, designed to educate students about the importance of volunteerism and other efforts to better our world. Tuesday, April 10, events include the 2012 Orange Circle Awards and the inaugural Phanstiel Lecture, featuring John J. Wood, founder of Room to Read.

Missed Orange Central 2011?

Then you’ll want to watch the videos of our 2011 Arents Award and Orange Circle Award recipients. Click the links below to view.

2011 Arents Award
2011 Orange Circle Award

Planning for the Future

Many alumni are creating personal SU legacies with planned gifts, while taking advantage of changes in federal tax and estate laws. Read about recent changes.

Elliot Stamler ’60 did just that with a $500,000 bequest that will support new funds in political science and constitutional law, class giving, the Arts and Sciences Dean’s Fund, and more! See why Stamler and others love SU.

Moskowitz Chair to Strengthen Expertise in Mexico-U.S. Affairs

As U.S. citizens living in Mexico, Jay Moskowitz G’75 and his wife, Debe, believe in the importance of strengthening relationships between the two countries. They have provided a significant gift to the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, where Jay earned a doctoral degree in social science.

The Jay and Debe Moskowitz Chair will demonstrate expertise in areas of contemporary Mexico-United States affairs, such as trade issues, immigration policy, Mexican economic development and political economy, and social outcomes for Mexican immigrants in the U.S. The gift was supplemented by the Faculty Today Challenge program, designed to accelerate the recruitment and retention of world-class faculty.

First Lyons Scholar Awarded, Thanks to Young Alumni Efforts

For the past five years, Marc Klein ’03 has worked to preserve the memory of his classmate and friend, First Lieutenant James Lyons ’03, who was killed in the line of duty in 2006. After years of fundraising, Ann Sullivan ’12, a photo illustration major at the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, was announced as the inaugural recipient of the James Lyons ’03 Sons and Daughters Memorial Scholarship.

The scholarship is given to children of disabled or fallen U.S. service members to pursue an SU education. Klein received an Orange Circle Award for his efforts in creating the Lyons Scholarship with fellow alumna Hillary Trent ’02. Read more.

Maxwell School Inspires Generations of Giving

Thanks to the generosity of several alumni families, graduate students at the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs will have access to four new scholarships.

>> Brady K. Howell Endowed Scholarship, established by Sean G’78 and Laura O’Keefe to honor the accomplishments of Brady Howell G’00, whose life was tragically cut short in the September 11, 2001, attack on the Pentagon. The Howell Scholarship will assist students whose career interests are in national security through the National Security Studies Program. Sean O’Keefe served as the program’s founding director. In addition, two of the O’Keefe children, Kevin and Lindsey, are pursuing undergraduate and graduate degrees at SU.

>> Lefkowitz-Mendik Family Endowed Graduate Scholarship, established by Helen Lefkowitz ’60 and her children, Michael Lefkowitz ’86, Julie Mendik ’89, and Charles Lefkowitz, in memory of their husband and father, Judge Joel L. Lefkowitz ’58. The scholarship will support students in the fields of public administration, international relations, and social sciences.

>> Purcell/Roche/Yecies Endowed Scholarship, created through a $250,000 gift from Dr. Ellen Roche G’76 and her husband, Mark Yecies, to assist public administration graduate students. The inaugural scholarship was awarded to Monique Lowery, an MPA candidate from Bronx, New York.

>> Betsy Levitt Cohn ’59 and Alan Cohn Scholarship, created through a $150,000 gift from Mrs. Cohn and her husband, the scholarship supports political science students in honor of former faculty member Michael O. Sawyer. Although Betsy Cohn’s degree is in education, Sawyer’s coursework sparked her interest in politics, and she’s held a variety of influential roles for the Democratic Party. Jooyoun Lee, a Ph.D. candidate in Maxwell’s Department of Political Science, is the first recipient.

Department of Drama and Casting Society of America Form Training Program

SU’s Tepper Semester program in the Department of Drama at the College of Visual and Performing Arts is partnering exclusively with the Casting Society of America (CSA), the premier organization of casting directors in film, theater, and television, in a unique new training program and apprenticeship designed for casting students.

Ebony Hardin, the first student enrolled in the program, will participate in an intensive internship at a professional casting office, attend classes as part of the Tepper Semester, train on industry software, tour New York City museums, see dozens of shows, scout talent at improv clubs, and attend actor showcases and workshops.

The Tepper Semester CSA Training Program has been supported with a $50,000 gift from Gary Marsh, president of Breakdown Services Ltd., an international communications network and casting company that connects talent agents and actors. As the first Breakdown Services Scholarship winner, Hardin will receive assistance to transition into a career in New York City after graduation. “This program gives both academic and hands-on experience that’s invaluable for any individual wishing to take on the responsibilities of casting director,” says Marsh. Read more.

SU Celebrates Opening of Institute for Veterans and Military Families

Orange Central 2011 marked the grand opening of an exceptional new resource for U.S. service members and their families. A partnership between SU and JPMorgan Chase & Co., the Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF) is the first national center in higher education focused on the social, economic, education, and policy issues affecting veterans and their families post-service.

IVMF has committed to launching a multifaceted educational program over the next two years that aims to directly reach 2,000 veterans and their families. The program is expected to increase access to education and share best practices for recruiting, assimilating, retaining, and advancing veterans in the civilian workforce. See grand opening photos on the IVMF Facebook page.

College of Law Community Rallies to Meet Dineen Family Challenge Gift

Fundraising efforts for Dineen Hall, the future home of SU’s College of Law, are ahead of schedule, thanks to an incredible outpouring of support from alumni, faculty, staff, and friends.

SU trustee Robert E. Dineen Jr. L’66, the Honorable Carolyn Dineen King H’06, and Kathryn Dineen Wriston provided a $15 million naming gift for the new College of Law building, Dineen Hall, in honor of their parents, Carolyn Bareham Dineen L’32 and Robert Emmet Dineen L’24. The gift was a challenge match for the college to meet within five years. By October 31, 2011—just 16 months later—the college exceeded its challenge match. Today, $36 million has been raised, with only $10 million to go!

“We are deeply grateful to the Dineen family, whose generosity has laid the foundation for the new College of Law building. Through them, the legacy of their parents will continue to benefit generations to come,” says Dean Hannah R. Arterian. “We are equally thankful for all of the inaugural donors who rose to the Dineen challenge and put us well on track to open Dineen Hall as scheduled in 2014.”

A groundbreaking event is planned for Thursday, May 10, 2012. Read more.