Dear Orange Friends:
On this first official day of winter, I am grateful for the blessings that have revealed themselves over the past semester. There are a lot of them, some obvious, others less so.
The blessing we all know well is that Syracuse University once again made it successfully through the entire semester with the full range of in-person courses and activities. Along the way, our students showed extraordinary resilience and Orange spirit. Our students led, explored, learned, innovated, collaborated, and celebrated in a semester that in so many ways closely resembled the best of what our alumni remember as their experience here. Our staff, faculty and community supported our students each step of the way, with grace and compassion, while juggling many responsibilities and their own challenges. This semester called upon on the whole nature of each of us, and you rose to that challenge in remarkable ways. Thank you.
The less obvious blessing is this—while we faced a wave of the coronavirus right at the end of the semester, fortunately, it came later than at some of our nearby peers, which had to close down just before or during exams. Still, we have had to cancel or go virtual with many late December events, from concerts to holiday celebrations to athletic competitions to our annual and very important service today remembering those we lost on Pan Am Flight 103.
In the face of this latest wave, an amazing array of people in the Orange community have stepped up, once again, right when they were planning to relax and recharge with friends and family for the holidays. Some of them are caring for students who are in isolation with us until Christmas so as not to pose risks to their loved ones at home. Other staff and community members are supporting the large number of students who cannot go home for the holidays, either because of the expense or the challenges of travel across the country or abroad.
These people who continue to care for others in our community, even over the holidays and after an exhausting year, are such blessings to Syracuse University. They join the hundreds of folks here who continue to work full-tilt every holiday season – in the Barnes Center, in Facilities, in Public Safety, in Advancement, and in so many other areas. I am grateful to them all.
The qualities and values of our community have once again been revealed over the past semester. The Orange spirit that is expressed every day through grace, compassion and resilience is why I am optimistic for the coming semester and year. I wish all of you a wonderful and restful holiday season.
Sincerely,
Chancellor Kent Syverud