Dear Orange Friends:
Ruth and I moved into the Chancellor’s house on Comstock this week. The move, originally intended for January, was delayed because of a need for remediation of some environmental issues, and for some significant deferred maintenance. We intend to work hard to invite the campus and community into the house for various events and occasions. The first will be next week, when we are hosting each of the folks (and their guests) who worked on the house to come see it and be thanked.
For a respite from unpacking boxes, I stopped by Hendricks Chapel on Sunday night for a concert by the University Singers. They sang together with a visiting ensemble of the student choir at the University of Louisville. The combination of the University Singers and Hendricks Chapel is hard to beat. The space has amazing acoustics, and the very beautiful combined voices of the singers were haunting and reviving. The singers were ably conducted by Dr. John Warren and by graduate student conductor Denise Villa-Ignacio.
On Monday, I met our College of Law graduate and deep orange Syracuse loyalist, Vice President Joe Biden in Washington, D.C. He presented at the celebration for the Toner Prize for Excellence in Political Reporting, a program of the Newhouse School that preserves the memory of a great New York Times journalist, Robin Toner, who graduated from Syracuse in ’76. Dean Lorraine Branham and Robin’s husband Peter Gosselin, and their 16-year-old twin children, Nora and Jake, also spoke and presented this year’s award to Karen Tumulty ofThe Washington Post. Vice President Biden spoke movingly of his respect for Robin (who covered his campaigns), his gratitude to Syracuse University, and his belief that Robin’s legacy lives on through her children. It was an unusually warm and positive intersection of the political and journalism communities, made possible by the leadership of the Newhouse School. Like the group of Newhouse students who participated, I am grateful I was included.
Finally, I hope our students will include themselves in the student-centered Fast Forward competition that will culminate with an exciting event on April 11, as part of that day’s inauguration activities. The deadline is quickly approaching and I am looking forward to seeing many great ideas emerge from our students.
Chancellor Kent Syverud