The candles were lit, and then the names were read. White carnations and stones were laid upon the Hendricks Chapel stage one by one, each flower and stone a quiet act of devotion, a life made tangible. On Tuesday afternoon, members of the Syracuse University and SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry communities came together to honor and remember individuals from both communities who passed away from Jan. 1, 2025, to the present.

During the 10th annual Service of Commemoration, recently deceased students, faculty, staff, emeriti faculty, retirees, Board of Trustees members, advisory board members and honorary degree recipients were remembered. The 115 individuals honored included two World War II veterans; longtime faculty members who devoted careers to the classroom, their research and the mentorship of countless students; and staff members who kept students nourished, supported and cared for and who worked behind the scenes to keep campus running smoothly. Each made their respective campus—and their world—a better place.

Chancellor Kent Syverud offered remarks and read the names of the faculty, staff, emeriti, retirees, Board of Trustees members and honorary degree recipients remembered by the University. Student Government Association President German Nolivos ’26 read the names of the students who had passed.

Joanie Mahoney, president of SUNY ESF, read the names of faculty, staff, emeriti, retirees and advisory board members remembered by SUNY ESF.

The service began in 2017 and was inspired by the Remembrance Scholars mission to “Look Back and Act Forward.”

Rohan Bangalore ’26, a 2025-26 Remembrance Scholar, offered remarks on the theme of remembrance.

“Reflecting on loss reinforces for me the importance of public service and responsibility toward one another,” Bangalore said. “It reminds me that the people we honor today each played a role in shaping this community—in ways both visible and unseen.”

Musical selections were provided by the Hendricks Chapel Choir, directed by Jose “Peppie” Calvar, professor and chair in the Setnor School of Music, and University Organist Anne Laver, associate professor in the Setnor School. Those selections included a performance of “Danny Boy” by Calvar.

At the conclusion of the service, a light reception was held in the Noble Room for family, friends and chaplains to gather.

Elizabeth “Liz” Turner, a beloved academic advisor and assistant director of advising at the Whitman School of Management, passed away Feb. 23 at Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester, New York. She had been a dedicated member of the Whitman community since 2016.

Turner joined Whitman nearly a decade ago as an academic advisor, quickly earning a reputation among students and colleagues for her patience, positive energy and genuine commitment to student success. In 2020, the school recognized her contributions with the Whitman Rising Star Award, one of the school’s most meaningful staff honors.

Over the years, Turner faced serious health challenges that periodically kept her from campus, yet she returned each time with characteristic determination. Colleagues noted that she never allowed those struggles to diminish her enthusiasm or her dedication to the students and staff she served. She was later promoted to assistant director of advising, a role those close to her say she embraced with pride.

“Work wasn’t just a job to Liz—it was a source of purpose and joy,” wrote Assistant Dean of Academic Programs and Student Success Lindsay Quilty in a message to the Whitman community this week.

Turner is survived by her husband, Fred, and their dog, Penny. She will be remembered by the Whitman advising team and the broader university community as someone who led with grace, humor, and heart.

Messages of condolence may be shared at .

Syracuse University has announced the names of those who will be honored at this year’s annual Service of Commemoration, a ceremony recognizing members of the University community who passed away from Jan. 1, 2025, to the present.

The service, which will be held Tuesday, March 17, at 4 p.m. in Hendricks Chapel, honors current students, faculty and staff, retirees, Trustees, advisory board members and honorary degree recipients of Syracuse University and the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry.

During the ceremony, the name of each honoree will be read and candles will be lit collectively in their memory. The tradition is inspired by the Remembrance Scholars’ motto of “Look Back, Act Forward”—a call to remember those who have been lost and to act forward in their memories.

All are welcome to attend and honor the important contributions of respected members of the University community. For more information about the service, contact Hendricks Chapel at chapel@syr.edu or 315.443.2901.

This year, the following individuals will be honored by name at the ceremony. All alumni are also remembered in our thoughts and prayers.

Syracuse University

Jeffrey Acker
Aiyliam Balachandran
Patricia Bane
Roland Barry
Debbie Benderski
Michael Bill
Raymond Bishop
Edwin Bock
Sev-Ira Brown
Craig Carlson
Gertrude Cannon
James Carroll
Donna Clary
George Coble
Clyde Cooke
Kayla Corrigan
Michael Crosby
Aoyu Cui
Jeanne DiCarlo
Joan DiCocco
William Ditterline
Mildred Doering
Gavan Duffy
Joachim Ennulat
JoAn Feyerabend
James Flattery
Carol Flowers
Norman Fredericks
Martin Fried
Ernestine Gathings
Gary Gemmill
Jane Goodall
Gloria Graham
Tina Gross-Jones
Claire Harootunian
Dennis Helsel
H. Ernest Hemphill
Kenneth Hine
Charlotte “Chuckie” Holstein
Patricia Ingraham
Badr Ismail
Mary Iversen
Dr. Robert Jarvik
James Jerge
Mary Ann Keenan
Gary Kelder
Sharon Kessler
Roxanne Killecut
Russell King
Peter Knoblock
Frances Knorr
Daniel Krempel
Charles Ksieniewich
Bryce Lander
John Lassic
Wanshan Li
Elizabeth “Liz” Liddy
Richard Lisbon
Earl Lissit
Gisela Long
Maria Maloof
Frederick Marquardt
Maria Marrero
Robert Meilnicki
Barbara Moon
Gerard Moses
Donna Mosher
Bill Moyers
Larry Mulcahy
Ronald Ockert
George Pappastavrou
Francis McMillan Parks
Deborah Pellow
Edward Pettinella
Joseph Pignatti
Winifred Pitzeruse
Charles Rangel
Patricia Rausch
Jerry Rounds
William Rowland II
William Ryan
Marshall Segall
Frank Sharp
Jerome Suran
Jeffry D. Tessier Sr
Laurence Thomas
Judith Thomas
Suzanne Thorin
Rose Marie Tout
James Townsend
John Marshall Townsend
Elizabeth “Liz” Turner
Sally Roesch Wagner
William Walsh
Fei Wang
Christopher Weiss
Elise Wobbe
Nicolay Wolowik

SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry

Lee Berry
Isabelle Callahan
Barbara Chaterlain
James Coufal
Stuart Hosler
Mary Melnick
Thomas B. Regan
Kevin Reynolds
George Treier

He came from modest means, growing up in Batavia, New York, and his first jobs were a stock boy at a local market and short-order cook at a local restaurant. He earned money to afford college. He knew the value of hard work and determination and what it would take to aspire to and achieve a vision.

Ed Pettinella G’76, who passed away on Jan. 9, 2026, at the age of 74, parlayed those qualities and experiences into a dedication to his alma mater that helped pave a path to success for countless students.

“Ed Pettinella’s generosity, vision and business acumen helped transform Syracuse University,” says Chancellor Kent Syverud. “He invested deeply in our faculty, academic mission and student experience. We are a stronger university because of Ed, and he will be deeply missed.”

Pettinella had once termed his 2023 $3 million gift to Syracuse Athletics “an honor” designed to “provide the student body with an unrivaled collegiate experience.” For him, it was all about advancing the academic experience and an exceptional athletics program.

He and his family established the Edward J. Pettinella Athletic Graduate Endowed Scholarship and at the Martin J. Whitman School of Management to ensure that students had access to exceptional faculty. “We have high expectations for Whitman and our students,” said Pettinella. “To bring those expectations to fruition, we need gifted and inspired faculty members.”

Pettinella was elected to the board in 2013 and served as a voting trustee until 2025. During his tenure, he held multiple leadership roles, including Board vice chair, chair of the Board Audit and Risk Committee, and chair of the Budget Committee and served on multiple board committees and working groups.

He was 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 2013 in recognition of his career accomplishments and dedication to the University. He was also named the Dritz Trustee of the Year in 2017.

Those who knew Pettinella well consistently praised his leadership, business acumen, integrity, kindness, outgoing personality, sense of humor and seemingly unmatched energy. He began his career in community banking and ended it at the helm of a $7 billion real estate investment trust.

He first arrived at Syracuse University to pursue an MBA in finance after graduating with a B.S. degree in management from SUNY College at Geneseo in 1973, where he was president of the senior class, and starting a job 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 an impressive resume in banking as president of Charter One Bank of NY and executive vice president of Charter One Financial Inc., as well as in 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 owned, operated, developed, acquired and rehabilitated apartment communities in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic. After initially serving as executive vice president, he became its president and chief executive officer.

Following the sale of Home Properties, Pettinella served on the board of directors of Life Storage, Inc., Manning and Napier, Inc. and Royal Oak Realty Trust, Inc. He also served on the board of directors of both the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts and the National Multifamily Housing Council and was a member of the Urban Land Institute.

In addition to his generosity to Syracuse University, Pettinella shared his talents and resources with SUNY Geneseo, where the Pettinella Trading Room in the School of Business bears his name; the YMCA, including the Pettinella Aquatic Center; United Way; and Golisano Children’s Hospital.

Pettinella is survived by his wife, Ann; sons, Ryan (Deanna) and Cory ’09 (Courtney) Pettinella and their mother, Elaine; grandchildren, Reid, Sloane, Ronan and Mara Pettinella; sister, Michele Pettinella Worden; niece and nephews, Paige (Dave) Bloom, Colin (Kristi Thomas) Worden, Harrison Worden; grandniece, Brooke Bloom: step-children, Courtney (Tom) Stokes, Chelsey (Garrett) Donals, David (Erin) Wallace; step-grandchildren, James and Nora Stokes and Hannah and Nathan Donals.

Syracuse University will hold its annual Service of Commemoration—honoring students, faculty, staff, retirees, trustees and honorary degree recipients of the University, and SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry students, faculty, staff, retirees and trustees who passed during the period of Jan. 1, 2025, to the present—with a ceremony on Tuesday, March 17, at 4 p.m. in Hendricks Chapel.

The names of those who have passed away will be read and candles will be lit collectively in their memory. The service is inspired by the Remembrance Scholars’ motto of “Look Back, Act Forward,” a call to action to remember those we have lost and act forward in their memory.

All are welcome to attend and honor the important contributions of respected members of the University community. For more information about the service, contact Hendricks Chapel at chapel@syr.edu or 315.443.2901.

If you know of someone who passed away between Jan. 1, 2025, and the present who should be honored, please forward their name and affiliation to Hendricks Chapel at chapel@syr.edu by Thursday, Feb. 12.

The Syracuse University community, and the global architecture community as a whole, has lost a dynamic architect, mentor and a connector of people. Fei Wang, associate teaching professor in the , passed away in a traffic accident in London on Dec. 8, leaving behind a legacy of connection, collaboration and tireless dedication that transformed countless lives across continents.

“Fei Wang’s legacy endures in the students he mentored, the collaborations he facilitated, the exhibitions he curated and the bridges he built between East and West,” says Michael Speaks, Syracuse Architecture dean and professor. “His life reminds us that architecture’s highest calling lies not in buildings alone but in the connections we forge and the opportunities we create for others.”

Wang embodied a combination of roles: architect, educator, critic, curator, entrepreneur and, above all, a connector of people and ideas. As director of China programs and M.S. program coordinator in the School of Architecture, Wang managed numerous responsibilities.

During the pandemic, he organized studios and classroom spaces for 150 of the school’s students who could not leave China, ensuring they could continue their education remotely. This effort earned him the University’s prestigious Chancellor’s Citation for Outstanding Contributions to the Student Experience and University Initiatives in 2022.

Wang was a dedicated advocate for students, personally guiding hundreds through internship applications, graduate school preparations and the transition into professional practice. He connected students with opportunities across China and introduced his colleagues to an extensive network of architects, deans, professors, curators and editors throughout Asia, many of whom became lifelong friends and collaborators.

He worked closely with Vittoria Buccina, assistant dean for enrollment management in the School of Architecture, to recruit students from China, Hong Kong and Canada.

“Fei represented Syracuse University and the School of Architecture with unwavering pride. He always put students first and was a mentor to many, ensuring their work was entered into major design competitions, biennales and curated for museum exhibitions,” Buccina says. “He often shared his belief that the future of architecture in China would be shaped by Syracuse alumni, and he spoke passionately about the school’s commitment to its students. ‘Fei’ means ‘to fly,’ and that is exactly what he taught his students to do: to become the very best versions of themselves.”

“To know Fei, even a little bit, was to be immersed into a global matrix of design culture. He was on the pulse—one of its muscles,” says Ted Brown, professor emeritus of architecture. “Fei was Superman—always moving, always planning, teaching, writing, curating, recruiting, designing.”

Brown says that at a time of increased global tension, Wang was a crucial link between Chinese and U.S. design culture.

“Syracuse Architecture was a critical conduit for this cultural exchange. Student work was exhibited in Shenzhen, Beijing and Shanghai. Prominent Chinese architects were brought to the U.S. to teach, give workshops, lecture and join design reviews. Students traveled to China and had the opportunity to study in the Three Cities Asia summer program,” says Brown. “What Fei did to help transform the school, with Michael Speaks at the helm and Vittoria Buccina at his side, was quite extraordinary.”

Brown says that Wang’s efforts made the School of Architecture more global in its outreach, extracurricular events and curriculum. “I hope Fei’s vast network of friends, colleagues, students, artists and architects will remain part of Syracuse architecture for decades to come,” he says.

Wang’s scholarly work demonstrated the same commitment to fostering dialogue between cultures. He wrote extensively for Chinese publications as well as Western journals. Wang was the curator of “Decoding Eisenman: Beyond Form,” a landmark exhibition that opened this fall at the China Design Museum in Hangzhou.

As a designer and entrepreneur, Wang co-founded FWStudio and the URSIDE Hotel Shanghai—an unconventional hospitality project that embodied his interdisciplinary approach. His work earned numerous awards and was exhibited globally.

Throughout his career, Wang taught at prestigious institutions, including the University of Hong Kong, Tongji University, China Academy of Art, University of Michigan and the Architectural Association and lectured worldwide. Wang held degrees from Tongji University (B.Arch.), Virginia Tech (M.Arch.) and McGill University (M.Arch. in history and theory).

A memorial service in Syracuse has been tentatively planned for January. More details will be forthcoming.

Audra Weiss ’89 played a pivotal role in building the global health innovation company Real Chemistry. She gave back to Syracuse University as a benefactor for initiatives and projects that equipped communications students with the digital skills and expertise needed to s쳮d in the workplace.

When Weiss was diagnosed with cancer two years ago, she became a passionate advocate for early cancer detection and diagnosis, and holistic care. Weiss died Dec. 31, 2024, at the age of 57. Her husband Jim Weiss ’87 and their two children, Ethan and Emily, were at her side. “Audra was a quiet yet powerful force who walked through life exuding grace, strength and class,” .

Audra Weiss graduated from the , while her husband graduated with a bachelor’s degree in public relations from the . Jim Weiss founded Real Chemistry in 2001.

In 2012, a gift from Audra and Jim Weiss established the at the Newhouse School. The Weiss Center’s goal is to ensure students are immersed and educated in the digital world as they prepare for careers across the communications industries.

Nine years later, the Weisses for the ribbon-cutting ceremony of a new, state-of-the-art classroom established by a gift from Real Chemistry. The Emerging Insights Lab is a social media command center that serves as a central hub for the interfacing of digital media monitored and studied by students and faculty.

“Audra Weiss’ support meant so much to Syracuse University. She will always be remembered at Newhouse for her dedication to helping our students s쳮d, collaborating with Jim on mentorships, career advice, classroom visits or the many other ways they gave back big and small,” said Newhouse Dean Mark Lodato. “We mourn her passing and extend our deepest condolences to Jim, Ethan, Emily and the rest of the Weiss family.”

Born and raised on Long Island in Coram, New York, Audra Weiss worked in healthcare communications after graduating from Whitman. She connected with Jim through a mutual friend—they worked in the same field and shared a love for Syracuse University, though they never met while at school. They were married for nearly 25 years.

“She knew from the get-go that she’d happily trade in her stellar professional career for a lifelong role of motherhood.  She welcomed Ethan and Emily into the world and devoted herself to her calling,” her family said.

“Audra’s intellect and brilliance shined in the backdrop of Jim’s entrepreneurial quest to build a leading global communications firm,” the family said.  “As an advisor and confidant, Audra made her mark on the business that would become Real Chemistry. To her, success was a vehicle to do good—giving back through the ‘Weiss Family Office.’”

After being diagnosed with cancer, Weiss became a staunch advocate for the care of those living with cancer. She shared her wisdom about her cancer journey and connected with the Dempsey Center, joining the board of the organization founded by actor Patrick Dempsey. The Dempsey Center provides personalized and comprehensive cancer care at no cost.

The Weiss family said it would continue to advocate for early cancer detection and diagnosis, as well as advocating for treating cancer “holistically, not just with pharmaceuticals but with wraparound care that makes the journey a much better experience for patients and their families.”

Services will be held Jan. 8 in San Francisco, California. The family said donations in Weiss’ memory can be made to the , , and the . Read Audra Weiss’ .

By 1975, Sarah “Sally” Short, Ph.D., Ed.D., was already a legend on the Syracuse University campus.

But on Jan. 3, 1975, she became world famous when an article appeared in The New York Times describing her unique teaching methods. The story included a photo of Short on a motorcycle—the same one she rode down the stairs of the Newhouse School of Public Communications and into her lecture room as her surefire way to grab the students’ attention.

“Dr. Short was my favorite professor back in the late 1960s,” Meredith “Mary” Moses Maxwell ’70 said in a 2020 social media post for the . “Her classes were exciting, from being rewarded for correct answers with candy, to being greeted—often by name—walking across campus. I was in the famous class that was welcomed in Newhouse’s basement auditorium by the unmistakable sounds, smells and sight of a motorcycle entering and driving down the aisle by none other than Dr. Short.”

Short, who joined the Syracuse University faculty in 1966 and taught an estimated 55,000 students, died in late July, about two months shy of her 100th birthday. A professor emerita in the Falk College, Short taught various nutrition courses, including Nutrition in Health, Sport Nutrition and Dietary Supplements, and several other courses at Syracuse. She retired in 2016 after a half-century in higher education.

“I had the opportunity to co-teach the large Nutrition in Health class with Dr. Short and was able to see how she valued engaging students,” says , associate professor and chair of the Department of Nutrition and Food Studies. “She was innovative in her pedagogy and loved storytelling to teach about nutrition. She was also passionate about sports nutrition and had conducted research in examining the dietary intake of athletes at Syracuse University.”

Following the article in The New York Times, Short brought national attention to Syracuse University and the concepts of nutrition and sports nutrition through countless newspaper and magazine interviews and appearances on television shows such as “Today,” “Good Morning America” and “Real People.”

“A few weeks (after the article), my older brother serving in Vietnam wrote and asked if I knew anything about this ‘crazy’ SU teacher,” Moses Maxwell said in 2020. “He’d seen a picture and article about the stunt in the Saigon Times. I was so proud to be her student. She was the ultimate teacher and a role model for my teaching and counseling career.”

Connecting With Youth

Numerous former students recount memorable classes that earned Short the moniker “Psychedelic Sally.” But theatrics aside, Short had a remarkable knack of connecting with younger generations.

, teaching professor and graduate director in the Department of Nutrition and Food Studies, was a teaching assistant in Short’s Food Science class for two years during Raj’s doctoral program. Raj says Short was “very empathetic” with her students and thoroughly enjoyed spending time with them.

“She was a legend in the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (formerly the American Dietetic Association), and several FNCE (Food and Nutrition Conference and Expo) attendees—noticing my Syracuse University badge—have inquired over the years about Dr. Short,” Raj says. “Many were her students, and others had heard about her bringing her motorbike into the classroom.

“I fondly remember her giving me newspaper clippings of my children’s achievements in the Fayetteville Manlius School District, and she always celebrated their successes with us,” Raj adds. “I will miss her annual Christmas greetings and her smiling demeanor.”

, associate professor and undergraduate director in the Department of Nutrition and Food Studies, says Short’s ability to connect with youth extended to Voss’ daughter, Elise, who was 7 when she first met Short. Elise recently graduated from Nottingham High School (Short’s alma mater) in June, 100 years after Short’s birth in 1924.

“Elise idolized her,” Voss says. “Sally had an uncanny sense of knowing whenever Elise was alone in my office. She would quickly scoop Elise into her office before I returned, and they would have Oreo tea parties and Sally would tell Elise tales of when Ed Smith (Pre-K-8 School) first opened.

“I would eventually find Elise tucked into the pillows on the daybed in Sally’s office,” Voss continues. “What a sweet connection over an impressive generational gap. Sally lived a great life and made a huge difference in the lives of thousands of young folks. It’s a lovely legacy.”

A Lifelong New Yorker

Born in Little Falls, New York, Sarah Harvey moved with her family at the age of 4 into a house in Syracuse that was just two houses away from her future husband, Walter Allen Short. They both graduated from Nottingham High School—Walter in 1945 and Sally in 1946—and were blessed with three children, five grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Short earned doctor of philosophy and doctor of education degrees from Syracuse University and taught at Upstate Medical University in addition to Syracuse University. She received several awards for her research and teaching, was a fellow of the American Dietetic Association.

For Short’s full obituary, visit the .

, a renowned computer scientist who received an honorary degree during the University’s Commencement in May, died June 9 in Michigan. She was 86.

Conway, who revolutionized global information technology by inventing methods for designing Very Large Scale Integrated (VLSI) silicon chips, was at Syracuse University on May 12 to receive an honorary doctor of science degree.

As a young engineer at IBM Research in the 1960s, Conway made pioneering innovations in computer architecture. IBM fired her in 1968 upon learning she was undergoing gender transition. She restarted her career in a new identity in “stealth-mode” after completing her transition.

While working at Xerox Palo Alto Research Center in the 1970s, Conway innovated breakthrough methods that enabled engineers to design very powerful, complex chips. In 1980, Conway’s seminal textbook “Introduction to VLSI Systems,” co-authored by Caltech Professor Carver Mead, became an instant classic, forever transforming computing and information technology. The late John V. Oldfield, then a professor of electrical and computer engineering in the College of Engineering and Computer Science (ECS), brought the new VLSI methods to Syracuse right at the beginning of that revolution.

In the early 1980s, Conway became assistant director for strategic computing at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. In 1985 she joined the University of Michigan as professor of electrical engineering and computer science and associate dean of engineering.

When nearing retirement in 1999 she began quietly coming out as a trans woman, using her new  to share her story with friends and colleagues. Conway became active in transgender advocacy.

“Lynn made this world a better place in so many ways. Her work on VLSI revolutionized microelectronic education and manufacturing, and her advocacy for women and transgender people was courageous and important,” says ECS Dean Cole Smith. “She was a role model to many, and she helped to broaden the image of what an engineer or a computer scientist looks like. I am incredibly grateful that we had the chance to honor her at Syracuse University and recognize her for the tremendous impact she made.”

In 2012 Conway published a memoir that revealed how—closeted and hidden behind the scenes—she conceived the ideas and orchestrated the events that disruptively changed global industries.

Conway was a life fellow of the IEEE, fellow of the AAAS, winner of Computer Pioneer Award of the IEEE Computer Society, member of the Hall of Fellows of the Computer History Museum, a member of the National Academy of Engineering and held several honorary degrees. In 2023 she was inducted into the  for the invention of VLSI. She was awarded the  by the  and the .

In 2020, IBM CEO Arvind Krishna  on behalf of the company for  back in 1968.  the IBM Lifetime Achievement Award.

A listener who tuned into a pop radio station at any point over the last 30 years more than likely would have heard a catchy song from stars influenced by Phil Quartararo ’77.

The veteran music executive introduced U2 to the United States in the 1980s and developed the careers of artists like Paula Abdul, Linkin Park and the Spice Girls. And that was only a small number of the big-name performers who worked with someone who became known fondly in the industry as “Phil Q.”

Just as important to Quartararo was his dedication to Syracuse University and the , and a commitment to helping develop future leaders of the music industry. Quartararo was one of a handful of executives who worked with Martin Bandier ’62 and the University to create the .

Quartararo died Nov. 22 in Los Angeles of pancreatic cancer. He was 67.

Born in New York City, Philip Michael Quartararo led EMI Records, Virgin Records and Warner Bros. Records during his influential career. Quartararo, a longtime Newhouse Advisory Board member, was also a strong supporter of the Bandier Program’s move to the Newhouse School.

“Phil was an outstanding board member, and one I had come to count upon for wise counsel, especially when it came to the music industry, future opportunities for Newhouse in audio and our growing presence in Southern California,”  says.

He recounted last seeing Quartararo in October in California for the celebration of the Kari and Dick Clark Foundation’s Forever Orange Campaign gift to expand the University’s presence in Los Angeles and impact in the entertainment field.

“He was as positive as ever,” Lodato says, “and as he always did, pledged his full support to me and the Newhouse School. I often heard this refrain from Phil: ‘Whatever you need, Mark!’”

Quartararo first began booking acts in high school and took a job as a college representative for A&M Records while studying at Newhouse, where he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in television, radio and film. He then moved to Buffalo as the local promotional representative for A&M, where he helped break in artists like The Police and Bryan Adams.

It was the start of 46-year career that included leadership positions with nearly every major record label. Quartararo was named Billboard’s Music Executive of the Year Award in 2001.

, director of the Bandier Program, described Quartararo as a “beloved founding father” who was a trusted advisor to many in the program and Newhouse. “A role he clearly cherished was that of helping the next generation of music industry leaders,” Werde says.

A funeral service was held in Santa Monica, California, with a Mass of Celebration being planned in New York City sometime in January. Another celebration of Quartararo’s life is planned for Jan. 29 in Los Angeles, which is the start of Grammy Awards week.

In lieu of flowers,  for donations to be made in his memory to the Phil Q Memorial Fund at the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University. Donations may be made online at  or sent to Syracuse University, 640 Skytop Road, 2nd Floor, Syracuse, New York 13244. For more information contact Lynn Vanderhoek at .

Edward Bleier ’51, the innovative media executive who helped support the study of television and pop culture on the Syracuse University campus, died Tuesday, according to his wife, Magda Bleier. He was 94 years old.

Bleier was a pioneer in media, serving as president of Warner Bros. domestic pay-TV, cable and network features division during a decorated and distinguished career that saw him work in almost every aspect of radio and television.

Thanks to his generosity to his alma mater, Bleier enabled generations of Syracuse University students to follow in his footsteps through the , a think tank on the art of television and the exploration of popular culture housed in the .

Bleier requested in his memorial notices that gifts be sent to the Bleier Center in lieu of flowers.

“Edward Bleier was a titan of the communications industry, a visionary who helped build the foundation for so many of the platforms for consuming content that we take for granted today,” said .

“On behalf of the Newhouse community, I would like to extend our sincere condolences to the Bleier family,” Lodato added. “We are so thankful for his tremendous generosity to Syracuse University, where his legacy will live on at the Bleier Center.”

Bleier was a key executive in implementing changes in the media landscape, principally at Time Warner/Warner Bros. and ABC-TV. At ABC in the 1960s, he at various times headed daytime and children’s programming; news, sports and prime-time sales; and marketing, public relations and long-range planning.

From 1969-2004, while at Warner Bros., Bleier was a key player in Warner Communications’ development of cable systems, cable networks, home video, sports and its 1990 merger with Time Inc.

In 2005, the Center for the Study of Popular Television was renamed the Bleier Center for Television and Popular Culture thanks to a generous donation from Bleier. The center is headed by , one of the most well-known and widely quoted popular culture experts in the world.

“Media, particularly popular media, are the new DNA of our global society. With Internet and satellite, ideas, images, stories and information affect every aspect of the world, often instantly,” Bleier said in 2005 in an announcement about the renaming of the center.

“The content of American media is so pervasive-for good or ill-it must be seriously taught and examined,” Bleier said. “Bob Thompson is at the forefront and I am honored to add my support.”

Thompson, who planned to speak at a memorial service for Bleier held on Sunday in East Hampton, New York, said Bleier “knew everyone in – and everything about – American television.”

“In over 30 years as my friend, he taught me volumes. I was always taken by how a guy who had been such a VIP for 70 years was also so humble and kind. And hilarious,” Thompson said. “Although he’d been retired for a while, he remained up-to-the-second on the monumental changes happening in the industry.”

Thompson recalled a conversation a few weeks ago, during which Bleier provided insights about streaming, artificial intelligence and the Hollywood writers and actors strikes “with wisdom and aplomb,” he said. “I am proud to see his name on my door every morning.”

received a gift of $1 million from the estate of the late George Wallerstein, honoring his late wife, Julie Haynes Lutz, by establishing the Julie Lutz New Play Development Fund.

This transformational gift launches Syracuse Stage’s 50th-anniversary fundraising campaign, raising $2.5 million to ensure the vitality, innovation and sustainability of Syracuse Stage for the next 50 years.

Lutz was a ground-breaking astronomer and professor who loved traveling, the outdoors, music, food and theatre. She was a champion of the arts and was deeply committed to issues around diversity and inclusion. The Julie Lutz New Play Development Fund recognizes these interests and will specifically support new play activity, developing and producing exciting new work for the theatre.

“This gift marks a leap forward in Syracuse Stage’s continuing commitment to foster and develop relationships with the most exciting artists working in the American theatre today, with a particular focus on sharing stories from underrepresented communities,” says Jill A. Anderson, Syracuse Stage’s managing director. “Dr. Lutz’s love of theatre and commitment to social justice is forever memorialized by this remarkably generous gift.”

The first production under the umbrella of the Julie Lutz New Play Development Fund was the 2023 world premiere of “Tender Rain” by Kyle Bass, Syracuse Stage playwright in residence. Bass’ original work has long been a cornerstone of Syracuse Stage, with shows like “Possessing Harriet” and “salt/city/blues” offering patrons the opportunity to see brand new plays and engage with stories that put their own community front and center.

“New plays and new voices are the lifeblood of a relevant theater,” says Bass. “In this regard, Julie Lutz’s extraordinary gift to Syracuse Stage and the new play development fund it endows will touch artists and audiences beyond our walls. It allows us to develop, launch and grow new and exciting works into the world.”

The transformational nature of the Lutz Fund will continue to support the development of work in the vein of past Stage world premieres, like the 19/20 season production of Keenan Scott II’s “Thoughts of a Colored Man” which later opened at the John Golden Theatre in New York City, the joyful, Broadway-bound musical “How to Dance in Ohio,” and last season’s powerful East Coast premiere of “Espejos: Clean,” directed by associate artistic director Melissa Crespo.

The Julie Lutz New Play Development Fund grew from Lutz’s love of theatre, but also from her affectionate bond with her son-in-law, Bob Hupp, artistic director at Syracuse Stage. Lutz had a particular fondness for new work, which was heightened during the pandemic. At the suggestion of her daughter, Clea Hupp, Lutz experienced the work of Syracuse Stage by streaming productions at her home in Seattle, Washington.

It was during this online-only season, when professional theaters across the nation were shuttered, that the idea of establishing a new works fund was born to help support the playwrights and artists—especially those from communities whose stories are underrepresented in American theatre—who create that new work, now and for years to come.

In addition to supporting new play development and production, prioritizes two primary areas: programming sustainability and capital investments, as well as providing resources for the Stage’s ongoing operational needs post-COVID.

Syracuse Stage seeks to create a permanent Education and Community Engagement Fund, ensuring the continuation of vital programming essential to our community. Capital investments will be used to update equipment and technical tools available to the Stage production teams, including new accessibility, lighting, projection and sound equipment, as well as production communication systems.

“Some of my earliest childhood memories involve my parents getting dressed up to go to Daggy Theater to see a show,” says Lutz’s daughter, Melissa Lutz Blouin. “When we lived in London for a year on sabbatical, she took us to shows in the West End. We went to see plays when we visited her in Seattle. Her love of performance continued throughout her lifetime.”

Julie Haynes Lutz died Tuesday, May 3, 2022, at 77. She was one of the country’s first female astronomers, receiving a Ph.D. from the University of Illinois in 1972. Her research focused on planetary nebulae, gas clouds formed by expiring stars. From 1971-96, she worked at Washington State University, serving first as the planetarium director and later as the Boeing Distinguished Professor of Mathematics and Science Education and director of the astronomy program. Lutz chaired the Department of Pure and Applied Mathematics from 1992-96 and was active in improving primary and secondary school science education. She also served as the director of the Division of Astronomical Sciences for the National Science Foundation from 1990-92 and as president of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific from 1991-93.

In 2000, she began working at the University of Washington as a NASA educator and was a professor emeritus. She was a fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. In 2004, the United Negro College Fund gave Julie and her second husband, George Wallerstein, the President’s Award for their long-term fundraising activities for the organization.

Mĩcere Gĩthae Mũgo, professor emerita of African American studies in the College of Arts and Sciences and an internationally known scholar, teacher, activist, poet and playwright, died June 30 in Syracuse.

Mũgo joined the Syracuse University community in 1993. A Meredith Professor of Teaching Excellence, she served as chair of the Department of African American studies, co-director of the University’s Africa Initiative, founder and president of the Pan African Community of Central New York and founder and president of the United Women of Africa organization.

In her first year, she taught a class in orature, the first in Syracuse and one of the first of its kind in the United States. Mũgo employed song, poetry, dance and drama to teach lessons on human rights.

“Mĩcere served as a guiding light in the humanities and in University leadership, tirelessly connecting the academy to the community. Central to this endeavor was literature and African orature, or African oral culture as an Indigenous site of foundational and experiential knowledge,” said Herbert Ruffin II, associate professor of African American studies, in a on the Department of African American Studies website paying tribute to Mũgo. “Using this approach, Mũgo seamlessly intersected Pan African studies with the arts, literature, social justice and women and gender studies in her lifelong pursuit to improve the human condition by making ‘scholarship…an agent for social transformation for all people, not just the privileged.’”

Mũgo had a lasting impact on the students she taught and mentored. David Mwambari G’10, associate professor in the Faculty of Social Sciences at KU Leuven University in Belgium, was one of Mũgo’s teaching assistants at Syracuse. “She trained me to think of students as human beings who are still growing and need my guidance and compassion,” he told the College of Arts and Sciences Magazine last year. Mũgo also created space for him to talk about his personal struggles and traumatic issues from his experiences during the 1994 genocide in Rwanda and its aftermath. “Professor Mũgo gave me the skills to be human and always remember that others are human, and therefore to live and teach with a touch of grace,” Mwambari said. “It was this touch of grace and compassion that inspired me to start a community project that healed my traumas.”

Mũgo was key in bringing Nobel Prize laureates Wole Soyinka and the late Wangari Maathai to Syracuse. She was invited to address the Commission on the Status of Women at the United Nations, and was the recipient of numerous awards, including the 2012 Distinguished Mwalimu Julius Nyerere Scholar Award and the prestigious Flora Nwapa Award for Excellence in Africana Literature.

Mũgo’s retirement in 2015 was marked with a two-day symposium, “A Tireless Pursuit,” that celebrated her global impact and drew participants from around the world.

Prior to coming to Syracuse, Mũgo held leadership positions at the University of Nairobi, where she served as the first female dean of an African university, and the University of Zimbabwe. She also held faculty positions at Cornell and St. Lawrence universities.

Mũgo is survived by her daughter, Mũmbi wa Mũgo, and siblings, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She was predeceased by her daughter, Njeri Kũi Mũgo.

Memorial Service Information

All are welcome to attend the memorial service for Mũgo in Hendricks Chapel on Saturday, July 29, at 10 a.m.

Parking will be available in lots across campus on a first come, first served basis. Visit for information and direction. With questions about the service or for accommodations, please call 315.443.2901 or email chapel@syr.edu.

Perhaps it was the critical thinking required of students in the College of Arts and Sciences/Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, or the thoughtful way in which Allan Sutton ’55 parlayed an undergraduate degree in political science into a purpose-driven career in asset and wealth management, at one point managing the assets of the DuPont family.

Motivated by a deep belief in the power of the humanities, Sutton demonstrated how wealth could be used to benefit society in diverse and creative ways. Through his generosity to Syracuse University, he had a profound impact on the reputation of the and advanced the careers of some of the nation’s brightest philosophy scholars.

Sutton passed away on May 31, 2023, in his home in Rancho Santa Fe, California, at the age of 90.

A graduate of the New York City public schools, Sutton received a bachelor’s degree from the Maxwell School at Syracuse University, an MBA from New York University’s Stern School of Business and served in the U.S. Army as an infantry officer. Sutton began his career at the investment firm of Francis I. du Pont & Co. and worked for more than 40 years in the financial services industry. He worked at the firms of Gartman, Rose and Feuer and Percy Friedlander & Company; was a partner at David J. Greene & Company, responsible for much of Greene & Co’s institutional business and held the title of partner in charge of advisory accounts; and a partner at Neuberger Berman. Sutton served as a member of the advisory board of Ameritech as well as being an advisor on many other pension plans.

He served his alma mater in multiple ways. Sutton was first elected to the Board of Trustees in 1990 and was a voting trustee until 2013, and was chair of the Board’s Endowment Committee. He served on the Executive Committee of the $300 million Commitment to Learning Campaign and helping to establish the Metropolitan New York Advisory Board, which he later chaired.

Together with his  wife, Anita ’60, an alumna of the College of Arts and Sciences, Sutton established the Anita and Allan D. Sutton Endowed Distinguished Chair in Philosophy in the College of Arts and Sciences. Ben Bradley, a prominent philosophy scholar who was named the inaugural chair in 2014, commented that the Suttons’ philanthropy served “as a reminder that the humanities are not only a critical piece of a solid liberal arts education, but more importantly a central part of society.”

The Suttons also funded a three-year postdoctoral fellowship that involved the Distinguished Faculty Fellow teaching two courses per year. have gone on to prominent careers in the field, teaching at universities like Georgetown, Yeshiva, Yale, Michigan and elsewhere.

The Suttons also established the Richard H. Mazer Memorial Fund to support LightWork and generously supported other initiatives in the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Law, the Maxwell School, Syracuse University Athletics and the Hildegarde and J. Myer Schine Student Center.

Sutton served on numerous arts and business boards, including those of the U.S. Association for International Migration, the Association of Ameritech, the Museum of Photographic Arts in San Diego and The Museum of Modern Art in New York City.

He is survived by his wife and their children, Nancy Sutton Finley and Peggy Lynn Sutton ’90 (S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications) and three grandchildren, including grandson Zachary Sutton Finley G’17 (Maxwell School).

Alice Sterling Honig, professor emerita of child and family studies (now the Department of Human Development and Family Science) in the David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics, died March 7, 2023. She was 93.

Honig earned a B.A. from Barnard College and an M.A. from Columbia University, both in experimental psychology, and a Ph.D. in developmental psychology from Syracuse University. Through her early training in the psychological sciences and academic career at Syracuse University that spanned over five decades, Honig was a champion for the rights, welfare and the optimal development of young children.

“I will miss her smiles, her hugs, her jokes, her crystal-clear insights and her clarity of thought,” says Professor of Practice Thom deLara. “Alice was a force to be reckoned with, but she handled it with humility and grace. I will miss her warm greetings and wonderful stories. The college has lost a giant in her field.”

Aligned with President Lyndon Johnson’s great war on poverty in the 1960s, Honig and her colleagues implemented one of the longest federally funded intervention programs aimed to ward off the pernicious effects of poverty on the social, emotional, cognitive and physical development of young children in the Syracuse area. This program became a model for national initiatives to lift children out of poverty.

Honig was the graduate assistant of Syracuse University Professor Bettye Caldwell who, with Julius Richmond of Upstate Medical University, formed the Children’s Center in Syracuse in 1967—the first early intervention program in the country and the foundation of Head Start. This also built the legacy of excellence in early childhood care at Syracuse University.

Working with Upstate Medical University pediatrician Frank Oski in the late 1970s, she assessed iron-deficient infants and toddlers in a groundbreaking trial showing cognitive and behavioral improvements after iron therapy. Following her interest in cross-cultural child-raising, she took part in Caldwell’s team of early childhood specialists invited to China to visit child care centers in 1975. She returned to Beijing at age 83 to teach about child development and present an award in her name.

Longtime colleagues of Honig remember her as a kind and compassionate person who expressed a deep sense of gratitude and humility. “Alice was a strong, brilliant woman who cared. Her work and her life were a blessing to children and families everywhere. She threw everyone she met a kiss,” recalls Teaching Professor Emeritus Joseph Fanelli.

Associate Professor Emerita Ellen deLara says, “Alice was a wonder, intellectually and personally. In her natural exuberance for life, she provided support for students and encouragement for junior scholars. In the darkest times, she still reached out with something quirky, funny or uplifting. We have lost a treasure.”

Honig was a world-class scholar whose publications have an immeasurable impact in the child development field across the world. In several hundred articles and book chapters and numerous books, she outlined the impact of parenting beliefs, practices and modes of socialization on the developmental trajectories of young children. Her publications and presentations spanned numerous areas of child development and early childhood education, including infant development, language development, emotional development, parent-child interactions, strategies for early and inclusive education, and gender studies.

Equally impressive were her steadfast attempts to catalog and promote early education practices that are child-centered and embrace neoconstructivist perspectives that enable children to be shaped and shape their own development. Her scholarly publications are used in child development and early childhood education programs to train students and other professionals in university and community settings across the world.

Honig also served as an editor and editorial consultant on many professional journals and for book publishers, including her service as of editor of the research in review section of “Young Children” and associate editor of “Early Child Development and Care,” both prominent journals in her field.

Honig was a prolific scholar who assumed central roles in national and international organizations such as the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and Society for Research on Child Development (SRCD). Through keynote addresses and membership in governing bodies in these and other organizations, she conveyed that attending to the needs of children and families is at the heart of social justice. She was a sought-after speaker at conferences due to her breadth of knowledge and her ability to convey both theoretical and practical knowledge at a level that was comprehensible and engaging to both lay and professional audiences. Her international reputation was one of several factors contributing to the depth of participation by international students in the Department of Human Development and Family Science.

She actively worked with graduate and undergraduate students as an instructor and as a mentor for their professional and scholarly development. She developed many of the Falk College’s core undergraduate and graduate courses—a reflection of her broad areas of interest and expertise in the field.

Honig was always willing to share her knowledge and experiences with students and fellow faculty members to assist them in planning and implementing their courses. She served as a valued committee member on uncounted thesis, comprehensive examination and dissertation committees in the Department of Human Development and Family Science and across the University. In the department, her important contributions to the scholarly development of graduate students are honored with the Alice Sterling Honig Graduate Research Award given annually to the graduate student whose scholarly contributions are particularly meritorious.

Honig was recognized for her contributions to the field at the regional, state, national and international levels. She received numerous awards at all levels, including Barnard College’s Woman of Achievement award in 2015. At the University, her contributions to the field and to the University were recognized in 1994 as the first professor of child and family studies to receive the Chancellor’s Citation for Exceptional Academic Achievement.

In addition to her scholarly and professional contributions, Honig was engaged in many community organizations and activities. She was an early researcher and supporter of Head Start programs and was actively involved in the boards of many day care centers in the Syracuse community, especially those serving underprivileged populations and individuals whose familial and personal histories were affected by race and class prejudice.

Honig was also a talented musician who prided herself on her broad knowledge of lullabies and musical nursery rhymes from across the world—a knowledge she delighted in sharing with students, colleagues and audiences.

For many years, she was an active member of the Syracuse University Oratorio Society and was a key member of a local folk singing ensemble. She also was active in her religious community, sharing her insight and experiences at her Temples and with other religious organizations.

Honig was active in the life of the Falk College and its students long past the time of her retirement. She nurtured the growth of students, early childhood educators and parents from all levels of society across the world. She was a valuable scholar, colleague and friend. Her contribution to the field of child development will live on into the distant future.

Story by Pearl S. Falk Endowed Professor Jaipaul Roopnarine, Associate Professor Emeritus D. Bruce Carter and Professor Ambika Krishnakumar