Donor Impact

$2.15M Campos Foundation Gift Supports ECS and Summer College

Since childhood, Marco Campos P’25 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, Campos Foundation.

Through the foundation, Campos has pledged $2.15 million to Syracuse University in support of both Summer College, within the Office of Pre-College Programs, and the College of Engineering and Computer Science (ECS). The gift will provide scholarship support within Summer College and will fund a new student center in ECS that will offer programming designed to attract underrepresented students to the college and support the academic success of all ECS students.

Estate Gift From Esteemed Alumnus Boosts Undergraduate Research in Physics

“Syracuse Physics was and still is a vast entryway to the future.” Words pennedby alumnus and philanthropist Jay N. Zemel when he was in his 90s and reflecting on his experiences at Syracuse University. 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.

‘Time, Talent and Treasure’: Alumna Phaedra Stewart ’91 Gives From the Heart

Maxwell alumna Phaedra Stewart ’91 finds it difficult to look at the world without seeing opportunities to connect with people, raise their spirits and empower them to make their lives better.

A self-described serial entrepreneur (some might say a serial social entrepreneur), Stewart applies this outlook to family, career and philanthropy and says it shapes how she invests her “time, talent and treasure.” Stewart proudly has given all three to Syracuse University since the day she graduated.

Gift Supports Professor’s Work at the Intersection of Human Nature and Political Thought

Professor Dennis Rasmussen knows he is doing his job if students in his Political Theory course struggle not with the assignments, but with themselves.

His work at the intersection of human nature and political thought made him the ideal candidate for the inaugural Hagerty Family Faculty Fellow. The fellowship was created with a generous gift from Maxwell alumnus and advisory board member Stephen Hagerty ’91, G’93 and his wife, alumna Lisa Altenbernd G’93.

Celebrating the Impact of Regional Councils and Founding Members

One can’t measure the success of the Forever Orange Campaign without reflecting on the work of Syracuse University’s Regional Councils. Established more than a decade ago during the previous capital campaign, these core groups of University ambassadors serve as well-informed advocates for Syracuse in regions with large populations of alumni, parents, and friends.

The more than 100 Regional Council members represent the best of Syracuse University, but three in particular deserve special recognition as the Orange community embarks on a new academic year. Sean Carey ’89, Brian Frons G’78 and Gerri Slater ’78 are all founding members of their Councils. They are all successful Syracuse alumni who became Syracuse parents and have remained dedicated volunteers. Now they’re transitioning out of their roles as Council chairs and co-chairs—opening a new chapter in Council leadership.

Forever Orange Campaign Gift to Support Launch of Libraries’ Orange Innovation Fund

Syracuse University Libraries is launching an Orange Innovation Fund in fall 2023 thanks to a generous Forever Orange Campaign gift from Raj-Ann Rekhi Gill ’98, a member of the Syracuse University Board of Trustees and an operating partner of Silicon Valley Quad, an angel investing syndicate.

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.

$1M Gift for Culinary Hub at John A. Lally Athletics Complex Honors Joseph O. Lampe ’53, L’55, H’04

Joseph O. Lampe ’53, L’55, H’04 was the kind of alumnus that every university wants to have—engaged, fiercely loyal, generous, philanthropic and inspiring. Lampe often credited his alma mater for providing him with opportunities and life lessons that made it possible for him to reach the pinnacle of success in his career. And he never forgot that he started his first year at the University working in the cafeteria. That’s why it’s so meaningful that the new kitchen in the John A. Lally Athletics Complex will be named the Lampe Culinary Hub, thanks to a $1 million gift from his trust, as directed by his trustee and widow, Shawn Lampe.

Mowers Endow Newhouse Professorship of Persuasive Communications

Eric Mower '66, G'68 can still name individual professors he had more than 60 years ago as a student at Syracuse University. "I have indelible memories of professors who thrilled me," says Mower. Interestingly, the most memorable ones for him taught subject areas across disciplines-religion in literature, American political theory in constitutional law, philosophy through European history. "It's not necessarily just what they taught, but also how they taught. I even remember the questions they posed!" 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.

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 S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications. Their $1.3 million gift to create the professorship is enhanced by a $666,000 commitment by the University through the Forever Orange Faculty Excellence Program.