When my Blood Turned Orange

When I think back to my time at Syracuse, I cannot help but to think of all of the meaningful conversations that I participated in. It’s not a huge university, but it’s big enough that there are always other people around who share some of your interests. There is something about the university that facilitates finding people who are like you. Back in the 70s, before Facebook and social media, I went to events and met people. My older son, who graduated from Syracuse in 2007, feels the same way. In my conversations with current students and members of Generation Orange, I get the sense that they also seem to notice there are so many ways for people with similar interests to meet. There’s something that makes you feel good about the university as a result.

There’s just something about the DNA or culture that makes you find a way to feel comfortable at SU. And because you feel comfortable, you feel good. Then you get to the point where you’re starting to think about what you’re going to do after graduation. Luckily, there are all kinds of support mechanisms. From the career office within the university to the alumni association, to the companies that come on campus to interview, there’s a lot of support from the Syracuse community that you can rely on and that’s really willing to help you succeed.

When I was a freshman, our men’s basketball team made it to the Final Four in the NCAA tournament for the first time in the school’s history. That same weekend, a friend of mine from home was going to come up and visit. Of course I was telling him how wonderful Syracuse is and about all the different things we do around campus. When he arrived on campus, the game that got us to the Final Four was on TV. The place was a ghost town because everybody was watching the game. But after we won, the place exploded! People celebrated in every way you can imagine - and maybe some you don’t want to imagine! My friend said, “When I arrived here I thought this place was dead. I couldn’t imagine what you were talking about.” Then after the game was over he was like, “I want to go here because this place is wild!” I guess that was the beginning of turning my blood orange.

To this day, when you go to the Carrier Dome when there’s a big game, it’s filled with energy. I think this environment partially infuses the SU spirit into people. It’s also kind of fun walk down the street in some city, like Chicago or Washington D.C., and see someone wearing a Syracuse t-shirt or other apparel. It just makes you feel like, “Wow, I’m part of this big community.” I’m not sure it’s different from any other university, but certainly there’s something about Syracuse that brings that spirit into people.

Not all my fond memories are about sports. I took Ancient Greek Religion as an elective class once a week at night. It was a three-hour class, and the professor was phenomenal; he would just tell stories and the Greek myths. The way he told the stories was just great, and he helped us understand them. He was also great at stimulating discussion. The best thing about the class was it was at the edge of campus (near where the new College of Law building is going up). The Syracuse campus overlooks a valley (where the vale of Onondaga meets the eastern sky), and this class was in a building where you could walk out the doors and look into the valley. Walking into the dark and looking out over the city with all the lights on made you feel like you’re looking out from Mount Olympus (the real one, not the one where Flint and Day Halls sit). To see all the city lights on after spending three hours learning about all these myths was one of the coolest things I’ve ever experienced.

That’s just one class that comes to mind, but I could talk about other classes as well (Laughter, Wit and Humor, LISP programming, etc). Professors were skilled and caring. Even if you were asking stupid freshman questions, they still took you seriously and helped you find your way.

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SU Chicago Honors Lifetime Trustees

What do Trustees do anyway? Find out more about SU Trustees and what they have done.

I was the emcee for a recent event honoring three Chicago-area Lifetime Trustees of Syracuse University for all their years of service, and all the wonderful things they’ve done for the school. When you become a trustee, you can serve three four-year terms. After the last term, you become what is called a “Lifetime Trustee.” This means that you remain a trustee who is involved and still can be a member of board committees and other things, but you lose your voting rights.

They all have great passion for Syracuse University. What's really neat is that the trustees are not only graduates of Syracuse University, but they also have a strong family legacy of SU Alumni. In one case, the trustee's parents and sisters were graduates, their children are graduates, and their grandchildren are graduates. It is really cool to see that their commitment to the university goes beyond serving on the board; their family members also have orange in their blood.

The honorees eloquently spoke about what makes them so passionate about SU.

William J. Brodsky was elected to the Board of Trustees in 1987. He has been the chair and CEO of the Chicago Board Options Exchange since 1997, having previously served as president and CEO of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. Brodsky is a member of Syracuse University’s Investment and Endowment Committee and a life member of the College of Law Board of Visitors, served on the Schine Student Center National Campaign, and as vice chair of the Campaign for Syracuse. Brodsky was awarded the George Arents Pioneer Medal in 1983, a Varsity Club Letterman of Distinction Award in 1995, and the College of Arts and Sciences Distinguished Alumni Award in 1998. In addition, he spearheaded the drive to fund and establish the Michael O. Sawyer Endowed Professorship in Constitutional Law.

Renée Schine Crown was elected to the Board of Trustees in 1970. She is a civic leader and philanthropist who lends her support and expertise to several Chicago-based organizations. A founding member and former president of the Women's Board of Northwestern University, she is an honorary life director of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. She serves on the boards of WTIW/Channel 11 (Public Television), the Boys and Girls Club of Chicago, the Chicago Lyric Opera Women's Board, and the Field Museum of National History Women's Board.

Crown also serves on the Syracuse University Facilities Committee of the Board. She was chair of the Schine Student Center Campaign, (the Center opened in 1985), was co-chair of leadership gifts for the Campaign for Syracuse, and serves on the Board of Visitors for the College of Arts and Sciences. She also served on the $300-million Commitment to Learning Campaign Executive Committee.

Morris S. Weeden was elected to the Board of Trustees in 1969. He retired as vice chair of Morton Thiokol, Inc. in 1984. After graduate school and military service, he joined Bristol Laboratories in Syracuse, where he served as treasurer, vice president for finance, and executive vice president, and was appointed president in 1968. In 1973 he joined Morton Norwich Products, Inc. as president of the international division based in New York City. He became group vice president of the corporation and director of the company in 1974, executive vice president of Morton Norwich Products in 1975, and vice chair in 1980. The company's name changed to Morton Thiokol in 1982 when Thiokol, Inc. was acquired. Since his retirement, Weeden has served as a consultant to start-up companies in the health care field. For Syracuse University, Weeden is a past president of the National Alumni Association and a past chair of the University's Corporate Advisory Council.

Trustees are like directors in a company; we really help to manage the University. We are responsible for making sure that the school is acting with integrity and adhering to its own policies. We look at buildings that may need to be rebuilt, we discuss adding to the curriculum or new kinds of majors or academic areas. We review the budget, look at outreach programs and much more.

I was honored to be at a such a wonderful event that, in turn, honored such a great group of esteemed Syracuse University Trustees.

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