Messages for Chancellor Syverud

Chancellor Syverud,

I was heartbroken to hear of your recent diagnosis.

As co-chair of the SU Alumni Club of Rochester, I've enjoyed getting the opportunity to speak with you at events over the last several years. You've always shown a genuine interest and appreciation for the alumni engagement we've helped foster and it's been wonderful to share stories from the past and today of the community you once called home.

Sending well wishes your way and strength to you and Dr. Chen as you navigate the battle ahead. I have no doubt your positive attitude and will to overcome will benefit you greatly throughout the process.

Dear Chancellor Syverud,

We write as the SU-AAUP Executive Committee to offer our condolences and support for you in light of the disheartening medical news that you recently received. We were saddened to hear of your diagnosis this morning and our thoughts are with you and your family in this time of what must be significant stress. We also know your grit and it is heartening to hear of the good care provided by the University of Michigan and we hope for the best outcomes possible.

We also sincerely appreciate that in this time of personal turmoil you took time to highlight the important work of research and its value as a public good in today's world. We agree wholeheartedly and appreciate your words to that effect.

We wish you the very best as you face this challenge and offer both our sympathy and our belief in your ability to tackle this with the grace and determination that you have shown in other challenges.

Sincerely,

The SU-AAUP Executive Committee

Good afternoon and Happy Friday, Chancellor Syverud. Monica and I received your message concerning your current health challenges and I want you to know that we are and will continue to lift you up in prayer. We are asking God for complete healing and want to thank you for your transparency and courage as you go through the treatment process that you have chosen. Monica and I both love and appreciate you and look forward to a testimony or healing in the near future. God bless you!

- Charles and Monica Houston

Chancellor Syverud - Your support for WISE and the CNY women entrepreneurs we serve has meant more than you know. On behalf of our entire WISE family, our hands are at your back. We are cheering you on.

Sincerely,

Meghan, Jen, and Carolyn

In each of our own unique life paths, there are countless ups and downs that we encounter. However, the true blessing is recognizing that these travails are not experienced alone. We live in community, one among many whom we value and who value each of us. And so it is that you, Dr. Chen, and the rest of your family are so blessed. Please know, and live according to that knowing, that none of you are alone in facing this challenge. Countless prayers and limitless love are directed to you and yours, and fundamentally, all is well. Peace.

Chancellor Syverud, thank you for all you have given to our community throughout the last 12+ years. Your commitment to the Orange community is seen and appreciated, in both the tough and calm times. I hope you get well soon!

Praying for you my friend. You have been a brilliant leader of SU and a great colleague.

Dear Chancellor Syverud - I’m very sorry to hear about your diagnosis. Praying for you and your family, and wishing you strength and healing in the days ahead.

Kent

Wishing you a speedy recovery. Stay strong and focus on what’s most important. My best

Mark

My thoughts are with you at this difficult time. Sending only good thoughts! Go Orange!!

Since you arrived at SU, you and Dr. Chen have been and continue to be a role model for what smart, strong, and compassionate leadership looks like. You have accomplished so much for the Orange family in every way possible. Thank you! God speed and praying for healing, continued love, and strength.

With gratitude and much admiration,

Maria D. Melendez Hinkley

Class of 1989

Multicultural Advancement Council Member

Dear Chancellor Syverud,

First of all, we are so sorry to read about what's going on, but appreciative of the care you are receiving and hoping to read increasingly positive reports. Equally important is to extend gratitude for the grace in which you have had in sharing your situation and your feelings.

We are relatively new Syracuse parents (heading into year 3 soon), but have been reaping the results of your leadership and vision since Day 1. Our daughter is thriving, our conversations with her have been changing, and her absolute love for the school can't help but rub off on us. Thank you for helping to enable all of that.

Andrea and I know the power of great doctors, and the power of a great mindset. It seems as if you possess both, and they-- and the power of support-- will hopefully serve you well and quickly.

Larry and Andrea Kopald

Syracuse has been so fortunate to have had your leadership! Sending positive thoughts for health and healing!

Chancellor and Dr. Chen, hope they find a cure for your type of cancer and you get better soon. My granddaughter, two weeks from graduating from SU, found out she had breast cancer. After a double mastectomy, she survived and is doing great right now and working at SU. Hope it goes as well with you. Praying for you!

Kathy

Wishing you and your family all the best during this difficult time. May you have a full recovery. ❤️‍🩹

Kent,

I am so very sorry to hear of your diagnosis. Please know that Charles and I are praying for you, your family, and healthcare team in navigating your treatment and care. While this is truly a devastating blow, may your optimism and support from the Syracuse and Michigan communities strengthen you during the dark moments. Thank you for your leadership and service to Syracuse University.

Warmly,

Dawn Johnson & Rev. Charles Fielder

Dear Chancellor Syverud,

I am a junior faculty member in EECS at Syracuse University. We met briefly once, and I wanted to reach out to let you know that you are in my thoughts and prayers.

I was very sorry to hear about your diagnosis. I hope you are able to navigate this difficult time with strength, peace, and the best care possible. You have helped guide our university through many challenging moments, and I hope you now feel the support and care of the Syracuse community around you.

Wishing you a smooth treatment process and a full recovery. I hope to see you healthy and well again very soon.

With sincere best wishes,

Younes Radi

Dear Chancellor,

as a long time member of the orange family, myself a grad in '83 and my daughter in '16, we take pride in our shared experiences. I want to wish you well and nothing but strength and determination in tackling this awful prognosis. To you and your family, stay positive and wishing for the best.

Yours truly, Joe

Chancellor Syverud,

The news you shared with us this week was hard to receive, and yet a quote came immediately to mind:

"You have been assigned this mountain so that you can show others it can be moved."

The impact you've had on this university speaks for itself, and now it's our turn to pull for you. Face this with the same courage and grace you've shown us, and know that our entire Orange community is standing behind you, eagerly awaiting the day we hear the mountain has been moved. Sending strength, hope, and support to you and your family.

As both an employee and a student of this University, I am thankful to have joined the Orange Community during your tenure. Although I unfortunately never had a chance you meet you, everyone always spoke so highly of you. The warmth, kindness, and care you brought to your leadership went beyond those who knew you personally-- it is in the stories people shared, the pride felt in this institution, and the way your name is spoken.

I wish you and your family strength, comfort, and healing in the coming days.

I was deeply sorry to hear about your diagnosis, and I wanted to take a moment to wish you strength, comfort, and the very best as you focus on your health.

Your leadership and dedication to Syracuse University have made a lasting impact on the community. The time, care, and vision you’ve invested in the institution and its people will continue to resonate well beyond your tenure. You have helped shape not just a university, but a stronger, more connected community.

Thank you for your service, your leadership, and the example you’ve set. You are in the thoughts of many who are wishing you resilience and peace in the days ahead.

With sincere gratitude and best wishes,

Leah Davies ‘13

Newhouse Emerging Leaders

Words cannot express the despair I felt when first reading and learning of your medical challenge. However, in true Syverud style, I was filled with hope and gratitude by the end of my reading. Chancellor, please know that you and your family are in the thoughts and prayers of the Houston family. As you face this illness with the dignity and humbleness that has become your trademark, you are TRULY not alone. You have the strength of the Orange, which is amazingly mightyful, and you have the unyielding, never failing strength of God. Continue to fight the good fight and we'll continue to watch and be in awe of the power and goodness of our God. Blessings to you and your family.

I was so sorry to hear this news and wanted to share that I am thinking of you. What stayed with me from my one opportunity to meet with you is your gentle, unassuming way of moving through the world. You have a rare gift for being soft-spoken and easygoing while remaining such an outstanding leader—a balance that has been a true inspiration. Please know that I, along with so many other students, am rooting for you and sending strength your way.

While I may have just started at SU this year, Kent's impact and commitment to the University and its community is very clear. I am wishing nothing but the best of luck, support, and love to him and his loved ones during this time. The SU community is here for you holding you all up, just as you have held us up throughout your time here.

Dear Kent,

Thank you for your message and for sharing something so personal with the Syracuse community. I was deeply sorry to learn of your diagnosis, and I want you to know that you are very much in my thoughts.

As I read your words, I found myself thinking of Ben and his journey with ALS—his courage, clarity of purpose, and the way he continued to lead and inspire even in the most difficult moments. There is something in your message that carries that same sense of resolve and belief, and it is powerful.

I was especially struck by your reflection on the mission of research universities. As I step into a new role in palliative care and hospice, I find myself returning often to that very idea—the profound responsibility and privilege of institutions like Syracuse to shape lives, advance knowledge, and care for people in moments that matter most. Your words underscored that in a way I won’t forget.

Please know that you have a wide community holding you in strength and support. I am wishing you the very best as you move forward with treatment, and I will be thinking of you in the days ahead.

With deep respect and warm regards,

Marcia (and Enzo) Baldanza

Dear Chancellor Syverud,

I was deeply saddened to hear of your diagnosis, but equally moved by the strength, clarity, and optimism you’ve already demonstrated in facing it. Your words to the SU community - grounded in courage and perspective - are a reflection of the leadership you’ve embodied throughout your tenure.

Having had the opportunity to get to know you over the years, I’ve seen firsthand the intentionality and integrity you brought to Syracuse University. Your leadership wasn’t just about guiding an institution - it was about building a community. From your commitment to students and alumni, to your meaningful investment in veterans and military-connected families, your impact is both real and lasting.

You stepped into leadership during a time when higher education has been under increasing pressure - from shifting economics to deeply complex cultural conversations. Through it all, you remained steady and principled. I especially want to thank you for continuing to uphold the importance of ensuring that Syracuse University remains a place where all feel welcome. That kind of leadership matters - and it lasts far beyond any single moment.

Your belief in the power of research universities to not only educate, but to care for people in their most critical moments, feels especially meaningful now. The same institution you helped lead and strengthen is now part of the broader ecosystem supporting you - and that’s a testament to the mission you’ve long championed.

Please know that you are surrounded by a community that is deeply grateful for you and firmly in your corner. You have led with purpose, and that legacy will continue to ripple forward.

Wishing you strength, healing, and continued moments of hope in the days ahead.

With gratitude and respect,

Allison D. Bronson ‘08, G’09

Dear Chancellor Syverud and Dr. Chen,

I wanted to reach out with my heartfelt love and support as you navigate this journey together. Please know that you are in my thoughts and prayers each and every day.

I am holding you both, and your entire family, close in prayer and trusting in God's grace to guide your path toward a full and complete recovery. The Syracuse University community is stronger because of your leadership, your dedication, and the warmth you bring to everything you do. We are all behind you.

With so much hope and Orange spirit,

Pam Mulligan

Chancellor Syverud, both you and Dr. Chen are in my thoughts and prayers every day. May God continue to bless and watch over each of you.

My prayers are with you, Dr. Chen, your boys and beautiful grandchildren, and your healthcare team. Wishing you courage and hope.

Helen and I are thinking about you and wish you a speedy recovery.