Messages for Chancellor Syverud

Sending you well wishes and healing thoughts. I hope you are feeling strength and comfort during this time, and that modern medicine and care support a full and steady recovery.

Wishing you continued healing and good health.

Cynthia Jones '10

A wise boy once said to a silly old bear "You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think." In trying times I often refer to this quote for comfort and guidance. May it help you in your journey. My prayers are with you both!

Chancellor Kent Syverud,

Your leadership has meant more than words can fully capture. The way you've guided and supported this community has left a lasting impression on so many lives, including mine. I am honored to be working at such an amazing University that you helped cultivate. I hope you can feel the appreciation and support all around you. We are all rooting for you! You and your family are in my thoughts and prayers.

Gratefully,

Erin Dixon

Dear Chancellor Syverud,

My thoughts and prayers are with you, Dr. Chen, and your family during this latest challenge in your life. You brought the whole “Orange family" together during your tenure. SU has never been in a better position to face the future. You left the University in very good hands. I know that this latest challenge you are facing is covered and you will be saying, “I got this”.

Peace and Love,

Steve Sartori

Dear Chancellor Syverud,

I want to say thank you for your leadership and for everything you have done for Syracuse University.

When I heard the news, it really touched me. You and your dear family are in my thoughts and prayers, and my family’s as well.

I also want to share something personal. I will never forget when you and Dr. Ruth came to our home and brought dinner to check on my wife after her brain surgery. That meant so much to us, and it says a lot about the kind of person you are. My family will always remember that.

Wishing you strength, healing, and a full recovery.

Sincerely,

Alaa Alawaad

I was deeply saddened to hear that you’re facing this difficult challenge, and I wanted to reach out to share my support and warmest wishes with you.

Your leadership and dedication left a lasting impression on so many of us, and your impact continues to be felt throughout the Orange community. I trust you’re surrounded by care, strength, and moments of peace as you focus on what matters most right now.

Please know that you are in my thoughts, and I’m wishing you comfort, resilience, and brighter days ahead.

Dear Chancellor Kent Syverud,

I wanted to take a moment to reach out and let you know that you and your family are in my thoughts.

You have led this university with a steady hand, clear purpose, and a genuine commitment to people. That kind of leadership leaves a lasting impact, and it is something many of us have felt and carried forward in our own work.

From my perspective, both in higher education and through my time in uniform, moments like this are when community matters most. Syracuse shows up for its people, and right now, we are showing up for you. You are not carrying this alone.

Wishing you strength, resolve, and the time and space you and your family need in the days ahead. Please know you have the entire SU community behind you, which is unwavering in its support.

Dear Chancellor Syverud,

Wishing the best in your journey to recovery. My thoughts and prayers are with you, Dr. Chen and your family.

Sincerely,

Liz Mattes

Keeping you in my thoughts and prayers, Chancellor Syverud. Thank you for everything you’ve done for the Orange community. You’ve got this! 🧡

Dear Chancellor Syverud and family--

There are not too many times that staff get to interact with a Chancellor, but there was an occasion that I have never forgotten, even though it was many years ago. I attended a reception at your home not too long after you became Chancellor and I felt so welcomed by you and your wife. I have thought back to that evening a lot since I heard the most recent news. One thing in particular that stuck with me (and I know this might seem trivial to others) is how much you loved your dog Lucky (who I also hung out with a little bit). The way you both talked about Lucky convinced me that you were as special as Lucky was and I will never forget the heartful email you sent to everyone when she passed away. I just wanted you to know that the interaction I had with you at that event made a strong impression on me and I knew that you were the kind of person who would be a compassionate and impressive leader. I know others feel that way too. Compassionate people who love animals the way you and your wife do are truly special.

I am praying for you and your family.

Dear Chancellor Syverud and Doctor Chen

Wishing you the best on your journey. I know you can do this. We were always in the elevator up to the 5th floor

Best

Liz

Chancellor Syverud and family, you are in our hearts, prayers, and thoughts during this incredibly difficult time - your strength, leadership, and unwavering dedication have left a lasting mark on Syracuse University, and I feel truly fortunate to be part of the organization you have helped shape. I hold you up in faith, trusting that the same grace that has guided your remarkable work will carry you and your family through this challenge. Go Orange - always.

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

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

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.

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 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.

Chancellor Syverud,

We never know when the news that changes everything is coming. That doesn't make it easier when it arrives. I am praying for you and your family, for strength, comfort, resolve, and the peace of the Lord as you take on this next chapter.

I am four organizational layers removed from your office, and we have only crossed paths a handful of times. I don't have much to offer you except my prayers, gratitude, and commitment to keep giving my best to our students as you turn your full attention to the fight ahead.

Thank you for leading us through what many of us will remember as the most challenging days of our lives. During COVID, the lockdowns, safety protocols, and sudden pivot to remote learning, you led with compassion, you respected our health and wellness, and you somehow kept the University financially viable and balanced. You didn't just help us survive that time. You positioned us to come through it something like thriving.

Thank you for leading us through the headwinds that continue to face higher education and, honestly, the global community. Our political, economic, and social structures feel upside down and inside out. It is imperative that our institution continues to send responsible young adults with generous and empathetic spirits out into a world that desperately needs them. Many institutions are being forced to close. While I know Syracuse is not unscathed, we are positioned to continue our mission through these trials because of you, and because of the remarkable team you assembled and led since your arrival.

Thank you for your leadership and support of the veterans community, for recognizing that preparing service members for their post-military walk was a critical gap in our nation, and for elevating that work to a strategic pillar of this institution. As a veteran myself, the good that has been accomplished under your leadership in this space cannot be overstated.

Thank you for leaning-in to the importance of IT and AI in our changing world. You saw the shifting paradigms when others did not, and our institution will be better positioned to navigate, and hopefully thrive in, the ongoing global evolution because of it.

I will close with the image of you that I carry. I remember attending your inauguration when you first arrived, and the fun run around campus. You were a force of nature, and I knew you were going to lead. But my one truly personal interaction with you came sometime around 2015, during a snowstorm. I was wearing a tie and sport coat, moving quickly across campus near Crouse College, and we crossed paths on the sidewalk going in opposite directions. I said, "Good afternoon, Chancellor," and you laughed good-naturedly and said, "Where is your coat, young man?!?" We didn't stop walking. But that is the residual image I carry of you: the caring leader, playfully chastising me for not dressing for the weather. I didn't get caught in the snow under-dressed again.

Respectfully,

Dan Cohen, ITS

Dear Chancellor Syverud,

I joined Syracuse University in August 2024, and within my first few weeks it was clear there was something special here. Whenever I asked colleagues what made this place feel the way it does, the answer was always the same: the Orange culture and the people leading it.

As time went on, I began to understand what they meant. I had the privilege of hearing you speak at last year’s Veterans Day ceremony. The way you described Arlington Cemetery, the precision, the reverence, the standard of excellence those soldiers devoted to caring for that place every single day, and how that same level of dedication should be something we aspire to as a university, that stayed with me. It said everything about who you are as a leader and what you believe this place can (and will) be.

As you and your family navigate this season, I have no doubt you will carry that same strength, grace, and resolve. Syracuse is better because of your leadership, and I am grateful to be a small part of the community you helped shape. My family and I have you in our prayers.

With sincere gratitude,

Kyle Mitchell

As a campus catering supervisor, I’ve worked countless events attended by the Chancellor and Dr. Chen. But one experience stands out above all the rest.

I had the privilege of catering a private dinner at the Chancellor’s residence for a newly arrived faculty member in creative writing, who had just come to the United States from the Gaza Strip with his family. It was an intimate gathering of seven guests.

When I arrived, Dr. Chen shared something special with me—she showed me a book written by the guest of honor, along with three children’s books she had carefully chosen to gift to his young children who would be attending that evening. She mentioned, with a smile, that he hadn’t gotten his driver’s license yet, so Kenny would be picking up the family and bringing them to the dinner. Hearing her casually call him “Kenny” offered a glimpse into a more personal, warm side of their relationship.

But what truly stayed with me happened after the guests arrived. I saw the Chancellor sitting on the third step in the foyer, playing with the children—completely present, relaxed, and joyful. It was such a genuine and heartwarming moment.

That evening wasn’t just another event for me. It was an eye-opening experience that gave me a deeper appreciation for two people I already respected, allowing me to see a more human and compassionate side of them. It’s a memory that still makes me smile.

Well wishes from a grateful mother of 3 incredible young women that are a SU graduate, soon to be graduate and present student. You have made such an impact on our lives that can never be repaid. We all are in corner cheering you on during this challenging time!

Chancellor and Dr. Chen,

My husband Steve and I are missing you two so much! We were so sad to hear Chancellor's health condition, but we believe Chancellor is fighter. He will win this battle. Dr. Chen, please take care of yourself as well. You are such a dedicated person for everything. While you are taking care of Chancellor, please get lots of rest, too. We are thinking about you and your family. We pray all is well.

Love,

Steve and Ling LeBeau

Dear Chancellor Syverud.

I was a Student-Veteran, working with Jennifer Pluta and the OVMA staff as a work study when I first met you. It was during the Student Veteran dinner hosted by you and Dr. Chen at your residence. Your kindness, warmth and grace left a lasting impression on me. Afterwards, I made the firm decision I wanted to become an employee of the University and finish my career proudly and boldly with our amazing Orange family. After earning my MS in Applied Data Science, I was hired by the ITS department and then the iSchool also hired me as a part time instructor! So my goal was achieved and now I get to wear a few Orange hats. Our chance encounter left a lasting impression on me and is one of the most cherished experiences since I joined the Orange family. The world needs more people like you. I will pray for your speedy recovery and truly hope I get to shake your hand again one day. Forever Orange, Dave

Dear Chancellor Kent and Dear Roth,

We were deeply saddened to hear of your diagnosis, and our hearts go out to you both. You are strong, and love will carry you through this journey. We will keep you in our thoughts and prayers every day, and we are always here for you.

Wishing you courage, comfort, and healing with each passing day.

With love and support,

Beverly & Jensen

I was a student when your tenure started and now, have the privilege to be back at the University working as a staff member for the past two and a half years. I've seen what you've done for the University from multiple perspectives and believe we are so much better positioned as a private university because if it. You gave us a fighting chance during many crises in ways I don't think the average person realizes. Thank you for your unwavering dedication and commitment to Syracuse. My family, my church community and I are praying for your healing, recovery, strength, courage, and peace during this time. Forever Orange.

Dear Chancellor Syverud,

Chancellor Haynie's message this week reminded me of something I already knew to be true: that this community is at its best when it is called to show up for one another. I felt compelled to write and let you know how much your leadership has meant to my family and myself.

Although we do not have a close personal relationship, I have always felt your presence and care in my work. During my time at the IVMF, it was clear that your investment in the university's mission extended to every corner of campus. I was especially proud the day you came to speak to our team and personally handed me my ten-year service certificate. It was a small gesture that carried real weight, and it spoke to exactly the kind of leader you have always been. You showed up, and you meant it.

There is a thread in my own family's story that runs directly through your tenure. In 2015, you signed my Syracuse University master's degree, an accomplishment I had long dreamed of and worked toward while building my career here. Ten years later, you signed my son's bachelor's degree, the product of four hard-fought years. In both moments, your signature on those documents meant more than a formality. It was a reminder that this university cares for its students, traditional and nontraditional alike, and that care has been the defining quality of your leadership. Those degrees set us both on a path of future success and service to the community.

You have made Syracuse more successful, more sound, and more itself. What has always struck me is the breadth of your attention, from the grounds to the students, from the budget to faculty. No detail was beneath your notice, and no decision was made without care. That is no small thing, and it does not go unnoticed. My continued service to this university is, in no small part, a reflection of the culture of excellence and commitment you built. That is your legacy, and it lives on in the people you inspired.

I have had the privilege of seeing you and Dr. Chen together at campus events over the years. What always struck me was how genuinely engaged you both were, ready to meet anyone, learn their story, and make them feel seen. The strength behind a great leader is often found in the person beside them, and Dr. Chen's warmth and presence have been a gift to this community as well.

My family holds you and Dr. Chen in our prayers and wishes you strength, courage, and the clearest possible path through this time. We are cheering for a full recovery.

With gratitude and warm regards,

Tina

Tina Kapral G’15, P’24

Executive Director, Corporate Philanthropy

Advancement and External Affairs

Dear Chancellor Syverud and Dr. Chen,

I know this is an incredibly difficult time, and I want you both to know that you are in my thoughts. Since 2021, it has been my genuine pleasure to work on the teams that directly support you, and I have truly enjoyed the time we have spent together over these years. Your leadership, warmth, and dedication to Syracuse University have left a lasting impression on me personally and professionally. Chancellor, your optimism and determination come as no surprise to those of us who have seen your commitment to this university up close. Please know the entire Syracuse University family is behind you both.

With heartfelt support,

Peter Pflanz

Associate IT Director, Syracuse University

I am so sorry to hear this and will be thinking of you and praying for you and your family .

Hope you get well soon !!!

Dear Chancellor,

I wanted to take a moment to extend my heartfelt well wishes to you. As both a full-time staff member and a temporary employee at the Dome, I’ve had the opportunity to experience your leadership from different perspectives. In every encounter, you have consistently shown nothing less than respect.

In my full-time role, I’ve always felt your kindness and professionalism, and in my temporary position, I’ve truly appreciated not only your kindness but also your genuine gratitude for the efforts of those working across campus in all capacities. It means a great deal to be seen and recognized.

Please know that my thoughts are with you, Dr. Chen and your family during this time. You will remain in my thoughts and prayers.

With sincere respect and well wishes,

JoAnn L Rhoades

Dear Chancellor Syverud and Dr. Chen,

My thoughts are with you both during this challenging time. Thank you for all you have done for Syracuse University and our community.

With Orange pride,

Lisa L. Ladew G'15