Chancellor Syverud Visits Syracuse University Hillel

When Syracuse University Chancellor Kent Syverud recently sat down in the conference room in the Winnick Hillel Center for Jewish Life, he looked out the window to see his own house across Walnut Park. “Seriously,” he said. “I am your neighbor.”

Chancellor Kent Syverud visited the Winnick Hillel Center for Jewish Life to learn about Syracuse University Hillel and its mission. Among those he met with were, from left, Sarah Schugel, a junior policy studies major and incoming Hillel president; Marisa Bunis, a senior advertising major and member of the Hillel board; and Zach Goldberg, a senior economics and policy studies major and outgoing Hillel president.

The Hillel Center was one of the most recent organizations to be visited by Chancellor Syverud as he strives to greet, to learn and to be immersed in all that is Syracuse University, a hallmark of his first 10 months on the job. Since January, he has traversed the entire campus (he has walked through almost every building on campus), across the country and around the world—to engage with the many different people and constituencies that comprise the University community.

The Chancellor was given a tour of the center by students Marisa Bunis, a senior advertising major and member of the Hillel board; Zach Goldberg, a senior economics major and outgoing Hillel president; Sarah Schugel, a junior policy studies major and incoming Hillel president; and Hillel Executive Director Brian Small.

Joined by Hendricks Chapel Dean Tiffany Steinwert; Hillel Campus Rabbi Dan Fellman; Corinne Smith, professor and director of global outreach in the School of Education; and Lisa Honan, executive director of development in the University’s Division of Advancement and External Affairs, they sat down with the Chancellor to tell him about the rich history of Jewish life on the Syracuse University campus and Hillel’s focus on culture, immersion, birthright and community.

The Chancellor, who sees spiritual life as an important part of the student experience, offered his full support to Hillel in meeting all of its goals—and a pledge to do his part to be a good neighbor.