Members of the Kehr/Hirsh family (from left to right): Steven Hirsh, Samantha Hirsh, Michael Kehr, Alice Hirsh, Ryan Kehr, Jonathan Hirsh and Rebecca Hirsh.
On an overcast Mother’s Day in 2018, a photo was taken outside of the Hall of Languages depicting a proud Syracuse University graduate, Ryan Kehr ’18, surrounded by happy family members.
It’s the kind of photo that gets taken repeatedly during Commencement weekend. This particular photo tells the story of the Kehr/Hirsh family—a proud collection of alumni whose connections to Syracuse date back to the fall of 1966. That’s when Alice (Musikar) Hirsh ’70 began her pursuit of a nursing degree from the College of Nursing.
Hirsh is the matriarch of an Orange legacy family that currently boasts seven alumni members:
The family will add another branch to the tree when Julia Kehr ’26, Michael’s daughter, graduates in May of 2026 with dual degrees in international relations (Maxwell School) and information management and technology (iSchool).
Alice, Ryan and Julia sat down with SU News to discuss their love of the University, the Orange bonds that connect them and the impact Syracuse has had on their lives.
Alice Hirsh
What drew you to Syracuse University? “The College of Nursing had a stellar reputation. It was hard to get into, and it was exactly what I wanted academically. When it came to choosing Syracuse, I wanted a big school, one with great sports teams and Greek life. It was everything I wanted and more, and the College of Nursing really did a great job of teaching and preparing us.”
Involvement on campus: A member of the Alpha Epsilon Phi sorority, Alice met her husband, Steven, during the fall semester of her sophomore year. They married a few months after graduation.
How strong is your affinity for Syracuse? “I had such a positive experience at Syracuse University. It was an important part of my life. I’m still very close friends with a group of 15 women who graduated from the College of Nursing with me. We still communicate and we get together every couple of years for Orange gatherings that we plan ourselves. Now, seeing so many members of my family go on to study and earn degrees from Syracuse really warms my heart. Everyone has had their own, great experiences. My family knows that everything I own is orange, and they know how important Syracuse University is to me.”
What makes Syracuse special? “Each one of us found something different to focus our attention on. For me, it was Greek life. For Jonathan, he was passionate about Syracuse University Ambulance. Samantha was on the women’s soccer team. We each discovered our passions and interests because of our time on campus, and as a family we all believe Syracuse is a great place.”
Ryan Kehr
What drew you to Syracuse University? “It wasn’t instilled in me that I had to attend Syracuse, but Syracuse was my number one choice. Plus, anyone I ever talked to about Syracuse always mentioned how great their experiences were and how strong the alumni network was. I didn’t know what I wanted to study at first, so I applied to the iSchool and completely fell in love with the tight-knit community.”
Involvement on campus: An iSchool peer advisor, Ryan also worked for SIDEARM Sports, eventually running the student team of workers. “Working under SIDEARM Sports’ founder Jeff Rubin ’95, G’98 was invaluable. I owe so much of my career success to the lessons I learned from Jeff and from my classes. The first class I took from Jeff made me fall in love with technology as a career.”
Current job: Ryan is in his third year as a product manager for the NFL. He helps the league build up its electronic medical records platform for athletic trainers, team physicians and the players.
How did Syracuse set you up for career success? “The iSchool gives students so many opportunities to learn, grow and pick their own career path. I learned how to be a good communicator, a good problem-solver and a good team player. Another key lesson I learned is to take advantage of every opportunity to meet with alumni. We did these iSchool road trips where we would go to Silicon Valley, New York City and Boston and meet with different companies that had Syracuse alumni. We’d hear about their career journeys, and that helped me know what I wanted to do when I graduated. I’m thankful for all those opportunities; they shaped me into the person I am today.”
Julia Kehr
What drew you to Syracuse University? “When we were all on campus for Ryan’s graduation and I saw all of my family members together, that was really cool to see everyone who shared that Orange connection. I knew right then that I was meant to be at Syracuse. I applied early decision my senior year of high school and didn’t visit any other colleges.”
Involvement on campus: A member of the Delta Gamma sorority, Julia became involved with Slice Consulting, a student-run consulting firm that provides pro bono services to clients and nonprofits in Syracuse. She currently serves as a project manager.
Career ambitions: “I interned at the Community FoodBank of New Jersey this summer and really enjoyed that experience. That solidified my interest in working for a nonprofit, which Maxwell definitely instilled in me and has been enhanced through my work for Slice Consulting. I feel like working in the public sector consulting or working as a project manager for a nonprofit would be a great fit.”
What makes Syracuse special? “I always saw how closely tied to Syracuse my family was, but I never realized what that meant until I enrolled. The second I came back to campus from winter break my freshman year, I understood how special it was that we all shared the same values because we were all at the same place for college and learned such valuable life lessons.”
