Service of Commemoration attendees place white carnations on the Hendricks Chapel stage at the conclusion of the service. (Photo by Amy Manley)
University, SUNY ESF Hold 10th Annual Service of Commemoration
The candles were lit, and then the names were read. White carnations and stones were laid upon the Hendricks Chapel stage one by one, each flower and stone a quiet act of devotion, a life made tangible. On Tuesday afternoon, members of the Syracuse University and SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry communities came together to honor and remember individuals from both communities who passed away from Jan. 1, 2025, to the present.
During the 10th annual Service of Commemoration, recently deceased students, faculty, staff, emeriti faculty, retirees, Board of Trustees members, advisory board members and honorary degree recipients were remembered. The 115 individuals honored included two World War II veterans; longtime faculty members who devoted careers to the classroom, their research and the mentorship of countless students; and staff members who kept students nourished, supported and cared for and who worked behind the scenes to keep campus running smoothly. Each made their respective campus—and their world—a better place.
Chancellor Kent Syverud offered remarks and read the names of the faculty, staff, emeriti, retirees, Board of Trustees members and honorary degree recipients remembered by the University. Student Government Association President German Nolivos ’26 read the names of the students who had passed.
Joanie Mahoney, president of SUNY ESF, read the names of faculty, staff, emeriti, retirees and advisory board members remembered by SUNY ESF.
The service began in 2017 and was inspired by the Remembrance Scholars mission to “Look Back and Act Forward.”
Rohan Bangalore ’26, a 2025-26 Remembrance Scholar, offered remarks on the theme of remembrance.
“Reflecting on loss reinforces for me the importance of public service and responsibility toward one another,” Bangalore said. “It reminds me that the people we honor today each played a role in shaping this community—in ways both visible and unseen.”
Musical selections were provided by the Hendricks Chapel Choir, directed by Jose “Peppie” Calvar, professor and chair in the Setnor School of Music, and University Organist Anne Laver, associate professor in the Setnor School. Those selections included a performance of “Danny Boy” by Calvar.
At the conclusion of the service, a light reception was held in the Noble Room for family, friends and chaplains to gather.
