Syracuse University Libraries’ awarded three student teams a total of $4,000 in prizes at its Freelance, Small Business and Creatives Pitch Competition on Oct. 2. Undergraduate and graduate students building careers or side hustles through services or products delivered 4-minute pitches followed by a 2-minute Q&A session with a panel of expert judges.

Winners were:

• First Place: EXCHKR, founder Gabi Josefson ’28 (Martin J. Whitman School of Management, S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications). EXCHKR is a platform that simplifies how clubs, sports teams and Greek organizations manage payments and track budgets.
• Second Place: Frutecho, founder Carolina Aguayo Plá ’28 (School of Information Studies and Martin J. Whitman School of Management). Frutecho is a modular cooling retrofit for non-refrigerated trucks that reduces produce spoilage and helps small farmers access premium markets.
• Third Place: Scout Szn, founder Daelan Pinsky ’28 (David B. Falk College of Sport). Scout Szn is a free college football scouting platform covering all 15,102 FBS players across 138 programs.

Twenty-two student teams competed across three breakout rooms, with one team per room advancing to the finals.

The next entrepreneurial competition hosted by the LaunchPad is the ’ on Oct. 16 from noon to 3 p.m. ’Cuse Tank is hosted during Family Weekend, and judges include accomplished parent innovators, entrepreneurs and alumni. Winners receive prize funding to help advance their business idea. Students interested in pitching in ’Cuse Tank must

During the month of October, is seeking feedback from University faculty, staff and students on several online resources under consideration for its collections. For these resources, the Libraries have coordinated trial access.

Trial resources have been selected by subject and collection development librarians, with a focus on responding to user requests along with bringing new types of tools, content and technology to campus for review. The trials selected this year include digital archives of magazines, periodicals and journals; AI research tools; business cases; data platforms; and streaming video packages. Trials are available from trusted vendors such as Clarivate, EBSCO and Elsevier, as well as vendors with more focused content for specialized research, such as CartoonStock and GlobalData.

Campus users are asked to visit the, explore the resources under consideration and via the embedded form on the guide. Any insight into how well the proposed resource works, the quality and relevance of information in the resource or how it might be useful in teaching or research, is helpful in the Libraries’ evaluation. Note that access is limited to members of the Syracuse University community. Please see the .

To suggest a title to explore in the future, please contact your or use the form. For questions about the trials period, contact the Libraries’ collection development librarians at colls@syr.edu .

Syracuse University Libraries, in collaboration with the College of Arts and Sciences’ Department of English, is hosting several events as part of Banned Books Week, Oct. 5-9. All events will take place in the Peter Graham Scholarly Commons, Room 114 of Bird Library. All events are free and open to members of the University community.

This year’s Banned Book Week events include:

• The Libraries will feature a banned book display, “,” on the first floor of Bird Library from Oct. 5-9. The display was researched and created by Marissa Smith G’27 (School of Information Studies). There is also a for additional resources on book challenges, banning and intellectual freedom.
• A will be held on Tuesday, Oct. 6, from 2-3 p.m. This dynamic conversation on censorship, education and the right to read will be led by Teukie Martin, a Ph.D. candidate in inclusive education in the School of Education.
• A panel discussion, “,” will be held Tuesday, Oct. 6, from 4-5 p.m. The discussion will explore both the enduring value of academic freedom and the threats confronting it today. Panelists  will include Roy Gutterman, director of the Tully Center for Free Speech and professor, magazine, news and digital journalism in the S.I. Newhouse  School of Public Communications; Thomas M. Keck, Michael O. Sawyer Chair of Constitutional Law and Politics in the Department of Political Science in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs; and Thomas A. Perreault, professor in the Department of Geography and the Environment in the Maxwell School.
• A screening of the film “” and a post-screening discussion will be held on Wednesday, Oct. 7. The screening will take place from 3:30-5:10 p.m., with the discussion to follow from 5:30- 6:30 p.m. The film is the winner of the 2026 Primetime Emmy Award for Exceptional Merit in Documentary Filmmaking.
• “” will be held Thursday, Oct. 8, from noon-2 p.m. In this interactive event, volunteers bring challenged and censored titles to life that patrons can “check out.” This event is being coordinated by the student group Beyond the Book.
• A lecture on “” will be held Thursday, Oct. 8, from 3- 4 p.m. Presented by Ian Spangler, visiting lecturer and interim director of the Spatial Analysis Lab at the University of Richmond. Spangler argues that we need a better vocabulary for understanding and disambiguating non-neutrality within cartography that bans and is banned.
• A will be held Thursday, Oct. 8, from 4:30-5:30 p.m. Participants can select a passage from a banned/challenged book and read it aloud. Bring your own title, select from a curated compilation or choose from books on hand. Every reader will be entered into a raffle for prizes, and refreshments will be provided.

“Censorship has no place in a library—or in academia. When we expose ourselves to the widest possible range of ideas, we don’t just protect an invaluable principle—we generate new knowledge, sharpen our critical thinking and ensure that we continue to grow,” says Melinda Dermody, associate dean for academic success at the University Libraries. “That’s why we’re proud to stand alongside our community partners in providing a robust program throughout Banned Books Week and taking a strong stand against censorship in any form.”

Banned Books Week sponsors include the Departments of Religion; Women’s and Gender Studies; Art and Music History; LGBT Studies; Languages, Literatures and Linguistics; Political Science; Writing; and the Humanities Center; as well as the Tully Center for Free Speech and the Maxwell School’s Community Geography Program. Thanks also to the Library and Information Science Student Association (LISSA), Beyond the Book and staff who volunteer to support these events.

Additionally, the Department of African American Studies in the College of Arts and Sciences is hosting a “” on Tuesday, Oct. 6, from 4:30-6 p.m. in the Martin Luther King Jr. Library in Sims Hall.

The Law Library in Dineen Hall will also be highlighting legal cases on banned books in the display case, along with handouts that provide access to free banned books online and a research guide on the legal issues around banned books.

For additional information, contact Patricia Giles pmgiles@syr.edu and/or Katherine Kidd kakidd@syr.edu

Syracuse University Libraries’ LaunchPad, the University’s entrepreneurial hub, kicked off the Fall 2026 semester with its annual Ideas Fest pitch competition, held across five rooms in Bird Library on Sept. 16.

The event drew student entrepreneurs from various schools/colleges across campus, where they delivered a 90-second “elevator” pitch to a panel of judges. Judges in each pitch room selected two winners, with the first-place winnesr receiving $500 and the runners-up winners receiving $250. Prizes provide early-stage funding for student founders to help offset startup expenses.

First-place student winners were:

• Yanira Johnson ’27, College of Professional Studies
• Samuel Benoit ’28, School of Information Studies
• Stephen Swope ’26, Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs
• Keni James ’28, College of Engineering and Computer Science
• Imad Adam ’30, College of Arts and Sciences

Runners-Up winners were:

• Evghenii Kiselev ’29, College of Engineering and Computer Science
• Agbor Edouard Ransom ’27, School of Information Studies
• Taite Paradise ’29, College of Visual and Performing Arts
• Sunpaire Tagel ’30, Martin J. Whitman School of Management
• Yuila Ivanova G’27, Martin J. Whitman School of Management and Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs

The next LaunchPad pitch competition for freelancers, small businesses and creatives is scheduled to take place in Bird Library on Friday, Oct. 2, from noon to 3 p.m. Students interested in pitching should complete the  by Sept. 28.

Growing up in Los Angeles, saw friends and family members struggle with eating disorders and watched the emotional and financial toll those illnesses took on patients and the people closest to them.

Once on the Syracuse University campus, she decided to do something about it and found the entrepreneurial resources on campus to help build her idea.

After consulting with clinicians along with patients in recovery and their parents, Greene developed , a predominantly free, clinically guided, eating disorder-specific digital platform to fill the gaps in the healthcare system.

“I built Miirror because I refused to watch people keep disappearing into a system that had no room for them,” says Greene, who earned an advertising degree from the . “There is no platform built specifically for eating disorders and around eating disorder recovery that works. This is the gap I am trying to fill, and every single day I wake up knowing exactly why this matters.”

Miirror offers inclusive and stigma-free tools, support circles, crisis resources and therapy matching, providing a safe space for those in recovery. The app is available on the App Store by searching “Miirror: Recovery Support.”

“I grew up wishing I could create a support system for the people I knew who had eating disorders instead of feeling like there was nothing I could do to help, so this is my way of helping people,” says Greene, who serves as Miirror’s chief executive officer and founder.

Creating Real Connections

The platform combines product development with clinical collaboration to reduce stigmas, address gaps in the healthcare system and create technology that meets patients where they are.

“We want users to have real human connection built into their experience from day one,” says Greene, who credits the , the in the and the with developing her entrepreneurial skills.

Greene says Miirror was used in a pilot program with an eating disorder clinic for clinical validation before being released to the public.

Among the app’s primary goals and features:

• a therapeutic toolbox with more than 20 evidence-based techniques users can access anytime, anywhere
• a clinician dashboard that lets providers monitor patients between sessions, “closing a gap that the current healthcare system doesn’t address,” Greene says.
• a patterns page that tracks a user’s progress over time, creating a recovery process that feels personal and measurable
• a peer mentorship component to reduce the isolation and loneliness patients often experience

Baseline features are free, while users seeking a more personalized experience can purchase premium upgrades.

For University students seeking help with an eating disorder, please visit for more information about the available treatments and support services offered through the Eating Disorder Treatment Team.

Collaborative Spirit Fuels Team Success

Running Miirror is a full-time job for Greene and her nine team members, all full-time students balancing classes, coursework and company responsibilities.

The platform features a research department, a branding department and a development team, and Greene meets weekly with each of the department heads to reflect on successes and share research updates.

“It’s not easy being part of a student-run startup company, but what has helped is creating that sense of community on the team,” says Greene, who organizes team building activities like a Miirror Friendsgiving where colleagues can laugh and bond with each other.

Greene has also assembled a team of medical clinicians who ensure all platform resources are evidence-based, so users can trust them in their recovery.

To date, Miirror has won more than $21,000 in grant money at business competitions, including a first-place finish in the health and wellness category at the New York Business Plan Regional competition.

“Building something meaningful means nothing without the right people behind it. Everyone on this team brings something irreplaceable, and I truly couldn’t do this without them,” Greene says.

Her team includes Jacob Kaplan ’28 (front-end app developer, School of Information Studies (iSchool)), Shahaan Khan ’26 (cloud infrastructure architect, iSchool), Danielle Ofir ’26 (human resources director, College of Arts and Sciences), Reese Yoon ’26 (research analyst, College of Arts and Sciences and iSchool), Bri Gordon ’28 (research analyst, College of Arts and Sciences), Meghan Hoffman (user experience/user interface product designer, University of Michigan), Cole Meredith ’26 (head of branding, Newhouse School), Fernanda Kligerman ’26 (brand and digital designer, College of Visual and Performing Arts) and Martin Beredo ’26 (social media manager, Newhouse School).

The at Syracuse University Libraries has announced Eric Alderman L’75 as its latest Faculty Entrepreneur in Residence for the 2026-2027 academic year. Alderman attended the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and . A Syracuse native, he has practiced law for most of his career, founded multiple businesses and has taught in the for many years. In 2025, he received Whitman’s George R. Burman Entrepreneurial Leadership Award in recognition of his contributions to entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial education.

As Entrepreneur in Residence, Alderman will provide students with practical guidance as they navigate the entrepreneurial process. His mentoring will focus on areas including business strategy, venture formation, legal and organizational considerations, financing, negotiation, operations and the transition from an idea to a sustainable business. Students interested in meeting with him can connect through the LaunchPad at Syracuse University Libraries.

“Entrepreneurship is rarely a straight line,” Alderman says. “Students need advisors who have been through the process and who can help them recognize opportunities, understand risks and make better decisions. There is tremendous entrepreneurial talent at Syracuse, and I’m excited to be part of helping students turn their ideas into action.”

“We know Eric Alderman well in the LaunchPad and appreciate his mentoring of students and frequent participation at our business planning competitions,” said Dean David Seaman. “He understands that students need someone who will listen, challenge their assumptions and help them determine what comes next. It is a delight to continue our partnership with Eric as Faculty Entrepreneur in Residence and to extend our close relationship with Whitman.”

The LaunchPad’s Faculty Entrepreneur in Residence program connects student innovators with experienced faculty members who are entrepreneurs and business leaders and who can provide individualized mentoring and perspective. Previous LaunchPad Faculty Entrepreneurs in Residence have included John Torrens, chair of Whitman’s Entrepreneurship and Emerging Enterprises program and three-time ’CUSE50 Awardee for his entrepreneurial ventures, and Don Carr, VPA School of Design faculty member and accomplished industrial and interaction designer, patent holder and inventor.

�ճ���� is Syracuse University’s innovation hub, connecting the campus resource-rich ecosystem with a global network that provides support for aspiring entrepreneurs, inventors and creators. The program serves faculty, staff, students and recent alumni across all disciplines who are interested in entrepreneurship, venture creation and innovation careers. The program supports a key pillar of Syracuse University’s academic strategic plan to give students experiential opportunities that help prepare them to be trailblazers in an entrepreneurial world.

will be formally installed this week as the 13th chancellor and president of Syracuse University during an Investiture Ceremony at 2 p.m. on Friday in the JMA Wireless Dome. The event is part of a , marking the historic University milestone.

Below, explore pictures and materials from inaugurations, all from the Syracuse University Archives, , Syracuse University Libraries. The Special Collections Research Center is also hosting a display, on the first floor of Bird Library from Thursday, Sept. 17, to Sunday, Sept. 20, as part of the celebrations around Chancellor Haynie’s inauguration.

Anna Shuff G’26 has been contriving ways to spend more time in libraries since she was a kid.

“When I was very young I regularly attempted to extend visits to the public library indefinitely by running away from my mother to go hide in the stacks,” Shuff says.

In that way, she says graduating with a master’s degree in library and information science from Syracuse University’s to pursue a career in librarianship is just a culmination of her yearslong quest to never leave a library.

“I was drawn to a career in libraries because I love to learn—I love finding information, expanding my knowledge of the world and helping others to do the same,” Shuff says. “My choice to pursue archival work in particular emerged from my longstanding interest in history. I’ve always been fascinated by historical objects, whether they take the form of books, personal writings, textile or other materials.”

Pursuing that passion for preserving and caring for the historical record, Shuff spent the summer working in the University Archives, where her biggest project was to the collection’s . The task offered her the “incredible experience” to put into practice the skills she’d learned working in the Archives and from her time at the iSchool.

“The practical experience I obtained in the Archives will serve me for the rest of my career, and I feel very fortunate to have had the opportunity to work in such an incredible place,” she says.

Putting Classroom Learning to Work

With her interest in history, Shuff focused her studies at the iSchool on archives, special collections, museums and the preservation of cultural heritage.

Shuff says pursuing a master’s degree is an extension of the work she’s been doing for years, since she started volunteering for her local science museum as a teen and has found ways to work in libraries and museums ever since (during her undergraduate years at Bryn Mawr, she minored in museum studies).

She began working as a student archivist assistant at the University Archives in January 2025, but her work with the Peck papers offered some unique challenges.

Previously, the collection related to , a Methodist minister who helped found Syracuse University and later served as Dickinson College’s tenth president, was small and consisted mostly of his diaries.

The new materials Shuff worked to process, which were donated by Peck family descendants, included correspondence, writings, printed material and ephemera, which took time to inventory.

Also, some of the papers had survived a fire, and as a result, many had smoke and soot damage.

Shuff says the challenge allowed her to apply lessons she learned from a conservation and preservation course with , the University’s conservation librarian. She used a vulcanized rubber sponge to clean a portion of the papers impacted by the smoke and soot. The remaining papers affected by the fire will be tackled by the next student working in the Archives.

The Peck collection is about six or seven times larger with the addition of the new materials.

“There turned out to be quite a bit of material related to Syracuse University, including a copy of his agreement with the school to donate $25,000 after his death, as well as early drafts of the bylaws for the Board of Trustees and correspondence with other important individuals in Syracuse University’s history,” Shuff says.

A Model of Experiential Learning

Shuff, who received a Libraries’ Student Employee Award, says her experience working in the University Archives was one of the “most valuable aspects” of her time at Syracuse.

“I worked up from processing very small collections, some as small as a single folder or item, to those as large as the Peck papers,” she says. “I learned how to author finding aids, how to accession collections and even got the opportunity to work with a campus publication, Salt Hill Magazine, to acquire their collections for the Archive.”

University Archivist Meg Mason said in her nomination for Shuff’s employee award that the iSchool graduate student was always committed, not just to the mission of the archives, which are part of the in the , but also to learning as much as she could during her time with the department.

“While doing research for patrons, arranging and describing archival materials, writing social media posts and reaching out to other students about donating records to the University Archives, she not only serves SCRC but also the Libraries and the University as a whole,” Mason wrote.

Based on user feedback, Syracuse University Libraries has expanded the “things” available for borrowing in its community items that are loaned for free to any users with an SU or SUNY ESF ID, and extended in Bird Library.

New items available for borrowing from the “Library of Things” include a ladder ball lawn game, pickleball set, level/stud finder, Onondaga County Parks pass (good for admission to Beaver Lake, Jamesville Beach, Oneida Shores, Pratt’s Falls or the Rosamond Gifford Zoo) and an Empire Park Pass for New York State Parks.

Like all its loanable items, items from the Library of Things can be borrowed by students, faculty and staff. They are available for pickup at the Bird Library Check Out Desk. Loan periods vary depending on the item.

In addition to technology items, such as laptops and computer accessories, cables and plugs, chargers, adaptors, calculators, cameras and audio and visual devices, the following are also available at the Check Out Desk in Bird Library:

• Career and presentation items like an easel, green screen, necktie or portfolio.
• Home goods such as a toolbox, sewing machine or kit, clothes steamer, garment bag, air compressor or utility cart.
• Board games such as cards, education, family, party, strategy, thematic or war games.
• Recreation items such as knitting and crocheting materials, glue gun, button maker, lawn games, ghost hunting kit, karaoke machine, virtual reality headset and adventure kit.
• Wellness items like weighted blankets, light therapy lamps, coloring book kits, massage pillows, meditation kits and noise cancelling earmuffs.
• Academic support items like desktop fans, whiteboard markers, phone lockers and graphing kits.

Some individual study rooms in Bird are also now available for SU and SUNY-ESF students to reserve for up to. Most individual  by SU and SUNY ESF students.

In addition to individual reservable study rooms, there are also:

• individual student study rooms for up to three hours per day.
•  for up to three hours per day.
• .
•  for up to three students for three hours per day.
• for up to five students for three hours per day.
• for up to three hours per day.

For more information on resources available through SU Libraries, visit .

Maria Calabrese Murray ’44 was 17 when she arrived at Syracuse University in 1940. A talented flutist and pianist, Murray had already performed with the Columbia University Symphonic Band before pursuing higher education in Syracuse. By the time she earned her bachelor of fine arts degree in art education, the U.S. had been fighting in World War II for nearly three years, and women across the country were stepping into roles being opened to them for the first time in the military.

Murray was chosen as one of five women from Syracuse University to attend the U.S. Naval Midshipman School at Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts, training alongside other women who would help redefine what military service meant for generations to come. She completed the program and was commissioned as an Ensign in the U.S. Navy WAVES, or Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service.

Thanks to a donation from Murray’s daughter, Susan Cooper, a part of Murray’s military legacy is now prominently on display in the gallery at the . The informational display contains uniform items from Murray, as well as photos and articles from her time on campus and in the service.

“My mother always spoke of being a WAVE with great pride. Growing up, I didn’t recognize the significance until I was older, particularly after she passed away in 2012,” Cooper says. “She had been living with us for eight years, so I had all of her items in my basement, and I knew it had to find a wonderful home.”

Before her military service, Murray built a record of achievement on campus. She was a member of the Sigma Kappa sorority and the fine arts honor society Sigma Chi Alpha, and she served as manager of the women’s varsity rifle team and chair of the Women’s Athletic Association.

Not long after graduating from Syracuse, she married William Ellsworth Murray, a fellow alumnus and a commissioned medical officer in the U.S. Navy. The couple eventually settled in Indiana, but Murray first returned to Syracuse after her own military service, becoming the first returning service member to teach art in the College of Human Development. She later earned a master’s degree in applied arts from the University.

Murray went on to have a rewarding career as an educator, artist and civic leader in Indiana, where she founded the Indianapolis chapter of Hospital Audiences, Inc., a nonprofit bringing visual and performing arts to underserved and special-needs communities.

Murray died July 7, 2012, in Indianapolis at age 89. She was a charter member of the Women in Military Service for America Memorial, one more marker of a life spent going first. Her personal papers, including correspondence, photographs, scrapbooks and military records, are preserved separately in the at .

“Moments like these are both rare and rewarding. Having the opportunity to learn about the incredible impact Maria Calabrese Murray and her service in the WAVES had on our nation and the University during World War II is truly remarkable,” says retired U.S. Army Col. Ron Novack. “Having a piece of that history to share with the University community in our gallery is a great connection to the University’s historic commitment to those who served.”

In addition to memorabilia that belonged to Murray, the informational display educates viewers about the WAVES and about programs at the University that supported students preparing for military service. It also contains a draft map of Iwo Jima that Murray drew during her military service.

The Battle of Iwo Jima, fought from Feb. 19 to March 26, 1945, remains one of the most consequential and costly battles of World War II. American forces sought to capture the island’s airfields due to its critically important strategic location in the Pacific Ocean. For military planners, accurate maps and coastline drawings, like the one Murray drafted, were not a luxury but a necessity for operational success.

“Because of her connection to Syracuse, I started thinking that the NVRC is the right home for this. For me, this place feels like a home for her. The Office of Veteran and Military Affairs treated her with tremendous respect, which I admire. She personally wouldn’t have demanded this, but she would have loved every moment,” Cooper says.

While Murray’s uniform and information on the WAVES are already on display in the NVRC Gallery, the map of Iwo Jima she drafted is being carefully prepared to preserve the historical artifact while allowing visitors to understand the complexities of topographic drafting before the development of satellite imagery. It will be featured for public viewing in the near future, but the exhibit can be viewed during regular operating hours at the start of the academic semester.

At the dedication of Miron Victory Court on Nov. 8, 2024, Robert J. “Bob” Miron ’59 told the crowd that he was “blown away by the whole thing,” as he and his wife Diane were able to experience and enjoy the fruits of their philanthropy.  It was a powerful moment for Miron to truly feel the impact of his vision and generosity. Now, the impact of his passing on July 29, 2026, at the age of 89, is being felt across campus, Central New York and beyond.

The man who shaped the cable television industry was also seen as its moral conscience in transforming the way Americans received news, information and entertainment.

“His judgment was thoughtful, his ethics unwavering and his word absolute,” according to his

Generosity and Service to His Alma Mater

Miron’s judgment, vision and trust also helped shape his beloved alma mater, which became the primary beneficiary of his generosity. His connection to Syracuse University spanned more than six decades, beginning with his 1959 bachelor’s degree in marketing management from the . Miron went on to serve the University as a voting trustee from 2002 to 2014, vice chair from 2005 to 2009 and life trustee thereafter. He was twice named the Dritz Life Trustee of the Year, in 2015 and 2024, and received the highest alumni honor, the . He was also longtime member of the Newhouse Advisory Board.

“Bob’s impact on Syracuse University will endure for generations,” says Chancellor J. Michael Haynie. “He was far more than a generous donor. For decades he served as a trusted adviser to University leaders, and he never stopped showing up for this institution. Bob’s own experience at Syracuse shaped a lifelong commitment to giving back, and that commitment touched countless students and programs across this university. He was kind and humble and generous with his time, and Syracuse is better for having known him.”

“Bob and his wife Diane have been extraordinary champions of the University through both service and philanthropy,” says Board Chair Jeff Scruggs. “As a trustee, Bob brought the same judgment and integrity to Syracuse’s boardroom that defined his career in the cable industry. He asked hard questions, he listened carefully and he always kept the University’s best interests at the center of every conversation. Bob’s generosity, wisdom and devotion to the University leave a legacy that will endure for generations.”

The Diane and Bob Miron Fund for Academic Success supports academic and student success initiatives within , including the Blackstone LaunchPad, student services, technology enhancements and student spaces. The in Newhouse 2 is named in their honor and is dedicated primarily to news, talk and magazine-style production, with multimedia capabilities, a contemporary news set, a green screen, state-of-the-art lighting systems and cameras. The Miron Learning Commons on the first floor of Bird Library was dedicated in 2022, and the Miron Victory Court, the space connecting the JMA Wireless Dome and the Barnes Center at The Arch, was dedicated in 2024. The Mirons have supported many initiatives in the , the , and Syracuse University Libraries.

Mark J. Lodato, dean of the Newhouse School, says Miron mentored students, supported leadership and helped to transform programs and facilities at Newhouse. Even last week, Miron participated in a virtual advisory board meeting, encouraging others to support the school’s future.

“Bob was someone you could always pick up the phone and have a genuine conversation with,” Lodato says. “He was optimistic and kind, always looking for the positive in a difficult situation. It was wonderful to have someone like Bob in your corner.”

“Bob Miron loved Syracuse University in action, not just in words,” says Chancellor Emeritus Kent Syverud. “For more than six decades as a Whitman School graduate, a pioneer who helped build Discovery Channel into a global powerhouse and a devoted life trustee, he gave Syracuse University his time, his generosity and his belief in what it could become. Miron Victory Court, where thousands of people pass through each year for some of the University’s most seminal academic, social and athletic events, stands as a lasting testament to that commitment. Syracuse is stronger because of Bob Miron, and I’m grateful to have called him a friend.”

A Distinguished Career in the Communications Industry

Beyond Syracuse University, Miron had a distinguished career in the communications industry. He joined Advance/Newhouse Communications and its predecessor companies in 1966. He led the company’s cable TV interests for more than 50 years, pioneering improvements in customer service, expanding programming through early microwave distribution, helping fund and guide C-SPAN and promoting Cable in the Classroom and other educational initiatives. He retired as chairman and chief executive officer in 2010. He also served as chairman of Discovery, a global leader in real-life entertainment reaching billions of viewers, and as non-executive chairman of the board of directors of Discovery Inc.

He chaired the board of directors of C-SPAN and served two terms as chairman of the board of directors of the Internet and Television Association, formerly the National Cable and Telecommunications Association (NCTA), where he led numerous committees and oversaw the Music Licensing Committee for more than 25 years. He also served as vice chair of the board of directors of the Cable Center.

His industry honors include induction into the Cable Hall of Fame in 2001 and the Broadcasting and Cable Hall of Fame in 2002, the CTAM Grand TAM Award in 2009, the Cable Television Public Affairs Association’s President’s Award in 1995, NCTA’s Distinguished Vanguard Award for Leadership in 1991, NCTA’s President’s Award in 1990 and the New York State Cable Television Association’s Chairman’s Award in 1987. He was the inaugural recipient of The Cable Center’s Bill Bresnan Ethics Award, recognizing the qualities colleagues believed defined him more than any title ever could: integrity, humility, fairness and ethical leadership.

Miron also served on the board of directors of Crouse Health in Syracuse, as president of the board of directors of the Jewish Community Center of Syracuse and as vice president of Temple Adath Yeshurun, which named him Citizen of the Year in 2000.

Miron is survived by his wife of 64 years, Diane, their children, Trustee Nomi Bergman G’24 (Neal), Steve Miron (Jackie) and Lisa Sidel (Jaret Seiberg); grandchildren Becca Hayworth (Justin), Jimmy Miron (Elizabeth Hodges), Dori Bergman (Brandon Hacken), Danny Miron (Shay), Rachel Sidel, Anna Sidel, Allie Bergman, Ellie Sidel and Josh Sidel; great-grandson Solomon Hayworth; his sister, Mitzi Miron Shure (Jerry Wische); and many nieces, nephews, and cousins, including fellow Trustee Michael Newhouse.