By John Boccacino ’03, G’20
Featuring a distinguished and decorated group of honorees—highlighted by Jim Morris ’77, G’78, the president of Pixar Animation Studios—the Syracuse University Alumni Association is pleased to roll out the Orange carpet for the Syracuse University Alumni Awards Celebration at Orange Central.
Orange Central’s premier event is set for Friday, Oct. 29 at the new Daniel and Gayle D'Aniello Building, home of the National Veterans Resource Center (NVRC). Former Syracuse University football standout and author Don McPherson ’87 will emcee the program as the Syracuse University Alumni Association and the Office of Alumni Engagement recognize the award recipients, whose achievements across generations are truly exceptional.
The evening kicks off with a cocktail party from 6:30-7:30 p.m. in the Atrium of the Main Lobby and Canteen, followed by the Awards Celebration at 7:30 p.m. in the K.G. Tan Auditorium. An after-party with live music and desserts will be held in the Atrium of the Main Lobby and Canteen immediately following the celebration.
Tickets for the cocktail party, awards celebration, and special after-party cost $60 (Early Orange pricing), $70 (after Oct. 19), and $40 for Generation Orange alumni (graduates of the last 10 years). The cocktail party includes food and drinks, while the after-party will feature desserts and drinks.
George Arents Award
The George Arents Award is Syracuse University’s highest alumni honor, created to recognize those who are pioneers and leaders in their fields. The Arents Award honors the legacy of George Arents, a successful manufacturer who served on the Syracuse University Board of Trustees from 1930 until his death in 1960.
This year’s honorees are
Keith Cartwright ’97,
Maria D. Melendez ’89,
Dan Mezzalingua ’60 and
Jim Morris ’77, G’78.
Keith Cartwright ’97, a highly recognized, award-winning creative executive, serves as president and chief creative officer of Cartwright, which he founded in early 2020. Cartwright is also a co-founder of the
SATURDAY MORNING creative collective and former Executive Creative Director at 72andSunny. He has worked at the most creative agencies in the country. He was named by Adweek as one of the 50 top Creatives in the industry, by Campaign Magazine as a top 10 Most Influential People in Advertising and was listed to the inaugural
Blacklist 100.
With SATURDAY MORNING, Cartwright helped lead the award-winning
“The Look,” an initiative created with Procter & Gamble to raise awareness of racial bias, and the Cannes award-winning
“Peace Brief’s,” a line of underwear designed to bring understanding between the police and the community they serve. Cartwright serves on the board of the Ad Council, the One Club for Creativity and Syracuse University’s College of Visual and Performing Arts.
Maria D. Meléndez ’89 is Sidley Austin LLP’s chief diversity officer, where she leads Sidley’s efforts to
further advance and increase diversity and inclusion across both the firm’s 20 global offices and within the legal profession. A frequent speaker on issues surrounding equity and fairness, Meléndez is dedicated to bolstering the framework of policy and practices that have advanced Sidley’s recognition as a top law firm for women and lawyers of diverse backgrounds. She is a member of the Association of Law Firm Diversity Professionals and proudly serves on the boards of The Thurgood Marshall College Fund, LatinoJustice PRLDEF and the Advisory Board of the Institute for Inclusion in the Legal Profession. Prior to becoming CDO, Meléndez was a partner in Sidley’s Commercial Litigation and Disputes practice. Meléndez was named one of the Top 250 Women in Litigation by Benchmark Litigation from 2017 through 2019 and was elected to the American Law Institute in 2019.
Dan Mezzalingua ’60, a Syracuse University Trustee, is a successful businessman and philanthropist who developed and managed his family’s Syracuse-based business manufacturing coaxial cable connectors for the cable television industry. Mezzalingua and his wife, Kathy G’62, are committed to sharing their successes through philanthropy. A past member of the Metropolitan Development Association, Mezzalingua was selected as Citizen of the Year during a dinner given by Temple Adath Yeshurun.
Mezzalingua gives back to the United Way Resource Development Committee, Community General Hospital Foundation and the Manlius Pebble Hill School Board of Trustees. He has served on Syracuse University’s Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees, as a member of the Society of Fellows, the Chancellor’s Council, the Martin J. Whitman School of Management Advisory Council and was the lead trustee on the Schine Student Center Campaign. The Mezzalinguas have six children and eleven grandchildren and split their time between Naples, Florida and Skaneateles, New York.
Jim Morris ’77, G’78 is president of Pixar Animation Studios. Under his supervision, Pixar has produced
critically acclaimed animated films like “Ratatouille,” “Up,” “Toy Story 3,” “Cars 2,” “Brave,” “Monsters University,” “Inside Out,” “The Good Dinosaur,” “Finding Dory,” “Cars 3,” “Coco,” “Incredibles 2,” “Toy Story 4,” “Onward” and “Soul.” He also produced Pixar’s WALL•E, which won the Oscar® for Best Animated Feature.
Morris previously held key positions at Lucasfilm, including president of Lucas Digital Ltd., and its three divisions: Industrial Light & Magic (ILM), Skywalker Sound and Lucasfilm Animation. With Morris’ oversight, ILM created the groundbreaking effects in 165 movies, including the Academy Award®-winning visual effects in “Jurassic Park,” “Death Becomes Her,” “Terminator 2” and “Forrest Gump.”
Before his 17 years at Lucasfilm, Morris ran two commercial production companies in San Francisco, California after serving as a producer at WCNY-TV, Syracuse. Morris started his career as a news cameraman at WSYR-TV. As a Syracuse student, Morris was the men’s basketball team’s official cinematographer during the 1976-77 season, when Hall of Famer Jim Boeheim ’66, G’73 made his head coaching debut.
Melvin A. Eggers Senior Alumni Award
The Melvin A. Eggers Senior Alumni Award “was created out of my deep respect and admiration for Chancellor Eggers and to honor senior alumni whose leadership and service to society has been joined with loyalty and service to Syracuse University.”
The award recognizes senior alumni who graduated more than 50 years ago and have demonstrated loyalty and service to SU. This year’s honoree is
Russ King ’52.
Russ King ’52 was partner and chief executive officer of King + King Architects in Syracuse — the oldest architecture firm in New York State — until his retirement in 1993. The firm worked on such Syracuse University projects as Crouse College, Bird Library, Huntington Beard Crouse Building, Manley Field House and Heroy Geology Building. Other local projects included the Niagara Mohawk Building (National Grid), Onondaga County Courthouse, Onondaga County Office Building, the Center for Forensic Sciences, Pioneer Homes and the Jewish Home of Central New York. King is a former director of OnbanCorp and M&T Bank and was president of the Syracuse Society of Architects from 1969-1970.
Military/Veteran Award
In its second year, the Military/Veteran Award honors a U.S. military service member or veteran alumni who has distinguished him/herself through exceptional meritorious service and achievement in the military and/or in their post-service careers. This year’s honoree is Col. Eileen Collins ’78, H’01, USAF, Ret.
Col. Eileen Collins ’78, H’01, USAF, Ret., a former astronaut and retired U.S. Air Force colonel, was the first woman pilot
and first woman commander of a space shuttle. While at Syracuse University, Collins was an Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) Distinguished Graduate. In 1990, Collins graduated from the Air Force Test Pilot School at Edwards Air Force Base, California. She was selected by NASA and became an astronaut in July 1991. In 1995, Collins piloted the space shuttle Discovery, the first space shuttle to rendezvous with the Russian Space Station MIR. Collins also piloted Atlantis in 1997, where her crew docked with MIR. In 1999, Collins became the first woman commander of a U.S. spacecraft with Space Shuttle Columbia, the deployment of the Chandra X-Ray Observatory. Her final space flight was as commander of Discovery in 2005, the “Return to Flight Mission” after the tragic loss of Columbia. Collins logged more than 6,751 hours in 30 different types of aircraft and more than 872 hours in space as a veteran of four space flights. Collins is married with two children. Her new book, "Through the Glass Ceiling to the Stars," is released on Oct. 19. The bookstore will sell the book and Collins is signing copies on Friday, Oct. 29 during Orange Central.
Generation Orange Award
The Generation Orange Award is presented to young alumni who have made significant contributions to their communities and to the University. This year’s honorees are
Katie Hoole ’13,
Nicole Osborne ’14, G’20,
Ivan Robles ’15 and
Leo Wong ’14.
Katie Hoole ’13 is currently a Master of Business Administration candidate at Goizueta Business School following a career as an elementary school teacher and leader. At Syracuse, Hoole was an Orientation Leader, University 100 member, teacher’s assistant in the Policy Studies Program and founding member of the Student Philanthropy Council, now called the Forever Orange Student Alumni Council (FOSAC). As an alumna, she has been proud and honored to serve as the Founding President of the Generation Orange Leadership Council (GOLC) and a member of the National Campaign Council. Hoole is grateful for the Syracuse University staff, faculty and alumni who have given her a chance to learn and lead as both a student and an alumna.
Nicole Osborne ’14, G’20 is an education policy consultant and data strategist who is passionate about
using technology for good. As an undergraduate, Osborne was a resident advisor, peer mentor advisor in the Office of Multicultural Affairs, teacher’s assistant in the Policy Studies Program and member of the University Conduct Board. She’s served on the Generation Orange Leadership Council since 2016, as the Generation Orange Chair of the Alumni Club of Atlanta, as a FullCircle alumni mentor and member of the National Campaign Council. Osborne volunteers with Abundant Life Christian Center, Hiscock Legal Aid Society, the Onondaga Community College Foundation and Inkululeko. Osborne, her husband, Erin Smith ’15 and their puppy, Ernie (Davis) Smith are proud to call Syracuse home.
Ivan Robles ’15 is currently a senior strategy consultant at Altman Solon, a Boston-based strategy consulting firm that focuses exclusively on the technology, media and telecommunications sectors. Robles, a Los Angeles, California native, recently moved back after spending time in Washington, D.C. and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. At Syracuse, Robles was involved in OrangeSeeds, University 100, the Student Philanthropy Council (now FOSAC), and the Student Association. He continues to be engaged with Syracuse University through his involvement in the Generation Orange Leadership Council and SoCal Orange, the local Alumni Club of Los Angeles.
Leo Wong ’14 has worked for renowned advertising agencies such as Droga5, McCann Worldgroup and
Digitas in roles ranging from account management to diversity and inclusion. Wong helped create influential campaigns for iconic brands such as Google Pixel, Dos Equis and Scion. At Syracuse, he was involved with Otto Tunes, TNH, University 100, First Year Players and Phi Delta Theta. After graduation, Wong has served on the Generation Orange Leadership Council. A resident of Las Vegas, Nevada, Wong is an adjunct professor for the University of Oklahoma, serves as co-director of the nonprofit Gold House A100 list, and is a licensed real estate agent and owner of a memory care home.
For more information about the Syracuse University Alumni Awards Celebration or any of the more than 60 Orange Central programs, held Oct. 28-31, visit the
Orange Central website.