A Message from Our Community

With gratitude,
strength, and Orange pride

Share your thoughts, memories, and well wishes with Chancellor Kent Syverud and his family.

Chancellor Kent Syverud

In His Own Words

“I am approaching this with optimism, with determination, and with full confidence in the people who are caring for me. I believe in the road ahead, and I intend to walk it with everything I have.”

Chancellor Kent Syverud, April 15, 2026

A Note to the Orange Community

On April 15, 2026, Chancellor Kent Syverud shared with our community that he has been diagnosed with a form of brain cancer and has begun treatment at the University of Michigan. In his letter, he spoke of optimism, determination, and profound gratitude for his care teams, for our Board of Trustees, and for the community he has led with such dedication for more than twelve years.

This page is a place for all of us, students, faculty, staff, alumni, parents, friends, and partners, to respond in kind. To send encouragement. To share a memory. To simply say thank you.

Every message submitted here will be collected and shared with the Chancellor and his family during this time.

Submissions are now closed

Thank you to everyone who took the time to share a message. The collection of well wishes has been closed, and every message submitted will be compiled and shared with Chancellor Syverud and his family.

You are welcome to read messages from the Orange community that contributors chose to share publicly.