There may be no better measure of an educator’s legacy than the impact they make on the careers and lives of the students they have mentored.

Catherine Gerard is one of those people, and that impact is felt in the lives of people across the globe.

Gerard, who has held a number of positions at the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, has retired after nearly three decades of service at Syracuse University.

Gerard served as professor of practice of public administration and international affairs, director of the Program for the Advancement of Research on Conflict and Collaboration, and associate director of Executive Education.

She is well known for teaching one of the core courses of the Executive Education Program—PAI 895, Managerial Leadership (formerly PPA 895).

Colleagues and former students agree: Gerard has left an indelible mark at Maxwell through both her classes and leadership positions, including Executive Education.

Among them, Steven Lux, director of Executive Education.

“Maybe it's impossible to measure, but I'm absolutely certain that the world is a better place because of all the teaching that you did, Catherine. In part because you were not transactional,” he writes in a memory book dedicated to Gerard. “I think people actually felt like you were connected to them and their world, and what they were trying to do in the world.”

Margaret Lane, assistant director of Executive Education, notes Gerard’s impact both as a former student and later as a colleague.

“My first connection to you, Catherine, was taking 895—my second was working in Exec Ed,” she writes. “You brought me into the fold in this organization, and I couldn’t have asked for a better mentor who’s been by my side through thick and thin. My admiration has only grown as I’ve seen the transformation of so many students as they return to their organizations ready to lead and tackle challenges that lie ahead.”

Her former students echo the impact Gerard had on them in the memory book, with many adding that she continues to provide guidance and friendship well beyond their days at Maxwell.

“Catherine has left a great mark on my professional life,” writes Nuria Esparch ’00 M.A. (PA) of Peru, a lawyer and politician who served as the country's defense minister from November 2020 to July 2021. “She is one of the kindest people I know. I remember her classes full of practical teachings and real examples that made us students from all over the world feel identified.”

Esparch says Gerard continues to be a valued friend and mentor 24 years after receiving her degree from Maxwell, going as far as sharing guidance on teaching a Leadership in the Public Sector course.

Gerard loves that in her work in both Executive Education and graduate studies, she was exposed to people from around the world.

“As a result, I was always learning,” she says. “It was just a privilege to be continually expanding my knowledge.”

Gerard adds that applying leadership theory to people from a myriad of cultural backgrounds was always challenging but ultimately fulfilling. She points to her first class at Maxwell, which included students from nine or 10 different countries.

“The level of diversity was outstanding,” she says, adding that she ultimately realized she needed to tailor her teaching methods to reach all her students.

“It forces you to become better at your craft,” she says. “I wondered (at the time), ‘How do you make sure everyone is getting it and learning?’ You also want to make sure your teaching is relevant and that the concepts resonate with them.”

Gerard also treasures the relationships she made during her 29 years at SU.

“I have friends around the world that I never would have had, had I not come to the Maxwell School,” she says.

One of the most significant aspects of her legacy was the planned transition of her section of PAI 895, with Gerard training others to teach Managerial Leadership. She intends to enjoy “retirement,” with plans to continue academic research and teach her leadership course online, while hoping to visit many of those she befriended and mentored.