Fabian’s gift supports one of the Maxwell School’s key fundraising priorities in the Forever Orange Campaign, to “Attract, Hire and Retain Excellent Faculty.” Gifts that support faculty—particularly in the form of fellowships and endowed professorships—bolster the school’s ability to ensure faculty excellence across disciplines. 

Gadarian follows a legacy of professors who inspired Fabian as an undergraduate student in the 1950s. Fabian, who earned a bachelor’s degree in American studies, credits them with feeding her interest in public affairs and the obligations of citizens to be knowledgeable and active participants in democracy. She took courses in American history, government and literature and was selected to spend a semester studying in Washington, D.C., where she met with Hubert Humphrey and other government leaders.

“I was a good high school student, but didn’t have a vision,” recalls Fabian, who traveled from her home in Maryland to enroll in the University in 1955. “But when I took classes with professors who had a worldview, who were so educated and incredibly articulate, they inspired me. They had a great sense of what government responsibility and citizens’ responsibility should be. I learned not to simply accept what I heard without challenging it in some way.”

Fabian went on to earn a graduate degree in library science from Catholic University of America and held positions of responsibility at the Canadian Embassy Library, the San Francisco Public Library and the Government Affairs Institute. 

Her brother, Leslie H. Goldberg, served as president of their family business, Bowl America Inc., until his death in 2019. In the last two years, his sister has focused on setting up a family foundation and making donations in his name to his alma mater, the University of Virginia. 

That inspired her to create an endowment at her own alma mater while she is alive and able to see it benefit Maxwell faculty and students. She was thrilled to learn that Gadarian was selected. “The dean has assured me that Professor Gadarian is exactly the sort of scholar I hoped to see fill this position,” she says.

Fabian believes the need for critical thinkers is more important than ever. Her conversations with Van Slyke convinced her that today’s students could fill that need when inspired, as she was, by dynamic professors. 

“I’m so encouraged by the fact that our students really want to make a difference,” says Van Slyke. “Merle believes, as I do, that professors can do a lot to expose students to a range of ideas that they may not have thought about or experienced. The most impactful professors bring together research and teaching and policy relevance to send their students out into the world to be constructive forces of change.”

Gadarian will hold the professorship for five years. Van Slyke is confident she will be an inspiring force who can influence careers and change lives. He notes that “nearly every student at Syracuse University takes a social science class in Maxwell where they are similarly encouraged to challenge ideas, wrestle with issues and become a force for positive change.” 

To learn how you can get involved in Forever Orange: The Campaign for Syracuse University, which endeavors to raise $1.5 billion in philanthropic support to enhance academic excellence and the student experience for all, please visit syracuse.edu/foreverorange. 

By Jessica Youngman