Members of the Kehr/Hirsh family (left to right): Steven Hirsh, Samantha Hirsh, Michael Kehr, Alice Hirsh, Ryan Kehr, Jonathan Hirsh and Rebecca Hirsh.

On a cloudy Mother’s Day in 2018, a photo was taken in front of the Hall of Languages ​​showing proud Syracuse University graduate Ryan Kehr (Class of 2018) surrounded by happy family members.

It’s the kind of photo that gets taken over and over again on graduation weekend. This particular photo tells the story of the Kehr/Hirsh family – a proud collection of alumni whose ties to Syracuse date back to the fall of 1966, when Alice (Musician) Hirsh (Class of 1970) began her nursing studies at the College of Nursing.

Hirsh is the matriarch of an Orange family that currently includes seven alumni members:

• Alice and her husband Steven ’70 (Philosophy, College of Arts and Sciences);
• Alice’s children Jonathan ’99 (marketing management, Martin J. Whitman School of Management) and Samantha Hirsh ’10 (inclusive elementary and special education, School of Education); along with Jonathan’s wife Rebecca (Rosenstein) Hirsh ’99 (child development in what is now the David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics);
• Hirsh’s nephew Michael Kehr ’86 (political science, Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs and College of Arts and Sciences) and his son Ryan (information management and technology, School of Information Studies)

The family will add another branch to the family tree when Julia Kehr (Graduating ’26), Michael’s daughter, graduates with a dual degree in International Relations (Maxwell School) and Information Management and Technology (iSchool) in May 2026.

Alice, Ryan and Julia sat down with SU News to talk about their love for the university, the Orange bond that binds them and the impact Syracuse has had on their lives.

Alice Hirsch ’70

Alice Hirsh

What brought you to Syracuse University? “The College of Nursing had a great reputation. It was hard to get into, and it was exactly what I wanted academically. When I chose Syracuse, I wanted a big school, one with great sports teams and Greek life. It had everything I wanted and more, and the College of Nursing did a really great job of teaching and preparing us.”

Involvement on campus: Alice, a member of Alpha Epsilon Phi fraternity, met her husband Steven during the fall semester of her sophomore year. They married a few months after graduation.

How strong is your affinity for Syracuse? “I had such a positive experience at Syracuse University. It was an important part of my life. I am still very close friends with a group of 15 women who graduated from the College of Nursing with me. We still communicate with each other and meet every few years for Orange reunions that we plan ourselves. Now to see so many members of my family studying and graduating there warms my heart. Everyone has had their own great experiences. My family knows that everything I own is Orange, and they know how important Syracuse University is to me.”

What makes Syracuse so special? “Each of us found something different to focus our attention on. For me, it was Greek life. Jonathan was passionate about Syracuse University’s emergency services. Samantha was on the women’s soccer team. We all discovered our passions and interests through our time on campus, and as a family, we all believe Syracuse is a great place.”

Ryan Kehrer ’18

Ryan Kehr

What brought you to Syracuse University? “I wasn’t told that I absolutely had to go to Syracuse, but Syracuse was my first choice. Plus, everyone I ever talked to about Syracuse always mentioned how great their experience was and how strong the alumni network was. I didn’t know what I wanted to study at first, so I applied to the iSchool and absolutely fell in love with the tight-knit community.”

Involvement on campus: Ryan, an iSchool advisor, also worked for SIDEARM Sports and eventually led the student staff team. “Working under Jeff Rubin, founder of SIDEARM Sports (class of 1995, G’98), was invaluable. I owe a lot of my professional success to the lessons I learned from Jeff and in my classes. The very first class I took with Jeff made me fall in love with technology as a career.”

Current activity: Ryan has worked as a product manager for the NFL for three years, helping the league build its electronic health records platform for athletic trainers, team physicians and players.

How did Syracuse pave your path to professional success? “The iSchool provides so many opportunities for students to learn, grow, and choose their own career path. I learned how to communicate well, solve problems, and be a good team player. Another important lesson I learned is to take every opportunity to meet alumni. We did these iSchool road trips where we went to Silicon Valley, New York City, and Boston and met different companies that had Syracuse alumni. We heard about their career paths and that helped me know what I wanted to do after I graduated. I’m grateful for all of these opportunities; they made me the person I am today.”

Julia Kehrer ’26

Julia Kehr

What brought you to Syracuse University? “When we were all on campus for Ryan’s graduation and I saw all my family members together, it was really cool to see everyone who had that connection to Orange. I knew right away that I was destined for Syracuse. I applied early my senior year of high school and didn’t visit any other colleges.”

Involvement on campus: As a member of Delta Gamma fraternity, Julia became involved with Slice Consulting, a student-run consulting firm that provides pro bono services to clients and nonprofits in Syracuse. She currently serves as a project manager.

Professional ambitions: “I interned at the Community FoodBank of New Jersey this summer and really enjoyed the experience. It solidified my interest in working for a nonprofit, which Maxwell definitely instilled in me and was further reinforced by my work for Slice Consulting. I think working in the public sector as a consultant or as a project manager for a nonprofit would be a great fit for me.”

What makes Syracuse so special? “I always knew how close my family was to Syracuse, but I didn’t realize what that meant until I enrolled. When I returned to campus after winter break my freshman year, I understood how special it was that we all shared the same values ​​because we all studied in the same place and learned such valuable life lessons.”