Donald Newhouse to deliver Syracuse University’s 2016 commencement address

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Media executive Donald Newhouse will give the commencement address at the joint graduation ceremony for Syracuse University (SU) and SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry on May 15, the university announced.

Newhouse is the president of New York City–based Advance Publications, Inc. The school will also award Newhouse, who graduated from SU in 1951, an honorary degree during its 162nd commencement ceremony.

Donald Newhouse is an “accomplished leader in the world of communications and a dedicated family man,” SU Chancellor Kent Syverud said in a news release.

“Donald represents a legacy of excellence and a generous figure to the next generation of highly skilled journalists. Our students will greatly benefit from his words as he helps us celebrate our graduating class of 2016,” said Syverud.

Newhouse’s father, Samuel I. Newhouse Sr., founded Advance Publications. Donald Newhouse and his brother, Samuel Irving “Si” Newhouse, have grown the firm into “one of the largest family-run publishing companies” in the U.S., according to the SU news release

Si Newhouse currently serves as chairman of Advance Publications, SU added.

The company today owns, either directly or through subsidiaries, American City Business Journals, the Golf Digest Companies, Condé Nast Publications, and newspapers in more than 25 U.S. cities, including Syracuse.

Its subsidiaries also have “extensive interests” in cable television and Internet sites related to its print publications.

Donald Newhouse was “delighted to be asked” to speak to SU’s next graduating class, he said in the SU news release.

“I want to share life lessons from my own personal challenges and how an education at Syracuse University, along with lifelong learning, can provide them with a strong foundation to pursue the many opportunities awaiting them and the challenges they may face,” Donald Newhouse said.

Newhouse and his family have had a “long” history of philanthropy through the S.I. Newhouse Foundation. It includes founding gifts to establish the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications in 1964, SU said.

The philanthropy also included a donation for the construction of Newhouse 3, an addition to the communications school, along with “leadership gifts” to support journalists-in-training.

Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com