Sydney Gross Memorial Fund

School of Architecture and Planning students who worked on a memorial for Sydney Gross in Medina, stand around the installed piece.

In memory of a former School of Architecture and Planning student, this fund supports an annual lecture and other projects that enrich the student experience.

According to her mother, Sydney brought "love, laughter, and light into the world."

Sydney Gross dreamed of becoming an architect. She had completed her first year of the program at the UB School of Architecture and Planning when she died following a car accident on July 24, 2009.

Her family and friends established the Sydney Gross Fund in 2011 to support the annual Sydney Gross Memorial Lecture, which brings notable speakers to the school.

"It was clear that she had a natural 'eye' for design," said Associate Professor Joyce Hwang. "In addition to her giftedness, she had a great attitude in the studio: She wasn't afraid to take risks with her projects, she worked hard and, most importantly, she always seemed to be having fun with her work and her classmates."

Gross was “a constant source of joy…who brought so much love, laughter and light into the world,” according to her mother, Lori Duckstein. “She would be thrilled to know that with the help of her friends and family, her love for UB, architecture, and helping others will continue on,” Duckstein said.

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