In Memoriam of Sylvia Gordon

Sylvia Gordon, UNIS humanities teacher and founder of the UNIS-UN Conference, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, December 1, 2015. Sylvia was born in Vienna and arrived in New York after her studies at Oxford University. She came to UNIS and joined the Humanities Department in September, 1963. It was her dream to create a conference at the United Nations for our students to examine current issues and create opportunities for discussion, debate and to propose resolutions. The first UNIS-UN Conference was held at the United Nations in March, 1977 and continues today, holding its 40th session in March, 2016.

Mrs. Gordon was an active member of the UNIS Staff Association from 1989 to 1995 and was the Editor-in-Chief of the first Staff Association Newsletter. She was a mentor and role model for many UNIS faculty and taught countless students. Mrs. Gordon was instrumental in the creation and foundation of the UNIS Alumni Association that has reached out to alumni from around the world.

Mrs. Gordon was the quintessential teacher - always up on current affairs, teaching humanities not only from the historical textbook perspective, but incorporating the points of view and history of the students represented in her classroom and of her colleagues.

Mrs. Gordon is survived by her daughter Barbara, her son David, daughter-in-law Ann Bryant, and her four grandchildren Emily, Nathan, Max and Sam.

She will be missed and fondly remembered.