History professor, faculty senator
Edward L. Dreyer, distinguished Chinese military historian and University of Miami professor, died June 30 after battling a long illness. He was 66.
Dreyer began teaching at UM in 1970 after receiving his B.A., M.A. and PhD degrees from Harvard University.
He also worked actively in the UM community as a member of several administrative committees in the College of Arts and Sciences and as a long-time senator in the Faculty Senate.
“[Dreyer was] always willing to devote time and energy to important issues in the life of the university,” said Stephen Sapp, a professor and chair of religious studies, who worked with Dreyer in the Faculty Senate. “We will definitely miss him.”
Dreyer is survived by wife and UM political science professor, June Teufel Dreyer, their two children and three grandchildren.
Trustee, former state legislator
Kenneth Myers, University of Miami trustee and former state legislator, died July 29 due to injuries sustained from a fall. He was 74.
Myers sat on the university’s Board of Trustees for 25 years, in addition to serving as the chairman of the Medical School Board of Overseers.
After earning his law degree at the University of Florida’s School of Law, Myers returned to Miami to work for Myers, Kenin, Levinson & Richards, a law firm founded by his father.
In addition to law, Myers earned his name in politics, representing Miami-Dade County in the Florida Legislature from 1964 to 1980. He later served in the House of Representative for four years and the Senate for 12 years.
University president Donna E. Shalala worked with Myers for six years.
Myers is survived by his sister, Judy, his three nieces, two nephews and eight grandnieces and grandnephews.
Journalism professor
Michael B. Salwen, a University of Miami journalism professor, author and husband, died Tuesday after battling cancer for more than six years. He was 53.
Prior to coming to UM, Salwen earned his B.A. in English and psychology from the College of New Jersey, and his M.A. in journalism from The Pennsylvania State University.
During his early twenties, Salwen worked as a reporter for several newspapers in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. He then earned his Ph.D. in mass media from Michigan State University, where he met his wife and fellow UM professor, Okhee Lee-Salwen.
While at Miami, Salwen also worked as the associate editor for Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly, a publication dedicated to research in the field of journalism and mass media communication.
“What would stand out about Michael was his love and dedication to scholarship and research,” said Michel Dupagne, an associate professor of broadcast journalism and close friend of Salwen. “He actually motivated fellow professors to be more productive and keenly interested in research.”
He is survived by his wife, mother and two brothers. A memorial service for the University of Miami community took place on Aug. 17.
UM Cancer Center founder
Harcourt Sylvester, Jr., founder of the UM/Sylvester Cancer Center, died on August 30. He was 80.
After losing his father to lung cancer, Sylvester began a passionate fight against the disease, first founding the Harcourt M. and Virginia W. Sylvester Foundation, and the UM/Sylvester Cancer Center in 1992.
UM/Sylvester currently treats approximately 200,000 patients and employs more than 200 physicians and scientists.
Sylvester also funded cancer research at UM’s Batchelor Children’s Research Institute, after his grandchild survived a battle with cancer.
Sylvester is preceded in death by his son Steven, and is survived by two daughters, ten grandchildren, and two great grandchildren.
Karyn Meshbane may be contacted at k.meshbane@umiami.edu.