Sylvia Berger

BERGER-Sylvia. The Board of Trustees, the faculty, students, and staff of Teachers College, Columbia University are deeply saddened by the passing of Sylvia Berger, the beloved mother of Joyce Cowin, devoted alumnae and trustee of Teachers College. Ms. Berger, proud of her Midwestern roots, was a pioneer who paved the way for women in the field of law. She was a woman who lived life fully traveling in Ethiopia, Egypt, and aboard the Trans Siberian Railroad before it was fashionable for young women to do such things. Hers was a life characterized by a love of learning. She read Russian literature in Russian. She took classes well into her 90's. She supported educational institutions, including Teachers College and the Heritage School, a public school in East Harlem, largely anonymously. She gave of herself for causes she believed in including 20 years as a pro bono lawyer. Sylvia Berger was an extraordinary woman who led an extraordinary life. On behalf of the TC community, condolences to Joyce and her family. Arthur Levine, President of Teachers College, Columbia University