Merril Silverstein, Marjorie Cantor Endowed Professor in Aging and chair of sociology at the Maxwell School, has received the 2026 Outstanding Mentoring Award from the American Sociological Association’s Section on Aging and the Life Course.

The award recognizes section members who have distinguished themselves as mentors to students and junior faculty in the field of aging and the life course. Silverstein will be recognized at the association's 121st Annual Meeting, Aug. 7-11 in New York City.

“Merril’s influence extends far beyond his own scholarship—it lives on in the generations of researchers he has trained and championed,” says Dean David M. Van Slyke. “This award reflects the generosity and rigor he brings to mentoring, and it is richly deserved.”

Silverstein is the inaugural holder of the Marjorie Cantor Chair in Aging Studies. The professorship was established by then-Chancellor Nancy Cantor and her brother, Richard L. Cantor, in memory of their mother, Marjorie Cantor, whose scholarship advanced understanding of the lifestyles of older adults, the importance of caregiver support systems and the needs of elders across class and culture.

Silverstein earned a doctorate in sociology from Columbia University. At Syracuse, he plays a leading role in advancing collaborative research and teaching through the University’s interdisciplinary Aging Studies Institute.