Leaving a Legacy by Honoring a Whole Bunch of ‘Jiminy Crickets’

Though Aulton Kohn, Jr. ’07, G’09, is only in his ‘30s, he has already determined how he can help others in the future. In making two bequest gifts to Syracuse University as part of the Forever Orange campaign, Kohn took a bit of inspiration from a classic Disney movie.

“Every person needs a Jiminy Cricket,” says Kohn, referencing the kind, curious, smart, and funny character who becomes Pinocchio’s guide and conscience on his life journey (and sings the timeless lyrics: “When you wish upon a star, makes no difference who you are; anything your heart desires will come to you.”)

Kohn pays tribute to his own Jiminy Crickets by endowing a graduate student scholarship in the David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics and an undergraduate student scholarship in the School of Education. The scholarships are not in his name, but in the names of others who have inspired, influenced, and guided him. “These gifts are honoring the legacy of what people did for me, guiding me through difficult times, helping me work through things, building me into a better person,” says Kohn. “They are all Jiminy Crickets sitting on my shoulders.”

Kohn, who currently is Associate Director of Operations at the George L. Argyros School of Business & Economics at Chapman University in California, was an award-winning track athlete at Syracuse University. He set university records for speed and won all-conference honors as a sprinter. Though track is, in many ways, a solo sport, Kohn knows he didn’t succeed entirely on his own. “My mother was the one who actually applied for a scholarship so I could attend Syracuse University,” says Kohn. “She is my greatest pillar. She had confidence in me. Whenever I had a track meet, she was there. Her encouragement allowed me to succeed.” That’s why her name—Emily A. Kohn—is on the endowed scholarship to provide financial assistance to an undergraduate in the School of Education.

The Emily A. Kohn/Frank Levell Jr. Scholarship also pays tribute to Kohn’s maternal grandfather. “Papa was hardworking, but one of the most relaxed people I’ve ever met,” says Kohn, of the grandfather who would drive from Kansas City, Kansas to Beaufort, South Carolina, to pick up his grandsons for a long summer stay. “We fished and rode horses, and every night, he would read to us and have long talks about the characters in the books.” To the young man who would become a track star, his grandfather taught him to slow down, to see life through a calmer lens. It’s a gift Kohn now passes on to people who work for him: “I give them permission to take their time. ‘Just slow down, we’ll get there.’” (sounding a lot like Jiminy Cricket!).

Kohn’s other bequest is in honor of five individuals whom he credits with helping him grow and “find his voice” through therapy. The N. Kriz, S. Rice, J. Byerly, M. Herrick and R. Bender Graduate Scholarship will support a graduate student in the David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics who is studying marriage and family therapy and ways to help others through therapy.

Kohn discovered the value of therapy during a low period in his life. “I was stuck in a rut, nervous about my studies and just not feeling happy. I had kept people at arm’s length most of my life.” He says being African American and the son of a Marine Corps Gunnery Sergeant, he was raised to handle problems on his own and not question others’ decisions. Encouraged by a co-worker to try therapy, Kohn discovered that opening up to others was an effective way to strengthen himself.

“Therapists Nicole Kriz, Sarah Rice, Jennifer Byerly, Maddison Herrick, and Riley Bender have each inspired me, helping me make choices in my life, helping me discover my voice and the value of strengthening relationships with friends and family,” says Kohn. He believes that therapy allowed him to uncover the kinds of skills that put him on the track to becoming a successful leader.

With an undergraduate degree in marketing and finance from the Martin J. Whitman School of Management, and an M.S. in information management, Kohn has already achieved many of his dreams, devoting his career to inspiring others on the athletic field and in the classroom. He’s building a legacy of his own but ensuring through his legacy gifts that those who inspired him get the credit.

“Every person has a legacy inside them,” says Kohn. “Every person can be inspired by someone else. Life is all about those legacies coming together, molding the way you think, the way you treat people and the way you ultimately live your life.”