Bob Lauterborn, who became the first James L. Knight Professor of Advertising at the journalism school in 1986, stands next to a painting done by his late wife, Sylvia Lauterborn. (Photo submitted by subject)
Bob Lauterborn honors his late wife, Sylvia Lauterborn, and creates lasting impact through a funded fellowship program for oncology nursing.
Bob Lauterborn’s remarkable career started at a young age. When he was just 16 years old, Bob received a full scholarship to attend Columbia University, where he received a bachelor’s degree in English and business.
After four years working at a newspaper in his hometown in Syracuse, New York, Bob began working at General Electric. He held 10 advertising and marketing positions over 16 years with the company. Bob didn’t intend to leave GE, but he eventually decided to follow his mentor to International Paper, where Bob held the title of director of marketing communications and corporate advertising for 10 years. In both companies, Bob traveled the world as a nationally recognized advertiser and spoke about new marketing perspectives.
“I’d done it all,” Bob said. “I’d made major contributions, but that was probably it.” He trained two other people how to do his job and put his radar up in case any interesting positions became available. One day, he found what he was looking for.
A researcher told Bob that Knight-Ridder had given UNC-Chapel Hill $1 million to endow a faculty chair. The list of qualifications seemed to describe Bob exactly. He was intrigued. “Here came this thing,” Bob said, “and I had wanted to teach bits and pieces of courses.”
Not long after, Bob became the first James L. Knight Professor of Advertising at what is now the UNC Hussman School of Journalism and Media. Bob, who intended to stay in the position for 10 years, spent 23 years educating, researching, traveling and presenting.
As a teacher, Bob loved having the opportunity to touch students’ lives. “I’ve got 2,000 students out there all over the world, and I’m in touch with at least a couple hundred,” he said. “Twenty of them will probably come to my funeral.”
Bob found immense purpose and changed lives worldwide throughout his corporate and educational career. However, his proudest achievement is not reflected on his resume.
While he still worked for General Electric, Bob met a young woman named Sylvia during a business trip, and for Bob, everything changed. “It was instant,” he said. “Absolutely instant.”
Sylvia, who was born and raised in Wales, was a flight attendant for Pan American when the two met. She was formerly a nurse but quit because she didn’t like when patients died. “She would get attached to them,” Bob explained. From their first meeting, Bob knew that Sylvia was the one for him.
He later learned the immediate connection he felt was shared. Sylvia and Bob married shortly after and started a life that would lead to three children, constant adventure and decades of love.
Bob and Sylvia enriched their relationship by enjoying their shared passion of traveling. Bob said he has slept at least one night in 92 countries so far, but when it comes to their favorite place, neither of them could give an answer. “We haven’t been there yet,” they always said. One frequented country, though, was China. Bob’s consulting and teaching work took him to the country frequently — the pair spent most of 10 years exploring more than 20 Chinese cities.
In 2013, Sylvia was diagnosed with aggressive pancreatic cancer that had spread to her organs. She decided not to undergo chemotherapy, choosing instead to stay at home doing what she loved in her last months. Her global impact became clearer than ever when they discovered her diagnosis. “People came from all over the world to see her,” Bob said.
Less than three months after she was diagnosed, Sylvia died in Bob’s arms at their home. “We had 49.8 wonderful years together,” Bob said. In the following months and years, Bob sought ways to remember and honor her.
Bob showcases Sylvia’s artwork and displays symbols of her home country around their home. Shortly after Sylvia’s death, Bob met a woman who taught children to sew and decided to donate many of Sylvia’s dressmaking supplies to the cause. Her other art supplies went to a local art center.
Still, Bob wanted to do more. “I looked for ways to honor her memory, and it took a couple years, I guess,” Bob said. But when he found what would later be named the Sylvia Lauterborn Oncology Nursing Fellowship Program, Bob knew it was just right.
The program incorporates Sylvia’s first job as a nurse and the oncology care she received after her diagnosis. “It was absolutely perfect,” Bob said. The competitive summer program offers both academic and clinical training to selected nurses.
“Anywhere from four to six nurses will go through the program every year,” Bob said. “Talk about the gift that keeps on giving. I mean, think of the benefit.”
With an automatic membership to the Oncology Nursing Society, direct mentorship and a program-long project, nurses are equipped to enter the field of oncology and make a difference after the program’s end.
Bob has had the opportunity to meet the fellows when they are first selected and when they present their final projects. Meeting their families, celebrating their achievements and hearing about the real-life impact reminds Bob just how important the program is. Last year, Bob was able to celebrate 10 years of the fellowship with a reunion of nurses who had gone through the program.
“I’m sure Sylvia is really happy,” Bob said. “She sees these kids graduating from this program and going and doing wonderful things for people. It’s really been a joy.”
Sylvia’s memory lives on in the program, in the lives of those she’s touched, in Bob’s memories and in their home. A red dragon, the symbol of Wales, sits underneath her favorite Japanese maple tree just outside of Bob’s front door. “I talk to her every day,” Bob said.
Looking back on his life, Bob feels very fortunate: to have married Sylvia (“Or to persuade her to marry me,” Bob amended); to have spent a beautiful life with her; and to have found a way to honor her for years to come.
“It’s all been wonderful,” Bob said. “I’ve been incredibly lucky. I still am.”
Written by Emma Unger ’25
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