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What started as a summer job to make ends meet turned into a surprising career for Nick Jiwa (’91). The alumnus worked at a call center in 1986 and couldn’t wrap his head around the concept. “But I needed the money,” he recalls, “and so I stuck with it.” More than three decades later, Jiwa … Continue reading The CX Pioneer: Nick Jiwa (’91)
For decades, Tom Lapinski ('72) has worked to inject humanity into America’s prison system. And his latest project, Through the Bars, is his most ambitious venture yet. The foundation supports history, music, and arts programs at San Quentin Prison, with a goal of reducing recidivism and promoting successful reintegration of inmates into society. Programs include … Continue reading Reaching Through the Bars: Tom Lapinski (’72)
It was a homecoming, of sorts, for Jillian Flexner (MBA ’16), when she returned to campus in April for the New York City premiere of Bound, a one-act chamber opera, at the Baruch Performing Arts Center. The opera was presented by Fresh Squeezed Opera, an organization founded by Flexner in 2013. “We created Fresh Squeezed … Continue reading Operatic Homecoming: Jillian Flexner (MBA ’16) and Fresh Squeezed Opera
When class of 1947 alumnus William Newman made a $5 million gift to his alma mater in 1993, its impact was immediate and seismic. At the time, it was the second-largest gift ever received by The City University of New York (CUNY), surpassed only by the 1965 bequest from the College’s namesake, Bernard M. Baruch.
When it comes to harmonizing professional and philanthropic pursuits, entrepreneur Jie Hayes (MBA ’99) hits all the right notes. The Zicklin alumna is the founder and portfolio manager of Songbird Capital, a boutique investment advisory firm based in Princeton, NJ. She is also the donor behind the Songbird Capital Scholarship Program at Baruch. Both the company and the scholarship program owe their names to the Fleetwood Mac tune “Songbird,” from the group’s mega-album Rumours, which she was learning to play on the guitar at the same time she was establishing her firm. “The song represents the confluence of my passions, from entrepreneurship, to music, to doing the right thing for my clients, my family, and the larger community,” she explains.
Luxury cruises were an alien concept to Bronx-born Harry Sommer (’88). “They just weren’t a big deal in New York City,” he recalls, “especially in the late eighties.” Today that has all changed, for the industry and for the alumnus. Mr. Sommer was recently appointed president international at Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, a position in … Continue reading All Aboard with Cruise Industry Leader Harry Sommer (’88)
College and coffee go hand in hand, and Baruch is no exception. During midterms and finals, especially, students buzz around the Newman Vertical Campus between study sessions swigging Starbucks or nitro cold brews purchased from one of the food trucks or boutique coffee shops popping up throughout the neighborhood. It’s no surprise, then, that Baruch alumni continue their love affair with coffee long after graduation. But they’re not only drinking it—they’re selling it, as Baruch entrepreneurs are making their mark on what has become a $20 billion global industry. From running hip coffeehouses to supporting responsibly sourced beans, owning trendy cold-brew companies to innovating instant coffee, meet four alumni who are helping to shape this growing industry, one flavorful cup at a time.
Baruch College mourns the loss of Gerald Milton Lotenberg ('49), a World War II veteran who passed away peacefully on March 13, 2019. Mr. Lotenberg had been looking forward to attending what would have been his 70th reunion of graduating from Baruch College this June.
On February 19 Baruch College students, faculty, staff, and alumni joined an estimated 1.5 billion people in celebrating the Lunar New Year. The gathering was hosted by the New York Confucius Institute for Global Finance at Baruch College (NYCIGF@Baruch) and ushered in the Year of the Pig with Chinese music, dance, and language performances. The … Continue reading Baruch Welcomes the Year of the Pig
Letter written by Lloyd Albin (’50), dated Friday, December 7, 2018: “In reading the magazine [BAM Fall 2018/Winter 2019], I was taken back to my roots, both in high school and in college, at 23rd Street and Lexington Avenue. Today’s date rings many bells. “On the morning of December 8, 1941, all the students and … Continue reading Looking Back with Lloyd Albin (’50)
