About 40 members of the College’s esteemed 17 Lex Society enjoyed a twist on the annual Taste of Baruch reception in November 2011, which appealed to their artistic taste as well as their tastebuds. Investment management firm Neuberger Berman hosted the event at its 605 Third Avenue offices in Manhattan.
Each year the College strives to provide a unique setting for this much-anticipated event, with previous venues including the United Nations, the Rubin Museum of Art, and the Helen Mills Event Space and Theatre. And 2011 did not disappoint.
Attendees sang the praises of the behind-the-scenes, curator-led tours of the highly regarded Neuberger Berman art collection. Contemporary art in the workplace has been part of Neuberger Berman’s corporate culture since 1939, when renowned collector Roy Neuberger co-founded the investment firm. Works from around the world are prominently displayed in the company’s hallways, reception areas, and meeting rooms. Founder Neuberger was a firm believer that “art helps us look at the world with a fresh perspective.”
Guests were also treated to greetings from Baruch College President Mitchel Wallerstein, Baruch College Fund President Joel J. Cohen (’59), and distinguished alumnus Marvin C. Schwartz (’62, LHD [Hon.] ’02), whose announcement of the new Hedwig Reinhardt Award for Freshman Excellence was another highlight of the evening. The award—recognizing Schwartz’s 50th year with Neuberger Berman—is named in honor of the Baruch professor instrumental in getting him a position at the firm. The Reinhardt Award will be given to the incoming Baruch student with the highest SAT score.
The annual reception honors the members of the College’s 17 Lex Society, over 200 strong. Membership in the society is conferred upon donors who give $1,000 or more annually to The Baruch College Fund. These gifts—which totaled over $13 million in Fiscal Year 2010–11—support scholarships, faculty, career development services, improved facilities and technology, and new academic initiatives and programs. In FY 2011–12, as in typical years, 17 Lex Society gifts made up over 80% of the unrestricted giving to the College.
The 17 Lex Society is named for the College’s landmark building, the Field Building at 17 Lexington Avenue, which is on the site where the Free Academy, the first free public institution of higher education in the nation, once stood.
—Diane Harrigan