In spring 1998, Lawrence Zicklin (’57) and his wife, Carol, pledged $18 million to elevate Baruch College’s business school’s students and programs. Their gift came on the heels of a $10 million gift from George (’39) and Mildred Weissman. Later that year, in September, the College dedicated the Zicklin School of Business and the Weissman School of Arts and Sciences in their honor. In 2013–14, the College is celebrating their transformative gifts. On the occasion of the anniversary celebration, Larry Zicklin talked briefly with BCAM.
BCAM: What are the changes you’ve seen in the Zicklin School of Business and Baruch College in the past 15 years?
Larry Zicklin: The greatest improvements have taken place in the quality of our students and our faculty. The student improvement is demonstrated by our SAT entrance scores, which have risen from 1030 in 1998 to 1239 in 2013. During that same period of time, we have added new faculty from some of the most prestigious graduate schools in the United States and abroad. The combination of better students and better faculty has contributed to an exceptional energy level and a much-improved spirit at the school.
BCAM: What do you hope/expect to see from the Zicklin School and Baruch College in the future as a result of your investments?
LZ: I want to see a continuation of the trends noted above. There is always room for improvement, and we should constantly strive to reach goals that are as out of reach now as today’s achievements seemed out of reach in 1998.
But now we have the opportunity to further enhance our service to the City of New York by using technology in a way that was not possible in 1998. While our main concern must remain fulfilling our New York City mission, we have an obligation to broaden our services for the benefit of the poor to the degree that current technology allows us.
BCAM: How has your partnership with Baruch College in the past 15 years changed who you are as a person?
LZ: As much as I admired the school when I attended it, that admiration has meaningfully increased as I’ve come to better know the student population. They are a remarkable group who work multiple jobs, go to school, and in many instances, take care of families. Compared to them, I had it easy. That knowledge has forever changed me: I realize how lucky I was when I was a student. I am in awe of this student body.
BCAM: Would you feel comfortable completing this sentence: If George Weissman were here to see the 15th anniversary of the naming of the Zicklin and Weissman Schools, I know he would…
LZ: I know he would take great pride in what his gifts have done for Baruch. George was a great believer that the liberal arts were the foundation of a civilized society. Without the knowledge that is imparted in that portion of the Baruch curriculum, we might as well be drones focused on merely building the nest. Thank heaven for George and his foresight.”