Schools

Networking at Touro

Posted

Alumni of Touro’s Lander College For Men are paying it forward by sharing their professional experiences with current students.

Alumni from marketing to medicine brought their stories to the table at a multi-day event.

“We are lucky to have dedicated alumni who are eager to give back to Lander. That sense of community is one of our greatest strengths,” said Rabbi Dr. Moshe Sokol, dean of Lander.

Lander’s unique environment is bearing fruit. One hundred percent of applicants are accepted to dental and law schools, while 93 percent are accepted into medical schools.  Alumni work at top firms in business, accounting and finance, including Morgan Stanley, Deloitte, Cushman & Wakefield and Pricewaterhouse Coopers.

Students at the career night peppered alumni with questions. “I wanted to know what skills are essential for success in marketing and what a typical day is like,” said Lander student Shimon Kanter.

Jonathan Buchbinder, a marketing strategist at Macy’s, provided some answers. A psychology major, Buchbinder focused on learning everything he could about consumer behavior. The small classes and group projects gave him a chance to build the knowledge he needed to launch his career.  

Jordan Kaplan, a 2011 graduate who is an associate at S&P Global, emphasized the importance of networking. “Always keep your eyes and ears open, as you can build your network anywhere,” he said. “I sat next to somebody on a bus who works at JP Morgan. We struck up a conversation and I now have a contact at another large financial company who I can reach out to with questions on business-related topics.”

Kaplan advised students to focus on gaining meaningful experience. “The salary is important, but more important is looking for a first job that will offer you an opportunity to learn about the industry and build critical skills that can propel you to the next level,” he said.

Aryeh Gottlieb, a program manager for training and development at Northwell Health, always planned to go into psychology. His professors at Lander prepared him for a Masters Program in Industrial and Organizational Psychology. He told students that once they have identified their goals, they should seize opportunities to achieve them.

Lander students were eager to take his advice.