“The New York Tenacity”

“We met a Touro graduate at the career fair and we didn’t have a position for her, but she didn’t give up,” said Goldman, whose company works with sellers on the internet’s largest marketplace and maintains its own product site. “She stayed in touch and eventually we created a position for her.”

The Touro grad became Goldman’s assistant before moving into operations and then, after a steady series of promotions, became a brand manager at the company, forging relationships with sellers and helping Quantum Networks maintain its premier status as one of Amazon’s 200 Preferred Sellers. For her work anniversary, the company surprised her with a trip to Vegas and tickets to see a concert by her favorite performer.

“We like grit,” explained Goldman. “We like this New York tenacity that Touro graduates have.”

Goldman and her company were one of the close to 40 employers that turned up at Touro’s biannual Career Fair, held on March 1 at Lander College for Women—The Mark and Anna Ruth Hasten School (LCW). Employers ranged from leading healthcare providers to NGOs and the top five accounting firms. Graduates and students came from several Touro schools, including LCW, Lander College for Men (LCM); Lander College of Arts and Sciences in Flatbush (LAS) and the School of Health Sciences (SHS).

Ron Ansel, Director of Career Services at LCM, who had primary responsibility for the event, said the career fair is an intensive three-month collaborative effort by the Career Services departments of LCM, LCW, and LAS Flatbush.

“We collaborate twice a year to bring our respective students and alumni to interview with employers who have full time positions and internships,” said Ansel. “It is a demanding effort that we feel benefits everyone involved -- students, alumni, employers, and the Touro faculty and administration. The turnout at this fair was especially strong!” 

Chaim Shapiro, Director of LAS’s Office of Student Success, praised the event.

“The career fair was a very successful event both from the student and the employer perspectives,” he said. “It truly represents a symbiotic relationship which is beneficial to both. It is always great to see the connections made between career-oriented professional and prepared students and the employers who would like to hire them.”

“The career fair is an opportunity for our students to meet face-to-face with employers, to be able to practice their interviewing skills and to show their abilities in order to obtain internships or full-time positions,” added Sarri Singer, Director of Career Services at LCW. “In today’s competitive world every student needs to take advantage of every opportunity in front of them.”

Companies included Canon, B & H Photo, the FBI, the New York Parks Service, New York City Transit, EisnerAmper; PricewaterhouseCooper, KPMG, Deloitte and the Jewish Community Relations Council.

Brandishing her resume, Mori Berman was a strong candidate for any position. A dual major in biology and psychology in her first year at LCW, Berman was hunting for an internship. “Touro prepared me for this,” she said. “Even if I don’t land an internship, I’m networking and making connections. I’m gaining experience interviewing and getting to learn more about different companies.”

Companies also used the opportunity to get a better feel for the Touro students.

“Having a 4.0 is important, but not as important as having a positive attitude and being a team player,” advised Michael Liss, an auditor at EisnerAmper.

His fellow auditor Abraham Yi concurred: “We’re meeting potential people that we would be happy to work with.”

Yosef Kasle, an accounting major in LAS, looked for part-time position at a small accounting firm.

“It’s worthwhile to make the connections and learn how to be more comfortable in interviews,” he reflected.

Standing head and shoulders above the crowd (he’s over 6’7), Pablo Schiavi, a business major in LAS who came to the college from Argentina, said he felt prepared for the interviews and his career beyond. He credits the small class sizes in LAS and the faculty relationships he forged.

“Classes here are small and so focused,” he said. “The professors are great. You feel ready for the working world.”

David Kaufman, a senior at LCM, thought that learning Judaic studies alongside his secular classes made him an attractive candidate for employers. “The dual curriculum at LCM really sharpened my analytical skills,” he said.  

As with many other Touro career fairs, successful Touro graduates were also on the other side of the table, interviewing students for internships and full-time positions. Ruth Volk of EisnerAmper and Ariella Steinreich of Steinreich Communications are graduates of LCW.

“The reason I come to the career fair is because I recognize the opportunity Touro gave me,” Said Steinreich. “It’s my hope to do the same.”

She also offered some advice to students who were nervous during their interviews. “We’re not looking for you to solve the puzzle, we’re looking for you to be interested in finding the right pieces.”

“Everything Sarri Singer [director of career services for LCW] told us when we were preparing for job interviews—how to dress, how to format our resume—is now exactly what I look for when I interview people,” said Volk, an auditor. “I’m always impressed by how prepared Touro students are.”

Sarah Cohen, a computer science major at LCW, was one of those students. “Touro prepares you for your professional life from the moment you step on campus,” she said.