To further increase the visibility of Baruch within the corporate and public sectors where our alumni work, I have embarked on an outreach program.
The New York corporate, government, and not-for-profit communities have long recognized Baruch College as a source of top talent. Corporate and civic leaders appreciate the extra dimension our students bring, that “fire in the belly” determination often honed from having to overcome economic obstacles or social barriers. These leaders also know that a broadly representative workforce is necessary for the future prosperity of our city and nation. Where better to find that than at a college named for the last seven years as the most diverse in the U.S.
To further increase the visibility of Baruch within the corporate and public sectors where our alumni work, I have embarked on an outreach program with several objectives:
- To strengthen our bond with alumni
- To give alumni within large corporations and government agencies a chance to meet and network
- To foster broader corporate and public financial support
- To encourage recruitment of our graduates and involvement in programs on campus
During the past year, I have met with the CEOs and senior executives of a wide range of companies, not-for-profit entities, and government agencies. Among the many groups visited have been Citigroup, Lehman Brothers, JPMorgan Chase, Colgate-Palmolive, Goldman Sachs, Wachovia Bank, TIAA-CREF, U.S. Trust, HSBC, Hearst Corporation, Ernst & Young, Deloitte & Touche, PricewaterhouseCoopers, KPMG, and Grant Thornton. I have also met with members of the New York City Council, Mayor’s Office, State Assembly, and State Senate. In all these settings, I have underscored the crucial role Baruch plays in the life of the state and city. The results: stronger relationships with key decision-makers and much-needed funds for the College. My meetings with City government officials alone yielded grants totaling $750,000 for the renovation of Mason Hall. Last June I held Baruch’s first Community Reception, attended by several local organizations and area residents. My civic involvement—as a board member of Acción International, a nonprofit microcredit-lending organization; on the steering committee of Association for a Better New York; and as a member of the Economic Club of New York—has expanded the College’s presence.
My meetings with executives have, in several cases, led to company-sponsored, first-time alumni receptions. These receptions have been opportunities to build internal alumni networks and to reacquaint alumni with Baruch and the improvements this institution has made to increase its academic reputation. Few knew that the SAT scores for entering undergraduates in 2005 were at an all-time high or that Baruch has just completed an unprecedented hiring campaign of full-time, tenure-track faculty. At these events, we also made advances in corporate and individual contributions to the College.
Let me offer three examples of such receptions:
Joe Leone (’75), vice chairman and CFO of CIT Group, has been active as a Baruch Executive on Campus over the past several years. Joe volunteered to hold an alumni reception at CIT for me and our new director of alumni relations, Lisa Poullard-Burton. The dozen attendees represented an age span of 30 years and all levels of company management. This reception opened up new avenues of recruiting and the possibility of a corporate gift to the College.
Steve Kerr (’73), chief learning officer at Goldman Sachs (and the first chief learning officer at General Electric, under Jack Welch), hosted a breakfast attended by 30 Baruch alumni, including several managing directors who had not been back to the College in years. Zicklin School Dean John Elliott and I presented on the state of the College. This event created opportunities for greater alumni involvement on campus and opened doors with the Goldman Sachs Foundation. Goldman Sachs now recruits extensively at Baruch, and this year interviewed 30 students, 19 of whom were called back, the highest call-back rate of any college in the U.S. Six full-time offers have already been made for next year.
The head of equity investment at TIAA-CREF in New York, Susan Ulick, whom I met at a Financial Women’s Association event, arranged for a luncheon hosted by the management of TIAA-CREF, attended by over 30 alumni. Energized, alumni there have now begun to build an internal network to support campus involvement, individual fundraising, and recruiting.
We are encouraged by the early success of this outreach effort and are already making plans for programs at additional corporations, organizations, and agencies. If you wish to become involved or want more information, I urge you to contact either Donna Haggarty, executive director, strategic partnerships (donna_haggarty@baruch.cuny.edu; telephone 646-660-6089); Lisa Poullard-Burton, director of alumni relations (alumni@baruch.cuny.edu; telephone 646-660-6097); or Patricia Imbimbo, director of career services (patricia_imbimbo@baruch.cuny.edu; telephone 646-312-4683).
I look forward to seeing many more of you in the months to come.
Photo by Jerry Speier
