Moshe Jacob Named Valedictorian of Lander College of Arts & Sciences in Flatbush-Men's Division
Gabe Kahn
212-463-0400 x5404
gabriel.kahn@touro.edu
New York, N.Y. – For a long time, Moshe Jacob planned on becoming a lawyer. His strong analytical skills and ability to think critically were compelling indications that he would thrive in the legal field.
But beyond what seems like an innate aptitude for matters of the law, Moshe has also felt a familial pull: He’d be following in the footsteps of both his father and his grandfather.
“I was brought up on it and I like it,” said Moshe, who resides in Monsey, New York. “I’m already feeling behind the times—my father started at Columbia Law at 21, and I’m 22.”
Notwithstanding a minute age difference, Moshe is measuring up to his family’s lofty standards. He was named 2015 valedictorian of the men’s division of the Lander College of Arts & Sciences in Flatbush (LAS) and will serve as a student speaker at the 41st commencement exercises of the Lander Colleges to be held in Avery Fisher Hall Lincoln Center. And in the fall Moshe will attend his father’s alma mater, Columbia Law School.
Graduating with a 3.97 grade point average—same as his father’s college GPA; his mother topped them both with a 3.98—Moshe will receive the Lander College Economics Award at commencement. Along with Dr. Michael Szenberg, distinguished professor of economics and business at Touro College, Moshe restarted the Touro chapter of Omicron Delta Epsilon (ODE), the international honor society for economics, a major objective being the authoring of scholarly research. The Lander chapter president, Moshe is writing his own paper, “The Changing Structural Conditions of the United States Commercial Banking Industry,” which will be published in the ODE official journal, The American Economist. Additionally, Dr. Szenberg has nominated Moshe for the society’s Charles Phillips Outstanding Student Leader Award.
“We congratulate Moshe for his extraordinary academic and leadership abilities,” said Dr. Robert Goldschmidt, dean of LAS and the vice president for planning and assessment of Touro College. “We are confident that he will excel at Columbia Law School, distinguish himself in the legal field and bring honor to Touro.”
Moshe’s road to LAS was long—more specifically about an hour and forty-five-minute drive—as he spent each morning learning at Mosdos Zichron Erez, Rabbi Chaim Zev Levitan’s yeshiva in Monsey. But besides receiving a top-notch education, he said attending LAS was worth the arduous commute because of its “homey” feel.
“Everyone’s friendly and willing to help each other out,” he said. The warm environment extended to his relationship with the faculty. “Even when I applied to law school, so many professors went out of their way, helping me with my application, editing my resume or doing whatever they could do. Not just the law professors; all of them.”
Eventually Moshe hopes to specialize in corporate law, though his plans are not set in stone. He is entering law school with a running start, as he spent a semester as an intern for a small Manhattan law firm, assisting the partners with cases and writing for the firm’s legal blog. He’s also helping others navigate the waters toward law school by tutoring them for the LSATS.
As for meeting the high standards of his family, Moshe says his parents are very proud of his accomplishments. Moshe did note, however, that his older brother Avi, a current student at LAS, actually has a higher GPA.
“Lucky for me, he’s pre-dental.”
The Lander College of Arts and Sciences in Flatbush, with separate divisions for men and women, is located at Avenue J and East 16th Street in the Midwood section of Brooklyn. More than 1,000 students are enrolled each semester at the campus. Encompassing more than 90,000 square feet, the campus was inaugurated in the spring of 1995. In September 1997, the New York State Education Department officially designated this site as The Flatbush Branch Campus of Touro College.
About the Touro College and University System
Touro is a system of non-profit institutions of higher and professional education. Touro College was chartered in 1970 primarily to enrich the Jewish heritage, and to serve the larger American and global community. Approximately 19,000 students are currently enrolled in its various schools and divisions. Touro College has branch campuses, locations and instructional sites in the New York area, as well as branch campuses and programs in Berlin, Jerusalem, Moscow, Paris and Florida. New York Medical College, Touro University California and its Nevada branch campus, as well as Touro University Worldwide and its Touro College Los Angeles division are separately accredited institutions within the Touro College and University System. For further information on Touro College, please go to: http://www.touro.edu/news/.
