Michael Weingarten Named Valedictorian of Touro’s Lander College of Arts & Sciences in Flatbush
Brooklyn Native Combines Learning, Scientific Research and a Legacy of Service on His Path to Medical School
Michael Weingarten, a Biology Honors major with a 4.0 GPA, has been named the 2025 valedictorian of the men’s division of Touro University’s Lander College of Arts & Sciences (LAS) in Flatbush. Weingarten is driven by a lifelong desire to care for others—an ambition inspired by the chesed-centered home he grew up in, and by the example of his father, a physician assistant.
“I vividly remember the countless Shabbosim and Yomim Tovim when people in need would knock on our door, seeking his help,” Michael said. “Watching the impact he had, providing care and comfort, left a lasting impression on me and inspired me to follow in his footsteps."
That sense of purpose led him to Touro in Flatbush where he was drawn by the school’s dual emphasis on academic rigor and religious commitment.
“I chose Touro because of its unique commitment to academic excellence and its supportive structure, which allowed me to continue my Torah learning in yeshiva while simultaneously pursuing my bachelor's degree in science,” he said.
At LAS, Michael maximized his opportunities. He earned a Lander Honors Scholarship, became a tutor for chemistry and physics, and published an article in the Touro College Science Journal, later serving as an associate editor. He also conducted research at HASC Diagnostic and Treatment Center for individuals with special needs, exploring how diabetes medications affect individuals with mental illness.
Michael’s not the first in his family to graduate from Touro; His father is also a Touro graduate, and both of his older brothers attended Touro Flatbush for their pre-med studies before matriculating into Einstein Medical School and Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine.
Raised in Brooklyn, Michael attended Yeshiva Toras Emes Kaminetz in Flatbush for high school and continued his Torah studies at Yeshiva Gedola of Elkins Park and Yeshiva Torah Vodaath. He credits his yeshiva background with helping him develop the discipline and perspective necessary to balance rigorous academics with meaningful personal growth.
Michael plans to apply to medical school this summer and matriculate in 2026, and in five years he hopes to be well into his medical training, continuing the journey he began at home and nurtured at Touro: a life of service, scholarship, and compassion.
“Michael is an outstanding student and a shining Ben Torah who, as a caring and compassionate physician, will create a kiddush Hashem in all his interaction,” said Dr. Robert Goldschmidt, Vice President and Executive Dean of Touro’s Lander College in Flatbush.
