(Courtesy of Touro College) David Geffen Hall at Lincoln Center filled with thousands of exuberant graduate students and their families and friends on June 14 to celebrate the 37th commencement of the Touro College Division of Graduate Studies.
Diplomas were conferred on 1,425 members of the Class of 2018, from six Touro graduate schools—Business, Education, Health Sciences, Jewish Studies, Technology and Social Work—by President Alan Kadish, MD, following a personal and spirited call to action by keynote speaker Hillel Fuld, an American-Israeli entrepreneur, journalist and vlogger who has been named Israel’s top marketer. Fuld collaborates with many global brands on marketing including Google, Oracle and Microsoft.
“Today, given the tools and resources you have at your fingertips and the knowledge you have acquired, the only thing preventing you from accomplishing the impossible is you,” he told the assemblage.
In his remarks, during which he traced in detail his philosophy and path to achieving his goals, Fuld stressed the core of business is “passion and giving.” He said he spent his years focusing on his passion for technology and writing, while giving free help to others and ignoring advice to focus more on monetizing his talents.
“Any small piece of success that I have had traces…back to the day when I started writing my very unstructured thoughts about the world of technology. If one of the companies I now work with sold for billions tomorrow, I would change nothing. I would continue doing what I am doing and what I have always done, followed my passion and given as much as I possibly can to all those around me who can benefit from what I have to offer. I suggest you do the same and …right now.”
Fuld’s remarks followed those of Dr. Kadish, who encouraged the graduates to help make the world more enlightened and compassionate, to live for purposes higher than one’s self and to teach others. “It is time for you to take your spots in that broader scheme and determine the parts you’ll play in enriching our society,” the president said.
“I implore you to take your knowledge and spend your lives teaching others. The world in 2018 is complicated and stressful but I am optimistic we will overcome what divides us. Keep being dedicated, teach others and do us proud,” said Dr. Kadish. “I have no doubts that, with the education you’ve received, yours will be robust and beautiful contributions.”
The audience heard moving speeches from six student speakers, each representing one of the six graduate schools. The speakers, who hailed from Greece, El Salvador, Indonesia, Argentina and the Dominican Republic, were Eleni Mellou, MS in business administration; Miguel Monterrosa, MS in mathematics education; Jessica Punzal, MS in industrial organization-psychology; Ariana Solovey-Mizrahi, MA in Jewish studies; Mailen Nunez, MS in information systems; and Christian Rodriguez, MSW, social work.
