January 2021 E-News

An Up-Close Look at Distance Learning: In the age of Covid-19, "distance learning" has become a familiar phrase at schools and universities around the world. But what exactly is distance learning, and how have faculty adjusted and innovated? Three Baruch professors share experiences and insights in the latest issue of Baruch Alumni Magazine. Read more >

Top Gear: From motorcycling in Pennsylvania (his favorite way to unplug), to growing up in Taiwan, to earning graduate degrees in systems engineering, Baruch's President S. David Wu is a fascinating and multifaceted individual. Learn more in our wide-ranging Baruch Alumni Magazine interview. Read more >

On the Front Lines: When Anisha Rathod (MPA '16) chose to specialize in respiratory care, she knew there'd be some difficult and hectic days in her future. She had no idea, though, that she would one day be working on the front lines of a global pandemic. "We were running around nonstop," she said. Read more >

Broadening Perspectives: From a pool of nearly 7,000 applications, 10 Baruch undergraduates were selected for Gilman International Scholarships in Fall 2020, marking the second straight semester of a double-digit win in a single competition period. Read more >

New Year, New You: With the pandemic having wreaked havoc on the traditional job market, pivoting to a new career and reinventing yourself is happening more frequently, often without a roadmap. This webinar will provide strategies and tactics to help guide job seekers on how to pivot to a new career in 2021. RSVP >

Public Service Amplified: Felicia Crivello (MPA '20) works in external relations for the New York State Senate Majority Conference. The pandemic led to her working around the clock on issues ranging from helping people file for unemployment to finding hand sanitizer. The long hours, she says, are worth it because the work is so rewarding. Read more >

Taking Flight: Throughout the pandemic, Virgin Atlantic has survived a full shutdown of the airline industry, major employee layoffs, and a huge restructuring — all while receiving no financial support from the British government. In this upcoming webinar, Larry Zicklin ('57) will chat with Virgin Atlantic CEO Shai Weiss ('95) about the future of the airline industry. RSVP >

Message from the Director of Alumni Relations and Volunteer Engagement

Dear FIRSTNAME:

From March through November last year, while working virtually from home, I completed a certification course in Applied Positive Psychology. The course was phenomenal and buoyed me through the highs and lows of 2020. It also taught me a great deal about the work I do in Alumni Relations.

Belonging, I learned, is the opposite of loneliness.

Belonging is a human need—it ranks third on Maslow's hierarchy of needs. And while I could go into depth about the (fascinating!) psychological and physiological impacts of Belonging, suffice it to say that community, and the resulting sense of Belonging, takes place when more than two people commit to sharing time, care, and concern for one another. In the words of best-selling author and professor, Brené Brown:

Belonging is the innate human desire to be part of something larger than us. Because this yearning is so primal, we often try to acquire it by fitting in and seeking approval, which are hollow substitutes and barriers to belonging. Because true belonging only happens when we present our authentic, perfect selves to the world.

As we launch ourselves into 2021, still in pandemic mode, still with unsteady politics and economies, I invite you to think about what Belonging means to you. Where do you feel you belong most? With whom do you feel your greatest connection? Within what community do you feel like your best self—and how does Baruch fit into that picture?