Syms Presidential Candidate Bios and Platforms

Eli Greenberg

My name is Eli Greenberg and I am running for Syms President. I am a Junior majoring in Marketing and minoring in Management. I was born in Philadelphia, PA, and raised in Stamford, Connecticut, where I still live today. I attended SAR High School, where I was a member of the Varsity basketball team and choir, and studied abroad for a year and a half at Reishit in Beit Shemesh, Israel. While I didn’t apply to YU in High School, once I was in Israel and began to take myself seriously, I knew YU was the only place that I wanted to be. I quickly joined TAMID which helped foster my interest and passion for the start-up world, and as of last year I became the Vice President of the Marketing Club.

I am more than willing to abandon my role of Vice President of the Marketing Club, to serve as the President of SYMS so that I can be more involved in the student body, and have a position in a more integral part of daily life at YU. The main focus of my campaign, is to help each student find their career path, and help plan for their future as much as possible. I plan on doing this by organizing panels and career fairs across all of the given majors in SYMS, to ensure that each SYMS student has a fair and equal opportunity to do so. The amount of business professionals that are alumni of YU is abundant, and they can serve as vital resources in helping current students excel and ultimately land jobs, which is what I plan to help with as well.

If you vote for me, you will be voting for somebody that not only cares about the students of SYMS, but about the student body of YU as a whole. I believe in the need for a strong connection between YC and SYMS, and connecting the two wherever possible is also a goal of mine. At the end of the day, we’re all trying to learn from the best educators our university has to offer, and solidify our roles as business professionals in college and onwards. I want to be that link between the students and administrators to create a level of transparency that is unmatched in other universities. The only way to do this is by listening to what the students have to say, and transmitting their ideas, philosophies, and concerns to the administration and facilitating that connection. I am eager and excited to be the next President of Sy Syms School of Business, and with your help, I will do everything I can to help you, and to make your college years successful and memorable.

Akiva Koppel

I’m from Bergenfield, NJ, went to Frisch and spent a year in Jerusalem learning at Torat Shraga.  I’m currently a 4th-semester accounting student in the Sy Syms School of Business.  Through great times and opportunities in Syms, I have a better understanding of the operation of the Business school, and I feel that I can give back to the Syms student community at YU.

I would like to represent the interests of Syms students to the administration of the University and work with the different school departments on projects and activities.  The backbone of my platform is strengthening the ties between YC and Syms and giving more opportunities to students, while still achieving top education.  My vision focuses on furthering the idea of "One Campus, One Community."  I believe that with my experience as a student Ambassador, President of the Hospitality Management Club, a member on the Student Athletic Activities Council, and a board member of many other clubs and involvements, I have the needed leadership skills.  As a lover of foreign culture and language, I also understand the needs and challenges of international Syms students at YU, and will try my best to accommodate these needs.

Here are some changes I would make to make:

• Have more mixer events that need teamwork.  We can get to know other Syms students from other majors/ campuses.
• Enhance cohesiveness across all elements of the student body.  I would like increased contact with alumni for specific networking -- we can have YU alumni there with you for every step of the way, from what area of Business to major in, to networking, to applying, to being fully prepared for an interview, to being ready and polished for the first day of work.  

If elected, I will work to make the Syms student community at YU a more diverse and united family.  My enthusiasm, inspiration, and passion can create a close-knit community where students will gain memorable experiences on campus as a whole.  Your concerns about Syms will be my concerns, and I will make sure that they are addressed by the administration.  Thank you!