Marjorie Rasinovsky-Albert Promoted in OSL, Several New Staff Members Hired to Focus on Student Affairs

Marjorie Rasinovsky-Albert, formerly the student life program manager at the Office of Student Life (OSL), will be taking on the new role of associate director of student life, Vice Provost for Student Affairs Chaim Nissel emailed students on Aug. 23. His email also included that the Office of Student Affairs (OSA) hired several new staff members for various new positions.

Kristen Gartside and Rukia Rahi are joining the Office of International Students (OIS) as assistant director and international program coordinator, respectively. Alana Reichenberg is working with the Department of University Housing and Residence Life (UHRL) as the new housing manager, along with another role in COVID-monitoring, while Ashlee Burrs will begin as the director of student success. 

Rasinovsky-Albert’s role was created in place of the director of student events, formerly held by Linda Stone. She will be responsible for overseeing event programming administrative aspects of OSL. A graduate of SCW, Rasinovsky-Albert has over six years of experience working at the university. “As an alum, current graduate student, employee, and a proud member of the YU community, I am looking forward to using my past experiences to serve our student body in this new role,” she said. “Yeshiva University provided me with some of the best years of my life, and I am so excited to be able to give other students even more incredible opportunities on campus.”

Rasinovksy-Albert’s promotion follows a year of departures from OSL. Student Life Coordinator Avi Schwartz left YU to work in the Orthodox Union’s Jewish Learning Initiative on Campus at Rutgers University in December 2020. Following Schwartz’s departure, Director of Student Events Linda Stone also stepped down. 

“I congratulate Marjorie on this promotion,” commented Nissel. “Just as she has shined as a student and in her various roles on campus, she will continue to be an amazing resource for students and student programming in her expanded new role.”

“I was lucky enough to get to know Marjorie through close collaboration on Yom Haatzmaut programming last spring,” said Yeshiva Student Union President Elazar Abrahams (YC ‘22). “She's an absolute legend who understands and cares deeply about the students of YU, and I'm excited to see what she can accomplish in this expanded role.”

The new OSA staff come with their own backgrounds for their new roles.

Gartside has worked in the field of international education for over seven years, including nearly four years as an international student advisor at The New School. Rahi was born in Baghdad, Iraq and raised in Stillwater, Oklahoma. She earned a bachelor’s degree in marketing and minored in international business from Oklahoma State University (OSU). As a university student, Rahi worked in the International Student and Scholars Office and held leadership positions in the OSU International Student Organization. 

Reichenberg is a Stern College for Women graduate who was actively involved in campus life as a student. After receiving her bachelor’s degree in biology and business, Reichenberg went on to earn a master’s degree in biotechnology management and entrepreneurship from the Katz School of Yeshiva University. She spent the last year as the primary coordinator for managing COVID-19 related isolation and quarantine on the Beren campus.

Burrs holds a master’s degree from Kent State University in higher education administration and a bachelor’s degree in communication, and is currently working on earning a doctorate in higher education administration. Her most recent roles include director of student success and learning center as well as director of campus life at Long Island University. In Nissel’s email to students, he announced a total of 13 new hires or promotions, some of which The Commentator previously reported on.