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History
In 1987 the Sy Syms School of Business was established through a generous gift by Mr. Sy Syms. This allowed the school to offer a unique and comprehensive curriculum in business with a strong liberals arts and Judaic studies basis. The founding dean, Dr. Michael Schiff, and his associate dean, Ira Jaskoll, were quickly able to establish it as a key business school in New York City as well add it the many strong undergraduate, graduate and professional schools offered at Yeshiva University.
Faculty were recruited who had both the highest academic and scholarly credentials, as well as real business world experience. The enthusiasm for business was being met as students applied and began to study in the Syms School.
An active Placement Office was established with the firms impressed and excited about hiring the Syms graduates. Not only were they well prepared academically, but the dual curriculum and ethical basis of their Judaic studies classes made them extremely attractive to the firms. As the alumni continued to excel, the firms only wanted to come back for more.
In the early years, the school was fortunate in having distinguished guest lectures through the Dr. Ira Kukin Distinguished Visiting Professorship. One of the first was Dr. Franco Modigliani of MIT and a Nobel Prize winner, who taught a one-semester course in Finance.
With the arrivals of Dr. Harold Nierenberg as the second dean, the school moved into an expansion phase. The Ira Rennert Entrepreneurial Institute was created to assist Syms students in starting and running their own business. The Doris and Dr. Ira Kukin Entrepreneurial Lecture Series allowed students to interact with top corporate executives and CEOs. Speakers included Michael Bloomberg, Alan "Ace" Greenberg of Bear Stearns, Mickey Drexler of J Crew, Ivan Seidenberg of Verizon, Warren Eisenberg of Bed Bath and Beyond, Joel Mael of the Florida Marlins, Sumner Redstone of Viacom and Abby Joseph Cohen of Goldman Sachs.
The school also began to offer the Dr. William and Bernice Schwartz Business Plan Competition with substantial cash prizes for outstanding business plans. A Syms Alumni Association was established, with many alumni wanting to give back to the school.
The third dean, Dr. Charles Snow, launched the Executive Roundtable, chaired by Josh Weston, former CEO of ADP, where students, alumni and members of the Syms School Board would meet over dinner to network. The Stock Market Challenge and Trivia Contest was begun where yeshiva high school students and teams would compete through a stock market portfolio competition with awards going to the students and their school.
Over the years, one of the highlights of the schools was the annual Syms School of Business Student Dinner and Reception. The lavish dinner, which was organized by the Syms Student Councils, would be held in different venues each year including the Museum of Jewish Heritage; the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum; the Yeshiva University Museum; Chelsea Piers; the South Street Seaport; and the Circle Line.
Student valedictorians would give their speeches with other student awards being presented. The highlight would be Mr. Sy Syms and his daughter Marcy Syms addressing the students. In 2010 Mrs. Lynn Syms gave a wonderful tribute in memory of Mr. Syms at the dinner.
In 2005, the school had its second Noble Prize winner visitor, Dr. Robert Aumann of Hebrew University. He is the first Torah Observant Jew to win a Nobel Prize. He gave classes on Game Theory to Syms, Yeshiva College and Stern College students and faculty as well as our roshei yeshiva and rebbeim.
With the arrival of Dr. Michael Ginzberg as the fourth dean of Syms, the school looked to solidify its academic presence. Accreditation in AACSB International was made a priority and is moving toward completion. A new, updated curriculum was created and started in fall 2010. The size of the faculty has been greatly increased as was the amount and quality of their scholarly publications. An Entrepreneur-in-Residence was named, Mr. Michael Strauss, to assist students is developing their business ideas and to help set up internships within the community.
The first graduate program was started in fall 2009, an MS in Accounting, to fulfill the New York State 150-credit requirement for the CPA. The first graduating class was in May 2010.
In the summer of 2012, the first shomer Shabbat Executive MBA (EMBA) will enroll its first cohort of students. Classes will be held on Sundays instead of the usual Saturdays.
Today, under the directorship of Moses Pava, the school's fifth dean, the name of the school has been officially changed to the Syms School of Business, but more importantly we are poised to begin our next phase. The school is actively seeking AACSB International Accreditation.
As the Syms School of Business celebrates its 25th anniversary, there is a renewed focus on integrating ethics into every course, celebrating the spirit of Jewish entrepreneurship and emphasizing experienced-based learning throughout the curriculum.
See History
Mission
Yeshiva University's Mission Statement for all of its undergraduate schools is as follows:
We bring wisdom to life by combining the finest, contemporary academic education with the timeless teachings of Torah. It is Yeshiva's unique dual curriculum, which teaches knowledge enlightened by values, that helps our students gain the wisdom to make their lives both a secular and spiritual success.
The particular mission of the Syms School of Business is:
To be the business school appropriate to Yeshiva University, a major research university with a unique mission, highly respected by students, parents, alumni and our academic colleagues.
We shall:
- Offer world-class undergraduate programs that equip students for meaningful and challenging careers
- Offer first-rate graduate and executive programs, complementing other programs at YU, to a wide student population
- Assure that our programs have a clear ethical basis and a global orientation
- Inculcate Jewish values in our courses and programs
- Embrace alumni and the business community and involve them in our programs
- Conduct research that addresses issues that matter and make meaningful contributions to knowledge in our fields