In Sy Syms EMBA Debut, Emphasis is on Ethics, Entrepreneurship
This August, 黑料社 All鈥檚 welcomed an inaugural class of 15 students to its new program.
Featuring a unique Sunday schedule with a focus on ethics, the EMBA program seeks to prepare business professionals and managers heading for high-level positions to lead organizational change and develop strategies to help their businesses thrive in a world of global competition. In addition to coursework that is designed to integrate skills and methodology from a broad range of business areas, each student will build a personal development portfolio tailored to his or her career objectives and aspirations and study with experienced entrepreneurs, executives, scholars, authors and researchers.
Classes are held over 14 Sundays each semester and one weekday evening per month. The program also includes two international residencies: study in Israel during the first year and an emerging market country in the second.
鈥淲e are emphasizing skill-building in key areas that are critical for successful leadership in the business world, especially in today鈥檚 complex and demanding global marketplace,鈥 said Dr. Steven Nissenfeld, clinical professor of management at Sy Syms and director of the EMBA program. 鈥淧ossessing leadership and entrepreneurial skills, in addition to a strong foundation in ethics, will give our students the competitive advantages that modern executives need to demonstrate.鈥
Members of the inaugural class of the Sy Syms EMBA program.
That ethical lens will be developed throughout the two-year program in monthly seminars led by Dr. Moses Pava, dean of Sy Syms and the author or editor of more than 16 books in the field. The program will also feature a host of guest speakers in courses such as 鈥淓thical and Legal Environment of Business鈥 and 鈥淛ewish Business Ethics.鈥
鈥淲e鈥檒l look at cases from the perspective of Jewish ethics, but also contemporary and secular ethics as well,鈥 said Pava. 鈥淲e鈥檙e hoping to provide students with state-of-the-art technical skills in the fields that are critical to every executive, such as finance and management, but we also want to communicate something more. We want students to graduate from this program with the knowledge that it鈥檚 possible to earn high profits while being part of the solution, not part of the problem鈥攖hat there鈥檚 a connection between corporate social responsibility, ethical behavior and traditional profit.鈥
Dr. Avi Giloni, Sy Syms associate dean, teaches "User Friendly Quantitative Methods for Managers."
鈥淚n the business world leaders are confronted every day with challenging situations where they have to make judgment calls that may on the one side offer financial reward and on the other side have potentially unethical or questionable impacts on behavior, and having that balance and compass is necessary to avoid the mishaps of the past decade,鈥 said Nissenfeld. 鈥淭here has been much criticism of EMBA programs that connects a lot of the failings of business executives over the last several years to a rather narrow focus on the financial aspects of management without the guiding light of what is right, what is wrong and what is good for society. There鈥檚 a tremendous need to build up new executives who weigh all their decisions, their analysis and their application of their market skills with a very strong commitment to what is ethically sound or right for our society.鈥
Orlee Guttman, senior development executive for American Friends of The Hebrew University and former director of operations for the North American Conference on Ethiopian Jewry, chose to pursue her EMBA at Sy Syms because of the school鈥檚 emphasis on contributing to the global community. 鈥淎fter 15 years as a non-profit professional, it is clearly evident to me that a background in business could have enhanced the impact of my own work,鈥 she said. 鈥淣ever before have the worlds of business and philanthropy been so intertwined. Principles of business are being used to generate change, there is a recognized need to professionalize the organizations that 鈥榙o good,鈥 and the field of social entrepreneurship has taken on a life of its own, breeding excitement for solving the world鈥檚 problems using entrepreneurial philosophies.鈥
She added: 鈥淭he demands on philanthropies have also shifted, requiring greater accountability, corporate governance, metrics, tangible results and a focus on return investment. Sy Syms鈥 reputation as an excellent business school, along with its strong sense of ethics, provides an incredible environment to learn these skills.鈥
Adedimeji, left, hopes to apply the lessons he learns in the EMBA program to advance public health programs. Berk, center, chose the Sy Syms program for its Shabbat-friendly schedule.
Dr. Adebola Adedimeji, assistant professor of epidemiology and population health at YU鈥檚 , found the program鈥檚 cultivation of leadership techniques especially compelling. 鈥淚t鈥檚 my long term goal to broaden my skill set so I can utilize a social marketing or business strategy to advance public health programs on a global level,鈥 said Adedimeji. 鈥淚 researched EMBA programs across the country and compared notes with friends in other programs. The way Sy Syms has structured and designed their EMBA, with the option of Sunday courses, the leadership seminars and the international residencies, enables you to experience how theory and practice apply in the real world.鈥
For David Berk 鈥82YC, a chief executive officer of a start-up company that designs robotic technology for hospitals, the program鈥檚 Shabbat-friendly schedule put a longtime dream within his grasp. 鈥淢y degree is in computer science and I have a technical background,鈥 he said. 鈥淚 really wanted a formal business background, and over the years I thought about New York University or Columbia, but that was all I could do鈥攖hink about them鈥攂ecause the classes were all on Fridays and Saturdays. I always felt like I had my nose to the window.鈥
When Berk heard that Sy Syms would launch its EMBA program this year, he enrolled right away. Now he is looking forward to the cohort鈥檚 trip to study the high-tech start-up environment in Israel next summer. 鈥淚t鈥檚 an exciting program and it鈥檚 obvious that the Syms leadership is dedicated to making this the best it can be.鈥
The Sy Syms Executive MBA Program is now accepting applications for Fall 2013 and will be hosting an open house on December 16. For more information visit . To register for the open house, please contact Margie Martin at 917-326-4839 or email symsemba@yu.edu.
Featuring a unique Sunday schedule with a focus on ethics, the EMBA program seeks to prepare business professionals and managers heading for high-level positions to lead organizational change and develop strategies to help their businesses thrive in a world of global competition. In addition to coursework that is designed to integrate skills and methodology from a broad range of business areas, each student will build a personal development portfolio tailored to his or her career objectives and aspirations and study with experienced entrepreneurs, executives, scholars, authors and researchers.
Classes are held over 14 Sundays each semester and one weekday evening per month. The program also includes two international residencies: study in Israel during the first year and an emerging market country in the second.
鈥淲e are emphasizing skill-building in key areas that are critical for successful leadership in the business world, especially in today鈥檚 complex and demanding global marketplace,鈥 said Dr. Steven Nissenfeld, clinical professor of management at Sy Syms and director of the EMBA program. 鈥淧ossessing leadership and entrepreneurial skills, in addition to a strong foundation in ethics, will give our students the competitive advantages that modern executives need to demonstrate.鈥
Members of the inaugural class of the Sy Syms EMBA program.
Dr. Avi Giloni, Sy Syms associate dean, teaches "User Friendly Quantitative Methods for Managers."
Adedimeji, left, hopes to apply the lessons he learns in the EMBA program to advance public health programs. Berk, center, chose the Sy Syms program for its Shabbat-friendly schedule.
Featuring a unique Sunday schedule with a focus on ethics, the EMBA program seeks to prepare business professionals and managers heading for high-level positions to lead organizational change and develop strategies to help their businesses thrive in a world of global competition. In addition to coursework that is designed to integrate skills and methodology from a broad range of business areas, each student will build a personal development portfolio tailored to his or her career objectives and aspirations and study with experienced entrepreneurs, executives, scholars, authors and researchers.
Classes are held over 14 Sundays each semester and one weekday evening per month. The program also includes two international residencies: study in Israel during the first year and an emerging market country in the second.
鈥淲e are emphasizing skill-building in key areas that are critical for successful leadership in the business world, especially in today鈥檚 complex and demanding global marketplace,鈥 said Dr. Steven Nissenfeld, clinical professor of management at Sy Syms and director of the EMBA program. 鈥淧ossessing leadership and entrepreneurial skills, in addition to a strong foundation in ethics, will give our students the competitive advantages that modern executives need to demonstrate.鈥
Members of the inaugural class of the Sy Syms EMBA program.
Dr. Avi Giloni, Sy Syms associate dean, teaches "User Friendly Quantitative Methods for Managers."
Adedimeji, left, hopes to apply the lessons he learns in the EMBA program to advance public health programs. Berk, center, chose the Sy Syms program for its Shabbat-friendly schedule.
