YESHIVA UNIVERSITY CELEBRATES AT 83rd COMMENCEMENT EXERCISES
(NEW YORK, New York – May 25, 2014) Hundreds of students from Yeshiva University’s undergraduate schools were presented with their degrees at YU’s 83rd Commencement exercises, held at the Izod Center in East Rutherford, NJ on May 22. Nine received the distinction of valedictorian, an honor that reflects exceptional academic achievement.
As these accomplished graduates prepare to embark on the next stage of life and apply their talents to a range of careers, including law, medicine, education and finance, they remembered the vibrant Jewish life and rich academic and extracurricular experiences that shaped their undergraduate years at YU.
Eli Shavalian of Los Angeles, CA, the valedictorian of the James Striar School of General Jewish Studies/Mechinah Program, explained that his YU experience was “supremely fulfilling,” in that he was able to grow in his Judaism while also enjoying a full range of secular classes and extracurricular activities.
“After spending four years on campus, YU has become my second home. It has shaped my world view and molded me into a leader and a forward thinker,” added Shavalian. “While it is hard for me to accept that I will no longer be a student here, I will carry YU with me everywhere I go in the form of a top-notch dual curriculum education.”
Other 2014 valedictorians included Aviyam Levinson, Yeshiva Program/Mazer School of Talmudic Studies; Isaac Markel, Irving I. Stone Beit Midrash Program; Natan Koloski , Isaac Breuer College; Benjamin Lebowitz and Malia Weiss , Sy Syms School of Business Dean Harold Nierenberg Memorial Valedictorian Award; Devorah Levinson, Stern College for Women Rebecca Ivry Department of Jewish Studies; Eli Grunblatt, Yeshiva College; and Bella Wolf, Stern College for Women.
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Founded in 1886, Yeshiva University (www.yu.edu) brings together the ancient traditions of Jewish law and life and the heritage of Western civilization. More than 7,600 undergraduate and graduate students study at YU's four New York City campuses: the Wilf Campus, Israel Henry Beren Campus, Brookdale Center, and Jack and Pearl Resnick Campus. YU’s three undergraduate schools – Yeshiva College, Stern College for Women, and Sy Syms School of Business – offer a unique dual program comprised of Jewish studies and liberal arts courses. Its graduate and affiliate schools include Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, Wurzweiler School of Social Work, Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology, Azrieli Graduate School of Jewish Education and Administration, Bernard Revel Graduate School of Jewish Studies, and Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary. YU is ranked among the nation’s leading academic research institutions.
