LCW Salutes the Class of 2016 at Pre-Graduation Reception
Seniors bid farewell to LCW before commencement
On Monday, May 30th, before donning caps and gowns and marching from Lander College for Women—the Anna Ruth and Mark Hasten School (LCW) to the David Geffen Hall at Lincoln Center, the class of 2016 gathered one last time for a celebratory reception held in their honor.
Together with faculty, family, and friends, the graduates heard introductory remarks from Dr. Mark Hasten, Touro’s Chairman of the Board and LCW’s benefactor, who wished the class congratulations and noted the “bright future” that awaits each LCW student.
After a luncheon buffet and a farewell video with messages from administration and faculty, Dean Marian Stoltz-Loike addressed the audience with a dvar torah and stated that both students and their families “should be proud” of all they have accomplished at LCW. “Every student in this room has contributed in incredible ways, made incredible achievements, and enriched the environment for her fellow students,” she said.
Earlier this month, graduation awardees were announced at the annual senior dinner, to recognize students for their outstanding academic work and service to the school. In her remarks there, Dean Stoltz-Loike put a spin on the oft quoted sentiment about college, “I was told that college would be the four best years of my life,” she said, “but we want to prepare you so that the upcoming years of your life are the best years of your life.”
The reception continued with the formal awards ceremony, presented by the Dean and Founding Dean Dr. David Luchins. Valedictorian Yaffa Leah Pacht announced her plans to attend Columbia Law School in the fall, while Hilda Kadish Memorial Awardee and Perel Rena Millman Memorial Awardee in Biology, Basha Behrman, shared that she will continue her studies at New York Medical College.
Other students are still amidst textbooks and exams. Bracha Kahn is busy preparing for her summer CPA exams before beginning work as a tax consultant at Deloitte this fall, while Sarah Isaac is planning to take her MCAT next week. Batsheva Schiffer, who studied math and computer science, will be continuing her studies at the Touro College Graduate School of Technology in instructional technology while working as a presidential fellow for Touro College.
“It’s bittersweet,” commented SGO president Rachel Salem on the occasion. “We’ve worked hard and it’s great to experience this moment of achievement…but it’s also an end of an era.”
Congratulations to the Class of 2016!
