NYSCAS, A Division of Touro College

AI-enabled personal computers (AI PCs) are transforming work as we know it! With AI now integrated into smartphones and laptops, Computer Science Professor Satchit Hedge explains how these innovations are more than just upgrades.

💬 Prof. Hedge notes that AI PCs have the addition of neural processing units (NPUs): “NPUs are dedicated processing units on larger system-on-chips that are designed specifically for accelerating neural network operations and AI tasks, which makes handling computation-heavy tasks such as speech recognition, background blurring, video editing, and similar such processes and features much more efficient.”

Hedge says that computers can now run AI assistants directly on the device, manage and process large amounts of data, and even customize and fine-tune AI models.

With giants like Intel and Apple stepping in, AI PCs could soon be essential to productivity, personalization, and security. Read the full interview here: https://buff.ly/4excAQp

After completing a couple of finance-related internships in high school, recent Touro NYSCAS grad Max Nussbaum knew that he wanted to leverage his passion for sales and numbers to advance his career in the financial marketplace. Max recently started a new role as a commercial mortgage broker. His formula for success? Hard work, determination, and networking.

“The harder I work, the greater the potential rewards, which makes the role both challenging and exciting for me,” he says. “Sometimes, just picking up the phone and asking someone if they’re looking to purchase a property will lead to a deal!”

Max says gave him the skills and flexibility to balance his studies with a full-time job, pushing him toward his goals in the finance industry. Learn more about his story: https://buff.ly/3YGwYtR

The 2024 Presidential Election is in just 25 days — and in some states, early voting is already underway. 🇺🇲 We asked political science professor Dr. Robin Brooks Ishler how college students should prepare for Election Day on November 5th, and he shared some insightful tips on registering to vote, knowing what’s on the ballot in New York State, and more:

The 2024 Presidential Election: Five Things Every College Student Should Know Touro NYSCAS Political Science Professor Robin Brooks Ishler highlights vital information for college students to prepare for Election Day.

Are you ready for your next challenge? Then you don’t want to miss Touro University’s undergraduate Career Fair! Register now and join us on Thursday, September 26th at 1:00 p.m. to meet with employers looking to hire Touro students and alumni. Learn more: https://www.touro.edu/news--events/events/career-fair-92624.php

🗓️ Don’t miss our Forest Hills Registration Day for new and current students on Wednesday, August 14 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.! Come and register for your Fall 2024 classes. More information: https://nyscas.touro.edu/news--events/featured/forest-hills-info-session-81424.php

🗓 Join our Information Session Event in Starrett City on Thursday, August 8th from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.! Learn everything about our school and programs, including the associate degree programs we offer. More information: https://nyscas.touro.edu/news--events/featured/starret-city-info-session-80824.php

Alum Spotlight! Meet Casey Winderbaum, who is transforming education for neurodivergent children and children with learning disabilities with her own company, Casey’s Special Education Services. Offering personalized tutoring tailored to individual needs, she’s already helped many children requiring special education make significant progress.

Casey graduated from Touro with a degree in special education in 2021 before pursuing her master’s. At NYSCAS, she built lasting relationships with the faculty and learned innovative teaching methods that now inspire her work. She focuses on both academic skills and emotional development and has already built a team of 21 teachers. To students interested in entrepreneurship, she says: “Always have a very clear tangible plan in place and outline steps on how you’re going to execute it. Without those clearly defined steps, an idea is just an idea and not a plan.”

🧷 Read our interview with Casey here: https://nyscas.touro.edu/news--events/stories/helping-neurodivergent-children-learn-more-effectively.php

Journalist, social media influencer, and multi-talented powerhouse Emily Austin served as the keynote speaker at our commencement ceremony last month! 🎓✨ Emily, a NYSCAS class of 2024 graduate, shared her inspiring journey, emphasizing the importance of persistence and self-determination.

“There were times where I was rejected from opportunities that I thought I well deserved, and there were times where people would dwell on my age and gender over my talent. But with hard work and persistence, I realized that although I didn’t have the right door open for me, I could decide to build the door myself and then I walked through it.”

Emily highlighted how NYSCAS’ flexible schedule and supportive professors helped her balance her professional dreams and academic excellence. “As many of us will now move ahead on our chosen career paths, we must always carry with us the values of integrity, humility, and a commitment to excellence. Let us strive not only for personal success but also for the betterment of society and the world at large. Let us serve as beacons of hope, catalysts for change, and champions of justice and equality.”

Earlier this month, NYSCAS held its 50th annual commencement ceremony at the Coney Island Amphitheatre. Thousands of friends and family members gathered to celebrate nearly 700 graduates—360 receiving bachelor’s degrees, 300 receiving associate degrees, and nearly 30 graduates receiving certificates. Swipe to relive some of our favorite moments from the ceremony. Congrats to all the graduates! 🎓📚👩🏾‍🎓🎊

Student Spotlight! Max Nussbaum came to Touro University to study Finance and is graduating in June, having already secured a full-time position as a commercial mortgage broker at a brokerage and advisory firm. “It’s exactly the type of job I was hoping to find,” he told us. “I went to college to embark on a successful career in the financial world, and I feel like I found what I was looking for.” Max expressed his gratitude for ’ flexible schedule, which allowed him to maintain a good life balance while in school.

Student Spotlight! 👩🏾‍🏫 Takenya Tucker didn’t think becoming a teacher was a viable path for her. Balancing the demands of being a full-time working mom, she was working as a special education paraprofessional in a public school in Brooklyn. One day, a teacher who had been observing her dedication and skill in working with children with special needs told her: “You have a gift for teaching, and you love children. You should become a teacher.”

Encouraged by her colleague, she began exploring the possibility of pursuing a college education. One day, while driving home to Far Rockaway, she saw a Touro University billboard on the highway and took it as a sign. She reached out to an admissions counselor and since then, she hasn’t looked back. In June, Takenya is graduating with her associate degree, and she’s already been accepted into the Honors Teacher Preparation Pathway (TPP) program, which will allow her to begin her master’s at Touro's Graduate School of Education while completing her bachelor’s.

“At first, I felt self-conscious about going back to school, and I was afraid I would not fit in as an older student. But all those fears faded the moment I started taking classes at NYSCAS,” Takenya said. “I’m grateful to two professors in particular, William Lewis and Marina Meshman.”

One area Takenya fell in love with while at NYSCAS is American Sign Language. “It opened up a new world for me, and it’s allowed me to better communicate with a little girl at my school. In the coming years, I definitely want to keep studying ASL and promote it among children.”

Student Spotlight! Meet Stacey Borriello, named to the Dean’s List for the Fall 2024 semester! Stacey's career dream is to become a special education teacher. She’s graduating next month with her associate degree, then plans to continue her journey via Touro’s Honors Teacher Preparation Pathway (TPP) program, where she'll earn both a bachelor's degree in early childhood education from and a master's degree from Touro University Graduate School of Education!

“I’ve been teaching in daycare for over 10 years,” Stacey said. My mother graduated from Touro University at 52 and had a fantastic experience here. When I gave birth to my daughter, I knew I wanted to return to school, too. Since joining NYSCAS, I’ve been grateful for the opportunity to study remotely and for the flexibility that allows me to continue my education as a full-time working mom.”

“This is hard work,” she said. “It’s not easy to balance work, school, and motherhood, but my husband has been very supportive of me, and my daughter is proud of her mom. But I know working in special education is my calling, and I’m more determined than ever to make it happen.”

With antisemitism surging at college campuses across the country, Touro University has expanded the Touro Safe Campus Scholarship to help defray tuition costs of students who transfer to Touro’s New York School of Career and Applied Studies (NYSCAS) for the fall semester, from any other college where they may no longer feel comfortable. Touro has never closed transfer admissions and will always be open for those seeking a safe environment and a superior education. Learn more here:

In Response to Campus Antisemitism, Touro University Expands Scholarship for Affected Students Fund Will Help Students Continue Their Higher Education in a School Committed to a Safe Academic Environment

From Ukraine to New York via Touro’s MBA Pathway Program! 🇺🇦 🇺🇲 👩🏻‍💼 When Olena Kostenchuk moved to the United States from Ukraine with her two kids, she had one problem: she didn’t speak a word of English. Back home, Olena was a lawyer, but in the U.S., she had to reinvent herself. Thanks to her love for learning, she dived in and began studying English, hoping that she would someday speak and understand enough to return to college. One year later, Olena visited the Neptune Avenue location of Touro University’s in Brooklyn and decided to pursue a degree in Human Services. What followed was beyond what she could have hoped for.

As she began her college education in the U.S., her advisor at NYSCAS asked Olena whether she was interested in participating in the school’s Work-Study program. “I was overwhelmed,” she recalls. “On the one hand, it was a dream; on the other hand, I was concerned that the language barrier would be too big of an obstacle.” She took an ESL course and began working in the financial aid office while studying. “Step by step, my English improved significantly,” she said. “A year ago, my supervisor told me about a job opportunity in the bursar office at the Times Square campus. I was hired as a full-time employee, and I’ve been working there since then. I can’t stress enough what a dream this is for me.”

Olena is about to complete her bachelor’s degree, and she’s already taking three graduate courses at University Graduate School of Business, thanks to the Accelerated MBA Pathway Program at NYSCAS. She credits Professor Charles Priolo for the support and encouragement he’s given her over the years, and she’s hoping to continue with an MBA after she graduates from NYSCAS. “My advice for other students who are not native English speakers is: push yourself, start as soon as you can, and you’ll see improvements every day.”

Reflecting on an insightful Faculty Development Day at ! 📚💡 Last week, our faculty gathered to delve into the dynamic rise of artificial intelligence tools in academia and beyond. Keynote speaker Dr. Shlomo Engelson Argamon—Touro University’s Associate Provost for Artificial Intelligence—captivated the audience with a discussion on incorporating AI tools responsibly, fostering critical thinking amidst the latest technological advancements, and how these changes are transforming the college experience as a whole. Looking forward to more opportunities to gather and learn together!

Is it possible to get a college degree while working a night shift? Manuel Colon is the living proof. Inspired by his mother, who had just obtained her associate degree, Manuel decided to pursue his dreams and enroll in our Cybersecurity and Network Administration program.

While studying at , Manuel worked a 12 a.m. - 8 a.m. shift as a security guard every night. He strategically chose to limit the number of classes he took each semester and made the most out of the school’s resources, such as the Learning Resource & Writing Center. As he says: “Know what you can handle. Balance your load. It might take you a little longer; you might pay a little more. But that’s what I needed to do to graduate.”

Manuel graduated in 2020 and now works as a desktop support engineer for the Excess Line Association of New York (ELANY) and as an IT analyst for Lazard Asset Management. He and his mother are the only members of their family with college degrees; his mother also obtained her bachelor’s from NYSCAS, and is currently completing her master’s degree in Forensic Psychology from Touro University Worldwide!

For those students who feel strongly about getting their degree but are worried about it, Manuel encourages them not to let anything—even a seemingly impossible schedule—stop them. “I feel like if I could do it, anybody can.”

Alum Spotlight! While growing up in Brooklyn, Rena Shilian knew from an early age that she wanted to work in a healthcare-related field. “When I started wearing glasses, going to the eye doctor was always exciting. I was amazed by the equipment they used and the unique, impactful connections the doctors can make with their patients,” she explained. So when the time came to go to college, she chose to pursue a bachelor’s degree in biology at , with her eyes set on optometry school.

“What truly solidified my desire to pursue a career in optometry was the well-rounded experience I got in the eyecare field,” she said. Still, despite her stellar focus, juggling school while working two jobs was not easy. Fortunately, Touro University’s flexible course schedule made it all possible: “If there was a specific class I could not attend, there was always an option for me to take it at a different time or location. Additionally, the small class size makes it possible to get to know your peers and faculty. The faculty’s dedication to student success was evident in the classroom and beyond.”

Rena is currently a second-year student at SUNY College of Optometry. Good luck with your studies and future career!