Robert.A.Bohmstein

Baruch College offers various resources to its students, from academic enrichment to career development.  The potpourri of available resources has made the transition from high school to college that much smoother.

The Community Service Project was just what I needed to give me that nudge to take advantage of the opportunities around me.  I began searching for ideas in the Baruch College Library.  The supportive and caring librarians directed me to search various non-profit organization web sites, which opened my eyes to the numerous possibilities this project offered.  However, I learned about much more beyond the scope of the project in the time I spent in the library.

The time I spent in the library often led me to the Baruch College homepage.  There, I was introduced to resources I had heard about, but I did not yet know how to take full advantage of them.  This changed when a librarian showed me how to use the “ask the librarian” resource.  I found it to be extremely helpful in finding research for my class assignments.  My positive experience there encouraged me to learn about some of the other resources available to me as well.

Before I knew it, I had visited SACC, the Writing Center, and the STARR Career Development Center.  SACC and the Writing Center were very helpful because they ensured if I ever got overwhelmed with my studies, I had a place to go to receive assistance.  I also attended the internship and resume workshops at the STARR center to get an early start on some of the things that will be of importance over the next four years.

Another area I wanted to get involved in was a club.  I attended various events held by the Accounting Society to gain membership, including a project management presentation, presentation skills event, networking luncheon, and other discussions about fields like forensic accounting and internal auditing.  I gained so much knowledge from these events, which encouraged me to continue going, and I attended an event called “The Path of a Tax Lawyer” which combined my two interests, accounting and law.

The community service project opened the door to my involvement in various activities at Baruch.  As a result, I now view myself as having three main tasks at Baruch; to be diligent in my academic studies, to participate in club activities outside of the classroom, and to volunteer and give back outside of the Baruch campus.

I am honored and pleased to be a Baruch Scholar in the Honors Program.  I greatly appreciate the guidance and support provided to me and I understand that I need to make the most out of all the benefits I have received from the program.  This entails a commitment to serve the Baruch community and the broader community to the best of my abilities, in conjunction with my pursuit of academic success.

I believe, as a Baruch Scholar, that it is important for me to aim towards a very high standard and serve as a role model for others as well.  It is for this reason that I have placed a great deal of importance on my first semester courses and made it my priority to join a club. However, the Honors Program has conveyed to me that the success I can attain at Baruch is not limited to what I may accomplish within the confines of the college, but also through the community service I immerse myself in outside of it.

I have discovered that the perks of attending a college in the heart of New York City are exactly this idea that so many opportunities surround me and therefore it is my duty to take full advantage of them.  It is for this reason that I am looking forward to making the most out of my community service requirement and I am excited to go above and beyond in giving something back to the city that I have lived in my entire life.

My family upbringing and education have contributed towards my values and beliefs, making me the person that I am today.  I come from a very small family, and live with my parents and sister in Brooklyn, New York.  Having two only children for parents, I have a tiny extended family, and therefore have grown up in a very close family setting.  It has made me realize the importance of spending time with family and has improved my relationship with my grandmother who also lives in Brooklyn.  I attended Yeshivah of Flatbush High School, further fostering a sense of community.  There, I developed a good work ethic which was also very much reinforced at home. 

As I embark on my undergraduate degree at Baruch College, I anticipate a place where I will be able to put what I have learned to good use.  I expect to receive a broad and thorough education, ranging from liberal arts and sciences to business.  I am interested in reinforcing my position in my own community while expanding my horizons in a more diverse setting, meeting people of other cultures.  I would like to continue competing in chess and debates at Baruch while finding new clubs that match my interests to participate in as well.  I hope that whatever I decide to pursue at Baruch, whether business or a potential career in law, I will continue to grow and become a well rounded person fitting into any field of my choosing.  I am eager to begin a new juncture in my life where I take on more responsibility for myself and have every opportunity to succeed and obtain all my goals.