Baruch College

Baruch College, officially called Bernard M. Baruch College, is a public college in Manhattan, New York, United States. It is part of the City University of New York system. The college is named after Bernard M. Baruch, a well-known financier and statesman.

The college offers programs for students who are starting their studies and for those who want to continue their education after high school. These programs are offered through three main schools: the Zicklin School of Business, the Weissman School of Arts and Sciences, and the Marxe School of Public and International Affairs. Students can learn many useful skills and prepare for many different careers at Baruch College.

History

Baruch College is one of the oldest colleges in the City University of New York (CUNY) system. It began in 1847 as the Free Academy, the first free public higher education institution in the United States. In 1919, it started as the City College School of Business and Civic Administration. It became the Baruch School of Business in 1953, named after Bernard Baruch, a famous graduate.

In 1968, it became Baruch College, an independent part of CUNY. Over the years, it grew with new programs and buildings. Important leaders helped shape the college, and it became known for its strong business programs. Today, Baruch College remains a top school for many students.

Academics

Baruch College has three main schools: the Zicklin School of Business, the Weissman School of Arts and Sciences, and the Marxe School of Public and International Affairs.

The Zicklin School of Business offers a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) in many business areas, a Masters of Business Administration (MBA) in many business areas, and a Masters of Science (MS) in several business programs.

The Weissman School of Arts and Sciences offers a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in many arts and science areas, and Masters degrees in Corporate Communications, Mental Health Counseling, Financial Engineering, and Industrial-Organizational Psychology.

The Austin W. Marxe School of Public and International Affairs offers a Bachelor of Science (BS) in Public Affairs, and several Masters degrees in public and international affairs.

The college also has doctoral (PhD) programs, including Business and Industrial and Organizational Psychology. Since June 2013, the PhD in Business is offered together with the CUNY Graduate Center.

Campus

Lawrence and Eris Field Building

The Lawrence and Eris Field Building, also called the 23rd Street Building, is still used by the college today. It began a big renovation in 2013. This project will update the building to modern standards over ten years. The building holds the Marxe School of Public and International Affairs and several offices.

Information and Technology Building

The Information and Technology Building is across East 25th Street from the Newman Vertical Campus. It used to be a power station for New York City's streetcars. Now, it houses the William and Anita Newman Library. On the sixth floor, there is a computer lab called the Baruch Computing and Technology Center. The building also has offices for important student services, and students and staff often call it the "Library Building."

Newman Vertical Campus

The college started building the Newman Vertical Campus in 1998 after many years of renting classroom space. This tall 17-story building was designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox. It was named after businessman William Newman and opened on August 27, 2001. The building is very large, with many classrooms, faculty offices, computer labs, a gym, a cafeteria, and a bookstore. It holds the Zicklin School of Business and the Weissman School of Arts and Sciences. In 2003, it received a top award from the American Institute of Architects. The street between Lexington and Third Avenue is now called "Bernard Baruch Way," and the college uses the Vertical Campus as its main address.

Campus location

The college is located between East 22nd and 25th Streets in Manhattan, along Lexington Avenue, close to Madison Square Park. Students can get to campus using:

• The New York City Subway: the 23rd Street–Baruch College and 28th Street stations at Park Avenue, served by several trains.
• The New York City Bus: M1, M2, M3, M9, M15, M15 SBS, M23 SBS, M34A SBS, M101, M102 and M103 routes.

Academic centers and institutes

Baruch College has many special centers and institutes to help students learn and do research. Some of these include the Baruch College Survey Research, CCI – Corporate Communication International, and the CUNY Institute for Demographic Research.

Other important centers are the Center for Educational Leadership, the Lawrence N. Field Center for Entrepreneurship, and the Bernard L. Schwartz Communication Institute at Baruch College, which helps with technology and communication projects. The Starr Career Development Center supports students and graduates in finding jobs, and the Subotnick Financial Services Center offers a real trading experience with its Bert W. and Sandra Wasserman Trading Floor. Additional centers include the Center for Teaching and Learning, the Computer Center for Visually Impaired People, the Weissman Center for International Business, and the Robert Zicklin Center for Corporate Integrity.

Partnerships

Baruch College works together with different organizations. The Zicklin School of Business has a partnership with JPMorgan Chase and offers a special program with Brooklyn Law School and New York Law School. There is also a public high school called Baruch College Campus High School that works closely with the college. Additionally, some advanced programs in finance and marketing in Paris are connected to Baruch College.

Student life

Baruch College has many activities for students to enjoy. WBMB Baruch College Radio offers radio shows all day on its website and on FM frequency 94.3. The Ticker has been the student newspaper since 1932. The college has over 130 clubs and groups, including Finance and Economics Society, ISACA Cybersecurity Club, ALPFA, AIESEC, Toastmasters, Alpha Kappa Psi, Sigma Alpha Delta, and Golden Key. Many clubs meet on Thursdays during "Club Hours" from 12:40 p.m. to 2:20 p.m. There is also an art gallery on campus called the Mishkin Gallery where students can see interesting exhibitions.

Athletics

Baruch College competes in Division III of the National Collegiate Athletic Association. The sports teams are called the Bearcats and belong to the City University of New York Athletic Conference.

The men's teams play baseball, basketball, cross country, soccer, swimming and diving, tennis, and volleyball. The women's teams play basketball, cross country, softball, swimming and diving, tennis, and volleyball.

Admissions

Baruch College has selective undergraduate admissions, with about 43% of applicants being accepted. The college looks at many things when deciding who to admit, such as teacher recommendations, the application essay, activities outside of school, test scores, and grades. In 2022, students who were accepted usually had a grade point average (GPA) of 3.7, an SAT score between 1170 and 1350, and an average ACT score of 27. About 70% of students graduate within six years.

Rankings

Baruch College has been recognized by many sources for its quality and value. In 2015, it was ranked #1 in the country for helping students succeed by CollegeNet. Washington Monthly also ranked it #1 in the Northeast for giving students great value for their money in the same year.

Other rankings include being named #2 nationwide for return on investment by CNBC in 2020, and placed among the top business schools by Forbes and U.S. News & World Report. The college's programs in entrepreneurship, business, and public affairs have also received high rankings from magazines like Entrepreneur and The Princeton Review.

Notable alumni

Main article: List of Baruch College alumni

Before 1968, alumni of Baruch College were officially alumni of the City College of New York.

Baruch College has many famous graduates. Some well-known people who attended the college include:

• Abraham Beame ('28), the 104th Mayor of New York City
• Ralph Lauren (1957–1959), Chairman of Ralph Lauren Corporation
• Daniel A. Nigro ('71), the 33rd New York City Fire Commissioner
• Carl Spielvogel ('75), former United States Ambassador to Slovakia
• Jennifer Lopez (1987–1987), American actress and singer
• Michael Grimm ('94), former member of the United States House of Representatives
• Melissa Mark-Viverito ('95), former Speaker of the New York City Council
• Fernando Ferrer ('04), former chairman of Metropolitan Transportation Authority
• Martin Shkreli ('04), founder of Turing Pharmaceuticals
• Carl Heastie ('07), Speaker of the New York State Assembly
• Adam Neumann ('17), co-founder of WeWork
• Rim Ji-hoon ('22), former CEO of Kakao Corporation

Notable faculty

Baruch College has many respected teachers who have achieved success in different fields. Some of them have worked in history, accounting, biology, economics, philosophy, and more.

A few well-known faculty members include Mario Cuomo, who was the governor of New York State and taught classes, and Harry Markowitz, who won a Nobel Prize for his work in economics. Others have been leaders in universities, government, or important research areas.