“TouroUniversity standsata moment ofextraordinary opportunity,as advances in artificial intelligence, scientificdiscoveryandprofessional practice rapidly reshape the world ourstudents will inherit. Our mission has always been toprovide an education grounded in Jewishvalues andreal‑world impact, and today that means preparingstudents touse emergingtechnologies thoughtfully, ethically and for the betterment of society.”
DR. ALAN KADISH, PRESIDENT
WITH STUDENTS SHIFTING THEIR STUDY HABITS,THIS JEWISH UNIVERSITY IS
EMBRACING SMART AIADOPTION
WhenRachelDahariwentbackto schoolinSeptembertogetamaster’s degreeinsocialwork,shedidn’tthink theexcitementaroundgenerativeAIwouldbe relevant to her education.
TheexperienceturnedDahari,whosupervises caremanagersatahomehealthcareagencyin New York,into an AIenthusiast.
Dahari’sexperiencewithAIatTouroUniversity’s GraduateSchoolofSocialWorkdidnothappen bychance.Theuniversity,whichoperatesunder Jewishauspices,hasalwaysmadepracticalprofessionaltrainingafocalpointofitsacademics. NowTouroispositioningitselfasaleadingadopter of AI inhighereducation.
“Allofourgraduates—bothasprofessionalsand citizens—needtoknowaboutAI,”Argamonsaid. “Infact,AIhasthepotentialtorevitalizehigher education,ifwe do it right.”
JonathanRobinson,aTourocomputerscience professor,saidhe’steachingstudentstouseAI astheywoulda“chavruta”—aHebrewtermused todescribestudypartnerswhotraditionallylearn Jewishtextstogether,helpingeachotheralong theway.Aswitha chavruta,bothpartnersinthe study pairmust beactive.
AnewcourseatTouro’slawschoolexaminesthe waysAImaydisruptexistinglegalandpolitical institutions.Inamedicalschoolcourseonmulticulturalism,studentspracticeusingAIsotheycan identify culturalbiases in the technology.
AtTouro’sdentalschool,studentsareusingAIto detectthescopeandnatureoftoothdecayand createcrowns,bridgesandimplantsmorequickly and effectively.
“AIhasbeenintegratedintoeverythingwedo,” said dental student BryanDovi Teigman.
Dr.BenSchwartz,anassociateprofessoratthe dentalschool,saidintegratingAIintothecurriculumhasputhisdentalstudents“moreaheadof thecurvethanstudentsatotherschoolsandeven somedentists.”Headded,“WeknowthatAIuse is the future of dentistry.”
Dental students, Benji Bloom, left, and BryanDoviTeigman, right, workingina simulationlab that usescutting‑edge AI‑basedtechnology
“AI has the potential to revitalize higher education, if we do it right.”
ProfessorShlomoArgamon Touro’s
first-ever associate provost for artificial intelligence
“AI IS INCREASINGLY CENTRAL TO HOW WE LEARN AND WORK. AS A UNIVERSITY GUIDED BYJEWISH VALUES, WEWANT TO HARNESS THIS TECHNOLOGYNOTJUST TO ENHANCE OUR COURSES OFSTUDY AND BETTER PREPARE OUR STUDENTS FOR PROFESSIONAL SUCCESS, BUTTO DO SO IN WAYS THAT IMPROVESOCIETY.”
waystosupportourstudentsfromclassroomto career,andcontinuetodeliverexcellence,”said Dr.AlanKadish,presidentofTouroUniversity.“We arepleasedtoseethisincrediblemomentumreflectedinthisyear’srankings,highlightingTouro’s growthinscale,impact,andpreparingstudents for what theyneedtotakeonachanging world.”
Together,theseinitiativesdemonstratehowTouro isexpandingtheirfootprintbeyondthecampus walls.Byrecruitingfromruralcommunities,trainingstudentswithinthemandsupportingretentionaftergraduation,Touroisnotonlyeducating providers—itishelpingrebuildthehealthsystems of places in direneed.
Third‑year studentsand faculty at Touro University’s College of Dental Medicine provide care to a patient at thenewly opened clinic in Albuquerque,NewMexico
MAY HELP THE BRAIN CLEAR TOXIC PROTEINS IN PARKINSON’S DISEASE
O CARBON DIOXIDE
RESEARCHERS HAVE IDENTIFIEDA WAY TOHELP THE BRAINCLEAR OUT PROTEINS IMPLICATED IN PARKINSON’S AND ALZHEIMER’SDISEASE
Theglymphaticpathwayismostactivewhen peoplearedeeplyasleep.Inthisstate,breathing slowsdownandthebrainexhibitsslowchangesin bloodflow,whichdrivetheglymphaticpathway. However,forpeoplewithParkinson’s,whooften experiencesleepdisturbances,thiswasteremoval processmaybeimpaired,leadingtoabuildupof toxicproteins,likealpha-synuclein,andinsome patients,amyloidbetaandtauproteins—theseare also implicated in Alzheimer’sdisease.
Inapriorstudy,Dr.Rymanfoundthatalarge numberofpeoplewithParkinson’sdiseasehave areducedanddelayedresponsetointermittent CO2 exposure.
“Atthetime,weweretryingtounderstandhow areducedanddelayedbloodflowresponsemay influencethepathophysiologyofParkinson’sdisease,”saidRyman.“Onceweunderstoodtherole ofglymphaticclearanceinParkinson’sdisease, thatiswhenwerealizedthatwemaybeableto mimic,intheawakestate,theglymphaticclearing responsethattypicallyoccursdeepsleepusing intermittentCO2.”Seniorauthoronasubsequent reviewpaper,Dr.HenryLin,chiefofmedicine, NewMexicoVAHealthCareSystemandprofessorofmedicine,UniversityofNewMexico,was instrumentalinintegratingthehumanandanimal research,revealingthecriticalinsighttheshaped the direction of the research.
Thehighschoolstudentswerementoredbythree TouroCOMDOmedicalstudents—NyaEvans, AlexaWallaceandGabrielleSingh—whohelped themdevelopfeasibleprojectsbasedonthe needs of the Harlem community.
“EARLY EXPOSURE TO SCIENCE IS HELPFUL WHEN APPLYING TO COLLEGE AND PURSUING A CAREERIN SCIENCE, ESPECIALLY FOR INDIVIDUALSFROM UNDER-RESOURCED AREAS.”
DR.KAMILAH ALI
TOUROCOMASSOCIATE PROFESSOR, PHARMACOLOGY AND DIRECTOROF COMMUNITYAFFAIRS
Aloe Plants to Genetic Codingof Herbal Products to Impact of Gentrification
AbigailHua,arecentgraduateofFiorello H.LaGuardiaHighSchoolwhorecentlystudiedat SmithCollege,studiedsoilpHanditseffecton thegrowthandsurvival ofaloe vera plants.
Thestudentsallfoundthesummerprogram worthwhileandrewarding.Theyhighlightedthe seminarpresentationsandopportunitiestointeract with working scientists.
Cao,whoplanstomajorinbiologyincollegeand aimformedicine,saidtheprogramwasoneof themostmeaningfulprojectshe’sbeenapartof. “Onethingthatreallystuckwithmeishowcareful andmeticulousyouhavetobe.Itmadememore motivatedto pursue a careerin science.”
DREAM MEDACHIEVE— THELAUNCHPADTO A
AsastudentatBardHighSchoolEarlyCollege,Dihara MohamedsignedupforTouroCollegeofOsteopathic Medicine’sMedAchieveprogram,anafter-school STEMinitiativedesignedforteensinterestedinmedicalcareers.Theprogrampairshighschoolstudents one-on-onewithmedicalstudentmentorsandimmersestheminlectures,handsonlabsandexposure torealmedicalenvironments.Mohamedisamong thefirstMedAchievealumstomatriculateintoTouro College ofOsteopathic Medicine as a med student.
DuringthecourseofherexperiencewithMedAchieve, MohamedsteppedintotheanatomylabatTouroCOM andsawahumancadaverforthefirsttime—anexperienceshedescribesastransformative.Thatmoment sparkedherfascinationwithanatomyandsether firmly on hercareerpath.
wereusedatthetime,”shesaid.“Touroalsoexposedmetofinancebasics,soIwaswellprepared formyfirstjob,andIhavebeenabletolearnon the job since then,” Cohen said.
“MAKE SURE YOU THOROUGHLY UNDERSTAND THE BUSINESS OR REAL-WORLD PROBLEMS THAT AREBEING SOLVED WITH THE SOFTWARE YOU ARE CREATING; YOU WILL CREATE A FAR BETTER PRODUCT THAT WAY.”
Marcusiscurrentlywritinganarticleforthe KrauthammerFellowship,reflectingonherexperiencenavigatingpregnancyandpostpartumlife while inlaw school.
“I’marguingthatinstitutionsofhighereducation shouldrecognizemotherhoodasthesocietal gooditisandofferaccommodationstostudents whoarepregnantorparents.Familylifeisthecornerstoneofahealthyandflourishingsociety,not aself-imposeddisabilitytobeweighedagainst one’s educational goals,” she said.
Lifeinthe Law
DuringhertimeatNYU,MarcuswasaTikvah Legal Fellow and co-editor-in-chiefof the Journal ofLawandLiberty.ItwasthroughtheTikvah Fellowshipthat she met Judge Solomson.
“IloveTikvah,andthatfellowshipwasanincredibleexperiencethroughwhichIgainedmany friends and mentors,” she said.
Marcusalsoworkedasasummerassociateat JonesDay,oneofthelargestandmostprestigious lawfirmsinthecountry,andlaterjoinedthefirm as a litigationassociate.
dinnerwithmyfamily,andpickupworklaterat home.Iwasn’texpectedtoremainintheoffice untilmidnight,aswastypicalpre-COVID.Icould dodinnertimeandbedtime,thengetbackto work.Thepeoplethereareincredibletowork with, and I absolutelylovedthework.
Clerking for a Judge
AfterherfirstyearatJonesDay,Marcusbegana clerkship with Chief Judge Solomson.
“Asclerks,wehandletheday-to-dayofthejudge’s docket,”Marcussaid.“Wedivideupthejudge’s cases,monitorthemdaily,andhelpdraftorders andopinions.Everyclerkshipdiffers,butwith JudgeSolomson,it’saveryhands-onexperience. We getto do a lot of legal research and writing.”
“Mygenerationhasgrownupinaneraofshortformcontent,likethatofTik-TokandInstagram reels,andourattentionspanshavesuffered,”she said. “To be a good lawyer, youhave to be able to putyourphonedownandfocusforalongperiod oftime.Disciplineiseverything.Curiosityisthe secondpiece—themoreinterestedyouareinthe law,thebetterlawyeryou’llbe.Andfinally,you needastrongbackbone.Everydraftyousendto asupervisororpartnerwillcomebackcoveredin edits.Don’ttakeitpersonally—viewitasalearningopportunity.Takethefeedback,reflectonit anddo better next time.”
Balancing Faith,Family and Ambition
Asforreligiouswomenconsideringalegalcareer, Marcus is unequivocal.
“Doit,”shesaid.“Themoreofuswhodoit,the betterthesystembecomes.Beingtheonlypregnantwomanamong500studentswasalittle awkward,butifyouwantarobustprofessionallife alongside a robust family life,don’t settle.”
TOURO PROFESSOR TOMROZINSKI BRINGS NEW APPROACHTO THE CLASSROOM WHILE WORKING CLOSELY WITH STUDENTS TO ENSURE THEIR SUCCESS IN LAW SCHOOL AND BEYOND
Foralmosttwodecades,ProfessorTom RozinskihasbeenacornerstoneofacademiclifeatTouroUniversity,wherehis teaching,mentorshipandinnovativeapproach toeducationhavehelpedshapegenerationsof students.Rozinskiiswidelyrespectednotonly forhisintellectualrigorandprofessionalaccomplishmentsbutforthedeep,lastingrelationships he buildswith students.
Rozinskibringsararebreadthofreal-world experiencetotheclassroom.Agraduateof YaleUniversityandHarvardLawSchoolwitha master’sdegreeingovernmentfromHarvard University,hespentyearsinlegalpracticeand publicservicebeforeenteringfull-timeacademia. Hiscareerincludesworkasapartnerinalawfirm andsevenyearsinNewYorkCitygovernment, includingasCommissionerofHomelessServices. Hisbackgroundinformshisteaching,allowing himtoconnecttheorytopracticeinwaysthat resonatewithstudentspreparingforcareersin law,government and public service.
“IWANTED TOBEABLE TO BRING SOMETHING MORE TO THE CLASSROOM THAN THEORY ALONE,”HE SAID. “STUDENTS DESERVETO UNDERSTAND HOW LAWANDGOVERNMENT ACTUALLY WORK.”
textbookforhisdebatingcourse,whichfocuses onargumentation,rebuttalandcriticalthinking skillsthat extend far beyondlaw school.
InnovationisanotherhallmarkofRozinski’s teachingstyle.Tohelpstudentsconnectabstract ideastothe modern world, he often incorporates musicandpopularcultureintoclassdiscussions. “Sometimestheideasofpoliticalphilosophers arereflectedinpopularmusic,”hesaid.“Itgives studentsawayin,andsomethingmemorableto holdonto.”
“ProfessorRozinskiplayedacriticalroleinmylaw schoolapplicationprocess,”saidArielGoodstein, aformerstudentattheLanderCollegeofArts andSciencesinBrooklyn.Goodsteinisnowinhis secondyearatHarvardLawSchool.“Heoffered sharpandincisivefeedback,andhispriorfirsthandadmissionsexperiencegavemeconfidence thathisadvice wasbothinformed and reliable.”
ForRozinski,teachingisultimatelyaboutrelationships.“I’vehadalotofjobsinmylife,but teachingatTourohasbeenthemostfulfilling becauseofthecloserelationshipIhavewithmy students,nowandwellpastgraduation,”hesaid. “AndatthispointI’vebeenhere20years,soI’m not going anywhere.”
FACULTYSPOTLIGHT
A RESEARCHER AND PROFESSOR EXCELS EQUALLY IN THE LAB AND THE CLASSROOM
Dr. Gurjinder Kaurwas molded early byher mother,awomanwhoearnednotone butthreepost-doctoraldegrees,virtually unheardofforawomanofhertime—theearly 1960s—in her country of India.
Heronlydaughtertooknote.Today,Dr.Kaur isanaward-winningneuroscientist,researcherandacademicleader.Currentlyservingas theassociatedirectorofthemaster’sprogram andassociateprofessorofphysiologyatTouro CollegeofOsteopathicMedicine(TouroCOM)in Middletown,Dr.Kaur’sdedicationtobothscientificdiscoveryandstudentsuccesshasmadeher a force at TouroCOM.
“I DO BOTH RESEARCH AND CLASSROOM AND I LOVE BOTH. BUT TEACHING STUDENTS IS MY LIFE’S PURPOSE.”
DR.GURJINDER KAUR ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR,PHYSIOLOGY, TOURO COLLEGE OFOSTEOPATHIC MEDICINE
otherpositions,wasaschoolprincipal,who knockeduninvitedondoorsinthecountryside toconvinceparentstolethereducatetheirgirls. “Shewasanamazingwoman,aleader,aheadof her time and place.”
Dr.Kaurencouragesherstudentswhohave pre-examjittersorsimplywanttoaskalastchancequestiontocallorZoomwithherthe nightbeforeatest.“Ourexamsarenormallyon Monday,soI’moftentalkingwiththemat11,11:30 andlateronSundaynights.IteatsmeupuntilI feelcertainthatmystudentsreceiveanddigest whatIamteaching them. Then I can sleep.”
Dr.GurjinderKaur, with her student in the lab at Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine
ACTION IN THE FACE OF ANTISEMITISM:
TOURO
LAWLAUNCHES FIRST-EVER CLINIC IN THE U.S.TO TRAIN LEGAL ADVOCATES
ManyintheJewishcommunityareconfused anddistressed,unsurewhetherAmerica isstillsafeandwhetherthepogroms andblatantantisemitismexperiencedduringthe Holocausthave landed in the UnitedStates. AtTouroUniversity,educationisthekeyto empowerment.Thisyear,TouroLawlaunched thenation’sfirst-everantisemitismclinicatalaw school.LedbyMarkGoldfeder,arabbiandlawyer whoseacademicfocushasbeenonconstitutionalandinternationallaw,thisclinicisdesignedto trainthenextgeneration of legal advocates.
TODEFEND INDIVIDUALS OR INSTITUTIONS, ADVOCATEFOR MEANINGFUL CHANGE AND ADDRESSANTISEMITISM IN REAL-LIFE, IMPACTFUL WAYS,
INCLUDING, FOREXAMPLE, IN EMPLOYMENT AND HOUSING DISCRIMINATION. THE TRAINING WE PROVIDE WILL EQUIP OUR STUDENTS WITH THE SKILLS AND LEGAL BACKGROUND THEY NEED TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.”
MARK GOLDFEDER DIRECTOR OF TOUROLAW’S ANTISEMITISM CLINIC
TouroLawstudentsenrolledintheclinicaregiven extensivebackgroundtrainingonvariousareasof lawrangingfromTitleVIandTitleVIIoftheCivil RightsActtotheAnti-TerrorismAct.Theyare thenassignedhands-onopportunitiestodevelop theirlegalskills;workingunderateamofdedicatedexpertssupervisedbyGoldfeder,theyinteract directlywithclientsandlearntheprocessofhandlingacasefromstarttofinish.Thegoalisthat bytheendoftheirtraining,theywillbeequipped tohandlemattersontheirown.Thestudentsare alsoofferedtheopportunitytoextendtheirtrainingandexperiencethroughinternshipsandexternships at organizations that fight antisemitism.
Studentsfrom theclinicaccompanyGoldfeder (center) to Texastotrain the FBI, Homeland Security and other lawenforcement agencies abouthow to recognizeand dealwithantisemitism in the field
MarkGoldfeder,directorofTouroLaw’s Antisemitism Clinic (center)tookstudentsfrom the clinic, Jacob Gaon(left) andDavidRofeh (right), totheWhiteHouse,where they met with leaders of the DOJ TaskForceonAntisemitism, theDeputy Secretaryof Labor, the Senior DirectorforCounterterrorism and otherseniorWhite Houseofficials
earningcreditsthatcounttowardmaster’s degreesinclinicalmentalhealthcounseling,I-O psychologyorABAwhilestillcompletingtheir bachelor’sdegree.Thesecoursesnotonlysave timeandtuitioncostsbutalsogivestudents a confident start to their professionalcareers.
TheClinicalMentalHealthCounselingPathway preparesstudentsforworkaslicensedprofessionalcounselors,focusingontherapeuticskills, theoryandpracticumexperiencesthatempower graduatestohelpindividuals,familiesandcommunitiesmanagementalhealthchallenges.The I-Opsychologytrackappliespsychologicalprinciplestoworkplaceandorganizationalsettings— equippingfuturepractitionerstoimproveteam dynamics,leadershipandemployeewell-being. Meanwhile,theABAPathwaytrainsstudentsin behaviorinterventiontechniquesusedwidelyin educationalandtherapeuticprograms,especially for individuals on the autism spectrum.
53.8 million
ANXIETY ANDDEPRESSION—THE TWOMOST COMMON MENTAL HEALTHISSUES—AREONTHERISE IN THE U.S. WITH AN ESTIMATED STRUGGLING DAILY WITH THESE CONDITIONS.
autismtoeatingdisordersanddepression.Some oftheirresearchhasevenbeenpublishedin prestigious medical journals. Together,Touro’sstructuredpathwayscreatea clearpipelinefromundergraduatepsychology intoimpactfulcareersinmentalhealth,addressingboththegrowingdemandforservicesand the critical need forwell-qualified professionals.
“TOURO UNIVERSITY IS TRAINING MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS TO MEET THIS DIRE NEED IN ANY AND EVERY SETTING WITH POPULATIONS RANGING FROM SCHOOLCHILDREN TOTEENS, ADULTS AND SENIORS. OUR STUDENTS RECEIVE CUTTING EDGE ACADEMIC AND REAL-WORLD CLINICAL TRAINING ASWELL ASRESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES. OUR GRADUATES ARECOMPASSIONATEANDCOMPETENT MENTAL HEALTHCOUNSELORS, PSYCHOLOGISTS AND THERAPISTS WHO OFFER MUCH-NEEDED HELP AND SUPPORT TO THE CLIENTS ANDPATIENTS THEY SERVE.”
DR. STEVEN LORENZET DEAN, TOURO UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF HEALTHSCIENCES
