“The best decision I could have made”—David L., MBA ‘24
Customized Online MBA Reviews: The Sy Syms Student Experience
Community is at the heart of everything we do at Sy Syms. The emphasis on collaboration in our online courses fosters camaraderie among your diverse group of classmates that will carry you through the program and into the next stage of your career. Your faculty leaders also take this mission to heart: They’re available to students during office hours and beyond, so you have every opportunity to benefit from their expertise and practical experience. In the Syms Customized Online MBA you’ll not only find a curriculum that’s challenging and deeply enriching, but a network of professional support for your career journey.
Keep reading and watch the videos to explore MBA program student experiences and MBA faculty spotlights.
MBA Program Student Voices
“At Yeshiva University, I was afforded so many opportunities.
With each class, you learn about leadership, financial data, financial management. You learn about risk. You learn about governance. It's manageable and it rejuvenates you and gives you a new sense of life and fulfillment. Be hungry and chase after it.”
Video Transcript
Michelle B.:
I was looking for a program that would help me to enhance my business skills. I wanted to be able to sit in a room with my senior leadership team, and I wanted to be able to add value to those conversations.
I was talking to my girlfriend, and she was like, why don't you try Yeshiva? You have esteemed faculty, but what stood out most was the flexibility. So I'm actually a single parent and with juggling a full time career, it was that work life balance, that's ultimately why I selected Yeshiva University.
Being remote, there was always a group project, there was always a case application that you had to go on. There were PowerPoint presentations, you had homework assignments. So it was actually very robust. You just had to be disciplined. With each class you learned about leadership, you learned about financial data, you learned about financial management, you learned about risk. You learn about governance. At Yeshiva University, I was afforded so many opportunities. I've worked with a lot of great faculty. You may network with someone, and that's your future job, and you can be there for ten years. So what I say to anyone, be hungry and, you know, chase after it. I did it.
The program has ended, but my career is taking on a new direction. Now that I have the financial skill set and I have the employee skills, I'm ready to look for a more senior level opportunity.
To have your child see you walk across the stage, there's nothing better. I've wanted an MBA for a really, really long time, and I think in that moment, it's a celebration of you and your family and those that really support you. So for my older parents, it's manageable and it's doable and it rejuvenates you and it gives you a new sense of life and fulfillment.
I was looking for a program that would help me to enhance my business skills. I wanted to be able to sit in a room with my senior leadership team, and I wanted to be able to add value to those conversations.
I was talking to my girlfriend, and she was like, why don't you try Yeshiva? You have esteemed faculty, but what stood out most was the flexibility. So I'm actually a single parent and with juggling a full time career, it was that work life balance, that's ultimately why I selected Yeshiva University.
Being remote, there was always a group project, there was always a case application that you had to go on. There were PowerPoint presentations, you had homework assignments. So it was actually very robust. You just had to be disciplined. With each class you learned about leadership, you learned about financial data, you learned about financial management, you learned about risk. You learn about governance. At Yeshiva University, I was afforded so many opportunities. I've worked with a lot of great faculty. You may network with someone, and that's your future job, and you can be there for ten years. So what I say to anyone, be hungry and, you know, chase after it. I did it.
The program has ended, but my career is taking on a new direction. Now that I have the financial skill set and I have the employee skills, I'm ready to look for a more senior level opportunity.
To have your child see you walk across the stage, there's nothing better. I've wanted an MBA for a really, really long time, and I think in that moment, it's a celebration of you and your family and those that really support you. So for my older parents, it's manageable and it's doable and it rejuvenates you and it gives you a new sense of life and fulfillment.
Video Transcript
Christopher R.:
My background is in engineering. Most of what I have done is in software engineering. I decided to go to the MBA to broaden my network and when I found out that Noam Wasserman was leaving Harvard to come to YU, I jumped at the opportunity.
The MBA program for me has been pretty immersive. I myself came back to graduate school after ten years in the industry. So when I came into this, I was working the entire time on my own startup. But what was cool, was we could take the knowledge and the insights we gained from the coursework and then apply that to our everyday work. And I think that's where I got the most out of the program.
Even though it was a remote program, there was a sense of community. We worked on so many group projects. I got to work with accountants, with lawyers, with heads of HR, people running their own business. You need a diversity of ideas. You need a diversity of people working on your team to be able to really get to the root of what's going on. That was one of the most eye opening experiences I gained.
As a technologist, as an engineer, I'm concerned with the ethics going into AI, going into a lot of the emerging technologies. The values-driven program that you get at YU and that you get through Sy Syms, has been very meaningful. I feel like having that context makes me a better decision maker.
I would definitely say there is a wealth of opportunity for you to gain wisdom from people who may have done what you're planning on doing in the future.
So now that I'm graduating from the MBA program, what I'm going to do with the knowledge, what I'm going to do with the experience, is I'm going to take that into a new venture. I'm starting my own business. Thank you to YU for having a program that was able to work around my busy schedule as an entrepreneur. I can work on my own vision for my own company, my own goals.
My background is in engineering. Most of what I have done is in software engineering. I decided to go to the MBA to broaden my network and when I found out that Noam Wasserman was leaving Harvard to come to YU, I jumped at the opportunity.
The MBA program for me has been pretty immersive. I myself came back to graduate school after ten years in the industry. So when I came into this, I was working the entire time on my own startup. But what was cool, was we could take the knowledge and the insights we gained from the coursework and then apply that to our everyday work. And I think that's where I got the most out of the program.
Even though it was a remote program, there was a sense of community. We worked on so many group projects. I got to work with accountants, with lawyers, with heads of HR, people running their own business. You need a diversity of ideas. You need a diversity of people working on your team to be able to really get to the root of what's going on. That was one of the most eye opening experiences I gained.
As a technologist, as an engineer, I'm concerned with the ethics going into AI, going into a lot of the emerging technologies. The values-driven program that you get at YU and that you get through Sy Syms, has been very meaningful. I feel like having that context makes me a better decision maker.
I would definitely say there is a wealth of opportunity for you to gain wisdom from people who may have done what you're planning on doing in the future.
So now that I'm graduating from the MBA program, what I'm going to do with the knowledge, what I'm going to do with the experience, is I'm going to take that into a new venture. I'm starting my own business. Thank you to YU for having a program that was able to work around my busy schedule as an entrepreneur. I can work on my own vision for my own company, my own goals.
“There is a sense of community. You need a diversity of ideas. You need a diversity of people working on your team to be able to really get to the root of what's going on.
The values-driven program has been very meaningful. Having that context makes me a better decision-maker. There is a wealth of opportunity to gain wisdom from people who have done what you're planning on doing.”
“I was in class with doctors, finance professionals, HR professionals, engineers. There are a lot of group projects and you’re working hands-on, and as you’re working with these various individuals, you’re learning about them: their backgrounds, what they do professionally, personally. It really is an eye-opening experience.”
Video Transcript
David L.:
I had an amazing experience at my undergraduate program at Yeshiva University. I wanted to continue that experience onwards. YU had just launched an online MBA program through the Sy Syms School of Business, and I enrolled. That was the best decision I could have made. The fact that I was working full time with a family, I don’t think I would have been able to complete my MBA program, without that flexibility.
The first course I took in the MBA program was a class on emotional intelligence. The main thing that I learned from that course is that leaders don’t catastrophize. Leaders are able to take a step back from any situation and they’re able to analyze and work with what you have.
I was in class with doctors, finance professionals, HR professionals, engineers. There are a lot of group projects and you’re working hands on, and as you’re working with these various individuals, you’re learning about them, you’re learning about their backgrounds, what they do professionally, personally, and it really is an eye-opening experience.
I always know that I’m able to reach out to any YU alumni and seek out either career advice, try to partner on something. The YU alumni network is there for a reason. It’s very important that we look out for one another and we try to help out where we can.
One of the most significant impacts that the YU MBA has had on myself is that I’m able to walk into business meetings and have the confidence to participate in a way which will make a meaningful and large impact on the organizations that we are discussing and the overall company at large.
I had an amazing experience at my undergraduate program at Yeshiva University. I wanted to continue that experience onwards. YU had just launched an online MBA program through the Sy Syms School of Business, and I enrolled. That was the best decision I could have made. The fact that I was working full time with a family, I don’t think I would have been able to complete my MBA program, without that flexibility.
The first course I took in the MBA program was a class on emotional intelligence. The main thing that I learned from that course is that leaders don’t catastrophize. Leaders are able to take a step back from any situation and they’re able to analyze and work with what you have.
I was in class with doctors, finance professionals, HR professionals, engineers. There are a lot of group projects and you’re working hands on, and as you’re working with these various individuals, you’re learning about them, you’re learning about their backgrounds, what they do professionally, personally, and it really is an eye-opening experience.
I always know that I’m able to reach out to any YU alumni and seek out either career advice, try to partner on something. The YU alumni network is there for a reason. It’s very important that we look out for one another and we try to help out where we can.
One of the most significant impacts that the YU MBA has had on myself is that I’m able to walk into business meetings and have the confidence to participate in a way which will make a meaningful and large impact on the organizations that we are discussing and the overall company at large.
Discover Your Next Step
This will only take a moment.
By clicking "Get Program Brochure" and submitting this form, I agree to receive text messages, emails and other communication regarding educational programs and opportunities, and to be contacted by Yeshiva University and Everspring, its authorized representative. Message and data rates may apply. Message frequency varies. Reply HELP for help and STOP to cancel. View our privacy policy and disclosures.
Download Program Brochure
Are you ready to accelerate your career or take on a new challenge with a master’s degree? Yeshiva University’s Sy Syms School of Business offers innovative online programs designed for busy professionals.
Complete the form to download a program brochure for Yeshiva University’s Customized Online MBA program.
An Customized Online MBA Led by Industry Experts
Video Transcript
Dr. Tamar Avnet:
I like to bring innovative teaching methods into the program, and to make sure that we are creating the leaders of the future, and not just teaching business skills. The Sy Syms online MBA program keeps enhancing the curriculum. So we offer courses about AI. We offer courses about sustainability, and we really try to make sure to keep up with the professional workplace.
The program is very flexible. It actually is more geared to people who are professionals. So the idea is that we are aware that you are working full time while you're actually taking the program. While this program is obviously inclusive and diverse, it does incorporate Jewish values and perspectives. We provide within our courses an ethical perspective of how the business practice can affect our communities and how we can do ethical decision making while we are making business decisions.
When you're a teacher, there are two types, some just teach what the other wrote, and then there are those who are actually either doing it in the sense of working in that industry, or created it in the sense of actually ask the question, did the research, and so on. Our faculty come from industry as well as have vast academic experience. You are not just transforming knowledge from one book to a person, but we are really the one who created it.
Yeshiva University has a vast alumni network. We do offer networking events, either virtual or in person, and we also have our careers service to help our students advance their career.
And finally, we emphasize innovation and entrepreneurship. We have the YU Innovation Lab at Yeshiva University, which allows our MBA program students to interact with startups. So if you want to change your career, you want to go more into a business oriented or management level, MBA is for you. If you are already doing something in business, but you want to move on in the levels of management, MBA is for you. So it's really one of those degrees that really helps you to just move forward.
I like to bring innovative teaching methods into the program, and to make sure that we are creating the leaders of the future, and not just teaching business skills. The Sy Syms online MBA program keeps enhancing the curriculum. So we offer courses about AI. We offer courses about sustainability, and we really try to make sure to keep up with the professional workplace.
The program is very flexible. It actually is more geared to people who are professionals. So the idea is that we are aware that you are working full time while you're actually taking the program. While this program is obviously inclusive and diverse, it does incorporate Jewish values and perspectives. We provide within our courses an ethical perspective of how the business practice can affect our communities and how we can do ethical decision making while we are making business decisions.
When you're a teacher, there are two types, some just teach what the other wrote, and then there are those who are actually either doing it in the sense of working in that industry, or created it in the sense of actually ask the question, did the research, and so on. Our faculty come from industry as well as have vast academic experience. You are not just transforming knowledge from one book to a person, but we are really the one who created it.
Yeshiva University has a vast alumni network. We do offer networking events, either virtual or in person, and we also have our careers service to help our students advance their career.
And finally, we emphasize innovation and entrepreneurship. We have the YU Innovation Lab at Yeshiva University, which allows our MBA program students to interact with startups. So if you want to change your career, you want to go more into a business oriented or management level, MBA is for you. If you are already doing something in business, but you want to move on in the levels of management, MBA is for you. So it's really one of those degrees that really helps you to just move forward.
“I like to bring innovative teaching methods into the program, and to make sure that we are creating the leaders of the future.”
—Dr. Tamar Avnet, Customized Online MBA Program Director, Sy Syms School of Business
MBA Faculty Spotlight: Travis Tae Oh, PhD
Assistant Professor, Sy Syms School of Business
Widely published in outlets such as The Washington Post, Vox, Next Avenue, Stylus, and Psychology Today, Travis Tae Oh came to Sy Syms after a successful career as a market research analyst.
Today, his research examines the underlying psychological processes and meanings of consumption experiences, with a focus on conceptualizing and investigating fun in peoples’ lives. While his research spans topics such as creativity, branding, and hedonic consumption and experiences, his interests lie in clarifying discrete psychological concepts related to consumer fun and exploring how those constructs affect subsequent consumer judgment and behavior.
Bilingual in English and Korean, he is also a WSET Level III Certified Sommelier.
An Inventive Curriculum That Goes with You Anywhere
Most of our students have careers and families, so our dynamic online learning experience is designed for them.
“The Sy Syms Customized Online MBA program keeps enhancing the curriculum. The program is very flexible. It actually is geared to people who are professionals.”
Flexible Schedules for Busy Professionals
Start your MBA advancement at exactly the right moment, with a course load that fits your life.
With six terms, three start dates each year (fall, spring and summer) and full- and part-time schedules, the Sy Syms Customized Online MBA program puts the power of choice entirely in your hands. Create the MBA experience that works best for you, your family and your employer.
MBA Student Success Stories
“My career is taking on a new direction.”
—Michelle B., MBA ‘24
“I’m able to walk into business meetings with the confidence to make a meaningful, large impact.”
—David L., MBA ‘24
“I'm starting my own business. I can work on my own vision for my own goals.”
—Christopher R., MBA ‘24