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Notable Veteran Alumni: Marshall M. Gelfand

Marshall M. GelfandMarshall M. Gelfand is an alumnus of Syracuse University, and also a military veteran. You should know his story, because it’s a Syracuse University story—one that speaks to our past, our present, and our future.

Marshall Gelfand spent nearly a decade of his life moving back and forth between military service and higher education. He received his bachelor’s degree from Syracuse University’s School of Management in 1950—in between his U.S. Navy service in WWII and the Korean War. Gelfand graduated from New York University Law School in 1956.

Eight years later, as Gelfand was just starting his accounting practice, Gelfand received a phone call from an attorney, with whom he made an acquaintance at a social event. The acquaintance presented him an opportunity to be the accountant for a singing group going on tour named Peter, Paul, & Mary. They would become his first clients, followed by Neil Diamond, Bob Dylan, James Taylor, Carly Simon, and Debra Winger. In 1967, Marshall M. Gelfand and partners officially founded Gelfand, Rennert & Feldman, LLP, which would become one of the top business management firms in the entertainment industry with 18 partners and 200 staffers and offices in Los Angeles and New York.

Marshall M. GelfandGelfand balanced an incredible portfolio of philanthropic work with his successful business career. In 1983, Gelfand was appointed to the Syracuse University Board of Trustees and served as a member of the Development and Student Affairs Committees. He was the former president and current treasurer of both the Barbara Sinatra Children’s Center and the Palm Springs Friends of the Philharmonic, and had become and continues to be involved in the Palm Springs, CA community. However, the charitable cause closest to his heart is the Judy Fund, named in honor of his wife, founded in 2003 to partner with the Alzheimer’s Association in raising funds for research and advocacy. In addition, in 2005, Gelfand became one of the founders of the Assuring Century2 Centennial Campaign for the future of Sigma Alpha Mu foundation, which would support leadership development programs, the purchase of a permanent home for the fraternity of Gelfand’s alma mater, and the growth of their scholarship program.

Marshall Gelfand has been recognized in many parts of his life. In 1996, Gelfand was awarded the prestigious Syracuse University’s George Arents Pioneer Medal for his work as chairman emeritus of his fraternity, as a member of the Hildegarde and J. Myer Schine Student Center fundraising committee, and for funding numerous scholarships in his name, to name a few. In 2013, Marshall Gelfand received Variety’s Business Managers Elite Award on behalf of his firm. Then in April 2014, the Alzheimer’s Association awarded him with the Eunice and Sargent Shriver Profiles in Dignity Award for his continuous efforts with the Judy Fund.

Though Marshall Gelfand is semi-retired, he still has two clients on his roster, Barbara Sinatra and 98-year-old author Herman Wouk. At 87, he manages to still make trips from his Palm Spring home to his firm’s Century City office. This is just a snapshot of the accomplishments this remarkable man contributed in numerous civic and cultural organizations, but there is no limit to how long and how much this man can impact.

Marshall M. Gelfand is an alumnus of Syracuse University and a veteran of the U.S. military. You should know his story.

A New Call to Service with International Depth

Are you looking to understand the complex balance of international relations in today’s global landscape? Maybe you want to learn how to use the best tools to navigate social problems or political conflicts, solve them, and even teach others about them one day. At the top-ranked Syracuse University Maxwell School, there is a degree that combines all of these areas in a unique interdisciplinary approach, honing in on international studies, the foundations of society, war and security. All of this can be accomplished on your own schedule. 

The Master of Social Science (M.S.Sc.) program often attracts business leaders, diplomats, teachers, and military personnel alike because of its connection to top faculty and immersion in several academic disciplines from a global perspective. Syracuse University chose the M.S.Sc. as a highlighted degree for veterans because we believe these focus areas match up with the interests of many returning veterans who feel a continued call to serve in civilian life.

This is a distance-learning program with only two visits to New York. It can be completed in any length of time between 18 months and 7 years from anywhere in the world. This flexibility often makes a big difference for veterans returning home to care for families and careers, those currently serving in the military, or military family members. This is why Syracuse University has chosen it as a highlighted degree for veterans, military connected students, and military families.

 

Flexible Distance Learning with Residency

The Master of Social Science program at the Maxwell School offers this format, the same type of hybrid instruction found in the online MBA@Syracuse. minnowbrookTwo two-week residencies on campus at Syracuse University add critical value to the distance learning curriculum. Students tend to be mid-career professionals who join the program from around the world. This diversity adds great value to the virtual classroom and in person.

The first residency in July always includes a weekend seminar in Syracuse University’s beautiful Minnowbrook Conference Center in the Adirondacks. The second residency can be broken up into two one-week parts if needed. This creates a perfect balance for a student unable to relocate for school but still looking for valuable, concentrated networking and face-time with both faculty and accomplished alumni.

 

Curriculum

curriculumWhat does a Master of Social Science degree entail? That is up to you. The curriculum is designed to draw lessons from across time periods and cultures around the world. Students choose three focus areas out of: Europe, U.S. History, Developing Nations, International Relations, and War and Society. For the final project or thesis, M.S.Sc. students will choose a topic in just one focus area to dig deeper and specialize in. This is an intellectual, research-intensive program that will prepare future college professors and international nonprofit managers alike.

The program is 30 credits in total, and up to 6 credits can be transferred from another institution. Faculty members for this program are all senior professors in Political Science, History, Anthropology, and other disciplines at the top-ranked Maxwell School.

Learn more about the faculty

Download course descriptions

 

Applying

An application to the Master of Social Science program requires a Bachelors degree, resume, personal statement, recommendations, and test scores. Be sure to list military experience in your application. Students wishing to begin in the fall need to apply by February 1st and those wishing to begin in the spring must apply by August 15th the prior year.

Learn more about admissions

Notable Veteran Alumni: General Robert H. Reed

General Robert H. ReedGeneral Robert H. Reed, U.S. Air Force (ret.) is an alumnus of Syracuse University, and a veteran. You should know his story, because it’s a Syracuse University story—one that speaks to our past, our present, and our future.

Robert Harvey Reed was born in Elkhorn City, Kentucky on October 10, 1929. Reed launched his Air Force career as an aviation cadet in 1952 at a time in our history when demand for pilots was greatly outpacing the supply.

Reed completed his initial pilot training in Arizona in 1952, which earned him a commission as a Second Lieutenant and a seat at the F-94C All-Weather Fighter-Interceptor School in Georgia the following year. His first duty station was New Castle Air Force Base in Delaware with the 332dnd Fighter-Interceptor Squadron. Over the next decade or so, Reed was assigned to several fighter squadrons at locations including Ladd AFB in Alaska, Bunker Hill AFB in Indiana, South Dakota, British Columbia, and Griffiss AFB in New York. While stationed in New York, he balanced flying F-101B Voodoo aircraft and attending Syracuse University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in international relations in 1959.

Reed graduated from the Air War College in June 1972, following numerous assignments from California to Florida to Vietnam, logging 6,100 flying hours on seven different fighter aircraft, and completing a Master of Public Administration degree at George Washington University. Upon graduation, he was assigned to the Headquarters of the US Air Force in Washington, D.C. as Chief of the Doctrine Development Branch. There he served in a variety of key leadership roles in the Air Force before becoming the Air Force Assistant Vice Chief of Staff, subsequently, the Air Force representative for the United States Delegation to the Military Staff Committee at the United Nations. In 1986, Reed was honored with a promotion to the rank of General (four-star) and appointment as Chief of Staff for the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) in the final years of the Cold War. At SHAPE, Reed led a staff of 2,800 allied officers across 16 NATO nations. General Reed retired from the Air Force in 1988 after completing 35 years of distinguished service. 

Demonstrating a continued commitment to public service, Reed joined the Myrtle Beach Air Base Redevelopment Authority as vice chairman. On the topic of leadership, Reed stated, “One of the key qualities is the ability to motivate people. You have to be able to communicate and convince people of the importance of mission, and get them to buy into it. The other thing is to always operate with a sense of fairness in the treatment of people, because if you begin to show any kind of favoritism that can destabilize morale. The third thing is maintaining high standards of discipline, conduct, and ethics—you can’t compromise on those.”

General Reed has received extensive recognition for his accomplishments as an Air Force pilot and senior leader, including the Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross, Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal with 10 oak leaf clusters, and the Air Force Commendation Medal. He even has a stretch of highway named after him—the General Robert H. Reed Highway in his home state of Kentucky.

General Robert H. Reed, U.S. Air Force (ret.) is an alumnus of Syracuse University, and a veteran of the U.S. military. You should know his story.

March 26th: Veterans Navigating Career Workshop

Take part in a dedicated career workshop for veterans focussed on resumes, LinkedIn, and networking. Photographers will be available for professional photos, too. Sign up for one of two sessions on March 26th.

Veterans Navigating Career

J. Michael Haynie Appointed to Newly Created VA Advisory Committee

IVMF-Haynie-620_72We are proud to announce that Dr. Mike Haynie, founder and Executive Director of the Institute for Veterans and Military Families and Vice Chancellor of Veterans and Military Affairs at Syracuse University, was appointed to the newly created ‪MyVA‬ Advisory Committee today.

VA Secretary Robert McDonald launched the MyVA initiative in September 2014, as part of the department’s effort to better align the VA with the needs of the nation’s veterans, and to empower VA employees to improve the veteran experience. The MyVA Advisory Committee will provide advice to the secretary and VA leadership related to the department’s efforts to rebuild trust with veterans and other stakeholders, improve service delivery and set the course for longer-term excellence and reform.

McDonald appointed Haynie to serve as the vice chairman of the MyVA Advisory Committee. Major General (ret.) Jose Robles, president and chief executive officer of United States Automobile Association, will serve as chairman. Other committee members include former U.S. Surgeon General Richard Carmona; Dr. Toby Cosgrove, CEO of the Cleveland Clinic; Teresa Carlson, vice president for Worldwide Public Sector at Amazon; Nancy Killefer, vice chair of the Defense Business Board and Christopher Howard, president of Hampden-Sydney College.

Haynie serves as the vice chancellor for veterans and military affairs at Syracuse University, the executive director of the University’s Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF) and the Barnes Professor of Entrepreneurship at the University’s Martin J. Whitman School of Management.

Notable Veteran Alumni: Louis J. Giuliano

LJGLouis J. Giuliano is an alumnus of Syracuse University, and also a military veteran. You should know his story, because it’s a Syracuse University story—one that speaks to our past, our present, and our future.

Louis J. Giuliano is a man of principle and an American businessman who graduated from Syracuse University with a Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry (’68) and Master of Business Administration in Marketing (’69) from the Whitman School of Management. Giuliano is also a U.S. Army veteran who made the rank of First Lieutenant and served honorably in Vietnam.

In the business world, Mr. Giuliano began working with the Aerospace group at Allied Signal. He served at Allied for nearly 20 years and rose to President of the Avionics Systems Group, responsible for seven operating units nationwide. In 1988, Mr. Giuliano joined ITT as Vice President of Defense Operations and, in 1991, became President of ITT Defense and Electronics, a position he filled for another eight years. As President and CEO of the ITT Defense and Electronics department, Mr. Giuliano received an important contract in 1997 with the U.S. Army’s Communications and Electronics Command. This partnership would transform tactical communications with the development and implementation of a new U.S. Army combat radio, the SINCGARS. Then, from 2001 to 2004, he led ITT Industries as Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer. During his tenure, his chief priority was to improve operating performance and he oversaw significant increases in ITT’s market capitalization (250%) and stock price (170%).

In November 2004, former President George W. Bush appointed Mr. Giuliano to governor of the U.S. Postal Service. The Senate confirmed him in 2005 to serve a full nine-year term.

Mr. Giuliano attributes his time in the service for his success in the corporate world. He stated in a USA Today article about fellow veteran corporate leaders, “there is debate over whether it was combat or military training that gave them a leadership edge. The military teaches the responsibility of serving, not just fulfilling your own needs.”

Currently, Mr. Giuliano serves as Non-Executive Chairman of Vectrus, a leading provider of global service solutions in areas of Infrastructure Asset Management, IT, and Network Communication services, and Logistics and Supply Chain Management Services. He is also Senior Advisor to The Carlyle Group and is the Operating Executive to the Aerospace & Defense, Automotive, and Transportation and Industrial Groups. He is actively involved with the CEO Forum and the Advisory Board for the Princeton University Faith and Work Initiative. In addition, he is the Founder of Workforce Ministries, Honorary Chairman of the Westchester County Red Cross Armed Force Emergency Services, and he holds several other board positions for organizations including Accudyne Industries and Meadowkirk Retreat Center.

Notably, Mr. Giuliano is also a sponsor of Syracuse University’s Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans with Disabilities (EBV) based out of the Whitman School of Management and Institute for Veterans and Military Families. Mr. Giuliano is married to his wife Barbara and they have two daughters and six grandchildren.

Louis J. Giuliano is an alumnus of Syracuse University and a veteran of the U.S. military. You should know his story.

 

Syracuse University’s Whitman School of Management Ranked #2 Best Business School for Vets

B9316532260Z.1_20150309110925_000_G2QA3U1RK.1-0Military Times released their ranking of top 75 Best for Veterans Business Schools. Syracuse University’s Whitman School of Management is ranked #2 Best Business School for Veterans, highlighting Syracuse University’s enduring commitment to veterans, military connected students, and military family members.

More schools than ever responded to this year’s Military Times survey. Competition was stiff to make the list.

Some of the findings from Military Times’s survey:

  • Among respondents this year, the focus on veterans typically starts at the top. Better than four in 10 have a service member, veteran or military spouse in a senior leadership position within the business school. Another four in 10 reported such a senior leader not at the business school but the larger university.
  • On average, service members and veterans accounted for a little less than 13 percent of the graduate student population at business schools.
  • A graduate degree is typically more expensive than a bachelor’s, and the MBA is no exception. More than 8 in 10 responding schools indicated that their costs exceeded the $250-per-semester-hour cap associated with military tuition assistance in the last school year.
  • Costs at a little more than half the schools outpaced veterans’ Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits. But about 7 in 10 such schools participated in the Yellow Ribbon program to help make up the difference, and most — but not all — of these schools made up the full difference for all eligible students, thus insuring they didn’t have to pay tuition out of pocket or through loans.
  • More than a third of schools either waive or discount application fees for veterans or service members.
  • Three-quarters of business schools told us that their larger university has a veteran or military group, but fewer than one in 10 has a separate such group unique to the business school.
  • Nearly six in 10 graduate business programs accept, in at least some cases, recommendations from the American Council on Education on awarding academic credit for military training. But limitations on the acceptance of such credit are common.
  • Nearly two-thirds of responding schools require incoming students to take either the Graduate Management Admission Test or the Graduate Record Examination as part of their applications. Only about 8 percent of schools typically waive that requirement for vets, although about a quarter of schools gave vets some sort of admissions preference.

 

Notable Veteran Alumni: Sean O’Keefe

Sean O'KeefeSean O’Keefe is an alumnus of Syracuse University and also the former acting Secretary of the Navy. You should know his story, because it’s a Syracuse University story—one that speaks to our past, our present, and our future.

Sean O’Keefe was born to Patricia Carlin and Patrick Gordon O’Keefe in Monterey, California. As the son of a naval engineer, O’Keefe moved around often as a child. Following his high school graduation in Connecticut in 1973, O’Keefe attended Loyola University in New Orleans. He graduated four years later with a Bachelor of Arts in 1977. But rather than taking a little personal time before jumping into his career, O’Keefe immediately proceeded to Syracuse University’s Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs to continue his studies in its intensive, yearlong Master of Public Administration program.

Mr. O’Keefe entered public service as a budget analyst for the Department of Defense (DoD) shortly after earning his M.P.A. in 1978. He later joined the Senate staff, working on the Senate Committee on Appropriations for eight years before taking over as staff director of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee. O’Keefe eventually moved back to DoD as its Comptroller and CFO in 1989. Notably, from 1992 to 1993, O’Keefe served as the acting Secretary of the Navy under President George H.W. Bush. Later during President George W. Bush’s first term, Sean served as deputy director of the Office of Management and Budget for a year and then as the NASA Administrator from 2001-2004.

Between these impressive government postings, O’Keefe held a number of significant positions in higher education and the private sector. Following his term as acting Secretary of the Navy in the mid-1990s, O’Keefe joined the business school faculty at Pennsylvania State University. He then rejoined the Maxwell School of Syracuse University as the Bantle Professor of Business and Government Policy where he taught for six years and directed the Maxwell School’s National Security Studies Program.

Following his terms at OMB and NASA, O’Keefe served for three years as Chancellor of Louisiana State University from 2005 to 2008. He then served as a vice president with General Electric for a year before taking over as Chairman and CEO of EADS North America (now Airbus North America) in 2009, a role he served in through 2014. Luckily, Mr. O’Keefe has returned to Syracuse University—yet again—as its 17th University Professor and the Phanstiel Chair of Strategic Management and Leadership. He concurrently serves as a Distinguished Senior Advisor with the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington, D.C.

O’Keefe is a recipient of numerous awards in recognition of his extraordinary public service career. These include, among others, the Distinguished Public Service Award, the Navy Public Service Award, Syracuse University’s George Arents Award and Chancellor’s Award for Public Service, and five honorary doctorates.

Sean O’Keefe is an alumnus of Syracuse University and also the former acting Secretary of the Navy. You should know his story.