Status: Class of 2012

Major: Integrated Marketing Communications

Hometown: Highland Park, New Jersey

Worked: 35 Hours/Week on and off Campus

Tuition Assistance: Leadership Scholarship of $7,000 a Year and a Rod Serling Scholarship

Current Employment: Admissions at Hofstra University

Student Debt: $0

As a senior at IC, Andrew Cohen ’12 would get to campus early in the morning to work at the Office of Admission. Then it was off to a full slate of courses before he headed to meetings—some nights it was for the Senior Class Committee and other nights it was for Hillel or the Senior Class Gift Committee. Some days he worked at Temple Beth-El near the Commons. Often, he wouldn’t go back to his off-campus apartment until around 10 or 11 at night.

“I basically worked my whole time in Ithaca,” he says. “It always felt as though there was never enough time in the day to get everything done, but miraculously everything always got done. I enjoyed every minute of my time at IC. My experience at Ithaca was totally worth it. I would have done whatever it took to attend IC.”

Cohen earned an Ithaca Leadership Scholarship, which required him to demonstrate a continual record of leadership and participate in leadership development programs, and a merit-based Rod Serling Scholarship, which required he maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0. He also worked on campus as an admissions tour guide, also called a President’s Host, and was co-chair of the President’s Hosts during his senior year, netting him a substantial paycheck.

During his summer and winter breaks, and starting part-time in February of his senior year, he worked at United Synagogue Youth in New Jersey, where he got a job working full-time after graduation. He also received financial assistance from his parents and grandparents, which allowed him to graduate virtually debt free.

“It was not an issue for me, fortunately,” he says. “I know that’s not the same for everyone.”

As co-chair of the Senior Class Gift Committee, Cohen helped spearhead fundraising efforts for an emergency financial aid scholarship that provides aid to IC students who are facing an unexpected financial situation that jeopardizes their continued enrollment.

“I understand situations can come up, and parents can be laid off from their jobs. I would never want to see another student have to leave Ithaca because they couldn’t pay for it,” he says. “To know that this scholarship will exist in the future is really gratifying for me.”

Cohen is also on the IC Annual Fund Young Alumni Committee, reaching out to young alumni and asking them to donate regularly to the college, no matter the amount.

“I know when you’re paying off all these loans, you don’t really want to give any more money,” he says. “Getting alumni to give and understand how important it is to give can be difficult.”

Even though Cohen had just graduated in May 2012, he still felt like he was in a good financial position to give back. He has already made a gift to the IC Annual Fund.

“Making sure students have those same opportunities I had is so important,” he says. “Without support from alumni, IC wouldn’t be as great as it is.”

How can future students get the most value out of their IC experience?

“Do everything. I learned so much from everything I was involved in on campus. One of the things I love about Ithaca is that the classes give you the flexibility to do things you’re interested in. As an IMC major, I was able to do marketing communications projects for organizations like the United Synagogue Youth. That’s what makes Ithaca so special.”

Read more about the value of an IC education here.