Baruch College Honors Nine Alumni at Changemakers Awards

Inaugural event recognized graduates for making positive contributions to their companies, organizations, and society

October 19, 2022

Baruch graduates who have made a positive impact in their professional and personal lives were celebrated at the inaugural Alumni Changemakers Awards, hosted by the College’s Office of Alumni Relations and Volunteer Engagement.

“We are thrilled to honor nine Baruch graduates for their contributions to their companies, organizations, and to society at large,” said Baruch President S. David Wu in his welcoming remarks.

“Together they represent classes from 1977 to 2015—many different decades, and a great range of different backgrounds, disciplines, and fields.”

The Changemaker Awardees are:

Zicklin School of Business

• Maurice Ng (’15) – Founder and General Partner, Tings Capital
• Alexander Sheikhat (’14) – Production Engineer Manager, Wix
• Amelia Tran (’12) – Senior Director of Marketing, WorkReduce

Weissman School of Arts and Sciences

• Jiansan Gu (’11) – Clinical and Research Fellow Physician, Rush University Medical Center
• Victoria Lee (’13) – Co-Founder, Welcome to Chinatown
• Natalie H. Rogers (’77) – Founder, Talkpower: A Panic Clinic for Public Speaking Workshops

Marxe School of Public and International Affairs

• Irene Branche (MPA ’10) – Chief Development and Evaluation Officer HOPE
• Steven Raga (MPA ’15) – Advisor, U.S. Commission on Civil Rights
• Mauricio Videla (MPA ’09) – Attorney, U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

The honorees were nominated by fellow Baruch alumni and friends, and each awardee and nominator spoke during the ceremony.

In his speech, Ng noted his underdog story. “Ten years ago, I arrived at Baruch as a clueless immigrant, speaking broken English—I was truly an underdog,” he said. “I never thought this award or recognition would ever happen, so this is such an honor.”

Branche thanked her mother and colleagues for continuing to push her to fight social injustice. She credits her success to the professors and classes at Baruch. “I explored many options when I was looking to earn my MPA, and I definitely made the right choice,” she said. “The education I received at Baruch was second to none.”

A few alumni honorees joined virtually. Based in Israel, Sheikhat provided a video acceptance speech that was shown during the event. He has spearheaded the creation of Baruch’s Alumni in Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) Network.

Gu, a physician at Rush University Medical Center, joined virtually from Chicago where he was unable to leave his hospital.

Janet Rossbach, director of Alumni Relations, noted the commonalities among the honorees and, in fact, all Baruch alumni.

“These changemakers are extraordinary,” she said. “They are the epitome of the Baruch graduate: humble, hardworking, committed. Passionate, and cause-driven.”

Learn About the Baruch Alumni Community

The Office of Alumni Relations and Volunteer Engagement provides alumni — currently estimated at more than 165,000 worldwide — with yearlong events and networking opportunities, career services and educational opportunities beyond graduation. With the help of alumni volunteers and brand ambassadors, the Office manages robust alumni networks within corporations, throughout New York City, regionally across the U.S., and around the world. It also serves as the College’s hub for volunteering on campus and houses two mentoring programs. No membership fee or enrollment is required.

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