Hello everyone, my name is Janice Fong!  I’m originally from Sheepshead Bay, NY, and I have lived there my whole life until now, where I currently dorm at the 97th street residence hall.  I love Sheepshead, as I was surrounded by both Chinese and Russian culture- which are both awesome!  I went to Brooklyn Technical High School and focused on law as my major.  Growing up I really enjoyed reading and writing, but later found an interest in cross country and track in high school.

I came to Baruch because I wanted to be a business major, but I am still undecided on what my concentration will be.  Right now, I am leaning more towards the Weissman, but I am not really sure what I want to do.  I hope I can find out soon and I am sure that Baruch will help me with its large and diverse student body.

In the future, I really hope to do more schooling as I want to be able to expose myself to specialization in different fields to figure out what I want to do.   As of right now, I love eating, sleeping, reading, and more eating.

This is me and my roommate (also my best friend that I met at Baruch!) at a Chinese New Year dinner!

My name is Kevin Cheng and I grew up in Whitestone, Queens. I intend to major in actuarial science and minor in interdisciplinary studies and computer information systems. I graduated earlier this year from Stuyvesant high school where I realized my passion not only for statistics but also for bodybuilding.

I couldn’t wait to go to Baruch College when I learned that they had an actuarial science program, as well as an easily assessable gym. At the start of the year I found myself going to the gym every day and also studying for my first actuarial science exam on my own on the side.

I hope to have passed all of my actuarial exams by the time I am 26, be recognized as a member of the Society of Actuaries (SOA) and end up working at a major insurance company.

I hope to extend my overall general knowledge through the endeavors associated with taking this course and expose myself to ideas that I previously would not have encountered or contemplated without the resource of such a liberal arts class.

I also like to make weird faces, and often unconsciously move my left eyebrow.

Hi everyone!! For those of you who haven’t met me during the first semester, my name is Nicolette Belitsis. I was born in Manhattan, at Mt. Sinai, and lived in Flushing, Queens for the early years of my childhood. While living there, I attended a private Greek school 2 blocks away from my house. When I was 8 or 9, my family moved to Manhasset Hills, Long Island, about 15 minutes away from my old house. Adjusting from private to public school was weird, because I was so used to being with kids just like me – Greek. However, I quickly got the hang of it and enjoyed my years in the Great Neck public school system.

I came to Baruch because of my acceptance into Macaulay. It’s a great programs and its benefits are simply amazing. I plan on majoring in International Business. I speak Greek and French and I really want to spend a lot of my life traveling, so I think this would be a great fit. However, this can always change… I also like psychology and I could also see myself in public relations, so…

I’m really excited for this class. I just took anthropology last semester which I really enjoyed. I find the people of New York already interesting, so I’m sure this class will further this interest. I’m constantly people watching, in restaurants, on the train, and simply on the street. I can’t wait to get to know all of you!

Here is a picture of my sister and I on the day of my high school graduation. We went to my favorite Italian restaurant in Douglaston which made me a very happy person because I seriously love Italian food.

My name is Marc Saadia and i grew up in Deal, New Jersey, alongside the beautiful ocean. I now reside in Brooklyn, New York, but i spent the first 12 years of my life living in New Jersey. Growing up I played a multitude of sports including surfing, baseball, basketball, and football.

The two things that influenced my decision to come to Baruch most was the amazing opportunities Macaulay has to offer and the fact that i am able to stay close to home with my ever growing family. In the past couple of years, two of my sisters have gotten married, and my last sister is soon to be. My oldest sister, Lynda,  had her first child about a month ago, and my other sister, Marie, is currently 8 months pregnant. Things have been amazing, and I am truly blessed to be a part of this family.

I am currently studying English, Philosophy, Communications, Music, and of course the second Macaulay seminar. Most of these are required classes and some needed as i approach a business degree at Baruch. My ultimate goal in life is to make a comfortable amount of money so i can provide for my family and the people in need around me . I hope to influence many lives in positive ways throughout my journey.

As for this course, I am very excited to delve into it, being that I am intrigued by the vast amount of people, beliefs, and religions around the world. The fact that NYC is a melting pot full of different races and religions can only serve to broaden my knowledge and understanding of people from all around the world.

Lastly, here is a picture of me and my handsome nephew Marty.