The Story Behind the Institute for Global Student Success
Throughout his successful business and academic career, Professor Alan Kerzner has been dedicated to ensuring every individual he manages or teaches has every opportunity to reach his or her highest potential.
Professor Alan Kerzner
As the number of international students in his classes increased, Professor Kerzner noticed that these students struggle in the American classroom, no matter how smart they are. They are not accustomed to classroom participation, formal presentations or group work – which are all important parts of grades in US universities. Additionally, although most international students want to make friends from the US and other countries, they tend to befriend only students from their home country.
To help these students, Professor Kerzner designed a two-hour workshop entitled “Success in the American Classroom” conducted during New York University’s orientation. It is consistently well received by students from China, Taiwan, Thailand, Russia, Brazil, Australia, Columbia, Poland, Mexico and Lebanon.
Professor Kerzner understands that students require more than two hours of training –and that success in the US goes well beyond the classroom. He did a formal market research study of current and recently graduated international students of American universities. The results were powerful: students are eager to gain the skills they need to excel academically, socially and professionally.
Professor Kerzner then enlisted leading faculty and successful international students and alumni to create IGSS as the most elite and unique program available to incoming undergraduate and graduate students.
With this knowledge in hand, Professor Kerzner created IGSS to be the top and most unique program available.
