As a member of the University of Delaware’s Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics’ class of 2024, Rafi Turitz-Sweifach, business analytics and information management MBA/M.S. from Teaneck, New Jersey has thoroughly demonstrated his determination and excellence during his time at UD.
Turitz-Sweifach was nominated for this series by Academic Program Coordinator Sarah Dix and Associate Professor of Marketing Michal Herzenstein.
Dix says, “Rafi is a true leader and go-getter! He has been BAIM Senator for GSG and a member of the MBA Student Association. Rafi is Data Analyst Graduate Intern at Academic Technology Services this year and is the lead data analyst on a University-wide AI project where one of my big roles is to quantify and improve the accuracy and consistency of our AI model. Rafi is also one of the main people at ATS when it comes to AI ethics. Rafi is a huge resource for all Lerner students from undergrad to graduate students.Rafi has been hired by BUAD to teach next year and he will be an awesome addition to their team!”
Herzenstein says, “Rafi was a fantastic student in my (difficult) BUAD680 class. I met him for the first time as a freshman and saw him from time to time around campus, so I was really excited when he took my class. He performed at a level above all other students, and seems to have really enjoyed the material. He was instrumental in making my course an elective for BAIM. I am super excited we hired him to teach for us!”
In this profile, Turitz-Sweifach shares his favorite UD memories, how he has changed during his time at UD and his plans following graduation.
Lerner: How do you think you have changed from your first semester at UD to now?
Turitz-Sweifach: I’ve had two real “first semesters” at UD, one when I started undergrad in Fall 2018 and another when I started graduate school in 2022. In my undergraduate experience, I grew a lot as a leader and became more confident in myself. In graduate school, I learned to get further outside of my comfort zone than I had before and gained many new tangible skills in areas such as Artificial Intelligence, management, and teaching that I never previously thought would align with my career path.
Lerner: What have been some of the challenges you have faced during your college experience and how did you overcome them?
Turitz-Sweifach: Balancing the demands of my academics, work experiences, and finding time for myself has been a big challenge that I have had to overcome. By being transparent with everyone I work with, setting reasonable expectations for myself, and being proactive where possible, I was successfully able to manage, but there were definitely many hectic points throughout my time in graduate school that were difficult to get through. Additionally, leaning on support systems, like mentors, peers, and friends has been crucial in navigating the workload while still having fun!
Lerner: What was your favorite signature UD experience and why?
Turitz-Sweifach: My favorite experience at UD has been representing my M.S. Business Analytics and Information Management program as a Senator on UD’s Graduate Student Government. Getting to meet amazing leaders from across a variety of graduate programs while simultaneously helping to influence policy at the University has been very meaningful to me, and has helped broaden my horizons and meet some wonderful people!
Lerner: Did you have a Lerner professor or staff member that had a big impact on your UD experience?
Turitz-Sweifach: Both Dr. Andrea Everard and Sarah Dix had an immense impact on my UD experience. For starters, Dr. Everard convinced me to pursue a Master’s in Business Analytics and Information Management. She also made me feel extremely valued and heard when giving feedback about my experience and she provided me with invaluable advice and opportunities.
Sarah Dix has been one of the most supportive and kind people that I’ve had the pleasure to be around. She helped me throughout graduate school by giving suggestions for what courses to take, giving me advice, and always having her door open to me to have many memorable conversations. She is an exceptional person and M.S. Business Analytics and Information Management students are extremely lucky to have her in their corner.
Lerner: What does being a “Lifelong Lerner” mean to you?
Turitz-Sweifach: Being a “Lifelong Lerner” means taking the elements of my Lerner experience that I loved and trying my best to provide them for others. I have had the pleasure of being at UD for both my undergraduate and graduate careers, and I would love to do what I can to make future students’ experiences as good as mine.
Lerner: What advice would you give to incoming freshmen to make the most out of their college experience?
Turitz-Sweifach: My advice to both incoming freshmen and graduate students is similar: Use your time in college to try new things, get outside of your comfort zone, and have fun while doing it. Colleges provide a really unique safe space to try new things with minimal risks, and it’s really important to push yourself to do things you may not always be comfortable with. Joining a club or going to an event you’re interested in, applying for leadership positions, and forming relationships and friendships with people outside of your major or college are just some of the things that can be scary in the moment, but provide invaluable experiences that you’ll look back on happily. One thing I often struggled with, and that I admittedly could have done better at, was finding time for myself and fun activities amidst the sometimes overwhelming amount of things to do in college. Make sure to set boundaries, and learn early that it’s okay to say “no” sometimes if it means enjoying yourself more.
Lerner: What are your plans following graduation?
Turitz-Sweifach: I will be teaching full-time with the BUAD department at UD!