Alumnus Leverages NYC Opportunities, Entrepreneurial Background to Boost Student Experience

As an accomplished business professional and entrepreneur, Jeff Lipkin, ’92, looks back on his time at the Whitman School — then the School of Management — and appreciates the solid foundation and opportunities he received as an undergraduate accounting major. Today, he is proud to be a part of an initiative to further leverage the Whitman School’s strong alumni base, particularly in the New York City area, and share his experiences for the benefit of current students.

The New Jersey native came to Syracuse knowing only that he wanted to study business. He credits a junior year summer internship with helping him land his first job with one of the Big 8 accounting firms after graduation.

“Syracuse put me on the right path. When I graduated, I had developed a good sense of what I wanted to do next. It made me more focused on what my career could look like,” said Lipkin, who today is the chief financial officer at global men’s care company Harry’s, Inc., a high-growth entrepreneurial venture based in New York City.

Lipkin’s appreciation of his alma mater led him to look at how he could help today’s students find their own right path, particularly by connecting them with opportunities that exist in New York City. For the past five years, he has been pleased to network with current EEE students, as well as coordinate visits, provide career and professional advice and assist in finding internships and job opportunities through his alumni connections.

In addition, Lipkin has judged the Whitman School’s Panasci Business Plan Competition for the past several years, a campus-wide event that fosters student entrepreneurs as they create growth-oriented business models to pitch to working professionals.

Lipkin enjoys making connections with students at the Whitman School and sharing experiences from his own career path as a way of giving back to the school.

“It’s a fun opportunity, and it creates a much deeper touch point with the school when you feel you’re a part of building the business school and helping with a massive unlock of its alumni network,” he explained of his involvement. “Growing up, it was hard figuring out what I wanted to do with my life. I think Syracuse does a really good job of helping students make the transition from the classroom to the working world, and I’d like to contribute to that in any way I can.”