Spotlight on Kevin Baxpehler, RRIS Alumnus
By Joy Pincus

The following article was published in the Herzliyan, spring 2007 issue.

ONE OF THE GOALS OF THE RRIS is to create a new generation of leaders, some of whom will strengthen the state of Israel from within, while others will return to their home countries to serve as leaders in the community. One RRIS student, Kevin Baxpheler, class of 2004, is planning to do both.

Following graduation, Kevin moved to New York City and was fortunate to be hired by American Friends of IDC Board Member Mark Gerson, chairman and CEO of the Gerson Lehrman Group and a leader in today’s business world. Today Kevin is pursuing his MBA at NYU’s world-renowned Stern School of Business while working for a new private equity fund, Wolfensohn & Capital, founded by former Head of the World Bank James Wolfensohn.

According to Kevin, RRIS gave him the necessary edge to compete in the business world.

“I was practically hitting the ground running at Gerson Lehrman Group in New York. Compared to some of my co-workers from different Ivy-league schools, I was at an advantage, because IDC also teaches practical tools, which are vital in today’s business world.”

One of the greatest benefits of studying at RRIS, says Kevin, is the exposure to students from around the world.

“The friends I made from over 40 different countries influenced my experience and broadened my horizon tremendously. The RRIS is a big melting pot where by default students learn how to interact with peers from different cultures, which is very important in an ever globalizing world.”

Perhaps equally important are the lasting bonds students make on campus. For Kevin, beyond the first-class education he received, RRIS’s small class sizes and family-like atmosphere made it easy to form lasting friendships with fellow students and build important relationships with his professors.

“The bottom line is that the RRIS is a very intimate place to learn and meet people, yet it provides its students with all the exposure to global thinkers and leaders the world has to offer….the fact that I stay in touch with RRIS faculty and current students as well as with many alumni today says more about how grateful I am to have studied at IDC.”

Kevin is also an active club officer at NYU’s Emerging Markets Association and he takes an active interest in political events, with one of his articles published in the Weekly Standard. He plans to eventually return to Israel and establish an alternative asset fund.