YU is proud of its newest cohort of the Honors Leadership Society’s YU-Einstein Medical Scholars Program, a partnership between YU and Albert Einstein College of Medicine (AECOM). The program offers a select number of high school seniors a premier honors undergraduate education at YU, as well as early assurance to medical school training at AECOM (pending fulfillment of program requirements).

Two extraordinary members of the cohort, Rivka Sullivan and Aaron Sisser, are graduates of YU’s high schools, Yeshiva University High School for Girls (Central) and Yeshiva University High School for Boys (MTA). 

YU News sat down with both of them to learn about their backgrounds, high school experiences and why they chose YU to pursue their undergraduate education.

Rivka Sullivan

Rivka Sullivan, from Queens, New York, is currently a student at Stern College for Women after attending Michlelet Mevaseret Yerushalayim (MMY) in Israel for her gap year. While she does not yet know which area of medicine she wants to pursue, she is looking forward to her participation in the YU-Einstein Medical Scholars Program to give her the skills and guidance to help make that decision.

While in high school, she participated in many STEM-related opportunities. Starting in her sophomore year, she was involved in Science Institute, an after-school class that focused on microbiology and taught students the preliminary steps in doing research. She competed in the Nassau County Community College Honors Science Fair at the suggestion of one of her teachers, submitting her and her fellow students’ research of bacteria present in sourdough and the potential health benefits associated with it. The project won first place in the competition and the group continued the project into their junior year - leading to a much greater understanding of their research. As part of her AP Chemistry class, they did their labs at St. John’s University. “It was surreal being a high school student, learning the same material and doing the same labs as college students,” said Sullivan. She once again participated in Science Institute one summer, where she conducted research at Stony Brook University through the Garcia Summer Scholars program. “Coming to the labs the first few days I realized what an advantage Central had given me over other high school students my age,” added Sullivan. “While many of these students hadn’t ever been in a lab, I already knew how to use a lot of the equipment and was familiar with safety and research procedures.” Other activities she pursued in high school included Yeshiva University National Model UN (YUNMUN), as well as Model Congress, ACE, and the volleyball team.

Sullivan chose to pursue her undergraduate education at YU for a variety of reasons. “Not only does YU have amazing secular studies classes, but the ability to have all that while continuing my Jewish education is something that was really important to me when I chose where to attend college.” She is grateful to attend a university that values a secular education, yet also values Israel and the Jewish people. Added Sullivan, “I chose YU for the many opportunities it provides for me to get involved in clubs, classes, and sports. It is at YU where I don’t have to worry about missing classes or activities for Shabbos or the Chagim, something that is really important to me.”

Aaron Sisser

Aaron Sisser, from Queens, New York, studied at Yeshivat Hakotel in Israel during his gap year and began his studies at YU this fall. While at MTA, he had the opportunity to take classes that helped foster his interest in the sciences. One class that made a large impression on him was his 12th grade forensics class. “It was my first real hands-on ‘medicine-esque’ class,” said Sisser, “and we were able to do cool and informative things like dissecting pigs and examining the remains of dead animals.”

While he is unsure which area of medicine he wants to pursue, during high school he took advantage of many opportunities to learn about the various areas of specialty. He completed an EMT training course and became a certified EMT in New York State, as well as received official CPR certification. For one summer, he shadowed a gastroenterologist, a pediatrician and a dermatologist to see what their day-to-day lives were like. “Each experience was different and interesting and gave me unique tastes of the world of medicine,” added Sisser.

He chose YU because, as an Orthodox Jew, he believes it is the perfect place to maintain and foster his religiosity, “while at the same time, be able to do my best to improve the world around me.” He feels strongly that YU gives him the opportunity to become a member of the professional world, while at the same time, is an amazing place to cultivate and nurture his religious values and improve himself as a person.

Sisser is grateful for the support he has gotten from his family, some of whom attended MTA and pursued medicine. He is also appreciative of the guidance and support he received from his teachers while in high school. “During my time at MTA, everyone was very supportive of me achieving whatever I wanted to achieve,” he said. “From the Rebbeim to the science teachers and college guidance professors, everyone around me always made sure I was able to put my best foot forward, and I thank them for that.” 

Yeshiva University’s Honors Leadership Society is a new tier of honors programs composed of four distinguished cohorts of elite honors students selected for their academic excellence and potential to shape the future. Representing a diverse array of fields, our students are the visionaries and trailblazers of tomorrow. For more information about the Honors Leadership Society and its programs, visit go.yu.edu/academic-scholarships