Volunteer Q&A: Alumni Class Agent Joshua Goodstein '11
Joshua Goodstein ’11 has been an active Alumni Class Agent for the Class of 2011 and a member of the Maroon & White Fellowship young alumni, leadership donor society since graduating from HM. This past fall, he celebrated his fifth milestone reunion.
In 2015, during his senior year at Johns Hopkins, Josh returned to Horace Mann for the first time since graduation. He visited with former teachers and met with Dr. Tom Kelly, Head of School, to brainstorm about his post-college options. Josh had planned to join Teach for America for two years and then attend law school.
What happened next was completely unexpected. Dr. Kelly proposed that Josh work at HM as a Fellow in the Center for Community Values and Action (CCVA), as an Admissions Associate in the Upper Division admissions, and as a Co- Teacher of “Ethics in School and Society,” a popular Upper Division course taught by Dr. Kelly and Dr. Jeremy Leeds. As he explained, “Returning to Horace Mann right after college was something I never imagined I would do, but Dr. Kelly created a unique opportunity for me. It’s been a remarkable experience and I’ve loved every minute.”
As Josh's two-year fellowship at HM comes to a close, he is grateful for his experiences. "The skills I've developed at HM - both as a student and an employee - are universal. I'm sure they will translate to a career in entertainment management." Josh is ready to embrace new challenges and will join Creative Artists Agency's Literary Department as an Agent Assistant.
What is your favorite HM event? “Homecoming is my favorite event on campus. One year, my great uncle (Burt Siegal ’52), my mom (Ruth Goodstein ’78), my sister (Elizabeth Goodstein ’09), and my father were all there. My mom and I walked through some of the classrooms she sat in as a student, and shared memories about her experiences at HM during the pivotal first year when the school became coed.”
What are your favorite activities/hobbies? “I love exploring the neighborhoods of New York City, playing chess, walking my dog in Central Park, and traveling with family and friends.”
What are the two most valuable pieces of advice you have for current students? (1) “Get comfortable with making mistakes. It’s easy to get caught up in the stress of the homework, tests, and projects, but a missed assignment or a bad grade doesn’t matter in the long run. Ultimately, what matters is the depth and quality of the friendships you build while you’re at HM.” (2) Sign up for every single club at the Homecoming Clubs Fair, because you really don’t know what you might stumble upon. I came into ninth grade thinking I was only interested in athletics and I ended up writing for The Record for four years.”
How would you encourage HM alumni to give back to the school? “If Horace Mann was instrumental in shaping the person you’ve become, if you made lifelong friends while you were here, or if you value the time you spent at HM, show your appreciation by giving back to the current students. The money you give to the Annual Fund goes directly to programs and services for the students and faculty, so that today’s students can have the same excellent education we had when we were at HM.”
(Article appeared in the spring 2017 Donor Newsletter)