Growing with Goldman: Anna Ashurov ’12 Amplifies Alumni Engagement

When Anna Ashurov ’12, vice president in the Financing Group at Goldman Sachs, was elected a Recent Graduate member of the Board of Trustees, she was excited to give back to her alma mater.

“I had an amazing experience at Brooklyn Law school and am truly honored and proud to be part of such an accomplished group of people,” Ashurov said.

Ashurov thought hard about what she could do that would be meaningful to the school and its community. “I was looking for ways to add value and have an impact within the time of my two-year term,” she said. “What was important to me was bringing together the network of Brooklyn Law School alumni working at Goldman, engaging them with the Law School and its students, and showcasing some of the school’s cutting-edge programming such as its Center for Urban Business Entrepreneurship (CUBE). My goal is to create connectivity between the Brooklyn Law School community and Goldman Sachs so that we can work together to shape the next wave of entrepreneurs.”

Ashurov wasted no time turning her ideas into reality. Last month, she organized a lunch hosted by Goldman Sachs where alumni, faculty, and students were invited for an afternoon of networking and brainstorming. After Ashurov welcomed guests, CUBE CEO John Rudikoff spoke about CUBE’s transactional clinical practice and stressed the importance of doing good while also serving the clients of the future.

Rudikoff was joined by Ben Rader, vice president and general counsel for The Goldman Sachs Foundation and a longtime supporter of CUBE, who spoke about the Foundation’s pro bono efforts and the myriad opportunities for students to become involved in the Foundation’s programs such as 10,000 Small Businesses and 10,000 Women. He also encouraged Goldman attorneys to mentor Brooklyn Law School students and spoke about the potential for Goldman attorneys to work side by side with students at the CUBE Consultation Center as they provide legal consults to community-based startups in Brooklyn.

“CUBE’s mission is to enhance our students’ higher education, and to illuminate the complex dynamic between business, technology, and the law,” said Rudikoff. “Partners like Anna Ashurov and Ben Rader exemplify the contribution sought from our community in amplifying these efforts and providing our students with a holistic understanding of practice.”

The event was an opportunity for alumni to reconnect with one another and forge new networks with students. “We have a lot of graduates of the Law School here at Goldman who don’t even know each other,” said Ashurov. “It was a great way for all of us to connect and network and just reminisce about our days in law school and to think about ways we can have an impact.”

Ashurov said this is just the beginning. “I hope to continue the dialogue and continue the engagement between the alumni and the school and create more opportunities for alumni to get involved,” she said. “I also hope to inspire other alumni to examine ways for their colleagues to reengage with the school. Together we can make the greatest impact.”