100 Alumni We Love

Reflections on My Time at Hebrew University

By Sagit Kotik, Vancouver

Sagit Kotik

In 1995, after my army service, I applied to several universities in Israel, with Hebrew University being my first choice. I was so excited when I was accepted to the BA Economics and Sociology programs at Hebrew U.

Living in and exploring the city of Jerusalem, meeting students from all over the country and the world, studying in groups, forming new friendships, navigating and getting lost in Mt. Scopus university buildings and being mind-challenged nonstop were some of the magical moments I experienced while studying at HU.

When I completed my BA in 1998, I decided I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to Jerusalem and the university yet and applied to the MBA program. This was the natural next step for me and I studied while working at the Israel Central Bureau of Statistics as a nonprofit organizations activities analyst and organizational consultant for a private insurance company.

In 1999, I was chosen to participate in a trial entrepreneurship program offered for the first time to MBA and Law students. During this one-year program, we worked in groups to come up with an innovative idea or product, put together a business plan and presented it to investors. This hands-on experience provided me with practical tools to use in real-life situations and helped me to develop “out of the box” thinking which I still apply to almost every aspect of my life.

I like sharing my fond memories of Hebrew University with my kids and I hope it will inspire them to study at HU one day so they will get to experience it for themselves.

  • Sagit is the Director of Strategic Market Analysis at the Eastman Kodak Company in Vancouver.