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Jon Rosenhein
Jon grew up in Franklin Square, L.I., and earned his bachelor's degree in political science and history at Binghamton University. He went on to Columbia for his M.P.A. and M.B.A. and later worked there for 13 years, mostly as vice president for university budget and financial planning. Prior to his stint at Columbia, he worked for the City of New York in several roles in its principal human services agency.
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| Jon Rosenhein and his daughter Joanna on vacation in Vermont in the summer of 2004. |
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How long have you worked at Juilliard, and what do you remember about your first day? I started in summer 2000, and mainly I remember that there were so few people around! And since I thought the "Fridays off" thing was just a rumor or joke, I was very alone that first Friday. But things changed pretty quickly.What job at Juilliard would you like to try out for a day and why?I would do something in stage production. I'm always impressed by the quality of what is produced on the stage here, and wish I knew more about how it is actually done.What is your dream job?It's a little late for me now, but I've always been interested in journalism. I would like to have been an investigative political reporter for a major metropolitan newspaper.What is the strangest or most memorable job you've ever had and what made it so?When I worked for the city, we were in midst of a housing crisis for homeless families—thousands had been placed in commercial hotels that were charging high rates and providing horrendous services. I spent a lot of time, often at night, visiting these hotels and other shelters used to house families. There were a lot of images that you don't forget—especially of children who were totally let down by society. Eventually the city closed some of these places and started to redevelop its abandoned property for permanent housing. But it was (and still is) a major problem.If out of the blue you had the day off, what would you do?Until I moved to New Jersey eight years ago, I lived in Manhattan for almost 20 years and did a lot of walking through its neighborhoods. So I think I'd spend my day roaming around the city, seeing how those neighborhoods have changed (or, preferably, not changed so much).Did you ever consider pursuing an art, and why didn't you?At the urging of my parents, I started with the piano and trumpet. I played the trumpet through about junior high school, but it was clear that I had limited talent for it.What kind of performances do you prefer to attend and why?At Juilliard I most look forward to drama and dance, and more recently, jazz. My parents got me interested in drama and musical comedy when I was a kid, so I feel like I've been doing that all through my life. Dance is newer for me; I took my daughter and about a dozen of her friends to the Juilliard production last spring and they were totally engaged and amazed. So was I.What other pursuits are you passionate about?Tennis, cooking, current and old films, history, baseball. I don't have nearly as much time for any of these as I'd really like, but I remain hopeful that this will not always be the case.What is your favorite thing about New York City?Definitely Central Park. It's what I miss most about living in the city.What was the best vacation you've had and what made that trip so special?I've had great vacations in France, Italy, England, and recently, in Belize. But most memorable is our extremely low-key week in northern Vermont. We've been going to the same place for a week each summer for about 15 years, along with a group of other families we've met there. It's like summer camp, but with no early wake-up and much better food.What book are you reading right now?I just finished The Kite Runner, a novel about growing up in Afghanistan during the rise of the Taliban.What is your proudest accomplishment in life?I guess you're supposed to say your kids, and in this case, it would be correct. They provide a challenge every single day, and I've learned at least as much from them as they have from me.What might people be surprised to know about you?I am (or at least, used to be) a very good table-tennis player. You didn't say it had to be interesting—just possibly surprising.
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