Feierman spent 25 years at Barnard College, including 15 years (1995-2010) as General Counsel. More recently he was Senior Counsel for the multi-practice firm Bond, Schoeneck & King, working with many of the major colleges and universities in New York State and New York City.

Feierman, who holds degrees from Fordham University School of Law and Adelphi University School of Social Work, has been interested in higher education longer than he’s been interested in the law. His first jobs after getting his undergraduate degree were in student affairs and residential life at Manhattan College and the College of Mount Saint Vincent.

“I’ve just always related to the mission – that is, education as a means both for self-improvement and for improving the world,” he says.

Feierman calls his years at Barnard, working as General Counsel with then-President Judith Shapiro, “transformational,” in part because Barnard itself was going through a key transition.

“In 1988-89, under Ellen Futter’s presidency, the construction of Sulzberger Hall put Barnard on the path to becoming a fully residential liberal arts college,” he says. “Financially, it was a bold move for the College, and from then on, Barnard just increasingly grew as a powerful independent women’s college. Judith Shapiro built on that momentum and through her leadership Barnard became the most sought-after women’s college.” Feierman himself is the proud father of two Barnard graduates.

Now Feierman is excited to be at another Columbia-affiliated institution at what is clearly a transformational time.  “Everything here is of interest to me – the emphasis on social justice and fairness in education, the creative approaches to public and private education, the founding mission to help immigrants, which is so relevant in our society right now, and especially Susan Fuhrman’s emphasis on civic education, which is so on point. The diversity here – of the faculty and students, but also of the curriculum – is also fascinating.

“If you’re interested in education, TC is the place to be.”

Published Monday, Jul 3, 2017