Paul Rosenbaum (B.A. ’81, M.A. ’84, MBA ’86) didn’t start out with a plan to achieve his MBA. After completing his undergraduate degree at UCLA, he continued on that path, getting his master’s degree in English. However, after watching a colleague succeed at the Anderson Graduate School of Management, Rosenbaum decided to pursue the MBA program. He remembers an impactful class taught by Eric Flamhotz focusing on entrepreneurship in professionally managed firms. Other classes that remain relevant to him today include a marketing class taught by Professor Mike Hanssens and a finance class taught by Professor Bill Cockrum. As he progressed through his studies at AGSM, Rosenbaum decided he would focus on human resources and the nonprofit track.
When he graduated from AGSM, he was approached by Viewpoint School to become its business manager, as well as an English instructor in the Upper School. With the appeal of the school’s serene setting on a 40-acre, oak-tree-studded campus and a reputation for quality faculty, he couldn’t resist the offer. Twenty-eight years later, Rosenbaum is still making a difference in young students’ lives. Having acted as the chief operating officer and the director of education, Rosenbaum will take on the position of interim head of school in the coming year. As the de facto CEO, he focuses on the curriculum offerings — the school has a high level of success, including offering more than 28 AP courses — as well as the hiring of faculty. The independent private school has more than 1,200 students in the K-12 grade levels. Rosenbaum compares Viewpoint’s to a primary and secondary school version of Occidental College.
While Viewpoint attracts highly educated talent, his last three hires were all Ph.D.s, Rosenbaum notes that in the world of academia there is always a desperate need for good and passionate educators. The challenge, Rosenbaum notes, is that society does not reward teachers adequately in the public sector. In fact, he thinks we should model the U.S. education system after Finland, where they hire teaching candidates with outstanding academic promise and provide them with dedicated time to constantly improve their professional talents.
Rosenbaum has seen many talented young scholars pass through his office, and has a few words of wisdom for today’s parents. “Let your child make mistakes. It helps them build their own confidence and character.” When asked how to assist a child in academic achievement, he noted that the largest single factor of success on the SAT is the number of books in the family’s home — that is, a family dedicated to learning. He says parents can help their children excel through engagement. “Do whatever you can to be enthusiastic about something your child is passionate about. Whether it is Japanese bonzai crafting or French cooking, it doesn’t matter. Help them find their passion so that they know what it feels like to be truly engaged in something.”
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