The Jewish Theological Seminary
Schools
History of List College
The Early Years
In 1909, JTS President Solomon Schechter established the undergraduate division of JTS as the Teachers Institute. Under the visionary leadership of its founding dean Mordecai M. Kaplan, the Teachers Institute trained American Jewish educators. Open to interested men and women, the Teachers Institute was one of the few institutions in the country where women c
ould gain an advanced education in Jewish studies.
Soon after, the undergraduate program expanded to encompass the preparation of an educated Jewish laity. This led to the establishment of a parallel division of the school in 1931, the Seminary College of Jewish Studies. Most students earned a BA at one of the area colleges—Brooklyn, Queens or City—and attended the Teachers Institute or Seminary College of Jewish Studies to earn a second undergraduate degree. All Seminary College and Teachers Institute classes were taught in Hebrew
.
In those days, many of the male graduates went on to rabbinical school, while many of the women went on to serve as teachers and principals of Jewish schools. These alumni—both those who served as Jewish professionals and those who entered secular careers—provided critical leadership to America’s synagogues, universities, Jewish communities, and the broader public.
The Joint Program With Columbia University
The concept of earning two bachelor’s degrees was formalized through the creation of the Joint Program with Columbia University in 1953. This agreement, reached by Columbia University President Grayson Kirk and JTS Chancellor Louis Finkelstein, allowed students to earn two simultaneous bachelor’s degrees: one in liberal arts and one in Jewish studies. Unlike today’s Joint Program, the program at its founding was understood to be an essential preparatory program for the rabbinate. Dr. Kirk hailed the program as a 
symbol of “the growing awareness by both institutions of the need for a broad liberal arts background” for the individuals who will “guide our country's spiritual life.”
In 2004 the two institutions reaffirmed their commitment to this outstanding program by celebrating the fiftieth anniversary of its founding. Pictured at left at this celebration are (left to right) JTS Chancellor Ismar Schorsch, List College Dean Shuly Rubin Schwartz, General Studies Dean Peter Awn, and Columbia University President Lee Bollinger.
The First Residence Hall
Thanks to decades-long fundraising efforts on the part of Women’s League for Conservative Judaism, the Mathilde Schechter Residence Hall opened its doors in 1976, providing coeducational undergraduate housing in close proximity to both the Columbia University and JTS campuses. Residential living deeply enhanced cocurricular programming at the college and contributed to a more cohesive sense of community.
The Double Degree Program With Barnard College
The Double Degree Program with Barnard College was launched in 1979 under the leadership of JTS Chancellor Gerson D. Cohen and Barnard College President Jacquelyn Anderson Mattfeld. Seminary College deans Ivan G. Marcus and Paula E. Hyman spearheaded the program. Its mission was to provide women with the opportunity to earn undergraduate degrees from both JTS and Barnard College.
Founding of the List College Board
In 1995, List College established a Board of Overseers to provide support for the college. Under the leadership of founding chairperson Harold Kushner, noted rabbi and author, the board raised awareness of List College in the broader community, spearheaded the Career Development initiative, and assisted with mentoring and recruitment. Our current board chairperson, Rachelle Kaiserman, has established a Board Scholarship Fund and works with board members to 
enhance the mentoring program for graduating seniors and recent graduates. Ms. Kaiserman has worked as an attorney, businessperson, and not-for-profit manager. She has devoted considerable time and energy to the Jewish community of Greater Philadelphia, through work with that area's Jewish Community Centers, Perelman Jewish Day School, and Jewish Family and Children's Service. She was also involved in the founding of the Prince Music Theater, a national showcase for new music-theater works.
In 1996, the College and Board of Overseers launched the Links to Leadership program. Through leadership workshops, mentoring opportunities, and an annual retreat, Links to Leadership cultivates List College students to assume roles as the next generation of lay leaders in the Jewish community.
List College Today
Under the leadership of Shuly Rubin Schwartz, who has been serving as dean since 1993, List College has grown in both size and vision. With a student body of close to 200 students, today List College is dedicated to preparing young men and women for responsible Jewish citizenship and leadership. Not limited to training young men and women to serve as Jewish professionals, List attracts a diverse group of students with a wide array of interests. Today List College alumni pursue career fields as diverse as law, medicine, finance, politics, Jewish and secular education, the rabbinate, academia, journalism, and advertising. Regardless of their career choices, our alumni also assume volunteer leadership roles. From Jewish day-school board presidents to environmental activists to Tot Shabbat volunteers, List alumni continue to strengthen the community.