Susan Aurelia Gitelson, PhD, Celebrated for Excellence in International Affairs
Dr. Gitelson was previously honored with the Columbia University Medal for Distinguished Service
NEW YORK, July 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Susan Aurelia Gitelson, PhD, is a distinguished biographee of Marquis Who's Who. As in all Marquis Who's Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are chosen from among a pool of the most prominent professionals and are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.
After obtaining a Bachelor of Arts in history from Barnard College, she excelled as a trainee for the Rockefeller Foundation. Dr. Gitelson went on to earn a Master of International Affairs from Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs and then received a Doctor of Philosophy in political science and international relations from Columbia. Subsequently the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in Israel recruited her to be an assistant professor of international relations.
Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Dr. Gitelson thrived in leadership roles with a number of international companies. Since 1980, she has served as president of International Consultants, Inc. as well as MTIIC Corp., both of which are related to her deep passion for philanthropy. From 1981 until 1995, she also excelled as the president of SJ International Corporation, which is an importer and distributor of houseware products from Germany, Italy and Israel. Towards the end of this period, Dr. Gitelson was appointed as the president of Magic Touch Iceware International Corp., where she focused on marketing scientific laboratory equipment.
In addition to her entrepreneurial endeavors, Dr. Gitelson previously flourished as the director of the International Affairs and Third World Section of the World Jewish Congress. She also found success as the national vice president of the American Friends of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, which eventually lauded her with an honorary degree in 2004. Dr. Gitelson continues to thrive on the board of advisers of the Museum of Jewish Heritage — A Living Memorial to the Holocaust and the international board of governors of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
As a proud alumna of the Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA), Dr. Gitelson has served as president of the SIPA Alumni Association and co-chair of the SIPA Dean's Council. In 1979, she established the Dr. Susan Aurelia Gitelson Award for Human Values in International Affairs, which celebrates outstanding work by SIPA graduate students and faculty members. In recognition of her various contributions to SIPA, Dr. Gitelson has previously received the Columbia University Medal for Distinguished Service as well as the SIPA Award for Outstanding Service.
In response to the Oslo Peace Accords of 1993 with the encouraging prospects for peace between Israel and the Palestinians with American support, Dr. Gitelson proposed establishing the Gitelson Peace Prize to be given by the Truman Research Institute for the Advancement of Peace at the Hebrew University since Jerusalem has been recognized as the City of Peace by three of the world's great religions; Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. The University supported the idea and gave the first award to Mme. Simone Veil of France. Then world politics interfered so that when it appeared that it would not be easy to give the award in its original form, the award was modified to become the Truman Peace Prize and given mainly in the US.
Dr. Gitelson is also the author of "Giving is Not Just for the Very Rich: A How-to Guide for Giving and Philanthropy." Released in 2012, the book explains how virtually any individual can reap the many benefits of giving and discover philanthropic organizations that align with their personal values. Furthermore, Dr. Gitelson has contributed articles about international affairs to several professional journals and excelled as the co-editor of the Jerusalem Peace Papers.
Dr. Gitelson attributes her success to the tremendous resilience and persistence she showed throughout her career. She strongly advises young women to focus on improving their skills, even if their efforts are not recognized by their superiors. Dr. Gitelson additionally believes that opportunities were continuously presented to her because she has always displayed a genuine interest in the needs of other people and taken the time to understand what is important to them.
About Marquis Who's Who®:
Since 1899, when A. N. Marquis printed the First Edition of Who's Who in America®, Marquis Who's Who® has chronicled the lives of the most accomplished individuals and innovators from every significant field of endeavor, including politics, business, medicine, law, education, art, religion and entertainment. Today, Who's Who in America® remains an essential biographical source for thousands of researchers, journalists, librarians and executive search firms around the world. Marquis® publications may be visited at the official Marquis Who's Who® website at www.marquiswhoswho.com.
SOURCE Marquis Who's Who
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