8 minute read
Class Acts
David Bartsch ’69
A Master in Global Thought
I have benefited immeasurably from a global education, which included multiple cross-cultural experiences.
BY DANA KOBERNICK,
COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER
David Bartsch ’69 is a global thought leader and businessman, committed to building a dialogue on the importance of an international secondary education. For David, being globally aware and informed while developing skills to navigate a diverse and multicultural world early in life are key. His personal and professional experiences, as well as those at LCC, UWC Atlantic College, Williams College and Harvard University, all combined to nurture a global mindset, which became a focus throughout his career.
Equipped with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Economy and a Master of Business Administration, David pursued an internationally oriented career in banking, investment management and, most recently, financial technology. His fintech startup, Quaternion Risk Management, a capital markets risk software company headquartered in Ireland, was recently acquired by the London Stock Exchange Group.
“I have benefited immeasurably from a global education, which included multiple cross-cultural experiences,” David says. “This made me more effective in my professional life and I learned a lot about what it takes to foster teamwork across boundaries.”
David looks at the challenges facing rising generations and believes they need support to develop the competencies to work together and address some of the world’s major problems. He says that the list of these essential skills is long but, at the top, is language. “Learning multiple languages allows us to hear how people express themselves and to appreciate their culture. Then, we can frame ideas by demonstrating an awareness of historical context and developing a broad perspective, which encourages international collaboration.”
David commends LCC for what it has done to prepare its students so that they can actively engage in an interconnected global world. By associating with leading organizations, such as International Baccalaureate, Round Square and the Duke of Edinburgh Award, and through academic and co-curricular programming, he says that the school is helping students to establish commonalities and relate to people from diverse backgrounds. “I believe that the role of the educator — both in and out of the classroom — is to find the right combination of experiential learning and reflection, and to help students better understand history,” he says. “Our teachers can help transform real world experiences so that the student will remember them for the rest of their lives and become more effective.”
David recognizes that LCC was instrumental in leading him to where he is now. The LCC experience was made possible through a bursary, and his moving on to UWC Atlantic was facilitated by then Headmaster Dr. D.S. Penton, who wrote a letter to the school to support the awarding of a scholarship to David. Both opportunities empowered David and gave him the confidence to truly believe that more was possible and that he had potential.
Today David continues to advise financial institutions on risk and regulatory compliance. He has chaired the United World Colleges National Committee in the United States, currently serves on the board of Columbia University’s Center for Global Thought, and is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. With a keen interest in further developing university undergraduate programs where, he says, it is vital to capture the imaginations of our youth, he is spearheading the Global Scholars Program at Williams College and Columbia University. As part of this program, students participate in a learning cohort and take a common course related to global issues while pursuing their majors. They travel together to conduct their research in different parts of the world, which is followed by a formal presentation of their work.
“The goal of the Global Scholars Program is to enable students to develop a set of skills and explore global trends and issues,” David says. “It is an investment for the future. There are a lot of things that need to be changed in this world, but schools shouldn’t be telling students it’s their duty to do it. Instead, I think they should join the world, work to understand it, and be good citizens.”
David believes that mentors like Dr. Penton made all the difference when he had to take risks exploring personal and professional opportunities that were less traditional and outside his comfort zone. He is also quick to acknowledge his wife and supportive family that includes two sons, one living in Zurich, the other in Seattle. So, ultimately, David encourages students to seek out mentors and the advice of individuals whose life, interests, values and actions they most admire. A relationship with these people will inspire and invariably be a lifelong source of motivation.
Becky Etingin ’09
Putting Family First in Family Law
I understood what community is at LCC. I wouldn’t be who or where I am today, and I wouldn’t be able to give back to my community without that experience.
BY LAUREN ALPERN,
WRITER
On the verge of embarking on a Master of Psychology, Becky Etingin ’09 met a woman who changed her life forever. The mother of a child she was tutoring suggested that she consider family law. So, in her last summer before graduating from McGill University in 2014 with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, Becky went to intern with that woman, a family lawyer.
Becky enrolled in law school at the Université de Montréal and never looked back. Since passing the bar in Quebec in 2017 and New York in 2018, she has been working in Montreal as a family lawyer with Spunt & Carin.
“Ever since my internship, it was clear to me that this was how I would use my passion for helping and understanding people,” says Becky, who has seen the firm grow into one of the biggest family law firms in Montreal. “I consider myself lucky that my contact suggested this route for me because I don’t know that I would have come to it otherwise.”
With Becky’s love for helping people, particularly children, being a family lawyer is the perfect fit, and she is very excited about building up the family mediation side of her practice.
“I see immense value in being able to guide people to understand that it’s not really a case of winning or losing. Especially with kids involved, the longer the conflict persists, the more damage is done,” says Becky, whose first child, Sonny, was born on July 4, 2022. “I hope to show people that there’s a better way. I feel grateful to have this birdseye view on the children’s best interests, what’s important and what you lose from continuing to battle it out.”
Becky’s compassionate nature was nurtured both from a caring family of Holocaust survivors and immigrants, and from her days at LCC where she attended from grades 7 to 11. One of her grade 7 teachers and advisors, Denys Heward ’64, introduced her to The Friendship Circle, a charity for children and young people with special needs. At age 12, Becky was connected with a three-year-old boy with autism named Jonah, whom she visited once a week. Almost 20 years later, they are still in touch regularly.
“Jonah is a part of my family now. We see him once a month or so, and he calls me almost every day. We’re very close, and he has taught me so much more than I could have ever taught him. Whenever I spend time with him, it makes me realize that everything’s going to be okay,” says Becky, who spent years volunteering for Project Genesis, a non-profit organization that supports neighbourhood residents in facing and resolving difficult challenges, including housing problems, basic income security and access to healthcare. “It really makes you realize how important it is to stop and listen to what other people are going through. Everyone deserves respect and everyone is worthy of being part of a community.”
“I understood what community is at LCC. I wouldn’t be who or where I am today, and I wouldn’t be able to give back to my community without that experience,” says Becky, who was head girl in her final year. “I had a real sense of belonging there. It wasn’t just the sports, the culture, the teachers or the friends. It really felt like an ecosystem that allowed me to thrive and discover how I was going to move forward.”
Now, as Becky continues to advance her legal career and raise her own family, she has this advice to share with recent LCC alumni:
“I think it’s so important to know that the path you’re going to take might not be the most direct one and it might not be the one you thought you were going to take, but trust where you’re going and remember that you’re never stuck,” she says. “As long as you’re open, treat people with respect, learn from what happens to you and take an ounce of that with you to the next step. That’s what’s important. It’s hard to tell someone to be grateful, but that’s a huge part of what propels me to stay positive and want to keep giving back.”
