Latest news with #PaceUniversity
Associated Press
6 days ago
- Business
- Associated Press
Bruce A. Watterson Joins Peapack Private Bank & Trust
BEDMINSTER, NJ - June 3, 2025 ( NEWMEDIAWIRE ) - Peapack-Gladstone Financial Corporation (NASDAQ Global Select Market: PGC) and Peapack Private Bank & Trust announce that Bruce A. Watterson has joined the Bank as a Senior Managing Director, Managing Group Director, with the Bank's Commercial Banking division. He will be based out of the Bank's newest location in Garden City, New York. Bruce joins Peapack Private from Flagstar Bank, formerly Signature Bank, where he has worked since 2001 as a senior vice president and managing group director. At Flagstar, Bruce was responsible for providing middle market businesses and high net worth clients in the NY Metro with solutions for all their financial needs. Prior to Flagstar, Bruce was with CitiGroup Private Bank where he was a vice president and managing director. He has over 40 years of corporate, private, and middle market banking experience, having held similar positions at National Westminster Bank, Marine Midland Bank and Mellon Financial Services. A graduate from Pace University's Lubin School of Business in Pleasantville, NY, where he majored in Finance and Accounting, Bruce is a Certified Cash Manager (CCM) and also maintains Series 6, 7 and 63/64 NASD licenses, in addition to a NYS Life and Health and Annuity License. He is heavily involved in the Long Island community and is active on numerous committees and boards. His affiliations include: The Energeia Partnership, The Education and Assistance Corp (EAC), The Challenger Business Advisory Counsel, The Nassau County Bar's We Care Community Leaders, Rock and Wrap It Up and The Financial Executive's Institute. About the Company Peapack-Gladstone Financial Corporation is a New Jersey bank holding company with total assets of $7.1 billion and assets under management and/or administration of $11.8 billion as of March 31, 2025. Founded in 1921, Peapack Private Bank & Trust is a commercial bank that offers a client-centric approach to banking, providing high-quality products along with customized and innovative wealth management, investment banking, commercial and personal banking solutions. The Bank's wealth management division offers comprehensive financial, tax, fiduciary and investment advice and solutions to individuals, families, privately held businesses, family offices and not-for-profit organizations, which help them to establish, maintain and expand their legacy. Peapack Private Bank & Trust offers an unparalleled commitment to client service. Visit for more information. Contact: Denise Pace-Sanders, Peapack Private Bank & Trust, SVP Managing Principal, Brand and Marketing Director, 500 Hills Drive, Suite 300, Bedminster, NJ 07921, [email protected], (908) 470-3322 View the original release on
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
College Grads Furious After an AI Butchers Their Names During Commencement
College graduates were left speechless after officials at New York City's Pace University deployed an AI model to read out their names during a commencement event this month. A video that has since gone viral on social media shows students having a QR on their smartphone scanned, only to have an AI read their name out loud — an irritating use of the tech that turned what should've otherwise been a proud moment in their academic career into what commenters likened to using the self-checkout counter at the supermarket. It's especially galling for an institution that charges north of $50,000 a year in tuition alone. "So even public event speakers are getting replaced," one Reddit user wrote. As the New York Post points out, Pace University ostensibly performed the stunt for the sake of accuracy. Well ahead of the event, officials directed students to visit a website where they could phonetically spell their names and confirm how they were pronounced. "To ensure your name is pronounced correctly, you must register to attend Commencement through Tassel by Wednesday, April 23," reads an FAQ on the university's website. Tassel is a private company that claims to have helped more than 600 schools "deliver the perfect moment for millions of students over 20+ years." The company offers "live ceremony stage-crossing software" designed to streamline convocation events and ensure "accurate pronunciation" of graduate names. "With AI and our proprietary multilingual models — powered by a growing database of over 2 million names, phonemes, and linguistic patterns across multiple languages — our platform allows students to hear exactly how their names will be pronounced as they cross the stage," Tassel boasts on its website. If the AI butchers their name even after it was coached by the student, graduates can "submit an audio recording of their name" instead. The software raises some thorny questions about when it's truly appropriate to deploy an AI, particularly concerning jobs that could've easily been taken care of by a human. "When I graduated, the person reading out the names had done a run through, just to check they were getting it right," one user wrote in a post on Threads. "It didn't take that long, and was less weird than showing your phone for them to scan." Worst of all, despite all those technical bells and whistles, Tassel reportedly still managed to butcher some names. "They told us to write our names phonetically so it's said correctly, and they still said my name wrong, which is forever documented in videos," one user commented on Instagram. The use of AI to read student names has been met with significant blowback from college grads across the country. Student journalists at Northeastern University, which also deployed Tassel, published an op-ed arguing that the institution should "read our names at graduation, it's the least you can do." "To many students like myself, a small switch from an AI voice bot to a physical person would mean the world," reads the op-ed, penned by student Henry Bova and published in The Huntington News. "A human can reciprocate our sense of joy and can understand the gravity of the moment and the academic rigor that we endured to get to this point." "All the AI voice does is reduce the recognition of our accomplishments as a menial task to push through with brute computations," Bova wrote. An online petition by students at the University of North Georgia called on the university to stop "using an AI speaker for graduation," garnering over 2,000 signatures. The backlash was so fierce in some parts of the country that West Chester University in Pennsylvania ditched the AI altogether, as Axios reported earlier this month. Other onlookers pointed out the irony of AI coming for the jobs of recent college graduates in particular. "A whole lifetime of studies and 100k in debt just to have your name announced by the very entity that's going to make your studies useless," one Reddit user joked. However, not everybody was opposed to the use of the tech. "I appreciate that everyone had the chance to hear their name pronounced correctly," one Reddit user argued. "Imagine being an international student and worried that someone will butcher your name. I'm ok with the solution the university gave here." More on AI: RFK Jr's "Make America Healthy Again" Report Cites Studies That Don't Exist, in Clear Sign of AI Generated Slop
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Etsy's CEO shares two key steps he took early in his career that set him up for later success
As Gen Z grads struggle with an uncertain job market, Etsy CEO Josh Silverman shares how he just threw himself into any job early on in his career—not knowing if he would stick with it forever—to get the ball rolling. Once he was in it, he soaked up as many lessons as possible, and took on work no one else wanted. It's the same type of grit Mark Cuban and Steve Jobs embraced to achieve success. The class of 2025 is stepping into an uncertain job market, unsure of where to start on the winding path to success. Etsy CEO Josh Silverman told the next cohort of workers that two steps he made in his early career set him up for triumph down the line: picking something he enjoyed, and going above and beyond in his junior-level role. 'For me, the most important thing has always been to start by throwing myself in with zealous passion to something that I liked enough and I was good enough at,' Silverman told Pace University graduates during his commencement speech on May 19. Like many others navigating their careers in their 20's, the $8 billion handcraft goods executive didn't know exactly what he wanted in college. Silverman hopped industries and jobs throughout his career, but having the determination to get the ball rolling was essential to figuring it out. He noted that delving into the work, and soaking up all the knowledge he could, also opened new doors that led him to executive success. And it's a career journey many people can relate with, especially given how chaotic and uncertain life feels in one's early 20s. 'Life shouldn't be full of adventure—it should be an adventure, and don't let that scare you. Embrace it,' Silverman said. Silverman first enrolled as a theater student at Brown University in the 1980s, but recounted not being able to score any opportunities as a young undergrad. So he switched his concentration to public policy, knowing he enjoyed it and had the skills to make it into a career. 'Was I convinced that I wanted to spend the rest of my life as a health care policy analyst? Maybe,' Silverman said during the speech. 'But I knew it was a way to get started and the best way to figure it out was to throw myself into it wholeheartedly.' That was the Etsy CEO's first learning lesson—pick an interesting job where you have relevant skills, and go all-in. The next came shortly after; upon graduating from Brown University, Silverman got his first job answering phone calls for U.S. Senator Bill Bradley. He went above and beyond his regular responsibilities, picking up other duties no one else wanted and bonding with his co-workers. '[I] was an absolute sponge in meetings. [I hung] out by the water cooler, determined not to miss the most interesting conversations,' Silverrman said. 'Then life opened a totally unexpected door.' Silverman's diligence and enthusiasm paid off; three years later, he was invited to join a consulting practice launched by Bradley's chief of staff. This was his first foray into private business, which feels far away from his later years spent co-founding Evite, becoming CEO of Skype, leading consumer products at American Express, and rising to chief executive of Etsy in 2017. Without his early career choices, Silverman may not have the stellar resume he holds today. There are many entrepreneurs and business leaders who drive home the importance of being scrappy when they're young. Like Silverman, Shark Tank mogul Mark Cuban is a huge proponent of 'sweat equity'—working hard will help drive you to the finish line, even if it means picking up more responsibilities outside of your nine-to-five. 'Work like there is someone working 24 hours a day to take it all away from you,' Cuban said. The late Apple legend, co-founder, and CEO Steve Jobs echoed the same sentiment. Jobs was just 21 years old when he launched the $3.2 trillion technology business with his partner, Steve Woznaik. As a college dropout, Jobs threw himself into the industry working at video game company Atari before becoming an entrepreneur. Even at the age of 13 he knew his calling, working as a computer technician at Hewlett-Packard. Those early years were a total grind—but set Jobs to be a pioneer in his space. 'I'm convinced that about half of what separates successful entrepreneurs from the non-successful ones is pure perseverance,' Jobs once said. This story was originally featured on Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
NDTV
30-05-2025
- NDTV
AI Announcer At Graduation Ceremony Sparks Debate: "Innovation Or Impersonal?"
Students at New York City's Pace University were left shocked when college authorities used artificial intelligence (AI) to read aloud their names during the graduation ceremony. While professors or human announcers usually read the names, calling the students to the stage to receive their degrees, the ceremony at the US university featured a voice, entirely created using AI. A viral video posted by @therundownai on Instagram showed the graduating students standing in a line with their phones out. After reaching one of the faculty members on the stage, they showed a QR code, which was promptly scanned. Soon, a raspy, synthetic voice, generated by AI, uttered the student's name over the sound system. According to a report in the New York Post, prior to the ceremony, students were directed to a website where they could phonetically spell their names and confirm the pronunciation. View this post on Instagram A post shared by The Rundown AI (@therundownai) Also Read | PETA Demands Renaming World Milk Day To 'Bovine Mammary Secretion Day' Social media reacts While a section of social media users appreciated the effort to ensure correct pronunciations, others felt the approach lacked the personal touch of a human announcer. "Imagine a school that would expel you for using AI to write a paper, but will use AI to read graduate names for them," said one user, while another added: "This is just lazy." A third commented: "I would appreciate having my name said correctly." AI's impact on students While colleges are using AI to read the names without any mistakes, studies have shown that the technology is having a negative impact on students. Earlier this year, a study published in the journal Societies showed that AI tools were diminishing the critical thinking abilities of students. Analysis from more than 650 people aged 17 and over in the UK showed evidence of lower critical thinking skills among the young people who extensively delegated their memory and problem-solving tasks to AI through a phenomenon known as cognitive offloading. "Younger participants who exhibited higher dependence on AI tools scored lower in critical thinking compared to their older counterparts," wrote lead author Michael Gerlich of SBS Swiss Business School. The participants acknowledged that their reliance on AI for decision-making and memory tasks had them concerned about losing critical thinking skills. Some even expressed concerns that AI was altering their decisions through its own, inherent bias.
USA Today
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
JoJo Siwa, Chris Hughes and when it's time to leave celebrities alone
JoJo Siwa, Chris Hughes and when it's time to leave celebrities alone Show Caption Hide Caption JoJo Siwa felt 'pressure' to outdo her KISS iHeartRadio Awards look JoJo Siwa teased the announcement of a "massive project" that's coming soon while wearing a massive rhinestone headpiece at iHeartRadio Music Awards. Entertain This! What in the world is going on between JoJo Siwa and Chris Hughes? If you're an avid pop culture watcher, you might find yourself asking that question daily. And if you aren't, let's catch you up. The former "Celebrity Big Brother" castmates have posted tender photos on Instagram in recent weeks, fueling more fan speculation that they're more than just close friends. Siwa has denied that Hughes is her boyfriend, but people are raising eyebrows anyway and aren't satisfied; she also further fueled speculation at a recent London show. "I am so obsessed with Chris Hughes and JoJo Siwa like can someone help," one X user wrote. Another added: "Starting to think JoJo Siwa & Chris Hughes are actually soul mates cause nobody on this earth could've predicted that." Others haven't been as kind: "JoJo Siwa and Chris Hughes…publicity stunt right?" "JoJo Siwa and Chris Hughes have great chemistry, just like water and oil." This all comes amid accusations from Siwa's most recent ex, Kath Ebbs, that she emotionally cheated during their relationship. Siwa, 22, hasn't exactly shied away from the spotlight − or controversy − since her "Dance Moms" childhood days. She even once claimed to have invented gay pop. But Siwa now appears to be happy and healthy, so maybe it's not our place to know or understand everything about her relationship − even if it's taking place in the public eye. "Obviously, a fascination with celebrity relationships is nothing new," says Amy Morin, psychotherapist, author of "13 Things Mentally Strong People Don't Do" and the host of a podcast. "But we pay extra attention when we're trying to get clarity of make sense of something we don't understand. People often treat celebrity relationships or issues like a mystery and the public looks for clues to help them draw certain conclusions. That seems to be the case with JoJo as people try to understand what they're seeing." Did you read? JoJo Siwa, the 'Big Brother' scandal and what happens when child stars grow up before our eyes 'Labels help us make sense of what we're seeing' It makes sense why we care more about celebrities like Siwa now than we have before. You're probably reading this article on your phone, and social media is just a quick swipe away. "In the past, there was a more distinct boundary between celebrities and everyday people but since the 24/7 news cycle and living in a digitally connected world, our parasocial relationships with them are blurred and enmeshed," says Chase Cassine, licensed clinical social worker. And Siwa has garnered attention since she was a kid. Melvin Williams, associate professor of communication and media studies at Pace University, holds a more skeptical view of Siwa's latest headline-making news. "Love or hate her, JoJo Siwa knows how to keep a television camera in her face and the audience engaged." Not to mention, she has new music out. But even if she's leaning into the interest in her love life, is it our place to engage to the point of ridicule, or mocking? In case you missed: JoJo Siwa faces rejection from LGBTQ+ community. Why? Some of those reactions might be coming from a place of confusion. Hughes and Siwa have previously called their relationship a friendship and Siwa has been open about her evolving sexuality. "We really like labels because labels help us make sense of what we're seeing," Morin says. "And when people don't fit into the labels we have for them, it causes some discomfort." For someone like Siwa, who audiences have watched closely since her childhood, any type of growing up or changing is bound to stir up emotions. "When people change the labels we place on them, other people often want to examine more closely," Morin adds. "Have they changed? Did their original label not fit? Where they lying about that original label? Are they trying to redefine what the label means? This is true whether we're talking about someone's relationship status or their sexual (identity)." If and when Siwa and Hughes define their relationship, fans will have a lot to say. As David Schmid, associate professor of English at the University at Buffalo, puts it, "the average person needs distraction and escape more than ever, and celebrities and their love lives will continue to fill this need." But maybe it's an opportunity for people to self-reflect instead. "It can be helpful for us to check in with ourselves when we find ourselves very much so interested in or engaged with the media story of the day," says Janelle Peifer, associate professor of psychology at the University of Richmond. "What does that tell us about our own longings? What does that tell us about our own needs? How can engaging with those impulses help us recognize if we're looking for fun, distraction, escapism, or something deeper?" Contributing: Taijuan Moorman
