Volume 67, Issue 3  

Morris Fills Hyman’s Void
by Kevin Cyrulnik

After a seven-month search, Yeshiva has finally hired an Assistant Director of Admissions to fill the post formerly held by Ryan Hyman.  The Office of Admissions first contacted Danny Morris, former Director of Student Affairs at The Marsha Stern Talmudic Academy Yeshiva University High School for Boys regarding the vacancy shortly after Hyman’s departure in February of 2002.  Although several months passed between Morris formally applying for the position and his hiring, both Morris and Dean of Admissions Moish Kranzler, are ecstatic about working together.

According to Morris, the predominant reason for the delay in his hiring was “the general process that [he] had to go through.”  Because of the hiring freeze imposed last spring, Kranzler said that pushing this deal through was not as easy as he would have hoped. Kranzler stresses, however, that he pushed for Morris all along because he saw Morris as an invaluable asset to Yeshiva’s admissions process. 

After deciding to leave the high school in order to “diversify his experience and broaden his horizons,” Morris narrowed his options down to two.  He admits that while he was seriously considering leaving New York to work with a large national organization in Washington, D.C., he ultimately concluded that his abilities would be more effectively used and sharpened at his alma mater, Yeshiva.  “Coming from a strong Yeshiva University family was my biggest motivation,” he declared.

Morris will assume many of the responsibilities supervised by Hyman, including traveling, speaking high school students throughout the country and recruiting first-rate high school graduates.  Morris will also conduct prospective students’ interviews and meetings.   Overall, Morris sees his goal at Yeshiva as “helping Kranzler promote the premier institution for higher learning in today’s orthodox world.” 

Hyman has been extremely involved and contributed greatly to the coordination of Yeshiva’s annual Model United Nations, commonly referred to as YUNMUN.  Morris plans on taking a very active role in facilitating this event and has grand plans for future Model U.N.’s.  Coming from the “other side of things” (as a former member of the high school administration), Morris believes that he has a unique understanding of Yeshiva’s goals at the 700-person conference, which is widely known as Yeshiva’s premier recruiting event.  YUNMUN features students from more than 20 high schools across North America.  Morris hopes to continue that tradition and reach out to as many students as possible at the three-day conference.

The other major recruitment event falling under Morris’ purview is Yeshiva’s annual Red Sarachek Basketball Tournament, which he has already begun working on.

After working with high school students for several years, Morris expressed a desire to “change his scenery and deal with an older, more mature, audience on a daily basis.”  Students have responded well to his decision and are thrilled to have Morris join the Yeshiva staff.  “When Hyman decided to leave, the first name that popped into my head was Morris.  I had seen his work throughout high school, and I was very pleased,” said Sy Syms Junior David Epstein.  “My only question is why it took them so long to give Morris a contract,” he laughed.

Although he has been involved in education on a professional level since graduating college, Morris maintains that he does not want to pursue this as a career choice.  He ultimately hopes to delve into Jewish communal administration or government politics.  Nevertheless, he sees this position at Yeshiva as an “opportunity to open doors, being that [he] will have to deal with many institutions and influential people on a university level.”  Morris is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Business Administration, attending school in Manhattan two nights a week.

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