Geographical history:
On May 10, 1973, Shmuel Ross was born in Brooklyn, New York, but, as far as he can remember, that's not his fault. He moved to Far Rockaway, NY, in Queens, not long thereafter, and stayed there until the fall of 1998, excepting two non-consecutive years spent in Israel. (The main effect of the time in Israel was to help him appreciate America.) He lived in Kew Gardens Hills, NY, for three years, while attending Queens College, and then moved to Ann Arbor, MI, to attend school there. (The main effect of the time in Ann Arbor was to help him appreciate New York.) He lived in Boston, MA, from July 2003 through July 2008. He's now back in Brooklyn. It's still not his fault.
So, why "syaross.org"?
Shmuel's full name is "Shmuel Yitzchak Aharon Ross." Unfortunately, most computerized databases can't handle more than one middle initial, and he refuses to suffer receiving correspondence addressed to "Shmuel Y. Ross," so he's dropped the middle names for all official intents and purposes.
That said, this was the shortest available personal-name-based domain name he could think of that didn't look stupid, so what the heck.
Educational History:
- Fall 1976 - Spring 1986:
Yeshiva Darchei Torah in Far Rockaway (kindergarten - 8th grade). - Fall 1986 - Spring 1990:
Yeshiva of Far Rockaway (high school). - Fall 1990 - Spring 1991:
Various schools in Jerusalem and Telshe-Stone, Israel. - Fall 1991 - Spring 1995:
Yeshiva of Far Rockaway (seminary). - Fall 1995 - Spring 1996:
Various schools in Jerusalem, Israel. - Spring 1997 - Spring 2001:
Queens College (B.A., English). - Fall 2001 - Fall 2002:
University of Michigan (M.A., English). - Fall 2003 - Fall 2005:
Emerson College (M.A., Publishing and Writing).
Honors and Awards:
- 1990:
Upon high school graduation:- President's Award
- National Merit Scholarship Commendation
- Assorted other awards
- 1998:
From Queens College English Department:- Sandra Schor Memorial Scholarship
- Silverstein-Peiser Award for Non-Fiction
- Lois Hughson Prize for an Essay in the Orwell Tradition
- Myron Matlaw Award for Wit and Intellectual Excellence
- 1999:
From Queens College English Department:- Lois Hughson Prize for an Essay in the Orwell Tradition
- Myron Matlaw Award for Wit and Intellectual Excellence
- English Club Prize
- 2000:
From Queens College English Department:- Silverstein-Peiser Award for Non-Fiction
- Lois Hughson Prize for an Essay in the Orwell Tradition
- 2001:
From Queens College English Department:- Lois Hughson Prize for an Essay in the Orwell Tradition
- Myron Matlaw Award for Wit and Intellectual Excellence
- Inducted into Phi Beta Kappa (Sigma of New York)
- Graduated cum laude, with honors in English
- 2002:
From Queens College:- Molly Weinstein Memorial Award
- 2006:
From Emerson College Department of Writing, Literature, and Publishing:- Honorable mention, WLP Nonfiction Award
Selected Publications / Papers:
- 1992:
An article in Maskil L'Ayson (in Hebrew). - 1993-2001 (summers):
The Simcha Day Camp News and Schmooze. - 1995:
"How To Talk Yeshivish," in Country Yossi's Family Magazine. - 1998-2001:
"Straight from the Ross's Mouth," a weekly column in the Queens College Quad (later the Knight News). - 1999:
"The Seussian Contribution to the Sexual Revolution," in Clean Sheets. - 2001:
"The Casey Variations," "Not Enough," and "Is It Live, or Is It Metafiction?" in Greta. - 2002:
"A Stone By Any Other Name: Harry Potter and the Unstable Text," presented at the 2002 PCAS/ACAS conference in Charlotte, NC.