Tiger Heritage Spotlight: Andrew J. “AJ” Siegel BS '06

AJ Siegel BS ’06 works for ServiceNow as an Experience Strategist. He is an expert at “work from home” before it was cool. In his job, he takes his experience in Human Factors to educate customers and partners on how to deliver great experiences to their users.  AJ is father of 2 (Talia, 4 & Theo, 1), living in Washington DC with his wife Camille. An avid runner and cyclist, AJ continues to explore how to find time between being a present parent and employee with his fitness goals.

What led you to RIT?

I remember visiting RIT in April 2001 and seeing the newly opened networking labs in GCCIS and knowing this was the place for me. In addition, the co-op programs were a great fit for me as I was so confident in what I wanted to do, getting to explore jobs in the field was ideal.  

How did RIT prepare you for your career?

Everything I experience at RIT from academics, to crew and Hillel prepared me to be the person I am today. The diverse education across IT exposed me to a number of paths within the field and the hands on curriculum let me experience the realities of work. Leadership and discipline developed in athletics and club leadership translated to my ability to build teams and inspire others.

Favorite college memories:

I have 2 very different memories…   

For Yom Hashoah in my third year, we wanted to show the breadth of violence of the Holocaust beyond just the known stories of the Jewish community. We placed dozens of flags along the quarter mile with different colors to represent the different communities target by the Nazis. Each flag represented 10,000 precious lives taken by Hitler. This visible display gave us a great opportunity to engage with other students about the tragedy and danger of hatred and show the true world impact of the Holocaust.  

My final year at RIT, I did an accelerated summer quarter. It was my first time spending summer in Rochester and the Lilac Festival. With only 2 courses, it was a leisurely 5 weeks and I got to experience freedom and beautiful weather. It’ll be a long time until I get to do that again.  

How do you stay connected to or involved with RIT today? 

When I first graduated, I came back every year to represent Travelers Insurance at the career fairs. Now, I am a member of the Jewish Life Advisory Council, engaged in growing the Jewish community at RIT. My wife is from Rochester and my cousin Jeff is the associate athletic director so I have personal ties to the area as well.  

What is something about your heritage that you would like others to know? 

My paternal grandfather survived the Holocaust, escaping from a death March in Germany in 1945. He was one of the few in our community that actively told his stories across Connecticut where I grew up. I carry on his legacy as the current president of 3GDC, a community of grandchildren (the 3rd generation) of Holocaust survivors, telling the stories of our ancestors to communities in Washington DC, Maryland, and Virginia. 

If you could meet anyone from Jewish history, who would it be and why? 

I’d love to listen to Abraham Joshua Heschel speak. Not just because we share “AJ” but due to the inspiring way he looked at the beauty of Judaism and humanity.  

“When I was young, I used to admire intelligent people; as I grow older, I admire kind people.” 

What advice do you have for current students who want to make the most out of their RIT experience? 

Get involved in things that push you out of your comfort zone. College is your chance to try on new versions of yourself and see what fits. RIT provides so many opportunities to explore your identity and passions, don’t miss out.  

Fun fact(s):

• Before entering RIT as a freshman, I received my black belt in taekwondo. 

• I’ve completed two marathons as personal milestones before our kids were born: The Marine Corps Marathon in 2018 and the Richmond Marathon in 2021.

• I’ve continuously held leadership positions in the Jewish Community since youth group in eighth grade.