Alex Rosen

Class Year: 2011 Hometown:Allentown, Pennsylvania
What brought Alex Rosen to Princeton was its reputation as a leading research university that offers an exceptional undergraduate education.

“What I heard about Princeton’s focus on undergraduate education not only proved to be true, but also continued to impress me on a daily basis,” says Rosen.“I cannot imagine an undergraduate student at any institution in the world getting a higher quality education,” he adds. “The professors in every department are leading thinkers in their fields. I almost took it for granted every time I attended a lecture by a Nobel laureate or when I learned that I was using a textbook that my professor wrote.”

As an undergraduate, he majored in economics while earning a certificate in global health and health policy. In addition to the social sciences, he also followed his interest in medicine and health care and pursued independent work in health economics.

An academic highlight for Rosen occurred at the end of the freshman seminar “Taxes” when the course professor, Harvey Rosen, an economist and no relation to Alex, invited his students to a celebratory formal dinner. “All of us were absolutely shocked when Professor Rosen ushered Karl Rove into the room," he says. We all enjoyed a long dinner and conversation with Mr. Rove and his wife.”

Rosen found serving as president of the Class of 2011 since freshman year to be one of the most rewarding aspects of his Princeton experience. “I truly enjoyed working with the other class officers to enhance the undergraduate experience for our class and to build class unity,” he says. Rosen also was a member of the Honor Committee and served as its chair for the 2010-11 academic year.

As a Residential College Advisor (RCA) in Whitman College, Rosen was a strong proponent of Princeton’s residential college system. “The residential colleges foster a strong sense of community," Rosen explains. “I made many good friends — my residential college really was a home away from home." He also took advantage of the cultural opportunities offered by the residential college, including attending Broadway shows and other events in New York City several times a semester.

After Princeton, Alex attended the University of Pennsylvania, where he completed an doctor of medicine/master's of business admission joint degree program.  He currently invests in biotechnology companies at Venrock.