Three grown children and one grandchild later, commercial real estate broker, Dorit Rotter Golan earned her B.A. in Communications ’18, then turned her world upside-down and inside-out in an undeniably faith-filled way.

Golan said, “My kids don’t understand my leaving a stressful, seven-days per week job with a six-figure income to begin again in the nonprofit arena.”

In Alignment with A New Career

She is the first executive director for Tree of Life Books’ Houston office. Headquartered in Austin, the organization seeks to abolish anti-Semitism through education.

“We distribute books on Judaic studies to public libraries and schools, helping people to learn about the Jewish people’s contributions to civilization.”

Her family’s bafflement is not so surprising. When Golan chose to seek higher education, it was because she believed she needed a degree to secure the work-life balance and more stable income she could claim with the right office position within commercial real estate investment or development.

“But after receiving my B.A., I still didn’t get the jobs I wanted, so my soul said, ‘just stay in this supporting environment at UST and go for that MBA.’”

A Heart Connection

Before long, with the guidance of perceptive and caring UST professors, Golan admitted she “did not love accounting and statistics” and that she is a people person. She switched to an MLA in International Studies and quickly felt a heart connection to the coursework. Classes like International Peacekeeping and Regional Studies of Europe sparked her imagination and ignited a desire to know more about herself.

“My insightful UST professors showed me how I could go on an overseas, self-discovery journey and make it an independent study,” Golan said. “I have links to Israel, but I also traced my Hungarian and Romanian ancestral roots while abroad, and something remarkable happened. I experienced self-actualization.”

In The Encore of Life

Proclaiming this the “encore” of her life, Golan is embracing her new job with enthusiasm and ideas.

Golan said, “First things first. I need to begin raising funds from people and organizations that align with our anti-Semitism cause and want to make a difference. I’m also looking for the right location for our Houston office.”

She would love to see a Judaic studies program at UST. She also hopes the campus Walk of Remembrance, postponed in consideration of Covid-19 precautions, will return when it’s time.

Meanwhile, she is on track to complete her MLA in 2021.

“I’m incredibly grateful for the one-on-one guidance I’ve gotten from my UST professors,” Golan said. “I can feel an energetic charge telling me this is it. I think it’s all coming together.”