Homeland and
Corporate Security Major Meets Challenges of
the 21st Century
In the decade since the September 11, 2001, tragedy, St. John’s
University has aggressively developed a nationally recognized
Homeland and Corporate Security major that enables our students
to meet the myriad challenges faced by the post-9/11 world.
Professor Jeffrey Grossmann ‘89SVC has spearheaded the program,
reconfiguring existing courses, developing new ones and outlining a
mission plan that addresses the needs of this dynamic field. The
program has grown rapidly since its inception in 2007.
“Homeland Security, is a relatively new academic discipline
broadens the scope of responsibilities formerly under the National
Security mandate and is primarily about protecting our national
critical infrastructure” stated,” Professor Grossmann
observed. “It used to be called National Security, but now
protecting the borders is no longer the primary issue. Today,
hundreds of terrorists are already in the country lying dormant.
The concept of securing the borders is outdated. The shift toward
Homeland Security is about protecting our national critical
infrastructure.
An Innovative Approach
Professor Grossmann was employed as a Security Executive for Macy’s
in Herald Square prior to his arrival at St. John’s, and served a
member of the National Guard. He is also a practicing attorney.
“When I worked in retail I was worried who was committing a crime
and how do I get my money back? Now you need to worry about where
the money is going, who funded them and who sent them here?”
Explaining Homeland and Corporate Security as a partnership between
the government and the private sector, Professor Grossmann stressed
that programs dealing only with Homeland issues are limiting.
Companies such as rental car agencies, shipping and receiving
companies, pilot training facilities, banks and many others in the
private sector are faced with security issues every day, he noted.,
such as rental car agencies, shipping and receiving companies,
pilot training facilities, banks, and many others.
“We developed the program with that in mind,” he explained. “Our
program is a hybrid. It’s homeland security and traditional
security administration working in joint partnership and possessing
a post-9/11 mentality.” He added that most courses in the program
deal with that partnership element. “It’s about government working
with the private sector to develop viable solutions.”
Exploring Options
Following his National Guard service, Professor Grossmann enrolled
at St. John’s as a
Criminal Justice major before switching to
Legal Studies. He eventually became an attorney and worked in
the security field for Macy’s and Marriott Hotels. He returned to
St. John’s as a Professor of Criminal Justice. “I enjoyed the
training aspect of my jobs almost as much as the jobs themselves,”
and teaching felt like a natural fit.
Professor Grossmann indicated that there has been great enthusiasm
for this program and he has received much support from Dean
Kathleen MacDonald of the
College of Professional Studies.
“You can’t watch the news today without seeing the phrase ‘Homeland
Security,’” he observed, noting there are a great deal of career
opportunities for students who graduate from the program. Some opt
for a career in the military. Others go into government service or
the private sector with great potential for career advancement.
When discussing specific course offerings Professor Grossmann
stressed that terrorism is not a stand-alone subject. “It’s
something that is woven into every course.”
In addition to teaching, Professor Grossmann fields a great many
inquiries from potential students discussing with them everything
from salary to safety issues. He sees his role as laying out the
myriad career options available to students and helping them choose
the one that fits them best.
For further information, please contact Professor Jeffrey Grossmann
at grossmaj@stjohns.edu