2008 Woodie Awards
Presidential Fellows Staying on as Staff at Yeshiva
In recent years, many Presidential Fellows have taken positions within Yeshiva administration
Harry Portman
Issue date: 10/22/07 Section: Features
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For the past four years, the Presidential Fellowship at Yeshiva University has taken the best and brightest graduates from the Wilf and Beren campuses and given them year-long positions working within the framework of the University administration under faculty mentors. These mentors help guide the Fellows in their growth and understanding of how to be lay leaders within the Jewish Community, and assist them in developing skills that will aide them in their future lives within their own communities.
However, a trend has begun to emerge wherein the Fellows are hired by the University to become full and part-time staff members following the completion of their year-long fellowship. The Commentator spoke with Elysia Stein, the Assistant to the Chief of Staff at YU, and coordinator of the Presidential Fellowship, regarding this new tendency of hiring former Presidential Fellows.
Ms. Stein says that although the purpose behind the Fellowship was not to create a sort of feeder system for positions within the YU administration, the hiring of Presidential Fellows has been an unexpected benefit. "In fact, we're not even looking for Fellows who want to pursue work in Jewish communal service. Our idea, is when you leave here and want to become a lay leader, we want to supplement your education at YU by giving you these skills as well," she said.
"If you are going to go to law school and become a lawyer who will serve on the PTA at your children's school, you'll still need these skills." Ms. Stein further added that Fellows are there to serve the University as a whole. In addition, she hopes that former Fellows will create bonds between their Fellowship peers which will aid them in their future as lay leaders within the Jewish community.
Eli Hagler (SSSB '05), who served as Presidential Fellow in the Office of Student Affairs during '06-'07 and now is the Assistant Director of Undergraduate Admissions echoes these sentiments.
"The Presidential Fellowship gave me the tools and skills needed to succeed in the workplace at any company or in any institution. As my fellowship year neared its end, I had different options for what I wanted to do afterwards but wasn't really sure. When the opportunity arose for me to stay in YU, I seriously looked into it for a number of reasons. I know that YU is a wonderful place to work and can only enhance my ability, work ethic and professional career," Hagler said. "It also allows me to continue to give back to a university that has already given me much and to have a say in who the future of YU and the future leaders of the Jewish Community at large will be."
However, a trend has begun to emerge wherein the Fellows are hired by the University to become full and part-time staff members following the completion of their year-long fellowship. The Commentator spoke with Elysia Stein, the Assistant to the Chief of Staff at YU, and coordinator of the Presidential Fellowship, regarding this new tendency of hiring former Presidential Fellows.
Ms. Stein says that although the purpose behind the Fellowship was not to create a sort of feeder system for positions within the YU administration, the hiring of Presidential Fellows has been an unexpected benefit. "In fact, we're not even looking for Fellows who want to pursue work in Jewish communal service. Our idea, is when you leave here and want to become a lay leader, we want to supplement your education at YU by giving you these skills as well," she said.
"If you are going to go to law school and become a lawyer who will serve on the PTA at your children's school, you'll still need these skills." Ms. Stein further added that Fellows are there to serve the University as a whole. In addition, she hopes that former Fellows will create bonds between their Fellowship peers which will aid them in their future as lay leaders within the Jewish community.
Eli Hagler (SSSB '05), who served as Presidential Fellow in the Office of Student Affairs during '06-'07 and now is the Assistant Director of Undergraduate Admissions echoes these sentiments.
"The Presidential Fellowship gave me the tools and skills needed to succeed in the workplace at any company or in any institution. As my fellowship year neared its end, I had different options for what I wanted to do afterwards but wasn't really sure. When the opportunity arose for me to stay in YU, I seriously looked into it for a number of reasons. I know that YU is a wonderful place to work and can only enhance my ability, work ethic and professional career," Hagler said. "It also allows me to continue to give back to a university that has already given me much and to have a say in who the future of YU and the future leaders of the Jewish Community at large will be."