Events Calendar

The Robert Levison, Jr. ‘48 Leadership Development Fellowship is a dynamic, multifaceted learning opportunity for Jewish undergraduate students at Stanford. It is designed to promote an integrated and broad perspective of leadership informed by Jewish tradition and thought. In addition to enlightening discussions with leaders in various fields, enriching programs, and empowering network-building, each fellow will receive a $500 stipend. Tzedakah (justice) and tikkun olam (repairing the world) will be central themes in this program. 

To learn more about the Levison Fellowship and/or to apply, please contact Sam Berrin Shonkoff at shonkoff@stanford.edu. Please include a resume, a brief explanation of why you are interested in this leadership development fellowship, and 2-3 times when you would be available to meet for an interview.  

           MORE DETAILED INFORMATION ABOUT THE FELLOWSHIP:

Seven Core Aspects of the Program:

Leadership Development Course

The leadership course brings students along a personal and communal journey of self-discovery, Jewish identity, leadership skill development and an exploration of the role of community in their lives.  The course develops three areas of competency:

a)       personal exploration of topics with rabbis and other Jewish educators

b)       communal and organizational leadership, delving in to organizational functioning and specific leadership skill development

c)       turning values into action, giving the fellows the opportunity to be inspired by people who have made a tremendous impact on their world

The leadership course will be taught over eight sessions during the winter and spring quarters, plus a mandatory day-long retreat at the beginning of winter quarter. 

Mentorship

Hillel at Stanford maintains a diverse network of Jewish Stanford alumni who have a variety of professional and personal interests and who have volunteered to serve as mentors to current students.  Levison Fellows will be required to choose a mentor from the pool of available mentors based on the students’ individual interests. Guidance will be given to help establish the mentor-mentee relationship, and then each relationship will follow its own course.

Tikkun Olam: “Repairing the World” Service Project

Levison Fellow will immerse themselves in a service project that the entire group will create and execute.   Fellows prepare by learning about tikkun olam as a Jewish ideal through texts and historical perspective. They will then explore how this concept can serve to inspire them personally and communally in a contemporary context.

Tzedakah: Philanthropy

Each Levison Fellow will be required to allocate $150 of his or her fellowship stipend (see next section) for Tzedakah (philanthropic giving).  In the spirit of Robert’s tremendous commitment to Jewish communal philanthropy, and the Jewish value of giving to those in need, the Levison Fellows will be required as a group to explore and research various causes, and to decide collectively how to allocate their pool of funds to two (or more) not-for-profit organizations, within and beyond the Jewish community.

Stipend

Each Levison Fellow will receive a stipend of $500 for the academic year.  Of this amount, each fellow will dedicate at least $150 towards tzedakah, the collective philanthropic contributions described above.

Robert Levison Fellowship Alumni Network

As they complete their fellowships, participants will join the Levison Fellowship Alumni Network.  These alumni will be expected to remain connected to the Robert Levison Fellowship by serving as mentors to new fellows (beginning approximately five years after graduation) and by participating in one Robert Levison Fellowship alumni event per year, which may include lectures with outstanding leaders or faculty, or Fellowship discussion sessions.  Tele- or video-conferencing options will be made available to those who live far from Stanford.