The term engagement was completely foreign to me when I started the fellowship in August (other than something that people did before they got married to nail down their potential mate). However, as a JCSC fellow you quickly catch onto the meaning and importance of engagement. To engage literally means "to gain the attention of; to attract." In Hillel, we make every attempt to attract the students, to reach out to them consistently and to make them feel comfortable on campus. Once students feel that you care about them, they feel more connected and thus are more likely to participate in events, to meet new people and to become part of the community. To engage students is to create an initial bridge between them and the rest of the Jewish community.
Once students become engaged, they can transition into empowerment roles, if they so choose. Many students move from places of engagement to empowerment over the course of their college career. As they attend and plan programs and take on leadership positions they establish themselves as active members of the Jewish and campus communities.
What does engagement and empowerment mean in the AU Jewish community?
On AU's campus, engagement is a full-time job. The school is 20% Jewish, with approximately 1800-2000 Jews wandering around the campus. However, students come to AU to be in Washington, DC and in many cases to be a part of the political process through internships and jobs. AU students like to spend time in the city, socializing and working. Thus, programming and engagement on campus can be challenging at times.
On the flipside, there is tons of room in AU Hillel for empowerment. Our student leadership base is small and thus we are always willing and able to offer students the ability to be actively involved and take on leadership. The empowered student leadership is dynamic, committed and passionate. They have been incredibly receptive to working with new students and fostering leadership among the underclassmen.
