<p>RVM- do you think the difference between SMCM and Susquehanna is public and private with Lutheran heritage? I ask this because I would not think that public universities would be able to be involved with any religious group, while a private college with religious origins can. Elon is another example of a church founded college expanding religious diversity quicker than some of the area public colleges. Considering the size of the school, it has a relatively larger Hillel.</p>
<p>Good observation. A publicly funded non-denominational school is likely not able to (legally or openly) actively encourage the enrollment of students from a specific religious group. Indeed, even ‘equal rights’/affirmative action initiatives are increasingly under fire.</p>
<p>I have not considered it as a private vs. public issue. What I see are colleges - Elon being a perfect example - who look at the demographics - and realize that improving diversity and courting Jewish students specifically will help them achieve the enrollment numbers they desire and improve their reputation. In 2014, noting that a college lacks diversity is generally seen as a negative. Jewish colleged-aged students attend college at a higher rate than their non-Jewish peers. (Don’t have the citation for this handy, but it came up repeatedly in articles about Vanderbilt’s plan a few years back to aggressively pursue Jewish students and in various news articles about why colleges want Jewish students). So for colleges like Elon and Susquehanna, putting funds towards beefing up Hillel, creating a Jewish studies program, hiring a Rabbi or more Hillel staff was a clear solution. </p>
<p>So, while SMCM is a public college - given their sinking enrollment numbers and given the Jewish population of Maryland and surrounding states - I think they would be smart to market to Jewish students. “Build it and they will come” seems to fit this situation. Many Jewish families will not consider a college with minimal Jewish life. But you can turn this around in just 2-3 years - as Elon has done. If SMCM asked for my opinion, lol, I would advise them to devote more resources towards Hillel, hire a professor to teach a few Jewish studies classes, and then publicize those efforts within the Jewish community and see what happens!</p>
<p>I can’t see them being faulted for trying to improve diversity or recruit students belonging to an underrepresented group on campus.</p>
<p>Thanks ECmotherx2 - I’ll shoot the rabbi a note before we head down there. And cama, thanks for the advice. I also don’t feel my son necessarily needs remedial work, and I think he may choose a setting where he’s just a regular student like everyone else. We’ll see how they sell it when we get there. Their brochure says there’s no extra cost - I wonder if that’s a change in the program since your daughter looked at it, or whether there are some fees they aren’t telling us about yet.</p>
<p>Links to articles on Jewish recruitment:</p>
<p>[In</a> Effort to Lift Their Rankings, Colleges Recruit Jewish Students - WSJ.com](<a href=“http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB102003890421804360]In”>In Effort to Lift Their Rankings, Colleges Recruit Jewish Students - WSJ)</p>
<p>[Small</a> Colleges Reach Out To Expand Their Jewish Student Communities ? Forward.com](<a href=“http://forward.com/articles/130140/small-colleges-reach-out-to-expand-their-jewish-st/]Small”>Small Colleges Reach Out To Expand Their Jewish Student Communities – The Forward)</p>
<p>[Nick</a> Saban?s Alabama legacy: 3 BCS titles, a whole bunch of Jews | Jewish Telegraphic Agency](<a href=“http://www.jta.org/2013/05/19/news-opinion/the-telegraph/nick-sabans-alabama-legacy-3-bcs-titles-a-whole-bunch-of-jews]Nick”>Nick Saban's Alabama legacy: 3 BCS titles, a whole bunch of Jews - Jewish Telegraphic Agency)</p>
<p>[</a> LOOKING FOR JEWS IN ALL THE RIGHT PLACES](<a href="http://www.contentedits.com/img.asp?t=2&id=13746]">http://www.contentedits.com/img.asp?t=2&id=13746)</p>
<p>Thanks for the links.
Sadly, the first is limited to WSJ subscribers.</p>
<p>Google the title of the article and it should come up as a free article.</p>
<p>Merci beaucoup.</p>
<p>Hello to the posters on what is still the greatest thread on cc!
I am old time poster on this thread and haven’t posted recently…I follow it, but not as closely as I used to…</p>
<p>I really agree that when colleges recruit Jewish students, it helps with their enrollment, diversity, even ranking and outlook! When Vandy did it several years ago, it attracted some very top students from around the country including my nephew, who loved his 4 years there!</p>
<p>The same happened to Muhlenberg and Elon…and the same happened to Trinity College in Hartford, CT. Trinity is a moderately selective LAC (B/B+/A-) that was very church oriented many, many years ago. They started recruiting Jewish kids and had a Hillel House built on campus. Today I think Trinity’s name is less regional and a bit more wide spread. And of course Jewish kids look there more than ever before in the past! The campus itself is beautiful…they just can’t seem to shake the surrounding areas around the campus that make it kind of sketchy and not overly safe…</p>
<p>Just a personal update: S1 is a college Junior for all those that remember when we were applying a few years ago, and S2 is now a h.s. senior! Applied to 5 colleges and we are in waiting mode. Time flies!! ;)</p>
<p>Hi Chocchip, great to see you. I’ve been wondering if you were still around.</p>
<p>Hey my Texas Buddy!</p>
<p>Yeah, I’m here. Wasting time over in the Parent Cafe. I’ve had lots & lots of major stress the last few years and the Cafe has been a fun way to distract me from serious issues. Things are working themselves out, sort of, slowly.</p>
<p>How is your S2 at Texas A&M? How are his stomach issues?</p>
<p>S1 did a semester abroad last semester and is anxious to head back to the second half of his Junior year this week. S2 is waiting for what will hopefully be acceptances!</p>
<p>I saw a few old time names show up here in the last few weeks. Hope everyone is doing well and that this coming New Year is a great one for everyone.</p>
<p>Hi chocchip - thanks for stopping by!</p>
<p>quakerstake - thanks for posting those links - It supports my contention that colleges should make a concerted effort to woo Jewish students - it is a strategy that has worked for numerous colleges. Too bad SMCM has not asked for our input!</p>
<p>RVM, you are right, it doesn’t make sense with the larger Jewish population in Maryland that SMCM does not do more to build up the Hillel.</p>
<p>One idea that comes to mind with state colleges is funding, and how they allocate it. Private colleges may have more freedom to designate funds to recruitment and activities. With state colleges, I wonder if there is more focus on the state flagship. For instance, UMD has extensive Jewish services.
It is a bonus that Elon has its own Hillel building, while NCSU shares the one located at UNC. Considering that Elon is about the same distance from UNC as NCSU, it would make sense for NCSU to have its own building, but the funding needs to come from somewhere. I did look at their FB page and it seems they have an adviser now and are picking up activity.
I see where Alabama has increased Jewish enrollment, but I think there is little to none at Auburn. Same with SC- a Hillel at U South Carolina, none that I know of at Clemson. Charleston SC has a relatively large Jewish population so perhaps private funding is involved with College of Charleston.
Of course, these are all states that serve in state students and have smaller overall Jewish populations than in the NE. I am not sure of the relative sizes of Hillels at UVA and Virginia tech, but I think both campuses have their own Hillel buildings.
I know that within state colleges, there is a tendency not to duplicate programs, for instance some majors are only offered at some campuses. With budget cuts prevailing in many states, I wonder if they are thinking the same about activities.
All of this is just a guess, but yes, I would love to see some more colleges added to our list.</p>
<p>Private donors have been very supportive of Jewish life and the Jewish Studies Program at CofC:</p>
<p>[College</a> of Charleston](<a href=“http://news.cofc.edu/2013/01/14/1-million-pledged-to-vegetarian-dining-facility-in-jewish-studies-center/]College”>$1 Million Pledged to Vegetarian Dining Facility in Jewish Studies Center - The College Today)</p>
<p>[The</a> Sylvia Vlosky Yaschik Jewish Studies Center - College of Charleston](<a href=“Page not found - College of Charleston”>The Sylvia Vlosky Yaschik Jewish Studies Center - College of Charleston)</p>
<p>[Jewish</a> Student Union/Hillel at the College of Charleston - College of Charleston](<a href=“Jewish Student Union/Hillel - College of Charleston”>Jewish Student Union/Hillel - College of Charleston)</p>
<p>NCSU has a fund for this too. [Michael</a> and Lyn Green Fund for Jewish Studies · Department of History · NCSU](<a href=“http://history.ncsu.edu/pages/green_fund]Michael”>http://history.ncsu.edu/pages/green_fund) . I think for any of these schools, it takes an initiative, and then once a certain number of students and parents are interested, the private donations follow.</p>
<p>Virginia Tech has a large Hillel membership and a very impressive new building:</p>
<p>[Hillel</a> at Virginia Tech | The Foundation for Jewish Campus Life](<a href=“http://hillelatvirginiatech.com/]Hillel”>http://hillelatvirginiatech.com/)</p>
<p>One of the keys to their success has been parental involvement and donations:</p>
<p>[Parents</a> Circle - Hillel at Virginia Tech](<a href=“http://hillelatvirginiatech.com/parents-circle/]Parents”>http://hillelatvirginiatech.com/parents-circle/)</p>
<p>amazing new facility:</p>
<p>[New</a> Facility Construction - Hillel at Virginia Tech](<a href=“http://hillelatvirginiatech.com/new-facility-construction/]New”>http://hillelatvirginiatech.com/new-facility-construction/)</p>
<p>Again - it is a function of build it and they will come. Add Jewish programming and classes of interest - and students follow. Publicize the increase in Jewish population - and more students follow. More students = more parents = more donations = new or renovated Hillel building = more publicity and even more Jewish students.</p>
<p><a href=“A new Hillel building opened off campus”>A new Hillel building opened off campus;
<p>
</p>
<p>But clearly there are colleges that do not see any value in trying to attract Jewish students, they put no effort or resources into it, and have very few Jewish students as a result.</p>
<p>It is unfortunate that a college that wishes for a diverse student body would not want to attract Jewish students. I agree that once there is an initiative, Jewish parents tend to be supportive of Hillels and other activities. This new building at Virginia Tech looks great, and I like the fact that they are willing to share meeting space with others.</p>
<p>The sharing concept is very common with Hillels - their events are generally open to all. So, I would think that would negate any concern about a public university increasing funding for a Hillel.</p>
<p>I think it’s great that they are open to everyone. </p>
<p>It takes an interest on the part of administrators to expand these offerings. I have been impressed on the part of Elon to do this, considering that it was a Christian college in a state with a relatively smaller Jewish population. They did it in context of building diversity and their multicultural center, which will welcome students from numerous backgrounds. What a plus to all the students there.</p>