Hillel strives to promote excellence in its ongoing commitment to students and through its innovative programming. Every year, many Hillels are recognized for their hard work and continuing dedication to creating a dynamic campus environment for the students. Below is a list highlighting some of the schools that were recognized this year for their dedication to student life.

• Purdue University Hillel received the 2004 Student Organization Leadership Co-Sponsorship of the Year award for the cultural event "The Simpsons and other Gentiles I have Known" presented by Mike Reiss, producer of "The Simpsons." The program was part of Purdue University's Project Respect week of diversity. The Purdue University Mortar Board presented the 2004 Dean Nelson Betty Service Award to Hillel for the mentoring program "Kids and Computers" in which college volunteers met monthly at Hillel with underprivileged children to teach them how to use the Internet safely, with themed activities. This is the second year that this program was awarded a Purdue Office of Engagement grant and a Hillel Digital Divide grant. The coordinator of the Lafayette Urban Ministry after-school program credits the project with benefiting the children by teaching valuable computer skills, providing a role model, and presenting an opportunity to think about higher education as a possibility for their future.
  
  
• Boston University Hillel was recognized by the Dean of Students and Student Activities Office for achievement and commitment to the university at the 2003-2004 Dean of Students' Awards Banquet. Hillel also received the Student Activities Office 2003-2004 Award for Best Collaboration Between Student Organizations for its Project Recess that brought together several student organizations and campus offices and raised over $10,000 for the Boys' and Girls' Clubs of Boston. Hillel's Director of Student Activities Kip Lombardo was one of six honored as Advisors of the Year for commitment to student leadership and innovation in student programming. In addition, Melissa Meyers, Hillel's vice president of Outreach, was nominated for Student Leader of the Year, and Hillel's a cappella group, Kol Echad, and Boston University Students for Israel were nominated for Program of the Year.
  
  
• Hillel at Colorado State University was named the winner at the University's second annual SOAR (Student Organizations Awards of Recognition) Awards ceremony. This year, Holocaust Awareness Week swept the honors, winning five awards, including: Outstanding Marketing, Outstanding Annual Program, runner-up for Outstanding Social Consciousness Program, Outstanding Program, and Marci Colb, the co-chair of Students for Holocaust Awareness, for Outstanding Graduate Student Leader. In addition, CSU Hillel's incoming president, Kayla Brummet, won the award for Outstanding Sophomore Leader. Award presenters had described Hillel as "an organization that has made a lasting impact on the CSU community and an organization that works to create a diverse community in which everyone feels comfortable, welcome and respected."
  
  
• American University Hillel also received an award for its Holocaust programming. The General Assembly of American University cited the program as an "invaluable service" to the student body for its week-long Holocaust Remembrance Week. Special congratulations to Jason Benkendorf who spearheaded these activities.
  
  
• The Jewish Student Union of Washington University in St. Louis received the Outstanding Single Program Award for 2003-2004 from the University's Office of Student Activities. They received the award for Jewzapalooza, a day-long campus celebration of Jewish culture, people, and religion that featured games, crafts, food, music, and information about Jewish campus and community organizations.
  
  
• Hillel at Loyola University Chicago received the university's Collaboration Award for the program "The Panel of Women Community Leaders" as part of Women's History Month. Hillel Director Patti Ray was also named an Outstanding Woman Leader of Loyola at the annual Women's Leadership Reception, the final program of Women's History Month.
  
  
• Hillel at University of Nevada, Las Vegas received an award for Outstanding Diversity Program - Rebel Achievement Award for its week-long Sukkot programs. This was the first time a sukkah was built on the campus and each night's events brought out record numbers of Jewish students. The Sukkot programs were co-sponsored with AEPi and the Ethnic Student Council.
  
  
• Tufts Hillel received the Synergy Award for the third year in a row, for a dialogue series with Tufts Christian Fellowship concerning Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ." This student-driven initiative, under the guidance of Rabbi Jeffrey Summit and the University Chaplaincy, brought together students and faculty from Jewish, Protestant and Catholic backgrounds to openly discuss issues of anti-Semitism and interfaith understanding.
  
  
• Executive Director of University at Albany Hillel David Liebschutz received the first annual Hillel Liebschutz Leadership Awards. The Liebschutz Leadership Awards were named in David's honor to perpetuate dynamic Jewish leadership on campus and will be given to students in the future.