Irina Rodina, a freshman at Columbia College of Missouri.
Last week, Rodina was chosen as the winner of a new iPod nano after entering a contest sponsored by Hillel: The Foundation for Jewish Campus Life. Hillel also gave away several iTunes gift cards for $15 to $50 each.
“Winning the iPod was quite a surprise for me. I was just looking at the Web site, so I didn’t expect that,” she said.
Rodina, who grew up in the Russian capital, was chosen from over 1,300 college students who have entered the contest and took part in Hillel’s nickname generator game. Participants filled out a short survey after which a college nickname was assigned to them.
They were then eligible to enter to win the iPod nano or one of several iTunes giftcards that are still up for grabs until mid-October.
Rodina left her family behind in Moscow to study political science and international relations at the Missouri school.
“I hope to get a degree, maybe try law school and then go to graduate school,” she said.
With her Orthodox Jewish upbringing, Rodina quickly sought out a Jewish community at the University of Missouri, Columbia, which is a short distance from her own school.
“Irina came to Hillel her first week of school and she’s been coming back every week since,” says University of Missouri Hillel Director, Kerry Hollander.
“The community is very welcoming,” Rodina said. “It is different than in Russia, but it is small and nice.”
Michelle Maer, executive director of Hillels Around Chicago, has invited Rodina to spend Shabbat in her city to experience its large Russian Jewish student community.