From Student Leaders to Hillel Professionals, These Recent Grads Are Making a Difference
Through Hillel International’s Leadership Passport program, over 200 student leaders attended some of the most influential Jewish communal gatherings in the country, including the Jewish Federations of North America General Assembly, ADL’s Never is Now summit, and the American Jewish Committee’s Global Forum. Passport gives students the opportunity to build relationships, explore careers in Jewish communal life, and see firsthand how Jewish organizations create impact. For some participants, that experience does more than strengthen their personal leadership. It inspires them to join the next generation of Hillel professionals shaping Jewish life on campus.
For Passport participant and recent Kent State University graduate Jacob Rathkopf, that inspiration and decision was deeply personal. “Growing up, I didn’t have a strong Jewish community around me, so my experience at Hillel was transformative,” said Rathkopf, who will head to the University of Delaware this fall to serve as a Springboard Fellow. Rathkopf’s time at Kent State Hillel gave him a lens into how the community he found on campus translated into a global community. “It showed me what Jewish community could look like, and it inspired me to become a source of support and a role model for other students as they navigate their own Jewish journeys,” he said.
Hillel International’s Springboard Fellowship is a two-year program, focused on professional and personal growth and designed for recent college graduates. Springboard Fellows are embedded in campus Hillels, where they have the opportunity to engage Jewish students and help build Jewish communities with emerging leaders.
For Lilly Chavez, a Florida State University graduate and Leadership Passport participant who will be a Springboard Fellow at CU Boulder starting in July, the work she did in partnership with the Hillel staff at FSU was part of what inspired her to continue her Hillel journey. “As a student leader, I learned that relationships are at the center of everything,” she said. “Programs and events are important, but the most meaningful impact comes from making people feel seen, valued, and connected.”
“As a Hillel student, I was given the gift of a powerful national conference. I came back to campus inspired and ready to lead, and now we’re giving that same gift to hundreds of students through Passport,” said Jordan Fruchtman, Hillel International’s associate vice president of community partnerships. “It puts them in rooms with lay leaders and professionals, building relationships and shaping the conversations that define Jewish life on campus.”
Kylie Miller, a Leadership Passport participant who graduated from Roosevelt University this spring and served on the 2025-2026 Hillel Student Cabinet, is starting her professional career with Hillel at Texas Hillel. She’ll serve as an IACT (Inspired, Active, Committed, Transformed) coordinator. IACT coordinators work within campus Hillels and focus on supporting students’ Jewish journeys through Jewish learning, immersive Israel travel like Birthright, and community service.
“My focus as the IACT is to engage and foster connections between students, for students to connect with Hillel, and for students to connect with Israel in as many ways as possible,” she said. She’s looking forward to taking the skills she learned as a student leader on both the campus and national level and bringing them with her into her new role. “I know my experience [with Passport] will help me present leadership opportunities to students the way they were presented to me.”
The experiences Rathkopf had as a student leader and through Passport were also part of what inspired him to become a Springboard Fellow. “I loved being able to [be part of] spaces where students could show up as their authentic selves, make friends, and build meaningful Jewish connections,” he said.
For Chavez, her moment of inspiration came as she listened to Hillel International President and CEO Adam Lehman speak at the JFNA General Assembly this year.
“He spoke about the idea of Hineni, meaning ‘here I am,’ and the importance of showing up for your community,” she said. “Hearing a Torah based message in that setting caught me by surprise and really resonated with me. It became a turning point that helped me realize I wanted to dedicate my career to creating meaningful Jewish experiences for others.”
“I hope to help students see that there is a place for them in Jewish life exactly as they are,” she added. “I want to build genuine relationships with students and create opportunities for them to explore their identities, connect with others, and grow as leaders. Most importantly, I want students to know that their voices matter — and that showing up for one another can make a lasting difference in a community.”