Hirsch to leave UMD for schoolMitzpeh Staff Writer Mindy Hirsch, Maryland Hillel’s director of programming, will be leaving the university after this semester in order to pursue a graduate degree. Hirsch will leave to attend American University in the fall to begin her work toward a degree in film and electronic media. Hillel is currently conducting interviews to fill the soonto-be vacant directorship. “Mindy is an amazing asset to the Hillel team,” said Hillel receptionist Josh Gordon, a sophomore criminology and criminal justice major. “Working with her for two years was an honor and a privilege, and she will definitely be missed.” In the 2001-2002 academic year, Hirsch began her career with Maryland Hillel as the JCSC Fellow. The following year, she served as Jewish Student Life Coordinator. Some of Hirsch’s biggest accomplishments with Maryland Hillel include producing The Odd Couple during her first year and organizing last year’s David Broza concert on the campus, an event that drew a crowd of more than 750 people. Her affiliation with Maryland Hillel has allowed her to journey around the world: twice staffing Birthright to Israel trips, as well as staffing Alternative Spring Break community service trips to Mexico and Uruguay. “I’ve gotten to travel quite a bit, and I’ve gotten to meet amazing people,” Hirsch said of her experience with Hillel. “Mindy definitely made the trip completely worthwhile,” she said. Hirsch graduated from the University of Wisconsin - Madison with a double major in film and television and rhetoric. She minored in Jewish studies. As an undergraduate at the University of Wisconsin, Hirsch said she worked for Hillel as a student intern, where she realized she had a knack for programming. She then worked to assist with Hillel’s programming, developing a Hillel coffee house series, among other programs. After graduating, Hirsch decided to continue her work with Hillel and the Jewish community by applying for the Jewish Campus Service Corps (JCSC) Fellowship at Maryland. The university had a very strong Jewish community and was fairly close to her home in New York, which attracted Hirsch to the school. Before she leaves Hillel, Hirsch would like to extend an invitation for lunch to Amos Kedem, the graduate student who criticized her in The Diamondback last month. |
Hillel Director of Programming Mindy Hirsch is leaving Maryland at the end of the year to pursue a master’s degree.PHOTO BY ADAM LEWIS |