For two days in July, over 200 professionals—many of whom have not moved into a dorm since their own college years—converged on Washington University in St. Louis, all drawn by the wisdom of a 2,000-year-old rabbi. Hillel the Elder may have lived during the Second Temple period, but his teachings remain so foundational to Jewish thought that they continue to shape practice at college campuses worldwide.

Enter Hillel—not the historic rabbi, but the modern organization carrying forward his legacy with a mission to enrich Jewish students' lives so they may, in turn, enrich Jewish communities worldwide. For over a 100 years, the Hillel movement has been uniquely focused on serving all kinds of Jewish students, no matter who they are or how they express their Judaism. Today, it stands as the world's largest Jewish campus organization, serving more than 180,000 students annually across 850+ colleges and universities globally.

At the heart of Hillel International's vision for the future lies a commitment to cultivating exceptional talent. Each year, newly hired Hillel professionals gather in St. Louis for the New Professionals Institute (NPI)—an intensive program combining onboarding, relationship-building and skill development. More than just job training, NPI serves as a cornerstone of Hillel's strategy, equipping new leaders with the knowledge, connections and tools needed to create transformative Jewish campus experiences.

Among this year's participants was Julia Downer, Jewish Peninsula's new Director of Athletics and Enrichment Programs, who now leads Christopher Newport University (CNU) Hillel. "I joked that I'd left kids' Jewish summer camp to attend adult Jewish summer camp," Julia reflects, "but the immersive bonding experience we all went through while transitioning into this new leadership role was intensly moving. Just like my childhood camp summers where bonds were quickly formed over the course of a few weeks, I know I have a support system with my NPI cohort.."

As the sole professional at CNU, Julia received specialized training designed for her unique position. Her curriculum spanned a set of topics to create long-term sustainable growth for CNU Hillel centered around growing a student leadership pipeline, cultivating student relationships and supporting students in a climate of rising antisemitism.

With the new academic year approaching, Jewish Peninsula is preparing to roll out a student-centered engagement strategy aimed at revitalizing CNU's Hillel community. At the center of this plan, we return to the ancient wisdom of Hillel himself, whose timeless question continues to guide us: "If I am not for myself, who is for me? And if I am only for myself, what am I? And if not now, when?"

Jewish Peninsula is looking forward to seeing what Julia and the CNU Hillel students will do with the tools from NPI—for themselves individually, and together as a newly energized community, that honors both ancient wisdom and contemporary possibility.