The Foundation views all three of its leadership programs as both a life-long commitment and a life-long gift. Once members and fellows complete the active phase of each program, they enter into an extensive alumni network linking them to nearly 2000 North American and Israeli leaders: Jewish professionals and lay leaders in North America, and high-level Israeli public servants. The Wexner status facilitates fruitful collaboration among alumni of each of the 3 programs, to the benefit of communal initiatives.
The Foundation maintains an active alumni effort, the goals of which are to both craft programming of interest and service to our alumni and to simultaneously create an alumni infrastructure that enables alumni to use the Wexner network. The Foundation sees its role as a catalyst, a convener, a partner, and a facilitator, with an eye toward empowering alumni to take the lead in conceiving and/or implementing programs.
Examples of alumni initiatives include: institutes for alumni of the Graduate Fellowship and Israel Fellowship, leadership briefings, study days, parlor meetings, lunch & learn sessions, leadership articles written by alumni for our Newsletter, consultation to alumni on best practices to enhance their communal efforts, connecting alumni with each other intra and inter programs, among others.
An underlying principle of the Foundation’s alumni efforts is collaboration.
Cindy Chazan is Vice President for Alumni and Community Development. A seasoned Jewish leader, Cindy oversees the Foundation’s alumni efforts. She also counsels and mentors alumni of the 3 programs on a host of issues, and she works with communities who seek to partner with the Foundation in bringing the Heritage program back to their community.
Cindy is available to consult with alumni on their communal efforts to serve as a resource in those efforts. Examples include: helping link alumni to each other; sharing models of best practice; helping alumni cohorts determine next steps; brainstorming a new concept for individual and communal activity, among others.