Adding To Your Wexner Toolkit

At The Wexner Foundation,  we assess and adapt our work constantly so that we continue to excel in training you, our leaders, who strengthen communities in North America and Israel.  Part of our formula requires us to stay at the front of fast-breaking technological developments so that members of our network can use an optimal set of tools to “change the world for the better” — to quote Les.

Toward that end, we are proud to launch a new enhanced version of WexnerFoundation.org.  Now that we have completed this phase of work, we have an action step for you.  As you explore the site, you will see a myriad of delightful differences.  Here are just a few highlights:

1. Featuring all SEVEN Wexner programs

Did you know The Wexner Foundation currently runs seven full-time programs?  We have our three gold standard programs, those we have been running for 30 years: the Wexner Heritage Program, Wexner Graduate Fellowship and Wexner Israel Fellowship.  In 2013, we welcomed our first cohort of the Wexner Service Corps; in 2014 we established Wexner Senior Leaders and in 2016, we launched both Wexner Summits and the Wexner Field Fellowship.  Yes, we have grown tremendously in the last 5 years and we invite you to learn more about all of the ways we are moving the dial on Jewish and Israeli Leadership by clicking here.

2.  Modified Navigation Bar and Search Tool

Working with user-design experts, we have enhanced the entire user experience in many ways.  The navigation bar and links are more intuitive.  We modeled our website search tool (check out the magnifying glass icon at top right) on Google’s search tools as the model for our search, and even though we do not have their algorithm, I believe you will be excited to see how easy it is to find what you are looking for.

3.  Introducing the WEXCHANGE

The WEXCHANGE is a password-protected searchable database which contains profiles of all members, fellows and alumni of our seven programs. Whatever contact information we had about you, and whatever you have added to your profile over the years, is now live and available for everyone in our network to see.  Please check that your profile is up to date, as others are now looking at your photo, your involvements, your bio and so on.  Also, click SEARCH MY WEXCHANGE NETWORK to find old classmates or other Wexnerites with similar interests.  WEXCHANGE is an exclusive benefit, only for use by those currently in, or alumni of, our programs.  The WEXCHANGE search is dramatically improved from our previous version and will get better ("smarter") each day, both from your adding more information about yourself and from the searches you generate.  You can now tag yourself with specific INTERESTS and suggest INTERESTS for others (similar to endorsements on LinkedIn).  Additionally, you can now log-in with your Twitter/Facebook/Google log-in and view an interactive map of where other members/fellows/alumni are located, and much more.  The value of this search tool is only as strong as the user data in our system and we need your help to ensure your data is current and up to date. Please click here to login and update all four parts of your profile (Overview, Employment, Education, Community).

To take it a step further, we are calling on you to log-in to your profile and make sure your profile is at least 50% complete (you'll see the icon that measures how close to complete your profile is) and then search for other Wexnerites who can help you move the needle on your passion projects.  For example, you may want to look for someone involved with Hillel, day schools, Jewish pluralism, health care in Israel, etc.; or if you are visiting Israel (for our North American Wexnerites) or North America (for our Israeli Wexnerites), consider looking up our alumni in the city you are visiting and reaching out to a few with whom you share interests or would be excited to meet. Possibilities are endless and these are just a few examples. We remind you that this is private information, a privilege of membership in the Wexner Network, and it is prohibited to share any information to those outside of the network. Using the contact information for soliciting (yes, even for good causes) or sending bulk emails is also a violation of the trust we place in you.

Over the next few days, weeks and months, we look forward to your exploring our new site and connecting with other Wexnerites.  We are constantly trying to enhance our set of tools that are available to our members and make sure they provide the resources you need to make that positive change in the world.  We are uncertain what the future of technology will hold for our network — new apps, social media tools, more videos and social content — however, we will always do our best to ensure you have what you need to succeed. Feel free to contact me with any feedback or questions.

Adam Reiss, Coordinator, Communications and Social Network, at The Wexner Foundation, is a multi-talented visual design artists. Recognized as a creative and practical problem-solver and as an enthusiastic, resourceful professional, Adam projects a unique ability to adapt quickly to challenges and changing environments.  After receiving a Masters of Arts in Visual Communications from The Ohio State University, Adam focused on “raising the bar” to create new digital media for his craft and, more importantly, his clients.  Using his many talents, Adam has worked with numerous Fortune 500 companies, national clients, and has an extensive background working with Jewish agencies. Adam and his wife, Shara, are the parents to three children.  Adam can be reached at areiss@wexner.net.