Recognizing Inclusive Excellence
Jewish Life at Duke and the Center for Muslim Life were together awarded the 2024 Meaningful Inclusion Award on May 29. Awarded by the Duke Division of Student Affairs, this award recognizes a team, group, or committee within the Division of Student Affairs that addressed barriers (systems, policies, habits, or practices at Duke) to foster equity and belonging for Duke students or staff this year.
In her nomination, Associate Vice President of Student Affairs for Student Engagement Dr. Shruti Desai, wrote:
“After October 7, 2023, [the Jewish Life at Duke and Center for Muslim Life teams] pivoted their planned programming for the year to support students, staff, and faculty (and one another) in a year marked by intense loss, grief, anxiety, difficult discourse, and bias. Thousands of students, Duke community members, and alumni have been touched by the work of these teams over the course of the year as they sought to support the Duke community across deep lines of difference and to truly make Duke a place where Muslim, Arab, Palestinian, Jewish, and Israeli people not only feel welcome but ARE welcome. The work continues – it is not complete, and there is much to do. Through these teams’ caring and thoughtful approaches, however, many in our Duke community know that they have a place to turn and trusted professionals to lean on.“
The Jewish Life at Duke and Center for Muslim Life professional teams were called to the stage to be recognized at the May 29th Division of Student Affairs’ Annual Staff Awards Ceremony held in Penn Pavilion.
The team at Jewish Life at Duke, made up of seven staff members serving 800+ Jewish undergraduates and hundreds of Jewish graduate and professional students, is proud and touched to receive this meaningful honor.
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About Jewish Life at Duke
Jewish Life at Duke (JLD) is the hub for all things Jewish on Duke’s campus. An accredited Hillel as well as a department within Duke University’s Division of Student Affairs, Jewish Life at Duke is guided by a mission to empower Jewish students to learn and grow intellectually and spiritually; to inspire and nurture personal paths to Jewish identity; and to cultivate community and friendship. Comprising the Freeman Center for Jewish Life and the Rubenstein-Silvers Hillel, JLD takes a pluralistic approach to Judaism to ensure that all Jewish students, regardless of affiliation, are welcome and included.
100% of JLD’s operating budget comes from donations from alumni, parents, and friends.
Become a donor to Jewish Life at Duke today.