In support of strengthening both Jewish campus life in Memphis and the greater Memphis Jewish community, an exclusive college scholarship opportunity is available for students participating in Jewish life in their communities who elect to attend Rhodes College.
The Jewish Community Fellowship created by Rhodes College has made available five $10,000 merit-based scholarships, each renewable for 3 years for a total of $40,000 per student.
Students must apply to Rhodes College as either Early Decision or Early Action applicants by November 15, or as Regular Decision Applicants by January 15. Students must then be offered admission for the Fall 2020 semester, and choose to enroll at Rhodes. The scholarship application requires a cover letter, resume, and 500-word essay.
An evaluation committee for the Rhodes scholarship, established by JCP, will review all applications and make recommendations to Rhodes based on the applicant’s participation in Jewish life, service in the community, and essay. The fellowship application can be found here.
Recommended students will be considered for admission and scholarship by Rhodes on a competitive basis. Fellowship awardees are expected to become active in Jewish life at Rhodes.
For additional information, contact Bluma Zuckerbrot-Finkelstein at 901-767-7100 or bzuckerbrot-finkelstein@jcpmemphis.org.
Rhodes College Jewish Community Fellowship-2020-2021
Fact Sheet
Deadline to apply for admission for Fall 2020 semester
Early Decision: November 1, 2019
Early Action: November 15, 2019
Regular Decision: January 15, 2020
Deadline to apply for Fellowship
For Early Decision and Early Action Applicants: November 15, 2019
For Regular Decision Applicants: January 15, 2020
Scholarship description and requirements
Rhodes College is pleased to make available five $10,000 merit scholarships to students who participate in Jewish life in their communities across the United States. Eligible students must apply for admission to Rhodes by January 15th for the Fall 2020 semester, be offered admission and choose to enroll at Rhodes. Fellowship applications will be reviewed by Jewish Community Partners (JCP) of Memphis and JCP will recommend applicants to Rhodes based on their participation in Jewish life and service and based on the responses to an essay prompt. A cover letter, a resume, and a 500-word essay will be required for the JCP recommendation. The essay prompt can be found below.
Recommended students will be considered for admission and scholarship to Rhodes on a competitive basis. Students winning scholarship recognition will receive a Jewish Community Fellowship from Rhodes of $10,000 renewable for up to three years.
Competitive students may receive academic scholarship in a larger amount; however, the scholarships may not be combined and the larger scholarship will be awarded with a letter of recognition for the recommendation from Jewish Community Partners.
Fellowship awardees are expected to become active in Jewish life at Rhodes and to fulfill the following requirements:
Attend a minimum of 10 Rhodes Hillel events/programs each school year;
Plan one Rhodes Hillel event/program per year;
Attend monthly leadership meetings with other Fellows and Rhodes Hillel Director;
Write an article about Jewish life at Rhodes for print and electronic distribution;
Make a presentation about Jewish life at Rhodes at a Memphis Jewish Federation board meeting;
Complete an annual Fellowship Recertification Form.
In addition, Fellows are strongly encouraged to consider an elected leadership position on the Rhodes Hillel Student Board.
Essay prompt
We live in an increasingly complicated world. How does your involvement in Jewish life influence the way you foresee accomplishing Rhodes’ vision of “graduating students with a life-long passion for learning, a compassion for others, and the ability to translate academic study and personal concern into effective leadership and action in their communities and the world?”
Please apply here: https://admission.rhodes.edu/register/jewishcommunityfellowship
Background on Hillels of Memphis
Hillels of Memphis serves Jewish students throughout the Memphis community, from all Memphis campuses. The Rhodes College chapter was launched in 2017, building on the previous work of the Jewish Student Union. Rhodes Hillel is operated by a student board in cooperation with Hillels of Memphis Director Sophie Bloch and a lay-led Advisory Council. Rhodes Hillel focuses on cultural, religious, educational, and social programming and is open to all students regardless of background. Rhodes Hillel is operated by Memphis Jewish Federation and endowed through the generosity of an anonymous donor.
Background on Memphis Jewish Community
The Memphis Jewish community is a full-service, vibrant community with seven synagogues, Hillels on both the Rhodes and University of Memphis campuses, a beautiful and first-rate Jewish Community Center, engaging programming for youth and young adults, outstanding Jewish preschools, day schools and religious schools, an active Jewish Federation, kosher food options, award-winning residential nursing home and rehabilitation facility and more. For more information about Jewish life in Memphis, please go to www.jcpmemphis.org
Questions/Additional information
At Rhodes College, please contact Ali Hamilton, Senior Assistant Director of Admissions: 901-843-3706/hamiltona@rhodes.edu
At Jewish Community Partners, please contact Sophie Bloch, Campus Director: 901-452-2453/sophiebloch@hillelsofmemphis.org