Brian Small
Brian Small, interim executive director at Hillel at Syracuse University, is among nine professionals chosen to participate in the newest cohort of Weinberg ACCELERATE: Hillel’s Executive Training Program with Hillel: The Foundation for Jewish Campus Life.
Chosen from a large pool of applicants after a competitive selection process, Small will participate in the one-year intensive program that prepares high-performing and high-potential Hillel professionals to assume directorships and/or positions of senior leadership at Hillels around the country within the next three years.
Bringing a unique combination of public relations experience and higher education knowledge to his position, Small has advocated for a high education-centered Hillel model, bringing Jewish life to students and welcoming and meeting them where they are. Small has co-led various trainings for hundreds of engagement interns at Hillel Institute, the annual national conference for Hillel professionals and students.
ACCELERATE participants work directly with a current Hillel executive director, and are mentored by an experienced professional in the Jewish nonprofit community in order to expand the breadth of their perspective and experience. The training includes seminars reflective of today’s best practices in adult experiential learning and interactive teaching.
“I’m pleased and flattered that Hillel International and the board of directors want to invest in me as a Jewish professional and educator. An investment in me is an investment in the students, and making me a better professional will ultimately benefit them,” Small says. “The opportunity to work with Jay Lewis, executive director of Kansas University Hillel, has been incredibly valuable. In addition to giving me tips, he also validates some of the things we have been doing right as a program. It’s wonderful to be a part of a program with such amazing mentors.”
Scott Brown, Hillel vice president for talent, notes that, “By investing in leadership development, our professionals enhance the vision of Hillel to inspire every Jewish student to make an enduring commitment to Jewish life, learning and Israel. Hillel directors learn how to connect to students of all backgrounds and meet those students where they are. They help students to explore, share stories and celebrate Jewish life in meaningful ways.”
“I am very excited that Brian has been selected for participation in this very exclusive and selective ACCELERATE program,” says Barbara Kurman, president of the Hillel at Syracuse University Board of Governors. “This program, his leadership and management skills will be further developed and enhanced for the betterment of Hillel at Syracuse University.”
Small earned an undergraduate degree from SU in 2002 and a second master’s degree in the field of higher education at SU in 2008, and was a former student-participant at Hillel. Originally from Rocky Hill, Conn., Small resides in Manlius, N.Y., with his wife, Shannon, who was also an intern at Hillel at Syracuse University during her graduate studies, and their daughter, Danielle.
