The Campus Entrepreneurs Initiative is about to take Penn by storm! A national initiative gracing Penn’s campus for a second year, CEI includes 14 student interns who are on hand to schmooze it up with as many people as possible and to use their entrepreneurial spirit to start up amazing new initiatives that will bring students’ interests to life on campus.
CEI is a leadership development and community organizing program comprised of select student leaders from diverse areas of campus life. In addition to weekly training sessions, each intern implements community-organizing techniques and leadership skills to:
• network within his/her social circles
• build new relationships
• develop a greater understanding of what his/her friends care about most
• create new initiatives that weave Jewish and universal themes into a product that is relevant and meaningful to students previously uninvolved in Jewish life
Some initiatives will be campus-wide; others will be smaller and focused on one or more pre-existing communities. All initiatives are open to every Penn student. Examples of initiatives include:
• Mentoring programs
• Regular holiday/Shabbat meals in a fraternity/sorority house
• Immersive experiences (service trips, trips to explore Jewish heritage)
• Small discussion groups to explore a particular topic
CEI interns’ weekly training covers a wide range of topical areas and includes training in community organizing and leadership development, discussions about Jewish values and identity, and visits from influential campus and community members.
