Abigail Schcolnik and Zachary Patterson to Co-Chair 2024-2025 Hillel International Student Cabinet
Student leaders to help shape Hillel experience for 180,000+ Jewish students worldwide
WASHINGTON – As Jewish students prepare to return to campus following an unprecedented year of antisemitic incidents, Hillel International announced the co-chairs of its Student Cabinet for the 2024-2025 academic year, demonstrating the centrality of student leadership to fostering Jewish joy and identity.
Members of the Hillel International Student Cabinet represent a cross-section of campus experiences, Jewish backgrounds, geography, and academic interests. The Cabinet is committed to representing student needs, connecting campus communities, and providing counsel to the lay and professional leadership of the organization.
Tasked with leading the Cabinet, the co-chairs will help guide the Hillel movement at a pivotal moment for Jewish life on campus. The Cabinet co-chairs serve as critical spokespeople for Jewish students and their experiences daily in the classroom and the campus quad, and the positive, central impact of Hillel.
Abigail (Abi) Schcolnik of the University of Miami and Zachary Patterson of Duke University have been selected to lead the ninth cohort, serving as key leaders at a moment when Hillel is engaging more Jewish students than ever. As co-chairs of the Student Cabinet, Schcolnik and Patterson will also serve as members of the Hillel International Board of Directors.
“For the last several months, Jewish students have been challenged and expressions of their Judaism have come under threat,” said Adam Lehman, president and CEO of Hillel International. “The Student Cabinet has a critical role to play in advocating for their peers and engaging them in enriching Jewish experiences. Abi and Zachary bring vital perspectives to the Hillel movement, and I’m eager to work alongside them in the year ahead.”
Abi Schcolnik is a rising senior at the University of Miami and was born in Argentina, and raised in Uruguay. She is the former president of Miami Hillel, where she has been an active member of Hillel since the beginning of her first year. At UM, Abi is involved in the swim team, the DEI committee, and the disciplinary hearing panel. Outside of campus, Abi serves as a Geller International Senior Fellow and as a Lauder Fellow.
“I am excited to continue growing the Hillel movement and ensuring that every Jewish student on college campuses worldwide feels safe and belongs in Hillel,” said Abi Schcolnik, incoming co-chair of the Hillel International Student Cabinet.
Zachary Patterson is a rising junior at Duke University, double majoring in public policy and economics. Originally from San Diego, Zachary formerly served as a member of the San Diego Board of Education from 2019-2022. At Duke Hillel, Zachary previously served as the Vice President of Membership. Zachary is also an active brother in Alpha Epsilon Pi. Zachary leads an organization called the National Student Board Member Association, which works to train, support, and unify students on school boards. Zachary is a recipient of the Diller Teen Tikkun Olam Award for his work on student representation in educational governance.
“At a time where many Jewish students feel unsafe on campus, Hillel must be at the center of efforts to both encourage robust discussion and stop pervasive antisemitism,” said Zachary Patterson, incoming co-chair of the Hillel International Student Cabinet. “I am excited to help strengthen Hillel’s commitment to inclusive Judaism and Zionism.”
Schcolnik and Patterson will officially begin as co-chairs on July 1, 2024, serving throughout the 2024-2025 academic year.