Alexandra Stone ’12 of San Diego has been named a Grinspoon-MZ Foundation Israel Advocacy Intern at Union for the school year.
She is one of 33 students chosen from 30 colleges and universities throughout North America who will spend the year promoting Israel at their campuses. The interns help connect students to Israeli culture, history and politics by developing initiatives and programs based on their interests and the respective needs and culture of their schools.
Stone joined a number of other Grinspoon interns at a training session in Baltimore in mid-August.
“The training was an eye-opening learning experience,” said Stone, who looks forward to helping “promote Israel in a more positive light.”
At Union, where she is majoring in political science and is involved with philanthropy at Beuth House, Stone will work closely with Hillel director Bonnie Cramer. Last year, Union College Hillel was designated a Small and Mighty Campus of Excellence by the national organization.
The Harold Grinspoon Foundation was founded by Springfield, Mass. real estate entrepreneur Harold Grinspoon, who serves on the board of the Birthright Israel Foundation. He and his wife, Diane Troderman, have been active for many years on the board of Hillel: The Foundation for Jewish Campus Life.
The MZ Foundation, a private grant-making foundation in Oakland, Calif., is dedicated to empowering organizations that address anti-Semitism at all levels of society.
Grinspoon Israel Advocacy Interns have come from campuses as diverse as the University of Michigan, Simmons College and Washington University.
“This is an outstanding leadership opportunity for our young people,” said Cramer. “Through their knowledge of and passion for Israeli culture and concerns, interns have the ability to have a profound impact on their campus communities.”