“
The year 2011 marks the first centenary of our
Cincinnati campus”
says Dr. Jonathan Cohen, the
new Dean.
“
This culminating year of a century of
achievement reflects a significant focus on collaboration
and community, to enhance the campus’s deep roots
and role in Cincinnati and the region.”
A priority has been strengthening partnerships. HUC-JIR
and Xavier University have finalized a pioneering agree-
ment for collaboration in the teaching of Judaic Studies.
Members of the HUC-JIR faculty are now teaching a
growing number of undergraduate students in courses at
Xavier University, and enabling them to minor in Judaic
Studies. A pilot program with the University of Cincinnati
(
UC) places HUC-JIR graduate students as Judaic Studies
instructors there and ensures that they benefit from the
guided training in pedagogy and teaching experience so
essential to their future careers. Further dynamic partner-
ships with UC and the University of Dayton are in
formation.
46
Centenary,
Collaboration,
and Community:
HUC-JIR/
Cincinnati
In addition, the campus has launched an ambitious
public outreach program. This effort includes the cre-
ation of new communications platforms for sharing
campus news and events – website, e-newsletter,
e-invitations, the use of QR codes, and social networking
through Facebook and twitter. An increased number
of public programs, either produced or hosted by the
College-Institute, are welcoming the community,
prospective students, and new friends.
Attendance has doubled and over a thousand
new
visi-
tors have visited the campus – ranging from Girl Scout
troops exploring The Skirball Museum, to young profes-
sionals participating in the HUC-UC Ethics Center
lectures, to senior groups from the JCC and local inde-
pendent living facilities taking part in chamber music
concerts and student performances. HUC-JIR’s Academy
for Interfaith Study has offered courses, lectures, and film
programs to learners of all faiths and backgrounds. These
programs have invigorated relationships with other agen-
cies in Cincinnati, including UC Hillel, The Mayerson
Foundation’s Access Program, the Young Adult Division
of the local Jewish Federation, the Jewish Community
Center, and others.
Over 300 high school and college students hosted in the
campus’s newly remodeled recruitment center have at-
tended special weekend programs fostering recruitment
and showcasing the campus’s rich resources – academic
programs, faculty, the Klau Library, the Jacob Rader
Marcus Center of the American Jewish Archives (AJA),
and The Skirball Museum.
