The Wexner Davidson Fellowship (WDF) is a leadership development and Jewish learning initiative for North American Jewish communal professionals ages 26 – 36 years old. WDF provides opportunities for personal and professional growth to the next generation of Jewish professional leaders serving the North American Jewish community.
Through the Wexner Davidson Fellowship, up-and-coming Jewish professional leaders will participate in biannual institutes focused on leadership learning and Jewish education. Outside of institutes, Fellows are provided coaching, personalized Jewish learning, professional development funds and access to other immersive learning opportunities still in development.
This cohort-based program will deepen Fellows’ leadership skills and Jewish knowledge and provide access to a worldwide network of diverse and innovative colleagues for the duration of the three-year program and the rest of their careers.
Through this three-year professional development program, Wexner Davidson Fellows will:
Engage in cohort-based learning at biannual Institutes – Participate in six cohort-based Institutes (or virtual equivalent if necessary) on leadership and Jewish issues with skilled leadership teachers and Jewish educators. Institutes will feature learning in adaptive leadership, communication, diversity and equity, and innovation.
Receive coaching – Receive professional small group coaching for the first year of the Fellowship and work one-on-one with a leadership coach for the subsequent two years.
Deepen their personal Jewish learning – Institutes will feature group study around topics such as Mussar (character development for Jewish leaders) and Israel. Outside of Institutes, Fellows will work individually with a Jewish educator to achieve their personal learning goals.
Invest in their professional growth – In addition to coaching and Jewish education, Fellows will have access to funding to support their own professional development.
Build a strong professional network – There will be many opportunities for Fellows to connect with their fellowship cohort remotely between Institutes to network, share concerns and for peer-consultations.
Join our worldwide alumni network – All Fellows will become part of The Wexner Foundation’s network of over 3,500 professional and volunteer leaders in the North American Jewish Community and in Israel.
Staff
Jessica Reback, Director
Trisha Taylor, Program Coordinator
Re-Applicants
If you have applied to any of The Wexner Foundation’s programs in the past, you are welcome to re-apply with an entirely new application. Because we are creating a cohort, each applicant pool results in different selections and re-applications are considered independently from past applications.
If you recently applied to Wexner Field Fellowship Class 8 and plan to apply to Wexner Davidson Fellowship Class 1, please contact Trisha Taylor at ttaylor@wexner.net.
The Wexner Foundation is focused on the health and safety of our community. Guided by public health and medical professionals on our COVID Advisory Committee, the Foundation requires all incoming participants in Wexner programs to be up to date on their COVID-19 vaccination according to the CDC. All applicants must submit proof of up-to-date vaccination before a finalist interview. If you have questions or concerns about this vaccination policy, please contact Trisha Taylor at ttaylor@wexner.net.
Applicants:
All eligible applicants are encouraged to apply, irrespective of denominational affiliation, gender, racial or ethnic origin, disability or sexual orientation.
Wexner Davidson Fellows will:
*Should we be unable to meet in person due to COVID-19 or for any other reason, Fellows will be expected to join Virtual Institutes on the originally scheduled dates with up to 4 hours of additional Zoom time per month in order to build trust within the cohort. Exact timing will be determined based on Fellow availability but with an expectation that Fellows will prioritize these virtual meetings.
FEBRUARY 12, 2024
Applications open for the Wexner Davidson Fellowship. Applicants must submit a pre-application and a full application (provided after eligibility is confirmed) to be considered for the fellowship. We recommend that you complete the pre-application as early as possible to ensure you have ample time to complete the full application.
APRIL 3, 2024
Applications Close at 1:00pm EST. Applications will not be accepted after the deadline. We recommend that you submit your full application several days in advance to allow for any technical complications that might arise.
MID-APRIL 2024
Applicants will be notified by email as to whether they have been invited for an interview. Please contact Trisha Taylor if you haven’t received an email from us by April 25, 2024.
MAY 5-8, 2024
A select number of finalists will be required to interview on Zoom during the dates listed above. Finalists will sign up for an hour-long block during one of the days listed above. The selection of Fellows is made by the Wexner Davidson Fellowship Selection Committee, which is composed of professionals who are committed to Jewish professional leadership.
MID-MAY 2024
Wexner Davidson Fellowship Class 1 Fellows are selected and notified.
JUNE 2024
Wexner Davidson Fellowship Class 1 publicly announced.
INSTITUTES STARTING NOVEMBER 2024
Any candidate accepted as a Wexner Davidson Fellow must attend institutes in person on the days listed below through 2027 for three years total. If it is not possible to gather in person, a Virtual Institute will be held on the days listed below, with some additional programming via Zoom in the weeks preceding and following the Virtual Institute, not to exceed an additional 4 hours per month.
There will be virtual learning commitments in between the Institutes listed above, including coaching meetings, Jewish learning sessions, and other learning, not to exceed 4 hours per month.
Any Questions?
Please contact Trisha Taylor, Program Coordinator.
The application for the Wexner Davidson Fellowship will open on February 12, 2024 and is a two-phase process consisting of a pre-application eligibility form and the full application.
Phase 1: Pre-application Eligibility
All applicants must fill out their basic information and upload a resume as part of a pre-application eligibility form. Pre-applications are approved manually on a rolling basis during business hours. Please ensure you submit your pre-application with enough time to fill out a full application (if approved).
Phase 2: Full Application
Those invited to complete a full application will need to provide the items listed in detail below. Candidates cannot complete the full application until their pre-application eligibility has been approved.
Essays
The full application includes several short answer questions and two essays. Essay prompts will focus on your personal experience and goals, and can be previewed on this page when applications open in February 2024.
Letter of Support
A letter of support form signed by your organization’s Executive Director and your direct supervisor. If you are the Executive Director, you should sign your own letter of support along with your Board President. The form ensures your organization is aware of the time commitment the Wexner Davidson Fellowship requires. Applicants should submit the signed form electronically.
Video
A 60-second video answering the question provided within the application. The video should not be created professionally. Additional guidelines, including acceptable file formats, are provided within the application.
Two Letters of Recommendation
Two letters of recommendation, which are available for electronic transmission to your identified recommenders through the online application. The first recommendation needs to come from your current direct supervisor. If you are the Executive Director, your board chair serves as your current direct supervisor and therefore should write a recommendation.
Opportunities to learn, connect, and exercise leadership do not end with the active fellowship. Through the Wexner Professional Leadership Programs Alumni Network, alumni of the Wexner Graduate Fellowship/Davidson Scholars Program, Wexner Field Fellowship, and Wexner Davidson Fellowship are invited and encouraged to participate in, and contribute to, our alumni network and community.
The Wexner Foundation and the William Davidson Foundation have partnered to support and strengthen up and coming Jewish professional leaders for nearly two decades through the Wexner Graduate Fellowship/Davidson Scholars (WGF/DS) Program.
As a result of the tremendous success of the sunsetting WGF/DS Program and emerging trends in the field, The Wexner Foundation and the William Davidson Foundation are continuing to stack hands on a new offering. With a bespoke curriculum designed to prepare Fellows for the opportunities and challenges of today and tomorrow, the Wexner Davidson Fellowship represents a deep investment in the leadership development of North American Jewish communal professionals.