L

ast month in Atlanta, Alpha 
Epsilon Pi held its annual Leven 
Leadership Institute for current 
and rising AEPi student leaders. Nearly 
100 undergraduate student leaders were 
hand-picked and invited to the three-day 
conference with the opportunity to meet, 
interact and learn from AEPi alumni 
who have gone on to become leaders in 
their fields and in their Jewish commu-
nities.
The objective is for the student leaders 
to apply the lessons and leadership skills 
they learned to their own AEPi chapter 
and campus Jewish community. 
AEPi is the world’s largest and leading 

Jewish college fraternity, operating chap-
ters on more than 150 college campuses 
in the United States, Canada, the U.K. 
and Israel. The fraternity’s mission cen-
ters on developing the future leaders of 
Jewish communities.
“This year, with the backdrop of Oct. 7 
and the rampant antisemitism on college 
campuses, these lessons are more import-
ant and more critical to the survival of the 
Jewish people than ever before,” said Rob 
Derdiger, AEPi CEO. 
Seminars at the Leven Leadership 
Institute included subjects ranging from 
“Empowering Jewish Leadership” to 
“Lessons in Teamwork and Advocacy.”

A local AEPi brother, Michigan State 
University senior Josh May, was one of 
the select student leaders chosen for the 
Leven Leadership Institute experience. 
May, 22, already has an extensive 
background in Jewish leadership and 
advocacy work.
Growing up, May was involved in 
NFTY and studied abroad in Israel in 
high school. Upon arrival at MSU, May 
rushed the university’s AEPi chapter, 
where he eventually served a term as 
vice president. He also spent time as an 
engagement intern at MSU Hillel and was 
involved in MSU Chabad. 
Last year, May was accepted into the 
Israel on Campus Coalition’s (ICC) Geller 
International Fellowship, which took May 
to the Middle East, specifically Tel Aviv, 
Jerusalem, Abu Dhabi and Dubai, speak-
ing with diplomats and lay leadership 
about the economic and political impacts 
of the Abraham Accords. 
The experience deeply resonated with 
May, and he said it pushed him to get 
even more involved.
May attended the American Jewish 

AEPi Leadership and 
Advocacy Conference

30 | MARCH 14 • 2024 
J
N

MSU student leader learns lessons to apply to his 
own AEPi chapter and campus Jewish community. 

DANNY SCHWARTZ SENIOR STAFF REPORTER

Josh May networks at the 
 
Leven Leadership Institute.

NEXT DOR

