42 | AUGUST 15 • 2024 

C

ollege has been nothing 
short of a crazy experience, 
which started with COVID 
and continued with political drama 
and the horrific events of Oct. 7. 
What it means to be a Jew on a 
college campus and in the world has 
fundamentally changed throughout 
my undergraduate career. 
Despite this, I am finishing my 
final semester at Grand Valley 
State University alongside a 
vibrant, caring and resilient Jewish 
community. This community, even 
with all the drama in the world, has 
been the centerpiece of my college 
experience.
At college, I expected to make 
new friends, go on a Birthright trip 
and grow up a little. Largely these 
expectations were met; yet being a 
part of the Hillel Campus Alliance 
of Michigan (HCAM) also gave me 
a sense of belonging, the community 

that I had been looking for and so 
many opportunities in leadership 
and to connect more with my 
Judaism. From the very first GVSU 
Hillel event I attended, even as a 
shy out-of-state freshman, I felt the 
warmth and inclusivity of everyone. 
You might think attending 
a school without a large and 
established Jewish community like 
Grand Valley would lead me to feel 
isolated from my culture. However, 
HCAM offered an opportunity for 
a sense of community that made 
Grand Valley feel like a much larger 
school. 
One of the many reasons I chose 
to go to a smaller college was the 
Jewish presence on campus. The 
small and close-knit community I 
found when I arrived confirmed I 
made the perfect decision. 
HCAM’s impact also stretches far 
beyond the confines of my campus 

to other schools in the HCAM 
community. 
Moving to college is always a 
disorienting experience. The first 
real moments of our lives as adults 
in new environments with new 
responsibilities can leave anyone 
feeling lost and alone. Community is 
what helps us through these thrilling 
yet difficult transitions in our lives. 
I was able to make connections 
and form relationships with people 
I never would have otherwise 
interacted with. Many of these 
relationships developed through 
the incredible retreats, trips and 
opportunities facilitated by HCAM. 
As a leader in HCAM, I was 
able to take advantage of learning 
opportunities and fellowships that 
offered me invaluable skills and 
experience in how to coordinate 
and work with a team, plan events, 
engage in outreach — all while 

maintaining the inclusivity that drew 
me into the program when I was a 
freshman.
Ultimately, college has been a 
period of change unlike anything 
else, along with every other crazy 
thing that has happened an ocean 
away and right here at home. It has 
transformed my perspective on 
being Jewish on and off campus. 
Luckily, I am concluding my 
last semester with a vibrant, 
supportive Jewish community by 
my side. HCAM surpassed all my 
expectations, providing a deep 
sense of belonging, leadership 
opportunities and inclusivity from 
my first freshman event. It united 
my campus in unimaginable ways, 
reinforcing my decision to attend a 
small college. @ 

Elan Wolf is a senior at Grand Valley State 

University from Frisco, Texas. 

Small College, Mighty 
Jewish Community

for college students 
by college students

Hillel Campus Alliance of Michigan helped 
Grand Valley exceed my expectations.

Elan Wolf } jewish@edu writer

LEFT: Students at a Welcome 
Back tie-dye program at GVSU 
Hillel. BELOW: This group 
attended the annual Applebaum 
HCAM Jewish Living and Learning 
Retreat in Fennville, Mich.

