Meet Our Students

Student Achievements

2019-20 Fellowship, Scholarship and Award Recipients

Dean Robin Schulze (left) with Louis Eisenhauer.

Dean Robin Schulze (left) with Louis Eisenhauer

Louis Eisenhauer Named 2019 Outstanding Senior

A ceremony on April 4, 2019 honored twenty-five College of Arts and Sciences seniors for their noteworthy contributions to the College and their individual department or program. Congratulations, Louis!

Ruth and Isadore Bob Fellowship Fund

Ryan Smith received the 2019-2020 Ruth and Isadore Bob Fellowship. Ryan is a third-year doctoral student in the Department of English. He will use the Fellowship to support research on his dissertation entitled The Shape of Romance: Reductio ad Absurdum in Old French and Middle English Romances. This fellowship is made possible through a generous donation by Dr. Sharon Bob Young in honor of her parents, Ruth and Isadore Bob.

The Harold J. and Arlyne G. Levy Award in Jewish Studies

Sofia Paulino received the 2019-2020 Harold J. and Arlyne G. Levy Award in Jewish Studies. This award was established by the Levy’s to support students who have demonstrated outstanding scholarship and commitment to the study of Jewish culture and heritage.

The Irving M. and Marilyn C. Shuman Scholarship

Abbygail Hoke received the 2019-2020 Irving M. and Marilyn C. Shuman Scholarship. The Shuman’s established this scholarship to support students who have demonstrated outstanding scholarship and commitment to the study of Jewish culture and heritage.

Student Spotlight

Benjamin Balderman

“As an undergraduate I was lucky enough to take several courses offered by the Department of Jewish Thought. Those small seminars challenged me in ways that I was unaccustomed. As a biology major, I had grown used to multiple choice tests and hours in the lab. While those tasks were challenging and exciting in their own right, I considered my time spent in Clemens Hall learning Maimonides, arguing Zionist principles, and diving deep into Jewish mysticism to be truly intellectually challenging and…fun! I loved how intimate

“The classes I took as a student of Jewish Thought have proven invaluable to me in my path to becoming a physician.”

the classes were, and how rare it was for us to be lectured. Rather, most lecture hours were spent discussing and debating complex Jewish philosophy.

The classes I took as a student of Jewish Thought have proven invaluable to me in my path to becoming a physician. As a medical student, I have been expected to learn innumerable facts, but as a medical student who performs research, I am constantly challenging those facts and trying to discover new things. The foundation I received for learning and challenging beliefs (i.e. I took a class called “Arguing with God”) has helped me challenge when in the lab.

No matter what your career goals are, I recommend that every student take at least a few classes through the Department of Jewish Thought. The intimate classes, coupled with intense subject matter and professors who really care about you, make this department invaluable.”

Calling All Jewish Thought Alumni

We encourage you to keep in touch with your friends and colleagues, and share what you have been up to since graduation. Please send your news and photos to jewish-thought@buffalo.edu.

Support The Department of Jewish Thought

We are grateful to our many supporters. Your generosity—at every level—has been the driving force behind the growth and development of the department. With the help of alumni and friends, we can develop additional vital resources to enhance our department and support students, research projects and programs. To further our educational mission, please consider making a gift online: www.buffalo.edu/giving/jewishthought