Wexner Fellowship FAQ

What is a Davidson Scholar?

Named for philanthropists Bill and Karen Davidson, Davidson Scholars will be the Wexner Graduate Fellowship students who are preparing for careers in Jewish communal leadership or Jewish education. Ten Davidson Scholars will be named each year starting in 2006 and will be full participants in the Wexner Graduate Fellowship.

How will Davidson Scholars be selected? Will the process differ from the selection of Wexner Graduate Fellows?

The selection process will be fully integrated; there will be no difference in the application process for the Davidson Scholar cohort. Online applications can be completed by visiting the website of The Wexner Foundation and selecting the Wexner Graduate Fellowship. Eligibility guidelines are outlined in this section. Any candidate selected who will be pursuing a career in Jewish communal service or Jewish education will also, at the time of selection, earn the distinction of Davidson Scholar.

How will the collaboration affect the future of the Wexner Graduate Fellowship?

Through the combined efforts of the Davidson and Wexner families, the fellowship will grow in numbers as each year we will select at least twenty Wexner Graduate Fellows. The number of Jewish education and Jewish communal-service fellows will remain consistent at ten, so that from year to year there will be strong representation from these career areas in the fellowship community. By securing a significant number of communal leadership and education students representing a wide variety of training institutions, the Wexner and Davidson families seek to contribute to significant recruitment and retention initiatives being undertaken by the Professional Leadership Project.

Will all five-career areas continue to be represented within the fellowships?

Yes. Thanks to the Davidson collaboration, career representation will be more balanced and consistent than in past years. The graduate fellowship will continue to accept applications from those seeking Jewish professional careers in the cantorate, Jewish communal leadership, Jewish education, Jewish studies, and the rabbinate. We will however designate ten fellows as Davidson Scholars, chosen from among our Jewish communal service and Jewish education candidates.

What is the awards structure for the Wexner Graduate Fellowships?

Wexner Graduate Fellows (including Davidson Scholars) selecting careers in the rabbinate, cantorate, communal leadership, and education will be awarded $20,000 each year for up to a three-year term. Jewish Studies fellows will be expected to secure funding through their graduate programs (from the university itself) and will, in addition, receive $5,000 from the foundation to be used for enrichment studies or summer coursework. In addition to the financial awards, all fellows, will participate in state-of-the-art leadership institutes and other programs designed to supplement their professional education. The fellowship director and foundation staff are available to fellows for mentoring and guidance during the active phase of the program and also throughout their careers. Wexner alumni enjoy lifelong guidance and leadership support.