2019 Summer Leadership Series
Over the years, our Summer Leadership Series
has developed into the premiere experience for AEPi Brothers looking for a challenge to their leadership skills. Only the cream of the crop are accepted into one of our two tracks: the Michael A. Leven Advanced Leadership Institute and Hineni Jewish Identity Enrichment Conference. Attendees arrive at the International Convention site three days early for critical thinking breakouts and hands-on activities before the rest of our Brothers make their way into town. The programs offer AEPi Brothers an unequaled opportunity to learn from alumni and some of the top people in the fields of business, government and media.
Michael A. Leven Advanced Leadership Institute
In the three short days available, Brothers learn essential tools to become a successful leader and manager. This Summer Leadership Series conference bolsters business leadership skills and prepares attendees for their future career. Geared towards the rising senior, attendees are eager to learn from top leaders around the globe as well as one another.
Zachary Kirshner (GVSU, 2020), said, “It was great bonding with Brothers from across the globe. We came together to look at case studies and fix a problem that was once relevant, and could be again. This was only the beginning of my future.”
Every year, participants are introduced to the L.E.V.E.N. Learning Model, which teaches them five core competencies so that by the end of the Summer Leadership Series, they learn to have a visionary mindset and strong ethical standards. This year the Leven Institute hosted speakers ranging from former Bed, Bath and Beyond president, Arthur Stark, to entrepreneur Brother Mark Newburger to Executive Director of Ballpark Operations and Guest Experience for the Washington Nationals, Brother Jonathan Stahl (Syracuse, 2007) to, of course, Brother Michael Leven (Tufts, 1959).
After they finished working through the L.E.V.E.N. Learning Model, Leven leaders were able to apply these principles to case study presentations made to a panel of judges.
“Every single person I’d spoken to made an impression on me. I haven’t seen this type of hands-on learning anywhere else. The students, the speakers and the mentors were all amazing.”
– DANIEL GINZBURG (LONDON, 2020)
This program is made possible through a generous donation by Brother Michael Leven and the support of the Alpha Epsilon Pi Foundation.
Hineni Jewish Identity Enrichment Conference
Our Hineni program, divided up into tracks on Jewish Identity Enrichment and Philanthropy, featured speakers from the ADL, Simon Wiesenthal Center and many others. Attendees heard from speakers like former neo-Nazi, TM Garret. TM described how he got involved in the white supremacist movement, and why he decided to leave in order to promote a message of peace rather than hate.
The Hineni Jewish Identity Enrichment Conference is made possible through a generous grant from the Jim Joseph Foundation and the support of the Alpha Epsilon Pi Foundation.
A tradition of the Summer Leadership Series, attendees from both tracks of the Hineni program spent one of their mornings doing a community service project with the Anacostia Riverkeeper, cleaning trash off of D.C. streets to prevent the Anacostia River from further pollution.
“It meant a lot to me to see that we were making a difference in the D.C. community. I felt that I was taking everything I learned in our sessions about Tikkun Olam and putting it to use in the real world.” – Harrison Greenfield (South Florida, 2022)
Hineni attendees are challenged to explore their personal connection to Judaism in the Jewish identity track. This year, Jewish Identity participants had the opportunity to attend a very serious and emotional event: The Jewish History Museum. This event, used in chapter and colony new member education programs, reimagines a world where the outcome of World War II was different and puts them in the shoes of tourists visiting a museum with the last living Jew. The purpose of the program was to not only remind attendees why a Jewish fraternity is vital, but that we must persevere to triumph over evil. All convention attendees had the chance to attend this session later in the week.
In a closing plenary for the Summer Leadership Series, Past Supreme Master and U.S. Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism Elan Carr (Berkeley, 1990) spoke to both Hineni and Leven attendees about the urgency to fight anti- Semitism because there’s no better time than now.
Bryan Ruef (Cal State-Fullerton, 2020) summarized the experience, “It was an incredible three days. Although it was jam packed with work, I got so much out of this that will be helpful to me moving forward. The Summer Leadership Series may be a lot of work, but it’s worth it. Elan Carr was an incredible speaker, everything he says is inspirational. He’s at the forefront of our nation’s battle against anti-Semitism, and I loved hearing what impact he thinks we can have as troops on the ground and college students.”