2014 Robert B. Sturm Fellows Graduating Class L-R, back row: Alan Frosh, J.J. Slatkin, Lauren Hershey, Ashly Wolf, David Feiner L-R, front row: Danielle Menditch, Dafna Michaelson Jenet, Julia Jinishian, Associate Regional Director Sue Parker Gerson, Sarah Morris, Dustin Lee, Andrew Rubin Not pictured: Hannah Berkowitz, Leyla Eraybar, Sarah Orvis, Wilson Orvis, Megan Ross
Denver, CO, July 15, 2014 – On June 18th, ADL held its annual graduation ceremony for the Robert B. Sturm Mountain States Leadership Program, part of ADL’s national Glass Leadership Institute. Regional Director Scott L. Levin encouraged the Fellows to find and emulate role models who embody the spirit of justice and community service, and ADL Regional Chair Neil Oberfeld spoke about his own experiences as a Glass Partner. “Participating in the Partners program opened the doors to an over 20-year relationship with the Anti-Defamation League, and introduced me to other people who share the values and culture of this incredible organization,” reflected Oberfeld. “The opportunities presented to me because of my involvement in the program are ones I might never have discovered otherwise.”
Over the course of the year, the Sturm Fellows, individuals between the ages of 25 and 40 who are passionate about civil rights and ADL’s mission, learned about and had the opportunity to become involved with the League’s initiatives that fight anti-Semitism and all forms of bigotry, defend democratic ideals and protect civil rights for all.
Monthly meetings featured national speakers and experts in the areas of civil rights, education, extremism and more. Six of the Fellows attended ADL’s leadership conference in Washington, D.C. in April, and several others coordinated and hosted a reception for Holocaust survivors and their families prior to ADL’s Governor’s Holocaust Remembrance Program in May. “Helping at the survivors’ event and speaking with the survivors themselves was really powerful,” says Sarah Morris, Major Gifts Officer for Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains and a 2014 Sturm Fellow. “As the granddaughter of a survivor, seeing this work in action and participating in the program was particularly meaningful for me.”
Applications for the 2014-15 Leadership Program are due by August 15, 2014. For more information or to receive an application packet, contact Associate Regional Director Sue Parker Gerson at 303-830-7177 or sparkergerson@adl.org, or download the application here: Sturm Fellows application