1. Active Campus Tabling Jewish Student Union Part II (ACT JSU II)
Chico Hillel/Jewish Student Union is interested in continuing our outreach program on campus. We are seeking
funding to create specific Chico Hillel marketing tools to deliver our message and showcase our new interactive
website.
My name is Jenna Ross and I am the student President, as well as a third year intern, of Chico Hillel. Chico is a
small, rural college town in Northern California with limited access to Judaism. We currently have 17,000
undergraduate students on campus, 400 of which may be of Jewish heritage. Our membership has reached about 40
students in the past year, which has almost doubled since I joined Chico Hillel in 2012. However, over the past three
years I have noticed that while our numbers are growing at a steady pace, students may recognize our name but they
do not know what “Hillel” actually means or what it is we do.
Myself, along with ACT JSU Part II (Active Campus Tabling Jewish Student Union Part II), will construct a
platform to help tell our campus community who we are. The Reform on Campus grant will gift us the opportunity
to reach and support apathetic students with the ideals and practices of Reform Judaism and promote the Reform
community on campus, potentially doubling our already growing active member status.
Because of your previous generosity, Chico Hillel has a very well recognized tabling reputation. Because of our
visible display and music, students have come to expect to see Hillel out in our main breezeways between classes;
promoting our upcoming events or programs and possibly expect to pick up some of our latest giveaways that are on
display.
Our giveaways have been a huge part of our exposure so far. While we have a lot of giveaway swag from other
organizations (such as a pair of StandWithUs sunglasses, Birthright stickers, Students Supporting Israel pens, etc.) it
does not help us spread the word of where Reform Judaism is located in Chico. A recent campaign we have created
provides Jewish students, professors, and allies with an “OY” sticker. Students put them on their water bottles and
computers, professors and allies place them on their office doors & cars. They have ended up being a very
successful marketing tool and have helped create and start Jewish conversations.
We have found that students only have a few minutes between classes and most do not have time to stop and chat.
Therefore, we need a quick way to engage students while also having them walk away with information so they
know who we are and how to get ahold of us. We want everyone to know how to access our new website,
chicohillel.org​. If you go to our website you will find it has our location, program calendar, internship opportunities,
as well as our mission statement and a plethora of other information like signing up for social coffee dates. I am
proposing three different promotional items that we believe will greatly help us reach students on campus. Each item
will clearly contain our logo, website and slogan (​Jewish Social Club​):
1. First, we would like to purchase alert whistles, with a LED light. Chico State culture has most students
carrying a whistle or pepper spray for safety precautions, why not have our name on it? It would show that
we care about our community and have a safe location near campus for students to gather.
2. Second, we need a giveaway which will help grow our visibility, we are wanting Chico Hillel buttons.
Many Chico State students have a collection of buttons and pins on their backpacks. Students always take
interest in what other students have on their backpacks so there would definitely be a lot of exposure.
3. Other ideas include water bottles, note pads and frisbees. These items are easy for students to grab on
their way to class.
Our team is dedicated to providing a social atmosphere for Reform Jewish individuals, and we truly believe that
these tools will help us reach new students who would appreciate our events. Our Chico Hillel community is
planning to increase our time out tabling on campus with these new materials this spring. This will help us show
Chico State who we are and what we are about. We will be tracking our success by getting new members
information as well as asking what helped influence them to attend Chico Hillel.