An undeniable impact...
The Tisila Scholarship at University of Wisconsin-Madison continues to be a huge success! Our innovative application simplifies the process for students applying and streamlines the review process to choose the right recipients at a faster pace. Over the course of two school years, we have awarded 8 Jewish students in need with The Tisila Scholarship.
In addition to receiving financial aid, along with academic & career support, recipients were given valuable resources to develop leadership initiatives tailored to their specific interests. With help from our partners, Tisila empowered these students to make a significant impact on the Jewish community in multiple ways. This opportunity directly increased their Jewish engagement on campus and taught them critical skills to be used for future careers. Following an 8-week leadership portion, retention in the Jewish community grew as recipients continued being strong Jewish leaders after the program concluded- a direct result of The Tisila Scholarship!
Overcoming unique challenges
The rise of antisemitism at UW-Madison made campus life for Jewish students extremely difficult. However, it made The Tisila Scholarship even more important. Through supporting students with their specific needs, Tisila eliminated barriers and paved the way for a better & brighter future!
Benefited students in need...
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Crucial financial relief
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Elevated Jewish participation
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Custom leadership development
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Valuable support system & resources
Benefited the Jewish community...
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Cultivated future Jewish leaders
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Grew & strengthened community support
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Increased Jewish retention
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Combated antisemitism on campus
Extraordinary Benefits
Results that speak for themselves...
These students became more engaged, inspired others, and made a lasting impact throughout the Jewish community because of The Tisila Scholarship!
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Tisila Scholarship Recipient (2025)
Abby
Leadership: Held an event sharing tangible ways for the Jewish community to be more inclusive & accessible for those with special needs or disabilities.
Impact: Abby presented her ideas to leaders from various student organizations, and her insights left a lasting impression. Inspired by her approach, several of these groups plan to incorporate Abby’s ideas into their own initiatives next year! As her college and career progress, Abby has expressed a strong desire to build on this momentum by continuing to find ways of making the community more accessible.
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Tisila Scholarship Recipient (2025)
Charlie
Leadership: Created marketing content to showcase the amazing resources and support system that the Jewish community has to offer (ex. The Tisila Scholarship).
Impact: Through Charlie’s leadership efforts, he helped guide fellow students who were facing a variety of different challenges. This cultivated an environment where Jews felt seen, supported, and uplifted while strengthening the community on campus! Charlie has already continued being a leader by further spreading a positive message through his social media platform and acting as an inspirational friend to those who need it the most.
Tisila Scholarship Recipient (2025)
Samantha
Leadership: Started a social media campaign centered around helping first-year students be confident and proud of their Jewish identity.
Impact: The initiative boosted a welcoming and comfortable atmosphere within the Jewish community on campus at UW-Madison! Numerous students expressed an increased sense of connectedness and happiness toward embracing their Judaism! Following The Tisila Scholarship, Samantha has been accepted as an intern for AIPAC, where she will further develop critical advocacy skills and gain expertise on how to make a Jewish impact on a global scale.
2024 Tisila Scholarship Recipients
Because of their experience with The Tisila Scholarship, these students continue to be inspirational leaders on campus and throughout the Jewish community!
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Tisila Scholarship Recipient (2024)
Erica
Leadership: Organized and executed two large-scale events at UW-Madison directly across from the encampments. Erica also worked alongside campus police to ensure a safety plan was in place, allowing for everyone to attend safely.
Impact: Joined by hundreds of Jewish students, Erica’s first event inspired hope and Jewish unity through singing and dancing. Her second event engaged the community through a meaningful Havdalah service. Following The Tisila Scholarship, Erica has continued being a strong Jewish leader by launching and serving as President of the first “Students Supporting Israel” club chapter at UW-Madison!
Tisila Scholarship Recipient (2024)
Noga
Leadership: Planned a variety of programs for students during Passover. This consisted of teaching conversational Hebrew, educating students on Israeli culture, and moderating important discussions about how the current events in Israel affect Jews around the world.
Impact: Many of the students who participated decided to attend Birthright with UW-Madison. They unpromptedly expressed to Noga how they had a deeper appreciation for Israel and how the meaningful discussions elevated their overall experience. Noga has been planning and executing more ways to integrate Israeli culture into Jewish programs for future school years at Wisconsin Chabad and Hillel!
Tisila Scholarship Recipient (2024)
Maya
Leadership: Gathered numerous student testimonials regarding personal experiences of antisemitism on campus. Using these responses, Maya has been working with Jewish campus leadership to craft actionable solutions that the administration could implement next year following the rise of antisemitism at UW-Madison.
Impact: Maya shared her proposal and student testimonials with the UW-Madison Chancellor, inspiring countless Jewish students that they have a voice and are being heard. Maya has continued being a Jewish leader by becoming Tisila's first Campus Coordinator, where she mentored and supported the 2025 cohort of recipients.
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Tisila Scholarship Recipient (2024)
Carli
Leadership: Created and led activities at Hillel and Chabad on campus. Carli designed “Shabbat cards” that outlined different thought-provoking questions for students to connect with each other on a more personal level while exploring the deeper significance behind Shabbat.
Impact: Students became more engaged and reported having a more meaningful Shabbat experience, which encouraged them to attend additional Shabbat dinners. With such a great outcome, Carli was asked by Jewish campus leadership to implement her Shabbat Cards at even more events the following year. As a result of Tisila’s impact on Carli personally, she is aspiring to volunteer and study in Israel to continue being a passionate leader in the Jewish community!
Tisila Scholarship Recipient (2024)
Lana
Leadership: Created a digital series showcasing different Jewish cultural backgrounds. Lana interviewed Jewish students whose families hail from around the world with a variety of traditions, beliefs, and experiences.
Impact: The Jewish community at UW-Madison grew closer, strengthening their bond as proud Jews during challenging times. Following October 7th, it was easy for many Jews to shy away from the spotlight. Lana’s series, “Shalom Stories”, welcomed Jewish students to feel comfortable sharing their stories publicly. This series will act as a platform to connect students around the country as The Tisila Scholarship launches at more campuses in the future!
A few highlights...
Working With Community Leaders
Read more information about our various Wisconsin partners by clicking on their logos here.
Expanding our efforts...
Our goal for the future is to partner with additional organizations to offer even more leadership opportunities and valuable resources, which will grow The Tisila Scholarship at UW-Madison. Furthermore, we plan to scale nationwide by replicating The Tisila Scholarship at different universities and communities around the country. This increases the number of students being helped and expands the positive impact being made!
