BUjewish Leadership Team (BLT)

Benefits         Contact & FAQ’s          BLT Welcome Packet 

Spring 2025 BLT Internship and Fellowship applications are now OPEN! Apply HERE. Please contact Zach Semko with any questions (zsemko@bu.edu).

The BLT – BU Jewish Leadership Team – You Are Invited!

  • Are you someone who wants to create and see your ideas come to life across campus and Greater Boston? 
  • Do you need space, money, food, marketing support, and other resources to make your ideas come to life?
  • Do you have a new idea, event, program, speaker or something else you just need a little help producing?
  • Do you have a deep passion for community building, but aren’t exactly sure what next steps to take to make friends and ignite your ideas?

The answer: We are here for YOU, let’s meet and talk – no prerequisites required, literally! 

Create, Join, or Attend – You Choose Your Leadership Path

    • Create: Join the BU Jewish Leadership Team (BLT) –  a cohort of 190+ student leaders that individually and in groups innovate and create diverse Jewish and student life offerings across Boston University. There is no right way to lead, and everyone is welcome. 
    • Join: There are over 40 different initiatives and cohorts within the BLT. The BLT encompasses internships, fellowships, cohorts that program multiple times during the year, and students that want to throw just one or two events.  You are welcome to join what already exists and become a leader in something current.
    • Attend: The programs/events of the BLT are as vast and diverse as you can imagine in topic: food, art, music, Judaism, Israel, interfaith, exercise, sports, spirituality, ethics, and more. If you are unsure about leading, just show up at any event and see what’s happening first!

    As a BLTer, you will:

    • Receive a BU Hillel Staff Mentor to work through your ideas
    • Have Access to Book Free Space at BU Hillel and Across Campus
    • Have Access to Funding for your Programming for food, supplies, etc.
    • Have Access to professional marketing tools and and graphic designers

    Contact Zach Semko (zsemko@bu.edu) with any questions!

    Remind me one more time….

    What is the BLT?

    The BLT is the BU Jewish Leadership Team. If you are interested in taking on any kind of leadership role on campus–big or small–you can email Zach (zsemko@bu.edu) and she will reach out to you with the next steps, which will include a staff mentor to help you get started!

    Am I Jewish enough to be in the BLT? 

    Yes! Yes! Yes! The beauty of the BLT is that our leaders are meant to represent ALL Jewish students. Whether you went to Hebrew school (and found it terribly boring, or loved it), grew up in Israel, found out you were Jewish yesterday, love bagels, have never been to synagogue, celebrate Shabbat, or are simply curious about Judaism you are welcome to join the BLT! 

    Who do I contact if I have questions about the BLT?

    Reach out to Zach Semko at zsemko@bu.edu and she can answer any questions you may have about the BLT! She would love to take you out for coffee or a smoothie and get to know you better!

    Specific Internship/Fellowship Cohorts within the BLT: The BLT also encompasses a variety of semester or year long internships and fellowships centered around what students are most interested in. These cohorts range in theme, time commitment, expectations, and size. Here are our current offerings:

    • Building Bridges Internship (connected to Israel Uncovered Mission) – fall semester only
    • Birthright Internship – semester or full-year
    • Care Fellowship – semester or full-year
    • Coffee Crew Engagement Internship – semester or full-year
    • Communications Internship – semester or full-year
    • Professional Development Fellowship (PDF) – semester or full-year
    • Shabbat Crew – one month or semester
    • Social Justice Fellowship – semester or full-year
    • Student Leadership and Nonprofit Management Internship (SLAM) – semester or full-year

    One of our amazing BLT fellowships is the Care Fellowship where students learn to care for themselves, their communities, and the world. Learn more HERE.

    In addition to the programming within your internship or fellowship, you can also launch ideas/events/programs on your own outside of the specific internships – many students do both! You will have access to a staff mentor to help you achieve your goals and projects, free marketing and event space, access to an exclusive WhatsApp group, access to $50,000 in funding, free professional headshots, and invitations to exclusive cohort gatherings and much more!

    Contact Zach Semko ( zsemko@bu.edu) with any questions!

    BLT Benefits:

    Good news: A staff mentor will help you pursue your passions. You have access to funding, space, food, marketing resources, and much more.

    Better news: Being part of the BU Jewish Leadership Team is more than just a title – you get to be part of a 190+ student leader community that actually communicates, shares ideas, and hangs out. 

    Best news: Not only do you have access to mentorship and funding, but BLT exclusive access! Hangout with the student leaders incubating Jewish life at BU. You’ll be part of an exclusive Whatsapp group, get free professional headshots, be asked to attend premiere private events and more.

    BLT Program Planning Resources for Current BLTers

    Program Guide: To submit a program guide, click here.

    Marketing Request: To submit a marketing request, click here.

    Photos

    Reach out to Zach at  zsemko@bu.edu to learn more.