This fellowship program is designed to train outstanding high school sophomores, juniors and seniors—15-18 fellows total annually—from Greater Boston to serve as interreligious and cross-cultural leaders, with the capacity to engage the diversity of our city (and broader society) with thoughtfulness, skill, and care.
I think one of the most important things I have gotten out of the Dignity Project has been a space to practice hard conversations. I truly believe that the skills I am learning to galvanize a group and reach a compromise, or reach a place of being able to agree to disagree in the midst of heated debate, I’ll carry with me into college and beyond.
The Miller Center launched the Dignity Project to address the growing need to help teen leaders in our city navigate the diversity of American life during a time of widespread political and cultural polarization. But the pain and isolation of the pandemic and the recent social uprising made the mission of this new project even more urgent and relevant.
The Miller Center launched the project in fall 2020 to train 15 to 18 outstanding high school sophomores, juniors and seniors from Greater Boston to serve as interreligious and cross-cultural leaders, with the capacity to engage the diversity of our city (and broader society) with thoughtfulness, skill, and care.
The ethical/spiritual foundation for the project is the ancient and enduring notion that every human being is of inestimable worth, and that a society thrives when people learn to honor each other’s similarities and differences. In this moment of increased polarization and resurgent intolerance, we need to help young people develop the ability and sensibility to find common ground when possible, and to engage in dignified discourse and debate when necessary. This is particularly important for our target audience, as these teens move closer to adulthood, preparing to leave home for college, university, and work life.
The overarching goal of the initiative is to cultivate a network of thoughtful and skilled young leaders able to build bridges of understanding and cooperation, and to stand up to bigotry and hate. To accomplish this, the Dignity Project aims to give voice and agency to Youth Fellows. It aims to recognize their intelligence and capacity, include them in community projects, and help them to realize their perspective is valued and they can be leaders and bridge builders in this world. The hands-on community building that takes place in the Dignity project moves learning out of the realm of the theoretical as Fellows practice hard skills together like active listening, facilitation, conflict resolution, and program design. In partnering together, Mentors and Fellows are building confidence and trust as they design solutions to address community needs.
Goals
Forge personal relationships with peers and mentors from different religious and cultural contexts
Explore the values and beliefs—religious and secular—supporting participants’ commitments to creating an equitable and compassionate society
Learn how to engage in constructive dialogue and work with a diverse team of individuals
Study the lives and work of “upstanders” from American and world history, including the sources of wisdom that inspired, informed, and guided them
Develop communication skills for use in formal and informal educational settings
Assist Fellows in planning meaningful projects that positively impact their communities and offer an opportunity to experiment with project-based learning and using their voice for change
Content Areas
Intercultural, Interracial, and Interreligious Literacy (with a focus on learning how to responsibly hold space that includes tension)
Intersectional Identity Formation
Creating a Community of Practice
Facilitation of Courageous Conversations
Diverse Coalition Building
Program Design & Implementation
Public Voice: Speaking & Writing for Bridge-Building and Social Change
Deep Listening, Communication, Conflict Resolution, & Dialogue Skills
Relationship-Building and Fruitful Collaboration Across Difference
The Power of Vulnerability and Sharing Stories
Anti-Bias Work: Seeing Past Stereotypes and Overcoming Assumptions
“Doing Life Together and Having Fun” (Games, Travel, Meals Shared)
Program Structure
Each participant will actively engage in all of the activities listed below. There will be brief assignments/readings to be completed in advance of each monthly meeting.
4 Monthly In-Person Gatherings including a Final Program Reflection and Evaluation
Session (3.5 hours at Hebrew College in Newton, MA)
2 Religious or Community Site Visits along with a written reflection (3 hours each)
Mid-Year Retreat (1 night/1.5 days in Newton, MA)
Independent Project Group work (3-5 hours TBD in personal time)
Closing Retreat (1 night/1.5 days in Newton, MA)**
Closing Celebration (1 evening at Hebrew College in Newton, MA)
* Please plan to block off the full days of the Opening Retreat (Monday-Wednesday, August 19-21). Although we plan to meet overnight at a local retreat center, due to shifting COVID
requirements, we may need to alter our plans. Regardless, we will meet each day.
** Participants will work in small groups—with mentorship—to share their learning with the broader community at our Closing Celebration, a gathering for peers and family hosted by Fellows.
FELLOWSHIP STIPENDS
Each participant will receive a $750 stipend upon completion of the program. To receive the full Fellowship stipend of $750, Fellows must attend and participate in all the Fellowship events and activities with the exception of one absence. After one non-emergency absence, stipends will be lowered to reflect the Fellow’s record of attendance and participation. This ensures fairness to the entire Fellowship community.
Fellows (2024-2025)
Adam is a sophomore at Milton High School. He’s interested in the belief systems that have made up global history, called by his faith to advance social progress. He values advocacy, founding a gardening club to restore pollinator habitats at his middle school and teaching his peers how our environment, natural resources, and nutrition are intertwined. Adam likes to learn about the challenges of climate change, the global influence of new technology, and the incomplete mission for human rights, topics that occupy his mind with both concern and fascination each day. When he is not writing or asking you to read what he has written, he’s likely thinking about that one time the Beatles performed on a rooftop, cycling as a way to explore new places, both wilderness and cities, and trying out new food.
Amalyah is a senior at Gann Academy and a passionate athlete. She runs cross-country, plays basketball, and is the captain of the varsity lacrosse team. She identifies as Jewish and attends both Beit Sasson in Newton and Wellesley Weston Chabad in Wellesley. Amalyah enjoys watching horror movies and doing darkroom photography. She regularly volunteers at a Senior home through the Senior Connections Club at her school and she deeply values equality and authenticity.
Andrew is a sophomore from Newton, MA and is active in the community. At school he is very involved in the school newspaper and peer tutoring. He is also a member of his synagogue’s youth council. He is a big sports fan and loves coaching kids in baseball and basketball at Athletes Unlimited. He strongly values respect, kindness, curiosity, and learning.
Aryan is a rising senior at Westborough High School and a dedicated student with a passion for leveraging technology to make a positive impact. He identifies as Hindu and attends the local temple in Westborough. Aryan enjoys traveling, reading, soccer refereeing, and participating in local community service events. He is actively involved in the Global Health Awareness Club, where he serves as president, and is deeply committed to addressing issues in health and sustainability.
Diya is entering into junior year at Newton South High school. She identifies as Asian Indian and lives in Newton, Massachusetts and attends South High school. Diya enjoys volunteering, listening to music, and helping at local junior youth classes. She teaches swimming for younger kids.
Fatima is a sophomore at The Bromfield School and is always eager to learn. She is a practicing Muslim and consistently attends the youth group at ICB Wayland, where she also TAs at the Sunday School. Fatima enjoys listening to music, playing badminton, and reading. She is involved in the Model UN club at school and has a passion for fighting for what is good for the world.
Harsonica is a junior at Holliston High School for the 2024-2025 school year and is a hardworking student. She identifies as a Sikh and attends New England Sikh Study Circle Gurudwara Sahib. Harsonica is passionate about figure skating, reading, volunteering, and being a leader. She is involved in many different clubs at school such as DECA, HOSA, Red Cross Club, and more. With these clubs she learns many valuable skills which help her learn/help her community.
Hugh is a junior at Boston Trinity Academy. She exists across borders as a mixed Chinese American, growing up in New England and Texas, but calls Eastern China her home. Likewise, her education spans both the Chinese and American systems. She is conversant with Christian community and Confucian morals. Her ethics are informed by a desire to help others physically and emotionally and a sense of the telos of life in all its facets. Her interests include biological sciences and both performing and visual arts. In the future she hopes to experience world cultures, pursue higher education, and contribute to addressing the world’s problems.
Jasman is an upcoming senior at Shrewsbury High School. She identifies as a Sikh and attends the Sikh Gurudwara in Westborough MA. Jasman is interested in policy and looks forward to being a politician one day. She is involved in her high school’s speech and debate team and dance team, where she serves as its captain. She values inclusivity and looks forward to working with other fellows this year.
Katie is an earnest junior student at Milton High School and is a confirmed Catholic who occasionally attends St. Agatha’s Parish with her family/family’s friends. She enjoys reading, drawing, and listening to Taylor Swift. Katie is also a coxswain on her rowing team, a summer camp counselor in the Blue Hills, and a member of both Trivia Club and Latin Club. Katie has always been devoted to equal rights for all, and government has piqued her interest for years.
Luke is a senior at Boston College High School. He is active on campus in a number of ways including participating in the creative writing club, tutoring biology, and playing on the Ultimate Frisbee team. He identifies as a non-denominational Christian and attends a number of churches both in Easton, his hometown, and in the greater Boston area.
Maayan is a senior at Gann Academy and is a hardworking student but also loves to have fun outside school. She is a proud Jew and attends Minyan Maor at Temple Emanuel. Maayan loves to play soccer, lacrosse, and hangout with her friends. Maayan has a loving day named Sadie and always enjoys her time with her family.
Michael is a freshman at Newton South High School. At school he is very interactive and a driven student. He is Buddhist and often goes to Chua Vietnam in Roslindale. In his free time, he likes to read, draw, and hang out with his friends. Michael feels that attending temple was crucial for him for two reasons: practicing his native language and being surrounded and learning more about his religion. He values his family, remembering everyday that without them he wouldn’t be who he is today.
Jacob is a junior at Boston College High School. He is a spiritual person who likes to hike, lift, and listen to music. His favorite genre is Indie Rock and his favorite artists are Current Joys and Crystal Castles. He is involved in the Asian American Pacific Islander Collective and Robotics team at BCH. He spent his summer working at Thayer as a camp counselor. Jacob enjoys learning about people and exploring the world.
Pritha, a junior at Holliston High School, is passionate about exploring different lives and religions. Proudly identifying as Hindu, she brings a unique perspective to her interests. Pritha loves dancing and cherishes moments with friends and family, making her a vibrant and engaging individual. Her curiosity about diverse cultures and beliefs fuels her learning journey, enriching her high school experience and personal growth.
Rose is a sophomore at Concord Academy where she is a part of the school’s newspaper, outdoors club, and medical club. Outside of school, she loves tutoring, spending time with loved ones, and playing volleyball and basketball. She was recently confirmed at First Church in Cambridge and values respect and empathy.
Sam is a junior at Boston University Academy. He identifies as Jewish and belongs to Temple Sinai in Brookline, a progressive reformed Jewish synagogue. He enjoys sailing, ultimate frisbee, and family time.
Saratu is a junior at the Winsor School, lives in Brockton, MA, and follows Christianity. Her hobbies include reading, dancing, and crocheting but her main passion lies in neonatal surgery.
Sary is a junior at Al Noor Academy in Mansfield, where he excels in history due to his passion for understanding the reasons behind historical events. A dedicated Muslim, he is active in his local mosques in Sharon and Mansfield. Sary enjoys playing basketball and soccer with family and friends and has an eager interest in learning new things. He’s part of a youth group dedicated to supporting their school and community masjid. Sary values community service, lifelong learning, and making a positive impact through his actions and leadership. He is passionate about promoting understanding among people and spreading awareness of the challenges others face.
Sarah is a junior at Lexington High School. She identifies as Muslim and is part of the community of her local mosque ICB Wayland where she attended Sunday School throughout her childhood and will be a teacher’s assistant in the fall. Sarah is the president of her school’s MSA in which she strives to facilitate interfaith discussions with people from various backgrounds while also being part of other organizations such as her school’s South Asian Student Association and the art magazines staff. Sarah loves listening to music (especially jazz), working on various art projects, reading old British literature, watching rom coms with her Mom, and playing badminton with friends.
Mentors (2023-2024)
Liz Aeschlimann, Dignity Project Program Director, has spent the last decade helping people build transformative relationships and draw on our collective wisdom traditions to take powerful action.
A facilitator, community organizer, and interfaith chaplain, Liz has organized congregations in New Bedford and Fall River, supported Jewish student leaders at Tufts University and Vassar College, and facilitated collective learning experiences about everything from end-of-life planning to closing the racial wealth gap. A proud Midwesterner, Liz has an M.Div. with a concentration in Judaism from Harvard Divinity School, and a B.A. in Cognitive Science from Carleton College. She shares a Watertown triple-decker with her wife, sister-in-law, two close friends, and her daughter Raya.
Rabbi Or Rose is the Founding Director of the Miller Center for Interreligious Learning & Leadership of Hebrew College and a founding faculty member of the Rabbinical School of Hebrew College. He has taught for the Bronfman Youth Fellowships and The Wexner Graduate Fellowship, as well as in a variety of other academic, religious, and civic contexts throughout North America and in Israel. He is the co-editor of Deep Understanding for Divisive Times: Essays Marking a Decade of the Journal of Interreligious Studies (Interreligious Studies Press), Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi: Essential Teachings (Orbis), and Words To Live By: Sacred Sources for Interreligious Engagement (Orbis). In addition, he is the creator of Hebrew College’s scriptural commentary blog Seventy Faces of Torah, the curator of the web-based project PsalmSeason, and co-publisher of the Journal of Interreligious Studies.
Shelton Oakley Hersey, Dignity Project Fellowship Advisor (and former Program Director), has sought out, participated and facilitated spaces working toward reconciliation over the past decade. Her Bachelor degrees are from Rhodes College (Memphis, TN) in Religious Studies and Sociology. From Los Angeles and Fuller Theological Seminary, where she obtained a Masters in Intercultural/Urban Studies and Youth At Risk, to South Africa, she has worked cross-culturally as community development specialist, social entrepreneur, and pastor. Shelton is a certified Christian Spiritual Director who drinks deeply from a myriad of diverse Christian streams and traditions. She also serves as a consultant to non-profits. Previously, Shelton served as the Program Director for Boston’s Interfaith Youth Initiative. As the Dignity Project Program Director (a program of the Miller Center for Interreligious Learning & Leadership), she brings together emerging youth leaders of Greater Boston across differences, understanding the significant role in unlearning and relearning that which divides and unites us. With her husband Scott and daughter Amma, she enjoys living life in Jamaica Plain and loves being outdoors, sharing a slow meal with community, expressing herself through visual art and reading a really great book.
Marilyn Stern, Director of Special Projects, joined Hebrew College in 2015, as public events coordinator and associate director of adult learning. During her tenure at Hebrew College she has held the positions of public events coordinator, associate director of Adult education, and community engagement administrator. She currently serves as Director of Special Projects for Hebrew College’s Miller Center for Interreligious Learning and Leadership Prior to her work at Hebrew College, Ms. Stern spent twenty years as a Jewish educational professional, directing family, youth, and adult programs at Temple Isaiah in Lexington and Congregation Eitz Chayim in Cambridge. In her congregational work, Ms. Stern worked closely with parents from a variety of faith traditions, who were raising Jewish children, to help them find their place in the Jewish community. Ms. Stern, grew up in the Los Angeles area, where she graduated with her B.A. in History from UCLA. She has lived in the Boston area for over 30 years and lives in Jamaica Plain with her husband, David. Ms. Stern received Certificate in Family Education at Hebrew College in 1995 and her M.A. Degree in Jewish Education at Hebrew College in 1996.
Jay Cioci Lazur (they/them), Dignity Project Fellowship Associate Director and Mentor, grew up attending a Unitarian Universalist Humanist congregation in Minneapolis, MN where they first encountered the power of interfaith dialogue and collaboration. Through middle- and high-school, their Sunday Religious Education classes consisted of studying other faith traditions, visiting houses of worship across the Minneapolis metro-area, and reflecting with peers and mentors on “The Big Questions.” From these experiences, they developed commitments to connecting with other people through authenticity and patience, providing care and support when they could, and grounding their personal and communal lives in rituals and values. They spent a gap year living and working in Leon, Nicaragua before attending Tufts University. Throughout college, they were involved with the Tufts Interfaith Student Council, coordinated a number of major programs for the Tufts University Chaplaincy, and completed an independent research project examining the Universalist heritage and broader religious and ethical history of the school. As someone who is non-binary and non-traditionally religious, Jay has often gravitated towards spaces of open dialogue and intersectional community building to find the kinds of sustaining community they crave. Jay now lives in Somerville where they strive to enjoy the weather each day, cook good food, and cherish their beloved family and friends.
seigen johnson, Dignity Project Fellowship Mentor, is currently a Master of Divinity graduate student at Boston University School of Theology. Her research interests include interfaith and inter religious spiritual formation for high school and college students as well as the repair of spiritual injury in spiritual congregations. seigen has been practicing Soto Zen Buddhism for more than 20 years. She lived in residential practice at San Francisco Zen Center for seven years after working as a budget and public policy analyst for Santa Clara County in California where she led meditation workshops for families living in emergency housing. Additionally, seigen remains deeply connected to the spiritual lineage of the A.M.E Church in which she was raised. As a recent ordinand in the Soto Zen lineage of Shunryu Suzuki (under the guidance of Daito Steve Weintraub), seigen aspires to continue conversation regarding the multifaceted cultural contexts in which practitioners relate to Buddhist practice. seigen recently joined the Miller Center team as the Assistant Director of the BILI: Building Interfaith Leadership Initiative program for undergraduate students.
Ajet Hosea Ishaya, Dignity Project Fellowship Mentor, is a passionate individual who aspires to make a difference as a public advocate. With his undergraduate degree in sociology and a graduate degree in public policy and governance from Africa University, Ajet has equipped himself with the knowledge and skills necessary to tackle societal issues on a larger scale. After graduating in 2019, Ajet lived and worked as a Mobile Network Operator at Econet Wireless in Zimbabwe. This experience allowed him to witness firsthand the impact of technology on society and the importance of connectivity in today’s Africa. It also provided him with valuable insights into the challenges faced by marginalized communities and the need for effective policies to address these disparities. In 2022, Ajet took a significant step towards furthering his education and personal growth by joining Boston University to pursue a graduate degree in divinity. This decision reflects his deep-rooted focus on interfaith leadership and the belief that fostering understanding and cooperation among religious traditions is essential for promoting peace and social justice. Beyond work and academia, Ajet has actively engaged with various youth volunteer projects and participated in multiple Pan African Universities debates, storytelling events, and public speaking contests. These experiences have honed his communication and leadership skills and amplified his desire to be a voice for the mass of the people through representative governance.
Abigail Rosys (preferred name “Rosys”), Dignity Project Fellowship Mentor, is a first Master of Arts in Theology and Ministry at Boston College School of Theology and Ministry and just recently graduated with their Bachelor of Arts in History and Theology from Bellarmine University. Their research and writing interests include sexual ethics and using Catholic theology to support and include queer people as well as interfaith work towards social justice. While not identifying as strictly religious, they are deeply spiritual, and seek to promote spiritual growth and wellness with everyone they encounter. They find their spirituality most in connecting with others and nature, with the idea of selfless and communal love being a core aspect of their beliefs. Previously, they have worked during undergrad as a spiritual peer mentor for residential students and leading retreats for students, offering support and guidance for anyone who sought it and promoting interfaith work and understanding across campus.
Throughout the year, members of the inaugural fellowship cohort of 16 fellows—from Baha’i, Buddhist, Muslim, Jewish, and Christian traditions, and secular communities—met weekly to learn the theory and practice of interreligious and cross-cultural leadership, including strategies and tactics to cultivate resilience and joy. They also learned how to have “courageous conversations” about potentially divisive issues like the presidential election.
At the end of the program, the students collaborated on five projects to positively impact their communities and beyond. The groups used podcasting, visual art, writing and Zoom to create spaces for courageous conversations.
Podcasting and Zooming: Three young women invited their peers to a creatively and tightly facilitated Zoom gathering on social justice topics close to their hearts and lives: Islamophobia, voting rights and restrictions, and mental health stigmas. They designed the space to promote both learning and interactive dialogue and led the session with passion, confidence, and influence.
The podcast team conducted interviews with people of different political and religious beliefs and blended their interviews into a dynamic podcast that presents three different stories and perspectives. LISTEN NOW!
“I think one of the most important things I have gotten out of the Dignity Project has been a space to practice hard conversations,” said Aliza Kopens, a fellow on the courageous conversations team. “It is something that you don’t really understand the full value of until you are in a space where that kind of approach to discourse is really cultivated.”
Written and Visual Arts
The two visual arts teams worked creatively to collaborate on two pieces: one demonstrates a local message of unity amidst differences in the city of Boston, while the other communicates the vast political and social differences between Americans in today’s landscape (even when they share similar religious beliefs).
The writing team produced a Writer’s Digest booklet highlighting one creative writing piece for each of the first 12 month of the pandemic. The pieces were written by the fellows and other guest contributors.
“With something as hard as having a conversation about politics, creating art has made it easier,” said Olivia Bancel, a Fellow on one of the visual arts teams. “I’ve always found that art can say more than any conversation and can turn such a hard and controversial topic like politics into something simpler and more beautiful.”
“Expressing oneself in an interreligious space demonstrates the universality of our experiences, so to speak, it speaks everyone’s language,” added Fellow Martin Mugerwa.”Art is non-judgmental and is not limited to interpretations.”
We are currently recruiting for the next cohort of Fellows and mentors. Find information and how to apply below.
How to Apply for a Fellowship
The 2024-2025 application is now open. Please fill out the following online fellowship application form and instruct your letter of recommendation to be emailed to laeschlimann@hebrewcollege.edu. Dignity Project staff will contact the applicant via email within a month of receiving the application and letter of recommendation. Thanks for your interest! If you would like to hear more about the program from the Program Director or a past Fellow or Mentor, we’d love to have a phone or Zoom conversation with you.
The Dignity Project Fellowship is open to outstanding high school emerging leaders from the Greater Boston area with a passion for interreligious and cross-cultural and cross-racial engagement. Applicants can apply on their own or can be nominated by a community leader. Each student must fill out a brief application form and provide a letter of recommendation. The Miller Center Staff will make final selections of all Fellows in the spring/early summer. Cohorts range in size from 14-20 Fellows.
Our Intention
In constructing this intentionally diverse group, we will recruit a passionate cohort of young people from different spiritual and ethical backgrounds, including those who identify as “religious” and “secular.” We will also pay careful attention to other axes of difference, including race, class, and gender. By the same design, Mentors are selected from local graduate theological programs and emerging faith leaders to model, companion, teach, lead, and empower. In developing this initiative, we are working collaboratively with leaders and educators from various houses of worship, schools, and civic organizations throughout the city.
Participant Expectations
Each participant will actively engage in all of the activities listed above. There will be brief pre-work (reading, podcast, video) to be completed in advance of some in-person meetings. In addition, each participant will also be expected to co-create and live by Community Commitments that will shape our way of being together as we practice a shared set of values. Finally, Fellows will contribute to the planning & implementation of small team projects that positively and meaningfully engage the Fellows’ communities.
fellowship Stipends
Each participant will receive a $750 stipend upon completion of the program. To receive the full Fellowship stipend of $750, Fellows must attend and participate in all the Fellowship events and activities with the exception of one absence. After one non-emergency absence, stipends will be lowered to reflect the Fellow’s record of attendance and participation. This ensures fairness to the entire Fellowship community.
Apply to be a Mentor
The Mentor role is a unique opportunity to get hands-on practice in a relationally diverse community with leadership, mentorship, and program design. As guides, teachers, facilitators, and spiritual leaders, Mentors embody for the Fellows what it means to be firmly rooted in self, in tradition, in values, and in justice. Mentors provide Fellows with their unique perspectives, gifts, skills, and creative leadership. Together Mentors and Fellows participate in a reciprocal dance in which everyone is empowered to fully step into their voice, their leadership and their unique potential.
Our Staff and Mentors come from diverse faith, racial, and cultural backgrounds and lived experiences. Depending on the range of those who apply, we have Mentors who identify as Jewish, Christian, Muslim, Sikh, Catholic, Buddhist, Interfaith, Hindu, Humanist, and Unitarian Universalist. Just as we welcome all youth Fellows, we employ and welcome Mentors of all races, cultures, genders, perspectives and traditions!
Please contactLiz Aeschlimann, Dignity Project Program Director, to find out about this opportunity, to receive an application and to provide nominations for the 2023-2024 academic year.
Program Staff
Liz Aeschlimann, Dignity Project Program Director
Rabbi Or Rose, Director, Miller Center, Hebrew College
Ms. Marilyn Stern, Community Engagement Administrator, Miller Center, Hebrew College
Questions
Contact Liz Aeschlimann, Dignity Project Program Director, Miller Center, Hebrew College.
The Dignity Project is a much-needed and thoughtfully developed space for accompanying the next generation of leaders. Integrating spiritual diversity is a critical component of embracing the fullness of humanity and ushering the compassion and wisdom required for a better future.
Adam is a sophomore at Milton High School. He’s interested in the belief systems that have made up global history, called by his faith to advance social progress. He values advocacy, founding a gardening club to restore pollinator habitats at his middle school and teaching his peers how our environment, natural resources, and nutrition are intertwined. Adam likes to learn about the challenges of climate change, the global influence of new technology, and the incomplete mission for human rights, topics that occupy his mind with both concern and fascination each day. When he is not writing or asking you to read what he has written, he’s likely thinking about that one time the Beatles performed on a rooftop, cycling as a way to explore new places, both wilderness and cities, and trying out new food.
Amalyah is a senior at Gann Academy and a passionate athlete. She runs cross-country, plays basketball, and is the captain of the varsity lacrosse team. She identifies as Jewish and attends both Beit Sasson in Newton and Wellesley Weston Chabad in Wellesley. Amalyah enjoys watching horror movies and doing darkroom photography. She regularly volunteers at a Senior home through the Senior Connections Club at her school and she deeply values equality and authenticity.
Aryan is a rising senior at Westborough High School and a dedicated student with a passion for leveraging technology to make a positive impact. He identifies as Hindu and attends the local temple in Westborough. Aryan enjoys traveling, reading, soccer refereeing, and participating in local community service events. He is actively involved in the Global Health Awareness Club, where he serves as president, and is deeply committed to addressing issues in health and sustainability.
Diya is entering into junior year at Newton South High school. She identifies as Asian Indian and lives in Newton, Massachusetts and attends South High school. Diya enjoys volunteering, listening to music, and helping at local junior youth classes. She teaches swimming for younger kids.
Fatima is a sophomore at The Bromfield School and is always eager to learn. She is a practicing Muslim and consistently attends the youth group at ICB Wayland, where she also TAs at the Sunday School. Fatima enjoys listening to music, playing badminton, and reading. She is involved in the Model UN club at school and has a passion for fighting for what is good for the world.
Harsonica is a junior at Holliston High School for the 2024-2025 school year and is a hardworking student. She identifies as a Sikh and attends New England Sikh Study Circle Gurudwara Sahib. Harsonica is passionate about figure skating, reading, volunteering, and being a leader. She is involved in many different clubs at school such as DECA, HOSA, Red Cross Club, and more. With these clubs she learns many valuable skills which help her learn/help her community.
Hugh is a junior at Boston Trinity Academy. She exists across borders as a mixed Chinese American, growing up in New England and Texas, but calls Eastern China her home. Likewise, her education spans both the Chinese and American systems. She is conversant with Christian community and Confucian morals. Her ethics are informed by a desire to help others physically and emotionally and a sense of the telos of life in all its facets. Her interests include biological sciences and both performing and visual arts. In the future she hopes to experience world cultures, pursue higher education, and contribute to addressing the world’s problems.
Jasman is an upcoming senior at Shrewsbury High School. She identifies as a Sikh and attends the Sikh Gurudwara in Westborough MA. Jasman is interested in policy and looks forward to being a politician one day. She is involved in her high school’s speech and debate team and dance team, where she serves as its captain. She values inclusivity and looks forward to working with other fellows this year.
Katie is an earnest junior student at Milton High School and is a confirmed Catholic who occasionally attends St. Agatha’s Parish with her family/family’s friends. She enjoys reading, drawing, and listening to Taylor Swift. Katie is also a coxswain on her rowing team, a summer camp counselor in the Blue Hills, and a member of both Trivia Club and Latin Club. Katie has always been devoted to equal rights for all, and government has piqued her interest for years.
Luke is a senior at Boston College High School. He is active on campus in a number of ways including participating in the creative writing club, tutoring biology, and playing on the Ultimate Frisbee team. He identifies as a non-denominational Christian and attends a number of churches both in Easton, his hometown, and in the greater Boston area.
Michael is a freshman at Newton South High School. At school he is very interactive and a driven student. He is Buddhist and often goes to Chua Vietnam in Roslindale. In his free time, he likes to read, draw, and hang out with his friends. Michael feels that attending temple was crucial for him for two reasons: practicing his native language and being surrounded and learning more about his religion. He values his family, remembering everyday that without them he wouldn’t be who he is today.
Jacob is a junior at Boston College High School. He is a spiritual person who likes to hike, lift, and listen to music. His favorite genre is Indie Rock and his favorite artists are Current Joys and Crystal Castles. He is involved in the Asian American Pacific Islander Collective and Robotics team at BCH. He spent his summer working at Thayer as a camp counselor. Jacob enjoys learning about people and exploring the world.
Pritha, a junior at Holliston High School, is passionate about exploring different lives and religions. Proudly identifying as Hindu, she brings a unique perspective to her interests. Pritha loves dancing and cherishes moments with friends and family, making her a vibrant and engaging individual. Her curiosity about diverse cultures and beliefs fuels her learning journey, enriching her high school experience and personal growth.
Rose is a sophomore at Concord Academy where she is a part of the school’s newspaper, outdoors club, and medical club. Outside of school, she loves tutoring, spending time with loved ones, and playing volleyball and basketball. She was recently confirmed at First Church in Cambridge and values respect and empathy.
Sam is a junior at Boston University Academy. He identifies as Jewish and belongs to Temple Sinai in Brookline, a progressive reformed Jewish synagogue. He enjoys sailing, ultimate frisbee, and family time.
Saratu is a junior at the Winsor School, lives in Brockton, MA, and follows Christianity. Her hobbies include reading, dancing, and crocheting but her main passion lies in neonatal surgery.
Sarah is a junior at Lexington High School. She identifies as Muslim and is part of the community of her local mosque ICB Wayland where she attended Sunday School throughout her childhood and will be a teacher’s assistant in the fall. Sarah is the president of her school’s MSA in which she strives to facilitate interfaith discussions with people from various backgrounds while also being part of other organizations such as her school’s South Asian Student Association and the art magazines staff. Sarah loves listening to music (especially jazz), working on various art projects, reading old British literature, watching rom coms with her Mom, and playing badminton with friends.
Rabbi Or Rose is the Founding Director of the Miller Center for Interreligious Learning & Leadership of Hebrew College and a founding faculty member of the Rabbinical School of Hebrew College. He has taught for the Bronfman Youth Fellowships and The Wexner Graduate Fellowship, as well as in a variety of other academic, religious, and civic contexts throughout North America and in Israel. He is the co-editor of Deep Understanding for Divisive Times: Essays Marking a Decade of the Journal of Interreligious Studies (Interreligious Studies Press), Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi: Essential Teachings (Orbis), and Words To Live By: Sacred Sources for Interreligious Engagement (Orbis). In addition, he is the creator of Hebrew College’s scriptural commentary blog Seventy Faces of Torah, the curator of the web-based project PsalmSeason, and co-publisher of the Journal of Interreligious Studies.
Shelton Oakley Hersey, Dignity Project Fellowship Advisor (and former Program Director), has sought out, participated and facilitated spaces working toward reconciliation over the past decade. Her Bachelor degrees are from Rhodes College (Memphis, TN) in Religious Studies and Sociology. From Los Angeles and Fuller Theological Seminary, where she obtained a Masters in Intercultural/Urban Studies and Youth At Risk, to South Africa, she has worked cross-culturally as community development specialist, social entrepreneur, and pastor. Shelton is a certified Christian Spiritual Director who drinks deeply from a myriad of diverse Christian streams and traditions. She also serves as a consultant to non-profits. Previously, Shelton served as the Program Director for Boston’s Interfaith Youth Initiative. As the Dignity Project Program Director (a program of the Miller Center for Interreligious Learning & Leadership), she brings together emerging youth leaders of Greater Boston across differences, understanding the significant role in unlearning and relearning that which divides and unites us. With her husband Scott and daughter Amma, she enjoys living life in Jamaica Plain and loves being outdoors, sharing a slow meal with community, expressing herself through visual art and reading a really great book.
Marilyn Stern, Director of Special Projects, joined Hebrew College in 2015, as public events coordinator and associate director of adult learning. During her tenure at Hebrew College she has held the positions of public events coordinator, associate director of Adult education, and community engagement administrator. She currently serves as Director of Special Projects for Hebrew College’s Miller Center for Interreligious Learning and Leadership Prior to her work at Hebrew College, Ms. Stern spent twenty years as a Jewish educational professional, directing family, youth, and adult programs at Temple Isaiah in Lexington and Congregation Eitz Chayim in Cambridge. In her congregational work, Ms. Stern worked closely with parents from a variety of faith traditions, who were raising Jewish children, to help them find their place in the Jewish community. Ms. Stern, grew up in the Los Angeles area, where she graduated with her B.A. in History from UCLA. She has lived in the Boston area for over 30 years and lives in Jamaica Plain with her husband, David. Ms. Stern received Certificate in Family Education at Hebrew College in 1995 and her M.A. Degree in Jewish Education at Hebrew College in 1996.
Jay Cioci Lazur (they/them), Dignity Project Fellowship Associate Director and Mentor, grew up attending a Unitarian Universalist Humanist congregation in Minneapolis, MN where they first encountered the power of interfaith dialogue and collaboration. Through middle- and high-school, their Sunday Religious Education classes consisted of studying other faith traditions, visiting houses of worship across the Minneapolis metro-area, and reflecting with peers and mentors on “The Big Questions.” From these experiences, they developed commitments to connecting with other people through authenticity and patience, providing care and support when they could, and grounding their personal and communal lives in rituals and values. They spent a gap year living and working in Leon, Nicaragua before attending Tufts University. Throughout college, they were involved with the Tufts Interfaith Student Council, coordinated a number of major programs for the Tufts University Chaplaincy, and completed an independent research project examining the Universalist heritage and broader religious and ethical history of the school. As someone who is non-binary and non-traditionally religious, Jay has often gravitated towards spaces of open dialogue and intersectional community building to find the kinds of sustaining community they crave. Jay now lives in Somerville where they strive to enjoy the weather each day, cook good food, and cherish their beloved family and friends.
seigen johnson, Dignity Project Fellowship Mentor, is currently a Master of Divinity graduate student at Boston University School of Theology. Her research interests include interfaith and inter religious spiritual formation for high school and college students as well as the repair of spiritual injury in spiritual congregations. seigen has been practicing Soto Zen Buddhism for more than 20 years. She lived in residential practice at San Francisco Zen Center for seven years after working as a budget and public policy analyst for Santa Clara County in California where she led meditation workshops for families living in emergency housing. Additionally, seigen remains deeply connected to the spiritual lineage of the A.M.E Church in which she was raised. As a recent ordinand in the Soto Zen lineage of Shunryu Suzuki (under the guidance of Daito Steve Weintraub), seigen aspires to continue conversation regarding the multifaceted cultural contexts in which practitioners relate to Buddhist practice. seigen recently joined the Miller Center team as the Assistant Director of the BILI: Building Interfaith Leadership Initiative program for undergraduate students.
Ajet Hosea Ishaya, Dignity Project Fellowship Mentor, is a passionate individual who aspires to make a difference as a public advocate. With his undergraduate degree in sociology and a graduate degree in public policy and governance from Africa University, Ajet has equipped himself with the knowledge and skills necessary to tackle societal issues on a larger scale. After graduating in 2019, Ajet lived and worked as a Mobile Network Operator at Econet Wireless in Zimbabwe. This experience allowed him to witness firsthand the impact of technology on society and the importance of connectivity in today’s Africa. It also provided him with valuable insights into the challenges faced by marginalized communities and the need for effective policies to address these disparities. In 2022, Ajet took a significant step towards furthering his education and personal growth by joining Boston University to pursue a graduate degree in divinity. This decision reflects his deep-rooted focus on interfaith leadership and the belief that fostering understanding and cooperation among religious traditions is essential for promoting peace and social justice. Beyond work and academia, Ajet has actively engaged with various youth volunteer projects and participated in multiple Pan African Universities debates, storytelling events, and public speaking contests. These experiences have honed his communication and leadership skills and amplified his desire to be a voice for the mass of the people through representative governance.
Abigail Rosys (preferred name “Rosys”), Dignity Project Fellowship Mentor, is a first Master of Arts in Theology and Ministry at Boston College School of Theology and Ministry and just recently graduated with their Bachelor of Arts in History and Theology from Bellarmine University. Their research and writing interests include sexual ethics and using Catholic theology to support and include queer people as well as interfaith work towards social justice. While not identifying as strictly religious, they are deeply spiritual, and seek to promote spiritual growth and wellness with everyone they encounter. They find their spirituality most in connecting with others and nature, with the idea of selfless and communal love being a core aspect of their beliefs. Previously, they have worked during undergrad as a spiritual peer mentor for residential students and leading retreats for students, offering support and guidance for anyone who sought it and promoting interfaith work and understanding across campus.
