Name: Rebecca Cohen
Year: Senior, Graduating May 2015
Hometown: Raleigh, NC
Major: Management Information Systems
Meet Rebecca Cohen, known by her friends as Becca, she is an awesome and engaging Seahawk who knows her way around a puck and is graduating this semester. As the 2014-2015 President of UNCW’s Hillel, she has done so much for not only Hillel, but UNCW students as a whole. Hillel is an international Jewish organization that welcomes people of all faiths. It works to create lasting connections with students and to inspire and train them to become leaders and build their own communities. Read on to learn more about Becca and be sure to ‘challah at your girl if you see her around campus!
HC: How does it feel to be president?
RC: It feels the same as being any other member of an organization, except you have much more responsibility, which is great. Hillel is a nationwide recognized organization that I am very proud to hold this title with. I also enjoy having the opportunity to work with the other officers of the group, it is very rewarding when as a team we plan a successful event. I am entering a career in business and working with Hillel and holding this position has been a great learning experience for me and I am glad I had the opportunity to serve as president.
HC: What’s your favorite thing about being a student at UNCW?
RC: I transferred to UNCW my sophomore year from this very tiny school in Massachusetts. In transferring here I noticed instantly that this school is the right place for me. I love everything about this school, but mostly our student body. We have a student body who really value their health and actively pursue a healthy lifestyle. I think that because we have students who are kind to themselves, they are kind to each other, which stimulates an active learning environment.
HC: What does Hillel mean to you?
RC: Hillel means the world to me. Jewish students are a minority on this campus and Hillel serves as an outreach to these students. People who are Jewish seem to have an instant bond with each other simply because we come from families who have celebrated the same holidays and share the same customs. In being a part of Hillel, I am now exposed to other fellow Jewish students and other Jews in the community.
HC: Favorite memory with Hillel?
RC: With Hillel, we have partnered with our community friends in Chabad who invite us over monthly for dinner. Every time I eat with Chabad, I instantly feel back at home.
HC: If someone wanted to become a member of Hillel, how would they go about that?
RC: Let us know! In order to find out about our club, you can email us at uncwhillel@yahoo.com or give us a ‘like’ on Facebook at ‘UNCW Hillel.’ We have monthly dinners with Chabad, celebrate Rosh Hashanah together, have Hanukkah parties, and basically any other event that revolves around the Jewish calendar.
HC: Favorite Quote?
RC: My favorite quote is a hockey quote. Most people who know me also know that I am an ice hockey goaltender. My favorite quote comes from Jacques Plante, hall of famer goaltender of the Montreal Canadians, and states “How would you like a job where when you made a mistake, a big red light goes on and 18,000 people boo?” This isn’t really much of a quote, but it summarizes the criticality of the position I take on in regards to how much pressure the goaltender burdens. Many people think this is a dreadful situation and often ask me, “why the heck would you want to do this?” In my opinion, being in the spotlight and the one that people must rely on in a “make or break” situation is exactly why I picked goaltending.
HC: What’s your spirit animal?
RC: I would have to pick the lion. Lions are the loyal, powerful and pride-driven leader of the pack. Not only do they carry everything they do with such pride, but with emphasis on loyalty. They also protect and lookout for the rest of the pack.
HC: Any advice that you would like to give to UNCW students looking for leadership positions?
RC: A large part in obtaining a leadership position revolves around developing relationships. This can be done by first finding clubs that you are interested in and constantly make an effort to go to all of their meetings and events. Next, I would to suggest to further solidify that relationship by even reaching out to the officers by offering them an extra hand, this shows that you are interested in being more than just a member of the club.
HC: Plans after graduation?
RC: I accepted a job at Credit Suisse in Raleigh, NC back in August. I will be working as a business analyst which is basically an entry level project management position. I am very excited to start working there, I interned at Credit Suisse over the summer and enjoyed the corporate culture and am excited to have the opportunity to return as a full-time employee.
HC: Being random, if you were tiny and trapped in a blender, how would you get out?
RC: Yikes, well I am not sure. I will hope that whoever uses this blender will be using it for protein shakes, and then I can just drink all of the protein shakes that they make and hopefully get huge to break my way out.