Q&A with Fieldwork Supervisors and Students: Epstein Hillel School
The following are questions asked by Hornstein and answered by fieldwork supervisors and alumni who describe their fieldwork experiences during their time in the program.
Deryn (Harbin) Pressman-Mashin, MA/MBA'18 ( right) did her fieldwork at Epstein Hillel School in Marblehead, Massachusetts during the summer of 2017. She was hired in October 2017 and went full-time after she graduated in May 2018. Her supervisor was Amy Gold (left).
Fieldwork Supervisor: Amy Gold, Head of School
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My knowledge of Hornstein was based on alumni from the program and general knowledge about Brandeis. I had recently heard of another Hornstein intern whose placement resulted in a job in the organization; this success further supported my belief in the high quality of Hornstein interns so it seemed like a great opportunity for the school to get some help.
Deryn was instrumental in planning, oversight, and execution of many tasks related to the school's rededication ceremony. She also brainstormed and implemented several ideas related to re-engagement of our alumni.
When I hired Deryn, I had no expectation that she would ultimately move into her new position. I was thrilled to have someone to help our development office at a pivotal time in the school's history. I knew that we would provide an excellent opportunity for learning about non-profit fund/friend raising in a small Jewish community. Based on my experience on Deryn's work ethic, intellect, and creativity during her internship, I encouraged her to apply for the position. I believed that we could create a position that enabled her finish her coursework and overlap with a strong mentor for the position and the community.
Deryn's work was critical to our being able to showcase the school in the best possible light for the rededication ceremony. There was so much to be done and she always took on every task (no matter how big or small) with a positive attitude and with high standards. She was open to feedback and worked tirelessly with me and with the Director of Community Engagement to be sure we were always satisfied with the finished products - and there were many. She definitely implemented new ideas of her own as well as accomplished tasks freeing up the time of the Director of Community Engagement and me as Head of School.
I think it's crucial that there is strong match between the intern and the culture within the organization as well as with the intern and the mission of the organization. In our case, Deryn fit right in immediately; she joined the team with an eagerness to succeed, curiosity, and desire to be a part of mission.
Deryn Pressman-Mashin MA/MBA'18, Director of Community Engagement
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Professor Mark Rosen was the person who connected me to this opportunity during some of our initial fieldwork conversations. He knew I was looking to work in development and that it would make the most sense for me to stay in the Boston area for the summer. So when this opportunity popped up, it seemed like a natural fit, even though I had never worked in a day school before. I also had an offer to work at Hillel International in development, which was closer to my professional background, but Mark Rosen really helped me to decide that EHS would be the better fit for me.
When I arrived, the school had recently received a 5 million dollar gift from Arthur J. Epstein, a long-time donor, and the school was in the process of changing their name from Cohen Hillel Academy to the Arthur J. Epstein Hillel School. As you might imagine, there was a lot of work to be done to change the name of a school with a 50+ year legacy. The school was in a time of transformation and I was helping with nearly everything related to the renaming ceremony. I was able to spend some time with the archives and create an enormous timeline of the school's history, which is still up on the wall today. I helped Diane Knopf, the Director of Community Engagement update alumni files and assisted with the alumni initiative, which included a mezuzah fundraising project and an alumni video. She and I planned every last detail for the renaming ceremony, which was the culmination of my fieldwork. At the end of the summer, I was able to create a strategic fundraising plan for the school moving forward. I even had a chance to present this fundraising plan to board members!
A successful fieldwork placement is not just about the organization itself but also what you choose to make of it. Some of the projects I was tasked with were not always specific to development, but I took them as an opportunity to learn something new or to challenge myself professionally. The strategic fundraising plan I created was an extra project I took upon myself, in order to test the skills I had learned during my first year in Hornstein. Ultimately, I think that plan is what helped me land this job.
My fieldwork placement took place after the end of summer classes and shortly before the fall semester began, so I was able to dedicate my full attention to it. That summer I learned the Director of Community Engagement would be stepping down from her role and into retirement (or re-wirement as she likes to call it), and Amy Gold approached me about applying for her position as my fieldwork came to an end. It was actually the best possible arrangement I could have asked for. In my second year of Hornstein, I was able to arrange my schedule to work three days a week and learn from my predecessor by overlapping with her for nearly a year. That part-time job has now transitioned in to a full-time job and I feel uniquely positioned to be able to succeed.
Juggling the demands of work, school, and personal life (I was also planning a wedding this year) is never easy, but I definitely think it is possible for anyone who has excellent time management skills and a drive to succeed against all odds.
During the fieldwork selection process, I remember telling Mark Rosen that one of the most important aspects of the fieldwork selection, for me, would be the mentorship. I was really wanting a strong female Jewish mentor in my life, and at Epstein Hillel School, I found two! Diane and Amy welcomed me in to the school and made me feel like a member of the community almost instantaneously. I don't think I've ever had a job where I felt such a strong pull for something greater than myself. I remember on the first day of my fieldwork, they took me out for lunch. On the last day, they threw me a party. And every day in between, they treated me like their equal and went out of their way to introduce me to members of the community and make me feel at home. I am looking forward to working with Amy for many years to come and even though Diane is moving on to her next phase in life, I know she has my back for whatever I may need in the future. I am so thankful for both of them.
If I can impart any wisdom to current and future students, it's to find a fieldwork placement with someone who will be a good mentor. If the organization has an amazing leader, everything else will fall into place.
Learn more about Epstein Hillel School