Jul 7, 2008 -- Adena Kaplan, a recent graduate of Yeshiva University’s (YU) Wurzweiler School of Social Work, has always dreamed of making a positive contribution to the Jewish community. In fact, working for a Jewish non-profit organization had always been at the back of her mind, but it wasn’t until Wurzweiler that her ambition to become a Jewish communal professional crystallized. As an undergraduate, Kaplan studied community empowerment with a Jewish focus at New York University’s Gallatin School of Individualized Study. In addition, she began work as a program specialist at the Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty in New York City. Kaplan’s dedication to Jewish causes paid off, as she was awarded with the prestigious Wexner Fellowship – a program that helps develop a select number of aspiring Jewish leaders in North America. Kaplan chose to continue her studies at Wurzweiler because of its specialized Certificate in Jewish Communal Service Program. While studying at Wurzweiler, Kaplan performed her field work for her master of social work degree at NYU’s Bronfman Center for Jewish Student Life, running the Collegiate Leadership Internship Program and doing community work for the university’s Hillel. The work quickly became a full-time job, which Kaplan juggled along with part-time classes at school. Ms. Kaplan, a Roanoke, VA native, credits her solid upbringing for the career path she has chosen. “Ultimately, my parents’ strong commitment to Jewish life and community were the roots of my studies and my professional path,” she says. In recognition of the high standard of her professional practice, Wurzweiler’s faculty selected Kaplan to receive the National Association of Social Workers Award at graduation. She currently works as a full-time associate for leadership development at the Bronfman Center.