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May 21, 2007 Hakimi powered his way to a B.S. in just two-and-a-half years while also promoting awareness about his Jewish faith by serving as president of the Sepharadi and Mizrachi Association.
Student profile: Jared Hakimi
Major: Applied economics and management Why did you choose Cornell?
While my Orthodox Jewish background afforded me many valuable lessons and ample delicious food, my particular environment left little room for questioning or learning about myself and others through dialogue and shared experiences. I chose Cornell because I felt that it would expose me to diversity and empower me to lead. Main Cornell extracurricular activity -- why is this important to you?
I am grateful to have worked with both the Sepharadi and Mizrachi Association at Cornell (SMAC) and the Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity. As president of SMAC, I coordinated Sepharadi Persian Night, an event that incorporates both Jewish tradition and Persian culture on Cornell's campus. This year's program marked the fourth annual collaboration between SMAC and the Iranian Students Organization. The evening was an opportunity for both Jews and Iranians to come together and share in the most simple, yet perhaps most important, common aspects of the human experience. Over 700 students, faculty, staff and alumni gathered to eat, dance and laugh, but also to learn, share and love. In January 2005, I joined 13 other Jewish leaders to re-found Alpha Epsilon Pi, the Jewish fraternity. I felt very devoted to the cause of promoting brotherhood within the Jewish, Cornell and Ithaca communities. What Cornell memory do you treasure the most?
I treasure most the trip I took with my Alpha Epsilon Pi brothers to Michigan State University to honor civil rights activist Michael Schwerner '61, a Cornell alum and AEPi brother murdered for embracing diversity and pursuing justice and equality for African Americans. Our trek to Michigan State defined my Jewish fraternal experience. As I paid tribute to Michael Schwerner along with Cornell and Michigan State brothers, young and old, I understood what it meant to be a brother of Alpha Epsilon Pi. What are your plans for next year and beyond?
Cornell really flew by. It is very difficult to come to terms with the realization that although I surpassed my academic and extramural goals, I also graduated in two-and-a-half years and was, therefore, thrust prematurely into a new, exciting stage of my life. What will I do next? Will I work? Study? Travel? I suppose I am not sure. All I know is that I will continue to do all I can to build and establish new connections, create stronger communities and, ultimately, change perceptions. |
