- Major
David Coons is working on his Bachelors degree in Jewish Studies and Studio Art with an emphasis in Photography and Digital Arts.
Throughout his CU career, David has been highly involved in Jewish Studies. Through the Internship in Jewish Studies course, David completed an internship with the Colorado Agency for Jewish Education in Denver, CO. He notes that this opportunity allowed him to experience working in the Jewish community and in a non-profit organization, providing him with work experience, programming and organizational skills, and professional development. David states, "The internship program connected me to the community in which I grew up, allowing me to present myself in a professional manner beyond my personal connection to the community." When asked about what drew him to Jewish Studies, David states, "As I grew up in a strong Jewish community and household, I was always interested in Judaism, its lessons, history, people, and culture. Naturally, when I entered college, I wished to continue this connection which the Program in Jewish Studies was able to provide and nurture. In this program, I am able to take courses that allow me to immerse myself in a vast variety of topics."
David recently returned from studying abroad in Glasgow, Scotland for the Spring 2015 semester. During his study abroad, he took Jewish Studies courses in the Theology and Religious Studies Program at the University of Glasgow, as well as Studio Art courses at the Glasgow School of Art. On expanding his Jewish Studies education globally, David said, "It was interesting to see how Jewish Studies was taught in another country at a university that sported a wide array of perspectives from a large population of international students."
David Coons recently collaborated with Prof. Sasha Senderovich on a publication for IN GEVEB, a new, hip online journal of Yiddish studies. The publication, entitled "A Clan on the Move: A Zelmenyaner Family Tree" features an article by Senderovich on the Yiddish novel The Zelmenyaners and a beautiful family tree designed by Coons.
As a student of our program, David was nominated and selected to receive the prestigious Katherine J. Lamont Scholarship, an award presented to only 12 students in the College of Arts and Sciences each year.
David’s favorite thing about serving on the Student Advisory Board is, he states, “…the fact we are a strong student group that is privileged to help mold the Program in Jewish Studies for a better future, provide input to improve the program, and create exciting student events that other programs are not capable of doing. It is an amazing way to gain professional development in addition to having a voice in something that we, as Jewish Studies students, care about.”