Shalem’s First Class: A Talented, Ambitious, and Diverse Student Body
As part of its rolling admissions process, Shalem has enrolled more than 95 percent of its inaugural class, filling its ranks with students noted for exceptional academic, extracurricular, and personal strengths. Hailing from every part of the Jewish state, these exemplary students reflect the remarkable diversity—religious, ideological, and socioeconomic—of the country, and guarantee a vibrant intellectual and social college community.
Boasting an average score of over 100 on their high-school matriculation exams (with bonuses granted for particularly difficult courses), the students are both academically gifted and deeply committed to engaging the world around them. The majority served in the Israel Defense Forces, divided among top combat units, army intelligence, and the education corps, while the remainder completed or are about to complete national service. Perhaps most impressive, stated Shalem President Martin Kramer, is the fact that the majority of those who served in the IDF preceded it with a year or more of optional preparation, whether at a pre-army leadership training academy, a religious-Zionist study program that incorporates military service, or volunteer programs in disadvantaged communities. This choice, Kramer stressed, shows that Shalem students appreciate the connection between the classroom and the community, and seek to use their education for both personal and public benefit.
Finally, the first group of enrolled students comes from every part of the state, including major cities, small towns, and rural kibbutzim. “There is no doubt, when you look at our emerging student body, that we are attracting some of the smartest, most curious, creative, and dedicated young people Israel has to offer,” explained Shalem Executive Vice-President and Provost Daniel Polisar. “This is the raw material from which visionary leadership is made.”
Shalem expects to admit the last few students in the coming weeks, as the college gears up for its opening in October of this year.
