Toby Ring from Massapequa Wins Leadership Excellence Award from Hillel

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Toby Ring, a senior at SUNY Geneseo from Massapequa, N.Y., on campus at the college's InterFaith Center.

GENESEO, NY (11/21/2011)(readMedia)-- A SUNY Geneseo student has won a national leadership award from Hillel: The Foundation for Jewish Campus Life, the largest Jewish campus organization in the world.

Toby Ring, a senior from Massapequa, N.Y. (11762), received a Philip H. and Suzi Rudd Cohen Student Exemplar of Excellence Award at the recent Jewish Federations of North America General Assembly in Denver. The annual award goes to five students who have displayed exemplary leadership on their campuses by inspiring others to act and lead, building meaningful relationships, fostering innovation and creativity and modeling and inspiring Jewish growth.

"I think this award is more of a reflection of the progress of Geneseo Hillel," said Ring. "In the past few years, Hillel at Geneseo has grown so much, now attracting over 70 students at our larger events. Our executive board has worked hard to grow Hillel with the ever-increasing Jewish population on campus, and I am just lucky to have been a part of it."

Ring is a history and adolescent education major at Geneseo. He has been an active member and leader of Geneseo Hillel for several years, currently serving as president of the Hillel Student Board.

"Toby has had a major impact on Hillel and the lives of Jewish students at Geneseo," said Judy Abelman, executive director of Hillel of the Rochester Area Colleges. "Through his leadership and commitment, Toby has been an inspiration for other students. When he graduates this spring, he will leave quite a legacy."

The four other awards went to students from Rutgers University, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Emory University and Washington University in St. Louis. Each winner received a prize of $150 and a plaque in recognition of outstanding leadership efforts.

"Toby is well-deserving of this leadership award," said Hillel President and CEO Wayne L. Firestone. "He's set an example that every student –Jewish or otherwise – can follow."