Tikkun Olam makers university program expands despite campus unrest

TOM's Fellowship Program sees record growth, empowering students to innovate for vulnerable groups despite rising anti-Israel sentiment on U.S. campuses.

 TOM (Tikkun Olam Makers) University Fellowship Program Kickoff Seminar 2024-2025 in Atlanta. (photo credit: TOM)
TOM (Tikkun Olam Makers) University Fellowship Program Kickoff Seminar 2024-2025 in Atlanta.
(photo credit: TOM)

Tikkun Olam Makers (TOM) has announced a significant expansion of its University Fellowship Program, welcoming its largest cohort yet for the 2024-2025 academic year. The program, which brings together students to create solutions for vulnerable communities, has grown by 25% despite a challenging atmosphere on U.S. campuses, marked by rising anti-Israel and anti-Jewish sentiment.

This year’s cohort includes 81 Fellows from 57 campuses worldwide, an increase from last year’s 65 Fellows from 47 campuses. The new participants hail from a diverse range of countries, including Israel, the United States, Japan, Singapore, Australia, Ethiopia, and Turkey. The program is designed to empower these students to lead TOM Communities on their campuses, applying their engineering and design skills to develop affordable and accessible solutions for people with disabilities, the elderly, and other underserved populations.

“TOM was launched in Israel and is now led from New York City as an international program with an innovation center in Tel-Aviv,” explained Gidi Grinstein, Founder and President of TOM. He added, “Since October 7, TOM has accelerated the development of solutions for the needs of wounded civilians and soldiers in Israel, while making these solutions available for anyone to use. Our motto is affordable and accessible for anyone anywhere, and we are proud to see TOM Fellows from around the world inspired by the ideal of Tikkun Olam.”

The Fellowship Program's growth is seen as a clear indication of its value, particularly in challenging times. “The expansion of the TOM Fellowship amid challenging times on campuses for Israel and the Jewish community highlights the resilience of our program, which stems from the fact that we emphasize the shared commitment to making the world a better place,” said Edun Sela, CEO of TOM.

Maayan Keren, Director of the TOM Fellowship Program, noted, “The remarkable growth of the TOM Fellowship Program is a testament to the distinct and significant value that our program brings to students and faculty.”

The program officially began with a four-day seminar in Atlanta, Georgia, where the Fellows were introduced to the TOM ethos, formed bonds as a cohort, and received training to lead TOM initiatives at their respective universities. As part of their introduction, the Fellows also engaged in hands-on community service, building Toddler Mobility Trainers—small wheelchairs—for local children in need, which were then donated to local organizations. 

Tikkun Olam Makers, inspired by the Jewish principle of "Tikkun Olam" (repairing the world), is a global movement focused on developing and distributing assistive technology to address the unmet needs of vulnerable populations.