Staff Interview with Jonathan Hakim

What inspired you to work with Ben-Gurion University?

My father was born and raised in a small kibbutz about 30 minutes from Beer-Sheva, the city where Ben-Gurion University is located, and I still have a lot of family in that region. As a child, I used to visit every summer so I have a lot of personal experience with Southern Israel. In college I majored in International Relations and Near Eastern Languages & Civilizations (Hebrew & Arabic concentration) and oversaw study abroad in the Middle East at the University of Pennsylvania, where I worked previously. Recruiting students to study abroad at Ben-Gurion University seemed like a perfect fit for me given my personal, professional, and academic background.

How do you support students in the process of going abroad?

I work closely with students throughout all parts of the study abroad process, from their first inquiries about the program to when they return from Israel and are thinking about ways to continue their study abroad experience. One of the biggest parts of my job is helping students figure out if study abroad is a good fit for them and, if so, whether spending a summer, semester, or academic year at BGU meets their personal, professional, and academic goals for going abroad. Since I’m the only representative of the OSP who is based on the U.S., I serve as the primary contact for them about everything related to the program.

What questions or concerns do students often bring to you, and how do you respond?

A very common concern that students bring up is whether they’ll be able to live in Israel without knowing the local language. Since Hebrew isn’t a super common language to study, a lot of the students who study abroad on our program don’t know Hebrew, or maybe only a little, and that can be intimidating, especially since Hebrew is quite different from English. Not only will students be adjusting to a new country and culture, but they’ll be trying to navigate that country and culture in an entirely new language. 

Luckily, I tell students that Israelis learn English from a young age so most of the younger generation in Israel has a pretty solid understanding of English, particularly on-campus at BGU. Since we try to immerse the students in the local culture as much as possible, we also require all of our semester and year students to study Hebrew during their time at BGU. This helps to ease the transition and to better acclimate them to the new culture.

Why do you think it is important for individuals to travel and experience new cultures?

Traveling and experiencing new cultures is invaluable because it shows you more than just the U.S. perspective to the world. There are so many different ways to view the world and you can only learn that by going out into the world.

What lessons do you hope students come to learn during their time abroad?

I hope that students come back from abroad having learned that the people of this world are more similar than they are different. Even though individuals might be of different religions, races, genders, etc., there’s more that unites us than divides us. I think that studying abroad is a great opportunity for students to experience the world because, ideally, they’re immersing themselves into a foreign culture and spending more than just a few days in a given country.

How do you approach recruiting students for the Overseas Student Program (OSP)?

For me, the biggest piece is just educating people about the city and the university. Most students haven’t heard of Beer-Sheva or Ben-Gurion University so they’re not always aware that there are study abroad opportunities in Israel outside of Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. I really try to emphasize the immersive aspects to our program and the unique features that students can take advantage of while studying on the OSP. We’re a smaller program so the students who study with us are looking for a different experience; they’re not looking to go abroad with hundreds of Americans.

In what ways does your own exchange year in Australia influence your current work?

Having spent a year abroad, I know firsthand the benefits of having an international experience but I also know some of the concerns and worries that can arise. Finances were definitely a concern for me when I was planning to study abroad so I always try to be cognizant of that and offer as much guidance and as many resources for students to ensure that everyone has an opportunity to study abroad, regardless of their financial means.

What is your favorite part of your job as the Director of Student Affairs and Institutional Relations?

My favorite part of my job is traveling to our partner institutions and meeting with the students interested in studying abroad at BGU. Hearing the excitement before a student goes abroad, and then meeting with them when they return from their time in Israel, and hearing all about how great the experience was, is really rewarding.

If you could share advice to your pre-travel self, what would you share?

Step out of your comfort zone and don’t be afraid to try new things! It’ll enhance the experience so much more and you definitely won’t regret it.

What hopes do you have for the future of the Ben-Gurion University?

I would love for Beer-Sheva and Ben-Gurion University to become a destination that students think of when they’re looking for an immersive academic experience that is a bit more off-the-beaten-path. Both the university and the city have a lot to offer in terms of academics and culture and there’s so much advancement happening locally.