YJA’s College Chapters engage Jain youth at the college level and support existing Jain student organizations to promote Jainism and its rich culture. Chapters help college students to get involved on their campus and meet together to discuss Jain topics, volunteer, and have fun!
Starting a YJA College Chapter on your campus or registering your current Jain student organization as a YJA College Chapter is easier than ever and has many benefits as outlined below!
UC Berkeley’s Jain Student Association attending a Bay Area garba event together.
Interested?
Check out our guide on how to start a YJA College Chapter at your school! Email collegechapters@yja.org with any questions or if you are interested in starting a YJA College Chapter or registering a current Jain student organization!
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College Chapters Guide
A comprehensive guide for your YJA College Chapter, including timelines, funding information, educational and events handbooks, and a contact directory of college chapters across the country.
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YJA Executive Board Members
As a YJA College Chapter, you have unlimited access to our Executive Board members for any help you may need. From the Director of Project Development to the Director of Education, our Executive Board is there to help your organization.
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Young Minds Publications
College Chapters members are welcome to write articles for Young Minds, YJA’s flagship publication. Young Minds is a platform for people to write about any Jain topic of their choice, from how Jainism affects you on a daily basis to any neat Jain recipes you know!
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Networking Database
As our organization grows, we want this database to reflect the professional skills of our diverse community. We believe this tool will help members from high school seniors seeking college application advice to experienced professionals looking for networking opportunities for years to come.
Penn HJA strives to create a welcoming space for the exploration of the Hindu and Jain faiths
through religious, cultural, and social means. Formerly known as Penn HSC & YJA (Penn Hindu
Students Council & Young Jains of America), it was founded in 1999 and has been serving the
Philadelphia community every since. Our major events include Navratri Garba and Diwali, Saraswati
Puja and Hindu Jain Awareness Month – which includes our biggest event, Holi, in the Spring. We
have other regular events as well, like service activities, Hanuman-Jayanti puja, weekly Sunday
pujas / discussions, guest speakers, and social events.
Co-Presidents: Parth Shah and Tanvi Patel
VP: Ram Godse
Jain Chair: Sohum Daftary
CONTACT:
Email: sohumdaftary@wharton.upenn.edu
The Jain Student Association at Indiana University Bloomington aims to cultivate a safe
and welcoming space for Jain students on campus and anyone interested in learning about the Jain religion,
philosophy, and values.
By forming a tight-knit community that observes Jain rituals, celebrates festivals,
and learns about the principles and how to apply them to our daily lives, students are able to practice
the religion miles away from home.
President: Meera Baid
Vice-President: Pratham Shah
CONTACT:
Email: mbaid@iu.edu
Email: pps1@iu.edu
Jain Students Association (JSA) was created with the intention of fostering a sense of community
between Jain students and those interested in Jainism at the University of Michigan. We hope to
also provide opportunities for our members to socialize, network, observe Jain holidays and
practices, discuss religion/philosophy, and participate in community service (seva).
Co-Presidents: Mahee Doshi, Aaryan Shah, and Garima Shah
CONTACT:
Email: michiganjsa@umich.edu
The mission of JSA is to foster an atmosphere at the University of Pittsburgh where students can
learn about Jainism through discussion of religious and philosophical issues, observe Jain
spiritual practices (i.e. meditation), practice Jain principles through community service, and
celebrate Jain holidays. At Pitt, JSA works to address the problems, difficulties and concerns
facing Jain youth. Our main goal is to create leaders of tomorrow by teaching today’s youth how to
incorporate Jain values and ideals into their daily lives.
President: Rushil Shah
Senior Advisor: Ruhee Jain
CONTACT:
Email: jsa.pitt@gmail.com
The Texas Jain Students Association aims to foster a sense of community for Jain students at the
University of Texas at Austin. We strive to provide our members with opportunities to network,
observe Jain practices, and build lasting relationships.
President: Prapti Ghiya
CONTACT:
Email: prapti.ghiya@yja.org
Join the Illinois Jain Student Association (JSA) to interact with more Jains and maintain the Jain values and practices that you've grown up with on campus. Rejuvenated in 2017, JSA is an official Registered Student Organization (RSO) at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a YJA College Chapter!
President: Satej Shah
President: Janak Shah
CONTACT:
Email: satej.shah@yja.org
Email: janaksha@gmail.com
President: Rikita Doshi
CONTACT:
Email: rdoshi@mail.usciences.edu
President: Palak Shah
Vice-President: Dhaval Shah
CONTACT:
Email: palak52@yahoo.com
Email: dmsyankees@gmail.com
President: Mihir Shah
Vice-President: Achal Shah
Secretary: Dhruv Shah
Treasurer: Saagar Shah
CONTACT:
Email: achal.shah@yja.org
Jain Students Association at UC Berkeley was created to form a compassionate and thoughtful
community of young Jains on campus. We have three goals: to foster intellectual exploration of
Jain philosophy, serve our communities, and build strong relationships with one another. We have
hosted small group discussions on Jain philosophy in the modern day, game nights, lectures open to
the wider campus community, interfaith events, and a national social justice campaign.
Presidents: Sanskriti Sinha and Tushar Jain
CONTACT:
Email: sanskritisinha@berkeley.edu
Email: tusharjain@berkeley.edu
President: Krish Munot
CONTACT:
Email: krishmunot@gmail.com
JIVA: Jains In Voice and Action is Boston University's Jain student initiative, founded a couple
years ago by Jainy Savla, '07 and Purvi Shah '06. JIVA's goals are to increase awareness of the
Jain way of life in the university community, promote Jain ideals among the student body, and
foster friendships among Jain students. JIVA organizes many educational and interactive activities
for its members including guest speakers at BU, temple trips, Jain discussions, celebration of
Jain festivals, and frequent social events.
President: Pranali Shah
CONTACT:
Email: jiva@bu.edu
The literal meaning of “Ahimsa” is nonviolence. It respects the belief that all beings are
connected as one, and was regarded as the highest ideal to strive for by Mahatma Gandhi in his
“Satyagraha” (Truth) movement for India’s freedom. Ahimsa is Columbia’s one and only student
organization devoted to promoting this Jain and Gandhian edict. We hope to raise awareness through
inviting well-renowned speakers on the subject of Ahimsa and participating in different community
outreaches, as well as share our South Asian cultural traditions through our Mahavir Jayanti
Dinner and Diwali celebrations.
Presidents: Sohum Shah
Vice-President: Binita Shah
CONTACT:
Email: ahimsa@columbia.edu
The Rice University Jain Student Association (JSA) aims to create an open and welcome space for
Jain students to continue their practice of Jainism away from home. In partnership with the Jain
Society of Houston, Rice JSA provides a community for discussions, celebrations, and connections
with Jains from Houston and beyond. As the number of Jain students attending Rice continues to
increase, we hope our organization can create a greater impact on the Rice network and Houston
Jain community.
President: Riya Mehta, Raj Dalal
CONTACT:
Email: rmd9@rice.edu
Email: ram19@rice.edu
President: Keval Nagda
CONTACT:
Email: keval.nagda@stonybrook.edu
President: Rahi Shah
CONTACT:
Email: rahishah7@gmail.com
President: Shivani Doshi
CONTACT:
Email: shivanidoshix3@gmail.com
President: Nemi Mehta
President: Kajal Shah
CONTACT:
Email: kajal.shah16@gmail.com
Email: nemi23mehta@gmail.com
President: Sejal Kargal
CONTACT:
Email: skargal@calpoly.edu
President: Maahi Shah
CONTACT:
Email: shah.maahi22@gmail.com