Sofie Ramirez Soto Joins W&L as Jewish Life Program Director The former engagement coordinator for Hillel International at New York University will provide programming and support for the W&L and local Jewish communities.

By Brian Laubscher
August 11, 2025

Sofie Ramirez Soto, engagement coordinator for New York University Hillel for the past two years, was recently selected as the Jewish life program director at Washington and Lee University.

“When I interviewed for the position, I was moved by the connectedness between the different offices at W&L,” said Ramirez Soto. “I could feel the commitment and care in every meeting. I look forward to integrating into campus, uplifting Jewish life and becoming a part of the W&L community.”

Ramirez Soto, who started July 1, will lead the university’s efforts to enrich Jewish life on campus while also contributing to W&L’s broader religious and spiritual life initiatives. She will collaborate with campus ministers and student leaders to foster interfaith dialogue and programming to enhance student experiences, and will oversee the Hillel House and play a vital role in expanding Jewish life beyond the campus by cultivating relationships with Jewish alumni and actively engaging the broader Lexington Jewish community in conjunction with W&L Hillel.

“We are delighted to announce Sofie Ramirez Soto’s arrival as the new Jewish life program director,” said Tammy Futrell, dean of student engagement and leadership at W&L. “A passionate leader, educator and community builder, Sofie brings a deep commitment to inclusive, student-centered engagement and a proven record of cultivating vibrant Jewish life at the collegiate level.”

At NYU, Ramirez Soto created, executed and supported numerous religious, cultural, educational and social programs that engaged more than 450 students annually. She supervised several campus engagement interns who aided in event planning and curriculum creation, along with significant peer-to-peer interactions. A Hillel International Springboard Fellow, she also created and sustained micro-community programming for several Jewish student groups in partnership with various university departments.

In addition to her experience at NYU, Ramirez Soto also served as an educator at Temple Beth Israel and was a resident advisor at Hofstra University, where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in criminology with minors in philosophy of law and Latin American and Caribbean studies.