Brandeis University

Responses from the Student Interview

From a student  who identifies as Majors: History and African-American Studies double major
Minor: None
Student Self Identifies as: Black Heterosexual Male

Summary

I play club rugby, and I’m in the African Students Organization and the Labor Coalition.

Background

Gender Identity: Male
Race/Ethnicity: Black
Sexual Orientation: Heterosexual

High School Experience: Public school in Waltham, MA with a graduating class of about 1,800 students. There was a culture of going to college, though it was divided on racial lines on who really aspired to go to college.
First-Generation College Student: Yes
Majors: History and African-American Studies double major
Minor: None

Extracurricular Activities: I play club rugby, and I’m in the African Students Organization and the Labor Coalition.
Did any of your extracurricular activities have a particularly big impact on your experience? In what ways?
Rugby has. It’s a good way to make friends and it’s also a good way to stay in shape.

Academic Experience

Can you describe your weekly coursework for your majors?
We definitely have a lot of reading. Depending on the class, there are reflection papers on the readings. We have a lot of interactive work and class discussion, which is something I like about my majors. They aren’t too big on testing, it’s more about making sure that you get the reading.
Is there anything you feel that your majors’ departments do especially well or poorly?
For the African-American Studies department, I think certain faculty are stronger than others. Some have a more grounded understanding of the real world and others are not willing to make a concrete condemnation of certain kinds of injustices.
How would you describe the learning environment? Do you think it’s particularly competitive or collaborative?
If you go into the education experience looking to compete with people, you’ll compete with people. But, if you have the mentality that you can go at your own pace and your educational experiences are your own, then you won’t necessarily feel that energy. No one’s going to come up to you and ask you your score unless you’re already looking to tell people. You get whatever energy you put out there.
How accessible are your professors?
They’re pretty accessible. There’s only one class I’ve had that’s pretty big, but it’s an introductory science class so that’s to be expected. But, even in that case, the professor is accessible and nice, so I’d say the professors here are very accessible.
Do you feel people are open to multiple schools of thought in the classroom?
I’d say the students are more open to multiple schools of thought than the professors. I feel that students are more accommodating to multiple points of view. I think most students here want to hear you out and, even if they disagree with you, they want to know where you’re coming from. Faculty-wise, I think they are less open because I think certain faculty members will steer the conversation the way they want. If you make a comment that tilts the conversation away from the way they preconceived it, I don’t think they will go with the new track of conversation. Most professors that I’ve encountered control the dialogue in the classroom, unfortunately.
What’s been your favorite class you’ve taken for your majors?
African History.
How was transitioning academically as a first-generation college student? Are there systems in place that help you transition?
I think the most important thing is having the drive, and I feel that most first-generation students do have that drive. In terms of resources, the library is a good resource because that’s the hub where there are tutors, primary documents, and online databases that you would want to access.
Why did you pick your majors? Are you happy with your choice?
I’m extremely satisfied with my majors. I think they represent my interests, convictions, and passions. I’ve always loved history and it wasn’t until I got to college that I realized the true depths of being a History major. I didn’t realize that you could make history your own since history is a malleable field and is really based on interpretations of history and interpretations of documents. So, it allows for a lot of flexibility and coming up with your own takes on certain things. That’s something I love because I have strong convictions and it’s fun to argue my perspectives.

Reasons to Attend

1) If you’re passionate about a certain field or discipline, you can make a lot of your experience here. The more you believe in your passion, the more connections you’ll make here because everyone here is really into what they do. A strength of Brandeis is if you have really strong beliefs and want to make a difference in the world, this is a good fit.
2) The proximity to Boston and the fact that you’re part of a broader college community. There are a lot of people at all the universities in Boston of people to meet.
3) If you don’t want to be thrust into a large community on campus, you can just hang out on campus on our little secluded campus. Or, if you don’t want that, you can go and be in the middle of the city.

Reasons Not to Attend

1) Don’t come to Brandeis if you’re looking for a generic college experience. If you’re looking to go to class and party, I think there would be schools better for that. If you commit halfway to things, you won’t make many connections here.

Around Campus

Where have you lived on and around campus?
I’m a commuter student, so I live at home.
How has commuting impacted your experience?
I’d say the walk to campus is pretty long, so you have to factor in the time it takes to get there and back. The walk is part of the magic of it because going to and from Brandeis is when you realize that Brandeis isn’t necessarily a little hideaway, it’s part of the community. I’d encourage more students to go out and experience Waltham.
Can you describe the level of safety you’ve experienced on and around campus?
Maybe a few days ago I would have given you a different answer because recently a couple of female students were stabbed near campus. Generally, it’s pretty safe and that’s why most people are surprised by that incident. Brandeis is near Wellesley, MA which is a pretty wealthy neighborhood. There are also shuttle resources.

Social Opportunities

What kind of weekend activities or nightlife do you like to participate in?
I mostly hang out with my friends in small groups. Parties at Brandeis are hard to find and if you want to find those big social events or parties, you have to go off-campus. Because of that, I mostly just hang out with friends, and I think that’s generally true with the rest of the students here. Usually, when I go out and seek social things, I go to Boston. I also go to Bentley for parties sometimes.
How happy are you with the weekend options at Brandeis? Is there anything you would change about them if you could?
As opposed to Bentley [which is another school in Waltham], we don’t have parties. I’d like to have more parties.

Campus Culture

How did you meet your closest friends?
Through sports and class mostly.
How would you describe the overall social scene at Brandeis?
I’d say it’s very niche. There’s a club for every little interest. Everyone gets along and people are very easygoing and nice. In terms of interests and socializing, there’s a club for everything so people socialize through those. It’s not cliquey, but people run with their little crew from their niche groups and get along with everybody.
To what extent do you think people of different races and sexual orientations mix socially?
Brandeis is a predominantly Jewish school and mostly the Jewish students stick together, the Black students stick together, and the Asians stick together. It’s pretty racially segregated but not intentionally or institutionally. Just student-wise, people stick to their groups. There’s actually a club called Brandeis Bridges that is trying to bridge the gap between Jews and Blacks on campus. They encourage Black students and Jewish students to socialize, do bonding activities, and get to know each other’s cultures. So, although it is segregated, it’s self-segregation and not because of the university.
How would you describe the student body?
I think most people are pretty quirky. They’re nerdy but in an endearing way. It’s a nice, quirky nerdy. Everyone’s easygoing and fun and they’re looking for new experiences. People are very open-minded and intelligent. You can go up to people and talk to them and they won’t think you’re weird. People are spontaneous in that sense.
How would you describe the Black community on campus? How strong is it?
It is interesting in the sense that Black students make up a very small percentage of the people on campus. But, even with the Black people on campus, it can be niche as well. For example, there are three Black student organizations: the Caribbean Cultural Club, the Black Student Organization, and the African Students Organization. I see that as a problem because I think Black students should have one unified voice to organize around. We can celebrate diversity within the umbrella being Black, as opposed to cutting ourselves up and making us a weaker voice than we already are. [About 5% of students are Black.]
How do you like the size of Brandeis in terms of undergraduate enrollment? How has it impacted your experience? [There are about 3,600 undergraduates.]
I like the size. The Class of 2022 was the largest in history and the most recent class was one of the largest. The campus is very lively. It’s small and you get to know people’s faces very well walking up and down the hill. You get a feel for everyone and it feels really small, so it doesn’t feel like you’re in the middle of nowhere and don’t know anybody. It’s the perfect balance of intimacy in terms of getting to know people but you don’t feel squished in the crowd.
What is the impact of the Jewish affiliation at Brandeis? How strong is the Jewish faith at the school?
I love it, frankly. Growing up, I didn’t have much exposure to Jewish people. Being at a Jewish university and seeing all these different types of Jews, like Black Jews, Arab Jews, Reformed Jews, and Orthodox Jews. Based on their own historical experience, they bring a different perspective to the table that I can respect. A lot of students are very social justice-oriented. I now get to be fully immersed in their own cultural practices and I do feel a kind of kinship, so it’s been nice to be here.
Do you think people are generally happy with their choice of Brandeis by senior year? Do you think people leave loving Brandeis?
I’m not sure I can speak to that because I think that identifying with being a Brandeis alum depends on your experience. I recently went to a talk because they sent out an invitation to students of color to come see a guest speaker who was an alum. They talked about what it was like to be a student of color back then and how they didn’t feel like they were part of the Brandeis community. They didn’t feel comfortable saying Brandeis was their alma mater since that is Latin for “nourishing” or mother” and they didn’t feel like Brandeis mothered them. They felt like they used Brandeis as a resource for self-improvement rather than feeling like part of a Brandeis legacy. I think most people who identify as part of Brandeis are people who don’t have to navigate certain barriers on campus. [See Steinhardt Social Research Institute article, “Race, Community, and Belonging: Revisiting Student Concerns at Brandeis University.” See Brandeis Magazine article, “University Releases Two-Part Report Investigating Racism and Campus Culture.”]

Careers

What have you used the career office for? How helpful have they been?
I haven’t really used it yet.
Have you learned any computer languages or software that will be helpful to you professionally?
I haven’t learned anything that I haven’t already known.

Financial Aid

Have you used financial aid? If so, how easy is the office to work with?
I’m only able to go to Brandeis because of financial aid. I’m very grateful to the financial aid office and I think they’re very responsive and transparent. If there’s anything you need, you can reach out to them and they’ll get back to you.