The Kurtzman twins, who were born in early October, have already made their college choices clear.

Although Melissa (Kahn) Kurtzman ’99 now lives some 2,700 miles from campus, memories of her Brandeis experience color her life almost daily. Melissa looks back at her time at Brandeis with great affection and pride.

With little urging, the Las Vegas resident can list beloved faculty members (American studies professor Mary Davis is one); recall humorous anecdotes (nearly being late to lead an admissions tour because of a snowstorm); and recite her favorite extracurricular activities (Waltham Group tutor, Orientation counsel, intramural basketball player, and charter member of Starving Artists a cappella group).

To show her appreciation for what Brandeis gave her, the former Presidential Scholar and her husband, Eric, recently made a generous gift to Brandeis to establish the Kurtzman Endowed Scholarship, which will help deserving students in need of financial aid.

“Brandeis played a large role in my life,” Kurtzman says. "It was nurturing, rigorous and stimulating."

“I was touched that there were people who were eager to help young students have the Brandeis experience and education,” she says. “I will never forget the generosity and warmth I experienced there. I would like to share that same generosity with others, making it possible for them to have a similar experience.”

Melissa, who emigrated with her family from South Africa in 1985 and grew up in Los Angeles, was seeking rigorous academics and a close-knit community with a significant Jewish presence on campus. She found it at Brandeis.

“I loved Brandeis the moment I set foot on the campus,” she recalls. “I immediately felt at home; it was small, personal, and everyone got along so well.”

Melissa grew close with faculty members as well, particularly with Professor Davis, her senior honors thesis adviser on second-hand smoke.

“The professors at Brandeis always had time to meet -- they made time for you,” Melissa says. “They encouraged students to have additional interests beyond what was to be included on the exam.”

A double major in Spanish and American studies, Melissa also pursued a minor in legal studies. This preparation served her well at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles, helping her finish near the top of her class and land a prized summer job at Skadden Arps, the prestigious law firm where she practiced corporate restructuring and franchise law for six years. 

After her marriage in 2009, Melissa joined her husband's firm, Kurtzman Carson Consultants, as in-house counsel. In addition, in 2010, Melissa and her husband founded Momma K's, a charity providing interest-free loans to graduate students, as an incentive for them to live and work in Las Vegas after graduation.