Beers ’17 uncovered a passion for health policy at Brandeis

Senior from Schroon Lake, New York reflects on how Brandeis has enriched him.

mitchell beersPhoto/Mike Lovett

Mitchell Beers '17

Mitchell Beers ’17 had his heart set on attending college in Boston, which led him to finding out about Brandeis. After he took a campus tour, it didn’t take long for Beers to feel at home and he was determined to make Brandeis part of his future.

The senior from Schroon Lake, New York double-majors in Health: Science, Society and Policy (HSSP) and Anthropology and is looking into pursuing a career in health policy.

BrandeisNOW caught up with Beers to find out how Brandeis has enriched him.

BrandeisNOW; Why does Brandeis fit you?

Mitchell Beers: I always knew I wanted to come to Boston for college, and so I visited some schools in the city. I discovered that I actually liked suburban campuses because you can have Boston without getting stuck inside the city. Brandeis has an amazing suburban campus that gave me the access I wanted to the city, though from the start I was also attracted to its strong academics and vibrant community.

BNOW: When did you know you made the right decision?

MB: When I first saw the campus and got to know the school better. I loved the campus, the people and felt like the academics would provide me with excellent opportunities. Coming in, I was interested in studying health, whether clinical or related to health administration.

I saw the HSSP major and realized I could take a multifaceted approach to learning about the healthcare system and medicine. I knew it would be the perfect fit. I recognized that, by coming to Brandeis, I’d be able to have flexibility and pick what I’d like to study within the health field.

BNOW: What’s been your favorite class?

MB: Managing Medicine with Professor Darren Zinner. It’s an awesome class. It did a nice job of mixing what I knew from healthcare through prior policy classes with the business side of health. I didn’t have a business background before taking the class, but Professor Zinner provided interesting case studies in business to bridge the gap. It gave me a different viewpoint, from a financial perspective, about the American healthcare system.

BNOW: What’s your favorite spot on campus?

MB: Definitely the Shapiro Campus Center, which we call the SCC. There’s so much energy in that building all the time. A lot of clubs are based there, including many of the ones in which I’m an active member. I like to meet friends there or go to Einstein’s for coffee or a bagel, and I also just like to do a lot of my homework there. It’s a good place with great energy.

Mitchell Beers '17 is the 2016/17 John "J.J." Jamoulis Scholar.

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