Brandeis University Admissions

Bronwyn R. ’25

(she/her/hers)

Hometown

San Francisco, California

Major and Minors

Independent interdisciplinary major in media, culture, and communication, minors in Hispanic studies and business

Activities

Roosevelt Fellows Program, Brandeis Varsity Fencing Team, Adagio Dance Company

What made you decide to attend Brandeis?

A big draw for me was the location. I knew I wanted to be on a campus and not in the city. I wanted to have that striking distance from the city.

I was also recruited by the fencing coach to join the team on campus. I participated in competitive fencing throughout high school, so I knew I wanted to join the team. It’s a cerebral sport where you have to be intentional about each move, but it’s also a lot of collaboration with coaches and teammates. I’ve found such a positive and wonderful community through my team.

I fell in love with the team culture at Brandeis, the size of the school, and the level of academic rigor. I felt like I was going to be pushing myself all the time.

What resources would you recommend to a first-year looking to get acclimated to campus life?

Attend the involvement fair at the start of every semester. I think joining clubs and extracurriculars are a wonderful way to feel a part of the community in that period of transition.

What tip would you give to a student looking to make new friends?

Just talk to people! It may seem abrasive, but I’ve made so many friends from turning a small question into a longer conversation. When I first came to Brandeis I started talking to people living on the same floor as me. They quickly became my group of people.

What is your advice to students trying to select a major?

Spend your first year taking courses that seem interesting to you and then reflect on those experiences. Which topics do you engage with? Which courses made you want to do your schoolwork?

After taking the music department’s Divas course, and the American studies program and music department’s Protest Through Song course my first year, I realized I had an interest in the entertainment industry and an understanding of relationships between people, art, culture, and fandom. It was then that I decided to create my own independent interdisciplinary major (IIM).

I spent much of my sophomore year having conversations with Kate Colahan in the academic advising office, working with a faculty advisor, and getting advice from the IIM undergraduate department representative (a student advisor from the department), to create and propose my curriculum while continuing to take relevant courses.

It took a while to land on my title for my major because I wanted it to remain broad, since I have a passion for the professional sports side of the entertainment industry as well as music. I spent months researching similar programs at other schools to formulate a cohesive course of study that would engage my interests, learning goals, and career aspirations.

What is your advice to a student trying to balance coursework and activities?

A big thing that has helped me is writing everything down. It can be overwhelming, but take things one step at a time. A Google calendar schedule is also a great way to categorize things you need to do. Just don’t forget to intentionally take time for yourself.

What’s the best way to find your community on campus?

I found my community by being an athlete, but also made a lot of my friends by getting to know the people on my floor my first year at Brandeis. It’s important to put yourself out there.