Words of Encouragement to Class of 2025
February 6, 2025
By: Kathleen McMahan
Creative Arts
Music
Find your people! Who are the other musicians in your community who you can play with/for, write music for, record, create programs with, etc.? Are there people you feel safe around who can help you practice getting outside of your comfort zone with your craft in front of an audience, before you step fully into the professional world? You'll get some good supportive feedback this way, and this community will likely also become invested in your success in the future.
What internships, mentorships, and teaching opportunities can you apply for? This is a great time to learn all you can about the music industry and the many different career paths musicians can follow, especially if you are considering grad school down the line. Who is a hero of yours in the field? Write them a note and ask if you can meet them! Musicians are generous people, a connection with someone you really admire might give you the kind of more specific career advice you are looking for.
A big part of learning music is a journey of gaining self-awareness and building self-discipline, which are essential qualities for anyone in a leadership role. Whether you are a performer, a music scholar, or a composer, you can also be confident in your critical thinking, active listening, teamwork, public presentation, empathy, resilience, and creative thinking abilities. All of these will be forces to help you succeed in any career path you choose to take.
Let music forever be part of your life, whether or not it is your future career path. Active listening and music making will help you stay aware of who you are, what’s important in life, and how you are related to your surroundings. In today’s high stressed society, there are few better ways to maintain a meaningful and well-balanced perspective in live. And don’t forget to come back to see us whenever you get a chance. We’d love to hear from you! - Yu-Hui Chang, Department Chair
Theater Arts
Find a way to make your own work with people who inspire you. It is easy to think you have to wait for someone to give you a job. But happiness in theater lies in doing the work that is meaningful to you with people who challenge and excite you. And then when the opportunity comes to audition or interview or get the job - you have something real to bring to the table beyond your fear, need for approval and desire for work - all of which is incredibly important and human and real and to be turned into energy and art with your peers! Don't stop growing or learning ever - find a way to keep coming up with new ideas, new ways of doing things - if you allow your "identity or beliefs" to limit you, you may stop hearing your own creative instinct. Stay present to how you are changing - and put that into your work. As you grow, watch and learn from artists who have been doing it for a long time, and as you get more experienced, learn from young people. Theater is a service industry. Use your time wisely. The secret to success in Theater is in how you spend your free time. Read, move, go see art and movies, travel, talk to people who believe different things than you do, stay off the screens and look at the world. Read the news. Become a big hearted human being and make friends without fear. We are here for you as you go out into the world! Keep asking for help! Stay connected to each other - be a team. - Adrianne Krstansky, Louis, Frances, and Jeffrey Sachar Chair in Creative Arts
Students with a BA degree in theater can succeed in every profession. It’s not necessary to go into theater to make use of your degree. Theater, as an art form, requires many areas of knowledge and proficiency. When you major in theater, you learn to understand historical contexts, analyze human behavior, and hone your communication and organizational abilities. Daily, you deal with critical analysis, research, imaginative problem solving, motivating other people, interpersonal skills, just to name a few. You come out with important life skills like focus, emotional intelligence, resilience, collaboration, and intuition. Today, these abilities are highly prized everywhere from the arts and non-profits to corporate boardrooms to research and development to the world of startups, entrepreneurship, and innovation. Theater students rely on their creative foundation to thrive in law, finance, marketing, and science.
A recent Brandeis graduate was hired by a top consulting firm. The student credits his success to studying directing as much as to his business courses. As a director he learned how to form and articulate a vision, inspire collaborators, be an entrepreneurial organizer and a flexible improviser. The study of theater is a tremendous lens for self-knowledge, a key to success in any endeavor, a preparation for life. - Dmitry Troyanovsky, Associate Professor of Theater Arts
Humanities
Comparative Literature
Nowadays it seems too hard to imagine a career in Comparative Literature. But no matter what career path you eventually take, I believe it will bear upon Comparative Literature: You'll have an independent, compassionate, and self-critical mind —not only for all the cultural encounters on your own life voyage, but also in the search of a world of equality and common good. Farewell, and I hope you travel afar -- the whole world is ahead of you. Depart! And you'll find the Way! - Pu Wang, Program Chair
English
A career in English or any other literature is not necessarily a career as a literary scholar or as a teacher of a literary subject, whether at a university or at a school. Nor is it even only a career as a writer of imaginative literature or of expository prose. Literature is about the felt experience of meaning in language, and whenever you engage with language in a deep way you are practicing what you learned as a literature major.
When I use the phrase "felt experience of meaning" I don't just refer to the propositional sense of a text. Every human engagement in language, even the most ordinary, is rich with implications that transcend the propositional sense of what is being said, implications which we have to learn to register and respond to even if we cannot ever make them fully explicit. Every human expression has layers and subtexts, and has implicit entailments which haunt the limits of articulation but which open new possibilities of meaning. Every human expression is also shadowed by qualifications or scruples or subtexts of which even the speaker might not be fully aware. To understand is not just to decode but to apprehend those second thoughts and not yet articulated possibilities. All these are things literature teaches us to listen for.
More than that, every human expression involves the live contact between different minds who continually change as they respond to each other, or as they overhear and reflect upon what they themselves have been saying. When we engage other minds through language we live our way into a new relationship with them through the play of sameness and difference between us, through the back and forth of the expected or solicited response and the surprising turn of the actual reply, through the unfolding dance of expectation and transformation. The person we engage through language is no longer fully an other to us, but becomes that other for whom we become what we are. It's the literary experience of language which most powerfully teaches us what it is to live with other people.
But the phrase "felt experience of meaning" also refers to something beyond even this. When we say that something is meaningful we say that it opens up a vision of life as a whole before us. This is a key task of literature, but the experience is not unique to literature but is shared with music and with the visual arts. When we are moved by a work of art we don't merely feel something, we become morally engaged with something, we feel the duty of becoming something. We become implicated in something meaningful, something bigger than we are, something that places us at the heart of life and opens to us what it is to be in this world. That's what we really mean when we use the old cliche that literature prepares you for life. - John Burt, Department Chair
Latin American, Caribbean and Latinx Studies
Congratulations LACLS class of 2025! We hope your journey at Brandeis has been edifying and enjoyable, and that the transferable skills you now have will enable you to successfully apply knowledge, tolerance, and critical thinking in your next phase in life. You are now an ambassador and advocate on behalf of hemispheric Latin American cultures and peoples, and we hope you will turn your passion to action to address the many economic, political and cultural issues in this part of the world. - Javier Urcid, Program Chair
Romance Studies
Be proud of your bilingualism/multilingualism! Your experiences with other languages and cultures, both abroad and in the classroom, make you a more empathetic person and a more attractive candidate when you apply for graduate programs or jobs. Critical thinking and communication skills are all baked in to a degree in foreign-language studies. - Catherine Theobald, Department Chair
Learning to speak another language requires knowing how to negotiate differences of all kinds (cultural, linguistic, political, social, and so on), which is a crucial skill for success in a wide variety of professional fields. People who speak more than one language know how to listen to others in a focused way, and they pay attention to body language and to other forms of nonverbal communication that are essential for intercultural (and corporate) communication. Students who apply for jobs with companies that do not seem to have any international connections should be sure to mention their language skills. Many companies need employees who can work with (or in) branch offices abroad, and still other companies may be looking for ways to expand their presence abroad. - Hollie Harder, Director of French and Italian Language Programs
Pursuing teaching English as a second language in the country where the target language is spoken is a great way to use your language acquisition. Many students can find applications for their degrees in foreign languages by reaching out to local Consulates and Embassy. If you should look into teaching or pursuing graduate school, keep in mind that there are resources for paid MA/PhD programs in many universities. Working in translation is a good way to find work immediately such as Google or Netflix. With remote jobs being available more than ever before, this field is a very rewarding one. Keep in mind that many companies pay extra money when they know you have studied a foreign language.
Stay connected with the university and your program. If you pursue anything after graduation where you use your minor or major, keep in mind that keeping fostering relationships with your former faculty and alumni may spark new avenues to stay involved with the language you studied, (E.g. Talking to the department about your grad school, projects that are related to your Major or Minor in the language, a special trip or any other project that is in some ways connected to the foreign country) Our students would love to hear what you have done with your language acquisition after graduation!
When students learn a language for a few semesters they will lose most of their skills fairly quickly if they don’t use the language again. However, if they learn it to a more advanced level (if they do a major in the language) the process of attrition will be less severe. That means that they will be able to retain most of it and use it in their lives (even non professionally). The rewards of majoring in a language go well beyond the professional world, our lives become enriched as we can connect with people, art, music, etc at a more profound level. - Paola Servino, Co-Chair and UAH of Italian Studies
At least in the case of Spanish, if students end up working in the fields of medicine, law, social work or community advocacy in the USA they will most certainly use their language skills when dealing with Hispanic/Latinex populations. Although translating and interpreting are the most obvious jobs for graduates in our fields, in reality many will end up being language teachers. - Elena Gonzalez Ros, Director of Hispanic Studies
Science
Biological Physics
My advice is to talk to as many people working in this field as possible, both in industry and in academia. That is a great way to learn what types of jobs exist and what might suit you best. Reach out to your professors, reach out to people on Linked In, and reach out to Brandeis Alumni. Many people will happily chat with you over coffee about their job. My warmest congratulations to all of you; we are all very proud of your accomplishments and wish you all the best in your future professional endeavors. Stay in touch! - Guillaume Duclos, Program Chair
Chemistry
The world of science and technology is changing faster than I ever imagined possible. What was yesterday's big thing is passe by tomorrow. Don't limit yourself to one technique or mode of thought. A chemist has to be conversant with scientists from different fields, so any opportunity you get to learn or try something new, jump on it. And for heaven's sake, pay attention to machine learning and artificial intelligence. These new paradigms will alter every aspect of your career and life. Don't fear them, but don't ignore them, either.
Thanks to you (and your parents) for trusting us to guide you through these tumultuous times. The world is different than it was even when you started here at Brandeis. Just remember, nothing is more important in science (and life) than the truth, in matters big and small. You can be forgiven for misinterpretation of facts, but not for lying about them. If you take nothing but that from your chemistry training, we will have done our job. - Thomas Pochapsky, Department Chair
Computer Science
I think the most important thing to keep in mind is that computer science is a rapidly evolving field and will keep changing. The tools, programming languages, and technologies that you learn today may be outdated in a few years, but the foundational data structures, algorithms, and problem solving skills that you acquire during your time at Brandeis will be the constant throughout your career. This is a particularly exciting time to start a career in computer science due to the rapid advancement of Artificial Intelligence. Be prepared to learn new things, but have the confidence that what you have learned at Brandeis will help you learn more quickly in the future. Keep in touch and we'll be excited to hear your stories, and the new things you have learned working in computer science jobs. -Bert Xue, Department Chair
Mathematics
Congratulations to all graduating seniors! Through your successful training in Mathematics, you have acquired an extended knowledge in various techniques and tools that will open exciting perspectives in various domains, from highly technical quantitative jobs in industry or academia to more applied jobs. But graduating in math is not just about knowing how to differentiate a function or compute eigenvalues of a matrix: your mathematical skills are about creativity, logical reasoning, critical thinking, analytical deduction and rationality, which with no doubt will make you good citizens able to navigate the world as educated members of the society. I encourage all of you to cultivate these skills, remain curious, keep learning everyday, believe in yourselves and pursue your dreams as professionals and academics, and I wish you a lot of happiness and fulfillment. - Jonathan Touboul, Department Chair
Neuroscience
Find the right position where you are not afraid to ask questions, and will keep learning and gaining new skills. The field is always changing so be adaptable! And remember that the scientific methodology of seeking evidence to back up claims and support ideas will be valuable in any of your endeavors. Congratulations on making it -- I hope you each have some positive memories of Brandeis that will last a lifetime! While your student days may be officially over, a successful life requires us always to be learning from others, so keep on studenting...(And please fill out the survey when requested, to help us improve the program :-) ). - Paul Miller, Program Chair
Physics
The most common career goal for physics students is to pursue academia, which entails applying to Graduate School. To these students, I’d recommend that they work very closely with their senior thesis advisor on their applications much before the deadline. The criteria for admissions are different for graduate and undergraduate students. Their research advisors will be able to teach them what skills and experiences they should emphasize in their application depending on the specific field of interest. Even if things don’t go as planned, the student should reach out to their advisor to seek helpful recommendations on how to proceed. Congratulations on choosing a very flexible and adaptable major! A BS in Physics teaches a student much more than just physics. It teaches problem solving skills that are applicable to most fields of the modern world, from academia to industry, from finance to computing or engineering. - Gabriella Sciolla, Department Chair
Psychology
As you complete your major in Psychology and prepare for next steps, whether that involves entering the workforce, pursuing graduate study, or going in another direction, it would be helpful to take a step back to reflect on what you learned in the major. While a student, your focus is usually on the content - what facts do I need to learn for this test or to write a literature review for a paper? But you also acquired skills and ways of thinking. For example, you learned to think critically about data as well as ideas, to communicate ideas, data, and arguments orally and in writing, to work with others in groups or class settings, and to understand people with diverse experiences from a variety of perspectives. How do those skills fit with the desired qualifications for a job or application you are completing? Taking some time to think broadly about how your experiences serve your next steps will help you to articulate that in a convincing way. In addition, taking this step back can help you to appreciate what you learned, beyond the details about how an action potential is generated, Piaget's theory of development, how groups can influence an individual's behavior, or different approaches to psychotherapy. - Angela Gutchess, Department Chair
Social Sciences
African and African American Studies
As with all liberal arts concentrations (and my formal academic disciplines include both Black Studies and English) there is not necessarily an “obvious” connection between "college major/minor” and “career.” So my advice would include looking carefully at the AAAS specializations that were most meaningful to you, and seeing what jobs and fields might align with the areas and skills that you cultivated. This also means keeping your mind open to those opportunities that may not articulate these areas and skills explicitly, but that would be enriched by what you have to offer. How can you convince them that your interdisciplinary AAAS degree can enrich the jobs that they are advertising? I would also advise you to seek out AAAS alumni, who go on to do a range of things when they leave Brandeis.
To graduating seniors: if you are like I was — when I got an undergraduate degree in English, and then a graduate degree in AAAS — then you were advised not to get this degree because it was not practical. You have to move through the world now and claim the experience, skills and flexibility that you have developed. The world really needs the perspectives you are about to bring, and we are so proud and hopeful to see you take these next steps. Please stay in touch. - Faith Smith, Department Chair
American Studies
I always tell our graduates that the most important decision they will probably ever make in their lives has to do with the question of whether to get married -- and if so, to whom. "And if reading an essay by Judith Sargent Murray or a novel by John Steinbeck helped you understand the qualities you admire in other human beings, such that when people who have those qualities come into your life, you are able to recognize them and reach out and grab them, then your degree in American Studies will have served you well." Our students are going to get jobs when they graduate. All of them will get jobs. Their degrees from a prestigious university like Brandeis will guarantee that.
But will they be happy? Will they know how to be happy with themselves? And will they know how to recognize people who can help them to be happy? It is my fervent hope that I have helped our graduates gather and cultivate the tools they will need to say "yes" to all of those questions. I also tell them that "interesting people attract interesting people," and I hope their degree in American Studies has helped them to become interesting! - Maura Jane Farrelly, Program Chair
Economics
Economics has wide applicability as it trains you to think in ways that find resonance across many different occupations in the field. Whether you choose to work in government, policy, academia, industry, or in international agencies, you have the tools to do very well. Be resilient and learn every day no matter what you are engaged in. And remember that your first job is usually not what you end up doing for the rest of your career. It was fantastic to have you in our program and a privilege to be your professors. You are a member of the economics department at Brandeis for life. Please come back and see us often to tell us about all the wonderful things we are sure you will accomplish. We will miss you! - Nidhiya Menon, Department Chair
Environmental Studies
My best advice for graduating seniors is to keep on networking and keep the positive optimism flowing. Finally, don't forget about us. The faculty are here to help you even after your official time here is done. Connect with your peers in the program and alumni from across the generations and disciplines at Brandeis - it is a great place to find support. ENVS hosts a LinkedIn group for Environmental Studies Alumni and Friends we encourage both our majors and non-majors venturing out into climate and environmental fields to join. The environmental field can be a challenging one and it can be hard to square the challenges that we are facing with thinking about your own happiness. Our program encourages students to continue to find joy in the natural world during their time with us at Brandeis - and I would say continue to find that joy and inspiration to keep moving forward. - Colleen Hitchcock, Program Chair
International and Global Studies
Familiarize yourself with the field by doing research on the organizations that work within your concentration. Many offer internships or welcome new college graduates into entry level positions. This experience will be key for deciding where you may want to attend graduate school and what you want to focus on in your career in international studies. Talk to as many people as you can about your interests in the field. You will find that most people are incredibly gracious with their time and want to help young people launch their careers in the field of international studies. - Elanah Uretsky, Program Chair
Politics
My advice for students who aspire to have a career connected to politics, public policy, and government is: think about the communities, issues, and values that are closest to your heart. Then, meet people who do that work in the political arena. Talk to people about the path that they have taken. Listen to them as they tell you about big and small factors that make their current work rewarding, sustainable, and challenging. Use those perspectives as data to inform your own reflections on what you want to do. Also, use those conversations to build a professional network! And remember, there is value to doing many different types of work in politics. Each type of work (electoral, legislative, policy development, policy implementation, advocacy, activism) will give you valuable perspectives and information to inform your engagement in another area. This means that every step in your journey will be worthwhile. - Jill Greenlee, Department Chair
Sociology
Sociology offers a distinct set of theoretical, methodological, and substantive insights that can help you think systemically while being person-centered. That skill set is beneficial in so many arenas. So, when thinking about what you want to do for a career, I suggest thinking about the topics that excite you -- where is your passion? Is it housing affordability, health disparities, environmental justice? Those interests can help orient your career search; we need thoughtful sociologists everywhere! In the words of Mariame Kaba, everything worthwhile is done with other people. I hope you go out and find people with whom you can build more just futures alongside the great friends you've already made at Brandeis. - Sarah Mayorga, Department Chair
Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies
“Wind on face, rhythm in chaos, and consolation in constellations.” The words of the avant-garde Inuk throat singer and author, Tanya Tagaq, illuminate the critical crossroads of the future. Your interdisciplinary degree in Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies has been preparing you for this moment, equipping you with the tools not only to understand how intersectionality shapes systems of oppression and injustice and but also to forge paths of resistance, agency, collective action, and liberatory movements. You have been a vital part of our intellectual and political projects that center the unique experiences of women, femmes, LBGTQIA+, and other marginalized communities. Think broadly and creatively about your career paths. Your expertise will open doors to a wide-range of professions that engage with issues of women, genders, and sexualities: the arts, law, medicine, health care, social work, teaching, counseling, government service, non-profit organizations and agencies, and more.
You are now part of Brandeis’ rich feminist legacy, a history shaped by canonical Black feminist thinkers and activists like Pauli Murray, Angela Davis, Julieanne Richardson, Hortense Spillers, Patricia Hill Collins, Karen E. Fields, M. Jacqui Alexander, and Anita Hill, just to name a few. Other trailblazers include Nancy Chodorow, Loretta DeVine, Evelyn Fox Keller, Gloria Estela LaRiva, Fatima Mernissi, Letty Cottin Pogrebin, Joan Wallach Scott, Elaine Showalter, and many others–each leaving an indelible mark in their fields. As you step forward, take courage. Those who came before you also braved the winds, found their rhythms, and looked to the stars for solace. And above all, never forget the words of the indomitable “Lorde” (Audre Lorde): “When I dare to be powerful, to use my strength in the service of my vision, then it becomes less and less important whether I am afraid.” - ChaeRan Freeze, Department Chair