For Nidhi Gadia, MSBA’23, it’s all about making connections.
A returning student from India, Gadia was on campus Aug. 18 to greet the newest members of the Brandeis International Business School community during the opening day of new-student orientation.
Gadia said an important aspect of the international student experience is embracing change and meeting new people.
“It’s important to feel a sense of community,” said Gadia.
After a kick-off breakfast,
Dean Kathryn Graddy welcomed more than 200 new students to campus. The first day of orientation also included academic advising sessions, campus tours, a panel led by the
Career Strategies and Engagement Center and a meet-and-greet with students, faculty and staff.
“We have all been touched by the last two and a half years of the pandemic,” said Graddy from under a tent outside the Spingold Theater. “It’s time to reach out to your fellow classmates, convene with them and build community here. It’s up to you.”
For
Leadership Fellow Saurabh Jain, MSF’23, volunteering with
student clubs and participating in the many activities led by the
Office of Academic Affairs and Student Experience have proven to be great ways to get involved.
“It’s comforting to know we’re all in the same boat,” said Jain. “It creates student solidarity and that is important.”
Aaron Sam, MSF’23, also a Leadership Fellow and president of the
LGBTQ+ Professional Students Association, said joining a student club can help new students develop their own community.
“We hold a lot of professional events, but we also emphasize social events,” said Sam. “It’s more than simply careers and business.”
During her welcome remarks, Graddy highlighted the school’s founding values and mission by highlighting Brandeis University’s namesake, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis, and his philosophy on business.
“To this day, Brandeis is an institution committed to equality and social justice,” said Graddy. “We will honor this commitment. You came here to study business, economics, finance and data analytics, but our job — at least in part — is to help you develop these interests consistently with Brandeis’ values.”
