The Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Welcomes 67th Class
September 4, 2020
Simon Goodacre | Graduate School of Arts and Sciences
Last month, the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS) hosted 266 new students for orientation, including 77 doctoral, 159 master's, and 30 post-baccalaureate and non-degree students. They represent 17 countries including: Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Finland, Hungary, India, Israel, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Netherlands, Portugal, Taiwan, and the United Kingdom. Incoming domestic students hail from 35 different states.
In order to maintain social distancing, orientation was hosted online for the first time this year. The program was split into two modules, one for all graduate students at Brandeis and one for GSAS students specifically. Both modules combined materials that incoming students could peruse at their convenience and opportunities for real-time interaction between students, staff, and faculty. The Graduate Student Affairs office shared a range of resources across the University and hosted panels on a range of topics, including: remote learning, imposter syndrome, discrimination and harassment, race in America, and health and safety protocols to limit the spread of Covid-19. Students also heard from President Ron Leibowitz and Provost Lisa Lynch, both of whom emphasized the University’s founding principles of academic rigor, anti-discrimination, and social justice.
A major challenge for organizers this year was providing opportunities for incoming students to meet their peers in an online format. In spite of the circumstances, many academic departments were able to create online spaces for incoming students to meet others in their programs, including returning students. The Graduate Student Affairs team also held an online reception where students could meet their peers around the University.
After congratulating the incoming students on joining the Brandeis community, Eric Chasalow, the Dean of GSAS, reminded students that, “While we are all excited to mark this moment, I really do want to acknowledge that we've all faced significant challenges in these recent months, and we expect that these will continue for a while longer.” Chasalow reminded students of the support staff that is available, even as the community contends with an ongoing pandemic, saying, “We want you to feel completely at ease about reaching out to us with ideas, concerns, and questions at any time.”