Brandeis Welcomes Graduate Students With Ice Cream Social
Photo Credit: Becky Prigge
August 28, 2025
Abigail Arnold | Graduate School of Arts and Sciences
451 new graduate students are beginning their studies at Brandeis this summer and fall. Staff welcomed them -- and returning students too! -- with an ice cream social on August 27, 2025, the first day of classes for the semester. Students enjoyed delicious sundaes from Lizzy's Ice Cream while spending time with friends old and new. Here is what some members of the graduate student community are looking forward to this year:
In the Sociology Department, first-year PhD students Ambria Jones and Alexander Torres are looking forward to making friends with their cohort members and building community.
In the sciences, Chemistry PhD student Emily Ziperman and Molecular and Cell Biology PhD student Kate Fitzpatrick are looking forward to the return of Talking Points, an ongoing event in which students present about their interests that are unrelated to science. Returning Chemistry PhD student Kayla Cerri is looking forward to the chance to mentor undergraduates in the lab, while new Chemistry PhD students Alexia Telios, Minyu Zhou, and Hao Zheng are excited to begin their studies as Brandeis graduate students!
And on the administrative end... Vice Provost for Graduate Affairs Charles Golden is excited for all the upcoming interdisciplinary collaborations this year will bring.