Brandeis Magazine

Alumni often talk about the lasting impact of their Brandeis academic experience — how they learned to think critically and engage in productive debate, forged close relationships with faculty, or conducted hands-on research.

So it’s no surprise that many alumni, drawing on their professional know-how, serve as guest lecturers, panelists or mentors in undergraduate and graduate courses across the Brandeis curriculum.

Whether they advise students about the workplace challenges they’ll face, detail the ins and outs of particular industries, or describe the persuasive art of branding, they are paying it forward, by coming back.

A road map for life after college

Edgar Ndjatou ’06

Edgar Ndjatou ’06 has been a guest lecturer in Beyond Loop Road: Transitioning to the Real World, an undergraduate course launched in 2024 to teach students about practical issues they’ll face postgraduation. Alumni come in to discuss a wide range of personal and professional topics, including how to evaluate employee benefits or navigate workplace culture.

In his discussions, Ndjatou, the executive director of a nonprofit that seeks to create fair work environments, touched on legal issues related to many workplace practices, like phone monitoring and overtime compensation, to help students better understand their professional rights before they begin their careers.

“Self-advocacy is so important,” he says, “and very young professionals don’t always know what’s legal or illegal in the workplace.”

Ndjatou, who has nearly 20 years’ experience in employment law and human resources, also covered often-overlooked tips related to resume writing and networking. Other alumni participating in the course provide advice tailored to professions students have expressed an interest in, such as journalism, investment banking and politics.

“Mentoring students by talking to them about your career is a fulfilling way to give back,” says Ndjatou.

Explaining the world of finance

Pia McCusker ’92, IBS MSF’00

Many young would-be finance professionals want to work in alternative investments — cryptocurrency, for instance, or hedge funds.

Pia McCusker ’92, IBS MSF’00, on the other hand, says she encourages recent graduates to pursue careers in that “nice little financial niche called global cash,” managing the cash holdings of companies across international borders and currency types.

“There are always trends in the finance industry,” she says, “but cash isn’t a trend. It sticks around.”

As the global head of cash management at State Street Global Advisors, McCusker knows the full range of career options in her field.

“People are excited about alternative investments, like equities, fixed income, private credit, hedge funds and, especially, crypto,” she says. “But global cash and money markets are the engine of the economy.”

At one panel focused on careers in asset management, McCusker gave students an inside look at the global cash field. She also serves on Brandeis International Business School’s Asset Management Council. The seasoned professionals on the council don’t just provide alumni with networking opportunities, they advise the university on its own asset management.

“For me, personally, this work is about giving back, because the school did so much for me as an undergraduate and in grad school,” says McCusker, one of the first graduates of the university’s Master of Science in Finance program.

“It’s also a great opportunity for students to see the success of those who came to Brandeis before them,” she says.

An Estée Lauder exec comes to class

Peter Lichtenthal ’78

Peter Lichtenthal ’78 knows a thing or two about marketing.

He spent nearly 30 years at the Estée Lauder Companies, first overseeing the namesake brand’s skin-care and fragrance marketing efforts, then spending his last decade at the firm as global brand president for MAC, Bobbi Brown, and Bumble and Bumble.

Now retired from Estée Lauder, Lichtenthal regularly guest lectures in Brandeis business courses. Most recently, he gave a series of lectures that laid out his take on “the art of branding” and “the marketing playbook.”

Lichtenthal has also participated in panel discussions about careers in the fashion and beauty industries, led communications and presentation workshops with PhD students, and held informal career roundtables.

There’s more engagement on the horizon: He’s developed an interview-skills workshop, sharing his executive-level expertise with students seeking jobs or internships.

“Staying involved in this way, it’s very much a two-way street,” says Lichtenthal, a member of the Brandeis International Business School advisory board. “Students benefit from the knowledge and experience alumni have, in ways that are incalculable.

“On the other hand, as an alum, being in this environment allows you to stay more in touch with what’s going on with students today — and feel more connected to Brandeis.”