Photos: Brandeis welcomes the Class of 2026
The positive energy was palpable as the Class of 2026 filled their residence halls, said goodbye to their parents, and began the next chapter of their lives at Brandeis’ 2022 Move-In Day on Sunday.
With an enrollment of 996, the class is the largest in university history.
Lyn Stanley ’26 arrived on campus Sunday morning after flying in from Chicago. Stanley had already built relationships with classmates online and was excited to meet them in person. "I feel like I've already made so many friends," Stanley said.
A stream of cars was greeted by Orientation Leaders as they arrived in the Theater Lot Sunday morning.
Amanda Zhang ’26 picked up her residence hall key Sunday morning. Her older brother and sister came with her from Acton, Mass. to help her move-in. She was feeling excited and a little anxious. "I hope the food is good!" Zhang said.
Temperatures climbed toward 90 degrees, but spirits stayed high. As part of a new initiative, “Alumni @ Move-In Day,” a team of alumni returned to campus to lend a hand Sunday. Gary "Sundance" Clay '80, Jose Perez '75, Lewis Brooks ’80, P’16, Sharon Rosenberg ’00, Hanna Switlekowski ’13, and many others gathered in the Theater Parking Lot to greet the new class and their families.
"We're loving it, and the parents are loving it, too," said Brooks, who is president of the Brandeis Alumni Association. "We're all sharing our Brandeis stories and having a good time. We hope this will be the beginning of a new alumni tradition."
Molly James ’26 set up her room in Deroy Residence Hall with her mom, Alisa. James, a Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania native, was looking forward to practicing with her teammates on the women's basketball team and for the season to get started.
New roommates Alexis Gutierrez ’26 of Queens, N.Y., third from left, and Ian Baker ’26 of Atlanta, Georgia, second from right, got plenty of help from their families as they moved into their room Sunday.
Throughout the day, new students steadily streamed into the Campus Card Office in Kutz Hall for their IDs. Above, Luisa Quispe '24 takes a photo of Allie Lanham '26.
Outside of his son Jacob's room in Shapiro Residence Hall, Mike Morse was put to work building a storage cart, but he didn't mind. "It's a great day. I'm excited for him," he said.
Sadie Giddings ’26 drove to campus from Chicago with her mom Carrie. She was looking forward to taking courses in her planned major, environmental studies. "The classes and professors seem great," she said. "I can't wait to get started."
After settling in and meeting their roommates, the Class of 2026 and their families gathered on sunny Chapel’s Field for Convocation on Sunday afternoon. Brandeis leaders wished them well as they began their collegiate careers. Then the new students gathered to meet their Orientation Leaders.
The Class of 2026 then said goodbye to their parents, and turned their attention to New Student Orientation activities. At dusk, they gathered at the “Light of Reason” art installation outside the Rose Art Museum and hoisted LED candles toward the sky for Light the Night, an annual initiation event for each incoming class.
From there, they headed to the Great Lawn to get to know their classmates at the Bright the Night Social Event.
Monday marked the beginning of three days packed with Orientation events ahead of classes starting on Thursday, Aug. 25. Students gathered in Spingold Theater Monday afternoon for the Helen and Philip Brecher New Student Forum, where they heard from acclaimed author Elizabeth Kolbert. Each year, a new book is selected as the subject of the forum, where the incoming class has a shared academic experience. Kolbert’s "Under a White Sky: The Nature of the Future" was this year’s selection.
After the event, Maya Kushner '26 and Madison Holmes A Court '26 chatted with Kolbert on the Spingold stage.
Along with big events that bring the whole class together, like a campus sleepover social event and a trip to the Boston Museum of Science, Orientation also features numerous breakout sessions and small group discussions to prepare the new class for the years ahead.
Categories: Alumni, Student Life
