New Undergraduate Student Orientation

Meet the Orientation Leaders!

Orientation Leaders (OL's) will serve as your guides to Brandeis! You will receive an email from your assigned OL in June, but you are welcome to reach out to any of the OL's with questions. When you arrive on-campus, you will join your Orientation group (your OL and some of your peers) for portions of the Orientation program. Don't hesitate to ask the OL's questions you have about Brandeis!

August 2023 Orientation Leader Team

Photo of Alyssa Allen
Alyssa Allen
Orientation Leader

Pronouns: She/her
Class Year: 2024
Majors/Minors: Theater Arts and Legal Studies
Hometown: Belmont, MA
Favorite thing about Brandeis: The people! I have made some of my best friends in life through my classes and clubs. I love how no matter where I go on campus I always see a friend or person I know!

Photo of Diane Arevalo
Diane Arevalo
Orientation Leader

Pronouns: she/her
Class of 2024
Majors/Minors: Biology/LACLS
Hometown: New York, NY
Something I wish I knew when I started my Brandeis journey: The academics can be rigorous but doable when you have a support system.

Photo of Jack Banyasz
Jack Banyasz
Orientation Leader

Pronouns: he/him
Class of 2025
Majors/Minors: Biology major & History and Classical Studies minor
Hometown: New York, NY
My favorite thing about Brandeis is: One of the best things about Brandeis is its dedicated faculty. They are committed to excellence in teaching and research, and they bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to the classroom, creating a dynamic learning environment for students.

Photo of Taviana Barnwell
Taviana Barnwell
Orientation Leader

Pronouns: she/her
Class of 2024
Majors/Minors: HSSP (Health: Science, Society and Policy) and Biology major & African and American Studies minor
Hometown: New York, NY
My favorite thing about Brandeis is: How resources are available to students whenever they need it.

Photo of Sarah Baskin
Sarah Baskin
Orientation Leader

Pronouns: she/her
Class of 2026
Majors/Minors: Computer Science & Linguistics major
Hometown: Lexington, MA
Something I wish I knew when I started my Brandeis journey: Plan out far in advance which classes you want/need to take and have backups if courses fill up.

Photo of Eliza Bier
Eliza Bier
Orientation Leader

Pronouns: she/her
Class of 2026
Majors/Minors: HSSP (Health: Science, Society and Policy) and Anthropology
Hometown: The Woodlands, TX
My favorite thing about Brandeis is: That there is something for everyone. No matter what you're interested in, you will at least be able to find one thing that you can join and be passionate about. Some of the best friends I've made have come from things that I joined randomly.

Photo of Esther Bistricer
Esther Bistricer
Orientation Leader

Pronouns: she/her
Class of 2026
Majors/Minors: Psychology & HSSP (Health: Science, Society and Policy)
Hometown: New York, NY
Something I wish I knew when I started my Brandeis journey: It's okay to not have everything figured out! Do things at your own pace. It takes time to adjust to the college environment, classes, new responsibilities, and new people so be patient with yourself and try your best.

Photo of Cierra Boutin
Cierra Boutin
Orientation Leader

Pronouns: she/her
Class of 2024
Majors/Minors: Anthropology major & Legal Studies and Hispanic Studies minor
Hometown: Gainesville, FL
My favorite thing about Brandeis is: Everyone is encouraging and open minded.My favorite thing about Brandeis is that is a place where you can see someone you know every time you are walking around campus but you are always meeting new people at the same time.

Photo of Emily Braun
Emily Braun
Orientation Leader

Pronouns: she/they
Class of 2024
Majors/Minors: Linguistics & Anthropology major
Hometown: New Hope, PA
My favorite thing about Brandeis is: The friends I’ve made at here.

Photo of Susana Bulnes-Rodriguez
Susana Bulnes-Rodriguez
Orientation Leader

Pronouns: she/her
Class of 2024
Majors/Minors: Chemical Biology & Biology
Hometown: Houston, TX
My favorite thing about Brandeis is: The cultural shows that our student clubs put on.

Photo of Roland Calia-Bogan
Roland Calia-Bogan
Orientation Leader

Pronouns: he/him
Class of 2025
Majors/Minors: Math & Physics
Hometown: Madison, CT
My favorite thing about Brandeis is: Everyone is encouraging and open minded.

Photo of Vincent Calia-Bogan
Vincent Calia-Bogan
Orientation Leader

Pronouns: he/him
Class of 2025
Majors/Minors: Neuroscience & Biology major and Hispanic Studies minor
Hometown: Madison, CT
My favorite thing about Brandeis is: The closeness of the community and how willing everyone is to help one another.

Photo of Mackenzie Chung
Mackenzie Chung
Orientation Leader

Pronouns: she/her
Class of 2026
Majors/Minors: Computer Science
Hometown: Brandon, MS
Something I wish I knew when I started my Brandeis journey: I wish I got out of my comfort zone sooner. There are multiple club events held on campus. Although it can be scary to attend an event by yourself, you will eventually come to meet (and even become friends with) other students who share the same interests as you. Also, most of the events are free and provide food/snacks, so that's a big plus!

Photo of Tony Escueta
Tony Escueta
Orientation Leader

Pronouns: he/him
Class of 2025
Majors/Minors: Politics, International and Global Studies major & Legal Studies minor
Hometown: Dallas, TX
Something I wish I knew when I started my Brandeis journey: The library can lend you laptop/phone chargers.

Photo of Cailan Frink
Cailan Frink
Orientation Leader

Pronouns: they/them
Class of 2024
Majors/Minors: Chemistry & Hispanic Studies
Hometown: Howards Grove, WI
Something I wish I knew when I started my Brandeis journey: I wish I knew that getting out of my comfort zone was a good thing. Try everything you want to, even if you're scared.

Photo of OL Abigail Froyshteter
Abigail Froyshteter
Orientation Leader

Pronouns: she/her
Class of 2026
Majors/Minors: Neuroscience & Biology
Hometown: Chicago, IL
Something I wish I knew when I started my Brandeis journey: It’s okay to take some time to adjust and make friends. Don’t stress to make your first week define the rest of your year.

Photo of Sophie Glassman
Sophie Glassman
Orientation Leader

Pronouns: she/her
Class of 2025
Majors/Minors: Cognitive Science (IIM program) major & SJSP (Social Justice and Social Policy)and Linguistics minor
Hometown: Madison, CT
Something I wish I knew when I started my Brandeis journey: That I don't actually know what I want to study or do and that is okay. I should embrace not knowing because that will lead me to a more fulfilling answer when I finally discover it. If I force myself into something I will only sit in classes I hate and doing work I don't like. If I leave myself open to the unknown it will lead me to something that I actually am passionate about.

Photo of Zac Gondelman
Zac Gondelman
Orientation Leader

Pronouns: he/they
Class of 2026
Majors/Minors: NEJS (Near Eastern and Judaic Studies)
Hometown: Boston, MA
Something I wish I knew when I started my Brandeis journey: Don't stress too much! Everyone is nervous and everything will work out.

Photo of Elisha Gordon
Elisha Gordon
Orientation Leader

Pronouns: he/him
Class of 2025
Majors/Minors: NEJS (Near Eastern and Judaic Studies) major & Linguistics and History minors
Hometown: Philadelphia, PA
Something I wish I knew when I started my Brandeis journey: How easy it is to become a student leader.

Photo of Aviva Gornick
Aviva Gornick
Orientation Leader

Pronouns: she/her
Class of 2025
Majors/Minors: Sociology & Politics
Hometown: Los Angeles, CA
My favorite thing about Brandeis is: The lovely community of friends I have met here!

Photo of Braedy Guenther
Braedy Guenther
Orientation Leader

Pronouns: he/him
Class of 2025
Majors/Minors: Linguistics
Hometown: Denver, CO
Something I wish I knew when I started my Brandeis journey: Clubs are more than just leadership opportunities and resume fillers - they're a great way to make friends, have fun, and boost your mental health.

Photo of Juan Jimenez Garcia
Juan Jimenez Garcia
Orientation Leader

Pronouns: he/him
Class Year: 2024
Majors/Minors: HSSP (Health: Science, Society and Policy)
Hometown: Houston, TX
My favorite thing about Brandeis is: The Intercultural Center (ICC)

Photo of Uma Kanzaria
Uma Kanzaria
Orientation Leader

Pronouns: she/they
Class of 2025
Majors/Minors: Biology
Hometown: Shrewsbury, MA
Something I wish I knew when I started my Brandeis journey: Asking for help is really rewarding (and even better when in advance).

Photo of Dani Kohorn
Dani Kohorn
Orientation Leader

Pronouns: she/her
Class of 2025
Majors/Minors: Neuroscience
Hometown: Issaquah, WA
Something I wish I knew when I started my Brandeis journey: The high achieving environment often feels a bit overwhelming as people tend to want to study multiple things. It is okay to major in one thing! It does not make you "lesser" than any other student.

Photo of Sophia Koolpe
Sophia Koolpe
Orientation Leader

Pronouns: she/her
Class of 2024
Majors/Minors: HSSP (Health: Science, Society and Policy), Legal Studies & WGS (Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies)
Hometown: Santa Fe, NM
Something I wish I knew when I started my Brandeis journey: I wish I knew how easy it is to shop classes. I did not realize how useful of a tool it is when trying to figure out class schedules, and so I wish I utilized it more.

Photo of Madeline Logan
Madeline Logan
Orientation Leader

Pronouns: she/her
Class of 2024
Majors/Minors: ENVS (Environmental Studies) & Studio Art
Hometown: Foxboro, MA
Something I wish I knew when I started my Brandeis journey: It's okay if your plans change!

Photo of Anna Martin
Anna Martin
Orientation Leader

Pronouns: she/her
Class of 2026
Majors/Minors: Undeclared -intended Independent Interdisciplinary Major in Political Journalism and Cognitive Science majors with a minor in Film, Television & Interactive Media
Hometown: Hopedale, MA
Something I wish I knew when I started my Brandeis journey: I wish I knew more about the clubs offered here at Brandies. It took me about a semester to really get involved with all of my favorite clubs, and the involvement fair can seem a little overwhelming. Taking a second to look at the Brandeis website and Campus Groups to explore clubs there would have cut down on the overload at the club fair and helped me possibly get involved earlier.

Photo of Zach Mayer
Zach Mayer
Orientation Leader

Pronouns: he/him
Class of 2025
Majors/Minors: History, Politics and American Studies major; HOID (History of Ideas), SJSP (Social Justice and Social Policy) and Religious Studies minor
Hometown: Los Angeles, CA
My favorite thing about Brandeis is: The people! The community at Brandeis is something I never could have expected, and it's just unreal how amazing everyone is.

Photo of Victoria Mei
Victoria Mei
Orientation Leader

Pronouns: she/they
Class of 2026
Majors/Minors: Chemistry
Hometown: Brooklyn, NY
Something I wish I knew when I started my Brandeis journey: You don't have to overload yourself; just having your course load and a club or two can be super overwhelming. Dedicate your time to classes you like and clubs you are passionate about.

Photo of Tako Mikhelashvili
Tako Mikhelashvili
Orientation Leader

Pronouns: she/her
Class of 2026
Majors/Minors: Undeclared - Anticipated Economics major & Architectural Studies minor
Hometown: Tbilisi, Georgia
Something I wish I knew when I started my Brandeis journey: I wish I knew how nice, welcoming, and supportive people would be at Brandeis. Before I came to Brandeis, I worried a lot about how I would adjust to living in a new country without my family and friends and always talking in English. However, the people at Brandeis made it easier for me to adapt to the new environment and guided me through every difficulty I faced.

Photo of Zachary Miller
Zachary Miller
Orientation Leader

Pronouns: he/him
Class of 2025
Majors/Minors: History, Politics and American Studies
Hometown: Brooklyn, NY
My favorite thing about Brandeis is: The diverse range of communities students can be a part of.

Photo of Jolie Newman
Jolie Newman
Orientation Leader

Pronouns: she/her
Class of 2024
Majors/Minors: Creative Writing, Journalism, Legal Studies & Italian Studies
Hometown: River Vale, NJ
Something I wish I knew when I started my Brandeis journey: I wish I knew to join more clubs my first year.

Photo of Ashley Plochocki
Ashley Plochocki
Orientation Leader

Pronouns: she/her
Class of 2024
Majors/Minors: Biochemistry major & Psychology minor
Hometown: Berlin, CT
My favorite thing about Brandeis is: How welcoming the community is! With so many clubs and different activities around campus, everyone has a place here!

Photo of Ani Poghosyan
Ani Poghosyan
Orientation Leader

Pronouns: she/her
Class of 2026
Majors/Minors: Neuroscience
Hometown: Cranston, RI
My favorite thing about Brandeis is: The kind and supportive community that it has.

Photo of Katelynn Quartson
Katelynn Quartson
Orientation Leader

Pronouns: she/her
Class Year: 2026
Majors/Minors: Biology and Women & Gender Studies
Hometown: Bronx, NY
My favorite thing about Brandeis is: All of the clubs and campus activities!

Photo of Esha Rakesh
Esha Rakesh
Orientation Leader

Pronouns: she/her
Class of 2025
Majors/Minors: HSSP (Health: Science, Society and Policy), Sociology & Math
Hometown: Foxboro, MA
Something I wish I knew when I started my Brandeis journey: You earned your spot here- you belong! It may feel like everyone else is smarter, knows what they're doing, or is more productive, etc, but chances are, they also feel imposter syndrome.

Photo of Abby Roberts
Abby Roberts
Orientation Leader

Pronouns: she/her
Class of 2024
Majors/Minors: English & Theater Arts
Hometown: Bethlehem, PA
Something I wish I knew when I started my Brandeis journey: I wish that I'd been less afraid to reach out to people and that the resources provided to us are there for a reason, and we should be able to trust that we'll get the support we need.

Photo of Greg Roitbourd
Greg Roitbourd
Orientation Leader

Pronouns: any
Class of 2026
Majors/Minors: Physics major & Creative Writing and Theater Arts minor
Hometown: Brooklyn, NY
My favorite thing about Brandeis is: The connections I have made here.

Photo of Esther Rubin
Esther Rubin
Orientation Leader

Pronouns: she/her
Class of 2026
Majors/Minors: Education Studies and Psychology major & Education Studies minor
Hometown: New Delhi, India
Something I wish I knew when I started my Brandeis journey: It's okay to be unsure about things: your major, your friends, your classes. But ask for help and it will be ok!

Photo of Rowan Scassellati
Rowan Scassellati
Orientation Leader

Pronouns: he/him
Class of 2026
Majors/Minors: Undeclared -anticipated Psychology major
Hometown: Chesire, CT
Something I wish I knew when I started my Brandeis journey: I wish that I knew about all of the different resources that were available, and that if you're willing to ask you can find so many great resources.

Photo of Andie Sheinbaum
Andie Sheinbaum
Orientation Leader

Pronouns: she/her
Class of 2024
Majors/Minors: Environmental Studies major & English and Legal Studies minors
Hometown: Aurora, CO
My favorite thing about Brandeis is: The passion and warmth of its students!

Photo of Cameron Sherman
Cameron Sherman
Orientation Leader

Pronouns: he/him
Class of 2026
Majors/Minors: Computer Science & Business
Hometown: New York, NY
Something I wish I knew when I started my Brandeis journey: I wish I knew that college is not as scary as what some people say, as well as the fact that the Brandeis community WANTS you to succeed!

Photo of Jeffrey Walk
Jeffrey Walk
Orientation Leader

Pronouns: he/him
Class of 2025
Majors/Minors: Politics, IGS (International and Global Studies), Legal Studies
Hometown: St. Louis, MO
Something I wish I knew when I started my Brandeis journey: Brandeis has a lot of resources like Hiatt, the Writing Center, the BCC, etc., that everyone should take advantage of.

Photo of Wesley Wei
Wesley Wei
Orientation Leader

Pronouns: he/him
Class of 2026
Majors/Minors: Economics major & Legal Studies, Math and possibly Psychology minor
Hometown: Taipei, Taiwan
My favorite thing about Brandeis is: Its diverse and inclusive student body; Brandeis students and faculty never make me feel out of place!

Photo of Rachel Weiss
Rachel Weiss
Orientation Leader

Pronouns: she/her
Class of 2026
Majors/Minors: Applied Mathematics
Hometown: San Clemente, CA
Something I wish I knew when I started my Brandeis journey: Not trying and not asking for what you need, want, or are questioning can hold you back from amazing opportunities and people.

Photo of Gabby Wernick
Gabby Wernick
Orientation Leader

Pronouns: she/her
Class of 2025
Majors/Minors: Neuroscience and Biology major & Chemistry, Psychology and Politics minor
Hometown: Scottsdale, AZ
My favorite thing about Brandeis is: The resources available for both science and humanities students. I am currently majoring in biology and neuroscience but am still able to take courses that I'm interested in and become a politics minor. I do research and TA (Teacher's Assistant) for STEM classes and am still able to venture into the humanities, which is a facet unique to Brandeis in its variety of opportunities.

Photo of Makayla Wigder
Makayla Wigder
Orientation Leader

Pronouns: she/her
Class of 2024
Majors/Minors: COML (Comparative Literature and Culture), European Cultural Studies and Hispanic Studies major & English and Legal Studies minor
Hometown: Houston, TX
My favorite thing about Brandeis is: I wish I knew that "college" does not happen at once. It's important to be gentle with yourself because college is not like movies—it takes time to get adjusted, form deep relationships, learn to live with someone else, and what classes work and do not work for you. Be kind to yourself, and you will thrive (even if it is not immediate)!

Photo of Kat Xikes
Kat Xikes
Orientation Leader

Pronouns: she/her
Class of 2026
Majors/Minors: HSSP (Health: Science, Society and Policy) major and Studio Art minor
Hometown: Chatham, NJ
My favorite thing about Brandeis is: That there is always an event going on, whether it is something planned by the school or one of the clubs. There is always an opportunity to gain new experiences and meet new people because of this.

Photo of Hedy Yang
Hedy Yang
Orientation Leader

Pronouns: she/her
Class of 2026
Majors/Minors: Economics & Environmental Studies
Hometown: Princeton, NJ
My favorite thing about Brandeis is: The community! I have met such amazing people who accept and support me through all aspects of my life, while also pushing me to grow and become the best version of myself.

Photo of Judy Ye
Judy Ye
Orientation Leader

Pronouns: she/her
Class of 2024
Majors/Minors: Neuroscience and Biology major & Psychology and Music minor
Hometown: Brookline, MA
Something I wish I knew when I started my Brandeis journey: The professors and students are very friendly. So don't hesitate to ask people for help when you're lost/confused!