Brandeis Stories

By Steve Foskett and Judy Jaeger
Photography by Gaelen Morse
May 11, 2026

Graduate students at Brandeis thrive in small classes under the guidance of world-class researchers and scholars.

These five members of the Class of 2026 reflect on the work that challenged them, the experiences that shaped them and the community that supported them.

Alexandra Szabo

“Keep the human in the world.”

When seeking the institution for her doctoral studies, Alexandra Szabo, PhD’26, was accepted to Brandeis and Oxford University. Brandeis won her over because of the warm outreach of faculty like Paul Jankowski, Raymond Ginger Professor Emeritus of History, and Laura Jockusch, Albert Abramson Associate Professor of Holocaust Studies.

It didn’t take long for Szabo to realize she made the right decision.

“Brandeis became a home to me. It took me a very long time to get accepted into a doctoral program all the way from Hungary, and Brandeis placed its trust in me from the beginning,” she says. “The people of my department became important to me. My cohort — the 2020 COVID cohort — became a family.”

Szabo, who had been studying history and Holocaust studies in a master’s program prior to coming to Brandeis, was already familiar with Jockusch, who became what she described as her Doktormutter, a German word for doctoral supervisor. She also praised Amy Singer, director of Graduate Studies, and Alice Kelikian, associate professor of history.

In addition to a doctoral degree, Szabo takes away important lessons from her Brandeis experience.

“Keep pushing through, even when the world feels unkind. Those of us in the humanities carry an essential responsibility: to keep the human in the world — through empathy, critical thought and care for others.”

Cali Eileen McKenzie

“Take the time to have a conversation with everyone you bump into. You never know what it will lead to.”

The ability to collaborate across departments was an important factor when Cali Eileen McKenzie, MA’26 decided to pursue an interdisciplinary graduate program in anthropology and women’s, gender and sexuality studies.

“Brandeis gave me the opportunity to explore my passions and think about how to connect that to a long-term career,” McKenzie said.

They said their biggest takeaway from their time at Brandeis was to never underestimate how the small thing you say ‘yes’ to can become a huge passion.

“Brandeis taught me to have faith that you will fall into the right path for you, as long as you are putting yourself out there and taking advantage of each connection you make,” they said.

McKenzie reflected that they were grateful to Brian Horton, assistant professor of anthropology and women’s gender and sexuality studies, for his teaching and his continued guidance. They said professors, faculty and administrators like Jing Zhang, assistant director, graduate operations and academic administration, made them feel welcome at Brandeis.

Their advice for fellow graduates: “Take the time to have a conversation with everyone you bump into. You never know what it will lead to.”

Hardik Shukla

“The Brandeis community doesn’t end at graduation. It’s just getting started.”

Hardik Shukla, MBA’26 said that when looking for an MBA program, Brandeis was the only school that offered both a focused, rigorous education and continuous, meaningful support throughout the journey. He said the School of Business and Economics has a faculty of seasoned professionals who bring an industry-standard, project-driven approach to every course, bridging the gap between the classroom and the real world.

But there was more to it than that.

“Brandeis stood out from the very beginning as an institution built on genuine passion for learning, for community, and for making a real difference,” Shukla said.

He said he was taught to be practical and deliberate in decision-making, but it was the sense of community that delivered the most enduring lesson.

“People are at the heart of everything,” he said. “Brandeis reminded me how vital it is to value connection, and the relationships you build here shape not just your time on campus, but the person you become beyond it.”

He said he would not have made it through his graduate degree without his “Brandeis family,” and said Professors Daniel Bergstresser, Aldo Musacchio and Natalie Warila, associate director, strategy and operations at the School of Business and Economics, provided mentorship, patience and unwavering support.

Shukla advised his classmates never to underestimate the power of the community they’ve built here.

“The Brandeis community doesn’t end at graduation,” Shukla said. “It’s just getting started.”

Medha Asthana

“The perfect fit.”

Medha Asthana, PhD’26 admits it sounds cliché, but Brandeis was just “the perfect fit.” The Department of Anthropology had experts who aligned with their doctoral research, and Brandeis offered a very different academic experience — small cohort sizes and an intellectually generous atmosphere — than Asthana’s undergraduate years at a large state university on the west coast.

“I have experienced so much personal mentoring from the faculty, have made great connections among my department colleagues, and am ecstatic to have trained in teaching humanistic pedagogy to bright undergraduates who seek out Brandeis’ liberal arts college influences,” they said.

Asthana credits Marika McCann, associate director of professional development and employer outreach, and Jonathan Anjaria, professor of anthropology, with providing graduate students with resources, panels and tips, to adapt to an evolving job market.

Asthana is also grateful for help they received from the Office of Academic Fellowships, led by Meredith Monaghan, who encouraged them to finish an application for a competitive Fulbright Fellowship.

Now, with a Brandeis doctorate and these experiences behind them, Asthana is ready for what’s next.

“Keep your possibilities and horizons open. In a fast-paced changing society — whether in regard to rapidly advancing technology, abrupt funding changes in various sectors and industries, including higher education, or geopolitically — it is more important than ever to remain adaptable and versatile in your next steps looking for career opportunities.”

Ophelia Delali Amenuxe Akoto

“We are not meant to rise alone.” 

Ophelia Delali Amenuxe Akoto, PhD’26 chose Brandeis because she wanted to “find a place that could carry both my questions and the stories that shaped them.”

At the Heller School for Social Policy and Management, the social policy doctoral candidate said she discovered how research reaches out to policy, people and possibility. She found that Brandeis was a place that would honor the urgency of her work as she explored girls’ STEM education and women’s livelihoods in Ghana.

“It became a mirror of responsibility and a promise to the lives behind the data,” she said. “Brandeis shaped me into a scholar, one who believes deeply in truth, even unto its innermost parts.”

Akoto’s community of peers and faculty who impacted her journey included her dissertation committee members Joseph Assan, Lisa Lynch, and Olajumoke Yacob-Haliso; her “friends and study buddies” and the entire Heller School community.

Reflecting on her graduate school experience, she came away with this advice for her fellow graduates: “We are not meant to rise alone,” she said. “If our education only elevates us, then it is incomplete. But if it equips us to make life possible for others, then it becomes something sacred, something lasting.”