Brandeis Stories

Scene at Brandeis: April 2026

April 30, 2026

Scene at Brandeis is a recurring feature highlighting the work of Brandeis' photographers. 

By staff photographers Dan Holmes and Gaelen Morse and student photographers Agbarakwe Chukwuemeka MS’26 and Daniel Oren ’27.

See more photos on Instagram and Facebook, and in the Scene at Brandeis archive.

April at Brandeis marked the start of the semester’s final stretch. As classes wound down and final exams approached, Brandeisians stayed busy with lively events and activities. Between study sessions and warmer spring days, students found time to come together and make the most of the last weeks of the semester.

Springfest brought campus to life with performances by Zara Larsson, Notebook P, Hazel Drew, 1 Night Only, Marakosa and DJ JAGA. Students also enjoyed food trucks, photo booths and more.

Three students smile outside at Springfest.
An audience of students film Zara Larsson on stage at Springfest.
Two students pose for a photo outside at Springfest.
Zara Larsson performs on stage at Springfest.
Two students take a selfie in the audience at Springfest.

Earlier in the month, the Leonard Bernstein Festival of the Creative Arts brought even more art and performance to campus with “Art Never Sleeps,” featuring a 24-hour series of concerts, films, theater and student work.

A band performs on stage at the Festival of the Arts.
A musician play a large green trombone.

April also included moments centered on culture and celebration across campus. The 2026 Culture X show, “Woven Worlds,” highlighted diverse stories and traditions through student performances.

A student dances on stage during the 2026 Culture X show.

Vaisakhi, hosted by Namaskar and the Brandeis South Asian Student Association, offered another opportunity for celebration, with music, Punjabi food, henna and plant potting.

Students perform at Vaisakhi.
Two students paint plant pots at Vaisakhi.

Students also enjoyed immersive academic programming throughout the month. “Monks as Craftsmen in Byzantine Egypt,” presented by the Department of Classical and Early Mediterranean Studies, Mandel Center for the Humanities and the Department of Near Eastern and Judaic Studies, brought together scholars and museum professionals and gave students a chance to explore history through augmented reality.

Three students in a classroom using virtual reality headsets.
A student using a virtual reality headset.

Finally, “Clash of the Quads” introduced a new campus tradition, where students competed in field day events and showed strong quad spirit.

Students dressed in their quad colors play a game of tug of war.

It’s been another memorable month on campus. We’re wishing everyone the best of luck on final exams, and looking forward to May!

Students study on their laptops outside during a sunny day on campus.