About QAA
Queer Academics and Activism (QAA) will offer first-year students a thought-provoking examination of the many dimensions of queer lives and experiences in the United States: the history of struggles around LGBTQIA+ rights, the development of queer activism, the intersections of queerness with questions of race, class, gender, and other vectors of oppression, and how scholars have theorized these realities.
Students will have the opportunity to learn from renowned faculty members in the Department of Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies at Brandeis as well as to hear about queer life and resources on campus. Through lectures, workshops, panel discussions, and seminar-style discussions, students will be introduced to an intersectional approach to queer theory and queer studies, and the relationship between queer studies and queer activism. In the process, students will learn about opportunities to contribute to queer community progress and forge memorable, lasting friendships in a safe space for personal growth through a well-rounded understanding of their place in history.
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QAA was originally created as a five day program for high school students in partnership with the precollege program at Brandeis during summer 2019. High school students from high schools nationally attended the program to develop strategies, learning, and collaborative networks in the queer community. In 2021, in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, the program was integrated into the pre-orientation offerings for first-year students at Brandeis under the leadership of the Department of Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. High school students are still invited and encouraged to participate in the program.
Any incoming first year student can apply to participate in QAA. You do not have to be a member of the queer community, allies are welcome. We also welcome local high school students who are interested in the program.
The application is available in early May, reviewed, and acceptances are sent in early June. If you have questions about the application process, please contact the Office of First Year Experience or QAA Staff.
High school students who are interested in participating should contact QAA Staff for more information.
Holistically, QAA, like most of the pre-orientation programming, is approximately two days of community building through lectures, discussions, workshops, and shared meals. It enables students to have an opportunity to build community early and cultivate relationships with on-campus resources, more advanced students, and Brandeis faculty and staff. QAA is a safe place for a soft launch into college life before orientation.
Academically, as a participant in QAA, you will begin to engage with queer activism, arts, and theory. You will begin your foundational intellectual work in queer history and theory. You will listen to and engage with faculty offering lectures on the intersections of queerness and history, sociology, anthropology, and performance. Whether or not you choose to explore any of these areas of study further at Brandeis is up to you, but you will begin your career at Brandeis with a broad overview of the possibilities for queer academics and activism at Brandeis and beyond.
Yes, the cost for participating in QAA is $200.00 which is the cost for all Brandeis pre-orientation programs. Please email us if you have a financial hardship and want to discuss options. No student is denied on the basis of financial necessity.
The $200.00 includes all associated costs for the programming at the university-level. QAA participants are provided with additional items at no cost to facilitate their success in QAA.
Yes! We welcome and encourage parent(s)/guardian(s) to contact with us with any questions or concerns regarding QAA. We understand that this is a major transition for all families and there may be additional anxieties about the program from cost to content. Please have your family member/guardian
contact our administrator, Dr. Alix Brandon, with any questions or concerns and she will provide your parent/guardian with answers, resources, or refer them to the appropriate resource for answers.
If you would like to speak to a former participant of QAA as an incoming student, we can also arrange for virtual introductions to support your participation and transition to queer and first year life at Brandeis.