The Justice, May 20, 2024

2024 COMMENCEMENT

Brandeis employees demand higher pay

■ Union and non-union employees gather

unity as they enter new contract negotiations.

By LIN LIN HUTCHINSON and SOPHIA DE LISI JUSTICE EDITOR, JUSTICE ASSOCIATE EDITOR

On Tuesday, April 16, members of the Brandeis community, including undergraduate students, graduate students, staff, faculty, translators and union members of Service Employees International Union Local 509, SEIU Local 888 and 32BJ SEIU rallied outside of the Bernstein-Marcus Administration Center. The gathering was an effort to show union unity as all three unions enter contract negotiations for current contracts expiring on June 30.

The unions represented at the University include faculty and Ph.D student teaching assistants and fellows (SEIU, Local 509); librarians and library support staff (SEIU Local 888); and Facilities staff (SEIU 32BJ). All three unions are seeking an increase in wages and expanded benefits to match the cost of living in the greater Boston area.

Rally attendees gathered as early as 15 minutes before the 11:30 a.m. scheduled time, with union stewards and organizers walking around with clipboards having people sign in. Many carried signs, expressing their dissatisfaction with the University’s treatment of its employees.

“I helped Brandeis maintain R1 status and all I got was underpaid,” read one rally sign, referencing the University’s “high research activity,” according to the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. Universities with R1 classifications are evaluated by their dedication to research, financial investments in science and engineering, the number of doctoral degrees granted in diverse disciplines and a sizable research faculty.

“One of The Top 10 PhD Programs for Social Policy

But…LOWEST Stipend in all of Brandeis! $21k Is Not A Living Wage Is this social justice?” another sign questioned.

These signs reflected the demands of graduate student employees for increased stipends and wages. Going into negotiations, many union members are pushing for increased wages that will better support the cost of living and reflect the work they perform.

Representing SEIU 32BJ were Maritza Ayala and Dagma Quiles, both stewards of the union and members of the facilities team at Brandeis. Ayala, who has been working in facilities for 18 years, shared her gratitude for being picked as a union steward and emphasized her determination to fight for a fair contract and respect for the workers. “All my brothers and sisters, let's fight for our rights. We won’t stop. Let's fight for our rights.” Ayala’s chant was translated from Spanish to English.

In an interview with The Justice , Ayala shared that she has to work full-time just to make ends meet. This means working seven days a week, taking over time and any additional work to pay rent and bills and assisting her son with paying for his college tuition — all while balancing being a single mother.

“They know that we’re here 100% for them — cleaning, doing really dirty work, cleaning everything necessary to clean. They should be able to recognize that if we weren’t here, Brandeis wouldn’t function,” Ayala told The Justice. Ayala described this workload as much heavier than when she first started at Brandeis because administration refuses to hire more custodians, forcing the remaining staff to take on more work in the same amount of time for the same pay.

Similarly, in an interview with The Justice following the rally, Quiles explained that over the last two years, the University has increased the amount of work that facilities had to perform due to staff shortage. She described her work shifts being around eight hours long and pay does not increase to reflect any additional shifts that she picks up. The Justice reached out to the University for comments, but did not receive comments as of

Four seniors plan to go abroad after graduation through Fullbright grants

Ken Burns delivers address at undergraduate commencement

■ Esteemed director Ken Burns encourages the Class of 2024 to look beyond simple truths and seek nuance in the world around them.

By ZOE ZACHARY JUSTICE EDITOR

As a part of Brandeis University’s 73rd undergraduate commencement, acclaimed director Ken Burns received an honorary Doctorate of Creative Arts and gave an address to the Brandeis undergraduate Class of 2024. Burns is well known for his historical documentaries and television series, which cover a wide range of topics in United States history. These include ell known for the documentaries “Civil War,” “Baseball,” “Jazz” and “The U.S. and the Holocaust.” Over the course of his career, Burns has won a plethora of awards, including two Oscar nominations, 17 Emmy Awards and two Grammy Awards. In 2022, Burns was inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame. Burns began his speech by contextualizing his work in the business of history. He recognized the current challenges in addressing history on college campuses,

“particularly when forces seem determined to eliminate or water down difficult parts of our past.” While many parts of history are difficult to process, Burns explained that it is his job to embrace the power of the past and to use it to interpret “our dizzying and sometimes dismayed present” using storytelling. Burns has strived to maintain a conscious neutrality, allowing his work to speak to as many of his fellow citizens as possible. In context of popular beliefs and phrases, Burns went on to examine the nature of history as something repetitive. He pointed out that while “no event has ever happened twice,” the inherent strengths and weaknesses of humankind have permeated generations upon generations. In other words, history does not repeat itself, “it just rhymes.”

Burns stated that as an interpreter of these “rhymes,'' he is interested in “listening to the many various voices of a true, honest, complicated past that is unafraid of controversy and tragedy but equally drawn to those stories and moments that suggest an abiding faith in the human sphere.” To the Class of 2024, he suggested these these voices might help them make sense of the trajectory of their lives today.

Building on the importance of using voices from the past, Burns chose to highlight an excerpt from Abraham

See BURNS, 7 ☛

Ruth Simmons gives graduate commencement

■ National changemaker

Ruth Simmons spoke about the Brandeis community and provided advice to graduating students.

By ANNA MARTIN JUSTICE EDITOR IN CHIEF

On May 19, students, faculty, administration, family and friends came together to celebrate the Brandeis graduate school Class of 2024. The ceremony acknowledged students from the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, Heller School for Social Policy and Management, Brandeis International Business School and the Rabb School of Continuing Studies, as well as gave out honorary degrees to Rabbi David Ellenson and Ruth Simmons.

Simmons was introduced to the audience by President Ronald Liebowitz, who listed her many accolades including holding university presidency at Smith College, Brown University and Prairie View A&M University. She has had a great impact on these universities, including leading Prairie View to be classified as an R2 research university and helping Brown to “[make] signifi-

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cant strides in improving its standing as one of the world’s finest research universities,” as stated in the event program. Simmons was the first African American president of an Ivy League institution and has received many awards including the Centennial Medal from Harvard University, the Brown faculty’s highest honor, the 2002 Fullbright Lifetime Achievement Award and the 2001 President’s Award from the United Negro College Fund. Simmons was also named a Chevalier of the French Legion of Honor in 2012 and holds many positions including senior advisor to the president of Harvard University on Historically Black Colleges and Universities initiatives and member of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture.

Following the distribution of the honorary degrees, now Doctor of Humane Letters, Simmons presented the keynote address to the audience. She began her address with the statement “I congratulate you on the singular milestone that we celebrate today. But I know that this is only the beginning of the accomplishments that you will accumulate in the years ahead.” Simmons went on to acknowledge that the graduates sitting before her will make significant contributions to the legacy of the institution. She acknowledged Brandeis graduates that have gone on to do great things, such as Deborah Bial ’87 founding a See SIMMONS, 7 ☛

Photo courtesy of ERICK COMAS HERNANDEZ.

ELIZA BIER/The Justice

ADDRESS : Ken Burns addresses the Brandeis class of 2024 at the undergraduate commencement ceremony.

BRIEF

Transfer application deadline extended

On Monday, April 22, University President Ronald Liebowitz emailed the Brandeis community announcing the extension of transfer applications. The extended transfer application deadline is May 31 and prospective students will hear back from the University regarding their applications by July 1.

In his email, Leibowitz attributes the transfer application extension to rising rates of antisemitism on college campuses. He stated that “Jewish students are being targeted and attacked physically and verbally, preventing them from pursuing their studies and activities outside of class, just because they are Jewish or support Israel,” especially on campuses where protests have taken place. In his words, Jewish students’ “safety has been compromised and this is unacceptable.”

The email also contained a brief history of Brandeis’ founding, including its commitment

to protecting the safety of its students. Liebowitz communicated Brandeis’ pride in being a place where Jewish students can “thrive.” Liebowitz urged prospective transfer students to visit the Brandeis undergraduate admissions website. The email concluded with a brief statement expressing that the University welcomes those who are looking for an “excellent undergraduate education and an environment striving to be free of harassment and Jew-hatred.”

BRIEF

Women’s basketball coach Carol Simon retires

Following a paid administrative leave that began the summer of 2023, Carol Simon Heller MA ’03 was reinstated as the head women’s basketball coach this March. This leave took place due to an investigation conducted by the Office of Equal Opportunity following reports of alleged racist comments and treatment towards others. The investigation concluded that Simon had not violated any University policies, and she was reinstated.

This decision was met with outrage from many community members and garnered media attention from sources such as The Boston Globe. In response to Simon’s reinstatement, 11 members of the Brandeis women’s basketball team wrote a letter to Simon demanding her resignation and threatening not to play under her as their coach. The African and African American Studies department at Brandeis sent a letter to The Justice condemning Simon’s actions as well.

On the afternoon of April 26, Vice President of Student Affairs Andrea Dine sent out an email to the Brandeis community titled “Administrative News.” This email was addressed to students, faculty and staff, and stated that Simon will be retiring. The email then went on to celebrate all of Simon’s awards and achievements from her 37-year tenure, as well as the impact that she has made on the university, earning her a spot in the New England Basketball Hall of Fame.

The email concluded with the following statement: “We thank Carol for her many years of service and contributions to Brandeis and wish her well in her retirement.” Dine also detailed that Brandeis will begin the hunt for a new coach for the team shortly.

— Eliza Bier

Content warning: the report includes mention of self-harm MEDICAL EMERGENCY

Apr. 12—A caller reported a student with chest pain. The patient was transported to a nearby hospital for further treatment.

Apr. 13—A student reported having an upset stomach and feeling out of breath. Patient refused medical treatment.

Apr. 14—A student was reported intoxicated and transported to a nearby hospital for further treatment.

Apr. 14—A party was reported intoxicated and transported to a nearby hospital for further treatment.

Apr. 14—An Area Coordinator on call reported an intoxicated student. The student fled and was not found. No additional services were performed.

Apr. 14—A medical report was made for an intoxicated party. The patient was transported to a nearby hospital for further treatment.

Apr. 14—A medical report was made for an intoxicated party. The patient was transported to a nearby hospital for further treatment.

Apr. 14—A medical call was made for a student with chest pains. The patient refused medical treatment.

Apr. 15—A party reported a past injury. Patient refused medical treatment.

Apr. 15—A student reported having anxiety and requested to be evaluated. Patient refused medical treatment.

Apr. 17—A report was made of an accident while playing softball. Patient refused medical treatment.

Apr. 17—A medical report was made for a student who mistakenly took the wrong medication. The patient refused medical treatment.

Apr. 18—A report was made for a student experiencing numbness on the left side of their body. Patient was transported to a nearby hospital for further treatment.

Apr. 18—A legal guardian called requesting a check on their student experiencing a fever. The Area Coordinator on call informed the caller that this was a medical not a wellbeing check. Patient refused medical treatment.

Apr. 21—A medical report was made for a student having an adverse reaction to taking an edible.

Apr. 22—A report was made for an asthma attack. The patient was treated by medics and refused further treatment.

Apr. 28—There was a report of a medical transport for a party not feeling well. The incident was cleared.

Apr. 29—There was a report of a staff member feeling lightheaded. Their supervisor was informed and the patient made a private arrangement for transportation to urgent care. The patient refused medical treatment.

May 3—A medical emergency involving a laceration was reported. The medics responded and the patient was transported.

May 3—A medical call was made for an individual with a shoulder injury. The patient was treated by BEMCo and refused further care.

May 4—A medical emergency was reported for a party with back pain. The patient was treated by BEMCo and refused further medical care.

May 5—A party reported spraining their wrist. The incident was cleared.

May 6—Two callers reported a party fell in the hallway of a res idence hall. BEMCo was dispatched and the patient was transported to a nearby hospital.

May 8—A report was made for an individual who slipped on the stairs. The patient refused medical treatment.

May 13—A party was reported having slipped and fallen. Medics were requested and the patient refused medical treatment.

May 17—A call was made for an intoxicated party. The patient was transported.

BEMCo/AMBULANCE TRANSPORT

Apr. 14—A call was made for an allergic reaction. Patient was t reated by BEMCo and transported to a nearby hospital for further treatment.

April 15—A medical report was made for an intoxicated student. The patient was treated by BEMCo and was transported to a nearby hospital for further trea tment.

April 15—A medical call was reported for a student with nausea and abdominal pain. The patient was treated by BEMCo and was transported to a nearby ho spital for further treatment.

Apr. 18—A reporting party requested an ambulance for the Brandeis Counseling Center. The patient was transported.

Apr. 22—A medical emergency was reported for an individual with abdominal pain. The patient was treated by medics and was transported to a nearby hospital for further treatment.

May 4—A medical call was made for an intoxicated non-community member. The patient was treated by BEMCo and transported to a nearby hospital for f urther care.

CORRECTIONS AND CLARIFICATIONS POLICE LOG

The Justice is the independent student newspaper of Brandeis University. The Justice is published every Tuesday of the academic year with the exception of examination and vacation periods.

May 8—A party was threatening to self harm. Medics were dispatched and the party was transported to a nearby hospital.

SUSPICIOUS PACKAGE

Apr. 26—A report was made for a suspicious envelope. An investigation is to follow.

Apr. 30—A suspicious piece of mail was reported. An investigation is to follow.

May 10—There is an investigation for a suspicious email sent to a faculty member.

May 16—The mailroom received a suspicious package. The incident was cleared.

SUSPICIOUS CIRCUMSTANCES

Apr. 26—A report was made of a strange odor coming from a bathroom. An investigation is to follow.

May 3—A reporting party said they were being threatened by an unknown person by the library. A sergeant was sent to the area. The incident was classified as gone on arrival.

May 4—A caller reported that their identity had been stolen. The caller was not on campus and went to the station to make a report. An investigation is to follow.

May 14—A party reported an attempted break-in. Brandeis Police was sent to check the area and concluded the incident as unfounded.

May 14—A suspicious item was found in the Shapiro Campus Center. An investigation is to follow.

May 4—A suspicious vehicle was reported parking in the Science Lot. The vehicle was located and came back to a volunteer firefighter. The incident was cleared.

NOISE COMPLAINT

Apr. 20—A reporting party reported “unnecessary noise” coming from the first floor. The Area Coordinator was notified. The Department of Community Living was notified to respond.

May 5—A noise complaint was made in a residence hall. The Area Coordinator on call and the Department of Community Living were notified to respond.

May 7—A reporting party reported that their neighbor was shouting and banging the walls. The Area Coordinator on call and the Department of Community Living were notified to respond.

OTHER

Apr. 12—There were two parking violations issued. Citations were issued.

Apr. 14—A party reported an unattended duffle bag left in a bush. Upon arrival, no bag was found and the report was cleared.

Apr. 15—A deputy officer was out near Prime Deli after scanning a Waltham incident. All appears in order.

Apr. 15—A disturbance report was made. The incident was cleared.

Apr. 17—A dining hall employee reported witnessing a hit and run accident on a parked car. An investigation to follow.

Apr. 19—A student reported having a strange encounter with another student. An investigation is to follow.

Apr. 20—There were reports of an open DPV bus that a police officer reported on further inspection of vandalism on the interior of the bus, similar to other campus incidents. An investigation is to follow.

Apr 21—Graffiti was found in an all gender bathroom. An investigation is to follow.

Apr. 23—A report of a damaged door was made. Officer reported no vandalism and CGL was notified to look at the door. There were no additional services.

Apr. 23—Vandalism was reported in a room. An investigation is to follow.

Apr. 29—A student reported being assaulted by a professor in a lobby. The incident was cleared.

Apr. 29—A reporting party reported their bike was stolen. An investigation is to follow.

May 2—A report was made on unauthorized flyers being hung on campus. An investigation is to follow.

May 6—A report was made of handprints on the window of a dining hall. An investigation is to follow.

May 13—Vandalism was found off campus. An investigation is to follow.

May 14—Vandalism was reported. An investigation is to follow.

May 14—Vandalism was reported at a Charles River Apartment bus stop on a nearby street. An investigation is to follow.

May 16—Vandalism was found on an Emergency call box. An investi gation is to follow.

May 17—There was a report of graffiti on the base of a light. Staff was able to remove the graffiti and no police action was taken.

May 17—Vandalism was reported on a University sign. An investigation is to follow.

—Compiled by Lin Lin Hutchinson

■ An Arts and Culture article incorrectly mispelled a name as “Jill Debreen” in a photo caption. It was corrected to “Jill Dreeben.” (March 5, page 19).

■ An Arts and Culture article incorrectly mispelled a name as “Maloman” in the sentence “Maloman shared, ‘The standard canon used to be Beethoven, Mozart and Haydn, but now the canon is changing.’” It was corrected to “Malmon shared...” (March 5, gage 19).

■ A News article incorrectly quoted Alissa Fagin saying “people could be so inhibited.” The sentence was corrected to say “people could be so uninhibited.” (April 16, page 5)

■ A News article incorrectly stated ‘Hero Camp!’ took place on April 14. The event happened on April 13. (April 16, page 5)

■ The Justice staff box incorrectly labeled Daniel Oren as a staff member. The staff box has been updated. (April 16, page 11)

The Justice welcomes submissions for errors that warrant correction or clarification. Send an email to editor@thejustice.org

— Anna Martin

Ianna Gilbert ’24 delivers address

■ Gilbert celebrates the graduating class as they finally walk across the stage after many of their high school ceremonies were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

By ZOE ZACHARY JUSTICE EDITOR

On May 19 Ianna Gilbert ’24 addressed the Brandeis undergraduate Class of 2024 at The University’s 73rd undergraduate commencement ceremony. Gilbert has obtained a double major in computer science and environmental science, and plans on pursuing marine biology. Gilbert is a Roosevelt Fellow, Study Abroad Ambassador and Undergraduate Departmental Representative for the Environmental Studies department. She has also studied abroad in Bocas del Toro, Panamá, and has undergone an internship with Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute.

Gilbert began her address by expressing her excitement in sharing this milestone with her peers. “You being here is a testament to your hard work, resilience and dedication throughout the years and in years to come.” She pointed out that many Brandeis graduates have gone on to win the Pulitzer Prizes, Nobel Peace Prizes and many other prestigious accolades. As Gilbert put it, the “tenacity and intelligence” of the graduating class leads her to believe that they will also achieve great successes in the future.

Gilbert pointed out that for most of the Class of 2024, this would be their first formal graduation as 2020 ceremonies were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “We were resilient then and continue to be resilient now,” she stated, referring to the class of 2024’s unique experience transitioning into college. Finally, the Class of 2024 can celebrate all they have overcome and what they will continue to overcome in their futures.

Using herself as an example of how the Class of 2024 developed their resilience, Gilbert recounted her own experiences at Brandeis. She recalled having intense imposter syndrome as a first-year, a feeling

which many of her friends and peers also experienced. As Gilbert stepped outside of her comfort zone, interacted with support systems around her and adapted to the computer science curriculum. Gilbert made sure to shout out the people that supported her, including teaching assistants, friends and other support groups on campus.

“Some growth requires us to ride the wave of change,” Gilbert stated, introducing her junior year. During her this time, she decided to take a major leap outside of her comfort zone, accepting the opportunity to study abroad in Bocas del Toro. She recalled a specific moment during which she was swimming in the ocean for a class. Gilbert, unaware of what was near her, turned her head to see a six foot long shark. “It was almost as if the shark was looking deep down in my soul and asked, what are you doing with your life?” For Gilbert, this experience was an unexpected source of personal introspection.

Since finding herself face-to-face with one, Gilbert has recognized that sharks are misjudged as unsettling. Sharks, while initially unnerving, are also natural leaders and have a keen eye for detail. “They are curious, resilient, adaptive and strong advocates,” Gilbert said. She was inspired to embody these qualities in her senior year, becoming a study abroad ambassador, leader of the John Bible study group and an Undergraduate Departmental Representative.

“In this room I see so many sharks, natural leaders, wise individuals, curious minds and those willing to advocate for themselves and others,” Gilbert said. She pointed out her classmate’s ability to act in the face of injustice against Brandeis, Indigenous and other people of color, graduate students, dining hall workers and with the current “challenge of Gaza”.

“This institution has crafted critical thinkers, leaders and problem solvers,” Gilbert stated. “I am reminded of the book of Matthew, where Jesus said, you are the light of the world, a city on a hill that cannot be hidden.” Gilbert encouraged her classmates to recognize the impact they can have on the world, especially during unprecedented times. She closed her address congratulating the Class of 2024 encouraging them to shine.

Embracing risks, unity and growth

■ Peter Thabet MBA ’24 of the Brandeis International Business School shares lessons he learned during his time at Brandeis.

By LIN LIN HUTCHINSON JUSTICE EDITOR

In the afternoon of May 19, graduate stu -

dents of the Brandeis Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, Heller School for Social Policy and Management, Brandeis International Business School and Rabb School of Continuing Studies gathered in the Gosman Sports and Convocation Center, where they celebrated the university’s 73rd commencement exercises. Giving the Graduate Student Address was Peter Thabet, a graduate of the International Business School, earning a masters in business administration.

“The bigger the risk, the bigger the return.” This was one of three lessons Thabet shared from his time at Brandeis. His Brandeis career began in August of 2022, where he embraced the unknowns of moving to a new country from the Middle East.

“I started questioning my ability to succeed, and a voice whispered ‘You cannot do it,’” Thabet recalls in his commencement address. This instance of hesitation came during his first investment class, FIN 201A. Thabet regaled to his graduating class a particular moment where his professor used the statistical term “Sigma,” leaving him pondering the term as English is not his first language. Determined to understand, Thabet wrote the term down on a piece of paper and passed it along to his classmates, hoping for an answer. “Standard deviation” Thabet recalls being written back. “I felt so small at that,” he remarked, reminiscing on feeling overwhelmed by the gap between his knowledge and what was expected of him.

However, that same professor also spoke on the concept of risk and reward, a concept Thabet viewed as applicable beyond the classroom walls. “The risk each one of us pays by venturing into a new journey, a new career, and for many of us here, a whole new country is a huge risk,” Thabet shared. “Yet the rewards are far beyond the initial investment. The doors of opportunities are wide open to those willing to challenge themselves.”

The second lesson Thabet passed down to the 2024 graduating class was the importance of unity. Thabet draws from when Prof. Ben Gomes-Casseres (IBS) taught “BUS 262a Alliance, Acquisition, and Divestment Strategy.” One plus one equals one, Thabet began the second lesson. “To build the right culture among different groups of people, unity is key,” Thabet said. “I have witnessed this every day at Brandeis.”

Drawing on a personal anecdote, Thabet shared that during his second semester, he received news of his mother’s cancer diagnosis. “My mom was diagnosed with cancer, shocking her, me and the entire family,” he shared. “And throughout the diagnosis, chemotherapy, radiation, surgery and her final recovery, I was showered by love and care.” Thabet continued saying that he had received many emails from professors, friends and classmates, leaving him speechless. He thanked them for their support.

Thabet’s second lesson also reflected the Oct. seventh Israel-Hamas conflict. “As someone born and raised in the Middle East and a proud ‘Brandeisan,’ last year was not easy.” Thabet shared that he has friends on both sides of the conflict and when reflecting on it, says that it was when “our diverse Brandeis community, face[d] the challenge … I saw how unity is the key, and I learned that while diversity is a state of being, on the other hand, inclusivity requires active efforts.”

Before concluding his address, Thabet shared one last lesson. “In accounting,” he began, “expenses are recognized when they are used, regardless of when the payments were made.” To explain the concept, Thabet elaborated saying “paying for the fancy gym is one thing, probably an impulsive purchase, but actually going and moving my body is something entirely different.” He urged the Class of 2024 to “recognize this investment that has been made in us, an investment we crowned today with our beautiful caps and gowns. Let us all commit to turning this investment into tangible developments, wherever we go.”

Thabet concludes his address expressing his gratitude and honor to stand before his class, and sharing the hope that he has in the future and “endless possibilities” for the graduating class that he describes as being rooted in the “values we cherish here at Brandeis.”

BRIEF

Spring Student Union elections and new ammendments

On Thursday, April 18, Student Union Secretary Carol Kornworcel ’26 sent out an email with the spring 2024 election results. In an email sent on April 17, the student body were given the list of candidates with their biographies and the ballot on which to vote. This email also outlines two Constitutional Amendments that could be voted on. The community was given 24 hours to vote. The first Constitutional Amendment addressed Section 10 – Special Elections. The amendment proposes adding the language, “The procedures for special elections shall be enumerated in the Bylaws.” The reasoning behind this language is to cut down on special elections as “the Student Union seems to be ‘always having elections.”’ The second proposed amendment would allow the President to “Appoint no more than four (4) Directors to the Executive Board, with each appointed Director requiring confirmation by the Senate.”

The open elected positions were president and vice president; secretary; head treasurer; chief judicial officer; board of trustees, Undergraduate Curriculum Committee, and Alumni Association representative; Senator at large; Class of 2025 Senator; Class of 2026 Senator; Class of 2027 Senator and Allocations Board Representative.

Kornworcel’s email began with an invitation to the State of the Union where all new representatives were to be sworn in. The event was scheduled for April 18 at 7:30 p.m. in the Mandel

Center for Humanities atrium. The accomplishments of the current Student Union were also to be recognized at this event.

Kornworcel then continued on to the election results. Rani Balakrishna ’25 was elected president with her running mate Ria Escamilla-Gil ’27 becoming vice president. In their “Thank You Brandeis” post, on their combined Instagram account, the two running mates wrote, “We are so excited to advocate for the student body and implement change.”

Rachel Gao ’25 was elected secretary. In her candidate bio she wrote, “I hope to effectively fulfill the responsibilities as the new Union Secretary and to bring new ideas to help improve Student Union to advocate for everyone at Brandeis by making sure all student voices are heard and represented!”

Xan Maddock-Mark ’25, ran for re-election and was elected head treasurer. In her candidate bio she wrote that she is “eager to continue this work!” Zachary Miller ’25 ran unopposed and was elected chief judicial officer. There were two seats available for BOT/UCC/ AA representatives. Alyssa Golden ’26 and Riley Genevieve Miner ’26 were elected. Golden wrote in her bio, “I’ll strive to ensure accountability, listen with open ears, and provide input reflective of Brandeis’ student body if elected.” Miner put in her bio, “I hope to be a driving force in making Brandeis a better place for us to grow with

fewer barriers.”

There were five seats available for senator at large. Ali Tariq ’27, Daniel Shin ’27 and Sree Dharmaraj ’27 were all elected. Dharmaraj’s bio said, “I also love talking and meeting new people, and I can’t wait to get to know you all!” Shin expressed in his bio that he would “propose weekly mandatory office hours for senators to be engaged with the student body and listen to any concerns that they have.” Tariq wrote, “our ability to communicate with others effectively can make an incredible impact, and it assures the certain victory we can achieve together at grassroots.”

Next up were the class year senators. Allison Weiner ’25 was elected Class of 2025 senator; Alondra Lanham ’26 and Lukas Gordon ’26 were elected as the Class of 2026 senators; and Ava Ferrigno ’27, Elijah Marcel Rabin ’27 and Jake Rosen ’27 were all elected Class of 2027 senators. Weiner commented in their bio about housing: “I promise to work with DCL and facilities to understand how these problems escalated, and to ensure none of our students are forced to live in these conditions again.” Lanham wrote, “If elected, I plan to create events for our class to bond as a community.”

In her biography, Ferrigno wrote “I hope to bring my passion for athletics and my academic dedication to a higher position.” Rabin wrote,

“I want to be a vessel for all 2027 class members

and give everyone a chance to have their voices heard.” In his biography, Rosen commented, “I will work steadfastly to improve the quality of life and scholarship for everyone at Brandeis.”

The Allocations Board representatives elected were Angelina Truong ’27 and James Brosgol ’25 “I love getting involved with events and building relationships across the community,” Truong’s biography states. Brosgol expressed in his biography that he is, “super enthusiastic about distributing the available funds in the most equitable manner possible!

Both constitutional amendments passed. For the unfilled seats — two for senator at large, two for Class of 2025 senator, and one for Class of 2026 senator — a new election in the fall will be held. Kornworcel also gave the link to the full election report.

At the end of the email, Kornworcel acknowledged that this was her last email as a part of the 2023-24 Student Union administration and took a moment to thank the student body for a “phenomenal year.” She also provided the Student Union Instagram: @brandeisuniversitysu “to keep up with the next administration.”

As the academic year comes to an end, the new elected officials have been sworn in and are looking ahead to next year.

Julia Hardy

ELIZA BIER/The Justice

ELIZA BIER/The Justice

SHINE : Ianna Gilbert ‘24 gives a commencement speech dedicated to the class of 2024’s resiliance. LESSONS: Peter Thabet MBA ’24 shares wisdom from his time at Brandeis at the graduate commencement ceremony.

Brandeis reminds students of guidelines for demonstrations

■ In response to recent events on college campuses, Brandeis administration reminds students of their rights and responsibilities.

By ELIZA BIER JUSTICE MANAGING EGITOR

On Friday, April 26 Vice President of Student Affairs Andrea Dine, Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Carol Fierke and Executive Vice President for Finance and Administration Stewart Uretsky released an email to the Brandeis community regarding guidelines for demonstrations. The email begins by welcoming students back to campus and recognizing seniors for completing their degrees.

The email touches on the recent protests and encampments that have occurred or are still ongoing at colleges and universities across the country following the events of Oct. 7. The email described the demonstrations having been “peaceful” and “disruptive.”

The primary causes of the protests and encampments across colleges and universities are to show support for the Palestinian people and to urge schools to divest from companies that have connections to Israel. In the case of Harvard University’s Harvard out of Palestine group, students created what has been described as the “liberated zone” in Harvard Yard to show their

TRUSTEES MEETING

support for Palestinian liberation and demand that “the University … contend with the fact that its students will not tolerate its support for genocide, violence, and apartheid” by continuing to invest in Israel.

As a result of the protests and encampments occurring across the United States, the Brandeis administration chose to remind students of University demonstration policies and urge the Brandeis community for their “support in providing a safe community for all.”

The email links both Brandeis’ Principles of Free Speech and Free Expression as well as guidelines regarding protests and expression laid out in the Department of Students Rights and Community Standards’ Rights and Responsibilities, highlighting section seven. This section states:

“A member of the University community may protest, rally, or demonstrate, provided such protests or demonstrations do not disrupt University operations or obstruct physical movement to, from, or within any place on the campus, including University property located off the main campus. Though the campus must be open to the free exchange of ideas, the University may limit the time, place, and manner of demonstrations.”

The email also highlights a specific passage from the Principles of Free Speech and Free Expression:

“The freedom to debate and discuss ideas does not mean that individuals may say whatever they wish, wherever they wish, or however

they wish. In narrowly-defined circumstances, the university may restrict expression, as for example … that [which] constitutes a genuine threat or harassment … or that is otherwise directly incompatible with the functioning of the university.”

The email then proceeds to outline the University’s current plan to allow students to “express their opinions without impeding the University’s operations or posing safety risks” as well as consequences for violating these policies.

Protesting will be allowed in designated areas and demonstrators are encouraged to work with the Dean of Students office prior to protests to ensure safety. However, “occupying or blocking access to buildings, walking paths or roadways, and establishing outdoor encampments and sleeping in any campus outdoor spaces are prohibited” and will result in consequences. Protests are only to be composed of Brandeis students, with the understanding that non-Brandeis students protesting on campus will be removed from campus, the email stated.

Additionally, the email advises the Brandeis community that “threats and harassment are prohibited” in terms of protest communications. The email alludes to the protest communications that violate this prohibition by the content contained in the investigation report of the Nov. 10 protest that resulted in several students being arrested.

The investigation report of the Nov. 10 protest was released to the Brandeis community in an

email from Uretsky and Fierke on April 9. It describes “prohibited threats and harassment” that occurred on Nov. 10 as “making threatening statements or calling for violence” including phrases such as “from the river to the sea,” referring “to Israelis as murderers” and suggesting that Israelis should be killed. According to the report these phrases and references violate Brandeis’ protest policy, located in section seven of the Students Rights and Community Standards’ Rights and Responsibilities handbook. In line with the University’s principles of free speech and free expression, Brandeis retains the right to “restrict expression” that they find to violate the University’s protest policy, including but not limited to the language used during the Nov. 10 protest.

The email warns the Brandeis community that demonstrations that interfere with university operations or violate policies are not permitted and following “attempts at engagement and de-escalation” those who are responsible “will face conduct proceedings, disciplinary measures, or other consequences.” Students were encouraged to look at Section 21 of the University’s Rights and Responsibilities which details University actions and sanctions.

The email concludes by acknowledging that the events of Oct. 7 and the “ensuing war” have affected many Brandeis community members in multiple ways and expressing “faith” in the community to “empathize and be respectful of one another.”

Brandeis University Board of Trustees April Meeting Report

■ The Board met over two days discussing student life, faculty promotion and the financial state of the University.

By ZOE ZACHARY JUSTICE EDITOR

On April 18, University President Ronald Liebowitz sent an email summarizing the most recent Board of Trustees meeting, which took place on the Brandeis Campus from April 8 to April 9. Liebowitz explained that during these two days, the Board met with “students, faculty, and staff through various committee meetings and events.”

Liebowitz explained that the plenary sessions of the Board meeting focused on creating a “thriving and sustainable Brandeis despite headwinds facing higher education on the whole and our institution in particular.” Provost Carol Fierke and Liebowitz spoke to the Board about changes they implemented to address such challenges, such as the Provost’s Finance Office and the Provost’s Advisory Council. Liebowitz explained, “the creation of a Provost’s Finance Office brings together senior financial managers from across the entire Academy into a single, unified team — demonstrating how important decision-making efficiencies can be realized while continuing to provide needed support to the schools by bringing together staff.”

Brandeis administrators also outlined a fi-

ve-year hiring plan which is “aligned with strategic growth areas.” According to the email, this plan aims to retain “talented faculty,” provide courses oriented toward career development and expand experiential learning opportunities. The Board also discussed “developing a dean of the undergraduate college position, creating robust two-year residential communities, enhancing study abroad, and improving student retention and graduation rates.” Additionally, Liebowitz mentioned merging Brandeis’ two separate masters of business administration programs into one and growing Brandeis Online.

The Board of Trustees also met with the Resources Committee to review the 2024 fiscal year forecast. The forecast, according to Liebowitz, predicts an operating deficit of two million dollars. The Board also discussed the 2025 budget and voted to approve the FY2025 budget. The FY2025 budget includes “an increase in the endowment spend rate and the tuition, room and board rates (4.25%).” The Board also discussed Brandeis’ plans to build a new residence hall, which is currently expected to open in the fall of 2027. According to Liebowitz, the Board “approved the debt financing sufficient to pay for the building construction.”

Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid Jennifer Walker discussed applications received and students admitted during the most recent undergraduate admission cycle. According to Walker, the “quality of our faculty and our academic reputation are positive factors for Brandeis.” Walker also noted that generally, public institutions have experienced the “greatest application growth.”

The Board also accepted the following faculty promotions and appointments: Prof. Sara Mayo-

gra (SOC) to the rank of professor with tenure, Prof. Raphael Schoenle (ECON) to the rank of professor with tenure, Prof. Sheida Soleimani (FA) to the rank of associate professor with tenure and Prof. Hannah Snyder (PSYC) to the rank of associate professor with tenure.

Liebowitz then provided highlights from each of the board’s committees.The Academy Committee shared an update on an ongoing review of the Brandeis Core, on which they have been collecting feedback through “surveys and discussion with key stakeholders.” The committee also voted for the tenure recommendations which were approved by the full board. Additionally, the committee voted to update the Faculty Handbook so that all gender-specific pronouns would be replaced by gender-neutral pronouns.

The Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee shared a summary of the DEIS Impact Symposium, which “brought together local, regional, and national scholars, practitioners, and the Brandeis community” to explore Jewish identity and how the Jewish diaspora, the Black community and other communities can “work together for social good.”

The Investment Committee approved a new private equity manager for endowment and discussed “portfolio hedging strategies and approved a modification to the current strategy.”

The Institutional Advancement Committee saw presentations of year-to-date fundraising results. According to the email, “fundraising remains strong and we are on target to exceed this year’s fundraising goal.” Additionally, Brandeis has received three new endowed professorships and achieved a four-year high for unrestricted cash giving. These achievements exclude Giving

Day, which was postponed due to the

The Nominating and Governance Committee approved renewal terms for trustees whose terms expire at commencement this May. The committee also discussed “trustee candidate recruitment, reviewed a number of trustee candidates, and engaged in a broad discussion on the current emeritus trustee system.”

The Risk Management and Audit Committee reviewed Brandeis’ external and internal audit plans. They also completed the annual review of senior management expenses and the departmental audit of the Student Services function. According to the email, “Both audits were completed with no reportable issues.” The committee also discussed cybersecurity initiatives and received an update from Chief Mattew Rushton on security matters.

The Student Life Committee discussed improvements to the housing selection process. These included moving housing selection to earlier in the semester, streamlining the accommodations process and updating communication. They also discussed changes in dining services, “which now features an all-access food plan, which had mitigated food insecurity for residential students.” The committee also discussed additions to allergen identification and labeling. Additionally, Brandeis Counseling Center Director Addie Wyman advised the committee on changes to better support student mental health.

Liebowitz closed his email by thanking the Board members as well as the staff, faculty and students for their “staunch commitment to Brandeis.”

Deis

Oct. 7 Israel Hamas conflict.

Discussing multi-racial coalitions to combat systemic racism

■ Elaine Wong Distinguished Lecture Program discussed integrating different areas of study, the role of culture in obfuscating racism and racism’s impact on mental health.

By AMANDA CHEN JUSTICE EDITOR

The murder of George Floyd in 2020 by Officer Derek Chauvin, the 2021 Atlanta Spa shootings that left eight people dead — six of whom were Asian women — and similar events served as flashpoints that drew intense public attention to the fatal consequences of racial bias. Prof. Derron Wallace (SOC/ED), the Jacob S. Potofsky Chair in Sociology and associate professor of Sociology and Education at the University, argued that people need to move beyond the crisis. While tragedies like these increase awareness of discrimination against racial minorities and unite people for a common cause, he said that this response usually recedes, leaving policies unchanged. Mia White, an assistant professor at The New School, also criticized academia for its ability to identify problems but not solve them. White referenced a quote from social activist Grace Lee Boggs: “A movement begins when large numbers of people reach the point where they feel they can’t take things the way they are anymore.”

White believes that people have reached that critical point, which then raises questions regarding how to effectively approach the issue of racism in contemporary times. This year’s Elaine Wong Distinguished Lecture Program titled, “The Fraught Work of Coalitional Spaces,” held on April 18 offered a space to discuss how to engage in coalitional work that is anti-racist, as well as how to confront and critically analyze the history of racism. The School of Arts and Sciences sponsored the lecture, and Prof. Emilie Diouf (AAAS/ENG/ WGS), Prof. ChaeRan Freeze (NEJS/WGS), Prof. Dorothy Kim (ENG/WGS) and Prof. Faith Smith (AAAS/ENG/WGS) organized it. Smith moderated the discussion and gave a brief introduction.

The Elaine Wong Distinguished Lecture Program aims to honor Elaine Wong’s contributions to the University during her 40-year career. Wong played a critical role in creating the Brandeis Pluralism Alliance, Generation One Network, Justice Brandeis Seminar, the Brandeis Core, the Community Engaged Scholars Program and other diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. Smith commended Wong for paving the way for other faculty of color at Brandeis and for her continued presence on campus despite retiring in 2021. According to the School of Arts and Sciences’ website for the lecture, “The annual event explores racial, class, gender, sexual and other forms of injustice and inequality; showcases historically marginalized people and perspectives; and/or promotes a diverse, inclusive environment.” Wong was present at the lecture.

Claire Jean Kim is a professor of political science and Asian American studies at the University of California Irvine. Kim has published numerous books and received high accolades for them. Her first book, “Bitter Fruit: The Politics of Black-Korean Conflict in New York City” won the American Political Science Association’s Ralph Bunche Award for the Best Book on Ethnic and Cultural Pluralism, as well as a Best Book Award from the American Political Science Association Organized Section on Race, Ethnicity and Politics. Her other works include “Dangerous Crossings: Race, Species, and Nature in a Multicultural Age” and “Asian Americans in an Anti-Black World.” Kim proposed in her book, “Asian Americans in an Anti-Black World,” that people examine the position of Asian Americans in the United States’ racial hierarchy differently by factoring in antiBlackness. Kim referenced the two principles — be white, but above all don’t be Black — that define the U.S. racial order outlined in philosopher Lewis Gordon’s 1997 book, “Her Majesty’s Other Children: Sketches of Racism from a Neocolonial Age.” The first principle addresses white supremacy and the structural advantages white people receive, while the second focuses on how anti-Blackness has been a structuring force in the modern world,

fueling the enslavement of people and colonialism. While discrimination against Black people has been foundational to the social order in the U.S., Kim observed that the impact of anti-Blackness is absent in Asian American narratives. This research gap is the crux of her book, and she argued that Asian Americans are constituted at the disjuncture between white supremacy — a force that ranks all non-white groups below white people — and anti-Blackness, a force that elevates non-Black groups over Black people. “Where most scholars use either a white supremacy frame or an anti-Blackness frame, I propose we need to think of both and examine how they articulate with one another to produce structural positionality,” she stated.

Viewed as non-white and non-Black, Asian Americans are simultaneously structurally disadvantaged and vulnerable to exploitation and exclusion, as well as better positioned to achieve upward mobility relative to Black people. Kim claimed that “The status and experience of Asian Americans are indelibly shaped by the fact they are always already understood to be the lesser of two evils,” the two evils being Asian and Black people.

Through her book, Kim hopes to demonstrate that meaningful coalitional work is not possible without confronting the differentials in power among racialized groups.

Additionally, Kim explained that anti-Blackness requires constant, active effort to sustain it. She highlighted a quote from academic Robin Kelley: “[T]o say that anti-Blackness is foundational to Western civilization is not to say that it is fixed or permanent [but rather that] it is incredibly fragile and must be constantly remade.” To maintain the subjugation of Black people, the U.S. began to weaponize Asian American’s success stories against Black people’s struggle for equality in the late 1800s. Using Asian Americans as a “false alibi for American society,” oppressors dismiss Black critiques of the state by arguing that anyone can succeed if they work hard enough.

Similarly, culture can also act as an “alibi” for racism, and Wallace dived into this topic extensively with his book, “The Culture Trap: Ethnic Expectations and Unequal Schooling for Black Youth.”

His book examines what he calls a “culture trap,” which is when “the overreliance on culture to explain Black students’ achievement and behavior in schools … [creates] a trap that undermines the historical factors and institutional processes that shape how Black students experience schooling.” Wallace argued that culture can be utilized to obfuscate racism, pit racial minorities against each other and maintain white supremacy. His research focused on how, in particular, conservative actors in states use culture to foster tension and create divisions among African Americans, Black Caribbeans and Black Africans. Organizing groups into two categories, possessing good cultures or bad cultures, to explain social and educational outcomes ignores how institutionalized racism affects the schooling of Black children.

Drawing from his fieldwork of interviewing students from public schools in London and New York City, Wallace illuminated the fact that Black people are positioned differently in each context. While since the 1920s, U.S. society considered Black Caribbeans a high-achieving model minority relative to African Americans, the U.K. exhibited the opposite, starting in the 1960s. Even though he focused on cases in the U.S. and the U.K., Wallace underscored the fact that these dynamics are not unique to these countries.

Wallace highlighted how an emphasis on culture leaves out key structural factors that can explain why Black Caribbeans receive different labels in the two countries. He pointed out that differences in the positionalities of different groups of Black minorities can depend on different modes of incorporation: enslavement and forced migration to the U.S. or voluntary immigration. Moreover, the order of Black migration matters. Due to generations of African Americans’ advocacy and achievement of landmark civil rights legislation, the large number of Black Caribbeans immigrating to the U.S. in the 1960s found a more hospitable environment to settle down in. On the other hand, Black Caribbeans in the U.K. did not have a similar welcoming

environment; instead, their civil rights advocacy acted as a cushion for future Black African immigrants in the 1980s and 90s. Furthermore, whether minorities were primarily colonialist subjects of the U.S. or the U.K. also produced different results because cultural context matters: Black Caribbeans’ culture acquires different meanings depending on the political and economic contexts.

“These claims about the cultural differences between Black Caribbeans and African Americans proved both ideologically significant and politically expedient,” Wallace stated. Ultimately, his main argument is that when white conservatives emphasize differences in culture –– such as claiming that Black Caribbeans value saving, hard work, investment and education more than African Americans –– they are promoting a false narrative that culture is the main culprit for gaps in success among the two groups. Similar to Kim’s comment on the weaponization of Asian American success stories to downplay the injustice Black people face, conservatives used the success of Black Caribbeans –– and the attribution of their advancement to cultural differences –– to eliminate the importance of race. Dismissing racism as an obstacle to mobility proves to be problematic because white conservatives use this tactic to demonstrate that state-sponsored policies addressing racial discrimination are unnecessary.

Building on earlier appeals for placing Asian American studies and Black studies in dialogue with each other, Wallace mentioned that these disciplines require a clearer theorization of the relationship between the model minority myth for Asian people and a culture of poverty for Black people. He highlighted that “There is no model minority without the failing minority … The discursive framing of Asians and Black people of multiple cultures are structurally and politically contingent.” The talk stressed the significance of recognizing the ways anti-Blackness influences other marginalized groups’ positions in society and expanding the lenses scholars use to investigate racial dynamics has the potential to yield greater interracial understandings and coalition building.

Kim also broke down parts of her book and explained how it attempts to bring back anti-Blackness into the narratives of Asian American history. For example, Kim compares conditions for Chinese immigrant laborers with the periods of enslavement, Reconstruction and Jim Crow laws. Paradoxically, Chinese foreignness meant that they were ostracized in the U.S. but still viewed as belonging in China and as partaking in humanity and nationality because of China’s image as a respectable civilization. “Exclusion expelled the Chinese from the U.S., but not from the family of man or the family of nations –– exclusion and belonging,” Kim said. On the other hand, enslaved people were not viewed the same way. Kim mentioned Justice Peter Daniel’s concurring opinion in the 1857 Dred Scott v. Sandford Supreme Court case. In his opinion, Daniel disavows the idea that enslaved people have a nationality, stating that Black people “never have been acknowledged as belonging to the family of nations; that, as amongst them, there never has been known or recognised by the inhabitants of other countries anything partaking of the character of nationality, or civil or political polity.” Another contradiction that emerged was anti-Chinese sentiments during Reconstruction.

“The Civilization of Blaine,” a cartoon drawn by Thomas Nast and published in Harper’s Weekly in 1879, pointed out that a policy of Chinese exclusion lacked justification because simultaneously, Black people were receiving citizenship and voting rights. The drawing depicted Senator James Blaine, a Republican representing Maine and a supporter of Chinese exclusion, physically supporting a Black man, drawn in a subservient pose, who holds a piece of paper that says “vote.”

Blaine steps on a piece of paper representing the 1868 Burlingame-Seward Treaty, the first bilateral treaty between the U.S. and China, which reduced restrictions on immigration and provided more protection for Chinese citizens living in America.

Ignored by Blaine, a Chinese man surrounded by objects representing China’s power, asks in the caption, “Am I not a Man and a Brother?”

Due to the complexities of each group’s status in

relation to another, the tension between non-white racial groups breeds emotional pain. White shared her personal experiences dealing with racism as an Afro-Asian. One time during the pandemic, a young Black woman spoke to her in a derogatory manner and came at White with her car. White thought: “In that moment, what is my choice? Is my choice to reproduce anti-Blackness of myself, of this sister that does not see in me what I see in her, or is it to understand that we are so traumatized that we are unable to grapple with the meaning of each other in a moment such as that.”

The issue of race can be incredibly hard to disentangle, and White stated that more compassion and understanding are needed to begin and undergird these difficult conversations.

“It’s never been more clear to me that as we explore … that we have to hold spaces for convergences and divergences, uncertainties and instabilities between each of us in our relationships,” she said. “Let me say it more plainly: all of us have been raised in a context of white supremacy, and we will screw up on a regular basis –– you, probably me, already today, multiple times with regard to racial logics. Even us wonderful academics will reproduce and rehearse anti-Blackness and anti-Asian violence.” White acknowledged that growing up in a racist society impacts how people experience and handle the concept of race, and the significance of academic curriculums as a tool to change and challenge the preconceptions people grow up learning.

Kim also agreed that education is essential. Kim discussed how Black studies helped her understand anti-Blackness as a major global phenomenon. She believed that people who solely examine what non-white groups have in common are only looking at half the picture.

“But you’re not looking at how anti-Blackness is the force that actually differentiates non-white groups from one another and pushes Asians into a position of relative advantage,” she stated, and that “without that, we’re just missing those historical truths … Without those truths, we cannot effectively build coalitions.” Kim thought that Black studies should be required at all levels of education.

The mental toll from enduring a society founded on institutional racism leads to the creation of legitimate grievances. “Sometimes we have hurt each other because we were very tired from trying to hold together so many broken shards,” White lamented. She calls for more tenderness, collective knowledge creation and mutual study across communities to heal racial divisions and spur collaboration among marginalized groups to shoulder the burden of confronting racist structures. As a mother, she tells her children that “sometimes, as people of mixed descent, we also have to accept that people will laugh at us, especially when we talk about love and tenderness in the face of true brutality. That is very very hard to tell teenagers.” White passes on tools to her children to prepare them for an unequal world and urges her own students and the audience to do the same with future generations.

White also shared a striking interaction with her mother after the 2021 Atlanta Spa shootings. Her mother told her not to read the newspapers after the shootings occurred. One of the women who died shared the same name as White’s mom, and due to having some mental health challenges, her mother thought the government was telling her that they wanted her dead. White told this story to show that a large amount of repair work will be needed to address these ongoing race issues. One Black social theory of space White teaches to combat such issues is blues epistemology. This theory aims to reframe how people think about knowledge, as well as operationalize grief and love.

All speakers recognized that one group’s fight for equality does not exist in a vacuum, but instead that all struggles for justice influence and depend on one another. Wallace commented that “The realization of this vision we share requires an anti-racism that isn’t just about ‘just us’ but that is deeply invested in justice for all of us [and] that recognizes our contingencies.” By studying the intersectionality of different forms of oppression, the panelists argued that people would be one step closer to achieving meaningful coalitional work.

RALLY: Employees demand fair pay

press time.

In her speech, Quiles shared that she and her daughter had to move from Cambridge to Lowell because her income does not match the continuously growing cost of living. “Now I drive an hour and a half to work here. I'm tired. We are all tired, but I'm ready to fight so that our sacrifices are recognized,” she announced.

Both stewards received cheers and support from the crowd as their speeches cheered the rally attendees.

Following Ayala and Quiles’ speeches, SEIU Local 509 steward and graduate worker Sneha Gantla addressed the rally. Gantla has been a doctoral student at Brandeis for five and a half years, with an annual stipend of $21,000 a year — since prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the graduate worker shared that she does not receive program funding anymore and raised concerns about the insufficient wage to adequately address the cost of living in Boston and its surrounding areas.

“I think we’re all very creative at surviving on very little,” Gantla said in an interview with The Justice. In her speech, Gantla mentioned that food insecurity in graduate students, due to low pay and high work demands, is common enough for her employer to start an email list service dedicated to notifying students about free leftover food from various University-held events.

The SEIU Local 509 steward added that she is “almost always” working other jobs to support being a full-time student, stating that she once worked three part-time jobs simultaneously. “Even with that, I made less than $28,000 for the year. Right now, I make less than half of that because I don’t have program funding anymore,” Gantla told The Justice.

Gantla’s speech emphasized the contribution of graduate workers to the function of the institution.

“We know that Brandeis loves to advertise itself as a university that punches above its weight when it comes to research and scholarship and education,” she said during the rally. “But you know why Brandeis can contribute above its weight? It's because its grad workers punch above ours.”

The graduate student worker concluded that Brandeis’ status as an R1 institution, the pursuit of research grants and many of the classes being taught are because of the graduate student workers’ efforts for the University. “Brandeis works because we do,” Gantla said.

Also representing SEIU Local 509 was Steward Rafael Abrahams, a History Ph.D candidate and writing instructor at the University. “I love teaching, but loving my job doesn't pay the bill,” he said during his speech as he echoed the sacrifices many of the speakers and Brandeis employees make to be a part of the Brandeis community.

“My advisors and the History Department [have] told me that while they appreciate my teaching,” Abrahams said, “it's financially wise to graduate [and] to get out of here as soon as possible before the funding dries up.”

Gantla and Abrahams’ attendance at the rally demonstrated the financial struggles faced by graduate students. Last May, The Justice investigated the financial struggles faced by Brandeis graduate students. Many express concerns surrounding the cost of living in the Greater Boston area and the inadequate support from Brandeis.

Showing their support was adjunct Prof. Sarah Lupis (PSYC), representing adjuncts and SEIU 509.

“For adjuncts like me, a union means everything,” said Lupis in a speech during the rally. “We have raises, access to health insurance and professional development.” Lupis shared the importance of unions in ensuring the needs of workers are addressed and as the three unions enter the new cycle of contract negotiations, demands for more transparency. “We have all noticed the lack of transparency from Brandeis administration,” the psychology adjunct professor said. “By ourselves, we are voiceless. But our union gives us strength.”

SEIU Local 888, which is the union that consists of library employees, was represented by Thom Valicenti, a Public Service Coordinator who has been working in the library since 2003. Valicenti has been a member of the union since his start at the library and has been a steward in four previous contract negotiations. Drawing from his two de-

cades at the Brandeis library, Valicenti expressed that the University administration’s priorities have seemed to shift to be “about the money.” He elaborated that while a budget reveals tough financial circumstances, it is also representative of one’s values and priorities.

“[The University administration] consistently, more and more, choose to prioritize those at the top and not the workers,” Valicenti said in a postrally interview with The Justice. “They’re cutting programs that aren’t making enough money, and it’s at the expense of the reputation of the school, it’s at the expense of our lives, and our students’ lives.”

Alongside fairer sick leave, health insurance and paid time off Valicenti hopes this new contract will account for the rate of inflation. He referred to a past contract where the union was able to negotiate two percent yearly raises for its members when inflation was over seven percent. “We’re falling behind, we’re losing money, so we just want to be able to at least tread water to keep up with this economy,” he said.

What makes Valicenti want to continue to stay at Brandeis is the community, particularly as he works in the library’s public services; his work allowed him to work with numerous student employees. “Over the years I have enjoyed getting to know these students who come from all kinds of backgrounds … and getting to know their stories … that to me, is the most rewarding part of the job and that's what keeps me at Brandeis,” Valicenti said. He added that his co-workers have also been key to fostering this community. “I've got to know quite a few of the facilities workers, the dining services workers and they're wonderful people and they deserve better than what they've been getting.”

Joining union members was Mary Hurd, a non-union employee who has been working at Brandeis for nine and half years. During the rally, Hurd spoke on the power that she believes unions have in addressing the needs of employees.

“I am here today because this is really important to me,” said Hurd. “I believe in and have personally experienced the power of unions to improve workers' lives.”

Hurd said that she has been a member of the United Scenic Artists, Local USA 829, a labor union and professional association of Designers, Artists, Craftspeople and Department Coordinators, for 20 years. She described herself to be “luckier than some” as she was able to buy a low-income condo before the housing market exploded, but even with that added advantage she said, “I struggle to pay my bills and … can't afford extras like going out with friends, going on vacation, or having children.” Hurd shared that last year she received financial support from her parents and doesn’t know when she’ll be able to pay back the money.

“My story isn’t unique,” Hurd said, “So why do we stay? … I stay because I love the students and because I believe in the social justice mission of the University.” Hurd drew upon the University’s Diversity Statement, demanding that staff be a part of these considerations for the institution to live up to its mission of recognizing the “need to analyze and address the ways in which social, cultural and economic inequalities affect power and privilege in the larger society and at Brandeis itself.”

This rally comes just weeks after an April 9 demonstration, where a group of Brandeis University faculty, staff and graduate students demonstrated at the Wien Faculty Center during a scheduled Board of Trustees meeting. The gathering was to protest the administration's decision to delay annual staff and faculty merit increases due to budget cuts. It was to raise awareness of the impact that raise freezes have on non-union employees, as well as the experiences of students employees work directly and indirectly with.

Though the bargaining agreement process begins at different times for different unions, all three unions have made it clear that they are a coalition and will continue to advocate for a workplace that reflects the values it purports to uphold.

BURNS: Ken Burns delivers address

CONTINUED FROM 1

Lincoln’s 1838 Lyceum Address: “Shall we expect the approach of danger? … Shall we expect some transatlantic military giant to step the ocean and crush us with a blow? Never! All the armies of Europe, Asia and Africa combined could not by force take a drink from the Ohio or make a track on the Blue Ridge in a trial of a thousand years … If destruction be our lot, we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of freemen, we must live through time, or die by suicide.”

As a part of his analysis of Lincoln’s address, Burns pointed out the fundamental optimism in Lincoln’s “extraordinary and disturbing impression [of 1838 American society],” especially considering that Lincoln would go on to preside over the United States during a time when the country was the most divided it has ever been. Burns’ choice to point out this context conveyed his hope that the graduating class will be able to adopt a nuanced understanding of the world around them despite a current state of heightened division.

Balancing his analysis, Burns pointed out that in describing America as a geographically isolated body, the Lyceum Address also serves as precursor to “less beneficial patterns.” Burns specifically mentioned “our devotion to money and guns and conspiracies,” “our certainty about everything” and “our own exceptionalism blinding us to that which needs repair” in addition to other other modern vices.

Burns’ interpretation of the Lyceum Address underlined the importance of recognizing the infinite nuance that is present in recorded human history. He went on to bring up a quote from journalist I.F. Stone, “history is tragedy, not melodrama,” referring to the fact that melodramatic characters have little depth and are characterized as entirely virtuous or entirely villainous. According to Burns, our nation exists in a state of melodrama. He described how “everything is either right or wrong, red states or blue states, young or old, gay or straight, rich or poor, Palestinian or Israeli, my way or the highway.” In other words, we have overembraced binary labels.

Burns then brought up an interview he had with writer James Baldwin who views this adherence to binary labels as a form of self-imposed slavery. As Burns puts it, “‘There is only us. There is no ‘them.’ Whenever someone suggests to you, whomever it may be in your life, that there is a ‘them,’ run away. Othering is the simplistic binary way to make and identify enemies, but it is also the surest way to your own self imprisonment.” This dedication to nuance is incredibly important in the documentary

process, and has been a hallmark of Burns’ career as a visual storyteller.

Burns proceeded to comment on the upcoming presidential election, a brief pause to his promise of neutrality. “There is no real choice this November,” he said. “The Presumptive Republican nominee is the opioids of all opioids.” Burns posited that in choosing this nominee, “you end up reinstating with an even bigger problem, a worse affliction, a bigger delusion.” He implored his audience, “do not be seduced by easy equalization. There is nothing equal about this equation.” Burns encouraged the graduates to use their vote to preserve the United State’s resistance to militant ideology. Next, Burns addressed the class of 2024 directly. First, he encouraged the graduates to “be curious, not cool.” He explained that insecurity “makes liars of us all,” and gave a harrowing reminder that “none of us will get out of here alive.” He further explained that “grief is a part of life, and if you explore its painful precincts, it will make you stronger,” encouraging the graduating class to handle life’s challenges with introspection and sensitivity.

Burns also advised the graduates to engage fully with the world around them. “Do good things to help others,” he encouraged. “Leadership is humility and generosity squared … the kinship of the soul begins with your own self examination.” Additionally, he advised the graduates “do not confuse success with excellence,” and “do not get stuck in one place. Travel is fatal to prejudice,” he illustrated.

Burns also encouraged the graduates to engage with nature, “where nothing is binary” and to “make babies,” describing the process of raising children as “liberating and exhilarating.” He encouraged the graduates to choose “honor over hypocrisy,” “character over cleverness” and “sacrifice over self-indulgence.” Burns asked the graduates to “denounce oppression everywhere,” to “insist that we support science” and to never lose their enthusiasm.

Burns concluded his address with a quote from Supreme Court Justice Louis D. Brandeis stating that “the most important political office is that of the private citizen,” emphasizing the power of voting. To end his speech, he wished the Class of 2024 “good luck, and godspeed.”

SIMMONS: Simmons delivers address

new approach to inclusive education and Julianne Richardson ’76 acknowledging African American history makers through her created archive.

Simmons went on to assert that “Brandeis continues to uphold the bedrock values needed for a strongly and successfully diverse democracy, freedom of expression, civil discourse, respect for diverse cultures and active engagement in principles of shared governance.” She explained that she is grateful for the “attitude inspired by this institution,” and decided to dedicate her ceremonial remarks to individuals that shaped her life and work who have come from Brandeis.

She describes the need to “rely on individuals whose visions and efforts point to a more positive future, for our aspirations are invariably fueled by the extent to which we see others envisioning a different and better circumstance.” Simmons explained that hope is often found from others, and that others have “enabled [her] to imagine a different future, when everything about [her] said that [she] could not expect a better life.”

The first Brandeis alumnus that Simmons spoke of was Robbert J. Zimmer ’68, former president of the University of Chicago and her provost whilw she was serving as the president at Brown. She explained that while it may not seem like a big deal in today's world, the choice to work for a Black woman was a “really big deal back then.” She admired his ability to lead, commitment to freedom of expression and efforts to be truthful while acknowledging the honorary degree that he received from the University. She stated, “His commitment to Brandeis values always shone through from the launch of centers around the world, to the embrace of local initiatives for minorities, rural youth and veterans, he had no intent to equivocate about his bed on values.” Simmons acknowledged that while they were very different presidents to their respective universities, she learned a lot from him as an individual.

The second Brandeis alumnus that she spoke about as an influential member of her life was Gary Tinterow ’76, the director of the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston, Texas. Simmons explained that they both grew up in Houston but in very different socioeconomic areas and had access to different levels of educational institutions. “Years later [they] work together in friendship,” She stated. “Under his leadership,

the museum generously served the broadest possible public. From the selection of … exhibitions to curating special exhibits, Gary is intent on including the Arts and Cultures of the public the museum serves.” She then went on to state that “because this Brandeis graduate embraces fully the commitment to social justice and inclusion and works tirelessly to bring about in the realm of fine arts, Houston's becoming the place that as a child, [she] thought it might become.” Simmons credits the decision to develop their knowledge at a higher level as the reason they have gained the hopefulness that will lead to a path to a better future.

Simmons expressed that “we can never be certain of an ever positive trajectory of change. Nor can we be certain that intelligence, fairness and respect for others will predominate. But because of your dedication to knowledge, alongside your commitment to justice, we can be more hopeful that we will have the leadership needed to continue on a path of improvement.” This theme of a path forward was a thread throughout the speech, as she highlights the inspiration one can find from an institution such as Brandeis and the amount of possibility ahead for the graduates.

“Each of us is called on to defend the principles that undergird our freedoms,” Simmons said, beginning the conclusion of her address. “That is in every feature of our work and our lives. We must uphold the commitment to fairness, inclusion and justice, anything less is to accept the worst of all possible.” Simmons calls on the graduates to move forward with hopefulness. The accomplishments that they have achieved will help them move forward as role models and inspirations in their communities. She stated “You can only do justice to both if you're engaged in the effort to combat hopelessness. What will they see, not only in the way you work but also the way you live and care for others. I pray that what they see is meaningfully aligned with the values that are so clearly represented in the founding of this institution.” She wished the graduates congratulations as the conclusion to her remarks.

ADDRESS : Ruth Simmons addresses the Brandeis class of 2024 at the graduate commencement ceremony.

ELIZA BIER/The Justice

VERBATIM | Maya Angelou

The horizon leans forward, offering you space to place new steps of change.

ON THIS DAY…

Singer and actress Cher was born in 1946. FUN FACT Diplomas were originally made of sheepskin.

Globe-trotting grads: Conversations with Fulbright grant recipients

As the 2023-2024 school year comes to a close, The Justice spoke with four senior Fulbright grant recipients who will jumpstart their post-graduate journeys by traveling the world.

In the aftermath of World War II, the United States Congress set aside funds to create the Fulbright Program, a “flagship international academic exchange program.” Arkansas senator J. William Fulbright introduced the program through legislation in 1946 and President Harry Truman signed it into law. The goal was to promote the educational value of international understanding and collaboration. This vision is reflected nearly 80 years after its initiation into western society.

Fulbrighters, as they are fondly nicknamed, come from all backgrounds from students and teachers to artists and professionals. The program, nevertheless, is not to be taken lightly. It is highly competitive and the lucky students that are accepted receive the opportunity to travel out of the country. In doing so, the program allows them to develop professionally and learn not only about other cultures but themselves as well.

The Justice spotlights four senior fellows who will be pursuing their passions through Fulbright following graduation.

Annitah Nakandi ’24: Recipient of Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship in Taiwan

At the age of nine, Nakandi arrived in the United States. As a young Black woman who was born and raised in Uganda, she has been grounded in East African culture. Nonetheless, she is always excited to learn about other cultures as she has taken Mandarin Chinese since her first year at Brandeis. The double major in Education and East Asian studies with a Philosophy minor shared her experience with The Justice on April 25.

What has your experience at Brandeis been?

“This is a bit vague so I’ll answer how I best see fit. I’ve faced a lot of barriers at Brandeis as a low-income, first-generation student of color but

By MINA ROWLAND and GRACE DOH JUSTICE ASSOCIATE EDITOR AND JUSTICE EDITOR

thankfully I found faculty — lecturers, professors and advisors — who were willing to offer any support that they could provide. I’d also like to thank [Student Support Services Program] and [Generation One Network] for creating a community for people like me. Though I did not get to utilize the resources as often as I’d have liked to, it’s nice to know they exist. I’m also thankful for the friends I’ve made here who have provided me with a lot of support and love. They’ve made it easier to get through [university].”

Have you always been interested in teaching?

“Yes, but not in the way most people might think. I’ve always helped my siblings with their homework, and I volunteered as a tutor at many organizations before I ever stood in front of a classroom to teach. It was a gradual build-up, and during those days if someone asked me if I wanted to be a teacher I’d have said no. The main reason is that being an educator in this country is not very attractive because

of the low pay and the terrible working conditions. I’ve always been an educator at heart and no matter how much I tried to deny it, the truth was as clear as day. I’ve always gravitated towards the education field, so I’ve taught but I’ve also created curriculum and created and facilitated educational programs within my community.”

Tell me about your application process? Take me through that story.

“I’ll start by saying that there was no interview process for my program. Everything was based on the written application. As for my process, it was a very long one. I started working on my application around June of last year and I had to rewrite my essays many times because the quality was negatively affected by the exhaustion brought on by working a full-time job. In August I decided to stop working and focus on my application and that’s when I started to make rapid progress. I want to take this time to thank [Director Meredith English Monaghan] and [Associate Director Elizabeth Rotolo] at the [Academic] Fellowships office for their unwavering support and their great efforts in helping me through the application process. I don’t think I would’ve made it without them.”

How did you feel when you were accepted?

“I felt a sense of triumph and relief. The submission deadline was in October so I had been waiting for quite some time. I was relieved that the wait was over, and I was so thankful that all that hard work had finally paid off.”

What does Fulbright mean to you?

“To me, Fulbright is an opportunity to learn and grow. One of my favorite subjects to teach is English as a Second Language, and in Taiwan, I will

have the opportunity to learn from experienced teachers and will have the chance to practice all that I will learn. Also, as someone who has taken four years of Mandarin Chinese at Brandeis, I see this as an opportunity to continue improving my language skills.”

What are you most excited about?

“I am excited for all the new connections I will form, all the good food I will eat, the sun, all the new knowledge I will be able to take in and lastly, the cultural exchanges that will occur as those around me learn about my culture and as I learn about theirs.”

Erick Comas Hernandez ’24: Recipient of Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship in Colombia

A fellow first-generation college student and immigrant, Comas Hernandez grew up in the Dominican Republic. He is double majoring in International Global Studies and Health: Science, Society and Policy. Hernandez shared his excitement with being a senior at Brandeis and now Fulbright Scholar with The Justice on April 25.

Design: ELIZA BIER and GRACE DOH/The Justice.

Photo courtesy of ERICK COMAS HERNANDEZ

Photo courtesy of ANNITAH NAKANDI

What has been your experience at Brandeis?

“My experience has been very positive at Brandeis. I was fortunate enough to get a [World of Work] fellowship and that introduced me to the field of social justice and the concept of popular education. I was also able to study abroad through Brandeis-funded scholarships. Without these opportunities, I do not think I would have been able to win a Fulbright so I am very grateful.”

Have you always been interested in teaching?

“I have a lot of experience teaching through mentorship programs like Prospect Hills Kids’ Club for Waltham Group, SSSP [Student Support Services Program] and [Myra Kraft Achievers Program] for Brandeis First Generation Students, and Roses in Concrete for Waltham High School Seniors. I think the best part of the Fulbright opportunity is the part that I’ll get to do a side project with the local community. I look forward to getting to do some hands-on work outside of the classroom like with the Red Cross or a Cardiovascular Health Foundation.”

Can you tell me about your application process?

“The application process was very intense. I worked with [Monaghan] and [Rotolo] on [five to six] different drafts, each, highlighting something different about me. It was a lot of rewording and reevaluating, but I think it allowed me to understand who I was and what my values were.

I’m not sure how much I can say, but the interview was with three other potential awardees. I assume that I was competing against them. I had to study Colombia for three days before the interview to stand out.”

How did you feel when you got accepted?

“I didn’t cry when I got accepted to Brandeis University, but I cried with joy when I got this opportunity. This opportunity just reaffirmed that all the hard work I’ve done as an undergraduate and professionally is enough and that with hard work things work out.”

What does Fulbright mean to you?

“It means the opportunity to serve the Colombian community sustainably — teaching English — while helping spread understanding of U.S. multiculturalism. It also means developing professionally and a good first step to representing the U.S., which I consider to be my country.”

What are you excited about?

“I am most excited about exploring Colombia outside of the classroom. It is one of the most biodiverse countries in the world. I also hope to go to their rivers and their beaches and participate in their Kite Festivals, which is something I used to play with in the Dominican Republic.”

Andie Sheinbaum ’24: Recipient of Fulbright study grant in the United Kingdom

Originally from Colorado, Sheinbaum is an Environmental Studies major and double minor in Legal Studies and English. She shared her passion for environmental action, which she explained affects nearly every part of the world. Sheinbaum shared her responses with The Justice on April 25.

Where is Fulbright taking you?

“This type of grant [study grant] allows me to get a master’s degree abroad. For mine, I’m getting a Master of Sciences in Green Infrastructure at the University of Manchester, which is the only such program in the world. “

Can you tell me about your application process?

“In regards to my application process, I was encouraged by the Brandeis Fellowship office to look into Fulbrights, and I found a really good match with the University of Manchester Study Award. I wrote many, many many, drafts of my es -

says, and the Fellowship office — as well as numerous friends and family — looked over my application materials. I submitted everything in October and heard back in January that I had been selected as a semi-finalist. Then, I got told that I was shortlisted and asked to interview. This happened over Zoom, and they sent me the application questions ahead of time. I did a practice interview with [Monaghan] and [Rotolo] at the [Academic Fellowship] office and incorporated their feedback. The interview itself was way more relaxed than I expected, and I was basically just having a conversation with some U.K. Fulbright [alumni].”

How did you feel when you were accepted?

“I was not initially excited when I got accepted. I already had another job that I was happy with, and I was actually walking into a second job interview when I got the email. That said, I am now feeling more sanguine about it and excited to start my journey in the UK.”

What does Fulbright mean to you?

“To me, Fulbright means that I have an opportunity to enrich my learning and development in a way I didn’t think I would ever be able to. I never studied abroad, so I’m really looking forward to this. In addition, Green Infrastructure is one of the central tenets of my senior thesis, and I’m very excited to delve deeper into it.”

What are you most excited about?

“I think I’m most excited to develop a new community in the U.K. I’ve only ever been out of the country for a week before, so I’m looking forward to doing all the fun things that come with meeting new people in a new place.”

Isabelle Aiko Shiiba ’24: Recipient of Fulbright research grant in Japan

Shiiba is is a STEM Posse Scholar from Queens, New York. She describes herself as a half-Japanese and half-Romanian child of immigrants from a low-income background. As a dedicated Biological Physics major, she is the Undergraduate Departmental Representative and the copresident and co-founder of the Brandeis Physics Club. Beyond this she is also a Community Advisor and on the executive board of Femme of Color Alliance. Shiiba shared her experience with The Justice on April 29.

What has been your experience at Brandeis?

“My experience at Brandeis started off during peak [COVID-19] thus my first two years of college felt isolating when it came to academics. Fortunately, my posse kept me going and we stuck to each other like glue. But during this time, I lacked community in my academics, especially in my physics classes. I also started working at my current lab: Dr. Guillaume Duclos research group during the spring of my first year… and I worked there over summer 2022 with the [Summer Materials Research Undergraduate Fellowship]. Starting fall

2022 I felt more confident as a scientist and student, and my friend Hriday Talreja and I decided to start the Brandeis Physics Club after that summer working together in the Duclos Lab. I also started my role that semester as the Biophysics UDR with a goal to create community for underrepresented groups in physics, encourage more majors with biophysics and physics students and provide support/resources such as starting the Directed Reading Program and hosting grad school panels. By being part of these two academic roles I solidified my ‘purpose’ at Brandeis by developing my scientific skills through research and engaging with community building initiatives as a response to what I felt was lacking. Despite these roles, I have struggled with imposter syndrome and labor to carry out these responsibilities throughout my time at Brandeis. The imposter syndrome is still within me, even after I applied to Fulbright and Ph.D programs last fall 2023. I didn’t let these feelings stop my determination to try anyway, because I convinced myself that these paths will lead me to be the scientist I hope to be.”

Can you tell me about your application process?

“My application process started at the end of May 2023 [to] early June 2023 after I returned from studying abroad in Osaka, Japan through the [Consortium for Educational Travel] language intensive program. I left Japan feeling full of content, I checked off all my bucket list items such as wearing a kimono for my birthday, making friends with locals, getting new tattoos. But I had one experience I lacked: I didn’t get to do any research or step into a laboratory. So, I decided to look up any way I could return to gain this experience. Fulbright’s research award was the perfect match to help me return because it was a 10 month award and fully funded — the perfect gap year before I start my long Ph.D journey. Immediately I started working with Meredith and Elizabeth from the Fellowships office at Brandeis and began learning about the application process. By mid June I began corresponding with Professor Akira Kakugo from the Active Matter Lab at Kyoto University and began building my application. It took until August [to] September to finish my research proposal after many zooms from learning about his microtubule swarming system to cultivating a feasible project and proposal to guide these swarms. The application process felt never ending until the final October 10, 2023 deadline. Then, it was radio silence until I found out I was a semi-finalist sometime at the end of January 2024. Then, I found out I received the award on March 28, 2024 during my last Ph.D program visit at The University of Maryland College Park. I didn’t have to interview for Fulbright, thankfully.”

How did you feel when you got accepted?

“When I found out I got accepted I just left my last interview with professors for the day, exhausted, I saw I had a portal update from Fulbright. Immediately I stopped walking and found the nearest bench at UMD, called my bestie Milena Ferreira and opened the Fulbright portal on my laptop. When I saw I received the award it felt surreal, because the waiting game was so long it almost felt like I made up this potential Fulbright experience. I was so happy that now I can stop dancing around the words ‘if I get Fulbright and go to Japan….’”

Can you share what research and other projects you will be working on in Japan?

“At Kyoto University’s Active Matter Lab, my project seeks to merge life sciences and physics to explore the “swarming” phenomenon, a collective motion seen in entities like bird flocks and fish schools, for developing biologically-inspired machines. Harnessing Professors Kakugo and Ichikawa’s innovative swarming mechanisms using cellular-derived biofilaments, the aim is to conceptualize and regulate biomaterial clusters for building efficient man-made swarms. Employing components such as microtubules, DNA strands and light-sensitive azobenzene, the project will focus on guiding swarming behavior, especially via azobenzene’s light-activated DNA-binding properties. I plan to explore

movement manipulation by utilizing precise light patterning to propel the swarms’ formation and direction. The envisioned outcome is directionally controlled swarm motion, advancing materials science, medicine and energy applications. This endeavor’s success is poised to revolutionize biomolecular swarm robots, laying a foundation for future biophysical innovations and enhancing global scientific collaboration. My experience at Brandeis University’s Duclos lab aligns seamlessly with this initiative, since I have worked with the same biological networks such as microtubules and kinesin. Beyond rigorous scientific inquiry, working on biomolecular swarms at Kyoto University offers collaboration opportunities with global biophysics experts, enriching my long-term aspiration to head my own research lab and team. At the Active Matter Lab, I will be able to exchange cultural practices, learn cutting-edge laboratory techniques and foster professional relationships that will carry on beyond Fulbright. I will also join the Active Matter Lab’s high school outreach program to encourage STEM involvement amongst local Kyoto students and volunteer at the ‘Ki-Zu-Na’ language exchange program at Kyoto University to enhance my Japanese linguistic skills and to foster genuine connections with local college students.”

What does Fulbright mean to you?

“Fulbright means an opportunity to receive funding for research that will not only support my career trajectory but I will be able to create transnational collaborations and facilitate this. It also means joining a network of amazing scientists, researchers, scholars and more who want to help the world.”

What are you most excited about?

“I’m most excited about meeting my Japanese friends again and meeting new people and building lasting relationships professionally and personally through the Active Matter Lab. I chose the Active Matter Lab both for their impressive and exciting research, but also because they are composed of many international researchers, which is more rare in Japan which is ethnically 96% Japanese. Although I’m half Japanese, I wasn’t accepted as Japanese — I’m in the hafu category — so I believe working with international researchers will aid the work life culture shock I anticipate to run into. In addition to this, being that I’m from Queens, NYC, being immersed with people from all walks of life is my norm, so I hope to find comfort in the diversity of the Active Matter Lab. I’m excited to contribute to their dynamic and work hard, but play hard as well. My dream is to make lifelong friends, build future scientific collaborations, contribute to a research paper and travel Japan as much as possible. I especially want to visit the Shiiba village, Shiiba-mura, in Miyazaki, Japan to trace back my family roots and discover when my grandfather’s family left the village to Nagasaki. This quest was started by my aunts last summer of 2023, and I hope to finish the work they started in tracing back our family whereabouts.”

Photo courtesy of ANDIE SHEINBAUM

Photo courtesy of ISABELLE AIKO SHIIBA

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Anna Martin, Editor in Chief

Eliza Bier, Managing Editor

Isabel Roseth, Smiley Huynh, Senior Editors

Lauryn Williams, Deputy Editor

Owen Chan, Ceci Xilei Chen, Sophia De Lisi, Zachary Goldstein, Julia Hardy, Anika Jain, Eden Osiason, Mina Rowland, Madison Sirois, Associate Editors

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Thank you and good luck to The Justice editors of the class of 2024 EDITORIALS

Bidding farewell to our graduating editors is always a bittersweet moment; although we hate to say goodbye after countless late nights spent together, our hearts are filled with pride and hope for all that they will accomplish next. Throughout the past four years, our soon-tobe graduates have persevered and remained steadfastly dedicated to The Justice. Brandeis is all the better for their contributions to journalism. Please join us in recognizing The Justice editors in the class of 2024.

Smiley Huynh ’24 has made a lasting impact on The Justice during her time on the paper. She first joined the fall of her sophomore year as a member of the Photography section staff. She quickly became an editorial assistant before becoming one of the Photography editors. She excelled in this role, leading the section efficiently and creatively, while going above and beyond to ensure the quality of photos. From there, she was promoted to Managing Editor, where she has elevated The Justice through her tremendous work ethic and meticulous attention to detail. Her dedication to creating an ethical and thoughtful paper, in addition to the energy she brings to the office, has shaped our publication this past year. The office will truly not be the same without her — although there will be no more terror of nerf guns or inflatable bats! We will miss her next year but wish her the best and know that she will do amazing things.

Eden Osiason ’24 was a burst of colorful energy in the office. With her great style and bright smile, she was a wonderful person to collaborate with. As an Social Media Editor, she played a key role in shaping how the section looks today. Eden’s efforts had a lasting impact on the newspaper’s digital presence and the section’s team dynamics. Her energetic graphics were a highlight of The Justice’s social media; working also as a co-Editor-inChief for the Laurel Moon Literary Magazine at Brandeis, she has shown her eye for composition and endless creativity. After completing her tenure as Social Media Editor and becoming an Associate Editor, she remained a helpful resource to reach out to for guidance. We wish her all the best and can’t wait to see what she does next.

Zachary Goldstein ’24 exhibited cool and calm leadership during his time as Social Media Editor at The Justice. His ability to inject lightheartedness into every conversation and make people feel at ease will be missed here. Creating connections within the Social Media team was his strength; his patience while training members, whether it be a someone new to the section or upcoming editorial assistants, helped maintain continuity and show that everyone, no matter their experience level, was welcome to join. He was always very communicative and responded to problems with grace. Although he retired from the Social Media section and became an Associate Editor in 2023, he was easy to reach out to for advice. We hope he has a great time at Northeastern University! This board would once again like to express our sincere gratitude to these three members of our community. Our paper would not be the same without their ideas and efforts. We appreciate all they have done and the lessons that we have learned from them have not been taken lightly. We wish them the best as they move forward and The Justice will always be here to cheer them on.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Brandeis University Faculty and Staff Letter On the Occasion of Commencement

We, the undersigned Brandeis faculty and staff, write on the occasion of Brandeis’ commencement to offer our sincere congratulations to the graduating class who worked incredibly hard under historically challenging circumstances, including a pandemic, to get to this point. We also use this occasion to register our dismay about the university’s leadership under Ron Liebowitz and our disappointment at the path he has put our university on–from inviting police and private security on campus to suppression of student protests, to limiting free speech, tolerating racist, sexist, and retaliatory behavior by his staff, to the ruinous financial situation in which Brandeis now finds itself.

We write this letter at a time that should have been solely devoted to celebrating the class of 2024 because we are inspired by students at Brandeis and beyond who, at great personal cost, have stood up for justice, a word that used to mean something at Brandeis. Since October 7, around 1200 Israelis have been killed by Hamas, almost 35,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s relentless bombing of Gaza, and over 100 hostages abducted from Israel have yet to be released. Millions of Gazans are at risk of famine and 390 educational institutions have been destroyed (including every single university in Gaza). In response, university students have become the leaders of a movement that seeks peace and decries deadly military assaults against helpless civilian populations no matter their ethnicity or religion.

Across the country, student protests continue to be met with violent police responses and rushed disciplinary processes. Sadly, the same is true for Brandeis. President Liebowitz’s decision to call Waltham police on students during the November 10th demonstrations set a precedent that has been shamefully echoed on other campuses nationwide. His intolerant response to peaceful student protest has betrayed Brandeis’s core values of social justice, truth, diversity, inclusiveness, and community. He has consistently refused to implement motions passed with overwhelming support among the faculty calling for a thorough and independent investigation into the events of November 10th and for Brandeis to commit to not taking disciplinary action or support legal action against the arrested students. Instead, he has rushed to start disciplinary processes against students and wasted university resources on hiring external consultants. Despite impassioned pleas by the Brandeis community for the administration to drop charges and disciplinary measures and to begin to heal our campus, President Liebowitz and the administration have shown more interest in punishment than healing.

In an email sent to the Brandeis community on April 22, 2024, President Liebowitz grossly mischaracterized protests by non-Jewish and Jewish students at other university campuses as antisemitic. Our campus is and should be a place where Jewish students feel safe. But Liebowitz has weaponized the idea of Jewish students’ safety to make everyone more unsafe. Arab, Muslim, and Palestinian students and other students of color at Brandeis have reported unprecedented levels of violence and hostility on campus with hardly any response from the administration. And Jewish students who do not support current Israeli government policies have said they feel betrayed and fearful of what is being done in their name. We categorically reject the false and divisive rhetoric he uses to describe our university, as if the safety of Jewish students could only come at the expense of the well-being of others through the suppression of political speech. The Brandeis we know is a place where all students thrive, where students challenge and learn from each other, and all forms of discrimination are unacceptable.

This culture of fear and suppression is not new, as was evidenced in the 2023 case that held Brandeis University liable for engaging in racist, sexist, and retaliatory behavior towards Robin Nelson-Bailey (awarding her $2.6 million). It was also clear in the March 2024 reinstatement of Carol Simon, the women’s basketball coach, despite the Office of Equal Opportunity having found her in violation of Brandeis’s standards by making racist comments towards Black athletes and other abusive behavior. News of Simon’s retirement arrived only after the majority of the team stated that they would refuse to play under her. That solidarity and collective action in the face of injustice is the Brandeis we know and love.

These issues of campus safety, free speech, and inclusion come at a time when the university is facing significant financial challenges. President Liebowitz is responsible for Brandeis’s $2 million deficit in the coming fiscal year. Rather than provide faculty, students, and staff with transparency about the causes of the crisis and our path forward, he has evaded our questions and concerns about proposed cuts and placed blame on everyone but himself.

We would like to end by addressing our graduating seniors directly: Even though it often feels like our voices do not matter, as you know already, social justice is a long battle and the rewards are sometimes not immediate. We commit to continuing to fight for you, for all Brandeis students, for democracy, academic freedom, and social justice – real social justice, not just a fundraising slogan – and for “truth even unto its innermost parts.” That truth-seeking is built into our institution and must not be abandoned no matter the obstacles in its way.

As a Brandeis graduate, you are part of a longer legacy than this last year. You are joining a celebrated tradition of Brandeis alums who protested the Vietnam War, who set up encampments to demand divestment from South Africa, who occupied Ford Hall for justice for Black students and a department of African American Studies, who marched for an end to gender-based violence. This is a history of social justice, of radical critique, and of Jewish and non-Jewish solidarity that no one can take away from you.

With our best wishes for strength and spirit, wherever the future takes you,

If you are a faculty or staff member who would like to sign this letter, you may do so by clicking the link below. (Due to the history of retaliatory behavior by the Brandeis administration, we have allowed for anonymous but verified signatories.)

https://tinyurl.com/mv423n35

Amith Zafal Abdulla, Staff Amy AbuShanab, Staff

Emily Paradise Achtenberg, Alumna 1965

Susannah Adel , Alumna

Casey Andrews, Faculty

Ulka Anjaria, Faculty

Jonathan Shapiro Anjaria, Faculty

Rabia Anjum, PhD Graduate Class of 2024

Paul Anskat, Faculty Silvia Arrom, Faculty Alexandria Ashley, Alum

Katie Ball, Staff

Anne Bernstein, Alumna

Julia Birnbaum, Staff

Bernadette J. Brooten, Faculty

Mary Baine Campbell, Faculty

Kristina Cherniahivsky, Staff

Emilie Connolly, Faculty

Joe Cunningham, Emeritus

Charlie Fisher, Professor Emeritus

Laura Foner, Alumna

Dian Fox, Professor Emerita

Gregory L. Freeze, Faculty

ChaeRan Yoo Freeze, Faculty

Richard Gaskins, Professor Emeritus

Bradford Garvey, Faculty

Allison Giannotti, Faculty

Kim Godsoe, Alumna

Barbara Jacobs Haber, Alumna, 1960

Jane Hale, Emerita

Karen V. Hansen, Faculty

Matthew Headrick, Faculty

Brian A. Horton, Faculty

Mary Hurd, Staff and Graduate Student

Ray Jackendoff , Emeritus

Patricia A. Johnston, Faculty

Nina (Cornelia) Kammerer, Faculty

Susan Kaufman, Alumna class of ‘66

Alice Arshalooys Kelikian, Faculty

Sanaullah Khan, Faculty

Dorothy Kim, Faculty

Thomas King, Faculty

Ann Olga Koloski-Ostrow, Faculty Emerita

Robert Lange, Emeritus Faculty

Susan S. Lanser, Faculty

Cathy Lauinger, Staff

Keridwen N Luis, Faculty

Sarah Lupis, Faculty

James Mandrell, Faculty

Sarah Mayorga, Faculty

Pascal Menoret, Faculty

Paul Monsky, Emeritus Professor

Paul Morrison, Faculty

A.J. Murphy, Faculty

Steven Ostrow, Former faculty

Wendy Peverill-Conti, Staff

John Plotz, Faculty

David Powelstock, Faculty

Ramyar Rossoukh, Staff

Bessie Rubinstein, Staff

Allison Scharmann, Staff

David Sherman, Faculty

Doug Smith, Faculty

Faith Smith, Faculty

Naghmeh Sohrabi, Faculty

Govind Sreenivasan, Faculty

Ibrahim K Sundiata

Ilana Szobel, Faculty

Gowri Vijayakumar, Faculty

Cheryl L Walker, Emerita

Stephen Wangh, Alumnus, ‘64

John Wardle, Professor Emeritus

Lena Webb, Staff

Allison Yarri, Staff

+ 60 anonymous signatories (30 faculty, 30 staff)

JACK YUANWEI CHENG/The Justice file photo

JACK YUANWEI CHENG/The Justice file photo

JACK YUANWEI CHENG/The Justice file photo

ANNA MARTIN/The Justice

My final farewell to Brandeis University

By SCARLETT REN

CONTIBUTING WRITER

Hey! This is Scarlett, and I am bidding farewell to my Brandeis undergraduate career. I have 600 words to tell you about my college experience, and I am not sure where to start.

I applied to Brandeis because it was a medium size, academic institution in Boston that had a campus. I was an international midyear admit who was interested in social sciences and the humanities. I became heavily involved in the Brandeis community, while most of the Chinese international students I know were fall admits, living off campus and studying business, economics and science, technology, engineering and math. I came in the fall of sophomore year. Because the Brandeis campus was shut down for a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, I only spent two and a half years on campus.

A lot of what a four-year full time on campus student experiences was already abnormal to me. But I was pretty dedicated to being in some way abnormal, and everything made sense when I found a Snapchat memory of myself four years ago, holding a book titled “How To Excel At College.”

During my time as a Brandeis student I went to Alabama, University of California Davis, Silicon Valley, the Middle East and numerous nearby towns. I worked a total of five different student jobs, rose to leadership, did research and studied abroad. I received nominations, scholarships and made connections that are going to last beyond Brandeis. There is only one Scarlett on this campus and she wears red during big occasions.

I also remember when I was reported for racism to the Office of Equal Opportunity during my first weeks here and cried in my off-campus apartment for multiple reasons.

I remember going to my first counseling appointment and also getting rejected from internships. I remember days when my friends were incarcerated — twice — and I questioned the ethical morality of Brandeis.

I remember when I locked myself up in the dungeon, grinding out essays and test preparations because I didn’t have any support system that I felt comfortable reaching out to.

I used to hated being at Brandeis, because it meant individuals who lacked social cues and were considered quirky. To be honest, I thought that students were not prepared for the world, because of the massive leniency and limited financial resources at this university. But somehow, I was voted the most “Brandeisian” once, and I believe it’s because I’ve learned ways to navigate this campus.

If I have any advice to share with my fellow “Brandeisians,” please take advantage of all the resources and opportunities, the kind people who care about you and the diversity all around — across socio-economic status, race, ethnicity, belief systems. Stand up for things you believe in; even if it’s really hard. Remember to always keep going. Sometimes you might get what you want, you just never know. You can come out of the college experience with learned lessons and memories — good and bad — you will be well prepared for the real world. Brandeis, at the very least, is a safe space to make mistakes.

I am grateful to be writing my last college journalism piece for The Justice, as I oncewas a Hoot contributing writer. And I am very grateful to Brandeis for the good and the bad and everything in between. Thanks and best of luck everyone!

To: President Liebowitz

The faculty of the African and African American Studies Department write to express our deep concern regarding the Brandeis women’s basketball team and the reinstatement of Carol Simon as head coach. Recent news stories inThe Justice and the Boston Globe, in addition to the July 31, 2023 Deadspin article, have painted an alarming picture of hostility, fear, and mistrust. Although she has been cleared of officially violating Brandeis policy after a year-long investigation (which itself raises serious questions and concerns about the nature of the investigation and Brandeis’s policies), Coach Simon’s pattern of racial insensitivity and explicit anti-Blackness have been documented. The reinstatement of Coach Simon sends a potentially dangerous signal to the Brandeis community that the racialized harassment of athletes (and of students of color on this campus more broadly) is acceptable and it is they, with their hypersensitivity, who are really the problem. The student-athletes

Recently Alan Dershowitz spoke at Yeshiva University ‘s Cardozo Law School. ( “ Diversity of Viewpoint Is Not Welcome at Cardozo Law School” Alan Dershowitz, Alan Dershowitz Newsletter, 4/30/24).

When he quoted from the wisdom and teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr who was a fierce opponent of antisemitism, the audience of students and teachers found that wisdom and those teachings in Mr. Dershowitz’ words to be “ a provocation”.

April 22,2024

of the women’s basketball team are unified in their commitment to not play for a coach that, through her words and actions, has created a toxic environment. A situation such as this would be alarming at any university. But for a school such as Brandeis, founded in response to discrimination and that proudly touts its historical support for women’s rights, the reinstatement of Coach Simon is deeply embarrassing, if not outright hypocritical. At a time when women’s basketball is in the national spotlight for all the right reasons, Brandeis has sadly offered a reminder of the double standards in terms of resources, player support and expectations that continue to exist in women’s college athletics. We stand in solidarity with the courageous student-athletes of the women’s basketball team in their demand for Coach Simon’s resignation and call on you as president to take immediate action to ensure that this happens.

— Faculty, African and African American Studies Department

Many of those at the Wannsee Conference in January 1942 that formalized the Final Solution of the Jews had doctoral degrees. Obviously for post graduate students and their teachers to view Dr. King’s teachings in opposition to antisemitism as “provocative” is to embrace the evil antisemitic intellectually of many of those at the Wannsee Conference.

Richard Sherman, POB 934853, Margate, Florida 33093(646)267-7904.

The Olympics are soon to begin in Paris, France

■ The Justice Associate Editor Julia Hardy ’26 details the upcoming summer Olympics taking place in Paris, France.

By JULIA HARDY JUSTICE ASSOCIATE EDITOR

This year’s upcoming Olympic Games are scheduled to take place in Paris, France from July 26 to Aug. 11; the Paralympic Games will be held shortly after, starting on Aug. 28 and ending on Sept. 8. The first modern Olympics were held in Athens, Greece in 1896 and the games continue to be an event that garners an enormous amount of viewers. Four years ago approximately 3.05 billion people watched the Tokyo Olympics on television.

The Olympics hold value and purpose that go beyond the competition for medals. The three official values of the Olympics are excellence, respect and friendship. The Olympic Charter outlines the “fundamental principles of Olympism, as well as the rules of the games.” According to the Olympics’ official website, “Blending sport with culture and education, Olympism seeks to create a way of life based on the joy found in effort, the educational value of good example and respect for universal fundamental ethical principles.”

The Olympic Rings, the symbol of the games, are also meant as a sign of unity. The five ring symbol “represents the union of the five continents,” and how the entire world comes together for the games. The rings were first envisioned by Pierre de Coubertin and revealed to the public in 1913. For the 2024 Olympics, the iconic rings will be displayed on the Eiffel Tower. They have also been recently revealed at the Paris Charles de Gaulle airport.

Every four years, the Olympics attract the best athletes from around the globe, with as many as 10,500 slated to compete in Paris, representing 206 National Olympic Committees. NOCs organize and facilitate each of their countries’ participation in the games. Women began competing in the games in 1928 when the Olympics were held in Amsterdam. In Paris, there is estimated to be an equal number of male and female athletes, which is said to be a “monumental achievement.”

In the 2024 Paris Games there will be 329 events, 19 days of competition and 32 sports. Four additional sports will

also be represented — breaking, sports climbing, skateboarding and surfing. The most viewed sports are swimming, track and field and football, called soccer in America.

With so many events and athletes, Paris is working to build new infrastructure and transform the city while being environmentally conscious. According to organizers, “we have looked to reduce everything that can be reduced, for Games that emit less carbon and consume less resources.”

Much like the city of Paris is getting ready for the games, athletes are training and preparing to compete in July. There are a couple of ways that athletes can book their tickets to Paris. For some sports, such as shooting or taekwondo, NOCs are given a quota and then athletes are picked based on their achievements in their sports. There are Olympic trials as well where individuals can qualify. For team sports, they must perform well in World Championships or continental competitions to qualify. However, even if athletes perform well enough to qualify, there are limited spots on each team, meaning that many will not have the opportunity to compete. In fact, athletes may not know until just weeks before the games whether they are going or not.

With less than 90 days until the Olympics start, the U.S. team is slowly forming. There are estimated to be around 800 athletes competing in the Olympics and Paralympics. However, the team is far from filled as only around 90 athletes have qualified.

Olympic trials have been held for rowers, sailors and shooters, so those sports have the majority of the qualified athletes. To name a few, Nevin Harrison, who won the gold medal in canoeing, has qualified, Carissa Moore has qualified in surfing and Sunny Choi has qualified as a breaker.

Expanding beyond the U.S., 42 athletes from India have qualified, including Dhiraj Bommadevara for archery, Neeraj Chopra has met the qualifying standards in javelin and Chirag Shetty will compete in badminton.

Moving to Europe, Penny Healey from Great Britain has won a spot in Archery. In Italy, Irma Testa has qualified for boxing. Germany’s Moritz Wesemann has qualified in diving.

These athletes are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to all the individuals who will attend the games, but as the games get closer, more competitors will continue to work hard to land a spot in the prestigious events.

The 2024 Women’s National Collegiate Gymnastics Championships explained

■ The Louisiana State University Tigers win their first ever national championship.

By ELIZABETH LIU JUSTICE EDITOR

On April 20, Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas was packed full of fans cheering on their favorite teams and gymnasts at the 2024 Women’s National Collegiate Gymnastics Championships. Four colleges, Louisiana State University, the University of California, Berkeley, the University of Florida and the University of Utah battled it out on the championship stage to see who would take home the national title.

In a championship meet, the four teams start and compete in the events of vault, uneven bars, beam and floor exercise. Each team has six gymnasts competing in every event, with only five gymnast’s scores counting towards the overall total, dropping the lowest scorer. There are six judges per event, and each routine is scored out of ten points. Each gymnast is scored by six judges per event. Scores are calculated by taking the average of the four middle scores, and dropping the highest and lowest.

All the gymnasts’ individual scores are added up and the team with the highest total wins.

But before the championship meet could take place, each school had to qualify through the semifinals, where individual athletes also competed for event titles. Two semifinals take place, with four teams competing, while only the top two qualify for the championship. Secondranked LSU, third-ranked California, tenth-ranked University of Arkansas and unranked Stanford University competed in the first semifinal while first-ranked University of Oklahoma, fourth-ranked Florida, fifthranked Utah and eighth-ranked University of Alabama competed in the second. The format of these meets is the same as the final, with the exception of individual qualifiers competing following the teams. These individual qualifiers hope to win titles.

In the first semifinal, LSU and California were able to advance to the championship after putting up a 198.1125 and 197.7125 respectively. The two other teams were not far behind with a 197.0750 from Stanford and a 196.4750 from Arkansas.

Unlike the first, the second semifinal sent shockwaves through the gymnastics community. The top-ranked back to back champions, Oklahoma, struggled to land on their feet with five falls. Due to the scoring system, they had to count three of those scores. The Sooners had been a heavy favorite to win the championship. The same problem seemed to plague Alabama as well, with both teams receiving overall scores significantly lower than the two that qualified. Utah came out of the semifinal on top with a score of 197.9375, followed by Florida with 197.8750, then Oklahoma with 196.6625 and lastly Alabama with a score of 195.4125.

In each semifinal, many individual qualifiers competed for event titles, but none were able to come out on top as every individual title this year went to a gymnast whose team competed in the semifinals. Stanford’s Anna Roberts won the vault title with a score of 9.9500 in the first semifinal. Oklahoma’s Audrey Davis tied with Florida’s Leanne Wong, each receiving a 9.9625 in the second semifinal to win the uneven bars title. Audrey Davis and Faith Torres, both from Oklahoma, split the beam title after scoring a 9.9625 in the second semifinal. LSU’s Aleah Finnegan had the high score of 9.9625 to win the floor exercise in the first semifinal. Lastly, LSU’s Haleigh Bryant was crowned as the All Around Champion with her score of 39.7125 across all four events in the first semifinal.

While the athletes were warming up at the championship meet, commentators highlighted a few key athletes from each team to look out for. These commentators consisted of former three-time Olympic gymnast John Roethlisberger and former Olympic champion Aly Raisman. Haleigh Bryant from LSU won the 2024 All Around title and is known for her consistent performances and high scores. eMjae Frazier from California is nationally ranked in the National Collegiate Athletic Association in the top ten on bars, beam and floor. Leanne Wong from Florida is the 2024 Uneven Bars Champion and is also aiming to make the 2024 Paris Olympic Team. Maile O’Keefe from Utah is the 2023 All Around Champion and has four career individual NCAA championship wins.

For the first rotation, Florida started on vault, Utah on the uneven bars, California on beam and LSU on the floor exercise. Florida had a decent performance on vault, but was not perfect as there were some over and under rotations that caused a step or a hop on some of the landings. There were no major faults, and the lowest score of 9.7875 was dropped for a total of 49.2500. Utah also had a solid first rotation on bars, with many stuck landings and strong handstand positionings for scores in the high 9.8s to 9.9s. Grace McCallum missed her connection on the low bar and ended up taking a skill out, but was able to score a 9.9500 to help her team to a total of 49.4375. Starting on beam is never easy, and California was able to make the most out of it. Their first five gymnasts performed well without any falls, however their last gymnast Gabby Perea missed a three skill connection after wobbling following each skill. The Bears were able to drop her 9.4125 and the team’s highest beam score of 9.9500 from eMjae Frazier led the total to 49.4750. LSU started on floor, which is considered their best event, and the Tigers did not disappoint. All of their gymnasts

had impressive, strong yet controlled landings on their tumbling passes. An unfortunate over rotation of a one and a half led KJ Johnson to land sitting on her subsequent punch layout, but LSU was able to drop her 9.2875 as the rest of the team produced scores of 9.9125 or higher. LSU ended the first rotation with a total of 49.6125 followed by California, Utah then Florida.

In the second rotation, LSU competed on vault, Florida was on the uneven bars, Utah was on beam, and California was on the floor exercise. LSU struggled to stick their landings and weren’t competing to their usual standard until Haleigh Bryant in the anchor position nailed her front pike half off of the vault with great form, earning her a 9.500. LSU’s vault rotation total was 49.4000. Similar to LSU, Florida had a decent rotation with no major faults until their final gymnast Leanne Wong anchored with a stunning routine. Wong’s great cast handstands were held with good body positioning and she stuck her double layout landing, earning her a 9.5000, the highest Gator score on bars. Florida’s second event total was 49.4750. On beam, Utah did not count any huge falls or balance checks, with only scores between 9.8500 and 9.9375 counting towards the total event total of 49.4750. On California’s floor rotation, their third gymnast up Kyen Mayhew fell during her last tumbling pass and received a score of 9.2000, but the Bears were able to rectify the situation with a pair of 9.9125 scores from Mya Lauzon and eMjae Frazier to bring their total up to 49.3750. After the second rotation, LSU was still in the lead with a total of 99.0125 on their two events so far, followed by Utah with a 98.9125. California and Florida were not far behind with 98.8500 and 98.7250 respectively. For the third rotation, California was on vault, LSU on the uneven bars, Florida on beam and Utah on the floor exercise. California had a good rotation, with the first stuck landing for the Bears from Mya Lauzon. This scored a 9.500, bringing their event total up to 49.5000. LSU had a decent rotation on the uneven bars, with some solid routines, stuck landings and good release skills, for an event total of 49.5000 as well. On beam, the Gators had some trouble with the apparatus, after their fourth gymnast Victoria Nguyen had a huge balance check that prevented her from connecting two skills and their anchor gymnast Leanne Wong fell off the beam on a front aerial. Nguyen scored a 9.6625 and Wong scored a 9.3750 — the lowest on beam for Florida — forcing the Gators to count Nguyen’s low score that they were looking to drop initially. Florida ended their beam rotation with a total of 48.7625. Utah excelled at the floor exercise, with all of their gymnasts scoring a 9.9000 or better. Abby Paulson, Laylene Gilstrap and Maile O’Keefe all performed beautiful floor routines scoring 9.9250, helping their team to an event total of 49.5875. After LSU led for the first two rotations, Utah’s wonderful floor rotation catapulted them into first place with an overall total of 148.5000 over the first three events, LSU was right behind with 148.4625, followed by California with 148.3500. Florida struggled this rotation, leading to a total of 147.9625. On the fourth and final rotation, Utah was on vault, California was on the uneven bars, LSU was on the beam and Florida was on the floor exercise. Utah’s vault rotation was reminiscent of Oklahoma’s run in the semifinals, after their starter Camie Winger under-rotated and landed in a squat position that led to a fall and their second vaulter Ella Zirbes also landed in a squat that forced her to take a huge step forward. Winger scored a 9.2875 and Zirbes a 9.6750. Fortunately, the rest of the vaults were all solid, with scores of 9.9000 or higher for an event total of 49.3 even after counting Zirbe’s 9.6750. On bars, California’s Mya Lauzon in the leadoff position also suffered mistakes in her routine. She missed a pirouette on the low bar and lost her grip when transitioning to the high bar. Lauzon was able to hold on, preventing a fall, and finished with a stuck landing for a 9.4750. The rest of the Bear’s routines were good enough to drop Lauzon’s score and the team ended up with a total of 49.5000 on bars. LSU on beam had a little fright after their second gymnast Savannah Schoenherr fell on a non-acrobatic skill. Although her feet never touched the ground, her hands touched the beam to regain balance which is counted as a fall, leaving her with a 9.3875. The Tigers were able to bounce back with vengeance as they hit all of their other routines, each scoring 9.9500 or higher. Konnor McClain scored a team high of 9.9625 with her connections between each skill, great form and stuck landing. LSU had an outstanding rotation for a beam total of 49.7625, a new school record. On floor, Florida had a decent rotation but did not score their best after most that counted were only in the high 9.8s. Leanne Wong performed the very last routine of the competition, and her floor routine scored a 9.9500, but it wasn’t enough to change the Gator’s outcome with an event total of 49.475. After an outstanding rotation for LSU, and a not so great one for Utah, LSU was able to pull ahead into first place with an overall total of 198.225. California was consistent and came in second with a 197.8500, Utah dropped to third place with a 197.8000 and Florida found themselves in last place with an overall total of 197.4375. In an interview with commentator Taylor Davis right after the win, the LSU Gymnastics head coach Jay Clark said “I love these kids so much. They did everything we asked them to all year long. They never complained, they were unselfish when they needed to be … It feels fantastic and I’m just so happy for them. I’m speechless.” LSU became the eighth school to win the national title, the first in program history.

Arizona fans left devastated as team moves to Salt Lake

■ The NHL recently announced the Arizona Coyotes are moving to represent Utah starting next season.

By ANNA MARTIN JUSTICE EDITOR IN CHEIF

As the National Hockey League season comes to an end, the organization has announced some major changes taking place in the Western Conference. The beloved Arizona Coyotes will be moving to Salt Lake City, Utah over the summer and beginning the upcoming season anew.

Prior to the Coyote’s run in Arizona, the team was relocated from Winnipeg Canada in 1996. Winnipeg has since gained a new team, the Jets. This relocation resulted in the branding of the Coyotes, one of the most beloved mascots in the league.

The Coyotes have played at Arizona State University's Mullett Arena since the beginning of 2022. However, a prominent issue with this arrangement is the limited number of spectator seats available — with a max capacity of 5,000 people.

While the lack of arena was stated as an issue when deciding to relocate the team, it was not the only problem. Arizona has faced challenges since 2009 due to the actions of Jerry Moyes, former majority owner of the Coyotes who ultimately drove the Coyote franchise to bankruptcy. Following bankruptcy, the team appeared to enter a positive period, signing a lease with the former Gila River Arena, located close to the city of Phoenix. Unfortunately, the city ultimately ended the lease in 2015, leaving the team rinkless following the 2021-2022 season.

Desperate to remain in their home state, the Arizona franchise has put in renewed efforts into finding a new space to play. According to an article by Fox News, “Last May, voters rejected the franchise's plan for a multi-billion dollar entertainment district in Tempe.” The team identified six potential locations for a new arena for the team. However, since none of these locations were a guarantee, a contingency plan was created. Ultimately, the league has decided to go with the aforementioned contingency plan. The team is being sold to Ryan and Ashley Smith, the owners of the National Basketball Association’s Utah Jazz. The Smith’s have wanted their own NHL team for quite some time. According to the Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, “in January, Smith Entertainment Group formally requested that the NHL initiate an expansion process and bring a team to Salt Lake City.”

The team will now be located in the Delta Center, home of the Jazz. This arena has previously

hosted NHL exhibition games. Smith has stated that if he were to acquire the team, renovations will occur to make the space more “hockey-friendly.”

Salt Lake City has been said to have much potential, as it is a winter sports town. In addition to the NHL transfer, the city has recently submitted a bid to host the 2034 Olympics. According to ESPN, this bid “could produce a new arena for the Jazz and the new NHL team.”

This relocation is not a mirror of those that have come before. The NHL will purchase the team from current owner Alex Meruelo and sell it to Smith who will receive all of the players and the team’s operating staff. The team will be a clean slate.

This gives Meruelo the opportunity to restart the Coyotes’ franchise in the future if he so chooses, and he has indicated hopes to bring national hockey back to the state. He will receive an estimated one billion dollars in this deal, and is hoping to win an auction on June 27 for 95 acres of land north of Phoenix. According to ESPN, “he intends to build an arena, a practice facility, a theater, housing units and retail.” In the deal, he also retains all of the intellectual property of the Coyote franchise. While fans of the team have high hopes for the return of the team, Meruelo is not the most well loved. Many blame him for the loss of the team in the first place.

The team being sold means that they will be receiving new branding, including a new name. Smith took to social media to ask fans what they would name the Utah team. For now the team remains known as “Utah” until a name is selected.

“We’ll start with Utah on the jersey and we’ll figure out the logo and everything else and what it is that we are,” Smith told the Associated Press. He explained that Utah will be the first part of the name regardless, they are just working on deciding on a second part.

The players stepped off of their charter plane on April 24 wearing merchandise branded with the NHL logo and state name. They were greeted at the Salt Lake City International Airport by approximately 100 cheering children waving signs, excited to welcome the team to their new home.

The fans were chanting “Utah Yetis,” a popular potential name among those in Salt Lake.

While Utah fans are elated to welcome the team, Arizona fans are mourning the loss of a popular aspect of their culture. As the team has been located in Arizona since the 90’s, they have a multigenerational fan base with a rich history of former players and long standing traditions. The final Coyotes game was a place of reminiscing and sadness as the team moved on to their next venture. However, fans remain hopeful that the team will be revived and a new arena will be built in Arizona in the coming years.

The NBA playoffs: Where did they come from and where are they going?

■ As the NBA playoffs have begun, predictions for the season’s outcomes have been circulating amongst fans.

By ANNA MARTIN JUSTICE EDITOR IN CHEIF

The National Basketball Association’s playoff games have been an ever-changing sporting event, with the first official final taking place in 1947, concluding the 1946-47 season. The first round has previously been shorter than present day, functioning as a best of three series. When the playoffs expanded to include a fourth round of games, the first round transitioned to a best of five style competition. The NBA is divided into the Eastern and Western conferences, each of which send their best four teams to the play-in tournament. The second round is also often called the conference semifinals. Following this round, the two winning teams from each conference proceed to the next round, which is the final chance to play in the NBA finals. This round is called the conference finals, as one team from each conference will move on to represent their regions. There is much contention regarding whether or not the play-in tournament counts as a playoff round, meaning the number of rounds is not entirely clear.

As both the 2023-24 regular season and playin tournaments have concluded, the more

intense rounds of the playoffs have recently begun. As a result of this advancement, many have started to make predictions regarding this season’s possible victors.

Many often place bets regarding these playoff games, competing in brackets and wishing for good luck. The two teams most favored to win are the Boston Celtics and the Denver Nuggets. According to betting odds website Odds Shark, no other team has odds of winning higher than 14-1.

As of April 28, the Boston Celtics are the current favorite to win, even after a loss to the Miami Heat. They compensated for this loss by beating the Heat on their home court with a margin of 20 points in the third game. They are still expected to cruise through the rest of the Eastern Conference bracket and easily secure a place in the final championship game. The Nuggets are trailing close behind as of April 28, with a strong shot at the championships. However, they recently lost their 11game winning streak against the Los Angeles Lakers. They had not lost to the Lakers in a regular or postseason game since December of 2022. The final score of this loss for the Nuggets was 119-108. While many teams are lingering in the middle of the pack, the New Orleans Pelicans are currently ranked the lowest in the bracket, with odds of +100,000, while the Celtics have odds of +115. Boston is excited to cheer on their team, and the odds are looking good as the Celtics hope to advance in the competition.

PLAYERS WIN THE TROPHY

It’s time for the Stanley Cup championship

■ Hockey teams from across the United States and Canada compete to win the biggest award in the sport.

By ANNA MARTIN JUSTICE EDITOR IN CHEIF

As the National Hockey League season comes to a close, The Justice will reflect on the history of the sport’s championship games and review the predictions for this year’s potential winners.

According to the Official Site of The Hockey Hall of Fame, the Stanley Cup is the “oldest trophy competed for by professional athletes in North America.” Sir Fredrick Arthur Stanley, Lord Stanley of Preston and the son of the Earl of Derby donated the trophy. He purchased it for today’s equivalent of $50, “to be presented to the championship hockey club of the Dominion of Canada."

The Montreal Amateur Athletic Association was the first team to win the Cup in 1893. The National Hockey Association took possession of the trophy in 1910, and in 1926, restricted the competition to teams in the NHL. The team that has won the trophy the most times is the Montreal Canadiens, with 23 victories. It is also important to note that they have a 24th victory that took place in 1916 which does not count as it was prior to the NHL’s formation. The Canadiens are followed by the Toronto Maple Leafs with 13 victories.

The Cup has greatly evolved during the over 100 years it has been competed for. Tiered rings used to be added to the base, which ended up being followed by more narrow bands. The names of each player on the winning team are inscribed into the cup, meaning that rings often have to be retired due to space constraints. These retired bands are housed with the original cup bowl in Esso Great Hall, displayed in the vault of Lord Stanley of

Preston. Following the winning of the championship game each year, the cup goes on a “summer of celebration." Each member of the team and staff is granted the honor of spending 24 hours with the trophy. In its many years of use, it has traveled all across the world, visiting igloos, mountain peaks, Japan, Switzerland and more.

This year, the battle for the honor to hold the cup is a tough one, with many teams holding a good shot at victory. Due to the large amount of games, predictions can be hard to make but many industry professionals have given it their best shot. The NHL published an article on April 19, highlighting the predictions of 15 different staff members.

Out of these 15 staff members, seven of them placed their bets on the Dallas Stars, a team that has done consistently well throughout the season. One can infer that the Stars are a reliable bet, as there is unlikely to be any surprises from the team. They are dependable and consistent, a safe choice to win it all.

The second most popular choice among the staff members was the New York Rangers, with three bets. This choice has proven to be a smart one while watching the first round of the playoffs, as the Rangers are the first team to advance to the second round, beating the Washington D.C. Capitals four games to zero. The Capitals will be the only team to be eliminated during round one without winning a single playoff game.

The Edmonton Oilers and the Carolina Hurricanes each had the support of two staff members, with the final supporting the Florida Panthers. It is shaping up to be an exciting playoff season this year, as seven out of eight first round matchups have demonstrated wins from both competitors. Many sit on the edges of their seats hoping for success for their favorite teams, and we wish all involved luck moving forward.

WNBA draft review: Predictions vs results

■ An overview of the top overall selections in the 2024 WNBA draft, including a preview into how these star prospects will be incorporated into WNBA teams.

By EZEKIEL BLOOM JUSTICE CONTRIBUTING WRITER

The 2024 Women’s National Basketball Association draft did not fail to disappoint, as members of one of the most successful classes of graduating seniors in women’s college basketball history were prominently featured as top picks. The electrifying phenom Caitlin Clark of the University of Iowa went number one overall to the Indiana Fever, pairing her excellent perimeter play and three point shooting with the inside scoring prowess of last years’ draft top selection, Aliyah Boston. Going second overall was Stanford University's forward Cameron Brink to the Los Angeles Sparks. Brink was not as much of a consensus at number two as Clark was at number one. However, she backs up her early selection with her defensive ability, averag-

ing almost four blocks a game, as well as her outstanding rebounding. Other notable selections include the University of South Carolina’s imposing post player Kamilla Cardoso to the Chicago Sky at number three, where she will be paired with another rookie post player in Louisiana State University’s Angel Reese, who was picked seventh. Dynamo Rickea Jackson out of the University of Tennessee and guard Jacy Sheldon from Ohio State University round out the top five, going to the Los Angeles Sparks and Dallas Wings respectively. Our predictions of the WNBA draft correctly anticipated Clark’s status as the number one overall pick to the Fever, but we did not predict any of the other major picks accurately. Nonetheless, we were pretty precise in predicting the general range that prospects such as Brink, Cardoso and Reese would be picked in. It is often difficult to anticipate the choices teams make when drafting, as the decisions are the result of dozens of individuals working collaboratively to hone in on the one individual they need to assist their team. Nevertheless, we hope that many of these selections allow the players to prosper in their future careers, and continue the success that they experienced in college.

HOIST: Alexander Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals lifts the Stanley Cup over his head.

Photo courtesy of CREATIVE COMMONS

‘Lax with Liz’: The Tewaaraton Award

■ A brief overview of the Tewaaraton Award and its top 25 nominees.

By ELIZABETH LIU JUSTICE EDITOR

There aren’t many individual accolades in National Collegiate Athletics Association lacrosse, but one of the most coveted is the Tewaaraton Award. At the end of every postseason tournament, only the players with the best performance, from both the men’s and women’s across all three divisions, will be announced as the recipient of the Tewaaraton Award for that year.

Lacrosse originated from the Haudenosaunee in 1100 and was a way for them to learn stealth, strength, agility and speed. Beginning as stickball, many tribes and communities developed their own set of rules and playing styles. For one nation — the Mohawk Nation — lacrosse is rooted in centuries of tradition, and had seen many variations of playing before taking on its present day form. The award name “Tewaaraton” is the Mohawk “name for their game and the progenitor of present day lacrosse,” as the wooden stick with net baskets and deer hide balls have evolved into the modern day plastic sticks and rubber balls. The Tewaaraton Foundation’s mission is “recognizing excellence in the sport of lacrosse by annually honoring the most outstanding men’s and women’s college players and legends of the game” while also “honoring the Native American heritage of the sport” with their awards and scholarships.

Players like Charlotte North, Taylor Cummings and Hannah Nielsen, who are considered to be some of the best athletes to ever play lacrosse have all won the Tewaaraton Award during their collegiate careers.

To be eligible to win the award, players must be nominated by their coaches to be put on the Watch List. The Tewaaraton Award’s selection committee then filters through all of the players on the Watch List to choose the top 25 nominees. That list will then be narrowed down to the top five players, who become the finalists to win the Tewaaraton. At the end of the collegiate lacrosse season, an award ceremony is held where the winner of the award is announced.

While winning the award is a signifier of excellence in lacrosse, the trophy itself also has its own meaning. The Tewaaraton Trophy is made of bronze and was designed and created by Frederick Kail. Kail “captures the exciting spirit and powerful dynamics of lacrosse” and depicts “a single unnamed Mohawk player, dramatically surging to the front” to represent the high level of athleticness and competitiveness that winning the Tewaaraton requires. The trophy is mounted on a hexagonal base that represents the Six Nations of the Iroquois Nation or the Haudenosaunee: “the Mohawk, Cayuga, Oneida, Onondaga, Seneca and Tuscarora tribes.” With such a rich history, this award is often noted as the “the Heisman of lacrosse” and has been the highest individual honor in lacrosse since its inception in 2001.

For the 2024 season, the 25 women’s nominees come from 15 different Division I schools. Boston College, University of Michigan and Northwestern University lead the schools with three nominees each, followed by Loyola University Maryland, University of Maryland, University of Notre Dame and Syracuse University with two players each on the list. Of the five finalists from last year, only three are returning players, all three of them making it onto this year’s nominee’s list: Izzy Scane, who won the award in 2023; Isabella Peterson; and Erin Coykendall.

Northwestern University

Representing Northwestern is Izzy Scane and Erin Coykendall, both graduate attackers, return-

ing to the Tewaaraton top 25 nominees list, as well as Madison Taylor, Northwestern’s sophomore attacker. Scane, who is also informally known as “The Scane Train,” produced 64 goals and 14 assists so far this season. She is the previous Tewaaraton Award winner and Honda Sport Award Winner. Coykendall, a 2023 Tewaaraton Finalist and Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association First Team All-American, has scored 34 goals and has 41 assists. Taylor was the Big Ten Freshman of the Year in 2023, and has 58 goals and 25 assists this year.

The Northwestern Wildcats are last year’s Big Ten Tournament champions and the 2023 national champions. They were the heavy pre-season favorites after retaining much of their starpower. They only had two regular season losses, both huge upsets to the University of Notre Dame and Pennsylvania State University. However, the Wildcats are currently on a five game win streak, and have regained the top spot in the Inside Lacrosse Women/IWLCA Division I Poll.

Boston College

The three nominees from Boston College are Rachel Clark, a junior attacker who transferred from University of Virginia; Sydney Scales, the senior defender; and Belle Smith, the senior midfielder. Clark has scored 62 goals, has 14 assists this season and was a U.S. Lacrosse Magazine All-American First-Team honoree. Scales has 24 ground balls and 27 caused turnovers this season and was named an Inside Lacrosse/IL Women First-Team All-American in 2023. Smith, who is known to have the ‘total package,’ with 39 draw controls, 34 goals, 12 assists, 17 ground balls and 11 caused turnovers this season. She was a Tewaaraton top 25 nominee last year, and the only player in the nation in 2023 with at least 50 goals, 30 assists, 30 ground balls, 25 draw controls and 15 caused turnovers.

The Boston College Eagles lost the national title to Northwestern last year, but are looking to return to championship weekend after six straight appearances at the championship game. The Eagles have lost three games in the regular season to Northwestern, Notre Dame and Virginia, the latter two being in the Atlantic Coast Conference with Boston College. Boston College is currently ranked the third best team in both the United States of America Lacrosse Division I Women’s Top 20 and the ILWomen/IWLCA Division I Poll, but the team has always seemed to improve each game and thrives in the postseason.

University of Michigan

The University of Michigan is the final school with three players on the Tewaaraton top 25 nominees list represented by Maddie Burns the senior defender; Erin O’Grady the junior goalie; and Jill Smith the junior attacker. Burns has 31 ground balls, 21 caused turnovers and 18 draw controls so far this season. She was previously on the Tewaaraton Watch List and ILWomen AllAmerica Third Team in 2023. O’Grady, one of the two goalies on the list, has 122 saves for a 0.589 save percentage and a 6.45 goals against average for her best season yet. Smith has 48 goals and 12 assists, along with 47 draw controls this year and was on the IWLCA All-America Second Team last year.

The Wolverines started their season off strong with a win streak of 11. But in the second half of the regular season Michigan suffered losses against Maryland and Northwestern. They are currently ranked fifth in the ILWomen/IWLCA Division I Poll.

Loyola University Maryland

Loyola University Maryland is represented by senior attacker Sydni Black and junior midfielder Chase Boyle on the top 25 list. Black was a 2023

IWLCA All-Mid-Atlantic Region First Teamer and All-Patriot League First Teamer. She has 64 goals, 25 assists and 71 draw controls this season. Boyle was an All-Patriot League First Teamer in 2023 as well, and has 74 goals, 13 assists and an

impressive 180 draw controls this year. The Greyhounds have a 14-2 record this year, with losses against Syracuse University and the University of Pennsylvania.

University of Maryland

The University of Maryland, a historically dominant program, has two of its players on the Tewaaraton top 25 list in Meghan Ball a graduate defender who transferred from Rutgers University, and Emily Sterling the graduate goalie. Ball, who was the 2023 Big Ten Defender of the Year and USA Lacrosse First Team All-American at Rutgers, has 31 ground balls, 30 caused turnovers and 61 draw controls this year at Maryland. Sterling, the only other goalie on this list, was the 2022 and 2023 Big Ten Goaltender of the Year, and has 150 saves for a 0.524 save percentage and an 8.91 goals against average. The Terrapins have struggled to gain momentum this season with a 12-4 regular season record, but are hoping to win their first Big Ten Tournament since 2022.

University of Notre Dame

The University of Notre Dame has two of their stars nominated; Kasey Choma, the graduate midfielder and Jackie Wolak, the graduate attacker. Choma was the top-ranked recruit in the Class of 2019, is a 2023 IWLCA First Team All-American and is a USA Lacrosse Magazine First Team AllAmerican. She has 47 goals, 22 assists, 20 ground balls and is known as the “heartbeat” of the Notre Dame team. Wolak has 52 goals, 37 assists, 13 ground balls and along with Choma is a 2023 IWLCA First Team All-American and USA Lacrosse Magazine First Team All-American. The Fighting Irish have put up strong performances in the past few years, becoming the only non-ranked team to make it to the quarterfinals of the NCAA tournament in 2023. However, this Notre Dame team shocked the lacrosse world when they won against Northwestern 14-10 early on in the regular season. Currently on a ten win streak, the Fighting Irish have only lost to the Syracuse and Virginia teams. This Notre Dame team is also ranked first in the USA Lacrosse Division I Women’s Top 20. Syracuse University

Last of the schools with two of their players nominated for the Tewaaraton top 25 is Syracuse, with Katie Goodale the senior defender and Emma Tyrrell the graduate attacker. Goodale has 37 ground balls, 42 caused turnovers, 41 draw controls and is an anchor for the Orange’s zone defense. Tyrrell has 57 goals and 18 assists and is a USA Lacrosse Magazine Third-team All-American. The Syracuse program had a change in leadership recently when Kayla Treanor was named the new head coach in 2021. Since then, the Orange have played very well, making it to the NCAA championship quarterfinals in her first year and the semifinals in her second. Treanor also made program history when the Orange won every single regular season game except for their last, for a 15 game win streak. So far this year, this Syracuse team has struggled a little bit with a record of 14-4, but has made it to their first ACC Tournament Championship game since 2021.

Duke University

Representing Duke University on the top 25 list is Katie DeSimone, a senior attacker, who has become the backbone of Duke’s offense. A USA Lacrosse Magazine All-American honorable mention, DeSimone has produced 58 goals and 21 assists. The Blue Devils often rely on her to produce plays and goals, and the team has a 10-8 record so far this season.

University of Florida

Emily Heller, a graduate midfielder for the University of Florida on the top 25 list, is the glue between the offensive and defensive end. Heller has 32 goals, six assists, 19 ground balls, 25 draw controls and is a 2023 IWLCA Second Team All-American. The Gators have been ranked in the NCAA championships for the past three years, and find themselves with a 14-2 record this season. The

University of Florida is also number 10 in both the ILWomen/IWLCA Division I Poll and USA Lacrosse Division I Women’s Top 20 this season. Stony Brook University

Ellie Masera is a senior midfielder from Stony Brook University on the top 25 list. She is known as a scrappy player who has produced 63 goals, 30 assists, 13 ground balls and 125 draw controls. A USA Lacrosse Magazine First Team All-American in 2023, Masera helped lead the Seawolves to a CAA Championship and an Elite Eight appearance in the NCAA championship last season, and a 15-2 record so far this season.

University of Denver

From the University of Denver, graduate defender Trinity McPherson was a huge reason why the Denver program went undefeated for the entire regular season, winning the Big East Tournament and most of the postseason until the semifinals of the NCAA championship, with a 22 game win streak. McPherson’s athleticism helped her achieve 34 ground balls, 33 caused turnovers and 63 draw controls this season, and IWLCA/IL AllAmerican Second Team and USA Lacrosse Magazine All-American Second Team honors last year. The Pioneers tried to replicate last year’s success, with a 5-0 conference record but only a 13-3 overall record.

University of North Carolina

The UNC graduate defender on the top 25 list, Emily Nalls, is a veteran player that was a starter on the team that played a perfect season that ended in a national title in 2022. Nalls, a 2023 Tewaaraton Award Top 25 nominee and 2023 IWLCA First Team All-American has tallied 30 ground balls, 27 caused turnovers and 56 draw controls this season. After graduating much of their starting lineup in 2022, the Tar Heels have struggled to find their rhythm this season with a 10-6 record despite having a hugely talented roster.

James Madison University

Isabella Peterson, the lone 2023 Tewaaraton Finalist not from Northwestern, is a senior attacker from James Madison University on this year’s top 25 list. Peterson, an IWLCA/IL Women First Team All-American and USA Lacrosse Magazine First Team All-American, has 56 goals, eight assists and 72 draw controls this season. Peterson’s production this year has only helped her etch her name into program history, as she currently holds the record for most goals all-time in JMU history, 279, most points all-time in JMU history, 339, and most draw controls all-time in JMU history, 312. The Dukes were able to make it to the quarterfinals of the NCAA championship tournament, and currently have a 11-4 record.

University of Virginia University of Virginia’s senior attacker Morgan Schwab is another standout player that leads the Virginia offense. Schwab was named to the 2023 IWLCA All-South Region Second Team, and led the ACC and ranked second in the nation in assists per game with 2.72 last year, and currently has 18 goals and 53 assists. The Cavaliers have had some impressive wins over Boston College, Notre Dame and James Madison University, however have fallen short a few times for a 14-4 overall record after getting hit with the transfer of Rachel Clark and the graduation of Jaime Biskup and Ashlyn McGovern.

Rutgers University

The last player on the Tewaaraton top 25 is Cassidy Spilis, a graduate midfielder from Rutgers University. Spilis has 68 goals, four assists, 36 ground balls, 31 caused turnovers and 89 draw controls. She is also the program’s all-time leader in goals scored (192) and the 2022 Big Ten Midfielder of the Year. The Scarlet Knights have had a rough season so far with an overall record of 7-9, as they look to repeat previous successes of a Big Ten Tournament championship game appearance and an Elite Eight appearance in the NCAA tournament in 2022.

JUDGES BY THE NUMBERS

RACE: Boston Marathon Results

CONTINUED FROM 16

UPCOMING GAMES:

MarcMaestri M’24 leads the team with an ERA of 6.67.

leads the team with a record of 16-8.

Doubles

WOMEN'S TOP FINISHERS

won the women’s wheelchair race. Manuela Schar took second place with a time of one hour, 36 minutes and 41 seconds. At one hour, 39 minutes and 20 seconds, Madison De Razio was third. Patricia Eachus crossed the line at one hour, 40 minutes and 22 seconds — taking fourth place — and Aline Dos Santos Rocha came in fifth with a time of one hour, 41 minutes and 47 seconds. Michelle Wheeler was the first American to finish with a time of one hour, 45 minutes and 59 seconds.

The men’s wheelchair race was won

by Marcel Hug, who broke his course record. Nicknamed “The Silver Bullet,” he finished with a time of one hour, 15 minutes and 33 seconds. Although he had a small crash on Commonwealth Avenue, he still was able to shave around two minutes from his previous year’s time. Second place was taken by American Daniel Romanchuk at a time of one hour, 20 minutes and 37 seconds. David Weir came in third with a time of one hour, 22 minutes and 12 seconds. Fourth and Fifth place were taken by Sho Wantanabe and Josua

Cassidy respectively with times of one hour, 26 minutes and 10 seconds and one hour, 30 minutes and 31 seconds. As an annual tradition, the Boston Marathon consistently draws talented racers and runners. This year did not disappoint by putting on a good show and breaking records.

– Editor’s note: The Justice Editor in Chief Anna Martin '26 is employed by BXP, Sponsor of the Boston Marathon, and did not contribute to this article.

Top 10 picks of the 2024 National Football League draft

■ The 89th annual NFL draft occurred from April 25 to April 27 with a record number of quarterbacks being drafted into the top 10.

By Eliza Bier JUSTICE MANAGING EDITOR

At 8 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time on April 25, the 89th annual National Football League draft began. The event was held around Campus Martius Park and Hart Plaza in Detroit, Michigan. The draft concluded after three days, with 257 players being recruited into the league.

much-needed depth to the Cardinal wide receiver position.

sided by this pick, according to his agent Mike McCartney.

“Yes, it was a big surprise. We had no idea this was coming,” McCartney told NFL Media. “We got no heads up.” Penix's age also raised questions by many analysts considering if Cousins were to play his full contract, Penix will be near 27 by the time he becomes a regular starter. Penix has a prospect grade of 6.25 and “will eventually be [an] average starter” according to his NFL draft profile. He has a production score of 82 and an athleticism score of 89.

Doubles

OUTDOOR TRACK AND FIELD

Nancy Zhang '26 leads the team with a record of 9-8.

Bhakti Parwani '25 and Rebecca Suarez '26 lead the team with a record of 18-4.

Dylan Walters '24 and Tommy Harrison '26 lead the team with a record of 7-3. The

Results from the Farley Inter Regional Extravaganza.

800m

TJ Carleo '26 placed fourth with a time of 1.50:38s and Garret

Rieden '26 placed fifth with a time of 1:50.39s. Javelin

Sam Karuse '27 placed second with a throw of 54.69m.

Results from the MIT Final Qualifier.

MEN'S TOP FINISHERS

800m TJ Carleo '26 placed third with a time of 1.52:66s.

4x100m Relay

Matthew Yue '26, Dean Carey '25, Ian Dyer '27 and Sam Rosen '27 placed fifth with a season best of 43.33s.

UPCOMING MEETS:

WOMEN'S TOP FINISHERS

Smiley Huynh '24,

Korn '24, Shaniece Nugent '26 and Alya Campbell '24 placed sixth with a school record time of 48.60s.

Smiley Huynh '24 placed third with a school record of 3.71m.

WOMEN'S TOP FINISHERS

Pole Vault

Alisha Anderson '26 placed sixth with a person record of 3.48m

On May 24 TJ Carleo ’26 will travel to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina to contest the 800m at the

The Chicago Bears had the first pick of the draft through a trade with the Carolina Panthers, and drafted University of South Carolina quarterback Caleb Williams. Williams was one of the top picks of the draft following his impressive performance over the past three years. In 2023 he threw for 3,633 yards, 30 touchdowns and only five interceptions. He has a 6.74 prospect grade, a production score of 98 and a athleticism score of 89. His combined score puts him in rank one and is a year one starter.

The second pick of the draft went to the Washington Commanders who selected Louisiana State University quarterback Jayden Daniels. Daniels was also one of the top picks with a 6.73 prospect grade. He has a production score of 97, an athleticism score of 90, ranking him first and a total score of 92. He is a year one starter.

The New England Patriots had the third pick of the draft with University of North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye. Maye has a prospect grade of 6.50 with “boom-or-bust potential.”

He has a production score of 88, the fourth-highest combined quarterback score and an athleticism score of 86. Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. was the fourth pick and was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals. Harrison comes from a family of NFL players, with his father being Hall of Famer Marvin Harrison. He has a prospect grade of 6.83, a production score of 94, an athleticism score of 73 and a combined score of 88. He is a year one starter. Harrison will add

The fifth pick of the draft was Notre Dame offensive tackle Joe Alt to the Los Angeles Chargers. Alt also comes from a family of professional athletes, with his father John Alt, being a Pro Bowl NFL tackle player and his brother Mark Alt playing in the National Hockey League. He has a prospect grade of 6.49 and “will become good starter within two years” according to his NFL draft profile. Alt has a production score of 85 and an athleticism score of 85. Many analysts were taken aback after the Chargers did not pick a wide receiver, but incumbent coach Jim Harbaugh foreshadowed this decision when he said the offensive line is “not relying on any other position group to be good. They go out, yet every other position group relies on the offensive line to be good.” Hopefully, Alt will contribute to quarterback Justin Herbert’s rise to superstar playmaker.

The New York Giants chose LSU wide receiver Malik Nabers as the sixth draft of the round one. Nabers is a year one starter with a prospect grade of 6.86. He has a production score of 96 and an athleticism score of 85. Nabers will hopefully allow the Giants to reignite playoff aspirations after a disappointing 2023 season. He has drawn comparisons to fellow former LSU superstar receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Justin Jefferson. However, only time will tell if he lives up to those lofty comparisons.

Alabama State University’s JC Latham, offensive tackle, was the seventh pick of the draft going to the Tennessee Titans. Latham has a prospect grade of 6.71 and is a year one starter. He has a production score of 87 and an athleticism score of 79.

The eight pick was the most contentious out of the first top 10. This controversial pick is the Atlanta Falcons selecting Washington State University’s quarterback, Michael Penix Jr.. In May, the Falcons signed Kirk Cousins, veteran quarterback, to a four year contract for a $180 million deal. The high cost of this extension resulted in much surprise as the Falcons drafted a quarterback as their first pick of this draft season. Cousins was left blind-

The Chicago Bears had the ninth pick, their original slot in the draft, and picked Washington University’s Rome Odunze, wide receiver. Odunze has a prospect grade of 6.74 and is a year one starter. He has a production score of 91 and an athleticism score of 85. His draft profile highlights his ability to lead. The Bears’ other first round pick, Caleb Williams, was ecstatic to find out his new team drafted Odunze saying "we got our guy" in a clip posted to X shortly after the pick. Hopefully Williams and Odunze alongside key offseason signings of star receiver Keenan Allen and running back D’Andre Swift will have this historic franchise back to perennial playoff threats.

The tenth pick of the draft was University of Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy, going to the Minnesota Vikings. McCarthy has a prospect grade of 6.40 and “will become good starter within two years” according to his NFL draft profile. He has a production score of 84 and an athleticism score of 83. McCarthy, originally projected to be a mid second round pick at best, shot up draft boards after Michigan's historic championship run and McCarthy’s impressive performance at the NFL combine.

The most common picks of the top 12 in the 89th NFL draft were quarterbacks, with a record number six quarterbacks drafted in round one. A number this high has not been seen since the 1983 draft. For the most part the results of the 2024 NFL draft followed general predictions of analysts and the public; however, it will be entertaining to see how the 2024 NFL draft class affects the game next season.

SOCCER: Professional Team

CONTINUED FROM 16

“Now that I’m deep in it,” he related, “I had no idea what I was getting into.” Everything from staff to trainers to an analytics department needs to be built from the ground-up. “But I always had an attitude of, ‘I can find a way,’ now that’s carrying over into soccer.”

“I can find a way” is a mantra Baruchowitz has honed since he went to college. Baruchowitz first heard about Brandeis after his brother went two years earlier. He said he was recruited to play soccer and tennis at 350 schools, but chose to follow his older brother to Waltham. After Brandeis, he went to law school at Boston University before moving into high-frequency trading.

During this period, a friend and colleague of his was struck by a car and paralyzed and moved to Colorado to explore medical marijuana for pain management. Baruchowitz stayed in touch, discussing the legal and financial side of the budding cannabis industry in Colorado. As time went on, he began to see a potential market — one that he would become a part of when Connecticut legalized cannabis for medicinal use in 2012.

As Baruchowitz retells it, he was

invited by some old partners to help write an application for a cultivation and dispensary contract. He credited his legal background for the ability to sift through all the “minutiae and legalese,” navigating the web of regulations and statutes that exist in any newlylegal industry. In the end, his group was granted a massively advantageous contract to operate in Connecticut. Baruchowitz suddenly found himself in high demand. He used that momentum to found Merida Capital Partners, a private equity fund specializing in cannabis industry investments. Baruchowitz jokes that he owes some of his success in the cannabis market to being “the only sober guy in the room,” but it is sometimes striking how “low-key” Baruchowitz presents himself, despite the eclectic background. What stuck out first, upon meeting him, is his love of history and writing. He’s an avid reader, from Kerouac to Kesey. He plays the drums and loves alternative rock. But past his easy going demeanor is an unmistakable competitive fire, one that comes out, especially, when discussing his major Division III soccer competition.

While once affiliated with MLS, USL is now a direct competitor. In the Division III space, USL1 and MLS Next Pro are jockeying for the attention of smaller-market soccer fans. MLS Next Pro, however, is a developmental league, with 27 of its 29 teams being reserves of Division one clubs. To Baruchowitz, this difference is key; he is quick to point out that MLS is a competitor, and that he believes he is delivering the superior product.

“It’s not a developmental league or a feeder program … it’s a place you can take your family, and root for a local team,” he says. “This is about building something the right way.”

America is in something of a soccer renaissance leading up to the 2026 World Cup. Partially spearheaded by the popularity of the U.S. National Teams, it’s also driven by the growing support of local and youth teams. Come 2025, the Westchester Soccer Club will do their best to continue this trend, and it's hard not to believe they’ll be successful when hearing Baruchowitz’s passion for building something right.

Sports just

UPCOMING OLYMPIC GAMES

The Justice Associate Editor Julia Hardy '26 details this summer's upcoming Olympic games, taking place in Paris France, p. 14.

Brandeis alumnus obtains new soccer franchise

■ Mitchell Baruchowitz ’96 now operates a professional soccer team in Westchester, NY. The Justice sat down to discuss how he got here, and how he plans to build a team from the ground up.

By MILES GOLDSTEIN JUSTICE STAFF WRITER TEAM

Mitchell Baruchowitz '96, a former Brandeis tennis star-turned cannabis industry investor, was awarded a United Soccer League franchise in Westchester County, New York this year.

The team, currently dubbed the Westchester Soccer Club, will play in USL League One, a Division III professional league operated by USL, at Memorial Field in Mount Vernon, New York. To serve as a developmental pipeline, Baruchowitz also plans to create a youth system by merging with a local soccer academy in Westchester. The team will play their inaugural game on March 1, 2025, and has shared plans to start a women's team in the coming years. Unlike in other countries, soccer leagues in the United States do not use a promotion and relegation system, instead dividing leagues up into three "divisions" — a system sometimes called the "American Soccer Pyramid." The only sanctioned Division I league is Major League Soccer. USL operates the

MASSACHUSETTS RACE

only Division II league, called the USL Championship. USL1 is one tier below that, and is one of three active Division III leagues in America.

Baruchowitz had a successful athletics career at Brandeis in the 90s, going undefeated in the fall of his sophomore year and winning 14-straight to start the spring. He has remained involved at Brandeis, serving on alumni committees and speaking at the International Business School. In 2021, he orchestrated a $250,000 research gift to the University, the Baruchowitz Family Fellowship for Dysautonomia Research, aimed at gaining insight on life-altering conditions that affect the nervous system, like postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, which his ex-wife, Wendy Baruchowitz, suffers from.

It had been a lifelong dream to own a sports franchise, but the ability to build a soccer team from the ground up was a particularly irresistible proposition.

In an April 10 interview with The Justice Baruchowitz commented, “you want that reward, walking into that stadium, hearing people, families, cheering.” The vision is greater than just overseeing a sports team. In Baruchowitz’s mind, it’s about building a part of a community, a local point of pride, a family attraction and growing the sport of soccer in the United States, especially prescient in the run-up to the 2026 World Cup.

A recap: The recent Boston Marathon

■ The Boston Marathon took place in April, drawing in thousands from across the world to participate in this annual athletic competition.

By JULIA HARDY JUSTICE ASSOCIATE EDITOR

The 2024 Boston Marathon took place on April 15 with thousands of viewers eager to see the results and cheer the runners on. The route is 26.2 miles, ending on Boylston Street. It was a sunny Monday, with temperatures reaching up to 73 degrees Fahrenheit, resulting in approximately nine percent of runners stopping at a medical tent. Despite the warm weather, there were many strong performances.

The first woman to cross the finish line, was Kenya’s Hellen Obiri, who had won the race in 2023. With a finishing time of two hours, 22 minutes and 37 seconds, Obiri won her second Boston Marathon in a row, putting her in an elite category of runners. The last woman to win consecutive Boston Marathons was Catherine Ndereba, winning in 2004 and 2005. Obiri commented on her accomplishment with pride by saying, “I’m now in the history books in Boston.” With this win, as well as one in the New York City Marathon in November, Obiri is in a great position leading up to the 2024 Olympics in Paris, France.

Sharon Lokedi ran closely with Obiri in the last few miles before Obiri pulled ahead. Lokedi took second, crossing the finish line just eight seconds after Obiri at two hours, 22 min-

Men’s tennis roster suffers due to unfair player treatment

■ Athletes leave the men’s tennis team due to Coach Schultz’s unjust treatment.

By Eliza Bier JUSTICE MANAGING EDITOR

The Brandeis men’s tennis team has recently had trouble filling its roster, causing it to violate the National Collegiate Athletic Association's tennis policies. With only five people on the roster, the team has had to forfeit matches, as the required NCAA player count is a minimum of six players. Tommy Harrison ’26, a former member of the Brandeis men’s tennis team, sat down with The Justice on April 11 to explain the circumstances that have contributed to men’s tennis team roster issues.

Harrison, born and raised in the United Kingdom, started playing in tennis tournaments at the age of four. He quickly progressed, consistently ranking well, and moved to Spain at 15 in the hopes of pursuing a professional tennis career. When looking at colleges, he chose to come to Brandeis because it is the “best mixture of athletics and academics.” Harrison attributes many former players leaving the team due to unfair treatment from Coach Christo Schultz.

utes and 45 seconds. Next up was Edna Kiplagat at two hours, 23 minutes and 21 seconds. These three winners were from Kenya.

Buze Diriba and Senbere Teferi — both from Ethiopia — finished in two hours, 24 minutes and four seconds, taking fourth and fifth place. The first American to cross the line was Emma Bates from Minnesota. She finished with a time of two hours, 27 minutes and 14 seconds.

In the men’s race, Sisay Lemma won first with a time of two hours, six minutes and 17 seconds. In 2022, Lemma wasn’t able to finish the race, but made history this year by finishing with the 10th fastest time in the marathon’s history. Although his past personal best was in 2019 when he finished in 30th place, he took an early lead and maintained his position throughout the majority of the race. Finishing in second place with a time of two hours, six minutes and 58 seconds was Mohamed Esa from Ethiopia. Last year's winner, Evans Chebet, took third with a time of two hours, seven minutes and 22 seconds. John Korir and Albert Korir took fourth and fifth respectively, seven seconds apart at two hours, seven minutes and 40 seconds and two hours, seven minutes and 47 seconds. C.J. Albertson was the first American to finish with a time of two hours, nine minutes and 53 seconds.

In the women’s wheelchair race, Eden Rainbow-Cooper took first place with a time of one hour, 35 minutes and 11 seconds. At the age of 22, RainbowCooper’s first time victory marked the first time a woman from Great Britain

Schultz joined Brandeis Athletics as the head men’s tennis coach at the beginning of the 2022-23 season. Harrison expressed that during his first year on the team under Schultz he did not have many issues. He mentioned that adapting to the team was difficult and there were a few miscommunications, however, Harrison attributed these small misgivings to it being Schultz's first year as a coach. Overall he reported his first year on the team was a positive experience.

Harrison was able to build great relationships on the team and quickly adapted to the changes that Schultz made to the program. However, in the weeks leading up to the tennis team’s fall 2023 season, the team atmosphere changed and Schultz became stricter and more intense. As members of the team became concerned about Schultz's behavior, they went to Pauri Pandian, head coach of the women’s team, to express their concerns but were redirected to Schultz. Pandian provided Schultz with a list of the concerned players that had reached out, and Schultz pulled these students aside during various practices. When Harrison was pulled aside Schultz expressed his surprise that his name was mentioned, and said that “this isn’t a conversation to have now. We’ll schedule a time another day to talk about why your name was on that list and see if we can … figure something out.” This conversation never occurred. As Schultz’s unwelcome behavior persisted, members of the team became continuously frustrated. Of the players that have left the team, Harrison reported that many of them have reached out to University resources. Harrison decided to leave the team in

the beginning of March after the treatment of the athletes did not improve following conversations had with Schultz.

The turning point for Harrison was the team’s trip to California in February 2024. Harrison reported that Coach Schultz had them playing for four hours prior to each match, consisting of a workout and warm up. According to Harrison, matches in college tennis can take “upwards of five hours.”

Combined with Schultz four hours of “warm ups,” the team was participating in physical activities for around nine hours each day. Harrison raised his concerns about playing for so long to the team captains and got shut down. He was told, “I want you to go in with an open mind. Trust your body. The plan is the plan. We have to stick to it because Christo [Schultz] knows best.” So that’s what Harrison did.

Despite his best efforts, his “body just shut down on” him during his final match and he “couldn’t play anymore.” Harrison expressed that two of his other teammates were also injured. These injuries resulted in the team having to forfeit two of their matches, which “[set them] up for failure.”

Members of the team have been punished for not “giving 100 percent” and for not demonstrating team values while recovering from injuries. Harrison recalled a teammate being diagnosed with a health condition in the fall who was advised not to exercise for around two months. The teammate informed Schultz of the condition and took the semester off. Schultz did not allow him to return to the team spring semester, citing that he did not demonstrate team values by taking time away.

According to Harrison, Alex Merson ’26 was also punished for not completely participating following an injury. Following the California trip, Merson, one of the players injured during the matches, “decided to not … run to chase the ball 100 percent” in practice “because he didn’t want to hurt his leg.” Schultz responded by shouting, saying “if you’re not going to try you can get the fuck out of practice.”

Following the trip to California, Harrison decided he needed to take a break from the team as a result of Schultz's treatment. He spoke to his parents saying “I don’t think I can … put up with this anymore. I am miserable when I step on the [court] floor because of Christo and I’m worried every time about getting shouted at or having to run sprints or whatnot.” He did not want to quit the team, as tennis is an important part of his life. He communicated to Schultz that he wanted to take a short break after explaining his concerns regarding the treatment of the team and the events that took place in California. Harrison took a short break from the team before being convinced by other team members to play in a match against Middlebury College.

Following his break, Harrison had

a meeting with Schultz to “once and for all to try and clear the air about everything” and tell Schultz that he “wasn’t happy with how [the team] were being treated.” In response, Schultz turned the conversation “to all the reasons why [Harrision] failed as a team member and how [he] wasn’t doing enough” and that by taking a break he “was letting [his teammates] down” and “everything [he] was doing wrong.”

Harrison was given a list of nonnegotiables by Schultz that he was required to follow, as a condition of rejoining the team. He decided to “give it one more go” and “felt optimistic that [he] could find a way to make it work.” This optimism did not last for long. At practice the following day, players were told that they were going to be running laps as punishment for some of the team being late to the bus. Schultz informed the athletes that he was not going to tell them for how long or how fast they would have to run, just that they would run untill he said they were finished. Harrison recounted that the team “probably did 12 laps around the track, sprinting as fast as we could.” He said that “we were all dead and he was shouting at us the whole time.”

This was the moment that Harrision decided to quit the tennis team. Despite the optimism he felt following his meeting, Harrison no longer wanted to be treated unfairly. He said “I just don’t want to put up with this anymore. It’s not worth my time. It’s not worth my mental health. It just makes me miserable.” Harrison sent a message to Schultz later that day informing him that he was leaving the team and has had no further contact with him since.

It is treatment like this that has caused many other members of the team to resign. According to Harrison, former members of the team Jack Goldstein ’26 and Aryan Nijhawan ’25 left because “they didn’t want to work hard every day and spend that much time playing tennis and jeopardizing their academics if their coach just made it a miserable experience.” The Justice did not speak with Goldstein, Nijhawan or Schultz as of press time. Despite many former players reaching out to people about the unfair treatment they have endured, Harrision does not “feel particularly optimistic” that the University will proceed with an investigation into Schultz’s behavior. Many players have left the team this season and as a result, the team is no longer in NCAA regulation. If no changes are made to the roster, the men’s tennis team will continue to automatically forfeit games.

– Editor’s note: The Justice staff writer Rebecca Suarez ’26 is a member of the Brandeis women’s tennis team and did not contribute to or edit this article.

SHOT: A member of the Brandeis men's tennis team lines up for a swing in the Gosman Sports and Convocation Center. SKYE ENTWOOD/The Justice

Photo courtesy of CREATIVE COMMONS and Ceci Xilei Chen/The Justice. Design: Ceci Xilei Chen/The Justice. Waltham, Mass.

R ising in R adiance : T he creaT

By NEMMA KALRA JUSTICE EDITOR

For centuries, art has not merely functioned as a demonstration of aesthetics — it has served as a vital avenue for self-expression, communication and connection. If we turn to history, art has been a platform for communities of color to assert their identities and narratives in a world that often silences their voices.

The purpose of art for students of color at Brandeis cannot be overstated. For Shelley Polanco ’24, an Afro-Latina photographer and creator of the installation “La Fuerza de Brandeis: The Latinx Portrait Project,” her photography is an avenue for her to “elevate the realities that are otherwise silenced in our society.” Each portrait she takes is entirely self-determined, ensuring that our campus’s Latinx students, faculty and staff are authentically depicted as they choose to be seen.

Afro-Caribbean artist Mala Smith ’26 uses their art to explore Blackness, saying, “Blackness is so obvious that it is not stated, yet so central it shapes entire lives and narratives.” Looking at the works of these artists on our very own campus, it is clear that art serves as a tool for them to affirm their existence and experiences at a predominantly white institution.

Zaire Simmonds ’26, a student, educator and writer, uses art to share his authentic voice — which is often undermined in many spaces on campus. In a screenwriting class at Brandeis, Simmonds shared a screenplay inspired by his own life with the class for feedback. One critique he was given: the Black characters in the piece are too articulate. In response, Simmonds turned to poetry to portray no voice other than his own and no experience of his identity other than his own.

Simmonds’ experience in his screenwriting class is symptomatic of a more significant issue — the stereotypes surrounding different races confine conceptions of people of color to one specific existence. This is one of the many issues Mina Rowland ’25 and Kenyatta David ’24 hope to combat through creating the Black, Indigenous and other people of color literary magazine “RISE.” In an interview with David in anticipation of the launch of “RISE,” he shared how he hopes the art dispersed through the magazine will explore and question “the idea of race as a monolith, where specific people from specific races have to act a specific way and fit into this packed box of stereotypes and if they don’t fall into those stereotypes they aren’t ‘being what that race is supposed to be or fitting that status quo.’” Too often, people of color’s voices are disregarded by the masses if they do not conform to pre-existing expectations. David views the magazine as an opportunity to celebrate students’ authentic voices on campus, challenge the monolith perspective of race and “foster community not just in agreement, but also in disagreement.”

Although the magazine has yet to publish its first issue, on April 12, the night of the project’s launch party, the feelings of community and celebration that David and Rowland hope to foster were palpable. Rowland and David kicked off the evening by introducing “RISE” and their vision for it. The two shared how “RISE” will celebrate the

“visual legacies of people of color” from the magazines’ pages to pop-up shops and art viewings at Brandeis. In that same vein, the title of the magazine was inspired by sunflowers and their enduring ability to grow towards the sun regardless of circumstances. Rowland finished her speech with a beautiful original poem connecting the resilience of communities of color to the flower, encouraging everyone in the room to celebrate their own experiences and journeys.

his intersectional identity and history. These pieces beautifully tied in with one of David’s goals for the magazine: highlighting how “intersectionality is intersectionality because it is an array, not because it is a single line.”

Continuing with poetry, David was the next artist to take the stage. A Creative Writing major at Brandeis, David usually includes threads of Afro-realism in his work, describing his conception of the Black experience through surre-

They then passed the microphones to the masters of ceremonies for the night, Micah Bryant ’26 and Nana Kudom ’27. From their entrance, Bryant and Kudom were incredibly energetic, adding to the dynamic atmosphere of the event with their infectious enthusiasm. Before the student performances began, they introduced the student artists whose photography, poetry and illustrations adorned the walls of the Mandel Center for the Humanities’ Atrium. Each student, Polanco, Smith, Rowland, Richard “Richie” Impert Jr ’24, Linet Cardoso ’26 and Samuel Diaz ’25, was given the opportunity to share a few words about themselves and their art. Diaz’s sentiment that “art is not essential to life but art makes life worth living,” touched everyone in the audience and encapsulated what art does for people from all walks of life.

Finally, as the sun began to set, the audience cheered and snapped as the student performances began.

The first reading was by Impert, a “HaitianAmerican creative drawn to sound and emotion, [who] seeks to spread paint across canvas in his own special way.” Impert read a few pieces, including “please meet my eyes” and “Heliotropism,” which connected to how a flower learns to grow towards the sun. Particularly poignant was how Impert included Haitian Creole phrases in his poetry. For example, the title of one of Impert’s poems was “etoile sa mwen renmen,” which artistically translates to “such star i adore so” and literally translates to “that star I love.” Including these phrases in his already deeply personal pieces grounded them in

alistic and fantastical elements. However, the poem he shared was a hilarious yet powerful commentary on the cult-classic film, “Dead Poets Society.” “Dead Poets Society,” to briefly summarize, explores the plights and story of a series of boys in a poetry class at an incredibly wealthy, all-white, all-male private school. Critiquing the wealth and privilege of these boys, as well as the out-of-touch nature of the film, David performed his piece, “Dead Negro Society.”

A mere summary cannot encapsulate the true brilliance of the poem; however, lines slamming the characters that “fail upward in their midsummer night dream,” or state “you can’t carpe diem a money tree with a silver spoon,” highlight David’s cleverness and contrarian, yet necessary, beliefs of the widely loved film.

The final poet of the night was Simmonds, who recited a series of poems inspired by the coming-of-age screenplay, “Dancing with the Devil,” that he is writing about his life. As previously mentioned, the feedback Simmonds received reduced his characters to stereotypical representations of Black individuals in the media. In response, the title of each poem was a line specifically from his script. Each poem was deeply personal and an authentic representation of his voice, untouched by the perceptions and biases of others. Rowland and David realize that Simmonds’ experience in his screenwriting class was not uncommon among students of color, especially at a predominately white institution. During the interview, David mentioned, “It can be a very autonomy stripping space to be told that Blackness looks this way and so this magazine is to alleviate that and show that Blackness can look however the hell you want it to be.”

Enhancing the poetic verses with a backdrop of music, the next few performances featured a series of talented singers and songwriters. Up first was Melora Hutcheson ’25. Hutcheson, who learns music mainly by ear, performed Beyonce’s “Love Drought,” a song that reminds them of their home. Hutcheson’s voice started light and melodic, building in soul and power as the song progressed.

Following Hutcheson, Hannah Henris ’26 took to the “stage” to perform “On My Knees.” A singer in Midnight Groove, the rhytm and blues band that performed at Springfest the same weekend, Henris has a deep and moving voice that complements the song perfectly. She shared that she chose “On My Knees” because it gives her hope and helps her faith grow. Transitioning from the more soulful pieces, the indie rock band “Olas de Surya” performed some of their original songs. Composed entirely of students of color, the band blends different rhythms, genres and English and Spanish. Although the entire band could not be present, lead singer Marco Ferral Hernandez ’25, guitarist Juan Jiménez ’24 and drummer Christopher Li ’24 certainly brought an infectious energy to the evening. The first song they performed was called “Otro Día,” a phrase Ferral was always told as a child. While the song was entirely in Spanish, the bouncy and light lyrics juxtaposed with the grungy riffs made the audience dance in their seats. Their next song was “Yucca,” which was much more mellow and rocky than “Otro Día,” but showcased Ferral’s raspy and powerful vocals and incredible guitar and drum solos by Jiménez and Li. The performance concluded with a chorus of cheers and applause from the room.

Photos: SKYE ENTWOOD/The Justice. Graphics: NEMMA KALRA/The Justice. Design: NEMMA KALRA/The Justice.

concluded

ARTIST TALKS: Shelley Polanco ’24 shares how she uses her photography as a powerful tool to spotlight the Latinx community, which is often overlooked at Brandeis.

RISING UP: Mina Rowland ’25, artist and co-founder of “RISE,” reads her poem written specifically for the magazine about rising in resilience and community.

PHOTO DISPLAY: Mala Smith ’26 displays their photography at the event, centralizing Blackness in every photograph.

VITAL VERSES: Kenyatta David ’24, co-founder of “RISE,” reads his poem “Dead Negro Society” which cleverly tears apart the highly privilege, white-centric lens of the popular film.

POETRY: Zaire Simmonds ’26 reads poems about his own coming-of-age journey.

MELODIC MUSIC: Melora Hutcheson ’25, self-taught performer, sings “Love Drought” by Beyonce.

SOULFUL SINGING: Hannah Henris ’26, an avid singer and performer, performs “On My Knees,” a song that lifts her spirits.

termission with catered Caribbean food — the lights dimmed and the audience turned their attention to the projector to watch some short films made by student creators.

Linette Cardoso ’26, a photographer from the Dominican Republic, presented a compilation of stunning photographs she took during some of her visits to her grandparents’s home in the DR. Cardoso’s passion “lies in enhancing infrastructure and designing spaces that reflect the vibrant creativity emanating from underdeveloped nations, including her own.” Her film was a beautifully poignant illustration of the DR, and her eye for photography clearly reflects her appreciation of the country and her understanding of space and architecture.

The film portion concluded with works by Mirabell Rowland ’25, who created the documentaries “Rooted in Excellence” with Gabrielle Pile ’24 and “Black is Beautiful.” A cel-

ebration of natural hair, “Black is Beautiful” not only spotlighted Brandeis students with natural hair — filming them against a black backdrop, backlit by vibrant lights — but it explored three students’ journeys of self-love and appreciation for their hair. Through interviews with Lauryn Williams ’25, Polanco and Pile, we learned about their experiences reconciling femininity with natural hair, maintaining their hair and ultimately learning to love it. As Polanco shared in the documentary, “If people don’t have that space [for my hair], make it.”

To wrap up the event, Rowland and David offered their closing remarks, celebrating all the work and artists present and getting the audience excited about the bright future of “RISE.” In all, this was a fantastic event placing artists of color’s voices and lives in the limelight; however, the reach of “RISE” will not stop there.

During the interview with David, he discussed his hopes for the magazine’s impact on Brandeis and the broader community. At its most basic level, David is co-creating “RISE” in order to create a safe space that welcomes self-expression and exploration. Creating a safe space does not necessarily mean a space where everyone constantly sees eye to eye. Rather, he hopes to “foster a community not just in agreement, but in disagreement.” Within the club itself, students should feel free to submit any work that they feel represents themselves — whatever that means — because in disagreement there is the opportunity for learning.

With each publication, David hopes the pieces will offer an opportunity for introspection for all students at Brandeis, regardless of race or positionality. He explained, “When you have something to rattle someone’s worldview, to insert a difference in perspective, like how

the magazine should or hopefully will, it makes people question themselves and in that questioning, that’s where learning and growth occurs.”

When reading the works published in each issue of “RISE,” students will be exposed to an intimate understanding of different identities that other spaces at Brandeis do not necessarily offer.

On a larger scale, David hopes this magazine will branch out beyond Brandeis and become a means of interconnecting Black creatives.

In serving as a foundational platform that spotlights the genuine narratives of various creators in the greater Boston area, “RISE” can become a megaphone through which creatives of color can be sure their voices are heard and respected. Especially in a small insular environment like Brandeis, which as David put it, “has a light censorship issue,” it is incredibly isolating and difficult to have an opinion or identity that

does not conform with the masses. For David, the magazine is consequently “in and of itself an act of rebellion” where “you allow more autonomy than what this sort of constricting environment allows.”

As Rowland and David work hard to launch the magazine and foster connections among BIPOC creatives, “RISE” will not only ensure all narratives, like the sunflowers that inspired them, are able to come to light and stand as a testament to the transformative power of community and storytelling.

— Editor’s Note: Justice Associate Editor Mina Rowland ’25 is the co-creator of “RISE” and did not contribute to or edit this article in any way.

— Editor’s Note: Justice Deputy Editor Lauryn Williams ’25 was interviewed for the documentary “Black is Beautiful,” and did not contribute to or edit this article in any way.

Justicethe

Top 10 phrases

“About Damn Time” by Lizzo

8. “Hey Look Ma, I Mad It” by Panic! At The Disco

9. “Unwritten” by Natasha Bedingfield 10. “I’ll Be There for You” by The Rembrandts

In honor of the recent “Dance Moms” 2024 reunion, here are my top 10 favorite “Dance Moms” stars (daughters and mothers included).

1. JoJo Siwa (this is ironic)

2. Christi Lukasiak and Kelly Hyland (the best duo must be grouped together)

3. Chloe Lukasiak (always my favorite dancer) 4. Mackenzie Ziegler (young Mack Z was iconic)

5. Brooke Hyland (simply for her one-liners)

6. Maddie Ziegler

7. Paige Hyland

8. Jill Vertes

9. Kendall Vertes

10. Holly Frazier and Nia Sioux (this mother-daughter duo is too pure not to group togehter)

1.mmmmmm tastyyy

2. useless

3. *high pitched* mememememe hand motion for yapping 4. *Gunther voice from “Adventure Time”* wenk 5. L lame loser haha 6. MEHHH

CAT FAT CAT 8. AHHHHHHHHHHHH

9. vault on pole, one, two, three pole vault (is better)

ugh that’s so much effort

JACK YUANWEI CHENG/The Justice file photo

JACK YUANWEI CHENG/The Justice file photo

THE CLASS OF 2024 CELEBRATES A NEW BEGINNING

ELIZA BIER/The Justice

ELIZA BIER/The Justice

ELIZA BIER/The Justice

CECI XILEI CHEN/The Justice

CECI XILEI CHEN/The Justice

CECI XILEI CHEN/The Justice

CECI XILEI CHEN/The Justice

CECI XILEI CHEN/The Justice