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FOLKLORE AND FANTASY: The band’s last few albums follow a fictional narrative.

Fall activities guide: Explore local festivities this autumn equinox

For those of us in the Northern Hemisphere, the autumn equinox happens every September and marks the official start of the fall season. This year, the equinox happened on Sunday, Sept. 22 at 8:44 a.m., and as the crisp air settles in and leaves begin to turn, Waltham transforms into a picturesque backdrop for fall adventures. Here are some of the best seasonal spots and activities:

Brandeis cheers on Andy Rueda GSAS MS’24 as he competes on ‘Survivor’ 47

— The following article contains spoilers for episode one of “Survivor” season 47

Seniors flee off campus for their final college housing

For many undergraduates, the last few years at Brandeis have been anything but stable – over admittance has created a seemingly perpetual housing crisis, with student anxieties only exacerbated by massive budget cuts and continued silence from administration. With each passing year, it feels less and less desirable to participate in the Brandeis spiritual ecosystem. 

Upward Bound gives Waltham youths academic community: A conversation with program director Naomi Brown-Jones

Naomi Brown-Jones, director of the Upward Bound program at Brandeis, joined the University in October of 2022 after serving as an academic and transfer counselor at Massachusetts Bay Community College. Having spent her entire career in higher education, Jones has dedicated years to helping underserved populations — from students of color to first generation students — see the purpose of higher education and find a passion for the educational environment.

Off the page and into the thick of it: First run of Puerto Rico study abroad program took students to see environmental effects of climate change

This past summer, 12 students took their environmental studies to a new level as they explored the local landscapes of Puerto Rico. Associate Professor Sally Warner (ENVS) led the first study abroad program in San Juan, Puerto Rico where students stayed at the Universidad del Sagrado Corazón and studied with local faculty. The five week program hinged upon immersive learning and gave students interested in climate science an educational experience built into the Caribbean landscape.

Globe-trotting grads: Conversations with Fulbright grant recipients

 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.

Mentoring with melody: Highlighting the Melody Mentors’ second year running

On a Saturday afternoon, 15 high school students were sitting inside of a Sound and Image Media Studios classroom. After enjoying some snacks, the groups split into several areas across the SIMS department rooms to finalize their projects from the semester. These projects are part of Melody Mentors, an initiative which began in the spring of 2023. Melody Mentors is an initiative which plans to run every spring semester as part of Basement Records, a student-run organization on campus dedicated to supporting student musicians, and with support from Samuels Ceneter for Community Partnerships and Civic Transformation. The program matches high school students throughout the Waltham area with Brandeis students to support them in their musical careers. 

Team Mangok: Mangok Bol and other staff work to resettle Bol’s niece and nephews in the U.S.

Program Administrator for Latin American, Caribbean and Latinx Studies and Department Coordinator for Chemistry Mangok Bol came to the United States in 2001 as a refugee of the Second Sudanese Civil War after having spent 13 years in refugee camps in Ethiopia and Kenya from the ages of nine to 22. He came to the U.S. as a part of the Lost Boys and Girls program, which resettled children who were orphaned or separated from their parents in the war. Bol’s story was covered in The Boston Globe, National Public Radio, The Justice and BrandeisNOW.

Housing gems in the library: Visiting the Robert D. Farber University Archives and Special Collections department

You may have walked past it when hunting down a quiet study spot on the second floor of the Goldfarb Library: the Robert D. Farber University Archives & Special Collections. Right past the reference desk, down the stairs to the second floor of Goldfarb, it lies behind the glass door: the past of Brandeis summarized in glass displays, featuring a picture of the first graduating class to previous school merchandise from the 1980’s.

It’s time to lock in: Social media detoxes in an age of declining attention spans

Many of us have been sat down by a teacher, friend or a concerned parent to watch “The Social Dilemma.” The documentary came out in 2020 at the height of the pandemic, when virtually all communication was online. It exposed how social media companies specifically design algorithms that nurture addiction and increase screen time by providing instant gratification. Since then, most users have become aware of the consequences of using smart technology in an attention economy that profits off of our decrease in concentration. In a November 2020 survey of people from ages 14 to 24, over half of respondents said they’ve deleted or thought about deleting their social media accounts or app.

In Focus: Spotlighting creative changemaker Shelley Polanco

Shelley Polanco ’24, a double major in African and African American Studies and Politics, is an Afro-Latina multi-hyphenate creative. Since her youth, she has always been drawn to creating change. Whether through poetry and creative writing or photography and cinema, she is always uplifting and building a legacy that visualizes people of color. Today, Polanco runs a freelance photography business called Shot by Shell and is embracing other mediums of artful expression.

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BUDDHA: In a sandstone sculpture — originating from Mathura, India during the Kushan period, late 1st–early 2nd century A.D. — a Buddha sits with fragments of attendants.

Sandstone and schist sculpture: Buddhist art at the Museum of Fine Arts

Student photographer Faythe Daly ’26 captures Buddhist scultpure pieces at the Museum of Fine Arts. 

Brandeis Chungles reveals the creators behind the memes

For the last two years, the student-run Instagram meme page @brandeis.chungles, commonly referred to as just “Chungles,” has graced the Brandeis community with memes relating to campus life behind a veil of anonymity. Displayed in the account's bio was the message “Face reveal at 1,000 followers.” The masterminds behind the memes would be revealed when that threshold was met. 

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History through headlines: The Justice reflects on 75 years of reporting on the community

April 1958: Early Justice April Fools Edition

February break, making memories: Brandeis Entrepreneurship and Tech Association’s tech trek

Over February break, while most students went back to their hometowns, 13 Brandeis students ventured into the Silicon Valley area — a worldwide hub of innovation and high technology. 

Social determinants of health: Race and gender

The U.S. has a long history of racial bias and profiling in medicine, which continue to plague the healthcare system today. This phenomenon perpetuates the idea of inherent biological disparities among races within the medical profession. 

Gumbo ya-ya and the polyrhythms in African-American women’s quilting

A childhood activity that many American students completed in school is the coloring of the Thanksgiving turkey. Some students chose to color the feathers in a random fashion, making them each one of their favorite bright colors. Other students colored the feathers in a controlled, pastel gradient. Just like with those turkeys and the various approaches to coloring them — each different but not better or worse than another —  there are no set rules that can be applied to any given artistic tradition. With this approach, the viewer shifts their mindset to the landscape of the individual piece and assesses it independently as a unique item, rather than one that needs to be measured against other works, styles or expectations.