Academic Fellowships

Five Facts about Meredith

1. She joined the Brandeis community in 2010: During her time at Brandeis, Meredith has served on multiple campus-wide committees, expanded the Academic Fellowships Team and supported both undergraduate and graduate students and alumni in all disciplines. Her favorite thing about Brandeis students is how curious, creative and collaborative they are!

2. She is originally from Massachusetts, but has lived in multiple states and countries: Originally from Holden, Massachusetts, Meredith’s academic and professional adventures have led her to live across the United States (in Maine, Wisconsin, California and Oregon) and across the Atlantic (in Greece and Italy). While she is happy to be back near family, Meredith still loves to travel and learn about new cultures.

3. She enjoys helping students discern and then achieve their goals: Meredith’s favorite part of fellowship advising is helping students explore life's big questions around who they want to be and how they can use their strengths to improve the world. She especially enjoys helping students think about the future by breaking the exploration process into smaller steps, sharing available resources and connections and helping students home in on the “next right thing”.

4. She likes to stay active: Outside of work, you can find Meredith on the volleyball court with friends, skiing with her family or on long walks with her dog Sunny.

5. She is a former classics professor: Before coming to Brandeis, Meredith earned an AB from Bowdoin College, an MA from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and a PhD from Stanford before becoming a professor of classics at Reed College and then Boston College. She is a great resource for learning about life in academia as a student, professor, and administrator.

Five Facts about Elizabeth

1. She joined the Brandeis community in 2013: Elizabeth has previously served as the program advisor for the Lerman-Neubauer Fellowship, academic advisor for the MLK Fellows, and campus liaison for the Columbia 3-2 Engineering Program. In all of these roles, Elizabeth has enjoyed getting to know many different corners of campus, and learning about the wonderful student work occurring across all disciplines.

2. She is originally from California: It was a tricky transition trading palm trees for snow, but Elizabeth has learned to love the New England seasons. When not on campus, Elizabeth enjoys playing tourist by exploring local community events and hiking in state parks with her rescue pup Riley.

3. She believes all lived experience is valuable: Elizabeth’s favorite part of Fellowship Advising is helping students reflect on and give voice to their personal narratives. Writing a compelling personal statement or funding application requires a lot of self-reflection and practice highlighting how one’s strengths and goals align with the mission of what you are applying for. It is both incredibly challenging and rewarding to dedicate time and energy to this type of reflection, and Elizabeth enjoys serving as a conversation partner as students reflect on their past, present and future.

4. She is a lifelong learner: A product of a liberal arts education herself, Elizabeth is committed to lifelong learning. She is grateful that her work on different applications allows her to continue learning about different fields, new research developments, and up and coming fields. Elizabeth also seeks out regular professional development opportunities to strengthen her advising strategies, enhance her inclusive excellence practices, and to expand her cultural competence. She is also an avid reader, and makes excellent use of her local library card.

5. She has experience on multiple campuses and the nonprofit sector: Elizabeth holds a BA in psychology from Occidental College and an MEd in student affairs from UCLA. Before arriving at Brandeis, Elizabeth worked for the Institute for Educational Advancement and Boston College. She appreciates the lessons learned and connections made in each location, and particularly enjoyed the passion and commitment to community engagement across the Brandeis campus.