Graduate School of Arts and Sciences

September 4, 2024

Abigail Arnold | Graduate School of Arts and Sciences

While May is known as Commencement month, the summer is a big time for graduations at Brandeis University’s Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS). On August 31, 2024, forty-eight GSAS students received their degrees: twenty-seven received PhDs, and twenty-one received master’s degrees. These students will be invited to celebrate at Commencement in May of 2025, but in the meantime, they are off to a range of new adventures. Some August graduates spoke to GSAS about their experiences in their program and their upcoming plans.

Robert Cochran received his PhD in History; his dissertation focused on indentured labor in British colonies in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. He is the new Program Director for the Brandeis Writing Center, where he has worked during his time in the PhD program. Cochran is excited about attending Commencement in May; he said, “Having participated in one Brandeis commencement already back in 2017, I see Commencement as a wonderful – and relatively rare – opportunity to experience firsthand just how large and diverse the Brandeis community is. I am looking forward to breathing in the infectious excitement of the new graduates. Meeting up with folks I haven't seen in years. Thanking professors for those offhanded comments they made years ago that they might not even remember, but which have forever shaped my thinking. And overall, just taking the time to reflect back on the lessons and experiences of the past years.” He also shared his advice for other Brandeis graduate students, saying, “Graduate school may seem interminable at the start and particularly so for doctoral students. But the time truly does fly by – so make the most of each semester! Check out that cool-sounding support group. Apply to that campus job. TA for that course that seems outside your focus. If you remain open and ready to try anything, when you come to your own graduation – whether one, two, or seven years later – you won't have any regrets. Oh, and take walks. Seriously. The books and essays and dissertation drafts will be there for you when you get back.”

Zen Kuriyama received his PhD in Musicology; his dissertation focused on the English Musical Renaissance composer Gerald Finzi. Kuriyama has just begun a tenure-track position as Assistant Professor of Music at Bates College in Lewiston, Maine. He expressed his appreciation for those who supported him at Brandeis, including the GSAS staff and his dissertation committee, Emily Frey, Laura Jockusch, and Susan Youens. His advice to other graduate students: “When people tell you that you can't, do it anyway, and let the cards fall where they may!”

Alena Lokhmanenko received her MA in Psychology; for her thesis, she researched the effects of acculturation on false memories in Belorussian immigrants to the US. She is currently working as a Clinical Research Coordinator at the Geriatric Psychiatry Program at Mass General Hospital and said, “Meeting with Marika McCann to work on my resume and job application skills was very helpful.” Lokhmanenko added, “I really enjoyed being a graduate student at Brandeis University. I liked the classes offered and the opportunity to work as a Course Assistant and Graduate Students Peer Mentor. My advice to future graduate students is to use all the resources Brandeis University has to offer, and don't forget about taking breaks and enjoying life.”

Carissa Wilbanks received her PhD in English; her dissertation focused on the portrayal of “true womanhood” in antebellum US literature. After graduation, Wilbanks hopes to work in UX or technical writing. “The Connected PhD program gave me the opportunity to learn about these fields and build a solid knowledge base from which to pursue a position,” she said. Wilbanks also praised the whole Brandeis community. “The community at Brandeis has been so welcoming and supportive during my time here,” she said. “From the faculty (English and UWS specifically) to my fellow graduate students to the undergraduates I had the opportunity to teach—all were a joy and honor to work with.”

GSAS extends our warmest congratulations to our August graduates. We can’t wait to see where you go next and to celebrate with you in May!