Indelible Influences
Brandeis alumni encourage social action at the Ethics Center
When Barbara Epstein '73 was a Brandeis student, the Vietnam War was raging, Richard Nixon was serving as president, the Pentagon Papers had just been published and the United States was plagued by internal political strife. Political activism had reached new heights on college campuses across America. For Barbara Strauss '02, Brandeis represented the opportunity to develop her interest in creative writing and meet students genuinely interested in social activism.
Today, Epstein and Strauss hold positions at the International Center for Ethics, Justice and Public Life, where they encourage younger generations of Brandeis students to pursue their enthusiasm for social justice.
Barbara Epstein
At Brandeis, Epstein said, "there was a lot of talk about social justice, civil rights and anti-war sentiment." Although Epstein wasn't involved in any political organizations, she said that she "could not help but be influenced" by the political activities around her, as she decided to pursue a career related to social justice.
For the past year and a half, Epstein has served as the program administrator of the Slifka Program in Intercommunal Coexistence at the Brandeis Ethics Center. Epstein cites her Brandeis education as "a good part" of why she immersed herself in social justice issues.
"I am naturally drawn toward people with a social conscience," she said.
Despite the politically tumultuous climate, Epstein said she wasn't as politically active as some of the other students. An English and American Literature major, she took several art courses and was involved in a literary magazine.
Epstein received her master's degree in clinical social work from Smith College. Between 1994 and 2003, she worked as a freelance consultant for ABT Associates, a government and business research and consulting firm, on projects such as community revitalization, education, homeless housing and workforce development. Before joining the Ethics Center, Epstein was also a senior program associate for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Community Health Leadership Program, a foundation that aims to improve American health care.
The Brandeis Ethics Center, established in 1988, embodies the concept of social justice that characterized Epstein's experiences as a Brandeis student. According to the Ethics Center's Web site, the institution aims to "develop effective responses to conflict and injustice by offering innovative approaches to coexistence, strengthening the work of international courts, and encouraging ethical practice in civic and professional life."
The Slifka Program in Intercommunal Coexistence, a master's program that teaches students about the resolution of international conflicts, focuses on reconciliation efforts in war-torn countries. Most of its students work with international organizations. Past projects have included investigating non governmental organizations in West Africa or studying agriculture and industrialization in India.
Twenty-six students ranging from 20 to 40 years old currently participate in the program. Students hail from such diverse conflict zones as Rwanda, Uganda, India, Pakistan, Nepal and Tibet. As program administrator, Epstein handles program components such as the financial and budgeting systems, fundraising strategy, general administrative systems and outreach.
Barbara Strauss
Strauss, the Ethics Center department coordinator, echoed Epstein's passion for keeping social justice one of Brandeis' core values.
Strauss said her work at the Center includes budget work, publication distribution and event planning. She also helps coordinate the Ethics Center Student Fellowship, a program that selects sophomores and juniors to design summer projects related to peace and coexistence or environmental studies.
Strauss said her return to Brandeis reflected her attachment to the University more than a lingering dedication to social activism.
"I loved Brandeis, so that definitely influenced my decision to look for a job [here], and this type of job would suit me forever," she said.
Co-editor in chief of the literary magazine Laurel Moon and a member of the Gymnastics Club, Strauss said she most valued the relaxed atmosphere on the campus where she met her husband.
"I just found the students so down-to-earth," she said. "I could say whatever was on my mind-there were no pretenses."
Enthusiastic as she is about the importance of social activism, Strauss is determined to pursue her more creative inclinations. She majored in English on the Creative Writing track and is currently enrolled in a program at Lesley University to receive her master's degree in creative writing.
Epstein and Strauss praised the the University's general progress since their graduations and remarked on the quality of the current undergraduates. Epstein said today's Brandeis students are much more engaged in active learning than were students three decades ago.
"My generation was defined as a culture of activism, but being back on campus has showed me that Brandeis as an institution now emphasizes social justice," she said.
The undergraduates involved in the Ethics Center, Epstein said, are "very thoughtful with developed worldviews and an eagerness for hands-on application to the learning they are doing in the classroom.
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