This year, Brandeis celebrated its 11th annual Kindness Day on Nov. 12, per the Department of Student Activities’ website. The event was sponsored by several groups and departments on campus, including Academic Services, Admissions, Community Service, Sodexo and the Student Activities and Division of Student Affairs. All events are organized by the Kindness Day Committee in collaboration with the above mentioned sponsors. 

One of the most popular events held yearly during Kindness Day week involves writing Kindness Day cards that get delivered to the mailboxes of students, staff and faculty. Typically, student volunteers set up tables at popular locations on campus, including the Usdan Student Center and the Shapiro Campus Center where students can stop by and write their letters. This year, to meet public health protocols, the Kindness Day Committee planned a number of virtual and in-person activities. The celebration started with the Coffeehouse Kickoff, which featured a number of pre-recorded videos from Brandeis comedians and a cappella groups. Students on campus could choose to attend in person at the SCC or to watch the Facebook broadcast from their dorms. Kindness Day letters were written virtually to minimize contact, and by late Nov. 13, “1,600 kindness cards had been sent,” stated Ashley Young ’22 in a Nov. 13 email to the Justice. Several clubs and departments also hosted grab-n-go activities in the tents outside of the SCC. 

Per Young, the Kindness Day committee “made a special effort to include these in-person events to brighten the days of students on campus - especially the first-years, who have not had the chance to experience a normal Kindness Day.” Their goal was also to make sure students currently residing off campus had an opportunity to participate, whether by sending virtual Kindness Day cards to their friends or by watching the broadcasted concert. “While it took some extra creativity, we feel fortunate to have had the chance to engage with folks on and off campus. In a lot of ways, we feel that these circumstances actually allowed us to reach much beyond the Brandeis community, and spread kindness even further!” Young said.