Summer 2021 Heller Magazine
Letter from Dean Weil
"Our society has lived through 16 months where it was easy to feel paralyzed by circumstance and isolated from our colleagues. The way this pandemic split us all up, sent many of us home, and pushed our worlds onto Zoom screens made many of us feel newly hypervigilant and yet helpless to intervene.In reflecting on the events of the last year I have often ruminated on a quote from Leviticus 16:19. The translation I remember most vividly is, 'Thou shalt not stand idly by.'”
“Breaking down the nuances of policies and communicating them in a coherent way is essential. I recognize how infrastructure issues lead to environmental issues that lead to public health issues that lead to a host of other matters,” Harris says. “I’m honored to work with a new generation of bold leadership that wants to tackle racial equity head-on, and build a system that truly works for everyone.”
Heller holds a special place for Kane, not just for the technical and academic education she received, but because it’s a community of people who are committed to social change and to supporting one another. “You have the strength, leadership, and skills to do whatever you want to do, but don’t try to go it alone. Don’t forget your friends and your network from Heller. And don’t be afraid to ask for help; nine out of ten people will say ‘yes.’”
“Ten years ago, the Heller SID program helped educate me about intersectional systems of sustainability, and I’ve realized more and more, every day, how connected I am to that system—that ecosystem. Ecosystems aren’t just the environment; it’s about how we interact with the environment; how we act with our ‘ecos,’ our home.”
Nobles Crawford serves as a member of Heller's Board of Advisors and moderated a panel with Dr. Eddie Moore, creator of the 21-Day Racial Equity Habit Building Challenge©. “Just as I feel proud to have been part of movements to improve policies, best practices, and laws that ameliorate injustices for underrepresented, and brown and Black people, I’m proud to be a part of helping teach equity, diversity, and inclusion to my fellow Brandeisians.”
From budget and contract management to meeting with sheriffs and corrections officers, Dunham’s responsibilities at MassHealth are broad. Fortunately, she says, her Heller experience prepared her with the transferable skills and resourcefulness needed to establish and grow a new program. “As an MPP/MBA dual degree student, I had to learn to be adaptable, to pick up a broad skillset that enabled me to take on this project and do whatever was needed for it.”
Looking to renew old Heller connections or make new ones? In the market for a job or an internship? Interested in serving as a mentor to a recent Heller grad or search for career advice from a fellow Heller alum? Connecting with fellow Brandeisians and Heller alumni is easier than ever with the newly relaunched B Connect platform, Brandeis’ hub for alumni networking and mentoring.
