Hi, I'm Joel Christensen. I'm the chair of Classical Studies and chair of the Faculty Senate at Brandeis University. I've been part of the Brandeis community since 1997, when I first set my foot on campus as an undergraduate. I returned in 2016 as a professor in the Department of Classical Studies, and I took over as chair of Classical Studies in 2018.
Today's the official start of the Brandeis Unites Us campaign. Now I know that we are in very difficult times. Many of us have lost employment. We have family members who are sick or facing the many challenges that have come with this pandemic. I'm excited that I can give back to support scholarships for Brandeis undergraduates, because this is the very reason that I was able to attend college out of state and to go to graduate school to begin with.
These scholarships that we provide to our undergraduates make a huge difference in making up for the distance between where they've come from and where they're going. So members of our community can give back easily through payroll deduction, using the link below this video. And there are also options for supporting other nonprofits in our community if you don't want to give to Brandeis directly. We can give to the United Way to community works and really show our support for organizations and individuals who've made life better through this pandemic.
Now this campaign runs through the end of the year. It ends on New Year's Eve. So if at any point you find you have a little extra, or if you're in the holiday spirit, every little bit helps. So I thank you. I thank you for your support. And if you can't give anything this year, reach out to a member of the Brandeis community, a student, staff or faculty, and let them know that you're rooting for us, for our community and for 2021 to be a better year. Thank you.