Between bouts of torrential rain on Tuesday evening, the official “grand re-opening” of the Foster Student Living Center, or the Foster Mods for short, went over smoothly among the students and staff in attendance.
The Mods were built as a temporary living space intended to last a year, and were eventually converted into permanent structures. After 40 years, they have been upgraded as part of a campus-wide renovation project. While seniors have been living in the newly renovated Mods for upward of two weeks now, the Department of Community Living (DCL) hosted this event to celebrate the new look of the senior housing complex. Organized by Foster CAs Kelsey Segaloff ’15 and Mo Sidique ’15, with help from Foster CDC Scott Berozi, the event consisted of food, music and a ribbon-cutting ceremony. Other activities included raffles for Mods residents and a speech from Senior Vice President of Students and Enrollment Andrew Flagel, commemorating the latest renovation project at Brandeis.
With residents trickling in around a quarter after 5, the complimentary food and drink went quickly, as a cast of mostly Mods residents dispersed throughout the quad common area. Foster Mods resident Charlotte Franco ’15 shared, “It was exciting to see the Mods renovated, and that it’s nice to see the university putting money toward other renovations around campus, like at Ziv and Schwartz Hall.” Franco added that it was “very nice” to see the neighbors come together for the event.
Photos of the Foster Mods from November 1973 were on display alongside current photos. These photos were set up intermittently around the outdoor common area, allowing students to observe how the recent renovations improved the Mods atmosphere. Foster Mods CDC Scott Berozi has noticed the impact of the renovations. “I’ve received a lot of emails praising the new look of the Mods. Students have told me they look great and that they’re excited to be part of this new experience of being the first class of students to break them in,” said Berozi in an interview with The Hoot.
Senior Vice President for Students and Enrollment Andrew Flagel grasped the attention of the crowd of students and Department of Community Living staff to offer an introduction to the event. He spoke about how students will experience a whole new living environment, and thanked the facilities staff and construction crews. Flagel then turned the podium over to the CA hosts of the event.
Segaloff noted that the class of 2015 moved in their first-years during a hurricane, and they wouldn’t let a bit of rain derail Tuesday’s events. Both Sidique and Segaloff thanked everyone for coming out and sharing in the festivities, and advised those in attendance to keep submitting their names to the complimentary raffle for household supplies. After finishing their comments, eyes turned to the ribbon that had been placed across the quad, with one end tied to a tree and the other to a stand. Flagel, Segaloff and Sidique then took the ceremonial gold scissors and officially christened the “newly” opened Foster Mods.
Students in attendance had great things to say about the renovations and the event. Mods resident Erica Granor ’15 mentioned that she enjoyed “see[ing] who else lives here. It’s a nice community, and it’s nice that everyone’s together.” She also made note that living in the Mods so far has been her best residency experience at Brandeis. D’Andre Young ’15, another Mods resident, added that “it’s pretty great after 40 years, they put new work into the Mods. Hopefully it lasts another 40.” He also shared that he “loved being one of the first in the new Mods.”
Despite the rain, the grand re-opening of the Foster Mods proved to be quite an event for those in attendance. Between the music, the food, the giveaways and the camaraderie, the Foster Mods continue to be one of the most popular spots on campus.
