East Orange native Olivier Brillant named Office of Intercultural Education Fellow at Bates College

2014 Dec 1

Olivier Brillant of East Orange, N.J., has been named a student fellow in the Office of Intercultural Education at Bates College. Brillant, a 2013 graduate of Saint Benedict's Preparatory School, is the son of Mr. Frantz Brillant and Mrs. Marie-Marthe Brillant of East Orange, N.J..

Brillant and his OIE colleagues provide their Bates peers with support on topics ranging from honing financial literacy to accessing resources for internships and fellowships. OIE Fellows were selected through a rigorous application process in spring 2014 to qualify for their fall appointment, and each provides support for fellow students in a specific area of expertise. Brillant specializes in social transition.

In addition to educating students about social transition, Brillant holds office hours each week, designs and implements programming, and partners with the office's professional staff in supporting Bates students. Fellows are often called upon to act as a liaison between students and Bates support services.

"The student who reaches out to an OIE Fellow might have a question at 9 o'clock at night," says Jessica Perez, assistant dean of students for student transition and support at Bates. "OIE Fellows can provide support and answers to their peers during after-hours times, when they might need it most."