Josh Kraft shares inspiration from his mother at Myra Kraft Achievers Program fall gathering

Brandeis Stories

Josh Kraft shares inspiration from his mother at Myra Kraft Achievers Program fall gathering

By Steve Foskett
Photography by Dan Holmes
September 29, 2026 • General

Speaking to students at the Myra Kraft Achievers Program Fall Town Hall, Josh Kraft weaved warm memories of his mother with lessons she instilled that he has carried with him through his career and philanthropic endeavors.

Amid all those recollections, a few things were quite clear, he told the group of 60 students in Rapaporte Treasure Hall. Myra Kraft was a true daughter of Brandeis, and the 1964 graduate and trustee held the university "near and dear to her heart."

Kraft said his mother had a passion for helping others and building bridges, and loved the Transitional Year Program, as the Myra Kraft Achievers Program was originally known when it started in 1968. The program brings students from under-resourced high schools to attain their undergraduate degree at Brandeis through a combination of small classes, rigorous academics and strong academic support. Over the years, it has graduated more than 1,000 alumni. It was renamed in Myra Kraft's honor in 2013, two years after her death in 2011.

He said her support for the program grew out of a sense of responsibility to build true equity in society, a notion that paralleled Brandeis's own founding principles of making a world-class education available to groups that had faced discrimination at other institutions.

"It was all about access to opportunity for anyone and everyone," Kraft said.

Kraft, who for several years led his family's philanthropic foundation, answered questions from the group that ranged from why his mother was inspired to help others to what career advice he had for the future Brandeis graduates. Kraft told the group that whether they are going into business, community service or philanthropy, they should never forget the little things.

"Do those small things," he said. "They'll get you where you want to go."

He encouraged students to start networking early and often.

"Just meet people, learn from them, listen and stay in touch with them," he said.

At the town hall, administrators highlighted student success stories, and introduced the newest cohort of Myra Kraft scholars. Students shared insights from summer internships they completed. Senior Johiely Nambo talked about spending six weeks studying public health along the Yucatan Peninsula.

Junior Monica Lopez-Hernandez said she spent the summer in Mexico City researching how expatriate populations impact gentrification.

"I had been to Mexico before with my family, but this was just me trying to understand a specific subject," Lopez-Hernandez said. "Getting that first-hand experience seeing the differences between certain areas with things like prices and access to transportation was really interesting, along with the culture and the people."

Kraft, who spent 30 years working for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston, including 12 years as CEO, said his mother's spirit is embodied in the Myra Kraft Achievers Program.

"Her spirit is with you every single day you're on this campus, and every single day when you leave this campus and impact the communities you live in."

Program Director Aprilis Mejia said the achievers are a community representing many different journeys, goals, and experiences.

"The more you talk about it, the more it will help you get through this year with a sense of clarity, purpose, direction," she said.