Alumni Spotlights are Q&A's with former Brandeis student-athletes, across a myriad of disciplines, as they reflect on their Brandeis experience and how it has shaped their lives today. Read more spotlight features here.

NAME: Jessica Bergman, Class of 1991
SPORTS: Women's Basketball, Softball, Track and Field
CURRENT JOB: Director, TD Securities

BIO
Jessica Bergman is a native of Lincroft, New Jersey, who came to Brandeis to play basketball. While she dabbled in softball and track and field in her career, Jessica was a three-year starter for the basketball team who averaged eight points and five rebounds per game in her career. She graduated in 1991 with a degree in American Studies.

Jessica has worked in finance since graduation, starting in 1991 at JP Morgan Chase. She then spent almost 19 years at Credit Suisse in Institutional Generalist Sales. Since 2016, she has been a Director at TD Securities, where she covers some of the largest money funds in the US for all Fixed Income product.

Jessica is being inducted into the Brandeis Hall of Fame as a contributor after spending more than a decade as the President of the Friends of Brandeis Athletics. In that time, she has made a real impact on the lives of Brandeis student-athletes and alumni, whether hosting her women's basketball successors at her New Jersey home before road games at NYU, fundraising and helping to develop the department's Day of Giving, or serving on the Hall of Fame committee and as the emcee of the annual ceremonies.
 
Jessica Bergman will be one of six Judges inducted into the Brandeis Athletics Hall of Fame during Homecoming on September 28th. Registration for the Hall of Fame is open now!

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Q: What attracted you to Brandeis in the first place?
I was excited to be at a very strong academic school and to continue to play sports at the college level.

Q: Describe your overall experience as a student-athlete. What does it mean to you now/what did it mean to you while you were an undergraduate? 
Most people don't realize what goes into being a student-athlete at the college level.  While I was at Brandeis I played multiple sports. All seasons, except the fall. I had too much "free time" and decided I would help manage the soccer team. I really enjoyed learning how to balance everything at a young age. This has proved to be one of the most important things I was able to learn during my time at school.
 
Q: How did you balance being a three-sport athlete while you were here (for the years that you did)? 
I really didn't know any differently. However, partaking of two sports in the same season did have me confused some weekends when I realized I took my javelin shoes to my softball game! 
 
Q: Do you have any advice for current or future Brandeis Student-Athletes?
My advice is to say to make sure you take the time to enjoy all facets of your time because it's gone in a flash.  Take the time to appreciate practices, teammates, trips to games, meaningful classes, social gatherings, the city of Boston, sports events. You will look back and regret saying no to some of these things.
 
Q: Do you keep in touch with any of your former Brandeis teammates? How?
 I keep in touch with a bunch of teammates. They are across different sports and graduation years. I live in new Jersey and work in New York City so I get to stay connected to many who returned to that area.
 
Q: Looking back on your career at Brandeis, do you have any one or two moments that you look back on and cherish?
 I will say that my role in FOBA has allowed me to keep my "college days" going. I love having alumni around me. I really cherish hosting the Women's Basketball team at my home in NYC the night before playing NYU each year. It was something I always looked forward to when the schedule got created.
 
 
Q: What personal or professional accomplishments are you most proud of since you graduated?
 Being inducted into the HOF is one of my greatest accomplishments. I was chosen by a group who I really love and respect and that means everything.