LEFT, Jerome Tharaud running a race at Brandeis during his collegiate days; RIGHT, Tharaud teaching an English class; CENTER, Tharaud poses with the Brandeis men's cross country team

Brandeis Athletics 4/12/2026 11:40:00 AM Akuokor Sai '29

D3 Week feature: Faculty Mentor Jerome Tharaud knows what it takes to be a D3 student-athlete

Brandeis Athletics 4/12/2026 11:40:00 AM Akuokor Sai '29

D3 Week feature: Faculty Mentor Jerome Tharaud knows what it takes to be a D3 student-athlete

To most of the Brandeis community, Professor Jerome Tharaud is one of Brandeis' amazing faculty members in the English department. However, in his free time, he enjoys running, joining the Judges' track and field and cross country programs as a faculty mentor. A former University Athletic Association runner himself, at the University of Chicago, we spoke with Professor Tharaud about his experience as part of the NCAA's annual D3 Week.

Gallery: (4-12-2026) Faculty Mentor Jerome Tharaud

Tharaud found his start at Brandeis as an assistant professor in 2015, specializing in American and environmental literature. He first got involved with the Brandeis faculty mentor program when Senior Associate Director of Athletics Lynne Dempsey '93 restarted the program around the time of the pandemic. The goal as a faculty mentor was to encourage professors to attend practices to see how student-athletes spend their time outside of class. Since cross country practices consisted of going on runs, Tharaud decided to try getting at least one run in with both teams each season. Running has been an activity that he enjoys, as he tries to get in an impressive 40-50 miles a week. Tharaud also strives to run two or three road races a year, participating in half-marathons or 10K races when he can.

When asked about what he enjoyed about Division III sports, Tharaud spoke about the balance students are given between athletics and academics. He mentioned that Division III sports is "where the ideal of the student-athlete still exists" as there isn't as much pressure physically and mentally. In his experience, track and field was an opportunity to enjoy his social life and experience college outside of studying. He was able to gain valuable lessons as an athlete through the mindset of being confident under pressure and the consistency he had to develop by working hard every day.

"Consistency is important in a whole range of endeavors in life and that kind of steady work and patience is something I certainly needed," said Tharaud. It has also been beneficial in his personal and academic life, helping him show up and persevere as a parent and in his studies when he was a graduate student.

He has also made an effort to take the lessons he's learned into the classroom and with other student-athletes, specifically his encouraging spirit, which he models after his former coach at UChicago, Jim Spivey. "I just try to bring the same kind of positive regard to my students that Coach Spivey had for my teammates and me," said Tharaud. He also enjoys getting to know his student-athletes and always works to accommodate students' schedules as he understands the demands of sports.

His mentorship and attitude do not go unnoticed by them as men's cross country captain Hugh Licklider '27 says, "Jerome's influence on the team comes from being a kind and accommodating advisor and during long runs at Concord, an entertaining person to run with."

As a student, Tharaud actually had a few opportunities to run at Brandeis and it gave him some of his best memories running track and field. During his junior season, he won the 5000-meter race, and UChicago ended up winning the UAA Championships hosted by Brandeis in 2002. Reflecting on his own experience, Tharaud wants the Brandeis Track and Field and Cross Country programs to cherish the relationships they build with teammates, classmates, coaches, and family when they go out and compete. He encourages them to look at their performances from a broader lens, saying, "Individual work becomes the most meaningful when it's part of a larger community, and a shared goal."

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Players Mentioned

Hugh Licklider: Distance; Junior

Players Mentioned

Hugh Licklider
: Junior
: Distance