Brown Alumni & Friends

10/09/2026

Thank you to the thousands of Brown alumni, parents, students, and friends who made a gift for Bruno Gives Back Day! Together, you showed your indomitable spirit, raising more than $5.2 million for our Brown Bears student-athletes.

Check out the results and leaderboard from the giving day: https://bit.ly/479hbaA

10/06/2026

Two Brown alums have joined The Watson School as senior fellows for the 2026-27 academic year: Jaykumar Menon ’90, an international human rights lawyer and social entrepreneur, and David Rohde ’90, the Senior National Security Reporter for MS NOW.

The Senior Fellows program brings leading policy practitioners to College Hill to offer students insights on pressing global issues through small study groups, public lectures and symposia, and mentorship and networking opportunities.

“We are honored to have Jaykumar and David return to Brown as senior fellows, where they can serve as inspiration to the next generation of exceptional Brown leaders,” said Watson School Dean John Friedman.

The two other new senior fellows this year are Gina Raimondo, former Rhode Island Governor and U.S. Secretary of Commerce, and Iván Duque, the former President of Colombia.

https://bit.ly/4jz19Om

The Watson School welcomed four notable policy leaders to its Senior Fellows program this fall: former Rhode Island Governor and U.S. Secretary of Commerce, Gina Raimondo; former President of Colombia Iván Duque; Senior National Security Reporter for MS NOW, David Rohde; and international human rig...

10/01/2026

Bruno Gives Back Day is one week from today! 🐻

For volunteer Molly Hawksley Murphy ’09, who was on Brown’s track and field team, Bruno Gives Back Day is a special day for the athletic community.

“It is so inspiring to see the power of the Brown community and the outpouring of support generated in a single day! It demonstrates the unmatched Brown experience, and a little friendly competition across programs never hurts!”

As a volunteer, Murphy gives back well beyond the annual giving day. She wants future Bears to continue to benefit from Brown’s holistic development and support of student-athletes.

We connected with Murphy to learn more about her reasons for volunteering. Read the Q&A: https://bit.ly/4yiW8ya

09/29/2026

Brown earned top marks across major higher education guides and rankings this year—including for alumni career success!

LinkedIn placed Brown at No. 12 on its “Top Colleges 2026” list, drawing on career outcomes for alumni. In the “Wall Street Journal/College Pulse 2026 Best Colleges in the U.S.” list, Brown was noted among the top schools recognized for boosting graduates’ earnings beyond baseline expectations and quickly repaying the cost of their degree. And Money gave Brown its maximum five-star rating on its “Best Colleges in America 2026” list, which assesses financial aid, graduation rates, and alumni career success.

Check out more of the ways Brown scored for its alumni success, along with its world-class academics, high-impact research, commitment to community engagement, and more:
https://bit.ly/47hWOYB

Across U.S. News and World Report, Forbes, LinkedIn, TIME and other higher education guides and rankings, Brown earned top marks for academic innovation, student experience, affordability and workplace excellence.

09/24/2026

Cheers to another unforgettable Bruno on the Vineyard! ☀️

Last month, the fifth annual Bruno on the Vineyard brought together over 240 Brunonians and friends for an afternoon of community, connection, and celebration. “This event was an exceptional example of what happens when community and philanthropy come together,” said Grace Moore ’25.

Read about this year’s unprecedented fundraising success and hear from more of the alums and students who attended: https://bit.ly/46Igncm

09/22/2026

Welcome to the MD Class of 2030!

09/17/2026

A Brown alum is making history at the Guggenheim!

Taryn Simon ’97 is the artist behind “Father Country I Do Love You,” which opens tomorrow, September 18, at the Guggenheim Museum in New York. The entire rotunda will be dedicated to Simon’s work—a first in the museum’s history for a monographic exhibition by a photography-based artist. It’s also the largest debut of new work ever staged at the Guggenheim.

Simon’s new body of work brings together never-before-seen photographs, text, videos, and sculptures in a singular, interactive installation.

The exhibition will run through March 14. Learn more: https://bit.ly/4y7V5Ri

Experience an interactive installation by Taryn Simon featuring never-before-seen photographs, text, video, and sculpture.

09/15/2026

Last week, 75 Brown students and faculty had the extraordinary opportunity to meet remotely with NASA astronaut Jessica Meir ’99—who dialed in live from space.

Currently on the International Space Station, serving as commander of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-12, Meir talked about how she became an astronaut and what it’s like to work in an office/lab that circles the planet at 17,000 miles per hour. She answered questions from students and gave a tour of the ISS, including the view of Earth from the Cupola!

Read more about the conversation between Meir and Brown students: https://bit.ly/4hp8ZZs

In a private teleconference from the International Space Station, Brown alumna and NASA astronaut Jessica Meir answered students’ questions about space exploration and the path that led her to explore the stars.

09/11/2026

On the 25th anniversary of the attacks in 2001, leaders from Brown’s Department of Public Safety and football team led a solemn ceremony to honor those who lost their lives in the tragedy, including…

09/09/2026

So it begins! At Brown’s 263rd Convocation yesterday, nearly 3,300 new students processed through the Van Wickle Gates and kicked off the new academic year.

“Welcome to your new home,” Brown President Christina H. Paxson said to students from the steps of the Stephen Robert ’62 Campus Center. “This is a vibrant, caring and inclusive community, and I know you will come to love it as much as I do.”

We’re so glad you’re with us, Class of 2030! 👏

Read more: https://bit.ly/4cwXtIW

📷 Image credit: Aiyah Josiah-Faeduwor ’13