Fall/Winter 2023 Newsletter

Veterans Day Celebrations Across Campus

Veterans Day Ceremony

Air Force cadets stand to take their oath during the ROTC contracting portion of the ceremony.

The annual Veterans Day ceremony took place on Friday, November 10, honoring our U.S. veterans and Brown’s veteran alumni and military-affiliated students.

With inclement weather predicted, over 200 guests gathered in Sayles Hall, rather than at Soldiers Arch, to honor our military veterans and celebrate Brown’s increasing commitment to matriculating military veterans and encouraging students to become involved in the U.S. Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps and, for the first time, Space Force, ROTC programs.

Keynote speaker Benjamin Cassidy ’75 addresses the room.

Joining President Christina H. Paxson on the dias were U.S. Senator and Army veteran Jack Reed, Benjamin Cassidy ’75, U.S.M.C. (ret.), and Brown junior Sean Braga, U.S. Army (ret.), who now serves as president of the Brown University Student Veterans Society. The master of ceremonies was Christian “Mac” Manning, program director of the Office of Military-Affiliated Students.

The special guests all spoke enthusiastically about Brown’s progress over the past four years and how the military-affiliated students are an integral part of the Brown community who add perspective, experience, and enthusiasm across campus programs and activities. Read more about the ceremony.

Brown University Veterans Alumni Council Luncheon and Presentation

Following the University’s annual Veterans Day Ceremony, more than 75 attendees, including alumni, ROTC cadets, student veterans, and Brown community members, joined the Brown University Veterans Alumni Council (BUVAC) for a luncheon and presentation by Edward S. Steinfeld, Howard Swearer Director of the Thomas J. Watson Jr. Institute for International & Public Affairs, Professor of Political Science, and Director of the China Initiative. Steinfeld’s talk, entitled “U.S.-China Relations and the Implications for our Academic Enterprise,” explored the historical vicissitudes of the relationship between the United States and China, and the impact that relationship has had over time on the pursuit of knowledge here in the United States. In addition, Professor Steinfeld discussed current challenges surrounding collaborative research between U.S.-based and China-based scholars, as well as broader challenges surrounding the reconciliation of national security concerns with the kinds of fundamental research that have long been understood to be at the core of the American university system.

On-Campus News

Brown doubles the number of military students on campus

ROTC cadets present the colors during Brown football's Salute to Service. Left to right: Eddie Torres ’26, Jonathan Lee ’26, Jerry Quan ’26, and Thomas Yun ’26.

In 2019, Brown’s administration made a commitment to doubling the number of admitted student veterans by 2024. With this year’s enrollment cycle, Brown has surpassed the goal by welcoming a record 22 freshmen and increasing overall U.S. military veteran enrollment to 49.

The initiative, launched on Veterans Day 2019, includes expanded recruiting efforts, increased financial support, and removing other barriers to applying to and matriculating at Brown. One key factor was the creation of a veteran-specific admissions application which takes into account the breadth of military experience and makes the submission of standardized test scores optional.

The Veterans Initiative continues with the expansion of the Office of Military-Affiliated Students staffing and, in the 2024-25 school year, a new space for OMAS students to gather, study, and support each other in their Brown experience.

Learn more about the initiative in News from Brown and in the Brown Daily Herald.

Watson Institute Expands Military Fellows Program

The Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs recently welcomed a new cohort to its Military Fellows Program for the 2023-24 academic year. The six new fellows will spend the year immersed in Watson's scholarly community, engaging with students and faculty, taking classes, giving special lectures, attending seminars, and conducting research.

This year’s cohort includes fellows from the U.S. Army, Navy (2), Air Force, Marine Corps, and the Republic of Korea Army. David Polatty, director of the Military Fellows Program noted, “We are thrilled that the program has grown to include six impressive fellows, and we are especially excited that — for the first time — the U.S. Army and U.S. Navy are represented in the cohort.”

The Watson Military Fellows Program adds to the community of military-affiliated scholars on campus and further demonstrates Brown’s commitment to offering a breadth of military-focused programs and opportunities.

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Staying in touch with the alumni veteran community

• Is your alumni record up to date? To ensure you are kept updated about any upcoming veteran-related programs or information at Brown, email alumniveterans@brown.edu with your branch, dates of service, and anything else you’d like to share. Thank you for your service!
• Help expand the BUVAC mailing list. Do you know anyone interested in Brown military-affiliated news and events? Please share this newsletter and encourage your classmates, peers, and networks to join the BUVAC mailing list by emailing alumniveterans@brown.edu.
• Interested in finding out more about how Brown supports veteran and ROTC students? OMAS offers programs and services to help Brown students make successful transitions by connecting them with campus and community resources, facilitating learning opportunities, providing space for shared conversation, and more. The OMAS website includes details on Air Force, Army, and Naval ROTC.
• Keep up with Brown alumni veteran affairs. Visit Brown’s Alumni & Friends website for more information on BUVAC and its alumni-student mentoring program, updates on the University’s initiative to bring more veterans to College Hill, and links to past newsletters.
• Support the Veterans Financial Aid Initiative. Learn more about Brown’s initiative to expand financial aid for veterans and consider making a gift in support of this critical priority.