MAY 2024: Spotlight On // Affinity Network News // From College Hill Today // Events // Giving Back // Moment of Joy // About This Newsletter

Greetings from the Alumni Belonging Programs team,

As the days get longer and the weather gets warmer, our Brown community is gearing up for another wonderful Reunion and Commencement Weekend here on College Hill. Last year, the Class of 2023 was inspired by a powerful Baccalaureate address delivered by alumnus Carlos Lejnieks ’00. In this issue, we spotlight Carlos’ leadership and lasting legacy during his tenure as president of the Brown Alumni Association.

This year, each of our affinity groups will be hosting a unique community celebration during Reunion and Commencement Weekend. Our cherished traditions and rituals are integral to the rich tapestry of community experiences that Brown’s dedicated volunteer leaders and staff weave together. By creating moments of togetherness and connection, we enrich the lives of alumni and strengthen the bonds of community.

We also create opportunities for alumni to learn from one another and share invaluable insights with students. In the summer and fall of 2023, our staff collaborated with affinity group leaders to launch the Affinity Career Initiative focused on growing community capital and valuable career navigation skills. This dynamic program brought together more than 1,000 alumni and students for networking sessions and workshops.

These events, and many more, executed by our affinity group leaders and staff, foster a greater sense of community and belonging for Brown’s diverse and historically underrepresented alumni.

Sincerely,

Silvina Hernandez Duran ’17, Program Coordinator, Alumni Belonging Programs
Natalia Román Alicea, Assistant Director, Alumni Belonging Programs
Mary Ward, Senior Director, Alumni Belonging Programs

The Alumni Belonging Programs team focuses on building and supporting an ecosystem of communities based on identity, affinity, and shared interests.

Spotlight on

Highlighting people and achievements in the Brunonian universe

Carlos Lejnieks ’00: Building relationships, elevating voices, increasing representation

A longtime Brown volunteer leader and the first Latinx president of the Brown Alumni Association (BAA), Carlos Lejnieks ’00 has applied the power of authentic partnership to make a difference for the alumni community.

During his time as chair of the BAA’s Multicultural Alumni Committee, Lejnieks joined the Office of Alumni Relations in spearheading a survey geared toward understanding the needs of alumni from historically underrepresented groups, reaching out to the leaders of each affinity group to involve them in the process. The result? Insightful responses from alumni that continue to guide the BAA Board of Governors and the Office of Alumni Relations in supporting the University's diverse communities.

Later, as BAA president, Lejnieks recognized the need to ensure that each affinity group community had a voice with the BAA Board of Governors. He championed the board’s move to revise the BAA bylaws, establishing a full board seat for each affinity group leader.

“My alumni journey has become an abundant well dug deep by the service of so many,” says Lejnieks. “That abundance has blossomed countless opportunities and what I’ve come to call ‘my beloved Brown family.’ When I face that truth, who am I not to commit to the same?”

Affinity group network news

News from Brown’s alumni affinity group communities

Reunion 2024: Multicultural & affinity group events

Affinity group alumni from this year’s Reunion classes and beyond will come together on campus for Reunion and Commencement Weekend to congratulate and welcome the newest alumni from the Class of 2024.

We’ll be kicking things off with the annual Unity Celebration reception (Friday, May 24 at 7:30 p.m.) at the Maddock Alumni Center garden tent, where we will collectively celebrate the accomplishments of the graduating class and welcome this next generation of alumni into our affinity group communities.

The rest of the weekend is filled with more events celebrating these communities, including:

We hope that whether you are in a Reunion year or just coming back to take part in this joyous weekend, you will take a moment to attend one or all of our affinity group Reunion celebrations.

Highlights from our community’s recent gatherings

Learn more about alumni affinity groups, including how to receive news, event invitations, and other communications from each group.

From College Hill today

News, initiatives, academic research, and recent developments in support of a more inclusive Brown community and society

Events

Upcoming

Giving Back

Uplifting stories of volunteerism and philanthropy

Alumni award winners and other volunteer leaders with President Christina H. Paxson at the Volunteer Summit in San Francisco.

For the first time, the Connect / Learn Volunteer Summit was held on the west coast this spring. After several consecutive years in New York City, alumni in San Francisco had a chance to host the annual gathering of volunteer leaders and University leadership, including President Christina H. Paxson, Senior Vice President for Advancement Sergio Gonzalez, Chancellor Samuel M. Mencoff ’78, and Vice President for Alumni Relations Zack Langway ’09.

The event was also an opportunity to honor the difference that dedicated Brunonians have made for Brown and for the world through a number of volunteer recognition awards. This was a particularly amazing year for affinity group alumni representation:

• José J. Estabil ’84 ScM’88, co-founder of BULAC, received the Brown Bear Award, which honors a lifetime of outstanding and wide-ranging volunteer service to Brown.
• Araceli Méndez Hintermeister ’12, immediate past president of BULAC and current BULAC Dallas regional representative, received the Alumni Service Award.
• Stephanie L. Harris ’14, former IPC secretary, received the Young Alumni Service Award.
• Elias Wolff ’00 (awarded posthumously) and Jonathan Mooney ’00 received the Joseph M. Fernandez ’85 Award, which recognizes a commitment to diversity and collaboration that strengthens the University community; they were recognized for their service as founding co-chairs of the Disability and Neurodivergence Alumni Collective (DNAC).

In total, 10 of the 15 individuals recognized with awards this year are members of our affinity group communities, and many have held a leadership role as part of an affinity group board or on the Multicultural Alumni Committee of the Brown Alumni Association Board of Governors.

The 2023 Black Alumni Reunion Planning Committee received the prestigious Leadership Award, presented by the Brown Alumni Association, which recognizes individuals who have demonstrated exceptional leadership qualities and made significant contributions to the University community and beyond.

Learn more about this year’s volunteer award recipients and honorees, as well as previous recipients.

Get Involved

Volunteer opportunities become available at different points throughout the year. If you’re interested in learning more about volunteering with Brown, fill out our volunteer interest form and we will reach out when an opportunity that aligns with your interests becomes available.

Moment of Joy

About this Newsletter

This biannual e-newsletter was created by the Alumni Belonging Programs team to celebrate diversity across identities, amplify the University’s work to create a more inclusive Brown community, and foster a greater sense of belonging among members of the University’s historically underrepresented groups. The team works to build and support an ecosystem of communities based on identity, affinity, and shared interests that speak to the multiplicity and intersectionality of the alumni community’s lived experiences, interests, and needs.

About the top banner: The buildings in the illustration reflect some of the communities, departments, and centers that helped shape the lived experiences, interests, and perspectives of our diverse alumni communities. Pictured clockwise from top right: Undocumented, First-Generation College, and Low-Income Student Center (U-Fli), Sarah Doyle Center for Women and Gender, Maddock Alumni Center, Stonewall House, Native American and Indigenous Studies Initiative (NAISI), Brown Center for Students of Color (BCSC), Page-Robinson Hall and the Global Brown Center for International Students (GBC), and Churchill House.