The OC & Me

The OC & Me Alums and the Open Curriculum

In Celebration of the CRC’s 40th Anniversary

The Curricular Resource Center | Brown University

The Curricular Resource Center for Peer Advising Office Hours: Monday-Friday, 9am – 6pm (academic year); during the summer, by appointment.

Email: crc@brown.edu Phone: (401) 863-3013 Fax: (401) 863-5050 Mailing Address: Curricular Resource Center Box 1825, 69 Brown Street Brown University Providence, RI 02912 Street Address: Curricular Resource Center Room 228, Stephen Robert '62 Campus Center 75 Waterman Street Providence, RI 02912 Š 2019 by Brown University.

All rights reserved. Published 2019.

Printed in the United States of America.

Acknowledgements The CRC would like to thank: Wayne Byun ’16, Matt Dang ’17.5, Nicole Martinez ’18, Hana Estice ’19, Ruth Foster ’19, and Soyoon Kim ’19 for working on this project.

Thanks for your support: Dean Besenia Rodriguez ’00, Dean Rashid Zia ’01, and the Office of Advancement.

And thank you, Brown alums, for sharing your stories with us.

The project was funded in part by a gift from Ellen Grant P’15, P’18 & Anthony Alfieri ’81 P’15, P’18, and The Island Fund.

Table of Contents CRC Mission Statement 6 Foreword 7 Survey Questions & Response Format 9 Don Sayre, 1970 10 Ed Lazowska, 1972 11 Lewis S. Kostiner, 1972 12 Paul Rohrdanz, 1972 14 Mimi Pichey, 1972 16 Elaine Rich, 1972 18 Keith Barry Smith, 1974 19 Anonymous, 1974 20 David V. Diamond, 1975 21 Geoffrey Garth, 1975 22 Jud Saviskas, 1975 23 David B. Sholem, 1975 24 Donald T. Ariel, 1976 25 Jeremy Butler, 1976 26 David Erikson, 1976 28 Judy Gourse Hoffman, 1976 29 Richard Leff, 1976 30 Larry Tye, 1976 31 Jean Follett, 1977 32 Josh E. Fidler, 1977 34 Beth Hennessey, 1977 35 F. Morris, 1977 36 Vicki Perkins, 1977 37 Alan Schrift, 1977 38 Lisa G. Arrowood, 1978 39 Jack Asher, 1978 40 Jeff Bernstein, 1978 41 Barbara Gary, 1978 42 Elizabeth Neblett, 1978 43 Anonymous, 1979 44 Mark Hantoot, 1979 45 Sabina Magliocco, 1980 47 Tonia Teresa Healey, 1980 48

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Yuman Fong, 1981 49 John R. Sopper, 1981 50 Mary K. Bailey, 1982 54 Elizabeth Zwick, 1982 56 Jorge Abellas, 1982 58 Michael Cader, 1983 59 Deborah Crowell, 1983 61 Whitney Stewart, 1983 62 Diana Revkin, 1983 64 Jerry Weil, 1983 65 Debra Blumberg, 1984 66 Bruce Ellman, 1984 67 David Rubin, 1984 67 Jennifer Langhinrichsen-Rohling, 1984 68 Deborah Koff Ross, 1985 69 Susanne Goldstein, 1985 70 Peter A. Gudmundsson, 1985 71 Erika Leaf, 1985 72 Anonymous, 1985 73 Libby Hartigan, 1985 74 Maggie Rosen Briand, 1985 75 Janey E. Skinner, 1985 76 Jennifer Van Dyck, 1985 78 Anonymous, 1985 79 Anonymous, 1985 79 Aubrey Atwater, 1986 80 Amy Barasch, 1986 81 Greg Pincus, 1986 82 David Sabel, 1986 83 Benjamin Bailey, 1987 84 Katherine Oxnard Ellis, 1987 86 Deb Herman. 1987 88 Gladys Capella Noya, 1987 89 Valerie Tutson, 1987 90 Judith Warner, 1987 91 Claudia Yellin, 1987 92 Anonymous, 1987 93

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Thalia Field, 1988 94 Birgit Grimlund, 1988 95 Pamela Dorrell, 1988 96 Melissa Cole Essig, 1988 98 An R. Trotter, 1988 100 Diana E. Wells, 1988 101 Aurea Hernรกndez-Webster, 1988 102 Anonymous, 1988 104 Katarzyna Jerzak, 1989 105 Nicole Moore, 1989 106 Laura Pierce, 1989 108 Kathy Kau, 1989 109 Robert Houser, 1989 110 Julie Chang, 1989 112 Maryam Mohit, 1989 113 Michael Richter, 1989 113 Anonymous, 1989 114 Julie Blane, 1990 115 Angela G. Garcia, 1990 116 David Narita, 1990 117 Adena Meyers, 1990 118 Anonymous, 1990 120 Lori Bluvas, 1991 121 Bennett (Ben) Siems, 1990 122 Greg Brail, 1991 124 Peggy Chang, 1991 125 Greg Siegle, 1991 126 Kevin M. Stack, 1991 128 Allison Karmel Thomason, 1991 130 Anonymous, 1993 132 Susan Ferber, 1993 133 Becka Vargus Katz, 1994 134 Homay King, 1994 135 Janine Treves, 1995 136 Ryan Cristal, 1996 137 Anonymous, 1997 138 Suyin So, 1997 139

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Lesley Yalen, 1998 140 Besenia Rodriguez, 2000 141 Emily Meg Weinstein, 2001 142 Jori Ketten, 2002 144 Rachel Mason, 2002 145 Deborah Friedes Galili, 2003 146 Heidi Brown, 2006 147 Maribeth Jacobson, nĂŠe Rubin, 2007 149 Elizabeth Baron, 2010 150 Nick Werle, 2010 152 Arthur Matuszewski, 2011 153 Kurt Walters, 2011 153 Brynn Smith, 2011 154 Claire Schlessinger, 2013 155 Sofia Castello y Tickell, 2012 156 Juliana Rodriguez, 2014 158 Anonymous, 2014 159 Christine Pappas, 2014 160 Mara Freilich, 2015 161 Camisia Glasgow, 2015 161 Ria Mirchandani, 2015 162 Alexandra Urban, 2015 163 Yifan Zhang, 2015 164 Wayne Byun, 2016 165 Kimberley Charles, 2016 166 Lauren GalvĂĄn, 2016 167 Paige Aniyah Morris, 2016 168 Natalie E. Asalgado, 2016 170 Mya Roberson, 2016 171 Marion Wellington, 2016 172 Anna Stacy, 2017 173

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CRC Mission Statement The Curricular Resource Center for Peer Advising (CRC) is a place where student advisors help their peers engage with the Open Curriculum and effectively utilize Brown's academic resources.

Founded in 1976 to support the fullest use of the New Curriculum, today the CRC's Director, students coordinators and volunteers coordinate information sessions, community-building events, and individual meetings with students for advising about independent studies and concentrations, fellowships and research opportunities, taking time off from college, issues related to the sophomore year and more.

The CRC staffers collaborate with various groups, centers and deans to provide the best possible advice about the wealth of academic resources at Brown and beyond. The CRC is part of the Office of the Dean of the College.

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Foreword During June – October 2016, the CRC prepared to celebrate its 40th anniversary by sending out a survey to alums who had graduated with an independent concentration, done a (Group) Independent Study Project ((G)ISP), took a personal leave of absence, and/or worked at the CRC (founded in 1976 as "The Resource Center").

138 alums completed the survey, and we have compiled their responses here.

Enjoy.

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Survey Questions & Response Format The survey asked alums to share their name (or remain anonymous); graduation year; concentration(s).

Alums also reported whether they pursued an indpendent concentration [IC], participated in any (Group) Independent Study Projects [(G)ISP], have taken a leave of absence [LEAVE], took a class for a grade of satisfactory/no credit [S/NC], and/or were a Curricular Resource Center (CRC) staffer/ administrator [CRC] during their time at Brown.

If any of the above statements applied, a colored box with the respective abbreviation will appear on their profile: IC

(G)ISP

S/NC

CRC

L eave

**Please note that responses have been copyedited for minor spelling and grammatical errors. All personal identifiers / identitycategories that respondents chose to share through the survey are excluded from this document. Concentration names have been recorded as reported in the original survey; please note that some concentrations have changed their titles over time (e.g. “American Civilization” to “American Studies”). Profiles are ordered in chronological order by graduation year and alphabetically by surname.

Lastly, alums responded to the following prompts: 1. How did curricular options (like leavetaking, independent concentrations and studies, taking classes S/NC, no distribution requirements, etc.) inform or shape your Brown experience?

2. What challenges did you face in navigating through the Open Curriculum?

3. Looking back on your education at Brown, please share any memories or impressions you have. (Some questions to help jog your memory: Do you believe in the effectiveness of the Open Curriculum?

What were the political and social events— at Brown and in the world—that informed your student experience? Were there other personal, life events that affected your time in college? How did your journey through a learning experience where you needed to build your own education impact you or shape your perspective as an adult, a parent, or a citizen of the world?)

4. Recall a significant and/or meaningful class, extracurricular activity, faculty interaction, administrator, and/or other experience or person at Brown. How did that / they impact your perspective while you were a student?

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Don Sayre, 1970 IC Human Studies: The Problem of Indvidualism in the Modern City with Prof. Edward Ahearn IC

(G)ISP

S/NC

L eave

On Leave: Got well. I took time off twice because of health issues.

[ 1 ] Curriculum I was at the beginning of independent studies concentrations and had to get a committee to approve my proposal. [ 2 ] Challenges Deciding several independent studies courses in an exclusive fashion. [ 3 ] Impressions I was very pleased to be at Brown during a time of curriculum change. My interests did not align with traditional majors so I had the opportunity to create both independent study courses and my major. I combined several traditional fields plus individual courses oneon-one with professors into a course of study which greatly furthered my understanding of the problem I proposed. [ 4 ] Meaningful Encounters My faculty advisor / mentor, Professor Edward Ahearn, was a French scholar whose interests, particularly in poetry, led me on a journey through 19th and 20th century French poetry in which the authors grappled with the issue I was studying.

Primary Role(s) Today: Husband and informal advisor to 92 year-old mother.

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Ed Lazowska, 1972 IC

“Non-Numerical Computer Science” with David J. Lewis, Division of Applied Mathematics

(with a huge hat-tip to Andy van Dam) Above: @Brown in 1971

Thesis / Capstone: Replaced the paging field. Truly a life-shaping experience for all of

system and scheduler of IBM’s CP-67 us. virtual machine operating system, with Bob Abraham, advised by Bob Munck and Rich [ 3 ] Impressions In my first semester at Brown, I received the highest grade in the Kogut class on a Chemistry mid-term. The professor [ 1 ] Curriculum In the 1960s, computers were and TAs did what good professors and TAs multi-million-dollar building-sized behemoths do: they reached out and encouraged me. intended for geophysicists to run numerical Perversely, this threw me into a deep funk: it computations in FORTRAN. Andy van Dam was clear that I could succeed in college in brought interactive computer graphics to the same way I had succeeded in high school, Brown. Between midnight and 8 a.m., a and that’s not what I wanted. In my second hoard of undergraduates and a few graduate semester, while getting a D in Physics as part students used Brown’s mainframe as a PC. For of my funk, I discovered computer science, example, we created a what-you-see-is-what- through an introductory course taught by you-get hypertext editing system: Microsoft Charles Strauss. I got sucked into Andy van Word plus the World Wide Web, 25 years Dam’s orbit as an undergraduate TA and RA, ahead of its time. The title of my independent and was treated as an intellectual adult for concentration, “Non-Numerical Computer the first time in my life: entrusted to figure out Science,” reflects that time, and sounds how to do things that my mentors themselves ridiculously anachronistic today. Andy and didn’t know how to do. the New Curriculum created an environment in which a generation of Brown students were Primary Role(s) Today: Bill & Melinda Gates able to pursue computer science in depth Chair in Computer Science & Engineering, long before the formal curricula at Brown University of Washington and elsewhere fully embraced this then-new

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Lewis S. Kostiner, 1972 IC

Liberal Arts with Prof. Richard Fishman

[ 1 ] Curriculum I took very few classes S/NC. The OC allowed me to really find myself and my interests in what were very trying and fascinating and difficult times. For that I will always be grateful! [ 2 ] Challenges The challenges were there and the uncertainty of what I was undertaking with the OC, as to wether right or wrong, was daunting. The OC compelled me to think about why I was in college in the first place. I came to Brown as an engineering major and I also played both soccer and hockey. I realized early on that the athletics were wonderful, but at some point I had to get beyond them. The OC opened that door for me, and allowed me to move forward.

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[ 3 ] Impressions I really did not build my own education, per se. The Open Curriculum allowed me to study at RISD with both world renowned photographers Harry Callahan and Aaron Siskind, and at Brown with Richard Fishman.

I entered Brown in 1968 and graduated in 1972. My class was the first to graduate with the possibility of creating and writing our own major. Our world at that time was full of chaos and and uncertainty, and at the same moment it was quite intriguing. Brown allowed all of us to find our own path and really never expected or asked for anything in return, which created both freedom and trust between the university and its students. That meant a lot to me.

[ 4 ] Meaningful Encounters I found Richard Fishman, my advisor, in the art department, to be inspiring, as he allowed me to ask so many questions, which I needed to do at that time in my life, and then helped me answer them. I took many liberal arts classes after engineering, which aided me in understanding what was going on in the world then, Vietnam and all. I studied with Eric Widmer in Political Science and Professor Smiley in Astronomy. Then Leon Cooper in Physics. I tried to write under the guidance of John Hawkes and Ed Hoenig, they were such powerful sages. Of course, the times I could talk with Dean Hazeltine, were always inspirational.

While at Brown I helped found Mother Records in the

Above: That's me dancing with my older daughter Rickie at her recent wedding. Both my daughters Rickie and Tess attended and graduated from Brown.

basement of Faunce House.

The university supported our endeavor and with the Spring Weekends and the music that came with it, there was always such amazing energy on campus. We also had so many enlightened speakers and musical guests stopping by all the time, so there was real meaning in our experience at Brown. Even to this day, the OC has made me aware that I could accomplish anything I set out to, and while taking great risks in doing so. My wife Annie and I opened many doors for so many people, and they in turn for us. We were the first to develop lofts in the now booming West Loop of Chicago through Annie Properties, we started

Gallery 312, exhibiting both local and world renown artists, and Annie founded The PEACH Club, a 501(C)3, as an after school mentoring space through the arts, for Chicago public school students. We built the first and only private ice hockey rink in Chicago, Johnny's IceHouse, where the Chicago Blackhawks practiced for so many years. So much of what I experienced and learned and do now, came from the freedom and independence that Brown gave me, through the OC. If anyone who reads this is ever in Chicago, stop by our place, the kibbitznest at 2212 N. Clybourn in Chicago.

Mother Records is alive and well...in Chicago, along with a

cafe and terrific event space with terrific events. Ask for Lewis or Annie, and we'll show you around. I even have all my vinyl records in the back of the space from 1968-72, if you are looking for those memories and good times again. You might even run into our two daughters Rickie and Tess, both younger Brown alums, who can show you around too....

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Paul Rohrdanz, 1972 IC Mathematics and Philosophy with Prof.

Allan Clark, Mathematics IC

(G)ISP

S/NC

(G)ISP:

Philosophy of Mathematics, sponsored

by Allan Clark; Philosophy of Mind (GISP), sponsored by Roderick Chisholm; Faulkner's Yoknapatawpha Novels, sponsored by Barton St. Armand [ 1 ] Curriculum I came to Brown with strong interests in both math and humanities, and thought I would have to decide on one or the other.

The Open Curriculum was developed and approved during my first year; it dissolved the need for me to make the choice, ever. Tom Banchoff’s geometry courses got me thinking about the mental processes that made up the actual doing

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I received a postcard from the registrar each semester, with a form for me to specify my concentration. I would write the word “Independent” across the card, and return it. In the first week of May of my senior year, I received a request to review my qualifications for graduation with the Dean’s office.

When I met with the Dean of Seniors, he told me that my concentration needed to be approved by the Faculty Committee for Independent [ 2 ] Challenges All the Concentrations. It was the first professors I approached were I had heard of the committee, supportive and enthusiastic; I but fortunately they had one suspected that they were as more meeting before the excited by the reform of the end of the semester. Allan curriculum as the students Clark, my sponsor, and I were. turned around the required of mathematics, particularly the roles of intuition and imagination. Mathematicians often described their work as the formal manipulation of symbols. This seemed like the tip of the iceberg to me. I followed my interests through many math and philosophy courses, with side trips in theology, literature and philosophy of science.

I remember the feeling of radical freedom in the design of each semester’s courses.

description and essays over the weekend. On June 1st I received a letter advising me that the Committee had approved my request, and wishing me the best on what appeared to be a very interesting course of study.

On June 5th, I graduated. [ 3 ] Impressions The movements for justice and respect, starting with the Black student walkout my Freshman year, were constant challenges to me while at Brown, and ever since. The Vietnam War and the social conflicts it provoked are written across every page of my college memories.

[ 4 ] Meaningful Encounters Too many to list, but here are a few: Allan Clark, Tom Banchoff, Roderick Chisholm and Phil Quinn were all very supportive of the project I was developing. My roommate Michael Hepworth was my partner in GISP; he always pushed me to try to answer the next question.

When I approached Barton St. Armand with my request to read Faulkner’s novels, he told me, “Sure, I’d like to read them again myself.” Roger Henkel graciously admitted me to a Victorian literature seminar that was officially designated for concentrators in literature. I am also grateful to several professors who denied me admission to

classes for which I was truly unprepared.

Primary

Role(s)

Today:

Husband, parent, son, software engineering (ret.), literacy tutor for 1st and 2nd grade students

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Mimi Pichey, 1972 IC Art & Archaeology with Prof. Jim Deetz, Anthropology IC

S/NC

[ 1 ] Curriculum I started Brown in Fall 1968 and immediately became active in the movement for the New Curriculum, including participating in a sitin at a Corporation meeting at University Hall, student rallies, attending the faculty meeting that voted up the New Curriculum. After the New Curriculum was launched in Fall 1969, I never took another class for a grade—all S/NC. That enabled me to follow my interests and develop an independent major.

I was exposed to courses I might not have taken for a grade.

then went on to political organizing, next to corporate communications, then an MBA and marketing. In semiretirement, I run my family’s real estate management business and have established my own printmaking studio, coming full circle back to my love of the medium developed in Prof. Walter Feldman’s class at Brown.

[ 2 ] Challenges At the very beginning of the New Curriculum, we were winging it.

Some professors were stymied about how to evaluate students with S/NC—being In all honesty, taking classes forced to write evaluations S/NC also enabled me to rather than assigning a letter pursue my growing interest grade was upsetting to some in radical politics and the and they balked at doing it women’s movement. I may when I requested it. have spent less time on classroom activities and more No one had a very good handle on extracurricular than Brown yet on what comprised an concentration. educators would have liked, independent but in hindsight the organizing I remember asking one skills I gained have stood me professor to sponsor my in good stead throughout interdisciplinary concentration my life. I started my career and he refused because what using my Art & Archaeology I was proposing was outside degree in the museum field, of his experience. In the end, I

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put everything together myself with no professorial guidance and found a professor to “sign” for me.

For my independent concentration in Art & Archaeology, I combined courses in studio art, art history, anthropology, classics, Egyptology, material science and courses at RISD but did not develop a senior thesis. [ 3 ] Impressions For me, the New (now Open) Curriculum was a breath of fresh air. With it, I became the person who could shape my own destiny.

The curriculum allowed me to explore new areas I might not have under a more traditional “required” subject approach.

Based on the Brown grads I have encountered in the years since, I believe this educational approach attracts high-energy self-starters and nurtures them and allows them to blossom.

The world was exploding in 1968, or so it seemed at the time.

The civil rights movement was in full swing as was the antiVietnam war movement. At Brown, the Black walkout was

a major influence on many of us. Two years later, in May 1970 in response to the bombing of Hanoi, mining of Haiphong harbor and the massacre of protestors at Kent State and Jackson State, Brown students voted 2:1 to shut down the university and open up an alternate “anti-war” university which we ran ourselves for several weeks. That summer, thousands of women took over the streets on the 50th anniversary of the day women won the right to vote. When we returned to campus in Fall 1970, Women of Brown United, a campus feminist group, was formed and eventually enrolled a quarter of all the undergrad women as well as many grad students, faculty and staff. In spring 1971, the first gay rights group organized at Brown.

During this same period, Brown life was changing dramatically. In 1968 when I entered as a freshman, Pembroke was an all-women’s college in a male university.

With “in loco parentis,” we

endured curfews, required convocations, sit-down familystyle dinners, posture pictures (with grades!), visiting hours for men, and demerits if the rules were broken. By the time I graduated in 1971, there was co-ed living and all of the restrictive rules and regulations had fallen. Brown and Pembroke merged over the summer of 1971, and 1972 saw the emergence of a co-ed Brown, but with a 3:1 ratio of men to women.

that I was first introduced to at Brown.

[ 4 ] Meaningful Encounters Becoming a feminist and a founding member of Women of Brown United (WBU) profoundly influenced me for the rest of my life. As a result, my view of what women (and I as a woman) could achieve opened up far beyond what I believed growing up. My understanding of society and how to change it shifted significantly. The activity of My Brown experience set me which I am most proud was up for the rest of my life—in helping to found the Rhode both the work and personal Island Coalition to Repeal arenas. In another section, Abortion Laws (RiCRAL), I commented on how the which in 1971 launched a class Open Curriculum influenced action suit in RI similar to Roe my career.

In addition, v. Wade. the independence that I experienced in developing my Primary Role(s) Today: Retired own educational path enabled semiconductor marketer, now me to make my way in the working part time in family’s estate management world, overcome challenges real and succeed in the areas that business and running my own interested me. I embraced the printmaking studio strong love of equality that Brown instilled in me and still try to carry on the struggles

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Elaine Rich, 1972 IC

[ 1 ] Curriculum I discovered Linguistics during my first year at Brown. I was intrigued by the phenomenon of language, but distressed by many aspects of how it was studied. A not uncommon style of debate among experts involved statements of essentially the form, “My theory is better than yours. Full stop. And so I won’t hire your students."

And so forth. Attempts at evidence-based reasoning often failed. If one said, “But your theory doesn’t account for this phenomenon,” the reply would typically be, “Oh, no, my theory is really ‘something slightly different.’

Really, mine is perfect.” I hated this. Then during the summer after freshman year, I discovered computing.

When I returned to campus, I took Prof.

Kučera’s Computational Linguistics class. The light bulb went on. If we built computational

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Linguistics and Applied Math with Prof. Henry Kučera, Linguistics

models of our theories, we could actually test them against real data and choose the ones that worked best.

There were only about three computing classes at Brown at that time. They were offered in Applied Math.

I took them all. The New Curriculum had appeared my sophomore year.

It gave me the chance to create a concentration in computational linguistics. It was perfect.

When it came time to apply to graduate school, I had to pick. I chose to study Computer Science. I got a Ph.D and went on to a mostly academic career. I did work in natural language processing and artificial intelligence, among other things. I never stopped relying on what I learned at Brown.

[ 4 ] Meaningful Encounters I had two important faculty mentors: Henry Kučera, in Linguistics, was my advisor for my independent concentration. He made it possible.

And then there was Andy van Dam. I worked for Andy both as a helper in AM 50 (Introduction to CS) and as a research assistant on the LSD project (yes, it really was called that—but LSD was a new programming language, not that other thing). I learned how to ask questions and how to work independently. I think I owe Andy for getting me into graduate school. Without a doubt, he was the most powerful influence on me during my time at Brown.

Primary

Role(s)

Today:

Distinguished Senior Lecturer, The University of Texas at Austin (retired)

Keith Barry Smith, 1974 IC Human Decison-Making with Prof.

George Borts, Economics IC

(G)ISP

S/NC

Thesis / Capstone: Thesis, “Transnational Corporations in Canada” with Prof. Borts [ 1 ] Curriculum Significantly—the “New Curriculum” was a major contributor to my deciding to attend Brown. The legacy of my undergraduate experiences has been to reinforce the joy of learning and to demand taking ownership of ones choices. [ 2 ] Challenges At the time, gathering coherent and accurate information regarding the full breadth of class choices (it was a long time ago). Subsequently, trying to explain my transcript (including S/NC and reports from 30 professors) to grad schools and employers. [ 3 ] Impressions I continue to feel privileged to have been able to come to Brown and be challenged to try to learn and think more so than simply absorb content. The value of that experience continues to echo for me today. [ 4 ] Meaningful Encounters My one on one time with Dr. Borts—his support and counsel, giving of his time and interest in not only academics but interpersonal experiences.

Primary Role(s) Today: Retired

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Anonymous, 1974 IC

Biological Sciences & 18th Century European Civilization with Prof.

Mary Vogt, Visual Art Thesis / Capstone: Thesis, “Paintings of Lancret” with Prof. Mary Vogt

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David V. Diamond, 1975 IC

L eave

S/NC

[ 1 ] Curriculum Absolutely.

IC Human Studies & Metapsychology with Dr. George Morgan [ 4 ] Meaningful Encounters Prof.

George Morgan would invite students in his class to his house for brunch and discussion. It showed a personalized interest that made us feel valued and more motivated. When I asked to take my year off between Junior year and what would be my first year of Brown Medical curriculum, Dean Stanley Aronson met with me. He asked me if what I planned to do was as valuable as one less year as a practicing clinician.

A challenging question to which I answered, “I would compare the rest of my life having had this experience with that if I did not take the time abroad.”

He listened, smiled, nodded his head and said, “OK then, go and learn.”

Indeed my life has been all the more enriched by that year in Europe, and I am so grateful to Brown for giving me the opportunity.

[ 2 ] Challenges Not much challenge, it On Leave: One year off. Was a research allowed me to get a great liberal arts assistant in Zurich Switzerland, education while fulfilling my premedical neuroscience lab. requirements.

Primary Role(s) Today: Physician, [ 3 ] Impressions The S/NC grading administrator, father, son, husband system, the lack of peer pressure in my premedical studies, the focus on learning and not bettering my classmates, all contributed to a very humane and enjoyable educational experience.

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Geoffrey Garth, 1975 IC Creativity and Design with Prof. Barrett Hazeltine IC

S/NC

[ 1 ] Curriculum I have always wanted to be an inventor, like my father. When college rolled around, I choose Brown because it had the most liberal academic curriculum of the schools I was considering. The New Curriculum, which really was new in 1971, seemed like it would give me the opportunity to directly study what interested me. As a sophomore I began to consider my need to declare a major. I knew where I wanted to end up, but was unsure about how to get there, so I made an appointment to talk with a dean. Notwithstanding my desire to study creativity, the advice I received was to major in engineering and augment it with some creativity courses.

I was so disillusioned by this prospect that I considered leaving Brown. But that all changed when I talked with Dean Hazeltine. While he had been the Dean of Engineering, he said the advice I’d been given to major in Engineering was wrong. He encouraged me to pursue my goal to study creativity directly. He told me his father had been an inventor

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so he understood what I wanted and said he could see how the classes I had already taken created a solid foundation.

Together we mapped out my independent concentration and he agreed to be my sponsor. [ 2 ] Challenges Getting an independent concentration approved in 1973 was pretty straightforward. I guess I had to write up a description and a list of the classes I had taken and those that I proposed to take. As I recall, the only change I made was changing the name from Creativity and Invention to Creativity and Design.

Advanced Design (I built a kayak in the basement of List) and taking two industrial design classes at RISD. I had a marvelous college experience!

Dean Hazeltine’s encouragement gave me the confidence to pursue my desire to study creativity and to become an inventor. That confidence, and what I learned at Brown, have been central to the success I have achieved since leaving Brown.

I have invented products that have changed industries, and establishing market leading companies to manufacture and sell those products around the world.

[ 3 ] Impressions Given my interest in creativity and invention, getting to invent my own major just made sense. I remember writing “The Creative Potential of the Child” for my child psychology class, learning basic computing concepts in my math class, learning management concepts Primary Role(s) Today: Parent, and listening to successful inventor, business owner entrepreneurs in ENGN 0090, studying design in Basic and

“

Jud Saviskas, 1975 Comparing my Brown education to what I read about and hear from current students and parents, I fear that the university is losing its way and its uniqueness, either trying to surpress student individualism as was demonstrated by independent studies, or seemingly letting the most outspoken elements of the student body dictate to it.

Conformity, either dictated from on high or from the student body itself, will unfortunately reduce the ability of Brown's new alums to think independently and thrive!

IC Ancient History with Prof. John Rowe Workman, Classics IC

S/NC

Thesis / Capstone: Thesis, “The role of the historian in

history�

[ 1 ] Curriculum Ability to create my own major with faculty guidance allowed me to delve into a topic in great depth and in multiple ways. Were it not for this independent major I would not have met the great faculty that I did, and they taught a wide range of subjects from Egyptology to classical and also modern history. The ability to create this independent major empowered me to take charge of my education (with faculty input), with the result that I learned more academically, enjoyed the college more, and better prepared me to take charge of my career. [ 2 ] Challenges Honestly it was a smooth process. [ 3 ] Impressions Writing the proposal for my independent major, as well as the thesis, really forced me to do critical thinking about my goals for them. This critical thinking learning helped me in my applications to business school (I went on to get an MBA from Wharton), and taught me to think clearly about my career goals. [ 4 ] Meaningful Encounters Great memories of sitting at my assigned carrel in the Rock staring at blank sheets of paper and thinking through what my honors thesis was to cover. Also, great support from faculty dedicated to undergrads, especially in the Classics Dept.

Primary Role(s) Today: Sr. University Administrator

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David B. Sholem, 1975 IC

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Independent Concentration Barrett Hazeltine

with

Prof.

Donald T. Ariel, 1976 IC

Ancient Mediterranean Civilization with Prof. Ernest Frerichs

Thesis / Capstone: Ancient Mediterranean Civilization;

advisor: Ernest Frerichs

[ 1 ] Curriculum It allowed me to select a concentration in which I was interested. [ 2 ] Challenges I remember having no problems in creating the independent concentration and getting it approved.

Above: Donald at Camp Ramah, Palmer, MA, Summer, 1973.

[ 3 ] Impressions Yes, I believe in the effectiveness of the Open Curriculum. It allowed me to pursue my passion for the archaeology of the southern Levant. The alternative structures, concentration in the Anthropology Department, or concentration in the brand new Center for Old World Archaeology, were surprisingly inaccessible (Anthropolgy) or insufficient (Center for Old World Archaeology).

Primary Role(s) Today: Archaeologist, numismatist

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Jeremy Butler, 1976

IC Film Studies with Prof. Michael Silverman, English, Semiotics IC

(G)ISP

S/NC

Thesis / Capstone: I performed a close textual analysis of two films, “The Last Picture Show” and “The Lady from Shanghai" with Michael Silverman as my advisor.

with courses outside my concentration (art history, philosophy, psychology) and felt I could do so without penalty if they did not work out (due to the S/NC option). All of these elements permitted [ 1 ] Curriculum I chose me to create an educational Brown largely because of experience at Brown that was its New (Open) Curriculum tailormade to my interests. and took advantage of many of its elements. I built an I don’t think I would have been independent concentration in happy at any other university. “film studies” out of courses in several departments. I [ 2 ] Challenges None come took virtually all of my non- to mind, except that the concentration courses S/NC. registration system in the I had my instructors fill out ’70s was a mess. You had to the narrative grading form (I go to each department to forget what they were called) retrieve a permission card for in lieu of or in addition to a course, but sometimes they conventional letter grades. I were closed and so you’d have was grateful for the lack of to traipse all over campus distribution requirements, looking for courses. because it opened up my options. I still experimented

26

Above: In the studios of Alabama Public Radio, where I host a weekly folk-music program.

Above: A PDF of dozens of music logs (listings of the songs played) on WBRU circa 1974. I was a WBRU-FM DJ from 1972-76—working full-time during the summers of 1975 and ’76.

Left: A PDF of a paper I wrote on Ernst Lubitsch for a course on American cinema, taught by Michael Silverman during his first year at Brown. It includes markings by him (in black) and his TA, Larry Chadbourne (in pencil). Spring semester 1974.

[ 3 ] Impressions I came to Brown with no clear goal in mind. I didn’t know what my concentration would be and only vaguely thought it would be interesting to study film.

Brown allowed me the freedom to experiment with different subjects and find myself within them. Plus, I had no idea that Brown had a powerhouse radio station (WBRU) that would consume most of my time outside of classes and studying.

The extracurricular experience at WBRU and my independent concentration in film studies shaped who I am today—a media-studies professor who does a folk-music show on a local radio station.

[ 4 ] Meaningful Encounters My freshman year, Michael Silverman came to give a job talk. I believe it was about Italian cinema. He was hired for the following year and became the first professor to teach film (and semiotics) full-time. He became my mentor and inspired me in so many ways. He taught me how to think about film in ways that opened my mind and determined my future career (as well as my passion). He changed my life.

Primary Role(s) Today: Professor

Above: WBRU, circa 1975

27

David Erikson, 1976 IC Natural History with Prof. Cathy Bosse IC

S/NC

L eave

(G)ISP

On Leave: I took off the advantage of the freedom. and agriculture. I earned a

1974-1975 academic year I didn’t really want to be in and worked a boat delivery college. The freedom allowed to Panama and worked for me to wander lost a bit.

CARE for several months. [ 3 ] Impressions I believe [ 1 ] Curriculum The leave- that the open curriculum can taking was very important be a great thing for more to me. I really needed the mature students than I was time away to get some life at the time. More energetic and general experience and to recover academic counseling would have from the deaths of two close friends. To be honest, helped me.

I needed the independent concentration because I The draft was a factor. I had struggled with Chemistry and a draft number of 7 and was Calculus. I am bitter about working to appeal my draft this. Prof. Clapp refused to board’s denial of my CO give any help to students in claim. Like many my age (18 Chem 3, telling me he had in 1972), I felt that the adults to eliminate one third of us in power were making very because of the automatic bad, even evil, choices for my passage of premeds into generation. med school if they passed.

Calculus was taught by grad As I wrote earlier, I had two students who did not speak good friends die, one in an English well and/or who accident, the other murdered. chose to teach about their research specialty instead I was drawn to learning by of teaching introductory experience and by doing at that age and still am, though calculus.

I am more capable of study [ 2 ] Challenges I was a young and sustained academic freshman coming in (17) learning than I was at Brown. and not ready to take good I have done quite a bit of back to the land building

28

living as a carpenter for 30 years before becoming a teacher. I feel a mission to provide an island of hands on learning (linked to academic understandings and skills) in a day of mostly sitting and desk work which is our public education norm. [ 4 ] Meaningful Encounters Late in my time at Brown, I was in George Morgan’s University course: “Between Man and Man.” It was the only course at Brown that I thoroughly enjoyed. I worked hard in it to be a full participant in the discussions of questions that were important. It was the only chance I had to engage in meaningful guided discussion with my peers. If I had had the experience earlier, I might have concentrated in religious studies or social science.

Primary

Role(s) Today: Spouse, public middle school teacher

Judy Gourse Hoffman, 1976 IC Cross-cultural Perspectives on Mental Health IC

S/NC

[ 1 ] Curriculum I would have left Brown without it. I didn’t find the psychology department broad enough for my interests once I was clearer about what I wanted. I was able to pursue what I was interested in without transferring. [ 2 ] Challenges It was a little challenging to find advisors for the many independent studies I did. I was pretty independent, but needed faculty to support what I wanted to do. I didn’t feel connected to any department and that was a deficit.

Primary Role(s) Today: Social worker, non-profit director

29

Richard Leff, 1976

IC Biomedical Ethics with Prof. Robert Davis, Biomedical / Medical school IC

(G)ISP

S/NC

Thesis / Capstone: Death 3 years before I arrived directing patients with lifeand Dying in America, cosponsored by Dr. Ralph Redding MD and Prof.

Sumner Twist

[ 1 ] Curriculum My interest in bioethics and in the experience of dying and how the medical community deals with it shaped my eventual career decision to practice Medical Oncology.

In addition, developing the skills to self-educate has been invaluable throughout my career. S/NC allowed me to take courses out of my core interest areas without risk. As an example, I took US Security Policy in the PoliSci department. It exposed me to concepts and fellow students with whom I might not have had academic interactions.

at Brown.

Although it distinguished Brown from all other similarly ranked universities and created great opportunity, there was little formal structure aimed at encouraging students to take advantage of the opportunities.

Navigating your way to create a GISP or independent concentration required a great deal of individual initiative to find a concentration, have it approved and to find a sponsor.

threatening illnesses and their families to find meaning in their situations and to find coping solutions. [ 4 ] Meaningful Encounters The GISP that I helped to design examining how people and societies deal with death and dying had a great impact. One of the faculty had survived cancer which gave a very personal feeling to what we were learning. The GISP led to some individual summer research comparing patient desire for information about life-threatening conditions and the attitudes of their doctors. This shaped how I communicated with patients through the rest of my career.

[ 3 ] Impressions The Open Curriculum and opportunity to access and partner with outstanding faculty guides has shaped my orientation to teaching others, including my children. Helping people to identify the right question and aiming them in the Primary Role(s) [ 2 ] Challenges The Open right direction to look for Physician, educator Curriculum was still named an answer is a great way to the “New Curriculum.� teach almost anyone. It has Ira Magaziner graduated also been a great help in

30

Today:

Larry Tye, 1976

IC Technology and Society: Defining a New Balance with Prof. Edward Beiser, Political Science IC

S/NC

L eave

Ed Beiser, who was as straight and smart as George was free-thinking and smart. But that wasn’t enough, and I was on my own more than I should have been in spelling out and filling in my independent program.

Above: It's the cover of my newest book. Read the jacket copy here.

On Leave: One semester off, working for the Union of Concerned Scientists in Cambridge, MA.

Above: It's a short bio that gives a feel for how my Brown education led to my later-life adventures.

[ 1 ] Curriculum My independent concentration and my time off defined my Brown experience, and saved me from law school, which I’d applied to, been admitted to, and would have attended but for the intervening semester where I was doing something too interesting.

I kept deferring law school (4 years), then another kind of grad school (2 years), and kept saying it can wait, I love what I am doing. [ 2 ] Challenges I got direction from the Father of the New Curriculum, my pal George Morgan, and from

[ 3 ] Impressions The Open Curriculum is what did and does make Brown unique, and gave me the freethinking tools that made my career and life as interesting as I think it has been.

In college, I was defined by the founding of the environmental movement in America, and the Watergate era of reviving our faith in government. [ 4 ] Meaningful Encounters My classes with Morgan, especially Possibilities for Social Reconstruction, sent me on my independent way. So did courses on the history of science I took with Hunter Dupree, and political science ones with George Morgan. But as I type, I realize I could list nearly every course I took at Brown, and at the time I worked nearly all of them to my independent program.

Primary Role(s) Today: Author, journalist, fellowship director

31

Jean Follett, 1977

IC Urban & Architectural History with Prof. William Jordy, Art History IC

Thesis

S/NC

/

Capstone:

Cathy studied and interned in while at Zerner, Baroque Architecture in Brown.

England [ 2 ] Challenges I had no one [ 1 ] Curriculum The freedom advising me as I darted from to find my own way, take one department to another. It classes across a broad range of wasn’t until my senior year when departments, sample subject I was writing my honors thesis areas to see if they held interest that I really had a true advisor for me and taste all that having and by then it could make no an open curriculum meant was difference to my course. absolutely essential. I think I missed out on some things by [ 3 ] Impressions I came to Brown never being embedded in a at 17 and there is no doubt in department, but so many other my mind that my time there good things happened because (and in the Brown community of my freedom that I do not since) has shaped my life. The complain! I am absolutely sure people I met, the courses I took, that I excelled in graduate school the level of self-determination I BECAUSE of my experiences practiced—it all was both deep at Brown and the necessity of and wide. Although my class juggling multiple subject areas. entered Brown, I was friends I am still working today—forty with many women who had years later—in the areas that I been admitted to Pembroke.

32

It was a time of great change and great challenges on campus, including the takeover of University Hall, an event which I remember vividly. Brown made me the critical thinker I am today.

The thinking and writing skills I began to learn there have served me well in my career.

I don’t think that the New Curriculum was yet settled when I arrived in 1973 so it was a little hard for faculty to be an effective part of it. In some ways I feel that the visiting faculty who taught my Modes of Thought classes were more in tune with the New Curriculum than the regular faculty. I always knew that it was going to be up to me to make good choices—and, indeed, I think I ultimately took classes in 11 departments. I was the despair of Dean Romer, who called me

during my fall semester, junior year, to ask if I ever intended to register for a major. I did not arrive at Brown intending to be an historian—I came to be a doctor— but that is the beauty and power of how it all works. Thank heavens for the liberal arts!

redevelopment design team at RISD that was in the early stages of re-imagining downtown Providence. To be part of these efforts to remake a city that was, without a doubt, back on its heels, was an amazing experience. Aside from all that I learned in these two places, it made Providence so much more a part of my Brown experience. I have been deeply involved in urban design, zoning, real estate, land use and politics ever since, including recent work with a group that is working in Legacy Cities on the very issues Providence once faced.

I am a true believer in the Open Curriculum, but I also understand that it is not for everyone.

The Brown student body selfselects for the challenges and opportunities it offers. I tremble whenever I read any suggestion that it should be dismantled. It is the very essence of Brown and, at Role(s) Today: its core, the uniqueness of it as an Primary Consultant, volunteer board educational experience is what member, parent, grandparent, binds us all together. autism team member [ 4 ] Meaningful Encounters I was an intern for the Mayor (Buddy Cianci!) and for the

33

Josh E. Fidler, 1977 IC Public Policymaking with Prof. Elmer Cornwell IC

S/NC

[ 1 ] Curriculum The opportunity to "surf" diverse departmental offerings for subjects and faculty that seemed to form a coherent whole was absolutely fundamental to my learning experience. I would also say that the different intellectual approaches embodied in each academic discipline proved invaluable in my career as an entrepreneur and a community activist. Problemsolving is a multi-disciplinary endeavor. [ 2 ] Challenges Minimal.

Primary Role(s) Today: I have had an eclectic career, first

as an attorney in public service and private practice. I then entered business and found out that I could participate in several at the same time! So, for the past 30 years, I have co-chaired a real estate development business, founded a venture capital business and created an investment management business. Living in Baltimore also enabled me (as well as my wife, Genine Macks Fidler '77) to participate actively in civic life. I have enjoyed each facet of my business life and, somehow, each one seemed to enhance the others.

34

Beth Hennessey, 1977 IC Bilingual Education with Prof.

Naomi Baron, Linguistics IC

(G)ISP

S/NC

Thesis / Capstone: Thesis on motivated student. But now, [ 4 ] Meaningful Encounters

Bilingual Education: comparing as a college professor myself, I ESL classrooms, sign language realize just how valuable some classrooms and classrooms advising could have been. serving autistic children [ 3 ] Impressions Building my own major was exactly what I (G)ISP: GISP having to do with bilingual elementary needed and wanted! At the time, education—with a focus on Fox Brown offered no certification Point, sponsored by Nelson in elementary education, my chosen field. Politically and Vieira. socially, the education world [ 1 ] Curriculum While at Brown, was just beginning to wake I was able to shape my academic up to the inequities in public experience to fit my deep education (we still have a LONG interest in bilingual education. way to go!). My experience This interest took shape largely volunteering at the Fox Point because of my participation in a Elementary School coupled with my participation in on-campus GISP on the topic. protests calling for an increase [ 2 ] Challenges I never had in efforts to recruit and fund a department or a “home”. more Brown students of color I graduated with a 3.9 GPA, shaped who I am today. I went but missed out on honors like on to teach at the elementary Phi Beta Kappa because no level and then returned to one thought to nominate me. graduate school to get my PhD I remember getting little to no in educational psychology. I am advising. At the time, this did now a professor whose teaching not seem like a big deal. I was includes courses aimed at future an extremely organized and teachers.

In my sophomore year, I took a course in Religious Studies with Prof. John Giles Milhaven.

This was an amazing class!

The writing assignments stick with me the most. My writing and critical thinking improved immensely.

Periodically throughout the semester, Prof. Milhaven held classes in his home. I was not from an “academic” or highly educated family. To see where and how Milhaven and his wife lived was eye opening to me.

I began to picture myself as an academic, a professor, to see myself helping students with their writing and the development of critical thinking skills. I have now been a professor myself for over 30 years.

Primary

Role(s)

Professor, parent, spouse

Today:

35

F. Morris, 1977 English Literature & Education (G)ISP (G)ISP: 'Baseball as American Myth' sponsored

by Bruce Rosenberg in the American Civilization department. [ 1 ] Curriculum Allowed me to employ the teaching principles learned in the Undergraduate Teacher Education Program (UTEP) in conjunction with literary studies. [ 2 ] Challenges Ensuring the classmates did the readings and fulfilled the course goals. [ 3 ] Impressions The GISP opportunity allowed me a personal 'capstone' project that brought together the critical thinking skills taken from my undergraduate studies. It was also great fun. [ 4 ] Meaningful Encounters Bruce Rosenberg was a wonderful mentor. A special man with great wisdom, he and I spent many hours talking baseball, his Yankees versus my Red Sox with great trivia and anecdotes.

Primary Role(s) Today: Teacher

36

Vicki Perkins, 1977 Religious Studies L eave

S/NC

On Leave: 1 semester. I worked in a accesible and happy to provide advice, it

cooperative natural food store and cafe.

[ 1 ] Curriculum I decided to take all of my classes S/NC so that I could focus on the learning experience. Most, but not all, of my professors provided thoughtful written evaluations. I found the lack of distribution requirements a positive.

Brown provided plenty of interesting courses across all disciplines. I never felt like I was taking a class just to ‘check a box’.

My decision to take a leave for 1 semester was driven by financial considerations, to reduce the burden on my parents when my younger brother started college. [ 2 ] Challenges I would have benefited from more advising and structure. I met with an adviser Freshman week, and that was it. While professors were

would have been helpful for me to have a structured meeting once a semester with an advisor. During the middle of sophmore year, I decided I no longer wanted to major in mathematics but was unsure of what direction to take. I ended up selecting courses which interested me, or which friends had recommended.

While I gained a broad exposure to the arts and humanities, I did not take advantage of all that Brown had to offer.

Primary Role(s) Today: Retired after

35 years in high tech management.

Currently pursuing arts (pottery, weaving) and serving on committees for local open space management and school district funding.

37

Alan Schrift, 1977

IC Existentialism (Philosophy, Literature, Psychology) with Prof. Richard Schmitt, Philosophy IC

S/NC

L eave

(G)ISP

On Leave: [I took] one [leave of [ 4 ] Meaningful Encounters I entered absence]. I worked to earn money to afford my remaining years at Brown and read a lot of material that became part of my IC.

[ 1 ] Curriculum No distribution requirements, independent concentrations and studies, and taking classes S/NC were the primary reasons I chose to attend Brown, and they were my Brown experience. After my first semester, I took ALL of my classes S/ NC. After my third semester, I took only classes that related to my future independent concentration.

Brown in 1973 as a first generation college student from a lower middle class family. In my first year, I took an advanced class in Marxism. One of our initial exercises was to break into small groups and answer questions about our family and background: where we were from, parents’ income, religion, political leanings, etc. When we discussed family income, of the five people in my group, the other four students’ parents earned between six and twenty times what my parents earned.

This experience was a profound aspect of Brown experience and although I am now solidly in the upper middle class, I still remember it more than forty years later.

[ 2 ] Challenges At the time, none.

After graduating, I realized that there was a lot more going on in courses at Brown that I would have been Primary Role(s) Today: Professor of interested in had I known about them. Philosophy Better advising would have made my Brown experience more valuable to me.

38

Lisa G. Arrowood, 1978 IC

Ancient and Medieval Philosophy with Prof.

John Rowe Workman, Classics

Thesis / Capstone: Yes, I did a thesis on the While there were political events affecting the

Theories of Knowledge of Aristotle and St. Thomas Aquinas. My primary advisor was John Rowe Workman and Classics, but I also had an advisor from Religious Studies, John Giles Milhaven, and one from Philosophy (Visiting Professor), Michael Freddoso (?)

campus when I was there (including students taking over University Hall), I would not regard those events as affecting my education there in a positive way.

[ 4 ] Meaningful Encounters The experience I had as a supervisor in the Verney-Wooley dining hall during most of my years at Brown (including working as the supervisor for the entire Saturday shift—breakfast, lunch, and dinner)—was great for me. I got to know students with whom I otherwise would not have crossed paths, as well as the adult full time Brown Food Services employees. It was also quite an experience to do some of the very menial and dirty work, (including cleaning food off plates with my bare hands in the dish room, cleaning dirty grills, washing filthy kitchen floors) that I had never done before and have not done since. It makes you [ 2 ] Challenges I don’t recall any. appreciate getting a college education to see [ 3 ] Impressions Brown encourages people the kinds of work those without education to think for themselves and make their own can be relegated to doing for their living. decisions. As a result, Brown alums are often self-starters, who know what they want and My interactions with Professor Workman how to get it. I am a partner in my own law and Professor Milhaven really made Brown a firm and two of my three partners are Brown special place for me. grads. I see the same characteristics in them Primary Role(s) Today: Lawyer that I have described above. [ 1 ] Curriculum These were key elements of my experience at Brown and some of the reasons I attended Brown. I took only one course outside of the Humanities while at Brown and took most of my courses in the Classics, Religious Studies, and Philosophy Departments. I took a few classes S/NC. The ability to do an independent concentration, working closely with professors (at a time when that was less common than it is now at Brown), and to design my education was essential to my Brown experience.

39

Jack Asher, 1978 IC History of Ideas with Prof. Jacob Neusner, Religious Studies IC

S/NC

(G)ISP

Thesis / Capstone: From Rabbinism to Zionism: An interpretation through the work of Thomas Kuhn. Jacob Neusner advisor. [ 1 ] Curriculum Very important freedom they offered to explore and take intellectual risks. They allowed me to choose courses by how much I enjoyed the professor or topic and not worry too much about a concentration. As I was “minoring” in pre-med, I was free to pursue my wide interests outside of science. [ 2 ] Challenges I was lucky that I stumbled onto a Modes of Thought course with Professor Neusner that started me on the path. I didn’t have any formal advisor relationship prior to meeting him and I ended up taking a semester off junior year because I was not aware that my AP credits would lead me to graduate in January of my senior year until late sophomore year. [ 3 ] Impressions I was fortunate that I was reasonably certain of my career path in medicine 40

and that gave me freedom to indulge my wide ranging intellectual interests.

The open curriculum fit well with my independent iconoclastic approach to life. The flexible grading system definitely gave me the security to take risks and not suffer a major impact on my transcript or record. Meeting the challenge of designing my own concentration and enduring the unexpectedly stressful thesis experience were important developmental accomplishments for me and prepared me for later personal and professional challenges. [ 4 ] Meaningful Encounters Professor Neusner was the dominant relationship at Brown for me, complicated and very demanding, that greatly benefited me but ended badly.

It was at times a disciplemaster relationship that was intense with great positive impact and confidence building and in retrospect had some dysfunction that I could only appreciate years later.

Primary Role(s) Today: Health

Plan Medical Director

Jeff Bernstein, 1978 IC Urban History and Politics with Prof.

Howard Chudacoff, History IC

(G)ISP

S/NC

L eave

Thesis / Capstone: Lynn, nearly four decades (gulp)

since I graduated and stood me in good stead time and (G)ISP: GISP was Nuclear time again in my professional Energy Environmental and pursuits and personal life Economic Issues with Harold (e.g. as a parent).

Ward (as I recall). [ 2 ] Challenges I chose On Leave: [I took] one [leave not to get broad exposure of absence], worked full-time to courses in disciplines for then U.S. Representative far from my concentration the most part, Michael J. Harrington of (for although I took a number Massachusetts on energy of anthropology, American and environmental issues.

Indian ethnology and other [ 1 ] Curriculum These such courses outside my options taught me about the independent concentration). importance of process and At first, I questioned that asking questions as the key approach but on balance to learning and were central and in hindsight, was glad to my experience at Brown. that I focused as I did.

I can honestly say that they have stayed with me in the Primary Role(s) Today: Lawyer Massachusetts, Rise and Fall

41

Barbara Gary, 1978

IC Art in Society: The Potential for Art as a Convivial Tool with Profs. Marvin Brown and Richard Fishman IC

S/NC

(G)ISP

Thesis / Capstone: Art in Society: The Potential for Art as

a Convivial Tool. Independent Project.

(G)ISP: Collaborative and Site specific Sculpture. An art class devised by and for four students and advised by Marvin Brown. [ 1 ] Curriculum Every part of Brown contributed to the specialness of the school. [ 2 ] Challenges The normal challenges associated with the academic experience.

Primary Role(s) Today: Artist, architectural designer,

gardener

42

Elizabeth Neblett, 1978 IC

Human Services: Psychological, Biological, and Educational Perspectives with Dr. Ferdinand Jones, Psychology

[ 1 ] Curriculum I liked having the option of an independent concentration. I didn’t want to major in Psychology, and I definitely did not want to major in Art History. I wanted to combine the two areas, and that led to me to do an independent concentration.

I ended up doing fieldwork at a children’s psychiatric hospital and did fieldwork at an adult workshop.

semester, I took Classics I, Psych 1, Bio 1, and Art History 1. The next semester, I took Intensive German, Child Psych, another Art course and maybe Classics II. I also took music lessons. I enjoyed being able to take anything that interested me. My studio art courses were all challenging and opened my eyes to perspectives very different from mine. In particular, I remember that I had to develop a thick skin because all of our art [ 2 ] Challenges It was difficult to find an assignments were critiqued in class. I had advisor. It would have been better if I’d had never experienced anything like that before. some guidance. At that time, course advising Maybe that experience was helpful when was somewhat lacking. In fact, a survey was many years later, I had to read the reviews done a few years later, and advising was about a textbook series that I had written. one of the negatives that came out from the survey results. Fortunately, I ended [ 4 ] Meaningful Encounters My favorite up with a wonderful advisor, Dr. Jones, in professor at Brown was Prof. Jayne. Under the Psych Dept. After putting together my his advisement, I took English 19, a writing proposal, I had to change my original topic, course. At the time, Brown did not have any “Art Therapy,” because the committee told distribution requirements such as writing. me that it was too applied. After I turned in His course let me explore different opinions my revised proposal and title, the committee and themes, and I still have my handouts said that my title was too short. I remember from that course. I’ve even referred to them that the committee wrote, “Perhaps with the over the years. I was a member of the Brown use of a colon, you might improve the title.” marching band, hockey, and concert bands.

That was my extracurricular activity. Many of Finally, it was approved. the friends that I made in the band are still [ 3 ] Impressions I think that some students close friends today, and we get together every work well with an open system and others December and at Brown Commencement. might need more structure. Looking back, I can see that I probably needed more structure Primary Role(s) Today: Comm. College Prof. even though I ended up doing an independent of ESL, and textbook author. concentration. One positive aspect was that the “New Curriculum” allowed me to take whatever courses I wanted to take. My first

43

Anonymous, 1979 IC Education and Psychology with Prof. Ferd Jones, Department of Psychology IC

S/NC

Thesis / Capstone: “Social Skills,” thought was important but beyond

advisor was Ferd Jones

[ 1 ] Curriculum Having the ability to form my own major was instrumental for my success at Brown. I was a “scholarship kid” at Brown (from an economically disadvantaged background, on a full scholarship, and not from the usual East Coast area). As such, I knew that I was not going to "fit in"—and loved the ability to explore the curriculum for my first two years. Being able to ‘free feed’ on courses also helped me see the direction of my life’s work, which then became my independent concentration.

that, needed some time (and space) to intellectually explore. Taking responsibility for my own learning experience forced me to articulate what was important (and why)—this was a huge step forward intellectually and helped to bolster confidence, among other things. It also made it easy for me when I decided to apply to Clinical Psychology doctoral programs, as I had already thought through the various facets of "why."

[ 4 ] Meaningful Encounters Ferd Jones (now retired) was a huge part of my success—he encouraged me to pursue clinical psychology (even though the Brown Psychology [ 2 ] Challenges It was not terribly department did not really offer that difficult—there were few barriers much to undergraduates in this arena). He listened, reacted, and while I was at Brown. never judged - no matter how off[ 3 ] Impressions I think that the Open target I was. I look back now and Curriculum is one (of many) pieces shake my head.... Don’t know how he that make Brown a unique place. did it!

As noted in a different answer, I did not arrive at Brown feeling a strong Primary Role(s) Today: Clinical sense of identity with the school. Psychologist/ Endowed Chair at a I knew that Brown would allow me university to learn and grow in any way that I

44

Mark Hantoot, 1979 IC The Playwright as Social Critic with Prof.

James Schevill, English / Playwriting IC

L eave

[ 2 ] Challenges The greatest challenge was managing the freedom, and settling on a Thesis / Capstone: A play structure that worked. This about the human impact of challenge was part of the schizophrenia, advised by learning experience afforded by the OC, as well as one of its James Schevill. greatest benefits.

On Leave: I took off one semester, which I spent at the NYU [ 3 ] Impressions My experience School of Educational Theater. at Brown was probably the Classes included playwriting, single most defining aspect directing, performance and of my life, even to this day. I made my closest friend, met theater history. my future spouse (we’re still [ 1 ] Curriculum All of the above together!), began a lifelong were central to my Brown learning process in science experience. Each allowed me and the arts and, learned how space to pursue a range of to demand and manage the personal interests. In my case, freedom necessary to think for they gave me space to complete myself and contribute to the pre-med requirements with world and people around me. an emphasis on biochemistry, My son, Ben, graduated from while allowing the freedom Brown in 2009, having also to work in the theater. Both met his future spouse while interests ultimately became there. He majored in Linguistics, central to my career(s) and life. and is a co-creator of “Cards Against Humanity.” My wife and Left: Taken by my wife, Liz DeBruler, Brown ’79, during a trip to Paris in 2016

I like to think our occasionally subversive Brown education contributed to his success! [ 4 ] Meaningful Encounters To this day, I especially recall Dr. Marty Martel, a Professor in Sociology, from whom I took a number of classes. He challenged every aspect of the way I think, demanding a rigor and appreciation for complexity I would carry with me my entire life. I think of him all the time, often wondering how he’d react to something I’ve said or written. He was an avid student of psychology as it relates to social theory, and his mentorship contributed directly to my decision to become a psychiatrist.

Primary

Role(s)

Physician, Writer

Today:

45

46

Left: Sabina Magliocco, Ph.D. Professor of Anthropology and Folklore, California State University, Northridge.

Photo by Lee Choo

Sabina Magliocco, 1980 IC Folklore and Mythology with Prof. Bruce Rosenberg, American Civilization IC

S/NC

Thesis / Capstone: “A New Look than challenging to navigate. I those who gave me the greatest

at Fairies and Fairy Belief in Britain, 1890-1910”—about the study of fairies in British folklore studies, and an analysis of their status as liminal or mediatory figures using a structural approach

don’t recall there being many navigation challenges. I also completed the requirements for a major in Anthropology, so I got good disciplinary grounding in addition to my independent concentration.

[ 1 ] Curriculum I chose Brown specifically because of the Open Curriculum. After a rather formalistic high school education with lots of requirements, I relished the freedom to explore subjects on my own and follow my instincts in scholarship. The opportunities it provided made my academic experience at Brown deeply enriching, and shaped me intellectually in ways that still influence my writing and teaching today, nearly 40 years later.

[ 3 ] Impressions I am a firm believer in the effectiveness of the Open Curriculum. Because of it, I was able to begin exploring my interest in traditional expressive culture, or folklore, across the curriculum, beyond the offerings of my home department (Anthropology).

This led to my being accepted into the Ph.D. program at Indiana University’s Folklore Institute, the premiere folklore program in the nation. I earned my Ph.D. and have dedicated my career to the study of folklore.

[ 2 ] Challenges Because of my very strong educational [ 4 ] Meaningful Encounters I background, I found the Open had wonderful interactions with Curriculum liberating rather all my professors, and remember so many of them fondly. Among

support were Patricia Arant in Slavic Studies, John Jay in Anthropology, and Allison Goddard Elliott in Classics. I remember one exchange with Mr. Jay because his advice has stayed with me all my life, especially in my career as an ethnographer. He counseled me to listen, really listen, to what other people were saying -- to be fully present in the moment, listening, not planning my next joke or riposte. I have tried hard to follow that advice in many areas of my life, both personal and professional. I’ve been privileged to hear moving narratives, stirring interpretations, and searing secrets from all manner of people in all walks of life, and I believe it is because of the lesson I learned from Mr. Jay.

Primary

Role(s) Today: Professor of Anthropology at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver (Canada)

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Tonia Teresa Healey, 1980 IC

Poetry as a Therapeutic Process with Profs. Michael Harper, Poetry and Literary Arts; Ferdinand Jones, Psychology; Bruce Donovan, Classics & Groups on Chemical Dependency

Thesis / Capstone:

Honors [ 4 ] Meaningful Encounters Thesis, Poetry as a Therapeutic During my application process, I met with Mark Curran who Process said to me, "I think it’s about [ 1 ] Curriculum The entire time someone gave you a experience was beyond any break, I am going to admit expectations that I had. I you as a non-matriculating was awarded the prize for student, and when you have “Outstanding Independent successfully completed the Concentrator “ in May of 1980. requirement you will be I have saved all the notices and admitted as a matriculating awards I received as a lasting student." And George Morgan, memory of Brown. a professor who was on the forefront of establishing the [ 2 ] Challenges Decisions Open Curriculum. Papers I on what would further my wrote in his class are included knowledge of people and in my book, Sand Stone which healing. The faculty was able is available on Amazon. to guide me through a new Primary Role(s) Today: path.

Retired Poetry Therapist, [ 3 ] Impressions I was at Parent, Brown 1975-1980. This was a time of severe emotional upheaval and the students demonstrated on the Green but the professors looked for the answers. Since I was a RUE student I did not spend much free time on campus as I had children at home to care for.

The outline of my life during those days is in my book.

Above: Graduation in 1980 with my oldest son.

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Above: This picture was taken in 1975.

Above: This book is about how Brown changed my life and made me who I am today.

Yuman Fong, 1981 IC

Medieval Literature with Prof. William Crossgrove

[ 1 ] Curriculum I had a very conventional high school experience in an intense achievement–oriented high school. When I came to Brown, one of my advisors said to me, "You are going to do science for the rest of your life. Why don't you explore other things now?" That was a life–changing piece of advice.

The freedom of the Open Curriculum allowed me to explore in linguistics, literature, and medieval history. It allowed me to explore the concept of knowledge, the process of learning, and the art of expression. It helped me get comfortable with the "cocktail party", which as I found out later is one of the most important reasons to get a liberal arts education.

The ultimate skill at a cocktail party is to converse with strangers, about something you care about but about which they know very little,

and in a short time engage their interest, and vice versa. [ 2 ] Challenges Even at Brown, not everything can be tailored individually. I wanted to read epic poetry in their original. Unfortunately, language curriculum are very formalized and do not generally allow someone to enter the curricula not at the beginning, and only to learn to read. Some languages, e.g.

Sanskrit, were only taught every other year, making timing everything.

[ 4 ] Meaningful Encounters Morton Bloomfield— Middle English. Geoffrey Russom— Old English.

These two individuals had complete command of their fields and loved transferring the knowledge. Loved taking their courses. Loved even more their enthusiastic pursuit of what they don't know even in these fields that were their expertise.

[ 3 ] Impressions Life has no requirements. There is no set formula for finding mentors and no foolproof method for Role(s) Today: finding happiness. I am glad Primary the freedom to explore, learn, Surgeon, Scientist, Inventor and engage at Brown allowed me the skills and expectations to set my own path for achievement and happiness going forward.

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John R. Sopper, 1981 IC with Dr. George Morgan Thesis / Capstone: My thesis was about the Political Thought of Hannah Arendt. My primary thesis adviser was George Morgan with additional informal guidance from Ed Beiser and John Reeder. [ 1 ] Curriculum Brown’s Open Curriculum is absolutely one of the most important aspects of my Brown experience. I cherish it to this day. I credit the Open Curriculum with making me a more creative and innovative problem solver, a more curious, open–minded and experimental thinker, and a more confident person. It confirmed and supported me to become my own person, guided by an inner beacon and set of standards of excellence that have never failed me. Because the Open Curriculum encouraged and supported me to develop my own reasons for taking courses (no distribution requirements), in both my personal life and my professional life I am able to explore and probe the WHY of what we do, always linking back to core values and aspirations.

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IC

S/NC

Throughout my career this has been one of the things about me that my colleagues notice and (usually) come to appreciate.

It has earned me leadership positions and roles. Because the Open Curriculum taught me to focus on the learning and not the grades (S/NC options) I am a more curious person and able to formulate and investigate my own questions across my life span. I have never stopped learning and never stopped loving it. Because the Open Curriculum allowed me the opportunity to do an Independent Concentration, I learned confidence, maturity and responsibility. I can create and communicate my own vision. It might seem like a lot to expect from a first generation college student from a white working-class background.

But it was not too much to expect. It was exactly what I wanted and needed. The Open Curriculum more than ever sets Brown apart. No other faculty and no other institution of higher learning I know quite manages to put itself on the line in this way. The message

of high regard for students and profound confidence in them that Brown is able to send in this way is simply invaluable and irreplaceable. [ 2 ] Challenges Here I will simply say that I realize there is some soul-searching and questioning of the Open Curriculum in terms of how it might be an obstacle to expanding diversity among the student body. Read my comments in light of the fact that I am a queer, working– class first–gen college alum.

The Open Curriculum does not and cannot work for everyone.

It does demand a level of selfawareness and self-direction that some students will find difficult. Some students are no doubt born to backgrounds that already encourage this level of independence and confidence while others are not. Brown must strive for diversity, but be careful. The Open Curriculum can work across class, race, gender, sexual orientation and ethnicity. I am an example. But it is a particular way of educating that prepares for a particular way of life.

Some young people might not be positioned to navigate the Open Curriculum. Brown is probably not the right school for students who are not yet at the place where they can shoulder the responsibility, independence, and personal responsibility. It is not the right place for students focused on grades and external motivators.

The Open Curriculum is not for everyone, and it shouldn't be. It is still OK for Brown to offer it. [ 3 ] Impressions I think it is important to underscore that I arrived at Brown as the first person from my extended, white working class family to attend a four year institution of higher learning. And I am gay before it was OK. There is no denying that there were considerable differences in wealth, opportunity, and worldliness between me and most of my best friends and classmates. But what I quickly found we had in common are qualities that in my experience the Open Curriculum cultivates,

grooms and supports— self-direction, Independent thinking and acting, personal responsibility, hard work and respectfully speaking your mind while listening deeply to others. At least in my day, white working class kids from the rust belt grew up knowing that they have to pay attention to their surroundings, make their own way in the word, and do it by their own lights and through their own effort while not imposing on others. Being your own person and being respected for an honest day’s work are working class values.

And in this regard, culturally, Brown was singing my song. The Open Curriculum pushed all of us to become our own person, to think deeply about the what, why and how of our work in the world, and to take initiative to get it done while enjoying the camaraderie of others who were as deeply engaged in their thing as you were in your own.

We were not all doing the same thing, nor did we feel we ought to all be doing the same thing, but we were all deeply engaged and striving for excellence

in whatever we were doing.

That is my memory. Although I sense there is a more robust academic advising effort at Brown today, and I suspect that is a good thing, looking back I do not recall any significant obstacles to navigating the Open Curriculum. I took to it.

Having said all of that, the Open Curriculum is not for everyone.

And it shouldn't be. Brown is probably not the right school for students who are not yet at the place where they can shoulder the responsibility, independence and personal responsibility.

It is not the right place for students focused on grades and external motivators. Brown requires that a young person have a high degree of internal motivation and the ability to set one's own standards. These are dispositions you can only learn by trying and by living in an institutional context and community that is living them.

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John R. Sopper, 1981, continued. [ 4 ] Meaningful Encounters Oy. Where to begin—so many.

George Morgan, going to his house for class dinners, and the whole idea of the University Professors and the extradepartmental courses they taught profoundly shaped my Brown experience and the way I teach now. My understanding is that Morgan was a guy trained in Applied Mathematics who retrained himself to become a philosopher and wide ranging humanistic critic of western style modernity. In these ways he embodied and modeled ideals Brown is all about—we now call it lifelong learning.

Engaging in the Socratic Method with Ed Beiser in Law and Society courses. He made us feel as important and profound as Harvard Law students!

Several friends from that class would graduate Harvard Law

52

in a few years—making Law Review. I remember a large student and faculty gathering in one of the large lecture halls (Engineering?) I think it was freshmen year: Harvard professors came down to champion their return to a Core Curriculum, and Brown faculty and students debated the merits of sticking with the open curriculum. The key take away for me was that Brown took us students seriously enough to invite us to get in the debate!

Working in the Admissions Office file room with "Gert" and her staff and seeing how seriously Brown takes itself as an institution of learning. Seminars with John (Jock) Reeder—in my day he liked to use a metaphor for thinking things through that involved the image of a knife slowly carving a whole through a wooden table until the chunk

of wood fell out—Eureka Father O'Shea—an embodiment of Franciscan spirituality.

I am Catholic but my fondest memories of O'Shea are hanging out with him together with my Jewish friends who also adored him. Those interfaith hang outs with O'Shea were part of the larger fabric of Brown where you are continuously engaged intellectually and morally even at play. I fondly remember long Sunday brunches in the Ratty passing around sections of the NY Times, debating world affairs, drinking much too much coffee, and downing too many bagels. You do not need a professor, a course, grades, and earned credit hours to learn.

Wow. It can be a do it yourself undertaking.

Kermit Champa's Modern Art survey changed my eyes— literally. After long hours of studying slides for his spring semester final, as I topped the hill on George Street by the Religious Studies Department and looked into the Providence Skyline suddenly my whole field of vision went cubistic flat—no depth. I finally got abstraction not as a concept but as a way of seeing. Champa prepared me to appreciate the magnificent modern architecture of Chicago where I moved after graduation.

Crafting my Independent Concentration, doing my research, writing my thesis and defending the proposal before the curriculum committee.

in my life. A Brown University question if there ever was one!

Talk about walking the walk.

Primary Role(s) Today: I am

the Faculty Program Chair for the Ione Grogan Residential College at the University of North Carolina in Greensboro.

I oversee and teach in the College’s core curriculum and provide administrative leadership.

More recently, meeting Barrett Hazeltine at my 25th reunion and having him ask me right off the bat if I am doing today what I most need to be doing

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Mary K. Bailey, 1982 IC

Thesis

/

Capstone:

"The Courtship of Humanity and Technology in Four Acts” examines the individual’s relationship to technology as represented by the artists Marcel Duchamp, Francis Picabia, Claes Oldenburg and Eduardo Paolozzi. My advisor was the wonderful William Jordy whose art history class on Modern Sculpture changed my life.

[ 1 ] Curriculum My independent concentration allowed me to construct a course of study that focused almost wholly on subjects that interested me as an artist and intellectual, and thus allowed me to get the most out of my Brown education.

I’ve always compared the Brown course catalog to a box of candies; many wonderful courses to choose from but I could only pick four a semester. I wanted to make

54

Art & Society: Visual Art and Literature in the 20th Century with Prof. Richard Fishman, Studio Art Department

sure those four were the most relevant to my wide-ranging but connected interests which included not only visual art and literature but also psychology, philosophy, political science, 20th century U.S. history, comparative literature and semiotics. [ 2 ] Challenges I did not know, even as a freshman, that I had an advisor. I must have missed a meeting or a mailing and nobody ever contacted me to see how I was doing. I was in dire need of counseling my freshman and sophomore years but had no idea that it was available to me. This state of affairs might sound strange but such guidance wasn’t emphasized then as it is now. (My challenges at the time were less academic than personal but an advisor would have been able to point me in the right direction for help.)

[ 3 ] Impressions If this isn’t already apparent, I am a fervent believer in the effectiveness of the Open Curriculum. My education at Brown formed the foundation of all the work I have done since then. The choices I made 37 years ago have remained extremely relevant to my work as both a sculptor and writer to this day. After I graduated in 1982, I worked exclusively as a sculptor for 15 years. Then, as my visual artwork became more narrative, I got back into writing fiction and went to graduate school where I received an MFA in Writing in 1999. Now I split my time between the two mediums! (My debt of gratitude for the education I received at Brown is reflected in the fact that I still record my creative ideas in Brown University spiral notebooks—I am on #16.)

[ 4 ] Meaningful Encounters My most influential teacher at Brown was my sculpture professor Richard Fishman with whom I studied for five semesters. Here’s a telling story about his nurturing teaching style: I had signed up for his sculpture class well in advance and was devastated to find out, on the first day of class, that my name was not on the class roster. My disappointment must have been apparent because he took pity on me and told me to go ahead and do the first assignment. He'd see what I came up with and then decide if I could stay in the class. Needless to say, he liked what I did and I was allowed in!

Two-and-a-half years later, upon graduation, he took me aside and said, “You know, I don’t tell many people this but I think you could have a career as a sculptor.”

"The Structure of Flowers (Life) II" (1991) Acrylic on paper. 26"x40" (In the collection of Brown graduate and art dealer Robert Feldman.)

Primary Role(s) Today: Parent

"TIRAID" (1982) - wood, bondo, acrylic. 19"x11"x11" (I made this piece when I was a senior at Brown and it was included in a show in the spring of that year.

"BOUQUET" (2005); wood. 21"x15"x13".

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Elizabeth Zwick, 1982 IC The History of Women’s Education in the United States with Prof. Mari Jo Buhle, American Civilization IC

S/NC

(G)ISP

Above: During a wonderful day in Wickford RI with my Brown roommate, Deb DeBare, and her partner.

Thesis / Capstone: “The Pembroke Class of 1945," woman—no woman on either side of my family

had attended college until my generation (except for a cousin who attended nursing school in (G)ISP: I did several GISPs and ISPs. One favorite Buffalo). When I arrived at Brown it was like GISP was “Wholistic Medicine” with Al Dalbert, a visiting another planet. The class divide was prominent and I had no idea how any of it related professor in the medical school. to me or my future. I was ready to drop out after [ 1 ] Curriculum I transferred to Brown from one year and went to see Dean Romer. She asked Northwestern in my sophomore year, desperate me: What would you study if you could study to escape the limits of NU’s lock-step curriculum. anything? My answer was immediate: women’s I went looking for the college where I could have history. She and Mari Jo Buhle helped me put the most academic freedom possible and found together an independent concentration that enabled me to understand my place in history it in Brown. as a college-educated woman: it was called “The At Brown I took all my courses S/NC. I believed it History of Women’s Education in the United made me focus more on the quality of my learning states.” I combined women’s history classes with than my grade. I also sought Course Performance educational history and philosophy classes, and Reports (CPRs) from all my professors, so that for comparison rounded it out with courses on drove me to seek a personal relationship with European women's history with Joan Scott. each of them. I believe I worked far harder than I As a result of my new direction I was energized would have for grades. to complete my undergraduate education at My independent concentration was what enabled Brown, even though socioeconomic class issues me to survive at Brown. I was a first-gen college remained painful.

advised by Mari Jo Buhle

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“

[The CRC] felt like a very cutting-edge, cool place to go for those of us who were pushing the boundaries of the curriculum. The leadership of Dean Karen Romer as a champion of what we then called the "New Curriculum" was critical both for Brown and for my education. My relationship with her was central to the high quality of my education.

I became active at the Sarah Doyle Women’s Center and co-chaired the student committee that lobbied for a standard Women’s Studies concentration, which was approved during my senior year. After a stint in the Peace Corps I returned to Brown to serve as Coordinator of Sarah Doyle for four years.

in Greater Boston. I have been asked to develop program and research grants addressing the issue of autism and aging. This is a very new area of inquiry—little is known and less has been done.

I am again completely comfortable surveying and integrating research from several fields, and identifying emerging, cross-disciplinary research questions as we go. I attribute this comfort to my Designing and defending my own concentration experience as an Independent Concentrator at set me up for an empowered stance toward Brown. learning and leadership for the rest of my life: it taught me how to learn anything I wanted, and [ 2 ] Challenges In the early 80’s it took a lot of how to take an interdisciplinary approach to any extra time to do all this: designing and defending issue or problem. For instance, I later earned a concentration, designing and defending new an MBA in nonprofit management, designing courses, etc. I hope it has been streamlined. a new course on international development, which was not addressed in the pre-existing [ 4 ] Meaningful Encounters Dean Karen Romer curriculum. Later I participated in a mid-career deeply impacted my educational experience fellowship program and happily designed my at Brown, as did Mari Jo Buhle in American own interdisciplinary study of disability and Civilization, and Herman Eschenbacher in the philanthropy, setting myself up for my current education department. career.

Primary Role(s) Today: Program Officer at a I work as a program officer at a family foundation Philanthropic Foundation, and Parent

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Jorge Abellas, 1982 IC Managing the Computerized Organization with Dean Harriet Sheridan, Dean of Undergraduates, English Department IC

(G)ISP

S/NC

L eave

Thesis / Capstone: Labor truth—could do intellectually Rios-Avila and Dean Harriet

relations in a corporate Management Information Systems / Electronic Data Processing department.

(G)ISP:

Creative writing workshop in Spanish—forget the name of the faculty sponsor

On Leave: Three semesters unexpectedly when my father died in my Junior year.

I worked in what has become my career, managing a small EDP department as we used to call them back in the day, now we would say IT. [ 1 ] Curriculum Academic flexibility was the only way that I could have completed a four year degree in any institution that had even the most minimal modicum of academic rigor.

My concentration at Brown changed three times as I discovered where my talents lay and also what I—in all

58

and academically with my skills. S/NC reduced the level of stress for me—I know that is not its intended goal; I am by nature eclectic in my interests and was not planning to pursue a graduate career so did not need an incentive to stretch out of my comfort zone nor did I need a stellar transcript. No distribution requirements frees us from a preset set of courses—in my experience very very few Brown students need to have academic diversity foisted on them by a preset schedule of topics—we all have very diverse interests and pursue them.

Sheridan were fantastic though, and I owe them my having graduated from Brown.

[ 3 ] Impressions The political causes that informed our time at Brown was the fight for divestiture in companies that did business in South Africa as a means to choke the oxygen out of the apartheid regime, the push to have the university keep its promises to foster racial and ethnic diversity from the 1975 accord after the student takeover of University Hall, and the various civil wars and right wing/left wing dictatorships that were a blight on Latin America at [ 2 ] Challenges I don’t feel the time.

I initially had good advisers in the sense that they Primary Role(s) Today: IT overestimated some of my consultant, outsourced Chief skills but they would have Information Officer had no real opportunities to gauge that. My advisers in later years, Dean Ruben

Michael Cader, 1983 IC

The Humanist Revival with Dr. Frederick Barnes

Thesis / Capstone: From the Problem of students choice and expected them to take Knowledge to the Problem of Being: Beyond Modern Value Belief Systems; also with Dr. Barnes (plus two readers)

[ 1 ] Curriculum My course-load was eclectic enough that I could not have qualified for any existing concentration (including semiotics), so an IC allowed me to graduate.

More importantly, I always had a connective thread in mind with my far-ranging curricular explorations, and the IC allowed me to formalize that and direct it towards a capstone. Brown was Balkanized then—there were few interdisciplinary programs and concentrations and none of those spiderweb connections President Paxson celebrates.

Departments were fortresses that wanted to remain separate, and I was interested in connections across knowledge paradigms.

responsibility for those choices. Ironically, getting the IC passed taught me a huge lesson: My program was rejected at first because the board was concerned I wasn’t “concentrating.” The primary change that won me approval was giving my IC a catchy title!

But I went on to become a book publisher, and many of my best projects began with a powerful title that communicated the essence of the book. An inadvertent lesson, perhaps, but very useful.

[ 4 ] Meaningful Encounters I worked on and, for a time, ran Issues magazine, which was a haven for all kinds of talented editors and writers. (I worked with Rick Moody, Don Antrim, Jeff Eugenides, Suzanne Gluck, Eric Pooley, Steven Holt, Michael Macrone and many others.) The Issues experiences and connections were as important to me, and [ 3 ] Challenges The Open Curriculum was longlasting, as anything else at Brown. and remains one of the essential, defining differences between Brown and the bulk of Primary Role(s) Today: Internet Publisher its peers. This was the Reagan era, so Brown stood out even more at the time, and I came from an independent school that provided

59

60

Deborah Crowell, 1983 History and Studio Art S/NC

L eave

On Leave: I took off spring choosing classes for fall [ 4 ] Meaningful Encounters

semester. Serendipity was the word printed on the cover; I entered full of hope. After meeting for 15 minutes with my advisor, who was in Urban Studies, all of the classes changed.

He thought my interest in architecture would be better served by classes he suggested. Enthusiasm turned to self-doubt. I needed to develop more communication [ 1 ] Curriculum When I effective returned from Europe, I skills and confidence to tested out of two years choose appropriate classes of Italian and was able to in the open curriculum. take upper-level literature classes. One of my favorite [ 3 ] Impressions Feminism classes was a small seminar and environmentalism inin Italian poetry with formed my experience Professor Oldcorn. I decided at Brown. I took some to double concentrate in classes "S/NC." I would History and Studio Art after have benefitted from more emotional support. My the trip. parents were downwardly and separated [ 2 ] Challenges Before mobile my first year, I was excited during Junior year. I chose about the Open Curriculum to give my children an as I read every description Open Curriculum through in the course catalog before homeschooling. semester sophomore year.

I traveled for eight months with another student. It was my second trip to France and first trip to Italy, the former Yugoslavia, East and West Berlin, Austria, Switzerland, Holland, and Belgium.

We lived in international student housing in Florence for two months and learned Italian at a language school.

Environmental Studies was emerging from the Chemistry department/ building. Professor Harold Ward encouraged me to pursue an Independent Concentration in Environmental Studies.

Instead, I enjoyed working with him as an employee of the Urban Environmental Laboratory (UEL) to offer glass recycling, to hire interns, and to create a multimedia presentation with other students (a slideshow) about the UEL. I participated in the evolution of a new department.

Professor Ward trusted me, and I gained confidence working with him.

Primary

Role(s)

Today:

Home school parent, visual artist

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Whitney Stewart, 1983 IC Childhood Linguistic and Cognitive Development with Dr. Naomi Baron, Linguistics IC

S/NC

L eave

Thesis / Capstone: Childhood experience allowed me to find the background in my chosen Linguistic and Cognitive Development: Do Writers of Children’s Books Understand These Developments? Dr. Naomi Baron

On Leave: One semester. I was

recovering from mono. I wrote a children’s book and worked as an assistant children’s librarian at the Providence Athenaeum library. When I returned, I came back part-time because I continued to work at the Athenaeum.

ways to combine academics with unusual work experiences.

Brown offered only one English course in children’s literature at the time. I knew I wanted to be a children’s book writer, but I didn’t know how to educate myself in the field. My independent concentration in nonfiction children’s literature led me into my current career.

And the research skills I learned at Brown continue to serve me well when I write history and social studies for young readers.

area of concentration. However, Dr. Naomi Baron was superb at guiding me to a unique curriculum that opened me to subjects I had never explored and provided me with an academic structure for a creative field.

Later I worked as an editor for Center for Applied Linguistics and edited a book that Dr. Baron wrote. We are still connected today, and I am ever grateful for her guidance when I was young.

[ 1 ] Curriculum I took a year [ 2 ] Challenges At first I was [ 3 ] Impressions I strongly off before Brown to work in a overwhelmed with choosing believe in the effectiveness puppet theater in France. This courses that would give me of the Open Curriculum and

62

Above: Certificate of graduation showing title of independent study.

advocate for such whenever I teach at universities today.

I also bring up the topic of independent concentrations every time I interview Brown applicants. Applicants often do not understand the extent to which they can broadly explore academics at Brown, and they often leave the interview saying they had never thought of an independent concentration.

Right: Cover of my most recent children's book as proof of the benefit of allowing students to follow their passion.

independently. He went to a half-day professional arts academy and finished his high school degree online. In college, he took independent courses and earned credit as a touring musician, and for his independent projects in a music studio. Had I not had my experience at Brown, I may never have understood that my son did not have to follow a straight line through academics.

and I risked my final grade. I’m glad to say the professor found the answers he sought in my creative expression, and I did well.

I cannot express my gratitude enough for this professor and for Dr. Naomi Baron who was my linguistics professor, my mentor, my thesis advisor, and my boss when I became her research assistant, both at I credit Brown for giving me the Brown University and later at time and space to fully explore [ 4 ] Meaningful Encounters I American University. Ours is an the interconnections between remember a film class for which endurable friendship. the various subjects that we were assigned a final paper. inspired me, and for providing I took the risk and wrote a final Primary Role(s) Today: me with a clear passage to essay in a creative way. I wrote Children's book writer, editor career as a children’s book a dialogue between the two filmmakers we had studied: writer.

Pasolini and Fellini. I realized As a parent, I encourage then that I could receive either my musician son to study an A for F on the assignment,

Left: Transcript showing full course plan and how many courses I took pass/fail (15). I was not grade-oriented.

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Diana Revkin, 1983 IC

Architectural Environments with Prof. Marlene Malik, Fine Arts

Thesis / Capstone: My thesis entire professional career has a broader range of courses project was an installation at been in interior design and List, entitled “Urban Artifacts architecture, although I never went back for a graduate and Fictions” degree in either field. That [ 1 ] Curriculum They were a would not be possible today. significant part of shaping my Brown experience, and my [ 2 ] Challenges In retrospect, career path. There was no I could have used more Architectural Studies program guidance—and I was definitely at Brown. Options were a bit reticent about asking for either Art History focusing help. on Architecture, or Urban Studies, Fine Arts, or Theater [ 3 ] Impressions I knew from (set design). All of those early on that I had a passion departments were woven into for the designed environment, my program of study. I also but I chose not to go into spent my junior year away a program with a design from Brown, at the Institute school as I also wanted a for Architecture and Urban well-rounded liberal arts Studies in New York. And education. At Brown I had I took classes at RISD. My both by creating the former for myself and infilling with

64

from other areas of interest.

The problem was, however, that there just weren’t enough semesters for me to touch on so many other areas of study that interested me—especially with a year spent away from campus. The program I built directly led to my career path and where I am today both professionally and personally.

[ 4 ] Meaningful Encounters Taking classes in the Theater department, and being a small part of that wonderfully rich and vibrant community.

Primary Role(s) Today:

I'm a studio director at an architectural firm, and a wife

Jerry Weil, 1983 Computer Science & Studio Art (G)ISP

S/NC

(G)ISP: ISP in Paper Clip thrilled to learn there were no Sculptures sponsored Marlene Malik

by

such requirements.

Luckily, I very much knew what [ 1 ] Curriculum It allowed I liked and what I didn’t like, me to take classes I probably so this freedom was perfect The entire Brown otherwise would never have for me. taken. It also forced me to experience, and specifically take responsibility for my the Open Curriculum, really own future and make my own prepared me for life in the decisions about my education. real world. I was immediately The S/NC option allowed me taking responsibility for my to enjoy classes without the own future. I had help if it was pressure of a letter grade— needed, but I was expected to to concentrate on learning make my own decisions and as opposed to test taking. plot my own course. It was a degree of freedom I could only [ 2 ] Challenges Though I had have dreamed about before options of various subjects or Brown. avoiding letter grades, I was in the unique situation of having [ 4 ] Meaningful Encounters two majors. The vast majority One of my favorite memories of my classes were dictated by was my independent study my concentration requirements, in paper clip sculptures. I was so there wasn’t really much an Art concentrator, and I had of a challenge with the Open always been intrigued by linking paper clips and hanging them Curriculum. from magnets (the ISP began [ 3 ] Impressions I remember including magnets, but I quickly being really surprised my first focused purely on the paper week at Brown when I learned clips). I hadn’t done enough about the Open Curriculum; I planning for the study, because clearly had not done enough I didn’t know that I needed to research before attending. I secure a space to work in. I was came to Brown assuming there left with an approved study and would be basic requirements— no space, so I took over the English, Foreign Language, stairwell and that became my History, etc. I was beyond work space. This turned out

to be a blessing in disguise, because I was able to really incorporate the space and have it influence my sculptures. The other art students were always excited to see what new work they would find in the stairwell from week to week. I learned a great lesson about working with what you are given and turning a negative into a positive.

Primary Role(s) Today: Digital

Artist

Above: Final project for paper clip independent study 65

Debra Blumberg, 1984 Women’s Studies (G)ISP

S/NC

(G)ISP: Co-Options with Prof.

Paul Bowen (?)

on an interesting themes or a teacher’s excellent reputation.

[ 4 ] Meaningful Encounters There were a number of professors who I think of now. Mari Jo Buhle comes to mind regularly. I spent time volunteering at Sojourner House and that impacted me a great deal. My memories of my time at Brown are a bit of a blur, it’s been a long time.

But moments and events and interactions return to me every don’t now and then in my current life and that is valuable.

[ 1 ] Curriculum I loved taking a GISP with a community of learners. I liked that I had the option to go S/NC and now that my son has gone to a university with requirements, I appreciate the lack of distribution requirements even more. I was pretty focused at that point in my life but was glad to have flexibility. [ 2 ] Challenges I remember any.

[ 3 ] Impressions I am a big Primary Role(s) Today: Parent, fan of the liberal arts. I really spouse, teacher enjoyed picking classes based

66

Bruce Ellman, 1984 IC

Contemporary International Relations: Cultural Effect on Business with Prof.

Beeman, Anthropology Thesis / Capstone: How the Culture of Japan

Impacts Its Business Practices

Primary Role(s) Today: Psychologist, parent

David Rubin, 1984 Mathematics (G)ISP

(G)ISP: Writing Fellows program [ 3 ] Impressions The Open Curriculum

GISP with Tori Harrington-Smith

for me was the biggest selling point and why I chose Brown. I believe I [ 1 ] Curriculum Increased the would have become the same critical diversity of opportunities and thinker I am now by getting a liberal encouraged me to try things outside arts education at any top school, of my comfort zone. but my attitude towards taking risks and trying new experiences would [ 2 ] Challenges Faculty advisers were probably not have been as great if I a hit-or-miss. Lack of structure was a matriculated at a university with a problem for some of my friends who more conventional curriculum. were overwhelmed by choices and had trouble navigating a logical path. Primary Role(s) Today: Physician, parent, educator

67

Jennifer LanghinrichsenRohling, 1984 Psychology, Sc.B. (G)ISP

S/NC

(G)ISP: Holistic Health, Brian supporting

Hayden, Psychology

[ 1 ] Curriculum The Open Curriculum was pivotal in my decision to attend Brown and influenced the entirety of my Brown Experience. I wanted to take a leadership role in designing my education; the Open Curriculum launched me as a life-long learner. In the absence of distribution requirements, I made choices about how to diversify my learning. With the S/NC option, I was empowered to take courses outside of my comfort zone including semiotics, organic chemistry, and physics.

The GISP experience was instrumental in my career path.

We created a course in Holistic Health, which in turn led us to petition for an on-campus living space to enact what we had learned in the course. My senior year I lived in Holistic Health House, a community where we enacted our education daily.

My commitment to fostering experiential learning and 68

the mind-body connection throughout our healthcare system continues to this day.

[ 2 ] Challenges The challenge was one of too many interesting options. I still have a re-occurring dream that I am back on campus trying to select my course schedule. Unfortunately, I don't have time to read all the course descriptions and go to all the first classes that I want so I miss out on incredible opportunities to learn from the best.

[ 4 ] Meaningful Encounters I had break-through moments in multiple classes across my four years: my sociology professor had us sit in terms of our parent's income (poorest to wealthiest student/families).

It was a painful way to learn the confluence between race and socioeconomic status in the United States. My Honor's thesis mentor, Brian Hayden, encouraged me to give voice to my ideas, rather than to be silenced by my awe of his intelligence and stature. My mix of extracurricular activities —off-topic debate, financial counseling, volunteering at the mental health hospital, running on the cross country team— allowed me to explore a lot of different interests and develop a broad ranges of skills. Brown fostered my innate openness to experience and solidified my passion for education.

[ 3 ] Impressions I believe the Open Curriculum is a central element of the Brown experience and it is at the heart of what makes Brown students independent life-long thinkers and learners. Citizens of the world need to synthesize large amounts of information and develop informed viewpoints on complex issues. Brown taught us how to do this—explicitly in Primary Role(s) Today: course and implicitly through Professor, Center Director, the reduction of structure.

Clinical Psychologist, Parent, Wife

Deborah Koff Ross, 1985 International Relations (G)ISP

S/NC

(G)ISP: Deterrence Assurance Detente, with

Richard Smoke

[ 1 ] Curriculum It allowed me to do concentrated work on arms control with a national expert. [ 2 ] Challenges None. [ 3 ] Impressions Academic freedom allowed me to challenge myself and take time for intensive focus on an issue that was timely and important. It gave me confidence to tackle any new intellectual experience in later life. [ 4 ] Meaningful Encounters Working with Richard Smoke as an undergraduate not only improved my research and writing, but helped me approach a complex issue with rigor and integrity.

Primary Role(s) Today: Attorney, former

state legislator

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Susanne Goldstein, 1985 Psychology S/NC [ 1 ] Curriculum Having the S/NC option allowed me to explore areas of study in many different departments without the stress of worrying about grades.

“world” while remaining on campus. I had the freedom to choose from a broad range of topics and teaching styles. To me, it was in the words of Ted Sizer, learning how to learn, that taught me to be a broad–minded, [ 2 ] Challenges In general, the Open thoughtful adult.

Curriculum was extremely exciting option.

For the first time, I was able to choose my own [ 4 ] Meaningful Encounters I had many classes without having to adhere to a core great professors, but probably the most curriculum with requirements. The freedom influential people were my fellow students. to make my own choices was important in They were from all over the world with learning to think independently and choose varied backgrounds. However, we all came my own path. Perhaps some of the course together to Brown, to learn, discuss, and descriptions did not accurately reflect the debate many issues. Learning to approach material covered in the class as well as they life with an open mind and to see all facets of a situation. I worked as a student volunteer could have, making some choices difficult. with inner city kids through Brown Outreach [ 3 ] Impressions One of my most vivid Program and realized how fortunate I was memories was standing on the Main Green, to have such an amazing opportunity. I tell waiting in line to sign up for the Suicide Pill. my children today, that it is a privilege to It was a time when nuclear war seemed have a liberal arts education. However, I am imminent and we were given the opportunity beginning to realize, in these crazy times, to “control” our own destiny. Being a child that perhaps a good liberal arts education, of the 70-80’s, traditional ground wars were which teaches you to think and choose a foreign concept to us, and this made us independently, may be the best preparation feel as if we were taking a stand against a for adult life that I can give them. terrifying albeit abstract reality. I felt that the Open Curriculum allowed me to explore the Primary Role(s) Today: Physician

70

Peter A. Gudmundsson, 1985 History S/NC [ 1 ] Curriculum The lack of distribution requirements shifted our mindset from one of compliance to one of responsibility.

We each felt like we had to make the most of the gift designing our own liberal education.

It was not a curricular issue, but a lot of the silly radical politics on campus at the time tended to trivialize the search for enduring truth in the humanities to a laundry list of approved political opinions. I resisted that force by retreating into less controversial subject areas to avoid the intolerance and indoctrination.

[ 2 ] Challenges There are always trendy courses that catch one’s eye, but the most enduring subjects were mainstream [ 4 ] Meaningful Encounters My honors classics. One had to resist the temporal for advisor was Philip Benedict. He was excellent and taught me how to think, the enduring. research and write like a real historian. [ 3 ] Impressions I believed and still The administration was largely unknown believe in the general effectiveness of to me. I could not even recount one name the Open Curriculum. Now that I have beyond the president. college–student children (attending Yale, Dartmouth, and Boston College), I see that Primary Role(s) Today: Father, Husband, the “compliance mindset” (e.g. “I have to CEO, volunteer take two sciences, how can I check that box?”) is wasteful of the most precious resource: time.

Above: Visit to Newport during the early Eighties.

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Erika Leaf, 1985 IC Social Change: Toward a New Concept of Human Fulfillment IC

(G)ISP

S/NC

L eave

Thesis / Capstone: Feminism and Non-Violence (studying women’s peace encampments as an embodiment of the intersection of these two movements) (G)ISP: Non-Violence GISP and

Children’s Educational TV ISP

On Leave: 1 semester, internship for Friends of the Earth working on political advocacy for the first Organic food law [ 1 ] Curriculum They were all hugely important to my Brown experience, the direction my life took and my transformation into a lifelong learner.

[ 2 ] Challenges Convincing be part of multiple different my father I was getting a good disciplines. I ruminated on my course list for a couple months education! trying to see what the common [ 3 ] Impressions There were thread was and eventually so many classes in different realized that they were all, on disciplines that interested me, some level about social change. but I wasn’t sure what I wanted Clarifying what I was interested to major in, even if I were to do in and then being able to an independent concentration. pursue the study of that in a There was no real guidance rigorous academic way, was so at how to clarify that, but formative and empowering. It eventually I found my own path gave me confidence to tackle to that answer by reading the many diverse issues that came entire course catalog and listing up throughout my worklife as all the classes in all fields that an entrepreneur. I will always I would want to take if I could. appreciate having had that I figured there must be some experience at Brown. common thread, some reason I was interested in all these things Primary Role(s) Today: Retired that the catalog considered to entrepreneur, parent, social change philanthropist

Left: This photo is from 1989, about 4 years post graduation. I brought one of my llamas into the house to acclimate him and just for fun, because why not? My independent streak that strengthened at Brown continued onward into a lively, self directed life.

72

Anonymous, 1985 Computer Science S/NC

(G)ISP

[ 1 ] Curriculum S/NC allowed me to take classes that were unrelated to my major and also outside of my comfort zone. It was an opportunity to explore. The GISP I was a part of was a great research group project on the use of computers in high school education in the 1980s, and I learned a lot about research methodology and report writing. [ 3 ] Impressions The Open Curriculum was key to my happiness in college. It allowed me to customize my college experience so that I could create a four year experience that spanned many disparate areas of study.

It also taught me that I enjoy many different areas, and I have used that experience to move in and out of different career paths. [ 4 ] Meaningful Encounters TA’ing in computer science was the most significant experience while I was a student—teaching other students, and working together as part of a group with faculty members.

Primary Role(s) Today: Real Estate Developer

73

Libby Hartigan, 1985 Comparative Literaure (French and Spanish) (G)ISP Above: I always wore the yellow sweater which you catch a glimpse of here. It was a bad color, ill-fitting, and not very warm—but my grandmother had given it to me.

(G)ISP: It was a journalism class where we took turns writing a column in a self-published newsletter distributed to students as a way of developing journalism curriculum since the university didn’t have any.

On Leave: A semester off for a cross-country

bicycle trip, and a year at half-time so I could work for The Brown Daily Herald.

[ 1 ] Curriculum It was a primary reason for my choosing Brown; I wanted to be able to shape my own education. It gave me a chance to explore my interest in journalism, since Brown had no official journalism classes, and I went on to work in journalism for 20 years. I also was encouraged to take classes I wasn’t very good at.

S/NC

L eave

that too many students just ploughed through assignments and lectures with little thought as to what they were doing. I took myself so seriously then—and I was perhaps a bit too hard on other kids. Since I graduated I have come to realize that almost EVERYTHING is fascinating and I didn't have to be so worried about having my intellectual freedom stolen from me by a "rigid" curriculum.

I was daunted, challenged, and overwhelmed by the notion of creating my own education, but I also enjoyed it. Maybe I took it for granted to a degree. I look around and see that not too many schools support such wild freedom. I remember being very engaged by the series of columns written by David Dornstein in the Brown Daily Herald (David later died when his plane went down in Scotland due to a terrorist bomb). At the time I was so curious about what David would go on to write—I'm sorry that we never really got to find out. What a loss, I still grieve the loss of David to the world. In my years we had the big vote on whether suicide pills should be distributed in the event of a nuclear attack. It was a big issue, but today almost sounds like a bad line from a sitcom.

[ 2 ] Challenges It came with self-doubt and fear—was I making the right choices? How could I envision what skills I might need in the future?

What if I was missing something important? In retrospect, I wish I had taken more history and Primary Role(s) Today: Wife, Friend, Director of Quality Control & Training in a mental health biology, which have become passions today. nonprofit, Thought Leader in behavioral health [ 3 ] Impressions The Open Curriculum was very important to me at the time, because I believed

74

Maggie Rosen Briand, 1985 IC Writing, Imagery and Creativity with Prof. C.D. Wright, English IC

(G)ISP

S/NC

Thesis / Capstone: Honors if you know anything about the students were sketchy—most

Thesis on Teaching Creative Writing to High School Students; three advisors, C.D. Wright, Ted Sizer and Robert Scholes

[ 1 ] Curriculum I have always been interesting in taking the path less traveled. Brown in many ways helped me find my path. I created a major out of burning questions and fascinations that I had. Brown enabled me to put a name and a subject matter to my “calling.”

I didn’t feel comfortable being a psychology, education or writing major. So I customized my program. I was thrilled with what I accomplished.

politics of C.D. Wright). I spoke to Dean Romer, who reassured her that it would be good for her portfolio to advise me. So C.D. agreed. She was still confused about what I was doing, until a light went off one day and she said to me: “What you’re doing is creating a pedagogy.”

I don’t know if that was what I was doing, but I really wanted her as my advisor. So I said, “Right!”

[ 3 ] Impressions I chose Brown partly because of the Open Curriculum. For me, if there is no box for you to fit in, you create a new box. I believed that before Brown; Brown bolstered that belief. And I am still living [ 2 ] Challenges C.D. Wright that belief today, more than 30 was in her second (first?) year years later. at Brown, and she was nervous about being an advisor to a I started teaching at Brown. project that seemed a little I worked at School One as a counterculture. (Pause to laugh creative writing teacher. The

had gone there after being kicked out of a traditional school. I learned how I wanted to be a change agent in the world—I heard and followed Ted Sizer’s call to be an educator. [ 4 ] Meaningful Encounters The final meeting for my honors thesis was life-changing. I sat in a room with Ted Sizer, C.D. Wright and Robert Scholes as they discussed my thesis. I felt my words and ideas mattered.

Ted Sizer and I walked together in the same direction as I left.

He laughed, recalling the time he met me after I had left my teaching work at School One (I looked worn out). He also said, “You know how to write the English language.” Best. Praise.

Ever.

Primary

Role(s)

Educator, parent, poet

Today:

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Janey E. Skinner, 1985 Above: Picture taken by Ernest Kirkwood at City College of San Francisco, 2015.

(G)ISP: Contemporary Native American Issues (faculty sponsor was Louise Lamphere); Military Industrial Complex (faculty sponsor was Bob Jay) On Leave: 1 semester. I went to

France—in part because fluency in French was needed for my major—and I worked on farms.

I picked grapes in the south of France near Beziers and worked on a dairy and pig farm in Brittany. I also visited the Netherlands, the U.K. and Spain on the same trip.

[ 1 ] Curriculum I was drawn to Brown in the first place in part by this flexibility. I had a lot of respect for people I saw who landed on just the right concentration this

76

Comparative Literature (G)ISP

S/NC

way—for example, someone who combined science and art into a concentration in scientific illustration. I gained an appreciation for how hard it is to design a course (by doing two GISPs) and how much experitise is needed to select the right materials, assignments and focus in a course. Without that, I have to say, both GISPs I was in spent a fair bit of time and effort preparing to learn— and one I would say was more successful than the other. The GISP I did on Contemporary Native American Issues was one that shaped my thinking and interests for some time—in particular, raising my awareness of Native communities, of controversies, of sovereignty issues, and of innovation in those

L eave communities that sometimes are treated as museum pieces, not living communities, in the popular press or mainstream consciousness. [ 2 ] Challenges It was difficult to figure out how to get involved in some GISPs that interested me (e.g., Bill McLaughlin’s GISP / class on Central America)—but it wasn’t difficult to get a proposal for a new GISP approved. It was hard, however, to design a good GISP! Doing the research, sans internet and with limited faculty advising, meant spending hours in the stacks at Rockefeller Library in the approximate right area according to the Dewey Decimal system, selecting books to read and identifying themes.

[ 3 ] Impressions The Open Curriculum at Brown was a big motivation to attend—even though, in fact, the courses I took were varied enough to meet any college’s distribution requirements. I liked the respect for students it implied and the openness to creativity and change. My experiences on and off campus, not only in the classroom, greatly shaped my views and my subsequent life choices. For example, I volunteered at Sojourner House, starting in my sophomore year, and working to end violence in general and violence against women has been a recurring feature of my work, in human rights, in public health and now in post-secondary education.

About a third of the courses I took at Brown, including the GISP on Contemporary Native American Issues, were focused on populations often marginalized in the academy and in the world—as has most of my professional work. My work for human rights in Latin America, which was my primary work from 1986 to 1996, started with the Providence-Niquinohomo

Sister City Project, and was seeded through campus and community activism against US intervention in Central America.

Brown not only gave me a web of friendships that continue today, it exposed me to ideas and opportunities that enriched my ability to act on values and perspectives I brought with me to Brown.

co-create renga, a linked verse form of poetry, and how much I appreciated the combination of play and scholarship.

Another significant experience was living in Waterman (now Watermyn) coop, part of the Brown Association of Cooperative Housing (BACH). I met some lifelong friends in the coops, and my understanding of [ 4 ] Meaningful Encounters community and social change There were many faculty that expanded there. I lost some of had a significant impact on my premature jadedness and my life. One is Professor (later gained more boldness to take Dean) Meera Viswanathan, action. I was part of a street whose small seminar on theater protest group that I met Japanese poetry from the Court through friends in the coops, Period to the Meiji Opening one of the most inventive and was an astonishingly rich fun political organizations I have learning experience. The level ever joined. The coops gave of engagement and intellectual me a home base among “my inquiry in that seminar taught people” from which grounded me a lot about learning, and the me, as I continued to grow and way we explored the aesthetics, explore. the sounds, the structures, the Role(s) Today: symbolism and the cultural Primary embedding of the poetry Community college teacher and shaped how I read in a profound fiction writer way. I recall meeting at her house with the class, at the end of the semester, to share food (she made uppama) and to

77

Jennifer Van Dyck, 1985 Religious Studies & Theatre Arts (G)ISP

S/NC

L eave [ 1 ] Curriculum Looking back, the semester away was incredibly valuable. It has informed my professional life and was a game changer for me. The GISP was empowering, but I missed out on taking some classes with certain professors that would have been valuable learning experiences.

Above: This is from a production of Hair that started at Production Workshop directed by David Yazbek. It moved to the Hasty Pudding in Cambridge for a 6 month run. I’m with Calvin Wolk here.

Paradoxes"). It blew my mind so completely that I kept going back for more. I ended up doing a double concentration as a result.

[ 4 ] Meaningful Encounters Prof. Barnhill pulled me aside my freshman year and said, “All right, it’s clear you’re going to be an actor. Now here is a list [ 2 ] Challenges Discipline was of all the professors you need to never an issue, but finding the study with - outside the theatre right balance between aca- department!” It was a life demic rigor and adventurous changing moment. And I never choices was tricky. The question got through the full list. no one asked (and I didn’t ask myself) was: What do I gain by Primary Role(s) Today: Actor doing this project and what do I lose? At the time, I thought it was great. Only in hindsight do I see that my time could have been better spent elsewhere.

(G)ISP: Created a play and [ 3 ] Impressions I wholeheartperformed it in public schools edly believe in the Open Curriculum. I always had a On Leave: One semester. I passion that guided me and I was in a production of Hair in feel very lucky for that. I knew Above: This is a reunion the Hair Boston at the Hasty Pudding. what I wanted to do, but I was company in 2009. We're in front of the This production started at also fortunate to have someone Broadway revival marquee.

Production Workshop, then (a fellow student) recommend became a summer production a course in Religious Studies and then we ran for 6 months. with Professor Stanley Stowers on Kierkegaard (“Parables and

78

Anonymous, 1985 International Relations

[ 1 ] Curriculum The flexible curriculum allowed me to spend my junior year abroad in Paris, France with Sweet Briar’s program and to complete the interdisciplinary major of International Relations (History, Political Science, Economics and language).

banking in NYC and attending Wharton business school, I returned to Europe to work and live (Paris, Johannesburg, and Windsor) for the next 18 years. The Open Curriculum allowed me to follow my dreams and create opportunities that shaped my adult life professionally and personally.

[ 2 ] Challenges Because of junior year abroad, I had more requirements to Building my own education gave me complete my senior year. There were confidence to take risks going forward. other courses I would have loved to fit in [ 4 ] Meaningful Encounters I loved my like emerging country development.

IR class with Mr. M. senior year. He spent [ 3 ] Impressions Yes I believe in the time reviewing my work and challenging effectiveness of the Open Curriculum. My my thinking. junior year abroad changed my life. After completing Brown, 3 years of investment Primary Role(s) Today: Parent, investor

Anonymous, 1985 English and American Literature (G)ISP

S/NC

CRC

Primary Role(s) Today Spouse, parent,

caregiver to parent, COO at work

79

Aubrey Atwater, 1986 Psychology (G)ISP

S/NC

L eave

(G)ISP: Music Therapy for Hospitalized Children; Prof. Lewis Lipsitt

On Leave: I took one semester off and

traveled in Europe and the US. I then returned and finished my last semester in a year as a part-time student, taking two classes each semester. [ 1 ] Curriculum Very empowering to be able to design my own class and also decide how to finish college when I was feeling a little burned out. [ 3 ] Impressions My education at Brown fostered a level of creativity that enabled me to completely design my own, unique career as a touring folk singer, musician, and dancer as well as run the business.

Primary Role(s) Today: Full-time touring

musician and dancer

80

Amy Barasch, 1986 IC

Art History and Criticism

Thesis/Capstone:

I can’t remember the name of my advisor but it was on contemporary art criticism, and a few contemporary artists, arguing that the criticism was more art than the art.

at the end of college. I was naively surprised when all of my progressive classmates were lining up for corporate interviews, when such a thing had never occurred to me.

I am very self-directed, but some outline of a structure would have helped me. I would also have appreciated a forum in which to talk to other students creating their own majors. Brown enables you to be heard, if you want to be heard, but it also allows you to get lost.

[ 1 ] Curriculum The independent study allowed me to breathe some fresh life into an art history major, but I am not sure I received enough guidance to ensure that it felt as complete a field of study as if i had completed one of the more traditional [ 4 ] Meaningful Encounters I really appreciated taking a avenues. class at RISD—it was good to [ 2 ] Challenges I did not compare it to an experience feel there was a lot of at Brown, and make art while guidance, or that it was studying it. I took a cultural easy to seem as though you anthropology class that had sufficient direction. I changed my perspective on would have appreciated a how to think about what more structured supervisory interested me, and taking semiotics while studying art system. history did the same thing. [ 3 ] Impressions The Brown experience encouraged me Primary Role(s) Today: to think for myself, but also Parent, non-profit executive left me feeling a bit stranded director

81

Greg Pincus, 1986 Computer Science & Creative Writing (G)ISP

(G)ISP:

S/NC

a broader view of the world (even via classes I ultimately dropped). The freedom to take what I wanted was great, though I don’t recall [ 1 ] Curriculum S/NC helped the “need” to build having me take a few classes that any impact on me—it was I might not otherwise have why I chose Brown. and relieved any pressure on a few classes I had to [ 4 ] Meaningful Encounters take but knew I’d struggle Our screenwriting GISP more in. The fact that NC was really student-led— classes disappeared from the reason I don’t recall transcripts allowed freedom, our sponsor is that our interaction was exceedingly too. limited beyond oversight. [ 2 ] Challenges None that I It probably didn’t teach me all that much about recall. screenwriting more than [ 3 ] Impressions I had a reading a book or two wonderfully broad range of would’ve. However, I moved classes and experiences at to Los Angeles after Brown Brown. Besides getting to to become a screenwriter double major in computer and ultimately had many science and creative writing. scripts produced. Would I took classes all along that I have done that without fed my interests and gave me the GISP? Perhaps, but the Screenwriting—I don’t recall who in the Creative Writing department was our sponsor

82

chance to really focus on it for a semester at school definitely helped. I focused on playwriting in my Creative Writing track, and my final professor, Paula Vogel (I believe it was a graduate level class, as I’d taken the others, but I am not sure) also impacted me with both writing instruction and her openness about what being a playwright meant. I chose to pursue screenwriting instead of playwriting, as it became clearer to me that the theater path wasn’t right even if writing was.

Extracurricularly, the Film Society, and editing the then Film Bulletin, was fun and had an impact on my path, too.

Primary

Role(s)

Writer and parent

Today:

David Sabel, 1986 International Relations (G)ISP

S/NC

available to IR concentrators, the structure we proposed took root after we graduated.

(G)ISP: GISP 0010 Hemingway Analysis, George Monteiro and Peter Griffin [ 1 ] Curriculum Being able to opt for S/NC encouraged me to sample classes in departments (Geology, Semiotics, Music) completely unrelated to my concentration which helped to round out my undergraduate experience. The experience of crafting and then co-leading a GISP with 3 other classmates is one of the fondest memories of my time at Brown. [ 2 ] Challenges In those days, it was hard to come by deep insights into classes and professors during shopping period—so finding great classes to try was a bit hit or miss (so much fear of missing out).

[ 3 ] Impressions Almost too many to note. Some of the highlights that have stayed with me: Dean Hazeltine’s enthusiasm, for his subject, teaching in general and his students; working at WBRU during a time of not only great music, but great music activism (Live Aid, Free Nelson Mandela, We are the World)—attending concerts, interviewing touring artists; study abroad in Madrid; creating a GISP in the study of Ernest Hemingway with a Brown scholar who had just published a biography of Hemingway and being among the first students in the world to read The Garden of Eden, which was published during that semester; the entrepreneurism required by the inherently interdisciplinary nature of an IR degree (Econ/Poli-Sci/History/ Language) has provided a resilient foundation to stand on in my career in Product Management as it provided great practice in approaching problems/challenges from multiple perspectives.

I also don’t recall much in the way of guidance in those years from my faculty advisor. The IR program was particularly unstructured in those years.

While I was a part of the DUG that worked on providing more [ 4 ] Meaningful Encounters All thematic cohesion to the classes of the above experiences were

highlights of my experience but by far the most significant in changing my world view was my time spent in Madrid (technically not at Brown).

As an IR concentrator, it was eye opening to be in Spain at a time where there was heightened antipathy towards American military involvement in the world (many in Spain wanted to close the US base in Rota). Since that time I have a much greater appreciation for the importance of international understanding.

Primary Role(s) Today: Parent,

husband, product development leader

Above: Along with Youth—a biography of Hemingway's first 20 years, written

by Peter Griffin. This book was a critical resource, as was its author, for our GISP in the Spring of 1986.

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Benjamin Bailey, 1987 IC Intercultural Communication: A Sociolinguistic Approach with Prof. Greg Murphy, Psychology IC

(G)ISP

S/NC

L eave

Thesis/Capstone:

and did an independent study on teaching ESL (which I did in the community, with Cambodian refugees). My independent concentration grew out of my (G)ISP: Human Sexuality (Toby high-school senior year, when I Simon helped; official faculty was an exchange student. The was a guy in the medical school) topic of my independent study is what I still focus on, as a [ On Leave ] I travelled around professor.

Europe then taught English in [ 2 ] Challenges You were doing Spain for 6 months. things that were undefined by [ 1 ] Curriculum These things others—you had to be organized defined my Brown experience. ahead of time, which is hard for I became quite disillusioned a 20-year-old. In terms of the with the track I was on during concentration, it is a challenge to sophomore year. After freshman figure out an appropriate scope. year, I took all courses S/NC. In academia, we always end up Sophomore year I started a narrower than we hope to.

GISP on Human Sexuality, which seemed much more relevant [ 3 ] Impressions I’m selfto my life than regular classes motivated, so the IC and the GISP were ideal for me.

Communication between Anglo- and African-Americans with advisor Greg Murphy

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Above: Ljubljana, Slovenia, 2016 [ 4 ] Meaningful Encounters I really liked Anani Dzidzienyo. He modeled a way to be a person and an intellectual at the same time. I also had a great class freshman year—an upper level class—with Naomi Baron (who soon left Brown). It confirmed to me that my interests lay in social meanings of language.

Primary Role(s) Today: Professor

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Left: Me on our back porch steps on a sweltering Savannah summer's day.

Katherine Oxnard Ellis, 1987

IC Journalism & Italian with Prof. Roger Henkle, English IC

Thesis / Capstone: The Italian-

American Press, 1880–1945 with Roger Henkle.

L eave

[ 2 ] Challenges Sometimes my experimentation failed—not inherently a bad thing—and I ended up dropping a course.

Though both psychology and biology fascinated me, I ended up dropping both (I have a rodent phobia and I get seasick looking through a microscope at swimming organisms). But even those “failures” let me see that (a) I would never be a practicing scientist and (b) big survey courses were not my thing.

After that I took as many small, seminar-style courses in the humanities as possible, which evolved into my independent concentration. A circuitous route, but a fascinating one.

[ 1 ] Curriculum I loved the ability to experiment with courses, knowing that a potential bad grade would not affect my overall GPA. And I took full advantage of the lack of a core curriculum, taking classes in visual art, classics, music, even teaching a class for credit at a local experimental school.

And though I began my Brown career as an environmental studies concentrator, my maverick nature eventually pushed me into an independent concentration.

Brown was perfect for someone like me who hated being told what to [ 3 ] Impressions Right in the study and loved following my middle of my Brown years, my mom and stepfather divorced, curiosity wherever it led me.

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which devastated me. I ended up leaving for a semester, going back to my hometown of Savannah, GA, and working for relatives on a local paper. In truth, I was licking my wounds, trying to figure out how to deal with the nest leaving me instead of the other way around.

Brown was brilliant throughout this period. When I asked to take time off, they gave me a half a sheet of paper with about three questions on it, asked me to sign it and said I could come back whenever I was ready.

And when I did return, this time excited about creating my own concentration, they said yes to that too.

In fact, perhaps the best thing about Brown was that it never said no to me. When friends of mine and I wanted to secure a dorm in East Pembroke to found the Holistic Health House, Brown said yes. When we wanted to create a peace vigil in Manning Chapel after the invasion of Grenada, Brown said yes. When I wanted to teach a course at a local experimental high school and get college credit for it, Brown said yes.

And when I wanted to write an honors thesis about three Italian-American newspapers in Providence, New York and Boston, Brown said yes.

[ 4 ] Meaningful Encounters Roger Henkle was an amazing man. I took every writing class with him I could, and I was thrilled when he agreed to be the main academic advisor for my independent concentration.

Roger had an acerbic wit, a low tolerance for stupidity and an eye for the kernel of truth in an undergraduate’s shaggy-dog essay. Roger taught me not just how to write, but how to see. I’ll be forever grateful to him for that.

company. Maybe I’m imagining this, but I seem to recall that he’d gotten his hands on some Cuban cigars, and that I sampled one—and loved it!

Roger was the first grown-up who made me feel as though my brain mattered, that my thoughts counted, that I could actually accomplish something.

He was both the coolest professor I knew, and the most patient. I still miss him today.

Primary Role(s) Today: Writer, I’ll never forget the wonderful wife, stepmother, Pomeranian group dinners Roger would host wrangler at his house, fabulous evenings during which his students, his So, looking back now, I realize family and his wonderful dog that Brown is the most positive, Marley would wander around life-affirming experience I’ve their gorgeous house, eat piles ever had! of food and enjoy each other’s

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Deb Herman, 1987 Psychology, Sc.B. (G)ISP

S/NC

(G)ISP: Brian Hayden from the psychology department sponsored me. I don’t remember the ISP name, but it was related to research assistant work I was doing on alcohol and sleep. [ 1 ] Curriculum Doing this ISP was a good way to expand the boundaries of the learning environment, allowed me to incorporate “life” activities and skills into my academic experience. [ 2 ] Challenges None!

(Although, going through the list of courses to choose classes for my first semester was a bit overwhelming!) [ 3 ] Impressions The Open Curriculum allowed me to hold two potential futures in play for a few semesters, until I had a clearer sense of which one I wanted to follow and which one I was okay with letting go. If I had had to also incorporate specific distribution classes,

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this would not have been possible. Even having to pay attention to a more general distribution of classes (e.g. a social science, a hard science, a language, etc.) would have added an unwanted layer of monitoring (although, in fairness, I think this general distribution requirement isn’t too burdensome in action). I think being untethered to course choices gave me a sense of competence and capability and probably had an impact on my ability to carry these approaches to other areas of my life. [ 4 ] Meaningful Encounters There were several events that happened during my senior thesis project that have always stood out for me. The first was when a faculty member, completely unrelated to my project, took the time to convert some of my data to make it easier to analyze. I don’t

remember asking him for this specific help; at the time, it felt as if he just saw a need for this and matter-of-factly handled it. The second was some advice my advisor gave me about grad school, advice that has proven very helpful for me 30 years later, and advice that I have given to many, many others on the cusp of grad school.

Finally, the third event was during my oral defense for my thesis. The faculty were incredibly supportive of my project and very nicely balanced feedback. It was a very positive experience overall, and gave me a great reference point for projects I later did.

Primary Role(s) Today:

Clinical and Research Psychologist, Utility Player, Upcycler

Gladys Capella Noya, 1987 Education and Hispanic Studies (G)ISP (G)ISP: Writing children’s literature, the sponsor was Natalie Babbitt. [ 3 ] Impressions I think that Brown’s Open Curriculum is quite special, something like an open invitation to construct meaningful learning experiences in a caring and intellectually challenging environment.

My experience at Brown was profoundly shaped by my participation in students’ movements including Brown Divest from South Africa, Women Taking Back the Night, and increasing representation of underepresented groups such as Hispanics and African Americans. Those learning experiences are certainly part of the personal, professional, and academic choices that I have made along the way. They are part of me, oftentimes still nurturing and sustaining me.

Primary Role(s) Today: Professor at the University of Puerto

Rico-Río Piedras

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Valerie Tutson, 1987 IC Storytelling as a Communications Art IC

(G)ISP

S/NC

Thesis / Capstone: Advisors: George H Bass (Afro-American Studies), Lowry Marshall (Theatre), and Bruce Rosenberg (American Civilization).

told stories at our Third World Transition Program (TWTP) event, there were storytellers in the University Bookstore, and George Bass told stories in class.

I was surrounded by storytelling!

I worked with all three of my And, Brown provided me with advisors and did a combination the opportunity to explore of storytelling and written storytelling as a teaching tool. “report” on the process of story (I came to college thinking I’d major in English and direct the gathering and performing. high school plays). The curricular (G)ISP: Children’s Theater with options allowed me to explore Julie Strandberg; Writing for my new found interest, and then Children with Natalie Babbitt round it out in other areas, such as drama and writing and Afro(local author) American studies. I loved my [ 1 ] Curriculum I loved having the experience. option to take classes S/NC and then write about my learning. [ 2 ] Challenges I would say Creating my own concentration my biggest challenges were completely informed and “choosing” what to explore. shaped my experience at Brown. Although I had good advice I learned that I could determine from my high school English what I wanted to study and teacher to “look at the assigned go for it! That was incredibly reading.” That did help me empowering. My friends from choose my classes. Now, freshman year still say how however, the only “regret” I have impressed they were that I is that I did not take some of the “knew” right away that I wanted broader “classics” like Econ or to be a storyteller. I can’t say a science class.... I did take one that I knew right away; I do know S/NC on Astronomy! that just before I came to Brown Role(s) Today: I saw my first “professional” Primary storyteller. When I arrived on Sister, Educator, Storyteller, campus, George Bass’ wife Community Servant

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Judith Warner, 1987

Literature and Society (G)ISP

S/NC

(G)ISP: Independent Study on T.S. Eliot with a graduate student in the English department. [ 1 ] Curriculum The lack of distribution requirements was a big part of what drew me to Brown—I absolutely wanted to study English, creative writing, psychology and French, and I absolutely did not want to have to take math and science classes.

Once I was on campus, the S/NC option permitted me, however, to take classes I might have otherwise avoided, like Human Anatomy, which I very much enjoyed. In the years after Brown, I sometimes regretted not having been exposed to a core curriculum, as students are at Columbia, for example, as I felt there were holes in my general knowledge that I wasn’t going to fill on my own.

As a mother, however, I’ve completely revisited that idea in recent years. The current climate of insane competition

encourages students to game the system for high grades at all costs, and drives much of the pleasure in learning out of the college experience. I now appreciate more than ever before the way that Brown’s system truly did encourage intellectual inquiry, following your passions, and learning for the sake of learning, not for grades. I wish that I had been more adventurous than I was—that I had taken Econ 1, for example, S/NC, and possibly a low-level physics or chemistry course S/NC as well. The opportunity to explore new subjects that you think at the outset that you’ll be bad at, without grade pressure or stigma is a rare gift. I am so glad that Brown has retained its commitment to this kind of education— particularly in today’s atmosphere—and wish more colleges would do the same.

I wish it were possible for high schools to do so as well, and for high school students to pursue a more interest-

driven, non-grade-obsessed path. [ 2 ] Challenges I really had no academic advising at all—until I switched into the Literature and Society concentration, which I did quite late—it might even have been second semester of junior year. I was invited to switch by a Literature and Society professor, Roger Henkle, who was a wonderful teacher and a real academic inspiration for all the students who worked with him.

Primary Role(s) Today: Writer, empty-nester

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Claudia Yellin, 1987 Psychology and Women’s Studies (G)ISP

S/NC

L eave

CRC

(G)ISP: Women and called “Women’s Studies” Spirituality, Flora Keshgegian was a delightful surprise.

Yet in retrospect I took too [ 1 ] Curriculum I took a many Women’s Studies (as it leave during my Brown was called then) classes, and undergraduate experience. did not leave room for more I did not go through the variety. I imagine most of us Resource Center (as it was would take different classes called then) but my time were we to do it all again. away helped me come back a stronger and more focused Editor's Note: Claudia passed away in October 2017. student. [ 2 ] Challenges I wish I had taken a wider variety of classes. I came from a small mid-western town, and the fact that there was a thing

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Anonymous, 1987 L eave

Semiotics

On Leave: I I took several years off, future. I didn't come across any

and spent them recovering from a difficult adolescence and figuring out who I was. I didn't want to waste my parents' money being in school aimlessly. I traveled, did a lot of reading and thinking, volunteered on political campaigns, worked, took some night school classes at another college, and watched a lot of '80s television, including the birth of MTV.

professor or advisor who could help me find my way; I didn't even know where to look.

However, one thing I'll always be grateful for is this: I had considered and turned down several other high-powered Ivies before choosing Brown, and I've always believed that only Brown could have provided a small gem of an experience. One of the most difficult days in my [ 1 ] Curriculum The Open difficult youth was the day I met Curriculum was one of the things with a Brown administrator to that had drawn me to Brown, but I request a leave. I don't remember never took advantage of all it had who it was, but that dean heard my to offer. The lack of distribution sad, probably stammered words requirements, however, is what with patience and kindness, and allowed me to switch concentrations said something like "Just come back and career plans when I eventually when you're ready". The casualness in that response made it seem as returned to Brown. if perhaps it wasn't the end of the I don't think the advising at Brown world to leave college, after all. was great in the '80s. And it was an era of transition in the nation, from That openness—the hallmark of the the passionate activism of the late Open Curriculum—is part of why '60s/early '70s to the me-too-ism I always felt that Brown was there of the Reagan era. I was a student for me, and why I returned and who­—though focused and driven— graduated. needed help with direction through Brown's riches and a changing Primary Role(s) Today: Media professional, parent

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Thalia Field, 1988 IC

Modern Cultural History with Prof. Karen Romer

Thesis / Capstone: I wrote a tration came about because I be part of multiple graduate and

realized I wouldn’t be able to fulfill the requirements for any [ 1 ] Curriculum Without the one concentration as well as Independent Concentration, study the variety and breadth I would not have had the of what I wanted to have time opportunity to fulfill my to study. The Open Curriculum intellectual goals. As a transfer promised that Brown would be student, I already came to the place for exactly the sort Brown with a diverse academic of interdisciplinary approach and artistic background, I wanted, but I had to find the and my interests were wide- Independent Concentration to ranging. The ability to combine be able to take full advantage. my interests into one coherent Once I found that option—I was course of study was exactly good to go! why Brown was the very best intellectual and creative fit for [ 3 ] Impressions I was proud me. I was able to study the that Brown students during modern period from multiple my time were loud and vocal disciplinary perspectives— and activist about divesting political, scientific, architectural, from South Africa, and about cultural, and then the various growing awareness of racism art histories—drama, visual and forms of inequality built art, music, etc. Being able to into our system. It was also a conceive of study from this time when there were amazing multidisciplinary perspective developments in music and allowed me to understand theater revolving around the european and american use of electronic media...and modernism in a very distinct a sense of the importance of social justice and artistic and indepth way. expression at the heart of [ 2 ] Challenges I remember the student experience. As a that the Independent Concen- transfer student, I was glad to Creative Writing honors thesis.

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undergraduate communities.

[ 4 ] Meaningful Encounters I most remember the invaluable professors who gave me the reason why I had come back to college after a bit of an absense and a few different schools.

Curtis Champa in Visual Art, Mary Gluck in History, Martha Nussbaum, Joan Richards, Robert Coover in creative writing, Robert Scholes, Keith Waldrop, George Bass—these were thinkers who made my days vibrant with energy and I always left their lectures and courses with more curiosity and more dedication to the pursuit of artistic and intellectual challenges than I ever thought I’d have time to complete!

Primary Role(s) Today: Writer,

Professor

Birgit Grimlund, 1988 Religious Studies (G)ISP (G)ISP: The GISP was Feminist Liberation Theology or something like that. I believe our sponsor may have been Flora K, one of the chaplains at the time. [ 1 ] Curriculum Our GISP (done with 4 other Brown women) allowed us to audit a Liberation Theology course at Harvard Divinity School. At the time, it was the most empowering experience of my Brown years as I saw the authors of the books/articles we’d been reading in my religious studies courses lecture at the Divinity School. I still very much think of this as one of the key highlights of my Brown years. [ 2 ] Challenges As a fairly independent and very self motivated academic, I had no problems navigating the Open Curriculum. It allowed me to explore multiple interests both in the science and humanities.

time at Brown). I found the courage to go to Prof.

Milhaven’s office and ask for special permission to take this course. I received permission and ultimately thrived in the class, and it shaped the course of my Brown years—confidence that [ 3 ] Impressions Yes, for the right individual, the I could speak with professors, ask for help and Open Curriculum is a wonderful opportunity as choose my own pathway. (And with hindsight as it was for me. I think the other stories reflect I look back on the class, although academically highlights similar to my own experience.

I did well, I do recognize now that I would have had a far richer experience as I gained some [ 4 ] Meaningful Encounters Giles Milhaven, social and emotional skills during the first years, religious studies professor stands out for me. As but I forever bless Prof. Milhaven for taking a a young and very naive first year student, a course chance on me.) on Freud and the Good Human Being caught my attention and I very much wanted to take that Primary Role(s) Today: Mother, wife, physician course (despite the suggested prerequisites and suggestion that best for students later in their

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Pamela Dorrell, 1988

IC Cross-Cultural Communication and Fine Arts IC

L eave

S/NC

Thesis / Capstone: Probably deeply into areas of greatest college age, and as I look into Anani Dzidzienyo from the African Studies Department, but who I really think of as my advisor was my thesis advisor who helped me tremendously.

She was fantastic, but I am abashed to say I have forgotten her name. (Nearly 30 intervening years!) A delightful Romanian woman working in the French department.

Wow she was good. She of all people taught me to write. My thesis was on how communication issues affected the experiences of African students at Brown.

On Leave: I took one semester off and went to live in the Ivory Coast in West Africa. While there, I attended a local university to learn French and African Art History. I also worked for USAID. (I was later able to get credit at Brown for my time abroad.)

interest through my independent concentration and my honors thesis or through the freedom to complete two concentrations within four years. The liberation of taking classes S/NC meant that I could challenge myself beyond my level of expertise without fear. From early on at Brown, I enrolled in graduate seminars and took advantage of cross matriculation with RISD.

S/NC also allowed me to shift the goal of taking a class from “getting an A” to getting the most out of the class. You don’t get into Brown without some portion of your self-identity becoming hooked to that letter “A” so solidly it can keep you from taking risks. After my freshman year, I took all my classes pass/ fail and still graduated cum laude.

Finally the freedom to take a leave of absence to study art and language in West Africa enabled me to extend my learning and uniquely support my work back at Brown.

[ 1 ] Curriculum What a thrill it was to feed my intellectual curiosity with such abandon those years at Brown. It was Brown’s Open Curriculum which drew me to the school and Now I recognize yet another enriched my education adding benefit of the Brown education. depth and breadth. I could delve My own children are nearing

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options for them, I hate that they have to choose between the great array of interesting majors at large, public universities and the freedom and intimacy of small, private colleges. Little did I realize what a gift I had at Brown as the independent concentration option made that a non-issue for me. [ 2 ] Challenges Ah, age is the best set of rose-colored glasses!

First I have forgotten everything!

And second, what I remember, I have a new perspective on.

The only trouble I remember is getting my concentration topic approved. I hear the echo of my petulant, young voice saying, “Why do I need to justify this concentration when it is a major which exists in many colleges across the country!?”

Now, looking back with adult eyes, I am grateful to Brown for making me prepare a persuasive argument for stepping outside the normal lines of study. That was great practice for many experiences in later life and yet another example of how an education is built from many sources.

[ 3 ] Impressions I was quietly political while at Brown. The rallies and citizens’ arrests thrilled me then, but now my adult self would feel silly participating.

My political interests have been reoriented or diminished muffled by privilege and perspective as I have aged.

But this just makes that time and the urgency I felt seem all the more valuable. When else in our lives are we pressed so hard to question our beliefs, the norms of society or how we can make a difference in the world? As my children now ask my advice about where to go to college, I tell them to find a place which will challenge them and excite them politically. No matter how reasonable and grown-up I may be now, I would never want them to miss the chance to have their

minds blown wide open with the wonderful intellectual discourse such as I found at Brown. [ 4 ] Meaningful Encounters This probably belongs in the last section, but it is what comes to mind when I think about what most impacted my perspective at Brown. The connections I was able to make with diverse people at Brown was central to my experience. I was not worldly or political when I arrived at college. I grew up in the happy eden of Boulder, Colorado blissfully ignorant of the depth of suffering around the world. I went to Brown during apartheid.

It was the issue of the day, and I was drawn in. I got to know the kids in the African Students’ Association and learned their stories. Their life experience

was so different from my own, I was shocked and hooked. I had to learn more. I was already concentrating in cross-cultural communication, but because of them, my thesis work focused on the African experience, and my work beyond Brown shifted to more community-oriented, change-focused international work.

Primary Role(s) Today: Mother, Teacher, Volunteer

Right: This photo is from a few years ago, but I chose it because it illustrates several ways Brown impacts my life. I married my Brown sweetheart, Amit Pandey also class of '88, and we have these two lovely boys. Amit is from Botswana. I spent time abroad in the Ivory Coast during my junior year and wrote my thesis about the experiences of African students at Brown. After Brown I worked in international development for many years and continue my interest in international issues today working with refugees in the San Francisco Bay area.

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Melissa Cole Essig, 1988 American Civilization (G)ISP

S/NC

(G)ISP: GISP in Screenwriting. I adult life. I was particularly These comments meant so

don’t recall the faculty sponsor.

well matched with my CAP adviser—Richard Meckel, who later became my thesis adviser—so I had an especially productive relationship with the Open Curriculum. With his encouragement, each semester I chose at least one course in a department with which I was unfamiliar. The first years of my undergraduate experience became about thinking and learning and exploring, not about checking boxes.

[ 1 ] Curriculum The S/NC option made me feel free to experiment with new areas of study and courses I thought I’d find difficult. Like many people entering Brown, I’d been raised in a culture of success. I was expected to succeed and to exceed. The idea of not getting an A or B was daunting; being able to take the S/NC option allowed me to focus on acquiring knowledge instead of I’d finally like to say a word mastering subject matter. about the amazing option The lack of distribution of having professors write requirements drew me to personal evaluations for any Brown and remains one course. What a treasure it is to of the fundamental ways still have kind words written in which it shaped my about me by Professors William academic and intellectual McLoughlin and Sam Driver.

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much more to me than grades.

[ 2 ] Challenges I am so grateful for the Open Curriculum. I did not find it challenging, perhaps because I was particularly well matched with my CAP adviser, Richard Meckel, who later became my thesis adviser. I love the opportunity to explore new departments and fields of knowledge. It served me well as someone who pursued an interdisciplinary concentration. [ 3 ] Impressions As an 18-yearold who’d always been taught to follow the “safe” and “right” path, the Open Curriculum was life-saving. It was the reason I chose Brown, it was the reason I loved Brown, and it has a lot to do with my ability later in

life to take risks. In my thirties, I left my life as a lawyer to follow a writing career, a daunting prospect. But exploration and risk-taking were familiar to me because of my time at Brown. I sometimes think of myself as a late bloomer, but, really, I think I just learned during my college years to take my time, enjoy the journey, and trust that passion and heart would lead me where I needed to be.

One of my fondest memories is from my senior year, when I was writing a thesis under the guidance of Professor Meckel. As I talked to him about whether I wanted to pursue a Ph.D., he warned me it would be a very different course of study from what I loved so much at Brown. "Now," he said,

with respect while guiding me to think more deeply and express myself more forcefully helped me grow into confident adulthood. When I started law school in 1990, I was frequently told I “talk in class a lot for a woman.” It never occurred to How right he was. Graduate me that I couldn’t. My Brown school never came close to my professors had taught me I could—and never once made Brown experience. me think it was unusual for [ 4 ] Meaningful Encounters a woman to speak just as My CAP experience freshman forcefully and intelligently as a year, the opportunity to take man. a sophomore seminar, and being in Professor McLoughlin’s Primary Role(s) Today: writer, section of U.S. Intellectual public education advocate, History together stand out parent as experiences with some of the greatest impact on me as a Brown student. To engage seriously with leaders in their fields and have them treat me "you get to acquire all kinds of knowledge." His eyes lit up as he spoke about it. "When you get a Ph.D.," he continued, “you’ll focus on one specific, narrow issue. It’s a completely different experience.”

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An R. Trotter, 1988

IC Art as a Multimedia Manifestation with Profs. James Baker (Music) and Julie Strandberg (Theatre Speech and Dance) IC

(G)ISP

S/NC

across disciplines that has served me well throughout Above: Manoir de Bain Chaplin's my professional career. I was World, opening day 2016 also grateful for professors Thesis / Capstone: Pistachio: with interdisciplinary interests Pastichio (Performance and and facility. The S/NC option creation journal); Readers: gave some flexibility when I Profs. James Baker (Music), over-extended.

Julie Strandberg (Theatre Speech and Dance), and Neil [ 2 ] Challenges The professor Lazarus (Modern Culture and of Egyptology assigned to be my freshman adviser Media) advised us to pursue teachers (G)ISP: Investing in the Stock not subjects. This strategy Market with Prof. Barrett worked well for me due in no small part to the student Hazeltine professor rating booklet that [ 1 ] Curriculum The lack of was circulated, I presume, distribution requirements courtesy of the CRC. Dean was a strong factor in my Romer made sure I was decision to apply to Brown. thoughtful in keeping my Dean Romer advising me to explorations broad and forced undertake an Independent me to think through and Concentration transformed defend some of my choices. me from a frustrated Art History concentrator into [ 3 ] Impressions As a a single-mindedly focused result of my independent concentrator pursuing history concentration at Brown I was of ideas in both the performing awarded a full scholarship and visual arts about which for a Master’s Degree in I was passionate. In that Performance Studies at NYU. pursuit I learned a strength While I also loved my time at in synthesizing information NYU, I was struck by how much

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more fluid (at the time) the academic environment was at Brown with cross-disciplinary research, explorations and conversation among both faculty and students across disciplines. The fluency I had in the vocabulary and writings in multiple disciplines served me well, and has continued to serve me well in operations where I have to be able to coordinate among subject area experts to accomplish work goals. [ 4 ] Meaningful Encounters Six stories in, I realized I couldn’t possibly do justice in reciting all of the projects, stern lectures, and support that engaged me while at Brown. That said, in addition to my readers, I owe special shout–outs to professors Mary Gluck, Sheila Blumstein, and Walter Feldman.

Primary

Role(s)

Operations Executive

Today:

Diana E. Wells, 1988 IC

S/NC

IC South Asian Studies with Prof.

Lina Fruzetti, Anthropology

Thesis / Capstone: Thesis was [ 3 ] Impressions Having come

about Hindu Widowhood, Lena from a small town and public high Fruzetti was advisor school to the Brown Campus was an amazing experience of finding [ 1 ] Curriculum I have no doubt a community of people who cared whatsoever that 1) curricular about things I cared about and options were a major part of from whom I could learn in and why I was attracted to Brown out of the classroom. I remember 2) I took courses I would not what a new experience it was have otherwise because I could for me sitting in class fascinated take them for pass/fail. I took as much by my classmates in more risk than I otherwise might heated discussions as much have. 3) I have no doubt that by faculty. The anti- apartheid the opportunity to chart my own movement and unraveling of course of study is directly related the cold war were two major to charting my own course after political backdrops to my time on Brown. I had already exercised campus and informed some of the muscle of deciding what I the activism. cared about most and the chance to build a curriculum around that [ 4 ] Meaningful Encounters prepared me to build a career Student activism was hugely eye about what I cared about most. opening and opened a door for It allowed me to find meaning, me to participate on issues I had previously only read about or purpose and passion. studied. This was an important [ 2 ] Challenges This was a long rite of passage for me to while ago....but I don’t remember becoming a citizen of the world. getting a lot of guidance other than through my concentration Primary Role(s) Today: President advisor. But I was never great at of a Non-Profit, parent, Brown Corporation member asking for help.

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Aurea Hernández-Webster, 1988 IC Barriers to Societal Participation with Prof. Adeline Becker, Portuguese and Brazilian Studies Department IC

(G)ISP

S/NC

CRC

Thesis/Capstone: Adeline Becker, loved every seemingly tangential activist. I was then and remain

Portuguese and Brazilian Studies Department. I wrote about ESL/ Second Language acquisition classes

(G)ISP: Women of Color in

Literature with Jean Wu; South Bronx - ???, Children’s Literature with Natalie Babbitt [ 1 ] Curriculum As a product of progressive educational schools, early on, I really enjoyed and took advantage of that unique kind of risk–taking that we hope all people can engage in. I took classes like that were exciting and covered topics that I was curious about—but maybe would not have been able to explore outside of my concentration. I

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course because, in the end, I learned how to connect others’ narratives into a global view. I learned the habits of thinking, the way to explore, to approach learning literature and challenge my world view throughout. I am a better person, mother, teacher, friend and explorer because of the opportunities afforded me. I loved that my professors were willing to explore what we students wished to examine. I appreciated the curiosity we were encouraged to foster.

And when I developed my independent concentration, a precursor to the ethnic studies center offering or concentration today, I felt accomplished and acknowledged as a thinker and

now grateful for what Brown allowed me to explore.

[ 2 ] Challenges None! I think I had some wonderful teachers, advisors, and friends who helped me navigate my way around. I also had the support of friends in the CRC, Dean Karen Romer, and Toni [Fannin '82] who were kind and welcoming all the time. Dean Perry Ashley encouraged exploration through curricula. We were fortunate to have faculty sponsors who liked us and were committed to diversity of thought and process and history.

“

It was a space that was light, airy and the rooms and people were advocates of what could be learned and explored.

It was a really solid comfortable place that inspires me, still, as a teacher. I strive to make my classroom that kind REMEMBERING THE CRC of welcoming place.

[ 3 ] Impressions I was lucky to have the space to protest in the mid 80’s for the admissions and educational diversity at the school. I helped, as a student, explore concerns about Brown’s commitment to diversity and the emotional and intellectual components that are a part of that.

literature. If it hadn’t been for Dr. E. Morse, I would have never felt like I belonged intellectually at a school like Brown. She made me feel like I could do anything! Dean Ashley was warm and considerate and willing to help adjust to a school where I was not always comfortable. Professor Deborah Newhall opened my eyes to the [ 4 ] Meaningful Encounters I connection of the performing had countless encounters with and liberal arts. I think so much teachers and administrators that of my time in the classroom were inspiring: Natalie Babbitt was about exceptional teaching remains a highlight of my time and teaching relationship—that in the classroom, Dean Jean has been the most signigficant Wu and her classes including interaction I had as a student.

Cross-Cultural Counseling.

I loved Sumner Twiss and his Primary Role(s) Today: Parent, rigorous and energetic classes educator on religious thought in modern

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Anonymous, 1988 Visual Art (G)ISP

(G)ISP:

S/NC

Papermaking with Prof.

Walter Feldman

there are more resources for students than when I was at Brown.

[ 1 ] Curriculum It gave me more [ 4 ] Meaningful Encounters I had filed freedom to take classes I may have not as a studio art concentrator because I was tired of sleeping out overnight taken otherwise. in order to get into art classes. (Art [ 2 ] Challenges Getting into art concentrators got first pick of classes.) and English classes. Not having the However, I planned on doubling in resources on campus (faculty, in East Asian studies. After returning from a semester in Japan and NOT particular) to study certain subjects. being fluent in Japanese, I had a falling [ 3 ] Impressions I think the Open out with the one and only Japanese Curriculum is great. It allows one to professor. I didn’t know what to do take risks. Unfortunately, Brown’s and ended up calling a dean. (I’m resources were limited. My interest sorry I don’t remember her name.) I in Japanese art and culture was remember being very upset. She took impossible to study at Brown. At my call, listened to my concerns, and that time, the emphasis in Japan was simply asked, “Why do you have to do history or business related. There a double concentration?” (I remember was an East Asian concentration that replying, “Because no one does just required a year of Chinese history. I did art.” Hah!) Having immediate access what I could (“Non-Western Theater to a dean at what I considered a and Performance” - can you get any moment of crisis in my education, more broad?!) but had to take classes someone who listened and made at RISD and I ended up spending a it okay to drop what I was studying, made all the difference in the world. It semester abroad in Japan. just seems a shame that it was really The GISP we formed, Papermaking, my only recourse because of the was because Brown had all the limited opportunities for study. equipment to do papermaking but no one to teach it. We found a graduate Primary Role(s) Today: Architect, student from RISD to be our instructor. yoga instructor I am hoping with the new art center

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Katarzyna Jerzak, 1989 Comparative Literature (G)ISP

(G)ISP: William Faulkner—with Prof.

Arnold Weinstein, of course. [ 1 ] Curriculum Amazing. Offered the freedom I needed—even if I didn’t use all the options, I still cherished the sheer possibilities. [ 2 ] Challenges I do regret not having taken Astronomy and Geology. But hey, I can still take them. [ 4 ] Meaningful Encounters ARNOLD WEINSTEIN over and over again.

Changed my life. Also: Naomi Schor and Dean John Eng-Wong.

Primary

Role(s)

Today:

Educator (university professor), mother, daughter

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Nicole Moore, 1989

IC Community Power with Prof. Louise Jezierski, Sociology IC

(G)ISP

S/NC

L eave

Thesis / Capstone: Thesis—how grassroots read and support my thesis. They either

organizing and building community Power simply said no—not my area—or wanted can stop the nuclear arms race. Louise to take me away from my focus to their focus area. I do think I benefited from the Jezierski was my advisor. mentoring literature and thinking I needed On Leave: I took off 3 semesters—one to develop and grow my own POV, but I for study at UC Santa Cruz where several probably needed more of this guidance classes were offered that helped me fill out in my three-and-a-half years at Brown. some of my program. I took an additional Post BA, the independent concentration year away to work in the movement to and P/F grades have continued to pose stop the nuclear arms race, as a grassroots challenges: I had to specially petition Cal State University to enroll in teaching organizer. [ 1 ] Curriculum I don't believe I could have completed my bachelors at Brown without these options. I was scratching an itch— to understand grassroots organizing, its relationship to Power and how to make big changes in the world—and I needed to be able to focus on it during that time. My experience at UCSC was critical to it, as was my work in the anti-nuclear movement. [ 2 ] Challenges My biggest failure was finding a second reader for my thesis— which kept me from graduating with honors.

Nobody understood enough of what I was doing in terms of their own specialties to

Above: Organizing to stop nuclear weapons. That's me after graduating.

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credential courses as they counted my "pass" grades as "C" and require a "B" average for matriculation. In the public sector, having an IC in Community Power counts for nothing in terms of the positions I want to take. I am always explaining it all.

And sometimes to blank stares. But I still am deeply thankful to this opportunity that only Brown could have given me. [ 3 ] Impressions College was so intense: the election of Ronald Reagan, my own healing from early life traumas, being in the world of people with financial resources I had never experienced as a poor person, being so far from home and culture.... I was so deeply thankful to be able to engage in study that was meaningful to me. I was proud of the student movement that resulted in the IC. It allowed me, a scholarship student, Above: Getting arrested in a civil disobedience action to thrive: I was able to listen to my own to support UC workers in their fight for a living wage. passion to pursue education even though it didn't fit in the normal box.

Primary Role(s) Today: Parent, partner, organizer, public servant [ 4 ] Meaningful Encounters Louise Jezierski—she agreed to mentor me and advise me on my concentration and my thesis. I was so frustrated and felt her joining the faculty was kismet—a gift that got me through.

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Laura Pierce, 1989 IC Feminist Aesthetics and Artistic Production IC

(G)ISP

S/NC

CRC

Thesis / Captsone: German Feminist

Aesthetics

and critical thinking that was required. I also engaged in feminist

(G)ISP: Something about alternative health—

survey of alternative movement therapies like Feldenkrais, massage, reflexology, Alexander Technique, etc.

[ 1 ] Curriculum I was drawn to Brown in part because of the New Curriculum. I took advantage of many of the options available and charted my course very independently.

I think this required extra rigor and thoughtfulness about how my courses related to each other and could be defended as a new area of concentration. I also loved the freedom of it!

and related social justice activism which very much shaped my life and values. Finally, I had an amazing, thoughtful peer group which lead to great adventures and countless meaningful late night discussions. [ 4 ] Meaningful Encounters I had great role models, particularly during my time as a young staff person at Brown. In particular, Karen Romer and Lydia English were influential women administrators who mentored me and taught me a great deal.

[ 3 ] Impressions Brown provided a great environment for learning about myself and the world. Because there were no requirements, Role(s) Today: I went where my passions led me, tried lots Primary Management Consultant of things out, and was highly engaged in learning. I was young and had the stamina to plow through massive amounts of reading and gained a great deal from all the writing

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Nonprofit

Above: 2016 Getty Museum

Kathy Kau, 1989

Educational Studies and Psychology (G)ISP

Asian American Women

[ 1 ] Curriculum I loved it. [ 2 ] Challenges None. [ 3 ] Impressions Every day, I’m still pursing interests in Education and Child Psychology which I developed at Brown.

After we graduated, I started dating and then married my Brown classmate. [ 4 ] Meaningful Encounters I loved being in the Brown band, being a Head Counselor, and being part of the Asian American Student Association.

These social organizations were as important to me as what I learned in class.

Primary Role(s) Today: Caregiver, school ESL

volunteer

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Robert Houser, 1989 Psychology & Comparative Literature with French (G)ISP

S/NC

(G)ISP: GISP: Gender Roles and in

Psychology, but more their Effects on Interpersonal importantly re-awakened my Communications. ISP: Research childhood creativity. on Sleep Cycles of the crew on board an Oceanographic Concurrent with my exploration of literature and writing, I opted Research Vessel to enroll in Photography at [ 1 ] Curriculum The curricular RISD during my senior year, options at Brown were a huge and low and behold, that one part of my college experience, move lead to my career choice. and I tried to take advantage I don’t think I ever would have of every option. In addition ended up moving from science to the GISP and ISP classes, to spending the last 25+ years I took classes for grades and working as a commercial S/NC, audited classes regularly, artist without the flexibility to enrolled in two art classes at experiment with my courses.

RISD, spent a semester away I from campus, and did a summer [ 2 ] Challenges None. honestly think the hardest thing course on Shakespeare. for me was choosing what to The lack of distribution not take. I found myself as a requirements permitted me to freshman trying to replicate my experiment with classes in so high school course load—take many different departments. a science class, a math class, While I arrived intent on majoring a language class, an English in Physics and did complete class. It took a few semesters a science concentration with to break out of that mold and ample courses in math and truly experiment with what statistics, I also branched out in a interested me. direction I had never intended— literature. One course taken by [ 3 ] Impressions As mentioned chance my Freshman year, lead previously, my experimentation courses at Brown to a realization toward the end of with my Junior year that I had almost completely altered my career completed the requirements for and life choices. Sure I found a concentration in Comparative my wife at Brown, I learned a Literature. A slight schedule ton, had a great time, but the adjustment of my senior year course selection changed me. gave me a double concentration

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Physics was my start but over the course of my first year at Brown, my science side ended up at the Psychology Department. From the age of ten, I fully expected I would get a PhD in science; it’s what I loved. But during those first weeks of school, a friend dragged me to a large lecture in List auditorium for a class called Order and Chaos. Admittedly I followed her to the class because I thought she was cute, but I really enjoyed the lecture.

So, I went back, and kept going back. The following semester I took another Comparative Literature class, and again for the two semesters after that.

I was still all about science, but I was really liking this literature stuff. Maybe it was the “Comparative” part that hooked me—we watched movies and discussed art and how it all interacted with the books we were reading. Thinking back, my

literary analysis was probably very scientifically written.

how I saw, what I wanted to be.

The courses woke up the boy that had fun in art class in first, second and third grade. Science had moved that fun to the back burner for a decade, but the Open Curriculum at Brown reignited that spark. For my last semester at Brown, I put my honors thesis in Psychology (my ISP that was to lead to another semester’s ISP) aside, and enrolled in Photo 2 at RISD instead. Changed.

When I finally opted to double concentrate, I had a few specific courses that I needed to take, and I found myself jumping at them with excitement. But, what science and math minded person gets excited about reading Shakespeare on the Green for a summer course? It was poetic, it was summer, the campus was quiet, I was able to really read the texts, I enjoyed the lectures and the essays. That spring of senior year, Wait what? I was changing. my two concentrations came together—the final projects for By senior year I added a creative my senior seminars in Comp writing class to my schedule. We Lit and Psychology approached read Thomas Wolfe and Hunter each other from different sides.

S. Thompson and I pulled all- The psyche of the artist and nighters coming up with creative the art of the psychotic—one approaches to assignments. more semester and that would At the same time I was taking have been my honors thesis.

Photography at RISD as a fifth Instead, I walked through the course. It was supposed to be gates in May of '89 and began for fun—it was senior year, so a career in the commercial art many people I knew had taken world as a photographer. No the class, so why not?

PhD, no science, well maybe some. I describe my work now But, I didn’t just “take” the as “telling stories about people.” course. By the end of Photo 1, It’s part psychology and part the months of creative writing comparative literature. I bring and shooting images had had interns into the studio every an effect on me as a person. year, many Brown students, These “extra” classes that I was and I encourage everyone—take taking were changing what advantage of all the “different” I loved to do, how I thought, things you can do while you are

there because it’s the different things you try that end up changing you. Or finding you. [ 4 ] Meaningful Encounters Taking Photo 1 at RISD. I was so out of my comfort zone. I was a science and math guy. I was at this academic institution.

How was I supposed to wrap my mind around making art? Why was I doing it? And who were these people I was working alongside?

I think that class started me down a path to stop thinking and start doing. Dive in. It was physical; you needed to use your hands. It was mind expanding; you had to say something but without words. It was so extremely foreign to how I had always learned, did work, got graded. Everything was new.

Primary

Role(s)

Today:

Commercial photographer/ artist and parent.

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Julie Chang, 1989 Comparative Literature (G)ISP

S/NC

(G)ISP:

Native American Literature, The History of Asian American Women, Eastern Poetics and Women Writers with Professor Yang

[ 1 ] Curriculum I did some classes S/NC. It did make me take more risks with less stress. [ 2 ] Challenges In preparation for the Open Curriculum, it would have been great to take a course on how to approach one’s education or a philosophical examination on what is education. It would have been helpful to be a little more conscious about how I was designing my time at Brown.

I truly followed whatever interested me, and that in itself is a great way to learn.

It’s taken me decades to understand how valuable that really was. For many years, I wondered if I had a wonky education with a lot of holes in it. I did, but over time, I learned the value of that and

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how to be a life–long learner. the core, education must lead Also thanks to Great Courses us to wisdom. and YouTube and all that is so easily available to us today. [ 4 ] Meaningful Encounters Professor Yang was a visiting [ 3 ] Impressions I believe professor and poet from Brown has been ahead in China, I think Taiwan? I took thinking about education. I am a few classes with him as proud of this, and I believe it well as an independent study. will continue to attract those Tiananmen happened at who cross boundaries and that time. His contribution think out of the box. There to my education was huge was much going on in the because he was very much a 1980s as always, I can’t begin person and artist in the flux to get into all of the politics. and struggle of life, living the My father died my senior year tensions between Eastern and of high school. I was suffering Western literature which was tremendously with that and my interest. As students we my family. I knew many fellow could connect to him more students suffering many than the other professors who many different issues. I think were very much professional mental and emotional health academics. I think bringing needs to be a priority for all more younger, fascinating, colleges especially Brown. interesting roles models with I urge Brown to bring life diverse life experiences as coaching / personal growth teachers at Brown would be development into Brown. It powerful. would make a huge difference to get these real life issues Primary Role(s) Today: Parent, and skills—that is what real spouse, painter, consultant, education is. Aristotle said, martial artist, ballroom dancer "Self knowledge is the beginning of all wisdom." At

Maryam Mohit, 1989 International Relations

(G)ISP

S/NC

Primary Role(s) Today: Director of Product at Nextdoor, Mother

of three, wife of a wonderful guy, daughter of three aging parents

Michael Richter, 1989 American Civilization and Africana Studies (G)ISP

S/NC

(G)ISP: Women in African Literature with Neil Lazarus [ 1 ] Curriculum Made me feel the university respected me as an intelligent adult learner who was capable of shaping my own education.

Primary Role(s) Today: Educator, consultant, therapist / coach, partner, caregiver

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Anonymous, 1989 International Relations (G)ISP

S/NC

L eave

(G)ISP: Analysis of the history of the Caribbean common market, CARICOM. Faculty sponsor: Prof. Paget Henry; Dr. Anthony Maingot [ 1 ] Curriculum I took 1 semester off to train for the Olympics in Seoul. While I was in training I completed an independent study on the Caribbean Common Market under the instruction of Dr. Anthony Maingot at Florida International University.

Primary Role(s) Today: Parent, Business owner

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Julie Blane, 1990 (G)ISP

(G)ISP:

On campus I was involved with a range of activities including Theatre, Dance, the Women’s Centre and Hillel. I also loved taking classes from as wide a variety of departments as I could. I remember choosing the AmCiv major (a.k.a. American Studies) because it was particularly open, didn’t demand a thesis and I could take classes from across the Brown Curriculum.

However, there wasn’t a course on a niche interest of mine— American Jewish women’s history and literature. After speaking with some professors, it seemed the GISP format was the perfect solution.

[ 1 ] Curriculum The GISP was definitely one of the best things I did at Brown, looking back it was a very entrepreneurial experience. I gathered input for the GISP’s curriculum and reading list from a range of professors in Sociology, American Literature, Jewish Studies and Women’s Studies.

Many of them were guest speakers for our GISP. Other parts of the course were selftaught in that each member of the GISP was responsible for planning at least one lecture, seminar and/or assignment.

American Civilization of the course plan with her, she asked insightful questions, gave me suggestions how to frame the proposal differently.

It was a stronger, more robust course when we re-submitted.

I remember feeling such pride when I saw the course description in the Brown Course Catalogue, a big old fashioned phone-book thing back in those days!

[ 3 ] Impressions The GISP shaped my view that academia is open, creative and inclusive.

The experience influenced me, and the others who took Creating and running the GISP the GISP with me, that we was, for me, the essence of a could actualize something we liberal arts education. I learned thought about, planned for and how academia is created from worked hard to implement. It gave me insight into how teams real world experiences. work together to make better [ 2 ] Challenges Submitting outcomes and how leadership the GISP proposal to the can be communally developed. administration wasn’t straight forward and I remember the Primary Role(s) Today: Parent, GISP was not accepted at strategy consultant, impact first. The academic process investing, charity trustee, an was more rigorous than I had American living in London expected. Our faculty sponsor, Frances Goldscheider, was very helpful and supportive in turning that proposal around.

I remember reviewing drafts

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Angela G. Garcia, 1990 Political Science (G)ISP

S/NC

L eave

CRC

(G)ISP: Urban Elementary physically on campus, several furthered

100 miles away or on another continent. My experiences On Leave: I took one leading and designing a semester off and worked GISP on urban elementary as a teacher at the former education and taking time Children’s Learning Center in away from Brown helped me to grow intellectually and Stamford, Connecticut. emotionally.

Curriculum The [ 1 ] curriculum options changed [ 2 ] Challenges None. my life and made my Brown experience so much [ 3 ] Impressions Brown richer. When I discovered allowed me to have a firstthe Curricular Resource rate education. In my junior Center (CRC), I was in the year, I took a year away from sophomore slump. To have school. Through the CRC, I options, such as taking a found an internship which leave, independent and unleashed my passion for group studies, and taking teaching and produced a classes S/NC, allowed me to lifelong commitment to the further my education without education of children. The being in a classroom or on second half of the year, I campus. Importantly, I was a studied and lived in Denmark part of Brown whether I was and traveled in Europe.

This exciting experience

Education

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my curiosity about other countries and people. The ability to be away from Brown and still pursue my studies and intellectual interests enabled me to productively manage my sophomore slump. As a result, I discovered new passions and resilience.

[ 4 ] Meaningful Encounters Dr. Robin Rose, Dr. Reginald Archambault and Dr. Micheline Rice-Maximin were people who encouraged me and saw something promising in me as a student and as a person.

Primary Role(s) Today: I am

an educator and serve as the assistant head school of a day and junior boarding school.

David Narita, 1990 IC Healthcare in Developing Countries with Prof. Stanley Aronson, Medical School IC

S/NC

similar content that fit within my concentration focus.

Thesis

/

Capstone:

The Perception of Health in Latin America, Stanley Aronson

[ 3 ] Impressions I can honestly say that my time at Brown shaped who I am today.

Specifically related to being an independent concentrator, I was given the confidence that I could direct my future and in some small way, change the world. Having to think through my long-term goals, anticipate what would best equip me to reach them, muster the initiative for my field research—that process was invaluable. I entered Brown wanting a comfortable life. I left Brown headed to medical school wanting to make a difference. My family returned just last year after living and working in Cambodia for 12 years—in many ways, it was the fulfillment of the hopes and dreams that spurred my independent concentration.

[ 1 ] Curriculum I loved being an independent concentrator—digging into an area of interest in depth and having the opportunity to develop a synthesis project to pull my studies all together in the end. To form my concentration exploring healthcare in developing countries, I took a combination of anthropology, history, health systems, sociology, poli–sci, and statistics courses.

My geographic / cultural focus was Latin America.

Ultimately, my thesis looked at the perception of health in Latin American communities and whether that influenced how immigrants sought and received health care in an emergency room setting in [ 4 ] Meaningful Encounters Dr. Aronson challenged me Providence. to be a lifelong learner. He [ 2 ] Challenges Finding encouraged me to never feel courses that built on each completely competent in other rather than repeating what I was doing, but always

feel a little (or big) stretch.

It’s advice that’s given me the courage to take risks and push forward.

Brown was also where I developed my AsianAmerican identity. Having grown up in an area without a significant Asian-American community and a father still bitter from his internment experience in World War II, I had never explored this part of my life. During my time at Brown, I came to see my Asian-American heritage not as a liability but an asset.

Most significantly, my life was changed through my involvement in Brown Christian Fellowship. I realized life wasn’t about me—it was much bigger. My eyes were opened to the needs and hurts of our world and I pledged to give myself to its reconciliation.

Primary Role(s) Today: University professor and underserved community physician

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Adena Meyers, 1990 Women’s Studies (G)ISP

S/NC

(G)ISP: Professor Ross Cheit I found that the freedom to In fact, it inspired me to become

sponsored a Group Independent Study Project on women and public policy. I also did an independent study with one other student and a Religious Studies professor, if I recall correctly.

[ 1 ] Curriculum The Open Curriculum and S/NC options played a major role in my decision to attend Brown. I was young and idealistic and loved the idea of learning “for learning’s sake” without concern regarding grades and with freedom to select all of my courses based on my interests. The S/NC option ended up being a bit of a disappointment: I took all of my classes S/NC freshman year, but few instructors completed the “Course Performance Reports” that I requested. I also observed that some students seemed to use the S/NC option as a way to protect their GPAs. I became disillusioned after this and elected to take all subsequent classes for a grade (except the women and public policy GISP since the faculty sponsor preferred that we take it S/NC, and one writing class that the professor recommended taking S/NC).

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choose courses lived up to the promise. I was consistently aware that I wanted to be in all of my classes, and I loved having responsibility for directing my own education (this was true in my Women’s Studies concentration, as well... it was not an independent concentration but afforded considerable flexibility in course selection). During my years at Brown, I studied a range of subjects (math, biology, foreign language, literature, journalism, philosophy, social science), but never felt like I was fulfilling a requirement.

a Women’s Studies concentrator.

I recently attended a Brown Admissions session with my teenage son and the Admissions Officer asked if anyone in the audience was an alum and then asked how the advising was “back then.” I think I was the only alum in the audience, and I said it was fine. He seemed surprised by this and indicated that the advising has improved a lot in recent years, implying that it was inadequate in the past. This interchange prompted me to reflect on how I was able to successfully navigate the curriculum at Brown. I think [ 2 ] Challenges I didn’t find the answer is that I was very it particularly challenging to independent and didn’t need (or navigate the Open Curriculum. I want!) a lot of advice. loved it!

Here’s what I remember about One potential exception to this advising at Brown: I had a faculty is that Spring semester of my advisor assigned to me during freshman year, I took a class that my freshman year, associated was a little bit over my head (it with a class that I took (I elected was a class called “Literature and to have my Calculus II professor Society” and seemed to have a as my advisor). He wasn’t all number of upper-class students that helpful, in that he was with a stronger background in not especially encouraging literature and critical theory than when I talked to him about the I brought to the table). I muddled possibility of concentrating in my way through, though, and math (even though I did very definitely learned from the class. well in his class). In retrospect,

I have sometimes wondered if he made assumptions about me because of my gender or my math background (he may have assumed that a freshman taking calculus was not a strong math student, but he did not know anything about my educational background). He did indicate that anyone interested in math should learn about computers.

I should have listened to that advice (in 1987)! But, alas, computers did not interest me at all at that time. I think I had a student advisor assigned at the same time but have no memory of that person. I talked to other students (including the resident counselors in my dorm), signed up for classes that interested me, and enjoyed exploring a variety of subjects. I eventually settled on the Women’s Studies concentration. Elizabeth Weed was the Women’s Studies advisor and she provided the guidance that I needed to complete my concentration (honestly, I didn’t feel that I needed much guidance and greatly appreciated the freedom and flexibility that the concentration afforded me).

science classes I had taken and my experiences as a resident counselor, I decided to apply to doctoral programs in clinicalcommunity psychology. (I also received some guidance on this from family members).

programs—which I did, and ended up being accepted to two excellent programs (one of which I attended) right out of Brown.

I also took advantage of the Open Curriculum by loading up Not being a psychology on psychology classes in my concentrator, I wasn’t sure how final semester (I didn’t have any to proceed, so I reached out to lingering requirements to worry a couple of faculty members about, so was free to take the in the Psychology Department exact courses that would help ... and got conflicting advice. me further my career objectives).

One person (I think he was the department chair and I didn’t With less freedom, I probably know him at all before going in would have made some different to meet with him about this), decisions, maybe even a few was discouraging and said “better” decisions, but I would that it’s harder to get into PhD not trade the opportunity to be programs in clinical psychology in charge of my own education, than it is to get into medical and responsible for my own school, implying that as a good and bad choices along the non-psychology concentrator way. Brown was (and I think still I would have no chance of is) a great place for confident, getting in. After talking to him, self-motivated students to I figured that I should probably figure things out for themselves. pursue a Master’s Degree first, Role(s) Today: and apply to PhD programs in Primary a year or two. The other person Psychology Professor; Mother I consulted was an adjunct (I think) from whom I had taken Personality Psychology. He said that a Master’s Degree in psychology would probably Fall semester of my senior not be very helpful and that I year, inspired by several social should try my luck with doctoral

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Anonymous, 1990

Educational Studies & Comparative Literature rigorous university for every single semester is and was (G)ISP: Alternative Education fabulous.

(G)ISP

S/NC

[ 1 ] Curriculum Interestingly, some of what I studied in the one GISP I took while at Brown has come in most handy during various parts of my career in Education.

Without that GISP, I would have lacked exposure and knowledge about important pedagogy.

The S/NC option was a great way to encourage taking courses “outside my comfort zone” and not be overly concerned about “getting the A.” No distribution requirements is absolutely central to what makes a Brown education great and far above any other. The fact that right away freshman year I could (and did) take small, seminar specialized topic courses was phenomenal and directed my concentration path significantly. I see far too many college students literally waste the first several semesters in college taking only large General Ed requirements, and clearly it impacts being able to finish college in 4 years. To be able to have the diversity of options provided in a large

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[ 2 ] Challenges So many interesting courses to take and how to fit it all in! Also, because so many courses were open to students at all levels and majors, sometimes it was hard to get into the smaller courses the exact semester I wanted.

I sometimes also found it frustrating that individual professors seemed to have tons of discretion as to who got into a class and how it was decided (some required you to write an essay, others prioritized certain majors, others it was first come first served). While I appreciate the freedom and autonomy given to faculty, it was confusing and frustrating as a student. Not sure if that has changed since I was at Brown. [ 3 ] Impressions My Brown Education absolutely helped shape my ability as an adult to navigate challenges, find solutions, seek information, persist, communicate effectively in every mode both written and oral.

Being the driver of your own education is integral to

the Brown experience and something I always assess when doing BASC interviews to this day. [ 4 ] Meaningful Encounters One of those classes I stumbled on my first year at Brown (Adolescent Psychology I believe) ended up leading me into majoring in Educational Studies and introduced me to Dr. Fayneese Miller, who became my mentor, and I remain in touch with still all these years later. I became one of her research assistants & TAs through my last year at Brown, she was one of my thesis advisors, when I had a traumatic personal experience during my time there she was a support system. None of that might have happened if it weren’t for the Open Curriculum and my ability to take that type of course my first year.

I remember calling home and telling my mom: “I think I’m the only Freshman in the class...there are guys with beards!”

Primary

Role(s)

Today:

Mother, human resource professional, high school mentor

Lori Bluvas , 1991 IC Women’s Studies and Human Biology IC

(G)ISP

S/NC

Thesis / Capstone: Reproductive technologies (ironic as I’m an infertility doctor now). Advisor was the same super awesome professor whose name I have forgotten.

(G)ISP: Something about violence against women.

Barbara Tannenbaum was faculty sponsor. [ 1 ] Curriculum Allowed me to add a women’s studies concentration, and made it less stressful to complete prereqs and have an “acceptable major” (human biology) for applications to medical school. [ 2 ] Challenges None! [ 4 ] Meaningful Encounters Violence against women GISP.

Primary Role(s) Today: Single mother, OB/GYN physician, small-business owner

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Bennett (Ben) Siems, 1990 Mathematics (G)ISP

(G)ISP: Personal Narrative Among Early Blues

Musicians with faculty sponsor Bruce Rosenberg (Am Civ Dept). Note: The title of the project changed as my research evolved. I do not remember the original title. [ 1 ] Curriculum Completing the independent study was a defining experience in my life, shaping not only the conclusion of my Brown experience (I completed the project during my senior year), but also the scholar and person I have since become. And the IS would never have occurred without the Open Curriculum.

Above: The photo shows Charlemagne, my jazz guitar, and me.

Charlemagne's case bears a bumper sticker that, though not made by a Brown alum, puts the essence of the Brown way in its simplest form: “SEEK TRUTH.”

dabbling with no focus or depth to my learning.

That is when Dean Preston Smith’s wisdom transformed my entire understanding of my [ 2 ] Challenges Overall, I took to the Open education and myself. His first comment upon Curriculum like a fish to water of ideal salinity seeing my transcript was, “Whoa, you really are for its species. The opportunity to follow threads all over the place!” But after a pause, he said, “No, of interest from one course to the next to the no, wait, there is a common theme here. You are next excited me in ways that no distribution interested in the forces that shaped American requirements-based curriculum ever could. The culture, especially those forces that emerged challenge that arose was that, my interests being from groups usually given short shrift in the diverse, I found myself wondering during the teaching of history.” And the rest, appropriately spring of my junior year if I was just endlessly enough, is history.

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[ 3 ] Impressions Above everything else, my Brown experience, and the Open Curriculum in particular, taught me to believe in my own agency to transform my life over and over again.

I learned that I, like everyone, am stronger when I answer to my own dreams and aspirations, not anyone else’s conception of the path I should follow.

celebrated the fact I already was such a person, and gave me a space to discover the power of committing to my choices with all my soul, come what may.

[ 4 ] Meaningful Encounters I will never forget the late Dr. George Houston Bass’s stories of his close friendship with writer Langston Hughes.

He instilled in me a sense of wonder at the I decided to learn lindy hop at age 45, and placed extraordinary encounters that occur every day in a competition at age 47. Simply put, how of one’s life. I will always remember both the joy Brown is that? Whether describing my music, in his eyes and the importance of his message. my writings, or my daily choices in how I live my life, others say of me on a nearly daily basis Primary Role(s) Today: Editor, writer, composer, that I am different from anyone else they’ve ever musician, tutor, academic test analyst, lindy known. Brown didn’t make me such a person; it hopper and blues dancer

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Greg Brail, 1991 Computer Science (G)ISP

S/NC

(G)ISP: Science Writing

As someone with a less strong identity [ 1 ] Curriculum S/NC was important and who was not terribly impressive, it because it let me try out a few things, like was more of a struggle to find one’s way.

Music Theory, which taught me a lot but I found a few things that were important I wasn’t terribly well-suited to in the long to me but I wish that faculty were more a part of it—instead, I mainly learned from term. my fellow students.

I would have taken a leave during the year that I edited The Brown Daily Herald [ 4 ] Meaningful Encounters Obviously but I wasn’t allowed to. Honestly I should my experience running the Herald taught have taken five years and not four to get me a lot about leadership, about the world, and about writing. a better academic experience.

It also let me try things like Ethnomusicology which was offered with pre-requisites but in fact never should have been offered to anything but music majors. [ 2 ] Challenges Pretty much the same as everyone else—there was no faculty mentor there who had spent any time in the real world to help advise on what we might do after college or how we might prepare. As a result I made choices (like under-focusing on academics) that were not great long-term choices.

Also, the professor that had the biggest impact, actually, was Ron Nelson in the Music department. I took two semesters of Music Theory because of him (and maybe also because of a pretty young woman). In the end, I wasn’t ready to be a “real” musician but I learned things there about music that have stuck with me the whole time.

My computer science experience was important because at the time Brown was filled with brilliant students who I learned from, and was at the leading edge in terms of the resources and opportunities [ 3 ] Impressions My impression was that that were given to undergraduates. I’m Brown was a great place for people who not sure if that is still the case. already had a strong identity.

Primary Role(s) Today: Software Also, the impressive people who I met developer / technical leader / father at Brown turned out to be even more impressive in real life.

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Peggy Chang, 1991 American Civilization S/NC

L eave

CRC

Right: Peggy’s student ID issued in Fall 1987, and during her time off in San Francisco, photo circa May 1990.

On Leave: I took 3 semesters Wu helped me (and my parents)

off. For one year, I found an internship/job through the College Venture Program (doesn't exist now) and worked in the development office of a theater company in San Francisco, during the year of the 1989 SF Bay Area earthquake!

(I was promoted from Intern to Development Assistant as a result, because the theater sustained thousands of dollars in structural damage.)

For the following fall semester, I thought I'd be returning to school, but I decided to take another leave to take care of myself; I lived in PVD off campus, worked at a local coffee shop and interned at Trinity Repertory Theatre Company.

understand that time away from Brown could be a good thing, and that Brown the institution was supportive of this option.

Claudia Yellin '87, the Resource Center director at the time, helped me walk through the decision-making process in terms of what to do during my time away. I wanted to work at an arts organization, and I really wanted to experience the life and culture of northern California as someone newly awakened to the history of U.S. Asian Americans; finding the American Conservatory Theater was a god-send. I loved my work, being able to see theater, music and dance performances around the city for free (via tickets to given out to "paper" the house during slow nights), and I loved the city of San Francisco. I lived there during a time when you could afford to on my weekly wage, and I found roommates through the Roommate Referral Service and lived in the HaightAshbury District. I ran the Bay to Breakers race with one of my roommates, who was originally from Wichita, Kansas.

[ 1 ] Curriculum My leavetaking experience was crucial to my being able to continue on with college and think more positively about my future. My first two years at Brown were both joyous and incredibly stressful. I was having a quarter-life crisis about my career path, deciding to step away from being pre-med after having a miserable time with some of my requirements, and I was deeply distressed by the A year later, I returned to Brown racism I witnessed on campus thinking I was ready to come as a Minority Peer Counselor back to school. Two days into my sophomore year. Dean Jean

classes, I realized I wasn't.

Dean Tom Bechtel in the Office of Student Life and Dr. Ferd Jones in Psychological Services helped me file for another leave. This time I focused on getting professional treatment; later I found work at a local cafe (Peaberry's), and interned at Trinity Repertory Theatre Company while going back to school part-time in the spring semester. [ 2 ] Challenges I didn’t realize as an incoming freshman that having so little structure would be difficult for me. Ultimately, it served me well, but not in the beginning. [ 3 ] Impressions The OC forces one to grapple with their identity and choices; I understand how this is exciting and daunting. I love advising students about their choices and the journey ahead.

Primary Role(s) Today: Educator, daughter.

parent,

spouse,

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Greg Siegle, 1991 Cognitive Science (G)ISP

S/NC

(G)ISP): (1) Software for differential geometry

(Tom Banchoff); (2) Autonomous robot design (Tom Dean)

[ 1 ] Curriculum I felt complete flexibility to get the education I wanted and to make a difference for future students as an undergraduate. [ 2 ] Challenges None, really—by the time I got there it worked like clockwork. I should also note, my concentration, Cognitive Science, had, until the year before, been an independent concentration only. I was in the first graduating class in Cognitive Science as a concentration, and we were all grateful to those who had worked hard, in independent concentrations, to establish it.

Primary Role(s) Today: Researcher (Associate professor), husband, mentor

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Kevin M. Stack, 1991 Philosophy (G)ISP

(G)ISP: Liberal Arts Education [ 1 ] Curriculum It was a powerful experience and sense of responsibility to have a group of five students work together on the design and then the implementation of a college course. Our course was the ultimate Brown course: we did our Group Independent Study on the core mission and values of liberal arts education and curriculum. So the Open Curriculum allowed us to do a group independent student on the Open Curriculum—as well as a more general student of the history, aims, and methods of higher education. Not only was this a great experience in terms of what I learned from my peers, and the message it sent to me about how I was responsible, with my peers, for my own life-long education, but it also

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kindled my own professional interest in education. [ 2 ] Challenges I recall that it took me longer that I wanted to find courses that truly interested me and that I could have used more guidance from the faculty in my course selection. I eventually found philosophy and Professor Nancy Rosenblum’s and Professor Martha Nussbaum’s classes—and I was hooked.

My experience of struggling in my first year lead me to join the Curriculum Committee, headed at that time by Dean Shelia Blumstein. As a result of that work, I ended up working over the summer as a special assistant to Dean Blumstein working on a report that proposed (1) identifying some introduction level course (University Courses?)

that would be good gateway courses, and (2) showing that the vast majority of Brown students do fulfill distribution requirements. It would be great to see a copy of that report, written in 1990/91. [ 4 ] Meaningful Encounters I had the benefit of fabulous faculty during my experience at Brown. I wrote a senior thesis in philosophy with both Professors Martha Nussbaum and Nancy Rosenblum as my advisors.

Their guidance in that process sparked my interest in pursuing a career as an academic. Prof.

Rosenblum was the first one who suggested I think about teaching law. I would never have had the thought, and it is now my current career. Both Professor Rosenblum and Nussbaum were astounding teachers with a combination of world-class knowledge and care for students. Professor Nussbaum was also tireless in supporting my applications to graduate school, a Fulbright Fellowship, and then law school.

I would not be where I am today without their mentorship and support. My sense of what excellence is was profoundly shaped by their examples and their teaching.

In addition, then Dean Blumstein was amazing. I had approached her after an allcampus event on education and she suggested I be a student member of the Curriculum Committee. I served in that role, and then (as noted above) she invited me to stay on and work as her special assistant for the summer between my junior and senior year. That work produced a report on the curriculum that recommended designation of some courses as gateway or ‘University’ courses and also studied the course that students take, showing that the vast majority would fulfill distribution requirements.

It was signficant to have anyone, much less the Dean of the College, display that kind of confidence in me. I think it

speaks to the spirit of Brown; at Brown, everyone is invited into a dialogue and the only limit is your own time and knowledge.

Primary Role(s) Today:

Professor of Law, Parent

Above: Attached is a paper written in my 1988 GISP in my sophmore year. I unfortunately do not have the syllabus of our course.

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Allison Karmel Thomason, 1991 IC Old World Art and Archaeology with Prof. Martha Joukowsky, Center for Old World Art and Archaeology, Classics IC

S/NC African Dance. I also tried out more difficult courses that I was “afraid” to take, such as Intro. to Geological Sciences, and Political Philosophy. I loved the ability to experiment and grow through these classes, and to this day, I still remember the experiences, assignments and information I learned in them. I also made a point to still get a “liberal education” by mixing hard sciences, humanitites, social sciences, and fine arts.

Thesis / Capstone: The Nimrud Ivories: Assyrian

Crafts and Objects in the Ninth Century BC (or something like that, I can’t remember) [ 1 ] Curriculum Really liked the S/NC option—I took classes I wouldn’t normally take, such as

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[ 2 ] Challenges I really embraced it, although doing an independent concentration was a bit confusing at times. This was especially the case in senior year when it came time to form a thesis committee. It was a bit difficult to figure out what a “thesis defense” was, as well as including the IC Dean’s committee in the final stages. But it was really the guidance of my advisor, Martha Joukowsky, who helped me navigate it all. Plus, there were several people just before me and after who IC-majored in “Old World Art and Archae.”, and I believe that we forged the way towards making this a real major at Brown (with the interdisciplinary Center for Old World Art and Archaeology, the predecessor to the Joukowsky Institute).

[ 3 ] Impressions I think the Open Curriculum is the pillar of Brown’s foundation. I remember taking courses outside of my “major” simply because of the reputation of the professor, and I was never disappointed. I took courses with Jim Head, Paula Vogel (in residence at the time), the first course of the Vietnam War in a university, Engin. 9 with Barrett Hazeltine, Neuroscience with Mark Baer.

I could go on. I never would have taken these courses without the OC. I’ll never forget dancing on the Main Green for African Dance one spring day. Quintessential Brown experiences. I teach at a university now, and try to bring my students outside every now and then, remembering the feeling I had when my seminars headed outside.

BUT, I did manage NEVER to take a math class at Brown—and I don’t regret it!

hallways in Keeney Quad with my freshmen unitmates. Being a part of the Brown Concert Club and going “backstage” for concerts. Mark Baer’s Pavlovian dog cartoons in Neuroscience.

Jim Head getting beers delievered by students at his partition in “Rocks for Jocks”. Paula Vogel pulling a few of us aside after our first papers were handed in and telling us we had talent and should major in English. Excavating with Martha in Corfu, Greece. These are the experiences I remember. Still friends with my freshman unitmates 25 years later.

Primary Role(s) Today: Professor of History, Parent

Visiting Martha Joukowsky at her house on Prospect St. for our advisor meetings: I was greeted by her wonderful dogs, and I felt like part of her family. We would talk about my concentration, but it was the human experiences with Martha that are forged in my memory. So many memories and experiences, and they are still so vivid. Sitting up late at night in the

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Anonymous, 1993 Religious Studies (G)ISP

S/NC

(G)ISP: History of Magic. Don’t remember automated student robot. I went on to exact name of faculty. do advanced degrees in Religion and Anthropology, and my experiences at the [ 1 ] Curriculum The curricular options graduate level were much more similar to made it possible for me to stay in school. my time at Brown than they were to other I was going through some very difficult students’ undergraduate experiences. I personal issues at the time, and I took two think Brown has a unique place in the semesters with only 3 classes each, one academic landscape and would be very, of which I took everything S/NC. At most very disappointed if its Open Curriculum other schools, I would have had to take a ever went away. So many other schools medical or other leave, thereby depriving offer the rote learning route—why would me of the support of my friends, health we change to become just another cog in services, etc. I am eternally grateful to the machine?

Brown for being flexible enough to keep me in school during that time. [ 4 ] Meaningful Encounters My UTRA research with Prof. Emeritus Stan Stowers On an academic note, my interests were in Religion (two summers’ worth) very specific (the study of magic during absolutely impacted me in my choice the Greco-Roman period), and my of career (academia) and fostered my independent study wound up leading talent as a scholar. I am forever grateful into my senior thesis, for which I won the for that opportunity to work so closely prize in the Religion Department the next with a professor. We are still in touch after all these years! year. [ 2 ] Challenges None at all. My education at Brown was top-notch and so easy to navigate through. [ 3 ] Impressions I believe that by empowering me to follow my own quirky academic pursuits, Brown helped me to learn to plan and navigate academia more like a true scholar than like an

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Primary Role(s) Today: Parent, educator,

mentor

Susan Ferber, 1993 IC Victorian and Edwardian Studies with Prof. Perry Curtis, History and Modern Culture and Media IC

S/NC

Thesis/Capstone: New Woman literature of the [ 4 ] Meaningful Encounters The person who 1890s, Perry Curtis probably most helped guide me during my first year was my freshman/ Meiklejohn advisor, Ted [ 1 ] Curriculum I absolutely felt as though Sizer, who was always sage, calm, patient, and I got more thorough and useful feedback helpful--despite having many national and global when I took courses S/NC and got written responsibilities. He remained a mentor up until evaluations for them. These also became the his death. I also want to call out my sophomore basis for letters of recommendations from these advisor, Clare Durst, in the dean’s office, who professors later. I mostly took advantage of no helped me navigate all the ways through making distribution requirements by experimenting an independent concentration. There were too in science courses and disciplines I wasn’t too many meaningful experiences and classes to familiar or comfortable with. Putting together recount here. an independent concentration allowed me to create something that represented a broad Primary Role(s) Today: Book editor interdisciplinary way of gaining knowledge and doing an area/period study that did not exist at Brown. They gave me a way of organizing what often seemed too many options and still allowed me to take electives. What I graduated with was a cohesive degree that was uniquely mine. [ 2 ] Challenges Sometimes it felt as though there was way too much choice, and sophomore advising was weaker in my day. [ 3 ] Impressions I felt as though I took full advantage of the Open Curriculum. Being able to read so broadly absolutely influenced my becoming an editor in that I was trained in having to read deeply and think broadly and critically.

Above: This is a photo from my independent concentration graduation ceremony in 1993.

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Becka Vargus Katz, 1994 IC Artistic Expression and Child Development: Using Performing Artistry as a Cultivator of Self-Actualization, with Prof. Julie Strandberg, Theatre, Speech, and Dance (G)ISP

IC

S/NC

Thesis / Capstone: Afterschool Performing Arts Experiences for Underserved

Children, Julie Strandberg

[ 1 ] Curriculum I got to follow my passions in designing my own concentration. It inspired me to be rigorous in my own thinking and reflective in how that thinking connected to others’ ideas. [ 2 ] Challenges At times it would seem overwhelming to have that much choice, but it inspired me to take risks and take ownership of my learning.

Primary Role(s) Today: Parent, teaching artist, dancer, teacher

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Homay King, 1994 Modern Culture and Media (G)ISP

S/NC

(G)ISP: Mixed Raced Peoples in FORCE, a group in that coalition Organizing for America / I don’t remember (she (Feminists Radical Change and Equality). was a Dean) As a college professor I am still [ 1 ] Curriculum S/NC was committed to increasing access useful (and I believe in some to higher education for all and to cases mandatory) for classes in feminism. which the primary goal was the production of creative work, for [ 4 ] Meaningful Encounters I example creative writing and really wish I could remember the name of the dean who supervised video production. our group independent study. [ 2 ] Challenges Not many. I She was African American. She enjoyed being able to select my agreed to supervise us even own course of study without the though it was not really a part of constraints of general ed and her administrative activities. She even commented on our syllabus distribution requirements. and essays, and she wrote a [ 3 ] Impressions Yes, I believe in letter of recommendation for the effectiveness of the Open me for graduate school. My Curriculum, although I believe it primary advisers in MCM were works best for students who are Nancy Armstrong and Leonard who were self-directed and already have a Tennenhouse, sense of where their interests and wonderful (both have departed talents lie. Political events: I was for Duke University). They a member of SAMA (Students supervised my senior thesis, for Aid and Minority Admissions) which was entitled “Inalienable that organized a demonstration Possessions: The Daughterly and sit-in at University Hall in Duty in Chinese American Spring 1992, in which I believe Fiction and Film.” about 300 students were arrested. I was also a member of Primary Role(s) Today: Professor

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Janine Treves, 1995 IC Perception at the crossroads of Modern Culture and Media, Psychology, Cognitive Science, and Theatre Arts IC

L eave

S/NC

On Leave: I took a half-year leave of absence. I travelled and

worked.

[ 1 ] Curriculum Totally and completely. [ 2 ] Challenges Self-doubt and lots more work than anticipated. [ 3 ] Impressions Being able to do an independent concentration blew my mind, for better and for worse, since my educational experience became about finding the links between traditionally separate subject matters, all of which fascinated me. This, coupled with my experience as a Writing Fellow, is the reason I became an editor in the humanities and social sciences, and later in international affairs and public policy.

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[ 4 ] Meaningful Encounters Impossible; they were so many meaningful experiences. What I loved most about straddling so many subject matters, in addition to the intellectual challenge, is that I met people from all walks of life.

Primary Role(s) Today: Parent, Editor, Educator

Very useful in terms of providing a framework for creative thinking.

REMEMBERING THE CRC

Ryan Cristal, 1996 IC

S/NC

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Anonymous, 1997 Biology (G)ISP

S/NC

(G)ISP: Medicinal Plants [ 1 ] Curriculum S/NC was a great option, really encouraged me to take classes out of my comfort zone [ 3 ] Impressions The Open Curriculum is wonderful. I worked at several universities after graduating from Brown and heard many undergraduates complaining about the required courses they had to take.

Primary Role(s) Today: Scientist, parent

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Suyin So, 1997 IC Transnational Issues in Asian American Studies with Prof. Bob Lee, American Civilization IC

S/NC

[ 1 ] Curriculum It was a heady and liberating moment because I realized that I was fully accountable and in control of my own education. [ 2 ] Challenges Process was not always clear and I did not always feel prepared or informed about consequences and impact of my decisions.

Primary Role(s) Today: Executive Director of public charter school, mother, wife

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Lesley Yalen, 1998 IC Peace and Conflict Studies IC

(G)ISP

S/NC

Thesis / Capstone: Thesis: The [ 3 ] Impressions I never once first Palestinian intifada and the road to the Oslo Agreements; Prof. Dominique Arel at the Watson Institute

envied friends who went to colleges with core curricula, even though I can totally see good arguments for something like that. For me, it felt incredibly (G)ISP: Did one on Women and empowering to be able to Body Image—forget the name choose what I wanted to study, of sponsor and to experiment and explore as I see fit. I remember feeling [ 1 ] Curriculum TOTALLY very supported by faculty and shaped my experience. Such the Dean as I was creating and a positive part of my Brown submitting my Independent experience. The GISP was one Concentration, and feeling of the best things I ever did at proud of myself for doing it.

Brown—wonderful experience creating a curriculum and [ 4 ] Meaningful Encounters learning in a self-directed way Professor Arel, who was my with friends. Designing my own thesis advisor, always made concentration was also a very me feel smart and capable. He enriching and engaging part of talked to me like an intellectual and made me feel that I could my time there. do it. [ 2 ] Challenges None, I don’t think! I loved every minute of I also remember vividly (though my academic experience at I can’t remember her name!) a Brown. Had helpful advisors, Shakespeare professor who and so many great classes. And helped me one particular loved the freedom to study day my freshman year. I was what I wanted and learn for the taking an upper level class sake of learning. with her, and enjoying it, but I was intimidated and didn’t talk

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much in class because I felt like everyone else knew more than I did. When I met with this professor about a paper early on, I told her this, and she told me she was going to call on me the very next class. Not to be cruel, but because she was sure I had just as good things to say as everyone else. And she did.

She called on me, and I spoke, and that broke my shyness and made me feel like I really belonged at Brown and could hold my own.

Primary Role(s) Today: Parent, Poet, Non-profit Administrator

Besenia Rodriguez, 2000 Afro-American Studies and Education (G)ISP

S/NC

(G)ISP: Can’t remember the transformative and sustaining.

faculty sponsor but the GISP The fight for Ethnic Studies as a concentration was underway, was on U.S. Latino Literature as was the fight for need– [ 1 ] Curriculum The Semester blind admissions. Seeing in NYC wasn’t expressly students take such ownership connected to the CRC at over their education and the the time, but it profoundly institution was inspiring and shaped the rest of my time helped shape my view of what at Brown and life decisions education should be. afterwards. Being surrounded by students from other [ 4 ] Meaningful Encounters colleges and universities and The ability to conduct research by professionals from a range with a faculty member of of backgrounds crystallized color, and to get to know and the uniqueness of Brown and be mentored by her was life the ways of challenging and altering. examining the world that are Primary Role(s) Today: Parent, cultivated here. advisor, mentor, teacher [ 2 ] Challenges Can’t recall any specific challenges. I really enjoyed the freedom and the choices. I felt hungry for this degree of choice after such a prescribed education prior to Brown. [ 3 ] Impressions The TWC (now the Brown Center for Students of Color) was an important space for me — and its programming was

Above: Me at my Brown '00 graduation in front of Churchill House.

Above: This appears to be an article I wrote about my semester studying abroad at the University of the West Indies for the African Sun publication in 1999.

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Emily Meg Weinstein, 2001 IC

Human Freedom and Education with Prof. Lewis Gordon, Africana Studies

Thesis / Capstone: Being and Being Educated: the way I support myself as I continue to pursue

A Phenomenological Study of Self-Discipline and the Project of Education, advised by Lewis Gordon

[ 1 ] Curriculum These options were central to my experience. I chose Brown specifically because of its Open Curriculum, and it is still hard to imagine attending any other school. I was an extremely high-achieving and competitive high school student (obviously, if I attended Brown), and so college was an assumed next step, but in retrospect, exploration, travel, a gap year, a more unconventional path might have served me even better. Due to the values of the background I come from—Jewish, privileged, from New York, and the eldest of my generation in my family—the pressure and expectation that I not only attend college, but that I attend the most competitive and expensive college possible made any other choice unthinkable. (I recognize that having this so-called “pressure” is itself a privilege.) Brown was a way for me to begin to explore more widely while still following a fairly conventional path, and it worked out very well. I had no clear major in mind when I started, and over time, my educational path moved from liberal political studies to more radical traditions of thought, informed by a very exciting awakening to existentialism and radical political theory.

At Brown, I was able to follow my educational curiosity and then, through the independent concentration, name my own intellectual path of study. My independent major set the stage for

142

my literary efforts. I tutor kids, and I find that this satisfies my pedagogical talents and interests while enabling me to be self-employed and exist largely outside of institutions as an artist and entrepreneur (my tutoring is my own business).

My Brown experience was the beginning of my adult life, which has followed a path more unconventional and satisfying than I could have predicted when I began my college education.

The freedom and self-direction Brown offered me enabled me to become who I needed to become, while also challenging myself intellectually and growing as a human. Or, in short, these options were great! Just perfect for who I was, and who I became. The space they made gave me room to explore. The Frank Sinatra song, “My Way” would be an appropriate musical accompaniment to this question. My brother, who followed me to Brown four years later, took a semester off and worked as a shepherd in Italy. Brown’s openenss served him in similar and different ways.

[ 2 ] Challenges None, really. I wish I had taken more small, seminar courses. I took a few courses because I was interested in the subject matter, but I now know that all that matters is the professor, and I advise my own students to choose their classes solely by the quality of the instruction, because you can research your interests on the internet, but a great teacher is the only reason to be in a classroom. But even as a still-17-year-old freshman, I was SO ready to have complete control of my educational path. I always found the lack of

choice in my traditional K-12 education, in public schools in New York City and then its suburbs, to be stifling and oppressive.

I didn’t form a particular relationship with my freshman advisor, and looking back, I would have benefitted from more advising. But, to be frank, many of the teachers in my high school were either child molesters or flat-out morons, so I lacked trust in authority figures, a trust that was slowly rebuilt through my years at Brown. My Brown education was a process of rebuilding trust in adults and community, so at first, I avoided the contact with professors that could have further enriched my experience. That was my own challenge, not one posed by Brown. [ 4 ] Meaningful Encounters All of my classes with Lewis Gordon and Tony Bogues, whose full name is Barrymore Bogues. These guys blew my mind and changed my life forever. My work with them was the central experience of my Brown career. The education class with Bil Johnson was also awesome. Interacting with Janet CooperNelson was a very positive experience. My mind was opened to more radical perspectives than I even knew existed before I came to Brown, and I continue to live them out to this day in my pedagogy, artistic practice, activism, and life itself.

Above: It has come to my attention that I am in the minority—15%—of Brown graduates NOT to attend graduate school. This photograph depicts me pursuing my education at the graduate school of rock.

Primary Role(s) Today: Essayist / Writer / Blogger

/ Tutor / Climber / Friend / Daughter / Sister / Single Woman

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Jori Ketten, 2002 IC Making Meaning Through Moving: Art, Pedagogy, and the Development of Self with Profs. Nancy Hoffman, and Eileen Landay, Education (G)ISP

IC

S/NC

Thesis / Capstone:

Nancy Hoffman, Education and Eileen Landay, Education. I wrote a thesis on "communities of practice," using the ArtsLiteracy Project community and pedagogy as a case study.

(G)ISP: I did more than one within the Education

Department, and I did a GISP on alternative photographic processes with Professor James Baird.

[ 1 ] Curriculum Flexibility was hugely important to me! I was so appreciative of the openness of Brown's curriculum (it was my primary reason for applying). [ 2 ] Challenges In declaring my independent concentration I set myself up to take prerequisites, and I also spent a huge amount of time working on the ArtsLiteracy Project (as a volunteer and through independent studies). I sometimes wish I had been advised to take just a couple more classes outside my immediate areas of interest in order to leave Brown with a more balanced experience. But I also don’t regret the depth of my IC—it truly shaped who I am today.

Primary Role(s) Today:

partner, parent, artist

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Educator, administrator,

Rachel Mason, 2002 IC Science and Religion

Above: Hiking on the California coast.

Thesis / Capstone:

Chris Amirault was my advisor. It was based on interviews with scientists who are religious, and explored how they view the relationship between science and religion.

On Leave: I took off a year and

worked and travelled in Europe.

I lived in the south of France and London, and I travelled all over Europe. I also met my husband (who is Canadian) during this time, and we now live in Canada. [ 1 ] Curriculum My experience at Brown was that the system was focused to promote my own unique learning path, not to check off boxes or jump through hoops of what other people thought I “should know.” I followed my passions and I was excited about learning. I took courses outside my areas of expertise, and was able to challenge myself intellectually through this—for example, astrophysics my first semester of freshman year. I took classes for no credit just because I was interested in

IC

(G)ISP

S/NC

them, and I also audited classes I didn’t have time to take. The experience of creating my own concentration and being led by my intellectual curiosity shaped my life greatly, as I now use those skills and values and an educator, project manager, and curriculum developer. While I did not continue with the study of science and religion, I have continued to learn about and work in the fields of inquirybased, inter-disciplinary learning and teaching.

My experience at Brown contributed to my strong belief that people should have choice in their own education. I felt like Brown honoured my learning more than anything else. It was an intellectually rich experience like no other. By having an open curriculum, and the option to create independent concentrations and GISPs, Brown demonstrated that it trusts students and believes their learning is valuable. In this way, it promotes creativity and critical thinking. I also liked that none of my classmates were in classes because they had to be, but rather because they wanted to be. [ 2 ] Challenges It was a lot of work creating an independent concentration, but it was a well-thought-out structure that pushed me to develop academically.

L eave focused on youth engagement and creating change in the education system to promote personalization, creativity, and inquiry. I also work in the area of cross-cultural training and this is a type of learning that requires holistic selfdevelopment and curiosity.

These were values that I saw demonstrated at Brown, and part of the reason I feel so strongly about these values is that I’ve seen how well they worked when I was a student at Brown. [ 4 ] Meaningful Encounters I took two classes with Chris Amirault that really influenced me. In the first we had to respond to a full text in only one paragraph. This was very challenging but taught me to write concisely and read carefully. The other was Philosophy of Education and I remember having fabulous small group discussions with the other students. Also, in a number of classes I learned how to read a large volume in a short amount of time, and sort through information to find the key ideas. This is also a skill that has been very useful throughout my life.

Primary Role(s) Today:

Consultant, Educator, Parent

[ 3 ] Impressions Yes, I believe in it strongly. My career has 145

Deborah Friedes Galili, 2003 IC

Dance History: Modern Dance and the Immigrant Experience with Prof. Julie Strandberg, Theatre, Speech, and Dance Thesis / Capstone: My thesis focused on the work of four American modern dance choreographers born to Eastern European Jewish immigrants. My advisor was Julie Strandberg, and I also worked closely with Josh Zeitz.

Primary Role(s) Today: Arts administrator, dance and dance history teacher, researcher, writer

146

Heidi Brown, 2006 Community Health (G)ISP Above: This photo is one of my best friends from Brown and me in 2012, six years after we graduated from medical school.

(G)ISPs: A group of undergrads, mentored by Susan Cu-Uvin, did a feasibility survey in southern India through something called "Project India" On Leave: I was PLME, class

of '00 undergrad, and initially should have been class of '04 MD. I decided late in the spring of my senior year of undergrad that I was not ready to start medical school. I wondered whether I should pursue a career as a public health professional or researcher, and took a year off to work as a recruitment coordinator for a research study testing the effectiveness of a behavioral intervention to promote condom use among at-risk adolescents. I loved the interaction with the research subjects and specifically the counseling about STD diagnosis and prevention, which made me feel like clinical medicine was the right path for me. I then started medical school in 2001 and immediately missed the research / public

S/NC

L eave

health part of my life. I then applied for a one-year applied epidemiology fellowship at the CDC in Atlanta, GA, specifically for medical students between their 3rd and 4th year of medical school, so I ended up graduating from medical school in 2006 instead of 2004. I also discovered during medical school that I love surgery, and I now have a career that blends outpatient clinic and surgery (urogynecology) with public health and prevention research.

I teach undergraduates, medical students, and residents, and wear more hats than ever. [ 1 ] Curriculum I am who I am today because of the complete support of Brown whenever I seriously considered an alternative path. I emailed Dean Smith to ask hypothetically what the process would be if I wanted to take a year off before starting medical school, and he wrote back saying that he would treat my email as a formal request, which he was thrilled to provide. I was stunned— like, oh no! Now I am actually doing this! And the year off was incredible and formative for my current research

career (studying behavioral interventions to help women with pelvic floor disorders— not so dissimilar from condom use with at-risk adolescents!)

Brown was such an incredible supportive environment, and I had no idea how unique it was until I got to residency, having been at Brown for college and medical school. I recently signed up to be a facilitator for a problem-based learning curriculum at the medical school where I work now. When I attended the orientation for facilitators, the trainer asked us to raise our hands if we had any experience with PBL in our medical training. I raised my hand... the ONLY person... and had to admit that I was older than most people in the room!

Just another example of how unique the experience was. [ 2 ] Challenges I don't remember any, really. Because I was PLME I did have quite a few requirements, so that helped provide some structure.

Primary

Role(s) Today: Surgeon, researcher, mother / daughter / sister / wife

147

148

Maribeth Jacobson, nĂŠe Rubin, 2007 IC Interactive Digital Media with Prof. Roger Mayer, Visual Arts IC

S/NC

Thesis / Capstone: An interactive exhibit [ 4 ] Meaningful Encounters By agreeing

challenging Perceptions of Reality, Edrex to be my adviser for my Independent Fontanilla Concentration, Roger Mayer allowed me to have a truly unique and personally on-point [ 1 ] Curriculum My independent concen- and fulfilling educational experience. Also, tration let me determine my own educational my independent study with Edrex Fontanilla path when other options didn’t fit. in which I created my capstone project, was an incredibly unique experience that really [ 2 ] Challenges It required a willingness to let me combine many disciplines of learning determine my own priorities and to justify and fostered my abilities to execute and my passions as a worthy educational pursuit. manage a fairly large-scale project on my own. [ 3 ] Impressions I found the Open Curriculum highly effective for letting me choose my own Primary Role(s) Today: Project manager focus and educational priorities. In creating and parent my own Independent Concentration I had to work through a number of processes and challenges, which helped me to learn how to face many of the challenges I have had as an adult. Also, the perspectives I gained and the ways I learned to analyze information have helped to inform the ways that I make decisions today from work to parenting to politics.

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Elizabeth Baron, 2010 IC Contemplative Education with Prof. Harold Roth, Religious Studies IC

(G)ISP

S/NC

L eave

CRC

[ 1 ] Curriculum I took time off after 3 semesters.

Upon return, I took all my classes S/NC. I put a lot of pressure on myself to succeed, so relieving myself of this external metric lightened my load a bit. It helped me find my own motivation, relax a bit, and feel empowered in my educational choices. In regards to no course requirements, it helped me feel free in the beginning to study what was in line for me. In the end, I bet I was at least very close to fulfilling many schools’ distribution requirements. (Taking a couple years off of math/science helped those subjects appeal to me again by the end.)

Thesis / Capstone: Integral Theory, Environmental [ 2 ] Challenges I applied for my independent Justice + Community + Arts inspired Empowerment advised by Rick Benjamin

concentration 3 times. The committee was tough on me. Now, Contemplative Studies is a concentration—so I hope that myself and some (G)ISP: Nancy Jacobson, GISP: helping her with peers helped pave the way for that—and it was her primary source sub-saharan African history very discouraging... for one semester, it seemed book; ISP in education/psychology (I don’t really I spent more time advocating for what I’d like to remember!) study, than studying it. I also faced the challenge of realizing that the Brown I heard about—pass On Leave: One semester, I volunteered and fail classes, independent concentrations, etc.— traveled in India, and stepped off the treadmill was more on the margins of the university than and took a break from the ivy tower to discover the main stream. and uncover my own motivation for moving forward in life! [ 3 ] Impressions I am deeply grateful to the Open

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Curriculum. I worked so hard and pushed myself with such force to get to Brown, that upon arrival, I was struck by a voracious hunger for freedom and real world experience that colored my time at Brown. The opportunity to take a semester to travel, to alleviate a bit of the pressure I put on myself and take classes S/NC, and to design my own concentration, were empowering. They made it possible for me to heed the call I was hearing within, and continue to have a place in the university.

to truly experience life in a way that I did not before Brown, coupled with the intellectual rigor, abundant resources for research + internships, and incredible guidance from professors and deans to graduate feeling fully empowered to make a difference in the world while listening to the beat of my own heart.

[ 4 ] Meaningful Encounters There are so many to choose from. Thank you to Rick Benjamin for bringing the practice of poetry into my life, and for rolemodelling the intersection of social So much of my learning in those years happened justice, arts, education and contemplative outside of the classroom: through travel, practice. Thanks to Hal Roth for encouraging me volunteering and farming in summers + on breaks, to get quiet and listen. Thanks to Dean Cohen for and through heartfelt conversation, through countless life conversations—truly supporting coping with the death of a classmate towards me to grapple with it all, and to Peggy for the end of my time there, through dancing in the being a continually bright light in my life there— streets when Obama was elected, and through encouraging myself and so many other students the incredible, robust, activated community to get creative and make the most of our lives.

Brown surrounded me with. While I’ve shared The faculty support I received at Brown was already in this survey that I often wished more magnificent. students took advantage of the Open Curriculum as robustly as I did, sitting here, years later, I’m Primary Role(s) Today: Non-Profit Program deeply grateful to have had the chance to be Manager + Youth Mentor simultaneously so ‘outside of the box’ while also receiving an incredible education from one of the most rigorous universities in the country. Brown afforded me the freedom and spaciousness

“

The CRC was a breath of fresh air. I remember working with creative, innovative, diverse students from all walks of life and all areas of Brown, under the incredible guidance + support of Peggy. The CRC shaped my experience at Brown. It brought my decisions—time off, independent concentration, S/NC classes—from the margins of the university (something that surprised me) to the center of the CRC. REMEMBERING THE CRC 151

Nick Werle, 2010 IC Modern Critical Philosophy with Prof. Elizabeth Weed, Modern Culture and Media, Physics IC

(G)ISP

S/NC

CRC

help of, but not at the direction of, my advisors. S/NC encouraged me to take chances by taking harder classes than I otherwise would have (Honors Calculus) and intermediate courses in departments I knew nothing about (Modern Art).

Thesis / Capstone:

Philosophy of science paper, done as a close reading of Einstein’s 1905 papers.

(G)ISP: ISP in feminist theory with Gail

Cohee

[ 1 ] Curriculum The ability to do an Independent Concentration was a prime draw to Brown in the first place. I loved crafting my own education with the

[ 3 ] Impressions The Open Curriculum is Brown’s greatest institutional asset and should be protected and strengthened at every opportunity. It’s ok that it’s not for everyone; it can work well for many different types of people and has made Brown the unique institution it is. I am a more critical and original thinker because of the Open Curriculum. [ 4 ] Meaningful Encounters Elizabeth Weed and Mark Blyth were incredible advisors, who continually permitted me to sign up for things I was unqualified for but which were great learning opportunities.

Primary Role(s) Today: Lawyer

Left: Independent Concentration proposal.

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Arthur Matuszewski, 2011 Africana Studies (G)ISP

S/NC

CRC

(G)ISP: Polish Language & Literature, Michal Oklot / Beat Literature & Culture, Keith Waldrop / History, Theory and Practice of Revolutions, Barrymore Bogues / Philosophy of Kierkegaard, TBD / Creative Spaces, Ian Gonsher / Psychogeography, TBD Primary Role(s) Today: Consultant, Venture Capitalist, Entrepreneur, Partner

Kurt Walters, 2011 IC

Philosophy, Politics, and Economics with Profs. Mark Blyth & Corey Brettschneider, Political Science

Thesis / Capstone: It was about the use of sortition (random selection) in political decisionmaking. Greg Weiner was the adviser.

Primary Role(s) Today: Political advocate

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Brynn Smith, 2011 Urban Studies and Public Policy S/NC

CRC

My exploration of Urban Studies shaped my ambition to work in an urban center. Now, in my 7th year of teaching, I know that I have found my ideal profession as a result of my experience at Brown. [ 4 ] Meaningful Encounters I LOVE PEGGY CHANG. Talk about one of the most [ 1 ] Curriculum As a varsity athlete, I felt understanding and wonderful people I met at empowered to take academic risks in Brown. She believed in everything I imagined unfamiliar disciplines because of the comfort for MAPS, as well as in my ability to make it of taking classes S/NC. I would not have taken happen. as many risks or explored nearly as many Most meaningful class was City Politics. I classes without this option. know, everyone says that. [ 2 ] Challenges I felt overwhelmed at times.

However, throughout each shopping period I Primary Role(s) Today: I teach 8th grade English in West Baltimore. was always able to find my way! [ 3 ] Impressions The Open Curriculum directly challenged my natural tendency to just choose a path and stick with it. It allowed me the flexibility to change concentrations, from Econ to Public Policy. It also allowed me time to add a second concentration, Urban Studies.

“

I remember the CRC being an inviting, non–judgmental space where any Brown student could receive important information, guidance and support regarding any facet of their academic studies. There was always someone who would be available to help!

REMEMBERING THE CRC

154

Claire Schlessinger, 2013 IC Language & Culture Studies with Prof. Paja Faudree, Anthropology (G)ISP IC Thesis / Capstone: I did a The

lack of distribution requirements allowed me to study abroad with a nonstandard program (I petitioned to be in a different city in France than Brown’s programs operated in) and not have to worry about completing certain requirements, instead pursuing classes at the local university (G)ISP: My GISP was with and completing an independent Youenn Kervennic on Breton study course while abroad. identity in Nantes. [ 2 ] Challenges I do think in [ 1 ] Curriculum Creating an retrospect that I took advantage independent concentration of the Open Curriculum by profoundly shaped my Brown avoiding classes that had been experience. Prior to proposing weak spots in high school, or an IC, I had drifted from even departments that were so department to department, different from my concentration concocting plans to triple major field and established interests in disparate fields of interest, that I never even considered before working up the courage the possibility of enjoying to forge my own path with an them. Now that I’m working IC. Having struggled to find my as a software engineer, having place academically at Brown, learned to code entirely after the proposal process itself was college in a bootcamp program, an empowering experience: I sincerely regret not having being compelled to reckon with taking CS classes in college, what I truly wanted out of my where I would have had access time at Brown and articulate to knowledgable professors and my desires in a formal process a peer support network and asked me to be intentional the traditional CS knowledge about my education in a way I that’s helpful for a career in would not have had to be within technology. I know I used the a traditional concentration. My curriculum to delve deeply into proposal was approved upon my field of interest, and it would its initial submission, which I have been hard to give up any of believe speaks to how hungry I the classes I had taken, but I do was for this path to materialize. wish I had had a more diverse curricular experience. capstone project exploring how immigrants’ experiences with linguistic discrimination and assimilation affects their attitudes toward their native languages and informs their beliefs about the value of English (advised by Paja Faudree)

Above: At graduation, with Paja!

[ 3 ] Impressions I don’t know how to answer this question to do it justice. Suffice it to say that spending 4 years at Brown had a significant impact on my development. [ 4 ] Meaningful Encounters Dean Rodriguez supported me through my insecurities and encouraged me to persevere with my IC when I struggled with imposter syndrome.

Paja Faudree’s Language and Power class opened my eyes to a whole new way of thinking about our society and the role of language.

Primary Role(s) Today: Software engineer

Above: Proposal for my Independent Concentration (accepted upon its initial submission)—interesting to look back and see how my final capstone/thesis idea changed, as well as some curricular adjustments!

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Sofia Castello y Tickell, 2012 IC Photojournalism with Prof. Elizabeth Taylor, English; Biology IC

S/NC

L eave

Thesis / Capstone: History and ethics of photojournalism; weekly reading and reflections with Elizabeth Taylor.

On Leave: I took 1 semester

off, and spent my time doing a summer internship at National Geographic Magazine, working on a vineyard in France, and volunteering with a marine conservation NGO in Madagascar. [ 1 ] Curriculum The freedom to define my education was key to shaping my mind and interests.

Thanks to the possibility of creating an independent concentration, I had something

to show for all the work I did on writing and photography, and I was able to further investigate some of the components I was interested in (also, being able to take photography classes at RISD was amazing in this regard). At the same time, I was able to work in an ecology lab, study science, and carry out fieldwork underwater in the Galapagos Islands! The ability to take classes S/NC meant that I felt free to explore subjects that I might not be an expert in, but wanted to learn more about. [ 2 ] Challenges There was a lot of bureaucracy involved with creating an independent

Left: Independent Study Proposal—History and ethics of photojournalism

156

concentration; however, I think this provided an opportunity to further define what I was interested in and be very clear about how I was going to achieve it. Now that I think about it, this was very good training for creating and planning independent projects—a skill I have put into practice as a scientist and writer since! [ 3 ] Impressions I believe the combination of intellectual freedom, excellence and flexibility I encountered at Brown is unparalleled. I consider myself lucky to have experienced it at a pivotal

Left: Taken by Ana Bermudez in 2009, in front of Keeney Quadrangle.

moment in my life, when my mind and future were malleable. Being able to take time off to explore my interests in the real world meant that my studies were reinvigorated at a time when I was low, and the ability to build my own curriculum (much as it may have precipitated an existential crisis every single semester) taught me the importance of being able to structure and link my thoughts from disparate disciplines. [ 4 ] Meaningful Encounters When I wanted to make my independent concentration in photojournalism a reality,

I was so determined to get it done! I remember speaking to 4 or 5 professors who weren’t willing to take on the task, or weren’t allowed to for some reason, and forging on. It got to the point where I was quite concerned it wouldn’t be possible and then I spoke to Professor Elizabeth Taylor, who encouraged me through 3 rounds of academic revisions to my plan, and provided a forum for interesting conversations and enlightening reading.

Having her support was key to building the confidence to explore the ethics of war photography, and how they might relate to more quotidian

photojournalism projects. It was a fascinating project that shaped my ideas about the responsibility and impact of documenting what goes on in the world, and I will be forever grateful!

Primary

Role(s) Today: Scientist, Writer, Photographer, Student

Rigth: Article I wrote in 2012 for USA Today College about taking time off.

157

Juliana Rodriguez, 2014 Environmental Studies S/NC

[ 1 ] Curriculum I didn’t take leave, do any GISPs or an IC, but being aware of these options and surrounded by people thinking through those options definitely made me more thoughtful about my own choices. Reading the IC application was one of the most important things I did while at Brown—the questions in that application weren’t any that had been asked of me before or after I chose my concentration, and I think they should have been. I did take classes S/NC—my senior year I took all my classes S/NC, a choice I made because I wanted to spend my last year more focused on content than on grades. I attribute the courage to make that choice in part to the CRC. [ 2 ] Challenges My greatest challenge came after choosing my concentration, when the flexibility and openness of the Open Curriculum became less flexible and open. I was locked into a concentration with a more defined set of courses to meet my department requirements, and

158

CRC

it was hard to wrap my head around because I had spent 2 years exploring and connecting the dots between my interests and new subjects. So it felt frustrating to see connections between my work and other disciplines that weren’t recognized by my concentration or didn’t qualify as completing requirements. [ 3 ] Impressions I’m only a few years out from my time at Brown, so I’m sure the response to this question will evolve, but right now what comes to mind is that my time at Brown made me more comfortable with taking risks, and more interested in questions than answers. [ 4 ] Meaningful Encounters I worked on the Brown Marketshares Program for 2 years while at Brown, and it was one of the activities that helped me figure out what I care most about: community-building, food systems, sustainable agriculture.

When I was part of the BMSP team, it was a women-run organization. It was really critical for me to have that space— one made up of supportive, challenging, diverse bad ass women who made room for each other to be leaders.

Primary Role(s) Today: Project manager,

communications facilitator

coordinator,

trainer,

Anonymous, 2014 IC Information Technology & Political Economy with Prof. Jordan Branch, Political Science; Economics IC

S/NC

Thesis / Capstone: IT’s Impact on

Above: Cover page from my thesis along with my thesis abstract.

commitment, it might be erring on the side of being too difficult. the Labor Force with Profs. Branch / • Professors do not really have Hazeltine / Savage incentives to support the Independent Concentration [ 1 ] Curriculum This is at the very program. Obviously many are CORE of the Brown experience. Taking willing to help because they responsibility for one’s own course believe in the program, but of study and forging connections perhaps more formal motivation between seemingly disparate areas for them to support the program to pursue novel, socially-beneficial might be beneficial. research. Many of the most important academic issues of the Twenty • Even if you perform well in an S/NC course, professors do not First Centuries require independent really give “S with distinction” thinking and bridging academic unless you point this option out to areas... For example, the Internet has them. Perhaps S with distinction massive effects on public policy and should be automatically given if a privacy, cloud computing interfaces student receives equivalent to an with energy and infrastructure.

“A grade” or professors should be made more aware of the ability to [ 2 ] Challenges Few areas of give S with distinction. suggested feedback: • There should be Thesis Awards / Grants for Independent Concentrations. Political Science Department, for example, has many different thesis awards.

Independent Concentrators are only eligible for the extremely select University-Wide awards, whereas other concentrators are eligible for departmental awards which are far more common.

• Independent Concentrations are not easy to get approved.

While it should be a substantial

[ 4 ] Meaningful Encounters The computer science TA program had a significant impact on my Brown experience. Many schools are skeptical of peer education, but I found learning and discussing problems with prior students extremely informative. Moreover, teaching younger students helped cultivate a long-term interest in being a professor.

Primary Role(s) Today: Investor,

investment banker

159

“

I remember the CRC being a space about asking questions, not having answers. In the time I was there, it was a really dynamic community of curious, thoughtful students sharing advice and experiences and asking each other the tough, necessary questions we needed to figure out our academic (and sometimes personal) lives.

JULIANA RODRIGUEZ, '14 | REMEMBERING THE CRC

Christine Pappas, 2014 IC Narrative Studies with Prof. Elizabeth Taylor, English IC

S/NC

Thesis / Capstone: The role of stories and

storytelling in social justice work.

Primary Role(s) Today: After-School Program Director, Activist

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Mara Freilich, 2015 Applied Math (G)ISP

S/NC

(G)ISP: Guantรกnamo Public Memory Project (Anne Valk),

Race and Gender in the Scientific Community (Cornelia Dean), Studio Applied Math (Bjorn Sandstede)

Primary Role(s) Today: Graduate student

Camisia Glasgow, 2015 Latin American and Caribbean Studies; Ethnic Studies (G)ISP

S/NC

L eave

CRC

Primary Role(s) Today: Young professional

161

Ria Mirchandani, 2015 IC Migration Studies with Prof. Vazira Zamindar, History and South Asian Studies; Computer Science IC

(G)ISP

S/NC

CRC

[ 1 ] Curriculum Taught me to focus on the learning, not the grades—which is the purest pursuit of knowledge if there ever was one. Taught me to own my education and also accept full blame for the times it felt like it went astray. It’s impossible not to be unique at Brown because everyone’s education, no matter the concentration, is different.

Right: Last ride on the GISP mobile before graduation, 2015.

Thesis / Capstone: Capstone, a syllabus

[ 2 ] Challenges The constant decision making got exhausting at times and still left me confused, but it is definitely a more informed confusion. I may not know the answers to many questions, but I have learned how to ask the right questions.

module to help teach about migration in South Asia in the college classroom, adviser was Zamindar

Also, shopping period. It was the best and worst times of my life, compressed into two weeks each semester.

(G)ISP: Role of Public Memory in Conflict Resolution, faculty: Anne Valk (Public Humanities)

Manager

“ Primary

Role(s)

Today:

Product

It was the most Brown place at Brown, a place where people felt comfortable asking questions about anything and learned how to make the most of their time at Brown.

Above: GISP coordinators Ria & Wayne Byun ’16 and Peggy at GISP Talks, Spring 2015.

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REMEMBERING THE CRC

Alexandra Urban, 2015

IC Educational Neuroscience with Prof.

Michael Paradiso (Neuroscience) and Prof.

John Papay (Education) IC

Thesis / Capstone: Honors

Thesis entitled Neuroscience in the Classroom: How Mathematics Teaching in New Zealand Reflects the Science of Learning (same advisors)

(G)ISP

S/NC

to help me, acting as a clear indicator of my commitment to this new field and of the initiative I am willing to put behind my academic passions.

I am immensely grateful to the IC program, all who make it possible and continue to sing its praises!

(G)ISP: GISP entitled Education Success Stories, advisor: Kerri [ 2 ] Challenges While IC coordinator at the CRC, the Heffernan main recurring difficulty of IC [ 1 ] Curriculum My IC was applicants is getting faculty both the root and culmination buy-in. Yes, PPE and a few other of my Brown experience. recurring IC’s have professors Through building my own championing these courses of curriculum, I was able to pursue study, but most students face fundamentally interdisciplinary academics who are set in their questions, resulting in a single disciplinary perspectives. unique path none previously Educating the faculty on the have followed at Brown. After merits of IC’s and helping to graduating, my IC has continued bridge the dreams of students

Above: With Peggy Chang at an ADOCH Concentration Open House!

CRC with the research of faculty, somehow aligning interests into mutually beneficial relationships, is a role I would love the CRC to tackle more directly. [ 4 ] Meaningful Encounters My IC advisor has become an academic mentor, role model, and friend even past my time at Brown. In fact, we recently met for coffee and discussion on each of our lines of research, now more colleagues than teacher/student. It is these relationships from Brown I am most grateful for.

Primary Role(s) Today: Teaching & Learning Specialist at Coursera (online education platform)

Above: IC Degree Day! Above: My IC Application—a pursuit I am still proud of!

163

Yifan Zhang, 2015 Geology-Chemistry (G)ISP

S/NC

L eave

Primary Role(s) Today: Student

“

I remember it feeling like a home to me, and a casual hang-out spot for friends to do homework and ask about independent studies. We were constantly thinking about how to make the space less daunting and better-known to students, and there were many times I felt that people were relieved to find the CRC and use the space as a resource. As staffers, our advising styles were all different, but students often could get two or three people helping them out with a problem depending on when they came to the office. It was a very laid-back space that was inviting for students.

PAIGE MORRIS '16 | REMEMBERING THE CRC

164

Wayne Byun, 2016

IC Critical Humanities with Prof. Tara Nummedal IC

(G)ISP

S/NC

cared about and why I cared about them.

Thesis / Capstone: Adi Ophir; Hannah Arendt on the concept of thinking

(G)ISP: Historical Epistemology; Luka Rieppel [ 1 ] Curriculum I had thought about doing an IC since freshman year for one reason or another, and continued to take courses at Brown with no real regard for concentration requirements. I worked hard to assemble the courses I had taken by junior year into a meaningful narrative that could serve as an independent concentration. Very glad I was able to undergo this process and think for myself what I

Incidentally, my independent study in sophomore spring (Historical Epistemology) is what first opened my eyes to the world of European/ Continental philosophy, and this is more or less what I pursued for the rest of my time at Brown and for my masters degree as well. I have no doubt that these studies have informed my political leanings. I was very happy with my education at Brown, but didn’t feel really understood by the people around me.

Even at graduation I didn’t feel affirmed or understood. So very happy for learning how to be an independent thinker, but was also very lonely in the absence of a strong academic community. In general, the OC encouraged me to take

“

CRC disciplinary boundaries less seriously than perhaps a lot of my peers, and I’m glad for this. [ 2 ] Challenges Loneliness, lack of institutional support for philosophy. [ 3 ] Impressions Yes, it has made me who I am. I was very happy with the OC, even though I know that it doesn’t work for everyone. I believe in the OC, but I also think that it is often practically non-existent for students for a number of reasons—disciplinary interests, parental pressures, need for professionalization etc. So yes, the OC was effective for me, but whether it is effective in general is an open question.

Very diverse, often filled with students, a lot of organic conversations that bled into one another, always a lot of food and tea and snacks.

REMEMBERING THE CRC

165

Kimberley Charles, 2016 Political Science (G)ISP

S/NC

CRC

(G)ISP: First Generation in worried about my future— to. These programs prepared

the Ivy League

[ 1 ] Curriculum As a firstgeneration college student, I was very overwhelmed by the curricular options Brown offered. Through my work as a CRC advisor and staffer, I became very well versed in assisting students in understanding their options as well as connecting them to resources. While I may not have had the easiest time at Brown understanding and utilizing these curricular options, I made it my mission to ensure other students did not repeat my mistakes and at least knew the vast opportunities and options available to them. [ 2 ] Challenges Despite the focus on learning for the sake of learning, I found myself

166

whether that meant graduate school, a job, a fellowship, or other options. I worried that my courses were not enough to guarantee me a bright future and was often left to resources that made me feel like learning for the sake of learning was the only available option to have despite the fact that my friends seemed to have “it” together (whatever “it” meant).

me to present myself to the world confidently and without apology for my convictions and my story.

[ 4 ] Meaningful Encounters Working at the CRC with Peggy and the CRC staff was the highlight of my years at Brown. Our staff genuinely cared for each other but pushed one another to really dig deep into the Open Curriculum and into our programs to improve [ 3 ] Impressions The Third them and genuinely make an World Transition Program impact in the lives of Brown and Minority Peer Counselor students. Our work made Program both challenged me consistently think about me to question every the bigger picture, both for assumption I had about the Brown and for myself. myself and the world around me. I learned how to listen— Primary Role(s) Today: really listen—to my peers and Federal Analyst (Consulting) I learned that my voice had a place in society if I wanted it

“

Warm, friendly, welcoming, home away from home.

LAUREN GALVÁN, REMEMBERING THE CRC

Lauren Galván, 2016 IC Mental Health & Healing with Prof. Brian Hayden (Psychology) and Prof. Justin Nash (Family Medicine and Psychiatry) IC

(G)ISP

S/NC

CRC

Curriculum cost us? [ 3 ] Impressions A great lesson the Open Curriculum can teach us is humility. The Open Curriculum seems to soften the blow Lauren (right) and her dearest friends Giuseppe, of the realization that “I can’t do it alone”, Jessica, Jeová, and Maya. Summer 2018. Plymouth, MA. and, thus, it forces us to value others and what strengths, virtues, knowledge, or Thesis / Capstone: Capstone Project: insights they may bring to the table. At Comparing experiences of happiness in the very least, which is already a great Danish and American college students deal, the Open Curriculum confronts us with our inadequacies and gaps in (G)ISP: Spiritual Battles: A Catholic knowledge, and helps us to be awed by Perspective / Sponsored by Timothy others’ strengths, which is oftentimes the Flanigan and Erik Ehn catalyst to improving our own state in life. [ 1 ] Curriculum The intentionality that [ 4 ] Meaningful Encounters After my the Open Curriculum demanded from me “re-conversion” to Catholicism my junior academically bled into other areas of my year, I found a great friend in the Blessed life during college as well, most poignantly Sacrament. At any time of day or night, my religious life.

I knew I could go to the little Blessed Sacrament “chapel” in J. Walter Wilson [ 2 ] Challenges The most challenging to visit with the One who loved me aspect of the Open Curriculum is most. In the Blessed Sacrament, I found reflecting back on it, seeing all of the a companion who genuinely wanted to missed opportunities I chose not to take share in my joys and in my sorrows at all advantage of. It is painful, to say the least, times, someone who wanted to make my to think of what I actively omitted from burdens light, a person—Jesus Christ— my college experience as well as what I who actually fulfilled the deepest longings did not even know I could have done. of my human heart.

With endless possibilities come endless opportunity costs. What did the Open Primary Role(s) Today: Friend

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Paige Aniyah Morris, 2016 Literary Arts and Ethnic Studies (G)ISP

S/NC

CRC

(G)ISP:

Consuming Popular Culture in to attend Brown, and there was an added burden Contemporary Korea with Samuel Perry as the of my family wanting me to graduate on time, if not early, because of the stigma associated with faculty sponsor! taking a bit longer than average to graduate. I [ 1 ] Curriculum My GISP was one of the also felt, as many students around me did, an highlights of my time at Brown, and one of the overwhelming sense of freedom associated with most rewarding projects to start and see through the Open Curriculum that was difficult to navigate to completion. I really credit the GISP process when many advisors simply said, “Do what you with making me more skilled as a researcher and want,” or, on the other end of the extreme, said, educator. Taking classes S/NC was kind of funny “Do this specific thing that you have no interest for me because I always chose the “wrong” class in, but that I think is great.” to S/NC, and I always worked as though I were taking the class for a grade, so I didn’t feel the [ 3 ] Impressions The Open Curriculum is full effect of that option, even though I was wonderful. It could use one or two more general grateful it existed. Having no core requirements requirements, I think—it’s entirely too easy to go was THE BEST. Sure, I can’t do math now, but it’s through Brown without exposing oneself to, for not relevant to the things I’m passionate about instance, Diverse Perspectives courses. While and really want to learn about. I learned so much I was at Brown, the political and social events across so many disciplines because of the open that most informed my experience as a student curriculum, and I felt much more confident in touched on issues of what it means to truly be my ability to seek out and define my interests a diverse and inclusive institution while also for myself as a result. Lastly, leavetaking was an operating in ways that reinforce things like racial interesting option to me because it wasn’t really prejudice and violence, gender discrimination, feasible for me considering my financial situation classism, and so on. An issue that I personally was and family situation, but it was something I really not affected by, but that touched the lives of many heavily considered and wish I’d done if I could of my friends and thus touched me, was sexual assault and the ways in which it was confronted have. (and sometimes justified or overlooked) by the [ 2 ] Challenges As mentioned before, I felt institution. I think being engaged in protests/ some of the options didn’t really mesh with the demonstrations, in campaigns, in movements, in expectations of my family and with my financial workshops, in centers and programs committed situation. I feared leavetaking would ruin my really to challenging the institution on these issues, generous financial aid package that allowed me and being surrounded by folks who were having

Left: This is the draft of our Fall 2014 GISP: Consuming Popular Culture in Contemporary Korea.

168

Left: This is the Spring 2015 issue of The Round Magazine, for which I served as a staff member (and later, associate editor and managing editor) during my entire time at Brown.

conversations about these things all the time, all made me better prepared to articulate my views on an issue and to work concretely toward making a change, however small. [ 4 ] Meaningful Encounters It was so crucial for me to take courses like Intro to Ethnic Studies, Intro to Africana Studies, and my senior seminar in Ethnic Studies because those were the first and some of the only spaces in a classroom where I encountered my own history and learned how I could challenge things I had (begrudgingly) accepted to be true. I had some of the most illuminating and insightful seminar conversations of my time at Brown in these classes, and grew from them. My interactions with Daniel Kim, Peggy Chang, Keisha-Khan Perry, and Joanna Howard were some of the most positive interactions I had at Brown because they always made me feel validated and encouraged me in productive ways. Daniel Kim sat down with me and taught me how to do a close reading in his English class, which is something I had never learned to do in high school or middle school.

Peggy Chang believed in me and encouraged me to apply for a position at the Curricular Resource Center; she also recommended me for the fellowship I have now. She was always asking for feedback from students, and I saw her show up to so many important student-led demonstrations, which gave me so much hope.

Keisha-Khan Perry was a brilliant lecturer, and she gave me encouragement to continue writing

Above: This is a selfie I took my junior year on a comfy couch in the Queer Resource Center!

and researching and to apply to a program to become an educator in the future. Joanna Howard was one of the only people in the Literary Arts department who validated my stories and pushed to have writers of color represented in her classroom.

Primary Role(s) Today: Educator, mentor, editor, Fulbright English Teaching Assistant

Above: A photo with incredible friends (not even all of them) outside of the Brown Center for Students of Color on the morning of our commencement. I'm on the bottom right.

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Natalie E. Asalgado, 2016 Public Health S/NC

CRC

[ 1 ] Curriculum Taking classes S/NC lifted the weight and pressure of learning new material off of my shoulders. I remember feeling intimidated by courses on diversity because I didn't have the language to talk about -isms and I thought my peers would already be experts. The S/NC option gave me the courage to try something new and I am so grateful it was available to me. [ 3 ] Impressions The Open Curriculum was the reason I was so drawn to Brown. I had always dreamed of becoming a doctor and my family's support of this career path was unwavering. However, when I began to pull away from that trajectory and take advantage of the flexibility of the Open Curriculum, I found that my future career paths were limitless.

For example, I could think about the health of a population (public health) as opposed to the health of an individual (medicine). I could take courses that allowed me to consider how intersecting identities along lines of race/ethnicity, class, gender, and ability influenced others' perceptions of our capabilities in the wake of political events and conversations surrounding sexual assault and Black Lives Matter.

Primary Role(s) Today: I am the proud

daughter of two immigrant parents.

Currently, I'm working for NYU's Center for Multicultural Education and Programs as a graduate student employee while pursuing my Master in Social Work. I hope to complement my Bachelor's degree in Public Health with an MSW to better advocate for vulnerable communities of color.

“

Working on Matched Advising Program for Sophomores (MAPS) at the CRC was an amazing experience that kept me grounded during my last year at Brown. Peggy and my fellow staff members cultivated a strong, supportive community that I hope the CRC continues to foster for all current and future students.

REMEMBERING THE CRC

170

“

Mya Roberson, 2016 S/NC

I remember it being a comfortable space where a lot of great and honest conversations took place. It was a very collaborative environment.

REMEMBERING THE CRC

CRC

Public Health

[ 1 ] Curriculum Taking classes S/NC allowed me to take classes outside of my comfort zone without having to worry about my GPA. Ultimately the classes I took S/NC informed how I thought about my main concentration (Public Health). [ 2 ] Challenges I didn’t truly realize what it was and appreciate it until I was a senior. I think this was largely shaped by my first-gen, low-income identity.

Primary Role(s) Today: Graduate Student

171

Marion Wellington, 2016 IC Music Cogntition with Prof. Carlos Aizenman, Neuroscience IC

Thesis

(G)ISP

/

S/NC

Capstone:

[ 2 ] Challenges The blessing of choice was also a curse; at first, it was difficult to select x amount of courses from the hundreds of options. The other difficulty was finding good interdisciplinary advising; I struggled (G)ISP: Music Cognition (Monica to bridge the gap between art and Linden), Cognitive Musicology science, and the majority of my (Adeline Mueller) advisors weren’t equipped to help me. [ 1 ] Curriculum To me, creating my own concentration was the epitome Primary Role(s) Today: of taking full advantage of the Open Unemployed person Curriculum. I was able to cherry pick the best courses for my field of study and draw on resources from many different departments.

Musical Improvisation and the Brain: a CrossCultural EEG Study of Jazz and Hindustani Musicians. Mike Worden, Neuroscience

“

The CRC is a place to find good answers and better questions. It's a place full of students and staff that are keen to interrogate the reasoning behind courses, concentrations, and college.

REMEMBERING THE CRC

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Anna Stacy, 2017 Anthropology S/NC

CRC

Primary Role(s) Today: Student

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Colophon, May 2019 Typeset in Minion Pro, Gotham Narrow, GFS Didot and Nadia Serif. This document was created using Adobe InDesign and printed by the Brown Office of Communications. Copy-editing by Alicia DeVos ’18, Hana Estice ’19 and Peggy Chang. Layout and design by Soyoon Kim, ’19.