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Brown University

Coat of arms
[Universitas Brunensis] Error: {{Langx}}: text has italic markup (help)
Former names	Rhode Island College (1764–1804)
Motto	In Deo Speramus (Latin)
Motto in English	"In God We Hope"
Type	Private research university
Established	September 15, 1764; 260 years ago (1764-09-15)
Accreditation	NECHE
Academic affiliations	AAU COFHE URA NAICU Space-grant
Endowment	$6.6 billion (2023)
Budget	$1.28 billion (2023)
President	Christina Paxson
Provost	Francis J. Doyle III
Academic staff	848
Students	10,737
Undergraduates	7,222
Postgraduates	2,920 595 medical students
Location	Providence , Rhode Island , United States 41°49′34″N 71°24′11″W / 41.82611°N 71.40306°W / 41.82611; -71.40306
Campus	Midsize city, 143 acres (0.58 km2)
Other campuses	Groton Madrid
Newspaper	The Brown Daily Herald
Colors	Seal Brown, White, and Cardinal
Nickname	Bears
Sporting affiliations	NCAA Division I FCS – Ivy League ECAC Hockey EARC EAWRC NEISA CWPA IRA
Mascot	Bruno the Bear

Brown University is a private university in Providence, Rhode Island. It is part of the Ivy League, a group of eight famous and old universities in the northeastern United States. Brown is the seventh-oldest college in the US. It was started in 1764 as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations. It was one of nine colleges created before the American Revolution. Brown was the first US college to say that students could be admitted and taught equally, no matter their religion.

Brown University has the oldest program for applied mathematics in the country. It also has the oldest engineering program in the Ivy League. In 1969, Brown started its Open Curriculum. This means students have more freedom to choose their classes. They don't have to take certain required courses. In 1971, Pembroke College, which was a women's college connected to Brown, became a full part of the university.

The university has several schools, including the College (for undergraduate students), the Graduate School, and the Alpert Medical School. It also has schools for Engineering, Public Health, and Professional Studies. Brown works with the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) to offer special programs where students can earn two degrees at once. Brown's main campus is on College Hill in Providence. The area around the university has many old buildings from the 17th and 18th centuries. Getting into Brown as an undergraduate student is very competitive. For the class entering in 2026, only about 5% of applicants were accepted.

Many famous people have been part of Brown University. This includes 11 Nobel Prize winners, a Fields Medal winner, and many winners of other important awards like the Pulitzer Prize. Brown alumni also include US Secretaries of State, members of Congress, and Olympic medalists.

History of Brown University

How Brown University Started

In 1761, some people in Newport, Rhode Island, wanted to start a school. They asked the colony's government for permission. They wanted to teach young men about languages, math, geography, and history.

At the same time, a group of Baptist churches in Philadelphia also wanted to start a college in Rhode Island. This was because Baptists did not have their own college in the colonies. Other religious groups like Congregationalists (Harvard, Yale) and Presbyterians (Princeton) did. James Manning, a young leader, was chosen to help with this important project.

James Manning arrived in Newport in 1763. He met Ezra Stiles, who agreed to write the college's rules, called a charter. The first draft was not approved. Baptist members felt they would not have enough say in the college's leadership. A new charter was written by Stiles and William Ellery. It was approved on March 3, 1764.

In September 1764, the college's first meeting was held. The charter said that the college's leaders should include people from different religions. This was very advanced for the time. It said that religious differences should not be part of the teaching.

The college was first called Rhode Island College. It was located in Warren, Rhode Island. Manning became the first president in 1765. In 1766, a leader named Morgan Edwards traveled to Europe to raise money for the college. He got help from people like Thomas Penn and Benjamin Franklin.

In 1770, the college moved to Providence. The Brown family, including John and Moses Brown, bought land on College Hill for the campus. They started building the first main building, called "The College Edifice." It is now known as University Hall. It might have been designed like Nassau Hall at Princeton University.

The Brown Family's Role

The Brown family was very important in moving the college to Providence. They helped build its first building and raise money. In 1804, Nicholas Brown Jr. gave a large gift of $5,000 to the college. Because of this generous gift, the college was renamed Brown University in his honor. Over the years, Nicholas Brown Jr. gave much more money. This helped build other important buildings like Hope College and Manning Hall.

The Brown family was involved in different businesses in Rhode Island. Some of their wealth came from the transatlantic slave trade. The family had different views on slavery. John Brown supported it, while Moses and Nicholas Brown Jr. were strong supporters of ending slavery.

In 2003, Brown University started a committee to look into its historical connections to slavery. In 2006, they released a report called "Slavery and Justice." This report explained how the university had benefited from slavery. Brown has since worked to address this history. They created a center to study slavery and justice. They also built a memorial and helped fund local public schools.

Brown University During the American Revolution

During the American Revolutionary War, Brown University played a role. In 1776, the college's library was moved for safety. University Hall was used to house French and American soldiers. These soldiers were led by General George Washington and the Comte de Rochambeau. The building was a barracks and hospital from 1776 to 1782.

Many people connected to Brown were important in the American Revolution. Brown's first leader, Stephen Hopkins, signed the Declaration of Independence. James Manning, Brown's first president, represented Rhode Island in the government. Another founder, William Ellery, also signed the Declaration of Independence.

James Mitchell Varnum, a Brown graduate, became a general in George Washington's army. He is known for starting the first Black battalion in US military history.

Leaders of Brown University

Nineteen people have been president of Brown University since it started in 1764. Since 2012, Christina Hull Paxson has been the president. Before her, Ruth Simmons was president. She was the first African American president of an Ivy League university. Other important presidents include Vartan Gregorian and Francis Wayland.

The New Curriculum

In 1966, students and professors at Brown started a project to rethink how students learn. They wanted to "put students at the center of their education." They also wanted to "teach students how to think" instead of just memorizing facts.

Students like Ira Magaziner and Elliot Maxwell wrote a paper with ideas for a new way of learning. They suggested new courses and ending letter grades. In 1968, a committee was formed to develop these ideas.

On May 7, 1969, the faculty voted to approve the New Curriculum. Key changes included:

• New courses for first-year students to learn different ways of thinking.
• More courses that combine different subjects.
• Getting rid of required general education classes.
• A "Satisfactory/No Credit" (S/NC) grading option.
• An ABC/No Credit grading system, where D grades were removed. A "No Credit" grade (like an F) would not show on official records.

Some parts of this new curriculum changed over time, but many ideas are still used today.

"Slavery and Justice" Report

In 2003, Brown's president, Ruth Simmons, started a committee to study Brown's connections to slavery in the 1700s. In October 2006, the committee released its report.

The report, called "Slavery and Justice," showed how the university benefited from the transatlantic slave trade. It also gave seven ideas for how the university should address this history. Brown has done many of these things. They created the Center for the Study of Slavery and Justice. They also built a memorial and gave $10 million to schools in Providence.

This report was one of the first major efforts by a US university to look at its ties to slavery. It encouraged other schools to do the same.

Brown University's Coat of Arms

Brown University's coat of arms was created in 1834. It has a white shield divided into four parts by a red cross. In each part of the shield, there is an open book. Above the shield, there is a sun shining among clouds.

Brown University Campus

Brown University owns the most land in Providence. Its buildings are mixed into the city. Famous architects have designed buildings on Brown's campus.

Main Campus Area

Brown's main campus has 235 buildings and covers about 143 acres. It is located in the College Hill neighborhood. The central part of the campus has three main green spaces: the Front Green, the College Green, and the Ruth J. Simmons Quadrangle. A fence with decorative gates surrounds this area. The buildings here are mostly in the Georgian and Richardsonian Romanesque styles.

South of the main campus are more academic buildings and dorms. To the east are science buildings and the School of Engineering. North of the main campus are arts facilities and the Pembroke Campus, which has dorms and academic buildings. Two of Brown's libraries, the John Hay Library and the John D. Rockefeller Jr. Library, are on the western edge of campus.

Brown's campus is right next to the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD).

Van Wickle Gates

The Van Wickle Gates were built in 1901. They are made of wrought iron and stand at the western edge of campus. There is a large main gate and two smaller side gates. For new students, the main gate opens inward during a special ceremony. For graduating students, it opens outward. There's a fun superstition at Brown: if students walk through the main gate a second time before graduating, they might not graduate! But walking backward is said to cancel the "hex."

John Hay Library

The John Hay Library is the second oldest library on campus. It opened in 1910 and is named after John Hay, who was a secretary to Abraham Lincoln. Much of the money for the library came from Andrew Carnegie.

The John Hay Library keeps Brown's historical records, rare books, and special collections. It has unique items like a collection about soldiers and military history. It also has one of the largest collections of American poetry and plays. The library even has the original manuscript of George Orwell's book Nineteen Eighty-Four.

John Carter Brown Library

The John Carter Brown Library started in 1846. It is known as one of the best collections of old books, maps, and writings about the exploration of the Americas. Brown University has owned this library since 1904.

The library has a very rare copy of the Bay Psalm Book. This was the first book printed in British North America. It is one of the most expensive printed books in the world. The library also has a First Folio by Shakespeare.

Haffenreffer Museum

The Haffenreffer Museum of Anthropology is Brown's teaching museum. Its exhibits are in Manning Hall on the main campus. The museum has about one million artifacts, which are used for research and education. Its goal is to help people think creatively about different cultures. It offers programs for students and the public, teaching about objects and different cultures.

Annmary Brown Memorial

The Annmary Brown Memorial was built between 1903 and 1907. It was built by General Rush Hawkins as a special building for his wife, Annmary Brown. It contains art from Hawkins's collection. Today, this building is home to Brown's programs for Medieval Studies and Renaissance Studies.

The Walk

The Walk is a path that connects the Pembroke Campus to the main campus. It runs next to Thayer Street. This path is a main part of the campus. It has sculptures by artists like Maya Lin.

Pembroke Campus

The Women's College in Brown University, known as Pembroke College, was started in 1891. In 1971, it joined fully with Brown University. Pembroke's campus became part of the larger Brown campus. This area has many brick buildings in the Georgian and Victorian styles.

East Campus was bought by Brown in 1969. It added 10 acres and 26 buildings to the university. Today, this area is mostly used for student dorms.

Thayer Street runs through Brown's main campus. It's a busy street with shops and restaurants that students like to visit. Wickenden Street is another popular commercial street nearby.

Brown Stadium, where the football team plays, is about a mile and a half from the main campus. Brown's rowing teams practice on the Seekonk River. The sailing teams are based in Cranston.

Since 2011, Brown's Warren Alpert Medical School has been in Providence's historic Jewelry District. Other university buildings, like medical labs and offices, are also in this area.

Brown also owns the 376-acre Mount Hope Grant in Bristol, Rhode Island. This is an important Native American site. The Haffenreffer Museum of Anthropology Collection Research Center is located here.

Sustainability Efforts

Brown University wants to use less energy and protect the environment. Since 2010, all new buildings must meet high environmental standards. Between 2007 and 2018, Brown reduced its greenhouse gas emissions by 27%.

In 2020, Brown announced it had sold most of its investments in fossil fuel companies. In 2021, the university set a goal to reduce campus emissions by 75% by 2025. They also want to be carbon neutral by 2040. Brown works with other universities to share ideas about sustainability.

Academics at Brown University

The College

The College is Brown's oldest school, started in 1764. About 7,200 undergraduate students study here. They can choose from 81 different main subjects, called concentrations. Popular subjects include Computer Science, Economics, Biology, and History. About a quarter of students study more than one subject. If students can't find a subject they like, they can even design their own.

Many Brown graduates go on to study further. About 35% go to graduate school right after college. Most graduates work in fields like education, medicine, business, law, and technology.

Brown and RISD Programs

The Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) is right next to Brown. Since 1900, students from both schools can take classes at the other school. This means Brown students can take art classes at RISD, and RISD students can take academic classes at Brown.

Dual Degree Program

In 2007, Brown and RISD officially started a five-year dual degree program. This program is very competitive. It allows students to earn two degrees: a Bachelor of Arts (A.B.) or Bachelor of Science (Sc.B.) from Brown, and a Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.) from RISD. This program combines art and design from RISD with academic studies from Brown. Students in this program are known for their creative ways of combining different subjects. For example, they might combine industrial design with engineering.

MADE Program

In 2020, the two schools announced a new joint Master of Arts in Design Engineering (MADE) program. This program combines RISD's industrial design with Brown's engineering programs.

Theatre and Playwriting

Brown's theatre and playwriting programs are highly respected. Six Brown graduates have won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. These include Lynn Nottage and Quiara Alegría Hudes.

Undergraduate students can study theatre history, playwriting, acting, directing, and dance. For advanced degrees, students can join the Brown/Trinity Rep MFA program. This program works with a local theatre company.

Writing Programs

Brown offers many writing programs, including fiction, poetry, and screenwriting. The faculty includes many well-known authors. Students can study literary arts, which includes creative writing and digital media. There are also graduate programs for writing.

Award-Winning Authors

Many Brown alumni have won major writing awards. Since 2000, this includes Pulitzer Prize for Fiction winners like Jeffrey Eugenides and Marilynne Robinson. Other alumni have won Pulitzer Prizes for drama, biography, journalism, and poetry.

Computer Science

Brown started offering computer science classes in 1956. In 1960, Brown opened its first building just for computers. In 1979, computer science became a full department. In 2009, Brown got a very powerful supercomputer.

In the 1960s, professors and students at Brown helped create early versions of hypertext. This was a big step towards how we use the internet today. Many important people in computer science and technology are Brown alumni. This includes Andy Hertzfeld, who helped create the first Macintosh computer. Also, John Sculley, a former CEO of Apple, studied at Brown.

Between 2012 and 2018, the number of students studying computer science tripled. In 2017, it became the most popular subject for undergraduate students.

Applied Mathematics

Brown's program in applied mathematics started in 1941. It is the oldest program of its kind in the United States. It is highly respected around the world. Many top researchers in this field have been connected to Brown.

The Joukowsky Institute for Archaeology and the Ancient World

The Joukowsky Institute for Archaeology and the Ancient World started in 2004. It is Brown's center for studying archaeology and ancient cultures. The institute does fieldwork and excavations in places like Jordan, Egypt, and Turkey. They study the art and history of ancient civilizations.

The institute's professors come from different departments like Egyptology and Classics. They research topics like Greek and Roman art and ancient cities.

Egyptology and Assyriology

The Department of Egyptology and Assyriology was formed in 2006. It is one of only a few such departments in the US. Students can learn about ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia. They can also study the history of ancient sciences like astronomy and mathematics.

The Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs

The Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs is Brown's center for studying global issues and public policy. It is one of the top institutes of its kind. The institute was funded by Thomas J. Watson Jr., a former president of IBM.

Many important people have been part of the institute. This includes former prime ministers and presidents from other countries. It also includes diplomats and writers.

The institute focuses on topics like global development, security, and how governments work. It also looks at globalization, economic problems, and poverty. Six undergraduate subjects are offered here. These include International Relations and Public Policy. The institute also has programs for advanced degrees.

One well-known project from the Watson Institute is the "Costs of War Project." It started in 2011 and looks at the costs of wars in places like Iraq and Afghanistan. It studies the economic costs, human lives lost, and impact on freedoms.

The School of Engineering

Brown's engineering program started in 1847. It is the oldest in the Ivy League. In 2010, it became a full School of Engineering.

Engineering at Brown is very interdisciplinary. This means it connects different subjects. The school does not have strict departments like other schools. Instead, engineers work with people from biology, medicine, computer science, and other fields. This helps bring new ideas together.

Students have even launched two small satellites into space with the help of the School of Engineering.

IE Brown Executive MBA Dual Degree Program

Since 2009, Brown has offered a special Executive MBA program. It is in partnership with IE Business School in Madrid, Europe. This program helps people who are already working to advance in their careers. Classes are held in Providence, Madrid, Cape Town, and online.

The Pembroke Center

The Pembroke Center for Teaching and Research on Women was started at Brown in 1981. It is a research center that studies gender. It is named after Pembroke College, Brown's former women's college. The center supports research and academic programs related to gender.

The Graduate School

Brown started offering graduate courses in the 1870s. It gave its first advanced degrees in 1888. A full Graduate School was established in 1927.

About 2,600 students are in the Graduate School. It offers many master's and doctoral programs. Getting into the Graduate School is very competitive, with about 9% of applicants accepted.

Carney Institute for Brain Science

The Robert J. & Nancy D. Carney Institute for Brain Science is Brown's research center for neuroscience. It focuses on topics like brain-computer interfaces. It also researches how brain cells die to find ways to treat brain diseases.

The institute was founded in 2009. In 2018, it received a $100 million gift. This made it one of the best-funded neuroscience programs in the country.

Alpert Medical School

Brown's Alpert Medical School was established in 1811. It is the fourth oldest medical school in the Ivy League.

In 1827, medical teaching stopped for a while. It was restarted in 1972. The first medical degrees from the new program were given in 1975. In 2007, a person named Warren Alpert donated $100 million to the school. Because of this gift, the school was renamed the Warren Alpert Medical School.

In 2020, U.S. News & World Report ranked Brown's medical school as the 9th most selective in the country. Only about 2.8% of applicants are accepted.

The medical school is known for its eight-year Program in Liberal Medical Education (PLME). This program allows students to get both a bachelor's degree and a medical degree. It is very selective, accepting only about 2% of applicants in 2021.

School of Public Health

Brown's School of Public Health started in 2013. It offers undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degrees. It also offers dual degrees, like a medical degree combined with a public health degree.

Online Programs

Brown University offers online master's degrees for working professionals. These include degrees in Healthcare Leadership and Cyber Security. Students meet in Providence every few weeks for a seminar.

The university also offers online courses called MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses). These courses are available to many students around the world.

Admissions and Financial Aid

Undergraduate Admissions

Getting into Brown University as an undergraduate student is very competitive. For the class entering in 2026, Brown received over 50,000 applications. Only about 5.0% of these students were accepted. This was the lowest acceptance rate in the university's history.

Brown's admissions policy is "need-blind" for US students. This means they don't consider how much money a family has when deciding to admit a student. They will extend this to international students starting with the Class of 2029. In 2017, Brown announced that it would no longer include loans in financial aid packages for undergraduate students. This means students receive grants instead of loans, which they don't have to pay back.

Graduate Admissions

In 2017, the Graduate School accepted about 11% of its applicants. In 2021, the Master of Public Health program received a record number of applications for about 90 spots.

Brown's Warren Alpert Medical School is also very selective. In 2020, it accepted only 2.8% of applicants.

University Rankings

Brown University is a highly ranked school. The Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education ranked Brown 5th in their "Best Colleges 2021" list.

Forbes magazine ranked Brown 19th overall among universities in 2022.

U.S. News & World Report ranked Brown 9th among national universities in 2023. It also ranked Brown 2nd for undergraduate teaching and 14th in Best Value Schools.

In 2014, Forbes magazine ranked Brown 7th for being one of "America's Most Entrepreneurial Universities." This means many Brown alumni start their own businesses.

Brown has also produced the most Fulbright recipients in the nation in several recent years. It has also produced the 7th most Rhodes Scholars in the United States.

Research at Brown University

Brown is known as a "Very High Research Activity" university. This means it does a lot of research. In 2017, Brown spent $212.3 million on research. In 2021, Brown's School of Public Health received the 4th most funding from the National Institutes of Health among public health schools in the US.

Student Life

Spring Weekend

Spring Weekend is a yearly music festival for students. It started in 1950. Famous performers like Ella Fitzgerald, Bob Dylan, and U2 have played at the festival. More recently, artists like Kendrick Lamar and Mitski have performed. Students organize Spring Weekend.

Student Housing and Greek Life

About 12% of Brown students are part of Greek Life. There are several fraternities and sororities. All Greek organizations are located in Wriston Quadrangle.

Instead of Greek houses, some students live in "program houses." These houses have special themes. For example, there's an International House and a Social Action House. Students choose who lives in these houses.

Students who are not in program housing enter a lottery to choose their dorm rooms.

Societies and Clubs

In the past, Brown had many societies for speaking and debating. These societies also had large libraries. Over time, fraternities became more popular than these older societies.

The Cammarian Club used to be a secret society. Later, it became the student government. Today, there is a formal student government.

There are over 300 student organizations at Brown. They have many different interests. New students can learn about these groups at the Student Activities Fair. Some examples of student groups include:

LGBTQ+ Community

In 2023, a poll by The Brown Daily Herald showed that 38% of Brown's students identified as being LGBTQ+. This was a big increase from 14% in 2010. "Bisexual" was the most common identity among LGBTQ+ students in the poll.

Student Resource Centers

Brown has several resource centers for students. These centers offer support and safe spaces for students to explore their identities. They also provide places to study and hold meetings.

The Brown Center for Students of Color (BCSC) supports students of color. It was created in 1972 after student protests. The BCSC helps students talk about important issues, develop leadership skills, and promote fairness. It has programs like the Third World Transition Program.

The Sarah Doyle Women's Center provides a space to discuss issues about gender. It is named after one of the first women to attend Brown. The center emphasizes how gender connects with other parts of life. It hosts programs and workshops for students, faculty, and staff.

Other centers include the LGBTQ Center and the Undocumented, First-Generation College and Low-Income Student (U-FLi) Center.

Student Activism

1968 Black Student Walkout

On December 5, 1968, Black women students from Pembroke College started a walkout. They were protesting that Brown was not a good place for Black students. They felt their concerns were not being heard. In total, 65 Black students joined the walkout. They asked for more Black students to be enrolled, aiming for 11% of the student body. This led to a 300% increase in Black enrollment the next year.

Divestment from South Africa

In the mid-1980s, students pressured the university to stop investing in companies involved in South Africa. Some students were not happy with partial changes and went on a hunger strike. In April 1987, students interrupted a university meeting, leading to some being put on probation.

Israel-Gaza Protests

In late 2023, students at Brown held protests about the Israel-Hamas war. They asked for a ceasefire and for the university to stop investing in companies connected to the conflict. Some students were arrested during sit-ins. In early 2024, students went on a hunger strike to ask to speak with university leaders.

Athletics at Brown University

Brown is part of the Ivy League athletic conference. It competes in Division I, which is the top level of college sports.

The Brown Bears have one of the largest university sports programs in the US. They have 32 different varsity teams. Brown's athletic program is ranked among the top 20 by U.S. News & World Report. This is based on how many sports they offer and how many athletes graduate.

Brown's newest varsity team is women's rugby, which became an official sport in 2014. Brown women's rowing has won 7 national titles. Brown men's rowing often finishes in the top 5 nationally. Both men's and women's crews have won trophies at famous races in England. Brown's men's soccer team is often ranked in the top 20.

Brown football has won Ivy League championships in 1999, 2005, and 2008. Famous football alumni include former coaches Bill O'Brien and Joe Paterno.

Brown women's gymnastics won the Ivy League tournament in 2013 and 2014. The Brown women's sailing team has won 5 national championships. The coed sailing team won 2 national championships. Both teams are often ranked in the top 10.

The first college ice hockey game in America was played between Brown and Harvard in 1898. The first large college rowing race was held between Brown, Harvard, and Yale in 1859.

Brown also has competitive club sports, like ultimate frisbee. The men's ultimate team, Brownian Motion, has won four national championships.

Notable People from Brown University

Alumni

Many Brown University alumni have become important figures in different fields.

• Politics and Government: John Hay (US Secretary of State), Charles Evans Hughes (Chief Justice of the United States), Bobby Jindal (Governor of Louisiana), Maggie Hassan (US Senator), Andrew Yang (presidential candidate).
• Business and Finance: John D. Rockefeller Jr. (philanthropist), Janet Yellen (former Chair of the Federal Reserve, current US Secretary of the Treasury), Jim Yong Kim (President of the World Bank), Ted Turner (founder of CNN), John Sculley (former CEO of Apple Inc.), Dara Khosrowshahi (CEO of Uber). Companies founded by Brown alumni include CNN, The Wall Street Journal, and Warby Parker.
• Arts and Media: Actors Emma Watson, John Krasinski, Daveed Diggs, and Julie Bowen. Radio host Ira Glass. Novelists Jeffrey Eugenides and Marilynne Robinson. Composer Wendy Carlos. Journalists James Risen and Chris Hayes.
• Education: Horace Mann (father of American public school education), Jonathan Maxcy (first president of the University of South Carolina), John Hope (first African-American president of Morehouse College).
• Computer Sciences: John H. Crawford (architect of Intel microprocessors), Andy Hertzfeld (Macintosh developer), Dylan Field (founder of Figma).
• Other Notable Alumni: Thomas O. Paine (NASA head), Chris Berman (sportscaster), Cara Mund (Miss America 2018), Joe Paterno (Penn State football coach), and many members of royal families.

Nobel Prize Winners: Brown alumni who have won the Nobel Prize include Jerry White (Peace, 1997), Craig Mello (Physiology or Medicine, 2006), Guido Imbens (Economic Sciences, 2021), and Douglas Diamond (Economic Sciences, 2022).

Faculty

Brown's faculty (professors) include seven Nobel Laureates. These include Lars Onsager (Chemistry), Leon Cooper (Physics), and J. Michael Kosterlitz (Physics).

Other notable past and present faculty include biologists Anne Fausto-Sterling and Kenneth R. Miller. Computer scientists Robert Sedgewick and Andries van Dam. Economists Glenn Loury and Emily Oster. Historians Gordon S. Wood and Joan Wallach Scott. Writers Chinua Achebe and Carlos Fuentes. Political figures like former Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi and former Brazilian President Fernando Cardoso have also been faculty members.

• '''Notable Brown University alumni include:'''
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  Horace Mann, class of 1819, known as the father of American public education.

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  John Hay, class of 1858, private secretary to Abraham Lincoln and US Secretary of State.

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  Charles Evans Hughes, class of 1881, Chief Justice of the United States and US Secretary of State.

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  John D. Rockefeller Jr., class of 1897, a philanthropist who helped develop Rockefeller Center.

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  Thomas J. Watson Jr., class of 1937, president and CEO of IBM.

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  Lois Lowry, class of 1958, award-winning author of The Giver.

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  Ted Turner, class of 1960, founder of CNN.

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  John Sculley, class of 1961, former CEO of Apple Inc.

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  Janet Yellen, class of 1967, the first woman to lead the Federal Reserve and current US Secretary of the Treasury.

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  André Leon Talley, class of 1972, former editor of Vogue magazine.

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  Brian Moynihan, class of 1981, chairman and CEO of Bank of America.

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  Ira Glass, class of 1982, radio host of This American Life.

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  Jim Yong Kim, class of 1982, former President of the World Bank.

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  John F. Kennedy Jr., class of 1983, lawyer and magazine publisher.

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  Laura Linney, class of 1986, an actress who has won 4 Emmy Awards.

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  Davis Guggenheim, class of 1986, an Oscar-winning documentary filmmaker.

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  Julie Bowen, class of 1991, an actress nominated for 6 Emmy Awards.

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  Dara Khosrowshahi, class of 1991, CEO of Uber.

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  Tracee Ellis Ross, class of 1994, an actress and comedian.

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  Andrew Yang, class of 1996, a businessman and US presidential candidate.

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  Chris Hayes, class of 2001, a political commentator and TV host.

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  John Krasinski, class of 2001, an actor, director, and producer.

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  A. G. Sulzberger, class of 2003, publisher of The New York Times.

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  Emma Watson, class of 2014, an actress and activist.

Images for kids

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  Petitioner Ezra Stiles later became the seventh president of Yale College.

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  Petitioner William Ellery signed the US Declaration of Independence in 1776.

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  Brown's first president, minister James Manning.

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  The Ezra Stiles copy of Brown's 1764 charter.

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  This 1792 engraving is the first published image of Brown. University Hall stands on the right while the President's House sits on the left.

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  Following the gift of Nicholas Brown Jr. (Class of 1786), the university was renamed in his honor.

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  Brown's 2nd President, Jonathan Maxcy, was the first alum to serve as president.

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  Brown's 4th President, Francis Wayland, urged American universities to adopt a broader curriculum.

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  Brown's 18th President, Ruth Simmons, was the Ivy League's first African-American president.

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  Brown's 19th President, Christina Paxson, has served in the role since 2012.

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  Slavery Memorial was designed by Martin Puryear and dedicated in 2014.

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  University Hall, Brown's oldest building, was constructed in 1770 and is a National Historic Landmark.

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  Soldiers Memorial Gate (1921) long marked the eastern edge of Brown's campus.

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  The Van Wickle Gates stand at the crest of College Hill.

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  The John Hay Library is home to rare books, special collections, and the university archives.

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  The John Carter Brown Library is one of the world's leading repositories of books, maps, and manuscripts relating to the colonial Americas.

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  The galleries of Brown's anthropology museum, the Haffenreffer, are located in Manning Hall.

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  Three dormitories, Metcalf Hall (1919), Andrews Hall (1947), and Miller Hall (1910), formed the heart of Pembroke College and now serve as freshman residences.

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  The 1879 Brown baseball varsity, with W.E. White seated second from right. White's appearance in an 1879 major league game may be the first person of color to play professional baseball, 68 years before Jackie Robinson.

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  Brown Stadium (opened 1925).

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  Nelson Fitness Center (opened 2012).

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  Marston Boathouse, on the Seekonk River.

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  Meehan Auditorium (opened 1961).

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  Robinson Hall (1878) was designed by Walker and Gould in the Venetian Gothic style to house Brown's library.

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  The List Art Center, built 1969–71, designed by Philip Johnson, houses Brown's Department of Visual Art and the David Winton Bell Gallery.

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  The Granoff Center, designed by Diller Scofidio + Renfro, hosts the annual Brown|RISD Dual Degree exhibition.

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  Lyman Hall, built 1890–92, houses the Department of Theatre Arts and Performance Studies.

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  Aerial view of the Brown University English department.

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  The Brown Computing Laboratory, designed by Philip Johnson.

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  Greek Revival Rhode Island Hall (1840) on the Main Green is home to the Joukowsky Institute.

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  The Department of Egyptology and Assyriology in Wilbour Hall (1888). Wilbour Hall is named for Egyptologist Charles Edwin Wilbour (class of 1854).

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  The main building at the Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs was designed by Rafael Viñoly in 2001.

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  Stephen Robert Hall (2018) at the Watson Institute, was designed by Toshiko Mori.

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  The Brown University Engineering Research Center, completed in 2018 and designed by KieranTimberlake.

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  Pembroke Hall (1897) houses the administrative offices of the Pembroke Center for Teaching and Research on Women.

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  Sayles Hall on the Main Green.

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  The Alpert Medical School building on Richmond Street.

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  The primary building of the Brown University School of Public Health viewed from across the Providence River.

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  Many Spring Weekend events are hosted on Brown's Main Green.

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  Ladd Observatory, built 1890–1891, is used by Brown Space Engineering, a student group focused on aerospace engineering.

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  The Sarah Doyle Women's Center.

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  Horace Mann, class of 1819, regarded as the father of American public education.

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  John Hay, class of 1858, private secretary to Abraham Lincoln and U.S. Secretary of State.

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  Charles Evans Hughes, class of 1881, Chief Justice of the United States and U.S. Secretary of State.

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  John D. Rockefeller Jr., class of 1897, philanthropist and developer of Rockefeller Center.

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  Thomas J. Watson Jr., class of 1937, president and CEO of IBM and 16th U.S. ambassador to the Soviet Union.

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  Lois Lowry, class of 1958, Newbery Medal-winning author of The Giver and Number the Stars.

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  Ted Turner, class of 1960, founder of CNN, TBS, and WCW and philanthropist.

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  John Sculley, class of 1961, former CEO of Apple Inc. and president of PepsiCo.

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  Janet Yellen, class of 1967, the first woman to serve as Chair of the Federal Reserve and U.S. Secretary of the Treasury.

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  André Leon Talley, class of 1972, former editor-at-large and creative director of Vogue.

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  Brian Moynihan, class of 1981, chairman and CEO of Bank of America.

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  Ira Glass, class of 1982, radio personality and host of This American Life.

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  Jim Yong Kim, class of 1982, 12th Pres. of the World Bank, 17th Pres. of Dartmouth.

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  John F. Kennedy Jr., class of 1983, lawyer, journalist, and magazine publisher.

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  Laura Linney, class of 1986, actress, recipient of 4 Emmy Awards and 3 time Oscar nominee.

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  Davis Guggenheim, class of 1986, Oscar-winning documentary filmmaker.

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  Julie Bowen, class of 1991, actress, six time Emmy Award nominee.

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  Dara Khosrowshahi, class of 1991, CEO of Uber, former CEO of Expedia Group.

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  Tracee Ellis Ross, class of 1994, actress, model, comedienne, and television host.

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  Andrew Yang, class of 1996, businessman and U.S. presidential candidate.

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  Chris Hayes, class of 2001, political commentator and host of All In with Chris Hayes.

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  John Krasinski, class of 2001, actor, director, producer, and screenwriter.

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  A. G. Sulzberger, class of 2003, publisher of The New York Times.

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  Emma Watson, class of 2014, actress, model, activist.

See also

In Spanish: Universidad Brown para niños

• List of Brown University statues
• Brown University Alma Mater
• Josiah S. Carberry