Excellence at Brown
Excellence at Brown is a free, five-day program that orients incoming students to Brown's academic and campus culture. Offered on August 24-29, the week before general Orientation, the program includes five seminars taught by distinguished Brown professors from a range of academic disciplines. Short reading assignments serve as the basis for seminar discussions, and students work one-on-one with graduate-student staff at Brown's Writing Center to learn the elements of successful academic writing across the curriculum.
Excellence at Brown provides an intense, fun, meaningful academic experience that puts students in a position to thrive at Brown. Throughout the week, students have the chance to make connections with other students in the program and to learn about Brown's campus. By the time Orientation begins, students will be ready to immerse themselves in Brown's rich living and learning environment.
Preference will be given to students whose high schools may not have had abundant resources to prepare them for college-level work. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact the director of the program, Doug Brown, at 401 863-1404 or Douglas_Brown@brown.edu.
This year’s Schedule of Events:
| Sunday, August 24 | |
|---|---|
| 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. | Registration, Writing Center, JW Wilson |
| 12:00 - 2:00 p.m. | Lunch, JW Wilson |
| 3:00 - 4:00 p.m. | Letting Go Moderator: Maria Suarez, Associate Dean of Student Life |
| 4:00 - 5:00 p.m. | University Financial Planning for Parents |
| 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. | Welcoming Dinner at Brown’s Faculty Club Guest Speaker: Brenda Allen, Associate Provost and Director of Institutional Diversity |
| 7:00 - 8:00 p.m. | Bid Farewell to Parents |
| 8:00 - 10:00 p.m. | Life at Brown: Student facilitators lead discussion and answer questions |
| Monday, August 25 | |
|---|---|
| 7:30 - 9:00 a.m. | Breakfast, Verney-Woolley |
| 9:00 - 10:30 a.m. | Seminar #1 |
| 10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. | Writing and Reflection |
| 12:30 - 1:30 p.m. | Lunch, Verney-Woolley |
| 1:30 - 3:00 p.m. | Academic Resources at Brown Gretchen Peterson, Manager, Curricular Resources & Academic Support Center Carol Cohen, Assistant Dean of the College Christina Furtado, Assistant Dean of the College |
| 3:00 - 5:00 p.m. | Individual 30-minute writing conferences at the Writing Center |
| 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. | Dinner at Faculty Fellow's House Group A: Nancy Jacobs, Associate Professor of History Group B: William Suggs, Associate Professor of Chemistry |
| 8:00 - 10:00 p.m. | Reading and Writing |
| Tuesday, August 26 | |
|---|---|
| 7:30 - 9:00 a.m. | Breakfast, Verney-Woolley |
| 9:00 - 10:30 a.m. | Seminar #2 |
| 10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. | Writing and Reflection |
| 12:30 - 1:30 p.m. | Lunch, Verney-Woolley |
| 1:30 - 3:00 p.m. | Navigating Library Resources |
| 3:00 - 5:00 p.m. | Individual 30-minute writing conferences at the Writing Center |
| 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. | Presidential Welcome Dinner, Andrews Hall |
| 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. | Reading and Writing |
| 9:00 - 11:00 p.m. | Providence Place Mall: Megaplex Movie Night |
| Wednesday, August 27 | |
|---|---|
| 7:30 - 9:00 a.m. | Breakfast, Verney-Wooley |
| 9:00 - 10:30 a.m. | Seminar #3 |
| 10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. | Writing and Reflection |
| 12:30 - 1:30 p.m. | Lunch, Verney Woolley |
| 1:30 - 3:00 p.m. | Fellowships: Linda Dunleavy, Associate Dean of the College |
| 3:00 - 5:00 p.m. | Individual 30-minute writing conferences at the Writing Center |
| 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. | Dinner, Verney-Woolley |
| 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. | Reading and Writing |
| 9:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m. | Sundae Fest at Ben and Jerry's |
| Thursday, August 28 | |
|---|---|
| 7:30 - 9:00 a.m. | Breakfast, Verney-Woolley |
| 9:00 - 10:30 a.m. | Seminar #4 |
| 10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. | Writing and Reflection |
| 12:30 - 1:30 p.m. | Lunch, Verney-Woolley |
| 1:30 - 3:00 p.m. | Success in the Sciences: David Targan, Associate Dean of the College |
| 3:00 - 5:00 p.m. | Individual 30-minute writing conferences |
| 5:00 - 6:00 p.m. | Dinner, Verney-Wooley |
| 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. | Reading and Writing |
| 8:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. | Ladd Observatory |
| Friday, August 29 | |
|---|---|
| 7:30 - 9:00 a.m. | Breakfast, Verney-Woolley |
| 9:00 - 10:30 a.m. | Seminar #5 |
| 10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. | Writing and Reflection |
| 12:30 - 1:30 p.m. | Lunch, Verney-Woolley |
| 1:30 - 3:00 p.m. | Student Facilitators lead discussion reflecting on the week's events |
| 3:30 - 5:30 p.m. | Individual 30-minute writing conferences |
| 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. | Dinner catered at Writing Center |
| 8:00 - 11:00 p.m. | Sunset, Roger Williams Park |