May 11, 2012
End of Year Message
Dear first-year students,
The end is in sight, so we'd like to be the first to congratulate you on the imminent completion of your first year at Brown! We hope you found some great courses, embarked on fruitful relationships with faculty and peers, and discovered co-curricular activities that enriched your time.
- Summer advising -
The Dean of the College Office remains open all summer, so don't hesitate to be in touch with us if you'd like to discuss academic options or opportunities outside of the classroom. Deans Ann Gaylin and Carol Cohen support sophomores as well as first-years. And of course, don't forget to let us know whom you'd like as your advisor next year: http://apps.college.brown.edu/sophomore_advisor_request/
- “Best Work” task -
We also want to remind you to upload a piece of your best work into your ASK portfolio. Dean of the College Katherine Bergeron sent you an email about this a few weeks ago, and we don't want it to get lost in the shuffle as you prepare to leave campus. The email is pasted below, and includes instructions on how to do the upload; if you’ve already read the email, here’s the link: https://apps.college.brown.edu/ask/best_work">https://apps.college.brown.edu/ask/best_work.
This task should only take a minute, and we think it will be well worth your time to keep track of one piece of work from your first year at Brown. You'll be amazed at how illuminating it can be to look back on it in a few years; and it will also make a great starting point for your first conversations with your sophomore advisor, whether that person is your current advisor or a new one.
Have a great summer, and see you in September.
The Advising Team
Email from Dean Bergeron:
From: Katherine Bergeron, Dean of the College dean_of_college@brown.edu
Date: Mon, Apr 30, 2012 at 7:54 AM
Subject: Important End-of-Year Note
Dear students,
Congratulations on almost completing your first year at Brown! I am writing with one last (and quite pleasurable) assignment to cap off your first-year experience.
Before you head off for the summer, I would like you to take a moment to think about the work you have done this year. Was there something you created or developed in one of your classes—or outside of class—that represents for you the best parts of your Brown education so far? What work were you most proud of?
I'd like you to hold onto that work for the future, and we have just the place for you to do that. Brown's new online advising tool, ASK, contains a portfolio function that will allow you to upload electronic files of any type. Before the semester comes to an end, please upload one example of your best work into ASK. Simply go to https://apps.college.brown.edu/ask/best_work">https://apps.college.brown.edu/ask/best_work and follow the instructions. You'll be happy you did; the work you include can be the starting point for a very good conversation with your sophomore advisor next year.
Speaking of your advisor, please make sure to choose (or re-choose) an advisor for your sophomore year. And if you need help with any of this, don't be afraid to ask.
In the meantime, I wish you all the best for a healthy and productive summer!
Yours,
Katherine Bergeron
Dean of the College