At the end of May, our Director Roger Nozaki will be taking a leave of absence from Brown University in order to take on a role as Senior Policy Advisor, Office of the Under Secretary, in the U.S. Department of Education.

Though we are sad to see him go, we are also incredibly grateful for all Roger has done for the Swearer Center and Brown University over the past nine years, and look forward to seeing his work on college access and curricular innovation continue at a national level.

While at Brown, Roger has helped advance several major initiatives such as the Program in Engaged Scholarship, TRI-Lab, BrownConnect, entrepreneurship, and other University priorities. He has also concurrently served as an academic dean, co-taught a course each fall on philanthropy, and worked closely with the CareerLAB and Office of International Programs.

Kate Trimble will serve as Acting Director of the Swearer Center to ensure a smooth transition for our programming, partnerships, and strategic planning. 

Please join us in thanking Roger once again for his visionary and collaborative efforts at Brown.

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To the Swearer Center Community:

When I came to Brown in 2005, I was looking for a way to get back into the work of education, at a place that was thinking about education in innovative and interesting ways. I had a love for Brown, a love for RI, and a hope that this would be the right place and the right job. But I could never have imagined all it's meant to be here. 

I have learned so much. About issues as diverse as the art of 19^th century Paris, prison education, and the genetics of aging. About community work and the depth of relationships required for any hope of impact. And about the kind of education and research we aspire to at Brown -- deep, engaged, and making a difference in the world.  

All of it takes partnership and collaboration. I’ve been privileged to work with colleagues and friends on campus and off, who have collectively created the vision and invested themselves in building the foundation for its success.  Brown has traveled a long way over my nearly nine years here – and is poised for even greater leadership ahead. 

I want to give my special thanks to the Brown students, who were one of the big reasons I returned to Brown. They've been bright, challenging, committed, caring, and funny, and the joy of my time here. 

I am looking forward to new opportunities in DC, but will always be grateful for this time at Brown.  Thank you for your partnership that has made this work possible.

Roger