New communities, new possibilities

Each summer, thousands of high schoolers study on campus and around the globe in Brown’s Pre-College Programs, which offer intensive academics, cultural immersion, research experiences and more. Summer@Brown, the largest of Pre-College’s 11 program offerings, features well over 200 courses reflecting topics from investigative journalism and bioethics to machine learning and product design.

By expanding access to Brown’s Pre-College Programs for local teens, the scholarship initiative is achieving the impact program leaders set out to accomplish, said Joi-Danelle Whitehead, assistant dean for equity initiatives and University K-12 engagement. But increasing enrollment is only part of the work, she said — ensuring that students feel supported and can succeed once they arrive is equally important.

“The biggest focus for us is how we can continue to remove barriers and support students throughout their experience here,” Whitehead said. “It’s important to increase access, but we’ve also worked to build the infrastructure students need to get the most from their time at Brown.”

To support students during their experience, Brown provides dedicated welcome sessions for PPSD students and those affiliated with partner organizations across the country, one-on-one support and programming that connects students from low-income and first-generation backgrounds with Brown faculty and staff.

Students also have access to a common space in Page-Robinson Hall, the BeU lounge, where they can drop in to study, socialize, check in with a Brown staff member, and engage in programming. Most, Whitehead said, use the space to ask questions, seek advice on the college application process, or learn more about opportunities available to them on a campus like Brown.

Wilmy Gonzalez, a recent graduate of Providence’s Hope High School who returned to Brown’s Pre-College Programs for a second summer this year, said the student lounge was a place he found community. 

“Toward the end of my course last year, I found myself missing home,” Gonzalez said. “But I was also having a lot of fun and didn’t want to leave. The lounge was a place I went a lot. They hosted events there, but it was also somewhere you could relax, study or take a breather, and I made a lot of friends there.”

This summer, Gonzalez enrolled in World Building with Audio and the Human Voice, a course that has given him new ways to experiment creatively. Using audio-editing software, he has learned to layer samples, record his own voice and shape original music. He has also joined extracurricular activities, including a music performance club that inspired him to begin writing his own songs. This fall, Gonzalez plans to study music and theater at Rhode Island College. 

By enabling participants to try new things and meet students from around the world, Gonzalez said Brown’s Pre-College Programs can open students’ minds to possibilities they may not have considered before. 

“Meeting people from all over the world and seeing the way they think, what they’re interested in and what talents they have can really open your mind,” he said. “I think it can motivate you to see new possibilities for yourself, too.”