Paxson said she had three hopes for what parents and other relatives would observe in their students over the three days: that they feel grounded and comfortable on campus; that they’re enrolled in courses that are interesting, challenging and intellectually engaging; and that they’ve found a healthy cadence in balancing time for academics, extracurriculars, socialization and relaxation. 

“The most important part [of Family Weekend] is not the events that you’ll go to or the things you’re going to see — it’s finding out firsthand what life is like for your child here at Brown,” Paxson said. 

According to Kim Cobb, a professor of earth, environmental and planetary sciences who directs the Institute at Brown for Environment and Society, the Brown student experience is marked by optimism and hope. 

Cobb delivered the Family Weekend keynote lecture, titled “Our Climate Future: Students as Changemakers.” She spoke about the inflection point at which the world finds itself — and the numerous ways that the current generation of students is rising to face critical climate challenges through research and action. 

“I am extremely optimistic, mostly because the work that we’re doing here at Brown is illustrative of the engagement of this institution, and our entire community in making solutions that are durable and equitable,” Cobb said. 

The weekend was a testament to students’ dedication to engagement and changemaking across a broad swath of disciplines.

The Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Mobile History Museum displayed exhibits researched, curated and designed by Brown students, faculty and alumni. The Health and Wellness Center hosted drop-in learning sessions for applying CPR, and students led walking tours in collaboration with the Simmons Center for the Study of Slavery and Justice, examining the history of Brown and Rhode Island and their ties to the transatlantic slave trade. 

Just down College Hill at the Warren Alpert Medical School, families and relatives of medical students got the chance to tour the facilities and join in conversation with medical school leadership. 

A Saturday faculty research forum tackled the roles that climate change and increased global temperatures play in the rise of emerging infectious diseases. Later in the day, attendees followed in the footsteps of a typical first-year medical student as part of the “Mini Med School” experience, in which visitors toured the anatomy lab and participated in an interactive clinical skills session. 

But for many families, the most meaningful Family Weekend experiences were often small and personal. 

“My parents hadn’t seen me practice since I was, like, 16,” said first-year student Porter Culp, a member of Brown’s figure skating club. “That was pretty special.” 

Culp’s parents traveled from La Crosse, Wisconsin, first traveling to visit his twin sister at her college’s family weekend celebration in San Diego, California, before arriving in Providence. His mom, Kym, said the weekend was a lovely reminder of when she and Porter first visited campus while he was still in high school. 

“I loved it as a parent,” Kym said. “We’re from a really small town, so I think of Providence as a nice springboard city — you can go to Boston, you can go to New York, but you’re still in this walkable city that has such a sense of community.” 

In his first seven weeks, Porter said he hasn’t lost the feeling that drew him to Brown in the first place. 

“It’s just a great campus,” he said. “I feel like everyone seems really happy to be here.” 

Vast, varied and vibrant

There’s no one way to be a Brunonian, and there’s no one way to spend a weekend at Brown. 

“Honestly, it’s such a great community event,” said David Silvey, who traveled from Fort Liberty, North Carolina, to visit his nephew, Brown sophomore Eric Ericson. “You get to see the campus, meet the students, go to all these different things… it kind of brings me back to when I was in school.” 

Silvey said he and the rest of Ericson’s family — his mom, dad and aunt — were keeping an open mind and schedule throughout the weekend, with no set agenda — except one of the three a cappella performances held Friday night. 

“This kid came up to us and said, ‘We do a cappella really well here at Brown,’” Silvey said. “So, I said, ‘Heck yeah, we’re going.’” 

Students also performed at the Lindemann Performing Arts Center, where multiple comedy groups took the stage with original skits, stand-up routines and improvisational sketches inspired by audience suggestions. Brown music faculty debuted their new works in an orchestra concert, and later in the night, the College Green transformed into a dancefloor, with guests donning headphones to jam out to a silent disco. 

A spate of Saturday morning wellness offerings like yoga, guided meditation and stretching, and acupuncture helped attendees recharge ahead of a thrilling Saturday football victory for the Bears against Cornell, with Brown topping its competitor 23-21 at Richard Gouse Field at Brown Stadium.

All of that was followed by the sights and sounds of the city’s renowned WaterFire on Saturday evening. Launched in the mid-1990s by Brown Class of 1975 graduate Barnaby Evans, WaterFire is award-winning cultural experience that has been acclaimed by Rhode Island residents and international visitors alike as a powerful work of art and a moving symbol of Providence’s renaissance — and Saturday was no exception. 

Along the Providence River, the city thrummed to the beat of Brown and RISD’s Gendo Taiko drummers and several performances from student music and dance groups, and visitors peered into the night sky through LunaSCOPE’s many telescopes. When it came time for WaterFire’s full lighting, nearly 20 Brown staff members carried torches, illuminating the river from both land and water. 

Across from the bonfires, a different kind of light was on display. Luminarias lined Steeple Street, each candle lit in honor of a loved one affected by cancer. The display was in support of the work of the Legorreta Cancer Center at Brown to improve cancer care in Rhode Island and across the world through research and treatment.

The luminaria display, much like other events held throughout Family Weekend, lent students, parents and family members an opportunity to reflect on the past while looking toward the future. 

Gavin Schilling, a member of the Class of 2025.5, said that having his parents visit Providence from Chicago for the first time since his first year at Brown helped “put everything into perspective.”

“You can get so in your head about classes and clubs and activities and just the whole hustle and bustle of school,” Schilling said. “But this is a great reminder of home — that there’s life after Brown. It’s just so nice. I’ve missed them a lot.”