“One thing I learned that made me really proud was the commitment of our student veterans to mentor and support new veterans who are coming to campus, and also to help us get the word out that this is a great place for veterans,” she said. 

Mentorship has been a priority for the office, said Director Mac Manning. This year, they’ve ramped up the Battle Buddies mentorship program, which pairs new student veterans with a peer mentor on campus; and strengthened partnerships with organizations like Service to School and the Warrior-Scholar Program, aimed at easing the transition between military, civilian and academic life.

That kind of institutional support and care was crucial to keynote speaker U.S. Navy Commander Will Burroughs, a Brown Class of 2005 alumnus.

Though he had no plans to join the military as a student in the early 2000s, Burroughs said that Brown enabled him to cultivate a network of faculty, staff and fellow students who advised and supported every aspect of his life — from his time as captain of Brown’s football team, to his post-graduation service with Teach for America, to his decision to join the U.S. Navy and apply to law school. 

“The Brown commitment to connecting people is right there on the front page of its website: ‘Brown brings people together in creative, unexpected ways,’” Burroughs said. “Pair this with a culture of service, and it’s not at all surprising that Brown is leader in higher education and veteran applications.”

That focus on meaningful, long-lasting connections is something Brown senior and U.S. Marine Corps veteran Emmanuel Colmenares emphasized in closing remarks. A first-generation college student, Colmenares said education was the priority throughout his upbringing. Watching his family members, who moved to the U.S. from Puerto Rico, learn English and commit to continuous learning in an effort to progress in life, inspired his belief that “knowledge is a treasure that can’t be taken away,” he said. 

When Colmenares joined the Marine Corps after graduating high school, he developed a new but equally important type of knowledge. 

“I learned lessons about brotherhood and unity — principles that have left an indelible mark on my character,” he said. “Teamwork became not just a concept, but a way of life. I discovered that when one person struggles, the entire community steps up to rally around them, offering support and resilience in tough times… we’re stronger together.”

Colmenares said he initially felt lost and out of place on campus, as he struggled through the transition from a hyper-regimented military lifestyle to the academic and social freedom afforded by Brown. But within the Office of Military-Affiliated Students, he quickly found a welcoming environment buoyed by connection and mutual support.

“The community and unity fostered here at Brown encouraged me to become part of something bigger than myself again, like I was when I was in the Marine Corps,” he said. 

As he prepares to graduate in the spring, Colmenares said he takes immense pride in witnessing students at Brown engage with veterans’ experiences, who know that their voices are valued and their stories respected: “The thriving community that students and staff have built here creates a sense of belonging and shared pride that I deeply cherish — equal to the pride I have for serving my nation.”