PROVIDENCE, R.I. [Brown University] — Thomas A. Lewis, a longtime Brown faculty member who has led the Graduate School since 2022, will step down effective July 31 to become vice provost for graduate education and dean of the Graduate School at Cornell University.
Lewis, who earned a bachelor’s degree from Brown in 1990, will depart after 18 years of service as an academic leader and a religious studies faculty member. In a June 3 campus message sharing the news, Brown Provost Francis J. Doyle III said Lewis has guided meaningful progress across multiple dimensions of graduate education at Brown.
“Tal has made a lasting impact on graduate education through his thoughtful leadership, collaborative spirit and deep commitment to students,” Doyle said. “His vision has been grounded in the understanding that graduate students play an essential role in the life of the University — both as scholars and as teachers — and his work has focused on ensuring their academic, professional and personal success.”
Under Lewis’ leadership, the University bolstered support structures for doctoral and MFA students across more than 50 programs, aligning academic excellence with robust student support and financial planning, Doyle noted. Lewis strengthened relationships across the University, building strong partnerships with faculty in academic units, student organizations and, importantly, at the School of Professional Studies, which oversees Brown’s portfolio of more than 30 master’s programs spanning all disciplines.
As dean, Lewis cultivated a positive relationship with the graduate student union, championed efforts to enhance advising systems and prepare graduates for diverse career paths, and launched initiatives to improve the student experience. Specific initiatives included requiring all graduate programs to formalize advising expectations and handbooks, and the launch of PhD360, a framework that promotes professional development across six areas of impact.
Lewis led efforts to improve the graduate program review process; manage enrollment growth strategically; extend support for students impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic; and implement new initiatives to support students from a wide diversity of backgrounds. During his term, applications to Brown’s doctoral programs increased by 40%. Doyle noted that throughout his tenure at Brown, Lewis has been both a tireless advocate for graduate education and a visible contributor to the intellectual life of the University through his involvement in the Department of Religious Studies and interdisciplinary areas such as the Cogut Institute for the Humanities.
