Talented, innovative employees who work in academic and administrative units across Brown are making an impact through their wide-ranging skills, passions and contributions within the University community and beyond.
Staff Spotlight: John Colarusso has built a career at Brown from the ground up
Forty years after joining Brown’s staff as a cook’s helper, Colarusso is a manager of structural projects in the University’s Department of Facilities and Campus Operations, helping to maintain the physical campus.
PROVIDENCE, R.I. [Brown University] — When John Colarusso is doing his job well, most members of the Brown community may not even notice. As part of the University’s Facilities Management team, he spends each day ensuring campus buildings function seamlessly — overseeing contractors, planning preventive maintenance and managing upgrades that keep hundreds of buildings running like new.
But Colarusso never set out to become a manager in the building trades. When he first joined Brown in 1983, it wasn’t with a hard hat but a chef’s hat. Hired as a cook’s helper, the Cranston, Rhode Island, native originally came to campus eager to pursue his passion for the culinary arts.
That path took an unexpected turn, however. At that time, dining staff were employed seasonally and did not work during the quieter summer months. To support those employees, Brown offered staff the chance to learn a trade through the Department of Facilities and Campus Operations. Eager to learn, Colarusso trained in the paint shop, which eventually led to a role as a full-time painter.
In the following years, he advanced through different roles and became manager of structural projects, overseeing one of the department’s largest teams, including groups of painters, masons, roofers, carpenters and other staff across hundreds of projects each year.
In this Q&A, Colarusso reflects on his four-decade career at Brown, how the University’s culture of learning opened unexpected doors and what continues to make working on campus meaningful.
Q: What did you do before you came to Brown?
I grew up in Rhode Island, mostly in Cranston. From a young age, I was always interested in cooking — I used to follow my mother around the kitchen, learning whatever I could. As I got older and was able to work, I took on a few different restaurant jobs. Around 1983, I learned about an opening from my uncle, who was working in Brown’s dining services. He made me aware of some cook’s helper positions. It sounded like a great opportunity — with room to grow — so I applied and was hired at 22.
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Colarusso oversees hundreds of projects across Brown’s physical campus. All photos by Nick Dentamaro/Brown University.
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The Cranston native first joined Brown in 1983.
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On an average day, Colarusso directs contractors, plans preventive maintenance and manages upgrades that keep hundreds of buildings running like new.
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Across his four-decade career at Brown, Colarusso credits the University’s culture of learning for opening new paths and advancing his unexpected journey from cook's helper to manager of structural projects.
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“My entire career here has been built on the foundation of learning from highly qualified people and taking advantage of every opportunity that arose,” said John Colarusso, manager of structural projects in the University’s Department of Facilities and Campus Operations.
Q: How did you transition to a role in Facilities Management?
Back then, the campus population was much smaller without all the summer programs. Instead of laying people off, the University would give us a chance to work in the building trades — what was then known as Plant Operations — for the summer. I spent my first summer in the paint shop. When I returned to Dining Services, I actually got a promotion the following year, moving up to cook in 1984. But I went back to painting for a second summer. When that summer ended, my supervisor told me they were looking for a full-time painter and urged me to apply, and I got the position.
As each new opportunity became available, I decided to take it. Even though I still love to cook and I do a lot of cooking at home now, I made the call to move into the trades permanently. Going into the operations and trades side of the house wasn’t something I was originally prepared for, but when the opportunity presented itself, I realized it offered me an entirely new path. I just saw so much opportunity and different avenues of work. I knew I could move in a lot of different directions.
Q: The move into the trades quickly led you to take on management roles. How did Brown create those opportunities for professional growth over the years?
That focus on learning new skills is exactly why I came to Brown. I knew they encouraged professional development and wanted people to continuously improve themselves, and that’s exactly what it’s been like for me working here.
My entire career here has been built on the foundation of learning from highly qualified people and taking advantage of every opportunity that arose. Whether it’s career education, self-improvement programs offered through human resources, or the ability to attend conferences related to my field, I have never found a vacancy in any way to improve myself personally or what I do here at Brown.
Q: What does your typical day look like?
My job is quite broad and falls into a few key areas.My primary responsibility is managing preventive maintenance programs across campus. That could include scheduling and performing annual or semi-annual inspections of roof systems, overhead doors or automated shade and lightning systems. I monitor and maintain the building envelopes, which covers everything from windows and siding to masonry and wood cladding, addressing deficiencies and scheduling repairs. I run minor renovation projects around campus. If a department needs to build a new office, modify an existing space or install new equipment, up to a certain dollar threshold, I am tasked with managing those projects from start to finish.
When there’s an event like a pipe break or flooding that damages multiple floors of a building, I step in after the water remediation is complete to manage structural damage and repair.
John Colarusso with his family at their North Kingstown, Rhode Island, home.
Q: What’s something people should know about working at Brown?
The most important thing to know is that Brown has a real sense of community. You can feel a sense of belonging here, and people are genuinely appreciative of the work you do. When you talk to someone who works at Brown, you can hear it in their voice — there’s a shared understanding that this is a great organization to work for. That sense of community is my biggest takeaway: I have always found this to be a great work environment.
Q: What has your career at Brown meant in terms of your ability to build a life beyond your day job?
Two main things have been invaluable.First, the University provided me incredible support on a personal level. Some years ago, I had a health issue and my superiors and the University were extremely supportive during my recovery. They worked with me and my specific needs, giving me the latitude to make decisions that were best for me at the time. For the University to support me in that manner and that my job was secure was huge. It removed the stress of worrying and allowed me to focus entirely on getting better.
Second, I was able to take full advantage of Brown’s Tuition Aid Program. The program was incredible because it helped shoulder the financial burden of college tuition. Both of my sons benefited: my older son attended Wentworth Institute of Technology and then Boston College for grad school, and my younger son pursued his interest in culinary arts at Johnson and Wales, where he trained to become a chef.
Q: What do you like most about working at Brown?
The best part about working at Brown is the opportunity for personal and educational growth. If you want to pursue something, the University will support you. Beyond that, the cultural diversity here is incredible — meeting people from all over the world is, in itself, an opportunity I don’t think many people get to experience, and Brown has certainly brought that to me. And I love that every day brings something new to learn or someone new to meet, and that constant sense of discovery has kept me engaged and grateful to be part of this community.
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Talented, innovative employees who work in academic and administrative units across Brown are making an impact through their wide-ranging skills, passions and contributions within the University community and beyond.
