Ahead of the spring semester, Brown welcomes its newest students
From undergraduates transferring from other institutions to students starting master’s degree programs, more than 200 students embarked on their Brown journeys in late January.
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Brown’s newest incoming undergraduate transfer and visiting students process under Faunce Arch on Tuesday, Jan. 20. All photos by Nick Dentamaro/Brown University.
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Brown’s newest undergraduate transfer students huddled in the Stephen Robert '62 Campus Center ahead of Tuesday’s procession.
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Rather than going through the Van Wickle Gates, the procession took an alternate route through Faunce Arch and the College Green, ending at the Faculty Club.
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Dean of the College Ethan Pollock, left, joined the procession welcoming Brown’s newest undergraduate students to campus.
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Students who began their Brown education this January will have the opportunity to take part in the traditional procession through the gates when the University celebrates its 263rd Opening Convocation next September.
PROVIDENCE, R.I. [Brown University] — Temperatures were below freezing and snow blanketed campus, but Brown University’s newest students received a warm welcome on Tuesday, Jan. 20, as the University celebrated their arrival ahead of the Spring 2026 semester.
Greeted by cheering students holding signs — and no fewer than 40 snow sculptures on the College Green, from an impenetrable snow fortress and a snowman with a mohawk, to a life-size pirate and giant bear sporting a Brown hat — the lively procession of new undergraduates made its way from Faunce Arch across the green.
In a typical year, new students process through the Van Wickle Gates, a symbolic marker of the start of a Brown education, but this year’s procession differed as the community continues to grieve the lives lost and support the healing of those injured in a tragic attack at Brown on Dec. 13. For the time being, the Van Wickle Gates remain closed as the site serves as a memorial where people continue to place flowers, candles, teddy bears and other tokens of mourning and respect.
“ While this academic year begins during a period of collective healing following a senseless act of violence at Brown, it also offers moments of hope and celebration.
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Logan Powell
Associate Provost for Enrollment and Dean of Undergraduate Admission
Students who began their Brown education this January will have the opportunity to take part in the traditional procession through the gates when the University celebrates its 263rd Opening Convocation next September.
“While this academic year begins during a period of collective healing following a senseless act of violence at Brown, it also offers moments of hope and celebration,” said Associate Provost for Enrollment and Dean of Undergraduate Admission Logan Powell. “In that spirit, we are proud to welcome a remarkable group of incoming students whose talents, perspectives and dedication to learning bring renewed energy to campus.”
In addition to 25 new undergraduate transfer students, the University’s newest arrivals include 198 graduate students and several visiting non-degree-seeking students.
“We look forward to the many ways they will contribute as thoughtful scholars, collaborators and leaders at Brown,” Powell said.
Among the members of Brown’s new Transfer and Resumed Undergraduate Education community are Kristin Cho and Will Bigby, both members of the Class of 2028, who gathered in the Stephen Robert '62 Campus Center ahead of Tuesday’s procession.
Students hold up signs welcoming Brown’s incoming undergraduate visiting and transfer students to campus during a procession on Tuesday, Jan. 20.
Cho, an aspiring physician from Seoul who transferred from Johns Hopkins University, was drawn to Brown’s Open Curriculum and the ability to explore a range of disciplines before committing to a more structured path in medical school. Bigby, a California native who transferred from New York University, said he was eager for a fresh start that would allow him to pursue his interest in studying both visual arts and international and public affairs.
Both said they felt a strong sense of belonging and confidence that they would find their place on campus.
“Even though New York is a very busy city, you don’t always know who’s who and who’s doing what,” Bigby said. “But here, it’s a lot more central, and I get the sense that it will be easier for me to find my people and expand my knowledge.”
Cho, who said she first fell in love with Brown’s culture during a campus tour, echoed that sentiment.
“I’m really looking forward to Brown becoming my second home, just settling in with the people and enjoying the community,” she said.
Among Brown’s new graduate students are one doctoral student and 197 students in master’s degree programs across disciplines including public health, health care leadership and technology leadership.
Several visiting and non-degree-seeking students will also begin their semester on College Hill, including two students who arrived as part of the Brown-Tougaloo Partnership semester exchange. Through the exchange, undergraduates from Brown and Tougaloo College, a historically Black college in Mississippi, spend a semester enrolled at the other institution’s campus. Since 1964, the partnership has enriched both campuses through academic and cultural exchanges and research at the undergraduate and graduate level.
Brown’s spring semester courses begin on Wednesday, Jan. 21.
On the eve of the spring term’s official start, Brown University’s president reflected on the impacts of a tragic act of violence in December and steps toward recovery, healing and a return to the rhythms of the semester.
The investment from the Penner Family Foundation is providing crucial support for Brown to create 76,000 square feet of indoor space for high-performance athletic training and year-round recreational opportunities.
Over the fall semester, prestigious national and international organizations recognized Brown faculty for their research, service, scholarship and leadership.
