Class of 2023

John Lin writes: “I am writing to share a new book published on February 3 that I believe may be of interest to the Brown community. The Medical Student’s Field Guide to Research is a practical, empowering guide published by Johns Hopkins University Press designed to help medical students engage meaningfully in research and scientific discovery. Our book is authored by three Brown alumni, one who is also a Brown professor (Dr. Paul Greenberg ’17 MPH, Victoria Tseng ’08, ’12 MD, and me). We bring together perspectives from senior and junior faculty and a current medical student to demystify the research process—from preparation and project design to publication and presentation. Through practical tools and case studies, the guide reinforces the idea that every student can contribute to advancing medicine.”

Louisa Conwill writes: “Daniel Tully ’23 and Julia Toth Tully ’24 were married at Our Lady Queen of Angels Church in Kula, Hawaii, on July 12. The wedding Mass was celebrated by two former Brown Catholic chaplains—Fr. Edmund McCullough and Fr. Albert Duggan ’03. A number of Brown alumni were in attendance.”

Adriana Valdez Young writes: “This year, I became associate chair of the MFA in Interaction Design (ixD) at the School of Visual Arts in New York City, where I have been teaching design research and inclusive design since 2020. I am excited to be crafting new courses in accessibility, inclusion, and community design, which I have focused on in my own design practice. At ixD, we push students to consider interactions beyond apps and screens to build people-centered solutions to real-world problems. I invite friends and classmates new to the ixD studio to stop by for coffee, cowork for the day, tinker in our play lab, or even teach a workshop. Also on the ixD team is William Allstetter ’23,  a creative technologist and writer serving as the studio technology assistant.” Contact Adriana at [email protected] or via interactiondesign.sva.edu.

Olivia Katcher, chief of staff at Collaborative Fund and cofounder of Social Good Collective, and Ana Piacentini ’23, coleader of the Brown EP Podcast Team, Dive In, have partnered to create a podcast mini series called Dive In x Social Good Collective. The six-part series was created to introduce and inspire students to take part in entrepreneurship. Ana writes: “The collection of episodes will spotlight and share the diverse stories of passionate, mission-driven entrepreneurs who are actively pushing the world forward by creating tangible social impact. While these entrepreneurs are building in various industries, their overarching goal is the same: to create a venture that enacts positive change upon greater society. In these episodes, you’ll hear from founders about how they’re all working to leave a lasting positive change through the work they’re pursuing.” The podcast mini series can be found on Dive In’s website, www.divein-brownep.com, Spotify, and where other podcasts can be found.

Brian O’Neill writes: “I have been living in Telluride, Colorado, for 30 years and coaching my sons’ lacrosse teams. This past summer, due to the pandemic, we have had the pleasure of Brown lacrosse players mentoring our kids. What struck me as notable was how caring and selfless these men were in reaching out to the local community to offer their services. Phil Pierce ’14 was living here for the summer with his girlfriend Bridie Gahan ’17 while telecommuting. Phil was captain of Brown lacrosse and you could see why he was voted captain in the way he intently worked with kids ranging in ages from 8 to 18. Seven class of ’23 lacrosse players (Trevor Glavin, Matthew Gunty, Oscar Hertz, Griffin King, Devon McLane, Logan Paff, and Ben Palin) were here for a few weeks and regularly trained and mentored these same kids with an infectious energy that truly inspired our kids. It is amazing to have them in our little town climbing 14,000-foot peaks, rock climbing on via ferratas, mountain biking, hiking, and fly fishing—in some cases, with our local lacrosse players. As a member of the ’83 Brown football team that played Penn State and ran into Happy Valley in a raging blizzard with 84,000 people screaming ‘We Are…Penn State,’ I never thought the ‘Brown State’ spirit brought back to campus by our illustrious band and fans would last this long. I cannot tell you how happy I was to see and hear these lacrosse players talk about the pride in the culture of Brown State. It is so much more than sports. It is about rolling up your sleeves and making a difference. My 11 (’31?) and 13 (’30?) year old sons will tell you these days were the highlights of a very adventurous summer in the Rockies! Their cousins, Suzie O’Neill ’22 and Tommy Maloney ’23, have told them all about Brown and their passion for the school, but what struck me was the consistency of kindness, giving, and positivity in each Brown person. In a very short time, friendships were made and young boys were inspired to give back. Kudos to admissions, faculty, administration and all who make Brown what it is! Truly a national treasure!”