Best of CASE District I Award
 

Institution: Brown University

Title of entry: Black Alumni Reunion: Building Community through (Re)Claiming, (Re)imagining and (Re)connecting

About this entry: The Inman Page Black Alumni Council and Brown staff prioritized strengthening our collaboration in planning Brown’s 5th Black Alumni Reunion. This year, we established a long-term reunion program and committee planning structure, ensuring sustainability and efficiency in the planning process. The reunion focused on the evolution of the Black experience at Brown, community building, and celebrating the community's creativity and agency. Programming deeply resonated with the alumni community, and this reunion shattered previous attendance and fundraising records, with 1,163 attendees and $538,829 raised.

The themes of (Re)claim, (Re)imagine, and (Re)connect permeated the 25-event lineup, which:

• Fostered Intergenerational Community Building — All Black students were invited for the first time, with special programming aimed at fostering connections between students and alumni.

• Honored the History of the Black Community at Brown — Alumni have been deeply involved in preserving the history of the Black community. The “Building a Bridge Back to Brown” exhibition and oral history project was a special initiative developed for this reunion

• Showcased the Creative Arts — Black alumni have deep connections to Brown's creative arts programs, and events throughout the weekend spotlighted the artistic endeavors of alumni and faculty.

• Addressed Pressing Challenges Facing the Community Today — Hosted plenary session on the impact of the Supreme Court ruling on race in admissions.

The reunion deepened black alumni’s connection to the Brown community, as one attendee shared, “Being back on campus with friends and fellow alumni reignited my connection to and love for Brown.”