Students
Since the university's founding in 1764, Brown students have been urged to lead lives of "usefulness and reputation." Today, Brown's educational philosophy continues to promote active community engagement as a central component of undergraduate education. At the Swearer Center for Public Service, scholarship and service intersect. We work to engage students and faculty in community-based work in Providence and around the world.
UCAAP: for 1st and 2nd year students who want community service and social change work to be a central part of their Brown experience
All first-year students are assigned an academic advisor to help them navigate Brown's academic opportunities; those with interests in community and social change can apply for the University-Community Academic Advising Program, through which they can learn much more about community work and are paired with advisors who are attuned to community opportunities. UCAAP participants attend an intensive pre-orientation institute in August and meet monthly as a peer learning community to explore issues of service, justice and responsibility. You can apply online here.
COMMUNITY PROGRAMS: more than 20 student-led programs offering volunteer and leadership experiences in and around Providence
At the Swearer Center, our community programs offer learning and leadership opportunities for Brown students while working to achieve meaningful impact for communities and residents. Each year, hundreds of Brown students gain practical skills and complement their work in the classroom by engaging in a range of community work: instilling a love of science in elementary school students by teaching fun after-school lessons and experiments; advocating for affordable housing in solidarity with people experiencing homelessness; facilitating creative writing workshops with inmates at the state prison; and more.
ACADEMIC and FACULTY CONNECTIONS: integrate your community interests with courses, concentrations, and careers
At Brown, you can pursue service in the community AND inside the classroom through academic coursework, independent study and research projects. Working closely with the exceptional faculty at Brown, you can strengthen the link between research and practice; explore the intersection of advocacy and disciplinary methodology; and create scholarship that advances knowledge in the field as well as conditions in the community.
FELLOWSHIPS: competitive funding for scholarly and service projects for Brown undergraduates
Each year, the Swearer Center awards roughly 60 fellowship awards-totaling well over $200,000 in funding directly to undergraduate students each year -to support projects related to engaged service, practice and scholarship. Our fellowship opportunities accommodate diverse interests and types of projects; and fellows working on similar issues-from public interest law to the intersection of sport and human rights-form learning communities that bring together students, faculty and community members to explore questions of practice, purpose, ethics and impact.
SOCIAL INNOVATION INITIATIVE: idea- and resource-sharing to guide and support social entrepreneurs and enhance the impact and sustainability of their work in communities
Brown students have big ideas about how to make an impact in the world. The Social Innovation Initiative is works to inspire and support student and alumni social entrepreneurs through the creation of a community that expands critical skills, knowledge, resources, and social networks.
A UNIQUE LOCATION: As America's birthplace of religious freedom and the industrial revolution and a continuing center for immigration and tolerance, Providence is a fascinating and provocative city that can provide an important context for your Brown education. As Rhode Island's capitol and largest city (and the second largest city in New England), Providence faces the same complex and intractable issues that challenge urban America, while affording students access to government officials and leading policy and advocacy organizations. Brown students will find that Providence offers a rich and easy-to-navigate environment for direct service work as well as opportunities to engage in research, policy and advocacy.
WHERE TO FIND US?: The main Swearer Center office is located in a cozy house on George Street, not far from the Main Green. On any given day, you'll find students at the Swearer Center working in the library, meeting in the basement, cooking soup in the kitchen, making copies of lesson plans or just hanging out and socializing. In addition to being the campus resource for students interested in service, we're also a hub for community building, conversation and action. We also have an office in J Walter Wilson for our College Advising Corps.
HOW TO JOIN OUR COMMUNITY? We encourage you to take full advantage of the Swearer Center while at Brown. Come and see us in person, or feel free to contact us with any questions you might have.
Welcome to Brown. Your new community is waiting...