Brown’s annual BEAR Day offers ‘profoundly deep moment of reverence’ for staff members’ impact

"It is my collaboration with all of you, the thousands of staff from across our University, that gives me insights into the infrastructure that makes our collective work possible - and that's the quiet, life-altering power of the work that you do every day," said Megan Russell, a Brown alumna and associate dean for diversity, equity and inclusion at the School of Engineering who delivered the keynote remarks.

Russell and other leaders praised the dedication and critical impact of Brown staff, particularly in the wake of the tragic shooting on Brown's campus on Dec. 13, 2025, which killed two students, injured nine others and left the campus to navigate through a long-term healing and recovery process.

"I never want to diminish how heavy it truly was and continues to be for so much of our community, but what's etched into my memory… was the astonishing speed at which this community moved to carry that burden together," Russell said. "We chose compassion over convenience, we chose connection over division, and we chose to rise up when it mattered most, and that's why BEAR Day this particular year… is not merely quiet recognition - but it's a profoundly deep moment of reverence."