PROVIDENCE, R.I. [Brown University] - During his first year at Brown, Zein Faheem learned an important lesson that changed the course of his college experience.

An accomplished student who grew up navigating the bustling metropolis of Cairo, Egypt, alongside 25 million fellow residents, Faheem arrived on campus bound by efficiency and focus, eyes down on his smartphone maps app, traveling as quickly as possible from one place to the next.

But at Brown, an ethos of community and curiosity broke through this restrictive rhythm.

"Something about this place teaches us that the person in front of you is more important than wherever you're headed," Faheem told his fellow Brown University graduates on Sunday, May 24. "Brown has made slow walkers out of many of us, because people here choose to be curious - about what we study, about what we do, about each other."

In addresses in front of thousands of family members, guests, friends and mentors gathered on Brown's College Green on Sunday, May 24, Faheem and fellow senior orator Caelle Joseph celebrated the Class of 2026's ability to build community and connections.

The ceremony began with a moment of silence and a tolling of the University Hall bell in honor of the lives lost and impacted by the Dec. 13, 2025, shooting on campus. During their remarks, both orators recalled the tragedy.

"In the days after Dec. 13, we saw what community looks like when stability is shaken," Joseph said.

The speakers reflected on the love and resilience from the Brown community and beyond that rallied in response, offering support from across the world.

"On that terrible, dark day in December, many of walked, many of us ran, towards each other," Faheem said. "We walked towards one another, and that wasn't new - we'd been doing it long before we knew we needed to."

The orators encouraged graduates to approach life after Brown with purpose, courage and impact.

"Brown taught me that bravery isn't about looking brave - it's a practice, the everyday decision to show up as yourself," Joseph said. "Belonging isn't found in objects or things - it's built through small acts of kindness, layered over time."

The addresses from Faheem and Joseph marked a time-honored Brown tradition of lifting student voices at Commencement. They addressed fellow bachelor's degree recipients, as well as those earning master's, doctoral and M.D. degrees, during the University Ceremony at Brown's 258th Commencement.

Zein Faheem: Embracing 'unscripted moments'

Faheem, an applied mathematics-economics concentrator, reflected on his origins in Egypt, his transition to Brown, and the curiosity, generosity, humor and brilliance of the students, faculty and staff who shaped his college experience.

Waking up to the power of observation and connection all began with a crush, he recalled: a missed encounter with someone he liked his first semester at Brown when he navigated campus "headphones in, mind elsewhere" and thought of space as "something to get through" rather than to engage with.

"She said, 'I saw you walking down Thayer Street yesterday, I called your name but you had your headphones in, you didn't even hear me' - disastrous news," Faheem quipped. "And so the next time I walked - headphones out, phone in my pocket, eyes on the road, on the lookout for her - I didn't see her, but I did start to notice the trees."