Dear Members of the Brown Community,

As we return to campus for the spring term, I want to take a moment to welcome you back to Brown. I also know this continues to be a deeply difficult time for the University.

Like many of you, I am holding the events of December 13, 2025 very close. We mourn the loss of two students, hold in our thoughts the nine who were injured and acknowledge the pain and disruption caused by this act of senseless gun violence. 

In the weeks since, I have witnessed something that reflects the very best of Brown. Our community has come together to support one another, to care deeply for those most affected and to create space for healing, reflection and compassion. That care for one another, for learning and for the values we share remains at the heart of who we are.

Brown is still Brown.

The openness, collaboration, curiosity and humanity that define our University are still very much alive. They are present in the way we show up for one another, in classrooms and conversations, in moments of quiet support and in our shared commitment to learning and growth even in the face of hardship.

As the semester starts please remember that you are not expected to carry this moment alone. Brown offers a wide range of academic, wellness and community resources, including those within the Division of Master’s and Professional Programs, such as the Center for Master’s Student Excellence and the Ever True initiative. This support exists because your well-being matters. 

It is an honor to be your dean, and to walk alongside you during this time. As you reenter our shared spaces, I hope you feel what I feel every day: a deep sense of commitment to one another. The Brown community is resilient, caring and strong.

We are ever true.

With care,

Sandra Smith
Dean, School of Professional Studies
Division of Master’s and Professional Programs
Brown University