Boldly Brown: Campaign for Academic Enrichment

Celebrating Brown in Naples

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A beautifully-restored yacht club in Naples, Florida was the site for a late February Campaign for Academic Enrichment event. H. Anthony "Tony" Ittleson '60, LHD'98, P'89, P'90, honorary co-chair of the Boldly Brown campaign, welcomed guests from as far away as Tampa and Miami and set the tone for the evening: "I am pleased to open a program that will illustrate the University's strengths and the depth of its ongoing commitment to academic excellence."

Highlights included the viewing of Financial Aid: Transforming Lives and remarks by President Ruth J. Simmons. She praised the community for their interest in Brown and encouraged their continued involvement. In light of our many accomplishments, she concluded, it would be counterproductive to let short-term economic challenges, no matter how dramatic, derail our larger purpose.

Alumni, parents, and friends also heard from Alberto Castellon '09, a financial aid recipient who immigrated to the United States with his family when he was a toddler. “I feel like I am dreaming,” he confessed. "I don’t know how else to explain how lucky I am. Granted the opportunity to receive a world-class education at Brown, I now feel compelled to help improve the lives of others who are not as fortunate."

And Bob Sanchez '58, P'89—president, Brown University Club of Southwest Florida, trustee emeritus of the University and a vice chair of the Campaign for Academic Enrichment Committee in Florida—introduced Assistant Professor of Political Science and Public Policy Jennifer Lawless, the evening’s colloquium speaker.

In his remarks, he praised Brown’s faculty for their roles in guiding students. "Brown faculty members play a huge role in preparing the next generation of professionals to enter the world," he said. "They do so through direct instruction as well as through the example of their own work."