Boldly Brown: Campaign for Academic Enrichment

A Legacy of Learning

Annette Nazareth '78, P'13 Shares Her Love of Brown

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When Annette Nazareth talks about the University, "her" beloved Brown comes alive: "I grew up in Providence, and felt that the University had been part of my life forever. My mother was a Pembroker and from the time I was a very young girl she would bring me to campus. I was very impressed with her friends and what a tremendous group of women they were. But nothing could fully prepare me for my time at Brown. It was the most transformational, wonderful, joyful learning experience that I could ever have."

Nazareth followed her undergraduate degree in economics with a law degree, concentrating in corporate and securities law. She held senior legal positions at several investment banks and ultimately joined the Securities and Exchange Commission, serving as a key policymaker. She is presently a partner at Davis Polk & Wardwell in Washington, D.C. "It's been a phenomenal career and I really feel it all did start here," says Nazareth. "It began with a 'modes of thought' class that I took just as an aside to see what economics was all about. Experiencing both great academics and a community of talented people gave me the confidence to try almost anything."

Thankfully, her confidence - and skill - enabled her to help re-establish the infrastructure necessary to re-open the markets on Wall Street after the September 11 attacks, garnering an award for her efforts. It also informs her tenure on the Brown Corporation. "President Simmons has a remarkable vision for the school," she asserts, "so it's not by accident that Brown has done so well. It takes a lot of planning, and being part of that is a very special experience."

Remembering her days as a financial aid recipient, she and her husband are also articulating their own vision, establishing the Annette L. Nazareth '78 and Roger W. Ferguson, Jr. Scholarship. "My education and the opportunities it opened up for me were extraordinary. If you stop and think about your experience here and how transformational Brown was to our lives, it really is a privilege to be able to give back in some way."

This fall, she'll share "her" Brown in a new way: son Roger enters as a first-year student. "I came out of a board meeting on a beautiful day, and the green was so spectacular, I really wished I were back. I sent my son a text message saying 'This is so great; I'm so envious that you're going to do this.'

"He said: 'It's my turn.' And it is."