I am drawn to Brown by the Swearer Center, an institution that allows students to integrate academics with public service. I imagine myself taking courses such as Anthropology of Homelessness that feature traditional coursework and experiential work. As a member of this class, I would spend two hours per week volunteering with the homeless population in Providence, examining first-hand a societal concern that has haunted me since childhood. Brown’s progressive curriculum would allow me to pursue community-based learning unlike any other college’s.

Students’ opportunity to take courses such as this and participate in the Engaged Scholars Program is a product of Brown’s mission to “serve the community, the nation, and the world.” This is not a passive philosophy; it permeates student culture. I want to attend a school that seeks to create a more just world because it would help me grow as a servant-leader.