‘We Are Brown: Forward Together:’ Brown celebrates 32nd annual Staff Development Day

The keynote kicked off a day of activities, including more than 80 different sessions that offered employees a sweeping array of topics and opportunities to choose from. Among many others, those included workshops on leadership and networking, sessions on technology topics like cybersecurity, digital accessibility and using AI, a discussion-driven presentation on working with tribal scholars and communities, a session about lung cancer screening and prevention, and tours of various campus spaces including Brown's new Penner Field House.

Building community beyond campus

The 2026 Staff Development Day theme, "We Are Brown: Forward Together," was designed to align with the Brown Ever True campus-wide healing and recovery initiative, and to create opportunities for staff to volunteer with a variety of local organizations.

Among the nearly 1,700 staff who participated in Staff Development Day, many engaged in a growing number of volunteer and community engagement opportunities. In addition to on-campus opportunities, employees visited nonprofits in Providence and communities across Rhode Island to tackle projects ranging from packaging pet food at an animal shelter food pantry to assembling summer learning packets that prepare kids for kindergarten.

"One of our main goals with Staff Development Day every year is to help staff build their sense of community - not just within the University, but within their local communities across Rhode Island as well," said M.J. Malpiedi, who coordinates the day as manager of staff engagement programs for learning, development and engagement in University Human Resources. "We hear that some staff feel siloed or not as connected to the community as they want to be. Staff Development Day gives us the opportunity to create those connections."

To broaden the scope of volunteer opportunities and build on Brown's connections with Rhode Island organizations, organizers partnered with the Office of Community Engagement and the Swearer Center to connect more volunteers with a wider network of community organizations this year, Malpiedi said.

Among the wide range of service opportunities, staff cleaned and organized an after-school space with Providence Student Union, cared for injured and orphaned wildlife at Congress of the Birds in Glocester, Rhode Island, and bagged fresh produce at FeedRI's Hope Market. Others supported children's literacy initiatives, community gardens and K-12 summer enrichment programs.

Nearly two dozen Brown staff members spent the warm, sunny day with the Woonasquatucket River Watershed Council, joining the nonprofit's annual spring cleanup. Volunteers helped restore green spaces along the river by collecting litter and painting railings that line a popular pedestrian and cycling path in downtown Providence.