Date May 28, 2026
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A celebratory weekend: Commencement and Reunion 2026

The School of Public Health's largest ever graduating class was honored at Brown University's 258th Commencement and Reunion Weekend, held May 22–24, 2026. This year’s festivities were a profound testament to the resilience, dedication and vibrance that define Brown's public health community.

Commencement and Reunion Weekend is a time of immense pride and celebration for Brown University graduates and alumni, as well as their families and friends.  A little rain was no match for the radiant joy of the Brown community this year, as the public health community gathered to celebrate undergraduate, Master's and doctoral graduates. Between forums, processions and family gatherings, it was an unforgettable weekend. 

Whether you're looking to relive a favorite School of Public Health Commencement moment or catch what you missed, highlights, photo galleries, videos and milestones are gathered below.

Kicking off the weekend in style

Held under a white tent on historic Market Square, the School of Public Health's Friday evening Community Celebration featured the presentation of student and alumni awards and addresses by three student speakers. The annual event welcomes SPH alumni back to campus and starts Commencement Weekend off on a festive note.

Four people stand together smiling under a white tent lit with string lights.
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Charis Haynes MPH'26 (left), pictured here with family and friends, was among three students selected by their peers, to deliver remarks during the Friday evening Community Celebration.

A large group of smiling people sit and stand around a table with a white tablecloth, under a bright white tent.
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Dean Francesca Beaudoin speaks with Professor Alex Macmadu and Alumni Impact Awardee Arvinjit “Arvin” Singh Sc.M. ’19, the Secretary of Health of West Virginia. Singh brought his family to celebrate, and delivered event remarks on his work to improve the health of West Virginians.

A young man speaks into a microphone with a blue Brown backdrop.
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Nickolas "Nick" Lewis, one of the evening's student-selected speakers, completed his Ph.D. in Biostatistics in December. Under the supervision of Professor Joseph Hogan he designed a statistical framework for modeling retention in HIV care in Western Kenya.

A smiling young woman, holding an award, stands next to Dean Beaudoin.
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Ashley Stacy-Boddapati MPH’25 (right) poses with Dean Beaudoin. Stacy-Boddapati is the statewide nurse consultant to the North Carolina Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program and was honored as the winner of the inaugural SPH Emerging Leader Award.

Kate Choi speaks into a microphone.
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Kate Choi ’26, the undergraduate selected speaker, is dedicated to advancing health equity through health law and policy, particularly in researching topics on antitrust and corporate transactions. Under the mentorship of Professors Erin Fuse Brown and William Goedel, she completed an honors thesis that quantitatively analyzed the impact of hospital mergers and acquisitions on service line availability.

A smiling group of 7 people stands together outdoors on a brick walk with trees and river behind.
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Faculty from the Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences enjoyed the beautiful evening by the Providence River.

Olivia Taylor, MPH’26 smiles holding a certificate, with family on either side.
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Olivia Taylor, MPH’26 was awarded a Gerontology Center Research Prize for her contributions to a team project with Meridian Senior Living, "Exploring Physical and Emotional Benefits of an Exercise Program for Older Adults in an Assisted Living Community."

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Members of the school's alumni community Professor Will Goedel Ph.D. '20 (left) and University Trustee Kathryn Thompson Ph.D. '23 connected at Friday evening's Community Celebration.

Champions of health equity

Alumnae Hall on Brown University's Pembroke Campus was filled with joyful celebration and pride on Saturday as the School of Public Health's graduating Health Equity Scholars in the MPH program and NextGen Scholars in the biostatistics Sc.M. program received their Commencement stoles in a special ceremony. They were cheered on by family, friends, mentors and program alumni. The event also featured student speakers and highlighted the 5th anniversary of Brown's Health Equity Scholars program.

A large group of young people wearing red Commencement stoles, smiles outdoors on the steps of a large brick building.
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20 Health Equity Scholars and one biostatistics NextGen scholar graduated with Master's degrees from Brown University this year.

Aaron Johnson MPH '26 smiles after receiving his HES graduation stole from Rosenny Taveras, director of Brown's Health Equity Scholars Program.
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Aaron Johnson MPH '26 receives his HES graduation stole from Rosenny Taveras, director of Brown's Health Equity Scholars Program.

Sharla Kirkpatrick MPH '26 embraces HES program director Rosenny Taveras.
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Sharla Kirkpatrick MPH '26 embraces HES program director Rosenny Taveras.

Nellely López-Méndez MPH '26 receives her HES graduation stole from program director Rosenny Taveras.
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Nellely López-Méndez MPH '26 receives her HES graduation stole from program director Rosenny Taveras.

A group of 5 people react excitedly to a young man receiving his HES graduation stole.
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Cameron Cooper MPH '26 is cheered on by program leadership after receiving his HES stole.

Thought-provoking forums

Led by faculty, alumni and distinguished guests, academic and topical colloquia are a Commencement Saturday tradition. The School of Public Health's 2026 sponsored forum, The Future of Maternal and Reproductive Health in the U.S., featured five Brown alumni working across disciplines, on the current maternal and reproductive health crisis facing the U.S., and strategies for building a future that values and supports maternal and reproductive health. The forum was co-sponsored by Brown's AIM Lab, which works to bridge the gap between academic research and the front lines of clinical care and policy. Watch the forum now.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/AUlFQA8SFME

2026 Commencement Forum

 

Brown SPH and the AIM Lab welcome alumni from across disciplines for The Future of Maternal and Reproductive Health in the U.S..

The conferring of degrees

At Brown's Master's Ceremony on Saturday and Doctoral Ceremony on Sunday, public health graduates joined their peers from across the University in processions led by bag-pipers and joy-filled ceremonies cheered on by family and faculty mentors.

A view of a crowd of graduating MPH students from behind with one mortarboard decorated with a red bow and expressions in Spanish.
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At Brown University's Master's Ceremony on the Main Green, graduating MPH students joined more than 1,000 graduates from 68 different countries.

Kenia Collins, wearing Brown regalia, delivers the Master’s student address at the Brown Master’s Ceremony. Play
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Kenia T. Collins MPH'26 addresses the students at the Brown Master’s Ceremony, sharing her personal journey, the power of Brown’s diverse community and the obligation graduates have to interrogate systems and prioritize justice and equity.

Gray Babbs, wearing Brown regalia, smiles holding an award certificate.
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At Sunday's Doctoral Ceremony, Gray Babbs Ph.D.'26 — a graduate in health services research — was awarded a Joukowsky Outstanding Dissertation Prize for his dissertation, Examining Disparities in Quality of Chronic Disease Care among Transgender and Cisgender Medicare Beneficiaries.

A woman in white smiles and waves from a stage holding an award certificate.
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Olaide “Ola” Sobola, a security professional of Allied Universal Security Services and a very familiar face at 121 South Main Street, was awarded the 2026 Bates-Clapp Award at the University's Master's Ceremony on Saturday. The award, presented by the Brown University Graduate Student Council, recognizes Ola’s outstanding commitment to student safety and community care for Master’s students at Brown.

Public health ceremony honors Class of 2026

Held at the Rhode Island Convention Center (and out of the rain!), the largest ever School of Public Health graduating class was honored Sunday at the school's annual Commencement Ceremony and Reception. Over 400 graduates, representing undergraduate, Master's and doctoral public health programs, were hosted by Dean Francesca Beaudoin and cheered on by faculty, friends and family members.

Dean Francesca Beaudoin, in Brown regalia, stands at a podium speaking into a microphone. Play
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Dr. Francesca Beaudoin, dean of the School of Public Health, hosted the school's Commencement Ceremony, held for the first time at the Rhode Island Convention Center.

Dean Beaudoin high-fives the son of a graduating student.
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High-five! Dean Beaudoin takes a moment to congratulate the son of a graduating MPH student as they cross the Commencement stage.

Dr. James J. O’Connell speaks into a microphone standing on stage before a group of Brown faculty and a red draped curtain. Play
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The Sunday ceremony keynote address was delivered by Dr. James J. O’Connell, president of the Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program and assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School.

A large group of smiling graduates.
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The 2026 Health Equity Scholar graduates pose for a photo.

A graduating student smiles with a family member for a photo at an SPH backdrop.
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Backdrops created fun photo-ops for family and friends at the School of Public Health's Commencement Ceremony.

A very large group of graduates smiles together flanked by balloons.
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The 2026 graduates of Brown University's Online MPH program gather for a photo.

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