We are a community forever changed by the events of Dec. 13, 2025, but we are united and we are resilient. 

As you would expect, Medical School clinical faculty were the first line of care for the injured students and their families after the shooting, which took the lives of two undergraduates. The preparation, training, and professional composure of our faculty teams were evident as they responded to this mass casualty event. The exceptional care provided by the entire staff at Rhode Island Hospital was profoundly appreciated by our community. 

Just two months later, on Feb. 16, another, unrelated mass shooting took place in nearby Pawtucket, RI. Once again, our trauma surgeons, anesthesiologists, critical care physicians, and other faculty were there to meet the aftermath of violence. 

Our faculty have also led the community in its psychological and emotional healing. Experts in trauma-informed mental health services were involved in the development of the Brown Ever True recovery initiative. Drawing on their years of research and practice and uniting groups from across campus, the University was ready to provide robust services and support resources as soon as students returned to campus. 

In a time of great sadness and mourning, I’ve also never been prouder to be part of the Division of Biology and Medicine. Faculty, students, staff—to a person, they have shown up for one another, supported the greater Rhode Island community, and committed to move forward in their work. In medicine, we often speak of resilience as an abstract ideal; yet its true meaning only reveals itself when witnessed—quietly, powerfully—in the lived experiences of those who embody it. ’