Peggy Chang, Director

Office Hours: Thurs 1-4pm @ Advising Central (JWW 313), Fri 9:30-12:30pm @ CRC, or by appointment

Peggy became the Director of the Curricular Resource Center in 2009.  She advises undergraduates about the CRC's opportunities and holds Deans' Open Hours during the academic year.

Prior to joining the CRC, Peggy directed the Engaged Life Partnership and the Venture Consortium, programs devoted to experiential learning and social responsibility. A 1993 graduate of Brown with a degree in American Civilization, Peggy is a masters candidate in Brown's Public Humanities program.  Currently she is a first-year advisor with the Swearer Center's University/Community Academic Advising Program, and she regularly facilitates discussions and workshops for students about planning for academic success, public interest careers, and life after graduation. Originally from Long Island, New York, she lives in Warwick, RI, with her husband and two sons.

Jessica Brodsky '14, Digital Archives & Social Media

Office Hours: T/Th: 10:30am-1pm, Wed: 12-3pm

Jessica is a junior from Boston, Massachusetts. She is interested in science communication through digital media and loves to make connections between the arts, sciences, and technology. Jessica oversees the CRC website and the GISP, ISP, IC, and AI archives. She is in the midst of digitizing over 20 years worth of applications. Email Jessica or come by the office to chat about the CRC website, web design, science communication, digital media, or anything else!

Samantha Dweck '13.5, Leavetaking

Office Hours: Mon 1-3pm, Wed 1-3pm, Thurs 2-4pm Sam is a biology concentrator with a strong interest in physiology, nutrition, and food systems. She took a leave of absence last spring and spent her time working on an organic farm in the north of Italy, which she would love to tell you more about! Back at Brown, Sam coordinates the Brown Market Shares Program and is involved in nutrition research at a community medical clinic. When not gushing about leavetaking, Sam can be found running, riding her bike, or otherwise enjoying the sunshine of Providence.

Isha Gulati '13, MAPS

Office Hours: Mon/Wed: 11am-3pm Isha Gulati is currently a senior at Brown University concentrating in English Language and Literature. She had a phenomenal time studying abroad during her Junior spring semester in her favourite city ever, London. Isha currently lives in Villanova, a suburb of Philadelphia and enjoys running, long coffee-chats, and creative writing in her spare time. Besides Co-Coordinating the Matched Advising Program for Sophomores (MAPS), she served as General Manager of the Brown Daily Herald and currently coordinates the English Department Undergraduate Group.  Email her at isha_gulati@brown.edu to get in touch or come stop by and chat in person at the CRC!

Nik Kalyanpur '13, Independent Studies

Office Hours: Mon/Wed: 3-5pm, Friday: 11am-2pm Nikhil (Nik) Kalyanpur is a senior independently concentrating in Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE). He also loves the environmental studies department. Nik is passionate about helping others find that passion and views independent studies as the ideal way to do so. He also likes to experiment with new learning methods whether through projects or oral exams.   Outside the classroom, Nik is a member of Brown Conversation where he has a forum to think more critically about education and his own life philosophy. He spends too much time discussing existential topics and listening to the likes of the xx and Bon Iver for inspiration. Of Indian origin and raised in Dubai, Nik loves talking about the meaning of globalization and other big terms like sustainability and social entrepreneurship.

Brian Kundinger '14, DUGS & TIA Conference

Office Hours: Tues 1-4pm, Thurs 10am-12pm, Fri 10-11am Brian Kundinger is a Junior from Pasadena, CA studying Africana Studies and History. His passion for social justice education has fueled his work as a past coordinator of the 2012 Third World Transition Program and his current work as a Writing Fellow. At the CRC, he is continuing this work by coordinating the DUGs and the Theories in Action Conference. He has also recently become interested in Black queer theater through his acting experience in the Black Lavender Experience at the Rites and Reason's Theater.

Andrew Lee '13, Research & Fellowship Advising

Office Hours: Mon 6-8pm, Tues 2:30-5pm, Thurs 2:30-4pm, Fri 3-4pm Andrew is a 5th-year student pursuing an AB in Philosophy, ScB in Cognitive Science, and AM in Philosophy. At the CRC, he primarily advises students on fellowships and research opportunities. Andrew is passionate about the mind and analytic philosophy, and spends an inordinate amount of time thinking about consciousness. When he grows up, he hopes to become a philosopher of mind. He can often be found outside spinning objects, which occasionally are on fire.

Darcy Pinkerton '14, DUGs & TIA Conference

Office Hours: Tues 1-4pm, Fri 1-4:30pm

Darcy is a junior from a little place called York, Pennsylvania, but Brown is her home. Darcy concentrates in Africana Studies, but her passion for social and political justice leads her to take lots of courses in Gender & Sexuality Studies, Urban Studies, Public Policy, and Ethnic Studies.  At the CRC, Darcy coordinates DUG activities and the Theories in Action conference. When she's not engaged in coursework or at the CRC, Darcy facilitates FemSex (a peer-led sexual education workshop), works for the Brown Annual Fund, serves as secretary of the Queer Alliance, and gives tours with the Bruin Club.  Come talk with her about DUGS, politics, culture, revolution/rebellion/resistance, your concentration choice, or the Theories in Action Conference!

Elizabeth Ruben '15, Gap Year Community

Elizabeth Ruben is a sophomore from Wallingford, CT. She spent the fall semester of her gap year studying in Barcelona, Spain and traveling throughout Europe.  In the spring she volunteered as a squash instructor at an after school enrichment program for middle school students in New Haven, CT and traveled in the U.S.  She is considering concentrating in Hispanic Studies and Literary Arts. To meet with Elizabeth, email elizabeth_ruben@brown.edu.

Evan Schwartz '13, Independent Concentrations

Office Hours:  Mon: 11am-2pm, Thursday: 3-5pm

“What? You can make your own class and get credit for it?” (Turns out that a GISP in the late '60s created the so-called “New Curriculum,” which the University ended up adopting. Big legacy to live up to, but why not give it a shot?)

Evan Schwartz is a senior concentrating in Education & Political Economy. To date he's completed 3 GISPs, 1 Academic Internship, and 1 Departmental Independent Study Project. The GISPs were Creating Creative Spaces I & II (a collaboration with RISD) and Community Organizing (involving 2 Brown students, a Swearer Center staff member, and 27 Providence residents), while the AI was called Community Change in the Classroom (an internship with the Learning Community Charter School). The DISP was about Educational Transformation in Vietnam, which served as preparation for his Watson Institute-sponsored summer in Vietnam.

Outside of class, Evan helps facilitate the Brown Conversation, a group that seeks to constructively question and improve Brown and education more broadly, and continue the tradition of the student architects of the New Curriculum. Evan has also served as an undergrad representative on the University Resource Committee, Brown's overall budget committee, and worked with a community group in Providence called the Resident Leadernship Network.  VisitEvan in the CRC to talk about ICs, taking a more independent path through college, the new curriculum, community engagement, what to do in life, or whatever else is on your mind.

Laura Ucik '13, Independent Studies, CCG

Office Hours: Mon: 1-3pm, Wed: 12-3pm Laura Ucik is a senior from Santa Rosa, California. She is concentrating in Africana Studies, and will go to Brown Medical School with the PLME program. Her favorite things include being barefoot, castles, the woods, spicy foods, and taking the bus. She wants to use her undergraduate years to learn as much about the world as possible, and has spent her time at Brown and abroad doing just that.

James M. Walsh '13, Independent Concentrations

Office Hours: Tues/Thurs 2:30-4:30pm, Wed 10-11:45am

James Walsh was born and raised in New Jersey. He attended NYU for one year before transferring to Brown. He is working towards an Sc.B. in Logic – an independent concentration at the intersection of philosophy, mathematics, linguistics, and computer science. He is also concentrating in Classics. Send him an email at james_m_walsh@brown.edu.

Jocelyn West '13, MAPS

Office Hours: Mon 12:15-2:15pm, Tues 5-7pm, Wed 12:15-2:15pm Jocelyn is a senior from small-town Fort Mohave, AZ.  She is double concentrating in Geological Science and Education Studies at Brown.  Before taking on the position of MAPS Co-Coordinator this year, she was once a sophomore MAPS mentee and also a mentor during her junior year.  In addition to her work at the CRC, Jocelyn enjoys competing in high jump for the Brown Track and Field team and mentoring freshmen in Women in Science and Engineering (WiSE).  In the spring of 2012, she received the Royce Sport and Society Fellowship to spend her summer on the island of Dominica, helping the National Olympic Committee understand the relationship between youth sports and education.  She also loves digital photography, dancing, and baking with/for her friends whenever her schedule permits.  She is passionate about helping other students take charge of their learning and navigate the plethora of opportunities at Brown, both curricular and extra-curricular.

Brenda Zhang '13, Leavetaking

Office Hours: Mon 10am-1pm, Wed 11am-2pm Brenda is a senior concentrating in Visual Arts from Scarsdale, New York, and Indianapolis, Indiana. Her interests include food sovereignty, urban agriculture, public interest design, and contemporary art. Over the last few years, Brenda has coordinated OLEEP for the Swearer Center, led a BOLT trip, gardened at John Hope Settlement House, volunteered with the Southside Community Land Trust and Farm Fresh Rhode Island, taught a food justice course for the Environmental Justice League of Rhode Island's Community Environmental College, worked with Brown Environmental Leadership Lab pre-college students, and generally rode her bike and ate a lot of ice cream. She took a leave of absence in the fall of 2010 to work for a non-profit and take painting studios in Bloomington, Indiana. Visit Brenda in the CRC (or send her an email at brenda_zhang@brown.edu) to talk about leave-taking, classes, community engagement, stellar brunch locations, life aspirations, and anything else you're thinking about.

Volunteers:

Jenna Anders '16
Lianne Blinn '15 : Wed/Fri 1-3pm
Wayne Byun '16 : Tues/Thurs 10-12pm
Amelia Grant-Alfieri '15 : T/Th 1-4pm
Marguerite Joutz '15
Julianna Rodriguez '14