Abstract
In this interview, Jaclyn Mason, Sarah Pierson, and Ninian Stein, members of the Brown University class of 1999, share memories of their time on campus in honor of their 25th reunion.
The interviewees begin by sharing why they decided to attend Brown. Geography and the open curriculum were two of their biggest reasons. They reminisce about their earliest memories of their time at Brown. They remember move-in day, finding freedom from their parents, and immediately being exposed to new people and different experiences. They also talk about building community through avenues including roommates, the Sarah Doyle Center for Women and Gender, and the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Alliance (today known as the Queer Alliance). They further elaborate on the Women’s Peer Counselor Program, which was run out of the Sarah Doyle Center, and the lack of mental health resources on campus.
In thinking about high and low points of their time on campus, the interviewees recall several of their favorite professors and classes. They all emphasize how much they appreciated and took advantage of the open curriculum. As part of more challenging memories, they discuss the Adam Lack case – a topic that became a national controversy in 1996 when a female student alleged that she was raped by a male student, Adam Lack, at a fraternity party. They recall how this opened thoughts and conversations around sexual violence and consent. The interviewees also discuss national issues that influenced their experiences, particularly the HIV/AIDS epidemic.
In closing, they reminisce about Spring Weekends and the 1997 April Fool’s Day blizzard.
Recorded on March 28, 2024 on Zoom
Interviewed by Amanda Knox, Pembroke Center Assistant Archivist
Suggested Chicago style citation: 25th Reunion, class of 1999. Interview. By Amanda Knox. Pembroke Center Oral History Project, Brown University. March 27, 2024.
Biography
The Brown University class of 1999 entered in 1995 under President Vartan Gregorian and graduated under President Gordon Gee. During their time on campus, they enjoyed the open curriculum and social events such as Spring Weekend. They also navigated challenging topics of sexual violence and consent, and the HIV/AIDS epidemic.