Art Corvese, Jr. ‘73
For Art Corvese ’73, the path to Brown University started long ago when his Uncle Smitty, a WWII Navy veteran and a carpenter with Brown, gave him passes to Brown football games. Years later, while attending Hope High School, his campus “visits" involved slipping into the back door of Meehan Auditorium to watch the freshmen hockey team play. While his uncle worked at the University and his cousin attended, it was Corvese’s science and math teachers, both Brown alumni, who saw his potential and encouraged him to apply.
"They saw something in me," Corvese recalls. That encouragement, paired with a critical financial aid package, transformed the local high schooler into a first-year engineering student.
The foundation: Plantations House and lifelong ties
As a commuter student, Corvese found his home-away-from-home at Plantations House. More than just a lounge, it became a gathering place where local students forged friendships over coursework and a mutual love for Brown athletics. Those relationships became the foundation of a lifelong connection to the University.
To this day, Corvese and his wife, Dot, continue the "Plantations House tradition," organizing road trips with fellow alumni to follow Brown hockey and football games.
The "Brown thread" extended into his professional life as well. It was a Brown alumnus returning to campus to recruit for Con Ed Construction who helped launch Corvese into a fulfilling career. And through Con Ed, Corvese met his wife, another meaningful connection tied back to Brown.
Giving back
Corvese’s philanthropic journey began with a modest but meaningful commitment. Upon graduation, he pledged he would give $10 each year for 25 years to the Brown Annual Fund. As his career progressed and his capacity to give grew, so did his support.
He never forgot that his own path had been made possible through the generosity of others.
"Brown provided me with tremendous opportunities through academics and friendships," Corvese reflects. "It was important to offer those same opportunities to the next generation."
A legacy for the future
As his 50th Reunion approached, Corvese became involved in the Reunion outreach for the Class of 1973’s engineering alumni. Aside from his personal Reunion gift, Corvese wanted to ensure his gratitude would have a lasting impact. He found a meaningful way to support Brown both today and for generations to come with a creative use of his IRA. He makes current gifts using an IRA Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) and named Brown as a beneficiary designating areas that mean the most to him for his future gift.
Corvese has designated his support to the areas that define his Brown experience: the Engineering Annual Fund, Men’s Ice Hockey, the ROTC/Veterans Military Affiliated Students Program, and the Brown Annual Fund.
From a young Providence student discovering Brown through football and hockey games to a dedicated alumnus investing in future generations, Art Corvese’s story reflects the enduring impact of opportunity, community, and gratitude.