Rabbi Laura Geller '71, P'03, P'10, Emeriti member of the Corporation, arrived on College Hill at a time of change at Brown. As a student during the introduction of the Open Curriculum and the merger of Pembroke College and Brown, she experienced a reimagining of education that gave women’s voices new weight and empowered students to take ownership of their learning.

“The Open Curriculum invited us to take risks,” Rabbi Geller recalls. “It encouraged interdisciplinary thinking and let students make connections across fields of study.” For her, that meant exploring the relationship between spirituality and social justice—a connection that would come to define her life’s work.

Central to Rabbi Geller’s study and experience at Brown were questions of identity and faith. “Brown gave me the space and support to ask what Judaism meant to me—not just intellectually, but personally.” That inquiry led her to rabbinical school; she was the third woman ordained in the Reform Movement in 1976, becoming part of a new generation of leaders answering a call nurtured by openness, dialogue, and a deep sense of compassion.

For Rabbi Geller, the Brown community fostered communication and empathy. They were more than just campus values—they became leadership values.

Under the leadership of President Ruth J. Simmons followed by President Christina H. Paxson, Rabbi Geller served on the Board of Trustees from 2001 - 2007 and then was elected to the Board of Fellows, serving from 2010 - 2021. Through that experience, she deepened her belief in Brown’s Mission and her values to bring together people from diverse backgrounds and empower them to make a lasting impact.

She has felt that same sense of belonging and purpose in her ongoing relationship with the University, as both a volunteer and a donor. “I’ve always felt my contributions were valued,” she shares. 

Rabbi Geller chose to plan for her retirement and express her deep commitment to Brown by funding a Charitable Gift Annuity with an IRA distribution. Her gift will provide her with a lifetime income and future support for areas that reflect her enduring passions: financial aid and the Ruth J. Simmons Center for the Study of Slavery and Justice. “It is a meaningful way to be part of Brown’s future while honoring what shaped my past.”