Why

• Join a community of young scholars who are passionate about the environment while experiencing a part of the country or world that will be new to many students.
• Develop the knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary to impact environmental issues facing your local community and the planet as a whole.
• Explore diverse land and seascapes through studying, listening and observing.
• Concentrate on learning without the pressure of formal grades.
• All students who successfully complete their course will receive a Course Performance Report and Digital CeCertificate of Completion.

You are expected to reduce your cell phone use while at BELL, allowing you to fully engage with the community and beautiful surroundings. By breaking ties to these technologies, you will be able to be more mindful of the natural environment and build more intentional friendships. While this may be an unfamiliar experience for some, it is often one of the aspects of the program students appreciate most. You should plan ahead to be without your cell phone during most of the program, including the use of your phone’s camera. The group will always be reachable via the program cell phone, which will be held by the on-site staff. The phone number to the program cell phone will be provided to families of enrolled students prior to the program.

Some site visits listed are weather-dependent and subject to change. You can expect some physical activity every day and a moderate level of physical activity some days; be ready to get dirty as you’ll be out and about—rain or shine. A specific packing list will be provided for enrolled students.

Residential and Student Life

• BELL has a strong emphasis on communal living; thus, you will be engaged as a member of the community both in and out of the classroom. This includes attending an orientation and group initiatives to get to know your peers, contributing to daily community tasks (e.g., classroom set-up, building tidying, camping retreat breakfast buffet set-up) and spending the whole day with the group.
• You will be staying in a residence hall room with shared bathrooms. You will have a private room or share a room with one to two peers.
• Throughout the program, including during your time on the Brown University campus, residential and student life activities will be provided by the BELL: Rhode Island staff and will be limited to students enrolled in the BELL: Rhode Island program only.
• You can expect three meals each day, primarily served in a Brown University dining hall. Note: While the Brown University dining halls offer a significant selection of food to meet most dietary needs, the food for off-campus meals is ordered in advance, so program staff must be notified of any dietary restrictions or allergies by Wednesday, April 8, 2026  by completing and submitting the required forms, which enrolled students receive in their student portals.
• Program staff live on site and are available 24 hours a day to provide support and supervision.

BELL Rhode Island will provide you with an experience similar to being part of a research laboratory and all that entails. Though the term “lab” typically brings up imagery of standing over a microscope or collecting samples in small glass vials, there is much more that goes into being a member of a lab. Some days are more active than others and some days are more focused on concept development and exploration. Each day is different but typically includes group work, readings, classroom discussions, leadership workshops and time for team-building and reflection.

Please note that you will have one or two hours of free time dispersed throughout each day at BELL, but the free time is not always predictable and does not occur at the same time each day. Additional coursework, including online courses for Brown or other programs, is not feasible.