Brooke Rorer Brown ’91, P’21, ’23 has what she considers a “lifelong relationship” with Trinity College. “Growing up, I remember hearing a lot about Trinity from my dad,” said Brown.
Her father, Ted Rorer ’65, P’91, GP’21, ’23, has served the College in a number of volunteer roles in the 58 years since he graduated, including as a member of the Board of Trustees. In 2015, he was honored with Trinity’s Eigenbrodt Cup.
Since her own graduation, Brown has continued the family tradition of remaining connected to the College. “From the get-go,” said Brown, “my father set a great example of always staying involved, and I like to think I’ve followed in his footsteps.” Her own Trinity involvement has included serving on the Board of Fellows, as a class agent, and as a Trinity Athletic Giving (TAG) Week volunteer captain for women’s squash.
Recently, Brown and her husband, Eric Brown ’92, P’21, ’23, began thinking about what else they could do for Trinity. In celebrating the graduation of their daughters, Campbell ’21 and Mimi ’23, the Browns thought the timing seemed to be opportune—with a third generation wrapping up their time on campus—to recognize the meaningful place Trinity has been for their family.
Brown reflected on the common threads that bound her, her father, and her daughters during their Trinity days. All three generations had been athletes; Brooke was on the field hockey team—although an injury in her inaugural game as a first-year sidelined her—while Rorer and his granddaughters played squash. Also, through Campbell’s and Mimi’s participation on the squash team, it turned out Brown and her daughters shared another important connection: a special mentor.
When her elder daughter started at Trinity, Brown was thrilled to learn that one of her former professors, Randolph “Randy” Lee ’66, was serving as both an assistant coach and the team psychologist to the women’s squash team. “It was really fun to reconnect with Randy,” said Brown, who majored in psychology. “He made a huge impact on my experience and an even more meaningful impact on my daughters’ experience.”
In 2023, with Lee announcing his retirement from his role as director of the Counseling and Wellness Center, the timing for giving back to Trinity in a significant way seemed even better. “In this moment,” said Brown, “this was the end of our children attending Trinity, and with Randy retiring, we just really wanted to do something meaningful that ties all of those elements together.”
Additionally, the couple said they hope that their gift will inspire classmates and fellow alumni to make commitments of their own. “Do something that is meaningful for you; participate in a way that is meaningful for you,” said Brown. “Every gift counts.”