Phoebe Bryan ’25 enjoyed her Greens Farms Academy journey so much, she was hoping to find a similar learning environment in college.
The senior rower found just that at Brown University, where she will also be a member of the women’s crew team for the Bears after a stellar career competing with the Saugatuck Rowing Club of Westport.
Phoebe was one of eight GFA athletes who was honored earlier this year in the Coyle Gym as part of the school’s annual commitment ceremony for athletes continuing their student-athlete career at a Division 1 or Division 2 university.
“When I went on my recruiting visit to Brown, I got a glimpse into an open-learning curriculum that would allow me to craft a unique and specialized college experience,” Phoebe explained. “I had the choice of attending a plethora of creative and thought-provoking classes, unmatched at any other institution I visited.”
It was also something that felt familiar.
“GFA opened my eyes to a kind of open-learning style, through the inquiry system, that I knew I wanted to replicate in my college experience,” she said. “Being able to engage fully in classes that I am interested in and have designed myself has allowed me to pursue my passions and interests, and I cannot wait to further that in college.”
She’s also joining a Brown rowing program that has her excited to compete at the next level.
“The team was composed of hard-working, dedicated, and strong girls who were pushing each other, while maintaining a balance of work and fun—exactly the kind of people I want to surround myself with,” she said. “The team also is rooted in longstanding traditions that I cannot wait to be a part of myself.”
According to Michael O’Hara, Phoebe’s coach at Saugatuck Rowing Club, the Brown rowing program is gaining an outstanding competitor and leader.
“The first word that comes to mind when I think of Phoebe is heart,” s Coach O’Hara enthused. “Phoebe trains, races, listens, and leads with her incredible spirit. Our team is a better team because of her and how she lives her life. She is a vocal leader, but never asks the team to do anything she isn’t ready to do herself. She has worked so hard for everything she’s earned in this sport.”