Dean Donald Brown came to Rutgers University in December of 1976 as the Director of the Veterans Community Services Outreach Program for Rutgers – New Brunswick. This was a grant sponsored by the National League of Cities Conference of Mayors. Prior to this, Don had been the Director of a statewide Title I program, “New Jersey Veterans Education Corps” which was designed to help returning Vietnam Veterans and their families in their transition into civilian life. He received his bachelor’s degree from the University of the Virgin Islands on St. Thomas and his master’s degree from Trenton State College (now The College of New Jersey). Prior to this, Don Spent almost three years in the U.S. Army after a short and unsuccessful academic experience at Newark State College (now Kean University).
In 1978, Don took the job as the first “counselor” for the new Educational Opportunity Fund program at the College of Engineering and although he planned to stay only a “few years” while finishing his Doctorate. He soon discovered that there was an opportunity to build a program and make a positive impact on people’s lives and has never looked back. Under Dean Brown’s leadership the program has grown from an initial class of twenty two students to almost two hundred today. During his career the “EOF Office” has changed from being an isolated operation/office to now an integral part of the School of Engineering as the “Office of Student Development.” During the past thirty years Don as held the position of Counselor, Assistant Director and now Associate Dean with a staff of six other people who are equally committed to student success.
Don has been an active participant in many professional organizations including the Educational Opportunity Fund Professional Association, a founding member of the National Association of Minority Engineering Professional Association, the National Action Council on Minorities in Engineering and several others. One of the societies that he is most proud of is the student organization “MEET” – the Minority Engineering Educational Task, the Rutgers Chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers. Don has had the opportunity to be the Chapter Adviser since 1981 and has been part the reason that it has achieved the leadership recognition on campus that it has had for the past many years. In addition to this, Dean Brown is the Adviser to the Engineering Governing Council which manages 24 different student organizations. Most recently, he helped start the Rutgers Chapter of “Engineers Without Borders” which has had active projects in Kenya, El Salvador, Thailand, and Guatemala while continuing to help annually with the hurricane Katrina cleanup in New Orleans.
Don has received a number of recognitions/awards over the years but one that he is most proud of is the 2003 “Rutgers Human Dignity Award” for his commitment to the Educational Opportunity Fund Program and cultural diversity. This award was given as a result of the success of the EOF progam as well as the development of the undergraduate research exchange program with the University of Brazil in Sao Paolo. Since that award Dean Brown has been actively involved with other undergraduate research initiatives and exchange programs in Portugal, Puerto Rico, Ecuador and St. Croix.
Dean Brown admits that he will miss the people and students that he works with at Rutgers but not miss the daily commute on the New Jersey Turnpike and Route 18. He has indicated that he will mostly miss the two best days on campus: The first day of the summer EOF Program when students arrive and graduation day seeing students walk across the stage and receiving their diplomas who would not have been admitted had it not been for the EOF program.
Don and his wife Laura were married in 1974 on St. Croix after graduating from the University of the Virgin Islands together. They will be returning to St. Croix in December where they look forward to serving as tour guides for their Rutgers and other stateside friends.