Elizabeth Brown

With the May 2023 commencement, Elizabeth Brown became the third generation of University of North Georgia (UNG) graduates in her family when she earned her Bachelor of Business Administration in marketing. But it wasn't family influence that helped the Columbus, Georgia, native choose UNG. It was the Mike Cottrell College of Business (MCCB) and a meeting with Dr. Mary Gowan, the MCCB dean, that cinched the deal.

"Once I met with Dean Gowan and some people in the business college, I realized that there were a lot more opportunities that UNG could give me, so I chose to come here," Brown said.

Brown led eight students in the Office of Alumni Relations and Annual Giving as an Alumni Student Host team lead for two years. The Alumni Student Host program is an elite group of students who assist the UNG Office of Alumni Relations and Annual Giving in hosting visiting alumni and occasionally attend out-of-town alumni events. This professional group is composed of students who are involved on campus, excel academically, and are committed to serving their university and those who came before them.

She also led Healthy Celebrations UNG, a running group she founded. Brown also found time to support her sorority, Phi Mu, in a variety of roles, including chaplain, alumni relations chair, and most recently as small group leader. She was a student representative for Women of UNG.

Despite her many titles, Brown says leadership is less about titles and position and more about action.

"It's putting rubber on the pavement," she said. "It goes so much further than just a title or position. It's someone who genuinely embodies what they're telling you to do and what they're leading you to do."

And that is how she leads.

"My leadership approach is very hands-on. I believe that a good leader is someone who has done the work themselves rather than just delegating tasks to those around them," Brown said. "One overarching theme of all my leadership experience is that typically I am afraid before I say yes to an opportunity, but that's also where my best leadership has come from. It's just having the courage to do things that you don't necessarily feel like you're a good fit for."

Accepting challenging roles has pushed Brown, and she has learned from them.

"Such amazing things can come from challenges. Leadership experiences can grow you as a person. You truly find out who you are as a leader and who you can become through challenges in a leadership role," Brown said. "The best things come from outside of your comfort zone, so don't be afraid to say yes to things that you know nothing about and just learn along the way."