Brenda Brown is a mother of three and grandmother of five. She is a twin and one of 11 living siblings. Her willingness to serve and to help people is captured even in her career goal to "help students to succeed and be prepared for the economic and social opportunities that will empower them as individuals." She practices what she preaches. Her parents instilled in Brenda and her siblings the importance of education. Though she encountered many hurdles - including racial, social, and economic - she persevered, earning an associate, bachelor's, master's, and then doctoral degree. She held the same high expectations for her children, whom she inspired to achieve higher education degrees. Brenda carries that same can-do spirit into the workplace. As coordinator of Academic Resource Center, daily she guides and encourages students, regardless of their circumstances, to grow and learn. Her mantra is a Nelson Mandela quote: "An education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world." Beyond home and work, she believes that giving back is vital to promoting community - and she does! Her past volunteer efforts include Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Flint (BB/BS), the Beecher Scholarship Incentive Program, the Genesee County Reaching Across the Nation Consortium, Department of Human Services Michigan Youth Opportunity Initiatives, the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Tribute Dinner Planning Committee, the Gateway Cultivating Our Community garden project, and the United Way. Perhaps most notable, for over 30 years, Brenda has served as a mentor for BB/BS. She also mentored for Living Independently Networking Knowledge (L.I.N.K.), volunteered as the coordinator for her church's weekly A Taste of Tutoring program, and served as the Amachi liaison between BB/BS and her church. She has been a past mentor for West Bendle and Garfield Elementary Schools' Help One Student To Succeed (HOSTS) programs (6 years), an advisor to the Baker College Tutoring Association's tutoring programs for Flint Community Schools and Bendle Public Schools (15 years), and a former cochair of Flint Area Citizens to End Racism Youth Action Team and Steering Committee (5 years). She has served as facilitator of the Great Lakes District Youth Leadership (1 year) and board member of Flint Leadership Development in Interethnic Relations (2 years). She also served as a member of the Flint Area Public Affairs Forum. In all her community service Brenda brings courage, commitment, compassion, and understanding that have continued to grow from her early childhood experiences as being part of the only minority family in a small, rural community. Befriended by one White, female classmate, following high school graduation, Brenda was determined to similarly become a champion for social justice. Her faith serves as a strong foundation. She is an active member of Prince of Peace Missionary Baptist Church, where she is a Sunday school teacher and serves in multiple ministries. Brenda lives, works, and volunteers - demonstrating the essence of Luke 12:48 (KJV), "For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more."