As the son of a Boy Scouts Scoutmaster, M.J. Brown was thrust into leadership positions at a young age.
“By high school, I was a patrol leader for a group of 10-12 kids,” said Brown, who eventually earned the Eagle Scout rank. “I learned a lot about servant leadership through Boy Scouts. As a servant leader, you put the needs of your constituents first, you’re responsible for them and need to take their thoughts and opinions into account when making decisions.”
Over the last four years at WashU, Brown has had the opportunity to build upon those leadership skills. He was initially drawn to the university because of the business program and the John B. Ervin Scholars program — which provided a community of like-minded people on campus who were committed to leadership, community service, diversity and academic excellence — but that was just the tip of the iceberg.
Through various clubs and group projects, Brown took on leadership roles, practiced the fine art of delegating, networked, further defined his values and purpose, and gave back by mentoring high school students in the Olin Fleischer Program.
In May, Brown is set to graduate with a double major in economics and strategy, at Olin Business School, and in Spanish, in Arts & Sciences, along with a minor in international business. Below, he reflects on his time at WashU and how these experiences have prepared him for his next step.
What WashU experiences made the biggest impact on you?
I’ve had lots of opportunities at WashU that were impactful. For instance, I took a business course through the Center for Experiential Learning, where we traveled to Barcelona for a week at the beginning of the semester and then continued to consult for a local startup in Barcelona throughout the semester. That was a really cool experience, not only because of the travel aspect, but also because it was one of the most diverse groups I’ve ever worked in and had the opportunity to lead.
Another experience that stands out is my involvement in the professional fraternity Delta Sigma Pi. DSP was crucial because it helped me increase my professionalism and connect with upperclassmen. Coming in to WashU, I knew I wanted to study business, but I didn’t know what I wanted to major in, or which classes I wanted to take. I was inspired by the upperclassmen. Hearing about their experiences and career paths motivated me to pursue my dreams, even if they seemed far-fetched, and highlighted what I needed to do to get there.
I’m also really proud of the work I did as vice president of diversity and inclusion for DSP. We established 10 internal affinity groups, which provides opportunities for cultural sharing. Not only has this helped make the club more equitable, but it has also helped with recruitment.
Who inspires you?
The first person who comes to mind is my dad. He’s instilled in me so many values that are central to who I am. My dad models what it means to be a servant leader and stick to the values you hold, as well as how to have fun as a leader. I think that’s important and something that gets overlooked sometimes. I always try to keep in mind that you can’t just be bogged down by responsibility all the time.
At WashU, I was inspired by Aisha Ali (BSBA ’24) and Raevyn Ferguson (AB ’23) and their ability to go after what they want and to succeed in everything they put their mind to. I learned a lot from them.
What’s next?
After graduation, I’ll be working as an associate product marketing manager at Google in San Francisco. I interned at Google last summer and had a great experience. Being from Nashville and going to school in St. Louis, I was a little wary about moving across the country — it’s a big jump! But I’m looking forward to exploring the city and learning from my new co-workers.
