The Importance of Family and Philanthropy: Alumna Gives Back to Continue Opportunities

Angela Brown ’92 knows what it’s like to be supported. She knows that, without it in the form of scholarship, her time at University of Findlay would have been more difficult. She also knows that, without support from the UF campus and her two brothers, Dave ’90 and Doug ’91, college and life beyond it would have been harder to navigate. Finally, she knows that, without the same kind of support for her nephew, Jake Brown, a soon-to-be senior at UF, he would face the potential for some similar difficulties.

Brown, a recipient of a sibling grant available at the time, maneuvered her way, along with her brothers, through college and athletic life; both of her siblings were at UF at the same time as their sister, in the early 90s, and were members of the UF football squad. Angela, meanwhile, was the equipment manager for the team. She was excited, she said, to be an Oiler and a part of what was a fairly new program then, the program that has now evolved into the current Environment, Health, Safety, and Sustainability program at UF. She shared an interest in similar academic pursuits with her brothers, each focused, at least in part, on environmental studies. Angela earned her degree in Environmental Management; Dave majored in Hazardous Materials Management, and Doug focused on Marketing while minoring in HazMat Management. Once she was fully involved, she said, it became clear that UF was ideal for her. “The curriculum and uniqueness of the program back then was exciting,” she said. “UF prepared me well with academics and with the soft and leadership skills needed for a meaningful career.”

A meaningful career, for Brown, means a position as the health, environmental, safety and security manager for logistic and storage terminals organization at Marathon Petroleum Corporation, where she interned while a student at UF. It’s a career that she “absolutely loves,” and one that has taken her from North Pole, Alaska (“I met Santa and saw his workshop,” she said.) to Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Brown is responsible for leading a team of 60 individuals that oversee environmental assurance, personal safety, security, and emergency response, for 120 terminals coast to coast.

Along with the education that led her to success with her meaningful career, Angela said, UF did well to prepare her in other important areas of her life. “My two passions,” she said, “are my career and my faith and ministry. “UF helped to mold both, particularly my faith while being part of campus ministries. I like very much that UF’s mission is founded on Christian principles, but that it’s also very inclusive. That’s important.”

The success she’s had, Brown said, would most certainly not have happened if not for the financial backing she had as a student at UF. This is part of the reason why, according to her, she has continued to support the University philanthropically. “I do it for UF, for campus ministries, and for scholarship,” she explained. “I give because of the impact it had on my career and this meaningful life I love, and I give because I see the influence it’s having on my nephew. He’s doing incredible at UF and it has been a perfect fit. I want to make sure that’s sustained and impacts other people, too.”

You can help to make an immediate impact on University of Findlay students like those from the Brown family, and find out the various ways you can give by clicking here.