‘Always a Teacher’: Mindy Jae Brown Drawn to Career in Education From a Young Age

Gardner-Webb Ignite Scholar Hopes to Inspire Young Minds in Cleveland County, N.C.

By Makella Knowles, Intern for University Communications

BOILING SPRINGS, N.C.—Mindy Jae Brown had the makings of a teacher from a young age. From playing “teacher” while she was growing up, to interning at an elementary school during her senior year of high school, teaching has been a strong theme in Brown’s life. Now in her second year at Gardner-Webb as a senior elementary education major, Brown is gearing up to begin her student teaching next year. While she didn’t settle on being a teacher until her junior year of high school, she says her mom “always saw me as a teacher” and “everything else was just a phase.”

Growing up in Polkville, N.C., Brown came to Gardner-Webb for CentriKid summer camps. In fact, her grandfather used to be on staff and her grandmother went to Gardner-Webb when it was still a high school. She’s very close to her family, describing herself as a “velcro child.” Once she received the Ignite Scholarship and recognized she was only 30 minutes away from home the deal was sealed for her. Brown found out about the Ignite full-tuition award from a former high school classmate who received the scholarship a few years before her. Brown remarks how it was “by the grace of God” she was selected for the honor after the interview.

Brown has a busy social life on campus, involving herself in many of the activities Campus Ministries United has to offer. She regularly attends The Gathering (student-led worship), family group, and Delight Women’s Bible Study. One of her favorite parts of the week is the “Dancing with the Stars” watch party she hosts for her friends and suitemates after The Gathering on Tuesday nights. The evening is complete with treats, snacks, and their own ranking of the contestants’ performances. Additionally, Brown is on the leadership team for the Student North Carolina Association of Educators chapter at Gardner-Webb. She works closely with the faculty member in charge of the chapter, Dr. Brittany Evans, who is also her literacy teacher. Brown sings praises for Evans, remarking on how encouraging and supportive Evans has been in her college career thus far.

Brown expresses gratitude for many things in the College of Education, specifically the small class sizes and the professor-to-student ratio. She discusses how she and her classmates are never embarrassed to present because of the positive environment and how validating it is to have all the professors know her by name. Brown takes her studies seriously, keeping a detailed planner so she can enjoy the satisfaction of crossing a task off of her list before rewarding herself with an episode of her favorite show. She is grateful not to struggle with procrastination or assignment anxiety, and her hard work has paid off after coming to Gardner-Webb with an associate degree.

After graduation, Brown hopes to get a job at her home elementary school in Polkville, working with kindergarten through second-graders. Going to Burns High School in Lawndale, N.C., and now Gardner-Webb has created a deep love for Cleveland County in Brown and she plans to stay here after starting her teaching career.

Makella Knowles, of Indian Trail, N.C., is a senior majoring in English and minoring in Spanish and marketing.

About the Ignite Scholarship

Ignite Excellence is Gardner-Webb University’s most competitive academic scholarship. Each recipient receives a full-tuition scholarship that covers the cost of tuition for eight semesters. Recipients are selected through an on-campus interview process. Applicants must reside on campus, be enrolled full-time, and maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.5. Learn more here.

About Gardner-Webb

Gardner-Webb University is North Carolina’s recognized leader in private, Christian higher education. A Carnegie-Classified Doctoral/Professional University, GWU is home to nine colleges and schools, more than 80 undergraduate and graduate majors, and a world-class faculty. Located on a beautiful 225-acre campus in Boiling Springs, N.C., Gardner-Webb prepares graduates to impact their chosen professions, equips them with the skills to advance the frontiers of knowledge, and inspires them to make a positive and lasting difference in the lives of others. Ignite your future at Gardner-Webb.edu.