A LUM N I
M AY 202 1
Closing the Distance Photo by David Norris
BY LANCE SCHWARTZ • CHIEF COMMUNICATION OFFICER
Anna Brown ('19) at her office in North Mankato.
Environment key factor in college choice for Brown Anna (Meyer '19) Brown knew that she wanted to attend a college with a solid journalism or communication program after graduating from a Christian high school in suburban Phoenix, Arizona. She didn't have to look too far to find a solid choice for her higher education aspirations. Brown was accepted to one of the nation's premier journalism schools – The Walter Cronkite School of Journalism at Arizona State University located just a short distance from her home. It certainly seemed like a great fit. But Brown had also heard about Bethany and knew the college was gaining a solid reputation for producing graduates who were working in some of the nation's top broadcast corporations. Sure, Bethany was 1,500 miles northeast and the winters were a bit cooler than Arizona, but with encouragement 14
from family she decided to learn a little more about Bethany's communication program. After visiting the campus and touring the College's production and broadcast studio—she was impressed. While her options were miles apart, both physically and in the size of the programs, each provided what Brown was searching for in her college experience (with a few notable exceptions). "On paper, ASU seemed like the more fitting choice: an amazing studio, wide variety and quantity of highend media and equipment, a prestigious journalism reputation, it was close to home and my family, and was the cheaper financial option. However, it lacked some of the most important things on my checklist for a college education, said Brown." Brown attended Arizona Lutheran Academy for high
