Mother's Day Gift

Why I Give: Doug Brown '85

Norma Woodall Brown was a firm believer in giving people second chances.

Even though she didn’t have the opportunity to attend college, she believed in the value of higher education. Because of an endowed scholarship in her memory, Brown’s wish to help University of Tennessee at Chattanooga students in need of second chances in their undergraduate degree pursuits is today a reality.

Doug Brown, a UTC alumnus, has established the Norma Woodall Brown Memorial Scholarship to honor his mother. As an endowed scholarship, it will carry on in perpetuity; in essence, it is a gift that keeps on giving.

“I’m a self-proclaimed mama’s boy, and the reason I wanted to do this scholarship and help others was to honor her,” says Brown, now the chair of the UC Foundation. “She was a lady that I would say had grit and she obviously meant a whole lot to me.

“My mom was a real inspiration and a tough lady. She was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 38 and never complained. She went cancer-free for five years, then the cancer came back as bone cancer. And again, she never complained, never talked about dying.”

Norma Woodall Brown passed away on Dec. 24, 1989, at the age of 54.

“My mom didn’t get a chance to go to college,” Brown continues. “Her family was financially disadvantaged; her dad died of tuberculosis at a young age and there were no means for her to go to school.

“That’s the whole crux behind this scholarship, her grit and being a big believer in second chances.”

Norma Woodall Brown

photo credit: Doug Brown

With that mindset, Brown set out to fashion a scholarship that would best embody his mother’s beliefs.

It is intended for older, non-traditional students (25 years and older) pursuing undergraduate degrees and having course credit accumulation equal to that of a senior.

It is designed for those whose lives got in the way. Such as those who find themselves a single parent or supporting a family or with dependents other than a spouse—or similar, and going to college only part time.

It is meant to propel someone over the top and to that elusive undergraduate degree.

“I know some people are not ready for college at 18 to 21 years of age, or something happens in their life where they’re not even able to come to college until later on in time,” Brown says. “I wanted this scholarship to be in the vein of giving somebody a second opportunity.

“Education is the great equalizer. If you take intelligent people with disadvantaged backgrounds and give them an opportunity to learn and get educated, they can go out and be wonderful, productive citizens. Allowing somebody to reach their full potential is really exciting.”

Now a senior vice president and financial advisor for UBS Financial Services, Brown grew up in a working-class family in nearby East Ridge.

If UTC wasn’t close by, he might not have gone to college; his family couldn’t afford to send him away.

“UTC gave me a great opportunity that I would not have had had it not been here,” Brown says. “I worked for a company called Betts Engineering throughout college to pay my way through school. That’s one of the reasons I’m so passionate about the UC Foundation and what it does with student scholarships.”

Brown went on to receive a bachelor’s degree in psychology in 1985. His wife, Jill, also is a UTC psychology grad; they first met as freshmen in the fall of 1979.

His son, Will, a creative writing major at UTC, is now an executive with Snap Inc.—a camera and social media company whose products include Snapchat and Bitmoji.

“UTC has played an important role in our lives,” Brown says, “and doing something for this institution has been on my mind for quite a while.

“I’ve been blessed and very fortunate, and I just felt like this scholarship was a great way for me to accomplish three things: I can honor my mother, I can honor my University and I can help a student.”

And what would his mom think about having a college scholarship in her name?

“I think she would be thrilled that there’s a scholarship out there for somebody that needs it,” Brown says with a smile, “but she would think it’s total nonsense that I am honoring her.”

The reason I wanted to do this scholarship and help others was to honor her. She was a lady that I would say had grit and she obviously meant a whole lot to me.

- Doug Brown