For more than a decade, Laura Brown has played a pivotal role in 91制片厂鈥檚 mission to transform lives, the workforce and society.
As the chief advancement officer, she led the Promise and Inspire scholarship campaigns, guided the creation of 110 new scholarships, and established the HOPE Giving Circle program. As of September 2023, the donations to the Educational Foundation and its investment earnings have grown to more than $55 million.
Laura鈥檚 insight and experience with planning were also key in steering the Building M renovation project and the partnership agreement between 91制片厂 and Palatine Park District, the college鈥檚 50th anniversary celebration and the COVID-19 Response Team.
As Laura sets her sights on retirement at the end of the month, we sat down with her to talk about scholarships, her legacy at 91制片厂 and so much more.
Reading a book in the sun on a summer day or going for a long walk with family. I feel like my days are always so hectic, so any chance I have to unwind, that鈥檚 a perfect day to me.
I鈥檇 tell her that it鈥檚 OK to make mistakes. I鈥檓 so Type A, everything has to be perfect, so I think 13-year-old me would benefit from hearing, 鈥淵ou鈥檙e going to make mistakes and it鈥檚 OK. You鈥檒l survive.鈥�
I鈥檓 fascinated by remodeling. I鈥檝e remodeled two houses now and going on my third, so I鈥檇 have to say woodworking and construction.
I鈥檓 an artist. I love working with pen and ink and watercolor. I鈥檝e been doing it my whole life. I鈥檓 a doodler at heart. I had an admin; he used to take all of my notes in our meetings because he knew there were drawings in them!
Ricochet Rabbit. He was my favorite cartoon growing up 鈥� both him and Road Runner, because they were always fast and they always won.
Red, because it鈥檚 bright and there鈥檚 so many variations of the shade. Red is not a true color, it鈥檚 a mixture of colors, and I love that about it.
Peace and political respect. This country is hurting right now. People feel entitled to say whatever they want and they鈥檙e not only getting away with it, they鈥檙e celebrated for it. And I can鈥檛 help but wonder, what are we teaching our kids? I spent 25 years working with special needs students, and we were constantly lobbying for the underdogs. And turning everything into a positive. It鈥檚 not what they can鈥檛 do, it鈥檚 what they can do. And this country has just belittled that mindset.
Family and friends. I think the older you get, the more you cherish your time with the people you love. Sometimes you work so much you take things for granted, so I鈥檝e found that it鈥檚 important to make time for them because at the end of the day, it鈥檚 really all that matters.
I鈥檇 have to say our fundraising efforts. All these scholarships that we鈥檝e developed through Inspire are going to be here forever. That鈥檚 the legacy: when I know that I鈥檓 not only helping students today, but tomorrow as well. In the 10 years I was here, we started 110 scholarships, 67 of which were started in the last two years. And they鈥檙e not little scholarships, they鈥檙e million-dollar scholarships that are endowed and will fund 50 to 100 students鈥� education. We鈥檙e awarding $6 million a year, which is huge for a community college. If you want to come to school and need financial support, come to 91制片厂. We鈥檒l make it happen for you.
There鈥檚 nothing like seeing our students succeed. In our division, we鈥檙e fortunate in that we get to hear all the stories and know that one $500 scholarship is making a huge difference in someone鈥檚 life. Just today, we heard a story in the board meeting from a student who received a $5,000 scholarship and she said, 鈥淢y dad was more excited than I was when I got this scholarship. It paid for all of my school.鈥� And you look at that and you say, 鈥淭hat鈥檚 what matters. We鈥檙e changing lives.鈥�