5 things to know about new Alverno College president Christy Brown

Alverno College named Milwaukee native and local leadership executive Christy Brown as its next president, marking the first time that a person of color will lead the school.

Brown, 58, currently leads the southeast Wisconsin chapter of the Girl Scouts. She takes the reins at Alverno on July 5, the school announced Wednesday.

“Christy brings to Alverno a unique mix of higher education and mission-driven expertise focused on girls and young women’s leadership development," said Katherine Hudson, who chairs the school's board of trustees and also co-chaired the presidential search committee. “She is a dynamic, inspirational and transformational leader with more than two decades of results advancing organizational mission, vision and values while achieving unprecedented operational outcomes.”

Here's five things to know about her:

A tough leadership test ahead

Brown takes the helm of the Catholic women's college at a time of upheaval for small religious institutions. Cardinal Stritch University in Fox Point is closing its doors for good at the end of the semester, with the Catholic liberal arts college succumbing to a decade-long decline in enrollment and financial pressure.

Alverno, on Milwaukee's south side, faces similar challenges. The school shed about 20% of its full-time enrollment over the last eight years, from just shy of 2,000 students to roughly 1,500 in 2021, according to federal education data. Alverno has also reported deficits in four of the last five years, according to publicly available tax filings.

Despite the challenges, Alverno receives accolades for its unique approach to teaching. Its undergraduate curriculum requires students to master not only the content of their subjects but also learn skills such as problem solving and communication. Group projects are common, and rigorous written assessments are more often used than letter grades.

Brown joins a small group of female college presidents of color

Brown's hire as the first Black woman to lead Alverno shatters a glass ceiling for the school — and also for the region. Alverno spokesperson Pam Kassner said Brown is just the second Black woman to lead a higher education institution in southeastern Wisconsin; the first was Barbara Holmes at the helm of Milwaukee Area Technical College in the 1990s.

Women of color account for a little more than one of every 10 college presidents nationwide, according to the American Council on Education.

Brown joins a small group of people of color currently leading Wisconsin institutions. Thomas Gibson leads the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, and Corey King began his tenure as UW-Whitewater chancellor last month. Laurie Carter joined Lawrence University in Appleton in 2021 as the school's first Black woman president.

Brown's background reflects the student body Alverno serves

Alverno serves a diverse student body, with more than half of its student body being Latina, Black or Asian. It was the first college in Wisconsin to receive the coveted federal designation as a Hispanic-Serving Institution, which is given to colleges where 25% or more of the student body identifies as Hispanic/Latino and opens the door to millions of dollars in federal grants and scholarships.

Many Alverno students are the first in their families to go to college.

Brown was a first-generation student, too. She earned a bachelor's degree in psychology from Stanford University. She also earned a master's degree and law degree from Duke University.

Brown's most recent gig was leading the Girl Scouts

Brown has served as CEO for the Girl Scouts of Wisconsin Southeast since 2012. The organization includes more than 17,000 members across seven counties. She sees similarities in the mission of the organization she is leaving and the one she will be leading. Both foster courage, confidence and character among young women.

“To lead Alverno College — embracing its unique identity, Franciscan values, dedication to women’s education and commitment to social justice, inclusion and equity — will be a privilege and extraordinary opportunity to continue to impact the city from which I come," Brown said in a statement.

Brown's job experience includes stints at other Milwaukee higher education institutions

Brown has worked in a variety of leadership positions across the city. She served as vice chancellor for finance and administrative affairs at UW-Milwaukee from 2007 to 2012. Before that, she spent five years as executive vice president and general counsel at Milwaukee Area Technical College.

Brown has also worked as a vice president and corporate counsel for Lutheran Social Services of Wisconsin and Upper Michigan and as an associate attorney with Michael Best & Friedrich law firm.

Outside of work, she serves on the Medical College of Wisconsin Board of Trustees. Her previous service experience includes a stint on the Carroll University Board of Trustees and on the Wisconsin Educational Approval Board.

Contact Kelly Meyerhofer at kmeyerhofer@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter at @KellyMeyerhofer.

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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Alverno College names Milwaukee executive Christy Brown as new president