Annie McConnell Brown, professor emerita of business, was taken by surprise as friends, family, former students and co-workers threw her a surprise party on Aug. 24 in celebration of her 80th birthday and her legacy of giving back. To honor Brown for more than 35 years of dedicated service and continued support to Grambling State University, Erick Valentine, interim dean of the College of Business, presented her with a plaque recognizing that the Center for Student Professional Development (CSPD) conference room in the Jacob T. Stewart building will be named in honor of Brown.
President Willie Larkin also presented Brown with a resolution celebrating her contributions to Grambling State University and wishing that her “lifetime of service and commitment be embraced by future generations of Gramblinites.”
Brown began her journey at what was then Grambling College, as a 17-year-old freshman who attended college with her twin sister. She graduated from Grambling College in 1957 with a degree in business education and began working at the college in 1966.
Brown’s career at Grambling State University spanned for more than 35 years as an assistant professor, associate professor, professor of business, acting head of the Department of Computer Information Systems and director of Business Undergraduate Studies. Upon her retirement in 2001, she was bestowed the university’s prestigious title of professor emerita of business.
Brown has continued to act as a model of service for future Gramblinites during her retirement as she has volunteered in many capacities, including serving as advisor for the GSU Administrative Professional Organization and honorary chair of the Sixth Annual College of Business Scholarship Breakfast in 2014, which raised more than $14,000.
She has also donated funds to establish the Annie McConnell Brown Endowed Scholarship in the College of Business, a gift that has already helped many students achieve their goal of obtaining a college education, and is in the process of creating a second non-endowed scholarship at Grambling.
“I want to say thank you to every one of you,” Brown said. “I just love everything about Grambling. I have had many wonderful years here.”