DONOR PROFILE
Name: Chelsea Brown '14
Residence: Baltimore, Maryland
Affiliation: Mass communication; marketing minor
Gift Designation: Chelsea Brown Scholarship
Chelsea Brown '14 isn't afraid of the word "go-getter" — and she isn't afraid to be one, either. In fact, that very word defines both her Winthrop experience and her philanthropic work since graduation, including positions with Nasdaq, The SEED School of Maryland in Baltimore, the Maryland Food Bank, Pepco Holdings, and, most recently, president of the Baltimore City Chamber of Commerce.
As a development assistant at SEED Maryland, Brown raised funds and built the vital connections necessary to support the statewide, public, college-preparatory boarding school. SEED Maryland helps underserved students prepare for college and beyond with a supportive learning and living experience. Brown said she relished the excitement she saw in SEED Maryland students headed to college.
"It's rewarding for me to see the look on the kids' faces when they get accepted into the college of their choice. I get to see that excitement through their eyes," said Brown, a native of Columbia, South Carolina.
Seeing those success stories inspired Brown to achieve one of her own goals: establishing a scholarship at Winthrop. Her fund, the Chelsea Brown Scholarship, supports Winthrop students with first preference to a graduate of SEED Maryland or a Columbia native who is majoring in mass communication.
Brown remembers well the excitement of becoming a college student. The daughter of two first-generation college graduates, she immersed herself in all that the Winthrop experience had to offer. She was a member of the Winthrop Association of Black Journalists and the Xi Beta Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.; served as a peer mentor; and worked as co-host of "Battle of the Sexes" on WINR, Winthrop's radio station.
"The Winthrop experience puts you in leadership roles as a student so that you can be prepared to begin your career," said Brown. "Winthrop pushes you to go out and be a leader after graduation."
Brown has made a name for herself in the philanthropic world. She is the founder and principal strategist of The Black Mill, an organization dedicated to promoting equity-focused initiatives on a global scale. She's also made headlines for her founding of Black Greek Festival.
In 2021, she received the Outstanding Young Alumni Award from the Winthrop Alumni Association and in 2024, the Distinguished Alumna from the Department of Mass Communication.