Championing the power of education

By Kennedy Byrne

Seattle native Reggie Brown gives back to the community he grew up in.

Reggie, a former senior executive in finance and marketing at Microsoft, volunteers as chairman of the board of trustees at Rainier Scholars. He is currently working through a five-year plan for the organization, maintaining its fiscal and organizational health.

Rainier Scholars, a 12-year program that helps low-income students of color in Seattle reach college graduation and beyond, emphasizes the power of education and opportunity.

The organization's programs include elementary academic enrichment, academic counseling, leadership and career development and college counseling.

Reggie utilizes his leadership skills to build community and develop partnerships with businesses and organizations throughout Seattle. He constantly seeks internships, mentors and networking opportunities for the scholars.

He was named one of Microsoft Alumni Network’s 2020 AlumniHEROes, and has earned a $15,000 grant for Rainier Scholars.

Rainier Scholars was founded in 2000. It has served 1,144 students. The five-year college graduation rate is 82%, which is much higher than the national average of 56%. Additionally, 94% of Rainier Scholars will be the first in their family to graduate from college.

“The most gratifying thing is seeing the parents see their children reach the dreams that maybe they had for themselves but couldn’t realize,” said Reggie, who’s also a parent. “You can see it in their eyes.”

Reggie’s passion for transformational leadership is what drew him to Rainier Scholars. He believes it is the most important springboard to achieve both economic and societal equity. He is proud to be part of an organization that is successful in furthering educational goals for young people.

Employees and volunteers at Rainier Scholars work to showcase students’ success and demonstrate that education is a large stepping stone towards racial equity.

“I think Rainier Scholars is a shining example that if you do give these kids the enrichment and the belief that they can achieve, counter to many things in their lives that told them they cannot achieve, they can succeed,” said Reggie.

One of Rainier Scholars’ main goals is expanding the program so more people can benefit. Access to the program could change the trajectory of an entire family's lineage.

The extensive support and effort put into the program is expensive. The students in the elementary academic enrichment program receive approximately 1,000 additional hours of instruction annually compared to a typical student in neighboring school districts.

The program currently is flooded with more than 500 applicants annually. Only 65 students are accepted. They are selected based on their personal story and family’s support system.

Reggie had the opportunity to hire students from the program in businesses that he was running during the time. The fruition from young students to responsible adults making a difference is moving for him to see.

When students graduate and become leaders, Reggie said they prove  how important education is. The Rainier Scholars alumni will spread the impact beyond the program, and that is what it is all about.

“The biggest connection I’d like to make is that between educational excellence, economic parity, and justice,” Reggie said. “I think that is the best path to improve egalitarian social justice is for there to have less differences in people’s resources based on historical aspects of our society.”

One student, Quincy, who Reggie met as a high schooler, was looking for support in his calculus class. Reggie connected him with a tutor.

Fast forward into Quincy’s adult life, he is now finishing medical school — an incredible example of what one can achieve when provided the resources and support to succeed.

Other Rainier Scholar alumni are at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, medical school, law school, graduate school and more.

“Seeing these learners have this craving and conviction to graduate from college is quite powerful,” Reggie said.

There are four simple pieces of advice that Reggie has for cultivating success: be passionate, stay goal-oriented, stay curious and be deeply empathetic.

He shares his experience with students in the Rainier Scholars program.

“Curiosity is the cheapest way to achieve high quality education,” said innately curious Reggie.

The child of a schoolteacher, Reggie credits his career success to access to transformative education and an opportunity to learn. He earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of San Francisco and his MBA from Stanford University.

in his Stanford Business School essay, he wrote about how he would dedicate his time to helping communities of color. He always wanted to give back to the community.

“My reverence,” Reggie said, “is for educational institutions and the impact they can have on the lives of others.”