From Developmental Math to College President: Meet Dr. Mordecai Brownlee, Overcoming Challenges and Giving Back
What is your personal story?
Effective July 15, 2021, I became the sixth president of the Community College of Aurora, part of the Colorado Community College System. With campuses in Aurora and Denver, CCA is a Hispanic-Serving institution providing instruction to nearly 10,000 students throughout its 350- square mile service area. I also teach for Lamar University within the College of Education & Human Development and serve as an international keynote speaker. This year, I was named 40 Under 40 by the Denver Business Journal and the Community Leader of the Year by the Aurora Chamber of Commerce. In 2022, I was featured by Diverse: Issues in Higher Education Magazine as a “New School” leader representing the next generation of college presidents.
These accomplishments were not even fathomable years ago when I graduated from high school, testing at developmental levels for Math. To make matters even more complicated, I failed developmental math at my local community college and was battling with whether I should withdraw from college. For the entirety of my collegiate career, I worked 40 hours a week and for a while worked graveyard shifts to make ends meet. Internally, I believed in myself and my ability to achieve my dreams. Over the years, those dreams have evolved, but my ultimate desires have held true – to be a blessing to my family and to be a blessing to others.
What key moments in your life led you to where you are today?
I was raised by a single mother who served as a K-12 educator for more than 30 years. When my mother could not obtain childcare for me, the principal would allow me to sit at the back of her class while she taught—those times planted seeds within me that have now manifested in my life’s work as an educator. Those moments also instilled within me the importance of persistence and sacrifice to obtain my goals.
Where does your passion to serve come from?
My mother instilled in me the power of civic service. Throughout my K-12 learning experience, I spent countless hours volunteering within my community through an array of projects including neighborhood beautification, food bank operations, and youth mentorship programs. Those service-learning opportunities created scholarship and internship opportunities that transformed my life and career trajectory. Civic service is an integral part of who I am, and it will always be.
How can GlobalMindED help you reach your goals?
The Community College of Aurora proudly serves as the most diverse college in Colorado and over 50% of our students are first-generation students. With a vision to be the college where every student succeeds, it is imperative that our institution partner with organizations that are committed to closing the equity gap and creating a prepared and diverse talent pipeline as we are. GlobalMindED is one of those critical partners we look to support our institutional mission efforts.
Learn more about GlobalMindEd at https://globalminded.org/