An “Enriching Experience” | May 2023
Rochester attorney T. Andrew Brown is wrapping up his term as RIT’s 31st Frederick H. Minett Professor. The program brings multicultural professionals from the Rochester community to campus to share their knowledge with students, staff and faculty for one academic year. Brown is the founder and managing partner of Brown Hutchinson LLP. He shares his experiences in the following essay.
As I end my term as the RIT Minett Professor for the 2022-2023 academic year, I find myself reflecting back to the beginning of my term. I started hopeful to find ways of adding value to the RIT campus community. I was eager to use my work-life experiences to add a perspective that would complement the academic scholarship found on campus. I’m extremely grateful for having had this opportunity.
Throughout the year I’ve looked forward to my many visits to campus. I always found the campus full of life with a great sense of energy. My meetings with students were particularly gratifying. I especially welcomed offers to meet with students of color and other diverse backgrounds, sharing my own life story in the hope of inspiring them. Meetings with pre-law students and the pre-law society allowed me to share aspects of my life as a lawyer, and to talk about the many opportunities in the profession. I hope I influenced some to go on to law school. Every chance I had I attempted to encourage students to take full advantage of the privilege they have by attending such a fine institution as RIT, and to not let a day go by without realizing how fortunate they are.
Over the years I’ve taught as an adjunct at multiple other institutions and enjoyed the opportunity at RIT to get back in the classroom. I’ve had many great conversations with other professors about a wide range of issues. I thank professors Michelle Chun and Eunju Kang for opportunities to lecture to their classes on matters of political science, public administration, and law. I came away each time impressed with the high level of student interest, participation, and engagement.
A school year goes by quickly. I hope the many students, faculty, and others at RIT that I’ve had the benefit of meeting and working with will feel benefited in at least some small way that will remain long after my term ends. I certainly have been enriched from the experience.
I wish the students and the entire RIT campus continued success. I’ll look forward to future opportunities to visit the campus after my term ends in June. I’m happy to have made RIT part of my story.