Jared Brown ’05

Originally from Canada, Jared Brown moved to Chicago for a gap year between high school and college. During his time in the city, he realized he wanted to have “a classic experience at a great American university” and discovered Northwestern. For Brown, the school offered a perfect balance of college traditions and exceptional academics. He fell in love with NU and says he “bleeds purple.”

Brown worked in the software industry during his gap year before majoring in computer science at Northwestern’s Robert R. McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science, where he deepened his software development skills. He says the personal attention he received from his professors at McCormick gave him the confidence to work in the field.

“Math wasn’t my strong suit,” Brown says. “But my amazing professors took such joy in their work and teaching and really exhibited a level of caring toward their students. I wasn’t expecting that.” Brown now works in Seattle as a program manager for Microsoft and supports McCormick with annual gifts.

Brown also supports his fraternity, Alpha Epsilon Pi, and student life because of the leadership skills he gained through extracurricular activities at Northwestern. He is a past president of the alumni club in Seattle, and he stays connected to NU by attending alumni events, returning for Homecoming, watching football games, and even interviewing high school students for Northwestern’s admissions office.

Brown says his generosity is fueled by an appreciation for what Northwestern gave him — a great education and an incomparable college experience — and a sense of responsibility to invest in the future of the school. “I hope to help give other students the same great experience that I had,” he says. He also says giving to the University can be an expression of gratitude for the hard work of Northwestern’s professors and administrators.

“I don’t think my contributions will hold the buildings up, but I’m proud of my contributions to Northwestern,” he says. “The opportunities at Northwestern are phenomenal. I feel honored to have been part of that.”