Nicholas Brown Class of 2016
Interview by Aneara Burns. Photo by Nicholas Brown.
Friendship instills discipline and structure into its students, making sure that they have the foundations to excel in adulthood. Nicholas Brown is a perfect example of that. I had the pleasure of speaking with him about his time at Collegiate, military experience and his career aspirations.
Aneara: What college do you attend and what's your major?
Nicholas: I attend the University of the District of Columbia and my major is business management with a concentration in logistics and international trade.
Aneara: What lessons have you learned during your college experience?
Nicholas: For my college experience, I think the biggest thing for me would be time management and finding ways to honestly get my work done. Procrastination is probably my biggest issue, and I think time management was one of the number one things that I gravitated towards in order to be successful. I think time management is a big thing, but you also have to be passionate about what you're doing. You have to be passionate about what you want to do and how you want to do it. Keeping that passion and time management are the two things that helped me be successful.
Aneara: Are you in any extracurricular activities in college? Anything that shapes your interests there?
Nicholas: I've been in a few academic fraternities and academic honor societies. I think the main thing is I'm in an entrepreneurship club, so it helps people generate ideas and innovation in order to make products and services in the future. It is called the Entrepreneurship Business Club. It's one of the clubs they have at UDC.
Aneara: What career do you want to pursue with your degree?
Nicholas: I was in the military, and my military service was dealing with logistics, and shipping things from point A to point B. In a sense, my major in business management is similar, because it has a concentration in logistics. I think I want to get into humanitarian aid, sending over resources, food, and medical supplies to people in need. That's where I'm moving my focus towards.
Aneara: What do you feel like you've gained from the military?
Nicholas: I feel as though the military is one of the best things I've ever done in my life. I left home and got away from family and friends, I put myself in a situation that I never thought I would be very comfortable in, and I flourished. I got discipline, patience, and a lot of benefits. I'm in school right now because of that—going to the military, using the GI Bill. There are so many benefits that I've gained from the military. I highly encourage any college student who wants to join to definitely think about it.
Aneara: Do you feel as though Friendship Collegiate prepared you enough for college?
Nicholas: I feel as though Friendship Collegiate has the tools to make any student successful, but it's more of the student's choice to make that happen. You know, sometimes high school can be hard to navigate, but I feel as though Friendship definitely gives you the tools to do so.
Aneara: What advice would you give to current students for life after high school?
Nicholas: Life after high school, I would say that's when real life starts. If I had to give you one specific thing to really keep in mind, it’s that you have support, but you're on your own. You have to be independent and consistent in the things that you do. You have to push yourself and be responsible for certain things that you never thought you had to, especially your education. So just having that mindset of being independent and pushing forward will help.
Alumni Editor Aneara Burns is a junior at Arizona State University and a 2020 graduate of Friendship Collegiate Academy.