Byrone Brown
B.S. in Organizational Communication

Why did you choose Franklin University?
A friend recommended it to me. And I really liked the curriculum.

Why did you decide to return to college?
To make my mother proud! She was a first-generation college graduate and instilled in me that education is very important. She made a lot of sacrifices to help me, and served as a positive example. As the first man in my family to get a college degree, it was a huge achievement for me to earn my degree.

What kind of commitments did you have in addition to school?
My mother’s health deteriorated and I moved near her to help. She went blind in her right eye from diabetes and it took a lot of time and devotion to help her.

How did you feel about being an adult student?
Working with mature students was very inspiring. Their level of experience helped motivate me to become a really different person–  to step outside society’s expectations. To have a real career and a positive life!

Any thoughts about Franklin’s learning process?
The Organizational Communication Major is great. It’s like having a business degree with writing, communication and marketing skills intertwined. I learned to relate better to people through human behavior concepts. I also learned to be objective, not personal when it comes to business and marketing - to know your audience.

What is your overall experience with Franklin?
Outstanding! The faculty were so supportive and encouraging. I got a lot out of the whole experience and count it as a highlight in my life. My big “take aways” are the ability to structure myself and my time, to think through problems, make good decisions and produce good work.

What advice would you give to someone considering attending Franklin?
You’ll get out of it as much as you put into it. The students are serious about learning and the professors are serious about teaching. Not that it’s not fun — I had a blast! And I learned so much that I got an internship at BET, which recently turned into an awesome full-time job.