A $2 million gift from the estate of John A. Brown will fund scholarship endowments in the College of Science and College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Arizona.

Brown, a real estate developer, pilot and U.S. Army veteran, earned his master's degree in mathematics at the U of A in 1969. Brown was a Florida native who split his time between Chicago and Fort Lauderdale. He credited his professional success to his math degree, which, along with his love of animals, inspired him to support math and veterinary medicine students at the U of A. 

In addition to bearing Brown's name, the two scholarship endowments are named for his father, Adam, a school superintendent. Brown's goal was to fund service-oriented students, such as math majors who aspire to teach in public schools and veterinarians interested in non-profit veterinary clinics.

"John Brown's generosity will benefit math students for generations to come," said Carmala Garzione, dean of the College of Science. "Our state has a critical shortage of qualified math teachers at the middle and high school levels. These scholarships will provide meaningful opportunities for students who want to pursue teaching careers." 

The Secondary Mathematics Education Program, known as SMEP and housed in the Department of Mathematics, offers a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science in mathematics with an emphasis in mathematics teaching. Accredited by the Arizona Department of Education, SMEP is a premiere program equipping prospective teachers with strong mathematical and pedagogical knowledge. 

"We are grateful for the John A. Brown scholarships as they underscore the importance of choosing mathematics teaching as a viable career and will acknowledge and validate students' call to mathematics education," said Cynthia Anhalt, research professor of mathematics and director of the SMEP. "Equally important will be the resulting community of John A. Brown scholars that will serve as ambassadors to the teaching profession."

Brown also aimed to help aspiring veterinarians afford their education, and appreciated how the U of A Doctor of Veterinary Medicine program emphasizes the holistic health of its students. 

"I know our students share my gratitude to John Brown for creating the Adam Brown and John Brown Scholarship Endowment in Veterinary Medicine," said Julie Funk, dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine. "Scholarships have a direct impact on students' financial well-being and will contribute to their long-term success. That is a meaningful legacy to leave." 

Since opening its doors in 2020, the University of Arizona College of Veterinary Medicine has graduated 214 students, with another 106 on track to join the Class of 2025 this August. The program is designed to be completed in three years, which helps students get into the workforce faster, but cost is still a consideration. 

"I owe so much to where I am today to scholarships," said Kristi Ann Kennedy, who will receive her doctorate in veterinary medicine in 2025. "I am a non-traditional student, and I am starting my second career in my late 40s. The cost of veterinary school is financially crippling, and scholarships made it possible to attend veterinary school."

The gift also is part of the university’s $3 billion campaign. Gifts to this comprehensive fundraising effort have touched all parts of campus, powering student success, faculty research and much more.

"It's an honor to steward John's legacy through these scholarship endowments," said John-Paul Roczniak, president and CEO of the University of Arizona Foundation. "Programs endowed 40 years ago continue to thrive, and 40 years from now, math and vet med students at the U of A will know John as a benefactor and investor in their future success."