Success Comes to Those Who Wait—and Work

When Vernell Brown graduated from Delaware Tech in 2015, he knew that he was finally living up to the potential that he had always known was inside him. Although he was not a traditional student, he didn’t let that stop him from taking the next step and enrolling at the University of Pennsylvania to pursue his bachelor’s degree. He said he had no time to waste.

Brown had a promising academic start to his life, but circumstances and life would send many challenges his way. With a fighting spirit and the help of mentors along the way, he persevered and got back on the right path to his future dreams. He excelled while at Delaware Tech, graduating at the top of his class with a perfect 4.0 in the health information management program. He was also an active member of the Phi Theta Kappa honor society, earning the prestigious Guistwhite Scholarship, which is awarded to just 15 students nationwide from a pool of three million Phi Theta Kappa members.

Brown describes his first days at the University of Pennsylvania as jarring. "It was like living in an elite cocoon of brilliant young minds," he said. "I questioned my ability to assimilate and adjust to the rigors of an Ivy League Institution." However, he put into practice the lessons he had learned on his journey – surrounding himself with a12-step fellowship for support, keeping in contact with his church family, and forging positive relationships with his classmates and professors. He works part-time on campus and takes advantage of the culture and arts in the city of Philadelphia.

This summer, he was accepted to participate in the Morehouse College Public Health Leader Fellowship, a program designed to teach the principles and practice of public health leadership by preparing highly-qualified culturally sensitive undergraduate students in public and biomedical health sciences. Its primary purpose is to better prepare underrepresented minority students for entry into graduate programs of public health with special emphasis on the quantitative sciences where minorities are greatly underrepresented.

Brown spent the summer conducting research at the Centers of Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) on reducing health disparities. His research focused on biostatistics, epidemiology, scientific writing, data analysis and public health. The internship culminated with the opportunity to submit a written manuscript suitable for publication in a scientific journal.

After graduating from the University of Pennsylvania in 2018, Brown would like to pursue a master’s degree in public health at an Ivy League program. "Education is unlocking doors and giving me a sense of purpose and fulfillment," Brown said. "I’m motivated to ride this wave of momentum that started at Delaware Tech. People saw my untapped potential and planted the seed for me to dream bigger."

Ultimately, Brown hopes to work as an epidemiologist and biostatistician in the public sector, impacting and influencing public health policy agendas. For this Delaware Tech alumnus who once described himself as a "late bloomer," the sky is the limit. "This is my season," he said. "Education gives us wings to overcome adversity and make new realities."

For more information on the health information management program, visit go.dtcc.edu/him.