91热爆网

 91热爆网 Stories      September 3, 2019

It was November 1981 when a 23-year-old Kelli McCormack first graced the cover of a magazine. The publication was The Ohio Quarter Horse Association News, and the reason for the prominent placement of her smiling visage was that McCormack had recently won the title of Miss Rodeo Ohio and was in contention for Miss Rodeo America.

Hit the fast-forward button on the great remote control of life and, nearly 38 years later, that same woman finds herself once again on the cover of a magazine. This time, the publication is the one you are reading. And this time, the purpose for her appearance is that the woman, now known as Kelli R. Brown, has been appointed the 12th chancellor of Western Carolina University.

So yes, it is true 鈥� when it comes to finding her face on the cover of a magazine, this is not her first rodeo. (Sorry鈥e couldn鈥檛 resist). And although the latest step in Brown鈥檚 30-plus years in higher education marks the first time she has held an institution鈥檚 top leadership position 鈥� at least on a permanent basis 鈥� she believes that her life and career have positioned her perfectly to step into the role of 91热爆网鈥檚 CEO.

Brown was serving as provost and senior vice president for academic affairs at Georgia College & State University when the University of North Carolina Board of Governors elected her as 91热爆网鈥檚 next leader on April 25. UNC System Interim President Bill Roper had selected her as his choice for the post after reviewing a slate of three finalists put forward for consideration by a 21-person search committee and endorsed by the 91热爆网 Board of Trustees.

Her appointment concluded an unexpectedly lengthy process to find a successor for David O. Belcher, a beloved 91热爆网 chancellor who died in June 2018. Brown is the university鈥檚 first permanent female chancellor; Alison Morrison-Shetlar, 91热爆网 provost, led the university in a transitory capacity for 18 months.

The Wonder Years

Brown was born Aug. 2, 1958, in Orlando, Florida, the eldest of three children of Jim and Charlene McCormack. The family moved north the next year when her father left the U.S. Air Force and took a position with Owens Corp. in Muncie, Indiana, later relocating to company headquarters to Toledo, Ohio.

Growing up in the Midwest, Brown became enchanted with horses 鈥� so much so that she asked her parents for a pony for her ninth birthday. She did not get one, so she asked again鈥nd again鈥nd again. Her parents finally granted her annual wish for her 12th birthday. Upon getting a palomino mare named Princess Ginger, she became active in the 4-H youth development organization, where she started showing horses. She turned out to be rather good at it, quickly racking up ribbons, belts, saddles and trophies. Her siblings would soon find themselves saddling up, as well, and the McCormack family spent just about every weekend traveling across the Midwest for horse shows.

鈥淜elli got into 4-H, started showing horses and, of course, said 鈥業鈥檓 going to be the best.鈥� And she was,鈥� said sister March Ferguson, six years younger than Brown (brother Steve is one year younger). 鈥淪he was always doing something, whether it was DECA in high school, showing horses, on the honor roll or good grades. She was so active in so many things and did them all so well.鈥�

Ferguson would go on to enjoy success in the equestrian world herself, also earning the title of Miss Rodeo Ohio; she and Brown are thought to be the only siblings to share that honor. 鈥淚t was nice to look up to her and to want to follow in her shoes,鈥� Ferguson said. 鈥淪he was a very good big sister, and I knew she was already on the road to being successful in whatever she did. I don鈥檛 think there was anything my sister didn鈥檛 do or couldn鈥檛 do.鈥�

While Brown鈥檚 success in horse competitions was an integral part of her wonder years, she also credits her experiences in 4-H with helping her develop leadership skills at an early age. 鈥淢iss Binnie Masters was my 4-H leader, and she helped instill in me the importance of working hard, taking care of an animal, how to compete and lose gracefully, and being part of a team,鈥� Brown said. 鈥淭aking care of a horse or any other animal is a huge responsibility. Being in 4-H helped me grow personally. You may have the best cow, pig or horse, but you may not win the competition that day. This helps build character. I believe it helped build mine.鈥�

Thinking back, her sister also recalls Brown demonstrating the skills of diplomacy and negotiation throughout their childhood. 鈥淲hen my brother and I would fight, she would step in and say, 鈥極K guys, let鈥檚 just stop and think about this.鈥� Even when she wanted to scream and go crazy, she was very diplomatic. She could see both sides of every issue and was very analytical in her thinking,鈥� Ferguson said. 鈥淪he was unusually calm and responsible, even growing up.鈥�

Brown also points to the impact of her late mother as a key factor in her development. 鈥淢y mother was a special person who worked extremely hard her entire life. She gave up a lot so that we kids could have things. I didn鈥檛 realize until I got older how much she sacrificed for us. She was rock solid, always there to celebrate achievements or when we were struggling,鈥� Brown said. 鈥淪he guided, nudged, encouraged, supported and inspired me to work hard, despite disappointments or setbacks, and I am the woman I am today because of her.鈥�

Next Steps

It should come as no huge surprise that, during those formative years, Brown did not dream of a career in higher education. She wasn鈥檛 even planning to go to college; her goal was to marry a cowboy and live on a farm. But her father had bigger aspirations for his three children. He wanted them to seek education beyond high school, in large part because of his experiences growing up during the Great Depression.

鈥淥ur dad鈥檚 parents had a small restaurant. His mom was a waitress, and my dad grew up there, cleaning tables from the time he was a little kid. They were not considered prosperous at all. My grandfather was a great man, but they struggled financially,鈥� Ferguson said. 鈥淢y grandfather鈥檚 goal in life was for his son to do better than he did, and my dad had the same goal for us 鈥� do better than he did. He wanted us to be better off than he ever was.鈥�

Brown shelved her search for a cowboy and enrolled at Michael J. Owens Technical College, where she worked toward an associate degree in dental hygiene. Ferguson recalls a day when she was late for an appointment to have her teeth cleaned by her sister to help her earn the required number of weekly hours behind the chair. 鈥淚 got lost on the way, and she said, 鈥楧o you realize you cost me three hours? You have to come back next week, and I鈥檓 cleaning your teeth.鈥� I thought to myself, 鈥楳y sister is going to be an angry dentist,鈥欌�� she said.

At her father鈥檚 insistence, however, Brown began studying at the University of Toledo while working as a dental hygienist. 鈥淢y father was the only one in his family to have a college degree. My paternal grandparents completed the eighth grade. My maternal grandparents and my mother graduated from high school. My mother took some classes in college, but she was not a college graduate,鈥� Brown said. 鈥淵et, my parents believed in a college education for all three of their children. They instilled in us there was no other option 鈥� you were going to college.鈥�

It was at the University of Toledo where Brown discovered the field of public health. And it was there that she began to gain a true appreciation for the value of higher education and to understand why her father was so adamant that his children go to college. 鈥淚 firmly believe in higher education,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 believe that a post-secondary degree is critical for changing the trajectory of a person鈥檚 life and, in turn, their family鈥檚 lives. It certainly has changed my life.鈥�

After earning her bachelor of science degree at Toledo in 1982, she remained there for graduate school, receiving her master鈥檚 degree in 1984. Deciding that higher education would be kicking that dream of marrying a cowboy out of the saddle, she enrolled at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, earning her doctorate in health education in 1987.

Western Illinois University hired the newly minted Ph.D. as an assistant professor in the Department of Health Sciences, and she would go on to hold faculty appointments at four other institutions 鈥� Illinois State University, the University of South Florida, the University of Florida and Georgia College & State University.

Toward the Top Rung

As she began climbing the academic ladder 鈥� including the rungs of department chair, associate dean and interim dean 鈥� Brown realized that her skill set and experiences aligned with those of senior-level leaders in higher education. So did Steve Dorman, current president of Georgia College. Dorman, also a health educator by training, initially hired Brown as his associate dean in 2007 when he was dean of the College of Health and Human Performance at the University of Florida. Shortly after he became president at Georgia College in 2012, the position of provost opened, and he encouraged Brown to apply. She quickly rose to the top of the pool, said Dorman, who has known Brown professionally for at least 20 years.

Dorman hired Brown as provost and vice president for academic affairs at Georgia College in June 2013. As provost, she led several student success initiatives, including new high-impact practices designed to ensure students graduate on time and the establishment of a national student scholarship office that has helped students win Boren and Marshall awards. She also guided a campuswide program prioritization effort across all units, not just in academic affairs, and steered development of Georgia College鈥檚 strategic plan, titled 鈥淥ur Path to Preeminence.鈥�

In May 2016, the University System of Georgia asked Brown to temporarily step away from her provost position to serve as interim president of Valdosta State University (like 91热爆网, a regional comprehensive institution) after Cecil Staton left the post to become chancellor at East Carolina University. She returned to Georgia College in January 2017 as provost.

Dorman said he is not surprised Brown was selected for 91热爆网鈥檚 chancellorship.

鈥淜elli is a very outstanding leader. You鈥檙e going to find that out very, very quickly. She is a leader who is ready, who is certainly ready to lead an institution. She鈥檚 demonstrated that here and she鈥檚 demonstrated that elsewhere in the state of Georgia,鈥� he said.

鈥淚 think you saw (during the search process) someone who is ready to be a leader and someone who understands higher education and the difficulties that higher ed is encountering right now, but also someone who is very thoughtful and who has an idea of what the future holds for higher ed. I think you saw the competency she projects, the confidence she projects and the passion she projects for higher education,鈥� Dorman said.

It did not take long for news of Brown鈥檚 appointment at 91热爆网 to spread across the Milledgeville campus. And, as was the case with the college president, that news did not come as a shock. 鈥淚 remember the day I found out. I had a suspicion,鈥� said Jen Yearwood, special assistant to the vice president of finance and administration. 鈥淚 knew it was only a matter of time before somebody stole her from us. She is presidential material. I knew when I met her that it was not going to be a long stay here because she鈥檚 got bigger and better things that she needs to get done.鈥�

Mark Pelton, Georgia College鈥檚 associate vice president for strategic initiatives, characterized Brown as one of the hardest working people he has ever encountered. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not unusual for her to work seven days a week, and I cannot tell you the number of times I have received emails from her on Sunday nights. She is collaborative. She likes to bring the appropriate people to the table to discuss issues and problems and try to find solutions,鈥� Pelton said.

鈥淚 think the highest tribute I can give to an administrator is that he or she just wants things to work and to work well. That was the sense I got from Dr. Brown when she came here, that she wanted Georgia College to work and to work well, and that she was willing to help people learn how to work collaboratively and with minimum conflict to achieve the goals of the institution,鈥� he said.

Georgia College staff and students also say they are going to miss Brown. Custodian Eartha Ward admits she was quite nervous when she was first transferred to work in Parks Hall, a main administration building, because 鈥渢hat鈥檚 where a lot of higher-ups were.鈥� But Brown quickly put her at ease, Ward said. 鈥淥ne story sticks in my mind more than anything else. One day they had an event next door and she attended. And she came back with a little dessert 鈥� I think they call it a scone. She said, 鈥榊ou鈥檝e got to try this. It is so good.鈥� She literally left the building, went back, got in line, got one and brought it back for me to try. I thought that was so special,鈥� Ward said.

Amelia Lord, Student Government Association president, called Brown a 鈥済reat advocate for women鈥檚 leadership鈥� and 鈥渁 strong female role model.鈥� Lord described her first encounter with Brown, when she was a freshman senator. 鈥淚 was intimidated going to a meeting with a member of the administration. But she smiled the whole time,鈥� Lord said. 鈥淓veryone seemed very important to her. Then after the meeting, I saw that she carried out the things that we had said and had really listened to us. That was really impressive to me.鈥�

A Second First

With Brown on the job in Cullowhee as of July 1, the appointment of 91热爆网鈥檚 first female chancellor provides another unique bit of university history. Her husband, Dennis, has become 91热爆网鈥檚 first-ever 鈥渇irst gentleman.鈥� It鈥檚 the latest in a long line of titles for a man who has done everything from U.S. Army field artilleryman to fast food worker and laborer and from agricultural and test engineer to manufacturing engineer, systems analyst and IT project manager.

鈥淔or me, it鈥檚 important to be there to support Kelli in her role as chancellor. When we first met and got married 30 years ago, she had an idea of her career path even then, and she was already well on her way in her profession. I said then, 鈥業 want to support you. I have no problem being the trailing spouse.鈥� That dynamic has become one of the pillars of our relationship,鈥� he said.鈥淢y new formal role as first gentlemen will be interesting. This will be a matter of navigating new territory, both for me and for the university. But, while I may be first gentleman, at the end of the day I鈥檓 still Dennis.鈥�

Dennis Brown said he has no plans to seek employment and intends to tackle volunteer and philanthropic activities he has long been contemplating. His prior military service has piqued his interest in the Honor Flight organization, which works to transport veterans to Washington, D.C., to view the war memorials there. He also will strive to help ensure the improved town-and-gown relationship that blossomed during the Belcher years continues under the Brown administration. Given his spouse鈥檚 career path, professional accomplishments and pleasant demeanor, he said he anticipates no problems in that regard.

鈥淗er honor and integrity always come through at the end of the day. I have been living it and seeing it day to day, year to year, and I know all the challenges she has met and overcome throughout her career. It has been a tremendous experience to be by her side. I think people will quickly recognize her qualities as a leader and will learn to love her and respect her as much as I do,鈥� he said.

The Browns鈥� former Georgia College colleagues say that sentiment applies to Kelli and Dennis alike. 鈥淵ou guys are getting a team at Western Carolina with the two of them,鈥� said Yearwood. 鈥淵ou couldn鈥檛 ask for a better couple because when you hire someone, you鈥檙e hiring their other half, too. I have no doubt he鈥檚 going to work just as hard as she does at whatever the first gentleman does 鈥� and I love that he has that title.鈥� Judy Hatchett, food services supervisor at GCSU, agreed. 鈥淭hey are just very patient and compassionate people,鈥� Hatchett said. 鈥淵ou all are getting jewels, and we鈥檙e going to miss them so much.鈥�

And how does family patriarch Jim McCormack feel about the accomplishments of his eldest child? 鈥淎s her father, I鈥檓 very pleased and proud of all her success. I know her mother would be, too,鈥� he said. 鈥淗er mother and I knew that in today鈥檚 world 鈥� even 30 years ago 鈥� education opened doors and opportunities we never had growing up.鈥�

That said, McCormack did not expect his fatherly advice would one day lead to a doctorate and a chancellorship for Brown. 鈥淥ne day, she came to me and told me about an opportunity she had been given. She would work as a professor鈥檚 assistant and earn her master鈥檚 degree. My response was, 鈥榃ell, a little education never hurt anyone.鈥欌��  

Additional reporting by Melanie Threlkeld McConnell