From conducting tours for prospective students to assisting entrepreneurs with their marketing strategies, senior Nancy Grace Brown has spent the last four years being actively involved on Auburn’s campus.

Since January 2024, Brown has worked as marketing intern for the New Venture Accelerator, an opportunity she received after attending a women’s entrepreneurship event hosted at the NVA. 

The NVA supports aspiring entrepreneurs looking to start a new business or grow an existing one. As a marketing intern, Brown consults entrepreneurs with marketing tactics by analyzing the landscape of similar businesses. 

“Being at the NVA, I’ve gotten to see how a lot of different types of businesses operate, from a moving company to a rideshare company,” Brown said. “It’s been interesting to see how these different industries view marketing.” 

Brown helps clients produce effective marketing strategies by advising on social media or event plans. Room2Room Movers, a local moving company, is one client that she has particularly enjoyed working with, Brown said. 

“My contribution to the campaign looked like brainstorming ideas and planning Instagram and Facebook content for the ‘What Moves You?’ campaign, helping produce social media posts and capturing video and photo content that highlighted the EAGLES students' experiences and their organization members' experiences as well,” Brown said. 

The EAGLES program is Auburn’s transition program for students with intellectual disabilities. 

Room2Room's campaign impacted the EAGLES by raising community awareness for the program and by providing a monetary donation at the end of the campaign to support its development. 

Brown’s active involvement and academic success contributed to her being awarded two scholarships within Harbert College, something that has positively impacted her experience as a student. 

“[The scholarships] have covered so much financial need,” Brown said. “It’s freed me up to be involved in all of these campus things by lifting the financial burden and takes some of the pressure off me to be working more.” 

Brown was awarded the Jean Howard Lowe Endowed Scholarship, an award that spanned across her junior year. For her senior year, Brown was one of three recipients of the Bray Honors Endowed Scholarship. Both scholarships were awarded through the Auburn University Scholarship Opportunity Manager, AUSOM. 

Brown had the opportunity to attend a luncheon with her scholarship’s donor, Bennie Bray, a 1972 Auburn graduate and Texas businessman. 

“The three recipients got to have a luncheon with him, hear about his career and thank him for his generosity,” Brown said. “[Meeting him] inspired me to want to give back in the form of a scholarship if I’m able to one day.” 

As a fourth-generation Auburn student, Brown’s deep-rooted love for the university made choosing Auburn an easy decision. 

“I grew up in an Auburn family, and I always came here and loved it,” Brown said. “It was always my dream to be a student.” 

Brown began her academic journey as a pre-business major with the intent to study marketing.  

Through her marketing coursework, Brown discovered an interest in the research behind marketing decisions. To pursue her passion for the technical side of marketing, Brown declared a second major in business analytics.  

Alongside her coursework, Brown was the secretary of Harbert Business Council for the 2024-2025 academic year. Harbert Business Council represents student organizations while working to advance the college’s reputation and expand community outreach. 

Brown is also a member of Harbert’s Executive Society, a host and leadership organization consisting of distinguished Harbert College students. The Executive Society promotes Harbert activities by conducting tours, attending recruiting events and interacting with alumni. 

Outside of Harbert College, Brown is a student recruiter for the university, where she gives tours to prospective students. Ever since her own campus tour as a senior in high school, Brown knew she was meant to become a student recruiter. 

“I knew that I had a passion for Auburn, and I had a knack for being able to engage with people over it,” Brown said. “I could think of nothing better than getting to brag about Auburn all the time.” 

Brown will graduate in May with a wide variety of experience that has shaped her journey as a student. In particular, Brown’s experience at the NVA solidified her interest in the research behind marketing and helped draw her interest towards working at a marketing firm post-graduation. 

“[Being involved] made my time at Auburn richer,” Brown said. “I made so many relationships across campus with people that I wouldn’t have met had it not been through organizations.”

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