Did you know that your zip code can play a role in how long you live? Ethan Brown, a co-professor in HC 2905-101, Impacts on Inequality in Healthcare, does. Brown shares his findings with students in class with a sorrowful look on his face (slightly hidden under his mask, of course), as he explains that there isn’t really a bright side to today’s topic.

Brown is a go-getter, high achiever who describes himself as “obsessed” with the idea of leading a life of purpose and maximizing his impact. Now as a co-professor, Brown is truly maximizing his impact — as a second-year student at Ohio University.

Brown, an OHIO Honors student double majoring in sociology and economics while also pursuing wealth and poverty, African studies and war and peace certificates (Brown claims all of this is due to his indecisiveness) says that many students in the course are older and smarter than him. But his confidence, composure and approachability, visible through his great posture and inviting smile, would never suggest that he doesn’t feel qualified as a co-professor.

Spring semester of his first year at Ohio University, Brown was “only” enrolled in the standard course load of 15 credit hours' worth of courses. Since it was too late to add an academic course, Brown reached out to all his professors at the time, asking if they had any projects he could assist with or anything that could fill his time.

Out of all his professors, only Dr. Bekka Brodie, assistant professor of instruction in the OHIO Honors Program and Department of Biological Sciences, replied to his email.

As a faculty member in the OHIO Honors Program, Dr. Brodie was tasked with designing an interdisciplinary honors course for the following fall semester. To ensure the course was on a topic that interested students but was not too science heavy, Dr. Brodie brought Brown in as a social-science coordinator, considering his areas of study, with the goal of designing a course that appealed to all students and majors.

Brown has a strong interest in inequality, and in light of the COVID-19 pandemic revealing wide disparities in medicine and healthcare, the two decided to make the course about inequality in health and wellness. In preparation for the class, the duo read numerous books on the topic, which allowed Brown to simultaneously earn independent reading credit from the OHIO Honors Program.

When working together on building the course, Dr. Brodie decided she wanted to list Brown as a co-professor on the syllabus.

“I don't think that anything less than a co professor would really suffice,” Dr. Brodie said, noting that Brown has gone above and beyond what a typical teaching assistant would do by reading and learning about the topics, assisting with designing the course syllabus and leading discussions in class.

Regardless of whether he is in or out of the classroom, Brown strategically approaches all conversations he has in order to make every interaction, and each day, in his eyes, count. It’s human interactions that get him through, which is why he does most of his homework in the Washington Hall lobby. As a Resident Assistant in the building, he wants nothing more than to connect with those who also live in Washington.

“I don’t really take breaks. The perfect day is a non-stop, 18-to-20-hour day if I can swing it,” Brown said. “But if those 18 or 20 hours are full of meaningful conversations, classes that I care about and helping people around me, that’s a blast.”

One day Brown hopes to continue his life of impact and purpose through a career in global poverty alleviation. Until then, he’ll continue making an impact through the relationships he’s formed on Ohio University’s campus, noting that he doesn’t take the privilege of receiving higher education lightly.

Although society promotes self-care and “filling up your own bucket” before caring for others, Brown doesn’t subscribe to that, noting that it works well for other people, but not for him.

“A lot of my friends say I should take better care of myself and take time for me but that simply doesn't work for me. That creates no wellbeing for me,” Brown said. “But living a life that I know is full of purpose that actually means something to the people around me, that's huge.”