The first day of school, especially graduate school, is usually filled with not only the huge pressure of wanting to make a good first impression on the professors but also on fellow classmates.
Dr. Chris Brown, professor of Philosophy, must have rose to the occasion and made quite a first impression on Merry Brown, lecturer in Philosophy, on their first day of graduate school, because they have hardly been separated since.
The couple has been married for 18 years and has been blessed with three sons: Judah is 12 years old; Leo is 9 and Thomas is 6.
Dr. Brown was born in Oak Lawn, Ill., but has lived all over the country. He earned a Bachelor of Arts of Music in classical percussion performance from Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, Mich. After earning his undergraduate degree he decided that music would not be his life’s work. He was very interested in religion and went to work in campus ministry at Ferris State University in Big Rapids, Mich. and also later at the University of Evansville in Evansville, Ind. It was during this time that he discovered how much he enjoyed working with college students. The discovery helped him to decide that his future would be spent as a professor. He enrolled in graduate school at Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green, Ky., where he met the woman he would marry one year later. After graduating from Western Kentucky the couple moved to St. Louis, Mo., where Dr. Brown earned his doctorate in Philosophy at Saint Louis University.
Dr. Brown was recently promoted to full professor status in the Department of History and Philosophy. Along with his teaching responsibilities at UTM, he also serves on the Faculty Senate, has taught courses at Tennessee Governor’s School for the Humanities for the last nine years and serves as the adviser to the Students for Life student organization. The last two years he has gone to Washington D.C. to participate in a protest march on the anniversary of Roe vs. Wade with his priest and a group of students.
Dr. Brown is also a published author. His book “Aquinas and the Ship of Theseus: Solving Puzzles about Material Objects” is available for purchase, and he is currently working on a second book about St. Thomas Aquinas on human happiness in heaven. He was awarded a Hal and Alma Reagan Leave for the Spring semester and plans to spend the time working on his current book.
Dr. Brown’s hobbies include: reading, listening, playing and collecting music, especially jazz; serving as a cantor at his church; playing in the Martin Community Band this past summer; playing the drums in The House Band and playing disc golf.
Merry Brown was born in Bakersfield, Calif. She earned a Bachelor of Arts of Philosophy and Psychology degree from Azusa Pacific University in Azusa, Calif., and a Master of Arts in Humanities degree from Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green, Ky.
Brown married during her second year at Western Kentucky University and upon graduation moved to St. Louis, Mo., to be with her husband. While living in St. Louis, Mo., she gave birth to her first child, Judah. Her two younger sons were both born in Martin.
Along with her teaching responsibilities at UTM, Brown also serves as the adviser to the Philosophy Forum student organization and teaches a seminar at the Tennessee Governor’s School for the Humanities.
Merry Brown is also a published author of two young-adult-romance novels with a paranormal twist. Her first published book was “The Knowers,” and her second was “Gold Manor Ghost House.”
“I never thought I would write a book. I was not interested. In fact, I am mildly dyslexic, so writing is difficult and editing is horrible. But, I just had this idea that I could write it and I just did,” Merry Brown said.
She enjoys writing, reading, spending time with friends, doing creative projects around the house, watching movies and Pinterest. In graduate school she played the guitar and wrote songs with a friend of hers.
Her first book was born from a love for her boys, and a need to provide them with a better role model of how a young man should act, rather than the one that today’s society is providing.
“I wanted to write a love story for my boys. I wanted to write a character that was good despite horrible circumstances. Someone that met people who were even better morally and that was attractive, good and interesting and they changed him and helped him love in a real way, instead of just being drawn in base attraction. I wanted to write something to where my boys could envision for themselves being this good and girls could imagine that they could expect a guy to be this way,” Merry Brown said.
Merry Brown meets three times a week with fellow book author Lisa Smartt to discuss the book business and work on writing their books.
People don’t often recognize the value of something when they are enjoying it. Sometimes it is not recognized until it is taken away or someone else points out the item’s value.
“Very few human beings have had the opportunity to receive a university education. So, take advantage of this gift,” Dr. Brown said.
Go to the photo gallery “The Browns” to view more photos of the Browns and their children.
