Serving New Mexico is central to The University of New Mexico’s mission. Everything UNM does—from education, research, patient care and public service—advances the interests of New Mexico.
To support and promote the University’s commitment to public service, Doug Brown, UNM Board of Regent’s president and former dean of the Anderson School of Management, established the Sarah Belle Brown Community Service Award in honor of his wife.
Nominations for the 2019 Sarah Belle Brown Community Service Award are now being accepted through Friday, Oct 4. Each year the award is given to a faculty member, staff member and student who have demonstrated extraordinary commitment to community service by volunteering their time and expertise. Recipients receive a $1,500 cash award thanks to generous endowment by Doug and Sarah Brown.
Sarah has devoted time and passion to community service for more than three decades in California and New Mexico, a commitment that began in high school where she worked in the emergency room of Children’s Hospital in Los Angeles. She also tutored elementary school children in Watts during college and volunteered as a Head Start aid in Marin City after graduation.
Those experiences led her to become a teacher where she taught recently-arrived, Spanish-speaking children in the Los Angeles City Schools. All subjects were taught in Spanish until the children learned enough English to study in their new language.
In New Mexico, Sarah founded and managed a downtown café where she nearly always employed at least one homeless person and encouraged young employees to complete their college degrees. Community service in Albuquerque and Santa Fe has been at the Board level, including currently the National Hispanic Cultural Center and Foundation, Tamarind Institute, NM Appleseed and The Lensic Performing Arts Center.
Formerly, she served on the boards of Women’s International Study Center, Amy Biehl Charter High School, CNM Foundation, Mt. Vernon College Trustees in Washington, D.C., chairwoman of Children’s Home Society of California, chairwoman of Chinatown After-School Program for Cantonese-speaking children in San Francisco.
In addition to her volunteer work and philanthropic activities, Sarah focuses a great deal of time on her family including Doug, her husband of 35 years, and two grown sons.
If you know someone who selflessly gives to those in need, nominate them today. For complete details, visit Sarah Belle Brown Community Service Award.