Aaron Jennings was unsure of his next move. He had a solid educational background in politics and government and a strong desire to help others, born out of his faith and upbringing, but he was unsure of a career path.

"It was my senior year at the University of Virginia, and I was looking for a graduate school that would give me the tools to truly help others. I found what I was looking for at the Brown School.

“My main interest is youth development, particularly educational attainment for African-American males.  America's future is dependent on the growth of African-American males — we are all linked together. My research revealed that in many urban centers, over 50 percent of all African-American males don't graduate from high school and/or they drop out before the 10th grade. Seeing these statistics and also having a passion for my country, I decided that I had to do something about this problem.”

Today Aaron is the Manager of Urban Education Initiatives at the Brown School, helping to advance models that integrate both health and human services within schools. 

"My passion is education, and my desire is to be able to create change at a big level.”