Master’s student Alexandra Brown earns top CSU award

Alexandra Brown wasn't far into her education at Bakersfield College when she realized something was wrong.

She was doing poorly in her classes despite her love for learning, being excited to start college and putting in effort to keep up with her work. Brown even took a reduced course load one semester in the hopes that it would help her manage her classes better, but even that was not enough to improve her performance.

"I was really frustrated by that and was dealing with a lot of anxiety," she said. "I got psyched out thinking college might not be for me. That dream, I just let it deflate like a balloon."

Brown reached a breaking point one day when she mixed up the date for a math exam. She was unprepared to take the test, having failed to study for it and complete a previous assignment, so she decided not to take it and left the classroom.

"I just sat on a planter and cried. I was thinking 'this isn't me. What is happening that's making me do so poorly,'" she said. "I was so disorganized and really bad at planning and staying on top of everything."

The incident led Brown to reach out to the student health center on campus for help. The center connected her to a therapist. A few months later, Brown was surprised to find herself diagnosed with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

"I didn't believe them. I thought, 'that's not right, that's for young boys. Women don't have ADHD,'" she said. "After doing some digging online, I found that a lot of girls and women have ADHD and that it's just not being diagnosed until they're adults. I realized I have had ADHD for a long time and it just wasn't noticed."

Through a combination of therapy and medication, Brown's mental health began to improve and she started doing better in her classes. She eventually was able to transfer from Bakersfield College in 2019 and began attending California State University, Bakersfield in 2020.

Four years later, Brown holds a bachelor's degree in biology and is currently pursuing her master's in the subject. In recognition of her arduous journey, Brown has been selected as one of 23 students across the CSU system to receive its highest student honor: the Trustees' Award for Outstanding Achievement.

The award is given each year to students who demonstrate superior academic performance, personal accomplishments, excellence in community service and financial need.

Brown will receive a $7,000 scholarship as the 2024 CSU Trustee Emeritus Kenneth Fong Scholar and will be honored with the other award recipients during the CSU Board of Trustees meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 24.

"It's a huge honor and really exciting. There was a time in my education when I did not foresee this at all as a possibility," she said. "I have worked really hard to be where I am now, so to feel that has paid off and to be recognized for that is really appreciated."

Brown's mother, Adrienne Myers - who works at CSUB as an administrative support assistant for the Center for Career Education and Community Engagement - said she is very proud of her daughter's achievement.

"I have so much admiration for her talent, perseverance and unwavering dedication to people and issues that she cares about. She has such a genuine love for people, for learning and for life," she said. "She's just the best person I know, and an outstanding choice to represent CSUB."

Assistant Professor of Biology Dr. Rae McNeish, who has been Brown's adviser, nominated her for the award because she said Brown has proven to be be an exemplary student despite having to overcome a lot of obstacles in her education.

"The selection for Lex to be the CSUB trustee awardee comes as no surprise given that Lex has demonstrated at CSUB achievement over adversity, academic rigor and has volunteered her time to her peers, mentees and broader Bakersfield communities," she said.

Interim President Vernon B. Harper Jr. agreed that Brown has shown herself to be a distinguished student who is deserving of the Trustees' Award.

"Alexandra is an extraordinary example of CSUB resilience and excellence," he said. "She has shown incredible determination in managing a disorder that threatened to derail her college dreams, but she didn't stop there. Her passion and advocacy on behalf of the endangered San Joaquin kit fox has raised awareness on our campus, and her research on water pollution has the power to improve the health and wellness of our entire community. We are so proud of Alexandra and can't wait to see how far her talent will take her."

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