Monica Kelsey Brown named UW Whitewater commencement speaker

Monica Kelsey-Brown named UW-Whitewater commencement speaker

November 29, 2024

In her formative years, Monica Kelsey-Brown had a number of mentors who helped her attain the successes she has achieved throughout her life. In the spirit of giving back, she has a desire to inspire and lead the youth of today as they forge their own paths.

"I want to continue the legacy of supporting students and giving them all that I can give so that they can be successful and find their passion and their pathways as well. That's my ultimate goal," said Kelsey-Brown, who earned a Bachelor of Science in Education in 1990 and Master of Science in Curriculum and Instruction in 1992, both from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.

She will share her inspiring story as the speaker for UW-Whitewater's December 2024 commencement ceremony at 10 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 14.

Since earning two degrees at UW-Whitewater, Kelsey-Brown's pursuits in the education arena have been varied - but her time as a Warhawk has always been top of mind and close to her heart.

"I had a great time at UW-Whitewater. The best way to describe it is it's a home away from home," Kelsey-Brown said. "It's also a home close to home since I'm from Milwaukee. It provided all of the support that I didn't know was necessary for a person who was identified as a first-generation, low-income student to graduate from UW-Whitewater."

More than three decades in education leadership

Kelsey-Brown, who later earned a Doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction and a minor in Educational Philosophy with an emphasis in Multicultural Education from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, has held myriad roles throughout her career in education. In December 2023 she was unanimously appointed by the Waunakee School Board to serve as the next superintendent of the Waunakee Community School District, effective July of 2024. This is her 34th year in education and 5th year serving as superintendent.

"It's a great community to work in," Kelsey-Brown said. "(Waunakee) is one of the best school systems in the state of Wisconsin."

Prior to her leadership position in Waunakee, Kelsey-Brown served in various roles in the School District of Brown Deer over a nine-year span, initially as director of teaching and learning, then as assistant district administrator and, ultimately, superintendent in 2020. Kelsey-Brown made history by becoming Brown Deer's first superintendent of color in a school district that is one of the most diverse in the state.

In 2023, Kelsey-Brown received the UW-Whitewater Distinguished Alumni Award for Professional Achievement. She currently serves as a board member for Whitewater's College of Education and Professional Studies and has an endowed scholarship in the name of her mother, Mary Kelsey, and her grandmother, Willie Mae Cowan.

Monica Kelsey-Brown, center, with her Distinguished Alumni Award for Professional Achievement at the UW-Whitewater alumni awards ceremony in April 2023. To the left is Michelle Buckingham '93, M.S. '97, who introduced her, and to the right is Chancellor Corey A. King. (UW-Whitewater photo/Craig Schreiner)

Forging a path on the Whitewater campus

The origins of Kelsey-Brown's journey in education as a career option began at UW-Whitewater. As an undergraduate, she initially pursued a degree in management computer systems, but quickly pivoted to education - in large part because of the guidance and wisdom of her mom, who was her first-grade teacher and currently works in Milwaukee Public Schools, and her grandmother, who was a Head Start teacher for 50 years in Mississippi.

"The greatest amount of support I had was from my mom, who encouraged me to go on and pursue post-secondary education."

Kelsey-Brown acknowledged that education was a part of her DNA. When she changed her major to elementary education, the stars began to align. She found her niche and pursued her passion.

On campus she forged deep ties that included founding the TIFU Cultural Ensemble. She also was a member of the Black Student Union, Alpha Kappa Sorority, Inc. and the Gospel Choir.

Kelsey-Brown is not the only member of her family with UW-Whitewater ties, which is all the more reason she continues to have strong bonds to the campus amid her various career milestones.

"I have lots of legacies in my family," she said. "My husband, my sister, my sister-in-law, my niece and my nephew graduated from Whitewater. There are a total of eight degrees between the six of us. I also have a cousin, SoMyrah Dorsey, who is studying political science at Whitewater."

Monica Kelsey-Brown, right, embraces Michelle Buckingham '93, M.S. '97, who introduced her at the UW-Whitewater alumni awards ceremony in April 2023. Kelsey-Brown received the 2023 Distinguished Alumni Award for Professional Achievement. (UW-Whitewater photo/Craig Schreiner)

Kelsey-Brown said a number of UW-Whitewater faculty were instrumental in helping her chart her course as she pursued her bachelor's and master's degrees. Roger Pulliam, an equity and inclusion champion on campus, was among her mentors. She credits Pulliam with helping her land one of her first professional jobs - as interim director of UW-Whitewater's Pre-College Programs. Marilyn Irving, a professor in the College of Education and Professional Studies, and her doctoral advisor Gloria Ladson-Billings were instrumental in her career trajectory as well.

Over the course of a decade, Kelsey-Brown held a number of different roles on campus. She led such UW-Whitewater initiatives as Upward Bound and the McNair Scholars Program. She assumed the role of director of Academic Support Services and taught several courses, including Introduction to University Life and a remedial math course.

Championing access in her communities

While Whitewater has been a foundational experience for Kelsey-Brown, the same holds true of Milwaukee, where she was raised by her mother. She has an older brother, Kevin, and younger sister, Rhonda. She graduated from Bay View High School, which is a part of Milwaukee Public Schools.

Spurred by her desire to give back to her own community, Kelsey-Brown transitioned her career from Whitewater to Milwaukee as she held assorted roles within MPS from 2002 to 2015, initially as a second-grade teacher and later as a building and district administrator.

Pictured right: Monica Kelsey-Brown. (Submitted photo)

Regardless of the role or the community, Kelsey-Brown said she sees a constant in her professional pursuits in education, and that is to remove barriers with equity in mind. The goal, she said, is to ensure that students and families have access to information and experiences that provide opportunities for them to set goals, pursue their dreams, and strive for excellence to become productive citizens of society.

Her husband, Steven Brown, and her daughter, Alexandria, have also been instrumental and inspirational personally and professionally. In addition, being a primary caregiver for her dad, Amos, for 18 years also shaped her into the person that she is today.

"I realize that I stand on the shoulders of individuals who blazed trails for me to be successful," she said.

"I will continue to work hard while striving to leave a legacy that is impactful and supportive for all."

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