Email: thomas.browne@wisc.edu
Tell us about your professional background, and your current role and work at UW–Madison.
I earned my bachelor of science degree at the University of Wisconsin–Madison majoring in Sociology, and my master of arts degree also from UW–Madison in Counseling Psychology. My goal growing up was to be a high school guidance counselor, and I enjoyed that as a career at a local high school for about six years. However, the opportunity to return to my alma mater, UW–Madison, was a strong pull to continue to utilize my skills in advising with my passion for connecting with students. I began at UW as an academic advisor in the Athletic Department in 2000 and moved to my current role in the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences (CALS) as an Assistant Dean in Academic Affairs in 2006. I currently help facilitate activities and resources designed to support student engagement to foster a positive sense of belonging, among other duties related to student academic affairs.
What are your experiences with and philosophy about mentoring?
I have had official mentoring responsibilities on campus, such as serving as mentor in the Mercile J. Lee Scholars program, the Network for Development & Growth of Native Solidarity (NDGNS), the Academic Staff Mentoring Program, and Mentorship Opportunities in Science & Agriculture for Individuals of Color (MOSAIC) graduate student mentoring, among others. I have also engaged in community mentoring such as through the AVID/TOPS program.
My philosophy as a mentor is really simple: make connections through authentic and mutual relationship-building that centers on trust-building and humility. The best mentorship relationships I have had were ones that developed into peer-like interactions where the respect and building went both ways.
Please share something important, interesting, or fun about yourself.
I am very much a sports fan, following most sports, especially relating to the Wisconsin Badgers. Having been a student-athlete myself, I appreciate the discipline and hard work that goes into balancing the time needed to be successful in all aspects of a student-athlete’s life. Growing up in Milwaukee, I am an avid Bucks, Brewers, and Packers fan.
What do you enjoy most about facilitating Delta Research Mentor Learning Communities for graduate students and postdocs?
As I am new to this program, I am really looking forward to making new connections to graduate students and postdocs to offer my experiences in ways that may be helpful to them in their professional growth and development. I have had and will continue to have many informal opportunities to connect in these spaces, but am looking forward to being a part of a focused program such as this because of the impact that is possible. These students will become great mentors themselves, and the cycle continues on, and I am thrilled to be a part of that.