Perseverance led Amy Brown, ’00, to serve as a U.S. Army sergeant major, one of the highest military ranks and one only a few women have earned.

At Meredith College, Brown majored in studio art and earned her teacher licensure. Brown recalls her art professor reading The Carrot Seed by Ruth Krauss in class, a tale about a young boy who patiently waits for his carrot seed to sprout. The experience offered a lesson in perseverance that she has carried with her ever since.

After graduating, Brown was working at East Wake High School in Raleigh, following her lifelong passion to teach and serve her community. On September 11, 2001, Brown watched the news in disbelief with her students. That day, she decided to serve her country.   

“You can imagine that when I told my family and friends that I was going to leave my teaching job, they told me I was nuts,” said Brown. “I was 30 years old and going to be at boot camp with fit 18-year-olds. I persevered and did well. I always said ‘yes’ to the long days and the extra effort it took to get a struggling soldier over a hurdle.”

Brown originally planned to return to her career as a grade school art teacher after fulfilling her initial six-year contract with the Army. However, she realized the Army provided ample opportunities to teach, create meaningful artwork, and have a positive influence on others. During her more than 20-year career in the Army, Brown held several positions, including multimedia illustrator, intelligence analyst, and art instructor. 

“I was lucky enough to have leaders who saw my eagerness to learn and allowed me to work up to my potential,” said Brown. “I was allowed to cross-train and take on as much as I thought I could handle.”

Brown also served as the Army’s artist-in-residence for three years, documenting the lives of U.S. soldiers. Her works depict Hurricane Sandy relief efforts in New Jersey and New York, and soldiers in Afghanistan in 2013.

“People ask me, ‘Why doesn’t the Army just send a photographer?’” said Brown. “They do, and photographers do an amazing job, but to get to the most concentrated emotional responses, there is an artist there.”

Before retiring from the Army in 2025, Brown served at the Army Public Affairs Center in Fort Meade, Maryland, which oversees the Army’s communication strategies. As sergeant major, she advised leadership on doctrine, training, personnel, facilities, and policy related to public affairs.