Oh the Places You’ll Go.

Meet SDSU Student Rex Brown Jr.

SDSU senior Rex Brown Jr. credits his experiences at SDSU with taking him places he never expected.

Brown took a class in social entrepreneurship, which emphasized community efforts and social justice, and he was intrigued. But it was the earlier murder of a good friend in the San Francisco area that spurred Brown to action. In the class, he learned skills that helped him in creating a nonprofit group called Baskets 4 Hope (www.baskets4hope.org), which aims to empower inner city youths with safe and fun activities.

“In the summer of 2007 I attended the funeral of Eric Campos, a close high school friend, who was killed in a senseless act of violence,” said Brown. “The tragedy opened my eyes to the changing times of today's world and I struggled to figure out how I could make a difference. I then remembered the times Eric and I would play basketball; so I founded Baskets 4 Hope in his memory. In my own life, the sport of basketball has instilled leadership, discipline, and teamwork. I vowed to run Baskets 4 Hope with the same type of vigor that Eric had for life, family, and friends.”

Brown is majoring in business management but has his eye on a law career. He’s off to a good start in making that a reality. He spent this past summer in a Harvard Law School program aimed at undergraduate students. One of 6,000 applicants, Brown was chosen as a finalist for one of the 20 spots.

“I think many of the experiences and successes I’ve had at SDSU helped contribute to my acceptance into that program,” he said. “Starting Baskets 4 Hope was also a big boost for me, but the truth is I get so much more back. I put my heart into this because I am representing my late friend, as well as myself and SDSU.”

Brown explained that after being chosen as a semi-finalist for the Harvard program, he had to participate in a one-hour phone interview, discussing his academic preparedness plus challenges and overcoming adversity.

“When I found out I was chosen, I started screaming like a little kid,” he said. “But if there is one thing I want my fellow Aztecs to understand, it is that if I could do this, other SDSU students are capable of following their dreams and achieving their goals. I’m really not that special, so I encourage other students to believe in themselves.”

Brown may be a little humble in describing himself as “not that special,” as he has achieved a great deal of recognition at SDSU over the last three years. Last year he was chosen as one of the university’s top 10 students in “Quest for the Best,” which honors students for academic skills and school and community involvement. He has been involved in numerous honor societies, business and pre-law groups, volunteerism and, of course, basketball.

“One of the most important things I’ve learned is that I won’t let what I don’t have stop me from making the most of what I do have,” said Brown. “I have a friend in a college in Utah who was inspired by Baskets 4 Hope to start a similar nonprofit at his school. The lesson is that students can do more than they realize with the right opportunities, hard work and determination.”