Sandra Brown believes in self-improvement and helping others to improve their own lives. For Brown, earning a bachelor’s degree in specialized studies through Ohio University’s print-based correspondence program was an important first step in bettering herself while serving a 20-year prison sentence for the 2000 fatal shooting of a woman during a fight. 

Born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, Brown was an aspiring teacher and mother to a young son when she entered the prison system over 20 years ago. After being sentenced, Brown immediately began to think about and explore opportunities for self-improvement as she looked ahead to a future beyond the prison walls. 

‍

‍