1/28/26

By Tisa Mason

HAYS, Kan. - For most college students, the primary stressors of academic life are looming deadlines, final exams, and the daunting question of what awaits after graduation. For Jarrett Brown, a 2022 graduate with a Bachelor of General Studies, those typical anxieties were eclipsed by a fight for his very existence. Jarrett’s journey to his degree was not a straight line; it was a series of peaks and valleys that tested his resolve, his physical strength, and his vision for the future.

Before Jarrett was a scholar or a legal professional, he was a worker in the most literal sense. For 17 years, he navigated the grueling environments of seafood processing plants, meatpacking facilities, and industrial factories. These are spaces where the margins for error are thin and the physical demands are high. It was here, amidst the machinery and the assembly lines, that Jarrett developed a keen eye for "systems."

He worked in blue-collar positions not just to earn a living, but to solve problems. Throughout his adult life, he found himself advocating for his coworkers and himself, seeking to improve conditions and resolve conflicts. While he had dreamed of being an attorney as a child, socioeconomic barriers made that path feel like a distant impossibility. However, his time in the plants taught him that advocacy isn't just a career, it is a necessity for those whose voices are often drowned out by the noise of industry.

When Jarrett finally pursued his degree, he found a theoretical framework for his life experiences in the classroom. He credits Professor Tomi Dechant’s Introduction to Public Administration as a pivotal moment in his education.

"She is a ‘systems thinker’ and so am I," Jarrett explains. "Whether we realize it or not, or like it or not, we are all a part of many different kinds of systems." This perspective allowed him to see law and administration not as abstract concepts, but as the underlying structure of society. He recalls a transformative Zoom call Professor Dechant held with Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha, the pediatrician whose advocacy brought the Flint Water Crisis to the world's attention. Seeing a professional navigate a broken system to protect a community resonated deeply with Jarrett’s own goals.

This academic rigor was mirrored in his work with Dr. Tamara Lynn in her Terrorism class. Jarrett was encouraged to research complex organizations to understand their operations and how to disrupt harmful missions. Professor Lynn’s support of his research helped Jarrett hone the analytical tools he would later need to fight for his life.

In August 2024, the "system" Jarrett had to manage became his own health. After an MRI, he was diagnosed with a brain tumor the size of a tangerine. The news was catastrophic. It required immediate, high-stakes medical intervention that would have sidelined even the most dedicated student.

The moment Jarrett realized his life was changing forever was defined by a profound sense of urgency. Faced with a surgery that could potentially strip him of his ability to think critically, analyze information, or even speak, he acted. He spent what he thought might be his final days experiencing the world and recorded an 18-minute video of his "last words." For a man who defined himself by his ability to observe, form ideas, and share them, the prospect of losing his voice was the ultimate threat.

Jarrett’s recovery was not just a medical process; it was a feat of will. At the time of his surgery, he was working as a paralegal at a law firm in Green Bay, Wisconsin. While he took the necessary time off for surgery, his mind never left the field of advocacy. He immediately began using his experience to speak on the vital importance of the Affordable Care Act and access to healthcare, turning his personal crisis into a public service announcement.

The most remarkable testament to his resilience occurred just 28 days after his brain surgery. Against the advice of well-meaning friends who urged him to rest, Jarrett sat for the LSAT.

"I was ready to see what I could do," he said. He wasn't just taking a test for law school admission; he was testing himself. He needed to know if his "second chance" included the sharp, analytical mind he had spent years cultivating. He performed well on the test, proving that his cognitive abilities remained as formidable as ever.

Jarrett is now pursuing his law degree in Little Rock, but he remains deeply connected to the professors who mentored him. He follows their updates on LinkedIn, maintaining the bridge between his undergraduate foundation and his professional future.

His approach to life has been fundamentally altered by his survival. "Sharing my ideas is essential to who I am as a person," Jarrett says. "Now that I have this second chance, I am determined to make the most of my ability to communicate ideas. My hope is that my words can be used to the benefit of people who do not have a voice."

Jarrett’s story serves as a powerful reminder to the entire university community. He represents the "non-traditional" student, a worker, a survivor, and a scholar. His 2022 graduation was a milestone, but his current journey through the University of Arkansas at Little Rock Bowen School of Law is the fulfillment of a purpose forged in the seafood processing plants and tested in the neurosurgery ward.

The road to becoming an attorney is long, filled with grueling exams and late-night research. But for someone who has already stared down a life-threatening illness and conquered the LSAT in the shadow of major surgery, these challenges are simply the next steps in a well-earned career.

Jarrett Brown is more than a graduate; he is an advocate who understands the human element behind every case file. As he prepares to enter the legal profession, he stands as a testament to the fact that our greatest hurdles can often become the very platforms from which we find our most powerful voice.