Michael Brown: Compassion, Community Service
and Cancer Therapy at Gwynedd-Mercy College
Michael Brown doesn’t consider himself much of a talker, but there is no doubt that he’s a naturally inclined people person.
“Actually, I like to listen to others more than talk about myself,” smiles Michael, a tap dancer who
attended Philadelphia High School for the Creative and Performing Arts. In fact, Michael has performed at Sesame
Place for the past five years where he has played Elmo, Bert and Grover.
Michael became interested in cancer treatment when he shadowed doctors and nurses at a local hospital during high
school. He ended up in the oncology department. “I found out that radiation therapists actually spend the most
personal time with cancer patients. That kind of interaction appealed to me,” says Michael. “In my high
school, I was always involved in service programs that would allow me to interact in the community as opposed to
just raise funds.”
Through online research Michael landed upon the radiation therapy program at Gwynedd-Mercy College and it captured
his attention. Unlike any other program in the United States, GMC required four years of study rather than the typical
six. Michael also liked the college’s variety of service opportunities and the appealing size of the campus.
“When I went to my orientation, they had tables set up with all of these different activities. It wasn’t
just the typical focus on sports or art. They had all of that too but there was also community service, honors
programs and other clubs.”
As a radiation therapy major, Michael manages a busy schedule. “The radiation therapy classes are really my favorite
courses because it’s more of a dialogue than a class,” says Michael. “There are only 9-13 students in
each class. I like that.” Michael also likes the fact that service is an important part of life at Gwynedd-Mercy College.
“I’m a Mercy Mentor and a member of Sigma Phi Sigma, one of the many organizations centered around compassion
on campus. We’ve organized fundraisers for Breast Cancer research and education programs on bullying and violence prevention.”
In Michael’s rare down time, you can catch him watching his favorite TV shows: Grey’s Anatomy and Bones.
|
