YECA and York Alum Returns to Advise Youth on Success Strategy

Gregory Brown, Jr., a proud York College alumnus, recently returned to his alma mater as a guest speaker at a youth seminar, sharing his inspiring journey.

Empower My Hood, Inc. is a local non-profit dedicated to college and career preparation for underserved youth, focusing on critical areas like college access, SAT/ACT prep, and scholarship opportunities, topics close to Brown's heart as he reflects on his own experience growing up as a Black teen in an immigrant family. He quickly said “yes” to their invitation to speak at their York event.

Brown’s success story began with his participation in the York College Early College Academy (YECA), a pioneering program that allows middle and high school students to earn college credits while still in high school. As a YECA’s first cohort member, Brown excelled, graduating in 2013 with 63 college credits from YECA.

These early academic achievements allowed him to matriculate at York College as a full-time student after high school, earning his bachelor’s degree in just two years -- a feat made possible by his prior college credits. He also received the Hank Sheinkopf Merit Scholarship for his academic success.

A political science major, Brown's academic excellence didn’t stop there. He earned  the Ronald H. Brown Scholarship, which supported his law school journey at St. John’s University School of Law. In 2018, Brown graduated from law school and passed the Bar Exam on his first attempt at age 22.

Last month, he visited the Empower My Hood seminar at York to speak directly to the next generation of college students, urging them to set clear goals and relentlessly pursue them. “If you have a goal, just go for it. Put yourself in the best position to attain it,” Brown said, offering a motivational message rooted in his own experience of resilience and determination.

Today, Brown is a practicing attorney at Jackson Lewis in Manhattan, specializing in privacy, cybersecurity, and employment law. He attributes much of his success to the critical support systems and resources he found at YECA and York College, particularly the Black Male Initiative.

This program was key in supporting him throughout his academic and professional paths. “YECA was instrumental in getting me to where I am today, and I wouldn’t have reached this point in the timeframe I did without it,” Brown said, acknowledging the significant impact of mentors like Dr. Robin Harper, Dr. Michael Sharpe, and Dr. Jonathan Quash, who led the Black Male Initiative for years and currently directs the CUNY-wide program from the Central Office.

Now 28, Gregory Brown is no longer “going places,” he’s already there. With a law career in full swing and an unwavering focus on the future, his story is a testament to the power of setting goals and taking the steps necessary to achieve them. Remember the name: Gregory Brown, Esq., the young man from Queens who sets his sights high and puts himself “in the best position to attain them.”