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Dr. Hana Brown Receives 2026 CBOV Faculty Leadership Award
Dr. Hana Brown Receives 2026 CBOV Faculty Leadership Award
By Erin Marlow, Communications Specialist, Office of the Dean of the College
Dr. Hana Brown, Professor of Sociology, has been awarded the 2026 College Board of Visitors Faculty Leadership Award. Established in 2017, the award recognizes a Wake Forest College faculty member who demonstrates an outstanding commitment to the mission of the College through academic leadership and dedicated service toward positive institutional change.
“Wake Forest University is filled with creative, brilliant, and dedicated leaders who work tirelessly to better our campus community,” Dr. Brown said. “To be recognized among them is a true honor.”
Since arriving at Wake Forest in 2011, Dr. Brown has been an invaluable member of the University, providing exceptional mentorship to students while producing an impressive volume of research on the political origins and consequences of social inequalities. Whether teaching a course on power, politics, and protest, or meeting one-on-one with prospective scholars, she makes students feel valued, supported, and empowered to carry what they learn into their daily lives.
Dr. Brown’s excellence in mentorship led to her appointment as Wake Forest’s inaugural Faculty Director for Truman Scholarships, where she guides students through the application process of one of the most prestigious scholarships in the country. Dedicated to her students’ success, Dr. Brown meets individually with applicants – sometimes even across time zones to accommodate those studying abroad – reviews multiple essay drafts, and conducts mock interviews, all while maintaining her active teaching and research schedule. Since designing the advising program from the ground up six years ago, she’s led five students to finalist status, two of whom became Truman Scholars out of only 18 in Wake Forest’s history.
“Dr. Brown is an exemplar of the best that Wake Forest University faculty have to offer in multiple ways – as a colleague, as a teacher, and as a member of the community,” said Jackie Sheridan, Director of the Wake Forest Scholars Program.
In addition to her foundational work with the Scholars Program, Dr. Brown is a driving force of institutional change at both the departmental and University levels. She has authored every departmental policy adopted in the past five years and has been asked to chair every Tenure and Promotion Committee convened since she, herself, received tenure – a reflection of the deep trust her colleagues place in her leadership and judgment.
“Dr. Brown is a true leader in every sense of the word,” said Dr. Michael Rimerez, Chair of the Department of Sociology. “She has a special ability to support and inspire those around her, whether she’s mentoring students in our program, brainstorming solutions with colleagues in departmental meetings, or assisting countless others across the College.”
Through her transformative mentorship and institutional leadership, Dr. Brown continues to shape the culture of Wake Forest.
We congratulate Dr. Brown as the deserving recipient of the 2026 College Board of Visitors Faculty Leadership Award.
Dr. Hana Brown, Professor of Sociology
“Dr. Brown is a true leader in every sense of the word. She has a special ability to support and inspire those around her, whether she’s mentoring students in our program, brainstorming solutions with colleagues in departmental meetings, or assisting countless others across the College.”
Dr. Michael Rimerez, Chair of the department of sociology
