An enduring legacy: The first endowed scholarship at Ohio State

Before the founding of Ohio State, before even the upheaval of the Civil War, Christopher Newton (C.N.) Brown was born in 1858, not far from the Ohio River. After completing high school in Ironton he enrolled at The Ohio State University in 1876, just six years after the university’s founding, 150 years ago.

Leaving school early C.N. began a career shaped by his diverse talents and interests. He worked for the railroads that dominated the transportation of his era, he was a colleague of Edward Orton’s during the comprehensive geological survey of Ohio and he became a noted expert and consultant on early water sanitation and sewage systems across the state.

C.N. was called back to Ohio State, first as a professor of mathematics and then into the newly formed Department of Civil Engineering. Rising through the faculty he was named the second ever chair of the Civil Engineering Department in 1885 and eventually Dean of the College of Engineering in 1901. Then on March 6, 1902, at just 43 years old, he died unexpectedly.

“He was an inspiring teacher exacting in his requirements but patient and considerate and his students grew to love him, to confide in him and to be guided by him.”

- Record of Proceedings of the Board of Trustees of the Ohio State University, May 26, 1902

Following C.N.’s untimely passing, former students, friends and colleagues worked to honor him, including raising $1,000 (more than $24,000 in today’s money) for a memorial scholarship. In a testament to what Brown meant to the community at that time, the Board of Trustees not only created the scholarship but was also moved to name a new engineering building after Brown as well.

The C. Newton Brown Scholarship, which supports students in civil engineering, is now the oldest endowed scholarship at Ohio State. Started with that first $1,000 in 1903 the Brown endowment now has a market value greater than $50,000 while also paying out more than $50,000 in aid to students over the last two decades alone.

Brown Hall was completed in 1904 at a cost of more than $80,000 ($2.4 million in today’s dollars). Located on 17th Avenue just north of Bricker Hall the building hosted many schools, including the Knowlton School of Architecture before the completion of its current home in Knowlton Hall.

After 106 years of service to the university Brown Hall was demolished in 2009. While the building is no more, the scholarship created in C.N. Brown’s honor lives on and continues to support aspiring Buckeyes today.

Make a gift to support the C. Newton Brown Scholarship fund.