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Christina (Martinez) ’04 and Kevin Brown ’04 didn’t meet until their sophomore year at Eastern, but a Political Science Club-sponsored trip to Washington, DC, changed their lives forever. The couple has been together ever since, marrying in Norwich, CT, on June 23, 2007. Their wedding was attended by many friends from Eastern — including former president David Carter — and several members of their wedding party still live within minutes of them today.
Kevin started at Eastern as a Communication major and planned to become a journalist. He comes from a civically engaged family and realized he liked the workings of government, so he switched his major to Public Policy and Government. Supporting that move was Kevin’s work as an officer of the Student Government Association and later as an intern for the Connecticut General Assembly. After graduation, he worked for the state Democratic Party for a short time before he and Christina moved to Houston, TX, after she landed a teaching job.
A first-generation college student, Christina also majored in Public Policy and Government. She also did an internship in the Connecticut legislature, but while politics interested Kevin, Christina decided she wanted to make a difference in the classroom, not in legislative chambers. She was also active on campus as an RA and the senior class president.
After getting her teaching certificate and teaching early elementary school students in Houston for three years — “we learned a lot about ourselves while we were in Texas” — Christina earned her M.S. in special education at the University of St. Joseph when the couple returned to Connecticut. Christina now teaches at the CREC Glastonbury-East Hartford Magnet School and is working on her Sixth-Year Certification to become an administrator. “I want to be part of the movement to make education more equitable.”
Kevin also decided he wanted to work with young people and earned his master’s degree in education at the University of Bridgeport. He works at CREC’s Civic Leadership High School in Enfield, where he enjoys teaching citizenship skills and the importance of civic engagement to his students. Kevin is also on the Board of Education in Vernon where the couple lives.
The Browns are also busy at home, with Jacob, age 10, and Emilie, age 6, keeping them on their toes. “Jacob is an avid reader and wants to change the world. He has his sights set on going to Harvard someday,” said Christina. Emilie is a “spitfire,” and wants to go to Julliard in New York City when she grows up. “We love traveling with the kids,” adds Christina, who mentions trips to Disney World, Amelia Island in Florida, Albuquerque, NM, Houston and elsewhere as memorable family vacations.