Meet Sarolyn Fox, Brown School student marshal for the Class of 2025

Sarolyn Fox has been selected as the 2025 student marshal for the Brown School, an honor recognizing her academic excellence, impactful practicum work, and contributions to the school community. She is set to earn a dual degree, a Master of Social Work with a concentration in health and a Master of Public Health as a generalist. As student marshal, she will carry the school banner and lead her classmates during the Brown School’s Recognition Ceremony in May. 

A native of Memphis, Tennessee, Fox holds a bachelor’s degree in health and human performance with a concentration in public health from the University of Tennessee at Martin. At the Brown School, she is a distinguished Khan Scholar, an honor reserved for exceptional dual-degree candidates preparing for advanced leadership at the intersection of social, environmental, and health equity.  

She has served in multiple leadership positions on the Brown School Student Coordinating Council, including the president, vice president, and diversity, equity and inclusion representative. She is also a member of the St. Louis chapter of the National Association of Health Services Executives. 

Her fieldwork includes completing a practicum with the Tennessee Hospital Association through a placement at Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare, where she gained experience in hospital operations, patient experience, and health equity initiatives. She also interned with the Missouri Association for Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health, deepening her knowledge of early childhood systems and mental health. 

Currently, Fox is a graduate research assistant at the Center for Public Health Systems Science. Her work focuses on addressing systemic barriers to health in African American communities and improving care throughout the lifespan. She said her approach is guided by three principles: protection, prevention, and procedure. 

“My goal is to design programs, strategies, and systems that don’t just check boxes, but actually change conditions,” Fox said. “I’m drawn to the often overlooked spaces within health systems—departments like community outreach, population health, and strategic planning—where the real pulse of transformation begins. These are the places where ideas become structure, where equity becomes workflow, and where a single, well-designed initiative can ripple across entire communities.” 

After graduation, Fox hopes to return to Memphis or remain in the South to continue her work in equitable healthcare delivery and system-level transformation in the communities that raised her. She is actively pursuing roles in project management, community engagement, and managed care. 

Reflecting on her time at the Brown School, Fox said she will miss the vibrant and intellectually curious student body. 

“I’ll truly miss the peer-to-peer discussions where we unpacked complex community challenges and created a think tank environment to explore innovative, real-world solutions,” she said. “I’ll also miss the unparalleled access to resources—whether it was diving into vast databases, attending conventions, or participating in specialized forums. The Brown School provided endless opportunities to grow, learn, and lead with intention.” 

Fox also expressed deep gratitude to her cohort. 

“I want to thank my incredible cohort—an inspiring group of thinkers, doers, and dreamers—who pushed me to grow in ways I never imagined,” she said. “Together, we held space not only for academic rigor, but also for joy, rest, and resistance—a radical act in itself. They reminded me that while we are committed to dismantling systems of harm, we must also celebrate moments of joy, protect our peace, and support each other through the weight of this work.” 

She added, “Our shared laughs, late-night study sessions, and vulnerable conversations weren’t just part of the experience—they were the experience. I’m walking away with lifelong friends, thought partners, and co-conspirators in this fight for equity and justice.” 

More information about this year’s Brown School Recognition Ceremony is available on the school’s commencement website.