At 86 years old, Dr. Ray Brown has no plans to leave the classroom. After nearly six decades of teaching at Christian Brothers University (CBU), the longtime mechanical engineering professor still finds purpose in the familiar rhythm of campus life, engaging with students, sharing his knowledge, and watching the next generation of engineers succeed.

“I like the contact with the students,” Brown says. “I like seeing the students do well.” It’s a commitment that began long before he became a professor, when he arrived at what was then Christian Brothers College in the fall of 1958, uncertain of his academic potential but ready for a new beginning.

Brown admits he wasn’t much of a student in high school. He managed to get by without applying himself, but college marked a turning point. Inspired by the growing demand for engineers after the Soviet Union launched Sputnik, he enrolled in CBU’s newly established engineering program. There, a freshman calculus course taught by Brother Lambert Thomas, FSC, changed his life’s direction.

Brown credits Brother Lambert with helping him discover what he could achieve. His grades improved, and by the end of his freshman year, he decided he wanted to become a professor and teach, following in his mentor’s footsteps.

A Tradition of Engineering Excellence

Throughout his career, Brown has witnessed CBU’s engineering program evolve while remaining committed to the close relationships between faculty and students that he believes sets the University apart.

“Dr. Brown is a longtime, beloved mechanical engineering professor who began his career at CBU in 1967,” says Dr. Andrew Assadollahi, Dean of the Gadomski School of Engineering. “During his tenure, he served as chair of the Mechanical Engineering Department and later as dean of the School of Engineering. He has taught thousands of students over the years and is highly regarded as a tough but caring professor.”

Recent achievements by CBU’s mechanical engineering students offer a compelling example.

From 2024 through 2026, CBU students earned first place in the regional American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Old Guard Oral Presentation Competition for three consecutive years. All three regional winners were women, with two advancing to earn national honors.

In 2024, Carolina Cano Moreno claimed first place at the regional competition in Charlotte, North Carolina, before advancing to win first place nationally. The following year, Gemma Crowe earned the regional title in St. Louis, Missouri, and finished second nationally. In 2026, Alexis Sorg continued CBU’s regional winning streak, earning first place at the ASME competition in Dallas, Texas, along with a technical presentation award.

The competition challenges engineering students to communicate complex technical concepts through effective presentations, demonstrating skills essential to their future careers. Brown is proud of the three women’s accomplishments and CBU’s ability to compete against larger engineering programs. “That’s unheard of. That’s really pretty good,” he says of the three consecutive regional victories.

Brown believes CBU’s greatest strength lies in the individual attention students receive, particularly when they encounter challenges. “You know, a lot of programs, they’re good programs, they offer good education, but they don’t really take care of their students, like we do,” he says.

A Calling That Continues

Brown’s commitment to teaching has remained steady, even when life required him to change how he worked. Twenty years ago, as his wife faced Alzheimer’s disease and the rising costs of care, he retired from full-time teaching and continued on a part-time contract. The arrangement let him help provide for her care while staying in the department that shaped his career.

Following his wife’s passing, Brown still teaches one course each semester: Energy Systems Design in the fall and Heat Transfer in the spring. The classes keep him connected to students and to a community that has been part of his life since 1958.

Brown makes a point of asking each student a question, encouraging them to participate rather than simply listen. It’s one way he continues to practice the personalized approach to teaching he believes makes CBU distinctive.

“I don’t know what I’d do with my time if I didn’t have the job,” Brown says. His answer is just as straightforward when asked what he hopes former students remember about him: “I hope they remember what I tried to teach them.”

Brown acknowledges the aches and pains that come with being 86, but says he intends to keep teaching as long as he can. “I have absolutely no desire, no, no intention of ever doing anything else.”

After so many years at CBU, he still has a classroom to walk into, students to get to know, and another semester of engineering to teach.