Marine veteran set to earn two bachelor’s degrees from Weber State
OGDEN, Utah — On his 26th birthday, Brennan Brown will graduate from Weber State University with two degrees: anthropology and psychology with a minor in neuroscience.
The Layton native took up to 18 credits per semester, including summers, to earn both degrees in just over three years. A double-major made sense for Brown, who said he’s been “constantly on the go” and working since he was 15 years old.
He left home when he was 17 and joined the Marines at 18, only three months after graduating high school. For four years, Brown served on active duty in the logistics career field, deploying to Japan and the Philippines. This month, he’ll finish an additional four-year commitment in the Marine Corps Reserve. 
Brown became interested in psychology as a teen, and the military opened his eyes to the need for psychological resources. He chose to study psychology after taking several impactful classes from Timothy Black, assistant professor of biopsychology, whom he worked with on several research projects and gained lab experience in behavioral analysis and neural genetics.
With his passion for psychology came an equal love for history, which led Brown to declare a second major in anthropology. He’s on the archeology track of that major.
Brown is already applying his knowledge as an archeology intern at Wilson & Company. He started there in December 2024, doing field work outside of Kanab, where he surveyed the area for artifacts. He now works on site reports, cataloging items such as arrowheads, darts and pottery — some of which date back 3,500 years — along with more modern items like cans and bottles.
“I love history in general, so it’s cool to study things from the past,” Brown said. “We’re asking questions about why people were here, what they were doing. It’s exciting to brainstorm and come up with research questions that you can potentially answer later.”
Brown said the skills students gain in anthropology can transfer to any job, but he’s looking for something physical and hands-on: “If my bones don’t give out on me, I’d like to do field archeology or experimental archeology.”
He said his time at Weber State opened up “cultural and social possibilities” and will guide his future career. While here, he was involved in the anthropology club, neuroscience club, and military-affiliated and families club.
Brown said WSU professors were always supportive, explaining rewards and challenges of the careers that each major can lead to, backed by their real-world experience. He will graduate next month and said he’s “excited but also relieved” to finish his college journey.
Outside of school, Brown fosters stray and newborn cats, hosts Dungeons & Dragons, and explores the outdoors with Kiki, his wife of six years and a fellow Weber State alum.
Photo caption: Brennan Brown and students from WSU’s Department of Sociology & Anthropology take part in the Archaeological Field School in Worland, Wyoming in May 2024. Students in the field school gain firsthand experience while working on research projects at a mammoth butchering site from around 13,000 years ago.
Bryan Magaña, public relations director
801-626-7948, bryanmagana@weber.edu- Contact:
Bryan Magaña, public relations director
801-626-7948, bryanmagana@weber.edu