Elon’s John Moses-Brownson honored with national outreach/engagement award

In June of 2026, the National Association of Advisors for the Health Professions hosted its biennial conference in New Orleans, Louisiana where Associate Director of Career Advising for Pre-Professional Health John Moses‑Brownson, was recognized with the National Association of Advisors for the Health Professions Outreach/Engagement Award, a national honor that celebrates outstanding efforts to engage with communities, develop new partnerships and relationships, and be innovative in their outreach.

While relatively new to Elon, Moses-Brownson has been deeply engaged with NAAHP for many years. Moses-Brownson co-chairs the NAAHP Committee on Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion, sits on the Regional Board of Directors for SAAHP (the Southeastern Association for Advisors in the Health Professions), is part of the instructional team for the NAAHP Leads: Regional and National Leadership track professional development program, and serves as a liaison between NAAHP and the AAMC (Association of American Medical Colleges) LASOR (Learner Access, Student Opportunities, & Retention) working group.

Since joining Elon University in 2024, Moses‑Brownson has helped transform Health Professions Advising through new courses, expanded programming and strategic partnerships that support students and alumni pursuing careers in healthcare. Central to this impact has been a new suite of courses co‑developed with Yuko Miyamoto, director of health professions advising and associate professor of biology, and Collier Lumpkin, associate director of career advising for pre-graduate school. Together, Moses‑Brownson and Miyamoto created an application preparation course focused on helping students understand timelines, requirements and competencies for health professions programs.

Moses-Brownson and Lumpkin developed a standardized test preparation course designed to support students preparing for exams such as the MCAT, DAT, OAT, GRE, and LSAT, which focuses on the non-content aspects of test preparation while providing deeply discounted access to high-quality test prep resources. These courses give students structured guidance, peer support and staff expertise as they move from exploring professional careers to actively applying.

Moses‑Brownson has also prioritized outreach to prospective students and the broader community, reflecting Elon’s commitment to access and engagement. In 2026, Health Professions Advising and the Student Professional Development Center co-hosted Health Professions Exploration Day, welcoming local high school students and Union County Schools to campus to learn about a wide range of healthcare careers and see how Elon can help them prepare for those futures. The event connected visitors with faculty, advisors, and current students, highlighting both the breadth of health professions and the many academic and co‑curricular paths available at Elon.

To deepen connections between Elon students and health professions programs, Moses‑Brownson and the SPDC brought a health professions expo to campus, inviting schools and programs to meet directly with students. The expo gave students the chance to ask questions, compare programs, and build relationships with admissions representatives, all while receiving advising support on how to present their experiences and plan next steps. This kind of face‑to‑face engagement helps students see the full landscape of opportunities, from medicine and dentistry to physician assistant programs, nursing, genetic counseling, nutrition/dietetics, pharmacy and other fields.

Another key initiative has been a partnership with Alamance Community College to offer an EMT course hosted primarily on Elon’s campus. By making this training more accessible, Health Professions Advising has opened additional pathways for students to gain hands‑on clinical experience and patient contact hours, which are critical components of competitive applications to many health professions programs. The collaboration reflects a shared commitment to preparing students not only academically, but also through meaningful, real‑world exposure to healthcare settings.

On campus, Moses-Brownson has worked to develop new opportunities for students to engage in the transformative experiences that prepare students for the competitive application processes in the health professions. A partnership with Belk Library, specifically with Engineering & Physical Science Librarian and Assistant Librarian Ellen Cline, and Coordinator of Research and Publishing and Associate Librarian Jesse Akman, has provided a pathway for underclassmen who cannot access traditional research opportunities to pursue evidence synthesis research opportunities with mentorship and support from library staff.

Alongside these programs, Moses‑Brownson has worked to deepen individualized advising and application support for both current students and alumni. Health Professions Advising offers one‑on‑one appointments, workshops, and resources to help students design an academic plan, understand professional competencies, and prepare strong, reflective applications. Students can meet with Moses‑Brownson through the Elon Job Network using the “Pre‑Health Advising” appointment types and can connect with Miyamoto by emailing ymiyamoto@elon.edu to schedule advising focused on academic planning and application processes.

Together, Moses‑Brownson and Miyamoto lead a Health Professions Advising program that supports hundreds of students and alumni as they explore, prepare for, and pursue a wide range of health careers. The NAAHP Outreach/Engagement Award underscores how intentional advising, new courses, campus‑community partnerships, and accessible programming can shape students’ pathways to becoming healthcare professionals, both at Elon and beyond.