Charles (Brown) McFadden: Educating Generations of IT Professionals

This article was originally published in Blue Ridge Community College's Teaching and Learning Newsletter, written by Dr. Sara Parlier. Brown McFadden teaches classes in the information technology program at Beaufort County Community College.

Brown McFadden has been at the forefront of information technology since his high school days, and throughout his entire career, he’s also created opportunities for others to enter the field. Both as a teacher and as an IT professional, McFadden has helped build the IT workforce of tomorrow. When he joined Blue Ridge Community College in 2013 as a Systems Administrator, he also joined our team of adjunct instructors. Since then, he’s taught a large variety of courses for Blue Ridge, ranging from the Introduction to Computers (CIS 110) to programming, networking, cybersecurity, and operating systems courses. McFadden’s continued work in the IT profession allows him to bring the most current applications and examples into his courses for his students to learn about. Currently, McFadden works full-time for InfraNET Group as a Client Support Engineer, and he also teaches part-time for Beaufort County Community College. Prior to InfraNET and Blue Ridge, McFadden worked full-time for Beaufort as a Network Administrator and head of their Cisco Networking Academy Program and worked for several other colleges and private businesses as an IT Administrator and instructor. He began his private sector career in the design engineering department at Duke Power.

McFadden’s success as an instructor is in his commitment to supporting each student along the way. Even with his online courses, he is able to stay connected through regular monitoring of their work and responsive communication, including Google Meet calls. More recently, he’s begun using Cengage MindTap products because they allow students to practice skills and get real-time labs, and individualized feedback. Publisher materials have been a terrific supplement to McFadden’s direct instruction.

McFadden makes it a priority to prepare students as professionals and always encourages students to earn certifications that will make them more employable. In the past, he’s used grant funding to pay for students’ certification exams. As their instructor, he models the importance of staying up-to-date with technology. Considered an IT expert by many, McFadden appreciates working with students because they remind him of the many levels of competencies one must develop in order to be effective in the field.

McFadden has also consistently helped students transition from the classroom to the workforce through internship opportunities. At various institutions, he was able to hire students as interns, and he used his connections in the field to help others gain employment. These first steps in the field are often all that students need but require a great deal of time and investment from their instructors and mentors. McFadden has seen his efforts pay off. One student he supported gaining access to the profession now also has a son entering the IT field. By helping students help others, McFadden has created a stronger support network for our communities.

While he never really leaves the world of information technology, McFadden does enjoy additional outside interests, including Boy Scouts, aviation, his church, and the Masons. In all of these areas, McFadden continues to serve and teach others; for example, as a licensed commercial pilot and Flight Instructor, he’s helped his local Washington, NC BSA Troop 21 earn their aviation merit badge. He also lends his IT skills to the Masons as their webmaster and serves on his church’s Administrative Board. Blue Ridge has been very fortunate to have Charles Brown McFadden as a dedicated information technology adjunct instructor and hopes he continues to support student learning for many years to come.