Andrew Brown Makes History as Aims’ First Bachelor’s Degree Graduate

The first Bachelor of Applied Science (BAS) in Public Safety cohort of students has completed the program and will graduate at the commencement ceremony on May 16. Among the three graduating students is Andrew Brown, an Aims student and employee with deep-rooted connections in the Aims community. 

He was selected to speak at the Spring 2025 11 a.m. ceremony. “I'm proud to represent not just myself, but the bachelor's program, Aims and the Class of 2025,” he said. 

Aims Proud, Greeley Strong

Andrew is a Patrol Officer with the Greeley Police Department and a part-time Aims Instructor. He is a Greeley native and longtime member of the Aims family. Andrew’s grandparents taught psychology at the College, and his dad ran the automotive program for many years. “This place is home,” he said.”I’ve been around Aims since I was six years old.” 

Andrew first enrolled at Aims as a child in College for Kids. In high school, he joined Aims’ Career Academy, enrolling in the very first law enforcement program offered. After graduating from Greeley West High School in 2013, he continued at Aims to pursue an Associate of Applied Science in Criminal Justice. After he turned 21, Andrew attended the Peace Officer Academy to prepare to take the Police Officer Standards and Training (POST) exam, a fundamental requirement for getting hired on a police force in the State of Colorado.

His motivation for pursuing a career in law enforcement is deeply rooted in a personal calling to serve others. Raised with the Rotary International motto “Service Above Self,” Andrew grew up surrounded by role models who lived lives of purpose. “I wanted to be where people were going through the worst day of their life and have some sort of positive impact,” he said. That mindset continues to guide him as an officer and a mentor to Aims Peace Officer Academy cadets. 

Next-Level Public Safety Training

In 2023, Andrew enrolled in the Bachelor of Applied Science in Public Safety as part of its inaugural class. The program, designed for working professionals, is entirely online and structured in eight-week accelerated sessions. For Andrew, the format was challenging, but manageable. 

“The BAS program is designed so we can keep working full-time while going to school,” he said. “It’s flexible, but you need really good time management.” He also found support with his instructors and peers. “You’re not doing it alone. There’s never been an instructor who wasn’t approachable. They’re very open — if you’ve got an issue, they’ll help you through it. I built strong partnerships with classmates, too. We leaned on each other the whole way through.”

The BAS program will help Andrew and others forge ahead in public safety careers. Most law enforcement positions only require completion of the academy. Many departments raise their educational standards to the bachelor's degree level for promotion into sergeant, commander and chief roles. 

“It made me a more well-rounded officer. You start thinking like a leader, not just a patrol cop.” 

A broader understanding of the profession has helped him see the bigger picture in law enforcement. Andrew gained insight into budgeting, strategic planning and communication through the program. He appreciated the public information officer course, which prepared him for real-world interactions with the media, something police officers often face without formal training. 

Students in the BAS program must complete a project in the Emergency Services Administration Capstone course. It’s a way to demonstrate the culmination of learning in emergency service administration knowledge, theory and skills in the program. Andrew cited his capstone project as one of the most impactful parts of the program. “I've got to work on something I care deeply about and tie it back to the real needs of Aims.” 

Andrew's capstone project was a proposal to expand the training facilities at Aims Windsor Campus to improve law enforcement training and strengthen local agency collaboration. He loves the new Simulation City training facilities on the Windsor Campus: “It’s great, especially now that we can do realistic training scenarios.” His project details what could be added to create more opportunities for police officers in training. This would include areas such as shooting ranges, arrest control spaces and driving tracks. “If Aims were to expand, it wouldn’t only benefit law enforcement. Fire and EMS would also gain from having a larger, shared training area,” he said. 

Andrew has become a better cop on this bachelor’s degree journey. He is now thinking like a public safety leader ready to protect and serve the community in new ways. 

Learn more about the Aims Bachelor’s Degree in Public Safety program at aims.co/publicsafety-bas.