People

Evelyn Browne
(1915­1994)

Evelyn Browne had a passion for teaching others the value of living in balance with nature. Her love for the outdoor life led her into a career teaching physical education. After completing a master’s degree in physical education at Columbia University, Evelyn was hired as an instructor by the University of New Hampshire (UNH) in 1943.

Pam McPhee, executive director of The Browne Center, recalls how Evelyn led UNH into outdoor education in the 1950s, long before most people had heard of it. “Ev could captivate any audience with her vision of what could be,” Pam says. “She saw things 20 to 30 years ahead of everyone else.” In 1988, Evelyn’s vision of what could be led her to donate six acres of land for the foundation of a UNH Center for Excellence in Outdoor Educaton, providing the impetus for the creation of The Browne Center