Chad and Jen Braun

Brief Bio

The Brauns came to Monmouth in 2000 when Chad took a position as assistant football coach for the Fighting Scots. Before being hired as head football coach in 2015, he was also the strength and conditioning coordinator and head men’s tennis coach. As head coach, his first three teams went a combined a 27-5 with two Midwest Conference championships. Jen joined the College’s kinesiology faculty in 2012. The couple, who have four children, both hold master’s degrees from Western Illinois University.

Their Gift

The Brauns support Monmouth automatically, having their gifts deducted from their paycheck. They have given every year since early on in Chad’s time on campus.

Why They Give

“I remember President (Richard) Giese came and talked to us when they were building the Huff Athletic Center,” said Chad. “We got on board with giving from that, and we’ve been giving ever since.”

What Monmouth Means to Them

“Monmouth is just part of our lives,” said Jen, before speaking about the couple’s oldest child, their high-school aged daughter. “I remember when Hannah was an infant, walking around the Huff Center construction. ... Our dates would revolve around coming to basketball games, and our kids have grown up on campus. The students have become part of our family, too. I say things to them that their mothers would say, like ‘Make good choices’ and ‘Be careful.’ Just Saturday at the football game, I said to one, ‘Did you not wear sunscreen today?’” Said Chad, “It’s the people here who make it special – the people we work with, the students, the players I’ve coached over the years.”