Jasheel Brown came to the University of Pennsylvania with no experience in Tae Kwon Do, but, by the time he graduates, he will have earned a black belt.

A free-fighting combat sport using bare hands and feet to repel an opponent, Tae Kwon Do, a Korean system of self defense, loosely translates to “the way of the fist and foot” and consists of sharp, strong and free-flowing circular movements.

Growing up in Pottstown, Pa., Brown was always fascinated with martial arts, taking out books from the local library to learn more and trying to teach himself the techniques. In high school, he focused on wrestling and football but always felt a tinge of regret for not taking up karate or Tae Kwon Do. 

That is, until he went to the Activities Fair on Locust Walk last year as a freshman in the School of Engineering and Applied Science. He found out about Penn’s Tae Kwon Do club. 

Brown started out as a white belt, a symbol of innocence in Tae Kwon Do, and says joining has been the best decision that he’s made at Penn so far. 

“It’s a lot of fun and our team is pretty closely knit,” Brown says. “It’s a great way to meet new people, get in shape and compete in a sport. You can be involved as much or as little as you want. The more you put into it, the more you will get out of it.” 

Now a sophomore majoring in materials science and engineering, Brown has already made his way to blue belt status, which represents the sky, demonstrating that one’s skills are increasingly becoming stronger. He has received various medals at tournaments, including the gold for his weight division at last year’s national tournament at the University of California, Berkeley. 

With an undefeated record, Brown says sparring matches are his favorite part about Tae Kwon Do. 

“They are very intense, which I love, and I am pretty good at competing,” Brown says, tipping his hat to his experience in wrestling and how wrestling’s basic techniques align with sparring. 

He’s now serving on the Tae Kwon Do board and was recently appointed as a student trainer for the team. In this capacity,  he can organize additional practices for members who want to keep training on their days off. 

“If you come in as a freshman, consistently practice and belt test every semester, you can become a black belt in your senior year,” Jessie Mao, the club co-chair, says. “Many members join for the sport but stay for the friends. You end up meeting people you would never have otherwise become close with.” 

Mao, a senior majoring in Engineering’s digital media design who hails from Markham, Ontario, adds that the club offers a three-week trial period at the beginning of each semester, during which students can attend practices without making a commitment to join. 

Jasheel Brown’s next step is earning his red belt, which stands for danger because the student is becoming very skilled yet still has much to learn about self-control. 

The last part of the process is the black belt, representing maturity and the rejection of darkness and fear. Brown hopes to earn his prior to walking down the aisle at Commencement in May 2017.

While the spring semester’s schedule has not been released yet, the Tae Kwon Do club’s exhibitions and sparring matches are free and open to the public.

Aside from his studies and participation in Tae Kwon Do, Brown is also a member of the National Society of Black Engineers, and he recently joined Penn Weekend Service, a community-service activity on campus.

After graduation, he plans to pursue a graduate degree in materials science and engineering or nanotechnology at Penn.