Jason Brooks
Jason Brooks, assistant dean of students for diversity, equity and inclusion, is leaving Emporia State for a position at the University of Kentucky. He will be the new director of the Martin Luther King Center, starting Sept. 24.
Brooks, who attended ESU for his undergraduate and his graduate degrees, is the first assistant dean of students for diversity, equity and inclusion. The position was created in January 2017, according to the university.
His decision to leave ESU wasn’t an easy one, but was necessary to help achieve his goals.
“My goal is to eventually be a university president, so I have to have multiple institutions under my belt, get that experience, not only in different areas of diversity but different areas of student affairs,” Brooks said.
The replacement for the assistant dean position will be filled by a national search committee, which is organized by the Office of Student Affairs. No search committee has been created yet, according to Gwen Larson, assistant director of media relations.
During his time at ESU, Brooks helped create the University Diversity, Equity and Inclusion plan and redevelop the ESU Mosaic program.
Although Brooks said he achieved a lot while here, both as a student and as an administrator, he wants whoever replaces him to do more than just build on his work, but make it their own.
“I want the new person to come in to put their own individual touch and finesse and their own vision into it to help push the institution in the direction of not only more equity, and more inclusivity, but also to progress in civility and love,” Brooks said.
When the search committee is looking for the new assistant dean, Brooks hopes they keep several qualities in mind.
“The next person that comes in, they must not only have a passion for the work, but a compassion for the people that they serve,” Brooks said. “If they have those two particular at-tributes, everything else will fall into place.”