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Brewing success: ESU alum and Starbucks leader to speak on campus, receive Distinguished Alumni award

by Brian Osbourn

Emporia, KS (09/24/2024) — An Emporia State alumnus is welcomed back to campus where he will speak on leadership and the experiences that led him to a senior leadership role at a major coffee company. Dennis Brockman will present the Sam E. and Jeannene Hayes Lecture at 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 3, in Webb Hall on the second floor of the Memorial Union. His presentation is titled "Servant Leadership - It's all about the PEOPLE!"

Brockman earned a bachelor of science degree in business administration from Emporia State in 1987. He now serves as the senior vice president for U.S. Retail Operations at Starbucks, overseeing the company's efforts in 29 states and about 4,000 stores. Before this role, he was Starbucks' global chief inclusion and diversity officer.

Brockman recalls a welcoming campus that encouraged his leadership skills, which included participation in Associated Student Government, Black Student Union and being a resident advisor. He lauds ESU's "good balance" of professors under which he studied."I think the courses that I took prepared me," Brockman said. "I'm not a finance major, but if you ask my team (at Starbucks), they think I am because I'm into numbers. I got that good balance because ESU really prepared me. It gave me a foundation of what to expect when I left ESU."

The ESU Alumni Association will present Brockman with a Distinguished Alumni award at the Black and Gold Gala during Homecoming festivities. The award recognizes the outstanding accomplishments of ESU's finest graduates and is the highest award granted to an ESU alum by the ESU Alumni Association.

Before joining Starbucks' executive ranks, Brockman had lengthy tenures at Jostens, Wendy's, Aramark and earlier in his career, a district manager at Starbucks.

The Hayes Lecture is the official start of ESU's Homecoming weekend of activities. Dr. Sam Hayes (BS 1962) and his wife, Jeannene, of Mission Hills established the lecture series as a way to engage Emporia State's alumni in highlighting their successes. Individuals whose leadership qualities, skills and accomplishments have led to distinction are featured in each annual lecture.

The first speaker in 2011 was Doug Smith of Leawood. Beginning in 2012, Doug and his wife, Nan, provided funds to create scholarships for Emporia State students who attend the lecture. This year, 10 students will receive a $1,000 Doug and Nan Smith Scholarship. To be eligible, students must swipe their ID card when attending the lecture and complete a scholarship application, which includes a series of essay questions. Winners will be announced in late October.

About Emporia State University

Emporia State University offers a range of academic programs through its institute and seven schools: Applied Health Sciences, Business & Technology, Humanities & Social Sciences, Interdisciplinary Studies, Library and Information Management & Library and Archives, Science & Mathematics and Visual and Performing Arts, along with The Teachers College.

As the sole public university in Kansas to be recognized as a College of Distinction for eight consecutive years, ESU stands out for its innovative education practices. It ensures accessible education by offering in-state tuition rates to full-time undergraduate students from all lower-48 United States. Additionally, full-time undergraduates benefit from flat-rate tuition - students enrolled in 12 or more credit hours with at least one credit hour on campus pay a flat rate.

For more information on how to build your future at Emporia State University, please visit www.emporia.edu.

Media Attachments

Dennis Brockman, Emporia State University alum and senior vice president for U.S. Retail Operations at Starbucks, will deliver the annual Hayes Lecture on Oct. 3 at the university.

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