![\"Jeri](\"https:\/\/blog.siuf.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/jeri-brooks-300x300.jpg\")
For Jeri Brooks, Southern Illinois University was destiny. A Carbondale native, Brooks grew up immersed in the Saluki spirit\u2014not just as a local but as part of a multi-generational legacy rooted in love, resilience, and community pride.<\/p>\nFor Jeri Brooks, Southern Illinois University was destiny. A Carbondale native, Brooks grew up immersed in the Saluki spirit\u2014not just as a local but as part of a multi-generational legacy rooted in love, resilience, and community pride.<\/p>\n
Her father, Thurman Lee Brooks, Sr., earned a basketball scholarship to SIU, and her mother, Betty Brooks McCollum, pursued her master\u2019s degree there. Eventually, both Jeri and her brother followed in their parents’ footsteps, solidifying SIU as a cornerstone of their family history. When her father passed away, SIU extended a powerful gesture of support: eight semesters of complimentary tuition for both children.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat gesture meant everything,\u201d Brooks said. \u201cSIU became more than just a university\u2014it became part of our story.\u201d<\/p>\n
While at SIU, Brooks earned a Bachelor of Science in communications with a specialization in public relations. Her time on campus laid the foundation for a career defined by ethics, strategic vision, and the pursuit of economic empowerment.<\/p>\n
One of her most transformative experiences was joining Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. in 1993.<\/p>\n
\u201cMeeting those 11 women who became lifelong friends changed everything,\u201d she said. \u201cAnd I was fortunate to share that journey with \u2018The Originals,\u2019 my closest friends from Carbondale.\u201d<\/p>\n
Brooks credits the Rev. Dr. Norman Greer as a formative influence during her time at SIU.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe didn\u2019t just teach theory\u2014he brought real-world experience into the classroom,\u201d she said. \u201cThat blend of knowledge gave me the confidence to step into any space with purpose.\u201d<\/p>\n
With over two decades of experience, she helps companies, political leaders, and communities build strategies that expand influence and create lasting economic mobility\u2014because for her, freedom is not free without economic empowerment.<\/p>\n
Known for her strategic thinking and high-impact execution, Brooks has been repeatedly recognized as a top-tier lobbyist, appearing on Capitol Insider\u2019s Texas Lobby Power Rankings in 2015, 2019, 2021, 2023, and 2025. She was also named a 2021 Top Lobbyist by the National Institute for Lobbying & Ethics.<\/p>\n
Brooks is passionate about creating lasting change\u2014not just through policy but through economic freedom. Her motto, \u201cexcellence is my minimum,\u201d defines her professional ethos and personal mission.<\/p>\n
Brooks is often recognized for breaking barriers\u2014but she\u2019s quick to challenge the celebration of being ‘the first.’<\/p>\n
\u201cWe should not still be celebrating the first woman, the first Black woman, the first anything,\u201d she said. \u201cIt\u2019s time we elevate our expectations. Excellence should be the norm.\u201d<\/p>\n
Still, she acknowledges one meaningful moment: being the first Black woman honored in the Carbondale Community High School Hall of Achievement.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut real progress is ensuring I\u2019m far from the last,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n
Despite her success, Brooks never forgets where she came from. Her commitment to SIU runs deep. She has endowed a scholarship to support diversity initiatives under the university\u2019s ADEI framework, and she continues to advocate for the university\u2019s growth and future.<\/p>\n
\u201cSIU gave me more than an education\u2014it broadened my world,\u201d she said. \u201cIf my contribution can help restore its full potential, then giving back isn\u2019t just meaningful\u2014it\u2019s necessary.\u201d<\/p>\n
Brooks encourages young women aspiring to enter the political and public affairs world to be strategic and assertive. Her advice is rooted in experience and unwavering determination:<\/p>\n
Reflecting on Women\u2019s History Month, Brooks honors the legacy of her grandmother and mother\u2014the original entrepreneurs in her life. Her grandmother ran the family\u2019s home-based auto repair business and raised six daughters with unshakable fortitude. Her mother turned their family’s pound cake recipe into a business and continues to thrive as a Mary Kay consultant.<\/p>\n
“They didn\u2019t wait for opportunity\u2014they created it. That spirit of hustle and ownership laid the foundation for everything I am,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
As for her legacy, Brooks hopes to inspire the next generation of women to embrace their power, lead with excellence, and build pathways to economic and social transformation.<\/p>\n
Her advice to her college-aged self? \u201cTake more risks. Trust your instincts. Be fearless\u2014God has your back.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
For Jeri Brooks, Southern Illinois University was destiny. A Carbondale native, Brooks grew up immersed in the Saluki spirit\u2014not just as a local but as part of a multi-generational legacy rooted in love, resilience, and community pride. Her father, Thurman Lee Brooks, Sr., earned a basketball scholarship to SIU, and her mother, Betty Brooks McCollum, … Continue reading Jeri Brooks: From Saluki to strategy powerhouse<\/span>