Alumnus of the Year Award

Dr. Norward Brooks, ’71 MBA

Albers School of Business and Economics 

For his dedication to service and impressive professional achievements, Dr. Norward Brooks, ’71 MBA, is honored as Alumnus of Year.

In his 2024 memoir, A Man of Many Firsts, Brooks details his life growing up in Louisiana, becoming the first in his family to graduate college and launching into a groundbreaking career in public service. The book’s title refers to Brooks becoming the first African American to hold many leadership positions, including as Director of King County Records and Elections, Commissioner of the Washington State Employment Security Department, Comptroller for the City of Seattle, King County Assessor and Director of Administrative Data Processing for the University of Washington.  
Brooks and his wife of more than 70 years, Violet, ’66 MEd, both earned their master’s degrees at SU.

One of Brooks’ nominators said of him and Violet, “They embody the attributes of Dr. Martin Luther King's Thriving Beloved Community. They mentor others using their measured intellectual, physical capabilities and available resources to best raise others to their unseen potential. … They exemplify the St. Ignatius wisdom, ‘teach us to give and not to count the cost.’"