SUU is All About the People for Brooke Russell

Growing up in the suburbs of Chicago, Brooke Russell was always a true Cubs fan, but after graduating from Southern Utah University in 2002, she added the Thunderbirds to her favorite mascot list.

Brooke attended high school in Las Vegas, NV, and Woods Cross, UT, and after feeding a serious habit of Nielsen’s Frozen Custard in the Davis County area, Brooke enrolled at SUU, found that Brad’s Food Hut helped curb her cravings, and became a loyal Cedarian. 

With a double major in Psychology and Interpersonal Communication, Brooke’s academic training and involvement in student affairs and activities at SUU propelled her to a career in higher education. Today, she works as a production coordinator with the Center for Excellence in Higher Education where she produces video content, TV and web advertising, as well as radio advertising for non-profit colleges in the western United States.

“It wasn't a career I decided to pursue, it was just something that I fell into and actually really enjoy,” she says of her work. “One of the coolest parts of my job is interviewing our graduates and hearing the stories of how their lives have changed because of their decision to be educated.”

Some of Brooke’s fondest memories as a student at SUU include running a kissing booth at the Halloween Howl (more recently renamed “The Scream”), late night drives to Vegas for In-N- Out Burger (before St. George had one), and sharing one bathroom with six girls (a lesson in patience and humility).

One stand-out experience was being persuaded to audition for the Parowan Community Theater. Performing on stage was something Brooke had never done before, but she decided it was a chance to get out of her comfort zone. She was cast as a chorus member in Brigadoon with several other SUU students, and sang and danced on stage in front of a live audience. It was something she will never forget, and probably never do again.

Brooke lives in downtown Salt Lake City, right across the street from the Utah State Capital. She enjoys the view from her home, loves utilizing public transportation and being “car-free” in the traffic filled city. While Brooke’s professional career has always been in higher education including a stint at Stevens-Henager College, part of her will always be with SUU-- in the dorms of Manzanita, the ballroom of the Sharwan Smith Student Center, and the classrooms in the Centrum.

Brooke loves Southern Utah University and the Cedar City community. She visits regularly because one of her passions is hiking, and everyone knows some of the best hikes are found in southern Utah.  She also enjoys kayaking, snowshoeing, skiing, and being in the outdoors. 

“SUU really is all about the people; friends, professors, and staff all combined equal awesome sauce!,” she says. “When I think of my SUU favorites, I think of the good, the bad, and the ugly, all of it!  So cliché I know, but while I don't know that I'd like to go back to dorm-living, apartment-sharing college life, it was such an amazing time and really shaped who I am now and what I value the most.”