Telaekah Brooks Named Dean of Trinity’s School of Professional Studies

President Patricia McGuire announced the appointment of Telaekah Brooks to be the dean of Trinity’s School of Professional Studies. Brooks brings to the position extensive experience in higher education, business and economic development.

Dean Telaekah Brooks

Dean Telaekah Brooks

Brooks earned her bachelor of arts in sociology from the University of Michigan, and her law degree from the Howard University School of Law. Most recently, she was the dean of faculty and academic affairs at Southeastern University in Washington, D.C., where she focused on increasing the quality of academic programs, assessing student learning and implementing improvements to academic and support services for students.  Prior to being appointed dean, Brooks was chair of Southeastern’s business management and public administration department and taught business law, nonprofit management and criminal justice. She was the founding director of Southeastern’s Center for Entrepreneurship, which provided services for small businesses and nonprofits, workforce development and corporate training. As the director, she managed the development of entrepreneurship courses for undergraduate and graduate students, emphasized the case study as a teaching tool, and created a resource clinic for business and public administration students at Southeastern.

Prior to her positions at Southeastern University, Brooks was the founding director of the Georgia Avenue Business Resource Center, which was later renamed the D.C. Chamber of Commerce Foundation Business Resource Center.  As director, she developed partnerships with the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, U.S. Small Business Administration, local banks, and large corporations to provide “high touch” business counseling and resources to small businesses and nonprofits in the District of Columbia. The Business Resource Center worked with more than 500 businesses, assisting them to write business plans, obtain financing, reach capacity and build infrastructure. Brooks developed an outreach program that paired MBA students from four area universities with local business owners in need of on-site counseling teams. Before becoming the director of the center, Brooks was the marketing and research coordinator for the Washington, D.C., Marketing Center and worked in the D.C. Department of Housing and Community Development.

“I am enthusiastic about joining the Trinity community,” said Brooks. “As dean, I will be focused on ensuring that all students in the School of Professional Studies gain a practical education that will develop the skills necessary for them to excel in their careers, while building their academic foundation in critical thinking and theory application. This year, students will see new opportunities to expand their knowledge by attending panel discussions on the current economic crisis, building their financial literacy and strength, and joining a learning community based upon their career interests.”

Trinity’s School of Professional Studies provides undergraduate and graduate degrees to more than 850 students who value a high quality, student-centered education, flexible evening and weekend classes, and affordable tuition.  Degrees offered include the associate of arts, bachelor of arts and bachelor of science, master of business administration (MBA), master of science in administration and master of arts in communication.

School of Professional Studies