Faculty Profile: Susan Brinkman

Susan Brinkman came to Emporia State as a transfer student with the intention of moving once she finished her degree. However, soon after she began work in Emporia, Brinkman became a self-proclaimed fan of the Flint Hills area.

Brinkman is the assistant director of the Center for Great Plains Studies, an organization dedicated to the study of the Flint Hills by various disciplines. In the past, the Center has provided maps for National Geographic and located dust bowl survivors for a History Channel documentary. The Center’s current project involves provided catalogued access to Great Plains research housed in White Library.

“I love it,” Brinkman said. “I have the best job on campus.”

Brinkman was preceded in the position by Julie Johnson, who is now the mayor of Emporia. Johnson worked with the center for 27 years before moving on, and Brinkman says she could see herself serving for even longer.

“After just a few weeks here, I could understand why she would be here for 27 years,” Brinkman said. “I told her I would break her record. It’s just that much fun.”

Brinkman is from Lenexa, Kan. and is an only child with a very unique family. Not only is Brinkman herself an only child, but so were both of her parents and three of her four grandparents. She and her husband, Jason Brinkman, have one son named Ian.

Brinkman arrived in Emporia in 1989 as a transfer student with the intention of staying only until she completed her degree. She completed an undergraduate degree in psychology, attended the University of Minnesota Minneapolis to obtain her masters’ degree, and then returned to Emporia.

Brinkman first worked as a counselor for the mental health center before moving on to serve as director for the Plumb Place Home for Women. Most recently, she served as director of admissions for ESU. Although Brinkman jokes about her eclectic career, she feels that her position with admissions was very valuable.

“I learned the most from that one,” she said.

In the summer of 2007, Julie Johnson left the Center for Great Plains Studies, and Jim Hoy, professor of English and director of the Center, began a search to fill the position.

“Out of the 20-30 candidates, Susan stood out,” Hoy said. “She’s energetic and bright, and she knows this campus.”

Hoy also said that Brinkman has already had great success in expanding the Center’s resources. On Monday, the Center was awarded a grant for the reproduction of works by photographer F. M. Steele. The grant allows the Center to carry the most complete collection of Steele’s work in the Midwest.

“She’s a very talented grant writer,” Hoy said.

Brinkman’s love of writing and photography extends far beyond her work. She teaches a course in photography for non-art majors and enjoys art as a personal hobby. She also jokes that she has a lesser known love of writing.

“I’m also a closet creative writer,” Brinkman said, adding that she attends two book clubs regularly and is a member of the Emporia Regional Quilters’ Guild.

Community involvement also plays a large role for Brinkman. She is the chair of the Emporia United Way Community Investment Committee and past president of the Center for Early Childhood Education PTO.

Brinkman also said she is a disciple of ESU women’s basketball. “I’m an avid, avid Lady Hornets fan,” Brinkman said. “Since about 1997, I’ve really been following them and collecting memorabilia.”

Brinkman owns Brandon Schneider’s 100th winning game ball and isn’t afraid to show off her hornet pride.

“My friends will tell you I bleed black and gold.”

With such a varied collection of talents and hobbies, Brinkman fits the various roles of the assistant director position very well. “In an office this small, you’ve got to learn to wear a lot of hats,” Brinkman said.

“A lot of hats” may be an understatement. In addition to organizing multiple events, Brinkman oversees the publication of both “The Great Plains Newsletter” and “Heritage of the Great Plains,” the latter of which is a journal dedicated to interdisciplinary research of the Great Plains. The Center also publishes “Tales Out of School,” which addresses issues of elementary and secondary education teachers.

“We work with universities and history centers all over the country on these publications,” Brinkman said.

Each year, the Center organizes the Friends of the Plains Dinner, which allows supporters and benefactors to come together each spring for dinner, entertainment and discussion. Brinkman said that she is very excited about the coming year’s banquet because she is working on bringing in a very special guest.

Despite holding the position for less than a year, Brinkman’s hard work and excitement are very clear as she discusses the accomplishments and plans for the Center. Brinkman hopes that the Center’s presence on campus will continue to grow.

“Our town has so many neat things, and we’re not very good at telling people about them,” Brinkman said. “I just want us to get out there, to let people know about them.”