Brooks began his career as a police reporter for the City News Bureau. After that, he rose through the ranks at the Wall Street Journal, beginning as a book review editor. He was a movie critic for five months before taking a post in Brussels covering Russia, the Middle East, South Africa and European Affairs. His last post at the Journal before transitioning to become senior editor of the Weekly Standard in 1995 was as op-ed editor. He worked at the Weekly Standard for eight years before becoming a columnist for The New York Times in 2003.
In addition to working on newspapers, Brooks also writes books. His published texts include The Road to Character, The Social Animal: The Hidden Sources of Love, Character and Achievement, Bobos in Paradise (a New York Times bestseller) and On Paradise Drive. He is a regular analyst on “PBS NewsHour” and NPR’s “All Things Considered.”
“David Brooks is a trusted and valued commentator on American life and culture,” Union President Samuel W. “Dub” Oliver said. “His most recent book, The Road to Character, is one that resonates with all of us who care about Union – a place committed to the virtuous life and to living a life filled with meaning and purpose.
Over the past 18 years, the scholarship banquet has become a well-known event in West Tennessee and an important fundraiser for university scholarships. Typically, leading businesses sponsor the speakers, and this year’s lead sponsor is Bancorp South. Previous speakers have included Tony Blair, George H.W. Bush, Margaret Thatcher, Condoleezza Rice, Mikhail Gorbachev, Laura Bush, Mike Huckabee, Rudolph Giuliani, Colin Powell and Ben Carson, among others.
For tickets, call (731) 661-5050 or visit www.uu.edu/events/scholarshipbanquet. A limited number of complimentary tickets are available at Union Station.
