Mr. Brooks Lloyd (’17) earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology here on the hill and then went on to earn his Master’s degree in Occupational Therapy from LSU Health.
Follow along to hear more about Brooks’s story and journey through ETBU and beyond.
I am an Occupational Therapist and Certified Hand Therapist, currently working in Outpatient Therapy for Baylor Scott and White at the Star in Frisco, TX. After working for 3 years, I gained my CHT specialization and work with the rehabilitation of upper extremity injuries from the shoulder to the fingertips - post-operative, acute, and chronic injuries of the arm, wrist, and hand. My goal is to specialize in sports medicine and rehabilitation, and if it’s in God’s plan, to come home to East Texas to help lead a Sports Therapy and Performance clinic that focuses on baseball, football, and golf. When I am not at work, you will likely find me in 1 of 3 places: with friends or family, working out, or on the golf course.
I am from Marshall, and most of my family still lives there. My father was a baseball and football coach, as well as the Athletic Director at Harleton High School - hence where my obsession with sports began. My mom is a retired teacher, my brother is a head baseball coach, and my sister is also an Occupational Therapist.
Like most from Marshall, I did not plan on coming back to be a Hometown Hero. However, I did return and attend ETBU after a year at TJC to fulfill my goal of playing college baseball. Coach Hood heard me out, and I walked on to the ETBU baseball team, where I spent three years playing ball with lifelong friends and brothers.
My coaches, of course, made the biggest impact on me. Coaches Jared Hood and Torrey Peterson, as well as my teammate and then-coach Tanner Matthews. Professors who helped me are too numerous to count, but the ones who helped me the most were Dr. Gerald Nissley and Dr. Mark Miller of the Psychology and Sociology departments. Dr. Catherine Cone of the Biology department helped me navigate the stressful process of applying for graduate school. I could always count on talking baseball with Dr. Robin Rudd. Another professor whom I connected with the most was Dr. Troy Ladine, may he rest in peace. Many people helped me while I was at ETBU, and I am grateful to all of them.
I made many lifelong friends at ETBU, and I stay in touch with many of them from the baseball, tennis, and cross-country teams. During those years, I made friends with many awesome people. Many of those I’ve been on bachelor trips with and to many weddings. I consider several of them to be my best friends and brothers.
I’d love to say the classes I had were very memorable, like Dr. Nissley’s Abnormal Psychology or Dr. Ladine’s grueling Anatomy and Physiology. However, what I remember most are the escapades on campus with my friends like Andrew Midkiff and his roommates from Fagan Hall, or the 9-hour bus rides to Sul Ross with impromptu roast sessions that usually ended with
Coach Hood yelling at us and trying his best not to laugh. Jokes in the dugout and countless hours in the weight room and batting cage with guys like Dynas Doud, Jimmy Kizer, Jimmy Russo, Zach Ervin, and Logan Sprinkle. Fellowship trips and pranks in the locker room. In between double header traditions with guys like Dylan Sumpter. I remember most of the games, but it was the time spent with my friends that stands out the most and always will.
My time on the Hill prepared me most for how to interact with others and care for others with a servant’s mindset. The opportunities I was given through ETBU and the baseball team allowed me to see what helping others and being there for your friends can do for your character. It showed me how to develop a work ethic to achieve my goals. This made beginning my career much easier in terms of focusing on what I wanted, how to go get it, and how to care for and support people in the process. The support I received at ETBU and the memories I made helped shape the man that I am and the one I am still becoming. I plan to continue building on this as I grow in my career and my faith.