We are proud to welcome Brenda Alten as our keynote speaker for the 41st Undergraduate Symposium. Alten graduated with honors from EMU in 1988 with a bachelor’s degree in communications. During her time at the University, she was a four-time national champion in Forensics winning for informative speaking in 1985. She won the same category again, as well as the title for persuasive speaking and the pentathlon award for top speaker overall in 1988. She is also a two-time Undergraduate Symposium presenter under the faculty mentorship of Professor Tracy Anderson. Upon earning her master’s degree in communications from Miami University of Ohio in 1989, Alten began working with The J.M. Smucker Company and has served in a wide variety of roles over her 30+ year career. While early roles offered amazing experiences in recruiting, sales and marketing, Alten’s passion has always been in communications, and she considers herself incredibly fortunate to have had so many different opportunities to learn and grow in her
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