Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society (PTK) has named Dr. Michael Torrence, president of Motlow State Community College in Tennessee, to its Presidential Advisory Board.
Torrence joins 38 other college presidents from across the nation on the board and will provide input into the organization’s strategic plan, priorities, and direction. Advisory Board members advocate for Phi Theta Kappa, its members, and its mission; serve as liaisons between PTK headquarters and the college leaders in their states; and advise the Society’s Executive Director and other senior leaders.
Phi Theta Kappa goes beyond recognition to serve as a pathway to student success and completion by providing scholarships and opportunities to its members for individual growth and development — work that would not be possible without the support of college presidents like Torrence. The Presidential Advisory Board was established in 2015.
Torrence was seated as the seventh president of Motlow State Community College in 2018. Under his leadership, Motlow State continues to rank as the number one college in Tennessee in enrollment growth, retention, and graduation rates. He leads a student population of approximately 7,000 students across four campuses and two teaching sites, as well as a robust online college. To Torrence’s credit, Motlow State is a forerunner in integrating emerging technology into its teaching and learning community.
In addition to the PTK appointment, Torrence is a member of the Western Governors University (WGU) Tennessee Advisory Board, Online Learning Consortium (OLC) Board, and Berkley College Online Advisory Board. Most recently, he received the GlobalMindED Inclusive Excellence Leaders Award in the Two-Year and Post-Graduate Higher Education category for his outstanding work and commitment to inclusion, diversity, and equity.
Torrence is a veteran in higher education administration and has more than 23 years as a faculty. He holds a Ph.D. from Tennessee Technological University, and he received both master’s and bachelor’s degrees at South Dakota State University.
A veteran of the United States Air Force, Torrence served as a senior airman from 1992 to 1996.
