Lavada Burse, a student at Grayson College in Texas, has been named student representative to the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society Board of Directors.
Burse is majoring in business administration. She plans to become a Certified Public Accountant and open her own firm. She was recently elected to serve as Phi Theta Kappa’s 2020-21 International President, the highest position of leadership available to students in the organization.
“We are pleased to welcome Lavada to the Board, and we value the insight she will provide as we continue to deepen the value of Phi Theta Kappa membership across the nation and beyond,” said Dr. George Boggs, Chair of the PTK Board of Directors and President and CEO Emeritus of the American Association of Community Colleges.
Significant financial barriers and food insecurity brought Burse’s first attempt at college to an early end. Eighteen years later, wanting to set an example for her sons, she enrolled at Grayson College. She now works to raise awareness for food insecurity among students. She once had to choose between staying in college and paying her bills, and she doesn’t want others to have to make that same decision.
“I believe everyone should have a chance to attend college and not have that decided by finances,” she said.
Burse has held numerous leadership roles in her Phi Theta Kappa chapter and was president of the Texas Region. She has served as keynote speaker at the Texas Community College Teachers Association Annual Convention and as the student liaison to the Grayson College Board of Directors. She also writes for her campus newspaper.
The Phi Theta Kappa Board of Directors governs all policies of Phi Theta Kappa and ensures that the Society’s mission to nurture academic excellence among college students is reflected in all its programs and endeavors.
