Member Moves from Homeless to Harvard as Jack Kent Cooke Graduate Scholar
Phi Theta Kappa member Lalita Booth, a onetime homeless single mother and
high school dropout, is heading for Harvard to study for a joint Master of
Public Policy and Master of Business Administration degree.
A
self-described child of poverty, Booth overcame her early challenges
by enrolling at Seminole Community College in Florida.
She
recently received a Jack Kent Cooke Graduate Scholarship to attend Harvard,
and also won a Jack Kent Cooke Scholarship to fund her baccalaureate studies
at the University of Central Florida.
Booth credits Phi Theta
Kappa for introducing her to the Jack Kent Cooke Scholarship program. She
is also a Truman Scholar.
Booth's incredible journey continues
to be profiled in the St. Petersburg, Florida, Times, and on the
Jack Kent Cooke Foundation website.
"Sharing
the story of my personal journey from homelessness to Harvard is important,"
said Booth when she was accepted to Harvard. "I believe that everyone is
capable of accomplishing more than they give themselves credit for, and
in the process of overcoming my own challenges and struggles, I have learned
a lot about how to tap into that potential.
"I also recognize
that right now, with the economy in a deep recession, it is important for
people to know that any challenge, no matter how insurmountable it may seem,
can be overcome."
Booth has also become a public speaker, sharing
her story of overcoming adversity in the hope of inspiring others. Visit
her website for
information.
Booth is also profiled in Phi Theta Kappa's recently
published Pathways to Success.
