Dr. Linda Garcia, Executive Director at the Center for Community College Student Engagement (CCCSE), has been named an International Honorary member of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society (PTK).
This recognition is considered PTK’s highest honor for a non-member. The award is not given every year, but only when the Society identifies an individual has provided extraordinary leadership and contributions within the community college sector. In PTK’s 107-year history, only 48 International Honorary Members have been named.
“Dr. Linda Garcia is a true pioneer in the community colleges landscape,” said Dr. George Boggs, Phi Theta Kappa Board Chair and AACC President Emeritus. “Her work has advanced our understanding of student engagement and has influenced policies and practices that drive student success across higher education. Her leadership exemplifies her extraordinary dedication, and I, along with the other PTK Board of Directors, unanimously and enthusiastically applaud Linda for her support of community colleges and their students.”
In addition to her time as Executive Director at CCCSE, Garcia previously served as the Assistant Director of College Relations at CCCSE. Before joining CCCSE, Garcia was the Vice President of Community College Relations at the Roueche Graduate Center at National American University. She worked at Lone Star College, Maricopa Community College, and The University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost College. She also served as a coach for the American Association of Community Colleges Pathways 2.0 and continues in the role for the Texas Pathways Project.
Garcia will receive the award at PTK Catalyst in Kansas City, Missouri on Friday, April 4, 2025.
Phi Theta Kappa is the first honor society recognizing the academic achievement of students at associate degree-granting colleges and helping them to grow as scholars and leaders. The Society is made up of more than 4.4 million members and nearly 1,250 chapters in 11 countries, with approximately 220,000 active members in the nation’s colleges. Learn more at ptk.org.