Brownlee Joins PTK Presidential Advisory Board

September 9, 2024
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Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society (PTK) has named Dr. Mordecai Brownlee, president of Community College of Aurora in Colorado, to its Presidential Advisory Board.

He joins other college presidents from across the nation on the board as the Colorado representative. On the board, he will provide input into the organization’s strategic plan, priorities, and direction. Presidential Advisory Board members advocate for Phi Theta Kappa, its members, and its mission while serving as liaisons between PTK headquarters and the college leaders in their states and advising PTK’s President and CEO and senior leaders.

“Phi Theta Kappa is at its best when we go beyond recognition and provide students with opportunities to make the most of their college experience,” Dr. Lynn Tincher Ladner, President and CEO of Phi Theta Kappa, said. “And, we would not be able to achieve this without the contributions and support of community college leaders like Dr. Mordecai Brownlee.”

Brownlee is an inclusive educator committed to the intellectual and economic empowerment of diverse communities and these commitments will help guide him as he serves on the Presidential Advisory Board.

“I am deeply honored and profoundly grateful to be named to the Phi Theta Kappa Honors Society Presidential Advisory Board,” Brownlee said. “This is not just a recognition but a remarkable opportunity to serve and contribute to a cause that uplifts and empowers students. It is truly the honor of a lifetime, and I am committed to making a meaningful impact.”

As president of Community College of Aurora, Brownlee has spearheaded the college’s first capital project, oversaw the development of the college’s first school of nursing, led record-breaking capital and scholarship fundraising efforts, hired the largest and most diverse faculty in the college’s history, and led efforts to increase student completion rates at the college by more than 20 percent.

In addition to serving as a college president, Brownlee is a columnist for Diverse: Issues in Higher Education and EdSurge, where he shares insights into strategic planning for colleges, and he teaches at Lamar University within the College of Education and Human Development.


About Phi Theta Kappa

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 4.3 million members and nearly 1,300 chapters in 11 countries, with approximately 230,000 active members in the nation’s colleges. Learn more at ptk.org.

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