Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society (PTK) is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Mary Graham, President of Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, to its International Board of Directors.
A nationally respected leader in community college education, Dr. Graham brings extensive executive experience, institutional perspective, and a deep commitment to student success to Phi Theta Kappa’s governing board. Her appointment reflects both her long-standing service to the Society and the confidence placed in her leadership at the national level.
For the past six years, Dr. Graham has served on Phi Theta Kappa’s Presidential Advisory Board as the Mississippi representative, where she offered operational guidance to help ensure PTK’s programs and practices effectively served community college students across the state. In her new role as a member of the Board of Directors, her work will shift from advisory support to strategic governance, helping guide the Society’s long-term vision, policy alignment, financial stewardship, and organizational sustainability at the national and international levels.
As President of Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, Dr. Graham has demonstrated visionary leadership in strengthening workforce alignment, academic excellence, and student pathways to completion, transfer, and employment. Under her leadership, MGCCC has reinforced the vital connection between community colleges, regional economic growth, and opportunity. Nationally, she has contributed to sector-wide leadership through service on the Board of Directors of the American Association of Community Colleges, supporting initiatives focused on institutional effectiveness and student success.
Dr. Graham’s national leadership extends well beyond her presidency. A former Chair of the Board of Directors for the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC), she has devoted decades of service to advancing the mission of community colleges through numerous AACC councils and commissions. Her work has helped shape national dialogue and practice across student success, workforce and economic development, public relations and advocacy, institutional research, and public policy. Through this sustained engagement, she has been a consistent voice for strengthening the role of community colleges as engines of opportunity, innovation, and community impact.
Dr. Graham is also a recipient of the Shirley B. Gordon Award of Distinction, Phi Theta Kappa’s highest honor for community college presidents. Nominated by students, the award recognizes presidents who demonstrate extraordinary and sustained commitment to student success and academic excellence. Dr. Graham’s leadership reflects a deep belief in student leadership, high standards of achievement, and the importance of meaningful extracurricular experiences, such as Phi Theta Kappa, that extend learning beyond the classroom and prepare students for lifelong success.
“Dr. Graham has been a trusted voice in Phi Theta Kappa’s work for many years, and her appointment to the Board reflects the strategic importance of her leadership,” said George Boggs, Chair of the Phi Theta Kappa Board of Directors. “She understands how sound governance, strong institutions, and student-centered policy come together to create lasting impact. Her experience will be invaluable as the Board guides the Society’s future.”
As a member of the Board of Directors, Dr. Graham will help shape Phi Theta Kappa’s strategic priorities, strengthen engagement with college leaders nationwide, and ensure policies are aligned to support the Society’s continued growth, stability, and long-term prosperity. Established by the Society’s founders as a constituency-based board, PTK’s Board of Directors brings together the leadership perspectives of presidents, students, alumni, advisors, and regional coordinators to guide the organization’s mission and future. Dr. Graham’s appointment reflects both that tradition and the strategic importance of her leadership.
“I am honored to serve Phi Theta Kappa in this expanded capacity,” said Dr. Graham. “The Society plays a critical role in recognizing excellence and supporting opportunity for community college students. I look forward to working with the Board to help guide its mission and future impact.”
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.
