OCTAVIA LAWRENCE SELECTED AS KCTCS PLS PARTICIPANT

LAWRENCE SELECTED AS KCTCS PLS PARTICIPANT

Octavia Lawrence, an Enrollment Center academic advisor at Madisonville Community College (MCC), is one of 18 faculty and staff members selected from throughout the Kentucky Community and Technical College System to participate in President Michael B. McCall s 2014 President s Leadership Seminar (PLS) beginning in January. The seminar promotes and strengthens leadership traits among KCTCS faculty and staff in an effort to advance the System's 16 community and technical colleges, as well as each participant's personal and professional goals.

"This annual leadership program offers select faculty and staff a unique experience to learn from the top community college experts in the nation. It is designed to not only enhance their skills, but to also create strong KCTCS leadership for the future," said KCTCS President Michael B. McCall. This unique professional development experience explores such broad-ranging issues as leadership traits, national issues and trends, professionalism, media relations, and customer service.

Lawrence was nominated by MCC President Dr. Judith L. Rhoads with Dr. McCall making the final selection of the class. Octavia is at a point in her career in higher education to benefit greatly from the KCTCS President s Leadership Seminar. Her ambition to assist students and guide them in their career pathway will be enhanced by this rich experience. She continues to make significant contributions to students and the college as a whole. I am pleased that she was selected by Dr. McCall for this experience, stated Rhoads. She will have opportunities to interact with community college leaders in Kentucky and from across the nation to learn about leadership challenges facing higher education. There will be a variety of forums for the participants to engage with these leaders from January through June, providing them with skills that can be applied when they return to their campuses.

I am extremely excited about participating in the President s Leadership Seminar this year and I think that it will be an excellent opportunity for me, stated Lawrence. She holds a Master of Arts in Education in Student Affairs and Counseling degree from Western Kentucky University (2013) and a Bachelor of Arts in English from Fisk University (1999). Lawrence and her family reside in Providence, KY.