Dr. Luther Burse, Sr. President

KentuckyState UniversityNational Alumni Association

Dr. Luther Burse is the Director of Urban Programs and Diversity for the National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges (NASULGC). Before joining NASULGC he was a Federal Senior Executive with the United States Forest Service, where he last served as the Staff Director for Civil Rights.

Dr. Burse is a native of Hopkinsville, Kentucky, and has earned degrees from Kentucky State University, Indiana University and the University of Maryland. He also attended Purdue University, Harvard University, The Federal Executive Institute, and has participated in several workshops and seminars sponsored by The Brookings Institution.

In addition to teaching in the Chicago Public Schools, he has held research, teaching and/or administrative positions at Elizabeth City State University, University of Maryland, Cheyney University of Pennsylvania, and Fort Valley State University. He served as the Interim President of Cheyney University of Pennsylvania for nearly two years before being appointed President of Fort Valley State University in 1983.

Dr. Burse is considered an expert in human relations and teacher education, and is credited with research and writings in these fields. He has held positions of leadership in civil rights, fraternal, and professional education organizations, including the NAACP, Pennsylvania State Education Association, several state and national curriculum organizations, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity, and the National Education Association (NEA). After serving nearly two terms on its Board of Directors he was elected to the nine-member Executive Committee of the NEA.

He has been listed in Outstanding Educators of America, Who’s Who in Education, Who’s Who in Black America, and is an Honorary Kentucky Colonel. He is the recipient of outstanding service awards from Epsilon Pi Tau, Alpha Kappa Mu, Iota Lambda Sigma, Sigma Pi Phi, NAACP, Fort Valley State University, Kentucky State University, Cheyney University of Pennsylvania, Tuskegee University, Alabama A&M University, Pennsylvania State Education Association, National Education Association, U.S. Air Force, National Council of Alumni Associations, Georgia Association of Educators, Georgia Association of Minority Entrepreneurs, Georgia Association of Black Elected Officials, Omega Psi Phi, USDA,  United States Forest Service, NASULGC and several other organizations and institutions.

At NASULGC, he is responsible for formulating and implementing special projects related to strengthening the partnerships among its more than 200 member institutions, federal agencies and departments, and several foundations and private entities. He staffs the NASULGC Commission on Access, Diversity and Excellence (CADE), NASULGC Commission on the Urban Agenda (CUA), George Washington Carver Distinguished Lectureship Program, and the NASULGC/AASCU National Task Force on Campus Diversity.

Dr. Burse is married to Mamie M. Burse, a District of Columbia Public Schools Change Facilitator and Curriculum Specialist. They have two adult children and six grandchildren.