DECATUR – East Central Community College President Dr. Billy Stewart has been appointed to the new Presidential Advisory Board for the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society.

     Stewart is one of only 33 college presidents nationwide on the board, which will provide input into the organization’s strategic plan, priorities, and direction. Advisory Board members will advocate for Phi Theta Kappa, its members and its mission; serve as liaisons between Phi Theta Kappa headquarters and the college leaders in their states; and advise Phi Theta Kappa’s executive director and other leaders.

     “I am honored to be asked to serve on the Presidential Advisory Board for an organization that recognizes the academic achievements of community college students,” said Stewart, who was named the eighth president of East Central Community College in Decatur in July 2012.

    “Having attended the inaugural meeting of the Advisory Board, I look forward to continuing to participate in the discussion among community college leaders from across the nation in regards to initiatives that will enhance Phi Theta Kappa’s impact on student success,” he said. “And, having two children who are currently members of Phi Theta Kappa here at East Central, I am personally invested in the outcome of those discussions.”

     Phi Theta Kappa, with headquarters in Jackson, is the largest honor society in American higher education with 1,285 chapters on two-year and community college campuses in the U.S. and overseas. East Central Community College is home to the Theta Xi Chapter of Phi Theta Kappa.

     A native of Pearl, Stewart earned his bachelor’s degree in history and his master’s degree in curriculum and instruction, both from the University of Southern Mississippi, and his doctorate in higher education administration from Mississippi State University.

     At East Central, Stewart initiated a strategic planning process to shape and guide the future of the institution. As a result, 2020 Vision was adopted in February 2013 and includes a long-term desire to be nationally recognized and locally preferred while meeting the educational and training needs of all residents of the college district.