Colette Pierce Burnette facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Colette Pierce Burnette
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| Born | 1957  |
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| Occupation | University president, industrial engineer |
Colette Pierce Burnette, born in 1957, is an American leader in education. She first studied to be an industrial engineer. Later, she became very interested in helping students at historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs). These are colleges that were created to serve Black students.
After working in several leadership roles at different universities, she made history. In 2015, she became the first female president of Huston–Tillotson University. In August 2022, Burnette was chosen to lead Newfields, an art campus in Indianapolis, Indiana. She held this position for about 15 months.
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Early Life and Education Journey
Colette Pierce was born in 1957 in Cleveland, Ohio. Her father moved from Mississippi during the Great Migration. This was a time when many Black Americans moved from the Southern U.S. to the North. Her parents believed strongly in the importance of education.
She grew up in the city of Cleveland. She went to a public school called John F. Kennedy High School.
Discovering Engineering and Early Career
Colette was the first in her family to go to college. She visited Ohio State University and decided to study industrial engineering there. The university's Minority Engineering Program helped her a lot.
After graduating from Ohio State in 1980, she worked in several different jobs. She was a computer analyst at The Washington Post. She also worked as an operations support engineer at Procter & Gamble. Later, she managed projects for the Washington State Department of Transportation.
Switching to Higher Education
Colette was inspired by visits to her husband's college, Morehouse College. This made her want to change her career. She decided to focus on helping HBCUs.
She earned a Master of Science degree from Georgia College. In 2015, she earned a special doctorate degree in higher education from the University of Pennsylvania. She also completed a management program at the Harvard Graduate School of Education.
Career in University Leadership
Colette Pierce Burnette spent 12 years working at Central State University in Wilberforce, Ohio. She held many different leadership jobs there from 1999 to 2012. From 2012 to 2013, she was the temporary president at Pierce College in Puyallup, Washington.
Leading Huston–Tillotson University
In 2015, Burnette became the new president and CEO of Huston–Tillotson University. This was a big moment because she was the first woman to lead the university since two colleges merged to form it.
During her time as president, the university's special fund (called an endowment) grew by more than 55%. She also started new study programs. These included programs about environmental justice and STEM fields (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math). She announced in June 2022 that she would be retiring from this role.
In 2021, the Austin Chamber of Commerce gave Burnette a special award. They named her the Austinite of the Year. She was recognized for making Huston–Tillotson University stronger. She also helped lead a special group for the Mayor that worked on issues of unfairness and racism.
Leadership at Newfields
On August 1, 2022, Burnette became the president of Newfields. This is a large art campus in Indianapolis that includes the Indianapolis Museum of Art. She left this position on November 10, 2023.
Personal Life
Colette Burnette met her husband, Daarel Burnette, in the 1980s. He was a retired Air Force officer. Because of his military service, their family moved often within the U.S. They have two children, Daarel Burnette II and Daana Burnette.
