Dr. Gloria J. Burgess will be the speaker for the annual Black History Month Convocation and her speech will be titled, “Make Your Life Count.” Burgess is a published author, motivational speaker, and CEO and president of her own business. The convocation will take place on Friday, Feb. 15, at 10 a.m. in Culbertson Auditorium on the Sterling College campus and will be open to the public.

Originally from Oxford, Miss., Burgess grew up living in poverty. She is now the CEO and president of Jazz, Inc., a leadership consulting and coaching company. Through Jazz, Inc., Burgess is able to work with diverse organizations, individuals and communities to help them achieve optimal performance through a focus on leadership development, value-driven culture, sustainable learning methods and strategic visioning. A few of her clients include Boeing, Microsoft, Adobe and Starbucks.

“The students will be able to learn a great deal from Gloria about celebrating the diversity of humanity,” said Dr. Greg Kerr, vice president for academic affairs. “She is a Christian whose message transcends racial barriers and has already inspired several Sterling College students who have heard her speak.”

Burgess earned her Ph.D. in Performance Studies and M.B.A. in Organizational Behavior and Information Systems from the University of Southern California. She also holds an M.A. in Applied Behavioral Science from Bastyr University and an M.A. in Speech Communication and Theater from the University of Michigan.