Name: Tracy Burt

Occupation: Vice President, Marketing & Communications

Employer:  Akron Community Foundation

Name of High School: Southeast High School

Location (City/State): Palmyra Township, Ohio

Name of College (1):  Kent State University

Location (City/State):  Kent, Ohio

Please state the reason(s) you are supporting Project GRAD Akron and raising funds for the scholarship fund.

Education is critical. It equips people with the tools they need to thrive and has been proven to  impact so many facets of life, from income to health. Every student deserves a quality education and to understand the array of educational opportunities.available to them. 

Name of your favorite teacher and what made the person special to you:  I had many "favorite" teachers through the years, but the one who made the biggest impact was one of  my public relation's professors, Bill Sledzik. He could be tough, but it always came from a place of wanting his students to succeed in the real world. Even to this day, his voice is still often in my head.

What were some of your most enjoyable times in school?  (preschool through college): I was a bit of a social butterfly, so school for me was about time with friends. Studying was better with others anyway, right?

Favorite quote:  I can't say I have a favorite quote, but perhaps one that is important for this moment in time is "Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world." Nelson Mandela