LIT Speech faculty member Donna Burnside awarded KFDM’s “Home
2/22/2019
Beaumont – For the first time ever, a teacher at a higher institution has been honored with KFDM TV’s coveted “Hometown Hero” award. Lamar Institute of Technology Public Speaking and Interpersonal Communications Instructor Donna Burnside received the award and plaque from reporter Kelsey Borza in a surprise visit after her Tuesday morning class. The award is sponsored by Conn’s Home Plus.
Burnside will be featured during an upcoming segment scheduled to air on Thurs., Feb. 28, at 5 p.m. and 9 p.m., and Friday morning, March 1. Although she was surprised to be honored, she said, “It’s not about me. It’s about my students. And making an impact in my students’ lives.”
Burnside was nominated by her colleague and LIT English and Humanities faculty member Dr. Tracy Spencer.
Spencer said, “Honestly, I thought of Donna as soon as I saw the (TV) commercial. She constantly seeks out new ways to help others.”
She said Burnside tirelessly devotes herself to organizing many charitable events. Just a few of the causes Burnside has championed at LIT and in the community in the past year include: Depression, domestic violence and sex trafficking. She and her class have also collected non-perishables and other items for the homeless, furloughed federal workers, and visited and served food at Boys’ and Girls’ Havens, Family Services of Southeast Texas and nursing homes.
Burnside’s name was chosen from a pool of nominations from the past six months, according to Borza. She said the sales team selects each Hometown Hero based on the following criteria, according to the website: Compelling nature (34%), content (33%) and newsworthiness (33%). KFDM, in their opening for the award segment, said that sometimes heroes help those in danger and save people’s lives, but Hometown Heroes honors everyday heroes who live by example.
Burnside has a B.A. in Speech Communications from Mississippi Valley State University and an M.A. in Communications from the University of Akron.
