Foundation to success: Burka (FMS ’98) credits time at FMS with providing building blocks

Terry Burka (FMS ’98) hardly has time to sleep.

A U.S. Army veteran, Burka started work toward a degree in international business from Florida International after leaving the Army in 2008.

He got that degree, magna cum laude, in 2010. All the while acting – he’s appeared in eight films and three TV shows – and writing, producing and distributing three hip-hop music albums.

And none of it would have happened if he hadn’t ended up at Fishburne after struggling as a high-school freshman.

“Fishburne played a big part in me becoming what I’ve become,” said Burka, who has added property manager to his resume with stints managing multimillion-dollar commercial and residential projects for two South Florida companies.

His time at FMS taught him time management, leadership, “experiencing cultures from all over the world, because students there are from all over the world.”

“The experience there helped me focus and concentrate on building the academic base that I would need to succeed for the rest of my life,” Burka said.

Burka looks forward to the chance to return to Fishburne sometime soon. He’d like to put on a musical concert for cadets at the alma mater, and also speak to classes about what he has come to realize it takes to succeed in today’s world.

“I owe so much to the staff there. The faculty, the commandants – a lot of people are still there who were there when I was a student. I think that speaks to the quality of the people who are at Fishburne,” Burka said.

“Anything I could do to give back, I want to do. Fishburne means a lot to me, to who I am as a person,” Burka said.