Dr. Delores Phife Buford

Delores Phife Buford is honored for professional longevity as an educator, researcher and leader. She began working as a teacher in 1954 and leveraged her skills and expertise in this respect for nearly five decades, retiring in 2000. Dr. Buford’s interest was piqued by her curiosity about the career. Upon learning about the duties and values of an educator, she chose it as her vocation as a means to help others, continue learning and explore her various skills and interests. She first earned a Bachelor of Arts from North Texas State University in 1954 and worked for a year as a teacher in the Dallas Public School District. She then joined the Fort Worth Public School District as a teacher until 1958. From 1968 to 1972, Dr. Buford served as a member of the steering committee with the Junior Great Books Program with Greenville County Public Schools in South Carolina. Around the same time, she completed and earned a Master of Arts from Furman University in 1974.  In her last year at the institution, she worked as a research associate at the Office on Installation Planning and Research.

In 1977, Dr. Buford joined the faculty of Furman University as an instructor of educational research with the Office of Installation Planning and Research. She remained in this post until her retirement. Outside of her professional endeavors, Dr. Buford was active in her church community and considers her time as the chairman of all the bigger committees of her church as a highlight. Her time with the building committee was the most prestigious and during her tenure in this role she was able to lead a new building construction. She was notably the first female chairman of deacons. Other achievements Dr. Buford is proud of include a scholarship to an education foundation being named in her honor by the Greenville branch.