Meet Victoria Burse of the ARC in College Park

Today we’d like to introduce you to Victoria Burse.

Victoria, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I’ve always been one to have a love for helping others become successful in developing and implementing their ideas and dreams. I did not always realize that this, in fact, was one of my gifts, and one birthed from the personal struggles I encountered in my life due to a lack of mentorship. I struggled for years not having the right people in my life to help me to achieve the visions and dreams on the inside of me.

Determined to do what I could to see that women with unfulfilled dreams and desires in the areas of their career, business, or ministry had someone to walk with them through the foundational stages of these areas, I began to mentor women in small groups launching a women’s outreach ministry, Queens of the Kingdom, in 2012.

In 2016, I was Ordained as a Pastor/Teacher by Dr. Kluane Spake of the Jubilee Alliance Apostolic Network. I expanded our audience to include men, and added workshops/training and certificate programs to the small group settings. The ARC was launched. Today, the ARC is the Premier school for Christian leaders in the Church and in the Marketplace. At the ARC, we believe in Equipping Leaders and Leading Dreamers. We are developing competent, resilient individuals able to Create, to Transform, and to Lead.

In order to provide a plethora of learning and mentoring settings, the ARC is comprised of 5 Development Centers; the Biblical Education Center, the Leadership Development Center, the Entrepreneurial Education Center, the Purpose Center, and the Community Outreach Center.

Today, as a Leadership Catalyst, a Mentor, an Entrepreneur, and a prolific Author of two books, “Sabbath Songs” and “Destination Destiny” my heart for Kingdom work, is “That the man [man, women, child] of God may be competent, equipped for every good work” 2 Timothy 3:17. No more visions, dreams, and unrealized potential due to a lack of the right guidance and connections.

In all that we teach and do at the ARC, with transparency and passion, we share principles of Leadership, Personal Development, and Change. Near and dear to my heart are these ingredients that I believe to be the keys to a prosperous life in every area, and the God-given recipe for Growth and Transformation.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Things have not always been easy, there have been challenges. One of the first was my own personal challenge to intentionally build a healthy circle of mentorship in my own life. I think approaching someone and asking them if they would agree to be my mentor, was one of the most difficult things for me. However, I can say without a shadow of a doubt, it has been the best decision I ever made, and the key mentoring relationships in my life caused the vision of the ARC on the inside of me to blossom in a speed that I could have never imagined.

Finding just the right space in term of size, and expense was also a challenge. I hosted the mentoring groups and workshops in hotel meeting rooms for several years. This was quite expensive. However, in the end, I was so excited to partner with a dear friend – a sister in Christ, and one who holds a heart like mine for teaching and training. Today we share a meeting and training space that is just perfect for both of us, and to be very frank, it is a lot easier sharing the financial responsibilities of a facility with someone else.

In all these, I’m grateful to have had my husband of 28 years, Forest Burse – and personal assistants Valarie DuRant-Modeste and Dashulla Dunn by my side. The Lord has used them to make the impossible, possible.

We’d love to hear more about your business.
The ARC is comprised of 5 Centers of Development. Here is a little about each one.

Biblical Education Center
Whether you’re interested in obtaining a bachelor’s degree in Ministry or you simply want to take a few Bible classes for your own Life Enrichment, the ARC is positioned to meet your need. In partnership with Vision International University, we are excited to offer classroom and online learning opportunities that will challenge you, and inspire you to grow.

Entrepreneurial Education Center
Here at the ARC, we believe in Kingdom expansion by way of the Marketplace. We are here to provide insightful workshops and quarterly networking opportunities, all to enable you to establish a firm foundation and build healthy collaborations in your Marketplace endeavors.

Leadership Development Center
At the ARC, we understand that it’s not so much about being a leader, as it is about leadership. Regardless of your role now, leadership development equips you to take on greater levels of responsibility, including the responsibility of leading others.

The Purpose Center
Everyone wants to find their purpose, their reason why. Here at the ARC, through a series of workshops, projects, mentoring and coaching sessions, and volunteer opportunities, we work with you to uncover and launch you into your God-given purpose.

The Community Outreach Center
The ARC is fortunate to work with some wonderful non-profit organizations that are doing amazing work in our community. Perhaps you’re interested in volunteering with the ARC or with one of our collaborating organizations? We’re happy to help you get connected.

The common thread through all of these areas is the creation of an environment where learning and growth are encouraged and supported. Many of the participants in the workshops and training programs are also engaged in one on one mentoring relationships with mentors at the ARC. We currently have active mentoring groups in the areas of Women in Ministry, Women in Business, and Authors. In addition to bi-monthly meetings, each of these groups hosts a yearly retreat.

Somewhat unique to the ARC are the community programs we host quarterly which cover topics such as credit repair, financial planning and investing, All of these are important, we know that every vision, every dream involves money, and our financial health does a lot to make this path smoother.

What were you like growing up?
I grew up on the south side of Chicago. Toward the end of high school, I began tutoring, and I really think that this was the beginning of my teaching/training experiences. I was an only child but raised very close to my aunt and her three daughters. They have always been like sisters to me.

I began taking piano lessons at the age of 4 and by the age of 17 when I graduated high school, was a well known classical pianist in the Chicago area, and had earned a full music scholarship to Jackson State University in Jackson, Mississippi. As it happens, I had also earned a scholarship in the area of computers and engineering, and while my mom saw me on the stage performing as a concert pianist, I did not, in fact, I was not at all sure how I saw myself at that time. That would take several more years to come to the forefront. While I did attend Jackson State University, I selected a major in Computer Science, rather than music.

I had several dogs as a little girl, and into my adulthood. I’ve always loved animals and I’ve always loved the outside and outside activities such as reading, swimming and a walk in the park!

Contact Info:

• Address: 1631 Phoenix Blvd. Suite 6
  Phoenix Office Park College Park, GA 30349
• Website: thearcinternational.org
• Phone: (678)379-7652
• Email: info@thearcinternational.org
• Instagram: pastorvictoria_thearc
• Facebook: @thearcinternational
• Twitter: @vburse_thearc

Image Credit:
Front Page Photography – Forest Burse

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