Burgess spent one year of post-secondary matriculation at Mills College and another at Case Western Reserve University, where she majored in art history.

She was also a member of the Board of Governors for the Council of State Governments, as well as the Chair of the National Legislative Transportation Committee.

[2] At the time, her leadership as the Chair of the National Legislative Transportation Committee and being a woman made her an ideal candidate for nomination.

Future Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor was appointed to fill her vacancy in the Senate on October 30 of the same year.

[4] During her tenure, Burgess oversaw several crucial events in transportation safety and evolution, including the ALM Flight 980 crash in 1970.

Burgess was noted for her frequent domestic and international speeches advocating for better safety in the transportation industry, both in the private and government sectors.