A significant amount of recent research and media coverage has focused on the challenges related to K-12 teacher shortages, particularly in rural regions of the United States. Far less research, however, has been conducted on the challenges faced by rural community colleges related to recruiting and retaining both academic and professional…

Rural community colleges, like most institutions of higher education, have been called upon to respond to the forces of globalization through internationalization. Institutional leaders and educational policymakers continue to turn their attention to this issue due to the increased demand for globally competent workers. Internationalization can…

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore how Hispanic female administrators describe their experiences with discrimination at work, and how those experiences may have played a role in their career progression as community college leaders in the United States. The theoretical foundation of the study was critical race theory…

Women of Color (WOC)[superscript 1] comprise 20.3% of the U.S. population, and it is estimated by 2060, WOC will be the majority of all women in the United States (Catalyst, 2021). As this demographic shift continues, little research has focused on how WOC experience their place of work. This study examined factors affecting the experience of…

Many high school seniors envision walking up the marble steps and entering through the historic arched front door of a stately, column-lined, academic building on the first day of college. Or perhaps the building is a new, state of the art, technology laden, donor-funded building. But, these ideal visions generally do not include waking up early…

Building relationships is the essence of the community college. Higher education administrators learned long ago that building rapport with businesses, state and local government, and constituents is the best way to represent the interests of the community. But that does not make it easy. Board members come and go and the shifting dynamics of…

Immigrants and others who didn't grow up speaking English are often at a disadvantage when entering the workforce. One of the best ways for non-native English speakers to level the playing field is to enroll in targeted courses and job-training programs offered through their local community colleges. The best of these programs combines important…

Over the next decade, as the community college's current generation of leaders and administrators begin retiring in large numbers, important steps must be taken to identify and develop future leaders for the institution. A variety of internal opportunities (e.g., internships, leadership development programs, graduate school programs) provide…

More than 6,500 trustees serve the nation's community colleges. The overwhelming majority of these trustees are exceptional community leaders, elected and appointed to champion the community college mission for the community and students they represent. These local trustees serve the greater good, and as the guardians of their local community…

Trustees and presidents are in the midst of hiring the next generation of leaders for the nation's community colleges. Major leadership development initiatives are under way to address a projected shortage at the highest levels of college leadership--the result of impending presidential and senior executive officer retirements. In 2006, the…

This article describes a doctoral program partnership between a university and a community college district that addresses the need of employment-planning strategies for building leadership capacity in the community college system. Succession planning information is provided as a foundational framework to plan for the next generation of community…

With retirements looming in the ranks of senior leadership, the need for short-term, intensive, focused leadership development targeting midlevel administrators has become acute. Through survey responses and in-depth interviews, this study examines leadership development needs of midlevel community college administrators who aspire to higher…

The role of a department chair is difficult and complex because it requires one to be an instructor, an administrator, a leader, a manager, and a mediator simultaneously. With the present budget constraints, effective internal leadership at the department level has become indispensable for community colleges. Despite the fact that department…

Drawing from their varied experiences, the authors of this helpful guide, now in its second edition, offer firsthand advice on the skills and attitude needed to succeed as a community college leader. Topics include: (1) Making the right career choices; (2) Thriving and surviving on the job; (3) Navigating institutional politics; (4) Taking the…