Despite the rising number of African American community college women executives that have joined the ranks in higher education, understandings factors that impact their career advancement is inadequate. Consistent case studies that examined the perception of African American women leaders in community colleges are limited. The purpose of this…

Since their early days, community colleges have maintained a pivotal role as a provider of education to the diverse populations they serve. Over the years, these institutions of higher learning have been tasked with expanding access to education to those who had been denied even the possibility on the basis of race, economic stability, and a host…

There is a looming crisis in California community colleges due to an unprecedented number college presidents retiring. African American women presidents have played a vital role in supporting the success of students of color, particularly African American students. It will be critically important that a new generation of talented African American…

The study reveals the barriers and challenges of African Americans during their ascendancy to senior-level leadership roles. The study addresses the problem of racism and white privilege in higher education institutions related to the underrepresentation of African Americans in senior-level positions, specifically in Washington State community and…

The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to investigate the representation of African American female community college executive leaders in Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. Factors that played a role in the growth and development of these leaders on their professional journey were identified. The study also explored initiatives…

Research on leadership is historically biased, with little consideration for different experiences of leaders of color. In this study, we applied the integrated race and leadership framework (Ospina & Foldy, 2009) and utilized a case study approach focused on the context of institutional communication to analyze the experiences of six Black…

The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of Black community college administrators who have transitioned to upper-level management, while maintaining their own race consciousness. A race conscious mindset is defined as: (a) acknowledgement of racialized self as Black; (b) normative emphasis on racial group membership as part of…

In an age of increasing pressures on the future workforce, the Presidents' Round Table, a network of African-American community college presidents and chief executives, seeks to meet the demand for supplying and training the next generation of educated employees for the evolving job picture. Among its varied goals, the Round Table works to empower…

The community college is one of the most diverse institutions of higher learning in regards to the make-up of its student population. However, with such a large representation of diversity within its student population, the community college has not been as successful in diversifying the community college presidency. The purpose of this…