In her desire to lead with excellence, determination and intention, she entered and completed two specialized HBCU leadership programs: the Higher Education Leadership Foundation (HELF) — co-funded by Wiley College President Herman J. Felton, Huston-Tillotson University President Melva K. Wallace, former Wilberforce University President Elfred Anthony Pinkard, and Clinton College Chief Information and Strategy Officer Gregory Deas — and the Clark Atlanta University’s Executive Leadership Institute (CAU ELI). She went in for specialized training on how to navigate issues like budget cuts and gross underfunding, administrative issues, campus maintenance issues, and endowment disparities within the HBCU context. The less anticipated benefit was that she would gain an invaluable network of other women leaders, mentors, and speakers who formerly led HBCUs.
“Being able to engage with them and learn from their wisdom allowed us to gain the historical context of women, presidencies and HBCUs. Having the opportunity to interface with retired women’s college presidents who are champions, in their own right, was deeply inspiring,” she says.
Because HBCUs face daunting challenges unfamiliar to other higher education institutions, there is a need for professional development rooted in the cultural context of these institutions from leaders who have been where they’re going. The cohorts that emerge from these programs – totaling more than 600 leaders to date – have gone on to lead some of America’s HBCUs that produce the next executives, scientists, and professionals in varying fields.
Weeks of classes, conversations, mentoring, insight, and, what some would call a reality check, allows prospective and current HBCU leaders to determine if the presidential route is really their calling.
No Sugarcoating
At the CAU ELI, there are thirteen core competencies taught to their cohorts. “Number one is how to build a high-performance team and an executive cabinet. So, for example, all presidents need to know how to navigate their board and your executive cabinet. That includes vice presidents and chief financial officers,” says Dr. Phyllis Dawkins, the program’s executive director. “Number two is cultivating relationships and networking. That one is very, very important, as it relates to fundraising, working with your students, cultivating relationships, and networks.”
