We here at Diverse have been privileged to meet dynamic women in the world of higher education and beyond. They lead some of the most demanding and consequential organizations and programs on the planet. No longer sitting on the decision-making sidelines, they have shattered the glass ceiling and, subsequently, have introduced new ways of thinking about and approaching leadership.
As the editorial team sat down to plan the Women’s History Month edition for 2012, the team thought it would be appropriate to introduce a sampling of these women to all of our readers. This list is by no means exhaustive. Easily, the staff could have come up with 50 or 100 women whose accomplishments would merit inclusion in this group of extraordinary women. So trying to choose 25 was a major challenge, but we relished the opportunity to introduce these women to the readers who may not know these outstanding leaders in their respective fields.
This list represents a small sampling of what higher education professionals know to be true—when it comes to leadership, women are now taking on long-overdue roles. Diverse considers these women representative of the noteworthy traits and characteristics found throughout the academy and beyond. Their ranks will continue to grow and spread. Diverse foresees that these women will provide encouragement to their colleagues as well as those who will follow in their esteemed footsteps.
Myrna Adams
When Myrna Adams retired in 2003 as Duke University’s first vice president of institutional equity, she was hailed for “her commitment and passion to issues of equal opportunity, respect for individuals and trying to make Duke a better place for everybody.” Hallmarks of Adams’ efforts at Duke included making the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. celebration a university-wide commemoration, leading a committee that worked to resolve the challenges faced by Hispanic workers, and training employees to serve as mediators to resolve issues before they were filed as grievances. Adams, a trusted mentor to hundreds, now works as an organizational consultant, tackling such issues as workplace bullying. Adams holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Illinois, a master’s in counseling psychology from the University of Southern California, and a law degree from Hofstra School of Law. (see photo)
Lezli Baskerville
In 2004, civil rights attorney Lezli Baskerville was appointed president and CEO of the National Association for Equal Opportunity in Higher Education (NAFEO). As NAFEO’s fifth president, Baskerville has been its first female CEO of the national membership association of the nation’s 105 historically Black colleges and universities and 50 predominantly Black institutions. Prior to her selection, she had served as NAFEO’s pro bono outside counsel for 20 years, executive director of the National Black Leadership Roundtable, appellate counsel at the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, and vice president of the College Board. Among Baskerville’s achievements while at NAFEO are her development of a national strategy that increased by nearly $1 billion federal funding for HBCUs and PBIs, and her engagement of 25,000 HBCU and PBI students in a letter-writing campaign that thwarted congressional efforts to eviscerate funding for HBCUs and MSIs. Baskerville received her bachelor’s degree from Douglass College in New Jersey and a law degree from Howard University. (see photo)
