In an effort to create a pipeline of college leaders ready to one day become a college president, the Penn Center for minority serving institutions hosted a three-day symposium for its cohort of aspiring leaders this weekend in Philadelphia, bringing together both rising administrators and highly experienced college and university presidents to serve as their mentors. 
Dr. David Wilson, president of Morgan State University is mentoring Regina Dixon-Reeves of the University of Chicago, and Chris Jenkins of Oberlin College.
The gathering provided a space that fostered mentorship based on candid conversation and collegiality to train the next generation of MSI leaders.
“Even though I study these things all the time, I feel that I’m constantly learning,” said Dr. Marybeth Gasman, director and founder of the Center for MSIs at the University of Pennsylvania, who added that despite the unforgiving schedules of college presidents, she was able to secure more than a handful of prominent college presidents to mentor up-and-coming leaders.
“I tried to just explain what we’re focusing on,” she said, adding that she convinced the invitees that the program would engage leaders in working for the success of under-resourced and under-represented students at minority serving institutions. “They just said yes. I was really excited.”
Dr. Mildred García, president of California State University, Fullerton and incoming president of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities, drew from her experiences growing up as a Puerto Rican woman in New York City. She recalled a childhood memory of her father arguing in a thick Puerto Rican accent with a Jewish man shouting in a thick Yiddish accent over the price of García’s Easter clothing. She noticed that as she escalated through the ranks of higher education, these accents disappeared.
Dr. Michael Sorrell, the president of Paul Quinn College delivered an electric presentation about his experience reinvigorating the once-failing HBCU. He emphasized the grim challenges of serving underrepresented students while also highlighting the rewards of leading with love.
Other panels included accomplished presidents such as Dr. Walter Kimbrough of Dillard University, Dr. Ann McElaney-Johnson of Mount Saint Mary’s and Dr. Soraya Coley from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. The speakers covered topics ranging from administrator-faculty relations to dealing with the media.
