Over a year ago, Dr. Constance “Connie” Ledoux Book was named Elon University’s first female president.
However, being the “first” in a leadership role was not uncharted territory for her.
While working at The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina, Book became the highest-ranking woman in the school’s history after being named the first female provost and dean.
“I thought it would be exciting to be a first, that it would be an important adventure,” says Book. “I recognize that when I’m working, there’s a lot of visibility to it because of the gender, being the first. People are watching, particularly other women and female students. It’s a great opportunity and it also comes with that additional responsibility.”
Book started her career in another male-dominated field at the time: journalism.
At eight years old, Constance “Connie” Book remembers watching the news during the Watergate scandal and U.S. President Richard Nixon’s resignation.
After noticing only male news anchors on the screen, she turned to her father and asked if “girls were able to do that.”
