Dr. Christine Johnson McPhail, a trailblazing educator, scholar, and tireless advocate for equity in higher education, has passed away aft
McPhail broke barriers throughout her storied career. She became the first woman and the first African American to serve as president of Cypress College in southern California, a milestone that signaled not just her individual achievement, but a broader opening of doors for women and leaders of color in higher education. Later, in 1998, she founded the Community College Leadership Doctoral Program (CCLDP) at Morgan State University, a historically Black college and university, cementing her legacy as an institution-builder. The program, which she directed following her retirement, graduated more than 91 percent of its students — 75 percent of whom were African Americans— in a field where Black leaders remained dramatically underrepresented.
Her contributions to the field earned widespread recognition. In 2018, The EDU LEDGER honored McPhail with its Diverse Champions award, which recognizes higher education leaders who have shown unwavering commitment to equal opportunity and access for all, particularly at the community college level.
Born and raised in the rural East Texas town of Tyler, McPhail grew up during the early years of the civil rights movement, surrounded by what she lovingly called "Black excellence" — Black physicians, dentists, entrepreneurs, and educators with doctoral degrees. The daughter of Otis and Mary Johnson, she was the first in her family to attend college, yet she never lacked for the foundational belief that she would achieve great things.
"I was expected to be able to excel," she told The EDU LEDGER. "My mommy told me that. My daddy told me that. My mentors and instructors created an empowering environment. I didn't know any different and I still don't."
McPhail earned her bachelor's degree in social work from Fresno State University and a master's degree in education and counseling from the same institution. She completed her doctorate at the University of Southern California. Her early career took her from Head Start programs serving low-income families across California to counseling and administrative roles at Contra Costa Community College and the College of Alameda, where she rose to the rank of dean. She later served in the central office of California's community college system as a grants coordinator and compliance officer before ascending to the presidency.
In the final chapter of her professional journey, McPhail was appointed the 13th president of Saint Augustine's University in Raleigh, North Carolina, the historically Black university where her late husband, Dr. Irving Pressley McPhail, had served as president before his untimely death from COVID-19 in 2020. She accepted the role with characteristic humility and resolve. Her stint was short-lived. In 2023, she was fired from her post at the HBCU, amid tensions with the school’s board of trustees.
Last year, she published her first novel, Sold: Bound by Chains, Freed by Courage
In a final letter shared with family, friends, and colleagues over the weekend, McPhail announced her passing.
"Each connection mattered. Each encounter had purpose. Whether for a season or a lifetime, you were part of my journey, and I am better because of you," she wrote. She asked those she left behind to "be a Sankofian" — to reach back and uplift others, to mentor, to encourage, to love deeply, and to keep moving forward with courage and faith.
Dr. George Boggs, President and CEO Emeritus of the American Association of Community Colleges and Superintendent/President Emeritus of Palomar College called McPhail a “valued colleague, coauthor and friend.”
“She led a life of service and positively impacted many lives through her teaching, coaching, and mentoring,” said Boggs. “In particular, she helped to develop many higher education leaders through her scholarship, writing, speaking, and founding of the Community College Leadership Program at Morgan State University.
Boggs said that he often invited McPhail to beam virtually into his doctoral classes, where they discussed important current issues in higher education, “and she always graciously answered questions from the doctoral students,” he said. “I will miss Dr. McPhail, but I am grateful that I had the opportunity to work with her," he added.
