Female Presidents Make Their Mark, but Underrepresentation Persists

Women make up approximately 58 percent of today’s college students, but many female students do not see themselves reflected in college and university presidents.

Dr. Tracy Y. EspyApproximately 33 percent of college and university presidents are female with the percentage dropping to around 30 percent at Research 1 institutions, with just 6% being women of color. Although these numbers do not mirror today’s higher education demographic, a diverse group of women are having an impact across the country at both public and private institutions.

To gain insights on what it means to be a female president today, The EDU Ledger spoke with three presidents—one from a small private college, one from a public Research 2 institution and one from an HBCU—to understand their experiences and perspectives.

“When students see someone who looks like them in a position of leadership, it expands their sense of what is possible for their own lives,” said Dr. Tracy Y. Espy, president of Mitchell College, a private institution in Connecticut. “For young women of color especially, I hope my presidency signals that they belong in every room where decisions are made.”

Dr. Berenecea Johnson EanesDr. Berenecea Johnson Eanes, president of California State University, Los Angeles, and previously president of York College (part of City University of New York), noted that because she has been in senior leadership positions in higher education for 20 years, she has a different awareness of how her presence has impact. “As time goes on, you become much more aware of what you can do to help and advocate and how you want to present your story,” she said.

Approximately 61-64 percent of undergraduate students at HBCU institutions are women, but only about 30 percent  of HBCU institutions have female leaders. Dr. Aminta H. Breaux is the first female president of Bowie State University, the oldest HBCU in Maryland. “The fact that I am on this campus, in rooms where decisions are made, and not only participating but leading, serves as a visible example of what is possible for our students, women and men alike,” said Breaux, who has been in the position since 2017. “I have been especially pleased to see so many of our students thinking more intentionally about leadership, graduate education and terminal degrees.”

Bowie State was recognized by Newsweek as one of America’s Best Colleges for Women. It looked at issues related to women’s success: leadership, pay and policies, safety and opportunity. “It is reflected in the leadership opportunities we create, the mentoring networks we support, the academic and co-curricular experiences we offer, and the expectation that our students will leave here prepared to lead in a rapidly changing world,” said Breaux.

Aminta H. BreauxEspy grew up in Birmingham, Alabama, where she saw few women in leadership positions. Hearing about women excelling in the corporate world fueled her until she heard about Dr. Ruth Simmons, then the president of Smith College and later Brown University, which seemed remarkable. During graduate school she met Dr. Johnnetta Cole, then president of Spelman College. Although Espy had no thoughts of a college presidency at that time, seeing Cole’s confidence gave her insight that has proved valuable as she has pursued a career in higher education.

“Like many women in leadership, I encountered moments where I had to work harder to establish credibility and expertise,” Espy said. “People wanted to verify my knowledge. Then, I think about the times when assumptions were made before I even said a word.”

Breaux noted, “I resisted allowing stereotypes or preconceived notions to shape my sense of self. Instead, I stayed focused on preparation, performance, purpose, and persistence.”

While Eanes specifically doesn’t use the word “barriers,” she said, “There are spaces in your journey where you have to figure out what the real proposition is for you to get where you want to go.” Mentors provided candid answers to her questions and then she made her decisions, which slowly evolved into pursuing a presidency. One crucial item was learning the ins and outs of fundraising. Also, Eanes, who has two children, both born after she became a vice president, had to navigate the impact that being a senior leader had on her personal life. Over the past 20 years Eanes and her family moved from New York to California back to New York and then back to California.

Espy now feels the responsibility to help the next generation of leaders on their paths. At times, she sees women questioning themselves, even those with considerable accomplishments. “I do make myself available to women that are considering a presidency or that are considering higher level leadership on the path to a presidency,” she said. “I am very transparent about the pathway, in the challenges associated with being a president in higher education today, specifically as a female and as a female of color.

“I try to encourage them about networking and where they might go to gain more knowledge and skills,” she added. There are multiple opportunities for training and mentoring, including the ACE Fellows Program, the Executive Leadership Academy and Millennium Leadership Institute (MLI) as well as Aspen Rising Presidents Fellowship for aspiring community college leaders. Espy participated in the Council of Independent Colleges Presidential Vocation and Mission seminar, which helped her identify why she wanted a presidency. Eanes participated in MLI and still calls upon mentors from that program. All three of these presidents have had mentors and are now mentors.

“Mentorship has never been only about receiving advice,” said Breaux “It has also been about observing how leaders carry themselves during challenging moments. I learned from watching people navigate difficult conversations, manage conflict, build consensus, and make decisions that were not always easy but were necessary.

“That is the larger impact I hope my presidency has had: helping students, particularly women, see that they are not limited by circumstance, by stereotype, or by someone else’s expectations,” she added. “They can lead. They can innovate. They can pursue advanced study. They can create change. And they can do so with confidence.”

Female presidents bring their talents, visions and sense of purpose to their institutions. “Every leader is unique regardless of gender, but many female presidents bring strengths that are particularly valuable in today’s higher education environment,” said Espy. “We excel at navigating complexity, building strategic partnerships and leading through tough and challenging times and periods of significant change. We are adaptable and resourceful.”

Eanes said female presidents bring empathy and a skillset that male colleagues may not have, such as resilience and stamina, developed while overcoming pushback on a woman in leadership. “Also, a global view that’s not exclusive to being a woman, but a very different understanding of all the moving pieces,” Eanes said. “We have the ability to multi-task and to see a big picture beyond the immediate thing.”

Breaux noted the many women presidents bring qualities especially import in this moment in higher education. One is the ability to build bridges.

“Universities are complex organizations, and silos can easily develop among academic affairs, student affairs, enrollment management, finance, advancement, athletics, and other divisions,” Breaux said. “Yet students do not experience the university in silos. They experience it as one journey. Today, more than ever, we need leaders who can bring people together across departments and divisions so that students experience seamless support from admission to graduation and beyond.”