Attaining the First Community College Presidency

It would be unusual to read the current literature on community colleges and not find a reference to impending retirements of senior-level administrators, faculty and staff, as well as what skills and characteristics are important for future leadership. There is limited research on attaining a community college presidency. This study expanded the limited research through the lenses of the practical experiences of sitting community colleges presidents. The study explored the experiences of four community college presidents of rural-serving institutions in the state of Texas, who had less than 5-years of presidential experience. At the time of the study, these were only four individuals in the state of Texas who fit these characteristics. Through the use of qualitative inquiry, the study shares the experiences of these presidents of how they prepared for their presidential roles, as well as what their experiences were in the search and hiring process.