Diverse Conversations: Being the First - Higher Education

Diverse Conversations: Being the First - Higher Education: For most of American history, the college/university presidency could be described as an “all-boys club”; however, over the last three decades, this has changed. The number of female college/university presidents has steadily increased, and this trend shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon. Recently, I sat down with Dr. Angela Franklin, the first female and African-American president of Des Moines University, to talk about her experiences.

Q: What are some of the challenges that you have had to face as the first female and African-American president?

A: I would begin by citing the obvious challenges of any new leader, regardless of gender or race. Being a newcomer in any environment can have interesting challenges given longstanding cultural dynamics. The difficulty comes from trying to establish rapport, build consensus, create vision and set strategic priorities, all while trying to assess and learn a new culture. I believe I was selected for the job based on a genuine appreciation for my past experiences and skills, yet you really have no way of knowing how those experiences will translate or be received in a new environment until you get there. I had to fall back on some basic principles of leadership, which fall into the category of servant leadership or even more basically … following the Golden Rule.