Women of color in the academy often have to do the jobs they were hired to do, be a mentor to other minorities at the institution, serve on multiple committees and community boards, cope with racial and gender-based indignities, and, in many cases, have to come home to the role of wife/partner and/or mother.  What strategies do Summit participants use to cope with these numerous and disparate demands?

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Bernice Bass de Martinez, Chair, CSU-Sacramento

"I'll be back again. I've been to each one and they continue to inspire me."

Sheila Edwards Lange, Vice President for Minority Affairs, University of Washington
"This was a valuable experience, especially for women aspiring to presidencies. I would like to have seen more of an emphasis on helping new vice presidents. So much of the discussion centered on preparing women of color for presidencies. As a new vice president, I am overwhelmed with personnel issues. I would like to have heard more about handling some of these problems."

Josefina Baltodano, President, Marian College of Fond du Lac
"This Summit for Women of Color surpassed my expectations. I'm particularly ecstatic that the Women's Leadership Legacy Fund (to support women's attendance at ACE leadership development events) exceeded its goal of $100,000 so that we can now go public with the campaign. We are now at a total of $105,000 thanks to the generosity of women of color participants at this Summit." 

Gertrude Fraser, Vice Provost for Faculty Development, University of Virginia
"The last sessions of the Summit were as powerful as the first sessions."

Barbara Lyman, Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs, University of West Florida
"This is the second time I've attended the Women of Color Summit. This has expanded my network tremendously. I've gone to sessions with the same titles at other ACE leadership develpment programs and yet I always come out filled to the brim with new information. The contract negotiations session is one example."

G. Christine Taylor, Assistant to the President for Diversity, Ohio University
“It is always an enriching experience when you can bring people together to discuss issues and there aren’t major cultural rivers to cross. Not that other conference experiences aren’t important but a lot of energy is expended dealing with those issues. This setting makes the discussion deeper, wider, and more meaningful. It’s like a homecoming of sorts.”

Jacqueline Mimms, Associate Vice President, CSU Bakersfield
"This is the third Women of Color Summit I've attended and I've gotten re-energized each time. I look forward to the next one."

Phyllis M. Wise

Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs

University of Washington

Building New Leadership Models that Strengthen Our Links to a Healthy, Diverse, and Inclusive Higher Education Community

The second panel was a forum of three women of color presidents--Mildred Garcia (second photo), President of Berkeley College of New York and New Jersey, S. Verna Fowler (fourth photo), Founding President of the College of Menominee Nation, and Ding-Jo Currie (third photo), President of Coastline Community College. The three gave opening comments about their career paths to the presidency and how, as leaders, they present a new model of leadership for higher education. The panel was moderated by Dr. Yolanda Moses.

Some of the bits of advice they give to women of color participants in advancing their own careers in higher education:
• Be yourself and true to your core beliefs and values.
• Be thoughtful.
• Embrace lifelong learning.
• Choose an enthusiastic and optimistic framing perspective.
• Reflect before acting.
• Think big.
• Lead with the heart at heart--touch the core of those you lead.
• A love-based style of leadership empowers others.
• Remember it's not about politics, it's about relationships.
• Lead with the soul in tack; know your purpose in life; know what you stand for; allow your values to be your branding.
• Allow your faith to be the center of your gravity.
• The magic of unity should be an element of the architectural design of the educational environment that we help to shape.
• Do not buy into the elitism of higher education.
• Be respectful of others.
• Pray and meditate to maintain your sanity.
• Have confidants you can trust.
• Keep your eye on the prize—why you are doing what you’re doing!

The comments from these three women were moving to tears. Millie Garcia shared her story of accepting her presidency at Berkeley College, which is not a research university like Arizona State University where she was in her previous position. But when she reflected on her true values of wanting to serve underrepresented students in NYC who come from low socio-economic backgrounds, she realized that she was being called to the presidency of Berkeley College.

Ding-Jo Currie focused on the spiritual side of her that keeps her grounded as a leaders. She also discussed the impact of her mentor, Carolyn Desjardin, and how she strives to return that kind of support and mentorship to other women and particularly women of color. Like women who shop for clothes, Currie shops for potential leaders by identifying them and helping to place them in leadership positions of influence and power.
Vera discussed her transparent style of leadership so that her constituents always feel free to ask questions and add their input. She totally underestimated the desire for higher education among the Menominee people when she started the college, but now she feels good that she has helped to prepare at least ten people who stand ready and able to succeed her.

One of the issues raised during the panel was about the need for caucasian women to support the advancement of women of color and for women of color to support one another. These conversations need to be had on the campuses. Women of color in presidencies have to be leaders for all and in some ways need to be neutral to the outside world while simultaneously acknowledging to women of color on their campuses that their needs and opportunities for career advancement will not go unnoticed.