Becoming President: Patterns of Professional Mobility of African American University Presidents

Becoming President is a study of African American professionals' ascensions to the office of college or university president. Using a mixed method design and study to examine archival biographical data of African American presidents at historically black colleges and universities and at traditionally white institutions, Professor Mishra explores the career mobility patterns of African American presidents who have served at both types of institutions. The relationships between variables such as demography, education, career, type of institution, and patterns of professional mobility among African Americans to the office of president of a college or university are examined. The results of Professor Mishra's research fit within the sociological model of labor market theory in which both individual characteristics and structural variables bear upon career progression. This study is relevant to institutions for which leadership is crucial to success and survival. It is also an invaluable resource to presidential candidates preparing themselves for career progression into this most challenging job.

Jyotsna Mishra is Professor of Social and Behavioral Sciences at Miles College.