Exploring How Emergent Leaders Strive for Presidential Roles at Hispanic Serving Institutions

As more colleges and universities are designated as Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs), examining the pathways of HSI presidents is critical as their leadership sets an example of what it means to support the success of students from Latinx/Hispanic backgrounds. Given that these students have traditionally been underserved – not just due to race and ethnicity, but also because many are first-generation, low-income, immigrants, and/or English Language Learners (ELLs) – HSI presidents are in a position to change the landscape of equity in higher education. Building upon Greenleaf’s (1971) concept of servant leadership as a guiding framework, this paper examines why Latinx aspiring leaders want to lead an HSI and their experiences as they work to secure leadership at an HSI. Our findings include that aspiring HSI leaders come with an intention to serve and “give back” to their communities; that they require specific and tailored support that addresses the need for representation and respect as a person of color to prepare for the role of the presidency; and that, in the process, they have access to the experiences and mentorship of previous leaders, as they are following the path of others who came before them.