Dissertation Proposal Announcement Ph.D. in Higher Education Program: Ken Karamichael, “Pathways to the Presidency: A Phenomenological Study of the Lived Experiences of Becoming an ICUNJ University President”

This research study seeks to explore the phenomenon of presidency positions within the Independent Colleges and Universities (ICUNJ) of NJ by studying those who have succeeded, seeking to understand how leaders who secured an ICUNJ presidency have navigated to the executive post. There persists a need to understand the sequence of opportunities and choices these presidents made that led to their career success in order to inform others who aspire to also hold similar executive positions within the academy (O’Neil & Bilimoria, 2005).

Utilizing a mixed-methods approach, the results of this study are intended to contribute to an understanding of successes and pathways of presidents at ICUNJ universities. Increasing awareness and understanding of presidential aspirations, professional development, and pathways improves higher education institutions and, therefore, makes them better equipped to respond to the ever-changing needs of society.

The role of a university president has become increasingly complex, confusing, and riddled with fiscal challenges unlike any in recent decades. The pathway to the presidency – whether traditional or non-traditional – remains enigmatic. New presidents approach the position with various experiences, and nearly 75% of those hired enter as first-time presidents (Gagliardi et al., 2017). Additionally, in April of 2023 the American Council on Education reported over half (55 percent) of current presidents plan to step down from their current positions by 2028 (Melidona et al., 2023).

Unpacking the presidential pathway – how sitting presidents navigated key milestones, acquired new skills, engaged leadership training, and envision success – will aid future generations in preparing for these new roles. Encouraging and promoting the ambitious leaders also helps mitigate the problem of vacant (and soon to be vacant) university presidential posts (ACE, 2023).