SHE Leads
A capital campaign women’s initiative
Powered by a network of distinguished women from diverse backgrounds and industries, SHE Leads aims to champion women college presidents by fostering exceptional leadership and enhancing the financial stability of their institutions through endowment growth. The initiative provides women presidents with a broader community to ensure they succeed in elevating their institutions.
View the SHE Leads brochure for a full overview of the initiative
Why it Matters
For generations, HBCU presidents have provided students with the opportunity to advance academically, socially, and economically. Women presidents at HBCUs must articulate an ambitious vision for their institutions while securing the resources to make their visions a reality. Turning this outreach into a clarion call requires an extended community of advisers to amplify voices, build momentum and celebrate successes.
When women lead our institutions, they do so with grace—amazing grace. They do so with grit and with a deep, deep commitment to using education as a means to help to change the world. But let me be clear … vision requires resources and passion. It demands investment.”
— Dr. Johnnetta Betsch Cole,
Capital Campaign Co-Chair and SHE Leads founder
Impact
SHE Leads empowers women presidents at member HBCUs through an extended network of
leaders and advisers and serves as a catalyst for gender equity in higher education.
These extraordinary women presidents are remarkable leaders. Their leadership and stewardship of these communities, of these young minds, of these young people, and of their development, brings us new perspectives in the world. They model, every day, the kind of leadership we hope to see in the world, and we need to help them do that.”
— Mariko Silver,
president and CEO of Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts
When women are supported, our children do better, our communities do better, and our universities will do better. Our HBCUs are critical to our communities.”
— Tonya Lewis Lee,
award-winning author, producer, and entrepreneur