The Perceptions of Institutional Advancement Leaders on Their Role in the Survival of Private Historically Black Colleges and Universities: A Qualitative Study

• In Event: Moscone Center North Roundtable Session 12
  In Roundtable Session: Sustaining the Historically Black College/University: Philanthropy, Faculty Development, and Policy

Abstract

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the perceptions of institutional advancement leaders on their role in the survival of private HBCUs. The major goals of the study focused on how advancement leaders perceived their leadership roles in generating funds to sustain private historically Black colleges and universities in the southeastern region of United States. Purposive sampling technique was utilized to select seven experienced and successful advancement leaders for the study. Through in-depth phenomenological interview and analyses, four themes emerged. The findings from the study show that the participants strongly perceived that their leadership role in fundraising to be critical in the survival of private HBCUs. The results from the study have policy, leadership, and practical implications.

Authors

• Evelyn P Leathers, University of North Carolina - Greensboro

• Comfort O. Okpala, North Carolina A&T State University