The presidential election is unfolding with the possibility of the first female president of the U.S. Meanwhile, two Wittenberg women have just finished their first years as first-time college presidents.
Written By Karen Saatkamp Gerboth '93
Wittenberg: Only 26 percent of the college presidents in the U.S. are women. Yet, more than 57 percent of the students in colleges and universities are women. Why do you believe this is the case?
Dr. Joianne Smith: I think it mirrors what we see in leadership roles across the country, across the workforce. At community colleges, more women are in leadership roles—not enough yet, but there are more. Part of the reason for that, I think, is our commitment to open access in general, along with our openness to having women leaders. I also believe women mentors play a huge role in helping other women take on leadership roles. My predecessor was a woman who served for a long time here, and I was fortunate that she saw in me the potential to be a president.
Rev. Louise Johnson: I believe it has to do with the fact that society still doesn’t see women in these roles. It’s systemic—from how girls are socialized and how they are treated in schools. I’m the first woman to serve as president in the history of Wartburg Theological Seminary, and only the fourth in the entire history of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
Wittenberg: What do you see as the barriers to more women becoming college or university presidents?
JS: People still see men as leaders. Because of that, I think women often don’t expect other women to become leaders, so both of these notions contribute to that barrier. In addition, research suggests that people naturally like to choose people who are like them, which may be why there are more male presidents selected by largely male boards. I have been lucky because I have received considerable encouragement and support. On my board, three out of seven members are women. That being said, ensuring that we don’t always select people just like us is something I am intentionally working to change on our campus. Furthermore, we know that women in dual-career relationships who want to have families are often the ones who end up stopping their careers. Lastly, there is this persistent notion that as women we have to prove ourselves more, which is why it has always been important to me to state my priorities upfront.
LJ: I think that even if women have the capacity for the job, many of these leadership positions have been structured in ways that are unhelpful to women. Women have difficulty claiming their gifts in this system. I talked to a friend of mine who is a pastor at one of the largest ELCA congregations. Every other large congregation has a male pastor. She is married with little children, and she reached out to me a while back to say she wasn’t sure how much longer she could do this. That isn’t right. I told her it’s time to change the game. Building trust is also essential. Throughout my career, I have been very open about my thinking in terms of leadership, and I have learned that I am a much better leader when someone trusts me. It’s empowering, and when you have a higher level of trust, you are far more collaborative.
Wittenberg: Can you describe a typical day-in-the-life of your presidency?
JS: I would say there is no real typical day, but I do make it a daily priority to stay connected with students, including having monthly lunches with groups of them. If I lose touch with our students, it is a problem, so it’s important that I consistently show campus what is the core of our mission. It stems from my 15 years as a student-affairs professional; they are why I am doing this job. I even encourage our students to call me Joi or President Joi so as to remove those hierarchical barriers. I am also in a mix of meetings with administrators, as well as in conversations with Board members and legislatures most days. I meet with direct reports and external stakeholders, too. Another thing I insist on doing each day is walking the halls and being visible on campus, so I stay connected with our entire community.
LJ: If there is a typical day, I have not found it yet. Because my predecessor did such a phenomenal job of positioning Wartburg Seminary for success, my job has a different focus. I would say that nearly half my time is spent working on developing innovative initiatives in theological education. We need to learn, understand and discover ways of doing things differently. Fundraising is another big part of my job.
Wittenberg: What are the best parts of your job?
JS: Hearing how grateful students are for Oakton Community College and how the college is truly transforming their lives.
LJ: The community at Wartburg, the strength of the students and faculty, my board and the conversations about church and education that draw us together as we work to figure out our desired path and future.
Wittenberg: What are the biggest student and faculty misconceptions of your job?
JS: The biggest misconceptions are that I can make unilateral decisions and chose whatever I want to accomplish. That is simply not the case. We have shared governance at Oakton, and there is no way I would ever operate like that. Faculty, staff, and student voices matter, and I must make sure that I listen, understand their needs and value their insight. It is so important for people to feel valued by an institution because when they do, they will do their best work.
LJ: In this time of rapid, unprecedented change in theological education, the role of the president necessarily has to change. My role is much more about discovering key partners and new ways to do and deliver theological education. This work takes me out of the seminary much more than it did my predecessors. That is a tough adjustment for all of us, myself included. I love the church, but I also believe it has to change to address the needs of the world around us. These changes are both structural and substantial. We need to enter into challenging conversations about how we form leaders to build new faith communities that reach new people. We must also address the failing systems within. Communication is key to these shifts and I want to do a better job of it, especially to a staff and faculty that I respect and trust.
Wittenberg: Since taking the job, what have you learned about yourself that you didn’t already know?
JS: I have learned that an introvert can be a leader and even among the best leaders. It was something that I found myself realizing as I read the book Quiet by Susan Cain. I have to be out in public a lot, but I have learned that I can do the things my job requires in public as long as I take the quiet time I need to reflect and think. The book also reaffirmed for me the need to create spaces for such reflection if I am to be the leader I want to be.
LJ: Nothing can truly prepare a person for this job. Even though I had considerable leadership experience, there was still so much I didn’t know, and the learning curve is still steep at times. But as part of my journey, I learned to trust my instincts. We live in an era that wants immediate expertise in a fast-paced world. What voices do you trust? Elders? Boards? I trust them, but in the end, the voice I have to trust the most is mine.