How College Presidents Succeed
Leadership lessons in higher education and what they can teach us about leadership in all walks of life
In an era when college presidents serve for on average fewer than six years—leaving out of personal ambition for a next post or being forced to leave under fire—there is an inspirational counterexample of leaders dedicated to the long-term success of their institutions. This book weaves together the stories behind what the Washington Post dubbed “Virginia’s academic dynasty” to determine what makes for sound and effective institutional leadership. Here are the lessons of three generations of college presidents from one family, the Reveleys, who have successfully led major colleges and universities across the commonwealth of Virginia for decades, an ongoing legacy unrivaled in modern American higher education.
All three generations of Reveleys profiled here successfully dealt with the challenges of stewarding varied institutions—Hampden-Sydney College, William & Mary, and Longwood University—in a politically and demographically evolving state embedded within an equally dynamic and complex national, economic, and cultural environment for higher education. Now, in the Reveleys’ own words—drawn from more than one hundred hours of oral interviews and thousands of pages of personal papers—this book tells their story and offers readers insights into best leadership practices gleaned from their unparalleled cumulative experience.
It is remarkable that members of three generations, from grandfather to son to grandson, should each have become a university president in the state of Virginia, a kind of academic trifecta that is surely unique. This account of their lives and relationships and accomplishments is testimony to the contributions made to the institutions each has served with consequence and high distinction. In doing so, this book offers a perspective on the history of American higher education, and especially its public sector, more generally. Also on offer is a colorful view of the complex character of the institutions over which university presidents exercise their leadership and a nuanced picture of the responsibilities and qualities such leadership requires.- Hanna H. Gray, former president of the University of Chicago
Michael Nelson applies his keen scholarly acumen for the American presidency to a different kind of president: the three generations of Reveleys who have served as presidents of colleges and universities in Virginia. In addition to describing how this remarkable family has shaped Virginia higher education, Nelson weaves together lessons on effective leadership from which anyone can learn.- Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia
This fascinating, largely first-person narrative explores the intertwined lives of three generations of the Reveley family, each ascending to the presidency of a prominent Virginia university. Their stories reveal how the history, experiences and values of each generation help shape the leadership of the next.- Lawrence Bacow, former president of Harvard University
The book chronicles their distinct paths to the presidency and compares and contrasts how each leader responded to a set of challenges that will be familiar to any university president. As each Reveley navigates the complexities of higher education, readers will uncover a rich tapestry of shared interests, skills, and sensitivities that transcend time and circumstance. More than just a family saga, this book offers insights into the essence of leadership itself—showing how the past shapes the present and how one generation’s legacy can empower the next.
This book is a must read for students of leadership. It spans more than fifty years from when W. Taylor Reveley II became president of Hampden Sydney in 1963; to when his son W. Taylor Reveley III became president of William and Mary in 2008; to when his grandson W. Taylor Reveley IV became president of Longwood University in 2013. These three presidents all grappled with race relations, fund raising, curriculum changes, building leadership teams, telling the story of their institutions, and inspiring the many constituent groups comprising a university community. This book is a window into a rare example of generational leadership in higher education. I have known Reveleys III and IV for decades. We were all lawyers at Hunton Andrews Kurth. Their story shines a light on the best aspects of leadership. It is a worthy read.- John Charles Thomas, former Justice of the Supreme Court of Virginia, published poet, and retired partner in the law firm of Hunton Andrews Kurth.
Mike Nelson has written an important book about America through the eyes of people he knows best. We should all pay attention to a family with three generations of college presidents. Take the journey with the Reveleys and you’ll find it inspiring and informative – America at its best.- Bill Bradley, former senator from New Jersey and Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame inductee
