Although women have made substantial progress in attaining leadership positions, women remain underrepresented in all sectors—including higher education. While women attain more doctoral and master’s degrees than their male counterparts, they continue to earn less money than men. Furthermore, women are underrepresented in holding presidential positions at all types of higher education institutions. Regardless of their demonstrated educational success and qualifications, fully equipped and credentialed women professionals have been viewed as less capable of fulfilling leadership roles due to descriptive gender stereotypes reducing their access to leadership roles.
Reciprocity over Hierarchy: Designing and Implementing a Student-Led Reverse Mentoring Program
Many academic leaders, including administrators and faculty members, participate in traditional mentoring programs that prioritize hierarchy. But these programs typically don’t foster engagement and connection between students and faculty or
Marquita Lyons-Smith and Keva Suitte
October 19, 2026
