ABSTRACT

This chapter examines selected California community college presidents who were awarded the Buttimer award for leadership excellence. The Harry Buttimer Distinguished Award is the Association of California Community College Administrators’ oldest and most prestigious leadership award. Among the Buttimer Award recipients, 92.5% of those with doctorate degrees and 42.86% of those with master’s degrees had formal and informal mentorship from supervisors, presidents, and respected friends. Most of the Buttimer recipients worked at the same community college for 3–18 years before their selection as a president. All Buttimer award recipients shared that an essential step in their preparation for the presidency was their participation in developmental programs sponsored by professional associations at local, state, and national levels. Each president mentioned that a critical outcome of their participation was the immediate improvement of their skill sets. Many also mentioned that participation in these leadership development programs led to relevant mentoring and networking opportunities.