In September 2021, Hartwick College (Oneonta, NY) announced that its president, Dr. Margaret Drugovich, one of the first out LGBTQ presidents in higher education in the U.S., would be retiring in June 2022 after fourteen years of leading the campus. In April 2022, the board of trustees at Hartwick announced its incoming president, Mr. Darren Reisman, JD, who will also become a member of LGBTQ Presidents and Leaders in Higher Education. Executive Director Terry Allison conducted telephone interviews with both the outgoing and incoming presidents to share with you some of their leadership and career experiences.
President Drugovich Reflects on a Successful Tenure
Allison: Thank you for speaking with me today, Margaret. I wonder what originally brought you to Hartwick College and what advice you might have for other leaders in choosing a leadership position.
Drugovich: I’m happy to speak with you, Terry. My advice is to try as hard as you can to find a good fit for your experience and for your leadership style. Hartwick College emphasizes broad-based liberal arts education enhanced with experiential learning. I completely embraced this combination. That was a great fit for me. From the start, everything about Hartwick appealed to me. The commitment of the board and the community was tremendous. The students were more collaborative than competitive, and very engaged. Since I’ve been here, we’ve had major challenges: the Great Recession; the demographic downturn; now the pandemic. I originally found that Hartwick had a strong community, and this has proven to be true as we negotiated our way through these crises. Of course, we never can know all about an institution, but if I were to advise someone today, I’d say, “Pay attention to red flags; don’t underestimate problems that you detect. There are always challenges; make sure you’re comfortable with them.”
Allison: In undertaking a leadership position, we’re always met with surprises, sometimes delightful, sometimes disappointing. Is there anything about serving as the campus leader that surprised you?
Drugovich: How phenomenally generous people are. I have found it to be a great privilege, a life-giving opportunity, to be with people who are willing to give so much support to others. It’s a beautiful thing; it truly is. Also, I found the adage, “all politics are local” surprisingly true. People in higher education often start from a very altruistic place, but they also think very locally, and have a tendency to prioritize those issues most important to them.
Allison: I used to use the analogy of opening day on San Francisco Bay, a resplendent display, but no one heading in the same direction.
Drugovich: Exactly. As presidents, we feel a great sense of urgency to guide an institution towards a common direction. Individuals must be willing to move beyond the local to see the broader picture. That’s the leadership challenge, bridging that gap.
Allison: Your time at Hartwick College of fourteen years has more than doubled the recent average for presidents nationwide. Why did you find it important to stay? How did you keep your leadership fresh during your long and successful tenure?
Drugovich: I promised myself I’d stay as long as I could move Hartwick forward. I have such a deep belief in the place and the community. We have maintained forward motion inspired by our aspirations. I worked hard at alignment with the board, and once achieved, that’s invaluable to a president. So, before now, it was never the right time to leave. Now, we have our Flightpath platform in place, we have completed the first year of a fundraising campaign to support Flightpath, we are celebrating the 225th anniversary of our founding—it seemed to me to be an ideal time for a leadership transition.
Allison: And have you decided on next steps?
Drugovich: I’ve decided to give myself some time, to take six months to think about what is next. I’ve been collecting advice from people I admire on the best way to navigate this time of transition. It is time for some reflection.
Allison: You’ll be giving a keynote address at our upcoming Leadership Institute (June 15-17, 2022, Pasadena City College). Could you give us a preview?
Drugovich: I’m calling it, “It’s Not About You; It’s All About You: Navigating the Public Space of Leadership.” Mostly, we begin our leadership with the idea of service; it’s not about us, but the college, the mission. But, as soon as you are the president, you’re the decision-maker. It is about you. It becomes very personal as you are the one who has to say no. That’s often what people remember most, that you’re the one, for example, who would not approve the funding for what is most important to them. You enter the position with a service framework, then the political framework quickly takes over. Very few of us are prepared for this aspect of leadership. I think it will be an interesting topic for us to discuss.
Allison: How should one prepare? If you were advising a mid-career leader in higher education about the career goal of a presidency, what might be your first question?
Drugovich: What is your personal motivation for wanting the role? Power, influence, financial rewards – those are not the best reasons as they are unlikely to sustain you. Leadership goals must come from an authentic place. Some people might say, “I’m ready; I’d like to contribute more.” That’s authentic. Then they have to be prepared to work harder than they may have imagined. My mother once said to me, “But Margaret, you’re the president! Why do you have to work so hard?” There is much that the president does behind the scenes; what is publicly visible is only one part of the role.
Allison: Very few institutions in the U.S. or internationally have had LGBTQ presidents, chancellors, or CEOs. Hartwick College is one of the very first to have successive presidents who will be part of our organization. Does this say anything about Hartwick College? Or is this coincidence?
Drugovich: I have two answers. First, Hartwick is an open, welcoming community. And during my time here, I am certain that my situation – I was the first out lesbian president with children on a campus -helped to sustain and grow that acceptance. I know because people have told me that this encouraged students, faculty, staff, to join the campus. Second, we had a comprehensive presidential search with a deep pool of great candidates, and Darren Reisberg was simply the best candidate. He will find a safe and welcoming environment here.
Allison: Thank you, Margaret. It’s been great speaking with you. Would you like to add anything?
Drugovich: Yes. I’m looking forward to speaking at the Leadership Institute. Higher education needs leaders who are able, willing, and passionate about growing their skills. I’ll see you in Pasadena.
Towards the Next Stage of Success
Darren Reisberg will assume the presidency of Hartwick College on August 1, 2022. Mr. Hartwick is currently Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy Office of the Joyce Foundation as well Chair of the State Board of Education in Illinois. He previously worked at a major law firm, then in senior leadership roles at the University of Chicago.
Allison: Welcome to our organization, Darren. My first question is one you were likely asked repeatedly in the interview process, “Why Hartwick College?”
Reisman: Thank you, Terry. I found that Hartwick could clearly articulate its value in combining the liberal arts and experiential education. With its new Flightpath platform, it has momentum, energy, and relevance. Twenty percent of students are in Nursing, a high-need major. Hartwick is deeply committed to sustainability. And…you can’t put a price on how beautiful it is. The campus and the area are stunning. I also grew up in New York and northern New Jersey, so in a way, it’s a homecoming.
Allison: Could you discuss your career path? You stepped out of higher education for several years? Does that help you in the role of the president?
Reisberg: To chair the State Board of Education, I had to find a position where I could do both. At a private foundation, I could see much better how to make the case for support, and how to align the request with the goals of the foundation. There has to be some give and take. Having been on the other side, I think I’ll be able to make better asks.
Allison: What challenges do you anticipate coming into Hartwick College and your first presidency?
Reisberg: Hartwick invested much in designing a new platform, Flightpath, which has just been implemented. It provides each student with a personalized guidance team of four: a student success coach; an academic advisor; a career coach; and an alumni mentor who also connects the student to internships. As president, I will need to work with students, faculty, staff, the board, our communities and our alumni to make Flightpath a success. We will need to implement and evolve Flightpath while continuing to engage everyone in its success. Our board members are making extraordinary commitments to working with our students so that we can sustain meaningful internships. My challenge is to take my previous experience in policy and politics to help Hartwick succeed in this essential project.
Allison: Speaking of politics, I wonder if you’d like to comment on a topic from our upcoming Leadership Institute from your perspective as chair of a state board of education. We will discuss “Confronting the Moral Panic,” and how higher education can work more closely with K-12 to address the anti-Critical Race Theory and so-called “Don’t Say Gay Laws.”
Reisberg: In Illinois, I co-chaired with a student a Safe and Affirmative Schools initiative. Higher education can work with K-12 to put out clear guidelines on that; how to support diverse students, including trans, non-binary, and questioning students. We worked to implement culturally responsive teaching and leading standards. I realize that some states are not at all on that path. Perhaps more research and case studies from states like Illinois will provide evidence about the benefits of safe and affirmative education and schools. Higher education prepares the teachers, of course, so building teachers’ expertise in these areas is critical.
Allison: Are there any other thoughts that you’d like to share with us, Darren, as you move into the president’s role?
Reisberg: I feel very lucky to have had great mentors in college presidents. Find yourself a mentor! I think it’s important to be excited and optimistic, but not delusional. I’m energized and motivated, but it’s hard work leading an organization. I’m humbled by the opportunity.
Allison: As I mentioned to President Drugovich, you’ll be the second consecutive LGBTQ president at Hartwick. And I’ll ask you the same question. Does that say something about Hartwick or is it just chance?
Reisberg: Hartwick is a very welcoming environment and so is much of higher education. I give all the credit to people like Margaret and to your organization’s work in helping higher education to become more inclusive. During my interviews, I never faced questions or felt any concern about sexual orientation. We’ve come a long way in a short time.