September 2, 2022

MSM President James Gandre is a major contributor to the new book, LGBTQ Leadership in Higher Education, published in August 2022 by Johns Hopkins University Press.

The book is edited by Raymond E. Crossman, with a preface by Charles R. Middleton, and, according to the publisher, is “the first of its kind; 15 LGBTQ presidents and chancellors in higher education provide insight into their experiences and highlight the importance of queer leadership for the academy and the world.”

President Gandre contributes to four of the book’s 12 chapters:

Chapter 4
Coming Out and Being Out

Chapter 9
Self-Care

Chapter 10
Presidents and Partners (in this chapter, President Gandre is joined by husband and co-contributor Dr. Boris Thomas)

Chapter 11
Becoming an LGBTQ President or Leader

Here is an excerpt from President Gandre’s contribution to Chapter 11: 

What drove me to be a leader in higher education has a simple answer. Since my own life was transformed by education, I wanted to dedicate it to transforming students’ lives and in the process to making society just a bit better. For me, nothing is more sacred than the bond of trust that each student places in the institution to deliver on this promise of real change. From my first job as an admissions counselor to director of career planning, from chief enrollment officer to a college dean, and then to provost and finally college president, each job has fulfilled my personal mission of transformation and has as a consequence brought me great joy and a remarkable sense of fulfillment.

Learn more and purchase the book on the Johns Hopkins University Press website: