By their fruits you will know them: The dynamic relationship between mission and *change in the transformation of a Catholic women's college

Abstract

Catholic women's colleges played an important role in American higher education in the period from 1900 through the 1960s. This study examines one such institution, Trinity Washington University in the District of Columbia. Founded in 1897 by the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur and imbued with the congregation's mission of educating the underserved, Trinity was the first degree-granting Catholic women's college in the United States. After decades of growth, Trinity faced challenges to its survival in the mid-20th century. A trifecta of change, including the advent of significant coeducation, a decline in the number of women religious faculty members post-Vatican II, and the social upheaval and student unrest of the Vietnam era, combined to cause an exodus of women students to previously single-sex men's schools (Morey, 2006). Following a period of internal turmoil beginning in 1975, Trinity alumna Patricia McGuire was appointed president in 1989. McGuire's presidency has been characterized by a resurgence in enrollment, the addition of major academic programs, and significant demographic changes. This research addressed the dynamic relationship between Trinity's historic mission and the school's transformation during McGuire's tenure. The study also examined McGuire's transformative leadership, helping the college community realize the complex mission and identity of the institution in the context of contemporary market demands. This descriptive case study integrated individual interviews with faculty, administrators, alumnae, students, and civic and corporate partners with institutional data and archives documents. Dominant themes that emerged include: the centrality of mission in small college turnaround; the role of interpretive leadership; and the critical role of the willing president in this process. This study found that mission and transformative change reinforce each other when change is congruent with the mission. The study highlights five specific strategies through which leaders at Trinity leveraged the institution's mission and identity to effect change: personalization of the mission, consistent communication, crafting of partnerships, balancing multiple institutional identities, and advocating for social justice. The findings of this case study may inform the strategic planning and stabilization of other small, mission-centered colleges. ^