As public opinion began to sour on higher education, Barbara Gitenstein became president of the College of New Jersey (TCNJ), today one of the most competitive and successful public undergraduate institutions in the Northeast, second among New Jersey institutions only to Princeton in successful admission of students to graduate programs.

During her nineteen-year tenure as president, she confronted multiple crises, including 9/11, student deaths, controversial speakers, and political interference. By partnering with other agencies and working to build a team of esteemed colleagues, she successfully navigated the complex expectations of a higher education leader—but not without a few missteps along the way.

Told with a self-deprecating humor and a spirit of gratitude for all angles of her time as president, Portrait of a Presidency: Patterns in My Life as President of the College of New Jersey offers insights on successful leadership that will resonate across industries.