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President Marcheta P. Evans, PhD, was inaugurated as  St. ��������’s 12th president on November 1. Her 30-year career spans education, counseling, and leadership roles in higher education (most recently as chancellor of Bloomfield College of Montclair State University in New Jersey). Throughout all these chapters, one constant has been a love of books that shaped her perspective as a transformational leader.

Faith, service, and belief in oneself seem to be themes in your book picks. Why?

I was raised in the South by my grandmother, and we were active churchgoers. I was taught that when much is given, much is required — words from [the Gospel of] Luke — and that education is a privilege, so what are you going to do with it? It’s all about service, about giving back to the community, and that’s grounded in my faith and my belief. Faith has driven everything I do: from education, to counseling, to being an administrator.

Black Love Letters (2023) 

by Cole Brown and Natalie Johnson

My husband and I are reading this together. It introduces a lot of different topics through letters people have actually written. It deals with grief, loss, music — there’s a love letter to jazz that I just love —  it deals with relationships, it deals with awe. For us,  it really is an opportunity to be still for a moment as a couple and take our time to reflect on love in all its forms.

First Lie Wins (2024)

by Ashley Elston

This is a pick from my book club. It’s a story about a woman who lives lots of different lives. She’s a thief, and she’s stealing so her mom can afford her cancer medication. I like when books address topics like our healthcare system and the things people have to resort to as they navigate it. It was a good read that had me asking, what happens when people are unable to live as their authentic selves because of their situation?

God's Little Devotional Book for Leaders (1997)

by David C. Cook

I’m sure you’ve heard of imposter syndrome? That’s something I struggle with. There are little sayings in these books that help me be that mirror, or that view, that “you can do this, too.” Sometimes as women  and as women of color, we think that we can’t, or shouldn’t — and we don’t realize how special we are.

Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents (2020)

by Isabel Wilkerson

Isabel Wilkerson was our fall 2024 Kelly speaker. Her work in Caste is transformative because she uses caste, rather than racism, to understand how we go about living. I was thinking about it a lot while watching the national political conventions this summer. The majority of U.S. political leaders are white — the dominant caste — and the political climate can be understood as a reaction of the dominant culture feeling threatened.

Lead With Humility (2014)

by Jeffrey Krames

Our St. Kate’s leadership team is reading this together. Lead With Humility has Pope Francis on the front cover, but it’s actually written by a Jewish author. It’s interesting because it’s someone external [to the Catholic faith] saying, “I value who you are and what you stand for, and how that translates into leadership.” Even in higher ed, it’s easy to bury your head in the sand and say, “God will take care of it” — but I’m of the opinion that faith without works is dead, and I’m always trying to figure out what that work looks like. 

When God Made You (2017)

by Matthew Paul Turner

This is an example of the books I read aloud and record for my granddaughter Noa in Texas; it’s a beautiful story that emphasizes diversity and the unique gifts we each bring into the world. Reading When God Made You allows Noa and me to connect while sharing important messages of love, self-worth, and acceptance — and best of all, she can hear my voice as she flips through the book.