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This study identified the internal metaphors of 8 community college presidents, 4 females and 4 males. Participants resided in both rural and metropolitan communities. Each participant´s core internal metaphor was identified by thematic coding of narrations in order to answer two questions: (1) What are community college presidents´ core internal metaphors? and (2) What is the relationship between described leadership and the core internal metaphors? Research indicated that core internal metaphors are highly idiosyncratic in nature, meaning they become a unique and distinctive characteristic of the individual and are developed as a result of how the individual perceives and internalizes historical experiences.

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LaRonna DeBraak earned a BA in behavioral sciences, an MBA, and a PhD in education and human resources. Her interest in the internalization of metaphoric associations adopted by individuals and society first developed during her undergraduate studies and has continued throughout her post graduate projects.

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