William P. Hytche - Step By Step To the Top

Meet The Author

Dr. William Percy Hytche is President Emeritus of the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) where he advanced through the ranks from instructor to president. He was employed by the university for thirty-six and one-half years, of which twenty-one and one-half of those years he served as president. When he retired on January 13, 1997, there was only one other president/chancellor at a land-grant university who had served a longer period in office at the same institution.

By a strange turn of events, Dr. Hytche left Ponca City Senior High School in Oklahoma where he was a mathematics teacher and came directly to UMES as an instructor of mathematics. From there, he rose to the rank of professor quite rapidly, served in two administrative positions, and moved step by step to the presidency.

His memoir has a strong emphasis on his experience as president of UMES, a historically black university that had all the symptoms of being closed. Prior to his presidency, the university had not been allowed to initiate a single new academic program in over three decades. During his presidency, however, more than 20 new programs, through the Ph.D. degree, has been added; the university has earned the distinguished title of being the fastest growing four-year institution in the state; and UMES has the most integrated undergraduate program in the state. Dr. Hytche's memoirs will show how one life is influenced by so many others, as well as let readers know how Black college presidents in land-grant institutions cope with a myriad of issues and problems.

Dr. Hytche was encouraged to write his story and tell the "whole" story. It is his hope that his book will inspire its readers to hold a high standard and to work hard to achieve success. This is especially a "must read" book for administrators as well as aspiring administrators. In addition, it is entertaining and valuable enough for any person interested in education.

Thank you for visiting this site. During his lifetime, Dr. Hytche has had some unique experiences at the secondary level of education. You will find these experiences chronicled in his book, "Step By Step to the Top: The Saga of a President of a Historically Black University." I hope your visit will be enjoyable as well as educational. Please come again.

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