Historically, Black women have faced many challenges in the pursuit of education. Despite being marginalized in educational spaces, black women have been instrumental in educating Black communities. Continuously, Black women have been considered the minority in school leadership positions. African Americans represent only 11% of all school principals, with Black women at 4% (National Center for Educational Statistics, 2002). With such few numbers, there is little research about Black women in educational administration, their professional aspirations, the obstacles they confront as they pursue their goals, and the roles of mentors and sponsors in advancing their careers. From a pipeline perspective, the shortage of Black women principals can be directly linked to several factors regarding leadership preparation. A focus on diversity is essential in educational leadership given the rapidly increasing number of students of color in PK (prekindergarten)-12 schools (Foster, 2004). Schools in a racially diverse society will require leaders and models of leadership that will address the racial, cultural, and ethnic makeup of the school community. Mentoring is pivotal in high-quality principal preparatory training by creating authentic learning opportunities, collegial support, and proactive recruitment. Mentoring is an effective mechanism to prepare and retain school principals. The primary purpose of this exploratory study is to investigate the factors that influenced mentor selection for Black women graduates of principal preparation programs at two PWIs. Additionally, the study aims to contribute to the limited research on mentor selection in principal preparation programs, and this research has yet to come from the perspective of Black women. The study is not an evaluation or assessment of principal preparation programs. Through elite narrative interviewing, the researcher seeks to understand Black women's insights, giving them agency to identify the factors that influence the selection of a mentor. These insights can provide a better context of what Black women seek in a mentor throughout the principal internship experience. The researcher approaches the study with a Black Feminist theoretical framework that emphasizes the examination of the intersectionality of sexuality and race in Black women's lived experiences. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]