It is with utmost respect and honor that one would have the opportunity to share another person's life story, especially one that has had a profound impact on that individual. The power of oral history has that effect and allows the participant and researcher to become co-participants and co-researchers looking through a reflective lens of both theory and practice. The purpose of this study is to examine effective leadership through the oral history of one educational leader. Using an oral history methodology, this research will highlight the lifelong journey of Dr. Gloria Mitchell and makes the argument that the sample of one individual is as pertinent, and poignant as a study of many. The impact of the study will come from the direct memories and stories from Dr. Gloria Mitchell as she reflects on her life and career from her humble, yet formative years as a young Black woman growing up in the Civil Rights Movement, to her rise as a leading educator today. The life lessons she learned about values, determination, excellence, and hard work came from the community that she grew up in, and the home that raised her. Dr. Mitchell candidly shares her life experiences as an important lesson that to truly make an impact as an educational leader, one must be authentic, unconventional, and ready, have a servant's heart, and to always be present, if one is to lead from the inside out. [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.]