TAMPA, Fla. – She's mastered the art of being president, leading one of the largest research universities in the country.
"I went to the only female Vice President at Ohio State University and said, 'How did you get to where you are?' And she gave me great, great advice," said Judy Genshaft, the President of the University of South Florida.
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That advice shaped the career of the 66-year-old. She is so popular that all 48,000 students can't wait to get on camera with her. The band even honored her at a football game with a "Judy" formation.
"The student body is just in love with Judy Genshaft," said Jean Cocco, student body president at the University of South Florida.
Genshaft is credited with transforming the school into a center of research all while raising two kids. So how does she keep her balance?
"There isn't any balance. At times your family needs you more than others and at times the university needs you more than others," she said.
Some other advice from Genshaft: Get the correct credentials. Join groups that will help you advance while strengthening your resume. Pick a mentor that will help you reach your goals, and surround yourself with smart people. Her mentor was former Ohio State University President Karen Holbrook.
"You also need some friends who are also advisors that you can let your hair down with a little bit and really talk about the things that you don't necessarily talk about with your professional colleagues," Holbrook said.
"I want to achieve because I've earned it on my own and I can put my resume together with anybody else's and it will stand tall," Genshaft explained.
A goal she certainly accomplished. Genshaft is in her 14th year at the University of South Florida. She was the first female chairperson on the board of the division one NCAA. Even though female college and university presidents are still in the minority, the share of women presidents has increased. The most recent statistics put that number at 26%.