The college experiences of African American students have received much attention in the higher education literature during the past three decades. Unfortunately, the majority of the research regarding the African American student experience at predominantly White institutions has focused on maladjustment, academic failure, racism, underachievement, and attrition rates. This study provides a new perspective of African Americans in college focusing on the experiences of successful African American women, i.e., the experiences of high-achieving, actively involved, well-adjusted African American women college students. Specifically, this study investigates the perceptions of African American women college student leaders who have optimized their college experiences; excelled academically (earning GPAs above 3.0); were highly involved in leadership and extracurricular activities; developed meaningful and rewarding relationships with faculty and staff members; participated in educational experiences (e.g., study abroad programs, internships, and summer research programs); and earned awards and honors. Qualitative research methods were used to explore the perceptions of 12 African American women college students related to the ways leadership opportunities and individualized involvement impacted their experiences on predominantly White campuses. Employing a phenomenological research design, data were collected utilizing face-to-face, semi-structured interviews. Findings and analysis from this study could be used to inform and support the work of higher education faculty, staff, and student affairs professionals at many institutions, more specifically public universities. Although capturing the lived experiences for the student who demonstrated success is the focus on this study, anticipated findings provide more in-depth understanding of the strategies, involvement, and leadership associated with successful African American women on college and university campuses. [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://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]