This study applied need theories to understand leadership motivation in college and university presidencies. Eight presidents from colleges and universities in a midwestern and a southeastern state were interviewed. The participants had been in their present position for at least three years. Included were two leaders from research universities, two from doctoral-granting universities, one from a masters-granting university, and three from baccalaureate or liberal arts institutions. A thematic approach was used to analyze the texts of the interview transcripts. The results indicated that the presidents were motivated by a need for achievement, affiliation, power, esteem, self-actualization, and growth. The study suggests that understanding and fulfilling the needs of academic presidents may promote their work satisfaction and motivation to provide sustained executive leadership in their institutions. It is likely that presidents whose needs are not aligned with those of their institutions may experience a heightened sense of personal conflict, may find their work to be meaningless, or may create unnecessary problems for other members of their organizations. (Contains 34 references.) (MDM)