Alliance for Research on Regional Colleges
Vanessa A. Sansone is an assistant professor of higher education in the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies at The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA). Her areas of research interest focus on the influence of college affordability, Hispanic-Serving Institutions, and power structures & governance on the trajectories, experiences and opportunities of historically underrepresented students. She holds a Doctorate in Educational Leadership with an emphasis in Higher Education from UTSA, a Master of Education degree in Higher Education and Administration from UTSA, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology from St. Mary’s University, San Antonio.
I would not be where I am today had it not been for the access and opportunity that regional colleges offered me as a first-generation Latina college student. Despite this, research often misunderstands regional colleges, and paints a student’s choice to attend a regional institution as a deficit. My work with ARRC aims to fill the knowledge gaps our field has about regional colleges and contribute to a deeper understanding about these distinct types of institutions.
• Ph.D. Educational Leadership with an emphasis in Higher Education, UTSA
• M.A. Educational Leadership and Policy Studies with an emphasis in Higher Education Administration, UTSA
• B.A. Sociology, St. Mary's University, San Antonio
