Vanessa A. Sansone

Vanessa A. Sansone is Assistant Professor of Higher Education in the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies at The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA). Her research agenda aims to advance equity and success for diverse student populations in higher education. Her current scholarly interests focus on college affordability, Latina/o students, student veterans, Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) and policy work. She has published a co-authored piece focused on first-generation Latina/o college students who work for pay while enrolled in college in The Review of Higher Education and has a forthcoming co-authored book chapter on culturally inclusive approaches to address Latina/o student postsecondary success. Having worked in higher education as a tutor, college advisor, institutional researcher, and program coordinator within both the university and community college settings, she has a decade of experience working as a student affairs and academic affairs practitioner. She serves as the co-founder and lead organizer of Colegio en Nuestra Comunidad, which is an annual citywide college fair that promotes college attainment to low-income neighborhoods within San Antonio, Texas.

She hails from a historically underserved area of San Antonio and is a first-generation college student. Her experiences have shaped her commitment to advance social justice for marginalized students in higher education. To progress this agenda, she engages in equity-driven research, teaching, and service. She holds a M.ED in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies from UTSA, and a B.A. in Sociology from St. Mary’s University, San Antonio.