Vanessa A. Sansone

Vanessa A. Sansone, Ed.D., is an Associate Professor in the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies at The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA), within the College of Education and Human Development. Her research centers on college affordability, Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs), power structures in higher education governance, and equity for historically underserved students.

• Doctorate in Educational Leadership (Higher Education), UTSA
• Master of Education (Higher Education Administration), UTSA
• Bachelor of Arts in Sociology, St. Mary’s University

Her work explores the intersection of rural education, racial equity, and institutional servingness, particularly through frameworks like intersectionality and deficit ideology critiques. She examines how federal/state partnerships, funding policies, and spatial disparities impact student success at HSIs and rural-serving institutions.

Recent publications highlight trends in college affordability, STEM outcomes at HSIs, critical rural education frameworks, and geographic inequities for Latinx students. Her research often bridges policy analysis with empirical studies on financial aid, governance, and student experiences.

• 35 Most Outstanding Women in Higher Education (2020), Diverse: Issues in Higher Education

Dr. Sansone contributes to national discourse through policy briefs, book chapters, and presentations at conferences. Her affiliations include UTSA’s College of Education and Human Development, which emphasizes multicultural and cross-national education leadership.