Dean of Admission and Student Financial Services Appointment

Dear all,

I am delighted to announce the appointment of the new Dean of Admission and Student Financial Services Sonya K. Smith, who will start at Vassar July 1. Dean Smith comes to Vassar with nearly two decades of experience in admissions, most recently serving as the Director of Graduate Admissions at the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University. Dean Smith has a strong background in undergraduate admissions, and possesses the attributes we were looking for in this key position. She shares Vassar’s values—our belief in the inherent worth of a liberal arts education and the vital importance of diversity and inclusion, and she has led many initiatives to improve access.

As Princeton’s Associate Dean and Director of Diversity Outreach, Dean Smith helped build Princeton’s network with college access organizations and strengthened recruitment initiatives focused on students from low-income backgrounds and students who were the first in their families to attend college. Before coming to Princeton, Dean Smith worked at Stanford University as Assistant Dean for Admissions, overseeing alumni volunteer relations, and served on the marketing and communications team. Earlier in her career, she spearheaded diversity outreach at Reed College as the Associate Dean of Multicultural Recruitment, and she helped establish the college’s Peer Mentor Program as director of the Multicultural Resource Center.

I want to thank the search committee who worked for months to conduct a national search ending in this wonderful success. We are thrilled to have Dean Smith fill this important role. Please join me in welcoming her to the Vassar family.

Elizabeth H. Bradley, President
Vassar College
Poughkeepsie, NY 12604
@EHBVassar