Dr. Vanessa
Morest

Dr. Vanessa Smith Morest is the vice president of academic affairs and provost of SUNY Westchester Community College, where she oversees the faculty and curriculum for more than 10,000 students in the New York metropolitan area. She is passionate about supporting and increasing academic access and success for community college students. This has provided a focal point for her career in postsecondary education. Prior to her current position, Dr. Morest served as dean of institutional effectiveness for a decade, including two years as interim dean of academic affairs at Norwalk Community College. In addition to these roles, Dr. Morest is an Achieving the Dream Coach, serving multiple colleges in Maine and Illinois.

Dr. Morest began her career in higher education at the Community College Research Center (CCRC) where she served as assistant director for postsecondary research and worked as a researcher for over 10 years. She is co-editor of Defending the Community College Equity Agenda (2006) and author of Community College Student Success: From Boardrooms to Classrooms (2013). Dr. Morest taught Introduction to Sociology at Norwalk Community College, Sociology of Education at Columbia University, and graduate courses in sociology of education, higher education, and research methods at Teachers College, Columbia University.