Wanda Dean, retired vice provost for enrollment and degree management at Virginia Tech, has been conferred the title of vice provost emerita by the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors.

The emerita title may be conferred on retired professors, associate professors, and administrative officers who are specially recommended to the board by Virginia Tech President Tim Sands in recognition of exemplary service to the university. Nominated individuals who are approved by the board receive a copy of the resolution and a certificate of appreciation.

A member of the Virginia Tech community since 1983, Dean served 26 years as university registrar before she became the university’s first vice provost of enrollment and degree management. In that new role, she oversaw six units, including the Office of University Registrar, the Office of Undergraduate Admissions, the Office of University Scholarships and Financial Aid, the Office of Summer and Winter Sessions, the Office of Research and Analysis, and the Office of Degree Management.

As vice provost, Dean unified several units on campus to create a framework for collaboration and to fully embrace a common mission to attract, enroll, and graduate a highly qualified, talented, and diverse student body, all the while increasing access and affordability. She built a framework for strategic enrollment planning in support of the university’s strategic goals, initiated new recruiting and scholarship utilization efforts, created a framework for degree management and planning, and launched new academic programs in special sessions.

Dean enabled Virginia Tech to make significant advancements in application, retention, and graduation rates, and enabled the university to move its global land-grant vision forward.

In 2015, she successfully petitioned to bring to Virginia Tech the Hispanic College Institute, a three-day program that invites Hispanic high school sophomores and juniors in Virginia to campus to attend workshops and seminars on college admissions, financial aid, and the college search process.

In 2012, Dean launched Summer Academy, a program designed to help new students transition to the university while earning college credit. In 2014, Virginia Tech introduced a new special academic session between fall and spring known as Winter Session, which now helps current and visiting students stay on track for graduation.

Dean played a significant role in establishing the Office for Veterans Services that not only facilitates access to Virginia Tech, but also contributes to the academic success for veterans and military students.

Her deep understanding of the university allowed Dean to form effective and collaborative teams, streamline policies, increase financial aid and scholarships, and develop innovative majors and strategic curricula changes that have contributed to an environment that shaped the university’s Beyond Boundaries vision.

Dean received her bachelor's degree and master’s degree from Virginia Tech.

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