Dr. Missy Alexander (Mary S.) served as Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at Western Connecticut State University from 2016-2023. During that time she supported the development of new programs designed to meet regional needs including graduate degrees Addiction Studies, Homeland Security, and the Doctor of Nursing Practice. She also oversaw the university’s move into online learning at the graduate and undergraduate levels. As the Chief Academic Officer, she oversaw four schools, the library, international programs, sponsored research, education access programs and the career success center. She served as the chief accreditation officer and worked closely with the system office of the Connecticut Board of Regents.
Prior to her appointment to the Provost/VPAA position, Dr. Alexander was the Dean of the Macricostas School of Arts and Sciences at WCSU from 2012-2016, where she supported thirteen academic departments, and facilitated the development of two interdisciplinary bachelor’s degrees and the adoption of a new general education curriculum. She served as Assistant Dean of the School of Communication and the Arts at Marist College from 2009-2012 and as Director of the Marist-LdM branch campus in Florence, Italy during the spring of 2012.
Dr. Alexander earned her Ph.D. in Media Ecology from New York University, an MA in Communications from Hunter College, and a BA in Anthropology from Hunter College. Her scholarship focuses on the impact of new media of communication on social institutions (particularly education).