Sandra joined the University of Redlands in May 2024 as the Interim Vice President of Student Affairs. In this role, she is responsible for providing leadership in all student-serving areas of the University, including residence life and housing, community service learning, the counseling center, Esports, student involvement and success, outdoor programs, community standards, athletics, inclusion and community, and has dotted line responsibility for dining services and Proyecto Dirección Title IV Grant HSI.
Sandra has a wealth of experience in student affairs, having led programs at both private and public universities. She recently served as Vice President for Student Affairs at Pitzer College, where she led a variety of student-focused initiatives, including the establishment of the inaugural Student Success Initiatives Office and Student Success Initiatives Fellowship program, which bolstered mentoring, collaboration opportunities and increased student engagement across campus and in career development. During her tenure, Pell-eligible students achieved record-breaking retention and persistence records. A champion of holistic student mental health and wellbeing, under her leadership, the division advanced the beloved Strive2Thrive program, and established the Student Mental Health Ambassadors program. She also served as Chair of The Claremont Colleges Student Deans Committee.
Prior to that, Sandra served as the Assistant Vice President and Dean of Students at Pitzer College. She also served in student-facing roles at the University of California Santa Barbara, California State University San Bernardino, the University of Southern California, California State University Northridge, and the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville. Sandra greatly enjoys teaching and mentoring future generations of higher education leaders and is often invited to serve as a guest lecturer in counseling and higher education administration graduate programs. Sandra serves as faculty for the Hispanic Association for Colleges and University’s La Academia de Liderazgo for aspiring Presidents in higher education. She has also served as a distinguished former Dean of Students for the Annual Dean’s Forum on Hispanic Higher Education.
Under her leadership, California State San Bernardino earned the Association of Student Conduct Administration’s Institutional Award of Excellence, and during her tenure at the University of Arkansas, she was recognized as the National Association for Student Personnel Administration Region IV-West’s Outstanding New Professional of the Year.
A first-generation student, she holds an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership from the University of Southern California, an M.Ed. in Higher Education Leadership from the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, and a B.A. in Liberal Studies from California State University Northridge. She is also a graduate of the Harvard Management Development Program.
Office of the Vice President of Student Affairs
Reporting to the President, the vice president of student affairs serves as a member of the President's Cabinet and plays a key role in the development of University policy. As the senior student affairs administrator for the campus, Vasquez is responsible for providing leadership and administrative direction in the areas of athletics, professional development, campus diversity and inclusion, orientation, residence life, community service learning, health services, the counseling center, chaplain's office, student conduct, student leadership and involvement, outdoor programs and intramurals, and dining services.