Rosanna Ferro to Join Bates College as Vice President for Student Affairs

LEWISTON, Maine--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Higher education leader Rosanna Ferro, Ed.D., will join Bates College as vice president for student affairs, effective Dec. 2.

“We are thrilled to welcome Rosanna Ferro to Bates College,” said President Garry W. Jenkins. “Rosanna’s extensive background in student affairs, her commitment to fostering inclusive communities, and her passion for higher education will be incredible assets as we continue to strengthen the student experience at Bates.”

Ferro comes to Bates from College Track, a college access and completion nonprofit based in Oakland, Calif., where she served as inaugural chief of education, providing strategic oversight for a division of 190 full-time staff members serving more than 4,000 high school and college students across 12 U.S. centers and 300 colleges and universities.

Prior to College Track, Ferro held student affairs leadership roles at Rutgers University, Williams College, and Ithaca College, where she was vice president for student affairs and campus life from 2017 to 2022. At Ithaca she oversaw the development and implementation of numerous strategic initiatives to create a more “student-ready” campus for all students, providing leadership in the creation of the Center for Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Social Change and in launching Ithaca’s first-ever Center for Student Success.

At Bates, Ferro will lead a Student Affairs division of 13 campus life and student services departments and serve on the senior leadership team.

“Throughout my career, I have been driven by a deep passion for enhancing student engagement, promoting equity, and creating spaces where students feel empowered to grow, learn, and thrive,” said Ferro. “I look forward to bringing this passion to Bates, an institution firmly committed to its students and to fostering a strong, inclusive community.”

Ferro has held leadership roles in professional organizations including NASPA and the American College Personnel Association (ACPA). While associate dean of the college at Williams College from 2013 to 2017, she received the Dr. John Hernandez Leadership Award from the Latinx Network and ACPA for outstanding professional and academic contributions.

Ferro earned a doctorate, master’s degree in social work, and bachelor’s degree from Rutgers University, majoring in sociology and Spanish.

The national search was overseen by a committee of Bates faculty, staff, and students, with assistance from global executive and leadership firm Spencer Stuart.