Sharon L. Vasquez became provost of the University of Hartford in August, 2010. As provost, she oversees all academic-related functions, including undergraduate and graduate programs, faculty, and libraries.

Vasquez lists among her goals “joining [University of Hartford] President Harrison and the entire campus community in articulating and achieving the institution’s goals.” We will continue to nurture a robust teaching and learning environment, serve current and future students, engage alumni, advance community partnerships, and leverage the entrepreneurial spirit that has helped shape the University of Hartford.”

Having begun her career as a dancer/choreographer, Vasquez holds the MFA degree, the terminal degree for studio practice, from Florida State University. She also earned the CMA (advanced certification in Movement Analysis) from the Laban Bartenieff Institute of Movement Studies in New York. Her work in the performance world led to a creative life as a choreographer and director in both professional and academic settings including numerous workshops presented in the U.S. and abroad, a Fulbright Award for work in Peru, and participation in the USA/Netherlands Cultural Exchange.

Immediately prior to becoming University of Hartford provost, Vasquez served as dean of the College of Fine, Performing and Communication Arts at Wayne State University in Detroit, Mich. During her six-year tenure at Wayne State, the college exceeded its goal for the Wayne First capital campaign and increased its influence and visibility both locally and nationally. In 2008, Vasquez launched an incubator for creative, sector-based businesses at TechTown, Wayne State’s high-tech research park, and implemented "ARTrepreneurship" training modules to help students gain hands-on business knowledge for careers in the arts.

From 2000 to 2004, as dean of the then–School of Arts and Performance at the State University of New York at Brockport, Vasquez oversaw the departments of art, communication, dance, theatre, and physical education and sports, as well as interdisciplinary programs in arts for children and in visual studies. She arrived at SUNY-Brockport from the University of Texas at Austin, where, within two years, she moved from an assistant to associate to full professor then was awarded an endowed professorship.

In announcing Vasquez’s appointment as provost of the University of Hartford, Harrison said, “I am thrilled that we have attracted someone of Sharon's stature, experience, and ability to this position, and I very much look forward to working with her. . . . It is exciting to think that the University of Hartford, an institution in which the arts have played such a central role throughout our history, has for the first time been able to attract an accomplished arts educator and administrator to assume its chief academic officer position.”

Outside of her professional role, Vasquez enjoys spending time with her family, hiking, reading, and cooking.