Laura Wankel, Ed.D.

Twitter: @NUVPWankel

Laura Avitabile Wankel, Ed.D. retired from Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts where she served as the Interim Vice Chancellor for Learner Engagement, Senior Advisor for Strategic Initiatives to the Senior Vice Chancellor for Educational Innovation and the Vice President for Student Affairs

Prior to Northeastern University, Dr. Wankel was at Seton Hall University where she served as Vice President for Student Affairs from 1995 to 2011. While at Seton Hall she also held titles of Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs and Vice President for Student Affairs & Enrollment Services.  During her tenure she had been responsible for a variety of services and programs in enrollment management and student life. Before Seton Hall University, Dr. Wankel served as Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs and an Assistant Dean for Campus and Residence Operations at the State University of New York at Purchase. Prior to that she held student affairs positions at the University of Pittsburgh.

Dr. Wankel has been active in NASPA:  Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education serving in leadership roles at both the regional and national level including Regional Vice President, Executive Committee and Chair of the NASPA Board. Dr. Wankel has also been on the editorial boards for the NASPA Journal and the Journal of Student Affairs Research and Practice (JSARP). She was honored by the NASPA Foundation and named a Pillar of the Profession in 2015.

Dr. Wankel holds a bachelor’s degree in American History from SUNY Oneonta where she graduated magna cum laude. She holds a M.Ed. from the University of South Carolina and an Ed.D. in higher education administration from Teachers College, Columbia University.  Dr. Wankel also received a certificate from the Institute for Educational Management (IEM) from the Harvard Institute for Higher Education. Dr. Wankel has served in a consulting capacity to a number of education-related projects, including, Learn and Serve America and the Corporation for National and Community Service (AmeriCorps), and the Lumina Foundation Comprehensive Student Record Project.

Dr. Wankel’s recent book published by Jossey-Bass, Higher Education’s Road to Relevance:  Navigating Complexity, explores the current and future state of post-secondary education in the U.S. Her other publications and research interests include  student success, learner engagement, technology, and education, and crisis management