Dr. Missy Alexander

What is a Provost?

The Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost is the chief academic administrator at Western Connecticut State University and responsible for all aspects of the academic mission—from recruitment of students to the administration of the schools and other units that are central to the academic enterprise.  The Provost collaborates with the President in setting academic priorities and provides leadership for the school and college deans and their faculties.

Provost’s Letter

Welcome to Western Connecticut State University. We are so happy that you have joined us in our shared passion for exploration, discovery, and growth. As our mission states: Western Connecticut State University changes lives by providing all students with a high-quality education that fosters their growth as individuals, scholars, professionals, and leaders in a global society. We are committed to bringing that mission to life. Here’s how:

* As a public university, we take seriously our pledge to support all students and their different needs, so we have designed paths to education that support students from all backgrounds. We offer varied support systems—through tutoring, peer-to-peer mentoring, advising, and our first-year programs. Whether you are the first in your family to attend college (if you are, you’re among the approximately 40% of first-gen students at WCSU), or a veteran returning to school after years of service, an honors student seeking unique learning opportunities, or a student who struggled in high school and needs assistance in developing skills to meet college level expectations, we have created pathways for all of you.

* We provide a strong liberal arts foundation for all degree programs, so that our graduates are prepared to navigate the ever-changing world around them.  For those pursuing a clearly defined professional degree such as nursing, accounting, cybersecurity, or musical theatre, or exploring degrees that align with many career opportunities such as psychology, professional writing, or biology, we want all students to experience the perspectives and habits of mind that come from working in multiple disciplines. Our general education program, and the many opportunities to enhance your major with a complementary minor, will help you get the most out of your undergraduate degree.

* We have created many opportunities for career connections.  There are external learning experiences in nursing, health promotion studies, education, social work, psychology; applied learning experiences in all majors through research projects, performance opportunities, and senior capstone experiences; and numerous resume writing, mock interview and professional networking opportunities for all students through our Career Success Center. Starting in the fall of 2021 we are offering several Career Education courses to help you design your best path between learning and your long term goals.

*We offer graduate degrees that help you advance your knowledge and your career. Whether you are seeking permanent certification as a K-12 educator, or hoping to advance to the role of Superintendent, we have degrees that will work for you. Our MBA is a great opportunity for those with undergraduate degrees in business disciplines, but we also have a fast track to admission for those who may not have all of the foundations for this degree. We’re focused on health care from many perspectives such as the MS or DNP in Nursing, EdD in Nursing Education, MS in Addiction Studies, MS in Nutrition, MS in Counseling, and the Masters in Health Administration.  We also offer two MFA degrees, one in Fine Arts and one in Professional and Creative Writing, and those graduates are succeeding in these highly competitive creative fields.  To help the working adult, many of our programs are offered online and several of our programs are offered in a rotation that allows you to complete your graduate education in just one year.

* We are dedicated to continuous academic improvement. As part of our accreditation by the New England Council on Higher Education (NECHE) we regularly examine what we offer and update our programs to reflect new developments in the field and new ideas about teaching. In the last five years, we have transformed our general education curriculum, and added degrees in cybersecurity, digital and interactive media arts, and interdisciplinary studies. We have substantially revised degrees in elementary education and computer science to better meet the emerging needs of these fields and stay aligned with accreditation standards. Our five business majors are fully accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), the international body that reviews all business programs, and all of our performing arts degrees are accredited by their professional associations (NASAD, NASM, NAST). In 2019, our undergraduate degree in Health Promotion Studies was accredited by the Council on Education in the Health Professions (CEPH), affirming the quality of the education our students receive.

It may sound old fashioned, but at our core, WCSU is dedicated to supporting you on your journey to realizing your own American dream — no matter where you start.  As your partner in public education, we are here to help you transform yourself.

We’re glad you are here,

Dr. Missy Alexander

Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs