Marsha Pollard, Ph.D., was named Provost of Berkeley College on December 17, 2018, following the retirement of Dr. Beth Castiglia. To her new position, Dr. Pollard brings nearly two decades of experience in higher education at top-ranked national universities. At both Stony Brook University in Stony Brook, NY, and at New York University (NYU) in New York City, she served in academic administration, strategic planning, and operational roles at Stony Brook University in Stony Brook, NY, and at New York University (NYU) in Manhattan, NY. Dr. Pollard also recently completed an assignment as Interim Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs at American International College in Springfield, MA.

Sharing the Berkeley vision

“Dr. Pollard is a strong, visible and engaged leader who believes in the mission of Berkeley College,” according to Michael J. Smith, President of Berkeley College. “She brings a commitment to excellence that is synonymous with our mission of empowering students to achieve lifelong success in dynamic careers.”

A wealth of experience

At Stony Brook University and American International College, Dr. Pollard’s responsibilities included faculty recruitment, professional development, and retention initiatives. In addition, she was closely involved in developing better early intervention systems for at-risk students, more integrated advisement systems, and improved student retention and graduation rates.

Creating partnerships

While at Stony Brook University, Dr. Pollard served as the academic affairs liaison to The State University of New York system office and the New York State Department of Education. Throughout her career, she has established educational, community, and business partnerships with a focus on expanding workforce-relevant academic programs that create career pathways for students.

Focused on student success

“Berkeley College is a student-centric, practitioner-oriented teaching institution that is committed to providing students with a high-quality education that is accessible, affordable, robust, and relevant,” Dr. Pollard said. “At Berkeley, the success of our students is our primary goal, and I look forward to working with the College’s faculty, staff, and administration on initiatives to further improve our students’ educational and co-curricular experiences, retention, and timely degree completion.”

Dr. Pollard holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Higher Education Administration from New York University; a Master of Education in Higher Education Administration, Planning, and Social Policy from Harvard University; and a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from the University of Florida. She resides in East Setauket, NY.

The views and/or opinions in this article are those of the individuals interviewed. The academic achievements and/or employment outcomes described in this article are specific to each individual and are not a guarantee of similar results for past or current students. For up-to-date and detailed information, please visit BerkeleyCollege.edu and view our catalogs at BerkeleyCollege.edu/publications.