Manhattanville University President Frank D. Sánchez, Ph.D. Honored with Trailblazer Award from Westchester Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
PURCHASE, NY, September 2024 – Frank D. Sánchez, Ph.D., the fifteenth president of Manhattanville University and Manhattanville’s first Latino president, is being honored with the Trailblazer Award from the Westchester Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (WHCC).
“I am honored to be recognized by the Westchester Hispanic Chamber of Commerce,” said Dr. Sánchez. “I am proud to help lead a university that is continuously recognized for its diverse student body and leadership. We will continue to offer our Latinx students, now 40 percent of our new students, an outstanding education and a sense of community.”
"President Frank Sánchez has been a transformative leader for Manhattanville University, championing diversity, equity, and inclusion at every level,” said Michael Dunn, Chair of the Board, Manhattanville University. “His recognition with the Trailblazer Award is a testament to his unwavering commitment to our community and his visionary leadership. We’d like to thank the outstanding leaders at the Westchester Hispanic Chamber of Commerce for this distinction.”
Sonia Montano, President of the Westchester Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, said, “We are delighted to honor Dr. Sánchez for all he has done, and continues to do, for the community. He is a shining example of an individual who represents the mission of the WHCC and is an outstanding leader in education in Westchester County.”
The Westchester Hispanic Chamber of Commerce is the leading county-wide Hispanic business organization, with a mission to promote the economic growth and development of Hispanic businesses and professionals in Westchester. Founded in 1988, the WHCC was established by a committed group of business professionals and individuals who recognized the pressing need to create a platform that can positively respond to the needs of the growing Hispanic business community.
Dr. Sánchez began his term as President of Manhattanville in July 2023. He was recently appointed as a member of the NCAA Division III Chancellors/Presidents Advisory Group and signed onto College Presidents for Civic Preparedness. He serves as a Board member of the Business Council of Westchester and on the national Board of the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities. His focus on curricular innovation, experiential learning, and workforce development are leading Manhattanville into a new era for the next-generation student.
Under the leadership of Dr. Sánchez, Manhattanville has seen unprecedented student growth, evolved from a college to a university, and received numerous awards and accolades attesting to Manhattanville’s strength as an institute of higher learning. Manhattanville has already been recognized by “U.S. News and World Report” and Colleges of Distinction for ethnic diversity. The university has also earned a designation as a Hispanic Serving Institution by the U.S. Department of Education, a recognition of its diverse student population.
For nearly three decades, Dr. Sánchez has advanced higher education policy, programs, and services toward improving college completion rates and modernizing higher education systems. Prior to joining Manhattanville, Dr. Sánchez was president of Rhode Island College (RIC) from 2016-2022. During his tenure at RIC, the school’s “U.S. News and World Report” social mobility ranking rose to #2 among New England public institutions. In addition, student diversity grew dramatically during Dr. Sánchez’s time as president of the college.
About Manhattanville University
Manhattanville University (formerly Manhattanville College) is a private liberal arts institution dedicated to academic excellence, purposeful education, and social responsibility. For three years in a row, “U.S. News and World Report” has ranked Manhattanville the number one private, non-profit institution in New York among Top Performers of Social Mobility in Regional Universities North. The university has been recognized among the best colleges in The Princeton Review for close to 20 years. Located 30 miles from New York City on a 100-acre suburban campus in the heart of Westchester County, Manhattanville enables easy access to entertainment offerings, educational resources, and business opportunities for its diverse student body. The university serves more than 1,300 undergraduate students and nearly 1,000 graduate students from more than 44 countries and 33 states. Founded in 1841, the university offers more than 75 undergraduate and graduate areas of study in the arts and sciences, education, nursing and health sciences, business, and creative writing, as well as continuing and executive education programs. Graduate students can choose from over 70 graduate and certificate programs. Extracurricular offerings include more than 45 clubs and activities and 23 NCAA Division III teams.
About the Westchester Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (WHCC)
The Westchester Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (WHCC) is the leading county-wide Hispanic business organization dealing with the concerns of the growing Hispanic business community of Westchester. The organization’s mission is to promote the economic growth and development of Hispanic businesses and professionals in Westchester.
Contact: Cara Cea, cara.cea@mville.edu, 914-323-1278.
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