Westchester County Executive George Latimer and Deputy County Executive Ken Jenkins recognized Manhattanville University for their recent achievement of university status and the inauguration of President Frank D. Sánchez.
Latimer said: “Earning this distinction as a University is a clear indication of Manhattanville’s continued growth, leadership and forward-thinking momentum. As we also celebrate the inauguration of Frank D. Sánchez as Manhattanville’s first Latino president and the achievement of this transition, this is a new era of inclusivity and excellence that I know will have long-standing positive repercussions for the future of Westchester and our students.”
Sánchez said: “This is a significant inflection point in Manhattanville’s nearly 200-year history. As we officially become Manhattanville University, a recognition of the breadth and depth of our undergraduate, graduate and doctoral programs, we are ushering in the next phase of forward-thinking program development and transformative educational experiences. We’re building on a strong tradition of innovation and social action, and I’m honored to be at the helm of this storied institution during this powerful moment.”
As one of Westchester’s oldest institutions of higher education founded in 1841, today over 2,300 students are enrolled in Manhattanville’s undergraduate, graduate and doctoral programs. Bundled with the University announcement launch was also the rollout of a new campaign to support Manhatanville’s rebranding efforts with the theme “Always Forward. Always Valiant.”
About President Frank D. Sánchez
For nearly three decades, Frank D. Sánchez, PhD, has advanced higher education policy, programs, and services toward improving college completion rates and modernizing higher education systems. Dr. Sánchez became the fifteenth president of Manhattanville in July of 2023.
In his first 8 months at Manhattanville, Dr. Sánchez has led the institution through a rebrand including university seal and logo as the college became a university. He has already made great strides raising the profile and reputation of the institution through broad outreach to alumni, investments in grant development and partnerships with local and national organizations. He has recently been appointed to the Boards of the Business Council of Westchester and the national board of the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU).
Dr. Sánchez’s impressive track record as president of Rhode Island College (RIC), where he served from 2016–2022, included elevating the school’s “U.S. News and World Report” social mobility ranking to #2 among New England public institutions, significantly improving academic facilities, increasing fundraising, and dramatically growing student diversity. Dr. Sánchez advanced RIC up other national rankings, breaking the Top 100 of all public and private Masters Universities in America (2021 Washington Monthly) and made the Top 10 Best Value Colleges among all medium and small institutions in New England (2021 Money Magazine).
During Dr. Sánchez’s nearly six-year tenure at RIC, he was able to lead significant advancements for the college including: growing annual giving 200%, increasing the college endowment 65% to $43 million, while securing the largest and third largest gifts in the history of the college. In addition to completing new branding, website, and marketing campaigns, Dr. Sánchez led a renewed Building Futures campaign securing over $60 million in new capital construction funding and completing an additional $50 million to modernize several academic buildings. During his presidency, he also championed a significant increase in the racial and ethnic composition of the student body and the college’s senior leadership team.
Prior to RIC, Dr. Sánchez was Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs at the City University of New York (CUNY), the nation’s largest urban public university, with 25 colleges and graduate schools. At CUNY, he led the development and implementation of the first systemwide strategic plan for student affairs, supporting more than 500,000 students. Prior to CUNY, he served as the senior student affairs officer at both the University of Colorado Denver and Adams State University (formerly college).
Dr. Sánchez has consulted, presented, and spoken at numerous national forums focusing on broad issues impacting higher education institutions. In March of 2024, Dr. Sánchez served as a moderator for the Westchester County Association (WCA) 5th Regional Workforce Development Summit in White Plains, NY.
A native of Cheyenne, Wyoming, Sánchez holds a PhD in higher education administration with a concentration in learning, cognition and instruction from Indiana University Bloomington, and an MS in student affairs and higher education from Colorado State University. He also holds a BS in psychology with minors in communications and Chicano studies from the University of Nebraska Lincoln.