Introducing Our New SOE Dean: Dr. Vajra M. Watson

To: University Community
 
From: Adrienne McCormick, Provost
  
Date: April 17, 2025
 
Subject: Introducing Our New SOE Dean: Dr. Vajra M. Watson
 
I am thrilled to announce that Dr. Vajra M. Watson will join us as the Naslund Endowed Dean of the School of Education, beginning July 1, 2025.
 
Dr. Watson brings a wealth of leadership experience, energy, and a deep sense of purpose that aligns closely with the mission of our School of Education. As dean, she will focus on growing enrollment in priority areas and working closely with SOE faculty and staff to innovate and diversify our programs and delivery methods. Her leadership will help the University remain responsive to market needs while remaining grounded in our commitment to impact, inclusion, and educational equity.
 
Throughout her distinguished career, Dr. Watson has demonstrated visionary leadership in education and community-engaged scholarship. Most recently, she served as the inaugural Senior Associate Vice President of the Placer campus at Sacramento State University, where she led academic planning, cross-sector collaborations, and the development of public-private partnerships. A key achievement has been the creation of the “Communiversity” framework, an equity-centered model that aligns higher education with regional needs, reimagining pathways between community colleges and four-year universities.
 
Prior to that, Dr. Watson served as Faculty Director of the Doctorate in Educational Leadership at Sacramento State, where she propelled the program to a #2 national ranking. She helped grow applications significantly, recruited faculty focused on anti-racist leadership, and developed student cohorts that reflected the diversity of the surrounding region. Earlier in her career, she was the Director of the Office of Research and Policy for Equity at UC Davis, and she founded SAYS (Sacramento Area Youth Speaks), a premier literary arts and youth empowerment organization that continues to thrive.
 
Her contributions have earned her numerous accolades, including the Congressional Woman of the Year Award, the NBA Sacramento Kings Woman of Inspiration Award, and the American Educational Research Association’s Social Justice Leadership Award.
 
Dr. Watson earned her B.A. from UC Berkeley, holds two master’s degrees from Harvard University in International Education and Teaching and Learning, and completed her Doctorate in Administration, Planning, and Social Policy at Harvard’s Graduate School of Education in 2008.
 
Please join me in offering a warm welcome to Dr. Watson as she begins this exciting new chapter with us!