Dr. Sharon Morrissey serves as the Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic Services and Research in the Virginia Community College System, where she is responsible for state-level coordination of academic programs, student success initiatives, research and reporting, and related policy review and professional development for Virginia’s 23 community colleges. Dr. Morrissey is leading initiatives to increase student success outcomes across the VCCS, including development of policies for alternative placement measures, math pathways, credit for prior learning, improved transfer outcomes, and dual enrollment redesign. Her leadership in developing a system-wide approach to student success led to a grant-funded statewide Student Success Center that is providing faculty and staff with professional development and technical assistance to support institutional change and improve the student’s pathway to completion.

Prior to joining the VCCS, Dr. Morrissey served as the Executive Vice President for Programs and Chief Academic Officer for the North Carolina Community College System, where she initiated, developed and administered state-level policies and strategies to improve student access, enhance program quality, and increase student success. Dr. Morrissey led several system-wide student success initiatives, including developmental education redesign, structured dual enrollment pathways for high school students, dual enrollment in occupational courses leading to credentials for adult basic skills students, and development of a policy framework to support Completion by Design. Dr. Morrissey also led a revision of NC’s statewide articulation agreement between the 58 community colleges and 16 public universities to ensure transfer students’ success.
Dr. Morrissey serves as an adjunct assistant professor in the Department of Education Leadership, Policy & Human Development at North Carolina State University. In 2006, she received the Department’s I.E. Ready Distinguished Graduate Award, and in 2014 she received the Distinguished Alumni Award.

In previous community college roles, Dr. Morrissey served as President of Richmond Community College, Vice President for Instruction at Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College, and Vice President for Academic and Student Services at Fayetteville Technical Community College. She began her community college career as an English instructor at Central Carolina Community College.