WASHINGTON, D.C. — Warrior-Scholar Project (WSP) is excited to welcome Cassie Sanchez to the organization as its new director of education. A University of Massachusetts Amherst alumna, Sanchez brings decades of experience in curriculum development and academic advising to the role that will further enrich WSP’s free education programs. WSP is a national nonprofit that empowers enlisted veterans to excel at higher education via immersive academic boot camps at some of the nation’s top universities.
“We are beyond fortunate that Cassie has joined our team! Her thorough understanding of the support structure students need to succeed in rigorous college classrooms combined with her depth of teaching experience and knowledge of the unique challenges faced by military veterans make her the ideal candidate for this role. She will elevate WSP’s curriculum and programming to the next level,” said Ryan Pavel, CEO of Warrior-Scholar Project.
Sanchez earned her Ph.D. in Education Policy, Research, and Administration from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where she also went on to serve the university as an assistant editor and research assistant. She then worked for 10 years as a senior writing associate at Amherst College, a partner university of WSP and where she first got involved with the nonprofit in 2017 as a writing instructor for the program. In 2020, Sanchez deepened her involvement with the organization when she joined WSP’s Academic Advisory team. Throughout her career, she has conducted various research projects focused on higher education access and academic support for students from underrepresented groups and nontraditional backgrounds, and she welcomes the opportunity to put her experience, interests, and skills in higher education to use by helping enlisted service members transition from the military to college.
“One of the things I love about higher ed is being in a room of smart people doing great work — and that’s exactly what Warrior-Scholar Project is,” said Sanchez. “My role at WSP will go beyond teaching to examine our educational objectives and how we get there. I love that kind of big-picture thinking and am looking forward to enhancing the support we offer veterans on both their educational and career journeys.”
Sanchez’s passion for helping students access higher education comes in part from her personal affiliation as a low-income student. Additionally, she is a military spouse and has an intimate understanding of the challenges veterans face when transitioning from the military to civilian life.
About Warrior-Scholar Project
Warrior-Scholar Project (WSP) empowers enlisted veterans and service members to excel at four-year universities. Through intensive and immersive one- to two-week academic boot camps, participants gain skills required for success and support for the cultural shift from the military to higher education at top-tier schools. Throughout WSP’s free resident education programs, students are traditionally housed on campus, and engage in challenging discussions with accomplished professors, receiving tailored instruction on key skills like analytical reading and college-level writing. Warrior-Scholar Project is a national nonprofit with programs at public and private colleges and universities across the country. For more information, visit warrior-scholar.org.