Shirley Collado
Profile Verified by The Marque
Last Updated: 22 Sep 2026
President Emerita
Oakland, US
Profile Verified by The Marque
Last Updated: 22 Sep 2026
THE MARQUE
In Their Own Right
Biography
Dr. Shirley M. Collado is a nationally recognized higher education leader, executive, and advocate, committed to advancing access, equity, and institutional transformation across U.S. colleges and universities.
She was appointed President and CEO of College Track in 2022, the most comprehensive college program in the United States. She led the implementation of a new redesign of its 10-year program for first-generation students. She has driven a major initiative featuring a $20 million partnership with the Baltimore Ravens and M&T Bank to establish the Baltimore Ravens College Track Center.
A first-generation college graduate, the first person of color to serve as President of Ithaca College, and the first Dominican-American to lead as president of a four-year college in the USA, Dr. Collado steered Ithaca College from 2017 to 2021. She launched its strategic plan, Ithaca Forever, focused on student success, financial sustainability, and inclusive excellence during her tenure.
Dr. Collado has held influential leadership and governance roles across higher education and non-profits, including a decade of board service with Vanderbilt University. She was named Trustee Emerita upon the conclusion of her tenure with this board.
Demonstrating her dedication to serving communities, Shirley sits on the boards at Excelencia in Education, IntermediaryEd (previously ACT), National Association for College Admission Counseling, StarRez, and is a founding member of Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration. She is a member of the American Academy of Arts & Sciences’ Commission on Opportunities After High School, and serves as honorary chair of the Mariposa Foundation.
Born and raised in Brooklyn as the daughter of Dominican immigrant parents, Shirley graduated from Vanderbilt University with a bachelor's degree, and earned her master’s and doctoral degrees in clinical psychology at Duke University.
The Record
Background
-
2022 — Present
President & CEO
College Track
College Track empowers students from underserved communities through the completion of a comprehensive decade-long college program to earn a bachelor’s degree.
-
2022 — Present
President Emerita
Ithaca College
Dr. Collado was recognized for her services to Ithaca College with her appointment as President Emerita, a lifetime honor and distinction.
-
2021 — 2022
Senior Advisor to Board of Trustees
Ithaca College
Originally founded as a music school, Ithaca College is a private residential institution best known for combining academic theory with hands-on, professional practice. Ithaca is home to approximately 4,700 students and offers 70 majors across five schools, emphasizing a collaborative, and creative learning environment, specializing in communications, music, and health sciences.
-
2017 — 2021
President
Ithaca College
-
2015 — 2017
Executive Vice Chancellor and Chief Operating Officer
Rutgers University
The state university of New Jersey, Rutgers University is regarded as a premier public research university, with its flagship campus located in New Brunswick, and further major campuses in Newark and Camden.
-
2010 — 2015
Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of the College
Middlebury College
Dating back to 1800, Middlebury College is a private liberal arts college in Middlebury, Vermont.
-
2007 — 2008
Vice President for Institutional Planning and Diversity
Middlebury College
-
2007 — 2007
Dean for Institutional Diversity
Middlebury College
-
2009 — 2010
Vice President for Institutional Planning and Community Engagement
Lafayette College
Overlooking the historic Delaware River in Easton, Lafayette College is a tradition-rich liberal arts college.
-
2001 — 2006
Executive Vice President
The Posse Foundation, Inc.
The Posse Foundation, Inc. is a non-profit organization that aligns with colleges and universities throughout the United States to provide student scholarships and leadership training. To date, Posse has partnered with more than sixty colleges and universities.
-
2001 — 2002
National Program Director
The Posse Foundation, Inc.
In The News
Newsfeed
-
31 August 2026 · eCampus News
The hidden link between AI strategy and student retention
Read more -
25 August 2026 · The Hechinger Report
California encourages undocumented students to go to college. But some are losing hope
Read more -
13 August 2026 · New Orleans City Business
College Track moves to Tulane downtown campus
Read more -
13 August 2026 · Tulane University
Tulane University welcomes College Track to downtown campus
Read more -
15 May 2026 · NBC News
Warriors superstar Steph Curry is paying it forward for Bay Area students
Read more -
1 May 2026 · KTVU
Decision day meets cuts, College Track Responds
Read more -
14 March 2026 · ABC News
How Kevin Durant's mom is helping 1st-generation college students
Read more -
15 January 2026 · College Track
Shirley Collado: College Track CEO Looks Ahead to 2026
Read more -
7 November 2025 · Vanderbilt Magazine
It Takes a Posse
Read more -
23 September 2025 · College Track
“Such Tremendous Powerâ€: Dr. Shirley M. Collado Talks to Higher-Ed Reporters for NACAC Audience
Read more -
7 July 2025 · The Hechinger Report
OPINION: A college degree opens doors, but only when we remove obstacles for young people
Read more -
21 April 2022 · Emerson Collective
New College Track President Shirley M. Collado Sees Herself in Her Students
Read more -
4 September 2020 · The Chronicle
How I Built a Diverse Leadership Team at a Predominantly White College
Read more
In Frame
Gallery
Formative Years
Education
-
Duke University
Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology
1996 — 1999
-
Duke University
M.A. in Clinical Psychology
1994 — 1996
-
Vanderbilt University
B.S. in Human and Organizational Development & Psychology
1991 — 1994
Areas Of Focus