Vice President for Student Affairs

As Vice President for Student Affairs, Dr. Hughes values effective collaboration and building strong relationships in support of a student-centered institution. Prior to that, she spent two years teaching sociology and chairing the department of sociology at Pikes Peak Community College. The majority of her professional experience, however, was spent in her 13-year tenure as the Director of Black Student Services at Colorado State University prior to her move to Colorado Springs in the fall of 1998. She has experience in teaching undergraduate and graduate courses, programming, counseling, training, and leadership development. Her research interest lies in areas relating to race and ethnicity, gender, and student retention in higher education.

Dr. Hughes has a B.A. in education from Earlham College, M.Ed. from Colorado State University, and her Ph.D. in sociology from Colorado State University. Blanche and her husband, Wayne, have four children and two granddaughters.