Biography
Vicenta, known by her students as “Shep,” is a higher education leader, literacy scholar, and student success advocate with over 20 years of experience in academic support, literacy education, and faculty development. She currently serves as the Director of the Center for Academic Success (CfAS) at FIU, where she has led a myriad of initiatives to enhance tutoring programs, promote disciplinary literacy, and foster collaborative learning environments since 2011.
Vicenta holds a Ph.D. in Teaching & Learning with a cognate in Higher Education from FIU. Her dissertation, Discovering the Literacy Processes of Organic Chemistry Learners, reflects her interdisciplinary approach to academic support. She also holds an M.S.Ed in Reading & Specific Learning Disabilities from the University of Miami, and B.A. in Communication Processes & Disorders from the University of Florida. She has presented extensively at national and regional conferences, including the International College Learning Center Association (ICLCA), the College Reading & Learning Association (CRLA), and the Florida College Learning Center Association (FCLCA), of which she is a founding member.
Vicenta began her career in education as a reading teacher and literacy coach with Miami-Dade County Public Schools. She is also passionate about the performing arts, as she co-directed the award-winning Band of Distinction at Coral Gables Senior High from 2001-2011. Her husband is a retired band director, and her daughter is an avid performer in musical theatre. She enjoys many genres of music, dancing, and dark chocolate.