Biography

Dr. Jason Rivera grew up in New York City and his story is uniquely inspiring.  As a young teenager, he found himself without stable housing and was forced to stop attending high school.  Eventually, with the help of a very special woman, who he affectionately refers to as “Doc,” he was able to return to high school and to chart a pathway into College.  He is a proud of alum of Manhattanville.  While a student, Manhattanville was his home—quite literally.  He lived on campus all yearlong, pursued his studies, and worked in the office of the Dean of Intercultural Affairs.  While at Manhattanville, he also helped to shift the campus to a more inclusive community – coming out as a sophomore and ultimately becoming the first Afro-Latino and openly gay student government president in the school’s history.  He went on to graduate and has maintained a distinguished career.

For over two decades, he has worked in the field of education serving in a variety of roles – teacher, advisor, and administrator -- in positions that span the K-20 pipeline.  He currently serves as the Vice Provost for Student Success and Dean of University College at Ball State University, where he oversees retention and academic support services, the University Core Curriculum, academic advising, student success coaching, and the first year seminar.  Throughout his career, he has been resolute in his commitment to dismantling systemic barriers that prevent all students, but especially Latino and African American students, from being able to successfully use education to transform their lives.  He credits his Manhattanville experience with providing the foundation for this important work.

Prior to joining Ball State, Dr. Rivera served as the vice chancellor for student academic success at Rutgers University–Camden, where he led Rutgers University–Camden’s efforts to promote successful academic outcomes for its undergraduate students.  He has also previously served as dean of the sophomore class and director of the Intercultural Center, both at Swarthmore College and has held a number of leadership positions at Montgomery College in Maryland. 

Dr. Rivera’s research explores college completion for Latino and African American male students as well as the ways care, capital, and community cultural wealth influence student outcomes, and he has presented his research at conferences nationwide. His research was also used to develop the Achieving the Promise Academy, an academic coaching program created to ensure every student has the assistance, opportunities, and tools needed to succeed in college.  Dr. Rivera served as the Academy’s founding director.  

He earned his Ph.D. in curriculum and instruction with a concentration in minority and urban education at the University of Maryland, College Park, his master’s degree in Elementary Education at CUNY’s College of Staten Island and his bachelor’s degree in History and Political Science at Manhattanville College.  He lives in Muncie, Indiana, with his husband and son.