Born and raised in New York City, Dr. Blanca E. Vega is the daughter of Ecuadorian immigrants. Dr. Vega earned a doctorate (Ed.D) from the Higher and Postsecondary Education program at Teachers College, Columbia University. During and prior to that time, she worked in various administrative positions within higher education spanning over 16 years. Some of these areas include financial aid counseling and coordinating/directing New York State opportunity programs such as the Liberty Partnerships Program (LPP) and the Higher Education Opportunity Program (HEOP). Dr. Vega earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Anthropology from Brandeis University and a Master of Arts degree in Higher Education at New York University.

Dr. Vega's scholarship broadly focuses on exploring the role of higher education and student affairs (HESA) administrators and leaders in building just and equitable postsecondary environments. Her primary area of research situates racism and anti-immigrant sentiments as primary barriers that can impact higher education experiences and organizational learning. Dr. Vega's research specifically focuses on the following three themes: 1) Race-Based Organizational Conflict in Higher Education 2) Policies affecting undocumented Students and postsecondary leadership 3) Hispanic Serving Institutions and their role in shaping discourses on Latinidad.

Primary area of research situates racism and anti-immigrant sentiments as primary barriers that can impact higher education experiences and organizational learning and focuses on the following three themes: 1) Race-Based Organizational Conflict in Higher Education 2) Policies affecting undocumented Students and postsecondary leadership 3) Hispanic Serving Institutions and their role in shaping discourses on Latinidad.

Focuses on exploring the role of higher education and student affairs (HESA) administrators and leaders in building just and equitable postsecondary environments.