Nancy S. Kaplan, Ed.D.

Vice Provost for Academic Engagement and Partnerships
Office of the Provost
Newman Hall, Rm. 244
718-990-1672
[email protected]

Dr. Nancy Kaplan serves as Vice Provost for Academic Engagement and Partnerships. She began her professional career at St. John’s in 1990, and currently serves as the liaison in the Office of the Provost to the various schools, colleges and other units of the University on matters associated with individual program accreditation, articulation agreements and external academic partnerships. Additionally, Dr. Kaplan oversees the Student Development Program for the University’s Division I Student-Athletes and University Testing Services.  During her early tenure at St. John’s, Dr. Kaplan served in the College of Professional Studies (formerly St. Vincent’s College), the Office of Study Abroad Programs and the Office of Summer Sessions.  More recently, as an Associate Vice President, she supervised a number of areas related to student advisement, retention, university tutorial services and transfer student enrollment and engagement.  

In addition to her administrative responsibilities, Dr. Kaplan has been a member of the Graduate School of Education faculty as an Adjunct Assistant Professor, and she currently serves in that same role for the College of Professional Studies.

Dr. Kaplan earned her B.S. degree from the College of Professional Studies (formerly St. Vincent’s College), her M.B.A. degree from the Tobin College of Business (formerly CBA), and her P.D. and Ed.D. in Educational Administration and Supervision from St. John’s University.  She received a Certificate in Management Development from Cornell University’s School of Industrial and Labor Relations and was a participant in the Harvard University Graduate School of Education’s Management Development Program.

Since 2003, Dr. Kaplan has served as a Peer Reviewer for the United States Department of Education’s Competitive and Discretionary Grant Funded Programs.  She has reviewed hundreds of grants in more than 40 competitions, some of which include:  Title II, Teacher Quality Partnership, State and Recruitment Grants, Title III, Strengthening Institutions, Title V, Promoting Post-Baccalaureate Opportunities for Hispanic Americans, Title V, Developing Hispanic Serving Institutions, TRIO Upward Bound, Upward Bound Math-Science, Upward Bound Veterans, Talent Search, Student Support Services, GEAR UP, FIPSE, First in the World, Grants for the Coalitions to Prevent Alcohol Abuse at Institutions of Higher Education and Prevention of High Risk Drinking and Violent Behavior on College Campuses.

Outside of her responsibilities at St. John’s, Dr. Kaplan utilizes her St. John’s education and her deep value of the Vincentian mission to advocate for social justice as a facilitator for a number of anti-bias organizations including the Anti-Defamation League and the National Consortium for Academics and Sports.  She is a sought after speaker on issues of Diversity and Inclusion, Leadership, Bullying Prevention, Personal Branding and Violence Prevention.  She has worked with professional and collegiate athletes and organizations, all ages and grade levels of children and teachers, corporations, and members of Law Enforcement.

Embedded in the Long Island educational community, Dr. Kaplan serves as a Board of Education Trustee for the Merrick Union Free School District and the Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District.  She is also a member of the Merrick Kiwanis Club and has coached both basketball and baseball in her community.

She is married to Lenny Kaplan, a 1988 graduate of St. John’s, who serves as the Director of Athletics at the New Jersey Institute of Technology.  Together, they have two children, Michael and Joshua.