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Dr. Patrice Moorer

  • Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs , UWF

Biography

Dr. Patrice Moorer is the Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs at the University of West Florida, where she spearheads strategies that drive student success, retention, and graduation. Her decisive leadership led UWF to record-high graduation rates—over 50% for four-year students and 60% for three-year transfer students. These gains are the direct result of the Strategic Graduation Plan she spearheaded—an innovative, data-informed response to Florida’s Performance-Based Funding graduation metrics that transformed how the university supports students from enrollment through completion.

A U.S. Navy veteran and first-generation college graduate, Patrice has built a legacy of firsts, including serving as UWF’s inaugural Director of Student Retention Initiatives and founding the Office of Academic Advocacy and Graduation Success where she leads the adoption of predictive analytics and the expansion of AI-powered student success tools to identify barriers, streamline processes, and provide targeted support that helps students persist to graduation. She also established UWF’s first student advisory board, where she is delighted to see student voices shape key institutional initiatives.

What sets Dr. Moorer apart is her leadership style—marked by collaboration, courage, care, and accountability. As an active leader in higher education, Patrice has served on numerous committees, viewing cross-role teamwork as essential to institutional progress. By intentionally connecting data, technology, and lived experience, she applies evidence to identify student challenges, implements scalable technology solutions, and grounds decisions in real campus experiences. This approach has led to more accessible, student-centered systems that reduce barriers, expand opportunities, and help more students graduate.

Patrice holds a bachelor’s in business from Southern New Hampshire University, a master’s in counseling from Mercer University, and a doctorate in education from the University of West Florida. Her research on identity, resilience, and STEM retention among undergraduates earned UWF’s 2023 Distinguished Dissertation Award. Recognized as a 2024 American Association of State Colleges & Universities Emerging Leader, she is respected for strategic insight, innovative leadership, and dedication to empowering the next generation of leaders.

Outside of work, she enjoys traveling and making memories with her husband of 29 years and their two young adult children.