Dr. Michelle Van-Ess Grant serves as the Senior Associate Dean of Students for the Centers for Student Equity, Empowerment, and Belonging (The Centers) at Cornell University. In this role, she provides strategic leadership for a dynamic team that cultivates co-curricular, identity-based programs, resources, and community spaces. The Centers include the Asian and Asian American Center, LGBT Resource Center, Gender Equity Resource Center, Black Student Empowerment, First-Generation & Low-Income Student Support, Latinx Student Empowerment, the Office of Spirituality and Meaning-Making, and Undocumented & DACA Student Support. Michelle also serves as the co-chair for the student Bias Assessment and Review Team (BART).

Michelle holds a B.A. in Communication with a concentration in Broadcasting from Fairleigh Dickinson University(Teaneck Campus) and an M.A. in Higher Education and Student Affairs with a concentration in Counseling from New York University. She recently earned her Doctorate in Education from Northeastern University, where her dissertation, Beyond Performative Inclusion: Cultivating Belonging and Equity for Black Employees in Predominantly White Institutions, explores the lived experiences of Black professionals in higher education.
With more than 15 years of experience in student affairs, Michelle has held a variety of roles in student activities, conduct, orientation, and student outreach. As a first-generation college graduate and the daughter of Ghanaian immigrants, she brings a deeply personal and culturally grounded perspective to her leadership and equity work.

Beyond her professional contributions, Michelle is a proud member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated, and a charter member of the Omega Mu Zeta Graduate Chapter. She finds joy in spending time with her sorority sisters, exploring new adventures with her two sons, discovering diverse culinary experiences with her family, and enjoying the magic of movies. Her dedication to equity, belonging, and student empowerment continues to enrich the Cornell community and the broader field of higher education.