Ursuline Academy is pleased to welcome Blanca Plazas Snyder, Ed.D., to campus as Principal and the academic leader of the school. With more than eight years of experience in Catholic education as both a teacher and administrator, Dr. Plazas Snyder brings a strong commitment to mission-driven leadership, collaboration, and the development of a vibrant school community.
Dr. Plazas Snyder earned a B.A. in Communication Studies from DePaul University, an M.A. in Communication Studies from the University of Miami, and a Doctorate in Administration and Supervision from the University of Houston. Throughout her career in Catholic education, she has focused on creating learning environments where students and educators are encouraged to grow, collaborate, and develop their unique gifts.
At the heart of Dr. Plazas Snyder’s educational philosophy is a quote from Saint Francis de Sales: “Be who you are and be that well.” She sees these words as an invitation to authenticity, fulfillment, and contentment — to embrace the person God created each of us to be, fully live out our individual callings, and recognize the gifts we have been given rather than wishing to be someone else.
“I believe we need to live out the gift that God has given us,” Dr. Plazas Snyder says. This belief will inform her approach to leadership and her work with students, faculty, staff, and families as she helps foster a collaborative community rooted in the mission and values of Ursuline.
Dr. Plazas Snyder has already been impressed by the students she has encountered. She describes her first impression as a reflection of the confidence and poise that characterize the Ursuline student experience.
A native Chicagoan and lifelong Cubs fan, Dr. Plazas Snyder brings a love of the outdoors to her life beyond school. She enjoys hiking, running, and exploring the outdoors with her spouse, their four children, and their Labrador, Indiana Jones. She is also bilingual in Spanish and English.
As she begins her tenure at Ursuline, Dr. Plazas Snyder looks forward to getting to know the students, families, faculty, and staff and to working collaboratively to strengthen the school community and its commitment to academic excellence and mission.
