Meet 2026 Happening Woman Dr. Samantha Gross

Dr. Samantha Gross serves as the Dean of Social and Behavioral Sciences at Bucks County Community College. She is a distinguished and compassionate leader who has made a profound impact on Bucks County Community College and the broader community. As the Dean of the School of Social and Behavioral Sciences, she is a driving force behind initiatives that directly address student and community needs. A co-founder of the college’s food insecurity program and emergency fund, she has created a vital safety net for students in crisis. Her commitment to helping others is further exemplified by her creation of Bucks Holiday Helpers, a program that provides students in need the opportunity to “shop” for holiday gifts for their families. Beyond her work on campus, she has distinguished herself as a connector of people and resources, partnering with organizations such as the Bucks County Intermediate Unit and the United Way to strengthen projects and initiatives at the College. Through these efforts, she has built a network of support and services that extend beyond the classroom and directly improve the lives of Bucks County residents. Her leadership extends further through her service on the board of directors for the Bucks County Opportunity Council, underscoring her unwavering commitment to community-wide well-being. A longtime Bucks County resident and mother of two, she recently earned her doctoral degree, showcasing her dedication to lifelong learning. Samantha is regarded with deep respect by her peers and is widely admired by her students.

What has inspired you to pursue your current career and/or passions?

From middle school through college, I just really loved my social studies and history classes. In college, I realized that I wanted to be a history professor, and I continued on to graduate school for history where I focused on American history and social and cultural history. I always thought I’d be a professor. Being in a higher ed administration leadership position never entered my mind, but at some point, my department had a need for an interim dean and several colleagues encouraged me to take the job. I couldn’t believe how much I loved it, particularly because of all the ways in which I could help students.

Can you share a defining moment in your career or life that shaped your path?

Balancing work and family during the COVID pandemic was a real struggle. I had a tireless toddler and an active second grader at home. My husband and I were both fortunate enough to retain our full-time jobs but working while trying to keep my son entertained while hopefully teaching him something that he would have learned in preschool and keeping my daughter on task with Zoom school was no joke. My daughter liked to make herself known during all my work Zoom meetings. When I am struggling, I need to remind myself of my blessings. And in this situation, I began to think of our students at Bucks County Community College and what so many of them might be going through, especially those with children at home. This realization helped me to begin to consider the challenges faced by parenting students at the College. As a result, I refined my area of research in my doctoral program at Immaculata University from basic needs insecurity to the needs of parenting community college students. Recently, I was part of a team at the College that wrote a successful grant application to the Pennsylvania Department of Education that will help us provide scholarships and emergency funds to many of our parenting students.

How do you define success?

Success for me is knowing that I have helped someone solve a problem or have made a positive difference for them.

What values guide your personal and professional decisions?

1. We are all human beings, first.
2. What happens outside of the classroom matters inside of the classroom.

What are you most proud of today?

I am so proud to be contributing to the county I was raised in and am raising my kids in by serving as the Dean of Social and Behavioral Sciences at Bucks County Community College. I have had the opportunity to do so many amazing things. I am especially proud of co-founding the college’s basic needs insecurity program during COVID, which is continuing on. On a personal level I am proud to count so many truly amazing people as friends.

What does leadership mean to you and how do you embody it in your work?

For me, leadership means service and making sure the needs of others are taken care of before your own. I think I embody this in my work by helping to maintain the focus on the academic and non-academic needs of our students.