As the Director for General Education, Melissa is responsible for the oversight and the strategic direction of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign’s general education program. In this role she is responsible for ensuring the general education program purposefully connects to broader campus goals with student success always at the forefront. She works with the campus General Education Board, the General Education Assessment Committee, the Academic Senate, and departmental and college administration to manage the regular review of general education courses. She uses data generated from the learning outcomes assessment and evaluation projects of general education to address gaps in the general education program, propose innovative strategies to address these gaps, and work with offices across campus to implement appropriate strategies.

Prior to joining the Office of the Provost, Melissa had sixteen years of higher education experience in the areas of alumni affairs, academic advising, and undergraduate administration at both the departmental and college levels and has served on a number of campus committees.  Melissa earned a bachelor’s (BS) degree in food science and human nutrition, hospitality management, as well as her master’s (EdM) and doctorate (PhD) degrees in Educational Organization, and Leadership: Higher Education Administration all from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.