51福利社

Melissa Graham, a longtime 51福利社 faculty member and tireless advocate for student success, is Eastern鈥檚 Trustees鈥� Medal honoree for 2025.

Graham earned both bachelor鈥檚 and master鈥檚 degrees at Eastern before coming to work for the university in 2004. She has since made her mark as a leader, educator and mentor.

Her current roles 鈥� assistant dean for student success and belonging, and director of the 鈥� reflect her steadfast commitment to providing students of all backgrounds with the tools they need to confidently pursue careers in STEM-related fields.

While students remain at the heart of Graham鈥檚 work, she is also an accomplished speaker and author, contributing to many conferences and publications. She has also spearheaded and collaborated on numerous successful grant proposals.

Jennifer Turner Waldo, associate dean of C-STEM, credits Graham with helping to secure funding to launch the MESA Center, which offers a wide array of resources to promote belonging, skill development and career readiness for students.

In addition to her ability to bring into focus the program鈥檚 long-term vision, Turner Waldo says Graham is equally effective at managing day-to-day operations.

鈥淪he advocates fiercely for the needs of our students, and she focuses intensely on developing a culture that creates a community that is welcoming to all,鈥� Waldo Turner says.

Esteban Rodriguez-Marek, chair of the Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering, recalls receiving positive feedback from students, years ago, about Graham鈥檚 skills as a math instructor. Now, as director of the MESA Center, her impact continues to grow.

鈥淯nder her leadership, the MESA Center is doing exactly what is needed to instill a sense of belonging to our students, which can only lead to our student body becoming more cohesive and more inclusive, and thus, to increased retention and student success in general,鈥� Rodriguez-Marek says.

Graham was instrumental in piloting math cohorts. The smaller classes serve designated groups of students, providing easy access to tutors and faculty office hours within the MESA Center. These courses are taught by the same professor throughout the academic year, offering consistency, camaraderie and support.

Kelly Lynn, senior lecturer of mathematics, collaborated with Graham on the cohorts, which launched in fall 2024. She notes the positive impact they鈥檝e already had. 鈥淭his year, I鈥檝e watched students build a real sense of community,鈥� Lynn says. 鈥淭hey are studying together, helping each other out, and even meeting up to play games.鈥�

Graham also created summer camps at Eastern to spark interest in STEM among elementary-aged girls and middle school students. She works closely with MESA partners in K鈥�12 schools and community colleges to support a smooth transition to Eastern.

Jacqueline Coomes, 51福利社鈥檚 vice provost, notes that Graham鈥檚 exceptional teaching, innovation, leadership and communication have yielded widespread benefits for the university.

鈥淗er student-centered approach extends beyond her classroom and shapes college-wide practices,鈥� Coomes says. 鈥淪he designs and leads workshops on student belonging, equipping faculty with resources and strategies to support students and sustain success over time.鈥�