Directory Profiles
Melissa Young, Ed.D.
Assistant Vice President for Student Success
Student Success, Office of
University Hall 148
Education - Higher Education, Student Success
Education and Certifications
Doctor of Education in Curriculum and Leadership in Higher Education Administration
from Columbus State University
Master of Education and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Chaminade University
of Honolulu
Biography
Dr. Melissa Young is a higher education executive with more than 15 years of experience
leading institutional transformation through strategic planning, student success innovation,
and collaborative leadership. As Assistant Vice President for Student Success at Columbus
State University, she provides executive leadership for academic success coaching,
first-year experience, learning support, tutoring, and student persistence initiatives
that advance retention, academic achievement, and graduation outcomes.
Recognized for translating institutional strategy into measurable action, Dr. Young
has led the redesign of academic advising into a centralized, coaching-based model
aligned with International Coaching Federation (ICF) principles and has spearheaded
initiatives including the RIVR First-Year Experience course sequence, guided pathways
implementation, predictive student success strategies, and grant-funded student support
programs. She partners closely with academic and administrative leaders to align student
success initiatives with institutional priorities, accreditation standards, and system-level
performance goals. Dr. Young's expertise includes enrollment management, student success
transformation, organizational change, institutional effectiveness, learning science,
curriculum innovation, and data-informed decision-making to improve student outcomes.
In addition to her executive leadership, she teaches undergraduate and graduate courses
in psychology, education, and higher education administration. Her scholarship and
professional interests focus on student persistence, mindset, academic coaching, and
holistic approaches to student success.
A frequent presenter at national and regional conferences, Dr. Young is committed
to creating systems that empower students to thrive while equipping higher education
professionals with the strategies, tools, and partnerships needed to foster meaningful
and lasting success.
