Melanie Ward has more than a decade of effective teaching and leadership experience at the higher education level. She finds working with adult college students rewarding and loves being a part of their educational journey. She values relationships with her students and the opportunity to positively impact their lives.

Professor Ward earned an Associate of Science degree from Tyler Junior College, a Bachelor of Science degree from The University of Texas at Tyler, and a Master of Education and Reading degree from The University of Texas at Tyler. Currently, she is pursuing a Master of Education in Adult Learning and Training from Colorado State University with an anticipated graduation date of Fall 2023.

Outside of teaching, Melanie enjoys hiking, traveling, and yoga. She is also a music enthusiast who enjoys a wide variety of musical genres. She enjoys hanging out with her six fur-children, three dogs and three cats, all of whom are rescue animals, and her husband. She is passionate about human rights, women’s rights, and educational equity and adamantly believes that education is the greatest gift any human can receive.