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Melissa Jessup

Department Chair and Associate Professor of Education

I Serve in...

Education Department

Education

• EdD, Special Education, Ball State University
• Educational Administrator's License, Educational Administration, Ball State University
• MA, Special Education: Mild Disabilities, Ball State University
• BA, Elementary Education and Special Education, Idaho State University

Career Accomplishments

• Public school educator for 24 years
• Completed doctorate in December 2019
• Joined Taylor in the fall of 2018 as an assistant professor of education teaching early literacy courses. In 2019 I moved into the role of Director of Special Education. I now serve in that role as well as the chair of the Department of Education.
• In the spring of 2022, I took an exploratory trip to Northern Ireland to visit potential partnership schools.
• In the spring of 2023, I presented at the National Council for Exceptional Children conference with two undergraduate students with five additional students attending the conference.
• Facilitating scholarship and participating in the growth of learners, regardless of their age, will always be my greatest career accomplishment.

Featured Work

Presentations

• Presented at the National Council for Exceptional Children Conference (Louisville, Kentucky): Unified Robotics: A Collaboration Between Disciplines & Community Partners to Empower an Inclusive STEM Experience (2023)
• Presented at the Original Lilly Conference on College Teaching (Miami, Ohio): Working on the Privilege Chain Gang (2022)
• Presented at the Midwest Spring ATE Conference (Normal, Illinois): Discussion of Text Revisited: Updated Support for an Established Practice (2022)
• Presented with colleagues a faculty development session on Student Engagement (2022)
• Presented a session on UDL for New Faculty Orientation (2022)
• Presented with colleagues a faculty development session on Active Learning Strategies to Engage College Students (2022)
• Facilitated a session for Colleague’s College: The Power of Vulnerability (2021)
• Led a session for Colleague’s College: Building Resilience for Students with Disabilities (2021)

Research

• Implementation Grant: Advancing the Science of Reading in Indiana (in process)
• Disability Awareness and the Impact of Inclusive Experiences: Unified Robotics: A Collaboration Between Disciplines & Community Partners to Empower an Inclusive STEM Experience (in process)
• Dissertation: For the Love of Reading: The Impact of Engagement Factors on Reading Proficiency (2019)
• Pilot Study: Transition of Young Children from Preschool to Kindergarten (Fall 2017)

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The opportunity to combine my two greatest passions, my faith and teaching, with students who strive for excellence in all areas of their lives is a privilege and a blessing. Having been both a spouse of a Taylor faculty member and a parent of two Taylor graduates, it is a privilege to be a faculty member at ¾«¶«Ó°Òµ investing in the lives of our students.

I enjoy spending time with my family, reading, traveling, and working in my flower gardens. When I have opportunities to travel with my entire family, it brings me much joy!