Dr. Melissa Bledsoe will lead Missouri State University’s Darr College of Agriculture as interim dean beginning July 1, 2023.
She replaces the current interim dean Dr. Ken Brown, who has accepted the chief academic strategy officer position in the provost’s office.
Bledsoe is currently the college’s interim associate dean.
“Dr. Bledsoe is a respected faculty member who exhibits significant strengths across the teaching, research and service spectrum,” Provost John Jasinski said.
“She has been laser-focused on student success and has also contributed to university-wide endeavors. Her service as interim associate dean has added to her portfolio and her desire to lead the College of Agriculture is quite palpable.”
Bledsoe’s résumé
An MSU alumnus, Bledsoe earned a bachelor’s degree in horticulture and master’s degree in plant science from the university in 2002 and 2004, respectively. In 2010, she received a doctorate in plant, insect and microbial sciences from the University of Missouri (MU).
She worked at MU’s division of plant sciences from 2010-2013. She then joined the Darr College of Agriculture as assistant professor and moved up to associate professor in 2019. In January 2023, she took on the interim associate dean role.
The university will conduct a national search for a permanent dean this fall.
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