Associate professor in the College of Education
University of Mary Washington

Melissa Wells is an associate professor in the College of Education at the University of Mary Washington (UMW). Dr. Wells’ teaching and research interests include literacy, critical theory, arts integration, technology and family engagement. She has co-authored two books focused on equity in education: “Foundations of American Education: A Critical Lens,” and “Re-envisioning Family Engagement and Literacy in Early Childhood Classrooms: ‘Porque así ya conocemos’”. Dr. Wells served as a Faculty Fellow in the UMW Center for Teaching from 2019-2022. Prior to becoming a professor, Dr. Wells taught in public schools in South Carolina for eight years. She earned her Ph.D. in language and literacy from the University of South Carolina.

Nomination packet
What this award means to me video