Melia Conners

“I joined the Learning Analytics program at UW–Madison because it sits at the intersection of my interests in statistics, programming, and educational psychology. My goal is to better understand how we can use data not just to measure outcomes, but to tell meaningful stories about students’ experiences and advocate for community college students as they navigate higher education.”

DATA-INFORMED INNOVATION IN HIGHER EDUCATION

Melia Conners is a Special Projects Coordinator within the Center for Academic Innovation at Schoolcraft College, a community college in Southeast Michigan. In this role, she supports faculty projects by developing clear and measurable change management processes that help streamline project pilots, guide data-informed decision making, and evaluate overall impact. Prior to her current role, Melia served for nearly two years as an intern supporting the Office of the President at Schoolcraft College, an experience that strengthened her commitment to the community college mission and expanded her understanding of institutional leadership. She also serves as a research assistant within the University of Michigan–Dearborn Department of Education, Health, and Human Services, where her research explores sense of belonging among girls and women of color in STEM classrooms. Melia holds an Associate of Science from Schoolcraft College and a Bachelor of Science in Applied Statistics from the University of Michigan–Dearborn.

LEADING WITH KINDNESS AND COLLABORATION

Melia is passionate about creating educational environments where students feel supported, seen, and empowered to succeed. Her work is grounded in the belief that effective leadership begins with kindness, patience, open-mindedness, and collaboration. She values bringing together diverse perspectives to ensure solutions are equitable, thoughtful, and responsive to the needs of all learners. Combining analytical thinking with a human-centered approach, Melia is especially interested in how storytelling can bridge the gap between numbers and people, helping institutions make more informed, student-centered decisions.

Melia is an Education Data Impact Scholarship recipient.