Melissa Vito
Melissa Vito is a recognized higher education leader with over 35 years of experience in public higher education. She served as both Senior Vice President for Enrollment and Student Affairs and Senior Vice Provost for Academic Initiatives and Student Success at the University of Arizona, retiring in July of 2018. She began consulting full time working with several large public institutions in developing a plan for fully online programs and with selected ed tech companies providing thought leadership. Currently, she is serving as the Vice Provost for Academic Innovation at the University of Texas at San Antonio.
A transformational leader, she has earned a reputation as forward-thinking and team focused. Under her leadership, she initiated and developed University of Arizona’s online programs which launched in Spring of 2015 and was recognized by UPCEA in Spring of 2019 for the Innovation in Transformation Award. While at University of Arizona, she also co-founded the Gender Based Violence Center; co-coordinated efforts resulting in University of Arizona’s designation as a Hispanic Serving Institution; envisioned and developed the Think Tank learning center, Arizona’s first comprehensive academic support area for students; and reimagined Career Services, linking a commitment of student engagement for all undergraduates and student leadership into a comprehensive four-year experience for students.
Her consulting at University of Texas at San Antonio to assist in building a plan for developing fully online programs, led to a longer-term commitment to lead the development of this program and to lead the newly established division of Academic Innovation. This work in building the division along with a growing infrastructure for fully online programs made UTSA’s move during the pandemic to remote and online learning relatively seamless. Several of the programs established by Academic Innovation during the pandemic have received national recognition including the Defining Moments interdisciplinary project and the initiation of Faculty Champions and Points of Contact.
She speaks and writes frequently, including contributing a chapter to NASPA’s newly released book Online & Engaged (March 2020). Her areas of expertise include leadership, career development, digital literacy, online education, and campus emergency response, among other areas. Recognized nationally by NASPA as a Pillar of the Profession, she has also received the ACPA national award for Excellence in Practice, the Tucson’s 40 under 40 Mentor of the Year Award, the National Association of Fraternity and Sorority Advisors Kent Gardner Award for Excellence, the Salpointe High School Hall of Fame and has recently joining the Online Learning Consortium Board of Directors.
She earned a bachelor’s in Journalism and English; Masters in Higher Education and Counseling both from University of Arizona and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership from Northern Arizona University.