Melisa M. Hypolite has diverse experiences working with learners from ages 5 to 65 from a variety of cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds. She began her education career began as a substitute teacher in South Jersey and evolved into Assistant Director of Admissions at a trade school, and later an adjunct college instructor, resulting in expertise in supporting college, career, and life readiness. Driven by a passion for equity in education, Melisa currently serves as Associate Program Director at a Baltimore City non-profit organization which focuses on college & career access. She is also the founder and CEO of an educational non-profit.
Melisa put her expertise into the public domain as author and publisher of “I’m Ready,” a book she and others use to assist first-generation college families achieve their post-secondary goals. Melisa is often a featured presenter at college access events and has provided guidance to high schools, universities, and training facilities throughout the contiguous United States, as well as the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI), Trinidad, and Barbados. Born in Trinidad, Melisa puts her belief and lived experience that education changes lives into action in supporting families in the United States and the Caribbean. Melisa currently serves in a leadership role with the Potomac and Chesapeake Association for College Admission Counseling (PCACAC), was a former PCACAC Counselor of the Year, and is a member of the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC).
Expertise
- FAFSA application processes
- Supporting first-generation college families
- Workshop facilitation
Education
- MBA from University of Maryland University College
- Bachelor of Science in Communication Studies from Morgan State University
