Dr. Melissa Odegard has been named dean of the College of Education, Health, and Human Studies at Southeast Missouri State University following a nationwide search.
“Dr. Odegard is an accomplished professional in her area of expertise, a skilled administrator, and a champion of SEMO students,” said Interim Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Doug Koch. “Her leadership will accelerate innovation, expand opportunities in high-demand fields, and most importantly, drive stronger outcomes for our students.”
Odegard has served as interim dean since the retirement of Dr. Joe Pujol last summer. She has a Ph.D. in counselor education and counseling from Idaho State University, a Master of Science in counseling and community psychology from St. Cloud State University, and a Bachelor of Arts in youth ministry from Bethel University.
She began her career in agency-based counseling and private practice. She was named chair of SEMO’s Department of Psychology and Counseling in 2018. She served as interim dean for the College of Humanities and Social Sciences in 2020 as well as interim vice provost and dean of Graduate Studies, both at SEMO.
“I’m honored to officially step into this role and continue working alongside dedicated faculty and staff to ensure our students are well-prepared to excel in a variety of professional fields from nursing to teaching to allied health,” said Odegard. “Our students inspire everything we do, and I’m eager to build on our momentum to strengthen programs and pathways, so our students have every opportunity to succeed.”
Odegard will assume the role effective June 1.