Michelle Mayo: The road to higher education
Posted: September 20, 2024
Kirksville, Missouri, will always hold a special place in the heart of ATSU Board of Trustees member Michelle Mayo, PhD. A first-generation college student, Dr. Mayo attended Truman State University and earned a bachelor’s degree in political science and a master’s in education. During her time in Kirksville, Dr. Mayo met former ATSU board member Bertha Thomas and Dwayne Smith, PhD, interim president of Southern Connecticut State University.
“I was in Kirksville for eight years. I met some wonderful people who really poured into me and saw more in myself than what I saw in me,” she says. “They really played a pivotal role in where I am today. I’m very grateful to have crossed paths with Bertha and Dwayne. Not only were they my mentors, but even today, they are some of my very closest friends and confidants.”
After completing her undergraduate and graduate degrees, Dr. Mayo stayed in Kirksville an additional two years, which she says inspired her to work in higher education. She then moved to Indiana and received her doctorate in educational policy from Indiana University.
“I once again had people pour into me,” she says. “That’s where I really found my passion for addressing issues of access and equity for underserved communities.”
Dr. Mayo has worked at a variety of universities, including Marquette University in Milwaukee, Harris-Stowe State University in St. Louis, and North Carolina Central University in Durham. She now works for California State University-Monterey Bay as the associate provost for student success and dean of undergraduate studies.
In her current role, Dr. Mayo is responsible for academic support and curating the undergraduate experience. She has also connected the university with the National Institute for Student Success. Dr. Mayo’s extensive experience in higher education led Thomas to recommend her for ATSU’s Board of Trustees back in 2016. Dr. Mayo was hesitant to join at first because of her lack of experience in the medical field, but she’s glad she took the risk.
“I’ve had an opportunity to meet people from various walks of life that under normal circumstances I would not have had the opportunity to meet,” she says. “It’s only made me a better person, and I’ve been able to deal with issues of access and equity, one of my passions for working in higher education.”
In her almost nine years with the board, Dr. Mayo got married and moved twice. When she initially joined the board, she lived in St. Louis and moved to Durham shortly thereafter. She helped ATSU develop pipeline programs with North Carolina Central University by introducing students to the Physician Assistant Studies program and subsequently informing them about ATSU’s other academic offerings. She hopes she can translate what she’s learned about student success at the undergraduate level and apply it to ATSU.
“It’s been rewarding for me to share a piece of what I know with ATSU and see what I have to share be taken seriously and utilized within the University,” she says. “I hope I’ve been able to bring that whole world of student success as the point of focus for a professional school so we can continue to enhance our students’ experiences.”
“ATSU is fortunate to have the skills, knowledge, and talents of a rising academic leader in Dr. Mayo. She makes us a better university by bringing innovative and timely ideas pertaining to academics, student life, and operations.”
– Dr. Craig M. Phelps, ATSU chancellor