Melinda J. Rising

Dr. Melinda J. Rising served in higher education for more than twenty-five years. She was Dean of Continuing Education at Three Rivers Community Technical College and later served as Dean of Instructional Programs and Services at Northwestern Connecticut Community College, from which she was named Dean Emerita when she left. Dr. Rising also served as Special Projects Coordinator for the University of Connecticut Tri-Campus. During that tenure she acted as Interim Director of the UCONN Torrington Campus and was later responsible for Chairing human rights events, including two Human Rights Convocations, a collaboration with the UNESCO Chair’s Office, UCONN Regional Campuses, and the twelve Connecticut Community Colleges. Dr. Rising was also a commissioner with the New England Association of Schools and Colleges for seven years.

A former Latin teacher, Dr. Rising holds a BA in Latin from the University of Connecticut, an MS in Administration, Supervision and Curriculum Development from Central Connecticut State University and a PhD in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis in futuristics from UCONN.

For the past three years Dr. Rising has served on the Leadership Team for AAUW/CT as Liaison to the College/University Partnership and as Women’s Issues Chair. In those capacities she has been involved with activities involving the National Conference for College Women’s Leadership, $tart $mart, a program designed to provide salary negotiation skills to women, and Campaign College, a program providing college females with incentives and skills to run and win in campus, local, state and national political campaigns. The mission of AAUW is advancing equity for women and girls through advocacy, education, philanthropy and research.

Melinda J Rising recently completed a non-fiction book entitled Put the Blame on Eve which was released in December by Larson Publications.

She is the mother of two adult daughters and grandmother to four granddaughters.