Delaware Tech appoints Melissa Rakes assistant vice president

Delaware Technical Community College announced that, following a comprehensive screening process, Dr. Melissa Rakes has been appointed to the position of associate vice president for academic affairs.

Rakes joined the college in 2002, and most recently served in an acting capacity for this position since June 2017. Prior to that she was the dean of student affairs at the Jack F. Owens Campus, a senior financial aid specialist and an academic counselor.

She also has taught developmental and English courses for the college as an adjunct faculty member.

Rakes has played a leadership role on many college committees including serving on the core team for Achieving the Dream, on the steering committee for the Blue Print Task Force and as co-chair of the colleg-wide Financial Aid Task Force, the Clery Compliance Committee, the Collegewide Advising Committee and the Student Success Council.

Rakes has a doctor of education in educational leadership and a master of education in educational leadership from the University of Delaware, and a bachelor of arts in organizational communication from Montana State University. She also earned certificates in Advanced Educational Technology and Introductory Educational Technology from Delaware Tech.

She received Delaware Tech’s Excellence in Student Success Award in 2011 and 2015, and was awarded the National Academic Advising Association Excellence in Advising Administration for Region 2 in 2015. She also completed the college’s Leadership Development Program in 2008.