Iliana B. Melendez has been named assistant vice president and dean of students at Coastal Carolina University, according to Yvonne Hernandez Friedman, Ph.D., vice president for student affairs. Melendez brings more than 15 years of student affairs experience to CCU. She begins her duties on Feb. 6 and will oversee the Dean of Students office, student advocacy and intervention, and food and housing insecurity.

“Iliana Melendez brings several years of experience as an associate dean of students and in her previous roles providing oversight of conduct, Title IX, and food and housing insecurity,” said Hernandez Friedman. “She will be instrumental in streamlining our operations in the Dean of Students office. Her leadership as the past president of the Texas Association of College and University Student Personnel Administrators and her experience as interim assistant vice president of student engagement will be an asset as we continue to build our division and align ourselves with best practices in the field. I am very excited to welcome her to campus and to expand our advocacy of students.”

Melendez comes to CCU from the University of Houston-Clear Lake, where she is interim assistant vice president for student engagement and interim director of orientation and new student programs. Since July 2017, she also has served as associate dean of students.

She said CCU’s size and its great potential for growth at all levels are what piqued her interest in the University.

“The pride in CCU and Teal Nation was evident from the staff and students I met, and it excited me about the opportunity of joining the CCU community!” said Melendez. “I look forward to working with wonderful colleagues to continue to build and grow the Dean of Students office and the Division of Student Affairs.

“I am excited to get to know our students better and engage in what it means to be a part of Teal Nation as well as gain a better understanding of their needs. It is important that students feel seen and heard and even more important that they are included in making policy and establishing programs that will help meet their needs. Without their voice and involvement, we only do work for the sake of doing it and that isn’t why any of us are employed here. We are here because students are here and I am excited to engage them in building a student-centered office and division.”

Prior to joining the University of Houston-Clear Lake, Melendez worked at Texas State University from July 2008 to July 2017. Among her positions were student conduct officer and residence hall director.

Melendez’s educational background includes earning a bachelor’s degree in psychology from St. Edward’s University in Texas and a master’s in students affairs and higher education from Texas State, where she is pursuing a Ph.D. in adult, professional, and community education.