Dr. Melody Williams

Dr. Melody Shelton Williams earned her Ph.D. in English from Old Dominion University (ODU) in 2014. She also obtained her M.A. in English from ODU in 2009, and her B.A. in English from Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) in 2005. In 2021, at age 37, she completed her second doctorate degree, a Doctor of Ministry, from the Samuel Dewitt Proctor School of Theology at Virginia Union University (VUU).

Dr. Mel has taught collegiately at multiple universities in the Tidewater region of Virginia for the last thirteen years and has also worked as a certified Department of the Army Senior Instructional Developer. In the fall of 2023, she joined the faculty of Hampton University in the English & Foreign Languages Department.

Dr. Mel’s nonprofit, The DREAMS Institute, launched in 2018, and to date has provided spiritual care and professional development resources locally and nationally to underserved students, women of color, and their families. The organization’s programming includes an online bible study forum through Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/DrMelDREAMS [facebook.com]), a virtual site for booking spiritual care and wellness visits (https://app.crikle.com/meet-with/drmeldreams), and a learning platform set for upcoming release.

Her noted works include:

– two qualitative study dissertations: 1) Death on Display: Understanding the Publicized Eulogies of African American Cultural Figures as an Empowering Rhetorical Discourse (2014); 2) Mentorship with a Womanist Mission: A Model for Online Outreach to African American Women in Early Adulthood through the Faith-Based Nonprofit the DREAMS Institute (2021)

– an article feature in PROPEL Women Magazine (Say No To Over-Extending Yourself – Propel Women [propelwomen.org]),

– self-published books Dream and then Dream BIGGER (https://a.co/d/ereL7mg [a.co])

and Practicing Peace (https://a.co/d/e5DyNE1 [a.co])

Additionally, Dr. Mel’s honors include being awarded as a doctoral fellow from 2009-2014 by ODU, receiving the Black History in the Making Award from her alma mater VCU, features in The Virginia Pilot, and serving as the honored keynote or guest speaker for the following organizations: the Batten Legacy Society, the Chesapeake Bay Wine Classic Foundation, U.S. Customs & Border Protection during the Obama administration, Richmond City Public Schools, Access College Foundation, the Association of Educational Office Professionals, The Black Doctoral Network, The African Society Foundation, and Norfolk State University, to name a few.

Heeding the call of her faith, Dr. Mel’s current ministerial endeavors include serving as Pastor of Assimilation at Grace Change Church in Newport News, VA, and completing 400 hours of supervised ministry for credentialing as a chaplain through Riverside Health System and the Association of Clinical Pastoral Education.

Areas of expertise: African American Literature, Preaching Rhetoric of the Black Church, Womanist Discourse, Technical Writing, and Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion

Social Media Links:

Instagram: Melody Williams (@englishmajorsgetlit) • Instagram photos and videos [instagram.com]

Twitter: https://x.com/drdrmelodeee?s=21&t=Kq_MilOn8tumB6XzICLvqg [x.com]