Melissa Boehm

Dr. Melissa Boehm

Associate Professor, Communication, CLASS

Dr. Melissa Boehm is a dedicated professor who has taught over 20 different communication courses ranging from Introduction to Public Speaking through graduate Comprehensive Exams. To reach students where they are, she offers her courses in an array of modalities such as in-person, online, hybrid, and HyFlex.

Boehm is a beloved professor amongst her students and was awarded the Outstanding Faculty Award twice by ASMSUB. Boehm directs the Master of Science in Public Relations program and advises all graduate students in the department. She has been a mentor to many women graduate students, providing them the guidance and support they need to succeed in their future. One of Boehm’s nominators shares that she is particularly aware of the challenges that women students face, from home and care obligations, first-generation students, etc. “She is a strong mentor for her students, spends an extraordinary amount of time advising, and she ensures students receive the support they need to succeed. She is a role model for her students.”

Boehm co-chairs the MSUB Women’s Faculty Caucus which provides support to faculty who identify as women and meet monthly to discuss issues that impact women faculty. One of her nominators shares that under Boehm’s leadership, the group has grown, and many have noted how much this group has supported them professionally and personally.

In the Billings community, Boehm serves as a board member for the Friends of Yellowstone Public Radio and volunteers her time serving campus and the community in various roles. She has also presented at 12 peer-reviewed conferences and published two single-authored book chapters and two co-authored book chapters. She has served as a peer-reviewer for multiple journals.

Boehm shares that she chose to teach at MSU Billings because she personally knows the life-changing potential of higher education for first-generation students. “I have lived it myself, and I fiercely believe in the work we do here,” she says. Boehm’s commitment to MSUB, her focus on mentoring and supporting women students and faculty, and her community outreach embody the spirit of this award, and she is a well-deserving recipient.