Dr. Melanie Michael Named Maida Badcock Pou Endowed Chair in Graduate Nursing
Sep 17, 2026
Florida Southern College is proud to announce that Dr. Melanie Michael, Senior Director of Graduate Programs, Director of the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Program and Associate Professor in the Ann Blanton Edwards School of Nursing and Health Sciences has been named the Maida Badcock Pou Endowed Chair in Graduate Nursing.
In these roles, Dr. Michael provides leadership for graduate nursing education, including program development, curriculum, academic quality, accreditation, and student and faculty support, while continuing to teach and mentor graduate nursing students.
With more than four decades of experience in nursing, Dr. Michael has built a career spanning clinical practice, public and community health, healthcare administration, advanced practice nursing, quality improvement and higher education. Before entering full-time academia, she spent many years with the Florida Department of Health, ultimately serving as Director of Clinical and Community Health Services and Project Director for the Federally Qualified Health Center in Sarasota County. She also practiced as a family nurse practitioner for approximately two decades.
“Receiving the Maida Badcock Pou Endowed Chair in Graduate Nursing is both a tremendous honor and a meaningful responsibility,” Michael said. “I view an endowed chair not simply as recognition of an individual's past work, but as an investment in the work that remains to be done with our students, our faculty, our graduate nursing programs, and ultimately in the patients, communities, and healthcare organizations our graduates will serve.”
Dr. Michael began her full-time academic career at the University of South Florida College of Nursing in 2012, where she held several leadership positions, including DNP Program Director, Assistant Dean for the DNP and graduate nurse practitioner programs, and Vice Dean for Academic Programs. She joined Florida Southern in 2018 and has played an important role in the continued development and growth of the College’s graduate nursing programs.
Her academic and professional background includes a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Southeast Missouri State University, a Master of Science in Nursing as a family nurse practitioner from the University of South Florida, and a Doctor of Nursing Practice from the University of Florida. She also completed a Graduate Certificate in Nursing Education from USF. A certified family nurse practitioner and certified professional in healthcare quality, Dr. Michael has been recognized as a Distinguished Practitioner and Fellow of the National Academies of Practice.
Throughout her career, Dr. Michael has focused on nursing leadership, healthcare quality, evidence-based practice and graduate nursing education. Her scholarly work and grant-funded initiatives have addressed DNP education, quality improvement, curriculum design, academic-practice partnerships, population health, healthcare access and nursing workforce development. Her professional recognitions include the USF College of Nursing DNP Project Mentor Award and Mentoring in Teaching Award, as well as Florida Southern’s 2026 Ruthven Outstanding Leadership Award.
Much of Dr. Michael’s work centers on preparing nurses to translate evidence into meaningful improvements in healthcare. Through her work with DNP students, she encourages them to consider not only what the evidence says, but also how improvements can be implemented, evaluated and sustained within complex healthcare environments.
“Dr. Melanie Michael’s appointment to this endowed professorship is a wonderful recognition of her exceptional contributions as an educator, mentor, and faculty leader,” said Dr. Tracey Tedder, Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost. “Her appointment to this endowed chair is a meaningful recognition of the expertise, leadership, and lasting impact she brings to Florida Southern College. We are proud to celebrate this well-deserved honor and are grateful for all that Dr. Michael contributes to our Ann Blanton Edwards School of Nursing and Sciences program, our students, college, and the profession.”
For Dr. Michael, being named the endowed chair represents both a reflection of her career and an opportunity to continue its impact. As the Ann Blanton Edwards School of Nursing and Health Sciences continues to grow, she hopes to use the distinction to strengthen graduate nursing education, support faculty and students, and prepare nurses who can lead meaningful, sustainable improvements in healthcare.
“Ultimately, the impact I hope to have beyond Florida Southern is multiplied through our graduates and the improvements they create throughout healthcare,” Dr. Michael said.
In these roles, Dr. Michael provides leadership for graduate nursing education, including program development, curriculum, academic quality, accreditation, and student and faculty support, while continuing to teach and mentor graduate nursing students.
With more than four decades of experience in nursing, Dr. Michael has built a career spanning clinical practice, public and community health, healthcare administration, advanced practice nursing, quality improvement and higher education. Before entering full-time academia, she spent many years with the Florida Department of Health, ultimately serving as Director of Clinical and Community Health Services and Project Director for the Federally Qualified Health Center in Sarasota County. She also practiced as a family nurse practitioner for approximately two decades.
“Receiving the Maida Badcock Pou Endowed Chair in Graduate Nursing is both a tremendous honor and a meaningful responsibility,” Michael said. “I view an endowed chair not simply as recognition of an individual's past work, but as an investment in the work that remains to be done with our students, our faculty, our graduate nursing programs, and ultimately in the patients, communities, and healthcare organizations our graduates will serve.”
Dr. Michael began her full-time academic career at the University of South Florida College of Nursing in 2012, where she held several leadership positions, including DNP Program Director, Assistant Dean for the DNP and graduate nurse practitioner programs, and Vice Dean for Academic Programs. She joined Florida Southern in 2018 and has played an important role in the continued development and growth of the College’s graduate nursing programs.
Her academic and professional background includes a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Southeast Missouri State University, a Master of Science in Nursing as a family nurse practitioner from the University of South Florida, and a Doctor of Nursing Practice from the University of Florida. She also completed a Graduate Certificate in Nursing Education from USF. A certified family nurse practitioner and certified professional in healthcare quality, Dr. Michael has been recognized as a Distinguished Practitioner and Fellow of the National Academies of Practice.
Throughout her career, Dr. Michael has focused on nursing leadership, healthcare quality, evidence-based practice and graduate nursing education. Her scholarly work and grant-funded initiatives have addressed DNP education, quality improvement, curriculum design, academic-practice partnerships, population health, healthcare access and nursing workforce development. Her professional recognitions include the USF College of Nursing DNP Project Mentor Award and Mentoring in Teaching Award, as well as Florida Southern’s 2026 Ruthven Outstanding Leadership Award.
Much of Dr. Michael’s work centers on preparing nurses to translate evidence into meaningful improvements in healthcare. Through her work with DNP students, she encourages them to consider not only what the evidence says, but also how improvements can be implemented, evaluated and sustained within complex healthcare environments.
“Dr. Melanie Michael’s appointment to this endowed professorship is a wonderful recognition of her exceptional contributions as an educator, mentor, and faculty leader,” said Dr. Tracey Tedder, Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost. “Her appointment to this endowed chair is a meaningful recognition of the expertise, leadership, and lasting impact she brings to Florida Southern College. We are proud to celebrate this well-deserved honor and are grateful for all that Dr. Michael contributes to our Ann Blanton Edwards School of Nursing and Sciences program, our students, college, and the profession.”
For Dr. Michael, being named the endowed chair represents both a reflection of her career and an opportunity to continue its impact. As the Ann Blanton Edwards School of Nursing and Health Sciences continues to grow, she hopes to use the distinction to strengthen graduate nursing education, support faculty and students, and prepare nurses who can lead meaningful, sustainable improvements in healthcare.
“Ultimately, the impact I hope to have beyond Florida Southern is multiplied through our graduates and the improvements they create throughout healthcare,” Dr. Michael said.