Melissa K. Holt
Director of the Kilachand Honors College and Professor of Counseling Psychology
Melissa Holt (she/her) earned her BS in Psychology from Tufts University and her MS and PhD in Counseling Psychology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She completed a clinical psychology internship at the University of Illinois at Chicago Department of Psychiatry and is a licensed Psychologist.
Melissa’s scholarship focuses on bias-based harassment among adolescents, school-based prevention programs, and the experiences of gender diverse youth. Her research emphasizes ways in which contexts and systems can better support youth well-being and amplify their strengths. Melissa’s research has been funded by the National Institutes of Justice. Melissa has published research findings a wide range of academic journals, and also has co-edited one book (Critical Issues in School Mental Health: Evidence-based Research, Practice, and Interventions) and co-authored another book (Bullying and Peer Victimization).
With respect to teaching, Melissa has taught courses ranging from an undergraduate first-year experience course to doctoral-level seminars, and is committed to mentoring students at all levels of their academic careers. She was awarded the Excellence in Graduate Advising Award from BU Wheelock in 2016.