Melissa Smith

Dr. Melissa Smith is an Associate Professor for the BA Early Childhood Education and BA Early Childhood Education-Administration programs at the University of Arizona Global Campus. Her career in early childhood education spans a variety of roles, including teacher, administrator, consultant, curriculum publisher, and professor. She holds a Doctor of Education in Early Childhood from Northcentral University, a Master of Science in Early Childhood Education from Northern Illinois University, and a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education with an endorsement in Spanish from Concordia University Chicago. Dr. Smith's experiences teaching and working with children from infancy through 8th grade provide her with a deep understanding of child development across a wide age range. She is on a mission to keep play at the heart of early childhood education by promoting hands-on, engaging learning experiences that support the whole child. Dr. Smith is passionate about preparing future early childhood professionals and equipping them to implement developmentally appropriate pedagogical practices. Dr. Smith resides with her family in Chicago, Illinois.