Middlesex Community College is excited to announce Melissa Chandonnet as the new Dean of K-16 Partnerships. Most recently the Interim Dean of Education and K-16 Partnerships at Middlesex, she has over 16 years of experience in higher education. In her new role, she looks forward to strengthening MCC’s current partnerships with K-12 schools, as well as developing new ones.
“We collaborate with a wide range of high schools across Massachusetts, each with a wide range of unique strengths and needs,” Chandonnet said. “Strong K-16 partnerships can increase college enrollment, improve persistence, and better align education with workforce needs. My vision for MCC’s K-16 division is to keep breaking down barriers for students who may not have initially seen themselves as college-bound, and to ensure they gain the skills, confidence and support need to thrive at MCC and in their future goals.”
For the Fall 2025 semester, Chandonnet will work with MCC faculty and staff to support the college’s high school partners. While establishing new and reviewing current articulation agreements with high schools and four-year institutions, she is also leading the efforts to earn accreditation from the National Alliance of Concurrent Enrollment Partnerships (NACEP).
At MCC, high school-aged students can take college-level classes through the dual and concurrent enrollment programs. MCC also partners with high schools statewide to offer early college at no cost to students, including Lowell High School, Nashoba Valley Technical High School, and a new collaboration with Martha’s Vineyard. In Lowell, MCC also supports Pre-Collegiate TRIO and Gear Up programs to prepare students for college.
“These partnerships make it possible for students to see themselves as college students earlier, earn college credit while still in high school, and explore careers before graduation,” Chandonnet said. “We’re committed to strengthening these partnerships to ensure students are provided with an inclusive and meaningful experience.”
Chandonnet earned a bachelor’s degree in retail marketing and management with a concentration in psychology from Johnson and Wales University. In her senior year, she started a work study job in the service-learning office where she developed a project with a local elementary school. After graduating, she served in the AmeriCorps and was placed in MCC’s Multicultural Office coordinating peer mentorship opportunities. The combination of these experiences inspired her passion for working in higher education, as well as with community partners.
“These experiences opened my eyes to how higher education institutions have the responsibility to collaborate with their surrounding communities and provide deeper, hands-on academic and co-curricular experiences for their students,” she said. “When I finished my AmeriCorps year, I knew I wanted to continue working at MCC.”
Starting in MCC’s Multicultural Office and Office of Student Engagement, Chandonnet went on to launch MCC and Northern Essex Community College’s Jumpstart programs. She then returned to school to receive a master’s in higher education administration from Southern New Hampshire University.
Hired as MCC’s Director of Concurrent and Dual Enrollment, Chandonnet helped the college go from 22 concurrent enrollment partners to over 40 in six years. Working at MCC in this area allows her to help students of all backgrounds and life circumstances. She appreciates the ability to meet them where they are and help them as they move forward on their academic, professional and personal paths.
“I am grateful for the opportunity to continue my work at MCC in this new role,” she said. “Community colleges play a critical role in expanding access to higher education. I wanted to work at an institution that not only changes individual lives, but also strengthens the community it serves.”